Podcasts about theologians

Something we've seen over the last few weeks is that this original audience badly misunderstands Jesus.Going back to Chapter 7, we saw it first with the brothers of Jesus and then we saw it with the crowd in Jerusalem — The Jewish people, led by the Pharisees, are incredibly lost when it comes to who Jesus is; they're walking in darkness — the metaphor that will come up soon in Chapter 9 is blindness.But that's what's happening in Chapter 8! — the people are spiritually blind.And … at the same time … Jesus is different.It is the people's own problem that they can't see Jesus, but Jesus is also unlike any person they've ever met before. And that's what I want us to focus on today.We've talked enough about the Pharisees — this morning I want to show you in this passage three ways that Jesus is different. It has to do with his judgment, his origin, and his mission. And this matters for us because these three differences will guide us in our worship of Jesus and our devotion to him. Let's pray:Father in heaven, thank you for your Word, and for this moment. As best as we can, by your Spirit's help, we surrender our hearts to his work. Speak to us, in Jesus's name, amen.Three ways Jesus is different …1. His judgment is not like ours.To start, remember last week in verse 12 Jesus said that he's the light of the world, but then the Pharisees ignore what he says and try to make the whole thing a legal dispute.They said that Jesus was out of bounds to bear witness about himself, but Jesus says that's not really the case because he never does anything by himself — that's not how he works. And just like that, this dialogue presents an opportunity for Jesus to explain how different he is.So in verse 15 he says,“You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.”Now wait a minute: How can Jesus say that? We know he judges. He's gonna say in verse 26 (just a few verses away) that he has “much to judge.” He said back in Chapter 5 that the Father has given him authority to execute judgment (5:27); And he describes his judgment as just and right and true (5:30; 7:24; 8:16). So what does he mean when he says “I judge no one”? According to the FleshWell, he means it in contrast to how people judge “according to the flesh” — Jesus is saying “I judge no one like that.” Remember, we've already seen that wrong judgment is a problem for the people.This goes back to Chapter 5 when the Jews didn't like it that Jesus healed that man on the Sabbath. And in Chapter 7, Jesus refers back to that incident and he tells the people You're seeing it all wrong. Chapter 7, verse 24 …“Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”Judging by appearances (ch. 7), and judging according to the flesh (ch. 8), are basically the same thing. And that's the problem. This kind of judgment is judgment based on the limited perspective of fallible humans.So catch this. This human judgment has two things going against it: one is that the lens is limited; the other is that the eyes looking through the lens are fallible.I imagine this to be kind of like those mounted binoculars you find on a fishing pier. (Y'all have seen these before, either on piers at the ocean or somewhere else that has a scenic view.) You pop a quarter in and you can look through these binoculars, but they're limited. You're constricted in how far you can turn the thing. And you can see a part of the ocean, but not the whole ocean, and then the time runs out.Well, judgment according to the flesh is like that, except also the person looking through the binoculars is legally blind (we're all like Mr. Magoo…).This is judgment according to the flesh — it's limited and fallible — and the twist here is that Jesus is not addressing this problem of judgment because of how people treat other people, but this has to do with how they see him.It's About JesusI want to make sure you catch this …There are moral implications when it comes to human judgment and how we treat one another, but that is not Jesus's first concern here.The bigger problem with broken human judgment is that it's what's keeping people from recognizing who Jesus is!We see this problem all throughout the Gospel of John:“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (1:46)“Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know?” (6:42)“How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?” (7:15)“Is the Christ to come from Galilee?” (7:41)See, the people were spiritually blind to Jesus. Blindness TodayAnd it's not just a problem with this original audience, but this has been a problem throughout history. This is part of the Christian story — because, according to the flesh, the Christian message is not very impressive.We believe that the Savior of the world is a Jewish peasant who had a three-year teaching ministry in First Century Palestine until the Roman governor had him brutally murdered. No wonder why that at the time that John wrote this Gospel people called this silly! According to the flesh it is silly… by human appearances it's foolishness. But this just means that the only way we can recognize Jesus is if we start seeing beyond what's natural to us.John tells us from the start: We must be born again — not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God (John 1:13).To see Jesus we have to start seeing the way he sees. His judgment is not like ours.2. His origin is not from here. We're going to pick this up in verse 23. But in verse 21, Jesus has acted as a prophet and pronounced a coming judgment, and the Jews are baffled by this. They mock Jesus in verse 22. Then, verse 23: He [Jesus] said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.”See how plainly he puts this? Jesus is saying I'm different.He's saying to this crowd: We are from and of different realms of reality — just wait and see what he says next week!Setting the SceneBut then Jesus says something here in verse 24 that gets their attention. He sobers ‘em up real quick, and it comes through in their question in verse 25.Everybody find verse 25. Y'all are gonna want to see this one. Verse 25. Chapter 8, verse 25:So they said to him, “Who are you?”Now, I want to back up for a minute and set this scene for you. I'm gonna describe how this might have looked (I need a little poetic license) …Verse 21 opens: Jesus is talking to a small crowd, and you gotta imagine they're basically heckling him. It's one of those group-think moments when people bond over their shared criticism. Y'all ever see that before?You can picture it — they're twisting his words and making their jokes. That's verse 22 — they say: Hey, what's this guy gonna do, kill himself? And the crowd busts out laughing, and as the laughter's dying down, Jesus says something that makes them instantly shut up and get serious. It's like the music just goes errrr — silence. And they say: “Who are you?”That's the scene.So I wanna know: What did Jesus say in verse 24 to cause that question? Let's look at verse 24:“I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”What part of these words stopped the crowd in their tracks? Face-to-Face with I AMNow, it could have been that Jesus told them they're gonna die in their sins. That's pretty serious, but it's not new. Jesus said that in verse 21, and he says it twice here. I think the bombshell in verse 24 is when Jesus says “unless you believe that I am he … you will die in your sins…”That's because the words here, “I am he,” in the Greek, is the ἐγώ εἰμι — which literally translates as I AM.And this crowd has heard those words before. They know about the I AM. They know the Book of Exodus, and the story of the burning bush. They've heard the Book of Isaiah, when God speaks and says:Isaiah 41:4,“Who has performed and done this, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the Lord, the first, and with the last; I am.” Isaiah 43:13,“… from ancient days I am; No one can deliver out of my hand. When I act, who can reverse it?” (NIV)Isaiah 43:25,“I am, I am the one who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.” Isaiah 48:12,“Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called! I am! I am the first, and I am the last.”These people knew Who said these words in the Book of Isaiah. And here Jesus is saying unless you believe I am the I AM, you'll die in your sins. And they're floored. They take a big gulp, and they say:For real, who are you?And Jesus says: I've been trying to telling you. It's what I've been saying from the beginning.The Big BeginningAnd this first audience hears Jesus say “beginning” and they think he's talking about when their conversation started, but we as the readers, we see that word “beginning” and we think back to John 1:1, to how this Gospel started:“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”He was in the beginning with God.This is what Jesus meant in verse 23 when he said I am from above and I am not from this world. Jesus's origin is not like ours because he had no origin, not as the eternally begotten Son of God. He has always been … Ultimate Reality, the Great First Cause, the Unmoved Mover. He is from everlasting to everlasting … Of old he laid the foundations of the world, and the heavens are the work of his hands! They will perish, but he will remain! They will all wear out like a garment, he will change them like a robe and they will pass away! But he is the same and his years have no end! (see Psalm 102:25–27; Hebrews 1:10–12).Church, Jesus is different — if you can see him. Jesus is different. His origin is not from here.3. His mission is not by himself. This is verse 28: So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. There will come a moment when Jesus's identity as the I AM will be most manifest, and ironically, it'll be a moment that these unbelievers bring about. It'll be when they lift him up. To Be Lifted UpIn the Gospel of John, when Jesus talks this way, he's talking about the cross. To “be lifted up” has a double meaning — it's another example of the layers in John — Jesus will be “lifted up” literally on the cross, to die — And he'll also be lifted up as in he's exalted and glorified in the cross event which culminates in resurrection.Both are in view.And when Jesus is lifted up, literally, on the cross, that's a moment that by appearances — according to the flesh — it looks like the worst kind of defeat. He was crucified! But that was actually the moment when the I AM blots out the transgressions of his people! So, what is most atrocious to human eyes is the greatest divine miracle ever displayed. That is the mission of Jesus. That's why he came. And he came, Jesus tells us, in collaboration with his Father. Collaborating with the FatherThat's what he says in verse 28. His mission is not a solo endeavor, but the Father is involved. Jesus has talked this way before: John 4:34,“My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.”John 5:19,“Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing.”John 6:38,“For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.”So Jesus didn't come on a self-directed mission — he was not sent by himself — And he also didn't come by himself. Look at verse 29: “And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.”Now, in what way is the Father with Jesus? How has the Father not left Jesus alone?Theologically, the right answer is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is how the Father was with Jesus in his earthly ministry. The Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son, and he is the bond of love between them. But in verse 29, Jesus doesn't give us those theological details. He just tells us why the Father is with him. He says it's because“I always do the things that are pleasing to him.”Now in one sense, we could say that Jesus is just stressing again the unity he has with his Father, and that's true. But in another sense, if we're taking Jesus at his word, in verse 29 he grounds the “with-me-ness of God” in what he does. He's saying: I enjoy the blessing of the Father's nearness because of what I do.The Father is with me because I do what's pleasing to him!‘Don't Try This at Home'And this is one of those things that should come with a warning: “Don't try this at home.”Because we can't talk that way. I don't recommend it. That's because one of the facts of our fallen humanity is that we often to confuse the proper placement of our doing. And the simple name for this is called “works-righteousness.”But Chip Dodd calls this confusion the DO-HAVE-BECOME mindset.Many people live their life this way. They think: “If I only could DO (x) then I could HAVE (y), and finally BECOME (z).” Get it? DO … HAVE … BECOME. Look, I'll go ahead and tell you: that's a mess in the making. It will burn you out. Because all you can do in that mindset is keep chasing, always looking for that next milestone, that next thing just above the horizon. This is the path of so many people, and it just leaves you weary and empty.The right order, though, is not “Do-Have-Become” — but “Be-Have-Do!”“Because I AM (z) then I HAVE (y), and therefore I DO (x).”That's the Christian life:Because I AM (a child of God) then I HAVE (every spiritual blessing in Christ) and therefore I DO (a life of love and witness for his glory).We must constantly be reordering our lives this way. We often get it wrong. But we should realize that Jesus is different. Because Jesus was/is the perfect man … This means Jesus lived here with absolutely perfect harmony in his being, having, and doing. Theologians have talked about this as the harmony of his person and work. His Glorious CongruenceSee, Jesus never needed to reorder anything here because he never had a hiccup between who he is and what he does. Part of his holiness was his wholeness.He is the truth and he speaks the truth. He is light and he shines light. He is life and he gives life.This is glorious congruence! Everything that Jesus ever DID was impeccably aligned with his BEING as the Beloved Son of God with whom the Father is well-pleased.He was so aligned, so congruent — his activity was so perfectly an expression of his identity — that doesn't talk of one without including the other.That's why he can say I always DO the things that are pleasing to my Father and that's why he's with me. His mission was not by himself, and here, church, is glory!Behold Him!This is a closeness of relationship with the Father and a congruence of person that we can barely fathom, but certainly adore.Back in 1738, the pastor-theologian Jonathan Edwards meditated on the person of Jesus and focused on the union of his “diverse excellencies” — Jesus is the Lion and the Lamb; he is majestic and meek, just and merciful … Edwards said,“In him meet together infinite highness and infinite condescension; infinite justice and infinite grace; infinite glory and lowest humility.”And for this, he is worthy of our adoration. … And I want to add … Just like we adore Jesus for the “admirable conjunctions of his diverse excellencies,” we adore him for the simple harmony of his person and work. Who he is is how he lived.In the most profound way, What you see is what you get — if you can truly see. So that's where we end. Can you see him yet? Do you recognize who Jesus is?If you see him, you trust him. You put your faith in him, and maybe that's something you want to do today for the first time. You can do it right now — tell him: Jesus, I see you, I trust you. And for so many of us who have seen him, don't you want to see him more? Jesus is different … in his judgment, his origin, and his mission — and we just want to see more of him! More of his glory! We wanna behold him!That's the invitation now as we come to this Table. The TableFor all of us who trust in Jesus, if you see him, let's see him anew this morning as we receive the bread and cup. We are remembering Jesus's person and work, and together, church, we behold him.

