Let's Talk About the Bible

Rachel Hagewood and Ben Howard are joined by Beth Ritter-Conn, a lecturer at Belmont University's College of Theology and Christian Ministry. Together they talk about what it means to feel hope in dark times when you just don't feel it, how to process a lot of the struggles we've been going through in the last year, and what is giving us hope today.

In today's episode Rachel and Ben talk about our hope in Jesus Christ and how it spans the spectrum from the routine and every day to the profound. They look at the story of John the Baptist and his interaction with Jesus, Jesus' early ministry and how he overturned the expectations of the Messiah, Paul's thoughts about what it means to place our hope in Christ, and finally the ultimate goal of our hope described in Revelation.

Rachel and Ben are joined by Rev. April Casperson, the director of diversity and inclusion for the West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church to talk about how she works with churches to become more diverse, what diversity really looks like, and why it's so complicated even when we have the best of intentions.

This week Ben and Rachel talk about what it means to be made in the image of God. They'll explore passages from Psalms, Philippians, and the Gospel of John as they discuss how we can dismantle our assumptions about what it means to be human and embrace the identity we are given as God's creation.

Rachel and Ben talk to Bruce Reyes-Chow, pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto, about his experiences with online worship, both before COVID-19 and during the pandemic, the importance of simplicity and community in shaping online connections, and where he sees online worship heading in the future.

Rachel and Ben talk about different places of worship throughout the Bible. They start by exploring altars in the Old Testament before moving on to synagogues and other worship communities in the Gospels and Acts. Finally, they discuss Revelation's depiction of worship in the throne room. Throughout they talk about the purpose of worship, how it empowers us to know God, and how the places we worship can shape the way we understand who God is.

This week Rachel and Ben talk to author Jordan Ritter Conn and chef Riyad Alkasem about Jordan's new book The Road from Raqqa which tells the true story of Riyad and his brother Bashar. It's a story filled with the hard truths of war, struggle, and the pain of leaving home, but also one with hopes, dreams, and the power of hospitality.

This week, Rachel and Ben explore four stories about making covenants. They talk about the importance of symbolism and ceremony when it comes to making covenants, how memorials and reminders play a role in helping us a keep our covenants, and what it means to re-establish a covenant once it's been broken.

This week, Rachel and Ben talk with Hannah Adair Bonner about advocating for justice, learning how to change your mind and how to better listen to unheard voices. Hannah is a speaker, member of the UMC clergy, and the author of The Shout: Finding the Prophetic Voice in Unexpected Places.

This week on Let's Talk About the Bible, Rachel and Ben explore the conversion story of Paul in Acts, Paul's theology of salvation in his letter to the Romans, and why Paul's writing can be really, really confusing sometimes.

Jorge Acevedo is the lead pastor of Grace United Methodist Church in Florida. Jorge is also the author of Holy Living: Neighboring. He recently co-authored a book called The Field Guide to Methodist Fresh Expressions. Join us for this conversation with Jorge.

In this episode Rachel and Ben discuss what it means to be a neighbor by looking at five stories from Jesus' ministry. They'll explore some of these familiar stories in unique ways as they look to unpack what it means to be a neighbor and what it means to care for those around us.

This week Rachel and Ben sit down with Rev. Megan Castellan to talk about her time studying in Jerusalem, the state of Israeli/Palestinian relations, and how our faith can guide us as we seek to understand and navigate this complicated and contentious topic.

Rachel and Ben discuss another theme in the Bible. Join us as we talk about the people of God. Enjoy!

Dr. Brian Sigmon is an acquisitions editor at The United Methodist Publishing House. In this conversation, we discuss prophecy and how it is used in scripture. 

In this episode, Rachel and Ben take a look at the phrase "new creation," its nuances, and how we can use this often oversimplified term to better under our relationship with God. 

Rachel and Ben are joined by Rev. Keith Caldwell, the president of the Nashville branch of the NAACP, to talk about racism, policing, the protests over the past week, and why it's so important to think of each other as humans made in the image of God.

Rachel and Ben talk about the factors that lead to homelessness, some of the stereotypes around homelessness, and what churches and people of faith can do to respond to this issue. This conversation is based on the FaithLink issue "Homelessness" by Kira Austin-Young. It is available here.

This week, Rachel and Ben talk about the moral questions that surround easing social distancing restrictions, why it's so difficult to answer some of these questions, and what our faith means for the way we process these complicated choices. This episode is based around the FaithLink issue "Opening Up" by Benjamin Dueholm and can be purchased at cokesbury.com/faithlink

Continuing our conversation on grace, please enjoy this interview with Michael McRay and Rev. Jeannie Alexander, as we discuss the prison system. Michael T. McRay is a writer, facilitator, and story-practitioner living in Nashville, Tennessee. He’s the author of multiple books, including I Am Not Your Enemy: Stories to Transform a Divided World (Herald Press, 2020). Rev. Jeannie Alexander is the director of No Exceptions Prison Collective. She is also a co-founding resident of Harriet Tubman House, an interfaith community dedicated to restorative practices in earth stewardship and human rights.

Rachel and Ben discuss the idea of creativity during a pandemic. What does creativity offer us in difficult times? What does it mean to be creative? How does our creativity reflect the image of God and how does it unite us with one another? This conversation is based around the upcoming FaithLink issue, "Creativity in a Pandemic" by Jill Johnson. Find it here: https://www.cokesbury.com/FLNK05102020-Faithlink---Creativity-in-a-Pandemic--5-10-2020-

Join us for this episode of Let's Talk About the Bible, in which we discuss grace, a word that so permeates our faith that it's meaning is often watered down. 

