Commons Church Podcast

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”–Mahatma GhandiDoesn’t it feel like there’s a shortage of true happiness? Whether the news—or our own experience—or a string of rainy afternoons, we can find ourselves wondering why the world always seems to be frowning.Which is why—this summer—we’re striking out in search of some real, wholesome, happy-face-emoji moments. And in this series, we’re gathering individuals and stories from our community to answer the question “What makes you happy?”And we promise—You won’t be able to keep from grinning when you see what makes these people light up. You’ll head into Monday with a new awareness of how brightly Grace shines in the world. And you’ll be glad you joined us as we go looking for life-well-lived. ★ Support this podcast ★

The framework for original sin that most of us are familiar with comes from a bad interpretation of a bad translation of one verse in one letter from Pual. Unfortunately, however, it has all kinds of implications for we think about ourselves and God. So let's talk about it.

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”–Mahatma GhandiDoesn’t it feel like there’s a shortage of true happiness? Whether the news—or our own experience—or a string of rainy afternoons, we can find ourselves wondering why the world always seems to be frowning.Which is why—this summer—we’re striking out in search of some real, wholesome, happy-face-emoji moments. And in this series, we’re gathering individuals and stories from our community to answer the question “What makes you happy?”And we promise—You won’t be able to keep from grinning when you see what makes these people light up. You’ll head into Monday with a new awareness of how brightly Grace shines in the world. And you’ll be glad you joined us as we go looking for life-well-lived. ★ Support this podcast ★

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”–Mahatma GhandiDoesn’t it feel like there’s a shortage of true happiness? Whether the news—or our own experience—or a string of rainy afternoons, we can find ourselves wondering why the world always seems to be frowning.Which is why—this summer—we’re striking out in search of some real, wholesome, happy-face-emoji moments. And in this series, we’re gathering individuals and stories from our community to answer the question “What makes you happy?”And we promise—You won’t be able to keep from grinning when you see what makes these people light up. You’ll head into Monday with a new awareness of how brightly Grace shines in the world. And you’ll be glad you joined us as we go looking for life-well-lived. ★ Support this podcast ★

There are times in life when either/or decisions are super important. Life-saving, even. Is this food good for me or bad? Is this relationship what I want or isn’t it? Do I believe this thing about God or don’t I?The answers to these questions may serve us well for a time. Maybe even a long time. But there are some questions that aren’t settled with either/or answers. Contemplative thinkers even insist that an either/or posture to the world is antithetical to human life. After all, we know ourselves to be not only nice but sometimes cruel, to be not only tame but sometimes wild, to be not only strong but sometimes weak.So what comes after an either/or spirituality? How about both/and.Both/and draws us towards the wisdom at the heart of all creation and towards the wholeness of God’s relationship to the world.Let’s look at a spirituality that is both loud and quiet, both strong and weak, both alone and together, both sacred and secular, both faithful and full of doubt. ★ Support this podcast ★

There are times in life when either/or decisions are super important. Life-saving, even. Is this food good for me or bad? Is this relationship what I want or isn’t it? Do I believe this thing about God or don’t I?The answers to these questions may serve us well for a time. Maybe even a long time. But there are some questions that aren’t settled with either/or answers. Contemplative thinkers even insist that an either/or posture to the world is antithetical to human life. After all, we know ourselves to be not only nice but sometimes cruel, to be not only tame but sometimes wild, to be not only strong but sometimes weak.So what comes after an either/or spirituality? How about both/and.Both/and draws us towards the wisdom at the heart of all creation and towards the wholeness of God’s relationship to the world.Let’s look at a spirituality that is both loud and quiet, both strong and weak, both alone and together, both sacred and secular, both faithful and full of doubt. ★ Support this podcast ★

There are times in life when either/or decisions are super important. Life-saving, even. Is this food good for me or bad? Is this relationship what I want or isn’t it? Do I believe this thing about God or don’t I?The answers to these questions may serve us well for a time. Maybe even a long time. But there are some questions that aren’t settled with either/or answers. Contemplative thinkers even insist that an either/or posture to the world is antithetical to human life. After all, we know ourselves to be not only nice but sometimes cruel, to be not only tame but sometimes wild, to be not only strong but sometimes weak.So what comes after an either/or spirituality? How about both/and.Both/and draws us towards the wisdom at the heart of all creation and towards the wholeness of God’s relationship to the world.Let’s look at a spirituality that is both loud and quiet, both strong and weak, both alone and together, both sacred and secular, both faithful and full of doubt. ★ Support this podcast ★

There are times in life when either/or decisions are super important. Life-saving, even. Is this food good for me or bad? Is this relationship what I want or isn’t it? Do I believe this thing about God or don’t I?The answers to these questions may serve us well for a time. Maybe even a long time. But there are some questions that aren’t settled with either/or answers. Contemplative thinkers even insist that an either/or posture to the world is antithetical to human life. After all, we know ourselves to be not only nice but sometimes cruel, to be not only tame but sometimes wild, to be not only strong but sometimes weak.So what comes after an either/or spirituality? How about both/and.Both/and draws us towards the wisdom at the heart of all creation and towards the wholeness of God’s relationship to the world.Let’s look at a spirituality that is both loud and quiet, both strong and weak, both alone and together, both sacred and secular, both faithful and full of doubt. ★ Support this podcast ★

There are times in life when either/or decisions are super important. Life-saving, even. Is this food good for me or bad? Is this relationship what I want or isn’t it? Do I believe this thing about God or don’t I?The answers to these questions may serve us well for a time. Maybe even a long time. But there are some questions that aren’t settled with either/or answers. Contemplative thinkers even insist that an either/or posture to the world is antithetical to human life. After all, we know ourselves to be not only nice but sometimes cruel, to be not only tame but sometimes wild, to be not only strong but sometimes weak.So what comes after an either/or spirituality? How about both/and.Both/and draws us towards the wisdom at the heart of all creation and towards the wholeness of God’s relationship to the world.Let’s look at a spirituality that is both loud and quiet, both strong and weak, both alone and together, both sacred and secular, both faithful and full of doubt. ★ Support this podcast ★

What feelings grip us when everything is awful? Resentment. Fear. Isolation. Loss.In those moments, such words of encouragement as “do not be anxious about anything” or “I can do everything in him who gives me strength” may sound almost glib.Except...when they come from a friend who’s been though awful and does not sidestep it.Writing to his friends in Philippi, Paul speaks words of comfort. Clear, simple words about Christ as a way of life. Life anchored in joy. Joy that defies prison chains, cruel empires, petty disagreements, and nagging opposition.Paul has heard his friends’ story and wants them to know his. We are listening in on a conversation of profound mutual care.When everything is awful, we need caring words that name the reality of our suffering without bitterness. Words that awake us to the possibility of joy. ★ Support this podcast ★