This podcast will cover the topics covered by the history lectures, sermons, and Bible/theology studies of Will Reitz.
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Nov 14, 2026 · 53:20
This episode is a major step outside of my wheelhouse. In this episode we will take a look a macroeconomic history -- particularly American economic history -- from the post-WWII…
Nov 8, 2026 · 24:32
This week I expanded my nursing home outreach to a second nursing home in our small town. That is why I introduce myself at the beginning of this episode. In this sermon we see…
Nov 7, 2026 · 50:51
This history series that chronicles the major historical events within living memory is arranged by topic. So it was inevitable that there would be a variety of historical events…
Nov 6, 2026 · 1:49:32
It took several generations of the early Church to develop a consensus about which books belong in the New Testament. This episode is about those books that did not make the cut.…
Oct 31, 2026 · 29:06
Happy Halloween! Christians may disagree about whether to celebrate Halloween, and how to do so. The celebration of holidays seems to fall into a "freedom of the believer" issue.…
Oct 31, 2026 · 46:35
As Halloween approaches, I figured that End-of-the-World predictions might be an appropriate topic for the History in My Lifetime class. Whether it was Y2K, the end of the Mayan…
Oct 29, 2026 · 1:58:33
The books of the New Testament that are believed the be the newest are also the 5 books that are traditionally believed to be written by the Apostle John. It goes without saying…
Oct 25, 2026 · 22:38
The New Testament tells us 2 facts that are in tension with one another: (1) If you give your heart to Jesus Christ, you are saved (see Romans 10:9). And (2) there is such a…
Oct 25, 2026 · 59:34
From Chernobyl to Bhopal to East Palestine (Ohio) to the Port of Beirut explosion, manmade disasters have been a frequent driver of the news cycle, and have shaped our memory of…
Oct 22, 2026 · 1:54:27
This episode continues in our journey through the New Testament into the "Catholic Epistles." (Note: Catholic in this context means "universal.") These books also go by the name…
Oct 19, 2026 · 46:36
Inspired by my recent sermons that covered the entire books of 2nd John & 3rd John, I thought I'd try my hand at covering a whole book that is a little bit bigger. So this sermon…
Oct 17, 2026 · 1:07:33
This episode briefly discusses some of the biggest and most disastrous earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, hurricanes (typhoons/cyclones), floods, tornadoes, and wildfires of the…
Oct 15, 2026 · 1:55:31
As the Book of Acts draws to a close, the Apostle Paul is under house arrest awaiting trial before Caesar. It is during this time that he writes "the Prison Epistles," which are…
Oct 12, 2026 · 1:51:04
The New Testament class is arranged so that we examine each book of the New Testament more-or-less in the order that they were written. Having looked at James, the early epistles…
Oct 11, 2026 · 41:00
Jesus makes it clear Matthew 18:21-35 that we all need to forgive others. But we are not naturally forgiving people. Furthermore, forgiveness - by definition - only goes to those…
Oct 10, 2026 · 41:26
For our *** 400th EPISODE *** we have the next installment of our "History in My Lifetime" class lectures. In this episode we briefly go over the major geopolitical shifts that…
Oct 3, 2026 · 30:42
The Summer 2026 Sermon Series officially comes to an end with this sermon. The First John series became a 1st through 3rd John series because 2nd & 3rd John are so short, and it…
Oct 2, 2026 · 1:47:27
Each of the four Gospel accounts of Jesus Christ tell a slightly different story. Each tells a coherent narrative that is compatible with the other Gospels, but each author has…
Sep 29, 2026 · 34:52
Second John is the shortest book in the Bible. This sermon breaks down the entire book into the following points: (1) God is the Source of grace, mercy, peace, truth, & love. (2)…
Sep 29, 2026 · 1:19:13
History in My Lifetime is a discussion class. It has become clear to me that much of what drives our discussion is driven by the decades in which we grew up. A person who was a…
Sep 25, 2026 · 1:30:41
Romans is, perhaps, the most important book in the Bible, and the greatest piece of theology writing ever. In this episode we dig into the soteriology (the study of salvation) in…
Sep 21, 2026 · 51:39
There have been several major historical events regarding human exploration of space in living memory. In fact, just about the entire history of humanity in space has happened in…
Sep 20, 2026 · 35:47
Our summer sermon series has been going on since the end of May. We have been going through the book of First John, listening to the Apostle John's message to the followers of…
Sep 19, 2026 · 1:52:00
The New Testament series continues as we begin to examine the texts themselves. The format of this class is to read the texts in the order that they were most likely written.…
Sep 16, 2026 · 58:53
