Faith Seeking Understanding: A Podcast on Christian Faith and 21st Century Life
By Allan R. Bevere
Calmly Considered: Whose History Is It Anyway?
On this episode of "Calmly Considered," Michael and Allan discuss the telling of history, its selectivity, and why it appears some are attempting to erase certain portions from our collective memory.
Calmly Considered: Staying Sane in the Age of Trump
Michael and Allan discuss the kakistocracy of the Trump Administration, and how to take care of ourselves and stay rational in this time.
Calmly Considered: Year in Review 2024, Ahead to 2025
In the last episode of 2024, Michael and Allan review the events of 2024, and look ahead to 2025.
Believing Is Seeing: Does Doctrine Matter?
Does doctrine matter or is it beside the point of faithful Christian living?
In this episode of "Believing Is Seeing," Allan interviews Dr. Beth Felker Jones, Professor of Theology at Northern Seminary in Lisle, Illinois. She is the author of the book, Practicing Christian Doctrine: An Introduction to Thinking and Living Theologically.
Calmly Considered: The Electoral College and Election Predictions
In this episode of "Calmly Considered," Michael and Allan discuss the Electoral College and whether it continues to be relevant, and they offer their predictions on Election 2024.
Believing Is Seeing: Living in Ordinary Time
On this episode of "Believing Is Seeing," Allan interviews Sarah Wells on her book, Ordinary Time: Meditations from the In-Between.
More information can be found on Sarah's website.
Her full list of publication are found on her Amazon author page.
Calmly Considered: Is Democracy in Trouble?
Authoritarianism is on the rise globally, and more and more people are supporting authoritarian minded leaders. Michael and Allan discuss whether or not democracy is in trouble in America.
Calmly Considered: The Decline of the Church
In this episode Michael and Allan discuss the decline of the church in the West. What are the challenges the church faces in a post-industrial and ever-increasing secular society?
Courageous Conversations: Seeking Justice in the Justice System
In Felecia Marshall's book, Grant Me Justice, she tells the story of the murder of her daughter and the frustration of dealing with the justice system as she sought justice for her child.
Felecia's web page: https://www.feleciamarshall.com/
She is the founder of https://www.grantmejustice.org/
Believing Is Seeing: Can a Scientist Believe in the Resurrection?
On this episode of Believing Is Seeing, we ask theologian and astrophysicist, Rev. Professor David Wilkinson about his Christian faith and whether the belief in a bodily raised Jesus is credible in the twenty-first century. David has two Ph.Ds: one in astrophysics and the other in systematic theology.
David Wilkinson is Director of Equipping Christian Leadership in an Age of Science (ECLAS), an international project based at St John’s College, Durham University, U.K. in which Cranmer Hall is situated. He is also a Professor in the Department of Theology and Religion.
Calmly Considered: The Silver Tsunami
On this episode of "Calmly Considered," Michael and Allan discuss the "silver tsunami," the wave of older adults growing across the world. What are the challenges of the silver tsunami? The opportunities? Is the language of silver tsunami derogatory? Michael and Allan ponder the questions.
Calmly Considered: Why Ukraine Matters
On this episode of "Calmly Considered," Michael and Allan discuss the continuing saga of Ukraine and why it matters to the United States and the rest of the world.
The Wesleyan Way: Our Holiness Heritage
On this episode of "The Wesleyan Way," we interview Rev. Craig L. Adams, retired United Methodist pastor who is the keeper of the Wesleyan Holiness Heritage Facebook group. Craig discusses the holiness roots and heritage of United Methodism.
Believing Is Seeing: Speaking Christian in Today's World
On this episode of "Believing Is Seeing," Allan interviews Rev. Dr. Joy Moore, an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church, and Professor of Biblical Preaching at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. They discuss how Christians can speak distinctively on moral issues in today's society.
Calmly Considered: The Year in Review 2023
In the final episode of 2023, Michael and Allan review 2023 and look to 2024.
Word Revisited: The Apostle Paul-- Follower of Jesus or Founder of Christianity?
Calmly Considered: The Israeli Palestinian Conflict
On this episode of "Calmly Considered," Michael and Allan discuss the perennial tragedy of the Israeli Palestinian conflict.
Believing Is Seeing: Is God All Powerful?
On this episode of "Believing Is Seeing," I interview Thomas Jay Oord on his book, The Death of Omnipotence and Birth of Amipotence, where he challenges the belief that the Bible teaches that God is omnipotent, that is all-powerful.
Oord directs a doctoral program at Northwind Theological Seminary and directs the Center for Open and Relational Theology. More information on ORT can be found at Tom's website. https://thomasjayoord.com/
Calmly Considered: Does Character Count? Does Virtue Matter?
On this episode of "Calmly Considered," Michael and Allan explore why it appears that American society has jettisoned the importance of character and virtue for leadership, particularly in the realm of politics. Does character really count? Does virtue really matter?
