The ChurchNext Podcast

. Try researching on your own. Use some of the following resources to learn more.Making Sense of the Cross (2011) by David LoseWalk in Love: Episcopal Beliefs and Practices (2018) by Scott Gunn and Melody Wilson Shobe (especially chapters 11, 12, and 22).The Scriptures, the Cross, and the Power of God (2006) by Tom WrightSeven Last Words: An Invitation to a Deeper Friendship with Jesus (2016) by Jame MartinCross-Shattered Christ: Meditations on the Seven Last Words (2011) by Stanley Hauerwas You might be interested in other ChurchNext classes on the cross and the resurrection.Consider the following courses:Making Sense of the Cross, Part 1 with David Lose.Making Sense of the Cross, Part 2 with David Lose.Making Sense of the Cross, Part 3 with David Lose.Finding the Resurrected Jesus with Susan Goff.Walk in Love, Part 2: Marking Time with Scott Gunn and Melody Wilson Shobe.Walk in Love, Part 5: The Trinitarian Life with Scott Gunn And Melody Wilson Shobe.

We hear about Jesus' invitation to follow him throughout our lives. But what does this "great proposal" really mean? What does it mean to actually follow Jesus in the way he calls us to do? The institution of the Church we have have created is most likely quite different from the path Jesus had in mind when he told Peter he would build his Church "on this rock."In this episode, author and community activist Larry Stoess takes us on a journey of of imaging how to put the values of Jesus' to work in our communities so that we can truly follow him, living and loving like he taught us to in our neighborhoods and communities. Larry calls us to enter into the mystery of the kingdom of God, into which Jesus invites us.

Books:Think Red: Imagine Your Community Living and Loving Like Jesus (2021) by Larry Stoess.The Way of Love: A Practical Guide to Following Jesus (2020) by Scott Gunn.Faithful Questions: Exploring the Way with Jesus (2015) by Scott Gunn and Melode Wilson Shobe.You might be interested in other ChurchNext classes on daily spirituality and social justice. Consider the following courses:Who is Jesus? with Jason FoutFinding the Resurrected Jesus with Susan GoffBecoming Beloved Community: Understanding Systemic Racism with Tom Ferguson and Ivy Forsythe-BrownFrom Palace to Public Square: The Way of Love with Michael Curry 

Depression is real. It can touch anyone -- even a bishop in The Episcopal Church. Mental illness is often stigmatized in our culture and even in the Church, but it doesn't have to be. Taking the time to learn about and recognize that mental illness is a part of everyday life for many people, even those we don't suspect of suffering from it, is part of our Christian duty to recognize the dignity of God in each person.In this episode Rob Hirschfeld shows us ways to work with depression in five short lectures:The Hidden EpidemicExperiencing DepressionAggression and MindfulnessPrayer and Self-CareSeeking HelpThis episode will interest those looking to learn more about how to reach out to people with depression and mental illness and anyone who suspects they or a loved one may be suffering from depression.

Seeing the Unseen: Beyond Prejudices, Paradigms, and Party Lines (2022) by Mark BeckwithBraver Angels websiteThe Episcopal Church Office of Government Relations Civic Engagement webpage Make Me an Instrument of Peace: A Guide to Civil Discourse (a free curriculum built in partnership with The Episcopal Church's office of Government Relations.)Bridging the Political Divide with Parker PalmerCivil Conversations in Uncivil Times with Ray SuarezFaithful Dissent: Loving Our Way into a Brighter Tomorrow Prayer from Prayers for a Privileged People by Dr. Walter Brueggeman

Bringing a pet into our home as a pulls us out of our human-focused mindset and into direct relationship with an element of God's created world. The fact that in a culture where many of us no longer need pets for practical reasons, so many people take on the expense and responsibility of caring for animals suggests that we long for this connection with God's creation.In this episode, the Rev. Emily Mellott discusses ways in which our connection with animals brings humans, ultimately, into relationship with God. Her talks include:Pets and CreationPets and Pure RelationshipsWhat Pets Teach Us about GodHow Pets Teach Us Spiritual ValuesThis course is ideal for pet lovers. For a preview, please click below.

BOOKSChristian Vegetarian AssociationGuided by the Faith of Christ: Seeking to Stop Violence and Scapegoating (2008) by Steven KaufmanGood News for All Creation (2002) by Steven Kaufman and Nathan Braun Dominion: The Power of Man, the Suffering of Animals, and the Call to Mercy (2003) by Matthew ScullyThe Global Guide to Animal Theology (2013), edited by Andrew Linzey. Forward by Archbishop Desmond TutuCreatures of the Same God: Explorations in Animal Theology (2009) by Andrew LinzeyWhy All Christians Should Go Vegan (2017 Washington Post article) by Charles Camosy OTHER CHURCHNEXT COURSESWater and Justice by Fletcher HarperHoly Grounds: The Surprising Connections Between Coffee and Faith by Tim SchenckChristians and Climate Change with Bill McKibben 

Lindsay Hardin Freeman looked at every instance of a woman speaking in the Bible, and what she found is powerful, life-giving, and transformational.Based on her award-winning book published by Forward Movement, Bible Women: All Their Words and Why They Matter, Freeman invites us into a sacred circle of inspiring voices. While we all may be familiar with Mary, Martha, Sarah, and Elizabeth, we may be surprised to discover that not only do none of these women hold the record for speaking the most in the Bible, but those that do offer equal inspiration in their words and deeds.Her talks cover:Women in the BibleWomen in the Hebrew ScripturesWomen in the ApocryphaWomen in the New TestamentThis episode will interest those who are interested in Bible study, especially those looking to hear women's voices in scriptures.

