Data Over Dogma
This ain't your pastor's Bible podcast. This is a deep interrogation of the book, and we're bringing receipts. Bible scholar Dr. Dan McClellan and atheist podcaster Dan Beecher team up to discover what the Bible actually says, what it decidedly doesn't say (even if everyone thinks it does), and explore the history of the most popular book of all time.
Episodes
February 2, 2026 • 67 mins
Did you know that there is a sin so awful, so egregious, so outrageous that even God would not be able to forgive it? If you answered yes, then we're sorry. That probably means you've been needlessly traumatized.
But before we get to that, we're going to introduce you to a book you've almost certainly never heard of. It's a book that didn't make it into the modern biblical canon, but very well could have. And if it had, WHOO DA...
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January 26, 2026 • 75 mins
This week we're talking about showing off your love for God, and whether that might not be a such great idea. And our example of not mentioning God comes straight from the Bible??
First, we're looking at the book of Esther. It's a story with all the twists and turns of a Disney animated movie (complete with cartoon villain), and about as much plausibility. It's a wild ride, and by the end someone's going to be killed on a fifty-...
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January 19, 2026 • 60 mins
Jesus fulfilled the law! It says so right there in Matthew. But what on earth does that actually mean? Different people have had vastly different interpretations of that idea, and the consequences of their ideas are significant! Are the old laws still in effect, or did Jesus abolish them? Should we throw away Leviticus? Should we stop eating shellfish? What does it mean???
Then, since we talked about Deuteronomy rules of war las...
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January 12, 2026 • 60 mins
What do you know about baptism? Why do Christians do it? Where does it come from?
This week, we're exploring the most important baptism of all: that of Jesus. It's clearly a pivotal moment in the narrative of the life of Jesus, but it also presents some pretty important theological problems. And if it's so important, why do the gospels seem to disagree about how it went down?
Then, it's the rules of war! Deuteronomy 20 prese...
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January 5, 2026 • 58 mins
John the Baptizer was a fascinating character. More attested to historically than Jesus, John was a genuinely big deal! One of the historically attested facts about John was his execution by Herod. Which Herod? You're going to be sorry you asked.
But John's death is fascinating- what do the gospels say about it? Do they agree with each other about how/why it happened (what a world that would be!)? And do the gospel accounts lin...
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December 29, 2025 • 66 mins
Get some sunglasses, because this week we're shining bright like a diamond! That's right, we're diving into all the glowy sparkle that is the transfiguration of Jesus. What is that story really about? What happened on that hill? And why does everyone drag Peter for offering to set up tents? He was just brainstorming! No stupid questions, right?
Then, gather 5,000 of your best friends and let's have a pot-luck. We're talking loav...
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December 22, 2025 • 69 mins
It was a setup, I tell ya!
This week, we're focusing on "the fall," and the two poor suckers who were set up to take that fall. First, we're going through the story of Adam, Eve, the tree and the snake, and parsing out exactly what did and didn't happen in Eden. Who lied and who told the truth? Who knew what and when did they know it? Who, if anybody, actually committed a sin?
Then, speaking of sin, we're going to get original...
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December 15, 2025 • 72 mins
The birth of Jesus is obviously one of the most important Christian narratives. Or is it two of the most important Christian Narratives? Either way, one of the great apologetic claims about nativity is that it fulfilled over three hundred prophesies. This week, we're going to look at what Ken Ham's Answers in Genesis says about some of those prophesies, and see if those claims hold up.
Then it's roll-play time. Dan B will do his...
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December 8, 2025 • 61 mins
Tucker Carlson and Jeremiah Johnston don't know what they're talking about when it comes to history. Johnston recently went on Tucker's show (he still has a show- weird, right?), and claimed, among many other things, that Jesus and his crucifixion are better attested by the evidence than Julius Caesar. It's an odd apologetic, but is it possibly true?
Then we'll discuss the immaculate conception, which everybody thinks they under...
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December 1, 2025 • 62 mins
Look out! 'Cause this week we're looking at a controversial issue, and perhaps strangely for us, the impetus for this has nothing to do with Mormonism. No, recently a Missouri pastor named Rich Tidwell made waves in Christian circles by claiming that the Bible--yes, even the New Testament--is pro polygamy. And, really putting his matrimony where his mouth is, he has the wives to prove it.
So is the Bible as positive about plural...
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November 24, 2025 • 55 mins
Remember when Jesus told the poor to get off their butts and pull themselves up by their bootstraps? I don't either, but lots of people think they remember when Paul said it.
This week, we're looking at 2 Thessalonians, 3:10. It's one of those passages that, if someone's bringing it up, you know you're about to hear something wild. It's the bit about anyone unwilling to work shall not eat. Which sounds straightforward (if cold-...
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November 17, 2025 • 59 mins
Its Jubilee time- and what are we celebrating? A no-longer-canonical book, I guess. Jubilees is a Second Temple rewrite of Genesis that reshapes creation stories, adds angelic narration, and updates the calendar to aaaaaalmost get the number of days in the year right.
Then we tackle the viral claim that the Bible has 63,779 perfect cross-references. Does it prove divine authorship? Maybe! Ok, no. But we still have a lot of fun ...
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November 10, 2025 • 67 mins
Catholics don't read the Bible! Or at least, according to studies most don't read it in their homes. But according to our guest, Michael Peppard, that doesn't mean that they don't have a deep and meaningful relationship with it.
This week, we're talking with Dr Peppard about his book How Catholics Encounter the Bible". It's a fascinating look at the world of Catholicism: the culture, the theology, and specifically the ways in w...
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November 3, 2025 • 64 mins
Dominion! Do men have it over their wives? This week we're looking at Ephesians 5 where it very clearly says that wives should be subject to their husbands as to the Lord. OR DOES IT?!?
We're going deep into Doc McClellan's linguistic grab-bag to parse out what it actually says. Because ancient Greek is tricky, and doesn't operate the way modern English does.
Then, it's ANCIENT ALIENS!!! Were people in antiquity visited by ...
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October 27, 2025 • 52 mins
Giving you good biblical data is our cross to bear, but what that cross looks like and what it symbolizes is a question! We're all very aware of the traditional crucifix or cross as a symbol of Christianity, but how did the thing that killed Jesus come to represent his followers? And why? And is it possible that Jesus didn't die on a cross at all (that's what Jehova's Witnesses believe)?
Then, we're looking at "the way of the s...
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October 20, 2025 • 71 mins
Ooooh... this week's show is keeping it SPICY!
First we're going to tackle what might at first feel like one of the least controversial of the Ten Commandments. But if you've listened to this show, you know that's almost never the case. So when the Bible says "thou shalt not commit adultery," what is it really getting at?
Then we dive into the book of Hosea, which comes out swinging, and only gets weirder. What does it mean ...
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October 13, 2025 • 61 mins
The antichrist is coming! According to Peter Thiel, anyway. But who or what he thinks the antichrist actually is seems a little fuzzy. Well, this week on the Data Over Dogma show, we're looking at Thiel's odd take on the end times to see if it stacks up with what's in the Bible.
Then, we're looking at the star of David. Where did it come from? How did it come to be the symbol of Judaism? And are the conspiracy theories online ab...
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October 6, 2025 • 55 mins
This week, it's the story of Noah's ark! But WHICH story? Is it possible that there was more than one ark narrative floating around in the sea of antiquity? If so, how did the biblical authors handle the differences? We're taking the differing (even conflicting?!) narratives two-by-two onto our ship, and seeing what we can sort out. Here's hoping it's a sufficient number of cubits long!
Then, eat, drink, and be merry, because it...
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September 29, 2025 • 49 mins
This week, we're grabbing hold of the apocrypha with both hands and not letting go! Or is it deuterocanonical? I guess that depends on whose tradition you're looking at. Regardless, it's a weird book and there's a lot of interesting stuff to talk about.
Was it written during the exile, as it claims? What insights does it give us into the mindset of the time? Who the heck is Baruch???
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September 22, 2025 • 62 mins
This week should be sponsored by that "adult play" company, because we're getting a little naughty! Or rather- the Bible got a little naughty (maybe), and we're just talking about it.
First, though, we're going to talk about one of those famous "judges" that the book of Judges was named for. It's the story of Gideon, and it has a lot going on! Did Gideon see God or an angel? Why did he ask for signs? Why is my hotel Bible named...
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