A short, weekly podcast from Rev. Dr. Sheila Macgregor about faith, practical spirituality and the meaning of life.
Today I focus on the importance of rituals in our lives and the need for retirement rituals. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sheila-macgregor/message
Today We Look at Differences in the Way that Various Generations Communicate or Understand the Spirit. How Does the Australian Lyrebird Help Us to Communicate Better with the Younger Generations and thereby Grow Our Faith Communities? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sheila-macgregor/message
Extensive research has been done to show that attending church one or more times a week actually contributes to greater mental, emotional and physical well-being, especially in the elderly. So why not give Church another try! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sheila-macgregor/message
In this chapter Diana talks about the messiness of the body and challenges dualistic understandings of Christianity which depict the Spirit as good and the Body as evil or sinful. She also reminds us that Jesus was a flesh and blood human being who served God in and through his body and who healed by touching others. He never said: "Think about this OR fight about that." Moreover, his Healings Were Nearly Always Preceded by Physical Touch. Theology is not a head trip. It is done best in and through our bodies. In fact, that is the only way we do theology! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sheila-macgregor/message
In chapter 5 of Diana Butler Bass's book, Freeing Jesus, we explore the meaning of John 14:6, where Jesus says: "I am the way, the truth nad the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sheila-macgregor/message
Jesus did not teach a conventional rules-based wisdom. He was not interested in correct beliefs or proper morals. Rather he embodied a way of love, a way which called people to to center in God, and in the path of sacrifice, a way that would lead to a new heart. As Diana talks about her memories of her best teachers, she recalls people who taught from the heart. Do you have memories of a special teacher who taught with compassion and embodied love? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sheila-macgregor/message
This week we explore the introduction and chapter one of Diana Butler Bass's most recent book, "Freeing Jesus." What are your earliest impressions of Jesus? How has your understanding of Jesus changed over the years? How might we begin to remove the barriers and fences that the Church has erected around Jesus over the centuries and truly free him -- and also free ourselves -- to share his message of love and justice and compassion for all? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sheila-macgregor/message
This coming Sunday, we celebrate Jesus the Good Shepherd. What does it mean to describe Jesus as our Good Shepherd? You may find it helpful to hear this psalm from the perspective of an avid baseball player. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sheila-macgregor/message
Telling funny stories at Easter is a way to symbolize that God got the last laugh over Satan when God raised Jesus to new life. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sheila-macgregor/message
The human body is a miracle, which contains 20 million kilometer of DNA and ten thousand trillion cells. These cells are being replaced many times during the average adult's life. So why would we think that God who has created us will not continue to grace us with existence in a marvelously new, resurrected body? The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is God's promise that we too will live eternally with God. This is why we celebrate Easter for seven weeks -- and on EVERY Sunday of the year! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sheila-macgregor/message
Included in this brief Good Friday reflection is a short prayer for you to pray on this day. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sheila-macgregor/message
This week we look questions we ALL must ask ourselves during Holy Week. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sheila-macgregor/message
What is this bizarre Book of Revelation about? And what is the author's real message? Today we consider the final chapter in Marcus Borg's book, Reading the Bible Again for the First Time. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sheila-macgregor/message
In this chapter Borg sketches the historical background of the gospels , the key message of each Gospel writer, and the meaning of the Gospel stories for our lives today. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sheila-macgregor/message
In this podcast, as we explore chapter 7 of Borg's "Reading the Bible Again for the First Time," we take a fascinating tour through Israel's Wisdom literature: the Book of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Book of Job. Borg explains the difference between the kind of Conventional Wisdom we find in Proverbs and the more "Subversive" or "Alternative" Wisdom we encounter in Ecclesiastes and Job. He also invites us to consider whether ours is a "firsthand religion" or a "secondhand religion". Is our faith based on what others have told us about God or about our own personal experience of God -- or both? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sheila-macgregor/message
Or were they addressing issues much more urgent and pressing to their own day -- issues that are still pertinent in our time. There is so much in the Hebrew Prophets from which we can learn. Hope you will take a couple of minutes and listen to this podcast based on Marcus Borg's book, "Reading the Bible Again for the First Time." --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sheila-macgregor/message
The first five books of the Bible, known as the Pentateuch, contain the suspenseful and memorable early story of the people of Israel. We learn of God's two-fold promise to Abraham and Sarah and their family: to give them the Promised Land of Canaan and to bless them with a multitude of descendants. But, as we know only too well, life never goes as planned. There are obstacles and threats that prevent things from unfolding just as planned. But when it seems as though the promise is jeopardized, God is faithful. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sheila-macgregor/message
Using an historical-metaphorical approach, Borg explores the meaning of the two creation stories found in the Book of Genesis. We learn that, while these stories are not factually true, they nevertheless contain great truth and wisdom for our time. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sheila-macgregor/message
In chapter three of Reading the Bible Again for the First Time, Marcus Borg invites us to consider the Bible using an historical-metaphorical approach. He notes that the historical and the metaphorical lenses provide two large umbrella that help us to discern the meaning of the scriptures. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sheila-macgregor/message
In chapter two of Borg's book, "Reading the Bible Again for the First Time", we look at the Bible as the reflections of two ancient communities that share their experiences and stories of God. We also consider what it means to talk about the Bible as "sacred" or foundational to our identity; the sacramental nature of the scriptures; and what it means to speak about the Bible as the Word of God. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sheila-macgregor/message
Over the coming weeks I will be sharing some key ideas from each of the chapters of "Reading the Bible Again for the First Time" by the famous biblical scholar, Marcus J. Borg. Why not purchase your own copy, or borrow one from your local library, and follow along? You will be glad you did! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sheila-macgregor/message
