Strange New World: Recent Episodes
Matthew Myer Boulton - SALT Project
Welcome to “Strange New World,” a show about understanding the Bible, the world’s most influential, misunderstood book - a podcast tailor-made for skeptics, believers, and everybody in between.
Hosted by SALT’s own Matthew Myer Boulton, who’s spent twenty years teaching the Bible and theology to students at Harvard Divinity School and seminaries in New England and the Midwest, “Strange New World” will take a fresh look at the world’s bestselling book of all time, the ancient community library we call “the Bible.”
The show’s title, “Strange New World,” is borrowed from an essay written by a Swiss theologian a hundred years ago, in which he wrote of “the strange new world within the Bible,” a world so ancient, so different, so familiar, so strange that it presses us to think new thoughts from new points of view, “to dare and to reach,” and ultimately “to grow out beyond ourselves.”
Is Easter an end, or a beginning? And what difference can it make to our world today, so torn by conflicts over immigration, justice, and injustice?
As we approach one of the most polarized, divisive elections in American history, what wisdom, what light can the Bible provide?
Rethinking the holiday from the ground up, with help from Mary Magdalene and one of the most harrowing, fascinating stories in scripture: the story of Rizpah.
This episode tackles the challenge of Palm Sunday, a story brimming with an ancient idea about how scripture works, and what it’s for.
This episode zeroes in on the meaning — and the purpose — of resurrection, arguably the greatest mystery of them all.
The Easter story is full of big, bold reversals — but there’s one in particular that’s hidden under the skin of the story, and it just might be the most subversive of them all.
Why was Jesus killed? Why did the Roman empire, arguably the most powerful force in the world, execute an unarmed, peasant rabbi from Nazareth? Turns out this mystery goes all the way back to the story of Cain and Abel...
The mystery of the cross is like a cathedral with many entrances and side chapels, and exploring it can both enrich the season and deepen our understanding.
A deep dive into the meaning of Easter, starting at the very beginning (even before the beginning!), with the creation stories, the story of Noah and the ark, and the opening lines of the oldest New Testament Gospel.
Woven through the biblical library is a vibrant tradition of humility, making possible the practice of genuine love — and revealing how the essence of Christmas includes a critique of… Christmas as we know it today!
Isaiah’s legendary proclamation of “good news to the poor,” how Jesus understood scripture as “script,” St. Francis of Assisi’s second conversion (plus the anniversary of one of his inventions!), and more.
How Mark’s quotation of Isaiah’s call to “prepare the way of the Lord” reveals one of the key ingredients the Bible is made of — and how “peace” is at the heart of the Christmas season.
How Isaiah’s call on God to “tear open the heavens” points to.an ancient practice central to the Bible, and crucial to Christmas - but often overlooked by Christians today.
What’s the greatest work of art in Christian history? And how can Berry’s Sabbath poems and Matisse’s Chapel of the Rosary, which Matisse himself considered his masterpiece, help us understand the many mysteries in the holiest week of the Christian Year?
Why was Jesus, an unarmed, peasant rabbi, seen as such a threat to the powers that be (including the mighty Roman Empire) that they had him killed? The prophet Ezekiel gives us a clue, and Berry’s poem about resurrection and Matisse’s transformative painting shed light on the deep meanings of the cross.
The story of the cross, and many of the stories leading up to it, contain a kind of trap – and if we’re not careful, it’ll catch us unaware. The story of Jesus and the man born blind is no exception, and as we explore it, Wendell Berry and Henri Matisse can help us “see.”
Guided by Wendell Berry’s poems and Henri Matisse’s line drawings, a romp through time, eternity, “eternal life,” the Sabbath - and the often overlooked way many of the Bible’s books, including the Gospel of John, generate meaning.
A deeper dive into Henri Matisse’s luminous vision of the artist, Wendell Berry’s meditations on divine joy, and one of the most famous (and misunderstood) verses in the New Testament, John 3:16: “For God so loved the world…”
In this episode, we explore how both Wendell Berry’s practice of Sabbath walking (and writing) and Henri Matisse’s approach to “realism” can shed light on Matthew’s famous story of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness.
It's a question at the heart of everything: What is love, anyway? It’s nothing less than the key to understanding God, Jesus’ teachings, and Christmas itself, and yet we rarely explore what it really means. With E. E. Cummings and Mary Oliver as our guides, we set out to find an answer.
An exploration of Jesus' puzzling answer to John the Baptizer's question, Mary Oliver's fascinating response to the question, "What is a poem?", and E. E. Cummings' dazzling mediation on the cosmic, intimate, joyful dimensions of Christmas.
A deep dive into baptism, "the wheat and the chaff," whether poetry can be “true,” and how E. E. Cummings, Mary Oliver, and the wonder of creation can help us understand “the Way” at the heart of Advent and Christmas.
