The Alabaster Jar

In this episode of the Alabaster Jar Podcast, Dr. Lynn Cohick and Dr. Josephine Stringer begin a three-part series exploring the book of Galatians. Dr. Cohick discusses its historical context, the significance of Paul's message, and the implications of the resurrection. They also delve into the challenges faced by the early church, the importance of unity, and the role of faith in justification.  

Resources Mentioned:   

The Visual Museum of Women in Christianity  

2026 Visual Museum Symposium  

Women of the Bible in Art (Museum of the Bible)

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. Jessica Hooten Wilson joins Dr. Lynn Cohick to discuss her book, Reading for the Love of God: How to Read as a Spiritual Practice. Together, they explore the transformative power of reading as a spiritual practice and talk through how stories, both biblical and literary, shape our understanding of life and faith. They also discuss different types of readers, virtues to bring to our reading, and the rich traditions of scriptural interpretation throughout history.

Resources Mentioned:  

The Visual Museum of Women in Christianity

Reading for the Love of God: How to Read as a Spiritual Practice by Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson  

The Scandal of Holiness: Renewing Your Imagination in the Company of Literary Saints by Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson

Eat This Book: A Conversation in the Art of Spiritual Reading by Eugene H. Peterson

My Friend Flicka by Mary O’Hara

Lord Peter: The Complete Lord Peter Wimsey Stories by Dorothy L. Sayers

The Man Born to Be King by Dorothy L. Sayers

The Mind of the Maker: The Expression of Faith through Creativity and Art by Dorothy L. Sayers

Brighty of the Grand Canyon by Marguerite Henry

Cato: A Tragedy, and Selected Essays by Joseph Addison

Old Yeller by Fred Gipson

The Zeal of Thy House by Dorothy L. Sayers

Revelations of Divine Love by Julian of Norwich

The Odyssey by Homer

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 2nd edition of "Coffee with Cohick" episode of The Alabaster Jar podcast, Dr. Lynn Cohick and Dr. Kelley Mathews answer listener-submitted questions that explore practical advice for women leading Bible studies, drawing lessons from biblical figures such as Phoebe, Priscilla, and Junia. Dr. Cohick also shares her approach to biblical exegesis and discusses how to understand and connect the overarching redemptive story of Scripture to women’s roles. Lastly, she addresses how to lovingly engage with family members holding challenging theological views and encourages mutual support within the faith community.

Resources Mentioned:  

The Visual Museum of Women in Christianity

Scripture as Communication, 2nd Edition: Introducing Biblical Hermeneutics by Dr. Jeannine K. Brown

Elements of Biblical Exegesis: A Basic Guide for Students and Ministers by Dr. Michael J. Gorman  

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. Kelly Dippolito conclude their Advent series focusing on the theme of love as they reflect on the story of Mary, the mother of Jesus. They discuss how Mary's life was interrupted by divine purpose, her response to the angel Gabriel, and the importance of being open to God's interruptions in our own lives. They also emphasize the need for faithfulness, the depth of Mary's theological understanding, and the call to embrace love and interruptions as part of our spiritual journey during the Advent season.  

Resources Mentioned:   

The Visual Museum of Women in Christianity

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. Kelly Dippolito continue their Advent series with a focus on the theme of joy. They reflect on the stories of Elizabeth and Mary in the Gospel of Luke, highlighting how profound joy is magnified in the context of friendship and community. They also discuss the complexities of waiting, holding multiple emotions at once, and how biblical joy persists even in uncertain or difficult circumstances.  

Resources Mentioned:

The Visual Museum of Women in Christianity

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. Kelly Dippolito continue their Advent series with a focus on the theme of peace. They explore the biblical story of Hannah from 1 Samuel, drawing lessons about honest prayer, enduring hope, and the nature of biblical peace (shalom). They also compare cultural and biblical understandings of peace, reflect on the support of faithful partners, and connect Hannah’s story to Mary’s Magnificat.

