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Christian Nationalism has, unfortunately, not gone away since Jonathan and Seth discussed it last on the podcast. It grew slowly, insidiously, for years and will take similarly sustained work to prune it from religious and political spheres. In this episode, Jonathan and Seth do a close reading of Psalm 33:1-12. They argue that it is a particularly strong starting point to critique Christian Nationalism. And they discuss briefly the ways that pastors have been complicit in blurring Christianity and American democracy. We're glad you're with us! You may have had enough of Christian Nationalism, because you've heard us talk about, have to live with it's effects in your everyday life, or came from a church background heavily steeped in. We do not mind if you skip this episode; we hope you'll put yourself first and only listen if you have the bandwidth.

The Holy Trinity is both one God and a community. Scholars have often reflected on this by exploring the ways people should live in communities. They have said that, like God, people are not meant to be alone. People should work together and simultaneously be one. In this episode, Jonathan and Seth talk about the community that exists within us. We have multiple selves, differing perspectives even in our own minds, and different ways we interact with others. Again, those are all us! What would it look like for them to live in harmony, supporting, encouraging, and dancing with one another as the Trinity does? We're glad you're with us! Jonathan and Seth talk about the movie Inside Out. If you have strong feelings about Inside Out or the many "yous" that you contain, we'd love to hear from you.

Everyone has a skill they bring to our world. Some skills, however, are more highly prized. This was the case in Corinth when Paul wrote his letter to the burgeoning Christian community there, too. The Corinthians wanted to speak in tongues and emphasized speaking in tongues to the detriment of the other gifts in the community. Jonathna and Seth talk about gifts that are over-emphasized today, the ones that people want, even if those gifts are not as important as some of the more hidden, but more basic, bedrock gifts. We're glad you're with us! What gift do you think you have? Do you think it's prized, or overlooked and undervalued? We'd love to hear from you! Our podcast continues to grow. So, wherever you are in the world, send us an email at [email protected]

In John's Gospel, before Jesus' crucifixion, he prays a long prayer. Sometimes called "The High Priestly Prayer." It is rather meandering, but one theme is that the disciples are one as Jesus and the Father are one. What does that solidarity look like? As federal, state, and even local programs are stripped of funding, what does solidarity that sustains us in the hard times look like? What would it mean to pray for this? We're glad you're with us! Solidarity is not easy. It is challenging to build communities that are resilient, helpful, and truly caring. If this intrigues you, you may be interested in Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha. The book is primarily about building care communities for those with disabilities, but it is broadly applicable and has practical tips for doing so. It's linked here.

Before Jesus leaves, he promises an "advocate." But what is an advocate? How would Jesus' disciples have heard this term? What does it look like to try to block out what we know about the Holy Spirit, or think we know, and hear about this advocate anew? Jonathan and Seth try to do just that. They ask what the role of the Advocate is and what might be the role of people who advocate for others today. We're glad you're with us. Do you have a distinct memory of someone being an advocate for you? We'd love to hear about it. While we didn't plan it this way, this episode naturally leads into next week's episode about solidarity. So, be sure to tune in then, too.

Returning from Jerusalem to Emmaus, two of Jesus' disciples talk to a man they do not recognize about the  "things that have happened there in these days" (Luke 24:17). When they invite him to stay with them, he breaks bread, and they recognize him as Jesus. It's a story about a transition from doubt to faith, from confusion to action. The other appointed lectionary texts are also about transitions. Jonathan and Seth talk about transitions in general. They also talk about an exciting transition: Jonathan's transition from being a Ph.D candidate to finishing his dissertation. Thanks for joining us! We hope this episode is both a reflection on life's many changes and the process of going through them. I (Seth) also wanted to champion Jonathan's work, celebrate his achievement, and glean the tiniest bit of what he's learned during the process.

The Sunday that follows Easter always has the same appointed lectionary text regardless of the liturgical year: "Doubting" Thomas. This year, Jonathan helps us focus on our vulnerabilities, our wounds, both visible and hidden. Jonathan and Seth talk about some of the physical wounds they carry from childhood, but also how naming and revealing our pains or bruises may help others - and even help us. If you've ever doubted that your wounds could help others, look no further than Jesus. We're glad you're with us! We hope you had a joyful Easter. One of our goals is to keep that Easter momentum going throughout this season, so we hope you'll keep listening for more episodes about the implications of rolled-away stones and empty tombs.

Does resurrection feel foreign to you? To Jonathan and Seth, it feels alien right now. It's like it comes from a completely different planet. In a strange way, it does. It comes from outside of us, from a tomb, from God who walks and talks and dies like us. Jesus' resurrection also changes how we should live in community. So, Jonathan and Seth talk about what the Church should look like after this weird, cosmic event. We hope this Holy Week is meaningful for you and challenge you to sit with all the feelings it brings. Don't try to rush through it; be like the disciples who were confused and in awe and depressingly overcome with emotion on Good Friday. We're glad you're with us, as always!