The God who comes to meet us in the precious Babe born in Bethlehem had beautiful brown skin. More importantly, he had a heart that was big enough to include people of all colours! Merry Christmas, friends! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sheila-macgregor/message
Where is the Good News of Christmas taking you this year? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sheila-macgregor/message
If we want to get to the joy of Christmas, we must first travel through the desert where John the Baptist is. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sheila-macgregor/message
How are you preparing to welcome Christ this Christmas? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sheila-macgregor/message
As we complete our series on Amy-Jill Levine's Difficult Words of the Bible, Levine gives us some helpful advice on how to wrestle with the scriptures. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sheila-macgregor/message
This week we continue our study by looking at more difficult words of Jesus. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sheila-macgregor/message
As we honour the memory of those who lost their lives in the pursuit of peace with justice, and as we remember those who continue to serve in peace-keeping missions around the world, I share a poem written by Rev. Andrew Lane, who served in France in World War One. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sheila-macgregor/message
In this episode we explore the history of the concept of Hell in the Old and New Testaments. Do you believe in Hell and, if so, what is Hell like? How can you help to relieve the intense suffering of those today who live in a kind of Hell on earth? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sheila-macgregor/message
Today we look at the real meaning of the Great Commission. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sheila-macgregor/message
The Doctrine of Discovery had its roots in another conquest, before Christopher Columbus ever landed in the so-called "New World". --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sheila-macgregor/message
Jesus talked a lot about spiritual blindness. Another name for this is Colonialism, which taught us to see people of non-western European origin as inferior. How might we begin to open our eyes and see all people as God's precious creation? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sheila-macgregor/message
How is God calling you to give of your first fruits -- your very best -- to those in need? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sheila-macgregor/message
Please take some time today -- Truth and Reconciliation Day -- for reflection and prayer! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sheila-macgregor/message
Have you ever considered what it would be like to be a residential school survivor? What would it be like not to be able to access your family history? Or how would you feel if you could not tell your story in your own way? Euro-Canadians have denigrated, distorted and often erased Indigenous stories, often seeing them as inferior forms of knowledge or representing an inferior educational methodology, and this in spite of the fact that our Lord was himself a Master storyteller who often told stories to teach a lesson. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sheila-macgregor/message
Jesus practised a ministry of massive inclusion; but there were some people he did exclude? Who were they and how are their stories a cautionary tale for the rest of us? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sheila-macgregor/message
Did you know that we have way more words for "exclusion" in the English language than words for "inclusion"? Sadly, the very language many of us speak and write betrays a cultural bias toward excluding people! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sheila-macgregor/message
One of the most courageous and fascinating women around Jesus is also one of the least known: Joanna. She has much to teach us about standing up for what is right and fighting systemic injustice. She also teaches us how to say that little word NO! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sheila-macgregor/message
When our promises do not match our actions! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sheila-macgregor/message
The New Testament scholar Elisabeth Moltmann-Wendel writes that "The women are the real transmitters of the tradition of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.” We can learn much from their example. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sheila-macgregor/message
While the early Church reverted back to the misogynism and patriarchal practices that were common before Jesus, our Lord's teachings continued to challenge those who would listen. May they continue to challenge us to be more inclusive and affirming of others today. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sheila-macgregor/message
It's not enough to say to those who are discriminated against that we welcome them. That assumes that we are in the superior position of host and that we are extending charity to others. Everyone is part of the family of God. Everyone has a place at Christ's table. Christ is our Host and he is the One who proclaims: All are welcome! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sheila-macgregor/message
Genesis 1 is not a catalogue of all creation but rather a testimony to God's power and love. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sheila-macgregor/message
Our knowledge of sexual orientation is a relatively recent discovery in human history. No one knew anything about a "heterosexual orientation" or a "homosexual orientation" or a "bi-sexual orientation" before the nineteenth century. But we did know Jesus' command to love one another as he has loved us. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sheila-macgregor/message
Jesus said as much about homosexuality as he did about wedding cakes -- absolutely nothing! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sheila-macgregor/message
This week we explore the very few Old Testament passages that touch on homosexuality to learn what they say -- or don't say -- about homosexuality. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sheila-macgregor/message
Jesus climbs Mount Tabor and is transfigured before his disciples Peter, James and John. He gives them a kind of memory card to hold on to when times are tough, which is what Dr. King did too when he told people how he had been to the mountaintop and then inspired us all to work for racial equality and justice. The real work starts when we climb down from the mountain. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sheila-macgregor/message
Jesus would never have engaged in the kind of extreme, right-wing polemic we have seen at the protests in Ottawa and across the country. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sheila-macgregor/message
Who was your mentor or coach? And who are you discipling or mentoring today? Resilience is something we attain by having good mentors -- and be being good mentors to others! Listen to the story of the Honourable Jean Augustine and learn more! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sheila-macgregor/message
Golfer Richard Bland played 477 tournaments on the European tour before his first breakthrough win last year at the age of 48. We can learn a lot about how to handle defeat and disappointment and how to build personal resilience from the world of sports and science as well as from our Lord Jesus. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sheila-macgregor/message
Jesus modeled a remarkably resilient life. How developing resilience can help you to face adversity. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sheila-macgregor/message
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