In our recent conversations about spiritual formation, the use of the imagination has come up several times. Why is the imagination so significant in spiritual formation? Don't we simply need to learn more data about the Bible? Out of early misgivings about the models of discipleship we often use in the church, Rev. Dr. Justin Bailey decided to focus his work on discipleship and the imagination. Today Justin joins us to talk about his newest book titled Disciplining the Diseased Imagination: Spiritual Formation and the Healing of Our Hearts.

Find out more about Dr. Bailey and his book HERE

See his chapel talks that started the whole book project HERE (scroll to the bottom of the page)

Contact Dr. Bailey HERE

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This is a re-edited broadcast of a conversation with Dr. Michael Rhodes from 2024. Is it possible that Western Christianity and modern American life is shaping us to become people who are NOT good at doing justice, and loving mercy, and showing kindness? We know of such concepts but do we embody such concepts in the world around us? This week kicks off a several week conversation with scholars about different aspects of discipleship. We start today with a fellow Old Testament scholar, Dr. Michael Rhodes. He is a professor in Old Testament at Carey Baptist College in Aukland, New Zealand. He is the author of Formative Feasting and Practicing the King's Economy.

We start with the impetus for his new book Just Discipleship, which you can find HERE.

What is biblical justice? Is it different from other forms of justice?

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This is a re-edit conversation from 2024 with Dr. Lanta Davis. Her book Becoming by Beholding is a wonderful conversation partner with some of the recent podcast episodes.

Her book will prompt you to think about the connection between art, imagination, and theology. How did the historic church think about the imagination and spiritual formation, and can we do a better job of that in today's environment? Are we aware enough of what we "behold" and how that creates an impression on our lives? And how did the Protestant church lose its ability to gaze on images and allow them to stoke our imagination?

You can find Lanta Davis' book HERE

Read more about Dr. Davis HERE

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Today we continue the conversation with Arrabon's founder, David Bailey. We talk about what the "Gospel of the Kingdom" means along with several of Arrabon's resources to equip all kinds of audiences for understanding Scripture and spiritual formation. There are so many tools available to help a diverse group of Jesus followers, despite their differences, learn to grow and mature as God's people.

Find out more about Arrabon HERE

Download Arrabon's free Lent resource The Winding Road

Explore Arrabon's resources on Spiritual Formation

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David Bailey is the Founder and Chief Vision Officer of Arrabon. As a public theologian, David helps to bring wisdom, theological imagination, and moral imagination to the way that Christians show up in the world. He created Arrabon as a way to equip Christ's followers to actively, creatively pursue healing in their communities, to be a foretaste of the kingdom of God, an agent of healing, and an agent of reconciliation in their community.

Find out more about Arrabon HERE

Download Arrabon's free Lent resource The Winding Road

Explore Arrabon's resources on Spiritual Formation

Contact Cyndi Parker through Narrative of Place.

Join Cyndi Parker's Patreon Team!

When two contradictory commands about remembering past events refused to be reconciled, Dr. Megan Roberts began exploring new theories to help her exegetical work. Trauma theory helped explain the Israelites engagement with memory. And working on what God's comfort can say to traumatized people hit a deep and personal cord in her own life.

Read more about her work in Isaiah HERE

You can find many of her sermons and teaching at Prairie College on their YouTube channel HERE

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Biblical texts can be hard to read for several reasons - the poetry or images are challenging, or the emotion is strong, or the text seems to contradict itself in strange ways. In this episode, Dr. Megan Roberts from Prairie College tells us what draws her to these challenging texts and how they have a personal impact on her own life.

Read more about her work in Isaiah HERE

You can find many of her sermons and teaching at Prairie College on their YouTube channel HERE

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Last week Dr. Faro introduced us to the significant literary theme of women who advance the story of salvation. Today we hear example of the Matriarch Sarah and how she and Mary the Mother of Jesus share some common characteristics. We also talk about Hannah's song and about a little known figure named Jehosheba. How do these unexpected women play critical roles in the salvation story?

Discover more about Dr. Faro HERE

Explore her new book HERE

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