Best The Bible (Unmuted) with Dr. Matthew L. Halsted Podcasts (2024)

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#73: An Interview with Emmanuel Engulu: Apophatic theology, Trinitarianism, and Hermeneutics 58:54

1d ago58:54

58:54

In this conversation, Matt chats with Emmanuel Engulu (PhD candidate at Kings College, London). The conversation travels down many paths: apophatic theology, christology, incarnation, trinitarianism, the problems of subordinationism, and the list goes on. Weaved throughout the conversation is the thread of hermeneutics. Emmanuel discusses the role …

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#72: Revelation, Part 8 (Rev. 3:14-22) 38:45

8d ago38:45

38:45

The church of Laodicea considered itself rich and self-sustaining. And yet, it wasn't. Jesus calls it "wretched" and "poor." He also says the church is "lukewarm" and that he'd rather it be either "cold" or "hot." These metaphors have led to a lot of confusion and misunderstanding. What does Jesus mean by "hot"? Why does he say he'd rather them be …

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#71: Revelation, Part 7 (Rev. 3:7-13) 51:00

16d ago51:00

51:00

In the message to the church at Philadelphia, Jesus is described as one who possesses "the key of David." What is significant about a "key" in this context, and how does Isaiah shed light upon it? Many prophecy teachers, furthermore, think this message to the Philadelphian believers is actually a message about the final tribulation and specifically…

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#70: Revelation, Part 6 (Rev. 3:1-6) 49:17

24d ago49:17

49:17

The church at Sardis has a reputation for "being alive," but in reality they are a "dead" church. Jesus's response is simple: he tells them to have a change of heart and "wake up." But there are other aspects of this passage that are difficult to understand. For example, Jesus tells Sardis that, if they don't repent, he "will come like a thief." Do…

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#69: Revelation, Part 5 (Rev. 2:18-29) 42:12

1M ago42:12

42:12

In this episode, Matt leads listeners through the message given to the church at Thyatira (Rev. 2:18-29). This church was a growing church, though not without problems. A local false prophet, a person called "Jezebel," was apparently wreaking havoc upon the congregation by her teaching. Matt explores what, exactly, this might have been all about, a…

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#68: An Interview with Brian Zahnd, Part 2 (The Wood Between the Worlds) 39:32

1M ago39:32

39:32

Part 2 of 2 of Matt's interview with Brian Zahnd, the author of The Wood Between the Worlds: A Poetic Theology of the Cross (link below). Description: Everything about the gospel message leads to the cross, and proceeds from the cross. In fact, within the narrative of Scripture, the crucifixion of Jesus is literally the crux of the story―the axis u…

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#67: An Interview with Brian Zahnd, Part 1 (The Wood Between the Worlds) 40:15

1M ago40:15

40:15

Part 1 of 2 of Matt's interview with Brian Zahnd, the author of The Wood Between the Worlds: A Poetic Theology of the Cross (link below). Description: Everything about the gospel message leads to the cross, and proceeds from the cross. In fact, within the narrative of Scripture, the crucifixion of Jesus is literally the crux of the story―the axis u…

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#66: Revelation, Part 4 (Rev. 2:12-17) 44:24

2M ago44:24

44:24

The city of Pergamum had a long history with the Imperial Cult. How might knowing about that relationship help modern readers understand Rev. 2:12-17 -- particularly with respect to how John writes that "Satan's throne" resides in Pergamum? Are there other things in Pergamum to which this could refer? There's also the mention of the Old Testament c…

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#65: Revelation, Part 3 (Rev. 2:1-11) 52:05

2M ago52:05

52:05

In this episode, Matt takes listeners through the first and second messages to the seven churches -- to Ephesus and Smyrna, respectively. How do we understand the critique given to the Ephesian church? What is meant, for example, by their having "abandoned the love [they] had at first"? Moreover, who were the Nicolaitans, and what challenge did the…

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#64: Revelation, Part 2 (Rev. 1:9-20) 53:50

2M ago53:50

53:50

John’s opening vision of “the Son of Man” is full of Old Testament allusions, and readers need to gain familiarity with these OT texts in order to understand the depth of meaning John seeks to convey. It invites us to ask, “What did John’s vision—and the symbols inherent to it—intend to communicate? Why was it important for the seven churches to le…

