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2025-12-0552 min
Very Special EpisodesThe Fundamental Magical ElementTwo Jamaican musicians are making a bold claim. They say they invented the now-ubiquitous reggaeton beat on a specific track in 1989. They're suing some of the genre's biggest stars for billions in royalties. But we found someone who’s telling a very different origin story. Hold onto your headphones as we dive into the mystery behind one of the most influential beats in modern music. * On the Very Special Episodes podcast, we tell one incredible story each week. Follow us down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday. Hosted by Zaron Burnett, Dan...
2025-12-0336 min
Noble BloodHow a Texas Grocery Store Ended the Cold War [Very Special Episodes]In 1989, Boris Yeltsin walked into a Houston supermarket — and walked out ready to end an empire. What he saw in Texas that day would shake the foundations of the Soviet Union. Decades later, it also made a pretty great musical. * On the Very Special Episodes podcast, we tell one incredible story each week. Follow us down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday. Subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts. Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason EnglishWritten by Dave RoosSenior Producer is Josh FisherEditing and...
2025-11-1543 minHaileywoodBoris Yeltsin and the Texas Grocery Store That Killed CommunismIn 1989, Boris Yeltsin walked into a Houston supermarket — and walked out ready to end an empire. What he saw in Texas that day would shake the foundations of the Soviet Union. * On the Very Special Episodes podcast, we tell one incredible story each week. Follow us down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday. Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason EnglishWritten by Dave RoosSenior Producer is Josh FisherEditing and Sound Design by Jonathan WashingtonAdditional Editing by Mary DooeMixing and Mastering by Josh Fis...
2025-11-1443 minOperation Midnight ClimaxVery Special Episodes: The Grocery Store That Killed CommunismIn 1989, Boris Yeltsin walked into a Houston supermarket — and walked out ready to end an empire. What he saw in Texas that day would shake the foundations of the Soviet Union. * On the Very Special Episodes podcast, we tell one incredible story each week. Follow us down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday. Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason EnglishWritten by Dave RoosSenior Producer is Josh FisherEditing and Sound Design by Jonathan WashingtonAdditional Editing by Mary DooeMixing and Mastering by Josh Fis...
2025-11-1343 minThe Legend of SwordQuestVery Special Episodes: Boris Yeltsin Goes to TexasIn 1989, Boris Yeltsin walked into a Houston supermarket — and walked out ready to end an empire. What he saw in Texas that day would shake the foundations of the Soviet Union. * On the Very Special Episodes podcast, we tell one incredible story each week. Follow us down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday. Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason EnglishWritten by Dave RoosSenior Producer is Josh FisherEditing and Sound Design by Jonathan WashingtonAdditional Editing by Mary DooeMixing and Mastering by Josh Fis...
2025-11-1343 minStealing SupermanVery Special Episodes: The Grocery Store That Killed CommunismIn 1989, Boris Yeltsin walked into a Houston supermarket — and walked out ready to end an empire. What he saw in Texas that day would shake the foundations of the Soviet Union. * On the Very Special Episodes podcast, we tell one incredible story each week. Follow us down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday. Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason EnglishWritten by Dave RoosSenior Producer is Josh FisherEditing and Sound Design by Jonathan WashingtonAdditional Editing by Mary DooeMixing and Mastering by Josh Fis...
2025-11-1243 minVery Special EpisodesThe Grocery Store That Killed CommunismIn 1989, Boris Yeltsin walked into a Houston supermarket — and walked out ready to end an empire. What he saw in Texas that day would shake the foundations of the Soviet Union. * On the Very Special Episodes podcast, we tell one incredible story each week. Follow us down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday. Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason EnglishWritten by Dave RoosSenior Producer is Josh FisherEditing and Sound Design by Jonathan WashingtonAdditional Editing by Mary DooeMixing and Mastering by Josh Fis...
2025-11-1243 min
Noble BloodVery Special Episodes: A High School Brawl in the Panama Canal ZoneIn the 1960s, there were 36,000 Americans living in the Canal Zone. They had Friday night high school football games, sock hops, and Hollywood movies at the local theater. It looked like a mid-century American town had been dropped into the Panamanian jungle — because that’s exactly what it was. But many Panamanians weren’t happy with this “country-in-a-country” arrangement. What would it take to get the Americans to leave? The answer, it turns out, was a bunch of teenagers. * Listen to Very Special Episodes wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes every Wednesday! Check out M...
