Language of God

Biblical interpretation is all about asking questions—How did Ancient Israel understand the book of Genesis? How much context do we, as modern readers, need to discover the intended meaning of the text? Does the text hold the answers to the questions we are asking? Jim and guest host Rebecca McLaughlin discuss these thorny questions with biblical scholar John Walton and explore the answers his work offers them.  John Walton is a professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College. He received an M.A. in Biblical Studies from Wheaton College and his Ph.D. from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. He has published dozens of books, articles, and translations focusing on Ancient Near Eastern backgrounds of the Old Testament. Explore John Walton’s Lost World series here. Find a conversation about this episode at the BioLogos Forum.

Fossils open a window deep into the history of the earth. Through that window we learn about how whales evolved from four-legged creatures to the aquatic animals we know today, we learn about our own species and where we came from, and we learn more about God who made it all. Language of God producer, Colin Hoogerwerf, journeys into the world of fossils alongside paleontologist Ryan Bebej to explore some of these stories. Guest geologist and paleontologist Ralph Stearley introduces us to some of the early Christians who helped figure out what fossils really are and biological anthropologist Cara Wall-Scheffler joins to talk about what fossils can teach us about what it means to be human. Find Ryan Bebej’s personal story here See some photos from our visit to Calvin’s fossil collection at our website. Find a conversation about this episode at the BioLogos Forum.

Join Krista Tippett, an acclaimed journalist and the creative mind behind popular podcasts like On Being, as she explores the urgent need for honest dialogue amid today's divisive climate. She delves into how science and spirituality intersect, revealing their shared quest for life's mysteries. Krista discusses the transformative power of community, compassion, and cooperation in human evolution. Ultimately, she advocates for fostering hope through sincere conversations that embrace our shared humanity.

It is all too easy to fall into the myopic assumption that our faith words are universal, that everyone has a shared understanding of what these words mean. But often this is not the case. Many times our sacred words—words like grace, mercy, wisdom—are painted with different hues on other peoples’ interpretive palates. Author Jonathan Merritt joins Jim on this episode of Language of God to discuss this decay of common meaning—and how to revive it. Jonathan Merritt is a contributing writer for The Atlantic, contributing editor for The Week, and an author. His books include A Faith of Our Own, Green Like God, and Learning to Speak God From Scratch, which was released in 2018. He holds a Master of Divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Master of Theology from Emory University’s Candler School of Theology. He currently lives in Brooklyn, New York. Watch Jonathan’s presentation at the 2019 BioLogos conference here. Find a conversation about this episode at the BioLogos Forum.

Our habits shape us in ways we often neglect, guiding the majority of our thoughts and actions. Pastor John Ortberg argues that when these save us from spending unnecessary energy on menial tasks, they are good. Trouble brews, however, when sin creeps in. In this episode, John talks about the forgotten practice of spiritual disciplines, how biological predispositions affect human character, and the formative role philosopher Dallas Willard has played on his own life.  John Ortberg is the Senior Pastor at Menlo Church in Menlo Park, California. He holds a Master of Divinity and doctorate degree in clinical psychology from Fuller Seminary. John is on the Board of Trustees at Fuller Seminary as well as on the board for the Dallas Willard Center for Spiritual Formation. He is the author of several books, including Soul Keeping, The Life You’ve Always Wanted, and Eternity is Now in Session. Find a conversation about this episode at the BioLogos Forum.

In Season 2 of Language of God we’re going to hold faithfully to the truths of Christianity, while we explore the realities of this world, up to the limits of what we can know. Our guests include pastor John Ortberg, host of the On Being radio show Krista Tippett, writer and journalist Jonathan Merritt, biblical scholar John Walton, and many others. Episodes coming soon!

Language of God has hosted many great guests already in its first season but as hard as we try, we can’t always get to all your questions. So while we’re between seasons, we thought we’d open the phone lines. Jim Stump, host of Language of God, and a few BioLogos staff members sat down to try and wrestle with some of the questions we received. Here’s their conversation. Read Joel Duff’s article mentioned in the conversation on our website. Ask your own questions to a community committed to exploring topics of faith and science at the BioLogos Forum

BioLogos is not the only organization tackling issues of science and faith today. Today’s episode features a panel from Science and Theology for Emerging Adult Ministries (STEAM), a project from Fuller Theological Seminary which offers resources to help teens and young adults to think through issues of science and faith. The panel discusses their project and lessons they have learned along the way. Special thanks to Greg Cootsona, Kate Vosburg, and Len Tang. Find more resources like STEAM in our Resource Center.  

Explore the astonishing 'Cool Creations' highlighted by members of the BioLogos community. Discover the marvels of evolution through stories of fossilized whales and elephant intelligence. Unearth the genetic intricacies of quaking aspen trees and the remarkable dual notes produced by birds. This engaging discussion immerses you in nature’s wonders and the profound complexity of creation, inspiring a renewed appreciation for the world around us.

Rick Potts has always had an interest in origins. As a kid, exploring the origins of musical instruments and the solar system fascinated him. In high school he stumbled upon the study of human origins; he has not stopped investigating since. Dr. Potts tells Jim stories of excavations in China and southern Kenya and of people encountering the exhibit on Human Origins around the US. Reverberating throughout their conversation is the question, ‘What does it mean to be human?’ Dr. Rick Potts is a paleoanthropologist and curator of the Hall of Human Origins at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. Before coming to the Smithsonian in 1985, he received his Ph.D. in biological anthropology from Harvard University and taught anthropology at Yale University. He has lead excavations throughout the East African Rift Valley as well as in southern and northern China. His research focuses on human adaptation to environmental change. Find a conversation about this episode at the BioLogos Forum.