The Light in Every Thing

Have you ever wondered whether Christianity is meant to remain consistently the same over time or constantly reinvent itself? In this thought-provoking conversation, we explore a radical third option: Christianity as a living organism with both consistent and evolving elements across its biography. The jumping-off point of this conversation is a revelation from the new Easter liturgy in The Christ...

What does it mean to be "chosen" by God? Where is the line between rightful self-sacrifice and harmful self-erasure? In this final episode of our Ephesians series, we tackle these profound spiritual questions sent in by our listeners. After 58 conversations unpacking the treasures of this extraordinary letter, we're moved by the thoughtful engagement of our global community. It has...

Christ's light seeks to shine in the most unexpected places—even in the complex, often uncomfortable power imbalances in human relationships. As Jonah and Patrick conclude their study of Ephesians, they explore how Paul's wisdom reaches its culmination in addressing “masters” and “bond-servants,” revealing a revolutionary approach to transforming unjust systems from within. This conversa...

In this deep and lively conversation, Patrick and Jonah continue their journey through Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians, entering chapter 6 — the passage addressing children, parents, and the challenge of obedience. Together they explore the profound tension and mystery in Paul’s words about submission, obedience, and how they can easily be misused or distorted into oppressive tools. At the same tim...

After a remarkable more than year-long journey exploring Paul's letter to the Ephesians, we're pausing to create space for your voice. This brief but important episode invites our listening community to reflect on the extensive series we've created together and share questions that remain as we prepare to conclude our study. Our exploration of Ephesians has traversed complex theolog...

Patrick and Jonah venture into the spiritual territory of the body as they explore the mysteries of marriage through a Christological lens. Beginning with Paul's words to the Ephesians, they uncover how these ancient instructions offer not a rulebook but a transformative imagination for our most intimate relationships. The conversation takes an unexpected turn when they reframe the traditiona...

In this next conversation, we journey through St. Paul's challenging words in Ephesians 5, discovering a spiritual anthropology that reveals why humanity exists as male and female, and how marriage serves as a healing sacrament for our divided nature. Beginning with Genesis, we explore how humanity was fashioned to embody the divine image—yet this image requires both masculine and feminine qu...

Ask us a question here! Support the show The Light in Every Thing is a podcast of The Seminary of The Christian Community in North America. Learn more about the Seminary and its offerings at our website . This podcast is supported by our growing Patreon community. To learn more, go to www.patreon.com/ccseminary. Thanks to Elliott Chamberlin who composed our theme music, “Seeking Together."

Our journey through Ephesians brings us to chapter five's controversial teaching on submission—a passage that has caused immense pain when wielded as a weapon for oppression. We begin by examining our culture's understanding of protection: whoever has the most power, money, and control supposedly lives in safety. Yet Christ reveals a radically different path. By submitting to authorities...

We venture into the profound depths of marriage as a cosmic mystery, exploring the universal archetypes that underpin Paul's guidance in Ephesians 5. Far beyond simple gender roles or power dynamics, these ancient patterns reveal something extraordinary about our spiritual journey. The conversation begins with a crucial insight: before any discussion of husbands and wives, we must recognize t...

In our next episode, Jonah and Patrick lead us towards a new understanding of a particularly challenging portion of Paul’s letter (Eph 5:22-33). Paul describes a re-ordering of the universe through Christ based on submission ( huppotassō , Greek). We are each invited, out of our own freedom and dignity, to follow the True Human Being, one who possesses a wisdom and heart wider and deeper than our...

What is the relationship between Christ’s light and the darkness in and around us that does not bear fruit (Eph 5:11-14). As Paul himself experienced so dramatically on his way to Damascus, the road walked with Christ is not filled with condemnation of others or ourselves. Christ’s light shines on all of who we are. Can we bring all of who we are to him and open ourselves to the transformative, he...

Our series continues with Jonah and Patrick reflecting on the people of Ephesus, who were being led into a new faith experience with Jesus Christ. The birth of a new community in Christ was a fusion of Jewish and pagan traditions, both cultural and spiritual. What were the consequences of this new light dawning in their daily lives? Paul offers us all a discernment practice—when we turn towards Ch...

