TheoDisc Podcast: Recent Episodes
WTC Theology
TheoDisc is a podcast by WTC faculty and friends with fortnightly episodes on theological ideas that will hopefully stimulate you to pursue your own theological learning and ultimately to deepen your faith. It is a place of discussion and debate, and a place to hear a variety of voices. We do hope you enjoy listening!
TheoDisc is part of WTC Theology: https://wtctheology.org.uk/
A conversation about Thomas Aquinas and the infused moral virtuesHow does the grace of God change a person? And how can we account for the times when grace most definitely has not changed a person? Thomas Aquinas, spoke of virtue, both natural and supernatural, that helped form a Christian’s moral character. In Prof Angela Knobel's book, Aquinas and the Infused Moral Virtues, she navigates a path to help us understand the relationship between those virtues we can develop in our own right, and those gifted to us by grace, as she aims to help us see the root of the challenges we face in our Christian formation. She joins Kenny on this episode of TheoDisc as they talk about the virtues and Aquinas. Enjoy!
SHOW NOTES
Get Angela’s book: HERE
Listen to Angela lecture on Aquinas and the infused moral virtues: HERE
Why the church needs artists againOur guest on this episode of TheoDisc, Martin Young, says that the seeds of prophetic re-engagement with the arts are starting to bloom within the church today. In this conversation, Kenny and Martin talked about his theme book for Spring Harvest called No Greater Life, how Mark’s gospel contains enormous dramatic potential, and how creatives can have a place in the church where their giftings contribute to and enhance our kingdom mission. We hope you enjoy this conversation around No Greater Life, the Gospel of Mark, and the prophetic potential of the arts.
SHOW NOTES
Get Martin’s book: HERE
Get the Leader's Toolkit: HERE
Visit Spring Harvest: HERE
Find out more about Saltmine Theatre Company: HERE
Dallas Willard’s Formational Theology and Missional VisionThe late Dallas Willard has had a profound impact on the way many Christians have understood the kingdom of God, discipleship to Jesus, and spiritual formation. His book, The Divine Conspiracy has been deeply revered and discussed ever since its publication. Yet, Dallas’ main concern, that Christians would belong to church communities where they would be taught as apprentices to Jesus, growing in Christlikeness in preparation for sharing in God’s good rule, has not always been fully embraced. Recently, Dallas’ work has increasingly been the subject of academic study, and one such example is the recent publication from Dr Keas Keasler entitled Kingdom Apprenticeship: Dallas Willard’s Formational Theology and Missional Vision. In this study, Keas draws together all of the strands of Willard’s work on formation to present a holistic picture of his vision for Christian discipleship.
SHOW NOTES
Find Keas' book HERE
'The Good Life' in Relation to the Christian FaithWhen you think about the apostle Paul writing his letters to the churches, what do you think of as his primary aim? His letters are so filled with deep theological truth that they are often taught as if Paul’s main concern was that the churches believed the right things. This is almost certainly part of what Paul was aiming at. But to what end? What if Paul was not just teaching right belief, but how Christians should live ‘The Good Life’, and that good life as God defines it in Christ rather than how the surrounding philosophies and cultures defined it? That’s the contention of our guest on this episode of TheoDisc, Dr Joshua Jipp.
SHOW NOTES
Find Joshua’s books: HERE
Find out more about Joshua: HERE
The Spirituality and Lived Experience of Black British Pentecostal WomenFor those who are in the majority of a majority culture, practices, language and values are often considered to be the neutral baseline, the normal where everyone starts from. As a result, the experience, wisdom, and perspectives of people of different cultures can go unconsidered, or be framed as ‘outside the norm’. This is as true in the church as it is in wider society. One such perspective is that of Black Female Pentecostals, whose lived experience has much to teach the church about spirituality and vibrant faith. Our guest on this episode of TheoDisc, Dr Marcia Clarke, has worked to draw attention to the faith expression of African-Caribbean women in the Pentecostal tradition in the UK, and what we might learn from their powerful witness. We do hope you enjoy this episode!
SHOW NOTES
Get Marcia’s book: HERE
Visit Marcia’s website: HERE
What the Book of Numbers Teaches the Church About LeadershipWe have all skipped Numbers when reading through the Bible, but in this episode of TheoDisc, Kenny speaks with Michael Morales about how the book of Numbers contains some of the most vital elements of Israel’s story. His two volume commentary on the book proves there is more to it than a series of lists! Michael maintains that at the core of the book are lessons on leadership, including crises and failure – something which the western evangelical church needs to heed in our present moment. Enjoy!
SHOW NOTES
Michaels’ Numbers Commentary: HERE
Find Michael’s books: HERE
An exploration of the person of Blandina, martyrdom, and the visibility of the glorified Christ in witness of Christians.On this episode of TheoDisc, Kenny is joined by Dr Amy Brown Hughes, who talks about early Christian martyrs, particularly a woman called Blandina. She helps us see that not only did these martyrs identify with Christ in their sacrifice, but Christ also identifies with them. Blandina shows us that, in our sufferings for Christ, He identifies so closely with us that people see him when they look at our faithfulness. Enjoy!
SHOW NOTES
Purchase Amy's book, Christian Women in the Patristic World: HERE
Listen to OnScript podcast: HERE
A Scholarly Discussion on Women, Leadership, and the ChurchPreston Sprinkle's latest book, From Genesis to Junia: An Honest Search For What The Bible Really Says About Women In Leadership takes an exegetical journey through the Scriptures, and Preston’s consequent change of mind from a default complementarian position to the belief that women can lead and teach in the church without restriction. Some women responding have offered critique while remaining thankful for Preston’s overall work in the book, including Beth Allison Barr, who published a response on her Substack which Preston has engaged with. We wanted to invite both of them onto TheoDisc to have a scholarly conversation where agreements and disagreements could be aired, and Preston could respond and clarify. That’s the conversation we have on this episode of TheoDisc. Enjoy!
SHOW NOTES
Get Preston’s books, including ‘From Genesis to Junia’: HERE
Theology in the Raw podcast: HERE
Get Beth’s books: HERE
Watch our previous interview with Beth: HERE
The Theology of Life as a ChristianThe Christian world is awash with ideas around Spiritual Formation and what it means to live life as a Christian. Often, these ideas focus on our initiation of disciplines, practices and rhythms of life in order see Christ at work in our everyday living. But our guest on this episode, Kelly Kapic, says that our life in Christ must ultimately be grounded in the life of the Trinity, a life we are invited to share in through our union with Him. This is, Kelly claims, how Christian life, no matter your denomination or tradition, is sustained.
SHOW NOTES
Buy Kelly's books: HERE
Visit Kelly’s website: HERE
How the church participates in the ongoing healing work of the Holy SpiritOn this episode, Kenny speaks with Dr David C Wang about Trauma, the Holy Spirit, and Spiritual Formation. How does Trauma affect us as whole beings, and how does the Holy Spirit offer us hope for spiritual formation when we experience its long term effects? What if those effects include spiritual trauma that damage our relationship with the church and with God? May this episode be helpful to you.
Read David's paper 'Trauma, the Holy Spirit, and Spiritual Formation': HERE
Find out more about David and his work: HERE
Reclaiming the importance of the ascensionJesus’ incarnation, death and resurrection are core to our understanding of the gospel. But his ascension can often be treated as a postscript, or even a kind of sad ending to the gospel narratives where Jesus disappears–to where we’re not entirely sure–and we are left with the hope he will one day return. Our guest on this episode, Ross Hastings, has observed that the ascension is not often taught or preached about, and consequently, we miss the magnitude and implications of all that it consummates in Jesus’ kingdom mission, all that it continues to mean for us now, and all that it promises in the future. His book, The Glory of the Ascension, threads numerous theological themes through this event in an attempt to reclaim its importance for Christian communities. Enjoy!
