243. Reading the Bible with New Eyes With Dr. Anita Marchesani

243. Reading the Bible with New Eyes With Dr. Anita Marchesani

From Strong Tower Mental Health Podcast by Heidi Mortenson, MA, LMFT

June 8, 2026 · 56 min

About this episode

Heidi Mortenson and Dr. Anita Marchesani discuss how understanding the Bible's historical and cultural context can deepen faith and transform perspectives on God and spirituality.

In this powerful follow-up conversation, Heidi welcomes back Dr. Anita Marchesani to explore how understanding the Bible through its original historical, cultural, and Orthodox context can transform the way we see God, suffering, salvation, and spiritual growth. If you've ever wondered whether you're reading Scripture through a modern Western lens, this episode will challenge and deepen your faith in meaningful ways. In this episode, you'll discover: ✨ How cultural context can unlock deeper meaning in Scripture ✨ The difference between a Western and Orthodox understanding of salvation and suffering ✨ Why biblical concepts like justice, wrath, and sanctification may not mean what you think they do ✨ Practical ways to grow in spiritual maturity and become more Christ-like in everyday life "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." — Romans 12:2 (ESV) Whether you're wrestling with difficult passages, hungry for a deeper faith, or simply curious about the Orthodox perspective, this conversation will help you read the Bible with fresh eyes and a renewed heart. 🎙️ Listen in and discover how understanding the story behind Scripture can…

People in this episode

Host: Heidi Mortenson

Guest: Dr. Anita Marchesani

Topics covered

  • Bible interpretation
  • Cultural context
  • Spiritual growth
  • Orthodox Christianity
  • Salvation
  • Suffering

Keywords

  • Bible
  • faith
  • spirituality
  • Orthodox
  • salvation
  • suffering
  • cultural context
  • spiritual maturity

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Dr. Anita Group, Amazon, Calendly

Books & works: Be Still

Places: Western, Orthodox

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