Podcasts about embrace a theological exploration

“Love of God, love of neighbors. Seek the kingdom, the good of the world. And in that good of the whole, your own good. And be attuned to what is around you in joy and also in sorrow.” (Miroslav Volf)We're in a crisis of meaning. It's like our existential compasses are off kilter. Uprooted from faith, social, and civic communities—the very institutions that once supplied narratives, a sense of identity, and belonging.But meaning and purpose are central to our spiritual health and therefore thriving. And theology comes into play because psychologists are more concerned with how meaning is made descriptively—looking at the cognitive and affective processes of our brains and behavior. Whereas theologians are concerned with prescriptive meaning, commenting normatively about how we should live.This episode features renowned theologian Miroslav Volf (Henry B. Wright Professor of Systematic Theology at Yale Divinity School / Founder and Director of the Yale Center for Faith and Culture) and author of the bestselling book, Life Worth Living: A Guide to What Matters Most.We need stories of love and hope to define our lives. And much of Miroslav's life's work has been devoted to understanding what constitutes a life worth living.In our conversation, he shares about a God who is with us, who is loving, and who created us for love, calling us to an active role in the flourishing of this world.In this conversation, we discuss:How to discern what really matters and how to be intentional about a life worth livingThe need to challenge the hyper individualistic assumptions of our day, focusing on thriving life as a life of connections and convictionsSpiritual health as dependent on our relationships with one another, with God, and creationSpiritual practices that quiet, create space, and slow us down—allowing us to attune a broad and secure space for human becoming and unfoldingMiroslav speaks openly and vulnerably about his own experiences of faith, suffering, hope, and flourishingShow NotesLearn more about the Yale Center for Faith and CultureCheck out Miroslav's best-selling book, Life Worth Living: A Guide to What Matters Most (co-authored with Matt Croasmun and Ryan McAnnally-Linz)Reorienting theology around the concept of human flourishingHonor everyone, love God, love neighbor, seek the kingdom, stay attuned in joy and in sorrowCrisis of meaning and the need for deeper reflection on what matters most“We need stories of love and hope to define our lives.”Interdisciplinary research in psychology and theologyMiroslav reflects on his early life in 1970s Croatia (then Yugoslavia)Anthony Kronman's Education's End: Why Our Colleges and Universities Have Given Up on the Meaning of LifeMiroslav's early faith: “Jesus is alive.”“His experience was that people who believe are idiots, that they can't know anything, that they are these parasites that want to undermine whatever the society's trying to do. And so that was my first initiation, so to speak, in the public living of my faith. … but, it was also beautiful.”A way of life that is worth suffering for—holding a treasure.“Another occasion where we were actually beaten and chased out of a village that was completely communist-dominated. And we kind of disrupted it by … We spoke about Jesus … and they chased us out of the city to beat us up … and then we had this kind of sense of joy.”Practices vs ReflectionMoral practices and felt experience“There's always a kind of excess beyond what we can actually say, what we can describe, what we can explain. We stutter often when we try to—especially describe experiences like joy or like suffering. They're beyond the words. That's the beauty of them—giving oneself to them.”Miroslav Volf on thrivingThriving is framed around three elements of human experience: agency, circumstances, and emotions—knit together through the lens of the kingdom of God and Christian imaginationAgency: Love God and Love neighbor.Circumstances: “Thy kingdom come” vs “give us this day our daily bread”Emotions: Attune to the world. “Rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn.”