Question MARK

Today we welcome acclaimed biblical storyteller, Tracy Radosevic, to explore together one of the most puzzling episodes of Mark’s Gospel - the ending. How to explain this startling, even disturbing cliffhanger? Tracy Radosevic is Professor at St. Mary’s Ecumenical Institute in Baltimore and Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC, as well as dean of the Academy for Biblical Storytelling (ABS). She’s an internationally recognised storyteller, educator, retreat facilitator, and coach. Since 1991 she has traveled all over the United States, as well as to several foreign countries, bringing her special brand of humor, insight, and faith to audiences of all ages and denominations through the power of embodied performance. You can find more on Tracy here: https://tracyrad.com

‘The Burial of Jesus’. This week we were excited to host our first Bible translator on Question MARK: The Podcast. Father Nick King SJ is currently Lecturer in Biblical Studies at Heythrop College, University of London, having recently published a translation of the entire Greek Bible. Nick is also the author of an excellent book on Mark, called ‘The Strangest Gospel’. It was fascinating to talk with someone so familiar with the original text about this little commented on, but significant episode in the greatest story ever told. ‘The Strangest Gospel’ can be found here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Strangest-Gospel-Mark-N-King/dp/1844176967

‘The Death of Jesus’. As a Professor, pastor and performer of biblical stories, Phil Ruge-Jones definitely knows his Mark! His understanding of Jesus’ death on the cross is particularly acute. If you’ve ever wondered why Jesus cries out on the cross, why the earth is covered in darkness for three hours and why the curtain in the Temple is torn from top to bottom, this episode will both expand your understanding and inspire you. You can see some of Phil’s performances here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyGqSCYR2c6oQEKwtxK6_Ms3FZ2w94yoK For more on the meaning of the sponge filled with wine vinegar mentioned at the end of the podcast visit John Burnett’s Gospel of Mark Workshop here: https://gospelofmarkworkshop.com/bathroom-humor-at-the-cross/.

Mark 15:21-32: The Crucifixion of Jesus. On this pod we were pleased to welcome Dr Lucy Peppiatt, the director of the hugely popular WTC Theology, to talk about this climatic episode in Mark’s story. As it turns out, there’s a lot more going on between the lines and beyond the words than is at first apparent…. Some facts about Lucy’s work with WTC can be found here: https://wtctheology.org.uk/study-with-us/ Lucy is also the author of ‘The Disciple: On Becoming Truly Human’ and ‘Imago Dei’, both of which can be purchased here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Lucy-Peppiatt/author/B00A4LNCS2?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

The soldiers’ torture and mockery of Jesus in Mark 15:16-20 must count as one of the more shocking episodes in all of Scripture. But is there more going on than a simple description of gratuitous violence? Andre and Mary-Anne Rabe have been passionate communicators of the good news of Jesus Christ since 1990. Their message has taken them to some of the most obscure corners of the earth as well as to some of the most well known cities. For Andre and Mary-Anne, faith is more than dogmatic statements. It is an encounter with beauty that leaves us in breathless astonishment. They believe that no matter what we may believe, we are intrinsically valuable and loved. And nowhere has this love been demonstrated more clearly than in the person of Jesus Christ. Find out more about Andre and Mary-Anne’s ministry here: https://alwaysloved.net/intention/

Ted Trost is Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Alabama. He’s written a Master’s thesis on Mark’s Gospel and he’s working on an exciting new commentary of Mark called ‘The Gospel of the Unnamed’. This latter is based on the premise that Mark deliberately elevates the last and the least of the characters in his story, many of whom are unnamed. Today Ted helps us unpick what’s really going on in Mark’s description of the Crucifixion of Jesus.

Pete Greig needs no introduction as the founder of the 24-7 Prayer movement. He is also the Senior Pastor of Emmaus Rd church alongside his wife Sammy, a director of Waverley Abbey Trust, and a multi-award-winning author whose books, such as Dirty Glory and God on Mute have been translated into many languages. To find out more about Pete and his work go here: http://www.dirtyglory.org/new-page-2 In this episode of Question MARK Pete and Stef outline some of the various perspectives we can take when contemplating the story of Peter’s denial of Jesus. It turns out that this story presents both a deeply unsettling challenge to our complacency as followers of Jesus, and an inimitable promise of hope.

