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History in the Bible podcast

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History in the Bible

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·

  Garry Stevens  

A guide to the history presented in the Bible, for people of all faiths and backgrounds, presented by an independent podcaster, and biblical studies buff. I explore the religion of ancient Israel, the beginnings of Christianity, then finally the evolution of the heirs of Abraham to the year 200. I discuss every single book in every Bible (there are more than you think!). Lightly garnished with a dash of drollery, a soupçon of scrutiny, and not one ounce of objectivity. Not one ounce! The main narrative will conclude in January 2024. Bonus episodes will continue indefinitely.

A guide to the history presented in the Bible, for people of all faiths and backgrounds, presented by an independent podcaster, and biblical studies buff. I explore the religion of ancient Israel, the beginnings of Christianity, then finally the evolution of the heirs of Abraham to the year 200. I discuss every single book in every Bible (there are more than you think!). Lightly garnished with a dash of drollery, a soupçon of scrutiny, and not one ounce of objectivity. Not one ounce! The main narrative will conclude in January 2024. Bonus episodes will continue indefinitely.

 

All

Progress

Duration

Release Date

#210

Book Announcement: The History in the Bible Podcast Companion, volume one

Announcing the publication of the first volume in the History in the Bible Podcast Companion set of books, “Essential Resources”. You can get it from these Amazon marketplaces: <a href= "https://www.amazon.com/History-Bible-Podcast-Companion-Essential/dp/0645950726/" target="_blank" rel= "noopener">https://www.amazon.com/History-Bible-Podcast-Companion-Essential/dp/0645950726/</a> <a href= "https://www.amazon.co.uk/History-Bible-Podcast-Companion-Essential/dp/0645950726/" target="_blank" rel= "noopener">https://www.amazon.co.uk/History-Bible-Podcast-Companion-Essential/dp/0645950726/</a> <a href= "https://www.amazon.ca/History-Bible-Podcast-Companion-Essential/dp/0645950726/"> https://www.amazon.ca/History-Bible-Podcast-Companion-Essential/dp/0645950726/</a> <a href= "https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Garry-Stevens-PhD/dp/0645950726/" target="_blank" rel= "noopener">https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Garry-Stevens-PhD/dp/0645950726/</a> <a href= "https://www.amazon.fr/History-Bible-Podcast-Companion-Essential/dp/0645950726/" target="_blank" rel= "noopener">https://www.amazon.fr/History-Bible-Podcast-Companion-Essential/dp/0645950726/</a> ... Read more

19 Mar 2024

04 MINS

04:41

19 Mar 2024

#209

3.34 Show Finale- Speculations V: 100-700 CE

The last episode in the show. I give a big thank you to all my listeners, and a brief biographical sketch. Then I finish the series with three more speculations. First, what if Marcionism had become the orthodoxy of the imperial church incorporate? Second, could Manichaeism have swallowed up the church? And finally, could the church have survived and prospered had it not become the state religion of the Roman empire? ... Read more

21 Jan 2024

31 MINS

31:21

21 Jan 2024

#208

3.33 Speculations IV: 100-400 CE

Four more speculations.  I argue that an important element of Christianity’s success was that it quickly transformed itself into what I call the imperial church incorporate. Would Christianity have succeeded had it not done so?  Second, could Mithraism have triumphed over the church?  Third, could the Gnostic variants of Christianity come to dominate?  Finally, the Jewish arm of the church vanished after the Bar Kosiva revolt of 132. What might have happened had that group survived and thrived?   ... Read more

14 Jan 2024

32 MINS

32:55

14 Jan 2024

#207

3.32 Speculations III: 35-100 CE

More speculations and alternative histories! Our first diverges from our own timeline in about the year 35. What if Jesus had not been executed by the Romans, but had lived on to see the Great Judean Revolt of 66 CE. What would he have made of it? Second, let’s say that Jesus died when did, a generation before the Great Revolt. What might have happened if his chief apostles Peter and Paul had lived to witness the Roman attack on Judea? And third, let’s move on to about the year 100, when Christians first fell under the Roman gaze. Would the church have flourished earlier and more strongly if the Roman state had never persecuted it? ... Read more

07 Jan 2024

26 MINS

26:51

07 Jan 2024

#206

3.31 Speculations II: 50-66 CE

This is the second episode in a series of speculations and alternate histories. This time:  What if Christian missionaries had never preached to the pagans? Second, what may happened if Christian missionaries had ignored the Roman empire, and proselytised in Parthia, instead? Third, what would have become of Christianity if the Jewish revolts had never occurred, and the Temple stood to the end of the empire? ... Read more

18 Dec 2023

29 MINS

29:09

18 Dec 2023

#205

Bonus 58: The Gadarene Swine

In this bonus, I continue my collaboration with Steve Guerra of the "History of the Papacy" show (www.atozhistorypage.com/), and Scott McCandless of the "Retelling the Bible" podcast (retellingthebible.wordpress.com/). In this bonus we revisit Scott’s show on the Gadarene swine. I also have a reminder of Gil Kindron's and my course on Isaiah, in January 2024. For more information, go to podcastofbiblicalproportions.com/courses. ... Read more

10 Dec 2023

38 MINS

38:49

10 Dec 2023

#204

3.30 Speculations I: 30-65 CE

This is the first episode in a series of speculations and alternate histories. This time: what if John the Baptist was bigger than Jesus? What if Paul had split to form his own independent movement? ... Read more

19 Nov 2023

28 MINS

28:07

19 Nov 2023

#203

Bonus 57: Growing Christianity, with Bernie Maopolski

In this bonus, Bernie Maopolski of Fan of History (https://shows.acast.com/history) invites me onto his "Whats New In History" segment. We discuss my ideas about how Bible scholars have it all wrong about the mathematics of the growth of Christinaity in the Roman Empire, and how I have corrected their errors. I also have some announcements about my final episodes, and about my forthcoming book of the show.  ... Read more

05 Nov 2023

36 MINS

36:02

05 Nov 2023

#202

Bonus 56: Abraham's Three Mysterious Visitors

In this bonus, I continue my collaboration with Steve Guerra of the "History of the Papacy" show (https://www.atozhistorypage.com/), and Scott Mcandless of the "Retelling the Bible" podcast (https://retellingthebible.wordpress.com/). In this show we revisit Scott’s show on Abraham's three mysterious vistors. I also have an announcement about the final episodes in my main narrative, and a forthcoming book. ... Read more

01 Oct 2023

38 MINS

38:26

01 Oct 2023

#201

3.29 The Last Heirs of Abraham III: Survivors of the Jungle

The revolt of Bar Kosiva against Rome failed, as had the Great Revolt. The Roman punishment destroyed almost all the many blooms living in the mighty jungle that was Second Temple Judaism. Only two species escaped the immolation: rabbinic Judaism, and Christianity. The imperial punishment also destroyed the Jewish wing of the church incorporate, leaving the franchise to follow its own path. With a shout-out to the great Rabbi Akiva. ... Read more

05 Aug 2023

28 MINS

28:11

05 Aug 2023

#200

3.28 The Last Heirs of Abraham II: Fall of the Temple

The Temple's destruction also destroyed all the many varieties of Second Temple Judaism, save for the emerging rabbinic movement, and the nascent Christian movement. ... Read more

16 Jul 2023

20 MINS

20:03

16 Jul 2023

#199

Bonus 55: Peter, Paul, and Clement with Popeular History

In this bonus, Gregg Gassman of the Popeular History Podcast (www.popeularhistory.com) and and I discuss Peter, Paul, and Clement. Gregg is a Catholic, and I was brought up in the Anglican tradition. So we have some differences about Peter, as you will soon hear. We also try to work out where Clement fits in the papal succession.  ... Read more

09 Jul 2023

1 HR 09 MINS

1:09:54

09 Jul 2023

#198

3.27 The Last Heirs of Abraham I: Setting the Stage

Only two of Abraham's heirs survived to the year 200 CE/AD: rabbinic Judaism, and the imperial church incorporate. My final epiodes explore how that happened. ... Read more

18 Jun 2023

26 MINS

26:30

18 Jun 2023

#197

Bonus 54: Manoah, father of Samson

In this collaboration with Steve Guerra of the History of the Papacy show (https://www.atozhistorypage.com/), and Scott McAndless of the Retelling the Bible podcast (https://retellingthebible.wordpress.com/2021/09/15/5-19-me-myself-and-manoah/), we discuss Scott's episode "Me, Myself, and Manoah". ... Read more

