Call It Good

Episode 8: Pete Peterson

At this stage in our exploration of Genesis 1 in our Call It Good series, it felt important to sit down with Pete Peterson, someone who sits at an important nexus in relation to calling it good. As the Creative Director of The Rabbit Room, Pete is tasked with shaping a creative community whose mission is to "cultivate and curate stories, music, and art to nourish Christ-centered communities for the life of the world." As an author and playwright, Pete knows and feels firsthand the tension that comes with serving the work and seeing it all the way through to its release. Are we allowed to reflect on what we've made and call it good, too? If so, then why does the sharing of what we've created feel so awkward? And how can community play a role in making all of this a healthier process? We spoke to Pete about his own creative pursuits, as well as the mission of The Rabbit Room, to gain a better foothold on this part of serving the work and what it means to see it through to its end.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 6: Carolyn Arends

From host Matt Conner: "If you've followed along with Carolyn's career over the 25 years since, you'll likely agree with me that you've learned to trust her work and her voice. She's released more than a dozen albums in the last quarter decade, along with three acclaimed books. In addition to her work as a creative practitioner, she has also taken up the mantle of Director of Education for Renovaré, a position that allows her to encourage and strengthen the spiritual formation of others. If you've been along on this journey with us on the Call It Good podcast, you'll know we're seeking to best understand what it means to create in the image of a Creator. How does Genesis 1 actually apply to us? And what does it mean to rest and reflect after we've actually made something? Because of Carolyn's ability to speak to these topics with experience and grace from multiple angles, I knew that she'd be an ideal guest for the podcast. On this episode of Call It Good, she provides us with a wealth of wisdom from her experience as a multi-discipline practitioner and her perspective as an educator." Transcripts are available at RabbitRoom.com/podcast.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 5: Propaganda

From host Matt Conner: "Beyond his substantive and compelling work in the arts, Propaganda also just released a new book Terraform, a series of thoughtful essays about this subject of building a better world. On this episode of Call it Good, Propaganda sat down to tell me about the wrestling he's done over time when it comes to reflecting on his own art. The battle, he says, has been about identity and making sure that the work doesn't reflect his worth. It's a joy and freedom to participate in this act of building a better world, and that ability to call it good can be corrupted if we allow it." Transcripts available at RabbitRoom.com/podcast.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 7: Andrew Peterson

For author and singer-songwriter (and so many other things) Andrew Peterson, the last year or more certainly presented some challenges as it did for everyone. But it was also an unexpected respite after a quarter-century of creative work, leaning into his considerable musical and literary gifts to release album after album and book after book. As Andrew explains in this episode, the pandemic provided him his first year at home in his entire adult life. It gave him a chance to reflect upon his own creative work, the mission of The Rabbit Room, and what Sabbath even means for him and his family. As something typically overlooked, ignored, or even treated as a hurdle, Sabbath is actually a beautiful rest intended for our benefit as creators made in the image of the Creator. We hope this honest and heartening conversation with Andrew encourages you in your own journey ahead to figure out what Sabbath means and how you can enter into it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 2: Helena Sorensen

From host Matt Conner: " If you've hung around The Rabbit Room over the years, then you'll likely recognize the name and wonderful work of writer and speaker Helena Sorensen. She's a frequent contributor to The Rabbit Room site as well as a presenter at Hutchmoot. She's often featured with our friends at the Story Warren as well. As the author of the Shiloh series as well as The Door on Half-Bald Hill, perhaps her meaningful prose has found a home on your shelves, too. After charting a theological course with Thomas McKenzie (which you shouldn't miss in our first episode), I wanted to continue the conversation with Helena because I had been privileged enough to see her creative journey up close. I knew that she'd become a fountain of wisdom about this whole process. When I first met Helena, she was a disciplined writer who was obedient to her craft and devoted to excellence. But she was also completely in the closet. Over the years, it's been so heartening to watch the ways in which she's grown to find an audience, and then to serve that audience with encouragement, coaching, and the authentic sharing of her own story. I've watched Helena walk through this very process of partnering with the Spirit to bring something to the world. And I've watched her offer it with open hands. On this episode, I asked Helena about her journey to date and what she thinks about the idea of chasing excellence, finding her worth in what matters, and this whole idea of calling it good in the first place." Audio engineering & theme music by Asher Peterson. Find transcripts for Call It Good at RabbitRoom.com/podcast.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.