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#63: Revelation, Part 1 (Rev. 1:1-8) 47:34

2M ago47:34

47:34

Revelation is an ancient text that garners a lot of speculation in today's modern world. Sadly, it's been read in such a way that has spread a lot of fear --not to mention confusion about what Christianity actually teaches about eschatology. In this episode, Matt kicks off a new series on this fascinating text, showing how it was originally intende…

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#62: Hermeneutics and Genre Theory: An Interview with Andrew Judd 1:08:22

3M ago1:08:22

1:08:22

In this episode, Matt talks with Andrew Judd, whose research brings together hermeneutics, genre theory, and biblical studies. Andrew gives listeners a tour of some of the more troubling/difficult passages of Scripture and brings to bear upon them them the insights of his research, specifically as it has to do with genre theory and the hermeneutics…

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#61: All The Genealogies of the Bible - An Interview with Nancy Dawson 1:17:13

3M ago1:17:13

1:17:13

Matt chats with Dr. Nancy Dawson about her new book, All the Genealogies of the Bible: Visual Charts and Exegetical Commentary⁠. Why are genealogies important? How do they contribute to discovering Scripture's narrative? How do genealogies give us insights into the way early Jewish and Christian people viewed the past in relation to their present? …

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#60: The Divine Council Worldview - An Interview with Ronn Johnson and Mike Chu 1:27:52

3M ago1:27:52

1:27:52

Matt chats with Ronn Johnson and Mike Chu, who both host The Divine Council Worldview Podcast. The conversation covers a range of topics, from what is a divine council worldview and the fall of spiritual beings to translation issues and the practical benefits of DCW. Subscribe to The Divine Council Worldview Podcast on all major podcast platforms, …

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#59: Thy Kingdom Come: Rethinking the Darkness of Earth in Light of the Dawn of Heaven 10:35

3M ago10:35

10:35

How can the Lord's Prayer help us anticipate the eschaton? In this episode, Matt takes listeners from Eden to Easter, showing how the bodily resurrection of Jesus can inspire us to work for the Kingdom here and now as we await our own resurrection. *This is based on an article posted to Matt's website, which you can read here: "Thy Kingdom Come" + …

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#58: Eschatology and Psalm 45 LXX (46 MT) 47:21

3M ago47:21

47:21

Matt takes listeners through Psalm 45 LXX (46 MT). This Psalm is well-known ("Be still, and know that I am God"; NRSV, v. 10), but many people might not be aware of its eschatological context -- the first clue of which can be found in the LXX superscription ("For the end"). What, for instance, does this Psalm have to do with the temple visions of E…

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#57: Musings on Psalm 22 (LXX) 1:00:51

4M ago1:00:51

1:00:51

Matt takes a deep dive into Psalm 22 LXX (23 MT). Lots of questions are explored. For example, what is meant by "soul" in v. 3? And what does it have to do with the body? Moreover, what sort of image is evoked in v. 5, where God sets a table "opposite those who afflict" the psalmist? Furthermore, how might Christians understand this "table" in ligh…

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#56: Romans, Part 25 (Rom 16) 1:06:03

4M ago1:06:03

1:06:03

In this final episode of the Romans series, Matt tackles a number of topics and addresses several important questions, such as: How does Romans 16 fit within the letter as a whole? Are there reasons for thinking it was not part of the original letter and, if so, how do these reasons hold up to critical scrutiny? Paul mentions a number of other peop…

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#55: Romans, Part 24 (Rom 15:14-33) 41:55

4M ago41:55

41:55

How did Paul envision his apostolic ministry with respect to, say, the Old Testament's levitical/sacrificial system? Did Paul think his ministry was wholly discontinuous with that system? Or did he see it as operating in continuity with it? Moreover, how did Paul think his missionary efforts related to the ministry of Isaiah's suffering servant? An…

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#54: Acts and More - An Interview with Steve Walton 1:00:03

4M ago1:00:03

1:00:03

Matt chats with Steve Walton, a Senior Research Fellow at Trinity, College, Bristol. Steve is the author of Reading Acts Theologically, which was published by T&T Clark in the Library of New Testament Studies series. He is currently working on an Acts commentary, which will be published as part of the Word Biblical Commentary set. Steve’s Acts comm…

