Gravity Commons Podcast

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...

Marc Alan Schelske joins us once again to talk (once again) about journaling: what it is, why it works, and how to do it in a way that facilitates spiritual growth. Marc also shared personally and vulnerably about his own spiritual journey. No matter what your history is with journaling, Marc's method (outlined in his recently re-released book  Journaling for Spiritual Growth: Six Weeks to Bui...

We talked with Presbyterian minister and author Benjamin Perry about what happens to us when we cry... and when we don't. Weeping often opens a door to connection and transformation, but many of us have been taught to suppress our emotions and hide our tears. Benjamin's book  Learning to Cry: Why Our Tears Matter  is the result of an experiment he undertook: to cry every day. Benjamin Perr...

In this episode of the Gravity Commons podcast, we explore the complexities of anger as an emotion, discussing its role in personal relationships, power dynamics, and social justice. We reflect on personal experiences with anger, the importance of navigating it with compassion, and the implications of policing anger in various contexts. Our conversation also touches on the privilege of being able...

We talked with Rick Pidcock about the role of anger in an allegation of abuse he wrote about in a progressive Christian organization, the need for self-awareness and humility, how social location affects how anger works, and the need to reform harmful hierarchies. Rick Pidcock writes for Baptist News Global. He has a master of arts degree in worship from Northern Seminary. He is also the host of t...

Anger is a wily beast: easily misused, often harmful, yet also sometimes holy and good. Over the coming weeks, we'll be examining anger and the cost and benefits of being more acquainted with our anger and the anger in the world. In this episode, Christy Penley talks us through how anger could be a flag that's waving itself as an opportunity to grow in greater intimacy with God.  Dr. Chris...

We talked with Dr. Paul Penley (yes, Christy's husband!) 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. Paul's book  What Jesus Meant: How Ancient Conversations Redefine Jesus’ Message  helps us understand that Jesus was not just making points; he was...

Many of us embarked on our spiritual journeys filled with hope and certainty, only to find ourselves questioning the very foundation of our beliefs as life unfolded. The faith that once seemed unshakeable may falter in the face of broken trust, unanswered prayers, and the harsh realities of worldly suffering. But Catherine McNiel and Jason Hague - authors of  Mid-Faith Crisis: Finding a Path Throu...

We talked with theologian, writer, and ordained priest Shannon Kearns about his new book, No One Taught Me How to be A Man: What a Trans Man's Experience Reveals About Masculinity . Shannon T.L. Kearns is a transgender man who believes in the transformative power of story. He is an ordained priest, writer, and theologian whose work revolves around making meaning. He is also a sought-after spea...