Podcasts about westar institute

An Interview with Dr. David Galston Some obvious differences between Plato and Jesus would include the fact that Plato preceded Jesus by three and a half centuries. Jesus was a Jewish teacher; Plato was a Greek philosopher. Plato taught with dialogues; Jesus taught with parables. But they are both figures of wisdom. Both styles are placed in everyday life, and yet both teachers encourage their students to exercise critical thinking and to discover reality beyond the obvious. David Galston is the CEO Executive Director of the Westar Institute, which defines itself as “pursuing honest and rigorous inquiry on the origins and cultural implications of the Christian tradition through critical, collaborative, and cumulative scholarship.” Galston is a theologian and has authored three books: Archives and the Event of God (McGill-Queens Press, 2010), Embracing the Human Jesus (Polebridge Press, 2012), and God's Human Future (Polebridge Press, 2016). A transcript is available here: https://earlychristiantexts.com/jesus-and-plato/

The anti-Christ group known as Westar Institute has poured millions of dollars into efforts to totally discredit Christianity. This lesson is part 2 of a series describing those efforts.

In this episode, Clayton Crockett joins Matt and Justin to discuss Catherine Malabou's recent book, "Stop Thief! Anarchism and Philosophy". Clayton Crockett is a Professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religion and the Director of the interdisciplinary Religious Studies program at University of Central Arkansas. He regularly teaches courses on Exploring Religion; Philosophy of Religion; Religion, Science and Technology; and Religion and Psychology. He has authored or edited a number of books, including Religion, Politics and the Earth; The Future of Continental Philosophy of Religion, Derrida After the End of Writing, and Energy and Change: A New Materialist Cosmo-theology. He is a member of a national organization that promotes religious literacy, the Westar Institute, and their “Seminar on God and the Human Future.” He is also a Distinguished Research Fellow for the Global Centre for Advanced Studies, an online graduate school (www.gcas.ie). Finally, he is a co-editor of an academic book series called “Insurrections: Critical Studies in Religion, Politics, and Culture” for Columbia University Press. Get the book: https://www.amazon.com/Stop-Thief-Philosophy-Catherine-Malabou/dp/1509555234/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2MQOAK76CXRV8&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Y-B1tad_2xDcPgoLNWGrC_wQRtwCQ80-bc5wMe9LnPk.ykUS4H8Lmhiv7i7PKAj4PTgAm1RGGIDioDxJEfpBJNQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=stop+thief+malabou&qid=1719253683&sprefix=stop+thief+malabou%2Caps%2C97&sr=8-1 Music for this episode: Primitivo, Axons

Matt is the host of one of my favorite podcasts, the War Machine. He is also a professional graphic, sound, and instructional designer currently working as Change Management Consultant for Veolia North America. Matt also cohosts Interrupted, the official podcast of the Westar Institute. In this episode we discuss his Christian roots, becoming a Marine, his time being homeless and living with prostitutes, his experience with psychedelics, our shared love of Meshuggah and a lot of other nerdy shit. Enjoy!

