Podcasts about beloved community

DateFebruary 1, 2026SynopsisIn this sermon, we continue our series, Building the Beloved Community: A Blueprint from Dream to Reality, by diving into the structural integrity of the 'frame.' We move past the foundation of 'somebodiness' to see how the prophet Micah's call reveals the essential, non-negotiable components: to do justice, embrace hesed (faithful love), and walk humbly with God. These three elements are the core beams and joists of a life of faith, ensuring that your efforts do not collapse into self-righteousness, cheap charity, or burnout, so the Beloved Community you're building can actually bear weight.ReferencesScripture: Micah 6:1–8About The Local ChurchFor more information about The Local Church, visit our website. Feedback? Questions? Comments? We'd love to hear it. Email Brent at brent@thelocalchurchpbo.org.To invest in what God's doing through The Local Church and help support these podcasting efforts and this movement of God's love, give online here.

As we celebrate his fight for racial equality and justice through nonviolent protest, honoring his commitment to freedom, service, and building a “Beloved Community” for all people, we continue the journey through the season that describes Christ's revelation to the world, asking “Who is this?” This question anticipates the questions that follow Jesus throughout his life and ministry – questions from both followers and adversaries. It's also a defining question of our own faith journeys: Who is this Jesus, and

Rev Erin Walter's service delivered on January 18, 2026. Rev. Walter will hold space this Sunday through the words and music of the Rev. Meg Barnhouse, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, and more. Join us in community as we hold the joys and sorrows of the world, the nation, and our own hearts.

https://vimeo.com/1156181882?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci Martin Luther King Jr is celebrated every day in Inner Medicine Community, and once a year in the collective. Akeem and Kerri are taking this opportunity to bring us all together and rekindle the inspiration that Martin Luther King Jr brought us, a fiery passion for freedom and respect that still lights our hearts on fire today. We will explore the Dream that MLK and Coretta Scott brought into reality as far as they could in their lifetimes: The Beloved Community. Now it is our turn to pick up the torch and carry it together. Join us for an inspiring conversation that will spark your passion alive and give you the focus you need to walk your next steps. Grace Under Fire – Free Live Series https://subscribepage.io/GraceUnderFire Ride the Fire Horse – 30-day Experience of Inner Medicine Community https://subscribepage.io/RideTheFireHorse ABOUT AKEEM SAMI Akeem brings his lifetime of martial arts mastery as a 6th degree black belt to Inner Medicine Community, as well as his training as a pranic and advanced shamanic healer, offering rich insights about mastering self. He is a somatic healer as well as a licensed massage therapist. YOUR GUIDE TO SOUL NECTAR: KERRI HUMMINGBIRD Kerri Hummingbird, Medicine Woman, Mother and Mentor, is the Founder of Inner Medicine Training, a Mystery School that shares potent ancient traditions from the Andes and Himalayas for owning your wisdom and living your purpose. She is the #1 international best-selling author of “Inner Medicine: Becoming One with Mother Earth for the Survival of Humanity”, “Love Is Fierce: Healing the Mother Wound”, “The Second Wave: Transcending the Human Drama” (on the int'l bestseller charts for over 6 years) and the award-winning best-selling book “Awakening To Me: One Woman's Journey To Self Love” which describes the early years of her spiritual awakening. As the host of Soul Nectar Show, Ms. Hummingbird inspires people to lead their lives wide awake with an authenticity, passion and purpose that positively impacts others. As a healer and mentor, she catalyzes mind-shifts that transform life challenges into gifts of wisdom. If you are wondering what the heck is going on, the answer is simple. We are in the process of a massive shift in consciousness that can most aptly be described as the metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly. As a medicine woman, I guide you to the next deepest understanding and embodiment of yourself as a spiritual being. Whether you receive a shamanic healing session, participate in the Reinvent Yourself Training program, or join us for Inner Medicine Training, one thing is certain: you will connect more deeply with your true self and learn to navigate the changes in your life from an empowered space within. SCHEDULE A FREE DISCOVERY SESSION: https://tinyurl.com/SoulNectarChat JOIN SOUL NECTAR TRIBE! https://kerrihummingbird.com/membership In Soul Nectar Tribe, we are joining forces to influence a new conversation on the planet…one that respects and honors all of life and looks forward seven generations to ensure the consequences of our actions are what we choose to create for our descendents. When we join our sparks together in community and comraderie, we become a powerful beacon of light and hope. FREE GIFTS! 1. Receive the free Reinvent Yourself ebook and guided meditations at http://www.kerrihummingbird.com/gift 2. Receive the Second Wave Guided Meditation Pack for free at http://www.thesecondwave.media LINKS FOR KERRI HUMMINGBIRD Website: www.kerrihummingbird.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kerri.hummingbird.sami Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kerri.hummingbird/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@soulnectarshow LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerrihummingbird/

