Justice Worriers podcast

Andy reads a reflection on prayer sent in by a listener who also happens to be called Andy! He leads us to see prayer in some of our day-to-day activities, and maybe even to believe again that we can engage with the divine. If you have something you'd like to share in this series, do contact us. Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Andy reads another angry poem, this time about us singing ourselves deaf while we burn our world to the ground, and step on the poor. The poem is at https://artificialworlds.net/poems/deaf_song.html  If you have something you'd like to share in this series, do contact us. Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Andy, Leah and Jörg discuss AI: its utility, ethical problems and potential to change how we see ourselves and God. By building machines that reflect the totality of human knowledge and dress themselves up as truth machines, are we building idols? Does all this text cheapen our communication? Are we becoming yet more isolated? How should we respond? Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Jörg reads a deeply confrontational story by W.E.B. du Bois, retelling the story of Jesus from the point of view of a Black woman whose son is lynched by a mob. If you have something you'd like to share in this series, do contact us. Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Andy reads some prayers written back in 2012 that talk about how scary it is to ask things of God, and ask for peace. If you have something you'd like to share in this series, do contact us. Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Andy, Jörg and Leah talk through our response to preparations for war, where the only people calling for peace seem to be doing it insincerely. How can we respond to Jesus' words about turning the other cheek and loving our enemies when we feel the need to be protected? Do we abandon these ideas as irrelevant? Do we sacrifice the safety of our fellow-people to make a point? Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Andy reads some prayers written in 2019 that express our alienation from this world as well as our citizenship, and prays for peace and openness to action. If you have something you'd like to share in this series, do contact us. Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Andy reads a poem, somewhat surprisingly (at least to him!), about God's joy in us and our joy in God. The poem is at https://artificialworlds.net/poems/our_god_rains.html  If you have something you'd like to share in this series, do contact us. Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Andy reads the prayers he prayed early in the first Trump presidency, which express despair and resistance, and reflect the fact that we need to try and behave well and build bridges no matter what is happening around us. If you have something you'd like to share in this series, do contact us. Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Andy reads the first prayers he ever prayed at church in 2008, which speak of the urgent love of God for all people, and our desire to be changed. He reflects on what a different perspective he had 16 years ago, and also what threads still run through his more recent prayer. If you have something you'd like to share in this series, do contact us. Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Andy reads an angry poem he wrote about the harm he and others have experienced through a religion centred around a fierce and hateful God who takes the side of the powerful, and talks a bit about the accepting and compassionate God he spends his time trying to find. The words of the poem are at https://artificialworlds.net/poems/whitewashed.html. If you have something you'd like to share in this series, do contact us. Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

