The Biblical Mind

• Where Is God? Eucharist, Trauma, and Divine Presence in Poland (Ela Wyrzykowska) Ep. #227

  Where is God present—and how do believers describe it? In this thoughtful and poetic episode, Polish theologian Dr. Elżbieta Łazarewicz-Wyrzykowska joins Dru Johnson to reflect on theology, trauma, and spiritual presence. From her childhood in Warsaw—where bullet holes and tanks marked the legacy of war—to her academic path through Hebrew Bible, literary theory, and empirical psychology, Elżbieta has never stopped asking difficult questions. They discuss her research into the Book of Amos using the philosophical insights of Mikhail Bakhtin, seeing God as the “author” of Israel and disobedience as a form of anti-creation. They also explore her current interdisciplinary work in the psychology of religion: “We tried to measure where people locate God’s presence. Eucharist was the one thing people named first.” She reflects on the tension between empirical categories and theological meaning: “God is present in special objects” didn’t resonate. But “God is present in the Eucharist”? That made sense. “I still wanted to be faithful to what the community told me.” This episode is a masterclass in humility, scholarship, and the quiet brilliance of a scholar working at the intersection of Scripture, philosophy, trauma, and pastoral care. We are listener supported. Give to the cause here: https://hebraicthought.org/give For more articles: https://thebiblicalmind.org/ Social Links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HebraicThought Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hebraicthought Threads: https://www.threads.net/hebraicthought X: https://www.twitter.com/HebraicThought Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hebraicthought.org Chapters: 00:00 Introduction and Personal Background 02:49 Warsaw: A City of Resilience 06:06 The Impact of Historical Trauma 08:41 Academic Journey in Hebrew Bible Studies 11:49 Literary and Philosophical Approaches to the Hebrew Bible 14:35 Interdisciplinary Work and Its Challenges 17:38 Exploring Bakhtin's Influence 20:31 The Book of Amos: A Case Study 23:42 Theological Measures and Empirical Research 26:35 The Role of Practical Theology 29:45 Conclusion and Future Directions

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• On Biblical Masculinity, The Boy Crisis, And The Church's Missed Mission (Anthony Bradley) Ep. #226

  For decades, churches have built youth ministries around entertainment and behavior management. But what if all the data says that’s the wrong approach? In this powerful episode, Dr. Anthony Bradley joins Dru Johnson to reflect on 25 years of experience working with youth, revisiting the PBS documentary Raising Cain and what it reveals about the neglected emotional lives of boys. He shares stories from his time as a high school teacher, where the boys most emotionally adrift weren’t from broken homes—but from Christian families. Bradley argues that youth ministry has largely failed, citing data showing a 50–60% dropout rate among church youth group kids. “What the data shows is that spiritual formation happens at home,” he says. “And instead of churches focusing on the youth, they need to be focusing on Malachi 4:6.” He calls for churches to replace youth isolation with intergenerational community. “They need to physically experience almost in a sacramental sort of sense what a godly family is.” Boys don’t just need Bible studies—they need fathers, mentors, uncles, and grandfathers. This episode is an urgent wake-up call to rethink how we raise boys, how we disciple families, and how the church can once again become the place for forming whole people. For Anthony's Substack, click this link: https://anthonybbradley.substack.com/ We are listener supported. Give to the cause here: https://hebraicthought.org/give For more articles: https://thebiblicalmind.org/ Social Links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HebraicThought Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hebraicthought Threads: https://www.threads.net/hebraicthought X: https://www.twitter.com/HebraicThought Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hebraicthought.org Chapters 00:00 The Impact of 'Raising Cain' on Understanding Boys 02:59 Cultural Shifts in Masculinity and Education 05:43 The Emotional Lives of Boys 08:39 The Crisis of Boys in Education 11:34 Masculinity and Emotional Expression 14:38 The Role of Culture in Defining Masculinity 17:39 Christian Perspectives on Masculinity 20:24 Historical Context of Masculinity in Christianity 25:44 The Shift in Youth Ministry Focus 28:29 The Role of Parents in Faith Formation 32:21 Creating Family-Centric Church Activities 35:18 The Importance of Intergenerational Relationships 40:16 Integrating Youth into Family Life 45:07 The Need for Community and Mentorship 50:52 Long-Term Faith Development and Patience

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• What The Chosen Gets Right (And Wrong): Archaeology, Pharisees, and Color (Jeffrey Garcia) Ep. #225

