Episode #12 is a conversation about the Ten Commandments with newly ordained Rabbi Gail Ginsburg and myself, Shirley Paulson.

 

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Most of my conversations about the Ten Commandments have taken place among Christians. And in general I don’t hear a lot of love for them. Yes, we’re all pretty grateful to Moses for leading the Children of Israel out of bondage and for his courage in bringing the commandments of God to the people. But God’s deal — “Obey my commandments, and I’ll be your God for you” — doesn’t seem fair. It’s not realistic to think we could really obey them all the time. Who could avoid coveting, or bearing even a little “false witness,” or who can really keep the Sabbath day hold all day long?

I wanted to hear a Jewish perspective, because I wondered if my Christian orientation colored the meaning of these commandments differently from Jews. To my surprise, I found myself resonating with Gail’s delight in these commandments of God. I love them too, and I found it refreshing to consider the great blessings available to us by understanding and living these commandments. I would say I love them, because they make me think God has enabled us to live in obedience to them. They’re not threats, but supports to our human journeys.

No doubt, some of these commandments seem tough. I think the last one, the one that says we “shall not covet” is very demanding. But if this commandment is awakening us to see that we have no need to covet, because God is supplying all good for us, then this is a comfort rather than an impossible standard to achieve. Listen in, as Gail explains the beauty of the 4th commandment — keeping the Sabbath. We chew over the 1st, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 10th commandments in particular.

Which commandment do you especially love? Tell us how the Commandments work in your life. Whether you’re Christian, Jew, Muslim, Buddhist, or even atheist, we’d be interested in your thoughts.

Check out these links to learn more:

• The Ten Commandments
• Gail’s website
• Gail’s recommended Jewish website
• Online Jewish education program
• Christian Science perspective on Ten Commandments
• Various perspectives and problems with the Ten Commandments

Episode #11 is a discussion about interpreting the Bible. What would this world be like if we all got the same meaning out of the Bible?

 

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It’s strange that it means so many things to so many people, and yet it has held such a powerful hold on diverse people for some 2,000 years. Rather than arguing over who’s right or wrong about its meaning, John Spangler and I found a more useful approach to the Bible’s meaning by expanding our views of interpretation. John is a Lutheran teacher, serving as Executive Assistant to the President at Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, PA. My seminary degree is from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, and I am a Christian Science practitioner.

We enjoyed sharing just a few of our experiences with our efforts at interpreting the Bible. John brings out one of the most significant difficulties in our modern-day understanding of the Bible by pointing to the importance of our culture when we read any ancient text. Considering the wide gulf between the culture of the early Christians in the Middle East and the American culture of today, it’s hard to imagine how the words could convey anything of meaning. And yet, the enduring part of the Bible is that it does appear to transcend all the human boundaries of time, culture, language, and history.

John’s story of a woman’s life-size pictures of dead birds, and my attempts to express the meaning of a psalm through ripping paper are two examples of the wonderful adventure of Biblical interpretation through art.

Tell us your stories. We’d love to hear from you. Enter them into “comment” just below this posting on episode #11 of Spirituality and Christianity. Thanks!

From the podcast:

• Religion Communicators Council
• Lutheran Theological Seminary
• Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary
• Hermeneutics

Episode 10 is a conversation between Anuttama Dasa, a devotee of Hare Krishna and myself, a devout Christian Scientist.

 

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We’re talking about the source of grace and happiness. Many Americans may relate to Anuttama’s Anglo-Saxon appearance, his American grown accent, his monotheistic beliefs, and his desire to live a life of grace. But his clothing and his name are non-traditional, and his religious practice originates in India. Despite surface differences, Anuttama makes it easy for his conversation partners to hear him. His kind eyes and gentle demeanor inspire trust and an eagerness to know his spiritual story.

We found a number of perhaps surprising points of similarity in our spiritual foundations. For example, 1) our shared belief in monotheism, 2) that true happiness is found in Soul, not in the body, and 3) that every moment is a precious opportunity to discern deeper love for others.

Since we met each other our work together on the Board of Governors for the Religion Communicators Council (RCC), we share an interest in interfaith dialogue. Although neither of us wants to dilute or lose the close ties to our own faith traditions, we find that interfaith conversations such as this one, is actually a necessary part of our faith journeys. We value and learn from each other, as we discover what spiritual insights and faith dimensions lead to more gracious living.

Here are some links and websites that will guide you to a better understanding of Anuttama’s life:

1. The site all about Krishna
2. Official website of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
3. The news agency for the International Society for Krishna Consciousness

Episode #9 is a conversation between Judy Valente, a devout Roman Catholic and myself, a devout Christian Scientist, on the subject of monasticism.

 

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Judy’s experience as a contributor for PBS’s Religion and Ethics NewsWeekly and commentator for Chicago and National Public Radio, as well as her personal quest for spiritual meaning, continue to draw her simultaneously deeper into the heart of humanity and into the private chambers of her own heart.

