Wide Eyed Christianity

There is no guest this week as Sean and Ben are back for a regular episode in which they discuss the difficult, confusing, and often messy work of bringing peace through turning swords into plowshares. Isaiah 2:1-5 Ben mentioned some conversations from the TheoNerd Podcast. Jeremy Begbie speaks about theology through the arts. Thank you to Rob Mathes for letting us use his song "Wake up Wide-Eyed" off the album Wheelbarrow for our intro and outro. Find more of his work and buy his music on his website.

With Thanksgiving holiday schedules taking people away from the office, this week’s episode is a special feature from Ben's personal project, the TheoNerd Podcast. It is a conversation with independent video game developer Rami Ismail, who is also a Muslim and speaks very intelligently about representations of Muslims in video games and our culture at large. It is a great and timely companion piece to last week’s conversation with Dick Simon about knowing others who are treated as “them.” More episodes of the TheoNerd Podcast can be found here. This conversation grew out of two panels at the Game Developer's Conference. Rami spoke about language and inclusion and was on a panel about the state of Muslim representation in games. His game company is Vlambeer, and he is active on Twitter.  A few games were mentioned on the show: 1979 Revolution Liyla and the Shadows of War Farsh Thank you to Rob Mathes for letting us use his song "Wake up Wide-Eyed" off the album Wheelbarrow for our intro this week. Find more of

Sean Witty and Ben Chicka speak with Dick Simon about tearing down walls that separate. We should say no to treating entire groups of people as "them" and actually get to know them. Dick Simon is the founder of the kNOw Them Initiative He also gave a TEDx Talk on "The most dangerous Four-letter word" Learn more about Dick, his bike ride across the country, and see his photography on his website Thank you to Rob Mathes for letting us use his song "Wake up Wide-Eyed" off the album Wheelbarrow for our intro and outro. Find more of his work and buy his music on his website.

Makoto Fujimura, Director of Fuller's Brehm Center, is an artist, writer, and speaker who is recognized worldwide as a cultural shaper. He was a Presidential appointee to the National Council on the Arts from 2003-2009. In 2014, the American Academy of Religion named him as its ’2014 Religion and the Arts’ award recipient.    Fuller Theological Seminary's Brehm Center   Mako's website   Mako's book Culture Care   The Dillon Gallery   The International Arts Movement Thank you to Rob Mathes for letting us use his song "Wake up Wide-Eyed" off the album Wheelbarrow for our intro and outro. Find more of his work and buy his music on his website.

This week Sean and Ben discuss how times of stress, anxiety, and fear are actually the times we grow as people. In fact, they may be the best, if not only, times true growth is possible. No topic seems more appropriate on the eve of a presidential election in the midst of a tumultuous 2016. Saturday Night Live's "Black Jeopardy!" sketch offer some of the best analysis of US politics seen in 2016. A Is for Abductive can be bought on Amazon. Rob Reiner was on the Nerdist podcast. Thank you to Rob Mathes for letting us use his song "Wake up Wide-Eyed" off the album Wheelbarrow for our intro and outro. Find more of his work and buy his music on his website.

Author, pastor, and public theologian Brian McLaren joins Sean and Ben for a conversation about his latest book and upcoming visit to Boston. Brian will be at First Baptist Church in Newton at 7:30 PM on Friday November 4 for a public talk, question and answer session, and book signing.  Learn more about Brian McLaren on his website and buy his latest book. Learn more about his visit to Boston and sign up to attend here. Richard Rohr PRRI - Exodus: Why Americans are Leaving Religion Convergence Music Project Old South Church in Boston Catherine Keller Carrie Newcomer Bruce Cockburn Eastlake Community Church in Seattle Wendell Berry Dallas Willard Phyllis Tickle Marcus Borg Thank you to Rob Mathes for letting us use his song "Wake up Wide-Eyed" off the album Wheelbarrow for our intro and outro. Find more of his work and buy his music on his website.

