Best Daniel Beecher Podcasts (2024)

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Episode 66: Thou Shalt Not 1:04:06

2d ago1:04:06

1:04:06

Christian nationalism marches onward in the United States, and our hot take is: that's bad. Louisiana has now passed a law mandating putting a poster of The Ten Commandments™ in every classroom in the state. Lawmakers claim that they're providing historical context for the laws of the land. Historians say that's bunk. So what's really going on here…

1
Episode 65: I Got Soul, and I'm Super Bad 1:02:08

9d ago1:02:08

1:02:08

People talk all the time about souls. "He's my soulmate." "It was so scary, my soul left my body." "I'm going to destroy that piano if you don't stop playing Heart and Soul." But what are we actually talking about? Is there really a non-corporeal entity, an animating force inside each of us? Or are we just crude matter? And what does the Bible have…

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Episode 64: The Historicity of David 1:02:38

16d ago1:02:38

1:02:38

It's a judge and a king this week, and both are fascinating! First we're looking at Deborah, a prophet, a judge, and a really interesting figure whose story gets told twice in the Bible: back-to-back! Women often get short-shrift in the Bible, but Deborah's story is pretty satisfying. She's tough and her army wins the battle, and even more awesome-…

1
Episode 63: Wrastlin' With God 1:01:00

23d ago1:01:00

1:01:00

It's questionable heroes week here on the Data Over Dogma show, and we've packed in some big names! How big? How about the guy they named the whole tribe of Israel after? You know... Jacob. We're asking the big questions here: do striped sticks really make sheep have spotted lambs? Is a cruel trick fair-play if the other person falls for it? And mo…

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Episode 62: The Book of Enoch 59:30

1M ago59:30

59:30

It's the book that didn't make the cut. Enoch (or first Enoch, if you're nasty) is an important book, both historically and religiously. As a matter of fact, New Testament writers considered it scripture. So why, when you open your Bible at home, is Enoch nowhere to be found? This week we're exploring the mysteries of the book that got the boot. Wh…

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Episode 61: Christmaker! With James McGrath 1:04:35

1M ago1:04:35

1:04:35

Get ready for some fascinating stuff! It won't be a baptism by fire, but we will be immersed in some cutting edge information about John the Baptist. Dr. James McGrath joins us to discuss John and his new book Christmaker. And trust us- you're going to learn some cool stuff. Many people's image of John is just a wild-haired itinerant preacher dress…

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Episode 60: Silence, Woman! 58:04

1M ago58:04

58:04

Well, strap in y'all, because we're going after two of the most famous passages in all of the Bible. One of them is a nice story of Jesus and his mercy, the other is... less nice. Both are about women. And look out, M. Night Shyamalan, because we have a twist ending for both! We start it off with the story of the woman taken in adultery. This is th…

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Episode 59: The End(s) of Monotheism W/ David Burnett 1:07:11

2M ago1:07:11

1:07:11

They said they were going to do it, and doggonit, it got did! This week David Burnett makes his triumphal return to Data Over Dogma to discuss the recent academic conference on monotheism that he, Dan McClellan and others organized at Brown University. And if that sounds boring or dry to you, hold onto your butt, because—fire in the hole!—they were…

1
Episode 58: Translation Frustration 1:13:41

2M ago1:13:41

1:13:41

When people say they've read "the Bible," what do they mean? Well generally what they DON'T mean is that they read source texts in their original languages. Most of us don't have the time or desire to learn how to read ancient Hebrew or Greek, so we're at the mercy of other people to figure out how to render the two thousand plus year old writings …

1
Episode 57: Does the Bible say the Earth is Flat? 54:50

2M ago54:50

54:50

It's perhaps the most surprising conspiracy theory to pop up in this century. Humans have known that our planet is a sphere for literally thousands of years. Why, in a day of more advanced science than ever before, would people suddenly abandon that knowledge? Well, before our collective eyeballs all get too strained from rolling them, let's all pa…

