Gospel Simplicity Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

In this interview I'm joined by Dr. Myles Werntz to discuss the nature of the church with special attention given to some of the significant developments in ecclesiology that occurred during the 20th century. We touch on Vatican 2, the World Council of Churches, the rise of Pentecostalism, and much more. Furthermore, we pay special attention to methodology, noticing how our methodological starting point in ecclesiology often shapes our conclusions. 

Contesting the Body of Christ: Ecclesiology's Revolutionary Century: https://amzn.to/3LLfQPs
From Isolation to Community: A Renewed Vision for Christian Life Together: https://amzn.to/3JlLToD
Dr. Werntz's Substack: https://substack.com/@myleswerntz

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Read my writings: https://austinsuggs.substack.com/

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In this interview, I'm joined by Colleen Dulle, Vatican Correspondent for America Magazine, to discuss how reporting on Catholic Scandals affected her faith. Over the course of the interview, we discuss the finances behind canonization, the treatment of nuns at the Vatican, and, of course, the sex abuse crisis. 

Colleen's Book: Struck Down, Not Destroyed: https://amzn.to/4nzAb7O
Inside the Vatican Podcast Episode on Canonization: https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/deep-dive-how-saints-are-made-in-the-catholic-church/id1439165420?i=1000599945747

Want to support the channel? Here's how!
Give monthly: https://patreon.com/gospelsimplicity  
Make a one-time donation: https://paypal.me/gospelsimplicity
Book a meeting: https://calendly.com/gospelsimplicity/meet-with-austin
Read my writings: https://austinsuggs.substack.com/

Guest Bio: 
Colleen Dulle is a multimedia correspondent covering and analyzing Catholic and Vatican news at America Media, where she hosts and produces the weekly podcast Inside the Vatican. She served as an ABC News Correspondent during the 2025 conclave and has commentated on Vatican news for MSNBC, the BBC, and CBC among others. Colleen’s work has earned regional and national accolades from the Catholic Press Association, the Society of Professional Journalists and the Louisiana/Mississippi Associated Press Media Editors. She was three times named the Catholic Media Association Multimedia Journalist of the Year.

00:00 Life of a Vatican Correspondent 
03:45 Staying Catholic 
19:03 Divisions in the Church
25:25 The Economics of Canonization
34:04 Treatment of Nuns
46:20 Sex Abuse Crisis

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In this interview, I'm joined by Fr. Ben Crosby, an Episcopal priest and Ph.D. student at McGill university, to discuss the 39 articles, Anglican theology, and how to restore the Episcopal Church to its theological roots. Along the way, Fr. Ben shares the fascinating story of how liberals and conservatives have both opposed the 39 articles, whether "via media" is a good way to describe Anglicanism, and why being more Protestant makes Anglicans more Anglican. It's a fascinating discussion, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did

https://substack.com/@bencrosby

Books mentioned:
IVP 1662 Book of Common Prayer: https://amzn.to/3UqkZO9
Companion to the Book of Common Prayer: https://amzn.to/41zbWyb
Anglican Book of Homilies: https://amzn.to/412dMri

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Read my writings: https://austinsuggs.substack.com/

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As an outsider looking in, the magisterium is one of the most distinctive features of Catholicism. In this video, I talk with Michael Lofton of Reason and Theology about the Catholic magisterium, what it is, and how it works. We discuss layers of authority within the magisterium, important distinctions about magisterial authority, and perhaps most importantly, Michael Lofton presents biblical and historical arguments for the Catholic magisterium.

Follow Michael: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9Z-...

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About Gospel Simplicity:
Gospel Simplicity began as a YouTube channel in a Moody Bible Institute dorm. It was born out of the central conviction that the gospel is really good news, and I wanted to share that with as many people as possible. The channel has grown and changed over time, but that central conviction has never changed. Today, we make content around biblical and theological topics, often interacting with people from across the Christian tradition with the hope of seeking greater unity and introducing people to the beautiful simplicity and transformative power of the gospel, the good news about Jesus.


