The Stone Chapel Podcast

Stone Chapel Podcasts hosted by David Capes https://www.laniertheologicallibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/TSC_194-How-we-got-the-NT-final.mp3 Episode 194 How we got our New Testament with Lee McDonald One of the questions I often get is “How did we get our Bible?â€Â  As you’re going to hear on this podcast, there is not a quick, easy answer.  It’s an important historical question that had a few questions marks around it.  Dr. Lee McDonald has given a lifetime to the question and has authored more than a dozen books on the topic.  You can find a link to those later in these shownotes. Dr. McDonald joined David Capes on the Stone Chapel Podcasts to talk about this question. Who Is Lee McDonald? Lee McDonald earned his PhD at the University of Edinburgh.  Prior to that he earned his masters at Harvard.  Today he is retired.  But he spent many years as professor of New Testament Studies and President of Acadia Divinity College in Nova Scotia.  He has written a number of books on the canon of the Bible.  See the show notes below for some of those.  In retirement he lives in southern California.  How We Got Our New Testament McDonald is interested in the question of how we got our Bible.  But this podcast deals only with part two of the Bible, the New Testament.  The issues are challenging.  We have minimal historical sources that discuss the canon.  The presence of manuscripts themselves help us somewhat.  Canon is a technical term for the list of inspired books referred to today as the New Testament.  There are historical forces and factors that led to the development of the canon.  Capes and McDonald outline a few of these in the podcast.   But there are also theological factors and concerns at the same time.  Geographically, the church was scattered.  So, practices in Ethiopia were different than those in Italy.  Early Christians were a very bookish people.  They wrote a lot of books.  I suppose you could say they also read a lot of books Some of those books were included in the canon, but many were excluded.  In this podcast Capes and McDonald discuss the criteria for apostolic authorship.  Resources Click here for a transcript of today’s podcast. A key book on the question which he wrote with interested lay people in mind: Formation of the Bible: The Story of the Church’s Canon (Hendrickson, 2012). A bit more technical is: The Biblical Canon: Its Origin, Transmission, and Authority (Baker Academic, 2006) To see a lecture by Dr. Lee McDonald at the Lanier Theological Library click here. More Resources Want more Stone Chapel Podcasts on some great topics? Just click here. You can get information on upcoming lectures at Lanier Theological Library by clicking here Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss any of the great conversations with scholars and church leaders from around the world. Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicAndroidiHeartRadioStitcherSubscribe by EmailYour Fav Podcasting Platform The post Episode 194 How We Got Our New Testament with Lee McDonald first appeared on Lanier Theological Library.

Stone Chapel Podcasts hosted by David Capes   https://www.laniertheologicallibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/TSC_193-final.mp3 Episode 193 Does the Church Have a Future? With Pablo Deiros Dr. Pablo Deiros gave a lecture at the Lanier Theological Library to an audience of about 300 people in April 2024.  He lectured in his heart language, Spanish, the heart language of a growing number of people in the United States.  Every year the Lanier Theological Library sponsors a lecture in Spanish.  Pablo stopped by the library to talk with David Capes for this episode of the Stone Chapel Podcasts. Who is Pablo Deiros? Pablo was born in Paraguay to medial missionaries who were from Argentina.  Today he makes his home in Argentina.  He has served as a pastor for fifty years.  He has also taught and written books, mainly about the history of the church.  You can find some of his books at the Lanier Theological Library in the Spanish collection.  For a time he taught at Fuller Seminary in California. Does the Church Have a Future? The topic of Dr. Deiros’s lecture at the Lanier Library was the church in the 21st century.  His focus was on Latin America and Hispanic churches in America.  However, the principles he shared are important for other parts of the world and church too. Deiros believes we need to rethink the whole idea of church and how we “do†church.  There must be a new orientation to ministry.  Not so much pastor-centered and denominational.  But with a greater sense of “the priesthood of all believers.â€Â  This was a Reformation focus that got lost in Christendom.  This means relying less on a professional clergy and relying more on training every gifted person.  Or everyone, because everyone has a ministry gift.  And this means a greater emphasis on the gifts and power of the Spirit.  There is a lot more here, so just take a listen! Resources  To watch the video of Dr. Deiros’ lecture in Spanish click here. Here’s a link to LTL’s Spanish lecture in 2023, click here. Want more Stone Chapel Podcasts on some great topics? Just click here. You can get information on upcoming lectures at Lanier Theological Library by clicking here Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss any of the great conversations with scholars and church leaders from around the world. Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicAndroidiHeartRadioStitcherSubscribe by EmailYour Fav Podcasting Platform The post Episode 193 Does the Church Have a Future? with Pablo Deiros first appeared on Lanier Theological Library.

Stone Chapel Podcasts hosted by David Capes https://www.laniertheologicallibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/TSC_192-Wise-Church-Planting-Final.mp3 Episode 192 Wise Church Planting with Dan Steel Dan Steel lives in East Oxford, but he was in Houston recently to talk with various people in the Church Planting Network.  While he was in Houston, he met David Capes and David invited him to be on the podcast to talk about his new book. Who Is Dan Steel? Dan is the ministry program director at Yarnton Manor, the Lanier project four miles north of Oxford.  It is his first time on The Stone Chapel Podcasts.  He is originally from Oxford and has been in pastoral work, specifically church planting for years.  Dan has learned a thing or two about church planting, the right and wrong ways to approach.  As a church planter and pastor, he has seen a bit of everything.  God placed it on his heart to write his new book, Wise Church Planting. Wise Church Planting Steel’s recent book is about the pitfalls ahead for those who are brave enough to plant a church anywhere in the world.  He used his marketing skills to pull together and analyze the major threats confronting church planters.  He surveyed people from 27 countries, so these are not just pitfalls for western countries.  They are world-wide. In this podcast (22 minutes), he gives a brief overview of the book and offers a summary of some of the issues faced by church planters.  Some of these are issues are related to the leaders and the groups itself (internal factors). Others have to do with external pressures and how to negotiate them.  If you are a church planter or are interested in church planting, you want to hear this podcast.  And if you’re thinking of starting a church, this is a book you need to read.  There is wisdom here. Resources For a transcript of this podcast, click here. Want more Stone Chapel Podcasts on some great topics? Just click here. You can get information on upcoming lectures at Lanier Theological Library by clicking here Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss any of the great conversations with scholars and church leaders from around the world. Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicAndroidiHeartRadioStitcherSubscribe by EmailYour Fav Podcasting Platform The post Episode 192 “Wise Church Planting†with Dan Steel first appeared on Lanier Theological Library.

R. Zimmerman, a New Testament professor from Germany, dives deep into the parables of the mustard seed and the dying grain. He explores the transformative power of faith and how these stories resonate with hope in the face of adversity. The discussion reveals the political nuances of Jesus's teachings, contrasting the kingdom of heaven with the Roman Empire. Additionally, Zimmerman highlights the agricultural symbolism of sacrifice and resurrection, linking it to the evolution of Christianity and the pivotal role of women in biblical narratives.

In this discussion, R. Zimmerman, a German New Testament scholar and ethics professor at the University of Mainz, dives into the intricacies of Jesus' parables. He outlines six defining features of parables and emphasizes their unique characteristics compared to fables. Zimmerman highlights the importance of historical context, using everyday activities to illuminate deeper meanings about the Kingdom of God. His insights bridge German and American theological scholarship, encouraging a richer interpretation of these biblical narratives.

There are eight million exiles in Columbia violently forced from their homes due to a 75 year civil war. Local churches are the very best resource of ministry for them. The post Episode 189 “Eight Million Exiles” with Christopher M. Hays first appeared on Lanier Theological Library.

Reading the Bible in context, together with a community of believers, after diligent preparation, and in large portions is the best way of reading the Bible. The post Episode 188 Is Reading the Bible Enough? with Brent Sandy first appeared on Lanier Theological Library.

Sandra Glahn, a theological expert and contributor on cultural and scriptural themes, delves into the intriguing dynamics surrounding the goddess Artemis and women's roles in early Christianity. She challenges traditional interpretations of Artemis as merely nurturing, suggesting that Paul's focus on Jesus emphasizes safety over myth. They discuss the complexities of women's representation in scripture, exploring nuanced views on phrases like 'saved through childbearing' and highlighting the often-ignored contributions of women in biblical narratives. Glahn also critiques misconceptions surrounding feminine figures in art and history.

Surprised by Oxford is Weber's memoir of a year at Oxford. Like C. S. Lewis, she was a “reluctant convert" but relationships were key to her journey or faith. The post Episode 186 “Surprised by Oxford” with Carolyn Weber first appeared on Lanier Theological Library.

The Saint John's Bible is the first hand-written, hand-illuminated Bible in 500 years. It was created by scholars, calligraphers, and artist around the world. The post Episode 185 The Saint John’s Bible with John Ross first appeared on Lanier Theological Library.