Best Duke Theology Podcasts (2025)

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Pharisees, Torah, and Sacrifice: What We Miss When We Misread the Law (Paul Sloan) Ep. #219 47:10

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4m ago47:10

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Did Jesus come to cancel the Law of Moses—or fulfill it? In this compelling episode, Dr. Paul Sloan joins Dru Johnson to challenge one of the most persistent misunderstandings in modern Christianity: the idea that Jesus and Paul opposed the Torah. Drawing from his book Jesus and the Law of Moses, Sloan explains how legalism, misunderstanding of imp…

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Is "Eye For An Eye" Christian? Jesus, Justice, and The Limits of Vengeance (Dru Johnson) Ep. #218 46:47

6d ago46:47

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“Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth.” We’ve all heard the phrase—but what does it actually mean in the Bible? In this episode, Mike Tolliver and Dr. Dru Johnson unpack the principle of Talion—Lex Talionis—and show why it’s one of the most misunderstood elements of biblical justice. They trace the concept across Leviticus, Exodus, and Deuteronomy, ex…

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Feasting on Hope: Sacraments, Trauma, and Formation in the Church (Hannah King) Ep. #217 42:30

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Is communion just a symbolic snack—or a mysterious, formative act of grace? In this episode, Rev. Hannah King, an Anglican priest and author of the upcoming Feasting on a Hope: How God Sets a Table in the Wilderness, joins Dru Johnson to explore why the Lord’s Supper is essential for the Christian life. Hannah shares her journey from evangelical ch…

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Theology in the Mother Tongue: Oral Bible Translation and Embodied Faith (Fausto Liriano) Ep. #216 49:11

20d ago49:11

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What if the Bible isn’t something you read—but something you hear, memorize, and perform? In this groundbreaking episode, Dr. Fausto Liriano shares his work translating the Bible into indigenous languages without writing it down. Through oral Bible translation projects in Guatemala, Mexico, and the Philippines, Dr. Liriano helps communities interna…

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The Illusion of Intelligence: Why AI Can’t Replace Embodied Life (Noreen Herzfeld) Ep. #215 36:31

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Is AI intelligent—or just artificial? In this provocative episode, Dr. Noreen Herzfeld, a rare scholar of both computer science and theology, joins Dru Johnson to expose what most people overlook about artificial intelligence. Drawing from her recent book The Artifice of Intelligence, she challenges the mythology of AGI (artificial general intellig…

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Becoming God’s Family: Against Church Hurt, Isolation, and Autonomy (Carmen Imes) Ep. #214 45:01

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Can you be a Christian without the church? In this timely episode, Dr. Carmen Imes argues forcefully—and pastorally—that Christianity without community is a contradiction. Drawing from her new book Becoming God’s Family, she and Dru Johnson explore why so many people are walking away from church and what it would take to draw them back. From church…

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Literature and Idealism: Or, How The Bible Is A "Thick" Story (Karen Swallow Prior) Ep. #213 41:14

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What do Tolkien, vocation, and gritty literature have in common? In this conversation, Dru Johnson talks with literary scholar Dr. Karen Swallow Prior about why Christians often gravitate toward fantasy and romantic ideals—and why that can be a problem. Karen critiques the elevation of genre fiction like The Lord of the Rings as literary canon and …

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Tribes, States, & Empires: Scripture’s Vision for a Virtuous Political Order (Yoram Hazony) Ep. #212 1:06:49

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In this second conversation with political philosopher Yoram Hazony, we dive deeper into the biblical concept of nationhood, wrestling with listener-submitted questions on nationalism, empire, and political virtue. Hazony responds to critiques and clarifies his position: biblical nationalism is not about racial purity or imperialism, but about the …

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Just War, Christianity, and The Call to Serve: The Ethics of Military Service (Darren Duke) Ep #211 43:28

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Should Christians serve in the military? In this sobering and nuanced episode, Dru Johnson sits down with retired Colonel Darren Duke—Marine Corps Special Operations commander and intelligence officer—to unpack this deeply personal and morally complex question. Drawing from over 30 years of military experience, Duke shares his evolving view of mili…

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"Christian Flourishing and Reimagining Healthcare: An End to Magical Thinking" with Susan Eastman M.Div., Ph.D. 57:21

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Susan Eastman, M.Div., Ph.D., is Associate Research Professor Emerita of New Testament, Duke Divinity School. She presented "Christian Flourishing and Reimagining Healthcare: An End to Magical Thinking" for the TMC Virtual Seminar Series on January 24, 2025. "Magical thinking" is "if-then" thinking, which plays an important role in medical research…

