Gravity Commons Podcast

Marc Alan Schelske joins us once again to talk (once again) about journaling: what it is, why it works, and how to do it in a way that facilitates spiritual growth. Marc also shared personally and vulnerably about his own spiritual journey. No matter what your history is with journaling, Marc's method (outlined in his recently re-released book Journaling for Spiritual Growth: Six Weeks to Build a Habit that Fosters Spiritual and Emotional Maturity) is eminently practical and powerfully effective for fostering spiritual formation.

Marc Alan Schelske is a thinker and speaker who has served as a full-time pastor since 1995 and is currently the teaching elder of Bridge City Community Church in Portland, Oregon. He also hosts The Apprenticeship Way podcast and is the author of The Wisdom of Your Heart and Discovering Your Authentic Core Values, as well as the book we're talking about today: Journaling for Spiritual Growth. "In my writing, I focus on what it takes to nurture a healthy inner life, something found at the intersection of grace and growth," Marc says. "I write and speak to help people find belonging, redemption, and growth as they discover the life God has designed for them."

SHOW NOTES:

We lost Ben to an unstable internet connection shortly after starting this podcast recording. Please respect our privacy during this difficult time.

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We talked with Presbyterian minister and author Benjamin Perry about what happens to us when we cry... and when we don't. Weeping often opens a door to connection and transformation, but many of us have been taught to suppress our emotions and hide our tears. Benjamin's book Learning to Cry: Why Our Tears Matter is the result of an experiment he undertook: to cry every day.

Benjamin Perry is a Presbyterian minister and an award-winning writer whose work has appeared in outlets like The Washington Post, Slate, Sojouners, and Bustle. With a degree in psychology from SUNY Geneseo and an MDiv from Union Theological Seminary, Perry has worked as an organizer with the New York chapter of the Poor People's Campaign and as an editor at Time, Inc. Perry has appeared on MSNBC, Al Jazeera, and NY1, and is the editor of the Queer Faith photojournalism series. He and his spouse, Erin Mayer, live in Maine.

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In this episode of the Gravity Commons podcast, we explore the complexities of anger as an emotion, discussing its role in personal relationships, power dynamics, and social justice. We reflect on personal experiences with anger, the importance of navigating it with compassion, and the implications of policing anger in various contexts. Our conversation also touches on the privilege of being able to disengage from anger and the necessity of understanding its roots in injustice.

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• Join the Gravity Community to interact with other listeners, and get our list of curated links each week to all things edifying and interesting.

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We talked with Rick Pidcock about the role of anger in an allegation of abuse he wrote about in a progressive Christian organization, the need for self-awareness and humility, how social location affects how anger works, and the need to reform harmful hierarchies.

Rick Pidcock writes for Baptist News Global. He has a master of arts degree in worship from Northern Seminary. He is also the host of the Baptist News Global podcast “Highest Power: Church + State.” And he is a stay-at-home dad.

Links to resources mentioned in this episode:

• "Allegations against Tim Whitaker and The New Evangelicals show how hierarchy transfers to progressive ministries" by Rick Pidcock
•  "That time I got an angry call from the subject of an article about anger and abuse" by Rick Pidcock
• "Comment from BNG’s editor on our coverage of The New Evangelicals" by Mark Wingfield
• TNE Reckoning, a site advocating for accountability, where you can download the full GRACE report.
• Exiles in Christendom - Rick's Substack newsletter
• The Highest Power: Church and State - Rick's podcast

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Anger is a wily beast: easily misused, often harmful, yet also sometimes holy and good. Over the coming weeks, we'll be examining anger and the cost and benefits of being more acquainted with our anger and the anger in the world. In this episode, Christy Penley talks us through how anger could be a flag that's waving itself as an opportunity to grow in greater intimacy with God. 

Dr. Christy Penley is married to her husband Paul, a mom of 6, and pastor at Pulpit Rock Church in Colorado. She has spent her professional career teaching the Bible to kids, students and adults, and recently received a DMin from Denver Seminary. Christy is a facilitator for Gravity's Formation Course and offers one-on-one coaching for both pastors and lay people.

