The Living Church Podcast

What can we learn from surprising encounters between Catholics and Pentecostals?In 1906, in a no-count Los Angeles storefront, a one-eyed preacher named William Seymour, son of former slaves, began leading services on Azuza Street.Azuza Street has gone down in history as the catalyst of the Pentecostal movement, one of the largest groups of Christians in the world today. But it’s also had deep impact on much older traditions, including the Roman Catholic Church. Charismatic Catholics owe much to brothers and sisters whose practices may make them scratch their heads. On the other hand, maybe you've noticed the—could we call it?— "revival" among free-church Christians in interest in liturgy, tradition, and the sacraments.This is just the generous way God works, giving us encounters we would never have found for ourselves, with him and one another, and helping us share our gifts and appreciate the gifts of others, across time, space, and difference.Today we’ll hear from a Roman Catholic missioner and a Pentecostal theologian who have been walking together this surprising road of Christian unity, and we’ll hear some of their stories.Nathan Smith serves as the Director of Ecumenism for Glenmary Home Missioners and as a consultant for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs. In his ministry, he seeks to foster reconciliation between the Catholic Church, Evangelicals and Pentecostals. He also served with the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity at the 2024 Global Christian Forum gathering.The Rev. Dr. David Han is the Dean of the Faculty at Pentecostal Theological Seminary and is involved in various ecumenical activities such as the Global Christian Forum, the Wesleyan Holiness Connection, the International Pentecostal and Anglican Commission, and the Catholic and Pentecostal Dialogue in the United States.Now hold on to your rosaries. But stay ready to shout amen. We hope you enjoy the conversation.Ministries and dialogues we mention:Global Christian ForumGlenmary Home MissionersUS Conference of Catholic Bishops Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious AffairsDicastery for Promoting Christian UnityInternational Pentecostal and Anglican CommissionCatholic and Pentecostal Dialogue--Shop Living Church BooksAttend a Living Church eventGive to support this podcastAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

How can decorating a Crèche draw us to a place of divine encounter?We are approaching yet another Advent season, a season of making space to wait on God.Maybe you’re good at making that space. Like a cat, you have no problem flopping down where you are, stretching your legs, and letting Jesus take the wheel.Or maybe you’re addicted—like most of us—to work, to control and productivity, to entertainment, perhaps even to podcasts!—and Advent feels like a struggle.Or maybe you’re working three jobs because you have to, and maintaining an interior grasp of God’s love, in the midst of the crazy, is what slowing down means for you.But sometimes being still is not something you choose. It’s thrust upon you. When you’re not able to go anywhere or do anything much, Advent is life, whether you ask for it or not.That’s where our guest today found herself. And in that long, involuntary long season of Advent, as she reflected on her life and grew a garden, the journey brought her to writing a little Advent book about nature, the seasons, and the tradition of manger scenes where she grew up in Provence, France, and how she found Jesus there.Our guest today is Sylvie Vanhoozer. Sylvie is a certified botanic artist, retired French teacher, and author of two books of nature sketches and meditations: The Art of Living in Advent: 28 Days of Joyful Waiting as well as The Art of Living in Season: A Year of Reflections for Everyday Saints. Here are some French words we use today: Crèche: manger sceneSantons: “little saints”; clay figurines based on ordinary people Terroir: a people’s land and all the life in itNow remind yourself where you’ve stored away your Nativity set. Because after this conversation you might want to get it out. Perhaps it will help you remember, receive, and share the gospel over the next few weeks.More from Sylvie:theartoflivinginseason.comThe Art of Living in Advent, discount code IVPPOD20 for 20% off plus free shipping!From the ads:Shop Living Church BooksGive to support this podcastAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

In this insightful discussion, Mark Michael, editor of The Living Church, and Matthew Olver, its executive director, delve into the implications of GAFCON's launch of a Global Anglican Communion. They explore the reactions from various Anglican communities divided between joy and concern. Mark provides context on GAFCON's origins and its relationship to other movements, while Matthew emphasizes the need for accountability, repentance, and prayerful unity. Together, they question how these shifts will impact parish relationships and Anglican identity.

What does faith have to do with fiction? Can romance teach us something about God's presence in imaginary worlds?Today’s episode is a conversation with novelist H.S. Cross, recorded live at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Savannah, GA, as part of their Sunday Night Sessions. We talk with Heather about 1920s Oxford; love stories and their theological significance; what it’s like to create and then watch your creations surprise you. We discuss the importance of play; why skipping the hard parts risks a story no longer feeling “real”; and the need to “Hold your nerve and not rush the ending.” And finally, since her novel is a messy and complicated romance, in some parts, as she puts it, “rated R" for sexuality, what does it mean, in this kind of story, to “tell the truth” or to get caught “writing while Christian”?H.S. Cross has been a tutor and a writer and is the author of three novels: Wilberforce, Grievous, and her latest novel, Amanda.Now rock your best Oxford bags and handkerchief hemline. We’re heading to the 1920’s where we’ll meet a couple of God-haunted lovers, the woman who created them, and discover what faith has to do with fiction. We hope you enjoy the conversation.From this episode:Watch this conversation on YouTubeAmanda and other books by H.S. CrossAssociate for Youth and Young Adults job posting at St. John’s Savannah (October 2025)Related podcast episodes:Christmas chat with Heather CrossMusic and ministry with Jon JamesonFrom the ads: Shop Living Church BooksAttend a Living Church eventOther events you might enjoy:Nashotah House intensive course on “The Prayer Book Tradition” (January 2026)The Anglican Way Conference (February 2026)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

In this engaging discussion, Daniela Augustine, a Professor of Theological Ethics and Honorary Senior Research Fellow, and Peter Casarella, a Professor of Theology at Duke Divinity School, delve into the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea. They explore its impact on modern social and political life, discussing the tensions between church authority and imperial politics. The conversation touches on the relevance of Nicene theology to human equality and the continuous work of the Spirit in transforming society. Their ecumenical perspectives foster rich insights into how Nicaea's legacy continues to resonate.

