Psalms for the Spirit Kiran Young Wimberly

FOR OUR FINAL EPISODE OF SEASON TWO, TODAY'S GUEST is Rebecca Dudley – ordained minister and advisor with the New Zealand Red Cross on legal frameworks protecting people in humanitarian emergencies, speaking in a personal capacity for this podcast. Here, we discuss her "Hope Project,” in which she explores the question: how do we pay attention without losing hope? As wave after wave of bad news rolls in, it’s clear that this theme is as timely as ever, and essential for our wellbeing as we take in and respond to horrific news on a daily basis. 
In our conversation, we talk about the power of the Psalms to reach across time and culture, about hope as bridge and spark and lifeline, about how psychological first aid might support us in times of distress, and how the old spiritual traditions of vocation and intercession can help us find the small thing that is ours to do in this hurting world.
https://kiranyoungwimberly.com/2022/06/02/psalms-for-the-spirit-ep-20-how-do-we-pay-attention-and-not-lose-hope-with-rebecca-dudley/ (More about this episode) https://youtu.be/G9RRV1ZHOr8 (Hear Rebecca Dudley's original talk on the Hope Project)

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TODAY'S GUEST is Munther Isaac - Palestinian theologian, Lutheran minister, author and academic. This holy week many of us will be thinking of the holy land as we journey towards Easter, and in this conversation we listen to a voice we don't often hear – the voice of a Palestinian Christian, reflecting here on the role of the Psalms in his own life and the affinity his community has for the Psalms – especially as they express complaint and lament on Good Friday, and as they point to a vision of a shared, peaceful future in his land. Born and raised in Bethlehem, Munther Isaac speaks internationally and at the local level on issues related to theology of land and reconciliation, and has written extensively on these themes in his books https://www.amazon.co.uk/Land-Lands-Eden-Renewed-Earth/dp/1783680776 (“From Land to Lands,”) and  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Other-Side-Wall-Palestinian-Christian/dp/0830831991/ref=sr_1_2?crid=11O1921SQ9MDA&keywords=the+other+side+of+the+wall&qid=1649948727&s=books&sprefix=the+other+side+of+the+awl%2Cstripbooks%2C96&sr=1-2 (“The Other Side of the Wall.”) In this conversation, we talk about the power of reciting Psalms as a community in times of trouble; about how Good Friday reminds us that even when we feel forsaken, we’re not alone; about how persistence in prayers of complaint and lament is in fact a sign of deep faith; and about the vision of an ideal Jerusalem in which barriers are broken and enemies become friends.
https://kiranyoungwimberly.com/2022/04/14/psalms-for-the-spirit-ep-19-persistence-as-a-sign-of-deep-faith-with-munther-isaac/ (More about this episode)

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Today’s guest is Ruth Patterson – Presbyterian minister, writer, retreat leader - recognized internationally for her deep spiritual insight and her gently powerful work in peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland. The organisation she founded and led for 30 years, “Restoration Ministries,” brings people together across community divides in Ireland around their shared spirituality, and draws on the image of restoration depicted in the Psalms. In this conversation, which we had in the heart of Advent,  we talk about the link between the Psalms and the history of Ireland, about the importance of hospitality – towards ourselves, God, others – in moving into a future of restoration, about the journey towards becoming our full selves, and about how awakening to our belovedness is the starting point for healing and wholeness in this world.
https://kiranyoungwimberly.com/2021/12/23/psalms-for-the-spirit-ep-18-awakening-to-our-belovedness-with-ruth-patterson/ (More on this episode)

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For some, Advent is a time of grief and loss. Today’s guest is John Bell – hymnwriter, author, and broadcaster and a guiding light from the Iona Community as he has for decades created resources for the global church in music, worship and spirituality, including his recent book Living with the Psalms. In this conversation we talk about how the Psalms – much like the incarnation we celebrate in this season – speak of God’s solidarity with us in our vulnerability, how the Psalms give us permission to express doubt and anger when we come face to face with suffering and injustice, how sacred songs have the power to heal and tend to the brokenhearted, and how the Psalms offer us the precious image of God as midwife – delivering us through the pains of life and death. There is some sensitive content in this episode, so please be aware of that as you listen, and make sure you have the support you need in case any of the subjects are difficult to hear about, particularly regarding the tragic loss of infants and young children.
https://kiranyoungwimberly.com/2021/12/16/psalms-for-the-spirit-ep-17-delivering-us-through-the-pains-of-life-and-death-with-john-bell/ (More on this episode)

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Today’s guest is Peace Lee – spiritual director, preacher, and
educator on decolonial and feminist perspectives. In this conversation, we
reconnect over our mutual love for the Psalms: how they can be imprinted on our
hearts and come to us when we need them most, how we can read them afresh as we
consider new language for them, the importance of lament in finding healing and
wholeness, and how the Psalms can nourish us in building a more just and
equitable world.
https://kiranyoungwimberly.com/2021/12/08/psalms-for-the-spirit-ep-16-lament-as-a-sacred-act-with-peace-lee/ (More about this episode )

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Today’s guest is Denise Bradley, an expert in trauma theory who has spent decades helping victims of violence find healing. I know Denise from her current work with Corrymeela in which she works with marginalized groups, particularly refugee and asylum seekers in Northern Ireland, and I wanted to learn more from Denise about how the theory of trauma relates to the Psalms. In this conversation we talk about using the Psalms for support in times of fear or traumatic stress, finding inner safety that helps us move forward even when under threat, how the Psalms express all three stages of trauma healing, and about how hope is stronger than fear.
https://kiranyoungwimberly.com/2021/07/09/psalms-for-the-spirit-ep-15-hope-is-stronger-than-fear-with-denise-bradley/ (More about this episode)

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com