Blog & Mablog
Canon Press
The point of this podcast is pretty broad — “All of Christ for all of life.” In order to make that happen, we need “theology that bites back.” I want to advance what you might call a Chestertonian Calvinism, and to bring that attitude to bear on education, sex and culture, theology, politics, book reviews, postmodernism, expository studies, along with other random tidbits that come into my head. My perspective is usually not hard to discern. In theology I am an evangelical, postmill, Calvinist, Reformed, and Presbyterian, pretty much in that order. In politics, I am slightly to the right of Jeb Stuart. In my cultural sympathies, if we were comparing the blight of postmodernism to a vast but shallow goo pond, I would observe that I have spent many years on these stilts and have barely gotten any of it on me.
Episodes
Mentioned books
12 snips
Mar 2, 2026 • 5min
As Events in the Middle East Unfold . . .
A brisk take on a major US–Israel military operation and its early reported successes. Discussion of constitutional war powers and modern departures from congressional declarations. A warning against nation-building and why limited strikes cannot remake foreign leadership. Political calculations for Trump and likely regional shifts, including implications for the Abraham Accords and Middle Eastern alignments.
16 snips
Feb 25, 2026 • 17min
Children of Hagar
A discussion comparing two ways people relate to the covenant using the Sarah and Hagar allegory. Exploration of whether the old covenant functions as law or as an administration of grace. Examination of Galatians 4 and how Sinai, Jerusalem, Ishmael, and Isaac serve as spiritual types. Reflection on why a Hagar-like, distorted approach to the covenant persists today and how true covenant faithfulness is identified.
Feb 24, 2026 • 13min
Pete Hegseth, the First Amendment, and Me. Oh, and Tucker. And the Swarming Harpies.
A conversation about a voluntary Pentagon prayer meeting and how it relates to the First Amendment. A look at historical meanings of establishment and distinctions between hard and soft establishment. Reflections on a recorded conversation with Tucker Carlson and concerns about some of his fans. A critique of Israel fixation and its effect on policy priorities.
Feb 23, 2026 • 8min
Not Civil Rights At All
A provocative take on how the modern idea of rights has shifted from protection against violence to entitlement claims. A critique of positive rights and how they create obligations for others. A warning about the practical and moral costs of welfare-style guarantees. A call to rethink the legacy and legal framework born in 1964.
6 snips
Feb 23, 2026 • 7min
The Very First to Be Raised
A theological dive into Christ's resurrection as a foretaste and down payment of what awaits all believers. Discussion of Paul’s claim in Acts 26 and the meaning of being 'first' in the rising. Contrast between temporary resuscitation and irreversible transformation into an immortal, glorified body. Reflections on how this shapes expectations for the general resurrection and future bodies.
10 snips
Feb 9, 2026 • 11min
In Which Darryl Hart Attempts to Float Above the Fray
Conversation covers a critical take on attempts to remain neutral amid cultural conflict. Topics include claims that Protestantism shaped modern secular private religion and debates over causes of secularization. The discussion traces the rise of Christian nationalism to 2020 cultural flashpoints and considers how the church should respond to abortion, gender, pornography, and medical-ethical turmoil.
Feb 4, 2026 • 10min
My Musical Career, Such as It Was
A nostalgic walk through a musical upbringing shaped by hymns, HiFi records, and choir days. Tales of first guitar porch performances and a prized 53-year Guild. Stories of forming bands, a 1978 local record, a homemade cassette release, and ongoing projects ranging from psalm settings to community concerts.
Feb 2, 2026 • 10min
Infighting and Those Reservoirs of Guilt
For more from Doug, subscribe to Canon+: https://canonplus.com/
5 snips
Jan 28, 2026 • 7min
My First Sermon, and Welcome to It
A memoir-style recollection of a first sermon and early ministry mishaps. Stories from Navy days and a move to Idaho set the scene. Tales of an offbeat family ministry called God's Garage and a lively youth choir named Salt Unlimited. A small rural church unexpectedly hands over a whole service, and a last-minute sermon on the paralytic leads to humble reflection years later.
8 snips
Jan 26, 2026 • 18min
Marriage, Miscegenation & More
A lively Bible study on cross-ethnic marriages and scriptural examples like Moses, Ruth, and Rahab. A close look at why Israel was warned against certain unions, linking prohibitions to idolatry rather than race. Thought experiments probe ethnicity versus race and where cultural preservation ends and bigotry begins. The conversation connects the debate to modern political and cultural shifts.