SHOW NOTES
Find Ross’ books: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Ross-Hastings/author/B00DWG2L3I
Follow Ross on Social Media: https://x.com/WRossHastings
The Assurance of Hope in Christ's ReturnTerror and dread are often how we can still feel about Jesus’ return. Talk of the end times sounds either like the world’s worst conspiracy theory, or feels just too complex to figure out. And yet, the Scriptures talk about the coming day of the Lord... Kenny's guest on this episode of TheoDisc is Dr Sydney Tooth, and she says that 1 & 2 Thessalonians have a particularly rich message of hope in the coming of Christ, and that they are texts that should be opened more by the church. So they have been talking about Paul, Thessalonians, and the return of Jesus. Enjoy!
Show Notes
Read Sydney’s Thesis: https://era.ed.ac.uk/handle/1842/36797
The Two Cities Podcast: https://thetwocities.com
Spiritual Flourishing in a Productivity-Driven CultureWine isn’t instantaneous, and neither is our spiritual formation. This is why Jesus describes us as branches connected to him as our vine and our source. If Jesus uses this metaphor for our discipleship, then perhaps we should invest a little bit of time in learning how vine branches bear healthy fruit that is in season. That’s the focus of the latest book from Bette Dickinson, who has written The Art of Vinemaking: Spiritual Flourishing in a Productivity-Driven Culture as a call to disciples of Christ to discover or return to the rhythms and cycles that God intends for us to blossom in fullness of life. Her ultimate goal is to create safe and sacred spaces for people to encounter the boundless love of God, and that is evident from her chat with Kenny in this episode of TheoDisc. Enjoy!
SHOW NOTES
Bette’s website: https://www.bettedickinson.com/
Get Bette’s books: https://bit.ly/3MSa3YV
A Christian Response to PolarisationHow do we love our enemies in a polarised world? It’s difficult to engage with those we have deep disagreements with, and doing so can often feel like compromising on our own convictions. This is particularly true with religious or political groups, and Christians can often become entrenched in their positions and unable to meaningfully connect with those we disagree with. On this episode, Kenny is speaking to Dr David Stuart about his Doctoral thesis entitled: Learning to Love - a Theological Response to our Polarised World. He proposes a way to love our enemies as Christ commands us to, and open ourselves to seeing them and ourselves in a new, more clear light - even becoming more faithful to our own commitment to Christ in the process. Enjoy!
SHOW NOTES
Read David’s thesis: https://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/handle/10023/32013
Find out more about David: https://wtctheology.org.uk/locations/scotland/
Contact David: david.stuart@wtctheology.org.uk
How Interpretation Shaped Our View of WomenOn this episode of TheoDisc, Kenny's guest is Mary Thomason, who is currently engaged in doctoral work about re-establishing a trust in the divine voice within Scripture which undoes the common ways women have been made to feel less than men, and by telling a redeeming narrative of women who are chosen and trusted by God. Her heart is that women and men would be released to be empowered by God without the burden of harmful interpretation which harms both women and men. We know you will enjoy this episode!
Kenny's guest on this episode of TheoDisc is Revd Dr Hugh Osgood, who has been working to bring about unity between African, Caribbean, and majority-white congregations since the 1980’s. His book, Evangelical And African Pentecostal Unity, details the challenges and successes of such efforts up until the year 2005. Kenny and Hugh spoke about what has happened in the intervening years, and Hugh’s sense of next steps for a united church across the UK. Enjoy!
SHOW NOTES
Hugh’s website: hughosgood.com
‘Evangelical and African Pentecostal Unity’: amzn.eu/d/4AGfcyg
Hugh’s books: hughosgood.com/books
Churches in Communities International: cicinternational.org/
Communion, the Lord’s Supper, the Eucharist – whatever you call it in your church tradition, we’re asking the question today about the place it plays in our gathered communities and our expectation of the work of the Spirit in and through this sacramental meal. In this episode of TheoDisc Podcast, Kenny is joined by Florian Simatupang, a pentecostal theologian from Indonesia whose latest book, The Eucharistic Spirit, explores the ways the Spirit engages the people of God through our taking of the bread and wine. These are the ingredients, so to speak, that can empower us to remember the past, experience unity and missional purpose in the present, and look forward to the future coming of the Kingdom. Enjoy!
SHOW NOTES
Florian’s Book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/author/B0F2ZB35ZY/
More about Florian and Christ the King Church: https://ctkchurch.id/oyan
In this episode of Theodisc, Kenny speaks with Mark Glanville, a professional jazz musician, theologian and preacher, about the evolving landscape of preaching in a post-Christian culture. They discuss the importance of creativity, community, and curiosity in preaching, as well as the metaphor of jazz as a way to approach the art of preaching. Mark emphasises the need for preachers to adapt their methods to connect with contemporary audiences while remaining rooted in scripture. This is also the first TheoDisc guest who has played an instrument live on the show!
SHOW NOTES
Find Mark’s Books: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Mark-Glanville/author/B0CHY78JFW
Visit Mark’s website: https://www.markglanville.org/
God at Work in PrisonsThis episode of TheoDisc comes to you during Prisons Week which takes place each year from the second Sunday of October and encourages the church to pray for prisoners and their families, those victims of and affected by crime and those working in the criminal justice system. It also aims to focus the Christian community on how we can join with what God is doing in prisons, where WTC has begun to provide theological training. It was in, what he calls "the pit", that Steven became a Christian, and after his release he studied theology with WTC and is about to matriculate at the University of Oxford. They spoke about his life experience, his reflections of prison, and the hope he has for more prisoners to come into a deep connection with God through theological study. Joining them in the conversation is Sarah Coppin, the Programme Director for WTC’s prison programme.
SHOW NOTES
Find out about WTC’s Prison Programme: https://wtctheology.org.uk/prison-programme/
Participate in Prisons Week: https://www.prisonsweek.org/
Following Jesus in the Tough TimesEven though Jesus says that those who follow him will have many trials and sorrows in this world, it’s still the case that we tend to view suffering as something to be avoided, or eliminated from our experience of faith. Perhaps this is rooted in a faulty gospel that proclaims, ‘follow Jesus and he will take away not only your sin, but your troubles too’. Dr Craig Keener has recently written an article called, How To Succeed at Suffering which might help us to accept that taking up our cross is central to the way we follow after our crucified Lord, and in this episode of TheoDisc, he chats with Kenny about the biblical basis for suffering as part of our discipleship.
SHOW NOTES
Craig’s Article: https://influencemagazine.com/en/Practice/How-to-Succeed-at-Suffering
Craig’s Books: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Craig-S.-Keener/author/B000APBKEK
Craig’s conversation with Lucy Peppiatt on ‘The Mind of the Spirit’: https://youtu.be/XbQVoPxv6IY
A Biblical Theology for a Decolonised MissionWe're back! After a bit of an hiatus over the summer, TheoDisc is pleased to be bringing you some truly insightful chats with truly insightful theologians again!
Our guest on this episode of TheoDisc, Rev Dr Israel Olofinjana, wants us to consider the ways that western Christian mission has been deeply influenced by the powers of colonisation, and that those influences are still felt today by people from the Majority World. By drawing us back to Jesus’ own experience and ministry under a colonial power, Israel provokes the church to consider ways that we can reflect Jesus’ subversive practices that witness to the way the kingdom of God overturns the power structures and patterns of worldly powers. In order for that to happen, Israel says, we need to decolonise the way we view Christian mission with Jesus as our guide. Enjoy!
SHOWNOTES:
Israel’s essay, ‘Why Did Jesus Speak Aramaic?’: https://bit.ly/3SIUaE9
Israel’s Books: https://bit.ly/4l6kUuu
Israel’s Blog: https://israelolofinjana.wordpress.com/
Crystal Downing is our guest on this episode of TheoDisc, and her latest book, The Wages of Cinema, speaks to the connection between film and faith, but not in the way you might expect. Plenty of authors have tried to extract moral or spiritual lessons from the narrative of a film, but Crystal challenges us to pay attention to the details, the structure, the way films are constructed that might give us theological insight. Connecting the language and history of film with theology, church, work, and the riches of Christian symbolism, Crystal challenges us to move beyond film as entertainment towards film as a powerful force that reveals truth, goodness and beauty.
