Halting Toward Zion

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Join writer Emily Maxson and long-time teacher and theologian Greg Uttinger for a discussion about Christian theology and its applications through history, civilization, and education.

Greg Uttinger & Emily Maxson


    • May 26, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 54m AVG DURATION
    • 217 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Halting Toward Zion

    The Early Days of Christ's Ministry

    Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2025 59:29


    Greg, Emily, and Rachel continue their discussion of the Gospels with the first year of Jesus' ministry.Transcript

    The Harmony of the Gospels

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2025 46:55


    Greg, Emily, and Rachel discuss the Gospels and the way they are similar, different, and yet in harmony in their telling of the story of Jesus' life.Transcript

    The Life of John the Baptizer

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2025 46:35


    Greg, Emily, and Rachel discuss the life and ministry of John the Baptist - cousin of Jesus, lived in the wilderness, martyred by Herod, and much more.Transcript

    The Early Life of Christ

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2025 52:34


    Join Greg, Emily, and Rachel this week as they discuss what we know of the life of Christ before His baptism. Transcript

    Birth of the Savior

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2025 62:54


    In this week's episode Greg, Emily, and Rachel discuss the birth of Christ. The women give their insight on the true, historical significance of a real, human pregnancy, the meaning of espousal, their accommodations in Bethlehem, and the shepherds who came to visit. Transcript

    The Best and Worst of Christmas Carols

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 10, 2025 61:12


    This week Greg, Emily, and Rachel discuss Simeon's song, holidays, and their favorites and the weakest Christmas carols.Transcript

    It's a Musical

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2025 52:26


    Greg, Emily, and Rachel discuss the first three songs in the Gospels - Mary, Zachariah, the angels. Why does it matter that this information is shared with us as songs/poems?

    Mary, Mother of the Messiah

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 10, 2025 53:24


    "...Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, [and] born of the Virgin Mary..."Greg, Emily, and Rachel discuss the beginning of the Gospels and the historical event of the virgin birth.Transcript

    Read the Text, What Does it Say?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2025 54:12


    Welcome to our re-inaugural episode! In preparation to discuss Church History, Greg, Emily, and Rachel discuss how Christianity is represented in history textbooks of many persuasions. Transcript

    Cynic, Epic, Stoic, Skeptic

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2024 52:37


    "This time we need to do a little more scene-setting and talk about the different philosophies that are sweeping the world at this point." Join Greg, Emily, and Rachel as they continue their discussion of the Roman Empire as we quickly move toward the incarnation of Jesus Christ. Transcript: https://open.substack.com/pub/haltingtowardzion/p/cynic-epic-stoic-skeptic?r=1mbq24&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/haltingtowardzion/support

    From Republic to Oligarchy to Empire

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2024 54:35


    "We've gone from kingdom to republic to oligarchy, still pretending to be a republic, to the beginnings of an empire pretending to be an oligarchy pretending to be a republic." Join Greg, Emily, and Rachel as they discuss the journey of the political and social structure of Rome and it's leaders. https://open.substack.com/pub/haltingtowardzion/p/from-republic-to-oligarchy-to-empire?r=1mbq24&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/haltingtowardzion/support

    Rome Wants Elbow Room

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2024 51:57


    Wouldn't the rest of the world be nicer if it was... Rome? Well, Rome certainly thought so. Greg, Emily, and Rachel discuss Rome's creep towards owning the world. Trascript: https://open.substack.com/pub/haltingtowardzion/p/rome-wants-elbow-room?r=1mbq24&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/haltingtowardzion/support

    Alps and Americas: Rome and Their Enemies

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2024 47:49


    Greg, Emily, and Rachel discuss the expansion of the Roman Empire and remind us of several things we should not forget, including "Hannibal took elephants over the Alps" and "Carthage must be destroyed." Transcript --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/haltingtowardzion/support

