How do we love earthly things in a way that honors God? Where do our longings fit in that equation? And...should we hug a tree after all? Andrew Roycroft and Lancia Smith rejoin the podcast for a discussion of themes from George MacDonald's "The Light Princess."
What if the resurrection isn’t about escaping the physical world, but redeeming it? Join Brian, Sarah, and special Guests Andrew Roycroft and Lancia Smith as they consider the resurrected Christ as fully embodied -- and what that means for us, and all of creation!
Why does every culture have a Cinderella story? Because eucatastrophe — the sudden joyous turn from ashes to glory — is the fundamental pattern of reality itself, and every culture recognizes it. In our last episode , we spent an episode with the dark fairy tales — the ones that don't end well, the ones parents used to read to their children on purpose. The Juniper Tree. The Girl Without Hands. Stories that looked mortality in the face and didn't blink. We argued that you can't skip those. That ...
Join Matthew, Brian, Sarah, and Jeremiah as we explore the dark and often unsettling fairy tales that have shaped human storytelling for centuries. We discuss their purpose, impact on children, and how they prepare us for the realities of life, and that courage, faithfulness, and hope matter precisely because darkness is real.
Sarah and Caroline share what’s ahead for the podcast over the next three months, reflect on the meaning of eucatastrophe, and explore how fairy tales help us see this pattern of reality more clearly, and what the material world has to do with it all! Access the show notes through our Substack (head over to anselmsociety.substack)!
In this conversation, Brian Brown, Sarah Howell, Jeremiah England, and Christina Brown delve into the themes presented in 'A Gentleman in Moscow' by Amor Towles, focusing on the character Count Rostov and his experiences within the confines of a hotel. Such a story helps us engage our confines -- After all, in winter, we’re stuck inside a lot, which reminds us of the limits that come with constricted space. Monotony, potentially bad habits and patterns, irritation from friction with or noise fro...
What if the reason you feel too small, too broke, or too ordinary to be generous is actually a spiritual problem masquerading as humility? In this episode, we explore an ancient vice called pusillanimity—"smallness of soul"—that convinces us our limitations define us. Through Leo Tolstoy's story of Martin the cobbler and John Witherspoon's forgotten sermon on Christian magnanimity, we discover that true generosity isn't about having enough resources, but about remembering whose children we are....
A pre-New Year's bit of gorgeousness for you--Brian and Sarah read and discuss W.H. Auden's poem "For The Time Being: A Christmas Oratorio," and share a couple things to look forward to next year!
A little end-of-Advent treat for you!
"Joy and suffering are interconnected." What if joviality isn't just a personality trait—but a virtue we're called to cultivate? In our newest Imagination Redeemed episode, Joffre Swait takes us on a journey through the story of St. Nicholas to explore how generosity, celebration, and community can restore our capacity for joy—even in a culture that's forgotten how to be grateful. We talk about: ✨ Why joy and suffering are inseparable 👑 How joviality reflects a kingly nature 🎉 The role of cele...
Brian and Sarah break down our plans for the next three months of the podcast, reflect on divine abundance and the scandal of the incarnation, and more.
Life often feels like discord—a song gone wrong. Whether you're walking through grief, loss, or the quiet melancholy of longing for something more, it's easy to get stuck in wistfulness or despair. Through Tolkien's Ainulindalë , this episode explores how to hold both sorrow and hope together. You'll discover how to remember that life is gift—God's original theme of abundance and goodness—while also honestly stepping into what Tolkien called the music of "immeasurable sorrow." This isn't about t...
Many of the conditions of Middle-earth in its Third Age mirror those of our own day: grapples for power, technological advances used for good and ill, and a high opinion in many circles of efficiency and maximized production. What does a feast signify and entail in such times? Earlier this fall the Anselm Society had the privilege of gathering for our fall retreat. Part of this retreat was focused on extended workshops; a time to be filled, to grow in knowledge or craft, and connect our vocation...
Should we be afraid of Halloween? What about death? What about just…the past? Whether it's our own trauma, fears of the occult, family history, or that big scary word tradition , many of us feel caught between two extremes: either cutting ourselves off from it all, or feeling so surrounded by it that we feel trapped. In this episode, we journey back to medieval England to discover what Hallowtide—the three-day feast that became Halloween—actually looked like, and why it might hold keys to a heal...
Brian Brown, Matthew Clark, and Terri Moon continue their conversation, exploring the concept of 'we songs' in worship, songs that connect congregants to God and each other. In this episode, we discuss the importance of melody, accessibility, and the role of instruments in creating a hospitable worship environment, one that instills confidence in the normal congregant and that inherently prioritizes the voice of the congregation. Within that framework, we delve into how singing serves as a spiri...
In 386 AD, an Italian bishop taught his congregation to sing—and their voices held off an imperial army. Why do some songs have the power to unite us, remind us who we are, and give us courage in dark times? And how can we get more of them? Join Brian Brown, Matthew Clark, and Terri Moon as they explore the lost art of "we" songs—hymns and ballads that connect us to God, to each other, and to the great story we're all part of.