Join Abram Van Engen, a humanities professor and author of Word Made Fresh, as he dives into the transformative power of poetry for the Church. He passionately defends poetry as relational and meaningful, challenging the idea that it's esoteric. Abram shares how Scripture is rich with poetic elements, emphasizing its role in worship and personal encounters. He offers practical tips for reading and appreciating poetry, highlighting its ability to connect us across experiences and enhance our spiritual lives.

Today we're talking tea. Why? Well, we’re an Anglican podcast. Need we say more?Knowing how to share and make a good cup of tea translates around the globe. Whether it’s hospitality or work-life balance, tea has played a significant role in leadership, conversation, and parish life. Today we meet an amazing Christian woman who knows all about tea, why it's special, and how God can use tea time as an opportunity for ministry and leadership lessons. Her name is Jackie James.Jackie is a certified Tea Sommelier and founder at The London Tea Merchant. She’s also the former owner of the London Tea Room in St. Louis, Missouri.We’ll hear today about her journey from a Jesus Freak preacher’s kid in the U.K. to a businesswoman in midwest America.We'll learn a bit about the slow art, challenging business, and fascinating science of tea, and where she has found God at work in it all. How can we stop and share time? How do you run the show, and let things go? How can unlearning self-preserving habits with difficult staff members lead to strength, vulnerability, and grace?Now get your scones and Victoria Sponge cake ready, because we’re about to have a "jam" session on finding the Lord’s work in a hot cuppa.We hope you enjoy the conversation.SPECIAL discount code LTMSHOP for 5% off at the London Tea MerchantAttend a Living Church eventGive to support this podcastAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Join Derek French, pastor of Nazareth Moravian Church, and Bishop M. Blair Couch, a leader in the Moravian Church, as they explore the rich history of the Moravians. They dive into the legacy of Jan Hus and the church's unique commitment to Christian unity. Personal stories unfold, including transformative moments like being struck by lightning. The discussion highlights the Moravian Church's emphasis on pastoral care in leadership and its welcoming community atmosphere, showcasing how collaboration enriches worship across traditions.

Most Christians won't be part of a monastic community. But that doesn't mean they're not influenced by one.How do those who have taken the habit live their vocations from the monastery into the world around them? And what about the rest of us? What can we learn, whether lay or ordained, from the disciplines and wisdom of monastics? Today we’ll hear from three Anglicans whose vocations have been shaped by Benedictine monasticism in different ways. We'll learn about the 6th-century Rule of St. Benedict and how it continues to discipline and nurture Christian life in the 21st century. Our first guest is Sister Greta Ronningen. Sr. Greta is a co-founder of Community of Divine Love, an Episcopal monastery in the Benedictine tradition located in San Gabriel, California. She is also an Episcopal priest, prison chaplain, retreat leader, and writer, and the author of Free on the Inside: Finding God Behind Bars.Our second guest is the Rev. Canon Bryan Biba. Bryan is assistant rector at Christ Church Anglican in Savannah, Georgia, and canon for leadership for the Gulf Atlantic Diocese of the Anglican Church in North America. He is also an oblate of the Order of St. Benedict at St. John’s Abbey, a Roman Catholic monastery in Collegeville, Minnesota.Our third guest is Annie Hodges. Annie is a supply chain manager by day and an Episcopal podcaster by night. With her sister Kate Greer, she hosts The Average Episcopalian podcast, tackling the mystery of faith with reason and humor through the lens of the church they love.Whether you’re into wimples, cinctures, and Birkenstocks, or following Jesus without the telltale garments, here’s to holy habits of all kinds. We hope you enjoy the conversation.Attend a Living Church eventBook Bryan mentioned: Benedictine Daily PrayerBook Annie mentioned: St. Benedict's ToolboxGive to support this podcastAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

How can church leaders pursue justice with discernment and theological depth? Pastors often find themselves in a frustrating place when it comes to pursuing justice in their parishes and communities. There's often a divide or at least a tension between two groups: those who do not want to overthink or "overtheologize" it until the moment to act is past; and those who feel wary of action without substantial, theological, and contextual discernment pieces to help.With respect to all the practical concerns here, this is a false divide. Hopefully, today's conversation might help us start to find a way across.We'll talk about leadership, Christian freedom, and political will; challenging presuppositions about authority and building and empowering community bit by bit; various angles and ways of being strategic; and a bit about Catholic social teaching that might help Anglican and Episcopal leaders get "unstuck" from fixed religious and politcal categories to discern more holistic paths of faithful action.Our guests are The Rev. Canon Natalie Arendse and Dr. Elisabeth Kincaid. Natalie is currently chaplain to Whitsunday Anglican School in Mackay, Queensland, Australia. She is honorary Canon in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa and former head of St. John's Leadership Academy in Cape Town, a formation program for lay and ordained leaders. Elisabeth is director of Baylor University's Institute for Faith and Learning and Associate Professor of Ethics, Faith and Culture at George W. Truett Seminary. She's also author of the new book, Law from Below: How the Thought of Francisco Suárez, SJ, Can Renew Contemporary Legal Engagements.Now grab your thinking caps and your work boots as we discover a bit more about how prayer and politics, bible studies and social justice, can (and do) go together.Give to support this podcastRegister for a Living Church ConferenceAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands