Podcast
Mere Fidelity
Hosted by Mere Fidelity · EN
From the Mere Orthodoxy Podcast Network: The Podcast reflecting on God's Word and our world. Thoughtful weekly conversations about theology, the culture, and the church, hosted by Derek Rishmawy and Alastair Roberts. Featuring Andrew Wilson, Brad East, James Wood, and Joseph Minich.
43episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
What 'Headship' Really Means with Dr. Lyndon Jost
Mar 1801:04:59Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailDerek Rishmawy, James Wood, and Alastair Roberts welcome Dr. Lyndon Jost, author of Transfiguring Headship: A Figural Theology of Gender. Jost argues that headship is rooted in Old Testament figural theology rather than Greco-Roman culture, that it fundamentally means representation rather than authority, and that this reframes debates between complementarians and egalitarians alike. — Get your copy of our free ebook, Spiritual Formation for the Family, at http://mereorthodoxy.com/family. Mere Fidelity is a podcast from Mere Orthodoxy and is listener-supported. If you would like to support this work, become a Mere Orthodoxy Member today at http://mereorthodoxy.com/membership. Get 30% of the Baker Book of the Month, Keeping Kids Christian: Recovering A Biblical Vision For Lifelong Discipleship, by going to: http://bakerbookhouse.com/pages/mere-fidelity Apply for Beeson Divinity School's Ph.D program by April 1 for Fall 2026 admission here: https://bit.ly/BeesonPhD — Chapters 01:15 - Overview of Transfiguring Headship 03:06 - Headship as Representation, Not Authority 06:09 - Critiquing Complementarian and Egalitarian Readings 10:32 - Figural Theology and the Fourfold Senses of Scripture 17:05 - Against Greco-Roman Readings of Headship 20:13 - 1 Corinthians 11:3 and Trinitarian Headship 25:35 - Ivan Illich, Gender vs. Sex, and Vernacular Gender 32:48 - Headship, Marriage, and the One-Flesh Union 43:23 - Essentialism, Gender Realism, and Minimalist Claims 50:36 - Headship as Unity, Not Opposition 55:59 - Male Responsibility and the Final Account 58:28 - Headship, Creation Order, and External Representation 01:02:14 - Closing Remarks
Transcribe →Delighting In The Ten Commandments
Mar 1100:53:09Tap to summarizeSend us Fan Mail Derek Rishmawy and Alastair Roberts explore the Ten Commandments — their structure, their two tables, the bookending parallel between the first and tenth commandments, and how the law is always oriented toward delight rather than mere prohibition. The law shapes the Christian life, testifies to Christ, and reflects the character of God. — Get the free ebook, Spiritual Formation for the Family, at http://mereorthodoxy.com/family. Mere Fidelity is a podcast from Mere Orthodoxy and is listener-supported. If you would like to support this work, become a Mere Orthodoxy Member today at http://mereorthodoxy.com/membership. Get 30% of the Baker Book of the Month, Keeping Kids Christian: Recovering A Biblical Vision For Lifelong Discipleship, by going to: http://bakerbookhouse.com/pages/mere-fidelity Apply for fall 2026 admission to Beeson Divinity School's MDiv (or M.Div., your choice) and be considered for a full-tuition scholarship.: https://bit.ly/OurRisenLord — Chapters 00:00 Exploring the Ten Commandments 04:48 The Structure and Order of the Commandments 08:35 The Heart of the Commandments: Internal Motivation 12:38 Positive and Negative Aspects of the Law 18:08 The Law as a Source of Delight 23:03 The Law in the Context of Freedom 29:51 Navigating Ethical Dilemmas in Ministry 32:10 Understanding the Nature of God's Law 36:07 The Role of the Ten Commandments 40:20 The Law as a Reflection of Christ 44:45 The Law and Holiness in Christian Life 46:50 Delighting in the Law of God
Transcribe →The Spirituality of Aliens
Mar 401:02:17Tap to summarizeDerek Rishmawy, Alastair Roberts, and Brad East consider what Christian theology actually has to say about aliens — from the populated Christian cosmos to the angelic fall, demonic deception, and the Christological anthropocentrism that runs through Lewis, Edwards, and Aquinas. Are UFO encounters spiritual phenomena in disguise? And does any of this unsettle orthodox faith? — Get the ebook, Spiritual Formation for the Family, by going to http://mereorthodoxy.com/family. Mere Fidelity is a podcast from Mere Orthodoxy and is listener-supported. If you would like to support this work, become a Mere Orthodoxy Member today at http://mereorthodoxy.com/membership. Get 30% of the Baker Book of the Month, R30 Key Moments in the History of Christianity: Inspiring True Stories from the Early Church Around the World, by going to: http://bakerbookhouse.com/pages/mere-fidelity Apply for Beeson Divinity School's Ph.D program by April 1 for Fall 2026 admission here: https://bit.ly/BeesonPhD — Chapters 00:00 Aliens Are In The Air 06:38 What Counts As Alien? 12:22 The Nature of Alien Phenomena 19:08 Close Encounters of the Heavenly Kind 25:40 Lewis vs. L'Engle 32:52 Testimony 39:37 The Uniqueness of the Incarnation 45:30 Angels, Humanity, and Salvation 50:48 Christological Considerations 53:07 Be Fruitful and Explore Space!
