Today we learn from a theologian and astrophysicist about how priests can navigate science and faith.

“Consider the stars,” God says to Abraham. The psalms and canticles, too, recommend we look up, beyond our own planet, to consider the grandeur and mystery of God’s handiwork.

You could also say, in a way, that’s what science does, whether it’s looking upward and outward or down and in.

Today we hear from a fellow stargazer and foremost leader in the area of Christianity and science, specializing in resourcing leaders for engagement in and conversations about the scientific topics of our day.

As we learn, you don’t have to be an expert to be an advocate for good scientific work, or to point out where God is at work, even in some of the most complex and controversial issues your parishioners are dealing with, like AI or life on other planets.

Our guest is the Rev. Dr. David Wilkinson. David is Principal of St Johns College and Professor in the Department of Theology and Religion at the University of Durham, England. His background is in theoretical astrophysics and systematic theology. David is also a Methodist minister, has been an ecumenical canon at Durham Cathedral, and is the Project Director at Equipping Christian Leadership in an Age of Science.

Today we’ll talk about:

• Surprising and fruitful intersections between ministry and science.
• How the average parish priest can enter difficult science-related conversations.
• Theological implications of space travel, living on other planets, and UFO/UAP phenomena.

In our bonus segment, we call up New Testament scholar Wesley Hill for a teaser of his talk at our Radiant Pages conference, all about the non-Pauline epistles and their place in Christian life.

The Rev. Dr. Wesley Hill is an author, speaker, and professor, and currently serves as Associate Professor of New Testament at Wycliffe College Toronto. He has several new books in the works, including a theological commentary on the Johannine Epistles.

From the episode

Equipping Christian Leadership in an Age of Science

Andrew Davison on UAPs/aliens

John Polkinghorne’s One World

NASA website

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What happened at the Anglican Consultative Council meeting in Belfast, and why does it matter?

In July, our editor, Mark Michael, returned from a gathering of Anglicans that happens every three years: a meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC). This year’s was June 27- July 5, in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and also marked the first 100 days or so of Archbishop Sarah Mullally’s ministry as Archbishop of Canterbury.

We pulled together a special episode of the newsdesk to talk about what Mark brought back from this international Communion reunion, who was there, what people were hoping for, and what came of it.

We’ll particularly discuss the reception and discussion of a document from the InterAnglican Standing Commission on Unity, Faith, and Order, known as the Nairobi-Cairo Proposals (NCPs).

Two principal proposals in the NCPs were hotly debated at the Anglican Consultative Council meeting: a proposal to limit the powers of the Archbishop of Canterbury and share them among other primates, and proposal to removing communion with the See of Canterbury as a primary marker of Anglican identity. 

Special thanks to Mark Michael, our editor, and the Matthew Olver, our executive director and publisher, who joined me at the newsdesk.

In our bonus segment, we go from the Communion gathering to vestry meeting. How do you nurture vestry members in their capacity as spiritual leaders? Retired Episcopal priest and retreat facilitator, the Rev. Dr. Marc Smith, has some tips.

From this episode

Podcast episodes:

Newsdesk on developments in Gafcon’s Global Anglican Communion

Questions for Gafcon (Winner of Episcopal Communicators Polly Bond Award)

Websites & documents:

The Nairobi-Cairo Proposals

Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Unity, Faith and Order

Anglican Consultative Council Standing Committee Resolution

Statement from Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches

Living Church articles:

Mullally Calls ACC to Deepened Hope and Trust

Anglicans Challenged to Plant 1 Million Churches

ACC Members Walk in Derry’s Paths of Peace

ACC Members Doubtful About Nairobi-Cairo Proposals

Mullally on Nairobi-Cairo Proposals: ‘We’re Not There Yet’

ACC Debates Nairobi-Cairo Proposals, Elects Leaders

Archbishop Mullally: The First 100 Days

From the bonus

Vestry Reflections: Cultivating Spiritual Growth in Church Leaders

Marc’s website

TLC’s review of Marc’s book

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Same Old Song podcast

What mysteries wink at us from the bright colors of stained glass?

“For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face” (1 Cor. 13:12). Here St. Paul is talking about how the spectrum of the full human being is revealed—will be revealed—in the light of the face of Christ. But in our modern world of clear mirrors, transparent windows, and electric lights, seeing through glass is not usually done very darkly. One place that St. Paul’s image still comes alive, however, is in the stained glass window.

Stained glass can be darkening and illuminating at the same time. And as we learn from our guest today, what stained glass doesn’t reveal of the outdoors, with unmediated sunlight, it makes up for by illuminating what's indoors. By dimming with color and pattern, it can actually bring the beauty of the church into better focus, both with literal light, and through the stories it tells.