The word 'icon' is perhaps most popularly used with reference to a thumbnail image on our computers: it is a small illustration that takes us someplace else.This is the same with the library of Christian imagery that believers have been using for centuries to take them somewhere else - into a deeper sense of the presence and understanding of God.In this episode, pastor and teacher Randall Warren introduces us to the theology, history, and practice of icons, showing us how we might use them to deepen our own faith in Jesus.

Books:Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard ThurmanOnline Resources:QuakerSpeak - a bi-weekly series on YouTubeSilence and Witness (2004) by Michael Lawrence Birkel.Quaker.org: "A place for people worldwide to access reliable basic information about the Religious Society of Friends (the Quakers) and to explore resources that could help them find a spiritual path and community." Quaker.org is a project of Friends Publishing Corporation, which also publishes the Friends Journal.The Friends General Conference webpage offers overviews of Quaker beliefs and resources for people who want to learn more.I Need You - A Prayer by Howard ThurmanI need Your sense of time. Always I have an underlying anxiety about things. Sometimes I am in a hurry to achieve my ends and am completely without patience. It is hard for me to realize that some growth is slow, that not all processes are swift. I cannot discriminate between what takes time to develop and what can be rushed because my sense of time is dulled. O to understand the meaning of perspective that I may do all things with a profound sense of leisure of time.

Originally scheduled for 2020 and postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the most recent Lambeth Conference finally was able to meet in late July and early August of 2022.In this episode Bishop Eugene Sutton of the Diocese of Maryland offers his perspective on the 2022 Lambeth Conference. He offers an overview of what exactly the conference is and why it matters, discusses the current place the conference holds as an Anglican Church authority, talks about the main issues discussed at the 2022 conference, and addresses the question of why it matters that the Lambeth Conference and other meetings between members of the global Anglican communion continue to happen.This episode will interest anyone interested in the Anglican Communion in general, the Lambeth Conference specifically, or -- even more specifically -- in the major themes and issues covered in the most recent Lambeth Conference.

Visit the Come to the Table page on RAFI-USA's website.Eating Together Faithfully: A Framework for Conversation.Food, Faith and Farmers of Color: A Guide for Community Collaboration.Closing the Food Gap: Resetting the Table in the Land of Plenty (2009) by Mark Winne.More Than Just Food: Food Justice and Community Change (2016) by Garrett Broad.Food, Farms, and Community: Exploring Food Systems (2014) by Lisa Chase.You might be interested in other ChurchNext classes on daily spirituality and social justice:Introducing Christian Vegetarianism with Steve KaufmanGleaning Today: Conserving Food for Hungry People with Michael BingerOrganizing for Justice with Kayla GilchristDynamics of Helping the Poor with Lee Anne ReatCreating Common Good 1: Economic Inequality with Julio MurrayCreating Common Good 2: Christian Responsibility with Rachel Held EvansEconomic Inequality and the Church For Groups

Gleaning is the age-old agricultural practice of collecting excess food for the hungry. Centuries ago, food was left in the field for the poor to collect. Today in America, we waste literally tons of excess food every year that could be used to feed those who need it. We have a responsibility as people of faith to nurture God's abundance.In this episode, Michael Binger, Society of St. Anthony Regional Director of the Carolinas, explains how contemporary gleaning works to reclaim excess food in the twenty-first century food system and directs that food to people who need it. He discusses what gleaning is, the biblical foundations of the practice, why we glean today, and how to get started. You'll be interested in this episode if you're interested in food ministries or serving hungry people. 

BooksWhy I Am an Atheist Who Believes in God (2014) by Frank SchaefferPatience with God: Faith for People Who Don't Like Religion (or Atheism) (2009) by Frank SchaefferFollow the Red Bird (2018) by Kate RademacherBelieving Is Seeing: A Physicist Explains How Science Shattered His Atheism and Revealed the Necessity of Faith (2021) by Michael GuillenOnlineFrank Schaeffer's WebpageOther ChurchNext classes on similar topics. Consider the following courses:Finding the Resurrected Jesus with Susan GoffHealing Spiritual Wounds with Carol Howard MerittWhy Suffering? with Ian Markham

Do you ever get mad at God?Anger at God can produce feelings of shame, depression, and alienation. However, as Episcopal priest Laurie Brock says, anger is neither good nor bad in itself, but rather a neutral and natural emotion created by God.In this episode, Brock calls on a lifetime of study and counseling to offer insights into what anger is, why we get angry with God, and how we might respond to such anger in ways that are not only harmless but potentially transformative. Brock's talks include:What is Anger?Why Do We Get Angry with God?Is Anger at God Okay?Coping with Our Anger with God.Transforming Our Anger with God.

