The Bible Project 2020

On this week’s episode, Mat Hotho and Nikki Taylor interview Nikki’s former teacher, Joseph Trafton. Dr. Trafton has retired from teaching at Western Kentucky University. He has UMC roots, but now lives and attends church in Nashville, TN. He has many scholarly writings, including a commentary on the book of Revelation. In the episode, they talk about Revelation in light of the prophets from the Hebrew Bible. As well as what may have prompted John to write Revelation. They l...

On this week’s episode, Mat Hotho and the Rev. Dr. Sally Campbell-Evans sit down with the Rev. Dr. Karoline Lewis to cover 1, 2, 3 John. The Rev. Dr. Karoline Lewis teaches at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, and has written numerous books. She studied at Emory University and Luther Seminary for her graduate degrees. Dr. Lewis leads conferences, workshops, and retreats internationally on the Gospel of John, the New Testament, interpreting the Bible, preaching, leadership, and wom...

On this week’s episode, Mat Hotho and Steve Crawford interview Dr. Jennifer Grace Bird for our episode on 1st & 2nd Peter and Jude. Dr. Bird spent much of her time on the East Coast but is now working in the Portland, OR area. She has a Master’s in Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. in New Testament and Early Christianity from Vanderbilt University. Much of her research is on marriage, gender, and sexuality. She has written Abuse Power and Fearful Obedience and Permi...

From Hyde Park United Methodist Church in Tampa, FL, this is the Bible Project 2020, a journey to reading the Bible without fear or frustration. On this week’s episode, Mat Hotho and Magrey DeVega interview for our episode on Hebrews and James. They interview The Rev. Dr. A.K.M. Adam who is a Tutor in New Testament and Greek at the St. Stephen’s House in the University of Oxford in England. He has published numerous books on biblical interpretation and has a particular affinity for Heb...

On this week’s episode, Mat Hotho and Celia Ferman interview the scholar Luke Timothy Johnson. Dr. Johnson is Professor Emeritus of New Testament scholar at Emory University. This discussion covers pastoral epistles which are a group of three in the New Testament: the First Epistle to Timothy (1 Timothy) the Second Epistle to Timothy (2 Timothy), and the Epistle to Titus. They are presented as letters from Paul the Apostle to Timothy and to Titus. Dr. Johnson lays out how he has l...

On this week’s episode, Mat Hotho and Monica Largess virtually met up with the Colorado native the Rev. Dr. Chris Holmes. Chris has a Ph.D. from Candler School of Theology. Now, he is the Scholar in Residence at First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta. Also, he partners with Brennen Breed (you may remember from Episode 32 on Daniel) in the project called “Office Hours” which is a pop-up virtual Bible study with experts in the field. They have a Facebook page or you could find them at first...

On this week’s episode, Mat and Magrey talk about both Galatians & Ephesians with Rev Dr. John Christianson. The Rev. Dr. John Christianson is the lead pastor at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Williamsburg, Iowa, and adjunct professor of the Upper Midwest Course of Study program through Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. He received his Ph.D. from Brite Divinity School in New Testament Studies and is a keen interest in the first-century Greco-Roman world. He was also ...

On this week’s episode, Steve Crawford and Mat Hotho sit down with Dr. Jill Marshall to discuss Paul’s letters found in 1 & 2 Corinthians. Jill has a PhD in New Testament Studies from Emory University and works for the American Academy of Religion. She not only teaches and writes, but also excavates having participated in archaeological digs in a number of ancient sites. The conversation gives context to the church in Corinth and Paul’s relationship with them. They discuss the nature of P...

On this week’s episode, Chris Hockman and Mat Hotho sit down with Dr. Bo Adams to discuss the letter to the Romans. Bo is Director of Pitts Theology Library and Margaret A. Pitts Assistant Professor in the Practice of Theological Bibliography at Emory University. Bo joined us early in our journey through the Bible, all the way back in Episode 5 when we discussed the end of Exodus. Bo has a PhD in New Testament from Emory, a Masters in Library Science from the University of Alabama, and is a s...