Believing Is Seeing: Christian Faith and Extraterrestrial Intelligence
On this episode of "Believing Is Seeing," Allan converses with the Reverend Professor David Wilkinson, Professor and Principal of St. John's College in the Department of Theology and Religion at the University of Durham, U.K. Dr. Wilkinson has two Ph.Ds, one in astrophysics and the other in systematic theology. They discuss the possibility of extraterrestrial intelligence and what its existence might mean for the truth of Christianity.
Wilkinson's publications can be found here.
A Prophet with Honor: Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Legacy (Episode 15)
On this final episode of "A Prophet with Honor," Pidge and Allan ponder Dietrich's legacy and how it informs discipleship in the 21st century.
Calmly Considered: The Supreme Court-- Guardians of the Constitution or Judicial Legislators?
On this episode of "Calmly Considered" Michael and Allan discuss the Supreme Court of the United States: its history, development and its politicization by politicians throughout the decades.
A Prophet with Honor: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Scripture (Episode 14)
On this episode of "A Prophet with Honor," Pidge and Allan discuss Dietrich's understanding of the nature of the Bible and how he used it in his theological reflection.
A Prophet with Honor: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Life Together (Episode 13)
On this episode of "A Prophet with Honor," Pidge and Allan reflect upon Dietrich's understanding of the church formed largely by his time with the underground seminary which resulted in his book Life Together.
A Prophet with Honor: Dietrich Bonhoeffer-- Who Is Christ for Us Today? (Episode 12)
Who is Christ for us today? That is the central question in Dietrich's theology. In episode 12, Pidge and Allan reflect upon Bonhoeffer's understanding of Jesus not as an abstract doctrine, but as one who calls his disciples to follow in his way of life, death, and resurrection.
A Prophet with Honor: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Cost of Discipleship (Episode 11)
On episode 11 of "A Prophet with Honor," Bonhoeffer's book, The Cost of Discipleship is highlighted. Originally lectures he taught at the underground seminary, this book reveals how seriously Dietrich took Jesus' call to discipleship and faithful obedience. "When Christ calls a man, he bids him to come and die."
Calmly Considered: Managing Tensions, Or How to Keep from Making Stupid Arguments
On this episode of "Calmly Considered," Michael and Allan discuss the importance of polarity management, a way of viewing tensions not as either/or problems to be solved, but both/and tensions to be managed. When tensions are turned into problems as is so often the case in today's politics, stupidity reigns supreme and solutions remain elusive.
A Prophet with Honor: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Letters and Papers from Prison (Episode 10)
In this episode of "A Prophet with Honor," Pidge and Allan discuss the book, Letters and Papers from Prison which is a compilation of Dietrich's correspondence (published posthumously) while under arrest by the Nazis. These writings reveal a deeply personal side of Bonhoeffer as well as his deep reflections on faith and suffering.
A Prophet with Honor: Bonhoeffer the Assassin? (Episode 9)
It is generally believed that Dietrich Bonhoeffer was involved in a plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler. He certainly knew of plots, but did he in some way participate in the planning? Pidge and Allan discuss the matter.
A Prophet with Honor: Dietrich Bonhoeffer on Stupidity (Episode 8)
In his Letters and Papers from Prison, Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes, "Never again will we try to persuade the stupid person with reasons, for it is senseless and dangerous." What does Bonhoeffer mean by "stupidity?" Is he referring to those who lack intelligence or is it something more complicated? Who is he referring to in his context of Nazi Germany? Pidge and Allan discuss the matter.
A Prophet with Honor: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Confessing Church (Episode 7)
The Confessing Church was formed in Germany in May 1934 as an alternative to the German Nationalist Church which was complicit with Nazism. Dietrich would play a key role in its formation and work.
A Prophet with Honor: Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Harlem (Episode 6)
In 1930, Dietrich spends a year in New York City. He spends time in Harlem with the black community there. One of the shocking incidents that happens to Bonhoeffer is that one night he and an African American friend are refused service at a restaurant because of his friend's skin color. Bonhoeffer cannot fathom this.
In this episode of A Prophet with Honor, Pidge and Allan reflect on Dietrich's time in Harlem and how it transformed his life and theology.
Calmly Considered: A Discussion on Deconstruction
On this episode of Calmly Considered, Michael and Allan discuss deconstruction particularly as it relates to religion and faith. What is deconstruction? Is it new or something that's been around for a long time? Is deconstruction present in the Bible? Was Jesus a deconstructionist?
A Prophet with Honor: Dietrich Bonhoeffer in America (Episode 5)
In 1930, Dietrich comes to the United States for a year of study at Union Theological Seminary in New York. It will be a formative experience that he will take back to Germany.
In episode five of fifteen, Pidge and Allan reflect on Bonhoeffer’s transformative experience in America.
Courageous Conversations: Immigration, the Bible, and Current Realities
On this episode of Courageous Conversations, we interview Christy Staats of the National Immigration Forum. We discuss the current situation at the border between the United States and Mexico and separate fact from fiction. Christy also offers a Christian perspective on immigration and how the followers of Jesus can respond to those seeking asylum.
A Prophet with Honor: Dietrich Bonhoeffer - 1938-1945 (Episode 4)
In 1939, Dietrich Bonhoeffer travels to New York for a second time hoping to avoid being drafted into the German army. When he arrives, he immediately begins to regret it, feeling he has abandoned his friends and the cause of the resistance. Six weeks later, he returns to Germany to continue the struggle.
