Podcasts about Initiative

Can Europe Legalize Psychedelic Therapy? In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin speaks with Théo Giubilei, founder of PsychedeliCare, about how psychedelic therapy could become a public health issue at the European Union level. Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-340/?ref=278  They discuss how EU policymaking works, why stigma and political risk continue to shape reform, and the challenges of coordinating psychedelic care across multiple healthcare systems. The conversation also explores why patient testimony and citizen-led advocacy may be essential to shifting public health policy in Europe. Théo Giubilei is a Brussels-based mental health advocate and founder of the PsychedeliCare European Citizens' Initiative. A graduate in European Politics and Public Affairs from Sciences Po Strasbourg, he previously worked in European public affairs before dedicating himself full-time to psychedelic policy reform. Since 2022, Théo has led a grassroots coalition across all 27 EU member states working to advance safe, legal, and equitable access to psychedelic therapies as a public health issue. Highlights: European Citizens' Initiative explained Political and cultural barriers to reform Patient testimony in policy debates U.S. vs EU access models Public funding and coordination Episode Links: PsychedeliCare Initiative European Commission ECI Page Episode Sponsors: The Practitioner Certification Program by Third Wave's Psychedelic Coaching Institute. The Microdosing Practitioner Certification at Psychedelic Coaching Institute. Golden Rule - Get a lifetime discount of 10% with code THIRDWAVE at checkout Third Wave occasionally partners with or shares information about other people, companies, and/or providers. While we work hard to only share information about ethical and responsible third parties, we can't and don't control the behavior of, products and services offered by, or the statements made by people, companies, or providers other than Third Wave. Accordingly, we encourage you to research for yourself, and consult a medical, legal, or financial professional before making decisions in those areas. Third Wave isn't responsible for the statements, conduct, services, or products of third parties. If we share a coupon code, we may receive a commission from sales arising from customers who use our coupon code. No one is required to use our coupon codes."  

Join Drs. Minhaj Siddiqui, Kristen Scarpato, and Chad Ritch as they discuss an exciting opportunity to participate in a national quality improvement project sponsored by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Cancer Programs to improve timely administration of intravesical chemotherapy post-TURBT (TaPT). Time is limited to engage in this opportunity – the intent to participate in the TaPT Quality Improvement Collaborative is due to the ACS by February 15, 2026. To learn more about the opportunity, visit https://www.facs.org/quality-programs/cancer-programs/cancer-qi-programs/tapt-national-quality-improvement-project/ and consider advocating with your institution to participate.

GUEST: Bob Zimmerman. SUMMARY: Zimmerman discusses a private initiative by Black Moon Energy to mine helium-3 on the moon for fusion fuel. He notes they have signed a deal with JPL to send a mapping rover, a venture made possible only because launch costs have dropped significantly enough to make space mining conceivable.1932

John Wooden viewed initiative as the crucial ability to make decisions and act, even without being told, emphasizing that inaction is the greatest failure, requiring courage to try, fail, learn, and try again, all while building on solid preparation and teamwork.

5pm: Top Stories Recap/Updates // Video Guest – Carleen Johnson – The Center Square // The New “Initiative killer” bill // Latest on day care fraud investigation // Katie Wilson Orders Denny Bus Lane to Help Route 8 Riders // Sept: SDOT Rules Out Key Denny Way Bus Lanes, Dooming Route 8 // Letters

Dr. Jonathan Revels, DO Class of 2012, shares his cross-country experiences at Touro University California, through residency and fellowships, and into his career. Along the way, he shares a roadmap for conducting research that leads to publication and discusses the evolution of an initiative to provide full-tuition scholarships to DO students. His advice to students: “Be kind.”Discover more about "Together We DO" Initiative: https://tu.edu/give/initiatives/together-we-do/

WMAL GUEST: DANIEL TURNER (Founder and Executive Director of Power the Future) on Virginia Rejoining RGGI and the Impact on Utility Bills SOCIAL MEDIA: @DanielTurnerPTF WEBSITE: PowerTheFuture.com Where to find more about WMAL's morning show: Follow Podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Audible and Spotify Follow WMAL's "O'Connor and Company" on X: @WMALDC, @LarryOConnor, @JGunlock, @PatricePinkfile, and @HeatherHunterDC Facebook: WMALDC and Larry O'Connor Instagram: WMALDC Website: WMAL.com/OConnor-Company Episode: Tuesday, January 20, 2026 / 7 AM HourSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

St. Louis Public Radio's new project, Meet Me, is about connecting across divides to find a way forward in a moment when division seems to dictate so much. There are the invisible lines we draw around politics and even what toppings belong on a pizza. And then, there are the big ones, like the 150-year-old divide between St. Louis city and county. We talk with Meet Me producers Luis Antonio Perez and Paola Rodriguez about the project that includes a newsletter, podcast and more.

Daniel Lam discusses China's drive towards technological self-sufficiency, what are the key areas, and the investment implications.Speaker: - Daniel Lam, Head of Equity Strategy, Standard Chartered BankFor more of our latest market insights, visit Market views on-the-go or subscribe to Standard Chartered Wealth Insights on YouTube.

Patrick Boatwright

In this episode from the Women of Coldwell Banker Commercial, host Jenna Hille interviews Megan Abraham, CEO of the Goldie Initiative, an organization dedicated to cultivating women leaders in commercial real estate. They discuss the unique approach of the Goldie Initiative, which focuses on providing scholarships, mentorship, and networking opportunities for women committed to leadership roles in the industry. Megan shares her journey, the importance of personal identity, and the role of mentorship in navigating the challenges women face in commercial real estate.

Guests Caroline Tanbee Smith Yeabsera Agonfer Kwame Aware

It's the first full day of the Moreno administration and she wants your help getting the streetlights fixed

I'm sharing the standards, the strategy, and the unseen work it takes to keep building BPN the right way. This episode includes the 2026 “Burn the Boats” manifesto, our five key initiatives, and the standards behind quality and product development going into 2026.CHAPTERS0:00: Intro 7:53: 2026 Brand Manifesto: Burn the Boats 17:25: 5 Key Initiatives (Overview) 18:44: Initiative #1: Unique Brand Positioning 25:36: Initiative #2: Intentional Product Development 30:45: Initiative #3: BPN Podcast Network Expansion 31:19: Initiative #4: Strategic Channel Strategy 36:34: Initiative #5: Position the Business for Scale 1:00:52: Quality Systems You Don't See 1:14:27: The Truth About Grass-Fed Whey Isolate ORDER MY BOOK HERE:⁠https://www.amazon.com/Go-One-More-Intentional-Life-Changing/dp/1637746210⁠FOLLOW:Become a BPN member FOR FREE - Unlock 20% off FOR LIFE⁠https://bpn.team/member⁠IG: ⁠instagram.com/nickbarefitness/⁠YT: ⁠youtube.com/@nickbarefitness

The Atlanta Beltline, Inc. is spearheading an initiative to help support small businesses within the corridor’s overlay in preparation for the FIFA World Cup. We hear from Natalie Jones, the Atlanta Beltline project manager for the Business Solutions Office, Anthony Pope, the co-founder and design principal of Atelier 7 Architects, and Latrice Rochelle and Xavier John of PARLAY Savory Saloon. They discussed strategies for vendors and small businesses to reap revenue from the influx of visitors when the world’s largest sporting event comes to Georgia. Across the eight games Atlanta will host, an estimated range between $500 million to more than $1 billion is expected to be pumped into the Atlanta area’s economy. They also shared details about what other small business owners can do to ready their businesses for the surge in World Cup visitors, including applying for the Beltline Business Ventures accelerator program. Plus, Marci Collier Overstreet is the 10th Atlanta City Council President. The longtime elected official campaigned on leading Atlanta forward. Now, one week into her four-year term, Overstreet returns to “Closer Look” to talk more about how her tenure as a city council member, representing District 11 in Southwest Atlanta, prepared her to take on the role of council president. President Overstreet also discussed her leadership style and plans to work collaboratively with fellow council members, ensuring that economic development projects include binding community benefits. Overstreet also explained why she had to recede her initial committee appointments.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2025, Technical.ly recognized Kathleen Borgueta for her work with Pivoting Parents. It's an organization she started after she was laid off from USAID, shortly after she gave birth. “I really try to provide a community where people can come as they are. As I mentioned, people sometimes need to breastfeed or pump, or they […]

New Year Habits | Week 2 | Initiative by Refuge Community Church

On this Make A Difference Minute, we're reminded that making a difference does not have an age requirement. McKinsey-Beth, who turned six years old today, is already learning the power of encouragement through creativity. Just days before her sixth birthday, she launched a coloring book and youth brand built around positive thinking, intentional choices, and encouraging others. With support from her mom, Fatima Jackson, McKinsey Beth's story shows what can happen when young voices are believed in and given space to grow. Happy Birthday, McKinsey-Beth! Sponsor: Thompson Roofing and Construction 256Roofing.com

Two centuries of stories, one city ready to celebrate. We're kicking off Thomasville's bicentennial with guest April Norton, exploring how a birthday becomes a living, year-long collaboration that blends history, community action, and a whole lot of local pride. From a free, family-friendly opening celebration with live music and partner booths to a citywide “200 Initiative,” we share some ideas and practical steps that will make this milestone matter.Want to take part? The 200 Initiative invites you to do “200” acts that fit your mission—plant roses, read to kids, organize service hours—and maybe earn a custom challenge coin. You can also grab bicentennial merch at the visitor center and follow updates at Thomasville.org. Join the celebration, share your “200,” and help shape the next chapter of Thomasville's story!

