In this episode, Christine Sine and Alan Hirsch discuss their long-standing friendship, Alan’s multicultural background, and the impact of his experiences in apartheid South Africa on his worldview and faith. They explore Alan’s spiritual transformation, his journey into writing, and the significance of his influential works, particularly in the context of the church’s current challenges. In this conversation, Alan Hirsch and Christine Sine explore the centrality of Jesus in the church, the importance of living out Jesus’ teachings, and the challenges faced by modern Christianity. They discuss the need for a reconstructive pathway in faith, emphasizing the significance of community and leadership in fostering spiritual growth. Hirsch shares insights from his book ‘The Forgotten Ways,’ highlighting the factors that contributed to the early church’s exponential growth and the importance of maintaining a Jesus-centered approach in contemporary faith practices.
Takeaways
- Experiences of apartheid deeply influenced personal beliefs.
- Authenticity in the church is crucial for relevance today.
- The Beatitudes offer a more relevant guidance than the Ten Commandments.
- Alan’s diverse background enriches his perspective on faith.
- The centrality of Jesus is crucial for the church.
- Jesus should define the character and content of the church.
- Gospel-centeredness can lead to a de-centering of Jesus.
- Reductionism in theology can lead to heresy.
- The early church grew without the structures we rely on today.
- A bigger understanding of Jesus which includes centering justice, compassion, and equality is necessary for growth.
- Deconstruction must lead to reconstruction in faith.
- Community and leadership are vital for spiritual growth.
Alan Hirsch is widely considered to be a global thought-leader on missional
movements and leadership. Hirsch is the author of numerous award winning books including The Forgotten Ways, The Shaping of Things to Come, 5Q, ReJesus , Reframation, Untamed, and The Permanent Revolution. He has worked with churches and organizations across the world, but mainly in North America, Europe, and Australia.
Alan is a founder of the Movement Leaders Collective, Forge Mission Training Network, and the 5Q Collective. He is movement mentor for NewThing International and is a consultant for Redeemer City To City among others. His experience includes leading a local church movement among the marginalized, developing training systems for innovative missional leadership, training leaders in movement dynamics, and heading up the mission and revitalization work of his denomination.
Alan Hirsch can be found at:
Author & Activist | alanhirsch.org
Founder & Co-Leader | movementleaderscollective.com
Founder & Coach. | 5QCentral.com
Founder & Advisor | Forge International
Movement Mentor | NewThing
Resident Consultant | Redeemer City To City
Leadership Developer | NOVO
It’s time to get ready for Lent and I don’t want you to miss this important season or the guidance that I will give you over the next couple of months.
This post isa reminder to let you know that I am no longer posting regularly on godspacelight. My posts are now being published on Substack and yesterday I published my first post related to Lent – Meditation Monday – getting Ready for Lent. Please consider becoming a subscriber to my Substack site so that you continue to receive reflections, new spiritual practices and poetry from me. You can become a free subscriber or if you are interested in helping support my ministry and the production of quality resources into the future, I would appreciate you becoming a paid subscriber.
In this episode, Christine and Sarah Augustine delve into the Doctrine of Discovery, its historical implications for Indigenous peoples, and the ongoing impact of colonial policies, particularly the ramifications of boarding schools. They discuss the deep-rooted effects of child removal and cultural erasure, while also exploring the intersection of faith and social justice. In this conversation, Christine Sine and Sarah Augustine explore the devastating impact of the damming of Celilo Falls on local Indigenous culture, and the need for a shift from charity to repair in supporting Indigenous communities. They discuss the importance of land back programs and how white people can effectively support Indigenous movements towards decolonization and environmental stewardship.
Sarah Augustine, who is a Pueblo (Tewa) descendant, is co- founder and Executive Director of the Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery. She is also the co-founder of Suriname Indigenous Health Fund (SIHF), where she has worked in relationship with vulnerable Indigenous Peoples since 2005. She has represented the interests of Indigenous community partners to their own governments, the Inter-American development bank, the UN, the Organization of American States Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the WHO, and a host of other international actors including corporate interests. She is a columnist for Anabaptist World, and co-hosts the Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery podcast with Sheri Hostetler. She has taught at Heritage University, CWU, and Goshen College. In Washington State she serves in a leadership role on multiple boards and commissions to enable vulnerable peoples to speak for themselves in advocating for structural change. She is author of the book The Land Is Not Empty: Following Jesus in Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery (Herald Press 2021), and co-author, with Sheri Hostetler, of So We and Our Children May Live: Following Jesus in Confronting the Climate Crisis (Herald Press 2023).
