So What? Exploring Big Ideas and Why They Matter

So What? Exploring Big Ideas and Why They Matter Welcome to Episode 10 - The Great Open Dance:  A Better Story of God What if faith isn’t dying—it’s growing up? Jon Paul Sydnor joins us for a wide-ranging conversation about a spirituality you can actually live in your body and your real life. We talk about love as the thread that ties us together (he calls it “loving inseparability”), why God isn’t a cosmic puppeteer, and why the best kind of church is backstage: honest, safe, unpolished, and full of people learning to carry one another toward healing and flourishing. Jon Paul Sydnor is Professor of Theology and Religious Studies at Emmanuel College, theologian-in-residence at Grace Community Boston, and a podcaster at The Progressive Sacred. He studied at the University of Virginia, Princeton Theological Seminary, and Boston College, where he received his PhD. He practices theology in conversation with other religions, especially Hinduism and Buddhism. To find out more about Jon Paul, join his substack the Great Open Dance:Progressive Christian Theology (https://jonpaulsydnor.substack.com/) or you can buy his latest book, "The Great Open Dance:  Progressive Christian Theology (https://www.amazon.ca/Great-Open-Dance-Progressive-Christian/dp/1666775150)  .To explore nondualism, read the book edited by Jon Paul Sydnor and Anthony J. Watson entitled: "Nondualism:  An Interreligious Exploration" from Lexington Books. If you enjoy this episode, please like it, subscribe, consider rating it, and sharing it with family and friends. This podcast can also be found on podbean, Spotify, Apple, and other platforms. Thanks to Jim for production and Rebekah for the voice behind the scenes. This podcast is produced by McKillop; Living Sacred Relationships.

So What? Exploring Big Ideas and Why They Matter Welcome to Episode 9 of ‘So What’ as Brent Saccucci joins Michael and Trevor as they explore the big ideas of practicing discomforto as to be accomplices with personal and social change to bring liberation and healing and joy to the world. Is it hard or easy?  Find out as you listen! Brent Saccucci has worked as a K-12 teacher and equity consultant in schools and universities across Canada for over a decade. He is now a faculty member in the Faculty of Education at the University of Lethbridge, where he teaches courses in the social, cultural, and political contexts of education as well as critical media literacy. Before UofL, Brent taught social justice and literacy education at both the University of British Columbia and the University of Alberta. Brent is a Senior Research Fellow at the Canadian Institute for Far-Right Studies and serves as Faculty Advisor of the inaugural Leading Social Change in Schools Cohort for over 60 teachers looking to make change in Southern Alberta schools and communities. He is also a doctoral student at Western University in social justice education, where he studies theocratic government’s curriculum censorship of queer and trans voices. Brent is also writing an open-access, multimodal textbook with queer and trans students as a way to combat misinformation on ‘gender ideology’ in education; and he co-created a new cross-faculty course on “Misinformation” with six other faculty on the UofL campus to help equip undergraduate students with the tools needed for an increasingly polarized information world. Most recently, Brent was recognized as the 2025 Alberta Human Rights Champion by the John Humphrey Centre for Peace & Human Rights.    You can find more from Brent at https://www.learningwithbrent.com/about-brent If you enjoy this episode, please like it, subscribe, consider rating it, and sharing it with family and friends. This podcast can also be found on podbean, Spotify, Apple, and other platforms. Thanks to Jim for production and Rebekah for the voice behind the scenes. This podcast is produced by McKillop; Living Sacred Relationships.

So What? Exploring Big Ideas and Why They Matter Welcome to Episode 8 of ‘So What’ as Tori Owens joins Michael and Trevor as they explore the big ideas of Julian Norwich an English anchoress of the Middle Ages who lived through the Black Death. Tori Owens is a full-time therapist and spiritual director, a part-time doctoral student in Open and Relational Theology, most definitely an everyday mystic, just trying to blend it all in such a way that it might be a little healing.  You can find her writing at Love, Tori (toriowens.substack.com). Tori co-hosts a series of conversations with public theologians, writers, and creatives with Jonathan Foster on Substack (https://fosterj.substack.com/). She is an ordained minister and serves on the board for the Open Table Network (opentable.network). She recently joined the advisory board for SPARKS, a creative initiative of the Center for Process Studies (ctr4process.org), launching this fall. If you enjoy this episode, please like it, subscribe, consider rating it, and sharing it with family and friends. This podcast can also be found on podbean, Spotify, Apple, and other platforms. Thanks to Jim for production and Rebekah for the voice behind the scenes. This podcast is produced by McKillop; Living Sacred Relationships.  