In our next episode, Jonah and Patrick explore the darkness and light within  each of us as described by Paul in  Ephesians 5:1-14. Paul calls us to be “imitators of God” while we live and wrestle with darkness. How do we fulfill this call? God actually reveals God’s nature as a being who “lives in the darkness”—the stars in the night sky reveal this, the beginning of Genesis reveals this, Christ...

Our next episode continues with Paul’s description of what we might expect as we attempt to put on the true garment of our humanity, the resurrected Jesus Christ (Eph 4:25-32). The Risen One was transformed almost beyond recognition, but he retained his wounds. He suffers for and with us, willingly sharing in our suffering and offering us his peace. That is the new meaning of being human—acknowled...

Dear Listeners, Due to illness and other factors beyond our control, we have gotten behind our regular podcast production schedule here at the seminary. But, we didn’t feel like we could ask you to wait any longer to the next installment of our ‘Letter to the Ephesians’ series. Here is the audio - a full 90 minutes - on speaking the truth in love, a capacity we so desperately need today. Ask us a...

In this second part of Patrick and Jonah’s conversation, we are given insight into what “putting on the new human” might feel like. Christ Jesus is walking with and working in every single human being, continually offering the sense of another way. His way is not the dissolution of our trials and tribulations, but a new kind of peace that arises in and through them. There is much to be transformed...

In our next episode, we delve deeper into the heart of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, Chapter 4. Paul calls us “to be renewed in the spirit of [our] minds and to put on the new self” (Eph 4:23-24) . Jonah gives us a beautifully simple yet powerful example of how he experiences this renewal of mind—an ever-present possibility that can lead us into Christ’s presence and His peace. Ask us a question...

"We want a name. What do we want to build something? We want a name. What do we want to build? Whose name do we want? To be receiving glory. So I need these maturation processes in me to get me ready. So we needed, I think, to fall Right, you will be, to realize the eternal purposes. We needed a maturation process, and that maturation process seems to be sin and death, to enter a fallen place...

In this episode, we the beginning of chapter four in the Letter to the Ephesians. It leads us into three of the qualities of character that the author names as humility, gentleness, and patience. We are led into the topic of intentional character development in and through Christ. This conversation on spiritual formation is stirred by Paul’s words in the fourth chapter of Ephesians, where he “urge...

Our series continues, this Christmas Eve, as Patrick and Jonah lead us into Ephesians 4:1-8. We recently heard Paul’s beautiful prayer for strength that we may “know the love of Christ” and “be filled with all the fullness of God.” Now we turn our attention to the calling we have each been called to—one that we are free to accept, decline or be in never ending struggle with. Paul describes his cal...

Dear Listeners, There will be no full podcast on the theme this week, but Patrick is offering up this prayer from Ephesians 3:14-21 for us. We invite you to listen to the short audio above. This translation is based on the English Standard Version, with new elements translated by Patrick. The Prayer for the Ephesians  Ephesians 3:14-21 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom ev...

In our next episode, Jonah and Patrick take us deeper into the significance of the Adam, or human being, first being created in the ‘selem’ or image of God (Genesis 1:26-27) and its relationship to Paul’s understanding of the risen Christ Jesus. What is the purpose of the human being in the unfolding cosmic story? What are we meant to reveal through Christ Jesus? Can we feel that without Him we ar...

Our series continues with a closer look at Ephesians 3:8-11, where Paul points to the ‘manifold wisdom of God’ being made known even in the heavenly places, by the ecclesia—the community of all who hear the call of Christ Jesus. Paul tells us that this Sophia (Wisdom) of God has been hidden for ages in God, but with Christ’s deed of sacrificial love on the cross—and all that flowed from it—this my...

The word ‘mystery appears in the New Testament twenty-seven times, with twenty-four references coming from Paul’s letters to the ancient churches. In modern times we can easily understand mystery as a riddle to be solved; but how is Paul using the word, particularly in his letter to the Ephesians? In this episode, Jonah and Patrick delve into what Paul first experienced as the ‘Mystery of Christ’...