The Antioch Podcast: Recent Episodes
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The Antioch Podcast is a weekly recorded conversation among a multiracial team of Christian antiracism educators and friends. Biblical Antiracism is the starting point for all these conversations, which inevitably include a healthy dose of laughter, thoughtfulness, vulnerability and theology.
Intercultural ministry – when people from two different cultural groups worship together – is a phenomenon many aging, historically white churches are exploring more and more. But what dynamics do these cultural unions bring us, and what does scripture have to say about these challenges?
James 2: 14-17 says “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but … Continue reading 342 – Is Antiracism a Political or Gospel Issue?
We are going back to basics on the Antioch Podcast, talking about tough questions that come up for Christians involved in racial and social justice movements. This week’s question – “What is Biblical about antiracism?” Our tagline for the Antioch Podcast is conversations about Biblical antiracism so you can bet we have thoughts.
The Antioch Podcast team has been off for a number of months, and as we return, we share a bit about why we took an extended break from our conversations about Biblical antiracism, as well as what we to expect as the podcast undergoes a number of significant changes in our next chapter together.
In the past few weeks, the Trump administration has sent large numbers of Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement agents to Minneapolis in response to charges of fraud among a small number of immigrants in the Somali community there. This was not a targeted action, but a massive undertaking arresting many people who were, and who were … Continue reading Episode 339 – When Protesters Are Killed: “A Biblically Antiracist Perspective.”
I grew up in a country church in rural America where we sang hymns from old navy-blue hymnals every Sunday. One of our congregation’s favorites was the hymn “This Is My Father’s World.” The first two verses celebrate God’s providence and majesty displayed through the natural world. And in the third verse, the tone of … Continue reading Episode 338: What is Economic Justice? – “What Are We Doing With God’s Money Part 1.”
Scripture has a list of qualities that represent what it means to be a follower of Jesus known as the fruit of the Spirit. This is the evidence of a Spirit-filled life, a life focused on reflecting the qualities of Jesus to the rest of the world. Ideally, this list would describe what a Christian … Continue reading Episode 337: Goodness, Self-Control and Other Virtues – “Characteristics of Biblical Leadership Part 4.”
Character counts. I try to read at least one book every year about leadership in my role as a clinical director at a multisite therapy practice. Almost every book essentially talks about the characteristics of good leaders. These kinds of character traits impact how to listen, how to give feedback in a respectful and clear … Continue reading Episode 336: The Fruit of the Spirit for Leaders – “Characteristics of Biblical Leaders Part 3.”
John the Baptist, the cousin of Jesus, was a prophet with a short-lived period of influence. There had not been a prophet in Israel for 400 years before John showed up on the scene. During this period of silence, the Jewish people were first ruled by the Greeks and then the Romans. Now John was … Continue reading Episode 335: Prophetic Leadership – “Characteristics of Biblical Leadership Part 2.”
Through much of my career, I have found myself being pulled into positions of leadership, whether it is leading small groups or teams, leading church congregations, or routinely sitting in meetings where policies are made that affect both staff and clients. I once worked for a pastor who wisely told me that leaders “never get … Continue reading Episode 334: Biblical Leadership – Characteristics of Biblical Leaders Part 1.
What thoughts go through your mind when you hear of a politically motivated shooting? Does it matter to you who was harmed or killed? In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, some Christians are calling for revenge, and some are calling for restraint. In this episode, our team of Christian antiracism educators and friends have … Continue reading Episode 333: Christlike Resistance In the Time of White Christian Nationalism
We are in a series where we are giving Biblical Counter-Narratives to anti-Christian messages being increasingly pushed in America. We are calling this series our “RILED” series, where we talk about Racial Justice, Immigration, Leadership, Economic Justice and Diversity. We are talking about them, because the Bible has a lot to say on these topics, … Continue reading Episode 332: Biblical Counter-Narratives – “Christianity Has Always Been Multicultural.”
We are in a series where we are giving Biblical Counter-Narratives to anti-Christian messages being increasingly pushed in America. We are calling this series our “RILED” series, where we talk about Racial Justice, Immigration, Leadership, Economic Justice and Diversity. We are talking about them, because the Bible has a lot to say on these topics, … Continue reading Episode 331: Biblical Counter-Narratives – “Countering Immigration Myths.”
We are in a series where we are giving Biblical Counter-Narratives to anti-Christian messages being increasingly pushed in America. We are calling this series our “RILED” series, where we talk about Racial Justice, Immigration, Leadership, Economic Justice and Diversity. We are talking about them, because the Bible has a lot to say on these topics, … Continue reading Episode 330: Biblical Counter-Narratives – “There Is No Immigrant Invasion.”
It is not uncommon for people to have some level of apprehension about the unknown. I recall the first time I ate sashimi – beautiful slices of raw fish served in sushi restaurants. I had never eaten raw fish before, and had a suspicion that eating any uncooked fish would make me sick. However, I … Continue reading Episode 329: Biblical Counter-Narratives – “Immigrants are a Blessing.”
As a therapist, I spend my week listening to people’s stories. I’ve heard thousands of stories, and from listening to these stories, I have a number of thoughts about what makes certain stories powerful to people, and other stories more incidental. Often, it isn’t the events of the story that are most important, it is … Continue reading Episode 328: Biblical Counter-Narratives – “The Importance of Counter-Narratives.”
What does it mean to be a podcast about Biblical Antiracism during a time when every week it seems that civil rights are attacked, people are being rounded up and arrested, and disagreement and speaking out is met with increasing levels of suppression. While some faith leaders are boldly speaking out, others are timidly wringing … Continue reading Episode 327: Biblical Counter-Narratives – “Scriptural Truth vs. Christian Nationalism.”
Since January, we have been discussing Jemar Tisby’s latest book “The Spirit of Justice”, looking at the stories of Black Christians and their allies who were inspired by scripture to work for racial justice. Today, our team gathered around the mics to talk about what we have learned so far on our journey though this … Continue reading Episode 326: The Spirit of Justice – “Stories of Strength.”
Harriet Tubman is one of the most recognized and celebrated figures in American History. After escaping from slavery, she returned across the Mason Dixon line 13 times to free individuals from slavery. Estimates range from 70-300 people who were freed because of her efforts, with dozens of others who found freedom following her instructions. In … Continue reading Episode 325: The Spirit of Justice – “Harriet Tubman”
John Williams is a frequent guest and friend of the Antioch Podcast known for his deep Christian faith and commitment to healing the church in America through truth telling, racial justice and repair. As the executive director of The Center for Restorative Justice in Pasadena, California, we are honored to have John join us today … Continue reading Episode 324: John Williams – “Restorative Racial Justice in the Age of Trump.”
What is worth fighting and dying for? For many people, it is the prospect of safety for those they care about which is more likely to happen when someone has the liberty to live in freedom from oppression. Captain Thomas Higgenson, a white abolitionist, led a nearly all-black unit in the Union Army. Writing in … Continue reading Episode 323: The Spirit of Justice – “Fighting for Freedom.”
Listen to Psalm 36, the lyrics of which contrast the way evil people use power with that of God. 1 I have a message from God in my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before their eyes. 2 In their own eyes they flatter themselves too much to … Continue reading Episode 322: The Spirit of Justice – “Radicals.”
Have you ever tried to read the Bible from cover to cover? I know that when many try, they do pretty well getting through the stories of Genesis and Exodus, but lose interest as they start Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. These books of laws can seem archaic and difficult to understand to the contemporary reader, … Continue reading Episode 321: The Spirit of Justice – “Resisting Unjust Economies.”
How long can you walk? I have a desk job, and because of that, I don’t get an opportunity to move around much. But I do walk when I’m not at the office, though when I am walking alone, I often grow bored and want to head home to be with people. I really want … Continue reading Episode 320: Sustainable Solidarity – “Considering Capacity.”
Have you ever been so moved by something in the news that you felt powerful emotions afterwards? In the age of social media and 24-7 news coverage, we may find that we have an overload of information that make us feel those emotions. But in the period leading up to the American Revolution, words similarly … Continue reading Episode 319: The Spirit of Justice – “The Language of Liberty Part 2.”
