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The Bible and Beyond Discussions Recording Archive
Monday Textual Study Archives
Once a month, at 8:00–9:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday nights (generally the fourth of the month), Early Christian Texts hosts a presentation and discussion of one of the early Christian texts. Dr. Shirley Paulson generally leads the sessions by first sharing a well-framed overview of the particular subject and after that providing time for all participants to ask questions or share their own insights.
There is no charge, but attendees are invited to donate or become a Bible and Beyond patron. You may attend any or all sessions — you are welcome any time. We look forward to your participation.
New Light on the Sermon on the Mount
New insight into the social realities of Jesus’ day reveals that his instructions call for a more radical vision of God’s Kingdom. Re-thinking familiar writings can challenge us to read them through first-century eyes. Presenter: Dr. Erin Vearncombe (with host Dr. Shirley Paulson)
Ancient Writings Before the New Testament
There are only 27 books in the New Testament, but over 100 circulated among the early followers of Jesus. Some have been known and available throughout Christian history, but others have been discovered rather recently. Presenter: Dr. Deborah N. Saxon (with host Dr. Shirley Paulson)
Why Are There Multiple Christmas Stories?
The biblical accounts in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke have some similar features, such as Mary and Joseph attending the birth. But the details in both accounts are actually contradictory. Presenter: Dr. Shirley Paulson and Dr. Robert J. Miller (with host Hillary Barner)
Norea and Sophia: Female Helpers and Saviors
Are we ready to welcome a female savior with the authority, wisdom, and strength we expect from a savior? Or do we still think a savior should properly be male? Presenters: Dr. Shirley Paulson and Dr. Susan Humble (with host Helen Mathis)
The Threat of Mary Magdalene as a Leader
Even as far back as the writing of the Gospel of Mary in the second century, two of Mary’s fellow disciples had a hard time dealing with her leadership. Presenters: Dr. Shirley Paulson and Dr. Ally Kateusz (with host Hillary Barner)
Dealing Under the Table: Ritual Negotiation of Women’s Power in Early Christ People’s Gospels
This Bible and Beyond Discussion addresses two gospel texts with a woman and Jesus at their center. Both texts have gender controversy with Jesus and both display complex gender power. Presenter: Dr. Hal Taussig (with host Dr. Shirley Paulson)
Sophia/Wisdom/Jesus/God in the First Three Centuries CE
We'll examine the key character of Sophia/Wisdom in the development Jesus peoples of the first two hundred years of the Common Era, the development of Second Temple Judaism, and initial development Rabbinic Judaism. Presenter: Dr. Hal Taussig (with host Dr. Shirley Paulson)
Abortion and the Dialogue of the Savior
In light of the intense national discussion about abortion and all its ramifications, a larger perspective from antiquity may expand our views on the subject and aid in constructive conversation. Presenter: Dr. Shirley Paulson and special guest appearance from Dr. Christine Shea (with host Hilary Barner)
How the Secret Revelation of John Saves Us from Ancient and Modern Demons
The second part of the series on the 'Secret Revelation of John' is all about demons. Demons were ubiquitous in antiquity, and they had special powers over everyone, from the lowest to the highest in social ranking. Presenter: Dr. Shirley Paulson (with host Hilary Barner)
Healing and Salvation in the Secret Revelation of John
This month, we looked at the plan for healing and salvation in the Secret Revelation of John. This ancient book is arguably the most important book in the Nag Hammadi Library. It appears three times in the entire collection and was well-known in antiquity, having spread at least as far as from France to central Egypt, probably farther. It’s the first Christian writing known to include a complete story of creation and salvation. Presenter: Dr. Shirley Paulson (with host Hilary Barner)
Proceeding With Consideration of Spiritual Resurrection in the First Two Hundred Years
Following up on the March 28, 2022, Bible and Beyond Discussion, our conversation on April 25 continued a study of articulations of Christ peoples’ consideration and elaboration of spiritual resurrection in the first two hundred years CE. Whereas the March study concentrated on the ways Paul’s letters and the Nag Hammadi “Treatise” laid out spiritual resurrection, in this discussion we expanded on notions of spiritual resurrection in passages about empty tombs and visions. Presenter: Dr. Hal Taussig (with host Dr. Shirley Paulson)
Spiritual Resurrection in the First Two Centuries of Christ People
In the first two centuries, the early Jesus people understand resurrection of the body as a spiritual event -- ‘spiritual bodies’ is a key phrase. Presenter: Dr. Hal Taussig (with host Shirley Paulson, PhD)
Conclusions of After Jesus Before Christianity
This is the last of the four Bible and Beyond Discussion studies of the HarperOne book After Jesus Before Christianity. This discussion focuses on the 20th chapter of the book, appropriately called “Conclusion.” Presenter: Dr. Hal Taussig (with host Shirley Paulson, PhD)
Were There Any Christians in the First Two Centuries?
For the most part, both biblical scholars and most churches have not paid attention to the almost complete lack of the word “Christian” and the complete lack of the word “Christianity” in the Bible. Presenter: Dr. Hal Taussig (with host Shirley Paulson, PhD)
The Clash of Violence and Confidence/Trust/Vulnerability
This second session examines examines the collision of violence by the Roman Empire and confidence/trust/vulnerability of the many Jesus groups of the first two centuries. Presenter: Dr. Hal Taussig (with host Shirley Paulson, PhD)
After Jesus before Christianity
This first of a four-part series about the book, After Jesus Before Christianity, begins with an overview framing six new discoveries of the past ten years concerning the first two centuries after Jesus. Presenter: Dr. Hal Taussig (with host Shirley Paulson, PhD)
Humor and Joy in Mark, Thomas, Matthew, and Luke
Within the gospels of Mark, Thomas, Matthew, and Luke is a large set of pithy sayings whose primary meanings are humor and joy. It is probable that most of these sayings existed before these gospels were written and were for generations part of oral lore. Presenter: Dr. Hal Taussig (with host Shirley Paulson, PhD)
Rethinking the Revelation to John
This last book in most (but not all) canons of the New Testament was contested even before there was a notion of canon or New Testament. It was contested in a number of the pre-canonical lists of books to be read, including by the likes of Martin Luther 1300 years later. Presenter: Dr. Hal Taussig (with host Shirley Paulson, PhD)
The Thunder: Perfect Mind: One of the Most Heralded Nag Hammadi Documents
Although not particularly noticed by scholars or religious groups, The Thunder: Perfect Mind has become one of the most engaging recently discovered early Christ texts. Presenter: Dr. Hal Taussig (with host Shirley Paulson, PhD)
The Mother, Eve, and Norea Among the Christ People
Unlike in later and present Christianity, Eve was often known especially among both the Christ People and the people of Israel as the mother of humanity, and was often in this dimension a powerful salvific figure for all time. Presenter: Dr. Hal Taussig (with host Shirley Paulson, PhD)
Violence in the Letter of Peter to Philip
In the “Letter of Peter to Philip,” the Christ people ‘ambassadors’ (traditionally transliterated as apostles’) cry out to God and Jesus Christ for help against the Roman rulers who are threatening to kill them just as they killed Jesus. Presenter: Dr. Hal Taussig (with host Shirley Paulson, PhD)
The Life of Polycarp’s Death
Most stories of Polycarp have him being killed by Roman rulers in his old age, after having been a successful leader of a Christ group of the second century in Smyrna. Presenter: Dr. Hal Taussig (with host Shirley Paulson, PhD)
Luke, Didache, and Prayer of Thanksgiving: It Began with Meals
The study of these three texts helps point to the very meal-based practice of the first two centuries of Christ people gatherings and the early lack of the later church-based liturgical and mass-related ‘worship services.’ Presenter: Dr. Hal Taussig (with host Shirley Paulson, PhD)
Light and Fragrance in the Gospel of Truth
The Gospel of Truth—written sometime in the second century—is almost certainly the most lush and sensuous of early Christ literature. Presenter: Dr. Hal Taussig (with host Shirley Paulson, PhD)
Jesus Sophia in the Bible
Gender bending, gender pluralism, and divine-human figures provided backdrops for understanding the intersections of Wisdom, Jesus, and Sophia in ancient literature and contemporary theology and spirituality. Presenter: Dr. Hal Taussig (with host Shirley Paulson, PhD)
