Podcasts about Marcus Borg

David Armstrong explores the arrival of Jesus in Jerusalem for the Passover Festival, marking the moment when Jesus' project went public. Jesus' entry into the city on a donkey, fulfilling a 500-year-old prophecy, was a form of guerrilla theatre, a deliberate subversion of power and an act that mocked the dominant displays of the Roman Empire. Jesus' humble procession was antithetical to Pontius Pilate's imperial display, challenging us to reflect on our own expectations of Jesus and inviting us to choose allegiance to a kingdom of love, not force.“Two processions entered Jerusalem on a spring day in the year 30. . . One was a peasant procession, the other an imperial procession. From the east, Jesus rode a donkey down the Mouth of Olives, cheered by his followers. . . On the opposite side of the city, from the west, Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Idumea, Judea, and Samaria, entered Jerusalem at the head of a column of imperial calvary and soldiers. Jesus's procession proclaimed the kingdom of God; Pilate's proclaimed the power of empire.” — John Dominic Crossan & Marcus Borg

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast, Hank quotes the Apostle Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 15 where he says, “if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.”Hank also answers the following questions:Can you clarify your understanding of the Trinity not being philosophically driven but biblically driven? Jerry - Florissant, MO (2:38)Do you think the rapture is real? Jonathan - Chicago, IL (6:32)Why did Adam and Eve sin? Maddie - Oakland, TN (8:59)My wife's family is Roman Catholic. A pastor told me that they all go to heaven, but they all pray differently. Is this correct? Dominick - American Canyon, CA (15:12)Do you know anything about Gerald Schroeder, who wrote God According to God? Lou - St. Louis, MO (19:08)What do you think about Marcus Borg? He points out conflicts between the Gospels. Is he a supporter of the Bible or not? Ed - Piscataway, NJ (22:38)How should I answer my Jewish friend who contends that they are God's chosen people so how could they possibly be lost? Susanne - Washington, DC (24:14)

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (03/24/25), Hank answers the following questions:Do you know anything about Joel Hemphill? Friend agrees with his teachings. Hemphill rejects the Trinity and the divinity of Jesus. Anthony - Mamaroneck, NY (0:51)Does Matthew 24:14 relate to the two witnesses in the Book of Revelation? Vinny - Tulsa, OK (3:54)My wife's family is Roman Catholic. A pastor told me that they all go to heaven, but they all pray differently. Is this correct? Dominick - American Canyon, CA (15:12)Do you know anything about Gerald Schroeder, who wrote God According to God? Lou - St. Louis, MO (19:08)What do you think about Marcus Borg? He points out conflicts between the Gospels. Is he a supporter of the Bible or not? Ed - Piscataway, NJ (22:38)How should I answer my Jewish friend who contends that they are God's chosen people so how could they possibly be lost? Susanne - Washington, DC (24:14)

Episode Summary:If I had a guess, I'm betting one of the main reasons why you deconstructed evangelicalism is because of the Bible. Growing up evangelical, the Bible was the center of faith. It was the key to unlocking the Divine. This big black book held all the secrets to a good life. Just open it up, ask it a question, and out popped God's answer. Easy-peasy.But as you matured from naivety into adulthood, things got messy. A thoughtful reading of the biblical texts suddenly revealed all kinds of problems. The God of the Old Testament is often depicted as tyrannical, petty, vindictive, jealous, genocidal, and malevolently capricious. Women are by and large treated as property and playthings. Violence is often encouraged and slavery is seen as a necessary evil. As theologian Marcus Borg famously quipped, “People are leaving faith these days not because of what they don't know about the Bible. It's because of what they do know.” I agree.But, is all this the Bible's fault? Have we made the Bible into something it was never intended to be? The pressure we modern Christians have placed on the Bible to be perfect, offer total representation of God, and be universally applicable on all matters for all time is just unfair. The Bible isn't an encyclopedia or a rulebook, nor is it inerrant and written by God. Best understood, the Bible isn't even meant to be read literally or historically, but rather spiritually and metaphorically. Instead of passively accepting all the Bible has to say, you are invited into a conversation with the text. Wrestle with it, challenge it, question it, and yes, even disagree with it. According to today's guest on Holy Heretics, “You have permission to question the sacred without fearing unbelief.”I'm joined today by Liz Charlotte Grant to have a conversation about reframing our relationship to this ancient, complex set of documents we call the Holy Bible. “What does Bible study look like after inerrancy? Do you have to give up studying Scripture when you no longer believe in its literal interpretation?” Liz addresses these questions and more in this funny, candid, and informative episode. Oh, and we also talk about her chickens! :)Bio:Liz Charlotte Grant is an award-winning writer whose work has been published in The Revealer, Sojourners, Brevity, Christian Century, Christianity Today, Hippocampus, Religion News Service, US Catholic, Huffington Post, and elsewhere. Her essays have twice won a Jacques Maritain Nonfiction Prize. She also writes The Empathy List, a popular newsletter that has been nominated for a Webby two years running and garnered an honorable mention from the Associated Church Press Awards in 2023. Knock at the Sky:Seeking God in Genesis after Losing Faith in the Bible is her first book.Please follow us on social media (use the buttons below) and help us get the word out! (Also, please don't hesitate to use any of these channels or email to contact us with any questions, concerns, or feedback.)If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and a review, or share on your socials

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (09/16/24), Hank answers the following questions:What are your thoughts on Marcus Borg and his book, Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time? Carl - Fort Worth, TX (0:42)How do you interpret 1 Thessalonians 4 and the doctrine of the rapture? Lonnie - St. Louis, MO (4:03)Will there be a massive conversion of Jews after the second coming of Christ? Can you explain the partial blindness of the Jews in Romans 11:25? Mike - Detroit, MI (8:01)If there was only good in heaven, how did Satan turn to evil? Francisco - OK (15:12)Why was Abraham said to have waited patiently in Hebrews 6:15, but in Genesis, he couldn't wait for the promised child and had Ismael with Hagar? David - LA (17:56)If there is only one general resurrection, what is the first resurrection mentioned in Revelation chapter 20? Darrell - Richmond, VA (21:28)

Nourishment goes so much deeper than just the food we eat. I've talked in my other episodes about how we can nourish ourselves on a deeper level to really step into our feminine radiance, and one of those ways that we haven't explored is spiritual nourishment.Everyone will have a different experience on their journey for truth, but I wanted to share some of what I experienced when I decided to step back from organized religion and leave the church. When we are affiliated with specific religions' doctrines and trying to live by the code, we can easily miss some of the elements that I believe our creator destined for us.  In this episode:[00:02:20] Welcome to the beginning of a 4-part series: Heresy Heals.[00:04:03] After Heresy Heals, I want to spend the rest of the summer answering your questions! [00:06:02] Nourishing our spirits with the truth is a crucial part of our nutrition and overall nourishment. [00:10:32] What I have learned in my quest for truth.[00:18:32] The masculine and feminine dynamics of creation. [00:21:17] My spiritual journey, leaving the church, and the quest for truth I experienced.[00:32:41] What did Jesus study, and who taught him?[00:47:56] Some background on Christian Mysticism and debunking the term “New Age.”[00:51:46] Why physical energy and nourishment are key for us to focus on spiritual nourishment. [00:53:38] Holding space for creation to come to fruition[01:04:29] Thanks for joining me today on The Fully Nourished Podcast! Be sure to tune in next week for part 2!Links and Resources:Your Questions - https://airtable.com/appoicByQy3UFoSXs/shrXwD7wQFJQr68NnBooks I Mentioned:*Return to Eden by Heather Hamilton:https://amzn.to/3KIpmiQ* The God We Never Knew by Marcus Borg:https://amzn.to/3KIpmiQDisclaimer: With anything, think for yourself. I do not endorse these people's channels or am aware of all their beliefs, however, I found the video and channel helpful in connecting some dots and acting as "stepping stones" to point me in the right direction in my own research.Trinitarian Doctrine:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKfUExxo5_cOT God Vs. NT God:https://youtu.be/3cBEhZFziGU?si=PCMEBBoYs8gsXLuODiscount Codes from Our Sponsors:Earthrunners:Link: https://earthrunners.com/?rfsn=5275875.e3ea40Code: NOURISHED for 10% off (until end of 2024)*This is an affiliate link. We may receive a commission if you make a purchase after clicking on one of these links.Connect with Jessica:Have Sunday tea with me! Sign-up for my Sunday newsletter where I share what's on my brain from the nutritional to spiritual: https://www.jessicaashwellness.com/email-subscribe. Join the Fully Nourished community! Follow me @jessicaashwellness on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicaashwellness/ Join Nourished Circle: https://programs.jessicaashwellness.com/nourished-circle

