Klaus Yoder & Travis Stevens

Seven Heads, Ten Horns: The History of the Devil

History EN ↓ 81 episodes

Concepts and legends about the Devil and other personifications of evil in religion, literature, and pop culture.

Author

Klaus Yoder & Travis Stevens

Episodes

HALLOWEEN MOVIE SPECIAL 19.10.2020 1:18:41

This week we take a break from excavating ancient accounts of the Devil from the dustbin / slaughter bench of history to talk about some horror movie classics just in time for Halloween season. The films we discuss are Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) & Hereditary (2018). We spoil the hell out of these movies but it's totally worth it for the trick-or-pod thrill! Email us with questions and...

Episode 5: Milton's Satan, or, How the Devil became a Snake 11.10.2020 1:05:26

How did the Devil become a snake? In this episode we find out about an odd fashion choice with enormous consequences. Full disclosure: this is the first thing we ever recorded when we were figuring out what this pod was going to be about back in May 2020. The mics in our conversation aren't great. Unlike the other episodes we've done so far, this is focused on one text, John Milton's P...

Episode 4: Dualism and the Devil 05.10.2020 1:19:46

This week: how should we think about the Devil if the universe is divided between good & evil, light & darkness, truth & falsehood? Is the Devil God's equal in these scenarios? And how does dualism live on in Christian thought? We examine 3 examples of traditions frequently labeled as dualistic: the late-antique Essene community at Qumran in the West Bank as represented in the Dead...

Episode 3: Possession & Exorcism 28.09.2020 1:15:54

What happens when demons or the Devil invade a human body? And how can they be driven out? This week: a look at possession and exorcism in early Christianity, medieval / early-modern Europe, and, of course, the classic 1973 film, The Exorcist . Email us with questions and comments at 7h10hpod@gmail.com

Episode 2: Satans, Dragons, and Tyrants 21.09.2020 50:52

This week we take a look at some gruesome characters from the Hebrew Bible who influenced later ideas about the Devil. Email us with questions and comments at 7h10hpod@gmail.com

7 Heads, 10 Horns 1: Serpent and Tempter 15.09.2020 58:13

In the first episode, Klaus and Travis introduce themselves and the pod and begin to explore the history of the Devil by discussing the theme of temptation in the Garden of Eden and beyond. Other texts discussed include the Gospels of Mark and Matthew (NRSV translation) plus the Life of Adam and Eve (Greek and Latin versions in English translation, available here: http://www2.iath.virginia.edu/and...