“Love of God, love of neighbors. Seek the kingdom, the good of the world. And in that good of the whole, your own good. And be attuned to what is around you in joy and also in sorrow.”Primordial goodness: Goodness is always prior to evil.Spacious public faith and Christ as the key to flourishing lifeChrist as a moral teacher and exemplarThe “aliveness” and presence of Christ“I often don't experience God.”Martin Luther on faith: Christ as a gem, encased in our faithChurch fathers on the presence of Christ as “heated iron in fire”—the heat doesn't come from the iron but from the fired—similarly, God heats us from within.Exclusion & Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness, and ReconciliationPorous boundaries and our nature as relational beingsJürgen Moltmann's autobiography A Broad Place“Religion really cramps our style… But in Miroslav's theology, personal wholeness in Christ is spacious and freeing.”Exodus 3: God promising to lead Israel out of bondage and constraint and into freedom and a broad spaceLoveRelational image of God and relationalityGod as ultimate lover—”God loves us while we are still so far away”Life Worth Living: A Guide to What Matters MostChristian faith and pluralismArticulating a coherent answer to what it means to live a life that's worthy of our humanityThe Recipe: “You can't put all the ingredients together as you wish. They have to fit together.”“We make truth claims.”“I think we go wrong when we don't honor people's own search for truth. The whole book is about having truth-seeking conversations about something that has a claim upon your life. And argue with others, but argue in such a way that honors everyone. And so for me, this is a kind of central Christian conviction that comes straight from the Bible, from 1 Peter. Short commandment: Honor everyone. That's what I need to do. Whatever they do, whatever they think, especially honor those who've spent so much time trying to think through some of these issues as many of the figures have that have, that are not necessarily Christian.”“Honor everyone.”Nurturing the ascetic practices of self-reflection and disciplineSpiritual exercise by Pam King: Creating SpaceTeresa of Avila and the Interior CastleRelationality, reciprocity, and mutual flourishingRobin Wall Kimmerer in *Braiding Sweetgrass: “*All flourishing is mutual.”“Human thriving isn't thriving when it's the expense of other people's thriving.”“And it's a kind of strange paradox. At our disposal, but it's all reference to me and to my experiences. … We have a really narrow scope of concerns.”Mary's Magnificat: “God coming and taking the mighty down from their thrones and transforming the entire world.”“What I want is the expansion of the horizon of concerns. Our horizon of concern is the horizon of God's mission in the world. God's mission is our mission.”About Miroslav VolfMiroslav Volf is the Henry B. Wright Professor of Theology at Yale Divinity School and is the Founder and Director of the Yale Center for Faith and Culture.He was educated in his native Croatia, the United States, and Germany, earning doctoral and post-doctoral degrees (with highest honors) from the University of Tübingen, Germany. He has written or edited more than 20 books, over 100 scholarly articles, and his work has been featured in the Washington Post, Christianity Today, Christian Century, Sojourners, and several other outlets, including NPR, On Being with Krista Tippett, and Public Television's Religion and Ethics Newsweekly.His books include Life Worth Living: A Guide to What Matters Most,  Exclusion and Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness, and Reconciliation, Free of Charge: Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace, Allah: A Christian Response, After Our Likeness: The Church as the Image of the Trinity, A Public Faith: How Followers of Christ Should Serve the Common Good, The End of Memory: Remembering Rightly in a Violent World, Flourishing: Why We Need Religion in a Globalized World, For the Life of the World: Theology that Makes a Difference (with Matthew Croasmun), and The Home of God: A Brief Story of Everything (with Ryan McAnnally-Linz). About the Thrive CenterLearn more at thethrivecenter.org.Follow us on Instagram @thrivecenterFollow us on X @thrivecenterFollow us on LinkedIn @thethrivecenter About Dr. Pam KingDr. Pam King is Executive Director the Thrive Center and is Peter L. Benson Professor of Applied Developmental Science at Fuller School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy. Follow her @drpamking. About With & ForHost: Pam KingSenior Director and Producer: Jill WestbrookOperations Manager: Lauren KimSocial Media Graphic Designer: Wren JuergensenConsulting Producer: Evan RosaSpecial thanks to the team at Fuller Studio and the Fuller School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy.