Join the show with a TEXT here!In this episode, we look at the real challenges of creating meaningful content in a digital landscape overflowing with voices, opinions, and algorithms. With so much already out there, how do we stay faithful, original, and grounded?We will explore the tension between creativity and saturation, and offer a call for discernment, urging listeners to be intentional about who they follow, what they consume, and how they measure truth. At the heart of it all is a simple but powerful reminder: Scripture must be our standard. Whether you're a content creator or a consumer, the Word of God is the lens through which every message, every messenger, and every motive should be tested

As I was preparing for this sermon, I read something that John Stankey, the CEO of AT&T, said back in 2022 with the acquiring of HBO concerning his goals for HBO that I think was very perceptive. Its not hours a week, and its not hours a month. We need hours a day. You are competing with devices that sit in peoples hands that capture their attention every 15 seconds. I want more hours of engagement. Why are more hours of engagement important? Because you get more data and information about a customer that then allows you to do things like monetize through alternate models of advertising as well as subscriptions. Theres a reason why social media platforms, streaming services, etc. are called attention merchants. They are working hard to capture our attention. Some people also call it adhesiveness. The longer they can get us to stick around, the more money they make.[1] Stankey rebranded HBO to HBO Max, and under his leadership, subscriber growth more than doubled from 36 million to 76 million. Social media platforms rely on sophisticated algorithms to decide which content appears in your feed and in what order. These invisible gatekeepers shape your online experience, curating what you see and when you see it, all with the aim of keeping you engaged for longer periods. What is my point? My point is that there are pressures that you are both aware of and unaware of that seek to influence you. There may not have been the kinds of algorithms that we have today in the day, and age, James wrote his epistle, but they were no doubt there. There is a system that is spiritual that is opposed to God that wants to do all that it can to draw you away from Him, and that system is what the Bible calls the world. We were not made for the world, but for God. It is the tension we face as Christians to be pooled by the world or to draw close to God that he addresses in these verses. Going with the Current of the World is Friendship with the World (vv. 1-5) We gravitate towards the kinds of things James lists in verses 1-5. If comes naturally for us as a species to fight against each other. Remember what James wrote in 3:14; he said, But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart... your jealousy and selfish ambition is, earthly, natural, and demonic (v. 15). Then in 4:1, James informs us that the source of our fighting with one another comes from that part of us the apostle John described: All that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world (1 John 2:16). What James means by World is the ethics and principles that are motivated by a desire to dethrone God. The wisdom of the world encourages those who live in it to cater to what you want, give yourself everything your eyes desire and live life your way to get the most of it. This is the wisdom of the world that James warns us of in chapter three, and it is here in chapter four that shows us how it affects everything around us. The Greek word for quarrels can mean battle, fights, strife, or conflicts. What instigates this kind of fighting with one another is what James calls our pleasures. This is another Greek word that you knew without knowing that you had it in your vocabulary (last week it was the Greek word zēlos that the NASB decided to translate jealous); the Greek word of pleasures is hēdonē from which we get the word hedonism. What is hedonism? You may think that it is the pursuit of pleasure, and it certainly is that, but at its core, hedonism is the pursuit of joy. In fact, what we learn from the Bible is that we were made to pursue and experience joy. There are scores of verses in the Bible I can show you, but for now, three should do: Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! (Phil. 4:4) You will make known to me the way of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever. (Ps. 16:11) Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials... (Jas. 1:2) The Word of God encourages us to pursue joy. Blaise Pascale, the famous philosopher, observed: All men seek happiness. This is without exception. Whatever different means they employ, they all tend to this end. The cause of some going to war, and of others avoiding it, is the same desire in both, attended with different views. The will never takes the least step but to this object. This is the motive of every action of every man, even of those who hang themselves.[2] We even acknowledge that we were made for joy in the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. However, what we were not made for is a joy that excludes a relationship with God. The kind of worldly wisdom and joy-seeking that leads to conflicts is a secular wisdom and the Godless pursuit of joy. This is kind of joy seeking is secular hedonism, and it is, earthly, natural, and demonic (3:14). What is the fruit of secular hedonism? James provides us with a list in verses that follow: Fact + result You lust and do not have... so you commit murder. (v. 2a) Fact + result You are envious and cannot obtain... so you fight and quarrel. (v. 2b) Fact + reason You do not have... because you do not ask. (v. 2c) Fact + result You ask and do not receive... (v. 3a) Full reason ...because you ask with the wrong motives, so that you may spend what you request on your pleasures. (v. 3b)[3] What kind of joy seeking is James describing? It is one where the pleasure and joy seeking is rooted in a world that is hostile towards God. Secular hedonism is self-centered joy seeking that makes the one pursuing it the center of his/her universe. So James accuses those who pursue such pleasures in verse 4 as adulteresses. Why? Because he is writing to Christians who should know better that the only joy we were created for and the one that is lasting, is a joy that can only be found in God. To seek your pleasure from this world, is to align yourself with the world by becoming its friend. To this, James states emphatically: do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God (v. 4). What do we do with verse five? What does James mean? There is much debate over the way this verse should be translated and some of the main versions of the English Bible show that. Theologians are divided over whether the Greek word for Spirit is referring to the immaterial part of us that we also call our soul or if it is the Holy Spirit that every Christian receives at the moment he/she becomes a Christian. Here is what I think James means by the statement: Do you think that the Scripture says to no purpose, He jealously desires the Spirit whom He has made to dwell in us? I think what he means is what we have seen in verses 1-4, and that is: we were made for a joy that can only be satisfied in God and the reason why He gave us a soul is the same reason He gave us the Holy Spirit, and that is to use our lives and to find our joy in Him. In other words, we were born on this earth to know God, but because we are dead in our sins, God caused us to be born again and has given us the Holy Spirit to empower us to live for Him for the purpose of finding our joy in Him (remember that James is writing to Christians). Abiding in the Word is Friendship with God (vv. 6-10) So what is the solution for the kind of problem James lists for us in verses 1-5? He provides us with the answer in verses 6-10. Its really found in verse 6; lets read it slowly and thoughtfully: But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says... What says? from the same Scripture in verse 5 James referred to: God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. God created you; you did not create Him. Of all the gods that people worship, there is only One who is the Creator and we were made for Him just as the apostle Paul testified before a group of idol worshipers at Mars Hill: He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might feel around for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, For we also are His descendants. (Acts 17:26-28) God created us to know Him, but humans are fallen, sin-cursed, and spiritually dead! What hope is there for a humanity bent on finding their satisfaction and joy in anything or anyone but the One who created mankind in His image? James doesnt need to explain the gospel again to his readers because they have already heard it and received it, all that he needs is one word, and that word is grace. Christian, how is it that you have gone from death to life in Jesus? How is it that you have been called out of darkness into Gods marvelous light? How is it that you have been born again and are now sealed by Gods Holy Spirit and are a child of God? Just one word will do! He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Because you have received a greater grace there is a greater joy available to you. Remember what it was that brought you to the cross of Christ: You came to Jesus because you were poor in spirit, you came to Him because you mourned over your sins, you came to Him because you could not save yourself. There is no coming to Jesus if you are not willing to humble yourself before Him; it is Jesus alone who is able to save and it is only by grace that you are born again today. Because there is a greater grace, there is a greater joy to be experienced through God. James explains where one can experience that joy through a series of imperatives. Lets read the passage and break these imperatives (commands) down so that you can see the point James is making: Submit therefore to God. But resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God and He will come close to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable, and mourn, and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into gloom. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you (vv. 7-10). The word submit comes from a Greek word that also means to attach yourself to the thing or person you are submitting to. To submit to God is not just to bow before Him, but also to attach yourself to Him. There is another word that the Bible uses for that same idea, and that word is abide which comes from a Greek word that also means to remain in. Attach yourself to the One you were made for! In verse 8, we are told to Come close to God... So what happens when we submit to God? We come close to Him. This is how I can resist the devil so that he will flee from me (v. 7). This is also how I can cleanse my hand and purify my heart. Listen, there is no getting closer to God if you are not willing to submit to God. There is no lasting joy if you are not abiding in Him. There will be no victory over sin in your life if you are not humbling yourself before Him (v. 10). What will happen as you submit to God and draw closer to Him? You will see your sin for what it is, but instead of coasting further from Him, you will run to Him because that is where grace is to be found in your time of need! This is the point of verse 9-10, Be miserable, and mourn, and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into gloom. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you. What does it mean for God to exalt those who humble themselves before Him? He will give you the kind of joy you were made for, a joy available only through His Son. You were made for joy, but not the secular and godless kind that our world strives after. You were made for a joy and pleasure that can only be known in God by abiding in His Son. The question I have for you is this: What or who is it that has your attention and your heart? Arent you tired of pursuing lesser joys? There is a greater joy before you, but it can only be experienced by submitting yourself to God by drawing closer to Him. Let me close with something Jesus said that I think will make more sense to you in light of James 4:1-10, I am the vine, you are the branches; the one who remains in Me, and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown away like a branch and dries up; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you remain in Me, and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. Just as the Father has loved Me, I also have loved you; remain in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love; just as I have kept My Fathers commandments and remain in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. (John 15:5-11) What Jesus describes and what James addresses is the kind of faith that abides in Him. [1] Ayad Akhtar, The Singularity Is Here, The Atlantic (11-5-21) [2] John Piper, Desiring God (Sisters, OR: Multnomah Books; 2011), 19. [3] Daniel M. Doriani, James, ed. Richard D. Phillips, Philip Graham Ryken, and Daniel M. Doriani, Reformed Expository Commentary (Phillipsburg, NJ: PR Publishing, 2007), 130.

