A Matter of Faith: A Presby Podcast

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We are changing up the podcast a little bit! Each week we will give our responses to what's happening in our world, culture and society and how all that relates to faith. As always, we will respond to a question and then invite a guest to respond to another question. The podcast is evolving to meet the needs of our listeners and we will always continue to do that!

We got our hot takes on the The Oscars y'all! And other events that happened this week! 

Question for the Week:
Do you think the church and faith community should have a stance on the use of cannabis, also known as CBD? As the use of CBD for both recreational and medicinal use becomes more mainstream, it also becomes less "taboo". But in the church we often hold things as taboo for a long time. I'm not saying we should have a stance about the use of drugs, but recognizing that as times change, attitudes change too.

Special Guest:
Teri McDowell Ott, Editor & Publisher, Presbyterian Outlook

Guest Question:
We hear so much about the power and influence of conservative faith media and press, but not as much about progressive faith media. Why is that and what could initiate a change? 

Resource Roundup:
Presbyterian Outlook
Necessary Risks: Challenges Privileged People Need to Face

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¡Damos la bienvenida a Vilmarie Cintrón-Olivieri como anfitriona invitada especial con Rosa! Hablan con Yenny Delgado sobre celebrar a las mujeres durante el Mes de la Historia de la Mujer y cómo empoderar a las mujeres en la iglesia.

Invitada especial
Yenny Delgado, Director, Publica Theology

Recursos
Mujeres haciendo teología en Abya Yala por Jenny Delgado
Presbyterian Outlook articulo: "The rise of women in the pulpit"
Recursos en la página de Presbyterian Historical Society:
Women's History In Her Own Right

Libros:
“Her Story: Women in Christian Tradition” por Barbara J. MacHaffie 
“Mujer e Iglesia: Una respuesta teológica” (Antología) Isla Negra Editores; Lydia E. Rodríguez-Rodríguez, editora 

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In this episode, we invited Raaheela Ahmed onto the show to talk about her experience as someone in politics and how her faith intersects with that work. We also discuss how we can begin interfaith work in our communities. Raaheela Ahmed is a candidate for Maryland State Senate, District 23. A Matter of Faith does not endorse any political party or candidate.

Special Guests:
Raaheela Ahmed, former Board Member, Prince George's County Public Schools, candidate for Maryland State Senate, District 23

Guest Question:
What role do you see faith communities playing in educational reform and in improving our educational system? Additionally, how has your own faith informed your service on the school board and your decision to run for the Senate?

Resources:
Raaheela Ahmed's Website
Campaigning 101 with Raaheela Ahmed

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On this episode of A Matter of Faith: A Presby Podcast, we welcome staff from the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations, all being young and woman identifying. The conversation was so good that we just kept talking. So, the whole episode is dedicated to them!

Special Guests:
Leah Brooks, Ivy Lopedito, Angelina Devincenzo,
Presbyterian Ministry at the UN

Guest Question:
What is the outlook of young people on the world today and for the future? I’m thinking about “gen Z” (people born 1997-2012) but also younger millennials (people born between 1980 and 1995). Are they hopeful? Anxious? Gloomy? And what is your outlook on the future of the church?

Resource Roundup:
Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations Facebook Page

Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations Instagram

United Nations Commission on the Status of Women

Women Leading in the Church Webinar Registration

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Questions for the Week:

• What is happening with the Russian invasion of Ukraine? Is the PCUSA or any faith community doing anything in terms of support or relief?
• President Biden delivered his first State of the Union recently. What did you think of it? Did anything alarm you or resonate with you? 

Special Guest:
Maura Drewry, Social/Clinical Advanced Research Assistant,
UNC Center for Health Equity Research

Guest Question:
We have been hearing the term "public health" more often in the news and media. What it is it and why does it matter to people of faith? How does public health relate to things like justice and equity?

Resource Roundup:
Stated Clerk reacts to Russian invasion of Ukraine

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) seeking support for humanitarian response to Ukraine

Give to the PC(USA) response to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and Central Europe

Call on Congress to Stand With Vulnerable Ukrainians and Uphold Protections for the Displaced

World Health Organization's Definition of Health

Center for Disease Control (CDC)

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Questions for the Week:

• Have you ever attended a religious gathering, ceremony, or time for worship of another religion/faith? What did you think about it? Did you learn anything about your own faith in learning about another? 
• What are your thoughts on smart technology like smart watches? Is the convenience and access to your messaging and health apps worth it? Or do you think people become too reliant on these devices? What if there was a way to track our faith or progress with the church using technology? Would we use it?

Special Guest:
Dr. Annalisa Azzoni, Senior Lecturer in Hebrew Bible & Director of Global Education, Vanderbilt University's Divinity School

Guest Question:
How do we learn history, specifically with regard to faith and different faith traditions? How does the way we learn that history impact us today?

Resource Roundup:
Israel's History and the History of Israel
Vanderbilt Divinity School

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Una Cuestión de Fe ha regresado con una conversación sobre la herencia africana dentro de la comunidad latina.

Invitado especial:
Eliud Serrano, Compositor y músico

Eliud Serrano's sitio web

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Questions for the Week:

• When you think of God, what image comes to mind? What do you think God "looks" like?
• Back in October 2020, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that the future of technology and social interaction is through the "metaverse", an interactive virtual reality world. Facebook is moving to make this a reality and even changed its name to Meta to reflect this. What do you think about this potential metaverse and its impact on the church? 

Special Guest:
Katie Day, Professor Emerita, United Lutheran Seminary

Guest Question:
Members of my church have voiced concerns about what would have happen if there was potential gun violence incident during a service or on our property. People have suggested everything from putting signs on the church grounds about not allowing guns to hiring security personnel. None of these ideas are perfect and they can be financially costly and also make our church feel less welcoming. How do we walk this balance? Does anyone have any guidance?

Resource Roundup:
Following Jesus in a Culture of Fear
God and Guns in America
God and Guns
Gun Violence, Gospel Values
No Guns In God's House signs
Secure Community Network
Standing Our Holy Ground webinar series

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Questions for the Week:

• Recently, the streaming platform Spotify removed the music of folk-rock singer Neil Young (at his request). He asked for his music to be taken down as a protest against what he describes as Spotify allowing its exclusive and top performing podcast, the Joe Rogan Experience, to spread misinformation about COVID-19 and vaccination. What do you think about this in the broader context of debates around censorship, free speech, and open discussion? I'm not asking for your comments on the Joe Rogan podcast or Neil Young, but rather the way information can be put out on to media platforms while others some things are taken down. 
• Do you think churches should stop doing online services? An Anglican priest recently wrote about why they think online services are now counter productive to being the church because an important part of worship is being present together with our bodies and embodied community. That doesn't mean people shouldn't take precautions to prevent the spread of Covid-19. But offering worship services online makes embodiment "elective." What are your thoughts?

Special Guest:
Kathryn Threadgill, Associate Mission Director, Theology, Formation & Evangelism, PCUSA

Guest Question:
People have a lot of feelings, positive and negative, about the word "evangelism". Does evangelism have the same meaning as it did say, 50 or 100 years ago? Or has it changed? What does evangelism mean in a modern, progressive Christian context?

Resource Roundup:
8 Habits of Evangelism

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Questions for the Week:

• The recent deaths of two police officers in Harlem, NYC have reignited questions about the best ways to truly improve public safety and reduce gun violence. It also calls attention to the debate between increasing police presence and activity versus more community-driven solutions. As noted in a New York Times story, a Harlem Councilwoman who has supported the idea of abolishing police departments, is trying to navigate the fine line between standing with the victims of this shooting, while also standing by her message. I'm not asking you to comment on whether the police should be abolished. Rather, how do you think the church walks a similar fine line as it navigates justice issues? How do we call out injustices while also recognizing the nuances at play?
• A Tennessee school district banned the use of “Maus,” a Pulitzer-winning graphic novel about the Holocaust, in its middle school classes because of profanity and depicting nudity which make it inappropriate for children of that age. This decision reflects an ongoing debate about what children can and cannot handle, as well as how to educate children on difficult historical events without diminishing the gravity of the truth. What are your thoughts on this?

Special Guest:
Rev. Tim Coombs, Biblical Storyteller, Co-Pastor of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Scotia, NY & Chaplain at Union College

Guest Question:
I have a question about the way we orally read and tell the stories in the Bible. I feel like sometimes just reading the Bible out loud is kind of boring. Does anyone have ideas about a way to make it more interesting? Further, some of the stories were passed down from generation to generation through verbal storytelling, so there must be a way to tell these stories in interesting and meaningful ways. Have we lost that in the modern church, where we either just read the Bible very plainly or immediate try to turn a story into something like a video?

Resource Roundup:
The Network of Biblical Storytellers International

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