Best Nicholas Baker Podcasts (2025)

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Jonathon Stuart Wright, "Joseph and Aseneth After Antiquity: A Study in Manuscript Transmission" (de Gruyter, 2025) 1:03:34

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4d ago1:03:34

1:03:34

Joseph and Aseneth: A Study in Manuscript Transmission (de Gruyter, 2025) expands a few verses from the book of Genesis into a novella-length work. It is increasingly used as a source for Judaism and Christianity at the turn of the Common Era. Scholarly attention has largely focused the work's provenance, the priority of a longer or shorter text ve…

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Yonatan Y. Brafman, "Critique of Halakhic Reason: Divine Commandments and Social Normativity" (Oxford UP, 2024) 1:05:20

4d ago1:05:20

1:05:20

For centuries, Jewish thinkers have asked two parallel questions. First, what is the reasoning behind an individual commandment and second, why bother heeding a command at all, something Dr. Brafman terms “reasons for” vs “reasons of” the commandments. In his newest book, Critique of Halakhic Reason: Divine Commandments and Social Normativity (Oxfo…

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Ep 152: A Conversation with Nicholas Edward Williams 1:10:13

4d ago1:10:13

1:10:13

Today we're chatting with Nicholas Edward Williams, host of the podcast American Songcatcher, and founder of the nonprofit project ReString Appalachia, which donates instruments to musicians affected by Hurricane Helene. We chat about the project, the roots of American music, The Carter Family and so much more!…

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Nicholas Laccetti /// Thelema and the Death of God 1:12:14

5d ago1:12:14

1:12:14

In this episode, Justin speaks with Nicholas Laccetti about his 2021 article, "AL and LA: Thelema and the Death of God". Nicolas is a member of the National Communications Team of the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival. He is the author of The Inner Church is the Hope of the World: Western Esotericism as a Theology of Liberat…

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Episode 123 - Jacobinius Arse Syndrome 56:55

7d ago56:55

56:55

Mike Wozniak, Mike Shephard, Tom Crowley and Linnea Sage join in this month as we get to grips with the new outbreak of Jacobinius Arse Syndrome. Stock media provided by Setuniman/Pond5.com and Soundrangers/Pond5.com Music credit courtesy of epidemicsound.com: Jag Vet en Dejlig Rosa / Traditional Sonatina in G Major / Beethoven Ancient Rome / Cercl…

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The Empire Podcast: The Movie (with guests Damson Idris, and Ivanna Sakhno) 1:48:08

7d ago1:48:08

1:48:08

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast sees Chris Hewitt break out the bleep machine for a particularly sweary chat with M3GAN 2.0 star, the delightful Ivanna Sakhno, [1:10:44 - 1:23:01 approx] and quietly judge the football team of Damson Idris, star of F1. [24:51 - 37:46 approx] Or F1: The Movie, to give it its full marketing moniker, which in…

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Abeneazer G. Urga et al., "Reading James Missiologically: The Missionary Motive, Message, and Methods of James" (William Carey, 2025) 56:06

7d ago56:06

56:06

While books on a New Testament theology of mission abound, most of them focus on tried-and-true Scripture passages from the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles while ignoring the contribution of the General Epistles. Reading James Missiologically: The Missionary Motive, Message, and Methods of James (William Carey, 2025) addresses this gap in miss…

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"It’s Safer To Work In A U.S. Coal Mine Than To Work In A Shopping Mall Or Supermarket" Featuring Jim Grech, Peabody 59:25

9d ago59:25

59:25

Today we had the very exciting and interesting opportunity to visit with Jim Grech, President and CEO of Peabody. Jim was appointed as CEO in June 2021 and brings more than 30 years of experience across the coal and natural resources space. His career includes leadership roles as CEO of Wolverine Fuels, President of Nexus Gas Transmission, EVP and …

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Mona Lisa Episode IV: A New Hope (ft. guests Julianne Moore & Michael Pearce, Ralph Fiennes & Jodie Comer) 1:48:56

14d ago1:48:56

1:48:56

It's another packed episode of the Empire Podcast, the show that dares to ask the big questions: isn't the Mona Lisa just a woman sitting down? Who's the richest Northern Irish person? Can you buy stocks in Glen Powell? Join the pod team — Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara, James Dyer, and Amon Warmann — as they tackle those questions, discuss the origina…

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Going Deep With Colin Trevorrow: An Empire Podcast Interview Special 32:55

