Learning How to See with Brian McLaren

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CHRISTIANISME
SÉRIE HEBDOMADAIRE

How do we transform and transcend our biases? From judgments made unconsciously to complacency in systemic evil, we must learn how to see if we are to learn how to transform. Center for Action and Contemplation faculty member Brian McLaren hosts the podcast series Learning How to See. Listen and discover how seeing is social, political, and contemplative.

ÉPISODE 1

Seeing Nature as an Artist with Christy Berghoef and Thomas Jay Oord

How does nature inspire your sense of creativity? On this episode, we’re looking at nature through the artistic lens, with Brian McLaren and two gifted photographers, Christy Berghoef and Thomas Jay Oord. The conversation explores the ways in which their individual experiences and practices of photography have deepened their understanding and appreciation of the natural world, as well as the power of photography to inspire a deeper connection to the earth. About the guests: Dr. Christy Berghoef is a civil dialogue consultant, singer/songwriter, author, speaker, mother of four and church planting partner with her husband Bryan in the United Church of Christ. Much of her work and writing has centered around the intersection of faith & politics and nature & the human condition. Thomas Jay Oord, Ph.D. is a theologian, philosopher, and scholar of multi-disciplinary studies. Oord directs the Center for Open and Relational Theology and doctoral students at Northwind Theological Seminary. He is an award-winning author and has written or edited more than thirty books. A gifted speaker, Oord lectures at universities, conferences, churches, and institutions. He is known for his contributions to research on love, science and religion, open and relational theology, the problem of suffering, and advocacy for the full inclusion of queer people. Resources: The transcript for this episode can be found here. Brian referenced two of his books, Life After Doom and The Galapagos Islands. Christy referenced her Substack, you can check that out here. She also posts regularly on her Instagram account. Thomas referenced his website, you can check that out here. Additionally, we wanted to link you to the Center for Open and Relational Theology here. Find out more about musician April Stace here. Connect with us: Have a response to Brian's call to action at the end of this episode, or a question in general? You can contact via two methods and we may feature your question on a listener questions episode later in the season. Email us: podcasts@cac.org Send us a voicemail: cac.org/voicemail We'll be accepting questions for our Listener Questions episode until November 20th, 2024.

1 h 3 min
ÉPISODE 2

Seeing Nature as a Poet with Drew Jackson and Pádraig Ó Tuama

What is it about poetry that allows it to hold both beauty and disruption, and even inspire change? In this episode, Brian McLaren explores the power of poetry to help us understand and grieve for the natural world while also appreciating its beauty. He talks with poets Pádraig Ó Tuama and Drew Jackson about the importance of seeing nature holistically, and how poetry can help us grapple with the tension between destruction and renewal. The episode explores how poems can inspire action and change and encourages you, the listener, to write your own poems, especially haiku, to practice seeing nature differently. About the guests: Drew Jackson is a poet, speaker, and public theologian. He is author of God Speaks Through Wombs: Poems on God’s Unexpected Coming and Touch the Earth: Poems on The Way. His work has appeared in Oneing from the Center for Action and Contemplation, The Isolation Journals with Suleika Jaouad, Made for Pax, The Journal from the Centre for Public Christianity, Fathom Magazine, and other publications. Drew received his B.A. in Political Science from the Univ. of Chicago and his M.A. in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary. He currently works as the Director of Mission Integration for the Center for Action and Contemplation, and lives in Brooklyn, NY with his wife and daughters. Pádraig Ó Tuama is a poet and a theologian from Ireland whose poetry and prose centre around themes of language, power, conflict and religion. His work has won acclaim in circles of poetry, politics, psychotherapy and conflict analysis. His formal qualifications (PhD, MTh and BA) cover creative writing, literary criticism and theology. Alongside this, he pursued vocational training in conflict analysis, specialising in groupwork. His published work is in the fields of poetry, anthology, essay, memoir, theology and conflict. A new volume of poetry — Kitchen Hymns — is forthcoming from CHEERIO in mid 2024. Resources: The transcript for this episode can be found here. Brian referenced two of his books, Life After Doom and The Galapagos Islands. Pádraig referenced A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth, you can find that here. Pádraig referenced Thinking With Trees by Jason Allen-Paisant, you can find that here. Drew referenced How Can Black People Write About Flowers at a Time Like This by Hanif Abdurraqib, you can find that here. To learn more about Pádraig, visit his website here. To learn more about Drew, visit his website here. Find out more about musician April Stace here. For instructions on how to compose Haiku, visit here. Connect with us: Have a response to Brian's call to action at the end of this episode, or a question in general? Email us: podcasts@cac.org Send us a voicemail: cac.org/voicemail We'll be accepting questions for our Listener Questions episode until November 20th, 2024.

