In All Things Charity: Recent Episodes
A Norville Rogers Podcast
In All Things Charity is a theology podcast. Heather, Tara and JR. talk about God, faith, ministry, life and culture from a Wesleyan, Feminist perspective. So pull up a chair and join our conversation!
Is the pandemic making us a little stir crazy? Maybe. Because we decide to draft Zombie Apocalypse Survival teams from Biblical characters. Whose team is best?
Rev Brit Bolerjack joins us to talk about Earth Day. Why is creation care so important for Christians? And how can we lead faithfully such that our congregations learn the value of creation for a faithful people?
Self-Distancing has been especially burdensome for pastors. How can we create space for self-care as we also work to care for our people? PLUS: Games for quarantine!
In this time of social distancing, how are our churches adapting? And with holy week just around the corner, how are we preparing for Good Friday and Easter in quarantine?
What is a Gospel? What makes the four in our canon stand out? Plus, we know you love our fights, so we argue about which of the four is the best. PLUS: we talk (probably too much?) about the Infancy Gospel of Thomas.
How can pastors make self-care a priority, especially when faced with so many competing demands?
After a very long break, we're back! We spend the first episode catching up. What has been happening in our ministry? And what are we most looking forward to in 2020?
It turns out that even in egalitarian homes, women do more work than men - especially if kids are in the mix. Why is that? Psychologist Darcy Lockman joins us to explore the causes - and solutions - of our surprisingly unequal relationships.
Onleilove Alston joins us to explore what it means to say the Bible is a Black book. From the construction of race to the Blackness of Adam and Eve, we explore why the Biblical roots of Blackness matter for all of us, no matter what color we are.
An act of terror by a professing Evangelical youth raises some deep questions about how our churches are discipling our children. What can we do better?
Why are Christians so obsessed with the rapture? Author, blogger and Nazarene elder Zack Hunt joins us to talk about his new book Unraptured, which is a lot less about well, the rapture, than you might think!
It's March Madness, so why not an all-star tournament of famous women in Church history? From an initial pool of 16 women, we narrow it down to a final four... and then it's YOUR turn to vote!
Author and spiritual director Phileena Heuertz joins us to introduce the idea and practice of Christian contemplation.
Movies about Biblical stories are a mixed bag, and they're always divisive. So we throw our hats in the filmmaking ring by casting our own biblical epics. What movies do we want to see, and who're our dream casts and crews? PLUS: a big, IATC exclusive!
The United Methodist General Conference last week sent shockwaves through many Wesleyan denominations who are seeking to love and make disciples among the LGBTQ communities who worship with us. How do we make decisions as a global church? And how do we keep people made in God's image from being reduced to doctrinal positions?
We're back from the M-19 conference with our episode recorded ON SITE! Since M-19 was all about Evangelism, we dive into the conference content and explore what evangelism looks like on the ground.
How did Millennials get the rap as the burnout generation? In our Season 7 premier, we dive into a new article that explores the causes of burnout... and what it means for the Church.
Latifah Alattas of Moda Spira returns to the show to reveal the process behind her latest album, DIVORCE. Plus: since cloning dinosaurs seems inevitable now, what kind do you want?
The problem of Evil is one of the thorniest we face as theologians. Thomas Jay Oord returns to the show to explore his unique answer: that because of God's essential nature, God is unable to stop evil.
What is God teaching us right now? Three of your co-hosts share at length about what God is teaching us right now. So pull up a chair, and be sure to tell us what God is teaching you!
While the other cohosts are away, JR. and Tara give the listeners what they want: more fighting! There's nothing too trivial for us to consider, and disagree about!
Leadership is a divisive word among pastors. Should the church value leadership? Or is that kneeling to cultural trends? Might there be a different leadership paradigm? Rev. Deanna Hayden joins us to explore how a Wesleyan framework for leadership transforms the conversation. We dive specifically into a thorny leadership issue - the Billy Graham Rule - to work out how to implement what this framework looks like on the ground.
Reverend Sarah Shay Riley joins us to explore the unique stresses and blessings of being a pastor who is also a parent. We explore everything from spiritual disciplines to raising a kid in a congregation.
