Deconstructing the Myth

“Should I read my Bible during deconstruction?” This week your host Liz Mall shares her thoughts and experiences concerning this commonly asked question.

In this week’s episode we discuss a confusing passage found in 2 Numbers 2:23-24 where the prophet Elisha curses a group of boys who just insulted him for being bald, which is followed by two bears emerging and mauling 42 of the youths.

This passage brings up issues concerning translation errors and modern interpretative lenses imposed on an ancient text, as well as touching on the controversial topic of divine vengeance.

Join us, Liz Mall (Biola M.A. in Christian Apologetics) and historian Jenny White (Harvard M.A. in Museum Studies) as we begin to deconstruct this passage together by asking the tough questions and providing resources to get you started on your own journey of digging below the surface of the Bible’s toughest passages.

Check out our show notes and resources at:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rDUb53KOLBSqBDOsNf2A0ovjbgFRkcxvZv-tjSXJL5w/edit

22. Today we discuss a troublesome Bible passage found in Genesis 22 where God tells Abraham to sacrifice his son as a burnt offering, and Abraham nearly carries out the command. While Isaac is spared at the last moment, this passage raises a lot of moral and theological questions, as well as questions about Abraham’s mental health and relationship to God.  

Join us, Liz Mall (Biola M.A. in Christian Apologetics) and historian Jenny White (Harvard M.A. in Museum Studies) as we ask the tough questions and provide resources to get you started on your own journey of digging below the surface of the Bible’s toughest passages and concepts.

For our resources check out our show notes here:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1p8qUeBZB5RibRnDEDbgbx7s9oTghScuwo5Zl3YQrgkM/edit?usp=sharing

This week, we take a break for our usual deconstruction series as Liz Mall shares her views on why deconstruction is so important for Christianity and NOT the enemy of the Evangelical church—unless the church insists on making it the enemy.

Liz Mall has her Masters in Christian Apologetics and shares a vision for a new way of using apologetics to engage well in the faith deconstruction space, as well as exposing ways Evangelical biases are keeping the church from responsibly and lovingly interacting with those who bring up big questions about God and Christianity.

Check out our show notes here:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TxGZoaREOGjzT90S-fcEqEPxMnayNpqWmkG_JWNQcqI/edit

How does the concept of hell impact our minds and mental health, and how do our minds and mental health impact our view of hell? Join us, Liz Mall (Biola M.A. in Christian Apologetics) and historian Jenny White (Harvard M.A. in Museum Studies) as we begin to deconstruct the psychology of hell together by asking the tough questions and providing resources to get you started on your own journey of digging below the surface of this difficult Bible concept.

Check out our show notes and resources at:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Js9T9k2ns6At_m2Ke8bTaM_4ytfd7XKlK1X6vw9ECy0/edit

For many who deconstruct, the Christian concept of hell is a big problem. In this three part series, we will deconstruct the concept of hell alongside you!

For today’s episode, we discuss how people from different worldviews systemize ideas about judgement, evil, and cosmic justice. We look at views from atheists (naturalism), world religions, Judaism and early Christianity, and then we dive into historical ways Christians have explained who goes to hell and why they will.

Join us, Liz Mall (Biola M.A. in Christian Apologetics) and historian Jenny White (Harvard M.A. in Museum Studies) as we begin to deconstruct hell more together by asking the tough questions and providing resources to get you started on your own journey of digging below the surface of the Bible’s toughest passages and concepts.

Check out our show notes and resources at:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/11j9Hm-EaZ4V3jda0vy3pfTiGCsowQwjfPt5l5AhtpqQ/edit

For many who deconstruct their Evangelical faith, the topic of hell is a hot button topic—for good reason. The historical, logical, and moral issues surrounding the topic of hell are important for any Christian to dissect, whether they are deconstructing or not.

For today’s episode, we discuss words and phrases that are commonly translated as “hell” in the Bible or are closely associated with the concept of hell.

We also look at three common Christian views of hell: infernalism, annhialationism, and universalism.

Have we been taught hell all wrong?

Join us, Liz Mall (Biola M.A. in Christian Apologetics) and historian Jenny White (Harvard M.A. in Museum Studies) as we begin to deconstruct hell together by asking the tough questions and providing resources to get you started on your own journey of digging below the surface of the Bible’s toughest passages.

Check out our show notes and resources at:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/11j9Hm-EaZ4V3jda0vy3pfTiGCsowQwjfPt5l5AhtpqQ/edit

In 1 Corinthians 15:29, a confusing and often ignored Bible passage refers to baptizing dead bodies. Is this a passage Christians conveniently ignore? Does it have implications for baptism? Does baptism itself have implications of a cosmic fear of hell? Join Jenny White and Elizabeth Mall as we deconstruct this odd Bible passage. Check out our show notes and resources at https://www.dropbox.com/s/34ddyikxua2wl1h/Baptism%20of%20the%20Dead_OUTLINE%20and%20NOTES.docx?dl=0

In 1 Corinthians 11 we read Paul telling women to cover their heads as well as giving commentary on marriage and gender. While many churches are intent on taking Paul’s commands seriously, the command on head covering is usually ignored. Why? And what are we to make of the rest of Paul’s thoughts on gender, women, and marriage in this controversial chapter?

Join us, Liz Mall (Biola M.A. in Christian Apologetics) and historian Jenny White (Harvard M.A. in Museum Studies) as we begin to deconstruct this passage together by asking the tough questions and providing resources to get you started on your own journey of digging below the surface of the Bible’s toughest passages.

Check out our show notes and resources at:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/cq7pearmdjan7wl6vkrji/DTM-2.3-Head-Coverings.docx?dl=0&rlkey=1o3icn2trjmf9j9lo3e8gyfeu

Some would consider accounts of genocide in the Old Testament to be the greatest hurdle to the Bible’s (and Christianity’s) validity. It raises big theological questions about Biblical inerrancy, the character of God, and the morality of mass killings.

But has the key to correctly interpreting these passages been lost due to our misunderstanding of ancient literary and journalistic conventions? Or do these violent passages truly reveal a vindictive, blood thirsty god no different than the “gods” of Israel’s surrounding ancient civilizations?

Join us, Liz Mall (Biola M.A. in Christian Apologetics) and historian Jenny White (Harvard M.A. in Museum Studies) as we begin to deconstruct Deuteronomy 7:1-6 together by asking the tough questions and providing resources to get you started on your own journey of digging below the surface of the Bible’s toughest passages.

For today’s paper reference and access our sources, check out: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EOwc6PQ4-PRCinjY1Gs9HP2w4qQwIsYuDeDnRMXxy_s/edit?usp=sharing

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EOwc6PQ4-PRCinjY1Gs9HP2w4qQwIsYuDeDnRMXxy_s/edit?usp=sharing