Data Over Dogma
This ain't your pastor's Bible podcast. This is a deep interrogation of the book, and we're bringing receipts. Bible scholar Dr. Dan McClellan and atheist podcaster Dan Beecher team up to discover what the Bible actually says, what it decidedly doesn't say (even if everyone thinks it does), and explore the history of the most popular book of all time.
Episodes
The Grandfather of the Hebrew Bible (and What Is Zion?)
In 1929, a farmer in French-occupied Syria hit a rock with his plow and accidentally uncovered the lost city of Ugarit — and with it, a library of Bronze Age tablets that has been quietly reshaping how scholars read the Hebrew Bible ever since.
This week, we're diving into the Baal Cycle: an elderly patriarchal high god named El, a youthful storm-riding warrior who fights the chaotic sea (and th
66 Books, 40 Authors, Zero Contradictions?
You've seen the claim: 66 books, 40 authors, 1,500 years, three continents, three languages — and not one contradiction.
This week we take that apologetic apart piece by piece, from the canon that was never fixed, to the authorship traditions nobody can source, to the "three continents" you could fit inside a circle smaller than the Mediterranean.
Then it's Twisted Scripture, where Mark Drisco
No Originals, No Mercy
There isn't a single surviving original manuscript for any book of the Bible, so how do scholars decide what the earliest recoverable text actually said?
This week, it's a primer on textual criticism: why King James onlyists despise it (despite the KJV being a product of it), what Erasmus did when he ran out of Greek manuscripts for the last chapter of Revelation, and how one scribe's wandering e
Don't be a jerk...off?
This week it's a "What's That?" double feature!
First, we take on the Great Commission. Does Matthew 28 really command every believer to accost strangers on airplanes and by the baggage carousel, or is "make disciples" a whole lot narrower (and quieter) than the modern evangelists think?
Then it's time for Data After Dark, where we ask whether the
Bible has anything at all to say about mastu
A Trickster God and the Worst Wedding Ever
This week, Christian nationalist Joel Webbin says the quiet
part out loud: lie to voters about your theocratic goals until you've got the
power to enact them. It's grotesque and profoundly un-American — but is
deception, weirdly, the one piece of the playbook that's actually biblical?
Then we wrestle with the baffling parable of the wedding
banquet, where a king burns a city, fills the hall with
Lean Not on Your Own Understanding (and Other Conversation-Enders)
This week we're taking on the thought-stopping cliché to end all thought-stopping clichés: "trust in the Lord, and lean not on your own understanding." Is "reading with the Holy Spirit" a special line to God that us dirty scholars just can't access, or is it John Lennox's red Ferrari parked right next to an invisible dragon nobody else can see?
Then we wade into the online cottage industry of "s
Faith vs. Works vs. Chaos Monsters
This week we crack open the Epistle of James — a letter that may claim to come from none other than James the brother of Jesus — and wade into one of Christianity's oldest arguments: faith versus works. Does James contradict Paul on how a person is saved, and is that why Martin Luther dismissed the whole book as an "epistle of straw"?
Then we go monster hunting for Leviathan, Rahab, and Behemoth
The Twelve Tribes of Israel (Give or Take)
This week the Dans try to count to twelve — and find that the number matters a lot more than the names. We dig into the twelve tribes of Israel: how Levi quietly drops out and Joseph splits into Ephraim and Manasseh to keep the total at twelve, why the Song of Deborah seems to remember only ten tribes (some with different names), and what it means that "Israel" may have begun as a confederation ra
Moloch, Mormons, and Mike Lee
Senator Mike Lee keeps accusing his opponents of sacrificing children to Moloch, so this week we ask who — or what — Moloch actually was, why abortion and child sacrifice are not the same thing, and the uncomfortable places child sacrifice really does turn up in the Hebrew Bible. Then, after the Pentagon quietly declined to list the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as Christian, we dig
Sins of the (Grand)father
The sins of the fathers! It's a phrase you've heard a thousand times, but did you know it comes straight from the Bible? This week it's Bible versus Bible, and the topic is generational punishment: God visiting the iniquity of the parents upon the children to the third and fourth generation. It's in the Ten Commandments. And the other Ten Commandments. So what did those poor great-grandkids do to
Inside purity culture and Christian nationalism with Monte Mader
What happens when you're raised to be a militant Christian nationalist Supreme Court justice, but you decide to actually study church history instead?