What would it mean if the voice of God were a woman? Many of you are familiar with my beloved returning guest and Scholar, Dr. Celene Lillie, from our episode together about her book The Rape of Eve an episode that continues to be one of my most popular. Today she joins me for an inspiring, evocative, gender-bending, and ever-twisting exploration of an ancient text known as The Thunder Perfect Mind, the self-portrait of a divine feminine being. In this episode we discuss this ancient text which sustains itself for some nine pages of papyrus - sometimes commanding the scene like a goddess, other times disdained and thrown down in the dirt, she keeps challenging those around her. Still other times, she shape-shifts into a masculine form or intentionally contradicts conventional expectations of her previous utterance. Like many other important ancient scripts, The Thunder: Perfect Mind was discovered in rural Egypt, where the dry air inhibits decay of ancient material. Thunder belongs to the increasingly famous Nag Hammadi collection of what appear to be mostly early Christian documents, all found in the same jar in the hills above the Nile. It is likely that the Nag Hammadi documents had been collected by an early desert monastic community. Found in the mid-twentieth century and translated within several decades afterward, these documents were initially published in English in 1977, but only accessible to the general public within the last generation. Thunder was one of 52 Nag Hammadi documents. Thunder has nevertheless already distinguished itself in public consciousness and has captured the imaginations of many. It stands vigil at the beginning of award-winning novelist Toni Morrison's works Jazz and Paradise. Umberto Eco also cited it in his novel Foucault's Pendulum. Julie Dash's award-winning 1991 feature film, Daughters of the Dust, opens with a long citation fromThunder. Its text also anchors a 2005 film by Jordon and Ridley Scott, whose shortened version has appeared widely as a commercial for Prada women's fashions. More in this episode: Why you can not utter the name of God in Hebrew and how it can be spoken through the breath Learn how women once occupied a huge range of possibilities before patriarchal rule Hear the deeper meanings of THUNDER and why these texts have been considered “seminal” Learn why this piece pushes against our contemporary notions of what is possible and inspires our imaginations Why the word “occupy” can be so problematic and how we can bring more nuance to our understanding of embodiment How the poem THE THUNDER PERFECT MIND invites us to claim all of our “stuff” and be with the messiness of our lives without being diminished by them How Human Design and The Gene Keys give us freedom from being “all things to all people” Why The Thunder Perfect Mind is medicine for what is happening in the world at this time Celene Lillie is Lecturer in Religious Studies at the University of Colorado Boulder; an Adjunct Professor at the University of Oklahoma and The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology; and the Dean of the Westar Institute's forthcoming Academy (launching this Fall). Her scholarly work focuses the New Testament, the Nag Hammadi Codices, and other early literature of the Jesus movement, with a particular interest in gender and violence. She is the author of The Rape of Eve: The Transformation of Roman Ideology in Three Early Retellings of Genesis; co-author (with Jaeda Calloway, Maia Kotrosits, Justin Lasser, and Hal Taussig) of The Thunder: Perfect Mind: A New Translation and Introduction; and Director of Translations for A New New Testament (edited by Hal Taussig). If I were to name one connected specifically to my work, I'm interested in bringing forth voices that are typically marginalized or hidden in early Christian literature. Special Guest: Celene Lillie.

We live in and by the stories we have internalized, and the biblical story of Adam and Eve, as it has been told, has caused emotional and psychological damage to women over the ages. The story has also played a massive role in relegating women to disempowering stations, gender roles, and ideas for centuries. In this episode, The Rape of Eve, my guest, Celene Lillie, reveals how the archetypal story of Eve was interpreted by people 2000 years ago as a story vastly different from ones we've heard. Rather than the traditional story of a sinful woman who disobeys God, tempts Adam with the fruit from the tree of knowledge, and then curses humanity, Celene offers new interpretations of a divine woman who reclaims her sovereignty and power after being violated by those who meant to separate her from them. In recent decades, scholars of New Testament and early Christian traditions have given new attention to the relationships between gender and imperial power in the Roman world. In this incredible interview, Celene Lillie shares her process and what she gleaned as she examined core passages from three texts from Nag Hammadi, On the Origin of the World, The Reality of the Rulers, and the Secret Revelation of John, in which Eve is portrayed in a vastly different light and how even now, we are influenced by the violence done in the name of the Roman empire and the implications of rape culture pervasive within it. These re-interpretations of Eve's story have the potential to disrupt and challenge traditional patriarchal narratives while offering women a trance-disrupting and empowering new story for ourselves and for future generations. In this episode: * How traditional patriarchal interpretations of Eve have damaged women. * How violence and trauma have played a role in the subjugation of women since the beginning. * Why new interpretations of the story of Eve offer valuable insights into why the Patriarchal “rulers” did not want them told * How our disassociation from destructive and violent acts play a part in our survival. * Why are these interpretations relevant for women today? * How can both men and women benefit from these new interpretations? * How does the Eve story challenge traditional patriarchal views of women in society? * What is the significance of Eve becoming the Tree of Knowledge, and how does it relate to IFS or parts work? * Why does THUNDER Perfect Mind capture our attention and why is it important that we know about this divine feminine work? Celene Lillie is Lecturer in Religious Studies at the University of Colorado Boulder; an Adjunct Professor at the University of Oklahoma and The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology; and the Dean of the Westar Institute's forthcoming Academy (launching this Fall). Her scholarly work focuses the New Testament, the Nag Hammadi Codices, and other early literature of the Jesus movement, with a particular interest in gender and violence. She is the author of The Rape of Eve: The Transformation of Roman Ideology in Three Early Retellings of Genesis; co-author (with Jaeda Calloway, Maia Kotrosits, Justin Lasser, and Hal Taussig) of The Thunder: Perfect Mind: A New Translation and Introduction; and Director of Translations for A New New Testament(edited by Hal Taussig). Special Guest: Celene Lillie.

