Myers Park Baptist Church: Theology Upstream Podcasts

Theology Upstream Podcasts are a series of conversations hosted by two young(-ish) clergy, Rev. Ben and Rev. Chrissy, who are convinced that good theology still has something to say to people living their lives in the real world. With that conviction, Chrissy and Ben seek to read theological books and put their learnings into conversation with lived-experience.  Preparing for our 2018-19 study, Awakening the Body, Chrissy and Ben are publishing a series of conversations on Kate Bowler’s best seller, Everything Happens for a Reason: and Other Lies I’ve Loved.In this third episode, Chrissy & Ben are talking about seasons of life and the irony (or seeming arbitrary nature) of suffering.  Using Bowler’s vulnerable conversation about her fertility journey, this episode focuses on body problems, human limitations, and the reality that “blessings” may never come (or they may not look the way we imagined).

Theology Upstream Podcasts are a series of conversations hosted by two young(-ish) clergy, Rev. Ben and Rev. Chrissy, who are convinced that good theology still has something to say to people living their lives in the real world. With that conviction, Chrissy and Ben seek to read theological books and put their learnings into conversation with lived-experience.  Preparing for our 2018-19 study, Awakening the Body, Chrissy and Ben are publishing a series of conversations on Kate Bowler’s best seller, Everything Happens for a Reason: and Other Lies I’ve Loved.In this third episode, Chrissy & Ben are talking about seasons of life and the irony (or seeming arbitrary nature) of suffering.  Using Bowler’s vulnerable conversation about her fertility journey, this episode focuses on body problems, human limitations, and the reality that “blessings” may never come (or they may not look the way we imagined).

Theology Upstream Podcasts are a series of conversations hosted by two young(-ish) clergy, Rev. Ben and Rev. Chrissy, who are convinced that good theology still has something to say to people living their lives in the real world. With that conviction, Chrissy and Ben seek to read theological books and put their learnings into conversation with lived-experience.  Preparing for our 2018-19 study, Awakening the Body, Chrissy and Ben are publishing a series of conversations on Kate Bowler’s best seller, Everything Happens for a Reason: and Other Lies I’ve Loved.In this second episode Chrissy and Ben confess to loving the lie that they can do anything and everything.  In that confession, they wrestle with what it means to be Americans living in a pressure cooker of perfectionism and to be honest about their humanity (therefore their limitations and imperfections).  What are yours?

Theology Upstream Podcasts are a series of conversations hosted by two young(-ish) clergy, Rev. Ben and Rev. Chrissy, who are convinced that good theology still has something to say to people living their lives in the real world. With that conviction, Chrissy and Ben seek to read theological books and put their learnings into conversation with lived-experience.  Preparing for our 2018-19 study, Awakening the Body, Chrissy and Ben are publishing a series of conversations on Kate Bowler’s best seller, Everything Happens for a Reason: and Other Lies I’ve Loved.In this second episode Chrissy and Ben confess to loving the lie that they can do anything and everything.  In that confession, they wrestle with what it means to be Americans living in a pressure cooker of perfectionism and to be honest about their humanity (therefore their limitations and imperfections).  What are yours?

Theology Upstream Podcasts are a series of conversations hosted by two young(-ish) clergy, Rev. Ben and Rev. Chrissy, who are convinced that good theology still has something to say to people living their lives in the real world. With that conviction, Chrissy and Ben seek to read theological books and put their learnings into conversation with lived-experience.  Preparing for our 2018-19 study, Awakening the Body, Chrissy and Ben are publishing a series of conversations on Kate Bowler’s best seller, Everything Happens for a Reason: and Other Lies I’ve Loved.In this first episode on Kate Bowler’s book, Everything Happens for a Reason: and Other Lies I’ve Loved, Chrissy & Ben talk about the prosperity gospel, theodicy, and hope that God will make a way.  Along the way they discover some lies that they have loved . . . What are yours?

