theological method

Nicaea’s Legacy Then and Now (with Mark Smith)

/ Brandon D. Smith / Leave a comment

This episode is a conversation with Dr. Mark Smith of the University of Cambridge. We discuss Nicaea’s reception and authority in Ephesus and Chalcedon (1:30), exegetical arguments around the early councils and creeds (9:50), Protestant reception of the creeds (24:48), and more. Read his book, The Idea of Nicaea.

We’re now on YouTube! Please subscribe and share: youtube.com/@churchgrammar

Church Grammar is presented by the PhD and ThM programs at Gateway Seminary, which seek to blend the best of American and British programs by balancing a broad, robust education through seminars with close, one-on-one mentoring during the writing phase.

Producer: Cody Barnhart. Intro music: Purple Dinosaur by nobigdyl.

Brandon D. Smith is Chair of the Hobbs School of Theology & Ministry and Associate Professor of Theology & Early Christianity at Oklahoma Baptist University, a co-founder of the Center for Baptist Renewal, and writes things. You can follow him on Twitter at @brandon_d_smith.

Check out his recent books: The Trinity in the Book of Revelation (IVP Academic, 2022), The Biblical Trinity (Lexham, 2023), The Trinity in the Canon (B&H Academic, 2023), and Taught by God: Ancient Hermeneutics for the Modern Church (B&H Academic, 2024), and Beholding the Triune God (Crossway, 2024).

*** This podcast is designed to discuss all sorts of topics from various points of view. Therefore, guests’ views do not always reflect the views of the host, his church, or his institution.

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In Memoriam: Three Hours of Daniel Treier

/ Brandon D. Smith / Leave a comment

As a way to honor and memorialize Daniel Treier (1972–2025), this is a megapod episode of his four appearances on Church Grammar:

(00:17) – Brandon’s reflections on Dan’s life
(03:43) – On Theological Interpretation and Longsuffering Sports Fandom (2/7/19)
(42:58) – On Evangelical Theology, Christian Formation, and Sports Heroes (2/10/20)
(1:13:41) – Theological Interpretation: On Definitions, Commentaries, and Reading Recommendations (6/28/21)
(2:01:41) – On Christology and Scripture (12/12/23)

*** We’re expanding to YouTube! Please subscribe and share, as we’ll be launching in 2026. Find the channel at: youtube.com/@churchgrammar

Church Grammar is presented by the PhD and ThM programs at Gateway Seminary, which seek to blend the best of American and British programs by balancing a broad, robust education through seminars with close, one-on-one mentoring during the writing phase.

Producer: Cody Barnhart. Intro music: Purple Dinosaur by nobigdyl.

Brandon D. Smith is Chair of the Hobbs School of Theology & Ministry and Associate Professor of Theology & Early Christianity at Oklahoma Baptist University, a co-founder of the Center for Baptist Renewal, and writes things. You can follow him on Twitter at @brandon_d_smith.

Check out his recent books: The Trinity in the Book of Revelation (IVP Academic, 2022), The Biblical Trinity (Lexham, 2023), The Trinity in the Canon (B&H Academic, 2023), and Taught by God: Ancient Hermeneutics for the Modern Church (B&H Academic, 2024), and Beholding the Triune God (Crossway, 2024).

*** This podcast is designed to discuss all sorts of topics from various points of view. Therefore, guests’ views do not always reflect the views of the host, his church, or his institution.

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Erik Lundeen on Biblical Interpretation in the Reformation

/ Brandon D. Smith / Leave a comment

This episode is a conversation with Dr. Erik Lundeen of Christ Our Redeemer Seminary. We discuss the literal sense in the Reformation era (3:49), Christian and Jewish commentaries’ impact on the Reformation (13:35), Calvin and other Reformers as bridges to the modern period (34:11), and more. Read Erik’s book.

Church Grammar is presented by the PhD and ThM programs at Gateway Seminary, which seek to blend the best of American and British programs by balancing a broad, robust education through seminars with close, one-on-one mentoring during the writing phase.

Producer: Ryan Modisette. Intro music: Purple Dinosaur by nobigdyl.

Brandon D. Smith is Chair of the Hobbs School of Theology & Ministry and Associate Professor of Theology & Early Christianity at Oklahoma Baptist University, a co-founder of the Center for Baptist Renewal, and writes things. You can follow him on Twitter at @brandon_d_smith.

Check out his recent books: The Trinity in the Book of Revelation (IVP Academic, 2022), The Biblical Trinity (Lexham, 2023), The Trinity in the Canon (B&H Academic, 2023), and Taught by God: Ancient Hermeneutics for the Modern Church (B&H Academic, 2024), and Beholding the Triune God (Crossway, 2024).

