Sacred Wisdom, Sacred Texts

Kevin Caldwell
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Through the help of a number of my friends, the sacred texts, I will be exploring the interconnection of my self (and each of our "selves"), others, our world, and the divine... I sometimes call that "soulcialism," this interconnection of all things, which for me becomes more and more real as we: Experience interconnection through imaginative empathy, and... Express interconnection though compassionate action. The sacred texts of of the world's great religions have a lot to say about these things, and about those 4 spheres of connection (self, others, nature, divine). I am no Tolkien, but in some ways my music and poetry is like the Hobbit, my prior podcasts (Cow Behind the Barn and Soulcialism; Making it Real) are my Lord of the Rings, then this series of Episodes, Sacred Wisdom, Sacred Texts, is like my "Silmarillion." For more of my music you can find me on all the apps, just look for Kevin Caldwell. I also share my music and poetry on YouTube @KevinCaldwellMusicandPoetry. All of this flows from and is the fruit of years of my “conversations” with some of humanity's most influential sacred texts, each of which has become a spiritual friend to me: the books of Genesis, Exodus, the Bhagavad Gita, the teachings of the Buddha, the Tao Te Ching, the Gospels of John and Luke, and the Quran. As humans, we have different ways of knowing what we know. In order to more fully experience the richness of these texts, I will draw upon reason, imagination, emotion, intuition, memory, hope, love, and our senses. I will weave meditation practices into the episodes and sometimes include examples of my own art as opportunities to engage the wisdom of these friends with more of the fullness of our humanity. Each sacred text grasps different facets of reality and touches various aspects of the Truth. They describe their experiences of Truth in different ways. Sometimes they are in harmony, sometimes they seem to disagree, and sometimes in fact they don’t agree with each other. I will be transparent about how I decide what I agree with, disagree with, and remain undecided about. I will also be clear about why! In most episodes I unpack “big chunks” of individual texts line by line, allowing their unique wisdom to speak. Occasionally, I invite these ancient voices into conversation together, allowing them to speak to each other as if they were not only my friends but also friends with each other. This holistic way of engaging the collective wisdom offered by these friends enables us to experience a more complete picture of ourselves, the world, and the Divine. #moses #gita #buddha #laotzu #jesus #quran #spirituality #mutualism #kevincaldwell #soulcialism #sacred #sacredtexts #religion #art #truth #creativity

  1. Episode 1

    Episode 1 Beginnings #origins #beginning #sacredtexts

    Beginnings, origins, starting points. Of the cosmos, or a person, or a podcast, or in a podcast about sacred texts, even the beginnings of sacred texts!   #sacred #interconnection #religion #spirituality #spiritualwisdom #kevincaldwell #soulcialism