This week, we are thrilled to welcome social media powerhouse, educator, and musician Monte Mader to the show! You probably know her from her viral videos expertly dismantling Christian nationalist talking points, but her story starts far from the
Let's Get Weird!
Most parents think their kids are pretty great. That makes sense. But if your son is the messianic savior of the world, the bragging rights are kind of through the roof. And that's what we get in Hebrews 1. The claim here is that God told the prophets about Jesus, and now all those awesome prophesies have come true.
And Hebrews 1 seems to be bringing receipts. It quotes from all over the Hebrew
C. S. Lewis and the Bible with Leslie Baynes
Beloved novelist Clive Staples Lewis (Jack to his friends)(?) went through an atheist phase in his life. But that didn't last, and when he came back to Christianity, he came back HARD! Everyone who knows his work beyond life in a wardrobe is well aware of his obsession with the Bible and Christianity.
But though he was an academic, Lewis was careful to remind people he was not a Bible scholar.
The Queen of Heaven?
Just when you think you have biblical theology figured out, they throw you a curveball! In this case, the curve in question is the character explicitly referred to in Jeremiah as the queen of heaven. "Wait!" you might be saying to yourself, "I know heaven has a king, which is God, but what's all this about a queen!" Well, apparently yes. And Jeremiah is none too pleased about it!
Then, we're ta
Even Heretics Deserve Rituals! With Jeremy Steele
For as long as there have been humans, there have been rituals. Every religion and spiritual practice has developed its own set of practices and rites, and attached sacred meaning to them. But behind the theology and mysticism, is there something happening that even the non-religious could benefit from?
This week, we welcome back Jeremy Steele to talk about his new book Rituals for Heretics, a
America (Almost Never) Reads the Bible
Brace yourself, because your favorite Bible scholarship show is going to talk politics. It's not that we're veering out of our lane, though. Unfortunately, the politics have come careening out of their lane, and smashed headlong into us. It's not our fault!
So yes, we're going to talk about the recent giant Christian nationalist piety performance that was "America Reads the Bible". This was an
Is the KJV Crap?
This week we're taking something beloved and ruining it! Ok, that may be a bit of an exaggeration, but we're definitely going to ruffle some feathers.
The King James Version of the Bible is treasured for its poetic, often florid language. Many even believe it to be the most accurate, truest version available in English. Those people are wrong. Or at least, we'll show you why that's a problemati
Mysterious Texts
The world of ancient holy texts is shrouded in mystery. Where did texts come from? How were they transmitted? Were they altered, and if so, by whom?
First this week, we'll be talking about 1 Esdras. It's a book you won't find in most Bibles these days, yet you will find most of the stories it contains. And if Esdras sounds a lot like the name of another Biblical book to you, that's not a coinc
I Will Have Mercy, Not Dogma
This week we're taking two topics that we've skimmed the surface of, and we're diving deep!
First, we're going to figure out what the heck a Maccabee is. That is, we're covering both history and a couple of books in the apocrypha. That's right: we're discussing the Maccabean revolt.
What do we know about the actual historical event? Who were the main players, and how did it all shake out? I
In Chains: Slaves and Angels
This week, we're really into bondage, but not in a fun way.
First, we're talking about Hagar, the enslaved handmaiden of Sarai (and later of Sarah). Being enslaved is never a good thing, despite what some apologists might have you believe, but Hagar is done pretty dirty in a few ways. We'll explore not just her nonconsensual heir-making with Abraham, but also her ejection from their house lead
Killing in the Name Of
There have been some disturbing things happening in the world lately, and some of the people most heavily involved in those things are invoking even more disturbing parts of the Bible as a rallying call. When world leaders remind us of biblical genocide when they go to war, you know we're in trouble.
So this week, we're discussing Amalek, and the Israelite encounters with the people who bear h
The Legend of the Septuagint
If you've listened to this show for any amount of time, you know what the Septuagint is (if you haven't, don't worry- it's just the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible). But do you know where that name came from? Or the legend of its creation?
