Podcast appearances and mentions of Desmond Tutu

Send us Fan MailJoin Randy Freking and Jack Greiner for an engaging conversation with Cammy Dierking, a trailblazer in sports broadcasting, avid athlete, and lifelong Reds fan. Cammy shares her incredible journey from growing up in Cincinnati during the Big Red Machine era to making history as one of the first female sports anchors in the country. Plus, her unique insights into Reds history, memorable games, and her life beyond the camera—highlighted by her Olympic-level athletic pursuits and love for her family and Colorado's outdoor adventures.In this episode:Cammy's early Reds memories and favorite players from the Big Red MachineHer experience growing up in Cincinnati and playing neighborhood baseballTransition from sports to news broadcasting to support her familyMemorable interviews with legends like Michael Jordan, Desmond Tutu, and presidentsHighlights from her journalism career, including iconic moments at Reds gamesPersonal athletic achievements: marathons, Ironman triathlons, and college swimmingHer top Reds uniform and baseball moviesHeartwarming stories as a grandmother, including her grandkids and the "Gaga Tour"A playful look at Reds history: trades, top players, and favorite uniformsHer picks for Reds' Mount Rushmore and legendary momentsTimestamps:00:00 - Introduction and Cammie's Reds fandom origins 01:18 - Growing up in Cincinnati during the Big Red Machine era 02:30 - Favorite Reds players and neighborhood baseball stories 03:12 - Her father's influence as an NBA player and Reds access 04:19 - Favorite Reds manager sparky Anderson 05:38 - Cammie's athletic pursuits: marathons, triathlons, college swimming 07:11 - Transition from sports to television broadcasting and breaking barriers 08:42 - Her educational background and college sports experience 10:09 - Reasons for switching from sports to news and family considerations 12:09 - Post-retirement life in Colorado and family joys 13:20 - Memorable interviews with icons like Michael Jordan and Desmond Tutu 15:15 - Covering the 2000 Hall of Fame ceremonies and experiences in Cooperstown 16:18 - What Cammie has been up to since leaving Channel 12 17:35 - Most memorable Reds moments and favorite game nights 19:35 - Revisiting Reds decisions with a time machine 21:05 - Reds players or teams she despises or loves to hate 21:53 - Reds players on her Mount Rushmore, including Pete Rose and Johnny Bench 23:05 - Dream dinner party with Reds legends like Sparky and Tony Perez 24:49 - Favorite ballpark snack and memorable nights at the ballpark 25:13 - Watching Pete Rose break Ty Cobb's record 26:17 - Clutch moments in Reds history and her ideal pinch hitter 27:42 - Reds pitchers she trusts in high-pressure situations 28:33 - Her favorite baseball movie: Field of Dreams 29:10 - Walk-up song choice: Lose Yourself by Eminem 30:31 - Favorite Reds uniform and nostalgic appreciation for the classic look 31:44 - Most memorable visit to the ballpark, including the tragic opening day with John McSherry 32:47 - Amazing moments like Billy Bates' heroics and Paul O'Neill's raw talent 36:10 - Nicest Reds player she's met and Reds hairdo favorites 37:07 - Reds players with the best hair, including Yasiel Puig's mohawk 38:46 - Most legendary Reds game she witnessed live, including fireworks and personal milestones 40:04 - Closing thoughts, her life as a grandmother, and Colorado adventuresThanks for listening! Be sure to subscribe for more stories, insights, and laughs with your favorite Reds personalities and sports fans. Jack thanks the listeners

Here's the uncomfortable truth: forgiveness isn't primarily for the other person… it's for you. (Ugh, we know.) This week we explore what it might mean to stop letting a past wound have the final word over your present life.   LINKS: Book of Forgiving  |  Connect  |  YouTube  |  Coming Up TRANSCRIPT:   Retell from Freya's perspective — what was she feeling as Wally spoke? Name those feelings out loud and mark a stone with washable marker for each one as you name them: Angry. (mark) Sad. (mark) Embarrassed. (mark) Lonely. (mark) "Look at this stone now. Pretty marked up. That's what it looks like when we've been carrying a lot." Watch the video — Freya bringing Wally back, returning him to their community. Unpack: What did Freya choose? She didn't pretend it didn't happen. She didn't say it was okay. But she chose something — and whatever she chose, it changed things. We're going to do something with these stones in a little while. Hold onto yours. Hand out stones and washable markers to kids. Send them back to seats to mark up their stones and work on kids Sunday Papers. Adults — I want to talk to you now. But kids, you're welcome to listen in! Where We've Been Brief catch-up for anyone new or returning: We're in The Book of Forgiving — drawing from Desmond and Mpho Tutu's framework for how forgiveness actually works. The Fourfold Path: Tell the Story → Name the Hurt → Grant Forgiveness → Renew or Release the Relationship. In the first week: We told our stories. Last week: We named the hurt: the feelings underneath the facts. Today: we take the hardest step. We talk about what it actually means to grant forgiveness. The Uncomfortable Truth Here's where we have to say something that cuts against almost everything our culture tells us about forgiveness: Forgiveness is not primarily for the other person. It's FOR YOU. (ugh, I know.) That feels wrong at first. It can even feel like a betrayal of the seriousness of what was done. If I forgive, doesn't that let them off the hook? No. And we'll come back to that. But first… someone wise once put it this way: "Forgiveness is the act of giving up all hope of a better past." Sit with that for a second. Forgiveness isn't giving up on justice. Or saying that what happened was okay. Its not pretending it didn't happen. But instead, forgiveness is releasing the white-knuckled grip on the belief (conscious or not) that somehow, if we hold on tight enough, stay angry enough, rehearse it enough, the past will change. It won't. And the holding on costs us. What the Holding Costs Us This isn't just spiritual intuition. There's reliable research proving it. When we hold onto unresolved hurt— ruminating, replaying, rehearsing— our bodies respond as if the threat is still happening. Cortisol stays elevated. The nervous system stays on alert. Over time this contributes to measurable increases in anxiety, depression, cardiovascular stress, and immune suppression, among other truly serious health issues. We are not built to carry this indefinitely. The body keeps the score, and it charges interest. If we want to “make America healthy again,” it turns out denial just isn't actually gonna do it. Developing cultural practices around forgiving and healing, though? That's the ticket. The Tutus frame the alternative this way: in the Revenge Cycle, we reject our pain and try to make it go away by hurting the person who hurt us. In the Forgiveness Cycle, we face our pain. We don't deny it or minimize it. And we choose to move toward healing instead. The Tutus: "In the Revenge Cycle, we reject our pain and suffering and believe that by hurting the person who hurt us our pain will go away." It doesn't. It never has. It simply multiplies…  There's all sorts of bumper sticker opportunities here: “hurt people hurt people” The trap: waiting to forgive until the other person apologizes. They may never. They might not even know or appreciate what they did. They may never. But if your freedom is contingent on their remorse, they hold a lot of unearned power over you. It lives rent-free in your head. What Forgiveness is Not… Clearing the Ground Again Because this step gets misused more than any other, it's worth naming clearly what granting forgiveness does NOT mean (this is a real “sorry not sorry” moment for repeating this pretty much every week, but we're untangling a real knot here): It does not mean what was done to you was okay. It does not mean you forget. It does not mean you reconcile. (Forgiveness and reconciliation are separate acts — we'll talk about that next week.) It does not mean the other person deserves it or has earned it. It does not mean you have to tell them. The Tutus: "Forgiveness is a choice. Forgiving is how we move from victim to hero in our own story."  And honestly, I love being the hero of my own story, but when it comes to pain, I don't need to be a hero, I just want agency… And this is key: you can pursue justice and forgiveness at the same time. One does not cancel the other. You can hold someone accountable AND release the stranglehold their actions have on your inner life. These are not in competition. It's not one or the other. GRANTING FORGIVENESS… WHAT IT ACTUALLY IS So what IS it then? At its core, the Tutus describe granting forgiveness as an act of RECLAIMING YOUR HUMANITY— and in doing so, recognizing the humanity of the person who hurt you. Not excusing them. Not elevating them. But refusing to reduce either of you to the worst moment between you. This is where the Tutu framework gets genuinely hard. Because recognizing the humanity of someone who hurt you; someone who may have done something terrible… it can feel like a betrayal. But here's what Desmond Tutu learned in the shadow of apartheid, sitting across from perpetrators of atrocity: to call someone a monster is actually to let them OFF THE HOOK. Monsters can't help what they do. Humans can. Naming someone's humanity–  their capacity to choose, and to have chosen badly— is what makes them accountable. And it's what releases you from defining yourself by what they did. The Tutus write: "We know we are healing when we are able to tell a new story." Not a story in which the wound never happened. A story in which the wound is no longer the main character. This is what it looks like in practice: You stop organizing your life around the person who hurt you. You stop letting their actions have veto power over your contentment or joy, your relationships, or your sense of self. You begin— slowly, imperfectly— to live forward instead of backward. It starts feeling less like a feeling and more like a direction. You turn your face toward something other than the wound. Again. And again. That's the practice. Kids Back Up to Close Invite kids back up… talk about those marks on stones. Forgiveness is the process of remembering that “I am not the things that happened to me.” I am not this mark… or that mark…” Those things hurt, and I have feelings about the person that did that thing to me… but I'm going to choose to be confident in who I am, how I treat others, and I get to make choices about my own self… that person doesn't get to make decisions about me for me.” Dip stones in water.  We'll talk more about what happens in our relationships next week, and we'll learn about how Wally & Freya figured that out for themselves and their community of friends. Closing Invitation Now we do something together. "If you've been marking up your stone — kids, adults, anyone — I want to invite you to come forward in a moment and dip it in the water." Brief explanation of what this means and doesn't mean: "This isn't a magic trick. Dipping your stone doesn't mean you're over it. It doesn't mean what happened was okay. It doesn't mean you've completed something." "It's a gesture. A small act of intention. You're saying: I don't want to be defined by this forever. I want to begin to get free." "The Tutus write that we wash the stone — and it's a cleansing, not an erasing. The stone is still the stone. You are still you. But something has been released." Invite people forward — quietly, no pressure, in their own time — to dip their stones in water. Let the room breathe. Music underneath if possible. Closing Next week: reconciliation. What does it actually look like to renew or release a relationship? What's required? What's possible? Come back. A simple benediction: You are more than what was done to you. Go live like it.  

Lester Kiewit speaks to Johnny Webb, producer of Tutu, a detailed documentary film and portrait of the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Good Morning Cape Town with Lester Kiewit is a podcast of the CapeTalk breakfast show. This programme is your authentic Cape Town wake-up call. Good Morning Cape Town with Lester Kiewit is informative, enlightening and accessible. The team’s ability to spot & share relevant and unusual stories make the programme inclusive and thought-provoking. Don’t miss the popular World View feature at 7:45am daily. Listen out for #LesterInYourLounge which is an outside broadcast – from the home of a listener in a different part of Cape Town - on the first Wednesday of every month. This show introduces you to interesting Capetonians as well as their favourite communities, habits, local personalities and neighbourhood news. Thank you for listening to a podcast from Good Morning Cape Town with Lester Kiewit. Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays between 06:00 and 09:00 (SA Time) to Good Morning CapeTalk with Lester Kiewit broadcast on CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/xGkqLbT or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/f9Eeb7i Subscribe to the CapeTalk Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/sbvVZD5 Follow us on social media CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalkSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Diana Brandl for an inspiring spotlight episode of Executive Office Insights with Atrayah Janhe, former Personal Assistant to Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Atrayah shares her diverse career path – from her start as a secretary and policewoman in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) to managing the Arch's office during his transition to retirement.She offers crucial insights into the evolution of the assistant role, arguing that while technology advances skills, human connection and Emotional Intelligence (EQ) are vital qualities often missed in today's fast-paced, remote work world. Discover the Arch's cherished routines (including hot chocolate and twice-daily tea times), the power of servant leadership, and why embracing the courage to "jump" into new opportunities is the key to becoming a Leader Assistant.Show notes → leaderassistant.com/378--It's the last day of the offsite and it was exactly what the team needed. The CEO pulls you aside to say, “Thank you. This was next level.”Your secret? You used Offsite. They handled the venues, negotiations, and logistics – so you could focus on shaping the experience.Sound too good to be true? It's actually within reach. (And it can even save you money.)See how at leaderassistant.com/offsite. --Are you ready to level up? Enroll in The Leader Assistant Academy at leaderassistant.com/academy to embrace the Leader Assistant frameworks used by thousands of assistants.More from The Leader Assistant...Book, Audiobook, and Workbook -> leaderassistantbook.comThe Leader Assistant Academy -> leaderassistantbook.com/academy Premium Membership -> leaderassistant.com/membershipEvents -> leaderassistantlive.comFree Community -> leaderassistant.com/community

