ReligionProf Podcast

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The Religion Prof Podcast is the podcast of Dr. James F. McGrath, Clarence L. Goodwin Chair in New Testament Language and Literature at Butler University, in which he talks about the Bible, science fiction, education, music, and pretty much anything else that happens to grab his surprisingly short a…

ReligionProf Podcast

  • Nov 16, 2020 LATEST EPISODE
  • monthly NEW EPISODES
  • 41m AVG DURATION
  • 54 EPISODES


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Latest episodes from ReligionProf Podcast

ReligionProf Podcast with Tripp Fuller

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2020 77:58


In this episode Tripp Fuller and I have a conversation about his most recent book, Divine Self-Investment: An Open and Relational Constructive Christology, as well as the broader themes of Christology and historical Jesus research that his book engages with, at the intersection of his work as a theologian and mine as a New Testament scholar.

ReligionProf Podcast with the Hosea Filmmakers

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2020 52:43


In this episode Dr. James F. McGrath talks with film producers Avril Z. Speaks and Suzanne Watson and writer/director Ryan Daniel Dobson about their new movie Hosea, which explores how the story of Hosea and Gomer in the Bible might unfold in a modern-day setting, and told from the female protagonist's perspective. It is a powerful and provocative movie that you'll want to see, and once you've done so (since the podcast contains spoilers) or if you need persuading to do so, you will definitely want to listen to this behind-the-scenes look at the movie through the lens of the creative team behind it in conversation with a professor who teaches biblical studies.

ReligionProf Podcast with Aaron Cote

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2020 60:26


In this episode I talk with musician and Butler University graduate Aaron Abrahamson Cote about his new project Songs of Scripture.

ReligionProf Podcast with Tony Burke

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 11, 2020 61:06


In this episode of the ReligionProf Podcast I talk with Tony Burke about the latest volume of New Testament Apocrypha: More Noncanonical Scriptures, which Eerdmans published recently. We also talk about a range of related topics, from forgeries and fan fiction ancient and modern, to why the field of Christian Apocrypha is one that lots of academics ought to contribute to and that, in particular, those now considering pursuing PhDs ought to consider focusing on.

ReligionProf Podcast with Rev. Matt Kelley

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 5, 2020 29:36


Matt Kelley is a Butler University Religion graduate as well as co-editor of a new book, Fathering Together, Volume 1. In this episode you'll hear us talk about how the book came about, the cool comics in it, and why it would make a perfect Father's Day gift as well as being something worth reading and thinking about at any point if you are or might become a father.

ReligionProf Podcast with Matthew Korpman

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 4, 2020 67:25


How can a book called Saying No To God be an expression of a Christian perspective? Because, as Korpman and I discuss in this double-length episode, this is precisely the stance that a number of biblical as well as post-biblical Jewish and Christian stories depict those faithful to God as adopting, and for which they are praised. Listen in and find out more!

ReligionProf Podcast with Roger Sneed

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 21, 2020 53:09


Dr. Roger Sneed has been exploring the Octavia Butler archive and has found some truly amazing things, some of which he shares in this episode of the podcast, others of which you'll have to wait until his next book (or the one after that, or the one after that) to find out. Enjoy geeking out with us as you listen to this episode!

ReligionProf Podcast with Sara Parks

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 7, 2020 36:55


In this episode Sara Parks and I talk about her new book, Gender in the Rhetoric of Jesus: Women in Q. You don't need to accept the majority view about the hypothetical source used by Matthew and Luke in order to find useful things in our conversation, which explores the distinctiveness of Jesus' paired sayings, the things male academics miss when we don't ask feminist questions and/or fail to listen to our female colleagues, and much more.

ReligionProf Podcast with Juli Gittinger

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 3, 2019 34:38


Science fiction provides unique opportunities to explore one of the most pressing philosophical, religious, and ethical questions there is: what is a person? Join Dr. Juli Gittinger and I as we talk about her wonderful new book that provides both a fantastic overview and also new insights into this timely topic at the intersection of pop culture and religious studies.

ReligionProf Podcast with Ruth Hayhoe

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2019 37:00


Ruth Hayhoe is the sister of Suzanne McCarthy, the biblioblogger who did so much to elevate the voices of women in the realm of Bible blogging. Suzanne tragically died of cancer in 2015, before completing a book that she was working on about gender bias in Bible translation. Thanks to the efforts of Ruth and several other family members, the book is now out, and on this episode Ruth and I talk about the process that led to its publication as well as the important contemporary issues that the book addresses so well.

ReligionProf Podcast with Meredith Warren

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2019 39:34


Meredith Warren has drawn our attention to themes of angelic food and the significance of eating in ancient religious literature - and on TV shows like Good Omens. Join us as we chat about these themes from ancient to modern times!

ReligionProf Podcast with Robert Orlando

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2019 28:47


Filmmaker Rob Orlando visited the Butler University campus and speaks with me about connections between his most recent film, about the role of Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II in ending the Cold War, and his earlier film about Paul the Apostle.

