Dr. Lanta Davis joins us today to talk about her new book called Becoming by Beholding. Her book will prompt you to think about the connection between art, imagination, and theology. How did the historic church think about the imagination and spiritual formation, and can we do a better job of that in today's environment? Are we aware enough of what we "behold" and how that creates an impression on our lives? And how did the Protestant church lose its ability to gaze on images and allow them to s...
Sep 26, 2024•28 min•Season 8Ep. 1
Dr. Ryan Vroegindewey joins us once again to talk about the global food system, how animal welfare matters, and how to think about "organic", "mono cropping", and "genetically modified food". Helpful books referenced in today's episode: Stewards of Eden by Sandra Richter Scripture Culture and Agriculture by Ellen Davis The collected works publications by Katharine Hayhoe Learn more about the movie Kiss the Ground Contact Cyndi Parker through Narrative of Place . Learn more about me and sign up f...
Jul 04, 2024•22 min•Season 7Ep. 25
How does the Bible instruct us to treat the world, our food, and our ground? Today we talk with Dr. Ryan Vroegindewey about how he became aware of the complexities in our global food systems and what we can all do to become more informed with the choices we make. Helpful books referenced in today's episode: Stewards of Eden by Sandra Richter Scripture Culture and Agriculture by Ellen Davis The collected works publications by Katharine Hayhoe Contact Cyndi Parker through Narrative of Place . Lear...
Jun 27, 2024•23 min•Season 7Ep. 24
Dr. Stephen Ko is an interdisciplinary writer at the intersection of faith, medicine, and public health. He is also the Senior Pastor of New York Chinese Alliance Church. In his new book Faith Embodied, Dr. Ko explores the intersection of his medical knowledge with his spiritual insights. Using our senses can we learn to see Scripture in a new way and can we learn to fully embody our worship? You can learn more about Dr. Stephen Ko HERE where you can also subscribe to his newsletter and follow h...
Jun 20, 2024•22 min•Season 7Ep. 23
Dr. Stephen Ko is an interdisciplinary writer at the intersection of faith, medicine, and public health. He is also the Senior Pastor of New York Chinese Alliance Church. In his new book Faith Embodied, Dr. Ko explores the intersection of his medical knowledge with his spiritual insights. Using our senses can we learn to see Scripture in a new way and can we learn to fully embody our worship? You can learn more about Dr. Stephen Ko HERE where you can also subscribe to his newsletter and follow h...
Jun 13, 2024•25 min•Season 7Ep. 22
Dr. Mark Glanville joins us today from his piano to talk with me about his newly released book titled Improvising Church: Scripture as the Source of Harmony, Rhythm and Soul. We start with a conversation about the need for churches to develop according to their local context - the flavor of the places they are in. We then talk about worship in polyrhythms and the jazz-sound of the heart of the church. Read more about the book Improvising Church HERE Read more about Dr. Mark Glanville HERE watch ...
Jun 06, 2024•28 min•Season 7Ep. 21
Dr. Mark Glanville joins me from his piano to talk about his new book Improvising Church: Scripture as the Source of Harmony, Rhythm, and Soul. What is it about jazz and scripture that make them natural conversation partners regarding the modern church? Is there a way to create churches that are characterized by being leader-full, where the imagination, the energy, and the thoughtfulness goes beyond the capacity of any one leader? Read more about the book Improvising Church HERE Read more about ...
May 30, 2024•26 min•Season 7Ep. 20
This is part 2 of our conversation with Dr. Ericka Dunbar who is an Assistant Professor of Hebrew Bible at Baylor University. We talk about noticing the small characters in a narrative. Who are the unnamed women taken from throughout the Persian empire? What was their experience like? We also talk about how challenging engaging in conversation that shift our perspectives and assumptions can be. Read more about Dr. Dunbar HERE Read more about her book Trafficking Hadassah Contact Cyndi Parker thr...
May 23, 2024•28 min•Season 7Ep. 19
In part 1 of our conversation on the book of Esther, Dr. Ericka Dunbar introduces us to contextual influences in her life that changed how she read the book of Esther. Far from a story about queens and beauty pageants, Dr. Dunbar highlights the problematic issues around gender, ethnicity, violence, and sexualized abuse that are in the text that we cannot ignore. Read more about Dr. Dunbar HERE Read more about her book Trafficking Hadassah Contact Cyndi Parker through Narrative of Place . Learn m...
May 16, 2024•27 min•Season 7Ep. 18
Dr. Nadya Williams is a Classics Historian who brings her knowledge of the culture and writings generated in the Greco-Roman world to bear on the early church. This is Part 2 of our conversation regarding her book Cultural Christians in the Early Church. Dr. Williams discusses popular, best-selling Roman literature and how that illuminates how radical the teachings of Jesus are and how challenging living counter-culturally was for the early church. While we explore the earliest church, the perse...
