The Biblical Mind

Fueling Hebraic Thought: How You Can Help

In this candid and heartfelt message, Dr. Dru Johnson steps out from behind the mic to speak directly to you—the listener, the learner, the potential donor.
“I’m a recurring giver. I actually pay to do this work.” That’s how strongly he believes in the mission of the Center for Hebraic Thought. In this short but powerful donor appeal, Dru explains how the Center’s podcast, public resources, book series, and workshops are made possible—not by salaries or institutional budgets—but by the generous support of people like you.
He outlines the unique work of the Center: promoting a biblical way of thinking that’s structurally rich, theologically grounded, and practically wise. From the top-20-ranked Biblical Mind Podcast, to a growing Hebraic Thought Community, to partnerships with publishers and institutions, this movement is growing—but it needs your help to continue.
“I used to be embarrassed to ask,” Dru says, “but I’m not anymore.” Whether you’re a scholar, pastor, teacher, or lifelong learner, you can become part of the team by giving a one-time gift—or becoming a recurring donor like Dru.
If you’ve ever benefited from the work of the Center, now’s the time to give back.
One Time Gifts:https://hebraicthought.org/give
Recurring Donations (and the gift of the Donor Book Series):https://hebraicthought.org/donor-book-series

Why Scholars Gather: A Tour Through the Wild World of Biblical Academia (Dru Johnson) Ep. #228

What actually happens when thousands of biblical scholars descend on a single convention center?
In this unusual and behind-the-scenes episode, Dru Johnson roams the floor of the Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting in Boston to ask a range of publishers and scholars—from Langham Publishing to Prairie College—what these conferences are really like. From the excitement of free books to the dread of reading papers aloud in monotone, this episode reveals both the inspiring and ridiculous sides of academic gatherings.
Dr. Cindy Parker shares the joy of “seeing people from Australia and Israel and just Europe all over the place,” while also admitting, “there’s a lot of ego in the room.” Megan Roberts, a professor in Canada, offers a more practical critique: “Just Google how many words is a 20-minute presentation. Then do it.”
Meanwhile, publisher reps express their weariness with “sweaty” scholars who show up on the final day asking, “What here is free?” And Dr. Chris Skinner offers a thoughtful defense of the format: “The only way you can become better is by being around people who are already better than you.”
This episode is honest, occasionally surprising, and always hilarious —your personal audio tour of biblical scholarship in the wild.
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Chapters:
00:00 Langham Publishing's Mission and Focus05:56 Scholarly Behavior and Conference Dynamics08:56 Presentation Skills and Audience Engagement11:56 The Value of Academic Conferences14:52 Endorsements and Marketing in Academic Publishing17:46 The Psychology of Scholarly Interactions

Where Is God? Eucharist, Trauma, and Divine Presence in Poland (Ela Wyrzykowska) Ep. #227

Where is God present—and how do believers describe it?
In this thoughtful and poetic episode, Polish theologian Dr. Elżbieta Łazarewicz-Wyrzykowska joins Dru Johnson to reflect on theology, trauma, and spiritual presence. From her childhood in Warsaw—where bullet holes and tanks marked the legacy of war—to her academic path through Hebrew Bible, literary theory, and empirical psychology, Elżbieta has never stopped asking difficult questions.
They discuss her research into the Book of Amos using the philosophical insights of Mikhail Bakhtin, seeing God as the “author” of Israel and disobedience as a form of anti-creation. They also explore her current interdisciplinary work in the psychology of religion: “We tried to measure where people locate God’s presence. Eucharist was the one thing people named first.”
She reflects on the tension between empirical categories and theological meaning: “God is present in special objects” didn’t resonate. But “God is present in the Eucharist”? That made sense. “I still wanted to be faithful to what the community told me.”
This episode is a masterclass in humility, scholarship, and the quiet brilliance of a scholar working at the intersection of Scripture, philosophy, trauma, and pastoral care.
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Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Personal Background02:49 Warsaw: A City of Resilience06:06 The Impact of Historical Trauma08:41 Academic Journey in Hebrew Bible Studies11:49 Literary and Philosophical Approaches to the Hebrew Bible14:35 Interdisciplinary Work and Its Challenges17:38 Exploring Bakhtin's Influence20:31 The Book of Amos: A Case Study23:42 Theological Measures and Empirical Research26:35 The Role of Practical Theology29:45 Conclusion and Future Directions