Welcome to Season 3 of Down Under Theology, a podcast equipping and encouraging Australian Christians to get down and under the theology impacting the life and mission of the church.In Episode 21, discuss the 6th petition of the Lord's Prayer - forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. We dive deep into the topic of forgiveness including things like extending and receiving forgiveness, reconciliation, confession and repentance. We also have a talk about some more difficult issues like addressing corporate sins, and also the relationship between God forgiving us, and us forgiving others. Thoughts, questions or feedback? Get in touch with us at downundertheology@gmail.com.---Episode Hosts:Allister Lum Mow (@allisterlm)Cameron Clausing (@cam_clausing)Murray SmithProducer:Nick RabeEpisode Sponsor:Christ College, Sydney---S3 Episode 21 - Show NotesChrist College Bryan Chapell ConferencesRecommended Resources - Exclusion and Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness, and Reconciliation by Miroslav Volf (Amazon link)Free of Charge: Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace by Miroslav VolfForgive: Why Should I and How Can I? by Timothy KellerChrist College, Sydney Preparing leaders for God's church and its gospel-centred mission in the world.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

In the words of Greg "Enough PBS episodes, let's get back to Bravo." We're discussing the recent bombshell story about Adam Levine's reported affair and messages that were posted on social media. Why does our culture sprint towards stories like this but not only that: what deeper truths can be unearthed through discussing it? As always with their biblical grounding and quick humor, Greg and R.D. fearlessly dive in to the issues you care about. The writer of these notes refuses to provide links to any stories on Adam Levine or Don't Worry Darling. You have google, look it up yourself. Greg references Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. The quote R.D. and Greg reference comes from Exclusion and Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness, and Reconciliation by Miroslav Volf.Here's the full title of the episode: Adam Levine, Socrates, C. S. Lewis, Bob Villa, Kermit the Frog, Jim Henson, Joe Diffie, Tim Keller, Thanos, Voltaire, and Miroslav Volf (or some other theologian born in the former country of Yugoslavia). For more information on this podcast, visit podcast.fellowshipknox.org  You can also e-mail questions or topic ideas to offstage@fellowshipknox.org   

On this episode of Mutuality Matters, hosts Mimi and Kim speak with Dr. Médine Moussounga Keener, coauthor of Impossible Love: The True Story of African Civil War, Miracles, Hope Against All Odds, Reconciliation for Africa, and Loved: Women Who Found Hope and Healing in Jesus. Médine believes that the Spirit of the Lord is at work in the world, and for those of us sensitive to the Spirit's work, she shares how God can work in us to free people from oppression seen in sexism, racism, and classism. She illustrates the truth of these claims through stories from her own lived experience as a war refugee and scholar, as well as from her research and reflections shared by her many friends around the world.     Bio:  Dr. Médine Moussounga Keener (PhD, University of Paris) explores her life as a war-refugee, translator, scholar, author, and wife. Passionate about serving abused women in Africa, especially women at risk. Originally from Congo Brazzaville, Médine lived as a war refugee for eighteen months and worked as a translator first in Brazzaville and later in the US. Addressing her experiences of war and reconciliation, Médine has published articles in Dictionary of African Christian Biography, Africa Study Bible, and other articles on women in Africa. Medine coauthored with her husband, Dr. Craig S. Keener, Impossible Love: The True Story of an African Civil War, Miracles and Hope Against All Odds, a story of her war experience and her romance with her husband Craig. They also coauthored Reconciliation for Africa, a booklet on ethnic reconciliation currently used in many African countries. With Sue Russell, Médine co-authored Loved: Women Who Found Hope and Healing in Jesus.       Other Reading  Mary Slessor of Calabar: Biography of a Christian Woman; A Scottish Presbyterian Missionary in Africa by W.P. Livingstone    Exclusion and Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness, and Reconciliation by Miroslav Volf  About William Shepherd: Among Kings: The Amazing Adventures of the Congo's African American Livingstone and the Courageous People who Toppled King Leopold II by Joey O'Connor  Learn more about Hulda:   https://www.cbeinternational.org/content/women-scripture-and-mission#hulda  “Women Prophets in the Old Testament,” Priscilla Papers, by Christine Marchetti, April 29, 2018. https://www.cbeinternational.org/resource/article/priscilla-papers-academic-journal/women-prophets-old-testament  “What is this Woman Doing Preaching in My Bible?” in Mutuality by Sara Ronnevik, October 13, 2014. https://www.cbeinternational.org/resource/article/mutuality-blog-magazine/what-woman-doing-preaching-my-bible 

