In this episode of Cogito Ergo Pod, we continue to dive deep into a multi-faceted and often misunderstood subject: the anatomy of evil in the Bible. While many look to the dramatic imagery of the Gospels or Job, this episode shifts the lens toward the practical, "boots-on-the-ground" letters found at the end of the New Testament—the Pastoral and Catholic Epistles.

Drawing from texts like James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1, 2, & 3 John, Jude, Hebrews, and the letters to Timothy and Titus, Daniel dissects how these second and third-generation communities defined the forces threatening to undo their mission. We explore evil not as a single, abstract monster, but as a three-dimensional threat:

• The Evil Within: How disordered internal desires—pride, lust, and the "love of money"—serve as the "source code" for human destruction (James 1:14-15; 1 Timothy 6:10).

• The Evil Between Us: The social collapse caused by favouritism, the "poison" of the tongue, and the absence of love within a community (James 2-3; 1 John 4:20).

• The Evil From Outside: The terrifying rise of the "False Teacher," the ideological spirit of the "Antichrist," and the prowling "roaring lion" that seeks to devour the faithful (2 Peter 2; 1 John 2:18; 1 Peter 5:8).

Whether you view these texts as sacred scripture or fascinating historical artefacts, this episode offers an accessible, scholarly, and engaging look at how ancient writers mapped the struggle for human goodness.

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As we continue to explore the representation of evil in the Bible, we now move on to explore the Pauline Epistles. For the Apostle Paul, it wasn't just about pitchforks and demons. It was a complex interplay of psychology, paradox, and cosmic oppression.

In this episode of Cogito Ergo Pod, Daniel dissects the "flavours" of evil in the Pauline tradition, moving from the personal to the apocalyptic. We explore:

• Hamartia & Sarx: Evil as "missing the mark" and the internal struggle of the ego.

• The Law: How rules can inadvertently provoke transgression.

• Principalities & Powers: The esoteric vision of systemic, spiritual injustice.

We also navigate the scholarly distinction between Paul's Undisputed and Disputed letters to see how these ideas shaped the Western mind.

(Note: This episode also builds on the biography of Paul discussed in Episode 19.)

In this episode, host Daniel dissects the concept of evil as it's presented in the New Testament Gospels. From a secular, literary, and historical perspective, Daniel first explores why these texts frame evil in a world of cosmic warfare, Roman occupation, and intense sectarianism. The episode then breaks down the three primary categories of evil in the narratives: Personified Evil (Satan, demons like "Legion," and the Beelzebub accusation), Systemic Evil (the political paranoia of King Herod and the cynical indifference of Pontius Pilate), and Internal Evil (the religious hypocrisy of the Pharisees, the betrayal of Judas, and the frightening psychology of the mob).

In the third episode in our series of looking at evil in the Bible, we find ourselves jumping around the Bible. Starting with the first couple of chapters of the Book of Job, and exploring a number of other writings in the Old Testament, we are going to explore the figure of Satan within the Hebrew canon. We are going to consider the questions:

Who or what is the Satan which is found in chapters 1 and 2 of the book of Job?

How does Job's Satan compare to the Satan found within other Old Testament/ Tanakh writing?

How does Satan differ in these difference contexts?

What is a theodicy, and how does it relate to the Book of Job and Satan?

Why is the use of the definite article important to all of this?

References:

• Barton, John. & Muddiman, John. (2001) The Oxford Bible Commentary

• Pagels, Elaine. (1995) The Origin of Evil

• Plantinga, Alvin. (1976) God, Freedom, and Evil.

• Russell, Jeffrey Burton. (1977) The Devil

• • Swinburne, Richard (1998). Providence and the Problem of Evil.
  • Wright, N. T. (2006). Evil and the Justice of God.

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Welcome back to another episode of Cogito Ergo Pod!

In our second episode in our series of looking at evil in the Bible, we find ourselves at the beginning of Genesis, chapter 6. It is here we are introduced to the likes of the 'sons of god', nephilim, and the original of divine reasoning for the imminent flood. In this episode we will consider:

What were the events outlined in Genesis, chapter 6, verses 1 to 8? What does it all mean? How were the events outlined used in Apocryphal texts? To what extent did Genesis chapter 6, or the Apocryphal texts, contribute to to later understanding of evil?

References:

‘The Devil’ - Jeffrey Burton Russell

‘The Oxford Bible Commentary’ - Ed. John Barton & John Muddiman

Find this podcast on most major podcast platforms, and give us a follow on:

Facebook - 'Cogito Ergo Pod'

Instagram - cogito_ergo_pod

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Bluesky - Cogito Ergo Pod

Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKbkJyOskelSoJWr7hqDl6A (Cogito Ergo Pod)

Welcome back to another episode of Cogito Ergo Pod!

In this, our first episode in a series exploring the nature and understanding of evil in the Bible, we go way back to the Book of Genesis. It is there, in chapter 3, that we are introduced to a serpent, a fruit, and an event known to Christianity as 'the Fall of Man'. In this episode we will explore the questions:

References:

‘The Lost Art of Scripture’ - Karen Armstrong

‘The Complete Bible Handbook’ - John Bowker

‘The Oxford Bible Commentary’ - Ed. John Barton & John Muddiman

‘A History of the Bible’ - John Barton

Find this podcast on most major podcast platforms, and give us a follow on:

Facebook - 'Cogito Ergo Pod'

Instagram - cogito_ergo_pod

Threads - Cogito Ergo Pod

Bluesky - Cogito Ergo Pod

Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKbkJyOskelSoJWr7hqDl6A (Cogito Ergo Pod)

This is a bonus episode regarding something coming up on Cogito Ergo Pod! Nothing to panic about, we are not going anywhere!

However, thought it best to share this now!

In this episode we take a couple of steps back, and look at the early Christian alternative (or heretical) doctrine of Docetism. We will look to answer:

• What is Docetism?
• What sources from the New Testament can be used to support or condemn Docetism?
• Are there any non-canonical sources which can be used to support Docetism?
• What happened to Docetism?

Find this podcast on most major podcast platforms, and give us a follow on:

Facebook - 'Cogito Ergo Pod'

Instagram - cogito_ergo_pod

Threads - Cogito Ergo Pod

Bluesky - Cogito Ergo Pod

Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKbkJyOskelSoJWr7hqDl6A (Cogito Ergo Pod)