Words change people. I remember when I was a young social worker, I was assigned to meet with a new client whom I had a strong bias about. I was convinced that this person and I had very little in common, and that this individual was someone potentially dangerous. So I was guarded as I … Continue reading Episode 318: The Spirit of Justice – “The Language of Liberty Part 1.”
Dates tell a story. My wife and I will often calculate the decades that we have known each other, and reflect on the fact that at this point in our relationship, we have been together longer than we have lived with our families of origin. As an inter-racial couple, sometimes this prompts questions about how … Continue reading Episode 317: The Spirit of Justice – “1619.”
What does it mean to be Black? From the time of Columbus to the time before the American Revolution, people with ancestry from Africa were present through every era of American history. Yet, what this meant varied over time. During the colonial period before the American Revolution, while ideas of superiority and inferiority were a … Continue reading Episode 316: The Spirit of Justice – “The Making of Race.”
Today, we are going to be talking about whitelash. What is whitelash? According to Jemar Tisby, it is like a social version of Newton’s Third Law: for every antiracist action there will be an equal (or disproportionate) and opposite reaction. Historical examples: after the civil war freed slaves, Jim Crow laws oppressed these newly freed … Continue reading Episode 315: The Spirit of Justice – “Whitelash.”
We are entering a season where many people who care about justice, equity and oppression may feel discouraged and hopeless. Oppressive policies are all the talk in the news, and it can be difficult to function at times. In times like these, sometimes a good book can help. Today we begin reading the book, “The … Continue reading Episode 314: The Spirit of Justice – “Resistance, Advocacy and Activism.”
Do you ever get worn down by injustice? Do you ever find that your energy is drained by constantly swinging emotionally between outrage and overwhelm when you see evidence of inhumanity and hate? Ever wonder what you can do about it, as opposed to venting? Our multiethnic team of Christian antiracism educators and friends decided … Continue reading Episode 313: Resilience and Resistance – “Responding to Oppressive Systems.”
On January 20th, Donald Trump was inaugurated as the president of the United States. Our multiethnic team of Christian antiracism educators and friends decided to talk about how we were feeling about the immediate future of the United States in today’s conversation we are calling, “What’s On Your Mind.”
On January 20th, Donald Trump will once again resume the presidency of the United States. Many people who care about antiracism and social justice have strong emotions about this turn of events, remembering what his first term in office was like. While he is legitimately elected, many people who care about these things, including those … Continue reading Episode 311: Inaugural Coping Strategies – “Self-Care in the Time of Trump.”
Our team on the Antioch Podcast was feeling reflective today as we gathered around the mics. It’s a new year, and I don’t know about you, but during this time of the year, I love gathering with friends to reflect on the year that was, and look forward to the year ahead. Our multiethnic team … Continue reading Episode 310: Year in Review – “Intentions and Reflections.”
Advent is a four-week season in the Church calendar dedicated to anticipating the arrival, or “advent,” of Jesus of Nazareth, the long-awaited savior and King. Christians from many backgrounds celebrate this time with reflections on hope, peace, love, and joy. And while their practices may look different, all focus on the hope-filled arrival of Jesus. … Continue reading Episode 309: An Antioch Holiday Special – “Advent and Justice.”
At work the other day, we were having a conversation about American Thanksgiving Day. One of my African-American friends was telling me that Thanksgiving Day at their house is the “Food Olympics.” Family members are requested to bring certain dishes that they expertly cook to their annual family banquet of well-seasoned, colorful food. This is … Continue reading Episode 308 – An Antioch Holiday Special – “Thanksgiving Memories.”
Well … we are back. We took a couple weeks off but we are back this week to talk about our series on the pledge of allegiance. Today we talk about “Liberty and Justice for All.” So, in our first post-election episode, we have some thoughts – new thoughts and old thoughts – about what … Continue reading Episode 307: The Pledge – What Does It Mean? – “With Liberty and Justice for All.”
Sometimes, the Antioch Podcast team takes our show on the road. Recently, we were invited to be a part of Unlearn Week at Calvin University. This program is an opportunity for students to unlearn stereotypes, biases and talk about racism by engaging in healthy dialogue and diving deeper into these topics as Christians. We had … Continue reading Episode 306: Whitework – “The Antiracism Journeys of White Allies.”
What does it mean to have a united front? I once talked with someone who was routinely told that she needed to “put up a united front” in implementing a policy at the hospital where she worked. However, she didn’t agree with the policy, and this caused her to feel like she might need to … Continue reading Episode 305: The Pledge – What Does It Mean – “Indivisible.”
The first amendment to the US Constitution says that the country cannot have an official religion, yet most state constitutions reference either God or the divine. The words “In God We Trust” is printed on currency in the United States, but many Americans only pray when they are in a crisis. The pledge of allegiance … Continue reading Episode 304: The Pledge – What Does It Mean? – “Under God.”
Michigan is one of the states that will decide the election in 2024, and the western side of the state is one region within Michigan where the divisions are the strongest. Driving through my neighborhood, yard signs for Harris and Trump punctuate the lawns of many of my neighbors. Last week I needed to drive … Continue reading Episode 303: The Pledge – What Does it Mean? – “One Nation.”
And to the republic, for which it stands. We say these words all the time, but what is a republic anyway? According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, a republic is a form of government in which a state is ruled by representatives of the citizen body. Modern republics are founded on the idea that sovereignty rests … Continue reading Episode 302: The Pledge – What Does It Mean – “The Republic.”
The pledge of allegiance was originally written in 1892 by a then-37-year-old minister named Francis Bellamy. It was first recited that same year on October 12th to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the voyage of Christopher Columbus. Since then, it has grown in popularity, becoming a ubiquitous feature of American education and civic life. But … Continue reading Episode 301: The Pledge – What Does It Mean? – “I Pledge Allegiance to the Flag.”
It has been our tradition on the Antioch Podcast to pause when we hit a milestone to reflect on the experience of being a part of this podcast. The Antioch Podcast began in August of 2016 when President Obama was in office to provide multiethnic church leaders with tools to understand what it meant to … Continue reading Episode 300: The 300th Episode!!! – “Looking In, Looking Back, Looking Ahead.”
Pennylyn Dykstra-Pruim, host of the podcast Diversity and Inclusion for All, was an occasional guest on the Antioch Podcast. As a professor, author and antiracism educator, she shared her gifts with the Christian and interfaith communities in Grand Rapids Michigan and wherever she was invited to speak. But to many of us here on the … Continue reading Episode 299: Remembering Pennylyn Dykstra-Pruim – “A Tribute.”
How do you say goodbye? August tends to be a time of goodbye for many students who are going to university for the first time and saying goodbye to family and friends they have known their entire lives, but it is not the only time in life where people cope with what it means to … Continue reading Episode 298: Antiracism in the Movies – “The Farewell.”
Fantasy and science-fiction movies are places where we can imagine worlds and people that we wish existed. When we lose ourselves in these kinds of stories, we suspend judgement for a moment and feel the emotions of what living in this imagined possibility would be like. Probably no better example exists than the 2018 movie … Continue reading Episode 297: Antiracism in the Movies – “Black Panther.”
King Richard is the story of Richard Williams, father of tennis phenoms Venus and Serina Williams and his journey to help his daughters achieve tennis stardom. Set in the 1980s and 1990s, this movie is a clear-eyed view of the corrosive forces of American racism set against the protective factors of dignity and family. Haven’t … Continue reading Episode 296: Antiracism in the Movies – “King Richard.”
The movie-turned musical “Hairspray” tells the story of Tracy Turnblad, a full-figured teenager who dreams of dancing on the “The Corny Collins Show” – a locally-produced television show in Baltimore in 1962. Tracy experiences discrimination for her weight, until she learns dance moves from African-American dancers who perform on the shows limited “Negro Day” episodes. … Continue reading Episode 295: Antiracism in the Movies – “Hairspray.”
Antiracism is nothing without stories, and some of the most powerful stories are told through movies. In the short span of 90 minutes or more, movies can take us on a journey through our imaginations to think about ideas and feel things that we don’t experience in our everyday lives. In this series, our team … Continue reading Episode 294: Antiracism in the Movies – “Origin.”
