It Means What It Means

Episode 79: Traditions III: Baptist with Elizabeth Arnold

Elizabeth Arnold shares her journey from a New Testament scholar to a minister within the Baptist tradition (Cooperative Baptist Fellowship). She discusses her experiences at Candler School of Theology, her views on the radical roots of Baptists, and the importance of individualism in American faith. Elizabeth emphasizes the need for democratizing theological education and making biblical languages accessible to all. The conversation also delves into the significance of Bible translations and the role of marginal notes in understanding scripture. Other resources mentioned or recommended in this conversation include The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity; Towards Baptist Catholicity: Essays of Tradition and the Baptist Vision; Ecumenism Means You Too: Ordinary Christians and the Quest for Christian Unity; Aaron Weaver; Sources of Light: Resources for Baptist Churches Practicing Theology; Arturo Pérez-Reverte; Cal Newport; and Rick Riordan. Next week, Andrew Rillera discusses his book Lamb of the Free: Recovering the Varied Sacrificial Understandings of Jesus’s Death.
 
Follow the podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon/Audible, iHeartRadio, Player FM, Listen Notes, Podchaser, Boomplay. Please reach out with guest suggestions and/or feedback at itmeanswhatitmeans@gmail.com. If you would like to support the podcast financially, you can hear episodes a week early for $5 a month on Patreon. You can also get updates and promotional clips if you follow us on YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Bluesky, Spoutible, Twitter, Threads, Wordpress, and Tumblr.

Episode 78: Spirit Possession and Intimate Partner Violence with Reed Carlson

Reed Carlson discusses his Journal of Biblical Literature article “Spirit Possession and Intimate Partner Violence in the Law of Jealousy.” He delves into the social dynamics of jealousy and how they relate to intimate partner violence (IPV). The discussion highlights the importance of understanding these themes within the broader framework of community and relationships in the Hebrew Bible. Carlson also emphasizes the need for local action against IPV. Other resources mentioned or recommended in this episode include classicist (and friend of the show) Anthony Ellis, Jealousy in Context, Ingrid Lily, Annette Yoshiko Reed, The Idea of Possession, Unfamiliar Selves:Possession and Other Spirit Phenomena, Demonic Bodies and the Dark Ecologies of Early Christian Culture, The SBL Study Bible, The Jewish Study Bible, The Jewish Annotated New Testament, The Jewish Annotate Apocrypha.
 
Please reach out with guest suggestions and/or feedback at itmeanswhatitmeans@gmail.com. If you would like to support the podcast financially, you can hear episodes a week early for $5 a month on Patreon. You can also get updates and promotional clips if you follow us on YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Bluesky, Spoutible, Twitter, Threads, Wordpress, and Tumblr.

Episode 77: Judaism: A Guide for Christians with Tzvi Novick

Tzvi Novick, Abrams Professor of Jewish Though and Culture at the University of Notre Dame, discusses his book Judaism: A Guide for Christians. He explores the complexities of Jewish identity, the relationship between Judaism and Christianity, and the significance of rabbinic literature. He also emphasizes the importance of understanding Judaism not just as a religion but as a cultural and ethnic identity, delves into the role of Torah in Jewish life, explores the concept of the afterlife, and discusses the community aspect of Jewish observance. Resources mentioned or recommended in this episode include 18Forty, Judaism Unbound, Rabbi Shai Held, television shows Srugim and Shtisel, and poet Wallace Stevens.
 
Please reach out with guest suggestions and/or feedback at itmeanswhatitmeans@gmail.com. If you would like to support the podcast financially, you can hear episodes a week early for $5 a month on Patreon. You can also get updates and promotional clips if you follow us on YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Bluesky, Spoutible, Twitter, Threads, Wordpress, and Tumblr.

Episode 76: Women and the Gender of God with Amy Peeler

Amy Peeler discusses her book Women and the Gender of God, exploring the complexities of gender in theology, the nature of God, and the role of women in the church. She emphasizes the importance of understanding gender as it relates to divine revelation and the implications of language used to describe God. The discussion also delves into ancient perspectives on conception, the political and ontological aspects of the title “Son of God,” and the significance of fatherhood in understanding divine relationships. Authors and resources mentioned or recommended in this episode include Michael Peppard, Lynn Marie Tonstad, Jürgen Moltmann, Andrew Lincoln, Oliver D Crisp, Madison Pierce, Elisabeth Behr-Sigel, Sarah Coakley, Ben Witherington, Lynn H Cohick, Amy Brown Hughes, Susan Hylen, Two Cities Podcast, and Sparrow.
 
Please reach out with guest suggestions and/or feedback at itmeanswhatitmeans@gmail.com. If you would like to support the podcast financially, you can hear episodes a week early for $5 a month on Patreon.

Episode 75: Turning Points in American Church History with Elesha Coffman

Jared interviews Elesha Coffman, a professor of history at Baylor University, about her book Turning Points in American Church History. They discussed the genesis of the book, the importance of understanding contingency in history, and the idiosyncratic approach Coffman takes in her analysis of pivotal events. The conversation also delves into the complexities of American Protestantism, the political realignments throughout history, and the nature of hierarchies in American society. Elesha and Jared mentioned or recommended the following Rebel on Main, Nice Try, and the writings of Dorothy Sayers and Agatha Christie.
Please reach out with guest suggestions and/or feedback at itmeanswhatitmeans@gmail.com. If you would like to support the podcast financially, you can hear episodes a week early for $5 a month on Patreon.

