What would a world radically shaped by God's vision look like? How would people behave? What would they prioritize? While the lectionary texts are designed to go together, this Sunday's readings seem particularly linked. This week, Jonathan and Seth read all of them, including the Beatitudes and Micah 6:8, and discuss how they connect. They talk about how they offer a different vision than what we see in the wider world, especially in politics right now. In a reversal of Michelle Obama's statement about going high when they go low, we might think of this episode about living as God's people as: "When they aim for high positions of power, we aim for lowly positions of service, humility, and love."

We're glad you're with us! Jonathan and Seth are snowed in as this episode goes live. If you are, too, we hope you're safe and warm. If your weather is nicer than ours, then we're jealous!

So much of the Bible is poetry. Obviously, the Psalms, but also the vast majority of Job, and the prophets. There are songs like those Moses and Miriam sing in Exodus 15. Paul quotes what might be early Christian hymns in his letters. Is there something peculiar to poetry that makes it the preferred medium for expressing suffering? Is it made for emotion? What can poetry, and writing poetry ourselves, help us to discover about the biblical texts? Jonathan and Seth discuss poetry in this episode. We hope it inspires you to write some of your own, too.

We're glad you're with us! This book did not come up in our conversation, but Robert Alter wrote a well-known book in biblical studies called The Art of Biblical Poetry. I (Seth) would recommend it if this episode really resonates with you. And feel free to email us poems that have stuck with you. We would love to read them.

What's in a name? How did you get your name? And what's in a name like Israel? And what baggage do we bring from our Bible reading to the modern nation-state of Israel? When we see the word Israel, do we conflate the two? Jonathan and Seth discuss how to separate these two identities. This separation (or its conflation) has real repercussions for how we view Israel today.

We're glad you're with us! While this episode talks about one specific name, Israel. We'd love to hear how you got your name or how you named your pet(s). Email us with the story. W'd love to hear from our listeners.

Have you ever had an epiphany? Suddenly, you've realized something that was not obvious before. This is one use of the word "epiphany," but the Church has historically used it more technically: to describe the revelation of Jesus Christ into the world when the magi arrive to see Jesus. They talk a little about the "wise men." But mostly Jonathan and Seth discuss these different uses of the word, why, and how epiphany differs from Christmas, and why it matters.

Epiphany is January 6th, 12 days after Christmas. We transferred it to the following Sunday, however, as some churches do. We're glad you're with us! Feel free to reach out and tell us your epiphanies, whether they're religious or not.

John's Gospel starts at a different scale than Matthew's and Luke's (Mark's just sort of starts with no nativity or infancy narrative). John starts at the beginning of creation with "He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being" (1:2-3). While Matthew and Luke "zoom in" on Jesus and the Holy Family, John "zooms out." What can we make of this difference? What does it mean to have, as some scholars have called it, a cosmic Christ? And, maybe most centrally to the Jesus movement, what does it mean that this Cosmic Christ lived among us in our very flesh and blood? Christmas is almost over, but the questions it raises are not. So, join Jonathan and Seth as they talk about them together.

Thanks for being with us! We hope the joy of Christmas carries with you throughout the year. Although we know that Christmas brings with it lots of complicated emotions, we hope joy is the lasting one.

A short, fun episode, Jonathan and Seth pray and reveal the gifts they got each other. In an attempt not to spoil the surprise, here are links to Jonathan's gift to Seth and to Seth's gifts to Jonathan.

Merry Christmas from the both of us!

Jesus and his family become refugees in Egypt. The peaceful mangers we set up at home, or the almost-life-sized ones set up at the large church in our area, look so calm. But this text reminds us that there is a political dimension to Jesus' birth that enrages Herod. Jonathan and Seth discuss how it also is also an affront to the empires and the powerful today. They talk about why we don't hear this story more often, why Jesus' stint in Egypt might be glossed over by hymn sings, and why this newborn is political - like refugees, children, and the displaced today.

We're glad you're with us! This episode hits your feed at a strange time because it is about the Sunday after Christmas, but is uploaded before Christmas. No matter when you listen, we hope your Christmas was/is joyful! And we will have another, shorter Christmas episode to listen to on Christmas Eve.

Joseph is not Jesus' biological father, or "biodad" as is growing in popularity on TikTok. But he does seem to be committed to Mary and, subsequently, to the baby Jesus. As Luke writes, "Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose [Mary] to public disgrace, planned to divorce her quietly" (1:9). What can we learn about commitment and calling from him? Are these different? This story clearly fits into the larger narrative of Jesus' birth, but how does Joseph fit into Advent?

We're glad you're with us! We hope that your Advent is expectant, your Christmas preparations are underway, and that you are tender with yourself as this season brings with it its many emotions.

What makes you feel impatient? What are life's small annoyances that you dislike waiting for? Unfortunately, waiting is part of life, and especially the Christian life. The Advent season emphasizes waiting and the joy that can be found in it. In this episode, Jonathan and Seth discuss whether they're patient wait-ers, how Advent can be a balm for the impatient among us, and even ways to be better wait-ers. While we're not sure it will help us be better servers at a restaurant, it may help us better serve those around us.

We're glad you're with us! Do you share some of our annoyances? If so, we'd love to hear from you. In the meantime, keep waiting - Christ will come again!

Advent texts, particularly the Old Testament readings, often offer a glimpse into joy, peace, and justice God’s second coming will bring. In this week’s texts, Isaiah describes unlikely animals living in peace with each other. They’re neither dominated by their prey drive or fear. What unlikely pairings might be possible today? Who can we befriend for the betterment of the world God loves? What holds us back from these relationships? In other words, what does God’s shalom look like now, as we anticipate it coming in its fullness?

We’re glad you’re with us for this new liturgical year! I (Seth) forget how much I love Advent until it rolls around again. Then I’m always thankful for its themes; I hope you experience the same.