On Biblical Masculinity, The Boy Crisis, And The Church's Missed Mission (Anthony Bradley) Ep. #226

For decades, churches have built youth ministries around entertainment and behavior management. But what if all the data says that’s the wrong approach?
In this powerful episode, Dr. Anthony Bradley joins Dru Johnson to reflect on 25 years of experience working with youth, revisiting the PBS documentary Raising Cain and what it reveals about the neglected emotional lives of boys. He shares stories from his time as a high school teacher, where the boys most emotionally adrift weren’t from broken homes—but from Christian families.
Bradley argues that youth ministry has largely failed, citing data showing a 50–60% dropout rate among church youth group kids. “What the data shows is that spiritual formation happens at home,” he says. “And instead of churches focusing on the youth, they need to be focusing on Malachi 4:6.”
He calls for churches to replace youth isolation with intergenerational community. “They need to physically experience almost in a sacramental sort of sense what a godly family is.” Boys don’t just need Bible studies—they need fathers, mentors, uncles, and grandfathers.
This episode is an urgent wake-up call to rethink how we raise boys, how we disciple families, and how the church can once again become the place for forming whole people.
For Anthony's Substack, click this link:https://anthonybbradley.substack.com/
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Chapters
00:00 The Impact of 'Raising Cain' on Understanding Boys02:59 Cultural Shifts in Masculinity and Education05:43 The Emotional Lives of Boys08:39 The Crisis of Boys in Education11:34 Masculinity and Emotional Expression14:38 The Role of Culture in Defining Masculinity17:39 Christian Perspectives on Masculinity20:24 Historical Context of Masculinity in Christianity25:44 The Shift in Youth Ministry Focus28:29 The Role of Parents in Faith Formation32:21 Creating Family-Centric Church Activities35:18 The Importance of Intergenerational Relationships40:16 Integrating Youth into Family Life45:07 The Need for Community and Mentorship50:52 Long-Term Faith Development and Patience

What The Chosen Gets Right (And Wrong): Archaeology, Pharisees, and Color (Jeffrey Garcia) Ep. #225

Was Peter’s hometown ever really lost—and have we just found it?
In this episode, archaeologist and scholar Dr. Jeffrey Arroyo García joins Dru Johnson to explore how archaeology reshapes our understanding of the Gospels, popular media like The Chosen, and the portrayal of first-century Judaism. Drawing on his years excavating at El-Araj—the site increasingly believed to be biblical Bethsaida—Jeff walks us through how ancient inscriptions, Crusader-era churches, and Roman bathhouses reveal the story beneath the shoreline.
But the episode takes a provocative turn when they discuss the show The Chosen. Jeff praises its storytelling and vibrancy but calls attention to a visual pattern with troubling roots: “The Pharisees are generally in black… And when they come into contact with Jesus… they wear lighter colors.” He explains how this “othering” of Pharisees—even subtly—echoes centuries of Christian anti-Jewish tropes.The conversation is honest, layered, and generous—balancing artistic license with historical clarity. “If you are interested in Jesus or a follower of Jesus,” Jeff warns, “then you can’t be a Pharisee—just from clothing alone.”
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Chapters:00:00 Exploring Archaeology and the Galilee02:48 Pharisees and Their Presence in Galilee05:40 The Search for Bethsaida08:48 Significant Discoveries at El-Araj11:30 Cultural Context and New Testament Insights14:21 The Chosen: Storytelling and Historical Accuracy17:31 Creative Speculation in Biblical Portrayals20:37 The Role of Pharisees in the New Testament23:23 Touring Israel: Insights and Experiences

Creation, Rest, and Reign: What Genesis Meant to the Ancient World (Rachel Booth Smith) Ep. #224

