In episode 38 of TheoDisc, Kenny chats with Dr Nijay Gupta, who would say that weirdness was actually what made the early church attractive. Nijay’s latest book, Strange Religion, talks about how the First Christians were weird, dangerous and compelling. They spoke about how understanding the way these Christians navigated their world with the mess…

Episode: What might Scripture have to contribute to contemporary discussions about criminal justice (esp. as practiced in the United States)? In this episode, Matt Lynch speaks with trial lawyer and author […] The post Matthew Martens – Reforming Criminal Justice first appeared on OnScript.By Matthew Bates, Matthew Lynch, Erin Heim, Dru Johnson, Amy Brown Hughes, & Chris Tilling

In episode 37 of TheoDisc, Kenny had a really insightful and helpful conversation with Terran Williams on Paul’s instruction in his first letter to Timothy, commonly translated in our English Bibles as ‘I do not permit a woman to teach or have authority over a man’. They focussed in on what is happening in 1 Tim 2 concerning women teaching and lead…

Episode: Has the quest for the historical Jesus been plagued by an anti-liturgical sentiment? Michael Barber joins OnScript to discuss the historical Jesus, best method, and Jesus’s mysterious engagement with […] The post Michael Barber – The Historical Jesus and the Temple first appeared on OnScript.…

In episode 36 of TheoDisc, Kenny is joined by Prof Murray Rae, and they address the question: "Why is the resurrection of Jesus important?" Murray works from the narrative of scripture to explore the ways the resurrection influences our understanding of Christ, salvation, the future, mission, the church, and the unfolding purpose of history. They d…

Episode: Fighting statues? Mystery cults? Roman religion was strange. Yet in many ways Christianity was even stranger. Nijay Gupta’s Strange Religion explores how Christianity was oddly attractive to Romans. If […] The post Nijay K. Gupta – Strange Religion first appeared on OnScript.By Matthew Bates, Matthew Lynch, Erin Heim, Dru Johnson, Amy Brown Hughes, & Chris Tilling

In episode 35 of TheoDisc, Kenny chats with Dr Amy Brown Hughes about a topic that has often been left for Youth groups to discuss nervously - that’s the topic of Virginity. In her work in historical theology, Amy has explored the ways that, for the church, virginity has historically been about more than just sexual abstinence, but was a calling, a…

Episode: Strawn argues that keeping secrets makes us sick, and the Old Testament offers a way to speak honestly about the BIG things like sin, suffering, and violence. Guest: Brent Strawn […] The post Brent Strawn – Honest to God Preaching first appeared on OnScript.By Matthew Bates, Matthew Lynch, Erin Heim, Dru Johnson, Amy Brown Hughes, & Chris Tilling

Episode:In final part of our three-part series (finally!), Chris and Kyle discuss the year’s top ten archaeological discoveries and stories related to the Bible, including in this one, a weird […] The post Final Best Archaeological Finds of 2023 (pt 3) first appeared on OnScript.By Matthew Bates, Matthew Lynch, Erin Heim, Dru Johnson, Amy Brown Hughes, & Chris Tilling

Episode: In this episode, Dru Johnson talks with Garrick Allen about how paratexts (i.e., all the things around and between the biblical texts) have shaped our notions of canon, Gospel, and our reading practices of the […] The post Garrick Allen – Words Are Not Enough first appeared on OnScript.By Matthew Bates, Matthew Lynch, Erin Heim, Dru Johnson, Amy Brown Hughes, & Chris Tilling

In episode 34 of TheoDisc, we ask the question: "Are there signs in the west that attitudes towards God and faith are shifting?" That’s the hope presented by our guest for this episode, Justin Brierley. Justin has been hosting and leading conversations for some time around Christian apologetics, inter-faith dialogue, theological debate, and the pla…

Episode: Back for the 7th time, Prof. Dr. Ervine Sheblazm is here to speak the hard truth about tuff questions. What happens when culture fails to address its own insidious […] The post Ervine Sheblazm – Abraham’s Bosom, Paul, and the Decline of Postmodernism first appeared on OnScript.By Matthew Bates, Matthew Lynch, Erin Heim, Dru Johnson, Amy Brown Hughes, & Chris Tilling

