Episodes
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The Good Samaritan. It's a famous story with a simple message: a neighbor is someone who helps when needed. Then why is it so hard to imitate? Sociology, psychology and even prank TV shows may help us out.
Don't forget to head over to Theology Corner for like-minded voices, and check out Light Theory if you enjoyed the intro and outro music.
Image: The Good Samaritan, after Delacroix by van Gogh
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Whether you're changing out old pieces of your faith or just wanting to create a better world, you'll love the work of Catherine Keller (Drew University). Catherine sat down to talk about some of the big ideas she has explored (process theology, mysticism, politics, the environment, the apocalypse), and give us tools for exploring the sacred and building a more just, beautiful and playful world. If you enjoy our conversation, make sure to pick up one of her many books.
Don't forget to head over to Theology Corner for like-minded voices, and check out Light Theory if you enjoyed the intro and outro music.
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Missing episodes?
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Judas might be the most hated figure in Christianity, or at least a close second behind Satan (Is that really better though?). But what we've done to Judas says a lot more about us than it does about him. When we humanize him, his story might even have something to offer us.
As always, many thanks to Theology Corner for promoting the podcast and Light Theory for providing the intro and outro tunes.
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Kaitlin Curtice (author, mystic) doesn't think mysticism should be an intimidating word. It's less about drawn out spiritual practices and more about paying attention. She sat down to talk about the sacred, noting the gifts of her Potawatomi roots in experiencing God.
To hear more from Kaitlin, head to https://kaitlincurtice.com/ and check out her book, Glory Happening. You can also catch her at On Being, Relevant and Sojourners.
As always, many thanks to Theology Corner for promoting the podcast and Light Theory for providing the intro and outro tunes.
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The rise of tyrants and narcissists is alarming, but not new. Since history tends to repeat itself, an old story may give us wisdom for when an empire tries to demand too much from us.
Make sure to check out Theology Corner for some really great podcasts and blogs. If you're into the intro and outro music, give Light Theory's music a listen.
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Does belief in God make sense in a world where terrible things happen? Or in the midst of an ever evolving scientific knowledge of the universe? Dr. Tripp Fuller (Homebrewed Christianity) thinks process theology has some pretty helpful tools for exploring those questions. He sat down to talk about process theology, an understanding of the cross that isn't terrible, the Bible in process and the resurgence of God as "ground of being".
Make sure to check out Homebrewed Christianity, in particular their upcoming Theologies of Resistance class with our friend Dr. Robyn Henderson-Espinoza. Don't miss Tripp's upcoming movie, The Road to Edmond, which premiers at the end of July.
As always, many thanks to Theology Corner and Light Theory.
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Being told not to do something doesn't seem to help us avoid it. So why would the Bible have so many lists of things to avoid? What would make a long list of no no's sacred? A little context goes a long way in answering that question.
Many thanks to Theology Corner for promoting the podcast and Light Theory for providing the intro and outro tunes.
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God is love. So, when we define love narrowly, we miss a lot of God. Thankfully, queerness can help us expand our understanding of love, and of God. Mihee Kim-Kort sat down to talk about how queerness is deeply spiritual and deeply Christian.
To hear more from Mihee, make sure to check out her forthcoming book, Outside the Lines: How Embracing Queerness Will Transform Your Faith, available July 1. You can keep up with her at miheekimkort.com or on Twitter.
Make sure to check out Theology Corner for some really great podcasts and blogs. If you're into the intro and outro music, give Light Theory's music a listen.
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"I don't care about truth." That one short statement led to this entire episode. An old poem and a bunch of words in dead languages offer us guidance, but no easy answers when we think about truth. As with most things, it's a lot bigger than we may have first thought.
Don't forget to check out Theology Corner and the sweet jams of Light Theory.
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What do you do when your faith doesn't match most of the lyrics and style of Christian music? What makes music "Christian" anyway?
David Gungor (The Brilliance) sat down to chat about how his music has changed with his faith, how he can still appreciate some aspects of Christian music, and why the word "God" shows up less and less frequently in his music. Check out more from The Brilliance at http://thebrilliancemusic.com/, and look for new music from them this summer.
Also, make sure to check out Theology Corner for some really great podcasts and blogs.
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An old, seemingly outdated poem offers us some much needed perspective.
And, of course, many thanks to Theology Corner for promoting the podcast and Light Theory for providing the intro and outro tunes.
