On the Way with Max Botner: A Podcast of the Center for Bible Study

Join the Facebook Center for Bible Study Group 👉 https://www.facebook.com/groups/908391187019803 Rev. Williams sits down with Dr. Botner to preview our upcoming course, Women and Power in the Church . She shares her journey to pastor ministry, and they discuss many of the major interpretive and practical questions swirling around the topic of women in ministry. Women and Power in the Church: Cour...

Dr. Botner sits down with Dr. John Hilber (Professor of Old Testament at McMaster Divinity School) to discuss the relationship of the Bible and science. Dr. Hilber is an expert in the area of ancient Near East cosmology and has been involved in scholarly conversations on the relationship between Genesis and science for decades. Topics covered: how ancient Jews and Christians interpreted Genesis 1-...

Join the Center for Bible Study Facebook group: 👉 https://www.facebook.com/groups/908391187019803 Dr. Botner sits down with Dr. Hummel to discuss his new book, The Rise and Fall of Dispensationalism: How the Evangelical Battle over the End Times Shaped a Nation (Eerdmans, 2023). If you've ever wondered about the origins of rapture culture and various other (highly specific) end-times scenario...

In this episode I address four questions: (1) What is the purpose of theological education? (2) What is the current state of seminary education (along with pros and cons)? (3) What is the relationship between the church and the seminary? And (4) What are we attempting to do with the Center for Bible Study. Become a member of CBS 👉https://the-center-for-bible-study.teachable.com/p/the-center-for-b...

Dr. Botner shares some of the lessons he's learned and challenges he's faced along the way to becoming a biblical scholar. He also sets out the core convictions that drive his work for the Center for Bible Study. Become a member of CBS 👉 https://the-center-for-bible-study.teachable.com/p/the-center-for-bible-study-membership Join the Facebook Center for Bible Study Group for ongoing conve...

Dr. David Moffitt joins Dr. Botner to discuss his new book, Rethinking the Atonement: New Perspectives on Jesus's Death, Resurrection, and Ascension (Baker Academic, 2023). Moffitt's work on atonement (starting with the Epistle to the Hebrews) has fundamentally changed the way that many biblical scholars and theologians are thinking about atonement in the New Testament. If you think atonem...

Dr. Brad Kelle joins Dr. Botner to discuss his book The Bible and Moral Injury: Reading Scripture Alongside War's Unseen Wounds (Abingdon, 2020). This is a fascinating conversation, which will be especially interesting to anyone who is involve in the spiritual care of other persons - pastors and chaplains take note! At the end of the episode, Dr. Kelle mentions two online resources on moral in...

Dr. Matthew Lynch joins Dr. Botner to discuss his new book, Flood and Fury: Old Testament Violence and the Shalom of God . The Bible's portrayal of divine violence is a perennial issue for Christians to navigate, and Dr. Lynch is an expert guide. He shows us how we can wrestle with complex theological problems, such as divine violence in the Old Testament, without resorting to easy solutions,...

Dr. Susan Hylen sits down with Dr. Botner to discuss her new book, Finding Phoebe: What New Testament Women Were Really Like . Dr. Hylen's book is a game changer and should be the point of departure for future conversations about the various roles and offices of women in the New Testament. ==============================Dr. Susan E. Hylen is Almar H. Shatford Professor of New Testament at Candl...

Dr. Matthew Bates sits down with Dr. Botner to discuss his new book, Why the Gospel? Living the Good News of King Jesus with Purpose . If you've sensed that the gospel you've heard preach is deficient, or lacks coherence and purpose, this conversation is a great place to start! ============================== Matthew W. Bates (Ph. D., University of Notre Dame) is a Professor of Theology at...

Dr. Christoph Heilig sits down with Dr. Botner to discuss his recent book, The Apostle and the Empire: Paul's Implicit and Explicit Criticism of Rome . Heilig is a leading voice in the ongoing debate over whether Paul was critical of the Roman empire. He has advanced the conversation beyond a hunt for coded critiques of the emperor to the various ways in which Paul engaged his fraught politica...

Rev. Dr. Amy Peeler sits down with Dr. Botner to discuss her incredible, must-read book, Women and the Gender of God (Eerdmans, 2022) . ============================== The Rev. Amy Peeler, Ph. D. is an Associate Professor of New Testament at Wheaton College, IL and an Associate Rector at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Geneva, IL. Author of  Women and Gender of God  (Eerdmans, 2022),  “You Are My So...

The Letter to the Hebrews is one of the most important, but often misunderstood, early Christian texts. In this episode, Dr. Madison Pierce joins Dr. Botner to discuss all things Hebrews: Who wrote it? For whom was it written? What's the deal with all this priest and sacrifice stuff? And who the heck is Melchizedek? ============================== Dr. Madison N. Pierce is associate professor of...

It's no secret that many readers of the Bible skip over Leviticus. But what are we missing when we do so? A lot, actually! In this episode, Dr. Botner provides an overall picture of what Leviticus is up to as well as some helpful clarity on key terms and concepts, such as sacrifice, atonement, and ritual purity. Want to go deeper with Leviticus? Become a member of the Center for Bible Study an...

In this episode, I discuss why I (we) love Paul's Letter to the Ephesians . I cover the following topics: overview of Paul's ministry; Paul as author (and others who wrote with him and after him); the original destination of Ephesians; the nature of spiritual warfare; and how we should approach the household codes today.  Check out our 4-week course on Ephesians ! Become a member of CBS !...

Dr. Tim Gombis and I discuss the rich and prophetic narrative that is the Gospel According to Mark. Tim excels at connecting biblical studies to the life of faith, and I know that you will be encouraged - and challenged! - by what he has to say. Among the topics covered are: Mark's ending; Mark's theology of the cross; the struggle of the twelve disciples; the prominence of "minor&quo...

Reading the major (longer) prophets of the Hebrew Bible is a challenge, but one that is deeply rewarding. Dr. John Hilber (Old Testament scholar and professor at McMaster Divinity School) and I give you resources for engaging and enjoying the book of Isaiah. We cover a host of topics, including: an overview of the book, messianism and prophecy, social justice, God's victory over chaos, and mor...

This episode is the first of a six-part series entitled, "Why We Love Scripture." I sit down with my Old Testament colleague, Dr. Libby Backfish, to discussion the beauty and power of the Psalms. Topics covered: types of psalms, LAMENT psalms, how the psalms help us see Jesus, and more! Check out our course on the Psalms with Dr. Backfish 👉 https://the-center-for-bible-study.teachable.c...

In this first episode, Dr. Botner introduces his journey to faith and to the academic study of the Bible, and outlines what it looks like to read the Bible "on the Way." We need community, we need one another, we are on this journey together.   Grab Your Copy of How Then Shall We Read? A Student's Guide to Interpreting the New Testament 👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0802883842?linkCod...