Most progressive church goers have been exposed to academic criticism of the New Testament, especially as concerns the nature of the historical Jesus. After all, the Jesus Seminar has been around for 40 years, giving us those wonderful books by Marcus Borg, John Shelby Spong, Karen Armstrong, and Jon Dominic Crossan. Still, I have marveled at how church members can leave a brilliant lecture about the historical Jesus and in minutes, default to a kind of 4th century creedal set of beliefs about Jesus. This message attempts to challenge us to critically interrogate the image of Jesus we carry around in our heads.

David Armstrong teaches from Matthew 21 on the events of Palm Sunday. The arrival of Jesus and his disciples into Jerusalem for the Passover Festival is the moment that Jesus project goes public. Jesus entering the city on the donkey — the fulfilment of a 500 year old prophecy — is a form of guerrilla theatre that makes a mockery of the dominant forms of power displayed by the Roman Empire. In one act of parody he exposes this kind of power for what it is; fearful, insecure, oppressive and violent…and simultaneously embodies the very kind of alternative power of the Kingdom of God… co-suffering love expressed in humility and forgiveness.“Two processions entered Jerusalem on a spring day in the year 30. . . One was a peasant procession, the other an imperial procession. From the east, Jesus rode a donkey down the Mouth of Olives, cheered by his followers. . . On the opposite side of the city, from the west, Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Idumea, Judea, and Samaria, entered Jerusalem at the head of a column of imperial calvary and soldiers. Jesus's procession proclaimed the kingdom of God; Pilate's proclaimed the power of empire.” — John Dominic Crossan & Marcus Borg

In episode 303 of the podcast, Tim and Sara discuss rethinking the birth of Jesus, using Marcus Borg's phrase 'seeing Jesus again for the first time' as a jumping-off point. They explore the story of the annunciation to Mary, the power of the Incarnation, and Mary's reaction to the news she received from the angel Gabriel as a testament to encountering the divine in the midst of the ordinary. They engage with questions and uncertainties about Mary's unique situation and discuss how these moments of divine disruption can serve as a way for us to see Jesus again for the first time. Listen at https://transformingmission.org/303 Listen to other episodes in this series at https://transformingmission.org/podcast   TIMESTAMP 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 00:47 Rethinking the Birth of Jesus 01:20 Seeing Jesus Again for the First Time 02:54 Reading the Scripture: Luke 1, verses 26 through 38 04:31 Interpreting the Scripture: Mary's Encounter with the Divine 08:35 Mary's Response and the Essence of Discipleship 09:06 Seeing Jesus Anew: The Gospel Through Mary's Eyes 09:53 Reflections on the Christmas Story 11:22 Closing Remarks and Invitation for Feedback

Episode Summary:Living in the United States is a daily dose of trauma. Our nation is philosophically and pragmatically built on injustice, coercion, lies, oppression, exploitation, violence, dehumanization, and planetary destruction. Do we ever stop to think about how messed up the world is? The answer, of course, is an overwhelming no. We are living in what theologian John Dominic Crossan called a domination system—shorthand for a way of organizing society in a hierarchical, patriarchal, power-driven arrangement where the masses are politically oppressed, economically exploited, and socially marginalized. This same system has an almost demonic disregard for the environment. Worse yet, the largest Christian movement in the United States (white evangelicals) can be counted on to support it all. It's madness writ large dressed in drag as the “American Dream.” We don't seem to realize it, but most of us are suffering from Complex PTSD simply for existing in this dirty, rotten system.Worse, we live in a culture of lies. As today's podcast guest Derrick Jensen writes, “In order for us to maintain this way of life, we must tell lies to each other, and to tell lies to ourselves. Truth must be avoided at all costs.” The truth about our economy, about our dying planet, about violence and domination at the family and cultural level; truth about the daily injustices that rule our lives in this decaying empire. Life doesn't have to be this way. We can work together to create a more just and equitable world. We can carve out subversive spaces even if we will never be able to leave these shores for a different home. But, how do we do it? How do we speak truth to power? How do we challenge a culture that silences the least of these? How do we push back on the religious, political, economic, and social domination systems that rule our lives and malform our bodies and our planet? How do we confront evil and injustice without losing our souls? How, as Christians, can we resist the dominant culture and live into what Dr. Martin Luther King called “the beloved community?” As theologian Marcus Borg writes, “Jesus wasn't talking about how to be good within the framework of a domination system. He was a critic of the domination system itself.”Today's conversation on Holy Heretics with eco-philosopher and environmentalist Derrick Jensen invites us to envision this way of life. A way that will take great courage, but is necessary for the life of every sentient being on this planet. Jensen's visceral, biting observations and stories always manage to lead back to his mantra: 'Things don't have to be the way they are.' I think this is the most profound conversation we've had to date on the show. I hope you enjoy!Bio:Hailed as the philosopher poet of the environmental movement and a leading voice in cultural dissent, Derrick Jensen is is an American eco-philosopher, writer, author, teacher and environmentalist. He explores the nature of injustice, how civilizations devastate the natural world, and how human beings retreat into denial at the destruction of the planet. author of twenty-one books, including A Language Older Than Words, The Culture of Make Believe, and Endgame. He was named one of Utne Reader's “50 Visionaries Who Are Changing Your World.” Jensen unflinchingly examines the culture's darkest corners while searching for a way forward. In A Language Older Than Words, he draws on his own experience of childhood abuse to examine violence as a pathology that afflicts every life on the planet.Please follow us on social media (use the buttons below) and help us get the word out! (Also, please don't hesitate to use any of these channels or email to contact us with any questions, concerns, or feedback.)If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and a review

Every single person who reads the Bible brings their own perspective and interpretation to it. And yet so many people have weaponized this text based on their one specific lens. Today, lead pastor Josh Scott reflects on what it might look like for progressive Christians to take the Bible seriously. He breaks down the three key areas of disagreement between progressive and conservative Christians about the Bible — its origin, its authority, and its interpretation — and encourages us to view the Bible through the lens of human flourishing. Episode Recap: Progressive Christianity can take many different forms and flavors (3:35) So many people have weaponized the Bible in harmful ways (5:57) Origin: The Bible was written by different authors in different times with different perspectives (11:04) The books of the Bible are in dialogue with each other (20:00) Authority: The Bible's authority comes from the meaning we give it (21:50) Interpretation: Everyone interprets the Bible (32:32) How we read the Bible says more about us than about God (34:10) Answering questions from our community (38:39) Resources: ⁠Learn more about GracePointe⁠ ⁠Check out our schedule of upcoming events⁠ ⁠Become a sustaining member of the GracePointe community⁠ Follow GracePointe on ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠Twitter⁠, and ⁠Facebook⁠ ⁠“Reading the Bible Again for the First Time” by Marcus Borg⁠