On this week’s episode, Monica Largess and Mat Hotho have a conversation with Dr. Erin Heim about Paul the Apostle. Erin Heim earned a PhD from the University of Otago in New Zealand, a Masters in New Testament from Denver Seminary, and a Bachelor of Music from the University of Minnesota. She has written many essays on Pauline theology, Theological Interpretation of Scripture, and metaphor in the Bible. Erin is also a cohost of the popular biblical studies and theology podcast: OnScript. She...

On this week’s episode, Jill Krantz and our senior pastor, the Rev. Magrey deVega sit down with Bishop Kenneth H. Carter, Jr. to discuss the book of Acts. Kenneth H. Carter, Jr. is resident bishop of the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church. He came to the Florida Conference in 2012. Bishop Carter oversees almost 800 congregations, fresh expressions, campus ministries, and other parts of the United Methodist Church in Florida. Bishop Carter came to Florida from North Caroli...

On this week’s episode, Mat Hotho and Monica Largess sit down with Dr. Susan Hylen to discuss John 13–21. Susan is the author of two books on the history of women in the New Testament and in the early church. She is Associate Professor of New Testament at Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta, GA. Our conversation takes us through the complex literary treasures found in John. We talk about the importance of ambiguous characters and symbolism in John. Susan explains t...

On this week’s episode, Mat Hotho sits down with Rev. Dr. Amanda Brobst-Renaud to discuss John 1–12 Mandy is ordained in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. She is Assistant Professor of Theology at Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, IN. Her area of research is the parables of Luke and ancient rhetoric. She also preaches regularly in local Lutheran churches. Mandy brings us into the Gospel of John with an exploration of John 1, a close reading of John 3–4, and a timely reflection on...

On this week’s episode, Chris Hockman and Mat Hotho sit down with Rev. Dr. Jennifer Wyant to discuss Luke 17–24. Jennifer is the associate pastor of Birmingham United Methodist Church in Milton, GA. Jennifer received a Masters of Divinity from Candler School of Theology and a PhD in New Testament from Emory University. She is married to her husband, Guy, and they have two sons. Our conversation covers a gamut of topics in Luke—the parables distinct to Luke, the kingdom of God, Luke’s impressi...

On this week’s episode, Celia Ferman and Mat Hotho sit down with Rev. Elizabeth Arnold to discuss Luke 1–16. Elizabeth is ordained in the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. She received a Masters of Divinity from Garden-Webb University's School of Divinity in North Carolina and is currently a PhD candidate in New Testament at Emory University in Atlanta, GA. Her research focuses on the theme of wilderness in Luke-Acts as well as humor in the Bible. Elizabeth has already published an article and ...

On this week’s episode, Jill Krantz and Mat Hotho sit down with Dr. Sara Fletcher-Harding to discuss Mark 12:35–16. Sara is the Dean of Arts and Sciences and Professor of Religion at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, FL. Sara earned her Ph.D. in Religious Studies from Marquette University with concentration in New Testament. She has published in the field of religion and science, co-editing “Religion and Science: Critical Concepts in Religious Studies” - a collection of essays and article...

On this week’s episode, Magrey deVega and Mat Hotho sit down with The Rev. Dr. Tom Boomershine to discuss Mark 1–12:3 Tom served as a professor of New Testament at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio, for over twenty years, and was Magrey’s mentor in seminary. He has been a leader in the area of biblical storytelling as a way of both communicating and interpreting the scriptures. He is the founder of the Network of Biblical Storytellers as well as GoTell Communications, which provides...

On this week’s episode, Celia Ferman sits down with the Rev. Canon Dr. Christopher Corbin to discuss Matthew 14–28. Christopher is an Episcopal priest, a graduate of Florida Southern College, with a Masters of Divinity from Yale and a PhD from Vanderbilt. Chris takes us through some aspects of Matthew that make it unique among the gospel—Fulfillment Statements, Doubling, and emphasis on ordering the church. #HydeParkUMC Learn more about The Bible Project 2020. Join our F...

