Episodes

Episode 2.87 Matthew: A Jewish Gospel That Won’t Stop Talking About Gentiles In this opening episode of our new series Narrative Juxtaposition: How the Bible Speaks Through Story Placement, Michael and Zach explore a provocative question: If Matthew is the most Jewish of the four Gospels, why do Gentiles keep stealing the spotlight? Matthew is structured to emphasize Jesus as the fulfillment of Israel’s story—Abraham’s seed, David’s son, the new Moses. The Gospel is saturated with fulfillment...

Episode 2.86 In this episode, Michael and Zach apply the same standard used in the Mormonism discussion to another major movement: Jehovah’s Witnesses. The question is not about sincerity or moral seriousness. It is about theology. Does Jehovah’s Witness doctrine align with historic, creedal Christianity—or does it depart from it at a foundational level? We examine official Watchtower and JW.org sources on authority, the Trinity, the nature of the Holy Spirit, and the identity of Jesus Christ....

Episode 2.85 In this episode, Michael and Zach conclude the book of Joshua by walking through chapters 22–24, where Israel’s response to God’s finished work takes center stage. After crossing, conquering, and dividing the land, the final question remains: How will God’s people live in the rest He has given them? Joshua 22 addresses a potential civil war sparked by an altar built by the eastern tribes. What appears to be apostasy turns out to be a misunderstanding rooted in a shared concern for...

Episode 2.84 In this episode, Michael and Zach examine a foundational question: Is Mormonism a denomination of Christianity, or a distinct religion? The discussion moves beyond sincerity or moral character and focuses on theological definitions and historical continuity. They begin by clarifying key terms—what constitutes historic, creedal Christianity, and what defines a denomination. From there, the conversation analyzes LDS primary sources, particularly on the doctrine of God, the nature of...

Episode 2.83 In this episode, Michael and Zach walk through Joshua 18–21, a section often dismissed as tedious land surveys but loaded with theological weight. As the conquest narrative slows, the focus shifts from battle scenes to boundary lines—yet the central theme remains unchanged: Yahweh keeps His promises. Joshua 18 opens at Shiloh, where the tabernacle is established and the remaining tribes are confronted for their hesitation. Though the land has been subdued, Israel has grown slack i...

Episode 2.82 In this episode, Michael and Zach examine the doctrine of baptism using William Lane Craig’s carefully defined taxonomy, focusing not on mode or tradition, but on the central theological question: what, if anything, does water baptism actually do? The discussion begins by framing baptism as commanded, important, and normative for Christians—while also recognizing that disagreements over baptism, though real, are non-cardinal. From there, the episode walks through Craig’s two broad...

Episode 2.81 In this episode, Michael and Zach walk through Joshua 13–21, a section of the book that often feels tedious on first read but proves theologically rich on closer inspection. As Israel moves from taking the land to possessing it, the narrative slows down to show how God’s promises are fulfilled in real places, through real obedience—and real compromise. We examine Joshua’s advanced age and Yahweh’s command to divide land that has not yet been fully conquered, setting the stage for ...

Episode 2.80 Why did the church move from singing only Psalms to writing and singing hymns—and was that shift faithful or dangerous? In this episode, Michael and Zach trace the history and theology of Christian hymnody, from the psalm-saturated worship of the early church to the rise of Christ-centered hymns, the Reformation divide, the golden age of hymn writing, and the modern praise movement. Along the way, we examine why hymns emerged in the first place, how they were used to teach doctrin...

Episode 2.79 In this episode, Michael and Zach walk through Joshua 9–12, a pivotal section of the book that contrasts Israel acting without Yahweh with Yahweh fighting for Israel. We examine Israel’s deception by the Gibeonites in Joshua 9, where careful reasoning replaces prayer—and obedience becomes costly but necessary. From there, the narrative turns to the southern and northern campaigns (Joshua 10–11), highlighting Yahweh as the true warrior who grants victory, commands obedience, and fu...

Episode 2.78 Should Christian worship be limited to the inspired words of Scripture alone—or is it faithful to sing biblically rich hymns that proclaim Christ explicitly? In this episode, Michael and Zach examine Exclusive Psalmody, the view that only the Psalms should be sung in corporate worship. We explore what Exclusive Psalmody is, why it once dominated Reformed worship, and why it declined in the 18th century. Along the way, we trace the historical and theological arguments behind the pr...

Episode 2.77 How does God give victory—and what happens when His people forget who the battle belongs to? In this episode, Michael and Zach walk through Joshua 5:13–12:24, the heart of Israel’s conquest of the Promised Land. Beginning with Joshua’s encounter with the Commander of the LORD’s army, the episode makes a crucial point: Joshua never wins by strategy or strength—God fights for His people. From the fall of Jericho to the defeat at Ai, the text shows that victory depends on obedience ...

Episode 2.76 What makes a worship song good—and who gets to decide? In this episode, Michael and Zach sit down with Tim Bryant, fellow elder at Charleston Bible Church and worship coordinator, to talk through a thoughtful, pastoral philosophy of worship music. Rather than debating style or preference, the conversation focuses on theological content, spiritual formation, and pastoral responsibility. The discussion tackles questions many churches wrestle with but rarely slow down to address cle...

