Bob Hiller is joined by Dan van Voorhis to discuss a theology of the arts and how Reformational theology, and Lutheran theology specifically, instructs Christians on the place of art as we live coram deo (in the presence of God). They discuss if art can be “redeemed,” cultivating good taste in art, differences in Lutheran and Reformed traditions, and more. After receiving his Ph.D. in History from the University of St. Andrews, Dr. van Voorhis spent 11 years teaching history and political thought at Concordia University, Irvine. He is now the 1517 Academy Dean. He also spends his time writing for 1517 and hosting the Soul of Christianity and the Christian History Almanac podcasts.    CHECK OUT THIS MONTH’S OFFERS: Sign up to receive an original art print for this series at whitehorseinn.org/offers Subscribe to Modern Reformation magazine, and don’t miss this month’s issue, “The Arts.” Become a Partner to support the work of White Horse Inn as we apply the riches of the Reformation to the modern church. For more information, visit us at whitehorseinn.org or email us at info@whitehorseinn.org

The Bible is a large library of ancient books, covering different ancient literary genres. While all things that pertain to how we can be saved are made plain and clear in the words of Scripture, not everything in the Bible is equally as clear. There are many passages that seem to contradict themselves, which can create a hay day for those antagonistic toward the faith. It can also make for a difficult devotional time for the Christian just trying to faithfully read Scripture. In this episode, Michael Horton, Walter Strickland, and Bob Hiller show how we can make sense of passages in the Bible that seem to subvert each other and more.  

From the Nephilim to the imprecatory psalms, there is a lot of weird stuff in the Bible. The problem is that for many people, these texts can quickly turn into rabbit holes of vain speculation. In the episode, Michael Horton, Walter Strickland, and Bob Hiller show how ordinary Christians can be inquisitive readers of Scripture—being receptive to their meaning and place in God’s revelation—while also refraining from making the strange and the niche central to our who we are.

When it comes to cultural concerns of our day, Bible passages are often used by pastors, politicians, or concerned family members to calm or stoke anxiety and fear in others. In this episode, Michael Horton, Walter Strickland, and Bob Hiller situate these passages in their original context and discuss how they’re often used to address the salient cultural and political issues that occupy so many people’s attention today.

When it comes to cultural concerns of our day, Bible passages are often used by pastors, politicians, or concerned family members to calm or stoke anxiety and fear in others. In this episode, Michael Horton, Walter Strickland, and Bob Hiller situate these passages in their original context and discuss how they’re often used to address the salient cultural and political issues that occupy so many people’s attention today.

Thank you for supporting and listening to White Horse Inn this year! In this special year-end episode, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland answer listener questions and reflect on what excites them as they anticipate God’s work in 2024.  

As we consider Christ’s birth, we can’t help but consider his death. From a baby in a manager to a man hanging on a cross, it is through Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection that we find the hope and joy we sing about at Christmas. In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland reflect on The Song of Simeon, recognizing God’s faithfulness and Jesus’s redemptive purpose.

"Before I draw nearer to that stone to which you point," said Scrooge, "answer me one question." In this special episode re-release, Michael Horton shares how the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come in Dickens's 'A Christmas Carol' points us to our need for a transformation, but how only the gospel can move us from behavioral change to living a new life of gratitude and joy.

"Come in! and know me better, man!" In this special episode re-release, Justin Holcomb shares how the Ghost of Christmas Present in Dickens's 'A Christmas Carol' teaches us about grace and peace and the invitation to feast in the Christian life.

“Oh! But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner!” In this special episode re-release, Bob Hiller shares how the Ghost of Christmas Past in Dickens's 'A Christmas Carol' teaches us about guilt, the law, and how we are freed from its condemnation through Christ.

Angelic announcements are found throughout both the Old and New Testaments, but angels remain perplexing. Why does God use these messengers, and what is the nature of their message? In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland delve into the mysteries of these terrifying warriors and their message of peace.  

Watch this interview at youtube.com/WhiteHorse1990.  In this bonus episode of White Horse Inn, Michael Horton and Sinclair Ferguson discuss James Montgomery Boice's lasting impact on systematic expository preaching and tackle the modern challenges faced by leaders in the age of social media. Sinclair offers a candid take on the role of pastors versus leaders, as well as the Scottish Reformation, and how to avoid the pitfalls of antinomianism and legalism. (Episode SP015)

Old Testament birth stories often begin with barren women, and the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth follows suit. Conceived in their old age, John the Baptist is born out of a miracle at just the right time—mere months before Jesus. But why is he such a prominent figure in Jesus’s birth narrative? And what can we learn from his father’s song? In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland discuss the song of Zechariah and how a fiery prophet can “guide our feet into the way of peace.”

In the small town of Nazareth, an angel told a humble virgin girl that she would be God’s chosen instrument through whom the deliverer would come. And, though she couldn’t fully comprehend all this would entail, Mary received the Lord’s word and took her place in God’s unfolding plan of redemption. In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland dive into Mary’s song of praise. They consider how this simple girl became the mother of the mediator, how she responded to the responsibility of caring for the Savior of the world, and what her life means to us.  

In this bonus episode of White Horse Inn, Michael Horton interviews Joni Eareckson Tada, who shares her story of hope through hardship and how her determination continues to help others with similar disabilities all across the globe. (Episode SP014)  

What does Christianity and liberalism look like 100 years later? How does Machen’s writing apply to us today, and what does that mean for the future of the American church? In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland advocate for a modern reformation, reflecting on what must still be recovered and what it looks like to resist the pull of liberalism today.

We admire and imitate our heroes, and we’re often shocked when we discover their flaws. But is there value in facing their failures? In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland break down the history of racism within the American church and consider what we can learn from the past as we move forward in love.  

The following is a special bonus episode from our sister program, Core Christianity. In this cross-confessional conversation, Core Radio host Pastor Adriel Sanchez is joined by Kendra Dahl and Gretchen Ronnevik to discuss how to help our kids keep their faith. With both a reformed and a Lutheran perspective at the table, we thought this conversation would be perfect for our White Horse Inn audience. (Episode SP013)  You can also watch this three part series on Core Christianity's YouTube channel.  Just go to youtube.com/corechristianity.    

When we hear the word “liberalism”, we often think of liberal politics. But Christianity and Liberalism has religion in mind. Machen shows what happens when liberalism is inserted into religion—it morphs into something completely different from biblical Christianity. So what makes it so appealing to theologians? In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland define liberalism and dive into its distortion of Christianity.  

During the 1920s, American Pastor Harry Fosdick wrote a sermon called, “Shall the Fundamentalists Win?” addressing the controversies he saw rising within American churches. As the ideas of Freud, Marx, and Nietzsche grew in cultural importance, they began to influence theologians as well. So, Fosdick argued, “The liberals must go.” In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland take on the historical details of where fundamentalism came from, explaining how it weaved its way into the Church, and what happened after.

From award speeches to success stories, glory is consistently self-attributed. So, what does it look like to be motivated by God’s glory? In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland consider the foundation of soli Deo Gloria, or “for the glory of God alone.” As they wrap up this series on the five solas in this episode, they also reflect on the current state of the relationship between Protestants and Roman Catholics.

How do we receive and rest in God’s righteousness? This question propelled the Reformers forward, confronting Rome’s insistence that justification is something believers must cooperate to receive. Instead, they proclaimed sola fide, or “through faith alone.” In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland discuss the doctrine of justification by faith alone and consider the role of good works in the Christian’s life.

If our culture is like water, then the concept of grace is its oil. We like to work hard and believe our efforts should merit reward. Until, of course, we come face-to-face with our inability to truly “help ourselves.” In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland break down the history of sola gratia, or “by grace alone,” confronting the continued influence of Pelagianism today and how grace sets us free.

With Solus Christus, or “through Christ alone,” the Reformers addressed our need for a mediator. Taking issue with the role of priests in the Roman Catholic church, the Reformers pointed to the “one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2:5), highlighting the priesthood of all believers. So what role does that leave for ministers today? In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland discuss solus Christus and point to our joy in the sufficiency of Christ.

With Sola Scriptura, or “through Scripture alone,” the Reformers affirmed the authority of Scripture over and above the tradition of the Roman Catholic church. Today, questions of authority and accountability still plague the church, stemming from the influence of radical Anabaptists, modern biblicists, the continued tradition of Rome, and our own culturally shaped desires to have the final say. In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland discuss sola Scriptura and how it can be good news for the church today.

In this bonus episode of White Horse Inn, Michael Horton interviews Jon Ward about his new book Testimony: Inside the Evangelical Movement that Failed a Generation, which discusses his experience in the Evangelical church and his takeaways after stepping out of it. (Episode SP012) 

Throughout history, Christianity has profoundly impacted societies for the better, with Christians founding hospitals and adoption agencies and advocating for the poor and oppressed. Today, we may benefit from these Christian influences, but do we carry on their legacy? Are we contributing to the growth of Christianity, or are we growing out of it? In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland point us to God’s work all around us, encouraging us toward a faith-centered life in the “already” as we anticipate the joy of the “not yet.”