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Racism is pervasive. And it's hard to talk about. Austin Channing Brown is here to help. Austin sat down to talk about racism, white supremacy, "safe" white people and more. She explores all of this in her forthcoming book I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness, which is out May 15. Pre-order it now. Seriously. It's vulnerable, truth-telling, beautiful writing, and coincidentally, one of the best books of the year. For real.
You can find more from Austin at http://austinchanning.com/.
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Rising from the dead works up an appetite, so we can't really blame Jesus for asking for a snack at an inappropriate time. Plus, Jesus' munchies may actually help us know what to do with the complex emotions we experience in our faith journeys.
Make sure to check out Theology Corner for some really great podcasts and blogs. If you're into the intro and outro music, give Light Theory's music a listen.
Photo Credit: Jess Sawrey
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We love binaries, but they never come close to reflecting the nuances of life, especially when it comes to gender. Dr. Robyn Henderson-Espinoza (scholar, activist, theologian) sat down to talk about the spectrum of gender, theological and biblical perspectives that make room for our trans* neighbors, and how meaningful it was to find the language of non-binary trans.
To hear more from Robyn, check out https://irobyn.com/
Check out Theology Corner for like-minded podcasts and blogs and Light Theory, who provides the intro and outro tunes.
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God doesn't have one magical soulmate for you (or at least I don't think so). But, the good news is that when our relationships get more grounded in reality, they also get more interesting, dynamic and worth hanging around for.
And, of course, many thanks to Theology Corner for promoting the podcast and Light Theory for providing the intro and outro tunes.
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Bust out the birthday cake. The podcast turns a year old today! We're celebrating in all kinds of ways, none of which involve clowns.
First, I'm talking to Sarah Bessey (mystically-minded author and speaker). We're looking at how we begin to reconstruct faith and what it looks like to reclaim some good old fashioned Christian terms...and which ones to leave behind. To hear more from Sarah, check out www.sarahbessey.com and her book Out of Sorts (or just win a copy below). Plus, she and Rachel Held Evans just launched a conference called Evolving Faith. Go to it!
Second, we're celebrating by raising money to prevent refugees from experiencing homelessness in Seattle. 100% goes to refugees, and, if every listener gave $10, 500 refugees would have an extra safety net to keep them housed. We've got this, people. Donate HERE, and pass it on.
Last, it wouldn't be birthday party without presents. We're giving away a set of books from our favorite guests, including:
Womanist Midrash by Wil GafneyOut of Sorts by Sarah BesseyHealing Spiritual Wounds by Carol Howard MerrittThe Very Good Gospel by Lisa Sharon HarperDisarming Scripture by Derek FloodTo enter to win, head to A Better Story's Twitter or Facebook pages and share the post from this week's episode, or, if you're avoiding social media, just email me at [email protected].
THANK YOU for a great year.
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In a week when there's a lot of talk about death and resurrection, you may find yourself with a few questions. What exactly is resurrection? Can we know what happens when we die? Isn't Easter just a pagan holiday that Christians repurposed?
Resurrection may not be exactly what we thought. It might even be more.
As always, all my gratitude to Theology Corner for promoting the podcast and Light Theory for providing the intro and outro tunes. Make sure to listen in next week for the one year anniversary episode! Fun will be had, books will be given away and money will be raised for refugees.
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Dr. Amanda Mbuvi (High Point University) thinks we've been misreading Genesis, especially when it comes to race. We assume the ancient stories share our modern conception of racial identity. When we look closer, we find something much more nuanced, fluid and perhaps helpful for us as we navigate racial inequity today.
You can find even more on the topic from Dr. Mbuvi in her book, Belonging in Genesis. Use the discount code BDFW before April 30 for a 30% discount OR get 75% off if you order before March 31 and follow the instructions listed HERE. Keep up with Dr. Mbuvi at www.amandambuvi.com.
A gigantic thank you to Theology Corner for promoting the podcast and Light Theory for providing the intro and outro tunes.
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When it seems like fear is the fuel most of us run on, Adam Hamilton (pastor, author) offers some pretty excellent alternatives. He looks at fear from practical, spiritual and psychological angles, not to make our fears magically disappear, but to keep them from driving us.
Adam is the pastor of The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, the largest mainline church in the country. He has also authored over a dozen books, including his latest, Unafraid, and Making Sense of the Bible, one of the best overviews of the Bible around.
As always, don't forget to check out Theology Corner and Light Theory.
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Conversion. What does it make you think of? A divine encounter? Emotional manipulation? A weird mix of both?
When we set aside our baggage for a minute and look at one of the most famous conversion stories, we may find something worth imitating.
Don't forget to check out A Tiny Revolution, Theology Corner and Light Theory.
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