This Week In Heresy

In this episode we talk with Rachel Cohen Yeshurun of Women of the Wall in Israel who regularly reads the Torah at the Western Wall in defiance of law on the New Moon with other women. We talk about the history of why women haven’t been allowed to pray equally at the Wall, the role of the current government in that discrimination, and how it relates to Israeli LGBTQA rights. What does it mean to be able to pray together? Why is it important to have equality for all genders in religion? Note: This interview was recorded at the beginning of October. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get it released before the prayer times mentioned in the interview. However, Rachel does mention that the prayers at the Wall happen monthly, and that you’re welcome to join them on the new moon from wherever you are to pray in solidarity with them. Rachel Cohen Yeshurun was schooled at Bais Yaakov of Montreal and was active with Beth Ora Synagogue youth. Rachel made aliyah in 1989 but took 22 years to discover Women Of the Wall! She received a Bsc. in Mathematics from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and is currently studying towards a second degree in Computer Science. Rachel works as a computer programmer and is chair of Kehilla Masortit Ma’aleh Adumim. She was the chair of Women of the Wall, and more recently taking on the role of gabbait for the group. Links Women of the Wall Website Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/womenofthewall Blowing the shofar - with Rachel pictured on the left with the Torah scroll they managed to smuggle in: https://www.facebook.com/womenofthewall/photos/pb.319876005672.-2207520000.1444147646./10153504442510673 Video (with English subtitles) where you can see Dana Sharon, the chair of Jerusalem Open House, in tears as she's honoured with the Torah scroll reading in memory of Shira Banki who was murdered the week before at the Jerusalem Pride parade by an Ultra-Orthodox fanatic: https://youtu.be/3cF0ZYY5P2E Here's one of my Rachel’s favourite videos. This has music produced by Women of the Wall's chair Anat Hoffman's daughter who is an aspiring movie producer: https://youtu.be/KUmxZT9PWY0 An education video done by Women of the Wall intern and HUC-JIR Rabbinical Student Allison Cohen: https://youtu.be/hd3TFsnZJHM.

In this episode we talk to Matthew Becker who used to be a minister in the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS), a conservative denomination of the Lutheran church that does not ordain women. We talk about Matt's personal growth in the LCMS, how he came to question the more conservative doctrines of the denomination (specifically Creationism and women's ordination), and the heresy charges and tribunals that he had to go through, which, ultimately, lead him to leave the LCMS all together.

Dr. Matthew Becker, M.Div., M.A., Ph.D. was born in Salem, Oregon, in 1962. He attended public schools there and graduated in 1984 from Concordia University, Portland, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in the liberal arts. That same year he entered the Master of Divinity program at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri. After receiving his Master of Divinity degree from Concordia Seminary in 1988, he entered a doctoral program in theology at the University of Chicago. While a student in that university, he was privileged to study under such notable theologians as Brian Gerrish, David Tracy (his Doktorvater), and Martin Marty. During that time Dr. Becker also took courses at the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago.

In 1990 he earned a Master of Arts in Religious Studies degree from the University of Chicago. In 1996 he passed his doctoral examinations with the mark of "with distinction." His dissertation, "The Self-giving God: Trinitarian Historicality and Kenosis in the Theology of Johann von Hofmann (1810-1877)," was completed in the summer of 2001. A revised version of this work was later published as The Self-Giving God and Salvation History: The Trinitarian Theology of Johannes von Hofmann (T&T Clark, 2004). This work examines the theology of one of the most important Lutheran theologians of the nineteenth century.

Dr. Becker was ordained into the Lutheran ministry in 1989. Until July 2015 he was a rostered clergyman in the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod (LCMS). He is currently seeking ordination in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). For five years he was an assistant pastor and later associate pastor at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, West Dundee, Illinois (1989-94). For two of those years he also served as an interim pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Chicago.

In addition to his academic responsibilities, Dr. Becker has served as the Secretary of the Northwest District of the LCMS (2000-4). Between Oct 2010 and March 2014 he served as the interim pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Michigan City, Indiana. Dr. Becker and his wife, Detra, were married in June 1993. They have a sixteen-year-old son, Jacob.

