Beatitudes Radio
286 episodes - English - Latest episode: 20 days ago -Evolving Christianity in today's world. This podcast is a mix of thought-provoking interviews, insightful questions and the deeper meaning behind sacred texts.
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Gathering 158: “JOSEPH: Beware the Brittle Spirit”
November 23, 2020 23:31 - 26 minutes - 60.3 MBAll of us have experienced a time of hardship and struggle, a time in which our spirits are low and brittle. The global pandemic of 2020 has equalized the playing field for all of us and left most of our spirits brittle. But at the same time, it has also manifested a spirit of hope through our shared stories of the struggle. Join us this week as we conclude our worship series, "JOSEPH." Explore with us the life and experiences of Joseph as written in Old Testament accounts and liste...
Gathering 157: “JOSEPH: The Lord was with Joseph”
November 16, 2020 22:43 - 19 minutes - 45.1 MBEver find yourself in an awkward situation? A moment when your actions didn’t align with your heart? When the pressure is on to perform or behave in a prescribed way, it’s not always easy to remain true to self and take the road less traveled. Join us as we continue our worship series, "JOSEPH." This week, Rev. Tony Minear, Ph.D. examines the life and experiences of Joseph as told in Genesis accounts including the awkward situation Joseph found himself with Potiphar's wife. Explore ...
Gathering 156: “JOSEPH: King David's Doppelganger; Ruler of the Northern Kingdom”
November 09, 2020 22:12 - 28 minutes - 65.2 MBOur nation is divided. Divided by racism, by ideology and by party lines. Our recent election cycle has proven such. Although, you may think we’ve got the market cornered on division and polarization, the story of Joseph as told in Genesis tells an equally compelling saga of humanity in need of reconciliation and forgiveness. Join us as we begin our new worship series, "JOSEPH: King David's Doppelganger; Ruler of the Northern Kingdom". This week, Rev. Tony Minear, Ph.D. examines the...
Gathering 155: “Moral Foundations – Acceptance”
November 02, 2020 22:56 - 17 minutes - 39.8 MB**THIS SERMON WAS RECORDED ON OCTOBER 6TH** Do not be anxious about anything. Anything. But wait! Isn’t it Election Sunday? And isn’t our nation just days from a major election? Sure, you’ve carefully reflected on the five moral foundations of care/compassion, fairness, loyalty, authority/subversion, and sanctity over the past weeks, but will you accept the outcome of the election? Join us this week for the conclusion of our worship series, Moral Foundations, as Pastor Tony exami...
Gathering 154: “Moral Foundations – Sanctity”
October 27, 2020 00:19 - 22 minutes - 51.2 MBWe all want to “fit in” and feel accepted. Think back to your early school yard experiences. No one wanted to be the last kid picked for foursquare or dodgeball. Although we may have blamed others for making us feel as though we didn’t measure up, it is innately human to feel inconsequential and unimportant; perhaps, even unclean. The human condition is to repeatedly explore and determine what corrupts or defiles a person from living in community. To be pure and chaste, is to be cle...
Gathering 153: “Moral Foundations – Authority/Subversion”
October 19, 2020 22:36 - 22 minutes - 52.4 MBWhat does your moral foundations profile look like? Elections offer us the perfect opportunity to reflect upon our morals and intuitive ethics that shape our narratives and virtues. While the culture wars and populist movements are beginning to gain momentum, where do you stand? Join us this week for our continued worship series, Moral Foundations, as ellie Hutchison, our Member In Discernment, examines the fourth of six moral foundations, Authority/Subversion. What does “authori...
Gathering 152: “Moral Foundations – Loyalty”
October 12, 2020 21:37 - 21 minutes - 48.6 MBWhat does your moral foundations profile look like? Elections offer us the perfect opportunity to reflect upon our morals and intuitive ethics that shape our narratives and virtues. While the culture wars and populist movements are beginning to gain momentum, where do you stand? Join us this week for our continued worship series, Moral Foundations, as Pastor Tony examines the third of six moral foundations, Loyalty. If you’re like most people, you are a member of at least one if ...
Gathering 151: “Moral Foundations – Fairness”
October 05, 2020 21:31 - 21 minutes - 48.8 MBWhat does your moral foundations profile look like? Elections offer us the perfect opportunity to reflect upon our morals and intuitive ethics that shape our narratives and virtues. While the culture wars and populist movements are beginning to gain momentum, where do you stand? Join us this week for our worship series, Moral Foundations, as Pastor Tony examines the second of six moral foundations, Fairness. Does it ever pay to be selfish or are we naturally hardwired to be fair ...
