In the Shift

Texts of Terror: Patriarchal violence in scripture

Episode 8: The 2nd in a three-part conversation on violence in scripture, in this episode we explore the topic of patriarchal violence in the bible. What do we do with the shocking and pervasive violence and oppression against women that we find in the biblical stories, and what does it have to do with some of the challenges we face in the present day? We don't have to look too far to realise that we've got similar problems to those found in these ancient stories, and any religious beliefs that contribute to the subjugation, oppression and abuse of women need confronting and dismantling. 

For some relevant and substantive books by women in biblical scholarship, check out Wil Gafney's "Womanist Midrash", Phyllis Tribble's "Texts of Terror" and the volume, "Vindicating the Vixens" edited by Sandra Glahn.

Texts of Terror: Tribal violence in scripture

Episode 7: In this episode we begin a three-part series on violence in the biblical text; exploring the way that tribal violence, patriarchal violence and divine violence are portrayed. If God is love and the sustainer of all life, then what do we do with all of this violence that seems to be endorsed and promoted in the sacred text of the Christian tradition? 

Because either this tells us that God is violent, and the bible is outdated and not worth reading, or we can ask the question as to whether there’s a different approach to these stories. Not an approach that justifies the behaviour, because the violence we see in these stories is genuinely horrific and cannot be redeemed, but that allows us to come at it with a different purpose in mind.

Mystics and Metaphors

Episode 6: In this episode we start to explore the way we think about God, and how this impacts on the way we live, the way we interpret our everyday experience, and the implications for our spirituality. Is God best thought of as an old man in the sky, or are there other metaphors and ideas that invite us into some more helpful ways of thinking about the divine and our spirituality?

Poets, prophets and the art of resistance

Episode 5: In this episode I talk with spoken word poet Dietrich Soakai as we discuss the cathartic nature of poetry and think about it as a form of resistance. Poetry has this ability to give voice to experiences that sit beneath the surface that often go unsaid. Both struggles and aspirations that often have nowhere to be expressed, can find their voice through the medium of poetry and spoken word in a context of others, listening, affirming, and responding.

And in a world that tries to impose certain versions of reality on us and often pushes experiences of pain and struggle to the side, this is vitally important function in our communities and society. 

Dietrich is a spoken word poet who is passionate about story and journeying with people. Dietrich has worked as a youth development worker for over 10 years and is currently working for Brothers In Arms; a community organisation that works in mentoring with at-risk and vulnerable young people. 

For three years of his life, he was a full time poet, performing and facilitating around Aotearoa New Zealand and abroad. Working with groups as young as pre-school to the corporate business sector through to working with professional rugby teams. His personal conviction is that “Everyone has a story and its these stories that enrich our lives.”

 

Empathy, apathy and the problem with objectification

Episode 4: In this episode we talk about the importance of empathy to theology and spirituality. We discuss the influence of traditional ideas of God as the unmoved and unchanging one, and how virtues like empathy and compassion are consequently often held in much lower esteem than the ability to have the correct set of ideas, propositions or beliefs. We explore how this emphasis can ultimately lead to objectification and the othering of those who are different from us, and then as an alternative, look at two questions that can invite us into a different way of being.

Gurus and the problem with charisma

Episode 3: In this episode I talk with Shane Meyer-Holt about the intersection of power, faith, spirituality and community. We discuss the notion of the guru-style charismatic leader, and the challenges that can arise if we cultivate a significant power imbalance between an authoritative and all-knowing wise leader and a community.

When honesty confronts "the truth"

Episode 2: In this episode we talk about truth and honesty. And about how power dynamics often work to elevate certain kinds of “truth”, but often at the expense of our ability to be honest and truthful about our real experience.

Dealing with my own (Christian) shift

Episode 1: This first episode of In the Shift explores faith transition, navigating frameworks of certainty, and how the problems found in fundamentalism are not limited to religion but instead are common features of human attempts to belong.