The Soul's Garage

Back to Basics (Part 1) – Does God Exist?

In almost any life endeavor it helps occasionally to review basic understandings and skills. The same is true of the spiritual life. A return to the ABCs of spirituality can help us decide if we need to reassess or reaffirm our beliefs or lack thereof. As the poet T. S. Eliot said, “We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.” Therefore, in The Soul’s Garage today we begin a series we’re calling “Back to Basics,” and we start with the most fundamental question of all: “Is there a God?” Join us for a discussion of a subject that has comforted and vexed humanity for millennia.

What’s so “Christian” About Christian Nationalism?

There is nothing new about mixing politics and religion. Christians, unfortunately, have been doing it ever since the time of Emperor Constantine in the 4th Century. More recently there is a growing movement in the United States called “Christian Nationalism” which is gaining traction and influencing officials at some of the highest levels of government. To help us explore the rise of this phenomenon, and assess what can be done about it, we are joined in the garage by Dr. Tom Mockaitis, professor of history at DePaul University.

Where is the Easter Bunny at the Empty Tomb?

As we come to Easter this year, we tackle one of the questions that has vexed theologians and ordinary believers for many years; i.e., where can you find a white rabbit with a basket full of candy eggs hanging around the empty tomb? But seriously, we think there is a deeper truth to the story of Jesus’s resurrection that applies to people whether they are believers or not, or whether they think the story is factual or metaphorical. So grab a few chocolates out of your Easter basket and join us in the Soul’s Garage.

Getting Life’s Nouns and Adjectives Right – Part 3

For this final episode in the garage with Emily Hensley we concentrate less on the words that are mere descriptor’s of our lives—life’s adjectives—and focus instead on the words that encapsulate the essence of who we are—life’s nouns. We dare to dream how different our world might be if we could think of ourselves and others as the latter instead of the former as well as the implications for our spiritual lives too.

Getting Life’s Nouns and Adjectives Right – Part 2

This episode we continue our discussion with Emily Hensley about the adjectives we use to describe ourselves and others, and how negative—maybe downright hurtful—they can be. We explore how to let go of those adjectives, what is helpful and unhelpful in the process, and the implications for relating to ourselves and others.