2025-10-2557 minThe Legend of SwordQuestVery Special Episodes: A High School Brawl in the Panama Canal ZoneIn the 1960s, there were 36,000 Americans living in the Canal Zone. They had Friday night high school football games, sock hops, and Hollywood movies at the local theater. It looked like a mid-century American town had been dropped into the Panamanian jungle — because that’s exactly what it was. But many Panamanians weren’t happy with this “country-in-a-country” arrangement. What would it take to get the Americans to leave? The answer, it turns out, was a bunch of teenagers. * Check out Marixa Lasso's Erased: The Untold Story of the Panama Canal and Wendy Tribaldos' books about the...
2025-10-2357 minStealing SupermanVery Special Episodes: A High School Brawl in the Panama Canal ZoneIn the 1960s, there were 36,000 Americans living in the Canal Zone. They had Friday night high school football games, sock hops, and Hollywood movies at the local theater. It looked like a mid-century American town had been dropped into the Panamanian jungle — because that’s exactly what it was. But many Panamanians weren’t happy with this “country-in-a-country” arrangement. What would it take to get the Americans to leave? The answer, it turns out, was a bunch of teenagers. * Check out Marixa Lasso's Erased: The Untold Story of the Panama Canal and Wendy Tribaldos' books about the...
2025-10-2357 minFounding Son: John Quincy's AmericaVery Special Episodes: A High School Brawl in the Panama Canal ZoneIn the 1960s, there were 36,000 Americans living in the Canal Zone. They had Friday night high school football games, sock hops, and Hollywood movies at the local theater. It looked like a mid-century American town had been dropped into the Panamanian jungle — because that’s exactly what it was. But many Panamanians weren’t happy with this “country-in-a-country” arrangement. What would it take to get the Americans to leave? The answer, it turns out, was a bunch of teenagers. * Check out Marixa Lasso's Erased: The Untold Story of the Panama Canal and Wendy Tribaldos' books about the...
2025-10-2257 minOperation Midnight ClimaxVery Special Episodes: A High School Brawl in the Panama Canal ZoneIn the 1960s, there were 36,000 Americans living in the Canal Zone. They had Friday night high school football games, sock hops, and Hollywood movies at the local theater. It looked like a mid-century American town had been dropped into the Panamanian jungle — because that’s exactly what it was. But many Panamanians weren’t happy with this “country-in-a-country” arrangement. What would it take to get the Americans to leave? The answer, it turns out, was a bunch of teenagers. * Check out Marixa Lasso's Erased: The Untold Story of the Panama Canal and Wendy Tribaldos' books about the...
2025-10-2257 minHaileywoodVery Special Episodes: A High School Brawl in the Panama Canal ZoneIn the 1960s, there were 36,000 Americans living in the Canal Zone. They had Friday night high school football games, sock hops, and Hollywood movies at the local theater. It looked like a mid-century American town had been dropped into the Panamanian jungle — because that’s exactly what it was. But many Panamanians weren’t happy with this “country-in-a-country” arrangement. What would it take to get the Americans to leave? The answer, it turns out, was a bunch of teenagers. * Check out Marixa Lasso's Erased: The Untold Story of the Panama Canal and Wendy Tribaldos' books about the...
2025-10-2257 minVery Special EpisodesA High School Brawl in the Panama Canal ZoneIn the 1960s, there were 36,000 Americans living in the Canal Zone. They had Friday night high school football games, sock hops, and Hollywood movies at the local theater. It looked like a mid-century American town had been dropped into the Panamanian jungle — because that’s exactly what it was. But many Panamanians weren’t happy with this “country-in-a-country” arrangement. What would it take to get the Americans to leave? The answer, it turns out, was a bunch of teenagers. * Check out Marixa Lasso's Erased: The Untold Story of the Panama Canal and Wendy Tribaldos' books about the...
2025-10-2257 min
Biblical Time MachineWhere are Helen and Dave? A BTM UpdateIt's been a while, but there are some big changes in the works for Biblical Time Machine! For more details, check out our post on Patreon.SUPPORT BIBLICAL TIME MACHINEIf you enjoy the podcast, please (pretty please!) consider supporting the show through the Time Travelers Club, our Patreon. We are an independent, listener-supported show (no ads!), so please help us continue to showcase high-quality biblical scholarship with a monthly subscription.Support the showTheme music written and performed by Dave Roos, creator of Biblical Time Machine. Season 4 produced by John...
