What happens when a biblical scholar with degrees from Oxford and Exeter decides to take on misinformation where it lives... on TikTok? Dr. Dan McClellan has built a following of nearly one million people by doing something radical: telling the truth about what the Bible actually says. In this conversation, Dr. McClellan takes us on his journey from serving as an LDS missionary in Uruguay, to getting kicked out of college, to earning his PhD and becoming one of the most recognized voices in public biblical scholarship. His motto is "data over dogma," and he's not afraid to challenge the assumptions that have shaped how Christians read Scripture for centuries.

This episode goes deep. We explore Dr. McClellan's argument that "the Bible doesn't say anything" on its own, and why that statement isn't an attack on faith but an invitation to read more honestly. We dig into what the Bible actually says about same-sex relationships (hint: the ancient world had no concept of sexual orientation), and we unpack what Scripture really teaches about hell and eternal punishment. If you've ever been told "the Bible clearly says" something and felt like there had to be more to the story, this conversation is for you.

In this episode you will learn:

- Why Dr. McClellan says "the Bible doesn't say anything" and what that means for how we interpret Scripture
- The difference between how scholars study the Bible and how it's taught in most churches
- What the concept of "univocality" is and why it's the foundation of most biblical misinformation
- What Leviticus and the New Testament actually say about same-sex intercourse in their ancient context
- Why the ancient world had no concept of homosexuality as a sexual orientation
- The three different views of hell found in the New Testament (annihilation, temporary punishment, eternal torment)
- Why eternal conscious torment became the dominant view and what the Bible actually indicates
- How Dr. McClellan balances scholarship and faith without needing to "deconstruct"

Connect with Dr. Dan McClellan:
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@maklelan
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maklelan
Podcast: Data Over Dogma- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/data-over-dogma/id1681418502
Book: The Bible Says So: What We Get Right (and Wrong) About Scripture's Most Controversial Issues — https://a.co/d/fJuNxi0
Website and Online Classes: maklelan.org
Patreon: patreon.com/maklelan

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