Resources Mentioned:  

The Visual Museum of Women in Christianity

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. Kelly Dippolito begin their Advent Series with Rev. Dr. Tracey Bianchi to explore the meaning of Advent as a season of waiting and hope, drawing from the story of Sarah and Abraham in Genesis. They also dive into why waiting can be so difficult, and how honesty and faith play a role in the waiting process.

Resources Mentioned:  

The Visual Museum of Women in Christianity

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 Visual Museum Podcast Series, Dr. Sandra Glahn and Dr. Kelley Mathews delve into the extraordinary lives of sisters Praxedes and Pudenziana, celebrated for their unwavering devotion and service. Drawing from the Visual Museum of Women in Christianity, they reveal the enduring visual legacy these women left through stunning mosaics, paintings, and church architecture. The conversation highlights how Praxedes and Pudenziana cared for martyrs and their community, earning deep reverence as saints and faith leaders. Through both art and narrative, Dr. Glahn and Dr. Mathews trace the sisters’ vital connections to Peter, Paul, and their unique place in church history.

Visual Museum of Women in Christianity

The purpose of this collaborative project is to create a curated, permanent visual exhibit of women in the history, ministry, and piety of early, Byzantine, and medieval Christianity that will be available online for researchers, educators, and interested laypersons.

The goal of this multi-year project is to make the visual record of women in ministry and leadership available free of charge and unencumbered by permission requirements, and to include short teaching elements to guide the audience through the constitutive and pivotal role of women throughout Christian history.

Together with the visual story, the accompanying narrative will make it possible for patrons to learn about women throughout history and across the globe and their unique contributions to the life and faith of the church…

A history that remains mostly untold.

Follow the Visual Museum on Social Media:

Instagram: visualmuseum.gallery
Facebook: visualmuseum.gallery
Twitter: visual_museum
TikTok: visualmuseum.gallery
YouTube: @VisualMuseum

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. Learn more about The Center for Women in Leadership at: https://www.leadershipwithoutapology.org/.

In Part 2 of their conversation, Dr. Lynn Cohick is joined by both Dr. Cynthia Shafer-Elliot and Dr. Elizabeth Backfish, co-authors of "Grounded Theology in the Hebrew Bible: Exploring the Cultural Context That Formed Ancient Israel." They explore the cultural, historical, and theological context of ancient Israel, focusing on themes such as worship, offerings, law, wisdom, and hospitality. They also delve into how sacrifices and temple practices shaped everyday life and examine the enduring significance of being made in the image of God. They also highlight the distinctiveness of biblical law and wisdom literature, as well as the role of food, feasting, and hospitality in community life, offering insights for both ancient and modern faith practice.

Resources Mentioned: 

The Visual Museum of Women in Christianity Grounded Theology in the Hebrew Bible:

Exploring the Cultural Context That Formed Ancient Israel by Dr. Cynthia Shafer-Elliot and Dr. Elizabeth Backfish  

The Liberating Image: The Imago Dei in Genesis 1 by Dr. J. Richard Middleton

Corporal Punishment in the Bible: A Redemptive-Movement Hermeneutic for Troubling Texts by Dr. William J. Webb

The Image of God in the Garden of Eden by Dr. Catherine J. McDowell

The Hebrew Bible, the Old Testament, and Historical Criticism: Jews and Christians in Biblical Studies by Dr. Jon D. Levenson

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 both Dr. Cynthia Shafer-Elliot and Dr. Elizabeth Backfish, co-authors of "Grounded Theology in the Hebrew Bible: Exploring the Cultural Context That Formed Ancient Israel." They dive into the world of ancient Israel—its family structures, covenants, purity laws, and what holiness really meant. They also bring history to life, sharing fresh insights that connect the Old Testament’s cultural context to faith today.

Resources Mentioned:

The Visual Museum of Women in Christianity

Grounded Theology in the Hebrew Bible: Exploring the Cultural Context That Formed Ancient Israel by Dr. Cynthia Shafer-Elliot and Dr. Elizabeth Backfish  

The Epic of Eden: A Christian Entry into the Old Testament by Dr. Sandra L. Richter

Discovering Eve: Ancient Israelite Women in Context by Dr. Carol Myers

Women and the Gender of God by Dr. Amy Peeler

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.