On the Way with Max Botner: A Podcast of the Center for Bible Study

What did gender signify in the world of the New Testament, and how might gender theory help us understand it better? In this interview, Dr. Susan E. Hylen, Charles Howard Candler Professor of New Testament at Emory University, discusses her groundbreaking book Gender Mobility: 7 Ideas about Gender in the New Testament Period, exploring how gender functioned in the ancient world. She challenges common assumptions about fixed gender roles, showing how social status, power, and identity rendered gender more fluid than we often imagine.
You’ll discover:
- How gender operated as a spectrum in antiquity
- The role of eunuchs and non-binary categories in the ancient world
- How social status shaped gender identity in the New Testament
- Why modern gender theory can illuminate biblical texts
- What this means for biblical interpretation today
Grab your copy of Gender Mobility: 7 Ideas about Gender in the New Testament Period 👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0197797334?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzmaxbotne-20&creativeASIN=0197797334&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.187O2RHGHXS6E&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ons_mixed_d_asin
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Imagine entering the world of ancient Israel not just through texts, but by understanding everyday life, household rituals, and the deep theological meanings behind laws and worship. Dr. Cynthia Shafer-Elliott, an archaeologist specializing in everyday domestic practices, and Dr. Elizabeth (Libby) Backfish, a biblical theologian, showcase the ground-breaking approach of grounded theology—analyzing material culture alongside biblical texts to paint a fuller picture of Israel's faith, law, and worship practices. This episode uncovers the fascinating connections between household life, covenant, divine justice, and worship, all grounded in the archaeological remains and biblical narratives that shaped Israelite identity.You'll discover:- Why the household was the starting point for understanding Israelite theology and how everyday life reflects divine priorities.- How covenant parallels ancient Near Eastern treaties, like the infamous Godfather analogy, and what that reveals about divine grace and justice.- That the Hebrew Bible is full of grace, challenging the notion of a wrathful deity, especially in the context of divine punishment and exile.- The nuanced ways Israelite worship was embedded in daily routines, household rituals, and the environment, blurring the line between sacred and secular.- Why laws are more about wisdom and relationship, not just rule enforcement, and how that understanding transforms our view of biblical morality.
Grab you copy of Grounded Theology in the Hebrew Bible 👉https://www.amazon.com/Grounded-Theology-Hebrew-Bible-Exploring/dp/1540962539/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2N8OFDEBE8YHU&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.A_3DVwkyRt5Jye024eFUf-GOL_dPnWb1IJmH3dfeDRhLboowsfqiIKbA53BvqN3YN72viv-qQcOpDacdLGQSYBHCF1oaFuH8WWcc3eAJ1ku3NeyIn2zkN3Lqg5ys1bFXVM75lrfoIUdD5inVQj1tFt5gw4AN7p2LnCS3PJIswM1MnkiJ4g3jsflD6h03ppBnGehiNTINquoQJ7GjcDTtumSabzoF7BS6RJ3blijHmhs.d8lTV3cL00Szrq4_1hyFeY-Hfl40gY4j1DxTgxWlYno&dib_tag=se&keywords=grounded+theology+in+the+hebrew+bible&qid=1774652104&sprefix=grounded+theology%2Caps%2C370&sr=8-1

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In this conversation, New Testament scholar David Lincicum explores how the Apostle Paul the Apostle reads and interprets Scripture in his letters. Drawing on insights from his book The Commentarial Impulse, Lincicum argues that Paul often writes in a way that resembles ancient biblical commentary, engaging deeply with texts like Book of Deuteronomy and Book of Genesis. We explore how Paul’s interpretive approach shapes major passages such as Epistle to the Romans (especially Romans 9–11) and Epistle to the Colossians, and how his reading of Israel’s Scriptures influenced later Christian interpretation of the Old Testament.Topics include:- How Paul uses the Old Testament in his letters- The “commentarial impulse” in early Christian interpretation- Paul’s engagement with Genesis and Deuteronomy- The theological significance of Romans 9–11- How Paul shaped Christian interpretation of Scripture

Grab Your Copy of The Commentarial Impulse👉https://www.eerdmans.com/9780802884206/the-commentarial-impulse/

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Grab Your Copy of How Then Shall We Read? A Student's Guide to Interpreting the New Testament 👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0802883842?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzmaxbotne-20&creativeASIN=0802883842&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.1Z0VC22LJXOFX&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ons_mixed_d_asin

Check out our new course: Introduction to Biblical Interpretation 👉 https://the-center-for-bible-study.teachable.com/l/pdp/introduction-to-biblical-interpretation
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***How did the Bible come to be? Why do Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox Bibles differ? And what role did scribes, church communities, and the Holy Spirit play in shaping the Scriptures we read today? In this episode, Max Botner explores the formation of the biblical canon, the history of manuscript transmission, and the theological significance of textual variation. From the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls to debates over the Deuterocanonical books, you’ll discover how history, community discernment, and divine guidance together shaped the Bible.This conversation unpacks major questions in biblical studies:- How the Old Testament developed, including the Masoretic Text and the Dead Sea Scrolls- What textual variants and scribal practices reveal about transmission- How the New Testament canon emerged in the early church- Why apostolicity, orthodoxy, and catholicity mattered for canon formation- How different Christian traditions (Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox) came to have slightly different Bibles- The role of the Holy Spirit not only in inspiration, but in preservation and receptionRather than imagining the Bible as a book that “dropped from the sky,” this episode presents Scripture as a divine-human gift formed through centuries of faithful transmission. Understanding canon formation and textual criticism doesn’t weaken confidence in the Bible—it deepens it.

In this episode, we sit down with Steven Tyra to explore the powerful intersections of church history, eschatology, and Christian nationalism—and why historical theology matters more than ever in today’s political and cultural climate.Dr. Tyra shares how his academic journey began at Fuller Theological Seminary, where he developed a passion for historical theology and the Reformation. His research focuses especially on John Calvin’s eschatology, the doctrine of the interim state, and how Calvin’s theology has been misrepresented in modern debates about dominion and political power.We discuss:- Calvin’s theology of the future kingdom and why it challenges modern “dominion mandate” interpretations- How Christian nationalism often depends on particular eschatological assumptions- Why figures like Calvin and Martin Luther are frequently oversimplified in popular discourse- The historical and theological problems with contemporary Christian nationalist arguments- Calvin’s advocacy for refugees—and how his experience as an exile shaped his theologyDr. Tyra argues that many modern appeals to the “dominion mandate” misunderstand both Genesis and the Reformers. For Calvin, dominion is ultimately tied to a future eschatological reality fulfilled in Christ—not a present political conquest. This distinction has profound implications for how Christians think about power, nationhood, and public theology.Whether you’re interested in Reformation history, Christian nationalism, Calvin’s theology, or contemporary debates about faith and politics, this conversation offers careful historical insight and theological clarity.Dr. Tyra's Article "Babeling Nationalism" 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/swtyra/overlay/1722447705115/single-media-viewer/?profileId=ACoAAA6UIcwBRC5Buy6AiWfYpLAb8d8rMDEXZqcDr. Tyra's Article "Christ Is Not the Shepherd of Wolves"👉 https://brill.com/view/journals/chrc/105/3-4/article-p429_10.xml

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