No Experts Allowed

Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Pentecost (Year B) - 11/10/24

In this week's Gospel reading, a widow puts everything she has into the temple's treasury. In contrast, the rich put in large sums that amount to small portions of their total wealth. Jonathan and Seth think more about the widow, considering what else she might be going through beyond how much money she has donated. How old is she? What grief does she carry? What source of income might she have? What compels her to give so much of herself when she has so little? And, finally, what can we learn from that?

We're glad you're with us! Please take extra care of yourself this week. Drink water. Get adequate sleep. Reach out to friends who may be nervous or can help calm your election anxiety. No matter what, we'll be back next week with another episode.

Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost (Year B) - 11/3/24

While Revelation contains many passages that, on the surface, seem terrifying, toward the end, John narrates a calming, almost safe story of a New Jerusalem descending from heaven. It's a relatively well-known passage often referenced when considering what the end times may be like. So, Jonathan and Seth try to hear it anew. Despite their best efforts, they uncover some political implications in the text. After all, the election is nearing, and tensions are high. So, what kind of vision does John have for us? Can it teach us about political discourse? Can we imagine a positive vision for our world and move past mere critiques?

As the election nears, we hope you're taking care of yourself. At the risk of stating the obvious: try not to let the news consume you, drink water, and prioritize self-care practices that work best for you. We can make it through this. As always, we're glad you're with us!

Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost (Year B) - 10/27/24

The theme of exile runs throughout the Hebrew Bible. While it's sometimes more explicit than others, scholars have argued that even when exile does not prominently appear, it was the lens ancient readers used to interpret the text. So, Jonathan and Seth talk about exile. They discuss its effect on ordinary people's lives, the deep longing it causes, and the joyous hope of being back together again. If we were not following the lectionary, this episode could (and maybe should) have been the first episode we produced.

We're thrilled you're with us! Have you had an experience of exile? Has that pain healed at all? Did you have a homecoming afterward? We'd love to hear about it; email us at noexpertsallowed@gmail.com

Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost (Year B) - 10/20/24

Hurricanes have been in the news lately. The cleanup will take months, and a sense of normalcy in some places may take years if it is possible at all. Meanwhile, the psalmist declares that the natural world is so stunning and masterfully designed that it points toward God. How do we make sense of these claims in light of these recent natural disasters? Do they tell us anything about God? Do they tell people "on the ground" something about God that we, sitting in our safe homes, can't comprehend? And what does a God concerned about justice have to do with these communities that were so significantly impacted? We try to unpack these theological questions and wrestle with the beauty we've seen in nature alongside the destruction in Florida and the western Carolinas.

If you're like us, the images of Hurricane Helene's flooding struck you deeply. And, therefore, we think they're worth some theological reflection. We're so glad you're with us. Please join us in praying for those affected by natural disasters and also those in Gaza, who have shown tremendous support for the hurting, despite their physical distance.

Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost (Year B) - 10/13/24

We have a lot of stuff. Compared to most of the world, those capable of listening to podcasts are doing quite well. We often, however, do not think of ourselves as wealthy. After all, some are much more affluent than us. We don't have private planes, yachts, or entourages. So, how do we read Jesus' remark, "Go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me" (Mark 10:21)? Jonathan and Seth discuss the difficulties with this text. They consider how they've heard it interpreted to make it more palatable. They end by praying for help living into this teaching as people with a lot of stuff.

We're thrilled you're with us! This week's episode raises a lot of questions. I'll pose a few more here: how can one know they have many possessions? How does someone earnestly trim what they have? What do we own that helps us follow Jesus? How do we decide what to buy next? This text raises innumerable questions; we've only scratched the surface in the episode, but hope you'll continue asking them even after the episode ends.

Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost (Year B) - 10/6/24

CW: discussions of abuse, painful marriages, and scripture that people have used to trap women in harmful situations

While our episodes often touch on serious topics, this one deserves the content warning above. We mention these potentially triggering topics, but they're not most of the episode. Instead of trying to wrestle with texts about marriage's permanency, Jonathan and Seth zoom out. They discuss friendships, what makes healthy ones, and what sparked theirs and sustains it. And what pitfalls they sometimes fall into. The hope is that this discussion on friendship can illuminate the texts on marriage in healthier and more applicable ways.

We're glad you're with us. Please skip this episode if the content warning stirs fear or dread in you. It's why we provided it, after all! We'll be back next week with another episode.

Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Year B) - 9/29/24

Lately, there has been a lot of coverage in the news about political factions. But factions appear more than just in the political sphere. Churches, of course, can develop them too. They're equally insidious and difficult to deal with in civic, and public life. So, Jonathan and Seth talk about how these divisions take place. They start small this week; they don't try to tackle the United State's political problems like they sometimes do.

We're glad you're with us! For whatever reason, our last episode took off. So, if you're joining us again, we're thrilled you returned. We'd love to hear from you about church divisions and how we can spread out leadership to take some of the burden off of individuals (as Moses does in this week's reading) at noexpertsallowed@gmail.com

Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Year B) - 9/22/24

One of the defining characteristics of the Psalms is that they have little historical context. Dating them is incredibly tricky. Scholars often rely on how language develops as much as they do historical artifacts. Because of this limited historical data, they're endlessly applicable; it's why they resonate today. Jonathan and Seth discuss Psalm 1, which could be read as an introduction to the entire book. They disagree about its application. They read the psalm differently, emphasize different parts, and maybe, see the current situation differently. If one has to "read the world" alongside reading texts, this opens up many areas of disagreement. But I (Seth), think we managed the disagreement respectfully and hope it can be a model. It also makes for a classic episode of No Experts Allowed.

We're glad you're with us, regardless of if you always agree with our conclusions. Listeners bring us much joy and push us to improve our podcast. So, a heartfelt thank you.

Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost (Year B) - 9/15/24

We use our tongues a lot. We use them to swallow, speak, and help us chew food. They're the strongest muscle in the human body relative to its size. It likewise, has an outsized impact on our lives. The words it forms can edify or eviscerate. So, Jonathan and Seth discuss words and speech this week based on James' comment that "the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits" (3:5). What makes speech so powerful? How can we use it to benefit others? How does human speech mirror God's speech? There are too many questions to answer in one podcast episode, but we tried nonetheless.

We're thrilled you're with us! As the lectionary moves to the end of Year B, the texts become more apocalyptic, so stay tuned for some wild stories and discussions about the other appointed texts (as we try to skirt talking about the end times week after week).

Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Year B) - 9/8/24

Everyone has a name. One can change their name, use a nickname, like or dislike it, but they have a name. What does it mean to have a "good name"? And how do we develop one or protect it? Jonathan and Seth discuss names and reputations this week. They talk about how creating a lasting reputation may take a long time. And what do names have to do with God? What does this passage tell us about God's name and how God's reputation is meant to be protected? All this and a lot of laughter on this week's episode of NEA.

We're so glad you're with us. We hope you like this episode as much or more than you like your name!