Currents in Religion
By Currents in Religion
On this podcast you'll hear discussions about theology, ethics, biblical studies (New Testament and Hebrew Bible/Old Testament), history, archaeology, and so on.
Engage with us on Twitter (@cirbaylor) or email our host, Zen Hess (zen_hess1@baylor.edu).
Currents in ReligionOct 21, 2022
Disaster and Desire: A Conversation with Micheal O'Siadhail
In this episode, Zen speaks with Micheal O'Siadhail about his new collection of poetry, Desire, which is out now from Baylor University Press.
Micheal O’Siadhail is an award-winning Irish poet. He received the Irish American Cultural Institute prize for poetry in 1982; the Marten Toonder prize for Literature in 1998. And one of his other Baylor University Press books, The Five Quintets, received the Conference on Christianity and Literature’s 2019 book of the year award.
Listen to Micheal discuss Testament, another collection of poems, on a previous episode of Currents in Religion: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/micheal-osiadhail-on-faith-poetry-and-daring-to-love/id1648052085?i=1000590394430
Learn more about the Desire here: https://www.baylorpress.com/9781481320061/desire/
Anglican Identities: A Conversation with Gary Dorrien
In this episode, Zen speaks with Gary Dorrien about his new book, Anglican Identities, recently published by Baylor University Press.
Learn more about the book and Gary here: https://www.baylorpress.com/9781481320931/anglican-identities/
Black Baptist Leaders, Race Literature, and the Salvation of America: A Conversation with Adam Bond
Episode Overview
In this episode, Zen speaks with Adam Bond about his story and scholarship.
Adam Bond joined the Religion Department at Baylor University in the summer of 2023. Prior to his time at Baylor, he served as the pastor of the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church of Richmond, Virginia. Bond is a historian of Christianity in the United States. His research and writing focus on the narratives and ideas of Black Christian leaders of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Episode Links
- Carr and Helmer's book, Ordinary Faith in Polarized Times: https://www.baylorpress.com/9781481319317/ordinary-faith-in-polarized-times/
Other Episodes You Might Like:
- Malcolm Foley on James Cone, racism, and American Christianity: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cross-and-the-lynching-tree-malcolm-foley-on/id1648052085?i=1000607851160
- Marcus Jerkins on Black Lives Matter to Jesus: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/black-lives-matter-to-jesus-marcus-jerkins-on-salvation/id1648052085?i=1000599025436
- Ericka Shawndricka Dunbar on Africana Biblical Criticism: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/africana-biblical-criticism-and-the-book-of/id1648052085?i=1000600183961
Autism and Worship: A Conversation with Léon van Ommen
In this episode, Zen speaks with Léon van Ommen about his new book, Autism and Worship, out now from Baylor University Press.
Resources from the Episode
- Buy the book: https://www.baylorpress.com/9781481319898/autism-and-worship/
- Learn about the Centre: https://www.abdn.ac.uk/sdhp/centre-for-the-study-of-autism-and-christian-community-1725.php
- Listen to the Centre's Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/autism-and-theology-podcast/id1705103191
Other Episodes You Might Like:
- Erin Raffety on disability, inclusion, and justice: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/should-we-abandon-inclusion-erin-raffety-on-disability/id1648052085?i=1000594272809
- Devan Stahl on an era of soft eugenics: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/an-era-of-soft-eugenics-devan-stahl-on/id1648052085?i=1000589593683
Early Christians and Their Art: A Conversation with Robin Jensen and Mikeal Parsons
In this episode, Zen speaks with Robin Jensen and Mikeal Parsons about their new co-edited volume Early Christians and Their Art, which is out now with SBL Press. You can learn more about the book at the link below.
Our Guests Robin Jensen is the Patrick O’Brien Professor of Theology at the University of Notre Dame. But she is also a concurrent faculty member of Art History and Classics and a fellow of the Medieval Institute.
Mikeal Parsons is the University Distinguished Professor Kidd L. & Buna Hitchcock Macon Professor of Religion at Baylor University.
Other Episodes You Might Like
- Menachem Fisch and Debra Band on Picturing Ecclesiastes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/picturing-ecclesiastes-a-conversation-with/id1648052085?i=1000650359438
- Natalie Carnes on Art and Feminist Theology: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/natalie-carnes-on-feminist-theology-and-the-arts/id1648052085?i=1000583436666
- Mike Parsons and Cody Sanders on Corpse Care: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rotten-epiphany-mikeal-parsons-and-cody-sanders-talk/id1648052085?i=1000595686788
Architecture, Theology, and Ethics: A Conversation with Elise Edwards
In this episode, Zen speaks with Elise Edwards about her new book Architecture, Theology, and Ethics: Making Architectural Design More Just (Lexington Books, 2024).
Dr. Elise Edwards is Assistant Professor in the Department of Religion at Baylor University. You can order the book by clicking here.
