Our annual hosts only Christmas special.

We ask one another three questions about Christmas:

Our hope is to take the pressure off. The world was not ready for the first Christmas. God is good beyond your readiness or preparation.

We speak with theologian and philosopher Thomas Jay Oord about his church trial and his book Open and Relational Theology. Thomas, who was a minister for many years in the Church of the Nazarene, faced a trial for being inclusive on matters of LGBTQ+ and church participation and blessing. Thomas outlines a theological view that is about love more than it is about traditional concepts of power. This means that he calls for better understanding of what it means that God is all powerful or all knowing.

The story of Thomas’ trial and excommunication can sound almost medieval, but it reminds us that the struggle over proper belief is very much alive today. Individuals and churches are being excommunicated or disaffiliated. Some people are choosing themselves to part company with a church or denomination based on rigid belief or what they see as damaging theology.

Thomas is a regular contributor to podcasts such as Tripp Fuller’s Homebrewed Christianity and continues to write and to direct the Center for Open and Relational Theology.

“Six Heretics Who Should Be Banned From Evangelicalism” – Relevant Magazine, September 13, 2022 

“Church Fights: King vs. Liquorish” – Rector’s Cupboard, Season 3 

On today’s episode we sampled the Iron Buddha Gin and the Black Tusk Smoked Vodka from Squamish’s Raincity Distillery. 

We speak with friend of the show Ross Lockhart about his recent book (and PhD work) called West Coast Mission: The Changing Nature of Christianity in Vancouver.

The book takes an in-depth look at 12 churches and two faith-based organizations in the Vancouver area. It takes up themes that are familiar to almost everyone who has been part of a church in the last couple of decades.

We talk about differences in approach to the “outside world” and how things have changed in regards to how churches relate to society as a whole. There is both consolation and challenge in our conversation. What might real theological change look like as compared with change of style or strategy?

Ross is the Dean of St. Andrew’s Hall, the Presbyterian Church in Canada college at the University of British Columbia. Ross is also the Professor of Mission Studies at Vancouver School of Theology, where he teaches courses in practical theology. Ross holds a PhD from Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam and is the author of Lessons from Laodicea: Missional Leadership in a Culture of Affluence; Beyond Snakes and Shamrocks: St. Patrick’s Missional Leadership Lessons for Today; co-author of Better Than Brunch: Missional Churches in Cascadia as well as Christianity: An Asian Religion in Vancouver and editor of Christian Witness in Cascadian Soil. Ross’ latest project is West Coast Mission: the Changing Nature of Christianity in Vancouver published this fall by McGill-Queen’s University Press. Ross lives with his family on Bowen Island, B.C. Ross’s newest book is available now.

Mental health and matters of spiritual and mental wellness are often topics we address on Rector’s Cupboard and so we were very grateful to speak to Elise Girardin, Executive Director of The Woods Arts & Wellness, a North Vancouver based therapy practice addressing the well being of mind-body-spirit through engagement with nature and the arts.

Elise practices what she calls embodied therapy, helping people find healing and flourishing through connection and creativity. This kind of therapy is beneficial for those who have experienced trauma, those who feel disconnected, those who do not feel like they are flourishing. We highly recommend checking out The Woods and their programs. They offer a variety of therapies, some available virtually, and have sliding-scale pricing for accessibility.

If you’d like some extra credit, Elise recommends the following books on embodied therapy practices and research:

The Body Keeps the Score, Bessel van der Kolk

Shaila Visser is the National Director of Alpha Canada and the Global Senior Vice-President for Alpha International. She is the Executive Producer of both The Alpha Youth Film Series (2013) and The Alpha Film Series (2016), and currently holds a position on the Board of the Damascus Road Foundation.

We speak with Shaila about how and why Alpha works and has for so many years. What does it mean to talk about faith, but not prescribe a particular outcome? We also speak about what faith might look like for those who have pushed away from their previous church experience.

For information on Alpha, including finding a course, running a course, or helping support Alpha, you can check out their website.

Dr. Aurelian Crăiuțu is Professor in the Department of Political Science at Indiana University, Bloomington, and Adjunct Professor in the Lilly Family School of Philanthropic Studies at IUPUI, Indianapolis. He is also affiliated with the Russian and East European Institute, the Institute for West European Studies, and the Ostrom Workshop. Crăiuțu has written extensively about the concept of political moderation and has argued that moderation is the strongest, most intellectually honest, and most radical political position in times of polarization.

Rector’s Cupboard co-host, Todd Wiebe, wrote an article for Church For Vancouver, in April 2024 reflecting on Crăiuțu’s latest work, Why Not Moderation?, in relation to Evangelical culture. Asking questions such as; What are the shadow sides of the calls for “radical commitment” in Evangelical faith? How might religious moderation by the strongest type of commitment?