So What? Exploring Big Ideas and Why They Matter Welcome to Episode 7 as we join Michael and Trevor from the balcony, like Statler and Waldorf from the Muppets - as they explore the last episode’s big ideas and why they matter. This week Michael and Trevor explore the amazing ideas of Stacey Madden is the founder of Mindful Somatic Wellness and a certified Somatic Movement Educator and Mind Body Therapist and of what it means to really inhabit these 'big' ideas about the body and somatics. If you enjoy this episode, please like it, subscribe, consider rating it, and sharing it with family and friends. This podcast can also be found on Podbean, Spotify, Apple, and other platforms. Thanks to Jim for production and Rebekah for the voice behind the scenes. This podcast is produced by McKillop; Living Sacred Relationships. 

So What? Exploring Big Ideas and Why They Matter Welcome to Episode 6 of ‘So What’ as Stacey Madden joins Michael and Trevor as they explore the big idea Somatics. Stacey Madden is the founder of Mindful Somatic Wellness and a certified Somatic Movement Educator and Mind Body Therapist. She specializes in helping people reconnect with their bodies, emotions, and nervous systems through curiosity and compassion—not correction. Stacey brings a grounded, trauma-informed approach to everything she does, from one-on-one sessions to international workshops. She had a blast joining So What? to talk all things somatics, nervous system care, and the magic of moving at the speed of trust. You can find more of her work at: Website: www.mindfulsomaticwellness.com YouTube: https://youtube.com/@mindfulsomaticwellness?si=42L0doJIpVh3eiUT Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/15LsdFF2bp/?mibextid=wwXIfr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulsomatics?igsh=MWU2OHphYWJ6cmR1ZQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr If you enjoy this episode, please like it, subscribe, consider rating it, and sharing it with family and friends. This podcast can also be found on podbean, Spotify, Apple, and other platforms. Thanks to Jim for production and Rebekah for the voice behind the scenes. This podcast is produced by McKillop; Living Sacred Relationships.

So What? Exploring Big Ideas and Why They Matter Welcome to Episode 5 as we join Michael and Trevor from the balcony, like Statler and Waldorf from the Muppets - as they explore the last episode’s big ideas and why they matter. This week Michael and Trevor explore the amazing ideas of author, educator, and podcaster Michael Brennan of what it means to really inhabit these 'big' ideas about inclusive love as a queer ally. If you enjoy this episode, please like it, subscribe, consider rating it, and sharing it with family and friends. This podcast can also be found on podbean, Spotify, Apple, and other platforms. Thanks to Jim for production and Rebekah for the voice behind the scenes. This podcast is produced by McKillop; Living Sacred Relationships.

