Rude and Downright Prophetic -- Matthew 3 with Rev. Scott Kershner

<p>While serving as Activist in Residence at Susquehanna University, Peterson Toscano co-preached a sermon with chaplain <a href='https://www.susqu.edu/about-su/staff/scott-kershner'>Rev. Scott Kershner,</a> and then recorded their conversation for Bible Bash podcast. </p> <p>Going back and forth they discuss <a href='https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+3&version=NASB'>Matthew chapter 3</a>, the story of John the Baptist in the wilderness. John is an outrageous character in the way he dresses, where chooses to do ministry, and in his bold, direct, and highly critical message to the leaders of his day. </p> <p class="first-line-none">Now John himself had [<a href='https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+3&version=NASB#fen-NASB-23197f'>f</a>]a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan; 6 and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins.</p> <p>7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? (NASB version from <a href='https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+3&version=NASB'>Biblegateway.com)</a></p> <p>Peterson sees modern connections in John the Baptist with the work that performance artists and climate activists like Greta Thunberg do. Famously the Swedish teen <a href='https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/sep/23/greta-thunberg-speech-un-2019-address'>stood up in front of world leaders at the United Nations and railed against them</a>. </p> <p>"This is all wrong. I shouldn't be up here. I should be back in school on the other side of the ocean. Yet you all come to us young people for hope. How dare you!</p> <p>"You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words. And yet I'm one of the lucky ones. People are suffering. People are dying. Enti