Misquoting Jesus with Bart Ehrman

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"Misquoting Jesus” is the only show where a six-time New York Times bestselling author and world-renowned Bible scholar uncovers the many fascinating, little known facts about the New Testament, the historical Jesus, and the rise of Christianity.  The show features Dr. Bart Ehrman and host, Megan Lewis.

Bart Ehrman


    • May 27, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 45m AVG DURATION
    • 137 EPISODES

    Ivy Insights

    The Misquoting Jesus with Bart Ehrman podcast is an excellent resource for anyone interested in delving deeper into the history and origins of the Bible. Hosted by Bart Ehrman, a renowned biblical scholar, this podcast presents information in an interesting and informative manner that keeps listeners engaged. One of the best aspects of this podcast is that it doesn't talk down to its audience, making it accessible even for those who may have limited knowledge on the subject matter. The combination of interesting presentation and informative content makes listeners want to delve deeper and learn more.

    Another great aspect of this podcast is how it approaches material from a scholarly perspective. Bart Ehrman is able to cross reference and compare scripture without bias or prejudice, presenting a neutral viewpoint that allows listeners to form their own opinions. This scholarly approach adds credibility to the information presented, giving listeners confidence in the accuracy and reliability of what they are learning. Additionally, while the podcast takes a serious approach to its topics, it also manages to make learning fun and enjoyable.

    However, one issue with this podcast is an audio problem rather than a content issue. Some listeners have mentioned that Bart Ehrman's microphone quality or recording environment could be improved for better audio clarity. While this doesn't detract from the wealth of knowledge being shared, it can sometimes make it difficult for listeners to fully engage with the material.

    In conclusion, The Misquoting Jesus with Bart Ehrman podcast is an excellent dive into the scriptures from a scholarly perspective. It presents information in an engaging and informative manner, making learning about the Bible enjoyable. Despite some minor audio issues, this podcast provides valuable insights into one of the most important literature pieces in Western civilization. Bart Ehrman's passion for his subject matter shines through in every episode, making it a must-listen for anyone interested in exploring the history of Christianity or understanding more about biblical texts.



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    Latest episodes from Misquoting Jesus with Bart Ehrman

    How Many Jesuses Are in the New Testament?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2025 49:37


    Today's title may seem a little bit odd - how many Jesuses are in the NT? I'm sure there are going to be several comments on YouTube from people who didn't stay to watch the episode because the answer is clearly “one”. For those who want to see where we go with this, Dr. Bart Ehrman is going to be answering my questions on the different ways early Christians and writers of the NT viewed and understood Jesus, and whether all of those views and perspectives can be embodied in a single figure.

    Why Early Christians Kept the Old Testament

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2025 46:17


    If you have a passing familiarity with the Christian Bible, then you probably know that it's split into two parts - the Old and New Testaments. The New Testament is the part with all the stuff about Jesus, while the Old Testament is drawn largely from Jewish religious scriptures. Today, Dr. Bart Ehrman is joining me to talk about why early Christians insisted on keeping the Old Testament… despite not being Jewish.

    One God Among Many: Rethinking the God of the Bible

    Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2025 42:05


    In the modern Western world, monotheism is the rule, rather than the exception. Not so in the ancient past, where many cultures worshipped whole pantheons of gods, each one responsible for specific areas of the mortal experience. How does the one god of Israel compare to this myriad of deities, and can an understanding of how ancient mediterranean cultures thought about and interacted with the divine help us to understand the god presented to us in the Bible?

    Consensus Scholarship and the Life of Jesus

    Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2025 38:57


    If you've ever done any research on the Bible - and if you're listening to this podcast, you probably have - you might have noticed that most biblical scholars agree with each other on a lot of basic points. These include the dating of texts and whether specific events recorded in the Bible are historical, among other things. Why is that, and is it some kind of conspiracy? Today, Dr. Chris Frilingos joins me to talk about the academic consensus, the gospel stories of Jesus' early life, and how early Christians made meaning from them.

    The Bible Says So: What We Get Right and Wrong About the Bible

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2025 46:58


    Seeing or hearing a Bible verse being pulled out of a hat to support someone's argument is a common experience for many people. Homosexuality is wrong because the Bible says so. Satan is the bad guy because the Bible says so. Women should wear modest clothing because the Bible says so. But does the Bible say so? My guest today, Dr. Dan McClellan, is no stranger to engaging in biblical debates, and is here to talk about how and why the Bible is used in this way, and whether such arguments are ever valid or useful.

