The Biblical Mind

This episode was originally published in March, 2021. We thought it was worth a reissue for our newer listeners. Many of us have learned definitions of faith, belief, and trust that merely concern internal mental states. We say we believe something when we mentally affirm its truth, and we say we trust God when we believe what the Bible says. But these introspective forms of faith aren't really what the biblical authors have in mind when they talk about faith in the Bible. For them, faith is more of a full-bodied allegiance to Jesus, a commitment to serve and work alongside Him as our King. In this episode, Dr. Matthew Bates talks to Dru Johnson about allegiance and faith in the Bible. They consider how, in the context of the Roman empire, the idea of loyalty in patron–client relationships shaped the way the biblical authors understood trust, authority, and honor. Along the way, they also discuss some of the biblical metaphors for salvation that are drawn from the social dynamics of the ancient world, and how the Hebrew Bible influenced the New Testament's view of power and authority. They conclude by outlining about how modern people can understand the language of kingdom and lordship in Scripture, and how the church can inculcate rituals of allegiance in the body of Christ. Show notes: 0:00 Trusting with our bodies, not just with our minds 3:55 The word pistis in the Roman world 6:50 Metaphorical language to describe our salvation 9:48 What allegiance looks like 14:15 How to think about Jesus' lordship 17:46 Continuity between the New Testament and the Hebrew Bible 20:00 Allegiance rituals in the church Learn more about Matt Bates. Matthew Bates's most recent book: Gospel Allegiance: What Faith in Jesus Misses for Salvation in Christ Show notes by Micah Long. Credits for the music used in TBM podcast can be found at: hebraicthought.org/credits.

When we think of the early church, some of us might imagine groups of illiterate believers guided by one or two trained readers or teachers. In fact, the historical reality was very different. Brian J. Wright describes an ancient world obsessed with reading—especially public, communal reading of significant texts, including lots of questioning and dialogue. In this episode, Dru Johnson and Brian Wright examine literacy levels in the Roman Empire, the early church's engagement with Paul's letters, and historical evidence about reading in the first and second centuries. They also discuss the modern church's Bible engagement, and how we can take a more dialogical and active approach to reading Scripture. Brian J. Wright is an associate pastor at Denia Community Church, an adjunct professor, and author of Communal Reading in the Time of Jesus: A Window into Early Christian Reading Practices. He studies communal reading in the scholarly context, challenging long-held views about literary culture, and also encourages contemporary communal reading practices. Show notes: 0:00 The "public reading mania" of the early Christian era 3:20 Transformative, communal texts 5:53 Literacy levels in the Roman Empire 9:40 Defining "communal" 12:23 Jewish practices for reading and debating Scripture 14:18 A culture of collective correction 17:27 Early Christian dialogue 21:11 Dialogue in the modern church 26:47 Reading entire epistles 32:40 Reading "as long as time permits" 35:28 Augustine about Ambrose reading Tweetable Quote "There's wisdom in us doing it [reading and teaching] together. Everything about the community is really at the heart of the conversation." Show notes by Micah Long Credits for the music used in TBM podcast can be found at: hebraicthought.org/credits.

Dr. Daniel J. Stulac challenges listeners to read the Book of Judges prophetically, exploring misconceptions, violence, time shifting, and the need for a king. He delves into the complex narrative, idolatry, and themes of kingship and spirituality in this provocative and grotesque part of Scripture.

In a world of distractions, hyperactivity, and burnout, many of us yearn for rest from our work and our devices. To find this rest, many have turned to the Jewish practice of shabbat or sabbath, ceasing at least some of their regular activity during one day of the week. Kelsey Osgood, a graduate of Colombia University and Goucher College, is a writer and practicing Orthodox Jew. In this episode, Dru and Kelsey discuss her recent article, "Why Your 'Digital Shabbat' Will Fail." Kelsey argues that resting in religious community, rather than as an individual—and not merely for personal reasons, but because God requires it—is a practice that, though difficult, is deeply beneficial. Show notes: 0:00 Preparing for Shabbat 5:35 Discussing Kelsey's recent article 9:00 Two major problems with an individual "digital shabbat" 12:56 Narcissism disguised as self-care 14:19 Can individual Christians practice shabbat? 19:28 The discomfort of practicing Judaism 22:47 The benefits of practicing shabbat Show notes by Micah Long Credits for the music used in TBM podcast can be found at: hebraicthought.org/credits.

The church should not only perform charity work, but also pursue economic justice. Dr. Gift Mtukwa joins Dru Johnson to discuss the Kenyan church and Gift's Pauline scholarship. They examine the importance of multiculturalism in the church, which requires navigating cultural differences in language, worship style, and socioeconomic status. Additionally, Gift explains how reading Paul helps the modern Kenyan church understand poverty, economic opportunity, and financial prudence. Gift Mtukwa is the Chair of the Department of Religion and Christian Ministry at Africa Nazarene University and lead pastor of the University Church of the Nazarene. Born in Zimbabwe, he now lives in Nairobi, Kenya. His research centers on contextual readings of Scripture, especially Paul's letters. Show notes: 0:00 Different Kenyan tribes in the same church 3:16 The importance of diverse leadership 5:50 Explaining the Kenyan tribes 9:24 Kenyan impressions of majority-white churches 12:03 Evangelism in Africa 13:45 Paul's approach to multiculturalism 19:15 Understanding "if you don't work, you don't eat" 22:58 Poverty in rural and urban Kenya 25:34 How the church can help people in poverty 30:49 Pastoral education in economics and community development 33:33 Pros and cons of the American church Show notes by Micah Long Credits for the music used in TBM podcast can be found at: hebraicthought.org/credits.

