Episode 165 Is God on My Side?: Thinking Scripturally About Division and Polarization

In this episode, Brian Russell reflects on the dangers of assuming that God is on our side or my side rather than asking the deeper question: Am I on God's side? Listen in as Brian takes us on a deep dive into Joshua 5:13–15 where Joshua learns the key lesson that prepares him to lead Israel against Jericho and beyond: It's about the holiness of the leader and not about the demonization of the "other." You'll learn how a commitment to the love of God and neighbor shifts the way we can think about the divisions of today and how to live missionally in a world and church that focuses on dualistic tribalism and the demonization of opponents.

This reflection is a sample of what you'll find in Brian's 2023 book: Astonished by the Word: Reading Scripture for Deep Transformation (Invite Press): https://amzn.to/3W2oFqN

Sign up for Brian's Summer 2024 Free Spiritual Growth Virtual Workshops (you'll receive the video and tools even if you can't make it "live"): https://www.brianrussellphd.com/growthworkshops

Sign up for Brian's Monthly Centering Prayer Update (w/invites to virtual gatherings): www.centeringprayerbook.com

Books mentioned in the Podcast:

Christopher Wright, The God I Don’t Understand: Reflections on Tough Questions of Faith (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008) https://amzn.to/3L5pVmN

Stanley Gundry, C.S. Cowles, Eugene Merrill, Daniel Gard, and Tremper Longmann; Show Them No Mercy: Four Views of God and Canaanite Genocide (Grand Rapids: Zondervan: 2003) https://amzn.to/3RMyqah

R. Walter Moberly, Old Testament Theology (2013). https://amzn.to/3RO4ue2

Solzhenitsyn, Gulag Archipelago https://amzn.to/3RNy5nR

Brian Russell’s Other Books:
Centering Prayer: Sitting Quietly in God’s Presence Can Change Your Life (2021) https://amzn.to/2S0AcIZ 

(Re)Aligning with God: Reading Scripture for Church and World (Cascade Books) https://amzn.to/30tP4S9 

Invitation: A Bible Study to Begin With (Seedbed) https://my.seedbed.com/product/onebook-invitation-by-brian-russell/ 

Connecting with Brian:
Website: www.brianrussellphd.com
Twitter: @briandrussell
Instagram: @yourprofessorforlife

Interested in coaching or inviting Brian to speak or teach for your community of faith or group?
Email: brian@brianrussellphd.com

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#scripture #spiritualgrowth #holiness