The Biblical Mind

The Church's Alarming Neglect of the Old Testament (Brent Strawn)

Is the church gradually abandoning the Old Testament?
Surveys of Americans from all walks of life and church backgrounds show that we have grown less and less literate in the Hebrew Scriptures. This causes a host of problems, such as mistaken preconceptions of the text or belief that the Old Testament is outdated or unnecessary. Especially in a culture so far removed from the original world of the text, how can we learn to read the Bible empathetically and humbly?
In this episode, Dru Johnson interviews Dr. Brent Strawn, Professor of Old Testament and Law at Duke Divinity School. They discuss the church's widespread neglect of the Old Testament, and how to overcome the resulting problems. We should read the entire New Testament as situated within the conceptual world of the Old. They conclude with remarks about how the texts and art of other ancient Near Eastern cultures can help us understand Scripture.
Show notes:
0:00 The difficulties of reading the Hebrew Bible as modern people
3:54 Approaching texts with humility
7:17 Brent's book The Old Testament is Dying
11:14 Boosting Bible literacy
17:18 Using the Old Testament well
25:48 Avoiding "word pollution"
29:00 Reading the New Testament through the Old Testament
34:33 Ancient Near Eastern views of the divine
39:57 Art and iconography as a window into the text
Brent's book The Old Testament is Dying: A Diagnosis and Recommended Treatment
Show notes by Micah Long.
Credits for the music used in TBM podcast can be found at: hebraicthought.org/credits.
 

On Whether There Is Sacred Music (Delvyn Case)

Why do we think of some music as sacred music and some music as secular? Is it merely a lyrical or a historical distinction, or is there something about the style and genre that makes certain songs feel "spiritual"? Is the music of the ancient Hebrews more or less sacred than that of a modern Catholic mass or an evangelical megachurch? We are likely to distinguish between these different eras and genres to help categorize them as sacred or not; however, we should be more willing to challenge this distinction.
In this episode, Dru Johnson interviews Delvyn Case, an accomplished composer, scholar, and performer, about the way Christians view music. As they break down the boundaries between secular and sacred music, they discuss why certain types of music feel more spiritual (such as Gospel or hymns) than others. They talk about bad worship music and how it influences our emotions to teach us thin, wobbly theology. They then discuss religious imagery, especially the figure of Christ, in popular music. Is Jesus more like a punk rocker, a hippie, or a communist? Music has the power to educate us and draw us nearer to God; however, it also has the power to mold our emotions and thoughts in sneaky, subconscious ways. If we learn to listen more closely, we can not only grow shrewder in our understanding of its power, but also discover its excellencies and faults.
Show notes:
0:00 "Sacred music" versus "secular music"
3:56 Gospel music as transcendent
9:30 The role of music in church
14:12 Bad worship music
19:09 Spiritual and educational music
22:35 Popular music using church motifs
28:18 The view of Jesus in pop music
34:33 How to critically engage music
Read Delvyn's discussion of Jesus in pop music.
Show notes by Micah Long.
Credits for the music used in TBM podcast can be found at: hebraicthought.org/credits.

How to Enjoy Reading the Bible (Matthew Mullins)

Many of us approach Scripture with an "intellectualist" lens: we're seeking clear ideas with straightforward moral application for our lives. Often we do so unconsciously, because of our church background or the way we were first introduced to the Bible. This way of reading Scripture, while not entirely bad, disassociates us from the text. We don't read novels or poems like this, so why would we apply this lens to some of the greatest literary works of all time?
In this episode, Dru Johnson interviews Dr. Matthew Mullins, Associate Professor of English and History of Ideas at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, about learning to love the Bible. Matthew Mullins wants to help us overcome our "Cartesian eyes" and read Scripture with our whole selves: emotion, rationality, and activity. They discuss Matthew's book, Enjoying the Bible: Literary Approaches to Loving the Scriptures, and how to read the Bible as literature instead of as a textbook. As we pursue more engaged reading of Scripture, we can understand the cares and concerns of the biblical authors, as well as transform the way we think and live.
Show notes:
0:00 Reading the Bible as literature
2:05 Avoiding an information-centric perspective of Scripture
6:25 Isolating reading and learning from emotion
13:32 Learning to love the Bible
17:24 Delighting in biblical wisdom
21:15 Returning to the text to with new eyes
24:00 "Reading at whim"
Matthew Mullins's talk: “You Can’t Understand the Bible If You Don’t Love Poetry”
Show notes by Micah Long.
Credits for the music used in TBM podcast can be found at: hebraicthought.org/credits.