In a new style of episode for this year, called "readings", Andy reads some prayers he wrote in 2015, and reflects on how they land for him now. These prayers ask for forgiveness for our part in an oppressive world, and express faith that God can and will engage with us. If you have something you'd like to share in this series, do contact us. Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Andy, Leah and Jörg talk to Anna, who has lived her life bouncing around the UK, Uganda, Rwanda and other African nations, working for charities and aid organisations. She's seen the best and worst of churches and well-meaning people and been through many joys and crises. She talks of her struggles with cynicism and hopelessness, and reflects on what it means to follow Jesus and to pursue justice, even as she finds herself forced to slow down from the frantic pace of her earlier life. You can find some of Anna's poems at instagram.com/annauwerapoems. Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Andy, Jörg and Leah bumble through Isaiah 35 wondering whether there is any hope to be found, or just nationalistic rhetoric. Some of the things mentioned: Nomad Podcast 329: Brian McLaren - Wisdom and Courage for a World Falling Apart The Ezra Klein Show Gungor - Us For Them The Broken Earth by N.K. Jemisin Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Content warning: brief discussion of coercive control and inappropriate sexual behaviour. Andy, Leah and Jörg talk to Shamilka about her faith journey, especially the importance of her experiences at the Soul Survivor festival, and the impact of finding out about the scandal surrounding its leader, Mike Pilavachi. She describes how as a teenager she longed for a sign of God's acceptance, and Soul Survivor provided some chance for that, and then how that was thrown into confusion when its integrity was destroyed. Why do we look to hero figures to live our faith for us? Can we take good things from youthful experiences, even when we have re-evaluated them later in life? Obviously people who abuse their power should be stopped and held accountable. How do we construct churches and societies that prevent power from being concentrated in the first place? Do our ideas about God lead us towards lack of accountability and concentration of power? Statements from the Church of England: https://www.churchofengland.org/media/press-releases/concerns-substantiated-mike-pilavachi-investigation https://www.churchofengland.org/safeguarding/safeguarding-news-releases/statement-complaint-against-mike-pilavachi Report from The Times on allegations as early as 2004: https://www.thetimes.com/article/mike-pilavachi-soul-survivor-first-reported-2004-inappropriate-behaviour-5brvp6jsr Let There Be Light documentary featuring Matt and Beth Redmond: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVZkgdt32u8 Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Andy, Jörg and Leah talk about freedom: What did Jesus mean when he talked about freedom? Would it be right to be "free" when so many terrible things are happening? Is the "Free World" free, or just free to buy things if you can afford them? What was it like for Jörg when freedom came to East Germany? Can we hope for freedom from sin? What would that be like? Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Andy asks Leah and Jörg for help writing some hopeful prayers for Easter Sunday in the face of appalling violence across the world. What hope is there, and what should we do when we see precious people treated so cheaply again and again? Does the resurrection of Jesus offer some kind of pattern of hope that our world repeats every Spring? Or is it a sign of something terrifying and new that is far outside of our control? Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Jörg asks Leah and Andy for help preparing his sermon on Mark 6:45-56, where Jesus walks across the surface of a lake, and his disciples are terrified that he is a ghost. What are we supposed to make of this story? Is it about how Jesus is powerful, or how silent prayer can somehow make us powerful? If so, how come Jesus didn't prevent them being blown completely off course? Did Jesus retire to the mountain to pray because he was exhausted? How does any of this teach us anything about silence and solitude? Also, why on earth was he about to walk straight past the boat? Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Andy, Jörg and Leah talk to Steve and Claire talk about the kindness they have felt in church communities. We talk through the different phases of both their lives, including the remarkable influence of an "all-in" Christian community where members shared all their possessions and lived together, with all the joy and heartache involved. Their experiences lead us to discuss the importance of actually sharing our lives and being truthful about what is going on inside us. Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Andy, Jörg and Leah talk to Rima about her extreme adventures, from the North Pole to the Community Fridge, with a lot of dragging tires in between. Rima is an adventurer and a challenge-maker. She tells stories of cancer treatment and running marathons with the same vigour and passion, encountering God viscerally in those experiences. She has given her life to her passion for preventing waste and preserving the creation of which we are a part. She describes God's close presence and protection through her suffering, her adventures, and her joy. Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Andy, Leah and Jörg talk to Sue about her story with the church, including the death of her son Jake, and her work helping people escape from debt. Sue received incredible support from friends and leaders at her church in her grief and anger, and she somehow still sees God working. She describes the support she received when people sat with her, and she follows that example in her work helping people with debt problems, and in her relationships. She includes all the people who come into contact with our building and our people in her vision of "our church". Sue's husband is Andy, who we interviewed in episode 28. Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Andy, Leah and Jörg meet Anu, whose experiences of being part of communities across the world lead her to call for productive rage about ecological destruction, instead of mourning or despair. She sees the climate crisis as a continuation of the centuries-long process of unfettered grown and extraction, and the trail of destruction left by the colonisers following that process. How then has she found a new connection with the same God in whose name many of these things were done? If you want to take action, have a look at the scheme we mentioned on the podcast: The Prophetic Activist Scheme from Christian Aid. It includes training, mentorship and tools for activism, and connects you to a supportive community. Anu's book is A Liberation for the Earth - Climate, Race and Cross on SCM Press,  ISBN: 9780334061267. Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Many of us sometimes find it a struggle to go to church. Andy, Jörg and Leah work through some of the reasons, and try to figure out why we meet, why it's difficult, and maybe even what we can bring. Andy's poem at the end is Deaf Song. Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Andy, Leah and Jörg talk a bit about their experiences of gender, and what they read in the Bible about it. There are lots of binaries set up, and scripts that constrain us - can we find any helpful messages or hopeful ways to live? The book that Leah reads from at the end is Queer Virtue by The Reverend Elizabeth M. Edman Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Tim, Rachael, Lesley, Jörg, Leah and Andy gather around a microphone for the first ever in-person Justice Worriers! The question we asked was "what are your worries?" and we spent most of the time discussing "why don't I care?" and "how can we be a real community?". Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Sending you love this Christmas: here is a little prayer. Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

