A Rabbi & A Pastor Walked In

Hi friends and listeners of the Rabbi and Pastor Walked In Podcast. In this episode Rabbi Ari and Pastor Danielle take a break from the Genesis series to sit and lament with each other in the aftermath of the shooting that took place at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburg Pennsylvania, October 27, 2018. The normal opening music seemed inappropriate for the tone of this particular episode, and so that's why I'm just giving this brief preface here. In addition to offering thoughts and prayers for the families and victims, we additionally extend our spiritual, social, and political efforts for societal change. They recorded this episode on November 9, 2018.

As the story of Abraham unfolds, we begin to see how the whole of the Torah—the first five books of the Bible—are weaving a beautiful tapestry of truths. From ravaging hunger, to spiritual awakening, there is a reason why Abraham is an ancestor to so many, and why this narrative still rings true. Hungering, Going Up By Jumping Out of an Airplane, and The Shema, this week on A Rabbi & A Pastor Walked In.

We now come to the journey of Abram, and like traversing any path, it is important to take it step by step. In this episode, Rabbi Ari and Pastor Danielle read through the opening verses of Genesis chapter 12, stopping along the way to take in the scenery, reflect on the dynamics of story, and consider the connections to which we are drawn. 25% Bigger, 5 Blessings, and 125 Miles, this week on A Rabbi & A Pastor Walked In.

Our next chapter leads us to one of the most prominent figures in the Hebrew Scriptures, Abram, later known as Abraham. In this episode, Rabbi Ari and Pastor Danielle set some ground work, explaining the meaning of the genealogy, and discussing a variety of questions that emerge from this family's departure from their homeland on their way to Canaan. Descendants, Dung Balls, and Discerning the Voice of God, this week on A Rabbi & A Pastor Walked In.

In the beginning God made humanity to be fruitful and multiply, and to fill the earth. 10 chapters later, rather than spreading out, they're building up. The story of the Tower of Babel, in Genesis chapter 11 is an incredibly rich passage full of confusion, nuance, and ultimately a vision for all of humanity. Mixing Up, 70 Year Time Outs, and “Most People,” this week on A Rabbi & A Pastor Walked In.

In this second installment of our conversation on Noah, we now discover the ethical and moral teachings, the lessons this text is pointing us toward. Through careful analysis, Rabbi Ari and Pastor Danielle help us all not just know the lessons, but how they can be lived. God is 26, Nipping It In The Bad, and Becoming Better Followers, this week on A Rabbi & A Pastor Walked In.

The well known story of a man and his family and a big floating boat is actually quite different from the popular depictions that we see in nurseries, as if this was a children's story. In this episode, Rabbi Ari and Pastor Danielle discuss the concepts and the metaphors that make the Noah story so much more. A Tiny Floating Zoo, The Scouring of the Earth, and Molten Lava, this week on A Rabbi & A Pastor Walked In.

In this episode we are treated to a special edition of our podcast which was recorded live with members of Spark Church and Etz Chayim, and features questions from the two congregations on optimism, the end times, and the hope of multi faith conversation. The topic of discussion, A Transforming Faith For A Broken World, Why Jewish and Christian Hope Matters, this week, on A Rabbi & A Pastor Walked In

The genealogies in the Bible, for many, are passages that are full of archaic names and numbers that are to be skipped over to get to the more important passages. But if you've been listening to this podcast for awhile, you know by now that in the naming of these generations, there's far more here than meets the eye. Our One Horrible Act, Hebrew Haikus, and Anglicized Names, this week, on A Rabbi & A Pastor Walked In

In this episode, Rabbi Ari & Pastor Danielle discuss the next chapter in their Genesis series, chapter four, the story of Cain & Abel. We discover again the sacredness of life, the vision of human responsibility, and the call of the Scriptures to see ourselves in these ancient characters. Something & Nothing, Tying Up Your Camel, and Being my Brother and Sister's Keeper, this week on A Rabbi & A Pastor Walked In.