It is a common occurrence to have seasons of closeness to God and times when we have doubt and struggle. Struggles and feeling separated from God are common, so common that Christian mystics refer to these seasons as the “dark night of the soul.” These seasons have not always led people away from God, but … Continue reading Episode 293: Focusing on Wellness – “Spiritual Wellness.”
It is a fact: many communities with the highest concentrations of people of color in the United States are also the most polluted. The impact of unsafe houses, unclean soil and water, and food that makes us sick is the very definition of a systemic problem – a problem that will not be solved by … Continue reading Episode 292: Focusing on Wellness – “Environmental Wellness.”
Sometimes you experience something that makes you think. I recently had an experience like this when my family and I had a two-week tour of South Africa, a land where the legacy of colonialism and modern-day racism is more recent, and is both similar and different than the ongoing legacy of these issues in the … Continue reading Episode 291: White Work – “Reflections on South Africa.”
Managing stress may be one of the most challenging things we have to do professionally. The stress we must manage doing antiracism work can be draining, grueling, or overwhelming. And yet, doing this kind of work can also be deeply fulfilling. For that reason, it is important to prioritize mental wellness. Today, our team of … Continue reading Episode 290: Focusing on Wellness – “Mental Wellness.”
What does health feel like? Probably as soon as I asked this question you thought about what your body feels like – such as noticing if you are tired or have lots of energy right now, if you are hungry or if you feel like you are sick or in pain. Some people are really … Continue reading Episode 289: Focusing on Wellness – “Physical Wellness.”
Many of us dream about taking a break from work, or even going on vacation. But what makes a great vacation may differ from person to person, and that is because everyone’s personality is very different. Maybe you have experienced this before yourself – some people want to have little planned; some people want to … Continue reading Episode 288: Paige Agnew – “The Enneagram and Nine Types of Rest.”
What does it mean to think about white supremacy culture? I mean, to REALLY think about it. What happens when you think about it? Even just hearing the words “white supremacy culture”, or listen to ideas about it, how does it impact your body or your urges? What emotions do you become aware of? So … Continue reading Episode 287: White Supremacy Culture – “What We Learned.”
I know many people in my city who tell me they will intentionally change their commute to work to “avoid sketchy neighborhoods”… often times lengthening their commute in order to do so. Other people who live outside the city in the surrounding bedroom communities will tell me that they may not want to drive into … Continue reading Episode 286: White Supremacy Culture – “Right to Comfort.”
Are you the kind of person who is open to being wrong? Perhaps you didn’t have all your facts straight, or perhaps there was information you didn’t have at the time you made your decision. What do you do when you find out there were other things to consider? A pastor once told me this … Continue reading Episode 285: White Supremacy Culture – “Defensiveness and Denial.”
Who are you like? For many of us as white people, we know we are white, but we don’t like the idea that non-white people see us as a group with some predictable characteristics. We often talk about our individual characteristics as more defining of who we are. For example, we may identify more with … Continue reading Episode 284: White Supremacy Culture – “Individualism.”
What makes you feel good about yourself? I remember how much I used to dread performance evaluations. I remember so often feeling anxious, my palms would sweat, I’d feel restless, and have this sick feeling in my stomach in the hour before I’d have my yearly performance review. I hated it. It like I was … Continue reading Episode 283: An Antioch Podcast Encore: White Supremacy Culture – “Perfectionism.”
What makes you afraid? A common thing that people across cultures run into is having a fear of unfamiliar foods. New flavors, textures, or smells can create strong responses – sometimes embarrassingly strong responses. However, we tend to think that the food “we” like is … “normal.” I remember discovering that some of my non-American … Continue reading Episode 282: An Antioch Podcast Encore: White Supremacy Culture – “Fear of Disconnection.”
Have you ever had the thought that because someone doesn’t express themselves with proper grammar, that what they have to say is somehow less? Perhaps we don’t even think about the point the individual is making because they don’t express it according to the grammatical values we hold. Perhaps we never consider how these grammar … Continue reading Episode 281: White Supremacy Culture – “Worship of the Written Word.”
We have been talking the past few episodes about aspects of White Supremacy Culture, and noticed … well … a lot of these characteristics cause us stress. Its true, the list of white supremacy culture characteristics in many ways is a list of stressors that impact so many of us – trying to be perfect, … Continue reading Episode 280: White Supremacy Culture – “This Stresses Me Out!”
“But if we do that, we will lose people!” Have you heard these words before in a meeting? Someone proposes an idea that is in keeping with the mission or values of an organization, and the idea is not shot down on its merits, but rather because there is a fear that it will turn … Continue reading Episode 279: White Supremacy Culture – “Progress! Bigger! More!”
Have you ever been the victim of a lost story? Viola Davis tells a story in her autobiography “Finding Me” of a time when she was in elementary school wearing clothing that smelled badly. Her teacher could have told herself a story that black people like Viola didn’t care about standards of cleanliness and that … Continue reading Episode 278: White Supremacy Culture – “Either/Or – There Is No Between”
Who is qualified to make a decision? Like it or not, it is in the human nature to continually evaluate our surroundings based on almost imperceptible judgements. Sometimes these judgements keep us alive. Our bodies remember things to keep us safe, to “jump out of the way” of all sorts of perceived dangers. Some of … Continue reading Episode 277: White Supremacy Culture – “Who is Qualified?”
Do you think you know other people’s motives? A lot of us do. I remember working in a psychiatric hospital many years ago where a part of my job was to write down the observations I made about the individuals under my care. It took training to try to describe factually what I noticed in … Continue reading Episode 276: White Supremacy Culture – “Antidotes to Objectivity.”
I know a number of perfectionists who tell me that one of the things they like most about their personality is that they strive to make things better. And it makes sense, there are a lot of things about the world, and about ourselves, that could benefit from improvement. But one of the things which … Continue reading Episode 275: White Supremacy Culture – “Antidotes to Perfectionism.”
Everyone has a perspective or bias, and most of us like to think that our biases are accurate. As a therapist, I often hear couples tell me about the problems in their relationship, and I will ask each partner to tell me the story of the problem. Often these stories are somewhat different, reflecting the … Continue reading Episode 274: White Supremacy Culture – “Objectivity and Paternalism.”
What makes you feel good about yourself? I remember how much I used to dread performance evaluations. I remember so often feeling anxious, my palms would sweat, I’d feel restless, and have this sick feeling in my stomach in the hour before I’d have my yearly performance review. I hated it. It like I was … Continue reading Episode 273: White Supremacy Culture – “Perfectionism.”
What makes you afraid? A common thing that people across cultures run into is having a fear of unfamiliar foods. New flavors, textures, or smells can create strong responses – sometimes embarrassingly strong responses. However, we tend to think that the food “we” like is … “normal.” I remember discovering that some of my non-American … Continue reading Episode 272: White Supremacy Culture – “Fear of Disconnection.”
The Antioch Podcast is a team of Christian antiracism educators and friends who gather every week to have a conversation about faith, race and the things that matter in our lives. We are a diverse group, but recognize that many of us are… well, we aren’t the youngest people doing this work. So today, we … Continue reading Episode 271: Hannah Reed – “Strength, Struggle and the Shepherd.”
The Intercultural Development Inventory is a tool to help individuals and organizations assess their cultural competence and chart a path to increase this competence over time. Last year, we took the IDI as a team, and since then, we have reflected on and grown from the information we learned from the experience. On today’s episode, … Continue reading Episode 270: The Intercultural Development Inventory – “Kissing Doesn’t Count.”
The Intercultural Development Inventory is a tool to help individuals and organizations assess their cultural competence and chart a path to increase this competence over time. Last year, we took the IDI as a team, and since then, we have reflected on and grown from the information we learned from the experience. On today’s episode, … Continue reading Episode 269: The Intercultural Development Inventory – “Cultural Humility.”
This Antioch Encore was originally recorded and released in 2020 Songs: O Come All Ye Faithful 2. Silent Night 3. Angels We Have Heard on High 4. O Little Town of Bethlehem 5. Sweet Little Jesus Boy 6. Come Thou Long Expected Jesus 7. Lo How a Rose E’er Blooming 8. Hark the Herald Angels … Continue reading Episode 268: An Antioch Christmas Encore – “A Musical Christmas Special.”