Forgiveness has a pace of its own, and sometimes the most honest thing we can do is admit we're not there yet. This episode explores what it means to give ourselves (and each other) permission to be in process, without the pressure to be further along than we actually are.    LINKS: Book of Forgiving  |  Connect  |  YouTube  |  Coming Up   TRANSCRIPT: Brief framing before reading: We're talking about forgiveness in this series. About what happens when someone hurts us — or when we hurt someone else. And about the choices we have when that happens. I'm going to read you the first half of a book today. We're going to stop in the middle on purpose because the most important part of the story for TODAY is actually what happens right... here. And we're going to finish it next week. Read first half of Wally and Freya. Brief unpack after reading: What's happening in the story: someone got hurt. Both of them, actually. And now they have a choice. Two roads: get even, stay hurt… OR something harder, and maybe even braver. Forgiveness doesn't always happen right away. It takes practice. And the very first steps are: tell somebody you trust what happened, and then tell about what it felt like. When somebody does something that hurts me, I feel sad, and kind of mad. Sometimes it feels like I don't matter much to them. Just saying that out loud is an important thing to do! In the story, Wally and Freya are both sad. Both hurt. And now they have a choice to make. So do we. We'll find out what they choose next week. The Stone — Kids Practice Give each child a stone. This stone is like the hurt we carry when someone has hurt our feelings, or our bodies, or our hearts. It has some weight to it, just like the hurt does. You can return to your seats and work in their special kids Sunday Paper: Trace the stone on the paper. Inside the tracing, write or draw what the hurt is. Hold onto your stone. We're going to do something with it in a few minutes, everybody together. You can also listen in to what I'm saying, if you want to hear more about forgiving! Catching Everybody Up//Recap Welcome anyone who is new or wasn't here Week 1. I want to do a brief recap: We're in a series called The Book of Forgiving, drawing from Archbishop Desmond Tutu and his daughter Mpho's important work on what forgiveness actually is, and how to do it. The Tutus aren't theorists. Desmond Tutu chaired South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Mpho lost her husband to violent crime. These are people who have earned the right to talk about this. Their framework is called the Fourfold Path: Telling the Story → Naming the Hurt → Granting Forgiveness → Renewing or Releasing the Relationship. In wk 1 we looked at the first step: Telling the Story. Today: Naming the Hurt. The big idea underneath all of it: We desperately need an imagination bigger than the revenge cycle we live inside culturally. That cycle is everywhere— in our politics, our entertainment, our instincts. The Tutus show us a different road. The Problem with How We Do Forgiveness Let's be honest about why forgiveness is so hard to practice, even for people who believe in it. We've collapsed forgiveness into remorse. Someone says "sorry!"— maybe genuinely, maybe not— and suddenly the pressure shifts entirely to the person who was hurt: Now you have to forgive. We skip the whole middle. That's not forgiveness. That's cruel urgency dressed up as something kind. We've made forgetting the goal. But the Tutus are clear: forgetting is not only impossible, it's actually counterproductive. Memory is part of how we protect ourselves. Part of how we stay honest. Forgiveness is not amnesia. We've weaponized it. In religious spaces especially, "forgive" has been used to protect people who caused harm and to silence people who were hurt. When forgiveness gets wielded as a command that bypasses accountability — when it becomes "Jesus says you have to forgive, so stop talking about what happened" — that is not sacred or faithful. That is abusive. And yet — Jesus does make forgiveness an ultimate, limitless command. Seventy times seven. God forgives without limit; our response is gratitude and extending that same grace. So how do we hold both? How do we take forgiveness seriously without letting it become a weapon? The answer is: we stop skipping the important steps. Forgiveness Cannot Be Rushed The Fourfold Path is a path…  it has an order for a reason. You cannot get to granting forgiveness without first telling the story and naming the hurt. Trying to skip there is what creates the toxic, pressured, performative version of forgiveness we've all experienced. And we'll get into this later in the series, but granting forgiveness has nothing to do with the decision to either renegotiate or release that relationship.  Forgiveness needs to be as slow as it needs to be. It has a pace of its own. That pace deserves to be honored. (Callback to the stone practice from Week 1): Did anybody actually hold that stone in their non-dominant hand for six hours this week? What was that like? [[funny?]] That's the point. Six hours felt like a lot. Some of us have been carrying something for six years. Or sixty. It deserves time. The Second Step: Naming the Hurt  So what does it actually mean to name the hurt? It starts with telling your story… to yourself? To God? To people you trust. Not to everyone. Not on social media. Not to the first person who will listen. To the right people, in a safe space. The Tutus: Tell your story first to a friend, loved one, or trusted person. That's a good place to start. There is a reason confession exists across almost every spiritual tradition. Not as a transaction, but as the practice of being heard without being fixed. What naming the hurt does: It begins to move what happened from something that is happening to you — constantly, on loop — into something that happened, that you can now begin to look at. Bessel van der Kolk: the body keeps what the mind won't name. When we give language to an experience, we move it from the body's alarm system into the part of the brain that can begin to process it. The Tutus frame it this way: Identify the feelings within the facts. The facts are WHAT HAPPENED. The feelings are what it COST you. What naming the hurt does NOT do: It does not mean what was done to you was okay. It does not mean you've forgiven anything yet. It does not mean you owe anyone resolution. But there is something that begins to shift. There is relief– which to be clear, is not the same as justice, and not the same as healing, but real relief— when the hurt stops being the main character in your story because you finally named it out loud. The Tutus again: No feeling is wrong, bad, or invalid. Move forward when you are ready. We Are Only Human With Other Humans This is why we do this together. Not because community is always safe — sometimes it isn't. But because we cannot become fully human alone. The Tutus: We do not heal in isolation. Connecting with others is how we develop compassion for others and for ourselves. What makes a good witness to someone naming their hurt? The Tutus give us a short, countercultural list: Listen. Do not try to fix the pain. Do not minimize the loss. Do not offer advice. Offer your love and your caring. That's it. Stay in the room. Don't flinch. Don't fix. That is one of the most profound gifts one human can offer another. Invitation: The Stone Practice Now we're all going to do something together— kids and adults. Invite everyone to pick up or find their stone. Walk them through the Tutus' "Clenching the Stone" practice (Book of Forgiving, Chapter 5): Take your stone in your dominant hand. Think of a hurt you are carrying right now. Name it… silently, or under your breath. As you name it, clench the stone in your fist. Now open your hand. As you release your fist, release the hurt — not forever, not resolved, just... set down for a moment. You can clench and release again for each thing you're carrying. Breathe… We're not asking you to be over it. We're not asking you to forgive it yet. We're just asking you to name it, and take the permission you can give yourself to walk the path of forgiving, at a pace that is right for you. That's enough for today. That's the work.

This week, we’re honored to welcome back a dear friend of the show—the iconic artist, singer, and GRAMMY winner Amy Grant. Amy joins us to share her heart about her first album of original material in thirteen years, the deeply personal project titled “The Me That Remains.” In this moving interview, Amy opens up about the profound life events that inspired her new music—navigating the tender journey of aging and caring for her parents at the end of their lives, her ongoing recovery from a serious bike accident, and the enduring joy of creating music that she feels grateful to share with the world. Later in the episode, we’ll hear from Andrew Osenga, a Nashville-based musician, writer, and podcaster. Andrew spent years trapped in the tension between his private doubts and the crushing expectation of performing as a Christian artist. Growing up, image was everything, and he struggled under the pressure to appear “put-together”—even when he felt broken inside. It took devastating loss—including his home flooding, displacing his family, and his wife’s grueling cancer journey—for him to finally break free from performance-driven faith. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Diane Chew Upcoming interview: Annie Bosko Amy Grant The Me That Remains - Album by Amy Grant The Book of Forgiving - Book by Desmond Tutu and Mpho Tutu The 6th Of January (Yasgur's Farm) - Song by Amy Grant Andrew Osenga How to Remember: Forgotten Pathways to an Authentic Faith - Book by Andrew Osenga Caedmon’s Call Young Life Interview Quotes: “Don't ever be afraid to speak the truth of what is right now.” - Amy Grant “Life is happening to all of us all the time, and we have to be gentle with ourselves and gentle with each other.” - Amy Grant “I feel like the arts are good medicine for everybody.” - Amy Grant “We are all part of humanity and we all experience good, hard and unresolved unrest; how do we sit in it and find our way forward?” - Amy Grant “When [accidents or illnesses] come, you need people in your life to remind you what matters: you are loved by God, and if you’re still breathing, the adventure continues.” - Amy Grant “Jesus doesn’t want us to pretend. He wants us to be the people He created. He doesn’t love a fake image of me. He loves me.” - Andrew Osenga “There have been a number of experiences in my life that have helped redirect me towards a more quiet and grounded way of being with God, moving from performance towards presence.” - Andrew Osenga “The wonderful thing is Jesus doesn’t meet us in our perfection, He meets us in our suffering. Jesus is introduced to us in the Bible as a man of sorrows. And so, it’s not that we have to stay there all the time, knowing that is a part of our story. Being able to be honest about that allows us this freedom to be people of joy rather than having to sort of put on a happy face.” - Andrew Osenga “We can say that we can hold suffering and joy in both hands at the same time, and I think those are the people that we’re drawn to. And that’s when we can start to speak with an authentic voice. That takes time to learn how to do that, and that takes, honestly, walking through seasons of both suffering and joy to be able to learn how to do that.” - Andrew Osenga “We live in a culture that prizes things like novelty, speed, and constant reinvention. I think these practices like lament, confession, shared prayer, and silence can be a form of resistance, pushing back against this speed, the hectic life, against the doom scroll.” - Andrew Osenga ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Episodes: https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7 Bonus Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer: https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C Peace for Everyday Life: https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj Peace in Uncertain Times: https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u What’s Good? https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj Enneagram: https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY ________________________ Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website TikTok Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this episode Esther Armah and Myrna discuss her Emotional Justice framework.  In this conversation, they get into the courage that racial healing actually requires, and who it asks the most of. Esther is a journalist, playwright, and global emotional justice advocate joining us from Accra, Ghana.  Drawing on her encounters with Winnie Mandela, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and Nchiki Biko — the widow of Steve Biko who famously refused to forgive the officers who murdered her husband at the TRC — Esther unpacks why reconciliation is not liberation language, why Nelson Mandela's message of forgiveness placed an impossible emotional burden on Black people, and what the emotional work of white people actually looks like. Myrna brings her own reckoning: years of fawning for white audiences, softening the language of colonial trauma, and what it finally cost her to name it. This is Part 1. Esther will be back. Esther Armah is a Ghanaian-British journalist, playwright, radio host, and creator of the Emotional Justice framework. She is the author of Emotional Justice: A Roadmap for Racial Healing. She joins this episode from Accra, Ghana. IN THIS EPISODE — How Esther's mother's broken silence about the 1966 Ghana coup gave birth to Emotional Justice — and the insight that "you cannot PhD your way out of untreated trauma" — What Winnie Mandela told Esther before she interviewed Desmond Tutu: listen to the women first — Nchiki Biko's refusal to forgive at the TRC, the murder of Steve Biko, and why her "no" cracked open a new understanding of racialized forgiveness — Why reconciliation bypasses justice and repair — and how Canada's TRC has replicated the same harm as South Africa's — Nelson Mandela's forgiveness narrative: a political act of its time, and why it seeded a dangerous legacy — The emotional work that belongs to white people — Intimate Reckoning, Emotional Patriarchy, and the difference between proximity to power and actual allyship — The language of whiteness: how all of us are taught to center whiteness, and the emotional work of letting it go — Myrna's own reckoning: years of fawning for white audiences and what it took to name it — The three Cs — Courage, Comfort, and Convenience — and how we each choose to contribute to or resist systems of harm — Why you cannot self-care your way towards liberation, and what communal care actually requires — Isolation vs. solitude — why hiding can be part of healing, and why isolation is the death of liberation — Wellness in the Face of Warfare: what it means to choose wellness when your health is considered a threat to whiteness   QUOTES "You cannot PhD your way out of untreated trauma. There is no amount of education that will replace the emotional work we all have to do." — Esther Armah   "Reconciliation is not liberation language. It is conciliatory language designed to sustain how whiteness comforts and soothes itself." — Esther Armah   "In Canada, your superpower is to mask your violence in polite neutrality and somehow describe it as no longer violence. We see that — because that's part of British whiteness." — Esther Armah   PEOPLE MENTIONED — Winnie Mandela — South African anti-apartheid activist — Archbishop Desmond Tutu — South African human rights leader — Nchiki Biko — widow of Steve Biko; her refusal to forgive at the TRC was pivotal to Esther's framework — Nelson Mandela — discussed in relation to racialized forgiveness — Resmaa Menakem — referenced by Myrna on having skin in the game — Kwame Nkrumah — first independent president of Ghana; quoted on political and economic liberation   RESOURCES Emotional Justice: A Roadmap for Racial Healing by Esther Armah - You can buy it here: https://www.amazon.ca/Emotional-Justice-Roadmap-Racial-Healing/dp/1523003367 estherarmah.com  https://www.theaiej.com/ myrnamccallum.co You can learn more about Myrna and her work at: www.myrnamccallum.ca

Adam Swenson and Pat Kahnke continue their series of discussions on deconstruction - of both religious and political faith. Using Brian McLaren's four stages of faith as a jumping off point, this conversation focuses on the final stage: Harmony. Desmond Tutu is an example we'll talk about today.

Before we can forgive anything, we have to be honest about what actually happened without minimizing, over-spiritualizing, or skipping to a resolution. This week we slow down to affirm this first step in the process: naming the hurt with precision. As it turns out, telling the truth about your wound is the first act of healing.   LINKS:  Current Conversations | Connect | YouTube |  Coming Up TRANSCRIPT: The Word We've Been Mishandling Forgiveness might be the most talked-about and least practiced idea in all of spiritual life. Not because some people are hypocrites (I mean aren't we all a little bit?) but because if we're honest, we've been given almost no real tools for it. Tension point: most of us are carrying something. And most of us have been told– by religion, culture, entertainment, even well-meaning people– to just... let it go. But letting go of something you haven't fully held yet isn't forgiveness. It's just suppression with fancy vocabulary. Brief series preview: over the next six weeks, we're going to do this differently. We're drawing from Archbishop Desmond Tutu and his daughter Mpho's book The Book of Forgiving– one of the most honest, rigorous, and compassionate treatments of this subject that I'm aware of. We'll talk about what forgiveness actually is, what it isn't, why it gets weaponized, and what it might mean to actually get free. The Tutus give us a four-step framework for genuine forgiveness. If you're curious about each one of the steps in more detail and want to take the time it takes to really wrestle with that, I'd love to invite you into the Tuesday night book club and Discord server… talk to me after the gathering if you're interested! There's an underlying premise that when hurt happens, there's a cycle of revenge we often get stuck in (marked by the hurt/harm/loss, experiencing pain, choosing to harm, rejecting shared humanity, getting revenge/retaliation/payback, that ultimately leads to some form of violence that creates new or additional harm. What they've provided for us– based on their own experiences of injustice and violence (apartheid, violent deaths, etc.) is what they call The Fourfold Path, that similarly starts with hurt/harm/loss, followed by an intentional choice to heal. And if healing is the choice, then the fourfold path can be traveled:  Telling the Story (today) Naming the Hurt Granting Forgiveness (Recognizing Shared Humanity) Renewing or Releasing the Relationship. You don't have to be at every week to get something meaningful from this. But if you can, come back. This is worth doing slowly. The task we're in today– telling the story– is both simple and challenging: before we can forgive anything, we have to give ourselves space to be honest about what actually happened. Because there are a lot of real, identifiable reasons why we rush past pain and jump straight to resolution. Why We Skip the Hard Part Some of our work today, as we launch this series, is to be honest about why we skip the hard part, and end up missing out on actual forgiveness… For many: religious pressure |  "Jesus said forgive, so I should feel forgiving." The command becomes a performance. We say the words because we're supposed to, not because anything has actually shifted. (Note: forgiveness as a practice you choose vs. a feeling you perform — that distinction matters and we'll return to it.) Toxic positivity/"move on" culture |  American culture is deeply allergic to sitting with pain. We pathologize grief. We celebrate resilience in ways that quietly shame people for still hurting. "Good vibes only" is a spiritual bypass wearing a bumper sticker. Protecting ourselves from further abuse / Not wanting to further upset the person or system that hurt us |  This one deserves weight. Often the pressure to "just forgive" comes from the person or institution that caused harm. The church tells the abuse survivor to forgive the abuser. The family tells the wounded child not to make a scene. This is forgiveness weaponized — and we'll name that plainly throughout this series. The cultural myth of "forgive and forget" |  The Tutus address this directly. You cannot actually forget. And you shouldn't have to. Mpho Tutu writes that the idea of forgetting is not only impossible, it's actually counterproductive — memory is part of how we protect ourselves and stay honest. What happens when we skip to the “end”?? We don't actually move past the hurt. We move it underground. Resentment. Shame. Something that sits in us and ferments. The Tutus describe this as the "fourfold path" — and the first step is not resolution. It's telling the story. You cannot skip to the end. Telling the Story: The First Act of Healing The Tutus write: "The first and most important step in the Fourfold Path is to tell your story." Notice: they didn't say to resolve it… but to tell it. Why does this matter psychologically? There's substantial research behind this. Narrative therapy and trauma-informed psychology both support the idea that giving language to an experience is not just cathartic — it's neurologically significant. When we name something, we move it from the body's alarm system into the part of the brain that can actually process it. (Reference: Bessel van der Kolk, "The Body Keeps the Score" — the body holds what the mind won't name.) But there's a crucial distinction the Tutus make — and it's worth sitting with: RUMINATING on a story and TELLING it are not the same thing. Rumination is the loop. It's replaying the scene, re-feeling the wound, rehearsing what you should have said. It keeps us stuck in a cycle that actually reinforces the pain rather than processing it. Ruminating is like the broken record “That's an old tape, time to take it out of the VCR” Telling the story is different. It has a shape. A beginning, middle, and at least a provisional end. It has a witness. It moves outward rather than circling inward. Research on expressive writing (James Pennebaker, University of Texas) shows that people who write about difficult experiences in a structured way— not just venting, but actually narrating— show measurable improvements in psychological and even physical health. The Tutus frame this in deeply human terms: "When we tell our stories, we reclaim our humanity." The act of speaking what was done to us — rather than simply absorbing it — is how we refuse to let the wound become our whole identity. What Kind of Story Are We Telling? As we think perhaps about our own experiences of hurt, harm, or loss, it's worth asking: what kind of story are we telling? There's a spectrum of harm that's worth naming honestly: Some of what we carry is hurt — disappointment, unmet expectations, misunderstanding, relational friction. Real, worth naming, but perhaps not requiring the full weight of the forgiveness process. Some of what we carry is a genuine wrong — a betrayal, an act of violence, a sustained pattern of harm, an abuse of power. This is different. And treating it the same as ordinary hurt can minimize something that deserves to be named for what it is. The Tutus do not minimize harm. Mpho Tutu lost her husband to violent crime. Desmond Tutu spent his life in proximity to atrocity. This framework was forged in the context of apartheid, genocide, and profound injustice. It is not a self-help framework for minor inconveniences. It takes the weight of real wrong seriously. Part of telling your story is being honest about what actually happened — not inflating it, not minimizing it. Precision in our storytelling is an ACT OF DIGNITY. The Role of a Witness Here's something important: the Tutus don't imagine this as a solo process. Telling the story almost always requires someone to tell it to. What makes a good witness? Not someone who fixes it. Not someone who jumps to advice, or silver linings, or "well, have you thought about their perspective?" A witness is someone who receives your story with enough steadiness that you feel safe to tell it fully. In men's group: THREE people. The witness to receive the story, and also somebody with permission to ask questions about what they noticed in body language, follow up with questions about what's happening in the story teller's body, etc.  This is actually one of the most underrated spiritual gifts a person can offer another: the ministry of staying in the room without flinching. There's a reason confession has existed across almost every spiritual tradition in human history— not as a transaction for the pardon of wrongs, but as the practice of being heard by someone who doesn't run from the truth of what you've lived. Community implication: this is part of why we do this together. Not because church is a place to perform having it together, but because church can be— when we let it— a community of witnesses. People who are trained and willing to hold each other's real stories. (CARE IQ) What Forgiveness is NOT Before we wrap for today, let's clear some ground. The Tutus are direct about this: Forgiveness is not condoning what happened. Forgiveness is not forgetting. Forgiveness is not the same as reconciliation. (You can forgive someone and never have a relationship with them again. These are separate acts.) Forgiveness is not necessarily something you do for the other person. And forgiveness is not something you have to feel before you can choose it. Forgiveness is a practice you choose. Not an internal feeling you perform outwardly. We'll build on all of this in the weeks ahead. But naming what it isn't is part of how we clear space for what it actually is. Invitation/PAW Guided prompts: I want to invite you into a few minutes of quiet with a series of prompts. Optional: write it, draw it, sit with it. Hold a stone to represent it…  Think of something you're carrying. You don't have to name it out loud. Just let it come to mind. What actually happened? Try to name it with some precision — not to relive it, but to see it clearly. What did it cost you? Not what it "taught you," not what good came from it — what did it actually cost? Is there a word for what was done? Betrayal. Abandonment. Injustice. Violence. Neglect. Name it if you can. When and if you're ready in the coming days or weeks, think about if you're ready to tell it… to invite a witness in. Today I'm not asking you to forgive anything. I'm just asking you to be honest about what you're carrying. That's it. That's enough for today. Wrapping it Up Desmond Tutu said, "There is no future without forgiveness”... and I tend to agree with him. But we're not there yet. That's where we're going. Today we're just naming the yuck of it all, and naming that telling our story is in itself a critical first step in healing. That takes good courage! Next week, we'll be at Venn Coffee and Brewing to spend some slow, social time in conversation as community…   

