It has been 10 months since my last podcast episode! As they say, life happened. But I'm glad to be back kicking off a particular series on world religions.

This semester I'm teaching a few sections of an undergraduate World Religions class and, thus, I've been thinking more and more about how important it is for us to understand other religions and their adherents.

As 19th century religion scholar Max Muller said, “He who knows one [religion], knows none."

How have we come to “know” about Buddhism or Islam? Is it via mainstream media and Hollywood films? Or is it a proper inquiry and understanding of another society, culture, and people?

To begin, I'm going to offer a couple of introductory episodes around the idea of religion and the study of religion itself. I hope you check it out!

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredthoughts.substack.com/subscribe

It has been two and a half months since my last official episode, but here we are. Today I was able to host C. Christopher Smith of the Englewood Review of Books. In particular, we talked through his most recent published work, The Virtue of Dialogue, and particularly the in’s and out’s of the formative practice of conversation.

Have a listen and check out his work at the Englewood Review of Books.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredthoughts.substack.com/subscribe

Just over a week ago, a team of mental health professionals led a workshop at our church. It was our second annual training. While Christians are more engaged in the world of mental health, I believe we still find very few teachings and trainings being offered within the setting of the church. This is why I am so very grateful that the leaders in my local church fully embrace the importance of this topic, both inside and outside the church.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredthoughts.substack.com/subscribe

Today I was able to host Peter Bell who is producer and host of the Sons of Patriarchy podcast. The podcast is dedicated to exposing all types of abuse – sexual, physical and spiritual – within the Reformed church. Much focus has particularly gone into highlighting Doug Wilson and his denomination, the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches (CREC), as well as the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC).

I am grateful for Peter giving of his time to the podcast here, but more importantly in exposing the heinous abuse that has been covered up for decades, and providing a voice and practical support to abuse survivors.

Please consider supporting the work they are doing, which also includes financial contributions that go solely to supporting the abused. https://outreachidaho.org

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredthoughts.substack.com/subscribe

On December 19, Stephanie Chernyavskiy’s story was shared on the Sons of Patriarchy podcast. Stephanie particularly laid out how she was abused within the setting of Neon Reformed Presbyterian Church, part of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC) in Neon, Kentucky. Amazingly, after so many years of spiritual, physical, and sexual abuse, she was able to escape such a perilous situation. If you haven’t heard that part of her story, please listen to it here.

In this episode on the Sacred Thoughts podcast, I was able to continue with a kind of “part 2” of Stephanie’s story. How was she able to maintain faith in Christ in the midst of it all? What has her journey of healing been like? What is Stephanie particularly up to these days – i.e., did she marry the love of her life she mentions in the previous podcast?

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredthoughts.substack.com/subscribe

More than 700 years before Jesus, a prophet and a king held a meeting in the city of Jerusalem. With the probability of war on their doorstep, Isaiah was sent to king Ahaz with a message of protection and promise. In the promise, the king was told that a sign would be given: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” This was the Original Immanuel.

But what did all this mean so long ago? And how does it connect to the advent of God’s Messiah, Jesus? This is what I explore in this message titled “The Original Immanuel.”

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredthoughts.substack.com/subscribe

Today we have entered into a new year as the people of God. The page was turned to the season of Advent, a time of anticipation, waiting and longing for Christ to come.

Some 15 years ago, I was drawn into the liturgical church calendar. I never thought I’d be, but I was, thanks in part to the work of Jamie Smith in his Desiring the Kingdom. I began to finally understand it as a rhythmic story, telling both Christ’s and the church’s story.

I encourage you to watch this short video below to help explain what the church calendar is all about. You’ll hear it within my Advent message, but it might be good to view the video.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredthoughts.substack.com/subscribe

On Monday, I was able to host Mandy Smith on the Sacred Thoughts podcast. She is a pastor, author and all around amazing human being. Her most recent book is Confessions of an Amateur Saint. Though an Australian national, she has lived in the both the UK and the US (being an American citizen as well). With that, we not only discussed her new book, but, having now returned to Australia a couple of years ago, I asked her for some reflections on American Christianity as compared with Australian Christianity. You can check out more of her work at thewayistheway.org.

In this podcast episode, I’ll tell you how you may be able to win a FREE copy of Mandy’s new book.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredthoughts.substack.com/subscribe

Today I was able to host Marlena Graves on the Sacred Thoughts podcast. She is a professor, author and speaker. Her most recently authored work is Bearing God: Living A Christ-Formed Life in Uncharted Waters. What is particularly of interest is Marlena’s Puerto Rican heritage, and how that has shaped her life and the work that she’s involved in. I also took time to ask her about the recent disparaging comments about Puerto Rico at the Trump rally in Madison Square Garden.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredthoughts.substack.com/subscribe

Today I was able to host Karen Swallow Prior on the podcast. She is a writer, professor and world-traveler. Her most recently authored work is The Evangelical Imagination, which we discuss in the first half of the episode. I then go on to ask Karen about her painful and trying experiences over the last handful of years, particularly in her work at Liberty University, within the Southern Baptist Convention, and also at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredthoughts.substack.com/subscribe