Episode 14: Does God require the blood of an innocent man in order to forgive us? But if not, then what does the death of Jesus mean in the Christian tradition? In this episode, we examine the emergence of sacrificial rituals in ancient societies, the connection to violence and scapegoating, and how the death of Jesus can be understood as a rejection of sacrificial systems as the means to peace.
Episode 13: One of the questions that has come up in response to the latest series on hell, has been: if Christianity is not about escaping eternity in hell, then why do so many people – Christians or not – understand this to be the central message and purpose of Christianity? How the hell did we get here? In this episode we explore some of the key historical movements that contribute towards a Christian tradition that so often claims a belief in hell as eternal suffering, and the related lack o...
Episode 12: This is the final episode in our 3-part series on hell. In this episode we look at the implications of belief in hell as eternal suffering for unbelievers, and the way it is connected to a sense of superiority, religious xenophobia, and the abdication of responsibility for issues of social and environmental concern.
Episode 11: This is the 2nd in a 3-part series on the traditional Christian idea of hell. In this episode we explore the logic of the historical Christian doctrine of eternal torment for unbelievers, and examine why this is inconsistent with the story of Jesus. But if this is not the best way to frame Christian belief, then what are the alternatives?
Episode 10: This if the first in a 3-part series on the traditional Christian idea of hell. We begin by asking that if our ideas about God are supposedly centred around notions of goodness, reconciliation and love for the 'other', then isn't this at odds with the idea of a God who eternally punishes people for not being in the right religious club? Isn’t this the ultimate act of violence? In light of these questions, we take another look at the terms used in the Christian bible that are translat...
Episode 9: The final episode in our 3-part series on violence in scripture. In this episode we discuss how certain depictions of God in the Christian tradition seem somewhat paradoxical. On the one hand, God is loving and merciful and forgiving, and yet on the other hand, certain texts in the bible give us the idea that God takes violence into their own hands. Whether it be to command the people of God to obliterate their enemies (including their children) or to directly carry out this violence ...
Episode 8: The 2nd in a three-part conversation on violence in scripture, in this episode we explore the topic of patriarchal violence in the bible. What do we do with the shocking and pervasive violence and oppression against women that we find in the biblical stories, and what does it have to do with some of the challenges we face in the present day? We don't have to look too far to realise that we've got similar problems to those found in these ancient stories, and any religious beliefs that ...
Episode 7: In this episode we begin a three-part series on violence in the biblical text; exploring the way that tribal violence, patriarchal violence and divine violence are portrayed. If God is love and the sustainer of all life, then what do we do with all of this violence that seems to be endorsed and promoted in the sacred text of the Christian tradition? Because either this tells us that God is violent, and the bible is outdated and not worth reading, or we can ask the question as to wheth...
Episode 6: In this episode we start to explore the way we think about God, and how this impacts on the way we live, the way we interpret our everyday experience, and the implications for our spirituality. Is God best thought of as an old man in the sky, or are there other metaphors and ideas that invite us into some more helpful ways of thinking about the divine and our spirituality?
Episode 5: In this episode I talk with spoken word poet Dietrich Soakai as we discuss the cathartic nature of poetry and think about it as a form of resistance. Poetry has this ability to give voice to experiences that sit beneath the surface that often go unsaid. Both struggles and aspirations that often have nowhere to be expressed, can find their voice through the medium of poetry and spoken word in a context of others, listening, affirming, and responding. And in a world that tries to impose...
Episode 4: In this episode we talk about the importance of empathy to theology and spirituality. We discuss the influence of traditional ideas of God as the unmoved and unchanging one, and how virtues like empathy and compassion are consequently often held in much lower esteem than the ability to have the correct set of ideas, propositions or beliefs. We explore how this emphasis can ultimately lead to objectification and the othering of those who are different from us, and then as an alternativ...
Episode 3: In this episode I talk with Shane Meyer-Holt about the intersection of power, faith, spirituality and community. We discuss the notion of the guru-style charismatic leader, and the challenges that can arise if we cultivate a significant power imbalance between an authoritative and all-knowing wise leader and a community.
Episode 2: In this episode we talk about truth and honesty. And about how power dynamics often work to elevate certain kinds of “truth”, but often at the expense of our ability to be honest and truthful about our real experience.
Episode 1: This first episode of In the Shift explores faith transition, navigating frameworks of certainty, and how the problems found in fundamentalism are not limited to religion but instead are common features of human attempts to belong.