*** This podcast is designed to discuss all sorts of topics from various points of view. Therefore, guests’ views do not always reflect the views of the host, his church, or his institution.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | RSS

Steven Duby on Habakkuk and Theological Commentary

/ Brandon D. Smith / Leave a comment

This episode is a conversation with Dr. Steven Duby of Phoenix Seminary. We discuss writing a theological commentary with various disciplines involved (2:30), insights from biblical studies and authorial intent(s) (9:50); history of interpretation and theological debates in Habakkuk (16:54); tips for preaching Habakkuk (39:40), and more. Buy Steven’s new commentary on Habakkuk.

Church Grammar is presented by the PhD and ThM programs at Gateway Seminary, which seeks to blend the best of American and British programs by balancing a broad, robust education with close, one-on-one mentoring during the writing phase.

Check out Brandon’s recent books: The Trinity in the Book of Revelation (IVP Academic, 2022), The Biblical Trinity (Lexham, 2023), The Trinity in the Canon (B&H Academic, 2023), and Taught by God: Ancient Hermeneutics for the Modern Church (B&H Academic, 2024).

You can also order his latest, Beholding the Triune God, written with Matthew Emerson.

Producer: Ryan Modisette. Intro music: Purple Dinosaur by nobigdyl.

Brandon D. Smith is Chair of the Hobbs School of Theology & Ministry and Associate Professor of Theology & Early Christianity at Oklahoma Baptist University, a co-founder of the Center for Baptist Renewal, and writes things. You can follow him on Twitter at @brandon_d_smith.

*** This podcast is designed to discuss all sorts of topics from various points of view. Therefore, guests’ views do not always reflect the views of the host, his church, or his institution.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | RSS

Rhyne Putman on the Virgin Conception and Birth of Jesus

/ Brandon D. Smith / Leave a comment

This episode is a conversation with Dr. Rhyne Putman of Williams Baptist University. We discuss the importance of Jesus’s genealogies and his role as the “virgin-born king” (3:48), the virgin birth in the Christian tradition (11:54), the biblical and theological importance of the virgin birth (14:31), Protestants and Mary (22:42), the importance of the virgin birth today (30:20), and more. Buy Rhyne’s books.

This episode is sponsored by Logos. Try the newest version for free for two months(!): www.logos.com/cg.

Church Grammar is presented by the PhD and ThM programs at Gateway Seminary, which seeks to blend the best of American and British programs by balancing a broad, robust education with close, one-on-one mentoring during the writing phase.

Check out Brandon’s recent books: The Trinity in the Book of Revelation (IVP Academic, 2022), The Biblical Trinity (Lexham, 2023), The Trinity in the Canon (B&H Academic, 2023), and Taught by God: Ancient Hermeneutics for the Modern Church (B&H Academic, 2024).

You can also order his latest, Beholding the Triune God, written with Matthew Emerson.

Producer: Ryan Modisette. Intro music: Purple Dinosaur by nobigdyl.

Brandon D. Smith is Chair of the Hobbs School of Theology & Ministry and Associate Professor of Theology & Early Christianity at Oklahoma Baptist University, a co-founder of the Center for Baptist Renewal, and writes things. You can follow him on Twitter at @brandon_d_smith.

*** This podcast is designed to discuss all sorts of topics from various points of view. Therefore, guests’ views do not always reflect the views of the host, his church, or his institution.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | RSS

Kevin Vanhoozer on Hermeneutics, Theology, and the Transfiguration

/ Brandon D. Smith / Leave a comment

This episode is a conversation with Dr. Kevin Vanhoozer of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. We discuss his new book on hermeneutics (2:24), reflections on decades of studying hermeneutics (26:57), issues that still need to be tackled in the study of hermeneutics (35:36), and more. Buy Kevin’s books.

Check out Brandon’s recent books: The Trinity in the Book of Revelation (IVP Academic, 2022), The Biblical Trinity (Lexham, 2023), The Trinity in the Canon (B&H Academic, 2023), and Taught by God: Ancient Hermeneutics for the Modern Church (B&H Academic, 2024).

You can also preorder Beholding the Triune God by Brandon and Matthew Emerson.

Church Grammar is presented by the PhD and ThM programs at Gateway Seminary, which seeks to blend the best of American and British programs by balancing a broad, robust education with close, one-on-one mentoring during the writing phase.

Producer: Ryan Modisette. Intro music: Purple Dinosaur by nobigdyl.

Brandon D. Smith is Chair of the Hobbs School of Theology & Ministry and Associate Professor of Theology & Early Christianity at Oklahoma Baptist University, a co-founder of the Center for Baptist Renewal, and writes things. You can follow him on Twitter at @brandon_d_smith.

