In an era marked by intense political division, many Christians are wrestling with how to faithfully engage in public life without compromising the Gospel. Should churches avoid politics altogether? Or is there a faithful, Christ-centered way to speak into the issues shaping our nation?

Recently retired Presiding Bishop Michael Curry weighs in with wisdom, clarity, and hope. In a brand-new ChurchNext class, Bishop Curry explores what it means to follow Jesus amid today’s cultural and political turbulence.

I came to St. Mark’s in 2009 and have enjoyed being a part of this loving faith community while professionally also serving in other capacities in the diocese and the broader church. I am currently Professor Emeritus of Liturgics and Homiletics at Bloy House as well as a member of the faculty of Episcopal Preaching Foundation. I also teach Preaching to seminarians in the Diocese of Southeast Florida. Ordained in 1985, over the years I have served congregations in Montana, Idaho, and the Diocese of California. I served as Dean and President of Bloy House for eleven years and still occasionally teach there when asked. I have a Master’s in Counseling and Human Systems from Florida State University, a Master’s in Divinity from Seabury-Western Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. in Liturgics from the Graduate Theological Union. Much of my writing over the years has been about topics related to women’s issues and ecofeminism. In my spare time I enjoy watching Dodgers baseball with my husband, Bob Honeychurch, watching PBS detective mysteries, and trying out new recipes on my unsuspecting family and friends. I am looking forward to also becoming a grandmother this summer and reentering the world of children’s literature with my granddaughter.

You are listening to Episode number 107- it’s called "Data Driven Evangelism with Jenni Faires"  Jenni is the Canon for Evangelism and Youth Ministry in the Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Virginia.

Our podcasts are curated from our online learning library over at churchnext.tv - you can find out more by going there.

And if you’d like to support us, consider a $9 monthly subscription that will give you access to all of our Individual online classes - or make a onetime gift to us via Venmo @churchnext - your generosity helps us produce digital experiences that help shape disciples.

1. Biblical Origins (What's the Bible say of this event?)

2. Themes (What are some of the main themes of this event?)

3. Theological Implications (What does this mean to believers?)

4. Living Pentecost (After learning about/experiencing this, what does it mean to live it?)

Because the U.S. lacks any kind of economical, affordable, practical, and attractive way to remove unwanted weapons from circulation, municipalities, churches and other groups have stepped in to fill the void by doing gun buybacks.

In this class (turned podcast) you will learn the essentials in how to sponsor a gun buyback that are covered in these information-packed presentations:

1. Why Sponsor a Gun Buyback?

2. Strategic Partnerships

3. Running a Buyback

4. Aftermath

This course is designed to help churches and community groups think through the main concerns of sponsoring a buyback in order to make their communities safer and live into Jesus' teachings of caring for our neighbors.

Archdeacon Paul Feheley, Partnership Officer for the Middle East for the Episcopal Church, offers an insightful primer on the historical and biblical components of the conflict as well as information about the Anglican Communion's ministry in the area. He also provides information about three important ways people of faith can help.

• Making Sense of the Cross (2011) by David Lose
• Walk in Love: Episcopal Beliefs and Practices (2018) by Scott Gunn and Melody Wilson Shobe (especially chapters 11, 12, and 22).
• The Scriptures, the Cross, and the Power of God (2006) by Tom Wright
• Seven Last Words: An Invitation to a Deeper Friendship with Jesus (2016) by Jame Martin
• Cross-Shattered Christ: Meditations on the Seven Last Words (2011) by Stanley Hauerwas
   

You might be interested in other ChurchNext classes on the cross and the resurrection.

Consider the following courses:

• Making Sense of the Cross, Part 1 with David Lose.
• Making Sense of the Cross, Part 2 with David Lose.
• Making Sense of the Cross, Part 3 with David Lose.
• Finding the Resurrected Jesus with Susan Goff.
• Walk in Love, Part 2: Marking Time with Scott Gunn and Melody Wilson Shobe.
• Walk in Love, Part 5: The Trinitarian Life with Scott Gunn And Melody Wilson Shobe.

In this episode, author and community activist Larry Stoess takes us on a journey of of imaging how to put the values of Jesus' to work in our communities so that we can truly follow him, living and loving like he taught us to in our neighborhoods and communities. Larry calls us to enter into the mystery of the kingdom of God, into which Jesus invites us.

• Think Red: Imagine Your Community Living and Loving Like Jesus (2021) by Larry Stoess.
• The Way of Love: A Practical Guide to Following Jesus (2020) by Scott Gunn.
• Faithful Questions: Exploring the Way with Jesus (2015) by Scott Gunn and Melode Wilson Shobe.

You might be interested in other ChurchNext classes on daily spirituality and social justice. Consider the following courses:

• Who is Jesus? with Jason Fout
• Finding the Resurrected Jesus with Susan Goff
• Becoming Beloved Community: Understanding Systemic Racism with Tom Ferguson and Ivy Forsythe-Brown
• From Palace to Public Square: The Way of Love with Michael Curry

In this episode Rob Hirschfeld shows us ways to work with depression in five short lectures:

• The Hidden Epidemic
• Experiencing Depression
• Aggression and Mindfulness
• Prayer and Self-Care
• Seeking Help

This episode will interest those looking to learn more about how to reach out to people with depression and mental illness and anyone who suspects they or a loved one may be suffering from depression.

• Make Me an Instrument of Peace: A Guide to Civil Discourse (a free curriculum built in partnership with The Episcopal Church's office of Government Relations.)
• Bridging the Political Divide with Parker Palmer
• Civil Conversations in Uncivil Times with Ray Suarez
• Faithful Dissent: Loving Our Way into a Brighter Tomorrow

Prayer from Prayers for a Privileged People by Dr. Walter Brueggeman

In this episode, the Rev. Emily Mellott discusses ways in which our connection with animals brings humans, ultimately, into relationship with God. Her talks include:

• Pets and Creation
• Pets and Pure Relationships
• What Pets Teach Us about God
• How Pets Teach Us Spiritual Values

This course is ideal for pet lovers. For a preview, please click below.

