In this episode, we welcome Rhonda Culbertson for a discussion on 'Wealth, Poverty, and Happiness: How Much Money is Needed for the Good Life?' Rhonda is a Community Outreach Librarian at Indiana University South Bend, a lead coordinator for the Ecumenical Bible Study, and a long time member at the Cathedral.

In this conversation, we take a brief look at some research articles on money and happiness, and ask the following questions.

1. What is the relationship between money and happiness according to academic research?

2. How does the relationship between money and happiness vary across different cultures and demographic groups?

3. Can money buy happiness? Does it matter how we spend our money?

4. How does faith and religion impact the relationship between money and happiness?

We also explore some of the ways happiness is defined and measured.

Music Attribution: Music Attribution: "Night Owl" from the Directionless EP by Broke For Free, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. Available at http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Bro....

This past year, an adult education offering at our parish has explored wealth, poverty, and the Christian tradition through the lens of discipleship, which can be defined as a way of life in which a person seeks to live as Jesus both lived and taught. Discipleship costs everything – our lives, our resources, and potentially even our relationships. For example, Jesus tells his disciples to sell all they have (Luke 12:33), take up their crosses (Luke 14:27), and even leave their families to follow him (Matthew 19:27-29).

When thinking about how we are called to live as Christians, Episcopalians often turn to their baptism and the covenant contained within it. The Baptismal Covenant in the Episcopal Church first includes questions patterned after the Apostles’ Creed, followed by a series of five questions revealing the way that Christians are called to live.

In this podcast, Steven Slaubaugh (Director of Faith Formation at the Cathedral of Saint James) will examine whether the Baptismal Covenant is ‘watered-down’ discipleship, and whether the cost of discipleship spelled out in the Gospels is replaced with a way of life more palatable for contemporary Christians.

This podcast can also be found in essay form at Earth and Altar: https://earthandaltarmag.com/posts/is-the-baptismal-covenant-watered-down

Music Attribution: Music Attribution: "Night Owl" from the Directionless EP by Broke For Free, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. Available at http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Bro....

Part of our Series:

'Sell All That You Have (?): Wealth, Poverty, and the Christian Tradition'

‘Sell all that you have and give the money to the poor.’ (Matt. 19:21, paraphrase) These words, directed by Jesus toward a Rich Young Ruler asking what he must do to inherit eternal life, have challenged Christians across centuries when asking questions about poverty, wealth, and the Christian life. Christians continue to ask - what are faithful approaches to wealth and poverty today? Is Jesus really calling the wealthy to sell all they have? Does God have a preferential option for the poor? Is wealth an outcome of faith, an obstacle to faith, or something else entirely? We’ll approach these questions through a careful exploration of the Scriptures, church tradition, and modern perspectives on wealth and poverty.

This conversation on the prosperity gospel, and traditions that have held wealth as an outcome of faith, and is led by the Dean of the Cathedral, The Rev. Brian Grantz.

Music Attribution: "Night Owl" from the Directionless EP by Broke For Free, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. Available at http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Bro....

Part of the Series: Sell All That You Have (?): Wealth, Poverty, and the Christian Tradition

In the following episode, Dr. Samantha Slaubaugh, a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Theology Department at Notre Dame, leads us in a conversation on 'Wealth, Poverty, and the Patristic Period.' Dr. Slaubaugh studies the relationship between Christian liturgy and experiences of union with God. She is interested broadly in medieval liturgy, Christian mysticism, hagiography, and ritual formation.

Cathedral of Saint James Website: https://www.stjamessouthbend.org/

Music Attribution: "Night Owl" from the Directionless EP by Broke For Free, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. Available at http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Bro....

In this conversation, Andre Stoner, Community Organizer for Faith in Indiana in St. Joseph County, leads us in a discusison on 'Wealth, Poverty, and Faith-Based Action. Faith in Indiana is a vehicle for faith communities and people of goodwill to work together for racial and economic equity in Indiana.

This is part of our broader series on Wealth, Poverty, and the Christian Tradition.

Cathedral of Saint James Website: https://www.stjamessouthbend.org/

Music Attribution: "Night Owl" from the Directionless EP by Broke For Free, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. Available at http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Bro....

‘Sell all that you have and give the money to the poor.’ (Matt. 19:21, paraphrase) These words, directed by Jesus toward a Rich Young Ruler asking what he must do to inherit eternal life, have challenged Christians across centuries when asking questions about poverty, wealth, and the Christian life. Christians continue to ask - what are faithful approaches to wealth and poverty today?

In this episode, Dr. Gerald McKenny, the Sixth Bishop of the Diocese of Northern Indiana, facilitates a conversation on Wealth, Poverty, and the Early Church. Unfortunately, the audio for this conversation cut off early, but most of the conversation was recorded.

Cathedral of Saint James Website: https://www.stjamessouthbend.org/

Music Attribution: "Night Owl" from the Directionless EP by Broke For Free, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. Available at http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Bro....

‘Sell all that you have and give the money to the poor.’ (Matt. 19:21, paraphrase) These words, directed by Jesus toward a Rich Young Ruler asking what he must do to inherit eternal life, have challenged Christians across centuries when asking questions about poverty, wealth, and the Christian life. Christians continue to ask - what are faithful approaches to wealth and poverty today?

In this episode, Dr. Gerald McKenny, Professor of Theology (Moral Theology / Christian Ethics) at the University of Notre Dame, facilitates an introductory conversation to this series.

Cathedral of Saint James Website: https://www.stjamessouthbend.org/

Music Attribution: "Night Owl" from the Directionless EP by Broke For Free, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. Available at http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Bro....