    27 min

  2. Episode 2

    Episode 2 God in the Mirror #divine #gospelofjohn #sacredtexts

    What or who is God like, if there is a God? And can God be known in some way? How? In a world of influencers, self-help gurus, and fake news, I am turning to sacred texts to look for answers, beginning with the Gospel of John… John 1:1-18: Greek Text and My Translation: The Greek Text 1 Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος, καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος. 2 οὗτος ἦν ἐν ἀρχῇ πρὸς τὸν θεόν. 3 πάντα δι' αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, καὶ χωρὶς αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο οὐδὲ ἕν. ὃ γέγονεν 4 ἐν αὐτῷ ζωὴ ἦν, καὶ ἡ ζωὴ ἦν τὸ φῶς τῶν ἀνθρώπων· 5 καὶ τὸ φῶς ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ φαίνει, καὶ ἡ σκοτία αὐτὸ οὐ κατέλαβεν. 6 Ἐγένετο ἄνθρωπος ἀπεσταλμένος παρὰ θεοῦ, ὄνομα αὐτῷ Ἰωάννης· 7 οὗτος ἦλθεν εἰς μαρτυρίαν, ἵνα μαρτυρήσῃ περὶ τοῦ φωτός, ἵνα πάντες πιστεύσωσιν δι' αὐτοῦ. 8 οὐκ ἦν ἐκεῖνος τὸ φῶς, ἀλλ' ἵνα μαρτυρήσῃ περὶ τοῦ φωτός. 9 Ἦν τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινόν, ὃ φωτίζει πάντα ἄνθρωπον, ἐρχόμενον εἰς τὸν κόσμον. 10 ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ἦν, καὶ ὁ κόσμος δι' αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, καὶ ὁ κόσμος αὐτὸν οὐκ ἔγνω. 11 εἰς τὰ ἴδια ἦλθεν, καὶ οἱ ἴδιοι αὐτὸν οὐ παρέλαβον.12 ὅσοι δὲ ἔλαβον αὐτόν, ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν τέκνα θεοῦ γενέσθαι, τοῖς πιστεύουσιν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, 13 οἳ οὐκ ἐξ αἱμάτων οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος σαρκὸς οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος ἀνδρὸς ἀλλ' ἐκ θεοῦ ἐγεννήθησαν. 14 Καὶ ὁ λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο καὶ ἐσκήνωσεν ἐν ἡμῖν, καὶ ἐθεασάμεθα τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ, δόξαν ὡς μονογενοῦς παρὰ πατρός, πλήρης χάριτος καὶ ἀληθείας. 15 Ἰωάννης μαρτυρεῖ περὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ κέκραγεν λέγων, Οὗτος ἦν ὃν εἶπον, Ὁ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονεν, ὅτι πρῶτός μου ἦν. 16 ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ πληρώματος αὐτοῦ ἡμεῖς πάντες ἐλάβομεν, καὶ χάριν ἀντὶ χάριτος· 17 ὅτι ὁ νόμος διὰ Μωϋσέως ἐδόθη, ἡ χάρις καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐγένετο. 18 θεὸν οὐδεὶς ἑώρακεν πώποτε· μονογενὴς θεὸς ὁ ὢν εἰς τὸν κόλπον τοῦ πατρὸς ἐκεῖνος ἐξηγήσατο My Translation: 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was towards God, and God was the Word: 2 this Word that was towards God in the beginning, 3 the Word through whom all things came to be and without whom nothing came to be. What came to be 4 in him, in that Word, was life, and this life was the light of all human kind. 5 That light still shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not snuff out the light. 6 It came about that there was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, in order to bear witness concerning that light, so that through him everyone might believe. 8 He himself was not the light itself; he came as a witness to the light. 9 There was the true light, the light that enlightens every person. That light was coming into the world. 10 The light was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to what belonged to him, but they did not receive him. 12 And yet, to as many of those who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are not children related by blood. They are not conceived by natural human desire. They are not conceived as a result of a husband’s will. They are children begotten by God. 14 The Word became flesh and lived among us. We saw his glory, the glory of one who is unique, one of a kind, from the Father, whose nature was full of grace, fully worthy of trust. 15 John bore witness about the Word made flesh. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I meant when I said, ‘Someone is coming after me, who has come to be prior to me, because he was before me.’” 16 It is from his fullness that we have all received, grace in return for grace. 17 Because the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came about through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. The one and only God, who leans into the Father’s bosom, that one has brought out into the open and made known… #spirituality #spiritual #meditation #kevincaldwell #soulcialism