• Christian Vegetarian Association
• Guided by the Faith of Christ: Seeking to Stop Violence and Scapegoating (2008) by Steven Kaufman
• Good News for All Creation (2002) by Steven Kaufman and Nathan Braun 
• Dominion: The Power of Man, the Suffering of Animals, and the Call to Mercy (2003) by Matthew Scully
• The Global Guide to Animal Theology (2013), edited by Andrew Linzey. Forward by Archbishop Desmond Tutu
• Creatures of the Same God: Explorations in Animal Theology (2009) by Andrew Linzey
• Why All Christians Should Go Vegan (2017 Washington Post article) by Charles Camosy

OTHER CHURCHNEXT COURSES

• Water and Justice by Fletcher Harper
• Holy Grounds: The Surprising Connections Between Coffee and Faith by Tim Schenck
• Christians and Climate Change with Bill McKibben 

Based on her award-winning book published by Forward Movement, Bible Women: All Their Words and Why They Matter, Freeman invites us into a sacred circle of inspiring voices. While we all may be familiar with Mary, Martha, Sarah, and Elizabeth, we may be surprised to discover that not only do none of these women hold the record for speaking the most in the Bible, but those that do offer equal inspiration in their words and deeds.

Her talks cover:

• Women in the Bible
• Women in the Hebrew Scriptures
• Women in the Apocrypha
• Women in the New Testament

This episode will interest those who are interested in Bible study, especially those looking to hear women's voices in scriptures.

This is the same with the library of Christian imagery that believers have been using for centuries to take them somewhere else - into a deeper sense of the presence and understanding of God.

In this episode, pastor and teacher Randall Warren introduces us to the theology, history, and practice of icons, showing us how we might use them to deepen our own faith in Jesus.

Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurman

Online Resources:

QuakerSpeak - a bi-weekly series on YouTube

Silence and Witness (2004) by Michael Lawrence Birkel.

Quaker.org: "A place for people worldwide to access reliable basic information about the Religious Society of Friends (the Quakers) and to explore resources that could help them find a spiritual path and community." Quaker.org is a project of Friends Publishing Corporation, which also publishes the Friends Journal.

The Friends General Conference webpage offers overviews of Quaker beliefs and resources for people who want to learn more.

I Need You - A Prayer by Howard Thurman

I need Your sense of time. Always I have an underlying anxiety about things. Sometimes I am in a hurry to achieve my ends and am completely without patience. It is hard for me to realize that some growth is slow, that not all processes are swift. I cannot discriminate between what takes time to develop and what can be rushed because my sense of time is dulled. O to understand the meaning of perspective that I may do all things with a profound sense of leisure of time.

In this episode Bishop Eugene Sutton of the Diocese of Maryland offers his perspective on the 2022 Lambeth Conference. He offers an overview of what exactly the conference is and why it matters, discusses the current place the conference holds as an Anglican Church authority, talks about the main issues discussed at the 2022 conference, and addresses the question of why it matters that the Lambeth Conference and other meetings between members of the global Anglican communion continue to happen.

This episode will interest anyone interested in the Anglican Communion in general, the Lambeth Conference specifically, or -- even more specifically -- in the major themes and issues covered in the most recent Lambeth Conference.

You might be interested in other ChurchNext classes on daily spirituality and social justice:

• Introducing Christian Vegetarianism with Steve Kaufman
• Gleaning Today: Conserving Food for Hungry People with Michael Binger
• Organizing for Justice with Kayla Gilchrist
• Dynamics of Helping the Poor with Lee Anne Reat
• Creating Common Good 1: Economic Inequality with Julio Murray
• Creating Common Good 2: Christian Responsibility with Rachel Held Evans
• Economic Inequality and the Church For Groups

In this episode, Michael Binger, Society of St. Anthony Regional Director of the Carolinas, explains how contemporary gleaning works to reclaim excess food in the twenty-first century food system and directs that food to people who need it. He discusses what gleaning is, the biblical foundations of the practice, why we glean today, and how to get started. 

You'll be interested in this episode if you're interested in food ministries or serving hungry people. 

• Why I Am an Atheist Who Believes in God (2014) by Frank Schaeffer
• Patience with God: Faith for People Who Don't Like Religion (or Atheism) (2009) by Frank Schaeffer
• Follow the Red Bird (2018) by Kate Rademacher
• Believing Is Seeing: A Physicist Explains How Science Shattered His Atheism and Revealed the Necessity of Faith (2021) by Michael Guillen

Online

• Frank Schaeffer's Webpage

Other ChurchNext classes on similar topics. Consider the following courses:

• Finding the Resurrected Jesus with Susan Goff
• Healing Spiritual Wounds with Carol Howard Meritt
• Why Suffering? with Ian Markham

Anger at God can produce feelings of shame, depression, and alienation. However, as Episcopal priest Laurie Brock says, anger is neither good nor bad in itself, but rather a neutral and natural emotion created by God.

In this episode, Brock calls on a lifetime of study and counseling to offer insights into what anger is, why we get angry with God, and how we might respond to such anger in ways that are not only harmless but potentially transformative. 

Brock's talks include:

• What is Anger?
• Why Do We Get Angry with God?
• Is Anger at God Okay?
• Coping with Our Anger with God.
• Transforming Our Anger with God.

• 350.org
• Sunrise Movement
• Third Act
• GreenFaith
• InterFaith Power and Light

Books:

The Creation Care Bible Challenge (2022), Ed. Marek P. Zabriskie

Cooler Smarter: Practical Steps for Low-Carbon Living (2012) by the Union of Concerned Scientists

The End of Nature (1989; reissued ) by Bill McKibben

The Comforting Whirlwind: God, Job, and the State of Creation (2004) by Bill McKibben

Love God, Heal Earth (2009) by Sally J. Bingham

Climate Guardians: Thoughts and Actions for People of Faith (2018) by David Cain

You might be interested in other ChurchNext classes on similar topics. Consider the following courses in our Creation Care series:

• Water and Justice with Fletcher Harper
• Holy Grounds: The Surprising Connections Between Coffee and Faith with Tim Schenck
• Introducing Christian Vegetarianism with Steve Kaufman

From very early on Christians began baptizing their children as a way to form healthy believers - in keeping with the admonition in the book of Proverbs which says, 'Train up a child in the way they should go and when they are old they shall not depart from it.'

In this episode, writer and teacher Nancy McLaughlin tells us:

• Why Godparents?
• Godparents and the Bible
• The Role of Godparents
• Being a Godparent

This episode is perfect for Godparents and Godparents-to-be.

Gloria Rose Consulting

If you’re interested in learning more about community organizing, check out organizations, such as Direct Action Research and Training (D.A.R.T.)

Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF)

Books:

The Justice Calling: Where Passion Meets Perseverance (2016) by Bethany Hoang and Kristen D. Johnson.