What if Genesis 1 wasn’t about the origin of matter—but the enthronement of God? And what if “rest” wasn’t the end of work, but the beginning of reign?
In this episode, Rachel Booth Smith, author of Rest Assured, joins Dru Johnson to explore how the Genesis creation story contrasts with other ancient Near Eastern accounts. With a storyteller’s gift and a pastor’s heart, Smith explains how comparing biblical cosmogony to Egyptian or Hittite myths can actually strengthen, not weaken, our faith in the text. “Sometimes the campfire would get very upset,” she says, imagining ancient neighbors reacting to Genesis’ claim that the sun and moon are just objects—not gods.
She also unpacks the significance of Sabbath as sacred reign, not divine nap time. “Rest is like saying sitting down at a throne because everything is operating correctly,” she explains. The seven-day structure wasn’t arbitrary—it was holy, “marked out,” signaling both the order of creation and the rhythm of life.
Most importantly, Rachel shows how this re-reading of Genesis leads us to trust. “If I can get to the end of a Sabbath and realize you are God and I am not, I feel like that was a win.”
For Rachel's book "Rest Assured," head here:
https://www.moodypublishers.com/rest-assured/
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Chapters:
00:00 Introduction01:08 The Genesis of Understanding Creation03:55 Bridging Ancient and Modern Perspectives07:08 The Concept of Rest in Creation10:18 Sabbath: A Rhythm of Work and Rest13:22 The Nature of God’s Power and Authority16:01 Cultural Contexts and Creation Narratives19:23 The Role of the Sun and Other Deities22:07 The Significance of Seven in Creation25:14 The Uniqueness of Genesis' Creation Account28:06 The Implications of a Non-Conflict Creation31:16 The Importance of Trusting God34:09 Conclusion: Insights from Ancient Near Eastern Literature

Israel’s Rituals, God’s Needs, and the Covenant That Changed Everything (John Walton) Ep. #223

What happens when a senior biblical scholar changes their mind—publicly? In this episode, Dr. John Walton returns to explain key shifts in his thinking, especially about Genesis, the temple, and covenant theology.
He unpacks two major paradigm shifts: first, that Genesis creation isn’t about material origins, but about functional order; second, that Genesis 3 isn’t even about sin—it’s about humanity’s search for order. He also revisits his earlier view that the cosmos should be seen as a temple, now offering a more nuanced perspective: “I’m very happy to think about this as establishing sacred space… without necessarily extending the temple metaphor to the concept of boundaries.”
Walton explains how ancient Near Eastern concepts shape the biblical text, but cautions against overgeneralizing differences between Israel and its neighbors. “God does not have needs. Don’t think that way. Everybody else around you thinks that way.” He argues Israel’s rituals weren’t about feeding the deity, but forming covenant relationship—and this, he claims, is unique in the ancient world.
More than anything, Walton champions a commitment to evidence over dogma. “If your commitment is to the evidence, your commitment has to be to cognitive flexibility.”
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Chapters:
00:00 Paradigm Shifts in Biblical Interpretation03:03 The Temple and Creation05:45 Understanding Ancient Near Eastern Thought08:45 Cognitive Flexibility in Scholarship11:58 Rituals and Their Significance14:54 The Role of Ancient Near Eastern Backgrounds17:54 Literary Structures in Biblical Texts

Cultural Rivers, Order, and Covenant: Tools For Reading Scripture Well (John Walton) Ep. #222