How does suburban culture form us away from the life God created us to live? And how can we discover counter-liturgies that form us toward God? Author Ashley Hales joins us to discover how we find Holy in the suburbs.
Minority persons have a unique set of experiences in majority culture organizations. How can leaders of those organizations learn to see those minority persons? Author Adrian Pei joins us to lead us through how we can build more just churches and organizations.
The end of death may be closer than we think. Scientists are closing in on the cure for aging, and maybe death itself. But should we want that?
Thousands of pastors recently signed a statement on Social Justice and the Gospel... but it is really about gender and race. We break down the language the statement uses, and why it's so problematic for persons of faith.
What is Purity Culture? Why is it so dangerous? Author and purity culture survivor Linda Kay Klein joins us to explore the shame that purity culture creates. How can we find freedom from purity culture? And what does good news about holiness actually sound like?
How do we engage favorite books that haven't aged well? Author Matt Mikalatos introduces us to his new fantasy world, The Sunlit Lands, which he created in part as a response to Tolkien, Lewis and other beloved but problematic fantasy. Along the way, we ask about those problematic parts of the Bible as well. What do we do when our sacred book behaves badly?
Speaking up is hard - especially when doing so would cause waves. Author and activist Kathy Khang joins us for the season premier to share how she has learned to speak up - and how we can overcome our obstacles and fears to raise our voices as well.
In our last episode before summer break, we revisit the issue of Biblical translation. Drawing on what we learned from Dr. Emily Wilson, we explore the words of the Bible. What kinds of translations are out there? What's better or worse? And what about the Lord's Prayer?
Who counts as a Christian? What is the difference between Orthodoxy and heresy? Author Bonnie Kristian joins us to discuss how our faith can be more flexible. We do a deep dive into two issues: atonement and gender dynamics!
The US Prison System is one of the great, ignored injustices. Author, pastor and activist Dominique Gilliard joins us to explore God's call to visit those in prison and what that means for Christians today. We explore in depth how the doctrine of Penal Substitutionary Atonement has malformed American Christians to ignore penal injustices.
What's the goal of worship? Is it authenticity? Quality? Comfort? Sandra Van Opstal has a much more radical suggestion: How can our worship represent every culture, tribe and tongue? How can churches embody that vision every Sunday?
Preacher and author Austin Channing Brown joins us to reflect on what it means to be black in a world built for whiteness. From the Women's March to multi-ethnic churches, we explore what a more just, equal world might look like.
A new translation of the Odyssey has hit the shelves and it's a new gold standard. We talk to the translator, Dr. Emily Wilson, about how she approached this epic undertaking. We dive into the challenges of translating, her preference for modern languages and more!
With #churchtoo revealing more and more abuses in the Church, we ask how we navigate the legacies of abusers. Plus, we engage Andy Crouch's article on the dangers of celebrity pastors. How can we build systems that keep us and our congregants safe?
We take some listener questions, which leads to some fascinating questions about patriarchy, leadership and more.
In honor of International Women's Day and Women's History Month, we gush about our favorite women in a wide variety of fields from preaching and theology to film.
The whole gang is back! Join Heather, Robbie, Tara AND JR. as we catch up on all the feminist goodness we missed while we were on break.
In our season finale, Dr. Sandra Glahn joins us to ask what Feminism means in 2017. Drawing from her new book, Vindicating the Vixens, she paints a picture of a church that refuses to dismiss, marginalize or sexual women, but rather creates a just, equitable space for men and women to lead together. How can we refuse tokenism for the sake of justice?
Robbie is a bi-vocational pastor. Tara is a co-pastor. JR. is a solo lead pastor. We explore the advantages and disadvantages of each model, and ask why a person might feel called to each model. Thanks to listener Tanner for the episode request! Plus, some bonus things we're into in honor of the holiday season.
If we're serious about empowering women in ministry, what are the essential components? Author, professor and preacher Karoline Lewis joins us to explore the 5 keys of empowering women. We do a deep dive on Key 2: embodiment and vulnerability.
