OnScript

Joshua Berman - Inconsistency in the Torah

Episode: Dru and Joshua Berman discuss his bold claims in his book—Inconsistency in the Torah—that suggest source-criticism might erroneously ignore cognate literary forms in the ancient Near East, favoring notoriously slippery histories behind each source in the Torah instead. Working through Egyptian and Mesopotamian parallels, Berman discusses how the old paradigm of sources might be insufficient in the face of other comparable literatures. We talk through the book's core arguments, krav maga, Judaism in Israel, Fijian vacations with Seventh Day Adventists, and more!

Guest: Dr. Joshua Berman is an associate professor at Bar-Ilan University. His books include Created Equal: How the Bible Broke With Ancient Political Thought and The Temple (OUP) and Inconsistency in the Torah: Ancient Literary Convention and the Limits of Source Criticism (OUP). Dr. Berman is an ordained Orthodox rabbi with a B.A. in Religion from Princeton University and a Ph.D. in Bible from Bar-Ilan University in Israel.

The Book (Inconsistency in the Torah, from the publisher): "This book proposes a new approach to the Pentateuch’s narrative and legal inconsistencies that scholars have taken as signs of fragmentation and competing agendas. ... The recent pivot to empirical models constitutes a major challenge to traditional historical-critical method, mandating a review of its premises. The book includes a critical intellectual history of the theories of textual growth in biblical studies tracing how critics were influenced first by the fascination with science in the eighteenth century and then by Romanticism and Historicism in the nineteenth. These movements unwittingly led the field to adopt a range of commitments and interests that impede the proper execution of historical critical method in the study of the Pentateuch. It concludes by advocating a return to the hermeneutics of Spinoza and adopting a methodologically modest agenda."

Help Support OnScript: Click through one of the links above to purchase one of Berman's book (or others, while you're in there), and the OnScript Podcast gets a whopping 2% or so (at no loss to you). Each bit helps us keep this operation going. Or visit our Donate Page if you want to join the big leagues and become a regular donor. Don't let us stop you from doing both.

Doug Groothuis - Walking through Twilight

Episode:  Erin and Dru host Douglas Groothuis for an episode that breaks from our typical Onscript fare. Doug's newest book, Walking through Twilight is a memoir about his journey alongside his wife as she was diagnosed, and then finally succumbed to a form of dementia called Primary Progressive Aphasia. Doug's book is raw and painful to read at times, but it is also profound and sure to be helpful for those walking similar roads, pastoring such families, or offering help.

Guest: Douglas Groothuis is Professor of Philosophy and the head of the Apologetics and Ethics program at Denver Seminary. He received a PhD and a BS from the University of Oregon, and an MA in philosophy from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He is the author of numerous books, including Christian Apologetics: A Comprehensive Case for Christian Faith, which was awarded the Award of Merit in the Apologetics/ Evangelism category from Christianity Today in 2012 and answers the troubling questions that people are actually asking.

The Book: Douglas Groothuis, Walking through Twilight: A Wife's Illness – A Philosopher's Lament  (IVP, 2017). (from the publisher's website) Nothing is simple for a person suffering from dementia, and for those they love. When ordinary tasks of communication, such as using a phone, become complex, then difficult, and then impossible, isolation becomes inevitable. Helping becomes excruciating.

In these pages philosopher Douglas Groothuis offers a window into his experience of caring for his wife as a rare form of dementia ravages her once-brilliant mind and eliminates her once-stellar verbal acuity. Mixing personal narrative with spiritual insight, he captures moments of lament as well as philosophical and theological reflection. Brief interludes provide poignant pictures of life inside the Groothuis household, and we meet a parade of caregivers, including a very skilled companion dog.

Losses for both Doug and Becky come daily, and his questions for God multiply as he navigates the descending darkness. Here is a frank exploration of how one continues to find God in the twilight.

Help Support OnScript: Click through one of the links above to purchase Doug's book (or others, while you're in there), and the OnScript Podcast gets a whopping 2.5% or so (at no loss to you). Each bit helps us keep this operation going. Or visit our Donate Page if you want to join the big leagues and become a regular donor. Don't let us stop you from doing both.

Tim Mackie and Jon Collins - The Bible Project

Episode: Tim Mackie and Jon Collins chat with Matt L. and Dru J. about how the Bible Project started, their thesis that the Bible is a unified story, P967, and a wide range of other topics you've been dying to learn about.

