Crossings Knoxville

Do you believe that God is as present in suffering and surprise as he is in moments of gratefulness and joy? How can practicing the presence of God invite us into a deeper awareness of God's dwelling among us?

Do you believe in things you cannot see or perceive? Ours is an enchanted world and because of that we need a re-enchanted liturgy.

What misconceptions might we have about Celtic spirituality, and in what ways might ancient Celtic Christians teach us a way to re-enchant our faith?

In the introduction to this new series, we are asking how we might re-enchant a world that is thoroughly disenchanted. What if the doubter's doubt is a pathway to faith? How do we chase the ache of disenchantment into a conscious re-enchantment of our world and our faith?

2 Macabees 7 is an obscure and well-known apocryphal story that is referenced all through our Bibles. How might this story inform our understandings of God, suffering, and resurrection?

What does the apocryphal Daniel story of Bel and the Dragon teach us about how we hold our religious convictions without demanding government protection? How do we live as faithful exiles in our world without being detached from reality?

What do the Dead Sea Scrolls found at Qumran teach us about New Testament readings of the Bible and culture? How do our own experiences and expectations shape the way we read Scripture?

The time between the Old and New Testaments has been deemed by some the "400 years of silence." In reality, many texts were being written that shaped the world and mind of the New Testament authors. Dr. Heather Gorman (Professor of New Testament at Johnson University) offers a greater understanding of this "intertestamental" period by telling the story of First Maccabees (and Star Wars!). How can...

God asked Jonah questions that he asks all of us: Might the depth of the love and grace of God be bigger and deeper than any of us imagined?

What is real repentance and what does it look like? What can Jonah teach us about apologizing for and repairing the brokenness we cause?

The Book of Jonah offers us a view of the world and of God that is much bigger than we expected. What might we need to let go of to see it?

Can we trust that our making is not in vain? How do our actions and creations contribute to making all things New?

We have received in the elements of Common Meal what has been handed down for hundreds of generations - the mystery of the transformative power of the body and blood of Christ. Common Meal, or the eucharist, has the power to remind us of our participation in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The Japanese practice of wabi-sabi invites us into an imperfect observance of the world. How can we learn to embrace and find beauty in imperfection?

What if faith is as much about creative making-knowledge as it is about intellectual, theological knowledge? David Matthews joins as we discuss the maker's journey, Japanese tea ceremonies, and creating experiences of beauty and childlike imagination.

Nihonga is the traditional Japanese art rooted in a community of relationships and history of makers. What does it mean to locate all that we make in the world in an ecosystem that is the Kingdom of God?

What if everyone possessed a unique, creative impulse to make and to be an artist? How can we learn to see all of life, beyond our jobs or professions, as being full of meaningful possibilities to create?

We all come to Easter Sunday in a different seat and with a different perspective. In Luke 24, the Resurrection Story, we read about four different Easter experiences by Jesus' closest followers.

What if we consistently fine the Jesus we are looking for but are prone to miss the point? How can we slow down and ask "what if we're wrong?"

How should we use our resources as we seek the Kingdom of God? How can we be more present and generous this Lenten season?

The story of the Prodigal Son may be one of the most well-known parables in the Bible. It's a story about THE Story. Are there still ways to hear this story anew?

 What would we change or do differently if we knew how much time we had left? How does Lent invite us to slow down and consider how we use our time?

What if the holiness of God is as much in the mundane moments of life as in the mountaintop experiences? What can the Transfiguration in Luke's Gospel teach us about God's nearness to us?

Luke 4:1-13 - Lent is a time to fast, consider our limits, and acknowledge our mortality. Will we demand the way of selfishness, power, and prestige? Or will we trust a way that is not our own?

Chrystal Armstrong Brown continues the conversation of finding contentment in each of our present spiritual circumstances. What does it mean to pray to a God who seems distant? How can we come to recognize Christ's presence in life and death?