Links

Dr. Becker's Blog

Email: [email protected]

Books

In this episode of TWIH, we talk to Debra Jenson, Chairperson of the organization Ordain Women, which seeks to change the LDS church's stance on ordaining women (and girls) into the priesthood. Debra gives us an overview of Mormonism and what it was like to grow up as a young girl in the faith. We also talk about what it is like to be a female parent in an organization where your role in the spiritual life of the community is limited and why it's important to the life of the church to include women in the same sacraments as men.

Note: This episode was recorded before the announcement by the LDS church about LGBTQA parents and the restrictions of baptizing their children. This post from the Ordain Women website discusses this decision.

Debra Jenson is from Ogden, Utah and is the current Chairperson of the Ordain Women Executive Board. She writes: "I am lucky to be married to a wonderful man I don't deserve and we have three great kids. I love movies, biking and swimming, and Neil Diamond! I am finishing a PhD in Communication and work for a non-profit organization that serves people with intellectual disabilities and I serve in the Relief Society Presidency.

I have been an active Mormon since I was 13: I came for Girl's Camp and ended up staying for the gospel. The knowledge that I am a daughter of a Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother who love me gave me the courage and confidence to try just about anything, from competing in triathlons to parenting.

I have struggled with the role of women in our church since I came here as teen. Now that I have children of my own—a teenage son and two Primary-age daughters—I see this inequality in even more startling ways. It is increasingly difficult, with each passing year, for me to explain to my daughters why they will never be old enough to pass the sacrament. I want my daughters to be full and faithful servants: walking to collect fast-offerings or cleaning up the sacrament table after church. And I dream of standing next to my husband to give a parents' blessing together.

I am a Mormon and I believe women should be ordained."

Links

Email: [email protected]

Ordain Women Website

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

In this episode we talk to Paul Schneider, one of my good friends and Baptist seminarian about his journey, and his church's journey into affirming LGBTQA people and radical inclusion. We also talk about the realities about the way that traditions can be used to harm people, regardless of faith path and how clergy need emotional and personal support in order to help them avoid harming those they serve. How does clergy isolation create the idea that we have to "do it all ourselves" and not ask their communities for help? (Even Jesus has his disciples…)

Note: Apologies for the lack of episodes recently. One of my covenmates was suddenly ill and is in the ICU. If you can help them in any way, prayer or otherwise, we would all greatly appreciate it.

Paul Schneider was born, raised and still lives in Oakland, California. Raised at the First Baptist Church of Berkeley, Paul was part of the church leadership when they were joining the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists. Now a father, husband, and seminary student at the American Baptist Seminary of the West, Paul is pursuing a deeper understanding of Liberation Theology, struggling with quiet, and dynamic liturgy.

Links:

Blog: http://logonpaulos.wordpress.com

Twitter: @Logon_Paulos

This week’s episode is our annual special Samhain edition of This Week in Heresy. This approximately one hour meditation is a journey to the Underworld and the Isle of Apples, under the protection of Inanna, to commune with the Beloved Dead. The music was written, composed, and performed by Sarah Thompson, also known as Mage of Machines. You'll recognize a little bit of this album as the show intro and exit music for both This Week in Heresy and The Heretic Speaks. 

Some of you, if you had attended Pantheacon in 2013, will also recognize this music. The Circle of Cerridwen, with friends, performed The Descent live with an early edition of the music. The final edition of the album was released on Samhain 2013. 

Sarah Thompson is your Guide. Inanna is voiced by Calyxa Omphalos, and Rev. Gina is the voice of Ereshikgal. The script was written by Rev. Gina and Sarah Thompson. 

We offer this as a Samhain blessing for you, as a gift to the community, and to honor the Beloved Dead. 

The album version of The Descent is available via iTunes. If you are looking to purchase it through other platforms, click here.

