About On the Way with Max Botner: A Podcast of the Center for Bible Study
On the Way is a biblical studies podcast hosted by scholar Max Botner, featuring interviews with leading experts in biblical studies, theology, and early Christianity. Explore the historical contexts of the Bible and key issues in biblical interpretation. Designed for students, pastors, and serious readers, this podcast helps you read the Bible with clarity, depth, and historical insight.
Emotion in Early Christianity: A Conversation with Dr. Andrew Crislip
How did early Christians understand their emotions? What did they believe about joy, sadness, anger, envy, and disgust? And how did these feelings shape Christian spirituality and communal life in the ancient world?In this episode of On the Way, Dr. Andrew Crislip joins us to explore the fascinating world of emotions in early Christianity. Drawing on his book Emotion in Early Christianity, Dr. Crislip examines how early Christians understood, expressed, and evaluated emotions—and how their ideas about feelings changed over the first centuries of Christian history.Together, we explore the complex relationship between emotion, theology, and spiritual formation in ancient Christianity. From the distinction between joy and happiness to the changing Christian understanding of sadness, this conversation reveals how emotions shaped early Christian ideas about virtue, community, and the spiritual life.Grab your copy of Emotion in Early Christianity 👉 https://www.amazon.com/Emotion-Early-Christianity-Andrew-Crislip/dp/0802884261/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2PWUL0QHP0L7V&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.sYsmr0RPvBMI6rWhwVUVFJIwJkpPenl9k2PKjLApGpXfGDUVOE6rGg56L2oUiR21xAb6Csf2S6miY6oJpYpkgfIRPp2khX0QNgF3Zf3dbYCSUA3cBdTHPkX6EmZr5Qef8-Dn0aql8L8yKDJas1ILzf8HAeHhiKQLRNI_ViHfOn6ns1jyn2Z_aNz4O_BQIskq5w5tvrc_FMhVBQBM3K6sSR4Ivqiz8RkgWJa-EeN9Sts.uMMhd6o-OhKW9FREzF2UvFCGaLTqDZCJmFoKYATPCR4&dib_tag=se&keywords=emotion+in+early+christianity&qid=1791581086&sprefix=emotion+in+early%2Caps%2C211&sr=8-1Become a Member of the Center for Bible Study 👉 https://the-center-for-bible-study.teachable.com/p/the-center-for-bible-study-membershipKoine Greek Course (self-paced, one-on-one instruction w/ Dr. Botner) 👉 https://the-center-for-bible-study.teachable.com/l/pdp/beginning-koine-greek
28 Sept 2026
Paul the Rabbi Philosopher: A Conversation with Dr. Joseph Dodson
In this episode, Max sits down with Dr. Joseph Dodson, Professor of New Testament at Denver Seminary, to discuss his book, Paul the Rabbi Philosopher. The conversation explores how Paul can be read within both his Jewish inheritance and the broader Greco-Roman world without flattening either side. They discuss how Wisdom of Solomon and Seneca help illuminate Romans, especially Paul’s arguments about sin, death, idolatry, and moral judgment. Joey also explains why he prefers dialogue over using ancient authors as foils, and how that shapes his reading of Paul’s theology and rhetoric.Grab a copy of Paul, the Rabbi Philosopher 👉 https://www.amazon.com/Paul-Rabbi-Philosopher-Philosophy-Apostles/dp/B0FD7QD4BD/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1IY9105PT6SSN&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.qfUs3s1UhIIE7mX00kYMl-VroO1IhzzjfVC-t1-ViEeT2kK2hxXJKAsxJl0qi1k0jvgB3c_cY9wjoLzXAnEyBqwAIDRXGc632_3P6-_1Fd3f6Y9Do0IN2A4LBgpz7wpA.tyDFJf6mKtuxVfMSh7xo9g0Y-lnwi5YVuvOj_MSCc5s&dib_tag=se&keywords=paul+the+rabbi+philosopher&qid=1790350112&sprefix=paul+the+rab%2Caps%2C127&sr=8-1Check out Joey's forthcoming book, Jesus, Hercules, and the Gospel of Truth 👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GZ9G68HN?lv=shuf&bestFormat=true&social_share=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_VBKRD467FJQXY3BSCQVR&channelId=704&ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_VBKRD467FJQXY3BSCQVR&plpRedirect=mhFallbackCheck out Joey's Substack 👉 https://jrrdodson.substack.comBecome a Member of the Center for Bible Study 👉 https://the-center-for-bible-study.teachable.com/p/the-center-for-bible-study-membershipKoine Greek Course (self-paced, one-on-one instruction w/ Dr. Botner) 👉 https://the-center-for-bible-study.teachable.com/l/pdp/beginning-koine-greek
18 May 2026
Why the Biblical God Is Nothing Like Zeus: A Conversation with J. D. Lyonhart
Become a member of the Center for Bible Study 👉 https://the-center-for-bible-study.teachable.com/p/the-center-for-bible-study-membershipWhat if God is not simply the greatest being in the universe—but Being itself? In this thought-provoking episode, Max Botner sits down with philosopher and theologian JD Lyonhart to explore the deep philosophical and theological themes behind his new book, *Zeus Was an Atheist: An Odd Retelling of the Moses Story*. Together, they unpack one of the Bible’s most profound revelations: the divine name “I AM.” Drawing from the Exodus story, JD argues that the God of Scripture is fundamentally unlike the gods of mythology. This conversation explores what it means for God to be “Being itself,” and why that changes everything about morality, justice, beauty, miracles, and human meaning. Along the way, Max and JD discuss false gods, objective morality, divine transcendence, the limits of science, and how the biblical vision of God offers a richer framework for understanding reality. Get JD's book 👉 https://www.amazon.com/Zeus-Was-Atheist-Retelling-Moses/dp/1666758949/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2CDPTSKYIY5HV&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.8zheFGEdaDyPhpgRleJriLrot6Xza0ykbZUR_PIMJMLYmxJaMv9sBby_agN09FF_8fr0ARUUdQarA9bg2MvvT07ngz6B5WWfYxNdB7Pmx0KF-SwMevfy4Xi2TFC68TXxt0NfprB49l3JRF26-PF7ITroa3q8-hMWPG-lb4FGvps9_y3wuHteQ3RRsdFq2XdJRmiJJ14LMkIOLBjBR1IJaUHooRFBSHpXu_OxHoefRSI.xUZkwHnwtEYN-wvQqA1uVyO3Rh4Wk9WI-YqrWZgejnI&dib_tag=se&keywords=zeus+was+an+atheist&qid=1778883886&sprefix=zeus+was+an+%2Caps%2C527&sr=8-1The Spiritually Incorrect Podcast 👉 https://www.spirituallyincorrectpodcast.com/
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
783,946
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
16 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
19 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 82 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
81
Social presence
91
YouTube
86
Engagement
77
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