Theology Made Podcast

Theology Made
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The Theology Made Podcast takes complicated ideas about God and makes them simple. Each episode unpacks theology, church history, or biblical truth in a way that's clear, thoughtful, and actually enjoyable. theologymade.substack.com

  1. 6D AGO

    Jefferson vs. Franklin: The Fight Over Three Words That Changed America

    In the red corner, Thomas Jefferson. In the blue corner, Benjamin Franklin. In June 1776, a single editorial change shifted the foundation of American history. Jefferson originally wrote that our rights were “sacred and undeniable,” grounding them in a divine Creator. But Franklin the “Maestro of Reason” crossed them out, opting for the famous phrase we know today: “Self-evident.” In this episode, we step into the ring with two Founding Fathers to settle the score. Was Franklin right that human rights can be proven through logic alone? Or does the harsh reality of biology and history prove that without a “sacred” foundation, the idea of equality falls apart? Theology Made is a listener/reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Theology Made at theologymade.substack.com/subscribe

    8 min

  2. EPISODE 34 TRAILER

    Is "The Right Side of History" a Biblical Concept?

    Everyone says it. Politicians, activists, corporations, and even churches. We’re told to stay on “the right side of history,” but we rarely stop to ask: Why does history have a side at all? In this episode of the Theology Made Podcast, we deconstruct one of the most popular secular phrases of our time. Most people assume history is an arrow moving toward progress, but for most of human history, no one believed that. From the cyclical time of ancient Greek philosophy and Hindu yugas to the narratives of decline in Rome, the ancient world saw history as a wheel to be endured, not a story to be won. The “Right Side of History” only makes sense if the Bible is true. We explore how the Judeo-Christian worldview introduced linear time, moving from Creation to a final Judgment. Without a “Moral Accountant,” the “right side” is just whoever is loudest or strongest. With the Bible, the “right side” is a matter of ultimate justice. Theology Made is a listenerreader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Theology Made at theologymade.substack.com/subscribe

    7 min

  3. FEB 12

    Why Human Rights Aren’t as Obvious as We Think

    Almost everyone believes in human rights. Left. Right. Religious. Secular. We argue endlessly about which rights matter most, but very few people question the idea that humans have rights at all. But historically, that belief is anything but obvious. For most of human history, value flowed from power. If you were weak, conquered, disabled, poor, or enslaved, you didn’t have “rights.” You had a role, to serve the strong. So where did the idea of universal, inherent human dignity actually come from? Not from evolution. Not from democracy. And not even, strictly speaking, from the Enlightenment. In this episode, we trace the uncomfortable history behind human rights, starting in the ancient world where equality didn’t exist, moving through the Christian claim that every human bears the image of God, and ending with why modern secular culture still believes in dignity it struggles to justify. Theology Made is a listener/reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Theology Made at theologymade.substack.com/subscribe

    3 min

  4. FEB 5

    How the Bible Shaped Your Calendar

    Every time you check the date, you’re stepping into a story you didn’t choose. The year on your phone, the seven-day week, even the emotional rhythm of the seasons all exist because of biblical theology, whether you believe it or not. In this episode, we trace how a sixth-century monk quietly dethroned Roman emperors by dating time from the life of Jesus, why the seven-day week has no scientific reason to exist, and how failed attempts by Rome, revolutionary France, and the Soviet Union prove that Scripture shaped time itself. Calendars aren’t neutral. They tell you what matters, where history starts, and where it’s going. We also explore how Christianity rewired humanity’s understanding of the future, turning history from endless cycles or inevitable decline into a forward-moving story of hope, justice, and restoration. Advent, Easter, Sabbath, even the idea of “progress” didn’t come from modern optimism; they came from the Bible. You may live in a post-Christian world, but your calendar hasn’t caught the memo. Time has been catechizing you all along. And once you see it, you’ll never look at a date the same way again. Theology Made is a listener/reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Theology Made at theologymade.substack.com/subscribe

