Excavate

Last week we looked at some challenging feminine language and metaphors for Israel in the prophets. Today we’re going to look at some of the positive images and the way the feminine images are used to describe God. Most of us “know” that God is outside of gender but when it comes down to it, we haven’t really explored what that means or how that’s revealed and demonstrated in the word. So that’s w...

In this episode we’re going to be talking about feminine imagery in the prophets. specifically metaphorical uses of female language to describe Israel. We have often conflated the metaphorical language with literal views of women so today we want to draw better distinctions in how God was talking to Israel and what he was trying to communicate in these metaphors. We’ll also dig into the way the mo...

If you were to make a list of Biblical stories about liberation, would Esther be on that list? As we discuss the second half of the book of Esther, you’ll see why it will make your list moving forward! Chapters 5-10 are packed with supernatural timing, ironic twists, profound reversals, and powerful victory over oppression. We also discuss how the story of Esther became a Jewish national holiday a...

We’re digging into the book of Esther! This is a book that has often been reduced to a story that’s only for women about winning a beauty pageant and becoming a queen. But there is so much depth to this book for both women and men. It’s a fantastic hero’s journey, there is one of the best male role models in scripture, it has a great deal to say about racial identity and the pressure to assimilate...

The story of Hannah has at times been used as a formula for women to get pregnant who struggle with infertility. That approach can become judgmental and overly simplistic, and does not honor the fullness of Hannah’s story and the pervasive instances of barren women in the Bible. In this episode we dig into the risky hope that Hannah expresses in her petition to God. Hope that requires vulnerabilit...

The book of Ruth is known for being a sweet love story and an important installment in the redemption story. But Ruth is also a book about the power of female friendship and community. David and Jonathan typically get all the attention for modeling biblical friendship, but David first learned about commitment and support from his great-grandmother. This is perhaps one of the most well known female...

We’re continuing our excavation as we move into the book of Judges and then the era of the kings, looking at the prophetess and judge Deborah (and her fellow warrior, Jael), and the prophetess Huldah. We’re discussing these powerful examples of women in leadership in Israel, and taking on the pervasive interpretation that their leadership was a last resort in the absence of other willing male lead...

This week’s episode is delicate but so important for making sense of some passages that on the surface can feel harsh and unfair. We’re digging into Deut. 22:22-29 and discussing how this passage handles sexual violence, and the test for adultery in Num. 5:11-31 (cross referenced with John 8:1-11). We may not resolve every feeling of unease these passages can incite, but we believe that God cares...

Did you know the Bible has a whole passage about periods and menstruation? Today we’re talking about Leviticus 15 and “bodily discharges”. Men, don’t skip this episode because it’s a topic we all need to understand better. We’re digging into how to interpret the way the Bible talks about male and female reproductive hygiene, and specifically the ways we think about being “unclean” and what God’s i...

We’ve got a special bonus episode for International Women’s Day! As this day celebrates the contributions and leadership of women, we will dig into the story in Exodus 1 of the Hebrew midwives. Their story gives us a humorous and inspiring picture of Godly resistance and the ways women have acted with bravery and wit to advocate for their communities. We read the following passage in the episode:...

We hear a lot about the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but what about the matriarchs? In this week's episode we dig into the narratives of Sarah, Hagar, Rebekah and Leah. Each of these women have their own personal encounters with God apart from and unmediated by their husbands. Let’s see how God relates to them intimately and proves Himself faithful in their lives. We read the following pa...

We continue to dig into the history and perceptions of Eve and in this part 2 episode we discuss Satan’s strategy for why he would target Eve first rather than Adam. Heather poses 2 theories: 1. Satan has a particular hatred of Eve and wanted to neutralize her from the beginning. 2. Satan wanted to disrupt God’s created design for human connection and insert his own pattern of distrust and isolati...

We’re digging in from the very beginning starting with our Matriarch, Eve. We’re uncovering some of the history and perceptions of Eve. Jamie proposes that: 1. Eve as Adam’s “helper” is a powerful name 2. God is not prescribing but describing the impact of sin in Gen 3. 3. He’s not describing gender roles but rather some particularities of Eve’s work Listen in as we dialogue about the we have at t...

Start getting to know us in this brief episode as we introduce ourselves! We have a conversation about our backgrounds and our history with the topic of women in the Bible and in the Church. We also lay out our approach to this series and what to expect from upcoming episodes. There is also an invitation for men to listen in and join the conversation, Excavate is open to all listeners!