Why does Christian formation matter as much as knowledge and skill?

In this episode of The Forum Podcast, Jeff Sajdak, Dean of Students, joins Phillip Palacios to reflect on spiritual formation, community, and what it means to be shaped in Christ for ministry at Calvin Theological Seminary.

Drawing on years of pastoral experience and student formation work, Jeff explores the difference between formation and malformation, the dangers of ill-formed leadership, and why Christlike character is essential for faithful ministry. The conversation highlights how formation happens not only through academics and vocational training, but through shared practices of worship, prayer, Scripture, and life together in community.

Recorded during Calvin Theological Seminary’s 150th anniversary, this episode connects formation to the church’s confession, especially the communion of saints, and to the Reformed conviction that all of life belongs to God. Listeners are invited to consider how theological education forms leaders whose lives bear the fruit of the Spirit.

The Forum Podcast is a production of Calvin Theological Seminary.

What does it mean to confess “We believe” if our lives are not being shaped by Christ?

In this episode of The Forum Podcast, Cory Willson, Professor of Missiology, World Christianity, and Public Theology at Calvin Theological Seminary, joins Phillip Palacios for a conversation on the Nicene Creed, Christian mission, and the relationship between doctrine and lived faith.

Recorded during Calvin Theological Seminary’s 150th anniversary, the discussion explores how the Nicene Creed arose from the church’s real-life struggles to live faithfully in the world, and why its theological clarity still matters today. Cory reflects on the danger of “dead orthodoxy,” the call to a dialogue of love with culture, and how Reformed theology equips the church for faithful witness in diverse global contexts.

This episode invites listeners to consider how ancient confession becomes present-day discipleship, and why theology must always bear fruit in the life of the church.

The Forum Podcast is a production of Calvin Theological Seminary.

Why does the Nicene Creed still matter 1,700 years later?

In this episode of The Forum Podcast, Sam Ha, Theological Librarian and Curator of the Meeter Center for Calvin Studies, joins Phillip Palacios to reflect on the enduring significance of the Nicene Creed and its place in the life of the church today.

Recorded in the context of Calvin Theological Seminary’s 150th anniversary, the conversation explores how ancient creeds and Reformed confessions continue to shape Christian belief, worship, and practice. Sam draws connections between the Nicene Creed, the Heidelberg Catechism, and John Calvin’s conviction that theology must be lived, pastoral, and responsive to the needs of the world.

Touching on themes of suffering, unity, pilgrimage, and hope, this episode invites listeners to see the creed not as a relic of the past, but as a living confession—one that anchors faith, fosters unity across cultures, and calls the church to faithful witness today.

The Forum Podcast is a production of Calvin Theological Seminary.