Find Crystal’s books: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Crystal-L.-Downing/author/B078WL2GWL
An exploration of WTC’s vision to deliver theological education to people in prisonsAt WTC, we’ve never held theology, the presence of the Spirit, and daily life, mission, and ministry as separate or in competition. Instead, we believe that good theology contributes to Spiritually-formed people who express the kingdom of God wherever they are. That’s why, on this episode of TheoDisc, Kenny talked with Sarah Coppin about the way God has enabled WTC to take accredited theological education into prison so that prisoners can be equipped and empowered in faith and ministry. Enjoy!
Find out more about WTC’s Prison Programme: HERE
What do theology and spiritual formation have to do with one another? Lucy Peppiatt has found many ways in which she has taught and encouraged the integration of study and deep spiritual formation at WTC. We are delighted to have her on this episode to share how theological study can be a foundation for wholeness, maturity, and formation into Christlikeness.
If you would like to explore what studying theology would look like for you, then please visit wtctheology.org.uk. All of our programmes are part-time and are designed to fit around life, work, and church, because we believe that embarking on a journey of study can be transformational for you and your faith in Jesus. We have multiple study options available, so visit our website to find out more.
SHOW NOTES
Lucy’s books: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Lucy-Peppiatt/author/B00A4LNCS2
Study with WTC: wtctheology.org.uk
Kyle Strobel on TheoDisc: https://youtu.be/9dibh6Qxh7c
Kyle Stobel’s Substack Article, ‘A Training in Wisdom and Love’: https://kylestrobel.substack.com/p/a-training-in-wisdom-and-in-love
How do we really love God with our minds? For Christians the emphasis is often on loving the Lord with our heart, soul and strength, but when it comes to our minds, there can be some reticence. There can be a real pressure in the church to act as if we know it all, or a fear that theology and learning might lead us to not know what we believe. The call to love God with our minds has never been more important. On this episode of Theodisc, Kenny is joined by AJ Swoboda, who thinks that learning is deeply embedded in the Christian tradition. He contends that our faith gives us tools and examples of how we can learn to be the best learners – and not just for the sake of knowledge, but in order to be Christ’s faithful witnesses in our world. We hope you learn as much as we have from this episode!
SHOW NOTES
Get AJ’s book, ‘A Teachable Spirit’ - https://amzn.eu/d/4NSunXm
Read AJ’s Substack - https://ajswoboda.substack.com/
Listen to our previous episode with AJ: https://theodisc.podbean.com/e/aj-swoboda-the-gift-of-thorns/
Listen to the Slow Theology Podcast: https://ajswoboda.com/slow-theology-podcast/
On this episode of TheoDisc, Kenny and Amanda Bedzrah talk about Bathsheba - one of the most misunderstood figures in the Old Testament, often labelled as a seductress who, along with David, is complicit in an adultress affair. But a closer reading of the biblical text shows that she is a victim of an abuse of power. Amanda's latest book, Becoming Queen Bathsheba, is a fictional account of Bathsheba’s experience based on fidelity to the Scriptures, historical and cultural research, and the experiences of women across the Old Testament. Kenny and Amanda's discussion deals with some sensitive issues around trauma and abuse of power, because they are central to the Bathsheba narrative. We hope you find this episode encouraging and healing, as Amanda prays at the end of this episode.
SHOW NOTES
Amanda’s website: https://amandabedzrah.com/
Amanda’s books: https://bit.ly/4284uLq
The Empower A Woman Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@amandabedzrah/videos
On this episode of TheoDisc, Kenny is joined by Prof Beth Allison Barr, who talks about her new book, Becoming the Pastor's Wife, where she argues against a theology that says that leadership is not available to women. She discusses the role of women and their service in roles of leadership in the gospels and the early church, and how, in the history of the church, women's roles have often been hidden, forgotten or dismissed. In the 20th century, the role of ‘the Pastor’s Wife’ was equated with a ministry calling in itself, not as a leadership role, but to support and uphold the ministry of the male pastor. Kenny and Beth explore the ways that the ministry of women is valid without being attached to or subsumed by the role of men, and this episode promises to ruffle a few feathers. Enjoy!
SHOW NOTES
Beth’s Books: https://bit.ly/4cqk5cL
Beth’s website: https://www.bethallisonbarr.com/
On this episode of TheoDisc, Kenny chats with Prof John Walton about the BIG questions: Who are we and where did we come from? What happened at the beginning? And what is Genesis actually trying to tell us? This discussion unpacks the human condition, 'cultural rivers', and original sin, to name but a few of the themes that emerge when one has a chat with John Walton. Enjoy!
SHOWNOTES
John’s latest book New Explorations in the Lost World of Genesis is available HERE.
Beholding Christ with Artists, Mystics, and Theologians of the Middle AgesOn this episode of TheoDisc, Kenny is joined by Dr Grace Hamman, who is an expert in medieval studies and recently published her first book, Jesus through Medieval Eyes, a fascinating look at how Christians in the Middle Ages viewed and depicted Jesus through art and literature, and what we can learn from them today. In this discussion, they look at how Jesus was viewed as a Knight, a 'good Christian', and even as Mother! Kenny and Grace had a genuinely engaging and insightful chat, that would make you want to listen more... Enjoy!
SHOW NOTESGrace's blog and podcast - HERE
Buy Grace's book - HERE
On this episode of TheoDisc, Kenny is joined by Rev Dr Kate Coleman who, in her latest book, Metamorph, asks us to consider transformation at the heart of leadership as revealed in the Scriptures. What we mean by ‘results’ and ‘success’ can shift our priorities and result in leadership that can disconnect what we do from who we are. They had a conversation about healthy leadership that focuses on personal, community, and missional transformation. Enjoy!
SHOW NOTES
Get a copy of ‘Metamorph’: https://amzn.eu/d/efFen1B
Visit Next Leadership: https://nextleadership.co.uk
On this episode of TheoDisc, Kenny is joined again by Prof Scot McKnight who has written and taught extensively around the question: "What if we have got the Pharisees, and Jesus, wrong?" Scot argues that’s exactly what’s happened, and a more complete understanding of 1st Century Jewish tradition and culture contradicts much of what Christians have taught and believed about the Pharisees, shielding us from how Jesus might critique our own traditions. We hope you enjoy this episode!
Scot’s books - HERE
On this episode of TheoDisc, Kenny is joined by political theologian, Dr Roger Haydon Mitchell, whose starting point when reading the gospels, or indeed the whole Bible, is in a joining together of politics and love. This episode highlights a number of current issues facing the church today, from talking politics at the dinner table to living our lives in a Christlike manner, and Roger certainly does not tiptoe around any controversies. We hope you enjoy it as much as we have!
Show notes:
The Kenotic Way by Roger Mitchell - https://www.ashburnham.org.uk/kenotic-way/
The Kenarchy journal - https://kenarchy.org/
Roger's Books - https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Roger-Haydon-Mitchell/author/B00ENXHCII
Subscribe to TheoDisc here - https://wtctheology.org.uk/theodisc-podcast/
Have we made spritual disciplines a lifehack?On this episode of TheoDisc, Kenny's guest Kyle Strobel, invites us to consider that importing ancient practices of "spiritual formation" or "spritual disciplines" into our current cultural moment isn’t straightforward, and we need to be wary of the propensity in our time to market or refashion our spirituality into a cheaper, individualised, idealised version of what was originally intended. Kyle has written a post on a 'rule of life', which is what most of the conversation centres around. See the link for Kyle's substack below.
Show NotesKyle’s Substack: kylestrobel.substack.com
Kyle’s books: amazon.co.uk/stores/author/B001JS6EZ2
On this episode of TheoDisc, Kenny is joined by Kyle Hughes, who has detailed a journey of discovery in his book, ‘How the Spirit Became God’, and we’ll be talking not just about the development of a doctrine, but about how our understanding of the Spirit affects our practice and our experience of being drawn into the very life of God. Our belief in the Holy Spirit as the divine third person of the Trinity wasn’t always very clear, and the early church and Christian thinkers had to embark on a substantial journey of understanding the Spirit as co-equal with the Father and the Son. We hope you enjoy this episode with Kyle Hughes on How the Spirit became God.