PREFACEAs a theologian, I recognize that reflecting on my own experiences serves as a form of autobiographical insight or practical theology, intertwining personal narratives with broader theological discourse. This self-examination can be seen as a manifestation of lived theology, where my individual journey is interpreted through the lens of faith and theological understanding, contrasting with traditional theology that often emphasizes abstract doctrines. A case in point it should be noted that"Abstract doctrines" are core beliefs or teachings that prioritize generic or universal concepts over particular, tangible examples; they frequently include the cognitive process of abstraction. The ability of the mind to see attributes globally, which allows for the perception of general notions like "humanity" by distancing them from individual traits, is referred to in philosophy and cognitive research.Theologically speaking, abstract doctrines are condensed versions of fundamental beliefs that center on universal facts about God. They serve as the theoretical underpinnings of legal disciplines like copyright and international law that are constructed through doctrinal formation. In technology, the phrase can refer to abstract classes or interfaces used in database mapping for flexible entity connections or abstract repositories for data querying, especially in software development with frameworks like Doctrine in PHP.Inspired by this perspective, I set out to craft a narrative that explores the intersection of faith and art, centering on the life of Dr. William Anderson Gittens, D.D., a distinguished author, theologian, cultural theorist, and photojournalist who viewed himself as an artist contributing to the expansive tapestry of culture. Envision a serene summer day, sunlight filtering through the stained-glass windows of St. George's Anglican Church located in Barbados, where the outside world buzzes while an inner tranquility resonates deeply. In my humble studio, surrounded by books and art supplies, I reflect on my unique vocation—not merely interpreting scripture but weaving messages that connect the divine with the mundane through the mediums of art and photography. My philosophy, often shared with my wife Magnola, posits that every culture resembles a vast canvas awaiting strokes of insight—some bold, others subtle, yet all encouraging contemplation. You may ask why I blend theology and art in such a distinctive manner; I believe that spiritual truths must be woven into the very fabric of everyday life, conveyed through symbols, narratives, and images that resonate with the human spirit. In our contemporary world, we encounter numerous challenges that demand such integration. Therefore according to https://www.gjournals.org.TSupport the showCultural Factors Influence Academic Achievements© 2024 ISBN978-976-97385-7-7 A_MEMOIR_OF_Dr_William_Anderson_Gittens_D_D_2024_ISBNISBN978_976_97385_0_8 Academic.edu. Chief of Audio Visual Aids Officer Mr. Michael Owen Chief of Audio Visual Aids Officer Mr. Selwyn Belle Commissioner of Police Mr. Orville Durant Dr. William Anderson Gittens, D.D En.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifelong_learning Hackett Philip Media Resource Development Officer Holder, B,Anthony Episcopal Priest, https://brainly.com/question/36353773 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifelong_learning#cite_note-19 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifelong_learning#cite_note-:2-18 https://independent.academia.edu/WilliamGittens/Books https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=william+anderson+gittens+barbados&oq=william+anderson+gittens https://www.academia.edu/123754463/ https://www.buzzsprout.com/429292/episodes. https://www.youtube.com/@williamandersongittens1714. Mr.Greene, Rupert

This lecture discusses key ideas from the 20th century philosophical short story writer, essayist, and poet Jorge Luis Borges's story "The Theologians" which can be found in Collected Fictions. It centers on a (perhaps one-way) rivalry between two Christian theologians, Aurelian and John of Pannonia, in a time when the Christian church is struggling with a number of heresies, some opposed to each other. John and Aurelian both produce refutations of one heresy, and then when Aurelian uses a passage from John's earlier refutation in a new refutation of a different heresy, John is condemned as a heretic. In the end, Borges suggests, there might not be any real difference between the two men To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3000 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler Get Borges' Collected Fictions here - https://amzn.to/3xZnwHA

"I don't expect the President to be a theologian - but I expect theologians to be theologians."  When former President Trump suggested that ending the war in Ukraine might “help him get to heaven,” the headlines exploded—but the church stayed silent. In this episode of Truth Talk Live (I guest-host it weekly), I challenge that silence, point to the cross of Christ, and invite callers to proclaim the gospel out loud. Nothing but the blood of Jesus can save us—nothing else. This is not about politics. It's about clarity. If the church won't speak when the gospel is distorted on the world stage, then what are we even doing?   Click to get the new book today!

Mark 15:33-39When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. At three o'clock, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sebacthani!" Which means, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" When some bystanders heard it, they said, "Listen, he is calling for Elijah." And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick and gave it to him to drink, saying, "Wait, let us see if Elijah will come and take him down." Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain in the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. Now, when the centurion who stood facing him saw that in this way he had breathed his last he said, "Truly this man was God's son." When I was a kid, we had a giant pit of sand and dirt in our back yard – about the size of our fire pit, over there next to the labyrinth. We cleverly called it the "Sand Pile" and it was a cheap, tasteless, makeshift version of what more sophisticated people would call a sand box, and we used it for sand castles, mud pies, dirt-track races for Matchbox cars, and whatever else kids who play in the sand, do in the dirt. (I think the Sand Pile started out as some sort of home improvement project at the church parsonage where we lived, but never amounted to anything, so my brother and I, along with our friends next door, co-opted it as a great place for little kids to play.)What made the Sand Pile cooler than your average sandbox, though, was that it wasn't self-contained. There were no sides, no cover, and no barrier underneath. One day, our neighbor friend had the brilliant idea that we should dig and just keep digging until we couldn't dig anymore. We knew this was going to take some time and I think the four of us decided to make it a summer project. Sometime after we started, I remember my dad coming home from work and noticing that we were up to something more ambitious than usual. When he asked what we were doing, we told him our plans and my friend declared that we were going to dig "all the way to Kingdom Come." We weren't very sophisticated, but we were ambitious.And so we dug a little bit each day, for days. We found worms and bugs and rocks of all kinds. We hit water one day, which meant we were really getting somewhere, so that was cool. And then one of us had the realization that if we kept digging long enough, we'd dig our way right into Hell and we wondered if maybe that wasn't such a great idea. We did keep digging, but the expedition ended shortly after that, either because we were scared or skeptical or just plain tired of shoveling. But that was the first time I ever remember considering something like the question someone offered up for this morning:"Do we have to believe in Hell in order to believe in Heaven?”When I was older, in High School, and learned about World War II and the Holocaust, I wondered if that might be Hell: the injustice and horror of concentration camps; the gas chambers, the torture, the attempted genocide. Elie Wiesel, likely the most famous survivor of the Holocaust asked once, "How [do you] explain or even describe the agony, the terror, the prayers, the tears, the tenderness, the sadness of the scientifically prepared death of six million human beings? … Six million human beings sentenced to death by an evil dictatorship not because of their faith or their circumstances but because of their very being." It sounded – and sounds, still – like Hell to me, even if it wasn't someplace you could dig your way into.When I visited all kinds of jails and prisons in college, I wondered if the smell and the heat and the sounds and the danger and the circumstances that led and keep a person there might be Hell.When I worked as a hospital chaplain for a summer during seminary, I remember a guy who had been burned on over 80% of his body. That looked like Hell, and I wondered if Hell was the sickness, disease, and disasters that consume and kill men, women, and children every minute of every hour of every day in the world. When I traveled with my family and then with our high school kids a couple of summers ago to the Whitney Plantation, in Edgard, Louisiana, where enslaved human beings were used and abused and tortured and killed, like worthless animals, for generations – Hell seemed very nearby.Is Hell the war in Ukraine? Is it the famine, starvation, and destruction in Gaza? Is Hell a cancer diagnosis or is the rigors of chemotherapy or radiation – even if they work, but especially when they don't? Is Hell a broken or breaking marriage; the death of a child; any kind of unbearable physical pain or emotional suffering? Is it paralyzing fear; hopeless loneliness; utter despair?With all of my questions, I guess you can tell that I don't think about Hell in the same way I did when I was digging around in the dirt as a child. But, from what I can tell, too many people – preachers, theologians, artists, and politicians – haven't moved beyond the sandbox. We hear too often, in my opinion, detailed images of Hell. You know them as well as I do: pictures of fire, deep dark places, chains and shackles perhaps, weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth, for sure, and the little guy in the red suit with a pointy tail and a pitch fork with the capacity to inflict pain and suffering on his victims for all of eternity.And these same people will tell you how to get there faster than any shovel can dig. Instructions usually include breaking the rules or not having enough of the right kind of faith or 'doing faith' differently than what's expected or accepted or, generally, behaving in ways that make God angry enough to send you ‘there' instead of calling you home to the right side of eternity.But I don't think any of this is what Hell is like or where it's at. Which is why I picked the readings I did for this morning. There are plenty of references in the Bible to Sheol and the Pit, to Hades and the Abyss. There's lots of talk about fire and punishment and the outer darkness – much of it from the very lips of Jesus himself.But nowadays, when I think of Hell, I think about the crucifixion and death of Jesus on that Good Friday afternoon. And it's not because of the abuse or the spitting or the whips or the thorns. It's not because of the darkness or the nails or the cross itself, even. It's because of the way all of these things added up to leave him hanging there alone, crying at the top of his voice, "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?" (Theologians call it Jesus' “cry of dereliction,” and it's why we say, as we do in our Apostles' Creed, that Jesus indeed “descended into Hell.”)It's at that moment when Hell becomes more real and more scary than any pitchfork or fire pit, if you ask me. It's at that moment when Jesus experiences what many of us have known – or what we fear – more than anything else: being utterly alone, utterly afraid, utterly out of control, cosmically lost, and entirely without hope or faith or comfort – even from God.It's at that moment when Jesus himself knows fully the hell of every concentration camp victim, every prisoner, every enslaved person, every frightened soldier, every starving stomach, every struggling addict, every dying patient, grieving spouse, scared child, broken heart, and sin-sick soul that ever was or ever will be. "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?"So back to the question at hand. I was asked pointedly, if “we” believe in Hell, which seems to include the questioner, myself, and other leaders and pastors and theologians of the ELCA. I won't speak for others, because I can't – that's part of the beauty of what it means to be an ELCA-flavored Lutheran, in my opinion. But I will tell you that, I don't very much think about Hell anymore these days.If it does exist, it's not a concern of mine, because I believe it's been conquered and undone, dismissed and destroyed by the work of God's love in Jesus Christ – for me, and for you, and for all of creation. You can cite for me every Scripture and verse there is about Hades and Sheol, about the outer darkness and The Pit. But I believe there is a Hell the way I believe there are K Pop concerts, hot dog eating contests, and white pride parades. They may very well exist, but I don't – and won't – ever have to show my face there, thanks be to God.We can find plenty of pictures in the Bible and elsewhere to scare each other into believing that Hell is as likely an option as Heaven or that damnation is as likely as grace. And there are lots of pastors and churches who will fan that fire with gusto and glee, but that's not what the Gospel promises. To suggest that we can faithfully choose Heaven… To suggest that we can faith-LESS-ly opt for Hell… To suggest that we can reject God's willingness to love us all the way through Hell and back and remain in our sin and death, despite God's clear desire to win us back… is to suggest that God is powerless over evil, that God is powerless over death, that God is powerless over Sin, that God isn't all God is cracked up to be and that the very death and resurrection of Jesus was a cosmic waste of God's time. And I don't buy it.I don't buy it because when Jesus cried, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me,” he was quoting the first line of Psalm 22, which he knew well. So he must have known how Psalm 22 ends, just the same – with the hope of God's promised dominion, deliverance, power and provision. Verse 24 promises, “He did not despise or abhor the affliction of the afflicted; he did not hide his face from me, but heard when I cried to him.” By invoking Psalm 22, what if Jesus wasn't just announcing his despair and descent into Hell's separation? What if he was declaring his hope for the Heaven that was to come, just the same?My adventure in the Sand Pile as a kid that summer didn't end just because we were scared of what we might find. I think it ended because, even as kids, we realized our digging wasn't leading us anywhere but down – and that's exhausting. It didn't take us long to learn that there was more life and fun and good news in the other direction – and that's where we chose to spend our days.Which is why and how and what we believe about Hell matters for our lives in this world.When our faith is motivated more by fear than it is by hope, we're heading in the wrong direction. When it comes to our journey of faith, I hope we'll remember and share as often as we can that the Gospel is about life conquering death. The story of Jesus is about God conquering Satan. The promise of our faith is that Heaven conquers Hell – whether we like it, would choose it, or not. And the call of our faith is to live and to love our way into Heaven, not to run away from a Hell that isn't ours to fear any longer, thanks to the God we know in Jesus Christ, crucified and risen for the sake of the world.Amen