This is an encore episode of the Antioch Podcast recorded in 2022. We are a diverse group of Christian antiracism educators and friends who gather every week to share stories of our lives, which some of the time has to do directly with our experiences as antiracism educators. We also are whole people – people … Continue reading Episode 267: An Antioch Christmas Encore – “Our Christmas Memories.”
I know that I don’t tend to sit down and ask people, “Hey, what do you think about CRT?” probably because I don’t know what I’d hear… or maybe I do have a guess about what they might say and I’m self-protectively trying to avoid arguments and anger in the event that my guess was … Continue reading Episode 266: Christianity and CRT – “Reflections on the Journey.”
Before his eventual execution for being a Christian, the apostle Paul wrote these words from his Roman prison cell, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.” He knew … Continue reading Episode 265: Christianity and CRT – “A New Hope.”
As a child, it always was a little bit embarrassing for me when my mother worked as a substitute teacher for my elementary school class. It wasn’t that my mom was a bad teacher. It was quite the opposite, actually. My mother was a riveting and dynamic teacher who made learning fun, and as one … Continue reading Episode 264: Robert Chao Romero & Jeff M. Liou – “Christianity and CRT.”
When Senator John Lewis died on July 17, 2020, the New York Times published his letter “Together You Can Redeem the Soul of Our Nation” which he had written three days before his death as his last address to the nation. In this letter, he talked about his hopes for the beloved community, which he … Continue reading Episode 263: Christianity and CRT – “CRT & The Beloved Community.”
When you enter a space what percentage of people in that space need to look like you in order for you to feel comfortable? Sometimes for me that number is one, but only if I’m with the right people. As a white man married to a Chinese woman, I remember some of the first times … Continue reading Episode 262: Christianity and CRT – “Institutional Colorblindness.”
In 1958, Mildred and Richard Loving were arrested in Virginia for being an interracial couple. They fought back against their arrest, and their case, Loving vs. Virginia eventually reached the Supreme Court. They won their case on June 12th, 1967 – nine years after their arrest. This case overturned decades of laws against interracial marriage … Continue reading Episode 261: Christianity and CRT – “Responding to Demographic Change.”
What is overt and covert about racism? I remember when I first started learning about racism as a young white man. I grew up in a rural community, had recently joined a multiethnic church, and was doing a lot of reading and making friends with people of color. I was learning a lot about the … Continue reading Episode 260: Christianity and CRT – “Overt and Covert Racism Plus a Little Bit of Hope.”
What does it mean that racism is ordinary? Jim Wallace wrote a book a number of years ago called “America’s Original Sin: Racism, White Privilege and the Bridge to a New America” whose title aptly described racism as the sin condition which most profoundly shaped America from the colonial period forward. From this vantage point, … Continue reading Episode 259: Christianity and CRT – “Sin, Racism and the Avoidance of Guilt.”
In today’s session Jane and Michelle pause from the discussion of the book Christianity and Critical Race Theory: A Faithful and Constructive Conversation by Robert Chao Romero and Jeff M. Liou to reflect on what they have read. Both Michelle and Jane identify key takeaways from the introduction and first chapter. They also make connections … Continue reading Episode 258: Christianity and CRT – “The Impact of CRT Talk.”
So I’m a white guy, and I used to never think about my whiteness when I went anywhere, and for sure for sure I never sat around with other white people and talked about our whiteness. I’ve never sat around with other white people and asked, “When was the last time you thought about your … Continue reading Episode 257: Christianity and CRT – “Who Gets to Be Legally White?”
In the book of Revelations, John is presented with a vision of the end of time when people from around the world are worshiping God in Heaven. The glory and honor of their cultures is present and nothing impure is there … but what exactly is the good stuff about our cultures, and what’s the … Continue reading Episode 256: Christianity and CRT – “Glory and Honor of Nations.”
As a therapist, I see people who often come to my office who self-identify as “broken.” They may come in making poor eye contact, telling me a story of how they were victimized, or perhaps made some choices they regret. Sometimes they have experienced a long string of disappointing or tragic events that now has … Continue reading Episode 255: Christianity and CRT – “Community and Cultural Wealth.”
I have a lot of fond childhood memories listening to my uncles and grandpa tell fishing stories. Almost always, the stories seemed to be larger-than-life adventures full of excitement and laughter as they reenacted the scenes of reeling in gamefish from the Michigan lakes where they spent weekends together. It seemed, however, that the hero … Continue reading Episode 254: Christianity and CRT – “Who Gets to Tell the Story?”
So we have slowly been talking about the book Christianity and Critical Race Theory: A Faithful and Constructive Conversation by Robert Chao Romero and Jeff M. Liou to understand how these authors see Critical Race Theory as a helpful bridge for Christian witness, theological reflection, and pastoral ministry. In order to do that, it is … Continue reading Episode 253: Christianity and CRT – “Four Founding Tenets of CRT.”
Critical Race Theory is in the news a lot these days, but many people don’t exactly know what it is. I had a conversation just the other day with someone about this. They thought that they knew what it was, and they definitely thought that they were against it… and when we started talking about … Continue reading Episode 252: Christianity and CRT – “What Exactly Is CRT Anyway?”
At our house, we love to go out to eat. We live in a small city, so we get excited when a new restaurant opens, especially if the chef brings an ethnic flavor to the menu. But we don’t just eat what some people might consider “ethnic food”, because all food is someone’s ethnic food. … Continue reading Episode 251: Christianity and CRT – “When Did You First Recognize Structural Racism?”
This is our last week where we are going to take a journey back into our archive to play some of the best recordings the Antioch Podcast has made over the years on the topic of Critical Race Theory, or CRT for short. CRT has been around for a while first as a legal theory, … Continue reading Episode 250: The CRT Summer Series – “Let’s Talk About White Privilege”
For the next few weeks, we are going to take a journey back into our archive to play some of the best recordings the Antioch Podcast has made over the years on the topic of Critical Race Theory, or CRT for short. CRT has been around for a while first as a legal theory, and … Continue reading Episode 249: The CRT Summer Series – “An Interview with Kelly Hamren on CRT”
For the next few weeks, we are going to take a journey back into our archive to play some of the best recordings the Antioch Podcast has made over the years on the topic of Critical Race Theory, or CRT for short. CRT has been around for a while first as a legal theory, and … Continue reading Episode 248: The Summer CRT Series – “BLM and Traditional Biblical Sexuality”
For the next few weeks, we are going to take a journey back into our archive to play some of the best recordings the Antioch Podcast has made over the years on the topic of Critical Race Theory, or CRT for short. CRT has been around for a while first as a legal theory, and … Continue reading Episode 247: The CRT Summer Series – “Marxism and Biblical Justice”
For the next few weeks, we are going to take a journey back into our archive to play some of the best recordings the Antioch Podcast has made over the years on the topic of Critical Race Theory, or CRT for short. CRT has been around for a while first as a legal theory, and … Continue reading Episode 246: The CRT Summer Series – “Individual and Systemic Sin.”
For the next few weeks, we are going to take a journey back into our archive to play some of the best recordings the Antioch Podcast has made over the years on the topic of Critical Race Theory, or CRT for short. CRT has been around for a while first as a legal theory, and … Continue reading Episode 245: The CRT Summer Series – “Understanding Social Justice.”
For the next few weeks, we are going to take a journey back into our archive to play some of the best recordings the Antioch Podcast has made over the years on the topic of Critical Race Theory, or CRT for short. CRT has been around for a while first as a legal theory, and … Continue reading Episode 244: The CRT Summer Series: “What’s the Problem With CRT?”
This week the Antioch Podcast team gathers to hear Michelle as she talks with our team about our aggregate results as a podcast after taking the IDI – the Intercultural Development Inventory, the premier assessment of intercultural competence. We have a great conversation about feedback and our thoughts about where our team landed on the … Continue reading Episode 243: Intercultural Competence – “Part 2 – Our Feedback.”