In the 6 AM hour, Larry O’Connor and Bethany Mandel discussed: OHIO FRAUD INVESTIGATIONS: Independent journalist Walter Curt uncovers alleged fraud at Jubba Jubba Daycare and Somali Education Resource Center, including millions in taxpayer dollars and questionable operations. JEOPARDY HOST COMMENTARY: Ken Jennings takes aim at President Trump on social media, vowing support for a 2028 candidate who would prosecute the "former regime." JASON SNEAD INTERVIEW: Executive Director of Honest Elections Project discusses California's Voter ID Initiative surpassing 1 million signatures and concerns over Minnesota's same-day voter registration vouching system. Where to find more about WMAL's morning show: Follow Podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Audible and Spotify Follow WMAL's "O'Connor and Company" on X: @WMALDC, @LarryOConnor, @JGunlock, @PatricePinkfile, and @HeatherHunterDC Facebook: WMALDC and Larry O'Connor Instagram: WMALDC Website: WMAL.com/OConnor-Company Episode: Thursday, January 8, 2026 / 6 AM HourSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

WMAL GUEST: JASON SNEAD - Executive Director, Honest Elections Project SOCIAL MEDIA: X.com/JasonWSnead / X.com/HonestElections WEBSITE: HonestElections.org Where to find more about WMAL's morning show: Follow Podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Audible and Spotify Follow WMAL's "O'Connor and Company" on X: @WMALDC, @LarryOConnor, @JGunlock, @PatricePinkfile, and @HeatherHunterDC Facebook: WMALDC and Larry O'Connor Instagram: WMALDC Website: WMAL.com/OConnor-Company Episode: Thursday, January 8, 2026 / 6 AM HourSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is the All Local afternoon update for January 8, 2026.

A ballot proposal to limit campaign spending in Montana is blocked from advancing. The state's high court Tuesday ruled it doesn't pass legal muster.

Reporter, Barry Gallagher speaks to four-time League of Ireland champion, Colin Hawkins about an initiative to provide free health screenings for former professional footballers.

Guest: Joseph Sternberg. In Europe, France faces continued political paralysis that may require a decisive election between the right and left, whereas Germany's center-right government under Chancellor Merz is reclaiming the initiative by addressing immigration and economic growth. Meanwhile, Japan's move to normalize interest rates could trigger a massive repatriation of capital that impacts global markets, while in the UK, Prime Minister Starmer faces a difficult year of economic stagnation, surviving largely because there is no clear alternative to his leadership.October 18701

On today's show: Why are they trying to re-make "Twilight"? We discuss bare minimum expectations on a first date. Sabrina Carpenter will be hanging with the Muppets. Good Vibes at 6:55, followed by an exciting announcement on how Good Vibes is evolving in 2026. Am I The Bleephole? Whitney hung up on her girlfriend because she didn't want to have a particular conversation. Alyssa's College of Knowledge! Jessica does not want to replace Karen. Plus, we try to come up with some Costco hacks to help Alyssa enjoy Costco more.

Czech ammunition initiative to go on: government shifts stance after taking office, Czech scientists study how salt destroys metal structures to protect bridges and spacecraft, From Prague to Australia: the lost photographs of Jiří Viktor Daneš, Czechoslovakia's first consul down under

PREVIEW FOR LATER TONIGHT: Cleo Paskal details a new US initiative to support Palau's national defense against Beijing's influence operations and visa-less entries. While headlines focus on Palau accepting 75 US deportees, the underlying deal provides this strategic ally—which recognizes Taiwan—with resources to patrol borders and secure its sovereignty.1930 PALAU

Let us know what you think! Text us!Sponsored by: Pure Liberty Labs • Precision Wellness Group • The Special Forces FoundationIn this episode of Security Halt!, host Deny Caballero engages in an insightful conversation with Sally Roberts, delving into a compelling narrative that explores themes of resilience, mental health, leadership, and empowerment.. From a troubled youth to elite wrestler, nonprofit founder, and advocate for athletes and veterans, Sally shares how wrestling gave her discipline, purpose, and community—and why true leadership means taking responsibility for others.This conversation covers:·       Mental health challenges in athletes and veterans·       Building resilience through adversity and suffering·       Leadership rooted in service, accountability, and care·       Psychedelics and their role in trauma healing·       Empowering young girls through sport and communitySally also discusses her mission with Wrestle Like a Girl, the importance of belonging, and why healing is a lifelong journey driven by connection and purpose. This is a raw, honest, and motivating conversation for anyone navigating transition, leadership, or personal growth.

A special Quadcom episode.

Shane Kohout is a pastor at Metro Life Church in Casselberry, and in the last year, he has also assumed the role of Executive Director of CFI - Community Flourishing Initiative, a non-profit organization that organizes churches, businesses and individuals in outreach to the community. Mike kicks off the new year discussing this organization.

Send us a textHappy New Year!  We hope you had a holiday season that was filled with love, fun, and good food.  This week we bring you are 2025 Year-End Review.  This has become an annual thing for us to look at all the things that happened this past year.  Join us for some laughs, some tears and some shock that some of these things happened in the last 12 months.  @tugayspodtugayspod@yahoo.com#lgbt #lgbtq #lgbtqia+ #sandiego #gaysandiego #gaycommedy #2025yearendreview #2026happynewyear #newyearsday2026Gay San Diego comedy LGBT LGBTQ LGBTQIA+@tugayspod tugayspod@yahoo.com#lgbt #lgbtq #lgbtqia+ #sandiego #gaysandiego #gaycommedyGay San Diego comedy LGBT LGBTQ LGBTQIA+Producers: Nick Stone & Andy Smith

Ted Anderson is the Co-founder of African Rising initiative , a 501(c)(3) non-profit designed to empower African communities through education, sustainable agriculture, women's empowerment, and self-sufficiency skills.We recorded this episode live in Hoima, Uganda at the Eco-Agric Mushroom Training Center as part of the Third Annual African Rising Mushroom Festival in November, 2025. Thanks for listening and please share on your socials and / or leave a review on the podcast streaming platform of your choice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Emily reflects on the deep healing, endings, and transformations of 2025 and ushers you into the energetic landscape of 2026, a year of fresh starts, bold momentum, and authentic self-expression. This episode explores what's truly available to you as we move into a brand-new cycle. Emily breaks down the astrology, numerology, and energetic themes shaping 2026, including the Year of the Horse and the Year of Numerology 1, both signaling speed, initiation, and new beginnings. You'll be guided to release outdated versions of yourself, build a new foundation rooted in self-worth, and step fully into your exceptional nature. This is a grounding, empowering, and forward-looking episode designed to help you prepare energetically, emotionally, and practically for what's ahead. Stay until the end for a custom card pull and channeled messages for 2026. ✨ In this episode, Emily covers: • Why 2025 was a year of deep healing, shedding, and completion • What makes 2026 a true energetic reset and fresh start • Authenticity as your greatest asset moving forward • The Year of the Horse and what it means for momentum and rapid change • Taking initiative and being ready to receive what you've been calling in • Building a brand-new foundation for your life, work, and relationships • How relationships will shift based on self-worth and shared vision • The importance of prioritizing health, well-being, and sustainability • Embracing your uniqueness and choosing an exceptional life path • Manifestation, vision setting, and aligning with new opportunities