Send Me Books or Other Things if You’d like:
Austin Suggs
820 N. La Salle Dr.
CPO 123
Chicago, IL 60610

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In today's episode I'm joined by Dr. Gavin Ortlund, a pastor, prolific author, and YouTuber who holds a PhD in Historical Theology. In this video we discuss an Evangelical approach to Church History, and how you can be both deep in Church History and NOT cease to be a Protestant (yes, we're looking at you Newman). I think you'll find Dr. Ortlund to be both bright and charitable. I hope you enjoy it!

Dr. Gavin Ortlund:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtWD...
Website: https://gavinortlund.com/
Buy Theological Retrieval for Evangelicals: https://amzn.to/3ppyg96 *
*that one's an affiliate link
Video on Cameron Bertuzzi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmG4Y...

Support Gospel Simplicity:

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Merch: http://www.teespring.com/stores/gospelsimplicity

Follow Gospel Simplicity on Social Media:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gospelsimplicity

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/gospelsimplicity

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/gsplsimplicity

About Gospel Simplicity:

Gospel Simplicity began as a YouTube channel in a Moody Bible Institute dorm. It was born out of the central conviction that the gospel is really good news, and I wanted to share that with as many people as possible. The channel has grown and changed over time, but that central conviction has never changed. Today, we make content around biblical and theological topics, often interacting with people from across the Christian tradition with the hope of seeking greater unity and introducing people to the beautiful simplicity and transformative power of the gospel, the good news about Jesus.

About the host:

Hey! My name is Austin, and I'm a 22 year old guy who’s passionate about the beautiful simplicity and transformative power of the gospel. I believe that the gospel, the good news about Jesus, is really good news, and I’m out to explore, unpack, and share that good news with as many people as possible. I'm a full blown Bible and Church History nerd that loves getting to dialogue with others about this, learning as much as I can, and then teaching whatever I can. I grew up around Frederick, MD where I eventually ended up working my first job at a church. They made the mistake of letting me try my hand at teaching, and instantly I fell in love. That set me on a path for further education, and I'm currently a student at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, IL, studying theology. On any given day you can find me with my nose in a book or a guitar in my hands. Want to get to know me more? Follow me and say hi on Instagram at: @austin.suggs

Send Me Books or Other Things if You’d like:

Austin Suggs

820 N. La Salle Dr.

CPO 123

Chicago, IL 60610

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Welcome to the Gospel Simplicity Podcast! In this brief episode, I introduce this new project, and give thanks to those who made it possible. If you're new to Gospel Simplicity, this is a great way to learn more about what we're all about. 

About Gospel Simplicity:
Gospel Simplicity began as a YouTube channel in a Moody Bible Institute dorm. It was born out of the central conviction that the gospel is really good news, and I wanted to share that with as many people as possible. The channel has grown and changed over time, but that central conviction has never changed. Today, we make content around biblical and theological topics, often interacting with people from across the Christian tradition with the hope of seeking greater unity and introducing people to the beautiful simplicity and transformative power of the gospel, the good news about Jesus.

About the host:
Hey! My name is Austin, and I'm a 22 year old guy who’s passionate about the beautiful simplicity and transformative power of the gospel. I believe that the gospel, the good news about Jesus, is really good news, and I’m out to explore, unpack, and share that good news with as many people as possible. I'm a full blown Bible and Church History nerd that loves getting to dialogue with others about this, learning as much as I can, and then teaching whatever I can. I grew up around Frederick, MD where I eventually ended up working my first job at a church. They made the mistake of letting me try my hand at teaching, and instantly I fell in love. That set me on a path for further education, and I'm currently a student at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, IL, studying theology. On any given day you can find me with my nose in a book or a guitar in my hands. Want to get to know me more? Follow me and say hi on Instagram at: @austin.suggs

Support Gospel Simplicity:

Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/gospelsimplicity

Merch: http://www.teespring.com/stores/gospelsimplicity

Follow Gospel Simplicity on Social Media:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gospelsimplicity

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/gospelsimplicity

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/gsplsimplicity

Support the show

In this interview, I discuss ethics, beauty, and Orthodoxy with Dr. Timothy Patitsas. In doing so, we get to what he sees as the heart of the divide between the Christian East and the Christian West. It's a wide-ranging discussion that had me on the edge of my seat. 