This week I got to join the podcast for a conversation on leading tours to Israel, an experience of travel, study, and pilgrimage. Far from just seeing sights, however, our journeys are about a real engagement with the life and experiences of the people, both then, in Biblical times, and today. It's Complicated, Tools In Our Toolbox, and No Changing Teams, this week on A Rabbi & A Pastor Walked In.

In this episode, Rabbi Ari and Pastor Danielle discuss a variety of meanings found in the images and symbols of the the snake, nakedness, and of Adam and Eve eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. And for one brief segment, in this particular podcast, listener discretion is advised. Snake Skins, Ari Territory, and Women with Hammers this week on A Rabbi & A Pastor Walked In

Gender has been a core perennial mystery of humanity since the very beginning. Making sense of male and female is not only complicated, but it is emotional as well. In this episode, Rabbi Ari and Pastor Danielle bring to light the vision of the Genesis narrative of man and woman as both the fullness of humanity. Patriarchal Sheep, Lusty Fire, and Warrior Language, this week on A Rabbi and A Pastor Walked In.

Genesis chapter 2 is a second creation narrative, one that for some makes interpretation complicated when comparing it to chapter 1. For Rabbi Ari & Pastor Danielle, however, this simply makes things more interesting. In this episode they discuss the nature of this text, the garden, and the intricate descriptions of humanity. Inclinations, Shabbat Cereal, and No Bellybuttons, this week on A Rabbi & A Pastor Walked In.

The creation of humanity is one of the most beautiful and mysterious elements of the Genesis narrative. It includes plural nouns with singular verbs, gender, and the elements of earth and breath. In this episode Rabbi Ari and Pastor Danielle reflect on what it means for that creature, ADAM (אדם), to be made in the image and likeness of God. Lame Pictures of Jesus, Akiva in a Bath House, and XY Chromosomes, this week on A Rabbi & A Pastor Walked In.

Friends, this episode launches a new season of diving into the Bible and looking deeply into the dynamics of the text. It has been said that you can't study a text without a rabbi. Well, in the next several episodes, you get a bonus, you get a rabbi, and a pastor as they begin in the book of Genesis. Hanging From The Ceiling, 747 paperweights, and Ezekiel as a Valley Girl, this week on A Rabbi & A Pastor Walked In.

I'm not sure there is anything more challenging to human existence than the reality of death. In this episode, Pastor Danielle and Rabbi Ari discuss their experiences, both personal and professional, and what lessons we could draw from the diverse ways we react and respond to people dying. Crying, Bad Sermons at Funerals, and Trusting a Trustworthy God, this week on A Rabbi and A Pastor Walked In.

This month commemorates the 500th anniversary of the Christian Reformation, the famous split between Catholics and Protestants over a variety of theological issues, one of them, being “grace.” It is on this backdrop that Pastor Danielle and Rabbi Ari discuss the differing views that Christians and Jews have and share the beauty of finding grace in everything. 95 theses, Gym Memberships, and Last Minute Forgiveness, this week on A Rabbi and A Pastor Walked In.

So, what is a commandment? What does it mean to behave in accordance with one's faith identity? In this episode, Rabbi Ari and Pastor Danielle discuss the concept and practice of "mitzvah," the doing of good deeds in this world, which is of course rich with depths of meaning beyond just mere religious practice. Dancing Chairs, Being Fruitful and Multiplying, and Meeting Jesus, this week on A Rabbi and A Pastor Walked In.

So, how do you hear God? Or how does God speak? Understanding our experience with God requires deeper thinking and reflection about both the apparent presence and the apparent absence of God. In this podcast, Rabbi Ari and Pastor Danielle discuss their insights on the phenomenon which is the experience of God. ESP, Thin Silence, and God's Footsteps, this week on A Rabbi And A Pastor Walked In.