Coup de théâtre dans la Corne de l'Afrique. Pour la première fois, l'État sécessionniste du Somaliland est reconnu officiellement par un autre État, en l'occurrence, Israël. Pour le président de la République fédérale de Somalie Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, c'est un coup dur, car la nouvelle tombe juste après les élections locales qu'il a réussi à organiser, malgré la pression croissante des islamistes shebab. L'initiative d'Israël suscite beaucoup de réactions négatives. Mais va-t-elle rester isolée ? Matt Bryden est conseiller stratégique au centre de recherches Sahan Research. En ligne de Nairobi, il répond à Christophe Boisbouvier. RFI : pourquoi les shebabs ont-ils réussi à regagner le terrain perdu depuis trois ans ? Matt Bryden : Il y a trois ans, l'offensive contre les Shebabs était menée par les milices de clans qui voulaient se libérer d'Al-Shabab, et ils ont reçu un appui du gouvernement fédéral ainsi que des Américains. Mais les milices de clans sont capables de se battre seulement dans le territoire de leur clan. Donc, dès qu'ils avaient libéré leur propre territoire, ils ne pouvaient pas avancer plus loin. Et donc l'offensive, c'était vraiment une collection de petites offensives, des milices de clans, mais ce n'était pas une opération coordonnée cohérente. Et aujourd'hui, est-ce que ces milices claniques se sont alliées avec les Shebabs contre le gouvernement ? Non, la plupart sont toujours contre les shebabs, surtout dans la région, là où ils se sont battus. Mais ils ne sont pas forcément alliés avec le gouvernement non plus. Et ça, c'est un autre grand problème pour le gouvernement fédéral, c'est que le gouvernement se bat pas simplement contre les Shebabs, mais aussi contre certaines des provinces, les régions de la Somalie qui eux-mêmes se battent contre Al-Shabab. Donc le gouvernement Mogadiscio ne contrôle à la limite que 15 % du territoire de la Somalie. Et ça, c'est généreux. Mais tout de même, ces premières élections sans attentats, est-ce que ce n'est pas un succès pour le président Hassan Mahamoud ? Tout à fait. Il y avait du monde dans certains centres ou des lieux de vote, ça c'est sûr. Mais la Somalie est un pays de clans et donc les clans qui soutiennent le gouvernement, leurs membres votent. Mais d'autres clans, et donc les clans qui soutiennent l'opposition, ne se sont pas présentés pour voter. Donc, l'élection risque d'approfondir les divisions entre les clans et les régions de la Somalie. Ceux qui soutiennent le gouvernement, qui sont minoritaires actuellement, et les autres, les clans et les régions qui s'y opposent. Le président somalien Hassan Sheikh Mohammed était rayonnant jeudi lors de ces élections. Mais le lendemain, il a appris une très mauvaise nouvelle. Pour la première fois, l'État sécessionniste du Somaliland a été reconnu officiellement par un autre État, en l'occurrence Israël. Est-ce que c'est une surprise pour vous ? Pour la Somalie, sûrement. C'est une surprise qui n'est pas du tout bienvenue. D'abord parce que le Somaliland, maintenant, risque de recevoir non seulement la reconnaissance d'Israël, mais d'autres pays derrière. Parce que c'est sûr que ce qu'Israël a fait n'est pas une initiative isolée, mais ça a été coordonné avec d'autres États en Afrique et aussi quelques pays arabes, et probablement les États-Unis aussi. Vous dites que d'autres pays pourraient suivre, mais il y a deux ans, l'Éthiopie avait failli reconnaître l'indépendance du Somaliland. Finalement, elle y avait renoncé sous la pression de la Somalie et de la Turquie. Oui, tout à fait. Mais l'initiative de l'Éthiopie n'était pas coordonnée avec d'autres États et ça a été une déclaration sans la reconnaissance. Maintenant, l'Israël a officiellement reconnu le Somaliland. Et d'après ce que j'entends des diplomates dans la région, ça fait des mois, peut-être plus qu'un an, qu'Israël et d'autres pays ont coordonné cette décision pour qu'Israël ne soit pas seul et qu'il y ait d'autres pays derrière, dans les semaines et les mois à venir pour reconnaître le Somaliland. Les Israéliens laissent entendre que cette reconnaissance du Somaliland est dans l'esprit des accords d'Abraham, par lesquels Israël a normalisé ses relations avec notamment les Émirats arabes unis et le Maroc. Voulez-vous dire que les Américains sont peut-être derrière ? Oui tout à fait. Les Américains, surtout depuis l'élection du président Trump. Ils ont signalé qu'ils sont très frustrés avec la situation en Somalie, qu'ils ont dépensé des milliards de dollars pour la sécurité de ce pays et qu'en fait la situation est pire qu'avant. Donc, les Américains commencent à travailler directement avec les régions de Dublin et de Puntland pour se battre contre Al-Shabab et aussi l'État islamique, qui était très actif dans la région nord-est du Puntland. Et les relations avec le Somaliland sont en croissance. Le général Anderson d'Africom était là il y a quelques mois. Donc, je crois que c'est assez clair que les Américains voient le Somaliland comme un partenaire potentiel pour sécuriser les routes maritimes dans le golfe d'Aden et la mer Rouge, aussi bien que se battre contre les mouvements extrémistes dans la Corne de l'Afrique.

A city's values are revealed not in its slogans, but in its leftovers. Thrown away, food waste is invisible—an inconvenient truth discarded. Redistributed with care, it becomes a mirror, reflecting a society's commitment to dignity, responsibility, and shared life. While food banks globally patch fragile safety nets, places like Shenzhen are reimagining the model entirely, shifting food aid from a stark last resort to a dignified, normalized feature of urban living. On the show: Niu Honglin, Steve & Xingyu

The Department of Agriculture announced new funding focused on regenerative farming practices. Chad Smith has details.

Caste has been a huge topic of conversation in modern India. Yet debates and activism around caste discrimination have spread beyond South Asia. Caste activists looked to African-American literature and leaders to connect their fight with the battle against racism in the U.S. And as Indians moved around the world–to America, to elsewhere in Asia, and to the Middle East–they way they thought about caste changed. Suraj Milind Yengde tackles this global angle in his latest book: Caste: A Global Story (Hurst, 2025) Suraj is Assistant Professor of History and Africana Studies and a Ford Foundation Presidential Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania. His prior appointments were W.E.B. Du Bois Fellow at Harvard University, Senior Fellow and postdoc at the Harvard Kennedy School, a non-resident fellow at the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research, and a founding member of the Initiative for Institutional Anti-Racism and Accountability (IARA) at Harvard University. He is also the author of Caste Matters (Penguin Random House India: 2019) You can find more reviews, excerpts, interviews, and essays at The Asian Review of Books, including its review of Caste. Follow on Twitter at @BookReviewsAsia. Nicholas Gordon is an editor for a global magazine, and a reviewer for the Asian Review of Books. He can be found on Twitter at @nickrigordon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Caste has been a huge topic of conversation in modern India. Yet debates and activism around caste discrimination have spread beyond South Asia. Caste activists looked to African-American literature and leaders to connect their fight with the battle against racism in the U.S. And as Indians moved around the world–to America, to elsewhere in Asia, and to the Middle East–they way they thought about caste changed. Suraj Milind Yengde tackles this global angle in his latest book: Caste: A Global Story (Hurst, 2025) Suraj is Assistant Professor of History and Africana Studies and a Ford Foundation Presidential Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania. His prior appointments were W.E.B. Du Bois Fellow at Harvard University, Senior Fellow and postdoc at the Harvard Kennedy School, a non-resident fellow at the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research, and a founding member of the Initiative for Institutional Anti-Racism and Accountability (IARA) at Harvard University. He is also the author of Caste Matters (Penguin Random House India: 2019) You can find more reviews, excerpts, interviews, and essays at The Asian Review of Books, including its review of Caste. Follow on Twitter at @BookReviewsAsia. Nicholas Gordon is an editor for a global magazine, and a reviewer for the Asian Review of Books. He can be found on Twitter at @nickrigordon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/caribbean-studies