Sarah Augustine can be reached at:
- website: www.dismantlediscovery.org
- Facebook: @dismantlediscovery.org
- Instagram: @dismantlediscovery.org
- YouTube: @dismantlingthedoctrineofdi7536
In this episode of the Liturgical Rebels podcast, Randy Woodley shares his diverse life journey, rooted in his Native American heritage and shaped by his experiences in Western Christianity. He discusses the challenges and insights gained from his faith journey, emphasizing the importance of Indigenous values and the concept of Eloheh, which represents living in harmony. Woodley also reflects on his book, ‘Shalom and the Community of Creation,’ exploring the values that promote a harmonious existence within communities and the natural world. In this conversation, Christine Sine and Randy Woodley delve into the profound themes of harmony, Shalom, and Indigenous values. They explore the interconnectedness of creation and the importance of living in harmony with the environment and each other. Woodley shares ecological and spiritual insights from his children’s book ‘The Harmony Tree’. The discussion also touches on his collaborative work with his wife Edith at the Eloheh Indigenous Center for Earth Justice, emphasizing the need for regenerative practices and the teaching of Indigenous spirituality. They conclude with a reflection on universal values that can lead to a more stable and happy society.
Takeaways
- Randy Woodley questioned the assimilation into Western Christianity and sought a deeper understanding of his Native heritage.
- Woodley emphasizes the disconnect between Western Christianity and the teachings of Jesus.
- He believes that God works outside traditional church settings. He and his wife, Edith, decided to follow Jesus within their own native cultural context.
- Eloheh represents the idea of living in harmony and peace within Indigenous cultures.
- The concept of Shalom encompasses living in harmony with creation and community. It is a way of living, not just a greeting.
- Woodley identifies core values shared among various Indigenous peoples.
- The Eloheh Indigenous Center promotes Earth justice and teaches Indigenous spirituality.
- Decolonizing and indigenizing is a journey for everyone.
- Storytelling is critical for passing on values.
Rev. Dr. Randy Woodley is the co-founder, with his wife, Edith, of Eloheh Indigenous Center for Earth Justice and Eloheh Farm & Seeds in Yamhill, Oregon, a regenerative teaching farm. He is a Cherokee descendent recognized by the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians and is Distinguished Professor of Faith and Culture Emeritus at Portland Seminary. Randy has written numerous chapters, articles, and 13 books including Becoming Rooted and Journey to Eloheh which he co-authored with his wife. The Woodley’s have been serving Indigenous people and others for over four decades. See eloheh.org
In this engaging conversation, Christine Sine interviews Rev. Danae Ashley, an Episcopal priest and psychotherapist, exploring her journey of faith, the significance of liturgy, and the role of rituals in therapy, particularly in the context of fertility struggles and liminal times. Rev. Ashley shares her unique perspective on how liturgy shapes personal faith and community, and how rituals can help individuals navigate complex emotional experiences. In this conversation, Rev. Danae Ashley shares her insights on healing through personal rituals, the importance of community engagement, and the significance of Hildegard von Bingen’s legacy. The discussion explores how rituals can help individuals navigate life’s transitions and the transformative experience of pilgrimage. Rev. Ashley also delves into her newfound purpose in connecting Hildegard’s teachings with psychotherapy, emphasizing the intertwining of spirituality and mental health.
Takeaways
- Rev. Danae Ashley emphasizes the importance of community in spiritual journeys.
- Liturgy is a powerful tool for shaping personal faith and identity.
- Rituals provide a framework for understanding and processing life’s transitions.
- Art and creativity play a vital role in healing and therapy.
- Rev. Ashley’s journey reflects a deep connection to her faith and community.