04 Jun 2023

30 MINS

30:36

04 Jun 2023

#196

Bonus 53: Joshua and the Day the Sun Stood Still

In this bonus, I launch a new mini-series. My co-hosts are Steve Guerra of the History of the Papacy show (https://www.atozhistorypage.com/), and Scott Mcandless of the Retelling the Bible podcast (https://retellingthebible.wordpress.com/). In these bonus episodes, we will discuss one of Scott’s re-tellings. In this show we revisit Scott’s show on Joshua and the day the sun stood still. ... Read more

14 May 2023

33 MINS

33:41

14 May 2023

#195

Bonus 52: Behind the Scenes with John Brooks of Pod Only knows

In this bonus, John Brooks of the “Pod Only Knows” podcast interviews me about the genesis and making of my show. I think it turned out pretty well.  This episode formed the last show of John’s former podcast, “Hard to Believe”. It is published here with his kind permission. With his new podcast, “Pod Only Knows”, John is off to fresh ventures, along with Dr. Kelly J. Baker. They are both from the serious world of religious studies. In their new show, they take a sometimes serious, sometimes irreverent, and always curious, look at the way religion shows up in our world. Kelly and John invite other people from the wide and wild world of religious studies to talk to them about why and how they do what they do and why their work matters to us all. ... Read more

30 Apr 2023

35 MINS

35:16

30 Apr 2023

#194

3.26 Christianity in the Year 200

Irenaeus died around the year 200. In his final decades, pagan intellectuals first turned their sights on the Christians. The first was Celsus. Christians counter-attacked with more apologies. They also produced homilies, such as the 2nd letter of Clement.  Fans also produced some fanciful acts and gospels of the various disciples, and two biographies of the young Jesus: the Paidika, and the Protevangelium of James. I finish with a look at two accounts of local persecutions during the period, in Lyon and Scillium. Did they actually happen? ... Read more

10 Apr 2023

31 MINS

31:48

10 Apr 2023

#193

Bonus 51: Maccabees, Sadducees, and Pharisees With Gil Kidron

Gil Kidron and I discuss how a small rural priest called Mattathias started an insurgency against Judea’s overlords, the mighty Seleucid kingdom, heir to the empire of Alexander the Great. His descendants became rulers of the tiny region. They are known to history as the Maccabeans. In this period, we see the emergence of two political or social groups. First, the Sadducees, or Tsadokites. Second, the Pharisees.  ... Read more

19 Mar 2023

34 MINS

34:53

19 Mar 2023

#192

3.25 Remaking Paul II: Luther and Beyond

After Irenaeus rescued Paul from the Marcionites and Gnostics, Paul’s letters were honoured and uncontroversial documents, testaments to a great missionary and theologian. Martin Luther weaponised them to attack the established church, and so birthed the Protestant movement. In the 1970s, the New Perspective on Paul movement tried to rescue Paul from Luther. I also finish up my discussion of the Acts of Paul, and make an assessment of Paul’s real significance to Christianity.  ... Read more

26 Feb 2023

24 MINS

24:40

26 Feb 2023

#191

Bonus 50: With the Conspirinormal Podcast

The Conspirinormal podcast people kindly invited me onto their show. The  hosts Adam Sayne and Serfiel Stevenson have generously allowed me to publish our conversation here. ... Read more

12 Feb 2023

1 HR 24 MINS

1:24:05

12 Feb 2023

#190

Bonus 49: Top Moments in the Old Testament/Tanakh II

In this bonus episode, Steve Guerra of the History of the Papacy podcast and I continue our look at some of our favourite moments in the Old Testament or Tanakh. First, Steve investigates the unfortunate incident of Dinah and the Hebites. Then Garry shows a little-known side to Joseph's rule in Egypt. ... Read more

29 Jan 2023

31 MINS

31:51

29 Jan 2023

#189

3.24 Remaking Paul I: Irenaeus

During the middle of the 2nd century, Paul was rescued from the Marcionites and Gnostics. He was elevated from honoured missionary to master theologian. I also discuss the Acts of Paul and his acolyte Thecla. ... Read more

