In this episode of the Alabaster Jar Podcast, Dr. Lynn Cohick and Dr. Josephine Stringer embark on episode 2 of this 5-part series on the book of 1 Corinthians by exploring 1 Corinthians 1–6, unpacking Paul’s call to a cross-shaped life marked by humility rather than status or eloquence. Lynn explains how the Corinthians’ fascination with elite leaders, worldly wisdom, and personal freedom clashes with the shame and power of the cross. She also highlights Paul’s warnings about divisions in the church, misguided ideas of “servant leadership,” sexual immorality, and lawsuits among believers, all rooted in a distorted view of spiritual freedom.  

Resources Mentioned:   

The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis

Leaf by Niggle by J.R.R. Tolkien


The Visual Museum of Women in Christianity  

The Center for Women in Leadership  

Episode Sponsor:  

The Alabaster Jar is brought to you by The Center for Women in Leadership, a newly formed 501©3 nonprofit organization whose purpose is to equip women in a context that is biblically rooted, theologically robust, and ethnically diverse to thrive as leaders in the academy, the marketplace, and the Church. Follow them on Instagram @leadershipwithoutapology.

In this episode of the Alabaster Jar Podcast, Dr. Lynn Cohick and Dr. Josephine Stringer introduce a 5-part series on the book of 1 Corinthians by setting the historical and cultural scene of ancient Corinth. Dr. Cohick explains Paul’s 18‑month ministry there, the city’s significance as a hub for the Isthmian Games, and how its love of rhetoric, status, and public performance shaped the church’s problems and priorities. She also highlights the presence and agency of influential women such as Junia Theodora, Phoebe, and Priscilla, challenging assumptions about women’s roles in Corinth and the early church. They also sketch Paul’s multi‑letter, sometimes painful relationship with the Corinthian church and preview key theological themes of the series: the cross and resurrection, the church as the body of Christ, Christian love, and living in the “now and not yet” between Christ’s resurrection and his return.  

Resources Mentioned:  

The Satires by Juvenal

The Visual Museum of Women in Christianity  

The Center for Women in Leadership  

Episode Sponsor:  

The Alabaster Jar is brought to you by The Center for Women in Leadership, a newly formed 501©3 nonprofit organization whose purpose is to equip women in a context that is biblically rooted, theologically robust, and ethnically diverse to thrive as leaders in the academy, the marketplace, and the Church. Follow them on Instagram @leadershipwithoutapology.

In this episode of the Alabaster Jar, Dr. Lynn Cohick sits down with New Testament scholar Dr. Scot McKnight and trauma counselor Adrienne Gibson to discuss their new book, Traumatized Church: What Paul's Relationship with the Corinthian Church Teaches Us About Helping Those Who are Hurting. Adrienne explains what trauma is, how it impacts the body and brain, and unpacks key concepts like complex trauma and the survival responses of fight, flight, freeze, and fawn. Scot then applies trauma theory to 2 Corinthians, exploring how the Apostle Paul himself shows signs of trauma in his relationship with the Corinthian church. Together, they outline what a trauma-informed church might look like today, highlighting pillars such as safety, boundaries, empowerment, and emotional awareness for both pastors and congregations.  

Resources Mentioned: 

Traumatized Church: What Paul's Relationship with the Corinthian Church Teaches Us About Helping Those Who Are Hurting by Dr. Scot McKnight and Adrienne Gibson

2 Corinthians: Leading in the Middle of Tension (New Testament Everyday Bible Study Series) by Dr. Scot McKnight

Comfort in the Ashes: Explorations in the Book of Job to Support Trauma Survivors by Dr. Michelle K. Keener

Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence - From Domestic Abuse to Political Terror by Dr. Judith L. Herman

The Visual Museum for Women in Christianity  

The Center for Women in Leadership  

Episode Sponsor:  

The Alabaster Jar is brought to you by The Center for Women in Leadership, a newly formed 501©3 nonprofit organization whose purpose is to equip women in a context that is biblically rooted, theologically robust, and ethnically diverse to thrive as leaders in the academy and the Church. Follow them on Instagram @leadershipwithoutapology.

In this episode of The Alabaster Jar, Dr. Lynn Cohick talks with theologian and author Dr. Amy Orr-Ewing about her new book, Forgiveness: Reclaiming Its Power in a Culture of Outrage and Fear. Together they explore why forgiveness is often misunderstood in both secular culture and the church, and how it can uphold, rather than undermine, justice. Dr. Orr-Ewing unpacks different models of forgiveness, the relationship between forgiveness, repentance, and reconciliation, and how trauma survivors can move toward healing without minimizing the evil done to them. They also discuss self-forgiveness, the role of community and church liturgy, and how a robust theology of forgiveness can reshape our lives, our churches, and even our national stories.  