May 09, 2024•22 min•Season 7Ep. 17
Dr. Nadya Williams is a Classics Historian who brings her knowledge of the culture and writings generated in the Greco-Roman world to bear on the early church. While modern people in their struggle against institutionalized church tend to look back at the earliest Christians as those who wear halos, Dr. Williams says, "Not so fast." In this conversation, Dr. Williams introduces us to her own multi-country, multi-lingual, and multi-faith context growing up and how that shaped her view of God toda...
May 02, 2024•23 min•Season 7Ep. 16
Part 2 of the conversation with Dr. Myrto Theocharous takes us into new perspectives on Deuteronomy. How do we think about Imago Dei, not in the faces of those around us, but reflected in our own actions? What does the book say about becoming complacent in a good economy? What responsibility do we have for communal care? Find out more about Dr. Theocharous HERE Find out about New Zoi Contact Cyndi Parker through Narrative of Place . Learn more about me and sign up for upcoming tours of Israel/Pa...
Apr 25, 2024•33 min•Season 7Ep. 15
In part 1 of our conversation, Dr. Myrto Theocharous explains her love for connecting Deuteronomy’s theology with the practical actions in the world. There is so much this book still has to teach us! Find out more about Dr. Theocharous HERE Find out about New Zoi Contact Cyndi Parker through Narrative of Place . Learn more about me and sign up for upcoming tours of Israel/Palestine. Join Cyndi Parker's Patreon Team !...
Apr 18, 2024•28 min•Season 7Ep. 14
Rev. Dr. Eun Strawser describes her journey as a church leader transforming small discipleship group into multiple communities. How did they do it? They focused on intentional discipleship, community engagement, and the markers of mature disciples. How can these practices be adopted by other churches? Find out more about the book here: www.centeringdiscipleship.com Explore the 4-week online training program for Centering Discipleship HERE Follow Dr. Strawser on Instagram: @ekstrawser Contact Cyn...
Apr 11, 2024•25 min•Season 7Ep. 13
Rev. Dr. Eun Strawser joins us to talk about what it means for churches to think about discipleship. What is it? How do you do it? Can you design a church structure around discipleship? Dr. Strawser was faced with all of these questions when she started a new church plant. After some experimentation, she discovered that when discipleship becomes central to your leadership and community, then discipleship becomes central to congregational mission and cultural renewal. Find out more about the book...
Apr 04, 2024•29 min•Season 7Ep. 12
What does the book of Revelation have to say to the modern church? In Part 2 of the conversation with Dr. Scot McKnight, we examine the visual propaganda machine of the Roman empire and how the author of Revelation makes great use of those images to mock the arrogance of Rome. But this is also a book about becoming dissident disciples. When we read this book as a letter to the churches who were dangerously close to allowing the "Babylon Creep" into the church, we hear a strong warning to the Wes...
Mar 28, 2024•25 min•Season 7Ep. 11
Dr. Scot McKnight recently published a book called Revelation for the Rest of Us . But it is the subtitle that is intriguing: A Prophetic Call to Follow Jesus as a Dissident Disciple. Dissident disciples? The book of Revelation? Politics and theology coming together in one episode? In part 1 of our conversation we learn about why Dr. McKnight felt like he needed to write this particular book in this time in history. And he throws in an amazing comment about the author, John, when describing how ...
Mar 21, 2024•27 min•Season 7Ep. 10
This is Part 2 of the conversation with Dr. Michael Rhodes. He is a professor in Old Testament at Carey Baptist College in Aukland, New Zealand, and we are discussing his book Just Discipleship. If we are to people concerned about Justice and concerned about BECOMING people of justice, what does that say about the topic of reparations? Can the biblical concept of Jubilee shed light on how modern countries can name and identify the sins of the previous generation, and where appropriate, identify ...
Mar 14, 2024•30 min•Season 7Ep. 9
Is it possible that Western Christianity and modern American life is shaping us to become people who are NOT good at doing justice, and loving mercy, and showing kindness? We know of such concepts but do we embody such concepts in the world around us? This week kicks off a several week conversation with scholars about different aspects of discipleship. We start today with a fellow Old Testament scholar, Dr. Michael Rhodes. He is a professor in Old Testament at Carey Baptist College in Aukland, N...
Mar 07, 2024•38 min•Season 7Ep. 8
This is Part 2 of a conversation with Rev. Dr. Helen Paynter about her new book titled: Blessed are the Peacemakers: A Biblical Theology of Human Violence. Today we discuss what to do when it seems like God is calling his people to violence, or what happens when the Israelites are violent with one another. How does the Bible give voice to those who suffer from violent attacks? And for those who study violence, where do they find a type of hope that can sustain them and their work? Find out more ...
