The Christian claim is not only that God is merciful, but that we are called to be "merciful as your Father is merciful." In this episode, colleagues in ministry Erica, Sarah, Natalie, and Steve explore how God's kind of unconditional, enemy-embracing love becomes the pattern for our lives, even when it's difficult--and even when we don't want to even recognize those we might deem as "enemies" in our real lives. Join us for this conversation here on Crazy Faith Talk!
Plenty of folks know the song, "Amazing Grace, How Sweet the Sound," but... what are we actually singing about? When it comes to the grace and mercy of God, what do we mean? Does grace only show up in our lives once we have come to faith in Jesus, or gotten baptized, or gone to church? Does grace mean that God leaves us as we are, with our rough edges and persistent struggles with sin? What can we learn about grace from mama monkeys and cats? Today's conversation takes us in all these directions--and more!
It's one of those words that Christians toss around frequently--in prayer and liturgy as well as in our action in the world--mercy. But what exactly are we talking about when we talk about "mercy"--is it a feeling, a mindset, a character trait, an action? And how is God's mercy supposed to connect to our actions and posture in the world? Are there times when mercy doesn't "feel" warm and fuzzy, and are there times when mercy toward those who are being harmed also means a word of protest against those who are causing harm? All of these questions help us get our bearings in this new series on Crazy Faith Talk!
In this concluding episode of our series on "Profiles in Courage" from church history, we look at the witness of Anne Hutchinson, who crossed an ocean to follow a pastoral voice she found compelling, then taught in small groups for women and men in a time when women's leadership was typically forbidden, and then risked exile for speaking up against what she saw as the bad theology of other pastors in her community in the New World, leading to an early argument for religious freedom in colonial-era America. Join us to find out what we can learn from the story and example of Anne Hutchinson!
He was instrumental in organizing the March on Washington at which Dr. King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech was delivered, and was a part of a precursor to the Freedom Rides that attempted to desegregate bus lines across America, and yet many don't know his name or story. But Bayard Rustin was not only an important figure in the Civil Rights movement, but also he insisted on keeping it committed to non-violence in its practices and civil disobedience. And he also knew what it was like to be on the margins of that movement because he was openly gay in a time when that brought a great deal of stigma, even within the civil rights movement. Join us for this week's profile in courage, on Bayard Rustin.
In the midst of the German occupation of World War II, a village full of ordinary French citizens took it upon themselves to hide and protect Jewish refugees from the clutches of the Reich. And they did it, not because a bishop had ordered them to, but with the guidance of their faith and pastoral leadership, they recalled their own experience having been persecuted before and saw the need to take action for others who were in danger. In this week's "profile in courage," we'll look at the witness of the people of Le Chambon in France, and what their story might teach us when we are called upon to practice courageous compassion for others who are particularly in harm's way. Join us on this episode of Crazy Faith Talk!
Some people know the figure of Saint Francis from stories of his chosen poverty or care for animals (and even preaching to them, in some stories). But there's another episode told about Francis of Assisi that models courage in facing "the other" even when it is risky--the story of Francis seeking a meeting with the Sultan during the time of the Fifth Crusade. In this week's episode, we'll explore how this story about the famous monk gives us guidance for being open to conversations with people who do not share our faith, and how we enter those conversations with curiosity and grace... and a healthy dose of courage.
She approaches Jesus while he is on the way to heal someone else, at a point of desperation after twelve years of suffering, and her name wasn't even recorded for us. Yet her willingness to step forward and say "Jesus' goodness and healing are for me, too," is preserved in Scripture as one more profile in courage for us to look at. This week, colleagues in ministry Sarah, Erica, Natalie, and Steve take a look at the witness of this woman we'll call "Sally" and see what her story might mean for us.
He's a towering figure in the New Testament (even though his name means "little"!) remembered for his numerous letters, his bold missionary journeys, and his endurance through brutal persecutions. But we don't often think about the bravery that Paul the apostle had to use before all of that, simply to admit his old way of thinking was wrong, and to be willing to let the risen Christ turn everything upside down in his life. In this week's "profile in courage," we'll look at the courage it takes to be open to new ideas, to consider that we might be wrong, and to make room for the Spirit to lead us in new ways. Check it out here on Crazy Faith Talk!
