The ecoChristian Podcast

What if all this change… all these wrinkles… all these limits are part of God’s cosmic design? Our lives are comprised of change, and often it can be painful and hard… but also beautiful. In an epic season finale, we have a special double-dip episode with author and podcaster Courtney Ellis to discuss her new book Weathering Change! Find Weathering Change: Seeking Peace Amid Life’s Tough Transitio...

Who speaks your language? Whose language are you trying to speak? How is it that the Spirit of God shows up at Pentecost… and we can all hear the message!? … Let’s talk aging, the Holy Spirit, and a bit of Babel. Caleb’s new book! Earthbound Christian – Flourishing within limits in the age of infinite growth - https://calebcrayhaynes.com/ Check out Biologos! https://biologos.org/ Downloadable Eart...

What if one of the most impactful things you could do for God’s creation is just sit at a table and talk with someone about the issues you care about? Would you do it? Often, when we consider getting involved in politics, the roadblocks just live in our own minds rather than in reality. In a walk around the Capitol building in DC, Caleb is joined by Creation Justice Ministries policy and advocacy...

Have you ever sailed through the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? Biological Oceanographer Jenni Brandon has and is here to tell the tale! In this conversation, we learn about the unfolding research between the ocean, increasing micro-plastics, and our bodies. How are you part of this story? Jump in the water and find out! More from Jenni: https://www.jenniferabrandon.com/ Episode mentions! United by...

What if there was some new technology that sequestered carbon, mitigated floods, cleaned the air, provided shade, created food, offered oxygen, made building materials, and aided our mental health? Oh yeah, they’re called trees! Jump into this fun and insightful conversation with urban farmer and professor Jason Adkins as we discuss everything from tree equity to resurrection. See your Tree Equity...

What does evolution, faith, farming, the Society of Biblical Literature, and the state of Michigan have in common? The answer is Caleb Scheys! Listen in as two Calebs who care for God’s creation dialogue about the non-mutually exclusives that are baked into not just God’s creation, but the kind of postures that offer love and grace for the whole world. Green Lectionary Podcast – Palm Sunday with C...

58 | Pockets of Refugia with Debra Rienstra Where are the hidden shelters? What are those ordinary wonders around you? How might pockets of refugia foster the healing of God’s creation? Today we are joined by author and professor Debra Rienstra to explore these very questions and chat about her pivotal work, Refugia Faith! Find Debra’s work: https://debrarienstra.com/books/refugia-faith/ Other men...

What should the church be saying about the increasing fascination with Artificial Intelligence? What’s helpful? What’s harmful? How might the church find itself at the forefront of hopeful conversations amidst a cultural clamor toward AI? What about the ecological, moral, and ethical ramifications? Listen in to episode 57 and peer under the lid! Caleb’s new release: Earthbound Christian – Flourish...

There’s no time but the present to consider tomorrow. What will your funeral be like? The burial? The casket? The process of it all? What does a Christian funeral look like… as people created from the earth, called to care for the earth, and finally to return to the earth? Episode 56 is a wonderful conversation with Rev. Dr. Sequola Dawson on the practical, theological, and social aspects of a gre...

It's ice-y out there... but what if, within all these storms, there exists the possibility of probing some systems and asking some questions? What if being limited, finite, earthy people is exactly who God wants us to be? A raw episode on being earthbound Christians amidst ice storms and ongoing power outages in Nashville. Earthbound Christian: flourishing within limits in the age of infinite...

Are we there yet? What does it mean to learn how to see… ecologically? In episode 54, we hear from author, speaker, and leader Brian McLaren. Brian dialogues about his books Life After Doom and The Last Voyage and shares insights from a lifetime of learning how to see. More from Brian McLaren! https://brianmclaren.net/ Earthbound Christian – find it here! https://calebcrayhaynes.com/ and at https:...

How might loss and brokenness open up bigger rooms for us to experience life? These seasons may arrive in loneliness and pain, or arrive with a light heart, or with both. Some call it chaos… some call it flavor. How might we embrace both life, and death, as the necessary ingredients to a joyful life? Caleb’s new book, Earthbound Christian: Flourishing within limits in the age of infinite growth –...