Toxic Charity: How Churches and Charities Hurt Those They Help (and How to Reverse It) (2011) by Robert D. Lupton.

Beyond Charity: The Call to Christian Community Development (1993) by John M. Perkins.

Just Generosity: A New Vision for Overcoming Poverty in America, 2nd edition (2007) By Ron Sider.
 

Online:

Direct Action Research and Training (D.A.R.T.)

Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF)

You might be interested in other ChurchNext classes on daily spirituality and social justice. Consider the following courses:

Dynamics of Helping the Poor with Lee Anne Reat

Creating Common Good 1: Economic Inequality with Julio Murray

Creating Common Good 2: Christian Responsibility with Rachel Held Evans

Creating Common Good 3: Educational Inequality with Nicole Baker Fulgham

Creating Common Good 4: A Christian Response with Justin Welby

Economic Inequality and the Church For Groups

Understanding Systemic Racism: Becoming Beloved Community with Ivy Forsythe-Brown and Tom Ferguson (Free curriculum. Sessions 5 and 6 in particular discuss ways to engage local communities).

For information on establishing partnerships with particular types of community organization, try:

How to Establish a Church/School Partnership with All Our Children

Responding to Refugees with Allison Duvall.

Holy Grounds: The Surprising Connection Between Coffee and Faith -- From Dancing Goats to Satan's Drink (2019) by Tim Schenck

Brewing Justice: Fair Trade Coffee, Sustainability, and Survival (2014) by Daniel Jaffee

Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How it Transformed Our World (2012) by Mark Pendergrast

Fair Trade: A Beginner's Guide (2007) by Jaqueline DeCarlo

Online:

Episcopal Relief and Development's Fair Trade Project Outlines the Fair Trade Project and gives participants access to fairly traded coffee, tea, and chocolate.

Fairtrade and Coffee (2012) by the Fair Trade Foundation. Overview of coffee farming and the need for fair trade practices with coffee farmers.

Bitter Brew: The Stirring Reality of Coffee on the Food Empowerment Project's webpage. A shorter article summarizing the negative impacts of traditional approaches to coffee farming.

15 Fair Trade Coffee Brands Worth Waking Up For on The Good Trade's webpage. This article recommends 15 brands of coffee that use strong fair trade practices. The Good Trade website as a whole is well worth investigating.
 

Other ChurchNext courses of interest:

Introducing Benedictine Spirituality with Laurel Dahill

Everyday Spiritual Practices with Keith Andrews

Water and Justice with Fletcher Harper

Spirituality and Racial Justice with Michael Curry

Creating Common Good 1: Economic Inequality with Bp. Julio Murra

You might be interested in other ChurchNext classes on similar topics. Try: Handling the Work/Life Balance with David Gray; Living a Spiritual Life with Mary Gray-Reeves; How to Discern God's Will with Ruth Haley Barton; How to Forgive with Virginia Holeman, and How to Simplify Your Life with Mark Scandrette.

We close with a reading from Night Prayer from the New Zealand Prayer Book.

Lord,
it is night.
The night is for stillness.
Let us be still in the presence of God.
It is night after a long day.
What has been done has been done;
what has not been done has not been done;
let it be.

The night is dark.
Let our fears of the darkness of the world and of our own lives
rest in you.
The night is quiet.
Let the quietness of your peace enfold us,
all dear to us,
and all who have no peace.
The night heralds the dawn.
Let us look expectantly to a new day,
new joys,
new possibilities.
in your name we pray.

Amen.

Lord it is night: Lord It Is Night is a beautiful 'close of the day' chant. The text is drawn from the New Zealand Book of Common Prayer and the musical setting was written by Ginny Wilder. Fran McKendree (vocal and guitar) joined here by Joanna Hyde (violin and vocal).

https://www.christiancentury.org/article/2011-12/remember-sabbath Letting God Run Things without my help by Barbara Brown Taylor - Christian Century 

Sybil MacBeth understands these problems. Like many of us, she had trouble focusing her attention on prayer -- until, through informal doodling one day, she felt herself drawn into prayer. She has developed Praying in Color as an approach to prayer that requires no artistic skill -- just paper and drawing tools.

Sybil's four talks include:

• Introduction (to Praying in Color)
• Pray versus Play
• Intercessory Prayer
• Variations of Prayer.

This episode is ideal for those seeking new approaches to prayer.

World-wide Labyrinth Locator

Walking a Sacred Path: Rediscovering the Labyrinth as a Spiritual Practice (2006) by Lauren Artress

Walking the Labyrinth: A Place to Pray and Seek God (2014) by Travis Scholl

Walking the Labyrinth: A Spiritual and Practical Guide (2010) by Sally Welch

You might also be interested in other ChurchNext classes on similar topics. Consider taking:

Holy Yoga with Allison LaBianca

Praying in Color with Sybil MacBeth

Contemplative Knitting with Julia Cicora

Praying with Poetry with Dave Worster

We close with a prayer by Thomas Merton from his Thoughts on Solitude.

“My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself; and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this, you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.”

Amen.

Carol Howard Merritt knows a lot about this. She was raised in a strict, conservative Christian home where loving and well-meaning people nonetheless harmed her. In this class, based on Carol's book, Healing Spiritual Wounds, she defines what spiritual wounding is and how she has found help. Her lectures include:

• What Are Spiritual Wounds?
• When Institutions Hurt
• Finding Healing
• Walking in Health

This course is ideal for those who are curious about spiritual healing.

You might be interested in other ChurchNext classes on similar topics. Try:
 
Spirituality and Racial Justice with Michael Curry

Racism and Racial Justice with Eduardo Bonilla-Silva

Whiteness and Racial Justice with Kelly Brown Douglas

Theology and Racial Justice with J. Kameron Carter

Reparation and Racial Justice with Jennifer Harvey

Radical Welcome with Stephanie Spellers

A reading from There is a Balm in Gilead:

There is a balm in Gilead
To make the wounded whole;
There is a balm in Gilead
To heal the sin-sick soul.

Sometimes I feel discouraged,
And think my work’s in vain,
But then the Holy Spirit
Revives my soul again.

If you cannot sing like angels,
If you can’t preach like Paul,
You can tell the love of Jesus,
And say He died for all.

There is a balm in Gilead
To make the wounded whole;
There is a balm in Gilead
To heal the sin-sick soul.

Amen.