Send us Fan MailNEW EPISODE - I'm so pleased to welcome back my friend Peter Wehner —  political thinker, former White House speechwriter, regular contributor to The Atlantic and The New York Times, and one of the most thoughtful Christian voices speaking into America's moral and political turmoil.Peter joins me to discuss four remarkable recent *essays that confront some of the darkest and most urgent questions facing our nation right now. Together, we explore the rise of militant Christian nationalism, the theology and rhetoric surrounding Pete Hegseth, and the dangerous fusion of political grievance, religious certainty, and the language of holy war.Peter examines how biblical texts — especially the imprecatory Psalms — are being weaponized to justify aggression, vengeance, and even bloodlust in modern political life. We talk about the influence of figures like Douglas Wilson, the appeal to “King David” spirituality, and why many respected biblical scholars insist that the conquest ethic of the Old Testament cannot be used as a model for Christian political action today. As Peter argues, the Sermon on the Mount stands as a direct repudiation of that worldview.We also step back from the headlines to reflect on our deeply fractured culture — our polarization, loneliness, loss of community, and longing for what the Hebrew Scriptures call shalom. Along the way, we draw wisdom from voices like Desmond Tutu, Rowan Williams, and David Bentley Hart.This is an honest, sobering, and ultimately hopeful conversation about faith, power, truth, and the soul of America. I hope you'll join us.*See SHOW NOTES for Pete's four recent essays.Support the showBecome a Patron - Click on the link to learn how you can become a Patron of the show. Thank you!Ken's Substack PageThe Podcast Official Site: TheBeachedWhiteMale.com

Dans un monde où l'individualisme tend à fragiliser les liens humains, la philosophie d'Ubuntu nous rappelle une évidence essentielle : notre humanité se construit à travers les autres. Issue des traditions africaines, cette sagesse invite à repenser notre manière d'être au monde, en plaçant la relation, le respect et la solidarité au cœur de notre existence.Interview de Mohammed Lam, le 11/02/26 à l'Espace Mouneyra de BordeauxAbonnez-vous gratuitement à notre newsletter philosophique :www.revue-acropolis.comSaviez-vous que Nouvelle Acropole est réalisée à 100% par des bénévoles ? Nous dépendons donc beaucoup de nos étudiants et amis pour la divulgation !   N'oubliez pas de vous abonner à la chaîne et si possible de la partager sur vos réseaux sociaux.   Ce sera d'une grande aide !

Finding a sense of lightness and joy ? Mary Stancavage explores the vital necessity of cultivating joy as a spiritual practice to maintain internal balance and equanimity in a world marked by violence, cruelty, and despair. Drawing on the wisdom of The Book of Joy by the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu, she argues that joy is an internal ease that remains independent of external circumstances. By embracing her personal mantra, "right now it's like this," Mary invites us to meet the present moment—whether it holds a beautiful sunrise or deep grief—with intimacy and kindness, rather than reactivity or denial.Mary provides a roadmap for navigating the obstacles to well-being while actively "inclining the mind" toward joy. She explains that much of our distress arises from the "Eight Worldly Winds"—the fluctuating pairs of praise and blame, gain and loss, pleasure and pain, and fame and shame—which we must learn to hold without being swept away. To move toward this "lightness of being," she suggests several practical shifts:Regulating Despair: Cultivating joy to balance the human tendency to fall into "doom," which Mary describes as a state of being out of alignment with reality.Identifying Obstacles: Recognizing "foreboding joy" (the fear of experiencing joy because it might end) and the "shoulds" of societal conditioning that block self-compassion.The Power of Gratitude: Actively acknowledging simple gifts—such as the many hands involved in bringing food to a plate—to neurologically prime the brain for well-being.The Bliss of Blamelessness: Living a life of integrity and non-harming, which creates a sense of safety for others and a lightness of spirit for oneself.Mindful Presence: Using mindfulness as a foundation to stop reacting to discomfort and instead rest in the "sweetness of loving ourselves."______________Mary Stancavage has practiced meditation, yoga, and cultivated a spiritual practice for over 35 years and in 2009 was empowered to teach Buddhadharma. She teaches classes, retreats, coaches and mentors individuals and has facilitated several Year-to-Live groups. She has served as a volunteer hospital chaplain and been involved with leadership in several non-profit organizations over the years both in meditation and in the social justice arena. She is currently a member of the Guiding Teachers Council for Insight Community of the Desert, and is a Board Member of both Meditation Coalition and CLUE: Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice. For the last several years, Mary has investigated what it means to live with an undefended heart and more information on this can be found on her website, https://marystancavage.org  Fun fact: Mary has an MA from UCLA and spent several seasons working as an archaeologist in Syria. ______________  To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/There you can:   Donate  Learn how to participate live  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers  Join our mailing list or discussion forum Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995CREDITSAudio Production: George HubbardProducer: Tom BrueinMusic/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

Dr. Diana Hill welcomes author and Idea Architects founder Doug Abrams live from Blue Spirit Costa Rica to explore how to stay grounded, joyful, and hopeful in uncertain times. Abrams shares lessons from working with leaders like the Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, and Jane Goodall, including Tutu's guidance to “never surrender your joy,” taking the wider perspective, and resisting without “othering” opponents. He describes his in-progress book inspired by his daughter's question, “Are we gonna be okay?” Abrams discusses living with ADHD, shame, and vulnerability in relationships, and highlights Goodall's four reasons for hope—human intellect, nature's resilience, young people, and the indomitable human spirit—emphasizing that hope is an action.Related ResourcesGet enhanced show notes for this episodePlay bigger and have more impact in your therapy and coaching practice. Apply for my Wise Effort: Business of Therapy and Coaching 8-week programOrder my book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts.Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.Diana's EventsReserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!See Diana at an upcoming eventConnecting With DianaSubscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana's website.Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.Mentioned in this episode:Business of Therapy and CoachingMake a big move in your therapy or coaching practice. Join the New Cohort Starting May 11Wise Effort: The Business of Therapy

This week Dan has had a disappointing visit to the football and more successful visit to the theatre. Gavin has been up and down in his feelings and also did something stupid at work. We talk about an archbishop for reasons nobody can understand and Gavin brings us some stories from around the world. The campaign Gavin was talking about :  https://socialsync.app/fundraiser/cr-qnq0kl4x56ov9     This weeks recommendations : Totem Pole : Reek Osama, Bop Phrases Home On The Range : Earl Sweatshirt, Surf Gang Gay Pirates : Cosmo Jarvis Ramona Was A Waitress : Paul Dempsey   Talk to us here : www.betherewithbelson.com Email : betherewithbelson@gmail.com Instagram : @betherewithbelson TikTok : @betherewithbelson X : @therewithbelson

On the night of April 4, 2026, St. Peter's by-the-Sea gathered in darkness to proclaim that Easter doesn't begin after the darkness lifts — it begins inside it.The Rt. Rev. Nicholas Knisely, Bishop of Rhode Island, delivered the sermon for this year's Great Vigil of Easter. Drawing on the witness of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Bishop Knisely distinguishes between optimism — "I think things will get better" — and hope: the conviction that God is not finished. In a world of war, fear, and exhaustion, he argues that the resurrection was not wish fulfillment. It shattered categories. It was an act of God that no one planned, predicted, or could have arranged — and that death could not undo.The service includes the ancient Exsultet, five Old Testament readings tracing God's saving acts from Creation through the Valley of Dry Bones, the renewal of Baptismal Vows, the Epistle from Romans 6, and the Easter Gospel from Matthew 28. Fr. Craig Swan leads the Prayers of the People.Scripture: Genesis 1, Genesis 7–9, Exodus 14–15, Isaiah 55, Ezekiel 37, Romans 6:3–11, Matthew 28:1–10Keywords: Easter Vigil, Episcopal Church, Bishop Nicholas Knisely, Rhode Island, resurrection, hope, Desmond Tutu, Great Vigil of Easter, Narragansett, St. Peter's by-the-Sea

I Carry Living Hope; Nothing Beyond Resurrection! "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." 1 Peter 1:3 Desmond Tutu said, “Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.” Imagine standing on the shores of a tumultuous sea, with towering waves crashing around you. This is what life can feel like at times. Yet, just like a lighthouse stands firm, guiding ships safely to shore, so too does hope lead us through the tempests of life. Our living hope, rooted in the resurrection of Christ, shines brightly, illuminating paths of peace and joy for us and others. Reflect on the story of Job — a testament to unwavering hope. Despite facing immense loss, Job's faith remained steadfast, reminding us that hope is not derived from circumstances, but from the assurance of God's promises. Job's restoration demonstrates that nothing is beyond God's ability to renew. When we experience living hope, we become conduits of light for others, illuminating their paths in darkness. Romans 15:13 says, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Remember, "Nothing stands beyond resurrection; even ashes remember how to glow." Therefore, trusting in God cultivates joy and peace, even in the simplest of moments. These feelings become the seeds of hope we can sow into the lives of those around us, creating a ripple effect of encouragement and support within our communities. As we embrace our living hope, we gain the strength to anchor ourselves amidst life's various currents. In Revelation 21:5, the promise rings true: “He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!'” This assurance invites us to envision a future bursting with renewal and infinite possibilities. Every interaction becomes an opportunity to share this hope, like a spark igniting a flame in another's heart. Amen. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come! Amen. Prayer for the day! God of hope, thank You for filling me with Your living hope today. Lord, help me to recognize that no situation is beyond Your power to transform. May this hope radiate through my actions and words, guiding those around me towards light. In Jesus name. Amen. https://maglife.org

Dr Nomathemba Chandiwana, Chief Scientific Officer at the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation, speaks to Lester Kiewit about research featured in a story by the Bhekisisa Centre for Health Journalism on obesity in South Africa. They discuss findings from a British Medical Journal study showing how weight-loss medications can help while in use but often lose effect once stopped, and why Chandiwana argues obesity should be treated as a chronic disease to reduce stigma, improve access to care, and support long-term management. Good Morning Cape Town with Lester Kiewit is a podcast of the CapeTalk breakfast show. This programme is your authentic Cape Town wake-up call. Good Morning Cape Town with Lester Kiewit is informative, enlightening and accessible. The team’s ability to spot & share relevant and unusual stories make the programme inclusive and thought-provoking. Don’t miss the popular World View feature at 7:45am daily. Listen out for #LesterInYourLounge which is an outside broadcast – from the home of a listener in a different part of Cape Town - on the first Wednesday of every month. This show introduces you to interesting Capetonians as well as their favourite communities, habits, local personalities and neighbourhood news. Thank you for listening to a podcast from Good Morning Cape Town with Lester Kiewit. Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays between 06:00 and 09:00 (SA Time) to Good Morning CapeTalk with Lester Kiewit broadcast on CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/xGkqLbT or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/f9Eeb7i Subscribe to the CapeTalk Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/sbvVZD5 Follow us on social media CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk5See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From the Mountain to the World Scripture: Matthew 17:1-9 (CEB) The culmination of our series, A Journey of Justice: From the River to the MountainIn this concluding sermon of our worship series, we stand with Peter, James, and John on the mountaintop of the Transfiguration—awestruck by Christ's radiant glory and tempted, like Peter, to stay where the moment feels holy and safe. But the mountain is not the destination. It is the launching place.As Jesus leads the disciples back down toward Jerusalem—and ultimately toward the cross—we are reminded that every encounter with the living God is meant to send us back into the world bearing light.Drawing on the life and witness of Desmond Tutu, this sermon explores what it means to practice joy as resistance. In the face of apartheid's cruelty and injustice, Tutu chose laughter, hope, and unwavering love—not as denial of suffering, but as defiance against it. His joy was not naïve optimism; it was a theological conviction that the light of Christ is stronger than any darkness.Rooted in the promises of our baptism—to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves—this message invites us to consider how mountaintop moments with God equip us for courageous, justice-shaped living. We cannot remain neutral in the face of harm. We cannot stay on the mountain. We are sent.What would it mean for us to become “joy warriors” in our own time? What does it look like to move from silence to action, from cynicism to hope, from private faith to public witness?The world does not need more despair. It needs people so grounded in God's love that they radiate joy, mercy, and justice wherever they go.