What if the season of Advent is not meant to be anthropocentric? What if Advent is for the birds? … And the bears, and the beavers, and all of God’s creatures as well? What if animals have much to teach us in the way of waiting for the coming Christ-child this season? In episode 52, Caleb is joined by author Gayle Boss in a discussion on her Advent book, All Creation Waits. They discuss the strugg...

Is it possible for creation to influence God? Could it be that humans, along with all of creation, are made to be in an open and meaningful relationship with our Creator? For episode 51 we are joined by theologian Tom Oord to discuss his work on open and relational theology in reference to God's good creation. Herein is a wonderful conversation on the intrinsic value of creation and thoughts o...

Do you see yourself as a companion to the animal kingdom? What if we are connected to these creatures more than we suspect? From modern medicine to the stewardship of the land, our lives are intertwined with animals, whether you witness it or not. For episode 50, we are joined by Rev. Caroyln Dugan to glean from her expertise in the field of animals and medicine, to her experience studying zoology...

Caleb sits down over breakfast with his longtime friend Tera to chat about food insecurities, farming, the breaking of harmful inertias, and the joy of the journey! Enjoy this fun dialogue as you consider your place in the story of food justice! Learn more about Tera’s work with Sweet Radish! https://www.sweetradish.org/ and The Nashville Food Project: https://www.thenashvillefoodproject.org/   Fo...

What is sabbath for you? Is it something that offers life for you and your family? Is it something offering life for God’s creation through you? This week, we sit down with author and professor Travis West as he drops some wonderful truth-bombs about sabbath and we explore his wonderful new book, The Sabbath Way: Making Room in Your Life for Rest, Connection, and Delight Find the book and more abo...

Is it possible, that in a time when we are more distant from God’s creation than ever, our children are the ones being sacrificed on the altars of the gods of consumerism? Explore this familiar Genesis story with Abraham, Isaac, and the God who provides! Here is some of the research referenced in this episode: Richardson, Miles. “Modelling Nature Connectedness Within Environmental Systems: Human-N...

What does ecology tell us about our need for involvement in the natural world? What are the best ways to protect God's creation? And what are the markers of science denialism? All this and more unfold in this conversation with Dr. Rick Lindroth as he shares his scientific expertise. More from Rick here. UW-Madison website:   https://lindroth.russell.wisc.edu/ Research from Rick: https://schola...

Would you be willing to demolish everything you’ve built in order to follow God’s call and plant something new? Listen in as we hear from Matthew Sleeth share about his journey from being an ER physician to becoming a preacher for creation care. Matthew also shares about some of his writing and reveals Biblical insights and what he names as “God’s special watermark in Scripture!” Matthew’s Website...

What does the power of God have to do with powering the world? What kind of power does our God exhibit? What can that teach us about our relationship with the Earth and our limitless quest for energy and growth? Join Caleb and the Director of Theological Education and Formation at Creation Justice Ministries, Derrick Weston, as they dialogue together and take a closer look at the CJM annual resour...

Music finds its way into our bones and moves us at our core in ways that words nor data often can. In this last episode of season two, Caleb is joined by artist and musician Susan Shann! Along with some great conversation with Susan, we get to hear some of her inspiring songs in this living room hang. More from Susan Shann! https://www.susanshann.com/ Follow The ecoChristian Podcast on: The SUBSTA...

The people of the San Carlos Apache Tribe in Arizona are struggling to protect their sacred place, Oak Flat, from being destroyed through copper mining. How might this moment be a heart-check for the church to re-examine our posture in the world within God’s ecosystem of creation? We are a people created within an entanglement amidst a culture obsessed with extraction. True riches aren't in th...

Jesus often went off-trail into the wild places to pray, what does it look like for us today, to hike deeper within creation to connect with our God? In this episode we hear from author Maureen E. Wise about her book “Strength for my Path: 52 Devotions from the Hiking Trail”! Find “Strength for My Path: 52 Devotions from the Hiking Trail” and more from Maureen Wise: https://maureenwisebooks.com/ h...

How might Christians engage more deeply in the sacred work of pollination as meaningful expressions of our faith? We need these pollinators to thrive... but the data points to a time of crisis. Where do we go from here? Resource Mention: Engaging Missions through Church Energy Management -offered by Energy for Purpose (A Rocha, Love Your Place) https://loveyourplace.org/posts/82772262?utm_source=m...