DateJanuary 18, 2026SynopsisIn this sermon, we launch our new series, Building the Beloved Community: A Blueprint from Dream to Reality, and dive into the faithful life that refuses to shrink the horizon. Drawing on the fierce wisdom of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the prophet Isaiah, we confront the lie that tells us we are nobodies, anchoring ourselves instead in the radical truth of "somebodiness"—our inherent, God-given worth. This unshakeable foundation is the starting point for building the Beloved Community, calling us out of personal exile and into a larger, shared vision of justice and flourishing for the world.ReferencesScripture: Isaiah 49:17About The Local ChurchFor more information about The Local Church, visit our website. Feedback? Questions? Comments? We'd love to hear it. Email Brent at brent@thelocalchurchpbo.org.To invest in what God's doing through The Local Church and help support these podcasting efforts and this movement of God's love, give online here.

1/18/2026 – Second Sunday after Epiphany Psalm 40:1-11 Kiki Barnes Music for Sunday's worship gathering No Not One by Oatman/Zach How Firm a Foundation by Rippon/FunkSteadfast by McCracken/NouwenThose Who Trust by WaterdeepInstrument of Peace by Porter’s Gate Worship Open Up by Rain for Roots Daughters of Zion by Porter’s Gate Worship Doxology

Guest Minister Rev Leona Stucky-Abbott's service delivered on January 11, 2026. This sermon fosters understanding of erroneous Biblical expectations regarding God's actions, of the human longing that informs people's faith, of differences between polar perspectives and where they might coalesce, and of how UU principles may prompt action rather than remain just words. It tells stories that provoke, explore, and suggest.

Rev. Carrie Holley-Hurt's service delivered on January 4, 2026. As we enter a new year, we enter a liminal space. A time in which we are between the known and the unknown. All the joys and sorrows that we faced in 2025 have changed us. Sometimes those changes have been good or enriching, and sometimes they have not. During our burning bowl service, we contemplate what we would like to let go of so that we may more easily find our center as we move into the new year.

Rev. Carrie Holley-Hurt's service delivered on December 28, 2025. Storytelling is a powerful way to connect with one another, to understand ourselves and the world around us, and it just feels really good. Rev. Carrie explores the power of a good story.

As we step into a new year, what questions are stirring within you? In this message, Rev. John invites our Beloved Community to ask the questions that matter most to them & he responds to as many as time allows.

Rev. Chris Jimmerson and Rev. Carrie Holley-Hurt's service delivered on December 21, 2025. We join together for this annual tradition of retelling the Christian Faith Story through song and holiday merriment.

