0:00
/
Transcript

What Would God’s State of the Union Look Like? with John Dominic Crossan

Homebrewed Christianity Podcast with Tripp Fuller

In this first live Q&A of our Lent 2025 series Jesus in Galilee, Dom and I work through 35 questions from the more than 2,000 people who have joined the class — and true to form, Dom tries to honor every single one of them. The conversation ranges from the silver cups of Boscoreale to the Gulf of Mexico, from Josephus’s gritted-teeth defense of Judaism to what a State of the Union address might look like if Jesus gave it tonight. Dom argues that the apocalyptic imagination is, bluntly, a loss of faith; that coinage was the only real mass media of antiquity; that nonviolent resistance was invented — not borrowed — in first-century Judea; and that if you want to understand what an autocrat is planning, read very carefully what the autocrat accuses his opponents of. It is, in other words, exactly the kind of conversation I look forward to all year.

If you want in on the rest of the series — the lectures, the live Q&As, and the full archive — head to CrossanClass.com.


Join the Online Lenten Class with John Dominic Crossan!

What can we actually know about Jesus of Nazareth? And, what difference does it make?

For over five decades, Dr. John Dominic Crossan has been one of the world’s foremost scholars of the historical Jesus—rigorously reconstructing the life, teachings, and world of a first-century Jewish peasant who proclaimed God’s Rule in Roman-occupied Galilee. His work has shaped an entire generation of scholarship and transformed how millions understand the figure at the center of Christian faith.

This Lenten class begins where all of Dom’s work begins: with history. What was actually happening in Galilee in the 20s CE? What did Herod Antipas’ transformation of the “Sea of Galilee” into the commercial “Sea of Tiberias” mean for peasant fishing communities? Why did Jesus emerge from John’s baptism movement proclaiming God’s Rule through parables—and what made that medium so perfectly suited to that message?

Only by understanding what Jesus’ parables meant then can we wrestle with what they might demand of us now.

  • Preview Livestream - Watch here!

  • 4 Visual Lectures - Each pre-recorded video lecture features Dr. Crossan’s masterful teaching, drawing on decades of historical research and his many visits across the Holy Land.

  • 5 Livestream QnAs - Each week includes a live question and answer session with Dr. Crossan and Dr. Tripp Fuller—your chance to engage directly with one of the world’s leading Jesus scholars.

  • Online Group - Connect with other participants in the private Facebook group and access all lectures and livestream replays on the Class Resource Page.

REGISTER NOW - JOIN THE CLASS!


Join Us at Theology Beer Camp 2026!

Look—most church conferences can be, let’s be honest, painful. Bad coffee, weird carpet, breakout sessions that make you question your life choices. We do things differently. Theology Beer Camp is three days of incredible speakers, honest conversations, craft beer, and a community of people who actually want to wrestle with the big questions. We laugh, we learn, we argue, we pray—and yeah, (and some of us) drink delicious beer while we do it. This October—the 8th through the 10th—we’re gathering in Kansas City, and I want you there. If you’ve ever wanted to join us—or if you’re ready to come back—this is the time to grab your ticket. Head to TheologyBeerCamp.com and lock in your spot: beer, theology, and some of the best conversations you’ll have all year.

Theology Camp Info


Subscribe to the Podcast

Review the Podcast

Get more from Tripp Fuller in the Substack app
Available for iOS and Android

Discussion about this video

User's avatar

Ready for more?