Where does stained glass come from? And why did it become so important to Christians? What can we read in stained glass, what do we often miss? And how, if you’re a steward of stained glass windows yourself, can you take better care of them?

Our guest is Léonie Seliger, the stained glass artist responsible for the conservation of the stained glass windows of Canterbury Cathedral.

Léonie joins us to talk about:

• The origins and theology of stained glass. 
• The limits and complexities of the art, and how they open up creative possibility.
• What to pay attention to when taking care of stained glass in your church.
• A few inside stories about the stained glass in Canterbury Cathedral.

Léonie is Director of The Cathedral Studios of Canterbury, which makes, designs, and preserves stained glass for churches all over the world. She is a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Glaziers and an ICON accredited conservator/restorer.

Today we scale the scaffolding for an up-close look at one of the oldest Christian art forms and what it reveals about Church history, human longings, and life in Christ.

From this episode

Thomas Becket miracle window project at Canterbury Cathedral

Canterbury Cathedral Studios website

All Saints parish in Tudeley, Marc Chagall windows

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Same Old Song podcast

In today’s newsdesk roundup, Editor Mark Michael, Executive Director Matthew Olver, and podcast host Amber Noel provide coverage and commentary for three top news stories affecting the Anglican world.

Story number one: Magnifica Humanitas. Pope Leo’s first and recent encyclical is a special, even unique, papal letter. And its topic, artificial intelligence, as well as its tone, are urgent. The letter asks not just “What is the church’s response?” but “What is our human choice?”

We also discuss a series of Anglican responses from our online blog, Covenant, especially touching on humans as sub-creators and Anglo-Catholic social movements.

In the next two stories: We look into ongoing coverage of jihadist persecution and interfaith resilience in the Diocese of Cabo Delgado, Mozambique. We also learn about the Anglican church in Myanmar, through their post-colonial witness to unity and the life of an Anglican seminary.

In our bonus segment, we chat with our freshly retired Associate Editor, Douglas LeBlanc, about highlights and challenges of his long career as a religious journalist, including some surprising wisdom for friendships across the aisle.

Douglas LeBlanc served as Associate Editor of The Living Church magazine. He's also written for Christianity Today, among many other publications, and served at St. Christopher Camp and Conference Center. He and his wife, Monica, live in Virginia with their cats, Mittens and Finn, and attend St. Matthew’s, Henrico.

From this episode

Magnifica Humanitas and Anglican response:

Encyclical Letter Magnifica Humanitas

"Outsourcing Our Humanity"

"Why Magnifica Humanitas Matters"

"An Anglican Reception of Magnifica Humanitas"

"Magnifica Humanitas and Anglican Christian Socialism"

Cabo Delgado: 

"Mozambican Christians Reject Religious War"

"Schism Threatened in Mozambican Church"

"Persecution Deepens in Cabo Delgado"

Myanmar: 

"Singing Praise in the Blackouts"

From the bonus

TLC honors Doug LeBlanc’s long career

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George Sumner’s book, In Season and Out

Join the mission at Saint Francis Ministries

Subscribe to The Living Church magazine

What are the best depictions of clergy in film? Today we swap Top 5 Clergy in Film lists with a celebrated film critic. A recipe for edification and entertainment!

We all know of sloppy versions of the movie cleric—priests, monks, nuns, and pastors, either fanatical, evil, or milquetoast, lacking care or nuance on the part of those creating the role. But perhaps you’ve also seen thoughtful, even powerful, depictions of clergy that not only allow you to see a glimpse of yourself reflected sensitively onscreen, but even give you a glimpse of the kingdom.

Today we explore depictions of clergy in film with writer, film critic, and erstwhile Episcopalian Abby Olcese. She and host Amber Noel share their Top 5 depictions of clergy in film, spill some behind-the-scenes tea on The Mission and Wake Up Dead Man, and generally have a really good time. They also share what they think Christian leaders might glean from spending time with onscreen clerics.

SPOILER ALERT: Today’s conversation alludes to plot twists and endings, so if you’re averse to that, you have been warned!

Abby Olcese is a writer and film critic based in Kansas City. She is the author of Films for all Seasons: Experiencing the Church Year at the Movies, the film editor for The Pitch Magazine in Kansas City, and contributes to publications including Sojourners Magazine and Rogerebert.com.

In today’s bonus segment, we bring together some of the same themes of our film conversation—clergy, calling, suffering, and grace—by talking to one Pentecostal pastor about his own dark night of the soul and the dramatic and kooky interceptions of grace.

The Rev. Chuck Noel is teaching pastor at RiverLife Church of God in Bradenton, Florida, and has served in pastoral and diocesan ministry in the Church of God for almost 50 years. His current research is in Pentecostal sacramental theology. (And yes, he is Amber’s dad.)

