Elaine Pagels

What made gnostics different from other Christians? And did it matter? A discussion of Elaine Pagels' 1979 monograph, The Gnostic Gospels.

52. Elaine Pagels, The Gnostic Gospels

Laura Robinson

Did Paul self-censor his anti-imperial sentiments? A discussion of Laura Robinson's "Hidden Transcripts?: The Supposedly Self-Censoring Paul and Rome as Surveillance State in Modern Pauline Scholarship" (NTS 2021).

Laura Robinson, "Hidden Transcripts? The Supposedly Self-Censoring Paul"

John H. Elliott

Why do scholars ignore 1 Peter? A discussion with Shane Patrick Gormley of John H. Elliott's essay, "The Rehabilitation of an Exegetical Step-Child: 1 Peter in Recent Research." John H. Elliott, "The Rehabilitation of an Exegetical Step-Child: 1 Peter in Recent Research" Journal of Biblical Literature 95.2 (1976) 243-54.

Why do scholars ignore 1 Peter? A discussion with Shane Patrick Gormley of John H. Elliott's essay, "The Rehabilitation of an Exegetical Step-Child: 1 Peter in Recent Research." <br><br>John H. Elliott, "The Rehabilitation of an Exegetical Step-Child: 1 Peter in Recent Research" Journal of Biblical Literature 95.2 (1976) 243-54.

51. John H. Elliott, "1 Peter in Recent Research: The Rehabilitation of an Exegetical Step-Child"

Günther Bornkamm

How did Matthew rewrite one of Mark's miracle stories? What is reaction criticism? A discussion of Günther Bornkamm's "The Stilling of the Storm in Matthew" (originally published as "Die Sturmstillung im Matthäus-Evangelium") with Ian Mills and Laura Robinson.

50. Günther Bornkamm, "The Stilling of the Storm in Matthew"

Harvey McArthur

What is the Eusebian Apparatus? How have readers throughout history navigated the four-fold gospel? A discussion of Harvey McArthur's "The Eusebian Sections and Canons" with Jeremiah Coogan.

49. Harvey McArthur, "The Eusebian Sections and Canons"

Paula Fredriksen

Did Paul become a Christian? What are conversion narratives for? A discussion of Paula Fredriksen's "Paul and Augustine: Conversion Narratives, Orthodox Traditions, and the Retrospective Self".

48. Paula Fredriksen, "Paul and Augustine: Conversion Narratives"

Paul Coleman-Norton

What traditions about Jesus survive outside of the gospels? Did Jesus have a sense of humor? A discussion of Paul Coleman-Norton's "An Amusing Agraphon."

47. Paul Coleman-Norton, "An Amusing Agraphon"

Adolf von Harnack

What is Clement's Letter to Corinth? A discussion of Adolf von Harnack's A Letter of the Roman Church to the Corinthian Church from the Era of Domitian: 1 Clement.

46. Adolf von Harnack, 1 Clement

Raymond Brown

What is the Magnificat? Our fourth annual discussion of Raymond Brown's The Birth of the Messiah.

45. Raymond Brown, The Birth of the Messiah (Part 4)

Annette Yoshiko Reed

What is the relationship between the gospel and the gospels? A discussion of Annette Yoshiko Reed's "Euangelion Orality, Textuality, and the Christian Truth in Irenaeus' Adversus Haereses" with Jeremiah Coogan.

44. Annette Yoshiko Reed, "Euangelion: Orality, Textuality, and the Christian Truth"

Reviewing influential works of New Testament scholarship.

I’m so tired of podcasts that are really just unstructured, rambling conversations. This is not one of those podcasts. It has excellent structure, and both hosts speak with great clarity. Their summaries of influential writings are helpful, fair, and unbiased.

Helpful, clear, good production value

Example: “The use of parataxis (simple short sentences) in Matthew and Mark means that the events described therein did not historically take place, but were added to the Gospel narratives from older Jewish lore and tradition because they sort fit the narrative that the Evangelists wanted to portray to their audience.” 

This is not scholarship, this is fringe liberal mythicist theology. I wish I could have given it 0 stars. 

Don’t waste your time.

A slew of absurd, baseless, crackpot theories that undermine scripture.

New Testament Review

Richard Hays

Joel Marcus

Special Episode: Richard Hays and Joel Marcus discuss literary and historical approaches to New Testament Studies and the relationship of both to Christian theology. Live recording of a discussion at Duke Divinity school.

Richard Hays and Joel Marcus on Approaches to New Testament Studies

Matthew, Mark, and Luke are suspiciously similar. Who copied from whom? Did Matthew and Luke share a source that hasn't survived? Our first synoptic problem episode featuring Ken Olson! A discussion of BH Streeter's The Four Gospels.

