Mortification of Spin Alliance Podcast Network

Is it ethical for physicians to assist patients in hastening their own death? Should Christians who are facing death accept the offer of an assisted death? Carl and Todd talk to physician Ewan Goligher about these important issues addressed in his book How Should We Then Die? In his book, Ewan draws from general revelation and Scripture to persuade and equip Christians to oppose physician-assisted death. 
The logic of assisted death is predicated on the idea that you’re rendering someone better off by ending their life. And [in] the philosophical and ethical literature where people write about this, they represent the logic as a kind of calculus where you weigh up the good of remaining alive and the bad of remaining alive, and you essentially decide that if the bad of remaining alive outweighs the good, then it makes sense to end my life. And the glaring gap in that logic is that it ignores the question of what it is like to be dead. – Ewan Goligher 
Proponents of euthanasia presume what it is like to be dead. But for Christians, death is not the end. Christ Jesus has destroyed death and brought life and immortality through the gospel. For this reason, Christians must think deeply about these life-and-death issues.
We are pleased to offer three copies of How Should We Then Die? to our listeners, thanks to the generosity of our friends at Lexham Press. Register here for the opportunity to win.
Show Notes: 
The Desecration of Man by Carl Trueman
On Death and Dying: A Catechism for Christians by Ewan Goligher
 

Blaise Pascal, the seventeenth-century French philosopher and scientist, is perhaps best known for his "wager," an argument about the existence of God. But there was much more to Pascal and his brilliance, according to today's guest, Douglas Groothuis, a leading Christian thinker and longtime student of Pascal. In his latest book, Beyond the Wager, Doug introduces readers to Pascal's life and the breadth of his intellectual pursuits, including his contributions to mathematics, science, ethics, and theology. 
"You really want to read Pascal, and if you write about him, you want to quote him and do justice to what he said because it really was so insightful and profoundly put. Especially his comments about what it means to be a human being and his reflections on the nature of knowing Christ. They're really not just philosophically insightful and compelling, but also devotionally compelling."  – Doug Groothuis
We are pleased to offer a few copies of Beyond the Wager: The Christian Brilliance of Blaise Pascal to our listeners, thanks to the generosity of our friends at Intervarsity Press. Register here for the opportunity to win.
 
Show Notes: 
Douglas Groothuis’ original book about Blaise Pascal written 20 years ago: On Pascal
Pensées by Blaise Pascal: https://archive.org/details/pascalspenseesor00pasc
Christian Apologetics by Douglas Groothuis

Many faithful Christian parents today grieve for their adult children who have left the faith. They ask, "Where did we go wrong? What should we have done differently?" Carl and Todd discuss this important topic in this episode and encourage parents not to give up hope. 
"Parents have enormous impact on their kids' lives, even into adulthood. Even when there's been pain, a parent has enormous influence. See how best to leverage that for the soul of your child.  – Todd Pruitt
We are pleased to offer a few copies of Wayward Children: Finding Peace, Keeping Hope to our listeners, thanks to the generosity of our friends at P&R Publishing. Register here for the opportunity to win.

When considering theology, you may think of confusing, lofty terminology that only concerns scholars and pastors. But really, theology is for anyone who wants to understand God better and learn more about the Bible. Carl and Todd welcome Jon Nielson, pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church in Wheaton, IL, to discuss his new book Knowing God's Truth.
Written to make systematic theology clear, meaningful, and practical, Nielson introduces systematic theology in this volume and guides readers through its application in their daily lives. Jon's highly accessible book is a valuable resource for those yearning for a deeper understanding of God and the Bible, including young people and newer believers.
"Systematic theology is important… it's recognizing that Scripture actually does give us a system of doctrine; that we're able to do systematic theology because the Bible gives us a unity of theology and so we're able to actually say, here's what the Bible says about God, about sin, about salvation, etc., etc. "  – Todd Pruitt
We are pleased to award three copies of Knowing God's Truth to our listeners, thanks to the generosity of our friends at Crossway. Congratulations to Rena C. from Florence, CO, Gary S. from Jackson, MS, and Jared W. from Spring, TX!

For many years, there was a lack of good Protestant literature addressing the transfiguration— a central event in the life of Christ. Thanks to Patrick Schreiner’s new book, The Transfiguration of Christ: An Exegetical and Theological Reading, that is no longer the case. Patrick is an associate professor of New Testament and Biblical Theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and writes from a solid conservative Protestant evangelical perspective. So what is it that Protestants miss when we overlook the transfiguration? What is its significance and place in redemptive history, and how can it be applied?
“I think the transfiguration is this unique event where the humanity and the deity of Christ come together, where his humanity is transfigured or transformed, but his deity is also revealed. This reality [is] that we have the God-Man in one subject and one person, and both things are made evident at the same time.” – Patrick Schreiner
Be sure to tune in for this fascinating conversation on a much-neglected subject. You may gain a new perspective on the importance of this unique event in the life of Jesus and its practical application to our lives. And stay tuned to the end for barbeque recommendations in Kansas City!
We are pleased to award three copies of The Transfiguration of Christ to our listeners, thanks to the generosity of our friends at Baker Academic. Congratulations to Dawn W. from Clarkston, WA, David B. from Little Rock, AK, and Harry J. from Brenham, TX!
Show Notes:
Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary: https://www.mbts.edu/
Recommended Reading:
Light on the Mountain: Greek Patristic and Byzantine Homilies on the Transfiguration of the Lord

Many of the best and brightest Protestant thinkers have converted to Roman Catholicism in recent decades. Some have found Protestantism shallow in doctrine, history, ethics, and worship. Chris Castaldo, co-author of Why Do Protestants Convert? sits down with Carl and Todd to discuss the psychological, theological, and sociological factors behind these conversions. 
As someone who has had conversations with those who have converted from Protestantism to Catholicism or, in some cases, Eastern Orthodoxy as well, very often in my conversations with them, theology is not the first thing. Oftentimes [there are] other issues that they will name first, like the historical rootedness or the reverence that they found or the beauty that they found in the Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox traditions.  – Todd Pruitt
Although many converts’ criticisms of contemporary Protestantism may be warranted, Chris points out that historic Protestantism contains the answers to these objections and the resources for a Protestant renewal.
Thanks to the generosity of the Davenant Institute, we had two copies of Why Do Protestants Convert? to give to our listeners. Congratulations for Jennifer W. from Southern Pines, NC and Nicholas R. from Plantation, FL!
 
Show Notes:
Chris’ article on the state of the Roman Catholic Church:
https://mereorthodoxy.com/is-rome-a-true-church