In this episode we discuss the unique dichotomy of spiritual life in Muscogee culture between traditional and ceremonial practices and Christianity and Muscogee churches. We talk with Rev. Chebon Kernell, a clergy and representative of the Native American Comprehensive Plan of The United Methodist Church, who is also an active member of Helvpe Ceremonial Ground, about the existence of the two ways of life and how they have shaped the culture of Muscogees today. It's a "Conversation From our Reservation" many years in the making, and it's only on The Muscogee Pod! --- The Rev. Kernell, an ordained Elder in the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference, is formerly the executive secretary of Native American and Indigenous Ministries for the denomination's General Board of Global Ministries. In this role, he has worked with the World Council of Churches, the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the United Methodist Church's Council of Bishops assisting in a denominationally mandated effort to improve relationships with Indigenous communities through dialogue, study and local or regional acts of repentance acknowledging harms inflicted upon Indigenous communities. He is a citizen of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma and is of Muscogee heritage. In 2016 he was honored by receiving the Religious Literacy Award sponsored by the Westar Institute for, "his tireless efforts to educate the general public, including not only mainstream American Christians but also native peoples themselves, about the ‘deep and broad religious riches' of Indigenous peoples in the context of reconciliation work and the recovery of native practices.“ He received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Oklahoma City University and a Master of Divinity from Phillips Theological Seminary. He is a cultural practitioner and member of the Helvpe Ceremonial grounds. He has been married to Sara for 18 years and has five children: Kaycee, Josiah, Raylen, and Solomon and niece Cali. Among is many achievements, Chebon has also contributed to Steven Charleston's book, "Coming Full Circle: Constructing Native Christian Theology." You can purchase it here: https://www.amazon.com/Coming-Full-Circle-Constructing-Christian/dp/1451487983/ref=asc_df_1451487983/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312009828129&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17936700929564702722&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9026617&hvtargid=pla-523229888760&psc=1 The Native American Comprehensive Plan serves as the United Methodist entity that resources, strengthens and advocates for the local church in Native American communities. Find their website here: www.nacp-umc.org

In this episode we chat with the authors of the book - After Jesus Before Christianity. Dr. Erin K. Vearncombe is an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto, appointed to the Office of the Dean. She received her Ph.D. in a collaborative program at the University of Toronto between the Department for the Study of Religion and the Anne Tanenbaum Centre for Jewish Studies. A specialist in writing instruction, Erin worked for five years as a faculty member of the Princeton Writing Program at Princeton University, and is currently designing a program for the Faculty of Arts and Science at the University of Toronto that will ease the transition to university-level writing for incoming undergraduate students. Her research specialty is the social origins and histories of Jesus movements in the first centuries of the common era, with a particular focus on practices of dress. Bernard Brandon Scott is the author and editor of many books, including The Real Paul: Recovering His Radical Challenge and The Trouble with Resurrection. A charter member of the Jesus Seminar, he is chair of Westar's Christianity Seminar. He served as chair of the Bible in Ancient and Modern Media Section of the Society of Biblical Literature, as well as a member of several SBL Seminars including the Parable Seminar and Historical Jesus Seminar. He holds an A.B. from St. Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology, an M.A. from Miami University, and a Ph.D. from Vanderbilt University. Hal Taussig recently retired as Professor of New Testament at Union Theological Seminary in New York. He lectures around the country and world.  The editor of the award-winning A New New Testament (2013), United Methodist minister, and author of fourteen books, his mediography includes The New York Times, Time Magazine, The Daily Show, People Magazine, Newsweek Magazine, National Public Radio, the Brian Lehrer Show on WNYC, the Bob Edwards Show on Sirius Radio, The History Channel, and the Washington Post. Check out the Westar Institute, home of the Jesus Seminar at this website You can purchase the book After Jesus Before Christianity at Amazon.com You can connect with us on    Facebook     Instagram      Twitter Want to help us with our future episodes of This Is Not Church Podcast? Join us on Patreon where you will get access to exclusive patron content such as early access to episode, videos of upcoming episodes, and live Q&A sessions. Also check out our website for upcoming interviews and blog posts Each episode of This Is Not Church Podcast is expertly engineered by our producer The Podcast Doctor Eric Howell. If you're thinking of starting a podcast you need to connect with Eric!

