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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. 

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.

 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. 

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. 

 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. 

 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.