Theology in the Raw

Does the Bible support capitalism or socialism—or challenge both? What do Jesus’ teachings about wealth, the early church’s shared possessions, and the Old Testament’s economic laws mean for Christians today?
Dr. Michael Rhodes joins Preston to explore what Scripture says about money, work, poverty, generosity, and economic justice. From Jubilee and debt forgiveness to the difference between earning a profit and maximizing it, Michael challenges us to consider how following Jesus should shape our entire economic life.
We also wrestle with the role of government in helping the poor, minimum wage debates, the dangers of concentrated wealth and power, Michael’s critique of Elon Musk and the USAID cuts, and a question raised by When Helping Hurts: Can our generosity actually harm the people we want to help?
Michael Rhodes holds a PhD from the University of Aberdeen and lectures in Old Testament at Carey Baptist College in New Zealand. His books include Just Discipleship, Practicing the King’s Economy (coauthored), and Reimagining Biblical Politics.

CHAPTERS
00:00 “I Am the Rich Person”
00:36 Introducing Dr. Michael Rhodes
01:44 How Should We Read the Bible on Economics?
05:06 Jubilee, Land Ownership, and Care for the Poor
08:57 Beyond Charity: A Soup Kitchen or a Potluck?
10:49 Why Did the Early Christians Sell Their Possessions?
15:23 Did Jesus Expect Everyone to Give Everything Away?
18:43 The Bible’s Warnings About Wealth Apply to Us
19:46 Should Biblical Economics Shape Government Policy?
22:36 Daniel, Proverbs, and Challenging Those in Power
27:35 Can We Trust the Government to Help the Poor?
31:15 Minimum Wage: Moving Beyond Political Talking Points
38:24 A Business Owner Rethinks Profit—and Encounters Bad Policy
41:10 Biblical Principles for Work, Generosity, and Economic Life
44:15 Food Aid, Debt Forgiveness, and Breaking Cycles of Poverty
46:59 Capitalism, Socialism, or Something Else?
49:12 Is Profit Maximization Against God’s Will?
50:29 Billionaires, Government, and Concentrated Power
52:57 Elon Musk, USAID, and Christian Responsibility
55:54 When Party Loyalty Overrides Our Convictions
57:38 When Helping Hurts: Can Generosity Do Harm?
62:30 Reimagining Biblical Politics
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Is the gospel simply about having our sins forgiven so we can go to heaven? N.T. Wright joins Preston to explore how Isaiah changes the way we understand Jesus, salvation, and the announcement that “Jesus is Lord.”
Drawing on his book, Into the Heart of Isaiah: The Meaning and Message of Isaiah 40–55, Tom walks us through the story of God’s return, the suffering servant, and the renewal of creation. Who is Isaiah’s servant: Israel, Jesus, or both? How does Isaiah help us understand John’s Gospel and Jesus’ parables? And why would the early Christian announcement of good news challenge the most powerful empire in the world?
We also discuss biblical authorship and inspiration, the idols Christians can remain captive to, what Jesus’ authority means for earthly politics, and how to read the Old Testament without missing the bigger picture.
N.T. Wright is a New Testament scholar, former Bishop of Durham, and senior research fellow at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. His many books include Surprised by Hope, Simply Christian, and After You Believe.
In our Extra Innings conversation, I ask Tom why he believes women can serve in every position of church leadership. Hear his response, including his reflections on Mary Magdalene and Phoebe, by joining the Theology in the Raw community:
https://www.patreon.com/theologyintheraw

