Shows
Outbeat News In DepthShow Notes – Jan. 25, 2026This month we talk with Roberto Ordenana, CEO of the GLBT Historical Society, and Gerard Koskovich, one of the founding members of the GLBT Historical Society. As the federal administration continues its efforts to erase us, the GLBT Historical Society is doubling down to ensure we remain visible. We’ll also talk with David Robinson about activism in today’s challenging times. David was a member of ACTUP and knows how to fight back.
David Robinson
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GLBT Historical Society
GLBT Museum
Gerard Koskovich
Indivisible.org
Tell Congress to Re...
2026-01-261h 00
Religion and JusticeClimate Changed: Faith, Climate, And The Work Right Here (Podcast Swap)George and I took a break this holiday season and gave the mic to another organization doing great work: BTS Center's Climate Changed Climate Changed is The BTS Center’s podcast. Well-crafted, warm, and invitational, Climate Changed explores some of the most pressing questions about faith, life, and climate change.The hosts of Climate Changed explores honest climate grief, then move toward the work that remains: creating small, connected refuges of courage, kindness, and action. Meg Wheatley’s “islands of sanity” meets Debra Rienstra’s “refugia” to offer practical steps for leaders, neighbors, and faith comm...
2026-01-191h 02
The Holy Wild with Victoria LoorzRefugia Faith, Creating Sanctuary & Finding Home with Debra RienstraIn this conversation, Debra Rienstra, PhD, author of Refugia Faith and professor of English at Calvin University, joins Victoria Loorz to explore refugia, a biological term for small pockets of life that survive widespread environmental stress and become sources of regeneration after collapse. Debra invites us to imagine these protected pockets are also in our communities as forms of sanctuary amid increasingly uninhabitable social, spiritual, and ecological conditions. Together, they reflect on how small gatherings rooted in love for the land can counter paralysis in the face of global crisis and rewild our sense of vocation and voice. They...
2026-01-0354 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About RenewalRefugia Podcast Episode 40Our final episode of Season 4! This week, we travel to Hawaii with a whole troop of good people to visit some remarkable refugia spaces near Kaneohe Bay on Oahu. This episode, produced by Colin Hoogerwerf and Jim Stump, first aired on the Language of God podcast in April of 2025.To learn more about the Language of God podcast, visit their website here. Language of God is produced by Biologos, an organization that promotes greater understanding and appreciation of science for people of faith.In this episode, we visit First Presbyterian Church of Honolulu, the Hoʻo...
2025-11-0952 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About RenewalRefugia Podcast Episode 39Christina Bagaglio Slentz is Associate Director for Creation Care for the Catholic Diocese of San Diego. Learn about how her diocese prioritizes climate action here.In this episode, we often refer to Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato si’ and the ways that faith communities are living out its stated goals. We also discuss the theme “seeds of peace and hope,” the official theme for the 2025 ecumenical Season of Creation.Many thanks to Christina for sharing her wisdom in this conversation!Christina SlentzTRANSCRIPTChristina Slentz I think this really c...
2025-11-0254 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About RenewalRefugia Podcast Episode 38As a lay leader of Traverse City Presbyterian Church, Linda Racine and a team of enthusiastic congregants prompted her church to start on a journey toward effective climate action. You can read about their commitment to creation care and learn about their 3 bright ideas for reducing carbon emissions in this congregation-led video. Traverse City Presbyterian took advantage of tools like the Interfaith Power and Light Carbon Assessment to understand their own energy use.Learn more about how Linda’s denomination, the PCUSA, has committed to climate solutions in their Earth Pledge.Linda is also part of...
2025-10-2637 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About RenewalRefugia Podcast Episode 37Elaine Heath is the abbess of Spring Forest, a new monastic community in Hillsborough, North Carolina. Spring Forest centers around communal prayer and meals, a vibrant farm, refugee support, and other ministries you can read about here. You can learn more about Elaine’s work as an author and speaker on her website, or in articles like this one from the Center for Action and Contemplation.Many thanks to Elaine and her husband Randall for welcoming Ron and I and our audio producer, Colin, to the farm last June. Besides relishing the good company of our hosts, we...
2025-10-1945 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About RenewalRefugia Podcast Episode 36Father Pete Nunally is the founder of Water and Wilderness Church, a Washington DC-based outdoor church and watershed community. You can read more about the model of Water and Wilderness Church here. Father Pete is a passionate and well-spoken advocate on his social media pages and other forums, as in this interview with Creation Justice Ministries.Many thanks to Father Pete and the lovely group of people who welcomed Ron and me to Fletcher’s Cove to worship with them last May. Winter? No problem. They worship outside anyway. Father Pete and some very faithful du...
2025-10-1241 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About RenewalRefugia Podcast Episode 35Doug Kaufman directs the Anabaptist Climate Collaborative, an organization that leads climate justice initiatives from an Anabaptist faith perspective. Doug and his team support Mennonite and other Anabaptist churches, helping to build networks, train leaders, and empower climate-related initiatives. Doug describes environmental work as a form of peacemaking, a way of countering the slow violence of actions that cause and exacerbate climate change. Thanks to Doug for geeking out with me on theology and offering some glimpses of Mennonite climate work.Explore some of Doug’s writing on climate advocacy here.In this episode, we hi...