Resources Mentioned:   

Forgiveness: Reclaiming Its Power in a Culture of Outrage and Fear by Dr. Amy Orr-Ewing

Mary's Voice: Advent Reflections to Contemplate the Coming of Christ by Dr. Amy Orr-Ewing

Amy Orr-Ewing

Bowling Alone: Revised and Updated: The Collapse and Revival of American Community by Dr. Robert D. Putnam  

The Visual Museum for Women in Christianity  

The Center for Women in Leadership  

Episode Sponsor:  

The Alabaster Jar is brought to you by The Center for Women in Leadership, a newly formed 501©3 nonprofit organization whose purpose is to equip women in a context that is biblically rooted, theologically robust, and ethnically diverse to thrive as leaders in the academy and the Church. Follow them on Instagram @leadershipwithoutapology.

In this conversation, Dr. Lynn Cohick and Dr. Josephine Stringer explore the Book of Esther through the lives of Esther and Vashti, highlighting how both women display courage under an abusive and volatile king. They set the story in its historical context in the Persian palace at Susa, unpacking Vashti’s costly refusal and Esther’s hidden, strategic path to influencing the king. Along the way, they examine themes of power, dignity, and the isolation faced by women in the royal court.

Resources Mentioned: 

The Visual Museum of Women in Christianity

The Center for Women in Leadership

Episode Sponsor:  

The Alabaster Jar is brought to you by The Center for Women in Leadership, a newly formed 501©3 nonprofit organization whose purpose is to equip women in a context that is biblically rooted, theologically robust, and ethnically diverse to thrive as leaders in the academy, the marketplace, and the Church. Follow them on Instagram @leadershipwithoutapology.

In this conversation, Dr. Lynn Cohick is joined by Dr. Joseph R. Dodson and his daughter Maddie Mae Motl about their book, Conquerors, Not Captives: Reframing Romans 7 for the Christian Life. They challenge the popular view that the “I” in Romans 7 is Paul describing the normal Christian struggle with sin and instead argue that Paul is using a rhetorical persona, not speaking autobiographically. Drawing on the wider context of Romans 5–8, church history (from Origen and Augustine to Luther and Calvin), and an apocalyptic/cosmological view of sin and death, they present Romans 7 as depicting life under sin and the law rather than Spirit-empowered Christian existence.

Resources Mentioned: 

The Visual Museum of Women in Christianity

Conquerors Not Captives: Reframing Romans 7 for the Christian Life by Dr. Joseph R. Dodson and Mattie Mae Motl

Paul and the Giants of Philosophy: Reading the Apostle in Greco-Roman Context by Dr. Joseph R. Dodson and Dr. David E. Briones

The Normal Christian Life by Watchman Nee  

Episode Sponsor:  

The Alabaster Jar is brought to you by The Center for Women in Leadership, a newly formed 501©3 nonprofit organization whose purpose is to equip women in a context that is biblically rooted, theologically robust, and ethnically diverse to thrive as leaders in the academy, the marketplace, and the Church. Follow them on Instagram @leadershipwithoutapology.

In Part 2 of their conversation, Dr. Lynn Cohick and Dr. Cyndi Parker, an expert in biblical context, continue their discussion about the women in Jesus’ life and the importance of place in understanding Scripture. They focus on the Samaritan woman at the well and Dr. Parker first situates the story in its rich geographical and Old Testament context, explaining the significance of Shechem/Samaria, Jacob’s well, and the deep historical “thickness” of that place in Israel’s narrative.

They also unpack the complex history between Jews and Samaritans, showing how questions about the true place of worship and who is the “real” people of God form the backdrop for John 4. They challenge common shame-based interpretations of the Samaritan woman’s marital history and midday trip to the well, arguing instead for a more historically grounded and theologically rich reading that highlights her insight and response to Jesus. To conclude, they unpack a different perspective on what we see in the interaction between Jesus and the Sisters of Bethany. 

Resources Mentioned: 

The Visual Museum of Women in Christianity

Encountering Jesus in the Real World of the Gospels by Dr. Cyndi Parker  

Context Matters Podcast with Dr. Cyndi Parker

Narrative of Place

Women of the Bible in Art (Museum of the Bible Event with the Center for Women in Leadership)  

The Center for Women in Leadership  

Episode Sponsor:  

The Alabaster Jar is brought to you by The Center for Women in Leadership, a newly formed 501©3 nonprofit organization whose purpose is to equip women in a context that is biblically rooted, theologically robust, and ethnically diverse to thrive as leaders in the academy, the marketplace, and the Church. Follow them on Instagram @leadershipwithoutapology.

