Riley and Shiloh open up a space to talk about the subject of prayer. We have all been taught the standard posture of praying with our eyes closed, head bowed, arms folded, and kneeling, all while using the proper formula by addressing Heavenly Father by name, expressing gratitude, asking for what we need, and closing in the name of Jesus Christ — all while using the proper “honorific” pronouns. But is this the only way to pray? Are there other postures and forms of praying that also connect us to God? Are we already praying in other equally valid forms without even realizing it? What would other forms of prayer even look like? Many people are surprised when they first recognize what they are already naturally doing to connect with the divine, and that others have written and expounded upon these ways of prayer for centuries. How often have our prayers become reduced to mere moments of spoken transactionalism? When was the last time that our prayers were truly transformational? When have we experienced prayer as “a sacred place, when… our own heart is the place where Jacob’s ladder touches the earth”?
Christopher, Riley, and guest, Jana Spangler, a seasoned faith transitions coach, talk about healthy ways of dealing with doubt, difficult questions, and supporting those in a faith crisis. They talk about opening a space for those in doubt to express their doubts and be heard without judgment or attempts to fix them. If we are not to “rehearse [our] doubts with doubters,” where can we turn for validation? Jana explains the mindset of those in a faith crisis. They don’t choose their crisis and want to remain in the fold, but often feel they don’t belong. Jana helps us frame doubt and even faith crisis as necessary steps in the growth, evolution, and long-term endurance of faith. She provides a framework for mutual, relational grace to help us grow towards a healthier discovery and acceptance of our own and others’ spirituality given different types and levels of faith and approaches to seeking truth. ...
In this episode, Christopher and Riley talk about the need for a church. First, they refer to the Greek word in the Bible translated “church” and bring out its two simultaneously operative meanings. Next, they explore in-depth the need for a church based on those two meanings. Finally, they explore a threefold path one tends to take as a member of the body of Christ we call the church leading from dependence through participation to either disillusionment or leadership. But the leadership they discuss is not the top-down leadership one thinks of when thinking of the church as an institution, but the bottom-up, or grassroots, leadership in which one can participate if one sees oneself correctly as a member of the body of Christ called the church, with each member serving its particular function separate and distinct from all others, and at the same time in concert with them. ...
In this episode Christopher and Riley are joined by Latter-day Peace Studies co-founder and former Latter-day Contemplation co-host Shiloh Logan to discuss his journey of faith. Shiloh’s family’s recent decision to resign from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints created an opportunity to explore faith transition and its relationship to religious identity from a personal perspective. Shiloh, Riley, and Christopher approach the subject both from the perspective of those who remain and of those who leave or resign from the Church. They discuss how we can continue to interact with one another with respect for individual spiritual autonomy and build bridges of healing and reconciliation when someone we love leaves the Church.Show notes: “LDS Personal Faith Crisis: ‘Don’t find fault. Find remedy‘,” scholars report to President Dieter F. Uchtdorf. ...