With embodied loving awareness, Dr. Sará King invites us into ancestral intelligence, shadow healing, and remembering our living connection to our lineage.This recording is from our 2nd Annual Ram Dass Legacy Summer Mountain Retreat in Boone, North Carolina. Keep up with upcoming retreats and events HERE.This week on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Dr. Sará King explores:Ancestral intelligence and the collective nervous system as an interdependent web of beingThe concept of ‘Beloved Community' and what it feels like to embody loving awarenessMeeting the pain, grief, and responsibility of climate change with compassionComing into contact with our shadows and healing our ancestral bloodlineRecognizing that our ancestors are truly present with us, guiding us in the here and nowBreathwork and grounding to reconnect with earthSending metta to those around us and to our ancestorsShifting our neural connections and transforming our hearts through practiceGrab a copy of the book that Dr. King reads from: In Search of Our Mothers' GardensAbout Dr. Sará King:Dr. Sará King is a Mother, a neuroscientist, political and learning scientist, medical anthropologist, social entrepreneur, public speaker, and certified yoga and meditation instructor. She is an internationally recognized thought leader in the interdisciplinary field that examines the relationship between complementary alternative medicine, social justice, art, and mindfulness from the perspective of neuroscience. Keep up with Dr. King on Instagram or HERE “So many of us have lineages of complexity. I hold both ancestors who were oppressors as well as the oppressed inside of my body, so I can practice with this integration of loving presence and shadow every time that I connect to my embodiment.” –Dr. Sará KingSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rev. Carrie Holley-Hurt's service delivered on December 14, 2025. It's the season of peace or so they say. What does peace mean when there is so little of it in the world? Where do we find our peace? Rev. Carrie explores peace and how we might think about it in times of chaos.

Rev. Chris Jimmerson's service delivered on December 7, 2025. What if hope is not the same as an optimistic belief that things will turn out the way we imagined? What if hope is grounded in the stories we tell ourselves about the past and present, and an unwavering belief that what matters most is how we show up in the present moment?

Qais Essar & Sonny Singh have collaborated on a beautiful record Sangat which means Beloved Community.  They are on a mission of bringing people together, moving past the divisions that humans are susceptible to in service to a greater vision of a peaceful world. The music is beautiful. Sonny and Qais each discuss their musical and spiritual backgrounds, and why this project is so dear to them. • Qais Essar & Sonny Singh on YouTube Music by: Qais Essar & Sonny Singh The post Qais Essar & Sonny Singh – “Sangat” appeared first on Paradigms Podcast.

Rev. Chris Jimmerson's service delivered on November 30, 2025. Transcendence and Transformation are two of our religious values at First Unitarian Universalist Church of Austin. We'll explore how our experiences of transcendence can lead to personal growth and transformation, and paradoxically, how working to transform ourselves and our world can lead us into transcendence.

Rev. Chris Jimmerson's service delivered on November 23, 2025. We know that gratitude can lead to a wealth of psychological, spiritual, and even physical health benefits. Yet, how do we truly cultivate gratitude? If it is as simple as expressing thanks for the good things in our lives, what happens when life seems just mundane or when things get really hard? What happens when folks with power and privilege demand gratitude from those over whom they hold power? How do we make sure our "thanks giving" is an authentic spiritual practice?

This weird and fantastical vision is a story of the reality of forces of destruction and death, the bravery of creating and giving life in the midst of those forces, and the desire of God that life be protected and lifegivers nourished. This weird and fantastical vision is a story of resistance, because dragons are real. We are called to midwife the Beloved Community, dragons be damned!Sermon begins at minute marker 1:30Revelation 12.1-6Resources:Poem: Katie Lehman, "Light from the Twelve Stars," Drawing Near: A Devotional Journey with Art, Poetry & Reflection, ed. Eileen R. Kinch and John D. Roth (Herald Press, 2025), 188.Jan Richardson, The Intimate Apocalypse: Notes on a Pilgrimage Into Revelation (Wanton Gospeller Press, 2007).Anabaptist Community BibleHildegard of Bingen, prayer, Voices Together (Menno Media, 2020), 900.Image: detail from Randy Horst, “John's Vision: A Woman, Her child, and the Dragon,” Drawing Near: A Devotional Journey with Art, Poetry & Reflection, ed. Eileen R. Kinch and John D. Roth (Herald Press, 2025), 186.

Rev. Carrie Holley-Hurt's service delivered on November 16, 2025. We are people who have beautifully joined ourselves to the work of building the Beloved Community, but what does that look like in a fractured world where some have more than they will ever need and some will never have enough? Rev. Carrie explores the role of solidarity in our work and in our lives.