The darkness can often feel out of control, tempting us towards hopelessness and fear. Scripture assures us that God is powerful and his mercy is abundant, and even now the gospel is planting seeds of Christ’s kingdom in and through his people. So, where are these sprouts of the new creation? In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland reflect on God’s work in their own lives, helping us see the age to come breaking in on this present evil age through the ministry of sinful human beings.

Trying to achieve salvation through works is a human tendency, but this works-based ideology is contrary to the Bible’s message of salvation by grace alone through faith in Christ alone. So, how does living in the already-but-not-yet impact our standing before God? What does it mean for where our citizenship lies? In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland discuss the role of the church and what it means to be in the world but not of it.

When someone mentions the “end times,” what comes to mind? Does it make you anxious, or perhaps tempt you to sit back and idly wait? Eschatology refers to the end, but really, it ought to come first. Our understanding of how things end positions us in God’s timeline and orient's us toward the ultimate goal of our salvation. In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland dive into the theological history of eschatology, how we should be practicing it, and why it’s vital.

In this bonus episode of White Horse Inn, Michael Horton interviews Richard Lints about his new book Uncommon Unity and dives into the history of American politics and social issues in relation to Christianity. (Episode SP011)

When the trials of tragedy and trauma feel overwhelming, we can forget the victory our Savior accomplished for us. Our own Creator came to us in the flesh—God’s one and only Son bore the full weight of sin and death, giving us everlasting life. We are undeserving; nevertheless, he defeated death for us. How do we remember this marvelous truth in the midst of chaos? How do we continue to have the full hope God intended for us? In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland discuss how Jesus triumphs over death and suffering, and they reflect on how we wait on the Lord during our own difficult trials.

In some ways, trauma has become a buzzword, both culturally and within the church. Even in places that are supposed to be the most safe, traumatic experiences seem rampant. So, how do we deal with it all? Where does God’s will come into play and how can we have hope during some of the darkest times of our lives? In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland wrestle with the issues we’re facing when it comes to addressing trauma and how the church can help others see the hope of God—even in the dark.

When tragedy strikes us, what do we do? Do we want to immediately blame God? Do we try to rationalize it in some way? Or do we just lose hope? When trials feel like a main player in our lives, it can be overwhelming. We might feel entitled to the answers for our questions. In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland take on the challenge of addressing God’s part in our tragedies and consider how to find our way when we feel lost.

German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once said that there’s an old illusion, and “it is called good and evil.” Throughout the ages, people have either thrown out the idea of evil, like Nietzsche, or attempted to rationalize it with their belief system. So, if everyone in some way gives an account for real evil and suffering in the world, what do Christians have to say about it? In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland tackle the historical reasons for evil and suffering and what resources we have, as believers, to face this fallen world.

In this bonus episode of White Horse Inn, Michael Horton interviews Aaron Renn about his aim of helping the church in America rise to the challenge of finding success in the 21st century.

The secular world sees our identity as something that we achieve instead of receive. They take the brokenness of a fallen world and fashion it into identities in everything but Jesus Christ. So, how do we stand firm when the world pulls us to adopt these broken identities? How do we understand our natures in light of the God who carefully made us? In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland break down what it means to live in Christ’s identity, not our own, and how we can firmly walk against the grain of our culture. 

In this bonus episode of White Horse Inn, Caleb Wait interviews Kendra Dahl about her article in Modern Reformation, "Restoring Eve." Listen in as they discuss potential interpretations of the woman's desire in Genesis 3:16 and its implications for the church today. 

Individualization seems to be ingrained into Western culture. Personal experience, self-proclaimed identity, toleration, and relative truth are the reigning figures of society. While God gives wisdom through his Scriptures, the norms and nature he has set for us are at constant odds with these prevailing cultural narratives. So how do we not fall prey to social stereotypes? In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland discuss the challenges of today’s culture of relativity and gender stereotypes and how we can stay truthful to what God’s word says about our nature.

If God made both man and woman in his image as partners in the good work of filling up and caring for the earth, why does society seem to pit men and women against each other? Both in the church and in broader secular culture, men and women seem to be in competition rather than working in partnership. Could this be the reason why so many people are steeped with anxiety, gender confusion, or addiction? In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland wrestle with the challenges of today’s culture, misconceptions within the church, and how to get back to the truth of God’s word.

The conversation of gender identity seems to have swept into every crevice of our culture. From debating gender “norms” to questioning the concept of biological gender completely, society has demanded to have a say in how men and women should understand themselves and the roles they play. But what are the ramifications of allowing the world to tell what we are to be instead of Scripture? In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland untangle the narrative of creation as male and female and the importance of the differences we have been given by our Creator.