In episode 33 of Theodisc, we’re thinking about ‘kingdom’ as the overarching theme of the whole biblical story - this idea that if you step back and observe the entire sweep of the Scriptural narrative, the image of God as the coming king becomes evident. Kenny had a chat with Dr Stephen Dempster, who has just written a book called ‘The Return of t…

Episode: Beginning with Jesus’s kingship, Tom Wright and Michael Bird speak about the potentials and perils of contemporary politics. Discover a Christian vision for government not as an overbearing nanny […] The post N. T. Wright and Michael Bird – Jesus and the Powers first appeared on OnScript.By Matthew Bates, Matthew Lynch, Erin Heim, Dru Johnson, Amy Brown Hughes, & Chris Tilling

In episode 32 of TheoDisc Podcast, Kenny is joined by Paulus de Jong as they explore allusions from John's Gospel to the book of Exodus, and how seeing those links make us better readers of John's Gospel. Enjoy!By WTC Theology

Episode (Trigger Warning): David Tombs lays out his case for the crucifixion of Jesus as a form of state-sponsored sexual violence and considers the theological and pastoral implications of his […] The post David Tombs – The Crucifixion of Jesus: Torture, Sexual Abuse, and the Scandal of the Cross first appeared on OnScript.…

In this episode, Kenny speaks with Jared Patrick Boyd about the danger of seeing Spiritual formation as a mere Christian lifestyle fad, the purpose of spiritual disciplines as more than just helpful habits but to make visible our interior world, and how Spiritual Formation only fully benefits us on our journey to Christlikeness if we pursue it in c…

In this episode of TheoDisc, Kenny talks with our Vice Principal and New Testament scholar Ben Blackwell about the already but not yet of the kingdom, and how God's kingdom comes with power and also through suffering. Ben’s primary teaching and research areas include New Testament and Theology, and he thoroughly enjoys interacting with students on …

Episode: Nathan MacDonald argues that four versions of the Tabernacle can be traced through ancient versions of the Old Testament. This episode explores those versions, the significance of Aaron’s garments, priestly […] The post Nathan MacDonald – The Tabernacle and Priestly Power first appeared on OnScript.…

Episode: In this three-part series – Chris and Kyle discuss the year’s top ten archaeological discoveries and stories related to the Bible. Part 1 discusses the most important finds related […] The post Best Archaeological Finds of 2023 (pt 1) first appeared on OnScript.By Matthew Bates, Matthew Lynch, Erin Heim, Dru Johnson, Amy Brown Hughes, & Chris Tilling

Church planters and ministry pioneers are at the forefront of the mission to carry the good news of the Kingdom to as many places as possible. In many ways, this requires fresh and innovative thinking. But it also requires an understanding of the ways God has been working in the church throughout its history, and a commitment to thinking about chur…

In this episode, Kenny is joined by Nigel Langford, and they go on an exploration of theological understanding and revelation of God’s character through Nigel and his wife, Nicky’s adoption story. Enjoy!By WTC Theology

Episode: Recorded live in San Antonio at the Little Rhein Prost Haus with Sandra Glahn, Dru and Erin discuss the cult of Artemis in Ephesus and the way it transforms our […] The post Sandra Glahn – Nobody’s Mother (Live Event!) first appeared on OnScript.By Matthew Bates, Matthew Lynch, Erin Heim, Dru Johnson, Amy Brown Hughes, & Chris Tilling

Episode: Lynn Cohick speaks with Jason Staples about concepts of Israel, Judaism, and Jewishness that emerged in the Second Temple period, and their implications for understanding the early Judaism. Staples […] The post Jason Staples – The Idea of Israel in Second Temple Judaism first appeared on OnScript.…

Episode: Matt speaks with Carmen about her latest book Being God’s Image, why “being” (not necessarily “bearing”) matters to this subject, what we often misunderstand about the Image of God, and […] The post Carmen Imes – Being God’s Image first appeared on OnScript.By Matthew Bates, Matthew Lynch, Erin Heim, Dru Johnson, Amy Brown Hughes, & Chris Tilling

