Modern Cloister

In this episode, we sit down with Todd Hains, editor, and Natasha Kennedy, illustrator, who together have shaped the creation and launch of a new children's books series called "FatCat" that aims to make the practice of catechism both accessible and engaging for children and families alike.

There are three books in the series so far (Apostles' Creed, Lord's Prayer, and King of Christmas) with more to come in 2023. 

About FatCat Books 
How can anyone, no matter how young or old, grasp the message of the Bible? The church’s answer has always been the catechism. Maybe “catechism” sounds like a scary word. But it shouldn’t! The catechism teaches us what the Bible teaches us: our faith. The church’s catechism is the central texts of faith—the Apostles’ Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the Lord’s Prayer.

The catechism is “fat.” It’s bursting at the seams with meaning, challenge, and comfort. It’s concise, but it’s also deep. Most importantly, it should be familiar. FatCat is a way of making the catechism approachable. And so this book has an actual fat cat hidden throughout. Search for him with your child as you enjoy this book together, and hide the words of the catechism in your heart. Learn more at the Lexham Press website.

In this episode, we sit down with Hannah Nation, co-editor of Faith in the Wilderness: Words of Exhortation from the Chinese Church (released April 2022), to discuss both the book and the state of the Chinese house church. 

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About the book 
For many Western Christians, the experience of persecution is remote. For Chinese Christians, on the other hand, suffering is a regular aspect of the Christian life. With a history of faithfulness under persecution and a rich theology of suffering, the Chinese house church movement has much to contribute theologically to the global church. In Faith in the Wilderness, editors Hannah Nation and Simon Liu pull back the curtain on the pastoral heart and eschatological hope behind the house church’s remarkable faithfulness. These sermonic letters from Chinese leaders, some written under pseudonyms to protect the authors’ identities, will awaken readers to the reality of the gospel—the ground of our hope—in the midst of darkness. Readers will be convicted, encouraged, and edified by the testimony of these fellow believers. Learn more about the book. 

About Hannah Nation 
Hannah currently serves as the Managing Director of the Center for House Church Theology and as Content Director for China Partnership. She is a graduate of Covenant College and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and is also the co-editor of XXX. Hannah is a frequent writer and speaker on both contemporary Chinese gospel movements and the history of women in the church, both academically and popularly. She has written for The Gospel Coalition, Christianity Today, Plough, byFaith, and Mere Orthodoxy, among other various platforms. Learn more at HannahNation.com. 

What do we mean when we talk about Soli Deo Gloria, or God's Glory Alone? Join us as we unpack this Sola, exploring everything from God's internal glory that existed before time and space to His manifestation and communication of that glory externally through creation, providence, and the entire redemptive narrative. We also dive into our modern culture of self glory and the implications for how this sola must reorient us as believers and foundationally shape the way we think, feel, live, serve and worship. 

For a brief background on the "who, what, when, where, why and how" of the Reformation, which introduces the  Five Solas, we invite you to listen to our episode What led to the Reformation? Then, make sure to check out our conversation on Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone) and Sola Gratia (Grace Alone) and Sola Fide (Faith Alone) and Solus Christus (Christ Alone). 

If you're new to the Modern Cloister, check out our first full series on community via the links below and listen to our introductory episode to learn all about the "why" behind our podcast. 

Welcome to the Modern Cloister
A History of Christian Community
The Decline of Community
The Future of Community
The Impact of COVID-19 on Community

Remember to rate, review and subscribe to be the first to get our newest episodes! And connect with us to share your thoughts and feedback at moderncloister@gmail.com. 

What do we mean when we talk about the doctrine of Christ Alone or "Solus Christus"? Join us as we explore this Sola, which centers on the fullness of Christ's work alone for salvation and His uniqueness as Savior. We also dive into how this belief shaped the thinking of the Reformers, how it influenced the history and development of the church, how it should impact us today as believers, and how it must be reclaimed for the sake of the gospel. 

For a brief background on the "who, what, when, where, why and how" of the Reformation, which introduces the  Five Solas, we invite you to listen to our episode What led to the Reformation? Then, make sure to check out our conversation on Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone) and Sola Gratia (Grace Alone) and Sola Fide (Faith Alone).

If you're new to the Modern Cloister, check out our first full series on community via the links below and listen to our introductory episode to learn all about the "why" behind our podcast. 

Welcome to the Modern Cloister
A History of Christian Community
The Decline of Community
The Future of Community
The Impact of COVID-19 on Community

Remember to rate, review and subscribe to be the first to get our newest episodes! And connect with us to share your thoughts and feedback at moderncloister@gmail.com. 

What is the doctrine of Sola Fide and how did it define and shape the Reformation? In this episode, we explore the  the doctrine of justification by faith alone, how this teaching and belief showed up during the Reformation, and how this "Sola" still impacts us today and needs to be reclaimed by the modern church.