48 min
ÉPISODE 3

Seeing Nature as a Mystic with Douglas E. Christie

What does it mean to grieve the crisis facing our planet? In this episode, we’re learning to see nature through the lens of a mystic. Brian McLaren sits down with Douglas E. Christie to discuss his work in the emerging field of contemplative studies, its relevance to our current ecological crisis, and the importance of acknowledging and processing ecological grief. Together, they explore the historical and contemporary significance of contemplative practices and underscore their role in confronting the "dark night of the world", helping us to foster a deeper connection with the Earth. About the guest: Douglas E. Christie, Ph.D. is Professor Emeritus of Theological Studies at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. He is the author of The Word in The Desert: Scripture and the Quest for Holiness in Early Christian Monasticism, The Blue Sapphire of the Mind: Notes for a Contemplative Ecology, and The Insurmountable Darkness of Love: Mysticism, Loss, and the Common Life. He has been awarded fellowships from the Luce Foundation, the Lilly Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities. From 2013-2015 he served as Co-director of the Casa de la Mateada study abroad program in Córdoba, Argentina, a faith-based program rooted in the Jesuit vision of education for solidarity. He lives with his family in Los Angeles. Resources: The transcript for this episode can be found here. Brian referenced two of his books, Life After Doom and The Galapagos Islands. Douglas referenced his books: The Blue Sapphire of the Mind: Notes for a Contemplative Ecology, which you can find here. And, The Insurmountable Darkness of Love: Mysticism, Loss, and the Common Life, which you can find here. To learn more about Douglas, visit his website here. Find out more about musician April Stace here. Connect with us: Have a response to Brian's call to action at the end of this episode, or a question in general? Email us: podcasts@cac.org Send us a voicemail: cac.org/voicemail We'll be accepting questions for our Listener Questions episode until November 20th, 2024.

49 min
ÉPISODE 4

Seeing Nature as a Historian of Religions with Mary Evelyn Tucker

What story do you tell yourself about the interconnectedness of nature and culture? In this episode, we’re learning to see nature through the lens of a historian of religions. Brian McLaren is joined in conversation by Mary Evelyn Tucker, a leading voice in the field of religion and ecology. Together, they discuss the importance of cultural history, the challenges of interreligious dialogue, and the urgent need for a new story that integrates science and spirituality. They also explore the life and legacy of Thomas Berry, a visionary Catholic priest, who revolutionized our understanding of nature, culture, and the universe. Mary also shares her personal journey, her partnership with John Grim, and the profound impact of Berry’s teachings on her life. About the guest: Mary Evelyn Tucker is co-director with John Grim of the Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology. They are affiliated faculty with the Yale Center for Environmental Justice at the Yale School of the Environment. They organized 10 conferences on World Religions and Ecology at Harvard and were series editors for the 10 resulting volumes from Harvard. Her research area is Asian religions and she co-edited Confucianism and Ecology, Buddhism and Ecology, and Hinduism and Ecology. Resources: The transcript for this episode can be found here. Brian referenced two of his books, Life After Doom and The Galapagos Islands. Check out Journey of the Universe, Mary’s multimedia project with Brian Swimme here. Check out Yale’s Forum on Religion and Ecology here. Thomas Berry was mentioned significantly in this episode. You can learn more about him here. Find out more about musician April Stace here. Note: Brian refers to Dr. Tucker as a theologian in the episode, but she clarifies that she is actually a historian of world religions. Connect with us: Have a response to Brian's call to action at the end of this episode, or a question in general? Email us: podcasts@cac.org Send us a voicemail: cac.org/voicemail We'll be accepting questions for our Listener Questions episode until November 20th, 2024.