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"Flourishing in the Cracks- Cultivating Moral Resilience in the Midst of Moral Distress" with Annie Friedrich, PHD, HEC-C 57:31

2M ago57:31

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Dr. Annie Friedrich joined TMC for a virtual seminar on Friday, October 11th, 2024. Dr. Friedrich is an Assistant Professor of Bioethics and Medical Humanities in the Institute for Health & Equity at the Medical College of Wisconsin. She received her PhD in Health Care Ethics from Saint Louis University with a focus on clinical ethics, pediatric et…

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"The Uncanny Valley Remaining Human in Healthcare" with Joshua Briscoe, MD 57:52

2M ago57:52

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A problem plagues modern healthcare: machines are setting the standard of care, and human clinicians are struggling to keep up. Artificial intelligence will only make this worse. The technical mindset fragments patient care and draws us further from shalom even as pursue surrogate markers that are meant to restore health. How can we, as Christian c…

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Deeper Formation for Worship (w/ Dr. Laura Benjamins) 38:48

2M ago38:48

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In this conversation, we continue our series on Contemporary Worship Music and Intergenerational Formation with Dr. Laura Benjamins, discussing her research on the processes by which contemporary worship music forms us. Coming from music education and church music, she highlights the Bourdieuian concept of _habitus_, the formation of new worship le…

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Building a Movement: Why the Church Needs Hebraic Thought—and What We’re Doing About It Ep. #210 28:57

2M ago28:57

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In this update episode, Dru Johnson and Mike Tolliver pull back the curtain on the work happening at the Center for Hebraic Thought. From filing 501(c)(3) nonprofit status and building a stellar advisory board, to launching a redesigned website and reviving in-person workshops, the CHT has been quietly preparing for long-term growth and broader inf…

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Jesus Under Every Rock? Rethinking Christ-Centered Reading & Preaching (Chris Wright) Ep #209 46:15

2M ago46:15

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Should Christians look for Jesus in every verse of the Old Testament—or are we missing the point when we do? In this wide-ranging and practical conversation, Dr. Christopher J. H. Wright, Langham Partnership’s Global Ambassador and one of the world’s leading Old Testament scholars, joins Dru Johnson to explore the difference between Christocentric …

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"Colonialism, Global Health, and Catholic Social Teaching- Notes from a Decade at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre" and Matthew Rubach, MD 1:00:34

2M ago1:00:34

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Dr. Matthew Rubach, Associate Professor in the School of Medicine & Associate Research Professor in the Global Health Institute at Duke, offered a TMC seminar in March, 2024.Dr. Rubach is a specialist in clinical infectious diseases with medical specialty training in Pediatrics, Internal Medicine and Medical Microbiology. Since November 2015, he ha…

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"Whose Body is This- A Theological Anthropology for the Care of the Sick and Dying" with Esther Acolatse M.T.S. Ph.D 58:14

2M ago58:14

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The Theology, Medicine, and Culture Initiative (TMC) at Duke Divinity School hosted this TMC seminar, "Whose Body is This: A Theological Anthropology for the Care of the Sick and Dying" on March 1, 2024. The Reverend Dr. Esther E. Acolatse is a professor of pastoral theology and world Christianity at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. She ha…

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"-Vive Jésus!- Toward a Neo-salesian Spirituality for Students of Medicine" with Andrew Michel, MD 59:04

2M ago59:04

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On February 17, 2024 Dr. Andrew Michel, Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Belmont University, presented "Toward a Neo-Salesian Spirituality for Students of Medicine." In it, he hopes that DeSales, the doctor of divine love, might inflame a Neo-Saleisan Pentecost in contemporary medicine. He invites healers to take a posture of humility and other…

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"To Change the World of Medicine- Lawndale Health Center as a Model of Christian Presence" with Wayne Detmer, MD 59:30

2M ago59:30

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The Theology, Medicine, and Culture Initiative (TMC) at Duke Divinity School and the Trent Center for Bioethics, Humanities & History of Medicine at Duke co-sponsored this seminar entitled "To Change the World of Medicine: Lawndale Christian Health Center as a Model of Faithful Presence" with Dr. Wayne Detmer. In this webinar, Dr. Detmer shares a v…

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"Stewarding Sacred Stories: A Shared Vocation" with David Finnegan-Hosey 58:13