Feb 29, 2024•30 min•Season 7Ep. 7
We are in a time of global conflict and violence, and so this is a great time to pay careful attention the newest book released by Rev. Dr. Helen Paynter called Blessed are the Peacemakers: A Biblical Theology of Human Violence. Today we talk about why Dr. Paynter ended up studying a biblical view of violence and what her Center for Study of Bible and Violence is all about. Find out more about Dr. Paynter HERE Some of the resources and links mentioned on this episode: https://www.facebook.com/CS...
Feb 22, 2024•27 min•Season 7Ep. 6
This is Part 2 of a conversation with Dr. Jennifer Holberg about her recently released called Nourishing Narratives. Dr. Holberg is a Professor and chair of the English department at Calvin University and co-director of the Calvin Center for Faith and Writing. Today we talk about how to imagine the real humanness of people in the biblical text and how that shapes our theology. Discover more about Dr. Holberg HERE Find her book Nourishing Narratives HERE Read about the Calvin Center for Faith and...
Feb 15, 2024•21 min•Season 7Ep. 5
Dr. Jennifer Holberg recently released a book that talks about the power of story to shape our faith. Dr. Holberg is a Professor and chair of the English department at Calvin University and co-director of the Calvin Center for Faith and Writing. This week we talk about how important context is for understanding people and story. Then we talk about how people not only gravitate towards narratives, but they are shaped by narratives. And what does that mean when we talk about faith? Discover more a...
Feb 08, 2024•30 min•Season 7Ep. 4
How does medieval history teach us more about Christianity? We get a glimpse into the past with in this week's episode with Dr. Grace Hamman. Dr. Hamman is a medievalist who specializes in Middle English. She has a new book called Jesus Through Medieval Eyes . She also hosts a podcast called Old Books with Grace . We have hosted a couple of episodes around the context of the split between the Eastern and Western Churches, but this week we get to talk about how the context of the western, Europea...
Feb 01, 2024•37 min•Season 7Ep. 3
This is part 2 of a conversation with Dr. Gordon McConville who is Professor Emeritus at the University of Gloucestershire. We are discussing his book The Suffering Servant: Isaiah 53 for the Life of the Church. In this episode we explore the context and impact of the suffering servant in Isaiah 53. What is unique about the suffering? What is the role of the servant? And how did New Testament writers use Isaiah to help them understand who Jesus was? Find his book The Suffering Servant HERE Find ...
Jan 25, 2024•21 min•Season 7Ep. 2
Gordon McConville grew up in Northern Ireland, and studied Modern Languages at Cambridge and Theology in Edinburgh, before doing a PhD in Old Testament with Prof Gordon Wenham at Queen's University, He has taught at Trinity College, Bristol and Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, and is now Professor Emeritus at the University of Gloucestershire. Find his book The Suffering Servant HERE Find his commentary on Isaiah HERE Contact Cyndi Parker through Narrative of Place . Learn more about me and sign up for up...
Jan 18, 2024•25 min•Season 7Ep. 1
We are taking advantage of the end of the year to take a reflective look back on where we have been in 2023. There are so many amazing guests that sat with us around the podcast table. We took a fresh look at books of the Bible we rarely hear sermons on, and we had a masterclass on how to interpret the Bible contextually. Each guest brought a nuanced view of scripture, and helped us think about how valuable it is to read the Bible with people who have diverse perspectives. What a gift it is to b...
Dec 30, 2023•42 min•Season 6Ep. 21
Why is this concept of Being God’s Image a challenging concept to wholeheartedly believe not only about yourself but also other people. This is not really the messaging from society, right? But can you imagine if the modern church REALLY lived into this? How would this transform how we treated others, how we understand God, and what we think about beauty? Dr. Carmen Imes takes us through some significant themes of identity from her newest book. Find Dr. Imes book here: https://www.ivpress.com/be...
Sep 21, 2023•18 min•Season 6Ep. 20
Why is this concept of Being God’s Image a challenging concept to wholeheartedly believe not only about yourself but also other people. This is not really the messaging from society, right? But can you imagine if the modern church REALLY lived into this? How would this transform how we treated others, how we understand God, and what we think about beauty? Dr. Carmen Imes takes us through some significant themes of identity from her newest book. Find Dr. Imes book here: https://www.ivpress.com/be...
Sep 14, 2023•24 min•Season 6Ep. 19
Technology can be an amazing and helpful tool. It can also get in the way of how we learn if we do not pay attention. Today I am joined by two creative entrepreneurs from Basil Technology. Kevin Kim is the co-founder and CEO and Sang Tian is the Chief Technology Officer. A part of their vision is to unlock the depths of scripture for everyone. Using dynamic and interactive tools, anyone can learn to use the tools of reading and understanding the Bible well. Find out more about Basil Tech Keep yo...
Sep 07, 2023•28 min•Season 6Ep. 18
