For the last several months Ray has been working on a new project, The Mundane Revolution. The Mundane Revolution is a documentary-style podcast with original music where Ray will be focusing on reimagining a better world. This project is an outgrowth of Beyond the Box. So, no need to fear – Beyond the Box isn’t […]
Join Ray for a conversation with John Dear – peace activist, author, theologian, Catholic priest, and all-around amazing man! John has worked in homeless shelters, soup kitchens, and community centers; traveled in warzones around the world, including Iraq, Palestine, Nicaragua, Afghanistan, India, and Colombia; lived in El Salvador, Guatemala and Northern Ireland; been arrested over […]
Here it is – the second episode from the BtB Gathering 2014 in Nashville, TN! This episode was recorded at the first ever BtB Gathering, where we were joined by wonderful people from all over the US and Canada. It was three days filled with great conversations and virtual friendships finding connection in the physical […]
Here it is – the first episode from the BtB Gathering 2014 in Nashville, TN! This episode was recorded at the first ever BtB Gathering, where we were joined by wonderful people from all over the US and Canada. It was three days filled with great conversations and virtual friendships finding connection in the physical […]
Why is it so common for some to desire to exert control over others? In this conversation, Steve and Ray talk about control and the many manifestations it makes within the context of Christianity and religion. Prompted by a video (visit the website to view) of a church service that has been making the rounds […]
In this episode Ray is joined by Jim Douglass for a riveting recollection of a life lived for peace and justice in the way of Jesus. James W. Douglass is a longtime peace activist, theologian, and writer. He and his wife Shelley are co-founders of the Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action in WA state, […]
What do the assassinations of Gandhi, John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Robert Kennedy have to teach us today? Is there a thread that runs through the lives and deaths of these well-known victims of assassination? These are the questions that Jim Douglass has been asking through his eye-opening series of […]
In the (now almost) 6 years of the Beyond the Box Podcast, and in the years of personal conversation between Ray and Steve prior to the launch of BtB, one thing has stayed very consistent: A pursuit of meaningful and healthy expressions of faith in authentic relationships outside the institution or religion. In the evolution […]
UNITY. This seems to be a real buzz word in the Body of Christ, but seldom do we achieve it. What is unity? Does unity mean that we must all agree and affirm the same doctrines? Or, does unity mean that we must all lay aside our distinctive beliefs in an effort to not offend […]
In this episode Ray is joined by Jim Palmer for an exhilarating discussion about spirituality, suffering, and being human. Jim has a knack for making otherwise ethereal, spiritual concepts feel both meaningful and practical. He believes that the spiritual life is something to be embraced by everyone instead of a gift reserved for gurus and […]
The Chicken Manure Incident – It was supposed to be a quick and dirty solution. Early in the morning on June 4, 2013, workers from the City of Abbotsford, BC pulled up to a homeless camp on the side of the road and dumped a truckload of chicken manure on the site. Intended as a […]
In this episode Ray is joined by author and fellow “Beyond the Boxer”, Jamie Arpin-Ricci, for a discussion about intentional community, issues of justice, Francis of Assisi, and his book The Cost of Community. Join us as we chat about living in community, radical hospitality, co-housing, “shoulds”, and a lot more! Check out Jamie’s book […]
Prompted by a suggestion from listener Joshua, Steve and Ray fire up a discussion about Panentheism and whether or not it could be a helpful idea in our journey with God. Panentheism is to not to be confused with Pantheism (the belief that creation itself is God), but rather is the idea that the entirety […]
It’s our first ever Groupcast! Groupcast is a new Beyond the Box feature that’s all about listening to and interacting with you, in order to explore life in Christ within the context of community. Speaking of community, in this first installment of Groupcast, that’s exactly what we talk about. Community – What does it mean? […]
In this episode, Ray is excited to be joined by Dr. Lee C. Camp for a discussion about his book Who Is My Enemy?, and the power of nonviolence to act as an apologetic for Jesus as the Messiah. Join us as we talk about double vision, the politics of Jesus, and the idolatrous nature […]
In this episode Shane Hipps joins Ray for a conversation about his book Selling Water by the River: A Book About the Life Jesus Promised and the Religion That Gets in the Way. Why is it that Christians feel we have the corner on God? Why do we protect the Kingdom like a guard instead […]
July 6, 2013 marked five years since Ray and Steve uploaded their first episode of Beyond the Box! And shortly before the anniversary of their first episode, Ray and Steve spent about 2-1/2 hours recapping some of the journey to this point. Filled with classic Beyond the Box style and humor, including the revival of […]
In early May, Steve traveled to Pennsylvania and decided to moderate a roundtable discussion with several friends of the podcast, including some former guests of the podcast and some new ones as well. The discussion, while a typical Beyond the Box exercise in rabbit trails, launches from the starting point of discussing the potential impact […]
Here is a great discussion with the insightful, charming, and witty Phyllis Tickle! Join Ray and Phyllis as they discuss Phyllis’ most recent book, Emergence Christianity. Strap yourself in as Phyllis takes us on a whirlwind tour of 2000 years of Church history, demonstrating how seemingly unrelated events have worked together to generate the spiritual […]
Join Ray as he talks with Anthony Bartlett about his book Virtually Christian. The good news is even better than we thought! Tony helps us understand that Jesus is about the business of actually changing what it means to be human in the here and now. More than preparing us for a transfer to a […]