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On Friday, February 2, 2024, TMC hosted Finnegan-Hosey for this virtual seminar titled, "Stewarding Sacred Stories: A Shared Vocation."David is the author of "Christ on the Psych Ward" and "Grace is a Pre-Existing Condition: Faith, Systems, and Mental Healthcare." He currently serves as the minister of Bon Air Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)…

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The NAR, Power, and Prophecy: Inside America’s Forgotten Christian Movement (Matthew Taylor) Ep. #208 53:00

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What if the most politically influential Christian leaders in America aren’t the ones you’ve heard of? In this eye-opening conversation, Dr. Matthew D. Taylor joins Dru Johnson to explain how the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) and related charismatic networks reshaped modern evangelicalism—and helped deliver the presidency to Donald Trump. Taylor,…

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Hollywood, Scripture, and Politics: Joan Didion and the Power of Story (Alissa Wilkinson) Ep. #207 47:54

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What do Hollywood, Joan Didion, and the Bible have in common? More than you’d expect. In this episode, New York Times film critic and author Alissa Wilkinson joins Dru Johnson to discuss the life, work, and worldview of Joan Didion, one of the most influential American writers of the 20th century. Wilkinson’s new book, We Tell Ourselves Stories, ex…

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A Child-Sized Liberation Theology (w/ Kelsey McGinnis) 53:03

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In this episode, I welcome back Dr. Kelsey Kramer McGinnis to discuss her article, "To Be Seen and Heard: Toward a Child Liberation Theology Framework for Contemporary Praise and Worship Practice" as part of our series on Contemporary Worship Music and Intergenerational Formation. The conversation focuses on Christian parenting literature, and the …

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"Infusing Hope Amid the Mental Health Crisis" with Dr. Tonya Armstrong 47:52

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The Theology, Medicine, and Culture Initiative (TMC) welcomed Dr. Tonya Armstrong for this virtual seminar on September 22, 2023. Dr. Tonya Armstrong is an international speaker, health and wellness entrepreneur, psychology expert and consultant, author, and singer/songwriter. After seven years in academia and solo, part-time practice, Dr. Armstron…

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"Beauty Will Heal the World" with Brewer Eberly, MD, MACS 57:53

3M ago57:53

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The Theology, Medicine, and Culture Initiative (TMC) welcomed Dr. Brewer Eberly for this virtual seminar on September 8, 2023. He is a third-generation family physician at Fischer Clinic in Raleigh, NC, and a McDonald Agape Fellow in the Theology, Medicine, and Culture Initiative at Duke Divinity School. He completed his family medicine residency a…

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"Living Out an Intentional Theology of Faithful Presence In Medicine" with Dr. James Rusthoven 57:30

3M ago57:30

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Dr. James Rusthoven is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Oncology at McMaster University, and Research Fellow in the Kirby Lang Center for Public Theology in Cambridge. He is known for his contributions to the field of medical oncology and bioethics. Dr. Rusthoven joined the Theology, Medicine, and Culture in Spring of 2023 for this virtual s…

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"Racism: Driver of Health Disparities, Outlier in Our Theology Of Illness" with Jason Ashe, PhD, ThM, MDiv 58:27

3M ago58:27

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Jason Ashe, PhD, ThM, MDiv is a Community Health Psychologist & Research Scientist, whose work explores religion and racism as psychosocial determinants of health. He focuses specifically on cardiovascular disease and cerebrovascular disorder risk and health inequities among Black Americans. Dr. Ashe is a former Theology, Medicine, and Culture Fell…

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Wine, Worship, and Craftsmanship: A Biblical Theology of Alcohol (John Dunne) Ep #206 48:40

3M ago48:40

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Was wine in the Bible just a calorie source—or something far richer? In this fascinating conversation, Dr. John Anthony Dunne, author of The Mountain Shall Drip Sweet Wine: A Biblical Theology of Alcohol, joins Dru Johnson to explore how wine and alcohol shaped ancient Israel’s culture, theology, and imagination. Dr. Dunne traces how biblical wine …

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“You Have Made Your People Hear Hard Things”: Jazz and Medicine as Moral Practice 1:00:33

3M ago1:00:33

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In Auden’s poem “The Art of Healing,” he writes that “every sickness is a musical problem and every cure a musical solution.” Jazz and health care are two things we normally don’t think about together, let alone in the context of mental health. This conversation was recorded at the 2024 Practice & Presence gathering between theological ethicist Pat…

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Is Nationalism Biblical? Yoram Hazony on Nations, Empires, and Justice (Yoram Hazony) Ep. #205 55:26