Episode four of A Prophet with Honor, looks at Dietrich Bonhoeffer's life as a secret agent for the resistance until his imprisonment and execution.
A Prophet with Honor: Dietrich Bonhoeffer - 1933-1937 (Episode 3)
In January 1933, Adolf Hitler is made Chancellor of Germany. Two days later, while Dietrich is giving a radio address critical of the Nazis, the broadcast is taken off the air and Bonhoeffer has a direct encounter with Hitler's fascism.
On episode three of A Prophet with Honor, Allan and Pidge highlight the important events of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's life from 1933-1937.
A Prophet with Honor: Dietrich Bonhoeffer - 1906-1932 (Episode 2)
On April 1, 1933, the Nazis proclaimed a boycott of Jewish businesses in Germany in an attempt to intimidate German Jews and discourage others from doing business with Jews. The morning of April 1st, Dietrich's 91 year old grandmother, Julie went into town passing Nazi guards entering a Jewish owned department store and purchasing what she desired. She said, "No one is going to tell where I can and cannot shop."
In the second of fifteen episodes on Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Allan and Pidge converse over the important details of Dietrich's Life from his birth in 1906 to the eve of Hitler's rise to power in Germany.
Calmly Considered: The Mainstream Media-- Purveyors of Truth or Peddlers of Propaganda?
A Prophet with Honor: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Post World War I Germany (Episode 1)
In this first of fifteen episodes on the life and witness of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Allan and Dr. Pidge Bannin discuss the reasons for the rise of Hitler and the Nazis after the First World War (1914-1918), and why Bonhoeffer was able to recognize the threat while many other Christians were not.
Word Revisited: Major Matters on the Minor Prophets
On this episode of Word Revisited, Allan interviews Dr. David W. Baker, Professor of Old Testament and Semitic Languages at Ashland Theological Seminary in Ashland, Ohio. The conversation centers around the minor prophets. Why are they referred to as minor? What are the major themes of these twelve preachers? What is their relevance for us today?
Dr. Baker is the author and editor of numerous books on the Old Testament which can be found on his Amazon author page.
The Wesleyan Way: Active Faith and Resisting Dangerous Ideologies
On the episode of The Wesleyan Way, Allan interviews Paul Chilcote, Wesleyan historian and theologian on how a Wesleyan theological perspective can help us avoid the dangerous ideologies of legalism, nationalism, dispensationalism, and antinomianism.
Calmly Considered: Global Population-- Will It Become Standing Room Only?
On this episode of Calmly Considered, Michael and Allan discuss the growing global population, its implications for the future and why it's important for the followers of Jesus.
Believing Is Seeing: The Character of Virtue-- A Conversation with Stanley Hauerwas
On this episode of "Seeing Is Believing," Allan interviews Stanley Hauerwas on his book, The Character of Virtue: Letters to a Godson. Among the topics discussed, Stanley wonders if Protestantism still makes sense, and he asks Allan why he remains a United Methodist.
Calmly Considered: Does Social Security Have a Future?
On this episode of Calmly Considered, Michael and Allan discuss the sustainability of Social Security and the necessity of seeking the common good.
The Wesleyan Way: Revival-- Real or Ridiculous?
On this episode of The Wesleyan Way, Allan interviews Rev. Dr. Ben Witherington III on the phenomenon of religious revival and specifically the 2023 awakening taking place at Asbury University in Wilmore, KY. What is revival? Is it something to take seriously as a movement of the Holy Spirit, or should it be dismissed as emotional hype?
Rev. Dr. Ben Witherington III is Amos Professor of New Testament for Doctoral Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary and on the doctoral faculty at St. Andrews University in Scotland. He is the author of over sixty book and many, many essays and articles. One of his most recent works is Who God Is: Meditations on the Character of Our God.
Courageous Conversations: Abortion-- Toward a Better Understanding
In this episode of "Calmly Considered," Allan converses with Joy Moore and Michael Gorman on the subject of abortion. How can Christians offer a more robust understanding of abortion that moves beyond the pitting of rights against each other? How does Christian doctrine inform the discussion? If the church is an alternative to the way of society, how do Christians utilize their unique witness to be an incarnational presence to women in difficult pregnancies and the unborn children they carry? How does abortion affect ethnic minorities?
Rev. Dr. Joy J. Moore is an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church and is the Professor of Biblical Preaching at Luther Seminary in St. Paul Minnesota. She participates in two weekly podcasts: "Sermon Brainwave," a conversation on the Revised Common Lectionary readings for the coming Sunday and "I Love to Tell the Story," a conversation on the Narrative Lectionary readings for the coming Sunday.
Dr. Michael J. Gorman holds the Raymond E. Brown Chair in Biblical Studies and Theology at St. Mary's Seminary & University in Baltimore, Maryland. He has written many books including Reading Revelation Responsibly and Paul, a New Covenant Jew: Rethinking Pauline Theology. His Amazon author page has a full listing of his publications.