The Biblical Mind

Discussing the New CHT Book on Gender in the Bible (Feat. 3 of the Contributors)

This episode previews the CHT's new book The Biblical World of Gender: The Daily Lives of Ancient Women and Men. Three of the authors from the book (Carmen Imes, Nijay Gupta, and Cynthia Shafer-Elliott) discuss their contributions. They touch on the gender assumptions in the ancient Near East and Roman Empire, along with some of the Bible's challenging passages about slavery and authority.
Carmen Imes is Associate Professor of Old Testament at Biola University and the author of Bearing God's Name: Why Sinai Still Matters. She has been a missionary to the Philippines and releases "Torah Tuesday" videos on her YouTube channel. Nijay Gupta is Professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary, Editor-in-Chief of the Bulletin for Biblical Research, and the author of Paul and the Language of Faith. Cynthia Shafer-Elliott is Associate Dean and Associate Professor in the School of Theology and Leadership at William Jessup University. She does archaeological research on ancient Israel, including households, food preparation, and gender dynamics in the family, and is an editor of the recent T&T Clark Handbook of Food in Ancient Israel and the Hebrew Bible.
Show notes:
Carmen Imes
0:00 Why we need to examine the biblical authors' view of gender
3:42 The "sanctified imagination" and entering into the biblical story
5:20 A selection from Carmen Imes's essay "Freedom Fighters of the Exodus"
Nijay Gupta
9:07 Understanding Paul's "harshness"
11:58 The biblical authors on the rape of slaves
14:15 Examples of radical early Christian ethics
16:26 Gender differences in the first-century Roman Empire
Cynthia Shafer-Elliott
18:48 The importance of household archaeology
21:19 Understanding the cultural assumptions of the biblical texts
25:44 Hierarchy versus heterarchy
Show notes by Micah Long
Credits for the music used in TBM podcast can be found at: hebraicthought.org/credits.

ICYMI: How the Translation of ’Faith’ in the Bible Falls Short (Matt Bates)

This episode was originally published in March, 2021. We thought it was worth a reissue for our newer listeners.
Many of us have learned definitions of faith, belief, and trust that merely concern internal mental states. We say we believe something when we mentally affirm its truth, and we say we trust God when we believe what the Bible says. But these introspective forms of faith aren't really what the biblical authors have in mind when they talk about faith in the Bible. For them, faith is more of a full-bodied allegiance to Jesus, a commitment to serve and work alongside Him as our King.
In this episode, Dr. Matthew Bates talks to Dru Johnson about allegiance and faith in the Bible. They consider how, in the context of the Roman empire, the idea of loyalty in patron–client relationships shaped the way the biblical authors understood trust, authority, and honor. Along the way, they also discuss some of the biblical metaphors for salvation that are drawn from the social dynamics of the ancient world, and how the Hebrew Bible influenced the New Testament's view of power and authority. They conclude by outlining about how modern people can understand the language of kingdom and lordship in Scripture, and how the church can inculcate rituals of allegiance in the body of Christ.
Show notes:
0:00 Trusting with our bodies, not just with our minds
3:55 The word pistis in the Roman world
6:50 Metaphorical language to describe our salvation
9:48 What allegiance looks like
14:15 How to think about Jesus' lordship
17:46 Continuity between the New Testament and the Hebrew Bible
20:00 Allegiance rituals in the church
Learn more about Matt Bates.
Matthew Bates's most recent book: Gospel Allegiance: What Faith in Jesus Misses for Salvation in Christ
Show notes by Micah Long.
Credits for the music used in TBM podcast can be found at: hebraicthought.org/credits.

How the Early Church Engaged with Scripture (Brian J. Wright)

When we think of the early church, some of us might imagine groups of illiterate believers guided by one or two trained readers or teachers. In fact, the historical reality was very different. Brian J. Wright describes an ancient world obsessed with reading—especially public, communal reading of significant texts, including lots of questioning and dialogue.
In this episode, Dru Johnson and Brian Wright examine literacy levels in the Roman Empire, the early church's engagement with Paul's letters, and historical evidence about reading in the first and second centuries. They also discuss the modern church's Bible engagement, and how we can take a more dialogical and active approach to reading Scripture.
Brian J. Wright is an associate pastor at Denia Community Church, an adjunct professor, and author of Communal Reading in the Time of Jesus: A Window into Early Christian Reading Practices. He studies communal reading in the scholarly context, challenging long-held views about literary culture, and also encourages contemporary communal reading practices.
Show notes:
0:00 The "public reading mania" of the early Christian era
3:20 Transformative, communal texts
5:53 Literacy levels in the Roman Empire
9:40 Defining "communal"
12:23 Jewish practices for reading and debating Scripture
14:18 A culture of collective correction
17:27 Early Christian dialogue
21:11 Dialogue in the modern church
26:47 Reading entire epistles
32:40 Reading "as long as time permits"
35:28 Augustine about Ambrose reading
Tweetable Quote
"There's wisdom in us doing it [reading and teaching] together. Everything about the community is really at the heart of the conversation."
Show notes by Micah Long
Credits for the music used in TBM podcast can be found at: hebraicthought.org/credits.