The Bible Project: If you aren't familiar with The Bible Project, it's best to visit their site (https://thebibleproject.com/), but briefly, and from their website, 'The Bible Project is a non-profit animation studio that produces short-form, fully animated videos to make the biblical story accessible to everyone, everywhere.' They're a youtube channel that makes super helpful 5 min (or so) videos to explain the books of the Bible and its major themes.

Tim & Jon: Find out about Tim and Jon HERE.

If you want to know the kinds of videos Jon Collins created before the Bible Project, check out this video - How to Survive a Robot Uprising

Scot McKnight - Colossians and Philemon

Episode: Scot McKnight is back, bringing a cosmic Christological vision and wisdom about how the church should handle the topics of slavery and racial reconciliation. Last time he and Dennis Venema were talking Adam and the Genome. This time Scot shares what he learned while penning two exciting new commentaries, The Letter to Philemon and The Letter to the Colossians, for the beloved NICNT series. You also get to hear him sing. Maybe. Hosted by Matthew W. Bates.

Guest: Scot McKnight is Julius R. Mantey Professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary. He has written more than fifty books and blogs regularly at Jesus Creed. Scot is a much-sought-after conference speaker and a renowned expert on early Christianity. He has written both academic and popular titles, including The Jesus Creed (Christianity Today’s book of the year in 2004); The Blue Parakeet; The King Jesus Gospel, and most recently Open to the Spirit. The most important thing he has written though is the foreword for Salvation by Allegiance Alone--at least that is how most people see it. Like my mother and I.

The Books: Scot McKnight, The Letter to the Colossians  (New International Commentary on the New Testament; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2018). The Letter to the Colossians offers a compelling vision of the Christian life; its claims transcend religion and bring politics, culture, spirituality, power, ethnicity, and more into play. Delving deeply into the message of Colossians, this exegetical and theological commentary by Scot McKnight will be welcomed by preachers, teachers, and students everywhere.

Scot McKnight, The Letter to Philemon ( New International Commentary on the New Testament; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2017). Paul's letter to Philemon carries a strong message of breaking down social barriers and establishing new realities of conduct and fellowship. It is also a disturbing text that has been used to justify slavery. Though brief, Philemon requires close scrutiny. In this commentary Scot McKnight offers careful textual analysis of Philemon and brings the practice of modern slavery into conversation with the ancient text. Too often, McKnight says, studies of this short letter gloss over the issue of slavery—an issue that must be recognized and dealt with if Christians are to read Philemon faithfully. Pastors and scholars will find in this volume the insight they need to preach and teach this controversial book in meaningful new ways. (Descriptions from the publisher's website)

The OnScript Quip (our review): Discover how Paul's cosmic vision for holistic reconciliation begins with Jesus the king's work in the household. Fresh, up to date, independent. Some commentaries are stale rehashes that have already expired before printing. Not McKnight's on Colossians and Philemon. Pastors and scholars are guaranteed to benefit from McKnight's scholarly expertise and heart for the the church for many years to come. -- Matthew W. Bates, Quincy University, OnScript

Stephen Chester - Reading Paul with the Reformers

Episode: Live from Nashotah House Theological Seminary in Wisconsin! OnScript host Matt Lynch interviews Stephen Chester. We talk about how Luther & Calvin have taken a whipping by some proponents of the New Perspective on Paul, and how they, and we, need to give them a second look. To that end, we discuss his book Reading Paul with the Reformers, winner of Christianity Today's 2018 Book of the Year in Biblical Studies.

Guest: Stephen Chester is Professor of NT at North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago. Stephen is ordained in the PCS (Presbyterian denomination of the Church of Scotland) and is the author of Reading Paul with the Reformers: Reconciling Old and New Perspectives (Eerdmans, 2017) and Conversion at Corinth: Perspectives on Conversion in Paul's Theology and the Corinthian Church (Bloomsbury, 2005).

Help Support OnScript: Click through one of the links above to purchase Stephen Chester's book (or others, while you're in there), and the OnScript Podcast gets a whopping 2.5% or so (at no loss to you). Each bit helps us keep this operation going. Or visit our Donate Page if you want to join the big leagues and become a regular donor. Don't let us stop you from doing both.

 

Marc Turnage – The Bible in its Ancient World

Marc Turnage lives and breathes the world of the New Testament, through literature, archaeology, and geography. He's an expert in biblical Galilee, and comes to us live from the Galilee, where he currently helps direct an archaeological dig at Khirbet el-Araj, the possible site of biblical Bethsaida and home of Peter and Andrew. Since recording this episode, those digging at the site have confirmed that el-Araj is indeed home to a Byzantine church, and have garnered additional evidence of an urban city in the Roman era. The Roman City has definite Jewish presence as evidenced by the discovery of a knife-paired oil lamp and part of a stone vessel.