Intercultural competence is a term often used within the diversity, equity and inclusion fields. Intercultural competence in its most simple form is the ability to function effectively across cultures by adapting our thinking and behavior, to work with people who are different from ourselves. On today’s episode, we will talk about what this means as … Continue reading Episode 242: Intercultural Competence: “Part 1 – An Overview.”
We are at the end of our series where we talk about the values that we have as a podcast team – values which then make it possible for us to have the kinds of conversations we have here every week. This week, we have a conversation about how we balance truth and grace in … Continue reading Episode 241: Antioch Podcast Values – “Grace, Truth & Justice.”
We are stepping away from our regular series on the book of Acts to bring you the audio from our latest live event, White Work: A Conversation About the Antiracism Journeys of White People. This 90-minute live webinar was recorded on Friday, April 23rd in partnership between the Antioch Podcast and Calvin University, the Christian … Continue reading Episode 240: An Antioch Encore “WHITEWORK: Antiracism Journeys of White People.”
We are in the middle of a series where we talk about the values that we have as a podcast team – values which then make it possible for us to have the kinds of conversations we have here every week. This week, we talk about how our team builds community that values diversity – … Continue reading Episode 239: Antioch Podcast Values – “Community and Diversity.”
We are starting a new series on the Antioch Podcast where we talk about the values that we have as a podcast team which make it possible for us to have the kinds of conversations we have here every week. This week, we are kicking off the series with a discussion of how the values … Continue reading Episode 138: Antioch Podcast Values – “Authenticity and Vulnerability.”
Listeners to the podcast know that we are a group of Christian antiracism educators and friends who gather around the mics every week to have a conversation about Biblical antiracism. Usually when we get together, we block off two hours so that we have an hour to talk together – and sometime during that period … Continue reading Episode 237: The Antioch Podcast Team – “The Pineapple Pizza Episode.”
April is National Stress Awareness month and because of this, I invited two of my therapist colleagues, Araceli Warners and Jennifer Coria in today to talk about managing stress, as well as how to heal from the specific stresses caused by racial trauma. This is a great conversation full of thoughtful points and stories, so … Continue reading Episode 236: Araceli Warners & Jennifer Coria – “Stress and Racial Trauma.”
We are wrapping up our series “Why I Am Still a Christian” today with this final episode. We’ve had a journey as a team asking ourselves, and then a wonderful collection of guests, about why they are still Christians – especially given the climate of today’s churches. We wanted to gather as a team to … Continue reading Episode 235: Reflections on the Series – “Why I Am Still a Christian.”
Rhonda Roorda is an award-winning author, consultant, and thought leader on transracial adoption. Rhonda was adopted out of the New York foster care system at the age of two and into a white American family with Dutch heritage. She was raised with her two non-adopted siblings in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Rhonda has dedicated … Continue reading Episode 234: Rhonda Roorda – “Why I Am Still a Christian.”
Victoria Gibbs is one of the co-founders, trainers, and lead coaches of CORE: Communities Organizing for Racial Equity in Grand Rapids, Michigan where, among her other duties, she participates in facilitating 2 ½ day Understanding Racism Workshops. Victoria’s area of specialty is helping individuals, groups and organizations understand the impact racism has had on them … Continue reading Episode 233: Victoria Proctor Gibbs – “Why I Am Still a Christian.”
Cindy Lee, author of Our Unforming: De-Westernizing Spiritual Formation is a spiritual director, professor at Fuller Theological Seminary and urban explorer. Cindy lived in Beijing and Taipei for six years and currently resides in Los Angeles. She writes about spirituality and spiritual formation, asking important questions about Christianity. In Our Unforming, she asks about what … Continue reading Episode 232: Cindy S. Lee – “Why I Am Still a Christian.”
Rev. Kealani Nunes Willbanks is a third-generation pastor serving a Methodist church in Washington DC. She is a Philopena-American Woman – a self-described “brown clergy woman” – with a story about why she is still a Christian. Her story orbits this theme covering topics of justice, church leadership, and parenting told with humility, bravery and … Continue reading Episode 231: Rev. Kealani Nunes Willbanks – “Why I Am Still a Christian.”
We are in the middle of our series “Why I Am Still a Christian”. In this series we have been asking people to share their stories of why they are still Christians given that aspects – or even large parts of their identities – may fall outside the experiences of most mainstream, white, American Christians. … Continue reading Episode 230: Mid-Series Conversation – “Why I Am Still a Christian.”
Rhonda Roorda is an award-winning author, consultant, and thought leader on transracial adoption. Rhonda was adopted out of the New York foster care system at the age of two and into a white American family with Dutch heritage. She was raised with her two non-adopted siblings in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Rhonda has dedicated … Continue reading Episode 229: Rhonda Roorda – “Why I Am Still A Christian.”
Ryan Struyk is many things. A pastor’s kid, a member of the Christian Reformed Church of North America, and a nationally-recognized journalist and news producer living in Washington DC covering American Politics. He also has an impressive collection of framed original front-page newspapers covering major news events of the 20th Century that fill his home … Continue reading Episode 228: Ryan Struyk – “Why I Am Still a Christian.”
This week co-host Jane Bruin shares her story about why she is still a Christian as an immigrant child from a Christian minority in Pakistan who immigrated to the United States. She shares her story of how her journey from Pakistan gave her experiences as a minority person in Senegal, Nigeria, and several locations within … Continue reading Episode 127: Jane Bruin: “Why I Am Still a Christian.”
This week Reggie and Michelle talk about why they both have stayed Christians as African American people. Christianity was used to justify slavery and white Christians have contributed to the oppression of African Americans up until the present day. However, the Black Church has been a place of sanctuary, strength and strategizing for the Black … Continue reading Episode 226: Reggie Smith & Michelle Loyd-Paige – “Why We Are Still Christians.”
This week, we have invited Mark Charles to the Antioch Podcast as part of our series “Why I Am Still A Christian” to talk about why he is still a Christian as a Native American person who is an expert on the impact of Christian theology on the Indigenous people of the Americas. Mark is … Continue reading Episode 225: Mark Charles – “Why I Am Still a Christian.”
We have been in a series called, “Why I am a Christian” or more specifically, “Why as a _________ “fill in the blank identity” am I still a Christian.” It is a question a lot of people get asked, because Christians have done some harm historically, and recently in the world. We don’t have a … Continue reading Episode 224: Eric Nykamp – “Why (as a White man) I am Still a Christian.”
Bing Goei is a prominent Asian American business leader, politician, and faith leader within the Christian Reformed Church, in the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan where the Antioch Podcast is produced. Bing shares his story of immigrating to the United States, and how his faith has been a foundational part of his identity driving his … Continue reading Episode 223: Bing Goei – “Why I Am Still A Christian.”
In this vulnerable and powerful episode we hear Susie’s heart and her passion to love everyone, no matter who they are. Susie opens up at a deep level about her journey of faith as a Latina woman who was raised Catholic and for many years felt alienated from the church. It is remarkable that Susie has … Continue reading Episode 222: Susie Dixon – “Why I Am Still A Christian.”
In this week’s episode, the women of the Antioch Podcast enjoy reconnecting after their Christmas break and also kick off a new series called “Why as a _____ (fill in the blank) Am I Still a Christain?”. They talk about the inspiration for the series growing out of the team’s last strategic planning retreat. At that retreat … Continue reading Episode 221: The Women of the Antioch Podcast Introduce the “Why I Am Still A Christian” Series
We are a diverse group of Christian antiracism educators and friends who gather every week to share stories of our lives, which some of the time has to do directly with our experiences as antiracism educators. We also are whole people – people who enjoy telling stories. So this week, we thought we would gather … Continue reading Episode 220: The Christmas Episode – “Our Christmas Memories.”
The World Cup is perhaps the most-watched sporting event around the globe. And like most sporting events, the World Cup is not without its controversies. Our team of Christian antiracism educators and friends took some time to talk about the World Cup in Qatar, and how we are thinking about some of these controversies through … Continue reading Episode 219: The World Cup – “Thoughts on Faith and Football.”
We’ve spent the past couple of episodes talking about antiracism journeys. This week we invited John Williams back to the Antioch Podcast to share his story with us about what brought him as a young man from the east coast of the United States clear across the country to the west coast – a literal … Continue reading Episode 218: John Williams – “My Antiracism Origin Story.”