Entering the Hell and Heartbreak of the Grotesque Book of Judges (Daniel Stulac)

Is the Book of Judges a morality play? A celebration of violence? An injunction against moral relativism? Could it be . . . good news?
In this week's episode, Dru Johnson interviews Dr. Daniel J. Stulac, who challenges us to enter the hell and heartbreak of this grotesque, violent, and provocative part of Scripture. Rather than adopting moralistic readings of Judges (common in Sunday school classes and children's Bibles), Daniel wants us to read Judges prophetically—as a book that mirrors the violence in our own hearts and turns us to greater dependence on an a King who will set things right.
Dr. Stulac is a visiting assistant professor of Old Testament at Duke Divinity School, and the author of the recent monograph, Gift of the Grotesque: A Christological Companion to the Book of Judges. His other areas of interest include the agriculture of ancient Israel and the intersection of agrarianism and biblical hermeneutics.
Show notes:
0:00 Misconceptions about the Book of Judges
2:59 The "theological nightmare"
6:45 Violence in the Bible
9:12 Time shifting in Judges
12:46 Judges as literature of exile and testing
17:35 Entering hell
20:25 Idolatry and controlling the divine
25:46 Judges and the Torah
31:03 Why does Israel need a king?
Tweetable quote:
"At the heart of idolatry is the desire to be in control of the divine." (22:10)
Show notes by Micah Long
Credits for the music used in TBM podcast can be found at: hebraicthought.org/credits.

True Sabbath Isn’t Narcissism Disguised as Self-Care (Kelsey Osgood)

In a world of distractions, hyperactivity, and burnout, many of us yearn for rest from our work and our devices. To find this rest, many have turned to the Jewish practice of shabbat or sabbath, ceasing at least some of their regular activity during one day of the week.
Kelsey Osgood, a graduate of Colombia University and Goucher College, is a writer and practicing Orthodox Jew. In this episode, Dru and Kelsey discuss her recent article, "Why Your 'Digital Shabbat' Will Fail." Kelsey argues that resting in religious community, rather than as an individual—and not merely for personal reasons, but because God requires it—is a practice that, though difficult, is deeply beneficial.
Show notes:
0:00 Preparing for Shabbat
5:35 Discussing Kelsey's recent article
9:00 Two major problems with an individual "digital shabbat"
12:56 Narcissism disguised as self-care
14:19 Can individual Christians practice shabbat?
19:28 The discomfort of practicing Judaism
22:47 The benefits of practicing shabbat
Show notes by Micah Long
Credits for the music used in TBM podcast can be found at: hebraicthought.org/credits.

African Perspectives on Multiculturalism and Economic Justice (Gift Mtukwa)

The church should not only perform charity work, but also pursue economic justice.
Dr. Gift Mtukwa joins Dru Johnson to discuss the Kenyan church and Gift's Pauline scholarship. They examine the importance of multiculturalism in the church, which requires navigating cultural differences in language, worship style, and socioeconomic status. Additionally, Gift explains how reading Paul helps the modern Kenyan church understand poverty, economic opportunity, and financial prudence.
Gift Mtukwa is the Chair of the Department of Religion and Christian Ministry at Africa Nazarene University and lead pastor of the University Church of the Nazarene. Born in Zimbabwe, he now lives in Nairobi, Kenya. His research centers on contextual readings of Scripture, especially Paul's letters.
Show notes:
0:00 Different Kenyan tribes in the same church
3:16 The importance of diverse leadership
5:50 Explaining the Kenyan tribes
9:24 Kenyan impressions of majority-white churches
12:03 Evangelism in Africa
13:45 Paul's approach to multiculturalism
19:15 Understanding "if you don't work, you don't eat"
22:58 Poverty in rural and urban Kenya
25:34 How the church can help people in poverty
30:49 Pastoral education in economics and community development
33:33 Pros and cons of the American church
Show notes by Micah Long
Credits for the music used in TBM podcast can be found at: hebraicthought.org/credits.

Reissue: What Does Reconciliation Mean for Sexual Abuse Survivors? (Rachael and Jacob Denhollander)

This episode was originally published on February 4, 2022. In light of the Southern Baptist Convention's release of a report on sexual abuse within the denomination, we thought this episode was worth reissuing for our newer listeners.
This week, Rachael and Jacob Denhollander joined the podcast to discuss what reconciliation and restoration can look like following horrific abuse. Rachael Denhollander, a lawyer and former gymnast, rose to international prominence in 2016 when she became the first woman to publicly denounce and pursue criminal charges against former USA Gymnastics’ team doctor Larry Nassar, who sexually abused more than 500 girls and women. Rachael authored What Is a Girl Worth?, which explores her story in depth. 
In cases of abuse and sexual misconduct within the church, Christians can become fixated on forgiving and forgetting, and fear what will happen if the church gets bad press. But God will continue preserving His church, hence our job is not to protect the church from critique; it is to pursue justice. Failure to do so systemically enables sexual abuse. Justice and reconciliation must go hand in hand.
Show Notes:
0:26 Is forgiveness necessary for reconciliation?
6:41 Returning to a proper understanding of God's justice
11:49 There's a cost to caring
17:32 The spirit of humility
20:25 Sexual violence and the church
27:04 God's justice
31:40 How do we restore what was broken?
34:11 Complicit organizations—can you forgive an organization?
Tweetable: "The church has an obligation to pursue justice because that's who God is."
Resources: https://erlc.com/resource-library/articles/6-ways-pastors-can-care-for-victims-of-sexual-abuse/
https://churchcares.com/
 
Show notes by Dominique LaCroix 
 
Credits for the music used in TBM podcast: hebraicthought.org/credits.

Who Is the ’Foreigner’ We’re Supposed to Love? (M. Daniel Carroll R.)

The history of humanity is the history of migration. People have always been on the move, in Scripture and in the modern day. Understanding the migrants near us, their experiences, and the languages they speak can equip us to love them better.
M. Daniel Carroll R., author of Global Migration and Christian Faith: Implications for Identity and Mission, explains our biblical obligation to love the foreigner, which includes not only people from a foreign country but also those with different socioeconomic backgrounds or even just very different life experiences. 
Show notes:
1:07 Immigration in Scripture
4:11 Migration = people-moving
5:55 Dru's controversial view
7:15 Forced migration
12:45 Caring for the foreigner
20:46 The new has come
34:50 Language of the heart
Q&A: Email us your questions about the intellectual world of the Bible at cht_administrator@tkc.edu, and we'll answer them in an upcoming Q&A episode.
Show notes by Dominique LaCroix
Credits for the music used in TBM podcast can be found at: hebraicthought.org/credits.

Knowing God through Welcoming the Stranger (Mark Glanville)

The Old Testament, especially Deuteronomy, repeatedly entreats the Israelites to welcome the stranger. The Israelites were required to love the stranger because God loves the stranger. In the gospels, Jesus practices this teaching continually, forming a makeshift family from the vulnerable around him. The church should likewise adopt the stranger and the vulnerable as family, because this is God’s design for humanity. 
Mark Glanville, pastor and professor of pastoral theology, discusses the biblical ethic of welcoming refugees; his involvement in Kinbrace, a Canadian nonprofit that provides refugee housing and support; and how welcoming those on the margins can shape our view of Scripture and the world. 
Show notes:
1:07 Welcoming refugees and Kinbrace
4:53 Welcoming is witnessing
6:53 Do Christians have a requirement to help refugees?
11:24 Addressing criminality
13:56 Exile
18:39 Shaping our view of the world
22:51 Kinship
35:20 Reading from diversity
Q&A: Email us your questions about the intellectual world of the Bible at cht_administrator@tkc.edu, and we'll answer them in an upcoming Q&A episode.
Show notes by Dominique LaCroix
Credits for the music used in TBM podcast can be found at: hebraicthought.org/credits.

Reissue: Violence in the Bible Isn’t What You Think It Is (Matt Lynch)

This episode was originally published on October 16, 2020. We thought it was worth a reissue for our newer listeners.
Many readers of Scripture are jarred when God and Israel commit violence in the Old Testament. From the conquest of Canaan, to the lives of the biblical patriarchs, to the great flood in Genesis, we cannot avoid the fact that God and His people fight and kill. This can lead to a crisis of faith—how can God be good if He is violent?
Dr. Matt Lynch, Assistant Professor of Old Testament at Regent College, wants to reframe our questions; rather than merely worrying about God's use of violence, we could instead ask how the biblical authors are critiquing our use of violence. In this episode, Dr. Dru Johnson interviews Dr. Lynch about how the Bible portrays violence. They discuss Scripture's persistent connection between violence and tumult, and the difference between justified forceful harm and unjust violence. They also address the ethical connection between human beings and the rest of creation, and how violence in the Old Testament and New Testament separates humanity from God and the earth.
Show notes:
0:00 The problem of violence in the Old Testament and New Testament
2:25 Introducing Dr. Matthew Lynch and his work
7:12 Violence in Scripture versus violence in the modern world
11:50 War with the Canaanites in the book of Joshua
14:28 Ethics, ecology, and the environment
22:47 The New Covenant and our relationship to creation
24:24 The overarching perspective on violence in Scripture
29:15 Listening to the biblical texts for their questions
Dr. Lynch's new book: Portraying Violence in the Hebrew Bible: A Literary and Cultural Study
Show notes by Micah Long.
Credits for the music used in TBM podcast can be found at: hebraicthought.org/credits.