Saint Mary and Christmas with Special Guest Bishop Andy Doyle Mary has a thing or 2 to say about God in her song/poem/rap the Magnificat. In it, Mary talks of a God that topples over conceit and pride. A God that elevates the meek. A God that says the hungry will feast and those that normally feast will learn what it means to be hungry. To some then and now these are dangerous words! In this episode, Melissa and Bishop Wright have a conversation with Bishop Andy Doyle about Mary's words and share their own thoughts on the darkness that surrounds us this year and all years as we approach...

Imagining the Bible with Special Guest Dr. Judy Fentress-Williams What is it about being a follower of Jesus that lends some to study the bible for their own agenda and others to imagine multiple frameworks? If you really think about it, we use our imagination when we read the bible. We transport ourselves in a time machine and enter into an ancient world full of stories written by people with imagination! "The only way to understand scripture is to exercise imagination. You have to enter into an alternate universe. You have to embrace metaphor, poetry, and symbolical language and recognize...

Encountering God in the World with Special Guest Barbara Brown Taylor | Part 2 of 2 What is the image of God we see in our minds and how do we encounter God in this new world we are living in? If we are honest, we might find that we often fit God into a box that works with the way we view the world. "What if people were invited to come tell what they already know of God instead of to learn what they are supposed to believe? What if they were blessed for what they are doing in the world instead of chastened for not doing more at church? What if church felt more like a way station than a...

Encountering God in the World with Special Guest Barbara Brown Taylor | Part 1 of 2 What is the image of God we see in our minds and how do we encounter God in this new world we are living in? If we are honest, we might find that we often fit God into a box that works with the way we view the world. "The problem is many of the people in need of saving are in churches and at least part of what they need saving from is the idea that God sees the world the same way they do." - Barbara Brown Taylor In part 1 of this 2-part discussion, Melissa and Bishop Wright talk with Barbara Brown Taylor...

Monuments and Symbols with Special Guest Sheffield Hale Monuments and symbols are currently a point of discussion. A person may bring up why or why they shouldn't be removed and it quickly gets branded political. Many believe them a part of heritage. As Sheffield says in this episode, "heritage is history with all the bad parts left out". We stand at an inflection point where society is waking up and wanting to right its wrongs in many ways. But does that mean we simply take them all down? In this episode, Melissa leads a conversation with Bishop Wright and Sheffield Hale on the history of...

Faith in the Midst of 2 Pandemics with Special Guest Jim Wallis Where do we find health if the soul of the nation is unwell? It only makes it more challenging in the midst of 2 pandemics. One being COVID-19 and the other racism. In this episode of For People, Melissa leads a conversation with Bishop Wright and special guest Jim Wallis, editor of Sojourners magazine and host of Soul of the Nation, exploring the narratives of 2 pandemics, COVID-19 and racism, and how fear and rage lead to hate and violence. They discuss the current state of the country and how we can use guilt, shame, and...