While many people associate yoga with Hinduism alone, Christian yoga instructor Allison LaBianca says yoga predates Hinduism and can be used by people of every faith to draw nearer to God. Through her work with Holy Yoga, Allison has learned how the practice of yoga can enhance prayer lives and awareness of Jesus in and around us. She discusses the history of yoga, its spiritual benefits, Christian themes in yoga, and how Christians specifically can use yoga.

This episode is ideal for those who are looking to enhance their prayer lives through the ancient practice of yoga.

You might be interested in other ChurchNext classes on spirituality for caregivers and those suffering from illness:

Courage for Caregivers with Jamie Haith
Growing Old with Grace (Not Glamor) with Barbara Crafton
Eucharistic Visitation with Tim Spannaus
How to Help a Sick Friend with Joyce Mercer

We close with a prayer adapted from Father Timothy Menezes’ Prayer for Those Suffering from Dementia, written for the Pastoral Care Project© 2009:

Father of all goodness, your Son brought healing of mind and body to show that your Kingdom is here. In our hour of need, we look to you, we seek to understand your purpose. We pray for those whose lives we share and who live with the knowledge of weakness, whose memory now fades, whose enjoyment of life’s story is changing. Make us aware of the needs of others, of the dignity of life at every stage, of the collective memory that we own. Bless those who care for the sick, who share the journey. Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, in Your good time. We ask this through the same Christ our Lord.

 Amen.

That’s the end of our time today with Sharon. If you are interested in learning more about her work, visit her blog at rowsofsharon.com and check out the numerous books she has written and edited.

You might be interested in other ChurchNext classes on church seasons. We offer a track - a collection of courses - called Seasons of the Church Year and you can further your study by taking other courses in this series like Introduction to Lent with Maggi Dawn and Introduction to Advent with Tim Schenck.

The collect for the Epiphany from the Book of Common Prayer:

O God, by the leading of a star you manifested your only Son
to the Peoples of the earth: Lead us, who know you now by
faith, to your presence, where we may see your glory face to
face; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Anglican rosary, check out books, such as Praying with Beads: Daily Prayers for the Christian Year (2007) by Nan Lewis Doerr and Virginia Stem Owens, which includes an introduction to the Anglican rosary and suggestions for prayer to use with it. Also try Another Bead, Another Prayer (2015) by Kristen and Max Vincent, which discusses the use of prayer beads in Protestant churches, offers ideas for prayers to use and for creating one's own prayers, and instructs readers on how to make prayer beads of their own.

You might be interested in other ChurchNext classes on prayer and spiritual practices. Try Praying with Icons with Randall Warren, Praying with Saints with Scott Gunn and Tim Schenck, How to Pray Online with Karekin Yarian, Introducing Benedictine Spirituality with Laurel Dahill, and Holy Yoga with Alison LaBianca.

Julian of Norwich prayer adapted for the beads:

The Cross
In the Name of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen. 

The Invitatory 
O God make speed to save me (us), O Lord make haste to help me (us), Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. 

The Cruciforms 
God of your goodness, give me yourself, For you are enough to me. And I can ask for nothing less that is to your glory. And if I ask for anything less, I shall still be in want, for only in you have I all. 

The Weeks 
All shall be well, and all shall be well, And all manner of things shall be well.

Books

We Carry the Fire: Family and Citizenship as Spiritual Calling (2021) by Richard Hoehn

The Church Cracked Open: Disruption, Decline, and New Hope for Beloved Community (2021) by Stephanie Spellers

The Holy Vote: The Politics of Faith in America (2009) by Ray Suarez

Love Your Enemies: How Decent People Can Save America from the Culture of Contempt (2019) by Arthur C. Brooks

You can find helpful resources on The Episcopal Church Office of Government Relations Civic Engagement page.

You might also be interested in taking other ChurchNext classes on similar topics. Try:

Make Me an Instrument of Peace: A Guide to Civil Discourse

Bridging the Political Divide with Parker Palmer

Civil Conversations in Uncivil Times with Ray Suarez

These are the historic words attributed to Martin Luther as he took a stand for the radical convictions that should have gotten him killed.

However, Luther's strength of conviction and timing in history combined to set the stage for big changes on the European continent and beyond. Church historian and theologian Alec Ryrie knows all about this. In this episode, he describes Luther's theological convictions during the pinnacle events of his life: his initial persecutions among the religious leaders of his day.

This episode is ideal for those who are looking to learn more about Martin Luther and his seminal theology.

If you are interested in learning more about Alec's work, visit his blog at http://alecryrie.blogspot.com. In addition, check out his books, Unbelievers, an Emotional History of Doubt and -- Protestants: the Faith that Made the Modern World, among others. Dr. Alec Ryrie is a professor in the Department of Theology and Religion at the University of Durham, author, blogger and church historian. His most recent book is Unbelievers: An Emotional History of Doubt (2019). Alec’s current research is on the history of how Protestantism became a global religion in the seventeenth century, and how it reveals deeper currents in the history of Christianity and of the modern world.

Check out our ChurchNext courses Martin Luther: Here I Stand with Alec, a follow-up to the work you are listening to today and, The Lutheran Tradition with Mark Tranvik. 

 Collect for the Feast of Martin Luther from A Great Cloud of Witnesses:

O God, our refuge and our strength: You raised up your servant Martin Luther to reform and renew your Church in the light of your word. Defend and purify the Church in our own day and grant that, through faith, we may boldly proclaim the riches of your grace, which you have made known in Jesus Christ our Savior, who with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

John Ohmer knows this well. When he was called to be the pastor of a large church recovering from turmoil, he found great comfort, and learned more than a few lessons from David's confrontation with Goliath.

In today's episode, he covers the following topics:

• The Nature of Giants
• Preparing for Battle
• Winning Attitudes
• Confidence and Humility

You might like these episode if you are currently facing challenges as well as those looking to glean life lessons from enduring difficult times.

If you’re interested in reading more about resurrection, look into The Resurrection of the Son of God (2012) and Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Ministry of the Church (2008), both by N.T. Wright.

If you are interested in learning more about Lucas' work, visit his blog at https://dacalu.wordpress.com/. In addition, check out Lucas’ books, such as Life Concepts From Aristotle to Darwin: On Vegetable Souls (2018) and Thinking Fair: Rules for Reason in Science and Religion (2016).

If you’re interested in learning more about resurrection, check out our ChurchNext courses 
Don't Fear Death! with Tom Krell; What's Heaven Like? with John Price; Making Sense of the Cross with David Lose, Parts One, Two, and Three; and Exploring Hell with Seth Carey.