Our most requested topic: how should we understand the language of submission and headship as egalitarians? And how can we celebrate this passage instead of awkwardly ignoring it?
Since we're a Feminist podcast, we dive into JR.'s new book through the lens of Delilah. Why have we all gotten Samson so wrong? And how can we learn to empathize with villains like Delilah, Judas and even Satan?
In the wake of the Weinstine scandal, women all over the country are sharing stories of their own sexual assaults, using #metoo. How is the Church complicit in creating a culture of abuse? And how can we do better?
A new debate on the meaning of the Trinity is raging in theological circles. But the debate is actually a resurrection of an old heresy. Why has the debate resurfaced? And what does it have to do with gender roles in the Church?
1 – Cathedrals Fighting on Twitter 3 - Heresy! 44 - What We're Into
Why do we make such a big deal out of gender reveals? In this episode, we dive into the real cost of our gender-obsessed culture and imagine some ways we can offer a prophetic difference for kids who don't feel like they fit neatly into a pink-and-blue world.
Heather steps away for a leave of absence. But fear not, listeners! She leaves us in good hands as Rev. Robbie Cansler joins In All Things Charity! Get to know Robbie in this episode, hear our thoughts on the Nazarene General Assembly and of course find out what we've been into this summer. We're back!
How do we decide when to stay in a church or denomination? How do we decide when it's time to move on? Our season finale goes out with a bang!
Wonder Woman has been released and theaters around the country are hosting women-only screenings. Is this sexist? And how does that conversation inform gendered church ministry?
What makes a healthy church vision? How can a new pastor lead a church to discover its unique vision? What about a pastor who's been around for a while? And how can pastors lead churches to take ownership of their vision? We're joined by pastor and vision coach Paul Dazet.
What don't they teach you about how to be part of a church staff? What changes when you become a lead pastor? We discuss the joys and pains of being and leading staff.
New Testament professor Dr. Kara Lyons-Pardue joins us to talk about how we got this thing we call the Bible. Who got to decide what books were included (and excluded!)? What criteria matter? And how can we trust the Bible as a holy book?
Has our culture become too obsessed with alcohol? Might that be a sign of deeper problems? And how can historically teetoaling churches speak meaningfully to a culture fixated on self-medication?
Dr. Charles Christian joins us to discuss his new book on ethics in ministry. How can church leaders develop ethical thinking habits that aid us in those unpredictable times in ministry? Plus: a deep dive on the Billy Graham Rule
This short-but-awesome episode is all about Moral Licensing. What is that? It's why you're more likely to do something bad after you've done something good. We talk through the implications for preaching - and how it explains why the Church of the Nazarene struggles to place female pastors, District and General Superintendents.
Dr. Thomas Jay Oord discusses his innovative contribution to the conversations surrounding providence and theodicy. What is essential kenosis and how can it be helpful in pastoral counseling?
We easily think of Sin as personal moral failure. But Sin is also systemic. What implications does that have for sanctification, and how can Christians speak helpfully of systemic evil?
Since Advent is fast approaching, we talk with author Tom Fuerst about his new book Underdogs and Outsiders. The book explores the five women Matthew includes in his genealogy of Jesus (perfect since Matthew is this year's lectionary Gospel). Why did Matthew include these women, and how is it good news for us? Plus: What do you do when Christmas falls on a Sunday?
Kadee Wirich Smedley teaches us how to respond pastorally to victims of sexual violence. PLUS we reflect on a year of podcasting and feedback on our Halloween episode.
Should Christians celebrate Halloween? We investigate the pagan and Christian roots of Halloween. Then we discuss how Christians can engage in Halloween as an act of hospitality, regardless of our beliefs on the holiday!
Following up on a metaphor Tara recently used, we investigate conversion. Taking a cue from the strange story of Derek Black, we tease out the ministry implications for the reality that conversion is a process more than an event.
Is "locker room talk" ever appropriate? Tara, Heather and JR. consider the cultural cost of sexism and explore the extent to which misogyny plagues even the Church.