This episode, we're diving deep into the lore of this very important document, and yes- there is LORE! The most important of which is a very long lett
The Bible Gets Sexy!
Look out, romance novelists, because the Bible is coming for your jobs! That's right: Data Over Dogma is finally covering the Song of Songs, and it's fifty shades of ancient erotic poetry hotness!
But wait- isn't it supposed to be read as an allegory for the love between God and Israel? Or between Jesus and the church? And isn't it called Song of Solomon? Maybe. But maybe not. Maybe it's just
Everyone is Wrong About 2 John!
We've talked a lot on this show about issues like scribal errors, where a scribe copying a text gets one little thing wrong, and changes the meaning of something forever. But how can we know when something like that has happened? Especially if it happened almost two thousand years ago, and we don't have any older source texts to compare it to?
This episode of Data Over Dogma, we welcome Lincoln
Literally Not Literal!
This week we're diving in to some deep controversy, and we gotta say: come on in, the water's fine.
First, we're looking at biblical literalism. There are a lot of Christians out there these days who claim that they believe that the Bible is to be taken exactly at face value. It's literally true exactly as it is, no interpretation needed. Well, if you've been with us for any amount of time, you
What Is The Bible?
Most people who talk about the Bible are pretty sure they know what it is they're talking about. But do they? Do you? How sure are you that when you say "the Bible" you're talking about the same thing as the person next to you?
Today, we're diving into the surprisingly broad category of books that all bear the name "Bible". We'll explore who believes which canon, and why certain texts made cert
Written in the Stars!
This week, it's a double-feature! Two totally different topics, both coming from the same chapter in Acts. So open your Bibles to Acts chapter 7, and let's dive in.
First, we're looking at a fascinating little twist of linguistics that gives us insight into who the author of acts was. Or more accurately, who he wasn't. It's a mystery that can only be puzzled out by comparing ancient versions of
Serving Up Scripture With Jennifer Garcia Bashaw and Aaron Higashi
This week we're serving up two of the most charming authors you'll ever meet! Listeners may recognize the brilliant Aaron Higashi from past episodes, but this time he's bringing along the brilliant Jennifer Garcia Bashaw. Together they are the authors of the new book Serving Up Scripture: How to Interpret the Bible for Yourself and Others.
We've talked many times on Data Over Dogma about the fa
Unforgivable!
Did you know that there is a sin so awful, so egregious, so outrageous that even God would not be able to forgive it? If you answered yes, then we're sorry. That probably means you've been needlessly traumatized.
But before we get to that, we're going to introduce you to a book you've almost certainly never heard of. It's a book that didn't make it into the modern biblical canon, but very well
Hiding God
This week we're talking about showing off your love for God, and whether that might not be a such great idea. And our example of not mentioning God comes straight from the Bible??
First, we're looking at the book of Esther. It's a story with all the twists and turns of a Disney animated movie (complete with cartoon villain), and about as much plausibility. It's a wild ride, and by the end someo
Jesus is so Fulfilling!
Jesus fulfilled the law! It says so right there in Matthew. But what on earth does that actually mean? Different people have had vastly different interpretations of that idea, and the consequences of their ideas are significant! Are the old laws still in effect, or did Jesus abolish them? Should we throw away Leviticus? Should we stop eating shellfish? What does it mean???
Then, since we talked
The Holy Dunk
What do you know about baptism? Why do Christians do it? Where does it come from?
This week, we're exploring the most important baptism of all: that of Jesus. It's clearly a pivotal moment in the narrative of the life of Jesus, but it also presents some pretty important theological problems. And if it's so important, why do the gospels seem to disagree about how it went down?
Then, it's the
Bring Me the Head of John the Baptist!
John the Baptizer was a fascinating character. More attested to historically than Jesus, John was a genuinely big deal! One of the historically attested facts about John was his execution by Herod. Which Herod? You're going to be sorry you asked.
But John's death is fascinating- what do the gospels say about it? Do they agree with each other about how/why it happened (what a world that would b
Shiny Happy People!
Get some sunglasses, because this week we're shining bright like a diamond! That's right, we're diving into all the glowy sparkle that is the transfiguration of Jesus. What is that story really about? What happened on that hill? And why does everyone drag Peter for offering to set up tents? He was just brainstorming! No stupid questions, right?
