Hermeneutics

Grace and Peace and Welcome to the newest episode of Hermenutics! Today Dr. Johanna has brought us the word Baptism. Listen as Jason, Johanna, and Todd discuss why Jesus needed to be baptised.

This week the pod is talking about blindness and what it means to see, not only in reference to the biblical text but to everyday life as well.

Johanna chose the word for today's episode so naturally it's both precise and obscure, bless her heart. For laypeople: Within the sociology of knowledge, agnotology (formerly agnatology) is the study of deliberate, culturally induced ignorance or doubt, typically to sell a product, influence opinion, or win favour, particularly through the publication of inaccurate or misleading scientific data (disinformation).

Hermeneutics, the Crackers and Grape Juice Show, hosted by Dr. Johanna Hartelius is back. Once again, Johanna and the gang will work their way through the alphabet one stained glass word at a time. To kick things off Jason and Teer joined Johanna to talk about atheism.

The one and only Kara Slade will be joining Crackers&Grape Juice for a live pubcast next Wednesday (6/15/22) at 6:30pm in Hampton, VA at the St. George Brewing Company to help kick off Annual Conference. Her book "The Fullness Of Time" is a remarkable witness to the work of Karl Barth for the church today and we can't wait to hear what Kara has to share with us. All are welcome!

https://vaumc.org/grateful-for-the-service/Veteran's Day Weekend usually brings a lot of sales and commercial promotions. But this year, the Virginia United Methodist Church is asking you to join your fellow Methodists and shop for the Afghan Allies who have recently come to our Commonwealth after the fall of Kabul. These are Afghans who stood alongside our soldiers as translators, worked on U.S.bases in country, or served at our embassy alongside our diplomats. In the words of Bishop Sharma Lewis, “many of them have sacrificed and risked more than most of us will ever be asked to do.”Most arrived in Virginia with little more than the clothes on their back. While some of the wishlists were prepared by organizations working to resettle the Afghan Allies, the most immediate needs can be found on the Amazon wishlist for refugees at Fort Pickett. As temperatures drop, winter clothing is needed, especially for women. I hope you will join me in shopping to meet the VAUMC goal of having a completely empty wishlist by November 14!! This can be our way of following the command set out in Matthew 25 by Jesus, himself a refugee. “I needed clothes and you clothed me, Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'Thank you for showing Christ's love to those who, like He was, are refugees in a new land.https://vaumc.org/grateful-for-the-service/

The ubiquity of scripture's contrast between commands and promises, how those who want a Christianity without the Cross are stuck with inconvenient scriptures, and a picture of grace as Jesus serving the best wine for a drunk world too far gone to notice or appreciate it. The gang at Hermeneutics continues our new series through the Gospel of John by taking a look at Jesus's first “sign,” turning water into wine.John 2:1-12

The gang continues their journey through John's Gospel by looking at the wedding at Cana.

Hermeneutics is back!In this newest season of Hermeneutics, we're tackling the Gospel of John, bit by bit. To kick things off we're starting at the very beginning with the Prologue. The Word Became Flesh1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4 in him was life,[a] and the life was the light of all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.[b]10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to what was his own,[c] and his own people did not accept him. 12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son,[d] full of grace and truth. 15 (John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.'”) 16 From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son,[e] who is close to the Father's heart,[f] who has made him known.Before you listen, do us a solid and help out the podcast.Head over to http://www.crackersandgrapejuice.com.Click on “Support the Show.”Become a patron.For peanuts you can help us out....we appreciate it more than you can imagine.Follow us on the three-majors of social media:https://www.facebook.com/crackersnjuicehttps://twitter.com/crackersnjuicehttps://www.instagram.com/crackersandgrapejuice