Organizations:350.orgSunrise MovementThird ActGreenFaithInterFaith Power and LightBooks:The Creation Care Bible Challenge (2022), Ed. Marek P. ZabriskieCooler Smarter: Practical Steps for Low-Carbon Living (2012) by the Union of Concerned ScientistsThe End of Nature (1989; reissued ) by Bill McKibbenThe Comforting Whirlwind: God, Job, and the State of Creation (2004) by Bill McKibbenLove God, Heal Earth (2009) by Sally J. BinghamClimate Guardians: Thoughts and Actions for People of Faith (2018) by David CainYou might be interested in other ChurchNext classes on similar topics. Consider the following courses in our Creation Care series:Water and Justice with Fletcher HarperHoly Grounds: The Surprising Connections Between Coffee and Faith with Tim SchenckIntroducing Christian Vegetarianism with Steve Kaufman 

While the word 'Godparent' is nowhere in the Bible, it is all over Christian history.From very early on Christians began baptizing their children as a way to form healthy believers - in keeping with the admonition in the book of Proverbs which says, 'Train up a child in the way they should go and when they are old they shall not depart from it.'In this episode, writer and teacher Nancy McLaughlin tells us:Why Godparents?Godparents and the BibleThe Role of GodparentsBeing a GodparentThis episode is perfect for Godparents and Godparents-to-be.

Community Change Gloria Rose ConsultingIf you're interested in learning more about community organizing, check out organizations, such as Direct Action Research and Training (D.A.R.T.)Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF) Books:The Justice Calling: Where Passion Meets Perseverance (2016) by Bethany Hoang and Kristen D. Johnson.Toxic Charity: How Churches and Charities Hurt Those They Help (and How to Reverse It) (2011) by Robert D. Lupton.Beyond Charity: The Call to Christian Community Development (1993) by John M. Perkins.Just Generosity: A New Vision for Overcoming Poverty in America, 2nd edition (2007) By Ron Sider. Online:Direct Action Research and Training (D.A.R.T.)Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF) You might be interested in other ChurchNext classes on daily spirituality and social justice. Consider the following courses:Dynamics of Helping the Poor with Lee Anne ReatCreating Common Good 1: Economic Inequality with Julio MurrayCreating Common Good 2: Christian Responsibility with Rachel Held EvansCreating Common Good 3: Educational Inequality with Nicole Baker FulghamCreating Common Good 4: A Christian Response with Justin WelbyEconomic Inequality and the Church For GroupsUnderstanding Systemic Racism: Becoming Beloved Community with Ivy Forsythe-Brown and Tom Ferguson (Free curriculum. Sessions 5 and 6 in particular discuss ways to engage local communities).For information on establishing partnerships with particular types of community organization, try:How to Establish a Church/School Partnership with All Our ChildrenResponding to Refugees with Allison Duvall. 

Books:Holy Grounds: The Surprising Connection Between Coffee and Faith -- From Dancing Goats to Satan's Drink (2019) by Tim SchenckBrewing Justice: Fair Trade Coffee, Sustainability, and Survival (2014) by Daniel JaffeeUncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How it Transformed Our World (2012) by Mark PendergrastFair Trade: A Beginner's Guide (2007) by Jaqueline DeCarlo Online:Episcopal Relief and Development's Fair Trade Project Outlines the Fair Trade Project and gives participants access to fairly traded coffee, tea, and chocolate.Fairtrade and Coffee (2012) by the Fair Trade Foundation. Overview of coffee farming and the need for fair trade practices with coffee farmers.Bitter Brew: The Stirring Reality of Coffee on the Food Empowerment Project's webpage. A shorter article summarizing the negative impacts of traditional approaches to coffee farming.15 Fair Trade Coffee Brands Worth Waking Up For on The Good Trade's webpage. This article recommends 15 brands of coffee that use strong fair trade practices. The Good Trade website as a whole is well worth investigating. Other ChurchNext courses of interest:Introducing Benedictine Spirituality with Laurel DahillEveryday Spiritual Practices with Keith AndrewsWater and Justice with Fletcher HarperSpirituality and Racial Justice with Michael CurryCreating Common Good 1: Economic Inequality with Bp. Julio Murra