Rev. Brandan Robertson discusses the groundbreaking new book from the Westar Institute, "After Jesus, Before Christianity" with one of the leading scholars of Christian History, Dr. Hal Taussig. Learn more about the book here.

This episode features a roundtable discussion of Westar scholars and practitioners discussing the origins of Christianity, a conversation informed in large part by the recent landmark publication of Westar's Christianity Seminar: After Jesus, Before Christianity - A Historical Exploration of the First Two Centuries of Jesus Movements. The event was organized by the Westar Think Tank. The panel includes members of the Westar Institute's Christianity Seminar, God Seminar, Christ Seminar, and Praxis Forum. You'll find time markers of where each of the speakers begin their opening remarks below. Intro: 00:50 Julia Khan: 03:25 Elli Elliott: 7:08 Mathew Arthur: 12:00 Anna Mercedes: 18:36 Hal Taussig : 19:50 Celene Lillie: 22:56 Roundtable conversation: 27:40 If you would like to learn more about the Westar Institute or become a member, visit westarinstitute.org. Interrupted is produced by Jordan Miller and Matthew Baker.

This episode features a roundtable discussion of Westar scholars and practitioners discussing religion and capitalism that was organized by the Westar Think Tank. They each introduce themselves in the episode, but links about each of the contributors are below. This panel includes members of the Westar Institute's Christianity Seminar, God Seminar, Christ Seminar, and Praxis Forum. Also, you'll find time markers of where each of the speakers begin their opening remarks below. Here are the contributors: Cláudio Carvalhaes (https://www.claudiocarvalhaes.com/about-me/) T. Wilson Dickinson (https://greengoodnews.org/teaching) Elli Elliott (https://ellielliott.webs.com/about) Collin Glavac (http://collinglavac.com) Julia Khan (https://www.athenainitiative.net/founders) Nina Livesey (http://ninalivesey.oucreate.com) Hollis Phelps (https://professionaladvancement.mercer.edu/meet-the-faculty/hollis-phelps/) Jeffrey W. Robbins (https://www.lvc.edu/academics/undergraduate-studies/religion/our-faculty/dr-jeffrey-w-robbins/) And here's how to find their remarks: Intro: 00:50 Hollis Phelps: 02:18 Julia Khan: 06:18 Collin Glavac: 11:46 Nina Livesey: 14:43 Wilson Dickinson: 17:39 Cláudio Carvalhaes: 23:06 Jeff Robbins: 27:18 Elli Elliott: 32:57 Roundtable conversation: 38:00 The poem that Elli recites that was written by Wally McRae may be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hR4ANakKiNk If you would like to learn more about the Westar Institute or become a member, visit westarinstitute.org. Interrupted is produced by Jordan Miller and Matthew Baker.

In this episode of Interrupted, Jordan Miller and Matthew Baker speak with Jeffrey Robbins about his early religious life, the importance and challenge of promoting religious literacy in the public square, and the kind of collaborative scholarship that is Westar's hallmark. Jeff is Westar's Chairman of the Board as well as chair of the God and the Human Future Seminar. Additionally, Jeff is Professor of Religion & Director of American Studies at Lebanon Valley College, as well as an editor and author of several books: https://www.lvc.edu/academics/undergraduate-studies/religion/our-faculty/dr-jeffrey-w-robbins/ Seminar on God and the Human Future: https://www.westarinstitute.org/projects/seminar-god-human-future/ If you would like to learn more about the Westar Institute or become a member, visit westarinstitute.org. Interrupted is produced by Jordan Miller and Matthew Baker.

