Academy Podcast

In June 2018, Academy Director Johnny Sears, visited with his friend and mentor, Parker Palmer, at the Palmer home in Madison, WI, and we were lucky enough to get to record it! Parker and Johnny talked about everything from vulnerability to what makes a good leader, to how to sustain the work of The Academy for the next 35 years. What follows is an offering from their conversation on spiritual friendship and shared vocation in hopes that their mutual dialogue about life, love, work, passion, leadership, and spirituality might enrich your own lives and the conversations that comprise them. The episode picks up with Johnny asking Parker about his friendship and connection with John Mogabgab (founding member of The Academy and editor of Weavings: A Journal for the Christian Spiritual Life) and Henri Nouwen. The friendship between Parker, Henri, and John served as a catalyst, an inspiration, and a motivation for the beginnings of The Academy 35 years ago.

Hospitality as a Spiritual Practice by Academy Podcast

In this month’s episode, we hear from Ray Buckley on the topic of Bearing Witness. Ray offered the following teaching at Two-Year Academy #33 in Donaldson, Indiana in November of 2013. Ray’s teaching invites listeners to consider what it means to be clay in the hands of a God who holds us when we break, and he invites us to bear witness to the hope and possibility that come when we simply let God do the work.

The Pilgrim’s Path by Academy Podcast

In this month’s episode, we hear from Kathryn Damiano on how we live life as a divine office and on how we understand all things as sacramental and therefore as sacred. Kathryn offered the following teaching at Two-Year Academy #33 in Donaldson, IN in November 2013. Kathryn’s teaching invites listeners into a holy place of listening and awe, of honesty and vulnerability, of hope and promise. How do we live life as a liturgy? How is everything sacramental? What does radical ordinariness look like? Listen on, beloveds, and enjoy.

In this month’s episode, we hear from Roger Owens on the topic of prayer and spirituality in a postmodern world, taken from his lectures he offered in August 2011 at a Five-Day Academy in Alabama. Listen on as Roger illumines God’s presence of mercy and love in all things...and may you have ears to hear and eyes to see and hearts to open to the sacredness of all. Enjoy.

In this month’s episode, we hear from Roberta Bondi about God’s unconditional love for all of us. Roberta’s lifetime of studying the desert mothers and fathers of the Early Church lends itself to the wisdom shared – that the whole of the Christian spiritual life is about growing in the knowledge of God’s love, and that we can’t love others if we don’t first know God loves us. Enjoy.

This month's episode draws from Sister Kathleen's teaching on "Spirituality and Ways of Healing" at a Two-Year Academy in Alabama in February 2006. Inspired by the Gospel of Luke's passion narrative, Sister Kathleen offers wisdom and insight on healing and wholeness, teaching that in order to be healers in the world we must give up our need for power and, instead, follow the Way of Love.

In this month's episode, we hear from Bishop Hee-Soo Jung on the topic of Christianity in a Global Context. Illuminating the topics of liberation and compassion and pointing to the other-centered focus of Jesus, Bishop Hee-Soo invites us to consider what being called "the Beloved of God" means for our lives.

The following episode draws from Safiyah Fosua's teaching on afro-centric theology and black worship at a Two-Year Academy in Alabama in February 2006. Offering us a rich history of afro-centric theology and worship, Safiyah invites us to consider the themes of belonging, contemplation, and the vital impact of black theology on the Christian church as we know it.

In this month’s episode, we are joined by Luther Smith. Luther is an ordained elder in the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church and a member of The Academy Advisory Board. He spent 35 years of his career as an activist, scholar, and professor at Candler School of Theology, and he is known to be an authority on the life and theology of Howard Thurman. Luther recently retired from his work at Candler, and continues to be a strong advocate for justice and the power of community. He is married to Helen Pearson Smith and lives in Stone Mountain, GA. They have four children and five grandchildren. The following episode draws from Luther’s teaching at a North Carolina Five-Day Academy in May 2010. A reminder that these recordings come from live plenary sessions, which is why you’ll sometimes hear coughing, laughing, and other affirmations in the background. We’ve done our best to edit out distractions while also working to maintain the integrity of the real-life, in-person teaching that our spiritual guides offer.

