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This podcast is for people who are curious about the ancient context that influenced the final shape of the Bible…AND ALSO…how our modern context influences the way we understand the Bible and God and all things spiritual.
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The Bible does not need to be rewritten, but it needs to be reread. In this podcast, Dr. Parker shares a behind the scenes look at some of Israel Bible Center's most popular online courses. Each week faculty members sit down to discuss the ancient literature, history, culture, customs, and theology that will uncover rich new ways to understand the Bible. For more from the Israel Bible Center go to: www.israelbiblecenter.com
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Sunday sermons from the pastoral team at Resurrection Philadelphia
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Podcast by Pillar Seminary
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Rev 19:1-10 Am I a paragon of faith? (The honest answer is no.) While I once thought that I should labor to look and act and believe just like the other "successful" Christians in my life, I've been freed up by something Thomas Merton once wrote: "For me to be a saint means to be myself." Noth that godly person I greatly admire, but myself. I see n…
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Rev 21:1-27 "[I]t is the very transcendence of God - in the ascension of the Son who now reigns from heaven, and in the futurity of the coming kingdom for which we pray - that disciplines and disrupts and haunts our tendency to settle for 'this world.' It is the call of the Son from heaven, and the vision of the new Jerusalem descending from heaven…
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Part 2: No Such Thing as 400 Years of Silence
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In today's episode with the Rev. Dr. George Athas, we pick up the historic overview of what is incorrectly called the 400 years of silence. We dive into the significant historical influence of Greek culture and thought on Jewish society, especially during the Hellenistic period. In the Hasmonean period, we find the rise of anti-Dividic position of …
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Rev 20:1-15 "For believers, the last judgment is not so much a process by which the moral quality of human deeds is made unmistakably manifest and appropriate rewards and punishments apportioned, but rather, and above all, an event in which sinners are forgiven and justified. Christ the final judge is none other than Christ the merciful savior." - …
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We casually talk about 400 years of silence between the Old and New Testaments, but why do we say that? Who was the first to coin that phrase? What if that is an anti-Messianic statement? Then shouldn't we be more aware of the history and the development of Jewish thought to develop better vocabulary to talk about this time period? The short answer…
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Dr. Heath Thomas is back to talk more about his book The Minor Prophets: A Theological Introduction. Often the prophets are not addressing the individual's sin but the whole community's sin. So what does it mean to live as a distinctive community that represents a distinctive God? How do the writings of the prophets create expectations for the comi…
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Exploring Your Spiritual Autobiography with Dr. Angela Washington
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In this episode, we explore spiritual autobiographies and discuss how looking back at the ways God has equipped us through trials and tribulations helps us face new challenges with greater clarity and faith. You won’t want to miss this inspiring conversation! Dr. Angela D. Washington is an ordained elder in both the United Methodist Church and Nati…
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Rev 18:1-20 The kingdom of God is an alternative political fact that stands in tension with the empires, all of which are falling away. If this is true, then the hostile and belligerent partisanship among American Christians might be compared to a fistfight over table manners on the sinking Titanic. - Lee Camp, Scandalous Witness…
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Dr. Heath Thomas grow up as a pastor's kid, thought he'd be an English teacher but ended up specializing in Hebrew Poetry. He is now the president of Oklahoma Baptist University and somehow found time to co-write a book with Craig Bartholomew titled the Minor Prophets: A Theological Introduction. We talk about what the role of the prophet is, the c…
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Rev 13:1-18 To trust in the strength of God in our weakness; to say, "I am weak: so let me be: God is strong;" to seek from him who is our life, as the natural, simple cure of all that is amiss with us, power to do, and be, and live, even when we are weary, - this is the victory that overcometh the world. - George MacDonald, "Life," in Unspoken Ser…
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Although cherubim in European art are cute, small, and angelic, the ancient world thought of them as terrifying protectors. In today's conversation, Dr. Gray continues to describe what we can learn about the ancient world by looking at their art. What did these people believe about hybrid creatures like the cherubim, seraphim, and sea serpents play…
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Rev 12:1-17 Jesus and other early Christians were not executed because they were spiritual. They were executed because their politic was a threat to the powers that be. - Lee Camp, Scandalous WitnessBy Rev. Chris Currie
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If the imagination influences spiritual formation, then what can we discover about how people in the ancient world thought of the spiritual realm by looking at their art? Today's guest is Dr. Taylor Gray, and we will discuss how exploring iconography helps us understand ancient customs, stories, and ways of thinking about the divine world. Find out…
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Exploring Discipleship with Marty Solomon
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The Pillar Podcast team sat down with Marty Solomon, President of Impact Campus Ministries and host of the BEMA podcast. Tune in to hear about his powerful spiritual journey, insights on Judaic discipleship, and the eastern vs western understandings of the Bible. Plus, we discuss his book Asking Better Questions of the Bible: A Guide for the Wounde…
