Gravity Commons Podcast

We’re continuing our mini-series with Dr. Paul Penley about his book,  What Jesus Meant: How Ancient Conversations Redefine Jesus’ Message , where we talk about how we often misunderstand what Jesus meant because we don’t realize that he was participating in and responding to ancient conversations we don’t have immediate access to. Today’s topic: Jesus versus the wealthy. Dr. Paul Penley is a New...

Ben and Christy talk about Lent: what Lent is, what fasting is for, and how to create more space for Grace to meet us. SHOW NOTES: The article Ben referenced about Lent and fasting: gravitycommons.com/how-to-fast-for-lent/ Connect with Gravity Commons: Leave us a message or ask a question about this or any other episode and we'll answer it on a future episode. Join the Gravity Community to int...

Timothy McCain is back on the podcast to talk about his new book  Jesus Can't Fix Racism ,  where he argues that racism has survived in the Church not because Christians failed to pray, but because they refuse to change. Timothy McCain is an author, speaker, and entrepreneur with over two decades of experience in leading and developing initiatives across various sectors. He is the founder and...

We're starting a new mini-series with Dr. Paul Penley (yes, Christy's husband!) about his book, What Jesus Meant: How Ancient Conversations Redefine Jesus’ Message . In this episode, we talk about how we often misunderstand what Jesus meant because we don't realize that he was participating in and responding to ancient conversations we don't have immediate access to. Today's to...

We talked with philosophy professor Michael W. Austin about how Christian nationalism is contrary to Christian virtues AND American values, and offers us a better form of civic engagement. In his book  American Christian Nationalism: Neither American Nor Christian , Michael accessibly explains the meaning and history behind nationalism and systematically shows how the ideology contradicts American...

We talked with pastor and author David Swanson about the work he and his church have done in Chicago to respond to the presence of ICE in their neighborhoods: bearing witness to violence and terror, calling for repentance, and seeking to nonviolently resist physical attacks on Christians and clergy, the lawlessness of federal agents, MAGA's politics of death, and the overt racism of our presid...

We talked with Dr. Yolanda Pierce about what we do with our wounds - our own, others', and a nation's? In her book  The Wounds Are the Witness ,  Pierce weaves together her own memories, vignettes from Black life, and scenes from scripture, especially the passion of Christ to create an indelible meditation on Black faith, suffering, hope, and the healing possibilities of justice. Yolanda P...

Christy and Ben talk about all things Epiphany: how it fits in the liturgical calendar, what it means, and a few ways you can celebrate: chalking your door, making a king cake, and turning your Christmas tree into a cross. Show notes & links: Door chalking liturgy King Cake recipe Photo of Christmas tree cross Connect with Gravity Commons: Leave us a message or ask a question about this or any...

As the year draws to a close, Christy, Ben, and Matt reflect on the year, Christmas traditions, gifts, and more. Connect with Gravity Commons: Leave us a message or ask a question  about this or any other episode and we'll answer it on a future episode. Join the Gravity Community  to interact with other listeners, and get our list of curated links each week to all things edifying and interesti...

Matt, Ben, & Christy take a look at what Gravity Commons has done over the past year and share what's coming in 2026, including Matt's sabbatical, what we are doing well, what we need to do differently, and why we need your support. Connect with Gravity Commons: Leave us a message or ask a question about this or any other episode and we'll answer it on a future episode. Join the Gr...

We talked with pastor Zach Lambert about how to read the Bible in ways that lead to healing and wholeness, because the Bible has been weaponized to subjugate women, justify racism, bash LGBTQ+ people, cover up abuse, and exclude people who speak out against these injustices. Zach's new book  Better Ways to Read the Bible: Transforming a Weapon of Harm Into a Tool of Healing   offers a path for...

We talked with Kelsey McGinnis and Marissa Burt about the history and ideological underpinnings of popular Christian parenting literature for those trying to "grow kids God's way," and how these resources offered promises built on invisible beliefs, assumptions, and separatist impulses. Their book  The Myth of Good Christian Parenting: How False Promises Failed a Generation of Evangeli...

We talked with Ronald Pierce and Karen Keen about a different way to approach the disagreement over LGBTQ affirmation and inclusion in the church. In their book  Christlike Acceptance across Deep Difference , they bring together a broad range of contributors--scholarly and pastoral; affirming and traditionalist; evangelical, mainline, and Catholic--who demonstrate a more constructive response to L...