Revelation 5, 1 John 4:7-16, Matthew 23:8-12

Dr. Janet Smith, retired professor at Sacred Heart Major Seminary joins us to discuss the firing of three of her former colleagues as the newly installed Archbishop of Detroit cleans house

Sources:https://www.returntotradition.orgorhttps://substack.com/@returntotradition1Contact Me:Email: return2catholictradition@gmail.comSupport My Work:Patreonhttps://www.patreon.com/AnthonyStineSubscribeStarhttps://www.subscribestar.net/return-to-traditionBuy Me A Coffeehttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/AnthonyStinePhysical Mail:Anthony StinePO Box 3048Shawnee, OK74802Follow me on the following social media:https://www.facebook.com/ReturnToCatholicTradition/https://twitter.com/pontificatormax+JMJ+#popeleoXIV #catholicism #catholicchurch #catholicprophecy#infiltration

We’d been driving for fifteen hours, and it was late at night when a tornado alert jolted us to attention. The warning said we should take cover immediately. As if on cue, lightning exploded in the sky, and wind pressed against our car windows. We sped off the highway and parked near a concrete hotel building. Sprinting inside, we were thankful to find shelter. Trouble reminds us we need a safe place to stay. Proverbs 18:10 says, “The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” Theologians tell us the phrase “the name of the Lord” means the entirety of who God is. All of His attributes provide security as we hide ourselves in Him. Because God is kind, He welcomes us. Because He’s good, He listens to us. Because He’s love, He empathizes with us. But God isn’t just another way to cope with problems. He’s more than a quick fix or a distraction. Taking refuge in Him means choosing His help over everything else. We can run to Him in prayer, meditate on Scripture, or surrender to the Holy Spirit in times of stress and anxiety. Over the years, these habits lead to a lifetime of reliance on the One who is our true shelter.

A meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai on July 25, 2025, the feast of St. James, at Lyncroft Centre in Toronto. Jesus called James and his brother John as they mended their nets on the Sea of Galilee. Their mother approached Jesus, asking that her sons be seated on either side of him in his kingdom. Jesus replied, “You do not know what you are asking.” Jesus turned to the brothers: “Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?” “We can,” they declared. James was, in fact, the first apostle to share in the cup of martyrdom, under Herod Agrippa around the year 44. Saint Josemaria loved that readiness to follow Jesus, to go all the way. He underlined their response, "Possumus". We can frame this in terms of our readiness and openness to be well formed: to have the piety of children and the doctrine of theologians.Music: Michael Lee of Toronto.Thumbnail: James the Apostle, detail of the mosaic in the Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna, 6th century.

All the Episodes of the Heidelcast Subscribe to the Heidelcast! Browse the Heidelshop! On X @Heidelcast On Insta & Facebook @Heidelcast Subscribe in Apple Podcast Subscribe directly via RSS Call The Heidelphone via Voice Memo On Your Phone The Heidelcast is available wherever podcasts are found including Spotify. Call or text the Heidelphone anytime at (760) 618-1563. Leave a message or email us a voice memo from your phone and we may use it in a future podcast. Record it and email it to heidelcast@heidelblog.net. If you benefit from the Heidelcast please leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts so that others can find it. Please do not forget to make the coffer clink (see the donate button below). SHOW NOTES How To Subscribe To Heidelmedia The Heidelblog Resource Page Heidelmedia Resources The Ecumenical Creeds The Reformed Confessions The Heidelberg Catechism Recovering the Reformed Confession (Phillipsburg: P&R Publishing, 2008) Why I Am A Christian What Must A Christian Believe? Heidelblog Contributors Support Heidelmedia: use the donate button or send a check to: Heidelberg Reformation Association 1637 E. Valley Parkway #391 Escondido CA 92027 USA The HRA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization

Chris Bruno joins the podcast today to tell us about his recent book, Sharing Christ in Joy and Sorrow: A Theology of Philippians. What are the key theological themes in the book of Philippians? How do those themes fit together and inform one another? How does Philippians encourage and exhort those who are in seasons of suffering? What does Union with Christ mean? Learn more on today's episode! Living Church - Awe and Presence

Ed Gerber joins us to share his story of becoming a pastor theologian. How can the Lord use even a significant break up to prepare someone for ministry? How can those who prepare future ministry leaders be both preachers and teachers to their students? What is the balance between head and heart for those who study theology academically? This and more on today's episode! Living Church - Awe and Presence

For our June episode on books, we, the CPT staff, have been reading:JD Vance, Hillbilly Elegy (2016)Rémi Brague, Kingdom of Man: Genesis and Failure of the Modern Project, (2018)Elizabeth Goudge, The Dean's Watch, (2012)

Bombing Iran: the firestorm at home! Blessing the Zionist State of Israel? Syllabus of Errors: why? Humility vs self-pity? Growing love for God? Using mental reservation? Best penance for laity? Essential reading? Battling selfishness? Why consecrate at every Mass? Lay theologians? June draws us to the Sacred Heart! This episode was recorded on 6/24/2025 Our Links: http://linkwcb.com/ Please consider making a monetary donation to What Catholics Believe. Father Jenkins remembers all of our benefactors in general during his daily Mass, and he also offers one Mass on the first Sunday of every month specially for all supporters of What Catholics Believe. May God bless you for your generosity! https://www.wcbohio.com/donate Subscribe to our other YouTube channels: ‪@WCBHighlights‬ ‪@WCBHolyMassLivestream‬ May God bless you all!

Today on the podcast we are joined by Rev. Dr. Michael Niebauer as he shares about his recent book, Four Mountains: Encountering God in the Bible from Eden to Zion. How can Christians encounter Jesus on every page of the Bible? What can we learn from how the earliest Christians read Scripture, and connect seemingly disparate stories in the text? What is distinct about this style of reading as opposed, for example, to 6-week Bible studies or academic study? This and more on today's episode!

Jason Meyer, lead pastor of Urban Refuge Church in Minneapolis, MN, joins the podcast today to tell us about his journey towards becoming a pastor theologian. After serving eight years as a pastor at Bethlehem Baptist, Jason shares what he learned about his own calling, and the identity of a "pastor." This and more on today's episode!

[audio mp3="https://www.crossbridgeofocean.org/wp-content/uploads/sermons/2025/06/2025_06_15.mp3"][/audio] The Second Coming of Christ has been the subject of much speculation during the past 2000 years. Theologians, pastors, Bible teachers, and even false teachers have spent much time and energy trying to come up with the definitive times table concerning the Second Coming.

If the love of God is ruling your life, then you will become that new creation. Sometimes it's called being born again. Theologians speak about being regenerated. And because we become that new creation, we will have a commitment to the commands of God. To donate please visit us at:https://loveisrael.org/donate/Checks may be sent to:LoveIsrael.org6355 N Courtenay Parkway Merritt Island, FL 32953Feel free to download our MyBibleStudy App on telephone https://get.theapp.co/yjjqwe don't know how long we can post the teachings on YT https://www.instagram.com/mybiblestudyofficial/ To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1256/29

If the love of God is ruling your life, then you will become that new creation. Sometimes it's called being born again. Theologians speak about being regenerated. And because we become that new creation, we will have a commitment to the commands of God.To donate please visit us at:https://loveisrael.org/donate/Checks may be sent to:LoveIsrael.org6355 N Courtenay ParkwayMerritt Island, FL 32953Feel free to download our MyBibleStudy App on telephonehttps://get.theapp.co/yjjqwe don't know how long we can post the teachings on YThttps://www.instagram.com/mybiblestudyofficial/ To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.lightsource.com/donate/1255/29

CPT board member Doug Sweeney joins the podcast today. He previews his topic for the 2025 CPT Conference, Good Shepherds: Pastoral Identity and the Future of the Church. What are good Christian pastors supposed to be like? On the other hand, what malformative models of pastoral identity are common in our culture today? Doug also tells us about his 2024 book, Substance of Our Faith: Foundations for the History of Christian Doctrine. Check it out on today's episode!