February 8, 226: May God's words be spoken, may God's words be heard.  Amen. You know, when I left Minneapolis and the -35 windchill weather, I did NOT remember packing that cold air to bring back to New Jersey.  Lordy!  I had hoped to leave that behind, but it is smacking us in the face now, isn't it?  I am glad to be inside this time, rather than out in it for hours marching down the street.  I am also grateful to those of you who ventured out into this insane cold to be here this morning. Perhaps we all have a better appreciation for the people of Minneapolis and all they do in weather colder than this. So, given all the ice that is around these days, on the sidewalks and armed in the street of our cities, I was glad to hear the texts for today.  In the gospel we are hearing part of the sermon on the mount.  After the familiar “Blessed are those…” statements we call the beatitudes, Jesus then says “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.  “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house.” “You are the salt of the earth.” “You are the light of the world.” Well, that's good news – considering both will melt ice (come to think of it – maybe that is an appropriate acronym then for that armed band of hate enforcers – it shows just how vulnerable they really are). But here's the thing about this proclamation of Jesus…he isn'tinviting us to those things.  He is telling us that we already ARE those things.  This isn't a choice folks.  We are salt.  We are light. Then he offers absurd comments about salt losing its saltiness and hiding a light under a bushel basket.  Jesus did have a sense of humor, and clearly his sarcasm is showing here, because salt cannot lose its saltiness, and no one would put a basket over an open flame, which is what a light would be in those days.  Both scenarios are ridiculous, but then again, Jesus wasn't trying to offer a science or fire safety lesson.  He is preaching and being a bit cheeky to make a point, as he sometimes does.  So, what was Jesus trying to tell his followers – then and now?  I am reminded of two sayings by the Buddha: “Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.”  And, “There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting.” Some have suggested that Jesus studied Buddhist principles in India during his early adult life, but whether he did or he didn't, he is certainly preaching them here.  He wants humanity to understand a fundamental truth – our very essence – in the hope that we will honor that truth within ourselves, allowing God to shine in us and through us.  We can turn away, we can forget, we can get lost…but the truth of who we are cannot be hidden – not to God anyway.  And, as the Buddha says, the path to understanding that truth is only impossible if we don't try, or we stop trying. But still, what does it mean for us to live this truth – what does that look like in our lives?  Well, maybe we need to think about what salt and light do, particularly for those in the time of Jesus, to understand how important it is for us to be what we were born to be. The thing is, we are so far removed from what these things would have meant to the people in the Ancient Near East, that the meaning of Christ's metaphor may be lost to us.  We have refrigeration and electricity. But they did not.  Salt was a way to preserve the life of meat and fish, and to enhance its flavor, and it was used in health regimens.  It was so important to them that Roman soldiers were sometimes paid with salt – hence the word we use today – salary – sal being the Latin for salt.  And light – well, in these dark days of winter, even with our electricity, we can understand the value of that, but imagine living where there is no electric light.  It is hard for us now, but if you think about it – in the long history of the world, there has been less than 150 years of light bulbs.  In the time of Jesus, and up until 1880, there was the sun, and then there were oil lamps, candles, fires, moonlight, and torches for the night.  Light then and now makes it possible to see dangers in the night, to keep warm, and to thrive, and without the light of the sun, life would be impossible. Jesus is telling us that we can enhance and preserve life and overcome darkness for the world.  But note – not for ourselves alone.  Salt's very purpose is to enhance or preserve life.  The purpose of light isn't to shine for itself, but to illuminate other things, to dispel the darkness.    If we are the salt of the earth, and the light of the world – and we are – then what does that mean in practical terms for us now?  We get that answer in the passage from Isaiah we heard earlier. First, we need to understand the setting:  The powerful elite who benefited from the oppression of others believes its pious rituals of fasting will please God.  But God tells them that there is only one fast that is righteous – the one that comes from a place of empathy and compassion, not haughtiness and privilege.  In words we will hear again on Ash Wednesday, God makes it clear that only a fast from oppression by loosening the bonds of injustice, and freeing the captives, is what we are to offer.  Only a fast from abundance by caring and feeding the poor and the hungry, will be acceptable to God.  Notice then, that the acts God wants from us are not ones that draw attention to ourselves, or are miraculous feats, but are ones that serve others.  The truth that Jesus is asking us to see is that we are the salt that will give life to those who have been pushed to the brink of death. We are the light that will overcome the darkness of hate and division.  We live this truth when we offer the fasts God chooses – compassion, mercy, grace, and love in whatever small way we can.  Or, as our own Anglican archbishop, the late Most Rev. Desmond Tutu, put it “Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” And so that brings me to the Olympics.  How many of you watched the Opening Ceremony of the Winter Games Friday? It was wonderful.  But there was a message there too that we need to consider today. The theme of this Olympiad is Armonia, meaning Harmony, and of course – the parade of athletes is always one of the best parts.  But this Olympiad's opening ceremonies had a message for the world too.  Sure, like all them, it celebrated the beauty and gift of the host country's culture, in this case, Italy, but far more was going on this time.  It was essentially a colorful display of diversity, and the hope for harmony in a world filled with conflict and division.  From red, yellow, and blue paint seemingly pouring down onto the platform from enormous suspended paint tubes, to multi-colored swirls of people dancing across the platform, the message of harmony amid difference was hard to miss.  But it was the speech of Kirsty Coventry, a seven-time Olympic swimming medalist, and the 10th President of the International Olympic Committee, given just before the lighting of the Olympic flame, that I think offered the world a good definition of what it means to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world, even if that was not her intent. Speaking first to the athletes, Ms. Coventry said “Over the next two weeks, you're going to give us something truly special.  You'll show us what it means to be human. To dream. To overcome. To respect one another. To care for each other.  You'll show us that strength isn't just about winning – it's about courage, empathy and heart. You will not only make incredible memories. You will reach your Olympic dreams – and you will show the world how to live. This is why we all love the Olympic Games. Because through you, we see the very best of ourselves. You remind us that we can be brave. That we can be kind. And that we can get back up, no matter how hard we fall.” Then she addressed everyone, saying “And to everyone watching, here in Italy and around the world – thank you for joining this moment. Thank you for believing in the magic of the Olympic Games. When we see an athlete stumble and find the strength to rise, we are reminded that we can do the same. When we see rivals embrace at the end of a finish line, we are reminded that we can choose respect. When we see grace, courage and friendship – we remember the kind of people we all want to be. The spirit of the Olympic Games is about so much more than sport. It is about us – and what makes us human. In Africa, where I'm from, we have a word: ubuntu. It means: I am because we are. That we can only rise by lifting others. That our strength comes from caring for each other. No matter where you come from, we all know this spirit – it lives and breathes in every community. I see this spirit most clearly at the Olympic Games. Here, athletes from every corner of our world compete fiercely – but also respect, support and inspire one another. They remind us that we are all connected, that our strength comes from how we treat each other, and that the best of humanity is found in courage, compassion and kindness.” Coventry was telling everyone that the very things the athletes embody at the games are examples for all of us.  Jesus might call their example being salt and light.  God might say “Yup – do that!” I just want her to come preach here some Sunday. Now, in the audience that night was the US Vice-President, and watching were millions across our nation.  I can only hope that her message, and that of these games, sinks deep into their hearts, because clearly the scriptures they claim to believe in have not.  But, whether or not that happens, she is right, we all can take a lesson from those athletes, especially followers of Jesus, because it is a model for our lives in Christ. Of courses, when we watch these games, and see the competitors fly through the air, twisting and turning, speeding down icy tracks, or spinning effortlessly on ice, we should remember – that isn't what God is asking of you.  Remember the passage from Isaiah – it isn't the great feats, but the compassion, kindness, and respect they share that we are to model.  Each of us will be salt and light in the way God has gifted us to be, so long as we model that.  Remember too that every athlete at those games started as a small child of God with a calling.  To be where they are today, they had to make a small start.  The skier had to put on a pair of skis and be willing to go down the bunny slope for the first time.  The skater had to strap on skates and put their feet on the ice.  And, to get where they are today, they had to train constantly, get up after they fell or failed, and get back out there to live their truth. It is as the Buddha said: “There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting.”  We have to start, and then we have to keep going, even if we fall. And there is more to what we can learn from these athletes to help us in our own quest to do what we are called to do.  One of the sponsors of the Olympics is a mattress company.  And in the ads, the athletes remind viewers that rest isn't a break from training – it is a part of their training.  Without it, they would break and never make it. The same is true for us who are salt and light.  We too need rest from our training, our continued work in the world.  And we get that renewal here at this table, and among the fellowship we find here in Christ.  So, today we rest. Tomorrow we do what those athletes do – show the world what is possible when we are strong enough for empathy and courageous enough for love. You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world. There is no one who can keep you from that truth but yourself, and there is no time that truth is needed more than now. Amen. For the audio, click below, or subscribe to our iTunes Sermon Podcast by clicking here (also available on Audible): Sermon Podcast https://christchurchepiscopal.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Sermon-February-8-2026-1.m4a The Rev. Diana L. Wilcox Christ Episcopal Church in Bloomfield & Glen Ridge February 8, 2026 Fifth Sunday After The Epiphany – Year A First Reading – Isaiah 58:1-9a, (9b-12) Psalm 112:1-9, (10) Second Reading – 1 Corinthians 2:1-12, (13-16) Gospel – Matthew 5:13-20    

This video explores the theology, philosophy, and Christology of Martin Luther King Jr. I argue that he is best understood as a moderate American Unitarian.I mention Martin Luther King Jr., Martin Luther, Michael King Sr. (Martin Luther King Sr.), Schleiermacher, Paul of Samosata, William Ellery Channing, Paul Tillich, Henry Nelson Wieman, Coretta Scott King, David Hume, Immanuel Kant, Søren Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzsche, Karl Jaspers, Martin Heidegger, Jean-Paul Sartre, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, Walter Rauschenbusch, Mahatma Gandhi, Saint Augustine, Saint Anselm, Blaise Pascal, Os Guinness, Keith Ward, Desmond Tutu, Francis Collins, Christopher Hitchens, and more.

Hope is the inner belief that positive change is possible and that our actions—guided by faith, intention, and persistence—can move us closer to a life aligned with our values and purpose.    Hope Outshines Happiness as Key to Life's Meaning by Neuroscience News "Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness." Desmond Tutu   Music-"Homesick" Copyright 2018. Written by Shireen Amini. Produced by Shireen Amini and Mike Davidson of Plaid Dog Recording (Boston, MA).

After accomplished stints as a journalist, author and diplomat, and studying theology at Yale Divinity School, Krista Tippett was struck by a significant gap in the media landscape—a lack of deep, intelligent conversations to explore the spiritual, ethical and moral aspects of human life. What began as a national public radio show in 2003 evolved into the multiple award-winning podcast “⁠On Being⁠” (“wisdom to replenish and orient in a tender, tumultuous time to be alive.”) Gifted with insatiable curiosity, profound relational intelligence, a poetic sensibility, and an ability to unearth revelatory ideas to live by, Krista creates spaces where wisdom can emerge. With her interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral whole systems overview, she's hosted luminaries as disparate as Mary Oliver, Thich Nhat Hahn, Isabel Wilkerson and Desmond Tutu, among many more. Listen to this rare intimate, live interview with her friend, insightful strategist, philanthropist and activist Azita Ardakani. This is an episode of the Bioneers: Revolution from the Heart of Nature series. Visit the ⁠radio and podcast homepage⁠ to learn more.

Following the abolishment of Apartheid in the 1990s, South Africa had to find a way to confront its brutal past without endangering the chance for peace. But it was a challenging process for many survivors of atrocities committed by the former racist regime. Sisi Khampepe served on the Amnesty Committee of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, she spoke to Rebecca Kesby in 2018 about how she had to put aside her own emotions and experiences at the hands of the police, to expose the truth about Apartheid. This programme contains contains harrowing testimony and graphic descriptions of human rights violations throughout.Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more. Recent episodes explore everything from the death of Adolf Hitler, the first spacewalk and the making of the movie Jaws, to celebrity tortoise Lonesome George, the Kobe earthquake and the invention of superglue. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: Eva Peron – Argentina's Evita; President Ronald Reagan and his famous ‘tear down this wall' speech; Thomas Keneally on why he wrote Schindler's List; and Jacques Derrida, France's ‘rock star' philosopher. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the civil rights swimming protest; the disastrous D-Day rehearsal; and the death of one of the world's oldest languages.(Photo: Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu at the Reconciliation and Truth commission. Credit: Reuters)

Christianity Isn't a Nation and The Church Isn't a National Movement   Host Curtis Chang sits down with N.T. Wright to explore the explosive themes of Ephesians, including what the Bible really says about the mission of the church—not as a lifeboat escaping to heaven, but a "small working model of new creation"—a multiethnic, multicultural community that stands against the powers and principalities of our age through truth, unity, and love. Wright discusses the church's mission in a divided world, and the rise of Christian nationalism. They address modern challenges such as misunderstandings of spiritual warfare, the communal nature of the armor of God, why the "belt of truth" matters today, and how Ephesians calls the church to resist counterfeit visions of power.   (06:12) - Has NT Wright changed his mind about the Biblical truths? (12:15) - What is Wright's "small working model of new creation"? (16:15) - The new community of Jesus Christ (22:51) - The problem of Christian nationalism  (28:16) - The Challenge of Christian Multiculturalism (29:39) - The Church's Role in Spiritual Warfare (36:56) - Is the Armor of God a communal thing? (43:05) - The biblical view of men and women is not antiquated (49:19) - A final word of encouragement from Ephesians   Join The After Party   Send Campfire Stories to: info@goodfaith.org   Donate to Good Faith   Mentioned In This Episode: N.T. Wright's The Vision of Ephesians: The Task of the Church and the Glory of God  N.T. Wright's forthcoming God's Homecoming: The Forgotten Promise of Future Renewal Lecture: How Paul Invented Christian Theology (N.T. Wright lecture)  What are the Five Elements of Christian Nationalism? Learn more: Desmond Tutu and the triumph against Apartheid  Watch: How Artistotle and the Greek philosophers influenced the idea of a soul (video) Read: How a Man Named Lesslie Changed the Way I Think   Scriptural Thoughts on Rest: Genesis 1-2 (ESV) - Male & female relationships and creation theology Ephesians 1:1-14 (ESV) - Revealing who Jesus is to the world Ephesians 2:10 (ESV) - Humankind's purpose Ephesians 6:10-20 (ESV) - The full armor of God 1 Corinthians 15:20-28 (ESV) -The guarantee of the resurrection Revelation 21-22 (ESV) - Vision of new creation   More From N.T. Wright: N.T. Wright Online N.T. Wright's Speaking engagements N.T. wright's books (Amazon)   Follow Us: Good Faith on Instagram Good Faith on X (formerly Twitter) Good Faith on Facebook   The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.

Send us a textEpisode 200 - Why Gratitude Changes Everything: Abundance, Joy, and Healing in Family Life In today's episode of the Finding Joy Series, Tina dives deep into one of the most powerful emotional tools available to us—gratitude. This isn't the shallow “write three things” gratitude list you've heard a thousand times. Instead, Tina teaches you how gratitude helps regulate your nervous system, rewires your brain's negativity bias, and creates real emotional safety in your body.Drawing from the Eight Pillars of Joy (Dalai Lama & Desmond Tutu), Tina explains why gratitude is a pillar of the heart, how your body stores emotional memory, and why without body-based learning, real change doesn't stick.You'll learn:Why your brain automatically focuses on the negativeHow body learning worksHow scarcity and “never enough” thinking becomes an energy centerWhy you struggle to receive compliments or gratitudeHow gratitude helps you shift your focus from lack to abundanceHow to heal scarcity and regulate your nervous system using gratitudeEpisode TakeawaysGratitude helps you override the brain's built-in negativity bias.Receiving gratitude is an essential relational skill—not a bonus.True change requires integrating mind + body, not relying on thought alone.Consistent practice shifts your identity, confidence, and capacity for connection.This Week's ChallengeEvery day, write down three things you're grateful for—and don't repeat any items all week. Then sit quietly for five minutes and feel gratitude in your body. Notice how it changes your emotional tone.Download the Free Guide: “The 3-Step Solution to Keeping Your Cool Around Family Holiday Drama” Holidays can stir up old patterns and emotions—this guide will help you stay grounded and respond with grace.Grab your copy here: DOWNLOAD THE GUIDE Ready to learn how to manage your emotional reactions? Calm Core is your guide:Being able to manage your emotional reactions to others is a vital step in repairing family relationshipsCLICK HERE TO SEE CALM CORE Tina Gosney is the Family Conflict Coach. She works with parents who have families in conflict to help them become the grounded, confident leaders their family needs. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Connect with us: Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/tinagosneycoaching/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tinagosneycoaching ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tina is certified in family relationships and a trauma informed coach. Visit tinagosney.com for more information on coaching services.

The Dalai Lama: The Simple Path of Compassion The Path of Radical Simplicity concludes the series. In this next-to-last episode of the series, we honor The Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso. We explore how his radical simplicity—rooted in a monk's austerity and his message of compassion—has made him a global force for peace and a living testament to the power of inner freedom. Find the Books: AvisKalfsbeek.com Watch the Film: A lovely experience is watching him with Desmond Tutu in the film "Mission Joy: Finding Happiness in Troubled Times." Music: "Dalai Llama Riding a Bike" by Javier "Peke" Rodriguez Bandcamp:https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW?si=uszJs37sTFyPbXK4AeQvow

Step outside the operating room with us to explore the art, creativity, and humanism that shape a surgeon's life beyond medicine. Our guest Dr. Adnan Alseidi is not only a renowned hepatobiliary surgeon and surgical educator, but also an avid diver, photographer, and chef. Dr. Alseidi takes us from World War 2 shipwrecks to his restaurants around the world, reflecting on the fragility of humanity revealed in the oceans and moments of connection simmering in the kitchen. Along the way, he shares how creativity, service, and humility fuel his passions and his practice. Join hosts Pooja Varman, MD, Judith French, PhD, and Jeremy Lipman, MD, MHPE, for this inspiring conversation about finding joy and connection in and beyond surgical practice. Learning Objectives By the end of this episode, listeners will be able to  1.     Describe the ways in which creative pursuits can deepen a surgeon's perspective on medicine and life. 2.     Identify parallels between artistry and surgery, including precision, patience, and respect for human fragility. 3.     Discuss strategies for maintaining balance and encouraging trainees to integrate creativity into their professional identities. References 1.     Executive Leadership Program in Health Policy and Management at Brandeis University, sponsored by the American College of Surgeons and several co-sponsoring organizations. 2.     The Book of Joy, by Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, and Douglas Carlton Abrams 3.     Dr. Alseidi's Wildlife Photography Sponsor Disclaimer: Visit goremedical.com/btkpod to learn more about GORE® SYNECOR Biomaterial, including supporting references and disclaimers for the presented content. Refer to Instructions for Use at eifu.goremedical.com for a complete description of all applicable indications, warnings, precautions and contraindications for the markets where this product is available. Rx only Please visit https://behindtheknife.org to access other high-yield surgical education podcasts, videos and more.   If you liked this episode, check out our recent episodes here: https://behindtheknife.org/listen Behind the Knife Premium: General Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/general-surgery-oral-board-review Trauma Surgery Video Atlas: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/trauma-surgery-video-atlas Dominate Surgery: A High-Yield Guide to Your Surgery Clerkship: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/dominate-surgery-a-high-yield-guide-to-your-surgery-clerkship Dominate Surgery for APPs: A High-Yield Guide to Your Surgery Rotation: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/dominate-surgery-for-apps-a-high-yield-guide-to-your-surgery-rotation Vascular Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/vascular-surgery-oral-board-audio-review Colorectal Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/colorectal-surgery-oral-board-audio-review Surgical Oncology Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/surgical-oncology-oral-board-audio-review Cardiothoracic Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/cardiothoracic-surgery-oral-board-audio-review Download our App: Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/behind-the-knife/id1672420049 Android/Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.btk.app&hl=en_US

Join Laura Echols-Richter and Jennifer Brad on our 150th episode as they explore the power and complexity of forgiveness through the story of Saul's transformation in Acts. Together, they reflect on fear, healing, and Desmond Tutu's Fourfold Path of Forgiveness—reminding us that letting go isn't weakness but courage. This episode invites listeners to stop throwing stones and start building bridges of grace, hope, and renewal.

Show Notes:In this powerful discussion around faith, justice, and courage, Chris and Eddie sit down with Peter Storey, former president of the Methodist Church of South Africa and the South African Council of Churches. With over forty years of ministry, including serving as a prison chaplain on Robben Island, Peter shares firsthand experiences of following Jesus in the midst of apartheid and his time alongside Desmond Tutu.Resources:Buy his books here and here.Learn more about his past .

William and Jordan have got a lot to say in this episode. One's ranting about washing machine temperatures and the other's moaning about the price of pints. I'm sure we can guess who's who. There's also confusion about Desmond Tutu, and the boys share their advice about a cat eating with the light off, dealing with late risers and playing dress up.Fancy a magical night you won't forget? Sexted is going on tour in March 2026 and you can get your tickets now at sextedmyboss.com/live.Friday 20th March - Utilita Arena CardiffSaturday 21st March - OVO Arena WembleyFriday 27th March - OVO Hydro GlasgowSaturday 28th March - AO Arena Manchester Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Send us a textEver feel like you're living a life drafted by someone else's expectations? We dive straight into the turbulence of identity—why happiness is impossible when you wear borrowed labels, how the “herd” keeps us compliant, and what it really takes to reclaim the self that's been whispering beneath the noise. From the first pangs of disorientation to the steady relief of alignment, we map a path from human doing to human being.I share why autonomy and sovereignty aren't buzzwords but muscles we build with small, honest acts—saying what you like, choosing work that fits, or stepping away from roles that suffocate. We talk about free will as a spiritual lever, the courage to face the mirror without lies, and the loneliness that often signals you're leaving the matrix of fear, shame, and guilt. Along the way, we weave in quotes from Oscar Wilde, Shakespeare, Nietzsche, and Desmond Tutu to ground this awakening in philosophy and community—pairing Ubuntu's “I am because we are” with the personal responsibility of owning your choices.If you've felt like a stranger to your own life, you'll get practical prompts to list what's true for you now, identify the labels you're ready to drop, and take one small step toward congruence. We also explore a faith-forward lens: made in the image of a Creator, you are a creator in action, and your purpose clarifies as your identity aligns with truth. Expect candor, compassion, and a clear route out of the loop that keeps slapping new identities on an old script. Listen, reflect, and then tell us the one act of sovereignty you'll take this week. If this resonates, subscribe, share with a friend who needs it, and leave a review to help others find their way home to themselves.Support the show

