Doth Protest
Doth Protest is a podcast on church history and how the theology of the 16th-century Reformers can inform us today. It is hosted by Anglican priests the Rev. Andrew Christiansen and the Rev. James Rickenbaker along with occasional co-host Stephen Burnett, a Roman Catholic layman. It also features interviews with theologians and scholars of church history. Show music is done by Aaron Shows. We can be listened to on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and more. Follow us on X @DothProtestPod, FB & Instagram @doth.pro_ref.pod
Episodes

4 days ago
4 days ago
In the past few years, Roman Catholicism (and to a lesser extent Eastern Orthodoxy) has been attractive to people (including younger people) looking for tradition, beauty, and stability in a world that is often chaotic. What are the "pitfalls and possibilities" (to quote Doc Brown) of this 'Current Catholic Moment'? John Hoyum, a Lutheran pastor and academic, joins Andrew and James on the podcast today to discuss this topic and things related to it. This conversation was inspired from his recent article "Reformation Christians and the Current Catholic Moment".SHOWNOTES:In today's episode, James brings up the book Long Before Luther: Tracing the Heart of the Gospel from Christ to the Reformation
John brings up the following resources (which he also references in his article above):-video of Ryan Burge's statistical analysis of the alleged religious revival-Daphne Hampse's book Christian Contradictions: The Structures of Lutheran and Catholic Thought
-Jaroslav Pelikan's book The Riddle of Roman Catholicism
-Herman Sasse's book Here We Stand

Friday Nov 14, 2025
Friday Nov 14, 2025
We were delighted for Amy Mantravadi to return to the podcast to discuss her book Face to Face: A Novel of the Reformation,the second of her two-part novel series. (She joined us to discuss the first book Broken Bonds on an episode earlier this year.) Amy is a regular contributor at 1517 and writes about theological and historical topics. SHOWNOTES
The following works are brought up or referenced in this episode:
-Amy's previous work The Chronicles of Maud trilogy.
-Robert Kolb's Bound Choice, Election, and the Wittenberg Theological Method
-Rudolf & Marilynn Markwald’s book Katharina von Bora: A Reformation Life
-Martin Luther's Bondage of the Will
-Martin Luther's “Against the Robbing and Murdering Hordes of Peasants” (1525), which can be found in Luther's Works, Volume 46
-Coming Soon: Amy's talk “How the Bondage of the Will Changes My Life” will be featured in an upcoming video from the 1517 YouTube channel.

Wednesday Nov 05, 2025
Wednesday Nov 05, 2025
A mix of topics on this episode. We continue to promote James' Substack Rogues and Reformers about his use of comic books as teaching tools for Reformational theology, and we focus particularly on what the Joker's story can teach us about human depravity and gospel-grace. Then, we go to Andrew's latest Mockingbird article on what the former KISS guitarist the late Ace Frehley can teach us about human depravity and gospel-grace. Then, yes, we get to the English Reformation and look at Hugh Latimer, Nicholas Ridley, & Lady Jane Grey.Shownotes:-Rogues & Reformers Issue #6: The Joker- The Laughable Myth of Inherent Goodness -Andrew's article "Ace and Grace"–We reference former Doth Protest episode "Lady Jane Grey"
–Peter Marshall's book Heretics & Believers
–Eric Ives' book Lady Jane Grey: A Tudor Mystery
–Diarmaid MacCulloch's book The Boy King: Edward VI and the Protestant Reformation

Tuesday Oct 07, 2025
Tuesday Oct 07, 2025
Andrew and James continue their chronological walkthrough of the English Reformation discussing Katherine Parr, Edward VI, Martin Bucer, and the 1549 and 1552 Books of Common Prayer. Enjoy!
We want to hear from you. Pease send feedback to dp.pod2020@gmail.com
Episode Shownotes
-Luther-scholarship that has identified Max Weber as a misinterpretor of Luther's 'two-kingdoms' teaching includes William Wright's book Martin Luther's Understanding of God's Two Kingdoms: A Response to the Challenge of Skepticism and Michael P. DeJonge's Bonhoeffer's Reception of Luther.
-Sheryl A. Kujawa-Holbrook's article ”Katherine Parr and the Reformed Religion” in Anglican Theological Review Vo. 72, No. 1
- A.G. Dickens' classic text The English Reformation
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Friday Sep 26, 2025
Friday Sep 26, 2025
Andrew and James return to have a catch-up episode- with each other and with you. James started a substack called "Rogues & Reformers" on how Reformational theology can inform our read of comic books and superheroes. Andrew discusses a church trip he went on walking in the footsteps of Paul the Apostle. We offer what we hope can be a pastoral word on the murder of Charlie Kirk.
Shownotes
James' Substack "Rogues & Reformers"
Itinerary and info on Andrew's Trip

