Everyday Theology

"Kenosis" is the Greek word that Paul uses to describe the 'self-emptying' of Jesus' own will to receive God's divine will. This generates a lot of controversy within the Christian faith, as it seems to take away Jesus' divine power as a whole. What does this word actually mean, and why does it matter how we translate it? In this episode, Aaron sits down with scholar Michael Gorman to discuss all things translation and interpretation.

Can having enough faith change God's mind? Is faith backed by evidence, or is it blind belief? In this episode, Aaron sits down with author and professor Nijay Gupta to talk through what "faith" really means. Nijay has done extensive study into the language of Paul and how it relates to faith; check out his full list of books here: https://www.amazon.com/Nijay-K.-Gupta/e/B004I4TYLA%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share.

What is mysticism, and how should we interpret it through our Christian lens? In this episode, author and professor of humanities Dr. Jason Baxter discusses the origins of mysticism and what it means to be "illuminated." If you're interested in reading some of Dr. Baxter's work, check out his (very) recently-released book, Introduction to Christian Mysticism here: https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Christian-Mysticism-Recovering-Spiritual/dp/1540961222. You can also find out more about Dr. Baxter's work on his website: JasonMBaxter.com.

What is spiritual abuse, and why does it seem so prevalent in our churches today? Recent scandal regarding Ravi Zacharias prompts us to ask this question, and explore what causes and perpetuates this poor behavior from our church leaders. Today Aaron joins author, artist and theologian Chris Green to talk through spiritual abuse and, in turn, create a more attainable strategy to address the issue.

If you've ever been to church, you've likely heard that you are "made in the image of God." The idea of the "image of God" raises a few questions, though: Can humanity really be broken if its identity reflects God? How does our own image affect our personalized view of Christ? Does the church abuse its idea of the "image of God" to justify poor action? Tune in today as Aaron talks through all these questions with researcher and theologian Joel Muddamalle, the Director of Theology and Research for Proverbs 31 Ministries + a part of the preaching team at Transformation Church.  -- If you're feeling social, give us a follow on Instagram or Twitter @everydaytheology.online. We also have a blog that we update weekly: everydaytheology.online/. 

Patriarchy is the backdrop of the Bible, but it is not the message. With this in mind, how should we perceive gender roles as they are presented to us? In this episode, Carolyn Custis James teaches us how to look beyond our Western patriarchal lens and understand the true meaning of Biblical text: one of united purpose and mutual flourishing.

What is prophecy, and how do we approach it? We often assume that prophecy is equivalent to prediction or personal revelation... when this isn't backed up by Scripture at all. On this episode, Aaron sits down with theologian and professor Jon Bentall to learn how to discern both modern and ancient prophets correctly.

Many Christians experience ostracism and spiritual abuse when they question their core beliefs. What might the church look like if it was comfortable with uncertainty? In this episode, Aaron joins author, artist and former pastor David Hayward @NakedPastor to discuss how embracing an open-handed approach might affect church communities for good. 

In this age we are content consumers, always inundated with information. How do we decipher what's true? How do we use all the information at our fingertips without being used by it? In this episode, Aaron joins author and professor Dr. Karen Swallow Prior to discuss the importance of reading effectively to expand our view of the world.  To learn more about this topic, check out Dr. Prior's book On Reading Well: Finding the Good Life Through Great Books here.

Christians make up the largest gun-owning demographic in America. We defend gun ownership on the basis of liberty... but we fail to recognize that, when liberty goes unchecked, it becomes corrupted. Gun violence is the second leading cause of death among young people in America. For this reason it is vital that Christians begin taking a nonviolent stance on gun control. In this episode, we welcome back activist Shane Claiborne to the show to discuss alternative political and social responses to the gun crisis in America.