55 min
ÉPISODE 5

Seeing Nature as a Franciscan with Michele Dunne and Sister Joan Brown

What might it look like to live out a Franciscan vision of kinship in your daily life? In this episode, we’re learning to see nature through the eyes of a Franciscan. For this conversation, Brian McLaren is joined by Sr. Joan Brown and Michelle Dunne to explore the essence of Franciscan values and their relevance in today's world. They discuss the importance of community and kinship, translating faith into action, and the role of education and rituals in fostering a deeper connection with creation. This conversation underscores the need for collective action in addressing environmental challenges, the transformative power of prayer and contemplation, as well as confronting historical injustices and the call to embrace love and kinship in all aspects of life. About the guests: Michele Dunne OFS is a professed Secular Franciscan. Before coming to FAN, her career focused on the Middle East and U.S. foreign policy. From 2006 until 2021, she headed programs focused on peace, human rights, and democracy in the Middle East at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the Atlantic Council. Before that, she served for nearly 20 years in the U.S. Department of State, including assignments in Jerusalem and Cairo. She holds a Ph.D. from Georgetown University and lives in Washington DC with her husband. Joan Brown is a Franciscan Sister from the Rochester, MN community, living and working in Albuquerque, New Mexico where she serves as the Executive Director of New Mexico Interfaith Power and Light (NM IPL). NM IPL is part of a national faith-based organization working to address climate justice. Originally from a small family farm in Kansas that still operates, her life has always revolved around love of and care for creation and social justice. Her BA from St. Mary College, Leavenworth, KS was in literature and journalism and she holds a master’s degree in Religion Philosophy and Cosmology from the California Institute of Integral Studies. Climate justice work has been a focus for decades and led her to participate with Franciscans International at UN COP meetings including Paris in 2015. She was one of twelve recipients of the 2015 Whitehouse Champions of Change award for faith leaders working on climate change. She has published articles and essays in national and local publications. Gardening, writing, baking (and sharing food), camping, hiking, community life, and contemplating and being with diverse kin in the natural world bring her joy, grounding and beauty. Resources: The transcript for this episode can be found here. Brian referenced two of his books, Life After Doom and The Galapagos Islands. Check out the Franciscan Justice Circles here. Check out Sr. Joan’s work with New Mexico Interfaith Power and Light, here. Check out the Franciscan Action Network (FAN) here. Subscribe to the FAN Newsletter here. Subscribe to the FAN Environmental Justice Newsletter here. Find out more about the Doctrine of Discovery here Find out more about musician April Stace here. Connect with us: Have a response to Brian's call to action at the end of this episode, or a question in general? Email us: podcasts@cac.org Send us a voicemail: cac.org/voicemail We'll be accepting questions for our Listener Questions episode until November 20th, 2024.

48 min
ÉPISODE 6

Seeing Nature as an Indigenous Person with Edith and Randy Woodley

How can you apply Indigenous values like harmony, respect, and accountability to your own life and community? In this episode, we’re learning to see nature through the eyes of an Indigenous Person. For this conversation, Brian McLaren is joined by Randy and Edith Woodley to discuss the importance of rediscovering Indigenous values to create a more harmonious relationship with the Earth and all its inhabitants. Randy and Edith Woodley recently released their book, Journey to Eloheh: How Indigenous Values Lead Us to Harmony and Well-Being. About the guests: Rev. Dr. Randy Woodley is an activist, scholar, author, teacher, wisdom-keeper, and Cherokee descendant recognized by the Keetoowah Band who speaks on justice, faith, the earth, and Indigenous realities. He is the author of numerous books, including Becoming Rooted and Shalom and the Community of Creation. He and his wife, Edith, co-sustain Eloheh Indigenous Center for Earth Justice and Eloheh Farm & Seeds outside Portland, Oregon. Edith Woodley is the cofounder and co-sustainer of Eloheh Indigenous Center for Earth Justice and Eloheh Farm & Seeds. She was raised on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming and is a member of the Eastern Shoshone tribe. Woodley has a degree from Bacone College and mentors others in the spirituality of the land, farming methods, and seed-keeping. She is a leader in the Decolonizing with Badass Indigenous Grandmas cohort. She and her husband, Randy Woodley, have four grown children and six grandchildren. Resources: The transcript for this episode can be found here. Becoming Rooted by Randy Woodley was mentioned. You can find that here. Check out Randy and Edith Woodley’s new book, Journey to Eloheh here. Find out more about musician April Stace here. Connect with us: Have a response to Brian's call to action at the end of this episode, or a question in general? Email us: podcasts@cac.org Send us a voicemail: cac.org/voicemail We'll be accepting questions for our Listener Questions episode until November 20th, 2024.