    Demons, Ghosts, and Satan; What the Bible Says About Things That Go Bump in the Night

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2025 32:23


    Demons and ghosts have specific, sometimes ambiguous, places in the modern imagination - demons tempt people to wickedness, but their incredible power can be harnessed by someone brave (or stupid) enough to bargain with them. Ghosts envy the living and can haunt and harm you, but can also be the comforting presence of a long-dead loved one. What role, though, did demons and ghosts take in early Christianity, and are those roles linked at all to our modern understandings of them? When you get right down to it, just who is Satan, and is God's adversary really a fallen angel? Dr. Travis Proctor joins me today to talk about all of this, and so much more!

    Early Christian Controversies About Jesus' Resurrection

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2025 52:32


    With Easter fast approaching, the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus are on the minds of many Christians. While it has been a lynch-pin in Christian theology since the formation of the religion, Christians - both early and modern - disagree on how it happened, why it happened, and the implications it has for human life after death. Today, Dr. Bart Ehrman elucidates us all on early debates around the resurrection, why these debates happened, and what pagan authors thought about the whole thing.

    Paul Said WHAT About Women? Debunking Misused Bible Verses

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2025 63:37


    Unless you have sworn off social media, you're probably familiar with the existence of “tradwives” - women who live their lives according to traditional, conservative gender roles. They often describe themselves as living biblically, or having a biblical marriage, celebrating that they are subservient to their husbands. Today, Dr. Bart Ehrman provides insight into what the New Testament actually says about gender roles and marriage. Is this style of patriarchal living actually biblical, and how would women at the time have been expected to live?

    BREAKING NEWS: Lost Sermon of Jesus Found in Egypt!

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2025 46:19


    It's not every day that you get to talk about an exciting new discovery in biblical studies - the ravages of time mean that it's rare for a text to survive, especially a complete text! Even rarer is a complete text that records an entire sermon given by Jesus. Well, I'm excited to say that today is one of those days! Dr. Bart Ehrman is with me to talk about his take on a fascinating new text discovered recently in Egypt!

    Boy Jesus: Growing Up Judean in Turbulent Times Featuring Joan Taylor

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2025 50:32


    If you ask any Christian about the life of Jesus, you're likely to get a version of one of the gospels of the New Testament - 90% of the story would concern the final few years of Jesus' life, with a brief mention of his birth in Bethlehem to a virgin and the subsequent flight to Egypt. Historians don't often talk about what Jesus' childhood and adolescence may have looked like, but my guest today is a welcome exception to that rule! Dr. Joan Taylor joins me to talk about her new book, “Boy Jesus: Growing Up Judean in Turbulent Times”.

    Are There Authentic Sayings of Jesus from Outside the New Testament?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2025 47:57


    Early Christian writings from outside the New Testament contain some pretty unexpected material - a giant walking, talking cross and Jesus' childhood pastime of bringing clay birds to life are both examples that we've discussed before. But do these additional documents also contain authentic sayings of Jesus that are overlooked by Christians because they're not contained within the New Testament?

    Does Altruism Actually Exist?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2025 49:48


    Picture this: a man in his 80s trying to cross the street, but the traffic doesn't pause for long enough for him to cross. A young woman notices his difficulty, and runs over to help. Does the young woman get any kind of benefit from her action, or is it entirely thankless? Today, Dr. Bart Ehrman and I are talking about altruism. Is it possible to do a good deed without experiencing some kind of benefit?

    Does Paul Think God Hates Jews?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2025 45:08


    The apostle Paul went from being a devout Jew, one of God's chosen people, to an enthusiastic missionary for the Jesus movement. Today, Dr. Bart Ehrman and I look at Paul's writings to consider whether this shift also changed his self-identification as a Jew, and if he believed that God no longer favored the Jewish people.

    Did Jesus Believe in Heaven?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2025 48:34


    The fear of death is an experience common to most of humanity - in fact, one of the oldest pieces of literature, the Epic of Gilgamesh, shows one man's struggle with that very fear. Christianity's promise of heaven provides a safe haven from that fear - but what did Jesus think about life after death? Today on Misquoting Jesus, Dr. Bart Ehrman discusses what the Gospels tell us about Jesus' thoughts and beliefs surrounding death, and to ask whether he would even have recognized our modern concept of an eternal paradise.

