In which I am joined by my brother Zack to introduce a new series on the church fathers and to discuss why theology matters for the average Christian. The first book we'll be reading is On the Incarnation by St. Athanasius. Books mentioned in this episode: The Book of Common Prayer (2019) by the Anglican Church in North America Living Wisely with the Church Fathers by Christopher Hall Learning Theology with the Church Fathers by Christopher Hall Reading Scripture with the Church Fathers by Chris...
Sep 18, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Season 4Ep. 1
In which I discuss nature as a space in which to encounter God in early Irish Christianity. Bibliography Bamford, Christopher. “The Heritage of Celtic Christianity: Ecology and Holiness.” The Celtic Consciousness. Edited by Robert O’Driscoll, New York: George Braziller, 1982. Columba, Saint. “The High First-Sower.” In Celtic Spirituality. Edited by Oliver Davies. Translated by Thomas O’Loughlin. Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1999. Davies, Oliver. Celtic Spirituality. Edited by Oliver Davies. Mahwah...
Mar 17, 2024•14 min•Season 3Ep. 4
In which I talk about Ash Wednesday as a re-formation of creaturely identity. Bibliography: Anglican Church in North America. The Book of Common Prayer. Huntington Beach, CA: Anglican Liturgy Press, 2019. Augustine. Confessions. Translated by Sarah Ruden. New York: The Modern Library, 2017. Brueggemann, Walter. “Remember, You are Dust.” Journal for Preachers 14, no. 2 (Lent 1991): 3-10. Accessed April 1, 2023. Atla Religion Database. Chittister, Sister Joan. The Liturgical Year. Nashville, TN: T...
Feb 14, 2024•22 min•Season 3Ep. 3
In which I talk about the Gothic cathedral as an exercise in the medieval synthesis of faith and reason. Bibliography: Blackwell, Albert L. The Sacred in Music. Cambridge: The Lutterworth Press, 1999. Bork, Robert. The Geometry of Creation. New York: Routledge, 2011. Lewis, C.S. The Discarded Image. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1964. Grant, Edward. God and Reason in the Middle Ages. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2001. Guite, Malcolm. Faith, Hope and Poetry: Theology and the Poet...
Jan 28, 2024•14 min•Season 3Ep. 2
In which I talk about Anglican theologian Jeremy Taylor and Puritan theologian Jonathan Edwards. Taylor emphasizes the 'nowness' of the Eucharist by describing it as a copy of Christ's re-presentation of his sacrifice in heaven. Edwards emphasizes the 'not-yet-ness' of the Eucharist by describing it as a foretaste of the marriage supper of the Lamb. References in my paper: Anglican Church in North America. The Book of Common Prayer. Huntington Beach, CA: Anglican Liturgy Press, 2019. Danaher Jr....
Jan 14, 2024•18 min•Season 3Ep. 1
In which I & fellow H G Wells enthusiast Christian talk about The Time Machine and The Island of Dr Moreau by H G Wells. We chat about how each of these stories (& Wells himself) adds to our discussion of what it means to be human. It's a grand time, as always. Beneath The Willow Tree is a podcast dedicated to the pursuit of Truth through wisdom and imagination. Join host Sophie Burkhardt as she, fuelled by wonder and a quest for the beautiful, explores philosophy, theology, the arts and...
Oct 25, 2022•1 hr 19 min•Season 2Ep. 7
In which I & fellow Dostoevsky enthusiast Yesim talk about The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoevsky. Fair warning! We tried not to spoil the book, but we epically failed at that. So if you want to avoid spoilers, read the book before listening!! We chat about... beauty suffering is Prince Myshkin really a human?? is he a Christ figure? we have lots of questions about him... death etc. etc. etc. Basically, this episode is us fan-girling over Dostoevsky in general and Prince Myshkin in particular. 10/10...
Jul 04, 2022•1 hr 23 min•Season 2Ep. 9
In which I talk about what it means to live 'the good life' and how we live our lives in pursuit of becoming the image of Christ, specifically through contemplation and imitation. It's good fun! Beneath The Willow Tree is a podcast dedicated to the pursuit of Truth through wisdom and imagination. Join host Sophie Burkhardt as she, fuelled by wonder and a quest for the beautiful, explores philosophy, theology, the arts and all things worthy of thought beneath the willow tree. If you might ever be...
Jun 20, 2022•31 min•Season 2Ep. 8
In which I talk about the spiritual practicing of remembering that we will die, and the hope that we find in Christ's resurrection! Also, I forgot (oof) to say that viewing art & reading poetry/prose can help us practice memento mori. Look for works of art like these and poems similar to the ones I shared to help you in this spiritual practice! Catholic Digest Article Memento Mori Lenten Devotional Rule of St Benedict Shakespeare's Window Into the Soul Medieval English Verse collection Benea...
May 30, 2022•39 min•Season 2Ep. 8
In which I'm joined by Beth Jamieson & Mez Blume to talk about the books and shows that make up All Creatures Great and Small . We talk about how All Creatures embodies what it means to be a human, from stewarding the earth to memento mori, and everything in between! It's a delight. Check out Beth's podcast, A Well Read Life , and Mez's amazing books, The Katie Watson Mysteries in Time series and Churchills S.O.C.K.S. ! If you're in the U.S., you can watch the old BBC show on Britbox and the...