We've lost a giant in biblical scholarship with the passing of Walter Brueggemann, whose profound insights into the Hebrew Bible transformed how countless people understand scripture and faith. In this special tribute episode, we revisit three memorable conversations with Walter from across the years of Homebrewed Christianity, showcasing his remarkable ability to make ancient texts come alive with contemporary relevance. From his groundbreaking work on the prophetic imagination to his incisive analysis of money and possessions in scripture, Walter consistently challenged us to see God not as a distant, unchanging deity, but as a passionate, covenant-making partner deeply invested in justice and human flourishing. His gift was revealing how the Bible's narratives of liberation, resistance, and hope speak directly to our modern struggles with empire, inequality, and the search for authentic community. Walter's legacy lives on in every preacher who dares to let scripture speak its radical truth, every scholar who chooses particularity over abstraction, and every person of faith who embraces the beautiful, contested journey of fidelity with the God of the exodus. Thank you, Walter, for teaching us that the Bible is not a book of easy answers, but an invitation to wrestle with the living God who continues to disrupt our assumptions and call us toward justice. If you want to get access to the Introduction to the Old Testament class with Dr. Brueggemann, head over to TheologyClass.com Theology Beer Camp | St. Paul, MN | October 16-18, 2025⁠⁠⁠ 3 Days of Craft Nerdiness with 50+ Theologians & God-Pods and 600 new friends. Online Class:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rediscovering the Spirit: Hand-Raisers, Han, & the Holy Ghost⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ "⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Rediscovering the Spirit: Hand-Raisers, Han, and the Holy Ghost⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠" is an open-online course exploring the dynamic, often overlooked third person of the Trinity. Based on Grace Ji-Sun Kim's groundbreaking work on the Holy Spirit (pneumatology), this class takes participants on a journey through biblical foundations, historical developments, diverse cultural perspectives, and practical applications of Spirit theology. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠As always, this class is donation-based, including 0. To get class info and sign up, head over here. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ _____________________ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hang with 40+ Scholars & Podcasts and 600 people at Theology Beer Camp 2025 (Oct. 16-18) in St. Paul, MN. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ This podcast is a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Homebrewed Christianity⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ production. Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the Homebrewed Christianity⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Theology Nerd Throwdown⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Rise of Bonhoeffer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 80,000 other people by joining our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Substack - Process This!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get instant access to over 45 classes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.TheologyClass.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow the podcast, drop a review⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, send ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠feedback/questions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or become a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠member of the HBC Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is an audio essay from my SubStack, Process This. You can head over here to read or watch the entire essay. I've been tracking the peculiar contradictions of American religious life for years now, and there's one puzzle that keeps me up at night: Why does liberal theology keep producing brilliant scholarship while liberal churches empty out? It's not just a marketing problem or bad leadership—it's what my friend Bo Sanders calls a "perfect storm." In this episode, I dig into the fundamental incompatibility between liberalism's love affair with individual choice, Christianity's call to communal formation, and consumer capitalism's corrosive effects on both. We've got a faith tradition that's too secular for believers, too religious for secularists, and too academic for everyone else. Meanwhile, 55% of mainline Protestants voted for Trump, so we can't even claim the "liberal" label fits the folks in our pews. I walk through five predicaments killing liberal Christianity—from what Henry Nelson Wieman called "spiritual thinness" to what I'm calling "liberal laryngitis," the inability to speak clearly on anything that matters. Add cultural shifts that make Sunday just another day for Target runs, and you've got churches with pipe organ endowments bigger than their mission budgets, wondering why nobody shows up. But here's the thing: something valuable dies if we lose thoughtful faith entirely. The question isn't whether liberal Christianity deserves to survive—it's whether we can build something sturdy enough to weather this storm. Maybe it's time to take Whitehead's advice and "disembark on Mount Ararat" to build something entirely new. Fair warning: This one's going to make some folks uncomfortable. But as Niebuhr reminds us, Christianity always stands under judgment—including its liberal expressions. ____________________________________________________________________________ I hope you enjoy it and consider supporting my work by joining 80k+ other people on ⁠Process This⁠. If you want to ⁠read or watch the essay, you will find it here ⁠on SubStack. ⁠⁠Theology Beer Camp | St. Paul, MN | October 16-18, 2025⁠⁠ 3 Days of Craft Nerdiness with 50+ Theologians & God-Pods and 600 new friends. Online Class:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rediscovering the Spirit: Hand-Raisers, Han, & the Holy Ghost⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ "⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Rediscovering the Spirit: Hand-Raisers, Han, and the Holy Ghost⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠" is an open-online course exploring the dynamic, often overlooked third person of the Trinity. Based on Grace Ji-Sun Kim's groundbreaking work on the Holy Spirit (pneumatology), this class takes participants on a journey through biblical foundations, historical developments, diverse cultural perspectives, and practical applications of Spirit theology. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠As always, this class is donation-based, including 0. To get class info and sign up, head over here. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ _____________________ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hang with 40+ Scholars & Podcasts and 600 people at Theology Beer Camp 2025 (Oct. 16-18) in St. Paul, MN. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ This podcast is a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Homebrewed Christianity⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ production. Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the Homebrewed Christianity⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Theology Nerd Throwdown⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Rise of Bonhoeffer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 80,000 other people by joining our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Substack - Process This!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get instant access to over 45 classes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.TheologyClass.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow the podcast, drop a review⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, send ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠feedback/questions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or become a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠member of the HBC Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. And today's shout-out goes to Cary Lemasters from Wellsville, OH. Cary, thank you for standing with us through Project23. Your support helps deliver the Word where it's needed most. This one's for you. Our text today is Mark 5:14-20: The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened. And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled. — Mark 5:14-20 The people come running because they've heard what happened and want to see it for themselves. And what they see shocks them. The same man who once lived naked in the tombs. The man who cried out night and day. The one who broke shackles and couldn't be subdued is now sitting. Clothed. Calm. In his right mind. It's such a radical transformation the crowd doesn't celebrate—they tremble in fear. The power of Jesus disturbs them more than the chaos of Legion. So they demand something tragic—they ask Jesus to leave. But not the man who was freed. He doesn't want Jesus to go without him. He begs to follow. But Jesus gives him a more important assignment: “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” And the man obeys. He tells his story. And people marvel. That's the power of a testimony. Theologians can argue. Skeptics can question. But no one can refute a changed life. This man didn't go to seminary—he came out of the tombs. And now he's a missionary to the very region that once feared him. That's what Jesus does. So—what has Jesus done for you that someone else needs to hear? You may not have a “Legion” story. But you do have a mercy story. Share it. Tell it. Live the mission. Don't keep it to yourself. God wants to use the story He's given you to preach the good news to others. You are the mouth he wants to use to tell the world about his mercy. #FromDarknessToLight, #MercyStory, #JesusSaves ASK THIS: What stands out most about the man's transformation? Why do you think the people were more afraid of Jesus than of Legion? How has God's mercy changed your life? Who in your life might need to hear that story? DO THIS: Write down your story—one moment or season where Jesus met you with mercy. Then, ask God to show you who needs to hear it this week. PRAY THIS: Jesus, thank you for the mercy you've shown me. Don't let me keep it to myself. Use my story to point others to your love and power. Amen. PLAY THIS: "My Story" by Big Daddy Weave.

In this episode, Dr. Mo continues the series, Resurrection and Relationships. Today's focus is when we find ourselves engaging in the difficult work of reconciliation and there is frustration and grief from the perpetrator. We are discussing and thinking about practical ways to participate in the work of reconciliation. Dr. Mo reads from John 21:15-17 as we focus on this interaction between Jesus and Peter. Ironically, this is the third time that Jesus appears to the disciples following the Resurrection. And here we see Jesus asking Peter three times if Peter really loves Him. Theologians suggest that Jesus asked this question three times as a way to redeem Peter. One time for each of the three denials of Jesus. Tune in to this episode as we think about how Jesus might be inviting perpetrators of betrayal to engage in reconciliation especially when one might be grieved at the duration of the process and the repeated interrogations. Information for Dr. Mohttps://www.drmoniquesmithgadson.com/Link to order “Finding Hope in A Dark Place”:https://lexhampress.com/search?query=Finding%20Hope%20in%20a%20Dark%20Place%3A%20Facing%20Loneliness%2C%20Depression%2C%20and%20Anxiety%20with%20the%20Power%20of%20Grace&sortBy=Relevance&limit=30&page=1&ownership=all&geographicAvailability=allhttps://www.amazon.com/Finding-Hope-Dark-Place-Loneliness/dp/1683596358/ref=rvi_sccl_7/138-1785751-1148333?pd_rd_w=decCb&content-id=amzn1.sym.f5690a4d-f2bb-45d9-9d1b-736fee412437&pf_rd_p=f5690a4d-f2bb-45d9-9d1b-736fee412437&pf_rd_r=GMEBCA5ZB54MM98HHN5F&pd_rd_wg=pwctW&pd_rd_r=0cf054c6-aedd-427d-ac2a-563757407228&pd_rd_i=1683596358&psc=1Follow us on social media: https://www.facebook.com/And-The-Church-Said-Podcast-106848090932637https://instagram.com/drmoniquesmithgadson?igshid=1bmt2hei1j6i8Support And The Church Said:Cash App:  https://cash.app/$andthechurchsaidPayPal:  https://paypal.me/andthechurchsaid?locale.x=en_US. 

Send us a textOne of the most rewarding parts of Mixtape Theology has been finding our 90s CCM tribe and meeting friends through our social media pages. Join host Rachel Cash as she has a nostalgic, informal chat with two new friends, Dean Deaver and Mike Crose, that she met through Mixtape Theology. So, have a seat and come hang out. Join the tribe. Our book, Mixtape Theology: 90s Christian Edition, is available now: https://a.co/d/fdimT0bCome hang out with us and fellow mixtape theologians on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @MixtapeTheology or by visiting mixtapetheology.com/stuffCome check out 90s Christian swag at our merch store at mixtapetheology.comWe are part of the NRT (New Release Today) podcast network. Find more Christian music related podcasts at newreleasetoday.com

What is culture, and what is our relationship to it as Christians? Dennis Greeson joins the podcast today to talk about his recent book The Way of Christ in Culture: A Vision for All of Life (Lifeway 2024), coauthored with Benjamin T. Quinn. In the book, the authors provide a framework for knowing one's time in God's story, one's place in creation, and following wisdom. He also shares about the Alexandrian Institute, a cohort-based model for theological education focused on engaging Scripture and confessional traditions and the wisdom of previous generations of Christians, and sending students to engage their context. 

What sustained Joseph during all of his trials in Egypt? Certainly, a big part of it was his ongoing awareness of God's presence. Despite betrayal, slavery, and imprisonment, Joseph remained faithful, attentive to others' needs, and confident in God's presence and plan. Practicing the presence of God is about learning to live aware of being in the presence of God all the time. Theologians sometimes call this living "coram deo"—before the face or gaze of God. As we cultivate this awareness in our lives, it enables us to serve and thrive even while we endure, discern what's what as we make decisions, and to know we're never forgotten by God (even when it feels like it, and even when people do forget us).

This week, James Arcadi joins the podcast to talk about his latest book, Holiness: Divine and Human (2023). He also shares about his dual calling to both pastoral ministry as a full-time Anglican rector, and to academic theology as a guest professor at Wheaton College. What is the relationship between abstract ideas and practical application? What does it mean for something to be "consecrated" or "holy"?  This and more on today's podcast!

Urban Hannon, Taylor Patrick O'Neill, and Matthew Dugandzic answer your questions about liturgical commentaries, feminism, and original sin.To submit your questions about whatever for a future episode, email us at thequodlibets@gmail.com.Be sure to follow the Sacra Doctrina Project on Facebook and Twitter as well.

On the podcast this week, Adam Copenhaver shares with us about his early ministry caring for an older congregation, and his education and research on Colossians. He also tells us about his current pastoral context leading a church in a small, migrant farm town which had previously been led by an abusive pastor. He previews the breakout topic he will lead at the 2025 CPT Conference, Good Shepherds: Pastoral Identity and the Future of the Church. How can our churches become both helpful and welcoming to those who are suffering abuse or oppression? How can pastors identify and eliminate harmful tendencies in themselves that could lead to abuse later? 

What happens when two theological giants who love Jesus have a FIERY public fallout?

This week we are joined by CTP Fellow Ben Burkholder. Ben shares how he developed an interest in learning how people grow as disciples. Reflecting on his time as a student, Ben also shares insights about the relationship between psychology and spiritual formation. This and more on today's podcast! 

On today's program, a team of elders is recommending Dr. Michael Brown return to public ministry in spite of a recent report concluding that he engaged in sexual misconduct. We'll have details. And, the Presbyterian Church USA—historically, very involved in evangelistic efforts—is now closing its missions agency. Theologians say they are not surprised given the denomination's leftward drift. Plus, more than a year after Wycliffe Bible Translators listed its sprawling Orlando headquarters for sale, its status remains unclear with the property still marked “under contract.” MinistryWatch reporter Shannon Cuthrell takes a closer look. But first, megachurch Pastor TD Jakes has announced plans to step aside as head of The Potter's House. T.D. Jakes, the well-known pastor of Dallas megachurch The Potter's House, plans to step aside later this year and appoint his daughter and son-in-law as the church's leaders, Christianity Today reported. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Kim Roberts, Mark Wingfield, Tyler Hummel, Shannon Cuthrell, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell. A special thanks to Baptist News Global for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

Theologians often use three words to describe the Christian life. It begins with justification—being declared righteous before God. It continues through sanctification—the process of becoming like Jesus. And it culminates with glorification in heaven. On this episode of The Legacy Room, Dr. Nathan Busenitz and Dr. Abner Chou take an in-depth look at sanctification—this long, often painful process of becoming more and more holy. They look at the biblical truths and tools essential for every believer's sanctification.