Theology Upstream Podcasts are a series of conversations hosted by two young(-ish) clergy, Rev. Ben and Rev. Chrissy, who are convinced that good theology still has something to say to people living their lives in the real world. With that conviction, Chrissy and Ben seek to read theological books and put their learnings into conversation with lived-experience.  Preparing for our 2018-19 study, Awakening the Body, Chrissy and Ben are publishing a series of conversations on Kate Bowler’s best seller, Everything Happens for a Reason: and Other Lies I’ve Loved.In this first episode on Kate Bowler’s book, Everything Happens for a Reason: and Other Lies I’ve Loved, Chrissy & Ben talk about the prosperity gospel, theodicy, and hope that God will make a way.  Along the way they discover some lies that they have loved . . . What are yours?

Christ is risen!  Happy Easter everyone!  Can you believe we’ve made it through the wilderness journey of Lent?  While it may be difficult to believe that the 40-day journey is complete, the wilderness – I’m afraid to say – still surrounds us.  Politics, economics, relationships, and everything else in our lives  will continue to present us with trauma, hatred, and pain.  We will still find ourselves in situations and conversations in which there seems to be no way out without finding a bunker and digging in our heels behind it.  But now (hopefully) we won’t let ourselves do that.  After this intense 40-day journey out from bunkers and into wilderness, we have honed our BRAVING skills and we are learning to live with a strong back, soft front, and wild heart.  Of course none of us has it figured out quite yet… but at least now we know what we need to do. We would love to hear from you about what this Lenten season has meant for you.  What are you learning?  How is your learning changing your life?  What will you do next?  How will you continue to brave?

Christ is risen!  Happy Easter everyone!  Can you believe we’ve made it through the wilderness journey of Lent?  While it may be difficult to believe that the 40-day journey is complete, the wilderness – I’m afraid to say – still surrounds us.  Politics, economics, relationships, and everything else in our lives  will continue to present us with trauma, hatred, and pain.  We will still find ourselves in situations and conversations in which there seems to be no way out without finding a bunker and digging in our heels behind it.  But now (hopefully) we won’t let ourselves do that.  After this intense 40-day journey out from bunkers and into wilderness, we have honed our BRAVING skills and we are learning to live with a strong back, soft front, and wild heart.  Of course none of us has it figured out quite yet… but at least now we know what we need to do. We would love to hear from you about what this Lenten season has meant for you.  What are you learning?  How is your learning changing your life?  What will you do next?  How will you continue to brave?

In this episode we are talking about holding hands. with strangers.  (I typed it that way on purpose.)  Brené opens us to the power of collective effervescence, mediated to us through experiences of joy, pain, music, and practices of faith. Her main point, and we agree, is that in sharing joy and pain together, we are certainly braving the wilderness.    To get yourself prepped for this episode, go ahead and think about your first and favorite concert experiences.  Try to remember the ways that you felt connected to others around you.  How long-lasting was the connection?  Also remember moments of collective pain:  9/11, the explosion of the Challenger, the Oklahoma City bombing, Newtown Connecticut… remember how it felt to be in moments of intense pain with others around you.  Once you have those memories in your mind and those feelings in your gut… you’re ready to hit play.  Don’t forget to post your memories in the comments section!

In this episode we are talking about holding hands. with strangers.  (I typed it that way on purpose.)  Brené opens us to the power of collective effervescence, mediated to us through experiences of joy, pain, music, and practices of faith. Her main point, and we agree, is that in sharing joy and pain together, we are certainly braving the wilderness.    To get yourself prepped for this episode, go ahead and think about your first and favorite concert experiences.  Try to remember the ways that you felt connected to others around you.  How long-lasting was the connection?  Also remember moments of collective pain:  9/11, the explosion of the Challenger, the Oklahoma City bombing, Newtown Connecticut… remember how it felt to be in moments of intense pain with others around you.  Once you have those memories in your mind and those feelings in your gut… you’re ready to hit play.  Don’t forget to post your memories in the comments section!