It's in the Book: A Queer Bible Podcast

Episode Notes Well, it took us almost three years, but we made it to the end of Genesis. Now, as we look back on the first book of the Bible and try to make meaning around it, we are giddy to be joined by the brilliant Joy Ladin, poet, teacher, and first openly transgender professor at an Orthodox Jewish institution. We reconsider what the stories of Genesis can bring to us in the modern age, and what it means to read the Bible queerly. We question if usurping power dynamics is always good, how we can be like God by resting, and if we ever really left the Garden of Eden. Find out more at https://its-in-the-book.pinecast.co

Episode Notes We say goodbye to Daddy Jacob, and in his final moments he blesses all of his sons--though some of them seem a little more like curses to us. We follow Jacob and Joseph to the ends of their lives in Egypt, and that's where we leave the Israelite tribe at the end of the Book of Genesis. We discuss family forgiveness as queer people, and draw on not only Joseph but also Saint Dolly Parton to explore dynamics of power and grace in the act of forgiving and coming out. Next time in the Season Finale, we'll discuss the entire book of Genesis with special guest Joy Ladin! Looking forward to see you then! Find out more at https://its-in-the-book.pinecast.co

Episode Notes Joseph comes clean and confronts his brothers on what they did to him all those years ago. But instead of punishing them further, he tells them it all turned out for the best and embraces them once again as family. And Daddy Jacob finally gets to reunite with his little boy, now a royal mogul in the most powerful country in the land. What can we learn from this strange family reunion? What does it say about loss of control, and the unpredictable nature of life? Find out more at https://its-in-the-book.pinecast.co

The Joseph cycle continues. Now Joseph is the second most powerful person in the known world, and his brother's have fallen on hard times. When they show up in Egypt to beg for food, they don't recognize Joseph, but he sure does recognize them. He decides to have some fun at their expense, but he can't fully hide that the sight of his family moves him to tears. Once again, Sue is well-versed due to Misters Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. J, David, and Sue discuss how this story brings up our adult queer kid feelings of familial rejection and complicated familial love. How does our relationship to our families change as we age, and as power shifts because of circumstances or simply the passage of time? Next episode out Jan 25th (2nd & 4th Wednesdays). Find out more at https://its-in-the-book.pinecast.co

We're back to the story of Joseph, as our young dreamer finds himself in Egypt in the service of a eunuch named Potiphar. While Joseph distinguishes himself via his excellent leadership skills, his luck doesn't last long, and he eventually winds up in prison. Will his dream-interpretation skills come to the rescue? We consider midrashic thoughts about castration, discuss which boy band Joseph would belong to, and debate how much he has in common with Bella from Twilight. Sue knows an uncanny amount about this story due to a certain musical by a certain Andrew Lloyd Webber, so the format is slightly different than usual, and we end with a musical treat! Next episode out Jan 11th (2nd & 4th Wednesdays). Find out more at https://its-in-the-book.pinecast.co

We take a brief interlude in the story of Joseph for some interpersonal drama between Joseph's brother Judah and his daughter-in-law Tamar. When Judah tries to screw the young woman over (pun sort of intended), Tamar takes matters into her own hands by disguising herself as a sex worker and offering him her services. We'll see if Judah shows any of what we moderns would call "character growth" in this upliftingly liberatory Bible story, and discuss ancient words for and conceptions of sex workers and how they might differ from ours today. This is a lesser-known tale from Genesis (no surprise there), but it's one of J's favorites, and they are thrilled to geek out out about it. We also discuss a controversial root vegetable. Next episode out Dec 28th (2nd & 4th Wednesdays). Find out more at https://its-in-the-book.pinecast.co

Rachel's oldest son, Joseph, is a teenager now, and he is... different. His brothers hate him and his father favors him. He is fashion-forward and he sees the future in dreams. One day, far from home, his brothers devise a plot to sell Joseph into slavery and tell their father he was eaten by a wild beast. What will happen to his dreams now? Sue knows a LOT about this week's topic due to her having memorized "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" as a kid, and because J has previously preached a sermon on Joseph and his pretty princess dress. So what else is there to say about the bullied, queer dreamer with the fabulous wardrobe? With the help of Al Pacino and a little healthy self-projection, a lot. Next episode out Dec 14th (2nd & 4th Wednesdays). Find out more at https://its-in-the-book.pinecast.co

