The Nexus Podcast Brad Watson

With a little history of marriage behind us, it is time to start climbing some ladders. I want to peek at three paradigms for marriage we find in Scripture. Of course, we aren’t looking for marriage tips from David, or any other Biblical character for that matter. Rather, what I hope we will discover are paradigms in Scripture that might allow us to ease the pressure in marriage, while also reenchanting it.There is so much juicy stuff to get to, like what the eclipse this past week can teach us about marriage, why we might want to consider sex in marriage through the lens of justice, what the rabbinic wisdom of the Talmud can teach us about sex, when it is time for therapy, the tough choices in marriage, why we need a Trinitarian theology of “one flesh”, the business metaphor that defines successful marriages, and, of course, how to keep climbing the marriage ladder. And oh, I am bringing along a few choice quotes from my new favourite marriage guru, Harrison Scott Key, whose wife left him for “the human equivalent of Diet Mountain Dew.” Lines like that just bless my heart!

we are pressing on into our season of The Tensions. We have explored our tensions with God, ourselves, and our faith tradition. It is time now for us to consider relational tensions: the tensions we experience with others, be that in our marriages, friendships, or communities. Many years ago, I did a sermon entitled Sex on a Ladder, which we will return to in the next few weeks, but for this series, I wanted to expand on that teaching by going wider, deeper, and further. So, to begin, we are going on an odyssey adventure: A Brief History of Marriage.We have some fun and wild places to explore. History is a strange and fascinating beast, so we will start by debunking eight myths about the history of marriage (for instance, did marriage come about to protect or oppress women?). Then, we will explore why the Church was largely silent about marriage for 1200 years and the four main reasons the Church got into the business of solemnizing marriages (I am confident they will surprise you).Along the way we will learn about the most common case brought before courts in the Middle Ages (it has to do with marriage) and the rather uncomfortable ritual men had to undergo to annul a marriage (Kristen won’t even let me share the more "juicy" details of the ritual).We will of course land in our present day to discover the two social factors and pressures that are placing more tension on marriages today than ever before. 

For Easter Sunday, well, we have something special cooking, folks. The death we see on Good Friday will have one final word (which will be a treat for the eyes and ears) before we welcome in Resurrection Sunday!  I can hardly wait. Eliza and our Nexus Kids are contributing to the morning, which is always special. For my part, I want to present the meaning, promise, and hope of the resurrection in seven distinct movements. If I had my way, I would greet you all on Sunday morning with a mimosa for everyone. Alas, my hands are tied. Even still, I know this weekend will be meaningful, and a reminder of all that we can’t leave behind.

For Good Friday, we will look at the cross from a most unusual angle: aesthetically. 2000 years ago, the cross was an instrument of torture. 2000 years later it has been the subject of more artistic depictions than any other object or event in history. As one tourist to the National Gallery of Art tweeted after visiting the museum, “Well, that’s Western art for you. A thousand years of crucifixions then stripes.” I find that to be hilarious, but also telling. For centuries now, people all over the world have come to see an ancient form of torture as . . . beautiful? On Good Friday we will discover how that sentiment became possible.

Friends, we are getting close to the finale of our Revisionist History series. On Palm Sunday (March 24) I want to talk not only of Jesus' triumphal entry in Jerusalem prior to his death and resurrection, but I want to help us locate ourselves in the long and storied history of the church. The whole series has been moving us in this direction. Before we get there, however, we have one final Sunday to reflect on the legacy and impact of the church and Christian faith throughout the centuries.To that end, I have a few simple questions for us to reflect on leading up to Sunday. Is the world getting better? If you take a wide lens view of history, do you think humanity is collectively progressing? Are things better today for the world than they were decades or centuries ago? Are we living in the greatest time in all of history? Is there a moral arc to the universe?

Hello Nexus!I'm on this week, considering the Church (the big, universal Church) - in its beauty and brokenness. Sometimes, the gap between what the Church is and what it could be is so very large. It’s like Longfellow’s little girl with a curl - do you know that one?There was a little girl,            Who had a little curl,Right in the middle of her forehead.            When she was good,            She was very good indeed,But when she was bad she was horrid.Lots of us have experienced both sides: when it's good, it's so good. But when it's bad, it's really bad. So bad, we might give up on it. “Most progressive evangelicals, having had a brutal disappointing, even abusive, experience in the Church, see no future for the Church as a change agent in our culture.” - David FitchBecause of both of those extremes - that the Church can be so good and the Church can be so bad, I’m excited to explore it together. What is the Church in general? What are we, and what are we doing? What is God doing? How and why? Why does it seem that God keeps choosing people?Lots of questions, lots of ideas and images. I’ll explain why my passion for my favourite pastime might be connected to why I’m still here. I’m excited to dig into this with you!