The Two Cities

In this episode we're joined by Dr. Christy Cobb and Dr. Katherine Shaner to talk about their new edited volume, Ancient Slavery and Its New Testament Contexts (published by Eerdmans). Dr. Christy Cobb is Associate Professor of Christianity in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Denver, and Dr. Katherine Shaner is Associate Professor of New Testament at Wake Forest University School of Divinity. Over the course of the episode we discuss the different essays in the volume, what the inception of the collection was, Dr. Cobb and Dr. Shaner's respective contributions to the book, and some of the intriguing developments on the scholarship of ancient slavery for understanding New Testament texts. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: the Rev. Dr. Nathaniel Adishian, Dr. John Anthony Dunne, and Rev. Daniel Parham. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by Aimee Byrd, who is the author of eight books, including the new one that we discuss in this episode, Saving Face: Finding My Self, God, and One Another Outside a Defaced Church (published by Zondervan). Over the course of our conversation we talk about the rich value of faces, the metaphorical nuances to “saving face,” and the ultimate goal of beholding the face of God in the Beatific Vision, among other things. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne, Dr. Grace Sangalang Ng, Rev. Daniel Parham, and Rev. Dr. Chris Porter. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by Rev. Dr. Malcolm Foley, Pastor at Mosaic Waco, Special Advisor to the President for Equity and Campus Engagement at Baylor University, and the author of The Anti-Greed Gospel: Why the Love of Money Is the Root of Racism and How the Church Can Create a New Way Forward (published by Baker). Over the course of our conversation we talk about how Jesus is calling Christians not simply to be generous, which can lead to paternalism, but more specifically anti-greedy, actively rooting out sites in our lives where greed can grow and take over. We discuss several biblical passages about wealth and riches on the one hand and the value of sharing on the other. Team Members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Rev. Dr. Nathaniel Adishian, Dr. John Anthony Dunne, and Rev. Daniel Parham. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by Professor Joan Taylor, who is Professor of Christian Origins and Second Temple Judaism at King's College, London, and the author of Boy Jesus: Growing Up Judean in Turbulent Times (Zondervan Academic). Over the course of our conversation we talk about what our sources are for accessing Jesus's childhood, what we think we can know about it, how his family life and the political situation of Judea at the time would have shaped him into the person he became, and why later Christians were so interested in continuing to tell stories about Jesus's youth. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne, Rev. Daniel Parham, Dr. Madison Pierce, and Dr. Sydney Tooth. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by Dr. James Barker, who is Associate Professor in the Department of History at Western Kentucky University and the author of Writing and Rewriting the Gospels: John and the Synoptics (published by Eerdmans). In this episode we discuss Dr. Barker's theory of Gospel development, which entails the idea that each of our canonical Gospels were aware of the previously written ones, meaning not only that Luke used Matthew, but moreover that John knew of each of the Synoptic Gospels. We discuss some of the evidence for this, the developmental implications of this insight for Christology, among other things, and much more. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne, Rev. Dr. Chris Porter, and Dr. Kris Song. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the course of our conversation, Prof. MacCulloch explains the impetus behind his book as unsettling many “settled facts” about the Christian history of sexuality. We talk about differing views on sex before the Fall, sex in the eschaton, modern approaches to sexuality like purity culture, when weddings began to be held in churches, and some of the terrifying legends about homosexuality perpetuated by Christians. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: the Rev. Dr. Nathaniel Adishian and Dr. John Anthony Dunne. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by Dr. David Bennett is a post-doctoral research fellow in theology and ethics at the University of Oxford and he's the author of A War of Loves: The Unexpected Story of a Gay Activist Discovering Jesus (published by Zondervan). In our conversation we review and discuss the portrayal of Jesus's sexuality and desire for a relationship and a family in The Last Temptation of Christ (1988, directed by Martin Scorsese). Together we overview Dr. Bennett's work, as well as the film, and bring the two into conversation together. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by Sheila Wray Gregoire, who is a speaker, author of several books, and manager of the podcast and website, BareMarriage.com. She's also the author (along with her husband, Keith) of the book that we're discussing on this episode: The Marriage You Want: Moving Beyond Stereotypes for a Relationship Built on Scripture, New Data, and Emotional Health (published by Baker). Over the course of our conversation we talk about the importance of data and peer-reviewed information for marriage advice books, which are sorely lacking in the Christian market. Along the way we dispel many myths perpetuated by other speakers and books in this space. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne, Rev. Daniel Parham, and Dr. Logan Williams. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by Professor Matthew Novenson, who is the Helen H. P. Manson Professor of New Testament at Princeton Theological Seminary and the author of Paul and Judaism at the End of History (published by Cambridge University Press). In this conversation we talk about how eschatology and Paul's belief that he was living at the end of history impacts his theological vision. We discuss a number of pertinent topics to Pauline interpretation and especially where Novenson's work fits in relation to the Paul within Judaism school as well as the apocalyptic reading of Paul. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne, Dr. Madison Pierce, and Dr. Sydney Tooth. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by Professor Tzvi Novick, who is Abrams Jewish Thought and Culture Professor of Theology at the University of Notre Dame, and the author of the book that we're discussing in this episode, Judaism: A Guide for Christians (published by Eerdmans). Over the course of our conversation we talk about why Professor Novick wrote this book to correct misconceptions and misrepresentations of Judaism for a Christian audience. Along the way we discuss such topics such as supersessionism, Zionism, and philojudaism. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne and Dr. Logan Williams. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by Dr. Jerusha Neal, who is Assistant Professor of Homiletics at Duke Divinity School and the author of Holy Ground: Climate Change, Preaching, and the Apocalypse of Place (published by Baylor University Press). In this conversation we talk about climate-informed homiletics and specifically what Dr. Neal gleaned from indigenous preaching that others can learn and incorporate into their preaching.Use the code 17PROMO for 20% off! Team members on the episode from The Two Cities includes: Dr. John Anthony Dunne and Dr. Grace Emmett. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by Dr. Michelle Knight, who is Associate Professor of Old Testament and Semitic Languages at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and the author of the book that we're discussing in this episode, The Prophet's Anthem : The Song of Deborah and Barak in the Narrative of Judges (published by Baylor University Press). In this conversation we talk about Deborah's role in the book of Judges, how scholars have been reticent to regard her a proper judge and prophet, and some of the intertextual connections between Deborah's song and her story in the Psalms and the New Testament. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne, Dr. Brandon Hurlbert, and Dr. Madison Pierce. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by Professor Jennifer Powell McNutt, who is the Franklin S. Dyrness Chair of Biblical and Theological Studies and Professor of Theology and History of Christianity at Wheaton College and the author of the book that we discuss in this episode, The Mary We Forgot: What the Apostle to the Apostles Teaches the Church Today (published by Brazos). Over the course of the episode we talk about the many misunderstandings about Mary Magdalene, how to disentangle her legacy from those misconceptions, and why it matters for the church today. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne, Dr. Madison Pierce, and Dr. Sydney Tooth. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by Professor Beth Allison Barr, who is the James Vardaman Professor of History at Baylor University and the author of Becoming the Pastor's Wife: How Marriage Replaced Ordination as a Woman's Path to Ministry (published by Brazos). Over the course of our conversation we talk about how the common notion in certain Christian circles that the pastor's wife is the highest path to ministry for women is a post-Reformation construction that is socially conditioned. Professor Barr talks about some of the weird how-to books that she engaged for this project, and some of the odd approaches to Scripture that are required to make this perspective seem legitimate. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities includes: Dr. John Anthony Dunne, Dr. Brandon Hurlbert, Dr. Grace Ng, Dr. Madison Pierce, and Dr. Sydney Tooth. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're talking about the new volume on Religion, Theology, and Stranger Things: Studies from the Upside Down on Evil, Ethics, Horror, and Hope (Rowman & Littlefield). We're joined by the editors Dr. Andy Byers (lecturer in New Testament at Ridley Hall in the Cambridge Theological Federation) and Dr. Adam Powell (lecturer in medical humanities at Durham University), as well as a few of the many contributors, including: Dr. Siobhán Jolley (Howard and Roberta Ahmanson Research Fellow in Art and Religion at the National Gallery), Dr. Brandon Grafius (Associate Professor of Biblical Studies and Academic Dean at Ecumenical Theological Seminary), and Dr. Jana Riess (author, writer, former professor at Miami University, and former religious studies editor at Publisher's Weekly). Additionally, two of our Two Cities team members also contributed to the volume: Dr. John Anthony Dunne and Rev. Dr. Nathaniel Warne Adishian. We talk about how the volume came together, what topics and themes we wrote about for the book, what personally drew us to the show, and what we're hoping to see in season 5. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities: Dr. John Anthony Dunne, Dr. Brandon Hurlbert, the Rev. Dr. Nathaniel Warne. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we debrief and review the new documentary about the hit TV show from the mid and late 2000s—LOST. The documentary (Getting LOST) is a nostalgic treat for fans made by fans 20 years after the airing of the pilot in 2004 with loads of creative and acting representation (available on Amazon Prime). Joining us for this conversation is Leslie Garcia, an MSt student at the University of Oxford, who formerly received a ThM from Dallas Theological Seminary and, like all of us, is a huge LOST nerd. Over the course of our conversation together, we talk about some of the great moments of LOST, prompted by the documentary, as well as dig into some of the controversial elements that the documentary raises like the toxicity of the writing room. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne, Dr. Brandon Hurlbert, and Dr. Kris Song. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by Professor Steve Walton, Senior Research Fellow in New Testament at Trinity College, Bristol, and the author of the book that we're discussing in this episode, Acts 1–9:42 in the Word Biblical Commentary series (published by Zondervan Academic). In our conversation, Prof. Walton shares with us how he got to be involved in the WBC series, what he likes most about the series compared to others, and some of the key themes that he sees developed in the first third of the Book of Acts. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne, Rev. Daniel Parham, and Dr. Madison Pierce. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by Dr. M. John-Patrick O'Connor, who is Associate Professor of New Testament at Northwest University, and the author of the book that we're discussing in this episode, The Last Will Be First: Divine Judgment in the Gospel of Mark (published by Baylor University Press). In our conversation we discuss the “grammar of judgment” present in the Gospel of Mark as it relates to the “little ones” (mikra) and “big ones” (megaloi) in the text. We discuss the necessity of judgment, what we lose if remove judgment from our conceptions of God, and implications for discipleship and theology. Team members on the episode: Dr. John Anthony Dunne, Dr. Sydney Tooth, and Dr. Logan Williams. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by Professor James McGrath, who is Clarence L. Goodwin Chair in New Testament Language and Literature at Butler University, and the author of the book that we're discussing in this episode: John of History, Baptist of Faith: The Quest for the Historical Baptizer (published by Eerdmans). In our conversation we talk about the differences between this book with Christmaker and delve more deeply into various historical matters surrounding John the Baptist, including connections with Qumran, the relationship between baptism and ritual purity, what we can learn about John the Baptist from Mandaean sources, and the portrayal of John the Baptist in film. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne and Dr. Logan Williams. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we're joined by Dr. Jeannine Hanger, who is Associate Professor of New Testament at BIOLA University and Talbot School of Theology, and she's the author of the book that we're discussing in this episode, Engaging Jesus with Our Senses: An Embodied Approach to the Gospels (published by Baker). In our conversation we talk about the importance of embodiment, both in terms of our lived realities as followers of Christ and in relation to the way that the Gospels highlight sensory experiences in many different ways. Dr. Hanger draws a connection between the two in her book and shares some of her exegetical insights with us. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne, Dr. Madison Pierce, and Dr. Kris Song. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by one of our very own co-hosts here at The Two Cities podcast, Dr. Kris Song, who is an instructor in New Testament at Bethel Seminary and the author of One Spirit: Pneumatology and Unity in the Corinthian Letters (published by Baylor University Press). In our conversation we talk about Paul's pneumatology in the Corinthian Correspondence, how studies in the concept of “third space” helps to move forward current conversations in Pauline scholarship, such as debates about Paul's understanding of the pneuma in Paul within Judaism. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne, Jennifer Guo, and Rev. Dr. Chris Porter. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we discuss the second season of the hit Netflix show, Squid Game. We chat about what we appreciated most about season 2 relative to season 1, how this season builds upon previous questions that the show raises about capitalism and makes the stakes more jarring as we think about its effects on younger generations and democracy itself, and we also offer up some theories about where the show is headed in the upcoming third season. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne, Dr. Brandon Hurlbert, Dr. Grace Sangalang Ng, Stanley Ng, Dr. Kris Song, and Dr. Logan Williams. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by Professor Sam Perry, who is Sam K. Viersen Presidential Professor at the University of Oklahoma is the Department of Sociology, and the author of several books, including, most recently, Religion for Realists: Why We All Need the Scientific Study of Religion (with Oxford University Press). In our conversation we talk about the importance of the sociological study of religion, especially with respect to the political climate in which we find ourselves around the globe. Some of the key insights that emerge from this are the ways that theological ideas are subsumed to group identity and other social and political dynamics. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. Josh Carroll, Dr. John Anthony Dunne, and Dr. Brandon Hurlbert. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by Professor Norman, who is Gilbert T. Rowe Distinguished Professor of Christian Theology & Senior Fellow at the Kenan Institute of Ethics at Duke University and the author of Love's Braided Dance: Hope in a Time of Crisis (published by Yale University Press). In our conversation we talk about how hope is an active embodiment of love, that the loveliness of the world is what inspires hopefulness, how hope should not be confused with optimism, the way that improper conceptions of hope perpetuate bystander syndrome and practical nihilism, and true hope is something that “happens in the dark.” Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. Josh Carroll, Dr. John Anthony Dunne, and Dr. Grace Emmett. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by Professor Gary Edward Schnittjer, who is Distinguished Professor of Old Testament in the School of Divinity at Cairn University in Pennsylvania, and Dr. Matthew Harmon, who is Professor of New Testament Studies at Grace Theological Seminary in Indiana. Together they are the authors of How to Study the Bible's Use of the Bible: Seven Hermeneutical Choices for the Old and New Testaments (published by Zondervan). Over the course of our conversation we talk about this resource that Prof. Schnittjer and Dr. Harmon have developed to help students and pastors study biblical intertextuality. We have fun discussing the book and getting into the weeds a bit on specific textual issues. We are also excited to say that we have a book and DVD giveaway that we're participating in for this book (https://www.amazon.com/dp/0310142458/) and lecture materials associated with it (see https://masterlectures.zondervanacademic.com/products/how-to-study-the-bible-s-use-of-the-bible). If you share our episode on social media, and tag us, you could win free copies! Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne, Dr. Brandon Hurlbert, and Dr. Madison Pierce. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we talk about the presentations we gave at the 2024 SBL & AAR conferences in San Diego and reflect on some of our highlights. We also took the mic around the book stalls for short interviews with various people, including: Prof. Steve Walton, Dr. Andy Judd, Dr. Holly Beers, Dr. Joshua Mobley, Dr. Jonathan Lett, Hakeem Bradley, Dr. Melissa Tan, Victoria Nay, Michael Thompson, and Dr. Christoph Heilig. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne, Jennifer Guo, Dr. Brandon Hurlbert, Dr. Madison Pierce, the Rev. Dr. Chris Porter, and Dr. Kris Song. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is a Live recording with audience of a discussion about genre with Professor Jeannine Brown and Dr. Andy Judd. The event was sponsored by Bethel Seminary, Ridley College (Melbourne), and The Two Cities podcast. Following up on our episodes on genre with each of them, we answer audience questions and dig deeper into the topic.Professor Jeannine Brown is David Price Professor of Biblical Foundations at Bethel Seminary and the author of Embedded Genres in the New Testament: Understanding Their Impact for Interpretation (published by Baker Academic).Dr. Andrew Judd is Deputy Principal and Lecturer in Old Testament at Ridley College (Melbourne) and the author of Modern Genre Theory: An Introduction for Biblical Studies (published by Zondervan).Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by Dr. Sydney Tooth, who is Director of Postgraduate Studies & Lecturer in New Testament and Greek at Oak Hill College in the UK, a beloved co-host of this here Two Cities podcast, and the author of the book that we're excited to discuss in this episode, Suddenness and Signs: The Eschatologies of 1 and 2 Thessalonians (published by Mohr Siebeck). Over the course of our conversation, Dr. Tooth talks with us about whether or not the eschatologies of 1–2 Thessalonians are incompatible with each other, as has often been argued, and how a close reading of both texts supports Pauline authorship for 2 Thessalonians. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne, Dr. Madison Pierce, and Dr. Sydney Tooth. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by Dr. Jesse Nickel, who is a member of the Faculty of Biblical Studies at Columbia Bible College in Abbotsford, British Columbia and the author of the new book, A Revolutionary Jesus: Violence and Peacemaking in the Kingdom of God (published by Fortress). Over the course of our conversation, we talk about Jesus's non-violent kingdom and his call to peacemaking, noting, among other things, how pacifism is not passive-ism. As we reflect on Dr. Nickel's book we make connections to the post-election climate in the States. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: the Rev. Dr. Nathaniel Adishian, Dr. John Anthony Dunne, and Dr. Brandon Hurlbert. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by Kaitlyn Schiess, who is a Doctoral Student at Duke Divinity School, the Co-host of the Holy Post podcast and host of the Curiously Kaitlyn podcast, and the author of The Ballot and the Bible: How Scripture Has Been Used and Abused in American Politics and Where We Go from Her (published by Brazos). Over the course of our conversation, Kaitlyn shares with us how she's processing the results of the US Elections while also offering us many wise words about managing the diverse emotional responses expressed by people in our churches and neighborhoods, the need to be curious in order to cultivate empathy for others, and the importance of showing up locally instead of being so nationally-focused, among many other valuable insights. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities: Dr. John Anthony Dunne, Dr. Madison Pierce, and Dr. Logan Williams. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we react in real time to the results of the US Elections at the end of Election Day on November 5th. We use this time to debrief openly and honestly, as well as pray and read Scripture together as we reflect on what the results mean for us, for America, and for the Church. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: the Rev. Dr. Nathaniel Adishian, Dr. John Anthony Dunne, Rev. Dr. Chris Porter, and the Rev. Dr. Daniel Parham. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by Professor Sam Perry, who is Sam K. Viersen Presidential Professor at the University of Oklahoma is the Department of Sociology and the author of several books, including two on the topic of Christian Nationalism, Taking America Back for God (with Andrew Whitehead, published by Oxford University Press), and The Flag and the Cross (with Philip Gorski, published by Oxford University Press). In this episode, Professor Perry talks about Christian Nationalism as an Ideology, identity, and political strategy. He also distinguishes between patriotism (which is about stewardship) and nationalism (which is about exclusion and rivalry). The conversation talks about some recent trends with Christian Nationalism that has developed since Prof. Perry's books on the topic have appeared. While being informative, Prof. Perry also offers some practical advice for the road ahead after the elections are over. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. Josh Carroll, Dr. John Anthony Dunne, Dr. Brandon Hurlbert, Rev. Dr. Chris Porter, and Dr. Logan Williams. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 In this episode we're joined by Dr. Yii-Jan Lin, who is Associate Professor of New Testament at Yale Divinity School and the author of the forthcoming book,  Immigration and Apocalypse: How the Book of Revelation Shaped American Immigration (with Yale University Press). Over the course of our conversation we discuss the conflation of America with the New Jerusalem in political rhetoric, and the implications that has for how some conservative politicians talk about immigration. We discuss pressing issues with immigration in America, our respective family experiences with immigration, and why we should not read Revelation. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: The Rev. Dr. Nathaniel Adishian, Dr. John Anthony Dunne, Dr. Grace Emmett, and the Rev. Dr. Chris Porter. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're talking about Preaching and Politics with Professor Matthew Kim and Dr. Paul Hoffman. Professor Matthew Kim is Professor of Preaching and Pastoral Leadership and the Holder of the George W. Truett Endowed Chair in Preaching and Evangelism at Truett Theological Seminary of Baylor University, and Dr. Paul Hoffman is lead pastor of Evangelical Friends Church in Newport, Rhode Island. Together they are the authors of Preaching to a Divided Nation: A Seven-Step Model for Promoting Reconciliation and Unity (published by Baker Academic). In this episode we talk about preaching in the light of the present political climate in the run-up to the US elections, and our guests emphasize the importance of discussing our identity in Christ over against a political party, how we might be guilty of making politics an idol, that fear is not a theological virtue, and that at the end of the day Christ is Lord no matter what happens. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. Josh Carroll, Dr. John Anthony Dunne, and Dr. Grace Sangalang Ng. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by Rev. Dr. N. Gray Sutanto, who is Associate Professor of Systematic Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary in Washington, DC, and the author or editor of several books on Neo-Calvinism and the theology of the Dutch theologian Herman Bavinck, including translating into English some of his previously untranslated works. Over the course of our conversation we talk about education, politics, and other elements related to the cultural mandate and the application of Reformed thought to culture. The episode is a bit of a hinge, functioning as a Protestant perspective on monasticism and asceticism, and as an entry point into our forthcoming episodes on politics and social life. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne and Rev. Daniel Parham. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we're joined by Br. Christian Matson, Ph.D., who is a Hermit in the Catholic Diocese of Lexington and the director of a theatre company focused on suicide prevention called Earendel Theatricals (earendelonstage.com). Over the course of our conversation, Br. Matson tells us about his unique journey to religious life, first as someone who converted from Protestantism to Catholicism and then as someone who struggled to find a religious order that would accept him as someone who identifies as transgender, which he explains in the episode. Br. Matson's story is one of perseverance and a resilient commitment to Christ as he faced opposition to his calling to religious life. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne and Rev. Daniel Parham. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by Rev. Dr. Isaac Augustine Morales, OP, who is Associate Professor of Theology at Providence College, an ordained Catholic priest, and a member of the Order of Preachers. Over the course of our conversation, Fr. Morales tells us about his journey in joining the Order of Preachers, what is distinct about the Dominican Order within the various branches of Religious Life, and we talk about how things like wearing his habit affects his teaching. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne and Rev. Daniel Parham. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Carrying on in our series on monasticism and religious orders, in this episode we're joined by Br. John Baptist Santa Ana, who is a monk in the Benedictine Order at St Andrew's Abbey in California, and a student at the University of Notre Dame studying Greek Patristics. Over the course of our conversation, Br. John Baptist talks with us about his personal journey into becoming a Benedictine monk, what life as a monk is like and what is distinctive about the Benedictine Order, and how he views monasticism as a specific calling and vocation given by God. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne and Rev. Daniel Parham. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by the Rev. Dr. Greg Peters, who is Professor of Medieval and Spiritual Theology in the Torrey Honors College of Biola University, an Anglican priest, and the author of several books on Monasticism, including The Monkhood of All Believers: The Monastic Foundation of Christian Spirituality (published by Baker) and The Story of Monasticism: Retrieving an Ancient Tradition for Contemporary Spirituality (also with Baker). In our conversation, Rev. Dr. Peters gives us an overview of monasticism and religious orders, and highlights how a kind of monasticism is a calling for all Christians. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne, Rev. Daniel Parham, and Dr. Logan Williams. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by Dr. Crispin Fletcher-Louis, who is a Fellow at the University of Gloucestershire and the author of the book that we're discussing in this episode, The Divine Heartset: Paul's Philippians Christ Hymn, Metaphysical Affections, and Civic Virtues (published by Cascade). Over the course of our conversation, we talk about Dr. Fletcher-Louis's massive volume on the Christ Hymn in Philippians 2, in which he makes several fascinating exegetical decisions rooted in a close reading of the passage and extensive research into Greek texts that have not been as extensively incorporated into the conversation previously. We discuss ancient practices of “bride-napping,” why certain portions of the Hymn are often poorly translated, and the pastoral implications of reading the Hymn the way that Dr. Fletcher-Louis does. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities includes: Dr. John Anthony Dunne, Dr. Madison Pierce, Rev. Dr. Chris Porter, and Dr. Logan Williams.Here is a link to the book's website for people to purchase digital copies, if desired: www.divineheartset.com Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by Professor Jeannine Brown, who is David Price Professor of Biblical Foundations at Bethel Seminary, a member of the NIV translation committee, and the author of a number of books on Hermeneutics and the Gospels as well as the book that we're excited to discuss in this episode, Embedded Genres in the New Testament: Understanding Their Impact for Interpretation (published by Baker). In our conversation we talk about the interpretative difference it makes to recognize how discrete genres appear within other broader genres (such as poetry within letters, riddles within Gospels, etc.), and how the embeddedness itself creates an interplay where both the broader genre and the embedded genre take on fresh characteristics as a result. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne, Dr. Madison Pierce, and Dr. Sydney Tooth. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by Rev. Dr. Andrew Judd, who is Deputy Principal and Lecturer in Old Testament at Ridley College in Melbourne, Australia, and the author of the book we're discussing in this episode, Modern Genre Theory: An Introduction for Biblical Studies (published by Zondervan Academic). Over the course of our conversation, Dr. Judd talks with us about the weird ways that scholars in biblical studies talk about genre, which is not often in line with modern literary studies and specifically modern genre theory. The conversation is fun and engaging, and is full of interesting examples and correctives. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne, Dr. Brandon Hurlbert, Stephanie Kate Judd, and Rev. Dr. Christopher Porter. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by Dr. Valerie Hobbs (@vhobbs5), Senior Lecturer in the School of English at the University of Sheffield and author of No Love in War: A Story of Christian Nationalism (@MayflyBooks). In this episode we discuss Dr Hobb's autoethnographic book about growing up in Christian Dominionism and the violence she witnessed and experienced, as well as the ways these ideologies continue to inflict harm. We also discuss the power of sharing our stories when it comes to truth-telling and the impact of witnesses who see and believe those stories. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Stanley Ng (@pstanng) and Dr Sydney Tooth (S_E_Tooth). Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by Dr. Winn Collier (@winncollier), Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology and Christian Imagination and Director of the Eugene Peterson Center for Christian Imagination at Western Theological Seminary (@westernsem) and author of A Burning in My Bones: The Authorized Biography of Eugene Peterson (@authenticmedia). In this episode, we talk about the life of Eugene Peterson and the themes that shaped his ministry and writing, especially his concern for pastoral integrity and his emphasis on living faithfully in one's own context. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. Sydney Tooth (S_E_Tooth). Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by Lucy S. R. Austen (@LucySRAusten) writer, editor, and author of the biography Elisabeth Elliot: A Life (@crossway). Over the course of our conversation, we discuss the process of biography writing and how one seeks to tell the story of a complex and influential person like Elisabeth Elliot. We explore the various cultural and relational influences on Elliot's life and teaching and discuss how biographies can raise questions about our own view of ourselves and our lives. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. Sydney Tooth. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CW: suicide and mental healthIn this episode, we're joined by Dr. Charles Marsh, Commonwealth Professor of Religious Studies and Director of the Project on Lived Theology (@LivedTheology) at the University of Virginia and author of Strange Glory: A Life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer (@AAKnopf) and Evangelical Anxiety: A Memoir (@HarperOneBooks). In this conversation we discuss the art of life-writing, exploring how to write honestly about the complexity of life and theology through biographies and memoirs and the formative role such works can through depicting lived theology. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. Brandon Hurlbert and Dr. Sydney Tooth. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by Jeremiah Gibson and Julia Postema, licensed psychotherapists and certified sex therapists based in Utrecht, The Netherlands, hosts a podcast called Sexvangelicals. As we talk about in our discussion with them, their specialization as therapists is helping couples coming out of negative religious backgrounds. In our conversation we talk about their perspective on topics like evangelical purity culture, sexuality and religion, etc., from their professional vantage point as people who themselves grew up in conservative Christian contexts. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne, Dr. Grace Sangalang Ng, the Rev. Dr. Christopher Porter, and Dr. Logan Williams. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by Prof. James McGrath, who is the Clarence L. Goodwin Chair in New Testament Language and Literature at Butler University and the author of the book that we're discussing here, Christmaker: A Life of John the Baptist (published by Eerdmans). Over the course of our conversation, we talk about biographical details that we can glean about John the Baptist, whether and how Mandaean literature can fill out our knowledge of the historical figure, how John innovated ritual immersion, John's potential relationship to Qumran, and why the Gospel authors seem so anxious to clarify how John relates to Jesus. Team members from The Two Cities on the episode include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne and Dr. Logan Williams. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by Dr. Scott Coley, who is Lecturer in the Department of Philosophy at Mount St. Mary's University, and the author of the book we're discussing in this episode: Ministers of Propaganda: Truth, Power, and the Ideology of the Religious Right (published by Eerdmans). Over the course of our conversation, we talk about the inner workings of the religious right and the kinds of legitimacy narratives it finds in scripture which perpetuate various problematic hierarchies on the basis of race, gender, etc. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne, the Rev. Daniel Parham, and the Rev. Dr. Nathaniel Warne Adishian. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by Dr. Sean McGever, who is Area Director for Young Life in Phoenix and teaches at Grand Canyon University, and who is the author of Ownership: The Evangelical Legacy of Slavery in Edwards, Wesley, and Whitefield (published by IVP). Over the course of our conversation, Dr. McGever informs us about the relationship that three prominent evangelists from the 18th century had with slavery, namely, Jonathan Edwards, John Wesley, and George Whitefield. We talk further about the legacy of each of their movements and the implications that this history has for us today. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne, the Rev. Daniel Parham, the Rev. Dr. Christopher Porter, and the Rev. Dr. Nathaniel Warne. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by Dr. Matthew Elia, who is assistant professor of theology, race, and environment at Saint Louis University, and the author of The Problem of the Christian Master: Augustine in the Afterlife of Slavery (published by Yale University Press). Over the course of our conversation we talk about what Augustine had to say about slavery, as well as how Augustine relates to the master class of his day. Dr. Elia interrogates this history by bringing Augustine into conversations that he is not normally brought into, such as Black Studies. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne and the Rev. Dr. Nathaniel Warne. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.