Scripture Untangled

Today’s guest is John Franklin, interviewed by Rev. Dr. Andrew Stirling. They’ll be speaking about the intersection of the arts and the Bible. 

John is the Executive Director of Imago, a national initiative in support of Christians in the arts in Canada. He is based in Toronto and, before joining Imago in 1998, he taught philosophy at Tyndale College. Currently, he is an adjunct professor in theology at Tyndale Seminary and Trinity College at the Toronto School of Theology, University of Toronto. His special interest is in theology and the arts. He has served on the Board of Lausanne Movement Canada for 13 years and is Coordinator of the World Evangelical Alliance - Mission Commission’s Task Force on Art in Mission.

Imago’s mandate is to affirm the artistic gift and to encourage and facilitate creative initiatives in the arts that will make a positive contribution to the Canadian cultural landscape.

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Learn more about the Canadian Bible Society: biblesociety.ca

Connect with us on Instagram: @canadianbiblesociety

Whether you’re well-versed in Scripture or just starting out on your journey, The Bible Course offers a superb overview of the world’s best-selling book.  This eight-session course will help you grow in your understanding of the Bible. Watch the first session of The Bible Course and learn more at biblecourse.ca. 

Give to the Canadian Bible Society: biblesociety.ca/donate

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Learn more about John Franklin and Imago Arts

Website: imago-arts.org/about-us

• Canadian Bible Society: biblesociety.ca
• Help people hear God speak: biblesociety.ca/donate
• Connect with us on Instagram: @canadianbiblesociety
• The Bible Course: biblecourse.ca

I realized that the Lord emptied me so drastically.

So much that I had no other option, 

but to completely rely on Him. 

I learned in such a severe way that when I am weak, 

His power comes and through that makes me strong. 

You know, again, a verse that I have known my whole life 

His power is made great in our weakness, 

and I didn't actually know it, 

and I didn't know it, know it 

until I had to learn it and know it. 

And I guess I'm just in some way again, 

I hated that season, but I'm also like, 

really grateful in some weird, weird way 

because I learned that I couldn't 

do any of this on my own strength, 

nor was I ever meant to, you know.

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Today’s guest is Brooke Nicholls, a worship leader, Juno nominated and award-winning recording artist from Toronto, Canada. In this episode we’ll talk with Brooke about the intersection of Scripture and worship - how she has seen the power of the Bible both in her own life, but also in the lives of thousands across Canada.

When Brooke is not at her home church, she's leading worship at different churches and ministries across Canada from coast to coast. Brooke has been named the Female Vocalist of the Year for the last four years at the Canadian Gospel Music Awards and her latest album, ‘Pursue’ was nominated for a 2020 Juno Award. 

Brooke released her first book in 2020 entitled, ‘Making Room’ which quickly became a #1 Best Seller on Amazon. Whether it be songs or books, Brooke was eager to continue writing, so she released her second book in 2022 called, ‘Faithful Then, Faithful Now: Stories of God's Faithfulness from Women Across Canada.' Brooke is married to Steve; together they love leading the local church and pointing people to Jesus.

• Canadian Bible Society: biblesociety.ca
• Help people hear God speak: biblesociety.ca/donate
• Connect with us on Instagram: @canadianbiblesociety
• The Bible Course: biblecourse.ca

Today’s guest is Brooke Nicholls, a worship leader, Juno nominated and award-winning recording artist from Toronto, Canada. In this episode we’ll talk with Brooke about the intersection of Scripture and worship - how she has seen the power of the Bible both in her own life, but also in the lives of thousands across Canada.

When Brooke is not at her home church, she's leading worship at different churches and ministries across Canada from coast to coast. Brooke has been named the Female Vocalist of the Year for the last four years at the Canadian Gospel Music Awards and her latest album, ‘Pursue’ was nominated for a 2020 Juno Award. 