Caste has been a huge topic of conversation in modern India. Yet debates and activism around caste discrimination have spread beyond South Asia. Caste activists looked to African-American literature and leaders to connect their fight with the battle against racism in the U.S. And as Indians moved around the world–to America, to elsewhere in Asia, and to the Middle East–they way they thought about caste changed. Suraj Milind Yengde tackles this global angle in his latest book: Caste: A Global Story (Hurst, 2025) Suraj is Assistant Professor of History and Africana Studies and a Ford Foundation Presidential Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania. His prior appointments were W.E.B. Du Bois Fellow at Harvard University, Senior Fellow and postdoc at the Harvard Kennedy School, a non-resident fellow at the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research, and a founding member of the Initiative for Institutional Anti-Racism and Accountability (IARA) at Harvard University. He is also the author of Caste Matters (Penguin Random House India: 2019) You can find more reviews, excerpts, interviews, and essays at The Asian Review of Books, including its review of Caste. Follow on Twitter at @BookReviewsAsia. Nicholas Gordon is an editor for a global magazine, and a reviewer for the Asian Review of Books. He can be found on Twitter at @nickrigordon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/middle-eastern-studies

Caste has been a huge topic of conversation in modern India. Yet debates and activism around caste discrimination have spread beyond South Asia. Caste activists looked to African-American literature and leaders to connect their fight with the battle against racism in the U.S. And as Indians moved around the world–to America, to elsewhere in Asia, and to the Middle East–they way they thought about caste changed. Suraj Milind Yengde tackles this global angle in his latest book: Caste: A Global Story (Hurst, 2025) Suraj is Assistant Professor of History and Africana Studies and a Ford Foundation Presidential Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania. His prior appointments were W.E.B. Du Bois Fellow at Harvard University, Senior Fellow and postdoc at the Harvard Kennedy School, a non-resident fellow at the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research, and a founding member of the Initiative for Institutional Anti-Racism and Accountability (IARA) at Harvard University. He is also the author of Caste Matters (Penguin Random House India: 2019) You can find more reviews, excerpts, interviews, and essays at The Asian Review of Books, including its review of Caste. Follow on Twitter at @BookReviewsAsia. Nicholas Gordon is an editor for a global magazine, and a reviewer for the Asian Review of Books. He can be found on Twitter at @nickrigordon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/south-asian-studies

"Stop Trying to Make Lean a Thing!" In this electric conversation with Spitfire Coach Lauren LeMunyan, Santana Inniss shares The Glow Initiative's mission to close the access gap in coaching for women and the nonprofits that serve them. Together they break down The Women in the Workplace 2025 report from McKinsey and Lean In and its problematic language, the myth of the so-called "ambition gap," and the uncomfortable truth about how the coaching industry mirrors broken corporate systems. If you're ready to shift from performative allyship to actual change, this episode is your playbook.

Dr. Alyssa Whitcraft is a Research Professor at the University of Maryland and the Director of NASA ACRES, NASA's US-focused agriculture program. She helped found NASA Harvest in 2017 and has dedicated her career to applying satellite data, machine learning, and geospatial tools to benefit agriculture worldwide. Her work sits at the cutting edge of space technology, earth science, and sustainable food systems—proving that NASA is about much more than just space exploration. In this deeply personal and inspiring conversation, Alyssa shares her unconventional path from pre-med student to leading NASA's agriculture programs. She opens up about struggling with anxiety and depression in college, the pivotal geography course that changed her life, and her ongoing battle with imposter syndrome even at the height of her success. Alyssa discusses the realities of being a woman in male-dominated STEM fields, the challenges of balancing motherhood with a demanding career, and how she created systemic change by establishing a dependent care fund at her university. Above all, she emphasizes the importance of following your curiosity, believing in yourself, and remembering that it's never too late to try something new. Whether you're interested in technology, agriculture, or simply learning how to navigate life's challenges with grace and determination, this episode offers wisdom and encouragement for dreamers of all ages.

In this episode, we speak Chrissy Nizer, Administrator of the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration, highlighting the agency's NAPHSIS Clean-Up initiative and how access to out-of-state death records supports accurate driver data, operational efficiency, and public trust. Host: Ian Grossman Producer: Claire Jeffrey, Chelsey Hadwin, and Kayle Nguyen Music: Gibson Arthur

In dieser letzten Folge unserer Uganda-Serie erwartet euch ein Gespräch mit einem modernen Hüter des Waldes: Nachdem wir in der vorherigen Folge selbst im Bergregenwald des Bwindi Nationalparks auf Tuchfühlung mit den majestätischen Berggorillas gehen durften, treffen wir nun einen Mann, der wie wenige andere für ihren Schutz steht: Dr. Andrew Seguya.Er ist studierter Tierarzt, war langjähriger Direktor der Uganda Wildlife Authority und leitet heute die Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration – eine einzigartige, länderübergreifenden Initiative zum Schutz der letzten Berggorillas im Dreiländereck Uganda, Ruanda und DR Kongo.Dr. Seguya gibt uns faszinierende Einblicke in die Herausforderungen und Erfolge des Artenschutzes in einer mitunter krisengeplagten Region – und zeigt, wie es gelingen kann, Wildtiere, Lebensräume und Menschen gleichermaßen zu schützen. Eine inspirierende Folge über Diplomatie, Visionen, Gemeinschaft und eine große Portion Hoffnung.(Und, ja, streng genommen findet dieser letzte „Uganda-Teil“ gänzlich im benachbarten Ruanda statt, aber da wir uns inhaltlich gänzlich auf unsere Erlebnisse in Uganda beziehen, sind wir so frei und rechnen die Episode der entsprechenden Uganda-Serie zu, deren Abschluss sie bildet.) Redaktion & Produktion: Erik Lorenz Habt ihr schon die vorherigen Folgen über unsere Uganda-Reise gehört? Bisher erschienen sind:WW426: Von Schuhschnäbeln und Schimpansen (1/2) – unterwegs in Uganda mit Lydia Möcklinghoff und Erik LorenzWW427: Von Schuhschnäbeln und Schimpansen (2/2) – unterwegs in Uganda mit Lydia Möcklinghoff und Erik LorenzWW431: Von hungrigen Hippos und heulenden Hyänen (1/2) – Safari im Queen Elizabeth Nationalpark (Uganda) mit Lydia Möcklinghoff und Erik LorenzWW432: Von hungrigen Hippos und heulenden Hyänen (2/2) – Safari im Queen Elizabeth Nationalpark (Uganda) mit Lydia Möcklinghoff und Erik LorenzWW438: Von Bildungshunger und Berglandschaften – eine Reise durch Ugandas grünes Herz mit Lydia Möcklinghoff und Erik LorenzWW439: Im Reich der Berggorillas – unterwegs in Uganda mit Lydia Möcklinghoff und Erik LorenzDieser Podcast wird auch durch unsere Hörerschaft ermöglicht. Wenn du gern zuhörst, kannst du dazu beitragen, dass unsere Show auch weiterhin besteht und regelmäßig erscheint. Zum Dank erhältst du Zugriff auf unseren werbefreien Feed und auf unsere Bonusfolgen. Diese Möglichkeiten zur Unterstützung bestehen:Weltwach Supporters Club bei Steady. Du kannst ihn auch direkt über Spotify ansteuern. Alternativ kannst du bei Apple Podcasts UnterstützerIn werden.WERBEPARTNERhttps://linktr.ee/weltwach Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Dating Intelligence, host Christopher Louis and guest Blaine Anderson, dating powerhouse coach and founder of Dating By Blaine, discuss the complexities of dating, especially during the holiday season. They explore the importance of in-person connections, the challenges men face in dating, and the common mistakes made in online dating profiles. Blaine shares her journey into dating coaching and emphasizes the significance of genuine communication and chivalry in modern dating. The conversation also touches on the importance of experiences over material gifts and how to handle ghosting and unavailability gracefully. Overall, the episode provides valuable insights and actionable advice for navigating the dating landscape. Chapters: 00:00 Navigating the Holiday Dating Scene 03:11 Blaine Anderson's Journey into Dating Coaching 05:59 The Importance of Real-Life Interactions 08:52 Understanding Men's Challenges in Dating 11:45 Building Confidence and Overcoming Nerves 15:05 The Role of Dating Apps in Modern Relationships 18:00 Optimizing Dating Profiles for Success 28:18 The Importance of Taking Action in Dating 29:34 Navigating Texting and Communication 31:18 The Role of Matchmakers in Dating 33:35 Understanding Chivalry and Initiative 36:50 The Ghosting Culture in Modern Dating 40:37 Handling Unavailable Partners 43:43 The Importance of Communication  46:47 Taking Action After Coaching 49:00 Building Genuine Connections 51:43 Gift Ideas for Partners Links: Blaine Anderson: https://datingbyblaine.com/about Sponsors: Men.tality: https://www.datingmentality.com/ BeFreed: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/befreed-learn-anything/id6739747450  