In this episode, Dr. Jason Storm returns to explore the relationship between science, religion, and meaning in the modern world. Starting with Storm's work on The Myth of Disenchantment, they discuss how the conventional narrative of modernity leading to widespread secularization and loss of magical/spiritual thinking is largely inaccurate. Storm explains how this narrative emerged in the 19th century while spiritualism and occult movements were actually flourishing. They examine the fragmentation of belief systems, the historical transformation of faith and epistemology, and how various "meaning crises" arise in contemporary society. The conversation touches on capitalism's relationship with environmental degradation, our connection to nature as a source of meaning, and the limitations of postmodernism. Storm advocates for a metamodern approach that encourages epistemic humility, community engagement, and brave spaces for meaningful dialogue to address complex social problems. You can read more about it in Metamodernism: The Future of Theory and check out his previous visit to the podcast, where we discuss it here. You can WATCH the conversation on YouTube Jason Ananda Josephson Storm is chair and professor of religion and chair of science and technology studies at Williams College. He is a scholar and author whose work focuses on the intersection of religion, science, and meaning in modern society. He has written several influential books including The Myth of Disenchantment, which challenges conventional narratives about secularization and modernity, and Metamodernism and the Future of Theory, which proposes new frameworks for moving beyond postmodern skepticism. Storm teaches courses on philosophy and meaning, including a popular class on "The Meaning of Life," where he introduces students to diverse philosophical and religious traditions. His research examines how individuals navigate belief systems in a fragmented cultural landscape, the relationship between institutional authority and personal meaning-making, and constructive approaches to addressing contemporary social crises. Storm advocates for epistemic humility, community engagement, and creating "brave spaces" for meaningful dialogue across differences. THEOLOGY BEER CAMP | Oct 16-18, 2025 | St. Paul, MN 3 Days of Craft Nerdiness with 50+ Theologians & God-Pods and 600 new friends. ONLINE CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT: The Many Faces of Christ Today The question Jesus asked his disciples still resonates today: "Who do you say that I am?" Join our transformative 5-week online learning community as we explore a rich tapestry of contemporary Christologies. Experience how diverse theological voices create a compelling vision of Jesus Christ for today's world. Expand your spiritual horizons. Challenge your assumptions. Enrich your faith. As always, the class is donation-based (including 0), so head over to ManyFacesOfChrist.com for more details and to sign up! _____________________ Hang with 40+ Scholars & Podcasts and 600 people at Theology Beer Camp 2025 (Oct. 16-18) in St. Paul, MN. This podcast is a Homebrewed Christianity production. Follow the Homebrewed Christianity, Theology Nerd Throwdown, & The Rise of Bonhoeffer podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 80,000 other people by joining our Substack - Process This! Get instant access to over 45 classes at www.TheologyClass.com Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this session, Dr. Ruben Rosario Rodriguez provides an overview of Reformed Christology, focusing on the theological contributions of two key 20th century Reformed theologians: Karl Barth and Jürgen Moltmann. He begins by introducing the Reformed tradition's historical roots in 16th century Calvinism and its emphasis on social responsibility. It then examines Barth's Christocentric theology, which emphasizes God's transcendence and self-revelation in Christ as the only source of knowledge about God. Barth rejected liberal Protestantism's subjective approach and insisted on Christ as the center of all theology. He then transitions to Moltmann, whose theology developed in the shadow of the Holocaust. Moltmann rejected the doctrine of divine impassibility, arguing that God suffers with humanity, particularly through Christ on the cross. His Trinitarian theology emphasizes God as a community of equals and has political implications, including the church's responsibility to critique society and work toward justice. Both theologians maintain that Christ's suffering reveals God's solidarity with the oppressed and offers hope for transformation. You can WATCH the conversation on YouTube Join the class & watch Ruben's lecture-> The Many Faces of Christ Today! Theology Beer Camp | St. Paul, MN | October 16-18, 2025 3 Days of Craft Nerdiness with 50+ Theologians & God-Pods and 600 new friends. ONLINE CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT: The Many Faces of Christ Today The question Jesus asked his disciples still resonates today: "Who do you say that I am?" Join our transformative 5-week online learning community as we explore a rich tapestry of contemporary Christologies. Experience how diverse theological voices create a compelling vision of Jesus Christ for today's world. Expand your spiritual horizons. Challenge your assumptions. Enrich your faith. As always, the class is donation-based (including 0), so head over to ManyFacesOfChrist.com for more details and to sign up! _____________________ Hang with 40+ Scholars & Podcasts and 600 people at Theology Beer Camp 2025 (Oct. 16-18) in St. Paul, MN. This podcast is a Homebrewed Christianity production. Follow the Homebrewed Christianity, Theology Nerd Throwdown, & The Rise of Bonhoeffer podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 80,000 other people by joining our Substack - Process This! Get instant access to over 45 classes at www.TheologyClass.com Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sarah Heath, and Kristen Tideman joined me to unveil the exciting details for Theology Beer Camp 2025 in this lively promotional episode filled with laughter, nostalgia, and anticipation. The hosts reminisce about past camps while revealing this year's Monty Python-inspired theme, "Quest for the Holy Stein," coming to St. Paul, Minnesota this October. With an impressive lineup of theologians, free-flowing beer, and a community-focused approach, this episode captures the unique blend of intellectual engagement and genuine fun that makes Theology Beer Camp a must-attend event for theology nerds and craft beer enthusiasts alike. You can WATCH this conversation on YouTube Key Announcements for Theology Beer Camp 2025: Dates and Location: October 16-18, 2025 in St. Paul, Minnesota Theme: "Theology Beer Camp and the Quest for the Holy Stein"  Early Bird Tickets: Available until May 15th at theologybeercamp2025.com Impressive Speaker Lineup: Including John Dominic Crossan, Kelly Brown Douglas, Reggie Williams, Adam Clark, Jeff Pugh, Casper ter Kulie from Harry Potter and the Sacred Text podcast, Juan and Stacy Floyd-Thomas, and Philip Clayton  Multiple Podcast Participants: Bible for Normal People, Rethinking Faith, Theology on the Rocks, The New Evangelicals, People's Theology, and more Included with Registration: Free beer and non-alcoholic beverages all weekend, breakfast & lunch on Friday and Saturday, snacks and coffee, access to all sessions and activities Special Events: Bottle share, karaoke, cosplay opportunities, regional and affinity group meetups Community Connections: Active Facebook group and Discord server for attendees to connect Virtual Option: Available for those who can't attend in person Theology Beer Camp | St. Paul, MN | October 16-18, 2025 3 Days of Craft Nerdiness with 50+ Theologians & God-Pods and 600 new friends. ONLINE CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT: The Many Faces of Christ Today The question Jesus asked his disciples still resonates today: "Who do you say that I am?" Join our transformative 5-week online learning community as we explore a rich tapestry of contemporary Christologies. Experience how diverse theological voices create a compelling vision of Jesus Christ for today's world. Expand your spiritual horizons. Challenge your assumptions. Enrich your faith. As always, the class is donation-based (including 0), so head over to ManyFacesOfChrist.com for more details and to sign up! _____________________ Hang with 40+ Scholars & Podcasts and 600 people at Theology Beer Camp 2025 (Oct. 16-18) in St. Paul, MN. This podcast is a Homebrewed Christianity production. Follow the Homebrewed Christianity, Theology Nerd Throwdown, & The Rise of Bonhoeffer podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 80,000 other people by joining our Substack - Process This! Get instant access to over 45 classes at www.TheologyClass.com Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I am joined by Congressman Eric Swalwell. We discuss his background, faith, and political journey to Congress. Swalwell shares how he first came to Campbell University (a small Christian school in North Carolina) on a soccer scholarship, where he was the goalkeeper on the soccer team. Though politics wasn't initially on his radar, an injury led him to explore student government, mock trial, and Model UN activities. After interning for a member of Congress, he transferred to the University of Maryland to pursue public service. Throughout the discussion, Swalwell reflects on being a Democrat of faith, noting that many Democrats tend to keep their faith private because they see how religion can be "weaponized" in politics. He expresses a desire for more collaborative cooperation across faith lines rather than using religion as "a means to power." The conversation also touches on polarizing issues like gun control, with Swalwell advocating for an assault weapons ban while preserving Americans' rights to own firearms for protection, sport, and hunting. The interview wrapped up when he had to head off to vote. You can WATCH the conversation on YouTube Theology Beer Camp | St. Paul, MN | October 16-18, 2025 3 Days of Craft Nerdiness with 50+ Theologians & God-Pods and 600 new friends. ONLINE CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT: The Many Faces of Christ Today The question Jesus asked his disciples still resonates today: "Who do you say that I am?" Join our transformative 5-week online learning community as we explore a rich tapestry of contemporary Christologies. Experience how diverse theological voices create a compelling vision of Jesus Christ for today's world. Expand your spiritual horizons. Challenge your assumptions. Enrich your faith. As always, the class is donation-based (including 0), so head over to ManyFacesOfChrist.com for more details and to sign up! _____________________ Hang with 40+ Scholars & Podcasts and 600 people at Theology Beer Camp 2025 (Oct. 16-18) in St. Paul, MN. This podcast is a Homebrewed Christianity production. Follow the Homebrewed Christianity, Theology Nerd Throwdown, & The Rise of Bonhoeffer podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 80,000 other people by joining our Substack - Process This! Get instant access to over 45 classes at www.TheologyClass.com Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Sociologist Christian Smith discusses his new book Why Religion Went Obsolete. Smith explains that while traditional religion has been declining in America for decades, this decline hasn't resulted in greater secularism but rather a shift toward what he calls "re-enchantment culture." He argues that religion hasn't simply declined but has become obsolete - still functional but superseded by alternatives that better match contemporary sensibilities. Smith identifies numerous causal factors behind this obsolescence, including technological changes, neoliberal capitalism, transformed family structures, and the internet. He emphasizes how religious institutions often contributed to their own obsolescence through scandals and political entanglements. Our conversation explores how these changes have created a "millennial zeitgeist" that fundamentally mismatches with traditional religious structures, making religion feel outdated for younger generations who are raised with different cultural assumptions and technological environments. You can WATCH the conversation on YouTube Christian Smith is a renowned sociologist specializing in the study of religion in contemporary society. He currently teaches at the University of Notre Dame, where he conducts extensive research on religious trends, particularly among young Americans. Smith is the author of multiple influential books exploring faith, culture, and generational shifts, including his latest work Why Religion Went Obsolete. He previously developed the concept of "Moralistic Therapeutic Deism" to describe the dominant religious worldview of American teenagers. Smith's research often combines quantitative data analysis with qualitative interviews to understand the complex factors shaping religious participation and belief. His work examines how broad cultural and economic transformations affect religious institutions and practices, with particular attention to how different generations experience and express spirituality. Smith