Susan Eastman - Paul and the Person

Episode:  In this episode, Susan Eastman talks with Erin and Matt about her new book on Pauline Anthropology. The book is a fascinating three-way dialogue between the Apostle Paul, Epictetus, and current trends in cognitive psychology and neuroscience. Eastman's ability to integrate these three complex disciplines into a single, thought-provoking book is likewise matched by her ability to articulate its profound implications for pastoral ministry.

Guest: (from Duke Divinity's website) Susan Grove Eastman is an Associate Research Professor of New Testament at Duke Divinity School.  Her scholarship focuses on Paul’s letters in relationship to the formation and transformation of Christian identity. Her first book, Recovering Paul’s Mother Tongue: Language and Theology in Galatians (Eerdmans, 2006), explored Paul’s use of familial imagery to proclaim the gospel’s transforming and sustaining power in the life of Christian communities. More recent work has focused on Paul’s understanding of Israel in Galatians and Romans, and on the theme of the incarnation in Philippians. Her current research investigates questions of participation and identity formation through a close reading of key Pauline texts in their first century context and in conversation with contemporary work in the fields of cognitive psychology, philosophy, and neuroscience. With appointments in both the biblical and ministerial divisions at Duke Divinity, Dr. Eastman teaches courses on the New Testament, the Bible in the church, Pauline anthropology, and preaching Paul. Ordained in the Episcopal Church, she has served churches from New York to Alaska, in addition to her scholarly work.

The Book: Susan Grove Eastman, Paul and the Person: Reframing Paul's Anthropology (Eerdmans, 2017). (from the publisher's website) In this book Susan Grove Eastman presents a fresh and innovative exploration of Paul’s participatory theology in conversation with both ancient and contemporary conceptions of the self. Juxtaposing Paul, ancient philosophers, and modern theorists of the person, Eastman opens up a conversation that illuminates Paul’s thought in new ways and brings his voice into current debates about personhood.

Help Support OnScript: Click through one of the links above to purchase Susan Eastman's book (or others, while you're in there), and the OnScript Podcast gets a whopping 2.5% or so (at no loss to you). Each bit helps us keep this operation going. Or visit our Donate Page if you want to join the big leagues and become a regular donor. Don't let us stop you from doing both.

Matthias Henze - Mind the Gap (Jewish Writings Between the OT & NT)

Episode: Anyone who has read sequentially from the Old Testament to the New has a bit of a shock when they arrive at the gospels. New ideas and creatures populate the landscape of Galilee and Jerusalem. Things such as rabbis and synagogues (A Greek term for an "assembly"!) snuck into the center of Jewish life from somewhere off-stage. So too did demons and resurrection of the dead. Though some would argue that we get glimpses of these in the Hebrew Bible, where did these full-figured notions about the spirit realm and afterlife come from? In this episode, Matthias Henze maps out how people approaching the biblical texts from the NT lens can hop into the world of Hellenistic Judaism to better understand the NT literature. Enjoy the episode, and find yourself a copy of Mind the Gap (Fortress Press, 2018).

Guest: Matthias Henze holds the Watt J. and Lilly G. Jackson Chair in Biblical Studies at Rice University. He has written numerous books and scholarly articles in early Jewish and biblical studies. He edited Biblical Interpretation at Qumran (2005), A Companion to Biblical Interpretation in Early Judaism (2012), and authored Jewish Apocalypticism in Late First-Century Israel (2011), and is preparing the Hermeneia commentary on 2 Baruch.

The Book: (from the publisher's website) Do you want to understand Jesus of Nazareth, his apostles, and the rise of early Christianity? Reading the Old Testament is not enough, writes Matthias Henze in this slender volume aimed at the student of the Bible. To understand the Jews of the Second Temple period, it’s essential to read what they wrote—and what Jesus and his followers might have read—beyond the Hebrew scriptures. Henze introduces the four-century gap between the Old and New Testaments and some of the writings produced during this period (different Old Testaments, the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha, the Dead Sea Scrolls); discusses how these texts have been read from the Reformation to the present, emphasizing the importance of the discovery of Qumran; guides the student’s encounter with select texts from each collection; and then introduces key ideas found in specific New Testament texts that simply can’t be understood without these early Jewish “intertestamental” writings—the Messiah, angels and demons, the law, and the resurrection of the dead. Finally, he discusses the role of these writings in the “parting of the ways” between Judaism and Christianity. Mind the Gap broadens curious students’ perspectives on early Judaism and early Christianity and welcomes them to deeper study.