ReligionProf Podcast with Brandon Hawk

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 8, 2019 34:43


In this episode I speak with Brandon Hawk about his recent book on Christian apocrypha about the infancies of both Mary and Jesus. Find out about them because they interest you in their own right, or out of curiosity to find out how we connected them to Star Wars and other things!

Episode 41 with Jessica Reed

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 11, 2019 46:55


Jessica Reed is my colleague at Butler University and a poet whose poetry explores science. Listen as she shares poems (by others as well as her own) and as we reflect on interdisciplinarity, spirituality, and other things that meet at the intersection of the arts and the natural sciences!

Episode 40 with Emily Swan

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 4, 2019 57:01


This week's guest on the podcast is Emily Swan, a minister, author, Doctor Who fan, and Butler University graduate. And so we had a lot of points of common interest to talk about! Listen and find out more about her book Solus Jesus (co-authored with Ken Wilson), how Pentecostalism stands poised to offer something to this moment in the history of Christianity, even as forms of it may move not just beyond Evangelicalism, but beyond Protestantism.

Episode 39 with Katie Day and Deirdre Good

Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2019 46:26


My two guests this week are both seminary professors who recently compiled a collection of sermons and reflections that are all responses to the traumas that seminary faculty and students have been subjected to in instances of authoritarian decision-making, termination of tenured faculty, and so on. Listen in as we reflect on the challenges facing educational institutions across the board (in particular but by no means exclusively seminaries), how we might respond when we undergo traumatic experiences, how to support others who are going through such things, and perhaps most of all, how to find a path forward that navigates these turbulent times without inflicting harm on our colleagues.

Episode 38 with Brian Wesolowski

Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2019 23:28


Here's part 2 of my conversation with Brian Wesolowski on what it means to think about technology as a possible mediator of grace.

Episode 37 with Brian Wesolowski

Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2019 37:30


Brian Wesolowski interviewed me as part of his work to produce a new "Gracefully Tech" podcast. He will be using clips from our conversation there together with clips from others. Here, I'm sharing the entirety of our conversation. Both will be different, and both will be worth listening to! This is part 1. Stay tuned for part 2 next week!

Episode 36 with Batman

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2019 53:54


This special episode features the audio recording of my presentation and that of Matt Brake at the Batman conference at Bowling Green State University in April 2019.

Episode 35 with Jonathan David Lawrence

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2019 53:54


My conversation with Jonathan David Lawrence ranges through topics as diverse as ancient immersion rituals, modern interfaith work, and educational games!

Episode 34 with Anthony Le Donne

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2019 49:26


Anthony Le Donne returns to the ReligionProf Podcast to talk about the new book in his Gods of Thrones project about religion in Game of Thrones.

Episode 33 with Robert Geraci

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 9, 2019 39:47


Robert Geraci joins me all the way from Bangalore, India to talk about his current research, his latest book, and his trajectory through the exploration of the intersection of religion, science, and science fiction.

Episode 32 with Deb Saxon

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 2, 2019 31:00


In this episode my colleague Deb Saxon talks about her longtime fascination with extracanonical texts about Jesus, their role in allowing women's voices from ancient Christianity to be heard, and contemporary efforts to reach a wider audience for these texts by animating them or setting them to music.

Episode 31 with A. David Lewis

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2019 37:51


Today's episode explores how A. David Lewis' unique background as both a scholar of religion and a comic book creator provided the opportunity for him to revive a Muslim comic book hero who fought Nazis in France in the 1940s, and bring him to Boston in the present era.

Episode 30 with Zondervan NRSV Bibles

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2019 36:15


This episode features a conversation with two members of Zondervan/HarperCollins' team that works on and promotes the New Revised Standard Version, Melissa Bouma and Bob Gaudet. Find out what happens behind the scenes of the Bibles you know and love!

Episode 29 with Adam Lee and Andrew Murtagh

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2019 36:15


Andrew Murtagh and Adam Lee, both Patheos bloggers, made a guest appearance at Butler University a while back. Ever since, we've had in mind to resume the conversation for a wider audience through a podcast. Here it is! Find out what precisely brought a Christian and atheist together to make common cause!

Episode 28 with Derek Penwell

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2019 36:19


Listen to this week's episode as Derek Penwell and I talk about how we should be sarcastic, because we follow Jesus' example! That's just one of the things we explore in talking about Derek's new book Outlandish.

Episode 27 with Paul Driscoll

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2019 36:56


Enjoy today's conversation with Paul Driscoll, who has written about Doctor Who in many places, including the volume on The God Complex in the series The Black Archive.

Episode 26 with Jeremiah Bailey

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2019 44:31


This week's episode features New Testament scholar Jeremiah Bailey and science fiction author Nathaniel Hosford. What's the connection between the two? You'll just have to listen and find out!