    5 min

  5. JAN 29

    Why Ancient Christians Didn't Use Crosses for 300 Years

    For the first 300 years of Christianity, the most recognizable symbol of the faith today was almost entirely absent. No crosses on walls. No crucifixes in worship. No jewelry shaped like Calvary. That wasn’t because early Christians were ashamed of Jesus, it’s because the cross, in the ancient world, was an execution device so brutal and humiliating it was closer to an electric chair than a religious emblem. To Romans it was vulgar. To Jews it signaled a curse. To Greeks it mocked any idea of divine dignity. Leading with the cross would have ended Christianity before it began. In this episode, we explore why ancient Christians avoided the cross, what symbols they used instead (the fish, the anchor, the Good Shepherd, the Chi-Rho), and how persecution shaped Christian imagination and art. We look at Roman attitudes toward crucifixion, Paul’s insistence on the scandal of “Christ crucified,” early graffiti mocking Christian worship, and the slow, careful theological work it took for the Church to reinterpret the cross as victory rather than horror. Theology Made is a listener/reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Theology Made at theologymade.substack.com/subscribe

    7 min

  6. JAN 22

    Medieval Cathedrals Were the First IMAX Theaters

    Before movies, projectors, or IMAX screens, medieval cathedrals were the most immersive storytelling spaces in the world. In this episode, we explore how Gothic cathedrals used architecture, stained glass, light, and sound to teach Christian theology to a largely illiterate society. Pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and flying buttresses weren’t just engineering breakthroughs, they made space for massive stained-glass windows that functioned as a visual Bible. These towering churches became theological classrooms where Scripture was preached through color, scale, and awe, turning worship into a fully embodied, cinematic experience centuries before modern media. This episode reveals why medieval cathedral design still matters today. Cathedrals weren’t built to inform; they were built to form. Every column, window, echo, and shadow carried meaning, shaping belief through beauty and immersion. At a time when modern Christianity often relies on screens and sound systems, medieval architecture reminds us that truth can be built, not just spoken. If you’re interested in church history, Christian theology, Gothic architecture, or the hidden innovations that shaped how faith was taught, this episode shows how the Church once made theology unavoidable and breathtaking. Theology Made is a listener/reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Theology Made at theologymade.substack.com/subscribe

    10 min
  7. The Monk Who Invented Modern Music

    JAN 15

    The Monk Who Invented Modern Music

    A thousand years before Bach, Mozart, Beyoncé, or your Spotify playlist, a Benedictine monk quietly invented the entire system that makes Western music possible. Staff lines, Do–Re–Mi, sight-singing, the logic of melody—none of it exists without Guido of Arezzo. This is the story of how a frustrated choir teacher gave the world modern music… all because he wanted monks to sing on pitch. Theology Made is a listener/reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. If you love discovering the hidden stories of the Church, you’ll love this course. Theology Made Simple gives you the tools to make sense of complex ideas just like we do on the podcast: https://theologymade.mykajabi.com/offers/4WzxaJoz Get full access to Theology Made at theologymade.substack.com/subscribe

    8 min

  8. JAN 8

    How Christianity Created Universities

    Step into Oxford in the year 1096: muddy streets, cramped halls, chickens underfoot… and the sound of students shouting Latin at the top of their lungs. It wasn’t polished, but something revolutionary was being born. This episode uncovers the surprising truth: the university is a Christian invention. Before Oxford or Paris ever had quads and lecture halls, the Church built the only places in the world where ordinary people (not nobles, not monks) could pursue knowledge openly. Cathedral schools, monastic libraries, and Christian convictions about truth, reason, creation, and the human mind laid the foundations for: * The scientific method * Academic freedom * The liberal arts * Law, medicine, and theology as unified disciplines * The very idea of a “universitas” — a community of learners Discovered the profound way Christianity shaped modern education. Theology Made is a listener/reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. And if this opens your eyes to how deeply Christianity shaped our world, you’ll love the Theology Made course, it is built to teach you the way the first universities taught. Click the link to start learning today: https://theologymade.mykajabi.com/offers/4WzxaJozway Get full access to Theology Made at theologymade.substack.com/subscribe

    13 min
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About

The Theology Made Podcast takes complicated ideas about God and makes them simple. Each episode unpacks theology, church history, or biblical truth in a way that's clear, thoughtful, and actually enjoyable. theologymade.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    Theology Made
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    35
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Theology Made
  • Show Website
    Theology Made Podcast