4. BH Streeter, The Four Gospels

Walter Bauer

Are heresies always and everywhere secondary and subsidiary? How did the mainstream church of the fourth century achieve dominance? A discussion of Walter Bauer's Orthodoxy and Heresy in Earliest Christianity.

26. Walter Bauer, Orthodoxy and Heresy in Earliest Christianity

What did Jews expect of Gentiles? Was there a Jewish mission? Who were Paul's opponents in Galatia? A discussion of Paula Fredriksen's article and an introduction to "Paul within Judaism."

21. Paula Fredriksen, “Judaism, the Circumcision of Gentiles, and Apocalyptic Hope”

Margaret M Mitchell

How many letters did Paul write to Corinth? How many of them are in the New Testament? How did Paul offend the Corinthian church? A discussion of Margaret M Mitchell's "The Interpretive Intertwining of Literary and Historical Reconstruction."

14. Margaret M Mitchell, "Paul's Letters to Corinth"

What is the "Righteousness of God" in Romans? A discussion of Richard Hay's 1980 article "Psalm 143 and the Logic of Romans 3" with Jon Depue.

25. Richard Hays, "Psalm 143 and the Logic of Romans 3"

Ian N

Did pagans read Christian scripture? A discussion of Ian Mills' first peer-reviewed publication.

Ian N Mills, "Pagan Readers of Christian Scripture"

What is the center of Paul's theology? Did Paul and the Jewish people have a problem with the law? A Discussion of EP Sander's paradigm shifting monograph, Paul and Palestinian Judaism.

8. EP Sanders, Paul and Palestinian Judaism

Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza

What was the role of women in the Jesus movement, Pauline churches, and earliest Christianity? How did the men who composed and transmitted our earliest evidence shape the tradition? How does modern scholarship perpetuate their androcentrism? A discussion of Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza's In Memory of Her (1983).

3. Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza, In Memory of Her

Who was Marcion? How was the New Testament created? A critical discussion of Harnack's little book on Marcion.

22. Adolf von Harnack, Marcion: The Gospel of the Alien God

Wayne A Meeks

Were early Christians poor? How did economics influence early Christianity? A discussion of Wayne A Meeks' The First Urban Christians

16. Wayne A Meeks, The First Urban Christians

Richard Bauckham

For whom were Gospels written? A discussion of gospel audiences in light of Richard Bauckham's important article.

23. Richard Bauckham, "For Whom Were Gospels Written?"

When was Revelation written? Who wrote it? AY Collins "Dating the Apocalypse of John" guides us through the relevant considerations.

7. AY Collins, "Dating the Apocalypse of John"

Austin Farrer

Are there good reasons to think that Matthew and Luke had a common source other than Mark? A discussion of "On Dispensing with Q" by Austin Farrer.

11. Austin Farrer, "On Dispensing with Q"

Do the gospels belong to a recognizable genre of literature from antiquity? What is a genre anyways? A discussion of Richard A Burridge's What Are the Gospels?

6. Richard A Burridge, What Are The Gospels?

John Burgon

How does the Gospel of Mark end? There's more than one answer! A discussion of Burgon's The Last Twelve Verses of Mark for our Easter episode.

20. John Burgon, The Last Twelve Verses of Mark

Judith Perkins

How did early Christians understand suffering -- their own and others? A discussion of Judith Perkins, The Suffering Self.

24. Judith Perkins, The Suffering Self

JL Martyn

With whom was Paul arguing in the letter to the Galatians? How can we know? A discussion of JL Martyn's classic article "A Law Observant Mission to the Gentiles."

5. JL Martyn, "A Law Observant Mission to the Gentiles"

Graham Stanton

What is Matthew's relationship to Judaism? A discussion of one essay from Graham Stanton's A Gospel for a New People: Studies in Matthew.

9. Graham Stanton, "Synagogue and Church"

How did the earliest Jesus followers understand their relationship to wider Judaism? Joel Marcus delivers his retirement lecture at Duke Divinity School on the "Parting of the Ways" between Judaism and Christianity.

Joel Marcus' Retirement Lecture, "Thoughts on the Parting of the Ways"

The best podcast episodes of anyone with an interesting story. With famous guests like Obama, LeBron James, Drake, Oprah Winfrey, Richard Branson, Michelle Obama, Serena Williams, to anyone who has a unique and interesting story to tell. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!

Best Episodes: Personal Stories & Great Interviews

The best self improvement podcast episodes. From improving productivity, to finding purpose in your life to what constitutes freedom, this topic is on anything and everything that can help people to improve their lives. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!