The Willing Fool

In The Willing Fool podcast, we ask questions and seek answers about the biggest questions of life and discuss things that you care about but might not feel safe to say out loud. We consider this search for wisdom a sacred journey that we can take together. Check out a sneak preview of what we'll cover in Season 1 of The Willing Fool:--liminal space--when you feel out of place or  "between two worlds"--sources of wisdom inside you--our search for "the way" to live--how we can get bogged down in religious terms (or avoiding them) and what we can do about it--shared interests and language for people of faith and open searchers--what is the meaning of life and what's most important in life--what is the nature of the universe/reality--what is the nature of a human and how should I treat myself and othersSupport the show

In this episode, we discuss what it feels like to find yourself in a liminal space--not quite belonging to any group in particular. It turns out that there are many more people in that space with us than we may realize, and that there are unique opportunities and lessons that come from being in a liminal space, if we are willing to journey honorably, openly, and authentically to discover them.Support the show

We don't all agree on the answers of life, but we do seem to agree that there is a way to be, a way to live, that is better and more admirable, than other choices. This is one of the deep bonds that connects us, and shines light on the nature of reality. We explore how this search for "the way" plays out in real life, and how it can connect us in common cause and language.Support the show

What's in a name? We need words, categories, and labels to help us think and speak, but what happens when the categories and labels make it harder to think and communicate? In this episode, we explore how some of our well worn words can stymie our journey and tie up our attempts at deep communication into knots, especially when it comes to sensitive and important topics like the meaning of life. Is there any reason to hope we can find a way around the curse of language?Support the show

In this episode, we ask the question "What kind of being is a human?" What is the shape or nature of a person? We query some of our deepest inner senses, and compare them to the alternatives explanations of life to consider which match and why. We also take a peek at a fascinating corner of psychology--the idea of "inner selves" within us that we communicate and negotiate with, in respect and compassion, in pursuit of being a fully integrated person.Support the show

In this episode, we consider the idea that the religious or spiritual is the opposite of the natural and everyday. It's so embedded in our psyche that it often goes unchallenged and unnoticed. But what if the reality is cosmically better than that? There really is a better alternative, that's worth considering deeply, as all manner of new possibilities open up when we do.Support the show

In the search for purpose and the meaning of life, we often fail to look to one of the most important sources of wisdom--the wisdom hidden deep within ourselves. Join us for a thought experiment that will reveal what you already know deep down inside.Support the show

Polarization gets a lot of attention these days--but what is the antidote? We explore the necessary yin and yang of being conservative and being change oriented. What is the proper aim of someone seeking to be a Willing Fool?Support the show

In this episode, we explore what kind of place we find ourselves in--what is the universe like? It's the kind of question that's so deep, it can often go unexamined and unanswered. Of the four alternative explanations of reality we discuss, one is perhaps the most overlooked, and yet also perhaps the most compelling and helpful for understanding the meaning and nature of life. Support the show

Whether you are in a community of faith or not, you may have unknowingly made assumptions about how and why you believe (or don't). In this episode, the first of Season 2, we discuss some of the invisible limits or barriers we may have when it comes to belief, as well as some limits and checks that may be wise and helpful to choose in your faith journey.Support the show

People of faith have often tried to love God by guarding his honor, but when does honor guarding go too far? Loving also includes listening intently and carefully--something it is all too easy to overlook. Jesus and his first followers presented the message of a great story unfolding in real time, and this is the message we should listen intently to, whether we believe or not. Support the show

In this episode, we'll look at a seemingly bizarre statement from Jesus that causes careful seekers of wisdom to tune in as intently as possible. And we consider how we might handle a transformational message versus the counterintuitive way that Jesus did.Support the show

If we're listening well, we hear things that might otherwise be missed--this can be the difference between wisdom and ignorance. In this episode, we look at a sampler of times where scripture is rife with hints and echoes that carry meaning--and if we miss them, we risk not seeing the picture before us.Support the show

We continue looking at the pattern of hints and echoes dropped by the writer of the gospel of Mark, learning to discern what is being said without being said. The stage is set for looking at the granddaddy of these example texts, which we may have drastically misunderstood for generations--obscuring so much of the main message and meaning.Support the show

In this episode, we read a crucial message from Jesus and ask if we have been misreading and misinterpreting it for generations. Listening with open ears and an open mind allows us to hold our assumptions in check as we investigate evidence that may unlock a new understanding and meaning.Support the show

We wrap up the discussion about whether we have misunderstood a crucial message of Jesus, and why it matters.Support the show

In this final episode of Season 2, we highlight some of the key differences between the two ways of understanding the words of Jesus in Mark 13. How well we will listen may determine not just our interpretation, but the shape of our lives and communities as well.Support the show

Kicking off Season 3, in this episode we ask if the reason we see so much in church that we'd rather not see, is not in spite of  what we believe about God and the message of the Bible, but because of  what we believe about God and the message of the Bible. If that's the case, then a serious re-examination and re-evaluation are long overdue.Support the show

Have you ever heard of the ancient sea monsters in the Bible? If not, you're missing out, so listen to this episode, where we discuss how we can handle things that seem so weird or foreign to us that we read about. How we choose to do so can make an enormous difference in how we see God, ourselves, and the message of the scriptures. This is a fun test case. Support the show

For most people growing up in church, the only real meaning the first chapters of Genesis have is to show us how bad or disobedient we are, or how we got saddled with this sin problem. But there's much more to the story, and discovering it brings new light (and new encouragement) to how we might see God, ourselves, and the Story. Support the show