Other Episodes You Might Like
- Feminist theology and the arts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/natalie-carnes-on-feminist-theology-and-the-arts/id1648052085?i=1000583436666
- On inclusion and justice with Erin Raffety: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/should-we-abandon-inclusion-erin-raffety-on-disability/id1648052085?i=1000594272809
Picturing Ecclesiastes: A Conversation with Menachem Fisch and Debra Band
In this episode, Zen speaks with Menachem Fisch and Debra Band about their illuminated philosophical commentary, Qoholet: Searching for a Life Worth Living. You can learn more about the book by clicking here.
Other Currents in Religion Episodes You Might Like:
- Natalie Carnes feminist theology and the arts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/natalie-carnes-on-feminist-theology-and-the-arts/id1648052085?i=1000583436666
- Micheal O'Siadhail on faith, poetry, and daring to love: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/micheal-osiadhail-on-faith-poetry-and-daring-to-love/id1648052085?i=1000590394430
- Thomas Gardner on lyric theology: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lyric-theology-thomas-gardner-on-marilynne-robinson/id1648052085?i=1000602629863
Trauma, Resilience, and the Psalms: A Conversation with Rebecca Poe Hays
Rebecca Poe Hays is working on several projects that bring the Psalms into conversation with recent research on trauma and resilience. She joins us today to talk about her research, both how it helps us better understand the psalms historically and how it makes them relevant in the life of faith today.
Rebecca Poe Hays is Assistant Professor of Christian Scriptures at George W. Truett Seminary at Baylor University.
Other CIR episodes on the psalms
- Bill Bellinger on Psalms as a Grammar of Faith: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-grammar-lesson-in-prayer-bill-bellinger-on-the-psalms/id1648052085?i=1000587487293
- Trevor Laurence on cursing psalms and Christian ethics: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cursing-christ-and-christian-prayer/id1648052085?i=1000583436719
- Deirdre Fulton on translating the NRSVue: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/updating-the-nrsv-a-chat-with-deirdre-fulton/id1648052085?i=1000623434086
Religion News Recap for 2023
In this episode, Zen recaps some interesting, important, or otherwise intriguing religion news headlines.
Polls/Reports Cited in Part 1
- Is Religion Good for You? https://news.gallup.com/opinion/gallup/512216/religion-spirituality-tools-better-wellbeing.aspx
- Asian American Nones & Connection to Religion: https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2023/10/11/religion-among-asian-americans/
- Generational & Geographical Trends in Faith: https://www.ipsos.com/en-us/two-global-religious-divides-geographic-and-generational
- Gen Z and the Sacred: https://www.springtideresearch.org/post/news/sacred-experience-benefits-gen-z-spirituality-wellbeing
The Fire and the Cloud: https://www.baylorpress.com/9781481320504/the-fire-and-the-cloud/
Publishing Academic Journal Articles with Jeff Hubbard
In this episode, Zen speaks with Jeff Hubbard about publishing academic journal articles. As a graduate student, Jeff has published in seven different peer reviewed journals and has a lot of wisdom (and humor) to share. You can learn more about Jeff by visiting his academia page (https://baylor.academia.edu/JeffHubbard/).
Other Episodes You Might Like
- Writing Religious Studies: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/writing-religious-studies-featuring-amos-yong-alicia/id1648052085?i=1000621879919
- Dave Nelson on Publishing Academic Books: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dave-nelson-on-publishing-academic-books/id1648052085?i=1000606742147
Theology in Many Voices by Amy Chilton: https://www.baylorpress.com/9781481317306/theology-in-many-voices/
Women in the New Testament, Greco-Roman World, and Ministry Today: A Conversation with Susan Benton
In this episode, Zen speaks with Dr. Susan Benton about her research on women in early Christianity and the Greco-Roman world and her work as a member of the ministry guidance team in Baylor's Religion Department.
Learn more about the ministry guidance program at Baylor University: https://religion.artsandsciences.baylor.edu/ministry-guidance
Check out Gary Dorrien's new book with Baylor University Press: https://www.baylorpress.com/9781481320931/anglican-identities/
Related Episodes:
- Bruce Longenecker on Greco-Roman associations: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/greco-roman-associations-and-the-new/id1648052085?i=1000605716630
- Amy Marga on imagining motherhood: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/imagining-motherhood-in-the-christian-tradition/id1648052085?i=1000583436695
- Dustin Benac on adaptive church and ministry: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/adaptive-church-dustin-benac-on-collaborative-christian/id1648052085?i=1000597869190
Networking at AAR/SBL: A Conversation with Dave Nelson
This episode is a rerun from November 2022.
In this episode, I speak with Dave Nelson, who is the director of Baylor University Press. We speak specifically about AAR/SBL from a publishers perspective. Dave offers honest advice about networking and discusses why he enjoys conferences like this one.
AAR/SBL discount: Get 30% off and, if you're in the US, free shipping on all orders from BaylorPress.com by entering the code 17AARSBL23 at checkout.
