Beatitudes - Conversations of Blessing

Beatitudes - Conversations of BlessingBeatitudes - Conversations of BlessingBeatitudes - Conversations of Blessing

Beatitudes - Conversations of Blessing

Beatitudes - Conversations of BlessingBeatitudes - Conversations of BlessingBeatitudes - Conversations of Blessing
  • Home
  • Opening Conversation
  • Podcast Series
  • Pilgrims' Food
  • Sign up & Stay Tuned
  • Share the Good News!
  • More
    • Home
    • Opening Conversation
    • Podcast Series
    • Pilgrims' Food
    • Sign up & Stay Tuned
    • Share the Good News!
  • Home
  • Opening Conversation
  • Podcast Series
  • Pilgrims' Food
  • Sign up & Stay Tuned
  • Share the Good News!

Video

Introductory Episode

We're on the path on the The Way up to The Sermon on the The Mount.  Join us as we tell you about the trip.

Here's the Vlog

Surveying the Landscape of Matthew's Gospel (AJ Levine)

AJ Levine is a renowned New Testament and Jewish Studies Scholar. She brings wisdom, humor, and compassion to CircuOsity.21 as we embark upon the Podcast's Beatitudes Series.  Pay particular attention to Professor Levine's insights into Judaism's impact upon Jesus and his followers. Help us to discover what "blessing" truly means. 

Here's the Vlog

Episode 2 - Blessed Are the Poor In Spirit

The Rev. Canon Dr. Manoj Zacharia is the Rector of St. Anne's Episcopal Church in Annapolis, MD. He visits CircuOsity .21 to guide through a powerful conversation regarding Matthew 5: 3. Jesus begins his Sermon on the Mount by noting that those persons and are downtrodden are blessed by God.  Rev. Dr. Zacharia guides us through an exploration of how he has witnessed this phenomenon in his own life - a life lived in a myriad of cultural settings and with profound ancestral foundation.  Enjoy as we embark on this verse by verse series.

Here's the Vlog

Episode 3 - Blessed Are those Who Mourn

If someone loves (trusts and respects you) they will share their story with you.  The Rev. Allison Carnahan serves Saint Paul's in Bloomsburg, PA - Christ Memorial Episcopal Church in Danville, and the Mission of The Resurrection in Mt. Carmel, PA. Allison must love us because she shares her wonderful story with us during this episode.

Grab your Kleenex Tissues and prepare to laugh, cry, and be inspired as Allison speaks to her personal experiences of mourning and celebration throughout her life.  She is a living and miraculous testimony to the wisdom and trust that Jesus teaches in Matthew 5: 4  Pay particular attention and appreciate these sections at about 27" and 42'. Share your stories of suffering and resurrection on our "Share the Good News page." Enjoy as we embark on this verse by verse series.

Here's the Vlog

Episode 4 - Blessed are the Meek

The value of meekness is under siege these days as well as misunderstood. Many people, especially people with authority view meekness as undesirable and weak. They and we would be wise to explore the term of meekness as Matthew’s Jesus uses it in Matthew 5:5 as well as elsewhere in the Gospel.

Ancient Greeks understood meekness, (Praus) as an intentional effort to possess “strength under control.” A meek person was a self-disciplined person who was graceful and artful under pressure, not passive and frail. People of the economic and social underclasses might have learned meekness because of the domination they experienced from intruders and those persons who existed in higher castes than they did. However, beginning with Alexander The Great and Plato, meekness for Ancient Greeks was a self-disciplined praxis for rulers and philosophers alike. We find evidence of tasks to develop meekness in ancient royalty training manuals. 

Today, on CircuOsirty .21, Jim and Howie sit down with Canon Dr. Deirdre Good to discuss meekness within the context of the 1st Century and the 21st Century Beatitudes. Deirdre uses her own text, Jesus The Meek King, along with many other references to tease out the essence of what it means to be meek in the Reign of God as well as how we who desire to follow Jesus may develop the resilience to seek meekness rather than power. The three participants engage in sharing numerous stories of courageous meekness and hospitality they have experienced as well as how Jesus would have us to be meek when it Is necessary.

Episode 5- Blessed are those who Hunger and Thirst after Righteousness

 Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Righteousness is a constitutive virtue in Judaism from its ancestral roots. Sarai and Abram initiate the Hebraic journey with Yahweh.  At every turn - to the point of insanely deciding God was calling him to murder Isaac - Abraham "does his best" to trust God.  It is unsurprising that Jesus mentions righteousness throughout the Beatitudes as well as more so in the Sermon on The Mount.  In this episode - Howie and Jim discuss the many ingredients and characteristics of righteousness with Fr. Mark Harris.  Mark is a poet, podcaster, printmaker and priest. You'll hear how he lives out a righteous life thru all of those activities as well as how all of us can be filled with righteousness too.  

Today, on CircuOsirty .21, Jim, Howie, and Mark explore righteousness and humanity's pursuit it from many angles and experiences. Mark speaks to the need for contentment in working for justice and God's mercy. He calls upon the witnesses such as Desmond Tutu and William Stringfellow.  He also shares personal stories of relationship building leading to righteousness at personal, public, and profoundly spiritual levels. 

Here's the Audio Podcast

Episode 6- Blessed are the Merciful Ones

Blessed are the merciful, not the nice or the pitiful.  Jesus offers this beloving beatitude in the Spirit of compassionate care. Mercy (hesed) is a shower of blessings between the giver and receiver. Bishop Caryle Hughes wisely points out that such mercy in our time requires baptized and confirmed Christians who are practicing Adult Christianity.  Going to church is one important thing. Living into the Church's mission is a much more just adventure. You'll delight in Bishop's humor, sincerity, and grace as she converses with Howie and Jim in this episode. 