Every single person who reads the Bible brings their own perspective and interpretation to it. And yet so many people have weaponized this text based on their one specific lens. Today, lead pastor Josh Scott reflects on what it might look like for progressive Christians to take the Bible seriously. He breaks down the three key areas of disagreement between progressive and conservative Christians about the Bible — its origin, its authority, and its interpretation — and encourages us to view the Bible through the lens of human flourishing. Episode Recap: Progressive Christianity can take many different forms and flavors (3:35) So many people have weaponized the Bible in harmful ways (5:57) Origin: The Bible was written by different authors in different times with different perspectives (11:04) The books of the Bible are in dialogue with each other (20:00) Authority: The Bible's authority comes from the meaning we give it (21:50) Interpretation: Everyone interprets the Bible (32:32) How we read the Bible says more about us than about God (34:10) Answering questions from our community (38:39) Resources: Learn more about GracePointe Check out our schedule of upcoming events Become a sustaining member of the GracePointe community Follow GracePointe on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook “Reading the Bible Again for the First Time” by Marcus Borg

Season 2, Episode 21: Getting the Most Out of Advent.  How can clergy get the most out of this spiritual and busy, season?  Today we will explore this important topic, learn about the Advent hymn, O Come O Come Emmanuel and review some resources for the season:What do you want from Advent this year?  Things to think about as you reflect -First, to get the most out of advent, we are invited into longing. Second, to get the most out of Advent we are invited into traditions that are evolving. Third, there is no right way to do Advent.Resources from Today's Episode:"Shadow and Light – A Journey into Advent" by Tsh Oxenreider"Preparing for Christmas – Daily Meditations for Advent" by Richard Rohr"An Unlikely Advent" by Rachel Billups"Honest Advent: Awakening to the Wonder of God-with-us Then, Here and Now" by Scott Erickson"The First Christmas: What the Gospels really teach about Jesus' birth" by Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan"The Heart That Grew 3 Sizes" by Matt Rawle"The Journey" by Adam Hamilton"Almost Christmas" – A Wesleyan Advent ExperienceClergy Wellness Advent on SpotifyResources:Spotify Podcast PlaylistInstagram @nicolereilleycoachingFacebook @nicolereilleycoachingMinistry & Life Coaching and Social Media Management at NicoleReilley.com.Expanding the Expedition Through Digital Ministry by Nicole Reilley at AmazonEmail me at: RevReilley@gmail.comwww.NicoleReilley.com

The story of Pentecost reminds us that we're all invited to participate in the movement Jesus started. Today, lead pastor Josh Scott begins a new series about Pentecost by reflecting on the type of movement Jesus wanted to create. He talks about the way peace and nonviolence play an integral role in Jesus' story, and he reminds us that transformation takes time, both in the world and in our own lives.   Episode Recap: Pentecost was a feast celebrating liberation (1:05) Even though they betrayed him, Jesus' first message to the disciples was peace (5:35) Jesus wanted to mobilize a movement, not start a monopoly (14:09) From the start, Jesus made clear that he was focused on peace (20:20) Transformation takes time, and we're invited to participate (24:33) You are not separated from God (28:45)               Take a deep breath (34:13) Resources: Learn more about GracePointe Check out our schedule of upcoming events Follow GracePointe on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook “Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time” by Marcus Borg

Medieval mystic Julian of Norwich used the term ‘one-ing' to describe our relationship with God. Pastor Sal talks about becoming one with the One, sharing wisdom from Eckhart Tolle, Marcus Borg, and Michael Berg.

In this episode we do a little Opinion Scholarship on one of my favorite disciplines--comparative religion. In this case we discuss the book Jesus and Buddha: The Parallel Sayings by Marcus Borg and Jack Kornfield. We cover the stories of the lives of Jesus and Buddha as well as their teachings and show a stunning level of overlap between them. We ask the question how this could be and why? Discussing perennialism and the human condition as possible answers. Enjoy ;) 

PASTOR ELLEN:  I did my Clinical Pastoral Education at Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine.  And, I vividly remember one of my patients, a dear, elderly Episcopalian man who was dying. This man deeply touched my heart. I will never forget the day I read him today's story from Luke's gospel. After I finished reading, he said to me, “There's always an Emmaus.” The next day, my friend died, but I shall always remember what he said in response to that story. There is always an Emmaus. Biblical archeologists tell us that the exact location of the village of Emmaus is unknown. There are at least nine possible locations that are candidates for the small biblical town, but historians tell us there is no record of any village called Emmaus in any other ancient source. We simply do not know where Emmaus might have been. Tradition tells us that it might have been a place just a few hours walk from Jerusalem. However, New Testament scholars, Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan, suggest that Emmaus is nowhere. Emmaus is nowhere precisely because Emmaus is everywhere. Every one of us has at one time, or indeed for some of us, many times, traveled along the road to Emmaus. Many of us travel that road as Cleopas and his friend did, trying to understand what has happened or is happening, trying to understand as our hearts burn within us.  We travel the road while experiencing confusion, bewilderment, brokenness, pain, grief, and great challenge. And we often think we are alone, only to find out later that the risen Christ has been walking along with us the whole time.  As the community of Christ gathers around those who are hurting and asking questions, the hurting are comforted by the presence of the risen Lord Jesus and they find hope. Yes, there is always an Emmaus.   READER # 2:  Yes, there is always an Emmaus.  Today, the entire global community is traveling the road to Emmaus as we face the brokenness and pain that is taking place because of climate change.  The entire creation is groaning in pain, and we carry a hunger that burns within us as we want to better understand and face this growing reality. Yesterday we celebrated Earth Day. Today we continue to celebrate this planet on which we live, and we celebrate the risen universal Christ's presence to us in all of creation. For the past 53 years the world has set aside April 22nd to think about the gift we have been given in this home we call mother earth. Earth Day almost always falls during our liturgical season of Easter. So, it is fitting that, as we celebrate the resurrected Jesus, we celebrate Earth Day. Throughout the Easter season we are reminded that we celebrate the one who was born so that we can know God's presence in our world and in our flesh. We celebrate the one who was born so that we can know this God who suffered and continues to suffer the burdens and sorrows and pains of our world, even the pains of this suffering creation. Easter is about new life and the risen Christ bringing forth new life. And that is not simply some kind of disembodied life that only awaits us in some future consummation. It is the first fruits, the seed that rises as a green blade to bear fruit. In the northern hemisphere where we live, Easter arrives with the signs and symbols of spring, the flowers, and the songs of returning birds. As we pay attention to these signs and symbols, this focus can become one of the ways in which we discover the risen Christ among us. We discover we are deeply and inextricably connected to creation and re-creation, to our Creator and this Earth.   READER # 3:  Yes, there is always an Emmaus.  Learning the truth about this earth means facing reality and facing facts and truth so that we can then work for change. The ELCA has had a focus on caring for creation since our denomination was formed. And, as we mark 53 years of this Earth Day celebration, we also look ahead. We look to the seven short remaining years before it will be too late to stop a 2° Celsius temperature rise for our planet. Just think about a few of these facts: 19 of the 20 hottest years ever have occurred since 2001. Extreme weather is becoming more frequent and severe. Food and water supplies are at risk. Oceans are at risk. Human health is at risk.   In a time of climate crisis, disasters of Biblical scale are impacting our communities and the places we love. Today, just like in the Bible, floods and famines show us a deep truth about human life: that our lives are intimately dependent on the land. In our sacred scriptures, we read the stories of creatures made from the soil, whose lives are sustained—physically and spiritually—by the fruits of the land. In these stories, we see how, in the midst of disaster, the land can be fertile ground to sustain ourselves. We also learn that we must take prophetic action and work for justice. We know that a commitment to address climate change needs to happen now. We know that it takes all people across the globe, people of all religions and backgrounds, to work together to adapt, to mitigate what is coming, and provide the necessary change that is urgent. Over 97% of climate scientists in this world have been warning us and telling us what we need to do now. And, in fact, some of them are members of this Faith community. They are prophets in our time. If we truly care for our neighbor, we need to listen to the deep truth of their message and respond appropriately. For people of faith, this response is something that is rooted in our faith, and it is all about living out our love for our neighbors.   READER # 4:  Yes, there is always an Emmaus. As we journey through these critical years, we need to face the reality of climate change and what lies before us. We need to understand that the disruptions we now face, the extreme weather events that are becoming part of our experience, are only a foretaste of the disruption we will likely face if the world does not address the issue of climate change. Most scientists agree that addressing climate change is THE most important task for humanity. But there is hope!  As Christians, we name “love” as an act of ultimate importance. The love we proclaim and live is a love that includes addressing climate change and caring for this planet!  The impending impacts are so catastrophic, and our window of time is getting short. As people created by God and placed in relationship with all of creation, all the threatened creatures, from the most vulnerable human populations to species endangered by extinction and ecosystems moving toward collapse, there is so much at stake. Rooted in scripture, and our understanding of the risen Christ, we can draw on all that Jesus did and taught in the context of our beautiful, life-giving, and threatened world. Resurrection takes place in bodies and is encountered in and through bodies. And the encounters are not limited to human bodies but to other forms of life and matter around us. Our Emmaus journey can help us see more clearly that we are enmeshed in the communion of the planet and cosmos. We can allow our hearts to burn within us as we, too, walk with the Risen One and have our eyes opened to our deep connectedness to this earth.  We can have our eyes opened to recognize and discern, through words and conversations with scientists, by actions of gratitude, and even in the simple but sacred ritual of breaking and sharing bread.   READER # 5:  Yes, there is always an Emmaus. At the heart of the Emmaus story is an urging towards a deeper faith: to recognize and discern, not just to see. Like Cleopas and his companion, we need to open our eyes to what is before us. As ecological readers of today's gospel, this means being attentive to the material, to matter itself as we look at this world. It means to be eyewitnesses to everything we see around us, and to grow and mature in our understanding so that we recognize the relationships that form our Earth community. As we learn and grow and work for change, we are on the road to Emmaus. And as Pastor John Schleicher says, “May we, like Cleopas and the other disciple, recognize our risen Lord even now when we invite one another, friend or stranger, to stay with us awhile, have supper with us, and find in our time together unexpected hope and promise of a whole world rising from death.” Yes, there is always an Emmaus.  