Brooke released her first book in 2020 entitled, ‘Making Room’ which quickly became a #1 Best Seller on Amazon. Whether it be songs or books, Brooke was eager to continue writing, so she released her second book in 2022 called, ‘Faithful Then, Faithful Now: Stories of God's Faithfulness from Women Across Canada.' Brooke is married to Steve; together they love leading the local church and pointing people to Jesus.

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Learn more about the Canadian Bible Society: biblesociety.ca

Connect with us on Instagram: @canadianbiblesociety

Whether you’re well-versed in Scripture or just starting out on your journey, The Bible Course offers a superb overview of the world’s best-selling book.  This eight-session course will help you grow in your understanding of the Bible. Watch the first session of The Bible Course and learn more at biblecourse.ca. 

Give to the Canadian Bible Society: biblesociety.ca/donate

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Learn more about Brooke Nicholls

Instagram: @brookenicholls

Website: brookenicholls.ca

• Canadian Bible Society: biblesociety.ca
• Help people hear God speak: biblesociety.ca/donate
• Connect with us on Instagram: @canadianbiblesociety
• The Bible Course: biblecourse.ca

Typically, when I'm setting a Scripture to song 

I'll open up on my laptop, six different translations 

in columns, and then I'll look for phrasing that 

seems to sing. And then where I can't find anything 

in the translations, I will paraphrase it myself. 

You know, and then some people get, you know, 

get really uptight, like: Oh, you don't want to 

change the Word of God!  Well, that's actually 

not a very helpful way of thinking about it

because every single time we read a Scripture

or we read a new translation of the Scripture, 

we're interpreting it through even just the way 

we speak it, so we're constantly interpreting 

and paraphrasing, but we're respecting the source 

because we're going...our heart is to convey the 

dynamic equivalent of what the people in the 

first culture would have heard when they heard 

that Scripture to what our people 

and our culture needs now.
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Brian is a songwriter, award-winning recording artist and songwriting instructor (founder of ‘Unlocking Your Songs’). His songs are known and sung internationally in faith communities of all kinds, including ‘Come Now is the Time to Worship’, ‘Refiner’s Fire’, ‘Hope Of The Nations’ and ‘The River’.

But most of all, he loves spending time with his high-school sweetheart Joyce (they have been married for 38 years.) Brian & Joyce have four adult daughters and two adult sons with Fragile X Syndrome.

In this episode, Brian gets very personal about his own faith journey, doubt, how he wrestles with Scripture to untangle it for himself, and offer it back to congregations in song. We think you are going to be richly strengthened by his reflections in this episode. Also, don’t miss the end of this episode where Brian plays a song for us that hasn’t been released yet!

• Canadian Bible Society: biblesociety.ca
• Help people hear God speak: biblesociety.ca/donate
• Connect with us on Instagram: @canadianbiblesociety
• The Bible Course: biblecourse.ca

Today’s guest is Brian Doerksen. 

Brian is a songwriter, award-winning recording artist and songwriting instructor (founder of ‘Unlocking Your Songs’). His songs are known and sung internationally in faith communities of all kinds, including ‘Come Now is the Time to Worship’, ‘Refiner’s Fire’, ‘Hope Of The Nations’ and ‘The River’.

But most of all, he loves spending time with his high-school sweetheart Joyce (they have been married for 38 years.) Brian & Joyce have four adult daughters and two adult sons with Fragile X Syndrome.

In this episode, Brian gets very personal about his own faith journey, doubt, how he wrestles with Scripture to untangle it for himself, and offer it back to congregations in song. We think you are going to be richly strengthened by his reflections in this episode. Also, don’t miss the end of this episode where Brian plays a song for us that hasn’t been released yet!

Read the transcript: https://biblesociety.ca/transcript-scripture-untangled-s03-ep01 

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Learn more about the Canadian Bible Society: biblesociety.ca

Connect with us on Instagram: @canadianbiblesociety

Whether you’re well-versed in Scripture or just starting out on your journey, The Bible Course offers a superb overview of the world’s best-selling book.  This eight-session course will help you grow in your understanding of the Bible. Watch the first session of The Bible Course and learn more at biblecourse.ca. 