It's another challenging episode as we look at the story of Dinah. Leah and Jacob's only daughter, Dinah, is "violated" by a prince of Shechem. The young man then offers to pay her bride price to Jacob and his sons, who despise the foreigner. They request that everyone in town get circumcised in exchange for Dinah's hand in marriage, and while the townsmen are recovering, Dinah's brothers, Simeon and Levi, murder every male in the city. While this story is often called "the r*pe of Dinah," scholars and writers point out that in the text, Dinah's consent is not the issue at stake--it is in fact the consent of her brothers and father. J, David, and Sue look at many readings of this disturbing passage and lift up Anita Diamant's excellent midrash The Red Tent as a window into modern meaning-making, while also holding the difficulties of other possible interpretations. We also follow matriarch Rachel to her death as she gives birth to her and Jacob's final son, Benjamin, and see Jacob smash the idols of his family's former life as they flee the horror of Shechem. Next episode out Nov 23rd (2nd & 4th Wednesdays). Find out more at https://its-in-the-book.pinecast.co

We have arrived at one of the most iconically queer scenes in the book of Genesis, but first, Jacob is reunited with his estranged brother, Esau, whom he screwed over so long ago. They make up, much to everyone's relief, but Jacob isn't ready to follow his brother home. Instead, he waits by the river where a tall, mysterious stranger wrestles with him till dawn. When he comes out of the situation, he's a new man with a new name and a limp. David discusses the fluidity of Jacob's identity and name change while J is characteristically obsessed with ancient penises. The hosts also discuss modern name-change etiquette in the LGBTQ community and how it does and does not relate to Jacob/Israel. Next episode out Nov 9th (2nd & 4th Wednesdays). Find out more at https://its-in-the-book.pinecast.co

Imagine having a rivalry with your younger sister growing up. Then imagine you both wind up married to the same man. THEN imagine you, your sister, and your two handmaids have 13 children between you by this same guy. On top of it all, your dad is a dick who wants to control you and your family, and your husband worships a strange God without a face. J, David, and Sue discuss the often-overlooked (in Christian circles, anyway) story of biblical marriage that involves polygamy, marrying first-cousins who are also sisters, coerced surrogate motherhood, and child-naming rap battles. We learn about ancient aphrodisiacs, see how wives may have sold their husbands to one another on whims, and touch on the modern legacy and implications of surrogate motherhood. We also love to see menstruation used as a plot-point and a rabbinic discussion of ancient transgender fetuses. Next episode out Oct 26th (2nd & 4th Wednesdays). Find out more at https://its-in-the-book.pinecast.co

Twinning has never been so saucy. We meet two feisty fetuses, Jacob and Esau, twin sons of Rebekah and Isaac. When their parents play blatant favorites, the twins wind up competing against one another in biblical hijinx involving disguises, lies, and tasty meals. J, David, and Sue discuss the usurping of expected power dynamics, and how our own privileged positions may cloud our understanding of the text as a radical document. Next episode out Oct 9th (2nd & 4th Wednesdays). Find out more at https://its-in-the-book.pinecast.co

Episode Notes The sun sets on Sarah and Abraham's time as matriarch and patriarch, and in their place, we meet, Rebekah, a buff twink maiden who will determine the course of the future. Rebekah and Isaac meet and fall in love instantly, and they bury Isaac's parents before setting up their new life together. We see a THIRD sister/wife story, this time with Rebekah and Isaac, and at Dad's funeral Isaac's estranged half-brother Ishmael returns. We discuss the possibility of ancient gender fluidity as reflected in an evolving language, as Rebekah might not fit neatly into a modern gender binary system. Next episode out Sept 28th (2nd & 4th Wednesdays). Find out more at https://its-in-the-book.pinecast.co