So What? Exploring Big Ideas and Why They Matter Welcome to Episode 4 of So What as Michael Brennan joins Michael and Trevor as they explore the big idea of inclusive love as a queer ally. Michael is an author, educator, and podcaster passionate about amplifying voices, fostering meaningful conversations, and inspiring growth through storytelling and education.  For over 20 years, he has taught high school English, helping students find their voice and cultivate their creativity. His work explores the intersections of faith, identity, and resilience, drawing from lived experiences and a deep commitment to open and relational theology Michael writes: “I know conversations about LGBTQIA+ affirmation, faith, and theology sometimes feel heavy—especially when we’ve been told there are only two sides to the story. My hope is not to tell you what to think, but to invite you into deeper reflection about love, harm, and what faithfulness really looks like.” You can find more of HIS writing at michaeljosephbrennan.com, or subscribe to HIS Substack, Theodivergent, where he post essays, reflections, and audiobook chapters from my book Flourish: An Open and Relational Queer Theology. The book is his attempt to share how the God of love I’ve come to know is inclusive, liberating, and actively working toward the well-being of all creation—including LGBTQIA+ people. Resources for Your Own Reflection If you’re wrestling with how to think well about LGBTQIA+ affirmation, here are some resources Michael would recommend—starting with those that have helped him the most: Affirming and Life-Giving Resources: Matthew Vines, God and the Gay Christian– A careful, biblical engagement on sexual orientation and affirmation. James Brownson, Bible, Gender, Sexuality– Rigorous theological work on what Scripture actually says (and doesn’t say). Austen Hartke, Transforming: The Bible and the Lives of Transgender Christians– Beautiful, practical, and full of compassion. Keegan Osinski, Queering Wesley, Queering the Church– A fantastic exploration of how queer theology and Wesleyan theology intersect. Richard O. Prum, Performance All the Way Down. An interdisciplinary exploration of how biology and queer feminist theory intersect to challenge the traditional binary understanding of sex and gender. If you enjoy this episode, please like it, subscribe, consider rating it, and sharing it with family and friends. This podcast can also be found on podbean, Spotify, Apple, and other platforms. Thanks to Jim for production and Rebekah for the voice behind the scenes. This podcast is produced by McKillop; Living Sacred Relationships.

So What? Exploring Big Ideas and Why They Matter Welcome to Episode 3 as we join Michael and Trevor from the balcony, like Statler and Waldorf from the Muppets - as they explore the last episode’s big ideas and why they matter. This week Michael and Trevor explore the amazing ideas of Author/Activist Rivera Sun on Nonviolence from Episode 2. Views from the balcony are an exploration of what it means to really inhabit these 'big' ideas. If you enjoy this episode, please like it, subscribe, consider rating it, and sharing it with family and friends. This podcast can also be found on podbean, Spotify, Apple, and other platforms. Thanks to Jim for production and Rebekah for the voice behind the scenes. This podcast is produced by McKillop; Living Sacred Relationships.

So What? Exploring Big Ideas and Why They Matter Welcome to Episode 2 of So What as Rivera Sun joins Michael and Trevor as they explore the big idea of nonviolence. Author/Activist Rivera Sun has written numerous books and novels, including The Dandelion Insurrection and the award-winning Ari Ara Series. She is the editor of Nonviolence News and the Program Coordinator for Campaign Nonviolence. Her articles are syndicated by Peace Voice and published in hundreds of journals nationwide. Rivera Sun serves on the board of Backbone Campaign and the advisory board of World BEYOND War. www.riverasun.com Resources: Rivera Sun: https://riverasun.com/ Nonviolence News: https://nonviolencenews.org/ Campaign Nonviolence: https://paceebene.org/ 198 Methods of Nonviolent Action: https://www.aeinstein.org/198-methods-of-nonviolent-action The Success of Nonviolent Civil Resistance Tedx Talk by Erica Chenoweth: https://youtu.be/YJSehRlU34w World Beyond War: https://worldbeyondwar.org If you enjoy this episode, please like it, subscribe, consider rating it, and sharing it with family and friends. This podcast can also be found on podbean, Spotify, Apple, and other platforms. Thanks to Jim for production and Rebekah for the voice behind the scenes. This podcast is produced by McKillop; Living Sacred Relationships.

So What? Exploring Big Ideas and Why They Matter Welcome to this introductory session with Michael and Trevor as they invites us on a journey of big ideas. Join them as they talk about their mission to dig into thought-provoking ideas through diverse experiences of wisdom and voices. They bring a spacious perspective, a heap of curiosity, and a deep desires to see big ideas actually 'matter' and be embodied in real life. Let's be real - ideas can be fascinating, however if big ideas don't lead us to more love, more peace, and more beautiful connections in the world - 'so what!' If you enjoy this episode, please like it, subscribe, consider rating it, and sharing it with family and friends. This podcast can also be found on podbean, Spotify, Apple, and other platforms. Thanks to Jim for production and Rebekah for the voice behind the scenes. For the Youtube version go to: https://youtu.be/Qn7uKnl6xXk This podcast is produced by McKillop; Living Sacred Relationships.