You can purchase Kyle's book here: https://amzn.eu/d/isNWilf
Subscribe to TheoDisc here: https://theodisc.podbean.com/
A look at Kant, knowing God, and finding our identityThe question ‘who are you?’ has a whole set of assumptions behind it, and if we see identity as a key issue for our time now, then Immanuel Kant’s influence provides some explanation for how we have gotten here. Our guide through this philosophical and theological journey is Peter Hartwig, our guest for this episode of TheoDisc. Peter teaches Theological Anthropology at WTC. He currently serves as Director of Spiritual Life at Christ School in North Carolina where he gets to live out his passions for education, faith, and community-building. Peter received his B.A. in Religious Studies & Classics from the University of Virginia and went on to receive master’s degrees from the University of Cambridge and Princeton Theological Seminary.
In this episode of TheoDisc, Jennifer Powell-McNutt unpacks Mary Magdalene’s story and the way it has been told incorrectly, and helps us to see the powerful witness that she is to the resurrection of Jesus. Mary Magdalene is one of the most prominent figures in the gospel narratives, but is also one of the most misunderstood. Our perception of Mary’s character, story, and influence has often been obscured by assumption, confusion, mythology, and frankly, bad theology. Join us for this eye-opening conversation into the life and influence of Mary Magdalene.
SHOW NOTES
The Mary We Forgot: https://amzn.eu/d/5Yngwyl
Jennifer’s website: https://jenniferpowellmcnutt.com/popular-lay-writing
On this episode of TheoDisc, Kenny talks with Sarah Shin and Shin Maeng about their new children’s book, ‘The Deliverer Has Come’ an advent story that takes the fulfilment of Israel’s story in Jesus’ birth seriously while communicating effectively to children. We’ll also touch on some of the wider issues of communicating biblical truth to children. We hope you enjoy this fascinating episode!
Dr Sarah Shin and Shin Maeng are Korean Americans who live in Aberdeen in Scotland. Sarah teaches Charismatic evangelism and church planting at WTC and was recently awarded her PhD in Systematic Theology from the University of Aberdeen where she researched the connection between atonement and ethics. She is also the author of ‘Beyond Colourblind’ as well as ‘The Deliverer Has Come’. Shin is an artist and illustrator who holds an MA in Urban Leadership from Gordon Conwell. He loves music, stories, Marvel comics, and creating and has a passion for justice and seeing God move.
The Deliverer Has Come: https://amzn.eu/d/7m3daLp
YouVersion Devotional based on the book: https://www.bible.com/en/reading-plans/52263
Shin Maeng’s artwork: shinhappen.com
Welcome to TheoDisc episode 46, where Kenny is joined by Danielle Strickland! She is the founder of Boundless Enterprise which has launched multiple creative exploits. She hosts 'The Right Side Up' Podcast, and is the author of multiple books including 'The Liberating Truth' and 'The Other Side of Hope'. You can find out more about Danielle at her website daniellestrickland.com
In this episode we talk about her latest book, ‘Need To Know’ which is a collection of writings that Danielle has curated from diverse voices to speak about the need to empower female leaders in the church. Often those in church leadership don’t know what they don’t know, even if they are supportive of women in leadership - the cultural waters of patriarchy still create assumptions that need to be challenged. That’s the subject of our conversation and we hope you enjoy it.
In this episode of TheoDisc Podcast we are looking at Old Testament Foundations for Worship with Dr Freddy Hedley. Often when we look at worship in the Old Testament, it can seem highly ritual, centred on external action, and more focussed on the inaccessibility of a holy God. There’s also a lot of blood which can be difficult to study. But Freddy contends that the foundation of worship in the Hebrew Scriptures is heart, presence, and engaging in relationship with God, and we’re going to unpack that today, and how it might help us think about our contemporary worship contexts. This is a bumper episode, so settle in and enjoy this exploration of Old Testament worship with Freddy Hedley.
In episode 44 of TheoDisc, Kenny's guest is is Jack Levison, who has recently released a revised edition of his book Fresh Air. He brings some provocative questions to those of us who are charismatic, about the myriad of ways in which the scriptures describe spirit, both divine and human, and how we experience the work and presence of the Spirit of God in our lives. We hope this conversation will give you some renewed ways to think about the way the Spirit of God is at work in our lives. Enjoy.
Jack Levison is the WJA Power Professor of Old Testament Interpretation and Biblical Hebrew at Southern Methodist University in Texas. He holds a BA from Wheaton Colleger, and MA from Cambridge University and a PhD from Duke University. His areas of research interest include Pneumatology; Interpretation of the Adam and Eve tradition; and Second Temple Judaism and he is the author of multiple books including Filled with the Spirit, In Search of the Spirit, A Boundless God, and Fresh Air.
Links:
Website: https://people.smu.edu/jacklevison/
Get ‘Fresh Air’: https://amzn.eu/d/9VAyX9H
Listen to Jack’s interview with Lucy Peppiatt, Nick Crawley and Matt Lynch: https://wtctheology.org.uk/theomisc/jack-levison-on-the-holy-spirit/
Welcome to this special edition of the TheoDisc podcast which was recorded live at the WTC residential in September 2024. Our Residential is a time when students from all of our Hubs around the UK and Northern Ireland gather together for a week of worship and learning, and we thought it would be fun to record an episode of TheoDisc with our student body as a live audience.
Our guest was Ben Blackwell who is our current Vice Principal. On the morning of the day we recorded the interview, we announced publicly that Ben would be taking over as Principal for WTC in January and Lucy Peppiatt, our current Principal would assume the role of President of the college. This conversation allowed us to explore Ben’s journey in academic theology, his vision for WTC’s future, and some of his own theological commitments including on the issue of justification.
If you are listening to this on audio, you can check out the video of the interview on our Youtube channel at youtube.com/wtctheology. If you are watching on Youtube, then please subscribe to our podcast on all good podcast providers - find links at wtctheology.org.uk/theodisc
In episode 42 of TheoDisc, Kenny chats with AJ Swoboda about his own experiences and wisdom around the topic of 'Desire'. He is genuinely someone who has wrestled with these things and is eager to help others walk in healing and renewal. In his book, The Gift of Thorns, he helps us to see that desire is actually fundamental to our humanity as God created us. This issue is disordered desire that needs to be brought into the light of God made known in Jesus and healed. We hope you enjoy this episode!
SHOW NOTES
Purchase The Gift of Thorns: https://amzn.eu/d/3gcwLwI
Visit AJ’s website: https://ajswoboda.com/
Subscribe to AJ’s Substack, Low-Level Theologian: https://ajswoboda.substack.com/
Listen to the Slow Theology podcast: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/3tpam-19c8dc/Slow-Theology-Simple-Faith-for-Chaotic-Times-Podcast
In episode 41 of TheoDisc, Kenny chats with Jared Michelson, who says that his journey into theological study not only saved his faith, but gave him tools with which to minister to people in the midst of the difficulties they face. Theological study made him a better pastor. It’s certainly what we believe at WTC where we aim to build up the church by equipping people for life work and ministry through Jesus-centred, Spirit-empowered theological study. Their discussion about how theology helps us as we minister on the ground in our everyday contexts, is certainly worth listening to. Enjoy!
For this standalone TheoDisc episode, we are re-releasing a previous episode where Kenny and Lucy Peppiatt had a chat with Tim Mackie from BibleProject a couple of years ago in Belfast. They found out more about his journey from being purely a biblical scholar, to gaining a deeper understanding of Systematic Theology and Christology, while looking at the early church fathers and mothers, and how it plays such a significant part in shaping and influencing our faith. Enjoy!
