The Biblical Mind

Listen to This before Writing That Book (Michael Thomson)

Many first-time authors, whether accomplished academics or passionate amateurs, underestimate the time and revision involved in working with a book publisher. In this episode, Dr. Dru Johnson interviews Michael Thomson, Acquisitions Editor at Wipf and Stock Publishers, which publishes books on theology and biblical studies, among other topics. They discuss the joys and struggles of the writing, editing, and publishing process.
Authors need to identify what kind of book they're writing and who their audience is. They need to learn when to use more or fewer stories and examples. And good authors listen to the people around them for critical feedback. After a publisher accepts the manuscript, preparing the book for publication can take around a year.
Michael also shares the difficulties of being an editor. Often, editing requires a careful balance between preserving the author's original work (and feelings) and developing the book's marketability. He reveals some of the secrets of book publishing, such as whether authors get to pick their own titles and covers (they don't) or how much money they make (not that much). However, for those who are ready and willing, the process can be rewarding and beneficial.
Show notes:
0:00 The difficulty of writing books
5:39 Unexpectedly good writing
8:15 Figuring out what kind of book you're writing
12:55 Transitioning from academic to popular writing
17:44 Writing as a community enterprise
24:10 The subtle art of editing
28:51 Why authors don't pick titles and covers
33:16 Authors don't get paid that much
Show notes by Micah Long.
Credits for the music used in TBM podcast can be found at: hebraicthought.org/credits.

But Really, What's Up with Abraham Almost Sacrificing Isaac? (Aaron Koller)

The story of God's command to Abraham to sacrifice Isaac (also known as the Akedah) in Genesis 22 is one of the most challenging passages in Scripture. Only 19 verses long, it gives few details and even fewer explanations. Questions that we might naturally ask about this passage are not always the questions the author actually answers.
Dr. Aaron Koller, Professor of Near Eastern and Jewish Studies at Yeshiva University, tackles this story in his recent book Unbinding Isaac. In this episode, he walks Dr. Dru Johnson through a close reading of the text and some of its historical context, asking how it might be viewed in the ancient Near East, medieval Jewish thought, and following the Holocaust. Additionally, he discusses Kierkegaard's interpretation of the story and why he finds its monopoly on modern Jewish thought to be harmful. He concludes by presenting his own interpretation of the story, continuing the tradition of wrestling with this text.
Show notes:
0:00 The sacrifice of Isaac
5:17 Child sacrifice in the ancient Near East
9:33 A close reading of the Akedah
15:53 The binding of Isaac
20:52 Jewish martyrdom
28:00 Kierkegaard, ethics, and faith
34:06 The influence of the Holocaust on interpreting the story
36:36 The value of children
Learn more about Dr. Aaron Koller and his work.
Show notes by Micah Long.
Credits for the music used in TBM podcast can be found here: hebraicthought.org/credits.

Repentance as a Group Activity (David Lambert)

Biblical repentance isn't just about having a contrite heart (i.e., "feeling bad"). That doesn't mean contrition isn't important! But it does mean that we miss the point of repentance if we focus on contrition to the exclusion of proactive reconciliation.
In this episode, Dr. David Lambert explores the nature of true repentance in the Bible. Dr. Lambert is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biblical Studies at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, and specializes in philology and the history of biblical interpretation. He discusses how biblical repentance combines contrition with justice-working that involves the entire political society.
Show notes:
0:00 Reading the Bible like an ancient Israelite
3:40 Similarities between Jewish and Christian readings of Scripture
9:26 Distinguishing terms such as "Jewish," "Israelite," and "Judaism"
16:20 Modern notions of repentance and religion as individual and internal
22:04 Biblical repentance as communal
26:10 Mercy, justice, prayer, and caring for the oppressed
Dr. Lambert's most recent book: How Repentance Became Biblical: Judaism, Christianity, and the Interpretation of Scripture
Show notes by Micah Long.
Credits for the music used in TBM podcast can be found at: hebraicthought.org/credits

Rethinking 'Quiet Time' with Scripture (Jen Wilkin)

