Month: December 2017

Episode 118: The Magi(c) of Christmas

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This week we rebroadcast our Christmas episode from 2015.

In the spirit of the Christmas season, Paul Brians calls on his background as a scholar of the Bible and discusses some of the important language in the story of Christmas. Do you know the religious tradition of the Magi? The difference between miracle and magic? Listen to find out.

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Links:
Opening music (Paul Brians’ favorite recording of “We Three Kings”)
“The Gift of the Magi,” by O. Henry
Zoroastrianism (Zarathustrianism)
Google search: The Slaughter of the Innocents
Google search: The Miracle of Christmas
Google search: The Magic of Christmas

Episode 117: Holiday Greetings and the War on Christmas

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When a would-be suicide bomber attempted a terrorist attack in New York City earlier this month, he said he chose his target because there were Christmas-themed posters nearby. This week on the podcast we talk about the more theoretical  war on Christmas, and we discuss holiday greetings.

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Download mp3
On Stitcher

Cartoon accompaniment:

anxious.png

Links:
Buy the book! On sale through the end of the year for just $15.
This week’s calendar entry is “anxious/eager.”

 

Episode 115: Administration, Congress, What Veto Means, and Much More

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This week we take up our discussion of terms related to governance and politics. We explore the origin of the word “veto,” talk about filibustering and reconciliation, and more.

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Download mp3
On Stitcher

Cartoon accompaniment:

capitol

Links:
Buy the book! On sale through the end of the year for just $15.
This week’s calendar entry is “capital/capitol.”