Transcribe →Resisting Doomerism and Cultivating Hope
Feb 2500:56:52Tap to summarizediv]:bg-bg-000/50 [&_pre>div]:border-0.5 [&_pre>div]:border-border-400 [&_.ignore-pre-bg>div]:bg-transparent [&_.standard-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pl-2 [&_.standard-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,ul,ol,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pr-8 [&_.progressive-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pl-2 [&_.progressive-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,ul,ol,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pr-8"> _*]:min-w-0 gap-3 standard-markdown"> Derek Rishmawy and Alastair Roberts take up the problem of Christian doomerism in an age of AI development, geopolitical instability, and algorithmic anxiety — diagnosing why our moment feels uniquely threatening, then building a theology and practice of realistic hope from the Sermon on the Mount, the Psalms, eschatology, and the concrete habits (prayer, scripture, crocheting) that keep despair at bay. — Get your copy of Mere Orthodoxy's ebook, Spiritual Formation for the Family, by going to http://mereorthodoxy.com/family Mere Fidelity is a podcast from Mere Orthodoxy and is listener-supported. If you would like to support this work, become a Mere Orthodoxy Member today at http://mereorthodoxy.com/membership Get 30% of the Baker Book of the Month, R30 Key Moments in the History of Christianity: Inspiring True Stories from the Early Church Around the World, by going to: http://bakerbookhouse.com/pages/mere-fidelity Apply for fall 2026 admission to Beeson Divinity School's MDiv (or M.Div., your choice) and be considered for a full-tuition scholarship: https://bit.ly/beesonscholarships — Chapters 00:00 – The Problem of Living in Interesting Times 05:05 – I Call All Times Interesting 11:52 – Agency 17:34 – Hope at Rock Bottom 28:03 – The Benefits of Apocalypse 32:39 – Eschatology 36:13 – Practically Constructing Hope 42:03 – Investing in Future Generations 49:06 – Back to Basics
Transcribe →Replay: Put Social Media In Its Place with Andy Crouch
Feb 1800:50:33Tap to summarizeIn this Replay episode, Matthew Lee Anderson, Derek Rishmawy, and Alistair Roberts are joined by Andy Crouch — Partner for Theology and Culture at Praxis — to examine what the data on social media and video games reveals about the diverging formation of young men and women. The conversation turns on a pointed question: what happens when the skills adolescence develops are simulations rather than realities? And what does that mean for formative communities — home, school, and church — that bear responsibility for shaping persons, not just managing behaviors? - Mere Fidelity is a podcast from Mere Orthodoxy and is listener-supported. If you would like to support this work, become a Mere Orthodoxy Member today at http://mereorthodoxy.com/membership. Get 30% of the Baker Book of the Month, R30 Key Moments in the History of Christianity: Inspiring True Stories from the Early Church Around the World, by going to: http://bakerbookhouse.com/pages/mere-fidelity Apply for a full-tuition scholarship for Beeson Divinity School's M.Div program that begins Fall 2026 here: https://bit.ly/beesonscholarships - Chapters 2:00 — Guest Introduction: Andy Crouch 3:00 — The Tweet: Social Media, Video Games, and Diverging Outcomes 5:30 — Why We Now Have Reliable Data 7:00 — Social Media's Harm to Girls 8:30 — Why Boys Seem Fine (At First) 11:00 — The Idolatry Framework: Things That Work at First 17:00 — Pornography as Formation Failure 19:00 — The Feminization of Internet Culture 25:00 — The Algorithmic Turn: From Chronological to Algorithmic Feeds 31:00 — The Algorithm Catches You at Your Worst 33:00 — Mobile Devices and the End of Distance 36:00 — Practical Applications: Give Resistors an Off-Ramp 40:00 — Banning Phones in Schools: A Framework 44:00 — "But They Need to Prepare for the Real World" 46:00 — Instruments vs. Devices: A Distinction 48:00 — Closing & Patron Teaser
Transcribe →The Great Evangelical Hand-Off (That Never Happened) with Jake Meador
