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What happens when we take seriously the reality that the Apostle Paul, even at his most Jewish, lived and worked within a pagan, god-congested world?

In this episode, Ryan Lambert speaks with distinguished scholar Dr. Paula Fredriksen about the newly released volume she co-edited, Paul within Paganism. Together they explore how Jews and pagans mingled across the Mediterranean, why Paul’s message was socially disruptive for both Gentile and Jewish authorities, and how reading Paul within the Greco-Roman landscape sharpens — not weakens — our understanding of Paul as a Torah-faithful Jew.

This conversation seeks to reframe Paul within his own historical context, helping modern readers avoid the distortions that result from removing him from the world in which he actually lived.

To better understand Paul in our world, we must first understand him in his own.

The new book Paula co-edited, Paul within Paganism: https://a.co/d/5tWkWNO

Paul: The Pagan's Apostle, by Paula Fredriksen: https://a.co/d/3VGkyBL

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Download the free PDF "Recovering the Jewish Paul: Three Keys to Understanding the Apostle and Building Bridges Between Jews and Christians"

The Weird Apostle
Ryan's book places the Apostle Paul in his Jewish and Greco-Roman context.

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Did Paul call the Jewish people “God’s enemies” in Romans 11:28?

In this episode of Journey with the Jewish Paul, Ryan Lambert looks closely at one of the most misunderstood verses in the New Testament — a verse that has often been used to justify Christian hostility toward the Jewish people.

We explore:

*why some English translations say “enemies of God”

*how the Greek text actually works

*why Paul also calls the same Jewish people “beloved”

*why Paul saw Jewish unbelief as temporary, not permanent

*what this means for Jewish–Christian relations today

And we ask a vital question:

What if Romans 11:28 has been mistranslated and misused?

This matters not just for accurate Bible reading, but because antisemitism is rising globally, and Paul’s words have too often been weaponized to support it. In this episode, we show why Paul never declared the Jewish people “enemies of God”…and why their calling remains irrevocable.

Bridge Builders Forum
An educational entity dedicated to helping Jews and Christians understand their faith, the Bible, and each other.

Bridge Builders Forum Email News and Updates

Download the free PDF "Recovering the Jewish Paul: Three Keys to Understanding the Apostle and Building Bridges Between Jews and Christians"

The Weird Apostle
Ryan's book places the Apostle Paul in his Jewish and Greco-Roman context.

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Send us a text

In 1965, the Catholic Church issued Nostra Aetate, a groundbreaking declaration that dramatically transformed its relationship with the Jewish people — rejecting centuries of theological hostility and opening the door to renewed friendship and respect.

Sixty years later, the legacy of Nostra Aetate continues to shape Jewish-Christian relations. But what still needs to be done?

In this episode, Ryan Lambert speaks with Dr. Philip Cunningham, co-director of the Institute for Jewish-Catholic Relations at Saint Joseph’s University, and a widely respected scholar in Catholic-Jewish dialogue. Together they explore:

What Nostra Aetate actually said — and why it was revolutionary

How Catholic teaching on Jews changed so dramatically in 1965

Why the Apostle Paul is central to Nostra Aetate’s vision

How Catholic preaching and education have been transformed (or not)

How Jews themselves have responded to Nostra Aetate

Why Pope Francis speaks of receiving “treasures of wisdom” from Judaism

What the next 10 years could look like for Jewish-Christian relations

If you care about overcoming misunderstanding between Jews and Christians — and building a future of mutual respect, learning, and covenantal partnership — this episode is for you!

Institute for Jewish-Catholic Relations at St. Joseph's University: https://www.sju.edu/college-arts-and-sciences/ijcr

Dr. Cunningham's recent lecture on Nostra Aetate at Boston College: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYTUg3hWmAY

Nostra Aetate, Paragraph 4: https://www.christianunity.va/content/unitacristiani/en/commissione-per-i-rapporti-religiosi-con-l-ebraismo/nostra-aetate-n--4.html

Bridge Builders Forum
An educational entity dedicated to helping Jews and Christians understand their faith, the Bible, and each other.

Bridge Builders Forum Email News and Updates

Download the free PDF "Recovering the Jewish Paul: Three Keys to Understanding the Apostle and Building Bridges Between Jews and Christians"

The Weird Apostle
Ryan's book places the Apostle Paul in his Jewish and Greco-Roman context.

Make a tax deductible donation to the Bridge Builders Forum

Send us a text

Were Paul’s churches actually synagogue sub-groups?
We usually imagine Paul planting “Christian churches” that were completely separate from Judaism — but that’s not likely how Paul saw it.

In this episode of Journey with the Jewish Paul, Ryan Lambert explores a game-changing possibility: that Paul’s “churches” were actually assemblies meeting within Jewish synagogues — not outside of them.