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Episode 56: The Genesis of Genesis with Dr David Carr 1:09:39

2M ago1:09:39

1:09:39

If you've been listening to the show for any length of time, you know that the Bible did not come from any single source, nor does it speak with one voice. This week, we have Dr. David Carr with us to discuss "the primeval history" of Genesis 1-11, and and the sources from which those chapters sprung. Were these stories taken and modified from othe…

1
Episode 55: Can Jesus Forgive Sin? 57:31

3M ago57:31

57:31

This week, we're going to point out a blatant contradiction in the Bible, and if you don't like it... you'll just have to forgive us! In our first segment we'll talk about the epic end(s) of the the reign of king Ahaziah. There are two stories, and boy howdy- they do NOT line up! Then, we're talking new-testament forgiveness. Does Jesus have the ri…

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Episode 54: Black Hole Sun 1:11:35

3M ago1:11:35

1:11:35

You ever wonder if nefarious scientists are feverishly working to open a portal to allow demons out to begin the apocalypse? Well don't. That's silly. Nevertheless, some people ARE worried about that. And so many other silly things! This week, we look at the hysteria brought on by the recent total solar eclipse here in the U.S. and what Biblical im…

1
Episode 53: The Holy Ghost (and Bears!) 54:17

3M ago54:17

54:17

This week, it's a deep dive into the Biblical ideas of spirits, souls, trinitarian thought, evolutionary agency detection, demons... and that's just the first segment! What is a spirit or a soul, anyway? Where did that idea come from? And after we answer ALL those questions, who or what is the Holy Spirit? And then, you know, we talk about Elisha a…

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Episode 52: What is a Woman... Biblically? 1:10:48

3M ago1:10:48

1:10:48

It's a big question these days. A deeply personal issue for many, a wedge issue for politicians (and that doofus Matt Walsh), and a point of A LOT of misinformation when it comes to the position of the Bible. Well, we're not qualified to talk about the personal or the political much, but on this week's show, we'll definitely be able to dive head-fi…

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Episode 51: Is Religion Make-Believe? With Neil Van Leeuwen 1:04:06

4M ago1:04:06

1:04:06

It doesn't sound very nice, but this week we're asking the question: is religious belief the same as factual knowledge, or is closer to imagination? Cognitive scientist and philosopher Neil Van Leeuwen is here to walk us through the theory he puts forward in his book Religion as Make-Believe A Theory of Belief, Imagination, and Group Identity. And …

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Episode 50: Easter and the Undead 1:03:18

4M ago1:03:18

1:03:18

It's time for bunnies and chocolate, and recounting stories of brutal murder! For Christians around the world, Holy Week is an incredibly important time. But how well do you actually know the good, the bad, and the ugly of the last days of Jesus? But also... they weren't the last days, were they? This week, we're going through the Holy Week timelin…

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Episode 49: Christian Slavery with Candida Moss 59:23

4M ago59:23

59:23

Did Paul use slave labor to help him write his epistles? Would we even have a Bible without the work of enslaved people? This week, we welcome New Testament scholar Candida Moss, whose new book, God's Ghostwriters: Enslaved Christians and the Making of the Bible comes out later this month. In this book, Dr. Moss explores the widespread use of highl…

1
Episode 48: Jesus in History with Helen Bond 1:01:22

4M ago1:01:22

1:01:22

What do we know about Jesus? Not the character who is the subject of the Christian Bible, but the actual historical figure? Who was that person? What can we know about him? Do scholars even believe that he actually existed? This week, we welcome Helen Bond to walk us through the actual history, or as much of it as we can piece together. On another …

1
Episode 47: Introducing History Daily 37:30

5M ago37:30

37:30

This week we're doing something a little different. We're working with our friends over at History Daily to bring you some content that, though it is not Bible related, we think you'll really enjoy! Every weekday on History Daily, host Lindsay Graham (American Scandal, American History Tellers) takes you back in time to explore a momentous event th…