If you're interested in learning more about keeping the Sabbath, check out books, such as MaryAnn's Sabbath in the Suburbs: A Family's Experiment with Holy Time,  Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal and Delight in Our Busy Lives by Wayne Muller, and The Sabbath World: Glimpses of a Different Order of Time by Judith Shulevitz.You might be interested in other ChurchNext classes on similar topics. Try: Handling the Work/Life Balance with David Gray; Living a Spiritual Life with Mary Gray-Reeves; How to Discern God's Will with Ruth Haley Barton; How to Forgive with Virginia Holeman, and How to Simplify Your Life with Mark Scandrette.We close with a reading from Night Prayer from the New Zealand Prayer Book.Lord,it is night.The night is for stillness.Let us be still in the presence of God.It is night after a long day.What has been done has been done;what has not been done has not been done;let it be.The night is dark.Let our fears of the darkness of the world and of our own livesrest in you.The night is quiet.Let the quietness of your peace enfold us,all dear to us,and all who have no peace.The night heralds the dawn.Let us look expectantly to a new day,new joys,new possibilities.in your name we pray.Amen.Lord it is night: Lord It Is Night is a beautiful 'close of the day' chant. The text is drawn from the New Zealand Book of Common Prayer and the musical setting was written by Ginny Wilder. Fran McKendree (vocal and guitar) joined here by Joanna Hyde (violin and vocal).https://www.christiancentury.org/article/2011-12/remember-sabbath Letting God Run Things without my help by Barbara Brown Taylor - Christian Century 

Ever have trouble settling down into prayer? Do you run into problems turning off the words or finding the words, focusing your mind or relaxing your body?Sybil MacBeth understands these problems. Like many of us, she had trouble focusing her attention on prayer -- until, through informal doodling one day, she felt herself drawn into prayer. She has developed Praying in Color as an approach to prayer that requires no artistic skill -- just paper and drawing tools.Sybil's four talks include:Introduction (to Praying in Color)Pray versus PlayIntercessory PrayerVariations of Prayer.This episode is ideal for those seeking new approaches to prayer.

Try researching on your own. Check out the following resources:World-wide Labyrinth LocatorWalking a Sacred Path: Rediscovering the Labyrinth as a Spiritual Practice (2006) by Lauren ArtressWalking the Labyrinth: A Place to Pray and Seek God (2014) by Travis SchollWalking the Labyrinth: A Spiritual and Practical Guide (2010) by Sally Welch You might also be interested in other ChurchNext classes on similar topics. Consider taking:Holy Yoga with Allison LaBiancaPraying in Color with Sybil MacBethContemplative Knitting with Julia CicoraPraying with Poetry with Dave Worster We close with a prayer by Thomas Merton from his Thoughts on Solitude.“My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself; and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this, you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.”Amen.

Spiritual wounds span in severity from annoyance to serious debilitation and they can keep us from being open and vulnerable to ourselves and others.Carol Howard Merritt knows a lot about this. She was raised in a strict, conservative Christian home where loving and well-meaning people nonetheless harmed her. In this class, based on Carol's book, Healing Spiritual Wounds, she defines what spiritual wounding is and how she has found help. Her lectures include:What Are Spiritual Wounds?When Institutions HurtFinding HealingWalking in HealthThis course is ideal for those who are curious about spiritual healing.

If you're interested in learning more about African American Spirituals, check out books, such as Songs my Grandma Sang, by Michael Bruce Curry, Radical Welcome: Embracing God, The Other, and the Spirit of Transformation (November, 2021) by Stephanie Spellers, and the Rastafari Book of Common Prayer by Mark Bozzuti-Jones. Also check out the Spirituals Database, and the Library of Congress' collection of African American Spirituals.You might be interested in other ChurchNext classes on similar topics. Try: Spirituality and Racial Justice with Michael CurryRacism and Racial Justice with Eduardo Bonilla-SilvaWhiteness and Racial Justice with Kelly Brown DouglasTheology and Racial Justice with J. Kameron CarterReparation and Racial Justice with Jennifer HarveyRadical Welcome with Stephanie SpellersA reading from There is a Balm in Gilead:There is a balm in GileadTo make the wounded whole;There is a balm in GileadTo heal the sin-sick soul.Sometimes I feel discouraged,And think my work's in vain,But then the Holy SpiritRevives my soul again.If you cannot sing like angels,If you can't preach like Paul,You can tell the love of Jesus,And say He died for all.There is a balm in GileadTo make the wounded whole;There is a balm in GileadTo heal the sin-sick soul.Amen. 

Like prayer, yoga has been used in the Hindu religion and in other religious traditions to inspire peace, awaken mindfulness, and draw people closer to the divine presence that surrounds.While many people associate yoga with Hinduism alone, Christian yoga instructor Allison LaBianca says yoga predates Hinduism and can be used by people of every faith to draw nearer to God. Through her work with Holy Yoga, Allison has learned how the practice of yoga can enhance prayer lives and awareness of Jesus in and around us. She discusses the history of yoga, its spiritual benefits, Christian themes in yoga, and how Christians specifically can use yoga.This episode is ideal for those who are looking to enhance their prayer lives through the ancient practice of yoga.