‘Jesus Before the Sanhedrin’. John Burnett is one of our ‘go-to guys’ when it comes to understanding Mark’s gospel. If John doesn’t know it, or if he hasn’t read it, then it’s probably not worth listening to. So it’s with extra enthusiasm that we interviewed John about this (in his view) climatic episode in the story. Listen in to see whether or not you agree with him. As well as being the chief theological advisor to this show, John is a reader in the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the founder of the St Nicholas Africa Fund. He has been praying over and studying Mark’s gospel for nearly two decades. You can see some of the results of his work by going to his website: https://gospelofmarkworkshop.com John is also the lead administrator of the St Nicholas Africa Fund, a Charitable Works project of St Nicholas Orthodox Church in San Anselmo, California, and a charity that we at Question MARK the podcast directly support. John writes: “What do we do?— We directly help some of the poorest people in the world— all of whom are personally known to us— to finish high school, start businesses, and to meet their education, housing, nutrition, medical, and vocational needs.” For more information and to contribute to this charity go here: https://stnicholasafricafund.org

“What’s with the naked guy?” Professor Helen Bond of the University of Edinburgh provides a lively take on that most dramatic of gospel scenes, the arrest of Jesus and his disciples’ cowardly desertion. Of particular interest to Mark’s readers over the years has been the identity and significance of a certain ‘young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment’, who flees ‘naked, leaving his garment behind.’ Is he Mark himself? An angel? A symbol of Christian baptism? You decide - but only once you’ve listened to this podcast. Helen Bond is Professor of Christian Origins, Head of the School of Divinity at the University of Edinburgh and the author of several highly regarded studies of the New Testament, including ‘The Historical Jesus: A Guide for the Perplexed’ and ‘The First Biography of Jesus: Genre and Meaning in Mark’s Gospel.’ Helen writes: “I’m interested in all aspects of early Christianity and the social, cultural and religious context in which it emerged. My most recent work has been on Mark’s Gospel, the earliest biography of Jesus. I’m fascinated by why a follower of Jesus thought to write a biography of his master, what the use of the biographical form indicates about the way in which he saw Jesus, and how Mark’s work compares with other ancient biographies.” She also hosts the Biblical Time Machine Podcast (with the amazing Dave Roos). Listen on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/biblical-time-machine/id1648738323 Listen on Spotify  https://open.spotify.com/show/7cNljZzhe4w3zL9t0MaOZH?si=9G0vB9NVRDe5XZZVDfOGVg

‘Gethsamene’. Most commentators on the NT (including such luminaries as NT Wright, Brandon Robbins, Brad Jersak and Ted Trost), would be in agreement on this: if you get a chance to listen to Richard B Hays speak, don’t turn it down! So imagine our delight when Richard himself agreed to appear on our podcast in conversation with our ‘resident theologian’ John Burnett. What came about was a feast for the mind and a salve for the soul - a veritable tour de force on this most famous of episodes in the Bible, and arguably in all of History. Richard B. Hays is Professor Emeritus of New Testament at Duke Divinity School and the author of numerous groundbreaking studies, including ‘Echos of Scripture in the Gospels’, ‘Reading Backwards’, ‘Seeking the Identity of Jesus’. Hays’s book ‘The Moral Vision of the New Testament: Community, Cross, New Creation’ (1996) was selected by Christianity Today as one of the 100 most important religious books of the twentieth century. John Burnett is an Orthodox reader and author of the Gospel of Mark Workshop https://gospelofmarkworkshop.com John is also the lead administrator of the St Nicholas Africa Fund, a Charitable Works project of St Nicholas Orthodox Church in San Anselmo, California, and a charity that we at Question MARK the podcast directly support. John writes: “What do we do?— We directly help some of the poorest people in the world— all of whom are personally known to us— to finish high school, start businesses, and to meet their education, housing, nutrition, medical, and vocational needs.” For more information and to contribute to this charity go here: https://stnicholasafricafund.org

This episode, ‘Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial’, we had the huge privilege of interviewing one of the people whose idea it was to produce this podcast - the wonderful Lucy Warner. Listeners may recall that it is Lucy’s mellifluous tones which also grace the podcast Intro and Outro, and it is largely to Lucy that we owe our readings. Now in role as a commentator Lucy conveys a fresh and peculiarly moving perspective on this time worn story. You won’t be sorry you’ve listened. With special thanks to Helen, Lucy’s partner Chris’ mum. Lucy is the owner of Sootmegs. Sootmegs badges make life easier by making the invisible visible, challenging unhelpful assumptions. You can find out more here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/Sootmegs

Dr Paula Gooder is one of our favourite theologians and has written extensively on Mark’s gospel, as well as many other themes, particularly on the role of women in the New Testament. Therefore we were delighted to be able to quiz her about her thoughts and feelings about and one of the most dramatic episodes in the whole gospel, the Last Supper. As ever, our experts were more than happy to “disagree agreeably” in the cause of understanding Mark’s purpose, and what the text might mean for us. See whether you align yourself with either Paula and/or Stef about their interpretations. And listen out for some moving thoughts about what it’s like to really live the life of faith. To find out more about Paula and her work go here: http://www.paulagooder.co.uk/

