TheoDisc Podcast

Tim Mackie and Lucy Peppiatt - Biblical Studies and Christology

For this standalone TheoDisc episode, we are re-releasing a previous episode where Kenny and Lucy Peppiatt had a chat with Tim Mackie from BibleProject a couple of years ago in Belfast. They found out more about his journey from being purely a biblical scholar, to gaining a deeper understanding of Systematic Theology and Christology, while looking at the early church fathers and mothers, and how it plays such a significant part in shaping and influencing our faith. Enjoy!

Tamara Knudson - Oaths and Vows: Women in the Old Testament

In episode 40 of TheoDisc, Kenny chats with Dr Tamara Knudson about oaths and vows in the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible), particularly in the stories of key women figures like Ruth, Hannah and Abigail. Tamara helps us understand the difference between an oath and a vow and how they hold profound and transformative potential as we recognise them in the Scriptural story.
Show Notes
Read Tamara’s thesis on oaths and vows in the Hebrew Bible, ‘She is More to You than Seven Sons’: https://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/10023/27441/Thesis-Tamara-Knudson-complete-version.pdf 
Listen to Tamara teaching on Jepthah’s vow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iqLoz-1RVo 
Next Episode
In our next episode, Kenny will be talking about Jared Michelson and the connection between what is often considered ‘high’ or ‘abstract’ theological doctrines and on the ground Christian Ministry.

Dennis Edwards - Humility Illuminated

In episode 39 of TheoDisc, Kenny is joined by Rev Dr Dennis Edwards, who says humility has been misunderstood, manipulated or marginalised, such that it’s been hidden away in a dark corner. But in his book, Humility Illuminated, Dennis wants to recover the biblical roots of humility, its importance for the character of the church, and the way it can bring healing and unity. That is the topic of their conversation, and makes for a brilliant episode. Enjoy!
 
Show Notes
Website: https://www.revdrdre.com/ 
Humility Illuminated Book: https://amzn.eu/d/0d47L0iX
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RevDrDre
 
NEXT EPISODE
In episode 40 of TheoDisc, Dr Tamara Knudson will be sharing from her work on the importance of oaths and vows in the Hebrew Bible, how they push the narrative forward, and particularly as they apply to women.
 

Nijay Gupta - Strange Religion

In episode 38 of TheoDisc, Kenny chats with Dr Nijay Gupta, who would say that weirdness was actually what made the early church attractive. Nijay’s latest book, Strange Religion, talks about how the First Christians were weird, dangerous and compelling. They spoke about how understanding the way these Christians navigated their world with the message of the gospel can help us in our present time and cultures. Enjoy!
Show Notes:
Strange Religion book: https://amzn.eu/d/3PegyH3
Slow Theology podcast: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/3tpam-19c8dc/Slow-Theology-Simple-Faith-for-Chaotic-Times-Podcast
Crux Sola blog: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/cruxsola/
Next Episode, Rev Dr Dennis Edwards talking about our need to rediscover a much misunderstood, avoided, or forgotten virtue - humility.
 

Terran Williams - Women and Authority in 1 Timothy 2

In episode 37 of TheoDisc, Kenny had a really insightful and helpful conversation with Terran Williams on Paul’s instruction in his first letter to Timothy, commonly translated in our English Bibles as ‘I do not permit a woman to teach or have authority over a man’. They focussed in on what is happening in 1 Tim 2 concerning women teaching and leading in the church. We hope you find it helpful for your own understanding.
More about Terran Williams:Website: terranwilliams.comBook: ‘How God Sees Women: The End of Patriarchy’ https://amzn.eu/d/j1HXwIs Articles for CBE International: https://www.cbeinternational.org/person/terran-williams/
WTC Romans Summer School:Sign up here: https://wtctheology.org.uk/romans-summer-school-24/
 

Murray Rae - Resurrection and Renewal

In episode 36 of TheoDisc, Kenny is joined by Prof Murray Rae, and they address the question: "Why is the resurrection of Jesus important?" Murray works from the narrative of scripture to explore the ways the resurrection influences our understanding of Christ, salvation, the future, mission, the church, and the unfolding purpose of history. They discuss the proclamation, rather than the proving, of the resurrection, and how its experience is an encounter with Jesus that invites us into participation in his resurrection life. Enjoy!
 
You can pre-order Murray's book Resurrection and Renewal: Jesus and the Transformation of Creation here: https://chbookshop.hymnsam.co.uk/books/9781540966209/resurrection-and-renewal

Amy Brown Hughes - Virginity in Church History

In episode 35 of TheoDisc, Kenny chats with Dr Amy Brown Hughes about a topic that has often been left for Youth groups to discuss nervously - that’s the topic of Virginity. In her work in historical theology, Amy has explored the ways that, for the church, virginity has historically been about more than just sexual abstinence, but was a calling, an identification with Christ and the church, and a theological category in its own right. They discuss the ways perceptions of celibacy and marriage have changed, and how we might learn from the early church to reclaim the virtues of chastity, faithfulness, and integrity in our personhood.
Amy teaches Patristics at WTC and is an associate professor of theology at Gordon College. She holds a B.A. in Theology and Historical Studies from Oral Roberts University, a Masters in General History of Christianity and a PhD in historical theology with an emphasis in early Christianity, both from Wheaton College. She is the author (with Lynn Cohick,) of 'Christian Women in the Patristic World. Her research interests include Eastern Christianity, trinitarian and christological thought, Christian asceticism, theological anthropology, and highlighting the contributions of minority voices to theology, especially those of women. She is also a co-host for the theology stream of the biblical studies and theology podcast OnScript.