What exactly is the Bible? And how do we speak faithfully about inspiration? Tara and JR. dive into a tough conversation about how to talk about the Bible!
How should pastors deal with personal crisis? How much should we share from the pulpit? With our church leadership? Where can we find safe spaces to heal?
While Heather is gone, JR. and Tara explore forgiveness and reconciliation. Is there a difference? How do they work? And what responsibility do pastors have to lead in forgiveness?
We're back with a new release day (Fridays!) and a new hot-button conversation: Should churches be political? With a tense election season, how can church leaders grapple with
Tara, Heather and JR. welcome Leighton Brown to talk about when it's time to leave a church family, and what can be gained by staying.
Tara and JR. take a few minutes to explain why the podcast is (back) on a short break, then share a big announcement!
We welcome Latifah Phillips of Page CXVI. Her new solo project, Moda Spira is a revealing look into marriage. We discuss why marriages struggle to flourish in the Church, and how churches can do better at creating spaces for marriages to flourish. PLUS: A new song from the Moda Spira record!
We're back! Season 3 kicks off with What is Christian Education? Do pastors really need to be educated? What are some options for continuing education for those called into vocational ministry?
Because Tara's prepping for her cross-country move, Heather and JR. take some time to review how to preach the book of Revelation. Why is the book so scary to so many of us, and how can preachers recover the good news of the book?
How ought Christians to engage in the political system? Engagement? Avoidance? In a tense election season, we explore the various options Christians have, and ask what we can do to be advocates for the common good.
Pastor and artist Barry Williams joins us for a conversation about faith and art. They have a complicated relationship, but art is integral to faith. How can we more consistently integrate art into our faith?
What does the Bible say about women in ministry? What are the hermeneutical considerations for approaching the text? We consider John 20 and 1 Timothy 2.
We welcome bogger, minister, writer and professor Jory Micah to talk about women in ministry. Why do denominations that ordain women struggle to place women in ministerial roles? And what can both men and women do about it?
Why should churches observe Holy Week? And what are the best practices for observing Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday or a Tennenbrae service? Listen in and let us know your best practices.
Attending church online is becoming more and more popular... but is it good? What does online church suggest about our assumptions of what Church means? Can the body of Christ extend into virtual space?
Political Correctness: a waste of time, or a charitable engagement with our neighbors? Tara, Heather and JR. investigate the power of language (with some help from Wittgenstein). How does this impact how we talk about race, gender and God?
We welcome Pastor Jon Middendorf to talk about security in our kids ministries. How do we protect kids from predators, and can that protection go too far?
Adam Estle of Evangelicals for Middle Eastern Understanding joins us to discuss the big question raised by Wheaton's reaction to Professor Larycia Hawkins. Do Christians and Muslims worship the same God? We ask if this is even the right question, and then answer it anyway.
Welcome back to In All Things Charity's second season! After reviewing your feedback on season 1, we each share what we believe to be the biggest challenge facing the American Evangelical Church.
How do you know what God's will is? Heather, Tara and JR. explore the practice(s) of spiritual discernment. PLUS the Holy Quran Experiment makes us reexamine how we talk about Scripture!
Heather, Tara and JR. talk the importance of mental health with counselor Jesse Clark. What does it look like to be mentally healthy? What are some best practices for counseling others? When are you out of your depth? PLUS: all three hosts are featured in a new magazine, THE TABLE, so we run down our contributions.
What is Advent? Why and how should churches practice it? Heather, Tara and JR. review their own histories with Advent, as well as what the season holds for them this year. Plus, listener feedback!
How do you go about preparing a sermon? Where do you start? What considerations do you keep in mind? Also: Tara, Heather and JR. fight about the lectionary.
What is preaching? How do we approach the preaching moment? What role does preaching play in the liturgy, and in our spiritual formation?
How do we make faithful disciples? Heather, Tara and JR. investigate several models of discipleship and evaluate how approaches to making disciples have shifted in the last few decades. We share what discipleship looks like in our own contexts, and what we're working on in the future.
What's a Feminist? And why shouldn't we be afraid of feminists? Plus: Heather introduces herself.