Center Church SGF

In the final episode of this short series, Jeremy discusses divine forgiveness. This wide-ranging episode explores the imagery of divine forgiveness, divine forgiveness and God's anger, and how we forgive in response to the nature of God.

Scripture References:

Exodus 34

Additional Sources:

Handbook of Moral Behavior and Development, Volume One (Kurtines and Gewirtz)

Divine Anger and Walter Brueggeman's Biblical Theology (Peck)

Essay on Forgiveness (Lewis)

The Doors fo the Sea (Hart)

In this episode, Jeremy explores the tricky topic of ambition. For some, ambition has been a useful tool to spur positive change in the world; for others, it has been a source of frustration and unwellness. A short literary survey frames the discussion. Following this is a biblical treatment on the topic.

Scripture References:

Philippians 1 and 2; Romans 2 and 15; 1 Thessalonians 4

Additional Sources:

On the Road (Smith)

"Literary Themes: Ambition"

This is episode one of a three part series where we dive into a few topics which have been requested at Center. We begin with something broad, indeed; Jeremy offers a few ways of thinking creatively and biblically about the complex topic of fatherhood.

Scripture References:

Luke 15; Matthew 7 and 17; John 4; Proverbs 1

Additional Sources:

Dictionary of Biblical Imagery

On the Road (Smith)

Short Stories by Jesus (Levine)

The Bluest Eye (Morrison)

The Invention of Solitude (Auster)

"Fatherhood and the Literary Imagination" (Osuji)

In this episode, Jeremy discusses the ways the Spirit of God pulls hope down into the very core of our being, into all parts of our lived experience. This discussion includes a critique of how Christiany is usually presented in our current moment, and then commentary on the sacred practice of contemplative prayer, as framed by Thomas Keating.

Scripture References:

Proverbs 28; 1 Kings 19; 2 Corinthians 12

Additional Sources:

"The Method of Centering Prayer" (Keating)

A Passion for Truth: "A World of Veils" (Heschel)

Desiring the Kingdom (Smith)

The Experience of God (Hart)

In this episode, Jeremy begins to conclude his series on expectancy by discussing what it means to become experts in the love and fullness of God. He discusses how the things that one loves and desires objectively shape the world one inhabits and subjectively inform one's experience of it.

Scripture References:

Galatians 2; 2 Corinthians 4; Romans 8; Matthew 28; Acts 17

Additional Sources:

Desiring the Kingdom (Smith)

Modern Social Imaginaries, excerpts (Taylor)

The Experience of God (Hart)

Zadie Smith says, "we are creatures of consequence." In this episode, Jeremy concludes his two part treatment on Christian anthropology by offering a better epistemology for how we should understand what it is to be in the world as creatures of consequence. Part of this work includes differentiating between believing beings and thinking beings, and adopting non-cognitive ways of knowing.

Scripture References:

James 1; 1 Peter 2

Additional Sources:

Desiring the Kingdom (Smith)

A Secular Age (Taylor)

Contemplating God with the Great Tradition (Carter)

Rudolph Otto

In this episode, Jeremy discusses the reasons so many churches have been reduced to spaces where attendees experience little more than a mediocre hybrid between a TED Talk and an inspirational speech. For part one, we talk about what we are not: we are not merely consuming things; we are not merely tribal things; and, we are not merely thinking or believing things. Taylor and Smith serve as guides to clarify how churches have misunderstood our basic Christian anthropology.

Scripture References:

Romans 7; 1 Peter 2

Additional Sources:

Desiring the Kingdom (Smith)

A Secular Age (Taylor)

Contemplating God with the Great Tradition (Carter)

Political Tribes (Chua)

In this episode, Jeremy interacts with Smith's chapter on self and friendship, and deals with our notions of authentic and inauthentic selfhood.

Scripture References:

James 1.23-25

Romans 12.2

Additional Sources:

On the Road with Saint Augustine (Smith)

The Secular Age (Taylor)

Being and Time (Heidegger)

In this episode, Jeremy gives us a number of big ideas to help frame the ways we experience the Trinitarian God, and how God might be known through the material world.

Scripture References:

Job 12.7-12, 38-ff

Genesis 2

Psalm 8, 104

Romans 8.18

Additional Sources:

Animal Dreams (Kingsolver)

The Invention of Nature (Wulf)

The Experience of God (Hart)

In this episode, Jeremy offers an abbreviated teaching of the sermon given at Center Church this Easter. The message takes place across four short movements and was heavily influenced by the excellent DBH lecture "Death, Sacrifice, and the Resurrection."

Scripture References:

John 19

Genesis 22

1 Corinthians 15

Additional Sources:

This is Why I Came (Rakow)

"Death is Nothing at All" (Holland)