Even if we don't take the story literally, the Ascension can teach us something important about who Jesus was and what kind of movement he wanted to create. Today, lead pastor Josh Scott reflects on the story of Jesus' ascension and the dramatic, political statement it would have made in ancient Rome. He also reminds us that we're invited to join Jesus in his work of pursuing human flourishing.  Episode Recap: The Ascension is only recorded in two places, but each account is different (2:45) What can the story of the Ascension tell us about who Jesus was? (9:05) In Jesus' time, the idea of a human becoming divine was a political statement (17:39) Luke was likely referencing the story of Elijah (23:31) Jesus was inviting people to join a movement (28:38) Jesus believed we could do even greater things than he did (39:58) Resources: Learn more about GracePointe Check out our schedule of upcoming events Follow GracePointe on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook “Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time” by Marcus Borg

In A Fresh Perspective, dig into topics central to the Christian experience in fresh ways, and (re)discover a faith you can love.__What's the Issue Anyway?When was your last ____________ experience?Spiritual disconnection, dissatisfaction and deconstruction are the fruit of a Christianity that no longer:o Exists in the ____________ middleo Holds the ____________ tensions of both/and that make up realityo Invites people to ____________ instead of leading people to certaintyo Balances the ____________ of God and Jesuso Forms an alternative set of loyalties to ____________, ____________ and ____________o Gives people a sense of belonging to a sacred world of ____________o ____________ hearts with radical grace and union with the Divineo ____________ the Gospel in a manner that provides a cosmic and positive vision, where the soul can live safely.o Allows the individual to ____________ the corporate body to a deeper faithfulness to Jesus We are in a painful ____________ shift within Christianity.What Wisdom does Scripture offer us?Jesus knew the ____________ of a paradigm shift. (Mt 9:17, Lk 5:33-35, Mt 5:17)Don't Miss This!Paradigm shifts are necessary for a faith tradition to ____________ history.Spiritual dissatisfaction, disconnection and deconstruction can become a __________ __________.How can I live this in my everyday, normal life?A ____________ ____________ has been emerging over the past 100 years in Christianity.This fresh perspective is a way of seeing the Bible (and the Christian tradition as a whole) as ____________, ____________, and ____________This fresh perspective is a way of seeing the Christian life as a life of ____________ and ____________.Neither paradigm is ____________ Christian Tradition.How does this make me a better person and the world a better place?A fresh perspective offers us the opportunity to (re)discover a faith we can ____________ and ____________ with confident hope.What is God inviting you into today?Sign me up for the 6:30pm Thursday Night Fresh Perspective Conversation Group with Ryan beginning April 27th.Send me information about the online group and other Fresh Perspective Conversation Groups available.I would like to invite a few friends and facilitate my own Fresh Perspective Conversation Group.Send me the link for Marcus Borg's book “The Heart of Christianity: Rediscovering a Life of Faith”Thought provoking questions:Think of a time in your life when you came to a realization you knew would reshape your life. What emotions were you feeling in those moments? Was it a sudden realization or did it come over time?Have you ever had a realization that a belief you were taught and believed was no longer serving you well in your relationship with God and in loving your neighbor? What did you do?When you think of Jesus, do you think of a man who had to learn and grow and change his mind about what it meant to be a faithful Jew or do you think of a superhuman who just knew everything about God? Why? Is it hard for you to imagine Jesus having to go through a paradigm shift? Why or why not?Do you resonate with the need for a fresh perspective or does your current faith paradigm sustain your encounter with God? If you don't feel the need for a fresh perspective, do you think it's worth understanding why some might need one? What will be difficult about creating space for others to “be Christian” differently than you?What would be the marks of a faith that you could love? What current value or interpretation within your Christian paradigm most hinders your encounter with the sacred?For Further ReadingThe Wisdom Pattern by Richard RohrThe Heart of Christianity: Rediscovering a Life of Faith by Marcus Borg

What does Easter tell us about who God is and why Jesus matters? Today, lead pastor Josh Scott unpacks some of the key lessons we can learn from the Easter story. He reminds us that God has always taken the side of the oppressed, and he encourages us to continue Jesus' work in our world today.  Episode Recap: Each gospel tells the Easter story differently (0:10) Easter is a subjective experience (6:35) Easter is a political event (10:49) God has always taken the side of the victims and the oppressed (14:57) Jesus isn't just a figure from our past, he's a part of the present (19:18) What began with Jesus continues with us (20:57) “The worst thing is never the last thing” (27:02) Resources: Learn more about GracePointe Check out our schedule of upcoming events Follow GracePointe on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook “Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time” by Marcus Borg

Continuing our quest for the quest for the historical Jesus, in this episode we take a look at the Jesus Seminar, and in particular representative scholar Marcus Borg. Dad as usual is the very picture of responsible scholarship. I manage to be not quite as snarky as in the last episode, but given the choice between Borg's milquetoast mystic and Schweitzer's apocalyptic nut, I'm with the latter. Fortunately, it is not a choice we need to make, which should be your takeaway from these two episodes! Notes: 1. Wright and Borg, The Meaning of Jesus: Two Visions 2. Weiss, Jesus' Proclamation of the Kingdom of God 3. Related episodes: Quest for the Historical Jesus, Resurrection What do you think five years of top-quality theology podcasting is worth? Register your vote by joining our highly select band of Patrons. Get some cool swag and support your favorite podcast in remaining stridently independent and advertising-free!