PREVIEW: Russia Retains Initiative but Exaggerates Gains in Ukraine: Colleague John Hardie evaluates the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, noting that while Russia retains the initiative, it consistently exaggerates its territorial gains, explaining that despite Ukrainian infantry shortages, their use of drones and counterattacks has prevented Russia from achieving a major operational breakthrough or capitalizing fully on its material advantages. 1941 GERMAN OCCUPATION

The "355 Plus" Fleet Initiative and the Ford-Class "Edsel": Colleague Thomas Modly outlines his "355 Plus" fleet initiative and efforts to modernize naval education for a cognitive age as Acting Secretary, explaining his "Gray Zone" management priorities and addressing the technical challenges and cost overruns plaguing the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier, which he nicknamed the "Edsel". 1904

In this solo episode of The Reformed Brotherhood, Jesse Schwamb explores the profound theological underpinnings of Jesus' parables in Luke 15. With co-host Tony Arsenal absent due to illness, Jesse takes listeners through the "deleted scenes" – insights and reflections that often occur off-mic – about the parables of the Lost Sheep and Lost Coin. These stories reveal God's relentless pursuit of sinners and set the stage for the upcoming discussion of the Prodigal Son parable. Jesse unpacks how these parables demonstrate not just God's willingness to receive sinners, but His active seeking of them – a grace that doesn't merely find us willing but makes us willing. This episode serves as a theological bridge, slowing listeners down to fully appreciate the scandal of God's love before diving into Jesus' most famous parable. Key Takeaways Context Matters: The parables of Luke 15 are Jesus' response to the Pharisees' grumbling about Him receiving sinners and eating with them. This historical context reveals the radical nature of Christ's ministry compared to the religious establishment. Grace Makes Us Willing: Drawing from Thomas Watson's quote, Jesse explains that God's grace doesn't find us willing to repent but actually creates that willingness in us – a foundational concept in Reformed theology. The Initiative of God: In all three parables, God is portrayed as the active seeker. The shepherd searches for the sheep, the woman sweeps for the coin, demonstrating that salvation begins with God's initiative, not ours. The Scandalous Love of Jesus: Christ's approach to sinners appeared scandalous to religious leaders because it violated their understanding of who deserved God's attention. Christ's Sympathetic Identification: Jesus doesn't just save us from a distance but enters into our suffering, identifying with us in our pain while remaining sinless. Heaven's Joy Over Salvation: The parables reveal God's extraordinary joy over each individual sinner who is saved, showing that the entire cost of redemption would be worth it even for just one person. From Death to Life: Drawing from Colossians 2, Jesse emphasizes that Jesus didn't come to make bad people good but to make dead people alive, canceling our certificate of debt through His cross. The Scandal of Divine Initiative The religious establishment of Jesus' day operated on the principle that religion was for "good people" – those who could maintain moral standards and ritual purity. When tax collectors and sinners were drawn to Jesus, the Pharisees were scandalized not just by Jesus' association with them, but by the possibility that these "hopeless cases" might be included in God's kingdom. This context sets up the revolutionary nature of Jesus' parables. As Jesse explains, "Religion by itself cannot help any of those people. Can't help pariahs in that way, and so it did no good then to command the good people to mix with the bad people, and then to treat them kindly and tell them of new possibilities." What makes Christianity utterly unique is that it begins not with human initiative but with divine pursuit. God in Christ actively seeks those who are lost, not waiting for them to clean themselves up or take the first step. This complete reversal of religious expectations demonstrates why these parables were and remain so radical. Grace That Transforms Our Unwillingness The Reformed theological principle that Jesse highlights through Thomas Watson's quote – "Grace does not find us willing, but grace makes us willing" – strikes at the heart of human pride and misconception about salvation. Left to ourselves, we don't merely lack the ability to come to God; we actively resist Him. Jesse elaborates: "How good of God that He would send His Son unto us while we were yet His enemies. In other words, while that clenched fist was within us, while we saw God as only a threat, while we wanted to be covenant breakers, that's what we wanted. We want to rebel against Him." The wonder of grace is not just that God forgives when we repent, but that He creates the very repentance within us. This is why the shepherd leaves the ninety-nine to find the one – the sheep doesn't find its own way home. This is the beating heart of Reformed soteriology: salvation is entirely of the Lord, from first to last, which makes it secure and gives all glory to God alone. Memorable Quotes "God seeking us is the foundation of seeking Him. Grace does not find us willing, but grace makes us willing, and I think that's exactly what we're getting in this first advent of Christ. By way of these stories, of course, this grace that makes us willing. That is the Reformed theology." "He's not this like sinless Superman. What I mean by that is... it takes out the humanity of Christ. It takes out this feeling heart of Christ as if to like separate him so much from us. But the beauty of these parables is... Christ puts himself close to us in that he feels like us, though he is not us, and that is the heart. That is where his power of coming to save is brought into our lives." "Having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us. He also has taken it out of the way. Having nailed it to the cross. How good is that sentence?" Full Transcript [00:00:08] Jesse Schwamb: It reminds me of this quote from. Thomas Watson who said, God seeking us is the foundation of seeking him. Grace does not find us willing, but grace makes us willing, and I think that's exactly what we're getting in this first advent of Christ. By way of these stories, of course, this grace that makes. Us willing. That is the reform of theology. How good of God that he would send his son unto us while we were yet his enemies. In other words, while that clenched fist was within us, while we saw God as only a threat, while we wanted to be covenant breakers, that's what we wanted. We want to rebel against him. Welcome to episode 473 of The Reformed Brotherhood. I'm Jesse, and this is the podcast for Lost Sheep and Lost Coins. Hey, brothers and sisters, you're listening to another episode of The Reformed Brotherhoodhood, but you've probably already noticed. That we are missing my co-host and my brother Tony, who regrettably was taken up ill this week, and so in his convalescence, I'm coming at you with a solo episode and what are you probably asking is worth listening to in the solo episode? Well, I have a proposal for you. So often what happens is when Tony and I sit down. And we record a beautiful, robust conversation, the definitive kind of talk on some topic. We shut off the microphone. And then of course he and I continue to talk to one another. And what often happens is somehow, like a second or a third episode basically starts because we go back to what we were talking about before and we have some kind of new insight or something new that we wanted to say that didn't make it into the episode. [00:01:56] Deleted Scenes and Parables Overview [00:01:56] Jesse Schwamb: And so this episode is gonna be about some of those deleted scenes if you were, were like the things that. We talked about, but didn't make it into some of our recent conversations about the parables, these three parables of the Lost Sheep, the lost coin, and now The Lost Son. Now I know what you're thinking, and I made a promise to Tony. We're not gonna get to the Prodigal son on this episode. That is something he and I are looking forward to discussing with one another and with you. So that will be next week. But on this little episode, I thought it was best to slow down just for a second and to give you, again, some of those things we've been talking about as we've been thinking about lostness, and to set that up as a precursor to wet your appetite just a little bit for this biggest of all of the parables, maybe the most well-known parable in the entire universe. The parable of the prodigal son, which again, is coming for you, but not on this one. Don't even get me started. How dare you. Now, normally if this were a traditional episode, you would hear that ous segue from me that goes something like this. Hey Tony, are you affirming with or denying again, something on this episode? And because it's just me, it'd be super weird to do something atenol with just myself. [00:03:17] Affirmations and Community Engagement [00:03:17] Jesse Schwamb: I figured it is high time for me to give you a particular affirmation, so here's what I'm gonna do. I am affirming with you like you brother and sister listening. I truly am affirming with you because as the year draws to close, I was thinking just again, how grateful I am for everybody who hangs out, everybody who listens, everybody who gives to the reformed brotherhood, because we all do it together. Nothing happens by accident. Nothing shows up in your podcast feed without somebody taking care of the attendant costs, without people lending their voices, without conversation around it. And if you're wondering, well, who are these other people? Because I thought it was just you too. There are brothers and sisters from all over the world who are looking to follow closely after Lord Jesus Christ, wanting to process theology and wanting to do so in a way that makes us better and more obedient toward our loving savior. And in serving those around us. And the good news is you also can just connect with us and with them. And the best way to do that, as we've said so many times before, but I'm gonna say it one more time for everybody in the back, is you can join our Telegram group. Telegram is just a messaging app, and we've carved out just a little corner of that app so that people that are listening to the podcast can come hang out and talk about. Whatever you want. So the way to do that is go to any browser, pick your favorite one, and just type in t me slash reform brotherhood, t me slash reform brotherhood, and that link will get you there. You can also do another thing. You can go to reform brotherhood.com. The podcast does have a website, believe it or not, and on that website, reform brotherhood.com live, all of the other episodes we have ever recorded. And so you can search those by topic about