This month, we discuss the book "The Soul of Shame" by Dr. Curt Thompson. It was a really fun conversation, and Katie called it her top read of the year.

Both Katie and Gretchen loved this book, mostly because it talks about a lot of guilt, shame, forgiveness, and vocation plays out through a counseling lens. While the author does have a Christian lens and brings in the Bible, he does limit his expertise and perameters of the discussion to psychology, rather than theological. However, we felt it showed the psychological impact of sin and redemption from an interesting angle.

His discussion of shame being introduced in the Garden of Eden brought together so many concepts at the same time. Much like David Zahl's explanation of "low anthropology" understanding the pervasiveness of shame--and how it is everywhere and touching everything--was at first discouraging, and then illuminating and encouraging.

This book gives an awareness of the presence of shame, so that we can call a thing what it is. As we call a thing what it is, we can then understand what healing looks like. It has encouraged us both to properly recognize it, and reach for grace rather than shame.

This book talks about the proper function of shame (a sociopath feels no shame over anything) and the twisting of shame. It also shares how shame essentially shuts down creativity, and how it effects freedom in vocation.

This book talks about the relationship between vulnerability and grace. This book is full of stories of transformation and growth, as the truth sets people free.

Show Notes:

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What’s New from 1517:

• Bible in One Year with Chad Bird

• Freedom Lessons Album

• Your God is too Glorious, 2nd Edition by Chad Bird

• Schweitzer's Psychoanalysis of Jesus Christ: & Other Essays in Christian Psychotherapy by John Warwick Montgomery

More from the hosts:

• Gretchen Ronnevik

• Katie Koplin