Why did Jesus die, and what does it mean for us today? Today, lead pastor Josh Scott examines how Christians have interpreted the question of the cross throughout history. He explains how Jesus' death was a response to a movement that threatened the Roman empire, and he encourages us to ask the question, “Where do we find God?”  Episode Recap: As we head into Holy Week, today we'll talk about the meaning of the crucifixion (0:10) Basically all Christians agree that Jesus died, but why? (2:13) How we understand the cross shapes how we view everything else (7:50) Crucifixion was the way Rome dealt with resistance (9:38) The gospels are not historical biographies of Jesus (13:08) The Jesus movement was changing human hearts, and that was threatening (18:35) Atonement theory is people's answer to what Jesus' death meant (22:01) The cross is not about Jesus dying in our place or for our sins (28:54) The cross is about exposing and defeating powers and demonstrating God's love (30:32) Where do we find God? (33:59) Resources: Learn more about GracePointe Check out our schedule of upcoming events Follow GracePointe on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook “Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time” by Marcus Borg

What do we make of the stories of healings and exorcisms in the Bible? Today, lead pastor Josh Scott looks at some of the different stories of Jesus healing, raising the dead, and performing exorcisms. He explains how looking at these stories within a first century context can help us understand the larger messages about empire. He also encourages us to remember that we have an important role to play in changing the oppressive systems around us.  Episode Recap: People listened to Jesus largely because they knew him as a healer (0:10) The more important question is not if these stories happened, but what they mean (1:59) Jesus' healings may represent the healing of social wounds (6:24) Exorcisms in the Bible challenge our 21st century view of the demonic (10:34) Exorcisms stories paint empire as the problem (20:21) The Jesus movement was a well-organized alternative to empire (24:42) Changing oppressive systems starts with us (32:36) Resources: Learn more about GracePointe Check out our schedule of upcoming events Follow GracePointe on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook “Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time” by Marcus Borg

Everything Jesus did in his ministry came back to the way he viewed the kingdom of God. Today, lead pastor Josh Scott talks about what Jesus believed about this kingdom, and how Jesus worked to bring it to fruition throughout his life. He also reminds us that we have a role to play in bringing about a different kind of world. Episode Recap: Every part of Jesus' ministry centered around the kingdom of God (0:10) The good news (gospel) is entirely different from empire (2:36) Jesus' vision of the kingdom wasn't about evacuating this world (9:33) For Jesus, the kingdom was here and now (13:45) What was Jesus' kingdom like? (14:11) To understand Jesus's ministry, look at how he approached meals (20:39) The kingdom of God is a process (28:53) Resources: Learn more about GracePointe Check out our schedule of upcoming events Follow GracePointe on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook “Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time” by Marcus Borg

The way we see God directly impacts the way we show up in the world. Today, lead pastor Josh Scott talks through some of the things we can glean from Scripture about how Jesus viewed God. He also reflects on the idea that God wants to collaborate with us to bring about justice and human flourishing. Episode Recap: How we see God shapes how we show up in the world (1:47) If our image of God is hostile and vindictive, we'll likely treat others the same way (6:03) If our image of God is love, we'll be love (8:53) Jesus understood God as an experienced reality (11:18) Jesus believed that God cares a lot about justice (13:32) Too often we've transformed what Jesus said because we didn't want to listen (20:21) Jesus understood God as compassionate (22:30) Jesus saw God as collaborative (25:20) Resources: Learn more about GracePointe Check out our schedule of upcoming events Follow GracePointe on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook “Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time” by Marcus Borg

If we want to understand who Jesus was and what he stood for, we need to understand the historical context he lived in. Today, lead pastor Josh Scott shares some of the political and religious contexts that can help us better understand the historical person of Jesus. He also explains how people throughout history have re-examined and re-interpreted their faith within the context of the time they lived in. Episode Recap: Who was the historical person of Jesus? (1:10) We all see Jesus differently (2:49) The historical context Jesus lived in matters (7:12) Judaism in Jesus' lifetime was monotheistic, messianic, and eschatological (12:47) Jesus lived under the oppression of the Roman Empire (17:45) Jesus' movement wasn't just religious, it was political (23:29) After Jesus died, his followers had to reexamine their beliefs in a new context (27:48) Jesus showed us what the divine meant all along (31:40) Resources: Learn more about GracePointe Check out our schedule of upcoming events Follow GracePointe on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook “Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time” by Marcus Borg

"Diana Butler Bass, Ph.D., is an award-winning author, popular speaker, inspiring preacher, and one of America's most trusted commentators on religion and contemporary spirituality.   Diana's passion is sharing great ideas to change lives and the world—a passion that ranges from informing the public about spiritual trends, challenging conventional narratives about religious practice, entering the fray of social media with spiritual wisdom and smart theology, and writing books to help readers see themselves, their place in history, and God differently.  She does this with intelligence, joy, and a good dose of humor, leading well-known comedian John Fugelsang to dub her “iconic,” the late Marcus Borg to call her “spontaneous and always surprising,” and Glennon Doyle to praise her “razor-sharp mind” and “mystical heart.”" [from https://dianabutlerbass.com/] Follow Diana on Instagram Purchase Freeing Jesus To help sustain our work, you can donate here To check out what RLC is up to, please visit us www.redletterchristians.org  Follow us on Twitter: @RedLetterXians Instagram: @RedLetterXians Follow Shane on Instagram: @shane.claiborne Twitter: @ShaneClaiborne Common Hymnal information: https://commonhymnal.com/ 

This week we will be covering Chapter 3 of the book "Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time" by Marcus Borg.

This week we will be covering chapter 2 of "Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time" by Marcus Borg.

We're excited to drop the first episode of Season Three of Holy Heretics with host Gary Alan Taylor! We are dedicating this year to marginalized voices who have either been muzzled by conventional Christianity or who have been pushed to the periphery of faith. People whose voices, bodies, race, gender, or sexuality make them dangerous to the status quo. In this introductory episode, we invite you to go on an adventure into the borderlands of faith, where we seek the real meaning of the spiritual quest, and where we dare to meet the God who stands in solidarity with the marginalized. Along the way, we will be lead by wise guides who know the way through the spiritual wilderness. Following Joseph Campbell's archetypal “Hero's Journey,” we'll wander ancient spiritual pathways toward our final destination with the Divine. What we find is that the God we serve lives on the margins, in the outlandish periphery where She has been banished for being too inclusive, too compassionate, too kind. If God became flesh as the least of these living on the edges of society, then in order to find God now, we need to move to the margins. In the end, we pause long enough in our quest to ask a few simple but profound questions. What is the end goal of spirituality? Why have humans for thousands of years sought union with the Divine, and what happens when we come face to face with God? What is “Theosis,” and is it possible to obtain intimate union with God in the here and now? Thanks for joining us on the quest to uncover the heart of faith! We are glad to offer you early access to Season Three! BioGary Alan Taylor is Co-Founder of The Sophia Society and host of Holy Heretics Podcast. He has an undergraduate degree from Milligan University and a Master of Arts in European History and Holocaust Studies from East Tennessee State University before pursuing doctoral work at the University of Tennessee. He served in non-profit organizations and higher educational institutions before starting The Sophia Society with his friend and co-worker Melanie Mudge. Gary Alan began deconstructing white evangelicalism after leaving Focus on the Family in 2010. An “evangelicals evangelical,” Gary Alan began leaving white evangelicalism during his time on staff at Milligan University when he was introduced to pacifism and nonviolence. He credits his time as an undergraduate at Milligan for helping to instill the joy of lifelong learning, and his favorite authors and mentors in the progressive Christian space include Marcus Borg, Joan Chittister, Matthew Fox, Derrick Jensen, Richard Rohr, and Thomas Merton. In 2014, he and his wife joined the Episcopal Church. Through the leading of his wife Jennifer, he is pursuing a more contemplative, mystical Christianity. Gary Alan isn't an expert, but rather a fellow traveler on the quest to uncover the heart of faith. He has taught more than 15 courses at the university level and along with his role in the deconstruction space, he works at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs as a Development Officer. Gary Alan is married to Jennifer, and they are raising their three children in Monument, Colorado. He loves to travel, and his favorite places to visit include London, Singapore, South Africa, Scotland, Prague, and Hong Kong. He continues to be inspired by novelist and poet Thomas Hardy, and enjoys British literature. Follow Gary Alan on Instagram @garyalantaylor48. Follow Holy Heretics @holyhereticspodcast on Instagram, and the web: www.sophiasociety.org. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and a review