Welcome to TheoDisc episode 27! In this episode we welcome Prof Sandra Glahn of Dallas Theological Seminary. Kenny and Sandra explore her new book, Nobody’s Mother, and the implications of archaeological, cultural, historical, literary, and biblical evidence for our understanding of Paul’s letters, and in particular the passage in 1 Tim 2:15.…

Episode: What do we know about children in ancient Israel, about who they were, the lives they led, and the people in their lives? Kristine Garroway is at the forefront of […] The post Kristine Garroway – Growing Up in Ancient Israel first appeared on OnScript.By Matthew Bates, Matthew Lynch, Erin Heim, Dru Johnson, Amy Brown Hughes, & Chris Tilling

In this episode of TheoDisc, Kenny was in conversation with Aaron White, and they addressed these questions and more... Is it possible that the narratives, themes and words that we see in our popular culture can be avenues for God to speak? How can we engage film, literature, music and more with our ears open to the gospel of the Kingdom? And can o…

Episode: What happens if you read Ruth and Judges together? What might Ruth say to the violence against women in Judges? Jenny Matheny discusses these questions and more (like how not […] The post Jenny Matheny – The Violence of Judges and Ruth’s Response first appeared on OnScript.By Matthew Bates, Matthew Lynch, Erin Heim, Dru Johnson, Amy Brown Hughes, & Chris Tilling

At WTC, we believe that theological education should be accessible to everyone, not just those in paid ministerial work. As a result, more than half of our student body aren’t in paid Christian ministry, but are working in the marketplace, education, health, trades, and other venues. Our guest on this episode, Marijke Hoek, believes that profession…

Episode: Lisa Powell discusses the Trinity and eschatological body through the lens of disability. The episode discusses insights from her book The Disabled God Revisited (T&T Clark). Guest: Lisa Powell is Professor […] The post Lisa Powell – The Disabled God first appeared on OnScript.By Matthew Bates, Matthew Lynch, Erin Heim, Dru Johnson, Amy Brown Hughes, & Chris Tilling

In recent years we’ve seen a crisis of leadership in the western Evangelical world. We can all name names and shake our heads, but perhaps we ought to step back and think more widely about the models or leadership we’ve adopted and put into practice. In this episode of TheoDisc, Kenny talks with Professor Andrew Parker about the ways in which we ne…

Episode: In this episode, co-host Amy Hughes speaks with Erin Raffety about her ethnographic and practical theological research into what it looks like for congregations to move away from an “inclusion” model for people with […] The post Erin Raffety – From Inclusion to Justice first appeared on OnScript.…

In this episode of TheoDisc, Kenny chats with Alister Wallace about how the books of Judges and Ruth ought to be read together, and how women and the treatment of women are vital to the theological trajectory of these books. Our often simplistic presentations of Biblical figures like Gideon and Samson can obscure the fact that the book in which the…

Episode: Erin sits down with Matthew Novenson for a lively conversation on the weirdness of Paul, theological and historical approaches, first-century Judaism, and a range of other topics covered in […] The post Matthew Novenson – Paul, Then and Now first appeared on OnScript.By Matthew Bates, Matthew Lynch, Erin Heim, Dru Johnson, Amy Brown Hughes, & Chris Tilling

On today’s episode, Kenny had a conversation with the wonderful Dr Carmen Imes. Carmen holds a PhD from Wheaton College and is the Associate Professor of Old Testament at Biola University in California. In her work, Carmen shows a real passion to help everyone engage with the Old Testament and to discover how it is still relevant for us today. She …

Episode: Gruner’s work explores the lives of ordinary Jewish people who lived in Nazi Germany and resisted persecution. From defacing Nazi symbols to bold defiance Gruner explores the complex and fraught […] The post Wolf Gruner – Jewish Resistance in Hitler’s Germany first appeared on OnScript.By Matthew Bates, Matthew Lynch, Erin Heim, Dru Johnson, Amy Brown Hughes, & Chris Tilling

Episode: Chris Tilling talks with Matt Lynch about Old Testament violence. They take a deep dive into … the flood story in Genesis then traverse the Promised Land to consider the […] The post Matt Lynch – Flood and Fury (on Old Testament Violence) first appeared on OnScript.By Matthew Bates, Matthew Lynch, Erin Heim, Dru Johnson, Amy Brown Hughes, & Chris Tilling

