History in the Bible podcast

History in the Bible

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 concluded in January 2024. But I continue to publish Afterlife shows.

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 concluded in January 2024. But I continue to publish Afterlife shows.

 

#218

Afterlife 8: The Heirs of Abraham book now published

Announcing the publication of the final volume in the History in the Bible Podcast Companion series of books. The book contains the entire scripts of the show’s third and final season. It follows the history of the two heirs of Abraham, rabbinic Judaism and Christianity, to the year 200. By that year, the rabbis had formed their foundational document, the Mishnah;, and Christianity had created the imperial church incorporate. The volume also discusses Gnosticism at length, the many books that almost made into the New Testament, and the early years of the rabbinic movement. All the information you need is at https://www.historyinthebible.com/books.html   ... Read more

22 Sep 2024

02 MINS

02:56

22 Sep 2024


#217

Afterlife 7: Our Crazy Theories

In this Afterlife episode, Bernie Maopolski of Fan of History (https://shows.acast.com/history), Gil Kidron of A Podcast of Biblical Proportions (https://podcastofbiblicalproportions.com), and I discuss some of our favourite crazy theories. ... Read more

15 Sep 2024

29 MINS

29:49

15 Sep 2024


#216

Afterlife 6: On History Podcasting, with Steve Guerra

In this Afterlife episode, Steve Guerra of History of the Papacy (https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/history-of-the-papacy-podcast--4899207) and I discuss history podcasting. ... Read more

01 Sep 2024

35 MINS

35:52

01 Sep 2024


#215

Afterlife 5: Making the New Testament

I introduce the New Testament to Gil Kidron of A Podcast of Biblical Proportions (https://podcastofbiblicalproportions.com). Here are the Amazon US links for the books mentioned in this episode: Vol 1 Genesis to Babylon https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645950734 Vol 2 Age of the Second Temple https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645950769 Vol 4 Essential Resources <a href= "https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645950726">https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645950726</a>   ... Read more

18 Aug 2024

36 MINS

36:40

18 Aug 2024


#214

Afterlife 4: The Charms of Ancient History

In this Afterlife episode, Bernie Maopolski of Fan of History (https://shows.acast.com/history), Gil Kidron of A Podcast of Biblical Proportions (https://podcastofbiblicalproportions.com), and I discuss why we love ancient history. ... Read more

04 Aug 2024

40 MINS

40:01

04 Aug 2024


#213

Afterlife 3: Yet Another Book Announcement- Age of the Second Temple

I have published another volume in the History in the Bible Podcast Companion set of books. It contains the complete scripts of the second season of my podcast. This is the Age of the Second Temple. It covers the books in the Old Testament written after the return from Babylon.  The volume explores the history of Judea from Persian to Roman times. It investigates in depth the rich apocalyptic literature of the time. Then the book examines all the books of the New Testament to see what we can reliably know of the history of Jesus and the disciples, and the great apostle Paul. You can get it from these Amazon marketplaces: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645950769 https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0645950769 https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/0645950769 https://www.amazon.de/dp/0645950769 https://www.amazon.fr/dp/0645950769 https://www.amazon.ca/dp/0645950769   ... Read more

25 Jul 2024

02 MINS

02:07

25 Jul 2024


#212

Afterlife 2: New Book Announcement- Genesis to Babylon

Announcing the publication of a new volume in the History in the Bible Podcast Companion set of books, “Genesis to Babylon”. This contains the complete scripts of the first season of the show. You can get it from these Amazon marketplaces: https://www.amazon.com/History-Bible-Podcast-Companion-Genesis/dp/0645950734 https://www.amazon.co.uk/History-Bible-Podcast-Companion-Genesis/dp/0645950734 https://www.amazon.ca/History-Bible-Podcast-Companion-Genesis/dp/0645950734 https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Garry-Stevens-PhD/dp/0645950734 https://www.amazon.fr/History-Bible-Podcast-Companion-Genesis/dp/0645950734 ttps://www.amazon.com.au/History-Bible-Podcast-Companion-Genesis/dp/0645950734 ... Read more

22 Jun 2024

03 MINS

03:04

22 Jun 2024


#211

Afterlife 1: On History Podcasting, with Bernie Maopolski

In this Afterlife episode, Bernie Maopolski of Fan of History (https://shows.acast.com/history) and I discuss history podcasting. ... Read more

22 Jun 2024

37 MINS

37:06

22 Jun 2024


#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