From the episode

Abby’s book, Films for All Seasons

Amber’s review of First Reformed on Covenant

Abby’s Top 5:

5. Calvary

4. The Bishop’s Wife

3. First Reformed

2. Wake Up, Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery

1. The Mission

Amber’s Top 5:

5. Into Temptation

4. The Apostle

3. The Sound of Music

2. First Reformed

1. Calvary

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The Episcopal Church is aging. Where are the young people? A campus minister gives his perspective.

The average age of an Episcopal parishioner is now mid-60s. Older parishioners are vital. But where are the young people? How do we reach them? And what, exactly, are they looking for when it comes to church?

Times are changing in terms of the race for cultural relevance, at least when it comes to ministry to young adults. Waning are the days when churches feel pressure to change style or personality in order to appeal to younger generations.

Because what has worked for centuries to form God’s people keeps on working—sacraments; sacred spaces, vestments and vessels; time-tested prayers; bread and wine, water, oil, and incense; loving community—and there is no sign at the portals saying, “you must be 21 or up to enter”

There’s also an element of blessed enchantment, or holy mystery, in these ancient Christian rites and practices, that’s maybe specially poignant for a disenchanted age.

Today we speak with someone today who doesn’t try to solve the puzzle of why more young people aren’t flocking to Episcopal Churches, but who wants to point out some important pieces from his own 30-year experience as a campus minister.

Today we talk about:

• His journey in ministry to young adults.
• Blind spots and opportunities for the Episcopal Church specifically.
• What he sees in the spiritual hunger of students.
• What he has learned from evangelicals along the way.
• How rootedness and tradition might give a real advantage when it is time for innovative mission.

Our guest today is the Rev. Allen Wakabayashi. Allen serves as the Chaplain for The Episcopal Church at Princeton and as the Province II Coordinator for Young Adult Campus Ministries. He has also been a campus minister with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, and has pastored in a diversity of Episcopal, non-denominational, and evangelical church settings.

Today’s bonus segment takes us into our Books & Culture corner, where the Rev. David Beresford reviews the new film, A Great Awakening, about an unlikely friendship between Benjamin Franklin and itinerant preacher, George Whitefield. David is a retired priest who lives in Wilmington, Delaware.

From this episode

Books Allen mentions:

Leading Faithful Innovation: Following God into a Hopeful Future

Leadership in a Shrinking Church

David’s whole review of A Great Awakening

davidberesford.net

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Mission and discipleship are connected at the root. Today we’re going to explore some of those connections, not only through our guest’s own life, but also through her experience with particular discipleship programs, as well as what she’s learned through a first career as a geographer and her husband’s career as a mechanic.

Our guest today is the Rt. Rev. Dr. Eleanor Sanderson. Eleanor is Bishop of Hull in the Diocese of York and was previously the Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Wellington, New Zealand. She serves on the Anglican Communion Commission for Discipleship and Evangelism and has a passion for the renewal of God’s church through multiplying missional disciples and intentional communities.

Today we talk about personal journeys: backpacking, bus rides, and the multifaceted adventure of coming to Christ. We also talk about helping guide others along the way, and how evangelism and community map onto the geography of discipleship and formation.

We’ll also look at a practical apprenticeship model of discipleship she calls “discipleship coaching.” She suggests some excellent resources and describes their powerful but simple format, including Mustard Seed ministries and Discovery Bible Studies.

And at the end of this episode, stay tuned for a new bonus segment!

For today’s bonus segment, we chat with the Rev. Shahzad Gill, Senior Chaplain to the Moderator Bishop of the Church of Pakistan, and Presbyter in Charge of the National Church of Pakistan. With all the anxiety over Christian influence and power in politics and society in the U.S., what it’s like to be an Anglican in a place where Christians are hardly the majority? Shahzad tells a story about family and resilience.

From this episode:

Mustard Seed discipleship 

Discovery Bible Studies 

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Today’s Newsdesk episode covers developments in Gafcon’s Global Anglican Communion, a Rwandan bishop jailed for grazing cattle on church property, and a new, and possibly unique, church growth survey looking for “bright spots” in Episcopal ministry.

We also enjoy a bonus segment at the end that includes some Eastertide treats, including book recommendations and recipes.

See below for related articles, essays, and resources, including corresponding goodies from our bonus segment.

Podcast host and Director of Programs Amber Noel is joined by the Rev. Mark Michael, Editor in Chief of The Living Church magazine, and the Rev. Dr. Matthew Olver, Executive Director and Publisher of the Living Church.

For more, consider subscribing to The Living Church magazine, the only independent news voice covering the Episcopal Church and Anglican Communion.