In this episode of The Biggest Table, host Andrew Camp converses with Victoria Loorz, a wild church pastor, eco spiritual director, and author, about her unique perspective on spirituality and nature. Victoria discusses her journey from being a pastor of indoor churches to founding the first Church of the Wild in Ojai, California, and her involvement with the Ecumenical Wild Church Network. The conversation delves into the concept of 'Wild Spirituality,' emphasizing a reorientation of relationships with the living world through a 'wild Christ.' Victoria unpacks the spiritual significance of integrating nature with religious practices, the importance of remembering and reconnecting with the sacredness of all life forms, and how scripture grounds her work. They explore the transformational power of experiencing God's presence in nature, the importance of grief in spiritual journeys, and the role of language in shaping spiritual understanding. The discussion highlights practical steps for fostering a deeper connection with nature, even in urban settings, and how these practices can help heal trauma and resist the modern pressures of empire and disconnection.Victoria Loorz is a wild church pastor, an eco-spiritual director and co-founder of several transformation-focused organizations focused on the integration of nature and spirituality.  She feels most alive when collaborating with Mystery and kindred spirits to create opportunities for people to re-member themselves back into intimate, sacred relationship with the rest of the living world. After twenty years as a pastor of indoor churches, she launched the first Church of the Wild, in Ojai CA and began to meet others with the same sense of call to leave building and expand the Beloved Community beyond our own species. She then co-founded the ecumenical Wild Church Network. She is also the author of Church of the Wild, and coauthor of Field Guide to Church of the Wild.This episode of the Biggest Table is brought to you in part by Wild Goose Coffee. Since 2008, Wild Goose has sought to build better communities through coffee. For our listeners, Wild Goose is offering a special promotion of 20% off a one time order using the code TABLE at checkout. To learn more and to order coffee, please visit wildgoosecoffee.com. 

Homily Title: Reconstructing Sunday School: From Literal Fear to Imaginative Love While many of the ideas and practices handed down to us about God and the church may have shifted, there is something about Jesus we still find compellingly beautiful. Often, after letting go of what wasn't working, we struggle to find a way forward that shapes our lives to mirror the Beloved Community of God.    Special guest, Sarah Swartzendruber, co-pastor at Cascade Church in Portland, OR continues our Fall Vision series, Reconstructing Rhythms, by exploring how we relate to the faith that was handed down to us and how we might reimagine more loving and holistic ways of sparking faith conversations and formation with kids in our lives. [Mark 1:10-13]   Reflection  If you were in faith spaces as a kid or student, what messages were you given about God? What “tips or solutions” would you add for moving away from “fear-based” theology? If you could teach your childhood self one message about God, what would it be? Resource PDF: Vox Childlike Faith of Curiosity

Rev. Chris Jimmerson's service delivered on November 9, 2025. Courage and Community: These are two of our religious values at First Unitarian Universalist Church of Austin. How do our values of courage and community intersect and interact? In what ways do they call us to be and act in our world? Rev Chris explores how these values bring our religious community alive to meet the challenges of our times.

Homily Title: Reconstructing Prayer: From a Contest to a  Doorway While many of the ideas and practices handed down to us about God and the church may have shifted, there is something about Jesus we still find compellingly beautiful. Often, after letting go of what wasn't working, we struggle to find a way forward that shapes our lives to mirror the Beloved Community of God.    Brandon Kinder continues our Fall Vision series, Reconstructing Rhythms, by offering several practices for allowing prayer to be a doorway bringing us closer to both our authentic self and the One whose Divine Image we bear. [John 21:1-14]   Reflection  How might the purpose of prayer seem different now than when we were younger? When do you feel the most connected to the divine? Try not to look at your phone right now. Resource PDF: Vox Doorways to Prayer

Rev. Carrie Holley-Hurt's service delivered on November 2, 2025. Loss is an inevitable part of the human experience, and yet we often give ourselves so little time to acknowledge it or to spend time with our grief. This Sunday, we will spend some time acknowledging the loss we have experienced and the grief that has shown up in its place. Rev. Carrie Holley-Hurt leads us through a ritual of acknowledgement.