In this episode of Audacious Living Trevor is in conversation with Dr. Rita Nakashima Brock as they discuss moral injury. Rita first explains how she came to be an expert in the field of moral injury via her personal background and educational experiences including contemplating how she could be both a christian and a feminist during graduate school. After this we learn that moral injury involves an existential shift after an event that causes us to reevaluate our conscious. It occurs in high-stakes environments and can lead to an overhaul of how we once identified ourselves. Once this outline is in place, Trevor and Rita discuss some real-world examples of things that lead to moral injury such as war and hate crimes. They also reveal the ways in which COVID-19 has lead to collective moral injury. Then, we learn about ways to treat and work through moral injury paired with a conversation on the effectiveness of treating moral injury. We learn that silence and listening are powerful tools for healing. Throughout the conversation there are also moments of deep wisdom such as the reflection that moral injury can lead to an existential solitary confinement, and that self-care helps us to be well in relation to others.  We are confident that this episode has something for everyone! ------------------------- Dr. Rita Nakashima Brock is Senior Vice President and Director of the Shay Moral Injury Center at Volunteers of America. She leads the organization’s efforts to deepen understanding about moral injury in the many populations who experience it. Dr. Brock was the Founding Director of the Soul Repair Center at Brite Divinity School, Texas Christian University, where she also was a Research Professor of Theology and Culture. She is co-author of Soul Repair: Recovering from Moral Injury after War, Beacon Press, 2012, and Proverbs of Ashes: Violence, Redemptive Suffering and the Search for What Saves Us, Beacon Press, 2001. She is a leading national expert on moral injury in combat veterans and has offered trainings for VA mental health providers, for professional chaplains, and for veterans and their families. To learn more about Dr. Brock and listen to her speak about Moral Injury and Soul Repair, please visit: https://www.voa.org/dr-rita-brock   Trevor is from McKillop United Church in Lethbridge, AB. To learn more about McKillop please visit: www.facebook.com/mckillopunited

Themes of wildness, wilderness, and silence are examined from various angles in our 11th episode of the Audacious Living podcast! In this episode our host, Trevor, interviews Kevin Johnson; a self-proclaimed "recovering academic" and host of the Encountering Silence podcast.  In this informative 85 min episode we discover how a "feral childhood" pulled Kevin into a lifetime of deeply engaging with the world. Seeking silence is one way in which this deep engagement can happen. Why silence? Listen to this episode to hear all about it including some practical advice on how to add an essence of wildness, wilderness, and silence into your own life.    ------------------   Kevin M. Johnson is a teacher, writer, public speaker, and retreat director who often finds himself crossing boundaries into liminal spaces.  A university professor, he jokingly refers to himself as “a recovering academic” who teaches online and in various settings outside the university.  Trained in religious and philosophical thinking and research, he often engages in teaching and lecturing in corporate and professional environments.  His writing appears at the online blogs Daily Theology and Patheos as well as on his own web site at his web site called The End of Words at www.kevinmichaeljohnson.com.   Trevor is from McKillop United Church in Lethbridge, Alberta. To learn more about McKillop please visit www.facebook.com/mckillopunited