This type of trauma is called moral injury, and nobody understands it better than David Peters. As a person who has both experienced moral injury and worked with others who have dealt with it, David has written several books and many articles on the subject of moral injury. He has made it part of his mission to tell the world what moral injury is and how to heal from it.  His four talks include:

• Introduction to Moral Injury
• Moral Injury and Its Implications
• Seeking Healing from Moral Injury
• Self Care and Helping Others

This course is ideal for anyone who suspects they might be suffering from moral injury, for their caregivers, and for anyone who works routinely with veterans and others at risk for moral injury.

Helping Without Hurting in Church Benevolence: A Practical Guide to Walking with Low-Income People Corbett, Steve and Fikkert, Brian. Grand Rapids: Moody, 2015.
Provides a toolkit for what to do when people ask for help.

The Justice Calling: Where Passion Meets Perseverance.

Hoang, Bethany and Johnson, Kristen D. Grand Rapids: Bravos, 2016
A deep dive into God’s call to justice through a description of six scriptural movements – creation, the fall, Israel, Jesus, the Church, and all things being made new. Biblical watchwords framing the discussion are holiness, hesed (loving-kindness). Justice, righteousness, and shalom (flourishing wholeness).

Toxic Charity: How Churches and Charities Hurt Those They Help (and How to Reverse It)

Lupton, Robert D. New York: Harper One, 2011.
A good resource for congregational discussions about outreach efforts, both domestic and global. Lupton’s Oath of Compassionate Service is particularly helpful, challenging our traditional approach to reaching out to those in need.

Beyond Charity: The Call to Christian Community Development.

Perkins, John M. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1993.
An older resource for information on Christian Community Development that outlines the principles of moving into and becoming part of under-resourced neighborhoods. See web resources on CCD.

Just Generosity: A New Vision for Overcoming Poverty in America, 2nd edition.

Sider, Ron. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2007.

Statistics are dated, but a discussion of the roots of poverty and our biblical call to justice are excellent. Sider gives Twelve Principles for a Just Society.

You might be interested in other ChurchNext classes on church-community involvement and building economic justice. Consider taking:

Radical Welcoming with Stephanie Spellers

Metro Theology with Chip Graves

Creating Common Good 1: Economic Inequality with Julio Murray

Creating Common Good 2: Christian Responsibility with Rachel Held Evans

Creating Common Good 3: Educational Inequality with Nicole Baker Fulgham

Creating Common Good 4: A Christian Response with Justin Welby

Economic Inequality and the Church For Groups

For courses on establishing partnerships with particular types of community organization, try:

How to Establish a Church/School Partnership with All Our Children

Responding to Refugees with Allison Duvall.

Sure, there aren't nearly the number of people going to church today as there were in the past, but things have changed a lot. In fact, the Diocese of London has been in a growth pattern for several years, as theologian and author Jason Fout explains. 

In today’s episode, Jason describes what the Diocese of London is doing and why it works. He offers an overview of the Diocese of London's approach and its success and discusses ways in which Diocese of London churches (Holy Trinity Brompton in particular) have reduced the thresholds that were keeping them from connecting with people in their communities. He also examines the Diocese of London's approach to planting churches and building new worship communities and discusses why these ventures have been successful. 

This episode will interest those looking for ideas and inspiration on how churches and dioceses are growing.

If you’re interested in learning more about contemplative activities and practices, check out our ChurchNext courses:

 Praying in Color with Sybil MacBeth

Developing a Rule of Life with Hillary Raining

With Gladness: 5 Weeks of Holy Practices for Disciples with Christopher Martin

The craftspeople who make stained glass windows use basic elements from the earth, much as their predecessors did centuries ago. From sand, stone, ashes, and metal oxides, human beings harness light and use it to imitate and celebrate the glory of God and God's creation. Today, Jackie King discusses the history of stained glass windows, the process by which artists create and install them in churches, the different styles that people have used over the centuries in designing these windows, and the purpose and ways to appreciate stained glass windows.

For a PDF offering images of windows relevant to this course, please click here.

Contemplative Knitting (2021) by Julie Cicora

Knitting Into the Mystery: A Guide to the Shawl-Knitting Ministry (2003) by Susan S. Jorgensen and Susan S. Izard

Knit One, Purl a Prayer: A Spirituality of Knitting (2011) by Peggy Rosenthal

ChurchNext related courses:

Praying in Color with Sybil MacBeth

Developing a Rule of Life with Hillary Raining

With Gladness: 5 Weeks of Holy Practices for Disciples with Christopher Martin

In this episode, author, retreat leader, and gardener Christine Sine offers us dynamic insight into what the simple labor of a gardener has to do with the God who fashioned the first humans from the soil and made a home for them in a garden. Christine discusses God as a gardener, and about digging and watering, planting and pruning in the context of spiritual development. She asks us to consider the rhythm of the seasons in our lives as part of living in God's world.

This episode will appeal to those who are seeking new approaches to spiritual practice or deeper understanding and meaning to their work in the garden.

If you’re interested in learning more about seeking the resurrected Jesus in scripture and in culture, check out our other ChurchNext courses, What is Resurrection with Lucas Mix and, Violence, Myth and Scripture with Suzanne Ross.

Thanks for tuning in. If you’d like to learn more about us, go to churchnext.tv. We close with the Collect for St. Martin of Tours in A Great Cloud of Witnesses:

Lord God of hosts, you clothed your servant Martin the soldier with the spirit of sacrifice and set him as a bishop in your Church to be a defender of the catholic faith: Give us grace to follow in his holy steps, that, at the last, we may be found clothed with righteousness in the dwellings of peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

To learn more about ChurchNext, visit churchnext.tv

If you’re interested in learning more about developing a rule of life, check out our other ChurchNext courses, Praying the Examen with Chris Anderson and Introducing Benedictine Spirituality with Laurel Dahill. 

As the Director of Church Mobilization for the International Justice Mission, Richard Lee knows a great deal about contemporary slavery -- why it is allowed to exist; how it thrives. Richard spends much of his time speaking out on behalf of people who cannot speak for themselves. In this episode, Richard discusses:

• The Scourge of Slavery
• One Person's Story
• Slavery and the Bible
• What's Being Done?

This episode will interest  those who want to learn about slavery and the Christian call to social justice advocacy.

