Rev. Rachel Wrenn, PhD; Rosy Kandathil, JD; Paul Essah, MDiv; Tim McNinch, PhD

First Reading

Religion EN ↓ 344 episodes

First Reading offers exegetical resources for the Old Testament Lectionary reading each week. Dr. Rachel Wrenn is Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies at Trinity Lutheran Seminary (Capital University), Rosy Kandathil is a PhD candidate in Hebrew Bible at Emory University, Dr. Tim McNinch is Assistant Professor of Hebrew Bible at Christian Theological Seminary, and Paul Essah is a PhD student in Hebrew Bible at Yale University. In addition to short weekly episodes, they periodically invite a leading Hebrew Bible scholar for a longer conversation about the nitty-gritty of the week's text.

Author

Rev. Rachel Wrenn, PhD; Rosy Kandathil, JD; Paul Essah, MDiv; Tim McNinch, PhD

Episodes

Exodus 33:12–33 09.10.2023 15:05

Show. Me. The. Glory. Lectionary Date: October 22, 2023 [21st Sunday after Pentecost, Year A] Tim looks at Moses' bold intercession, and finds a leader who needs reassurance.

Psalm 106:1–6, 19–23 02.10.2023 11:45

God's Love Lasts. Lectionary Date: October 15, 2023 [20th Sunday after Pentecost, Year A] Rachel soaks in the reorienting language of praise in (you guessed it) the Psalms.

Exodus 20:1–4, 7–9, 12–20 25.09.2023 14:53

Responding to Grace Lectionary Date: October 8, 2023 [19th Sunday after Pentecost, Year A] Tim highlights where the "10 commandments" come in the big story.

Ezekiel 18:1–4, 25–32 18.09.2023 15:06

Generations of Compassion Lectionary Date: October 1, 2023 [18th Sunday after Pentecost, Year A] Rachel promises you 1,000 skittles if you listen to this podcast episode.

Exodus 16:2–15; Jonah 3:10–4:11 11.09.2023 42:38

Party Episode: God's Flagrant Generosity Lectionary Date: September 24, 2023 [17th Sunday after Pentecost, Year A] All four hosts join forces for a fascinating exploration of this week's lectionary readings.

Exodus 14:19–31 or 15:1b–11, 20–21 04.09.2023 14:05

Impossible, Impassable Seas Lectionary Date: September 17, 2023 [16th Sunday after Pentecost, Year A] Tim says this one is very preachable!

Exodus 12:1–14 28.08.2023 11:45

Pause to Remember Lectionary Date: September 10, 2023 [15th Sunday after Pentecost, Year A] Rosy helps us slow down to appreciate the gravitas of the Passover remembrance in Exodus.

Exodus 3:1–15 21.08.2023 20:50

Burnin' Bush Lectionary Date: September 3, 2023 [14th Sunday after Pentecost, Year A] Tim has an angle (or is it an "angel"?) on this pivotal Exodus scene.

Exodus 1:8–2:10 14.08.2023 20:50

Scheming Women Lectionary Date: August 27, 2023 [13th Sunday after Pentecost, Year A] We're back! And Rosy is up with a feminist-postcolonial perspective on the midwives of Exodus.

Genesis 45:1–15 07.08.2023 11:07

From the Vault: The Best of First Reading Lectionary Date: August 20, 2023 [12th Sunday after Pentecost, Year A] An encore presentation of our episode from 2020.

Genesis 37:1–4, 12–28 31.07.2023 13:55

From the Vault: The Best of First Reading Lectionary Date: August 13, 2023 [11th Sunday after Pentecost, Year A] An encore presentation of our episode from 2020.

Genesis 32:22–31 25.07.2023 11:00

From the Vault: The Best of First Reading Lectionary Date: August 6, 2023 [10th Sunday after Pentecost, Year A] An encore presentation of our episode from 2020.

Genesis 29:15–28, with Cameron Howard 17.07.2023 33:44

From the Vault: The Best of First Reading Lectionary Date: July 30, 2023 [9th Sunday after Pentecost, Year A] This week we revisit our fascinating conversation with Dr. Cameron Howard, Associate Professor of Old Testament at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN. She is a graduate of Emory University, and has contributed to several commentaries and journals, including the Women’s Bible Commentary, Worki...

Genesis 28:10–19a 10.07.2023 16:37

From the Vault: The Best of First Reading Lectionary Date: July 23, 2023 [8th Sunday after Pentecost, Year A] An encore presentation of our episode from 2020.

Genesis 25:19–34 03.07.2023 14:34

From the Vault: The Best of First Reading Lectionary Date: July 16, 2023 [7th Sunday after Pentecost, Year A] An encore presentation of our episode from 2020.

Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67 26.06.2023 19:15

On the Road Again Lectionary Date: July 9, 2023 [6th Sunday after Pentecost, Year A] Paul jumps into a famous love story and finds a biblical travelogue.

Genesis 22:1–14 19.06.2023 26:23

Abraham's Covenant Choice Lectionary Date: July 2, 2023 [5th Sunday after Pentecost, Year A] Rosy goes for the jugular in this challenging biblical text.

Genesis 21:8–21 12.06.2023 19:45

An Unfair Disinheritance Lectionary Date: June 25, 2023 [4th Sunday after Pentecost, Year A] Paul wades into a challenging text to offer insight, context, and even some resistance.

Genesis 18:1–15 05.06.2023 19:45

(S)he Laughs Lectionary Date: June 18, 2023 [3rd Sunday after Pentecost, Year A] Rosy has some great insights into a mysterious birth announcement.

Genesis 12:1–9; Hosea 5:15–6:6 29.05.2023 34:47

Party Episode! Lectionary Date: June 11, 2023 [2nd Sunday after Pentecost, Year A] Rachel, Rosy, and Tim talk about Abram's call and Hosea's sin-sickness.

Genesis 1:1–2:4a 22.05.2023 13:56

Bereshit Bara' Elohim Lectionary Date: June 4, 2023 [Trinity Sunday, Year A] Rachel offers some mystical reflections on a familiar text.

Numbers 11:24–30 15.05.2023 10:31

Eldad and Medad Lectionary Date: May 28, 2023 [Day of Pentecost, Year A] It's an OT outpouring of the Holy Spirit for this Pentecost text!

Psalm 68:1–10, 32–35 08.05.2023 16:31

The One Who Rides Upon the Clouds Lectionary Date: May 21, 2023 [7th Sunday of Easter, Year A] It's Ascension Week! Tim tries to show that Jesus' ascension was NOT an anticlimax to the Gospel.

Psalm 66:8–20 01.05.2023 16:47

They/We/I Give Thanks! Lectionary Date: May 14, 2023 [6th Sunday of Easter, Year A] This week, we dip into the First Reading archive for a second listen to our episode on this Easter psalm.

Psalm 31:1–5, 15–16, with Bill Brown 24.04.2023 46:08

Let Your Heart be Emboldened, You who Wait for the Lord Lectionary Date: May 7, 2023 [5th Sunday of Easter, Year A] Rosy and Paul are joined this week by special guest, Bill Brown. Bill is Professor of Old Testament at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, GA, and an ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church (USA). He is also the author of several books, including Seeing the Psalms: A Theol...