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Was Paul really arguing against the Torah and Judaism in his letter to the Galatians? Or have centuries of interpretation led us to misunderstand his message?

In this episode of Bridge Builders Forum, we sit down with Dr. Jakub Pogonowski, a scholar of early Judaism and Christian origins at the University of Warsaw, to discuss his new book, A Hebrew of Hebrews: Paul's Epistle to Galatians within Israel.

We explore why Jakub believes Galatians needs to be understood within its Jewish and Hebrew context, what Paul really meant by “works of the law,” and how Paul understood the identity of Gentile followers of Jesus in relation to Israel. We also discuss why Bible translation matters and how these emerging perspectives on Paul could reshape Christian understandings of Judaism and Jewish-Christian relations.

It's a fascinating conversation about recovering Paul within his own world so that we can better understand his message in ours.

Here is a link to download Jakub's new book (open access): https://www.vr-elibrary.de/doi/book/10.13109/9783666502750

Bridge Builders Forum
An educational entity dedicated to helping Jews and Christians understand their faith, the Bible, and each other.

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Download the free PDF "Recovering the Jewish Paul: Three Keys to Understanding the Apostle and Building Bridges Between Jews and Christians"

The Weird Apostle
Ryan's book places the Apostle Paul in his Jewish and Greco-Roman context.

Olive Tree Affirmations Ryan's book for Christians who want greater clarity on standing against replacement theology

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What happens when an Orthodox Jew and an evangelical Christian become friends—and decide to build something together?

In this episode of Bridge Builders Forum, Ryan Lambert sits down with Gidon Ariel and Bob O'Dell, co-founders of Root Source, an organization helping Jews and Christians study Scripture, learn from one another, and build meaningful relationships across religious differences.

Originally recorded during an Olive Tree Network gathering, this conversation explores how their unlikely partnership began, what they've learned from one another, and why Jewish-Christian bridge-building matters now more than ever.

Bob also shares insights from his book Five Years with Orthodox Jews and introduces the Echoes Bible, an initiative highlighting connections between the Old and New Testaments.

It's an encouraging conversation about friendship, faith, and the possibilities that emerge when Jews and Christians approach their differences as opportunities for learning rather than deficiencies.

Learn more about Root Source

Learn more about The Echoes Bible

Learn more about We Must Not Forget (preserving the stories of Holocaust Survivors)

Bob's book on his experience learning from and with Orthodox Jews

Bridge Builders Forum
An educational entity dedicated to helping Jews and Christians understand their faith, the Bible, and each other.

Bridge Builders Forum Email News and Updates

Download the free PDF "Recovering the Jewish Paul: Three Keys to Understanding the Apostle and Building Bridges Between Jews and Christians"

The Weird Apostle
Ryan's book places the Apostle Paul in his Jewish and Greco-Roman context.

Olive Tree Affirmations Ryan's book for Christians who want greater clarity on standing against replacement theology

Make a tax deductible donation to the Bridge Builders Forum

Send us Fan Mail

What does the Bible say about Israel, the Jewish people, and their ongoing connection to the land? And how is replacement theology shaping Christian attitudes toward Israel today?

In this episode of Bridge Builders Forum, I sit down with Anglican theologian Dr. Jules Gomes to discuss the history and current influence of replacement theology within Anglicanism, the rise of Christian anti-Zionism, and why these issues matter for Jewish-Christian relations.

We also explore what the Hebrew Bible and New Testament say about God’s covenant with the Jewish people and their connection to the land of Israel, as well as encouraging developments within the Anglican world.

Dr. Jules Gomes is a Vatican-accredited journalist based in Rome, an author and scholar, and holds a doctorate in biblical studies from the University of Cambridge.

This is an important conversation about the Bible, Israel, replacement theology, and the future of Jewish-Christian relations.

Keep up with Dr. Jules Gomes on Substack: https://substack.com/@julesgomes

Bridge Builders Forum
An educational entity dedicated to helping Jews and Christians understand their faith, the Bible, and each other.

Bridge Builders Forum Email News and Updates

Download the free PDF "Recovering the Jewish Paul: Three Keys to Understanding the Apostle and Building Bridges Between Jews and Christians"

The Weird Apostle
Ryan's book places the Apostle Paul in his Jewish and Greco-Roman context.

Make a tax deductible donation to the Bridge Builders Forum

Send us Fan Mail

Why are Christians around the world celebrating Sukkot, the biblical Feast of Tabernacles?

In this special 10-minute episode, recorded in Australia during Sukkot, Ryan Lambert sits down with Pastor Kyal Cumming of Kingdom Church to discuss why his congregation has embraced this biblical Jewish festival and even developed an annual celebration that draws people from across Australia and beyond.

Their conversation offers a fascinating glimpse into a larger movement among Christians seeking to recover the Jewish roots of their faith, reject replacement theology, and build a healthier relationship with Israel and the Jewish people.

Ryan's book for Christians who want greater clarity on standing against replacement theology: https://a.co/d/01VwS7kj

Bridge Builders Forum
An educational entity dedicated to helping Jews and Christians understand their faith, the Bible, and each other.

Bridge Builders Forum Email News and Updates

Download the free PDF "Recovering the Jewish Paul: Three Keys to Understanding the Apostle and Building Bridges Between Jews and Christians"

The Weird Apostle
Ryan's book places the Apostle Paul in his Jewish and Greco-Roman context.

Make a tax deductible donation to the Bridge Builders Forum

Send us Fan Mail

The new Olive Tree Affirmations book is officially here!

In this special episode, Ryan Lambert shares the story and vision behind his new book and explains why he believes its message is especially important right now.