2025-07-2806 min
Newton's LawVery Special Episodes: Who Really Wrote the Pledge of Allegiance?Although American schoolchildren still recite The Pledge every morning in nearly every classroom, we still aren't sure who actually wrote it. And all these years later, the long-accepted story is showing some cracks. * Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, Jason EnglishWritten by Dave RoosProduced by Josh Fisher Editing and Sound Design by Jonathan WashingtonMixing and Mastering by Baheed FrazierStory Editor is Aaron EdwardsResearch and Fact-Checking by Austin Thompson and Dave RoosOriginal Music by Elise McCoyShow Logo by Lucy Quintanilla...
2025-07-0743 minOperation Midnight ClimaxVSE: Who Really Wrote the Pledge of Allegiance?Although American schoolchildren still recite The Pledge every morning in nearly every classroom, we still aren't sure who actually wrote it. And all these years later, the long-accepted story is showing some cracks. * Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, Jason EnglishWritten by Dave RoosProduced by Josh Fisher Editing and Sound Design by Jonathan WashingtonMixing and Mastering by Baheed FrazierStory Editor is Aaron EdwardsResearch and Fact-Checking by Austin Thompson and Dave RoosOriginal Music by Elise McCoyShow Logo by Lucy Quintanilla...
2025-07-0743 minVery Special EpisodesWho Really Wrote the Pledge of Allegiance? [Re-Release]Although American schoolchildren still recite The Pledge every morning in nearly every classroom, we still aren't sure who actually wrote it. And all these years later, the long-accepted story is showing some cracks. * Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, Jason EnglishWritten by Dave RoosProduced by Josh Fisher Editing and Sound Design by Jonathan WashingtonMixing and Mastering by Baheed FrazierStory Editor is Aaron EdwardsResearch and Fact-Checking by Austin Thompson and Dave RoosOriginal Music by Elise McCoyShow Logo by Lucy Quintanilla...
2025-07-0243 min
Path to LibertyThe Forgotten Boston Massacre Speech They Wanted to SilenceIn 1771, James Lovell stood before a massive crowd in Boston to deliver a speech commemorating the first anniversary of the Boston Massacre on March 5, 1770. His oration left no room for compromise: warning against standing armies, defending the people’s right to bear arms, declaring freedom as a birthright, and rejecting Parliament’s authority over the colonies entirely. This episode explores James Lovell’s powerful speech, its aftermath, and a background story about Paul Revere’s role in the commemoration of the Boston Massacre.
Path to Liberty: March 5, 2025
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2025-03-0528 minBiblical Time MachineKosher—The History of Forbidden FoodsWhy were certain foods "forbidden" in the Hebrew Bible? And how did the pig attain ultra-non-kosher status among ancient Jews? Guest Jordan Rosenblum joins Helen and Dave as they try to pinpoint the origins of Jewish dietary laws and how they've been interpreted over time. Check out Jordan's terrific new book, Forbidden: A 3,000-Year History of Jews and the Pig. JOIN US FOR THE BTM BOOK CLUBThe next meeting of the Biblical Time Machine Book Club will be Saturday, February 22 at 12pm Eastern / 5pm UK. We'll be discussing a fascinating scholarly article by...
2025-02-1053 minBiblical Time MachineMove Over, Josephus—Here Comes Philo!Josephus will always be our pal, but it's time to meet another super-important ancient Jewish writer: Philo of Alexandria. Living in the vibrant intellectual hub of 1st-century Alexandria, Philo applied Greco-Roman philosophical ideas to the Hebrew Bible and wrote some of the first books about biblical interpretation. Today Helen and Dave Learn all about Philo and the remarkable city of ancient Alexandria with guest Maren Neihoff, author of Philo of Alexandria: An Intellectual Biography.MORE FROM BIBLE ODYSSEY"Alexandria""Alexandria and Allegory""Philo, Clement & Origen"JOIN US FOR THE BTM BOOK CLUB
2025-02-031h 08Biblical Time MachineReal Time Travel with Ancient PapyriOf course Helen and Dave have a fully functioning, very real Time Machine. But if you can't wait your turn (the line is ridiculously long), check out "documentary papyri." These scraps of ancient writing — letters, legal documents, shopping lists — offer a firsthand glimpse into everyday life in the 1st century CE. Even better, scholars like our guest Christina Kreinecker use clues from these ancient everyday texts to illuminate thorny passages of the New Testament. Check out Christina's book (co-edited with John S. Kloppenborg and James R. Harrison) Everyday Life in Graeco-Roman Times: Documentary Papyri and the New Test...
