In this episode, we connect with Amy-Jill “AJ” Levine. AJ is an E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Professor of New Testament Studies at Vanderbilt University Divinity School, Department of Religious Studies, and Graduate Department of Religion. She is also the author of many notable books, including The Misunderstood Jew, Light of the World, and The Bible With and Without Jesus. AJ joins us today to discuss her extensive research of ancient religious texts, and outline her journey as an internationally renowned scholar and teacher. Tune in now to discover: The difference between the Old Testament and the Tanakh. What archeology can tell us about ancient religious texts. How translations can alter the meaning of historical texts like the Tanakh. Technological innovations associated with ancient texts. The study of the Bible and books like it is constantly changing and revealing new things. Scholars like Amy-Jill Levine play an important role in the refinement of these texts so that our society can better understand what they mean… Want to learn more about Amy-Jill Levine and her work? Click here now! Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/38oMlMr

Here to discuss the rationality of belief in God is Max Baker-Hytch, a lecturer and speaker at the University of Oxford. Max specializes in both Epistemology and Philosophy of Religion, giving him unique insight into the world of spirituality. Max is on a mission to uncover intellectual reasons to believe in Christianity, and in this episode, he outlines what he has found with his meticulous research of this topic. Join us now to discover: Max’s background, and what led him to pursue this study area. Philosophical arguments for theism. What divine hiddenness is, and why can be difficult to address.  The two avenues to pursue when seeking answers to God-centered questions. Spirituality is dependent on faith and metaphysical thought – but what happens when we apply intellect to it? Find out now by jumping into this fascinating philosophical conversation! You can learn more about Max Baker-Hytch by clicking here. Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/38oMlMr

What if your work didn’t confine you to a particular physical place? How would you take advantage of your newfound freedom? As remote jobs are on the rise, the opportunities for location-independent employment are better than ever. The hardest part is just knowing where to start… In this episode, we chat with Kristin Wilson, the host of Badass Digital Nomads Podcast. In her show, Kristen offers insightful guidance to her listeners on how to ditch their traditional jobs and pursue location-independent employment instead.  Click play to learn more about: How moving to a different country can shift your perspective on life. The importance of connecting with different people and cultures around the world. How the new remote job economy can support nomadic lifestyles. What does nomadic living mean to you? By joining the conversation, you may come away with a new approach to this question! To find out more about Kristin and her work with Badass Digital Nomads Podcast click here! Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/38oMlMr

Elliott Neff’s path to becoming a national chess master began with casual Sunday afternoon chess matches with his dad. At eight years old, he competed in his first chess tournament; at 12, he committed to the goal of becoming a champion, and three years later he achieved that goal. Tune in for a unique conversation about Neff’s journey and explore: The importance of attitude, mindset, and mental preparation on the outcome of a chess game Chess and music: an interesting comparison How many unique possibilities there are in the first three and four turns in a chess game Distractions are everywhere these days: how do you motivate young kids to maintain their focus on learning chess? What it takes to become a chess master Neff is a professional chess coach with the highest level of certification, author of A Pawn’s Journey: Transforming Lives One Move at a Time, and founder/CEO of Chess4Life, a platform that teaches kids critical thinking, problem solving skills, and emotional intelligence through chess. He discusses his journey to becoming a chess master and what it's like to teach kids the game, sharing surprising insights and strategies along the way, and even doing a quick demonstration that’s sure to impress. Press play to hear the full conversation and learn more at https://chess4life.com/. Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/38oMlMr

What did the book of Psalms originally mean, what has it come to mean over time in Jewish, Christian, and secular understandings, and how does one even go about answering these questions? This is just a snippet of what Marc Brettler discusses in today’s episode. Tune in to discover: Who wrote the book of Psalms in the Bible? It depends on who you ask…   The three main periods of biblical Hebrew language Reasons for and against the idea that the Hebrew language went extinct around the time of Jesus Implications from the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and how this has informed the way Brettler studies the Hebrew Bible What parallelism is, where it’s found in the Hebrew Bible, and why it makes biblical poetry difficult for people to interpret Marc Brettler is a member of the American Academy for Jewish Research and the Council of the Society of Biblical Literature. He's also a distinguished professor of Jewish and religious studies at Duke University.  Brettler's main area of specialization is the Hebrew Bible (a term often used interchangeably with the Jewish Bible and Old Testament). He has a general interest in biblical scholarship, including the various methods of interpretation that have been used over the last few centuries. He walks us through his work, sharing surprising insights into biblical scholarship and interpretations, the intricacies of biblical poetry and language, historical perceptions of reading aloud versus silently, how the book of Psalms relates to other parts of the Bible, and so much more. To learn more, visit https://religiousstudies.duke.edu/marc-zvi-brettler, find Brettler’s book titled How to Read the Jewish Bible, or just read the Bible! Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/38oMlMr

