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Biblical Time Machine

Biblical Time Machine

By: Helen Bond & Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones
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Join Helen and Lloyd as they travel back in time (metaphorically… it’s a podcast) to explore the real history of the people, places and events of the Old Testament, New Testament and everything in between.

© 2026 Biblical Time Machine
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Episodes
  • Babylon – The Mother of All Cities
    Jun 28 2026

    Babylon is one of the most famous cities and empires in human history. To many people, it conjures images of Hanging Gardens, the Tower of Babel, Nebuchadnezzar, and the exile of the Jewish people. But how much of this is historical fact, and how much of it is later mythology?

    To get to the bottom of Babylon, Helen takes a trip in the time machine with our resident ancient historian, Professor Lloyd Lewellyn-Jones.

    Helen asks Lloyd about his highly acclaimed new book, Babylon: The Mother of All Cities(2026), and discuss the theology, law codes, great texts and daily life of the Bible's most famous – or infamous – city.

    Support the show

    Theme music written and performed by Dave Roos, creator of Biblical Time Machine. Season 4 produced by John Nelson.

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    41 mins
  • Who were the Pharisees?
    Jun 21 2026

    The Pharisees are among the most villainised groups in Jewish history. For centuries, Christians read them as legalists, religious hypocrites and bitter opponents of Jesus. But have we got the Pharisees all wrong?

    To find out, Lloyd takes a trip in the Time Machine with our resident expert, Helen Bond, Professor of Christian Origins at the University of Edinburgh.

    Drawing on a range of sources – from Josephus to the Dead Sea Scrolls – they construct a picture of the Pharisees beyond the stereotypes. Where did they come from? What did they believe? And how reliably do the gospels portray them.

    Support the show

    Theme music written and performed by Dave Roos, creator of Biblical Time Machine. Season 4 produced by John Nelson.

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    40 mins
  • Imitation in Early Christianity
    Jun 15 2026

    Imitation is a huge part of the human experience, as we imitate role models and loved ones. Oscar Wilde called it the 'highest form of flattery'. But what did imitation – or mimesis – look like in early Christianity? To find out, Helen and Lloyd take a trip in the time machine with Professor Cornelis Bennema. They discuss what imitation meant in the ancient world, how the New Testament writers adapted the concept, and why Paul instructs his listeners to 'imitate me'.

    Dr Cornelis (‘Cor’) Bennema is Head of Research and Professor of New Testament Studies at the London School of Theology. His main research interests include the Johannine literature, character studies in biblical narrative and early Christian ethics. He is the author of a number of works on mimesis, most recently Imitation in Early Christianity: Mimesis and Religious-Ethical Formation (Eerdmans, 2025).

    Support the show

    Theme music written and performed by Dave Roos, creator of Biblical Time Machine. Season 4 produced by John Nelson.

    Show More Show Less
    36 mins
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Also great fun! I particularly enjoy the banter but also the historical detective work involved in deciphering the history and lives of those living in biblical times.

Very interesting, informative

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