Shame affects us all — but do we truly understand it? In this episode, host Elizabeth Pittman sits down with Rev. Dr. John Kleinig, author of From Shame to Glory: God’s Surprising Remedy for Injustice and Failure. Dr. Kleinig draws on decades of pastoral experience to help us understand what shame is, how it differs from guilt, and how Jesus frees us from its weight through baptism, Holy Communion, and the blessing of the Church.

Episode Timestamps

1:51 — Introduction — Welcome & book overview

2:00 — Guilt vs. shame: the key differences — behavior vs. identity, actions vs. wounds

9:00 — What caused Dr. Kleinig to start thinking about shame?

13:50 — Dr. Kleinig’s story: his Wendish ethnic minority background and experiences of discrimination

25:30 — How Jesus frees us from shame: Holy Communion, the blood of Christ, and John the Baptist’s words

29:00 — Jesus as the Lamb of God who bears and carries the sin of the world

33:00 — The divine service as the ongoing remedy for shame; blessing vs. absolution

34:10 — Encouragement for listeners struggling with shame — and how to use the book

About the Guest

Rev. Dr. John Kleinig is professor emeritus at Luther College, Adelaide, SA, Australia. He received his M.A. and Ph.D. from Cambridge University, Doctor of Divinity from Fort Wayne (1998) and Concordia University, Irvine (2014). He is the author of numerous articles and books. Dr. Kleinig and his wife, Claire, have four children and many grandchildren.
 
 Resources Mentioned

From Shame to Glory: God’s Surprising Remedy for Injustice and Failure by Rev. Dr. John Kleinig — 

cph.org

Concordia Publishing House

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