Preachers and teachers of Bible are eager to tell us how the Bible "speaks to us today." But does it? How can it speak to us when we are not its addressees? It was written thousands of years ago in a particular place and time for its audience who lived at that time. This kind of talk reveals the way we use and abuse the biblical text to serve ourselves. We do not bring the Bible – an ancient text - to today. Instead, the student of the Bible must go back – must go back to the time, setting and culture in which the Bible was forged.
Andrea shares how city of London guide David Charnick captures this perspective in his study of Dickens’ famous 1843 novella A Christmas Carol.

https://charnowalks.co.uk/
https://shows.acast.com/dansnowshistoryhit/episodes/charles-dickens-christmas
https://www.fulltextarchive.com/book/A-Christmas-Carol/
https://a.co/d/jkl2hdU
https://www.thegreatcourses.com/
Illustration, Marley's Ghost by John Leech, first edition, 1843.

Tammy Faye Bakker was an evangelical Christian preacher and teacher who co-hosted television programs with her husband Jim on their PTL network from 1974 to 1987. Her story is told in the 2021 HBO movie “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.”

There is a scene in the movie which depicts a fundamental biblical theme.

Andrea explains shame unto correction.

“Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos” is a new HBO documentary. In it, show creator David Chase and his creative team reflect on “The Sopranos” and how they came up with and developed certain themes.

There are striking parallels between the crafting of the show & the themes explored and those we find in the Bible.

Andrea discusses man’s impermanence and the Bible’s self-referentiality.