He may not be the best-known villain in the Bible, but he certainly makes the list. Haman was a vizier in the Assyrian Empire who tried to eliminate the Jews from the world. God intervened through two very unlikely figures, with a strong dose of irony, and showed himself faithful in the only book of the Bible that doesn't mention his name. 

Why is Tolkien's work so enduring? It's more popular now than it's ever been. There's something about Lord of the Rings that is real. It showcases the real world, true reality, through fantasy. In the final episode of the Tolkien series, Cole and Terry discuss Tolkien's legacy, his life, and why his books are still some of the most popular books ever printed. 

After World War I, Tolkien was looking to find his footing. He looked for jobs and ached for another fellowship of friends like he'd had before. He found both in the 1920s when he landed a job at Oxford teaching English literature. It was during this great season of his life that his major works began. Soon, he would be working on his masterpiece, the Lord of the Rings. 

Teaching is something everyone can get better at. Terry Feix has spent a lifetime growing as a teacher, and he's sharing his secrets in this episode. From start to finish, and even after the lesson is over, Terry walks through his teaching prep process and discusses what he's learned about teaching the Bible. 

It's our favorite podcast of the year! Best books of 2024. Books discussed on this episode: 

Terry's Books:

Unearthing the Bible - Titus Kennedy

Papyri and the Social World of the New Testament - Sabine Huebner

Come, Tell Me How You Live - Agatha Christie 

Port Williams Novels - Wendell Berry 

Assyria - Eckhart Frahm

Collected Poems of T.S. Eliot

The Essential George Bernard Shaw - Edited by G.K. Chesterton

The Fellowship: Literary Lives of the Inklings - Philip and Carol Zaleski

Cole's Books: 

The Achilles Trap - Steve Coll 

C. S. Lewis - Alistair McGrath

Jonathan Edwards - George Marsden 

An Infinite Fountain of Light - George Marsden 

Churchill’s D-Day - Allen Packwood and General Lord Richard Dannatt 

Dopamine Nation - Anna Lembke 

Fully Alive - Elizabeth Oldfield 

Habits of the Household - Justin Whitmel Earley 

Father Brown - G. K. Chesterton 

Exodus - Phil Ryken 

The Stalin Affair - Giles Milton 

Tolkien had just graduated from Oxford when the Great War broke out. Each member of the TCBS was sent into active duty, including Tolkien. He endured the Somme, the bloodiest battle in British history, only to face a fortuitous difficulty: trench fever. While Tolkien was recovering, he would begin the saga that he would spend the rest of his life completing. 

If there's one theme that runs through J.R.R. Tolkien's early life, it's friendship. Orphaned before his teens, Tolkien surrounded himself with friends throughout his life. And this theme runs through The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit as well. In this first episode on the life and writings of J.R.R. Tolkien, Cole and Terry discuss his early life and the theme of friendship in his writing. 

As we head into the busyness of the holidays, it's important to stop and remember what Christmas is all about and prepare our hearts to celebrate the birth of our Savior. In this episode, Cole and Terry discuss Advent and how to celebrate with families and friends. 

Get a copy of our Advent booklet on Amazon! 

Support So We Speak in 2025! 

In the last twenty years, the landscape of the Middle East has changed again. Following the Arab Spring, the Obama administration oriented its policy around Iran, only for the Trump administration to orient its policy around Saudi Arabia. In the middle of the back-and-forth, the Abraham Accords were born and gave the best shot for peace in the Middle East since the founding of Israel. 

What's happening now, and what's ahead for Israel? Cole and Terry discuss in this final episode on modern Israel. 

After the wars in 1967 and 1973, Israel saw the rise of a new group of enemies. Previously, it had fought against rival states in the region. Next, radical terrorist groups arose across the region. In this episode, Cole and Terry discuss the formation of Hezbollah, Hamas, Al Qaeda, and other militant groups that have come to dominate the Middle East.