This Week In Heresy

This week on the show we are joined by Reverend Malcolm Byrd to talk about the impact of the systemic issues that leads to the events in Ferguson and New York City. We discuss how the internet has changed the face of social justice and has allowed more awareness of the broken-ness of the systems that are meant to protect us. We also discuss the issue in progressive movements of “one true way” -ism, and why utilizing all types of activism is important. Does the activism happening during this season help us find hope, even when it seems there is none?

(Note: This show was recorded on Christmas Eve.)

Reverend Byrd is a Long Island, New York native, yet he spent his formative years living in Detroit, Michigan and Gastonia, North Carolina where he completed his Secondary Education. Reverend Byrd entered the ministry in 1998 at age 14 and was licensed as an exhorter by Presiding Elder H.L. Hall at the Trinity A.M.E. Zion Church in Gastonia, NC.

Reverend Byrd attended Livingstone College, a historically black college in North Carolina where he served as a Presidential Scholar, President of the Student Government Association, President, NAACP, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and member of the Board of Trustees. Rev. Byrd is a graduate of the State University of New York, at Purchase and a graduate of the Pacific School of Religion of the Graduate Theological Union. He was an undergraduate fellow of the Fund for Theological Education.

Reverend Byrd has spent a considerable amount of his life fighting for causes aimed at assisting the plight of downtrodden and marginalized people. He is fondly regarded as the “Picketing Preacher.” He shares the sentiment of the great civil rights clergyman, The Reverend Vernon Johns, “When you see a good fight, get in it!” Reverend Byrd hopes that though his various talks, lectures, addresses, and sermons that dormant levels of consciousness will be awakened as a rose reveling its unfurled glory for the first time before the heavens.

Reverend Byrd currently lives in Hempstead, New York along with his wife, the former Dominique Jackson, alumnae of Mount Holyoke College and a professional actress/model.

Links

Rev. Byrd’s Facebook Page

Rev. Byrd’s Address: Jackson Memorial AME Zion Church, 60 Peninsula Blvd, Hempstead, NY 11550

Email: [email protected]

Guy S. Johnson joins us this week to talk about the intersections of ministry, race, gender, and why it’s important to specifically discuss why #blacklivesmatter. What do we do with a system that is broken on so many levels? How do we talk about saving the lives of people of color without addressing poverty, food scarcity, the education system, and the criminal justice system? Guy and I delve into the depths of why #blacklivesmatter is about more than what we are told it is in the media.

Guy S. Johnson is a singer, an activist, a writer, a foodie, and most importantly, a minister. A graduate of the Lancaster Theological Seminary and Dominican University, he can best be described as “real”. His love of God and God’s people is without question. Guy believes that strangers are simply “friends he has yet to meet.” He LOVES people.

He shares his life with his partner, Robert Davis, in Leesburg, Virginia, and serves as the Pastoral Associate at the Grace United Church of Christ in Frederick, MD, where Dr. Robert Agpar-Taylor is his pastor. He is a partner, a brother, an uncle, and most importantly, a friend of God.

Links

Guy’s Facebook Page

Guy’s Twitter

Guy’s webpage: http://www.guysjohnson.com

Grace United Church of Christ

This week we have my friend and fellow priest, Denise Cicuto, who has been running a memorial ritual called Spirit Babies for the last several years. This ritual is for anyone of any gender who has experienced the loss of a child through abortion, still birth, miscarriage, or for any other reason. Denise shares her personal story and why she believes this ceremony is important.

This podcast is in conjunction with the next Spirit Babies ceremony which will be held on December 20, 2014 at City of Refuge UCC in Oakland, CA. For more information, please see the Spirit Babies website.

Denise Cicuto is a Witch and Healer. She is a second degree Priest in the Circle of Cerridwen, a coven in the Open Source Alexandrian tradition. She was raised in the Catholic Church and then went to find her own way for a while. Between the Worlds Church made her realize that she could still have Jesus in her life while being a practicing pagan. Denise is also a Licensed Acupuncturist and Chinese Herbalist.

NOTE: ANY anti-abortion proselytizing, harassment, or hate speech will NOT be tolerated in the comments. Anyone engaging in this behavior will be banned from the comments section. We at This Week in Heresy are committed to creating a safe, inclusive space, and we will not hesitate to call law enforcement if necessary.

Links

Spirit Babies or contact Denise at [email protected]

Spirit Babies Facebook Page

Exhale

Between the Worlds Church

We are at the crossroads. We see more than we have in the past. Where do we go from here? What choice will we make for humanity’s future?

Announcements:

You can now sponsor This Week in Heresy through Patreon. You can give what you like, and there are some rewards for different levels of giving. There will be more rewards in the future, so stay tuned!

Between the Worlds Church is doing their “regular” service online this month. Follow us as we offer writings for Advent, Yule, and Christmas.

December 20, 2014 at 11 AM is the Spirit Babies service at City of Refuge UCC, 8400 Enterprise Way, Oakland, CA. This service is for any person of any gender who have lost children through abortion, stillbirth, miscarriage, or other child loss. The ritual is led by Between the Worlds deacon Denise Cicuto. 

In this piece was written for a friend's project, I was asked to complete the sentence: "I imagine a church that..." 

