No Experts Allowed

Luke 15 has been called "The Gospel in miniature." In this week's lectionary reading, the parable of the prodigal son is the appointed text (Luke 15:1-3; 11b-32). However, that parable is the third one in a row. So, Jonathan and Seth discussed these three parables alongside Paul's theology of reconciliation. What does reconciliation look like? Who has the power to reconcile? Are there times when reconciliation is not possible?

This episode is particularly joyous because Jonathan and Seth recorded in person. We hope that joy comes through. We also hope the sound quality is acceptable. It's even a short episode because Jonathan and Seth had to get back to playing Mario Party!

Thanks for listening. We are glad you're with us.

Who matters? That question permeates politics today. This Sunday's Gospel reading might get at the question in a roundabout way. In roughly the first half, Jesus tells a series of stories about local tragedies; in the latter half, a parable about a fig tree that a vineyard owner wants to cut down. Jonathan and Seth discuss how these stories are about "mattering," how they jettison our traditional sense of mattering because of what they produce, and offer a look into God's economy that values people over any productivity.

Be sure to tune in next week for a special episode recorded in person. Jonathan and Seth rarely get to see each other face-to-face, but had the opportunity to see each other, go bowling, play Mario Party, and find time to record a podcast episode. So, we hope you'll listen next week as well. Until then, we're glad you're with us!

At least in North America, citizenship seems to be in the news lately. What do Canadians think about the United States? Who and what is coming over the borders to affect our citizens? How do tariffs impact our citizens and hurt others? And what does it mean for Paul to write, "Our citizenship is in heaven" (Phil. 3:20)? Jonathan and Seth talk about this verse, which is often used to rationalize being separated from the earthly world. Can it be a helpful lens? How might it be particularly helpful in Lent? That seems like enough questions for one podcast!

We're glad you're with us. This episode is not very political, despite the political undertones. So, if you're weary from the news, we hope you'll listen nonetheless.

Lent begins with ashes, a physical sign of death's inevitability. If you're like me (Seth, here), you feel the ashes on your forehead and wipe them without thinking. They're still there but spread even wider across your brow. Lent may be filled with other physical signs, too. Lenten shrouds cover crosses; baptismal fonts may be dry. Are there any physical signs of God's love in your life? Jonathan and Seth talk about theirs, but more importantly, explore what to do with them. If you do not have something physical like this, Lent may be a time to find it, endow it with meaning, and see if it continues being meaningful post-Easter.

We hope Lent is meaningful, you make it Ash Wednesday (or ashes to-go), and tune in next week as we continue marching through Lent. We're glad you're with us.

After receiving the Ten Commandments, Moses comes down the mountain and his face shines (Ex. 34:30). It's like he's been to a rejuvenating spa. Likewise, when Jesus prays at the Transfiguration, "the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning" (Lk. 9.29). Being in God's presence enacts noticeable change. What might that change look like? How can we tell if someone has been spending time in God's presence? What about when two people, each claiming to spend time with God, come away with radically differing conclusions about God and how to live in the world? Jonathan and Seth talk about a lot in this episode; this topic deserves all our attention (and probably future episodes too).

We're glad you're with us! Reach out for support when needed, feel your emotions fully, drink water, and pray. If not for yourself, please do it for us. We care about you and we want you around!

I hope most Christians see forgiveness as part of our main story. Jesus talks about it repeatedly. On the cross, he asks for forgiveness for those who put him up there. Forgiveness is difficult. Forgiveness involves power dynamics. Forgiveness never completely returns the relationship to how it was before. Abusers may use Jesus' command to forgive to perpetuate harm. Jonathan and Seth try to wade through these many issues about forgiveness. How do we take it seriously without it becoming another tool for those in power? When was the last time we forgave someone? What's God's role in forgiveness? There's too much to talk about for one episode, but we try!

We're glad you're with us! Lent is coming, but until then, let's enjoy ordinary time during extraordinary times.

Luke’s narration of the beatitudes is more down to earth, more concrete. It also includes “woes” for the rich, satiated, and praised. Are Luke’s words harder for us to hear? What difference does it make that Jesus “stood on a level place” (Lk. 6:17)? Jonathan and Seth talk about how Jesus’ word can provide hope that’s similarly concrete.

It’s flows naturally from the previous episode, but listening to that is not a prerequisite. Each can stand on their own. We’re even happier you’re with us than we are with an Eagles Super Bowl victory. 

Hope takes the long view. It's not merely living in expectation of the following day but for an indeterminate time some distance away. The psalmist knows about this extended hope, declaring, "The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever" (138.8). For me (Seth, here), hope is in short supply. The news is as depressing as it's been. A bishop is attacked for asking for mercy. ICE raids took place in my hometown. January was a year long. What does it look like to have hope for the future? What does hope look like that is longer than 4 years? And how can we support each other so no one has to manufacture their hope alone?

I hope you have more hope than I do right now. Either way, we're so glad you're with us. Feel free to email us about what is giving you hope at: noexpertsallowed@gmail.com

This week we talk about… math? Seth describes the distributive property when Jonathan asks about the transitive property. Jonathan gently corrects him. The transitive property allows for substitutions and that opens new ways of reading 1 Corinthians 13, the classic “love text.” What can it tell us about God’s character? What aspects are often underemphasized? And what can we hear anew thanks to the transitive property? You won’t need a calculator for this episode; we promise!

We’re glad you’re with us! Because Easter is relatively late this year, the time after Epiphany stretches, so we’re hearing texts we do not often get in the lectionary. We hope you’re enjoying them as much as we are.

Ezra reads the law. It seems simple enough. But what if there was a little more to it? Nehemiah notes that "they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading" (8:8, NRSV). It's not merely recitation, but explanation. Ezra and Nehemiah attempt to make it accessible to those listening. What does that look like today? What are some ways to empower people to read the Bible? How might this podcast be part of that mission? What are some of the factors that keep people from reading Scripture or reading it in ways that might be harmful? This episode strikes the heart of what we're trying to do with No Experts Allowed.

We're glad you're with us! It's snowy and cold in Pennsylvania, for Seth, and still very cold in Virginia for Jonathan. We hope the weather is more pleasant wherever you are.