approaches religious change through a sociological lens that emphasizes cultural contexts rather than focusing solely on individual belief or institutional membership. Theology Beer Camp | St. Paul, MN | October 16-18, 2025 3 Days of Craft Nerdiness with 50+ Theologians & God-Pods and 600 new friends. ONLINE CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT: The Many Faces of Christ Today The question Jesus asked his disciples still resonates today: "Who do you say that I am?" Join our transformative 5-week online learning community as we explore a rich tapestry of contemporary Christologies. Experience how diverse theological voices create a compelling vision of Jesus Christ for today's world. Expand your spiritual horizons. Challenge your assumptions. Enrich your faith. As always, the class is donation-based (including 0), so head over to ManyFacesOfChrist.com for more details and to sign up! _____________________ Hang with 40+ Scholars & Podcasts and 600 people at Theology Beer Camp 2025 (Oct. 16-18) in St. Paul, MN. This podcast is a Homebrewed Christianity production. Follow the Homebrewed Christianity, Theology Nerd Throwdown, & The Rise of Bonhoeffer podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 80,000 other people by joining our Substack - Process This! Get instant access to over 45 classes at www.TheologyClass.com Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is an audio version of an essay on my substack, Process This. In it, I unpack Dietrich Bonhoeffer's theological reflection on Jesus' experience in the Garden of Gethsemane, which he sees as a central metaphor for authentic Christian faith. I struggle with Bonhoeffer's conviction that true Christianity isn't found in religious performance or institutional power but in standing with God in suffering. Following Bonhoeffer's interpretation of Jesus's question, "Could you not stay awake with me one hour?" I explore how he sees Jesus calling believers to practice solidarity with those who suffer rather than seeking religious escape or comfort. According to Bonhoeffer, authentic faith emerges through presence in places of abandonment and vulnerability, where God is revealed not as a problem-solver but as one who enters fully into human suffering. I hope you enjoy it and consider supporting my work by joining 80k+ other people on Process This. If you want to read or watch the essay, you will find it here on SubStack. Theology Beer Camp | St. Paul, MN | October 16-18, 2025 3 Days of Craft Nerdiness with 50+ Theologians & God-Pods and 600 new friends. ONLINE CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT: The Many Faces of Christ Today The question Jesus asked his disciples still resonates today: "Who do you say that I am?" Join our transformative 5-week online learning community as we explore a rich tapestry of contemporary Christologies. Experience how diverse theological voices create a compelling vision of Jesus Christ for today's world. Expand your spiritual horizons. Challenge your assumptions. Enrich your faith. As always, the class is donation-based (including 0), so head over to ManyFacesOfChrist.com for more details and to sign up! _____________________ Hang with 40+ Scholars & Podcasts and 600 people at Theology Beer Camp 2025 (Oct. 16-18) in St. Paul, MN. This podcast is a Homebrewed Christianity production. Follow the Homebrewed Christianity, Theology Nerd Throwdown, & The Rise of Bonhoeffer podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 80,000 other people by joining our Substack - Process This! Get instant access to over 45 classes at www.TheologyClass.com Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For this deeply philosophical conversation, I am joined by Norman Wirzba as we discuss his new book Love's Braided Dance and explore the concept of hope in our modern crisis-filled world. Wirzba explains that many young people view hope with suspicion, often because modern culture promotes shallow optimism over genuine hope. He argues that true hope isn't passive waiting but active participation in loving engagement with others and the world. Wirzba contrasts our modern society's obsession with control, acceleration, and technological solutions with the need for deeper resonance, meaningful connections, and the willingness to embrace friction in relationships. He emphasizes that hope emerges through community and solidarity rather than individual heroism, and requires practices of forgiveness, listening, and Sabbath rest to counteract our culture's demands for constant productivity and consumption. You can WATCH the conversation on YouTube   Norman Wirzba is a distinguished professor at Duke University who specializes in theology, philosophy, and environmental ethics. His interdisciplinary work explores the intersections of faith, ecology, and community life, with particular emphasis on how religious traditions can inform sustainable ways of living. Wirzba is known for his thoughtful examination of prayer, hope, and humanity's relationship with the natural world. He has authored numerous books, including Agrarian Spirit and Love's Braided Dance, which examines hope in times of crisis. His scholarship frequently challenges modern assumptions about progress, consumption, and individualism while offering alternative visions rooted in attentiveness, community, and care for creation. Previous Episodes with Dr. Wirzba Farm to Table Theology Way of Love Theology Beer Camp | St. Paul, MN | October 16-18, 2025 3 Days of Craft Nerdiness with 50+ Theologians & God-Pods and 600 new friends. ONLINE CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT: The Many Faces of Christ Today The question Jesus asked his disciples still resonates today: "Who do you say that I am?" Join our transformative 5-week online learning community as we explore a rich tapestry of contemporary Christologies. Experience how diverse theological voices create a compelling vision of Jesus Christ for today's world. Expand your spiritual horizons. Challenge your assumptions. Enrich your faith. As always, the class is donation-based (including 0), so head over to ManyFacesOfChrist.com for more details and to sign up! _____________________ Hang with 40+ Scholars & Podcasts and 600 people at Theology Beer Camp 2025 (Oct. 16-18) in St. Paul, MN. This podcast is a Homebrewed Christianity production. Follow the Homebrewed Christianity, Theology Nerd Throwdown, & The Rise of Bonhoeffer podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 80,000 other people by joining our Substack - Process This! Get instant access to over 45 classes at www.TheologyClass.com Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this session, biblical scholar John Dominic Crossan explores his proposal to reconstruct Easter, focusing on Paul's understanding of "the mystery of God." Crossan argues that this mystery refers to how God allowed Jesus, as Messiah, to be executed by Roman civilization to reveal its inherent injustice, while simultaneously vindicating Jesus through resurrection to reveal the justice of creation. He proposes that historically, the earliest interpretations of Jesus's exaltation were likely focused on individual ascension rather than resurrection, and that it was Paul who transformed this understanding into universal resurrection as an in-time process rather than merely an end-time event. Crossan contrasts Western Christianity's individual resurrection imagery with Eastern Christianity's universal resurrection imagery, arguing that the Eastern tradition is more faithful to Paul's original vision. He concludes by suggesting that Paul's cosmic justice concept serves as a metaphor for humanity's evolutionary challenge of sustainability, and proposes that both theists and atheists should focus on cosmic evolution rather than debating God's existence. You can WATCH the conversation on YouTube To access all 5 of Crossan's lectures, submit questions, and join future live streams, head here to join the class. John Dominic Crossan, professor emeritus at DePaul University, is widely regarded as the foremost historical Jesus scholar of our time. Previous Podcast Episodes with Dom & Tripp Paul, Josephus, & the Challenge of Nonviolent Resistance Paul, Rome, & the Violent Normalcy of Civilization Paul & the Fictional History of Luke-Acts Paul & Thecla Ask JC Anything Diana Butler Bass & John Dominic Crossan: The Resurrection of Jesus Brian McLaren & John Dominic Crossan: The Message of Jesus & the Judgement of Civilization Brian Zahnd & John Dominic Crossan: God, Violence, Empire, & Salvation Why the Biblical Paul is Awesome Christian Resurrection & Human Evolution The Cross & the Crisis of Civilization The Coming Kingdom & the Risen Christ The Parables of Jesus & the Parable of God How to think about Jesus like a Historian the Last Week of Jesus' Life Jesus, Paul, & Bible Questions Saving the Biblical Christmas Stories the most important discovery for understanding Jesus The Bible, Violence, & Our Future Resurrecting Easter on the First Christmas   From Jesus' Parables to Parables of God  Render Unto Caesar on God & Empire Join Dom Crossan at ...Theology Beer Camp | St. Paul, MN | October 16-18, 2025 3 Days of Craft Nerdiness with 50+ Theologians & God-Pods and 600 new friends. ONLINE CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT: The Many Faces of Christ Today The question Jesus asked his disciples still resonates today: "Who do you say that I am?" Join our transformative 5-week online learning community as we explore a rich tapestry of contemporary Christologies. Experience how diverse theological voices create a compelling vision of Jesus Christ for today's world. Expand your spiritual horizons. Challenge your assumptions. Enrich your faith. As always, the class is donation-based (including 0), so head over to ManyFacesOfChrist.com for more details and to sign up! _____________________ Hang with 40+ Scholars & Podcasts and 600 people at Theology Beer Camp 2025 (Oct. 16-18) in St. Paul, MN. This podcast is a Homebrewed Christianity production. Follow the Homebrewed Christianity, Theology Nerd Throwdown, & The Rise of Bonhoeffer podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 80,000 other people by joining our Substack - Process This! Get instant access to over 45 classes at www.TheologyClass.com Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I am joined by Mark Vernon to discuss the relationship between spirituality, science, and meaning in the modern world. Mark explores how our conception of religion has narrowed to focus primarily on doctrines and morals rather than experiential dimensions, which is a relatively recent development in human history. Vernon describes how human spiritual intelligence evolved not merely as a survival mechanism but as a form of "niche exploration" that allowed humans to discover immaterial realities. He contrasts the dominant enlightenment epistemology of mastery and control with spiritual traditions that emphasize receptivity and participation. Throughout the conversation, Vernon weaves together insights from his background in physics, theology, philosophy, and psychotherapy to argue that reconnecting with our inner lives and recovering a sense of wonder might be essential for addressing our current meaning crisis. You can WATCH the conversation on YouTube Mark Vernon is a psychodynamic psychotherapist, philosopher, and author who previously served as an Anglican priest. With a background spanning physics, theology, and ancient Greek philosophy, Vernon has dedicated his career to exploring the intersection of spirituality, science, and human meaning. He hosts regular dialogues with scientist Rupert Sheldrake, writes extensively on philosophical and spiritual topics, and maintains an active presence through various media platforms including YouTube and Substack. Vernon's diverse intellectual journey reflects his ongoing exploration of how head and heart can connect to address fundamental questions of human existence. You can check out his books here. Theology Beer Camp | St. Paul, MN | October 16-18, 2025 3 Days of Craft Nerdiness with 50+ Theologians & God-Pods and 600 new friends. ONLINE CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT: The Many Faces of Christ Today The question Jesus asked his disciples still resonates today: "Who do you say that I am?" Join our transformative 5-week online learning community as we explore a rich tapestry of contemporary Christologies. Experience how diverse theological voices create a compelling vision of Jesus Christ for today's world. Expand your spiritual horizons. Challenge your assumptions. Enrich your faith. As always, the class is donation-based (including 0), so head over to ManyFacesOfChrist.com for more details and to sign up! _____________________ Hang with 40+ Scholars & Podcasts and 600 people at Theology Beer Camp 2025 (Oct. 16-18) in St. Paul, MN. This podcast is a Homebrewed Christianity production. Follow the Homebrewed Christianity, Theology Nerd Throwdown, & The Rise of Bonhoeffer podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 80,000 other people by joining our Substack - Process This! Get instant access to over 45 classes at www.TheologyClass.com Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this session, biblical scholar John Dominic Crossan