Episode 74: Courtroom Theatrics in the Letter of James with Alicia Batten

Alicia Batten, a professor of New Testament early Christianity, discusses her article “Courtroom Theatrics in the Letter of James.” She explores how the text critiques wealth and partiality, drawing parallels to ancient courtroom settings and the importance of community mediation in legal disputes. Batten also delves into the significance of various aspects of ancient cultures, particularly focusing on seating arrangements in synagogues, the significance of clothing in courtroom settings, and the social dynamics present in the biblical text of James. Alicia’s recommendations for resources include the works of Leanne Bablitz, Kelly Olson, David Gowler, Avi Shlaim, Alistair MacLeod, Mary Oliver, WH Auden, John C Wright, John Keats, Jalal al-Din Rumi, David Adams Richard, Margaret Laurence, Margaret Atwood, Alice Munro, WO Mitchell, Farley Mowat, Michael Ondaatje, The Oxford Handbook of Social Relations in the Roman World, Dale Allison’s Commentary on James, Bible Odyssey, and History Valley Podcast.
 
Please reach out with guest suggestions and/or feedback at itmeanswhatitmeans@gmail.com. If you would like to support the podcast financially, you can hear episodes a week early for $5 a month on Patreon.

Episode 73: The Bible: A Global History with Bruce Gordon

Bruce Gordon discusses his book The Bible: A Global History. He emphasizes the Bible's evolution, the significance of its materiality, and the ongoing discussions surrounding the canon, particularly in relation to the Council of Nicaea. This conversation explores the complexities of biblical texts, their translations, and interpretations across different cultures and historical contexts. Books mentioned and recommended in this episode include those by Lamin Sanneh, Philip Jenkins, Leo Tolstoy, and Fyodor Dostoevsky.
 
Please reach out with guest suggestions and/or feedback at itmeanswhatitmeans@gmail.com. If you would like to support the podcast financially, you can hear episodes a week early for $5 a month on Patreon.

Episode 72: A Syriac Gospel Fragmentary Manuscript with Catalin-Stefan Popa

Catalin-Stefan Popa, a research professor at the Romanian Academy, discusses his article “An Early Ḥarklean Version in a Syriac Gospel Fragmentary Manuscript (MS Or. 403)” and about his research on Syriac manuscripts. They also discuss the significance of Syriac as a language, the historical context of the manuscripts, the role of marginalia, and the importance of manuscript preservation and digitization. Resources mentioned or recommended in this episode include Urho, The Way; The Digital Orientalist; Middle Eastern Manuscript Traditions; The Syriac Annals of the Romanian Academy; The Making of Syriac Jerusalem: Representations of the Holy City in Syriac Literature of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages; and Soul and Boy Diseases: Remedies and Healing in Middle Eastern Religious Cultures and Traditions.
 
Please reach out with guest suggestions and/or feedback at itmeanswhatitmeans@gmail.com. If you would like to support the podcast financially, you can hear episodes a week early for $5 a month on Patreon.

Epsiode 71.2: Male Friendship, Homosociality, and Women in the Hebrew Bible with Barbara Thiede

Jared and Barbara Thiede discusses her book Male Friendship, Homosociality, and Women in the Hebrew Bible: Malignant Fraternities, exploring the concept of homosociality in biblical narratives, particularly among male characters. She reflects on the implications of these relationships in the context of contemporary issues surrounding toxic masculinity and gender dynamics. Thiede also examines the relationships of key biblical figures such as Judah, Hira, and David, and how these narratives can inform our understanding of masculinity today. Websites, books, and authors mentioned or recommended in this episode include The Shiloh Project, Ursula Vernon, Alix Harrow, Chronicles of Amber, Adrian Tchaikovsky, and Ursula K Le Guin.
 
Please reach out with guest suggestions and/or feedback at itmeanswhatitmeans@gmail.com. If you would like to support the podcast financially, you can hear episodes a week early for $5 a month on Patreon.

Episode 71.1: Male Friendship, Homosociality, and Women in the Hebrew Bible

Jared and Barbara Thiede discusses her book Male Friendship, Homosociality, and Women in the Hebrew Bible: Malignant Fraternities, exploring the concept of homosociality in biblical narratives, particularly among male characters. She reflects on the implications of these relationships in the context of contemporary issues surrounding toxic masculinity and gender dynamics. Thiede also examines the relationships of key biblical figures such as Judah, Hira, and David, and how these narratives can inform our understanding of masculinity today. Websites, books, and authors mentioned or recommended in this episode include The Shiloh Project, Ursula Vernon, Alix Harrow, Chronicles of Amber, Adrian Tchaikovsky, and Ursula K Le Guin.
 
Please reach out with guest suggestions and/or feedback at itmeanswhatitmeans@gmail.com. If you would like to support the podcast financially, you can hear episodes a week early for $5 a month on Patreon.