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© Mike Creamer
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Some close friends of mine sometimes ask me questions about the Bible or theology, and after a 10-15 minute monologue they say, "Hey, we weren't ready for a PBS special Mike... can you wrap this up." It's become a running joke, and so I figured maybe I'd start this up. I know a lot of people are interested in some of the books and authors that I am interested in, but often don't have the time or energy to dive into a 200 page read. Sometimes they just want a summary. So this is me reflecting on what I'm reading or thinking about. I hope you find something that resonates with you!
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I've been enjoying Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer, and wanted to spend some time talking about the overarching theme/scope of this book. In this season of Lent, the first quote (and title of this episode) felt especially appropriate.
This is a sermon deep dive that is less of a deep dive and more of a "Behind the scenes commentary" because this sermon didn't get recorded, but I didn't want to pretend to preach it to you all. So tune in and let's talk about it!
Just a casual episode discussing the cosmos and the mystery of God--ya know, the simple stuff.
Join me for a bit of a nerd out about some of my favorite passages of Scripture and what I think is the lynchpin in our perception of our relationship with God!
Check out this discussion of the first few chapters of "Curveball" by Pete Enns.
This is the first official "State of the Union (podcast)" where I update you on current happenings and what is on the horizon. Nothing too special here, but this is a brief update about what's coming up!
One of my favorite pieces of writing (of course, by Lewis), and I'm sure I have mentioned it in passing before. But here is the entire essay Lewis wrote in God in the Dock about his musings in a toolshed one day. They have to do with reality, our observation of it, and our experience it. I hope you enjoy it!
In this book, Rohr makes some observations about the spiritual truths of the 12 step program and how they overlap with the Truth of the Gospel. His thesis is that all human beings are addicts, but that most of us don't know what it is we're addicted to because it isn't as clear or physical as other addictions can manifest themselves to be. I hope you are challenged by some of the ideas he lays out here.
What do Walt Whitman, Ted Lasso, G.K. Chesterton, and Mr. Rodgers have in common? Curiosity.
Feeding the 5,000 was one of the most memorable miracles Jesus performed, even more so than raising people from the dead. That's pretty strange when you think about it. What is it about feeding people that made it so significant? Is there more going on here?
What makes a good story? Which stories do you keep returning to? Why?
"The heart is deceitful above all things. Who can know it?" This is a passage from Jeremiah that most people have heard, Christian or not. But what does it actually mean, and what does it imply about our faith?
Looking ahead for what the podcast will look like in 2023, this episode is a bit of a recap of what's been happening the last few months for me personally while giving some insight into what my goal is moving forward.
After 61 episodes, we have finally made it to the final chapters of this wonder book. I hope you were able to stick through to the end!
Finally, after 60 episodes, we have gotten to the chapter I've wanted to discuss all along. In these two chapters, Lewis discusses some of the most controversial parts of Church history (and more specifically the Protestant Reformation). First, the details and doctrines of Communion/the Eucharist/The Lord's Table. And second, the theological notion of Purgatory. I didn't realize this episode went over an hour, but in some sense it had to. I hope it opens up some new avenues for you to think about.
All things can point us toward God, so long as we put them in their proper places. Adoration is different from gratitude, but both are necessary parts of our prayers. Dive into this episode as we get one step closer to completing Letters to Malcolm!
Where do you feel most connected to God? Here are a few quick thoughts about an old Celtic idea about experience of the Divine.
Karl Barth is one of the most significant theologians of the 20th century and has impacted the way that most if not all Protestants think about their theology (whether they know it or not). This is a little taste of Barth's famous behemoth of a work, Church Dogmatics, and in this chapter titled "The Task (of Dogmatics)" he lays out what Dogmatics are, and why we must do engage with them. Listen in and let me know what you think!
These two chapters are some of my favorite by Lewis (shocker), and the reason being that here is where Lewis tries to uncover what the true aim of prayer is and what gets in the way of it. Spoiler Alert: It's us, not God.
We're going for it today--three chapters in one episode! How do you make sense of the promise in Scripture, "Ask and you'll receive"? Does it seem accurate to you? Lewis has some thoughts to share about it and the problems it raises for those who take life and the witness of Scripture seriously.
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