    36 min

  3. Episode 3

    Episode 3 The Lord of "the Rings"? #life #meaningoflife #cosmos

    What is life, what does it mean? Yes, these can be questions typical of the age of adolescence. But for John the question “what is life” touches everything: you, me, the world, and the divine nature. Everything (Note: I tried to include the full Ring Structure here, but the formatting is more confusing than it is helpful! If you would like a document with the Ring Structure included, message me in the Comments) John 1:1-18: Greek Text and My Translation: The Greek Text 1 Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος, καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος. 2 οὗτος ἦν ἐν ἀρχῇ πρὸς τὸν θεόν. 3 πάντα δι' αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, καὶ χωρὶς αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο οὐδὲ ἕν. ὃ γέγονεν 4 ἐν αὐτῷ ζωὴ ἦν, καὶ ἡ ζωὴ ἦν τὸ φῶς τῶν ἀνθρώπων· 5 καὶ τὸ φῶς ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ φαίνει, καὶ ἡ σκοτία αὐτὸ οὐ κατέλαβεν. 6 Ἐγένετο ἄνθρωπος ἀπεσταλμένος παρὰ θεοῦ, ὄνομα αὐτῷ Ἰωάννης· 7 οὗτος ἦλθεν εἰς μαρτυρίαν, ἵνα μαρτυρήσῃ περὶ τοῦ φωτός, ἵνα πάντες πιστεύσωσιν δι' αὐτοῦ. 8 οὐκ ἦν ἐκεῖνος τὸ φῶς, ἀλλ' ἵνα μαρτυρήσῃ περὶ τοῦ φωτός. 9 Ἦν τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινόν, ὃ φωτίζει πάντα ἄνθρωπον, ἐρχόμενον εἰς τὸν κόσμον. 10 ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ἦν, καὶ ὁ κόσμος δι' αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, καὶ ὁ κόσμος αὐτὸν οὐκ ἔγνω. 11 εἰς τὰ ἴδια ἦλθεν, καὶ οἱ ἴδιοι αὐτὸν οὐ παρέλαβον.12 ὅσοι δὲ ἔλαβον αὐτόν, ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν τέκνα θεοῦ γενέσθαι, τοῖς πιστεύουσιν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, 13 οἳ οὐκ ἐξ αἱμάτων οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος σαρκὸς οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος ἀνδρὸς ἀλλ' ἐκ θεοῦ ἐγεννήθησαν. 14 Καὶ ὁ λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο καὶ ἐσκήνωσεν ἐν ἡμῖν, καὶ ἐθεασάμεθα τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ, δόξαν ὡς μονογενοῦς παρὰ πατρός, πλήρης χάριτος καὶ ἀληθείας. 15 Ἰωάννης μαρτυρεῖ περὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ κέκραγεν λέγων, Οὗτος ἦν ὃν εἶπον, Ὁ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονεν, ὅτι πρῶτός μου ἦν. 16 ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ πληρώματος αὐτοῦ ἡμεῖς πάντες ἐλάβομεν, καὶ χάριν ἀντὶ χάριτος· 17 ὅτι ὁ νόμος διὰ Μωϋσέως ἐδόθη, ἡ χάρις καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐγένετο. 18 θεὸν οὐδεὶς ἑώρακεν πώποτε· μονογενὴς θεὸς ὁ ὢν εἰς τὸν κόλπον τοῦ πατρὸς ἐκεῖνος ἐξηγήσατο My Translation: 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was towards God, and God was the Word: 2  this Word that was towards God in the beginning, 3 the Word through whom all things came to be and without whom nothing came to be.  What came to be 4 in him, in that Word, was life, and this life was the light of all human kind. 5 That light still shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not snuff out the light. 6 It came about that there was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, in order to bear witness concerning that light, so that through him everyone might believe. 8 He himself was not the light itself; he came as a witness to the light. 9 There was the true light, the light that enlightens every person. That light was coming into the world. 10 The light was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to what belonged to him, but they did not receive him. 12 And yet, to as many of those who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are not children related by blood. They are not conceived by natural human desire. They are not conceived as a result of a husband’s will. They are children begotten by God. 14 The Word became flesh and lived among us. We saw his glory, the glory of one who is unique, one of a kind, from the Father, whose nature was full of grace, fully worthy of trust. 15 John bore witness about the Word made flesh. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I meant when I said, ‘Someone is coming after me, who has come to be prior to me, because he was before me.’”  16 It is from his fullness that we have all received, grace in return for grace. 17 Because the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came about through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. The one and only God, who leans into the Father’s bosom, that one has brought out into the open and made known… #sacredtexts #gospelofjohn #humannature #kevincaldwell #compassion #soulcialism

