Orthodocs.faith

John and Ron take the next step in their series on the creeds by looking at the Chalcedonian definition. Nicaea definitively answered some questions, but it left others wide open. How do the human and divine natures combine in Jesus Christ? How do Christians talk about that? That's where Chalcedon picks [...] The post The Creeds, pt 4: Chalcedon appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

John and Ron move to the fourth century in this episode, a time of extraordinary historical intrigue and passionate disagreements. They survey just a few of the events that make the century so pivotal. They also introduce the Nicene Creed and the fundamental theological questions it addressed. Featured image “Constantine – by [...] The post The Creeds, pt 3: Nicene Creed appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

John and Ron continue their series on the creeds, and in this episode they look at the Apostles' Creed. What is it? Where did it come from? What does it have to say? They also cue up their next episode by briefly covering the historical drama that led up to the fourth century. You [...] The post The Creeds, pt 2: Apostles' Creed appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

In this episode, Ron and John kick off their new series on the creeds by exploring their roots in the Bible and early Christian tradition. What is the relationship between early Christian creeds and scripture? How did they develop? They look at work by the second-century Christian figure Irenaeus and [...] The post The Creeds, pt 1: An Early Blueprint appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

John and Ron are re-releasing the first episode in their 9-episode Introduction to Christian Theology. The title is “Prolegomena.” It refers to the things that need to be said before you can plunge into theological details. The series on the creeds is coming but delayed.  Expect to see the first episode [...] The post Intro to Theology: Prolegomena (re-release) appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

John and Ron conclude their tour of the story of the Exodus in this episode. They cover the climactic event of God parting the sea and Moses' song of triumph after the Egyptian army is destroyed. Then they look at how much this story shapes descriptions of God's redemptive power throughout scripture. The post The Exodus Story, pt. 5: Escape appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

In this episode, John and Ron review Passover, a key part of the central event in the story of the Exodus. The king of Egypt reaches his lowest point as the God of Israel makes his final, decisive move in their confrontation. The post The Exodus Story, pt. 4: Passover appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

John and Ron continue to work through the Exodus story. This time they work through the second and third sets of three plagues. It becomes increasingly clear that the God of Israel is systematically dismantling the Egyptians' understanding of a well-ordered world—and who maintained it! The post The Exodus Story, pt. 3: More Plagues appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

John and Ron continue their series on the story of the Exodus. In this episode, they begin to work through the plagues. Time after time, the God of Israel forces a showdown with the gods of Egypt. When the dust settles after each encounter, only the God of Israel is [...] The post The Exodus Story, pt. 2: The First Plagues appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

John and Ron begin season 6 with a new series where they review the story of Israel's exodus from Egypt. It is the definitive story of God's redemption in the Old Testament, and it is alluded to and retold in numerous places throughout scripture. The post The Exodus Story: Moses Returns appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

John and Ron review a passage that is read so frequently around the time of Christmas that many Christians no longer realize how significant it is. As usual, they start with the passage in its original context. Then they move to the messianic significance it had to New Testament authors. The post Isaiah 9: To Us a Child is Born appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

We observe the Advent season this year with a re-release from our Season 1 series, “Ultimate Hope Has a Name.” In these times, it is important that we understand where to place our hopes and where not to—and why. Is there really such a thing as ultimate hope, something or [...] The post Hope That Does Not Fail appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

Ron and John continue their “audio tours” of archaeological sites with significant biblical connections. In this episode, they visit one of Ron's all-time favorite sites: Ephesus.  The post Audio Tours, pt. 4: Ephesus appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

John and Ron return to the Holy Land for a visit to Caesarea-by-the-Sea. From the theater that faces out to sea to the impressive ancient engineering in the artificial harbor, Caesarea is a fascinating place to see. The post Audio Tours, pt. 3: Caesarea appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

John and Ron continue their audio tours of ancient sites, this time in Corinth, Greece. They discuss the crucial geography of Corinth and review the site with an eye towards Paul's visit as it is described in Acts 18. Photos by Ron Bentley The post Audio Tours, pt. 2: Corinth appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

In this new four-part series called “Audio Tours,” Ron and John visit some important archaeological sites related directly to the Bible. This first episode begins with a brief discussion of archaeology itself, then they take the audience to Galilee for a look around a key location in the life and [...] The post Audio Tours, pt. 1: Capernaum appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