Why do many Christians elevate the practice of "quiet time": isolated, often hurried and brief daily Bible-reading? Jen Wilkin—author, speaker, and leader of many Bible studies—challenges this practice. She believes that, rather than instilling deep Bible literacy, the typical "quiet time" encourages shallow reading and pursuit of instant gratification in the form of cheap satisfaction or vague encouragement at the expense of comprehension.
Reading any book this way would not yield a thorough grasp of its themes, narrative, characters, and worldview, Jen says, so why read the Bible this way? While affirming its inerrancy, Jen cautions against treating Scripture like a magic 8-ball. The practice of quiet time is indeed formative, but not necessarily for the better. She proposes an alternative method of Bible study involving, among other things, extended (if not daily) reading and regular input from other careful Scripture-readers.
Show notes:
0:25 The problem with "quiet time"
8:06 English literature and magic 8-balls
18:56 Setting low expectations for Bible literacy in the church
23:17 The effectiveness of raising the bar
31:21 Why Jen Wilkin focuses on an audience of women
Credits for the music used in TBM podcast can be found at: hebraicthought.org/credits.

Listen to an Article: Scott Harrower on Coping with Trauma through Scripture

Heather Cate reads "Living Well and Wisely with God and His People While Coping with Trauma," by Scott Harrower, published July 10, 2020.

Excavating the Biblical World (Cynthia Shafer-Elliott)

A surefire way to make a biblical scholar groan is to use the phrase "back in Bible times." Of course, there is no "Bible times"; the events and writing of the Bible span millennia of concrete, dynamic history. Dr. Cynthia Shafer-Elliott, a professor at William Jessup University and an experienced field archeologist, talks with Dru about the households and daily life of ancient people in Iron Age Israel, specifically.
Biblical archeology can reveal everything from ancient Israelites' fingerprints, to their social and family structures, to their acquaintance with daily struggle for survival. Biblical passages that seem opaque to modern Westerners, especially passages in the Old Testament, can suddenly make sense as our understanding is enriched with knowledge of the authors' historical and physical contexts.
Here are some things we can learn from the permanent features, artifacts, and structures of ancient Israelite households.
Show notes:
0:25 How biblical archeology illuminates the biblical world and hence, the text
6:23 The years and significance of the Iron Age
14:23 "Household archeology" and daily life in the Iron Age
24:10 Permanent features of the ancient house, e.g., grinding installations and ovens
28:02 "Spatial analysis" and the placement of artifacts in the house
31:19 Typical household members and the betʾav vs. contemporary individualism
41:23 The dependence of household members on everyone's participation in the household for survival
45:12 The land flowing with milk and honey?
Music credits: hebraicthought.org/credits

Christmas Special: Esau McCaulley on Reading While Black (OnScript)

This episode is reproduced from a November interview on the OnScript podcast, courtesy of OnScript.
Dr. Dru Johnson interviews Dr. Esau McCaulley about his award-winning book Reading While Black: African-American Interpretation as an Exercise in Hope. They discuss listening to minority, oppressed, and specifically Black voices as necessary to reading Scripture well. Without critically engaging these various voices, we run the risk of reinforcing cultural biases and blind spots.
Dr. McCaulley also describes the unique gap he is trying to fill in biblical scholarship, as he navigates between both Black and white evangelical and progressive voices. Dr. McCaulley hopes to provide a biblical scholarship that is both faithful to orthodox Christianity and to the veracity of Scripture, while not neglecting justice. Stay tuned at the end for a speed round!
0:00 Introduction to OnScript and Esau McCaulley
2:13 Defining the term "Black"
6:57 Dr. McCaulley's time at the University of St. Andrews
12:42 Introducing Reading While Black
17:48 The problems with the phrase "runaway slave"
19:00 Holding to orthodoxy while calling for justice
24:23 Why we can't read Scripture alone
29:40 How to listen to Black voices
35:14 Dealing with slavery in the Bible
42:14 Speed Round!
56:40 The greatest book in biblical studies in the last fifty years
1:02:16 Failing to discuss oppression in biblical studies
Learn more about Dr. McCaulley and his work.
Also mentioned: Dr. McCaulley's Sharing in the Son's Inheritance (NERDY)
Show notes by Micah Long.