examines the fundamental conflict between two competing visions in the ancient world: divine deliverance and human resistance. He contrasts the positions of two self-identified Pharisees - Paul and Josephus - revealing how Josephus portrayed Rome's imperial power as divinely ordained while Paul offered a radical alternative vision. Most provocatively, Crossan uncovers evidence of organized nonviolent resistance movements in first-century Judaism that predated Jesus and Paul, suggesting these movements connected Pharisaic beliefs about the resurrection with nonviolent opposition to empire. This historical context illuminates Jesus' command to "love your enemies" as a form of nonviolent resistance, challenging us to consider whether humanity must embrace Paul's radical vision of justice over empire to become a sustainable species. Through archaeological and textual evidence, Crossan demonstrates how these competing worldviews physically manifested in the ancient world, ultimately asking whether Paul's alternative vision remains our best hope against escalating violence. To access all 5 of Crossan's lectures, submit questions, and join future live streams, head here to join the class. You can WATCH the conversation on YouTube John Dominic Crossan, professor emeritus at DePaul University, is widely regarded as the foremost historical Jesus scholar of our time. He is the author of several bestselling books, including The Historical Jesus, How to Read the Bible and Still Be a Christian, God and Empire, Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography, The Greatest Prayer, The Last Week, and The Power of Parable. He lives in Minneola, Florida. Previous Podcast Episodes with Dom & Tripp Paul, Rome, & the Violent Normalcy of Civilization Paul & the Fictional History of Luke-Acts Paul & Thecla Ask JC Anything Diana Butler Bass & John Dominic Crossan: The Resurrection of Jesus Brian McLaren & John Dominic Crossan: The Message of Jesus & the Judgement of Civilization Brian Zahnd & John Dominic Crossan: God, Violence, Empire, & Salvation Why the Biblical Paul is Awesome Christian Resurrection & Human Evolution The Cross & the Crisis of Civilization The Coming Kingdom & the Risen Christ The Parables of Jesus & the Parable of God How to think about Jesus like a Historian the Last Week of Jesus' Life Jesus, Paul, & Bible Questions Saving the Biblical Christmas Stories the most important discovery for understanding Jesus The Bible, Violence, & Our Future Resurrecting Easter on the First Christmas   From Jesus' Parables to Parables of God  Render Unto Caesar on God & Empire Join Dom Crossan at ...Theology Beer Camp | St. Paul, MN | October 16-18, 2025 3 Days of Craft Nerdiness with 50+ Theologians & God-Pods and 600 new friends. ONLINE CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT: The Many Faces of Christ Today The question Jesus asked his disciples still resonates today: "Who do you say that I am?" Join our transformative 5-week online learning community as we explore a rich tapestry of contemporary Christologies. Experience how diverse theological voices create a compelling vision of Jesus Christ for today's world. Expand your spiritual horizons. Challenge your assumptions. Enrich your faith. As always, the class is donation-based (including 0), so head over to ManyFacesOfChrist.com for more details and to sign up! _____________________ Hang with 40+ Scholars & Podcasts and 600 people at Theology Beer Camp 2025 (Oct. 16-18) in St. Paul, MN. This podcast is a Homebrewed Christianity production. Follow the Homebrewed Christianity, Theology Nerd Throwdown, & The Rise of Bonhoeffer podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 80,000 other people by joining our Substack - Process This! Get instant access to over 45 classes at www.TheologyClass.com Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this thought-provoking episode, I am joined by theologian and philosopher Kevin Hart to discuss the nature of contemplation in both religious and secular contexts. Hart traces the historical origins of contemplation from ancient Rome and Greece through Christian traditions, distinguishing it from meditation and contrasting it with our modern culture of fascination. He draws on phenomenology, particularly Husserl's work, to explain how contemplation offers a way to move beyond the limiting "natural attitude" to experience reality more fully. Hart discusses how poetry, particularly that of Gerard Manley Hopkins, exemplifies contemplative engagement with the world, and explores how Jesus' parables invite a shift from worldly preoccupations to an intimate relationship with God. Throughout the conversation, Hart warns about the dangers of our technology-driven "culture of fascination" that traps our attention and leads to emptiness, while offering practical guidance on contemplative reading through practices like Lectio Divina that might help modern people recover a more enriching way of engaging with texts, the world, and the divine. You can WATCH the conversation on YouTube Dr. Kevin Hart is Jo Rae Wright University Distinguished Professor in the Divinity School. He is a philosopher, phenomenologist, and theologian. His academic work spans the intersection of philosophy, literature, and theology, with particular emphasis on religious experience, contemplation, and phenomenology. Hart is known for his significant contributions to understanding both religious and secular forms of contemplation, drawing on thinkers like Edmund Husserl while engaging deeply with Christian contemplative traditions.  If you are new to Dr. Hart's work, check out Contemplation: The Movements of the Soul, Lands of Likeness: For a Poetics of Contemplation, and Poetry and Revelation: For a Phenomenology of Religious Poetry.   Theology Beer Camp | St. Paul, MN | October 16-18, 2025 3 Days of Craft Nerdiness with 50+ Theologians & God-Pods and 600 new friends. ONLINE CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT: The Many Faces of Christ Today The question Jesus asked his disciples still resonates today: "Who do you say that I am?" Join our transformative 5-week online learning community as we explore a rich tapestry of contemporary Christologies. Experience how diverse theological voices create a compelling vision of Jesus Christ for today's world. Expand your spiritual horizons. Challenge your assumptions. Enrich your faith. As always, the class is donation-based (including 0), so head over to ManyFacesOfChrist.com for more details and to sign up! _____________________ Hang with 40+ Scholars & Podcasts and 600 people at Theology Beer Camp 2025 (Oct. 16-18) in St. Paul, MN. This podcast is a Homebrewed Christianity production. Follow the Homebrewed Christianity, Theology Nerd Throwdown, & The Rise of Bonhoeffer podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 80,000 other people by joining our Substack - Process This! Get instant access to over 45 classes at www.TheologyClass.com Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this session, biblical scholar Dominic Crossan examines the fundamental conflict between two visions of peace in the ancient world. He contrasts Augustus' Res Gestae (carved imperial boasts of achievements) with Paul's letters, revealing how Rome established "peace through victory" while Paul offered an alternative vision based on justice and non-violence. Crossan traces this tension back to Genesis, where human civilization begins with Cain's fratricide and escalates through generations of violence, contrasting sharply with the divine vision of creation centered on Sabbath justice. Through archaeological evidence from Galatian sites where Paul traveled, Crossan demonstrates how these competing worldviews physically manifested in the landscape, ultimately challenging us to consider whether humanity's inherent tendency toward escalating violence makes us a sustainable species or whether we must embrace Paul's alternative vision of peace through justice. To access all 5 of Crossan's lectures, submit questions, and join future live streams, head here to join the class. You can WATCH the conversation on YouTube John Dominic Crossan, professor emeritus at DePaul University, is widely regarded as the foremost historical Jesus scholar of our time. He is the author of several bestselling books, including The Historical Jesus, How to Read the Bible and Still Be a Christian, God and Empire, Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography, The Greatest Prayer, The Last Week, and The Power of Parable. He lives in Minneola, Florida. Previous Podcast Episodes with Dom & Tripp Paul & the Fictional History of Luke-Acts Paul & Thecla Ask JC Anything Diana Butler Bass & John Dominic Crossan: The Resurrection of Jesus Brian McLaren & John Dominic Crossan: The Message of Jesus & the Judgement of Civilization Brian Zahnd & John Dominic Crossan: God, Violence, Empire, & Salvation Why the Biblical Paul is Awesome Christian Resurrection & Human Evolution The Cross & the Crisis of Civilization The Coming Kingdom & the Risen Christ The Parables of Jesus & the Parable of God How to think about Jesus like a Historian the Last Week of Jesus' Life Jesus, Paul, & Bible Questions Saving the Biblical Christmas Stories the most important discovery for understanding Jesus The Bible, Violence, & Our Future Resurrecting Easter on the First Christmas   From Jesus' Parables to Parables of God  Render Unto Caesar on God & Empire Join Dom Crossan at ...Theology Beer Camp | St. Paul, MN | October 16-18, 2025 3 Days of Craft Nerdiness with 50+ Theologians & God-Pods and 600 new friends. A Five-Week Online Lenten Class w/ John Dominic Crossan Join us for a transformative 5-week Lenten journey on "Paul the Pharisee: Faith and Politics in a Divided World."This course examines the Apostle Paul as a Pharisee deeply engaged with the turbulent political and religious landscape of his time. For details and to sign-up for any donation, including 0, head over here. _____________________ Hang with 40+ Scholars & Podcasts and 600 people at Theology Beer Camp 2025 (Oct. 16-18) in St. Paul, MN. This podcast is a Homebrewed Christianity production. Follow the Homebrewed Christianity, Theology Nerd Throwdown, & The Rise of Bonhoeffer podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 80,000 other people by joining our Substack - Process This! Get instant access to over 45 classes at www.TheologyClass.com Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is an audio version of an essay on my substack, Process This. In it, I explore the tension between contemplation and fascination in the digital age, particularly regarding smartphone use. Inspired by my son's school essay on phone-free schools, I took up a Lenten social media fast. Learning how deeply our digital habits have affected our capacity for genuine connection has been revelatory. Inspired by recent conversations with philosophers Kevin Hart and Norman Wirzba, I develop a distinction between contemplation and fascination. Through their attention-fragmenting design, smartphones ultimately create hollow connections that diminish our ability to be present with others and ourselves. Rather than advocating for complete technological rejection, I think about intentionally cultivating contemplative practices as a counterbalance to digital habituation, suggesting that creating space for more profound attention may be essential to human freedom in our increasingly digitized world. I hope you enjoy it and consider supporting my work by joining 80k+ other people on Process This. If you want to read or watch the essay, you will find it here on SubStack. Related Resources Norman Wirzba Love's Braided Dance: Hope in a Time of Crisis (Book) This Sacred Life: Humanity's Place in a Wounded World (Book) “Attention and Responsibility: The Work of Prayer” in The Phenomenology of Prayer (Article) Farm to Table Theology (HBC Podcast) The Way of Love (HBC Podcast) Kevin Hart Contemplation: The Movements of the Soul (Book) Lands of Likeness: For a Poetics of Contemplation (Book) Hartmut Rosa Being at Home in the World (Podcast) Resonance In An Accelerated Age (Podcast) Related books by Rosa:The Uncontrollability of the World , Resonance: A Sociology of Our Relationship to the World, and his newest book, Democracy Needs Religion. Theology Beer Camp | St. Paul, MN | October 16-18, 2025 3 Days of Craft Nerdiness with 50+ Theologians & God-Pods and 600 new friends. A Five-Week Online Lenten Class w/ John Dominic Crossan Join us for a transformative 5-week Lenten journey on "Paul the Pharisee: Faith and Politics in a Divided World."This course examines the Apostle Paul as a Pharisee deeply engaged with the turbulent political and religious landscape of his time. For details and to sign-up for any donation, including 0, head over here. _____________________ Hang with 40+ Scholars & Podcasts and 600 people at Theology Beer Camp 2025 (Oct. 16-18) in St. Paul, MN. This podcast is a Homebrewed Christianity production. Follow the Homebrewed Christianity, Theology Nerd Throwdown, & The Rise of Bonhoeffer podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 80,000 other people by joining our Substack - Process This! Get instant access to over 45 classes at www.TheologyClass.com Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices