Exodus

Jordan and his round table explore the themes of freedom against tyranny, God’s allowance of evil, and faith as an adventure within the first three chapters of Exodus. They seek to answer the question of whether one should take the easy path even if it is wrong or do what is right despite it being hard.

Then as now, societies turn from God and collapse until someone takes on the burden of restoring the relationship. As Jordan and his round table continue to analyze Exodus, new themes emerge including Moses’ willingness to respond to God’s call, man’s relationship with the divine, the possibility of turning evil into good with God’s help, and how peoples’ willingness not to take a stand contributes to their downfall.

The Bible is not only a patriarchal book, as many women are strong characters in its narratives. Jordan and the group discuss this in chapters three through six of Exodus, covering topics such as order and chaos, Moses’ relationship with the divine, and God’s transcendent quality.

Often, our freedom of choice keeps us from claiming the freedom God offers. As the round table in Exodus chapters seven through nine discuss, Pharaoh's refusal to let the Israelites leave is at the center of the conversation. Power, the desire to change, and the significance of the plagues are also discussed.

What do Pharaoh and Stalin have in common? Jordan and the roundtable discuss chapters nine through twelve in Exodus, finding parallels between the tyranny inherent in political leadership during Moses’ time and now, the repercussions of putting the state above the church regarding COVID-19 lockdowns, and the notion that for the will to be as free as it can be, it has to span the spectrum of choice between radical evil and radical good.

God commanded the Israelites to celebrate Passover before it occurred. In Exodus 12-14, the group discusses the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the connection between the Old and New Testaments, and the significance of cultural rituals for survival.

Jordan and the group discuss chapters twelve through fourteen of Exodus, exploring the meaning behind the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Old and New Testament connection, and the significance of rituals as a means of cultural survival.

In the first half of Exodus, the scholars discuss Moses' pivotal encounter with his father-in-law, his role as mediator between God and the Israelites, the dangers of forgetting rituals, and the moment when God reveals himself to Moses on Mount Sinai.