Related Episodes:
- On writing a PhD application: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/on-applying-to-phd-programs-in-religion/id1648052085?i=1000632014324
- On publishing academic books: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dave-nelson-on-publishing-academic-books/id1648052085?i=1000606742147
Iconoclasm and Religious Reformation: A Conversation with Philip Jenkins
In this episode, Zen speaks with Philip Jenkins about his new book A Storm of Images: Iconoclasm and Religious Reformation in the Byzantine World, recently published by Baylor University Press.
Dr. Philip Jenkins is Distinguished Professor of History & Director of the Program on Historical Studies of Religion at Baylor University.
Related Episodes:
- Jessica Wai-Fong Wong on icon theology and antiracism: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/icons-economies-and-racism-a-conversation-with/id1648052085?i=1000584235192
- Natalie Carnes on the arts, theology, and feminism: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/natalie-carnes-on-feminist-theology-and-the-arts/id1648052085?i=1000583436666
- Micheal O'Siadhail on poetry and scripture: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/micheal-osiadhail-on-faith-poetry-and-daring-to-love/id1648052085?i=1000590394430
- Thomas Gardner on lyric theology: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lyric-theology-thomas-gardner-on-marilynne-robinson/id1648052085?i=1000602629863
Baptists, Scholarship, and God's Kingdom: A Chat with Laine Scales and João Chaves
In this episode, Zen speaks with Laine Scales and João Chaves about the Baptist Scholars International Roundtable and their new book Baptists and the Kingdom of God (Baylor University Press, 2023).
BSIR Call for Papers
https://religion.artsandsciences.baylor.edu/sites/g/files/ecbvkj1166/files/2023-10/BSIR_Call%20for%20Proposals%202024%20%282%29.pdf
Giveaway
Enter to win a free copy of A Storm of Images by Philip Jenkins: https://bit.ly/40mnfbj
Related Episodes:
Hearing History: Mandy McMichael on Interviewing Baptist Women in Ministry: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hearing-history-mandy-mcmichael-on-interviewing-baptist/id1648052085?i=1000619951034
Baptists in 2022 with Elizabeth Flowers and Doug Weaver: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/baptists-in-2022-with-elizabeth-flowers-and-doug-weaver/id1648052085?i=1000591685324
Christian Neuroethics? A Conversation with Neil Messer
In this episode, Zen speaks with Neil Messer, who has recently come to Baylor as Professor of Theological Bioethics. The discussion considers Neil's work in neuroethics.
The episode also includes a plug for Autism and Worship: A Liturgical Theology by Armand Léon van Ommen. This new book is out now from Baylor University Press.
Related Episodes:
On Applying to PhD Programs in Religion
Are you applying to PhD programs in religion? Or thinking about it? This episode is for you.
In this episode, Zen shares about the process for applying to Baylor's graduate program in religion. He speaks with currents, Lanie Walkup and Tyler Fulcher, and Carlos Cardoza-Orlandi, a graduate faculty member. They discuss how to write a strong application and how to survive the process.
The episode also includes a promo for "The End of Civility" by Ryan Andrew Newson, a new book from Baylor University Press. Learn more here.
Theology, Ethics, and a Church in Conflict: A Conversation with Amy Carr and Christine Helmer
Welcome to our Fall 2023 season!
In this episode, Zen speaks with Amy Carr and Christine Helmer about their brand new Baylor University Press book Ordinary Faith in Polarized Times: Justification and the Pursuit of Justice.
Amy Carr is Professor of Religious Studies at Western Illinois University.
Christine Helmer is Peter B. Ritzma Professor of Humanities at Northwestern University.
Want to get a free copy of the book?
Enter our giveaway by visiting us on X/Twitter and following the directions on our pinned post (https://twitter.com/cirbaylor). The winner will be announced October 27th!
Here's some of the book's blurb:
Christians in the United States and around the world are politically polarized today, unable to speak to one another across deep divisions regarding urgent social issues. Ordinary Faith in Polarized Times: Justification and the Pursuit of Justice addresses this dire reality by offering a theological framework for Christian justice-seeking. Amy Carr and Christine Helmer draw on Paul’s theology to center the idea of justification by faith in Christ as the primary ground of Christian belonging and community.
This approach yields a theology of ordinary faith that resists the temptation to equate Christian identity with the performance of a heroic "here I stand" posture against moral and political positions felt to be inimical to a properly Christian life...
Carr and Helmer articulate ways that justification by faith grounds Christian practices of affective listening and storytelling, even on the most contentious ethical questions today, with the hope that mutual conversation in and through the Beloved Community can get Christians who disagree oriented towards each other again for the good of the world.
Updating the NRSV: A Chat with Deirdre Fulton
Summary
In this episode, Deirdre Fulton joins us to share about the process of updating the NRSV, and to tell us a little about her role in that process. Deirdre Fulton is Associate Professor of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament here at Baylor University.