Last episode we started talking about our antiracism journeys and it got us thinking … sometimes being on an actual journey, like a trip, a vacation, or just traveling somewhere outside our familiar surrounding has impacted our antiracism journey. Seeing life in a new place, comparing our lived experience with the experience we have in … Continue reading Episode 217: Antiracism Journeys – “Reflections From Our Travels.”
The Antioch Podcast is a team of Christian antiracism educators who are friends that sit down together each week to have a conversation about Biblical antiracism. It has been a while, however, since we have chatted together about how each of us got started on this journey, so we thought we would take today’s episode … Continue reading Episode 216: Antiracism Journeys – “How We Started. What We Are Learning Still.”
Over the next hour you are about to hear a candid conversation between myself and Reggie Smith about his experiences at the International School of Reconciliation in Rwanda. Reconciliation is a term used to describe Christian antiracism efforts often, but what reconciliation means – what it really means – takes on new meaning in the … Continue reading Episode 215: Reggie Smith – “Reconciliation in Rwanda.”
Once in a while, the Antioch Podcast gets to take our show on the road, and this month, four of us had the privilege of speaking as a team at Calvin University for their annual Unlearn Week, a week dedicated to unlearning stereotypes, biases and racism. This speaking series, which is open to the public … Continue reading Episode 214: Unlearn 2022 – “Talking About Racism as Friends.”
Antiracism trainers get to talk to lots of groups of people. Sometimes you get to talk to groups of people who really want to grow and learn. This is the ideal. These conversations tend to be very motivating for leaders and easier for participants because of the level of interest and buy-in right from the … Continue reading Episode 213: Antiracism Trainings – “Hard Dynamics in Antiracism Work.”
Today we are once again joined by John Williams, Director of the Fellowship Center for Racial Reconciliation in Monrovia, California. John was a former member of John Perkin’s Harambe Center, and is a nationally sought-after antiracism educator who combines history and theology in his justice education initiatives. He joins us today for the second of … Continue reading Episode 212: John Williams – “Internalized Racial Superiority.”
Today we are joined by John Williams, Director of the Fellowship Center for Racial Reconciliation in Monrovia, California. John was a former member of John Perkin’s Harambe Center, and is a nationally sought-after antiracism educator who combines history and theology in his justice education initiatives. He joins us today for the first of a two-part … Continue reading Episode 211: John Williams – “Internalized Racial Oppression.”
Imagine for a moment that you are born in a country where you are a member of the majority group. Perhaps it is a country in Africa, Asia, or South America. You do well enough in your English studies that you decide you want to attend a university in the United States. Perhaps you are … Continue reading Episode 210: Jane Bruin – “Racism in the American Context.”
The Antioch Podcast is excited about today’s returning guest to the podcast, Mark Charles. Mark is a Native American activist, public speaker, Reformed pastor, and author on Native American issues. He was an independent candidate for President of the United States in 2020. Mark is the son of a Navajo father and a Dutch-American mother, … Continue reading Episode 209: Mark Charles – “The Hard Work of Being Prophetic.”
This week on the Antioch Podcast, we are focusing the spotlight on Libby, one of the white cohosts of the Antioch Podcast, whose theological insights and wisdom nuggets you’ve been hearing over the years. Libby shares with us her thoughts about her antiracism journey over the time that she has been on the podcast in … Continue reading Episode 208: Libby Huizenga – “Gentleness and Growth.”
This week on the Antioch Podcast, our team had a conversation with spiritual director Josh Banner. Josh is a spiritual director working with all kinds of people – including people experiencing incarceration near his home in Holland, Michigan. Josh spent an hour talking with us about contemplation, spiritual direction and social justice. You can find … Continue reading Episode 207: Josh Banner – “Spiritual Direction and Social Justice.”
If you’ve listened to the Antioch Podcast for long, you know that we six co-hosts are friends who also make this podcast. We meet every week for at least two hours to talk, one of which is recorded for the podcast, and the other of which we just have relationship time. A lot of the … Continue reading Episode 206: An Off-Mic Conversation – “Thoughts, Theology & Little Bit of Therapy”
This week, on the Antioch Podcast Michelle shares her thoughts about what she has learned since joining the Antioch team a number of years ago. What she shares is thoughtful, vulnerable, and powerful – about what you would expect if you have been listening to Michelle on the podcast. And if this is your first … Continue reading Episode 205: Michelle Loyd-Paige – “Lessons From Being on the Antioch Podcast.”
I’ve been producing the Antioch Podcast since 2016, and a lot has changed since those early years. Today, I wanted to take a moment to share a few thoughts from a talk I gave about six months ago. This talk, called “12 Lessons I’ve Learned from Producing the Antioch Podcast” has a little to do … Continue reading Episode 204: Eric Nykamp – “Lessons from Producing the Antioch Podcast.”
It is impossible to work towards systemic change without working within an institution. Staffing, decision-making, writing and passing policies are these slow, incremental processes that seem like they take forever, and yet when they happen they can make life so much better for so many people. Policy change is where justice happens, and so when … Continue reading Episode 203: Disappointment – “When Institutions Disappoint Us.”
Last episode we talked about discernment – looking at telling the difference between what we can’t do, don’t want to do, and shouldn’t do. It was a great conversation, so if you didn’t get to listen to that, go back one episode and listen to our conversation. You might remember at the end of the … Continue reading Episode 202: Recovering – “What We Can’t Do, Don’t Want to Do, and Shouldn’t Do (part 2).”
Ever have one of those moments when you are trying to decide if you should say something or not, say yes to something – or not, or maybe get involved with something … or not. Sometimes these decisions can be hard, maybe even tug at our heart-strings or run circles in our minds, wearing down … Continue reading Episode 201: Discernment – “What I Can’t Do, Don’t Want to Do, or Shouldn’t Do.”
This is our 200th episode of the Antioch Podcast, and our team gathered around the mics today to look back at what we’ve learned over the years leading up to now. We started as a podcast way back in the last few months of the Obama presidency in 2016, and so much has changed in … Continue reading Episode 200: Our 200th Episode! – “What We Have Learned So Far.”
This is part 2 of our two-episode conversation called Antiracism vs. Compositional Diversity: Why seeking justice matters to have true unity in Christian spaces. This live conversation was part of the Unlearn program offered at Calvin University through the Center for Intercultural Student Development. During this week, students, faculty, and the community are invited to … Continue reading Episode 199: Antiracism vs. Compositional Diversity Part 2 of 2
Unlearn week is a yearly program offered at Calvin University through the Center for Intercultural Student Development. During this week, students, faculty, and the community are invited to educational events and forums to learn and have conversations designed to unlearn biases and promote Biblical antiracism. The Antioch Podcast team was invited to participate in this … Continue reading Episode 198: Antiracism vs. Compositional Diversity part 1 of 2
For the past few years, the Antioch Podcast has partnered with the Christian Reformed Church of North America’s Office of Race Relations, Calvin University, and the YWCA in their annual Stand Against Racism events, as well as some other antiracism education livestream events. For the next several weeks, we will bring you encore episodes of … Continue reading Episode 197: White Work II – “Understanding Whiteness and Rightness.”
For the past few years, the Antioch Podcast has partnered with the Christian Reformed Church of North America’s Office of Race Relations, Calvin University, and the YWCA in their annual Stand Against Racism events, as well as some other antiracism education livestream events. For the next several weeks, we will bring you encore episodes of … Continue reading Episode 196: White Work – “Antiracism Journeys of White People.”
There have been hearings in recent weeks about the insurrection that took place on January 6th, 2022 when self-described white nationalists and others – some waving Christian flags – broke in to the capitol building. It was a time when for a while we had bipartisan condemnation of this attack on the nation’s capitol… a … Continue reading Episode 195: An Antioch Encore – “Before Unity – January 6, 2020”
So you meet someone for the first time, and you have just a couple moments to try to make some assumptions about them so you can have a conversation. You have very little information to go by, and most of it is based on how they look, how they sound, and what if anything you … Continue reading Episode 194: Stereotypes – “When Our Preconceptions Blew Up.”