This week we talk about two stories from the bible and dive into their possible modern day context.Rowan shares the tale of Samson and Delilah and Tracey talks about Sodom and Gomorrahhttps://chrt.fm/track/BG7BG3/SourcesWikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodom_and_Gomorrahhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rape_in_the_United_States#:~:text=A%202014%20study%20of%20college,college%20are%20independent%20of%20race. The Reformation Projecthttps://reformationproject.org/case/sodom-and-gomorrah/Westar Institute https://www.westarinstitute.org/blog/sodom-and-gomorrah-how-the-classical-interpretation-gets-it-wrong/Forbeshttps://www.forbes.com/sites/ericmack/2018/12/04/new-science-suggests-biblical-city-of-sodom-was-smote-by-an-exploding-meteor/?sh=3686dfc5c677Reconstructing Judaismhttps://www.reconstructingjudaism.org/dvar-torah/destruction-cities-sodom-and-gomorrahBBChttp://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/cultures/sodom_gomorrah_01.shtmlNational Geographichttps://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/samson-true-weakness-hair-delilahJewish Newshttps://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/the-bible-says-what-samson-was-a-misogynist-and-mass-murderer/My Jewish Learninghttps://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/samson/https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/eshet-manoah/https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/sotah-hot-topic/https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/delilah/Bible Gatewayhttps://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Judges%2016&version=NIVBible Study Toolshttps://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-stories/samson-and-delilah.htmlChabad.comhttps://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/112512/jewish/The-Story-of-Samson-and-Delilah-in-the-Bible.htmCrosswalk.comhttps://www.crosswalk.com/faith/bible-study/the-truth-about-samson-and-delilahs-shocking-love-story.htmlJstor.com “The Riddle of Samson” Journalhttps://www.jstor.org/stable/20689009?seq=1Jewish Virtual Libraryhttps://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/samsonJTA.orghttps://www.jta.org/jewniverse/2012/samson-meet-delilahIndependent.co.ukhttps://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/lion-s-honey-the-myth-of-samson-by-david-grossman-trans-stuart-schoffman-479702.htmlBible Bash Podcasthttps://www.northernspiritradio.org/bible-bash-podcast/tie-me-delilah-judges-16JWA.orghttps://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/women-in-samsons-life-midrash-and-aggadahTwitterhttps://twitter.com/mehdirhasan

This episode of Interrupted is a roundtable conversation among 7 Westar scholars and practitioners on the way denial has been operative in recent events and trends in American society and culture. Jordan Miller: 2:18 Alan Richard: 4:55 Deborah Niederer Saxon: 8:12 Andrew Oberg: 12:46 David Galston: 17:29 Julia Khan: 24:02 Elli Elliott: 28:50 Roundtable discussion: 33:09 If you would like to learn more about the Westar Institute or become a member, visit westarinstitute.org. Interrupted is produced by Jordan Miller and Matthew Baker.

It's finally time for Rowan to share all of her thoughts on the infamous snake headed gorgon herself, Medusa.In this episode Rowan dives deep into the historical and modern cultural impacts of the myth of Medusa.SourcesWikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodom_and_Gomorrahhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rape_in_the_United_States#:~:text=A%202014%20study%20of%20college,college%20are%20independent%20of%20race.The Reformation Projecthttps://reformationproject.org/case/sodom-and-gomorrah/Westar Institute https://www.westarinstitute.org/blog/sodom-and-gomorrah-how-the-classical-interpretation-gets-it-wrong/NSVRChttps://www.nsvrc.org/sites/default/files/publications_nsvrc_factsheet_media-packet_statistics-about-sexual-violence_0.pdfStudy Breakshttps://studybreaks.com/thoughts/pick-me-girl/RAINNhttps://www.rainn.org/statistics/victims-sexual-violenceDictionary.comhttps://www.dictionary.com/browse/misogynyPalatinatehttps://www.palatinate.org.uk/medusa-monster-but-not-villain/World History EDUhttps://www.worldhistoryedu.com/medusa/PB Pressbookshttps://iagtm.pressbooks.com/chapter/story-perseus-and-medusa/War and Civilizationhttp://www.camrea.org/tag/libya/Forbeshttps://www.forbes.com/sites/ericmack/2018/12/04/new-science-suggests-biblical-city-of-sodom-was-smote-by-an-exploding-meteor/?sh=3686dfc5c677Reconstructing Judaismhttps://www.reconstructingjudaism.org/dvar-torah/destruction-cities-sodom-and-gomorrahBBChttp://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/cultures/sodom_gomorrah_01.shtmlDaily Art Magazinehttps://www.dailyartmagazine.com/metoo-and-the-medusa-myth/Ancient.euhttps://www.ancient.eu/athena/Classical Wisdomhttps://classicalwisdom.com/mythology/monsters/medusa-sympathy-monster/Ancient Originshttps://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends-europe/legend-medusa-and-gorgons-002773Hyper Allergichttps://hyperallergic.com/432102/dangerous-beauty-medusa-in-classical-art-metropolitan-museum/Met Museumhttps://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/medu/hd_medu.htmMade In Turkey Tourshttps://madeinturkeytours.com/medusa/Vicehttps://www.vice.com/en/article/qvxwax/medusa-greek-myth-rape-victim-turned-into-a-monsterTales of Times Forgottenhttps://talesoftimesforgotten.com/2020/10/10/where-does-the-myth-of-medusa-come-from/Mythology.nethttps://mythology.net/others/concepts/serpent/Women in Antiquityhttps://womeninantiquity.wordpress.com/2017/03/31/thegorgons/