2025-01-0654 minBiblical Time Machine"Unto Us a Child is Born" Was Isaiah Talking About Jesus?The prophet Isaiah lived in the 8th century BCE, yet his writings are quoted throughout the New Testament and especially around Christmas. Who was the historical Isaiah? And who (or what) was he writing about when he prophesied the birth of a king 700 years before Jesus? For this special holiday episode, Helen and Dave are joined by Daniel Stulac, a Christian scholar of the Hebrew Bible who approaches the book(s) of Isaiah in both their historical and theological contexts. SUBSCRIBE AND GET A FREE MUG!Dave's mom has another holiday gift for B...
2024-12-301h 04Biblical Time MachineAncient Censuses — Does Luke's Christmas Story Make Sense?In the Gospel of Luke, Joseph and a very pregnant Mary travel to Bethlehem because Caesar Augustus has ordered a census of the entire Roman Empire. But does Jesus's birth story in Luke align with what we know about censuses in the ancient world? How were people counted? Who conducted these censuses? And did people really need to travel back to their ancestral homes to register with Rome? For this special holiday episode, Helen and Dave are joined by Andrew Whitby, a data scientist and author of The Sum of the People: How the Census Has Shaped...
2024-12-2348 min
Very Special EpisodesAn Artificial ChristmasWho's the artificial Christmas tree king? Meet Si Spiegel, a Jewish kid from New York with a remarkable, improbable Christmas story. Si's story was first brought to light by Laurie Gwen Shapiro in her 2021 New York Times feature, "He Bombed the Nazis, Outwitted the Soviets, and Modernized Christmas." Laurie Gwen Shapiro kindly shared her extensive notes for this episode. Her next book, The Aviator and the Showman: Amelia Earhart, George Putnam, and the Marriage That Made an American Icon, will be published by Viking in July 2025. Learn more at LaurieGwenShapiro.com.ANOTHER VERY SPECIAL THANKS
2024-12-2037 minBiblical Time MachineHanukkah: All About Menorahs and Ancient Oil LampsHanukkah celebrates a miraculous event, when the eternal light of the temple burned for 8 days without being extinguished. In this special holiday episode, scholar Gregg Gardner tells Helen and Dave all about ancient oil lamps, including the magnificent and mysterious 7-branched menorah of the Second Temple. If you'd like to make your own potato latkes for Hanukkah, try this recipe. Don't forget the apple sauce and sour cream (and crack a window). GIVE (& RECEIVE) THE GIFT OF BIBLICAL TIME MACHINEDave's mom has a Hanukkah gift for all of our listeners! The first 5 p...
2024-12-1648 minBiblical Time MachineBiblical Archeology: The Untold History of Ancient JudahYou're in for a treat. Israeli archeologist Oded Lipschits knows more than anyone about the archeology of the ancient Kingdom of Judah. In this episode, Dave and Helen travel back to the 8th century BCE and learn how the biblical authors interpreted (and reinterpreted) historical events to fit their changing theological and political realities. If you like what you hear, check out Oded's podcast The Untold Story of the Kingdom of Judah. SUPPORT BIBLICAL TIME MACHINE!If you like the podcast, please consider supporting the show through the Time Travelers Club, our Patreon. W...
2024-11-1152 minBiblical Time MachineWhat is "Ancient Media Culture"?In the 1st century, very few people "read" the Hebrew scriptures. Instead, they were "heard" — read aloud (or performed) in the synagogue and other spaces. In this episode, Catrin Williams joins Helen and Dave to discuss "ancient media culture," the different ways that people consumed biblical texts in the time of Jesus, and how literacy, orality and "aurality" were in constant conversation. If you're curious, here's the mysterious Greek/Hebrew amulet that was found near Caernarvon fort in Wales. Catrin will get to the bottom of it. SUPPORT BIBLICAL TIME MACHINE!If you li...
2024-10-1444 minBiblical Time MachineThe Best and Worst Jesus FilmsFrom the "Last Temptation" to "Life of Brian," so many filmmakers have tried their hand at portraying the greatest story ever told, with mixed results. Matthew Page — author of 100 Bible Films and the creator of the Bible Films Blog — joins Helen and Dave to discuss the best and worst Jesus movies. Here are trailers and clips from some of the films discussed in today's episode:Roundhay Garden Scene (1888) filmed in Leeds!La Vie du Christ (1906)Son of Man (1969)Il Messia (1975)Life of Brian (1979)The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) The Passion of the Christ (2004)BBC’s The Pas...
