Driftwood Christianity: Recent Episodes
Andrew Smith
Not all driftwood gets picked up. Some floats by and is never seen by anyone. Some will drift in the water for years. This is the last episode of Driftwood Christianity, the last piece of driftwood that I'll send down this river.
If you found me on social over the year of this project, keep looking there. Perhaps you'll find more driftwood from me.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/driftwoodtheology
Andrew on twitter: https://twitter.com/amgsmith
Andrew on mastodon: https://mastodon.au/@andrewsmith
Sermons and preachers aren't perfect. It's OK to take them and debate. And in this episode I use guidance from a rabbinic method to show you how you can do that in a way that helps you grow in faith.
LINKS
Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg https://danyaruttenberg.net/
Find the show on facebook, or find Andrew on twitter and mastodon.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/driftwoodtheology
Andrew on twitter: https://twitter.com/amgsmith
Andrew on mastodon: https://mastodon.au/@andrewsmith
The life of faith is sometimes pitched as a binary between certainty and doubt, and some people might be generous enough to make it a spectrum between these extremes. But what if we bring wonder into the life of faith?
REFERENCES
Another take on different kinds of faith is from Brian McLaren. He has a long interview on The Bible For Normal People in which he talks about stages of faith: simple, complex, perplexed, and harmony.
Brian's interview podcast: https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-174-brian-mclaren-the-four-stages-of-faith/
Brian's book: https://read.macmillan.com/lp/faith-after-doubt/
Find the show on facebook, or find Andrew on twitter and mastodon.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/driftwoodtheology
Andrew on twitter: https://twitter.com/amgsmith
Andrew on mastodon: https://mastodon.au/@andrewsmith
Is God male or female? Does God have boobs? How you answer these questions will affect the way you see God, the way you encounter God. This is a call for us to be informed by prophetic images of God in the way we talk about who and what God is.
References
Samples are from Michael Franti, Every Single SoulThe Conversation, What the early church thought about God’s genderWomen's Ordination campaign, Female Images of God in the BibleLatrobe University, Fish that change sex
Socials
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/driftwoodtheology
Andrew on twitter: https://twitter.com/amgsmith
Andrew on mastodon: https://mastodon.au/@andrewsmith
This episode is about religious freedom in Australia, and liberal democracies in general. The debate is still going and there's much we can learn from Christian history, theology, and critical thinking that can see us through.
REFERENCES
ALRC anti-discrimination laws proposals.
The ALRC publication (look for the PDF linked from this page).
An article about the Munster Rebellion. There are plenty more out there.
David McRaney's book, How Minds ChangeFind the show on facebook, or find Andrew on twitter and mastodon.
Let's ask the birds! The driftwood of this episode is birds. We learn a bit more about them and how they experience the world. And from there, we de-centre our own experiences of reality. If you've never considered the God-bird relationship, this is the episode for you.
Links & References
Australian Museum, "The first birds"
Chooks, "What can your chickens see?"
Australian Geographic, "The mystery behind a scoprion's glow"
The Conversation, "When did we become fully human?"
Bush Heritage Australia, Firebirds
Biblical passages quoted today: Isaiah 40:31, Psalm 50:11, Job 12:7-9
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Anzac Day is a war memorial day in Australia, but it doesn't have to be the last word. Listen to this exploration of what a Christian response to the day could be. The episode covers a little history of the day, some critique and analysis of it, but finishes with an exploration of what it means to be Christians in a community of love and peace, over against a day of war and sorrow.
Links
- Driftwood Christianity on facebook
- Andrew Smith, your podcast host, on twitter and mastodon.
- Australian War Memorial Anzac Day Traditions
- Australian War Memorial Anzac Day overview
- Laurence Binyon's poem, For the Fallen
- Two Up
- The Ethics Centre talks about just war
- Australian War Memorial article about Simpson and his donkey
- Russian Orthodox Patriarch Krill preaching about soldiers who become sacrifices
- Vladimir Putin quotes Jesus with John 15:13 to justify invading Ukraine
- Overview of writings in the early churches about Christians in military service
- Rejection of military service by early Christians (some access may be required for this)
Who likes cosplay? So many people. Is it just a bit of fun, or is there something more to it. In this episode I look at cosplay, myth, and religion; and ask where the boundaries are between them.
Links
Driftwood Christianity on facebook.
Andrew on twitter and mastodon.
Gold Coast Supanova
Oscar Wilde's poem, The Sphinx
A summary of Berger's Sacred Canopy.
The Keeping It 101 podcast.
Layout of St Paul's cathedral in London.
PreachersNSneakers on instagram.
Badiou's Ethics.
Today I pick up the story of Andrew the Apostle and take a look and then turn to look at another of Jesus' disciples: Joanna. She's got quite the story and it's worth your time to know more about her and to hear some of her story.
Links about Andrew
The Acts of Andrew: https://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/actsandrew.html
An article about Andrew: https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=109
Two articles about Joanna
https://womeninthebible.net/women-bible-old-new-testaments/joanna/
https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2018/06/27/101827-saint-joanna-the-myrrhbearer
The reference for the statistic that almost 90% of men and women have a bias against women.
