Context Matters

Join part 2 in the conversation with Dr. Riedel through the complex history of the early church councils that were responsible for establishing the basic tenets of the Christian faith. The first seven ecumenical councils had to be attended by bishops of Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria, Constantinople, and Rome. If we look at the geographical, historical, and linguistic context of those 5 cities we might start to guess about some potential hot spots that could drive a wedge between them. In fact, problems started to surface in the early days. Dr. Reidel explains the heresy of the Filioque and how it led to the split between the Eastern and Western Churches.Click HERE to watch a short video on St. Mark’s cathedral.

What happened to push Christianity from persecution to endorsement by the Roman Empire? This week Dr. Meredith Riedel explains the events that led up to the necessity of convening a church council made up of bishops from Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria, Constantinople, and Rome. The first councils hammered out the basic tenants of the Christian faith: How can God be human? Was Jesus divine? If he was, what do we call Mary? Who is the Holy Spirit? These are foundational matters for the global church, but do we actually know the debates surrounding these ideas?Click HERE for a list of publications by Dr. Riedel.Look HERE for a quick reference on the years, meeting places, and urgent topics discussed at the first ecumenical councils.Listen here to Frederica Mathewes-Green discuss how Mary the mother of Jesus can be a stumbling block for Protestants who are exploring Orthodoxy. Her insights to the Theotokos are wonderful.

How did we end up with the Bible that we read? Dr. Derek Cooper introduces us to the complexity of this sacred text. We think of the Bible as one singular book that was given to the church, but we forget that  people chose the scrolls and the letters that would belong to the biblical canon, and then they organized them to tell a complete narrative. We are not always aware of these issues, which attributes to some of our assumptions about the text.Learn more about Dr. Cooper’s work with the Thomas Institute HERE

We start our conversation discussing how Paul introduced his gentile and God-fearing audience to Jewish scriptures, and how he dealt with the clash between power, status, and identity that was present among the diverse Christian communities. I cannot help but think how we still have much to learn from Paul’s instructions within our present context of communities crying out to be seen, heard, and valued. Dr. Gupta sheds light on the clues we see in Paul’s writings that display his respect for the female leaders in the church, and he concludes with insights for how we can effectively read Paul’s writings in our modern day.Follow Dr. Gupta’s blog HEREAnd his newest book is coming out! Click to get a glimpse into the Beginner's Guide to New Testament StudiesHis lecture on the Household Codes and the House Church can be watched HERE

 As we continue this series that follow the Christian story as it developed in Jewish context and then spreads to a gentile context before severing itself from its original roots, we leave the land of the Bible to broaden our horizon line and explore how the apostle Paul translated the gospel message into the wider Hellenized society of the Roman empire.My guest this week is Dr Nijay Gupta. We discuss the intriguing  aspect of reading ancient letters, along with the challenges and misunderstanding that happen when you eavesdrop on an ancient conversation. From understanding Paul as a Jew in the diaspora with Roman citizenship to realizing that he was the scholar the early leaders of the Jewish church trusted with taking the gospel to the gentiles, the person and mission of Paul is fascinating. Join me for Part 1 of the conversation with Dr. Gupta. For the rich resources Dr. Gupta posts, follow his blog HEREAnd his newest book is coming out! Click to get a glimpse into the Beginner's Guide to New Testament Studies 

We talk about many of Dr. Notley’s works with great scholars. You can find these links below.The translation of David Flusser’s work: The Sage from GalileeAnson Rainey and Steven Notley: The Sacred BridgeZe’ev Safrai and Steven Notley: Parables of the SagesTo follow along with the El-Araj project and the discussion over the location of the gospel town of Bethesda, go to the El Araj page HERE. They have all kinds of pictures, videos, and articles available.

Read some of Dr. Lee’s writings with Missio Alliance HERE  Among other things, Dr. Lee edits an online journal you can access HEREAnd follow Dr. Lee on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/kyuboem    

 Read some of Dr. Lee’s writings with Missio Alliance HERE  Among other things, Dr. Lee edits an online journal you can access HERE And follow Dr. Lee on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/kyuboem   

Do you have a memory of a time when science and religion clashed in your brain? Or when what you thought you knew for a fact ended up not being true at all? These experiences can be disorienting but they also can lead to a richer, deeper, and more thoughtful faith. This week I interview Dr. Ken Kihlstrom who is the chair of the Physics Department at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, CA. Issues related to science are the foundation for much of my curiosity about how Dr. Kihlstrom wrestles with faith, but we ended up talking more about how to approach religion with humility and an attitude of curiosity. We also spend a lot of time talking about how context influences every area of life — from the sports team you adore to the impact of experiential education. When we recorded this conversation the Coronavirus was not yet the global beast it proved to be. We had a dream team made up of Ken his wife Cathy, Gabe and I, and we organized an incredible Europe Semester for Westmont students that capitalizes on the power of experiential education. Sadly, that trip has been postponed for a year — so I would like to dedicate this podcast episode to all the students who are scrambling to reschedule what their fall will look like. My heart goes out to all of you.

Dr. Kamionkowski’s faculty page is HEREA link to her commentary is HEREDo not forget to check out the online educational site she has! https://kamionkowski-bet-midrash.com  And we talked briefly about Carol Meyes. You can find one of her books HERE.