1619 & 1776

It's here at last: The Grand Finale to Season One! We've collected interviews with YOU, dear listeners, and edited them into something that we hope gives a good overview of the topics we've covered, the kind of people who have been listening, and the sorts of responses y'all have had. Please get in touch if you have ideas for Season Two. Thank you. 

All interviews for season one have aired; only the season finale is left--but it's time for your voices! Literally. I want to know what thoughts you have about the topics I've covered and the things my guests have said. What is your relationship with American Christianity (if you care to share)? How would you express is the core of Christianity? What would you say are the biggest divisions in the Church right now? What do you think about January 6th, Black Lives Matter, the 1619 Project, and the 1776 Project? Do you have a beautiful story of unity across partisan divides you can share? What practical steps have you seen your church or others take to create healthy relationships with other people, pastors, or congregations that disagree with them? If you would like to share your thoughts on any of the above, you have a couple of options. First, join me for a recording session on either Monday, January 30th, 2023, at 10am eastern or Thursday, Feb 2nd, 2023, at 7pm eastern. Second, record your audio at your leisure and send it to me before Feb 6th. Either way, you can contact me via my website, https://sorinahiggins.wordpress.com/, social media, or any other method that's convenient for you, to get the recording session link or send your audio files. We're also going to rename the show, so send me your best suggestions!

Rev. Aaron Zimmerman of St. Alban's Episcopal in Waco, TX, is today's guest. Listen to his lively, engaging interview about the church's responsibility for welcoming everyone and teaching people how to live together amid differences.

Rev. Tom Bridgman of Grace Church Congregational in Pittsfield, MA, talks about growing up in the segregated south and about his inter-racial marriage.

Rev. Aaron Williams is Associate Pastor of Pastoral Ministries & Kindred Community at University Presbyterian Church in Seattle, Washington. Aaron has been preaching and teaching the gospel for 30 years. He was born in Augusta, Georgia. He’s a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary, and prior to coming to UPC, he served as the Senior Pastor of Mount Zion Baptist Church for nine years.

episode_8_Adam_Tylera69rk.mp3

Now that we are about halfway through the season, we thought it would be a good time to pause and reflect on what we have heard so far. Therefore, in this episode we turn the tables and interview the interviewer. The Producer, Christopher Bartlett, talks to Sørina Higgins about what agreements she's heard among her guests and whether she's optimistic or pessimistic about the project of church unity.

Juli Thompson is the Visitation Pastor at St. Stephen's Lutheran Church in Minnesota, a mother of two, a dog lover, and a Tolkien Scholar. We know her from her attendance at Signum University conferences.

Rev. Barshinger, a military chaplain and Orthodox Presbyterian minister, offers encouragement that Christians should be people who are equipped to understand each other and bridge some divisions. We need to remember that we are all hurting and be gentle to one another, but also learn to deal better with nuance and subtlety.

In this third interview, Rev. Dr. Bruce Johnson of Scottsdale, Arizona, talks about love, grace, and unity. His gentle words emphasize our need for mutual care and communication across our differences.

In the second interview in this series, Rev. Dr. Jeff Hatton of Redeemer Waco in Texas emphasizes that the Gospel is good news, not good advice, and that it informs every aspect of our lives. He expresses concern over the ways that discourse is shaped and controlled these days.

The Rev. Dr. Malcolm Foley is one of the pastors at Mosaic Waco in Texas. He finished his PhD in Religion at Baylor University in December 2021; his dissertation is on African-American responses to lynching. Here, he talks about current events, based on his fundamental belief in the Kingship of Jesus Christ.

American Christianity is falling apart. In this first episode, Sørina Higgins talks about the terrible schisms in the church today, what approach she'll be taking to interviewing pastors about Christian re-unification, why she's the one doing this project, what the title means, and more. Join her to build bridges across the chasms that divide us.