RTS Washington Faculty Podcast

shoRTS: Tommy and Scott sat down mid-January (yes, it's taken awhile to get this one out because we've had so many special guests of late!) to discuss the formation and reliability of the OT. Although the episode wasn't short, our studio participation was! And yet this was a fascinating deep dive into the very complex nature of how we received the OT. Topics include prophetic discourse, the dead sea scrolls, scribal editing, canon formation, the self-authentication of Scripture, and text-criticism.

Episode 186. Hallowed Be Thy Name. Lord's Prayer Part 3 What does it mean to "hallow" the name of God? If God is already holy, why do we pray for him to make his name holy? This week we discuss the name of God, the way in which it is to be honored, and how this petition embraces everything unique about the Christian religion. More about RTS: rts.edu/campuses/washington-dc/ Donate: give2rtsdc.com/

Episode 185. Neo-Calvinism, China, and Western Philosophy (ft. Alex Tseng) Prior to his lecture in our Global Bavinck Scholars series at RTS Washington, Alex Tseng joined us for a far ranging discussion of missions, the Chinese church, the impact of Western Philosophy on Eastern culture, and, of course, Neo-Calvinism. More about RTS: rts.edu/campuses/washington-dc/ Donate: give2rtsdc.com/

We were recently host to Dr. Alex Tseng for our Global Bavinck Scholars series of lectures, and so our podcast this week comes in two parts. First we are please to release Dr. Tseng's lecture. Dutch theologian Herman Bavinck brought insights from the historic Reformed confession of faith to bear on the philosophical trends of his day. What would a similar Neo-Calvinist engagement of culture and philosophy look like today in different contexts around the world? How might this theological engagement of culture proceed in Asian contexts? Theologian and philosopher Shao Kai (“Alex”) Tseng will draw from Bavinck’s example of wrestling with thinkers like Hegel to propose how Neo-Calvinism can philosophically engage contemporary Asian cultures. Dr. Tseng has authored books on Hegel, Kant, and Barth, and he serves as a research professor in the philosophy department of Zheijang University in Hangzhou, China. More about RTS: rts.edu/campuses/washington-dc/ Donate: give2rtsdc.com/

Episode 184: "Our Father" We continue our discussion of the Lord's Prayer this week with the preface. Though not unprecedented, Jesus addressing God as "Father," and encouraging his disciples to do likewise, is significant. It signals a new level of intimacy and corporate identity for the people of God. EPISODE LINKS More about RTS: rts.edu/campuses/washington-dc/ Donate: give2rtsdc.com/

Episode 183: Introduction to the Lord's Prayer We begin a new series for the new semester: the Lord's Prayer. In this introductory episode we talk about how the Lord's Prayer came to be known as such, how to use it, why it's so important, and what it teaches us about prayer. This short prayer provides us with ample opportunity for theological, historical, and spiritual reflection. EPISODE LINKS More about RTS: rts.edu/campuses/washington-dc/ Donate: give2rtsdc.com/

Episode 181: When does the Millennium Start (Rev. 20:1-10)? (Tough Texts! Episode 11) There has been debates about the nature and timing of the 1000 year reign of Jesus since the early church. What are our interpretative options? Is this a literal period of history, or is it "just a metaphor?" What should Christians be doing now in light of this text? Our discussion includes exegetical and theological reflections on the nature of the end times and the hope of the Christian church. EPISODE LINKS More about RTS: rts.edu/campuses/washington-dc/ Donate: give2rtsdc.com/

Episode 180: Why does God command Israel to destroy everyone in the land (Joshua 6:19)? (Tough Texts Episode 10) When the Israelites go into the land God commands them to devote the inhabitants to destruction. Is this unjust of God? Some have even called it a genocide--is that an accurate description? The profs examine the issue historically and theologically. EPISODE LINKS More about RTS: rts.edu/campuses/washington-dc/ Donate: give2rtsdc.com/

Episode 179: Is the Incarnation both True and Necessary (Matt. 2)? The nativity story is so well known that it may not seem like a tough text; Christians don't notice anything odd about it, and non-Christians just receive it as symbolic or mythological. But these texts each have exegetical, historical, and theological challenges worth pondering. In our last episode of 2023 we discuss the interpretation and implication of the virgin birth. EPISODE LINKS More about RTS: rts.edu/campuses/washington-dc/ Donate: give2rtsdc.com/

Episode 178: Can We (and Should we) Harmonize Synoptic Texts (John 2)? Does Jesus cleanse the temple twice? How do we navigate seemingly conflicting accounts of the same event in the Bible? While harmonization may be a necessary step in understanding how the Bible provides "a window" into history, it can also distract us from seeing "the portrait" painted by each particular text. The faculty discuss the tension involved in this dynamic and how these issues ultimately reinforce the trustworthiness of God's word. EPISODE LINKS Gaffin, *Word and Spirit*: https://www.amazon.com/Word-Spirit-Selected-Writings-Systematic/dp/1955859019/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=word+and+spirit+gaffin&qid=1702665183&sr=8-1&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.18ed3cb5-28d5-4975-8bc7-93deae8f9840 More about RTS: rts.edu/campuses/washington-dc/ Donate: give2rtsdc.com/