Best Dru Johnson Podcasts (2025)

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Hebraic Thought On The Big Screen? Biblical Themes in Non-Biblical Movies (Dru Johnson) Ep. #229 25:08

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21h ago25:08

25:08

What makes a movie biblical—even if it’s not about the Bible? In this episode, Dr. Dru Johnson explores that question with a curated list of films that reflect deep biblical structures—movies that “get what’s going on in Scripture” better than many that explicitly reference the Bible. These aren’t Sunday School adaptations—they’re gritty, layered, …

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#145: Interview with Dru Johnson -- Understanding Biblical Law 1:13:41

15d ago1:13:41

1:13:41

Matthew welcomes Dru Johnson on the show to talk about his newest book, Understanding Biblical Law: Skills for Thinking With and Through Torah (link below). If you've ever felt lost as you've read through the first five books of the Old Testament -- especially Leviticus! -- then you'll enjoy this conversation. Dru offers listeners helpful guideline…

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#147: Revelation, Part 41 (Rev. 21:9-27) 44:27

1d ago44:27

44:27

In the last part of chapter 21, John sees a vision of a city -- the New Jerusalem -- coming out of heaven. The city is called the Lamb's wife, and it is presented as a symbolic portrait of the church. The city's architecture is described carefully, the details of which point back to key texts from the Old Testament. How do these scriptural allusion…

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Equip the Church to Think Biblically: How Your Church Can Fuel This Work 2:13

2d ago2:13

2:13

In this special message to church leaders, Dr. Dru Johnson speaks directly to pastors, elders, and ministry teams preparing next year’s budget. As someone who has served as a full-time pastor, he knows how critical and crowded those budget conversations can be—and he makes a case for why the Center for Hebraic Thought deserves a place in your missi…

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Fueling Hebraic Thought: How You Can Help 2:51

3d ago2:51

2:51

In this candid and heartfelt message, Dr. Dru Johnson steps out from behind the mic to speak directly to you—the listener, the learner, the potential donor. “I’m a recurring giver. I actually pay to do this work.” That’s how strongly he believes in the mission of the Center for Hebraic Thought. In this short but powerful donor appeal, Dru explains …

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Why Scholars Gather: A Tour Through the Wild World of Biblical Academia (Dru Johnson) Ep. #228 22:14

8d ago22:14

22:14

What actually happens when thousands of biblical scholars descend on a single convention center? In this unusual and behind-the-scenes episode, Dru Johnson roams the floor of the Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting in Boston to ask a range of publishers and scholars—from Langham Publishing to Prairie College—what these conferences are rea…

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#146 - REPLAY: Interview with Dale C. Allison - Encountering Mystery: Religious Experience in a Secular Age 57:22

8d ago57:22

57:22

This interview is a replay of EP#2 . To date, it is the most-listened-to episode of the podcast. ___ In an age dominated by secularism and philosophical naturalism, the idea that people have supernatural experiences is often considered to be a relic of a bygone era. And yet, credible people still report such experiences. That's the subject of this …

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Where Is God? Eucharist, Trauma, and Divine Presence in Poland (Ela Wyrzykowska) Ep. #227 54:21

15d ago54:21

54:21

Where is God present—and how do believers describe it? In this thoughtful and poetic episode, Polish theologian Dr. Elżbieta Łazarewicz-Wyrzykowska joins Dru Johnson to reflect on theology, trauma, and spiritual presence. From her childhood in Warsaw—where bullet holes and tanks marked the legacy of war—to her academic path through Hebrew Bible, li…

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On Biblical Masculinity, The Boy Crisis, And The Church's Missed Mission (Anthony Bradley) Ep. #226 1:01:57

22d ago1:01:57

1:01:57

For decades, churches have built youth ministries around entertainment and behavior management. But what if all the data says that’s the wrong approach? In this powerful episode, Dr. Anthony Bradley joins Dru Johnson to reflect on 25 years of experience working with youth, revisiting the PBS documentary Raising Cain and what it reveals about the ne…

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#144: Revelation, Part 40 (Rev. 21:1-8) 53:34

23d ago53:34

53:34

In Revelation 21, John sees the new heaven and earth, a glimpse of that future era when everything will one day be renewed. He also sees the holy city -- the New Jerusalem -- descending from heaven as an adorned bride coming to her bridegroom. Why is the marriage metaphor employed as part of the larger eschatological vision? How does this relate to…

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What The Chosen Gets Right (And Wrong): Archaeology, Pharisees, and Color (Jeffrey Garcia) Ep. #225 43:59