- Understanding the history and meaning of liturgy enhances spiritual practice.
- Rituals in therapy can create a safe space for exploring grief and loss.
- Rituals help mediate big feelings in life.
- Pilgrimages can lead to unexpected discoveries.
- The teachings of Hildegard von Bingen, a polymath and healer, can inform psychotherapy.
- Understanding Hildegard deepens our connection to nature.
- The intersection of spirituality and mental health is vital.
The Rev. Danáe Ashley is an Episcopal priest and licensed marriage and family therapist who has ministered with parishes in North Carolina, New York, Minnesota, and the Seattle area and is a psychotherapist at Soul Spa Seattle, LLC. Danáe uses art, music, drama, poetry, and movement in counseling, spiritual direction, and creation of ritual. She has written for a variety of publications, as well as being a contributor to podcasts, books, and producing a play about fertility struggle. Her latest adventure has been on pilgrimage with St. Hildegard von Bingen: speaking and writing about Hildegard, viriditas, and psychotherapy. She is working on her forthcoming book about these subjects. Danae’s favorite pastimes include reading, traveling with her husband, making sure their rescue dog Cooper is living his best life, dancing with wild abandon to Celtic music, and serious karaoke.
Learn more about Rev. Ashley’s work at soulspaseattle.com.
Website: https://www.soulspaseattle.com/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/soulspaseattle
IG: @soulspaseattle
Find out more about Christine Sine on
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Happy Christmas from Nashville! Yes! It’s still Christmas and for that, I am truly thankful.
This December has flown by and thanks to travel and family celebrations out of town, I haven’t celebrated the season the way I had hoped. There hasn’t been enough time for just being present. For just sitting and reading and looking at the Christmas tree and enjoying the lights. So I am fully embracing the 12 days of Christmas and keeping the celebration going. I plan to keep watching holiday movies and listening to Christmas music at least through Epiphany, January 6th.
Today began with an intense rain storm, so I turned on all the Christmas lights and lit the candles and and made coffee and jumped into my Advent reading. Yep, I didn’t get very far in the daily readings, so I am using these days after the 25th to do a bit of catch up and reflection. Reminding myself that it’s still Christmas despite the man I saw yesterday taking his tree to the curb!
I am fully embracing the Church Year and I want you to give yourself permission to do the same! Enjoy the whole SEASON OF CHRISTMAS ….and this is day 3!
What would you like to do to keep the celebration going? What things help you celebrate the season and remember the Birth of Jesus rather than jumping back into busyness and business as usual?
Have you noticed that we tend to grow Jesus up really fast in the lectionary readings? This weekend, Jesus is getting in trouble with his parents for being in the temple while they had headed home after the Passover feast. Jesus at age 12!
But in reality, Jesus is still in the manger! Mary is learning to be a mom and no one is getting much sleep! I doubt that Mary and Joseph have found better lodgings just yet, or that Mary felt much like moving very far.The shepherds might have found them some friends to stay with…or if the couple were in the lower part of a family’s home, the barn portion of the dwelling,…they might have been invited upstairs to be more included. But still, Jesus is a new born, nursing around the clock, needing his diapers changed and there isn’t a Target or Tesco in site!
If you are a parent, what do you remember about those first few days of having a baby?
I have some friends who just had a baby this month and they are learning together how to be parents. They are totally excited and totally exhausted! I got to hold this beautiful little boy and enjoy that new baby smell and be reminded of the wonder of birth. The fact that anyone gets born is a true miracle. I remember when I was pregnant, thinking about the miracle of hatching a person, not a puppy! A person who would be uniquely themselves formed inside me but definitely not in my control. I imagine Mary and Joseph just sitting in awe and wonder at this beautiful miracle boy. They had time to process the visit of the shepherds and all they told them about the angelic host. They probably recounted the other angelic visits and planned how they would go to Jerusalem to name him officially Jesus!
Why is it hard for us to let Jesus be a baby? Why do we race ahead and grow him up?
Take some time today to imagine the story of the days after the birth of Jesus. Consider Mary and Joseph. How have they changed? How are they the same?
What about the shepherds? What do you imagine they did after seeing the baby?