    What does it mean to be born again?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2025 50:37


    Today on Misquoting Jesus, we're talking about what "born-again" means, how a born-again Christian considers themselves different from other Christians, and what Jesus would have thought about the whole thing. As a former born-again Christian, Dr. Bart Ehrman is here to explain all of this and more!

    Why Should We Think Mark Was the First Gospel?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 11, 2025 56:11


    Knowing when something was written helps to better understand answers to other questions - like why it was written, and how it relates to other texts from that time. Unfortunately, ancient authors rarely wrote the date at the top of the page when they started writing, which makes working out when something was written a somewhat challenging process. Today, Dr. Bart Ehrman is going to guide us through how biblical scholars tackle this challenging process, and look at why it is that the Gospel of Mark is understood to be the first gospel.

    Can Anyone Keep the Jewish Law?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 4, 2025 45:55


    If I start talking about “the law”, many of you are going to have certain ideas pop into your heads - a police force, trials, prison. But what about if I'm talking about the law in a religious sense? Maybe you'll think of the ten commandments, veiling women, or practices of abstinence. Today, Dr. Bart Ehrman talks about the Jewish Law as presented in the New Testament, exploring whether it's possible to even keep it, and what agenda the NT authors had when talking about it.

    Does Mark Have a Vendetta against the Twelve Disciples?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 28, 2025 43:45


    The disciples were Jesus' closest companions during his ministry, the collective Robins to his Batman. As such we might expect them to be more enlightened, more intelligent, more attuned to God's divine plan than other people Jesus' came across. The Gospel of Mark, however, seems to defy that expectation. Today, we talk about how the author of Mark portrays the disciples, how that treatment advances his aims for the gospel, and whether this portrayal is representative of a personal vendetta.

    How do we separate history from myth in the Gospels

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 21, 2025 55:26


    The question of how much of the Bible is historically accurate, and how much is myth or legend, is both interesting and important to a lot of people - believer and atheist alike. Some insist it's accurate down to the last detail, while others label it as fairy tales from beginning to end. In this episode, Dr. Bart Ehrman unravels how scholars distinguish history from myth within the Gospels of the New Testament, why it's important to do so, and exactly what a “myth” is.

    Hidden Wisdom or Heresy? The Enigma of the Gospel of Thomas

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2025 50:37


    Start talking about the Gospels, and most people will have a rough idea of what you're talking about - a narrative account of Jesus' life. Today, however, we throw all of that familiarity out of the window and talk about one of the most non-Gospel Gospels I've ever read, the enigmatic apocryphal Gospel of Thomas! 

    Church vs Universities: Who Gets the New Testament Right?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 7, 2025 45:35


    Is there a difference between how the New Testament is taught in church versus a university? In this episode, New Testament scholar Hugo Mendez joins us to explore the devotional approach to the Bible often found in churches and how it contrasts with the critical, historical methods used in academia. We discuss what surprises students about studying the New Testament in a classroom setting, whether one approach is ‘right,' and how both can offer valuable insights for Christians, skeptics, and truth-seekers alike.

    The Scholar and the Savior: Bridging Belief and Critical Study

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 31, 2024 39:19


    In this episode, we sit down with Bible scholar John Edwards to explore how critical scholarship can deepen one's faith. John shares his personal journey of reconciling faith and academia, offering insights into how studying the Bible critically can inspire and enrich Christian belief. Join us as we discuss the positive impact of Jesus and the Bible in the modern world.

    One BC: The World Jesus Entered

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2024 53:13


    What was the world like just before Jesus was born? In this special Christmas Eve episode, we explore the political, cultural, and religious climate of 1st-century Palestine with world-renowned archaeologist Dr. Jodi Magness. From Roman rule and Jewish life to messianic expectations, Dr. Magness helps us understand the historical backdrop that shaped the world Jesus entered.

    Is Jesus For Non-Christians, Too?

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2024 36:32


    Most Christians would likely agree that Jesus and the Gospels provide us with guidance for how we should be living our lives. People of non-Christian faith traditions, or those with no religious belief at all, might have a somewhat different response...but our guest today, Dr. Amy-Jill Levine, is here to talk about how non-Christians can find value in Jesus and the Gospels, and why they should take another look at the New Testament!

