Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
The Torah—the first five books of the Old Testament—completely revolutionized the ancient world.
In this episode of Stunned by Scripture, Dr. John Bergsma is joined by Dr. Joshua Berman to explore the Torah’s impact on mankind.
Dr. Berman is a renowned biblical scholar, bestselling author, and a leading voice bridging faith and academic scholarship.
In their discussion, you will learn why the Torah represents humanity's greatest leap forward in political thought, how God designed biblical law to form moral wisdom, and why modern readers misunderstand Scripture’s apparent tensions and differences.
Discover how studying Scripture in its ancient context can help you appreciate its wisdom, understand its historicity, and encounter its transformative vision for human flourishing.
0:00:00 Introduction
0:05:00 Growing up in a Secular Jewish Family
0:20:00 Discussion of Berman's Book
0:35:00 How Biblical Law Functions
0:42:00 Why Write About the Temple
0:46:00 Tabernacle vs. Temple
0:50:00 Berman's Relationship with Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
0:54:00 Berman's Upcoming Research Project
0:58:00 The Difference in How the Bible is Treated
1:01:00 Historical Reliability
1:06:00 Ancient Writers
1:23:00 Caring About Scripture
1:10:00 Early vs. Late Biblical Hebrew
1:27:00 Central Theme
✨ Get the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible for FREE
➡️ stpaulcenter.com/memberships
___
Other ways to grow with the St. Paul Center:
⛪️ If you're a Priest looking to attend one of our annual Priest Conferences:
stpaulcenter.co/priestconferences
📖 Start a Bible study with the St. Paul Center:
stpaulcenter.co/biblestudies
✈️ Go on a pilgrimage with us:
stpaulcenter.co/pilgrimages
🛒 Browse our bookstore:
stpaulcenter.co/emmausroadpublishing
🔥 Support our mission:
stpaulcenter.co/donate
___
Follow the St. Paul Center on Social Media:
Instagram: instagram.com/stpaulcenter?igsh=anloZXB4dDdjcHI1&utm_source=qr
Facebook: facebook.com/share/177cb1WMS5/?mibextid=wwXIfr
X/Twitter: https://x.com/saintpaulcenter?s=21&t=8_4yim_uMnTcaKXDbGGuVQ
#stpaulcenter #johnbergsma #stunnedbyscripture #drjoshuaberman #christianity #judaism #oldtestament #newtestament #bible
The Torah—the first five books of the Old Testament—completely revolutionized the ancient world.
In this episode of Stunned by Scripture, Dr. John Bergsma is joined by Dr. Joshua Berman to explore the Torah’s impact on mankind.
Dr. Berman is a renowned biblical scholar, bestselling author, and a leading voice bridging faith and academic scholarship.
In their discussion, you will learn why the Torah represents humanity's greatest leap forward in political thought, how God designed biblical law to form moral wisdom, and why modern readers misunderstand Scripture’s apparent tensions and differences.
Discover how studying Scripture in its ancient context can help you appreciate its wisdom, understand its historicity, and encounter its transformative vision for human flourishing.
0:00:00 Introduction
0:05:00 Growing up in a Secular Jewish Family
0:20:00 Discussion of Berman's Book
0:35:00 How Biblical Law Functions
0:42:00 Why Write About the Temple
0:46:00 Tabernacle vs. Temple
0:50:00 Berman's Relationship with Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
0:54:00 Berman's Upcoming Research Project
0:58:00 The Difference in How the Bible is Treated
1:01:00 Historical Reliability
1:06:00 Ancient Writers
1:23:00 Caring About Scripture
1:10:00 Early vs. Late Biblical Hebrew
1:27:00 Central Theme
✨ Get the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible for FREE
➡️ stpaulcenter.com/memberships
___
Other ways to grow with the St. Paul Center:
⛪️ If you're a Priest looking to attend one of our annual Priest Conferences:
stpaulcenter.co/priestconferences
📖 Start a Bible study with the St. Paul Center:
stpaulcenter.co/biblestudies
✈️ Go on a pilgrimage with us:
stpaulcenter.co/pilgrimages
🛒 Browse our bookstore:
stpaulcenter.co/emmausroadpublishing
🔥 Support our mission:
stpaulcenter.co/donate
___
Follow the St. Paul Center on Social Media:
Instagram: instagram.com/stpaulcenter?igsh=anloZXB4dDdjcHI1&utm_source=qr
Facebook: facebook.com/share/177cb1WMS5/?mibextid=wwXIfr
X/Twitter: https://x.com/saintpaulcenter?s=21&t=8_4yim_uMnTcaKXDbGGuVQ
#stpaulcenter #johnbergsma #stunnedbyscripture #drjoshuaberman #christianity #judaism #oldtestament #newtestament #bible