How are you changed by the birth of this baby?
The Incarnation means that Jesus came as one of us. God sent Jesus into our REAL LIFE! The mess, the beauty, the clutter, the pain the pleasure, the frustration, and even into the suffering. God loves us so much that God sent a baby to show us who God is ! This means that our earthly life is honored. Our earthly life is beautiful to God. Our earthly lives are a wonderful miracle and Jesus came to show us how to have this life in abundance !
baby lotion
PRACTICE:
If you are out and about this week, buy a bottle of baby lotion. The kind that smells. Use this as a physical reminder of the birth of Jesus. Put some on and let the smell of it enfold you into the wonder of Jesus with us! Take a walk down the baby aisle at a local store…think about all the things a newborn needs. All the things that new parents deal with and ponder Mary and Joseph as new parents. Pray for parents that you know. Pray for people who want to be parents. Ask Jesus to show you the wonder of GOD WITH US this week.
I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:10
Thank you Jesus for coming to us as a baby.
Thank you for reminding us that our humanity matters.
Thank you for the wonder of God with us.
Thank you for reminding us of The beauty of birth, the messiness of birthing and the pain of parenting.
You are with us in all of it. You are with us in the mess.
Help us to know your love deeply this holiday season.
Wrap us in your love just as Mary wrapped you in swaddling clothes.
We love you Jesus. AMEN
©lillylewin and freerangeworship.com
Finding Your Thinplace Pilgrimage : Spaces are limited, so make your reservation to join us in Scotland Sept. 1-9, 2025
ART: Madonna of the Meadow by Giovanni Bellini
by Laurie Klein
Black sheep? Moi? Oh yes: In childhood I cradled my stuffed counterpart, complete with music box. During adolescence I perched it atop the desk handed down from my mother.
Seven decades later, it sits near my keyboard, flop ears and button eyes cocked my way.
Twist the oval brass ring in its belly and the song still plays, almost as if time runs backward and my Mom croons the lullaby words of Brahms. I remember one night, an insecure new mama myself, I asked to hear it again, her voice by then crackly with age.
Sleepyhead, close your eyes.
Mother’s right here beside you.
Do we ever outgrow the childlike longing to be held? Rescued?
Re-wind with me . . .
to a distant, long-ago night. A swaddled infant’s gaze locks on his mother’s brimming eyes.
Perhaps Mary sings:
Guardian angels are near,
So sleep on, with no fear.
From starlit Bethlehem, slip further back in time. A month will do. Picture slopes and valleys partially blanketed in wool, as if fallen clouds rest on the earth. These sheep are specifically raised for temple sacrifice.
And King David’s descendants keep watch.
Farther afield, a grizzled shepherd bows over a feed trough. He swaddles a flailing newborn lamb. The birth rags will protect spindly new legs from harm. Little eyes close, the damp body nestled in warmth.
Does the shepherd pipe a tune?
I’ll protect you from harm,
You will wake in my arms.
What of this motherless lamb? And that ewe, over yonder, grieving over a stillborn body?
How gently the shepherd nudges the bereaved mother aside. How painstakingly he bathes the orphan in the dead lamb’s placental blood.
And then, how wondrous, the milk of recognition, the miracle of adoption!
From these hills we can look toward Bethlehem or, five miles north, toward Jerusalem; from incarnation to eventual crucifixion.
Among these grasslands hundreds and hundreds of lambs were once raised for twice daily sacrifices in the temple. Thousands more met the priestly blade at Passover. BUT . . .
. . . before that feast of remembrance, each household brought their best lamb into their home for several days. Hand-fed it. Treated it as family. Maybe the children named it.
Everyone knew that when they presented their gift to the priest, he would ask them this: “Do you love this lamb?”
Spotless, cherished lambs led to the temple.
My threadbare black sheep on my desk.
Heaven’s Lamb—who loves us.
Now and forever NOEL, noel, noel . . .
What sacrifice might Love ask you to make this Christmas?
Black sheep, white sheep: Photo by Megan Johnston on Unsplash
Close-up, white sheep Photo by Sam Carter on Unsplash
Lamb: Photo by Bill Fairs on Unsplash
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