2025-10-0553 min
Language of God108. Debra Rienstra | The Discipline of HopeOur best scientific models make it clear that society needs a big change at a global scale in order to limit irreversible damage—what good can individual actions and attitudes do in the face of this immense problem? Today’s guest, Debra Rienstra, argues that the right relationship with the Earth can actually make all the difference and that new worlds of hope are built in hidden refuges amidst the surrounding devastation. Genuine lament and grief help reorient us toward the beauty and majesty of creation. Only once this groundwork has been laid can we truly repent for what we h...
2025-10-0257 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About RenewalRefugia Podcast Episode 34Dave Celesky founded called Redeem MI Land, a nonprofit organization inspiring communities of faith in Michigan to invest personally in land restoration projects. Dave describes how his home church, Unity Reformed in Norton Shores, Michigan, has supported the very first Redeem MI Land project, creating a prototype for other communities to follow. Dave’s church is also joining a cohort of A Rocha USA, an organization that supports Christian communities in doing environmental restoration work and integrating love for creation more deeply into congregational life.Many thanks to Dave for hosting Ron and me one sunny afternoon as...
2025-09-2837 min
The Even Better PodcastWorking on Climate Action with People of FaithThis episode is brought to you by the Change Makers Certification Program! In this episode of Even Better, Sinikka Waugh is joined by Debra Rienstra for a conversation about pursuing climate action in partnership with people of faith. From early passions that shaped her calling, to the experiences that prepared her for this moment, Debra shares how her journey has evolved—and how faith communities can be powerful allies in creating meaningful change. Together, they explore what sustains this passion even in the face of discouragement, and how others can catch and carry the spark of hope forwa...
2025-09-2345 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About RenewalRefugia Podcast Episode 33In this episode, Rev. Dr. Heber Brown, founder of the Black Church Food Security Network, describes how experimenting with one small church garden led to connections with other churches and then with farmers and eventually to a transformed ecosystem—in this case, a food shed. This inspiring refugia story weaves through health justice, food security, and climate resilience. Even more, this story celebrates the power of relationships among thousands of gifted, passionate, faithful people. Many thanks to Heber Brown for graciously welcoming us to a church garden at one of the network churches in Baltimore, where we en...
2025-09-2152 min
Climate ChangedClaiming Your Call: Navigating Spiritual Leadership in a Climate-Changed WorldWhat does it mean to have a calling in a climate-changed world?
In this episode, Jessica David is joined by Alison Cornish and Allen Ewing-Merrill from The BTS Center team to explore the idea of “calling.” How do we know what our deepest purpose is, especially when the world is shifting beneath our feet? Through personal stories, reflections on chaplaincy, congregational life, and ecological crisis, this conversation models how calling is not just a destination—it’s an ongoing dialogue between joy and need, self and world, spirit and action.
“My calling is to be an agent of God's love, healing, j...
2025-09-1631 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About RenewalRefugia Podcast Episode 32Welcome to the first episode of Season 4! I’m so glad to share with you this delightful episode about a group of terrific Lutheran folks who exemplify joyful lay leadership and getting a whole congregation on board on behalf of climate action.Many thanks to Judy Hinck and to the lively group of Mount Olive members who spent an afternoon with me and Ron sharing their climate justice journey (so far!). Special thanks to Art Halbardier, who graciously hosted and offered extremely helpful background before our visit.To learn more about Mount Olive Lutheran’s work...
2025-09-1443 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About RenewalRefugia Podcast Season 4 Coming Soon!Join us for another season of the Refugia Podcast, with eight new episodes (plus a bonus!) releasing weekly starting September 14. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com
2025-09-0702 min
The Green Lectionary Podcast"A Grieving God" (Jeremiah 8:18-9:1)Our guest for this episode is Debra Rienstra, professor of English at Calvin University and author of Refugia Faith: Seeking Hidden Shelters, Ordinary Wonders, and the Healing of the Earth.
2025-09-0555 min
The Seed: Conversations for Radical Hope“At School in Community: Resisting the Allure of Empire” from Refugia (Off-Season Special)Episode SummaryToday, we share an episode from a sister podcast, Refugia hosted by Debra Rienstra. Refugia are places of shelter where life endures in times of crisis. From out of these small sanctuaries, life reemerges, and the world is renewed.In this episode of Refugia, Debra speaks with theologian Ruth Padilla DeBorst. She describes life in Casa Adobe, an intentional Christian community in Costa Rica, and discusses what faithful living can look like as we seek to resist complicity in the abuses of empire.Season 4 of Refugia will be released...
