Context Matters

In part 1 of our conversation on the book of Esther, Dr. Ericka Dunbar introduces us to contextual influences in her life that changed how she read the book of Esther. Far from a story about queens and beauty pageants, Dr. Dunbar highlights the problematic issues around gender, ethnicity, violence, and sexualized abuse that are in the text that we cannot ignore.Read more about Dr. Dunbar HERERead more about her book Trafficking HadassahContact 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. Nadya Williams is a Classics Historian who brings her knowledge of the culture and writings generated in the Greco-Roman world to bear on the early church. This is Part 2 of our conversation regarding her book Cultural Christians in the Early Church. Dr. Williams discusses popular, best-selling Roman literature and how that illuminates how radical the teachings of Jesus are and how challenging living counter-culturally was for the early church. While we explore the earliest church, the persecuted church, and the connected-to-empire church, we hear echoes of all of these cultural movements in the modern church. Explore the book Cultural Christians in the Early ChurchRead other articles by Dr. Nadya Williams 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. Nadya Williams is a Classics Historian who brings her knowledge of the culture and writings generated in the Greco-Roman world to bear on the early church. While modern people in their struggle against institutionalized church tend to look back at the earliest Christians as those who wear halos, Dr. Williams says, "Not so fast." In this conversation, Dr. Williams introduces us to her own multi-country, multi-lingual, and multi-faith context growing up and how that shaped her view of God today. Then we dive into the types of Greco-Roman cultural norms that proved challenging for the earliest Christians to shed. Explore the book Cultural Christians in the Early ChurchRead other articles by Dr. Nadya Williams 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!  

Part 2 of the conversation with Dr. Myrto Theocharous takes us into new perspectives on Deuteronomy. How do we think about Imago Dei, not in the faces of those around us, but reflected in our own actions? What does the book say about becoming complacent in a good economy? What responsibility do we have for communal care? Find out more about Dr. Theocharous HEREFind out about New ZoiContact 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. Myrto Theocharous, an expert in connecting the theology of Deuteronomy to real-world actions, shares her insights on the relevance of this ancient text today. She discusses her personal journey of faith and identity shaped by the complexities of a divided Cyprus. Delving into the Septuagint, she highlights its role in bridging traditions. Dr. Theocharous also emphasizes Deuteronomy's teachings on social justice and inclusivity, showcasing how its principles can inform contemporary efforts around community care.

Rev. Dr. Eun Strawser describes her journey as a church leader transforming small discipleship group into multiple communities. How did they do it? They focused on intentional discipleship, community engagement, and the markers of mature disciples. How can these practices be adopted by other churches?Find out more about the book here: www.centeringdiscipleship.comExplore the 4-week online training program for Centering Discipleship HEREFollow Dr. Strawser on Instagram: @ekstrawser Contact 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! 

Rev. Dr. Eun Strawser joins us to talk about what it means for churches to think about discipleship. What is it? How do you do it? Can you design a church structure around discipleship? Dr. Strawser was faced with all of these questions when she started a new church plant. After some experimentation, she discovered that when  discipleship becomes central to your leadership and community, then discipleship becomes central to congregational mission and cultural renewal.Find out more about the book here: www.centeringdiscipleship.comExplore the 4-week online training program for Centering Discipleship HEREFollow Dr. Strawser on Instagram: @ekstrawser Contact 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!  

What does the book of Revelation have to say to the modern church? In Part 2 of the conversation with Dr. Scot McKnight, we examine the visual propaganda machine of the Roman empire and how the author of Revelation makes great use of those images to mock the arrogance of Rome. But this is also a book about becoming dissident disciples. When we read this book as a letter to the churches who were dangerously close to allowing the "Babylon Creep" into the church, we hear a strong warning to the Western Church. Find out more about Dr. McKnight HERESubscribe to his Substack HEREFollow him on X [Twitter] https://twitter.com/scotmcknightContact 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. Scot McKnight recently published a book called Revelation for the Rest of Us. But it is the subtitle that is intriguing: A Prophetic Call to Follow Jesus as a Dissident Disciple.  Dissident disciples? The book of Revelation? Politics and theology coming together in one episode? In part 1 of our conversation we learn about why Dr. McKnight felt like he needed to write this particular book in this time in history. And he throws in an amazing comment about the author, John, when describing how many allusions he makes to Old Testament imagery: "[John's] soul inebriated with Scripture that he can't speak without describing things in biblical ways."Find out more about Dr. McKnight HERESubscribe to his Substack HEREFollow him on X [Twitter] https://twitter.com/scotmcknightContact 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!

This is Part 2 of the conversation with Dr. Michael Rhodes. He is a professor in Old Testament at Carey Baptist College in Aukland, New Zealand, and we are discussing his book Just Discipleship. If we are to people concerned about Justice and concerned about BECOMING people of justice, what does that say about the topic of reparations? Can the biblical concept of Jubilee shed light on how modern countries can name and identify the sins of the previous generation, and where appropriate, identify your continuity with them? We even get to talk about the relevance of some very random laws in the Old Testament! We conclude talking about what happens to the application of these laws about justice when you are living within someone else's kingdom? Find more information on his other books: Formative Feasting and Practicing the King's Economy. Discover his book Just Discipleship  HERE.  Contact 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!