Posted on

Is Reading the Bible Enough?

Brent Sandy joins David Capes on the Stone Chapel Podcasts talking about his new book.  They met at Wheaton College a few years ago.  Brent taught at Wheaton College for a number of years, until he moved to Indiana.

To hear the podcast click here.

Who Is Brent Sandy?

Brent Sandy was born in Pennsylvania.  He is interested in how best to read the Bible and how to help the church read Scripture for all its worth. 

He earned his PhD in Classics at Duke University.  And he’s spent the better part of his life in/ with/ for church.  He loves the Church and laments that we read the Scriptures so poorly, whether in our churches or in our homes.  

Is Reading the Bible Enough?  

By asking the question this way, we run the risk of being misunderstood.  As Christians, we’re told to read the Bible.  And we should, but what does it mean to read the Bible, actually read it. 

That is what Brent Sandy is doing in his new book, Hear Ye the Word of the Lord: What We Miss if We Only Read the Bible (InterVarsity). 

First, if we don’t read the Bible in context, we may “misread” it.  Second, for us reading is a solitary process.  We do it by ourselves. 

But the Scriptures are meant to be read aloud, in a community of believers.  Third, often even our public reading of Scripture is done badly, with no thought or preparation. 

Fourth, we tend to read the Scripture in bits and pieces, a verse here, a chapter there.  Paul wrote the Galatian letter to be read at one time, in one sitting. 

This podcast explores some of these challenges.

More Resources

We have another interesting podcast about reading scripture. For Randy Richard’s podcast, Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes, click here.

Click here for a link to Brent Sandy’s book.

You can get a transcript of this podcast by, clicking here.

Want more Stone Chapel Podcasts on some great topics? Just click here.

You can get information on upcoming lectures at Lanier Theological Library by clicking here

Posted on

Moses Didn’t Know He Was Jewish

The Hebrew term yehudim in modern Hebrew can be straightforwardly translated as “Jews,” but when it occurs in the Hebrew Bible this is not the best translation. Remarkably, more than half the occurrences in the OT are in one book: Esther. The question can be extended into the NT as well. Rabbi Steven Bob, who has contributed several episodes to this podcast series, is Rabbi Emeritus at Congregation Etz Chaim in Lombard, Il and guest faculty at Wheaton College. He is currently working on a commentary on Ezra and Nehemiah.

To hear the podcast (11 min) click here.

Check out related programs at Wheaton College:

B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/3uyqT6B

M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/48hluhX

Posted on

Biblical Authority with John Walton

To hear the podcast (11 minutes) click here.

It has been the contention of Dr. John Walton that the authority of Scripture is located in the intention of the human authors as represented in what they wrote. In this conversation he explains what he means, in part by contrasting it with some other possible models. John Walton, Old Testament Professor Emeritus at Wheaton Graduate School, is a frequent contributor to this podcast. One of his most recent publications is Wisdom for Faithful Reading: Principles and Practices for Old Testament Interpretation. An earlier but related work is Old Testament Theology for Christians: From Ancient Context to Enduring Belief.

Check out related programs at Wheaton College: 

B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/48rJ38H

M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/3vpeW3b

Posted on

Hermeneutical Illiteracy with John Walton

We’ve heard of biblical literacy, but if we don’t know what to do with the Bible once we’ve read it, we might be suffering from hermeneutical illiteracy. The lack can be especially apparent in approaches to the Old Testament. Dr. John Walton, Old Testament Professor Emeritus at Wheaton Graduate School, is a frequent contributor to this podcast. One of his most recent publications is Wisdom for Faithful Reading: Principles and Practices for Old Testament Interpretation. An earlier but related work is Old Testament Theology for Christians: From Ancient Context to Enduring Belief. 

To hear the podcast (9 min) click here.

B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/48mVHG2

M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/490LOxR

Posted on

The Gender of God, Part 1, with Amy Peeler

To hear the podcast (18 min) click here. 

There is a lot of talk about gender today.  Some people introduce themselves along with their pronouns (in my case: he, him).  The pronouns give you a sense of how people understand their genders.  According to some websites, there are over fifty genders.

Well, what does this focus on gender have to do with God?  Does God have a gender too? 

In the Bible, the pronouns of God are rendered masculine because it does reflect the original languages of the Scriptures: Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek.  But does God really have a gender?

In this podcast we explore the concept of “The Gender of God.”  This is part one of the podcast.  Our special guest is Dr. Amy Peeler. 

Who Is Amy Peeler?

Amy Peeler is an Associate Professor of New Testament at Wheaton College.  She has been in that position twelve years.  Dr. Peeler is well known as a wonderful researcher and writer. 

Amy has spent a good deal of time writing about the book of Hebrews.  She is also a minister at an Episcopal Church near Wheaton, IL.  

Recently she wrote a book entitled Women and the Gender of God.  It has attracted a lot of attention.  She hopes to help women find a more meaningful place in the Church today.

The Gender of God

The audio for this podcast is taken from a radio show co-hosted by David Capes called A Show of Faith on AM 1070 The Answer Houston. 

On this show are David and two co-hosts Father Mario Arroyo, Catholic priest, at St. Cyril of Alexandria Catholic Church in Houston, and Rudy Kong, a millennial theology student who works in the space industry. 

This episode is focused on the book written by Dr. Peeler which deals with the question of gender as it relates to God. 

She dives deeply into the Christian tradition, across the ages, in order to construct a productive way toward thinking about God. 

Is God male or is God genderless?  Might God be beyond gender?  Is God the fullness of  both genders? 

In this podcast Father Mario mentions another book by Abigail Favale, The Genesis of Gender  Published by Ignatius Press, 2022.  It is written from the Catholic perspective.  Both books seem like marvelous studies of the topic. 

Stay tuned for Part Two next week!

More Resources

The weekly radio show A Show of Faith”has its own podcast on Spotify.  Click here to access it.  It presents the whole hour radio show, unedited, with commercials and “bump” music.

Want more Stone Chapel Podcasts on some great topics? Just click here.

You can get information on upcoming lectures at Lanier Theological Library by clicking here.