    Was Jesus Really Born in Bethlehem?

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 10, 2024 45:06


    Most of us know the story: Jesus was born in Bethlehem but grew up in Nazareth. Both Matthew and Luke agree on this, but key details raise questions for scholars. Join Bart Ehrman and Megan Lewis as they dive into why the Gospel writers placed Jesus' birth in Bethlehem. Was it historical fact or shaped by theology? Why does Luke have Mary travel 100 miles while pregnant? And why does Matthew's story send the family fleeing to Egypt?

    Gospel Discrepancies: Why Matthew and Luke Tell Different Christmas Stories

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 3, 2024 41:29


    When you picture the story of Jesus' birth, you might think of Mary and Joseph traveling to Bethlehem, a stable, shepherds, and wise men. But have you ever wondered which details come from which Gospel—and why the accounts differ? Join Bart Ehrman and Megan Lewis as they explore questions like: Were Mary and Joseph from Nazareth or Bethlehem? Did they flee to Egypt after Jesus' birth, or go straight home? And can these accounts be reconciled into one story?

    The U.S. as the “New Jerusalem?” Revelation's Influence on Immigration

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 26, 2024 34:24


    As you can probably tell from my incredibly strong accent, I (Megan) am an immigrant to the United States. As such, the US immigration system has been a rather large feature in my adult life…but I've never before considered the relationship between American immigration and the Bible, or more specifically, the book of Revelation. It's never really occurred to me that such a relationship even exists. In contrast, my guest today has written an entire - and absolutely fascinating - book on the subject, and we're going to be diving right into it! We'll be exploring how Revelation has been used throughout US history to categorize, demonize, and vilify immigrants, while also painting the US as the New Jerusalem, sanctuary for God's chosen, which must be defended at all costs.

    Does John of Patmos accept the Gospel of Jesus?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2024 30:02


    The book of Revelation is by far the most violent book of the New Testament. The blood-soaked narrative calls for the death and destruction of non-believers and even of many Christians. Some Christians over the reveled in the horrific torments and the rivers of blood described in the book; but what would the historical Jesus have thought of it? Would the Savior who instructed his followers to love their neighbors, to give up all their worldly possessions for those in need, and to care deeply for strangers and outcasts? have been on board with the wholesale slaughter of those who don't fit the mold? Let's find out!

    The Incredible Gospel of Judas (Iscariot)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 12, 2024 47:59


    How would you respond if I told you that, actually, Judas was the only disciple who understood what Jesus was doing on earth? Or that I said that Jesus is unrelated to the God who created the world? Or that the God who created the world is not the same as the one who created humans? From a modern Christian point of view, those are blasphemous statements - some more so than others, yet they are all paraphrasing an early Christian Gnostic text, known as the Gospel of Judas. Join us today on Misquoting Jesus to find out more about this surprising, esoteric gospel, and to learn the secrets of the world according to the Gnostics.

    Did Paul Actually Write the Pauline Epistles?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2024 44:41


    Writings attributed to the apostle Paul make up a large swathe of the New Testament, and have been of fundamental importance in the development of Christian theology. However, there are some serious questions over whether Paul actually wrote everything attributed to him. What texts do scholars think are not as…legitimate as they could be, and what texts do experts think were actually written by the man himself?

    Does Acts Portray Paul the Way Paul Portrays Paul?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 29, 2024 37:57


    The Apostle Paul is a central figure in early Christianity, and features strongly in the New Testament in his own letters, and as a character in the Acts of the Apostles. But is the Paul of Acts the same man as the Paul of the Epistles? Does the writer of Acts change Paul's character and teachings, and why?

    Celebrating Two Years of Misquoting Jesus: Your Questions, Bart's Answers

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 23, 2024 49:00


    A Second-Anniversary LIVE Q&A! Listeners ask their questions, and Bart tries to answer them. Rapid fire for an hour!

    Why Should We Think Luke and Acts Have the Same Author?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2024 41:19


    The Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles are widely understood to be a two-volume set, written by a single author. Given that we've spoken before on Misquoting Jesus about how difficult it is to identify authors of ancient texts, why are scholars so sure that these two texts share the same author? Who was that author, and why write two books when they could have written one?!