15d ago32:55

32:55

In our latest Empire Podcast interview special, Chris Hewitt sits down (in a swanky London hotel room) with Colin Trevorrow, the director of Jurassic World and Safety Not Guaranteed, to talk about Trevorrow's latest movie, the Prime Video comedy Deep Cover, which he produced and co-wrote. But that's not all — Trevorrow also talks about his choices …

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The Shameless Plug #4 45:21

15d ago45:21

45:21

The Shameless Plug — the show in which Chris Hewitt and Empire editor Nick de Semlyen sit down and do a deep dive into the contents of the latest issue of Empire — is back, folks, and this one really is fantastic. That's because this month's cover story is The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which inspires Chris and Nick to talk about some of their se…

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"The NRC Is The Gold Standard Of Regulation" Featuring Patrick White, CATF and Nicholas McMurray, ClearPath 1:05:56

16d ago1:05:56

1:05:56

Today we’re excited to welcome Patrick White, Group Lead for Fusion Energy Safety and Regulation at the Clean Air Task Force (CATF), and Nicholas McMurray, Managing Director of International and Nuclear Policy at ClearPath. Patrick recently joined CATF and leads the organization’s international working group focused on fusion energy safety, waste, …

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Ep 151: A Conversation With Landon Palmer 1:18:07

18d ago1:18:07

1:18:07

Join us for a fantastic conversation with film and media historian Landon Palmer. We talk about a variety of topics, including The T.A.M.I. Show, Chubby Checker's Rock Hall induction, the fascinating world of musicians who turn to acting, and Tommy Wiseau.

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Yes, And/Yes, Andor (with guests Jack Lowden, Bryce Dallas Howard, Nick Mohammed & Orlando Bloom) 1:44:41

21d ago1:44:41

1:44:41

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast sees Chris Hewitt sit down in person with Deep Cover stars, Bryce Dallas Howard, Orlando Bloom, and Nick Mohammed, to talk about their experiences playing improvisers who go undercover as fake cops;[1:00:00 - 1:15:52 approx] and on Zoom with Tornado and Slow Horses star, Jack Lowden. [26:15 - 39:20 approx] …

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Kyle MacLachlan And Mark Frost On Twin Peaks And David Lynch: An Empire Podcast Interview Special 58:00

22d ago58:00

58:00

Here's a damn fine special episode of the Empire Podcast for you to enjoy. We're in the grip of Twin Peaks fever all over again — the seminal David Lynch/Mark Frost TV show is being celebrated this Sunday (June 15th) at the BFI Southbank in London with a special 35mm print screening of the show's pilot, and if that weren't enough, every single epis…

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"The Senate Has The Ability To Think About Things In A More Rational Way" With Dr. Ken Medlock, Baker Institute 58:06

23d ago58:06

58:06

Today we had the pleasure of hosting our good friend Dr. Ken Medlock, Fellow in Energy and Resource Economics and Senior Director of the Center for Energy Studies at Rice University’s Baker Institute. Ken joined the Rice University faculty in 2004 and holds adjunct professor appointments in the Department of Economics and the Department of Civil an…

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An Award-Losing Podcast (with guests Jai Courtney, Ian McShane, Dean DeBlois) 1:57:01

28d ago1:57:01

1:57:01

This week's episode of the freshly award-losing Empire Podcast sees the podteam lick their wounds after a demoralising defeat in the Best Podcast (Consumer) category at the BSMEs earlier in the week. How do they do this? By talking about movies, of course, as they discuss the week's news (a load of trailers, and a potential new James Cameron movie)…

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Girolamo Zanchi, "Confession of the Christian Religion" (Reformation, 2025) 33:04

29d ago33:04

33:04

In response to the Lutheran Formula of Concord, representatives of Reformed churches commissioned Girolamo Zanchi to draft a confession of faith acceptable to all Reformed churches. Zanchi patterned his Confession of the Christian Religion after the Apostles' Creed, giving it a broadly Trinitarian and redemptive-historical structure that emphasizes…

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"Durability Is The Coin Of The Realm" Featuring Mike Sommers, American Petroleum Institute 1:01:55

1M ago1:01:55

1:01:55

Today we’re delighted to welcome back Mike Sommers, President and CEO of the American Petroleum Institute (API). Mike has led the API since 2018 and previously spent two decades in senior leadership roles in the U.S. House of Representatives and the White House, including as Chief of Staff to Speaker of the House John A. Boehner and as Special Assi…

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Wade Eastwood On The Stunts Of Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning: An Empire Podcast Interview Special 41:20

1M ago41:20

41:20

Whether it's Tom Cruise risking his neck underwater, or above ground while clinging to the wing of a biplane, Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning is filled with stunts that might just turn your hair white. That's if you don't lose it completely. That's just one of the side effects discussed in this Empire Podcast interview special, as the fil…

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Ep 150: 6 Years of Hall Watchers 1:27:52

1M ago1:27:52

1:27:52

We're celebrating 6 years of podcasting and 150 episodes! Join us as we talk about the highs and lows of podcasting, then pivot to a variety of music topics such as our reviews of the Phish and X shows, David Lee Roth's triumphant return at M3 and Robbie Williams' latest album.

