Podcast
Data Over Dogma
Hosted by Daniel McClellan and Daniel Beecher · EN
This ain't your pastor's Bible podcast. This is a deep interrogation of the book, and we're bringing receipts. Bible scholar Dr. Dan McClellan and atheist podcaster Dan Beecher team up to discover what the Bible actually says, what it decidedly doesn't say (even if everyone thinks it does), and explore the history of the most popular book of all time.
77episodes
Episodes
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Episode 72: The Truth About Ruth
Aug 19, 202401:06:33Tap to summarizeThe biblical story of Ruth can be a confusing one for modern readers. Is Ruth a hero? Is she a schemer? She goes from gleaning in her dead husband's kinsman's field to marrying the guy in a matter of days. What are we to glean from that? And what, exactly, happened on the threshing room floor? If only we had a Bible expert on the show to help us understand it all. Oh wait--we do! That's lucky.Then, we turn to history. One of the trickiest things about reading the Bible can be how to tell what's actually historical, and what is... allegory. Some of the Bible's characters have no historical attestation other than the Bible, but not our friend Sennacherib! This neo-Assyrian king was 100% a real guy, and we're going to learn all about him!For early access to an ad-free version of every episode of Data Over Dogma, exclusive content, and the opportunity to support our work, please consider becoming a monthly patron at:https://www.patreon.com/DataOverDogma Follow us on the various social media places:https://www.facebook.com/DataOverDogmaPodhttps://www.twitter.com/data_over_dogma Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Episode 71: The Rapture is not Coming!
Aug 12, 202401:06:28Tap to summarizeIt is a source of joy for some, schadenfreude for others, and for many it is the source of deep, soul-crushing anxiety. It's the Rapture! That theoretical moment when all of God's good kiddos on Earth get to fly up to heaven, while all the naughty boys and girls get stuck here on Earth. It's a theology believed by millions around the world, but there might be a problem: is it possible that the rapture isn't actually in the Bible?On this week's show we're discussing the origins of the rapture idea. Who came up with it, what is it's scriptural basis (if there is any), why it took hold, and why not everyone embraces it. Were you "caught up" in Rapture theology?Then, we're continuing our future-prophesying theme with the baffling 10th chapter of Daniel. Ol' Danny boy had a vision involving a bunch of princes, and whoo boy! If you don't have McClellan levels of education about it, you would be forgiven for not understanding a blessed word of it. Thankfully, we have a McClellen here, so maybe we have a fighting chance!For early access to an ad-free version of every episode of Data Over Dogma, exclusive content, and the opportunity to support our work, please consider becoming a monthly patron at:https://www.patreon.com/DataOverDogma Follow us on the various social media places:https://www.facebook.com/DataOverDogmaPodhttps://www.twitter.com/data_over_dogma Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Episode 70: Out of Nothing
Aug 5, 202401:01:22Tap to summarizeLook around you. Do you see it? It's everything. All the stuff. The earth, the sun, the stars, that sofa that you love but your partner kind of hates, the oceans, the trees, the new Taylor Swift album that they pressed into a vinyl album for some reason, even though everybody just streams... It's all here. But why? Was it always here? The stuff? Or was it created?This week, we're discussing creatio ex nihilo. It's the idea that God created everything from nothing, and if you're saying to yourself "well yes, of course that's what happened, everybody knows that," you might want to hang on to your shorts. People didn't always believe that, and you might be surprised to learn when the switch happened!Then, we switch to the apocrypha and dive into a delightful little add-on to the book of Daniel. It's Bel and the Dragon, and it is fun! You won't want to miss it.For early access to an ad-free version of every episode of Data Over Dogma, exclusive content, and the opportunity to support our work, please consider becoming a monthly patron at:https://www.patreon.com/DataOverDogma Follow us on the various social media places:https://www.facebook.com/DataOverDogmaPodhttps://www.twitter.com/data_over_dogma Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Episode 69: Gospel Authorship with Michael Kok
Jul 29, 202401:06:35Tap to summarizeWhen you look at the New Testament and you see "The Gospel According to Matthew" or "The Gospel According to John", you could be forgiven for assuming that what you're getting is a book written by the apostle Matthew or John. But many scholars are convinced that this is not the case. Why don't they believe that these disciples of Jesus actually wrote the books that bear their name?This week, we're joined by bible scholar and gospel authorship expert Michael Kok. Dr. Kok will walk us through many of the reasons scholars question the traditional attributions, and give some insights into the very clever detective work that got them to those conclusions.Will this episode end like an episode of Scooby Doo, with us finally uncloaking the real authors? You'll have to listen to the end to find out!For early access to an ad-free version of every episode of Data Over Dogma, exclusive content, and the opportunity to support our work, please consider becoming a monthly patron at:https://www.patreon.com/DataOverDogma Follow us on the various social media places:https://www.facebook.com/DataOverDogmaPodhttps://www.twitter.com/data_over_dogma Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Episode 68: Take My Wife... Please!