    30 min

  4. Episode 4

    Episode 4 Life is Everywhere #gospelofjohn #divinelife #grace

    Life. First we take it for granted. Then we make plans for it. . Later still we may well be forced to decide between the length or the quality of it. Here and there we might ask about the meaning of it. But at the end of the day, what is this thing we call life? John 1:1-18: Greek Text and My Translation: The Greek Text 1 Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος, καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος. 2 οὗτος ἦν ἐν ἀρχῇ πρὸς τὸν θεόν. 3 πάντα δι' αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, καὶ χωρὶς αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο οὐδὲ ἕν. ὃ γέγονεν 4 ἐν αὐτῷ ζωὴ ἦν, καὶ ἡ ζωὴ ἦν τὸ φῶς τῶν ἀνθρώπων· 5 καὶ τὸ φῶς ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ φαίνει, καὶ ἡ σκοτία αὐτὸ οὐ κατέλαβεν. 6 Ἐγένετο ἄνθρωπος ἀπεσταλμένος παρὰ θεοῦ, ὄνομα αὐτῷ Ἰωάννης· 7 οὗτος ἦλθεν εἰς μαρτυρίαν, ἵνα μαρτυρήσῃ περὶ τοῦ φωτός, ἵνα πάντες πιστεύσωσιν δι' αὐτοῦ. 8 οὐκ ἦν ἐκεῖνος τὸ φῶς, ἀλλ' ἵνα μαρτυρήσῃ περὶ τοῦ φωτός. 9 Ἦν τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινόν, ὃ φωτίζει πάντα ἄνθρωπον, ἐρχόμενον εἰς τὸν κόσμον. 10 ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ἦν, καὶ ὁ κόσμος δι' αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, καὶ ὁ κόσμος αὐτὸν οὐκ ἔγνω. 11 εἰς τὰ ἴδια ἦλθεν, καὶ οἱ ἴδιοι αὐτὸν οὐ παρέλαβον.12 ὅσοι δὲ ἔλαβον αὐτόν, ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν τέκνα θεοῦ γενέσθαι, τοῖς πιστεύουσιν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, 13 οἳ οὐκ ἐξ αἱμάτων οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος σαρκὸς οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος ἀνδρὸς ἀλλ' ἐκ θεοῦ ἐγεννήθησαν. 14 Καὶ ὁ λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο καὶ ἐσκήνωσεν ἐν ἡμῖν, καὶ ἐθεασάμεθα τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ, δόξαν ὡς μονογενοῦς παρὰ πατρός, πλήρης χάριτος καὶ ἀληθείας. 15 Ἰωάννης μαρτυρεῖ περὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ κέκραγεν λέγων, Οὗτος ἦν ὃν εἶπον, Ὁ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονεν, ὅτι πρῶτός μου ἦν. 16 ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ πληρώματος αὐτοῦ ἡμεῖς πάντες ἐλάβομεν, καὶ χάριν ἀντὶ χάριτος· 17 ὅτι ὁ νόμος διὰ Μωϋσέως ἐδόθη, ἡ χάρις καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐγένετο. 18 θεὸν οὐδεὶς ἑώρακεν πώποτε· μονογενὴς θεὸς ὁ ὢν εἰς τὸν κόλπον τοῦ πατρὸς ἐκεῖνος ἐξηγήσατο My Translation: 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was towards God, and God was the Word: 2  this Word that was towards God in the beginning, 3 the Word through whom all things came to be and without whom nothing came to be.  What came to be 4 in him, in that Word, was life, and this life was the light of all human kind. 5 That light still shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not snuff out the light. 6 It came about that there was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, in order to bear witness concerning that light, so that through him everyone might believe. 8 He himself was not the light itself; he came as a witness to the light. 9 There was the true light, the light that enlightens every person. That light was coming into the world. 10 The light was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to what belonged to him, but they did not receive him. 12 And yet, to as many of those who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are not children related by blood. They are not conceived by natural human desire. They are not conceived as a result of a husband’s will. They are children begotten by God. 14 The Word became flesh and lived among us. We saw his glory, the glory of one who is unique, one of a kind, from the Father, whose nature was full of grace, fully worthy of trust. 15 John bore witness about the Word made flesh. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I meant when I said, ‘Someone is coming after me, who has come to be prior to me, because he was before me.’”  16 It is from his fullness that we have all received, grace in return for grace. 17 Because the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came about through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. The one and only God, who leans into the Father’s bosom, that one has brought out into the open and made known… #soulcialism #kevincaldwell #divine #religion #spirituality