In this episode we talk to Dr. Celene Lillie of the Westar Institute and the Jesus Seminar talks to us about some ancient Christian text that some might call Gnostic (though some don’t) and how they served to criticize Roman society, state power, and institutionalized sexual violence. Dr. Lillie’s book: Subscribe to the video on […]

Natalie Renee Perkins is a professional performer and proud member of the Actors' Equity Association. She has traveled internationally with two major cruise lines, toured the country with Hairspray and RENT, been a featured singer with multiple symphony orchestras, and performs regularly with the USO Show Troupe. This past year she has been seen as "Deloris" in Sister Act, "Annie" in It Shoulda Been You and returned to the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra's holiday production– Yuletide Celebration– for the second year in a row. Natalie received her Masters of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York where she focused on Theology and the Arts– with Womanism, Scripturalization, and extra canonical texts at the heart of her studies. During her time at Union, she composed original music from the text of six of the Odes of Solomon. She now engages our earliest tradition with our contemporary society through a social justice lens as a writer (contributor for the Daily Guideposts), lecturer, preacher, chaplain (NYU) and composer. She is also a co-founder of the newly formed Tanho Center. Additionally, she facilitates discussions on social equality (specifically but not limited to race/racism). Her insatiable curiosity regarding our earliest Jesus-following tradition led her professor, Hal Taussig, to introduce her to the Westar Institute. She began working with this institute as a founding member of their Praxis Forum (formerly Young Leaders in Religion) in 2014 and is working on a podcast, called Better Not Mention It, that aims to bridge the gap between religious scholarship and the general population. In Acting and Singing Thecla, Natalie, produces a short musical in a week about the first and second century story of Thecla, a young woman who rejects family and battles violent Roman government to join the Apostle Paul to become a teacher and healer like him. Song excerpt from Thecla by Natalie Perkins and John Hermanson To learn more about Holden Village, visit: www.holdenvillage.org or to listen to more audio recordings visit: http://audio.holdenvillage.org

Alexis Waggoner, Director of Marketing and Digital Education at the Westar Institute, is on to talk about raising the intellectual bar in the church (while lowering it in the academy). First, you'll hear about how her academic interests impacted her coming back to Christianity, how growing up in a more conservative setting she was told what to believe rather than how to believe, the experience of growing up in a military family and how that affected her faith, being a chaplain in the military and how that shapes her understanding of herself and her faith, and the questions and thinkers the church needs to wrestle with. Plus, Alexis shares some of the more annoying things her progressive friends say and believe about the military, and the questions and doubts about the faith she received. 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

Alexis Waggoner, Director of Marketing and Digital Education at the Westar Institute, is on to talk about raising the intellectual bar in the church (while lowering it in the academy). First, you’ll hear about how her academic interests impacted her coming back to Christianity, how growing up in a more conservative setting she was told what… Read more about Raising the Intellectual Bar in the Church with Alexis Waggoner

The audio for this episode of The Catacombic Machine is taken from the Westar Institute's God Seminar on Religious Naturalism and the Human Future at AAR in Boston which took place in November 2017. Bart Campolo presents, Jeffrey Robbins presides, and Jack Caputo responds along with questions from several others. Special thanks to Alex Waggoner for her hospitality at AAR.  Live audio, music by Matt Baker. Bart Campolo (tenor).