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Rev 7:9-17 "Imagination is one of the essential ministries in nurturing the life of faith. For faith is not a leap out of the everyday but a plunge into its depths." - Eugene Peterson, Run With the Horses | The church in eternity will appear more lovely, but it will not be more loved. - Megan Hill, A Place to Belong…
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Today we continue our conversation about Dr. Lanta Davis' new book called Becoming by Beholding. We begin with "bestiaries" - what they are and what their purpose was in early Christian art. We also talked about art and architecture. Does the shape and design of a church building indicate how worship is practiced inside? And how can ancient depicti…
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Rev 5:1-14 The gaze of God is both what we fear and what we can't do without. Scripture makes it clear that apart from God's coming to us and opening our eyes, we cannot know him truly. Talk about epistemic difficulties! For us to know him, he must know us first. Our knowing is warped, especially when it comes to knowing God, because of human rebel…
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Dr. Lanta Davis joins us today to talk about her new book called Becoming by Beholding. Her book will prompt you to think about the connection between art, imagination, and theology. How did the historic church think about the imagination and spiritual formation, and can we do a better job of that in today's environment? Are we aware enough of what…
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Rev 3:1-22; John 17:20–26 The life of faith revealed and nurtured in the biblical narratives is highly personal but never merely individual: always there is a family, a tribe, a nation - church. Eugene Peterson, Reversed ThunderBy Dr. Cyndi Parker
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"A dissident is a person of hope, someone who imagines a better, future world, and then begins to embody that world. It's someone who speaks to promote that better, future vision and against what is wrong in the present." - Scot McKnight and Cody Matchett, Revelation for the Rest of Us Rev 2:1-29; John 17:13–19…
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Hospitality, Idolatry, and Suffering in Acts 14 with Dr. Dan Lowery
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Today the Pillar Podcast team takes a look at Acts 14 in which Paul and Barnabas are mistaken for pagan deities. The team explores the implications of this passage for 21st century understandings of hospitality, suffering, and idolatry. Missed any episodes? Catch up on all of them at http://pillarseminary.org/podcast! #Podcast #PillarPodcast #Chris…
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An introduction to the context of the Book of Revelation by Professor Emeritus at Missio Seminary, Steve Taylor.By Steve Taylor
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Rev 1:1-20By Rev. Ryan McCormick
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Ephesians 3:14-21, Psalm 103 “Dear friend, being the Beloved is the origin and the fulfillment of the life of the Spirit. I say this because, as soon as we catch a glimpse of this truth, we are put on a journey in search of the fullness of that truth and we will not rest until we can rest in that truth. From the moment we claim the truth of being t…
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Luke 14:15-24By Rev. Vito Baldini
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Christian Nationalism: What did we learn?
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Join us for the final episode of the Pillar Podcast series on Christian nationalism, where the team shares heartfelt reflections and provides resources for those looking to engage and serve in this complex space. #christiannationalism #beadisciple #loveyourneighbor #serveyourneighbor #sermononthemount #politics #pillarseminary #seminary #podcast…
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John 15:1-11 / Isaiah 5:1-7 When we read Scripture in light of the resurrection, we understand Scripture as testimony to the life-giving power of God. The resurrection of Jesus is not an isolated miracle but a disclosure of God's purpose finally to subdue death and to embrace us within the life of the resurrection.... The God with whom we have to d…
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Mark 7:24–30 You either come to the text with a view of what is and isn’t possible in the world, which won’t allow any fresh evidence - which is not, perhaps, the best way of approaching a book like John, which is all about the challenge of the gospel to all existing world-views - or you come with at least an open mind to new possibilities hitherto…
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Isaiah 55:10-13; Mark 4:1–20 With Christ as our true teacher, we are called to a lifelong journey of joint inquiry in which we seek to embody Scripture wisely and faithfully in Christian community. After all, even as we apprentice ourselves to Christ and to saintly exemplars before and around us, we are simultaneously called to live in such a way t…
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Matt 20:1–16 When we ignore or minimize the importance of the original context, our default position will be to fill in the textual backdrop with our own social context. In other words, we will assume that things in the biblical context are just like they are in our own. So there is no way to attain a reading of a biblical text without a context. -…
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Luke 19:1-10 Ezekiel 34:11-16 The gospel story is precisely this: it is a story. It is not a collection of esoteric philosophical musings, nor is it a reflection upon a series of mystical experiences or contemplative insights. The gospel story is a narrative, or rather a series of narratives; it issues from the testimony of those who saw and heard …
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Loving your Neighbor with Caleb Campbell, Part 2
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We're excited for Part 2 of our conversation with Caleb Campbell, Lead Pastor at Desert Springs Bible Church and founder of Disarming Leviathan! In this episode, we dive into Caleb's new book, Disarming Leviathan: Loving your Christian Nationalist Neighbor, and explore how Christians can approach conversations with family and friends leaning toward…
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Loving your Neighbor with Caleb Campbell, Part 1
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The Pillar Podcast team sits down with Caleb Campbell of Disarming Leviathan to discuss how to love your Christian Nationalist neighbor. In this episode, Caleb shares his church’s experience through its recent political turbulence and how he navigates a community divided by politics. Check out his new book on Amazon! #PillarPodcast #CalebCampbell #…