Reconstructing Church: From Conformity to Community While many of the ideas and practices handed down to us about God and the church may have shifted, there is something about Jesus we still find compellingly beautiful. Often, after letting go of what wasn't working, we struggle to find a way forward that shapes our lives to mirror the Beloved Community of God.    As we continue our Fall Vision series, Reconstructing Rhythms, Lilly Ettinger honors the tender and challenging experiences many have had with church while asking us to participate in the kind of community centered on Christ that would lead to our collective flourishing. [Hebrews 10:24-25] Reflection  Where do I see the kind of community I want to be a part of? What do I wish motivated me to come to church? How might I reimagine my role in this church? Resource PDF:  Vox Growing Together 2025

This episode is a chapter in the upcoming book Wisdom from the South. Black Madonna Speaks Patreon members have been receiving weekly chapters on this book which will hopefully find a publisher in the coming months. During a rewrite and re-recording of the chapter, while witnessing the current state of the world, I felt the message that The Black Madonna was sharing through this chapter was needed at this time of great challenge and trial for all people of Good Will. To make a one time donation of any amount to support the podcast, please donate tohttps://www.paypal.com/paypalme/BlackMadonnaHeartBecome a Patron for the channel at https://www.patreon.com/TheBlackMadonnaSpeaksTo purchase Black Madonna Speaks extra content, please visithttps://www.patreon.com/theblackmadonnaspeaks/shop#divinefeminine #sacredfeminine #virginmary #ourlady #blackmadonna #anthroposophy#spiritualjourney #camino #pilgrimage #mothermary #spirituality #Ubuntu #Africa

Rev. Carrie Holley-Hurt's service delivered on October 26, 2025. Play is the most natural state for children, but it somehow disappears from our lives along the way. But it doesn't have to be this way! Rev. Carrie explores the power of play.

Reconstructing the Cross: From Punitive Scapegoating  to Divine Nonviolence While many of the ideas and practices handed down to us about God and the church may have shifted, there is something about Jesus we still find compellingly beautiful. Often, after letting go of what wasn't working, we struggle to find a way forward that shapes our lives to mirror the Beloved Community of God.  As we continue our Fall Vision series, Reconstructing Rhythms, guest Anthony Bartlett reveals the cross as pointing to the way of our nonviolent transformation rather than a retributive transaction demanded by God. [2 Corinthians 5:13-21]   Reflection  What traditional explanations of Christ's death have I been given in the past? What if the violence of Jesus' death was the whole point–displaying human violence and the counter-revelation of divine nonviolence? Is it possible for me to accept the revelation of a God of absolute nonviolence? Resource PDF:  Vox Practicing Nonviolence

Rev. Chris Jimmerson's service delivered on October 19, 2025. Each year, we make celebration a spiritual practice. We celebrate the differences we make in our world together, the joy that comes from being a part of and supporting this religious community, and our gratitude for all life has to offer.

Reconstructing Evangelism: From Tactics to Authenticity While many of the ideas and practices handed down to us about God and the church may have shifted, there is something about Jesus we still find compellingly beautiful. Often, after letting go of what wasn't working, we struggle to find a way forward that shapes our lives to mirror the Beloved Community of God.  This week, in our Fall Vision series, Reconstructing Rhythms, Vanessa Maleare shifts perspective from tactics to sell a religion to authentically bearing witness to the goodness of God present in each of our lives. [John 4:7-30] Reflection  What is inherently good for you in the ways of Christ? Is there anyone you know that embodies this goodness? Resource Book: Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Faith by Rob Bell PDF: Vox Veniae Bearing Witness to Goodness 

Rev. Carrie Holley-Hurt's service delivered on October 12, 2025. Anger, like all our emotions, can be a powerful tool for awareness, motivation, and value creation, but it has also been misused and abused. So what do we do with all this anger? And how do we disentangle it from all its baggage? Rev. Carrie explores anger and how we can cultivate a healthier relationship with it.

