The Two Cities

In this episode we’re talking about Preaching and Politics with Professor Matthew Kim and Dr. Paul Hoffman. Professor Matthew Kim is Professor of Preaching and Pastoral Leadership and the Holder of the George W. Truett Endowed Chair in Preaching and Evangelism at Truett Theological Seminary of Baylor University, and Dr. Paul Hoffman is lead pastor of Evangelical Friends Church in Newport, Rhode Island. Together they are the authors of Preaching to a Divided Nation: A Seven-Step Model for Promoting Reconciliation and Unity (published by Baker Academic). In this episode we talk about preaching in the light of the present political climate in the run-up to the US elections, and our guests emphasize the importance of discussing our identity in Christ over against a political party, how we might be guilty of making politics an idol, that fear is not a theological virtue, and that at the end of the day Christ is Lord no matter what happens. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. Josh Carroll, Dr. John Anthony Dunne, and Dr. Grace Sangalang Ng. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we’re joined by Rev. Dr. N. Gray Sutanto, who is Associate Professor of Systematic Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary in Washington, DC, and the author or editor of several books on Neo-Calvinism and the theology of the Dutch theologian Herman Bavinck, including translating into English some of his previously untranslated works. Over the course of our conversation we talk about education, politics, and other elements related to the cultural mandate and the application of Reformed thought to culture. The episode is a bit of a hinge, functioning as a Protestant perspective on monasticism and asceticism, and as an entry point into our forthcoming episodes on politics and social life. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne and Rev. Daniel Parham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we're joined by Br. Christian Matson, Ph.D., who is a Hermit in the Catholic Diocese of Lexington and the director of a theatre company focused on suicide prevention called Earendel Theatricals (earendelonstage.com). Over the course of our conversation, Br. Matson tells us about his unique journey to religious life, first as someone who converted from Protestantism to Catholicism and then as someone who struggled to find a religious order that would accept him as someone who identifies as transgender, which he explains in the episode. Br. Matson's story is one of perseverance and a resilient commitment to Christ as he faced opposition to his calling to religious life. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne and Rev. Daniel Parham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by Rev. Dr. Isaac Augustine Morales, OP, who is Associate Professor of Theology at Providence College, an ordained Catholic priest, and a member of the Order of Preachers. Over the course of our conversation, Fr. Morales tells us about his journey in joining the Order of Preachers, what is distinct about the Dominican Order within the various branches of Religious Life, and we talk about how things like wearing his habit affects his teaching. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne and Rev. Daniel Parham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Carrying on in our series on monasticism and religious orders, in this episode we’re joined by Br. John Baptist Santa Ana, who is a monk in the Benedictine Order at St Andrew’s Abbey in California, and a student at the University of Notre Dame studying Greek Patristics. Over the course of our conversation, Br. John Baptist talks with us about his personal journey into becoming a Benedictine monk, what life as a monk is like and what is distinctive about the Benedictine Order, and how he views monasticism as a specific calling and vocation given by God. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne and Rev. Daniel Parham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rev. Dr. Greg Peters, a Professor of Medieval and Spiritual Theology and an Anglican priest, delves into the fascinating history and significance of monasticism in contemporary spirituality. He discusses how monastic principles like stability and obedience can inspire all Christians, bridging past traditions with modern practices. The conversation also highlights the ongoing evolution of monasticism within Protestant contexts, struggles faced by monastic communities today, and the potential for rekindling these ancient traditions in fresh ways.

In this episode we're joined by Dr. Crispin Fletcher-Louis, who is a Fellow at the University of Gloucestershire and the author of the book that we’re discussing in this episode, The Divine Heartset: Paul’s Philippians Christ Hymn, Metaphysical Affections, and Civic Virtues (published by Cascade). Over the course of our conversation, we talk about Dr. Fletcher-Louis’s massive volume on the Christ Hymn in Philippians 2, in which he makes several fascinating exegetical decisions rooted in a close reading of the passage and extensive research into Greek texts that have not been as extensively incorporated into the conversation previously. We discuss ancient practices of “bride-napping,” why certain portions of the Hymn are often poorly translated, and the pastoral implications of reading the Hymn the way that Dr. Fletcher-Louis does. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities includes: Dr. John Anthony Dunne, Dr. Madison Pierce, Rev. Dr. Chris Porter, and Dr. Logan Williams.Here is a link to the book’s website for people to purchase digital copies, if desired: www.divineheartset.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we’re joined by Professor Jeannine Brown, who is David Price Professor of Biblical Foundations at Bethel Seminary, a member of the NIV translation committee, and the author of a number of books on Hermeneutics and the Gospels as well as the book that we’re excited to discuss in this episode, Embedded Genres in the New Testament: Understanding Their Impact for Interpretation (published by Baker). In our conversation we talk about the interpretative difference it makes to recognize how discrete genres appear within other broader genres (such as poetry within letters, riddles within Gospels, etc.), and how the embeddedness itself creates an interplay where both the broader genre and the embedded genre take on fresh characteristics as a result. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne, Dr. Madison Pierce, and Dr. Sydney Tooth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we’re joined by Rev. Dr. Andrew Judd, who is Deputy Principal and Lecturer in Old Testament at Ridley College in Melbourne, Australia, and the author of the book we’re discussing in this episode, Modern Genre Theory: An Introduction for Biblical Studies (published by Zondervan Academic). Over the course of our conversation, Dr. Judd talks with us about the weird ways that scholars in biblical studies talk about genre, which is not often in line with modern literary studies and specifically modern genre theory. The conversation is fun and engaging, and is full of interesting examples and correctives. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne, Dr. Brandon Hurlbert, Stephanie Kate Judd, and Rev. Dr. Christopher Porter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by Dr. Valerie Hobbs (@vhobbs5), Senior Lecturer in the School of English at the University of Sheffield and author of No Love in War: A Story of Christian Nationalism (@MayflyBooks). In this episode we discuss Dr Hobb’s autoethnographic book about growing up in Christian Dominionism and the violence she witnessed and experienced, as well as the ways these ideologies continue to inflict harm. We also discuss the power of sharing our stories when it comes to truth-telling and the impact of witnesses who see and believe those stories. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Stanley Ng (@pstanng) and Dr Sydney Tooth (S_E_Tooth). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.