You’ll discover:

Why Paul’s Gentile followers could only worship Israel’s God within synagogue life

Why synagogues were the only place they could learn and interpret the Jewish Scriptures

Why Paul expected Gentiles to observe Torah-based practices like Passover (1 Cor 5)

How Romans 11 confirms ongoing connection to the Jewish community

What this means for Jewish-Christian relations today

This is not about erasing differences — it’s about better understanding Paul’s actual vision, which was far more connected, humble, and rooted in Jewish communal life than many assume.

Bridge Builders Forum
An educational entity dedicated to helping Jews and Christians understand their faith, the Bible, and each other.

Bridge Builders Forum Email News and Updates

Download the free PDF "Recovering the Jewish Paul: Three Keys to Understanding the Apostle and Building Bridges Between Jews and Christians"

The Weird Apostle
Ryan's book places the Apostle Paul in his Jewish and Greco-Roman context.

Make a tax deductible donation to the Bridge Builders Forum

Send us a text

Can Christians embrace the Jewish Sabbath, and if so, what might it look like?
In this inspiring episode of the Bridge Builders Forum Podcast, Ryan Lambert sits down with Michael and Selah Hirsch, authors of Pressing Pause, to explore how rediscovering the biblical rhythm of Shabbat transformed their family life, deepened their relationship with God, and helped them resist the exhaustion of a nonstop culture.

Together, they discuss:

*What “soul exhaustion” looks like in today’s world and how Shabbat offers a sacred refuge.

*How a trip to Israel reshaped their understanding of Sabbath rest.

*Why Shabbat isn’t just a Jewish idea, but a divine rhythm meant to bless all humanity.

*How Christians can begin to practice Sabbath in ways that honor its Jewish roots while fitting their own faith traditions.

This is a timely conversation as more Christians rediscover the beauty of the Sabbath and ask what it means for their own lives and communities.

Michael and Selah's new book, "Pressing Pause": https://a.co/d/fRGDP2J

Michael and Selah's website, "Start Sabbath": https://startsabbath.com/

Bridge Builders Forum
An educational entity dedicated to helping Jews and Christians understand their faith, the Bible, and each other.

Bridge Builders Forum Email News and Updates

Download the free PDF "Recovering the Jewish Paul: Three Keys to Understanding the Apostle and Building Bridges Between Jews and Christians"

The Weird Apostle
Ryan's book places the Apostle Paul in his Jewish and Greco-Roman context.

Make a tax deductible donation to the Bridge Builders Forum

Send us a text

Why are so many Christians celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles? And what does this ancient Jewish festival have to do with the Apostle Paul?

In this episode of Journey with the Jewish Paul, Ryan Lambert explores the surprising connection between Sukkot and Paul’s mission to the Gentiles. Drawing on Zechariah’s vision of the nations streaming to Jerusalem to worship the God of Israel, Ryan reveals how Paul saw his calling as part of that same prophetic hope, the great “ingathering of the nations.”

Discover how Paul’s Jewish faith and observance of the biblical festivals shaped his understanding of the Gospel, and why Sukkot remains such a powerful picture of unity, joy, and shared faithfulness among Jews and Christians today.

Bridge Builders Forum
An educational entity dedicated to helping Jews and Christians understand their faith, the Bible, and each other.

Bridge Builders Forum Email News and Updates

Download the free PDF "Recovering the Jewish Paul: Three Keys to Understanding the Apostle and Building Bridges Between Jews and Christians"

The Weird Apostle
Ryan's book places the Apostle Paul in his Jewish and Greco-Roman context.

Make a tax deductible donation to the Bridge Builders Forum

Send us a text

Aleph Beta has transformed the way countless people engage with the Torah. With animated videos, podcasts, and courses, they’ve made learning not only meaningful but also enjoyable, reaching a diverse audience of Jews and Christians worldwide.

In this episode of the Bridge Builders Forum Podcast, Ryan Lambert sits down with Aleph Beta’s CEO, Imu Shalev, to explore the story behind this groundbreaking Torah media company. From Imu’s own journey, to the creative process behind Aleph Beta’s signature videos, to the global impact of teaching intertextuality and other literary tools of the Bible, this conversation highlights how Aleph Beta is awakening a deeper love for Torah learning.

Whether you’re Jewish, Christian, or simply curious about the Bible, this episode will inspire you to see Torah with fresh eyes and consider new ways to start (or renew) your own journey of study.

Aleph Beta's main website: https://www.alephbeta.org/

Aleph Beta's "A Book Like No Other" podcast: https://www.alephbeta.org/podcasts/book-like-no-other

Bridge Builders Forum
An educational entity dedicated to helping Jews and Christians understand their faith, the Bible, and each other.