For a brief background on the "who, what, when, where, why and how" of the Reformation, which introduces the  Five Solas, we invite you to listen to our episode What led to the Reformation? Then, make sure to check out our conversation on the first sola, Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone) and second sola, Sola Gratia (Grace Alone). 

If you're new to the Modern Cloister, check out our first full series on community via the links below and listen to our introductory episode to learn all about the "why" behind our podcast. 

Welcome to the Modern Cloister
A History of Christian Community
The Decline of Community
The Future of Community
The Impact of COVID-19 on Community

Remember to rate, review and subscribe to be the first to get our newest episodes! And connect with us to share your thoughts and feedback at moderncloister@gmail.com. 

What exactly is the doctrine of Sola Gratia, and how did it define and shape the Reformation? How does the "Grace Alone" sola still impact us today and how can it be recaptured and reclaimed by both believers and the modern church? In this episode, we explore the history and essential components of this sola and how it challenges our contemporary culture and world around us. 

For a brief background on the "who, what, when, where, why and how" of the Reformation, which introduces the  Five Solas, listen to our episode What led to the Reformation? Then, make sure to check out our conversation on the first sola, Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone). 

If you're new to the Modern Cloister, check out our first full series on community via the links below and listen to our introductory episode to learn all about the "why" behind our podcast. 

Welcome to the Modern Cloister
A History of Christian Community
The Decline of Community
The Future of Community
The Impact of COVID-19 on Community

Remember to rate, review and subscribe to be the first to get our newest episodes! And connect with us to share your thoughts and feedback at moderncloister@gmail.com. 

What exactly is the doctrine of Sola Scriptura, and how did it define and shape the Reformation? How does this particular "sola" still impact us today and how can it be recaptured and reclaimed by both believers and the modern church? Join us as we explore the history and essential components of the "Scripture Alone" sola, including the concepts of inspiration, inerrancy, clarity, sufficiency and final authority of God's word. 

For a brief background on the "who, what, when, where, why and how" of the Reformation, which includes a high-level introduction of the Five Solas, listen to our episode What led to the Reformation?

If you're new to the Modern Cloister, check out our first full series on community via the links below and listen to our introductory episode to learn all about the "why" behind our podcast. 

Welcome to the Modern Cloister
A History of Christian Community
The Decline of Community
The Future of Community
The Impact of COVID-19 on Community

Remember to rate, review and subscribe to be the first to get our newest episodes! And connect with us to share your thoughts and feedback at moderncloister@gmail.com. 

We share a brief historical tour of the Protestant Reformation that took place within the church during the 16th century. During our conversation, we walk through the "who, what, when, where, why and how" of the Reformation from a historical perspective, share a high-level introduction of the Five Solas (which were the guiding theological principles of the Reformers), and share our thoughts on why the Five Solas are just as important today as they were centuries ago - and why they need to be recaptured and reclaimed by the modern church around the world.

If you're new to the Modern Cloister, check out our first full series on community via the links below and listen to our introductory episode to learn all about the "why" behind our podcast. 

Welcome to the Modern Cloister
A History of Christian Community
The Decline of Community
The Future of Community
The Impact of COVID-19 on Community

Remember to rate, review and subscribe to be the first to get our newest episodes! And connect with us to share your thoughts and feedback at moderncloister@gmail.com. 

In this episode, we sit down with Elyse Fitzpatrick and Eric Schumacher, co-authors of the new book Jesus and Gender: Living as Sisters and Brothers in Christ (released April 2022) to discuss their new book and the state of gender discussions in the church.  

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About the book
Much teaching on gender relations, roles, and rules binds the conscience beyond what Scripture actually teaches. Gender has become a battleground for power. But God created men and women not to compete for glory but to cooperate for his glory. In Jesus and Gender, Elyse and Eric paint a new vision for gender―Christ's gentle and lowly heart. Drawing from Scripture and experience, Elyse and Eric show how Jesus's example speaks to all areas of our lives as men and women, including vocation, marriage, parenting, friendships, and relating to each other as sisters and brothers in Christ. Real-life testimonies from a variety of Christians―including Christine Caine, Justin Holcomb, Karen Swallow Prior, and others―show a variety of men and women freed to pursue their gifts for God's glory. Learn more about Jesus and Gender.

About the authors
Elyse Fitzpatrick is a nationally sought-after speaker and author. She holds a certificate in biblical counseling and has an MA in biblical counseling from Trinity Theological Seminary. She has authored 23 books and lives in California with her husband, Phil. Learn more about her at elysefitzpatrick.com. 

Eric Schumacher is a pastor, songwriter, and author. He earned an MDiv in Biblical and Theological Studies from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Eric and his wife, Jenny, have five children and live in Iowa. Learn more about him at emschumacher.com.

In this episode, we share our reactions to the Rise and Fall of Mars Hill podcast, produced by Christianity Today, which walks listeners through the story of Mark Driscoll and Mars Hills Church.