Faith Improvised

Latest Episodes:

More on Sovereignty and Suffering Feb 16, 2021

Show notes

I respond to a bunch of questions I received based on the previous episode, and I recommend Kate Bowler's wonderful memoir, Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I've Loved, which is a personal and theological reflection on so many of the poor ways Christians have come to think about God in relation to human suffering.

God's Sovereignty and Human Suffering Feb 09, 2021

Show notes

I reflect on the character of antagonism and how patterns in evangelical culture make evangelicals susceptible to being drawn easily into antagonistic postures and patterns in the larger culture. I also recommend Manoush Zomorodi's fascinating book, Bored and Brilliant: How Spacing Out Can Unlock Your Most Productive and Creative Self, and I talk about how the Bible depicts God's sovereignty and how that relates to human suffering, among other dynamics in our experience.

Pappy O'Daniel Power Hour Feb 02, 2021

Show notes

I have a conversation with my friend Steve Watkins about a variety of topics: how our thinking has developed over the years, what to do about misinformation and conspiracy theories, and we drop some Coen references along the way. I also recommend Anne Applebaum's important new book, Twilight of Democracy.

The Importance of Listening to *Others* Jan 26, 2021

Show notes

I offer some ruminations from the past week, I talk about Bruce Longenecker's wonderful book, The Lost Letters of Pergamum, which is one of the best resources for getting into the world of the New Testament, and I reflect on the strategic importance of listening to those our culture *others*, especially when it comes to realities like cruciformity.

It's a Putsch! Jan 19, 2021

Show notes

In this first episode of season 2, I answer a question about evangelical engagement with the Bible, I talk about my new book, Power in Weakness, which is about Paul as a pastor, and I reflect a bit on current events, especially the attempted putsch on January 6 and what that portends for America in coming days.

Paul's Apparently "Clear" Teaching About Christian Families Dec 22, 2020

Show notes

I offer a few observations and reflections from the past week, I recommend Seth Dowland's fascinating book, Family Values and the Rise of the Christian Right, and I talk about the Household Code in Ephesians 5-6 as an instance of how modern Bible readers can misread an apparently clear passage when they don't understand ancient and modern historical contexts.

The (un)Gospel of Mark, Pt. 8 Dec 15, 2020

Show notes

I reflect a bit on evangelical faulty logic that keeps us from loving our neighbors, I talk about a wonderful resource for understanding Mark in its Jewish context, and I conclude my series on Mark's Gospel.

Race, Patriarchy, the SBC, and Lessons We Don't Learn Dec 08, 2020

Show notes

I talk about the statement issued by SBC seminary presidents rejecting Critical Race Theory and why that signals a resistance to the difficult but life-giving work of gospel-oriented justice. I also talk about Beth Allison Barr’s upcoming book, The Making of Biblical Womanhood, which is a brilliant analysis of how evangelical patriarchy uses the Bible to endorse gender hierarchies that the gospel deconstructs.

The (un)Gospel of Mark, Pt. 7 Dec 01, 2020

Show notes

I offer a few reflections and observations from the past week, I recommend Luke Timothy Johnson's new book on Paul's letters and theology, and I talk about the narrative dynamics of what is going on in chapter 14 of Mark's Gospel.

The (un)Gospel of Mark, Pt. 6 Nov 24, 2020

Show notes

I talk about some events of the recent week, along with offering a few other random thoughts, I recommend Scot McKnight's book, Reading Romans Backwards, and I explore some of what is going on in Mark 13, which has huge implications for being Christian while a pandemic is raging.

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