The Biblical Mind

Why does Michael Polanyi matter—and why should Christians care?

In this episode, Dru Johnson and Mike Tolliver reflect on the Hebraic Thought Community’s recent book study of Personal Knowledge and explore why Polanyi’s work remains so influential. A chemist-turned-philosopher, Polanyi challenged the modern view of knowledge as detached, purely mental, and objective. Instead, he argued that all knowing is embodied, communal, and tradition-shaped.

Science, he insisted, is not merely the collection of neutral facts but a “social fabric” in which communities train people to see significance where others cannot. Learning to read an x-ray, for example, requires apprenticeship—participation in practices that shape perception itself.

Dru connects Polanyi’s insights to Scripture, showing how biblical knowing is inseparable from ritual, community, and action. Orthodoxy and orthopraxy are not rivals but entangled realities. You cannot truly see unless you practice. Whether in Proverbs’ call to “incline your ear,” Deuteronomy’s emphasis on communal instruction, or Jesus’ insistence that doing reveals truth, the Bible assumes that knowledge grows through embodied participation.

This conversation offers a powerful framework for understanding discipleship, evangelism, and spiritual formation—not as mere belief acquisition, but as formation within a living community of knowing.

If you are interested in the books mentioned in this episode, you can learn more here:

Personal Knowledge - https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/P/bo19722848.html

A Little Manual For Knowing - https://wipfandstock.com/9781610977845/a-little-manual-for-knowing/

Longing to Know - https://bakerpublishinggroup.com/products/9781587430602_longing-to-know

Loving to Know - https://wipfandstock.com/9781608999286/loving-to-know/

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Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Michael Polanyi
07:04 The Role of Christians in Knowing
10:57 The Interconnection of Practice and Knowledge
18:15 Presuppositionalism vs. Polanyi's Approach
25:05 Polanyi vs. Rationalism: The Body and Community
29:50 Practical Applications of Polanyi's Ideas
37:00 The Importance of Community in Understanding

Is the Holocaust fading from living memory—and if so, what are the consequences?

In this sobering and historically grounded conversation, Dru Johnson speaks with longtime Jerusalem resident and Anglican rector David Pileggi about why the Holocaust must be understood not merely as Jewish history, but as a defining event in modern human history. Pileggi argues that the Holocaust was not simply a tragic episode within World War II—it was central to the war’s origins and its catastrophic consequences.

Drawing on Christopher Browning’s Ordinary Men, the discussion explores how middle-aged, non-ideological German reservists became mass shooters—not primarily because of fanaticism, but because of conformity, fear, propaganda, and social pressure. The conversation moves beyond gas chambers to the psychology of genocide, asking how “normal” people participate in extraordinary evil.

The episode also examines the roots of antisemitism, conspiracy thinking, and scapegoating—patterns that continue to resurface in modern political discourse. Pileggi offers a nuanced perspective on Jewish-Christian relations, contemporary Israel, and the responsibility Christians bear in resisting dehumanization and ideological hatred.

This episode challenges listeners not merely to remember history—but to act wisely in the present so that its darkest chapters are not repeated.

To learn more about the tours mentioned in this episode, see here:

https://narrowbridgetour.com/

If you are interested in Ordinary Men, you can learn more here:

https://www.harpercollins.com/products/ordinary-men-christopher-r-browning?variant=32207518924834

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Chapters:

00:00 The Impact of Historical Memory
12:04 The Holocaust: Lessons for Today
18:20 Ordinary Men: The Psychology of Perpetrators
28:54 The Psychological Impact of War and Choices
35:30 Racial Nationalism and Its Consequences
40:34 The Role of Antisemitism in Nazi Propaganda
46:28 The Dangers of Dehumanization
53:19 Critiquing Israel and Supporting Jewish People

In this syndicated episode, The Biblical Mind features the inaugural release of The Bible Bar, a new podcast from Bar-Ilan University hosted by Dr. Joshua Berman. The first episode dives into one of the most debated chapters in Scripture: Genesis 1.

Dr. Berman welcomes eminent Assyriologist and Old Testament scholar Lawson Younger to explore how the biblical creation account relates to ancient Near Eastern cosmogonies and theogonies. What makes Genesis similar to Egyptian and Mesopotamian creation stories—and what makes it radically different?