Themes
Bible translation, text criticism, NRSVue
Relevant Baylor Press Books
- Baylor handbooks on original languages (NT Greek, Hebrew Bible, Septuagint): https://www.baylorpress.com/books/series/
- Book previewed by Cade: Katherine Dell, The Lord By Wisdom Founded the Earth, https://www.baylorpress.com/9781481317047/the-lord-by-wisdom-founded-the-earth/
Additional Resources
- For more about the NRSVue (https://www.friendshippress.org/pages/about-the-nrsvue)
- For Deirdre Fulton's faculty profile (https://religion.artsandsciences.baylor.edu/person/deirdre-fulton-phd)
Paul and the Good, Green Life: Conversations with Julien Smith and Cherryl Hunt
Summary: How might Paul help Christians today live faithfully in light of the ecological crisis? In this episode, Zen speaks with Julien C. H. Smith and Cherryl Hunt about how Paul’s writings are relevant to living faithfully today, with a specific focus on the ecological crisis.
Themes: New Testament studies; environmental ethics; virtue theory; Pauline theology; creation care; ecotheology
Additional Resources:
Grove Booklets (https://grovebooks.co.uk/) provide short introductions to issues
• B 50 The Earth is the Lord's: A Biblical Response to Environmental Issues (2008)
• E 184 An Introduction to Environmental Ethics (2017)
• MEv 127 Forest Church: Earthed Perspectives on the Gospel (2019)
• MEv 134 Climate Action as Mission: How to Link the Gospel with Safeguarding Creation (2021)
Scientifically trained ‘ordinary’ Christians: Christians in Science (https://www.cis.org.uk/about-cis/)
Relevant Baylor University Press Books:
• Julien C. H. Smith, Paul and the Good Life (https://www.baylorpress.com/9781481313100/paul-and-the-good-life/)
• David G. Horrell, Cherryl Hunt and Christopher Southgate, Greening Paul (https://www.baylorpress.com/9781602582903/greening-paul/)
• Jennifer R. Ayres, Good Food (https://www.baylorpress.com/9781602589858/good-food/)
Writing Religious Studies: Featuring Amos Yong, Alicia Myers, and Christopher Hoklotubbe
Summary: Do you ever wish you knew how other writers come up with ideas, research for essays, or write their books? In this episode, Zen speaks with Alicia Myers, Amos Yong, and Christopher Hoklotubbe about how they approach writing, from generating ideas to organizing research to putting words on the page.
Themes: Writing habits, writing style, research habits
Additional Resources:
• Helen Sword, Stylish Academic Writing
• Eric Barreto, Writing Theologically
• Paul Silvia, How to Write a Lot
• Joseph Bizup and Joseph M. Williams, Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace
Interdisciplining Theology: How the Psychological Sciences Help Theological Studies
Summary: In this episode, Zen speaks with the Primary and Co-Investigators of “Illuminating Theological Inquiry and Christian Ethics Through Training in Psychological Science,” a 2.5 million dollar John Templeton Foundation grant. Sarah Schnitker, Devan Stahl, Natalie Carnes, and Anne Jeffrey—who are Baylor faculty—share about grant and how its already helping to cultivate connections between the scholars of religion and the psychological sciences.
Themes: interdisciplinary research, psychology and religion, research methods
Additional Resources:
• Information on the grant: https://ethics.web.baylor.edu/project-overview
Relevant Baylor Press Books:
• Devan Stahl, Bioenhancement Technologies and the Vulnerable Body (https://www.baylorpress.com/9781481318273/bioenhancement-technologies-and-the-vulnerable-body/)
• Drew Collins and Matthew Croasmun (eds.), What Is the Good Life? Perspectives from Religion, Philosophy, and Psychology (https://www.baylorpress.com/9781481318013/what-is-the-good-life/)
Hearing History: Mandy McMichael on Interviewing Baptist Women in Ministry
Summary: In this episode, Zen speaks with Mandy McMichael about her project on Baptist Women in Ministry and the art of interviewing for historical research.
Themes: Baptists, women in ministry, oral history, historical research methods
Additional Resources:
• Baptist Women in Ministry (https://bwim.info/)
• Baylor Institute for Oral History (https://www.baylor.edu/library/index.php?id=974108)
Relevant Baylor Press Books:
• Mandy McMichael, Miss America’s God (https://www.baylorpress.com/9781481311977/miss-americas-god/)
The Last Things (until Summer School!)
In this episode, Zen wraps up season one of Currents in Religion. In addition to giving thanks to our listeners and our guests, Zen shares about Summer School, which will be a short season in late June/early July.
Thanks for a great first season!
The Book of...Judges? Julian Chike on literary and historical issues in Judges
Why do we call the main characters in the Book of Judges “judges”? Compared to what judges are supposed to do in Deuteronomy, for example, the “judges” of Judges don’t really look like judges at all.
In this episode, Dr. Julian Chike joins me to discuss his work on the Book of Judges, in which he explores social, historical, and literary developments that might help clarify our understanding of what the judges in the book of Judges were. As he says, he is attempting to rediscover these characters. He’s doing some fascinating work, and I’m excited for you to hear more about it.
Dr. Julian Chike earned his PhD from Notre Dame. In the fall of 2022, Julian joined the Baylor University Religion Department as an assistant professor.
You might also enjoy:
- Ericka Shawndricka Dunbar on Esther and Africana biblical criticism: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/africana-biblical-criticism-and-the-book-of/id1648052085?i=1000600183961
- Cynthia Shafer-Elliott on archaeology and the Old Testament: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seeing-and-touching-history-cynthia-shafer-elliott-on/id1648052085?i=1000585869717
- Trevor Laurence on the imprecatory psalms and Christian ethics: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cursing-christ-and-christian-prayer/id1648052085?i=1000583436719
Trevor Hart on Christ and His Works
In this episode, the Rev. Dr. Trevor Hart joins us to discuss Jesus and his works, christology and soteriology. We discuss topics like substitution, deification, participation, particularity, and more. The discussion engages with themes and ideas in Trevor's book In Him Was Life (Baylor University Press), a recently published collection of Trevor's essays.
The Rev. Dr. Trevor Hart is Rector of Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church in St Andrews and Honorary Professor of Divinity in the University of St Andrews. You can learn more about Trevor at trevorhart.com.
Other Currents in Religion Episodes you might like:
- Mike Bird on Jesus Among the Gods: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mike-bird-on-jesus-among-the-gods/id1648052085?i=1000588501532
- Malcolm Foley on The Cross and the Lynching Tree: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cross-and-the-lynching-tree-malcolm-foley-on/id1648052085?i=1000607851160
- Trevor Laurence on Christ, prayer, and ethics: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cursing-christ-and-christian-prayer/id1648052085?i=1000583436719
The Cross and the Lynching Tree: Malcolm Foley on James Cone, Racism, and American Christianity
James Cone died five years ago this month. He is one of the legends of American theology, writing books like A Black Theology of Liberation, God of the Oppressed, and The Spirituals and the Blues. One of the last books of his celebrated career, The Cross and the Lynching Tree, was published in 2011. And, because this episode releases on Good Friday, when Christians remember Christ’s own lynching, it is fitting to discuss this significant book.
I am very glad to have the Rev. Dr. Malcolm Foley joining us to discuss James Cone’s book. Malcolm is a historian of American religion, and has focused his studies on lynching and Protestantism in America. We’re going to discuss James Cone’s book, but we’re also going to get to hear from Malcolm about his own work, which he does in both academic and ecclesial contexts.
The Rev. Dr. Malcolm Foley serves as the Special Advisor to the President of Baylor University for Equity and Campus Engagement as well as the director of the Black Church Studies Program at Truett Theological Seminary. He is also a pastor at Mosaic Waco, an intentionally multi-cultural, non-denominational church in Waco, TX.
Learn more from Malcolm:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MalcolmBFoley
Anxious Bench: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/anxiousbench/malcolm-foley/
Theology in Pieces: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/theology-in-pieces/id1664552032
Related Episodes of Currents in Religion:
- Jessica Wai-Fong Wong & Jonathan Tran on theological approaches to antiracism: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/icons-economies-and-racism-a-conversation-with/id1648052085?i=1000584235192
- Marcus Jerkins on Black lives and salvation in Luke-Acts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/black-lives-matter-to-jesus-marcus-jerkins-on-salvation/id1648052085?i=1000599025436
- Ericka Shawndricka Dunbar on reading Esther and Africana biblical criticism: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/africana-biblical-criticism-and-the-book-of/id1648052085?i=1000600183961
- João Chaves on immigration and American Christianity: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-study-in-how-migration-shapes-religion/id1648052085?i=1000583436591
Dave Nelson on Publishing Academic Books
In this episode, Dave Nelson talks about publishing academic books. He discusses the process of publishing a book, gives tips for turning a dissertation into a published book, and offers ideas on how to write better. Dave is an expert in these things, having served as an acquisitions editor at Baker Academic for years, before becoming the Director of Baylor University Press.
Dave joined us on the podcast before to discuss academic conferences from a publisher's perspective. He offered some ideas about how scholars can connect with publishers at conferences like AAR/SBL. You can listen to that episode here.
Greco-Roman Associations and the New Testament: A Conversation with Bruce Longenecker
In this episode, Dr. Bruce Longenecker joins to discuss Greco-Roman associations and how studying them helps us to read the New Testament. Bruce recently published an edited volume about Greco-Roman associations with Baylor Press. He’s currently teaching both a graduate and an undergraduate seminar on the topic. The study of associations is proving, more and more, to bear fruit for those interested in Christian origins and the interpretation of the New Testament.
Baylor University Press Books on Associations:
- Associations in the Greco-Roman World: A Sourcebook edited by Richard S. Ascough, Philip A. Harland and John S. Kloppenborg (https://www.baylorpress.com/9781602583740/associations-in-the-greco-roman-world)
- Greco-Roman Associations, Deities, and Early Christianity edited by Bruce Longenecker (https://www.baylorpress.com/9781481315166/greco-roman-associations-deities-and-early-christianity/)
- Christ Groups and Associations: Foundational Essays edited by Richard S. Ascough (https://www.baylorpress.com/9781481318211/christ-groups-and-associations)
Websites for Associations
- http://philipharland.com/greco-roman-associations/
- https://ancientassociations.ku.dk/CAPI/
- https://gdrg.ugent.be/
Human Dignity: A Lecture by Brett Scharffs
So, today’s episode is a little different from our usual format. Instead of an interview, today you’re going to hear a lecture recently hosted by Baylor’s Religion Department in collaboration with the J.M. Dawson Institute for Church State Studies.
The lecture was delivered by Dr Brett Scharffs. Dr. Scharffs is the Rex E. Lee Chair and Professor of Law and the director of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies at Brigham Young University. Dr. Scharffs is a highly regarded scholar, having served as chair for various sections of the Association of American Law Schools, holding editorial positions at esteemed journals, and writing field-making books.
In the lecture you’ll hear, Dr. Scharffs discusses human dignity, a topic perennially important, but of special interest this year because we will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the United Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was proclaimed on December 10, 1948. The first article of the declaration states, "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.”
You can watch the video of the lecture here.
Natural Law and Interreligious Dialogue: A Conversation with Seyed Amir Hossein Asghari
How might interreligious dialogue help the world address some of its most vexing issues? One possible way is by making progress on questions surrounding natural law. In today’s episode, I’m joined by Dr. Seyed Amir Hossein Asghari, who is the Postdoctoral Research Associate in Natural Law in the Religion Department here at Baylor University. We’re going to talk about natural law, its history, and some interesting conversations happening about it. We also talk a little about a really exciting new project that’s just getting underway at Baylor, which Amir is a part of.
Lyric Theology: Thomas Gardner on Marilynne Robinson, lyric thinking, and the doctrine of creation
In this episode, I speak with Thomas Gardner about Lyric Theology, his recent book that is out now with Baylor University Press.
In the book, Thomas looks at four different artists—Czeslaw Milosz, Terence Malick, Marilynne Robinson, and Annie Dillard—as a way of exploring the doctrine of creation. Thomas practices patient, careful engagements with these artists, asking all along the way how their “lyric thinking” might enrich theological reflection. It’s a fascinating book and I think you’ll really enjoy our conversation.
Thomas Gardner is Alumni Distinguished Professor Emeritus of English at Virginia Tech. He’s authored numerous books and collections of poetry, including another book with Baylor Press that puts the Gospel of John into conversation with poets.
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A Year of War in Ukraine: A Conversation with Paul Martens
Today—February 24, 2023—marks one year since Russia invaded Ukraine, an escalation of a conflict that has been long running. In this episode, Zen speaks with Paul Martens about the war, about how Christians have thought about war throughout history, and about how Christians might respond.
Dr. Paul Martens is associate professor of ethics in the department of religion at Baylor University and director of interdisciplinary studies in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Africana Biblical Criticism and the Book of Esther: Ericka Shawndricka Dunbar on her book Trafficking Hadassah
In this episode, Zen speaks with Dr. Ericka Shawndricka Dunbar about her book Trafficking Hadassah (Taylor & Francis Group, 2021). This book explores the Book of Esther by employing Africana biblical criticism. We discuss her method and some of the ways it leads her to read Esther differently.
Dr. Ericka Shawndricka Dunbar is Assistant Professor in the Religion Department at Baylor University. Her area of research focuses broadly on gender, ethnicity, violence, intersectional oppression, sexual(ized) abuse, colonialism, trauma, and diasporic studies. More specifically, she engages in intersectional analyses of sexualized, gender-based, and colonial oppression in the Hebrew Bible.
Black Lives Matter to Jesus: Marcus Jerkins on Salvation and Race in Luke-Acts
In this episode, Zen chats with Rev. Dr. Marcus Jerkins about his book, Black Lives Matter to Jesus: The Salvation of Black Life and All Life in Luke and Acts. The book explores the significance of Black characters in the theological story of salvation told throughout Luke and Acts. Here's the books blurb:
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The third evangelist makes Black-skinned people central to his claim in Luke and Acts that the gospel of Jesus is restoring the children of God. Within Luke's literary environment, the identity of the children of God was linked to national/ethnic identity. Many Jewish texts argued for the Jews' position as God's children because they are bound to God by covenant; they are God's firstborn. But there is also a more general sense within this tradition that all human beings are made in the image of God and are, thus, the children of God through Adam. In the Gospel, Luke asserts that all nations and all ethnicities, including Israel, have questionable filial status vis-à-vis God. Both Israel and the nations are restored in status as God's children through Jesus, the Son of God.
In Acts, Luke explores the initial return of Israel and all ethnicities to God through the witness of the church empowered by the Spirit. To epitomize the return of all nations to God, Luke narrates the salvation of Black-skinned Africans. These Black lives are emphasized to signify that their representation in the church demonstrates the universal extent to which the salvation of Jesus Christ will reach. Their presence in the church is also meant to dignify their Black skin against an aesthetic bias that was prevalent in Greco-Roman views at that moment. This subversion of ethnographic bias helped Luke's audience sustain a gospel-centered critique against the devaluation of Black life.