CHAPTERS
00:00 Is our gospel missing something?
00:46 Introducing N.T. Wright and the gospel in Isaiah
03:18 Why a New Testament scholar studies Isaiah
05:08 Why Isaiah 40–55 belongs together
07:55 Who wrote Isaiah, and does it matter?
09:30 Can God inspire editors?
12:25 Exile, the temple, and God’s promised return
16:07 Why God works through human beings
17:00 Israel, the servant, and renewed creation
19:19 Sponsor: Boll & Branch
20:26 Is the suffering servant Israel or Jesus?
24:18 How Isaiah shapes the New Testament
26:32 A gospel bigger than escaping the world
27:18 Isaiah behind John’s Gospel and Jesus’ parables
31:12 What “good news” means in Isaiah
33:25 Is the gospel more than forgiveness?
34:10 Jesus, Caesar, and the power of the cross
35:47 “Jesus is Lord” and turning from idols
37:17 What does Jesus’ authority on earth look like?
38:24 The politically subversive message of Jesus
40:08 American polarization and the church
41:28 How to read Isaiah without getting lost
46:05 N.T. Wright, the Beatles, and Coldplay
48:43 Advice for preaching Isaiah
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Is the death penalty biblical? Should Christians support capital punishment—or does following Jesus lead us toward a different understanding of justice, mercy, and redemption?
Shane Claiborne joins me to discuss what the Bible says about the death penalty and why we both changed our minds. We explore Old Testament laws, Jesus’ teaching on “an eye for an eye,” the early church’s response to violence, and whether Romans 13 justifies capital punishment.
But this conversation goes beyond biblical interpretation. Shane shares stories from years of visiting people on death row, including encounters with people who were later exonerated, families of murder victims, and a former executioner. We wrestle with difficult questions: Can you be pro-life and support the death penalty? What about justice for victims? And what does it mean to believe that no one is beyond redemption?
Shane is an author, activist, and co-founder of Red Letter Christians. His books include Executing Grace: How the Death Penalty Killed Jesus and Why It’s Killing Us and Rethinking Life.
For my further thoughts on Romans 13 and the death penalty, join the Theology in the Raw community and watch or listen to Extra Innings:
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CHAPTERS
00:00 The Bible Belt is the death belt
00:33 Why Christians are debating the death penalty
05:27 Shane Claiborne: Why I changed my mind
08:32 How the death penalty works in practice
10:18 Who gets executed? Race, poverty, and geography
12:05 The human cost of death row
14:11 Can people on death row change?
16:50 What does biblical justice look like?
17:37 Don Johnson: Redemption on death row
20:01 What about the victims?
23:59 Forgiveness after the Charleston church shooting
25:10 Christian leaders and the death penalty
26:36 An invitation to pray on death row
29:20 Does the Old Testament justify capital punishment?
30:44 Jesus and “an eye for an eye”
31:54 The early church on killing and state violence
35:38 Why Christians still defend the death penalty
37:07 Reading Old Testament laws as Christians
39:22 Wrongful convictions and trusting the state
41:10 Race, wealth, and unequal justice
43:56 A Jewish perspective on the death penalty
44:48 Does Romans 13 support the death penalty?
47:50 The Reformation and the power of the state
49:58 Wrestling with a change of mind
51:12 Firing squads and the toll on executioners
52:54 Forgiveness, consequences, and the gospel
53:37 Shane’s books and further resources
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Have we lost something in communion? Is the Lord’s Supper simply a symbol that reminds us of Jesus’ death, or is something more happening when we receive the bread and wine?
Anglican priest Hannah Miller King joins Preston to explore the Eucharist and its role in spiritual formation. They discuss Catholic, Protestant, and Anglican understandings of Christ’s presence, why communion has become an afterthought in some churches, and whether we should expect to feel anything when we take it.
Drawing from her book, Feasting on Hope: How God Sets a Table in the Wilderness, Hannah shares how communion has shaped her experience of grief, belonging, and healing. They also discuss her experience as a female priest and how Christians can remain in fellowship while disagreeing about women in church leadership.
In Extra Innings, Preston asks Hannah why some evangelicals are drawn to Anglican, Catholic, and Orthodox churches. Hear her own journey and the extended conversation by joining the TITR community: https://www.patreon.com/theologyintheraw

CHAPTERS
00:00 Is communion more than an object lesson?
00:46 Have we lost something in communion?
04:35 Introducing Hannah Miller King
05:01 Different Christian views of the Eucharist
07:33 The early church, Luther, and Calvin
10:55 What can Christians agree on about communion?
13:34 Wasn’t the Lord’s Supper an actual meal?
17:03 Sponsors
19:09 Has communion become an afterthought?
20:42 Making the table central to worship
24:05 Wine, grape juice, and why the elements matter
26:24 Communion, grief, and those we’ve lost
29:43 What if I don’t feel anything?
33:25 Embodiment, trauma, and healing
37:58 Lament and the hope of resurrection
39:06 Bringing our suffering to the table
41:30 Teaching a richer understanding of communion
43:23 Being a female Anglican priest
47:25 Disagreeing about women’s ordination
49:41 Unity without agreeing on everything
51:57 Why male-only bishops?
55:15 Faith when the miracle doesn’t come
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Are evangelicals really defined by Donald Trump, culture wars, and the pursuit of political power? Or are we missing a much bigger picture?
Bonnie Kristian joins Preston to discuss her book, In Defense of Evangelicalism: A Response to Its Cultured Despisers. A journalist and deputy editor at Christianity Today, Bonnie offers a defense of evangelicalism while openly criticizing its failures and explaining why she isn’t a Trump supporter.
We explore what “evangelical” actually means, the accusations leveled against the movement, and why Bonnie believes some critiques overlook the ordinary faithfulness of millions of Christians. We also discuss evangelical support for Trump, what voting statistics can and can’t tell us, and the difference between voting for a candidate and embracing everything that candidate represents.
The conversation also tackles Christian nationalism, the line between voting your values and imposing your beliefs, evangelical attitudes toward war, and Bonnie’s disagreements with Jesus and John Wayne. Can we take evangelical hypocrisy seriously without reducing an entire movement to its worst examples? And can we criticize someone’s politics without dismissing their faith?
CHAPTERS
00:00 Critiquing politics without condemning people
00:30 Are evangelicals really that bad?
03:50 Introducing Bonnie Kristian
06:45 What does “evangelical” actually mean?
10:31 Why hesitate to call yourself evangelical?
11:41 Five accusations against evangelicalism
16:35 Are evangelical faith and Republican politics inseparable?
18:24 Putting the “81 percent” statistic in context
20:18 Why evangelicals vote for Trump
24:13 Culture wars, political power, and voting your values
27:12 When does voting your faith become Christian nationalism?
33:28 Defending evangelicals without supporting Trump
35:45 War, conscience, and rejecting both parties
39:28 Why do evangelicals support war?
43:48 Torture, the Golden Rule, and the influence of faith
45:58 Pushback on the book and Jesus and John Wayne
50:42 Why Bonnie won’t denounce evangelical Trump voters
53:36 Criticism, reform, and contempt for evangelicals
54:40 Engaging critics and knowing when to step away
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