This episode was originally published on February 4, 2022. In light of the Southern Baptist Convention's release of a report on sexual abuse within the denomination, we thought this episode was worth reissuing for our newer listeners. This week, Rachael and Jacob Denhollander joined the podcast to discuss what reconciliation and restoration can look like following horrific abuse. Rachael Denhollander, a lawyer and former gymnast, rose to international prominence in 2016 when she became the first woman to publicly denounce and pursue criminal charges against former USA Gymnastics’ team doctor Larry Nassar, who sexually abused more than 500 girls and women. Rachael authored What Is a Girl Worth?, which explores her story in depth.  In cases of abuse and sexual misconduct within the church, Christians can become fixated on forgiving and forgetting, and fear what will happen if the church gets bad press. But God will continue preserving His church, hence our job is not to protect the church from critique; it is to pursue justice. Failure to do so systemically enables sexual abuse. Justice and reconciliation must go hand in hand. Show Notes: 0:26 Is forgiveness necessary for reconciliation? 6:41 Returning to a proper understanding of God's justice 11:49 There's a cost to caring 17:32 The spirit of humility 20:25 Sexual violence and the church 27:04 God's justice 31:40 How do we restore what was broken? 34:11 Complicit organizations—can you forgive an organization? Tweetable: "The church has an obligation to pursue justice because that's who God is." Resources: https://erlc.com/resource-library/articles/6-ways-pastors-can-care-for-victims-of-sexual-abuse/ https://churchcares.com/   Show notes by Dominique LaCroix    Credits for the music used in TBM podcast: hebraicthought.org/credits.

The history of humanity is the history of migration. People have always been on the move, in Scripture and in the modern day. Understanding the migrants near us, their experiences, and the languages they speak can equip us to love them better. M. Daniel Carroll R., author of Global Migration and Christian Faith: Implications for Identity and Mission, explains our biblical obligation to love the foreigner, which includes not only people from a foreign country but also those with different socioeconomic backgrounds or even just very different life experiences.  Show notes: 1:07 Immigration in Scripture 4:11 Migration = people-moving 5:55 Dru's controversial view 7:15 Forced migration 12:45 Caring for the foreigner 20:46 The new has come 34:50 Language of the heart Q&A: Email us your questions about the intellectual world of the Bible at cht_administrator@tkc.edu, and we'll answer them in an upcoming Q&A episode. Show notes by Dominique LaCroix Credits for the music used in TBM podcast can be found at: hebraicthought.org/credits.

The Old Testament, especially Deuteronomy, repeatedly entreats the Israelites to welcome the stranger. The Israelites were required to love the stranger because God loves the stranger. In the gospels, Jesus practices this teaching continually, forming a makeshift family from the vulnerable around him. The church should likewise adopt the stranger and the vulnerable as family, because this is God’s design for humanity.  Mark Glanville, pastor and professor of pastoral theology, discusses the biblical ethic of welcoming refugees; his involvement in Kinbrace, a Canadian nonprofit that provides refugee housing and support; and how welcoming those on the margins can shape our view of Scripture and the world.  Show notes: 1:07 Welcoming refugees and Kinbrace 4:53 Welcoming is witnessing 6:53 Do Christians have a requirement to help refugees? 11:24 Addressing criminality 13:56 Exile 18:39 Shaping our view of the world 22:51 Kinship 35:20 Reading from diversity Q&A: Email us your questions about the intellectual world of the Bible at cht_administrator@tkc.edu, and we'll answer them in an upcoming Q&A episode. Show notes by Dominique LaCroix Credits for the music used in TBM podcast can be found at: hebraicthought.org/credits.

This episode was originally published on October 16, 2020. We thought it was worth a reissue for our newer listeners. Many readers of Scripture are jarred when God and Israel commit violence in the Old Testament. From the conquest of Canaan, to the lives of the biblical patriarchs, to the great flood in Genesis, we cannot avoid the fact that God and His people fight and kill. This can lead to a crisis of faith—how can God be good if He is violent? Dr. Matt Lynch, Assistant Professor of Old Testament at Regent College, wants to reframe our questions; rather than merely worrying about God's use of violence, we could instead ask how the biblical authors are critiquing our use of violence. In this episode, Dr. Dru Johnson interviews Dr. Lynch about how the Bible portrays violence. They discuss Scripture's persistent connection between violence and tumult, and the difference between justified forceful harm and unjust violence. They also address the ethical connection between human beings and the rest of creation, and how violence in the Old Testament and New Testament separates humanity from God and the earth. Show notes: 0:00 The problem of violence in the Old Testament and New Testament 2:25 Introducing Dr. Matthew Lynch and his work 7:12 Violence in Scripture versus violence in the modern world 11:50 War with the Canaanites in the book of Joshua 14:28 Ethics, ecology, and the environment 22:47 The New Covenant and our relationship to creation 24:24 The overarching perspective on violence in Scripture 29:15 Listening to the biblical texts for their questions Dr. Lynch's new book: Portraying Violence in the Hebrew Bible: A Literary and Cultural Study Show notes by Micah Long. Credits for the music used in TBM podcast can be found at: hebraicthought.org/credits.

Rev. Mark Scarlata, an insightful author and theologian, dives into the often-overlooked wisdom of Leviticus. He argues that the rituals in this ancient text help us grasp God's holiness and deepen our understanding of Scripture. Scarlata discusses how Leviticus covers all facets of life, including community and faith, and contrasts American and British Christian perspectives. He challenges misconceptions about the Pharisees and emphasizes the role of intention behind rituals, making this conversation both enlightening and relevant for today's believers.