If you’re interested in learning more about Lent or learning through a Lenten curriculum, check out our other ChurchNext courses, Lent for Families with Kim Baker, A Spring in the Desert with Frank and Victoria Logue, and the newly released With Gladness: 5 Weeks of Holy Practices for Disciples with Christoper Martin.

The Gospel of Mark is the account of Jesus’ life and ministry that most influenced the other three gospels. In this episode we’ll learn:

• Who was Mark?
• To whom was Mark writing?
• What are the main themes in Mark?
• How should Mark be read?

This course offers an excellent overview of Mark's Gospel.

You might also be interested in other ChurchNext classes on topics related to pastoral care, death, and the afterlife. Try How to Visit a Sick Friend with Joyce Mercer, Courage for Caregivers with Jamie Haith, Grieving Well with Andrew Gerns, and What's Heaven Like? with John Price.

Tom Krell is a retired hospice nurse and Episcocpal priest serving in Michigan.

These words are as startling as they are true. Food, for most of us, is more than just a way to feed our bodies, but it feeds us in a myriad of other ways as well. In this episode, priest, author, and teacher Martha Tatarnic, who wrote a book on the subject, leads us in a discussion of the spiritual implications of our modern diet. 

This course is ideal for those looking to make deeper connections between food and spirituality.

Episcopal bishop and teacher Susan Goff leads us through a meditation on Christ who came, Christ who comes, and Christ who will come again. She invites us to take on some practical and inspiring disciplines in this season, and to contemplate more fully what it truly means to prepare for and anticipate the newness of Christ dwelling in our hearts. Her talks will cover:

• Christ in Three Tenses
• Christ Who Came
• Christ Who Comes
• Christ Who Comes Again

This episode should interest anyone who is looking to experience the holy season of Advent more deeply.

Those who are looking to move past forgiveness issues may find this episode helpful.

Battle lines have been drawn and many people are convinced their party and their candidate are the only alternative to national chaos. Ray Suarez knows a lot about contentious political landscapes. He also knows a great deal about faith. As an award-winning journalist, college instructor, and outspoken Episcopalian, he has written a book on the subject. In this episode, Ray discusses the challenge of civility, scripture and civility, what a civil approach to discourse looks like, and how  to get to the point of routinely using civil discourse.

This episode will interest Christians looking for ways to be faithful in the midst of contentious politics.

This podcast will introduce you to the Examen and help you to deepen your prayer life.

This is why it is fitting to link poetry with our prayer life. In this episode, using poems from the biblical, classical, and modern genres, author and poetry instructor Dave Worster shows us how the words of poetry can bring us deeper communication with God.

In this episode, as well as in her popular book, Dear White Christians, her blog, and in her classroom, Jennifer Harvey, author and Professor of Religion at Drake University, argues that the popular 'reconciliation' paradigm needs to be replaced with one based on reparation.

This course is ideal for individuals and congregations looking to deepen their understanding and conversations on building racial justice.

• Race
• Discovery
• Expropriation
• Inclusion

This episode will appeal to people who are looking to deepen their understanding and conversations on building racial justice. 

Learn about the history of whiteness and how the dominance and privilege of whiteness impact our desire to bring racial healing to society. The Rev. Kelly Brown Douglas, Dean of Episcopal Divinity School at Union Theological Seminary, professor, and author, leads us through an historical and sociological journey to better understand and bring about reconciliation and justice. In this class she offers four video presentations entitled:

• Whiteness
• Religion
• Theological Reflection
• Perspective

This course is ideal for those seeking a deeper understanding of the effect of white privilege on American society.

• The Ancient Theory Explained
• The Ancient Theory Evaluated
• The Substitution Theory Explained
• The Substitution Theory Evaluated
• The Love Theory Explained
• The Love Theory Evaluated.

Far more people are puzzled about the Cross than would claim to understand it. In this second of our 3-part series on making sense of the cross, author, theologian, and pastor David Lose helps us unpack the most helpful information we need to make sense of this life-changing event.

In this episode, Dr. Lose talks about:

• A Man Hanging on a Tree
• Why Four Gospels?
• Matthew and the Cross
• Mark and the Cross
• Luke and the Cross
• John and the Cross

Far more people are puzzled about the cross than would claim to understand it. In this episode, author, theologian, and pastor David Lose inspires us to think deeply about what Jesus' cross might mean to you and me. David says that the best way to make sense of the cross is not through theories but through experience. This episode includes three lectures in which David talks about:

• The Cross and Experience
• The Cross and Forgiveness
• The Cross and Atonement

That's what activist, author, and Duke University professor Eduardo Bonilla-Silva contends. He was involved in the Trinity Institute's 2016 conference, Listen for a Change: Sacred Conversations for Racial Justice. He says a new kind of racism has taken hold of American society, that's subtle, persistent, and dangerous. In this episode, Bonilla-Silva describes this new racism, how it got here, and what can be done about it. 

This episode will interest is ideal for people looking to deepen their understanding and conversations on racial injustice.

Dr. Karoline Lewis knows this well. She has been teaching from the gospels for years at Luther Seminary. She notes that great care was taken in constructing this book that nourishes us today. In this episode Dr. Lewis will tell us:

• Who was John?
• To whom was John writing?
• What are the main themes in John?
• How should John be read?

Yet it is also often the holiest - and can be the most spiritually memorable and formative for families.

Filled with Santa Clauses and holiday parties, what are some ways we might live faithfully through this sacred, yet highly secularized season?

In this class, Heath Howe leads us in a helpful discussion about:

• Why we should celebrate Advent as a family
• Consumerism and Advent
• What are the Advent themes
• Advent in the home

This is what scholar and priest Kate Moorehead tells us about in this informative class. She presents four video presentations entltled:

• Who Are They?
• Angels as Messengers
• Good and Bad Angels
• Angels and End Times

This course is ideal for those who are looking to discover more about angels - and for those who want to make angels a deeper part of their meditation practice.

In the Christian faith, the lives of exemplary Christians have inspired countless people to live more selfless and charitable lives. While a the word 'saint' can apply to any believer, as Scott Gunn and Tim Schenck explain, the term can also be applied to those who have lived particularly faithful lives.  In this episode, they help us understand more deeply the roles of the saints in history - and in our lives. Their talks include:

• What Is a Saint?
• A History
• How Can We Be Saints?
• How to Pray with the Saints

Scott and Tim are hosts of the annual 'saintly smackdown called Lent Madness.

And just as we find spirituality in other everyday things like water,

we can find spirituality in making and drinking coffee . Fr. Tim Schenck ought to know,. He's been a coffee connoisseur almost as long as he's been a Christian, and he's written an insightful book on the subject.