In many of our churches, God is addressed with male pronouns.  Andy, Leah and Jörg discuss some of the effects of this choice, and whether we can do better.  Maybe we can playfully explore different ideas of God's gender, accepting that with every step we gain some things and lose others? You are invited to a special episode of Justice Worriers: "What are your worries?" Come along to listen and share your worries about justice and life as a Christian. (No obligation to say anything!) Or, if you can't get to Egham in the UK, send us your worries, questions and comments and we will discuss some of them on the podcast. Don't miss your chance for this - you never know what good things might happen. If you'd like to come, contact Andy on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net. To share worries, email the same address, or hit us up on Mastodon, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Looking forward to it! Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Andy, Leah and Jörg talk about what they have been thinking about over the summer, which means sharing their vulnerabilities, worries and questions. Really this is just a chance to eavesdrop on us catching up and making space for each other. Listen carefully and you might notice there are even some glimpses of hope in there. That plumber who helps people can be found at depher.com/donate and twitter.com/Depheruk You are invited to a special episode of Justice Worriers: "What are your worries?" Come along to listen and share your worries about justice and life as a Christian. (No obligation to say anything!) Or, if you can't get to Egham in the UK, send us your worries, questions and comments and we will discuss some of them on the podcast. Don't miss your chance for this - you never know what good things might happen. If you'd like to come, contact Andy on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net. To share worries, email the same address, or hit us up on Mastodon, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Looking forward to it! Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

You are invited to a special episode of Justice Worriers: "What are your worries?" Come along to listen and share your worries about justice and life as a Christian. (No obligation to say anything!) Or, if you can't get to Egham in the UK, send us your worries, questions and comments and we will discuss some of them on the podcast. Don't miss your chance for this - you never know what good things might happen. If you'd like to come, contact Andy on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net. To share worries, email the same address, or hit us up on Mastodon, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Looking forward to it!

Inspired by recent news stories about refugees, abortion and climate crisis, Andy, Leah and Jörg talk about population: are people the problem, and should we have fewer of them? Or are the Christian ideas of abundance and valuing life showing us a different way? If we become less individualistic can we see population growth and decline in different ways? The fertility graphs Andy mentioned are at GapMinder. Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.  

Special guest Matt brings his life experience of crisis and his study of the book of Revelation to a discussion with Andy, Leah and Jörg about our increasing sense of crisis, whether over war in Europe, the climate or in our personal lives. Can a fantastical vision written down for the victims of a brutal empire offer some hope to anyone now? Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Special guest Dave talks with Andy about how the church educated them about sex and sexuality, and what aspects of that education and culture they want to leave behind: in particular, the sense that making a single mistake could ruin your life, or put you beyond the reach of God's love. Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Andy, Leah and Jörg try to understand how a God who exists and interacts with our world could allow such awful things to happen, inspired by the interview with Andy (a different Andy, whose son Jake died very young), and his decision to have unconditional love for God. Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Andy, Jörg and Leah struggle with the western-centric, exploitation-focussed discussion on the economy, and explore what we can learn from the Bible about how to run a country. Rather than tweaking the system to run smoothly, should we expect inequalities to develop and build in resets? Does Christian wisdom about human nature teach us anything we can apply to living as a modern society? Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Content warning: discussion of the death of a child. Special guest Andy describes his life story, including the death of his son Jake, by describing pictures he painted at different times in his life. Andy talks about how his early Christian faith, with an emphasis on positivity and trust in God to look after us, did not help him when faced with this awful experience. He talks about why he still loves God, and why he stuck with Christians. Click each painting to see a larger version: Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Special guest Sue talks to Leah, Jörg and Andy about the way western economic thought has dealt with the welfare of people through history, and discusses what tools economists, politicians and the rest of us can use to fight the climate crisis. Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Just a short message to suggest you might like to donate your money or time to help people escaping from Afghanistan to settle in to our local area. To donate money, go to: https://www.runnymede.gov.uk/news/article/33/appeal-launched-as-borough-prepares-to-welcome-first-afghan-families To volunteer your time, go to: https://www.runnymede.gov.uk/news/article/39/volunteer-to-support-afghan-refugee-families This is not organised by Justice Worriers - we just thought it sounded like a good idea and you might want to know about it. Several new episodes are coming soon!

Andy, Jörg and Leah struggle with whether forgiveness is a useful idea when talking about race. Surely the right response to the sins of the past involves some kind of forgiveness, but how can it be anything other than a demand on people who have been hurt to invalidate their own experience? What would it look like for repentance and power reversals to lead to a forgiveness that is more than an empty symbol?   Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.  