In a scene that feels like the climax of an action movie like John Wick or Die Hard, this lesser-known "judge" of ancient Israel plots a daring attack on an enemy king who was oppressing the Israelites that inspired them to fight back for their freedom. His name is Ehud, and if you've never heard his story, this is one that's worth getting to know. Join us for this week's "Profile in Courage" as colleagues in ministry Erica, Sarah, Natalie, and Steve explore another biblical figure who shows us how to be brave. Listen in here!
In a new series for this fall, colleagues in ministry Sarah, Erica, Natalie, and Steve take a look at figures in the Bible who offer us surprising pictures of bravery, often in unexpected ways. We start this series with the story of Abigail, a less-well-known figure in the book of 1 Samuel who is brave enough to avert a massacre from a young David, to prevent her husband from being foolish, and to be a peacemaker. What might it look like in our lives to be courageous peacemakers? Join us for a conversation about Abigail to find out on this week's Crazy Faith Talk!
While human beings go about their busy lives making money, going to work, buying and selling stuff, and tracking the markets, vast worlds of life are buzzing and blooming in our back yards, blissfully unaware of how the Dow Jones is doing, and yet gloriously reflecting the goodness of God. In this final conversation of our "Divine Fingerprints" series, Sarah, Natalie, and Steve talk about the spiritual practice of spending time in nature, from church prairie meadows to front porch moments, on this week's episode of Crazy Faith Talk!
What can we learn about God from the creepy crawlies and eight legged arachnids we find in the corners of our living room or spinning webs between branches of trees? And what possible living parables of Christ's self-sacrificial love could we find in the smallest of creatures around us, even if we are usually tempted to squish them? Join us for this week's conversation on Crazy Faith Talk as we explore spiders as one more example of divine fingerprints!
What can we learn about our connection to God from our relationships with our pets? How do pets help us see our connection to other creatures that are a part of God's creation, and how might that help us better understand the storytelling in Genesis about human beings and animals, as well as our responsibilities to care for the world and the life within it? Join us on this week's episode of Crazy Faith Talk to learn more!
From the expansiveness of the ocean to the flowing motion of the river to the refreshment of a summer rain shower, water can remind us of the majesty, justice, and grace of God. In this episode of our series, "Divine Fingerprints," we look at how different experiences with water in creation--as well as in the swimming pool and baptismal font--can point us to dimensions of God's character and our place in relationship with God and all creation.
In our current series, "Divine Fingerprints," colleagues in ministry Natalie, Sarah, and Steve are looking at signs of God's character traits in creation, from elements of nature to plants growing in the garden to, in this week's episode, the little brown birds in the parking lot. This week we'll learn about killdeer birds, and how a surprising trick that mother killdeers play on predators offers a glimpse of Christ-like love and victory over death, if you know where to look. Listen in on this week's episode of Crazy Faith Talk!
In a new series this summer, colleagues in ministry Sarah, Natalie, and Steve are looking for signs of God's goodness in the world around us--divine fingerprints. From the garden to the wild things in nature to moments or creatures in the world that have taught us something about God, we're learning to recognize the presence of God in creation. In this first episode, we look at a theology of abundance and sharing in the gift of lemon balm. Listen in here!
After all the rabbit holes and deep dives of this series on "last things" and apocalyptic literature, what does it all mean--and is there any good news? YES! The bottom line is this: the Christian story doesn't imagine God saying, "Good luck for now with all the trouble, because you're on your own until I pluck the lucky few up from earth and meet you in heaven," but rather ours is the God who goes with us through it all, in the lions' den and the fiery furnace, through the valley of the shadow of death, and among us in the trials and tribulations of life amidst the powers of evil in the world. That's our hope, and that's where we'll go on this episode of Crazy Faith Talk!
You don't need to be a Bible scholar to have heard of "the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" or to be nervous about the number 666. Many people have heard of those concepts without knowing where they came from, much less what they mean. So in this week's episode of Crazy Faith Talk, colleagues in ministry Sarah, Natalie, and Steve do a deep dive into some of these well-known but poorly-understood figures from the Book of Revelation to explore what they mean in their original context. Check it out here!
One of the most difficult books to understand in the New Testament is the one we call "Revelation." It's full of strange creatures, jarring imagery, musical numbers (seriously!) that feel like a Broadway show, and a handful of letters from Jesus, too. Trying to make sense of this book on our own can feel like navigating a wilderness without a guide. So this week on Crazy Faith Talk, colleagues in ministry Sarah, Natalie, and Steve offer a brief guided tour for making sense of this book. Join us for this week's episode!