The New Testament claims Jesus is helping reconcile humanity and God, but why were they ever separated in the first place? Does God want to separate from us because we’re awful, or is there something entirely different going on? Nate and Tim discuss the biblical authors’ surprising assumptions about why God is so distant and what is actually required to bridge the gap.
Read MoreThe world watched as Brandt Jean hugged Amber Guyger, after she was sentenced for killing his brother, Botham. Many Christian’s rushed to share this as the perfect picture of the gospel of Jesus. But is forgiveness the gospel? We talk about justice, sweeping things under the rug and fixing the root problems.
Read MoreWhat were the sacrifices for? What did blood do? What is the main problem which the tabernacle and temple and then Jesus were trying to solve? Nate and Tim introduce a new series on Leviticus, atonement, and the crazy idea of blood as a kind of cosmic insulation. In this first part, they highlight some of the big ideas soon to be discussed and reflect on why it matters.
Read MoreThis is an episode of Utterly Heretical, Nate and Tim’s second podcast for Patreon supporters. They have a candid conversation about the emotionally complicated topic of going to church.
Read MoreDid Jesus really call a Canaanite woman a dog? Was this as heartless and mean as it sounds, or is something else going on? Nate and Tim discuss this startling passage in Matthew 15 and more.
Read MoreAre we supposed to return to the supernatural "power" that we see in books like Acts and with the early church? Tim and Nate talk about their early ministry days, Holy Spirit as magic, and more.
Read MoreIf the Bible is clearly sufficient for all our needs and sufficiently clear so that we can understand it, why doesn’t it feel that way? Nate and Tim discuss the history of these ideas, the role they’ve played, and whether or not they’re still helpful today. Once again it all seems to come down to power - who has it? Or, as they ask in this episode, “Who is the pope?”
Read MoreWe talk about our time in ministry in San Francisco and what bugs us about the Holy Spirit.
Read MoreWhen we say, “The Bible says,” what do we really mean? Who exactly are we talking about? Nate and Tim try to answer that question and more as they discuss the relationship between the people who wrote the Bible and our own modern ethics.
Read MoreParenting when your own faith is changing and evolving can be difficult. How much do you teach your child about God and the Bible? How do you have community if you're no longer at a church? We discuss these questions.
Read MoreHow do we hand a more open faith to our children? Nate and Tim talk about some general ideas they've thought through when it comes to parenting. Should we read the Bible to our children? We talk about Harry Potter, LGBTQ topics, and more.
Read MoreWhat if many of the texts are written in order to place us at a crossroads between two valid interpretations? And how does understanding the Bible as a mosaic of texts help us deal with troubling passages in the OT? Nate and Tim reflect on why reading the Bible is more complicated than taking it “literally” or not.
Read MoreEpisode 5 - In episode 69 of Almost Heretical, Tim said he would make a list of all the ways we've grown ethically since the Bible was written/edited. Here's the list and a bit of discussion about it.
Read MoreDoes the Bible condone rape? What some of the texts condemn reveals some disturbing insight into what they seem to condone. So, what do we do? Nate and Tim continue their conversation on the topic of rape in the Bible.
Read MoreNow that we're understanding the Bible isn't a rule book telling us exactly how to live, we talk about learning to use our brains again to think through moral/ethical decisions.
Read MoreIs there any evidence that David raped Bathsheba? Let's look a bit closer. This is the first part of a conversation about rape in the Bible. Nate and Tim discuss the role of rape stories in the Hebrew Bible, the issue of power, reading in context, and more.
Read MoreWant to hear how Tim and Nate came to change their thoughts to become LGBTQ affirming?
Read MoreAt some point we have to ask ourselves do I really want to be free? Freedom is no longer caring whether we’re crossing the lines that other people are creating for us. Nate and Tim sit down with renowned scholar Dr. Christena Cleveland. They discuss getting free from toxic Christianity, finding sustenance for a life of activism, what the gospel really is and much more.
Read MoreDid God really define marriage? Or is it just something people have often done? And what did Jesus really say about men and women? Nate and Tim continue the conversation about whether the Bible ever asserts a divine ideal for marriage.
Read MoreIs the Bible even about a return to original ideals? Or is the idea that of a forward march through history where humans partner with God to usher in new and unknown territory? Nate and Tim begin a discussion on sexuality and gender, asking whether the so-called divine ideal for marriage is really a good argument in defense of traditional views.
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