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Summary

Part 1 of 2. In chapters 8 and 9, we think about the faith of 3 out of 4 of the most recent presidents of the United States: George W. Bush, Barak Obama, and Donald Trump. We talk about American Civil Religion, and how it fuses orthodox Christian doctrine with nationalism. And we talk about the function of bias, especially our own, and how it makes us hypersensitive to the errors of some, and less watchful of the errors of others.

Notes

Our thanks and appreciation to our partners:

A production of the Centre for the Study of Bible and Violence.
https://www.csbvbristol.org.uk/


Huge appreciation to Kitchener Public Library for the use of their recording studio.
https://www.kpl.org/


Podcast cover art by Studio of Broken Things
https://www.facebook.com/ISA4048


Intro music "Br1ghter" by Tape Machines (feat. Le June & Nbhd Nick)

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Summary

Join us for a conversation that takes a surprising but enjoyable turn into church history, as we discuss Chapter 6 "The Magic of the Market: the hermeneutics of small government" and Chapter 7 "The Late Great United States: biblical eschatology in the Cold War.

No panda references, but we do find ourselves wondering if the heavenly city might be depicted as a Borg cube.

Notes

Our thanks and appreciation to our partners:

A production of the Centre for the Study of Bible and Violence.
https://www.csbvbristol.org.uk/


Huge appreciation to Kitchener Public Library for the use of their recording studio.
https://www.kpl.org/


Podcast cover art by Studio of Broken Things
https://www.facebook.com/ISA4048


Intro music "Br1ghter" by Tape Machines (feat. Le June & Nbhd Nick)

Send us a text

Summary

We look in this episode at Schiess' chapter on the civil rights movement, and discuss in particular the use of the Christian message in social issues, and the death of Christendom. We also discuss whether the career of "panda pastor" is more or less justified than the belief that America is a Christian nation.

Notes

Our thanks and appreciation to our partners:

A production of the Centre for the Study of Bible and Violence.
https://www.csbvbristol.org.uk/


Huge appreciation to Kitchener Public Library for the use of their recording studio.
https://www.kpl.org/


Podcast cover art by Studio of Broken Things
https://www.facebook.com/ISA4048


Intro music "Br1ghter" by Tape Machines (feat. Le June & Nbhd Nick)

Send us a text

Summary

In this episode, we look at chapters 3 and 4, in which Schiess looks at the use of scripture in both the defense of American slavery and in the social gospel. We look at how we use the stories of scripture to form our identities, where that can fall short and be misused. We talk about how easy it is to find what one wants to find in scripture, as well as the ways in which deep engagement with scripture tends to lead people to God's heart for reconciliation and liberation.

Notes

Our thanks and appreciation to our partners:

A production of the Centre for the Study of Bible and Violence.
https://www.csbvbristol.org.uk/


Huge appreciation to Kitchener Public Library for the use of their recording studio.
https://www.kpl.org/


Podcast cover art by Studio of Broken Things
https://www.facebook.com/ISA4048


Intro music "Br1ghter" by Tape Machines (feat. Le June & Nbhd Nick)

Send us a text

Summary

In this first episode of Season 2, new host Gabe Magnus joins Ashley to talk about the introduction and first two chapters of The Ballot and the Bible: how scripture has been used and abused in American politics, and where we go from here. We discuss the importance of context, responsible application, and how this book of political theology is in fact a book that encourages us to do biblical interpretation well and carefully in any sphere. We discuss Schiess' helpful investigation of the use of religious language in America's early colonial period. Finally, we also start to consider our own position on the interaction between politics and scripture, a thread that will continue through this season.

Notes

Our thanks and appreciation to our partners:

A production of the Centre for the Study of Bible and Violence.
https://www.csbvbristol.org.uk/


Huge appreciation to Kitchener Public Library for the use of their recording studio.
https://www.kpl.org/


Podcast cover art by Studio of Broken Things
https://www.facebook.com/ISA4048


Intro music "Br1ghter" by Tape Machines (feat. Le June & Nbhd Nick)

Send us a text

During this between season break, guest Gabe Magnus joins Ashley to discuss a small but profound meditation on war, militarization, and neighbour love found in the story of Aldarion and Erendis, from the the Unfinished Tales of J. R. R. Tolkien, as well as some of the implications that we see as citizens of the peaceable kingdom.


Our thanks and appreciation to our partners:

A production of the Centre for the Study of Bible and Violence.
https://www.csbvbristol.org.uk/


Podcast cover art by Studio of Broken Things
https://www.facebook.com/ISA4048


Intro music "Br1ghter" by Tape Machines (feat. Le June & Nbhd Nick)

Send us a text

During this between season break, guest Gabe Magnus joins Ashley to discuss a small but profound meditation on war, militarization, and neighbour love found in the story of Aldarion and Erendis, from the Unfinished Tales of J. R. R. Tolkien, as well as some of the implications that we see as citizens of the peaceable kingdom.


Our thanks and appreciation to our partners:

A production of the Centre for the Study of Bible and Violence.
https://www.csbvbristol.org.uk/


Podcast cover art by Studio of Broken Things
https://www.facebook.com/ISA4048


Intro music "Br1ghter" by Tape Machines (feat. Le June & Nbhd Nick)

Send us a text

Summary

We were delighted and honoured that Bill Webb and Gord Oeste, the authors of this excellent work, were willing to take a substantial amount of time to sit down and chat with us about many of the questions that have occurred to us in our study.

Time Stamps

00:01:30 Introduction of Bill Webb and Gord Oeste

00:02:55 How do your dual vocations of pastor and scholar connect for you?

00:08:40 If you had the chance to re-write the book, what would you do differently, or do the same?

00:12:35 What do you wish you'd had time to examine? What's the best thing you left on the cutting room floor?

00:15:45 On what issue did you differ the most (if any)?

00:21:10 In Chapter 3, you say most Christians have a deficient concept of God. How did you come to that conclusion? How did your own understanding of God become bigger or deeper in the process of writing the book?

00:37:55 If you could only share one small piece of this book with someone who is struggling with their faith due to the war texts, what would you say?

00:47:20 You demonstrate well that 1 Samuel 15 provides more support for your hyperbole thesis than challenge to it. But one listener asked: if that is true, how would the first audience have understood the command in 1 Samuel 15:3 the command to destroy all children and infants?

00:54:45 When you hear about modern war atrocities, such as Ukraine or Sudan, what connections do you make between your research in the book and what you see happening?

01:05:30 In the book, you suggest that there isn't a focus on literal people-killing genocide, but rather the removal of culture. Has the power of this point been weakened in light of recent understandings of cultural genocide, especially for those of us in Canada who have been confronted with the realities of our residential schools?

01:20:10 In light of the suffering and evil in the world, what part of eschatological hope is most meaningful for you?


Notes

1) Many thanks to Bill and Gord for taking the time to answer so many of our questions!


2) Our thanks and appreciation to our partners:

A production of the Centre for the Study of Bible and Violence.
https://www.csbvbristol.org.uk/


Podcast cover art by Studio of Broken Things
https://www.facebook.com/ISA4048


Intro music "Br1ghter" by Tape Machines (feat. Le June & Nbhd Nick)