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Starting In The Middle (with guests Jesse Armstrong, Tim Key, Tom Basden & Carey Mulligan) 1:53:44

1M ago1:53:44

1:53:44

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast sees the podteam — Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara, James Dyer and Alex Godfrey — get to grips with the definition of in media res, as they discuss some of their favourite films that throw you right into the action. Elsewhere, they talk about the week's movie news, pay tribute to Empire's founding editor Barry M…

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"It’s Probably Time For A DOGE Approach To California Government" With Michael Mische, USC School of Business 1:01:41

1M ago1:01:41

1:01:41

Today we had the pleasure of hosting Michael Mische, Associate Professor of Management at the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business. Michael joined the USC faculty in 1997 and also serves as CEO and a Managing Member of the Synergy Consulting Group. At Marshall, he leads and coordinates the school’s undergraduate and gradu…

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Christopher McQuarrie on The Final Reckoning, Benicio del Toro & Michael Cera on The Phoenician Scheme, Tony Gilroy on Andor s2 (spoilers), and Cannes You Dig It? 1:58:45

1M ago1:58:45

1:58:45

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast sees Chris Hewitt mark the release of Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning by doing a non-spoiler, non-epic (less than 20 minutes!) chat with that film's director, the legendarily loquacious Christopher McQuarrie, [26:00 - 43:06 approx] and have a lovely natter with the stars of the new Wes Anderson fi…

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The Shameless Plug #3: Jurassic World Rebirth And Other Animals 39:22

1M ago39:22

39:22

The Shameless Plug — the show in which Chris Hewitt and Empire editor, Nick de Semlyen, sit down and talk you through the latest issue of Empire — is back for its third episode, folks. This one is dedicated to issue 441 of Empire (on sale now at all good, evil, and virtual newsagents), which features Jurassic World Rebirth on the cover, and Nick ta…

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Nathan S. French, "A Theocentric Interpretation of הדעת טוב ורע" (Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2021) 29:33

1M ago29:33

29:33

he Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, set within the midst of the garden of Eden, is a longstanding enigma. What does it represent? How best to translate the Hebrew? What was gained and/or lost when the primal couple took of its fruit? Tune in as we speak with Nathan French about his book, A Theocentric Interpretation of HaDa’at Tov VeRa: The …

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Kirsten Macfarlane, "Lay Learning and the Bible in the Seventeenth-Century Atlantic World" (Oxford UP, 2024) 45:49

1M ago45:49

45:49

Early modernity has long been seen as a crucial period in the history of biblical scholarship, witnessing rapid advances in studies of Hebrew, Greek, and the ancient Jewish and Christian past. Historians have devoted much attention to how these developments were received by the academic and clerical elite, and yet there is little research on their …

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Episode 122 - The Great Big British Toddler Teardown Live 50:29

2M ago50:29

50:29

Chris Cantrill, Greig Johnson, Amy Gledhill, Rob Gilroy and Amy Mason join in this week as we hear from formers darts champion Kenny Baritone about an event he is planning in Doncaster. Stock media provided by Setuniman/Pond5.com and Soundrangers/Pond5.com Music credit courtesy of epidemicsound.com: Streets Of Wonder / Marc Torch Trollmors Vaggsang…

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Marc Katz, "Yochanan's Gamble: Judaism's Pragmatic Approach to Life" (U Nebraska Press, 2024) 50:56

2M ago50:56

50:56

Some two thousand years ago, as the story goes, a rabbi named Yochanan makes the epitome of pragmatic gambles—wagering the entire fate of the Jewish people. In dialogue with the soon-to-be Roman emperor Vespasian, Yochanan tacitly acknowledges the Romans’ planned destruction of Jerusalem in return for a plot of land in a town called Yavneh. There, …

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The Extraordinary Miss Flower: An Empire Podcast Interview Special 30:31

2M ago30:31

30:31

Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard's The Extraordinary Miss Flower is part-concert film, part-performance art piece inspired by the life of its subject, a woman called Geraldine Flower. When she passed away a few years ago, her daughter Zoe discovered a number of letters, written over the years by suitors of Geraldine's, which painted a picture of a wil…