2024-10-0755 minBiblical Time MachineThe Weird and Wonderful "Gospel of Mary"Written in the 2nd Century CE, the non-canonical "Gospel of Mary" gives us a taste of the wild diversity of Early Christianity. Religious historian Sarah Parkhouse joins Helen and Dave in the Time Machine to explain the significance of this mysterious Gnostic tribute to Mary Magdalene. For more, check out Sarah's book, Eschatology and the Saviour: The Gospel of Mary among Early Christian Dialogue Gospels. SUPPORT BIBLICAL TIME MACHINE!If you like the podcast, please consider supporting the show through the Time Travelers Club, our Patreon. We love making the show, but since w...
2024-09-1643 minBiblical Time MachineThe Ancient History of JerusalemPeople have lived in Jerusalem for 5,000 years. Archeologist Jodi Magness hops in the Time Machine to give Helen and Dave a tour of Jerusalem's long and fascinating history. Buy Jodi's book — it's fantastic! Jerusalem Through the Ages: From Its Beginnings to the Crusades (2024)SUPPORT BIBLICAL TIME MACHINE!If you like the podcast, please consider supporting the show through the Time Travelers Club, our Patreon. We love making the show, but since we don't run ads we rely on listener contributions to cover our costs. Please help us continue to showcase high-quality biblical scholarship wi...
2024-09-091h 12Biblical Time MachineAll About Circumcision!When did this ancient practice begin? Was it unique to the ancient Israelites? And what did Paul really think about circumcision? Helen and Dave cover it all with guest Ryan Collman, author of The Apostle to the Foreskin: Circumcision in the Letters of Paul. SUPPORT BIBLICAL TIME MACHINE!If you enjoy the podcast, please show your support through the Time Travelers Club, our Patreon. We love making the show, but since we don't run ads we rely on listener contributions to cover our costs. Please help us continue to showcase high-quality biblical scholarship with a $5/m...
2024-08-1256 minBiblical Time MachineWas Jesus a Disciple of John the Baptist?The gospels claim that John the Baptist was just preparing the way for Jesus, but what if his role was much bigger? In this episode, Helen and Dave are joined by James McGrath, who argues that Jesus started out as John's disciple and only rose to prominence after John's arrest and execution. James has written two new books about John the Baptist! The first book is already out — Christmaker: A Life of John the Baptist. And the second, more scholarly volume will be released in October — John of History, Baptist of Faith: The Quest for...
2024-08-0555 minBiblical Time MachineSeason 2 Celebration + Season 3 TeaserThank you listeners for another amazing season of Biblical Time Machine! We couldn't do this without you. EXCITING NEWS FOR SEASON 3Season 3 is just a few weeks away and we're unveiling some exciting new perks for members of the Time Travelers Club. We're a listener-supported podcast (no ads!), so we rely on our patrons to keep the show going. If you become a subscriber, you'll get all kinds of new perks in Season 3, including:bonus content and extended interviews for every episodemembership in the "BTM Book Club" with live video discussions"Backstage Seats" for...
2024-07-0117 minBiblical Time MachineBody and Blood: The Mysterious Origins of the EucharistThe Eucharist is such a common part of Christian worship that it's easy to overlook how strange it is — drinking wine that represents Jesus's blood, eating bread that represents His flesh. The ritual would have been even more shocking to Jesus's Jewish followers, for whom consuming blood (even metaphorically) was absolutely forbidden. The New Testament says that Jesus himself instituted the Eucharist at the Last Supper, but earlier writers like Paul describe something more like a communal meal with ritual components. So our question is: where did the Eucharist originate and what did it mean to the ea...
2024-06-2457 minBiblical Time MachineFood: What Did They Eat in Ancient Israel?Finally, Helen and Dave turn to the most important topic of any time period — food! What the heck did regular folks in the Levant eat back in the 12th and 11th centuries BCE? The Hebrew Bible is a lousy recipe book, so we talked to Jacob Damm, an archeologist who specializes in the food and foodways of Ancient Israel. Grab a snack for this one. You're gonna get hungry. More from our content partner Bible Odyssey:Milk and Honey in Ancient IsraelSUPPORT BIBLICAL TIME MACHINE!If you enjoy the podcast, please show you...
2024-06-0354 minBiblical Time MachineSamson: Hero or Psychopath?Of all the problematic heroes in the Hebrew Bible, Samson takes first prize. Samson is hailed as a hero of the Israelites — a "Nazirite" consecrated to God with superhuman strength — but he's also a mass murderer, womanizer and all-around menace to society. Helen and Dave welcome Mahri Leonard-Fleckman to the podcast to try to make sense of the wild (and wildly entertaining) Samson cycle. SUPPORT BIBLICAL TIME MACHINE!If you enjoy the podcast, please show your support through the Time Travelers Club, our Patreon. We love making the show, but since we don't run ads we r...
