The Alabaster Jar

Dr. Lynn Cohick

The Alabaster Jar is a weekly podcast hosted by Dr. Lynn Cohick. Dr. Cohick is a highly respected New Testament scholar and the founding president of the Center for Women in Leadership, a 501C3 organization designed to encourage women as they minister and lead in the church and in the academy. 

  1. 2 days ago

    S6 E52 | Dorothy Sayers: Mystery, Work, and the Drama of Redemption

    In this special episode of The Alabaster Jar, Dr. Lynn Cohick and co-host Dr. Josephine Stringer explore the life and work of Dorothy Sayers, a 20th‑century detective novelist, playwright, translator of Dante, and public theologian. They discuss Sayers’ celebrated Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries—especially Gaudy Night—and how her Oxford background, church upbringing, and participation in the “golden age” of detective fiction shaped her writing. Then they turn to Sayers’ theological work, including The Man Born to Be King, Creed or Chaos, and The Mind of the Maker, highlighting her conviction that the drama of redemption is the greatest story ever told. Lynn and Josephine also unpack Sayers’ provocative essays “Are Women Human?” and “Human Not Quite Human,” tracing her vision of work, creativity, and full human dignity for women and men, set against both her own complicated personal story and ongoing debates in the church today.   Resources Mentioned:   Are Women Human? Penetrating, Sensible, and Witty Essays on the Role of Women in Society by Dorothy L. Sayers Lord Peter: The Complete Lord Peter Wimsey Stories by Dorothy L. Sayers The Nine Tailors (The Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries Book 11) by Dorothy L. Sayers Human-Not-Quite-Human by Dorothy L. Sayers The Mind of the Maker by Dorothy L. Sayers Gaudy Night: A Lord Peter Wimsey Mystery with Harriet Vane by Dorothy L. Sayers The Man Born to Be King by Dorothy L. Sayers The Visual Museum of Women in Christianity Dr. Lynn Cohick Let Her Lead   Episode Sponsor:   The Alabaster Jar is brought to you by The Center for Women in Leadership, a 501©3 nonprofit organization whose purpose is to equip women in a context that is biblically rooted, theologically robust, and ethnically diverse to thrive as leaders in the academy and the Church. Follow them on Instagram @leadershipwithoutapology.

    40 min
  2. 15 Jun

    S6 E50 | The Journey of The Alabaster Jar: Five Years of Women’s Voices and Vision

    In this special episode of The Alabaster Jar, Dr. Lynn Cohick and co-host Dr. Josephine Stringer look back on over five years of conversations, featuring more than 250 episodes, 200,000 downloads, and listeners in 25 countries. Lynn shares the story and theological richness behind the podcast’s name, drawn from the New Testament account of the woman with the alabaster jar, and how that narrative has shaped her own discipleship. Together, they revisit memorable guests, humorous moments, tech mishaps, and powerful stories from women leaders, scholars, missionaries, pastors, and writers around the world. They also introduce Let Her Learn, a new initiative of LetHerLead.com designed to create hospitable, accessible spaces for women to pursue deeper theological learning in community. Finally, they reflect on where God may be leading next, especially through fresh scholarship on women in Scripture and a renewed focus on the cross and resurrection in women’s experiences of faith.   Resources Mentioned:    Women and the Gender of God by Dr. Amy Peeler Rediscovering Scripture's Vision for Women: Fresh Perspectives on Disputed Texts by Dr. Lucy Peppiatt When Courage Calls: Josephine Butler and the Radical Pursuit of Justice for Women by Dr. Sarah C. Williams Mothers on the Margin?: The Significance of the Women in Matthew's Genealogy by Dr. E. Anne Clemens Becoming Queen Bathsheba by Amanda Bedzrah Nailing It: Why Successful Leadership Demands Suffering and Surrender by Dr. Nicole Massie Martin The Visual Museum of Women in Christianity Dr. Lynn Cohick Let Her Lead   Episode Sponsor:   The Alabaster Jar is brought to you by The Center for Women in Leadership, a 501©3 nonprofit organization whose purpose is to equip women in a context that is biblically rooted, theologically robust, and ethnically diverse to thrive as leaders in the academy and the Church. Follow them on Instagram @leadershipwithoutapology.

