Read
1 & 2 Samuel For Normal People by Aaron Higashi: The latest entry in the Bible for Normal People series written in an informative and entertaining fashion. These books of the Bible are crucial to understand and puzzling for many. This is an accessible read that will update you on the current state of biblical scholarship regarding these ancient texts.
The Islamic Jesus: How the King of the Jews Became a Prophet of the Muslims by Mustafa Akyol: A fascinating and thought provoking read. It relies more than I’d like on the perspective of James A. Tabor but many of the basic premises still hold up and it is written respectively and humbly enough to still be worth the read. Fairly accessible, but might be outside of some people’s comfort zones as it touches on matters dear to members of the Jewish, Christian and Muslim faith communities.
Theology and the Star Wars Universe edited by Benjamin D. Espinoza: A fascinating collection of theological essays on the Star Wars; a background in theological studies will definitely help with understanding some of these essays; others are more accessible. As a Star Wars fan and a current Master’s student in Theological Studies, I found this thoroughly enjoyable.
The Prophetic Imagination by Walter Bruggerman: This has been on my “to read” list for years now; a course I’m taking encouraged reading it beforehand to get acquainted so I finally did. Wasn’t as transformative as I would have liked but I’ve read and heard passages cited often enough that it may have softened the impact somewhat. Definitely still a seminal text for understanding the Old Testament, especially the prophets and the prophetic role that calls many faithful people to this day.
Surviving God: A New Vision of God Through the Eyes of Sexual Assault Survivors by Grace Ji-Sun Kim and Susan M. Shaw. Another book that has been on my “to-read” list for months and one I delved into when in-between semesters. Another excellent work from this authorial pair that was thought-provoking and paradigm-challenging, opening up the theological discourse to people traditionally marginalized in North Atlantic theological paradigms. Moderately accessible, though caution will be good to exercise to avoid being triggered as the subject matter is heavy.
Listen
The Bible for Normal People Episode 278: Amy-Jill Levine – Who Are The Pharisees Actually?
Conspirituality 218: Meet the Sexvangelicals (w/Julia Postema & Jeremiah Gibson)
Conspirituality 221: The Dangers of Dr. Google (w/Dr. Jonathan Stea)
Watch
Off-Duty: An NCIS Re-watch with Cote and Michael: Sean Murray Returns: Probie and 20+ Seasons of NCIS. Spotify video podcast.
Off-Duty: An NCIS Re-watch with Cote and Michael: Emily Wickersham: Ellie Bishop and a gift from Gibbs. Spotify video podcast.
The Dreamers' Corner 