How the Bible is made of poetry, and how Mary Oliver, E. E. Cummings, and the wonder of creation can help us hear Jesus’ call for this Advent and Christmas season: “Keep awake. Be ready.”
An exploration of how, for Jesus, humility is the key to the mission of the church, the essential stance without which mercy, faith, praise, and justice can become distorted and dangerous.
In this episode, we take on one of the most controversial and perplexing questions when it comes to “justice”: should the church be mixed up in politics? Jesus’ answer might surprise you.
In this episode, we explore how the power of “praise” can both divide and connect, and discover Jesus' vision for how the Christian church should relate to people of other religions (and no religion at all).
In this episode, we explore what Jesus really meant by “faith” - and how for him, the church is actually a community of “little faith” (or no faith at all).
What is the church? What is it for? In this opening episode of a five-part miniseries, we first clarify what the church is not - and then turn to Jesus' provocative parable of the rich man and Lazarus.
“Wheatfields with Crows” is Vincent’s last major painting, and as it turns out, it’s a brilliant portrait of the tensions at the heart of Easter morning: sadness and loneliness, restoration and grace. Drop us a line at community@saltproject.org.
The story of Van Gogh's beloved "Starry Night," and how it can help us see the story of Palm Sunday - and the Bible generally - with new eyes. Drop us a line at community@saltproject.org.
In this episode, we dive into one of Van Gogh’s most famous paintings, a still life of an ordinary, worn-out pair of shoes. And the link between that painting and Mary’s anointing of Jesus’ feet gets to the heart of what life is all about: in a word, tenderness. Drop us a line at community@saltproject.org.
In this episode, we turn to Vincent’s version of “The Sower” he painted in November of 1888, a springboard for exploring two of Jesus’ most famous (and misunderstood) teachings: “The Parable of the Sower,” and “The Prodigal Son.”
In this episode, we explore Vincent’s “Almond Blossom” painting, setting his vision of an almond tree alongside Jesus’ parable of a fig tree. Two trees, two parables, each shedding light on the other… Drop us a line at community@saltproject.org.
In this episode, we dive into Vincent's famous "Sunflowers" paintings, and discover connections to Icelandic fisherman, a woman at a cradle, and Jesus' image of himself as a mother hen. Drop us a line at community@saltproject.org.
The son of a Christian pastor, Van Gogh trained for ministry before becoming a painter - and both his letters and his canvases are full of theological ideas. Can Van Gogh help us understand the Bible? Can the Bible help us understand Van Gogh's work? The answer to both questions, as it turns out, is a resounding Yes.
In this concluding episode of the four-part series, we turn to the most well-known stories of the season, from Mary to the Magi to the shepherds and the angels, and find them shimmering with meanings that are often overlooked or misunderstood. Drop us a line at community@saltproject.org. Merry Christmas!
In this episode, we arrive at the heart of the matter. Featuring Mary, Hannah, Jael, Judith, Elizabeth - and John the Baptizer. We promise: you’ll never think about “the wheat and the chaff” the same way again! Drop us a line at community@saltproject.org.
In this episode, we dive into Luke’s story of John the Baptizer, and explore how it’s both a Christmas story and a war story - all for the sake of God’s peace.
It’s Part One of our four-part series, “Understanding Christmas” — a fresh look at the deeper meanings of one of the world’s biggest holidays, and what it says about Jesus, hope, and the ancient library we call “the Bible.”
Culminating this six-part series, we explore the true meaning of the cross in Mark's Gospel, and what Jesus really had in mind by "a ransom for many." Drop us a line at community@saltproject.org.
It's one of the most controversial, radioactive, personal, pressing topics around: money and wealth, how much we should have and how much we should give away. Turns out Jesus had a lot to say about it, and in this episode, we take a deep dive. Drop us a line at community@saltproject.org.
In this episode, we tackle the specific question of Jesus' teaching about divorce (it’s not what you think!), and the general question of how Jesus reads Scripture. Drop us a line at community@saltproject.org.
"Blessed are the peacemakers," Jesus said - and as it turns out, peacemaking is a key to understanding what it means to follow him. Along the way, we explore a famous story about A. J. Muste, the Christian peacemaker sometimes called, "The American Gandhi."
What's the essence of Jesus' mission? What's the "signature move," the choreography at the heart of his work? In this episode, we explore these questions - and along the way, discover his vision for what "true greatness" is all about.
It's part one of our six-part series, "Understanding Jesus," a fresh look at the most provocative, influential, and misunderstood figure in human history. In this episode, we introduce the series, and then dive in to his famous, deceptively simple question, "Who do you say that I am?"
Part Two of our two-part series, “The Bible and Climate Change” - exploring what Jesus has to do with climate change, zeroing in on his last public teaching, the final words he wants ringing in our ears. Drop us a line at community@saltproject.org.