Thanks to you for listening. If you'd like to support the show you can rate and review it in your podcast app. You can like and share the episode, the posts, the page.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/driftwoodtheology
Find me on twitter: https://twitter.com/amgsmith
Find me mastodon: https://mastodon.au/@andrewsmithBest of all, you can comment! This episode is now driftwood for you. What will you carve out of it?
"But even on this point, their testimony didn't agree." This episode digs a little into the contradictions of scripture, the disagreements in testimony between the gospels, and between Christians. And it ends up in radical ecumenism.
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If you'd like to support this show:
- Rate and review on your podcast app.
- Like and share the posts.
- Leave a comment! What will you carve out of it?
Today was an episode with a zero so I interviewed local pastor Erin Mawhinney. She leads the congregation at West End Uniting in Brisbane. We talk about her calling to ministry, her congregation and their ministry in their local community, before we move through a few thoughts from biblical texts and how they interact with her ministry.
Many thanks to Erin for her time. You can find West End Uniting on facebook, and if you're looking for an affirming progressive church in the centre of Brisbane, this might be the community for you.
Thanks to you for listening. If you'd like to support the show you can rate and review it in your padcast app. You can like and share the episode, the posts, the page. Find me on facebook, twitter, and mastodon.
And best of all, you can comment! This episode is now driftwood for you. What will you carve out of it?
The last of the three part series on miracles. This one is about wonder: wonder as awe, omens, and monsters. In just ten minutes, I'll carve a little faith out of these ideas and pass them on to you.
Remember to check out that meme-worthy modern wonder: Double Rainbow. What does this mean?
You can support the show in four ways:
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Follow on socials at facebook, twitter, and mastodon.
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Rate and review the show on your podcast plaftorm of choice.
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Like and share. Pass the driftwood on to someone else.
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Leave a comment! This is now driftwood for you. What will you carve out of it?
This is part two of three shows about miracles, focusing this time on signs. Think about all the times the gospels say that Jesus performed a sign. It's so easy to call that a miracle today, but does "miracle" have the same depth as "sign"?
I referred to the sign of the head wobble, as well as the painting of The Treachery of Images. Also, you might like to find a copy of Semiotics, A Graphic Guide (by Paul Cobley and Litza Jansz).
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This show is now driftwood for you. What will you carve out of it?
This is the first in a three part series on miracles. Part 1 covers power; the Greek word that's often translated as miracles. I talk about a couple of different kinds of power, and how love is power for that you can use today to subvert the norms around you.
For a very technical article about miracles, here's a lengthy discussion at the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
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Remember to rate and review the show, and leave a comment. This is now driftwood for you. What will you carve out of it?
No recommendations for anything I referred to in this episode.
Listen on Apple Podcasts, Anchor, or Spotify.
Just the usual ask to rate, review, and share the show. Follow on facebook, twitter, and mastodon.
What will you carve out of this?
They're great in board games but what else can we learn from dice?
Remember to rate and review the show in your podcast app. Subscribe using this link: https://anchor.fm/s/9c7576b8/podcast/rss
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The bad guys are always someone else in the story. Right?
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Remember to rate and review and like, or best of all leave a comment. What will you carve out of this driftwood?
I hope you make time to read How Do I Understand 1 Timothy 2 by Professor Beth Allison Barr.
I also quoted from Womanist Midrash by Rev Dr Wil Gafney.
Follow their work however you can.
Find this podcast on facebook and follow me on twitter or mastodon.
Like, share, rate, and review this podcast on your app of choice. Leave a comment so I can hear what you carved out of this.
Did you set a new years resolution? How's it going?
I mentioned a couple of interviews with the CEO of Fender; a short one and a longer one.
Remember to follow the show on facebook, or me on twitter, or me on mastodon.
Share, like, rate, and review. But best of all, tell me what you carved out of this episode. It's now driftwood for you.
Have you reached your full potential? Maybe you haven't bought the right apartment yet.
As promised, here's a link to Luke 14 in case you don't have other access to it.
And the socials! The facebook page, my twitter, and my mastodon.
Remember to share, rate, and reivew so people can see what you carve out of this.
The episode ends in a zero so it's not the usual material.
Follow me on socials so you can share the show. That's the best way to support the work. facebook, twitter, mastodon
This is the last episode of 2022! The show will be back with new episodes in January next year. Thank you for all the minutes you listened. If you'd like to give me a Christmas present this year, then here's a free idea: share the episode. All I want for Christmas, is shares.
No episode is complete without some links, and here they are.
An article about the deadweight loss of Christmas, as written by the economist Tim Harford.
Another article, this one from the Biblical Archaeology Society about the earliest dates of Christian Christmas.
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Keep Jesus strange.
Also, some links for Ben Harper's song PIcture of Jesus; including lyrics, the studio recording with Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and a live performance with the Blind Boys of Alabama.
Drop a comment on facebook or on twitter. That really helps show your support for the podcast.
You should definitely be following Wil Gafney's work. She's such a blessing to the church and to the world.
Like, comment, and share this episode on socials: facebook and twitter.