    35 min

  5. Episode 5

    Episode 5 Divine Humility? #divine #gospelofjohn #kevincaldwell #sacredtexts

    Humility, and God? I used to think that went in one direction: that we humans need to have humility before an all powerful divine being. But what if there is something divine about humility, and something humble about divinity? The Greek Text (My translation is below) 1 Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος, καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος. 2 οὗτος ἦν ἐν ἀρχῇ πρὸς τὸν θεόν. 3 πάντα δι' αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, καὶ χωρὶς αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο οὐδὲ ἕν. ὃ γέγονεν 4 ἐν αὐτῷ ζωὴ ἦν, καὶ ἡ ζωὴ ἦν τὸ φῶς τῶν ἀνθρώπων· 5 καὶ τὸ φῶς ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ φαίνει, καὶ ἡ σκοτία αὐτὸ οὐ κατέλαβεν. 6 Ἐγένετο ἄνθρωπος ἀπεσταλμένος παρὰ θεοῦ, ὄνομα αὐτῷ Ἰωάννης· 7 οὗτος ἦλθεν εἰς μαρτυρίαν, ἵνα μαρτυρήσῃ περὶ τοῦ φωτός, ἵνα πάντες πιστεύσωσιν δι' αὐτοῦ. 8 οὐκ ἦν ἐκεῖνος τὸ φῶς, ἀλλ' ἵνα μαρτυρήσῃ περὶ τοῦ φωτός. 9 Ἦν τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινόν, ὃ φωτίζει πάντα ἄνθρωπον, ἐρχόμενον εἰς τὸν κόσμον. 10 ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ἦν, καὶ ὁ κόσμος δι' αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, καὶ ὁ κόσμος αὐτὸν οὐκ ἔγνω. 11 εἰς τὰ ἴδια ἦλθεν, καὶ οἱ ἴδιοι αὐτὸν οὐ παρέλαβον.12 ὅσοι δὲ ἔλαβον αὐτόν, ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν τέκνα θεοῦ γενέσθαι, τοῖς πιστεύουσιν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, 13 οἳ οὐκ ἐξ αἱμάτων οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος σαρκὸς οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος ἀνδρὸς ἀλλ' ἐκ θεοῦ ἐγεννήθησαν. 14 Καὶ ὁ λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο καὶ ἐσκήνωσεν ἐν ἡμῖν, καὶ ἐθεασάμεθα τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ, δόξαν ὡς μονογενοῦς παρὰ πατρός, πλήρης χάριτος καὶ ἀληθείας. 15 Ἰωάννης μαρτυρεῖ περὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ κέκραγεν λέγων, Οὗτος ἦν ὃν εἶπον, Ὁ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονεν, ὅτι πρῶτός μου ἦν. 16 ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ πληρώματος αὐτοῦ ἡμεῖς πάντες ἐλάβομεν, καὶ χάριν ἀντὶ χάριτος· 17 ὅτι ὁ νόμος διὰ Μωϋσέως ἐδόθη, ἡ χάρις καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐγένετο. 18 θεὸν οὐδεὶς ἑώρακεν πώποτε· μονογενὴς θεὸς ὁ ὢν εἰς τὸν κόλπον τοῦ πατρὸς ἐκεῖνος ἐξηγήσατο My Translation: 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was towards God, and God was the Word: 2  this Word that was towards God in the beginning, 3 the Word through whom all things came to be and without whom nothing came to be.  What came to be 4 in him, in that Word, was life, and this life was the light of all human kind. 5 That light still shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not snuff out the light. 6 It came about that there was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, in order to bear witness concerning that light, so that through him everyone might believe. 8 He himself was not the light itself; he came as a witness to the light. 9 There was the true light, the light that enlightens every person. That light was coming into the world. 10 The light was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to what belonged to him, but they did not receive him. 12 And yet, to as many of those who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are not children related by blood. They are not conceived by natural human desire. They are not conceived as a result of a husband’s will. They are children begotten by God. 14 The Word became flesh and lived among us. We saw his glory, the glory of one who is unique, one of a kind, from the Father, whose nature was full of grace, fully worthy of trust. 15 John bore witness about the Word made flesh. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I meant when I said, ‘Someone is coming after me, who has come to be prior to me, because he was before me.’”  16 It is from his fullness that we have all received, grace in return for grace. 17 Because the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came about through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. The one and only God, who leans into the Father’s bosom, that one has brought out into the open and made known…

    38 min

  6. Episode 6

    Episode 6 Wounded Heart Part 1 #gospelofjohn #bible #sacredtexts #spirituality #divine #mystery

