What brings happiness, success, and health to men? Scripture and science give us the same answer.

Referenced in the episode:

Mother, Daughter, Queen & Priestess in Ancient Egypt https://youtu.be/L0ZZAsBzUvQ?si=n5__pgGNJOAPGB-2

Jordan Peterson on Megyn Kelly 's podcast https://youtu.be/7nL79J-3hgI?si=CoCJvkp3IQLpuoUt

Genesis 2 tells us that men and women were created to be friends, companions, to help each other feel less alone. So why do so many religious cultures treat friendship between men and women as inappropriate?

Referenced in the episode:

Palace Walk by Naguib Mahfouz https://a.co/d/4VRDsLU

Video on Women in Ancient Egypt: https://youtu.be/l7y7glgLbhU?si=CaJ7NFlIo0I5B0cI

The Israelites were not totally immune from the plagues God rained down on Egypt. Why? Sometimes we become so comfortable in the familiarity of our misery that it takes an act of God for us to choose to follow God into a better life.

Referenced in the episode:

Counted With The Stars by Connilyn Cossette https://a.co/d/cPIDATL

The Buried: An Archeology of the Egyptian Revolution by Peter Hessler https://a.co/d/6n15xGN

Was the Garden of Eden suffocating? Is God all we need? What was the original sin? Are walls good for us?

Referenced in the episode:

The Cost of Control: Why We Crave It, the Anxiety It Gives Us, and the Real Power God Promises by Sharon Hodde Miller ⁠https://a.co/d/c4YaEvG⁠

The Rational Bible: Genesis by Dennis Prager ⁠https://a.co/d/8uwSo3q

After 300 years, are you a foreigner or a native? Today we consider the possibility that the Israelites in Exodus were culturally, practically, and in some cases ethnically, Egyptian.

Want to know about real love? Ask the prostitute! In this very long episode we honor the story of Rahab, and discuss what real love between a man and a woman looks like in Scripture.

There is never the perfect time. The perfect situation, the perfect person, the perfect congregation... doesn't exist. How do we connect in the present moment, just as we are, with others, just as they are, to create a loving community? We cannot become gatekeepers of the Kingdom of God, nor can we as a community revolve around one person's specific needs. How does Christ show us that balance?

Jacob, Jacob, Jacob.... but maybe Esau is really the star of the story. This hairy, primitive, macho man with the heart of gold is one of my favorite characters in the Bible. He receives the blessing of being content and valuing loving relationships above all else.

Romance in the Bible? While the Bible gives us lots of examples of difficult relationships and relationships of steadfastness, all the examples of grand romantic passion like we see in romcoms or romance novels are treated as dangerous and unhealthy in Scripture. Real love is a quieter, steadier creature that doesn't depend on our emotional state. Yes, love is patient, love is kind.

Shared sacrifice and struggle builds family and community. Lent is not a time for Christians to approach faith as a solo project, but to deeply invest in community.

My favorite hymn, that traditionally isn't sung during Lent, so I'm binging it right now: https://youtu.be/d0nqhXi-sXU?si=pM46P-iPV3puNnP4