Produced and recorded in my home studio in San Jose, CA.

Also on my YouTube channel: http://youtu.be/d_GWsBKfqY0

In this week’s episode, we talk to Lizann Bassham about how she became both a Christian minister and a Reclaiming witch, and her journey embracing both/and. We also talk about how both communities (Pagan and Christian) react to multi-faith practice and how humanity is at a spiritual crossroads.

Lizann Bassham has a B.A. in Psychology from San Francisco State University and an M.Div. from Pacific School of Religion. She is an ordained minister of The United Church of Christ and an active witch in the Reclaiming Tradition. Lizann has taught courses for the Graduate Theological Union and Pacific School of Religion and written curriculum on religion and the arts, sexuality and spirituality, and youth ministry. She has worked with Progressive, Evangelical, and Catholic Christian groups, and has been a guest Cantor for a Reconstructionist Synagogue. She currently serves as Campus Pastor at Pacific School of Religion and as a trainer for the FaithTrust Institute on healthy clergy boundaries. She directed a small performing arts company in Sonoma County for twelve years. Her plays, “Stories Seldom Told,” “Breastify!” and “Voices” have been performed in venues around Northern California. She had the opportunity to workshop parts of both her novels, Barefoot and One of Another at the Iowa writer’s summer workshop. She is a columnist for SageWoman Magazine and a blogger at Pagan Square. Once, quite by accident she won a salsa dance contest in East L.A.

(Apologies for the coughing! This was recorded while I was still getting over my cold!)

Links:

Lizann’s Facebook Page

Sacred Cells on Pagan Square/Witches & Pagans

Front Porch Spirit (Lizann’s website. You’ll also find links to Lizann’s books and music here.)

Sage Woman Magazine

Crone Magazine

Reclaiming Tradition

United Church of Christ

Pacific School of Religion

Books:

How the Irish Saved Civilization: The Untold Story of Ireland's Heroic Role From the Fall of Rome to the Rise of Medieval Europe (The Hinges of History)

Wicca and Christianity, to some, seem to be completely incompatible paths. But are they? When Jesus said that there are others “not of this flock” who were coming, could he have meant those who practice more than one faith tradition?  Also, while this isn’t specifically about Transgender Day of Remembrance, it does ask the question: If someone believes they are part of the “flock,” regardless of who they are, is that enough? Can we accept difference while celebrating commonalities?

The readings that referenced in the sermon are Luke 8: 43-48 and John 10: 14-16 (NRSV).

The sermon was recorded on November 16, 2014 at the Tapestry Ministries service in the Chapel of the Great Commission at Pacific School of Religion. (And apologies for the weird sounding voice. I'm still getting over my cold!)

In this week’s episode we talk with Dany Atkins about invisible disabilities and how they can be dismissed, not only in society in general, but in the Pagan community in general. People can get annoyed when confronted with their lack of thought about how to accommodate people who have disabilities. How can clergy be more responsible about accommodating for the disabilities we can’t see?

Dany Atkins is a nationally known writer, educator, and activist on a variety of issues including body image, sexuality and diversity issues. She has given workshops and lectures around the country and abroad on a variety of topics.

She has also been guest editor of issues of the Journal of Lesbian Studies, Journal of Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Identity and Journal of Bisexuality. She also served on the editorial board of the Journal of Lesbian Studies and the Journal of Bisexuality.

She was the founder and Chair of the Body Image Task Force and is the former Research Chair for the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance. She is featured in the educational video "Killing Us for Our Own Good: Dieting and Medical Misinformation" (produced by the BITF). She currently runs a small press for erotic fiction called Forbidden Fiction

Links:

Dany’s Email: [email protected]

Books (as Dawn Atkins):

Looking Queer: Body Image and Identity in Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay, and Transgender Communities

Lesbian Sex Scandals: Sexual Practices, Identities, and Politics

Bisexual Women in the Twenty-First Century

This week’s episode is a 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 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.

Blessed Samhain!

In this episode, Ember Cooke describes what Heathenry is and talks about the different types of Heathen paths. Who are the Heathen (also known collectively as Norse) Gods? What do Heathens do? What does race have to do with Heathen practice, and why is that all people know of the Heathen traditions?

Ember Cooke has been a member of Hrafnar and Seidhjallr for more thana decade, where she trained with Diana Paxson and Lorrie Wood to be aSeidhkona, Vitka, and Gythia. She founded the Vanic Conspiracy in fallof 2004 and made ordination vows to the Vanir and her congregation inthe summer of 2013. She has contributed to several publications onHeathen and Northern Pagan subjects, including books published byDiana Paxson, Raven Kaldera, and Noroniel Lokason, and has presentedrituals and workshops at festivals like PantheaCon for many years.Her personal practice is more diverse, as the Vanir have lead her intocross-training, interfaith work, and ritual service for the widerPagan community. This has including nine years of medium and servitortraining in American Umbanda, clergy training with the Fellowship ofthe Spiral Path, and jail ministry for the Santa Clara and Santa Cruzcounties.She holds a BA with honors in Religious Studies from Santa ClaraUniversity. She has lived all her life in the south San Francisco Bay

Area, and is intimately bound to the valley of her birth.

Links

Ember’s blog: EmberVoices

Ember’s email: [email protected]