Give to the Canadian Bible Society: biblesociety.ca/donate

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Learn more about Brian Doerksen:

Instagram: @briandoerksen

Website: briandoerksen.com

• Canadian Bible Society: biblesociety.ca
• Help people hear God speak: biblesociety.ca/donate
• Connect with us on Instagram: @canadianbiblesociety
• The Bible Course: biblecourse.ca

Season 2: Episode 12 | Sister Eileen Schuller | The Dead Sea Scrolls and the Bible

Dr. Eileen Schuller is a Catholic nun, one of the translators of the Dead Sea Scrolls, featured on the front page of the New York Times, learned Hebrew & Aramaic in her twenties and yet is one of the most humble and earnest teachers ever. She is nothing short of inspiring.

• Canadian Bible Society: biblesociety.ca
• Help people hear God speak: biblesociety.ca/donate
• Connect with us on Instagram: @canadianbiblesociety
• The Bible Course: biblecourse.ca

In this episode, Sister Eileen Schuller is interviewed by CBS ambassador Andrew Stirling. 

A Catholic nun, one of the translators of the Dead Sea Scrolls, featured on the front page of the New York Times, learned Hebrew & Aramaic in her twenties and yet is one of the most humble and earnest teachers ever. She is nothing short of inspiring.

Dr. Eileen Schuller is a professor emeritus at the Faculty of Social Sciences at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. Sister Schuller is an official editor of the Dead Sea Scrolls and has been one of Canada’s most respected Scripture scholars for the last half century since completing her doctoral studies at Harvard University. 

Much of Dr. Schuller’s scholarly career has centred around the Dead Sea Scrolls—working to ensure their careful study, analysis and publication, and helping people to understand both their content and their importance in the larger field of modern Biblical study. She is one of the team of editors who helped to complete the publication of the Scrolls in the 1990s, and she regularly writes and lectures on them around the world, both for her academic colleagues and for non-specialist audiences. Much of her work has focused on non-canonical Psalms, on the Hodayot (hymns of praise) from the Scrolls, and on women in the Bible.

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Learn more about the Canadian Bible Society: biblesociety.ca

Connect with us on Instagram: @canadianbiblesociety

Whether you’re well-versed in Scripture or just starting out on your journey, The Bible Course offers a superb overview of the world’s best-selling book.  This eight-session course will help you grow in your understanding of the Bible. Watch the first session of The Bible Course and learn more at biblecourse.ca. 

Give to the Canadian Bible Society: biblesociety.ca/donate

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Learn more about Sister Eileen Schuller:

McMaster University: socialsciences.mcmaster.ca/people/schuller-eileen#biography

• Canadian Bible Society: biblesociety.ca
• Help people hear God speak: biblesociety.ca/donate
• Connect with us on Instagram: @canadianbiblesociety
• The Bible Course: biblecourse.ca

Our Guest today is Anu George Canjanathoppil, who is CEO at International Justice Mission (IJM) Canada. She is interviewed by seasoned journalist Lorna Dueck about how she fights injustice in the world in light of what Scripture says about the value of human life, and God as the true bringer of justice.

Anu initiated and led IJM's first ever Partnership Program and oversaw the training of more than 17,000 police officers, government officials, and NGOs on the rescue and rehabilitation of individuals trapped in slavery and bringing criminals to justice in South Asia. As a result of Anu’s leadership, 10,000 individuals have been rescued from forced labour slavery.

Anu holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from Edith Cowan University, Australia and a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Eastern University. She successfully completed her B.A., B.L. from Dr. Ambedkar Government Law College in Chennai and acquired a special diploma in Intellectual Property Law at the Indian Law Institute in Pune.

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The Poverty & Justice Bible: biblescanada.com

Learn more about the Canadian Bible Society: biblesociety.ca

Connect with us on Instagram: @canadianbiblesociety

Give to the Canadian Bible Society: biblesociety.ca/donate

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Learn more about Anu George

Bio: ijm.ca/team/anu-george-canjanathoppil

Twitter: twitter.com/anugeorgecan

• Canadian Bible Society: biblesociety.ca
• Help people hear God speak: biblesociety.ca/donate
• Connect with us on Instagram: @canadianbiblesociety
• The Bible Course: biblecourse.ca

Today’s guest is Rev. Dr. Judy Paulsen, professor of Evangelism at Wycliffe College, an Evangelical Anglican seminary at the University of Toronto. We will discuss what the Bible says about Evangelism - a word that is often uncomfortable to the modern Christian but is simply about sharing good news as we join in with God’s work in the world.

As the daughter of Anglican missionaries, she lived her early childhood years in northwest India, prior to moving to Ottawa where she spent her later childhood and teen years. She holds a Master of Applied Science from McGill University, a Master of Divinity from Wycliffe, and a Doctor of Ministry in Missional Leadership from Fuller Theological Seminary. Judy served for fifteen years as a parish priest in the Anglican Diocese of Toronto prior to accepting her present position. During that time, she has also served as a speaker at a variety of conferences, retreats and workshops; something she continues to enjoy. Judy’s primary interests lie in effective communication of the gospel in today’s culture, and organisational change in the Church. She leads the Institute of Evangelism, mobilising mainline church congregations to share their faith.

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Learn more about the Canadian Bible Society: biblesociety.ca

Connect with us on Instagram: @canadianbiblesociety

Whether you’re well versed in Scripture or just starting out on your journey, The Bible Course offers a superb overview of the world’s best-selling book.  This eight-session course will help you grow in your understanding of the Bible. Watch the first session of The Bible Course and learn more at biblecourse.ca. 

Give to the Canadian Bible Society: biblesociety.ca/donate

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Learn more about Judy Paulsen

Bio: wycliffecollege.ca/users/judy-paulsen

Institute of Evangelism: institute.wycliffecollege.ca

• Canadian Bible Society: biblesociety.ca
• Help people hear God speak: biblesociety.ca/donate
• Connect with us on Instagram: @canadianbiblesociety
• The Bible Course: biblecourse.ca

Today’s guest is Rev. Dr. Anthony Bailey of Parkdale United Church, Ottawa. During this engaging conversation, Anthony is interviewed by CBS Ambassador Andrew Stirling on topics about Scripture, pastoral leadership, the need for the Church in Canada, as well as Anthony's passion for issues of justice and racial reconciliation.

Anthony Bailey is the lead minister of Parkdale United Church in Ottawa. Originally from Barbados, Anthony has lived and served in various parts of Canada, in Kenya and Jamaica. Anthony has academic degrees in social work, theology, philosophy of religion and ethics and culture. He has training in hospital ministry and has taught pastoral counselling at the McGill University joint theological colleges and at the theological college of the University of the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica. Anthony is also an occasional lecturer at the Ottawa School of Theology and Spirituality and has been a guest lecturer at Queen’s University School of Religion. 

Anthony Bailey is a sought-after preacher, speaker and worship/workshop leader throughout North America and the Caribbean. He has been awarded the Dreamkeepers’ Martin Luther King Jr. Life Achievement Award for Racial Reconciliation and the Order of Ottawa.

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Learn more about the Canadian Bible Society: biblesociety.ca

Connect with us on Instagram: @canadianbiblesociety

Whether you’re well versed in Scripture or just starting out on your journey, The Bible Course offers a superb overview of the world’s best-selling book.  This eight-session course will help you grow in your understanding of the Bible. Watch the first session of The Bible Course and learn more at biblecourse.ca. 

Give to the Canadian Bible Society: biblesociety.ca/donate

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Learn more about Anthony Bailey

Church: parkdaleunitedchurch.ca/anthony-bailey

• Canadian Bible Society: biblesociety.ca
• Help people hear God speak: biblesociety.ca/donate
• Connect with us on Instagram: @canadianbiblesociety
• The Bible Course: biblecourse.ca