Gathering 150: “Moral Foundations – Care & Compassion”
September 28, 2020 21:33 - 23 minutes - 54.6 MBWhat does your moral foundations profile look like? Elections offer us the perfect opportunity to reflect upon our morals and intuitive ethics that shape our narratives and virtues. While the culture wars and populist movements are beginning to gain momentum, where do you stand? Join us this week for our new worship series, Moral Foundations, as Pastor Tony examines the first of six moral foundations, Care & Compassion. Culture tells us we are greedy and selfish by nature, but scien...
Gathering 149: “Black Lives Matter”
September 21, 2020 22:08 - 19 minutes - 44.3 MBBlack Lives Matter. This often-divisive civil rights movement has reshaped the ways in which we practice justice for our black and brown brothers and sisters. Christianity, too, has had its fair share of controversial shakeups dedicated to overturning the structures of societal inequalities. Take Liberation Theology. Although founded on the tenants of applying Christian faith to social action, it has been called Marxist and patriarchal. Join us this week as ellie hutchison, our Memb...
Gathering 148: “Fearless Sunday!”
September 15, 2020 00:03 - 31 minutes - 71.7 MBWhat is “Fearless Sunday”? This is a Sunday dedicated to the openness and honesty of all things theological from the pulpit. Several of you submitted your questions surrounding issues of Christian theology & belief for Pastor Tony Minear, Ph.D. to answer. Join us this week as your questions are presented to him to answer fearlessly, honestly and with no prior knowledge of their content (he did not see them ahead of time). Take a listen as Pastor Tony boldly shares his truths about h...
Gathering 147: “Another Brick in the Wall”
September 08, 2020 23:13 - 32 minutes - 75.1 MBWe don’t need no education. We don’t need no thought control. Conformity. Pink Floyd’s 1979 rock opera and film “The Wall” addresses the consequences of conformity through art and song. Founding member, Roger Waters, describes the narrative as showing us “the self-isolating barrier we build over the course of our lives, and the "bricks in the wall" are the people and events that turn us inward and away from others.” We can connect with the message of The Wall because of its emotive ...
Gathering 146: “The In-Betweeners”
August 31, 2020 21:32 - 23 minutes - 52.9 MBAll of us tend to think of ourselves as sensible and balanced with most of our good deeds outweighing the bad. Abraham, Christianity’s Old Testament patriarch, believed the same. However, in The Testament of Abraham, a part of the apocalyptic literature, Abraham is reluctant to die and face God’s impending judgement without first seeing the world. On an epic and mystical journey, Abraham discovers that in the midst of the dichotomy of good and bad deeds that determine whether or not...
Gathering 145: “Will you worship me when I’m dead?”
August 24, 2020 21:52 - 20 minutes - 47.2 MBIs it possible to make love real for another person, even when that person is deceased? For centuries, cultures have venerated the dead, especially one’s familial ancestors, out of a deep love and respect for the deceased. For many, this veneration stems from a core belief that the dead have a continued existence and may possess the ability to influence the fortune of the living. According to the record in Genesis, when Sarah, the wife of Christianity’s patriarch, Abraham, died, she...
Gathering 144: “The Altar of War”
August 17, 2020 22:53 - 28 minutes - 64.8 MBMost Christians can agree that perhaps one of the most difficult Old Testament stories to understand, justify and share with the next generation is that of Abraham being asked by God to bind his son, Isaac, on an altar of sacrifice. There are many interpretations of the story, as well as parallels offered to Jesus’ own passion story. But what if there were a different way to interpret it? What if we saw it more as a parable than a story? Perhaps even a parable meant to illustrate a ...
Gathering 143: “Promises, promises”
August 10, 2020 22:04 - 30 minutes - 69.2 MBUnfulfilled promises. We’ve all experienced them. When someone makes a declaration or a commitment to do or give something to us then fails, the consequences can send us in a tailspin. But what happens when it’s God who doesn’t fulfill a promise? Is God accountable or is it conditional upon you not holding up your end of the bargain? Do you become resentful and walk away from God? Is your belief about God conditional in return? And why does humanity look outside itself for answers? ...
Gathering 142: “How moral are you?”
August 03, 2020 22:23 - 21 minutes - 50.2 MBBe careful how you answer this! If you’re like most people, you believe that you have an above average sense of morality and are generally more trustworthy and honest than everyone else. But how does one develop this sense of morality? And what does it look like to be immoral? These questions have vexed mankind for centuries. The ancients tackled this moral versus immoral dichotomy through story. And while one might expect the protagonist and antagonist to logically line up with the...
Gathering 141: “Evolving humans. Evolving God?”