    God and a wounded heart? I don’t presume to know how to speak of the emotions of God…but it seems like one of the threads of John’s narrative tapestry is a very sad love story, a love story that turns out to be as old as time itself. John 1:1-18 The Greek Text and Translation 1 Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος, καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος. 2 οὗτος ἦν ἐν ἀρχῇ πρὸς τὸν θεόν. 3 πάντα δι' αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, καὶ χωρὶς αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο οὐδὲ ἕν. ὃ γέγονεν 4 ἐν αὐτῷ ζωὴ ἦν, καὶ ἡ ζωὴ ἦν τὸ φῶς τῶν ἀνθρώπων· 5 καὶ τὸ φῶς ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ φαίνει, καὶ ἡ σκοτία αὐτὸ οὐ κατέλαβεν. 6 Ἐγένετο ἄνθρωπος ἀπεσταλμένος παρὰ θεοῦ, ὄνομα αὐτῷ Ἰωάννης· 7 οὗτος ἦλθεν εἰς μαρτυρίαν, ἵνα μαρτυρήσῃ περὶ τοῦ φωτός, ἵνα πάντες πιστεύσωσιν δι' αὐτοῦ. 8 οὐκ ἦν ἐκεῖνος τὸ φῶς, ἀλλ' ἵνα μαρτυρήσῃ περὶ τοῦ φωτός. 9 Ἦν τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινόν, ὃ φωτίζει πάντα ἄνθρωπον, ἐρχόμενον εἰς τὸν κόσμον. 10 ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ἦν, καὶ ὁ κόσμος δι' αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, καὶ ὁ κόσμος αὐτὸν οὐκ ἔγνω. 11 εἰς τὰ ἴδια ἦλθεν, καὶ οἱ ἴδιοι αὐτὸν οὐ παρέλαβον.12 ὅσοι δὲ ἔλαβον αὐτόν, ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν τέκνα θεοῦ γενέσθαι, τοῖς πιστεύουσιν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, 13 οἳ οὐκ ἐξ αἱμάτων οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος σαρκὸς οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος ἀνδρὸς ἀλλ' ἐκ θεοῦ ἐγεννήθησαν. 14 Καὶ ὁ λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο καὶ ἐσκήνωσεν ἐν ἡμῖν, καὶ ἐθεασάμεθα τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ, δόξαν ὡς μονογενοῦς παρὰ πατρός, πλήρης χάριτος καὶ ἀληθείας. 15 Ἰωάννης μαρτυρεῖ περὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ κέκραγεν λέγων, Οὗτος ἦν ὃν εἶπον, Ὁ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονεν, ὅτι πρῶτός μου ἦν. 16 ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ πληρώματος αὐτοῦ ἡμεῖς πάντες ἐλάβομεν, καὶ χάριν ἀντὶ χάριτος· 17 ὅτι ὁ νόμος διὰ Μωϋσέως ἐδόθη, ἡ χάρις καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐγένετο. 18 θεὸν οὐδεὶς ἑώρακεν πώποτε· μονογενὴς θεὸς ὁ ὢν εἰς τὸν κόλπον τοῦ πατρὸς ἐκεῖνος ἐξηγήσατο My Translation: 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was towards God, and God was the Word: 2  this Word that was towards God in the beginning, 3 the Word through whom all things came to be and without whom nothing came to be.  What came to be 4 in him, in that Word, was life, and this life was the light of all human kind. 5 That light still shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not snuff out the light. 6 It came about that there was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, in order to bear witness concerning that light, so that through him everyone might believe. 8 He himself was not the light itself; he came as a witness to the light. 9 There was the true light, the light that enlightens every person. That light was coming into the world. 10 The light was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to what belonged to him, but they did not receive him. 12 And yet, to as many of those who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are not children related by blood. They are not conceived by natural human desire. They are not conceived as a result of a husband’s will. They are children begotten by God. 14 The Word became flesh and lived among us. We saw his glory, the glory of one who is unique, one of a kind, from the Father, whose nature was full of grace, fully worthy of trust. 15 John bore witness about the Word made flesh. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I meant when I said, ‘Someone is coming after me, who has come to be prior to me, because he was before me.’”  16 It is from his fullness that we have all received, grace in return for grace. 17 Because the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came about through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. The one and only God, who leans into the Father’s bosom, that one has brought out into the open and made known…

    32 min

  7. Episode 7

    Episode 7: Seeing in First Person Plurals #divine #cosmos #jesus #bible #sacredtexts #sacred #John

    Do you see what I see…or maybe, do we see what we see…or, heck, did I see what I saw…And what are we looking at anyway? For John, it's the heart of the divine…the divine in the cosmos/nature, present everywhere, and the divine in a particular time and place and person.  John 1:1-18 The Greek Text  1 Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος, καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος. 2 οὗτος ἦν ἐν ἀρχῇ πρὸς τὸν θεόν. 3 πάντα δι' αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, καὶ χωρὶς αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο οὐδὲ ἕν. ὃ γέγονεν 4 ἐν αὐτῷ ζωὴ ἦν, καὶ ἡ ζωὴ ἦν τὸ φῶς τῶν ἀνθρώπων· 5 καὶ τὸ φῶς ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ φαίνει, καὶ ἡ σκοτία αὐτὸ οὐ κατέλαβεν. 6 Ἐγένετο ἄνθρωπος ἀπεσταλμένος παρὰ θεοῦ, ὄνομα αὐτῷ Ἰωάννης· 7 οὗτος ἦλθεν εἰς μαρτυρίαν, ἵνα μαρτυρήσῃ περὶ τοῦ φωτός, ἵνα πάντες πιστεύσωσιν δι' αὐτοῦ. 8 οὐκ ἦν ἐκεῖνος τὸ φῶς, ἀλλ' ἵνα μαρτυρήσῃ περὶ τοῦ φωτός. 9 Ἦν τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινόν, ὃ φωτίζει πάντα ἄνθρωπον, ἐρχόμενον εἰς τὸν κόσμον. 10 ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ἦν, καὶ ὁ κόσμος δι' αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, καὶ ὁ κόσμος αὐτὸν οὐκ ἔγνω. 11 εἰς τὰ ἴδια ἦλθεν, καὶ οἱ ἴδιοι αὐτὸν οὐ παρέλαβον.12 ὅσοι δὲ ἔλαβον αὐτόν, ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν τέκνα θεοῦ γενέσθαι, τοῖς πιστεύουσιν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, 13 οἳ οὐκ ἐξ αἱμάτων οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος σαρκὸς οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος ἀνδρὸς ἀλλ' ἐκ θεοῦ ἐγεννήθησαν. 14 Καὶ ὁ λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο καὶ ἐσκήνωσεν ἐν ἡμῖν, καὶ ἐθεασάμεθα τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ, δόξαν ὡς μονογενοῦς παρὰ πατρός, πλήρης χάριτος καὶ ἀληθείας. 15 Ἰωάννης μαρτυρεῖ περὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ κέκραγεν λέγων, Οὗτος ἦν ὃν εἶπον, Ὁ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονεν, ὅτι πρῶτός μου ἦν. 16 ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ πληρώματος αὐτοῦ ἡμεῖς πάντες ἐλάβομεν, καὶ χάριν ἀντὶ χάριτος· 17 ὅτι ὁ νόμος διὰ Μωϋσέως ἐδόθη, ἡ χάρις καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐγένετο. 18 θεὸν οὐδεὶς ἑώρακεν πώποτε· μονογενὴς θεὸς ὁ ὢν εἰς τὸν κόλπον τοῦ πατρὸς ἐκεῖνος ἐξηγήσατο My  Translation:  1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was towards God, and God was the Word: 2 this Word that was towards God in the beginning, 3 the Word through whom all things came to be and without whom nothing came to be. What came to be 4 in him, in that Word, was life, and this life was the light of all human kind. 5 That light still shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not snuff out the light. 6 It came about that there was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, in order to bear witness concerning that light, so that through him everyone might believe. 8 He himself was not the light itself; he came as a witness to the light. 9 There was the true light, the light that enlightens every person. That light was coming into the world. 10 The light was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to what belonged to him, but they did not receive him. 12 And yet, to as many of those who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are not children related by blood. They are not conceived by natural human desire. They are not conceived as a result of a husband’s will. They are children begotten by God. 14 The Word became flesh and lived among us. We saw his glory, the glory of one who is unique, one of a kind, from the Father, whose nature was full of grace, fully worthy of trust. 15 John bore witness about the Word made flesh. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I meant when I said, ‘Someone is coming after me, who has come to be prior to me, because he was before me.’” 16 It is from his fullness that we have all received, grace in return for grace. 17 Because the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came about through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. The one and only God, who leans into the Father’s bosom, that one has brought out into the open and made known…

    36 min

  8. Episode 8

    Episode 8: Divine Children #gospelofjohn #divine #divinenature #sacredtexts #wisdom #human #humanity