From this episode:

Gafcon, Global Anglican Communion, and Abuja Affirmation:

(Award-winning podcast episode) 

https://livingchurch.org/podcasts/questions-for-gafcon/

(Articles and essays)

https://livingchurch.org/news/news-anglican-communion/heres-who-leads-the-global-anglican-communion/

https://livingchurch.org/covenant/abuja-series-1/

https://livingchurch.org/covenant/a-confessional-solution-but-what-about-the-nairobi-cairo-proposal/

https://livingchurch.org/covenant/the-abuja-affirmation-an-anglican-communion/

https://livingchurch.org/covenant/abuja-series-goddard-responds-to-avis/

https://livingchurch.org/covenant/a-fretful-future-gafcons-reordering-of-the-communion-part-1/

Rwandan bishop and cattle grazing:

https://livingchurch.org/news/news-anglican-communion/jailed-rwandan-bishop-pleads-for-justice/

https://livingchurch.org/news/news-anglican-communion/jailed-rwandan-bishop-released/

New church growth survey:

https://livingchurch.org/news/news-episcopal-church/churchwide-surveys-seeks-bright-spots-for-growt…

Eastertide treats:

Travel books by Patrick Leigh Fermor

Lamb chop “lollipop” recipe

Elderflower gin + tonic (Don’t forget to add lemon!)

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What’s your school of prayer? Where did you learn to pray? How do you continue to deepen your prayer life? Whose prayer life do you want to have when you grow up? How do you want the example of your prayer life, or the fruits of it, to be a gift to others?

Today’s conversation is about how prayer affects our leadership, and how our pastors’ prayer lives affect us. Whether you are the leader of a congregation, staff, or a person in the pew, our show today is a fascinating, and at times moving, analysis of how healthy leadership, staff culture, and church health are deeply intertwined with the prayer lives of the leaders.

Our conversation isn’t based on formal research, but from the lived perspective of one priest and what he’s observed in the different churches and rectors he’s served.

Our guest today is the Rev. John D. Sundara. John is vice rector at St. John the Divine Episcopal Church in Houston, Texas. Previous appointments include St. Martin's, Houston, and Church of the Incarnation, Dallas.

We’ll talk about things like:

• The importance of sharing your prayer life with the people you serve.
• Appropriate vulnerability and rejecting ego.
• How a culture of prayer creates room for discussion, disagreement, and decision-making.
• Ways that prayer nurtures a trusting and confident staff culture.
• The gifts and limitations of the prayer book for carrying us in a life of prayer.

John also shares about his journey, and times when prayer has been agonizingly difficult. How does God show up when praying is the last thing you want to do?

Now whether you are a newbie or long time student in the school of prayer; sailing along or bottomed out; charismatic, Catholic, evangelical, or somewhere else on the map; if you’re interested in what it can mean to lead from a place of prayer, this episode is for you. We hope you enjoy the conversation.

From this episode:

This episode is made possible in part by a special bequest from the Anglican Fellowship of Prayer.

“Prayer Drives Congregational Growth” by John Sundara

With Christ in the School of Prayer by Andrew Murray

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Who is Archbishop Sarah Mullally? And what might we expect from her ministry?

Augustine of Canterbury was sent by Pope Gregory in 597 on mission to re-evangelize Britain and became the first Archbishop of Canterbury. Incase you haven’t heard, Anglicans have made world news for electing as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury the first woman to serve in the role, former Bishop of London, the Most Rev. Sarah Mullally. 

Archbishop Sarah is coming into the role at a time of many tensions and possible changes within the Anglican Communion, including what the ABC's role should actually be and what shape the church might take under the continued pressures of disagreement over what it means to be faithful to the gospel today.

Our editor in chief, the Rev. Dr. Mark Michael, sat down with Dr. Andrew Atherstone, who has just published the definitive biography of Archbishop Sarah called (very appropriately) Archbishop Sarah Mullally: A Biography.

They talk about:

• Why she was the “dark horse” of the ABC race the bookies didn’t initially bet on.
• Why Andrew calls her a “trailblazer” and a “pioneer.”
• How 20 years in a south-side evangelical church and a 20-year career as a nurse shape her leadership.
• What we learn from a collection of her parish sermons.
• And how we might anticipate her role in the Anglican Communion’s approach to euthanasia, same-sex marriage, and other divisive issues.

Andrew is Professor of Modern Anglicanism at the University of Oxford, and Tutorial Fellow and Latimer Research Fellow at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. He is a prolific writer and biographer of the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby.

We hope you enjoy the conversation.

From this episode:

Archbishop Sarah’s website

Archbishop Sarah Mullally: A Biography by Andrew Atherstone

Archbishop Justin Welby: Risk Taker and Reconciler by Andrew Atherstone

Ecclesiastical History of the English People and other books by the Venerable Bede

Living in Love and Faith process

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