After publication of that piece, Aurelian Crăiuțu reached out to Todd and asked for a conversation on religious moderation and how it might relate to political moderation.

You may have grown up in a religious culture that demanded or rewarded a kind of fully-sold-out faith. While the appeals of this kind of neither-hot-nor-cold understanding of faith are evident, the dangers and weaknesses are often overlooked. If sold out faith means never questioning belief or leadership, than it is weak, not strong. If sold out faith means seeing people who don’t believe what you believe as obviously misguided or even evil, than it is weak, not strong. Political moderation moves us towards genuine consideration of the other. Christian faith, at its hopeful best, does the same. The concept of the Incarnation is the heart of God moving towards humanity. Faith that is truly strong (moderate) recognizes this call.

If you’d like to read more about moderation, you can find links to Todd original article and Dr. Crăiuțu’s book above. If you’re really keen about even more writing about moderation, you can also check out Todd’s other article about it, written earlier this year, in Evangelically Departed.

We hope you enjoy the conversation!

As we close season 5 of Rector’s Cupboard and begin summer, Rector’s Cupboard hosts, Todd, Amanda, and Allison have gathered to talk about what is on our summer reading/watching/listening lists this year that we think you might find interesting. We hope that you are able to find time for beauty and rest and entertainment this summer and we will be back in the fall with season 6!

Outlaw Festival – taking place at the Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Washington, featuring Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, and John Mellencamp

The Bear, season 3 – Disney Plus

Take What You Need – Idra Novey

Benjamin Perrin is a professor at the University of British Columbia, Peter A. Allard School of Law and a senior fellow in criminal justice at the Macdonald Laurier Institute of Public Policy and the author of several books including Indictment: the Criminal Justice System on Trial and Overdose: Heartbreak and Hope in Canada’s Opioid Crisis.

We speak with Ben Perrin about a couple of his books. Ben does a fantastic job of describing challenges of criminal justice and the opioid crisis in Canada. He places himself within the frame of someone who used to believe one way, but changed his view – in his own description, because of his faith.

Ben’s research on the topics is extensive and his books offer a look into the many challenges and considerations. They also offer an example of the positive call of being open to change. It was a privilege to speak with Ben. We think that you will find his insight and example inspiring.

We are grateful as well to open this episode with a conversation with a member of the Reflector Project Board, the non-profit of which Rector’s Cupboard is a part. Tierney has professional experience working with people who have faced the trauma and stigma that Benjamin Perrin writes and speaks about.

We were pleased to speak again to Dr. Marty Folsom about his latest work, Karl Barth’s Church Dogmatics For Everyone, Vol 2 – The Doctrine of God: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners and Pros. Marty Folsom has taken up an expansive work of outlining the main points and the structure of Karl Barth’s multi-volumed Church Dogmatics. Those two words, “church” and “dogmatics,” both carry negative perceptions for many people. What you will find in Church Dogmatics, however, is helpful and hopeful, positive and thoughtful, and even healing.

Karl Barth presents a way of seeing faith and life that is bright, a way that calls us to solidarity rather than separation, all because God has chosen not to be God without us.

You might find it hard to believe what you used to believe, or hard to believe in the way that you used to believe. Marty Folsom shows us, through presenting the work of Karl Barth, that there is a better, more faithful way of believing.

Volume 2 of Folsom’s Karl Barth’s Church Dogmatics for Everyone has just been released. This book looks at Church Dogmatics 2 and outlines concepts such as the sovereignty of God in choosing to love humanity, and the hopeful doctrine of election, God’s love for ALL. We are grateful for the conversation about the new book.

If you’d like to listen to our interview with Marty about Volume 1 of his Karl Barth’s Church Dogmatics for Everyone series, you can find that episode here.

This week on Rector’s Cupboard, we gather the Cupboard hosts, Todd, Allison, and Amanda, as well as Cupboard Master, Ken, to discuss what we’re watching and reading right now, as well as few articles that speak about the apocalypse, hope, fear, and changing understandings of faith.

Ken mixed us a delicious cocktail called a Bourbon Pecan Pie Cocktail, which contained vodka, whiskey/bourbon, and Pecan Liqueur, featuring Revel Stoke Roasted Pecan Flavored Whiskey.

If you’d like to read the articles we discuss in this episode, here they are:

“They broke up for their faith. Asking questions brought them back together” – CBC, April 1, 2024

“Climate Doom Is Out. ‘Apocalyptic Optimism’ Is In.” – New York Times, April 21, 2024

We hope you enjoy the conversation!