58 min
ÉPISODE 7

Seeing Nature as a Visionary with Philip Clayton

How important is community in facing the climate crisis? What kinds of communities are helping you to live differently and find hope? In this episode, we’re learning to see nature through the eyes of a visionary. For this conversation, Brian McLaren is joined by Philip Clayton to discuss the urgent need for a shift in mindset, the transformative power of community, and the vital role of faith in building an ecological civilization. About the guest: Philip Clayton is a renowned scholar whose work spans philosophy, theology, and science, with a particular focus on ecotheology, exploring the intersection of climate science, ethics, religion, and social philosophy. Holding the Ingraham Chair at Claremont School of Theology and directing the PhD program in comparative theologies and philosophies, he has also taught at prestigious institutions like Yale, Williams College, and Harvard, publishing extensively with over two dozen books and 350 articles. Beyond academia, Clayton is the President of the Institute for Ecological Civilization (EcoCiv.org), working internationally to promote sustainable solutions, and also heads the Institute for the Postmodern Development of China, advocating for ecological civilization through various initiatives. When not immersed in scholarly pursuits, he enjoys cycling, refereeing soccer, and spending time outdoors with his family and dog. Resources: The transcript for this episode can be found here. Two of Brian's books have been referenced heavily this season. You can check them out at the following links, Life After Doom and The Galapagos Islands. To learn more about Philip, check out his website here. Find out more about musician April Stace here. Books mentioned during the interview: What is Ecological Civilization? by Philip Clayton and Andrew Schwartz The New Possible: Visions of Our World Beyond Crisis (Edited by Philip Clayton) Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson Eaarth by Bill McKibben Connect with us: Have a response to Brian's call to action at the end of this episode, or a question in general? Email us: podcasts@cac.org Send us a voicemail: cac.org/voicemail We'll be accepting questions for our Listener Questions episode until November 20th, 2024.

50 min

Regarder toute la saison 7 (7)

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53 notes

Nature

11 mai

varietyisimportant

I just finished listening to the series on Nature. While all were exceptional, this last one, on the law of Love and Cherishing really struck a chord in me.
Foundational

2022-08-20

GingerEWilliams

This podcast series has been so fundamental in developing my understanding of biases and how they work to keep us blindly plodding along in a world that values achievement and works over community and experience. It is a message that reaches outside of the faith community and is applicable within the secular aspects of life as well - how do these buses show up in the workplace; how do they keep us from connecting with people different from myself at school, etc. Thank you to the CAC team and Brian McLaren for this critical series!
Dis-entanglement from our Biases

2021-07-03

Brad Toews

Excited to see another season of this podcast. Enjoyed the new cast of voices, along with the formidable anchor of Brian McLaren. Thank you CAC for the continuation of this conversation. What struck me is that even as we become aware of these biases, we come to the table with our own biases which effects the way we think about biases. This isn’t meant to sound deeply philosophical, but rather just how complex and complicated our perspectives are. I loved the inclusion of prayers and intentions sprinkled throughout. It helped to create a more expansion place of humility and unknowing, dis-entangling ourselves from our biases as we talk about biases.
Thank you

2020-11-04

sandyhipps

Such wise and intelligent congratulations! Thank you all for putting this together in a podcast

How do we transform and transcend our biases? From judgments made unconsciously to complacency in systemic evil, we must learn how to see if we are to learn how to transform. Center for Action and Contemplation faculty member Brian McLaren hosts the podcast series Learning How to See. Listen and discover how seeing is social, political, and contemplative.