One of my teachers at seminary was not at all happy with my own efforts to claim the unity of doing good for humanity and taking time for prayer and contemplation. Judy and I discuss the current tension between what’s known as the “contemplative life” and the “active life.” In every day terms, that means, “Is praying and contemplating God a privilege for the wealthy that keeps them from actually doing something for those less fortunate?”

Both of us draw on our faith traditions to express the power and beauty of what Judy thinks of as monastic practices, and what I think of as prayer. And from those experiences, we’re both convinced that these quiet, private moments of communion with God do contribute to the blessings for humanity.

Tell us what you think about this conversation, here on Spirituality and Christianity.com. We think a better understanding of the monastic life — or prayer life — would benefit not only those who take up the practice, but also the whole world. Click on “Comments” below to contribute to the conversation.

Mentioned in this podcast:

• About Judy and the book, 20 Poems to Nourish Your Soul
• Chicago Public Radio - search for Judith Valente
• Religion and Ethics NewsWeekly website
• Benedictine Sisters
• Mother of God Monastery
• Mount St. Scholastica Monastery

Episode 8 is a conversation about the relationship between faith and technology, between a Mormon and a Christian Scientist.

 

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I met Greg Lemon via email; and we ultimately spoke to each other via skype, and recorded our conversation on remote recorders in California and Illinois. While it’s obvious that technology is a convenience for modern living, it can be argued that technology gets us so comfortable we have no need for religious practices. But both of us agree that technology would never be able to replace for us the deep meaning of life we find from our devotion to God. Greg is a self-confessed geek, and I’m struggling to keep up with what I need to keep producing podcasts. So I was interested in hearing how easily Greg makes use of his technological wizardry to provide easier access to the teaching and preaching in his world of religion. But I was also curious as to whether technology can go too far and ultimately turn us into slaves or even victims of technology. Ray Kurzweil argues in his book, Spiritual Machines, that technology has advanced so far that within the relatively near future, we’ll be able to download even our spiritual elements into embedded computers in our bodies. This way, we can live as long as we continue to download our internal computers. The moral dimensions of these issues are deep and complex, but Greg and I concur that our true natures are spiritual and therefore will not be dominated by man-made creations. Let us know what you think about this conversation, here on Spirituality and Christianity.com. As usual, we think this is a very large topic that could benefit from thoughtful discourse.

Click on “comments” below to tell us what’s on your mind.

Let me introduce you to Greg’s faith life on his church website and his personal life on his own website:

Greg’s faith life
Greg’s website: Myth Show and Myth Minute Podcasts
Greg’s podcasts on his Myth Show

Episode #7 is a mother-daughter discussion of women in the Bible. Heidi Winder, my daughter, raises the question: What’s so scary about women?

 

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We noted that women in the Bible and throughout Christian history have been marginalized, sexualized, demonized, and marked as incompetent — by men. Men wouldn’t do that if they weren’t scared of something. We started the discussion with some evidence of this very deliberate reaction. Mary Magdalene, for example. Was she a prostitute, as the Church Fathers have taught us? Or, was she a spiritually mature, strong leader, as her gospel claims? What about Martha, the sister of another Mary? Why does the emphasis on her character remain on her bustling about as a hostess, when she was also one of very few who confessed to the identity of Christ?

Heidi and I discuss other women throughout Jewish and Christian history, whose lives and characters have been under attack. The common thread we found in these women is that they were extraordinarily strong — spiritually. We could see how spiritual strength could be perceived as a threat, when it is invisible to earthly prowess. But the solution is not in the destruction of femininity, or even the hostessing and attractiveness attributed to womanhood. Rather, a stronger spirituality in both men and women can remove the threat and enable women to make their contributions to Christianity and to the world.

Let us know if you have some further insights to add to this conversation. We feel we just cracked the door open to a very large topic. Click on “Comments” below this posting of episode #7 in Spirituality and Christianity, to tell us what you think. Thanks!

Also mentioned in this podcast:

• Lilith
• Queen Esther
• Ruth, great-grandmother of King David
• Mary Baker Eddy
• Eddy’s concept of woman’s contribution

Episode #6 is a conversation on purpose with Ellen Price, Assistant Director of the Office of Communications for the Baha’is of the United States.

 

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Ellen became a Baha’i when she was 25 and feels her new-found religion gave her a clear purpose in life that motivates her profoundly. My life purpose is deeply centered in my faith life as a Christian Scientist, too. A prayer from Baha’u'llah, Founder of the Baha’i Faith, includes the basis for purpose: “I bear witness, O my God, that Thou has created me to know Thee and to worship Thee. I testify, at this moment, to my powerlessness and to Thy might, to my poverty and to Thy wealth…” Ellen and I agree that God has given purpose to all that God created.
But everyday living can appear to have either self-made purpose or no purpose at all. “What-are-you-going-to-do-when-you-grow-up?” can weigh heavily on adults who think they have no particular talents or calling. And even “Type A” people who are workaholics sometimes wonder whether their drive is self-made or God-given. Ellen and I try to sort out the distinction between God’s purpose and the human opinions about purpose. Some of our questions were, “What if you don’t feel any purpose?” or “What if your purpose isn’t the same as God’s?” or “How do you get to know God’s purpose if you don’t already?”

