Bible As Literature – CHSBT – 038

The Bible is literature… but is it just another book? Should we read it differently than other literary works? In this episode, Chris discusses the Bible with Christine Iskander (a college professor and comparative literature expert) as well as Jon Bennett (high school English teacher and published author). While most of us assume that we know how to read, we often use a different set of tools as we approach the Bible. In this episode, they tackle genre identification (poetry, myth, narrative, history), reader-response criticism, and how to read the Bible well, while still treating it like a sacred text.

Check out Jon’s book (Reading Blue Devils) here on his Amazon Author Page.

Self-Harm – CHSBT – 037

Adolescents in our schools (public or private) are not strangers to self-harm. With as many as 38% of young adults admitting to engaging in self-injurious behavior, it is likely that our students are either closely acquainted with someone who does this, or are struggling with self-harm themselves. In this episode, Chris interviews psychologist Dr. Nate Turner and Katie Seals, a Christian high school mentorship veteran. In the discussion, they touch on causes, triggers, and the limited understanding* of the behavior among both the common folk and mental health professionals. Listen as they touch on some ways to be alert, empathetic, and caring for students, friends, and family (or self) who struggle with self harm.

(*One literature review identified and studied 29 interventions for self-harm and found none of them to be well-established treatments)

Is Safety Important? – CHSBT – 036

Does God care about safety? Industries, government agencies, policies, and our prayer lives reflect how deeply we value safety… but where does safety fit into the life of faith in Jesus? Chris and Wayne discuss safety and its proper place in the life of a Jesus follower, as well as explore ways to discuss this with risk-loving teenagers and safety-loving parents.