Leslea Mair is the president and CEO of Zoot Pictures out of Winnipeg, Manitoba. She talks about her latest film,  Losing Our Religion, a feature length documentary about preachers who are not believers, and what atheists do when they miss church. Allowed access to the 600 members of The Clergy Project – a safe haven for preachers from all faiths who no longer believe – the documentary follows ex-members and clergy who are still undercover. The film will be screened in the Portland Metro on November 30th.  David Chandler is the high school physics teacher who made NIST, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, revise their report on the destruction of World Trade Center Building Seven, a 47 story building that collapsed in the late afternoon of September 11th, 2001. David Chandler showed that building seven fell at free fall, that is at the acceleration of gravity. David Chandler lives in Portland and he spoke with John Shuck about what that means, (ie. controlled demolition). His website is www.911speakout.org.  Celene Lillie and Art Dewey, are members of the Westar Institute, a critical thinktank for religious issues, particularly early Christianity. Dr. Lillie is the Director of the Tanho Center in Boulder, Colorado, and the author of The Rape of Eve: The Transformation of Roman Ideology in Three Early Christian Retellings of Genesis.  Arthur Dewey is professor of religion at Xavier University and the author of Inventing the Passion: How the Death of Jesus was Remembered.  They will be speaking about The Political Jesus.  Leslea Mair.  3:00 David Chandler. 17:43 Arthur Dewey and Celene Lillie. 48:00

When we hear the word theology, we may think we are going to engage in esoteric reflections about divinity and the afterlife.  But theology at its best is not about God or gods, but about life and its meaning and the myths that drive us.   Arthur Dewey is professor of theology at Xavier University in Cincinnati.  He is a scholar of the historical Jesus and a Fellow of Westar Institute, popularly known as the Jesus Seminar.   He says that “ “Theology is resonant. At its best, it lends rhythm and rhyme to the raw energy of life. It improvises on this world without trying to escape to a heaven somewhere else” We are going to talk about his book, Wisdom Notes: Theological Riffs on Life and Living.  The Ramadan Tent Project is a creation of students in London.   It is an open iftar, a breaking of the fast, in which the public is invited.   The first ever Ramadan Tent Project in the United States was held last year in Beaverton, Oregon.  The students who brought it to Portland will do it again this year.   We will hear about this event and we will hear about the heart of Islam from two bright and compassionate university students, Sadaf Assadi and Hanan Alzubaidy. :02 - 34:45 Arthur Dewey 34:45 - 54. Sadaf Assadi and Hanan Al-Zubaidy

Thomas Joseph White’s book The Incarnate Lord discusses the importance of Jesus’ identity. The classical tradition of Christology understood Jesus ontologically, that is to say, in terms of his fundamental being or existential identity; whereas modern and contemporary Christology tends to understand Jesus psychologically or relationally. The transition from an ontological Christology to a consciousness Christology has conduced toward all manner of relativism, subjectivism, indifferentism, and the attenuation of evangelical zeal. In this episode, Bishop Robert Barron unpacks these theological concepts and explains their consequences in familiar terms. The listener question asks about the Jesus Seminar of the Westar Institute.