In this conversation, Dr. Lynn Cohick is joined by Dr. Cyndi Parker, an expert in biblical context, about the women in Jesus’ life and the importance of place in understanding Scripture. They begin with Mary, the mother of Jesus, challenging modern labels like “unwed teenage mother” by situating her in the deeply Jewish, small-village context of Nazareth and highlighting her rich scriptural formation reflected in the Magnificat.

Cyndi and Lynn also explore how Mary’s story shows God inviting seemingly insignificant people from obscure places into pivotal roles in his redemptive work. Their discussion also includes Anna the prophetess in Jerusalem’s temple, emphasizing her age, devotion, public credibility, and her role as one of the first to publicly proclaim Jesus’ significance, alongside Simeon.

Resources Mentioned:

The Visual Museum of Women in Christianity

Encountering Jesus in the Real World of the Gospels by Dr. Cyndi Parker  

Context Matters Podcast with Dr. Cyndi Parker

Narrative of Place

Women of the Bible in Art (Museum of the Bible Event with the Center for Women in Leadership  

Episode Sponsor:  

The Alabaster Jar is brought to you by The Center for Women in Leadership, a newly formed 501©3 nonprofit organization whose purpose is to equip women in a context that is biblically rooted, theologically robust, and ethnically diverse to thrive as leaders in the academy, the marketplace, and the Church. Follow them on Instagram @leadershipwithoutapology.

In this 3rd edition of "Coffee with Cohick" episode of The Alabaster Jar podcast, Dr. Lynn Cohick and Dr. Kelley Mathews answer listener-submitted questions that explore various themes centered around women's empowerment, biblical understanding, and the significance of questions in faith. They discuss the importance of asking questions, the cultural context of adoption in the first century, and the implications of naming in the biblical narrative. They also reflect on the story of Elijah, emphasizing God's care and the call to trust in His plans, even when results are not immediately visible.

Resources Mentioned:

The Visual Museum of Women in Christianity

The New Testament in Its World: An Introduction to the History, Literature, and Theology of the First Christians by Dr. N.T. Wright and Dr. Michael F. Bird

Adoption in Galatians and Romans: Contemporary Metaphor Theories and the Pauline Huiothesia Metaphors by Dr. Erin Heim

A Week in the Life of (Book Series)

Genesis (The Story of God Bible Commentary Book 1) by Dr. Tremper Longman III IVP Bible Dictionaries

Phoebe: A Story by Dr. Paula Gooder

Lydia: A Story by Dr. Paula Gooder

The Jewish War: Revised Edition (Penguin Classics) - Josephus

Women of the Bible in Art (Event at the Museum of the Bible with the Center for Women in Leadership  

Episode Sponsor:  

The Alabaster Jar is brought to you by The Center for Women in Leadership, a newly formed 501©3 nonprofit organization whose purpose is to equip women in a context that is biblically rooted, theologically robust, and ethnically diverse to thrive as leaders in the academy, the marketplace, and the Church. Follow them on Instagram @leadershipwithoutapology.

In this episode of the Alabaster Jar Podcast, Dr. Sandra Glahn joins Dr. Lynn Cohick to discuss her upcoming book (releasing August 25th, 2026), A Woman's Place Is in the Story: Seeing Women in the Biblical Narrative. They explore the question of why women-focused study Bibles are necessary, emphasizing that many significant female figures have been overlooked in traditional biblical narratives.  

Dr. Glahn also shares her insights on how women like Tamar play crucial roles in the biblical story, often embodying themes of righteousness and justice that are essential to understanding the larger narrative of Scripture. Ultimately, they highlight the need for a more inclusive approach to biblical studies that recognizes the contributions and complexities of women in the biblical text. 

Resources Mentioned:  

The Visual Museum of Women in Christianity  

A Woman's Place Is in the Story: Seeing Women in the Biblical Narrative by Dr. Sandra Glahn

2026 Visual Museum Symposium  

Episode Sponsor:  

The Alabaster Jar is brought to you by The Center for Women in Leadership, a newly formed 501©3 nonprofit organization whose purpose is to equip women in a context that is biblically rooted, theologically robust, and ethnically diverse to thrive as leaders in the academy, the marketplace, and the Church. Follow them on Instagram @leadershipwithoutapology.