In this episode we talk to Maria Vorontsova, who is a botanist at Kew Gardens, who was born in Russia and came to the UK when she was young. We talk about her experiences of religion and atheism in regards to her Russian roots and in her interactions with people during her field work in Africa. What does it mean to be an atheist? Does atheism mean that someone doesn't have a moral compass? Where does atheism fit in with interfaith dialog, and why does the interfaith dialog NOT include atheism?

Maria Vorontsova studies grasses and everything about them at the Kew Botanic Gardens in the UK, with a particular focus on tropical African diversity and poorly known lineages, their evolutionary history, and the history of tropical grasslands and savannas. She is also interested in the history and development of classifications and in botanical nomenclature and bibliography. She looks after GrassBase and develop it to bring together global taxonomic knowledge across all Poaceae and to build it into a broad research utility. If it is about grasses, she wants to hear about it!

Links

Maria's Kew Page

Email: [email protected]

In this episode, that was recorded at The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries Convocation in July, I talk with Davie Floyd about her multi-faith practice that includes Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and Sufism (amongst other work). How do we become a personal sanctuary of inclusion for people to help them discover their own paths? How do we support the seeker, and how can we help people find what they need? What does it mean for someone to be spiritual? How are we evolving as a society and as human beings?

This episode was recorded on location at City of Refuge UCC during The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries Convocation on July 17, 2015.

Davie Floyd is a life-long member of the Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church in Dallas, TX where Rev. Curtis W. Wallace is the pastor. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Cognitive Studies and Education at Columbia University in New York. While in New York, she has joined Romemu, a Jewish renewal synagogue where David Ingber is Rabbi. She also regularly attends services at Rivers of Living Waters where Rev. Vanessa Brown is the senior pastor and often practices mindfulness with the Riverside Sangha which follows the Buddhist teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh. She is involved with several interfaith organizations in New York City. Though she is deeply spiritual and religious, her beliefs are largely agnostic. She lives a life oriented around realizing her full potential and coaching others to do the same.

Links

Email: [email protected]

Romemu Synagogue: http://romemu.org/

Rivers of Living Water Church: http://www.riversoflivingwaternj.com/

In this episode we talk about interfaith dialog and religious education with Denise Cush. How do people learn about interfaith and mutli-faith practices? What are the differences between the way religion is viewed and taught in the United States and the United Kingdom? What is the importance of face to face dialog and experience in interfaith work?

Denise Cush (BA/MA Oxford, MA Lancaster, PhD Warwick) is currently Professor of Religion and Education at Bath Spa University. She has taught Religious Studies in a sixth form college, trained both primary and secondary teachers in religious education, and taught Study of Religions at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Until recently she was Head of the Department of Study of Religions (now Religions, Philosophy and Ethics) at Bath Spa. She is deputy editor of the British Journal of Religious, a major international journal. In addition to religious education, her teaching and research interests include Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity and alternative spiritualities such as Paganism.

Links

Website: http://www.livingreligion.co.uk/

Email: [email protected]

Books

In this episode we talk with author Deborah Blake about daily practice and how we can get hung up on what “proper” daily practice is. We explore how daily practice can be just a part of our mundane practices, and that what is right and “proper” depends on your own spiritual needs. How do we cultivate a practice that works for us? How do we determine the regular practices in our groups or covens? Are we walking our talk? We also talk about the advantages and disadvantages of both group and solo work, and the ins and outs of working in community.

Deborah Blake is the author of the Baba Yaga paranormal romance series, including Wickedly Magical, Wickedly Dangerous and Wickedly Wonderful (Berkley) as well as eight books on modern witchcraft from Llewellyn Worldwide. She has an ongoing column in Witches & Pagans Magazine and was featured in The Pagan Anthology of Short Fiction.

Links

Author Website: http://www.deborahblakeauthor.com

Blog: http://deborahblake.blogspot.com

Books

The Circle Within: Creating a Wiccan Spiritual Tradition by Dianne Sylvan

Everyday Witchcraft: Making Time for Spirit in a Too-Busy World by Deborah Blake