In episode 40 of TheoDisc, Kenny chats with Dr Tamara Knudson about oaths and vows in the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible), particularly in the stories of key women figures like Ruth, Hannah and Abigail. Tamara helps us understand the difference between an oath and a vow and how they hold profound and transformative potential as we recognise them in the Scriptural story.
Show Notes
Read Tamara’s thesis on oaths and vows in the Hebrew Bible, ‘She is More to You than Seven Sons’: https://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/10023/27441/Thesis-Tamara-Knudson-complete-version.pdf
Listen to Tamara teaching on Jepthah’s vow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iqLoz-1RVo
Next Episode
In our next episode, Kenny will be talking about Jared Michelson and the connection between what is often considered ‘high’ or ‘abstract’ theological doctrines and on the ground Christian Ministry.
In episode 39 of TheoDisc, Kenny is joined by Rev Dr Dennis Edwards, who says humility has been misunderstood, manipulated or marginalised, such that it’s been hidden away in a dark corner. But in his book, Humility Illuminated, Dennis wants to recover the biblical roots of humility, its importance for the character of the church, and the way it can bring healing and unity. That is the topic of their conversation, and makes for a brilliant episode. Enjoy!
Show Notes
Website: https://www.revdrdre.com/
Humility Illuminated Book: https://amzn.eu/d/0d47L0iX
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RevDrDre
NEXT EPISODE
In episode 40 of TheoDisc, Dr Tamara Knudson will be sharing from her work on the importance of oaths and vows in the Hebrew Bible, how they push the narrative forward, and particularly as they apply to women.
In episode 38 of TheoDisc, Kenny chats with Dr Nijay Gupta, who would say that weirdness was actually what made the early church attractive. Nijay’s latest book, Strange Religion, talks about how the First Christians were weird, dangerous and compelling. They spoke about how understanding the way these Christians navigated their world with the message of the gospel can help us in our present time and cultures. Enjoy!
Show Notes:
Strange Religion book: https://amzn.eu/d/3PegyH3
Slow Theology podcast: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/3tpam-19c8dc/Slow-Theology-Simple-Faith-for-Chaotic-Times-Podcast
Crux Sola blog: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/cruxsola/
Next Episode, Rev Dr Dennis Edwards talking about our need to rediscover a much misunderstood, avoided, or forgotten virtue - humility.
In episode 37 of TheoDisc, Kenny had a really insightful and helpful conversation with Terran Williams on Paul’s instruction in his first letter to Timothy, commonly translated in our English Bibles as ‘I do not permit a woman to teach or have authority over a man’. They focussed in on what is happening in 1 Tim 2 concerning women teaching and leading in the church. We hope you find it helpful for your own understanding.
More about Terran Williams:
Website: terranwilliams.com
Book: ‘How God Sees Women: The End of Patriarchy’ https://amzn.eu/d/j1HXwIs
Articles for CBE International: https://www.cbeinternational.org/person/terran-williams/
WTC Romans Summer School:
Sign up here: https://wtctheology.org.uk/romans-summer-school-24/
In episode 36 of TheoDisc, Kenny is joined by Prof Murray Rae, and they address the question: "Why is the resurrection of Jesus important?" Murray works from the narrative of scripture to explore the ways the resurrection influences our understanding of Christ, salvation, the future, mission, the church, and the unfolding purpose of history. They discuss the proclamation, rather than the proving, of the resurrection, and how its experience is an encounter with Jesus that invites us into participation in his resurrection life. Enjoy!
You can pre-order Murray's book Resurrection and Renewal: Jesus and the Transformation of Creation here: https://chbookshop.hymnsam.co.uk/books/9781540966209/resurrection-and-renewal
In episode 35 of TheoDisc, Kenny chats with Dr Amy Brown Hughes about a topic that has often been left for Youth groups to discuss nervously - that’s the topic of Virginity. In her work in historical theology, Amy has explored the ways that, for the church, virginity has historically been about more than just sexual abstinence, but was a calling, an identification with Christ and the church, and a theological category in its own right. They discuss the ways perceptions of celibacy and marriage have changed, and how we might learn from the early church to reclaim the virtues of chastity, faithfulness, and integrity in our personhood.
Amy teaches Patristics at WTC and is an associate professor of theology at Gordon College. She holds a B.A. in Theology and Historical Studies from Oral Roberts University, a Masters in General History of Christianity and a PhD in historical theology with an emphasis in early Christianity, both from Wheaton College. She is the author (with Lynn Cohick,) of 'Christian Women in the Patristic World. Her research interests include Eastern Christianity, trinitarian and christological thought, Christian asceticism, theological anthropology, and highlighting the contributions of minority voices to theology, especially those of women. She is also a co-host for the theology stream of the biblical studies and theology podcast OnScript.
In episode 34 of TheoDisc, we ask the question: "Are there signs in the west that attitudes towards God and faith are shifting?" That’s the hope presented by our guest for this episode, Justin Brierley. Justin has been hosting and leading conversations for some time around Christian apologetics, inter-faith dialogue, theological debate, and the place of Christianity within western culture.
Kenny and Justin talked about his latest book and accompanying podcast called ‘The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God’. You may have also seen Justin’s recent piece in the Spectator magazine titled ‘A Christian Revival is Under Way in Britain’. Justin contends that there is a developing shift in western culture towards an openness to faith in God, accompanied by voices both Christian and secular who are asking new, or perhaps old, questions in the wake of a foundational fracturing of a purely atheistic materialist worldview.
Connect with Justin here:
Website: justinbrierley.com
Surprising Rebirth in Belief in God Book & Podcast: https://justinbrierley.com/the-surprising-rebirth-of-belief-in-god/
Spectator article: https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/a-christian-revival-is-under-way-in-britain
Justin’s interview with WTC Principal Lucy Peppiatt: https://www.premier.plus/the-profile/podcasts/episodes/lucy-peppiatt-what-st-paul-really-said-about-women
Follow Justin: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/brierley.justin
Twitter - https://twitter.com/JusBrierley
In episode 33 of Theodisc, we’re thinking about ‘kingdom’ as the overarching theme of the whole biblical story - this idea that if you step back and observe the entire sweep of the Scriptural narrative, the image of God as the coming king becomes evident. Kenny had a chat with Dr Stephen Dempster, who has just written a book called ‘The Return of the Kingdom: A Biblical Theology of God’s Reign’ and we are delighted and privileged to have him on the podcast.
In episode 32 of TheoDisc Podcast, Kenny is joined by Paulus de Jong as they explore allusions from John's Gospel to the book of Exodus, and how seeing those links make us better readers of John's Gospel. Enjoy!
In this episode, Kenny speaks with Jared Patrick Boyd about the danger of seeing Spiritual formation as a mere Christian lifestyle fad, the purpose of spiritual disciplines as more than just helpful habits but to make visible our interior world, and how Spiritual Formation only fully benefits us on our journey to Christlikeness if we pursue it in community.
Jared Patrick Boyd is a teacher, pastor, spiritual director, and founder of the Order of the Common Life, a missional monastic order reimagining religious vocations for the whole church for the twenty-first century. He is part of VineyardUSA and is the author of Imaginative Prayer: A Yearlong Guide to Your Child’s Spiritual Formation and the book we are talking about today: Finding Freedom in Constraint: Reimagining Spiritual Disciplines as a Communal Way of Life. Now, here’s our conversation.
In this episode of TheoDisc, Kenny talks with our Vice Principal and New Testament scholar Ben Blackwell about the already but not yet of the kingdom, and how God's kingdom comes with power and also through suffering. Ben’s primary teaching and research areas include New Testament and Theology, and he thoroughly enjoys interacting with students on a wide variety of topics on our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes at WTC. Enjoy!
Church planters and ministry pioneers are at the forefront of the mission to carry the good news of the Kingdom to as many places as possible. In many ways, this requires fresh and innovative thinking. But it also requires an understanding of the ways God has been working in the church throughout its history, and a commitment to thinking about church planting in a theologically robust way that underpins the practical planning, strategy and commitments required.
