In this episode, we're talking about Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey. We talk about our expectations going into it, what we thought about the small and major changes that Nolan made to Homer's epic, and how we regard the major interpretative moves that were made relative to the representation of the gods and the Trojan horse. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: the Rev. Dr. Nathaniel Adishian, Dr. John Anthony Dunne, and Dr. Brandon Hurlbert.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we're joined by Professor Paul Anderson, who is Professor of Biblical and Quaker Studies at George Fox University, and he's the Editor of Archeology, Jesus, and the Gospel of John: What Recent Discoveries Show Us (Eerdmans). Over the course of our conversation, we discuss the essay contributions to Professor Anderson's new book and situate those in conversation with recent discussions on the Gospel of John. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne and Rev. Dr. Chris Porter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we're joined by Dr. Nicholas Schaser, who is Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and the author of A Ransom for Israel: Jesus and Jewish Salvation in Matthew (published by SBL Press). In our conversation, we talk about christology and soteriology in Matthew, and how Dr. Schaser understands Matthew to be showcasing how Jesus secured salvation for ethnic Israel through the cross. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne and Dr. Logan Williams. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we're joined by Adam La Salle, the author of Perfect Vision: How Seeing Through God's Eyes Gives Us Sight. Adam is someone who has had a lifetime of reflecting on physical sight, forgiveness, the true essence of beauty, seeing through other people's eyes, and perseverance, all of which he discusses with us in this episode. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne and Stephanie Kate Judd. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we're joined by Professor Christopher Stanley, who is Professor Emeritus of Theology at St Bonaventure University in New York, and he’s the author of a number of books, including the historical fiction trilogy called “A Slave’s Story” that we’re discussing in this episode, with the volumes A Rooster for Asclepios, A Bull for Pluto, and A Ram for Mars. In our conversation, we overview Professor Stanley's historical fiction trilogy, the value of historical fiction as a medium of academic historical investigation, and how much work Professor Stanley put into making this series grounded in scholarship and accessible to the non-expert. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Rev. Dr. Josh Carroll and Dr. John Anthony Dunne. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we're joined by Dr. Mathew Kim and his wife, Sarah Kim. Dr. Kim is Professor of Preaching and Leadership at Truett Theological Seminary of Baylor University, and the author of Becoming a Friendlier Church: A Pathway to Genuine Community (published by Baker Academic). In our conversation, we talk about how churches can become more inviting (and not just more extroverted) in order to build better and more authentic community. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Rev. Dr. Nathaniel Adishian and Dr. Grace Sangalang Ng.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we're joined by Dr. Alexiana Fry, who is guest researcher at the University of Copenhagen and the author of Esther Keeps the Score: Trauma, Body, and Politics in the Hebrew Bible (SCM Press). Our conversation explores what a trauma-informed reading of Esther would look like, highlighting how much more complexity there is to a biblical narrative that is already quite a complicated story (despite how simply it gets retold so often). Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne, Dr. Brandon Hurlbert, and Rev. Dr. Madison Pierce. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we're joined by Dr. Karen Swallow Prior, the 2025–2026 Karlson Scholar at Bethel Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and the author of several books, including You Have a Calling: Finding Your Vocation in the True, Good, and Beautiful (Brazos). Over the course of our conversation, we talk about the difference between passion and calling, and how pursuing the transcendentals of the true, good, and the beautiful is the best framework for reconceiving what our callings actually are. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne, Stanley Ng, Rev. Daniel Parham, and Dr. Sydney Tooth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we're joined by Dr. Mario Baghos, who is Senior Lecturer in Theology at the University of Notre Dame Australia. He's the owner of the YouTube channel, TERRA SYMBOLICA, and the author of a recent peer-reviewed essay on Orphic legends and Descent into Hades themes in the hit TV show, Twin Peaks. In our conversation, Dr. Baghos brilliantly and breathlessly surveys the full swath of Twin Peaks and the way it coheres with so many iterations of the Descent into Hades motif. It's a fascinating conversation full of nerdy Twin Peaks insights on religious and mythological imagery germane to the show. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities includes: Dr. John Anthony Dunne and Dr. Kris Song. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we're joined by Revd Dr Mike Bird, who is Deputy Principal and academic lecturer in theology at Ridley College, Melbourne. He's also the author of numerous books, including the book we're discussing here, the 10th anniversary edition of What Christians Ought to Believe: An Introduction to Christian Doctrine through the Apostle's Creed (published by Zondervan Academic). In our conversation we discuss the enduring value of the Apostle's Creed, and dive into some of its key features as well as some of its missing details. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Rev. Dr. Nathaniel Adishian, Dr. John Anthony Dunne, Rev. Daniel Parham, and Rev. Dr. Chris Porter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.