Want to support the channel? Here's how!
Give monthly: https://patreon.com/gospelsimplicity  
Make a one-time donation: https://paypal.me/gospelsimplicity
Book a meeting: https://calendly.com/gospelsimplicity/meet-with-austin
Read my writings: https://austinsuggs.substack.com/

Timothy G. Patitsas (Ph.D. Catholic University of America) has been the Interim Dean of Hellenic College since January of 2020 and the Assistant Professor of Ethics at Holy Cross since the Fall of 2005.

Dr. Patitsas' Book: https://amzn.to/3UhdZTK
Dr. Patitsas' Short Film: https://www.beautyfirstfilms.com/amphilochios

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n this interview, I'm joined by Dr. Andy Messmer to discuss the Spanish Reformation--which, if you're anything like me, you might have never heard about. 

In our wide-ranging discussion, Dr. Messmer shares some of the key figures and ideas that came out of the Spanish Reformation as well as why it ultimately failed to take hold. To understand that, we dive into the Spanish Inquisition as well as what the church in Spain looks like today. 

Dr. Messmer is at the forefront of studying the Spanish Reformation, and it was a true privilege to get to learn from him. 

Dr. Messmer's Translation of Reina's Confession of Faith: https://amzn.to/3ISGHru

Dr. Messmer's Book on Protestantism (in Spanish): https://amzn.to/3ITWRRx

Want to support the channel? Here's how!
Give monthly: https://patreon.com/gospelsimplicity  
Make a one-time donation: https://paypal.me/gospelsimplicity
Book a meeting: https://calendly.com/gospelsimplicity/meet-with-austin
Read my writings: https://austinsuggs.substack.com/

00:00 - Why It's Unknown
03:03 - What Happened
10:17 - Mystical Influence
14:40 - The Inquisition
21:20 - The Ecumenical Spirit
31:55 - What we can learn from them
36:10 - Reading the Anabaptists
39:11 - The State of the Church in Spain
47:12 - Arguments for Protestantism
53:30 - Resources for the Spanish Reformation

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In this video I'm joined by Pastor Joshua Schooping to discuss the story of why he joined the Orthodox Church and why he ultimately left Eastern Orthodoxy to become a Lutheran pastor. 

In this course of the interview, we tackle questions about the consistency of Eastern Orthodox teaching, penal substitutionary atonement, the state of Orthodoxy in America, and why Lutheranism presented the most appealing option to Schooping in terms of theology. 

Want to support the channel? Here's how!
Give monthly: https://patreon.com/gospelsimplicity    
Make a one-time donation: https://paypal.me/gospelsimplicity
Book a meeting: https://calendly.com/gospelsimplicity/meet-with-austin
Read my writings: https://austinsuggs.substack.com/

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Ever since Pew Research put out its Religious Landscape Study, people have been making claims about Christianity making a comeback. Within this, three claims in particular have stood out on the internet: 
1. Young people are getting more religious.
2. Young men are becoming more religious.
3. People are flocking to traditional churches. 

In this video, we put all those claims to the test as Pew Researcher, Dr. Chip Rotolo (Ph.D., University of Notre Dame) unpacks the details of this study, separating fact from fiction. 

Check out the study: https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2025/02/26/decline-of-christianity-in-the-us-has-slowed-may-have-leveled-off/
Find chip on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chip.rotolo/

Want to support the channel? Here's how!
Give monthly: https://patreon.com/gospelsimplicity    
Make a one-time donation: https://paypal.me/gospelsimplicity
Book a meeting: https://calendly.com/gospelsimplicity/meet-with-austin
Read my writings: https://austinsuggs.substack.com/

Support the show