Armchair Theology

Romans is one of the most theologically dense books in the New Testament and we did not want to take it on ourselves. Huge thanks to Dr. Jason Borders from  Huntingdon College in Montgomery for helping us launch into Paul's epistles. 

If you've ever studied Luke or Acts with any kind of academic integrity you've certainly read something Dr. Joel Green has written. I (Clay) was most fortunate to have stumbled in his class my first semester of seminary and we consider ourselves just as fortunate to have had this conversation with Dr. Green to wrap up the book of Acts.Huge thanks to Dr. Green for joining us.

"What should the Church resistors be worried about in your neighborhood right now" - Matthew Skinner. As the good news of Jesus marched on toward the ends of the earth it threatened the balance of wealth and power. And those who had wealth and power were predictably upset. Join Clay and Ross as they break down Acts 15-20 and the implications following Christ could have on your savings account or political influence. Also, Paul bored a kid to death.

"What God has called clean, don't call unclean." In this section of Acts the Church came face to face with the implications of a faith open to non-Jews. Huge thanks to Bishop Willimon for helping us work through week two of Acts and thinking about how it still applies to us.You can find him at willwillimon.com

After the death and resurrection, Jesus early followers were faced with the question: Now What? This week Matthew Skinner joins us to help answer that very question.Dr. Skinner is the Professor of New Testament at Luther Seminary. He has written about the Bible for websites including Huffington Post, Working Preacher, and ON Scripture—The Bible. He co-hosts Sermon Brainwave, a popular weekly podcast that offers assistance to preachers as they interpret biblical texts to prepare their sermons.Ordained as a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church (USA), Skinner also serves as the Scholar for Adult Education at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis.

We've decided John's account of the crucifixion and resurrection are our favorite of the four gospels and the reinstatement of Peter after his denial is a beautiful story or redemption.And with that we've finished the Gospels!If you're interested in Bible study curriculum, visit armchairtheo.com

Calling all Johanine scholars, this one's for you! What an absolute joy it was to talk with Dr. Jaime Clark-Soles and peel back the layers of the Gospel of John! Thank you Dr. Clark-Soles!You can find Dr. Clark-Soles at jaimeclarksoles.com and check out more of her work on John as well as some of her groundbreaking work on psychedelics and faith.

What really makes us blind? Join Clay and Ross in this episode breakdown who's able to see Jesus's good works and who's blinded by their own bias.

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the word was God. There may be no more memorable opening line in all of scripture. Join Ross and Clay as they break down the iconic Gospel of John.

Happy Holy Week Friends. Join Clay and Ross as they break down Jesus's last days from wee Zacchaeus, to the Cross to the Resurrection.

The prodigal son, the persistent widow, the shrewd manager... in this episode Ross and Clay some of your favorite and least favorite parables from Luke's gospel. Thanks for listening!

Clay and Ross discuss rewriting the Bible, sitcoms without laugh tracks, when it's time to do the work of the kingdom and when it's time to be still. Join us as we work our way through the Gospel of Luke

One of the craziest God moments in my life happened when I ran into my old friend from seminary, Dr. Nabil Samara, not once but twice in Israel. And I'm so thankful, through the magic of the internet, to get to run into him again as Ross and I kick off the gospel according to Luke.

What do we do with the shortest Gospel ending somewhat unresolved? Join Clay and Ross as they put a brass buckle on the Gospel according to St. Mark.

Join Clay and Ross through the heart of Mark in this politically and culturally challenging Gospel and count how many times Clay mistakenly says Matthew.Hahaha.armchairtheo.com 

Mark skips all the small talk and gets right down to the business of the good news of the Jesus Christ and from the outset Jesus shows that he's there to upset the apple cart of political and religious power dynamics. Join Ross and Clay as they take a look at what this good news really is according to Mark.

This is it folks. This is why many of you even choose to listen to a podcast about the Bible. The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.

As Jesus nears the crucifixion, his words to the religious elites become sharper, peaking with today's reading. This is a tough read for folks who've been in church more than a few minutes, but absolutely required reading. Thanks for joining Ross and Clay as they break it down.

As Jesus nears Jerusalem, his teachings grow more direct. Join Ross and Clay as they breakdown some of the most difficult passages in Matthew.

