The Way of Love with Bishop Michael Curry

The message of the angel is as scandalous and striking now as it was then. For in it is embedded God’s message in the death and resurrection of Jesus: to trust and believe in the invincibility of the good in spite of the titanic reality of evil, because God is good all the time. To trust and believe in the enduring power of love, of truth, of the good, and of justice when the reality of the opposite seems so prodigious.

Today's guest on the Way of Love podcast is none other than the Right Reverend Mariann Edgar Budde, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington.  

Bishop Budde and Bishop Curry delve into her newest book, How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith. 

Beyond learning about some of the most dramatic and personal moments when Bishop Budde knew she was being called to courageous action, we dig deep on what it means to cultivate and nurture bravery in the daily, small moments of life, and how we can spot the difference between ego and bravery. Bishop Budde also asks us to consider how our failures teach us bravery when we are willing to learn from them. 

After the Episode

Check out Bishop Budde's book, How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith, online or at your favorite independent bookstore. 

And as always, you can learn more about the Way of Love, including how to create your own personal rule of life at episcopalchurch.org.

Our guest today is Capitol recording artist Blessing Offor. Blessing is a Nigerian-born, Connecticut-raised, and Nashville-based singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. In 2023, he and Kory Caudill, musical director for The Episcopal Church’s Concert for the Human Family series, released Cross the River, a song based on the life and work of The Honorable John Lewis, and the first major label release for the project. 

Bishop Curry talks with Blessing about the new single as well as My Tribe - his latest solo project that brings together soul, pop, R&B, and African styles in service of a universal sound—which he fittingly dubs “the genre of humanity.”.  

They dive deep into Blessing’s journey of faith alongside his creative journey, from his loss of eyesight at an early age to being woken up by song ideas and even finding God in the music industry. 

After the Episode

Listen to and share Cross the River, the new single from Blessing and Kory Caudill, as well as Blessing’s newest album, My Tribe, available wherever you stream or download music.

Find out more about Blessing Offor, including upcoming national tour dates, on his website. 

Learn more about the Concert for the Human Family, including booking information and tour dates.

And as always, you can learn more about the Way of Love, including how to create your own personal rule of life at episcopalchurch.org.

In this episode of the Way of Love podcast, Bishop Curry catches up with the one and only Jen Hatmaker, New York Times-bestselling author, host of the For the Love podcast, and leader of a tightly knit online community where she reaches millions of people every week. 

They discuss Jen's newest book, Feed These People: Slam-Dunk Recipes for Your Crew, and how meals connect us to life in community. 

They also discuss the importance of telling the truth about American history--and how we can look out and advocate for folks who are being targeted right now, especially our LGBTQ family members. 

After the Episode

Learn more about the Way of Love and creating your own rule of life based around the practices of Turn, Learn, Pray, Worship, Bless, Go, and Rest.

Check out Jen Hatmaker's book, Feed These People, online or at your favorite independent bookstore, and visit Jen online at www.jenhatmaker.com.

In this episode of the Way of Love podcast, Bishop Curry talks with the Rev. Russell Levenson, rector of St. Martin's Episcopal Church in Houston and author of the new book, Witness to Dignity: The Life and Faith of George H.W. and Barbara Bush. 

Fr. Levenson has served as rector of St. Martin’s Episcopal Church since 2007. With nearly 10,000 members, St. Martin’s is the largest Episcopal Church in North America. 

Fr. Levenson co-officiated and offered a homily at the state funeral for President George H.W. Bush in Washington, D.C. and in Houston. He also officiated and preached at the funeral for First Lady Barbara Bush in Houston.  

Bishop Curry and Fr. Levenson discuss the model and legacy of quiet, steadfast faith left by President and Mrs. Bush, and how their lives can inspire ours today. 

After the Episode

Learn more about the Way of Love and creating your own rule of life based around the practices of Turn, Learn, Pray, Worship, Bless, Go, and Rest.

Check out the Fr. Russel Levenson's new book, Witness to Dignity online or at your favorite independent bookstore.

In this episode of the Way of Love podcast, Bishop Curry talks with Julia Ayala Harris, who was elected president of the House of Deputies by her peers in the House of Deputies at the 80th General Convention of The Episcopal Church in 2022. She is the first Latina and woman of color to hold the position.

