MPF 3:2 Exploring Jonah 1: A Prophet On the Run

A More Perfect Fellowship: Faith, Democracy, and Difficult Conversations

Host: Joel Allen (with Ian Chrisler)
Welcome to A More Perfect Fellowship: Faith, Democracy, and Difficult Conversations, where we explore how faith communities can bridge divides, foster meaningful dialogue, and cultivate a spirit of reconciliation in a polarized world. I’m Joel Allen and I’m glad you’re here.

Today, we turn to the story of Jonah—one of the Bible’s most compelling narratives about resistance, reluctance, and, ultimately, God’s radical love for the ‘other.’ We often think of Jonah as the prophet who was swallowed by a great fish, but his story is really about something deeper: the human tendency to run from difficult conversations, to avoid engaging with those we dislike—or even despise.

Jonah was sent to Nineveh, a city he hated, with a message of mercy. In contrast, the prophet Nahum later delivered a message of destruction for the same city. Their stories reveal two very different attitudes toward those we consider enemies. What does Jonah’s reluctance—and God’s persistence—teach us about our own resistance to engaging with those on the other side of our social and political divides?

In this episode, we’ll unpack the first chapter of Jonah, his flight from God’s call, and what it means for us today as people of faith seeking to foster civil dialogue in a fractured world. Let’s dive in.