Reconstructing Scripture: From Solo to Symphony While many of the ideas and practices handed down to us about God and the church may have shifted, there is something about Jesus we still find compellingly beautiful. Often, after letting go of what wasn't working, we struggle to find a way forward that shapes our lives to mirror the Beloved Community of God.  Our Fall Vision series, Reconstructing Rhythms, continues with Christopher Mack gathering us to for the practice of Lectio divina as a way of stepping into God's Story, even as we find it infusing in our being. [Mark 12:28-34] Reflection  How does the relational nature of this scripture conversation between Jesus and the scribe impact how you might reflect on scripture? Where do you experience the disconnect in your life from hearing scripture and embodying it? How might our experience of scripture be different if we try making a meal of it (formational) instead of reading it for helpful or inspiring bits (informational)? Resource Book: Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices that Transform Us by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun Book: Opening to God: Lectio Divina nad Life as Prayer by David Brenner Book: Solo: An Uncommon Devotional by Eugene Peterson, Jan Johnson, J.R. Briggs, and Katie Peckham Book: Eat This Book: A Conversation in the Art of Spiritual Reading by Eugene Peterson PDF: Vox Veniae Lectio Divina

Rev. Chris Jimmerson's service delivered on October 5, 2025. One of the religious values our church community vows to uphold is compassion, which we define as "to treat ourselves and others with love." How does treating ourselves with love open us to acting with compassion toward others?

Homily Title: Reconstructing Spirituality: From Guilt to Growth While many of the ideas and practices handed down to us about God and the church may have shifted, there is something about Jesus we still find compellingly beautiful. Often, after letting go of what wasn't working, we struggle to find a way forward that shapes our lives to mirror the Beloved Community of God.  Our Fall Vision series, Reconstructing Rhythms, begins with Christopher Mack inviting us to consider the practice of Rhythm of Life as a way of allowing the simple seed of God's kin-dom in our lives and world to become a vibrant, yet surprisingly great shrub. [Mark 4:30-32] Reflection  What preconceptions about how God is supposed to work today might actually prevent you and others from growing in God's Love? Do you sense a distraction you might lay down or change your relationship with over the next month? Is there an area in your life where you wish to take a simple step for the next month in the hope of experiencing growth? Resource Book: Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices that Transform Us by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun PDF: Vox Veniae Rhythm of Life

Rev. Carrie Holley-Hurt's service delivered on September 28, 2025. This church has often stood against the societal tides of dehumanization and marginalization. We have been a soft place to land for those of us who did not fit in and have felt alone. This church has been and will continue to be needed by those here now and by those to come. But what does that say about our role and responsibility to one another and to those we will never meet? Rev. Carrie explores who we are, what we are about, and how living love can help us.

Rev. Chris Jimmerson's service delivered on September 21, 2025. Unitarian Universalism has centered our faith in love. In this church, we often speak of an ocean of love that flows through our universe. Our stewardship campaign's theme this year is "Living Love". What might these beautiful abstractions look like in the concrete world of our daily lives? What if love is not just a feeling but is also something we do? How might we make love a verb?

Listen to us talk about our vision as a church! We've existed for 13 years and recently God has worked in us to help us clarify our vision as a church. We've had some recent transitions as a church body that has made us feel now is a great time to state what we are hoping to do and be as a church. We want to help people love Jesus, be disciples that embody the Beloved Community values, saturate the city of Flagstaff with Jesus, and live in connection to, and unity with the Beloved Community! 

Rev. Carrie Holley-Hurt's service delivered on September 14, 2025. When we work towards justice we are building a world of belonging. But what does that look like in our community, and what do we need to do? Rev. Carrie explores how we might build belonging and how our religious roots can help us.