Father Pete Nunally is the founder of Water and Wilderness Church, a Washington DC-based outdoor church and watershed community. You can read more about the model of Water and Wilderness Church here. Father Pete is a passionate and well-spoken advocate on his social media pages and other forums, as in this interview with Creation Justice Ministries.Many thanks to Father Pete and the lovely group of people who welcomed Ron and me to Fletcher's Cove to worship with them last May. Winter? No problem. They worship outside anyway. Father Pete and some very faithful ducks.TRANSCRIPTPete Nunnally And so this expression and experience of worship begins to expand, and I think people are really looking for that. They want the church to tell them and to show them that God is everywhere, and that particularly in the natural world, the theological thumbprint of God is on all of this, and there's not a distinction or separation, but actually there's a union.Debra Rienstra Welcome to the Refugia Podcast. I'm your host, Professor Debra Rienstra. Refugia are habitats in nature where life endures in times of crisis. We're exploring the concept of refugia as a metaphor, discovering how people of faith can become people of refugia: nurturing life-giving spaces in the earth, in our human cultural systems, and in our spiritual communities, even in this time of severe disturbance. This season, we're paying special attention to churches and Christian communities who have figured out how to address the climate crisis together as an essential aspect of their discipleship.Today, I'm talking with Father Pete Nunnally, founder of Water and Wilderness Church. Father Pete is an Episcopal priest with a tender heart and a sense of adventure. The Water and Wilderness community meets outdoors for worship in several locations around the Washington DC area, adapting traditional worship forums in ways that enrich our encounter with God by reconnecting us with the rivers and trees and sky around us. Water and Wilderness is also a dispersed community, connecting anyone anywhere through online book studies, in-person retreats, and more. I talked with Father Pete outdoors, of course, at Fletcher's Cove on the Potomac River, just before joining their outdoor worship service. This interview includes a bonus trivia component. For extra points, see if you can identify the birds that join our conversation in the second half of the episode. Let's get to it.Debra Rienstra Father Pete, thanks so much for being with me today.Pete Nunnally I'm so glad to be here.Debra Rienstra It's great to talk to you. So let's start with what Water and Wilderness Church is right now. You're not a traditional congregation with a building. What are you, exactly?Pete Nunnally We are a church. We're an outdoor worshiping community geographically located in DC, but we are also a watershed community of the heart and worked in a lot of churches, and everything that that church did, wherever I was, was really only for the people at that church. But what's different about Water and Wilderness Church is the concept of watershed community. So the local community here in DC is like a wellspring, and out of that flow tributaries that go all over the country, and we create this watershed. And I use that word to mean both the watershed of a new idea or a new understanding of something, but also, like our physical watersheds are so important to us. And so anybody, anywhere—what I often say is Water and Wilderness Church, what we do is for anybody, anywhere, all the time. So if you are in Indiana, Arizona, California, these are states where we have people that are actively engaged in some of our online formation and things like that. That everything we do is for everyone, and most importantly, for the benefit of the earth.Debra Rienstra I wanted to ask about whether watershed was both literal and metaphorical for you, and it definitely is. You've also described Water and Wilderness Church as a threshold space. So what does that mean to you?Pete Nunnally I am influenced by so many of my friends that don't go to church anymore, and so many folks that label themselves spiritual but not religious. They just aren't going to go into a traditional church building. And I want to take what's beautiful and valuable about our Christian tradition, and I'm Episcopalian, so, you know, the Episcopal version of the mainline expression, and translate that and then bring it out to where people are. My sister, during Covid, said they take walks on Sunday morning with her family in different parks. And she said, “I get more out of that than I do going to church. I don't think we're going to go back to church.” And I thought, man, I get that. And when I tell that to priests and other church people, they nod their head and they say, like, yeah. Some of them are like, “I wish I could take a walk on Sunday morning.” Like, well, how can we receive this reality that people are living into, and they really are searching and seeking deep spiritual connection, but they're forced to take an a la carte approach. Like I walk in the woods and I get peace there, or I read a book by Thich Nhat Hanh, and I get a little bit of peace. I do you know, like a little bit of divinity here, a little bit of divinity there. Nothing that grounds all of that together. So to me, to take what's ancient, holy and divine about our Christian tradition and what we understand about God, and then to bring it out of the doors of the church, but with integrity, into the wild places, engraft our worship onto the worship of God that is creation. And I think that's what I mean when I say a threshold space. Like this is the world. This is the human world, this is the natural world. And then we sometimes just hide all of our really juicy, beautiful stuff about the Christian life as we've understood it for 2000 years, and we kind of lock that up into the church. And so we're trying to bring that out of the church and in a way that has integrity, but is in new spaces and lowering barriers for entry for people.Debra Rienstra Yeah, so you're responding to this kind of pervasive alienation between people and the natural world. One of the things I read on your website, and one of the things that you've said frequently, is, “What's good for the earth is good for the soul.” Yeah. Say a little more about how that phrase is meaningful for you.Pete Nunnally I think we forget that we are part of the community of creation. This is a phrase I got from you.Debra Rienstra Well, I got it from Randy Woodley.Pete Nunnally Randy, what a great writer and theologian. And so for a long time, we've forgotten that. Did you know our Christian tradition is an indigenous tradition, really? And we've scrubbed all of that away. You know the concept of Ubuntu, the African concept of “I am because you are,” and I cannot be a person if you're not a person. So like the sacred in me recognizes the sacred in you. Like we understand that African sort of understanding that Desmond Tutu and others talk about, but what if we looked at creation the same way? That we can't be fully human unless the wild world that God created is free to be itself also. And we do. We've isolated ourselves from this world, like nobody knows—we're eating foods that are out of season all year round, and kids grow up and they think that the food comes from the grocery store. And yet, part of what draws us out into the world—see, part of why I like worshiping here is there's just people around. And you know, like they wanted to come and just be by the river today.Debra Rienstra Explain where we are today.Pete Nunnally We are at a place called Fletcher's Cove and Boathouse. It is a park along the Potomac River in DC proper. And once you get in, kind of the whole place opens up. There's forest that goes right up into the river. And actually, the Potomac River is tidal in this area, believe it or not, we still have tides all the way up here, and it's a beautiful place. All kinds of people come to the edge of the river to enjoy themselves. It's incredibly diverse: people of different nationalities, and celebrating birthdays and graduations and beautiful days. And I like to worship here because you have the combination of people, but also, it really is forest along the river, and so the trees are down and slowly giving themselves back to the earth, and you're interrupted sometimes by, in our worship, by what's going on in the natural world. And of course, that's not an interruption, it's just what God brings us next. So we have migratory birds and blue herons, and the shad run is just about over, but shad and herring come up the river to spawn, and that brings fishermen out along the river, including myself. And so you get to experience a fuller version of what happens in the world when you're in a wild place, and when you worship in that same space over and over again, you get to know it through the seasons, and it gets to know you. So we become known to the trees and the river when we continue to come back over and over.Debra Rienstra Yeah. So you do outdoor worship, but you have other things going on too. So describe some of the other things that you do.Pete Nunnally Well, we do Zoom book studies. Our very first one was Refugia Faith.Debra Rienstra Oh, I've heard that's good.Pete Nunnally It's really well written, insightful, highly recommend to everyone. And that's exciting, because we have 20 to 30 people from all over the country who join and it really is a community of the heart, like, “Oh, I believe that I see God in nature.” And a lot of these folks come from a Christian background, but their traditional worship, it's not doing it for them anymore. And they want to be validated, because you feel so alone when you're like, “I love Jesus. I grew up with church, but I don't think it's responding to the times that we're in,” and when the world is on fire and our planet needs us so much, so often the church is silent or has trouble finding out what to do. So to me, the natural world is going to show us what to do, and the more we come out here together and graft our worship onto—take the wisdom that we have and add it to the wisdom of nature and the ecology of God, then we're going to know what to do and cultivate a love of something, then you can really do something. So just to add one more thing on top of that, we do in-person retreats. And those are really, really fun. Next week, we're going to the Chincoteague Bay Field Stations, an educational marine lab, and they take us into the field, and they teach us about the marine environment. So we're learning about how barrier islands are formed, or, you know, dropping a net down and bringing up sea urchins and sea sponges. And we really get to experience and see what's underneath the surface of the water. And then we apply that to our spiritual life and see, not only is God amazing and all these things like—there's just the granularity of what God has has brought into this world, but then we can see where our faith can grow and our understanding of God can grow by encountering things we haven't seen before.Debra Rienstra Yeah. So I often ask people about their spark point, so the moment when you began to realize the urgency of the climate crisis. What was that point for you?Pete Nunnally I'm a fisherman, and fishing populations have been going down. I read a really wonderful book called Beautiful Swimmers by Warren Wilson; it won the Pulitzer Prize in the 70s about the Chesapeake Bay and the waterman. Even then he was talking about how the watermen were saying that the bay is sick. And I grew up here in the Delmarva area, seeing the sign “Save the Bay” and things like that, but it wasn't personal to me until I started spending more time there and and you can see like the effects of hardened barriers versus living shorelines at the end of the people's property. And that the fish population is leaving, like they're moving. And some of the charter captains that I know talk about like there are no stripers in the river, in the bay anymore. I mean, there are some, but the water is too warm, so they go north and they don't come back south. And then when I started doing Water and Wilderness Church, that was really an important entry point for me as well.Debra Rienstra How did you get other people involved in water and wilderness church? When was the moment where you said we need to worship outside and I need to gather people? How did that all work?Pete Nunnally Well, it started because we were at the end of Covid. We were kind of inside, kind of not. And I'm an old camp counselor, and I said, “I think...I think we can do this outside. And I'm pretty sure it all used to be outside.” And so many stories of Jesus: he's talking to people at the edge of the Sea of Galilee. He's talking to them, they're hiking up a mountain. Like these are things that we can actually do. And so these are rituals. And we walked and talked during Water and Wilderness Church. And so I just started it and said, “Hey, does anybody want to do this?” And some people came out of necessity, because we didn't really have a lot of church stuff going on.Debra Rienstra Yeah, this is at your parish?Pete Nunnally My church, yeah, St. Mary's in Arlington. And every Sunday we did it. We did twice a month. I thought, this is the Sunday no one's going to come. And people just kept coming. 23 people came in a snowstorm. Well, not a snow storm, but it was snowing. And the weather was bad, and people would bring hot cider. And when the weather was hot, they'd bring cold lemonade. And, you know, kids started bringing their instruments. So then we had this little homegrown, intergenerational band that started leading the music, and all I did was just keep showing up and saying, “I think this is good.” And then, you know, a beaver comes in the middle of our homily one day, and now all the attention is on this beaver that, Ron, is the size of you. It's a humongous beaver, and it slaps his tail like you see in the cartoons. And so this expression and experience of worship begins to expand. And I think people are really looking for that. They want the church to tell them and to show them that God is everywhere, and that particularly in the natural world, the theological thumbprint of God is on all of this. And there's not a distinction or separation, but actually there's a union. I grew up on four acres and a semi rural area right across from the Potomac, further up river. So I grew up playing in the creeks and the rivers, and spent a long time away from that, and during Covid, kind of came back to it. And as a priest, everything looked different after my seminary training. And I'm like, “Wow, this whole thing is magic. This whole thing is a miracle.” I mean, the river, it's the same river, and it's never the same river. We're here, and y'all can see this, but we just had major flooding in DC, and hundreds and hundreds of massive logs have washed up so far up, no one has seen it this far up and it's closed the road down here. And there's this immense redistribution of what used to be. And I think there's a spiritual biomimicry that we're trying to get at when we worship out here as well.Debra RienstraHi, it's me, Debra. If you are enjoying this podcast episode, go ahead and subscribe on your preferred podcast platform. If you have a minute, leave a review. Good reviews help more listeners discover this podcast. To keep up with all the Refugia news, I invite you to subscribe to the Refugia newsletter on Substack. This is my fortnightly newsletter for people of faith who care about the climate crisis and want to go deeper. Every two weeks, I feature climate news, deeper dives, refugia sightings and much more. Join our community at refugianewsletter.substack.com. For even more goodies, including transcripts and show notes for this podcast, check out my website at debrarienstra.com. D-E-B-R-A-R-I-E-N-S-T-R-A dot com. Thanks so much for listening. We're glad you're part of this community. And now back to the interview.Debra Rienstra So you served as a rector for a long time, and now you're serving as the wilderness priest. So what has that dialectic been for you between traditional congregational life and what you're doing now? And maybe there's people in your community who are still doing normal church, so to speak, and also part of this. So talk about that dialectic a little bit.Pete Nunnally Yeah, when we began Water and Wilderness Church, I talked a lot about it being a good compliment, and that is—for anybody trying to do something new, it's a great way to position your new idea relative to the traditional authorities. And it is. People that are formed traditionally can see and understand what we're trying to do out here. And people say that they're like, I see the Episcopal, the mainline underpinnings of what's going on. On the other side, for people who are spiritual but not religious—and just so many good reasons to be that—I really want to affirm the journey that the church needs to take in order to repent and to worship God with integrity and consistency. But the deeper roots that we have as an ancient tradition, and as we were saying earlier, as originally, the followers of Jesus were following an indigenous tradition, and the people of Israel as well. But what the experience of worship is, we do Eucharist, but I tell the story of salvation in a way that's, I think, right size for people and personalized for people. The language in our Book of Common Prayer as Episcopalians is exquisite in some places. Also still has some language that can be interpreted as penal substitutionary atonement. And we wonder why people have that view, and it's kind of baked in in some of our stuff. So how can we focus on the story of Jesus to somebody who has never heard of Jesus, that's what I'm thinking. You're a spiritual person, or you love nature, and somebody invites you and says, “Hey, there's this church. I know you've been looking for more community, so you can't be spiritual in isolation. And maybe you could come here. It's kind of a church, but it's more relatable.” But we're not gonna get rid of Jesus. You know? So what does Jesus mean to somebody? Why do we need the Eucharist, for example?Debra Rienstra So talk about ritual, especially because one of the things I've been thinking about is the importance of ritual, and the way that people of faith are stewards of ritual. We have the sacraments, our sort of central rituals, but we also have other rituals, and you're adapting an Episcopalian flavored Eucharist in particular, maybe baptism too. Is it different when you do those outdoors? What do you do that's the same? What do you do that's a little different? How does it feel different when you're doing those rituals outdoors?Pete Nunnally When I was in my liturgy class, our professor—I fought with him a lot. Praying shapes believing was like the thing. And just to talk about the Episcopal thing, this is a mainline, this is for everybody, like the church needs to break down the barriers of denominations and all the rest. So this is really for everybody, but I'm an Episcopal priest. But I think the rituals become alive to me when they're done out here, and they are changed and translated sometimes. So when I tell the story of salvation, like typically we hold the bread and wine up at the end and say, “These are the gifts of God.” And when I started doing it outside, I said, “Well, hell. Like all of this is a gift from God.” And when you're inside, it's still all of this, but it's different when you say, “Look at the river, look at the sky.” This is all—and they say, “look at one another,” like you are all gifts of God. But I never would have come to that point without doing it outside. And then we say, “Take them and remember that Christ died for you and feed on him in your hearts by faith.” And I've never really liked that, because there's this sort of like, “Remember that Christ died, you know, and you should feel a little bit bad about it.” Christ died for you—and I thought, that's not what the Eucharist is really about. The Eucharist is about Christ living for us. And so I said, “Take this and remember that Christ lives for you, that love and justice and mercy and forgiveness, they live for you, with you and in you. And that is what these things are.” That's what we're about.Debra Rienstra So the way I've learned about the Eucharist is it's remembrance, communion, and hope. So it is remembrance of sacrifice, but it's also right now, communion with Christ, communion with each other, and then this kind of eschatological hope. But we do often in various traditions tend to get stuck in the remembrance part, and we miss the communion and the hope part. The hope for the feast to come, right? The heavenly feast to come, the ultimate telos. So even just doing it outdoors triggers that a little bit.Pete Nunnally Yeah, and this river is at least a million years old. And so when you're in an ancient place, in a regenerative place, all these logs are eventually going to become soil somewhere and feed on itself and to sustain the next thing—that's the communion of saints that we are part of. It's not just the people we read about in the Bible. It's us too, no different than the disciples, the women that supported Jesus's ministry.Debra Rienstra Have you ever seen the Cathedral of the Angels in Los Angeles? It has these beautiful murals on both sides of the nave, and it's depictions of famous saints, but then mixed in are regular Angelenos. The artists—just so that sense that we're all a part of this community is amazing.Pete Nunnally One more thing on ritual is that we we've had rituals pop up here—Debra Rienstra —That was my next question!Pete Nunnally —that we do now. Somebody, about a year in, somebody came and said, “Hey, Father Pete, there's always different groups of people here. It's like some come pretty regularly, and we have some new people. And how about every time, every beginning, we introduce ourselves and say one thing we're grateful for.” And I was like, “Lucinda, that's a great idea.”Debra Rienstra So simple.Pete Nunnally It's so simple, but can you imagine going to your priest or pastor at home and being like, “I have an idea for how we should start the service now”? Like, it's impossible to do. But so we do that every single time, and we circle up so the shape of us changes. When we gather, we're individuals, kind of a mob, and then we circle up so you see somebody says at traditional church—which, by the way, I love traditional church. But they say, “I go to church, I sit in a pew and I see the back of people's heads,” but at Water and Wilderness Church, we're circled up. I see your face. But yeah, so that's a tradition or a ritual here of offering ourselves up to God by speaking our name and beginning with gratitude.Debra Rienstra Yeah. Do you see a role for the church in—I don't want to say inventing, because that can make people nervous—but in, let's call it stewarding ritual, not just the sacraments, but other kinds of ritual that people really need in a moment of crisis, maybe rituals of lament, thanksgiving, as you suggest, other sorts of threshold type rituals that we really need as we deal with this moment of crisis?Pete Nunnally Do I see the church being able to do that?Debra Rienstra Yeah. Is what you're doing a kind of experiment in thinking about what what my husband Ron Rienstra would call liturgical shenanigans?Pete Nunnally Yeah, I think so. And I think that—again, like I'm from a highly liturgical tradition. We're just not able to change that much, you know? We'll have a season of creation, which we did last year, my traditional church, you know, I love those resources. They're great, but everything else is exactly the same, and so we save different words. But what I like to think that we're inviting people into is an alternative way of being in the world based on Jesus's radical love. And one way to do that is to do this outside and let our worship be informed by something that's been here a lot longer than we have.Debra Rienstra Yeah, yeah. So I wonder if there's something about these sort of experimental spaces that effectively can jar traditional churches, which I also love, but jar us into being a little more inventive, a little more attentive to the moment, by doing something so different, you know, we can learn from your example in more traditional churches and congregations and say, “You know, it's not so scary to try stuff.” We tried stuff during the pandemic too. And honestly, I really miss being outside and hearing the birds worship with us, essentially. You know, I feel like worship is not complete without birdies! But we, I think churches so often just say, “Well, let's just do things how we always do them,” because it's already hard, but to have experimental spaces like yours, where you're just trying stuff and it's fine and you're actually discovering riches and richness that you wouldn't have discovered otherwise. Okay, but true confession time. What do you miss about traditional worship in a sanctuary, high Episcopal sort of traditional worship, if anything?Pete Nunnally What we're still working on is how to build lament in every time. And I like the confession of sin and the absolution. It's important to me, and it's important for everybody. Again, you know, our spiritual-but-not-religious brothers and sisters, I'm with you. I totally get it. I'm first in line to criticize the church. But if our spirituality is just what feels good to us, then we're never brought into that place of pain, and in reality, the reality of ourselves in our lives, and then the reality of God's forgiveness and sustenance and redemption. And confession is a big piece of that, particularly in the natural world, we have done so much and continue to do things to harm your planet.Debra Rienstra I guess I would not have guessed that your first thing would be confession. But it suggests that there are these theological wisdoms that come from practice and reflection over centuries of the church, and you're in a place now where you're thinking through where our emphasis needs to go, and maybe lean away from, so maybe leaning away from our sort of focus on buildings and programs. And leaning into some of these deeper things. There's certainly advantages to buildings and programs, right? But what sort of theological ideas, or even—I don't know practice is the right word—but what sort of theological ideas or practices do you feel we need to really lean into right now, at this moment?Pete Nunnally Obviously, I think we need to go outside, like do it outside.Debra Rienstra Maybe lean into that kinship with all creation. That's part of the tradition, but...Pete Nunnally We're not on top of it. We're supposed to be within it. And the body of Christ is not just humans, it is the natural world as well. I look out, the river is—we're water people, and I did a river baptism last week.Debra Rienstra Did you?Pete Nunnally Yeah, down in Petersburg, Virginia, and it was amazing—to have everybody on the bank, and we walked out into the river and took this little baby, Rixie, and dunked her in three times. And it's hard not to feel there's the intimacy of God in that moment, because it is a flowing river that's connected then, to the James River, which goes to the bay, which goes to the ocean. There again, with the communion of saints and this interconnectedness, I think we just run away from God in so many different ways. And one way is that we hide away from this natural world.Debra Rienstra Yeah, and people are so hungry for embodiment. So to me, connecting embodied ritual with the world is a deeply incarnational response, right? If we really believe, as you say, that Christ is incarnate, then we can't forget that we are bodies on a planet. So that, to me, is where you know something like a river baptism just—sorry about this, but overflows with the resonance of our embodiment and with incarnational theology. So two final questions: where is Water and Wilderness Church headed? Your goal is not growth. You don't have a building to deal with or programs to continue. So what is the goal for you? Where are you envisioning the future for Water and Wilderness Church?Pete Nunnally I do want to grow, but one of the goals is to show—when I was younger, and people would say like, “Oh, you know, understand your life, and then like, you'll find what you really want to do.” And Buechner talks about your vocation is where the “world's deep hunger and your deep gladness meet.” And it was about a year into doing this before I realized, like, oh, my whole life makes sense. So I grew up outside. Fished a lot. I've loved church. I went to church camp, and was always confused by the gap between this embodied reality of God in community at camp and then we go to church, very sacred space, but very, very different and not as embodied to me, and... what was the question?Debra Rienstra The question is, what do you envision the future of Water and Wilderness Church to be?Pete Nunnally I have always kind of felt like I'm on the outside of things, but that situates me very well to do something like this. And I think the future is that we continue to offer this, and this is a church community, so we're going to build a community of people, and our building will draw, you know, 20 or 30 people here today to worship in this way, and draw people in who've been waiting for something like this. Henry Ford said, if he'd asked people, they would have said they wanted a faster horse. Nobody knew they wanted a car until they got that opportunity to have one. And so that's a little bit of what this: “Hey, you can do it like this,” and it's not just all woo, woo, making up stuff. It's true woo. It's true, but it has these ancient roots. We're not getting rid of the central reason why we're here. We're just opening it up and letting God speak to us through nature. And I see tributaries all over the place. I see this as a movement. So we hopefully will keep a monthly service in Delaware. I want to have a monthly service in Maryland, in DC, obviously, weekly here in Virginia, and so that for people on our border from North Carolina, they're like, “I want to be on a board so that I can help this come to us in North Carolina.” Yeah, it's particularly people with neurodivergent kids. Like worshiping in nature is an incredible way for them to encounter God. It's so hard to sit still and pay attention to a traditional service. So I want to see wherever you go, you know, in six or seven months...wherever you go in the country...Debra Rienstra Hmm, six or seven months, huh?Pete Nunnally No, but eventually that there will be churches like this all over. And there are some. I think what's different about us versus some of the other expressions, is that we are faithful and have integrity to our Christian tradition, but it's really an act of recovery. We're not making anything up. We're just remembering what our spiritual forebears used to know about the wisdom of creation as it relates to God's ecology and our own personal lives. So I want to see churches like this in every state, in different places. We do it in DC, and people are always like, “Oh my gosh, you should do it in this very remote, beautiful place. “And I'll be like, “Well, I'd love to do that...” The highly populated areas, cities like DC and New York and Boston...the need is so great for people to be pulled off of the hamster wheel, because everybody wants to climb a ladder, you're going to realize it's leaning against the wrong wall. You get to the top, and you're like, “This isn't what I wanted.” All that work and effort. So my vision of the future is that there are multiple Water and Wilderness Churches. That's not a new concept. Evangelical churches and multisite churches all over the place, and it wouldn't be like that at all.Debra Rienstra Yeah, you're just prototyping, and people can find an expression.Pete Nunnally Somebody has to show other people that you can do it this way, and you can get it funded and make it self-sustaining. The watershed community is part of how we keep that self-sustaining, because you can encounter and you have touch points with our Zoom book studies, or with the videos that I do, or the blog or other resources. It's this gathering movement, this rising of the tide of spirituality that really is, like it's going to happen, because people—I talk to so many people and they're like, “Yeah, I don't go to church anymore, but I would go to that church.”Debra Rienstra That's something.Pete Nunnally They're like, “I would do that. I can't do this because it reminds me of past harm or hypocrisy or whatever, but I would do something like that.”Debra Rienstra It answers a deep, deep need that people don't always have the words for. But, as you say, when they see the possibility, something in them says, “Yes, that's what I'm looking for.”Pete Nunnally Yeah, Debra, and like me too. I still don't have the right words to express what happens to me when we do this. All I know is that I have to do this, and it's not easy. It'd be a lot easier to take a nice-paying, traditional church job with a staff, and you know, this regular stuff, but it's not what God wants me to do.Debra Rienstra Well, thank you so much for talking to me today. I have one final question: favorite fish, favorite fishing spot?Pete Nunnally My favorite fish would be, I mean, I sure love fishing for catfish, but that's a lot of hanging around. I would say redfish, and I like to fish down in the Northern Neck, which is where the Potomac and the Rappahannock and the York rivers go into the Chesapeake Bay. So the bottom end of those rivers are all salt water and they're just exquisite. So it's just so beautiful. And I love chasing down those redfish. Tastes delicious.Debra Rienstra Well, happy fishing. And thank you again so much for talking to me today.Pete Nunnally Thank you. Thanks, Debra.Debra Rienstra Thanks for joining us for show notes and full transcripts, please visit debrarienstra.com and click on the Refugia Podcast tab. This season of the Refugia Podcast is produced with generous funding from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship. Colin Hoogerwerf is our awesome audio producer. Thanks to Ron Rienstra for content consultation as well as technical and travel support. Till next time, be well. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 2756: Cylon George explores how true companionship thrives through mutual strength, shared silence, forgiveness, and space for individuality. He reminds us that real love goes beyond sentiment, inviting us to see and accept our partners as they are while encouraging growth, humility, and deep connection. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.spirituallivingforbusypeople.com/the-art-of-companionship Quotes to ponder: “Lean on your companion when you need encouragement and support. Allow them to lean on you when they're stuck.” “You were made for more than yourself. You were made for relationship.” “Real relationships challenge us and help us grow.” Episode references: The Way to Love by Anthony De Mello: https://www.amazon.com/Way-Love-Anthony-Mello/dp/038524939X Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke: https://www.amazon.com/Letters-Young-Poet-Rainer-Rilke/dp/0486422453 The Book of Joy by Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu: https://www.amazon.com/Book-Joy-Lasting-Happiness-Changing/dp/0399185046 The Art of Loving by Erich Fromm: https://www.amazon.com/Art-Loving-Erich-Fromm/dp/0061129739 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 2756: Cylon George explores how true companionship thrives through mutual strength, shared silence, forgiveness, and space for individuality. He reminds us that real love goes beyond sentiment, inviting us to see and accept our partners as they are while encouraging growth, humility, and deep connection. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.spirituallivingforbusypeople.com/the-art-of-companionship Quotes to ponder: “Lean on your companion when you need encouragement and support. Allow them to lean on you when they're stuck.” “You were made for more than yourself. You were made for relationship.” “Real relationships challenge us and help us grow.” Episode references: The Way to Love by Anthony De Mello: https://www.amazon.com/Way-Love-Anthony-Mello/dp/038524939X Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke: https://www.amazon.com/Letters-Young-Poet-Rainer-Rilke/dp/0486422453 The Book of Joy by Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu: https://www.amazon.com/Book-Joy-Lasting-Happiness-Changing/dp/0399185046 The Art of Loving by Erich Fromm: https://www.amazon.com/Art-Loving-Erich-Fromm/dp/0061129739 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's no secret that US President Donald Trump wants to win The Nobel Peace Prize. Badly. Barack Obama won it in 2009 and Trump has repeatedly said he deserves the prize. Jules and Jez take a look at previous recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize which include Martin Luther King Jr, Nelsen Mandela, Malala Yousafzai, Mother Teresa, Desmond Tutu and the Red Cross.But the Nobel Peace Prize hasn't been without controversy. So could Trump actually make the cut, and is the award still even relevant?Jules and Jez also talk about the first female Archbishop of Canterbury, Dame Sarah Mullally, who is now ceremonial head of 85 million Anglicans in over 165 countries.Julia Baird and Jeremy Fernandez chat about the stories you're obsessed with, the stuff you've missed and the things that matter. Episodes drop every Wednesday afternoon. We want to hear from you! Join the conversation and email the show at notstupid@abc.net.au