If you're interested in learning more about dementia and spirituality, check out the following books: Redeeming Dementia: Spirituality, Theology, and Science (2018) by Dorothy Linthicum and Janice Hicks. Walking Each Other Home: Spiritual Companionship for Dementia Caregivers (2021) by Jean DentonRedeeming Dementia: Spirituality, Theology, and Science (2018) by Dorothy Linthicum and Janice Hicks.On Pluto: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer's (2018 edition) by Greg O'Brien.Spirituality and Aging (2009) by Richard AtchleyLiving in the Memories of God (2012) by John SwintonBecoming Friends of Time: Disability, Timefullness, and Gentle Discipleship (Studies in Religion, Theology, and Disability) (2018) by John SwintonDancing with Elephants: Mindfulness Training For Those Living With Dementia, Chronic Illness or an Aging Brain (2017) by Jarem SawatskyYou might be interested in other ChurchNext classes on spirituality for caregivers and those suffering from illness:Courage for Caregivers with Jamie HaithGrowing Old with Grace (Not Glamor) with Barbara CraftonEucharistic Visitation with Tim SpannausHow to Help a Sick Friend with Joyce MercerWe close with a prayer adapted from Father Timothy Menezes' Prayer for Those Suffering from Dementia, written for the Pastoral Care Project© 2009:Father of all goodness, your Son brought healing of mind and body to show that your Kingdom is here. In our hour of need, we look to you, we seek to understand your purpose. We pray for those whose lives we share and who live with the knowledge of weakness, whose memory now fades, whose enjoyment of life's story is changing. Make us aware of the needs of others, of the dignity of life at every stage, of the collective memory that we own. Bless those who care for the sick, who share the journey. Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, in Your good time. We ask this through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

If you're interested in learning more about the Epiphany, check out books, such as Faithful Celebrations: Making Time for God from Advent through Epiphany, edited by Sharon Ely Pearson, and Stations of the Nativity: Meditation on the Incarnation of Christ by Raymond Chapman. Scripture study on the passages detailing Epiphany are another great way to go deeper with the Word and the story and apply it to your life.That's the end of our time today with Sharon. If you are interested in learning more about her work, visit her blog at rowsofsharon.com and check out the numerous books she has written and edited.You might be interested in other ChurchNext classes on church seasons. We offer a track - a collection of courses - called Seasons of the Church Year and you can further your study by taking other courses in this series like Introduction to Lent with Maggi Dawn and Introduction to Advent with Tim Schenck.The collect for the Epiphany from the Book of Common Prayer:O God, by the leading of a star you manifested your only Sonto the Peoples of the earth: Lead us, who know you now byfaith, to your presence, where we may see your glory face toface; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reignswith you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.Amen.

If you are interested in learning more about Suzanne's work, visit Suzanne's blog Week by Week Beads, at http://weekbyweekbeads.com/, which also offers access to her podcast. If you're interested in learning more about the Anglican rosary, check out books, such as Praying with Beads: Daily Prayers for the Christian Year (2007) by Nan Lewis Doerr and Virginia Stem Owens, which includes an introduction to the Anglican rosary and suggestions for prayer to use with it. Also try Another Bead, Another Prayer (2015) by Kristen and Max Vincent, which discusses the use of prayer beads in Protestant churches, offers ideas for prayers to use and for creating one's own prayers, and instructs readers on how to make prayer beads of their own.You might be interested in other ChurchNext classes on prayer and spiritual practices. Try Praying with Icons with Randall Warren, Praying with Saints with Scott Gunn and Tim Schenck, How to Pray Online with Karekin Yarian, Introducing Benedictine Spirituality with Laurel Dahill, and Holy Yoga with Alison LaBianca.Julian of Norwich prayer adapted for the beads:The CrossIn the Name of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen. The Invitatory O God make speed to save me (us), O Lord make haste to help me (us), Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. The Cruciforms God of your goodness, give me yourself, For you are enough to me. And I can ask for nothing less that is to your glory. And if I ask for anything less, I shall still be in want, for only in you have I all. The Weeks All shall be well, and all shall be well, And all manner of things shall be well.

If the wars of yesteryear were fought over oil, then the wars of the future will be fought over water.So says Fletcher Harper, the executive director of Greenfaith, an interfaith environmental group that has made the stewardship of water a core focus of its work. In this episode, Fletcher discusses the Christian call to conserve water and mitigate the effects of climate change. It will interest those looking to explore the interplay between climate change, the stewardship of water, and the practice of Christian faith. 

