Strange New World

Should the church wade in to political controversies? And if so, when, and how? The stories of Holy Week can help - and in turn, thinking about this thorny question can help us deepen our understanding of Holy Week.

The story of Van Gogh's beloved "Starry Night," and how it can help us see the story of Palm Sunday - and the Bible generally - with new eyes. Drop us a line at [email protected].

After the first three months of the new presidential administration and Congress, and in the midst of division, confusion, and controversy - what wisdom, what light can the Bible provide? A story from the Gospel of John gives us a clue…

In this episode, we dive into one of Van Gogh’s most famous paintings, a still life of an ordinary, worn-out pair of shoes. And the link between that painting and Mary’s anointing of Jesus’ feet gets to the heart of what life is all about: in a word, tenderness. Drop us a line at [email protected].

In this episode, we turn to Vincent’s version of “The Sower” he painted in November of 1888, a springboard for exploring two of Jesus’ most famous (and misunderstood) teachings: “The Parable of the Sower,” and “The Prodigal Son.”

In this episode, we explore Vincent’s “Almond Blossom” painting, setting his vision of an almond tree alongside Jesus’ parable of a fig tree. Two trees, two parables, each shedding light on the other… Drop us a line at [email protected].

In this episode, we dive into Vincent's famous "Sunflowers" paintings, and discover connections to Icelandic fisherman, a woman at a cradle, and Jesus' image of himself as a mother hen. Drop us a line at [email protected].

The son of a Christian pastor, Van Gogh trained for ministry before becoming a painter - and both his letters and his canvases are full of theological ideas. Can Van Gogh help us understand the Bible? Can the Bible help us understand Van Gogh's work? The answer to both questions, as it turns out, is a resounding Yes.

As we approach one of the most polarized, divisive elections in American history, what wisdom, what light can the Bible provide?

Culminating this six-part series, we explore the true meaning of the cross in Mark's Gospel, and what Jesus really had in mind by "a ransom for many." Drop us a line at [email protected].