Michelle Loyd Paige is one of the 6 co-hosts of the Antioch Podcast you have gotten to know over the past few years. Some of you listen because Michelle is on the podcast, and some of you keep listening because while you don’t know Michelle personally, you feel like you do after listening so long. … Continue reading Episode 193: Michelle Loyd-Paige – “Transitions: Knowing When To Move On.”
I live in a pretty diverse area. I can go to a number of grocery stores in my neighborhood and see people from many racial and ethnic communities all shopping for the things they need to feed their families. But there is one, large grocery store in my are that is part of a regional … Continue reading Episode 192: Belonging – “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.”
The Serenity Prayer is perhaps one of the most well known prayers spoken by millions of people in recovery programs around the world every day. It goes like this: God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change The courage to change the things I can And the wisdom to know the … Continue reading Episode 191: “Living With What We Can’t’ Control.”
Maybe you can relate to this. You want to talk about something deep, something important with someone of a different generation than you. You love them, you love them a LOT. But you also realize that you are pretty different in a lot of ways as well. You like different music, get information from different … Continue reading Episode 190 “Talking About Race Across the Generations.”
There are a lot of things in the news lately about justice. Seems like about every other week there is something – some new insult, a new threat, a fresh tragedy – that makes headlines and fill our social media feeds with something to get upset about. It can be emotionally overwhelming and over time, … Continue reading Episode 189: What’s The Problem With CRT? – “A Conversation About Fear, Faith and Racial Justice.”
Here’s the situation. You are minding your business, and someone comes up and asks you a question … one of those kinds of questions. The kind because you are a person of color, or because you are interested in matters of race and justice, or because you are just you. It doesn’t matter why exactly … Continue reading Episode 188: Not Today. – “Conversations We Can’t Handle Right Now.”
In the past 2 years of so, many Americans have quit one job and taken another job … a phenomenon being called “The Great Resignation.” For some, a part of this calculation had to do with the toll their jobs had on their finances, mental health, and sense of safety. But this is an antiracism … Continue reading Episode 187: Should I Stay Or Should I Go? – “Counting the Cost of Belonging.”
Today on the Antioch Podcast, we are in the final episode of our series on Antiracist Spiritual Practices. Our team gathered today to talk about the antiracist spiritual practice of being in community. Our team of six Christian antiracism educators and friends is one such community… but community is much broader, spanning such diverse communities … Continue reading Episode 186: Antiracist Spiritual Practices – “Community.”
This is a special episode of the Antioch Podcast: Conversations About Biblical Antiracsim. On Monday, April 4th, Patrick Loyoya, a black man who immigrated from the Congo, was shot by a white police officer here in Grand Rapids, Mi – the city where this podcast is recorded. The struggle occurred following a traffic stop for … Continue reading Episode 185.2: Patrick Lyoya – “Race and Policing in the City of Churches.”
Today on the Antioch Podcast, we continue our series on Antiracist Spiritual Practices. Spiritual practices form us as believers to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul mind and strength and love our neighbor as ourselves. Practicing antiracism is one of those ways in which we love our neighbor. The spiritual disciplines … Continue reading Episode 185: Antiracist Spiritual Practices: Preaching.”
Today on the Antioch Podcast, we continue our series on Antiracist Spiritual Practices. Spiritual practices form us as believers to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul mind and strength and love our neighbor as ourselves. Practicing antiracism is one of those ways in which we love our neighbor. The spiritual disciplines … Continue reading Episode 184: Antiracist Spiritual Practices – “Communion Part 2.”
Today on the Antioch Podcast, we continue our series on Antiracist Spiritual Practices. Spiritual practices form us as believers to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul mind and strength and love our neighbor as ourselves. Practicing antiracism is one of those ways in which we love our neighbor. The spiritual disciplines … Continue reading Episode 183: Antiracist Spiritual Practices – “Communion Part 1.”
Today on the Antioch Podcast, we continue our series on Antiracist Spiritual Practices. Spiritual practices form us as believers to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul mind and strength and love our neighbor as ourself. Practicing antiracism is one of those ways in which we love our neighbor. The spiritual disciplines … Continue reading Episode 182: Antiracist Spiritual Practices – “Tithing and Giving Part 2.”
Today on the Antioch Podcast, we continue our series on Antiracist Spiritual Practices. Spiritual practices form us as believers to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul mind and strength and love our neighbor as ourself. Practicing antiracism is one of those ways in which we love our neighbor. The spiritual disciplines … Continue reading Episode 181: Antiracist Spiritual Practices – “Tithing & Giving Part 1.”
Today on the Antioch Podcast, we talk about what the Lenten season means, how we each practice it, and reflect on how practicing Lenten disciplines has shaped our faith journeys as Christians. This is a conversation full of good questions, which we hope, cause you to reflect as well during this holy season. Let’s go … Continue reading Episode 180: Antiracist Spiritual Practices – “Lent & Crowding Out Jesus.”
Today on the Antioch Podcast, members of our team take a break from our series on Spiritual Disciplines to reflect on Black History Month. Members of our team share their thoughts on the meaning of the observance for them personally, as well as, for the nation and church. Their conversation draws connections between the past … Continue reading Episode 179 “Reflections on Black History Month.”
Today on the Antioch Podcast, we are resuming the Antiracist Spiritual Practices series we started a few months ago. In this series, our team has conversations about how Christian spiritual practices form and inform ways of living as Biblical antiracists. This week our conversation turned to worship. Author Temi Peters writes in her book Instruments … Continue reading Episode 178: Antiracist Spiritual Practices – “Worship.”
A recent Lifeway Research study on the American church was released this past week. The study revealed that more pastors believe that they would receive pushback if they spoke on the topic of racial reconciliation than they would have the year before the Trump presidency. While it is true that white Evangelical Christians voted for … Continue reading Episode 177: An Antioch Podcast Encore – “Racial Reconciliation Reluctance.”
Today on the Antioch Podcast, we are continuing our series where each member of the Antioch Podcast team takes a turn sharing a bit about our antiracism journey over the past year. This week, Susie Dixon shares her story. Susie, in addition to being a regular co-host on the Antioch Podcast , now leads antiracism … Continue reading Episode 176: Susie Dixon – “Addressing Racism in the Roots.”
Today on the Antioch Podcast, we are continuing our series where each member of the Antioch Podcast team takes a turn sharing a bit about our antiracism journey over the past year. This week, Jane Bruin is sharing her story. She gives context to her story as someone who identifies as a third culture kid … Continue reading Episode 175: Jane Bruin – “A TCK in COVID Time.”
Today on the Antioch Podcast, we are continuing our series where each member of the Antioch Podcast team takes a turn sharing a bit about our antiracism journey over the past year. This week, Michelle will be sharing her story. Michelle carries many titles – she is a professor, a preacher, a PhD and on … Continue reading Episode 174: Michelle Loyd Paige – “From Alignment to Reimagining.”
Today on the Antioch Podcast, we are continuing our series where each member of the Antioch Podcast team takes a turn sharing a bit about our antiracism journey over the past year. This week, Pastor Reggie Smith will be sharing his story of his journey over the last year in this episode we are calling … Continue reading Episode 173: Reggie Smith – “Daughters, Mother, Son.”
Today on the Antioch Podcast, we are starting a new series where each member of the Antioch Podcast team takes a turn sharing a bit about our antiracism journey over the past year. This week, it is my turn to share my story. I’ve not shared my story on the podcast before, and this is … Continue reading Episode 172: Eric Nykamp – “Comfort and Complicity.”
Sometimes I have a hard time dating forms after New Year’s Day. It is like my brain is on autopilot, and it takes me a good while to remember the year correctly. But not in 2021. On January 1st of 2021, I couldn’t wait to put all the awfulness of 2020 behind. I was so … Continue reading Episode 171: One Year Later … “Remembering the Insurrection.”