How do we make meaning from a 3000-year-old story that asks a father to kill his son and rewards him for being willing? We discuss real and metaphorical child sacrifice in ancient religion and ask what it means to be religious if not to be comforted. We also see a series wrap on Hagar and Ishmael, who get pretty close to a happy-ever-after ending, at least in biblical terms. We will see you next fall with Season 2 and the second half of Genesis. Until then, feel free to find J. Sylvan on instagram at j.sylvan.themself, or sign up for the mailing list for Beloved King: A Queer Bible Musical at www.belovedkingmusical.com, or follow it on instagram at belovedkingmusical. Thank you all and have a great summer! Find out more at https://its-in-the-book.pinecast.co

A special interlude episode looking at the biblical Annunciations of unnatural children such as Isaac and Jesus. And Sue and J have an annunciation of their own... David is on vacation this week. We'll be back May 12th with The Binding of Isaac. Find out more at https://its-in-the-book.pinecast.co

Forget what you think you know about Sodom and Gomorrah. The cities of the plain invoke God's wrath for a myriad of reasons that have nothing to do with sexual orientation. After the iconic brimstone shower, we follow Lot and his family on the disturbing end to their story arcs. Then a welcome return to levity for Abraham and Sarah with Sister-Wife 2: Electric Boogaloo. Please note the content warning at the beginning. We'll see you next on April 28th with The Binding of Isaac. Find out more at https://its-in-the-book.pinecast.co

Episode Notes Abraham and Sarah get their names changed and Abraham does a holy body modification as God announces the elderly couple will have a son. J talks about their biblical penis theory that angered the cis men at Harvard. Then we read about a divine dinner party Abraham throws for strangers in the desert that is the pinnacle of human goodness. We also discuss Abraham's privilege, whether or not it is deserved, and what responsibility he may have in light of his covenant with God. This will set the stage for Sodom and Gomorrah on April 14th. Find out more at https://its-in-the-book.pinecast.co

Episode Notes In another challenging story, J, David, and Sue begin to look at the two Abrahamic Covenant stories and the story in between them: that of Hagar the Handmaid. Hagar can be read as an early touchstone character for marginalized people, enslaved people, and abuse survivors, and we'll do an imperfect job of exploring some of these themes. We will wrestle with a story that doesn't end the way we want it to, and another that's nearly inscrutable. We float cancelling God. But it's not all depressing. We learn of David's time working at a Brazier Dairy Queen (which has nothing to do with undergarments, apparently), and we hear about a miraculous flying furnace that heralds boundless blessings. Please note the content warning at the beginning of the episode. Find out more at https://its-in-the-book.pinecast.co

Episode Notes We've finally graduated from primordial history to the parriarchs (also known as the patriarchs and matriarchs if you're into the binary). We meet two sexy senior citizens named Abram and Sarai (and also their nephew Lot) who are looking to start a new life in the land of Canaan. Everything's going great until a famine strikes the land and they decide to sojourn to Egypt, where a comedy of sexual errors leads to divine punishment in the form of plague. Finally, Lot gets himself into some trouble when he gets mixed up with the wrong crowd in Sodom and Gomorrah. Can Abram save his nephew from the drama of the kings? Find out in this episode of It's in the Book! Note: We had some issues with David's mic in this episode, and often times it was hard for us to hear him. We hope we corrected for this in the editing enough that it won't be distracting, and we will learn from this going forward. Hopefully one day we'll be able to record in the same room and this will be easier! Find out more at https://its-in-the-book.pinecast.co

Episode Notes Humans and their technology, amirite? After the flood, all of Noah's descendants branch out and create the postdiluvian world. But in a parallel story, tech bros in Babel have a plan to gain fame and stability by reaching all the way up to the heavens. Surely God will be proud of their ingenuity, right? NOPE. Commence divine punishment. What meaning can we take from this story in the internet age? Find out more at https://its-in-the-book.pinecast.co

Episode Notes The floodwaters are going down, and Noah and his family are given a fresh start by God. Time for a party, complete with sacrificial barbecue and a super-gay rainbow post-it note God tacks on the sky to remind Godself not to kill humanity (with a flood) ever again. But that's not the end of the story... In the most challenging episode yet, J., David, and Sue look at final act of the Noah story and some of its reverberations throughout history. Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of sexual assault, incest, enslavement, and racist violence. Find out more at https://its-in-the-book.pinecast.co