President Ayala Harris has more than two decades of experience working in the nonprofit sector, particularly with faith-based nonprofits, and she holds a Master of Public Administration. 

Prior to her election as president of the House of Deputies, she served the church in multiple roles, including on Executive Council as chair of the Joint Standing Committee for Mission Within The Episcopal Church. 

Bishop Curry and President Ayala Harris's discuss her priorities as PHOD, how the faith traditions she grew up in formed her for this role, and also how focusing on accessibility, inclusivity, and safety fosters institutional accountability. 

A note of caution for our listeners - this episode contains descriptions of sexual violence that some listeners may find particularly difficult.

After the Episode

Learn more about the Way of Love and creating your own rule of life based around the practices of Turn, Learn, Pray, Worship, Bless, Go, and Rest.

 Learn more about President Ayala Harris at juliaayalaharris.com, and learn more about the House of Deputies at houseofdeputies.org.

Today’s guest on the Way of Love podcast is Dr. Beth-Sarah Wright—writer, speaker, and passionate advocate for authenticity in our lives and communities. She is director of enrollment management at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School in Atlanta and adjunct professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory University School of Medicine.  

Dr. Wright holds a doctorate from New York University, a master’s from Cambridge University, and a bachelor’s from Princeton University. Originally from Jamaica, she is married to the Rt. Rev. Robert C. Wright, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta, and they are parents to five children. 

Dr. Wright is also the author of five books, including Dignity: Seven Strategies for Creating Authentic Community, which we will delve into today.

  

After the Episode

Learn more about the Way of Love and creating your own rule of life based around the practices of Turn, Learn, Pray, Worship, Bless, Go, and Rest. 

Check out Dr. Wright's latest book, Dignity: Seven Strategies for Creating Authentic Community online or at your favorite independent bookstore. 

Follow Dr. Wright's work on her website.

Jesus came to show us how to live, reconciled with God, and with each other, and He taught us that the way to do it is God's way of love. For God's way of love is God's way of life. It's our hope for our families, our communities, our societies. Indeed, it is our hope for the whole world.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, and love came down at Christmas.

And as some of us are beginning to say in this Episcopal church of ours, “Love always.”

Watch and share Presiding Bishop Michael B. Curry's 2022 Christmas message now at episcopalchurch.org.

In this episode, Bishop Curry talks with the Rev. Adrian Dannhauser, priest in charge at Church of the Incarnation in Manhattan and author of the new book, Ask Me for a Blessing: (You Know You Need One). 

Every Tuesday, Rev. Dannhauser stands outside her church in New York City with a sign that says: "Ask me for a blessing (because God knows you need one). The incredible stories of how New Yorkers responded populate her both her book--and this conversation with Bishop Curry. 

The two explore what giving and receiving blessings really means, and how curiosity is our best friend when we are doing the work of evangelism. They discuss how spiritual and religious practices draw us closer to God and to one another and the importance of proclaiming the Good News by going out into the streets like Jesus did. 

After the Podcast

Learn more about the Way of Love and creating your own rule of life based around the practices of Turn, Learn, Pray, Worship, Bless, Go, and Rest. 

Check out Adrian's new book, Ask Me for a Blessing: (You Know You Need One)  online or at your favorite independent bookstore. 

Follow Adrian's work on her website.

In this episode, Bishop Curry talks with Dr. Thema Bryant, clinical psychologist, incoming president of the American Psychological Association, professor of psychology at Pepperdine University, and an ordained minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Dr. Thema invites us to pause and look more closely at the intersection of spirituality and psychology – what are the bounds of each and how and where do they overlap?

She encourages us to hold on to the spiritual and religious practices that have always drawn us closer to God and also explores the themes of the sacred now, interconnectedness of all living beings, mindfulness, generosity, surrender, self-compassion, and humility.

After the Podcast

Learn more about the Way of Love and creating your own rule of life based around the practices of Turn, Learn, Pray, Worship, Bless, Go, and Rest. 

Check out Dr. Thema's new book, Homecoming: Overcome Fear and Trauma to Reclaim Your Whole, Authentic Self online or at your favorite independent bookstore. 

Follow Dr. Thema's work on her website and on her social media channels.