Ellen and I love interfaith conversations, and that’s one reason we’re both members of RCC (Religion Communicators Council). We’ve found that listening to people whose religions we don’t know well helps us know how we’re understood by others, and it strengthens our ability to love and understand all God’s creation in new ways. Join us in this discussion, and let us know what you think about purpose.

Some words and ideas mentioned in this podcast:

• Jesus’ parable of talents
• Baha’u'lla on God’s purpose for creation: to know and love God
• Website of the Baha’is of the United States
• eNewsletter of the Baha’is of the United States

Episode #5 is a conversation on social justice with Rev. Stanley Davis, a respected religion leader in Chicago on issues of human justice and equity.

 

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What inspires both Stan and me in our desire to forward justice is a shared conviction that justice is a divine right for everyone. Stan cites numerous examples from the Bible where the voice of God rebukes oppression and inspires dignity for all humanity. Whoever has been systemically locked out of society — whether women hitting glass ceilings, Jews bombarded with anti-Semitism, Muslims confronting Islamaphobia, African-Americans deprived of educational opportunity — each individual has a right to succeed in his or her life purpose.

A thread throughout the conversation returned to the significance of God’s presence. Where there’s a welcome of God, there’s an innate conviction to do something about injustice and an assurance that quiets fear. The fire that keeps Stan searching for justice was kindled in his faith journey since he was young. He was a foot soldier under Martin Luther King in Chicago, and he continues to find opportunities today to bring people of all different backgrounds together.

People who want to participate in social justice often find that it feels like a promise to God, rousing them to defend and support God’s precious creation. When it starts in the heart, it inevitably finds expression in human action. Please let us know your own prayers and experiences with social justice, right below this posting of episode #5 of Spirituality and Christianity. Thanks!

Also mentioned in the podcast:

• Children of Israel escaping Egypt
• Message of Prophet Amos
• Message of Prophet Micah
• Martin Luther King, Jr.
• Martin Luker King, Jr. Museum
• Desmond Tutu
• Janis Joplin: Freedom’s just another word
• Oak Park, Illinois

We invite you to listen in to episode 4 of Spirituality and Christianity.

 

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“Being saved” sounds either ultra religious or ultra old-fashioned to most of our friends. But for people who grew up with even a little Christian education, the notion of being saved seems to go with Christian identity. Other faiths have saviors too. Some of my good friends were talking about general contemporary attitudes toward God recently, when one of them piped up with the question, “Do people think they need a savior any more?” My good friend, Kathy Dale McNair, and I thought we’d chew on that question here on this podcast.

Even people with a religious education have been taught that being responsible means taking care of themselves and not becoming dependent on anyone. So, does that independent, self-reliant person need a savior? What if we don’t want someone (like a savior) bugging us and telling us what to do? If we really don’t need a savior, what does that say about people who are really suffering? Do they get saviors if they want one? Are we more likely to get saved after death or before death; and what do we get saved from, anyway?

Our questions led to some new thoughts on salvation, but these questions led to more questions, as well. We’d love to have your thoughts on the subject. Please join the conversation by clicking on “comments” below here.

We invite you to listen in to episode 3 of Spirituality and Christianity.

 

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Who would imagine a conversation about the Greek word “pistis” (faith) and the Nicene Creed would happen in the tropical rain forest of Panama? Bill Faw and I met there, intending to look for tropical birds; but we fell into conversation about our life experiences, and the way our faith has shaped them. Bill is a former Pastor in the Church of the Brethren and is currently a Professor of Psychology at Brewton-Parker College in Mt. Vernon, GA.

We were surprised to learn how much faith unites us, even as we hold differing views on what we hold our faith in. While the Council of Nicea was called in 325 A.D. by the Emperor Constantine to set boundaries around the definition of Christianity, the Creed that was established as the definitive norm at the time continues to be problematic for some Christians today. It was fascinating to Bill and me to realize that we both hold our faith to be issues of life and death. Yet at the same time, we could have friendly conversation about our different views, since our faith practices are sincere.

In this podcast, we discuss our take on the Creed itself, and then we explore the importance of the other meaning of “pistis” — faithfulness. It’s the way we live our faith, we decided, that enables us to work out our salvation. And we conclude that the things we believe in can both shape and be shaped by the way we live our beliefs.

Some theological terms used in the podcast:

• Pistis (Greek word)
• Pistis (Used in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy)
• Nicene Creed
• Council of Nicea
• Doctrine of the Trinity
• Homoousia
• and Homoiousia (Greek words)
• Patristics
• Origen