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#53: Covenants and Cross-Purposes - An Interview with Berel Dov Lerner, Part 2 1:08:24

5M ago1:08:24

1:08:24

In this episode (Part 2 of 2), Matt talks with philosopher Berel Dov Lerner (PhD, Tel Aviv University) about his new book, Human-Divine Interactions in the Hebrew Scriptures: Covenants and Cross-Purposes. The conversation touches on a range of topics, including the benefits of an interdisciplinary approach to the study of the Hebrew Bible, the Abra…

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#52: Covenants and Cross-Purposes - An Interview with Berel Dov Lerner, Part 1 1:07:14

5M ago1:07:14

1:07:14

In this episode (Part 1 of 2), Matt talks with philosopher Berel Dov Lerner (PhD, Tel Aviv University) about his new book, Human-Divine Interactions in the Hebrew Scriptures: Covenants and Cross-Purposes. The conversation touches on a range of topics, including the benefits of an interdisciplinary approach to the study of the Hebrew Bible, the Abra…

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#51: The Hebrew Bible - Language, Translation, and "The Heresy of Explanation": An Interview with Robert Alter 1:04:34

5M ago1:04:34

1:04:34

In this episode, Matt talks with Dr. Robert Alter (PhD, Harvard University) about his Hebrew Bible translation. They discuss translation theory in general and what Alter calls "the heresy of explanation." A range of other topics are discussed as well: How the language of the Hebrew Bible compared with the everyday language of an ancient Hebrew, the…

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#50: Romans, Part 23 (Rom 15:1-13) 50:52

5M ago50:52

50:52

In Romans 14-15, Paul appeals to his christological convictions to help believers learn how to navigate for themselves life within a church full of different opinions. But he does this by way of appealing to Scripture, particular to Psalm 68 (LXX) in Romans 15. Matt argues that Paul's use of Scripture here -- like the many times before in Romans --…

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#49: Romans, Part 22 (Rom 14) 39:11

5M ago39:11

39:11

In the early Roman church, it appears there might have been some serious disagreements about whether (and how) to follow certain dietary restrictions. While Jewish Christians, for instance, would have wanted to follow the dietary regulations outlined in Torah, Gentiles Christians likely had different opinions on the matter. In Romans 14, Paul offer…

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#48: Romans, Part 21 (Rom 13) 42:01

6M ago42:01

42:01

Questions about the relationship between earthly empires and the heavenly Kingdom is one that garners a lot of discussion and debate these days. But as we read through Romans 13 (and, at the same time, taking into account the witness of other relevant New Testament texts) the message is clear: Christians are to pass their days in exile by exhibitin…

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#47: Celebrating Advent with Apocalyptic Eyes 53:09

6M ago53:09

53:09

During this Advent season, we prepare our hearts for Christmas. This involves, quite naturally, reflecting on Jesus' coming to the earth 2,000 years ago. (And it also involves anticipation -- awaiting the day when he returns again.) But as we reflect upon the coming of Jesus, we have to ask ourselves, What did Jesus reveal to us by his coming? One …

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#46: What Hath Darwin to Do with Scripture? An Interview with Dr. Dru Johnson 56:56

7M ago56:56

56:56

So what hath Darwin to do with Scripture? That's the question Dr. Dru Johnson seeks to answer in his latest book. In this episode, I chat with Dru about all things evolution -- well, not all the things. Due to time constraints I, quite naturally, had to select only a few of the important ones (did you see what I did there?). At any rate, the questi…

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#45: Preview Pod 1:15

7M ago1:15

1:15

In a few days I will be interviewing Dr. Dru Johnson about his new book, What Hath Darwin to Do with Scripture? Comparing Conceptual Worlds of the Bible and Evolution. If you have questions you would like to ask Dr. Johnson about evolution and how it might relate to the scriptural creation stories, send them my way. You can do so by submitting the …

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#44: Torah & Meditation - Reading Psalm 1 (LXX) 51:59

