Context Matters

Healing our Imagination

How does prayer fit into the formation and healing of our imagination? As we continue our conversation with Dr. Justin Bailey, he addresses prayer as reorienting our attention, priorities, and requests within Jesus' story. We also contrast cheap, clichéd hope with costly hope shaped by confession, suffering, and the Spirit’s reminder of the larger biblical story. 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 Contact Cyndi Parker through Narrative of Place. Learn more about me and sign up for upcoming tours of Israel/Palestine. Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team!

Undragoning our Imaginations

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 Contact Cyndi Parker through Narrative of Place. Learn more about me and sign up for upcoming tours of Israel/Palestine. Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team!

No Discipleship without Justice

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?  Contact Cyndi Parker through Narrative of Place. Learn more about me and sign up for upcoming tours of Israel/Palestine. Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team!

The Soul as Wax

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 Contact Cyndi Parker through Narrative of Place. Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team!

The Winding Road

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 HEREDownload Arrabon's free Lent resource The Winding RoadExplore Arrabon's resources on Spiritual FormationContact Cyndi Parker through Narrative of Place.Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team!