what's going on in them. You can find all kinds of different things to listen to. You'll also find a link there if in fact you would like to also support the podcast. So we are so grateful for so many brothers and sisters. Who have decided, you know what? I've been blessed by the conversations by the community, and I wanna make sure that it remains that way free of charge to everyone. And they're the ones along with us that are shouldering that burden, and I'm so grateful. So you can find a link there if in fact you are so inclined to give so. Brothers and sisters, I'm affirming with you it's time that I did that, and I'm so grateful for all of you. And again, the purpose of this little episode is to spend a little bit of time getting ready, getting after it. [00:05:42] The Parables' Context and Significance [00:05:42] Jesse Schwamb: For this, the biggest of all, the granddaddy of all the parables, the parable of the prodigal son and I, as I was thinking about this episode, it occurred to me it's a bit like, I don't know where you live. Where I live, there are these signs on the road that can script the speed at which you can travel on those roads at least legally. Right, and I was thinking about this as I was driving the other day, that I have a road with a speed limit. Say it's 50 miles an hour, but there is a bend in this road. And on that bend as I approach it, there's another sign of a different color that's more suggestive and it's a lower speed limit. It's as if to say, listen, I know you can travel at 50, but what might be wise right now is to slow it down so that you don't veer off the road because. As you take this turn, what's best practice, what's most safe for you is to slow down for a second. And I was kind of thinking about that as we were going into these parables. We wanna get to the parable of the prodigal sun. It's dramatic, it's dynamic. There's all kinds of lovely details in it. It's exciting. We've got people now finally, whereas we had intimate objects in agriculture, now we're getting to human family dynamics and interrelations and all this activity. And it's good. We should wanna get there, but I'm kind of feeling like it's a bit like that sign that says, you know what? We might wanna slow down for a second before you turn into this parable. Why don't you take this curve at a slightly slower speed? And so hence this little tiny episode to bring to you again, some of those deleted scenes. Some of the things that Tony, I've been talking about that never have quite made it into all of the recordings, because they probably happened before afterwards and the recording button had already been disabled. So. Let me give you the thing that I think, Tony, I've been talking about a lot and we've definitely been thinking about, and that is again, going back to like, why did these parables even come up? Like was it Jesus volition just to start talking about this stuff? Why is it that there are three versions of it? Why are they kind of escalating and growing in magnitude? There's clearly a crescendo coming. Hopefully you're hearing it. Like it's picking up, the pace is moving, the volume is increasing, and the stakes are getting higher and higher and higher. So what gives why all of this? And I think we gotta go back to Luke 15. Of course. We gotta look at just that first verse because to me. [00:08:00] The Heart of Reformed Theology [00:08:00] Jesse Schwamb: In Luke 15, this is some of like the best comfort food of the gospel, don't you think? I mean, in this, it's like the warmest, richest passage, almost all the gospels in terms of the presentation of this really good news. And you know, these stories aren't just sentimental tales. They actually reveal the beating heart of reform, theology, the beating, passionate love. And heart of Christ for his people. This truth that God is the one who seeks, saves, and rejoices over sinners. And so we gotta start in context because it's precisely because of that beating heart, that initiative, that volition, that Christ brings all of this up, but he brings it up in response to something that's happening. And that's where we get in verse one. Now, the tax collectors and sinners we're all drawing near to him. I think sometimes we run, at least I do way too past. Fast past that verse, the tax collectors and the sinners we're all drawing near to him. It should be the kind of thing like talk about things that make you go, Hmm, why? Why are we getting that now? That specific indicator here that they're drawing near. And then not only that it's being told to us, but of course what was it about Christ that drew these people? Because traditionally there, there was a lot of religion happening in Jesus' day. In some ways something special and different is happening here, that while the religion was not drawing these people, that the, the superstructures there, the participants, the leaders were not drawing this crowd by design. Instead, they're drawn to Jesus. There's something not just in the teaching but who he is, and Luke tells us tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to him. He goes on to say, and the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled saying, this man receives sinners and eats with them. As a result of this, Jesus tells then these three parables. It's almost like Jesus essentially saying to the Pharisees, listen, you're accusing me of receiving sinners. Yes, you are exactly right, but I want you to know why. What a beautiful thing for him to explain and then to explain it in these thrice kind of implications and stories and metaphors. It's a beautiful thing. It reminds me of this quote from. Period in Thomas Watson who said, God seeking us is the foundation of seeking him. Grace does not find us willing, but grace makes us willing, and I think that's exactly what we're getting in this first advent of Christ. By way of these stories, of course, this grace that makes. Us willing. That is the reform of theology. How good of God that he would send his son unto us while we were yet his enemies. In other words, while that clenched fist was within us, while we saw God as only a threat, while we wanted to be covenant breakers, that's what we wanted. We want to rebel against him. And it's an incredible thing. It's far better, not that grace finds us willing, but that grace makes us willing, that grace compels us because we do not even know what's the best for ourselves. And so here again, Jesus tells us these three parables, these three stories to convey this incredible point. And that is that there is surely hope for all. God's love extends even to these sinners. That the glorious truth, that glorious truth shines out in all of these parables, and it's meant to be impressed upon us in like increasing degree that God's amazing love is both in its scope and its reach, and especially contrast. The ideas of then these. Pharisees and the scribes on this subject, he comes at them hard with these series of events and these stories. Tony, I've been talking about that a lot. Like we just can't get beyond that. I can't even, I wish I could comprehend it in a more deep way. You know, the first two parables are, it's dying to impress upon us that the love of God. Is this activity. It is effort and fire and reach and going after and passion and love, and it seeks out the sinner and it takes like infinite trouble in order to find him and rescue him. It's willing to pursue all to love, all, to take up the cost of all, and then to show the joy of God and all the hosts of heaven when even just one. Soul is saved. So it's not even this massive effort undertaking, which weighs the benefits and the costs and says, well, it's gonna be worth it in the end because the dividends earned from making this investment will be far greater than the investment itself. And what God does in Christ is he sends his son not. Reservedly, not like arms reach, so he could snatch him back up when harm beel him, but he gives him so unreservedly in passive and active obedience so that the sinner might be saved. Even just one and one, just one is saved. All of heaven rejoices there. There is a full consummate expression of happiness and completeness and joy of just one. Being saved and brought into God's kingdom. In other words, if that entire cost were for just one, God would still be willing to bear it. Jesus would still come in his active and past obedience to accomplish that very thing. And it's all of this that's moving us, of course, to the parable of the prodigal son, but I cannot even get there. Don't, don't even try to get me to go there. I know you're all doing it. So there is this great and incredible outstanding point. [00:13:20] The Scandalous Love of Jesus [00:13:20] Jesse Schwamb: It's something else that Tony had been talking about is that there's a simplicity, of course in all of these accounts, but there's also like this great complexity, especially because of this context. And I think as well what we've been really. Settling on in our conversations outside of the podcast is just how scandalous this makes Jesus seem and appear like that Jesus does appear or he should appear to us like too good to be true, too loving, too kind, too recklessly spend thrift. And again, that's what we're gonna find in the next parable, but that that is for real and it doesn't make him weak. It might be an expression of meekness, a power under control, but it shows that the humility of God in Christ is really beyond our ability to comprehend in reach that is so thorough and so full, and so rich and so warm that Christ is, as it were, experiencing a great, great joy. In the sinner coming and being saved, and him identifying with the sinner to such a degree and going out and finding what was lost to bring it back in. That this act of even when we come to him in repentance over and over again, we do not exhaust him because so great is his love for us. That he's coming to save continually and always, that he doesn't have to save over and over again. There's no additional sacrifice that's necessary, but that, that sacrifice is so great, so grand, so complete that it continues to bring us back into the fold to save us as it were. Over and over again to restore us onto fellowship with him to restore the harmony of our relationship while never having to rescind or to rebuild again the initial identity that we have in Christ that was accomplished on the cross, but that this just seems too good to be true. It just seems so miraculous that my own sin. As it continues to compound day after day, that is like continue to do the things I don't wanna do, as Paul said. But the very things I don't wanna do, those are the things that I do. It seems like this. At some point God would just become thoroughly exhausted with, and that's not the case. And these parables prove that to us over and over. And over again. So this very context and setting of these parables shows. I think all of this like perfectly, and Tony and I have just been conversing about that a