Gravity Commons Podcast

We talked with Anglican priest and spiritual director D.T. (Danny) Bryant about his book Unless a Seed Falls to the Ground: Welcoming the Death of the Whiteness Gospel [https://quoir.com/books/unless-a-seed-falls-to-the-ground/], where he shares the wounds and rewards of being a native son of the puritanical way of life called "whiteness," and offers the hope of inviting us into a season of "hospice spirituality" that allows the church rooted in the whiteness gospel to die with dignity. D.T. (Danny) Bryant serves as a priest at St. Mary of Bethany Parish, as a Spiritual Director with The Center for Hope and Healing, and as Athletic Director at Independence Academy in middle Tennessee. He is also a co-founder of the Black Mental Health Counselor Reparations Foundation (bmhcr.org). Daniel is passionate about seeking practical, just, and merciful healing in the world and enjoys life with his wife and four children. Connect with Gravity Commons: * Leave us a message or ask a question [https://gravityleadership.com/message/] about this or any other episode and we'll answer it on a future episode. * Join the Gravity Community [https://gravitycommons.com/community] to interact with other listeners, and get our list of curated links each week to all things edifying and interesting.  Are you interested in advertising on the Gravity Podcast? Contact us at podcast@gravitycommons.com. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/gravity-leadership-podcast/donations [https://redcircle.com/gravity-leadership-podcast/donations] Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands [https://redcircle.com/brands] Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy [https://redcircle.com/privacy]

We talked with Mariko Clark about conceiving, writing, and publishing a new children's Bible story book: The Book of Belonging: Bible Stories for Kind and Contemplative Kids [https://bookshop.org/a/75288/9780593580318]. Mariko Clark is a Japanese American author, mother, and storyteller on a mission to help kids embrace diversity and wonder. Her time as an editor at National Geographic Learning sharpened her ability to make complex topics accessible and engaging. She equips kids and caregivers with spiritual resources to navigate the messy middle, wrestle with tough questions, and find community in the journey. Mariko lives outside of Indianapolis with her husband and three sweet and spicy kids. Additional notes: * Mariko mentioned the concept of "windows, mirrors, and sliding-glass doors”' in children’s literature, originated by Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop. Here’s a short clip [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AAu58SNSyc] of Dr. Bishop explaining the importance of diversity in literature for all children, regardless of race. * Michelle Eastman (@disabilitytheology) was the resident Disability theologian for The Book of Belonging. To learn more, Michelle recommends A Healing Homiletic by Kathy Black, The Disabled God by Nancy L. Eiesland and The Bible and Disability, ed. Melcher, Parsons, & Yong. My Body is Not a Prayer Request by Dr. Amy Kenny is a more accessible resource that touches on a lot of the same information. * Mariko and The Book of Belonging's illustrator, Rachel Eleanor, also offer The Belonging Workshop [http://thebookofbelonging.substack.com/] on Substack. The Belonging Workshop is a weekly Sabbath resource that provides sacred rhythms for folks in liminal faith spaces, with offerings that are a mix of explicitly religious practices as well as mindful and somatic practices, visual resources, and a kind and curious community. Connect with Gravity Commons: * Leave us a message or ask a question [https://gravityleadership.com/message/] about this or any other episode and we'll answer it on a future episode. * Join the Gravity Community [https://gravitycommons.com/community] to interact with other listeners, and get our list of curated links each week to all things edifying and interesting. Are you interested in advertising on the Gravity Podcast? Contact us at podcast@gravitycommons.com. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/gravity-leadership-podcast/donations [https://redcircle.com/gravity-leadership-podcast/donations] Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands [https://redcircle.com/brands] Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy [https://redcircle.com/privacy]

