Kathy and Nathan Maxwell host this short weekly podcast in support of their Bible study lessons that appear in "Good Faith Magazine" from Good Faith Media. Learn more about the magazine and the Good Faith Bible Study at https://goodfaithmedia.org/gfmagazine/

This episode, “The Forms of Scripture,” is for February 2, 2025. As one of the “Making Sense” studies that focuses on skills for biblical interpretation, this week’s podcast suggests some different ways to approach your group’s Bible study as you consider interpretive questions like genre, the ancient cultural context, and your own social location as a reader of Scripture.

About the Maxwells:

Kathy and Nathan each earned undergraduate and seminary degrees from Hardin-Simmons University and Logsdon Seminary, as well as doctorates from Baylor University. Kathy received her Ph.D. in New Testament, focusing on the role of the original audience in receiving the narrative in Luke and Acts. She is the Vice President of Academic Affairs at Central Seminary in Shawnee, Kansas. Nathan’s Ph.D. is in Old Testament. His dissertation explored the poetic voice in the book of Psalms. Nathan is an instructional designer in the Department of eLearning at Palm Beach Atlantic University.

About the podcast content:

*For Further Study.* We’ll often recommend books, articles or other resources to assist Bible study facilitators or anyone interested in digging deeper. Some recommendations target a specific subtopic or issue of interpretation, while most are more broadly related to the biblical book, subject or skill under study.

*Matters of Interpretation.* Podcasts are an opportunity to address scripture elements that do not receive full attention in the lesson (due to space constraints and the lesson’s selective focus). Sometimes we’ll simply unpack something from the lesson in greater detail – especially when the nuance or subtleties of a text can make a big difference in how we might read it. In other cases, we’ll identify the problem interpreters face and the solutions they have proposed. We’ll consider the merits and flaws of these approaches, and usually we’ll advocate for one over another.

*See for Yourself.* Some lessons are focused not on a selected passage of scripture, but on matters of faith (“Believing”) or tools for interpreting scripture (“Making Sense”). Podcasts provide a space to supplement lessons with concrete examples and illustrations, which are essential for building theological knowledge and developing hermeneutical skills. We’ll often work through examples to reinforce the lessons, but we’ll also identify additional opportunities for study groups to work through examples together.

About the podcast:

The "Good Faith Bible Study" podcast releases a new episode each week, roughly 10 days in advance of the Sunday lesson of its focus.

Subscribe wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts, and learn more at GoodFaithMedia.org.

The "Good Faith Bible Study" podcast is produced by Good Faith Media, headquartered in Norman, Oklahoma. Music by Pond5.

Release date: January 24, 2025.

Links:

Good Faith Bible Study ~ https://goodfaithmedia.org/bible-studies/

Good Faith Magazine ~ https://goodfaithmedia.org/gfmagazine/

"Nurturing Faith Commentary" by Tony W. Cartledge ~ https://goodfaithmedia.org/nurturing-faith-commentary/

Good Faith Media ~ https://goodfaithmedia.org/

More Good Faith Media podcasts ~ https://goodfaithmedia.org/podcasts-2/

Podcast Transcript and Supplemental Lesson Materials:

https://goodfaithmedia.org/bible-studies/

Feb. 2, 2025 ~ "The Forms of Scripture" ~ Making Sense