Context Matters

Dr. Kamionkowski’s faculty page is HEREA link to her commentary is HEREDo not forget to check out the online educational site she has! https://kamionkowski-bet-midrash.com  And we talked briefly about Carol Meyes. You can find one of her books HERE.

Can a Rights of Passage experience help students go through this process of shaking off the beliefs of others and taking responsibility over their own faith decisions? Dr. Muhia Karinjahi describes the essential elements of a rights of passage experience and the importance of getting an entire community involved.

Muhia Karinjahi grew up in a village just outside of Nairobi. His parents were first generation Christians, he went to a Muslim primary school, and worked in an Indian engineering firm. We discuss how living cross culturally in his own country prepared him to love people well. We also discuss how each shift in Muhia's context impacted his religious beliefs.

What is experiential learning? Can we engage the whole mind, body, and emotions in the learning process? Dr. Rob Ribbe talks about the powerful experience of being in a place (say the wilderness) in which we are not in control. This feels so true of our current COVID19 context. We are in an uncomfortable time that push all of us into places of discovery about who we are.

What can we learn from the foundation of an Israelite house? And is the faith system for normal people in normal villages excitedly like what we read in the Bible? Archaeology has something to say about the real life of real people. This week I continue the conversation with Cynthia Shafer Elliott. She draws us into the value of archaeology and the spiritual practices of the majority of Israelites who are not the primary characters in the biblical text. We talk about the difference between finding an artifact and interpreting the function of the artifact.For more information:Click HERE to read more about Cynthia Shafer ElliottLink to books:The Five-Minute Archaeologist BookFood in Ancient Judah Book Link to figurines:https://www.imj.org.il/en/collections/198066

Have you ever wondered what it is like to be an archaeologist? Or what actually happens to an artifact from when it is discovered in the dirt to when it ends up in a museum?  Well this week I talk with Cynthia Shaffer Elliot, an archaeologist who specializes in domestic archaeology with a focus on economics, food preparation and consumption, religion, and the roles and relationships of the family.Click HERE to read more about Cynthia Shafer ElliottLink to books:The Five-Minute Archaeologist BookFood in Ancient Judah BookHere is the link to Israel Museum's picture of the shrine: https://www.imj.org.il/en/collections/372506Cooking pot images from the Museums in Israel website:https://museums.gov.il/en/items/Pages/ItemCard.aspx?IdItem=ICMS_IMJ_371398https://museums.gov.il/en/items/Pages/ItemCard.aspx?IdItem=ICMS-MPC-91-543Link to figurines:https://www.imj.org.il/en/collections/198066

Lawson talks about his growing up years and how he ended up studying the Bible in college. Lawson also went to Kenya, which became a great context for learning about the cultural context of the Bible. We also talk about how going to Israel/Palestine and exploring the land of the Bible transformed his academic career.Learn more about Lawson’s writing hereClick HERE if you are interested in finding out more about great opportunities to volunteer at an archaeological site.Click HERE if you want to learn more about Jerusalem University College and amazing opportunities to study how geography impacts biblical stories.

I have heard from many of you how impressed you were with Craig’s stories. This week we continue the conversation, and Craig jumps into questions such as: How does being a pastor of a church in which 80% of the congregants are experiencing homelessness change the way you preach? Why should we invest in social issues that are way too big to solve in this lifetime? Craig also shares how we can challenge our assumptions about those experiencing homelessness. To read about Charles and his transformed life, click HEREExplore Craig’s foundation and watch the Effie Award winning short film HEREFind out more about what Craig is doing in IndiaTo find out more about the Bowery Mission

Craig Mayes is the Chief Spiritual and Community Life Officer at the Bowery Mission in New York City.  The Bowery Mission has served homeless and hungry New Yorkers since the 1870’s, when its neighborhood came to define the term “skid row.” Craig tells stories of his challenging seminary education and what motivated his move from a megachurch in Michigan to a homeless shelter in NYC.Explore Craig’s foundation and watch the Effie Award winning short film here: http://makethemvisible.comFind out more about what Craig is doing in India: http://impactindia360.org/about/To find out more about the Bowery Mission: https://www.bowery.org

This is the second half of my conversation with Rabbi Nancy. We start with the affects of 9/11 on her multi-faith conversations. Then we move to the way such conversations have influence her career. And we finally talk about the Muslims, Jews, and Christians interpret the Sarah and Hagar narratives in Genesis.Listen—Enjoy—and send me an email!To find out more:Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, Philadelphia, PARabbi Nancy’s book Strangers, Neighbors, Friends