Justin Brierley - The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God

In episode 34 of TheoDisc, we ask the question: "Are there signs in the west that attitudes towards God and faith are shifting?" That’s the hope presented by our guest for this episode, Justin Brierley. Justin has been hosting and leading conversations for some time around Christian apologetics, inter-faith dialogue, theological debate, and the place of Christianity within western culture.
Kenny and Justin talked about his latest book and accompanying podcast called ‘The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God’. You may have also seen Justin’s recent piece in the Spectator magazine titled ‘A Christian Revival is Under Way in Britain’. Justin contends that there is a developing shift in western culture towards an openness to faith in God, accompanied by voices both Christian and secular who are asking new, or perhaps old, questions in the wake of a foundational fracturing of a purely atheistic materialist worldview.
Connect with Justin here:
Website: justinbrierley.com
Surprising Rebirth in Belief in God Book & Podcast: https://justinbrierley.com/the-surprising-rebirth-of-belief-in-god/
Spectator article: https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/a-christian-revival-is-under-way-in-britain
Justin’s interview with WTC Principal Lucy Peppiatt: https://www.premier.plus/the-profile/podcasts/episodes/lucy-peppiatt-what-st-paul-really-said-about-women
Follow Justin: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/brierley.justin
Twitter -  https://twitter.com/JusBrierley

Stephen Dempster - The Return of the Kingdom

In episode 33 of Theodisc, we’re thinking about ‘kingdom’ as the overarching theme of the whole biblical story - this idea that if you step back and observe the entire sweep of the Scriptural narrative, the image of God as the coming king becomes evident. Kenny had a chat with Dr Stephen Dempster, who has just written a book called ‘The Return of the Kingdom: A Biblical Theology of God’s Reign’ and we are delighted and privileged to have him on the podcast.

Paulus de Jong - Echoes of Exodus in John

In episode 32 of TheoDisc Podcast, Kenny is joined by Paulus de Jong as they explore allusions from John's Gospel to the book of Exodus, and how seeing those links make us better readers of John's Gospel. Enjoy!

Jared Patrick Boyd - Finding Freedom in Constraint

In this episode, Kenny speaks with Jared Patrick Boyd about the danger of seeing Spiritual formation as a mere Christian lifestyle fad, the purpose of spiritual disciplines as more than just helpful habits but to make visible our interior world, and how Spiritual Formation only fully benefits us on our journey to Christlikeness if we pursue it in community.
Jared Patrick Boyd is a teacher, pastor, spiritual director, and founder of the Order of the Common Life, a missional monastic order reimagining religious vocations for the whole church for the twenty-first century. He is part of VineyardUSA and is the author of Imaginative Prayer: A Yearlong Guide to Your Child’s Spiritual Formation and the book we are talking about today: Finding Freedom in Constraint: Reimagining Spiritual Disciplines as a Communal Way of Life.  Now, here’s our conversation.

Ben Blackwell - Living the Kingdom

In this episode of  TheoDisc, Kenny talks with our Vice Principal and New Testament scholar Ben Blackwell about the already but not yet of the kingdom, and how God's kingdom comes with power and also through suffering. Ben’s primary teaching and research areas include New Testament and Theology, and he thoroughly enjoys interacting with students on a wide variety of topics on our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes at WTC.  Enjoy!

Roger Ellis & Alain Emerson - Theology for Church Planters

Church planters and ministry pioneers are at the forefront of the mission to carry the good news of the Kingdom to as many places as possible. In many ways, this requires fresh and innovative thinking. But it also requires an understanding of the ways God has been working in the church throughout its history, and a commitment to thinking about church planting in a theologically robust way that underpins the practical planning, strategy and commitments required. 
On this episode of TheoDisc, Kenny talks with with Alain Emerson and Roger Ellis, who teach Ecclesiology as part of WTC’s Graduate Diploma in Church Planting & Leadership. Whether you are planting a church, leading in a church, or are part of a church family, this conversation will cause you to think about the rich history of God’s people as they have allowed the Scriptures and the Spirit to deeply affect their thinking, and how this should shape our future thinking on what the church should be.

Nigel Langford - Our Adoption Journey

In this episode, Kenny is joined by Nigel Langford, and they go on an exploration of theological understanding and revelation of God’s character through Nigel and his wife, Nicky’s adoption story. Enjoy!

Sandra Glahn - Nobody’s Mother

Welcome to TheoDisc episode 27! In this episode we welcome Prof Sandra Glahn of Dallas Theological Seminary. Kenny and Sandra explore her new book, Nobody’s Mother, and the implications of archaeological, cultural, historical, literary, and biblical evidence for our understanding of Paul’s letters, and in particular the passage in 1 Tim 2:15.

Aaron White - Culture and the Power of Narrative

In this episode of TheoDisc, Kenny was in conversation with Aaron White, and they addressed these questions and more... Is it possible that the narratives, themes and words that we see in our popular culture can be avenues for God to speak? How can we engage film, literature, music and more with our ears open to the gospel of the Kingdom? And can our engagement with art help us to minister in the world more effectively?