Matthew I

In this episode Sameh and I discuss Artificial Intelligence, how it works, what it is, and some of the military applications being being used in the Israel-Palestine conflict.

In this episode I speak with my good friend Shameh, covering the ideological make-up of Yemen's Houthis and what this means for the Middle East and geopolitics more broadly.

In this episode, we speak with my good friend Stephen. Stephen has a BA in Religion and Philosophy, and an MA in Arabic Philology from the American University of Cairo. He has been living in the Middle East for a number of years, and in my opinion, is an expert on Islam. He is fluent in a number of languages, including Biblical Hebrew, Classical Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic, Aramaic, Sanskrit and more. He, in my opinion, is one of the best resources on evangelism and interfaith dialogue. In this episode, we talk about exactly that! What does it look like to have a biblical conversation with our friends from other religions? This video is mentioned in the show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRNo1-r18pY

In this episode, we speak with pastor Valentina Gamova who, along with two colleagues, took over leadership of God’s Family Church in Poltava, Ukraine while her lead pastor evacuated with his children and pregnant wife. We cover some fascinating topics like hearing the voice of God, serving in a time of crisis and women in leadership. We trust you will find this episode both informative and inspiring.

An inquiry into Judeo-Christian influence on Islam during late antiquity . . . Bibliography Cohen, Mark, R., “Medieval Jewry in the World of Islam.” Pp. 193–214 in The Oxford Handbook of Jewish Studies. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002. Clark, Gillian. Late Antiquity: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions). Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011. Kindle Edition. Dowley, T., & Rowland, N. Atlas of Christian History. Fortress Press, 2016. Firestone, Reuven, “Jewish Culture in the Formative Period of Islam.” Pp. 267–302 in Cultures of the Jews: A New History. Edited by D. Biale. New York: Schocken, 2002.   Fonrobert, Charlotte, E. “Jewish Christians, Judaizers, and Christian Anti-Judaism.” pp. 234–254 in Late Ancient Christianity Edited by V. Burrus. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2005. Fowden, Garth, Before and After Mohammad: The First Millennium Refocused. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2014. Griffith, Sydney, pp. 6-44 in The Church in the Shadow of the Mosque: Christians and Muslims in the World of Islam. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2008. Haldon, John, “Political-Historical Survey, 518–800” pp. 249–263 in The Oxford Handbook of Byzantine Studies. Edited by E. Jeffreys, J. Haldon and R. Cormack. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008. Hayes, Christine, The Emergence of Judaism: Classical Traditions in Contemporary Perspective. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2011. Hughes, Aaron W., Muslim Identities: An Introduction to Islam. New York, NY: Columbia University Press, 2013. Muhammad, Haykal Husayn, The Life if Muhammad: Translated from the 8th Edition by Isma’il Ragi A. al Faruqi. Plainfield, IN: American Trust Publications, 1997. Rousseau, Philip, The Early Christian Centuries. London: Longman, 2002. Shoemaker, Steven, J., “Muhammed and the Qur’ān.” Pp. 1078-1108 in Oxford Handbook of Late Antiquity, New York: Oxford University Press, 2012. Small,  Stroumsa, Guy, The Making of Abrahamic Religions in Late Antiquity, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015. Thomas, David, “Christian Theologians and New Questions.” Pp. 257-276 in E. Grypeou, M.N. Swanson & D. Thomas, (eds.), The Encounter of Eastern Christianity with Early Islam. Leiden: Brill, 2006. Zellentin, Holger, The Quran’s Legal Culture: The Didascalia Apostolorum as a Point of Departure. Mohr Siebeck, 2013