At a time of rising antisemitism, many Christians genuinely want to stand with the Jewish people but aren't always sure what that means biblically, theologically, or practically. Drawing from Paul’s Olive Tree metaphor in Romans 11, Ryan explores why the Church’s relationship with the Jewish people is not a peripheral issue, but one that touches Christian identity itself.

Discover the vision behind ten biblical affirmations designed to challenge replacement theology and antisemitism, honor the Jewish people, and help build healthier relationships between Jews and Christians.

The Olive Tree Affirmations book can be found at https://a.co/d/0e56IzPc

Learn more about the Olive Tree Campaign at https://www.bridgebuildersforum.com/olivetree

Bridge Builders Forum
An educational entity dedicated to helping Jews and Christians understand their faith, the Bible, and each other.

Bridge Builders Forum Email News and Updates

Download the free PDF "Recovering the Jewish Paul: Three Keys to Understanding the Apostle and Building Bridges Between Jews and Christians"

The Weird Apostle
Ryan's book places the Apostle Paul in his Jewish and Greco-Roman context.

Make a tax deductible donation to the Bridge Builders Forum

Send us Fan Mail

What does it look like for Torah to go forth from Zion to the nations today?

In this episode of Bridge Builders Forum, Ryan Lambert sits down with Rabbi Ari Abramowitz, co-founder of The Land of Israel Network for a wide-ranging conversation about Torah, the Land of Israel, and the growing relationship between Jews and Christians.

Ari shares his personal journey from the United States to Israel, the vision behind the Land of Israel Fellowship, and why he and Rabbi Jeremy Gimpel have invested so deeply in teaching Torah and the Jewish prophets to people around the world.

The conversation also ventures into some complicated and controversial territory surrounding Judea and Samaria, giving Ari an opportunity to share his perspective on Jewish life and presence in this deeply contested part of the Land, while also reflecting on the importance of building relationships with Jews and Christians who see things differently

It’s an honest conversation about Torah, Israel, Jewish-Christian relations, and what it might mean for the ancient vision of Torah going forth from Zion to take shape in our own time.

Learn more about The Land of Israel Network at https://thelandofisrael.com/

Bridge Builders Forum
An educational entity dedicated to helping Jews and Christians understand their faith, the Bible, and each other.

Bridge Builders Forum Email News and Updates

Download the free PDF "Recovering the Jewish Paul: Three Keys to Understanding the Apostle and Building Bridges Between Jews and Christians"

The Weird Apostle
Ryan's book places the Apostle Paul in his Jewish and Greco-Roman context.

Make a tax deductible donation to the Bridge Builders Forum

Send us Fan Mail

As Rosh Hashanah and the Jewish year 5787 approach, Ryan Lambert shares a few personal reflections on something that can be both difficult and incredibly important: being willing to change our minds.

What does it mean to hold deeply to our convictions while still remaining teachable? Where might we need to think differently about ourselves, another person, a relationship, or even some of the assumptions we've inherited?

Ryan reflects on why this kind of humility is essential not only for personal growth but also for building better relationships between Jews and Christians.

As we enter a new year, perhaps one of the most important questions we can ask ourselves is: Where might I need to change my mind?

L'shanah tovah! May 5787 be a sweet, healthy, and happy new year.

Bridge Builders Forum
An educational entity dedicated to helping Jews and Christians understand their faith, the Bible, and each other.

Bridge Builders Forum Email News and Updates

Download the free PDF "Recovering the Jewish Paul: Three Keys to Understanding the Apostle and Building Bridges Between Jews and Christians"

The Weird Apostle
Ryan's book places the Apostle Paul in his Jewish and Greco-Roman context.

Make a tax deductible donation to the Bridge Builders Forum

Send us Fan Mail

Can Jewish prayer be spiritually beneficial for non-Jews? And if so, how can Christians engage Jewish prayer in a way that is healthy, respectful, and honors the Jewish people and Jewish tradition?

As Jewish-Christian relationships continue to improve and more Christians seek to reconnect with the Jewish foundations of their faith, questions like these are becoming increasingly relevant.

In this episode of Bridge Builders Forum, Ryan Lambert sits down with author and Bible teacher Darren Huckey for a thoughtful conversation about Jewish prayer for non-Jews. Darren is a non-Jewish follower of Jesus who has spent decades engaging deeply with Judaism and Jewish prayer and is the author of the new book Lost in Prayer: A Messianic Guide to Navigating the Siddur and Finding Intimacy in Prayer.

Together, Ryan and Darren discuss what Jewish prayer actually is, the value of liturgical prayer, the Jewish concept of kavanah, the role of spontaneous prayer in Judaism, and some of the complicated questions surrounding Gentiles praying from the siddur. They also explore how followers of Jesus might engage Jewish forms and rhythms of prayer while remaining faithful to their own convictions.

There are different Jewish and Christian perspectives on these questions, and this conversation does not pretend otherwise. Instead, it offers one thoughtful contribution to an important and developing conversation about what healthier engagement between Jews and Christians can look like in practice.

Check out Darren Huckey's new book at: https://a.co/d/05pqfMS4

Bridge Builders Forum
An educational entity dedicated to helping Jews and Christians understand their faith, the Bible, and each other.

Bridge Builders Forum Email News and Updates

Download the free PDF "Recovering the Jewish Paul: Three Keys to Understanding the Apostle and Building Bridges Between Jews and Christians"

The Weird Apostle
Ryan's book places the Apostle Paul in his Jewish and Greco-Roman context.

Make a tax deductible donation to the Bridge Builders Forum