Ponder Anew Podcast

Jesus in the cross cries out in existential suffering:  "My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me?" 

Does God suffer?  Can you love someone and not suffer?  Does God suffer with you on the cross?

The podcast begins with a reflection on the marriage metaphor in Scripture (and in Luther's thinking); then delves into a history of how Christians have answered the question "Does God suffer?"  Likely people born in the 20th or 21st century would say "yes" but this was not the historical answer of the church.  Our current approach to seeing God as one who suffers gains and loses something against the historical understanding of the church.

"Into your hands I commend my Spirit."  Jesus was a spiritual person.  A spiritual guru.

What does it mean for us as humans to be spiritual?  A reflection on what we've lost in terms of spirituality over time and what we can recover.

"Woman, behold your son; behold your mother."

America has many crises; one of them is loneliness.  A reflection on why we are a lonely people and what Christ (and Christ alone!) is doing about it.

"Today you will be with my in paradise"  With these words, we interrupt this Lenten series on the cross to talk about paradise and heaven! 

Turns out the Bible describes heaven as paradise, but a "whole" lot more beautiful and mind-blowing than we can imagine.

We continue with our seven words, this week picking up with "I Thirst"

With these words, Jesus reveals he is human.  In this podcast, we consider Jesus humanity.

A)  What is the difference between gods and humans -- what would the divine lose by become human?

B)  What might the divine gain by becoming human?  To get at that, we need to explore more deeply the difference in humans, animals and the divine...

We begin a new series for Lent 2024.  We will focus on the 7 last words of Christ from the cross.  This week we start with "Father, Forgive Them, they know not what they do."

Two foci this podcast season

The Words of the Cross as an invitation to prayer

The Words of the Cross as reason for why, in spite of so much, we are still Christians.

 

We wrap up our pieces for peace series with the most unlikely piece of the nativity, Quirinius the Governor of Syria.  

Did he exist?  When did he rule?  When was Jesus born?  Why does Luke include him?

But first, what does it mean for Luke to understand himself as doing history?

And lastly, what does this have to do with the peace of Christ?

What piece of the manger scene do you imagine is there...but probably isn't in most (store bought) nativity scenes.

Who is the missing piece that is a part of your imagined nativity?  An invitation to some holy pondering, including a reflection on the incarnation and inevitability of inculturation of the Gospel.

For this week's podcast, we take up THE holiday question:  Mary, did you know?!

We continue with our Pieces for Peace theme this Advent, focusing on the angels.  They appears lots in the first fear chapters of Luke.  And they keep telling people "Do not be afraid."  Why is this?  What peace of Christ do they offer us?