The podcast has a new book! Crazy Talk: Stories Jesus Told is available in both paperback and ebook format.https://www.amazon.com/Crazy-Talk-Stories-Jesus-Told/dp/167083171XIn Crazy Talk: Stories Jesus Told, you'll find pastors doing what pastors do, which is trying to get congregations to laugh. Only professors are thirstier for giggly affirmation from students than clergy from churchgoers. No, but seriously, folks. The excellent sermons collected here walk the reader through the unrelenting message of the gospel parables: that Jesus Christ the Risen Lord is here and in charge. We, humans, are here, too, but we mess everything up. Not to mention, we cannot understand Jesus to save our lives.Praise for Crazy Talk: Stories Jesus Told“Jesus got killed for the outrageous, irresponsible, and offensive stories he told. Read Crazy Talk from the posse at the Crackers and Grape Juice podcast and you will be reminded of what it's like to want to kill somebody because of his preaching.” - Rev. Dr. Will Willimon, United Methodist Bishop, Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry at Duke Divinity"Like the parables of Jesus, the sermons collected here are earthy, humorous, and connect with our most hidden, secret self. Like the preaching of the prophets, they manage to afflict the comfortable, comfort the afflicted, and never sound preachy. Not since Balaam's ass has the Word of the Lord been delivered in such an entertaining package!"—The Rev. Dr. Rubén Rosario Rodríguez, Professor of Systematic Theology, Saint Louis University“The Church has done more damage to the power of the parables than any other category of scripture. We have moralized them and purposed them for our own agendas. We have foisted them onto children and told them to "be good." We have called ourselves Good Samaritans and Eldest Brothers like a Biblically uneducated clown parade. They were never intended for any of that nonsense. The Parables are intended to be void of morality and only consumed with the agenda of Jesus, who came only to save us. Buy this book. Jason, Teer, and the other yahoos at Crackers and Grape Juice will remind you just how bizarre, compelling, and truly unfair the parables really are. Thank God.”— Rev. Sarah Condon, Churchy: The Real Life Adventures of a Wife, Mom, and Priesthttps://www.amazon.com/Crazy-Talk-Stories-Jesus-Told/dp/167083171X

We've made it to the end of the alphabet and instead of doing two 'Z' words, we've opted to give you 2x the conversation about 'Zealot.' Zealot is a word that has gone out of common usage but like all things ancient, this word has much to offer the us today. Buckle up because we are closing out this season of (Her)Men*You*Tics with a bit of zealously.

We're working our way through the alphabet one stained-glass word at a time and we're nearly done. Here's the latest episode, the second part of our conversation about God's name.

The gang talks about God's self-revelation to Moses and who that makes us.

We've been working our way through the alphabet one stained-glass word at a time and now we're in the crappy letters. What in the world starts with X? In this episode, we talk about the word “xeno” the Greek New Testament word for Stranger. As in, “I was a xeno and you welcomed me...” Don't end up a goat...listen.

God kills and makes alive and through no more frequent means than water.

The breath of God, the voice from heaven, wind and fire...baby-momma Dr. Johanna is back and so is (Her)Men*You*tics to talk about our latest stained glass word in the alphabet: “Voice.”

Jason, Teer, and Taylor are hosting a live podcast at Ballast Point Brewery in Daleville, VA on Wednesday June 19th from 6:30-8pm.

No, we're not talking about Westeros and Winterfell. On the heels of Holy Week, Johanna brings her questions, which are your questions, about how Grace invites us to think of the antagonists in scripture (and in our own lives).

In a world (and even a Church) that appears anything but what does the Bible mean when it promises that, by the baptism of Christ's death and resurrection, we are one in Christ?

This weeks word is Transfiguration and as always Johanna is asking the hard questions. Let's just hope her comparing Jesus to Freddie Mercury doesn't get her struck by lightening.

The team is back together this week and taking on one of the most thought about things in theology: Theodicy.

This week Jason and Johanna talk about the importance and significance of Signs. Listen in as we work our way through the alphabet one stained glass word at a time.

After a long Christmas hiatus (ie, Johanna is lazy), the gang is back, working our way through the alphabet one stained glass word at a time. Up next: ‘Sermon.'

What the heck does Repentance even mean? This week Johanna, Jason and Teer tackle what biblical Repentance looks like without using stained glass language.