    37 min
  3. 1 Jun

    S6 E48 | Dr. M. Elizabeth Lewis Hall | When the Journey Hurts: Finding God’s Purpose in Our Suffering

    In this conversation, Dr. Lynn Cohick interviews Dr. M. Elizabeth Lewis Hall (Liz Hall) about her book When the Journey Hurts: Finding Meaning in Suffering for Heart, Mind, and Soul. Drawing from her own stage two breast cancer diagnosis and a decade of research, Liz explains the psychological concept of meaning-making, distinguishing between global and situational meaning and how their tension fuels distress. They also explore common ways churches mishandle suffering—vagueness, triumphalism, and defensive theodicies—and instead emphasize purposes in suffering, especially deeper intimacy with Christ and participation in His sufferings. Liz and Lynn also discuss practices like lament, active surrender, forgiveness, and testimony as concrete ways Christians can honestly face pain while rooting their stories in God’s larger redemptive narrative. Resources Mentioned:  When the Journey Hurts: Finding Meaning in Suffering for Heart, Mind, and Soul by Dr. Kelly Kapic, Dr. M. Elizabeth Lewis Hall, and Dr. Jason McMartin Dr. Liz Hall The Visual Museum of Women in Christianity Let Her Lead   Episode Sponsor:   The Alabaster Jar is brought to you by The Center for Women in Leadership, a 501©3 nonprofit organization whose purpose is to equip women in a context that is biblically rooted, theologically robust, and ethnically diverse to thrive as leaders in the academy and the Church. Follow them on Instagram @leadershipwithoutapology.

    51 min
  4. 25 May

    S6 E47 | Tiffany Stein | Mourning God, Mystery, and Hope After Unimaginable Loss

    In this conversation, Dr. Lynn Cohick interviews Tiffany Stein about her book, Mourning God: Grieving Loss, Wrestling with God, and Finding Your Way Back to Life. Tiffany shares the story of her son David, who lived 53 days in the NICU, and how his death led her into both profound grief and a disorienting season of feeling God’s absence after initially sensing His nearness. Drawing on Tim Keller and others, she describes different kinds of suffering—especially the “suffering of mystery” and the secondary loss of the God you thought you knew—and unpacks practices of lament, honest wrestling, and “joyful sorrow.” Lynn and Tiffany also explore how deep grief reshapes our understanding of God, the role of the church community in carrying the bereaved, and practical ways both to walk through our own grief and to accompany friends in theirs. Resources Mentioned:    Mourning God: Grieving Loss, Wrestling with God, and Finding Your Way Back to Life by Tiffany Stein The Critical Journey: Stages in the Life of Faith by Janet O. Hagberg and Robert A. Guelich   Philippians (The Story of God Bible Commentary Book 11) by Dr. Lynn Cohick Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament by Mark Vroegop Walking with God through Pain and Suffering by Tim Keller The Visual Museum of Women in Christianity Let Her Lead   Episode Sponsor:   The Alabaster Jar is brought to you by The Center for Women in Leadership, a 501©3 nonprofit organization whose purpose is to equip women in a context that is biblically rooted, theologically robust, and ethnically diverse to thrive as leaders in the academy and the Church. Follow them on Instagram @leadershipwithoutapology.

    49 min
  5. 18 May

    S6 E46 | Dr. Sandra L. Richter | Reclaiming Proverbs 31: The Heroic Woman at the Heart of Wisdom

    In this conversation, Dr. Lynn Cohick interviews Dr. Sandra L. Richter, the Robert H. Gundry Chair of Biblical Studies at Westmont College, to talk about reading Proverbs 31 in its ancient context. Richter explains that Proverbs 31 is the climactic conclusion of a high-level work of wisdom literature, framed as the queen mother’s counsel to her son, King Lemuel, about the kind of partner he truly needs. Together they challenge the way Proverbs 31 has been used to burden women with an impossible ideal, showing instead a heroic portrait of a woman, whose economic savvy, courage, and Torah-shaped wisdom build her family and community. Overall, they both highlight how this passage dignifies women’s work in both the domestic and public spheres and reveal the text as surprisingly life-giving and, in many ways, profoundly pro-woman. Resources Mentioned:   The Epic of Eden: A Christian Entry into the Old Testament by Dr. Sandra L. Richter The Epic of Eden Bible Study Guide plus Streaming Video, Updated Edition: Understanding the Old Testament as Your Story by Dr. Sandra L. Richter   Psalms Bible Study Guide Plus Streaming Video: An Ancient Challenge to Get Serious About Your Prayer and Worship (Epic of Eden) by Dr. Sandra L. Richter   The Visual Museum of Women in Christianity Let Her Lead   Episode Sponsor:   The Alabaster Jar is brought to you by The Center for Women in Leadership, a 501©3 nonprofit organization whose purpose is to equip women in a context that is biblically rooted, theologically robust, and ethnically diverse to thrive as leaders in the academy and the Church. Follow them on Instagram @leadershipwithoutapology.

    44 min

About

The Alabaster Jar is a weekly podcast hosted by Dr. Lynn Cohick. Dr. Cohick is a highly respected New Testament scholar and the founding president of the Center for Women in Leadership, a 501C3 organization designed to encourage women as they minister and lead in the church and in the academy. 

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