We were delighted to welcome back Carolyn Meers for this episode of Question MARK about the story of Jesus’ anointing in Bethany. We think you’ll find that she explores this scripture with a clarity, depth and agility that is truly exceptional. In this episode she helps us get underneath Mark’s purpose in including this story in the first place, and how it challenges us to live for Jesus with every fibre of our being. Carolyn is the pastor of Port Kembla Central Church in New South Wales, Australia, which is a member of the Pioneer International network of churches. We love the way Carolyn and her congregation learn about the Bible together, looking at key passages from a variety of perspectives, with no one interpretation being seen as ‘the right answer’. If this idea appeals to you as much as it does to us, why not try out an episode of the church’s podcast? See here for more: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/central-church-port-kembla/id1354293421

In this episode: ‘The Destruction of the Temple and the Signs of the Times’ (Mark 13:1-31). It’s not every day that you get two Markan megastars to drop into your studio all at once, but this is what happened when we started chatting about one of the most puzzling and enigmatic passages in all of Scripture. Orthodox scholar, John Burnett shares his incisive detailed knowledge of the ancient texts and historical antecedents lurking between the lines of Mark’s weirdly apocalyptic and haunting narrative. While, in a real coup for the show, Radical Influencer and author, Shane Claiborne provides a clarion call to modern day Christians everywhere. It’s time to join the revolution of Love Itself and get with the programme!

It was wonderful to have Daniel Goodman, Senior Leader of City Church, Cambridge, as our guest on this episode of the show, because, among his many talents and accomplishments, he’s a passionate aficionado of Mark, having read it in depth over 40 times. See what we made of what is probably one of the most puzzling aspects of Mark’s gospel: the three-part climax of Jesus’ Temple teaching at the end of Chapter 12. View or listen here: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/question-mark/id1567877589 Spotify: https://spotify.link/Op7mNU7m8xb YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iammark8540

Who would have thought that when we began our little podcast exploring Mark’s gospel that we would end up having one of the world’s greatest living authors on the show? Well, here he is - William P. Young, author of international bestseller, The Shack, with his own take on one of the most often quoted passages in Mark - the Greatest Commandment (Mark 12:28-34). Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/question-mark/id1567877589 Spotify: https://spotify.link/Op7mNU7m8xb YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iammark8540

For this episode I had to do without David Payne’s gravelly tones and silky segues. See how I got on using one of the links below. Better still, enjoy the delights of soaking in the musings of a real Markan mastercraftsman - J.R. Daniel Kirk. Daniel, a prodigious author and NT thinker, has guested on the show before, in the controversy of the Syro-Phonecian Greek woman in Episode 7:24-30 (remember, Jesus apparently being racist and misogynistic?). So he’s no stranger to the sort of intellectual high-jinks the Sadducees now put up to try to entrap Jesus and make him look stupid. Wondering how he - and Jesus - did against this proverbially prickly mob? Well, tune in now and prepare to be entertained! For more of Daniel’s fascinating take on the New Testament go here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/J-R-Daniel-Kirk/e/B001JSAG0G/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

Following on from our wonderful chat with Rowan Williams, we’re privileged to announce two more bona fide world experts on Mark’s Gospel - namely, John Burnett and Ched Myers. John is a prominent theologian in the Orthodox tradition, while Ched is an activist and the author of the seminal commentary ‘Binding the Strong Man: A Political Reading of Mark’s Story of Jesus’. Be prepared to have your thinking stretched and your faith expanded as these two Titans of the Faith consider the meaning and purpose of the ‘Parable of the Tenants’. You can read more about Ched Myers and his work with Bartimaeus Cooperative Ministries here: https://chedmyers.org You can find out more about John Burnett and The Gospel of Mark Workshop here: https://gospelofmarkworkshop.com

What a joy and privilege it was to interview celebrated author, Dr Bradley Jersak, again on this fascinating and controversial text - the payment of taxes to Caesar. An encouragement for Christians to be good citizens, or the opposite? You decide. Bradley’s new book, ‘Out of the Embers: Faith after the Great Deconstruction’ is worth a look and can be found here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Out-Embers-Faith-After-Deconstruction/dp/B0BNJY963N/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1UWBKZ4IF2ZB3&keywords=bradley+jersak+books&qid=1677705177&sprefix=Bradley+jersak%2Caps%2C73&sr=8-3

We are so glad to welcome Matt Hyam to the podcast - for the third time of asking! We were hoping he’d have something interesting to say about this puzzling passage about how his enemies viewed Jesus’ authority, and we weren’t disappointed. Matt is a former pastor in the Vineyard church and is now Senior Church Engagement Officer for the World Vision Charity. Matt is also a Biblical scholar of some note and a published author with a challenging no nonsense style. His books, ‘There must be more than this’ and Life before Death’ are well worth a read. You can find out more here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?i=stripbooks&rh=p_27%3AMatt+Hyam&s=relevancerank&text=Matt+Hyam&ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1