In this month’s episode, we hear from Academy faculty member, Mary Earle, who is an Episcopal priest, writer, spiritual director, and retreat leader. In 1987 she graduated from the Seminary of the Southwest and began serving parishes in the Diocese of West Texas. After the onset of a life-threatening illness in 1995, she re-focused her attention on teaching and writing, offering courses for the Seminary of the Southwest. Since retiring, Earle's ministry has focused on practices for the spiritual life in sickness and in health and contemplative prayer. She continues to lead ecumenical and interfaith retreats across the country. The following episode draws from Mary’s teaching at a Two-Year Academy in October 2016 in San Antonio, TX on the topic of “Spirituality and Ways of Healing.” A reminder to our listeners that these recordings come from live plenary sessions, which is why you’ll sometimes hear coughing, laughing, and other affirmations in the background. We’ve done our best to edit out distractions whil

The following episode draws from Marjorie Thompson's teaching at a Five-Day Academy in 2009 in Florida. Centering on the topics of prayer, listening, and God’s infinite love for us, Marjorie offers insight, wisdom, and encouragement for all who long to be prayer-full people, deeply connected to God.

This month’s episode draws from Trevor Hudson's teaching at a Five-Day Academy in October 2014 in Oklahoma. Touching on the topics of loneliness, longing, and friendship, Trevor offers insight, wisdom, and hope for all who long for deep connection with the Divine.

Our episode this month focuses on the spiritual practice of being present to your own life - especially in moments or seasons where we are tempted to find solace in avoiding or numbing our difficult feelings. Mary Earle and Roger Owens guide us toward awareness through their wisdom and personal stories that see opportunity in our fear, anger and mourning.

According to a recent study, the current U.S. presidential election has created high levels of stress and anxiety among people. Many feel polarized and desperate. As Ray Buckley and Rabbi David Horowitz explain in this month’s Academy podcast, we’ve lost sight of the fact that what we have in common is far greater than what we don’t. At the same time, they remind us that we do not have to sit passively, watching our communities in conflict. Instead, God calls us to take responsibility for the pain and tension, to get involved, and to point toward the Light. While this may seem difficult and overwhelming, we can begin to take responsibility by engaging the simple practices of silence and hospitality.

As our communities and media sources are growing increasingly polarized, it is easy to find false comfort in feeling smarter, better or more right than those with whom we disagree. This episode, featuring speakers Reverend Jerry Haas and Rabbi Chava Bahle, asks us to step outside of spaces that confirm what we think we already know and engage with the stories, questions and voices of others. We challenge you to let go of needing to be right and lean into faith and spiritual practices more concerned with creating a conversation where we all can be heard.

In Part II of this episode on Christian pilgrimage, we look at the challenge of returning from pilgrimage. Particularly during this time of Easter, how do we integrate our journey with Christ into our everyday lives? How do we share the gifts we have received with others? Dr. Loyd Allen and Reverend Jane Vennard help us consider how we can use spiritual practices such as prayer, journaling, worship, etc. to maintain our awareness of God’s transforming presence in our lives, so that together we can live into the joy of the Resurrection.

What do Valentine’s Day, the Lenten season, and the presidential primaries have in common? They all happen in the month of February, but they also have something to tell us about the need for God’s love. In this episode, we hear from Dr. Roberta Bondi and Dr. Loyd Allen. Together, they guide us in exploring the idea of pilgrimage as spiritual discipline, a way of helping us move closer to God’s image of love with us. Lent is an opportunity to take such a pilgrimage, so that we may be transformed and ultimately, transform our nation and the world.

It seems we cannot get away from choosing between who’s in and who’s out – who gets quality healthcare and education and who doesn’t. Who gets quality drinking water, and who doesn’t. Who is treated with equality and respect, and who isn’t. Who is given opportunities to thrive, and who isn’t. In this episode, we draw on talks from Trevor Hudson and Safiyah Fosua to explore how Christ calls us to follow another way. This is the way of radical friendship – God’s friendship – that encompasses a relationship with ALL people including, and especially, those who are not like us.