Beyond the Box

Welcome to The Mundane Revolution!

Web [http://www.beyondtheboxpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/mundane-revolution-logo-1400X1400-300x300.jpg] [http://www.beyondtheboxpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/mundane-revolution-logo-1400X1400.jpg]For the last several months Ray has been working on a new project, The Mundane Revolution [http://www.themundanerevolution.com/]. The Mundane Revolution is a documentary-style podcast with original music where Ray will be focusing on reimagining a better world. This project is an outgrowth of Beyond the Box. So, no need to fear – Beyond the Box isn’t going anywhere! We’re just branching out to give you even more listening love! On this Beyond the Box episode, you will hear the first installment of the Mundane Revolution, with some introductory commentary by Steve and Ray. In this first episode of the Mundane Revolution, Ray talks with several others about a subject that we’re all aware of, but that few of us have taken time to ponder – the death penalty. After a 4 year suspension by the US Supreme Court, the death penalty was reinstituted in 1976, and since then, over 1,400 people have been put to death.  Today we talk with Ray Krone, an innocent man who was sentenced to die and later distinguished as the 100th American death row exonoree, Jane Davis, a former death row media witness turned death row counselor, Frank Thompson, a retired warden responsible for overseeing the death penalty for the state of Oregon, Marc Hyden, a conservative working to bring a new awareness of the death penalty to his colleagues, and Bill Pelke, who experienced a radical shift in his understanding of the death penalty after his grandmother was brutally murdered. Come with us as we deconstruct popular understandings of the death penalty, and uncover stories of lives caught up in the web of state-sponsored killing. To check out more about The Mundane Revolution, including extended interviews with each of the guests featured in this episode, you can visit www.themundanerevolution.com [http://www.themundanerevolution.com/]. To keep up with TMR on Facebook, you can visit www.facebook.com/themundanerevolution [https://www.facebook.com/themundanerevolution]. To follow The Mundane Revolution on Twitter, you can go to www.twitter.com/mundanerevolt [https://twitter.com/mundanerevolt]. You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, or wherever you get your podcasts from. Here’s to much more of Beyond the Box and The Mundane Revolution!

The Persistent Peace of John Dear

Persistent Peace John Dear [http://www.beyondtheboxpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Persistent-Peace-John-Dear-191x300.jpg] [http://www.beyondtheboxpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Persistent-Peace-John-Dear.jpg]Join Ray for a conversation with John Dear [http://www.fatherjohndear.org/] – peace activist, author, theologian, Catholic priest, and all-around amazing man! John has worked in homeless shelters, soup kitchens, and community centers; traveled in warzones around the world, including Iraq, Palestine, Nicaragua, Afghanistan, India, and Colombia; lived in El Salvador, Guatemala and Northern Ireland; been arrested over 75 times in acts of civil disobedience against war; and spent eight months in prison for a Plowshares disarmament action. In the 1990s, he arranged for Mother Teresa to speak to various governors to stop the death penalty. In other words, John is very passionate about peace and nonviolence in the way of Jesus! This conversation is a whirlwind trip through John Dear’s life so far, as we talk about his autobiography, A Persistent Peace [http://www.amazon.com/Persistent-Peace-Struggle-Nonviolent-World/dp/0829427201/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1425869931&sr=8-2&keywords=persistent+peace]. Thank you John Dear for taking the time to share your life and witness for peace with us! Make sure to check out John’s website www.johndear.org [http://www.johndear.org], where you will find his books [http://www.fatherjohndear.org/]and much more. Also, check out www.campaignnonviolence.org [http://www.campaignnonviolence.org] where John and others are imagining a new world with dignity, justice, and peace for all!

The Gathering 2014 – A Roundtable Conversation with Jim Palmer

Gathering Jim [http://www.beyondtheboxpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Gathering-Jim-300x169.jpg]Here it is – the second episode from the BtB Gathering 2014 in Nashville, TN! This episode was recorded at the first ever BtB Gathering, where we were joined by wonderful people from all over the US and Canada. It was three days filled with great conversations and virtual friendships finding connection in the physical world. In this second episode, the BtBers have a roundtable discussion with Jim Palmer about spirituality and life outside the bounds of institutional religion. Jim begins with a mini-bio about his own journey, and then…let the dialog begin! This episode is guaranteed to stretch you as Jim challenges many of the ideas/doctrines/beliefs that so many of us have held as “off-limits” – and you know there’s not much that’s off-limits on Beyond the Box. Open dialog with love covers a multitude of perspectives! A big “thank you” to Jim for taking the time to come and share his heart with us, and to all of the people at the BtB Gathering for traveling so far, contributing so much to the conversation, and loving so deeply, as you will hear about toward the end of this episode. Here is a link to Jim’s newest book, Inner Anarchy [http://www.amazon.com/Inner-Anarchy-Dethroning-Jesus-Ourselves/dp/1503174484/ref=tmm_pap_title_0], as well as to his other works [http://www.amazon.com/Jim-Palmer/e/B001JSBR04/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1422742830&sr=8-1]. To connect with Jim visit his blog, jimpalmerblog.com [http://jimpalmerblog.com/]. Thank you Jim and the BtB gang! (Also, thanks to Tom VanGaalen for the pic!)

The Gathering 2014 – Disarming Scripture: A Discussion with Derek Flood

Disarming Scripture [http://www.beyondtheboxpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Disarming-Scripture-194x300.jpg]Here it is – the first episode from the BtB Gathering 2014 in Nashville, TN! This episode was recorded at the first ever BtB Gathering, where we were joined by wonderful people from all over the US and Canada. It was three days filled with great conversations and virtual friendships finding connection in the physical world. In this first episode, the BtBers have a roundtable discussion with Derek Flood about some of the ideas in his new book Disarming Scripture: Cherry-Picking Liberals, Violence-Loving Conservatives, and Why We All Need to Learn to Read the Bible Like Jesus Did [http://www.amazon.com/Disarming-Scripture-Cherry-Picking-Violence-Loving-Conservatives-ebook/dp/B00OUFFS44/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417712877&sr=8-1&keywords=disarming+scripture]. This podcast begins with a 30 minute presentation by Derek, followed by 30 minutes of discussion with Derek and the BtB group, followed by another 30 minutes among the BtBers at the Gathering. In other words, there is a lot of great conversation to be found here! Derek’s new book Disarming Scripture [Disarming%20Scripture] is now available, and if you resonate with the content of this podcast you will love it! Thanks to Derek for joining us for this special time, and to the BtB clan for being a part of such a wonderful event! Below is the chart that Derek refers to during his presentation: Disarming Scripture Chart [http://www.beyondtheboxpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Disarming-Scripture-Chart-300x166.jpg]

Kicking Control to the Curb

feet-in-chains [http://www.beyondtheboxpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/feet-in-chains1-300x168.jpg] [http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php?image=16729&picture=feet-in-chains]Why is it so common for some to desire to exert control over others? In this conversation, Steve and Ray talk about control and the many manifestations it makes within the context of Christianity and religion. Prompted by a video (visit the website to view) of a church service that has been making the rounds online recently, Steve and Ray talk about how control is sought through titles, ministry positions, education, expectations, and the influence of groupthink.  Join us as we kick control to the curb and seek to build a walk with God and others based solely on love. Post [https://www.facebook.com/BeyondtheBox/posts/938624776153373] by Beyond the Box Podcast [https://www.facebook.com/BeyondtheBox].