Narrative of Place: Why Historical and Geographical Context Matters (Cyndi Parker)

The Biblical Mind

In seminary, Dr. Cyndi Parker of Narrative of Place became frustrated with the lack of focus on understanding the lived experience of ancient people in the Bible. She decided to go to Israel for a full year to understand the physical context of the biblical world—to experience the seasons, to see when the grass grows, to feel the hot Middle Eastern sun, to set foot on the soil.

Sitting and reading is so different from putting your feet on the ground in Israel. Join us this week as Cyndi shares about maps, the Middle East, and the importance of place for the student of Scripture.

Show notes:

• 0:00 Cyndi shares about desiring deeper, tangible, real-world experiences
• 3:55 Archeological digs
• 5:21 Seminary, self-diagnosis, and the desire for Scripture
• 8:34 Entering an Asian context
• 12:07 The power of places
• 16:51 "Israel-Overwhelming Symptom"
• 19:52 Narrative at the forefront of Scripture
• 24:21 Engaging with the land from wherever you are
• 29:38 What pushed Cyndi into the theology of place

Show notes by Dominique LaCroix

Credits for the music used in TBM podcast.