We're running our Fall book study a little differently this year! Paula will be teaching on our book selection in sermons from 10/16 - 11/13. About the Book: Meeting Jesus Again For The FIrst Time by Marcus Borg Of the many recent books on the historical Jesus, none has explored what the latest biblical scholarship means for personal faith. Now, in Meeting Jesus Again For The First Time, Marcus Borg addresses the yearnings of those who want a fully contemporary faith that welcomes rather than oppresses our critical intelligence and openness to the best of historical scholarship. Borg shows how a rigorous examination of historical findings can lead to a new faith in Christ, one that is critical and, at the same time, sustaining. Drawing on his own journey from a naive, unquestioning belief in Christ through collegiate skepticism to a mature and contemporary Christian faith, Borg illustrates how an understanding of the historical Jesus can actually lead to a more authentic Christian life - one not rooted in creed or dogma, but in a life of spiritual challenge, compassion and community. In straightforward accessible prose, Borg looks at the major findings of modern Jesus scholarship from the perspective of faith, bringing alive the many levels of Jesus's character: spirit person, teacher of alternative wisdom, social prophet, and movement founder. He also reexamines the major stories of the Old Testament vital to an authentic understanding of Jesus, showing how an enriched understanding of these stories can uncover new truths and new pathways to faith.

In his book: Meeting Jesus (Again) for the First Time, biblical scholar and professor, Rev. Marcus Borg presents us with a different view of one of the most influential people in western civilization. We, in the west, have all “met” Jesus. The image we have of him is largely dependent on the religious, or non-religious, background we come from. The book presents us with an overview of these images as well as a view from the scholars. One review notes: “In this small, but eloquent and learned book, Borg directs his readers, especially those who have found no meaningful image of Jesus, away from confessed doctrines about Jesus (what the gospels and the churches say about Him) and toward a relationship with the Spirit of God.” In Unity we believe there is a major difference between the life and teachings of Jesus, and the story created about Jesus which ultimately became tradition. According to Rev. Borg, the traditional view of Jesus, as the "Christ of Faith" the only Son of God, who died for the sins of the world, was a view Jesus would have found foreign. Rev. Borg aims to present us with a new image of Jesus not commonly known. Jesus as a teacher who's central purpose was to show us how to know God as an experiential reality. Join me this episode as we meet Jesus (again) for the first time.

Dave Brisbin 7.31.22 I was recently asked why we don't do altar calls at our church. It's not that we don't do them, but we don't do them publicly. As de facto sacraments, altar calls have become every Sunday rituals at many Evangelical churches in the past hundred and fifty years. Named from the practice of calling people to the front/altar of a church to declare their conversion, the ritual has become encapsulated in saying the “sinners prayer,” which includes admission of sin, request for forgiveness, statement of orthodoxy, and intention of repentance. It's a beautiful first step of vulnerability and intention, but which over time has culturally become the proof of salvation itself. If the saying of a prayer made of words, no matter how beautiful, could trigger the flow of God's grace and approval where it was previously withheld, as Marcus Borg said, it would be “salvation by syllables.” Mere superstition—in the way carrying a rabbit's foot brings good luck. Jesus was very clear. He's not superstitious. Though he carefully kept all the non-rabbinical rituals and practices of first century Judaism, he missed no opportunity to show and teach that obeying laws and practicing rituals can never magically gain God's favor…we already have that and always will. But by engaging a radically different Way of living life, we come face to face with the truth of God's pre-existing favor, freeing us from the fear of punishment right herenow. Salvation realized, not earned. Doesn't mean we stop doing altar calls, but any sacrament is an outward expression of an inward transformation. The ritual itself is meaningless. A transformed heart is what brings meaning to the ritual, and the ritual conveys that meaning to the community and binds us together in shared experience. We need that. But salvation is less an event and more a process of becoming, punctuated by events like our first admission of willingness to submit to a power greater than ourselves. Both are absolutely necessary. It's a question of emphasis—which means we all have to decide, individually and communally, how best to keep that balance.

Dave Brisbin 7.31.22 I was recently asked why we don't do altar calls at our church. It's not that we don't do them, but we don't do them publicly. As de facto sacraments, altar calls have become every Sunday rituals at many Evangelical churches in the past hundred and fifty years. Named from the practice of calling people to the front/altar of a church to declare their conversion, the ritual has become encapsulated in saying the “sinners prayer,” which includes admission of sin, request for forgiveness, statement of orthodoxy, and intention of repentance. It's a beautiful first step of vulnerability and intention, but which over time has culturally become the proof of salvation itself. If the saying of a prayer made of words, no matter how beautiful, could trigger the flow of God's grace and approval where it was previously withheld, as Marcus Borg said, it would be “salvation by syllables.” Mere superstition—in the way carrying a rabbit's foot brings good luck. Jesus was very clear. He's not superstitious. Though he carefully kept all the non-rabbinical rituals and practices of first century Judaism, he missed no opportunity to show and teach that obeying laws and practicing rituals can never magically gain God's favor…we already have that and always will. But by engaging a radically different Way of living life, we come face to face with the truth of God's pre-existing favor, freeing us from the fear of punishment right herenow. Salvation realized, not earned. Doesn't mean we stop doing altar calls, but any sacrament is an outward expression of an inward transformation. The ritual itself is meaningless. A transformed heart is what brings meaning to the ritual, and the ritual conveys that meaning to the community and binds us together in shared experience. We need that. But salvation is less an event and more a process of becoming, punctuated by events like our first admission of willingness to submit to a power greater than ourselves. Both are absolutely necessary. It's a question of emphasis—which means we all have to decide, individually and communally, how best to keep that balance.

Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi - Zen Mountain Monastery, New York, Saturday 07/30/2022 - What is our understanding of Conventional Wisdom, or Relative Truth in Buddhist parlance, as it makes up what we call "the self"? Shugen Roshi brings in the writing of Marcus Borg, the American Christian Theologian, and examines what we are doing when we undertake the extensive project of "studying the self."

Dr. Somerville continues his "Building It as We Fly" sermon series today and poses this question to the church; "Who is Jesus to us?"  Listen if for a very thought provoking sermon.

A lawyer asks, ‘Who is my neighbor?' and Jesus responds with the parable of the good Samaritan. While talking about how to show love for our neighbors, Pastor Sal shares wisdom from Fred Rogers, Marcus Borg, Thomas Merton, and Joan Chittister.

Following up on last week's episode about different ways that ideas or things can be "true," in this show LDF host Dan Wotherspoon is joined by his Faith Journey Foundation partner and longtime friend Mark Crego to discuss other aspects of what "true" can mean. Here the focus moves primarily to "true" when it comes to people, families, members of our congregations, and others. Dan and Mark also spend some time on the issue of "exclusivity" when it comes to propositional truth claims as well as individuals. What shall we do when some entity or person is described as the "only" way to salvation, one's one and only true love, and so forth. In that section, Mark introduces us to great ideas and phrasings from Marcus Borg and John Hick. Please enjoy! Tell others about this discussion!

