The Light in Every Thing

In our next episode, Patrick and Jonah go deeper into Paul’s understanding of God’s work to shape a “people”, the whole idea of ancient Israel. What is revealed is that the separating off and forming of one nation always had the larger mission of reintegration and “blessing” within it. The story of God’s chosen people was meant to grow into a new humanity and community, one that ultimately unites...

The next episode in our series focuses on the particular way that Jesus Christ works with sin, or human error. We are reminded that Christ condemned no human being while on earth; his condemnation was directed towards his true adversary. Nor does Christ condemn us now. Instead, he offers love, understanding and compassion for the great work we are in and what we struggle against. Can we humble our...

Jonah and Patrick continue to draw parallels between Paul’s first encounter with Christ Jesus and writer Naomi Wolf’s encounter with Jesus years ago, only recently described publicly in her essay “The Thing I Feared Most to Write.” What does it take to open ourselves to receiving something that lies well beyond our everyday consciousness? Are we willing to be changed forever? Christ Jesus’ heart h...

In this episode, we return to Paul’s image of a living temple formed by joining together human beings who were once divided (Eph 2:14-22). Christ’s peace reconciles us to God and allows for God to dwell in us. How will this new temple community continue to grow? Patrick and Jonah share the story of well known author Naomi Wolf’s experience of meeting Jesus. How does her encounter shed light on our...

The next episode in our series takes us deeper into Ephesians 2 , beginning with Jonah’s question “Where is Christ today? How can we find him?” Patrick answers by describing the biblical history of the temple, meant to house God on earth. Where is the new temple? Paul understands that the seat of the throne of God is destined to be in the hearts of human beings who long for healing. So then you ar...

In this episode, we are reminded of the many ways our hearts are divided from one another. Jonah brings in the story of Paul’s approval of Steven’s persecution as a poignant example of this division. Saul/Paul is forever changed when he comes to recognize that by persecuting Steven, he is persecuting Christ. Paul’s direct experience of Christ Jesus’ radiant light and love shining down on him as he...

In this episode, Patrick brings a new perspective on the Paul’s description of humanity as “children of wrath,” ruled by our impulsive natures, our passions and our desires (Eph 2:1-7).   God in his great mercy and love for humanity “made us alive together with Christ” and a new self was born. Paul tells us that Christ has taken us into Himself and raised us up into the heavenly realms with Him. M...

In this episode, Jonah and Patrick begin to take us deeper into Paul’s letter to the Ephesians 2:1-3 and the question of wrath in all its complexity. What does Paul mean when he describes humankind as children of wrath? What is the wrath of God? And what, if anything, does wrath have to do with a God who “has his being in love?” Can we separate certain spiritual truths from the corrupted, fallen e...

Welcome to Season 5 of The Light in Every Thing! Patrick and Jonah dive back into the letter to the Ephesians, exploring the paradoxical nature of true life as taught by Paul — a life that emerges from first confronting the forces of death within us. Focusing on Eph 1:15-2:10   and how Christ’s life is revealed in his dying, opens up the path to participating in authentic life, to unraveling the m...

We are pleased to share with you Part II of the conversation between Jonah Evans, Patrick Kennedy and our incoming co-director, Rev. Emma Heirman. These three will be the guiding lights for The Seminary of The Christian Community of North America starting next summer (2025), but the celebrating has already begun. Emma bravely jumped into the world of seminary podcasting and we are the richer for i...

We are one week away… But before we start a new season of the podcast, we are delighted to share with you the first of two conversations between Jonah, Patrick, and Emma Heirman. As many of you know, Emma has been called to serve at the seminary as a fellow director, teacher, and priest, starting in September 2025. She has been a priest since 2016 and has served in the Denver, Colorado, and Washin...

It’s been quite awhile since we’ve had a Q&A episode here at The Light in Every Thing ! But after fourteen packed episodes all relating to the Letter to the Ephesians, it was clearly time. We are always grateful and inspired by the deep listening of our audience. This was evident again in the thoughtful and vulnerable questions posed within our Patreon community. Jonah and Patrick took extra t...