  Was Peter’s hometown ever really lost—and have we just found it? In this episode, archaeologist and scholar Dr. Jeffrey Arroyo García joins Dru Johnson to explore how archaeology reshapes our understanding of the Gospels, popular media like The Chosen, and the portrayal of first-century Judaism. Drawing on his years excavating at El-Araj—the site increasingly believed to be biblical Bethsaida—Jeff walks us through how ancient inscriptions, Crusader-era churches, and Roman bathhouses reveal the story beneath the shoreline. But the episode takes a provocative turn when they discuss the show The Chosen. Jeff praises its storytelling and vibrancy but calls attention to a visual pattern with troubling roots: “The Pharisees are generally in black… And when they come into contact with Jesus… they wear lighter colors.” He explains how this “othering” of Pharisees—even subtly—echoes centuries of Christian anti-Jewish tropes. The conversation is honest, layered, and generous—balancing artistic license with historical clarity. “If you are interested in Jesus or a follower of Jesus,” Jeff warns, “then you can’t be a Pharisee—just from clothing alone.” We are listener supported. Give to the cause here: https://hebraicthought.org/give For more articles: https://thebiblicalmind.org/ Social Links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HebraicThought Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hebraicthought Threads: https://www.threads.net/hebraicthought X: https://www.twitter.com/HebraicThought Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hebraicthought.org   Chapters: 00:00 Exploring Archaeology and the Galilee 02:48 Pharisees and Their Presence in Galilee 05:40 The Search for Bethsaida 08:48 Significant Discoveries at El-Araj 11:30 Cultural Context and New Testament Insights 14:21 The Chosen: Storytelling and Historical Accuracy 17:31 Creative Speculation in Biblical Portrayals 20:37 The Role of Pharisees in the New Testament 23:23 Touring Israel: Insights and Experiences

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• Creation, Rest, and Reign: What Genesis Meant to the Ancient World (Rachel Booth Smith) Ep. #224

  What if Genesis 1 wasn’t about the origin of matter—but the enthronement of God? And what if “rest” wasn’t the end of work, but the beginning of reign? In this episode, Rachel Booth Smith, author of Rest Assured, joins Dru Johnson to explore how the Genesis creation story contrasts with other ancient Near Eastern accounts. With a storyteller’s gift and a pastor’s heart, Smith explains how comparing biblical cosmogony to Egyptian or Hittite myths can actually strengthen, not weaken, our faith in the text. “Sometimes the campfire would get very upset,” she says, imagining ancient neighbors reacting to Genesis’ claim that the sun and moon are just objects—not gods. She also unpacks the significance of Sabbath as sacred reign, not divine nap time. “Rest is like saying sitting down at a throne because everything is operating correctly,” she explains. The seven-day structure wasn’t arbitrary—it was holy, “marked out,” signaling both the order of creation and the rhythm of life. Most importantly, Rachel shows how this re-reading of Genesis leads us to trust. “If I can get to the end of a Sabbath and realize you are God and I am not, I feel like that was a win.” For Rachel's book "Rest Assured," head here: https://www.moodypublishers.com/rest-assured/ We are listener supported. Give to the cause here: https://hebraicthought.org/give For more articles: https://thebiblicalmind.org/ Social Links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HebraicThought Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hebraicthought Threads: https://www.threads.net/hebraicthought X: https://www.twitter.com/HebraicThought Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hebraicthought.org Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 01:08 The Genesis of Understanding Creation 03:55 Bridging Ancient and Modern Perspectives 07:08 The Concept of Rest in Creation 10:18 Sabbath: A Rhythm of Work and Rest 13:22 The Nature of God’s Power and Authority 16:01 Cultural Contexts and Creation Narratives 19:23 The Role of the Sun and Other Deities 22:07 The Significance of Seven in Creation 25:14 The Uniqueness of Genesis' Creation Account 28:06 The Implications of a Non-Conflict Creation 31:16 The Importance of Trusting God 34:09 Conclusion: Insights from Ancient Near Eastern Literature

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• Israel’s Rituals, God’s Needs, and the Covenant That Changed Everything (John Walton) Ep. #223

  What happens when a senior biblical scholar changes their mind—publicly? In this episode, Dr. John Walton returns to explain key shifts in his thinking, especially about Genesis, the temple, and covenant theology. He unpacks two major paradigm shifts: first, that Genesis creation isn’t about material origins, but about functional order; second, that Genesis 3 isn’t even about sin—it’s about humanity’s search for order. He also revisits his earlier view that the cosmos should be seen as a temple, now offering a more nuanced perspective: “I’m very happy to think about this as establishing sacred space… without necessarily extending the temple metaphor to the concept of boundaries.” Walton explains how ancient Near Eastern concepts shape the biblical text, but cautions against overgeneralizing differences between Israel and its neighbors. “God does not have needs. Don’t think that way. Everybody else around you thinks that way.” He argues Israel’s rituals weren’t about feeding the deity, but forming covenant relationship—and this, he claims, is unique in the ancient world. More than anything, Walton champions a commitment to evidence over dogma. “If your commitment is to the evidence, your commitment has to be to cognitive flexibility.” We are listener supported. Give to the cause here: https://hebraicthought.org/give For more articles: https://thebiblicalmind.org/ Social Links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HebraicThought Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hebraicthought Threads: https://www.threads.net/hebraicthought X: https://www.twitter.com/HebraicThought Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hebraicthought.org Chapters: 00:00 Paradigm Shifts in Biblical Interpretation 03:03 The Temple and Creation 05:45 Understanding Ancient Near Eastern Thought 08:45 Cognitive Flexibility in Scholarship 11:58 Rituals and Their Significance 14:54 The Role of Ancient Near Eastern Backgrounds 17:54 Literary Structures in Biblical Texts

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