What Is Civility and How Do We Practice It? A Panel Discussion

Note: This special episode is of lower audio quality than usual. It is a live recording of an event.
Those spending the holidays with their families may be apprehensive about conversations that veer into controversy—especially after such a fraught year.
For such a time as this, TBM podcast presents a special episode. This is a panel discussion recorded at The King's College on Friday, November 20th, entitled, "A Loyal Opposition: Civility During an Election Season." Dr. David Tubbs moderated the panel, with thoughts from Dr. Dru Johnson, Professor Alissa Wilkinson, and Dr. Anthony Bradley. They discuss what it means to practice civility in our current political climate, especially for Christians, and especially toward those with whom we disagree.
In a time of political polarization, stoked by partisan news outlets and social media bubbles, Americans need more than ever to learn to charitably discuss our ideas and perspectives with those around us. Pursuing civility requires more than just politeness; it also requires a variety of intellectual habits, including humility, respect, and curiosity. But more than anything, it requires sharing life with people of different viewpoints by welcoming them into our neighborhoods, our shared meals, and our churches. Hopefully, Christians can lead the effort to restore civil discourse.
Show notes:
0:00 Introduction to the panel
2:25 Defining civility
6:30 Historical movements that exhibit civility
11:25 Politics as a model for discourse in college
17:21 "A Loyal Opposition" in the British Parliament
19:55 Sharing meals, sharing life, and arguing well
24:18 Obstacles to civil discussion
30:35 Dealing with incivility
35:16 The connections between emotion and reason
43:29 The problem with politics as a system of meaning
46:26 Learning good civil discourse
50:49 Interacting with news media
52:50 Befriending people you disagree with
Show notes by Micah Long.

Biblical Artist Series: Sandra Bowden Literally Makes the Bible into Art

Sandra Bowden is a mixed-media artist with pieces displayed everywhere from small rural churches to the Vatican. A self-described "visual theologian," Sandra incorporates architecture, Scripture, Hebrew lettering, and Christian artifacts into her biblical art pieces to express the mystery of God's relationship with his creation.
Dru Johnson and Ned Bustard ask Sandra about her story as an artist, from her love of the Bible, to her seminal exhibition at a small Baptist church, to her creation of the Bowden Collections. She discusses the reasons that she includes the biblical texts in her artwork, and how she believes that the visual arts can bring the themes and stories of Scripture to life. For Sandra, God communicates with us through various means. Creation attests to His glory, His Word reveals his character, and His Son displays His love to the world. She hopes her biblical art will be another means of communicating God's truth.
Show notes:
0:00 Following the next question in art
2:58 Sandra's experience studying Hebrew
6:58 Using the biblical text in painting
12:38 The Bowden Collections
14:45 Drawing connections between biblical passages in art
18:34 Sandra's piece in the Vatican
20:25 Reflecting on the reception to Sandra's work
25:47 Incarnation, word, and art
Show notes by Micah Long.
Credits for the music used in TBM podcast can be found at: hebraicthought.org/credits.

How Brazilians Understand the Bible Differently (Caio Peres)

How does our social location affect the way we read the Bible and worship? For the ancient Israelites, who lived in a subsistence-level agrarian society, the Torah, worship in the temple, daily work, and social justice were intimately intertwined. Scripture resists our urge to separate the sacred from the secular, our worship of God from our treatment of those around us.
For Caio Peres, an independent researcher and missionary, the daily realities of trauma and poverty in Brazil provide a lens through which to view Scripture's concern for social flourishing. Caio holds an MA in Theology and Religious Studies from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and strives not just to work for or with the impoverished in his community, but to share life with them. In this episode, he discusses the culture of ancient Israel, the motifs of sacrifice in the Torah and New Testaments, and the connection the biblical authors draw between worship in the Tabernacle and the structure of the cosmos. He concludes with thoughts on addressing trauma through living alongside people, understanding their experiences, and sharing their embodied reality via Christian rituals.
Show notes:
0:00 Ordinary life and worshipping God
3:20 The Torah's lack of a sacred/secular divide
8:18 Sacrificial motifs in the New Testament
14:00 Practicing biblical theology in Brazil
19:20 Living with people in extreme poverty in Brazil
22:47 How Christians should address trauma
26:41 Our social location and how we read the Bible
Articles Caio has written for The Biblical Mind:
Family Conflicts and the Restoration of the Cosmos, Part I: Morality amid Oppression and Humility (available in Portuguese)
Family Conflicts and the Restoration of the Cosmos, Part II: Kingship and Servanthood within the Elected Family (available in Portuguese)
Show notes by Micah Long.
Credits for the music used in TBM podcast can be found at: hebraicthought.org/credits.