May 16, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Season 2Ep. 7
In which I talk about the book Laurus and what it shows us about being a true human. I also geek out a bit over Eastern Orthodox doctrines. There's always so much more to learn! Get yourself a copy of Laurus ! Check out Gospel Simplicity for more on Eastern Orthodoxy, especially this playlist . (It's also a podcast on Spotify, Apple, etc. if you prefer to listen that way) Beneath The Willow Tree is a podcast dedicated to the pursuit of Truth through wisdom and imagination. Join host Sophie Burkh...
May 02, 2022•17 min•Season 2Ep. 6
In which I introduce a series talking about what it means to be a human! In future episodes, we'll explore the many dimensions of this question through a number of books and stories, like C S Lewis' Ransom Trilogy and H G Wells' short stories. It's gonna be fun! Beneath The Willow Tree is a podcast dedicated to the pursuit of Truth through wisdom and imagination. Join host Sophie Burkhardt as she, fuelled by wonder and a quest for the beautiful, explores philosophy, theology, the arts and all th...
Apr 18, 2022•7 min•Season 2Ep. 5
In which I explore thought experiments in film! We're looking at how films conduct thought experiments and why they are so powerful at doing so. The best part is, we're briefly looking into two films: Minority Report and my all-time favorite movie, Jurassic Park ! Beneath The Willow Tree is a podcast dedicated to the pursuit of Truth through wonder. Join host Sophie Burkhardt as she, fueled by wonder and a quest for the beautiful, explores philosophy, theology, the arts and all things worthy of ...
Mar 17, 2022•39 min•Season 2Ep. 3
In which I spend a ridiculously long time just barely scratching the surface of Lilith by George MacDonald. We're talking redemption, life, death, knowledge, evil and more... This is a mind-blowing fairy tale of epic proportions and it'll straight up change your life. Also, I want to read and discuss it chapter by chapter with someone, anyone! If you're at all interested , hit me up at sdburkhardt321@gmail.com or on the gram @sophieburkhardt. You can get the same copy of Lilith as I have here ! ...
Mar 10, 2022•1 hr 27 min•Season 2Ep. 2
If we want to understand who we are and what we should do in this great big world, then we need to know our final cause. We need to know our telos. Within the Love of God (containing Judith Wolfe's essay) After Virtue Beneath The Willow Tree is a podcast dedicated to the pursuit of Truth through wonder. Join host Sophie Burkhardt as she, fueled by wonder and a quest for the beautiful, explores philosophy, theology, the arts and all things worthy of thought beneath the willow tree. For more, visi...
Feb 21, 2022•18 min•Season 2Ep. 1
We talk about chapters 6-9 of G. K. Chesterton's Heretics. We didn't make it to 10, because we had just too many notes...but next time, I'll be covering chapters 10-15! You can purchase this super cool copy of Heretics (& Orthodoxy) here ! Beneath The Willow Tree is a podcast dedicated to the pursuit of Truth through wonder. Join host Sophie Burkhardt as she, fueled by wonder and a quest for the beautiful, explores philosophy, theology, the arts and all things worthy of thought beneath the w...
Nov 16, 2021•52 min•Season 2Ep. 3
We explore the first five chapters of Heretics by G. K. Chesterton. You can purchase this super cool copy of Heretics (& Orthodoxy ) here ! Beneath The Willow Tree is a podcast dedicated to the pursuit of Truth through wonder. Join host Sophie Burkhardt as she, fueled by wonder and a quest for the beautiful, explores philosophy, theology, the arts and all things worthy of thought beneath the willow tree. For more, visit sophiaburkhardt.wordpress.com/blog and follow me on Instagram @sophiebur...
Oct 26, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Exploring George MacDonald's essay on the imagination and fairy tales. This essay is from a Dish of Orts , which you can read for free here ! Beneath The Willow Tree is a podcast dedicated to the pursuit of Truth through wonder. Join host Sophie Burkhardt as she, fueled by wonder and a quest for the beautiful, explores philosophy, theology, the arts and all things worthy of thought beneath the willow tree. For more, visit sophiaburkhardt.wordpress.com/blog and follow me on Instagram @sophieburkh...
Oct 11, 2021•47 min•Season 2Ep. 1
It’s been well over a year now since I went on safari in Kenya, and already I wish I could be there again. How can I properly describe it to someone who has never been? When you are out there in the jeep, just you and a few others with you, amidst great swathes of land almost completely uninhabited by people, something changes. You breathe deeper. Your muscles relax. You forget completely about the rest of the world. Beneath The Willow Tree is a podcast dedicated to the pursuit of Truth through ...
Sep 21, 2021•7 min•Season 1Ep. 13
As I began to understand and write on the rectification of names in my class, I noticed a similarity between this idea and the Christian story. I wondered if it might be possible to make a connection between the two that would enrich Christian theology, or, at the very least, provide some new perspective on it. Books from this episode: Readings in Classical Chinese Philosophy Beneath The Willow Tree is a podcast dedicated to the pursuit of Truth through wonder. Join host Sophie Burkhardt as she,...