    The Founding of Rome

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2024 47:48


    This week, we discuss the founding of Rome, and how the Roman mindset has appeared again in many modern contexts. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/haltingtowardzion/support

    How Alex Conquered the World

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2024 55:41


    Let's move on from the Greek philosophers and get to Alexander the Great (actually a Macedonian). This will carry us into the early part of what we refer to as "The 400 Silent Years", the era between the last Old Testament prophets and the coming of Christ. Daniel's prophecies, Alexander the Great, Antiochus Epiphanes, Hanukkah, the Maccabees, and more! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/haltingtowardzion/support

    and Aristotle Makes Three

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2024 60:04


    --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/haltingtowardzion/support

    Epistemology, Metaphysics, and Ethics according to Plato

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2024 44:45


    Greg, Emily, and Rachel wrap up their discussion of Plato and how his philosophies correspond (and warp) the three aspects of the image of God in man, Prophet, King, and Priest. Transcript: https://open.substack.com/pub/haltingtowardzion/p/epistemology-metaphysics-and-ethics?r=1mbq24&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/haltingtowardzion/support

    Building a City State out of Plato

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2024 54:51


    Greg, Emily, and Rachel discuss Plato and his ideas for a "perfect republic." https://open.substack.com/pub/haltingtowardzion/p/building-a-city-state-out-of-plato?r=1mbq24&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/haltingtowardzion/support

    What's so great about So-crates?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 22, 2024 54:37


    Greg, Emily, and Rachel discuss the Greek philosopher Socrates, his Apology, and how he actually isn't a Christ figure. https://open.substack.com/pub/haltingtowardzion/p/whats-so-great-about-so-crates?r=1mbq24&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/haltingtowardzion/support

    The Pre-Socratics

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 15, 2024 48:16


    Join Greg, Emily, and Rachel as they discuss the Pre-Socratic philosophers and what those men did that set the foundation for future Greek philosophy. Transcript: https://open.substack.com/pub/haltingtowardzion/p/the-pre-socratics?r=1mbq24&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/haltingtowardzion/support

    Rational and Religious

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2024 56:05


    Greg, Emily, and Rachel discuss the presocratics, objective truth, and much more in this week's episode. Transcript : https://open.substack.com/pub/haltingtowardzion/p/htz-2024-06-04?r=1mbq24&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/haltingtowardzion/support

    Greek Life

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2024 55:21


    Greg, Rachel, and Emily discuss Greece and the ancient Greek religion, From Alexander the great to the philosophers, to the pantheon of gods. Transcript:https://haltingtowardzion.substack.com/p/4488a429-e7a2-4c9e-b4bc-0ab5678f128c --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/haltingtowardzion/support

    From Marathon and On

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 3, 2024 42:54


    Greg, Rachel, and Emily discuss the Greco-Persian Wars and the shift from Persia to Greece as the world power during the Hellenic Period. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/haltingtowardzion/support

    Hadassah, Queen of Persia

    Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2024 59:54


    Greg, Rachel, and Emily continue their discussion of their kingdom of Persia, its relationship with the children of Israel, and the slow progress to rebuild the temple. Transcript: https://open.substack.com/pub/haltingtowardzion/p/hadassah-queen-of-persia?r=1mbq24&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/haltingtowardzion/support

    Cyrus, King of Persia

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2024 43:15


    Greg, Rachel, and Emily continue their discussion of the Medo-Persian Empire, king Cyrus and his relationship with Israel, Zoroastrianism, and much more. Transcript: https://open.substack.com/pub/haltingtowardzion/p/cyrus-king-of-persia?r=1mbq24&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/haltingtowardzion/support

    The Medo-Persian Empire

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2024 44:10


    Greg, Rachel, and Emily discuss the origin of the Medo-Persian Empire, how it claimed the title of world power from Babylon, and the work God did through Daniel. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/haltingtowardzion/support

