After centuries of anticipation, the ancient city of Colossae—the site of Paul’s letter to the Colossians—is finally being excavated. Dr. Clint Arnold, one of the world’s foremost experts on Colossians, joins Sean McDowell to share breaking news from the dig in modern-day Turkey. They explore why this excavation is historic, what discoveries could illuminate the New Testament, and how this project might finally unravel the mystery of the so-called “Colossian heresy.”
Listeners will learn about the decades-long journey to make this dig possible, the fascinating mix of history and theology behind Colossae, and what these findings could mean for our understanding of early Christianity.
Clinton E. Arnold enjoys teaching, speaking and writing on various aspects of the New Testament. He is the editor of the four-volume Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary and the general editor of the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. His other books include: How We Got the Bible (Zondervan); Ephesians: Power and Magic (Cambridge/Baker/Wipf & Stock); Powers of Darkness: Principalities and Powers in Paul's Letters (InterVarsity Press); The Colossian Syncretism (Mohr Siebeck/Baker); and 3 Crucial Questions ӣƵ Spiritual Warfare (Baker). Arnold has published in Christianity Today and was a regular columnist for Discipleship Journal. His research articles have appeared in such journals as New Testament Studies, Novum Testamentum, Journal for the Study of the New Testament and the Journal of Psychology and Theology. He is a professor of New Testament language and literature and the dean of Talbot School of Theology. Arnold, his wife and three boys are vitally involved in their local church.
Sean McDowell (Ph.D.) is an associate professor in the Christian Apologetics program at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University. He is a gifted communicator with a passion for equipping the Church, and in particular young people, to make the case for the Christian faith. Sean travels throughout the United States and abroad, speaking at camps, churches, schools, universities, and conferences. He is the co-host for the Think Biblically podcast, and he has authored or edited over twenty books, including and . Sean hosts one of the leading apologetics blogs at , and he hosts some great conversations on his . Sean and his wife, Stephanie, have three children and live in San Juan Capistrano, CA.