In the beginning, God spoke the world into existence. He made man and woman the crown of his creation, image-bearers of the Almighty God. Humans have a special place in God’s created order. But as we know, it didn’t take long for sin to enter the world, corrupting this image and changing our relationship to our Creator. In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland consider our true nature as those created by God and why it’s important for us to understand our origin story. 

From disciple to betrayer, Judas Iscariot is a figure with whom not many would choose to associate. It’s hard to imagine how someone could walk with Jesus and yet betray him. So why would Christ choose someone like Judas? Are we all just like him in more ways than we realize? In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland discuss what we can learn from the story of Judas Iscariot and his kiss of betrayal.  

Though the Israelites recalled the monarchy as their “glory days,” even their most noteworthy kings were messy, complicated, and oftentimes disappointing in their actions. So why do we need their stories? In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland wrestle with the challenges and significance of the first three monarchs in Israel’s history: Saul, David, and Solomon.

All Bible stories are really just one story repeated over and over again, describing the intersection between our sinful condition and God’s relentless faithfulness. So it should come as no surprise when even the heroes of the story seem to be the most flawed. In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland consider the shocking narrative of Samson, explaining how all stories, like Samsons’, lead us back to the glory of God.

Called by God to lead his people to the promised land, Moses is heralded as a prophet like no other—one with whom God spoke face to face. But between his murderous past, bursts of anger that ultimately kept him from entering the promised land, and his own record that he was the most humble man to ever live, is he the hero we think? In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland tackle the complicated details of Moses’s life, reflecting on how God works in and through sinners.

When new converts are brought into the church, they are often loaded up with the need to read the Bible, pray, practice repentance, and get into the community—but equally vital to spiritual health is a right understanding of and participation in the means of grace. In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland discuss how the means of grace are used for our sanctification and why they are central to life and identity in the church.

Christ instituted the Lord’s Supper and commanded the church to “do this in remembrance of me.” But why? In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland compare the unique views of the Lutheran, Baptist, Reformed, and Anglican traditions of this sacrament and what it means to participate in our union with Christ by “eating his body and drinking his blood.”

From his own baptism by John the Baptist to his last commission to his followers to go and make disciples from all nations, Jesus’s ministry is marked by this sacrament. But what does it mean? What are its biblical origins? And who should receive it? In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland discuss the traditional Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Baptist, and Reformed views on the sacrament of baptism.

What are the differences between Reformational, Roman Catholic, and Anabaptist sacramental views? And what are sacraments for? In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland discuss the common impressions and misconceptions of the sacraments in a society prone toward unmediated spirituality.

Soteriology precedes eschatology—but how? And what will the judgment of the risen Christ look like? In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland examine different views of the end times as they consider our hopeful future—one where the work of Christ finally culminates in the new heavens and new earth.

The ascension seems like a really bad plan. Why would Christ leave his disciples? Is the indwelling Spirit truly better than Christ in the flesh? In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland discuss Jesus’s gifts to the church through his intercession and his continuing priestly office in which he acts as our advocate and intercessor.

Many people struggle with the concept of atonement. What do we make of a God who demands the sacrifice of his own Son? And what exactly is happening in Christ’s work on the cross? In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland consider the covenantal context for Christ’s passive obedience and speak to some of the harmful ways this doctrine has been misapplied.

Most Christians know about the forgiveness of sins, but not the doctrine of active obedience. But how do we become righteous if not through imputation? In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland explain what is meant by the active obedience of Christ and why there’s no hope without it.

Christ’s incarnation immediately sets Christianity apart from other religions and disrupts the expectations of religious leaders. So, what is this important doctrine and what do we lose if we deny it? In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland consider Christ’s divine and human natures and what Christ’s incarnation means for us.

Throughout this series, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland have talked a lot about the need to distinguish law from gospel, but what happens when there’s not only a distinction but a division between the two? In this episode of White Horse Inn, the roundtable considers various distortions of the law-gospel distinction and their implications for the church.

Proponents of the law-gospel distinction have often emphasized the need for them to appear in the right order. But how important is that order? In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland discuss what’s at stake if the law and gospel are out of order or confused.

Is the gospel something that we do? Is it something—like a law—that we can execute or abide by? In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland unpack the covenant of grace throughout Scripture, considering the counterintuitive nature of God’s unilateral kindness to us in the gospel.

We are no strangers to the category of “law,” but how is God’s law different from man-made laws and rituals? In this episode of White Horse Inn, hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Bob Hiller, and Walter Strickland discuss the importance of the law-gospel distinction and dig into the definition of the law and its impact on God’s people today.