See Peter move from being the rock upon which the Church would be built to the stumbling block between Jesus and his cross all in one episode! Join Clay and Ross this week as they break down Matthew 15-18.If you're interested in going with us to the Holy Land June 2024, click here.

We're right in the heart of Matthew with parables and miracles and feeding five thousand and John the Baptist asking a pretty important question of Jesus: Are you the one? Join us this week as Clay and Ross break down Matthew 11-14Hey kids has Grandpa Peter ever told you about the time I walked on water? 

Matthew takes the story of Jesus from words to actions to multiplication as Jesus travels throughout Galilee healing the sick, casting out storms and even raising the dead before sending out the disciples to do the same.

Jesus's sermon on the mount might be the three most important chapters in scripture, almost certainly is the most important sermon in the Bible. And today's episode is Clay's new favorite.It opens a little differently and I hope you'll take a moment today to pause, be present, and consider the lilies of the field. Thanks for listening.If you're interested in joining us on our trip to Israel summer 2024 click here.

THE NEW TESTAMENT!!!In classic Old Testament style, Matthew starts off with a genealogy and an origin story of Jesus, the one who would fulfill the covenants God made with Abraham, Moses, David, and the prophets.Join Clay and Ross as they continue through scripture and see the New Testament as never before.If you're interested in joining them to visit the Holy Land June 2024, and see all the places we talk about in the podcast (except Dadeville), click here.

YOU DID IT! Congratulations. You read the entire Hebrew Scriptures. Malachi wraps up the Old Testament with a nod to the Torah, the Prophets, and a hope that can only come from God's restoration.Thanks for listening with us this far friends. Next week: The New Testament!If you're interested in going with us to Israel, you can get more information and register here.https://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/hl24060424f56696#.ZHoIYu_MJVI

The second half of Zechariah continues with a little bit of everything and a lot of passages appropriated by the New Testament writers. Join Clay and Ross and 

If you like the prophets you're going to love Zechariah, the Swiss army knife of the Book of the Twelve (Minor Prophets). Join Ross and Clay as they break down the judgment, apocalypse, call to faithfulness and hope for a better future for Israel.If you're interested in going with us to the Holy Land June 2024, here's the linkhttps://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/hl24060424f56696#.ZHoIYu_MJVI

What is distracting you from the work to which God has called you? The message of Haggai is simple: build the wall. But it's implications are much larger. Join Ross and Clay as they break down this short but powerful prophet

Another Minor Prophet that doesn't get much air time in pulpits, Zephaniah calls out the sins of Jerusalem and assures them that it it God who will act to rescue Israel.Congratulations friends! You've almost made it through the Hebrew Scriptures!You can contact us at armchairtheo.com, and on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at @armchairtheo.

Habakkuk is a dirge over injustice in Jerusalem and a lament over the eminent threat from Babylon. It's not the pick-me-up of most morning devotionals. But it does contain the banger: "... the righteous will live by faith" (2:4) picked up and expounded upon by Paul in his letter to the churches in Rome and Galatia. Join Clay and Ross as they break down this textually small but theologically large prophet.

What a privilege it was to work with the North Georgia Academy for Leadership and Innovation. To end our session we invited three volunteers to record a podcast with no prior knowledge and very little prep AND THEY CRUSHED IT.If you're a pastor or spiritual leader and you're thinking about launching a podcast, let this be an encouragement. You can do it. And if you or your group would like to have Ross and Clay come speak to your group, DM us on social media at @armchairtheo or find us on our website armchairtheo.comSpecial thanks to our friend Rev. Richard Hunter for the invitation!

Short but not sweet. Nahum is a book that doesn't get much air time in pulpits for some pretty glaring reasons. As a condemnation on Assyria it contains some violent and offensive language and, if taken at face value, some violent and offensive theology. But read as resistance poetry given to those under oppression it offers hope for a better tomorrow.

Incredible conversation with our friend Wade Griffith of Shanta Foundation discussing issues of justice and mercy in the prophet Micah. And challenging us to think differently about  missions. This is one you won't want to miss friends.You can find Wade and donate at shantafoundation.org

Forget everything you learned in VBS about Jonah and the whale. In this episode Jared Byas, cohost of The Bible For Normal People, helps break down this incredible prophetic book.You can find Jared at thebiblefornormalpeople.com where he and Pete Enns have been providing incredible Bible resources including the podcast, several books, and online classes all delivered with academic integrity and our favorite brand of humor. 