In this episode, Ben and Rachel discuss how we are all collectively grieving during this time in both big and small ways. They discuss what it looks like to grieve collectively, the concept of anticipatory grief, and how the laments found in the Bible can help us navigate this experience together. This conversation is based on the FaithLink issue "Grief" by Lyndsey Medford, found here: https://www.cokesbury.com/FLNK04262020-Faithlink---Grief

In this conversation with Dr. Lee Camp, we discuss politics, how we live and interact with each other, and how our faith impacts it all. Lee C. Camp is professor of theology and ethics at Lipscomb University. He was awarded a permanent designation as a University “Outstanding Teacher” in 2017. Camp is also the host and creator of Tokens Show, a live event "theological variety show.” His new book, SCANDALOUS WITNESS, is out now.

Rachel and Ben talk about unemployment in the time of COVID-19 and the financial, emotional, and social struggles people face when they are unemployed. They also discuss how churches and people of faith can work to support those who are struggling.   This episode is based off the current issue of FaithLink, "Unemployment" by Lyndsey Medford, which can be purchased for use with your small group here: https://www.cokesbury.com/FLNK04192020-Faithlink---Unemployment--4-19-2020-

How do we respond to isolation? Are isolation and loneliness really a new public health epidemic, or have we been struggling with these issues for a long time? These are the questions we explore in today's episode of Let's Talk About the Bible.  FaithLink is an online subscription service that publishes ready-to-use digital lessons that connect faith to the issues and headlines facing our world today. For more info and to subscribe, visit https://www.cokesbury.com/faithlink.  

Join us for this discussion about salvation, where Rachel and Ben look at salvation through personal and communal lenses.

Today, Ben and Rachel are starting a series of video episodes about issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic (and this is the audio!).   This first episode is about eldercare and how churches can help the elderly and those who provide care for the elderly during this time.   All of the topics in this series will be related to free issues of FaithLink that are available from adultbiblestudies.com/freeresources

Dr. Richard Beck is Professor and Department Chair of Psychology at Abilene Christian University. He's also the author of Trains, Jesus, and Murder: The Gospel According to Johnny Cash. Join us for this fascinating interview.

This week on Let's Talk About the Bible, we're diving into the topic of suffering. Join us as we discuss the universal nature of the wilderness experience.

Join us for this interview with The Reverend Kira Austin-Young, as we continue our discussion about holiness. Austin-Young is an Episcopal priest in the Diocese of Tennessee with a Master of Divinity degree from Vanderbilt University. She is the author of Pro-Choice and Christian: Reconciling Faith, Politics, and Justice.

This week on Let's Talk About the Bible, Ben and Rachel dig into the topic of holiness.

Join us for this conversation with Dr. Amy-Jill Levine, as we discuss biblical interpretation, Bible study, and the importance of reading scripture carefully. Dr. Amy-Jill Levine is University Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies and Mary Jane Werthan Professor of Jewish Studies at Vanderbilt (Divinity and A&S); she is also Affiliated Professor, Woolf Institute: Centre for Jewish-Christian Relations, Cambridge. Her recent Lenten study, Entering the Passion of Jesus: A Beginner’s Guide to Holy Week provides a rich and challenging learning experience for small groups and individual readers. The book is part of a larger six-week study that includes a DVD and a comprehensive Leader Guide. View more of her work at cokesbury.com.

This week, we dive into the world of covenants. What is a covenant? How have we misused and misunderstood the word? What are some examples of covenants in the Bible? Join us for this episode of Let's Talk About The Bible as we explore these questions.

Dr. Beth Ritter-Conn holds a Ph.D. in Systematic and Philosophical Theology. Join us for this episode of Let's Talk About The Bible as we continue our discussion about hope.

This week's Let's Talk About the Bible conversation focuses on hope. Join us as we discuss advent, the hope we find in the present, and how we can reframe what it means to be hopeful.

"Worship is the spiritual practice of responding to God's grace." This week, we continue our discussion about worship. We're joined by Matthew Johnson, who is the author of "Holy Living: Worship." You can find it here: https://www.cokesbury.com/Holy-Living-Series--Worship-1

In this episode of Let's Talk About the Bible, we explore the things we worship, the ways we worship, and what it means to worship. Enjoy!

Join us as we discuss transhumanism, theology, and the future of humanity. This week, we talk with Dr. Brian Sigmon about what it means to be human in a rapidly advancing world. Dr. Brian Sigmon is an Acquisitions Editor at The United Methodist Publishing House.

Today, we're going to dive into Joshua chapter 7. Join us for Let's Talk About The Bible, episode 3, as we talk about the arc of humanity and what it means to be created in God's image.

Join us as we talk with Charlie Baber about the role of comedy in our approach to theology and our daily faith-walk. Charlie Baber is the author and illustrator of the upcoming book, Submitting to Be More Vile: The Illustrated Adventures of John & Charles Wesley, a graphic novel that tells the story of Methodism, what Methodists believe, and Methodist church life. For more of Charlie's work, visit https://www.wesleybros.com/.  

Join us in our inaugural episode as we talk about God, how we approach our understanding of God, and what the Bible says about God. 

Beginning September 2019, join us on the first and third Sundays of every month as Rachel Hagewood and Ben Howard get together for an in-depth look at a different concept from the Bible. They’ll read scripture, talk theology, bounce ideas off of each other, and do their best to make you think and make you laugh. In between these biblical deep-dives, Rachel and Ben will be joined by a different guest each month to explore these concepts from a different, and occasionally unusual, angle.