The Bible Message without Patriarchy

In this podcast episode, we read Genesis chapter 23 from the Common English Bible (CEB).  We learn about Sarah's death, and Abraham's purchase of a burial site for his beloved wife.  This burial property in Hebron is the world's most ancient Jewish site.  After hundreds of years of captivity in Egypt, God returned His people to Hebron.  They found their way back to the land of promise only by trusting and following God.

In this podcast episode, we read Genesis chapter 23 from the Common English Bible (CEB).  We learn about Sarah's death, and Abraham's purchase of a burial site for his beloved wife.  This burial property in Hebron is the world's most ancient Jewish site.  After hundreds of years of captivity in Egypt, God returned His people to Hebron.  They found their way back to the land of promise only by trusting and following God.

In this podcast episode, we read Genesis 22:1-19 from the International Standard Version of the Bible.  God tests Abraham's faith in a story that foreshadows the coming of the Messiah.  This story points ahead to passages in the New Testament that explain how we can have our sins forgiven.

In this podcast episode, we read Genesis 22:1-19 from the International Standard Version of the Bible.  God tests Abraham's faith in a story that foreshadows the coming of the Messiah.  This story points ahead to passages in the New Testament that explain how we can have our sins forgiven.

In this podcast episode, we read Genesis 21:1-21 from the International Standard Version (ISV) of the Bible.  In this passage, God tells Abraham to listen to his wife Sarah.  God wants men to listen to women.  He wants husbands to listen to their wives.  He wants churches to respond to abuse by prioritizing the safety of victims.

In this podcast episode, we read Genesis 20:14-18 from the Common English Bible. In this story, God confronts Abimelech for adding another man's wife to his harem.  We also read additional Old and New Testament passages that address the issues of infidelity and polygamy.  Patriarchal theology has distorted the meaning of all of these passages in a way that is detrimental to women.  When read in context and in their oldest available languages, however, each of these passages is a warning against sinful behavior being committed by men.

In this podcast episode, we read Genesis 20:14-18 from the Common English Bible. In this story, God confronts Abimelech for adding another man's wife to his harem.  We also read additional Old and New Testament passages that address the issues of infidelity and polygamy.  Patriarchal theology has distorted the meaning of all of these passages in a way that is detrimental to women.  When read in context and in their oldest available languages, however, each of these passages is a warning against sinful behavior being committed by men.

In this podcast episode, we read Genesis 20:1-13 from the Common English Bible.  In this passage, Abraham expects Sarah to mislead others on his behalf.  This story raises an important question: "Does the Bible teach wives to 'obey' their husbands?"  To answer this question, we examine what the New Testament teaches about marriage relationships.  We examine verses in Ephesians chapter 5 and 1st Peter chapter 3, specifically focusing on the language of "headship" and "submission," and the meaning of these terms to a first century, Greek-speaking audience.

In today's podcast episode, we read Genesis 19:29-38 from the Common English Bible.  In this disturbing passage, the two adult daughters of Lot decided to serve their father enough wine to make him drunk, so that they could have sex with him without his knowledge or consent.  Ancient traditions about this passage actually blame Lot for the sexual assault committed against him.  Both rape and victim-blaming are prevalent in too many cultures today.  Only by holding offenders fully responsible for their own actions can we ever hope to truly promote much needed change.