In this episode, Tim Schenck offers discussion of the following topics in relation to coffee:

• Origins
• Ritual
• Christianity
• Social Justice

This episode of the ChurchNext podcast is ideal for those who love coffee and who look for spirituality in everyday life.

Today there is a plethora of convenient, cost-effective, and accessible formation materials available on the Internet. Substantial communities of like-minded believers have emerged around their preferred teachers and web offerings. In this fascinating course, Gregorian community member, author, and digital prayer expert Karekin Yarian takes us on a tour of these fascinating possibilities, offering us personal preferences and experiences that they have had with online prayer resources. Karekin's lectures include:

• Why Pray Online?
• Daily Prayer Online
• Online Devotions
• Online Bible Study

This course is ideal for those wishing to learn more about online resources that can improve your prayer life.

From birth to death the Prayer Book serves as an invaluable resource for marking important milestones like baptism, marriage, reconciliation, marriage, sickness, and death - referred to as the 'Pastoral Offices.' In this course Roger Ferlo lectures on baptism and matrimony, explaining the theological foundations of these important rites. Suzann Holding walks us through prayer for the sick and the practical theology surrounding end of life issues and liturgies.

In this class, sacred music instructor and musician Milner Seifert walks us through the various ways the Book of Common Prayer endeavors to nurture, sustain, and form us as Christians. This course begins with an overview of the Prayer Book's musical heritage. It continues with insightful examinations of the psalms and canticles, anthems, and congregational singing.

Collects are short prayers and a distinctive part of Anglican worship, liturgy, and theology. Episcopalians have long subscribed to the conviction of 'lex orandi, lex credendi' or 'praying shapes believing.' This means that the way we pray carries great significance.

In this episode, priest, scholar, and teacher Jason Fout talks about the importance of belief and doubt as they relate to the creeds and historical documents of the Book of Common Prayer (BCP).

Jason begins by talking about the importance of belief and prayer. He then walks us through the origins and meanings behind the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds. Jason also touches on other important documents in the BCP including the Creed of St. Athanasius and the Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral.

Author, one-time seminary president, and Episcopal priest Roger Ferlo would not disagree. In this episode he takes us through the history, theology, and meanings behind the Prayer Book and its use of Holy Scripture. Dr. Ferlo approaches the subject by explaining four ways in which Scripture interacts and is discovered in the Prayer Book: proclaiming, reading, doing, and praying.

This has never been more true for the authors and proponents of the most popular spiritual book in the world: the English Book of Common Prayer.

In this episode, popular writer, educator, and priest John Dally walks us through the incredible development of this book, including these talks on:

Anglicanism: Fake or Fluke?
The Real Housewives of London: Reformers Behind the Throne
Your Life May Depend on Your Answer
The Costly Beauty of Anglican Worship

In this episode, spiritual director, teacher, and writer Karl Ruttan shows us how the Book of Common Prayer can be used to deepen our spiritual lives.

Karl begins by telling us how the BCP serves as a handbook for holiness. He then walks us through its origins in Benedictine spirituality. He also shows us how to use the Daily Offices, or daily prayer liturgies for morning and evening prayer. Karl ends by showing us how we might use the Baptismal Covenant as a foundation for a rule of life.

Then join the countless numbers of people who have found inspiration, guidance, and a deep connection with God through the Book of Common Prayer.

Next to the King James Bible, there is no other English book that has been as influential on Western culture as the Book of Common Prayer (BCP). Countless lives have been transformed by this beautiful compilation of liturgies, psalms, creeds, and prayers.

First written more than 500 years ago, the BCP has been adapted to the local custom of the churches that make up the Anglican Communion, producing a rich array of spiritual readings. While touching on the origins and development of the first English prayer books, this course focuses on the American Book of Common Prayer, 1979. It is the first in an 8-part series called, 'Introducing the Book of Common Prayer.' It is called 'An American Prayer Book, A Global Prayer Book.'

And in this episode, Tom Ferguson, dean of Bexley Seabury Federation, breaks down the subject with four lectures called, The, Book, Common, and Prayer

In this episode, students will learn how to get more out of the Bible through Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby’s inspiring words aimed at helping make Bible reading more insightful, practical, and transformative.

The Archbishop offers 3 lectures to help us. Stephen Lyon, leader of a project called The Bible in the Life of the Church offers a fourth

Musician and composer Isaac Everett argues that there is no more human book in the Bible than the Psalms, which means they have a way of touching us like no other. Everett has been immersed in the psalms for years, and has even written a psalter of his own.

The basics may be similar, scripture, tradition, practice, etc., but there are certain nuances that make Anglican Christians different. Episcopal priests Scott Gunn and Melody Shobe unpack them - here are some of their topics:

1. Grateful Enjoyment (God the Father and Creation Care)
2. Wonderfully Restored (God the Son and Incarnation)
3. Strengthened for Your Service (God the Holy Spirit and Spiritual Gifts)
4. Proclaim to All People ( Spiritual Practices, Knowing Your Story, Telling Your Story)

This episode is ideal for those who are new to the Episcopal faith as well as veterans looking to brush up on their knowledge.

The basics may be similar, scripture, tradition, practice, etc., but there are certain nuances that make Anglican Christians different. Episcopal priests Scott Gunn and Melody Shobe unpack them in these four insightful video presentations that make up Part 4 - The Church:

1. That Wonderful and Sacred Mystery (The Church)
2. Defend Your Church (Structure and Governance)
3. A Great Cloud of Witnesses (The Communion of Saints)
   4 The Work You Give Us to Do (Vocation)

The basics may be similar, scripture, tradition, practice, etc., but there are certain nuances that make Anglican Christians different. Episcopal priests Scott Gunn and Melody Shobe unpack them in these four insightful video presentations:

Gathered in Unity (The Creeds)
Written for Our Learning (The Bible)
Continually Given to Good Works (Salvation and Grace)
Accept and Fulfill our Petitions (Prayer)

The Revs. Scott Gunn and Melody Shobe have given us an incredible resource. In this series of podcast episodes these veteran Episcopal clerics unpack the basic beliefs and practices of their tradition. This is the first of five episodes and takes us for a survey of the Sacramental life. Here are the titles of their four audio presentations: 1) The Anglican Way of Christianity, 2) The New Life of Grace, 3) A Wonderful Sacrament, 4) Grow in Grace

Suzanne Ross has dedicated her career to helping people understand that human violence is not divine. She runs The Raven Foundation, which is dedicated to helping people understand the root causes of our violence, shaming, and blaming. It is based in Mimetic Theory, which can help us understand things as basic as why our best friends can turn into our worst enemies.