*** This podcast is designed to discuss all sorts of topics from various points of view. Therefore, guests’ views do not always reflect the views of the host, his church, or his institution.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | RSS

Thomas Schreiner on Revelation with a Fresh Take on the Millennium

/ Brandon D. Smith / Leave a comment

This episode is a conversation with Dr. Thomas Schreiner of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He returns to discuss the Book of Revelation, including why he wrote his new commentary (2:12), recapitulation and symbolism in the book (6:12), the book’s relationship to related extrabiblical material (15:36), authorship of the book (22:27), a fresh take on the millennium (29:31), and more. Buy Tom’s books.

Check out Brandon’s recent books: The Trinity in the Book of Revelation (IVP Academic, 2022), The Biblical Trinity (Lexham, 2023), and The Trinity in the Canon (B&H Academic, 2023). You can also preorder Taught by God: Ancient Hermeneutics for the Modern Church (B&H Academic, 2024).

Church Grammar is presented by the Christian Standard Bible. Get 40% off on up to 3 full price CSB Bibles at LifeWay.com with promo code CGCSB.

Producer: Ryan Modisette. Intro music: Purple Dinosaur by nobigdyl.

Brandon D. Smith is Chair of the Hobbs School of Theology & Ministry and Associate Professor of Theology & Early Christianity at Oklahoma Baptist University, a co-founder of the Center for Baptist Renewal, and writes things. You can follow him on Twitter at @brandon_d_smith.

*** This podcast is designed to discuss all sorts of topics from various points of view. Therefore, guests’ views do not always reflect the views of the host, his church, or his institution.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | RSS

Fred Sanders on the Holy Spirit and the Trinity in Salvation (Repost)

/ Brandon D. Smith / Leave a comment

This episode is a repost of a conversation with Dr. Fred Sanders of Biola University. We discuss the names for the Holy Spirit in Scripture (2:16), the seeming “silence” of the Spirit in major moments in the biblical narrative (5:17), the Spirit in the OT (15:40), the Trinity in salvation (20:34), theological retrieval (24:30), the Trinity and theological education (31:30), and more. Buy Fred’s books.

Church Grammar is presented by B&H Academic and the Christian Standard Bible. Intro music: Purple Dinosaur by nobigdyl. Producer: Katie Larson.

Brandon D. Smith is Assistant Professor of Theology & New Testament at Cedarville University, Editorial Director for the Center for Baptist Renewal, and writes things. You can follow him on Twitter at @brandon_d_smith.

*** This podcast is designed to discuss all sorts of topics from various points of view. Therefore, guests’ views do not always reflect the views of the host, his church, or his institution.

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Todd Hains on Luther and Biblical Interpretation

/ Brandon D. Smith / Leave a comment

This episode is a conversation with Dr. Todd Hains of Lexham Press. We discuss what the Reformation was all about (4:28), Luther’s relationship to the church fathers and the rule of faith (15:44), Luther’s interpretive instincts and his doctrine of the Word (35:02), Lutheranism’s contribution to the church today (59:42), and more. Buy Todd’s books.

Check out Brandon’s recent books: The Trinity in the Book of Revelation (IVP Academic, 2022) and The Biblical Trinity (Lexham, 2023).

Church Grammar is presented by the Christian Standard Bible and Cedarville University’s Graduate School. Producer: Ryan Modisette. Intro music: Purple Dinosaur by nobigdyl.

Brandon D. Smith is Assistant Professor of Theology & New Testament at Cedarville University, a co-founder of the Center for Baptist Renewal, and writes things. You can follow him on Twitter at @brandon_d_smith.

*** This podcast is designed to discuss all sorts of topics from various points of view. Therefore, guests’ views do not always reflect the views of the host, his church, or his institution.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | RSS

The Trinity and Blaspheming the Holy Spirit

/ Brandon D. Smith / Leave a comment

This episode is a short talk based on my post at the Center for Baptist Renewal, “The Trinity and Blaspheming the Holy Spirit.” Read it here.

Check out Brandon’s new book: The Trinity in the Book of Revelation: Seeing Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in John’s Apocalypse (IVP Academic, 2022). You can also preorder his next one, The Biblical Trinity.

Church Grammar is presented by the Christian Standard Bible and Cedarville University’s Graduate School. Intro music: Purple Dinosaur by nobigdyl. Producer: Katie Larson.

Brandon D. Smith is Assistant Professor of Theology & New Testament at Cedarville University, a co-founder of the Center for Baptist Renewal, and writes things. You can follow him on Twitter at @brandon_d_smith.

*** This podcast is designed to discuss all sorts of topics from various points of view. Therefore, guests’ views do not always reflect the views of the host, his church, or his institution.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | RSS