Feb 1100:57:12Tap to summarizeDerek Rishmawy and Alastair Roberts host Jake Meador for a wide-ranging conversation on why evangelical institutions struggle with leadership transitions and long-term succession. They explore how evangelicalism's emphasis on discontinuity, charismatic personality-driven leadership, and brand-over-institution thinking undermines durability. The discussion touches on the boomer generational bottleneck, the producer-consumer framework shaped by technology, and what healthier models—like RTS or long-tenured churches—might teach us about building things that outlast their founders. — Mere Fidelity is a podcast from Mere Orthodoxy and is listener-supported. If you would like to support this work, become a Mere Orthodoxy Member today at http://mereorthodoxy.com/membership. Get 30% of the Baker Book of the Month, R30 Key Moments in the History of Christianity: Inspiring True Stories from the Early Church Around the World, by going to: http://bakerbookhouse.com/pages/mere-fidelity Apply for a full-tuition scholarship for Beeson Divinity School's M.Div program that begins Fall 2026 here: https://bit.ly/beesonscholarships — Chapters 00:00 – Introduction & Framing the Problem 02:48 – Evangelicalism's Built-In Bias Toward Discontinuity 06:34 – Charisma, Personality, and the Exoskeleton Problem 08:46 – Brands vs. Institutions 11:22 – RTS as a Positive Case Study 15:24 – Market Forces and Media Adaptability 17:33 – Long-Tenured Churches and the Mold vs. Platform Distinction 24:18 – The Boomer Generational Cliff 30:16 – Carson, Piper, Keller, and Golden Age Expectations 39:23 – Evangelical Anxiety About Institutional Betrayal 43:31 – Technology, Formation, and the Performing Self 51:26 – Birth Rates, Legacy, and Thinking About Succession
Transcribe →Spiritual Formation: A Close Examination
Feb 401:14:40Tap to summarizeDerek Rishmawy, Alastair Roberts, Brad East, and James Wood trace the evangelical spiritual formation movement from Richard Foster through Dallas Willard to John Mark Comer. They explore why disciplines resonate today amid technological distraction and desire for embodied faith, while navigating tensions between individual and communal formation, liturgy's role, and concerns about practices becoming self-optimization divorced from gospel foundations. — Mere Fidelity is a podcast from Mere Orthodoxy and is listener-supported. If you would like to support this work, become a Mere Orthodoxy Member today at http://mereorthodoxy.com/membership. Get 30% of the Baker Book of the Month, 30 Key Moments in the History of Christianity: Inspiring True Stories from the Early Church Around the World, by going to Apply for a full-tuition scholarship for Beeson Divinity School's M.Div program that begins Fall 2026 here: https://bit.ly/beesonscholarships — Chapters 00:00 – Introduction 01:06 – Tracing the Spiritual Formation Movement 08:35 – Why Spiritual Disciplines Resonate Today 19:45 – Technology, Attention, and the Appeal of Forms 25:00 – Critiques: Self-Optimization and Theological Drift 33:12 – The Role of Set Prayers and Liturgy 44:50 – Inhabiting Forms vs. Formalism 53:00 – Suffering as Spiritual Formation 58:47 – The Danger of Christian Elitism 01:12:54 – The Parable of the Three Bricklayers
Transcribe →A Generous Ecclesiology with Myles Werntz
Jan 2800:54:14Tap to summarizeHosts Derek Rishmawy and Brad East are joined by Myles Werntz to discuss his Christianity Today Award of Merit-winning book, Contesting the Body of Christ: Ecclesiology's Revolutionary Century. Rather than systematic argument, Werntz uses narrative case studies examining how diverse Christian communities—from African Pentecostals to Korean Presbyterians—have embodied and contested the classical marks of the church. His starting premise: assume the Holy Spirit is at work in churches confessing Christ, then investigate what's happening. The conversation tackles tough questions about theological boundaries, ecumenical charity, and faithful disagreement when salvation is at stake. — Mere Fidelity is a podcast from Mere Orthodoxy and is