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Ezekiel 43:1–5 and 47:1–12; Rev 22:1–5 "We need a way of approaching Scripture that will move us very concretely from our overreliance on information gathering to an experience of Scripture as a place of intimate encounter." - Ruth Haley Barton, Sacred RhythmsBy Dr. Cyndi Parker
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Conspiracies, Anti-Intellectualism, and Humility with Dr. Mike Austin, Part 2
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The Pillar Podcast finishes up a conversation with our very special guest Dr. Mike Austin, Professor and Coordinator for Philosophy and Religious Studies at Eastern Kentucky University. Join us as we dive into some of his books and explore deep topics like humility and anti-intellectualism within evangelicalism. Check out Mike's book on Amazon! #Pi…
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Ezekiel 37:1–14; John 20:19–23 Whenever we pick up the Bible, read it, put it down, and say, "That's just what I thought," we are probably in trouble. The technical term for that kind of reading is "proof-texting." Using the text to confirm our presuppositions is sinful; it is an act of resistance against God's fresh speaking to us, an effective de…
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2 Samuel 6:1-11; Luke 8:40-48 We do not invite the text into a transformation of its original meaning, into a new application geared toward our thought forms; rather, the text invites us into a transformation of allegiances and commitments, which will manifest itself in behaviors appropriate to our social worlds. - Joel Green, "Practicing the Gospe…
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Dr. Ryan Vroegindewey joins us once again to talk about the global food system, how animal welfare matters, and how to think about "organic", "mono cropping", and "genetically modified food". Helpful books referenced in today's episode: Stewards of Eden by Sandra Richter Scripture Culture and Agriculture by Ellen Davis The collected works publicati…
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How does the Bible instruct us to treat the world, our food, and our ground? Today we talk with Dr. Ryan Vroegindewey about how he became aware of the complexities in our global food systems and what we can all do to become more informed with the choices we make. Helpful books referenced in today's episode: Stewards of Eden by Sandra Richter Script…
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Conspiracies, Anti-Intellectualism, and Humility with Dr. Mike Austin
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The Pillar Podcast team sits down with special guest Mike Austin, Professor and Coordinator for Philosophy and Religious Studies at Eastern Kentucky University. Join us as we dive into some of his books and explore deep topics like humility and anti-intellectualism within evangelicalism. Check out Mike's book on Amazon! #PillarPodcast #MikeAustin #…
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Daniel 5 Luke 20:5-19 Our understanding does not seamlessly conform to God's reality, and instruction that suggests otherwise inevitably distorts the truth. The explanatory power such instruction generates is a mark of propaganda, not faithful Christian witness. Good teachers do not make Christianity easier for students by providing them with count…
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Dr. Stephen Ko is an interdisciplinary writer at the intersection of faith, medicine, and public health. He is also the Senior Pastor of New York Chinese Alliance Church. In his new book Faith Embodied, Dr. Ko explores the intersection of his medical knowledge with his spiritual insights. Using our senses can we learn to see Scripture in a new way …
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Genesis 18:16–33; Matthew 11:20–24 Interpretations of Scripture are not just right and wrong, although at times such categories are useful and necessary. But perhaps ultimately a more adequate way of judging our readings is the way we judge works of art - according to the standards of beauty. To what extent do our readings reveal the intricacy, the…
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Dr. Stephen Ko is an interdisciplinary writer at the intersection of faith, medicine, and public health. He is also the Senior Pastor of New York Chinese Alliance Church. In his new book Faith Embodied, Dr. Ko explores the intersection of his medical knowledge with his spiritual insights. Using our senses can we learn to see Scripture in a new way …
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Dr. Kyle Keimer is one of the newest professors at Pillar Seminary. In this episode, Dr. Keimer meets up with the Pillar Podcast team to discuss his fascinating work in archaeology and how it helps unravel the world of the Bible. Kyle specializes in the archaeology of ancient Israel and the Hebrew Bible. Currently, his research focuses on the archa…
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Genesis 3; Matthew 4:1-11 Biblical authority is tied inseparably to the author's intention. God vested his authority in a human author, so we must consider what the human author intended to communicate if we want to understand what God's message is. Two voices speak: the human author is our doorway into the room of God's meaning and message. Thus, …
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Dr. Mark Glanville joins us today from his piano to talk with me about his newly released book titled Improvising Church: Scripture as the Source of Harmony, Rhythm and Soul. We start with a conversation about the need for churches to develop according to their local context - the flavor of the places they are in. We then talk about worship in poly…
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Acts 8:26-40By Rev. Vito Baldini
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Dr. Mark Glanville joins me from his piano to talk about his new book Improvising Church: Scripture as the Source of Harmony, Rhythm, and Soul. What is it about jazz and scripture that make them natural conversation partners regarding the modern church? Is there a way to create churches that are characterized by being leader-full, where the imagina…
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Cyndi Parker is one of our newest professors at Pillar Seminary. Join us in welcoming and getting to know Cyndi as she describes her previous work in Israel and around the world, her podcast “Context Matters”, and her passion for the land of the Bible! We are thrilled that she will be teaching our students this fall. Reach out to us at admissions@p…
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