In this episode Suzanne helps us understand how this theory holds true in history, our lives, and the Bible. Her presentations include: Defining Myth and Scripture, Mimetic Theory, Myth: Romulus and Remus, Scripture: Cain and Abel

Popular Bible teacher Vicki Garvey unpacks this golden book in a way that's insightful, thought-provoking, and inspiring. She contends that these ancient writings have the power to change our lives because they are vehicles of God's grace and insight into living more authentic lives. Her audio lectures include: Why Read Scripture?, Context, Genre, and How to Read the Bible

However this side of God's creation, and God's nature, is often overlooked. Author and teacher Christine Sine thinks we do well to look to God's playful side to discover deeper joy and liberation in our lives. Her four audio presentations are entitled: Jesus and Children, Modeling Childishness, Discovering Inner Playfulness, and Becoming Playful

Musician and liturgical consultant Dent Davidson knows all about that. His advice has helped hundreds of congregations get more out of their corporate life both in the pews and beyond. In this episode he offers us four audio presentations entitled: Vesting, Sacred Cows, Prayers, and Music.

Often it's their deep connection to God through prayer and ecstatic experiences. Daniel London knows a lot about that, he's taught a course on English Mystics for years, and in this course he unpacks the subject with four audio presentations entitled:

What Is a Mystic
Julian of Norwich
The Cloud of Unknowing
Praying with English Mystics

This episode is perfect for those who are looking to expand their understanding and practice of prayer.

The Christian faith offers many responses, but the Dean of Virginia Theological Seminary, Ian Markham, really helps frame these responses in a thoughtful and reasoned way. His four audio presentations are entitled:

Origins
Suffering and the Bible
Suffering and Blessing
Coping with Suffering

This episode offers hope and encouragement for those who are struggling over this perennial mystery.

Wow.

This puts the majority of us in the position of caring for loved ones who find themselves suffering under the debilitating grip of addiction. Therapist and author Jonathan Benz knows all about this. He regularly works with individuals and groups combating addiction. In this episode Jonathan offers four audio presentations:

What Is Addiction?
Recognizing the Signs
Responding
Resources

As Ian Douglas explains, the focus has now changed - from the Church's mission to God's mission. In this course, Douglas unpacks this idea in four presentations:
Introduction
Discovering God's Mission
Baptism
Participating in Mission

And when that cathedral, which was sanctioned by an act of Congress and sits in the shadow of America's federal government, is opened up to us to explore, a myriad of possibility unfolds.

In this episode Dean Randy Hollerith takes us on a personal tour of the 'cathedral of presidents' - the Washington National Cathedral and explains why it is rightly billed as a house of prayer for the nation. His audio segments are entitled:
Origins
Treasures
Milestones
Horizons
This episode is ideal for those wishing to know about this historic cathedral, the second largest in the U.S.

A 2016 report by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on workplace harassment included the results of a random sample survey that found that 25% of female employees reported having been sexually harassed in the workplace. When the term "sexual harassment" was not used in the question, but unwanted sexual advances by employers were described, 40% of female employees reported having experienced these behaviors. When the question described people's being treated with hostility in relation to their gender (as opposed to experiencing unwanted sexual advances or sexual touching), that percentage went up to 60. This survey demonstrates, first, that sexual harassment in the American workplace is anything but dead, and second, that many women notice sexually inappropriate and gender-biased behavior in their workplaces but don't define these behaviors to themselves as sexual harassment. The harassment is happening, but victims don't always recognize it as such.

The problem of sexual harassment is remarkably widespread across the culture. The same EEOC report indicates that sex-based harassment is reported equally in federal workplaces, state and local government workplaces, and private workplaces, so the problem is not relegated to certain types of employer. The #MeToo movement has shown that sexual harassment doesn't fall into neat ideological lines either. Starting with Gretchen Carlson, multiple women accused Roger Ailes, CEO of Fox News of sexual harassment before he resigned in 2016, but women have accused left-leaning politicians such as Al Franken and journalists such as NPR's Michael Orestes of harassment as well. Sexual harassment is not limited to an ideology, a type of person, a type of job, or even to a single gender. 17% of the sex-based harassment charges examined in the EEOC report were brought by men, and a 2017 study by the U.S. Civil Rights Commission indicated that 90% of transgender individuals -- male and female -- experience workplace harassment.

Nor does harassment stop in the workplace. The sexual assault charges brought against numerous clergy members in recent years indicate that churches are no more immune to predatory sexual behavior than anywhere else. It is impossible to deny that sexual harassment remains a serious problem across the board in American culture.

So says Michael Curry, the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, and keynote speaker at the Trinity Institute's 2016 conference, Listen for a Change: Sacred Conversations for Racial Justice. In this episode, Bishop Curry offers four talks addressing different aspects of racial injustice. They include:

Conversation
Spirituality
Healing
Responsibility

These facts are of grave concern to most Christians, including Episcopal Bishops Eugene Sutton and Ian Douglas who believe Christians can do more. They are founding members of Bishops United Against Gun Violence.and have spoken and written extensively on this subject.

In this episode, hear these gifted speakers address these topics:

The Unholy Trinity with Eugene Sutton
Violence and the Bible with Eugene Sutton
A Theology for Challenging Gun Violence with Ian Douglas
Christian Responsibility with Ian Douglas

In this episode we get answers from two prominent and in many ways, opposing camps. Social activist Ed Bacon believes Christians should be at the cutting edge of social protest. Ethicist Stanley Hauerwas believes Christians best shine their light by living faithful lives, as people distinct from the world. Their views come to light in these four sessions:

Finding Christ in Conflict
The Nature of Dissent
Witness and Dissent
How We Dissent

How do we make sense of this? How do people of faith respond? How do we remain calm and centered amidst our difference and tension, taking our roles as peacemakers and even prophets, seriously?

Renowned writer and theologian Parker Palmer believes our current political climate provides a rare opportunity to think more deeply about who we are as people and a nation. In this course, Palmer offers four Audio presentations:

1. We the People
2. The Art of Holding Tension
3. Our Deepest Divide
4. Taking Action

Parker J. Palmer is an author, teacher, and activist. He is also the founder of the Center for Courage and Renewal.