Context Matters

Last week Dr. Faro introduced us to the significant literary theme of women who advance the story of salvation. Today we hear example of the Matriarch Sarah and how she and Mary the Mother of Jesus share some common characteristics. We also talk about Hannah's song and about a little known figure named Jehosheba. How do these unexpected women play critical roles in the salvation story?Discover more about Dr. Faro HEREExplore her new book HEREContact Cyndi Parker through Narrative of Place.Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team!

Dr. Ingrid Faro joins us today to talk about the "highway" that runs through the literary structure of the salvation story. Seeing women as crucial players in moving the story of God forward is not common, but Dr. Faro introduces us to why this is so important for readers of the biblical text. Today we begin a conversation about her new book Redeeming Eden: How Women of the Bible Advance the Story of Salvation. Discover more about Dr. Faro HEREExplore her new book HEREContact Cyndi Parker through Narrative of Place.Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team!

Brad Nelson and Brad Gray from Walking the Text continue their conversation about the rich theology embedded in every phrase of the Lord's Prayer. How does "Holy be Your name" involve the community of believers? Why is receiving and giving forgiveness so essential? This is only a taster for their new film called "The Lord's Prayer" and their recently released  book titled Bringing Heaven Here. Explore the wealth of resources at Walking the TextWatch the movie trailer for The Lord's PrayerPurchase the book Bringing Heaven HereInstagram / Facebook: @thesacredthreadtvInstagram / Facebook: @angelInstagram / Facebook: @evolvestudiosContact Cyndi Parker through Narrative of Place.Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team!

So many of us memorized the Lord's Prayer. Some congregations quote it together every week. It is so familiar that we don’t always stop to think about the theologically rich statements it is making. Today, helping us slow down to think about the prayer are  Brad Gray and Brad Nelson from Walking the Text. They recently released a film called "The Lord's Prayer" and wrote a book titled Bringing Heaven Here. Explore the wealth of resources at Walking the TextWatch the movie trailer for The Lord's PrayerPurchase the book Bringing Heaven HereInstagram / Facebook: @thesacredthreadtvInstagram / Facebook: @angelInstagram / Facebook: @evolvestudiosContact Cyndi Parker through Narrative of Place.Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team!

 Jesus was born in Bethlehem, but that is not the only significant location in the Christmas story. Dr. Jack Beck joins us again to talk about how the geography matters in the way we understand how Luke introduces his readers to Jesus. The origin story continues all the way to Jerusalem where we meet Simeon and Anna. We talk about why the location of this encounter matters and the beauty of the words spoken matter to all of us. Discover more about Dr. Beck, his books, and videos  HEREWatch the wealth of options on Dr. Beck's YouTube channel HEREDiscover Dr. Beck's books HEREContact Cyndi Parker through Narrative of Place.Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team!

It is Christmas time and we are discovering the fullness of the Origin Story of Jesus. Matthew and Luke tell us so much more than the moment of Jesus' birth. Dr. Jack Beck joins us again to talk about how the geography matters in the way we understand who Mary and Joseph are. This week we start with Nazareth. How big was it? Where was it located? Did the geography influence what people expected from life? Discover more about Dr. Beck, his books, and videos  HEREWatch the wealth of options on Dr. Beck's YouTube channel HEREDiscover Dr. Beck's books HEREContact Cyndi Parker through Narrative of Place.Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team!

Dr. Nicholas Schaser introduces us to the fascinating world of rabbinic interpretation. Today we talk about how similar Jesus is to his contemporary sages like Hillel and Shammai. What were their views of interpretation? What kind of humor did the sages use? Find out more about Dr. Schaser HEREExplore his book: A Ransom for Israel: Jesus and Jewish Salvation in MatthewRead short articles by Dr. Schaser on Israel Bible Center's website HEREContact Cyndi Parker through Narrative of Place.Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team!

As we set the context for the birth of Jesus, we explore the dominant voices of Jewish thought and practice at the beginning of the 1st Century CE. Dr. Nicolas Schaser from Macalester College introduces us to the sages of Hillel and Shammai - who are they? What were their philosophies? This will lead us into more conversations next week about how these two compare to the teachings of Jesus. Find out more about Dr. Schaser HEREExplore his book: A Ransom for Israel: Jesus and Jewish Salvation in MatthewContact Cyndi Parker through Narrative of Place.Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team!

We are in the process of exploring the context of the birth narrative of Jesus, and we have arrived at the time of the rise of Octavian. He will lead the Roman Republic into its Empire stage. But how does he do that and how does this change the Judean context of Bethlehem where Jesus is born? Explore more about all the projects Dr. Smith is involved in:Great Commission Bible InstituteChristian Travel Study ProgramsOutreach Ministry: www.globalvisionoutreach.orgThrough the Bible: 1hour1book.comContact Cyndi Parker through Narrative of Place.Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team!

Dr. Randal Smith is the Director of Christian Travel Study Program and a virtual encyclopedia about biblical context. We are in the process of exploring the context of the birth narrative of Jesus, and while we assume Roman domination, it wasn't always that way! Today we discuss how Rome emerged from squalor to an empire that dominated the Mediterranean, outmaneuvering the Greeks and innovating military, economic, and political systems.Explore more about all the projects Dr. Smith is involved in:Great Commission Bible InstituteChristian Travel Study ProgramsOutreach Ministry: www.globalvisionoutreach.orgThrough the Bible: 1hour1book.comContact Cyndi Parker through Narrative of Place.Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team!