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Is nationalism always bad—or does the Bible have a more nuanced view of nations, borders, and political life? In this fascinating episode, Israeli philosopher Yoram Hazony joins Dru Johnson to explore the political vision of the Old Testament, from the Table of Nations in Genesis to the prophetic hope of nations learning from Israel in peace. Hazon…

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"The Science of the Good Samaritan" with Emily R. Smith, PhD 55:49

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Dr. Emily Smith, Assistant Professor in Emergency Medicine and Assistant Research Professor of Global Health at Duke University, explores the intersection of faith, science, and global health through the lens of the parable of the Good Samaritan. Dr. Smith reflects on her experience during the COVID-19 pandemic as the voice behind 'Friendly Neighbo…

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Do You See What I See? Worship, Joint Attention, and Being Human (Cockayne & Salter) Ep. #204 46:16

3M ago46:16

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Is church just a place to think about God—or are we wired to worship together? In this groundbreaking episode, theologian Dr. Josh Cockayne and developmental psychologist Dr. Gideon Salter join Dru Johnson to explore how human beings are made for joint attention, and why gathering for worship is a deeply embodied, social necessity. Drawing from the…

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"The Art of Living as Creatures" with Brian Volck, MD 1:13:46

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The Theology, Medicine, and Culture Initiative (TMC) live-streamed this seminar from the annual Practice & Presence gathering at Duke Divinity School on September 23rd, 2022. Brian Volck was interviewed by TMC Faculty member Dr. Martha Carlough for this conversation, entitled "The Art of Living as Creatures." Dr. Volck is a pediatrician and writer …

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How Artists Think Biblically: Liturgies, Ritual, and the Weight of Words (Douglas McKelvey) Ep. #203 56:40

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What gives someone the right to script your prayers? In this powerful conversation, Douglas McKelvey, author of the bestselling Every Moment Holy liturgical series, joins Dru Johnson to unpack the spiritual and theological journey behind his work. From a childhood steeped in neo-charismatic theology to a disillusioning college experience at Oral Ro…

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Is Abraham a Hero or a Warning? How Genre Makes or Breaks Your Bible Reading (Andy Judd) Ep. #202 57:29

4M ago57:29

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What if our biggest biblical misunderstandings come from reading the right words in the wrong way? In this episode, Old Testament scholar Dr. Andy Judd joins Dru Johnson to unravel the complex and often misused concept of genre in biblical interpretation. Drawing from his background in English literature and law, Dr. Judd explains how many theologi…

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Storge, Justice, and the Ten Commandments: Rethinking Biblical Love (Mike Tolliver) Ep. #201 53:27

4M ago53:27

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Is loving your family first a biblical idea—or a betrayal of Jesus’ call to love your neighbor? In this thought-provoking episode, Mike Tolliver—Executive Director of the Center for Hebraic Thought—joins Dru Johnson to explore his developing PhD thesis on Storge (family love), the kinsman-redeemer, and what biblical justice actually looks like. Dra…

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Managing Fame, Faith, and the Stage: Inside the (Christian) Music Industry (Nick Barre) Ep. #200 53:40

4M ago53:40

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What does it mean to call something “Christian music”? Nick Barré has spent decades in the music industry—from working at EMI with early Switchfoot to managing major names like Casting Crowns, KB, Brandon Heath, and more. In this 200th episode of The Biblical Mind, he joins Dru Johnson to reflect on the Christian music label, the tension between ca…

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Why Intellectual Humility Is the Key to Understanding Scripture (Matt Whitman) Ep. #199 1:00:06

5M ago1:00:06

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In this episode, Dr. Dru Johnson sits down with Matt Whitman, host of The Ten Minute Bible Hour, to explore why so many Christians—and skeptics—struggle with Scripture. Whitman shares what he’s learned from engaging millions online: people are often afraid to be wrong, shaped by graceless experiences in church and cancel culture in the wider world.…

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A Spirit-Shaped Vision for Worship (that includes children) 49:02

5M ago49:02

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We continue our series on the recent academic journal issue "Contemporary Worship Music and Intergenerational Formation" with authors Revs. Drs. Angela and Jeremy Perigo. In this episode, we explore what it might mean to take our Pneumatology more seriously when it comes to including children in the musical worship leadership of the congregation. O…

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Evolution and Identity: A Jewish Perspective on Science and Belief (Rachel Pear) Ep. #198 52:41

5M ago52:41

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What happens when science, religion, and education collide? In this episode, Dr. Rachel Pear shares her remarkable journey from growing up in New York’s modern Orthodox Jewish community to researching how evolution is taught and received across Israeli society. A scholar of science education and prehistoric archaeology, Rachel discusses how Jewish,…