The apartheid era in South Africa ended in 1991 with the National Peace Accords. The peace agreement also paved the way for a Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Yet TRC head Desmond Tutu considered the process “scandalously unfinished.” Lawyer Prakash Diar agrees: "You don't undo centuries of colonization just like that.”Diar and writer Kagiso Lesego Molope were young activists in apartheid-era South Africa. They saw the toll that oppression and state violence took: on their families, communities, and themselves. In our fourth episode of our series Inventing Peace, they consider the history of the history of this pivotal peace agreement and what other countries might learn.

This week's episode of Menomorphosis asks a powerful question:

Nouvel épisode de la série les grands boycotts de l'Histoire, où quand des mouvements sociaux et politiques utilisent l'arme économique pour lutter contre l'oppression. De l'Irlande à Israël en passant par l'Inde, du lait en poudre au pétrole et aux bus de Montgomery, le boycott transforme le consommateur en citoyen, un mouvement d'expression et de colère qui continue de faire peur même aux plus puissants. Pour ce quatrième épisode, retour sur le boycott anti-apartheid en Afrique du Sud. En 1994, l'ANC remporte les premières élections démocratiques multiraciales. Nelson Mandela devient le premier président noir du pays. « C'est l'un des moments les plus importants de la vie de notre pays, lance-t-il lors de son discours de victoire. Je me tiens ici devant vous, empli d'une profonde fierté et d'une grande joie : fierté envers les gens ordinaires et humbles de ce pays. Vous avez fait preuve d'une détermination calme et patiente pour reconquérir ce pays qui est le vôtre. Et joie de pouvoir proclamer haut et fort : enfin libres ! » Nelson Mandela salue ainsi des décennies de lutte du peuple sud-africain contre l'apartheid. Une lutte qui a aussi reçu un soutien international de plus en plus important au fil du temps. 1959, la campagne anti-apartheid est lancée à Londres Dès 1959, des exilés sud-africains, soutenus par des syndicats britanniques, des étudiants ou encore des mouvements féministes répondent à l'idée lancée par Albert Luthuli (alors président de l'ANC et futur prix Nobel de la paix) et appellent depuis Londres au boycott des produits d'Afrique du Sud, pour protester contre la ségrégation raciale. Lors d'un discours à l'Université de Stanford, aux États-Unis, des années plus tard, le futur archevêque du Cap, Desmond Tutu (également récompensé du prix Nobel de la paix, en 1984), en résumera la logique. « Pour l'amour de Dieu, ceux qui investissent en Afrique du Sud doivent savoir qu'ils soutiennent et renforcent l'un des systèmes les plus brutaux qu'ait jamais connu le monde. » L'homme d'Église tourne aussi en dérision des arguments avancés par certains dirigeants des pays qui rechignent encore à imposer des sanctions économiques contre Pretoria : « Ils disent "oh, vous savez, les noirs seront les premiers à en souffrir, ils seront les plus durement touchés" », avant de conclure d'une moue entendue, sous les éclats de rire du public, conquis par l'orateur. 1976, le choc de la répression contre les manifestants de Soweto Le boycott anti-apartheid a pris de l'ampleur après la répression de la révolte de Soweto. Le 16 juin 1976, des milliers d'écoliers descendaient dans les rues du township de la banlieue de Johannesburg pour protester contre l'obligation d'apprendre l'afrikaans, sur le point de devenir la langue d'enseignement dans toutes les écoles noires. Une langue perçue comme celle de l'oppresseur. Ce soulèvement, réprimé dans le sang, a été un tournant décisif dans la lutte contre l'apartheid. Et participera aussi à amplifier le boycott anti-apartheid à l'international. À lire aussiAfrique du Sud : 16 juin 1976, la révolte de Soweto Années 1980, le boycott prend de l'ampleur à l'international Dans les années 1980, des dockers australiens et états-uniens refusent de décharger des marchandises venues d'Afrique du Sud. En France, on boycotte les oranges de la marque Outspan, accusée de profiter de l'exploitation des noirs. Plusieurs multinationales finissent par se retirer du pays, comme la banque britannique Barclays, en 1986, et avant elle Kodak, Coca-Cola, IBM ou encore General Motors. À l'intérieur du pays aussi, le boycott est particulièrement suivi. En 1988 et 1989, les Sud-africains noirs cessent par exemple d'acheter dans les magasins de Boksburg, près de Johannesburg, pour protester contre la politique ségrégationniste de la municipalité. Les boutiques sont désertées. L'équipe municipale finit par perdre sa majorité. Le boycott national et international du régime de l'apartheid pèse de plus en plus sur l'économie, et finit par accélérer sa chute. La dernière loi ségrégationniste est abolie en 1991. Nelson Mandela devient président trois ans plus tard. À lire aussiAfrique du Sud : 30 ans plus tard, que deviennent les enfants de la liberté ?

Send us a textJill Salzman turns the mundane into inspiration and transforms the impossible into the achievable. Through defying expectations and breaking the rules, she succeeds in inspiring entrepreneurs to figure out what works for them by using meaningful action to create positive results.Jill is the author of The Best Business Book In The World* (*According To My Mom) and the Amazon best-seller, Found It: A Field Guide for Mom Entrepreneurs.She's shared the speaker stage with Richard Branson, Sheryl Sandberg, Daymond John, Marilu Henner, and Desmond Tutu among others, and professed her love of Eddie Vedder in her TEDx talk on 11/11/11. She hosted the top-rated entertaining business podcasts, Breaking Down Your Business, and then Why Are We Shouting?, a question she asks herself daily.CNNMoney called her a “mogul.” MSN Live said she's a “Cool Entrepreneur We Love.” Forbes rated her a Top 100 Champion Small Business Influencer and voted her third business, The Founding Moms, one of the Top 10 Websites For Entrepreneurs.When she's not speaking to audiences in patterned leggings, or podcasting or working out with me virtually from her basement, she fruitlessly tries to convince her daughters that cassette tapes actually existed.Find Jill at-https://jillsalzman.com/Find Boundless Body at- myboundlessbody.com Book a session with us here!

Kgomotso Modise standing in for Aubrey Masango speaks to Prof William Gumede, an Associate Professor, School of Governance at the University of the Witwatersrand as they discuss the legacy foundations and they look into their relevance in the South African politics and what role they play in shaping SA social and political conversations.Tags: 702, Aubrey Masango show, Aubrey Masango, Kgomotso Modise, Prof William Gumede, The National Dialogue, Thabo Mbeki Foundation, Steve Biko Foundation, Desmond Tutu foundation The Aubrey Masango Show is presented by late night radio broadcaster Aubrey Masango. Aubrey hosts in-depth interviews on controversial political issues and chats to experts offering life advice and guidance in areas of psychology, personal finance and more. All Aubrey’s interviews are podcasted for you to catch-up and listen. Thank you for listening to this podcast from The Aubrey Masango Show. Listen live on weekdays between 20:00 and 24:00 (SA Time) to The Aubrey Masango Show broadcast on 702 https://buff.ly/gk3y0Kj and on CapeTalk between 20:00 and 21:00 (SA Time) https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk Find out more about the show here https://buff.ly/lzyKCv0 and get all the catch-up podcasts https://buff.ly/rT6znsn Subscribe to the 702 and CapeTalk Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/v5mfet Follow us on social media: 702 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TalkRadio702 702 on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talkradio702 702 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkradio702/ 702 on X: https://x.com/Radio702 702 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@radio702 CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Dear describes to Brad and Paul his life of peacemaking with Jesus along with his friends the Berrigans, Mother Teresa, Desmond Tutu, and others, recommending doing the Sermon on the Mount rather than simply studying about it. If you enjoyed this podcast, please consider donating to support our work. Become a Patron!

The happiness we used to know was like a reward, something that shows up once life finally goes our way. But what if that moment never comes? What if life hands you unimaginable loss instead, and you're left trying to piece together who you are and what comes next? The truth is, happiness isn't a finish line. It's a conscious choice, and a lifelong practice. And no one embodies that truth more powerfully than Karen Guggenheim.Karen Guggenheim is the founder and CEO of WOHASU®, the organization behind the World Happiness Summit. A leading voice in global well-being, she is recognized for turning personal adversity into a powerful mission: helping individuals and organizations thrive through science-based strategies for happiness. Most recently, Karen led the expansion of WOHASU to the United Nations and global cities, advancing the conversation on mental health and well-being at the highest levels. Karen is the author of Cultivating Happiness: Overcome trauma and positively transform your life.In this episode of the Happiness Squad Podcast, Ashish Kothari and Karen Guggenheim, explore what it means to treat happiness not as a fleeting emotion, but as a conscious, lifelong practice.Things you will also learn in this episode:• Defining happiness as a framework, not a feeling• The misunderstood nature of happiness• The urgent need for systemic change in how we lead, work, and educate• Why forgiveness is the most challenging but transformational pillar of personal growth• What every leader, parent, and teacher needs to hear about happinessThis episode will remind you that happiness is not something you wait for, but something you build, even in the aftermath of heartbreak. Give it a listen, and you'll never think about happiness the same way again.Resources:• Karen Guggenheim: http://karenguggenheim.com/ • World Happiness Summit: https://worldhappinesssummit.com/• Wellbeing Leadership Certification by World Happiness Summit: https://worldhappinesssummit.com/wellbeing-leadership-certification/ • World Wellbeing Policy Forum: https://wohasu.com/portfolio/world-wellbeing-policy-forum/ • Conscious Entrepreneur Summit: https://events.humanitix.com/2025-conscious-entrepreneur-summit • The Bridge to Happiness by Karen Guggenheim at TEDxMiami: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcgJo9IGxxk • World Happiness Summit on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-mbWbPUjzHCVQ0iU3rmCsQ • Dr. Fred Luskin - Forgiveness and Happiness from WOHASU: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaklxaKGWNU&pp=0gcJCdgAo7VqN5tD • Truth and Reconciliation Commission with Desmond Tutu: https://www.theforgivenessproject.com/stories-library/desmond-tutu/ Books:• Cultivating...