July 27, 2020 22:45 - 23 minutes - 54.4 MBBrace yourself. What you’re about to hear may be unsettling. It may make you uneasy, hesitant and a tad uncomfortable. Most likely you’ll want to fall back on old answers, but hang for a moment and consider that the God in our world is still evolving. Or, perhaps, our understanding of God. Join us this week as Pastor Tony Minear, Ph.D. examines the evolution of humanity’s relationship with nature and with God. Explore how our 21st century view of God is more like those of the ancien...
Gathering 140: “The Science of Relationships”
July 21, 2020 02:15 - 21 minutes - 49 MBThis month we’ve been focusing on humanity’s relationship with the Earth and Environment. We’ve taken a hard look at the differences between a biblical point of view and that of a 21st century point of view shaped by science and postmodern reasoning. But what exactly is our relationship with nature itself? Is it harmonious or adversarial? Natural systems may have been transformed by humans but that does not mean we can control them. Join us this week as ellie hutchison, our Member i...
Gathering 139: “The Green Dragon”
July 13, 2020 22:08 - 27 minutes - 62.5 MBIf you want to draw a line in the sand, ask a Christian their view on climate change and global warming. Since the early 2000’s, this politically and economically divisive topic has managed to polarize Christians like few other topics. Do you believe we must act now to change our carbon footprint, or is it out of our control and a matter of God’s design? This week, Pastor Tony Minear, Ph.D. continues his worship series #earthmatters and examines the theology behind the arguments. Wh...
Gathering 138: “The Stage of Life”
July 06, 2020 22:00 - 19 minutes - 45.4 MBWilliam Shakespeare once wrote, “All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players.” But what of the animals and creatures of the Earth? Join us as we begin a new worship series examining humanity’s relationship with the Earth and our environment. Throughout the Old Testament and wisdom literature, we find references to nature itself as an actor on the world’s stage and a rich tradition of personification of the elements of nature itself. Listen this week as Pastor T...
Gathering 137: “Male and Female, and…”
June 30, 2020 00:00 - 30 minutes - 70.5 MBBlack and white. Light and dark. Good and evil. This binary way of cataloging and compartmentalizing our thoughts and experiences is useful when it comes to categorizing much about life. But what about gender identity? When it comes to one’s sexual and/or gender identity, culture has shifted from a simple binary classification, male or female, to include a number of varied identities on the LGBTQIA+ spectrum. Has religion and, in particular, Progressive Christianity kept pace with t...
Gathering 136: “People of Integrity”
June 22, 2020 22:00 - 22 minutes - 20.8 MBMost of us strive to live a life of honesty and integrity. Our scripture verses this week from Proverbs reflects this very idea and tells of a father speaking wisdom over his children to live a life of integrity. But in a modern framework, what exactly does a life of integrity look like? In a society where living a life of integrity seems to run counter to culture’s ethos of every person for themselves, to edify and challenge the norm takes courage and intentionality. Join Pastor To...
Gathering 135: “Silence is Violence”
June 15, 2020 23:00 - 31 minutes - 73 MBOutrage. Recent events and protests across America have reignited our nation’s outcry for justice and racial equality with the nation’s police force once again in the hot seat. With a current statistic of 1 out of every 1,000 black men being killed by a police officer, the narrative looks all too familiar and undeniably systemic. Our continued silence in this matter is problematic and an egregious act that can no longer be employed or tolerated. But how do we as evolving Christians ...
"Persistent."
June 08, 2020 21:00 - 25 minutes - 58.6 MBThis week America again reached a civil rights tipping point following the tragic death of George Floyd at the hands of law enforcement. And while his death was indeed tragic sparking an unprecedented movement of protest against inequality and systemic racism present throughout our society, for many of us, the civil unrest and angst accompanying the protest seemed more a natural consequence of weeks of pent up frustration following the shutdown from the COVID-19 pandemic than purely...
Gathering 133: “Be Like Mike”
June 01, 2020 22:00 - 20 minutes - 19.2 MBHuman dignity. Events of the past week in the United States over the suspected racially-charged death of George Floyd have caused every citizen to re-evaluate this basic quality of life. But what does human dignity look like? From what source can one derive dignity and value as a human being? And what does it mean to attribute value to another person? One of the greatest NBA basketball players of all time, Michael Jordan, set the bar high in the 1990’s by showing the world what succ...
Gathering 132: “Care About Health Care”
May 26, 2020 23:00 - 21 minutes - 19.8 MBWe have an incredible opportunity before us. You have an incredible opportunity before you. The COVID-19 crisis presents the perfect opportunity for all of us to reexamine, revise and reform our current health care system in America. Now, before you tune out thinking church is neither the place nor platform to posture a political stance on a polarizing topic such as this, join us as we consider instead the underlying spiritual values of this issue. Listen as Pastor Tony Minear, Ph.D...