lot. We keep going back to it. Maybe we're a little bit afraid that if we keep talking about it, you're gonna be like, you already said that, say something different. But we can't help. We're really come back to this and. Again, I'm drawn to this line that these sinners, the publicans, if you're totally down with the King James version that they drew near unto him, they came to him. There was something about him that they were almost like compelled or constrained as, as Paul says, like God's love compels us or constraints us. That they themselves were feeling that almost this magnetism toward Christ to want to be in his presence toward what, hear what he has to say, and what a beautiful setup that they're being drawn into him. He's eating with them. He's doing this. Most intimate thing, spending time with the me, my shoulders, with 'em, and of course the Pharisees, the scribes, the religious leaders, they see this and it's recorded that they're grumbling. They're complaining, right, man, what an adventure in missing the point. But that's there for us. I really think to pick up here as we try to understand what these parables mean, again, it's not just like the teaching. The teaching is so good, it's so rich and juicy and, and full of so many things for us to consume and to understand and to meditate on and to metabolize. As well that we can just quickly mix Miss, like this incredible perspective of like the context of which it took place, like the literal environment and the circumstances of life, which in some ways were the progenitor, or at least were the very thing, the fertile soil, which gave Christ the opportunity to plant. Then these seeds of the story and what I'm raised by is they felt that. I think these sinners felt that there was a chance even for them, that like in these man's teachings, there was a new and fresh hope, and even the Pharisees and the scribes saw precisely that thing. I think that's why, that's why they're complaining, and they had regarded these sinners as being so utterly and entirely behind, beyond hope and redemption. I mean, that was really the Orthodox view. It was to say like, listen, they're so hopeless that they were to be entirely ignored. Religion was for good people. It had nothing to do with bad people. You know, unfortunately, that's so much I think of how people view even Christianity today, that this is a club for people who have it mostly together or wanna have it together or think that they can get it together. Religion is for the good people and it should have nothing to do with the bad people. And it certainly had nothing to. To give these sinners just in the in, in our own day. Religion, by and in of itself, has nothing to give anybody, certainly nothing to give those who are hurt. Who are feeling hopeless, who are down and out, who are the abused, who have been written off, who are marginalized, who are pariahs, who feel that the guilt is overwhelming in their lives, who have all of these regrets. Religion by itself cannot help any of those people. Can't help you oriah in that way, and so it did no good then. To command the good people, to mix with the bad people, and then to treat them kindly and tell them of new possibilities. Religion, even in Jesus day, didn't offer that. And so you can see then that the Pharisees of the scribes were annoyed by our Lord's teaching. Anyone who saw any hope for this public or sinner must to them be entirely wrong and a blasphemer, because that's not who religion was for. And yet the sinner here. I mean, can you only imagine loved one like the sinner here in seeing Jesus? And being with Jesus, and they were drawn to him by understanding that there was some kind of new and fresh hope for them. And that's what's delivered in these parables to us. That how scandalous love of God is, is that from the jump, those who are with him recognize the scandal and said, this is so otherworldly that it seems like. This could be for me. And that is exactly why Jesus came, right? He came to seek and to save those who are lost. The point is was not how he could be received back, but whether he could be received back at all, whether he deserved anything at all. And so the sinner coming and saying that, is it possible that even for me. There is hope that even for me, there could be restoration with God. That for all the things which I already know, that I'm far from God, that I see him as the one who has these incredible and high in standards that I have transgressed, is it possible that there is hope for me? You know, just this morning on our Lord's day, because that's time of year, one of the songs that we sang was Joy to the World, and I was thinking even as we were preparing to sing that what, what other people conceive of that? Him. You know, we might rightly ask, is there any joy in our world today? Is there any hope? Is there any peace? And the answer is, yes, there is. It's in Jesus. You know that he is the answer. But we sometimes need to start saying, what is the question? And the question is, who can come before God? What can I do to be saved? That is the question. And these sinners at least understood that. They're drawn to Jesus, they're drawn to come before him. And so this stands out to me. It's something that we've been talking about a lot, this possibility of a new start, a new beginning for all, even for the most desperate, the ones that were so far off that they recognized that they couldn't probably even turn around. You know, sometimes like we colloquial say, listen, all you have to do is turn around and we use that language because we're tying it with this idea of repentance, you know, to turn. Toward God to to forsake that which is our natural selves by the power of the Holy Spirit and to come back into the family of Christ. And I think that is good, but I think the sinner also recognizes that the only prayer that we have is that Jesus have mercy on me. Have mercy on me that that's the right place to start. And I see in this, this idea, of course that's clearly articulated by our savior, that God is doing all the things that we are so lost. We're like that lost sheep that's just gone astray. That we desperately need help because we can't find our way back. I'm not sure we can even barely turn around. And I think if. What Thomas Watson is saying is correct. Then the beauty of Grace is that it does make us willing because I, for one, would go kicking and screaming all the way. But the fact that it makes us willing, it makes us come to our senses, which I have a feeling is something we will explore in a future, future episode, but that God is setting forward all of that initiative, you know. I like that John Rowan, John Owen also writes the sheep strays and knows not how to return, but Christ the good shepherd will lose none of his flock, but fetch them home. I love this idea. That's from his expedition on Hebrews. Actually, it's not even about this particular passage. The sheep does not seek the shepherd. The shepherd seeks the sheep. So even in this narrative, we see all these beautiful elements that. You know, Tony, I talked about before this total depravity, but it's just a narrative form that there's no one that seeks after God. And so what we find is that God is bringing forward election, choosing his own. He's bringing about definitive atonement, he's saving his own, and then there's a sexual calling he's bringing to himself his own. It's like the Westminster Larry Catechism says in. Uh, 59 Christ, by his intercession answers the demands of those for whom he has died and for them only. And all of this then brings about this like great and incredible rejoicing in heaven. I think, not just because it's like, it's great to find lost things, but it's also great to see that God has done the very thing that he said he was going to do, that he's the one that's, that he's the author and perfecter of salvation. And so God delights. In the work of redemption. So this is like the thing that I think is incredibly scandalous. [00:23:01] Christ's Compassion and Solidarity [00:23:01] Jesse Schwamb: This is the thing that Tony and I have talked a lot about, like privately, and that is how much Jesus has compassion and the ability, the true ability to sympathize. And that in these I, I think like underneath. All of these little parables and stories. The only reason there is an action of love. That love always leads to giving. Love always leads to going. Finding love always leads to drawing in that the only reason that is happening is because of this incredible ability of Christ to sympathize with us. You know, the burden of these verses, the anchor of these verses is Christ sheer an amazing solidarity with all of his people. All our natural intuitions tell us that Jesus is with us on our side present helping. When life is going well. It's easy to see that. It seems very clear, but in this text, we're finding that those who are drawn are the ones whose life are decidedly not going great, not doing that well. And so the opposite is being. Presented for us in this kinda stark relief. It's in our weakness that Jesus sympathizes with us. It's in our pain and our own destructive behaviors that he comes, not because he himself has experienced any sin, but because he is a savior whose heart is wide open to go after and to embrace those who are in that state, which seems incredible. Scandalous, like in our pain, Jesus is pained in our suffering. He feels the suffering as his own, even though it isn't. He's not this like invincible divinity. Well, lemme say it this way. It's not that his invincible divinity is threatened, but in the sense that his heart is feelingly drawn into our distress. Is that a word? Feelingly, like that. He literally wants to, he feels himself into our distress and, and in that doing so his joy is increased because he's identifying with his children because he is coming close to them because he is going after them. His love leads to that kind of feeling ness, so it's. It is not only that Jesus can reveal, relieve us and reveal, I suppose, but relieve us from our troubles like a doctor prescribing medicine. It's also that before any relief comes before, like a day of restoration comes before like that day of the shackles falling off before that time when the breakthrough happens, he's with us in our troubles like a doctor who has endured the same disease. That's what's wild. That's what makes all of this so different than any other religious worldview, than any other kind of conscription of how to think about the world and any other philosophy. And he's a sinless man, but he's not this like sinless Superman. And what I mean by that is I think some of you heard, if you've listened for any length of time, you know that there's this song. That is a children's song. That is something like Jesus is my superhero, and I always bristle that a little bit because it takes out the humanity of Christ. It takes out this feeling heart of Christ as if to like separate him so much from us that we