Dear Friends, Below you will find an excerpt of the Reader’s Notes posted within our Patreon community platform. Each summer we invite listeners anew to join us on Patreon. For as little as $3 USD a month, listeners can receive early access to weekly podcasts and a searchable archive of over 380 episodes; interact with Jonah, Patrick and other listeners via comments; receive exclusive access to su...

Dear Friends, We conclude season four of The Light in Every Thing with this powerful double episode. Jonah and Patrick begin by revisiting the theme of the power of God from the last few episodes (Ephesians 1) . They continue by taking up several very difficult phrases from Ephesians 2:1-5 , the “sons of disobedience” and “children of wrath”. What is Paul’s understanding of true obedience in relat...

Dear Friends, We hope you enjoy the next episode in our Letter to the Ephesians series! Next week we will post a double episode to finish off the season and take a short break. Rumor has it that there is still more to say about Ephesians! So it appears that is where we will begin again for the fifth season of The Light in Every Thing! Ask us a question here! Support the show The Light in Every Thi...

Patrick and Jonah’s series on the Letter to the Ephesians will take a short break in a few weeks after a robust twenty-eight episodes altogether! We hope you enjoy the latest installment exploring the mysteries of power. 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 o...

We hope you enjoy listening to the next episode of the Ephesians series!  Our usual introduction will be added soon.  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...

In the ancient world, glory was the crowning achievement of a life—to test oneself against the best of the best and come out on top; to risk your life for your people on the battlefield against a common enemy and to triumph. To seek glory was to seek eternity: to be known throughout the land and through the ages. But what is the glory that is bestowed on us from “the Father of Glory”? When we cons...

Our next episode returns to the intricacies of what it means to be sealed by the Holy Spirit, a promise referred to in Ephesians 1:13.   According to Paul, bearing the seal of the Holy Spirit comes about when we are able to access and participate in the mind of God. Jonah and Patrick explore this uniquely human path—created in the image and likeness of God, coming to our selves within earthly life...

What are the purposes which were implanted in the human being as seeds, from the beginning of our creation? If humanity is able to unfold these seeds, how would God be glorified? What is the effect of Christ’s arrival? And how does all this relate to inheritance and the seal of the Holy Spirit? Patrick and Jonah take us on a long journey as they explore Ephesians 1:12-14. The parable of the Prodig...

“With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will…” How do we begin to approach this deepest of all Christian mysteries? Revelation of this will, this purpose, is possible because, ultimately, we are seeking something that is woven into the very fabric of our humanity. This purpose is planted in us like a seed by God and it is because of this that we long for our orig...

 The Light of the World is leading us into a new relationship to our selves, to each other and to the world around us. This community is the human origin story, yes, but these relationships ultimately only come to fruition with the creation of a completely new self. Through Christ’s incarnation, we are granted that possibility—true love flowed into the realm of freedom as God.—and through the Cros...

Patrick and Jonah lead us deeper into the beginning of Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians , where we hear that the humanity’s relationship with Christ existed before creation as we know it. The Father “blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world” . From the beginning, the path of human becoming was seeded in every human heart throug...

“How does the divine creator being become a “Father”? And how does this being become our Father? These questions emerge out of the conversation as Jonah and Patrick explore Ephesians 1:2-3. The questions lead us into the incredible thought that comes through at the beginning of Paul’s letter and all early Christianity—Christ is our brother.  Patrick and Jonah work to make sense of these mysteries...

Dear Listeners, Please enjoy these two episodes reposted from the very earliest months of The Light in Every Thing ! We will be back next week with a new conversation between Jonah and Patrick. ************ Original Post Date:  May, 2020 Today we share with you the rest of our conversation on the mystery of Christ's Ascension, living with the question: what is this 'heavenly being'...