listener-supported. If you would like to support this work, become a Mere Orthodoxy Member today at http://mereorthodoxy.com/membership. Get 40% of the Baker Book of the Month, Reading The Psalms As Scripture by James Hamilton and Matthew Damico, by using the promo code MEREFIDELITY at checkout. Get the book here: https://bakerpublishinggroup.com/products/9781683597766_reading-the-psalms-as-scripture — Key Topics Why the 20th century was revolutionary for the church (Vatican II, Pentecostalism, decolonization, ecumenical movement) Contestation as intrinsic to ecclesial life, not a bug but a feature Theological guardrails: the Nicene Creed, Scripture, faith-hope-love Limit cases: when does disagreement become denial of God's work? How to argue faithfully in a non-Roman Catholic ecclesiology Guest Myles Werntz, Professor of Theology at Abilene Christian University A podcast from Mere Orthodoxy
Transcribe →Paul and the Resurrection of Israel with Dr. Jason Staples
Jan 2101:16:56Tap to summarizeDerek Rishmawy, Alastair Roberts and Brad East talk with Dr. Jason Staples about his book 'Paul and the Resurrection of Israel.' The discussion explores the themes of restoration eschatology, the role of Gentiles in Paul's theology, and the nature of Israel's restoration. Staples argues that Paul's understanding of Israel is broader than just ethnic Jews, emphasizing the inclusion of Gentiles in the restoration narrative. The conversation also touches on the concept of infectious holiness and the church's role as the assembly of Israel, highlighting the theological implications of these ideas for contemporary Christianity. — Mere Fidelity is a podcast from Mere Orthodoxy and is listener-supported. If you would like to support this work, become a Mere Orthodoxy Member today at http://mereorthodoxy.com/membership Get 40% of the Baker Book of the Month, Reading The Psalms As Scripture by James Hamilton and Matthew Damico, by using the promo code MEREFIDELITY at checkout. Get the book here: https://bakerpublishinggroup.com/products/9781683597766_reading-the-psalms-as-scripture — 00:00 Introduction to the Conversation 01:30 Not All Israelites Are Jews 09:47 Restoration Eschatology Explained 18:00 They're ALL Coming Back 26:08 Infectious Holiness 30:28 Reassimilation of the Other Tribes 40:15 Symphonic Gospels 47:27 The Transformation of Jews and Gentiles 01:02:51 Cut Off and Grafted In 01:09:13 Nations Qua Nations
Transcribe →The World Is The Wrong Shape For Women with Leah Sargeant
Dec 301:13:16Tap to summarizeDerek, Brad, and Alastair talk with Leah Sargeant about her book The Dignity of Dependence. They discuss why the world is built for male bodies, how pregnancy exposes universal human dependence, whether artificial wombs would help anyone, what's wrong with workplace dynamics, and why autonomy is a dangerous cultural idol. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to The Dignity of Dependence 01:07 Unpacking the Feminist Manifesto 03:15 The Intersection of Feminism and Dependence 06:24 Christian Perspectives on Feminism 08:06 Navigating Interchangeability in Society 12:37 Accommodating Differences in a Standardized World 17:40 The Role of Dependence in Human Experience 21:54 The Asymmetry of Dependence and Fertility 29:54 The Power of Asking for Help 31:10 Marketization of Relationships 32:24 The Impact of Endless Choices 33:54 Debt and Relationships 36:25 Navigating Dependence and Dependability 38:16 The Dignity of Dependence 39:47 The Intersection of Dependence and Dignity 43:28 Gender Dynamics in Dependence 46:23 Skepticism Towards Artificial Wombs 50:44 Technical Challenges in Podcasting 51:56 The Ethics of Artificial Wombs 53:28 The Experience of Motherhood 55:54 Navigating Technological Consequentialism 57:33 The Role of Suffering in Life 59:00 Gender Dynamics in Professional Environments 01:00:29 Historical Context of Gender Roles 01:03:00 The Nature of Workplace Relationships 01:05:47 HR Dynamics and Workplace Culture 01:08:05 The Intersection of Gender and Professionalism 01:16:48 Concluding Thoughts on Dependence and Gender
Transcribe →