Andy, Jörg and Leah discuss their own identity, and in particular, unusually, how their racial background affects their sense of identity. Is there a healthy way "white" people can understand their background, without descending into self-hatred? Where does the word "white" come from in this context, and is the idea of "whiteness" a useful way to view the world? The White Privilege Checklist mentioned is at: projecthumanities.asu.edu/content/white-privilege-checklist. Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Andy, Leah and Jörg face up to the parts of the Bible that seem racist, and discuss how we can see a universal message as well as very concerning themes. Can we really describe ourselves as a "chosen nation", or do we need to move on from that idea? Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Andy, Leah and Jörg try to wrestle with how we could be a fully accepting community that is also a challenging movement, with a message of freedom and change. To do this they reflect on their interviews with a variety of people and their experience of belonging in life and church. Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Andy, Jörg and Leah are joined by Keith, who describes his experience growing up as part of a strict Pentecostal community in East London, and moving outside: seeing different forms of Christianity, living his own life as a gay man, and reflecting on the experience of being Black in Britain. Keith is a breathtaking poet, author and playwright. His latest book is Selah, published by Burning Eye Books, and you can follow him on Twitter at @keithjlondon. Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Andy, Leah, and Jörg try an experiment: praying together by discussing the awful violence happening in Ethiopia and working together to work out how to pray about it. This involves the usual doubt and self-contradiction, time to listen to some lamentation from the bible and a time of silence, leading to the creation of a spoken prayer that is as raw and honest as they can manage. Here's the prayer: "God, what are you doing? People are being brutally killed in Ethiopia. Lies are being told. Where is your truth? "We are sorry for our narrow compassion and lack of imagination. We humans are so quick to let fear turn into violence to protect our own group. We can't escape from this pattern without you. "God, do something. "We call forth Peace: establish the works of the peacemakers, establish the works of the witnesses, establish the works of people brave enough to speak out, establish the work of the protectors. Protect them, encourage them. "What should we do? Make us peacemakers in our situations. Use our resources for people in need - can we give money to help the refugees? "Shatter our smug self-satisfaction. Break our hearts. Break them in a way that makes us useful - not so we're too broken to act. Give us hopeful brokenness. "We call for Love, and Peace, and Compassion to break out in our world. "Your Kingdom Come. Your Kingdom Come. Your Kingdom Come." Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Andy, Jörg and Leah discuss their honest reactions to talk of spiritual warfare and the ideas of a magical alternative world, and try to find a way to acknowledge the reality of dark and light forces in our world, and to understand how our prayers interact with them. The Bible Project podcast we mentioned a couple of times is God Episode 3: Spiritual Warfare. The Rob Bell podcast Leah mentioned is Jesus H. Christ | Part 6 - Maybe Jesus Doesn't Want You to Follow Him. Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Andy, Leah and Jörg begin a conversation about prayer by asking whether God actually does things in the world. If so, how can it make sense? Does God need us to remind him to do good things? Why doesn't he help people in serious need? How can we ask for help with our trivial problems when people are suffering terrible hardship? Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Andy, Jörg and Leah talk to Michael, who describes a normal Surrey upbringing, how he feels his race affects people's reactions to him, and surprising places where he felt like an outsider, and an insider. Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Andy, Leah and Jörg wrestle with the ideas around heaven that have dominated evangelical consciousness: who is in and who is out? How can we imagine a God who keeps some people out, and what would it mean for people to write themselves out of God's story? Does people's intrinsic value change based on what they do? How does what we believe about who is included affect the way we treat others? As we claim to prefer, there are lots of questions and very few answers in this episode. Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Leah, Jörg and Andy talk about what happens when we die, and how it affects how we think and behave now. Will we carry on as if nothing happened? If not, if we are changed, are we even the same person? Should we see resurrection as a metaphor that comforts us in the face of death? Can we accept death, letting go of our life and invest in something mysterious? What example did Jesus set, and what do Jesus' mysterious resurrection appearances show us? Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Andy, Leah and Jörg discuss heaven: is it a magical computer in the sky that we get copied into when we die? What did Jesus mean when he said heaven is here? Is heaven a different place or a renewed version of this place? If we see heaven differently will that affect how to act towards each other? Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Andy Leah and Jörg talk to Andy about his experience of different classes and cultures in church, what he really needed from church when life was hard, and joining in with what Jesus is doing. Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.

Inspired by last episode's conversation with Esther about living with a "song" of Jesus' approval over our lives, Andy Leah and Jörg talk about how being saved was never about being copied into a magic computer in the sky after you die, and how this story of God making all things new transforms how we see other people and our world. Contact us on justiceworriers@artificialworlds.net or look for JusticeWorriers on Mastodon, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, tunein, SoundCloud, Tumblr or good old RSS.