29d ago43:59

43:59

Was Peter’s hometown ever really lost—and have we just found it? In this episode, archaeologist and scholar Dr. Jeffrey Arroyo García joins Dru Johnson to explore how archaeology reshapes our understanding of the Gospels, popular media like The Chosen, and the portrayal of first-century Judaism. Drawing on his years excavating at El-Araj—the site i…

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#143: Revelation, Part 39 (Rev. 20:7-15) 37:57

30d ago37:57

37:57

In Revelation 20:7-10, Satan is released from his prison and goes out to deceive the nations to rally them for war against the people of God. This is similar to other passages in Revelation, and so the question becomes: What's the relationship? Is this an instance of recapitulation, or does Revelation present yet another scene that speaks of differ…

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Paul Sloan – Jesus and the Law of Moses 1:10:54

1M ago1:10:54

1:10:54

Episode: Did Jesus offer a radical reworking of the law? Did he subvert the Jewish law of his day? Was he exposing legalism, nationalism, or ritualism in favor of compassion? Paul […] The post Paul Sloan – Jesus and the Law of Moses first appeared on OnScript.By Matthew Bates, Matthew Lynch, Erin Heim, Dru Johnson, Amy Brown Hughes, & Chris Tilling

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Paul Sloan - Jesus and the Law of Moses 1:10:54

1M ago1:10:54

1:10:54

Episode: Did Jesus offer a radical reworking of the law? Did he subvert the Jewish law of his day? Was he exposing legalism, nationalism, or ritualism in favor of compassion? Paul Sloan thinks not. But ... you might be thinking, what about all those critiques and arguments between Jesus and religious leaders of his time? Sloan's book Jesus and the …

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Creation, Rest, and Reign: What Genesis Meant to the Ancient World (Rachel Booth Smith) Ep. #224 34:46

1M ago34:46

34:46

What if Genesis 1 wasn’t about the origin of matter—but the enthronement of God? And what if “rest” wasn’t the end of work, but the beginning of reign? In this episode, Rachel Booth Smith, author of Rest Assured, joins Dru Johnson to explore how the Genesis creation story contrasts with other ancient Near Eastern accounts. With a storyteller’s gift…

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#142: Revelation, Part 38 (Rev. 20:4-6) 43:52

1M ago43:52

43:52

Revelation 20:4-6 is the subject of much debate and poses several interpretive challenges -- from translation questions to theological issues, it's all here. Who, for example, does John see on the thrones? What is meant by "the first resurrection"? How many resurrections are associated with the millennial reign of Christ? +++ Support The Bible (Unm…

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Israel’s Rituals, God’s Needs, and the Covenant That Changed Everything (John Walton) Ep. #223 24:50

1M ago24:50

24:50

What happens when a senior biblical scholar changes their mind—publicly? In this episode, Dr. John Walton returns to explain key shifts in his thinking, especially about Genesis, the temple, and covenant theology. He unpacks two major paradigm shifts: first, that Genesis creation isn’t about material origins, but about functional order; second, tha…

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#141: Revelation, Part 37 (Rev. 20:1-3) 1:03:43

1M ago1:03:43

1:03:43

There is no consensus on how to interpret Revelation 20, specifically the verses that speak about the binding of Satan and the 1,000-year reign of Christ. In this episode, Matthew introduces listeners to the ins and outs of that debate, outlining along the way the interpretive questions readers ought to be asking. To shed light on Revelation 20, Ma…

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Cultural Rivers, Order, and Covenant: Tools For Reading Scripture Well (John Walton) Ep. #222 37:35

2M ago37:35

37:35

In this thought-provoking episode, Walton explains his “cultural rivers” metaphor—how each culture swims in its own current of values, assumptions, and logic. We can’t read the Bible through modern, Western eyes without missing what mattered most to ancient audiences. Genesis, for example, isn’t about material origins but about God bringing order t…

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#140: Revelation, Part 36 (Rev. 19:17-21) 34:58

2M ago34:58

34:58

This episode examines the last part of Revelation 19. Here the beast gathers the nations for battle against the Rider on the white horse (i.e., Jesus) and his army. What can we learn about the way in which Jesus conquers the beast? And how are we to understand this passage with respect to the so-called "end times"? Does Revelation teach that the be…

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Dru Johnson - Understanding Biblical Law (with surprise guest) 1:03:27

2M ago1:03:27

1:03:27

Episode: Dru suggests that biblical law is something to think with and not just about. Matt and Dru discuss this idea and its many implications that were articulated in Dru's recent book Understanding Biblical Law: Skills for Thinking With and Through Torah (Baker, 2025). And as a throw-back to an old OnScript interview practice, Dru and Matt cold-…