The Gospels are magnificent, classic, world-shaping, reverent sketches of Jesus of Nazareth, who, to his followers, became the Christ. The Gospels have many tantalizing gaps in the story of the Jesus who lived, walked, and loved among family members, Galilean friends, and tyrannical religious and political systems. The Gospels are essentially memories of memories of a cadre of devoted followers of Jesus. That said, the four Gospels are all we have of the telling of the Jesus of Nazareth story from about 4 BCE to about 30 CE. Through careful, reverent, well-researched twenty-first-century flights of informed imagination, Maddox aims to fill in some of the historical blanks in the life of Jesus of Nazareth, this unique person, in the words of John Shelby Spong, “full of God.” Volume one imagines the Αρχή (beginning) of Jesus of Nazareth. Volume two trumpets the call of Jesus to serve his beloved kingdom of weeds. As the late Marcus Borg had a way of saying, “It may not have happened exactly this way, but it's true anyway.” Meet Jesus again for the first time as he grew and served among God's beloved “weeds” in his own time. This is the first of a three-part series. Book Two: The Kingdom of Weeds is available here. Book three has not yet been published. Learn more at GoodFaithMedia.org.

Holy Friday is also called "Good Friday," but why Good? The events of Holy Friday seem to be anything but good. Today's reflection looks at a bit of the history behind this name, potential other names, then turns to the full text of Holy Friday in the Gospel according to Mark. In this reflection you are invited to be the interpreter, the one offering your own interpretation and reflection. Phil makes an invitation to email him if you wish to discuss your reflection of the text, have questions about Mark's theological telling of the events of Holy Friday, or if you need space to process all this. Again, you can email Phil at pdieke@wrumc.org. He also refers to a book he has been using to guide his reflections. That book is called "The Last Week: What the Gospels Really Teach about Jesus's Final Days in Jerusalem" by Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan. You can find the book here, or wherever books are sold. Blessings to you all on this Holy Friday.

Ken welcomes Diana Butler Bass, an author, speaker, and independent scholar specializing in American religion and culture. They talk about her new book (to be released March 31, 2021) Freeing Jesus. Diana shares the background that took her from the East Coast to Arizona and Scottsdale Bible Church where she made a commitment to follow Jesus. It took her to Westmont College and Gordon-Conwell Seminary where she began to have deep questions about her faith. They discuss Marcus Borg, Josh McDowell, C.S. Lewis. the Quakers, Augustine vs Pelagius, Calvinism and Dr. Richard Rohr.See Show Notes for more.Original broadcast, March 2021Become a Patron; www.patreon.com/beachedwhitemaleSupport the show (http://thebeachedwhitemale.com)Support the show (http://thebeachedwhitemale.com)

In today's episode, we get to sit in on a conversation with N.T. Wright. He is the former Bishop of Durham in the Church of England and one of the world's leading Bible scholars. He is now serving as the Chair of New Testament and Early Christianity at the School of Divinity at the University of St. Andrews. For twenty years he taught New Testament studies at Cambridge, McGill and Oxford Universities. As being both one of the world's leading Bible scholars and a popular author, he has been featured on ABC News, Dateline, The Colbert Report, and Fresh Air. His award-winning books include The Case for the Psalms, How God Became King, Simply Jesus, After You Believe, Surprised by Hope, Simply Christian, Scripture and the Authority of God, The Meaning of Jesus (co-authored with Marcus Borg), as well as being the translator for The Kingdom New Testament. He also wrote the impressive Christian Origins and the Question of God series, including The New Testament and the People of God, Jesus and the Victory of God, The Resurrection of the Son of God and most recently, Paul and the Faithfulness of God. You can find out more about N.T. Wright here: http://ntwrightonline.org/

In today's episode, we get to sit down with N.T. Wright. He is the former Bishop of Durham in the Church of England and one of the world's leading Bible scholars. He is now serving as the Chair of New Testament and Early Christianity at the School of Divinity at the University of St. Andrews. For twenty years he taught New Testament studies at Cambridge, McGill and Oxford Universities. As being both one of the world's leading Bible scholars and a popular author, he has been featured on ABC News, Dateline, The Colbert Report, and Fresh Air. His award-winning books include The Case for the Psalms, How God Became King, Simply Jesus, After You Believe, Surprised by Hope, Simply Christian, Scripture and the Authority of God, The Meaning of Jesus (co-authored with Marcus Borg), as well as being the translator for The Kingdom New Testament. He also wrote the impressive Christian Origins and the Question of God series, including The New Testament and the People of God, Jesus and the Victory of God, The Resurrection of the Son of God and most recently, Paul and the Faithfulness of God. **Exclusive for our listeners: Free Course with N.T. Wright! Philemon may be Paul's shortest letter, but it is still crucial! In this free course led by Prof. N.T. Wright, you'll discover how Paul dealt with this issue of slavery and what that means for Jesus' followers today. Sign up here: http://ntwrightonline.org/philemon

In this episode, Christopher and Maggie discuss Marcus Borg's book Reading the Bible Again for the First Time: Taking the Bible Seriously, but Not Literally.  Christopher and Maggie are spiritual directors that like talking about spiritual things. Spiritual direction is a listening ministry that creates a sacred space for you to listen to God, see where God is at work in your life, and grow in awareness of who you were created to be. We would love to hear from you! Email Christopher and Maggie at SDTASinfo@gmail.com.  Spiritual Directors International directory: https://www.sdicompanions.org/find-a-spiritual-director-companion/ Reading the Bible Again for the First Time by Marcus Borg Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time my Marcus Borg What Do We Do With the Bible? by Richard Rohr The Bible Tells Me So by Pete Enns What is the Bible? by Rob Bell Irresistible by Andy Stanley The Wisdom Jesus by Cynthia Bourgeault   Our ministries: Christopher: Steppingstoneslife.com Maggie: Ravachministries.org 

In this episode, Christopher and Maggie discuss Marcus Borg's book Reading the Bible Again for the First Time: Taking the Bible Seriously, but Not Literally.  Christopher and Maggie are spiritual directors that like talking about spiritual things. Spiritual direction is a listening ministry that creates a sacred space for you to listen to God, see where God is at work in your life, and grow in awareness of who you were created to be. We would love to hear from you! Email Christopher and Maggie at SDTASinfo@gmail.com.  Reading the Bible Again for the First Time by Marcus Borg Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time my Marcus Borg What Do We Do With the Bible? by Richard Rohr The Bible Tells Me So by Pete Enns What is the Bible? by Rob Bell Irresistible by Andy Stanley The Wisdom Jesus by Cynthia Bourgeault   Our ministries: Christopher: Steppingstoneslife.com Maggie: Ravachministries.org 