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Marcus Jerkins earned his PhD in Religion from Baylor University. He also holds a BA from Emory as well as a MDiv and ThM from Candler. He serves as pastor to Resurrection Baptist Church in Silver Spring, MD and adjuncts at Northern Seminary. He and Courtney, his wife of 14 years, have three beautiful children.
Here's the full quote and video from Megyn Kelly about Jesus being white. "Just because it makes you feel uncomfortable doesn't mean it has to change...Jesus was a white man, too. It's like we have, he's a historical figure that's a verifiable fact, as is Santa, I just want kids to know that. How do you revise it in the middle of the legacy in the story and change Santa from white to black?"
Adaptive Church: Dustin Benac on Collaborative Christian Communities
In this episode, we chat with Dustin Benac about his new book Adaptive Church: Collaboration and Community in a Changing World (Baylor University Press 2022). The book studies the way Christian communities in the Pacific Northwest are adapting in ways that may prove beneficial to the broader Christian community. How do churches belong in their particular communities? What is the broader ecology in which churches exist and flourish?
Dr. Dustin Benac is a Louisville Institute Postdoctoral Fellow, Visiting Assistant Professor of Practical Theology at Truett Seminary here at Baylor, and Director & Co-founder, Program for the Future Church.
Getting a Religion PhD at Baylor University: A Conversation with Katherine Ellis
In this episode, I speak with Katherine Ellis about getting a PhD in Baylor's Religion Department. We talk about the various stages of the program, from course work to dissertation. We talk about funding and what it's like to be at an R1 institution in Waco. Katherine also confirms that I am the most fun person in the Department. This episode will be of interest to prospective students who would like to know more about our doctoral program. If you still have questions, send me an email at zen_hess1@baylor.edu.
Katherine Ellis is a PhD student studying theology in Baylor's Religion Department. She is also a Religion representative to the Graduate Student Association.
Rotten Epiphany: Mikeal Parsons and Cody Sanders talk Corpse Care
“What is the revelatory potential of the corpse?” That is the question that Cody Sanders and Mikeal Parsons seek to answer in their new book, Corpse Care: Ethics for Tending the Dead.
Here's the book's blurb: "Corpse Care relates the history of death care in the U.S. to craft robust, constructive, practical ethics for tending the dead. It specifically relates corpse care to economic, environmental, and pastoral concerns. Death and the treatment of the dead body loom large in our collective, cultural consciousness. The authors explore the materiality and meaning of the dead body and the living's relationship to it. All the biggest questions facing the planetary human community relate in one way or another to the corpse. Surprisingly, Christian communities are largely missing in the discussion of the dead, having abdicated the historic role in care for the dead to the funeral industry. Christianity has stopped its reflection about the body once that body no longer bears life. Corpse Care stakes a claim that the fact of embodiment, this incarnational truth, this process of our bodily becoming, is a practical, ethical, and theological necessity."
Dr. Cody Sanders is pastor to Old Cambridge Baptist Church in Harvard Square, and holds various roles at Harvard University, MIT, and Chicago Theological Seminary.
Dr. Mikeal Parsons is professor and Macon Chair in Religion at Baylor University.
Should We Abandon Inclusion? Erin Raffety on Disability and the Church
For many, the term “inclusion” is the end all for social justice efforts. But, in her new book, Erin Raffety suggests that “inclusion” doesn’t work, at least in churches with disabled people. Listen to this quote: “The church is called apart from the world to repent of its ableism, disown its power, abandon inclusion, and pursue justice alongside disabled people.” Throughout her book she clarifies why inclusions falters and what justice might look like. She does this by interpreting scripture, drawing from her ethnographic research with congregations in Northeastern America, and engaging with disability activists and scholars. So, you’ll get to hear about some of those things in our conversation. I’m excited for you to hear it.
Erin Raffety is Associate Research Scholar at Princeton Theological Seminary and Research Fellow in Machine Intelligence & Pastoral Care at the Center for Theological Inquiry in Princeton, New Jersey. She is the author of From Inclusion to Justice, the book we’re discussing today, which is out now through Baylor University Press.
And I’m grateful also that Dr. Devan Stahl joined us for this conversation as a cohost. Devan is Assistant Professor of Religion here at Baylor University and author of a new book called Disability’s Challenge to Theology (UND Press). You can listen to us discuss Devan's book in our episode "An Era of Soft Eugenics?"
Resources for Further Education on Disability
- Visit Erin's curated list of resources on her website.
- Browse Baylor University Press's books on the topic.
Amanda Tyler on Religious Liberty and Christian Nationalism
In this episode, you'll hear a lecture from Amanda Tyler. (You can watch the lecture here.) Amanda Tyler is the Executive Director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty (BJC), a pan-Baptist organization that advocates for religious liberty for all Americans. In the lecture, originally delivered in 2018, Tyler defends the importance of religious liberty and warns against the rise of Christian nationalism.
Resources on Christian Nationalism
- In February 2022, the BJC released a report exploring the connection between Christian nationalism and the January 6th Capitol Riot. The report can be read here.
- Christians Against Christian Nationalism, an organization that provides resources for countering the rise of Christian Nationalism.