White boys and men are dangerous, AND white boys and men are struggling. By far, most large-scale mass shooters are white men, AND white men also die by suicide more often than any other demographic. We talked about this issue with journalist, mother, and pastor Angela Denker, who wrote  Disciples of White Jesus: The Radicalization of American Boyhood ,  a sensitive, searing, and unsparing look at...

We talked with author and essayist Philip Christman about how, if we take the Sermon on the Mount seriously as a call to solidarity, being a Christian and being a leftist go hand-in-hand. In his book  Why Christians Should Be Leftists , Christman asks believers who are already uncomfortable with how political leaders on the right leverage sexism, racism, and homophobia to take a fresh look at thei...

We talked with Dr. Paul T. Sloan about a common misunderstanding about how Jesus related to the Law of Moses - namely that the Law is bad and Jesus comes to save us from it. Instead, Sloan argues that Jesus was announcing a restoration of the covenant, not its nullification. His book is  Jesus and the Law of Moses . Paul T. Sloan is Associate Professor of Early Christianity at Houston Christian Un...

We talked with Liz Theoharis and Charon Hribar about how prayers, rituals, and liturgies help to sustain movements for social change. Their book  We Pray Freedom  is full of prayers, resources, and stories that grew out of communities committed to abolishing poverty. Dr. Charon Hribar ( Cha-Ron Reebar ) is a visionary leader, musician, and scholar. She serves as the Director of Cultural Strategies...

We talked with theologian Hanna Reichel about their book  For Such a Time as This: An Emergency Devotional , which is a guide for ordinary Christians seeking to live faithfully in our era of political polarization, eroding democratic norms, and rising authoritarianism. It is a timely resource for believers seeking spiritual grounding amid societal upheaval. Hanna Reichel is Charles Hodge Professor...

We talked (again!) with psychologist Hillary McBride, this time about religious trauma, spiritual abuse, and how faith-based wounds can leave lasting scars that impact every aspect of our lives. In her new book  Holy Hurt: Understanding Spiritual Trauma and the Process of Healing ,  McBride delivers a profound message: spiritual trauma is real, widespread, and has far-reaching consequences. More i...

We talked with author Michelle Van Loon about why evangelical Christianity needs to shed the baggage that gets in the way of authentic faith. Her book  Downsizing: Letting Go of Evangelicalism's Nonessentials  encourages readers to reflect on their own experience with evangelicalism, evaluate the movement's legacy, and participate in shaping its future. You can connect with Michelle and he...

We talked with Episcopal priest Ben Wyatt about his book  Christ and the Council: Conflict, Politics, Theology, and the Outrageous, Extraordinary Story of the Church's First Creed , which is about the complex story of how the Nicene Creed came to be, how Christians decide what is true, and what it can teach us about today's church conflicts. Ben Wyatt is an Episcopal priest, psychotherapy...

As a pastor's wife for twenty-five years, Beth Allison Barr has lived with assumptions about what she should do and who she should be. We talked with her about her book  Becoming the Pastor's Wife: How Marriage Replaced Ordination as a Woman's Path to Ministry , where she draws on that experience and her academic expertise to trace the history of the role of the pastor's wife, show...

We talked with Licensed Clinical Social Worker Will Harrison, Jr. about living with Moebius Syndrome, a rare disability that affects his facial expressions and speech, and about what he has learned at the intersection of disability, faith, and deconstruction. Will reflects on his upbringing in a Southern Baptist church, the challenges he faced in pursuing a career in youth ministry, and his eventu...

We talked with author and activist Regina Cates about how to have brave and thoughtful conversations about difficult topics like sexual abuse, racism, religious and political corruption, abortion, and sexual orientation. Her book  The Real Conversation Jesus Wants Us to Have  is part memoir, part social commentary, and part call to action, and it invites all people of good faith to more fully embo...

We talked with pastor and author Isaac Villegas about his on-the-ground justice activism for immigrants. His book  Migrant God: A Christian Vision for Immigrant Justice   cuts a new path through worn-out talking points and bears witness to loving solidarity among Christians--both with and without US citizenship--and offers a theologically astute and politically rich vision of beloved community. Yo...