Help Support OnScript: Click through one of the links above to purchase Matthias's book (or others, while you're in there) and the OnScript Podcast gets a whopping 2.5% or so (at no loss to you). Each bit helps us keep this operation going. Or visit our Donate Page if you want to join the big leagues and become a regular donor. Don't let us stop you from doing both.

Mary Katherine Hom - The Characterization of an Empire

Episode: Dr. Mary Hom returns to the show to talk about her soon-to-be-released book The Characterization of an Empire: The Portrayal of the Assyrians in Kings and Chronicles (Wipf & Stock, 2018). But as is normally the case, conversation goes well beyond her recent scholarship ...

Guest: Mary Katherine Hom is a freelance Old Testament scholar currently residing in Sacramento, CA. In addition to The Characterization of an Empire (available for pre-order, see below), she is the author of The Characterization of the Assyrians in Isaiah (Bloomsbury, 2014). Formerly an Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies at Ambrose University (College), Dr. Hom has since explored more integrative approaches between Biblical Studies and the Christian life, from an in-depth exploration of the charismatic movement at Bethel Church to backpacking southern Africa to volunteering alongside anti-trafficking NGOs in Asia to—most personally humbling and profound for her—caring for her mother at home. Her 'business' card (discussed in the episode) speaks to these varied aspects of her life.

Book: ***To pre-order this book at a 20% discount off retail, please contact Wipf and Stock Publishers Customer Service Department by phone at +1-541-344-1528 or by email at orders@wipfandstock.com*** 'Biblical scholars usually treat Assyria as a 'background' issue that sheds light elsewhere. Mary Hom brings Assyria into the spotlight as a biblical character in its own right, and with true insight and sagacity. Her literary analysis of Assyria in Kings and Chronicles attends to ways that biblical authors personalize, caricature, and re-interpret the empire in relation to the rise and fall of Israel and Judah. This study complements her earlier study of Assyria in Isaiah, bringing the mighty and alluring empire into literary and theological life. Narrative critics of the Bible--take note!' - M Lynch

Help Support OnScript: Visit our Donate Page if you want to join the big leagues and become a regular donor. Don’t let us stop you from doing both.

Douglas Campbell - Paul: An Apostle's Journey

Episode: It was half an hour before coffee and cake with the Campbell family, so Chris sits down with Douglas Campbell to interview him on his new book on the Apostle Paul, a particularly racy, fast-paced and electrifying book which Douglas Harink has described as “The best book on Paul since Acts”! Douglas Campbell is one of the leading Pauline scholars in the world, but this new and more popular level book reads very differently from his previous, more technical, works. Paul: An Apostle’s Journey (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 2018).

Guest: (from the Duke Divinity School webpage) Professor Campbell's main research interest is the life and theology of the apostle Paul, with particular reference to an understanding of salvation informed by apocalyptic as against justification or salvation-history. However, he is interested in methodological contributions to Paul's analysis from any disciplinary angle, ancient or modern, whether Greco-Roman epistolary and rhetorical theory, or insights into human networking and conflict-resolution discovered by sociologists. His recent book-length publications include Paul: An Apostle's Journey (Eerdmans, 2018), Framing Paul: An Epistolary Biography (Eerdmans, 2014), The Deliverance of God: An Apocalyptic Rereading of Justification in Paul (Eerdmans, 2009), and The Quest for Paul's Gospel: A Suggested Strategy (T & T Clark, 2005). A book of essays has been published analyzing his critical approach to justification: Beyond Old and New Perspectives on Paul: Reflections on the Work of Douglas Campbell (ed. Chris Tilling, Wipf & Stock, 2014).

Book: Paul: An Apostle’s Journey (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 2018). In this short but spirited book Campbell presents Paul in terms of his life and activities. Biography, theology, and Pauline scholarship are all rolled together into a potent mix, with special emphasis on how Paul might challenge us afresh today. Readers, as the book description states, are invited to “relive the story of Paul’s action-packed ministry, and follow the development of Paul’s thought throughout both his physical and his spiritual travels”. This is a dramatic and rather unique book, and will appeal to a wide audience.

Help Support OnScript: Click through one of the links above to purchase one of Campbell's books (or others, while you’re there) and the OnScript Podcast gets a whopping 2.5% or so (at no loss to you). Each bit helps us keep this operation going. Or visit our Donate Page if you want to join the big leagues and become a regular donor. Don’t let us stop you from doing both.