1
Episode 46: GENOCIDE! 1:07:33

5M ago1:07:33

1:07:33

It's a big, scary topic, but it's one that you can't avoid if you want to talk honestly about the the Bible and its contents: does the Bible contain genocide? And if so, does it condone the genocide it contains? On this week's show we're looking at mass destruction, and wrestling with what it is, and what it means in a biblical context. Is the stor…

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Episode 45: The Dead Sea Scrolls With Kipp Davis 1:15:03

5M ago1:15:03

1:15:03

You've probably heard of the Dead Sea Scrolls, but how much do you really know about them? Where did they come from, when were they discovered, and what can they tell us about the Bible as it was handed down to us? Also, are all the scrolls and fragments that have found their way into private collections and museums legitimate? This week we talk to…

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Episode 44: Biblical Marriage With Jennifer Bird 1:07:23

5M ago1:07:23

1:07:23

One man, one woman. That's what many pastors, priests, and politicians claim the Bible prescribes for marriage. Are they right? Can it be actually be boiled down to that one simple dynamic? Well, if you've been listening to our show, you know how completely unlikely that is. But don't just take our word for it, we've brought in a ringer on the subj…

1
Episode 43: Jesus Murders A Tree 1:01:55

5M ago1:01:55

1:01:55

It's one of the most baffling moments of the new testament. Jesus talks to, and kills, foliage. Because he was hungry, and it was out of season, so it didn't have fruit. Dr. Dan does his best to make it make sense. Then we get into some really fascinating textual analysis! Don't let the fancy name intimidate you, this dive into deutero-Isaiah is su…

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Episode 42: Is Jesus God? 1:04:39

6M ago1:04:39

1:04:39

Hooooo boy. This week, we're asking one of the biggest questions in Christianity. Is Jesus God? Specifically, we'll be looking at two questions. First, we examine the gospel most frequently cited to support the idea: the gospel of John. Literally, the first verse of John says "The Word was with God, and the Word was God", doesn't that kind of end t…

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Episode 41: Modest is Hottest? 1:07:13

6M ago1:07:13

1:07:13

Brace yourselves, friends, 'cause this week's episode is getting racy! First, we're uncovering Noah in his tent, and his poor son Ham is going to regret going in there! It seems unfair, but apparently seeing your dad naked is a really big deal in the book of Genesis. Is it big enough to curse an entire lineage forever? Maybe. Hopefully Dr. Dan can …

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Episode 40: The Joel McHale Episode! 1:02:36

6M ago1:02:36

1:02:36

That's right, kids. We got an honest-to-goodness celebrity to come talk to us. Joel McHale, the dashing star of hit shows like Community, The Soup, and Animal Control has inexplicably decided to join us this week to talk about his experience as a believing Christian in Hollywood, and what it means to him to hear Bible scholarship like what we have …

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Episode 39: Revealing Revelation 1:00:10

6M ago1:00:10

1:00:10

Beasts! Dragons! Blood! This week, we're talking about the last book of the New Testament, that wacky troublemaker of a book, Revelation. Who wrote it and why? Was it a fever dream? What era is it talking about? IS ARMAGEDDON COMING TO CLAIM US ALL TOMORROW? For the definitive answers to these questions... well, you'd have to ask a time traveler or…

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Episode 38: The [Three] [Wise Men] With Eric Vanden Eykel 1:03:28

7M ago1:03:28

1:03:28

Magi- they're the gift that keeps on giving! Last week we talked about a star, this week we're unpacking the mysteries of the fellas who followed that star. We've all seen them represented in nativity scenes: three men in elaborate dress, each bearing a different gift for the infant king, but is any of that actually biblical? What do we actually kn…

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Episode 37: Follow That Star! 1:05:37

7M ago1:05:37

1:05:37

A physicist? On a Bible podcast? At Christmas time? Well, there are a couple of ways that could go! This week, we welcome Dr. Aaron Adair onto the show. Dr. Adair's book, The Star of Bethlehem: A Skeptical View, discusses the famous star that led the wise men to baby Jesus in the book of Matthew. What could such a star have been? Is there a known h…