Then, gather 5,000 of your best friends and let's
Not Original, Not Sin
It was a setup, I tell ya!
This week, we're focusing on "the fall," and the two poor suckers who were set up to take that fall. First, we're going through the story of Adam, Eve, the tree and the snake, and parsing out exactly what did and didn't happen in Eden. Who lied and who told the truth? Who knew what and when did they know it? Who, if anybody, actually committed a sin?
Then, speaking
Did Jesus Fulfill Prophesy?
The birth of Jesus is obviously one of the most important Christian narratives. Or is it two of the most important Christian Narratives? Either way, one of the great apologetic claims about nativity is that it fulfilled over three hundred prophesies. This week, we're going to look at what Ken Ham's Answers in Genesis says about some of those prophesies, and see if those claims hold up.
Then it'
Immaculate Apologetics?
Tucker Carlson and Jeremiah Johnston don't know what they're talking about when it comes to history. Johnston recently went on Tucker's show (he still has a show- weird, right?), and claimed, among many other things, that Jesus and his crucifixion are better attested by the evidence than Julius Caesar. It's an odd apologetic, but is it possibly true?
Then we'll discuss the immaculate conception
Polygamy!
Look out! 'Cause this week we're looking at a controversial issue, and perhaps strangely for us, the impetus for this has nothing to do with Mormonism. No, recently a Missouri pastor named Rich Tidwell made waves in Christian circles by claiming that the Bible--yes, even the New Testament--is pro polygamy. And, really putting his matrimony where his mouth is, he has the wives to prove it.
So is
Who Deserves to Eat?
Remember when Jesus told the poor to get off their butts and pull themselves up by their bootstraps? I don't either, but lots of people think they remember when Paul said it.
This week, we're looking at 2 Thessalonians, 3:10. It's one of those passages that, if someone's bringing it up, you know you're about to hear something wild. It's the bit about anyone unwilling to work shall not eat. Whi
It's a Jubilee!
Its Jubilee time- and what are we celebrating? A no-longer-canonical book, I guess. Jubilees is a Second Temple rewrite of Genesis that reshapes creation stories, adds angelic narration, and updates the calendar to aaaaaalmost get the number of days in the year right.
Then we tackle the viral claim that the Bible has 63,779 perfect cross-references. Does it prove divine authorship? Maybe! Ok,
Close Encounters of the Catholic Kind
Catholics don't read the Bible! Or at least, according to studies most don't read it in their homes. But according to our guest, Michael Peppard, that doesn't mean that they don't have a deep and meaningful relationship with it.
This week, we're talking with Dr Peppard about his book How Catholics Encounter the Bible". It's a fascinating look at the world of Catholicism: the culture, the theol
Should Wives Submit?
Dominion! Do men have it over their wives? This week we're looking at Ephesians 5 where it very clearly says that wives should be subject to their husbands as to the Lord. OR DOES IT?!?
We're going deep into Doc McClellan's linguistic grab-bag to parse out what it actually says. Because ancient Greek is tricky, and doesn't operate the way modern English does.
Then, it's ANCIENT ALIENS!!! W
Don't Get Cross With Me
Giving you good biblical data is our cross to bear, but what that cross looks like and what it symbolizes is a question! We're all very aware of the traditional crucifix or cross as a symbol of Christianity, but how did the thing that killed Jesus come to represent his followers? And why? And is it possible that Jesus didn't die on a cross at all (that's what Jehova's Witnesses believe)?
Then,
The Adult(ery) Episode
Ooooh... this week's show is keeping it SPICY!
First we're going to tackle what might at first feel like one of the least controversial of the Ten Commandments. But if you've listened to this show, you know that's almost never the case. So when the Bible says "thou shalt not commit adultery," what is it really getting at?
Then we dive into the book of Hosea, which comes out swinging, and on
Peter Thiel is Bankrupt! (Theologically)
The antichrist is coming! According to Peter Thiel, anyway. But who or what he thinks the antichrist actually is seems a little fuzzy. Well, this week on the Data Over Dogma show, we're looking at Thiel's odd take on the end times to see if it stacks up with what's in the Bible.
