Dr. J. Stephen Yuille joins Will Spencer for a conversation on one of the most misunderstood traditions in Christian history: the Puritans.

Often caricatured as cold moralists, the Puritans were in fact pastors of the heart — “physicians of the soul” who endured suffering, cultivated the affections, and pursued holiness with seriousness that still challenges believers today.

In this episode we explore Puritan spirituality, the role of suffering in spiritual formation, mentorship across generations, and the importance of devotional reading from past centuries. We also discuss why many modern Christians instinctively sense something missing in contemporary faith and how the Puritan tradition offers a deeper inheritance.

If you are seeking a faith that is thoughtful, lived, and capable of bearing the weight of suffering, this conversation offers a rich introduction to Puritan theology and spirituality.

Mentorship and clarity for men: https://willspencer.co/mentorship

Topics Discussed

The Puritans and the life of the affections
Pastors as “physicians of the soul”
Suffering and spiritual formation
Mentorship across generations
Devotional reading and learning from “dead men”

GUEST LINKS

Reformation Heritage Books — https://www.rhb.org

The Heart Taken Up - BUY HERE

Holy Meditation by Thomas Manton - BUY HERE

RESOURCES MENTIONED

George Swinnock — The Blessed and Boundless God

Puritan Treasures for Today Bundle

The Will Spencer Podcast was formerly known as "The Renaissance of Men."

EXITING THE NEW AGE COURSE

I spent twenty years in the New Age. This is what I learned on the way out.

13 chapters, study guide, practices inventory, 30+ book bibliography.

A new section on Christian apologetics to the New Age is in production. Buy now at $29 and get the upgrade free when the price goes to $49.

https://willspencer.co/exit

MENTORSHIP FOR MEN

I mentor men one-on-one through 12 weeks of biblical mentorship, with daily accountability.

If you've built something real but you're stuck at a transition that competence alone can't solve, book a free clarity call:

https://willspencer.co/mentorship

Topics Discussed

GUEST LINKS

RESOURCES MENTIONED

EXITING THE NEW AGE COURSE

MENTORSHIP FOR MEN

CONNECT

SPONSORS

The Puritans: Physicians of the Soul — J. Stephen Yuille