In this episode, John discusses the concept of Bêt Ab (בית אב), the foundational structure of ancient Israeli society. Translated as "House of the Father," the Bêt Ab is a part of the patrilineal and patrilocal society in ancient Israel. John talks about how this is an important concept when talking about redemption, because many cultures around the world (including ancient Israel/Palestine) think more in a communal way than an individualistic way. 

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In this episode, John discussed the Greek word logos (λογος) and its depth of meaning. He also gives a brief history overview of the intertestamental period - the roughly 400 years between Malachi and the arrival of John the Baptist and Jesus of Nazareth. 

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John talks about sacramental theology, the restoration of Eden and the human body, chronos and kairos. 

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John talks about Jesus Christ as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, as SHUMC celebrates Christ the King Sunday. John goes back into the Hebrew Bible (OT) to show that the Kingdom of God is a theocracy. He also discusses the implications for the Christian life and how we can become more aware of our need to examine our lives on a daily basis to see how we serve the Kingdom of Heaven. 

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John is soloing it this week! John discusses Esther Ch. 7, a broader timeline of the Jewish people from 1,000 BC to Esther's time in 497 BC. John also discusses the Jewish celebration of Purim and how this festival can point us to a new way of looking at how the church can celebrate despite being in exile. 

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John & Parker discuss the concepts of empire, cynicism, the Church as a people in exile and living a beautiful life. Jeremiah 29

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Parker and John reflect on All Saints Sunday, the signposts of our lives that point to the Day of the Lord, and how the Holy Spirit prays for us. 

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Parker & John discuss Romans 7: 21 - 8:1, a beautiful and powerful portion of Scripture that also can be difficult to interpret and preach on. They talk about the larger theological argument Paul is making, the importance of covenant, and Paul's theological answer to the law of the flesh and the law of the Spirit. 

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Parker and John reflect on Romans 5:5-11. In the conversation, they discuss the theological concepts of "The Already and Not Yet," Paul's use of "The Old Adam" and "The New Adam," and discuss prolepsis with regard to the Kingdom of God. They finally reflect on the Wesleyan way of viewing the Kingdom and how Wesleyan/Methodists work with Jesus as the head of the Church.

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Parker and John discuss the implications of Romans 5:1-5. They talk about Pax Romana vs Pax Christi, the apostle Paul's struggles as a pharisee, and a discussion about the unique approach to spiritual practices that Wesleyans have compared to  other Christian traditions. 

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