    Pontius Pilate in a Different Light: A Little Known Apocryphal Gospel

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 8, 2024 46:44


    Pontius Pilate is a relatively minor figure in the gospels of the New Testament, but one who plays a vital role as the Roman official in charge of Jesus' sentencing. Given that he's the face of Rome in the New Testament Gospels, he's presented in a surprisingly positive light! The same is true for his appearances in some other early Christian writings. To try and get to the bottom of exactly why the official representative of the big, bad Roman empire is presented as such a sympathetic figure, we're going to be taking a look at one of these non-canonical texts in a bit more detail.

    What Are the Synoptic Gospels?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 1, 2024 37:55


    The phrase "synoptic gospels" is thrown around a lot in Biblical scholarship, but what does it mean, and why are they important? Are they as similar as people seem to think, and what do non-academics get wrong about them? Today, Megan is joined by Dr. Mark Goodacre, professor of Religious Studies and expert in all things synoptic, to answer these questions and to investigate some of his favorite differences between these fascinating texts. 

    Did Early Christians Believe in Reincarnation?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2024 35:54


    Many people in the modern western world view reincarnation as a belief predominately from eastern religions - especially buddhism and hinduism. Believe it or not, reincarnation was also a theological concept for some early Christians! How does what early Christians taught about reincarnation differ from what we understand it to be? Was it a common idea, or did those who espoused it receive pushback and censorship from their fellow Christians? Why isn't reincarnation still a widely held view in Christian circles?

    Where Was Christianity on its 100th Birthday?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2024 45:00


    Welcome everyone to a very special episode of Misquoting Jesus - our 100th episode! In keeping with our centesimal celebration (hey, it's a word!), we're going to be exploring the world of Christianity 100 years after Jesus' death. Was Christianity still a small, persecuted offshoot of apocalyptic Judaism, or had it spread far and wide? Was it still an apocalyptic religion, and what theological disagreements had occurred? Megan has the questions, and Bart, as always, has the answers.

    What Does the Bible Say about Abortion?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2024 42:15


    The Bible is frequently invoked in the ongoing national debates about abortion, almost always to show that abortion is murder and strictly forbidden. Is that true? This episode is not meant to resolve the issue about whether abortion should ever be considered a legitimate procedure or not. The focus is on what the Bible actually says. Does it condemn abortion? Does it indicate that the fetus is to be considered a human with human rights, so that abortion constitutes murder? When, according to the Bible, does life begin. The overarching point of the episode is that those who cite the Bible in support of their social and political views should at least read what it says and be clear about what it means.

    How to Detect a Forgery: The Secret Gospel of Mark

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 3, 2024 44:08


    New manuscripts discoveries in Biblical studies are often outed as forgeries, But sometimes -- rarely -- they turn out to be authentic. How do scholars distinguish between fact and fiction, especially when they only have access to photographs or copies? Is it possible for a text to pass all authenticity tests and still be a clever forgery? Today we're back with Dr. Morton Smith and the Secret Gospel of Mark to discuss he discovered an actual ancient document with unknown information about Jesus, or turned up a forgery of some kind, or possibly even forged it himself.

    Was A Secret Gospel of Mark Discovered?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2024 46:42


    When a scholar claims to have discovered a new text from early Christianity, it can send shockwaves through the academic community. In the case of the "Secret Gospel of Mark," the shockwaves are still being felt today after over 65 years later. And scholars still can't agree on whether the text in question is authentically ancient, a modern forgery, or something else.  There are huge implications. The traces of this "secret Gospel" allegedly discovered in 1958 by Morton Smith, a professor of ancient history at Columbia University, have been interpreted (by Smith himself) to indicate that Jesus engaged in homosexual rituals with the followers he baptized in the nude. In this week's episode, we're discussing the discovery of this amazing text, what it actually says, and how scholars have interpreted the intriguing passages it contain

    When Is a Christian Not A Christian?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 20, 2024 42:05


    Why do so many Christians claim that other Christians are not really Christians? Is there a definition written in the sky somewhere? Here we talk about the history of the problem, from its very beginning. Among other things we'll discuss why some biblical scholars today refuse to use the word "Christian" for the apostle Paul, the members of his churches, and for followers of Jesus in the first century altogether; and we'll ask whether there is something about "Christianity" in particular that leads to debates about what it actually means; and we'll try to work out if there's any satisfactory answer to the questions: "Is it possible to define the term to everyone's satisfaction?" and "Does it matter?"