Thomas Joseph White's book The Incarnate Lord discusses the importance of Jesus' identity. The classical tradition of Christology understood Jesus ontologically, that is to say, in terms of his fundamental being or existential identity; whereas modern and contemporary Christology tends to understand Jesus psychologically or relationally. The transition from an ontological Christology to a consciousness Christology has conduced toward all manner of relativism, subjectivism, indifferentism, and the attenuation of evangelical zeal. In this episode, Bishop Robert Barron unpacks these theological concepts and explains their consequences in familiar terms. The listener question asks about the Jesus Seminar of the Westar Institute. Topics Discussed 0:17  - Introduction, Chesterton, and Bishop's recent trip. 3:00 - What is Christology and why does it matter? 4:55 - Why does high-level theology matter? 7:28 - What is the major difference with modern Christology? 10:58 - Who is Jesus? 13:20 - What are the ramifications of reading Jesus with a psychological priority rather than an ontological priority? 15:00 - How is the emphasis on Jesus' ontology make Christianity unique compared to other religions? 18:20 - What was the theological priority of the early Church? 19:45 - What are some of the insights we learn about Jesus from Saint Thomas Aquinas? 25:15 - What books does Bishop Barron recommend for studying Christology? 27:00 - Question from listener: What does Bishop Barron think about the Jesus Seminar of the Westar Institute? Bonus Resources Videos How Jesus is the Messiah Andrew Sullivan's Non-Threatening Jesus John Dominic Crossan's Strange Jesus DVD's Catholicism: The Pivotal Players (Word on Fire) Catholicism series (Word On Fire) Faith Clips (Word On Fire)  Articles   Why It Matters Who Jesus Is (Bishop Barron) Why Jesus is God (Bishop Barron) The Disturbing Fact of the Resurrection (Bishop Barron) Books The Priority of Christ by Bishop Barron The Incarnate Lord by Fr. Thomas Joseph White Jesus Christ: Fundamentals of Christology by Roch A. Kerezty Infinity Dwindled to Infancy by Edward T. Oakes, S.J. Does God Suffer?  Thomas Weinandy, O.F.M. Does God Change? Thomas Weinandy, O.F.M. The Summa Theologica  Saint Thomas Aquinas Study Program  The Mystery of God: Who God Is and Why He Matters (Bishop Barron) Catholicism: The Pivotal Players Study Guide (Word on Fire) Websites Word On Fire (Proclaiming Christ in the Culture) LentReflections.com (Bishop Barron) Find bonus links and resources for this episode at http://WordOnFireShow.com and, again, be sure to submit your questions at http://AskBishopBarron.

David Galston is a university chaplain, adjunct professor of philosophy at Brock University in St. Catherine’s, Ontario, Academic Director at Westar Institute, and speaker at the Quest Learning Centre. David was on Progressive Spirit about three years ago. We discussed his book Embracing the Human Jesus: A Wisdom Path for Contemporary Christianity. Today we are discussing his newly released book, God’s Human Future: The Struggle to Define Theology Today.  Check out his piece on Christian Atheism. We are thrilled to welcome David along with Joseph Bessler to Southminster Presbyterian Church in Beaverton (Portland), Oregon, November 4th and 5th for a Jesus Seminar on the Road. The topic will be The Future of Religion.

Is the Book of Acts in the New Testament history or myth?  For the next two weeks I speak with the two co-chairs of the Acts Seminar, Joseph Tyson and Dennis Smith. For ten years the Westar Institute has evaluated the historicity of the Book of Acts. They have produced Acts and Christian Beginnings: The Acts Seminar Report.  They have made some important conclusions. Here is a top ten list. This week I speak with Dr. Tyson of Southern Methodist University about his take on Acts and the Acts Seminar.

Robert J. Miller is Rosenberger Chair of Christian and Religious Studies at Juniata College in Pennsylvania.  A Fellow of the Jesus Seminar since 1986, he was Scholar-in-Residence at Westar Institute in 2001.  He is the of author numerous books, including Born Divine: The Births of Jesus and Other Sons of God, The Jesus Seminar and Its Critics, and editor of The Apocalyptic Jesus: A Debate and The Complete Gospels.     In this conversation with host Robert Price, Miller discusses his work as a Jesus Seminar scholar.  He reveals the unique methods of the Seminar that attracted him to it in the first place and the benefits that he sees in them.  He explains the goals of the Jesus Seminar and whether or not they have changed since its beginnings.  Miller lists why there has been public confusion regarding the Seminar and how it has affected public opinion of Jesus and the Bible.  Miller elaborates on his own research, explaining how religious fundamentalism gets in the way of understanding how early Christians viewed some writings and shows how some New Testament authors altered Old Testament prophecies to fit their needs.  He explains why the view of Jesus as an End-Times Prophet is faulty and the implications of that.  He also voices his concern for debating fundamentalist scholars and suggests that it might end up lending undue legitimacy.