Dr. Miroslav Volf and Hurunnessa Fariad, two of our first ever Rick Love Peacemaker Award winners, join our President, Martin Brooks, for this conversation about  the "why" and "how" of embracing 'the other.' The conversation is based around Dr. Volf's book, Exclusion and Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness, and Reconciliation.   LINKS: Peace Catalyst International website: www.peacecatalyst.org Rick Love Awards: https://www.peacecatalyst.org/rick-love-award-recipients Yale Center for Faith & Culture: https://faith.yale.edu/ Miroslav Volf's books: https://www.amazon.com/Miroslav-Volf/e/B001IGJSHG?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_10&qid=1660078768&sr=1-10 Exclusion & Embrace book: https://amzn.to/3BPKNv3 Multifaith Neighbors Network: www.mfnn.org Edited by Nicole Gibson Music: Soulmates by Yigit Atilla  

Hey everybody! Today I am giddy! I am thrilled to be able to have Dr. Miroslav Volf as a guest today. He is probably one of my favorite living theologians. I think you will enjoy this week's episode as we explore his book Exclusion and Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness, and Reconciliation Miroslav Volf is the Henry B. Wright Professor of Theology at Yale Divinity School and is the Founder and Director of the Yale Center for Faith and Culture. He was educated in his native Croatia, the United States, and Germany, earning doctoral and post-doctoral degrees (with highest honors) from the University of Tübingen, Germany.  He has written or edited more than 20 books, over 100 scholarly articles, and his work has been featured in the Washington Post, Christianity Today, Christian Century, Sojourners, and several other outlets, including NPR's Speaking of Faith(now On Being with Krista Tippett) and Public Television’s Religion and Ethics Newsweekly. Some of his most significant books include: ‍Exclusion and Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness, and Reconciliation (1996; revised edition, 2019), translated in 9 other languages, winner of the Grawemeyer Award in Religion, and one of Christianity Today’s 100 most important religious books of the 20th century Free of Charge: Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace (2006), which was the Archbishop of Canterbury Lenten book for 2006 Allah: A Christian Response (2011), on whether Muslims and Christians have a common God After Our Likeness: The Church as the Image of the Trinity (1998), winner of the Christianity Today Book Award A Public Faith: How Followers of Christ Should Serve the Common Good (2011) The End of Memory: Remembering Rightly in a Violent World (2006; revised edition, 2020), winner of the Christianity Today Book Award‍ Flourishing: Why We Need Religion in a Globalized World (2016) ‍ For the Life of the World: Theology that Makes a Difference (2019), his most recent book, co-authored with Matthew Croasmun Prior to his appointment at Yale Divinity School in 1998, he taught at the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Osijek, Croatia (1979–80 and 1983–90) and Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California (1990–1998). A member of the Episcopal Church in the U.S.A. and the Evangelical Church in Croatia, Professor Volf has been involved in international ecumenical dialogues (for instance, with the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity) and interfaith dialogues (on the executive board of C-1 World Dialogue), and is active participant in the Global Agenda Council on Values of the World Economic Forum. Miroslav regularly teaches and lectures in Central and Eastern Europe, Asia, and across North America. He has given over 30 prestigious lectureships at universities around the world, including Harvard University; Oxford University; Stockholm School of Theology; Duke University; Calvin University, University of Birmingham. Recommended Resources:  For the Life of the World Podcast Episode 105: The Emergence of Sin, and Interview with Matthew Croasmun If you’re enjoying this podcast, spread the word by sharing it with your friends and leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. I encourage you to send me your feedback or suggestions for an interview. Help me help you. You can email me at jroper@foursquare.org, or direct message me on Facebook. You can also submit any feedback or questions here. Don’t forget to subscribe in Apple Podcasts or where ever you get your podcasts. As always, you can connect with me on Facebook or Twitter. It’s your life, now go live it!