As we start to anticipate the time of Advent and ultimately the birth of Jesus, what are some of the contextual things we should be aware of? Each historical period had an influence on God's people. To kick off the "Advent of Advent" mini-series, we are going back to a conversation I had last year with Dr. George Athas. He is a professor at Moore College and the author of an excellent book Bridging the Testaments. Today we revisit his overview of the major time periods leading up to the Roman Empire's arrival on the scene along with his explanation of Jewish thought that makes the gospels' claim that Jesus is from the line of David so explosive.Listen to the original podcast with Dr. Athas Here:  Part 1  and Part 2Find out more about Dr. Athas HERERead more about his book HERESee his many other writings HEREContact Cyndi Parker through Narrative of Place.Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team!

Today is part 2 of the conversation with Dr. Melesse Woldetsadik. We are following up on the need for discernment when blaming problems on the spiritual realm. In our post-modern world we have a tendency to dismiss spiritual beings to focus on science, and yet there are moments and situations that cannot be solved through the medical world or psychiatry. But others can, right? So how do we hold all these tools and how do we know which tool is needed for a particular problem? How do we know when medicine is a valuable part of the solution and when prayer is THE solution? Contact Cyndi Parker through Narrative of Place.Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team!

Melesse Woldetsadik is the Pastor at Beta Selam Evangelical Church in North Carolina. He has a fascinating context of growing up in Coptic Christianity and walking away from the faith only for God to pull him back through dreams and specific spiritual experiences. He had many encounters with the spiritual realm even before he decided to train to be a pastor. Come sit around the podcast table a Melesse shares with us his many experiences and what he has learned about the spiritual realm.Contact Cyndi Parker through Narrative of Place.Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team!

We pick up the conversation with Fr. Andrew talking about Demons. Who or what are they? You may be surprised to know that the term 'demon' originally referred to lesser spiritual beings (neither positive nor negative), but the early Christians used it pejoratively to describe pagan gods. In the Bible, these beings create chaos  and involved in both oppression and possession. Today's episode also includes a short analysis of the movie 'K-Pop Demon Hunters,' (With Spoilers!) highlighting its themes of redemption, self-sacrifice, and the portrayal of demonic influences.Find out more about Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick with links to his books HEREListen to The Lord of Spirits HEREListen to his review of K-Pop Demon Hunters (with spoilers!) HEREContact Cyndi Parker through Narrative of Place.Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team!

Fr. Andrew joins the Context Matters podcast again to talk about his wildly popular podcast series called The Lord of Spirits. We talk about the biblical and traditional texts to lead to this study of the unseen realm as well as why people in modern world should be aware of this world. We start by exploring who and what angels are -- their ranks and appearances, and how they interact with the physical and spiritual realms. This episode bridges the gap between ancient mythological perspectives and modern scientific thinking, revealing a world that's more enchanted than we might realize.Find out more about Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick with links to his books HEREListen to The Lord of Spirits HEREListen to his review of K-Pop Demon Hunters (with spoilers!) HEREContact Cyndi Parker through Narrative of Place.Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team!

This is part 2 of the conversation with Dr. Dan Darko about his book Against Principalities and Powers.Today we talk about the concept of salvation and spiritual warfare as depicted in the book of Ephesians. Dr. Darko also ellaborates on the relationship between Spiritual Powers with the community's identity as part of God's family. We end the episode with the correct understanding of spiritual warfare. Read more about Dr. Dan Darko HEREExplore his book Against Principalities and Powers HEREContact Cyndi Parker through Narrative of Place.Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team!

Dr. Dan Darko takes us on a journey from Ghana to post-war Croatia, England, and the United States. Each place adds to his unique questions he asked of the biblical text. This leads us to explore the role of the spiritual realm in the letter to the Ephesians. Don't miss this thought-provoking discussion on the power of faith, the presence of spiritual realms, and the challenges of modern religious consciousness.Read more about Dr. Dan Darko HEREExplore his book Against Principalities and Powers HEREContact Cyndi Parker through Narrative of Place.Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team!

Writer, Producer, and Filmmaker Nicholas Ma joins us to talk about his latest documentary titled "Leap of Faith". In today's episode we explore the unspoken topics that often divide communities and underscore the universal quest for mutual belonging. The participants in the documentary were invited to meaningful dialogue around race, homelessness, and socioeconomic disparities, but the conversation they returned to over and over again was about sexuality. Even through uncomfortable disagreements, the documentary helps the viewer notice the relevance of love and empathy, the power of small actions to create positive change, and the profound effect of being seen and acknowledged by others. Read more about Nicholas Ma HERESee the trailer for Leap of Faith HEREContact Cyndi Parker through Narrative of Place.Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team!

Writer, Producer, and Filmmaker Nicholas Ma joins us to talk about his latest documentary titled "Leap of Faith". We explore why documentaries captivate him and how they represent human encounter and vulnerability. In an ever-increasing divided world where people talk about those they disagree with as being an "enemy", is it possible for a group of pastors to come together to speak into the huge chasms that divide us? Is there space there for the gospel?  Listen in as Nicholas shares behind-the-scenes insights and moments of discomfort that turned into profound learning experiences. Join us for a heartfelt discussion on art, faith, and the transformative power of storytelling.Read more about Nicholas Ma HERESee the trailer for Leap of Faith HEREContact Cyndi Parker through Narrative of Place.Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team!

Today is Part 2 of the conversation with Dr. John Inazu about his book Learning to Disagree. We live in an increasingly divided world in which we resist nuance and have definitive opinions. If you look at public discourse, those who have differing opinions are not only adversaries but increasingly described as evil. We  disagre with one another in destructive ways. Can we right the ship? Today we talk about disagreeing with people in a religious context. Is it toxic to disagree? Is it destructive? Can we still engage one another without describing people as Evil?Find out more about John Inazu from his website: https://www.jinazu.com/Explore his new book Learning to DisagreeSubscribe to his Substack Some Assembly RequiredContact Cyndi Parker through Narrative of Place.Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team!