Sep 13, 2021•11 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Snailhaven is my home. No, there are no snails here, alas. Truth be told, the place is more of a spider haven than anything else. But, it is a haven. Beneath The Willow Tree is a podcast dedicated to the pursuit of Truth through wonder. Join host Sophie Burkhardt as she, fueled by wonder and a quest for the beautiful, explores philosophy, theology, the arts and all things worthy of thought beneath the willow tree. For more, visit sophiaburkhardt.wordpress.com/blog and follow me on Instagram @sop...
Sep 06, 2021•11 min•Season 1Ep. 11
This is what waiting feels like. This is where the Father of Lights takes us. We must wait and wait. Then we must come to the very end of ourselves and everything else and still we must wait. Even then, there is more waiting to be done, until everything becomes so bleak, so black, and so dark that it creeps up to our very hearts. But if we would just remember. If we would just trust. Then, then we would know that we need not be afraid. For it is in that moment, when the darkness is all around th...
Aug 23, 2021•14 min•Season 1Ep. 10
If you like rom-coms, it’s because, in their own often cheesy, often funny way, they tell a bit of the truth about the world. I, for one, think it’s pretty cool that we live in a love story far better than anything even my favorite rom-coms have to offer. Beneath The Willow Tree is a podcast dedicated to the pursuit of Truth through wonder. Join host Sophie Burkhardt as she, fueled by wonder and a quest for the beautiful, explores philosophy, theology, the arts and all things worthy of thought b...
Aug 16, 2021•13 min•Season 1Ep. 9
We cannot afford to ignore our philosophies. You may not consider yourself “philosophic” or “intellectual,” but you have a philosophy of life, incomplete as it may be, and it is orienting you and shaping your decisions, whether you admit it or not. You must come face to face with it, and you must ask if it is True. Then you must ask whether your lifestyle is reinforcing Truth or diminishing it. Beneath The Willow Tree is a podcast dedicated to the pursuit of Truth through wonder. Join host Sophi...
Aug 09, 2021•11 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Dumbledore reminds us that it is always truth that matters. Mere desires – no matter how deep and desperate they are – that are not rooted in truth can never satisfy us. In many cases, when we choose to focus our attention only on them, we are driven mad. Sheer longing can bring us nothing, only truth can. When we sit in front of the mirror of Erised, we are trying to conform truth to our desires, instead of letting truth dictate our desires. But we do not rule truth; it is a hopeless endeavor t...
Aug 02, 2021•10 min•Season 1Ep. 7
We need a theology of Home, for it is the promise given to us that we may have hope amidst all the brokenness of our world. It is the glimmers of that Home that break through and fill us with joy whenever we encounter beauty, good fellowship, work or rest done well, and any restoration of shalom. Beneath The Willow Tree is a podcast dedicated to the pursuit of Truth through wonder. Join host Sophie Burkhardt as she, fueled by wonder and a quest for the beautiful, explores philosophy, theology, t...
Jul 26, 2021•14 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Every time I watch Christopher Robin , I leave feeling a bit warmer inside, and my wonder and imagination feel strengthened and renewed again. Beneath The Willow Tree is a podcast dedicated to the pursuit of Truth through wonder. Join host Sophie Burkhardt as she, fueled by wonder and a quest for the beautiful, explores philosophy, theology, the arts and all things worthy of thought beneath the willow tree. For more, visit sophiaburkhardt.wordpress.com/blog and follow me on Instagram @sophieburk...
Jul 19, 2021•8 min•Season 1Ep. 5
The Hobbit is a classic tale of adventure and home. What more is there to say? It points us to Truth, inspires us to step out into the unknown, and reminds us to hope for Home. Beneath The Willow Tree is a podcast dedicated to the pursuit of Truth through wonder. Join host Sophie Burkhardt as she, fueled by wonder and a quest for the beautiful, explores philosophy, theology, the arts and all things worthy of thought beneath the willow tree. For more, visit sophiaburkhardt.wordpress.com/blog and ...
Jul 12, 2021•11 min•Season 1Ep. 4
If I attempt to logic my way out of suffering, I get all muddled and stuck. But when I remember that God is an Author, I have a bit more clarity. It is not as if he revels in our suffering. I can think of few authors who truly love their characters that would not weep at the suffering they must endure. But they must indeed endure it. Because there is something better about it. We come out better – I come out better when I have suffered. And it is about even more than growth. My eyes are fixed on...
Jul 05, 2021•13 min•Season 1Ep. 3
The Light Princess is a classic George MacDonald fairy tale about a young princess whose gravity is taken away from her by the curse of a wicked witch (who also happens to be her aunt). It has much to say on the crucial nature of gravity - seriousness, suffering, and love - in life. Beneath The Willow Tree is a podcast dedicated to the pursuit of Truth through wonder. Join host Sophie Burkhardt as she, fueled by wonder and a quest for the beautiful, explores philosophy, theology, the arts and al...
Jun 27, 2021•14 min•Season 1Ep. 2