This week, Steve Crawford sits down with the Rev. Jim Harnish to usher us into the New Testament with a discussion of the genre of gospel, and Jesus’ sermon on the mount in Matthew 5–7. #HydeParkUMC Learn more about The Bible Project 2020. Join our Facebook discussion group. *Facebook account required

This week, Mat Hotho joins Emily Hotho and Carey Stevens to discuss the books of Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, as well as offer some reflections on our journey through the Old Testament as it draws to a close. Emily Hotho is the pastor of Skycrest United Methodist Church in Clearwater, FL. And Carey Stevens is a recent Candler School of Theology graduate and the Director of Children’s and Youth Ministries at Skycrest. #HydeParkUMC Learn more about The Bible Project 2020. ...

This week, Steve Crawford and our guest Rev. Clarke Campbell-Evans discuss the books of Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah. Clarke helps us see the literary themes in each booth and offers a powerful summary of the prophetic purpose through the words of Abraham Joshua Heschel. Clarke is Director of Missional Engagement at the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church. #HydeParkUMC Learn more about The Bible Project 2020. Join our Facebook discussion group. *Faceboo...

This week, the Rev. Dr. Lisa Wolfe joins us to discuss the books of Hosea, Joel, Amos, and Obadiah. We give attention to their historical settings, what themes mark each book, and—particularly with Hosea—how difficult and differing images of God can emerge in the prophetic texts. Lisa is Professor of Hebrew Bible at Oklahoma City University in Oklahoma City, OK. Lisa’s research focus is on women of the Bible and wisdom literature. In fact, Lisa wrote a small group study called “Uppity Women o...

On today's episode our Senior Pastor, Magrey deVega and I have a conversation with Dr. Brennan Breed about the book of Daniel and Apocalyptic literature. Brennan is Associate Professor of Old Testament at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, GA. Brennan’s research focuses on the reception history of biblical texts—seeking to understand how communities throughout time have received, interpreted and interacted with the stories of Scriptur We covered many topics in our discussion, mostly be...

Today's episode features a conversation with the Rev. Dr. John Goldingay, Professor Emeritus of Old Testament at Fuller Seminary in Pasadena, California. Since retiring, John and his wife Kathleen have moved to Oxford, England. An Episcopal priest, and a renowned Old Testament scholar, John has written over 25 volumes including a 3-volume theology of the Old Testament and his own translation of the Old Testament, entitled “The First Testament.” John sat down with Jill Krantz and m...

Today's episode features a conversation with Rabbi Richard Birnholz, Rabbi Emeritus at Congregation Schaarai Zedek in Tampa, FL. Rabbi Birnholz joined us back in February on Episode 7 for a discussion of Numbers and Deuteronomy. On this episode, Rabbi Birnholz, Celia Ferman, and Mat Hotho discuss the book of Jeremiah and how the lessons of Jeremiah inform ancient and modern Jewish communities. Rabbi Birnholz suggests that Jeremiah’s political shrewdness preserved the Jewish people and provide...

Today's episode features the Dr. Michael Chan. Assistant Professor of Old Testament at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN. Michael’s research interests are broad and extensive—iconography, Biblical Hebrew, apocryphal literature, and the prophets. Michael co-authored the book “Exploring the Bible” and hosts the podcast “Gospel Beautiful.” Michael and Mat Hotho discuss the book of Jeremiah—it’s historical context, themes, and resonances with justice issues today. Learn more about The ...

Today's episode features the Rev. Dr. Dan Johnson. Dan is a retired pastor in the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church having served in ministry for over 40 years. Dan received his PhD in Bible Studies from Princeton University. Dan is married to his wife of almost 48 years, Jan and they have two children and three grandchildren. Dan joins Chris Hockman and Mat Hotho for a discussion of the book of Isaiah with particular attention paid to themes of hope and judgement, as well as ...

Today's episode features Annie Norman-Schiff, a Jewish educator and writer. She is a PhD Candidate in Religious Studies at Yale University. Annie has broad experience teaching undergraduates and divinity students at Yale, adult groups in the Jewish community, and young people. She is the Youth and Family Programming Director at Congregation Beth El Keser Israel in New Haven, CT. Learn more about The Bible Project 2020. Join our Facebook discussion group. *Facebook account required. #...

