Biblical Conversations

Biblical Conversations

By Joel AllenReligion & Spirituality
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Biblical Conversations episodes

  • BC 2.7 The Josiah Enigma and the Art of Changing your Mind
    This episode explores the biblical story of King Josiah (2 Kings 22-23). There are two powerful puzzles related to this story. 1) Why was the prophetess Huldah so negative and depressingly unhopeful? Jeremiah was prophesying great hope and salvation predicated on obedience at this same time! (Jer 7). Secondly, if Josiah was so pious (and he was!), why didn't God protect him in battle? Here, Josiah could hardly been a more pious and godly leader. He did his level best to follow the Torah laws by destroying all the idolatrous paraphernalia in Judah and establishing a Passover ceremony for the whole nation according to biblical law. And these laws promise blessings and prosperity to those who keep them (see Lev 26 and Deut 28). Yet Josiah, the great and godly king, went into battle and was promptly killed. The paradigm of divine retribution on parade in the Old Testament is clearly not working. So the whole notion of divine retribution is a paradigm in crisis and increasingly biblical writers question and reject it (Job  and Ecclesiastes). Interestingly, when we read the NT, we find both Jesus and Paul have rejected the whole notion of divine retribution (Luke 13:1-4, John 9, Romans 8:18ff).
    So the Bible itself has changed its mind (if we can say it that way). Within the Bible, we have a clear shift of opinions: sometimes the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper. The world is much more mysterious and ambiguous than you would believe reading the Old Testament. So, let's talk about changing your mind. Let's learn to do it well. Some people, when they decide to change their mind, completely reject everything they believed before. A better process might be to determine exactly what isn't working and what is (the old baby and bathwater idea). 
    Let me offer a few words of advice on changing your mind (its going to happen because we're human and don't know lots of things).
    Do it in conversation with others - a community of faith.
    Do it in conversation with scripture - What is revealed by scripture?
    Do it with an awareness of the traditions of our church - What is illuminated by tradition?  “Does the Book of Discipline or the Social Principles of our church address the topic?”
    Be clear as to exactly your reasons - What is confirmed by reason?
    Identify what, in your experience? - What is verified by my experience?
    Be clear exactly what you’re leaving and what you’re hanging on it.
    You’ll find Christ walking beside you every step of the way.
    38 min
  • BC 2.6 Three Christmas Surprises
    This episode is a sermon I put together for the Christmas Season this year. Of course, the Christmas Season actually begins on Christmas and continues on for the 12 days of Christmas to January 6 when this episode should appear. I’ll discuss three things about the Christmas story that you may not know and may surprise the way you read the story from here on out. Enjoy!
    28 min
  • BC 2.4 Advent Study: Prophecies of the Messiah
    In this episode, I'll have two discussions with Eric Van Meter, Jeff Pospisil. Eric and I discuss the messianic prophecy of Isaiah 7:10-17, and Jeff and I will discuss Isaiah 9:1-7. We discuss the fact that all these "prophetic" passages had very specific meanings in their own political context. Isaiah 7 was originally written to strengthen Ahaz in about 735 BC as he was facing the combined armies of Israel and Syria (not Assyria) who were wanting to force Judah into an anti-Assyrian alliance. The prophecy probably refers to the wife of King Ahaz whose child's birth (probably Hezekiah) was to represent the protective care and presence of God with them even though Jerusalem was under siege. How can these prophecies be applied to Jesus when, in their context, they likely refer to a child born 725 years before the birth of Christ. 725 years! That is a long time!
    58 min
  • BC 2.3 Advent Study: Yahweh’s Kingship in the Psalms
    This episode explores the meaning of the book of Psalms as it relates to kingship. Turns out, the very structure of the book (divided into five sub-books with Royal Psalms at the seams) tells the story of the shifting understanding of Yahweh’s relation to Kings of Israel. We also see evidence of a shift in emphasis from Temple to Torah.
    1 hr 6 min
  • BC 2.2 An Advent Study: Yahweh and the King: From Gideon to Golgotha Episode 2 in the series

    In this episode, we examine various attitudes about kingship in ancient Israel starting with the book of Judges (the theme mentioned four times toward the end that “In those days, there was no king in Israel” - clearly indicating that Israel needed a King to straighten out the mess of the Judges period) and ending with Jeremiah (ch 7 - clear indication of a conditional understanding of the covenant). We spend time looking at God’s promise to David about building him a royal house (II Sam 7 - an unconditional understanding of covenant).

    54 min
  • BC 2.1 An Advent Study: Yahweh and the King: From Gideon to Golgotha

    This episode analyzes the developing understanding of kingship in ancient Israel - from Gideon’s rejection of kingship altogether (Yahweh is our King! We don’t need another!) to Christ our Messianic King, we survey biblical kingship and the competing understandings. We examine Gen 35 which foretells of Israelite kings who would come from the loins of the patriarchs of old. Then we'll take a look at the restrictive code of kings in Deut 17. On the other side of the coin, we find Gideon’s rejection of kingship altogether (although he did create an idolatrous ephod (a very confusing idea but that's what it says). Gideon's son Abimelek has no difficulty claiming kingship. His tragic pursuit of kingly glory led to the murder of his family except for his brother. Jotham's celebrated fable conveys deep suspicion concerning kings! Only a scoundrel would accept such a position and the position itself provides nothing of value.

    49 min
  • BC Bonus: Ecclesiastes and Edgy Spirituality
    I read an introduction to Ecclesiastes the other day that described Ecclesiastes as purveying an “edgy spirituality” that was challenging in the moment but in the end served to encourage faith and discipleship. That got me thinking about BC as a similar “edgy spirituality” that asks difficult questions but builds a firmer faith in the end. The more I thought about this, the more I wanted to share these thoughts with you. So here we go! Happy Thanksgiving!
    19 min
  • BC1: Biblical Conversations: The New Deal

    I’ve made some alterations to my first episode and I’m republishing it in this downtime before Season 2 begins (Dec. 4). I’ve added a new opening segment which I recently recorded to say again what I want in this podcast. Let me know what you think! I'm excited about Season Two and I already have the first few episodes pretty much ready to roll. BC is still about an analysis of biblical disagreements to understand them from the vantage point  of deepened faith and enriched discipleship to Christ.

    Season Two is all about the development of the concept of "Kingship" in ancient Israel. This is appropriate for the Advent season when we welcome Christ as our Messiah/King.  Please contact me on Facebook or Twitter or email me at [email protected].

    24 min
  • BC 19 The Rabbi and the Bible (on Godliness and the Good life)
    Rabbi Wolicki - our guest on Biblical Conversations! In this episode, Rabbi Wolicki and I discuss rabbinic understandings of the relationship between godliness and the good life, whether the retribution system functioned at the individual level, the corporate level, or both. (See BC 10, BC 11 and BC 12). We discuss how retribution for sin and blessing for goodness would destroy genuine morality and replace it with a crass system of payment. We agree that the blessing and curse system must function at the corporate level and that this answers the problem of individual suffering (it doesn’t imply evil). We also discussed (and I think preferred) the idea that the corporate blessing of righteousness is backed into the system. God so designed the world so that righteousness brings blessing to groups of people even though individuals may suffer even sinlessly and evil folks may live happy lives. Some biblical passages we discussed are Deut 19:16-21, Mark 9:43-44, Rom 18 and 26 and Rev 14:10b. There was also a passage in Deut 11:13-17.
    56 min

About Biblical Conversations

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This podcast is an honest conversation about difficult aspects of the Bible to seek understanding that leads to enhanced faith and deepened discipleship.