    Jesus in the Writings of the First-century Jewish historian Josephus

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2024 33:17


    The Antiquities of the Jews, written by the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus in 93 CE, is our most important resource for knowing about the history of Israel around the time of Jesus and his earliest followers. This twenty-volume work contains two brief references to Jesus himself, and are in fact the only two mentions of Jesus in any non-Christian writing of the entire first century. But there are many questions surrounding these statements. Are they authentic to Josephus? Were they added to his writings by later Christian scribes? Could the be authentic in part but altered by scribes. If they are authentic do they strengthen the case for the historicity of Jesus, or are they merely records of hearsay? Do they provide us with any valuable informatioin about Jesus that we otherwise would never know?

    Was Jesus a Copycat? The Role of John the Baptist in the Ministry of Jesus.

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2024 40:29


    Jesus is usually credited with starting the Christian movement, but were his ideas orignally his? It appears that John the Baptist preached a similar message and that Jesus was originally a follower of his. So who started Christianity? In this episode we consider what we can know about John, why he engaged in his ministry, and what influence he had on his follower Jesus. If John started the movement, why isn't there a religion in his name?

    How to Weaponize the Bible.

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 30, 2024 44:31


    On today's episode, we explore how people use and, oh so frequently misuse, ancient texts of Scripture to promote their agenda, and consider the question of whether it might help to read the Bible before claiming to know what it says. 

    Featuring Megan Lewis! And all that entails.

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 23, 2024 46:41


    On this week's Misquoting Jesus, we're turning the metaphorical table and Bart is interviewing Megan! Everyone watching is familiar with Dr. Bart Ehrman, renowned New Testament scholar and New York Times bestselling author…but who on earth is Megan? How did she make her way from the study of ancient Mesopotamia to host a New Testament and Early Christianity podcast? If she's an academic, why doesn't she work in a university somewhere? Where does she get all of her glasses? Stay tuned for all of that, and so much more!

    But Could Peter Write Anything?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 16, 2024 37:13


    Today we take it for granted that an important and influential person can write. Not so for the ancient world. Would a fisherman from rural Galilee have been able to write well enough to compose whole texts?

    Do We Believe in the Separation of Church and State?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 9, 2024 43:58


    For a country that was apparently founded on the separation of church and state, US politics seems to be deeply enmeshed with Christianity. Now, Louisiana classrooms are required by state law to display the ten commandments…which definitely seems to be blurring the lines between church and state! Today we're talking about what the separation of church and state actually means, whether it's a concept ancient Christians would have recognized, and whether a religious foundation necessitates that a modern society be guided by religion.

    "What Did the Prophet Isaiah Say About Jesus? "

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 2, 2024 44:49


    Paul and Jesus at Odds

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 25, 2024 39:45


    Were Jesus and Paul were on different pages when it came to the most important issue for them both, how a person can be saved? In this episode, Bart and Megan explore Gospels and the letters of Paul to see where these two pivotal figures share many similar views and yet appear to stand completely at odds on the major question. If they did, then is Christianity the religion Jesus proclaimed or the religion Paul proclaimed about Jesus? 

    Did Jesus Really Go to Hell?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2024 46:14


    In this episode, Bart and Megan dive into the ancient doctrine called the "Harrowing of Hell," which is still believed by millions today. But what are we to make of idea that Jesus' salvation was universal? Literally everyone gets saved?

    Christian Monks in a Desert Full of Sound

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 11, 2024 37:29


    Most of us think of early Christian monks moving into the desert to escape the chaos and noise of civilization to lead the quiet contemplative life. In a fascinating study by Kim Haines-Eitzen we learn that in fact the desert was and is unexpectedly filled with sound. Based on her high-tech own recordings in some of the major deserts of the world, Haines-Eitzen, professor of Early Christianity at Cornell, considers the importance of sound and the possibilities of silence, not just for the ancients but for those of us seeking quiet in our own lives. Here she explains to Bart her findings, based on her new book (which includes access to her stunning recordings), The Sonorous Desert: What Deep Listening Taught Early Christian Monks -- and What It Can Teach Us.

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