We talk with Hebrew Bible scholar Jacob L. Wright about why no other ancient society produced anything like the Bible: a testimony of survival, but also an unparalleled achievement in human history. Wright's book Why the Bible Began: An Alternative History of Scripture and Its Origins was on The New Yorkers BEST OF 2023 list, as well as one of the best five books on religion according to Publishers Weekly. It was also the winner of the PROSE Award from the Association of American Publishers.

Jacob L. Wright is Associate Professor of Hebrew Bible at the Candler School of Theology, Emory University. His first book, Rebuilding Identity: The Nehemiah Memoir and its Earliest Readers (de Gruyter, 2004), won the 2008 Templeton prize for a first book in the field of religion. He is also the author of David, King of Israel, and Caleb in Biblical Memory (Cambridge University Press, 2014), which won The Nancy Lapp Popular Book Award from the American Schools of Oriental Research, and most recently, War, Memory, and National Identity in the Hebrew Bible (Cambridge University Press, 2020).

Connect with Gravity Commons:

• Leave us a message or ask a question about this or any other episode and we'll answer it on a future episode.
• Join the Gravity Community to interact with other listeners, and get our list of curated links each week to all things edifying and interesting.
• Are you interested in advertising on the Gravity Podcast? Contact us at podcast@gravitycommons.com.

Pastor and writer Joel A. Bowman, Sr. joins us for a wide-ranging discussion on thinking about and practicing politics through the lens of Christian faith. We touch on the upcoming presidential election, the history and theology of the Black church tradition, and the culture war.

Rev. Joel A. Bowman, Sr. is a native of Detroit, Michigan, and has been in ministry for 29 years. He is the founder and senior pastor of the Temple of Faith Baptist Church, in Louisville, Kentucky, and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, working with military veterans.Currently, Joel is a therapist with the U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), providing mental health treatment to America’s military Veterans.

Joel is a seminar facilitator, freelance writer, poet, and thought leader in the areas of racism and racial trauma. His work has been published in numerous places, including the Louisville Courier-Journal, The Front Porch, The Witness, Three-Fifths Magazine, and Baptist News Global. Joel is married to Nannette Mitchell Bowman, and they have 3 children: Kayla, Katie, and Joel, Jr.

It should be noted that all perspectives expressed herein are Joel’s and do not reflect, in any way, the views of any other organization or federal entity.

You can connect with Joel and his work on his website.

Connect with Gravity Commons:

• Leave us a message or ask a question about this or any other episode and we'll answer it on a future episode.
• Join the Gravity Community to interact with other listeners, and get our list of curated links each week to all things edifying and interesting.
• Are you interested in advertising on the Gravity Podcast? Contact us at podcast@gravitycommons.com.

Spiritual director, podcast host, and author Emily P. Freeman joins us to talk about what to do when you start to feel a shift and must decide if it's time to make a change, and how to know when the time is right.

Emily's book How to Walk Into a Room: The Art of Knowing When to Stay and When to Walk Away helps us begin to uncover the silent, nuanced, and hidden arrows for anyone asking questions like: How do I know if it's time to move on? What if I stay and nothing changes? What if I leave and everything falls apart? How to Walk into a Room is one of the best five books on religion according to Publishers Weekly, on the New Yorker's Best of 2023 list, and the Winner of the PROSE Award from the Association of American Publishers.

Emily P. Freeman is the Wall St. Journal bestselling author of 5 books, including The Next Right Thing. As a spiritual director, workshop leader, and host of The Next Right Thing podcast, her most important work is to help create soul space and offer spiritual companionship and discernment for anyone struggling with decision fatigue. Emily holds a master's degree in spiritual formation and leadership from Friends University.

Connect with Gravity Commons:

• Leave us a message or ask a question about this or any other episode and we'll answer it on a future episode.
• Join the Gravity Community to interact with other listeners, and get our list of curated links each week to all things edifying and interesting.
• Are you interested in advertising on the Gravity Podcast? Contact us at podcast@gravitycommons.com.