We talked with Tom Oord again about a lot of questions that came up in light of our conversation [https://gravitycommons.com/podcast/tom-oord-how-to-believe-in-god-and-love-after-tragedy-and-abuse/] about his book God Can’t: How to Believe in God and Love after Tragedy, Abuse, and Other Evils [https://bookshop.org/a/75288/9781948609128]: If "God Can't" determine outcomes unilaterally, what can God do? What about miracles? What about the renewal of all things? Can we be confident that God's love will "win" in the end? This was another mind-stretching conversation on open and relational theology. Thomas Jay Oord is a theologian, philosopher, and scholar of multi-disciplinary studies. Oord is a best-selling and award-winning author, having written or edited more than thirty books. Academic Influence ranks him among the most influential theologians in the 21st century. Oord directs doctoral programs at Northwind Theological Seminary and directs the Center for Open and Relational Theology. He is known for his research and writing on love, open and relational theology, science and religion, evil and power, and the implications of freedom and relationships for transformation. Connect with Gravity Commons: * Leave us a message or ask a question [https://gravityleadership.com/message/] about this or any other episode and we'll answer it on a future episode. * Join the Gravity Community [https://gravitycommons.com/community] to interact with other listeners, and get our list of curated links each week to all things edifying and interesting. Are you interested in advertising on the Gravity Podcast? Contact us at podcast@gravitycommons.com. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/gravity-leadership-podcast/donations [https://redcircle.com/gravity-leadership-podcast/donations] Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands [https://redcircle.com/brands] Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy [https://redcircle.com/privacy]

Content Warning: situations of sexual abuse and rape are mentioned in this podcast. We talked with internationally recognized psychologist Diane Langberg about coming face to face with the crushing trauma of sexual abuse, trafficking, domestic abuse, and rape—and its cover-up, all tragically encountered within Christian communities and the church. In her book, When the Church Harms God’s People [https://bookshop.org/a/75288/9781587436451], Langberg unveils what she has learned about how churches cause harm and why Christian communities often foster unhealthy leaders who end up hurting rather than protecting God’s people. Diane Langberg (PhD, Temple University) is an internationally recognized psychologist with more than 50 years of experience. She chaired the advisory board of the American Association of Christian Counselors until 2021 and cofounded the Global Trauma Recovery Institute, which trains therapists to assist trauma victims across the world. She is the founder of Langberg, Monroe and Associates, which provides counseling services in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, and consults with Christian organizations around the world. Langberg is the author of seven books, including Redeeming Power. Her books have been translated into 10 languages. Connect with Gravity Commons: * Leave us a message or ask a question [https://gravityleadership.com/message/] about this or any other episode and we'll answer it on a future episode. * Join the Gravity Community [https://gravitycommons.com/community] to interact with other listeners, and get our list of curated links each week to all things edifying and interesting. Are you interested in advertising on the Gravity Podcast? Contact us at podcast@gravitycommons.com. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/gravity-leadership-podcast/donations [https://redcircle.com/gravity-leadership-podcast/donations] Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands [https://redcircle.com/brands] Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy [https://redcircle.com/privacy]

We talked with "TikTok Pastor" Brandan Robertson about how the Bible has been weaponized to exclude LGBTQ+ individuals, despite Jesus’ radical message of inclusion. In his book Queer & Christian: Reclaiming the Bible, Our Faith, and Our Place at the Table [https://bookshop.org/a/75288/9781250321343], Robertson offers compelling, evidence-based counterarguments to the "clobber verses" often used to condemn queerness, and envisions a faith where all are unequivocally embraced. Rev. Brandan Robertson is an author, activist, and theologian known as the "TikTok Pastor." He hosts the Faith for the Rest of Us podcast and has authored or contributed to 26 books, including the INDIES Book of the Year finalist, True Inclusion. His work appears in TIME, The Huffington Post, and The Washington Post. Named in Rolling Stone's 2021 "Hot List," he speaks at venues like The White House and Oxford University and is a champion for LGBTQ+ rights. He is pursuing a PhD in Biblical Studies at Drew University. Connect with Gravity Commons: * Leave us a message or ask a question [https://gravityleadership.com/message/] about this or any other episode and we'll answer it on a future episode. * Join the Gravity Community [https://gravitycommons.com/community] to interact with other listeners, and get our list of curated links each week to all things edifying and interesting. * Are you interested in advertising on the Gravity Podcast? Contact us at podcast@gravitycommons.com. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/gravity-leadership-podcast/donations [https://redcircle.com/gravity-leadership-podcast/donations] Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands [https://redcircle.com/brands] Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy [https://redcircle.com/privacy]