Rethinking the Bible from the ground up, in the face of the greatest global challenge in human history. In this episode, we start with Genesis, and uncover how "climate change" - though it's never mentioned in the Bible - is on virtually every page. Drop us a line at community@saltproject.org.
In the concluding episode of our seven-part series, “Understanding Easter,” we rethink the holiday from the ground up, with help from Mary Magdalene and one of the most harrowing, fascinating stories in scripture: the story of Rizpah. Drop us a line at community@saltproject.org.
This episode tackles the challenge of Palm Sunday, a story brimming with an ancient idea about how scripture works, and what it's for. Why do the crowds welcome Jesus so warmly - only to turn on him in just a few days? And what's with all the palm branches, anyway? Drop us a line at community@saltproject.org.
How should we think about the mystery of resurrection? Is it actual resuscitation? Or a symbolic story? Or somehow both? With the Gospel of John and the prophet Jeremiah as our guides, we unpack this ancient mystery - with some surprising results. Drop us a line at community@saltproject.org.
The Easter story is full of big, bold reversals - but there's one in particular that's hidden under the skin of the story, and it just might be the most subversive of them all. Exploring it takes us to Japan, seventeenth-century England, 1980's New York City, and Nazi Germany - all to understand how the cross both epitomizes and proclaims The Great Reversal. And along the way, we'll visit one of the most famous - and misunderstood - verses in the New Testament (John 3:16), and one of the strangest stories in the Bible's library (Numbers 21).
Why was Jesus killed? Why did the Roman empire, arguably the most powerful force in the world, execute an unarmed, peasant rabbi from Nazareth? And what did it have to do with one of the most dramatic episodes in Jesus' life: when he fiercely drove the money changers from the Jerusalem Temple? Turns out this mystery goes all the way back to the story of Cain and Abel... Contact SNW at community@saltproject.org.
An overview of ten historic, evocative ways of looking at the Christian cross - including a warning about how they can be misunderstood, and a case for how they add up to more than the sum of their parts. BONUS: A cameo from the Buddha, and a surprising idea from John Calvin (for all you Calvin nerds, it's in the Institutes, 2.16.2). Drop us a line at community@saltproject.org.
At the heart of Christianity is the mystery of Easter - and to understand it, it’s best to start at the beginning: the Book of Genesis and the original covenant between God and humanity, and the oldest of the four Gospels, the Gospel of Mark. In this episode, we do a deep dive into the story of Noah's Ark and the story of Jesus' baptism, uncovering hidden connections that help lay groundwork for understanding the mystery of Easter.
A fresh, surprising look at the most familiar Christmas stories (Mary and Joseph, the shepherds and the angels, and the visiting Magi), uncovering how Christmas is an epic, multigenerational love story - and how sometimes interpreting the Bible means citing "scripture against scripture." This is the concluding episode of our four-part series, "Understanding Christmas."
How the Gospel of Luke's story of Mary's song (the "Magnificat") portrays Mary as brilliant, bold, and deeply educated in the Jewish tradition. Along the way, we explore how the essence of Christmas is joy, and how the Bible is not just something to "think about," but also to "think through." The quote from Henri Nouwen is from The Heart of Henri Nouwen. Feel free to drop us a line at community@saltproject.org.
What’s Christmas really all about? Last week, we saw how Christmas begins with hope against hope - but its end, the goal to which it points, is peace. The Gospel of Mark's opening lines function as Mark's "Christmas story," a story not of Jesus' birth, but rather his adoption, at his baptism. Mark casts this good news as a peaceful alternative to the "gospel" of military triumph, or the birth of Caesar Augustus - and so frames Jesus' ministry as a matter of war and peace. The famous "Christmas Truce" during World War I serves as an icon for this view of Christmas as armistice. And along the way, we see how the Bible works: not as a "book," but as a library, as Mark artfully echoes ancient patterns from Genesis, Exodus, and Ezekiel. Finally, we also reveal the story behind the name for this podcast, “Strange New World,” from a famous essay written about a hundred years ago by Swiss theologian, Karl Barth, which can be read here.
If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to contact us at matt@saltproject.org.
Former Harvard Divinity School professor Matthew Myer Boulton introduces the "Strange New World" podcast, and explores how the Gospel of Mark helps us understand the essence of the Advent and Christmas season. Includes an argument about how and why the Bible is both the most influential and the most misunderstood book in history. A close reading of Mark 13 helps show how the Advent season, and the Christmas season generally, begin in the shadows of disaster and "apocalypse" (from an ancient Greek word for "unveiling" or "revealing"). Christmas begins, it turns out, not with tinsel and lights and presents and feasting, but in the shadows of struggle and hope - even when all hope seems lost.
If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to contact us at matt@saltproject.org.
“Strange New World” is a production of SALT Project.