In this episode (part 2 of 2), Brian Brown, Gustav Hoyer, and Benjamin Harding talk about the intergenerational nature of Christian creativity, and explore how film scores and children's stories show us how that works. The discussion includes: Why every generation in the church must leave a testimony of their time—failure to do so creates a void in cultural memory How Kalos Arts functions as a production company for Christian artists across multiple disciplines (music, visual art, written word),...
A bonus episode cross-posted from the Beauty Through Faith podcast ! In this episode, part 1 of 2, Brian joins Benjamin Harding and Gustav Hower to say as many provocative things as possible, as quickly as possible. Things we talked about: Beauty as pursuit of God through the material world - How a beautiful girl became his doorway to understanding that pursuing beauty isn't separate from pursuing God—it's incarnational, found in both romantic love and the everyday physical world around us. The ...
Join renowned Canadian artist Josh Tiessen for an inspiring evening at the Anselm Society as he shares his artistic journey and explores the intersection of Christian faith, wildlife art, and environmental stewardship.
Special edition in partnership with the Rabbit Room: how a healed relationship with food forms us to renew the world. Want to participate in Housemoot? Learn more . We were meant for life together. But the fallen world seeks to drive apart things that were meant to be together. People from God. Sexes and generations and tribes and individuals from each other. And the image of God from the rest of the creation (including food; through body image issues, food allergies, and McDonald's). Meanwhile,...
The world around us is quick to dismiss the past. And we Christians have sometimes been too quick to join our neighbors in writing things off that 'don't last.' But autumn is an opportunity to do something different: to recognize that our timeless God works in things that appear to be fleeting, and to consecrate moments for eternity. In this episode, Sarah and Brian talk with Anselm outreach coordinator Caroline Williams about our episode plans for the fall--what you can expect, and how to get Y...
We are called to participate in creation through communion, not control. Join us as we consider living in a world with talking trees. Through C.S. Lewis’s disenchanted Narnia, Brian Brown, Amy Baik Lee, and Sarah Howell explore the relationship between humanity and creation from a Christian perspective. This conversation unpacks the importance of recognizing the goodness of creation, the role of beauty in understanding God, and the need for a re-enchanted view of the world. And that ultimately, ...
A huge treat: Malcolm Guite joins the podcast! In our fast-paced, ever-connected world, we've largely forgotten the art of being still. But what if stillness isn't simply the absence of activity—what if it's actually a practice that requires intention, ritual, and presence? Join Brian Brown and Matthew Clark as they sit down with renowned poet and theologian Malcolm Guite for a contemplative conversation about pipe smoking as a case study in the spiritual discipline of stillness. Opening with Ma...
What would it mean–for us, our families, and our vocations–if we could learn to be fully present? Join us as we explore the story of Taran Wanderer—a young man eager to skip to mastery but forced to learn that true craft begins with getting your hands dirty in the raw materials. Through Lloyd Alexander's tale of smithing, weaving, and pottery-making, we dive into why our souls, like Taran's hands, need to be trained in stillness before they can create anything worth keeping. From the decision fa...
An exploration of human vocation through the lens of one of Tolkien's most strange and mysterious characters. Featuring special guest C.R. Wiley, author of "In the House of Tom Bombadil."
Do you ever feel like you're stuck in the mundane while waiting for your "real" purpose to begin? In Disney's Encanto, Mirabel spends years wondering when she'll get her magical gift and finally enter the family story—only to discover she was already part of it all along. Like Mirabel, many of us view ordinary moments as distractions from the "real" important work of our lives, constantly waiting for that someday calling or dramatic purpose. But what if Christianity isn't about escaping the ordi...
What does it mean to “practice resurrection,” as Wendell Berry put it? It’s easy to look at the chaos and barrenness of the world and think we can’t make much of a difference. At least not without being some kind of superhero. What good is planting a tree in a wasteland? In this episode, the gang explores a different vision, provided by the story, “The Man Who Planted Trees,” by Jean Giono. Because maybe, just maybe, there’s a way forward.
Who is Tom Bombadil? Any Lord of the Rings /Tolkien fan knows that Bombadil is a very mysterious character. But what’s interesting is that as we unpack Tom Bombadil as a character, we end up unpacking things we’ve forgotten about how to do life. Tom Bombadil opens a window into what it means to pursue our vocations. Join Brian Brown, C.R. Wiley, and your fellow Imagination Redeemed listeners for a four-week study of vocation, calling, and mastery through a look at this enigmatic character. Sign ...
Where do books, movies, songs, etc. fit into how we face the hard realities of life? Should they be "positive and encouraging?" Should they relentlessly portray darkness just as it is? In this episode, we invite you into a recent Anselm Society lecture by Dr. Wesley Vander Lugt from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.
Meet Julian of Norwich! This medieval woman suffered more than most of us will in three lifetimes—and prayed for more. And the first part of her book, Revelations of Divine Love, unveils a deeply encouraging vision of God that’s worth meditating on. What makes Julian's hope so powerful is precisely that it doesn't deny or minimize suffering. Rather, her hope encompasses both the reality of present pain and the promise of ultimate restoration. In that space—between the 'already' of God's love and...