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Timothy A. Lee, "The Syriac Peshiṭta Bible: The New Testament" (Gorgias Press, 2023) 30:41

2M ago30:41

30:41

This is the first Syriac reader for the New Testament. It guides the reader through the Syriac New Testament Peshitta, glossing the uncommon words and parsing difficult word forms. It is designed for two groups of people. First, for students learning Syriac after a years’ worth of study this series provides the material to grow in reading ability f…

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Rosamund Pike & Matthew Rhys, Final Destination Bloodlines directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein, Superman and Spelling Bees 1:38:49

2M ago1:38:49

1:38:49

This week's episode of the BSME Awards-nominated Empire Podcast had better not be the episode that the BSME Awards judging panel listens to ahead of voting, or our nomination might be rescinded. Which is to say, chaos reigns as Chris Hewitt returns — eventually, after being waylaid by a McQ&A — to the hosting chair, and is joined by Helen O'Hara, J…

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Lily Gladstone & Kelly Marie Tran, Great Actor/Director Pairings, Tariffs and Teen Movies 1:39:12

2M ago1:39:12

1:39:12

It's another cracking episode of the (freshly award-nominated) Empire Podcast this week, folks, as Helen O'Hara slips into the hosting chair and tries to wrestle James Dyer and Alex Godfrey into shape as they talk about changeable movie titles, great actor/director pairings, Alex's favourite teen movies, the week's movie news including Donald Trump…

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Ep 149: 13 Questions With Greg Peruach 1:36:48

2M ago1:36:48

1:36:48

Join us for a fun, casual music chat with our friend Greg Peurach! We discuss everything from the first albums we ever bought, critical moments in our music fandom and what Rock Hall classes we'd pick for 2026.

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David Resnick, "Empowered or Abused: The Bible's Plan to Stop Battlefield Rape and Reduce Sexual Abuse" (BfoT, 2025) 28:32

2M ago28:32

28:32

What to do when a victorious soldier lusts for the beautiful woman he’s just taken captive in an overseas war. In fact, her body already belongs to him as war booty. If they’re alone in an alley, no one will find out what he does to her. That’s the incendiary situation to which the Bible responds with the Beautiful Captive Law. The Bible’s first st…

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Wyatt Russell, David Harbour & Hannah John-Kamen, Paul Feig, Ryan Coogler, And It’s Episode 666 1:57:55

2M ago1:57:55

1:57:55

It had to happen: the Empire podcast has finally gone to hell — quite literally in this case, as this particular show is episode 666. Perhaps appropriately, James is in the driving seat for this one, embracing this demonically anointed episode to bring you such thematically-relevant discussions as a Mount Rushmore of movie Satans and an off-topic d…

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Timothy Twining, "The Limits of Erudition: The Old Testament in Post-Reformation Europe" (Cambridge UP, 2024) 1:10:06

2M ago1:10:06

1:10:06

The history of early modern biblical scholarship has often been told as a teleological narrative in which a succession of radical thinkers dethroned the authority of the sacred word. The Limits of Erudition: The Old Testament in Post-Reformation Europe (Cambridge UP, 2024) tells a very different story. Drawing on a mass of archival sources, Timothy…

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Christy Cobb and Katherine A. Shaner, "Ancient Slavery and Its New Testament Contexts" (Eerdmans, 2025) 1:11:57

2M ago1:11:57

1:11:57

The institution of slavery permeated the ancient world, such that the realities of slavery and its long shadows pervade the New Testament and other early Christian texts. Yet enslavement remains an under-taught aspect of the context of the New Testament and early Christianity, leaving pastors, laypersons, and neophyte college students alike to fill…

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Ep 148: Rock Hall Class of 2025 Reaction 1:58:00

2M ago1:58:00

1:58:00

Join us for a rollercoaster of a reaction to the Rock Hall Class of 2025!