This is a political moment characterized by stridency, suspicion, resentment, anger, and despair—where shared commitments to truth, debate, free speech, and simple good faith in one another (these core elements of democratic society)—these are under threat of outright rejection by those in power. But the Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist and essayist Marilynne Robinson sees an opportunity for putting aside the resentment, suspicion of the other, and despair, and instead renewing a love of democracy, grounded in the sacredness of the person, and she sees more hope in a patriotism closer to familial love than America-first Christian nationalism.To watch the video of this conversation, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUMN011pamwShow NotesPursuing theology instead of literature America as a family The incredible singularity of the human being “When we don't treat someone with respect, we impoverish them." How does the sacredness of humanity apply to our political moment? Christian Nationalism and the founding of America. The crises of Christianity and democracy What democracy makes possible for human beings. Democracy, Education and Honoring the Sacred in Humanity An anthology of the brilliance of humankind Structural wrongs and personal morality “I miss civilization, and I want it back." Truth, trust, and being available to each other "Honor everyone." Truth, conspiracy, and demonism (QAnon, blood libel, and twisted fantasies that prevent rational engagement) Primordial goodness, fallenness, and the bearing of original sin on democracy Suspicion, twisting the truth, and returning to seeing each other with eyes of grace Costly grace and Marilynne Robinson's love of her characters Our political challenges are challenges about our humanity Pagan values in Trumpian politics Transitioning from fighting for others' rights to fighting for our own rights The relation between Marilynne Robinson's Christian identity and her political identity / Reformation Christianity and political progressivism Retrieving the beauty of the faith “The deepest kind of deep thought is sustained by Christian tradition. It's a condescension.” Jesus as moral stranger—"almost everything important to us, wasn't important to him; almost everything important to him, isn't important to us." Marilynne Robinson is an award-winning American novelist and essayist. Robinson was born and raised in Sandpoint, Idaho. Christian spirituality and American political life is a recurring theme in Robinson's fiction and non-fiction. In a 2008 interview with the Paris Review, Robinson said, "Religion is a framing mechanism. It is a language of orientation that presents itself as a series of questions. It talks about the arc of life and the quality of experience in ways that I've found fruitful to think about." Her novels include: Housekeeping (1980, Hemingway Foundation/Pen Award, Pulitzer Prize finalist), Gilead (2004, Pulitzer Prize), Home (2008, National Book Award Finalist), Lila (2014, National Book Award Finalist), and most recently, Jack (2020). Robinson's non-fiction works include Mother Country: Britain, the Welfare State, and Nuclear Pollution (1989), The Death of Adam: Essays on Modern Thought (1998), Absence of Mind: The Dispelling of Inwardness from the Modern Myth of the Self (2010), When I was a Child I Read Books: Essays (2012), The Givenness of Things: Essays (2015), and What Are We Doing Here?: Essays (2018). Marilynne Robinson received a B.A., magna cum laude, from Brown University in 1966 and a Ph.D. in English from the University of Washington in 1977. She has been writer-in-residence or visiting professor at many universities, included Yale Divinity School in Spring 2020. She currently teaches at the Iowa Writers' Workshop at the University of Iowa. She has served as a deacon, and sometimes preaches, for the Congregational United Church of Christ. Robinson lives in Iowa City. ‍ Miroslav Volf is the Henry B. Wright Professor of Theology at Yale Divinity School and is the Founder and Director of the Yale Center for Faith and Culture. He was educated in his native Croatia, the United States, and Germany, earning doctoral and post-doctoral degrees (with highest honors) from the University of Tübingen, Germany. He has written or edited more than 20 books, over 100 scholarly articles, and his work has been featured in the Washington Post, NPR, Christianity Today, Christian Century, Sojourners, and several other outlets. Some of his more significant books include: Exclusion and Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness, and Reconciliation (1996/2019), Free of Charge: Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace (2006), Allah: A Christian Response (2011), After Our Likeness: The Church as the Image of the Trinity (1998), A Public Faith: How Followers of Christ Should Serve the Common Good (2011), The End of Memory: Remembering Rightly in a Violent World (2006/2020), Flourishing: Why We Need Religion in a Globalized World (2016), For the Life of the World: Theology that Makes a Difference (2019, with Matthew Croasmun).