The ceremonial act of two people pledging their lives to one another is one of the most powerful traditions we have in our culture. It is no surprise, then, that Jewish and Christian practices have much in common, and much that is distinct. Rabbi Ari & Pastor Danielle share what is similar, and what is unique about their respective traditions. Huppahs, Cutting A Deal, and True Love Waits, this week on A Rabbi & A Pastor Walked In

There is perhaps nothing that is so needed and so elusive at the same time than hope, and this has been true throughout the human experience. In this conversation, Pastor Danielle and Rabbi Ari discuss their sacred texts and their serendipitous experiences that provide the grounding for hope in their faith expressions. Ironydipity, Discipline, and Ending Up In The Right Place, this week on A Rabbi & A Pastor Walked In.

The recent events in Charlottesville have brought to the surface a national conversation around race, identity, and how to lead people of faith through events such as these. In this conversation, Rabbi Ari & Pastor Danielle discuss their responses, and their experiences. Diversity, Crazy World Events, and the Line that Divides Good and Evil, this week on A Rabbi & A Pastor Walked In.

So, this podcast has been on an unexpected hiatus when we got news that Rabbi Ari was ill and had to be admitted to the hospital. Bless God, he is out and is on the path toward full recovery. In this episode, Pastor Danielle and Rabbi Ari reflect soberly on this and other life events. Pancreatitis, raising kids, and praising God for openings in our bodies, this week on a Rabbi and a Pastor Walked In.

The holiest day in the Christian calendar is Easter, the holiday that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. In this episode, Pastor Danielle and Rabbi Ari share their personal experiences growing up with this holiday and its traditions, and exchange some questions along the way regarding the meaning of resurrection. Egg Fights, Cross Lollipops, and Life In Between the Chapters, this week on A Rabbi And A Pastor Walked In.

During the spring, Passover and Easter are celebrated by Jews and Christians all over the world. In this episode, Rabbi Ari & Pastor Danielle discuss their practices, traditions, and some reflections on Passover being celebrated and observed by Christians. What meanings, and challenges should we consider in that practice? Hogwarts Haggadah, Egg Laying Miracles, and Reset Buttons, this week on A Rabbi And A Pastor Walked In.

Pastor Danielle and Rabbi Ari have been leading tours to Israel for many years on their own, but this year they got to lead an interfaith tour of Jews and Christians. In this podcast they share some highlights, some surprises, and some reflections on the meaning of this experience. Hodesh Tov, 2000 Years of History and Yad VaShem, this week on A Rabbi & A Pastor Walked In.

As our world becomes more globalized, perhaps one of the most important and challenging issues is how do we see the “stranger,” the “other,” the person who is different from me, or the tribe or community of which I am a part? How we understand the answer to that question has huge implications for how our faith traditions are lived out. Major surgery, four sides of the tent, and sheep & goats, this week on A Rabbi & A Pastor Walked In.

This week, Pastor Danielle and Rabbi Ari continue their conversation on resurrection, except they get a bit more personal. This is perhaps where faith and spirituality become most real, and most powerful, when our theologies meet our hopes, dreams, and expectations. Infinite bodies, a suffering God, and the limitation of our imagination, this week, on A Rabbi & A Pastor Walked In

Resurrection is known in Christianity as the central tenant of the faith. It appears less known or understood, however, that the themes of making the dead alive are also found in Jewish traditions. So, what is this new life of which we speak? Sheol, walking corpses, fire insurance, and long lines in an amusement park, this week, on A Rabbi & A Pastor Walked In.

As we near the darkest time of the year, Rabbi Ari & Pastor Danielle reflect on the Biblical imagery of light and the commission to all of us to be light. Or, maybe perhaps, reflect the light that we already are?! Light and darkness in creation, a light to the nations, and lights on a street corner in Palo Alto, this week, on A Rabbi & A Pastor Walked In.

This is the holiday season, or shall we say, the "holy" season when Jews celebrate Chanukah, and Christians celebrate Christmas. So, what are these two holidays anyway, and what role do they play in these respective traditions? And can we still find meaning in these celebrations even in the midst of the massive commercialism of this season? Xmas, Greek, The Temple, and The Number of Candles on Your Window Sill, this week, on A Rabbi & A Pastor Walked In.