In this episode of the Audacious Living podcast Trevor interviews Chinook Regional Hospital E.R. Physician, Dr. Sean Wilde. Sean discusses the waves of the pandemic so far, and offers insights into what it is like on the 'visible' side of COVID-19. He also brings up some interesting points about the effectiveness of government messaging throughout the pandemic and reflects on the impact of the messaging that has been used. Throughout this 68 min episode you will find yourself immersed in a timely discussion that promises to have you reflect on the pandemic so far and leave you renewed with the idea that, as Sean puts it, "we must show compassion without diluting a message of truth."  Thanks for listening! -------------------- Dr. Sean Wilde grew up in rural Alberta, and throughout his life has lived in multiple different communities within the province. Sean attended the University of Lethbridge where he received a Bachelor's degree in biochemistry - and met his wife. He spent a few years working in various biomedical research facilities at the University of Calgary before deciding to pursue medical school. Sean obtained his medical degree at the University of Calgary and completed a family medicine residency training program based out of southern Alberta. He then went on to complete an extra year of specialized emergency medicine training and has now been working in the Lethbridge emergency department for 9 years. Sean lives with his family in Lethbridge, including three teenage children. He enjoys cycling through a variety of hobbies and recreational activities including skiing, hiking, writing, woodworking, electronics tinkering and board gaming, some of which he is okay at - and others at which he is not.   Blog -  wildeandrandom.ca  Twitter - https://twitter.com/docseanw?lang=en   Trevor is from McKillop United in Lethbridge, Alberta. You can learn more about McKillop by visiting www.facebook.com/mckillopunited 

In this second part of our two part series with Diane Strickland, Trevor and Dianne continue to discuss trauma.  Diane explains that trauma can come from all sorts of places and talks about how shared trauma, like a pandemic, can lead to inclusivity becoming sidelined.  Diane has created a six-part framework for cultivating awareness in yourself, this framework can take us through being trauma informed people and into becoming trauma responsive.  The framework includes: safety, trustworthiness, choice, collaboration, empowerment, and awareness.  Please listen along as this 75min episode is one that don't want to miss! _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Diane Strickland is in her 33rd year as an ordained minister now serving in The United Church of Canada as retired clergy, providing trauma informed support in complex human situations of natural and unnatural disasters. She is a Certified Community and Workplace Traumatologist, Compassion Fatigue Specialist-Therapist, Critical Incident Responder, and an author and creator of Trauma Informed Resources, including Trauma Informed Ministry, A Primer for Ministers and Ministries. For more information on workshops, resources and personal support, contact her at yourstoryissafehere@yahoo.com   Trevor is from McKillop United Church in Lethbridge, AB. You can learn more about McKillop by visiting www.facebook.com/mckillopunited

In this episode Trevor is in conversation with trauma specialist and retired clergy Diane Strickland. Together they discuss what trauma is, what we are facing collectively during this pandemic, how our unsure futures have lead to anxiety, and much more.    This hour-long episode is packed full of knowledge and things to ponder! We hope you'll enjoy it and that you'll come back soon to take in part two of our conversation with Diane Strickland!   Diane Strickland is in her 33rd year as an ordained minister now serving in The United Church of Canada as retired clergy, providing trauma informed support in complex human situations of natural and unnatural disasters. She is a Certified Community and Workplace Traumatologist, Compassion Fatigue Specialist-Therapist, Critical Incident Responder, and an author and creator of Trauma Informed Resources, including Trauma Informed Ministry, A Primer for Ministers and Ministries. For more information on workshops, resources and personal support, contact her at yourstoryissafehere@yahoo.com   Trevor is from McKillop United Church in Lethbridge, AB. You can learn more about McKillop by visiting www.facebook.com/mckillopunited

  Shawn Sanford Beck is an Anglican Priest ("The Green Priest"), a Christian Druid, and this week's guest on the Audacious Living Podcast! Have you ever wondered what it was like to live as a homesteader - off the grid? For the past 7 years, Shawn has lived off the land in Saskatchewan! During this episode, Trevor and Shawn discuss this lifestyle, what Christian Animism means, and what our world could look like if we treated all parts of the earth like sentient beings with something to teach us.  This episode promises to challenge some existing views and fuel lots of fuel for thought! We hope you'll enjoy it!  During the time this episode was recorded Shawn was beginning the process of transitioning back into a city lifestyle as he took on a new role as a student recruitment officer for St. Andrew's College.  Shawn is the author of Christian Animism - to read more about him please visit: https://ecosophian.wordpress.com/ Trevor is from McKillop United Church in Lethbridge, Alberta. To learn more about McKillop please visit: www.facebook.com/mckillopunited    