Here's the Audio Podcast

Episode 7- Blessed are the Pure in Heart

Blessed are the pure-hearted.  We think of this beatitude in absolute terms.  Purity=perfection. We don't tend to think of pure-heartedness as raw, vulnerable. even perhaps behaviorally maladaptive.  And yet, as The Rev. Dr. Gil Stafford points out the truth of pure-heartedness in absolutely loving and honest terms.  Howie, Jim and Gil walk through miles of thought as they discuss themes such as soul friendship, blessings at the point of mortal death, and purity of heart filled residing in communities.  Pay particular attention to Gil's conversation around his new book "Meditations on Blue Jesus." The video edition of this podcast includes artwork painted by Gil's Sister - Dinah.  You can learn more about her and her life here . In sum - Jesus the Christ's pure heartedness is inherently human and lived out in a deepening search within and without rather than a dogmatic pursuit of perfection. 

Here's the Audio Podcast

Episode 8- Blessed are the Peacemakers

  •  Blessed are the peacemakers.  Peace-making is a planetary as well as a parochial matter.  Peacemaking begins within ourselves and then extends outward into the relationships and walkways of our world.  There is no other beatitude that is more incarnational and intentional than peacemaking. Today's conversation with The Very Rev. Dr. Andrew McGowan explores ancient as well as contemporary examples of peacemaking.  Professor McGowan explores the work of Jesus himself, as well as Paul, Begin, Sadat, Carter, and Martin Luther King. Jim and Howie invite Andrew to explore secular as well as sacramental aspects of peacemaking while also sharing wisdom from Andrew's most recent book (Seven Last Words: Cross and Creation (Cascade, 2021).  Enjoy the content from a world-class  New Testament scholar and good mate. Pay particular attention to his thoughts regarding Eucharistic celebrations, peacemaking in an ecological sense, and his concerns regarding welcoming exclusion. 

Here's the Audio Podcast

Episode 9- Blessed are those who are Persecuted Because of Righteousness' Sake

 There are hundreds of mentions of righteousness in the Bible.  Righteousness (Dikaios)- the right relationship w/ God and one's neighbors and environment is central to Judeo-Christian theology and ethics.  Jesus himself, when speaking of his baptism in Matthew's Gospel directs us to understand that his baptism indoctrinates righteousness into his own ministry.  The Rev. Russ Bohner, TSSF enlightens us about righteousness in this podcast. He shares his own faith journey to include belonging to the Tertiary Order of St. Francis to place righteousness at the core of the Christian Gospel. This is a wise and deep wellstream of conversation about what some might say is the most important theme in The Beatitudes. 

Here's the Audio Podcast

Episode 10- Blessed are you when....

 In sum, Jesus' Beatitudes are for all of us.  "Blessed are you."  The challenge is whether or not we believe in Jesus' abiding presence to participate in his sacrificial example of "blessing." Will we allow other human beings to revile us on behalf of the Gospel?  Will we seek actively to support and defend the dignity of every human being?  Will we offer peace in times of conflict?  Will we rejoice when we have accomplished the hard work of being employed with Judeo-Christian virtues of patient hope, diligent discipleship?

We sought out the advice of The Rt. Rev. Dr. Audrey Scanlan to discuss and respond to these and more questions. Bishop Scanlan brings her insightful and enjoyable wisdom to this podcast. She understands and is willing to take controversial stands on issues such as gun control.  She advocates for women and children thru her deeds as much if not more than her words. She's one of the Episcopal Church's brightest lights shining brilliantly on the issues of our day as well as how best to be missional and "reshaped by faith."  Enjoy and heed her solid advice and interpretation of scripture. You will be "embraced by God."  (A. Scanlan, July, 2021) 

Here's the Audio Podcast

Episode 11 - Beginnings and Endings

 Howie and Jim take a few minutes to offer their thanksgivings and hopes for the Beatitudes for the 21st Century series.  Each host shares some of their "lessons learned."  They express a sincere yearning that the podcast series' website (beatitudes.online) will not become dormant. Rather, there's time and space to continue the learning and indeed bring the beatitudes more into life now that all of the episodes are completed.  CircuOsity's duo then introduces their next series "I wonder as I wander." This series begins in early December.  It is a collection of conversations about wandering and wondering thru the holiday season. The story of the Magi's pilgrimage to follow the star to the Christ Child's manger offers a scriptural and living backdrop for each episode and the series as a whole.  Listen and look into this concise production that includes some clever comments and some beautiful graphics and music. 

Here's the Audio Podcast

Resources

Matthew

Resources you may find helpful.

The Text This Week - Matthew

website

The Text this Week website offers a plethora of information for The Bible. This link connects to the Matthew section.

Sermon on The Mount -

book

AJ Levine's excellent book surveying the Sermon on The Mount and its meaning for Jesus' day and our own.

Bible Gateway - Beatitudes References

Website

Bible Gateway offers dozens of terrific biblical references. Here's a specific link for exploring The Beatitudes in a variety of translations/versions.


Trauma And Grieving

Here are some resources for healing and health

Lifeline

Website

There is no trauma (TRAUMA) worthy of death.  And, trauma is a reality for everyone these days. The Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24/7 to keep you (or someone you love) alive and improve your (their) wellbeing. 

Bible Study Tools

website

The Bible Study Tools website offers lexicons, scriptural resources, and translations.  Jim uses the site for much of his online biblical research

Third Item

22

Add a description about this item

Add a footnote if this applies to your business

Downloads

Here are some downloadable resources.

Files coming soon.

Copyright © 2021 Beatitudes - Conversations of Blessing - All Rights Reserved.

Powered by GoDaddy Website Builder

Blessings

Look for & like us on Instagram and Facebook

Facebook

This website uses cookies.

We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.

Accept