No Experts Allowed

John's Gospel starts at a different scale than Matthew's and Luke's (Mark's just sort of starts with no nativity or infancy narrative). John starts at the beginning of creation with "He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being" (1:2-3). While Matthew and Luke "zoom in" on Jesus and the Holy Family, John "zooms out." What can we make of this difference? What does it mean to have, as some scholars have called it, a cosmic Christ? And, maybe most centrally to the Jesus movement, what does it mean that this Cosmic Christ lived among us in our very flesh and blood? Christmas is almost over, but the questions it raises are not. So, join Jonathan and Seth as they talk about them together.

Thanks for being with us! We hope the joy of Christmas carries with you throughout the year. Although we know that Christmas brings with it lots of complicated emotions, we hope joy is the lasting one.

A short, fun episode, Jonathan and Seth pray and reveal the gifts they got each other. In an attempt not to spoil the surprise, here are links to Jonathan's gift to Seth and to Seth's gifts to Jonathan.

Merry Christmas from the both of us!

Jesus and his family become refugees in Egypt. The peaceful mangers we set up at home, or the almost-life-sized ones set up at the large church in our area, look so calm. But this text reminds us that there is a political dimension to Jesus' birth that enrages Herod. Jonathan and Seth discuss how it also is also an affront to the empires and the powerful today. They talk about why we don't hear this story more often, why Jesus' stint in Egypt might be glossed over by hymn sings, and why this newborn is political - like refugees, children, and the displaced today.

We're glad you're with us! This episode hits your feed at a strange time because it is about the Sunday after Christmas, but is uploaded before Christmas. No matter when you listen, we hope your Christmas was/is joyful! And we will have another, shorter Christmas episode to listen to on Christmas Eve.

Joseph is not Jesus' biological father, or "biodad" as is growing in popularity on TikTok. But he does seem to be committed to Mary and, subsequently, to the baby Jesus. As Luke writes, "Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose [Mary] to public disgrace, planned to divorce her quietly" (1:9). What can we learn about commitment and calling from him? Are these different? This story clearly fits into the larger narrative of Jesus' birth, but how does Joseph fit into Advent?

We're glad you're with us! We hope that your Advent is expectant, your Christmas preparations are underway, and that you are tender with yourself as this season brings with it its many emotions.

What makes you feel impatient? What are life's small annoyances that you dislike waiting for? Unfortunately, waiting is part of life, and especially the Christian life. The Advent season emphasizes waiting and the joy that can be found in it. In this episode, Jonathan and Seth discuss whether they're patient wait-ers, how Advent can be a balm for the impatient among us, and even ways to be better wait-ers. While we're not sure it will help us be better servers at a restaurant, it may help us better serve those around us.

We're glad you're with us! Do you share some of our annoyances? If so, we'd love to hear from you. In the meantime, keep waiting - Christ will come again!

Advent texts, particularly the Old Testament readings, often offer a glimpse into joy, peace, and justice God’s second coming will bring. In this week’s texts, Isaiah describes unlikely animals living in peace with each other. They’re neither dominated by their prey drive or fear. What unlikely pairings might be possible today? Who can we befriend for the betterment of the world God loves? What holds us back from these relationships? In other words, what does God’s shalom look like now, as we anticipate it coming in its fullness?

We’re glad you’re with us for this new liturgical year! I (Seth) forget how much I love Advent until it rolls around again. Then I’m always thankful for its themes; I hope you experience the same.

Are you a "prep-er"? Are you prepared for anything, running through scenarios and 'what-ifs' at work, in life, with friendships, and everything in between? To start the new liturgical year, Paul wants us to wake up and be ready. Jonathan, as someone who is ever-prepared, and Seth, someone who is moderately prepared, talk about what that looks like in the life of faith. They discuss being ready as a state of being and how we can live in light of the expected return of Christ, which will bring with it unexpected joy, reversals, and new life.

We're glad you're with us! This is the 3rd recording of this episode because the sound was not cooperating for Seth. Thank you for your patience; we know our episodes usually release on Mondays, but this one wasn't ready (See what I did there?).

Reign of Christ Sunday, or sometimes called Christ the King Sunday, ends the liturgical year. It asks who is ultimately in charge and worth worshipping. But to know that God is in charge and to act like it is much easier said than done. Jonathan and Seth discuss the challenge of the phrase, "Be still, and know that I am God!"  (Psalm 46:10) and what a faithful stillness might look like in our hurried, news-flooded world. Since this Sunday closes the liturgical year, the discussion seems like a fitting recap of much of their discussion this year.

We're glad you're with us! We hope you'll join us for liturgical year A that takes us to Matthew.

Recorded on election day, November 4th, politics was in the air. In Virginia, the gubernatorial election dominated advertisements. In Pennsylvania, the option to retain state Supreme Court justices was on the ballot. All of this was happening during a government shutdown that was affecting the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). And the author of 2 Thessalonians - who may or may not be Paul - writes, "anyone unwilling to work should not eat" (3:10). To say there is a lot to talk about is an understatement! Jonahtn and Seth discuss this verse, which they've heard in the news lately, but also talk about the wider role of tradition when Christianity seems muddled.

We're glad you're with us! Votes are counted, but this episode is still relevant. We'd love to hear how you've heard the phrase, "anyone unwilling to work should not eat." Feel free to email us.

What does a theology look like that has "good bones?" What does a theology rooted in care and concern for people look like? What are its hallmarks? How is it lived? In this week's lectionary text, the Sadducees ask questions about the resurrection. Jesus, however, speaks about resurrection as a way of life so that their question about multiple husbands is moot. Jonathan and Seth discuss this idea of a resurrection faith that takes seriously questions about heaven, but then tries to bring that ideal down to earth. They attempt to find the "good bones" in the Sadducees quiz.

We're glad you're with us! Be on the lookout for a backlog of episodes that are going to post this week. We understand life's busy, and you might not have time to listen to them all, but we wanted to make them available. And they'll be here for years, so you can always listen next time Year C rolls around!