Episode 25 with Pete Enns

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2019 36:09


Join me, Pete Enns, and Pete's cat Marmalade for a conversation about his latest book, How the Bible Actually Works.

Episode 24 with Martin Doblmeier

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2019 36:11


This week's episode features Martin Doblmeier as we talk about his work as a documentary filmmaker and his latest movie, Backs Against The Wall: The Howard Thurman Story.

Episode 23 with Helen Bond

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2019 44:36


Dr. Helen Bond from the University of Edinburgh is my guest on today's episode, which focuses on the characters who make relatively brief appearances in the Gospels but deserve to be considered in their own right - Caiaphas, Pilate, John the Baptist, Joseph, and several others.

Episode 22 with Douglas Cowan

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2019 50:32


Douglas Cowan has written some of the most important studies of religion in horror and science fiction. His latest book turns his attention specifically to fantasy and fairy tales. It was a delight to have the chance to chat with him about his new book, his earlier books, and where one or both of us might turn our attention next!

Episode 21 with Thomas Jay Oord

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2019 42:07


In this week's episode Tom Oord and I talk about his latest book, God Can't, on the problem of evil, divine power, prayer, healing, and related issues. We talk as well about the subject of an earlier book he edited to which I contributed, namely the intersection of academic work with social media.

Episode 20 with Ankur Gupta

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 8, 2019 34:27


The continuation of my conversation with Ankur which began last week.

Episode 19 with Ankur Gupta

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 1, 2019 28:42


Happy New Year! Ankur Gupta and I are at it again, talking about new aspects of our work on the intersection of computer programming and religion, robots and ethics.

Episode 18 with Christopher Benek

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 25, 2018 61:16


As a Christmas present to listeners, here is a supersized episode featuring Rev. Dr. Christopher Benek, a leading figure in the Christian transhumanist movement.

Episode 17 with Brent Hege

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2018 29:42


In this episode of the ReligionProf Podcast I talk with my colleague Brent Hege, Lutheran theologian, religion professor, and our Center for Faith and Vocation scholar in residence at Butler University, about a number of topics, including being a person of faith teaching religion and theology at a secular institution such as the one where we both work.

Episode 16 with Karen Keen

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2018 38:20


Karen Keen's recent book is important because it addresses not only a topic of crucial importance in our time, but highlights the broader question of how the Bible should be interpreted, and the example that Jesus and the authors of the Bible themselves provide as to how to apply scripture. Listen, and then order many copies of the book for use in your book club, discussion group, or Sunday school class!

Episode 15 with Douglas Estes

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 4, 2018 49:13


Part two of my conversation with Douglas Estes!

Episode 14 with Douglas Estes

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 27, 2018 37:58


The first part of a two-podcast conversation with Douglas Estes focused on his new book, Braving the Future, exploring how Christians can balance being positive about technology without being uncritical when it comes to its use.

Episode 13 with Matt Brake

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2018 43:16


In this week's episode Matt Brake and I talk about the new book series on theology and popular culture that he is editing. We hope you enjoy geeking out along with us!

Episode 12 with Ken Derry

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2018 39:33


In today's episode of the ReligionProf Podcast, I talk with Ken Derry, one of the editors of The Myth Awakens, the first ever book about religion and Star Wars from a religious studies perspective!

Episode 11 with Kyle Greenwood

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 6, 2018 36:46


In this week's episode I chat with Kyle Greenwood about his most recent book, Since the Beginning, as well as the broader subject of creation stories in Genesis and the history of interpretation thereof.

Episode 10 with Anthony Le Donne

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 30, 2018 37:17


Anthony Le Donne and I continue our conversation about the historical Jesus, touching on topics such as mythicism and historical method in the process.

Episode 9 with Anthony Le Donne

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 23, 2018 30:47


In this week's episode, Anthony Le Donne and I begin a conversation (that will continue in next week's episode) about the historical Jesus, John the Baptist, and other New Testament subjects of mutual interest.

Episode 8 with Ankur Gupta

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 16, 2018 32:52


Ankur Gupta and I continue our conversation about the intersection of ethics and technology on this week's ReligionProf Podcast.

Episode 7 with Eric Cline

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2018 30:56


This week's episode features renowned archaeologist Eric Cline. Listen as he and I talk about the intersection of archaeology and apocalyptic, among many other things.

Episode 6 with Becky Archibald

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2018 44:50


This week's episode features composer and pianist Becky Archibald, talking about a range of topics including not only her engagement with religion, but also working on films and being a composer in the era of digitally-distributed sounds and scores.

Episode 5 with Megan Grady-Rutledge

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2018 34:16


Episode 5 of the ReligionProf Podcast features academic technology specialist Megan Grady-Rutledge speaking about Digital Humanities (among other topics of interest).

Episode 4 with Shayna Watson

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2018 33:18


Shayna Watson is the mastermind (or superhero, if you prefer) behind ΘeoCon, the upcoming theology and popular culture convention. Find out what it's about, how it got started, and why you should attend if you can!

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