Then, we're looking at the star of David. Where did it come from? How did it come to be the symbol of Judaism? And ar
You Want a Boat? I Noah Guy
This week, it's the story of Noah's ark! But WHICH story? Is it possible that there was more than one ark narrative floating around in the sea of antiquity? If so, how did the biblical authors handle the differences? We're taking the differing (even conflicting?!) narratives two-by-two onto our ship, and seeing what we can sort out. Here's hoping it's a sufficient number of cubits long!
Then, e
Blessed Baruch!
This week, we're grabbing hold of the apocrypha with both hands and not letting go! Or is it deuterocanonical? I guess that depends on whose tradition you're looking at. Regardless, it's a weird book and there's a lot of interesting stuff to talk about.
Was it written during the exile, as it claims? What insights does it give us into the mindset of the time? Who the heck is Baruch???
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Biblical Sex Toys???
This week should be sponsored by that "adult play" company, because we're getting a little naughty! Or rather- the Bible got a little naughty (maybe), and we're just talking about it.
First, though, we're going to talk about one of those famous "judges" that the book of Judges was named for. It's the story of Gideon, and it has a lot going on! Did Gideon see God or an angel? Why did he ask for
John! With Hugo Méndez
This week it's a johannine deep dive, and we brought in the big guns! Our guest is Hugo Méndez, Associate Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and all-around nice guy.
Hugo's book, The Gospel of John, a New History, is making waves in the world of Bible scholarship, and we're here for it. Grab a board, and let's surf those waves together!
Get t
The Indiana Jones Episode!
That's right- this week, we're going full Indy! Well... it's not like we're traveling to the ends of the Earth to keep the bad guys away from precious ancient artifacts, but we are going to talk about two of Dr. Jones' most important archaeological finds (thefts): the Ark of the Covenant, and the Holy Grail!
First, we're going to look at the Ark, that big box that Moses built. What is it? What
Hear, O Israel!
It is one of the most important verses of the Hebrew Bible, and it's only six words! Well, six in Hebrew. In English, it's anywhere from nine to twelve words, depending on who's doing the translating. It's the Shema, a prayer from Deuteronomy still holy in Judaism.
But why is it so important? What makes that one verse so special? And for the love of all that's holy- why is it so hard to transl
Holy Sex Work?
Was there prostitution in the temple? For a long time, there have been claims that the holy temples of ancient Judea included some form of sacred sex work. Where did this idea come from? Is it valid? And what does this conversation have to do with hate pastor and frequently wrong guy Doug Wilson?
Then, get out your magnifying glasses and call in Poirot, Sherlock, and the whole Scooby gang, bec
Who are the REAL Christians?
Will the real Christians please stand up?
This week, we're getting to the bottom of a very divisive issue. In a world where people in different sects of Christianity are constantly drawing lines in the sand, and declaring who counts as a "real Christian", can we look to the Bible itself to help us determine the truth? Or will the Dans just muddy the waters again?
In the second half of our s
Jezebel!
Ooooh MAMA! For a story that's thousands of years old, we sure do hear a lot about Jezebel. Or do we? Pastors and Christian influencers like Mark Driscoll and Charlie Kirk love to invoke the idea of "Jezebel spirit" whenever they don't like what a woman is doing. But is their portrait of the character of Jezebel honest, or are they just looking for a bludgeon to beat up women?
Then, we're looki
At-One-Ment
Atonement! It's one of the central ideas of Christianity, and is absolutely essential to Christian theology... so what is it? You might be surprised to know that throughout Christian history, atonement has meant many very different things. On this week's show, we'll discuss the twists and turns this idea has taken, as influential thinkers have grappled with the idea of the atonement of Jesus.
T
Sister Wives
It's a lie! This week we're looking at a very odd falsehood in the Bible. And the really weird part is that it's told multiple times, by multiple important biblical people, including the grand-daddy of the biblical lineage himself, Abraham.
Then, we'll look an interesting little bit of home decor from biblical times. Teraphim seem to be little humanoid icons that folks kept around the house, bu
Save Me!
