The season of Advent marks the beginning of the church calendar, and it's a season of naming our deepest longings, those places in our lives where everything feels shrouded in darkness and hopelessness. It's a season to ask for light to come into those places, for Christ to come into those places. It's a season to practice waiting for the impossible to become possible. 
My conversation is with Ruth Haley Barton, a dear friend and the Director of the Transforming Center in Chicago, Illinois. 
The music on this episode is by Page CXVI (used by permission) from their album Advent to Christmas.

Episode 211 | Advent, Part 4

Reclaiming what's holy about our humanity - a weekly podcast with Steve Wiens. Connect with Steve at www.stevewiens.com

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In this episode, I explain why I believe deconstruction and reconstruction are a healthy part of human development, how we see many examples of deconstruction and reconstruction in the bible, and why it's essential for human flourishing. Enjoy!

Episode 255 | Deconstruction, Reconstruction and Human Flourishing

Are humans born with "original sin" or "original blessing?" How you understand where you come from (your origin story) drastically affects how you see yourself and the world around you. In this episode, I talk about where the doctrine of original sin came from and how it affects those who ascribe to it. Enjoy!

Episode 254 | Original Sin or Original Blessing?

How do you perceive reality? Is life basically a system of scarcity, where it's all up to you to crank it up, make it happen, and dig deep? Or is life energized by a ground of being that keeps sending gift after gift to each one of us? How you perceive reality deeply affects your experience of reality.

Episode 253 | The Shape of Reality

Reverend Elizabeth Hagan is a graduate of Duke Divinity School, a multi-published author, and has been a pastor for 15 years. She saw the isolation, loneliness, and shame that remains unspoken when Christians shy away from difficult conversations on taboo topics. Elizabeth knew that the church could do better to foster a sense of acceptance and belonging. So she wrote Brave Church to open the door to the presence of God in difficult conversations.
You can follow Elizabeth's work on her website, as well as on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Episode 252 | Brave Church with Elizabeth Hagan

Tyler Sit is a pastor, author, and church planter of New City Church in South Minneapolis, a multi-racial church focused on environmental justice and centering marginalized voices.
Tyler's new book, Staying Awake: The Gospel for Change Makers, is a practical exploration of Christianity for people who want to show up for justice and stay in the movement. Complete with stories, worksheets, poetry, and a commitment to centering queer people of color, this book is here to support you in staying awake: to God, to the evils of oppression, and to the world’s coming liberation.

Episode 211 | Advent, Part 4

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