For most of us, 9/11 is the biggest single-day historical event we have ever witnessed. So much changed after that terrible day. But 9/11 was hardly the only act of terrorism…
Sep 15, 2026 · 1:43:12
The episode 5 lecture in the New Testament class will examine the actual text of the New Testament. Before we do that, let us back up and see an overview of the life of the New…
Sep 14, 2026 · 31:13
All of First John comes to a head in chapter 5, verse 13, when the Apostle tells us that he wrote all of the book so that we can KNOW that we have eternal life. It was not God's…
Sep 13, 2026 · 45:00
The 5th chapter of John has a couple of passages that are a challenge for Bible translators. In one passage, the Greek text seems clear, but a short clause seems to have been…
Sep 8, 2026 · 1:14:49
This episode is designed to jog your memory and trigger discussions regarding all of the American wars of the last 70 years. Special emphasis is given to the Vietnam War. It was…
Sep 7, 2026 · 1:46:16
The final lecture on the context of the New Testament starts with a review of the major Near East empires leading up to Alexander the Great. We then look at Alexander's conquests…
Aug 31, 2026 · 1:53:21
In the introductory episode of this series, we discussed the context of the New Testament within the history of recorded history and written language. In this episode we keep…
Aug 31, 2026 · 1:47:44
What is the New Testament? It is a deeply Jewish book that serves as a sequel -- of sorts -- to the Old Testament. It is a small library of 27 books. It is a biography (or,…
Aug 29, 2026 · 30:50
The First John series enters the final chapter of the epistle. In this passage, we learn how to love God: (1) love believers, (2) obey God's commands, & (3) have faith in Christ.
Aug 29, 2026 · 56:14
This episode gives a brief overview of the Civil Rights Movement in the US since Brown v. Board of Education. We also take a look at the women's rights movement, as well as…
Aug 22, 2026 · 40:22
"Perfect love casts out fear." - 1st John 4:18 ... In this sermon I break down the idea of such perfect love. In 1st John 4:16-21, see see that if God abides in you, then He will…
Aug 22, 2026 · 51:59
In this, the Fall 2026 semester, we will be trying something new: a class called "History in My Lifetime: Documenting My Place in History to Tell My Grandchildren." Each week we…
Aug 15, 2026 · 37:17
If you have been reading along with us through the book of First John, you have probably noticed that the Apostle John has told us about a dozen times to love each other. It is…
Aug 9, 2026 · 45:52
Spiritual warfare is an interesting biblical topic. We see glimpses of spiritual warfare in books like Daniel & Revelation, and it is obvious that there is some kind of conflict…
Aug 2, 2026 · 36:45
"It's not about 'religion,' it's a relationship" is an overused Christian trope. In all honesty, I remember this phrase mostly from my youth in the 1990s, when it seemed like…
Jul 26, 2026 · 39:47
Litmus tests tell you the pH level of a chemical, and that helps you identify the chemical. The term "litmus test" can be used metaphorically to describe something that is…
Jul 18, 2026 · 41:54
The freedom to choose is a key aspect of what it means to be an American. This is true of human beings in general, but the citizens of my nation especially value individual…
Jul 11, 2026 · 45:51
When a person is redeemed by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the believer is adopted into the family as Children of God. This week's sermon covers the last few verses of First…
Jul 8, 2026 · 42:56
Happy 4th of July! The premier liberal democracy to arise out of the Enlightenment is now a quarter a millennium old. But this sermon is not a patriotic holiday sermon. Instead,…
Jun 28, 2026 · 38:52
Today I was honored to be invited to preach at the First Baptist Church of Parsons (KS). This is the audio of that sermon, where I lay out reasons why some Christians think that…
Jun 28, 2026 · 37:19
The Apostle John tells us to not love the world or the things of the world (see 1 John 2:15). But in John 3:16, we see that God so loved the world. Is this a contradiction? And…
Jun 21, 2026 · 47:24
Happy Father's Day! As we continue in our expository series through the book of First John, we come to the beginning verses of chapter 2. In this passage we learn a few things:…
Jun 20, 2026 · 9:12
Joyous Juneteenth to fans of liberty & justice for all! I opened worship this weekend with a brief history lesson on Juneteenth. As a history dude (with an actual Bachelor's…
Jun 13, 2026 · 36:48
There is a tug-of-war between the extremes of hedonism & legalism, with neither side being the righteous choice. Instead, the Apostle John teaches us to "walk in the light, as He…
Jun 7, 2026 · 39:43
The Summer 2026 sermon series kicks off (well, besides the introductory sermon last week) where any expository series should start: chapter 1, verse 1. The book of 1st John opens…
May 31, 2026 · 27:48
This summer's sermon series is an expository preaching series through the Epistle of First John. This is the introduction, which lays out several overall themes of the book. Join…