As the official name of this Sunday implies, it is meant to hold much of the Jesus Story. It starts triumphantly but ends with Jesus crying out in a loud voice and breathing his last (Matthew 27:50). In most worship services, this turn takes roughly an hour. Jonathan and Seth, constrained by their episode length, try to do it in half that by talking about what links the two stories. Jonathan proposes that Paul's letter to the Philippians and his Christ Hymn (2:5-11) emphasize humility, which can help us bridge that gap. So, what is humility? In what ways is Jesus humble? How is his death another example of his humility and, maybe, the ultimate act of it? We're glad you're with us! Our podcast episodes have been gaining more traction lately; they're reaching slightly larger audiences. We love that! We would love it if you'd share it with someone you think would enjoy it too.

Ezekiel is shown a valley of dry bones. They look further away from life than almost anything imaginable. But God tells him that they can live. And of course, they do! Connective tissue appears along with muscles, organs, and flesh. The news reports also show valleys of dry bones. We don't have to travel to see them; they're available for viewing in our living room or on our phones. In an episode that connects with last week's, Jonathan and Seth discuss where they see dry bones or "the depths" and how Christian community can help make these places alive again and sustain us until then. We're glad you're with us! We're praying for the many, frankly, depressing news reports we see on TV. We hope you'll join us and pray for the war in Iran, the genocide in Palestine, the continued terror-inducing reign of ICE, places hit by severe weather, and more.

When you look around the world, what do you see? There is so much to see, after all: stunning landscapes, the smiling faces of strangers, friends achieving long-hoped-for goals. There are also painful situations to see: war, community violence, and hunger. What does it look like to really see what's going on in the world, including the pain? What do we do when we want to look away? In John's Gospel, Jesus heals a man born blind (9:6-9:8), but the Pharisees, the religious leaders, are still confused about Jesus' identity; they spend the majority of the passage asking questions about Jesus and the blind man. Jonathan and Seth discuss the way we can be distracted, too, from what we can readily see right in front of us, in our communities, and on the news. We're glad you're with us! What are you seeing in the news that gives you life right now? It can be difficult to find, but we hope you can see it if you look.

Leaving Egypt, the wandering people cry out to Moses, "Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?" (Exodus 17:3). What does this teach us about leaping from legitimate worries to thinking of the worst possible scenario? And how can Psalm 95 help us return to the problem at hand and also God's presence in our lives despite our worries? What does it look like to have worries and faith? Lent embraces worry while equally embracing stories about what God has done. In this way, it can prepare us for an uncertain future. We're glad you're with us! We're marching steadily toward the Great Three Days, which encompasses the evening of Maundy Thursday through Easter morning. Have you given anything up for Lent? If so, what and what's your experience been like? We're love to hear about it.

What is a nation? What is the nation of Israel in "Bible Times"™? How is it portrayed in the biblical texts? How is the modern, nation state of Israel connected or not connected to that historical group? This podcast aims to be less than half an hour, so these are obviously large questions to tackle in the time, however, Jonathan and Seth set out to do just that. They look at Genesis 12:2-3: I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. We hope this episode helps to think more critically about modern day Israel and whether its uncritical support is justified by the the biblical text. We're glad you're with us! This episode, perhaps more than most, has the best chance to "ruffle some feathers" or upset people. Rather than jumping to conclusions, we hope you'll both listen to the end to hear our entire argument and respond in love, even if you disagree. Stay safe and warm!

Jesus is tested in the wilderness by the devil. Frankly, it strikes me (Seth) as an odd story. The devil rarely appears in the New Testament, especially not in an anthropomorphized way where he speaks and takes someone places. Instead, the New Testament authors often speak of the forces of evil or "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4). What are these strange temptations by the devil, then? Jonathan and Seth discuss them as quick fixes to deep-seated problems. That's not only an ancient problem, but one especially relevant in the age of fast shipping, 5G, and streaming services. What does Jesus' refusal to take the quick fix teach us, and how can it help us this Lent? We're glad you're with us! This episode is released late because I (Seth, again) thought I set it to upload, but did not. I apologize! If you're digging out from the snow, we hope you'll give it a listen. Stay safe and warm!

Jesus, along with Peter, James, and his brother John, is on a mountain. While there, Jesus's clothes become "bright as light," and his face shines with a radiance like the sun's. This text and its setting are often used to talk about "mountain top experiences." Jonathan and Seth discuss how they've heard that term used, their own significant experiences of seemingly being in the divine presence, what it looks like to carry these experiences with us, and why we might be tempted to try to stay on the mountain. We're glad you're with us. These mountain-top experiences may seem to be opposed to the coming season of Lent; however, their transformation and the call to carry on the practices or put this new knowledge to use are fitting for this Sunday that leads into Ash Wednesday and the Lenten season.