Dr. Dru Johnson explores the inescapable impact of ordinary and extraordinary routines. With examples ranging from tooth brushing to baptism, he encourages everyone to "examine our ritual lives." Those examinations can deepen our understanding about the traditions that define life and religion — the ways in which individuals and communities are different and similar. What You’ll Learn:Where to find rituals in everyday life The importance of identifying why rituals are taught How Christians can learn from the traditions in other denominations and other religions

About the Guest: Dr. Dru Johnson is an Associate Professor of biblical and theological studies and the Director of the Center for Hebraic Thought at the King’s College in New York City. He is the author of several books including Human Rites: The Power of Rituals, Habits, and Sacraments. Before that, he was a high-school dropout, skinhead, punk rock drummer, combat veteran, IT supervisor, and pastor — all things that he hopes none of his children ever become. Scripture Related to Episode:https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+5%3A15-16&version=NASB1995 (Ephesians 5: 15-16; Making the Most of Time) https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Thessalonians+5%3A21&version=NASB1995 (1 Thessalonians 5: 21; Examine Everything) https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus+15%3A18%2C+Deuteronomy+23%3A10-11%2C+2+Kings+5%3A12-15&version=NASB (Examples of Baptism in the Hebrew Scriptures) Links Related to Episode:Dru Johnson’s Website Center for Hebraic Thought https://thebiblicalmind.org/ (The Biblical Mind) https://twitter.com/Dru_Johnson (Dru Johnson - Twitter) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0802876005/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i4 (Human Rites: The Power of Rituals, Habits, and Sacraments) Timestamped Show Notes :01:11 - Topic: How Our Religious Rituals and Habits Shape Us and Our Beliefs 02:20 - The Blessing of a Adoptive Family 03:54 - Habits, Rituals and Rites that Shape Everyday Life 04:28 - What Makes and Activity a Ritual 08:24 - iPhones, Rituals and Stewardship 09:27 - Do I Really Perform Rituals? 10:16 - Rituals in the Human Experience 10:38 - TikTok and the Way Rituals Effect Everyone 12:01 - What Gives You the Right to Tell Me What to Do? 13:09 - Taking Stock and Making Changes, Examples from Finance and Fitness 15:25 - Improvising, Fitness and Rituals 17:38 - Surprising Rituals in the Church 18:18 - Prayer across Different Denominations 19:54 - Improvising Weddings 21:34 - The Meaning of Graduations 21:58 - Which Denominations Got Communion Right? 22:49 - Communion in the Time of Covid 24:01 - Modern Day Interpretations of Rituals 24:32 - Where Does Baptism Come From? 27:02 - How All Religious Communities Benefit from Examining Rituals 28:57 - Reframing Animal Sacrifice in Scripture 30:06 - Purpose of Rituals in Scripture 31:13 - Individualism and the Body of Christ 33:46 - Similarities in Islam and Judaism 35:37 - Learning from Muslim and Jewish People 38:01 - A Dad Joke that Makes You Go Hmmm 39:04 - Contacting Dru Johnson Did you appreciate this podcast? Checkout previous episodes, leave a review, drop us a note or support the vision here: http://oururbanvoices.com/ (oururbanvoices.com)