7M ago51:59

51:59

Has the practice of extended and uninterrupted attention become a lost art -- not least with respect to meditating on Scripture? In the first chapter of the Psalter, we learn that the godly person lives a life of meditation on Torah. In this episode, Matt takes listeners through this text and discusses ways in which the righteous life is contrasted…

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#43: Romans, Part 20 (Rom 12:9-21) 1:01:07

7M ago1:01:07

1:01:07

In this episode, we take a look at Romans 12:9-21, where Paul encourages Christians to live out genuine, unhypocritical love toward others. The apostle gives readers a strategy for facing the trials and tribulations of life -- namely, exhorting them to a life of hope, endurance, and prayer. As Matt comments, prayer entails communication with God, b…

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#42: Romans, Part 19 (Rom 12:1-8) 49:58

7M ago49:58

49:58

In this episode, Matt dives into Romans 12:1-8, where Paul encourages the church to be a living sacrifice. What does this mean? What is the significance of that word "sacrifice," and how does Paul use this concept to shape his readers' ecclesiology? And what does it have to do with spiritual gifts? Listen to find out! Pre-order Matt's newest book, …

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#41: Romans, Part 18 (Rom 11) 55:28

8M ago55:28

55:28

If you read Romans 9, you need to read Romans 11. The points Paul makes in Romans 11 are so significant such that, if you were to miss them (or ignore them), you'll misunderstand how he reads key parts of the Jewish story. In this episode, we dive into Romans 11 and see how Paul continues, and builds upon, his previous discussions about "foreknowle…

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#40: Romans, Part 17 (Rom 10) 42:58

8M ago42:58

42:58

In this episode, Matt gives a tour through Romans 10, where Paul showcases some of his creative exegetical moves. In this chapter, Paul says Jesus is the telos (culmination) of the Torah (Rom 10:4). In this vein, Paul continues along the same road as his previous statements about the Law and its relationship to the manifestation of the righteousnes…

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#39: Artemis and the New Testament: An Interview with Dr. Sandra Glahn 59:50

8M ago59:50

59:50

In this episode, Matt chats with Sandra Glahn (PhD, University of Texas at Dallas) about her latest book, Nobody's Mother: Artemis of the Ephesians in Antiquity and the New Testament. Sandra's book is a must-read for anyone interested in the Greco-Roman world and, specifically, the New Testament. Of particular interest in this conversation is how t…

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#38: The Doctrine of Justification: An Interview with Dr. Matthew J. Thomas 1:19:36

8M ago1:19:36

1:19:36

What does it mean to be "justified"? This is a question that has been discussed and debated for a long time within the Christian tradition. And it's one that continues to garner much attention even today. This week Dr. Matthew J. Thomas joins the show to chat about his recent article on the doctrine of justification, which was published by the St A…

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#37: Are We Alone in the Universe? An Interview with Dr. Paul Thigpen 1:11:51

8M ago1:11:51

1:11:51

Matt is joined by Dr. Paul Thigpen, the author of Extraterrestrial Intelligence and the Catholic Faith: Are We Alone in the Universe with God and the Angels? Matt and Paul discuss some of the biblical and theological issues that might come up if we were to discover extraterrestrial existence. For example, what sort of ontological status would ETs h…

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#36: Women, Submission, and Household Codes 49:51

9M ago49:51

49:51

In this episode, we visit some interesting (and, indeed, controversial) texts. What does Paul mean when he says wives should "submit" to their husbands (Ephesians 5)? When he writes a letter to Corinth, Paul also says that women are to be "silent" in the church (1 Corinthians 14). How should we interpret that passage? And why does Peter call women …

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#35: Romans, Part 16 (Romans 9:14-33) 48:53

9M ago48:53

48:53

In Romans 9:14-33, Paul talks about God's right to show mercy in the way he wants, with the same being said about divine hardening. To illustrate this, the apostle brings to the fore the story of Pharaoh, who God hardened. Matt connects this story, and the concept of hardening, back to Romans 1, which arguably sheds some light on how to understand …

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#34: Romans, Part 15 (Rom 9:1-13) 40:00

9M ago40:00

40:00

In this episode, Matt continues to discuss Paul's concept of election. He tackles a range of questions, such as: What do Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob have in common with respect to their election? And what does that have to do with the Gentiles? Moreover, what does Paul intend to communicate in Romans 9:13, when he says that God has “loved Jacob, but.…

