During 2017, we undertook a series of episodes dedicated to Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation.  A number of superb interviews came from that series, including the Catholic response to Protestantism with James Felak.  However, my favorite episode of this bunch was with Dr. Emily Fisher Gray of Norwich University, who (like Colleen Haight last week) had incredible enthusiasm for the topic.  I found this to be a very accessible introduction to the thinking of Luther and his life and times.  While lots of organizations and institutes were running to get the “big names” to speak on the topic of Luther and the Reformation, here we had somebody from a smaller university that might not otherwise get to showcase their ideas.  Indeed, I found Prof. Gray to be much more open and insightful about Luther than most of the marquee scholars who often play their analysis “close to the vest” to avoid alienating anybody.  I also have to admit that I debated whether or not to pub Sarah Bond’s interview on funeral services in late antiquity into this position.  Bond’s interview also represented a fantastic scholar who has yet had the opportunity to find a broader audience for her ideas.  Choosing between these was difficult, and the desire to highlight our Protestant Reformation series was the tipping point, but I urge you to listen to them both and consider them a tie.

Original Podcast Link.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

The Protestant Reformation Series.

Sarah Bond on Church and Funerals in Late Antiquity.

Louis Markos on the Poetry of Heaven and Hell.

David Deavel on De Sales, Newman, Chesterton, and Hitchcock.

Jason Jewell on Why Christians Should Read the Great Books.

Russell Kleckley on Religion, Science, and Johannes Kepler.

Curtis Freeman on Undomesticated Dissent.

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