In today's episode, Nicki Taylor and Mat Hotho interview the Rev. Dr. Brent Strawn, professor of Old Testament and Law at Duke Divinity School in Durham, North Carolina. Brent wrote the commentary on Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs for the Common English Bible study Bible, and shares valuable insights on how these unique texts can give us a unique perspective on life, meaning and relationships. Learn more about The Bible Project 2020. Join our Facebook discussion group. *Facebook accou...

Today's episode is a final look at the Proverbs with Rosy Kandathil, a second year PhD student in Hebrew Bible at Emory University in Atlanta. Rosy, Mat and Nicki dive into Proverbs 31:10-31, or better known as the Proverb of the virtuous wife. The conversation tackles common unhelpful interpretations of the text, in order to uncover how this text can be uplifting and encouraging for all who read - not just women! Learn more about The Bible Project 2020. Join our Facebook discuss...

Today’s podcast is a conversation with Dr. Anne Stewart, Vice President for External Relations at Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, New Jersey. Anne has a PhD in Hebrew Bible from Emory University. Her dissertation and her personal passion is the book of Proverbs Jill Krantz, Mat Hotho, and Anne discuss two particular Proverbs (26:11 and 26:4–5) and how the ancient proverbs are relevant today. Learn more about The Bible Project 2020. Join our Facebook discussion group. *Facebook...

Today’s podcast is a conversation with Dr. Kathy Farmer, Professor Emerita of Old Testament at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. Kathy, Magrey, and I wrap up the psalter and introduce Proverbs. Learn more about The Bible Project 2020. Join our Facebook discussion group. *Facebook account required. #HydeParkUMC

Today’s podcast is a conversation with Dr. Aubrey Buster, Assistant Professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College. Aubrey gives us an overview of Book Five of Psalter and the themes of exile, return, and worship. Learn more about The Bible Project 2020. Join our Facebook discussion group. *Facebook account required. #HydeParkUMC

Today’s podcast is a conversation with Mat Hotho and Chris Hockman about the theology of Books 3, 4, and 5 of Psalms. They also take a closer look at Psalms 73, 84, 90, 91, and 104. Enjoy! Learn more about The Bible Project 2020. Join our Facebook discussion group. *Facebook account required. #HydeParkUMC

Today we are joined by the Rev. Justin LaRosa, minister of The Portico—the downtown location of Hyde Park United Methodist. Justin shares how the Psalms can be a source of calm and meditation, leading us through the practice of Lectio Divina. Enjoy! Learn more about The Bible Project 2020. Join our Facebook discussion group. *Facebook account required. #HydeParkUMC

We’re fortunate today to have Dr. Michael Dougherty, the Director of Traditional Music at Hyde Park United Methodist on the podcast to talk about the musical reception of the Psalms in our hymnal and in Christian tradition. Enjoy! Learn more about The Bible Project 2020. Join our Facebook discussion group. *Facebook account required. #HydeParkUMC

Today’s bonus episode gives an overview of the Book of Psalms. We have a chat with Dr. Brian Russell, Associate Provost and Dean of the Orlando School of Ministry. Brian gives us the lay of the land of the book of Psalms, noting the book’s overall structure, the types of Psalms and what reading them can reveal in our own lives Learn more about The Bible Project 2020. Join our Facebook discussion group. *Facebook account required. #HydeParkUMC

Today’s episode continues our discussion of Job. We’re joined in this episode by Jonathan Mason-Wolfe, a PhD candidate at Harvard University. Jonathan explains how the structure of Job gives us an insight into to read the book and what we can take away from Job and his friends’ debates about the nature of justice and faith. Learn more about The Bible Project 2020. Join our Facebook discussion group. *Facebook account required. #HydeParkUMC

Today’s episode is a conversation with the Rev. Dr. Roger Scholtz, pastor of Kloof Methodist Church in South Africa. Roger was also the interim Senior Pastor of Hyde Park United Methodist from August 2014 to May 2015. Roger begins our discussion of the book of Job, highlighting the difficulties in interpreting the book, how to make sense of Job’s anger, and give particular attention to Job’s wife and the other female characters in the book. Enjoy! Learn more about The Bible Project 2020...