Saturday Aug 16, 2025
Saturday Aug 16, 2025
In this episode we look at Henry VIII's marriage to Anne of Cleves, Martin Luther's influence on English churchmen like William Tyndale and Robert Barnes, the influence of the English-Schmalkaldic dialogues on the 39 articles, and more. (Show correction: the author Andrew mentions is Michael Whiting, not Whitling! Apologies)We also took the first segment of the episode to discuss recent feedback from our friend Fr. Isaac Rehberg. (Previous two-time guest on the podcast). Sharing feedback in the beginning of our episode will be a regular part of our routine going forward! Please reach out to us with your thoughts, questions, or suggestions: dp.pod2020@gmail.com
Shownotes:Michael Whiting's book Luther in English: The Influence of His Theology of Law and Gospel on Early English Evangelicals (1525-1535)
The Reformation Essays of Robert Barnes, edited by Neelak S. Tjernagel
Henry VIII and the Lutherans: A Study in Anglo-Lutheran Relations from 1521 to 1547 by Neelak S. Tjernagel
Documents of the English Reformation, edited by Gerald Bray
Worship by Faith Alone: Thomas Cranmer, the Book of Common Prayer, and the Reformation of Liturgy by Zac Hicks

Wednesday Aug 06, 2025
Wednesday Aug 06, 2025
Did Henry VIII found the Anglican Church? That's one of many things we explore in this episode which will be the first of a multi-part series where James and Andrew discuss the 16th Reformation in England. In this part, we look at the so-called three 'streams' of Anglicanism, the Tudors, and Henry's reign up to his divorce with Anne of Cleves. Enjoy!Give us feedback on the podcast. Please reach out to us at dp.pod2020@gmail.comor leave us a review on wherever you listen to us at.
ShownotesWe reference or quote from the following works:
Ben Crosby's Substack Draw Near with Faith
The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind by Mark Noll
Love's Redeeming Work: The Anglican Quest for Holiness
Long Before Luther: Tracing the Heart of the Gospel from Christ to the Reformation by Nathan Busenitz
The English Reformation by A.G. Dickens
Documents of the English Reformation by Gerald Bray
The European Reformations by Carter Lindberg
*Andrew could not find where he drew the quote from Ian Hazlett from, but if you happen to know, please inform him. Thanks!

Friday Jul 25, 2025
Friday Jul 25, 2025
Matthew Barrett has recently made religious news: converting to Anglican Christianity from the Southern Baptist Convention and his new appointment at Trinity Anglican Seminary in Ambridge as research professor of theology.
In this throwback episode, Dr. Barrett joined Andrew and James on the podcast to discuss his book The Reformation as Renewal: Retrieving the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.
In the episode, we do a deep dive into the historical setting of the Reformation, the intellectual and philosophical milieu of which people like Luther emerged, the Reformation's roots in both patristic and medieval theology, and common caricatures of the Reformation. Enjoy!

Friday Jul 18, 2025
Friday Jul 18, 2025
Continuing on the topic of the generation of Lutherans after Luther's death from our preceding episode, Dr. Wade Johnston comes on the show to discuss his recent book Life Under the Cross: A Biography of the Reformer Matthias Flacius Illyricus.
The story of Flacius alone gives us a big picture on 2nd-generation Lutheranism as he was a significant figure involved with most of the significant controversies and debates that happened in the time period from Luther's death to the Formula of Concord.
Wade Johnston is assistant professor of history and theology at Wisconsin Lutheran College and an ordained Lutheran pastor (WELS). He also is a contributor at 1517.org and hosts the podcast Let the Bird Fly. Tune in for a fascinating discussion.
Shownotes:
In addition to Wade's book (linked above), we bring up the books:
-Wade Johnston, The Devil Behind the Surplice: Matthias Flacius and John Hooper on Adiophora
-Robert Kolb, Bound Choice, Election, and Wittenberg Theological Method: From Martin Luther to the Formula of Concord
-Luka Ilić, Theologian of Sin and Grace: The Process of Radicalization in the Theology of Matthias Flacius Illyricus
-Oliver K. Olson, Matthias Flacius and the Survival of Luther's Reform

Friday Jun 20, 2025
Friday Jun 20, 2025
"Philippists", "Flacians", "Stoics", "Synergists". These are all names given, whether pejoratively or appropriately, to factions and groups that arose within the movement Luther started after his death. James and Andrew dive into this period of the second half of the 16th century to explore who some of these people were and what some of the debates were about. Enjoy!SHOWNOTES:Referenced in the show is Robert Kolb's book Andreae and the Formula of Conrod: Six Sermons on the Way to Lutheran Unity and Bound Choice, Election, and the Wittenberg Theological Method: From Martin Luther to the Formula of Concord




