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City of God Lectures
God In The Ash Heap (1 CD)
lecture by Bill Spanjer Jr.
"Who is like the Lord our God?" asks the Psalmist in Psalm 113. But what is it that sets our God apart from the claims of all other would-be gods? It is not simply that the God of the Bible is more exalted than what the others claim to be. Rather, it is that as the One exalted high above the heavens, he is mindful of the lowly, the poor, the sinner. In this Christmas season lecture we are reminded that the God of the Bible, revealed in the Incarnation, is not a distant God, unwilling to get His hands dirty. The God revealed in Christ Jesus is the God of Psalm 113 who loves His people enough to enter into the ash heap in order to lift us out and seat us with the princes of His people.
God in the Whirlwind: Job and Problem of Evil (1 CD)
lecture by Justin Chiarot
No issue has challenged the hearts and minds of Christians nor been used as a argumentative weapon by those who are not Christians, like that of God and the problem of Evil. But Christians must avoid dealing with this difficult issue as an abstract philosophical problem. In This Christmas season lecture we are reminded by the story of Job that the entire question must be wrestled with in the light of the Incarnation. For, it is in the incarnation and ultimately the cross, that we discover our God with us in the chaos that troubles us so greatly. We discover God not only sovereign over, but also in the midst of the whirlwind.
Dwaarkill Courses
Behind Enemy Lines: A Study of The Screwtape Letters (16 CDs)
taught by Bill Spanjer Jr.
The Screwtape Letters. In this challenging and insightful book Lewis examines the temptations and pitfalls of every Christian at one time or another in his or her life. From our relationships, desire for pleasure, and various anxieties, to sex, humor, and prayer, Lewis uses the creative and fictional correspondence from one senior devilish tempter (Screwtape) to another, instructing him on how best to derail a Christian from his relationship with Christ. As we travel behind enemy lines to hear their strategy, we are afforded the opportunity to consider our own sanctification and battle with sin. Although it is not always comfortable, we should not pass up the chance to have our spiritual blind spots exposed. In this course we consider not only the devices of the evil one, but how we might best build up our spiritual defenses against particular sins and temptations.
The Book of Revelation: Developing a Kingdom Vision (20 CDs)
taught by Bill Spanjer Jr.
Though the book of Revelation is sometimes confusing, and often intimidating, its beauty is in the fact that it lifts a veil and allows us to see our world from God’s perspective. While our experiences tell us of a world out of control, Revelation shows us God seated firmly upon his throne As Christians, our calling is to pick up our cross and follow Christ in a hostile world, resisting temptations and persisting through persecutions. This perspective therefore, is absolutely vital for us as it is often our tendency to “settle in” and accept the lenses of our culture in understanding the world and our place in it. We tend over time to adopt the values and priorities of the culture around us, gradually losing our saltiness. The Apostle Paul, however, commands us not to be conformed to the pattern of this world, but to be transformed in the renewing of our mind, which requires more than simply learning and affirming new ideas. It requires a complete overhaul of how we see and understand the world. It demands that we reconsider what is valuable and what we believe the purpose of life is. It commands us to have a distinct understanding of the plot line of history and the ultimate problem with the world. Revelation serves this purpose in a unique way as it reshapes our imaginations and recalibrates our understanding of reality. The question for us is, are we content with the way we have always seen the world, or are we prepared to have our minds transformed and see things as God sees them? The Book of Revelation promises blessing to all who read it and live by it. Come. Join us as we study this wonderful book.
Living in Exile: Navigating The Christian Life in a Secular Culture (12 CDs)
taught by Bill Spanjer Jr.
Being in the world, but not of the world is a familiar cliché when it comes to the Christian’s relationship to culture, but as a cliché it can keep us from thinking deeply about its actual application. From disdain for culture that leads to separation, to a love for culture that can result in conformity, the Christian community instinctively swings back and forth over the ages. Striking the proper balance will require more than simple clichés. Join us in this course as we set out to engage this challenging subject in pursuit of faithfulness and fruitfulness.
New Atheism (12 CDs)
taught by Justin Chiarot
Americans love trends. We love to be “in the loop”, “cutting edge”, and “progressive.” Unfortunately these trends are not quarantined to the worlds of design, technology and pop-culture. Intellectual ideas ebb and flow in and out of style with as much regularity as fashion trends. In this course, we deal with one of todays most stylish of intellectual trends: Atheism. In a n age of reinvigorated and aggressive atheism or even anti-theism, Christians must not only know the arguments of these "New Atheists", but they must also be able to critique and respond to them. In this course we consider the basic presuppositions behind their arguments and look at the writings of some of the major proponents of this new yet same old trend.
The History of Political Thought (15 CDs)
taught by Justin Chiarot
This course offers a history of political thought from Plato to the present, an overview of the ideas that have shaped the form of governments from the ancient Greek and Roman empires, through the Middle Ages, Reformation, Enlightenment, and the age of Revolutions into the twentieth century. These lectures will help develop a framework through which we may view and assess our current state of affairs, as well as kindle a renewed zeal to hold all political matters captive to justice and truth.
Shepherding The Wind: A Study of the book of Ecclesiastes (12 CDs)
taught by Dr. Kevin Chiarot
Ecclesiastes is, even on a faithful and sympathetic reading, a difficult book. It looks at life with a shocking candor that most of us are simply unwilling or unable to tolerate. But the author does not allow us to avert our gaze. He forces us to look into the intractable evil, the incalculable woe that characterizes life under the sun understanding that though it hurts, it is ultimately necessary and for our good. In this class Dr. Chiarot walks us through this challenging book and helps us to see the world clearly so that we might, with sober minds, glorify God and enjoy him forever.