Halting Toward Zion

In this episode we bring together a few topics we've covered before--Ziggurats, Power Religion, and Egyptian beliefs--as we consider the great pyramids. It's still a mystery how exactly the pyramids were built, but we're busy with a different question: Why?

This Episode Features: Moderately Intentional Puns; A Man In Black (Not); Because It's There; The Winchester Mystery House; Follow The Money; Spoiled Magician Shows; and Okay, Javert.

Transcript: https://bit.ly/3eFC3ZV-htz-26

Links:

Chariots of the Gods - Erich von Daniken: https://amzn.to/3i54IcV

Wally T. Wallington's Backyard Stonehenge:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-K7q20VzwVs

The Riddle of the Pyramids - Kurt Mendelssohn: https://amzn.to/385JreT

1984 - George Orwell: https://amzn.to/3fZ58Qr

Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury: https://amzn.to/2YD6hHv

Brave New World - Aldous Huxley: https://amzn.to/2BFaHET

The Gulag Archipelago - Alexandr Solzhenitsyn: https://amzn.to/382QkgK

Recos:

Moses and Pharaoh - Gary North: https://amzn.to/3g6Kk9L

Good Omens - Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman: https://amzn.to/31lWbwk

Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte: https://amzn.to/3igdxku

Today we're investigating the Ancient Egyptian understanding of burial magic and resurrection. (Spoilers: it's pretty messed up.) We also take the opportunity to talk about Christian burial and the true resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

This Episode Features: There's A Myth For That; How To Grant Immortality; True Crocodile Facts; Return To Cream Of Wheat; Telegrams Jesus Never Sent; and Smoking Cures Salmon.

Transcript: https://bit.ly/2NBsuQ4-htz-25

Links:

Horus Ruins Christmas: https://youtu.be/s0-EgjUhRqA

In The Beginning - Halting Toward Zion Ep. 2: https://bit.ly/2BujUzq

The City of God - Augustine: https://amzn.to/37JCaBc

A Modest Proposal - Jonathan Swift: https://amzn.to/314qrM6

Making Your Own Coffin - Art of Manliness Podcast: https://bit.ly/37K5A24

Living Life Backward - David Gibson: https://amzn.to/2zPrrZr

Recos:

Smoking Meat in the Style of Southern Barbecue

The Weight of Glory - C.S. Lewis: https://amzn.to/3dkIy35

Books With Burt - A Podcast on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ncrp0G

In this episode, we get to know Isaac as the beloved, sacrificed son of Father Abraham, as well as in his role as the father of Jacob and Esau... and if you know Jacob and Esau as the Mama's Boy and the Man's Man, you may want to take another look at the text.

This Episode Features: And Robin; Cousin It; Hebrew Verbs That Aren't There; How To Impress A Shepherdess; That Red Red Stuff; No One Hunts Like Esau, No One Punts Like Esau, No One Sells His Birthright Like A Dunce Like Esau; and Russian Novels and Belgian Comics.

Transcript: https://bit.ly/2Y00LhT-htz-24

Links:

Biblical Theology - Geerhardus Vos: https://amzn.to/3fr7SG1

A Conflict for the Ages - Preaching Christ, a Reformed Forum Podcast on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2MVkxon

The Adventures of Adam Raccoon - Glen Keane: https://amzn.to/3hpRY0m

Recos:

Disney's Beauty and the Beast: https://amzn.to/2UH1m6a

Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoevsky: https://amzn.to/3cYUx6e

Asterix the Gaul - Uderzo and Goscinny: https://amzn.to/2UFiOb9

The Adventures of Tintin - Herge: https://amzn.to/3e3F4mK

Today we’re talking about Abraham, Isaac, Kierkegaard, Resurrection, and the nature of faith. What exactly did Abraham think he was up to when he followed God’s commands to sacrifice his son?

This Episode Features: Unsatisfactory SparkNotes; Ancient Greek Ballistic Gel; Hebrews Hint Hints and Nudge Nudges; Probably Apocryphal Stories; and Bardic Inspiration.