    You and I are the whole point! The pearl at the center of John’s Prologue reveals an astounding reality, that the divine life, the divine DNA, is meant to be shared…with you and I. This is part 1 of unpacking that… John 1:1-18 The Greek Text 1 Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος, καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος. 2 οὗτος ἦν ἐν ἀρχῇ πρὸς τὸν θεόν. 3 πάντα δι' αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, καὶ χωρὶς αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο οὐδὲ ἕν. ὃ γέγονεν 4 ἐν αὐτῷ ζωὴ ἦν, καὶ ἡ ζωὴ ἦν τὸ φῶς τῶν ἀνθρώπων· 5 καὶ τὸ φῶς ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ φαίνει, καὶ ἡ σκοτία αὐτὸ οὐ κατέλαβεν. 6 Ἐγένετο ἄνθρωπος ἀπεσταλμένος παρὰ θεοῦ, ὄνομα αὐτῷ Ἰωάννης· 7 οὗτος ἦλθεν εἰς μαρτυρίαν, ἵνα μαρτυρήσῃ περὶ τοῦ φωτός, ἵνα πάντες πιστεύσωσιν δι' αὐτοῦ. 8 οὐκ ἦν ἐκεῖνος τὸ φῶς, ἀλλ' ἵνα μαρτυρήσῃ περὶ τοῦ φωτός. 9 Ἦν τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινόν, ὃ φωτίζει πάντα ἄνθρωπον, ἐρχόμενον εἰς τὸν κόσμον. 10 ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ἦν, καὶ ὁ κόσμος δι' αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, καὶ ὁ κόσμος αὐτὸν οὐκ ἔγνω. 11 εἰς τὰ ἴδια ἦλθεν, καὶ οἱ ἴδιοι αὐτὸν οὐ παρέλαβον.12 ὅσοι δὲ ἔλαβον αὐτόν, ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν τέκνα θεοῦ γενέσθαι, τοῖς πιστεύουσιν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, 13 οἳ οὐκ ἐξ αἱμάτων οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος σαρκὸς οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος ἀνδρὸς ἀλλ' ἐκ θεοῦ ἐγεννήθησαν. 14 Καὶ ὁ λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο καὶ ἐσκήνωσεν ἐν ἡμῖν, καὶ ἐθεασάμεθα τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ, δόξαν ὡς μονογενοῦς παρὰ πατρός, πλήρης χάριτος καὶ ἀληθείας. 15 Ἰωάννης μαρτυρεῖ περὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ κέκραγεν λέγων, Οὗτος ἦν ὃν εἶπον, Ὁ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονεν, ὅτι πρῶτός μου ἦν. 16 ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ πληρώματος αὐτοῦ ἡμεῖς πάντες ἐλάβομεν, καὶ χάριν ἀντὶ χάριτος· 17 ὅτι ὁ νόμος διὰ Μωϋσέως ἐδόθη, ἡ χάρις καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐγένετο. 18 θεὸν οὐδεὶς ἑώρακεν πώποτε· μονογενὴς θεὸς ὁ ὢν εἰς τὸν κόλπον τοῦ πατρὸς ἐκεῖνος ἐξηγήσατο My Translation: 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was towards God, and God was the Word: 2  this Word that was towards God in the beginning, 3 the Word through whom all things came to be and without whom nothing came to be.  What came to be 4 in him, in that Word, was life, and this life was the light of all human kind. 5 That light still shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not snuff out the light. 6 It came about that there was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, in order to bear witness concerning that light, so that through him everyone might believe. 8 He himself was not the light itself; he came as a witness to the light. 9 There was the true light, the light that enlightens every person. That light was coming into the world. 10 The light was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to what belonged to him, but they did not receive him. 12 And yet, to as many of those who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are not children related by blood. They are not conceived by natural human desire. They are not conceived as a result of a husband’s will. They are children begotten by God. 14 The Word became flesh and lived among us. We saw his glory, the glory of one who is unique, one of a kind, from the Father, whose nature was full of grace, fully worthy of trust. 15 John bore witness about the Word made flesh. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I meant when I said, ‘Someone is coming after me, who has come to be prior to me, because he was before me.’”  16 It is from his fullness that we have all received, grace in return for grace. 17 Because the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came about through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. The one and only God, who leans into the Father’s bosom, that one has brought out into the open and made known…

    26 min
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About

Through the help of a number of my friends, the sacred texts, I will be exploring the interconnection of my self (and each of our "selves"), others, our world, and the divine... I sometimes call that "soulcialism," this interconnection of all things, which for me becomes more and more real as we: Experience interconnection through imaginative empathy, and... Express interconnection though compassionate action. The sacred texts of of the world's great religions have a lot to say about these things, and about those 4 spheres of connection (self, others, nature, divine). I am no Tolkien, but in some ways my music and poetry is like the Hobbit, my prior podcasts (Cow Behind the Barn and Soulcialism; Making it Real) are my Lord of the Rings, then this series of Episodes, Sacred Wisdom, Sacred Texts, is like my "Silmarillion." For more of my music you can find me on all the apps, just look for Kevin Caldwell. I also share my music and poetry on YouTube @KevinCaldwellMusicandPoetry. All of this flows from and is the fruit of years of my “conversations” with some of humanity's most influential sacred texts, each of which has become a spiritual friend to me: the books of Genesis, Exodus, the Bhagavad Gita, the teachings of the Buddha, the Tao Te Ching, the Gospels of John and Luke, and the Quran. As humans, we have different ways of knowing what we know. In order to more fully experience the richness of these texts, I will draw upon reason, imagination, emotion, intuition, memory, hope, love, and our senses. I will weave meditation practices into the episodes and sometimes include examples of my own art as opportunities to engage the wisdom of these friends with more of the fullness of our humanity. Each sacred text grasps different facets of reality and touches various aspects of the Truth. They describe their experiences of Truth in different ways. Sometimes they are in harmony, sometimes they seem to disagree, and sometimes in fact they don’t agree with each other. I will be transparent about how I decide what I agree with, disagree with, and remain undecided about. I will also be clear about why! In most episodes I unpack “big chunks” of individual texts line by line, allowing their unique wisdom to speak. Occasionally, I invite these ancient voices into conversation together, allowing them to speak to each other as if they were not only my friends but also friends with each other. This holistic way of engaging the collective wisdom offered by these friends enables us to experience a more complete picture of ourselves, the world, and the Divine. #moses #gita #buddha #laotzu #jesus #quran #spirituality #mutualism #kevincaldwell #soulcialism #sacred #sacredtexts #religion #art #truth #creativity

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  • Creator
    Kevin Caldwell
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  • Episodes
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