Does our democratic system have room for everyone’s voice? Are meaningful, thoughtful, and effective conversations being had between citizens? Is there trust and understanding between the general public and the government? Many people would answer “no” to all three questions, and this is what Peter MacLeod is trying to change.  Tune in to learn: Why surveys fail to capture enough information from the public How MASS LBP citizens’ assemblies are selected and what they do Who “the government” is really comprised of The value of consensus views as opposed to majoritarianism MacLeod is the founder and principal of MASS LBP, an internationally recognized organization that works with western governments and corporations to strengthen public engagement in the democratic decision-making process and improve relations between citizens and government. MacLeod discusses the ins and outs of MASS LBP engagement campaigns, including outcomes, public feedback, concrete examples of deliberative democracy in action, and how to get involved. Press play to hear the full conversation and learn more at https://www.masslbp.com/.

Could democracy be strengthened by an AI-assisted deliberation platform? According to Alice Siu and thousands of others who are using one, the answer is a resounding yes. Tune in to discover: What an AI-assisted mediator can offer that humans can’t How the platform encourages people to express their opinions through “nudges” The emotional and life-changing experiences of people who’ve taken to the platform to use their voice and engage with others    How stratified random sampling on the platform works to capture microcosms of public opinion on a wide variety of topics Siu is part of the Deliberative Democracy Lab at Stanford, which is making waves in an otherwise seemingly idle sea of American voices. Climate reform, AI fairness, electoral reform, energy … the list of topics being discussed in this new deliberative online world goes on and on. Press play for the full conversation and learn more at https://cdd.stanford.edu/. Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/38oMlMr

“You can pick up a newspaper every day that’s talking about what’s wrong with our democracy, but there aren’t a lot of people talking about what we can do to fix it,” says Iain Walker, Executive Director of Australia’s newDemocracy Foundation. Walker goes beyond the problems of the democratic system to the solutions. Along the way, he shares a whole lot of eye-opening information. Press play to learn: Where democracy started, and whether it’s always involved elections The different between democracy in Ancient Athens and democracy today In what ways democracy has become excessively responsive to public opinion over public judgment (and why it matters) The importance of critical thinking by members of the public in a democracy How the U.S. political system differs from that of most other countries Why voting disincentivizes politicians to hold deep discussions on the actual issues at hand The wider U.S. public has a good deal of trust in the criminal jury system and the way democracy is run. But should they? Walker brings to light the influence of misinformation and money, the corruptibility of elections, and alternative ways of doing democracy that would make it better – indeed more democratic. Interested in learning more? Tune in for the full conversation and visit https://www.newdemocracy.com.au/. Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/38oMlMr

Do you feel like your voice is heard? Do your elected representatives hear, understand, and address the issues that relate directly to your life? If not, join the crowd. But why is this, and what can be done about it? Ready for an eye-opening discussion that might just turn your perception of democracy on its head? You’ll explore: What it would look like to have a radically participatory democracy The intersection of municipal budget talks, justice, and morality Unexpected consequences of council democracy, including giving minorities more of a voice Shmuel Lederman, PhD is a research fellow in the Weiss-Livnat International Center for Holocaust Research and Education at the University of Haifa. His primary interest lies in the study of council democracy, wherein any and all citizens from the neighborhood level come together to debate, deliberate, and act together on matters that concern them, and then choose a representative to go to the upper council and parliament. In short, rather than a parliament elected by vote, there’s a parliament elected by a pyramid of delegates, starting at the neighborhood level. Learn how his form of traditional participatory democracy can give more power to minorities, promote civic virtue, bring fellow citizens closer together, emphasize the role of morality in budget decision-making, and more. Tune in for the full conversation. Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/38oMlMr

Today we are joined by Andrew Henderson, the founder of Nomad Capitalist. Nomad Capitalist is a company that helps people grow their wealth and freedom by obtaining things like second citizenship, citizenship by investment, golden visas, and important financial resources so that they can live their best lives. Tune in now to learn more about: The importance of “going where you’re treated best”. How second citizenships can expand your lifestyle opportunities. How Nomad Capitalist offers complete guidance on how to achieve your goals.  Go to nomadcapitalist.com to find out more about Andrew and his approach to a happier, more sustainable lifestyle! Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/38oMlMr