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#33: Romans, Part 14 (Rom 8:29-30) 1:39:59

9M ago1:39:59

1:39:59

In this episode, Matt revisits Romans 8, specifically drawing attention to verses 29-30. These verses have for years been the subject of much attention, debate, and controversy. Do these verses teach that God has predestined some for eternal life? If so, does this mean that God also predestined some to eternal reprobation? If so, what does this say…

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#32: Romans, Part 13 (Rom 8) 54:57

10M ago54:57

54:57

Matt takes listeners through Romans 8, where Paul continues his engagement with the Old Testament's Exodus narrative. In this chapter, Paul appears to be alluding back to God's leading the people of Israel out of Egypt, his dwelling with his people in the tabernacle, his adoption of Israel as his "son," and his judgment upon spiritual beings (the "…

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#31: Tell Her Story: An Interview with Dr. Nijay Gupta 53:32

10M ago53:32

53:32

In this episode, Matt talks with Dr. Nijay Gupta, a biblical scholar at Northern Seminary. They chat about his latest book, Tell Her Story: How Women Led, Taught, and Ministered in the Early Church. In his book, Nijay does a fantastic job showing how the Bible depicts women taking up the mantle of ministry, faithfully proclaiming the Gospel of Jesu…

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#30: Receive the Holy Spirit: An Interview with Dr. Dan Wilt 1:01:31

10M ago1:01:31

1:01:31

In this episode, Matt chats with Dr. Dan Wilt, the author of the new book Receive the Holy Spirit: A 70-day Journey through the Scriptures. Dan shares about why he wrote the book, as well as fields some questions about how (and whether) God speaks to us today, the contemplative life, and how we can use our Spirit-wrought gifts in our various contex…

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#29: Romans, Part 12 (Rom 7) 59:37

10M ago59:37

59:37

This episode builds upon the previous one, which outlined the ways in which Paul retells the Exodus story in Romans 6 in light of his christological convictions. It was there where Paul contextualized Christian baptism as an "exodus." In this episode, Matt explores Romans 7, where Paul continues with that same line of thinking. Paul argues that onl…

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#28: Romans, Part 11 (Rom 6) 1:07:26

11M ago1:07:26

1:07:26

In many ways, the meaning of Romans 6 is straightforward: If you're a Christian, baptized into the Messiah, then don't go back to the old ways of sinful living. Paul is adamant that, for those who have been united to Christ, the sinful lifestyle must be a thing of the past. This much is clear from the text.But is there more going on beneath the tex…

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#27: Romans, Part 10 (Rom 5) 43:41

11M ago43:41

43:41

In Romans 5, Paul continues his discussion about justification by describing what results in justification, namely, peace with God. Paul continues his exposé by hearkening readers back to Genesis, where Adam sins. Modern readers are left with pressing questions -- not least about how the sin of Adam impacted humanity as a whole. Does this negate in…

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#26: Theology and the Bible: An Interview with Dr. Andrew Hollingsworth 1:40:29

11M ago1:40:29

1:40:29

What is theology? And what is the relationship between theology and the Bible? In this episode, Matt chats with Andrew Hollingsworth, a well-versed theologian who has a knack for these sorts of questions. Matt and Andrew discuss the role reason and tradition play in interpreting Scripture, as well as the ins and outs of theological method -- dabbli…

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#25: Christianity, ET, and UFOs 2:45

11M ago2:45

2:45

Would the discovery of aliens undermine Christianity? In this short episode, I introduce a new article I wrote for Premier Christianity magazine (link below). Premier Christianity article: https://www.premierchristianity.com/features/why-its-time-for-christians-to-take-ufos-seriously/15974.article Interview with Ross Coulthart: https://youtu.be/Zlj…

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#24: Questions and Answers 2 29:15

11M ago29:15

29:15

In this episode, Matt address two listeners questions about eschatology: (1) What does it mean to "watch" and "wait" for Jesus' future return in the current day? And (2) when the Bible says God will save Christians from "wrath," how does this square with the view that says there will be no rapture? Both questions are fantastic, and the various bibl…

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