- 30 minutes 18 secondsAn Introduction to the Augsburg Confession
Learn the history, context, and significance of the Augsburg Confession, and discover why this foundational document became a defining statement of the Lutheran Reformation.
Subscribe to 25 Minutes in the Lutheran Confessions on Apple Podcasts
Subscribe to 25 Minutes in the Lutheran Confessions on Spotify
Follow 1517:
More from 1517:
New Books from 1517 Publishing:
More from the hosts:
9 October 2026, 5:19 pm - 47 minutesDid the Internet Kill Christianity?
In this episode of Thinking Fellows, Caleb Keith, Scott Keith, Bruce Hillman, and Adam Francisco discuss whether the internet has contributed to the decline of Christianity and religious participation. They talk about how the internet can give us endless information while pulling us away from real community, personal relationships, and the authority of the church. They also explain why Christians should use the internet to proclaim Christ while still pointing people toward the local church, where the Gospel is preached and Christ's gifts are given through Word and Sacrament.
Study: https://academic.oup.com/socrel/advance-article/doi/10.1093/socrel/srag013/8779481?login=false
More from 1517:
New Books from 1517 Publishing:
More from the hosts:
9 October 2026, 5:14 pm - 43 minutes 19 secondsWho is the Kingdom of God?
In this episode of the Thinking Fellows, Caleb Keith, Adam Francisco, Bruce Hillman, and Scott Keith discuss the kingdom of God and what Jesus means when He says the kingdom is near. They explain the Lutheran view that the kingdom is centered on Christ and comes to us through the Word and Sacraments, rather than something Christians must build through their own work. The Fellows also talk about the kingdom as both present and future, the calling of Christians in their vocations, and the hope we have in Christ's return and the fullness of His kingdom.
More from 1517:
New Books from 1517 Publishing:
More from the hosts:
1 October 2026, 7:30 am - 39 minutes 52 secondsNot of the World For You
In this episode of Thinking Fellows, Caleb Keith, Bruce Hillman, and Adam Francisco discuss what it means to be "in the world but not of the world" from John 17. They explain how Christians are called to live and serve their neighbors in the world without making worldly rules, politics, or personal choices a test of Christian faith. The Christian's confidence comes not from how well we separate ourselves from the world, but from Christ, who sets us apart and preserves us through His Word and Sacraments.
More from 1517:
New Books from 1517 Publishing:
More from the hosts:
Follow 1517:
24 September 2026, 7:30 am - 46 minutes 54 secondsLost in Translation?
In this episode of Thinking Fellows, Caleb Keith, Adam Francisco, and Bruce Hillman discuss how important Greek and Hebrew are for pastors and theologians. They talk about the benefits of studying the biblical languages, the limits of knowing only a little, and how modern tools and English translations can help with Bible study. They also explain how these skills can serve the church by helping pastors understand Scripture, answer difficult questions, and give Christians confidence in the Word of God.
More from 1517:
New Books from 1517 Publishing:
More from the hosts:
Follow 1517:
18 September 2026, 7:30 am - 1 hour 3 minutesAre We Being Formed by AI?
In this episode of Thinking Fellows, Caleb Keith, Adam Francisco, and Bruce Hillman talk about how Christians should think about AI and how it is changing the way we work, think, and interact with the world. They discuss AI as a powerful tool and an environment that is shaping us, along with questions about writing, education, truth, technology, and the growing role of AI in everyday life. Most importantly, they argue that Christians should be grounded in God's Word and the truth of the Gospel so that we do not look to AI for answers that only Christ can give.
More from 1517:
New Books from 1517 Publishing:
More from the hosts:
Follow 1517:
15 September 2026, 1:31 am - 1 hour 45 secondsApologetics, Academia and Algorithms
In this episode of the Thinking Fellows podcast, Caleb Keith, Adam Francisco, and Bruce Hillman talk about the state of modern Christian apologetics. They discuss Adam's recent apologetics conference in Cambridge, the value of serious Christian scholarship, and why clear thinking and clear writing still matter. They also look at materialism, science, certainty, and the ways Christians can respond when anti-Christian ideas show up on their phones and online.
Follow 1517:
More from 1517:
New Books from 1517 Publishing:
More from the hosts:
4 September 2026, 7:30 am - 47 minutes 22 secondsLaw and Gospel with Rod Rosenbladt
In this episode of Thinking Fellows, Caleb Keith, Scott Keith, and Daniel Emery Price listen to an old recording from Rod Rosenbladt and discuss the Lutheran view of Law and Gospel. They explain that the Law shows us our sin and puts the old sinner to death, while the Gospel gives life through Christ and has the final word. They also discuss Christian freedom, antinomianism, vocation, and why the Gospel is what creates new life.
More from 1517:
New Books from 1517 Publishing:
More from the hosts:
28 August 2026, 7:30 am - 57 minutes 14 secondsSummer Reading Roundup
In this episode of Thinking Fellows, Caleb Keith, Adam Francisco, Bruce Hillman, and Scott Keith share their summer reading lists, ranging from the Bible and church fathers to history, politics, philosophy, fiction, and swimming. Their conversation explores everything from the transition of Rome from paganism to Christianity and Thomas Sowell's ideas about human nature to the problem of evil and the history of Finland during World War II. They also discuss Lutheran scholarship, vocation and theological disagreement.
Adam Francisco- The Bible — New Living Translation (NLT)
- The Quran
- Conflict of Visions: Ideological Origins of Political Struggles — Thomas Sowell
- On Death and Eternal Life — Gregory of Nyssa
- The Oxford Reading and Philosophy: Problem of Evil — Marilyn McCord Adams (editor)
- The Long Way Home: A Journey into the History of Captain Robert Ford — Ed Dover
- The Fourth Option — Jack Carr
- The Spy Who Came in from the Cold — John le Carré
- Ice — Ulla-Lena Lundberg
- How Finland Survives Stalin: From the Winter War to the Cold War, 1939–1950 — Kimmo Rentola
- Why We Swim — Bonnie Tsui
- The Final Pagan Generation: Rome's Unexpected Path to Christianity — Edward J. Watts
- The Pieper Lectures: The Lutheran Doctrine of Vocation, Vol. 11 — various authors
More from 1517:
New Books from 1517 Publishing:
More from the hosts:
Follow 1517:
21 August 2026, 7:30 am - 55 minutes 36 secondsIs Your Church Healthy or Dying?
What makes a church "healthy"? In this episode of the Thinking Fellows, Caleb Keith, Scott Keith, Adam Francisco, and Bruce Hillman examine the popular language of healthy churches, church growth, and discipleship. They question whether marketing metrics have replaced the biblical marks of the church and argue that the true measure of the church is the faithful preaching of Christ crucified and the right administration of the sacraments. Rather than chasing marketing strategies or growth models, they contend that the church exists to deliver the forgiveness of sins through Word and Sacrament, trusting God's promises instead of chasing the latest trends.
More from 1517:
New Books from 1517 Publishing:
More from the hosts:
Follow 1517:
14 August 2026, 7:00 am - 51 minutes 29 secondsWhose Father was Abraham?
On this episode of Thinking Fellows, the guys ask what it means to call Christianity, Judaism, and Islam the "Abrahamic faiths." They look at the history of the term and what these religions actually share. They also explain why their differences, especially about Jesus Christ, matter more than the label and how Christians can talk with Jews and Muslims without losing the truth of the Gospel.
More from 1517:
New Books from 1517 Publishing:
More from the hosts:
Follow 1517:
31 July 2026, 11:33 pm - More Episodes? Get the App