Our podcasts are curated from our online learning library at churchnext.tv. Learn more about us there. If you'd like to support us, please consider a monthly subscription. That will give you access to all of our individual online classes. Your generosity helps us produce digital experiences that help shape disciples.BooksWe Carry the Fire: Family and Citizenship as Spiritual Calling (2021) by Richard HoehnThe Church Cracked Open: Disruption, Decline, and New Hope for Beloved Community (2021) by Stephanie SpellersThe Holy Vote: The Politics of Faith in America (2009) by Ray SuarezLove Your Enemies: How Decent People Can Save America from the Culture of Contempt (2019) by Arthur C. Brooks You can find helpful resources on The Episcopal Church Office of Government Relations Civic Engagement page. You might also be interested in taking other ChurchNext classes on similar topics. Try:Make Me an Instrument of Peace: A Guide to Civil DiscourseBridging the Political Divide with Parker PalmerCivil Conversations in Uncivil Times with Ray Suarez

Here I Stand.These are the historic words attributed to Martin Luther as he took a stand for the radical convictions that should have gotten him killed.However, Luther's strength of conviction and timing in history combined to set the stage for big changes on the European continent and beyond. Church historian and theologian Alec Ryrie knows all about this. In this episode, he describes Luther's theological convictions during the pinnacle events of his life: his initial persecutions among the religious leaders of his day.This episode is ideal for those who are looking to learn more about Martin Luther and his seminal theology.

If you're interested in reading more about Martin Luther, look into Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther by Roland H. Bainton and Martin Luther: Confessor of the Faith by Robert Kolb. Online, the Project Wittenberg website has many resources by and about Martin Luther and other Lutherans, including an extensive Martin Luther page. Dr. Ryan Reeves, an Assistant of Historical Theology at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, has a YouTube channel called Historical Theology for Everyone, which offers short lectures on specific aspects of Luther's life and work.If you are interested in learning more about Alec's work, visit his blog at http://alecryrie.blogspot.com. In addition, check out his books, Unbelievers, an Emotional History of Doubt and -- Protestants: the Faith that Made the Modern World, among others. Dr. Alec Ryrie is a professor in the Department of Theology and Religion at the University of Durham, author, blogger and church historian. His most recent book is Unbelievers: An Emotional History of Doubt (2019). Alec's current research is on the history of how Protestantism became a global religion in the seventeenth century, and how it reveals deeper currents in the history of Christianity and of the modern world.Check out our ChurchNext courses Martin Luther: Here I Stand with Alec, a follow-up to the work you are listening to today and, The Lutheran Tradition with Mark Tranvik.  Collect for the Feast of Martin Luther from A Great Cloud of Witnesses:O God, our refuge and our strength: You raised up your servant Martin Luther to reform and renew your Church in the light of your word. Defend and purify the Church in our own day and grant that, through faith, we may boldly proclaim the riches of your grace, which you have made known in Jesus Christ our Savior, who with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Overcoming life's challenges is the larger lesson of the famous story of David and Goliath.John Ohmer knows this well. When he was called to be the pastor of a large church recovering from turmoil, he found great comfort, and learned more than a few lessons from David's confrontation with Goliath.In today's episode, he covers the following topics:The Nature of GiantsPreparing for BattleWinning AttitudesConfidence and HumilityYou might like these episode if you are currently facing challenges as well as those looking to glean life lessons from enduring difficult times.

Lucas Mix is an Episcopal priest, author, and martial artist. He is  also a researcher at the intersection of biology, philosophy, and theology, focusing on theories of life. In the second half of 2021, he is serving as the Baruch S. Blumberg NASA/Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology, Exploration, and Scientific Innovation researching the relationship between science and science fiction.If you're interested in reading more about resurrection, look into The Resurrection of the Son of God (2012) and Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Ministry of the Church (2008), both by N.T. Wright.If you are interested in learning more about Lucas' work, visit his blog at https://dacalu.wordpress.com/. In addition, check out Lucas' books, such as Life Concepts From Aristotle to Darwin: On Vegetable Souls (2018) and Thinking Fair: Rules for Reason in Science and Religion (2016).If you're interested in learning more about resurrection, check out our ChurchNext courses Don't Fear Death! with Tom Krell; What's Heaven Like? with John Price; Making Sense of the Cross with David Lose, Parts One, Two, and Three; and Exploring Hell with Seth Carey.

We'd like the universe to be simple to navigate in terms of moral choices -- but in reality, many choices and events are morally confusing, complex, or ambiguous. Sometimes, people get hurt -- through accidents, morally difficult choices, and other complicated scenarios. When that happens, the people who cause the injury can experience lasting trauma related to the sense that they should somehow have made better choices. They feel that their situation has caused them to violate their own moral codes, and they often suffer symptoms similar (but not identical) to those of PTSD.This type of trauma is called moral injury, and nobody understands it better than David Peters. As a person who has both experienced moral injury and worked with others who have dealt with it, David has written several books and many articles on the subject of moral injury. He has made it part of his mission to tell the world what moral injury is and how to heal from it.  His four talks include:Introduction to Moral InjuryMoral Injury and Its ImplicationsSeeking Healing from Moral InjurySelf Care and Helping OthersThis course is ideal for anyone who suspects they might be suffering from moral injury, for their caregivers, and for anyone who works routinely with veterans and others at risk for moral injury.