What does it mean to be "saved" in that uniquely Christian sense? It makes sense, if you're going to talk about a savior, that you would have people that that savior is saving. But where does this idea come from, and to whom does it apply. Heaven knows, even various Christian sects can't agree on this, but as is our wont here on the Data Over Dogma show, we're going to dig in to the topic, and mak
Problematic Prophecy
Have all of the prophecies about Jesus' death and resurrection already happened? Did the apocalypse come and go, and now we're just coasting?
Here's the thing about prophecies: the good ones are never specific enough! Sure, every now and then someone will come along and give exact dates and times for when some apocalyptic event is going to happen, but those guys are inevitably just proven wron
Tucker Vs Ted: The Israel Throwdown
Forget the fourth of July- if you want real fireworks, you gotta check out the incendiary interview between Tucker Carlson and Ted Cruz. It was... a lot. But when two insufferable gasbags collide that hard, you're going to get a gas giant explosion. Just be glad you couldn't smell it.
One of the points of contention had to do with Israel, and Cruz's insistence that the Bible commanded him (and
Is Allie Beth Stuckey a Sheep or a Goat?
Ooooh! Dan McClellan has a bee in his bonnet, and her name is Allie Beth Stuckey!
This week we're looking at the parable of the sheep and the goats. In it, sheep are good, and goats are bad, and the Lord has some sorting to do. How do you get to be a sheep? Feed, house, clothe, and generally take care of your brothers and sisters. But that presents a problem for Allie Beth: who are her brother
Ethnicity and the Bible
What's your ethnicity? Who else is included in that group, and why do you draw those boundaries where you do? Well, this week we're bringing in hired-gun Bible expert Dr Aaron Higashi to walk us through the rich and sometimes confusing concept of ethnicity, and some of the surprising ways ethnic heritage plays out in the Bible (the Israelites ARE Canaanites? Whaaaaa???!) .
Then, we're going to
Did the Bible Steal its Stories?
Were the authors of the Bible just writing firsthand accounts of events that actually happened? That's a pretty tough case to make. As a matter of fact, we have very good reason to believe that many of the stories of the bible have shared roots with many other stories/myths of ancient southwest Asia and northern Africa.
This week, we'll look at many of those stories, and discuss their parallel
Pride Month vs. the Bible!
Welp it's June, and that means LGBTQIA+ Pride month! At least that's what it means for many. For a minority of people, June is national grumpy homophobe month.
One thing about the grumpy set is that they really love to use the Bible to shore up their dogmatic belief that gay folks (and trans and bi and all the other acronym-represented people) are going against God. So let's talk about it.
O
Bibliomancy! The Biblical Dance with the Devil?
For episode 116, we're venturing into the spooky world of divination! Many a Christian pastor has railed against this practice, but what if the medium used for divining isn't a rod or a stick, but THE BIBLE ITSELF!? Does that take the curse off it? Make it worse? Will it work to provide other-worldly guidance in your life? Is it forbidden? We... well, we might answer some of these questions...
Episode 112: Wash Your Own Feet!
This week we're getting all apocryphal, and diving headlong into Maccabees. Specifically, we're discussing the story of a mother and her sons in 2 Maccabees, chapter 7. This is the inspiring (?) tale of a family defying tyranny by refusing to eat, and all being brutally murdered for their trouble. And while the story itself is quite harrowing (and graphic!), it's small moments along the way that a
Episode 111: Just the Tip?
Well kids, this one's a doozy! This week we're talking about a controversial Biblical practice that is still done by many today (and the truth is that it should probably be more controversial than it is). That's right, this week we're talking circumcision!
It's such a strange practice, if you think about it, cutting off a piece of your child's flesh. And it leaves us with a load of questions: Whe
Episode 110: God's Swear Jar
Remember when you were a kid, and your parents told you not to used certain words, but then sometimes THEY would use those words, and you didn't think that was ok because it seemed like a double-standard, but there was nothing you could do because they were big and you were small so you secretly said those words with your friends as a rebellion, but then your next-door neighbor overheard you and s
Episode 109: The Heart of Pharaoh
Have you ever been confused about why Easter happens when it happens? End of March? Mid April? July? And as if it's not already complicated enough, the eastern church celebrates on a different day than the western church. Except the days that they don't... Thank goodness for our phone calendars, because without them, none of us would have any idea when to break out the Peeps and Cadbury eggs!