In this episode, Kenny chats with Scot McKnight about his latest publication - The Second Testament - a new Bible translation of the New Testament. Enjoy! Episode 21 Outline: Start-01:37 - Introduction. 01:37-04:20 - Welcome to Scot and 3 questions. 04:29-13:39 - What was your motivation for The Second Testament behind the translation project? How …

Episode: Who is this man? Questions about Jesus are fascinating and perennial. Stanley Porter and Bryan Dyer team up to explore how the New Testament deployed diverse traditions–Jesus as passover […] The post Stanley Porter and Bryan Dyer – Origins of New Testament Christology first appeared on OnScript.…

In this episode, Kenny chats with Rev Nick Crawley about engaging with the Bible in meaningful ways and how this grounds our discipleship. Enjoy! Episode 20 Outline: Start-01:31 - Introduction. 01:31-04:10 - Welcome to Nick and 3 questions. 04:19-13:03 - How did Bible for Life get started? What has your own journey with the Bible been like? How can…

Episode: “We’re in the midst of an unraveling”. So argues Ted Smith about the shift in the ways that people relate and the end of theological education as it’s typically conceived. […] The post Ted Smith – The End of Theological Education first appeared on OnScript.By Matthew Bates, Matthew Lynch, Erin Heim, Dru Johnson, Amy Brown Hughes, & Chris Tilling

Episode: Revelation is a mysterious book, shrouded in symbol and rich in Old Testament allusions. What does it mean for our present and future? And more importantly, what does it […] The post Brandon Smith – The Trinity in the Book of Revelation first appeared on OnScript.By Matthew Bates, Matthew Lynch, Erin Heim, Dru Johnson, Amy Brown Hughes, & Chris Tilling

In this episode, Jack and Kenny go on an exploration of prayer and how our understanding of the nature, attributes, and character of God gives ground to our efforts in prayer. Happy listening! Episode 18 Outline: Start-01:31 - Introduction. 01:31-04:25 - Welcome to Jack and 3 questions. 04:25-14:28 - You quote Evagrius Ponticus, who says: "If you'r…

In this episode, Kenny and Matt Lynch discussed passages in the Old Testament like the flood and the conquest of Canaan, that on the surface contain moments of troubling violence. But Matt contends that a closer and slower reading of passages like these can actually reveal a critique of violence and show us more of the goodness and mercy of God. We…

Episode: Biblical World co-host Kyle Keimer discusses his research on King Hezekiah’s preparations for the Assyrian attack in 701 BCE. How do archaeologists determine the nature and extent of Hezekiah’s defensive […] The post Kyle Keimer – Hezekiah Prepares for War first appeared on OnScript.By Matthew Bates, Matthew Lynch, Erin Heim, Dru Johnson, Amy Brown Hughes, & Chris Tilling

Episode: Is it anachronistic to call Jesus a refugee? Does the story of Jesus’ family fleeing persecution carry modern political relevance? Would the holy family receive protection in modern society? Listen […] The post Glenn Butner – Jesus the Refugee first appeared on OnScript.By Matthew Bates, Matthew Lynch, Erin Heim, Dru Johnson, Amy Brown Hughes, & Chris Tilling

This conversation revolves around Matthew’s latest book Why the Gospel? Matthew has contended that the “good news” of the gospel is the proclamation that Jesus is King, but why is this message necessary and what difference can it make in our lives? Enjoy. Episode 17 Outline: Start-01:46 - Introduction. 01:46-05:06 - Welcome to Matthew and 3 questio…

Episode: In this episode, Erin sits down with David Moffitt and a live audience at Wycliffe Hall, University of Oxford to talk about David’s latest book on the atonement. This was […] The post David Moffitt – Rethinking the Atonement first appeared on OnScript.By Matthew Bates, Matthew Lynch, Erin Heim, Dru Johnson, Amy Brown Hughes, & Chris Tilling

In this episode of TheoDisc, Kenny talks with Dr Jason Myers about how Paul’s attempts to help the church navigate life under the Imperial rule of Rome can inform our own approach as kingdom witnesses in our context. Enjoy. Episode 16 Outline: Start-01:31 - Introduction. 01:31-06:01 - Welcome to Jason and 3 questions. 06:09-16:28 - Paul was operati…