John 11 says Jesus is the "resurrection and the life." But what does resurrection mean? The resurrection of Jesus Christ is considered to be the lynchpin of Christianity but scarcely anyone is talking about it apart from Easter or perhaps into Eastertide.In this episode Johanna tackles resurrection with Teer and Jason, as always, by her side. But lets be honest, she really doesn't need them.

Johanna, Jason, and Teer continue their way through the alphabet, one stained glass word at a time.

What the hell sort of stained-glass words start with Q?How about quietism? What's that? You might be asking that question, still, after the latest episode.

With Teer in jail without bail for indecent exposure and disorderly conduct, Johanna and Jason discuss an extra P-word: Prayer.

It is often said that one of the GREATEST ideas to come out of the Reformation was the priesthood of all believers. But what does that actually mean? Come to think of it what does priest and priesthood actually mean?

The Holy Spirit descends and then the Church has a birthday, right? Pentecost is more than a celebratory reduction to avoid the theological implications of what the early Christians experienced. In this episode of (Her)Men*You*Tics while Johanna proves she's read chapter 2 of Acts and Teer that he knows what Penta means, Jason goes on a rant about birthdays and the Holy Spirit.

What does it mean to make an offering? We talk about offerings each week during worship as metal plates passed through our sanctuaries. Did you know offerings go back to the Hebrew Bible and were a part of how the day-to-day religious life of Israel was organized? What do can we make of Christ's offering for us? And how then are we making an offering to God? This and more on this episode about 'offering.'

"Omni" is a prefix we attached to God without thinking: omnipresent, Omni-powerful. But what does "omni" really mean? And, if God is all things is Dr. Johanna correct in her 3rd grade question, "is God in my poop?"Music used in the middle of the episode - "God is Not a White Man" by Gungor

In this epsidoe we talk about the Law, Romans 13, proof-texting, Jeff Sessions, and MSNBC. Is the take away its okay to suck or is it as Dr. Johanna insists that we should have some shame?

Fred Rodgers invited all of to be his neighbor. Thanks, Fred but what does it mean to be someone's neighbor?

Happy Strangely Warmed Day!

2/3 of the (Her)Men*You*Tics team are pastors serving in the United Methodist Church. In this episode, Johanna takes us through the theological origins of Methodism, and Jason and Teer explain why they fell called to be a part of the Methodist tradition.

On June 14th, 2018 the team behind Crackers & Grape Juice will be hosting a live event in Hampton, VA. We will be at Bull Island Brewing Company from 6pm - 9pm with special guests to talk about faith and theology without using stained glass language. The event is free (!) and you can learn more at www.crackersandgrapejuice.com

Missio Dei - We're on a mission from God. In this episode, we break down the differences between missio dei and missio ecclesia.

Does liturgy really mean work of the people? Does liturgy have anything to do with guilt or shame? We tackle this and more as we talk about LITURGY on (Her)Men*You*Tics

What was supposed to be a conversation about Luke, turned into a conversation about laughter. We cover divine humor, a few potty jokes, and even talk about not-so-funny Christian comedians.

In this episode, we consider what the event and content of preaching means. Are we talking about a narrative of events, exegesis of scripture, or the God? All of it? Also, what about the listener, do they play a role? This and more on (Her)Men*You*Tics.

In this episode we consider how God poured himself into human form in the incarnation, and/or how Jesus emptied himself of divinity (like omniscience and omnipotence). But mostly we talk about what human qualities Jesus experienced, the good and the bad. And Jason swears that, if Scarlet Johanssen gave him directions, he would follow them.

The episode where Johanna is nice to Teer, Jason tells us how to pray, and we talk about John while glossing over John 3:16.

Johanna and Jason talked with Taylor Mertins (another member of the Crackers & Grape Juice team) for a crossover episode to talk about scripture and the season of Lent.

Do people change? Or does God declare us to be that which we are manifestly not? Imputation vs. impartation? How do we find a gracious God?We talk about justification in our latest episode of (Her)Men*You*tics, the doctrine at the heart of the Christian faith. 

What does it mean to be created in the image of God? Are we imitations of the Godhead? Of Christ?