Transcript: https://bit.ly/2Y6UeRo-htz-23

Links

Fear and Trembling - Soren Kierkegaard: https://amzn.to/3csl37t

Wikipedia: Regine Olsen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regine_Olsen

Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: The Answer to Life, The Universe, and Everything: https://youtu.be/aboZctrHfK8

He Is There and He Is Not Silent - Francis Schaeffer: https://amzn.to/2MrMNP6

Westminster Confession of Faith: https://opc.org/wcf.html

The Conversion of Children - Charles Finney: https://www.gospeltruth.net/1849-51Penny_Pulpit/501216pp_conversion_of_chi.htm

Recos

The Francis Schaeffer Trilogy: https://amzn.to/3eJHTJq

Apologetics - Cornelius Van Til: https://amzn.to/3dysg7E

Norse Mythology - Neil Gaiman: https://amzn.to/2z3kZh2

Popcorn Parenting on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0dekadkyf8jsyOGYvIdDLR

Popcorn Parenting on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/popcorn-parenting/id1506764123

This week we begin to ask, “How should a Christian relate to his society? How does Christianity advance within society?” There are essentially three answers, and two of them are wrong.

This Episode Features: Our Favorite and Least Favorite Star Wars Movies; And Put On Pants; Missionary Tourism; Rod Dreher Is, In Fact, Roman Catholic; General Cincinnatus; Level 15 In Dream Interpretation; and Discern-O-Goggles.

Transcript: https://bit.ly/2XlW4gI-htz-22

Links

Bleak House - Charles Dickens: https://amzn.to/36zciHL

When Helping Hurts - Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert: https://amzn.to/3gdnnT2

The Late Great Planet Earth - Hal Lindsey: https://amzn.to/3eeJ0kf

The Benedict Option - Rod Dreher: https://amzn.to/3g7WbVI

The Magician’s Nephew - C.S. Lewis: https://amzn.to/3gcQLsB

Lead On, O King Eternal - Ernest W. Shurtleff: https://hymnary.org/text/lead_on_o_king_eternal_the_day_of_march

Recos

Cast Iron Pans

Greg’s Asparagus Recipe

Redeeming Productivity - How I Use the Bullet Journal: https://www.redeemingproductivity.com/how-i-use-the-bullet-journal-method-to-steward-my-attention/

The Bullet Journal Method - Ryder Carroll: https://amzn.to/2Xorh2O

As we continue in the account of Abraham’s life, we come to the topic of hospitality--its cost, its importance, and its purposes.

This Episode Features: Proto-Indiana Jones; Spiritual Cookies and Phantom Chicken; Bad Wine Tastes of Bitter Death; Emily Is Female; Fancy Food and Fancy Dishes; and a Title Drop.

Transcript: https://bit.ly/2yrRjty-htz-21

Links

Genesis 18-19: https://www.esv.org/Genesis+18/

Genesis 15: https://www.esv.org/Genesis+15/

Living Life Backward - David Gibson: https://amzn.to/2WH5fJD

Luke 14: https://www.esv.org/Luke+14/

The Church at the End of the Twentieth Century - Francis Schaeffer: https://amzn.to/2XcimBq

Matthew 25: https://www.esv.org/Matthew+25/

Recos

The Luck of Nineveh - Arnold C. Brackman: https://amzn.to/3dTXW79

The Gospel Comes with a House Key - Rosaria Butterfield: https://amzn.to/2AFM7TM

This Is Bruce Cockburn - A Playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DZ06evO2BLdwO?si=optuSH9gQq6ITpQInZyEDQ

Today we dig into the nature and role of oaths in covenant life. Scripture often uses the word “oath” to summarize the whole of a covenant, but we may not encounter many oaths these days. In our conversation, we try to recover some sense of an oath’s meaning and gravity, as well as what an oath that God Himself took means for our faith and life today.

This Episode Features: Wedding Rings; Awkward Things To Teach To Children; Newsflash--Sinners; A Disclaimer From Halting Toward Zion; Revered Physicist Jonathan Edwards; and Pot Gardens.

Transcript: https://bit.ly/3dY1W6H-htz-20

Links

Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution - Stephen Knight: https://amzn.to/2WEB4CM

Jeremiah 34: https://www.esv.org/Jeremiah+34/

Genesis 15: https://www.esv.org/Genesis+15/

Pirates of the Caribbean: Jack Sparrow Arrives in Port Royal: https://youtu.be/LkWQvzrv6gI

Recos

Christ of the Covenants - O. Palmer Robertson: https://amzn.to/3bz6j6w

Giving Glory to the Consubstantial Trinity - Michael A.G. Haykin: https://amzn.to/3bJjhi2

Gardening

In this episode, we talk about Abraham’s hope and expectation for “a city, whose builder and maker is God.” There’s a lot that makes up a city, including shared laws and language, a variety of skills and resources, and community. While Abraham looked forward to the heavenly city and eternal fellowship with God, he also started building that city, after an earthly fashion, in his own life.

