The Religious Treehouse

In their first expedition into the world of Hebrew poetry, Jodie and Matthew discuss the Psalms and answer the burning questions regarding this wide collection of poetry. Using Psalm 137 as an example we examine its context, structure, and interpretations. Who wrote the Psalms? When? How are these Psalms organized? Structured? Performed? Stick around until the end to hear a tiny bit about how Psal...

We’re back in the New Testament again! Jodie and Matthew explore Jesus’s parable of The Good Samaritan and attempt to rid ourselves of the common misconceptions we may have when it comes to this passage, and it may be even more shocking than originally believed! Works Referenced and Recommended Readings: Short Stories by Jesus: The Enigmatic Parables of a Controversial Rabbi by Amy Jill Levine Fol...

WARNING. This episode discusses sensitive topics including suicide. Conversations about suicide can be troublesome or difficult for some. If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, please call or text 988 to connect to the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or reach out to any local resources you may have.  After the First Jewish Revolt and the Destruction of the 2nd Temple in 70 CE, the fo...

Happy New Year! In this episode, Jodie and Matthew discuss a variety of terms that they think are worth discussing, including the name of God, pronouns of God, the dating system we use, differentiating people groups, the Difference between the different collections in the Bible, the differences between Religious Studies and Biblical Studies and Theological studies, ending with a conversation on et...

Jonah is a well-known story for kids, but why do people stop talking about it after they’ve grown up? Jodie and Matthew attempt to strip away the Veggietales-ification of this fascinating story to get into the fascinating Biblical satire that is the Book of Jonah. And no, it’s not a whale. It’s a fish. Works Referenced and Recommended Readings: Rhetorical Criticism: Context, Method, and the Book o...

Works Referenced and Recommended Readings: The Religious Treehouse has taken a turn from an attempt to be academic to have a nice fun chat about Christmas. After discussing some of the hosts’ favorite things about Christmas, they continue last week's conversation by discussing the movie/musical “Journey to Bethlehem” and Matthew ends the conversation with some introspection for the podcast.  Works...

Jodie and Matthew boldly go where many have gone before and discuss the birth narratives of Jesus found in Matthew and Luke. Sadly, the Biblical accounts of Jesus’ birth don’t exactly line up with nativity scenes and stories told in Sunday School, but they still tell rich and important stories in their own right, with their unique purposes and theological claims. Works Referenced and Recommended R...

We’re back in the Hebrew Bible as we discuss Esther! As Esther is such a rich text with so much to discuss, expect sporadic future episodes on detailed analysis and study of Esther, but for now, we do an in-depth reading of Esther with a focus primarily on the genre and humor so evident in the text. Let us know your thoughts! Works Referenced and Recommended Readings: The Megillah Project Videos —...

No one of sound mind would have one of their first podcast episodes be about something as controversial as Scientology, but here we are. This week, Jodie and Matthew move away from discussions of the Bible and talk about the practices, history, and controversies of Scientology. Works Referenced and Recommended Readings: The Church of Scientology: A History of a New Religion by Hugh B. Urban Follow...

It may seem like The Religious Treehouse is merely trekking through the Bible in order, but fear not! This is the last time we’ll have an episode dedicated to Genesis for a while. Immediately after last week’s discussion is a second, earlier creation account, which focuses on the creation of the first 2 humans. What mysteries are in store here? Is Eve a feminist icon or a dastardly troublemaker? W...

The first full episode of The Religious Treehouse has arrived! In this episode Jodie and Matthew discuss the first creation story in the Bible, but the 2nd one written? How could that be? Listen along as they discuss Genesis 1:1-2:4 and talk about the 7 days of Creation, what may have influenced the text, and how it has been interpreted. Works Referenced and Recommended Readings: The Formation of...

Episode 1: Welcome to the Treehouse Welcome to the Religious Treehouse! Co-hosts Jodie and Matthew initiate the start of their new journey into the wild world of podcasts. In this episode, Jodie and Matthew do some quick icebreakers to introduce themselves to the audience before introducing this podcast. With the hosts deeper knowledge of the Hebrew Bible, this podcast also serves as the briefest...