Episode 2.75 What does it really take for God’s people to step into His promises? In this episode, Michael and Zach walk through Joshua 1:1–5:15, tracing Israel’s crossing of the Jordan and uncovering how the text teaches faith, obedience, and remembrance. Along the way, they slow down on two pivotal moments: Rahab’s unexpected confession of Yahweh and the miraculous crossing of the Jordan at flood stage. Rather than reading Joshua as simple conquest history, this episode highlights the book’...

Episode 2.74 (This time for real.) Can Descartes Escape Solipsism? In this episode, Michael and Zach tackle one of the most common—and serious—objections to Descartes’ project: the Thomist charge that radical doubt collapses into solipsism. If all that survives the doubt is “I am a thinking thing,” how do we ever get back to the real world, other minds, or trustworthy knowledge? Rather than stopping at the cogito, this conversation traces Descartes’ actual escape strategy, step by step. From ...

Episode 2.74 Can Descartes Escape Solipsism? In this episode, Michael and Zach tackle one of the most common—and serious—objections to Descartes’ project: the Thomist charge that radical doubt collapses into solipsism. If all that survives the doubt is “I am a thinking thing,” how do we ever get back to the real world, other minds, or trustworthy knowledge? Rather than stopping at the cogito, this conversation traces Descartes’ actual escape strategy, step by step. From the certainty of the t...

Episode 2.73 What if the key to reading the book of Joshua isn’t the battles—but the burials? In this episode, Michael and Zach look at Joshua through an unexpected lens: four funerals that frame the book and quietly preach its theology. From the opening words after Moses’ death to the closing scene with Joshua, Joseph, and Eleazar laid to rest, these funerals function as bookends that teach us how to read Joshua rightly. Rather than a man-centered story of conquest, Joshua presents a God-cen...

Episode 2.72 Descartes, Doubt, and the Birth of Modern Certainty What can be known with absolute certainty? In Part 2 of I Think; Therefore I Am, Michael and Zach walk through René Descartes’ most famous move—the cogito—and why it reshaped the entire history of philosophy. Faced with the collapse of Aristotelian certainty and the rise of radical doubt, Descartes wasn’t trying to be clever. He was trying to survive an intellectual crisis. By doubting everything that could possibly be doubted—...

Episode 2.71 When most people think of the book of Joshua, they think of battles, land allotments, and famous lines like “Be strong and courageous.” But Joshua is doing far more than recording Israel’s history. In this episode, Michael and Zach reframe Joshua the way the Jewish Scriptures do—not as mere history, but as prophetic theology. As the first book of the Former Prophets, Joshua isn’t just telling Israel what happened; it’s preaching what covenant faithfulness looks like when God’s peo...

Episode 2.70 Every New Year feels like standing at the edge of something new. Fresh starts. New resolutions. Another chance. But Scripture reminds us that real change rarely comes through dramatic leaps—it comes through faithful steps. In this episode, Michael and Zach reflect on the biblical meaning of the Jordan River as a place of transition, renewal, and obedience. From Israel entering the Promised Land, to Elijah and Elisha, to Naaman’s healing, to Jesus’ own baptism, the Jordan marks mo...

The Crisis That Gave Birth to Modern Philosophy Episode 2.69 Before René Descartes ever said “I think, therefore I am,” Western thought was already in crisis. For nearly two thousand years, Aristotle’s philosophical system shaped how the West understood knowledge, reality, ethics, and even science. But between the 1500s and 1600s, that system collapsed—undermined by the scientific revolution and shaken by the realization that trusted authorities could be wrong. In this episode, Michael and Z...

Episode 2.68 This Christmas Day episode presents a dramatic reading of the biblical nativity—told entirely through Scripture. Drawing from Luke 2:1–20, Matthew 1:18–2:12, and John 1:1–18, the story of Christ’s coming is heard as it unfolds: the decree of Caesar, the quiet obedience of Joseph, the wonder of the shepherds, the worship of the Magi, and the eternal Word made flesh. Paired with visual imagery that reflects each scene, this reading invites listeners and viewers to slow down, listen...

Episode 2.67 What does it actually mean to say that God became man? In this episode of Take 2 Theology, the incarnation of the second person of the Trinity is explored—who became incarnate, what changed, and what did not. The discussion walks through classic Christian teaching on Christ’s full deity and full humanity, drawing from Scripture, the Chalcedonian Definition, and the Athanasian Creed. Key theological questions are addressed: How can Christ be one person with two natures? Why the ...

Episode 2.66 Michael and Zach sit down with Tim Bryant, founder and president of the Lowcountry Biblical Counseling Center, for a wide-ranging conversation on what truly distinguishes biblical counseling from both secular approaches and broader forms of “Christian counseling.” Tim explains the foundations of nouthetic counseling—rooted in Scripture, focused on the heart, and committed to real transformation rather than symptom management. As a member of the Association of Certified Biblical Co...

Episode 2.65 Every December, churches sing Joy to the World as if it were written for the manger. But historically—and theologically—that’s not quite true. In this episode, Michael and Zach explore the surprising origins of one of the most beloved Christmas hymns and ask a simple question: What is this song actually about? Written by Isaac Watts and drawn primarily from Psalm 98, Joy to the World is not a nativity hymn but a declaration of kingship. It celebrates the Lord coming to reign, judg...