Sean wishes Jacob a happy 18th birthday! Ben explains theologian Robert Neville's claim that all our lives are, metaphysically speaking, eternal. Then Sean and Ben demythologize the concept of the kingdom of God. It is not somewhere else, separated from our lives. It is here right now. And that should impact how we live. The Pearl of Great Price comes from the Gospel of Matthew Robert Neville argues that there is a metaphysical reason to believe life is eternal Parker Palmer St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary Thank you to Rob Mathes for letting us use his song "Wake up Wide-Eyed" off the album Wheelbarrow for our intro and outro. Find more of his work and buy his music on his website.

Sean and Ben discuss the launch of the podcast and other shows they listen to before shaking up the theory of atonement. Have you ever thought it was unfair or wrong when you heard that Jesus died for your sins? You are not alone. Being unsure and questioning your beliefs may be at the heart of a healthy spiritual life. Ask questions you aren't supposed to ask. Serial Podcast This American Life The Tim Ferriss Show Here's The Thing With Alec Baldwin Luke Cage is the superhero we need Thank you to Rob Mathes for letting us use his song "Wake up Wide-Eyed" off the album Wheelbarrow for our intro and outro. Find more of his work and buy his music on his website.

This week Sean and Benjamin look back upon some recent gatherings at the church, including how simple gatherings - like one around a meal - can be the most powerful. They move on to discuss the importance of being intentional when gathering, creating groups with a purpose. They are places where we can be honest about weaknesses, and let that become our strength. Blessings in a Backpack Shauna Niequist Ben's experience at PAX East 2016, and interviews he recorded there John Caputo's The Weakness of God John Vanier, founder of L'Arche communities Thank you to Rob Mathes for letting us use his song "Wake up Wide-Eyed" off the album Wheelbarrow for our intro and outro. Find more of his work and buy his music on his website.

In this episode, recorded on September 12 2016, Sean and Benjamin reflect on devastating events that have been part of their lives, and reflect on how simple gatherings can be part of the healing process. Here's a clip from the 9/11 memorial concert at First Baptist Church. You can read about the One Fund Boston on WBUR. Here is an article Mark Heim wrote about René Girard and an alternative to substitutionary atonement. The church is currently discussing the "gather" portion of its gather, grow, go series Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Thank you to Rob Mathes for letting us use his song "Wake up Wide-Eyed" off the album Wheelbarrow for our intro and outro. Find more of his work and buy his music on his website.

In the previous episode, Sean and Benjamin talked about what it means to be a community of interpretation. In this episode they talk about how that often means a community that shares stories. They also share some stories, from college football upsets to being swarmed by "gigantic" lizards. You can watch Texas Tech upset Texas here. If you look close you can see Ben rushing the field at the end. Sean's encounter with "Bearded Dragons" is worth a read. Marsh Chapel at Boston University You can look through some of the Egypt exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston. This is an excellent resource on theologian Paul Tillich. Here are some tips from Sean on reigniting your spiritual life. Thank you to Rob Mathes for letting us use his song "Wake up Wide-Eyed" off the albumWheelbarrow for our intro and outro. Find more of his work and buy his music on his website.

In this episode Sean and Benjamin talk about being a community of interpretation. That phrase has a very technical meaning for Ben, who is using it and the philosopher Charles Peirce in his doctoral dissertation. For Sean is means doing church differently, as a community exchanging ideas rather than him dominating the conversation as the minister.  First Baptist Church in Newton put this idea in action through Soapbox Sermons. You can read the text of one here. Thank you to Rob Mathes for letting us use his song "Wake up Wide-Eyed" off the album Wheelbarrow for our intro and outro. Find more of his work and buy his music on his website.

Sean Witty, the Senior Minister of First Baptist Church in Newton, and Benjamin Chicka, the church's communications director, introduce themselves and this new podcast. Who are they, what are their interests in Christianity, and why is this a show you might find interesting? Listen and find out! First Baptist Church in Newton - http://www.fbcnewton.org/ Click here for brief bios on Sean and Ben The founder of American Pragmatism, Charles S. Peirce, was mentioned in this episode. Sean's "homework" assignment was this article, followed by this article, in that order. Sean on Wide Eyed Christianity Sean on Big Tent Christianity Sean on the TheoNerd Podcast Thank you to Rob Mathes for letting us use his song "Wake up Wide-Eyed" off the album Wheelbarrow for our intro and outro. Find more of his work and buy his music on his website.