On this episode of TheoDisc, Kenny talks with with Alain Emerson and Roger Ellis, who teach Ecclesiology as part of WTC’s Graduate Diploma in Church Planting & Leadership. Whether you are planting a church, leading in a church, or are part of a church family, this conversation will cause you to think about the rich history of God’s people as they have allowed the Scriptures and the Spirit to deeply affect their thinking, and how this should shape our future thinking on what the church should be.
In this episode, Kenny is joined by Nigel Langford, and they go on an exploration of theological understanding and revelation of God’s character through Nigel and his wife, Nicky’s adoption story. Enjoy!
Welcome to TheoDisc episode 27! In this episode we welcome Prof Sandra Glahn of Dallas Theological Seminary. Kenny and Sandra explore her new book, Nobody’s Mother, and the implications of archaeological, cultural, historical, literary, and biblical evidence for our understanding of Paul’s letters, and in particular the passage in 1 Tim 2:15.
In this episode of TheoDisc, Kenny was in conversation with Aaron White, and they addressed these questions and more... Is it possible that the narratives, themes and words that we see in our popular culture can be avenues for God to speak? How can we engage film, literature, music and more with our ears open to the gospel of the Kingdom? And can our engagement with art help us to minister in the world more effectively?
At WTC, we believe that theological education should be accessible to everyone, not just those in paid ministerial work. As a result, more than half of our student body aren’t in paid Christian ministry, but are working in the marketplace, education, health, trades, and other venues. Our guest on this episode, Marijke Hoek, believes that professionals should be viewed as those on kingdom mission in the world and should be supported, equipped, and learned from in their communication of the gospel. This was such an interesting and thought-provoking discussion and we hope you enjoy it.
In recent years we’ve seen a crisis of leadership in the western Evangelical world. We can all name names and shake our heads, but perhaps we ought to step back and think more widely about the models or leadership we’ve adopted and put into practice. In this episode of TheoDisc, Kenny talks with Professor Andrew Parker about the ways in which we need to re-engage with and train people in the kind of leadership modelled by Jesus - servant leadership. Enjoy.
This is our 24th episode of TheoDisc, so if you haven’t heard all our previous episodes, please dig into our back catalogue. You can receive all future episodes by subscribing to TheoDisc on whatever podcast platform you use.
In this episode of TheoDisc, Kenny chats with Alister Wallace about how the books of Judges and Ruth ought to be read together, and how women and the treatment of women are vital to the theological trajectory of these books. Our often simplistic presentations of Biblical figures like Gideon and Samson can obscure the fact that the book in which they feature, Judges, is a grim exploration of Israel’s inability to remain faithful to their covenant with God and the resulting consequences. By contrast, the book which immediately follows Judges is Ruth, a book brimming with displays of covenant faithfulness.
On today’s episode, Kenny had a conversation with the wonderful Dr Carmen Imes. Carmen holds a PhD from Wheaton College and is the Associate Professor of Old Testament at Biola University in California. In her work, Carmen shows a real passion to help everyone engage with the Old Testament and to discover how it is still relevant for us today. She does this through her Torah Tuesday Youtube Podcast and through her books ‘Bearing God’s Name’ and her most recent work ‘Being God’s Image: Why Creation Still Matters” where she explores what it means for us to be made as the image of God. Kenny had a chance to talk with Carmen about her latest book and we hope this will provoke your own thinking about how you live out this core identity. Enjoy.
In this episode, Kenny chats with Scot McKnight about his latest publication - The Second Testament - a new Bible translation of the New Testament. Enjoy!
Episode 21 Outline: * Start-01:37 - Introduction. * 01:37-04:20 - Welcome to Scot and 3 questions. * 04:29-13:39 - What was your motivation for The Second Testament behind the translation project? How does this Bible translation differ from other more familiar ones? How have you resisted compromise by staying close to the Greek text? * 13:48-28:33 - When translating from the Greek, how do you consider the history of established English tranlations in the process? Was this familiarity an issue for you? Your use of 'new' words for well-known ones, is very interesting, so how did you make these decisions? Discussing examples of these, including 1 Cor 11. * 28:41-36:10 - As a translator, you make certain decisions that have consequences, so how do you make the choice in a faithful way? For those who don't speak or read Greek, how can you reassure them that the translation process is being faithful to the text? * 36:18-End - Close and further information.
In this episode, Kenny chats with Rev Nick Crawley about engaging with the Bible in meaningful ways and how this grounds our discipleship. Enjoy!
Episode 20 Outline: * Start-01:31 - Introduction. * 01:31-04:10 - Welcome to Nick and 3 questions. * 04:19-13:03 - How did Bible for Life get started? What has your own journey with the Bible been like? How can Christians engage more with the habit of studying the scriptures? * 13:11-26:50 - Discussion of the book of 1 Thessalonians based on the 'whole book' idea. What are some of the ways you recommend others to dig into the Bible in this way? What are some of the tools on the Bible for Life website? * 27:01-30:10 - What effect has Dallas Willard had on you personally and also on the approach of Bible for Life? * 30:18-End - Close and further information.
In this episode, Jack and Kenny go on an exploration of prayer and how our understanding of the nature, attributes, and character of God gives ground to our efforts in prayer. Happy listening!
Episode 18 Outline: * Start-01:31 - Introduction. * 01:31-04:25 - Welcome to Jack and 3 questions. * 04:25-14:28 - You quote Evagrius Ponticus, who says: "If you're a theologian, you truly pray; if you truly pray, you're a theologian." What then is the connection between our understanding of God (our theology) and our prayer life? Why has the work you've done on prayer been important to you? What are the different types of prayer and their implications? * 14:28-29:20 - When we expect God to act on our prayers, specifically through petition or lament, what are the underlying theologies within our expectations? What are we getting into when we're asking God to respond to our prayers? What are some of the implications? * 29:20-32:35 - What does it mean for God to be omniscient and for us to have a will, in a practical sense, for us to pray? * 32:35-End - Closing prayer and further information.
In this episode, Kenny and Matt Lynch discussed passages in the Old Testament like the flood and the conquest of Canaan, that on the surface contain moments of troubling violence. But Matt contends that a closer and slower reading of passages like these can actually reveal a critique of violence and show us more of the goodness and mercy of God. We hope this episode will help bring some clarity to some of the difficult questions raised when we read the Old Testament, particularly in light of the God we see revealed in Jesus Christ.
Episode 18 Outline: * Start-01:31 - Introduction. * 01:31-04:54 - Welcome to Matt and 3 questions. * 05:03-13:33 - What led you to write Flood and Fury? Is the Old Testament a language we don't understand anymore? How has our discomfort around the passages of violence contributed to our general inability to connect with the Old Testament? What kind of approach you would advocate for when reading violent texts? * 13:41-30:36 - You help to sharpen our focus on the contrast between shalom and violence presented in Genesis 1–11. How does this reframe the dilemma God faces in the flood narrative? In reading the Book of Joshua, can you help us make sense of how God would command Israel to totally destroy the Canaanites, including men, women, children, and animals? * 30:45-34:02 - I was struck by your observation that Jesus shows us the kind of person it’s possible to become with a deep immersion in, and understanding of, the Hebrew Bible. That must mean there’s hope for us as his disciples? How does the character of God revealed in Jesus act as a culmination of the Old Testament narrative instead of being in conflict with it? How would you encourage people to engage more with the Old Testament? * 34:02-End - Close and further information.
This conversation revolves around Matthew’s latest book Why the Gospel? Matthew has contended that the “good news” of the gospel is the proclamation that Jesus is King, but why is this message necessary and what difference can it make in our lives? Enjoy.
