Context Matters

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

In this episode, we talk about multi-faith conversations and what the benefit is to speaking with people who have different religious beliefs than your own. Rabbi Nancy shares several personal stories about how she ended up in multi-faith conversations.To find out more:Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, Philadelphia, PARabbi Nancy’s book Strangers, Neighbors, Friends

Lisa and I discuss what effect cultural diversity has on her art. We also talk about how essential art is within a church context, which makes me consider the value of using concepts of beauty to explore the Genesis narratives.See a few of her pieces here, but I highly recommend going to her website (https://www.abayaworks.com/permanenceoflight)) to see a video of how light changes her art from moment to moment.You can also find her on Instagram @smokeandflame.

 Lisa Abaya is a Philadelphia artist  seeking ways to integrate matters of spirituality into her work. We discuss the influence of geography on her art and also how she explores mysterious concepts of the Holy Spirit through the use of reflective materials.See a few of her pieces here, but I highly recommend going to her website (https://www.abayaworks.com/permanenceoflight)) to see a video of how light changes her art from moment to moment.You can also find her on Instagram @smokeandflame.

I invite Keri Jenkins to the podcasting table to discuss how context helps us understand one another. Keri gives an example of how biblical context helped her understand a tricky passage in the Bible. We conclude with how seeing the physical land where biblical events happened influence how we read the text.Visit narrativeofplace.com for more!

What is “Context Matters”?What is missing from our conversations about background of the Bible and the our modern understanding of it? It is complicated, but wonderful to explore if you bring a curious mind.Visit narrativeofplace.com for more from Dr. Cyndi Parker.