In this third and final conversation between Trevor and Dr. Lerita Coleman Brown we hear about the wisdom of Howard Therman, who was a spiritual advisor to Martin Luther King Jr.  While using quotes and anecdotes, Lerita uncovers what it looks like to get in touch with a part of yourself that is 'genuine,' from there she and Trevor weave through a conversation about contemplative spirituality and the power of forgiveness before discussing how we as people can tackle some of the major challenges that life throws our way! Listen in, get curious, and be prepared to absorb moments of hope and resiliency in this latest episode of the Audacious Living Podcast!   This episode builds upon the previous two, and we recommend watching them in order if you can! The first discusses spiritual identity and the second discusses spiritual practices.   To learn more about Dr. Coleman Brown please visit: peaceforhearts.com   Lerita Coleman Brown, PhD  has a forthcoming book, What Makes You Come Alive: A Spiritual Pilgrimage with Howard Thurman will be published by Broadleaf Press and released next Spring, 2023.   Trevor is from McKillop United Church in Lethbridge, Alberta. To learn more about McKillop please visit www.facebook.com/mckillopunited  

In part two of this three-part series, we hear more from Dr. Lerita Coleman Brown. This 78min episode seems to fly by as she discusses what spiritual practices look like to her! Listen in as she reflects on what spiritual practices are and how they take discipline to keep up with.  This episode builds upon the discussion from last week's episode so we highly recommend taking that one in before listening to this one.  The wisdom that Dr. Coleman Brown draws upon from the life and teachings of Howard Therman makes this episode even more impactful!   To learn more about Dr. Coleman Brown please visit: peaceforhearts.com   Lerita Coleman Brown, PhD  has a forthcoming book, What Makes You Come Alive: A Spiritual Pilgrimage with Howard Thurman will be published by Broadleaf Press and released next Spring, 2023.   Trevor is from McKillop United Church in Lethbridge, Alberta. To learn more about McKillop United visit: www.facebook.com/mckillopunited  

Dr. Lerita Coleman Brown knows in her heart what resiliency means - literally!  In this episode, Trevor has a discussion with Dr. Coleman Brown, who is the author of "When the Heart Speaks, Listen," former psychology professor, author of the "Peace for Hearts" blog, and Howard Therman expert. This is part one of a three-part series of conversations with Dr. Coleman Brown.  In this part they discuss what it was like to connect with yourself post-transplant, what it is like to confront your mortality during a long hospital stay, and how to build resiliency by not asking yourself "why me?" and instead "why not me?" Part two of this series will be released on Wednesday August 4th!   To learn more about Dr. Coleman Brown please visit: peaceforhearts.com   Lerita Coleman Brown, PhD  has a forthcoming book, What Makes You Come Alive: A Spiritual Pilgrimage with Howard Thurman will be published by Broadleaf Press and released next Spring, 2023.   Trevor is from McKillop United Church in Lethbridge, Alberta, to learn more about McKillop please visit www.facebook.com/mckillopunited

In this episode, Trevor interviews Rev. David Robertson from High River United Church. The COVID-19 pandemic isn't the first crisis David has experienced in his time as a minister. In June of 2013 High River experienced 325mm of rain in less than 48 hours. The vulnerability and resiliency that David experienced during the aftermath of the flood is the same vulnerability and resiliency that he utilizes when approaching the COVID crisis. This episode was filmed over a year ago and the discussion could not be more relevant to the world we live in today!  Over the course of this 90min episode, David shares an abundance of wisdom including that "before we get to hope we need to come alongside our vulnerability and name it for what it is." He talks about gratitude, his writing practice, hesed (the Hebrew word for unconditional loving-kindness), and play!    David and his partner have been the ministerial team at High River United Church for over 25 years. David is a student of Dr. Gordon Neufeldt. You can read David's staff bio from the High River United Church website here: https://www.highriverunitedchurch.org/about/staff    Trevor is from McKillop United Church in Lethbridge, Alberta. You can learn more about McKillop United by visiting www.facebook.com/mckillopunited