15 Jan 2023

25 MINS

25:41

15 Jan 2023

#188

3.23 The Imperial Church Incorporate III: The Heresy Hunter

The imperial church of the late 2nd century was bedevilled by external competitors -- Gnostics, Marcionites, Montanists – and vexed by internal division over the nature of Christ. Was he man, god, or both? The church brought forth fighters to defend its corporate markets. These were the heresy hunters. Justin Martyr and Hegesippus the Holy were early soldiers.  Bishop Irenaeus of Lyon was the greatest of these warriors. His works was enormously influential. For a start, he decisively moved the church away from its reliance on the Jewish holy books as divine authorities, and towards a new holy canon.  In his greatest work, “Against Heresies”, Irenaeus produced an encyclopedia of the church’s enemies. He invented the concept of heresy, incorrect belief. This was a concept unknown to the ancient world. Irenaeus used the concept to set up clear borders between the church incorporate and its rivals. ... Read more

24 Dec 2022

36 MINS

36:50

24 Dec 2022

#187

Bonus 48: Mel Gibson's Passion of the Christ

Steve Guerra of the History of the Papacy podcast and I turn a quizzical eye on Mel Gibson's movie The Passion of the Christ. ... Read more

04 Dec 2022

1 HR 00 MINS

1:00:24

04 Dec 2022

#186

Bonus 47 The Twelve Minor Prophets IX: Real Finale

Steve Guerra from the History in the Papacy podcast and I concluded our series on the Twelve minor prophets of the OT some time ago. That was a fake-out. We managed to rope in a real expert to conclude our mini-series. Let me introduce Prof Kip Swinney. ... Read more

20 Nov 2022

1 HR 07 MINS

1:07:38

20 Nov 2022

#185

3.22 The Imperial Church Incorporate II: The Martyr

Justin Martyr is the second of the great Christian figures of the second century. He is one of the earliest for whom we have a substantial biography from the man himself. He wrote at length and often, creating the largest body of Christian literature to his time. Later Christians quoted from him endlessly, and lauded him as a writer, apologist, philosopher, and intellectual. But he introduced a pronounced anti-Jewish animus into Christianity. He also creates the concept of “heresy”, which would bedevil Christianity for centuries. I also discuss two of Justin’s successors: Melito and Tatian. ... Read more

06 Nov 2022

29 MINS

29:12

06 Nov 2022

#184

3.21 The Imperial Church Incorporate I: The Heretic

The rest of the show covers the second half of the second century. In this period, the little Jesus clubs evolved into the imperial church incorporate. This and the next few episodes cover the three dominant personalities of that period. In this episode I investigate the ‘heretic’ Marcion of Sinope. Marcion shook the church to its foundations when he moved to Rome. He rejected the idea that Christianity was based on Judaism and the Old testament. He constructed the first Christian canon: ten letters of Paul, and a reduced version of the gospel of Luke. Decisively expelled by the imperial church incorporate, Marcion returned to Asia Minor and founded a successful rival to the church, one that persisted for centuries. Marcion forced the church to build its own canon, and to raise Paul from obscure letter-writer and martyr, to pre-eminent apostle.  ... Read more

16 Oct 2022

28 MINS

28:42

16 Oct 2022

#183

Bonus 46: The Twelve Minor Prophets VIII: Finale

Steve Guerra from the History in the Papacy podcast and I conclude our mini-series on the Twelve minor prophets of the OT. In this episode we have a bit of fun and rank the Twelve using our own entirely ridiculous criteria. ... Read more

02 Oct 2022

43 MINS

43:30

02 Oct 2022

#182

Bonus 45: Biblical Chronology with Gil Kidron II

In this bonus episode, Gil Kidron of a Podcast of Biblical Proportions and I finish our discussion of biblical chronology. ... Read more

18 Sep 2022

33 MINS

33:59

18 Sep 2022

#181

3.20 Gnowing Me, Gnowing You II: The Crusade of Valentinus

Unlike the Sethian Gnostics, the Valentinian Gnostics are clearly rooted in Christianity. They were founded by Valentinus, an Egyptian who may have stood for the bishopric of Rome. Valentinus founded a popular crusade that borrowed from the Sethians and the apostle Paul. The movement produced a copious literature: the apocalypse of Paul, the apocalypse of Peter, the apocalypse of Adam, the gospel of Mary, the gospel of Phillip, and the gospel of truth. All of these books were recovered only in the 20th century. The Valentinians formed a parallel church to the orthodox, one much more inviting to women. They attended orthodox services, but operated separate elite clubs. They were only suppressed in the fourth century, after the Roman state granted a monopoly to the orthodox.  ... Read more

04 Sep 2022

29 MINS

29:53

04 Sep 2022