May 23, 2026 · 29:36
Memorial Day seems like a nice bookend for this Easter sermon series; beginning and ending on a holiday. In this episode we summarize all that we've discussed the past 2 months…
May 20, 2026 · 38:15
Congratulations to all our graduates! Life is going to get a lot more rewarding and more difficult. New beginnings fill us with fear because of the fear of the unknown. But there…
May 19, 2026 · 1:44:27
For the second time, The Blue Collar Scholar completes a course on the Second World War. The first attempt was choppy, and I failed to record every episode. This go round, I feel…
May 16, 2026 · 34:47
This Spring, we've been going over the religions of the world. This Comparing World Religions class comes to a conclusion with this short lecture. In this episode, I make some…
May 11, 2026 · 27:42
Happy Mother's Day! All of people, our mothers are the people in our lives that deserve the most gratitude. But this sermon is not just about the gratitude we should have for the…
May 10, 2026 · 44:36
My grandfather on my father's side was named Billy Reitz. He was drafted shortly after turning 18 on the first day of winter 1944. He entered the service in the US Army in April…
May 9, 2026 · 1:54:24
Atheists claim that atheism is not a religion. Rather, it is a lack of religion. I see no reason to not allow atheists to define their religious beliefs thusly. However, since…
May 6, 2026 · 31:38
Happiness is a good thing. If something makes you happy, then that is probably evidence that that thing is good. However, if the need to be happy (or, if the need to avoid…
May 5, 2026 · 1:54:53
The Second World War changed human history is ways that are hardly even measurable. It changed everything. In this episode, we will look at the Nuremburg Trials and the Japanese…
May 4, 2026 · 1:39:13
This episode reviews polytheism and pantheism, then gives a overall analysis of various kinds of pagan religions. For instance: African traditional religions, Native American…
May 3, 2026 · 23:07
The promise of Heaven is a source of immense joy for the Christian. It is unfortunate that so many powerful Christians throughout history have used the promise of Heaven as a…
May 2, 2026 · 1:50:12
World War II came to a radically-unpredictable conclusion when Japan was bombed - twice - by the most powerful individual weapons ever used on human beings. The scientific…
Apr 28, 2026 · 1:45:08
This episode gives brief (repeat: brief) overviews of Sikhism, Jainism, Shinto, Taoism, Chinese traditional religions (including Confucianism), the Taiping Rebellion (1850-1964),…
Apr 27, 2026 · 37:23
For the person who has been redeemed by Jesus, the answer to "Who Am I?" has changed. For the one who is in Christ, the answer to "Who Am I?" is that I am redeemed, I am a friend…
Apr 26, 2026 · 1:38:46
As the Second World War approached the final year, Allied victory became inevitable. But that did not mean that the war was over. Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Imperial Japan…
Apr 21, 2026 · 1:38:12
Buddhism is the major world religion that branched out of Hinduism in a way very similar to how Christianity branched out of Judaism. It is a fascinating religious system,…
Apr 20, 2026 · 34:18
The Easter Sermon Series continues as we "Celebrate with Joy!" However, there are things in life that kill our joy: depression, despair, and apathy can drain joy. I contend that…
Apr 19, 2026 · 2:03:45
World War 2 was a total war that affected all areas of life and society in every nation engaged in the war (and also many that did not actively participate). The American (and…
Apr 17, 2026 · 1:34:52
Hinduism is almost certainly the oldest active religion in the world. Hindus form the majority community in the most populated nation on earth. In this episode, I will attempt to…
Apr 15, 2026 · 32:51
Our Easter 2026 Sermon Series is "Celebrate with Joy!" Far too often, preachers bring the gloom and the doom and they preach repentance and righteousness. As they should. But we…
Apr 14, 2026 · 1:52:27
June 6th, 1944, is probably the most important, pivotal day of the 20th Century. On that day, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the forces of Free…
Apr 11, 2026 · 1:46:56
Having discussed the history of Islam in the previous episode, the Comparing World Religions lecture series now turns to an analysis of the religion of Islam itself. The second…
Apr 6, 2026 · 42:43
This sermon series ends with a short story that I wrote years ago. I have picked carefully when to use this story in a sermon. I want to use this tool at the most opportune time…
Apr 5, 2026 · 1:37:02
Italy & France had colonies in North Africa when World War II started in Europe, and so the war crossed the Mediterranean Sea, drawing in first the British -- coming to protect…
Apr 2, 2026 · 1:59:53
Islam is the second biggest religion on Earth, and by many accounts, the fastest growing religion. It has a long and rich history. Every major Empire in Asia, Europe, and Africa…