    Hananiah, Mishael, Azariah, and Daniel

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2024 54:39


    Greg, Rachel, and Emily continue their discussion of world powers with Babylon, and the 4 brave Hebrews we follow through the book of Daniel. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/haltingtowardzion/support

    This Ain't Your Mom's Traditional Greek/Roman Classical Education

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2024 55:53


    Why don't we know about Assyria? Why does a secular classical education ignore it? Greg, Rachel, and Emily ask these questions and more as they discuss ancient Assyria/Persian culture. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/haltingtowardzion/support

    The Covenant of Kingship

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2024 53:16


    Greg, Emily, and Rachel summarize Israel's history up to the point they left off with the Phoenicians and Egyptians and setting the foundation of the Davidic Covenant as the framework for history going forward. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/haltingtowardzion/support

    A is for Alphabet, Artist, and Ahab

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2024 47:10


    God commanded His people to read His word out loud- that requires it to be written down. Join Greg, Rachel, and Emily as they discuss the impact of the Phoenician alphabet, the artist as a part of history and culture, why it is and has been imperative that history is written our history down, and much more. Transcript: https://haltingtowardzion.substack.com/p/947b3ccf-e3b0-4b48-917f-7d6652f540d1 --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/haltingtowardzion/support

    Purple Dye and Child Sacrifice

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2024 43:23


    Greg, Rachel, and Emily discuss the Phoenician/Punic/Canaanite peoples and what they brought to culture, technology, art, and what their relationship was like with Israel... and why that matters today. Transcript: https://open.substack.com/pub/haltingtowardzion/p/purple-dye-and-child-sacrifice?r=1mbq24&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/haltingtowardzion/support

    The Worldview that Shaped Western Civilization

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2024 60:51


    "Your ultimate priorities generate your ethics" Join Greg, Emily, and Rachel as they continue their discussion of the 10 commandments. Why should we not kill? What does kill even mean? What is the significance of the marriage covenant? Why are liars grouped together with murderers and adulterers? Who and what defines ethics and why can't ethics change as time moves on? Our hosts discuss all these questions and more in this weeks episode Transcript: https://open.substack.com/pub/haltingtowardzion/p/the-worldview-that-shaped-western?r=1mbq24&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/haltingtowardzion/support

    The Law on Mount Sinai

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2024 58:47


    Moses went up to Mount Sinai and received the law from God. What does that mean for Isreal? For us? for all cultures? Join Greg, Rachel, and Emily as they discuss the first 4 of the 10 commandments. Transcript: https://open.substack.com/pub/haltingtowardzion/p/the-law-on-mount-sinai?r=1mbq24&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/haltingtowardzion/support

    Tell Me The Story... In Order

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2024 62:44


    Why does having an accurate record of history matter in God's story? Why does it matter that we tell a story in order? Why is it that secular histories refuse to consider the Bible an accurate historical text? Join Greg, Rachel, and Emily as they discuss all this and more in this week's episode. Transcript: https://haltingtowardzion.substack.com/p/6c193884-cbf8-4048-a736-f348d5160ff6 --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/haltingtowardzion/support

    Egypt Reaching for Deity

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2024 41:18


    Greg, Rachel, and Emily discuss "the gift of the Nile" -Egyptian. Tune in for their discussion of Egyptian Geography, Mythology, and death rituals, along with plenty more.  Transcript: https://open.substack.com/pub/haltingtowardzion/p/egypt-reaching-for-deity?r=1mbq24&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/haltingtowardzion/support

    By Faith Abraham

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2024 48:29


    "He really didn't do much. He didn't lead Israel out of Egypt. He didn't call fire down from heaven. He didn't raise the dead. He didn't survive a world flood. He mostly lived out in the wilderness and raised some good sheep and cattle. But God promised to do something incredible through him and his seed, and without him everything afterwards falls apart." Join Greg, Emily, and Rachel as the discuss Abraham, who his seed are, and justification by faith. Transcript: https://open.substack.com/pub/haltingtowardzion/p/by-faith-abraham?r=1mbq24&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/haltingtowardzion/support