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Episode 121 - Lead and Beef 34:05

2M ago34:05

34:05

Cody Dahler joins in this month as we catch up with former scuba diver Nicholas Summers, who has emerged from his coma and started a new business venture. Stock media provided by Setuniman/Pond5.com and Soundrangers/Pond5.com Music credit courtesy of epidemicsound.com: Talking Woods / Guto Lucena Uncharted Lands / Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen…

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John Van Maaren, "The Gospel of Mark's Judaism and the Death of Christ as Ransom for Many" (Mohr Siebeck, 2025) 30:10

2M ago30:10

30:10

Does the Gospel of Mark reflect a post-Jewish, Gentile Christianity? Perhaps not. John Van Maaren says the Gospel of Mark should be read as an expression of first-century Judaism. Tune in as we speak with John Van Maaren about his recent book, The Gospel of Mark’s Judaism and the Death of Christ as Ransom for Many (Mohr Siebeck, 2025). John Van Maa…

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The Convergence Is Here (ft. Gareth Evans, Christian Gudegast, and Gavin O'Connor), And Mount Rushmoreapalooza 1:55:20

2M ago1:55:20

1:55:20

It was foretold by the Ancient Ones: The Convergence (or Gunvergence, if you will), the day on which three absolutely slamming action movies will be released at the same time in the UK (albeit on different formats), ushering in a new era of sweaty dad bods, car chases, and many scenes where people die in a hail of bullets. And that day is today, fo…

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The Shameless Plug #2 — The June Issue 31:57

2M ago31:57

31:57

The Shameless Plug returns, folks, for a second glorious episode in which Chris Hewitt and Empire editor, Nick de Semlyen, sit down in the podbooth and tell you how (and why) the sausage is made. That sausage being the new issue of Empire, which is on sale now in all good, evil, and virtual newsagents. Our dynamic duo talk through the month's big c…

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Jerome Gellman, "The Problem of God in Jewish Thought" (Cambridge UP, 2025) 31:44

2M ago31:44

31:44

The Hebrew Bible contains two quite different divine personae. One is quick to anger and to exact punishment while the other is a compassionate God slow to anger and quick to forgive. One God distant, the other close by. This severe contrast posed a theological challenge for Jewish thought for the ages. The Problem of God in Jewish Thought (Cambrid…

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Patrick Schreiner, "The Ascension of Christ: Recovering a Neglected Doctrine" (Lexham Press, 2020) 28:12

2M ago28:12

28:12

The good news of Jesus includes his life, death, resurrection, and future return—but what about his ascension? Though often neglected or misunderstood, the ascension is integral to the gospel. In The Ascension of Christ: Recovering a Neglected Doctrine (Lexham Press), Patrick Schreiner argues that Jesus’ work would be incomplete without his ascent …

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Shushma Malik, "The Nero-Antichrist: Founding and Fashioning a Paradigm" (Cambridge UP, 2020) 43:35

2M ago43:35

43:35

In The Nero-Antichrist: Founding and Fashioning a Paradigm (Cambridge UP, 2020), Shushma Malik reconstructs the means by which the emperor Nero came to be identified with the New Testament's antichrist. Malik surveys the first four Christian centuries to show how Nero mythology developed, often in ways that were much more positive than we might exp…

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Ep 147: A Chat With Sound Engineer Ace Baker 1:30:16

2M ago1:30:16

1:30:16

Our special guest this week is Michael "Ace" Baker, a Parnelli Award-nominated live sound engineer. What's that guy doing at the soundboard? Ace explains all, and shares his experiences as a Front of House mixer for such artists as Sammy Hagar, Dream Theater, and Aretha Franklin.

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Samuel Ross, "Qur’an Commentary and the Biblical Turn: A History of Muslim Exegetical Engagement with the Biblical Text" (de Gruyter, 2024) 1:26:58

3M ago1:26:58

1:26:58

Quran Commentary and the Biblical Turn (de Gruyter, 2024) examines the exegetical relationship between the Quran and the Bible in Islamic intellectual history. As the two have been called "intertwined scriptures" due to the Quran’s frequent invocation of biblical narratives and figures, a question is raised: what is the history of Muslims’ exegetic…

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Stolen Fragments: Black Markets, Bad Faith, and the Illicit Trade in Ancient Artefacts 58:33

3M ago58:33

58:33

In 2012, Steve Green, billionaire and president of the Hobby Lobby chain of craft stores, announced a recent purchase of a Biblical artefact—a fragment of papyrus, just discovered, carrying lines from Paul's letter to the Romans, and dated to the second century CE. Noted scholar Roberta Mazza was stunned. When was this piece discovered, and how cou…

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Easter Guestapalooza (Steve Coogan, Jonathan Pryce, Ray Mendoza, Alex Garland, Ludwig Göransson, Osgood Perkins), Movie Musicals, And The Oscars' Latest Stunt 1:59:21

3M ago1:59:21

1:59:21

This week's Empire Podcast (episode 664 if you're keeping score!) is more packed with goodness than your average Easter egg. Not only do Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara, and Alex Godfrey get into a discussion about what exactly makes a musical a musical (along with an impromptu visit to a certain mountain), but they tackle the week's movie news, includi…