Mar 28, 2026 · 32:50
Christians are tempted to reinterpret every teaching Jesus gives us about wealth, because His insight into wealth is so counterintuitive. Building off last week's teaching about…
Mar 16, 2026 · 1:33:20
This week is Spring Break in Southeast Kansas, so our classes are taking a break. Instead of the regularly scheduled World War II lecture, I decided to dust off (and re-edit) an…
Mar 15, 2026 · 1:42:25
This one will be controversial. I have concluded that several religions are not part of Christianity because they have changed or abandoned major theological components of…
Mar 14, 2026 · 24:25
Jesus calls us to an unbelievably counter-intuitive calling: the lead by serving. As He washed His disciple's feet and willingly died as a sacrifice for sin, we too should use…
Mar 12, 2026 · 1:34:22
This episode returns to the Pacific Theatre of World War II after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the Japanese conquest of the Philippines. In the 1st six months of the war,…
Mar 8, 2026 · 1:39:34
This episode wraps up the Christianity subsection of the course on Comparing World Religions. From here on out, the course will cover religions that are separate from…
Mar 8, 2026 · 25:14
Luke, the author of the Book of Acts, tells us that the Jews from the town of Berea were "of more noble character" than the Jews from the town of Thessalonica, because when they…
Mar 5, 2026 · 2:07:18
The Holocaust is a tragedy on an unimaginable scale. It was the result of unrestrained racism amongst those with absolute power. This episode focuses on the history of…
Mar 1, 2026 · 1:59:37
Since the professor and every member of the Comparing World Religions class in Christian, our sub-section over Christianity is several lectures long. Furthermore, since (I…
Feb 28, 2026 · 22:03
One of the most important attributes of God is that He does not change. For if God can change, then He was either imperfect and has changed into perfection, or else He was…
Feb 26, 2026 · 1:51:29
1941 was the year when the final major chess pieces were put on the World War II chessboard. Neither the United States of America nor the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics were…
Feb 23, 2026 · 1:51:51
This episode goes into both reform and separatist movements in the Church going back long before Martin Luther. And, of course, we discuss the life and times of Luther, Zwingli,…
Feb 22, 2026 · 25:08
There is a word that pops up in Scripture from time to time: "rebuke." It is not a word that is part of the average American's vocabulary. A better term might be "correction." A…
Feb 21, 2026 · 1:47:23
Following the miraculous British evacuation from Dunkirk, the UK stood alone as the sole major, unconquered nation standing in the way of Adolf Hitler. The United States,…
Feb 17, 2026 · 1:50:08
I am no expert on the Roman Catholic Church, and I know even less about the Eastern Orthodox Church. (Note: This will be true for many of the world religions we cover this…
Feb 14, 2026 · 22:04
Here's a nice, short, sub-20-minutes sermon to enjoy on your Valentine's Day. I dusted off the oldest sermon notes I have, at least for any sermon that (apparently) was not…
Feb 14, 2026 · 1:47:56
Blitzkrieg (German for Lightning War) is designed to move quickly, discombobulate your enemy, and achieve victory before they can properly counter attack. In the earliest stages…
Feb 10, 2026 · 1:40:27
This will not be the only lecture on Christianity in the Comparing World Religions class this spring. This lesson mostly focuses on Christian teachings and theology that make…
Feb 9, 2026 · 40:19
The Book of Job is a fascinating case study in human suffering. In it we see an extremely righteous man suffer, and we see his well-meaning friends misunderstand, thinking that…
Feb 9, 2026 · 1:58:13
Even though World War I was supposed to be "The War To End All Wars," there were several major and minor wars that ravaged the world between World War I and World War II. The way…
Feb 3, 2026 · 1:45:07
Our survey of world religions begins with Judaism. With a common Tanakh (Old Testament) tradition shared with Christianity, Judaism has an impact on history way beyond their…
Feb 1, 2026 · 38:50
This is the conclusion to the Heaven series. Since we learned about Heaven in the previous three sermons, we now examine what it looks like to be an ambassador for the Kingdom of…
Jan 30, 2026 · 1:50:13
This episode jumps right into the the end of World War I and the Paris Peace Conference & the Versailles Treaty. We take a quick survey through the technological and cultural…
Jan 26, 2026 · 1:43:11
This Spring, I will be teaching a World War II class and a Comparing World Religions class for the Lifetime Learning program at Neosho County Community College. The first lecture…
Jan 25, 2026 · 29:35
The Heaven Series now focuses on the last few chapters of Revelation and asks important questions about what the eternal Kingdom of Heaven, called "New Heavens and New Earth,"…
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