This Episode Features: Childhood Bible Class Dos and Don’ts; Lotsa Splainin; All Men Are Created Equal In One Very Specific Sense And Not Many Others; Sleight of Hand; Flour-less Cake and Taco Tuesday; and Bryan Likes Bread. 

Transcript: https://bit.ly/2Wreooe-htz-19 

Links

Hebrews 11: https://www.esv.org/Hebrews+11/

A Wrinkle In Time - Madeleine L’Engle: https://amzn.to/2ygcTBn

The Weight of Glory - C.S. Lewis: https://amzn.to/2zMniox

Romans 12: https://www.esv.org/Romans+12/

We Are the World - U.S.A. For Africa: https://youtu.be/9AjkUyX0rVw

Recos

The Gospel According to Revelation - Greg Uttinger: https://amzn.to/3b1z1fZ

Capitalism

Small Business

Valiant Coffee: https://www.valiantcoffee.com/

Stroopwafel

This episode kicks off our discussion of Abraham, as we dig in to the “blessing” that God promised to him. In the ancient world, being friends with the gods didn’t factor into religion: the gods were scary. But Abraham was called the Friend of God, on account of the righteousness credited to him through faith. In Galatians, Paul explains the meaning of this friendship for us in salvation.

This Episode Features: You Can Be The Henchman; Sassy Saint Theresa; Glawspel; Dear Listener; Cyberspace is for Eternity; Poppycock; In Other Words, You’re Crazy; and Well, That Exists.

Transcript: https://bit.ly/3aWaau5-htz-18

Links

Our Town - Thornton Wilder: https://amzn.to/3ffCHOo

Disney’s Coco: https://amzn.to/3d8wbXX

The Epic of Gilgamesh: https://amzn.to/2zSQNoX

American Gods - Neil Gaiman: https://amzn.to/2KVxxct

Galatians 3: https://www.esv.org/Galatians+3/

The Weight of Glory - C.S. Lewis: https://amzn.to/2zMniox

Romans 8: https://www.esv.org/Romans+8/

1 Corinthians 7: https://www.esv.org/1+Corinthians+7/

The Creedal Imperative - Carl Trueman: https://amzn.to/2WhlU4Y

Federal Vision Baptists? - Brandon Adams: https://contrast2.wordpress.com/2019/12/03/federal-vision-baptists/

American Gospel: Christ Alone: https://amzn.to/2z11k0M

Be Strong In The Lord - Rev. Kevin Van Der Linden: https://reformationopc.org/sermons/be-strong-in-the-lord-2/

Recos

American Gospel: Christ Alone: https://amzn.to/2z11k0M

American Gospel: Christ Crucified: https://amzn.to/2yofZmC

Five Tomes Against Nestorius - Cyril of Alexandria: http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/cyril_against_nestorius_01_book1.htm

German Covers English Songs on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7e8F2wXqhKkOXWT1F0fMWV

Finish - John Acuff: https://amzn.to/2WCNVnX

Today we take another look at mythology, and the ways in which stories either reflect or distort the truths of the Gospel. We also look at some tendencies of ancient religion that still persist today, in politics and self-deification.

This Episode Features: No, Forget That, We Need Something Less Dramatic and Awesome; Babylon U; Greg Does Not Recommend Two Books; Habeas Corpus Schmabeas Corpus; Y’Are Not; Public Domain of Things; and Hug A Healthcare Provider (From A Distance).

Transcript: https://bit.ly/2VZ7w1c-htz-17

Links

The Seven Basic Plots - Christopher Booker: https://amzn.to/354zsF4

The Two Babylons - Alexander Hislop: https://amzn.to/2VX4Ilf

The Worship of the Dead - James Garnier: https://amzn.to/2S78Fm0

The Golden Bough - James Frazer: https://amzn.to/2VIkx0l

Horus Ruins Christmas - Lutheran Satire: https://youtu.be/s0-EgjUhRqA

Recos

Mythopoeia - J.R.R. Tolkien: http://vrici.lojban.org/~cowan/mythopoeia.html

Lord of the Elves and Eldils - Richard Purtill: https://amzn.to/2KxaqoC

Fountain Pens: Lamy Safari - https://amzn.to/2KxaQvc

Human Interaction