Obadiah is quite certain that God has a zero-tolerance policy for bullies who kick others when they're down. Join Ross and Clay break down this pint-sized prophet who packs a punch.

"I hate your religious festivals", God exclaims in Amos 5:21, "Instead seek justice for the poor". (paraphrased) Amos pulls no punches for those whose religiosity doesn't  lead to equality.Garrett Harper; friend, colleague, and Executive Director at Urban Ministry in West End Birmingham, AL joins Clay and Ross to talk about ministry that makes a difference and how the kinds of folks that go to church and listen to Bible podcasts might do a better job obeying Amos. You can reach Garrett at urban-ministry.org

Joel may be short but it's dense enough to get air time later by Luke and Paul. Join Ross and Clay as they breakdown this pint-sized prophet that packs a punch.

Hosea begins with a somewhat demeaning view of women but ends with with God's love expressed as a mother. Huge thanks to Rev. Julie Holly for joining us today to break down this incredible book.Julie is and ordained elder in the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church serving as the Chaplain and Religious Life Director at Birmingham Southern College. She's a colleague and friend and an amazing person. You can find Julie on Instagram at @JulieBHolly

Hosea kicks off the Book of the Twelve with a bombshell request from God: that Hosea marry an unfaithful wife to illustrate Israel's unfaithfulness to God. Join Ross and Clay as they break down this anything but minor prophet.And stick around at the end for a conversation with our great friend, Anthony Nathan, who joined Clay 20+ years ago to terrorize the good citizens of Bardstown, KY to ask them Bible trivia about Hosea AND who is transcribing these podcasts for the hearing impaired.

The second half can get pretty trippy if you don't realize what all the metaphors mean. Join Clay and Ross and they shed some light on this apocalyptic text.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace. Daniel in the lion's den. A hand writing on the wall... Daniel 1-6 contains some of the most memorable stories in scripture. Join Clay and Ross as they break down this iconic book.

Putting on a bow on the one of the most difficult to read prophets. And it ends with a beautiful vision of a new temple and renewed Jerusalem. Join Clay and Ross as they wrap up Ezekiel.

If you have a problem. If no one else can help. And if you can find them. Maybe you can hire... The Armchair Theology Team.

Following a long criticism of Israel, Ezekiel turns the pen towards Israel's neighbors for allying with Babylon, for injustice, and for being Egypt. Join Clay and Ross as they breakdown Ezekiel 25-32.

Welcome back to the podcast friends. In this episode Ezekiel summons all of his vulgar artistic talent to write some of the most offensive metaphors in scripture describing Israel's infidelity. We kept it clean but this may be one you don't want to listen to with the kids.

100TH EPISODE!!! Ezekiel's visions continue as he's transported from Babylon to Jerusalem where he sees God leaving the Temple. Thanks for sticking with us friends.

Ezekiel comes out hot with an absolutely wild vision of God and it only gets better from here. Join Clay and Ross as they break down the first seven chapters of this most unique prophet.

Blessed are those who mourn. Mouring well is a holy discipline and we have an entire book in our Bible that models just that. Grab your tissues and join Ross and Clay as they dive into a book so sad they named it Lamentations. 

That's a wrap on Jeremiah friends! Join Ross and Clay as they put a bow on one of the most influential books in all of scripture. This episode is dedicated to Baruch, the unsung hero of Jeremiah. Baruch, if you're listening, nothing but love friend. We look forward to meeting you.

Jeremiah tried to tell them. They just wouldn't listen. Join Clay and Ross as they break down the destruction of the Temple, assassination of Gedaliah and Jeremiah's kidnapping to Egypt.Also this may be our favorite episode artwork to date.

For I know the plans I have for you declares the LORD, plans for you to get comfortable in Babylon and grow where you're planted. Jeremiah 30-36 offers hope but it's not the prosperity gospel some make it out to be. Join Ross and Clay this week as they turn the corner in Jeremiah.