Pastors can be busy people. And when they do have a moment to read, there are plenty of brand new leadership books that are competing for our attention. But in this episode Jenny Kimble, Jonathan Black, and Simo Frestadius talk about the benefits of reading old books and theological books. They even suggest a few books you might be interested in reading. Here are the books we mentioned in the Podcast. Jenny recommended: Gregory the Great, The Pastoral Rule Karin Spiecker Stetina, How to Read Theology For All Its Worth, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2020) Matthew Barrett, None Greater (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2019) Jonathan recommended: 1. Matthew Barrett, None Greater (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2019) 2. Michael Reeves, The Good God (Milton Keynes: Paternoster, 2012) 3. C.J. Mahaney, The Cross Centered Life (Colorado Springs: Multnomah, 2002) 4. John Stott, The Cross of Christ (Nottingham: IVP, 1986) 5. John Calvin, The Institutes of the Christian Religion 6. Per-Olof Sjogren, The Jesus Prayer (London: SPCK, 1975) Simo recommended: 1. Blaise Pascal, Pensées. Translated by A. J. Krailsheimer (London: Penguin Books, 1995). 2. Eugene H. Peterson, Eat This Book: The Art of Spiritual Reading (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 2006). 3. Miroslav Volf, Exclusion and Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness, and Reconciliation (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1996). 4. John Zizioulas, Being as Communion: Studies in Personhood and the Church (London: Darton, Longman and Todd, 2004). 5. Alvin Plantinga, Warranted Christian Belief (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000).

"You know what plan never fails? No plan at all... With no plan, nothing can go wrong, and if something spins out of control, it doesn't matter." This is Podcorn Theology. On these episodes we invite our audience to watch a movie, then we turn on the microphones and engage that movie in theological discussion. On this episode, Peter and Miriam are joined by College Life Senior Kyle Jung to infiltrate Bong Joon-Ho's 2019 Best Picture Winner: Parasite. If you haven't seen it yet, and want to listen to this episode - a quick content warning: this movie is rated-R, and it deserves it. It is by no means a shining example of Christian ethics and might need to be avoided by more sensitive viewers. With that said, this movie is a masterpiece. Its themes of class, rich and poor, greed, hope / hopelessness, etc. and the symbols used to tell its story provide incredibly rich soil for theological discussion -- and we're here for it. This is a spoiler-FULL podcast, so best to watch it before you listen! Let us know who won the scene and the symbol competition! Want to hear us talk about a movie you love? Contact us. (plnittler@gmail.com) Exclusion and Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness, and Reconciliation, Miroslav Volf

The protests and riots following the killing of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer have made many people question, why is it we have a hard time getting along with people who are different from ourselves? What is the driving force behind the conflicts we've seen these last few weeks? Theologians will say that at the root of all our problems is sin. But surely there's more to it than that. Nearly 30 years ago Dr. Miroslav Volf wrote a book that explored the vagaries of our mistrust and malevolent actions towards our fellow human beings. The book is called "Exclusion & Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness, and Reconciliation." It could have been written about what's happened today, but he wrote it for himself following the Croatian War in the 1990's, and the violence, destruction and killing that occurred between people who were once neighbors. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Volf, the Director of the Yale Center for Faith & Culture, explains how the book came about; that he was asked after a lecture he gave if he could forgive the soldiers who murdered and destroyed his community. He answered truthfully that his faith said, "I must," but that his heart said, "I can't." This is our dilemma today. While civil authorities work to create new laws to try to restore a semblance of order and protect citizens from rogue cops and systemic injustices, people like Dr. Volf are calling for us to find a path to reconciliation, a path that begins with all of us seeing first how our own identities can unknowingly exclude people we are called to love, and embrace.