Episode 108: "Biblical" Marriage
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Love and marriage: it's an
Episode 107: Immigrant Apocalypse with Yii-Jan Lin
The way many people talk about immigration in the United States, you'd assume that it was an apocalyptic event. And actually, many of the most extreme voices in our society are literally saying as much. But this is not the first time American immigration has been linked to Biblical apocalypse.
This week, we're bringing in Dr. Yii-Jan Lin, whose new book Immigration and Apocalypse: How the Book o
Episode 106: Usurer Error
It's a sin so egregious that Christians weren't allowed to do it, BY LAW, for centuries! But now? Totally fine. Everybody participates. No big deal at all!
The next time you meet a Bible literalist who is certain that you have to follow the laws of the Bible to the letter, but who is also pretty excited about capitalism, ask them about usury, and watch them fall all over themselves to pretend li
Episode 105: Wandering in the Wilderness with Angela Roskop Erisman
Anybody want to take a long walk in the desert? Well, this week we've brought in Angela Roskop Erisman to guide us through the wilderness! In her new book, The Wilderness Narratives: Religion, Politics, and Biblical Interpretation, Dr Erisman discusses the exodus as you may not have heard it discussed before.
Far from being the actual writings of a literal Moses, Dr Erisman uses genre analysis to
Episode 104: Hey Jude
This week, we don't want to make it bad, so we're going to take a sad song and make it better. The book of Jude may only be one chapter, but it's jam-packed with stuff for this show to talk about. Who wrote it, and when? Who was it written to? What grumblers is it mad about? We'll attempt to answer all these questions and more.
Then, speaking of grumblers, we have some of our own to deal with! Wh
Episode 103: The Pastor Skeptic
This week we welcome "deep skeptic" pastor Jeremy Steele to the show. Jeremy has spent recent years building an online congregation of people who don't feel seen or understood by the traditional church. He's here to tell us about life as a pastor, how he gathered his flock, and why people who are deconstructing the theologies they were raised with might still need a community like his.
You can fi
Episode 102: The Dave Ramsey Takedown
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the big fight! In the red corner: personal finance guru and guy who makes millions by making poorer people feel bad about their debt, Dave "how's your retirement fund looking?" Ramsey. And in the blue corner: with a much lighter pocketbook but much heavier t-shirt collection, Dan "alright let's see it" McClellan.
What could a Bible scholarship show possibly have
Episode 101: The Slave Bible
Christians have had a missionary zeal since the beginning. From the dawn of Christianity, the mandate to share the "good news" has been a central theme of Christian life. But what is a Christian to do when it is clear that the audience they want to share the gospel with would react poorly to much of what's in the Bible? Well, at least in one case, the solution was just redact the heck out of it.
Episode 100: Give Me Your Slave!
Come celebrate round numbers with us as we embark on our 100th episode of Data Over Dogma! And what, you might ask, are we doing to mark this grand event? Have we carefully crafted a clips show looking back on the best moments of the last 100 weeks? Have we mindfully chosen topics that relate to the number 100? Well, no. No we haven't. It's just a regular show. Sorry.
That said, it's an interesti
Episode 99: Why Can't You Be Like Your Brother?
If you think you had it rough living in your sibling's shadow, just imagine how James, the brother of Jesus must've felt! Well, today James gets his due. We'll discuss who he was, what he did, and what it might mean theologically, that Jesus wasn't an only child.
Then, if you listened to this show for more than a few episodes, you're likely to have heard Dan McClellan mention "the Masoretic text"
Episode 98: Did Jesus Go to Hell?
Jesus went to hell! Briefly. He gave the place a look-see after he died, and then left to go be resurrected. Or at least that's the claim that some theologies make.
Where did the idea that Jesus visited hell come from? Is it Biblical? I mean, it would have to be, wouldn't it? People wouldn't just make up something like that long after the Bible had been written just because, right? Right?
And s
Episode 97: The Neighborhood of Make-Believe
Would you be mine, could you be mine, won't you be my neighbor? If you know that song, then you know that at least one person understood Jesus' answer to the lawyer. Far fewer seem to now. But that's in the second half of our show!
First, we're exploring some imaginative pretending that would almost be cute if so many people hadn't taken it seriously. It's the amazing amateur (read: fake) archeol
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