John and Ron conclude their series on Old Testament quotes and allusions in the New.  This time they look at the Gospel of John, the letters of John, and Revelation. The post Old in the New, pt. 4: John and Revelation appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

Ron and John conclude their survey of the Bible with a review of the final books of the New Testament and a brief look at the process by which the Christian Bible was recognized as scripture by Christians. The post Bible Survey, Part 5: Epistles and Revelation (Encore) appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

The prophet Jeremiah used the phrase “new covenant” to describe God's restored relationship with Israel. That phrase was crucial to the way Jesus described what God was doing through him, and the apostles picked it up. It has even come to represent the documents of the New Testament itself. In [...] The post Old in the New, pt. 3: New Covenant appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

This is the fourth episode in the Introduction to the Bible series John and Ron first released several years ago. In this episode, they turn their attention to the New Testament. When they first released this episode in Season 2, John and Ron solicited ideas for a series. The series [...] The post Bible Survey, Part 4: The Good News (Encore) appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

No New Testament without the Old … John and Ron have repeated it over and over. In this episode they look at how the apostle Paul quoted the Old Testament in his first letter to the Corinthians. According to them, Paul's point was intellectual humility, although he had a point [...] The post Old in the New, pt. 2: 1 Corinthians 1-3 appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

Ron and John conclude the Old Testament portion of their survey through the Bible. We talk about King David, some history of the Israelite kingdoms that followed him, the prophets that spoke to those kingdoms and their neighbors, and the poetry that reflected on life with God. The post Bible Survey, Part 3: Kings, Prophets, and More (Encore) appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

John and Ron open their new series, Old in the New, with a study of Peter's sermon at Pentecost in Acts 2. How did Peter rely on his Bible, the Old Testament, to interpret what they had seen up to that day? The post Old in the New, pt. 1: Peter at Pentecost appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

The story continues as God works through Moses and his successors in Israel to fulfill a promise to redeem humankind. Ron and John survey the books of Exodus through the reign of Saul in 1 Samuel. The post Bible Survey, Part 2: From Moses to King Saul (Encore) appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

John and Ron conclude their series on Faith and Reason with this episode. In a wide ranging discussion, they cover everything from Galileo's discoveries to modern biblical criticism. The post Faith and Reason, Pt. 5: Modern Conundrums appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

As we enter the summer of 2024, John and Ron are wrapping up a series on Faith and Reason. They will finish that series in the next release. Through the summer they plan to release a series of episodes called The Old Testament in the New. They will examine places where [...] The post Bible Survey, Part 1: From the Beginning (Encore) appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

What does it mean to “bet on God”?! That's the question as John and Ron read through portions of the classic argument called “Pascal's Wager.” They introduce Pascal himself, and they tease out what he was trying to say. The post Faith and Reason, Pt. 4: Pascal appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

In this episode, John and Ron turn their attention to Anselm, a medieval archbishop of Canterbury. They walk through Anselm's “ontological proof” for the existence of God—and then argue the proof isn't really what mattered to Anselm! The post Faith and Reason, Pt. 3: Anselm appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

This is the second episode in the Faith and Reason series, and John and Ron consider an ancient figure named Irenaeus. Irenaeus argued that Christian faith is far more reasonable than alternatives being offered by the Gnostics. Did you ever wonder when Christians started calling the New Testament “scripture”? What was [...] The post Faith and Reason, Pt. 2: Irenaeus appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

In celebration of Easter weekend, Orthodocs.faith takes a pause in the current series to return to a previous episode on resurrection. In this second episode from a series on First Corinthians 15, Ron and John discuss resurrection and why the hope of the Christian faith rests so heavily on it. [...] The post Resurrection: Essential to the Story appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

In this new series, Ron and John argue that Christian faith is reasonable. Christians have reasons for what they believe, and those reasons are defensible. Perhaps most surprising, they insist there is no virtue in a “blind leap of faith”! The post Faith and Reason: Where We Start appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

In this episode, John and Ron conclude their series on Ruth. The story is ultimately a story of redemption, a story where God provides hope where there was none before. The post The Story of Ruth, part 4: Redeemed appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

In episode 3 of their series on Ruth, John and Ron discuss the famous—some would say infamous!—threshing floor scene. As always, though, the focus is on the original context. Naomi and Ruth still have pressing needs. How will God provide? Image: Stan Zurek, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons The post The Story of Ruth, part 3: Securing the Future appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