Gathering 131: “Sticks and Stones”
May 18, 2020 22:30 - 24 minutes - 55.7 MBWords are powerful. A single word can convey the speaker’s intention both positively and negatively. Our world has been turned upside-down because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The cacophony of words we’ve had to digest over the past weeks and months to make our world a safer place has been overwhelming. But regardless of the noise, you don’t have to be a great orator to make a difference with your words. Join Pastor Tony Minear, Ph.D. this week for a look at how our words can break int...
Gathering 130: Risk Taking and Being Fierce
May 11, 2020 22:00 - 14 minutes - 13 MBWho are the mothers of the world? This Mother’s Day is most certainly one like no other we’ve ever experienced. With the COVID-19 pandemic confining most of us to our homes, many of us have had to redefine what it looks like to celebrate our mother figures. Despite the restrictions of hunkering down and exercising caution, the pandemic may have actually provided us with the perfect opportunity to reflect on and to broaden our definition of mothering. Listen as our guest speaker, ell...
Gathering 129: Trust Me
May 04, 2020 19:30 - 10 minutes - 9.72 MBIn a time such as now, the idea of trust in ourselves, humanity and even in God is tenuous and absent for many. How can trust be restored during a pandemic? What about after the pandemic? What voice can you trust? We invite you to listen and experience this week's message from Pastor Jim Meadows as he explores the many ways in which people find certainty. Listen and discover the peace of mind and reassurance one can find when you zero in on the one single voice, that of the divine, ...
Gathering 128: “Open Gates and Strangers”
April 27, 2020 21:40 - 24 minutes - 56.7 MBWhy did God allow the COVID-19 pandemic? Explanations abound if you Google search this very question. Quite often scholarship points to scripture’s Old Testament story of the two cities of Sodom and Gomorrah when God revealed to Abraham that the cities were to be destroyed for their grave sins in particular those associated with homosexual acts. Many take up this mantle and run saying we are being punished by God with this pandemic for our wicked ways. But within a modern framework,...
Gathering 127: Well Aren’t We Special
April 20, 2020 20:45 - 22 minutes - 20.7 MBOne of the most powerful of human needs is the need for significance. To feel special and unique is a need common to all human beings. In times of crisis, such as the current global pandemic, not only do we want to know that we matter to others, we want to be seen and not isolated. Often times we turn to God to reaffirm our significance. Historically, we see this happening to the Israelites when they were taken into captivity by the Babylonians. The writer of Genesis introduces us t...
Gathering 126: Freeing Easter
April 14, 2020 22:10 - 18 minutes - 16.7 MBThis Easter Sunday is certainly one like no other we’ve ever experienced. With the COVID-19 pandemic confining most of us to our homes, an in-person worship experience was not possible. This change in how we experienced Easter was both familiar and communal, yet strange and secluded at the same time. And although Jesus’ Easter story has not changed, we invite you to reconsider your interpretation of it today from a new perspective. To veer from a literal focus of this 2000-year-old ...
Gathering 125: Search for Certainty
April 06, 2020 20:00 - 21 minutes - 19.3 MBNo doubt you are probably navigating the COVID-19 pandemic with a heightened level of uncertainty. With the multitude of mixed messages we receive daily from our leaders and the media at large, a feeling of certainty is at a premium today. Who do you trust? Where do you put your faith? Is it perfunctory to just give it over to God? Join Pastor Tony Minear, Ph.D. this week as he explores the many ways in which people find certainty. Listen and discover the two sources Jesus turned to...
Gathering 124: Solidarity
April 06, 2020 19:30 - 12 minutes - 11.5 MBUnity. Solidarity. What does that look like today? In a world of uncertainty over the COVID-19 pandemic, the scope of solidarity in fighting it has widened to a global scale with no one immune from the virus. Today’s scripture reading from 1 Corinthians 12 harkens to an ancient creed from the early followers of Jesus who also resolved to unite all followers of Jesus in solidarity as one. Join Pastor Tony Minear, Ph.D. for a look at how this ancient creed can offer us wisdom today. D...
Gathering 123: Christianity and Toilet Paper
April 06, 2020 19:00 - 17 minutes - 16 MBEver gone surfing or dreamed of riding the waves? How did it make you feel? Perhaps a little nervous and anxious? Maybe even a little fearful? As you may well know or can imagine, surfing is a risky business teeming with anticipation and uncertainty. Navigating through the COVID-19 pandemic is much like surfing. Join Pastor Tony Minear, Ph.D. for a look at our response to the pandemic in relation to sacred writings and Jesus’ admonition to not be afraid. Discover three ways in which...