Today we are continuing our miniseries on the Antioch Podcast on Antiracist Spiritual Practices – the same Christian disciplines that Christians have been practicing for over two millennia, with an Antiracism focus. Biblical Antiracism swings the camera of our awareness to examine how sin-filled humans use their power to create systems and policies which many … Continue reading Episode 170: Antiracist Spiritual Practices – “Self-Care”
Today we are starting another miniseries on the Antioch Podcast on Antiracist Spiritual Practices. These are the same Christian disciplines that Christians have been practicing for over two millennia, with an Antiracism focus. Biblical Antiracism swings the camera of our awareness to examine how sin-filled humans use their power to create systems and policies which … Continue reading Episode 169: Antiracist Spiritual Practices – “Scripture Reading”
Today we are starting another miniseries on the Antioch Podcast on Antiracist Spiritual Practices. These are the same Christian disciplines that Christians have been practicing for over two millennia, with an Antiracism focus. Biblical Antiracism swings the camera of our awareness to examine how sin-filled humans use their power to create systems and policies which … Continue reading Episode 168: Antiracist Spiritual Practices – “Prayer”
Today on the Antioch Podcast, we are at the end of a three-part miniseries on Antiracism basics, we are calling “Antiracism 101.” Two episodes back, we explored what antiracism is – and last week we had the first of two-episodes devoted to a discussion of what Biblical antiracism is. So today, we will finish our … Continue reading Episode 167: Antiracism 101 – “What Is Biblical Antiracism?” – part 2
Today on the Antioch Podcast, we are in the middle of a three-part miniseries on Antiracism basics, we are calling “Antiracism 101.” Last episode, we explored what antiracism is – and today we have the first of two-episodes devoted to a discussion of what Biblical antiracism is. So today, we will have the first of … Continue reading Episode 166: Antiracism 101 – “What is Biblical About Antiracism?” – part 1
Today on the Antioch Podcast, we are going to start a three-part miniseries on Antiracism basics, we are calling “Antiracism 101.” In this series of three episodes, we will be exploring what antiracism is, what Biblical antiracism is, and conclude with an case study that looks at how Biblical antiracist principles affect an actual church … Continue reading Episode 165: Antiracism 101 – “What is Antiracism?”
Authors Michelle Loyd Paige and Michelle Williams wrote their book, Diversity Playbook: Recommendations and Guidance for Christian Organizations, as a repository for their collective insights as diversity professionals who have served Christian institutions for decades. This playbook is full of practical wisdom for three distinct, but interactive audiences: – Diversity professionals – those people tasked … Continue reading Episode 164: Diversity Playbook – “Part 4: An Interview with the Authors.”
Authors Michelle Loyd Paige and Michelle Williams wrote their book, Diversity Playbook: Recommendations and Guidance for Christian Organizations, as a repository for their collective insights as diversity professionals who have served Christian institutions for decades. This playbook is full of practical wisdom for three distinct, but interactive audiences: – Diversity professionals – those people tasked … Continue reading Episode 163: Diversity Playbook – “Part 3: For Christian Organizations.”
Authors Michelle Loyd Paige and Michelle Williams wrote their book, Diversity Playbook: Recommendations and Guidance for Christian Organizations, as a repository for their collective insights as diversity professionals who have served Christian institutions for decades. This playbook is full of practical wisdom for three distinct, but interactive audiences: – Diversity professionals – those people tasked … Continue reading Episode 162: Diversity Playbook – “Part 2: Outliers, Allies & Co-Conspiritors.”
Authors Michelle Loyd Paige and Michelle Williams wrote their book, Diversity Playbook: Recommendations and Guidance for Christian Organizations, as a repository for their collective insights as diversity professionals who have served Christian institutions for decades. This playbook is full of practical wisdom for three distinct, but interactive audiences: – Diversity professionals – those people tasked … Continue reading Episode 161: Diversity Playbook – “Part 1: For the Diversity Professional.”
This is part 2 of our two-episode conversation called Antiracism vs. Compositional Diversity: Why seeking justice matters to have true unity in Christian spaces. This live conversation was part of the Unlearn program offered at Calvin University through the Center for Intercultural Student Development. During this week, students, faculty, and the community are invited to … Continue reading Episode 160: Antiracism vs. Compositional Diversity – Part 2 of 2
Unlearn week is a yearly program offered at Calvin University through the Center for Intercultural Student Development. During this week, students, faculty, and the community are invited to educational events and forums to learn and have conversations designed to unlearn biases and promote Biblical antiracism. The Antioch Podcast team was invited to participate in this … Continue reading Episode 159: Antiracism vs. Compositional Diversity Part 1 of 2
Jesus once asked his followers “Come away with me. Let us go alone to a quiet place and rest for a while.” Jesus knew that they needed a break from all they were learning and doing while they followed him. Everyone needs time to rest, and our team needed this as well. Our podcast has … Continue reading Episode 158: The Antioch Podcast Retreat – “What We Did, and What We Learned.”
It is a commonly-repeated story about America. European Christians traveled from Europe – some fleeing persecution – crossing the Great Sea to a Promised Land where they set up a God-glorifying Christian nation from which to bless the world. This retelling of the American story substitutes white Christians for the original chosen people of God … Continue reading Episode 157: White Christian Nationalism – “The Heretical Gospel of God and Country.”
The good doctor Luke, writer of his self-titled gospel on the life of Jesus followed up by writing the sequel commonly referred to as the Acts of the Apostles. Now it IS true – this book does talk a lot about those early church leaders. But focusing on the human beings in this story misses … Continue reading Episode 156: Radical Acts – “Seeing Acts 1-12 in the Rearview Mirror.”
Imagine for a moment a people so afraid of their murderous, narcissistic ruler, that all his followers flatter him with praise to ensure that the people they represent in the government get what they need to sustain them. They shower him with acclaim at his speaking events that are one-part stump-speech and one-part rabble-rousing spectacle. … Continue reading Episode 155: Radical Acts – “God Don’t Play.”
We have been working our way through the stories told in the book of Acts – a book in the New Testament which chronicles the birth of the early Christian church. For those of you who need to be brought up to speed, the early church is by this time a multiethnic group of believers … Continue reading Episode 154: Radical Acts – “Free… But Not So Free.”
The church began as a multiethnic institution. Period. Full stop. Now if you studied art history like me, you are pretty used to seeing a lot of famous images of Bible stories recreated on canvas showing a lot of white people as the characters in almost all the stories. But that isn’t what church history … Continue reading Episode 153: Radical Acts – “Antioch: The First Multiethnic Church.”
As the school year begins in the United States, parents are sending their children back to school. Schools, however, are not the only places where children learn. Our homes are places where children learn many important things that shape the rest of their lives. For example, home is the place where most Children still learn … Continue reading Episode 152: Raising Racially-Resilient Children
We are stepping away from our series to bring you a couple special episodes of the Antioch Podcast, before returning to our series on the book of Acts. Pursuing racial justice can be exhausting work. Many people have been feeling the strain in a more intense way since the shooting of Michael Brown (the anniversary … Continue reading Episode 151: Strength for the Journey – “Replenishment for Your Heart, Soul and Mind.”
We are stepping away from our series to bring you this special episode of the Antioch Podcast. This is our 150th episode. At the beginning of the worldwide pandemic, we decided to record an episode a week, instead of twice per month as we had been doing. We mostly did it because all of us … Continue reading Episode 150: Hindsight 2020 – “Our Takeaways from 150 Episodes.”
In our series, Radical Acts, the birth of the multiethnic church, we pick up the story where we left off in episode 148 where Peter, a Jew, has been invited (so to speak) by a group of armed Romans to bring a message to their military commander, a Roman Centurian named Cornellius. Now I don’t … Continue reading Episode 149: Radical Acts – “From Others to Brothers.”
Have you ever been asked to eat something you thought was completely disgusting? Just the smell of it, the sight of it, or even just thinking about it makes you get that feeling in your stomach like you were going to get sick. Or maybe you’ve had the opposite experience where you were eating, and … Continue reading Episode 148: Radical Acts – “The Holy Spirit and the Yucky Yums.”
Today we are stepping away from our series on the book of Acts to hear the story of Laura Pritchard. Laura was one of the first African-American leaders at Madison Church, formerly known as Madison Square Church where she served first as a volunteer, and later oversaw youth ministries, outreach, and led worship. Madison Church … Continue reading Episode 147: Laura Pritchard – “Black Leader/Multiethnic Church.”