This episode features a special guest, Samantha Tinley, a 5th grader at Hyde Park United Methodist. Sam was going to play the role of Esther in our Children’s Musical this year. Our conversation covers the whole narrative of Esther and does some interesting comparing and contrasting with the retelling of Esther’s story in the script of the Children’s Musical. Enjoy! Learn more about The Bible Project 2020. Join our Facebook discussion group. *Facebook account required. #HydeParkUMC

For this week’s episode, we are joined by Rachel Wrenn, a PhD candidate in Hebrew Bible at Emory University in Atlanta, GA. She’s also the co-host of her own podcast, First Reading. Jill Krantz sits down with Rachel for a discussion on the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. The conversation explores what the return from exile would have meant for the Israelites at that time, analyzing the relationship the Israelite people had with their foreign rulers, the rebuilding of the temple, and t...

This week, we are again joined by the Rev. Dr. Melody Knowles, the Vice President of Academic Affairs and Associate Professor of Old Testament at Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, VA. This is the second part of a two-part series on Chronicles. If you missed last week’s episode, be sure to listen. This week we dive deeper into Chronicles, exploring the genealogies, Solomon’s prayer in 2 Chronicles 6, and we contrast the depiction of God in Chronicles with the Pentateuch and the book...

This week, we are joined by the Rev. Dr. Melody Knowles, the Vice President of Academic Affairs and Associate Professor of Old Testament at Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, VA. In this first of two episodes, Melody helps us begin to understand the broad themes of the book of Chronicles in relation to the history that has preceded it in Samuel and Kings. Then next week, we look at specific passages that reflect these themes. Enjoy! Learn more about The Bible Project 2020. ...

This week, we are joined by Dr. Daniel Stulac, Visiting Assistant Professor in Old Testament at Duke Divinity School in Durham, NC. This interview jumps right into big topics with Daniel questioning the practicality of dating compositional layers in the book of Kings before moving to a rich discussion on the theological thrust of the book of Kings for the implied audience of the original authors. Many of my assumptions about the book of Kings (and Old Testament exegesis) are challenged ...

This week, we are joined by Marilou Reed, a small group leader at Hyde Park United Methodist in Tampa, FL. Marilou and Steve Crawford discuss David, Solomon, the building of the temple, and the division of Israel into the northern and southern kingdoms. Join us for online worship over the next few weeks: Sundays at 9:30 and 11 a.m. Learn more about The Bible Project 2020. Join our Facebook discussion group. *Facebook account required. #HydeParkUMC

This week, we are joined by Tim McNinch, a doctoral student at Emory University in Atlanta, GA. Tim and Jill Krantz discuss the character of David presented in the text, reflect on a couple Psalms dealing with this period of David’s life, and Tim points out the theological importance of 2 Samuel 7. Learn more about The Bible Project 2020. Join our Facebook discussion group. *Facebook account required. #HydeParkUMC

This week, we are joined again by the Rev. Emily Hotho, pastor of Skycrest United Methodist Church in Clearwater, FL. Emily and Joanna Switzer sit down to discuss the stories of Ruth and Saul. These stories present contrasting depictions of faithfulness and obedience to God. Learn more about The Bible Project 2020. Join our Facebook discussion group. *Facebook account required. #HydeParkUMC #BibleProject2020

This week, we are joined by the Rev. Scott Smith, Senior Pastor of First United Methodist Church of Ormond Beach. Scott, Nicki Taylor, and Magrey deVega discuss the book of Judges: the characters, the drama, and the violence. Scott thinks of Judges as “Game of Thrones: Yahweh Edition” so you know he’s got an interesting take on it! We wrestle with how to interpret this disturbing imagery and narrative. Learn more about The Bible Project 2020. Join our Facebook discussion group. *Facebook a...

This week, we are joined by Dr. Ryan Bonfiglio, Assistant Professor of Old Testament at Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta, GA. Ryan, Nicki Taylor, and Mat Hotho discuss the conclusion of Deuteronomy and the Pentateuch. Moses dies without entering the land and we reflect on what this tragic ending would have meant for the Israelites reading this text. Joshua brings the people into the land and with that conquest comes the issue of violence associated with th...