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Episode 36: The Why Question- With Jacob Wright 1:06:46

7M ago1:06:46

1:06:46

This week we're joined by Dr. Jacob Wright of Emory University. His new book Why the Bible Began leaves aside the questions of who wrote the Bible, what it is, when it was written, and how the Bible came to us, and instead focuses on the why. Why did the writings of this one small group of people survive and persist, when the records of much larger…

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Episode 35: Who ACTUALLY Wrote the New Testament? 59:09

7M ago59:09

59:09

Will the real authors of the Bible please stand up? This week on Data Over Dogma, we dig deep into who wrote what and why we know what we know. Did someone named Matthew write the gospel of Matthew? Did Paul actually write ALL the Pauline epistles? Authorship is a big question when it comes to the Bible, and it can be a very contentious topic. But …

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Episode 34: The Lion's Den 1:02:17

8M ago1:02:17

1:02:17

This week, Dan and Dan discuss Dan! That's right, it's time to discuss the book of Daniel, and hoo boy- it's a doozy! If you thought being chucked in with a bunch of lions is all there is to this book, you're in for a wild ride. Sure, the first half of the book is some fun stories about dream interpretation and lions and furnaces, but then things t…

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Episode 33: The Bible and Disability with Isaac Soon 1:03:05

8M ago1:03:05

1:03:05

Was the apostle Paul disabled? His letters may well point in that direction. But the more interesting question is: how much would it matter if he had been? This week, we welcome Dr. Isaac Soon to discuss disability--both now and in the ancient world--and how the lens of disability can provide stunning insights into the Bible, theology, and our own …

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Episode 32: The End is Near? 58:20

8M ago58:20

58:20

Is the second coming... coming? This week we're exploring the end. Not the end of the Bible, but the end of us! It's eschatology time, baby, and we're digging deep. Is the apocalypse described in the New Testament upon us? How will we know when it's coming? DID IT ALREADY HAPPEN? If you're anxious that current events might bring about the end of th…

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Episode 31: The Ten (ish) Commandments 1:07:18

8M ago1:07:18

1:07:18

How well do you know the ten commandments? Could you list them out in order? Which number is “You shall not boil a kid in its mother’s milk?" This week we're tackling the decalogue (decalogues?), and if you think that is a simple topic, you're in for a crazy ride. We explore the multiple lists of laws that have been called "The Ten Commandments" (y…

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Christian Nationalism Ain't Christian: With Andrew Whitehead 1:05:25

9M ago1:05:25

1:05:25

This week Data Over Dogma gets political as we welcome Dr. Andrew Whitehead. Dr. Whitehead is an Associate Professor of Sociology at IUPUI, director of the Association of Religion Data Archives, and author of the incredibly timely book American Idolatry: How Christian Nationalism Betrays the Gospel and Threatens the Church. As a sociologist, Whiteh…

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God's Big Fish Story 57:33

9M ago57:33

57:33

Is it possible for God to lie? The Bible says no. Multiple times, actually. But this is the Bible we're talking about, so even when it says no, yes might also be true... We start this week with the famous story of the Bible's worst mariner, Jonah. Why was he running away from God? Why did he spend some time in a fish? What did he smell like after? …

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Angels and Demons 59:30

9M ago59:30

59:30

Do you find yourself worried about a demon-haunted world? Do you look to angels for protection? This week, we're going to the source to see what the Bible actually says about all that. Forget the adorable winged toddlers your mother in law has hanging in her kitchen, because biblical angels are a whole 'nother type of celestial being! And as for de…

1
Where Angels Fear to Swim 59:32

9M ago59:32

59:32

Welp, armageddon is coming. Again. At least according to people who are watching for signs in the Euphrates river. This week the internet is taking biblical stories and really running with them, and we're here to check the facts and do the math. First, it's the great escape as angels attempt to free themselves from from their fluvial Alcatraz. Then…