2024-05-1342 minBiblical Time MachineGnosticism and the Nag Hammadi Library ExplainedIn 1945, dozens of previously unknown Christian texts were discovered near the Egyptian desert town of Nag Hammadi. Some texts were closely tied to the New Testament, like the Gospel of Thomas, but others were pretty wild, portraying the God of the Hebrew Bible as a demon trickster. All of these texts were labeled "gnostic," but scholars continue to debate what "gnostic" really means and what to make of these curious works from the early centuries of Christianity. Helen and Dave are joined by Kimberley Fowler, a scholar of early Christianity who spends her days reading cryptic texts...
2024-05-0650 minBiblical Time MachineSurgery or Spit? Healthcare in the Ancient WorldCountless things could sicken or injure you in the ancient world, so where did people turn for help? Much like today, there were no shortage of healthcare options: herbs, drugs, surgery, saliva — even a literal hole in the head! Helen and Dave welcome historian Jared Secord to discuss what passed for medical care in the ancient Mediterranean and why Jesus fits the profile of a faith healer.Check out Jared's cool new book, co-authored with Kristi Upson-Saia and Heidi Marx, Medicine, Health, and Healing in the Ancient Mediterranean 500 BCE–600 CE: A Sourcebook. More from our cont...
2024-04-2943 minBiblical Time MachinePassover: Did the Exodus Really Happen?Every Passover, Jewish families gather to recount the miraculous story of Moses leading the Hebrews out of captivity in Egypt. But how much of this age-old tale is true? Helen and Dave welcome Carol Meyers back to the podcast to talk about the limits of Exodus archeology and to put forward some intriguing theories about the historical origins of the Ancient Israelites. For even more from Carol about the Exodus and Moses, check out this terrific interview she did with PBS NOVA and her book Exodus (New Cambridge Bible Commentary). SUPPORT BIBLICAL TIME MACHINE!
2024-04-2249 minBiblical Time MachineEaster: Behind the Scenes of "The Chosen""The Chosen" is a global phenomenon. The streaming series about the life of Jesus is now in its 4th season, which is building toward Jesus's final week in Jerusalem. Helen and Dave were thrilled to chat with actor Richard Fancy, who plays high priest Caiaphas on "The Chosen." Richard did some serious research to prepare for his role — he even read Helen's book! Find out why Richard sympathizes with Caiaphas, a biblical "baddie" who was caught between warring political factions. And learn how Richard worked hard to portray Caiaphas without the ugly antisemitic tropes so often attached to...
2024-04-0136 minBiblical Time MachineCapernaum: the Archeology of a Jewish and Christian VillageCapernaum is known as "the Town of Jesus," since so many of Jesus's miracles and preaching happened in this small town on the Sea of Galilee. In the centuries after Jesus's death, Capernaum transformed from a Jewish fishing village into a Christian holy site. Thanks to archeology, we can learn more about Jewish-Christian relations in Capernaum during this much-debated period in the history of the Holy Land. Helen and Dave are joined by Wally Cirafesi, an archeologist and New Testament scholar who has spent years excavating in the Galilee. At first glance, Capernaum feels like a village w...
2024-03-1146 minBiblical Time MachineLeprosy in the Bible — What Was It?The history doctor is in! Helen and Dave welcome Dr. Ricky Shinall — an MD with a PhD in biblical studies — to help us diagnose leprosy in the ancient world. Did biblical leprosy have anything to do with modern Hansen's disease? Were lepers considered "untouchable" pariahs? And what does all of this have to do with ritual impurity? For more, check out Dr. Shinall's article "Skin Disease and Social Exclusion" at our content partner Bible Odyssey. BREAKING NEWSThe Biblical Time Machine Store is open! Check out our 4-part audio study guide called "The Gospel...
2024-03-0447 min
Very Special EpisodesHappy Leap DayWith help from "Leap Day Lady" Raenell Dawn, Dana Schwartz makes the case for making Leap Day a national holiday. * Very Special Episodes is a new podcast where we tell one incredible story each week. We're back with a full episode next Wednesday. Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, Jason EnglishWritten by Dave RoosProduced by Josh Fisher Editing and Sound Design by Josh ThaneResearch and Fact-Checking by Austin Thompson and Dave RoosOriginal Music by Elise McCoyShow Logo by Lucy QuintanillaExecutive P...