    I Believe in Dragons

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2024 41:54


    "As promised, we will talk about dinosaurs today – dinosaurs and the deification of the dead – and I hope we'll get to Abraham as well, but let's start with dinosaurs." Join Greg, Emily, and Rachel as they discuss dinosaurs, the implications of the cultural shift from Dragons to Dinosaurs, and what past cultures believed about the diety of the dead. https://open.substack.com/pub/haltingtowardzion/p/i-believe-in-dragons?r=1mbq24&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=truehttps://open.substack.com/pub/haltingtowardzion/p/i-believe-in-dragons?r=1mbq24&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/haltingtowardzion/support

    The Tower

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2024 46:21


    "We left off last time right on the precipice before the Tower of Babel..." Mankind reached for godhood, building a tower they imagined was unto heaven, building a society in rebellion to God's command to "Fill the earth." God quickly showed them that wasn't going to happen. Join Greg, Emily, and Rachel as they discuss the post-flood world, ziggurats, the implementation of diverse languages, and cave dwellers. Transcript: https://open.substack.com/pub/haltingtowardzion/p/the-tower?r=1mbq24&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/haltingtowardzion/support

    Nephilim, The Flood, and Covenant

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2024 43:14


    What are the sons of God in Genesis 4? What was the actual scope of the flood? What happened to culture after the flood? Greg, Emily, and Rachel discuss all this and more in this week's episode. Transcript: https://open.substack.com/pub/haltingtowardzion/p/htz-2023-12-28?r=1mbq24&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/haltingtowardzion/support

    The World Before the Flood

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2024 47:06


    Greg, Emily, and Rachel discuss the way culture grew in the first 2,000 years of history, from Cain and Abel to the flood and the technology and other advancements of the time. Transcript: https://open.substack.com/pub/haltingtowardzion/p/the-world-before-the-flood?r=1mbq24&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcome=true --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/haltingtowardzion/support

    The Story

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2024 46:46


    "I think we're wrapping up and beginning the long trudge through 6,000 years of human history." Greg, Emily, and Rachel discuss what exactly we are looking forward to, what (who) the substitute really is, and the aspects of a good story that we get directly from God's storytelling. Transcript: https://haltingtowardzion.substack.com/p/674540dc-48dc-43a4-845b-f2f380bc11dc --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/haltingtowardzion/support

    The Effects of Sin

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2024 43:43


    "What are the framing ideas to the way we look at history?" Greg, Emily, and Rachel discuss how and why sin affects our actions and our perception of history. Transcript: https://haltingtowardzion.substack.com/p/32ae0b7c-ef65-496a-87f9-20e166c37e4d --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/haltingtowardzion/support

    Be Fruitful and Multiply

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2024 50:22


    Greg, Emily, and Rachel discuss God's commandment to "Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth," what being the image of God means, and the implications of continued Christian growth and fellowship in eternity. Transcript: https://haltingtowardzion.substack.com/p/daf67e49-f950-46ca-a59e-a9103fd9f792 --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/haltingtowardzion/support

    In the Beginning... Again

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2024 53:49


    As we enter season 3, we welcome our new host, Rachel Voytek, to join Greg Uttinger and Emily Maxson. In this new season, we're focusing on World History and Church History, and how they relate. And as any discussion of history should, we start at the beginning... again. Transcript: https://open.substack.com/pub/haltingtowardzion/p/in-the-beginning-again?r=1mbq24&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/haltingtowardzion/support

    Retrospective

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2023 48:10


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    Recommendations

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 14, 2023 46:11


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    Tithing

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2023 51:09


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    Marriage and Culture

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 31, 2023 45:59


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    Walls (Part 3)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2023 36:58


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    Walls (Part 2)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 10, 2023 48:17


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    Walls (Part 1)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 3, 2023 58:01


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