This week, we are joined by Rabbi Richard Birnholz, Rabbi Emeritus of Tampa Schaarai Zedek in Tampa, FL. Rabbi Birnholz and Celia Ferman discuss the story of Zelophehad’s daughters in Number 27 as well as the transition from a priestly system to a rabbinical system in judaism. We wrestle with two big questions: Why do bad things happen to good people and why is God portrayed as wrathful? And finally, we talk about the ways modern Jewish communities have made the Shema a constant part of their...

This week, we are joined by Chris Hockman, a seminary graduate and member of the podcast team. Chris and I discuss the flow and trajectory of the book of Numbers, drawing inspiration from the Hebrew title of the book, "Into the Wilderness" instead of structuring the book as a tale of two censuses. Learn more about The Bible Project 2020. Join our Facebook discussion group. *Facebook account required. Chris Hockman produced this episode. #HydeParkUMC

This week, we are joined by Rabbi Joshua Lobel of Temple B'nai Israel in Clearwater, FL for a discussion of Leviticus. Mat Hotho and Rabbi Lobel discuss how modern Jewish communities re-interpret the rituals and laws of Leviticus for their modern contexts. Learn more about The Bible Project 2020. Join our Facebook discussion group. *Facebook account required. #HydeParkUMC

This week, we are joined by Dr. Bo Adams, Director of Pitts Theology Library at the Candler School of Theology at Emory University for a discussion of the law codes in Exodus—particularly the order and structure the laws bring to the community. Learn more about The Bible Project 2020. Join our Facebook discussion group. *Facebook account required. Jill Krantz produced this episode. #HydeParkUMC

In this episode, Joanna Switzer and the Rev. Emily Hotho have a conversation about the introduction of Moses and the Exodus found in Exodus 1–15:21. This is Part Two of a two-part episode. Part One, covering the story of Joseph and the end of Genesis aired earlier today. Learn more about The Bible Project 2020. Join our Facebook discussion group. *Facebook account required. Joanna Switzer produced this episode. #HydeParkUMC

This week, Joanna Switzer and the Rev. Emily Hotho have a conversation about the Joseph story in Genesis 37–50, focusing on the character of Joseph. This is Part One of a two-part episode. Part Two, covering the introduction of Moses and the Exodus story will air later today. Learn more about The Bible Project 2020. Join our Facebook discussion group. *Facebook account required. Joanna Switzer produced this episode. #HydeParkUMC

This week, we are joined by the Rev. Steve Harper for a deep discussion of the Sodom and Gomorrah story found in Genesis 18:16–19:29. Learn more about The Bible Project 2020. Join our Facebook discussion group. *Facebook account required. Nicki Taylor produced this episode. #HydeParkUMC

For this inaugural episode of the podcast, Steve Crawford and Mat Hotho sit down with the Rev. Jim Harnish for a discussion about Genesis 1–14. We focus on the creation story, God's role in creation, the Noah story and the conflict within God in that story, and the Tower of Babel, when humans try to become like God. If you haven't joined a small group yet or downloaded the daily devotional, go to BibleProject2020.com. #HydeParkUMC

In this episode, Magrey deVega and Mat Hotho discuss the goal of biblical interpretation—how we take an ancient text and make it understandable without just making it fit our modern assumptions. We'll discuss methods and give some examples from the Old and New Testaments. If you haven't joined a small group yet, go to BibleProject2020.com or search "Bible Project 2020" on Facebook to join our online discussion group!

Mat Hotho and Magrey deVega discuss the vision and goal behind The Bible Project 2020. You can join along in the journey at BibleProject2020.com.

Here are some of the conversations you'll be hearing in the first month of the Bible Project 2020.

Welcome to the Bible Project 2020—A journey to reading Scripture without fear or frustration! Presented by Hyde Park United Methodist Church in Tampa, FL. Subscribe to the podcast for new episodes starting next week and join a small group at BibleProject2020.com.