Context Matters

Dr. Imes' thesis is that the command "Do not to take the name of the Lord your God in vain" can be more accurately translated “You shall not bear the name of Yahweh your God in vain.” Dr. Imes then explains the logic behind Bearing God’s Name (also the title of her book) and what that means for the modern church today.Find Dr. Imes' book Bearing God's Name: Why Sinai Still MattersFind Torah Tuesdays HERERead more about Dr. Carmen Imes and connect to her blog HEREContact Cyndi Parker through Narrative of Place Learn more about me and sign up for upcoming tours of Israel/Palestine.Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team! 

Dr. Longman has written prolifically about the context of the Old Testament, but this week we get to talk about the Exodus account. Can we read "the simple meaning" of the text? Is this history or is it figurative language? What happens to the rest of our theology if we decide the Exodus is figurative? Overall, I think it is exciting to have a chance to talk about "controversies" while holding space for others and still having one's own thoughts.Find out more about Dr. Tremper Longman III and read his book Confronting Old Testament Controversies  or his book The Bible and the Ballot.Contact me through Narrative of Place Learn more about me and sign up for upcoming tours of Israel/Palestine.Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team! 

Dr. Longman has written prolifically about the book of Genesis, but there is an ongoing rub in Christian communities about how to handle the creation narratives in Genesis 1–2. Can we read "the simple meaning" of the text? Is it enough to "just have the Bible" and not take the time to dig deeper in the ancient Near Eastern text? Plus, the New Testament mentions figures like Adam and Eve, so is that proof of the literal first humans?Find out more about Dr. Tremper Longman III and read his book Confronting Old Testament Controversies.Contact me through Narrative of Place Learn more about me and sign up for upcoming tours of Israel/Palestine.Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team! 

 Dr. Yeshaya Gruber is my colleague at the Israel Bible Center where I developed a course that roughly follows the content of my book. He sits in the interviewer chair to ask me questions about why this book is necessary for the Christian audience.The book is available here (or through your local bookstore)  Encountering Jesus in Real World of the Gospels. It is also available as an audio or  eBook! And please leave a review!Contact me through Narrative of Place Learn more about me and sign up for upcoming tours of Israel/Palestine.Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team! 

 Dr. Yeshaya Gruber is my colleague at the Israel Bible Center where I developed a course that roughly follows the content of my book. He sits in the interviewer chair to ask me questions about why this book is necessary for the Christian audience.The book is available here (or through your local bookstore)  Encountering Jesus in Real World of the Gospels. It is also available as an audio or  eBook! And please leave a review!Contact me through Narrative of Place Learn more about me and sign up for upcoming tours of Israel/Palestine.Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team!  

Dr. Gafney and I also discuss  why the original Hebrew language is important and how the bias (intentional or invisible) of the interpreters will influence how YOU read the text and think about God.Learn more about Dr. Gafney HERE   Buy her book Womanist Midrash and look at her upcoming book The Women’s Lectionary: Preaching the Women of the Bible Throughout the Year.  Contact me through Narrative of Place Other resources:  Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team!Learn more about me and sign up for upcoming tours of Israel/Palestine.Buy my new book Encountering Jesus in Real World of the Gospels   or listen to the audio or read the eBook! And please leave a review! 

Catherine Ricketts is an essayist and songwriter whose nonfiction centers on the arts, grief, joy, and spirituality. Her artistic and thoughtful skill is evident in her writing. Her openness about personal challenges is an invitation to readers. To those who have courage, here is the path. It is hard. But come.Find out more about Catherine Ricketts and sign up for her newsletter HERE.Read her essay My Brother Beside MeFollow her on Instagram (@bycatherinericketts)Contact me through Narrative of Place Other resources:  Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team!Learn more about me and sign up for upcoming tours of Israel/Palestine.Buy my new book Encountering Jesus in Real World of the Gospels   or listen to the audio or read the eBook! And please leave a review! 

Catherine Ricketts is an essayist and songwriter. Her nonfiction focuses on the arts, grief, joy, and spirituality. Her beautifully crafted words usher her readers into difficult places and then she stays to point readers towards the beauty and the light.Find out more about Catherine Ricketts and sign up for her newsletter HERE.Follow her on Instagram (@bycatherinericketts)Contact me through Narrative of Place Other resources:  Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team!Learn more about me and sign up for Food and Wine Tours of Israel/Palestine.Buy my new book Encountering Jesus in Real World of the Gospels   or listen to the audio or read the eBook! And please leave a review! 

Nicolas Kotar comes from a long line of priests in the Orthodox church, yet he chose to make a career out of literature - although he ended up ordained in the church as well! He writes epic fantasy and science fiction inspired by Slavic fairy tales. Why? Because, as he says, fairy tales, particularly Russian fairy tales, have profound, even spiritual meaning that makes them worth reading again and again.Learn more about Nicolas Kotar (and his books)  HERE and see his Patreon Page HERE.Listen to his podcast In A Certain Kingdom    Tolkien's essay (was originally a talk) on Fairy Stories is HERE.Contact me through Narrative of Place Other resources:  Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team!Learn more about me and sign up for Food and Wine Tours of Israel/Palestine.Buy my new book Encountering Jesus in Real World of the Gospels   or listen to the audio or read the eBook! And please leave a review! 

Nicolas Kotar comes from a long line of priests in the Orthodox church, yet he chose to make a career out of literature - although he ended up ordained in the church as well! He writes epic fantasy and science fiction inspired by Slavic fairy tales. Why? Because, as he says, fairy tales, particularly Russian fairy tales, have profound, even spiritual meaning that makes them worth reading again and again.Learn more about Nicolas Kotar (and his books)  HERE and see his Patreon Page HERE.Listen to his podcast In A Certain Kingdom    Tolkien's essay (was originally a talk) on Fairy Stories is HERE.Contact me through Narrative of Place Other resources:  Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team!Learn more about me and sign up for Food and Wine Tours of Israel/Palestine.Buy my new book Encountering Jesus in Real World of the Gospels   or listen to the audio or read the eBook! And please leave a review!