As we've declared on the podcast before, Mary knows. But how is she feeling? What is going through her mind? What does she think about herself when she hears the wonderful news of giving birth to Jesus Christ, the son of God? The text tells us little about Mary's internal dialogue, which is common in ancient texts. What is Elizabeth's role? And what might it tell us about community? Jonathan and Seth discuss Mary, a little about her song, and what Mary might teach us as we, too, wait expectantly for the coming of Christ into the world.

Be on the lookout for a special Christmas episode. We hope you'll listen to that one, too. And, as always, thanks for listening! Please consider leaving us a review; it helps others find us.

The "pink" Sunday of Advent has readings that are thematically different than the rest of the season. The Old Testament, response, and New Testament readings are joyful. In his letter to the Phillippians, Paul uses "rejoice" almost as a refrain. The Gospel reading, however, fits the theme of the rest of Advent: preparing for Jesus' coming. How do these readings connect? What does preparing for Jesus' coming look like when it is peppered with praise? What do we have to rejoice about? How can Advent be a balm in a turbulent season? Jonathan and Seth have a wide-ranging discussion this week about Advent that they hope gets you thinking too.

We're glad you're with us. Christmas is obviously coming (That's what Advent prepares us for, after all!). We hope you're experiencing some rest right now, find time to rejoice, and that this season is also a meaningful preparation time for Christmas and the New Year.

Advent and Lent have many similarities. Both are seasons of expectation and anticipation, balancing despair with hope. In some churches that use paraments (the ornamental hangings and the funky church attire), purple symbolizes both Lent and Advent. Each season is also characterized by preparation and refining. What does that look like in the context of Advent? Unlike last week's episode, Jonathan and Seth talk a little about the election and how living in a post-election might look different for them. They challenge each other to be as specific as possible and hope it also challenges you to ask how you might have an Advent state of mind each day.

We're glad you're with us during this expectant season. Are you doing anything special for Advent? Do you have a cool Advent calendar? Did you watch Josh Allen run, throw, and catch for a touchdown on Sunday? If so, we'd love to hear about it!

Although it's the Church's New Year, the lectionary texts focus on Jesus' return at "the end time." They're about Jesus' expected coming and what it looks like to be ready. In 1 Thessalonians, Paul is praying for his letter's recipients. In Luke, Jesus talks about reading the signs of his return. What would it look like to pray for others as Paul does? And how could thinking about the end times help us to pray appropriately for others? Jonathan and Seth discuss these questions and how Martin Luther and Charles Wesley answered questions about their end-time actions in this New Year Episode.

We're glad you're with us. Advent is full of an expectant joy that we hope seeps into your life; it is already starting to do its work on me (Seth, here). We'd love to hear about meaningful Advent practices or your thoughts about the election, which we frankly avoided in this episode, at [email protected].

While this episode was recorded before the 2024 United States Presidential Election on November 6th, the question of who will ultimately be in charge remains relevant. Frankly, it feels even more relevant to me (Seth, here) because the election of Donald Trump to a second, nonconsecutive term means the potential removal of many protections for vulnerable people. Jonathan and Seth, however, find hope in God, who will reign forever, who isn't swayed by changing political winds, who never has to worry about having "a mandate," who cares for the vulnerable's plight. We hope this episode is ultimately hopeful. 

We're glad you're with us! No matter who the president is, we will continue producing podcasts because Christ still reigns. There are more theological questions to be asked. And there is more love needed in the world.

Hannah and her husband, Elkanah, have one of the few healthy marriages described in the Hebrew Bible. When she mourns her inability to have children, he asks, "Am I not more to you than ten sons?" (1 Sam. 1:8). No, unfortunately. In the following verse, Hannah goes to the temple to pray for a child. While children are infrequently named in the biblical text, the desire for a child occurs often. So, Jonathan and Seth talk about children in the ancient world and whether this desire for children extends to today. They talk about whether they want to have children, the different ways of being a parent, and the pressure sometimes put on young people to have a child.

We're glad you're with us! You may skip this episode if having a child is an emotional topic; we will not be offended and encourage you to care for yourself. Next week, there will be another episode on Reign of Christ Sunday.

In this week's Gospel reading, a widow puts everything she has into the temple's treasury. In contrast, the rich put in large sums that amount to small portions of their total wealth. Jonathan and Seth think more about the widow, considering what else she might be going through beyond how much money she has donated. How old is she? What grief does she carry? What source of income might she have? What compels her to give so much of herself when she has so little? And, finally, what can we learn from that?

We're glad you're with us! Please take extra care of yourself this week. Drink water. Get adequate sleep. Reach out to friends who may be nervous or can help calm your election anxiety. No matter what, we'll be back next week with another episode.

While Revelation contains many passages that, on the surface, seem terrifying, toward the end, John narrates a calming, almost safe story of a New Jerusalem descending from heaven. It's a relatively well-known passage often referenced when considering what the end times may be like. So, Jonathan and Seth try to hear it anew. Despite their best efforts, they uncover some political implications in the text. After all, the election is nearing, and tensions are high. So, what kind of vision does John have for us? Can it teach us about political discourse? Can we imagine a positive vision for our world and move past mere critiques?

As the election nears, we hope you're taking care of yourself. At the risk of stating the obvious: try not to let the news consume you, drink water, and prioritize self-care practices that work best for you. We can make it through this. As always, we're glad you're with us!

The theme of exile runs throughout the Hebrew Bible. While it's sometimes more explicit than others, scholars have argued that even when exile does not prominently appear, it was the lens ancient readers used to interpret the text. So, Jonathan and Seth talk about exile. They discuss its effect on ordinary people's lives, the deep longing it causes, and the joyous hope of being back together again. If we were not following the lectionary, this episode could (and maybe should) have been the first episode we produced.

We're thrilled you're with us! Have you had an experience of exile? Has that pain healed at all? Did you have a homecoming afterward? We'd love to hear about it; email us at [email protected]

Hurricanes have been in the news lately. The cleanup will take months, and a sense of normalcy in some places may take years if it is possible at all. Meanwhile, the psalmist declares that the natural world is so stunning and masterfully designed that it points toward God. How do we make sense of these claims in light of these recent natural disasters? Do they tell us anything about God? Do they tell people "on the ground" something about God that we, sitting in our safe homes, can't comprehend? And what does a God concerned about justice have to do with these communities that were so significantly impacted? We try to unpack these theological questions and wrestle with the beauty we've seen in nature alongside the destruction in Florida and the western Carolinas.

If you're like us, the images of Hurricane Helene's flooding struck you deeply. And, therefore, we think they're worth some theological reflection. We're so glad you're with us. Please join us in praying for those affected by natural disasters and also those in Gaza, who have shown tremendous support for the hurting, despite their physical distance.