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We talked with Dr. Paul Penley (yes, Christy's husband!) about how we often misunderstand what Jesus meant because we don't realize that he was participating in and responding to ancient conversations we don't have immediate access to. Paul's book What Jesus Meant: How Ancient Conversations Redefine Jesus’ Message helps us understand that Jesus was not just making points; he was making counterpoints, and this makes all the difference for how we interpret his words.

Dr. Paul Penley is a New Testament scholar and former Bible professor at the college and seminary level. Paul writes books to share academic research insights which redefine our understanding of the Bible, but normally get lost in technical journals at graduate libraries. He loves seeing readers freed from the misdirection and disillusionment caused by bad Bible interpretation. Dr. Penley studied Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic on his journey to better understanding Scripture in undergraduate and post-graduate degrees. He studied biblical history on site in Israel, Egypt, Turkey and Greece and then picked up German and French while completing a Ph.D. from Trinity's Divinity School. He has presented his original biblical and historical research in college courses and national scholars' meetings, at Shabbat school and church retreats, at Bible conference centers and small groups.

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Many of us embarked on our spiritual journeys filled with hope and certainty, only to find ourselves questioning the very foundation of our beliefs as life unfolded. The faith that once seemed unshakeable may falter in the face of broken trust, unanswered prayers, and the harsh realities of worldly suffering. But Catherine McNiel and Jason Hague - authors of Mid-Faith Crisis: Finding a Path Through Doubt, Disillusionment, and Dead Ends - help us understand that we're not alone in this experience. Mid-faith crises are a shared human experience that can feel isolating yet are a crucial part of our spiritual journey.

Catherine McNiel is a chaplain, author, editor, and speaker. She lives in the Chicagoland area with her husband, three children, and one enormous garden. Her previous books include Fearing Bravely, All Shall Be Well, and Long Days of Small Things, which was an ECPA finalist for New Author.

Jason Hague is the associate pastor of Christ's Center Church near Eugene, Oregon, and the author of Aching Joy: Following God Through the Land of Unanswered Prayer. His writing has appeared in Christianity Today, Focus on the Family, and Fathom. He and his wife have five children.

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We talked with theologian, writer, and ordained priest Shannon Kearns about his new book, No One Taught Me How to be A Man: What a Trans Man's Experience Reveals About Masculinity.

Shannon T.L. Kearns is a transgender man who believes in the transformative power of story. He is an ordained priest, writer, and theologian whose work revolves around making meaning. He is also a sought-after speaker on transgender issues and religion, as well as a skilled workshop facilitator. Kearns' work with Brian G. Murphy at QueerTheology.com, which he co-founded, has reached more than a million people all over the world through videos, articles, and online courses.

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We talked with theologian and professor Lee C. Camp about his podcast No Small Endeavor, and what it means to live "the good life."

Lee C. Camp is an award-winning teacher and Professor of Theology & Ethics at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee. Lee is also the host of No Small Endeavor – an acclaimed podcast series exploring the habits, practices, and dispositions that facilitate human flourishing, a.k.a. the good life. He is the author of several books, including Scandalous Witness: A Little Political Manifesto for Christians.

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We talked with Palestinian pastor and theologian Munther Isaac about his book Christ in the Rubble: Faith, the Bible, and the Genocide in Gaza, which challenges USAmerican Christians' uncritical embrace of the modern State of Israel. Speaking from his unique vantage point as a Christian pastor on the ground in Bethlehem, he reveals how Israel's campaign to eliminate the Palestinian people is a continuation of a colonial project with nineteenth-century roots that has, since 1948, established systems of entrenched discrimination and segregation worse than South Africa's apartheid regime. In this powerful conversation, he calls on Christians to repent of their complicity in the destruction of the Palestinian people, and challenges them to realign their beliefs and actions with Christ--who can be found not among perpetrators of violence, but with victims buried under the rubble of war.

Additional notes:

• The Kairos Palestine document (creative non-violent resistance)
• Munther Isaac on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
• Christ at the Checkpoint (Youtube channel)
• Across the Divide Podcast



Connect with Gravity Commons:

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