When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty without Hurting the Poor. Corbett, Steve and Fikkert, Brian. Chicago: Moody, 2012.A discussion of the problems posed by traditional charity-based outreach by religious organizations from an evangelical point of view. Corbett & Fikkert have followed this book with others in a series called When Helping Works.Helping Without Hurting in Church Benevolence: A Practical Guide to Walking with Low-Income People Corbett, Steve and Fikkert, Brian. Grand Rapids: Moody, 2015.Provides a toolkit for what to do when people ask for help.The Justice Calling: Where Passion Meets Perseverance.Hoang, Bethany and Johnson, Kristen D. Grand Rapids: Bravos, 2016A deep dive into God's call to justice through a description of six scriptural movements – creation, the fall, Israel, Jesus, the Church, and all things being made new. Biblical watchwords framing the discussion are holiness, hesed (loving-kindness). Justice, righteousness, and shalom (flourishing wholeness).Toxic Charity: How Churches and Charities Hurt Those They Help (and How to Reverse It)Lupton, Robert D. New York: Harper One, 2011.A good resource for congregational discussions about outreach efforts, both domestic and global. Lupton's Oath of Compassionate Service is particularly helpful, challenging our traditional approach to reaching out to those in need.Beyond Charity: The Call to Christian Community Development.Perkins, John M. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1993.An older resource for information on Christian Community Development that outlines the principles of moving into and becoming part of under-resourced neighborhoods. See web resources on CCD.Just Generosity: A New Vision for Overcoming Poverty in America, 2nd edition.Sider, Ron. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2007.Statistics are dated, but a discussion of the roots of poverty and our biblical call to justice are excellent. Sider gives Twelve Principles for a Just Society.You might be interested in other ChurchNext classes on church-community involvement and building economic justice. Consider taking:Radical Welcoming with Stephanie SpellersMetro Theology with Chip GravesCreating Common Good 1: Economic Inequality with Julio MurrayCreating Common Good 2: Christian Responsibility with Rachel Held EvansCreating Common Good 3: Educational Inequality with Nicole Baker FulghamCreating Common Good 4: A Christian Response with Justin WelbyEconomic Inequality and the Church For GroupsFor courses on establishing partnerships with particular types of community organization, try:How to Establish a Church/School Partnership with All Our ChildrenResponding to Refugees with Allison Duvall. 

Aren't churches in London dead?Sure, there aren't nearly the number of people going to church today as there were in the past, but things have changed a lot. In fact, the Diocese of London has been in a growth pattern for several years, as theologian and author Jason Fout explains. In today's episode, Jason describes what the Diocese of London is doing and why it works. He offers an overview of the Diocese of London's approach and its success and discusses ways in which Diocese of London churches (Holy Trinity Brompton in particular) have reduced the thresholds that were keeping them from connecting with people in their communities. He also examines the Diocese of London's approach to planting churches and building new worship communities and discusses why these ventures have been successful. This episode will interest those looking for ideas and inspiration on how churches and dioceses are growing. 

If you're interested in learning more about Spiritual Direction of finding a spiritual director, visit the Spiritual Directors International website.If you're interested in learning more about contemplative activities and practices, check out our ChurchNext courses: Praying in Color with Sybil MacBethDeveloping a Rule of Life with Hillary RainingWith Gladness: 5 Weeks of Holy Practices for Disciples with Christopher Martin

For many Christians, their great beauty has the power to elevate our minds into contemplation of the majesty of our Lord, the glory of the created universe, and our connection with the great cloud of witnesses that surrounds us. The power of stained glass windows lies in their effects on the senses and the heart as well as the brain. Like a good story, stained glass windows speak to us on multiple levels.The craftspeople who make stained glass windows use basic elements from the earth, much as their predecessors did centuries ago. From sand, stone, ashes, and metal oxides, human beings harness light and use it to imitate and celebrate the glory of God and God's creation. Today, Jackie King discusses the history of stained glass windows, the process by which artists create and install them in churches, the different styles that people have used over the centuries in designing these windows, and the purpose and ways to appreciate stained glass windows.For a PDF offering images of windows relevant to this course, please click here.

Resources:Contemplative Knitting (2021) by Julie CicoraKnitting Into the Mystery: A Guide to the Shawl-Knitting Ministry (2003) by Susan S. Jorgensen and Susan S. IzardKnit One, Purl a Prayer: A Spirituality of Knitting (2011) by Peggy RosenthalChurchNext related courses:Praying in Color with Sybil MacBethDeveloping a Rule of Life with Hillary RainingWith Gladness: 5 Weeks of Holy Practices for Disciples with Christopher Martin

Sun. Soil. Water. Perhaps it's close communion with the elements of our earthly lives that gives many gardeners a deeper sense of God.In this episode, author, retreat leader, and gardener Christine Sine offers us dynamic insight into what the simple labor of a gardener has to do with the God who fashioned the first humans from the soil and made a home for them in a garden. Christine discusses God as a gardener, and about digging and watering, planting and pruning in the context of spiritual development. She asks us to consider the rhythm of the seasons in our lives as part of living in God's world.This episode will appeal to those who are seeking new approaches to spiritual practice or deeper understanding and meaning to their work in the garden.

