What if baptism isn't just an ancient ritual but a transformative medicine for the wounded human soul? This conversation explores the profound mysteries hidden in Christ's Great Commission to "baptize all nations in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit."

The traditional words of baptism have become formulaic for many modern ears. But when we penetrate beyond the formula to the living experience, we discover something revolutionary: an invitation to die to our isolated selfhood and open to the intelligence of the risen Christ. This baptismal death isn't a one-time event but an ongoing process where our thinking, creating, and feeling are gradually transformed through participation in divine life.

Through a fascinating exploration of the cross as gateway rather than mere symbol, we discover how making three crosses upon ourselves - at head, mouth and heart - can be understood as an active collaboration with the Trinity. The Father brings the ground of being to our anxious, isolated consciousness. The Son infuses our creative will with his purposes of love. The Spirit enlightens our heart-thinking with divine wisdom.

These insights address a fundamental crisis in modern consciousness. Many spiritual paths today either emphasize total self-empowerment ("manifest your reality") or complete self-abandonment ("just let go"). The baptismal understanding offers a third way - maintaining our individual agency while allowing it to be transformed through divine collaboration. The result isn't loss of self but discovery of our true purpose within the meaning of Earth itself.

Have you felt the existential insecurity that characterizes our age? Perhaps this isn't a flaw to overcome but an honest recognition of our incompleteness without connection to the gournd only the divine can provide. Perhaps the medicine we need isn't more self-optimization but immersion in the healing waters of baptism - dying to what we have been so we can live in what we are becoming.

This whole conversation uncovers one of the core missions of Christianity — baptism — as a living medicine for our humanity and how this understanding is regained in the movement for religious renewal.

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 to www.patreon.com/ccseminary.

Thanks to Elliott Chamberlin who composed our theme music, “Seeking Together,” and the legacy of our original show-notes and patreon producer, Camilla Lake.

Have you ever wondered whether Christianity is meant to remain consistently the same over time or constantly reinvent itself? In this thought-provoking conversation, we explore a radical third option: Christianity as a living organism with both consistent and evolving elements across its biography.

The jumping-off point of this conversation is a revelation from the new Easter liturgy in The Christian Community. We dive deep into the phrasing used there—that He is risen to us as the “Erden-sinn”—Christ as the meaning, purpose, and intelligence of Earth itself.

Perhaps most fascinating is how this episode connects technological evolution with spiritual development. Just as tools evolve from simple shovels to sophisticated computers, Christianity transforms while maintaining its essential mission. “I am the Alpha and Omega,” Christ declares—both seed and flower of an unfolding world, community, and individual reality.

We conclude by exploring our unique historical moment, where humanity has matured to the point that our thinking can directly connect with Christ’s intelligence. This represents a radical shift from earlier Christian epochs that emphasized faith over understanding. What might it mean for your own spiritual journey to “take this into your thinking”?

Join us next time as we continue exploring the Easter liturgy and its implications for finding purpose and meaning in all that we go through on Earth.

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 to www.patreon.com/ccseminary.

Thanks to Elliott Chamberlin who composed our theme music, “Seeking Together,” and the legacy of our original show-notes and patreon producer, Camilla Lake.

What does it mean to be "chosen" by God? Where is the line between rightful self-sacrifice and harmful self-erasure? In this final episode of our Ephesians series, we tackle these profound spiritual questions sent in by our listeners.

After 58 conversations unpacking the treasures of this extraordinary letter, we're moved by the thoughtful engagement of our global community. It has been truly moving to read from listeners how this exploration of Paul’s letter has transformed their understanding of scripture and enriched their lives. In this episode, we take up a few questions and review the journey together.

The first question we take up concerns the true nature of sacrifice and leads us to challenge the false dichotomy between standing for truth and sacrificial love. Drawing from our own painful experiences of burnout, we distinguish between genuine Christ-like sacrifice and misguided martyrdom. True sacrifice never abandons truth but risks everything for it—not from weakness or acquiescence but from spiritual strength. Sometimes the most loving action might be caring for your body and soul so you can serve sustainably rather than dramatically burning out.

We then dive into another question concerning the mystery of being "chosen" from Ephesians 1:4. Rather than an exclusive club of the predestined, we explore how all humans are "pre-purposed" in Christ from before creation. The Father has drawn all humanity to Christ, though not everyone recognizes this presence in their consciousness. This understanding honors both divine initiative and human freedom, respecting the unique spiritual journey each soul undertakes.

Some of the most powerful moments come when we acknowledge how Christ works through people of different faiths or no faith at all—whenever forgiveness, compassion, or self-sacrifice manifests in human life. The divine choosing includes our freedom to choose in return, a necessary component of spiritual maturity and authentic relationship with God.

Join us for this rich conversation that brings our Ephesians journey to a meaningful close, complete with a musical surprise from one of our listeners!

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 to www.patreon.com/ccseminary.

Thanks to Elliott Chamberlin who composed our theme music, “Seeking Together,” and the legacy of our original show-notes and patreon producer, Camilla Lake.