Join Rabbi Avi Finegold and historian Dr. Stephen Backhouse for Hyphen, a series of Judeo-Christian dialogues that challenge, provoke and broaden the scope of biblical and theological discourse in every episode as they help each other understand the basis of their respective faiths.
Rabbi Avi Finegold received his ordination from Yeshivat Noam Hatorah in Montreal under the direction of Rabbi Joshua Shmidman. He studied at Concordia University and the University of Chicago and has been teaching Judaism in North America for over a decade. He is a founding Chair of Limmud Chicago and served on the LeMood Montreal team. Avi is currently the principal at the Jewish Living Lab, an adult education institute in Montreal, and co-hosts Bonjour Chai, Canadas preeminent Jewish current affairs podcast.
Dr. Stephen Backhouse (McGill, Oxford) is an historian of Christian thought, an expert on the work of Søren Kierkegaard and an authority on the political theology of nations and nationalism. He is the author of many books and publications, including Kierkegaard’s Critique of Christian Nationalism (OUP: 2011), the award-winning biography Kierkegaard: A Single Life (Zondervan: 2016) and the Essential Companion to Christian History (Zondervan: 2019). He has been Lecturer in Social and Political Theology at St Mellitus College and a Dean at the Westminster Theological Centre. Currently Stephen is the Director of Tent Theology, a venture linking theological consultants with organisations, charities and businesses. He is also the host of the popular Tent Theology podcast. Originally from Canada, Stephen now lives in England.
Jewish New Testament Scholarship (w/ Amy-Jill Levine & Marc Brettler)
Avi and Stephen are joined by biblical scholars Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Brettler to talk about how Jews can benefit from reading the New Testament.
Find out more about the guests:
https://divinity.vanderbilt.edu/people/bio/amy-jill-levine (https://divinity.vanderbilt.edu/people/bio/amy-jill-levine)
https://scholars.duke.edu/person/marc.brettler (https://scholars.duke.edu/person/marc.brettler)
For some of their recent work see
https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-misunderstood-jew-amy-jill-levine (https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-misunderstood-jew-amy-jill-levine)
https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-bible-with-and-without-jesus-amy-jill-levinemarc-zvi-brettler?variant=32117339717666 (https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-bible-with-and-without-jesus-amy-jill-levinemarc-zvi-brettler?variant=32117339717666)
10 Apr 2022
Passover and Easter
With Easter and Passover fast approaching Stephen and Avi discuss how they prepare for each holiday, the solemnity of Lent, the dark history of blood libels and how religions appropriate rituals from each other.
1 Mar 2022
A Conversion Conversation
What does it take to convert to Judaism or to Christianity? What are the rituals and what do you have to know? Dr. Backhouse and Rabbi Finegold are on the case as they explore how it all works. Plus: Avi has some questions about holy water and vampires much to Stephen's surprise and delight.
15 Feb 2022
Christian Denominations
Anglicans, Calvinists, Baptists and all the others: if you’ve ever wanted to know what are the differences then this episode is for you as Avi asks Stephen to help him unpack how all the different denominations work, where they all came from and what makes each one unique. Plus: the hosts spend an inordinate amount of time exploring the Evangelical movement!
28 Jan 2022
Jewish Denominations Today
On a new episode hosts Rabbi Avi Finegold and Dr. Stephen Backhouse explore how early reform Judaism developed and how denominations relate to each other and live today.
Plus: how baptisms work and a preview on an upcoming discussion exploring contemporary Christian denominations!
3 Jan 2022
The Jew in the Medieval World
Avi explains to Stephen how Jews went from the world of the talmud to spread through the world. The primary streams of Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jews are discussed along with the development of legal literature and scholarship and an equally important but separate mystical tradition.
29 Nov 2021
Chanukah & Christmas Aren't As Important As You Think
Stephen and Avi get into the holiday spirit and discuss their respective winter traditions. Gift giving, European cultural imperialism (on both sides!!!) and what advent calendars are enter the conversation, along with other reasons for the season.
3 Nov 2021
From The Temple To The Talmud
On this episode Rabbi Avi Finegold delves into the evolution of Judaism from the Second Temple all the way to the Scholars who wrote The Talmud and shaped the Judaism that looks so familiar to us today.
Other topics of discussion in this conversation include:
* the rise of the sects and the Sadducees & Pharisees
* the Septuagint and what happens when you open a religion to other languages
* Rabbi Yochanan’s daring escape and the shift to ritual life outside the temple
* what the Mishna is and how it evolved to become the Talmud
....and much more!
20 Oct 2021
Jews Who Believe In Jesus & the Council of Nicea
Avi and Stephen discuss the early history of Christianity, from Jews Who Believe In Jesus, to the Council of Nicea, with stops in Marcionism, Arianism and Roman life.
8 Oct 2021
The Reformation
Stephen explains to Avi the steps that lead to Martin Luther taking issue with the Church and leading what we now refer to as the Reformation. Also discussed: how the Reformation affected the Jewish community and how it reverberates in today’s Christianity, plus the surprising connection between Luther’s thought and that of Adolf Hitler.
1 Sept 2021
Repentance, Atonement & the High Holy Days
Avi and Stephen take a break from their historical explorations to discuss repentance, atonement and forgiveness. The Jewish High Holy Days are upon us and these ideas are central to them, so a discussion about how each faith tradition deals with them is timely and eye opening for us, and hopefully for you too.
18 Aug 2021
How Christians Read the Bible
Stephen and Avi discuss the Christian liturgical calendar, the Sermon on the Mount, and how reading the bible leads Christians to their practices today. A side order of Pharisees rounds out the conversation.
5 Aug 2021
Biblical Translations & Interpretations
Join Avi and Stephen as they discuss Bible translations, and a passage at the end of Deuteronomy (Deut. 30:11). Things get interesting when they move to discussing how Jews and Christians interpret the bible and live with it daily.
Make sure to stay tuned for trees that move and rivers that reverse their flow! Our next episode will discuss Matthew 5:17-20, so do your homework and read it in time for episode 4.
20 Jul 2021
How We Read the Bible
On ep2 of 'Hyphen: The Podcast for Judeo-Christians' join hosts Rabbi Avi Finegold and Dr. Stephen Backhouse as they explore the way their communities use the bible and its place in daily life. (Hint. It’s more complicated than you think.)
9 Jul 2021
Vicars, Rabbis & Other Theologians
On the inaugural and introductory episode of 'Hyphen: The Podcast for Judeo-Christians' join hosts Rabbi Avi Finegold and Dr. Stephen Backhouse as they explore:
* Vicars
* Becoming a Rabbi vs. becoming a minister
* Theologians
* Yavneh and Rabbinic Judaism and the Jamnia Curse
.....and much more!
2 Jul 2021
Introducing Hyphen
Introducing Hyphen, a series of Judeo-Christian dialogues with Rabbi Avi Finegold and historian Dr. Stephen Backhouse, that challenge, provoke and broaden the scope of biblical and theological discourse in every episode as they help each other understand the basis of their respective faiths.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
4.3 / 5
10 ratings
Contact Hyphen
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of Hyphen?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