Jul 22, 202401:07:33Tap to summarizeIt's Biblical misogyny day here at the Data Over Dogma show [well, it's one of them- this is the Bible we're talking about after all], and we've got some real doozies for you. First, we're looking at the strange, sad tale of Tamar. Things start fine(ish) for her--she finds herself married into a prominent family--but then all heaven breaks loose. Which is to say that God kills her husband. This launches her on one of the most insane paths in the whole Bible. BUT, that insane path gives us a chance to talk about a weird concept called "levirate marriage".Next, we're going to law school. We're taking as our text Deuteronomy 22, and it is ROUGH! These are laws governing extra-marital affairs, and let's just say you might find them a little harsh. Or a lot harsh. Or extremely harsh.For early access to an ad-free version of every episode of Data Over Dogma, exclusive content, and the opportunity to support our work, please consider becoming a monthly patron at:https://www.patreon.com/DataOverDogma Follow us on the various social media places:https://www.facebook.com/DataOverDogmaPodhttps://www.twitter.com/data_over_dogma Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Episode 67: Prophets, Kings, and Terrible Men with Aaron Higashi
Jul 15, 202401:04:49Tap to summarizeDr. Aaron Higashi is one of our favorites, and we're not alone! The folks over at The Bible for Normal People are fans, as well, and have enlisted Aaron to write a "for normal people" book about First and Second Samuel. These two books include some of the Bible's most famous and most infamous characters and moments.If you've ever read about the exploits of biblical David, and wondered if he is, in fact, a good guy... well, Dr. Higashi is right there with you. We'll ask him about his take on David and many other biblical figures and stories, and the conclusions may surprise you. Or not. This is Data Over Dogma, after all.Look for Aaron on the various social media places under the handle @abhbible.Preorder 1 & 2 Samuel for Normal People: A Guide to Prophets, Kings, and Some Pretty Terrible Men here: https://www.amazon.com/Samuel-Normal-People-Prophets-Terrible-ebook/dp/B0D7KBPRVNFor early access to an ad-free version of every episode of Data Over Dogma, exclusive content, and the opportunity to support our work, please consider becoming a monthly patron at:https://www.patreon.com/DataOverDogma Follow us on the various social media places:https://www.facebook.com/DataOverDogmaPodhttps://www.twitter.com/data_over_dogma Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Episode 66: Thou Shalt Not
Jul 8, 202401:04:06Tap to summarizeChristian nationalism marches onward in the United States, and our hot take is: that's bad. Louisiana has now passed a law mandating putting a poster of The Ten Commandments™ in every classroom in the state. Lawmakers claim that they're providing historical context for the laws of the land. Historians say that's bunk.So what's really going on here? Are the Exodus 20 top-ten really the foundation that undergirds all law and order in modern society? Does it matter what version/translation is used? Is ten even the right number, according to the Bible?This week, we're diving into the the decalogue. Louisiana politicians are pretending that they apply to everybody, but we're going to question if they even apply to Christians! We'll see how things shake out... Thou shalt not want to miss it!For early access to an ad-free version of every episode of Data Over Dogma, exclusive content, and the opportunity to support our work, please consider becoming a monthly patron at:https://www.patreon.com/DataOverDogma Follow us on the various social media places:https://www.facebook.com/DataOverDogmaPodhttps://www.twitter.com/data_over_dogma Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Episode 65: I Got Soul, and I'm Super Bad
Jul 1, 202401:02:08Tap to summarizePeople talk all the time about souls. "He's my soulmate." "It was so scary, my soul left my body." "I'm going to destroy that piano if you don't stop playing Heart and Soul." But what are we actually talking about? Is there really a non-corporeal entity, an animating force inside each of us? Or are we just crude matter? And what does the Bible have to say about it?This week on Data Over Dogma, we're getting soulful. We'll discuss the development of the concept of the soul, and some very surprising ways that concept shows up in the Bible. Do NOT trust a woman with a pillowcase until you've heard this episode!For early access to an ad-free version of every episode of Data Over Dogma, exclusive content, and the opportunity to support our work, please consider becoming a monthly patron at:https://www.patreon.com/DataOverDogma Follow us on the various social media places:https://www.facebook.com/DataOverDogmaPodhttps://www.twitter.com/data_over_dogma Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Episode 64: The Historicity of David
Jun 24, 202401:02:38Tap to summarizeIt's a judge and a king this week, and both are fascinating! First we're looking at Deborah, a prophet, a judge, and a really interesting figure whose story gets told twice in the Bible: back-to-back! Women often get short-shrift in the Bible, but Deborah's story is pretty satisfying. She's tough and her army wins the battle, and even more awesome-- she's not the only badass woman in the story! Stay tuned for the exciting (and gratuitously gorey) conclusion!Speaking of staying tuned, you're DEFINITELY going to want to stick around for our second half, where we discuss one of the most important figures in the whole book! Who was this David character? A lowly shepherd who rises to be King? A roving warlord? A bisexual rapist? DID HE EVEN EXIST AT ALL?For early access to an ad-free version of every episode of Data Over Dogma, exclusive content, and the opportunity to support our work, please consider becoming a monthly patron at:https://www.patreon.com/DataOverDogma Follow us on the various social media places:https://www.facebook.com/DataOverDogmaPodhttps://www.twitter.com/data_over_dogma Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Episode 63: Wrastlin' With God
Jun 17, 202401:01:00Tap to summarizeIt's questionable heroes week here on the Data Over Dogma show, and we've packed in some big names! How big? How about the guy they named the whole tribe of Israel after? You know... Jacob. We're asking the big questions here: do striped sticks really make sheep have spotted lambs? Is a cruel trick fair-play if the other person falls for it? And most importantly- if you beat a stranger in a wrestle, does that stranger get to change your name?Then we look at famous strong-man and the judge of Israel with possibly the poorest judgement, Sampson. Yes he was absurdly foolish with Delilah, but more importantly: what's the deal with all those foxes?For early access to an ad-free version of every episode of Data Over Dogma, exclusive content, and an opportunity to support our work, please consider becoming a monthly patron at:https://www.patreon.com/DataOverDogma Follow us on the various social media places:https://www.facebook.com/DataOverDogmaPodhttps://www.twitter.com/data_over_dogma Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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