Bridge Builders Forum Email News and Updates

Download the free PDF "Recovering the Jewish Paul: Three Keys to Understanding the Apostle and Building Bridges Between Jews and Christians"

The Weird Apostle
Ryan's book places the Apostle Paul in his Jewish and Greco-Roman context.

Make a tax deductible donation to the Bridge Builders Forum

Send us a text

Did the Apostle Paul continue to observe Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar, after becoming a follower of Jesus? Many assume the answer is no, that Paul abandoned the Temple, sacrifices, and Jewish holy days. Others claim he reinterpreted Yom Kippur purely through Christ.

But the New Testament paints a more complex (and more Jewish) picture of Paul. In this episode of Journey with the Jewish Paul, Ryan Lambert explores why Paul likely continued to honor Yom Kippur, even as he proclaimed Christ to the nations. 

From Acts 24 to Paul’s own temple sacrifices, the evidence suggests Paul never rejected his people’s sacred rhythms. Instead, he saw Yom Kippur’s themes of mercy, forgiveness, and reconciliation extended through Christ to Gentiles.

Recovering this Paul matters. It challenges common misconceptions, deepens our understanding of the New Testament, and helps heal the rift between Jews and Christians.

Bridge Builders Forum
An educational entity dedicated to helping Jews and Christians understand their faith, the Bible, and each other.

Bridge Builders Forum Email News and Updates

Download the free PDF "Recovering the Jewish Paul: Three Keys to Understanding the Apostle and Building Bridges Between Jews and Christians"

The Weird Apostle
Ryan's book places the Apostle Paul in his Jewish and Greco-Roman context.

Make a tax deductible donation to the Bridge Builders Forum

Send us a text

What does it really mean to live on purpose? And can ancient Jewish wisdom help anyone, regardless of background, live with greater clarity, direction, and meaning?

In this inspiring episode of the Bridge Builders Forum Podcast, Ryan Lambert sits down with Rabbi Mendel Kalmenson, author of On Purpose: Practical Wisdom for Designing a Life of Purpose. 

Drawing from the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, one of the most influential Jewish leaders of the 20th century, Rabbi Kalmenson shares how timeless Jewish ideas can guide all people, Jewish, Christian, or otherwise, toward a more focused and meaningful life.

Together, they explore:

Why the Rebbe believed every person has a unique and irreplaceable role in the world

How Jewish wisdom views the soul and its mission

What it means to participate in the “ongoing process of creation”

How to overcome the traps that distract us from our purpose

Why struggle can actually be a path to deeper meaning

And what each of us can do, right now, to live with greater intention in the year ahead

Whether you're entering the Jewish New Year of 5786 or simply seeking renewed purpose in your life, this conversation offers practical insight and spiritual encouragement for the journey.

Here's the link to the book, "On Purpose..." - https://a.co/d/1UpdMvO

Bridge Builders Forum
An educational entity dedicated to helping Jews and Christians understand their faith, the Bible, and each other.

Bridge Builders Forum Email News and Updates

Download the free PDF "Recovering the Jewish Paul: Three Keys to Understanding the Apostle and Building Bridges Between Jews and Christians"

The Weird Apostle
Ryan's book places the Apostle Paul in his Jewish and Greco-Roman context.

Make a tax deductible donation to the Bridge Builders Forum

Send us a text

Paul is one of history’s most influential and most misunderstood figures. For centuries, he’s been read as if he left Judaism behind to start a new religion. But what if that picture actually obscures who Paul really was?

In this episode of the Bridge Builders Forum Podcast, Ryan Lambert sits down with Dr. Mark Nanos, one of the pioneering voices of the Paul within Judaism perspective. For more than three decades, Dr. Nanos has challenged deeply ingrained assumptions that pit Paul against Judaism and has inspired a generation of scholars to reconsider Paul as operating within the Judaism of his day.

Together, Ryan and Mark trace the past, present, and future of the Paul within Judaism movement...from its controversial beginnings in the 1990s to its growing influence in New Testament studies today, and where the conversation is headed. They also discuss:

*Mark’s personal journey from business owner to New Testament scholar

*How translations shape the way Paul is understood

*What it means to read Galatians within Judaism (including insights from his forthcoming book)

*The profound implications this perspective has for Jewish-Christian relations

Whether you’re a longtime student of Paul or new to this conversation, this episode offers fresh insight into one of the most important debates in biblical studies today.


Mark Nanos' website: https://marknanos.com/

Bridge Builders Forum
An educational entity dedicated to helping Jews and Christians understand their faith, the Bible, and each other.

Bridge Builders Forum Email News and Updates

Download the free PDF "Recovering the Jewish Paul: Three Keys to Understanding the Apostle and Building Bridges Between Jews and Christians"

The Weird Apostle
Ryan's book places the Apostle Paul in his Jewish and Greco-Roman context.

Make a tax deductible donation to the Bridge Builders Forum