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Is Evolution a Dirty Word? Muslim Perspectives on Science and Religion (Shoaib Malik) Ep. #197 54:02

5M ago54:02

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Is the relationship between Islam and science as well-developed as it is in Christianity? Not even close—but that’s changing. In this episode, Dr. Shoaib Ahmed Malik, Lecturer in Science and Religion at the University of Edinburgh, joins Dru Johnson to share the emerging field of Islam and science, focusing on the hot topic of evolution. Shoaib unp…

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Can Muslims, Jews, and Christians Talk About Science and Scripture? (Dru Johnson) Ep. #196 37:01

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What happens when you put 15 scholars—scientists and theologians, Muslim, Jewish, and Christian—in a room to talk about creation? In this episode of The Biblical Mind Podcast, Dr. Dru Johnson shares his experience launching the Abrahamic Theistic Origins Project in Oxford. Far from being a formal academic conference, the gathering focused on “endur…

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Syndicated: Jesus and Jewish Law (Logan Williams and Paul Sloan) Ep. #195 21:58

6M ago21:58

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Was the Mosaic Law a burdensome set of rules meant to be broken? Did Jesus overthrow the Torah—or fulfill it? In this special episode of The Biblical Mind Podcast, we revisit the pilot episode of the Jesus and the Jewish Law podcast, hosted by Paul Sloan and Logan Williams. Together, they walk through seven widespread misconceptions about the Law a…

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Babies, Theology, and True Praise Beyond Words 53:36

6M ago53:36

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In this episode with Debbie Wong, we explore the theological question of babies praising God through the sounds they make -- the _jubilus_, as in the work of Augustine. This leads us to the practical question of how to understand the role the "woahs" and "ohs" in contemporary worship more broadly. Is it good and right to have these kinds of phrases…

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ICYMI - Wisdom of Primal Peoples in the Era of World Christianity (Jangkholam Haokip) Ep. #194 32:37

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This episode was originally published on November 11, 2022. We thought it was worth a reissue for our newer listeners. Christianity is a truly global religion, and every strand of Christianity has its own theological emphases. Western Christians tend to focus on individual salvation and the question of what happens when we die. But as we amplify ot…

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Is God Really Unchanging? Challenging Classical Theism’s View of God (R.T. Mullins) Ep. #193 1:04:16

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Is God emotionless and unchanging? Many systematic theologians have long argued that God is completely impassible—meaning He cannot feel, suffer, or be influenced by creation. But is this truly what the Bible teaches? In this episode, Dr. R.T. Mullins joins The Biblical Mind Podcast to challenge traditional ideas about God’s nature, emotions, and e…

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Why We Struggle to Read the Bible—And How to Fix It (Alex Goodwin) Ep. #192 44:32

6M ago44:32

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What if the way we format and structure the Bible is actually making it harder to read? In this episode, Alex Goodwin joins The Biblical Mind Podcast to discuss how chapter breaks, verse numbers, and footnotes—while useful for study—can actually disrupt the natural flow of Scripture. Alex shares his journey from marketing to Bible publishing, how h…

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Faith, Politics, and Media: Rethinking Christian Political Involvement (Kaitlyn Schiess) Ep. #191 50:40

7M ago50:40

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Are we mistaking media consumption for political engagement? In this episode, Kaitlyn Schiess joins The Biblical Mind Podcast to challenge the way Christians think about politics, faith, and media. She explains why binge-watching C-SPAN or endlessly scrolling Twitter doesn’t make us politically engaged—but actually forms us into people less capable…

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From the Five Percent Nation to Biblical Scholar: CHT Fellow Hakeem Bradley Ep. #190 46:01

7M ago46:01

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What if the Bible isn’t meant to be neatly packaged and easily explained? In this episode, CHT Fellow Hakeem Bradley joins The Biblical Mind Podcast to discuss how engaging scripture means leaning into tension rather than eliminating it. He explains why asking better questions leads to deeper understanding and why forcing Jesus into every Old Testa…

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Young People and Liturgical Flexibility (w/ Dr. Nelson Cowan and Dr. Emily Andrews) 54:38

7M ago54:38

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In this episode with Dr. Nelson Cowan and Dr. Emily Andrews, we discuss their recently co-authored article "Liturgical Gift or Theological Burden? Teenagers and Ecumenical Liturgical Exchange Events" (Religions, 2024). We explore how the worship preferences of young people might surprise those who have long styled worship to "attract the youth" in …