This episode is sponsored by our Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification. Register today for 80% off at https://mindfulnessexercises.com/certify/ In this episode of the Mindfulness Exercises Podcast, Sean Fargo sits down with Sophie Chiche—life strategist, therapist, author, TEDx speaker, and founder of several impactful ventures dedicated to helping people live with more purpose and play. Sophie shares her path from trading pencils in the sandbox as a child to building multi-million dollar businesses and facilitating sessions alongside global icons like Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu. With humor and raw honesty, she dives into what it really means to do “more of what matters” in a world filled with distraction and pressure. Sean and Sophie explore how mindfulness intersects with accountability, creativity, and emotional awareness and why giving yourself permission to rest is more than just a luxury. What You'll Learn in This Episode: ✔ Why doing “more of what matters” requires inner alignment, not just better productivity ✔ How mindfulness supports radical personal accountability ✔ The difference between “mental health” and true inner freedom ✔ What it means to show up in the world as your whole self ✔ How play and joy can be integrated into meaningful work Sophie brings fierce intelligence and lighthearted wisdom to this conversation, reminding us that the deepest healing often begins with being radically honest with ourselves, and each other.

Academy Award-winning vegan filmmaker and former National Geographic photographer Louie Psihoyos joins us to share how he is using the power of storytelling to spark transformation for animal rights, human health, and environmental conservation. Highlights include: How The Cove, his Oscar-wining documentary and the first documentary to sweep all the film guilds, inspired activism that helped reduce dolphin and porpoise slaughter in Japan by over 90%; How his team's audacious projection events of endangered species on iconic buildings including The Empire State Building, The United Nations and The Vatican for their film Racing Extinction, received over 5.4 billion media views and led to laws that protect some of Earth's most endangered animals; How his third film, The Game Changers, a film about plant-based super athletes that exposes the myth that meat is necessary for protein, strength, and optimal health, triggered a 350% spike in online searches within a month of premiering on Netflix; What his Netflix Series, You Are What You Eat: A Twin Experiment, uncovered about the 8-week health benefits of plant-based eating, and how the results went viral; His most recent film Mission: Joy a buddy film starring his Holiness, The Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu about how to find joy in a world of sorrow has been seen by 10's of millions of people around the globe; Where Louie's focus is turning next: a new film exposing the destructive health impacts of plastic. See episode website for show notes, links, and transcript:  https://www.populationbalance.org/podcast/louie-psihoyos   OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward Abundance OVERSHOOT tackles today's interlocked social and ecological crises driven by humanity's excessive population and consumption. The podcast explores needed narrative, behavioral, and system shifts for recreating human life in balance with all life on Earth. With expert guests from wide-ranging disciplines, we examine the forces underlying overshoot: from patriarchal pronatalism that is fueling overpopulation, to growth-biased economic systems that lead to consumerism and social injustice, to the dominant worldview of human supremacy that subjugates animals and nature. Our vision of shrinking toward abundance inspires us to seek pathways of transformation that go beyond technological fixes toward a new humanity that honors our interconnectedness with all beings.  Hosted by Nandita Bajaj and Alan Ware. Brought to you by Population Balance. Learn more at populationbalance.org Copyright 2025 Population Balance

Many of the most prominent social activists in the last half century or so have also been contemplatives: Howard Thurman, the Dalai Lama, and Thomas Merton among others. Does the sort of spirituality we talk about here have things to offer in a world like ours where people feel daily outrages flowing through their media feeds? Might our practices actually be negative--in that moving past constant reactivity might make us too passive? But surely constant outrage mostly leads to hopelessness (and unpleasant days). Dave Schmelzer is joined by Grace Schmelzer and Steve Joh (a former pastor who currently leads a network of small, spacious, spiritual, Christian communities in the Bay Area) for a lively conversation about all of this, including a look at the most commonly discussed spiritual approach to addressing such times.Mentioned on this podcast:Register your interest in the next Faith Part 2 course here.Arbor communities in the Bay AreaThe Book of Forgiving: The Fourfold Path for Healing Ourselves and Our World, by Desmond Tutu and Mpho Tutu

This is our unabridged interview with Mpho Tutu van Furth. What does it mean to ask someone for forgiveness? The experience after Apartheid in South Africa has much to teach us. “In English, you say, ‘I'm sorry, forgive me.' It's all about me”  Says Mpho Tutu van Furth, daughter to the late Desmond Tutu. But in the South African language of Xhosa “You say ndicela uxolo which means ‘I ask for peace'. And that's a very different thing than ‘forgive me'” In this episode, explore the deep impact of apartheid in South Africa, the meaning of true forgiveness, and the profound philosophy of Ubuntu. Discover how Mpho carries on her father's legacy of peace and reconciliation while navigating her own journey as an Episcopalian priest and social activist. This heartfelt and enlightening conversation delves into the courage required to love, forgive, and build a just community. Show Notes Resources mentioned this episode: The Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation Forgiveness and Reparation: The Healing Journey by Mpho Tutu The Book of Forgiving by Desdmond Tutu and Mpho Tutu Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa   Similar NSE episodes: Azim Khamisa: Ending Violence Through Forgiveness Forgiving My Mother's Murderer: Sharon Risher Pádraig Ó Tuama: A Poet's Work in Peace and Reconciliation PDF of Lee's Interview Notes Transcript of Abridged Episode Want more NSE? JOIN NSE+ Today! Our subscriber only community with bonus episodes designed specifically to help you live a good life, ad-free listening, and discounts on live shows Subscribe to episodes: Apple | Spotify | Amazon | Google | YouTubeFollow Us: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTubeFollow Lee: Instagram | TwitterJoin our Email List: nosmallendeavor.com See Privacy Policy: Privacy Policy Amazon Affiliate Disclosure: Tokens Media, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program… Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

What does it mean to ask someone for forgiveness? The experience after Apartheid in South Africa has much to teach us. “In English, you say, ‘I'm sorry, forgive me.' It's all about me”  Says Mpho Tutu van Furth, the daughter to the late Desmond Tutu. But in the South African language of Xhosa “You say ndicela uxolo which means ‘I ask for peace'. And that's a very different thing than ‘forgive me'” In this episode, explore the deep impact of apartheid in South Africa, the meaning of true forgiveness, and the profound philosophy of Ubuntu. Discover how Mpho carries on her father's legacy of peace and reconciliation while navigating her own journey as an Episcopalian priest and social activist. This heartfelt and enlightening conversation delves into the courage required to love, forgive, and build a just community. Show Notes Resources mentioned this episode: The Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation Forgiveness and Reparation: The Healing Journey by Mpho Tutu The Book of Forgiving by Desdmond Tutu and Mpho Tutu Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa  Similar NSE episodes: Azim Khamisa: Ending Violence Through Forgiveness Forgiving My Mother's Murderer: Sharon Risher Pádraig Ó Tuama: A Poet's Work in Peace and Reconciliation PDF of Lee's Interview Notes Transcription Link Want more NSE? JOIN NSE+ Today! Our subscriber only community with bonus episodes designed specifically to help you live a good life, ad-free listening, and discounts on live shows Subscribe to episodes: Apple | Spotify | Amazon | Google | YouTubeFollow Us: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTubeFollow Lee: Instagram | TwitterJoin our Email List: nosmallendeavor.com See Privacy Policy: Privacy Policy Amazon Affiliate Disclosure: Tokens Media, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linki… Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Krista Tippett's work in the realm of spirituality and human experience is unparalleled. She just has a divine gift for distilling complex topics into clear, palatable information that we can sit with, dissect, and examine. She uses her OnBeing podcast as a place to conduct honest conversations with theologians and thought leaders about what it means to be human, what it means to be alive. Curiosity is welcome in her space. She brings a sense of calm to everything around her. So during the frenzy of the holidays, which can be both joyful and stressful, we wanted to circle back to this centering conversation with Krista to decompress and be at peace with the world. This conversation feels like an oasis in what is always a chaotic month so it's our gift to bring it back for you this week.  Segments: Bless and Release: Rules for holiday decorating and making the holidays magical GenXcellence: Essentials for outfitting a GenX space *** Thought-provoking Quotes: If a thing is feeling stressful and not joyful, it needs to be re-evaluated. – Jen Hatmaker I actually found in the Bible, reading it for myself directly, that it completely honored the questions, and it honored the anguish, and it was full of things that didn't make sense or were contradictory. And for me that was an opening to not feel that faith had to be in opposition to what didn't make sense or was contradictory. – Krista Tippett There has to be a way to represent the complexity of this, and also the centrality of it, the fact that it's more about questions than it is about answers, and the array of how we walk around with this, and what it means in our lives, and the ways we practice, and the vocabulary we have, and the different ways we pray. I wanted to show that you could talk about this and we could speak about the part of ourselves that we mean when we use language of religious or spiritual. – Krista Tippett The sensibility, the intentionality with which something is offered, shapes the reaction that comes at it. – Krista Tippett I do have a spiritual homeland and I do have a spiritual mother tongue. That matters. – Krista Tippett Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Walter Brueggeman – https://www.walterbrueggemann.com/ The Prophetic Imagination – https://onbeing.org/programs/walter-brueggemann-the-prophetic-imagination-dec2018/  Thích Nhât Hanh – https://plumvillage.org/  Desmond Tutu – https://www.tutu.org.za/  Mary Oliver – https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/mary-oliver  I Got Saved By the Beauty of the World – https://onbeing.org/programs/mary-oliver-i-got-saved-by-the-beauty-of-the-world/ Guest's Links: OnBeing Podcast - https://onbeing.org/series/podcast/ Krista's website - https://onbeing.org/our-story/krista-tippett/ Krista's Twitter - https://x.com/kristatippett Connect with Jen! Jen's website - https://jenhatmaker.com/ Jen's Instagram - https://instagram.com/jenhatmaker Jen's Twitter - https://twitter.com/jenHatmaker/ Jen's Facebook - https://facebook.com/jenhatmaker Jen's YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JenHatmaker The For the Love Podcast is presented by Audacy.  To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In Part 3 of this series, Sage Robbins and her dear friend, podcast host turned surrogate, Mary B, delve deeply into the essence of forgiveness, exploring its profound impact on mental health and personal well-being. Sage shares how forgiveness has unlocked her inner freedom and helped her align with her true nature, while Mary offers a fresh perspective on transforming everyday frustrations into opportunities for growth. Their conversation encourages listeners to look beyond actions and recognize the inherent innocence in each person. Together, they explore "The Book of Forgiving: The Fourfold Path for Healing Ourselves and Our World" by Desmond Tutu and Mpho Tutu, illustrating the complexity of human nature and the transformative power of forgiveness.  They also answer audience questions on the topic of forgiveness and reflect on our shared human experience. Sage and Mary emphasize the vital roles of compassion, acceptance, and the ongoing journey of forgiving oneself, others, and our loved ones.  We hope you enjoy the final episode of this series! Episode Notes:  00:00:25 – Why we forgive 00:03:10 – “Units of energy” and who holds the power? 00:06:30 – The Book of Forgiving by Desmond Tutu and Mpho Tutu 00:07:55 – Mental architecture 00:09:15 – Question from Lauren: Does forgiveness count if you forgive someone in your heart versus if you forgive someone face to face? 00:12:09 – Question from Niraj: How does one get the real feeling of forgiveness in the heart, rather than the mental talk of forgiveness? 00:15:27 – Question from Demetra: As children, do we have to forgive our parents for the way they treated us, or do we have to accept them as they are? 00:17:10 – Question from Paola: How do you know if forgiving means stay or leave? 00:21:49 – Sign off You can watch the video version of this episode at: Youtube.com/Tonyrobbinslive Join to submit questions for future podcasts! https://tr.tonyrobbins.com/tric-now The Book of Forgiving: The Fourfold Path for Healing Ourselves and Our World by Desmond Tutu and Mpho Tutu https://www.amazon.com/Book-Forgiving...

In Part 2 of this heartfelt series, Sage Robbins and her dear friend, podcast host turned surrogate, Mary B., dive intimately into the essence of forgiveness, exploring its profound impact on mental health and personal well-being. Sage shares how forgiveness has unlocked her inner freedom and helped her align with her true nature, while Mary offers a fresh perspective on transforming even everyday frustrations into opportunities for growth. This conversation addresses modern phenomena like cancel culture, encouraging listeners to look beyond actions and recognize the inherent innocence in each person. As Tony Robbins often teaches, forgiveness is about freeing oneself from the chains of past hurts to step into a more beautiful state and impactful destiny. Sage and Mary also introduce the ancient Hawaiian practice of Ho'oponopono, a transformational ritual of reconciliation. They delve into the four healing phrases: “I am sorry. Please forgive me. I love you. Thank you,” explaining how this process of honesty and love can clear the emotional noise of the mind and cultivate compassion, regardless of the conflict or personal trauma.  The episode goes deeper with practical tools and practices for clearing emotional blocks, including insights from Dr. Hew Len and a special song that Sage sings with her family each night. Mary B. also discusses the darker aspects of human experience, such as depression, guilt, and shame, providing listeners with a pathway to healing. Throughout this episode, Sage and Mary invite listeners on a reflective journey, offering practical advice and heartfelt encouragement. They emphasize the vital role of compassion, acceptance, and the ongoing journey of forgiving oneself, others, and our loved ones.  We hope you enjoy Part 2 of this conversation! Episode Notes:  00:00:00 – Ho'oponopono: A traditional Hawaiian practice of reconciliation and forgiveness 00:02:11 – Clearing tools and practices 00:04:35 – Dr. Hew Len 00:07:35– The song we sing at bedtime every night 00:09:40 – Mary B. on depression, guilt, shame, and human darkness 00:12:45 – The six steps of Ho'oponopono treatment 00:13:55 – Healing the body 00:15:30– Sage on the gift of pain and evolution 00:16:40 – Sage on why we don't forgive 00:19:20– Forgiving and clearing when someone has passed on 00:21:00 – Florence Scovel Shinn: “I RELEASE YOU TO YOUR GREATEST GOOD”   Watch the video version of this episode on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TonyRobbinsLive   Links Mentioned: Inner Circle — Join to submit questions for future podcasts! https://tr.tonyrobbins.com/tric-now Ho'oponopono: The Hawaiian Ritual of Forgiveness by Ulrich E. Duprée https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS... Baby Reindeer dominates this year's TCA Awards nominations https://www.avclub.com/2024-televisio... The Book of Forgiving: The Fourfold Path for Healing Ourselves and Our World by Desmond Tutu and Mpho Tutu https://www.amazon.com/Book-Forgiving...