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Description

This is the first episode of Realigion Season 2!

Each episode this season will focus on a specific theme, and Joel and Eric have chosen "difficult texts" to match with each theme.

This week, "Free Will."

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Show Notes:

Do we have free will? Does it matter? and can God interfere in our lives so that free will is taken away?

Joel starts us off with a close look at the Lord's Prayer, specifically with regard to the phrase, "thy will be done."

Eric quotes the Talmud, which mentions that that God is control of all things, other than whether or not someone has "awe of God." 

Eric brings up some midrashim (stories) from Jewish tradition as well as the troubling text where God hardens Pharoah's heart. Did Pharoah then not have free will? (Exodus 12).

They both talk about how the concepts of free will are linked to an oft-quoted phrase that bothers both of them, namely: "Everything happens for a reason."

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Send feedback, show ideas, comments, and suggestions to:

REALigionPodcast@gmail.com

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How to follow Rabbi Eric

Twitter @geekyrabbi

Blog Geeky Rabbi | Theology, Technology and a bit of Music

Home - Congregation Children of Israel, Athens Georgia (ccisrael.org)

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How to follow Rev. Joel

Twitter @treblotj

Blog Cross Purposes | Blog of Rev. Joel Tolbert

Presbyterian Church of Chestertown – Planted Deep. Growing Strong. Reaching Wide. (presbyterianchestertown.org)

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Music "Modulation in the Spirit" by Little Glass Men, Composer Ryan Claus (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)