Ten Minute Theology - Joel Wentz Joel Wentz

Jonah is one of the greatest little stories in the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament) and it’s also one of the most-popularly-misunderstood stories. So, how exactly is the common interpretation of Jonah so off-base? What is a better, more faithful way to read this wild little book? And what in the world could a story of a man getting swallowed by a fish have to say to us in our cultural moment today? Listen to find out.

I’m taking a slightly different approach in today’s episode, in engaging with a prominent current event. A group of pastors, some of whom are quite well-known, led by John MacArthur, recently released a “statement on social justice” that is making quite a stir in Evangelical-Christian circles. I take this slightly-longer-than-normal episode to engage with it.

Spoiler alert: I think it’s a disaster.

In the previous episode, I spent time explaining some of my background and putting forward a helpful definition of the term 'evangelical.' In this episode, I do a deep-dive into my personal wrestling match. It's an honest discussion, in an attempt to highlight a few compelling arguments on both sides of the debate. I do land somewhere, though! Hopefully this is enlightening, and ultimately helpful to those of you with similar experiences.

In this first of a 2-part discussion, I wrestle openly and honestly with the term 'Evangelical.' Since the 2016 election, the discussion around the relevance of the term 'evangelical' has been raging in Christian circles, and it has provoked deep soul-searching for me. In this episode, I briefly explain some of my personal background, my own discovery of the term, and lay some groundwork for a definition of it that I've found helpful.

Part two of a complicated discussion about whether the Bible is inherently trustworthy in our modern age. I hit on topics as deep and diverse as history, science, and faith (which is probably why this episode is longer than normal...)

A seemingly simple question actually contains a myriad of complicated assumptions, questions and tensions. Join me for a 2-part discussion of how to respond.