An inquiry into the telos of desire, myth & hierarchy . . . Bibliography Barry, J. D., Bomar, D., Brown, D. R., Klippenstein, R., Mangum, D., Sinclair Wolcott, C., ... Widder, W. (Eds.). Scapegoat. In The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press. 2016. Bellah, R. N. Religion in Human Evolution. Cambridge: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. 2011. Brannan, R. (Ed.). Lexham Research Lexicon of the Greek New Testament. Bellingham: Lexham Press. 2020. Burkert, W. Creation of the Sacred. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. 1996. Girard, R. Violent Origins: Ritual Killing and Cultural Formation. Stanford: Stanford University Press. 1987. Girard, R. Violence and Religion: Cause of Effect?. The Hedgehog Review: Critical Reflections on Contemporary Culture. 2004. Jensen, J. S. What Is Religion?. New York: Routledge: Taylor & Francis Group. 2014. Oxford Learners Dictionaries. 2021. https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/mimetic

A survey of religious-political influence during late antiquity.  . . . Bibliography Aristotle. Aristotle in 23 Volumes, Vol. 21, translated by H. Rackham. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1944. Cohen, Mark, R., “Medieval Jewry in the World of Islam.” Pp. 193–214 in The Oxford Handbook of Jewish Studies. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002. Clark, Gillian. Late Antiquity: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions). Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011. Kindle Edition. Dowley, T., & Rowland, N. Atlas of Christian History. Fortress Press, 2016.  Firestone, Reuven, “Jewish Culture in the Formative Period of Islam.” Pp. 267–302 in Cultures of the Jews: A New History. Edited by D. Biale. New York: Schocken, 2002. Fonrobert, Charlotte, E. “Jewish Christians, Judaizers, and Christian Anti-Judaism.” pp. 234–254 in Late Ancient Christianity Edited by V. Burrus. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2005. Fowden, Garth, Before and After Mohammad: The First Millennium Refocused. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2014. Griffith, Sydney, pp. 6-44 in The Church in the Shadow of the Mosque: Christians and Muslims in the World of Islam. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2008. Haldon, John, “Political-Historical Survey, 518–800” pp. 249–263 in The Oxford Handbook of Byzantine Studies. Edited by E. Jeffreys, J. Haldon and R. Cormack. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008. Hayes, Christine, The Emergence of Judaism: Classical Traditions in Contemporary Perspective. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2011. Hughes, Aaron W., Muslim Identities: An Introduction to Islam. New York, NY: Columbia University Press, 2013. Johnson, B. T. Pharisees. In J. D. Barry, D. Bomar, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, D. Mangum, C. Sinclair Wolcott, ... W. Widder (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016. Muhammad, Haykal Husayn, The Life if Muhammad: Translated from the 8th Edition by Isma’il Ragi A. al Faruqi. Plainfield, IN: American Trust Publications, 1997. Rousseau, Philip, The Early Christian Centuries. London: Longman, 2002. Shoemaker, Steven, J., “Muhammed and the Qur’ān.” Pp. 1078-1108 in Oxford Handbook of Late Antiquity, New York: Oxford University Press, 2012. Small, B. C. Diocletian. In J. D. Barry, D. Bomar, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, D. Mangum, C. Sinclair Wolcott, L. Wentz, E. Ritzema, & W. Widder (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Lexham Press, 2016. Stroumsa, Guy, The Making of Abrahamic Religions in Late Antiquity, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. Crossway Bibles, 2016. Thomas, David, “Christian Theologians and New Questions.” Pp. 257-276 in E. Grypeou, M.N. Swanson & D. Thomas, (eds.), The Encounter of Eastern Christianity with Early Islam. Leiden: Brill, 2006. Zellentin, Holger, The Quran’s Legal Culture: The Didascalia Apostolorum as a Point of Departure. Mohr Siebeck, 2013 Zetterholm, Magnus, The Formation of Christianity in Antioch: A Social Scientific Approach to the Separation Between Judaism and Christianity. London: Routledge, 2003.

In this episode, we explore the crisis of western masculinity, fatherlessness and the proposed biblical answer for what it means to 'be a man.' 

Looking at Matthew chapter two, we're introduced to some pretty peculiar astronomic activity.  In this episode, we look at what the starry sky teaches us about Jesus.

Going through the first chapter in Matthew's Gospel account, we're introduced to four extraordinary women; we see how through Jesus, God redeems all things and is near to the broken-hearted.