The Two Cities

In this episode we’re joined by Rev Dr Mark Scarlata, who is Tutor and Senior Lecturer in Old Testament at St. Mellitus College, the Vicar-Chaplain at St. Edward, King and Martyr Church in Cambridge, and the author of Wine, Soil, and Salvation in the Hebrew Bible and New Testament (published by Cambridge University Press). In our conversation we discuss the broader role of wine in the Bible and its theological significance throughout in terms of both salvation and judgment. In particular, Rev. Dr. Scarlata emphasizes the ecological themes of land, soil, and creation that relate to the biblical imagery of wine. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities includes: Dr. John Anthony Dunne, Dr. Brandon Hurlbert, and Stanley Ng.

In this episode we’re joined by Dr. Tate Paulette, who is an Archeologist and Associate Professor of History at NC State University and the author of In the Land of Ninkasi: A History of Beer in Ancient Mesopotamia (published by Oxford University Press). Kicking off our series on ancient wine and beer in biblical literature and relevant traditions, we begin by talking with Dr. Tate Paulette about the world’s oldest beer culture—ancient Mesopotamia. We discuss brewing techniques as well as the role and value of beer in Mesopotamian culture, economics, and religion. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne, Dr. Brandon Hurlbert, and Stanley Ng.

In this episode we're joined by Dr. Mark Glanville, who is an Old Testament scholar and jazz pianist, the Director of The Center of Mission and Leadership at St. Andrews Hall at the University of British Columbia, the host of the podcast, Blue Note Theology, and the author of Preaching in a New Key: Crafting Expository Sermons in Post-Christian Communities (published by IVP Academic). In our conversation, full of spontaneous and improvised jazz piano, Dr. Glanville talks to us about the importance of sprucing up the creativity of our preaching to meet the needs of our Post-Christian world. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Stephanie Kate Judd and Dr. Logan Williams.

Spoiler alert and content warning! In this episode we review the third season of the smash hit Korean show on Netflix, Squid Game. As we debrief our experience watching the third season, we talk about the crazy ending, what surprised us the most about what the third season did and didn't do, what we appreciated and disliked about the season, and how this season fits alongside the first two seasons and how it carried over its core themes. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne, Dr. Brandon Hurlbert, Dr. Grace Sangalang Ng, Stanley Ng, and Dr. Kris Song.

In this episode we review and debrief the seventh season of Black Mirror, the technologically-dystopian anthology series on Netflix (on which Amber Bowen and John Anthony Dunne produced a collection of essays). We talk about key themes and new emphases that appear this season as we work through each of the six episodes in detail. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. Amber Bowen, Dr. John Anthony Dunne, and Dr. Brandon Hurlbert.

In this episode we review season 2 of the hit streaming show on Apple+ called Severance. We're joined by Dr. Nick Fox, who is Assistant Professor of Christian Studies and the Chair of the Biblical, Theological, and Ministry Studies at Crown College, and the editor of the forthcoming volume, Theology, Philosophy, and Severance (published by Rowman & Littlefield and Bloomsbury). In our conversation we discuss themes that stood out to us, including trauma, transhumanism, identity, work, human flourishing, sacrifice, the afterlife, and more, as well as several significant aspects of the mysterious plot of the show. Be warned: our chatter includes plenty of spoilers and theories. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. Amber Bowen, Dr. Josh Carroll, Dr John Anthony Dunne, and Dr. Madison Pierce.

In this episode we're joined by Dr. Daniel Hill, assistant professor of Christian Theology at George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, and the author of Bearing Witness: What the Church Can Learn from Early Abolitionists (published by Baker Academic). In our conversation Dr. Hill helps us to think about the importance of creativity in how to help people at the margins. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Rev. Dr. Nathaniel Adishian and Dr. Madison Pierce.

In this episode we’re joined by Professor Dale C. Allison Jr., who is the Richard J. Dearborn Professor of New Testament Studies at Princeton Theological Seminary and the author of Interpreting Jesus (published by Eerdmans). Over the course of our conversation we talked about why Prof. Allison chose to write this book as a collection of essays, how he used the volume as a venue to chart some new ways forward in his thinking and even to make some revisions to his previous work. We also talk about the prospect of changing your mind in print like this, and what advice he has for upcoming New Testament scholars. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. Josh Carroll and Dr. John Anthony Dunne.

In this episode we’re joined by Dr. Christy Cobb and Dr. Katherine Shaner to talk about their new edited volume, Ancient Slavery and Its New Testament Contexts (published by Eerdmans). Dr. Christy Cobb is Associate Professor of Christianity in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Denver, and Dr. Katherine Shaner is Associate Professor of New Testament at Wake Forest University School of Divinity. Over the course of the episode we discuss the different essays in the volume, what the inception of the collection was, Dr. Cobb and Dr. Shaner’s respective contributions to the book, and some of the intriguing developments on the scholarship of ancient slavery for understanding New Testament texts. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: the Rev. Dr. Nathaniel Adishian, Dr. John Anthony Dunne, and Rev. Daniel Parham.