Episode 17 Outline: * Start-01:46 - Introduction. * 01:46-05:06 - Welcome to Matthew and 3 questions. * 05:15-10:05 - Discussion about Matthew's latest book 'Why the Gospel?' and how our understanding of the Gospel has been malformed and its presentation incomplete. * 10:13-18:19 - In his new book, Matthew refers to 'Christ' not being Jesus' last name, but a reference to his authority. How does this affect our sharing of the Gospel? * 18:27-30:38 - Why do we have the Gospel? How do you address this in the book? * 30:46-34:43 - In our allegiance to Jesus the King, how can we invite others into this kingdom in a healthy way? How do we address faith and doubt? * 34:43-End - Close and further information.
In this episode of TheoDisc, Kenny talks with Dr Jason Myers about how Paul’s attempts to help the church navigate life under the Imperial rule of Rome can inform our own approach as kingdom witnesses in our context. Enjoy.
Episode 16 Outline:* Start-01:31 - Introduction. * 01:31-06:01 - Welcome to Jason and 3 questions. * 06:09-16:28 - Paul was operating in the context of the Roman Empire, and we sometimes miss the nuances of what his political views were like. Could we sketch out a rough picture of what this empire was like and how Paul operated in this context? Paul seems to communicate to the church that they are an alternative society… that they are citizens of another kingdom. What kind of tension would this introduce? * 16:37-26:21 - The language of Paul’s letters is so familiar to many of us that it’s difficult to see that many of the things Paul wrote had the potential to be politically inflammatory. Could we talk about some of those terms that have lost their edge with familiarity? What do you think of the pastoral language Paul uses with the church in the midst of empire? * 26:29-34:52 - In our context today, what does Paul have to say to us as a church about how we need to think about the political cultures around us and how we express the kingdom of God in that and navigate it in a faithful way? * 34:52-End - Close and further information.
In episode 15 of TheoDisc, we spoke about the theme of Glory in the New Testament. In the preamble to his gospel, John declares of the Son, the Word made flesh, “We have seen his glory”. We explored what this glory means in relation to God, to the early witnesses of Christ, and to us today. Enjoy.
Episode 15 Outline: Start-01:31 - Introduction. * 01:31-05:38 - Welcome to Adesola and 3 questions. * 05:46-18:18 - To start, could we define the word 'glory' in a biblical context? When we open John’s Gospel, the prologue presents us with numerous symbols - how will John be using these throughout his gospel? What prominence does John give to the Father-Son relationship we see in terms of God's self-revelation? * 18:26-28:06 - How does John flesh out throughout his gospel, how* people have 'seen' the glory of the Father revealed through Jesus? When Jesus prays for his disciples in John 17:22, and says: “The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one”, what does that participation look like? * 28:15-34:42 - How can we continue to participate in the story of God’s glory and how can we see God’s glory revealed in and through us to the world around us? * 34:51-End - Close and further information.
For many of us, our reading of the Old Testament has been formed in a theological environment that has obscured the often subversive nature of the Bible’s presentation of women and led to interpretations that can be harmful to women. But what if there was a way to read the Hebrew Scriptures faithfully by bringing our honest questions to the sometimes troubling details of the narratives concerning women and wrestling with what we find, in order to reclaim these stories and communicate the truth of women’s equality with men before God in the context in which we currently live. That’s the conversation Kenny had with Ali Blacklee Whittall for this episode.
This episode contains discussion of sexual assault, abuse, and violence against women. If you would like more information on the issues discussed, or to get help if you are affected, then please see below for links.
Episode 14 Outline:* Start-01:38 - Introduction. * 01:46-05:08 - Welcome to Ali and 3 questions. * 05:16-10:17 - How did 'Seeing the Women of the Old Testament' become a research interest for you? Why do we tend to gravitate towards highlighting the men of the OT rather than the women? * 10:25-18:23 - How do we maintain a faithful posture towards the Scriptures while at the same time acknowledging the problematic texts that include violence and abuse? * 18:32-28:00 - Focusing specifically on the Book of Judges, could you give us an example of how we can recover the stories of women in the OT that have been obscured and silenced by our established readings? How then do Judges and Ruth segue to consolidate the central message? * 28:09-33:39 - How can this approach to Scripture then help us now to communicate the value of women in our contemporary context? * 33:47-End - Closing prayer and further information.
Organisations that could help:Restored - restored-uk.org
An international Christian Alliance working with and through the church to transform relationships and end violence against women.
Report into churches in the UK: ‘In Churches Too: Church Responses to Domestic Abuse.’
Press Red - pressred.org/
Educates, equips, and empowers on the issues of violence and abuse against women and girls.
Women’s Aid - womensaid.org.uk / Tel: 0505 200 0247
A national organisation which provides advice, support and a 24hr abuse helpline.
National Domestic Violence Helpline - nationaldomesticviolencehelpline.org.uk / Tel: 0808 200 0247
If you have been personally affected by abuse or violence or are still in an abusive or violent relationship you can get help. It‘s a confidential 24 hour service.
Refuge - refuge.org.uk / Tel: 0808 200 0247 (24 hour) / Email: info@refuge.org.uk
Offers support, in partnership with Women’s Aid, to help women and children escaping domestic violence.
Respect Men’s Advice Line - mensadviceline.org.uk / Tel: 0808 801 0327
Helpline for male victims of domestic abuse.
ManKind Initiative - mankind.org.uk / Tel:01823 334 244
Helpline for male victims of domestic abuse.
In episode 13 of TheoDisc, Kenny chats with Dr Ruth Perrin and Ed Earnshaw about emerging adults and how the church can be more proactive in reaching out to students in today's context...
Episode 13 Outline:* Start-00:57 – Introduction. * 01:01-05:27 – Welcome to Ruth and Ed, and 3 questions. * 05:35-15:39 – Discussion about Ruth’s research into emerging adults and looking at the differences between Millennials and Generation Z. * 15:47-23:54 – What is the current attitude of students towards faith and spirituality? What are the opportunities for the church in reaching the student generation? * 24:02-31:41 – How can we encourage people in our churches to invest in outreach to students in our areas? * 31:50-End – Info about the Student Ministry GradDip, close and further information.
In episode 12 of TheoDisc, Kenny chats with Dr Jasper Knecht. Jasper teaches Christian Doctrine at WTC. He grew up in the Netherlands, and completed his PhD in Systematic and Historical Theology at the University of St Andrews, Scotland. His interests include the history of doctrine, and particularly the development of Christological thought in the Patristic era, Late Antiquity, and the Early Medieval Church. Jasper is married to Stefania and is a big fan of classical music.
In this conversation, Jasper and Kenny talked about how the early church provides a rich field of study of the Scriptures for the Charismatic church of today. Topics like exegesis, sola scriptura, allegory, and historical critical method abounded in our discussion, and it was truly fascinating. We hope you enjoy it!
In episode 11 of TheoDisc, Kenny chats with Christine Westhoff. Chris serves on the Int’l team for 24-7 Prayer, and is the founder of Akouo Missions. She is also the author and developer of ReFraming the Prophetic, a biblical reflection course on the gift and purpose of the prophetic. You can find out more at reframingtheprophetic.com
In our conversation, Chris unpacked some of the misapplication and misunderstandings of prophetic gifting that she sees in churches, and speaks about her passion to see this vital gift flourishing across the church in a healthy, scriptural and vibrant way. We hope you enjoy this episode!
In episode 10 of TheoDisc, Kenny chats with Danny Hampson. Danny and his family live and minister in Ibiza as part of 24/7 Prayer and, he is also completing a Masters with WTC. In our conversation we talked about the real Ibiza, the necessity of continual prayer for our awareness of God’s kingdom at work, how theological awareness impacts day to day ministry, and Danny’s MA dissertation which focuses on a trinitarian perspective on peace. We hope you enjoy it!
Episode 10 Outline:* Start-00:59 - Introduction * 01:07-03:11 - Welcome to Danny and 3 questions. * 03:20-10:35 - Tell us about your work with 24/7 Prayer in Ibiza... How did you end up there with 24/7 Prayer and what is the Ibiza you have experienced? * 10:42-21:45 - What are some of the things you are involved in with 24/7 Prayer on Ibiza? What does it look like on a practical basis? * 21:53-28:42 - Tell us about your Masters with WTC and your dissertation on a trinitarian perspective on peace. * 28:50-End - Close and further information
In episode 9 of TheoDisc, Kenny chats with Bev Murrill about emerging from, and feeling the effects of, the pandemic on church life and practice. They ask what lessons have been learned from that time, and what might church leadership and community look like going forward? Enjoy!
