Cody Cook's Blog, page 21
December 22, 2018
PODCAST: Cantus Firmus at the Movies Ep. 13 – It’s a Wonderful Life (w/ Kevin Peyton)
Kevin Peyton was my guest to discuss the 1946 Frank Capra film It’s a Wonderful Life. We highlighted its contrasting views on money, its populist form of religion, its answers to the problem of evil, its view of God’s purposes requiring our participation, and whether or not humans become angels when they die.
Kevin Peyton is Executive Director of Joshua’s Place, a community outreach organization in South Lebanon, Ohio that serves as a food pantry that also builds relationships by meeting more than just material needs. Joshua’s Place is connected with The Village Community Church in South Lebanon, which Kevin pastors. Kevin is also an entrepreneur and restaurant developer, which I think gives him some useful and unique insights into a film like this one which deals with the spiritual and moral components of how we use and value wealth.
Audio:
http://www.cantus-firmus.com/Audio/20181222-CFATM-Ep13-ItsAWonderfulLife(wKevinPeyton).mp3
Music:
“Octagon Pt 2” by Polyrhythmics. Licensed under CC BY 3.0
http://www.needledrop.co/wp/artists/polyrhythmics/
December 8, 2018
PODCAST: Cantus Firmus Book Club Ep. 4 – Warlike Christians in an Age of Violence (w/ the author Nick Megoran)
I recently had the opportunity to speak with Nick Megoran, lecturer in political geography at Newcastle University in Great Britain and specialist in geopolitics, religion, and the war on terror, about his book Warlike Christians in an Age of Violence: The Evangelical Case against War and for Gospel Peace. We talked about just war theory in light of the biblical witness, the incoherence of arguments for war from the Old Testament, and the practical application of Jesus’ call for His followers to reject violence and embrace gospel peace.
You can buy his book at https://www.amazon.com/Warlike-Christians-Age-Violence-Evangelical-ebook/dp/B076J134H5
Download:
http://www.cantus-firmus.com/Audio/20181208-CFBC-Ep4-WarlikeChristians.mp3
Music:
“Liam Rides a Pony” by Polyrhythmics. Licensed under CC BY 3.0
http://www.needledrop.co/wp/artists/p...
November 1, 2018
October 10, 2018
PODCAST: Romans 13 – Is it biblical to enforce the law?
It’s rare in our current cultural climate that a debate over biblical interpretation becomes a topic of discussion in major media outlets. It was therefore something of a surprise when Attorney General Jeff Sessions sought to silence evangelical criticism of President Trump’s immigration policy by citing Romans chapter 13, sparking a national conversation about this passage:
“I would cite you to the Apostle Paul and his clear and wise command in Romans 13, to obey the laws of the government because God has ordained the government for his purposes.”
The primary criticism in the media of this citation from Sessions was, interestingly, not that he had misread the passage, but that its significance in American history is found in its defense of slavery. Does a faithful reading of Romans 13 require that we assent to power at all times, even when it appears to be acting immorally, as it did in its defense of American slavery? Is it always the case that, as White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders “it is very biblical to enforce the law” and that “it’s a moral policy to follow and enforce the law?” The answer to that question may be found in close readings of the passages which Paul alludes to in this section to support his argument…
Audio:
http://cantus-firmus.com/Audio/20181011-Romans13.mp3
Music:
“The Itis” by Polyrhythmics. Licensed under CC BY 3.0
http://www.needledrop.co/wp/artists/polyrhythmics/
Work referenced:
T.L. Carter, The Irony of Romans 13, Novum Testamentum XLVI
October 5, 2018
September 23, 2018
PODCAST: Cantus Firmus Book Club Ep. 3 – The Battle for Bonhoeffer (w/ the author Dr. Stephen R. Haynes)
I had the pleasure of talking with author Dr. Stephen R. Haynes about his new book The Battle for Bonhoeffer: Debating Discipleship in the Age of Trump. We discussed the “real” Bonhoeffer in light of how he has been co-opted by various groups, his uncompromising attitude toward truth and justice in the face of Nazi persecution, and what lessons Christians might learn from him today when there is so much pressure to compromise our values to hold on to privilege and political influence. Haynes can be found at https://twitter.com/shaynes58 and https://www.facebook.com/steve.haynes.165
You can buy his book at https://www.amazon.com/Battle-Bonhoeffer-Stephen-R-Haynes/dp/0802876013/
Download:
http://www.cantus-firmus.com/Audio/20180922-CFBC-Ep3-TheBattleforBonhoeffer.mp3
Music:
“Liam Rides a Pony” by Polyrhythmics. Licensed under CC BY 3.0
http://www.needledrop.co/wp/artists/polyrhythmics/
September 10, 2018
PODCAST: What Are the Stoicheia? – Unpacking the meaning of an elusive New Testament term
Jackson Ferrell stops by the podcast to crack open our lexicons and talk with me about the “stoicheia” in the New Testament. Does this elusive term refer to demonic beings? What can we learn from this strange word that appears so infrequently in the Bible?
Jackson can be found writing dope posts about the Bible every weekday at www.chocolatebook.net
Audio:
http://cantus-firmus.com/Audio/20180909-WhatAretheStoicheia.mp3
Music:
“The Itis” by Polyrhythmics. Licensed under CC BY 3.0
http://www.needledrop.co/wp/artists/polyrhythmics/
RELATED: PODCAST: FROM BABEL TO PENTECOST – HOW JESUS BROKE DOWN RACISM AND NATIONALISM TO MAKE ONE NEW PEOPLE
August 31, 2018
August 29, 2018
August 11, 2018
Fight the Powers Excerpt: “What About Romans 13?”
Have you ever had someone ask “what about Romans 13?” when you advocated the separation of church and state or Christian nonviolence?
Here’s an excerpt from Fight the Powers that will help you to answer that question! Their objection isn’t as strong as they think:
