31 - Lance Ralston - Church History

31 - Lance Ralston - Church History

Author: Exploring Bible Words in Greek and Hebrew July 7, 2025 Duration: 39:45

Surprise! We’ve got an extra bonus episode of Summer Bammerhab! (Summerhab?)

This episode is a wide-ranging interview with pastor, podcaster and church historian Lance Ralston, however we’re still gonna start out focusing on a specific word, this time it is echaritōsen from Ephesians 1:6, and it means “He has made acceptable.”

It comes from the root Greek word charis which is among the most difficult words to translate into English simply because the concept it describes is just so complex, nuanced and vast. So translators have used so many English words to try to capture all of the meanings of this one Greek word: acceptable, benefit, favor, gift, grace, gracious, joy, liberality, pleasure, thanksworthy, thankful, credit, or gracious work.

But before I explain too much, I want to turn to the conversation I had with Pastor Lance Ralston about this word, and much more. Pastor Lance’s amazing podcast on church history was one of my main inspirations for creating Bammerhab, and if you haven’t heard that podcast then you absolutely have to add it to your list!

Anyway, I had a really great time talking with Lance and if you get even a fraction of the joy I got from this conversation, then you all are gonna love it!

This episode digs deeper into “echaritōsen” (ἐχαρίτωσεν meaning ‘He has made us accepted’) in Ephesians 1:6.

Eph. 1:6 - “To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” (KJV)

Mentioned:

Pastor Lance Ralston: www.sanctorum.us/lances-bio/

Pastor David Guzik: calvarychapel.com/posts/author/david_guzik/

Enduring Word Free Online Commentaries: enduringword.com

Pastor Chuck Smith: calvarychapel.com/chuck-smith

History of the Christian Church podcast: www.sanctorum.us

History of Rome Podcast by Mike Duncan: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-history-of-rome/id261654474

12 Byzantine Rulers by Lars Brownworth: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/12-byzantine-rulers-the-history-of-the-byzantine-empire/id73802687

Jan Žižka: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_%C5%BDi%C5%BEka

Jan Hus - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Hus

Nestorius - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nestorius

Church of the East - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_the_East

Church History - Lance Ralston (YouTube Channel): youtube.com/watch?v=M2i53ZgcnPk

Into His Image (Lance Ralston’s Personal You Tube channel): youtu.be/3G0s05G7XPE

Books Mentioned:

Marriage As It Was Meant To Be by Lance Ralston

The Lost History of Christianity by Phillip Jenkins

Voyager from Xanadu: Rabban Sauma and the First Journey from China to the West by Morris Rossabi

My Links:

Bammerhab Site: www.bammerhab.com

Bammerhab Substack: bammerhab.substack.com

SDG Morgan’s Substack: sdgmorgan.substack.com

Thanks to:

• Aaron Woodard for Graphic Design

• Dave Allam of Allam House for advanced audio techniques: sound.allamhouse.com

• Bible Hub for Greek / Hebrew hypertext links

• Pixabay for sound effects (h/t jimena contreras & playsound)



This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bammerhab.substack.com

The journey through ancient texts often hinges on a single, potent term, a concept that loses dimension in translation. Bammerhab-Words from the Word is a quiet, focused excavation of those foundational terms. Each episode is a deep dive into a specific Greek or Hebrew word from scripture, peeling back layers of historical context, cultural nuance, and original meaning. This isn't about rushed readings or surface-level commentary; it's a deliberate unpacking, led by a writer with a scholar's curiosity and a storyteller's touch. You'll hear how a word's usage in everyday ancient life informs its theological weight, discovering connections and insights that typically remain hidden in plain sight. The aim is to enrich personal study and reflection by returning to the source material, offering listeners a more textured, grounded understanding of familiar passages. This podcast lives in the details, believing that a closer look at the building blocks of language can lead to a fuller appreciation of the text itself. For anyone interested in the intersection of faith, language, and history, these explorations provide substantive, contemplative material. Find more from this exploration of Bible words in Greek and Hebrew on the associated Substack page.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

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