Posts in: Mid-faith Crisis

Mid-faith Crisis 278: The Easter Journey

In this episode we reflect on what the Easter story means for us this year. I’ve been particularly thinking about how the shape of the week – from triumph and joy, through perplexity and darkness, to new life and resurrection – is one of the basic human stories and also the shape of so many of our faith journeys. Listen and subscribe

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Mid-faith Crisis 277: Does God really need praise?

In our latest episode, Joe and I discuss the nature of praise. As the song goes, ‘Praise him on the trumpet, the psaltery and harp!’ But it never really explains why. Doesn’t the obligation to praise God make him seem, well, a bit needy? And what the heck is a psaltery anyway? We talk about praise as a response, as a practice of gratitude and appreciation, how it needs to be based on intellectual content, and why attempts to do mood-altering worship never really work.

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Mid-faith Crisis 276: Gold, Silver and Beryl

You never know what you’re going to get with our feedback! But one of the things I loved in this week’s episode was discovering that the green crockery so beloved of churches and church halls everywhere is called Beryl. It somehow fits. The rest of the feedback leads into discussions about whether our desire to achieve things is personality driven, and the proper role of regret in our lives. Although I think I will have more to say about that.

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Mid-faith Crisis 274: What is the point of Joe?

In the latest episode, Joe is having an existential crisis and, worryingly, is asking for my help. So we discuss meaning and purpose. What are we here for? What is our calling? Is there a purpose to our lives or are we just fooling ourselves? Is it true that everyone on earth is a pun? Does Joe’s purpose involve cheese? In the episode I quoted Jung The afternoon of life is just as full of meaning as the morning; only, its meaning and purpose are different…

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Mid-faith Crisis 272: What is church actually for?

Last week we talked about lots of different kinds of church. This week we’re thinking about the purpose. What, actually, is the point of church? What are we supposed to do? And has this whole thing just been market research so that Joe can start a cult? Also, there’s a lot of food in this episode, none of it healthy. Episode details

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