- A reading list compiled by Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary.
- A reading list compiled by the Englewood Review.
Baptists in 2022 with Elizabeth Flowers and Doug Weaver
In this episode, Elizabeth (Betsy) Flowers and Doug Weaver discuss Baptist-related headlines from 2022. Topics include Christian nationalism, women in pastoral ministry, and the sexual abuse scandal in the Southern Baptist Convention.
Elizabeth Flowers is Associate Professor of Religion at Baylor University.
Doug Weaver is Professor of Baptist Studies and Chair of the Religion Department at Baylor University.
The "Elevator Speech" segment introduces Kendall Cox's new book Prodigal Christ, out now from Baylor University Press.
Christmas Through History and Around the World
In this Christmas special, three church historians share about Christmas throughout history and around the world. David Wilhite, Allison Brown, and David Chrisna discuss the origins of celebrating Christmas, the legend of St. Nick, the story of Christmas carols, and the way Christmas has been received in various cultural contexts.
From all of us in the Baylor Religion Department and at Baylor University Press, have a very happy holiday season.
Micheal O'Siadhail on Faith, Poetry, and Daring to Love
In this episode, Zen speaks with Micheal O’Siadhail about his newly published Testament, a collection of poems published by Baylor University Press. In addition to readings from Testament, we discuss themes from the collection, the role of form in poetry, and how poetry might help people read scripture.
Micheal O’Siadhail is an internationally acclaimed poet whose works include The Five Quintets, Collected Poems, and One Crimson Thread. He is Distinguished Poet in Residence at Union Theological Seminary.
An Era of Soft Eugenics? Devan Stahl on Disability's Challenge to Theology
In this episode, we speak with Dr. Devan Stahl about disability, eugenics, metaphysics, and how theology can help navigate the ethics of medicine. The subject of our book is Devan's new book Disability's Challenge to Theology (University of Notre Dame Press).
Devan Stahl is Assistant Professor of Religion at Baylor University and co-host of the podcast Bioethics for the People.
Mike Bird on Jesus Among the Gods
In this episode, we talk with Mike Bird about how ancient Jewish and Greco-Roman folks thought about what makes a god a god. We also talk about how the New Testament writings portray Jesus as a God, and what the creeds from the fourth century and onward have to do with all of this. These are subjects Mike explores in detail in his new book Jesus Among the Gods.
Michael F. Bird is the Academic Dean and Lecturer in Theology and New Testament at Ridley College.
A Grammar Lesson in Prayer: Bill Bellinger on the Psalms
In this episode, Bill Bellinger joins us to discuss the literary shape of the psalms, and how the psalms have given people of faith a grammar for their faith and prayer.
Bill Bellinger was the W. Marshall and Lulie Craig Chairholder in Bible and the Chair of the Department of Religion at Baylor University before his recent retirement (though, he is returning this spring to teach a course on the psalms once again). Bill has also published several books with Baylor University Press, including Psalms as a Grammar for Faith and the Baylor Annotated Study Bible.
AARSBL from a Publisher's Perspective: A Chat with Dave Nelson
In this episode, Dave Nelson discusses what AAR/SBL is like for a publisher, the importance of relationships, and the way COVID might change the role of major annual meetings.
Dr. Dave Nelson is Director of Baylor University Press.
The Elevator Speech for this episode introduces Daryl Ireland's recent book Visions of Salvation.
Seeing and Touching History: Cynthia Shafer-Elliott on Archaeology, History, and the Hebrew Bible
In this episode, we talk with Dr. Cynthia Shafer-Elliott about her archaeological and historical research, and how she thinks it matters for reading the Hebrew Bible. Dr. Shafer-Elliott's scholarship explores homes and households, food and hospitality, and the importance of domestic ritual in ancient religious life. Listen now to hear more about her work, and why she thinks it matters for reading the Hebrew Bible .
Dr. Cynthia Shafer-Elliott is Associate Professor of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament at Baylor University.
This week's Elevator Speech comes from Paul DeHart, author of Unspeakable Cults, a new Baylor University Press book.
Eating Our Way Home? A Conversation with Matt Croasmun
Icons, Economies, and Racism: A Conversation with Jonathan Tran and Jessica Wai-Fong Wong
In this episode, Dr. Jessica Wai-Fong Wong and Dr. Jonathan Tran discuss race, racism, and the work of antiracism in relation to Christian theology.
Dr. Jessica Wai-Fong Wong is associate professor of systematic theology at Azusa Pacific University and authored Disordered: The Holy Icon and the Racial Myth
Dr. Jonathan Tran is Associate Professor of Philosophical Theology and George W. Baines Chair of Religion at Baylor University and authored Asian Americans and the Spirit of Racial Captialism.
Natalie Carnes on Feminist Theology and the Arts
In this episode, Dr. Natalie Carnes discusses the relationship between feminist theology and the arts, and what the arts offer feminist theology going forward. This is the topic of a book she is currently writing.
Natalie Carnes is Associate Professor of Theology at Baylor University.