In this thought-provoking episode, Walton explains his “cultural rivers” metaphor—how each culture swims in its own current of values, assumptions, and logic. We can’t read the Bible through modern, Western eyes without missing what mattered most to ancient audiences. Genesis, for example, isn’t about material origins but about God bringing order to a disordered world.
From Genesis 1–11, which Walton calls a unified pursuit-of-order narrative, to covenant as God’s chosen method of establishing order in Israel, this episode reshapes how we think about law, sin, impurity, and even concepts like raʿ (evil). Walton shows how words like shalom, menucha, and tov are all part of a spectrum of order—not morality.
He also addresses how Jesus and Paul recontextualize the Torah, why Exodus opens with a surprising parade of female heroes, and how poetry preserves communal memory in songs like Exodus 15. Whether you’re new to Walton’s “Lost World” series or a longtime reader, this episode offers fresh insight into how Scripture’s deepest themes emerge from its ancient context.
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Chapters:
00:00 Exploring Methodological Approaches to Texts02:02 Cultural Rivers: Understanding Context in Ancient Texts05:19 Genesis 1-11: The Pursuit of Order08:04 The Role of Women in Exodus: A Unique Perspective11:04 Intertextuality: Connections Between Genesis and Judges14:12 The Concept of Order in the Torah17:10 Jesus and Paul: Recontextualizing the Torah20:16 The Significance of Women in the Exodus Narrative23:20 Joseph and Daniel: Conceptual Connections26:07 Final Thoughts and Future Discussions32:50 Poetry And Prose Intermixed

Unlocking The Deep Structures of Scripture: The Bible's Unified Message (Joshua Berman) Ep. #221

What if the Bible was written with deep structural patterns designed to echo across generations—economically and theologically?
In this riveting episode, Dr. Joshua Berman joins Dru Johnson to reveal how literary design, verbal repetition, and cultural continuity make the Bible not a patchwork, but a carefully composed unity. Through examples ranging from Genesis and Judges to Exodus and Samuel, Berman shows how the same words, images, and narrative arcs—like “sword and bow” or reversal of blessing—carry deliberate echoes and layered meanings across the text.
They also explore gendered storytelling in Exodus 2, the function of poetry in biblical prose, and why embedded songs like Exodus 15 don’t contradict the narrative—they expand it. Berman explains how ancient readers trained in repetition and orality would have caught these cues instantly, and why modern readers miss them.
This episode is also a personal one, as Berman shares how leading Jewish tours in Egypt deepened his faith in the biblical text—and even led to unexpected moments of hope across religious and national divides.
This is a masterclass in reading Scripture deeply—linguistically, literarily, and spiritually.
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Chapters:00:00 Exploring Methodology in Biblical Texts04:06 Understanding Deep Structures in Scripture09:15 The Role of Language and Translation14:21 Genesis: Unity and Structure19:02 Theological Implications of Interwoven Narratives21:56 Exploring Sodom and Gomorrah's Legacy27:11 The Role of Women in Exodus33:09 Contradictions in Moses' Life39:23 Archeological Work In Egypt

Attachment Theory, God’s Presence, & The Image of God: How God Heals Us (Geoff Holsclaw) Ep. #220

What does attachment theory have to do with discipleship, theology, or the church? According to Dr. Geoff Holsclaw, more than we realize.
In this episode, Holsclaw—a pastor, theologian, and co-author of Landscapes of the Soul—joins Dru Johnson to explore how neuroscience and interpersonal attachment can illuminate both human development and the biblical story. From early childhood bonds to the way we experience God’s presence, he explains how secure and insecure attachments shape how we relate to others, ourselves, and the divine.
The conversation dives into the four “attachment landscapes” (Jungle, Desert, War Zone, and Secure), and how trauma or neglect in childhood can subtly shape a lifetime of relational patterns—unless there is healing. But the episode offers real hope: not only is repair possible, but Scripture itself shows us the way. Holsclaw connects attachment theory to key biblical moments—from God’s face in the Psalms to Jesus’ sending of the disciples.
This is not a self-help take on neuroscience. It’s a theologically rich exploration of embodied faith, community healing, and how God repairs the ruptures in our lives.
To get your copy of Landscapes Of The Soul:https://www.tyndale.com/p/landscapes-of-the-soul/9798400505546
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Chapters:
00:00 Neuroscience in Counseling and Theology06:19 Understanding Attachment Theory14:04 The Impact of Attachment Styles20:13 Scriptural Foundations of Attachment26:26 Jesus and Attachment Dynamics33:50 Healing and Growth in Attachment40:57 Community and Relationships in Healing