Younger explains how ancient Near Eastern cultures viewed creation and divinity as intertwined, where sun, moon, rivers, and mountains were themselves gods. In contrast, Genesis 1 insists on a Creator wholly distinct from creation. The world is not divine—it is spoken into being.

The conversation explores Tiamat and tehom, the image of God, the Memphite Theology, and the striking emphasis on divine speech. Rather than offering a scientific account, Genesis answers a different question altogether: Who is the Creator, and what does that mean for humanity?

Listeners are encouraged to subscribe to The Bible Bar as it works chapter-by-chapter through the Torah.

You can find the podcast on their webpage or Spotify channel here:
https://sites.biu.ac.il/en/bible-bar/page/10098
https://open.spotify.com/show/3kHJ6MrxrEDobNRDsOPKn4

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Chapter:
00:00 Introduction to the Bible Bar
03:17 What Do We Have In Genesis 1?
06:52 Who, Or What, Is God?
13:30 What Does Genesis 1 Have to Say About Humanity?
17:43 Does the Bible Borrow from Other Cosmogenies?
21:26 What Does the "Image of God" Really Mean?
25:03 What Is Memphite Theology?
30:46 The Shared World of the Author and Audience

Does it matter whether we feel sorry when we ask for forgiveness?

In this conversation, Rabbi Dr. Joshua Berman returns to discuss the surprising findings of his long-term research into forgiveness in the Hebrew Bible. The biblical word slicha (“forgiveness”) appears only in relation to God—not between people. In fact, there is no word for “apology” in biblical Hebrew.

So how were offenses resolved?

Drawing on honor culture studies and examples ranging from Jacob and Esau to Judah and Tamar, Dr. Berman argues that ancient Israel operated within a different moral economy. Reconciliation was not primarily about emotional sincerity or repairing inner feelings—it was about restoring public order and status. Offense disrupted hierarchy; reconciliation restored it.

From duels between Hamilton and Burr to modern military and team dynamics, Berman shows how deeply culture shapes what we mean by “forgiveness.” The result is a paradigm shift that challenges modern Western assumptions about apology, sincerity, and moral transformation.

The conversation concludes with the launch of Dr. Berman’s new podcast, The Bible Bar, dedicated to exploring Scripture chapter by chapter with intellectual and spiritual integrity.

For "The Bible Bar" on Spotify, go here:
https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/the-bible-bar/

Or if you prefer the RSS feed:
https://anchor.fm/s/10e77a470/podcast/rss

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Chapter:
00:00 Introduction and Context of the Conversation
01:04 Exploring Forgiveness in the Hebrew Bible
03:58 Cultural Perspectives on Offense and Forgiveness
07:13 The Role of Hierarchy in Relationships
10:04 Honor Cultures and Their Impact on Forgiveness
13:22 Case Studies: Understanding Offense and Repair
16:15 Conclusion: The Complexity of Forgiveness
18:35 The Dynamics of Status in Jacob and Esau's Relationship
21:08 Understanding Honor Cultures and Their Implications
25:17 The Shift from Honor Culture to Individual Agency
29:29 Modern Applications of Ancient Principles of Reconciliation
33:24 Introducing The Bible Bar Podcast

In this eye-opening conversation, PhD researcher Abigail Pasiuk joins Dr. Dru Johnson to explore how the Hebrew Bible can inform modern conversations about mass incarceration. Drawing on her personal experience—her father’s time in federal prison—and academic research at Oxford, Abby offers a theologically rich critique of retributive justice models prevalent in the U.S. prison system.

She explains how biblical justice prioritizes restoration and dignity rather than dehumanization, citing key themes such as the Shema and imago Dei. Abby shares firsthand accounts from interviews with incarcerated individuals, exposing everyday indignities—from food labeled “not for human consumption” to being stripped of identity and reduced to a number. With over 80% recidivism in the U.S., Abby points to countries like Norway where restorative practices and the “principle of normalcy” have dramatically reduced reoffense.

The episode challenges listeners to rethink what justice should look like through a biblical lens: not just punishment, but humanizing correction rooted in love. It’s a conversation that bridges theology, criminology, and real human stories—urging the church to see prisoners not as disposable, but as image-bearers.

Follow Abigail's work here:
https://www.theology.ox.ac.uk/people/abigail-pasiuk

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Chapter:
00:00 Abigail's Journey to Oxford
08:26 The PhD Experience at Oxford
17:18 Research Focus: Mass Incarceration and Justice
27:09 Critique of the Prison System and Alternatives