Susan Goff is a bishop, preacher, and teacher in the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia. If you'd like to learn more about Susan's work, visit the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia's website, http://www.thediocese.net/.If you're interested in learning more about seeking the resurrected Jesus in scripture and in culture, check out our other ChurchNext courses, What is Resurrection with Lucas Mix and, Violence, Myth and Scripture with Suzanne Ross.Thanks for tuning in. If you'd like to learn more about us, go to churchnext.tv. We close with the Collect for St. Martin of Tours in A Great Cloud of Witnesses:Lord God of hosts, you clothed your servant Martin the soldier with the spirit of sacrifice and set him as a bishop in your Church to be a defender of the catholic faith: Give us grace to follow in his holy steps, that, at the last, we may be found clothed with righteousness in the dwellings of peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. 

To learn more about Hillary's work, visit https://www.hillaryraining.com/. To learn more about ChurchNext, visit churchnext.tvIf you're interested in learning more about developing a rule of life, check out our other ChurchNext courses, Praying the Examen with Chris Anderson and Introducing Benedictine Spirituality with Laurel Dahill. 

Many believe slavery ended in the nineteenth century, but 40 million people across the world live in slavery today.As the Director of Church Mobilization for the International Justice Mission, Richard Lee knows a great deal about contemporary slavery -- why it is allowed to exist; how it thrives. Richard spends much of his time speaking out on behalf of people who cannot speak for themselves. In this episode, Richard discusses:The Scourge of SlaveryOne Person's StorySlavery and the BibleWhat's Being Done?This episode will interest  those who want to learn about slavery and the Christian call to social justice advocacy.

If you are interested in more of Maggi's work, visit her website, maggidawn.net. Check out her books, including The Accidental Pilgrim, Giving it Up, and Beginnings and Endings.If you're interested in learning more about Lent or learning through a Lenten curriculum, check out our other ChurchNext courses, Lent for Families with Kim Baker, A Spring in the Desert with Frank and Victoria Logue, and the newly released With Gladness: 5 Weeks of Holy Practices for Disciples with Christoper Martin.

It is the first and the shortest of the four Gospels, as most experts believe, and if you like getting right to the point, no other writer does it quite as well as St. Mark.The Gospel of Mark is the account of Jesus' life and ministry that most influenced the other three gospels. In this episode we'll learn:Who was Mark?To whom was Mark writing?What are the main themes in Mark?How should Mark be read?This course offers an excellent overview of Mark's Gospel.

Read When Breath Becomes Air (2016), neurosurgeon Paul Kalanithi's memoir about his struggle with a sudden diagnosis of the stage IV lung cancer that eventually took his life. In this book, he describes his change from a neurosurgeon helping patients survive to a cancer patient confronting death. You might also try The Good Death (2016) in which Ann Neumann, a visiting scholar at the Center for Religion and Media at New York University, explores the concept of a good death with dying people, spiritual leaders, and healthcare works. You also might consider reading How We Die (1994) by Sherwin B. Nuland and Awake at the Bedside (2016), a series of essays edited by Koshin Paley Ellison.You might also be interested in other ChurchNext classes on topics related to pastoral care, death, and the afterlife. Try How to Visit a Sick Friend with Joyce Mercer, Courage for Caregivers with Jamie Haith, Grieving Well with Andrew Gerns, and What's Heaven Like? with John Price.Tom Krell is a retired hospice nurse and Episcocpal priest serving in Michigan.

We all have an eating disorder.These words are as startling as they are true. Food, for most of us, is more than just a way to feed our bodies, but it feeds us in a myriad of other ways as well. In this episode, priest, author, and teacher Martha Tatarnic, who wrote a book on the subject, leads us in a discussion of the spiritual implications of our modern diet. This course is ideal for those looking to make deeper connections between food and spirituality.

Preparation and anticipation are in the air - and not just for gifts and meals - but for Christ to meet us anew in the holy season of Advent.Episcopal bishop and teacher Susan Goff leads us through a meditation on Christ who came, Christ who comes, and Christ who will come again. She invites us to take on some practical and inspiring disciplines in this season, and to contemplate more fully what it truly means to prepare for and anticipate the newness of Christ dwelling in our hearts. Her talks will cover:Christ in Three TensesChrist Who CameChrist Who ComesChrist Who Comes AgainThis episode should interest anyone who is looking to experience the holy season of Advent more deeply.

Advent is a season of preparation and anticipation that readies Christians for the birth of the baby Jesus at Christmas and also for Christ's second coming. In this course we will learn not just more about what advent is, but how it can change our lives.

Forgiving others can be the most important activity of our lives.But it doesn't have to be. Author and speaker Rob Voyle knows a lot about forgiveness. In his books and seminars he argues that letting go of an offense is easier than most people think, if they're able to keep in mind some elemental truths. In this episode, Rob unpacks his ideas on forgiveness.Those who are looking to move past forgiveness issues may find this episode helpful.