As I mentioned in a previous podcast, I thought I would take some time this year (on occasion) to stop and reflect on my reading of the bible, and how it connects at the intersection of theology and psychology. So in this episode I want to take some time and just reflect on Genesis 1-4 and some insights that may be helpful for you and your relationships. Enjoy the episode. Books Mentioned in this Episode Creation and Fall: A Theological Exposition of Genesis 1-3 by Dietrich Bonhoeffer On Being Human: Essays in Theological Anthropology by Ray Anderson Exclusion and Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness and Reconciliation by Miroslav Volf

What does it really mean to be people of hospitality? It may mean to receive the love God offers to us so we can share God's love with others. However you think of hospitality right now, it's probably not how you'll hear Tim and Sara explore this essential element on a disciple-making pathway. We introduce the acronym of HOPE to help you remember the four essential aspects of a disciple-making pathway. If we're going to lead a movement of Jesus followers, one of the things we need to do is be and become people of hospitality. Why Hospitality? Hospitality is a relationship. It is a response to God’s love. If you haven't heard it lately, God loves you. Hospitality happens in daily life and in the life of a congregation. It can use tools, but it is not the tools we use that make the difference. Hospitality is an embracing of one another. That’s because hospitality may be best described as God’s embrace. How is God is embracing you at this moment? How are you are responding to the embrace of God by opening your arms and embracing others…right where they are…just as they are? One Another Hospitality also necessitates embracing one another. As you listen to our conversation, pay attention to the number of times that a hug, or embrace, came up. Whether it was my friends wrapping their arms around me and inviting me to worship with them…over and over again; Tim’s Sunday school teacher giving him a hug and expecting him, or the pastor who embraced a child as he preached. God’s embrace results in, as Miroslav Volf notes, “the costly step of opening ourselves to the other, of enfolding him or her in the same embrace with which we have been enfolded by God.” Over and over again, the outstretched arms of Jesus - we recognize more on the cross than in daily life – those outstretched arms get wrapped around us, and we’re welcomed into the presence of one another and more importantly, into God’s presence. That’s hospitality. Hospitality necessitates a relationship. The greatest mistake we can make is to turn hospitality into a transaction. When we do, we’re using all the right tools (i.e., handshakes, coffee, donuts, clean space, etc.) without the love that Jesus first offered to us. This Week's Download Pathways of Hope – A Free, four-part Disciple Making Resource for you & your congregation. Sign me up! Mentioned in this Episode Exclusion and Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness, and Reconciliation by Miroslav Volf Pathways of Hope – A free, four-part Disciple Making Resource for you & your congregation HOPE Overview Not mentioned but, another great resource: Making Room: Recovering Hospitality as a Christian Tradition by Christine Pohl  Study Guide for Making Room How to listen Subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes Listen on Soundcloud Explore other episodes at transformingmission.org/podcast

Miroslav Volf and Graham Hill discuss the topics of exclusion and embrace, expressing a public faith, and Muslim-Christian relations. How do we overcome hatred & conflict & indifference, & embrace the “other”? The GlobalChurch Project, Podcast Episode 1.Professor Volf is the founding Director of the Yale Center for Faith and Culture.His books include Allah: A Christian Response (2011); Free of Charge: Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace (2006), which was the Archbishop of Canterbury Lenten book for 2006; Exclusion and Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness, and Reconciliation (1996), a winner of the 2002 Grawemeyer Award; and After Our Likeness: The Church as the Image of the Trinity (1998), winner of the Christianity Today book award.A member of the Episcopal Church in the U.S.A. and the Evangelical Church in Croatia, Professor Volf has been involved in international ecumenical dialogues (for instance, with the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity) and interfaith dialogues (on the executive board of C-1 World Dialogue), and is active participant in the Global Agenda Council on Values of the World Economic Forum. A native of Croatia, he regularly teaches and lectures in Central and Eastern Europe, Asia, and across North America. Professor Volf is a fellow of Berkeley College.