Here are the trailers I talk about in the show. One for Shazam: Fury of the Gods and one for Avatar: The Way of Water.
Carve your own theology and tell me about it on facebook or twitter.
Starting with a post, a literal signpost, I meander through providence, luck, and distribution. If you're looking for the goddesses I mentioned, they're Fortuna and Tyche and Nemesis.
Find the show on facebook and find me on twitter. Like, share, and comment. That's the best support you can give right now.
Starting with the Daft Punk track, Crescendolls, I carve my way through to hope.
Check out Crescendolls on youtube as well as an Interstella 5555 playlist there.
And remember to find the show on facebook or me on twitter.
Let's talk about tools and what to use them for.
Just one link in this episode, the Kierkegaard entry at the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Look for section 4.
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What does Halloween have to do with Oscar Romero and Nicholas of Myra? You're about to find out, but it almost certainly has something to do with Allhallowtide.
Check out the Romero Trust website and specifically this homily from the Archbishop.
Then dig a little further into the world of Nicholas of Myra. There are so many stories about him and his protests against Rome.
All images used in this episode's cover art are from the public domain, but let me note that the painting of Nicholas is by Jaroslav Čermák.
Remember to find the podcast on facebook and follow me on twitter.
Bro! Bro! That's so bro, bro.But for background reading (maybe further reading?) you can check out Ethics, by Alain Badiou.And like, share, or comment (or all three!) over at facebook and twitter.
This episode ends in a zero! I have a guest to celebrate as we revisit topics from episodes 11 to 19.
Check out more about Ben's projects deconstructingben, deconstructingdave, and Two Roads.
And of course, you can follow this podast on facebook and follow me on twitter (along with all the bots!).
Find the show on facebook or follow me on twitter (hello all you twitter bots and also real humans who follow me there). Click the like button on the post to send me warm fuzzy feelings on the inside.
Screw the rules, but not the links. You can follow on facebook or twitter.
Chandrika Phea's website
Chandrika's interview
D. Anthony Storm's commentary on Kierkegaard's, The Book On Adler.
And remember to share this episode.
Today's driftwood is categories.
Just a couple of links in this episode, one to Rowan Williams' book and one for the science nerds.
Rowan Williams, The Edge Of Words: https://www.giffordlectures.org/books/edge-words-god-and-habits-language
These bizarre creatures defy what we think we know about plants and animals. https://theconversation.com/these-bizarre-creatures-defy-what-we-think-we-know-about-plants-and-animals-69316
And remember to find and follow the podcast on facebook and twitter.
Follow me on socials facebook.com/driftwoodtheology and twitter.com/amgsmith
Links
ABC news article about Indigenous response to the sculpture https://www.abc.net.au/news/2004-11-20/city-hall-sculpture-offends-indigenous-australians/588834
Dundalli https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/dundalli-12895
Monica Melanchthon https://staff.divinity.edu.au/staff/monica-melanchthon/
Uncommon Goods https://thecooperativehub.com/events/2022/uncommon-goods-public-theology-and-empire
Leslie Rice is on instagram as @tragicplastic (https://instagram.com/tragicplastic)
You can follow along on socials here facebook.com/driftwoodtheology and twitter.com/amgsmith
Remember you can share this episode! Send it out like more driftwood into the world.
A little about what a rhapsody is. https://www.classical-music.com/features/articles/what-is-a-rhapsody/
What makes Bohemian Rhapsody a masterpiece? https://medium.com/@purandare.sarang/what-makes-bohemian-rhapsody-a-masterpiece-a-data-science-perspective-3d9366d20550
Axis of Awesome (explicit) https://youtu.be/oOlDewpCfZQ
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This driftwood is curation, inspired by a local art show.
You can find me on twitter https://twitter.com/amgsmith/
Or on facebook https://facebook.com/driftwoodtheology/
Courtesy of The Sandman, this week's show uses dreams and nightmares as driftwood.
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I start with vindication and finish with blessing. They aren't the same.
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At last, an introduction to the show. This is a good place to start.
You can find me on twitter here: @amgsmith
Today’s driftwood is the university. Follow me on Twitter @amgsmith and tell me what you carved out of this.
I start with Jeff Buckley, add a little Catherine Keller, and end up in the land of open and relational theology. Find me on Twitter @amgsmith and tell me what you carved out of this driftwood.
This episode is about good news.
Thanks for listening to my little show. Tell me what you carve out of it. Find me on twitter at https://twitter.com/amgsmith
Carving theology out of the thoughts and ideas I encounter in my life.
If you'd like to learn more about the rocket factory, look here: https://tomsachsrocketfactory.com/
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This driftwood is power. You can follow me on Twitter at @amgsmith. Let me know what you carve from this.
Hello there. This is my podcast that takes the ideas, words, thoughts, and more than I encounter in my life and carves theology out of it.
Today's driftwood is Christianity.
Feel free to follow me on twitter here: https://twitter.com/amgsmith/
Carving theology out of the thoughts and ideas that float through my life. Follow me on Twitter here: https://Twitter.com/amgsmith/
Carving theology out of the thoughts that float through my life.
Follow me on twitter here https://twitter.com/amgsmith