The show

The show features interviews with Christian leaders and scholars, conversations on topics about faith and life, and reviews of resources for use in your own Christian growth. You’ll also find lots of bonus content, like weekly sermons and sermon Q&As from Nativity’s preachers.

Small Catechisms is a digital ministry of Lutheran Church of the Nativity which provides opportunities for faith formation wherever you are.

Listen now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!

Hosts

Small Catechisms is regularly hosted by Nativity’s Fellowship Engagement Director & Theologian-in-Residence, Dr. Aaron Davis. Aaron holds a PhD from the University of St Andrews, ThM and MDiv from Union Presbyterian Seminary, and BA from NC State University. You can learn more about his theological work here.

Aaron is frequently joined by Nativity’s Pastor, the Rev. Dr. Sean Barrett. Sean holds a DMin from Methodist Theological School in Ohio, MDiv from Trinity Lutheran Seminary at Capital University, and BA from Grand Rapids Baptist College.

Podcast episodes

  • Episode 1 (April 23, 2025)

    Introduction

    Episode 2 (April 30, 2025)

    Conversations with Pastor Sean - The Creeds

    Episode 3 (May 7, 2025)

    Resource review - Approaching the Atonement by Oliver Crisp (IVP Academic, 2020)

    Episode 4 (May 14, 2025)

    Interview - Accountability to God with Andrew Torrance (Oxford University Press, 2023)

    Episode 5 (May 21, 2025)

    Conversations with Pastor Sean - Faith & Music

    Episode 6 (May 30, 2025)

    Resource review - “The Severity of Universal Salvation” by Taylor Ross (Church Life Journal, 2019)

    Episode 7 (June 4, 2025)

    Conversations with Pastor Sean - Holy Baptism

    Episode 8 (June 11, 2025)

    Interview - Philosophy and the Church with Jordan Steffaniak

    Episode 9 (June 18, 2025)

    Conversations with Pastor Sean - Holy Communion

    Episode 10 (June 25, 2025)

    Resource review - Bioethics for the People podcast

    Episode 11 (July 2, 2025)

    Conversations with Pastor Sean - Reading Scripture today

    Episode 12 (July 9, 2025)

    Interview - The Trinity with Scott Williams (Cambridge University Press, 2025)

  • Episode 1 (August 6, 2025)

    Conversations with Pastor Sean - Full communion partners

    Episode 2 (August 13, 2025)

    Resource review - Aaron’s “Lewis Meets Thile” (Earth & Altar Magazine)

    Episode 3 (August 20, 2025)

    Conversations with Pastor Sean - The Doctrine of God

    Episode 4 (August 27, 2025)

    Interview - Disability theology with Aaron Brian Davis

    Episode 5 (September 3, 2025)

    Conversations with Pastor Sean - Christology

    Episode 6 (September 10, 2025)

    Resource review - Aaron’s “Disability and Visions of Ourselves” (Christian Century)

    Episode 7 (September 17, 2025)

    Conversations with Pastor Sean - Pneumatology

    Episode 8 (September 24, 2025)

    Interview - American Christian Nationalism: Neither American Nor Christian with Mike Austin (Eerdmans, 2024)

    Episode 9 (October 1, 2025)

    Conversations with Pastor Sean - Christian parenting in the age of TikTok

    Episode 10 (October 8, 2025)

    Interview - Church Music with Mel Bringle

    Episode 11 (October 15, 2025)

    Conversations with Pastor Sean - LGBT affirmation in the ELCA

    Episode 12 (October 22, 2025)

    Resource review - Aaron’s “Compassionate Exclusivism: Relational Atonement and Post-Mortem Salvation” (Journal of Analytic Theology)

  • Episode 1 (November 27, 2025)

    Conversations with Pastor Sean - Holy Communion Across Denominations

    Episode 2 (December 3, 2025)

    Resource Review - C.S. Lewis’s The Great Divorce

    Episode 3 (December 10, 2025)

    Conversations with Pastor Sean - Theology and Extraterrestrial Life

    Episode 4 (December 17, 2025)

    Christianity as a Way of Life: A Systematic Theology with Kevin Hector

    Episode 5 (December 24, 2025)

    Small Catechisms Christmas Special

    Episode 6 (December 31, 2025)

    Small Catechisms End of Year Roundup

    Episode 7 (January 7, 2026)

    Conversations with Pastor Sean - Forgiveness

    Episode 8 (January 14, 2026)

    Interview - Forgiveness and Atonement: Christ’s Restorative Sacrifice (Routledge, 2022) with Jonathan Rutledge

    Episode 9 (January 21, 2026)

    Conversations with Pastor Sean - Justification

    Episode 10 (January 28, 2026)

    Resource Review - Tom McCall, Caleb Friedeman, and Matt Friedeman’s The Doctrine of Good Works: Reclaiming a Neglected Protestant Teaching (Baker Academic, 2023)

    Episode 11 (February 4, 2026)

    Conversations with Pastor Sean - Sanctification

    Episode 12 (February 11, 2026)

    The Ministry of Bishops with Bp. Time Smith (Ret.)

  • March 18

    Conversations with Pastor Sean - Theological anthropology

    March 25

    Reasons for Deconversion I - Biblical interpretation

    April 1

    Conversations with Pastor Sean - Luther and antisemitism

    April 8

    Conversations with Pastor Sean - The Doctrine of the Resurrection (Easter special)

    April 15

    Conversations with Pastor Sean - The Councils of the Church

    April 22

    Interview - Free will with Taylor Cyr

    April 29

    Reasons for Deconversion II - Moral concerns

    May 6

    Interview - Pilgrimage with Melody Bellefeuille-Frost

    May 13

    Conversations with Pastor Sean - Heaven and hell [EPISODE AUDIO LOST]

    May 20

    Reasons for Deconversion III - “There are no good reasons to believe in God”

    May 27

    Conversations with Pastor Sean - Prayer

    June 3

    Interview - The ministry of deacons with Katie Rivers