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Dru Johnson – Understanding Biblical Law (with surprise guest)

2M ago

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Episode: Dru suggests that biblical law is something to think with and not just about. Matt and Dru discuss this idea and its many implications that were articulated in Dru’s recent book Understanding Biblical […] The post Dru Johnson – Understanding Biblical Law (with surprise guest) first appeared on OnScript.…

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Unlocking The Deep Structures of Scripture: The Bible's Unified Message (Joshua Berman) Ep. #221 45:37

2M ago45:37

45:37

What if the Bible was written with deep structural patterns designed to echo across generations—economically and theologically? In this riveting episode, Dr. Joshua Berman joins Dru Johnson to reveal how literary design, verbal repetition, and cultural continuity make the Bible not a patchwork, but a carefully composed unity. Through examples rangi…

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#139: Revelation, Part 35 (Rev. 19:11-16) 38:24

2M ago38:24

38:24

Matt walks listeners through Revelation 19:11-16, which describes a Rider on a White Horse -- Jesus, the Messiah. A lot of questions are raised (and answered) along the way, such as: How does this passage help us understand the way Jesus conquers evil? How does it relate to other texts in Revelation? And how does this passage help us understand the…

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Attachment Theory, God’s Presence, & The Image of God: How God Heals Us (Geoff Holsclaw) Ep. #220 50:47

2M ago50:47

50:47

What does attachment theory have to do with discipleship, theology, or the church? According to Dr. Geoff Holsclaw, more than we realize. In this episode, Holsclaw—a pastor, theologian, and co-author of Landscapes of the Soul—joins Dru Johnson to explore how neuroscience and interpersonal attachment can illuminate both human development and the bib…

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#138: Revelation, Part 34 (Rev. 19:1-10) 33:48

2M ago33:48

33:48

Revelation 19 begins with a hymn to God for his commitment to justice and his bringing an end to the destructive power of Babylon (i.e., Rome) who has "corrupted the earth." But why does the text describe ancient Rome as an agent of corruption--specifically of the earth? Listen to find out! +++ Support The Bible (Unmuted) via Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠…

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

2M ago47:10

47:10

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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#137: An Interview with Craig and Médine Keener 53:04

2M ago53:04

53:04

Matt and Tosha chat with Craig and Médine Keener about their book Impossible Love: The True Story of an African Civil War, Miracles and Hope against All Odds (link below). This book tells this story of how they met, the trials and difficulties they faced, as well as the miracles they encountered along the way. In the course of the episode, importan…

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

3M ago46:47

46:47

“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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#136: An Interview with Fr. Gerald McDermott, Part 2 51:50

3M ago51:50

51:50

Part 2 of 2 In part 2 of this extended conversation with Fr. Gerald McDermott, the discussion centers around the sacraments, purgatory, the intermediate state, and prayers for the dead. Why are the sacraments important? Is the Eucharist just a time of remembrance -- a memorial and nothing else? Is there biblical evidence for purgatory? What about p…

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Cor Bennema – Imitation in Early Christianity 59:26

3M ago59:26

59:26

Episode: In this episode Chris Tilling interviews Cor Bennema about his new book, Imitation in Early Christianity: Mimesis and Religious-Ethical Formation (Eerdmans, 2023). What does it mean to say that early Christians imitated […] The post Cor Bennema – Imitation in Early Christianity first appeared on OnScript.…

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Cor Bennema - Imitation in Early Christianity 59:26

3M ago59:26

59:26

Episode: In this episode Chris Tilling interviews Cor Bennema about his new book, Imitation in Early Christianity: Mimesis and Religious-Ethical Formation (Eerdmans, 2023). What does it mean to say that early Christians imitated God, Christ, Paul, and even one another? Cor takes us on a tour through the world of Jewish and Greco-Roman antiquity, th…

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

3M ago42:30

42:30

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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#135: An Interview with Fr. Gerald McDermott, Part 1 45:04

3M ago45:04

45:04

Part 1 of 2 Fr. Gerald McDermott's new book, Deep Anglicanism: A Brief Guide, offers readers an insightful introduction to the Anglican tradition. In part 1 of this extended conversation, Fr. Gerald introduces listeners to Anglican belief and practice, addressing topics such as Sola Scriptura, tradition, hermeneutics, apostolic succession, the prie…

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

3M ago49:11

49:11

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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#134: An Interview with Matthew Bates - Part 2 47:29

3M ago47:29

47:29

Part 2 In this 2-part series, Joshua Sherman and Matthew Halsted chat with Matthew Bates about his new book, Beyond the Salvation Wars: Why Both Protestants and Catholics Must Reimagine How We Are Saved. The book has garnered a lot of attention since it was published earlier this year (2025). In this extended conversation, Bates fields questions fr…

