Mid-faith Crisis

What actually is the real meaning of Christmas? What does it signify for those of us in the mid-faith crisis? In this yuletide episode we discuss signs and symbols, light and darkness and how Christ is always with us. Meanwhile Nick is spectacularly grumpy, Joe can’t stop singing and Ethel sends us a verse of her favourite carol.

An interview with Mark Scandrette about personal growth, the role of the enneagram in understanding ourselves and how through the beatitudes Jesus calls us back to what is real and true. Meanwhile, Joe recommends lighting a candle in the darkness, and Nick wants to ‘bless’ the person who invented comments in Microsoft Word.

It’s the long awaited (and quite long) film show. We pick our top films to help us think about spiritual formation. Typically, Joe’s all come from 2018 while Nick’s all come from around 1940. And, sadly, there’s no place for any of the Carry On films. This is our list – but what do you think? Email [email protected] and let us know what films you would recommend for anyone in the mid-faith crisis!

In the feedback from our personality episode, we discuss the ‘masks’ we wear in order to conform, their relationship to personality, and how they can become a burden to us. Also Joe advertises his cult, Nick has a new book out, and we remember that great worship song composer, Graham Ken and Dick.

Oh No, Mr Snowman! by Nick Page and Clare Fennell

Episode 53: Personality Types

In this episode, Joe interviews theologian Bethany Sollereder to explore the issue of death and dying. Why is our culture so afraid of death? Why is grieving important? Who, what or where is apoptosis? We also find out why Joe playing snooker instead of attending his Pastoral Care modules was actually a good thing, why Nick sending off his manuscript is actually a bad thing, and when little Martin Buber’s Christmas Album will be out.

What role does personality play in faith? We explore ideas about personality types, and how our different personalities affect what we believe and how we behave. We also take a look at some bad language in the Bible and find out what Myers-Briggs type Ethel Sadoldperson is.

Yes, it’s the second anniversary of the Mid-faith Crisis podcast. We reflect on why we started this, what, if anything, has changed in our lives over the past two years and the importance of discussing the real questions. Plus loads of lovely feedback (specially designed to embarrass Nick) and the difficulty of playing a defensive back three of Bonhoeffer, Bultmann and Tillich.

In this second part of our discussion of the cross (recorded about 5 seconds after the end of the first part) we explore some of the major historical models of the atonement. Was it about victory? Ransom? Substitution? Justice? Example? (Answer: all of the above.) And how did Jesus explain it? (Answer: he didn’t really.) Along the way we discuss the mystery that lies at the heart of this event and the danger of taking metaphors too seriously.

For the first part of this discussion listen to Episode 50: The Scandal of the Cross.

Books mentioned

In the first of two-parts on this topic, we explore the cross – the event which lies at the heart of the Christian Gospel. In this first part, we look at the many different ways the first Christians talked about it and why it seemed so foolish and scandalous. And we touch on an important question: why does talking about the cross make people so cross?

Make sure to check out Episode 51: The Mystery of the Cross – which  is a companion to this episode, and in which we explore some of the main explanations of what the cross is all about.

It’s a feedback episode with great stories from the listeners about the power of forgiveness. We touch on the need to forgive ourselves, discuss whether laughing at something means not taking it seriously, and address the fate of Nick’s beard. There is also stuff about removing our fig leaves, but it’s probably best not to dwell on that.