Rev. Chris Jimmerson and Rev. Carrie Holley-Hurt's service delivered on September 7, 2025. Water Communion is a special day when we all come back together after the summer bringing with us water that symbolizes something meaningful to us. We will engage in a ritual together through which we share with one another that symbolic meaning as we blend and mingle the waters to remind us of our shared faith.

What's your favorite call to adventure? Christopher Mack hears the call to reconsider our relationship with the status quo as we are invited to daily form Beloved Community. [Luke 14:25-33]   Reflection  Where do you feel an invitation to subvert the values and expectations of the status quo? How might a cruciform vision of spirituality challenge you? Is there a way you might explore the practice of awakening to the Divine Presence daily this week? Resource Book: Everything Belongs: The Gift of Contemplative Prayer  by Richard Rohr Book: Present Perfect: Finding God in the Now by Greg Boyd

Rev Chris Jimmerson and Rev. Carrie Holley-Hurt's service delivered on August 24, 2025. Rev. Chris and Rev. Carrie will answer questions about the church, life, the universe, and everything (though neither will pretend to have the answers to all that).

Rev. Carrie Holley-Hurt's service delivered on August 31, 2025. Every generation in our church brings something beautiful and unique to our living tradition. This Sunday, we will explore how the youth have helped shape our faith and how those of us who are older can encourage and provide space for them to grow and contribute.

How do you know when you are standing on your own sacred ground? Christopher Mack imagines a table where we are not serving our unhealthy fixations and impulses, but are living out of attachment to God's Inclusive and Transformative Love. [Luke 14:1, 7-14] Reflection  Which strategy for pursuing happiness seems primary for you right now? Who might you share your honest experience of life with this week? Is there someone you. Might invite to experience the radical love and grace of God's Beloved Community this week? Resource Book: Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices that Transform Us by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun

For more information, check us out at Plattewoodschurch.orgConnect with us socially:Instagram: @plattewoodschurchFacebook: plattewoodschurchPlattewoodschurch.org/worship

It's often touted that Rumi is one of the best-selling poets in the United States. That may be the case but popular renderings of the writings of this 13th-century Muslim have largely detached him from the Islamic tradition, and specifically Sufi mysticism. In Radical Love: Teachings from the Islamic Mystical Tradition (Yale University Press, 2018), Omid Safi, Professor of Islamic Studies at Duke University, places Jalal al-Din alongside luminaries within the rich archive of Islamic Sufi poetry. In this anthology of newly translated poetry Safi focuses on love, especially ‘ishq/eshq, what he renders as “radical love.” The volume organizes translations of Qur'an and Hadith, Sufi mystics and poets into four thematic sections: God of Love, Path of Love, Lover & Beloved, and Beloved Community. Radical Love does an excellent job of introducing readers to key ideas from Islamic mysticism that are rooted in first hand knowledge of Arabic and Persian texts. This book is valuable to both the scholar and the student because of Safi's informed nuance in both the careful selection of source passages and the subtle lyricism of his translations. In our conversation we discussed the translation of Sufi poetry in English, strategies to translation work, love in the Islamic tradition, the reception of Rumi, Ahmed Ghazali's first book in Persian on love, Qawwali singers, contemporary sheikhs, and several key Sufis authors. Kristian Petersen is an Assistant Professor of Philosophy & Religious Studies at Old Dominion University. He is the author of Interpreting Islam in China: Pilgrimage, Scripture, and Language in the Han Kitab (Oxford University Press, 2017). He is currently working on a monograph entitled The Cinematic Lives of Muslims, and is the editor of the forthcoming volumes Muslims in the Movies: A Global Anthology (ILEX Foundation) and New Approaches to Islam in Film (Routledge). You can find out more about his work on his website, follow him on Twitter @BabaKristian, or email him at kpeterse@odu.edu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

For more information, check us out at Plattewoodschurch.orgConnect with us socially:Instagram: @plattewoodschurchFacebook: plattewoodschurchPlattewoodschurch.org/worship