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Brent Strawn – Shifting Imagery and Psalm 23 (In Parallel) 20:44

3M ago20:44

20:44

Episode: With a biblical poem that shifts imagery (Ps 23), and another (Robert Hayden’s “Those Winter Sundays”) that provides perspective, Brent Strawn takes us into an “uber-famous” biblical poem-this “nightingale of […] The post Brent Strawn – Shifting Imagery and Psalm 23 (In Parallel) first appeared on OnScript.…

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Brent Strawn - Shifting Imagery and Psalm 23 (In Parallel) 20:44

3M ago20:44

20:44

Episode: With a biblical poem that shifts imagery (Ps 23), and another (Robert Hayden's "Those Winter Sundays") that provides perspective, Brent Strawn takes us into an "uber-famous" biblical poem-this "nightingale of the Psalms" (Henry Ward Beecher)-that needs to be heard again. Themes of life, death, and asylum redound. Enjoy this last episode of…

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

3M ago36:31

36:31

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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#133: An Interview with Matthew Bates - Part 1 1:45:21

3M ago1:45:21

1:45:21

In this 2-part series, Joshua Sherman and Matthew Halsted chat with Matthew Bates about his new book, Beyond the Salvation Wars: Why Both Protestants and Catholics Must Reimagine How We Are Saved. The book has garnered a lot of attention since it was published earlier this year (2025). In this extended conversation, Bates fields questions from Sher…

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Matthew Novenson – Paul and Judaism at the End of History 1:16:00

3M ago1:16:00

1:16:00

Episode: At a live event at Wycliffe Hall, Erin once again sat down with Matthew Novenson to discuss his latest monograph: Paul and Judaism at the End of History (Cambridge University Press, 2024). […] The post Matthew Novenson – Paul and Judaism at the End of History first appeared on OnScript.By Matthew Bates, Matthew Lynch, Erin Heim, Dru Johnson, Amy Brown Hughes, & Chris Tilling

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Novenson - Paul and Judaism at the End of History 1:16:00

3M ago1:16:00

1:16:00

Episode: At a live event at Wycliffe Hall, Erin once again sat down with Matthew Novenson to discuss his latest monograph: Paul and Judaism at the End of History (Cambridge University Press, 2024). Matt and Erin discuss Paul's particular brand of eschatological Judaism, which is manifested in Paul's peculiar ethnic map, his view of the Torah, and h…

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

4M ago45:01

45:01

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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#132: Revelation, Part 33 (Rev. 18:14-24) 1:15:10

4M ago1:15:10

1:15:10

In the first half of the episode, Matt takes listeners through Revelation 18:14-24, which is embedded with multiple allusions to the Old Testament. The OT imagery of divine judgment that John employs is especially striking here. In the second half, Matt interacts with Jason Staples' recent article (link below), which argues that "Babylon the Great"…

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

4M ago41:14

41:14

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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#131: Revelation, Part 32 (Rev. 18:1-13) 56:38

4M ago56:38

56:38

In this episode, Matt explores the various Old Testament texts embedded within Revelation 18:1-3. Why would John allude to them, and what do these allusions teach us about how he interprets the OT? +++ Support The Bible (Unmuted) via Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠⁠…

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Gary Schnittjer - How To Study the Bible's Use of the Bible (Live) 58:58

4M ago58:58

58:58

Episode: For our sixth live event at Nashotah House, Wisconsin, Matt sat down with his teacher and friend, Gary Schnittjer, to discuss his fascinating new co-authored book, How To Study the Bible's Use of the Bible (Zondervan). We discuss the ways the OT was already interpreting itself (long before the NT), the "already and not yet" dynamics in the…

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Gary Schnittjer – How To Study the Bible’s Use of the Bible (Live) 58:58

4M ago58:58

58:58

Episode: For our sixth live event at Nashotah House, Wisconsin, Matt sat down with his teacher and friend, Gary Schnittjer, to discuss his fascinating new co-authored book, How To Study […] The post Gary Schnittjer – How To Study the Bible’s Use of the Bible (Live) first appeared on OnScript.By Matthew Bates, Matthew Lynch, Erin Heim, Dru Johnson, Amy Brown Hughes, & Chris Tilling

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

4M ago1:06:49

1:06:49

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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#130: Scripture, Story, and... the Shire 24:00

4M ago24:00

24:00

Matt and Tosha take a listener's question about Jesus and the story of Israel -- at which point they also discuss the importance of Hobbits. +++ Support The Bible (Unmuted) via Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Read Matt's blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠…