By Shirley Paulson, PhD|2026-03-02T16:15:01-05:00March 4th, 2026|Tags: Demiurge, Gospel of John, Gospel of Luke, Gospel of Matthew, Gospel of Philip, Infancy Gospel of Thomas|
It could be useful to read this text—to kind of really reflect on these human and divine identities and natures of Jesus and how to balance those, even if it's not in line with doctrinal teachings. An interview with Nathan Houston.
By Shirley Paulson, PhD|2026-03-01T03:42:15-05:00November 25th, 2025|Tags: Gospel of Luke, Gospel of Matthew, Infancy Gospel of Thomas, Jesus, Nativity Story|
Join the conversation with scholar Joan Taylor, exploring the world Jesus was born into. Discover how Roman violence, and migration to Nazareth shaped his earliest years and influenced the man he became. An interview with Dr. Joan Taylor
By Shirley Paulson, PhD|2025-03-18T23:31:19-04:00March 26th, 2025|Tags: Gospel of John, Gospel of Luke, Gospel of Mark, Gospel of Matthew, Gospel of Peter, Mary Magdalene, Resurrection|
Try as they might to erase Mary’s role with Jesus, the fact that her presence is the only consistent thread across all the gospel empty tomb accounts points to Mary’s pivotal role in our understanding of this key event.
By Shirley Paulson, PhD|2023-04-25T05:00:50-04:00December 28th, 2022|Tags: Christmas, Gospel of Luke, Gospel of Matthew, Protevangelium of James|
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 Hilary Barner)
By Shirley Paulson, PhD|2022-12-10T07:50:28-05:00December 14th, 2022|Tags: Christ, Christmas, Gospel of Luke, Gospel of Matthew, Paul|
If we only celebrated the birth of Jesus from the Gospel of Matthew, we’d have no angel speaking to Mary …. If we only celebrated the birth of Jesus from the Gospel of Luke, we’d have no flight to Egypt.
By Dr. B. Brandon Scott|2022-11-30T07:28:16-05:00November 30th, 2022|Tags: Gospel of Luke, Gospel of Thomas, Translation Issues|
“The (Father’s) empire is inside you and outside you.” The various performances of the right answer suggest the oral tradition had a hard time finding the gist for the correct answer.
By Dr. B. Brandon Scott|2023-05-30T17:13:16-04:00October 26th, 2022|Tags: Gender Issues, Gospel of Luke, Mary Magdalene, Peter|
Diminishing the women’s role paves the way for the preeminence of Peter and the twelve apostles. Luke completely succeeded. That became the foundation for the myth of Christian origins.
By Dr. B. Brandon Scott|2023-05-30T05:52:32-04:00October 12th, 2022|Tags: Gospel of John, Gospel of Luke, Gospel of Mark, Gospel of Matthew, Mary Magdalene|
"Now you know how she lost her reputation. I think it's time in our generation that we give it back to her. She was a noble follower of Jesus from the very beginning." A video featuring Dr. Brandon Scott.
By Dr. B. Brandon Scott|2022-05-06T09:22:39-04:00May 11th, 2022|Tags: Gospel of Luke, Parables, Thecla, Translation Issues|
The elder is not simply a son; he is the father’s child, … In the terms of first century cultural expectations, the observant reader will notice that this father is playing the role of a mother.
By Shirley Paulson, PhD|2023-11-04T07:47:47-04:00December 8th, 2021|Tags: Christmas, Gospel of Luke, Gospel of Truth, Justice, Letter of Peter to Philip|
“Joy to the world!” “‘Tis the season to be jolly.” The Christian Advent wreath reminds us that joy welcomes the Messiah. But there’s a tension between uninhibited joy and the knowledge of pain in the world.
By Shirley Paulson, PhD|2022-07-19T00:14:45-04:00October 25th, 2021|Tags: Gospel of Luke, Gospel of Mark, Gospel of Matthew, Gospel of Thomas|
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)
By Shirley Paulson, PhD|2022-07-18T18:12:31-04:00April 26th, 2021|Tags: Early Christian Communities, Gospel of Luke, Prayer of Thanksgiving|
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)
