After Class Podcast

Latest Episodes:

6.42 - God's People & Violence: Part Sixteen - Just Walk Away Oct 16, 2023

Show notes

A few more passages, principles, and... perplexities?

The guys open to more listener-provided verses in today's episode addressing Revelation, Maccabees, and Centurion encounters with Jesus & the Holy Spirit. We are to overcome evil with good and turn the other cheek. But is there ever a time for avoidance? Alternatively, can there be a place for the use of violence if it is part of your job?

6.41 - God's People & Violence: Part Fifteen - Jawbones, Tent Posts & Spears, Oh My! Oct 09, 2023

Show notes

In today's episode, the guys begin to wind down the series and respond to listener emails.

If God's people are not supposed to use violence, what do we make about the story of Phinehas? What about Jael, Nehemiah, and the Judges of the Old Testament?

Today you get your answer.

6.40 - God's People & Violence: Part Fourteen - Death & Defence Oct 02, 2023

Show notes

The temptation to use violence often comes from our desire to defend our belongings or our lives. We need to stop the narrative of acceptable violence and move toward maturity, actively pursuing peace and break through the power of enmity. In today's episode, the guy's survey multiple New Testament passages in rapid succession and ask the question, "Where does violence fit in with God's people?"

6.39 - God's People & Violence: Part Thirteen - Peace or Pugnacity? Sep 25, 2023

Show notes

Embracing Christ's example involves active participation. When we face revilement, will we respond with blessings? When persecution arises, will we endure with grace? When slander is directed at us, will we reply with kindness? Are we prepared to forsake worldly ideologies and wholeheartedly embrace an alternative way of life, even in the face of worldly opposition? We must ask ourselves, 'Which holds greater power: worldly violence or the path of Christ?'

Tune in for Sam, John, and Ron's discussion on the matter.

6.38 - God's People & Violence: Part Twelve - Just for Jesus Sep 18, 2023

Show notes

Jesus was a pacifist, committed to enemy love, committed to peace, and renounced the sword… but that was Jesus. His unique vocation was to take on all the evil of the world and defeat it on the cross. We should not believe that Jesus expected his followers to do the same… or should we?

Join Ron, John, and Sam as they test that claim, beginning in Romans and continuing forward in the letters. Will the thesis stand up, or will the guys debunk flawed theology?

Tune in to find out.

On campus announcement!

Restoration Appreciation Week

Join us on campus or online on October 17th and 20th 2023.

6.37 - God's People & Violence: Part Eleven - Cloaks and Swords Sep 11, 2023

Show notes

Today, the guys turn to Luke 22 and Jesus' instruction to bring a sword. Why do they need it? Did Jesus change his mind? Was it just to fulfill prophecy? Is it just a practical tool for the road? Is it metaphorical, or perhaps it was Jesus in a moment of temptation? Join Sam, John, and Ron as they test the strength of these theories and more…

And what should we make of Jesus flipping tables and using a whip?

6.36 - God's People & Violence: Part Ten - When Forgiveness Begets Violence Sep 04, 2023

Show notes

"If you are not in the business of forgiving other people, then God is not in the business of forgiving you."

Today's episode challenges many cultural norms and interpretations of how Christians should respond to violence. The guys open to Matthew to see how forgiveness ties into our study of violence. Instead of asking, "When is it appropriate for me to act violently," we should ask, "How can I be as forgiving as the Lord?"

But how do we reconcile the above with Jesus' words, "I have not come to bring peace, but a sword."

Tune in to find out!

6.35 - God's People & Violence: Part Nine - Peace Makers & Keepers Aug 28, 2023

Show notes

Blessed are the peacemakers, and those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake… This week, the guys delve into Matthew and his recording of Jesus' words from the Sermon on the Mount. What is the difference between a peacemaker and a peacekeeper? Which should we be? Does peace only come under the threat of violence? Do the teachings of Christ undermine our inclination to defend ourselves? All this and more in today's episode of the After Class Podcast.

6.34 - God's People & Violence: Part Eight - Setting The Stage Aug 21, 2023

Show notes

New Testament. New context. Join Sam, John, and Ron in today's episode as they set the stage for understanding the New Testament's view of violence, providing insight into the shift in the Israelite mindset. Once a people in a land God provided, now strangers in a land owned by foreign rulers. How did this new cultural, social, and political-economic structure affect the way they understood God's purpose for them? And how does it inform our understanding of violence and God's people today? Tune in to find out!"

6.33 - God's People & Violence: Part Seven - Wisdom or Walls Aug 14, 2023

Show notes

This week the guys turn to the pages of wisdom literature in their study of Christian violence in the Bible.

In today's episode, John, Sam, and Ron unpack "a time for war" in Ecclesiastes and examine the revenge of God's people in the book of Esther.

How do those who find wisdom find peace, according to wisdom literature?

Also, tune in for a special promotion for the high school students in your life!