Behind the Scenes: CHT Staff Tells All! (Dru, Amy, Celina)

Sometimes it's good to take a step back—so this week, the Center for Hebraic Thought staff switched things up. Instead of interviewing a scholar, Dru Johnson (CHT director), Amy Gabriel (CHT research associate), and Celina Durgin (CHT administrative director) chatted about the evolving mission and audience of the CHT, Bible literacy and Bible fluency, good and bad Bible-reading habits—in short, a smorgasbord of topics that lie at the heart of our organization.
Show notes:
00:30 The evolving mission of the Center for Hebraic Thought
02:33 Shifting the audience of the CHT
05:50 What is Hebraic thought, again?
10:38 How—and how not—to read the Bible
16:25 The origin and purpose of The Biblical Mind
19:00 Bible literacy vs. Bible fluency
34:41 What motivates people to read the Bible?
38:30 The goal of the CHT and TBM
43:55 Scripture's metaphors for itself
Credits for the music used in TBM podcast can be found at: hebraicthought.org/credits.

The Biblical Authors vs. Greek Philosophy (Joseph Dodson)

The Bible is full of references to other texts, containing a diverse range of cultural forces and ideas. The biblical authors engaged with Egyptian mythology, Babylonian theology, and Hellenistic philosophy with a discerning eye for what to keep, what to reject, and what to turn on its head.
In this episode, Dr. Joseph Dodson, Associate Professor of New Testament at Denver Seminary, joins Dru Johnson to discuss the interaction between Stoicism and Scripture. He describes the philosophical context within which the apostles wrote, including the Stoicism that was popular at the time. Then, they discuss how authors such as Paul and John appropriated (and sometimes contradicted) Stoic beliefs to articulate the gospel. They also talk about the diverse nature of the Hebraic intellectual world, the education of the apostles, and why we should read the Apocrypha.
Show notes:
0:00 The context of Scripture
2:42 Defining Stoicism
7:28 Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle
12:01 Blending Judaism with Hellenistic philosophy
20:05 The Hebraic intellectual world
24:45 John's integration of philosophy
28:30 Book recommendations on the context of the New Testament
A recommended book edited by Joseph Dodson: Paul and the Giants of Philosophy: Reading the Apostle in Greco-Roman Context
Show notes by Micah Long.
Credits for the music used in TBM podcast can be found at: hebraicthought.org/credits.

Understanding Slavery in the Old Testament—and Today (Myrto Theocharous)

Critics of Christianity, and even believers, point to the instances of slavery in the Old Testament as evidence of a cruel or careless God. However, a view of the ancient systems of slavery and the Torah's treatment of the oppressed reveals a very different picture. Far from being opposed to human dignity, the Hebrew Bible strives to humanize everyone, including those at the margins of society.
In this episode, Dr. Myrto Theocharous and Dr. Dru Johnson discuss slavery and care for the oppressed in the Hebrew Bible. They note how the Torah insists on protection and dignity for slaves to prevent exploitation. They identify how slavery in the Old Testament differs from more recent versions and how we should understand our own cultural experiences when approaching the text. From there, we can begin to understand other related issues, such as how Christians should respond to systems of human trafficking and how Deuteronomy teaches people to care for the vulnerable even if we haven't experienced their circumstances ourselves.
Show notes:
0:00 A God against slavery
4:02 Protections and humanization for slaves in the Torah
7:27 Using the metaphor of slavery today
10:55 Human trafficking and caring for the vulnerable
16:26 Learning care for the oppressed without experiencing oppression
21:08 A view of the American evangelical church
Learn more about Dr. Theocharous.
Show notes by Micah Long.