want all of this power. Of course we want this. Alien power to come and to restore our lives, to intercede, to do the thing that we cannot do for ourselves. But the beauty of these parables is the thing that we cannot do for ourselves is still the thing that Christ puts, puts himself close to us in that he feels like us, though he is not us, and that is the heart. That is where his power of coming to save. Is brought into our lives. He comes and saves us because he knows us. And to know us is to become like us. And to become like us is to be humiliated, to come and to humble himself and to condescend to such degree that he is again, like this doctor who can heal. But before any of that comes, he's with us in the troubles. This is Emmanuel, this is God with us, that he is the one that comes and stands shoulder to shoulder with us in that pain that feels and empathizes and comes and ministers to us in that pain, and takes great joy in doing so. And in fact, his joy, as it were, is enlarged in doing that. [00:27:09] The Joy of Salvation [00:27:09] Jesse Schwamb: Our tendency, I think, is to feel intuitively that the more difficult life gets, the more that we're alone. We sink further into pain, we sink further into felt isolation, and these passages correct us. Our pain never outstrips what he himself shares in. That is what's remarkable. That is what drives and fuels, I think, in a way, this passionate heart of Christ towards us and then results in this kind of unbelievable, really loved ones. Incredible, outstanding, inconceivable good news that Christ has saved us, that he would come and in the midst of our great ugliness and sinfulness and unkindness and selfishness, that he would not only identify with that and say, you who are broken, I delight. To repair you, but that we receive then not just a restoration, but then all of the benefits that Christ himself has earned that are due him for his obedience. These also get credited to us. I think it's impossible for me not to conclude this little conversation that we're having without going to Colossians chapter two, which again, I've said this before, but as somebody who's worked in finance and banking, all of my adult life. Actually, I dunno why I would say it that way, because you really can't, shouldn't be working in finance or banking as a child. But for all of my life I just find this language so resonant. And if you're a person that's borrowed money for any length of time or maybe basically just worked in the world and had to endure, if that's your word, or interact with finance than you are probably gonna resonate with this. This too. But this is. An expression of what God has done for us in Christ. And I wanna begin reading in verse 13. And you being dead in your transgressions. Oh, man. Uh, sorry, I, I hate to do this. I often don't like to do this, but you're just gonna get my commentary, the Jesse commentary in between these in, in the midst of these verses because I, I should probably best practice to read the whole thing for y'all. But I just, I am dumbfounded. I keep getting dumbstruck by these words and thinking about these in light of, uh, the incarnation and of Christ coming and these parables that he's teaching us that are just showing like as if he's just opening up his heart to us, and I can't, but help but stop and pause and say, are, are you hearing this too? And you being dead in your transgressions. This is so horrible, isn't it? Like who wants this to be true of them? But this is, this is my story and your story that we were dead and it's not a who done it mystery. You know what killed us? Our transgressions, yours and mines our own work. That the minimum wage of sin is death and that your transgressions killed you and that you were in that state. You were in that state actually from the beginning, from the time that you were born. You were dead and you were dead in your transgressions. That is super bad. I mean, that's the understatement of this entire conversation. It, it's horrible. Uh, I can't think of anything worse. It's true of all us. So is it possible that it could get worse? It does actually. And you being dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, that is like you were not just, it would be worse enough that of course, like you the Law of Christ, but you love to do it. That was your jam in your flesh. The flesh that you wanted to embrace, the selfishness that was who you are, apart from Christ, which the Bible tells us is the opposite of being circumcised brought into the family. You were far away as far away as possible. You were so far out of the government that you were uncircumcised. That's who you were. You were dead. You were dead because of your transgressions, and then you were so far outside of the family of God, there was no hope for you. In your own self, there's nothing you could do to make a way. There was nothing that you could do to write yourself. You were dead in your transgressions, uncircumcision of your flesh. Sit on that for a second, and you being dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, Jesus made you alive with him having graciously forgiven us all our transgressions. So again, this is. Incredible. Not just that you would be forgiven, but that you'd be made alive in Christ. There's this falsity out there somewhere. Again, this is what religion teaches you, teaches us that Jesus came to make bad people good. I mean, that's really what the Pharisees were after in their own lives. There was their promulgating a system in which what religion does is it's for good people and at best what it can do is make maybe some bad people. Good. But if you're too bad, it's not for you. It's too bad. It's unfortunate, but it's not your thing. It won't work. But what the scripture tells us, what these parables press us with is not that Jesus came to make bad people good, but he came to make dead people alive. And so what we have here is a clear indication of that, that even in the midst of your, your horrible state, that that state, that it seemed hopeless, that here Jesus God, through Jesus made you alive with him having graciously forgiven all of our transgressions. Then here's the, here's the amazing part as if like, we didn't understand that, and I think like you and Paul here saying like, this should be clear, but I'm gonna double down on this. I'm gonna use some language that should be abundantly clear to you just how bad things were and then how much freedom you should feel, what your lightness, what the, the bounce in your steps should be like because you were once dead uncircumcised. Now you've been made alive and you've been having everything graciously forgiven in Christ. Here, here's what it's like having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us. He also has taken it out of the way. Having nailed it to the cross. How? How good is that sentence? Christ in his death canceled out the. Certificate of debt. Again, something that was codified against us. So other words, it was documented. These were not just, and they weren't just this little statement that said like, it's really bad for you. You owe something. There's something that's been heaped up against you. But they were decrees against us. They were hostile to us. They were literally the thing that was going to kill us for all and separate us from Christ. That thing, that certificate, he has taken it. Out out of the way, having nailed it to the cross, having disarmed the rulers and authorities, he made public display of them having triumphed over them. So it's this incredible sense that not only has Christ. Taking the certificate, cast it aside, paid for it in full. But then above and beyond that, he's disarmed the rulers and authorities. He's made a public display of them. He's triumphed over sin, death, and the devil in such a demonstrative and public way to show that he's the ruler of all the world. That he's the promise maker and he's the promise keeper, that he's just, and that he's justifier. And so Paul says to us, then Christian. How ought you to live? How ought you to behave? Is this not the best news that you could possibly hear? So all of that, I think is literally just the smallest backdrop to leading us into this final parable, this escalation really, of course, the three parables in one about the prodigal son and. I would admonish you to think on that. This little extra pause that we've had here I think is good because I need to at least to remember that this is what's leading us for Jesus to say, to start with a story that says A man had two sons. You know, after we've talked about sheep. We talked about coins and then he goes, and a man had two sons. What a beautiful like beginning what? What incredible language, what brilliance, all of this to show us his true heart for us. And I think it's always worthwhile to stop and to pause for a second. And to consider that heart as we make ourselves ready to receive this final and amazing parable. [00:35:13] Conclusion and Next Episode Teaser [00:35:13] Jesse Schwamb: So I hope that you will continue to hang out with us, that you yourself will not take my word for it or Tony's word for it, but you yourself, go to Luke 15 read. It takes maybe. I dunno, 45 seconds to read all three of these and to spend some time thinking about what it is that Christ has done for us. That we're the lost sheep, we're the lost coin. We're also this lost son, son, daughter, that this was all of our stories. At some point, we can't escape the fact that this really is our biography and. It hits close to home because we find that when we examine ourselves that we are the ones that were lost in our transgressions and dead. That we are the ones that were un circumcised, but God has made us alive together with Christ. I mean, read, read Colossians two and read Ephesians one, and what you're gonna find is we have every reason to rejoice, and these stories should compel us into. A life of constant rejoicing for what Christ has done for us. That's the reason for every season. It's the reason for the Christian life, and certainly so much of what we find reflected in reform theology proper. So you know what to do. Come hang out with us on the Telegram chat, continue to process with us alongside of us in conversation with us, these incredible parables, because I do believe there's so much here. We'll, we're never going to plumb the depths of these, and this is just our feeble attempt. To get us in the right place as we make that final hair point turn into this, that we slow down just a little bit and consider what great thing that Christ has done for us and what God, the Father and the Holy Spirit has wrought in our lives by way of this incredible salvation. So you know what to do. Come back next week and we'll get after the parable. Of the prodigal. But until you do that, until we chat again and Tony rejoins us safe and strong, and Lord willing, as great as ever, honor everyone. Love the brotherhood.

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