Ron and John continue into chapter 2 of the Book of Ruth as the picture begins to change dramatically for the two main characters, Naomi and Ruth. God's providential guidance emerges along with hope in God's redemptive work. The post The Story of Ruth, part 2: Survival appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

Season five opens with a new series on the book of Ruth. Ruth is a masterful example of Hebrew narrative and a favorite story of many. In this episode, John and Ron discuss the background of the book and work their way through chapter 1 and the setup to the story. The post The Story of Ruth, part 1 appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

John and Ron conclude their survey of the Gospel of John in this episode. They look closely at the remarkable opening chapter of the book. The post Gospel of John, pt 5: Conclusion appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

In this episode, John and Ron work their way through John 9, where Jesus heals a man born blind. This fascinating mini-drama yields crucial clues to the context in which the Gospel was likely written. The post Gospel of John, pt 4: Out of Division appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

John and Ron revisit an episode from a previous season where they address John 2, the story of Jesus turning water into wine. Why is that story so important? Why does the Gospel of John place it first among the miracles Jesus performs? The post Gospel of John, pt 3: Water into Wine appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

In this second episode on the Gospel of John, Ron and John survey the “march to the cross,” and they examine John's unique emphases in the story of the crucifixion. The post Gospel of John, pt 2: The Passion appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

John and Ron introduce a new series on the Gospel of John. In this first episode they examine how John tells the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000. They compare it to the way Mark tells the same story, and they uncover several of the features that make the Gospel of John [...] The post Gospel of John, pt 1: Feeding the 5,000, John's Way appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

This week John and Ron are re-releasing an earlier episode. From season 2, it is the first episode of their four-part series on The Problem of Evil: why is there evil in a world created by a good God? Here, they lay the groundwork for a conversation that deals with the problem [...] The post The Problem of Evil, Part 1 appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

John and Ron conclude their series on throne room scenes throughout scripture. In this episode, they address the baffling book of Revelation, chapters 4-5. The author of Revelation sees himself in direct line with the prophets of the Old Testament, and the throne room scene of Revelation bears remarkable similarities to experiences [...] The post Before the Throne, Part 3 appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

In this second episode of the series, John and Ron explore how the ancient Hebrews understood the heavenly court. They also examine encounters with the presence of God by Moses, Ezekiel,  and Daniel.  The post Before the Throne, Part 2 appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

John and Ron introduce their new series, Before the Throne. It starts with the awe-inspiring and terror-inducing pyrotechnics of Isaiah 6! Join them as they look into the prophet Isaiah's encounter with the presence of God. The post Before the Throne, Part 1 appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

John and Ron conclude their series on the pivotal character of Samuel. In this episode, Saul falls and David rises, but Samuel's story ends with a strange scene: a medium conjures his spirit for Saul at Endor. The post The Strange Ending to Samuel's Story appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

The nation of Israel demanded a king, and it fell to Israel's prophet-judge and acting priest Samuel to fulfill their demand. In this episode John and Ron address the quandary Samuel faced and the way this pivotal character led the nation through a fundamental leadership change. The post Samuel the Kingmaker appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

John and Ron move deeper into the story of Samuel. Now it becomes the story of two families, Samuel and his parents on one side, Eli and his sons on the other. In one of the most moving scenes of the entire cycle, the boy prophet Samuel hears directly from God and [...] The post Samuel: Prophet and Leader appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

Samuel's story in the Old Testament begins with a birth narrative that highlights his importance in God's redemptive work. In fact, he is a key figure in Israel's transition to the monarchy that begins with Saul and David. His early story bears similarities to other stories from Israel's history. It is [...] The post Samuel: Born to Make a Difference appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

In this episode John and Ron conclude their series on grace and free will. Can modern Christians maintain original sin but stop short of predestination? Who has done this in the past, and how did they do it? How do modern Christian philosophers approach this problem? Join them as they conclude [...] The post Grace and Free Will: A Middle Way appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

We as humans are completely dependent on God's grace to restore the relationship God always intended for us. At the same time, though, it's clear humanity is called to make a decision to side with God and participate in the restored relationship. The tension between God's grace and our own [...] The post Grace and Free Will: The Clash appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.

This is the second episode where Ron and John explore the interplay between grace—what God does for us—and free will—what we decide for ourselves. In this episode, they delve into numerous excerpts from scripture that inform this topic, but it includes passages that also raise as many questions as they [...] The post Grace and Free Will, Ep. 2 appeared first on Orthodocs.faith.