2024-02-2912 minBiblical Time MachineThe Ancient Jews (and Temple) of Elephantine IslandIn the 6th Century BCE, on a tiny island in the Nile River, once stood a Temple to Yahweh. Far from Jerusalem, the ancient Jews of Egypt's Elephantine Island worshipped a mighty god they called "Yaho" in one of the first diaspora Jewish communities outside of Palestine. How they got there and who they became is a fascinating and little-known story. On today's episode, Helen and Dave talk with historian Karel van der Toorn, professor of ancient religion at the University of Amsterdam and author of Becoming Diaspora Jews: Behind the Story of Elephantine. W...
2024-02-2655 min
Very Special EpisodesThe Pledge: Who Really Wrote the Pledge of Allegiance?In today's Episode, Dana, Zaron and Jason tackle a 130-year-old mystery. Although American schoolchildren still recite The Pledge every morning in nearly every classroom, we still aren't sure who actually wrote it. And all these years later, the long-accepted story is showing some cracks. * Very Special Episodes is a new podcast where we tell one incredible story each week. Follow us down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday. Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, Jason EnglishWritten by Dave RoosProduced by Josh Fisher Editing and Sound Design by Jonathan...
2024-02-2146 minBiblical Time MachineWho Wrote the King James Bible?"Thou shalt not" miss this episode about the King James Bible, the most-read literary work in the English language! But who was King James? Why did he order a new English translation of the Bible (there were plenty out there already)? And who were the translators tasked with this monumental project (hint: not Shakespeare)?Helen and Dave are joined by Jeffrey Allen Miller, a MacArthur "Genius Grant" winner who made headlines in 2015 with the discovery of the earliest known draft translation of part of the King James Bible. Jeff's incredible find overturned some longstanding assumptions about how t...
2024-02-1949 minBiblical Time MachineDid Jesus Bless a Same-Sex Relationship?The New Testament story known as the "Healing of the Centurion's Slave" has been the subject of some intriguing scholarship in recent years. In the Greco-Roman world, the Greek word translated as "slave" or "servant" in the Bible also meant the younger partner in a same-sex male relationship. So the question is: by healing the Centurion's partner, did Jesus effectively bless a same-sex relationship? The evidence is compelling. Homosexual relationships were common in the Greco-Roman world, especially in the military where power dynamics were reinforced by sex. In this story, repeated in two New Testament gospels, the C...
2024-02-1248 minBiblical Time MachineDavid & Goliath Like You've Never Read It BeforeHeroic stories like David and Goliath were told for centuries before they were written down. But the creative storytelling process didn't end there. Written texts were "performed" and improvised upon, creating new variations that made it into later texts. The Bible that we have today was the product of ongoing "conversations" between oral and written traditions. Helen and Dave are thrilled to welcome Jonathan Friedmann back to the podcast to introduce the exciting field of performance criticism. Jonathan uses the example of David and Goliath to show how artifacts of oral storytelling are found throughout the Hebrew...
2024-02-0548 minBiblical Time MachineParables: Jesus's Shocking Short StoriesIn the New Testament, Jesus often teaches through parables — short stories rich in symbolism and ethical dilemmas. "The Good Samaritan." "The Prodigal Son." We've heard these stories so many times it's easy to overlook how challenging and even shocking they would have sounded to 1st-century ears. In this episode, scholar Amy-Jill Levine joins Helen and Dave to explain the Jewish roots of parables and how Jesus wielded parables to shake up his audience. Parables were incredibly effective teaching tools in the ancient world and they're just as powerful today, especially when we understand their deeper historical background.
2024-01-2956 minBiblical Time MachineWhy the Bible Was WrittenThe Hebrew Bible wasn't created by one of the mighty empires of the ancient world — Egypt, Assyria or Babylon — but written in the rubble of a small, conquered kingdom. So how has this "epic monument to defeat" not only survived for 2,600 years, but spawned three world religions and influenced countless lives? Because the authors of the Hebrew Bible invented something completely new. They created a "people." Helen and Dave were thrilled to talk with Jacob Wright, biblical scholar and author of the mind-blowing new book, Why the Bible Began: An Alternative History of Scripture and Its Origins. Jacob...
2024-01-1555 minBiblical Time MachineWhat Would Jesus Wear?There's so much we get wrong about clothing and dress in the 1st Century. Did Jewish people dress differently than gentiles? No. Did most men have long hair and beards? No. Did Jesus and the disciples rock sandals with socks? Yes! Clothing is an essential component of culture, yet it's been woefully ignored by historians. Today we change all that. Helen and Dave are excited to welcome Katie Turner to the podcast. Katie dispels 1st-Century fashion myths and answers our burning questions about ancient underwear, veiling and yes — socks! To hear more from Katie, check out...
