Uh oh! We’re dipping our toes into politics, or at least trying to. Recently, President Trump has announced that he is creating a task force to “Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias” and he is instituting a White House Faith Office headed by Paula White. Jodie and Matthew discuss what this may mean from a religious perspective and then we flesh out a few misunderstandings some people may have, especially about Paula White’s brand of Charismatic Christianity and Prosperity Gospel. We know we are no political scientists, so don’t take this too seriously, but as always, let us know what you think! Happy Super Bowl!

Works Referenced and Recommended Readings:

Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias – The White House

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We’ve all heard of Jonestown. But do we all know what actually happened? Do we know the story behind the massacre? And perhaps more importantly, do we know the story about after the massacre? Jodie and Matthew discuss the history behind Jonestown and the events leading up to its infamous last moments, followed by a conversation on how Jonestown has been framed by the media and others, and pontificate on potential ways it may be useful to look at Jonestown and “cults” in general.

Works Referenced and Recommended Readings:

Moore, R. (2018). Jonestown, Forty Years On. Nova Religio: The Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions, 22(2), 3–14. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26537917

TV Show: “Cult Massacre: One Day in Jonestown” directed by Marian Mohamed, 2024

Movie: “Jonestown: The Women Behind the Massacre” directed by Nicole Rittenmeyer, 2018

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In their first expedition into the world of Hebrew poetry, Jodie and Matthew discuss the Psalms and answer the burning questions regarding this wide collection of poetry. Using Psalm 137 as an example we examine its context, structure, and interpretations. Who wrote the Psalms? When? How are these Psalms organized? Structured? Performed? Stick around until the end to hear a tiny bit about how Psalm 137 and Rastafarianism overlap!

Works Referenced and Recommended Readings:

“Rivers of Babylon” by The Melodians, (Song, 1970)

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We’re back in the New Testament again! Jodie and Matthew explore Jesus’s parable of The Good Samaritan and attempt to rid ourselves of the common misconceptions we may have when it comes to this passage, and it may be even more shocking than originally believed!

Works Referenced and Recommended Readings:

Short Stories by Jesus: The Enigmatic Parables of a Controversial Rabbi by Amy Jill Levine

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WARNING. This episode discusses sensitive topics including suicide. Conversations about suicide can be troublesome or difficult for some. If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, please call or text 988 to connect to the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or reach out to any local resources you may have.

After the First Jewish Revolt and the Destruction of the 2nd Temple in 70 CE, the fortress at Masada was the last Jewish holdout from the war. Jodie and Matthew discuss the siege of Masada, what ancient historians have to say about it, and how that relates to modern archaeological findings, as well as the legacy that Masada leaves

Works Referenced and Recommended Readings:

Masada: From Jewish Revolt to Modern Myth by Jodi Magness

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Happy New Year! In this episode, Jodie and Matthew discuss a variety of terms that they think are worth discussing, including the name of God, pronouns of God, the dating system we use, differentiating people groups, the Difference between the different collections in the Bible, the differences between Religious Studies and Biblical Studies and Theological studies, ending with a conversation on ethnocentrism. Exciting stuff. We know.

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Jonah is a well-known story for kids, but why do people stop talking about it after they’ve grown up? Jodie and Matthew attempt to strip away the Veggietales-ification of this fascinating story to get into the fascinating Biblical satire that is the Book of Jonah. And no, it’s not a whale. It’s a fish.

Works Referenced and Recommended Readings:

Rhetorical Criticism: Context, Method, and the Book of Jonah by Phyllis Trible

Strawn, Brent A. “Vocatio Interrupta: Jonah’s Call, Jonah’s, Silence, and Form Criticism.” In

Historical Settings, Intertextuality, and Biblical Theology: Essays in Honor of Marvin A.

Sweeney, edited by Hyun Chul Paul Kim, Tyler D. Mayfield, and Hye Kyung Park, 77-

94. Tubingen, Germany: Mohr Siebeck, 2022.

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Works Referenced and Recommended Readings:

The Religious Treehouse has taken a turn from an attempt to be academic to have a nice fun chat about Christmas. After discussing some of the hosts’ favorite things about Christmas, they continue last week's conversation by discussing the movie/musical “Journey to Bethlehem” and Matthew ends the conversation with some introspection for the podcast.

Works Referenced and Recommended Readings:

Movie: “Journey to Bethlehem” directed by Adam Anders, 2023

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