Episode 9 Outline:* Start-00:59 - Introduction * 01:07-04:55 - Welcome to Bev and 3 questions. * 05:02-15:23 - Tell us about your own leadership journey and about what you felt God saying to you at the beginning of and during the pandemic. What are some of the lessons you've learned during this time? * 15:30-29:54 - Can you tell us more about social cohesion erosion as a result of the pandemic in church communities? Has this led to the death of the 'church machine' and a sense of disillusionment? How can we encourage church leaders who are struggling now? * 30:02-33:47 - What does the future of church and church leadership look like for you? * 33:55-End - Close and further information
In episode 8 of the TheoDisc Podcast, Kenny chats with Dr Steve Watts about the cultural arrogance borne from ignorance of the context of church history, contrasted with the potential for humility, self-aware insight, and faithful witness. They look at how we can be empowered by a healthy engagement with church history. Enjoy!
Episode 8 Outline:* Start-01:20 - Introduction * 01:24-07:01 - Welcome to Steve and 3 questions. * 07:09-16:06 - How does our knowledge of history affect our perspective on it? Why has our abandonment of engaging with the history of the church come to be seen as a virtuous and spiritual shedding of a stale and deathly religious expression? * 16:15-31:31 - In what ways do we gain a healthy perspective on church history while maintaining a posture of humility? * 31:39-36:00 - How can we shift our attention from the heroes and villains to a more holistic view of history? * 36:10-45:28 - How can we become more self-aware in our knowledge and also apply it to our witness in our world today? * 45:37-End - Close and further information
In this episode, Kenny chats with Janey Lawry-White about why it's important to study theology in today’s climate. Janey not only oversees all operations full-time at WTC, she has also studied on the GradDip and is currently doing the MA, so really knows what she’s talking about!
Episode 7 Outline:* Start-01:20 - Introduction * 01:24-04:14 - Welcome to Janey and 3 questions. * 04:23-07:33 - Discussion about the accessibility of theological study. * 07:42-15:00 - What was your own experience of studying theology and what were some obstacles to study? How transformative has it been for you to study theology? * 15:09-21:23 - What are some of the key theological nuggets you've discovered on your own journey? * 21:32-30:21 - How have you experienced academic study and the work of the Holy Spirit working together? How would you encourage others who feel they have enough 'Bible things' in their lives? What are the things that have brought you closer to God through your studies? * 30:28-32:55 - What would be your encouragement be for those who definitely think that to study theology is not for them?. * 32:55-End - Close and further information
For our Christmas special TheoDisc episode, Kenny Innes and Lucy Peppiatt had a chat with Tim Mackie from BibleProject at 24-7 Prayer's 'The Gathering' in Belfast. They found out more about his journey from being purely a biblical scholar, to gaining a deeper understanding of Systematic Theology and looking at the early church fathers and mothers, and how it plays such a significant part in shaping and influencing our faith. Enjoy!
Episode 5 Outline:* Start-01:20 - Introduction * 01:24-05:01 - Welcome to Tim and 3 questions. * 05:01-09:33 - Lucy and Tim, how did you guys meet? * 09:33-18:05 - What are some of the conversations you've been having around Christology, particularly, and how have your disciplines of Systematics and Biblical Studies overlapped? * 18:05-25:56 - In the context of the Incarnation, what were people's conceptions of God, particularly from an Old Testament perspective, and how did the person of Jesus influence them in that context? * 25:56-38:40 - Tim, what are your thoughts on the way in which the early church viewed Jesus' incarnational nature and the church fathers who then defended a high Christology? * 38:40-46:29 - Tim talks about a big misconception he'd had about the early centuries of the church and how it became very personal for him. * 46:29-50:48 - Kenny tries to wrap up the conversation... And then Tim and Lucy talk more about Christology, but in our different contexts today. Tim finishes by talking about where to start when attempting to read the church fathers. * 50:48-End - Close and further information
In episode 5, we look at how Christian Nationalism is a present danger in the US and to some extent the UK in its pursuit of power and exclusion over love and service.
Bob also has a podcast called Disciple. You can listen to it HERE.
Episode 5 Outline:* Start-01:20 - Introduction * 01:24-04:30 - Welcome to Bob and 3 questions. * 04:30-07:31 - What do you mean when you talk about 'Christian Nationalism? * 07:31-12:04 - How do you see the idea of Christian Nationalism being played out in the USA, particularly in the church, at the moment? * 12:04-16:36 - How does assigning a divine value on a nation state affect how we view Jesus and his kingdom? How does the idea of justice fit into us exalting our nations? * 16:36-19:23 - In what ways has Christian Nationalism united groups that were previously fairly divided? * 19:23-24:15 - Can we look at ways in which we can resist this notion that our nation's future is wrapped up in the future of the Kingdom of God? How can we practically and prophetically speak and work against that? * 24:15-30:00 - Do you think that if our focus is on a centralised national power, does it pull us away from the margins where we see Jesus at work in the Gospels? * 30:00-End - Closing prayer and further information *
In this conversation, we look at how developing awareness of the interplay between New Testament and Hebrew scriptures with regards to literary and narrative links and how reading with this in mind can open our eyes to fresh ways of understanding the text for our world. We do hope you enjoy listening to our fourth episode of the TheoDisc Podcast!
Read the BONUS Blog Post HERE!
Episode 4 Outline: * Start-01:20 - Introduction * 01:24-06:30 - Welcome to Tobias and 3 questions. * 06:38-11:51 - What does a narrative approach to Scripture look like and how does this compare and contrast to other views, like the historical approach? * 12:00-15:42 - Looking at the biblical writers as literary authors in their own right, and not only writers of historical fact, with various examples. * 15:50-23:17 - How do we read the Gospels narratively? Reference is made to specific stories in the Old Testament through two examples. * 23:26-26:57 - How do we deal with this idea of the unity of Scripture? In what ways can we make the narrative approach to the Bible more accessible? * 27:05-32:33 - Thinking of how the idea of 'one meaning' to a biblical passage is often proclaimed, how can we, through a narrative approach, find our stories within the overall Story of the Gospel itself? * 32:33-End - Closing information
In this conversation, we springboard from Freddy’s PhD work in Lamentations to talk about the ‘right to reply’ that is provided for God’s people, and how this can provoke us to rethink the place of lament and being honest with God in our church communities and personal journeys. Freddy speaks from a deeply lived knowledge of God and the Scriptures with humility, compassion and a genuine invitation to explore together with him. We do hope you enjoy listening to our third episode of the TheoDisc Podcast!
Episode 3 Outline: * Start-01:20 - Introduction * 01:24-06:04 - Welcome to Freddy and 3 questions. * 06:04-14:10 - Overview of the journey of Freddy’s work in Lamentations – how it came to be the focus of PhD, and the ideas that emerged. * 14:10-26:41 - Using Lamentations 1 as a springboard, we can discuss the ‘laments’ or ‘complaints’ that arise in the context of a ‘right to reply’, but also as they reveal the breadth of expression open to God’s people. * 26:41-35:05 - How do we navigate faithfully through what Jesus has done for us in his redemptive work, to a place of genuine lament within moments of difficulty? * 35:05-39:15 - How do you see the changes happening within our sung worship to incorporate lament and an honest crying out to God? * 39:15-End - Closing information
In this conversation, which follows on from episode 1, Kenny and Lucy talk through different models of thought concerning the doctrine of the Imago Dei, and how our understanding of the doctrine can have transformative potential in the way we live practically.
Discussion of Lucy Peppiatt’s book, The Imago Dei, through an exploration of the doctrine of the Imago Dei and its implications. Part 1 covers a broad exploration of what it means for us to be 'made in the image of God'.