Moyosant discusses the new music and video by Lil Nas X, "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)", Queer Shadow Work/Queer Integrative Soul Work, Queer Identity, the various perspectives within Christianity, and the resurgence of the Satanic Panic. 1. Lil Nas X "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)" Official Lyrics & Meaning | Verified: https://youtu.be/eRAxY-fu4lU2. Lil Nas X "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)" REACTION WITH LIL NAS X!!: https://youtu.be/h2OAuf4G6CI3. Call Me By Your Name (movie trailer): https://youtu.be/Z9AYPxH5NTM4. Gay Affirming Christian Churches; Homosexuality and the Bible: https://www.gaychurch.org/5. Who Wrote The Bible (Book) by Richard Elliott Friedman: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Who-Wrote-the-Bible/Richard-Friedman/97815011924016. Reading the Bible Again for the First Time (Book) by Marcus Borg: https://marcusjborg.org/books/reading-the-bible-again-for-the-first-time/7. Iyalosa Osunyemi Akalatunde (Oshun priestess in the Anago tradition): https://www.got2boshun.org/8. What was the Satanic Panic? https://youtu.be/plEImKEIRm89. The history of Satanic Panic in the US — and why it's not over yet: https://www.vox.com/2016/10/30/13413864/satanic-panic-ritual-abuse-history-explained10. 40 percent of LGBTQ youth 'seriously considered' suicide in past year, survey finds: https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/40-percent-lgbtq-youth-seriously-considered-suicide-past-year-survey-n1233832Podcast Artwork: Astronym       http://linktr.ee/astronym  Moyo Mysteries Website:  https://www.moyomysteries.org (Spiritual Consultation, Full Spectrum Doula Services, Energy Ritual Work, Vaginal/Pelvic Steam Plans, and Community Prayer + Light Setting, The Womb Lounge)Moyo Mysteries Facebook Page:    https://www.facebook.com/moyomysteries/Moyo Mysteries Instagram Page:   https://www.instagram.com/moyomysteriesGuided Cycles Website:    https://www.guidedcycles.org (Death Doula Work, End-of-Life Planning, Legacy Crafting,  Genealogy Work, Community Prayer + Light Setting, and The Death Lounge)Guided Cycles Facebook Page:     https://www.facebook.com/guidedcycles/Make a donation to Moyosant (Victoria) at:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/moyomysteriesCash App: $MoyosantPaypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/moyosantSupport the show (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/moyosant)

Guest: About DianaDiana Butler Bass, Ph.D., is an award-winning author, popular speaker, inspiring preacher, and one of America's most trusted commentators on religion and contemporary spirituality.  Diana's passion is sharing great ideas to change lives and the world—a passion that ranges from informing the public about spiritual trends, challenging conventional narratives about religious practice, entering the fray of social media with spiritual wisdom and smart theology, and writing books to help readers see themselves, their place in history, and God differently.  She does this with intelligence, joy, and a good dose of humor, leading well-known comedian John Fugelsang to dub her “iconic,” the late Marcus Borg to call her “spontaneous and always surprising,” and Glennon Doyle to praise her “razor-sharp mind” and “mystical heart.”She holds a doctorate in religious studies from Duke University and is the author of eleven books. Her bylines include The New York Times, the Washington Post, CNN.com, Atlantic.com, USA Today, Huffington Post, Spirituality and Health, Reader's Digest, Christian Century, and Sojourners. She has commented on religion, politics, and culture in the media widely including on CBS, CNN, PBS, NPR, CBC, FOX, Sirius XM, TIME, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, and in multiple global news outlets. In the 1990s, she wrote a weekly column on religion and culture for the Santa Barbara News-Press, which was distributed nationally by the New York Times Syndicate.Her work has received two Wilbur Awards for best nonfiction book of the year, awards from Religion News Association for individual commentary and for Book of the Year, Nautilus Awards Silver and Gold medals, the Illumination Book Award Silver medal, Books for a Better Life Award, Book of the Year of the Academy of Parish Clergy, the Frank S. and Elizabeth D. Brewer Prize for Church History, Substack Fellowship for Independent Writers, and Publishers Weekly's Best Religion Book of the Year.She and her husband live in Alexandria, Virginia, with their dog and their sometimes-successful backyard garden.Webpagewww.Dianabutlerbass.comIT'S NOT A LIE IF YOU BELIEVE IT Did Rob spend time on the set of a popular children's show? This podcast was recorded on March 24th, 2021.

Tim is finding common ground in the suffering of others and is cultivating a fresh expression of church in a local apartment complex with a “community lunch”    Background-Tim is a licensed Local Pastor in the North Georgia Conference of the UMC serving a 2 point charge and a retired school teacher.  Contact-Tim.savelle@ngumc.net  Reading; In Search of Paul and The First Paul by Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan     

Part three of Understanding The Bible is here! In this episode, we discuss our 'patron saint of the podcast', NT Wright and his thoughts on viewing the bible "from 20,000 feet". We discuss how NT breaks down scripture into 5 acts and how they ultimately serve as a love story of restoration between Creator and his beloved Creation, now embodied and personified in the church.   N.T. WRIGHT is the former Bishop of Durham in the Church of England and one of the world's leading Bible scholars. He is now serving as the Chair of New Testament and Early Christianity at the School of Divinity at the University of St. Andrews. For twenty years he taught New Testament studies at Cambridge, McGill and Oxford Universities. His award-winning books include The Case for the Psalms, How God Became King, Simply Jesus, After You Believe, Surprised by Hope, Simply Christian, Scripture and the Authority of God, The Meaning of Jesus (co-authored with Marcus Borg), as well as being the translator for The Kingdom New Testament. He also wrote the impressive Christian Origins and the Question of God series, including The New Testament and the People of God, Jesus and the Victory of God, The Resurrection of the Son of God and most recently, Paul and the Faithfulness of God.   ‘Each word must be understood within its own verse, each verse within its on chapter, each chapter within its own book, and each book within its own historical, cultural, and indeed canonical setting.' -NT Wright   Cognitive Dissonance: the state of having inconsistent thoughts, beliefs, or attitudes, especially as relating to behavioral decisions and attitude change.   Complementarianism: a theological view held by some in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, that men and women have different but complementary roles and responsibilities in marriage, family life, religious leadership, and elsewhere. The word "complementary" and its cognates are currently used to denote this view.   Ephesians 5   Story of Philemon   NT Wright - Audio (For long commutes)   The Bible In Five Acts Creation Fall Israel Jesus Church   Revelation 22   Genesis 3   Genesis 6   Genesis 12   Centering prayer: is a modernized prayer method based on the intuitive prayer rooted in Lectio Divina. It is a method of silent prayer that prepares us to receive the gift of contemplative prayer, prayer in which we experience the Divine's immanent presence with us. Centering prayer is grounded in relationship with God, through Christ, and is a practice to nurture that relationship.   The Lord's Prayer New King James: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.   The Lord's Prayer by Dallas Willard Dear Father always near us, may your name be treasured and loved, may your rule be completed in us- may your will be done here on earth in just the way it is done in heaven. Give us today the things we need today, and forgive us our sins and impositions on you as we are forgiving all who in any way offend us. Please don't put us through trials, but deliver us from everything bad. Because you are the one in charge, and you have all the power, and the glory too is all yours-forever- which is just the way we want it!   Polemic: a strong verbal or written attack on someone or something. Rikk Watts: served as Regent College's Professor of New Testament from 1996-2016. Along with his position as a Research Professor with Regent, he is currently the Dean of Theology at Alphacrucis College in Australia. The Tyger By William Blake Towards the end of the episode, Brandon mentions that Susette will do an exercise, but we forgot!  Check out Lectio Divina at the end of Ep 33 for a method for reading the bible with a posture of "Listening for God's Voice." 

Host Brady Toops responds to listener's comments and questions. One listener asks about the relationship between truth vs. experience while another asks about the meaning of prayer and how to pray when your idea of God changes. Lastly, a listener wants to know about how to grapple with the pain around losing your faith. The episode concludes with Mike McHargue talking about the science of prayer and tips on how to pray for people who have gone through some form of theological deconstruction. Listen to the full "Episode 148 - Prayer" on the Ask Science Mike podcast on his website or Apple Podcasts. Check out The Liturgists video workshop on prayer and meditation called "How To Be". Watch the Dr. Marcus Borg video entitled "What Is God" on YouTube. Connect with Brady on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook as well as find music and upcoming concerts at bradytoops.com. Also, to connect with the podcast further or sign up for email updates check out theunravelpodcast.com. This podcast is a part of The Liturgists Network.