This month, the Academy Podcast features Elaine Heath's understanding of neighborhood shalom. Her lecture from Academy 40 speaks to us of hopes and expectations, of well formed theology that is undone by lived experience. Knowing about Jesus and experiencing the compassion and presence of Jesus in the neighborhood is nothing short of transformational. Listen on, dear one, and as you listen, breathe deeply and expand gently. Elaine Heath’s vocational journey includes having served as Dean of the Divinity School at Duke University, and the McCreless Professor of Evangelism at Perkins School of T ..read more

This month, the Academy Podcast features Claire K. McKeever-Burgett as she discusses the sacred people, places, and experiences that shaped her new book, Blessed are the Women. Step into the holy conversation of what it means to be - not just a woman - but human - one who is loved, and listened to by the Divine. Blessed indeed are the ones who hear women in the Bible for they, like Christ, will see the Divine Mother face to face. Listen on Beloveds.  Claire K. McKeever-Burgett is an author, creative contemplative, and spiritual leader who has dedicated her life to bridging spirituali ..read more

This month, the Academy Podcast features Luther Smith's teaching from Academy 29 in Burlingame, CA. His lecture on "Faithfulness within Conflict" reminds us that conflict should be embraced as a pathway to healing. Ultimately, Dr. Smith invites us to deal with conflict because “Our obedience requires it." The question he asks us is, "will we engage conflict confidently and creatively, or will we find ourselves unprepared?” Listen on, dear one, and as you listen, breathe deeply and expand gently for our world is in deep conflict and, as Luther suggests, it has always been. Luther Smith is an or ..read more

This month, the Academy Podcast features Ray Buckley's teaching from the 2021 Spiritual Formation in Today's World. His Lecture on Reconciliation. As an indigenous person in North America, Ray speaks with authority about what it takes to be reconciled across walls meant to keep people and creation apart. Let us consider what it will take for indigenous folks, and all historically marginalized people, to have more access which leads to equity in all areas of life. Ray Buckley is the Director for the Center for First Nations Spirituality and longtime faculty member of The Academy for Spiritual F ..read more

This month, the Academy Podcast features Daniel Wolpert’s teaching from the 2021 online Academy Day Apart retreat called Drinking from Ancestral Wells: God’s Wisdom for the Work of the Present Age. Dan contrasts the wisdom of our ancestors with the destructive nature of colonization that cuts people off from God. He guides listeners to reconnect to their ancestors and allow that ancestral wisdom to help them reconnect with God. Dan is the author of multiple spiritual formation books and is executive director and co-founder of MICAH, the Minnesota Institute for Contemplation and Healing; spouse ..read more

This month, the Academy Podcast features a word from Alexia Salvatierra. The content comes from her lecture at last December’s online Academy Day Apart retreat called, “Hope in a Time of Despair.” Alexia explores the immigrant and refugee experience through the lens of hope, likening it to the hope of a woman in labor. They have faith that on the other side of the hardship, there is new life that is a fulfillment of God’s dream for their lives—a life where they not only survive but thrive. Rev. Dr. Alexia Salvatierra is the Academic Dean of Centro Latino and the Associate Professor of Integral ..read more

This month’s episode of the Academy Podcast features teaching from Amy Oden on the topic of “Meeting God in Our Longing” from the 2021 cohort of Spiritual Formation in Today’s World. Amy explores the art of discerning between the way that leads to life and the way that leads to death by paying attention to our deepest longings. She emphasizes that in our fast-paced and noisy world, practicing mindfulness, or pausing to listen within, can help us recognize what our soul needs and guide us in making the choices that will bring freedom and aliveness. Born and raised on the prairies of Oklahoma, A ..read more

In this month's episode, we hear from Safiyah Fosua. Safiyah was speaking on the topic of "Meeting God in Our Healing" from the 2021 cohort of Spiritual Formation in Today's World, a one-year online program from The Academy. Safiyah shares the story of the Gadarene demoniac from the synoptic Gospels to help us understand how our relationship with fear is connected with our healing, both personally and socially. Safiyah Fosua is a retired professor of spiritual formation at Wesley Seminary at Indiana Wesleyan University and former Director of Transformational Preaching Ministries at Discipleshi ..read more

This month's episode features teaching from Wilkie Au during the first session of Two-Year Academy #40 in 2018. Wilkie explores how the stories in scripture can be a paradigmatic lens for viewing our current life experiences, helping us to see how God is showing up in our lives today and inviting us into a deeper felt knowledge of God's love for us. Wilkie reminds us that interacting with scripture using our full being—both our intellect and our imagination—can unlock deeper transformation of spirit. Wilkie Au is a spiritual director and Emeritus Professor of Theological Studies at Loyola ..read more

In this month's episode, Cláudio Carvalhaes asks us to consider how we understand ourselves and our faith in relation to the land. For over 50 years, we’ve commemorated Earth Day in April and yet investment in our planet feels like such an onerous task. What does it mean to recite “The earth is the LORD's, and the fulness thereof” when it comes to honoring Earth Day? What is our task as followers of the way, who experience the fullness of God revealed in nature, when it comes to divesting of systems that wreak havoc on the earth? Cláudio Carvalhaes is a theologian, liturgist, performer, artist ..read more