It's often touted that Rumi is one of the best-selling poets in the United States. That may be the case but popular renderings of the writings of this 13th-century Muslim have largely detached him from the Islamic tradition, and specifically Sufi mysticism. In Radical Love: Teachings from the Islamic Mystical Tradition (Yale University Press, 2018), Omid Safi, Professor of Islamic Studies at Duke University, places Jalal al-Din alongside luminaries within the rich archive of Islamic Sufi poetry. In this anthology of newly translated poetry Safi focuses on love, especially ‘ishq/eshq, what he renders as “radical love.” The volume organizes translations of Qur'an and Hadith, Sufi mystics and poets into four thematic sections: God of Love, Path of Love, Lover & Beloved, and Beloved Community. Radical Love does an excellent job of introducing readers to key ideas from Islamic mysticism that are rooted in first hand knowledge of Arabic and Persian texts. This book is valuable to both the scholar and the student because of Safi's informed nuance in both the careful selection of source passages and the subtle lyricism of his translations. In our conversation we discussed the translation of Sufi poetry in English, strategies to translation work, love in the Islamic tradition, the reception of Rumi, Ahmed Ghazali's first book in Persian on love, Qawwali singers, contemporary sheikhs, and several key Sufis authors. Kristian Petersen is an Assistant Professor of Philosophy & Religious Studies at Old Dominion University. He is the author of Interpreting Islam in China: Pilgrimage, Scripture, and Language in the Han Kitab (Oxford University Press, 2017). He is currently working on a monograph entitled The Cinematic Lives of Muslims, and is the editor of the forthcoming volumes Muslims in the Movies: A Global Anthology (ILEX Foundation) and New Approaches to Islam in Film (Routledge). You can find out more about his work on his website, follow him on Twitter @BabaKristian, or email him at kpeterse@odu.edu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literary-studies

It's often touted that Rumi is one of the best-selling poets in the United States. That may be the case but popular renderings of the writings of this 13th-century Muslim have largely detached him from the Islamic tradition, and specifically Sufi mysticism. In Radical Love: Teachings from the Islamic Mystical Tradition (Yale University Press, 2018), Omid Safi, Professor of Islamic Studies at Duke University, places Jalal al-Din alongside luminaries within the rich archive of Islamic Sufi poetry. In this anthology of newly translated poetry Safi focuses on love, especially ‘ishq/eshq, what he renders as “radical love.” The volume organizes translations of Qur'an and Hadith, Sufi mystics and poets into four thematic sections: God of Love, Path of Love, Lover & Beloved, and Beloved Community. Radical Love does an excellent job of introducing readers to key ideas from Islamic mysticism that are rooted in first hand knowledge of Arabic and Persian texts. This book is valuable to both the scholar and the student because of Safi's informed nuance in both the careful selection of source passages and the subtle lyricism of his translations. In our conversation we discussed the translation of Sufi poetry in English, strategies to translation work, love in the Islamic tradition, the reception of Rumi, Ahmed Ghazali's first book in Persian on love, Qawwali singers, contemporary sheikhs, and several key Sufis authors. Kristian Petersen is an Assistant Professor of Philosophy & Religious Studies at Old Dominion University. He is the author of Interpreting Islam in China: Pilgrimage, Scripture, and Language in the Han Kitab (Oxford University Press, 2017). He is currently working on a monograph entitled The Cinematic Lives of Muslims, and is the editor of the forthcoming volumes Muslims in the Movies: A Global Anthology (ILEX Foundation) and New Approaches to Islam in Film (Routledge). You can find out more about his work on his website, follow him on Twitter @BabaKristian, or email him at kpeterse@odu.edu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/middle-eastern-studies

Rev Chris Jimmerson's service delivered on August 17, 2025. On this very special music Sunday, we'll pay tribute to some of the musical greats and examine the spiritual messages and legacies they have given us.

For more information, check us out at Plattewoodschurch.orgConnect with us socially:Instagram: @plattewoodschurchFacebook: plattewoodschurchPlattewoodschurch.org/worship