Jesus the Healer, Jesus the Magos? Rethinking Magic and Religion in Antiquity
The Bible and Beyond
An Interview with Dr. David Franfurter What did people in the ancient world mean by "magic"? And why might some have viewed Jesus as a magos—a healer who used sacred words, gestures, and ritual power? In this fascinating conversation, Dr. David Frankfurter helps us move beyond modern assumptions about magic and religion. Together we explore healing, exorcism, sacred names, vowel incantations, and the ways ordinary people sought help, hope, and power in the world of early Christianity. Dr. David Frankfurter is the William Goodwin Aurelio Chair of the Appreciation of Scripture...
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What Is the Kingdom of God? Rethinking Sacred Space
The Bible and Beyond
An Interview with Dr. Karen Winell Is the Kingdom of God a place, a rule, a future hope—or something more? Dr. Karen Wenell challenges familiar assumptions by exploring the Kingdom as sacred space that is lived, performed, and experienced among people. Through a rich discussion of biblical texts, embodiment, ethics, and community, she offers fresh ways of understanding one of Jesus's central teachings and why it continues to matter in everyday life today. Dr. Karen Wenell is a Senior Lecturer in New Testament and Theology in the Department of Theology and Religion at the University of...
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What the Hermetica Reveal About Early Christianity
The Bible and Beyond
An Interview with Dr. M. David Litwa What did ancient Hermetic spirituality have in common with early Christianity? In this conversation, Dr. M. David Litwa introduces the Hermetica—ancient Egyptian spiritual writings centered on Hermes Trismegistus—and explores their influence on concepts such as spiritual rebirth, divine consciousness, salvation through gnosis, and humanity’s relationship to the divine. Shirley Paulson and Litwa discuss why early Christians found these writings compelling and how Hermetic ideas still speak to modern seekers interested in spiritual progress,...
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Simon Magus: Villain or Simply Misunderstood?
The Bible and Beyond
An Interview with Dr. Benjamin DeVos This episode reexamines Simon Magus, a controversial figure from the book of Acts, and his evolving role in early Christian tradition. Moving beyond the familiar story, it explores how later texts—especially the Pseudo-Clementines—transform Simon into a complex philosophical rival to Peter. Along the way, the discussion uncovers themes of truth, rhetoric, power, and moral ambiguity, challenging simple labels of heresy and revealing a far more nuanced picture of early Christianity. Dr. Benjamin De Vos is a researcher and teacher within the Faculty of...
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Gnosis, a Roman Catholic Womanpriest, and Inner Awakening
The Bible and Beyond
An Interview with Rev. Dr. Bridget Mary Meehan What is “gnosis,” and does it belong within Catholic tradition? In this conversation, Rev. Dr. Bridget Mary Meehan—bishop in the Roman Catholic Womanpriests movement—shares how inner, experiential knowing of God has long shaped Christian mysticism. From the Gospel of Mary to Teresa of Ávila, she explores how forgotten voices and lived experience challenge hierarchy and renew faith, offering a vision of a more inclusive and Spirit-led church today. Rev. Dr. Bridget Mary Meehan is a bishop in the and a prophetic leader in the global...
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Rethinking Eve: New Insights into the Genesis Story
The Bible and Beyond
An Interview with Shawna Dolansky Historian Shawna Dolansky invites listeners to rethink the story of Eve in Genesis. Rather than a villain responsible for humanity’s fall, Eve may be the story’s protagonist—reasoning, choosing, and moving history forward. Dolansky explores how ancient readers understood the Eden story, how later interpreters—from Ben Sira to Augustine and Milton—reshaped it, and why recovering the story’s ancient Near Eastern context can change how we understand Genesis today. Professor Shawna Dolansky is an historian who specializes in the emergence of the Hebrew...
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Two Fathers of Jesus: A New Perspective
The Bible and Beyond
An interview with Nathan Houstin Nathan Houstin discusses the often-overlooked role of Joseph as the father of Jesus based on his reading of the New Testament, the Infancy Gospel of Thomas and the Gospel of Philip (which depicts Joseph as the carpenter of the cross!). Taken together, these texts illuminate Joseph’s portrayal and significance in the context of Jesus’ dual parentage. They highlight theological implications, the nature of fatherhood, and how these concepts resonate in contemporary understandings of family. Nathan Houstin is a doctoral student in New Testament and Early...
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Karen King Discusses Mary Magdalene as a Leader in Early Christianity
The Bible and Beyond
In this Bible and Beyond podcast episode, Shirley Paulson interviews Dr. Karen L. King, a prominent scholar of the early text, the Gospel of Mary. In this podcast, Shirley and Karen explore the portrayal of Mary Magdalene as a leader and the implications for women's roles in early Christianity. They also discuss themes of identity, the nature of sin, the journey of the soul, and the concept of the good in relation to ethical living. Dr. King's insights highlight the relevance of the ancient teachings in contemporary spiritual and social contexts. Dr. Karen L. King is the Hollis Research...
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How Later Anti-Jewish Readings Distort the New Testament
The Bible and Beyond
An Interview with Dr. Meredith J. C. Warren How did anti-Jewish interpretations become embedded in readings of the New Testament? In this Bible and Beyond Podcast episode, Shirley Paulson speaks with biblical scholar Meredith Warren about “Judeophobia”—its historical context and the responsibility of modern Bible readers. Drawing on her new co-edited volume, Judeophobia and the New Testament, Warren explores how later interpretations distorted ancient texts—and how reading critically and kindly can help prevent harm today. Dr. Meredith J. C. Warren is a Senior Lecturer in Biblical and...
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Why the Ancient Romans Destroyed the Jewish Temple
The Bible and Beyond
An Interview with Dr. Ward Sanford Dr. Ward Sanford recounts the dramatic history of the ancient Romans’ destruction of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. His historical novel weaves fictional characters into well-researched events, bringing the story alive for modern readers. The full arc, from 63 CE to 70 CE, unfolds across four books. In this interview, he focuses on the forces at play in the first volume, covering 63 to 66 CE, when tensions between Rome and Jerusalem began to erupt. Before becoming a novelist, Dr. Ward Sanford enjoyed a 35-year career as a highly respected scientist with...
info_outlineAn Interview with Dr. Amy Jill Levine
Amy-Jill Levine, a distinguished New Testament scholar, provides examples of Christian commentators making Jewish practices and beliefs look bad in order to make Jesus look good. A more realistic understanding of these Jewish practices helps us understand Jesus better and understand Judaism more respectfully. Examples of these Jewish beliefs and practices include feminist perspectives, being identified as the Chosen Ones, and stereotypical attitudes about wealth and purity laws.
Professor Amy-Jill Levine is the Rabbi Stanley M. Kessler, Distinguished Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies at Hartford International University for Religion and Peace and University Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies America at Vanderbilt. And before that, the Sarah Lawrence Lightfoot Associate Professor of Religion at Swarthmore College. Having grown up in a predominantly Catholic neighborhood and being raised in a Jewish home lays the foundation for her life-long interest in Jewish-Christian relations.