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The TPL ShowWhat is Lean Really?What is the Origin of Lean Manufacturing?We see the roots of Lean in the writings of Ben Franklin. In his book, Poor Richard’s Almanac, he writes about the reduction of waste when he writes, “avoiding unnecessary costs could provide more profit than increasing sales”.Franklin’s thoughts are further developed by Frederick Winslow Taylor in his 1911 book, Principles of Scientific Management. Taylor outlined and named the process of “Proto-Lean”, calling it Scientific Management. He wrote, “Whenever a workman proposes an improvement, it should be the policy of the management to make a careful analysis of the new method, an...
2023-12-2139 minBiblical Time MachineA Second Look at Mary, Mother of JesusIn the first of two Christmas episodes, Helen and Dave take another look at arguably the "best-known and least-known" woman in history: Mary, the mother of Jesus. Our guest, the fantastic James Tabor, collects the few breadcrumbs of information about Mary in the New Testament and weaves together a compelling narrative about a Jewish matriarch at the center of the Jesus movement. James Tabor's latest book, The Lost Mary: How the Jewish Mother of Jesus Became the Virgin Mother of God, will be published in 2025 (the French version is available now!). More on...
2023-12-1147 minBiblical Time MachineHanukkah History: The Maccabean RevoltThe Jewish festival of Hanukkah is based on real historical events — the Maccabean Revolt of 167-160 BCE. In today's episode, Helen and Dave travel back to a time when Judaea was ruled by the Hellenized (Greek) Seleucid Empire. When a Jewish priest named Mattathias refused to make a sacrifice to the pagan gods, it sparked a violent revolution led by Judah "The Hammer" Maccabee. Learn More About Hanukkah at Bible OdysseyHanukkahMaccabeesThe Commemoration of War in Early Jewish FestivalsLife Under EmpireSupport the showTheme music written and performed by Dave Roo...
2023-12-0438 minBiblical Time MachineWho Chose the Books of the New Testament?Starting in the 1st century CE, there was an explosion of Christian literature — dozens of gospels, letters, apocalypses and more — but only a fraction of those texts made it into the New Testament canon. Who decided which books were in and which books were out? For this episode, Helen and Dave welcome New Testament scholar Francis Watson, who introduces us to important figures like Athanasius of Alexandria and Eusebius of Caesarea, some of the earliest influential Christian writers to weigh in on which texts were authoritative and which were "spurious." Check out Francis's excellent books on t...
2023-11-2042 minBiblical Time MachineHalloween Special: God's MonstersThere aren't any werewolves or vampires in the Bible, but God deploys his own terrifying army of monsters. Have you heard of cherubs? Not what you think! Even angels have some less-than-angelic duties. It turns out that the shepherds abiding in the field had good reason to be "sore afraid." Just in time for Halloween, special guest Esther Hamori joins Helen and Dave to talk about her fantastic new book, God's Monsters: Vengeful Spirits, Deadly Angels, Hybrid Creatures, and Divine Hitmen of the Bible. Maybe next year you'll dress your kid up as a six-winged, snake-skinned seraphim.
2023-10-3042 minBiblical Time MachineIs Jonah the Weirdest Book in the Bible?Jonah and the whale (fish, technically) is one of the best-known Bible stories, but it's also completely bonkers. It stars Jonah—the worst/best prophet ever—and reads more like a fable or satire than a serious biblical treatise. Were the authors of Jonah trying to be funny? And how the heck did this silly little fish tale become a beloved and meaningful narrative for Judaism, Christianity and Islam?To help unravel the mystery, Helen and Dave welcome back Eckart Frahm, author of the impressive new book, Assyria: The Rise and Fall of the World's First Empire. Ecka...
2023-10-1644 minBiblical Time MachineChildhood in Ancient Israel—What Can We Know?Pop quiz—name a famous kid from the Hebrew Bible. Baby Moses? Teenage David? That's about it. The Bible may be largely silent about childhood, but we can gather clues from archeology and ethnography to piece together a picture of what it was like to be a kid in ancient Israel. Special guest Kristine Garroway from Hebrew Union College joins Helen and Dave to reconstruct family life in ancient Israel: the spiritual anxieties around pregnancy, the rules of ancient adoption, and the chore lists assigned to little Israelite boys and girls. For more, check out Kr...
2023-10-0948 min