In this episode of The Bible in a Year, Dr. Kathryn Schifferdecker and Jennifer Wojciechowski welcome New Testament scholar Dr. F. Scott Spencer to explore the book of Philippians. Paul wrote this short letter from prison to a beloved congregation in a Roman colony. It is both a prison letter and a heartfelt thank you note. Scott explains why Paul’s “secret of life” is no self-help formula. Instead, it is a living relationship with Christ, summed up in Philippians 1:21: “For to me, living is Christ.”
Scott also plays Bible Bingo with koinonia, grateful joy, longing, salvation, and the messenger Epaphroditus. He walks through the Christ hymn in Philippians 2 and beloved verses on peace and strength. He shares how the book of Philippians has carried him through a lifelong struggle with anxiety. Finally, he reflects on “thin places,” where the boundary between heaven and earth grows thin. Join us to discover why this letter still speaks with such power today.
14 Oct 2026
The Love Letter Hiding in Your Bible
In this episode of The Bible in a Year, Rev. Dr. Sarah Hinlicky Wilson returns to explore the book of Ephesians. She calls it an album of covers of the Apostle Paul’s greatest hits. Sarah takes on the authorship question directly. Who wrote Ephesians, and was it even sent to Ephesus? She explains why ancient writers often wrote in a beloved teacher’s name. Then she gives a quick Ephesians summary and offers a fresh reading of the hard passages in chapters 5 and 6.
Along the way, Sarah plays Bible Bingo with Dr. Kathryn Schifferdecker and Katie Langston. Her words are one, plan, grace, mystery, and love. She shows why Ephesians may be the Bible’s true love letter. She also highlights a surprising theme in the book of Ephesians: the ascension of Christ. Finally, she makes the case that Ephesians is the first Trinitarian writing. Whether you’re new to Scripture or rereading an old favorite, this conversation will deepen your reading.
7 Oct 2026
Why Is Paul So Mad in Galatians?
Rev. Dr. Sarah Hinlicky Wilson joins Dr. Kathryn Schifferdecker and Rev. Katie Langston to unpack Paul's fiery letter to the Galatians and why so much is at stake.
Galatians is not the first smackdown between Judaism and Christianity. It's a detonation of every human effort to get right with God. Sarah walks through the big tensions in Galatians: flesh and spirit, freedom and slavery, faith and works of the law, "I" and Christ, and circumcision and uncircumcision. Along the way, she explains what Paul really means by justification, why Martin Luther loved Galatians like his own wife, and what the "marks of Jesus" on Paul's body might be.
Whether you're new to the Bible or an old hand, this Galatians Bible study will leave you feeling gloriously undone.
Rev. Dr. Sarah Hinlicky Wilson is pastor of Christ Lutheran Church in York, Pennsylvania, and host of the Queen of the Sciences podcast. Her recent books include Seven Ways of Looking at the Transfiguration and Forty Facets of the Ascension.
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