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A Jewish Paul with Matthew Thiessen 56:26

9M ago56:26

56:26

This week we welcome scholar and author Matthew Thiessen to talk about his new book A Jewish Paul: the Messiah's Herald to the Gentiles. Thiessen goes into the hotly contested realm of Pauline interpretation, and discusses how deeply problematic (read: antisemitic) some of those interpretations can be. You can find Dr. Thiessen's books wherever you…

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A Beatitude Adjustment for Jordan Peterson 1:07:15

10M ago1:07:15

1:07:15

Jordan Peterson is a monster. Or at least he wants to be, and he wants you to be one too! This week on Data Over Dogma, we discuss the most famous sermon given by Jesus, and incredibly inaccurate (and frankly disgusting) way that J.P. decided to interpret it. We'll go through the sermon on the mount beatitude-by-beatitude, to explicate what each of…

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Tiptoe Through the Talmud with Miriam Anzovin 1:04:47

10M ago1:04:47

1:04:47

This week we say shalom to TikToker and self-proclaimed "massive Jewish nerd" Miriam Anzovin. Miriam has delighted many and enraged others in the Jewish world with her unorthodox (in all the ways) take on important Jewish texts. In her TikTok series "Daf Reactions" Miriam goes through the Daf Yomi, a page-a-day cycle of Talmudic study, tying the Ta…

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Abortion and the Bible 1:01:27

10M ago1:01:27

1:01:27

It's one of the big issues of our time. A great dividing line in our society. In fact, at this point it's almost impossible not to have big feelings about the issue of abortion. And one of the big weapons used in galvanizing people in the culture war is the Bible. But does it actually say what people on both sides of the issue claim it says? This w…

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Connecting With Source 1:06:51

10M ago1:06:51

1:06:51

Want to know why the first two books of the Bible conflict with each other? Confused by the story of Joseph that seems to keep switching its narrative mid-stream? Looking for an explanation for why the pentateuch (that's the first five books of the Bible) seems like it's a bunch of different traditions all smashed together? Well, this week on D>D, …

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Did the Exodus Really Happen? 1:06:14

11M ago1:06:14

1:06:14

Look out, Cecil B. DeMille, because the Dans are coming for you! That's right--making absolutely zero apologies to Messrs DeMille, Heston, or even Kilmer (for all you Dreamworks fans), we're letting the data run roughshod over the story of the biblical exodus. The tale is beloved: a man of lowly birth but raised among royalty returns to his roots t…

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I Knew a Guy Who Was SO OLD... 1:00:11

11M ago1:00:11

1:00:11

How old was he? Well, he was so old that Dr. Dan is sick of getting asked about him all the time! That's right, this week we're starting the show discussing the ages of the patriarchs. Did Noah and his ancestors really live over nine hundred years each? Could Adam actually have celebrated his great, great, great, great, great, great grandson's 50th…

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I'll make you a STAR! With David A. Burnett 1:18:24

11M ago1:18:24

1:18:24

You're not going to want to miss this one! This week, the Dans are resurrected as star stuff when they interview scholar and friend David A. Burnett. You're not going to want to miss this one, as David connects Paul's ideas of the afterlife with the deposing of the divine council, and a new arrangement in the firmament. Will you make the cut as a c…

1
The Devil Made Us Do It 1:00:42

11M ago1:00:42

1:00:42

Move over Shrek, because Data Over Dogma got their own talking donkey. That said, this is D>D, so you won't be surprised to learn that the verbose ass may be the least interesting thing about the story of Balaam. You'll have to listen to find out what twists and turns the discussion takes, but you know you're in for some fun when we tell you that a…

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The Case of the Missing Verses 59:21

12M ago59:21

59:21

First off this week, we're talking KJV. Where did the King James version of the Bible come from? Why is it a "version" and not a "translation"? Why did King James decide a new version was necessary, and was he actually involved in its creation? Is there-gasp-more than one King James Version? Then, the Dan's grab their magnifying glasses and deersta…

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