Author

  1. The CHA Weekend Edition Presents: The Easter Mailbag 2026

    book
    04/04/26
    5 mins
    By Dan van Voorhis
    Weekend Edition for April 4-5, 2026
    The CHA Weekend Edition Presents: The Easter Mailbag 2026

  2. Friday, April 3, 2026

    book
    04/03/26
    11 mins
    By Dan van Voorhis
    Today on the Christian History Almanac, we look at the historical development of “Good Friday.”
    Friday, April 3, 2026

  3. Thursday, April 2, 2026

    book
    04/02/26
    11 mins
    By Dan van Voorhis
    Today on the Christian History Almanac, we take a look at the history of Maundy Thursday.
    Thursday, April 2, 2026

  4. 435: Andersen - Ritual as the Whole Way of Life

    book
    04/02/26
    13 mins
    By Christopher Gillespie | Donavon Riley
    The Power of Ritual! In this episode, we learn from David Andersen about Christian ritual. What’s the purpose and goal of ritual? How does Christian ritual differ from other religious rituals? Where do we find ritual and ceremony outside “religious” observances? When we forget or ignore ritual and ceremony, what is the effect on individuals, groups, and societies? That and much, much more in this episode of the podcast.
    435: Andersen - Ritual as the Whole Way of Life

  5. 433: Von Schenk - The Crucifixion

    book
    03/19/26
    8 mins
    By Christopher Gillespie | Donavon Riley
    What’s Love Got to do With It? In this episode, we read Berthold von Schenk’s The Presence, discussing sacrifice, sacrament, human will, anthropology, the cross, Lent, Easter, Love, and the consequences of the crucifixion for worship, faith, and Christian living. Why does our focus determine how we view these things? What is the “telos” of the Lord’s Supper, and where does it lead us? How does it change us?
    433: Von Schenk - The Crucifixion

  6. 431: Kleinig - The Mystery of Christ and Cosmic Restoration

    book
    03/06/26
    9 mins
    By Christopher Gillespie | Donavon Riley
    Cosmic Debris. In this episode, we read Dr. John Kleinig on Christ and cosmic restoration. We then discuss how and why Christians confuse mysteries with secrets, what happened to the mystagogues, and why the mystery of the Christian faith has to do with the hidden presence of Christ with us here on earth and our restoration by his restoration of all creation. This episode, as Kleinig himself writes, is about how we can best commend the Christian faith to post-modern people, which is when we ourselves are captivated imaginatively by the wonder of it and live in the mystery of it.
    431: Kleinig - The Mystery of Christ and Cosmic Restoration

  7. Monday, February 23, 2026

    book
    02/23/26
    13 mins
    By Dan van Voorhis
    Today on the Christian History Almanac, we head to the mailbag to answer a question asked such that it got Dan’s attention!
    Monday, February 23, 2026

  8. Friday, January 16, 2026

    book
    01/16/26
    13 mins
    By Dan van Voorhis
    Today on the Christian History Almanac, we remember a key advisor behind the Reformation in Germany: George Spalatin.
    Friday, January 16, 2026

  9. 424: Kleinig - The Role of the Holy Spirit in the Divine Service

    book
    01/16/26
    8 mins
    By Christopher Gillespie | Donavon Riley
    In this episode, we learn about the Holy Spirit and the Divine Service from Dr. John Kleinig. In particular, we discuss how Christ gives the Spirit to the church through his word, how Christ institutes the divine service and empowers it with God’s Spirit, and how the church receives the Holy Spirit by faith in God’s word as it is proclaimed and enacted in the divine service. The conversation revolves around the central question: How then can we be sure that the Spirit is at work in our worship?
    424: Kleinig - The Role of the Holy Spirit in the Divine Service

  10. Has Lutheranism Failed?

    book
    01/11/26
    5 mins
    By Caleb Keith | Adam Francisco | Bruce Hillman | Scott Keith
    Has Lutheranism Failed? In this episode, the Thinking Fellows discuss the purpose and aim of the church to examine if Lutheranism in America has failed.
    Has Lutheranism Failed?

  11. 423: Graff - Rationalism's war on everything "magical."

    book
    01/09/26
    8 mins
    By Christopher Gillespie | Donavon Riley
    Who Made Who. In this episode, Gillespie takes the wheel and steers us into tradition, liturgy, worship styles, and the various “-isms” that have sprung up within the churches over the centuries. What’s the purpose of the Divine Service? What is the fundamental meaning of Christian meaning? Have we jettisoned mystery for sensible explanations that find no seat pulled out for them in God’s house? Is Christian worship, polity, and piety about what we know, experience, feel, or conformity to specific doctrines? Why is the old magic not welcome amongst sensible worshippers? What’s the place of hymns, prayers, preaching, and Scripture in Christian worship? Is liturgy a delivery mechanism or a tool?
    423: Graff - Rationalism's war on everything

  12. When Christians Contradict Themselves

    book
    12/01/25
    6 mins
    By Caleb Keith | Bruce Hillman | Adam Francisco | Scott Keith
    The Thinking Fellows examine the Ligonier 2025 State of Theology Survey. They identify a major recurring theme: Christians are contradicting themselves.
    When Christians Contradict Themselves