The first season of Amateur Exegesis is in the books and available on iTunes, Google Play, and other podcast platforms. But I realized that it had no presence on YouTube and so I uploaded all ten episodes onto my channel for your listening pleasure. The entire first season is right at three hours and therefore... Continue Reading →
For other posts in this series, please visit the series' page. The Christian Defenders' second reason for believing that the Bible is true is that the Bible contains "embarrassing details." They begin, If I were to create a religious book I would make sure its theology, details, and people were flawless. I wouldn’t leave questions... Continue Reading →
"Israel did not ‘believe’ in dragons anymore than their neighbors did. When Israel says God defeated the dragon, they use this myth in two ways. Most of the time, as in Psalm 74; Isaiah 27:1, where the dragon is named Leviathan just as in the Canaanite myth; and Isaiah 51:9, they are saying, ‘Whatever you... Continue Reading →
The story of Jonah found in the book which bears his name is one of the best known in all the Hebrew Bible. Unwilling to warn the Assyrian capital of Nineveh of coming judgment, Jonah stows away onto a ship that is going the opposite direction of the city. When Yahweh hurls " a great... Continue Reading →
To see all posts in this series, please refer to its index. Last year I wrote a five-part series on Heather Schuldt's terrible attempt at taking on biblical scholar Bart Ehrman.1 Now pop-apologist SJ Thomason wants to have her moment in the sun as she responds to Bart Ehrman's fifteen year old book Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who... Continue Reading →
"I propose the final edition of Genesis is the result of a similar process by an editor of the Holiness school of pre-exilic Israel, who combined and organized these various materials into a continuous and meaningful whole." - Bill T. Arnold Over on her blog @thclosetatheist has posted her review of Lee Strobel's book The Case for... Continue Reading →
In last week's installment of "Musings on Mark" we looked at the Markan Jesus' take on divorce where we concluded that if we ask the Markan Jesus, “Is divorce permissible?” his answer would be a resounding “No!” Why? Because marriage is a union of one flesh that no one can separate. Not Moses. Not a certificate of... Continue Reading →
"What is at stake in that sad progression from Paul to anti-Paul? Why is it of importance that — at least with regard to slavery — radical Christian liberty is being changed back into normal Roman slavery. It means this: Jewish Christianity is becoming Roman Christianity." - John Dominic Crossan One of my favorite bloggers,... Continue Reading →
Following the feeding of the four thousand (Mark 8:1-10), the Pharisees confront Jesus and begin "asking him for a sign from heaven, to test him" (8:11). The sign would serve as divine verification of his messianic ministry. Yet Jesus is a bit flustered. We are told that "he sighed deeply in his spirit," a phrase... Continue Reading →
A podcast exploring the most read and least understood anthology the world has ever known.
Amateur Exegete
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