You Mean Jesus Isn't Literally a Vine? (Beth Stovell)

What does it mean to say that Jesus is the vine? Does He have roots or produce grapes? What is the connection between giving birth and fighting a war? Why does the Bible refer to God's nose as being long?
In this episode, Dr. Beth Stovell talks to Dr. Dru Johnson about the complex world of metaphor in the biblical texts. Rather than "just the facts," metaphors give us a way of thinking that involves the whole being, including one's mind, emotions, body, and imagination. Scripture uses this poetic language not to be fancy or impressionistic, but because it conveys a richer world of meaning than "simple" or "technical" language. They also discuss some of the weirdest metaphors in Scripture, how scientists use metaphorical language construction to classify reality, and how to demystify the language of Scripture.
They end with remarks on how we can access the metaphorical imagination of the biblical texts by engaging with the various experiences of the members of our communities.
Show notes:
0:00 The truth of metaphors
3:38 Why Scripture uses metaphors
11:13 Factual versus poetic language
13:26 Weird metaphors in Scripture
17:08 Scientific taxonomies
25:20 The construction of language in the ancient world
30:47 Accessing the meaning of the biblical texts
Learn more about Dr. Beth Stovell and her work.
Show notes by Micah Long.
Credits for the music used in TBM podcast can be found at: hebraicthought.org/credits.
 

American Christians' Peculiar View of Inerrancy—and Other Oddities (Mike Bird)

There is a view of biblical inerrancy that is actually particular to some American Christians—and peculiar to outsiders. Dr. Michael Bird examines this and other peculiarities of some American Christianity in light of Scripture and other traditions.
In this episode, Dru Johnson interviews Dr. Bird about American theology and the different meanings of biblical inerrancy. They discuss the distinction between questioning the authority of the Bible and questioning a particular tradition's interpretation or doctrine. They also talk about the importance of the Hebrew Bible and Dr. Bird's work with N.T. Wright.
Show notes:
0:00 America's concern with biblical inerrancy
3:15 What does it mean to say that the Bible is true?
9:56 Interpretative issues versus authoritative issues
13:07 American eschatology
17:03 Ignorance of the Hebrew Bible
25:45 N.T. Wright
27:45 American politics and Christian obligation
Learn more about Mike Bird and his work.
Dr. Bird's book with N.T. Wright: The New Testament in Its World: An Introduction to the History, Literature, and Theology of the First Christians
Show notes by Micah Long.

Listen to an Article: Neither Work nor Leisure Provides 'Our Daily Bread'

Heather Cate reads "Neither Work nor Leisure Provides 'Our Daily Bread,'" by Dru Johnson, published July 16, 2020.

Ancient Israelite Government in Modern Republics (Kyle Swan)

The foundations of our modern liberal democracies are found in the ideas of Enlightenment-era political philosophers such as Hobbes, Locke, Hume, and Rousseau. At first glance, these philosophers seem like they couldn't be more different from the premodern Hebrews. What does social contract theory and the idea of the consent of the governed have to do with the story of God and His people in the Torah?
In this episode, Dr. Kyle Swan talks with Dru Johnson about the similarities between ancient Israel and republican forms of government. They begin by examining the narrative at Sinai, where a loving God establishes an agreement with the Hebrew people. The law given to the Israelites was not merely a series of divine decrees that people had to obey; their obligation to follow the law emerges from their commitment to follow it. They then discuss the difference between a biblical covenant and the "founding myths" of social contract theory, and consider how consent of the governed can continue through multiple generations. In the end, we can see deep similarities between the way a polity flourishes and the way God establishes a relationship with His people.
Show notes:
0:00 The authority of God
2:53 Commitment and obligation in political philosophy
6:33 The Israelite covenant with God
10:58 How Dr. Swan got started in biblical political philosophy
14:10 Early biblical laws and covenants
17:10 Social contract theory and consent
24:40 Covenant renewal
29:05 Consent of the governed through generations
34:12 The Hebrew Scriptures as a source for our political philosophy
Learn more about Dr. Kyle Swan and his work.
Kyle Swan's journal article on the political philosophy of the ancient Hebrews: "The Hebrew Republic? Divine Authority and Self-Governance"
Credits for the music used in TBM podcast can be found at: hebraicthought.org/credits.