2025-08-3040 min
The Mode/SwitchCan you bust a gut at work? Can you cry?If not, you need more psych safety. Tom Geraghty joins our roundtable to show you how to create workplace conditions where interpersonal risk, bold laughter, and a good cry are all fully possible.Tom Geraghty spent the first four years of his life in silence. That experience of speaking disability led him to his now international work helping companies cultivate psychological safety, which is, as PsychSafety.com explains, “the belief, in a group, that we are safe to take interpersonal risks.”Our intergenerational crew—Sheila the Gen Z, LaShone the Millennial, Emily the Xennial, and I the...
2025-07-2231 min
Redemption HOU podcastSex & the ChurchIs there such a thing as a healthy Christian sexual ethic? Many of us have shed shame-based teachings, but are still searching for something life-giving. What does sex look like in light of resurrection?Journaling PromptsWhat is your relationship with your body in general—and your sexuality more specifically? How has your theology shaped that relationship, if at all?From abstinence to activity, what does healthy sex mean to you?What might a healthy sexual ethic look like within a new creation community?Practice...
2025-06-1640 min
The UpWords PodcastReading in Different Seasons, Fall 2024 Books | Byron BorgerIn this conversation, host Daniel Johnson and guest Byron Borger from Hearts and Minds bookstore discuss various topics, including reading in different seasons, the church calendar, and the role of reading in the life of a Christian. Byron recommends several books on topics such as education, creation care, and politics. The conversation provides insights and recommendations for readers who are interested in these subjects. This conversation explores the intersection of literature, theology, and culture.----We encourage you to purchase your books from Hearts and Minds bookstore!https://www.heartsandmindsbooks.com ...
2024-09-1653 minThe Mode/SwitchMagical Thinking about Where You WorkWhat in the world could change the Cocaine Bear Status of your break room fridge? Throwing everything out? Scrubbing the shelves with acid? That won’t help. The shelves will fill right back up in a week or two.
No, you’ll have to address people’s choices about where they go for lunch, how much they eat, how they package leftovers—and why a stack of Wendy’s napkins does not actually require refrigeration.
This little parable has a widespread application: what’s happening within is nearly always related to what’s happening beyond.
This wee...
2024-07-0542 min
Learning How to See with Brian McLarenSeeing Nature as a Doctor (Part 1) With Debra Rienstra and Melanie GriffinHow does the connection between nature and spirituality influence your understanding of the environment and the challenges that it faces?In the next two-part series, we're exploring a new way of seeing nature, as a doctor -- but not in the traditional sense. Through conversations with academics, activists, scientists and spiritual directors, we're examining the issues facing our climate and as well as practical solutions that lend to healing our planet. In this episode, our guests, Deborah Rienstra and Melanie Griffin, discuss the importance of joy, love, and anger in healing the world, emphasizing the need for...
2024-05-1757 min
No Small Endeavor with Lee C. CampUnabridged Interview: Bill McKibben
This is our unabridged interview with Bill McKibben.
“If we are to take heart from the really good things about American history, we have no choice but to reckon first with the dark sides of it,” says Bill McKibben, journalist, author, and activist.
One of the most prominent of environmental activists and authors, McKibben also discusses racial justice, the economic impact of suburbanization, and the relation of the Christian church to social change in America.
Show Notes:
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2024-04-2358 min
No Small Endeavor with Lee C. CampEarth Day Special: Climate and Society
Believe it or not, a 2020 PEW study revealed that the most polarized issue in the US is climate change.
How did we get here? How have the warnings of climate science been ignored by half the country? How serious is the climate problem, how immediate are the consequences, and what can regular people like us really do about it?
In this episode, four voices discuss the subject from all angles. We hear from cognitive scientist John Cook on the history of climate misinformation, climate researcher Katharine Hayhoe on what the science is actually saying, theologian...
2024-04-1854 minThe Green Lectionary Podcast"Life Begins in a Garden" (John 20:1-18)For this Easter Sunday episode, we are joined by
Debra Rienstra, author of Refugee Faith: Seeking Hidden Shelters, Ordinary Wonders, and the Healing of the Earth, Josh Scott, pastor GracePointe Church in Nashville TN and author of the forthcoming book Context: Putting Scripture in its place and Karyn Bigelow, co-executive director of Creation Justice Ministries.
2024-03-2247 minThe Green Lectionary Podcast"Facing Death" (John 12:20-33)For this episode we are joined By Dr. Ellen Davis, professor of Bible and Practical theology atDuke Divinity School, Wilson Dickinson, author of Singing the Psalms with My Son and The Green Good News, and Debra Rienstra, author of Refugia Faith: Seeking Hidden Shelters, Ordinary Wonders, and the Healing of the Earth.
2024-03-0847 minThe Green Lectionary Podcast"Covenant with Creation" (Gen. 9: 8-17)In this episode we discuss a text for the first Sunday in Lent. This episode features Debra Rienstra, author of Refugia Faith: Seeking Hidden Shelters, Ordinary Wonders, and the Healing of the Earth and Mark Biddle, Hebrew scholar and Dean of Faculty at Sophia Seminary.
2024-02-1344 minClimate ChangedAm I the Right Person? with Margaret WheatleyIn this thought-provoking episode of the podcast "Am I the Right Person?," Ben engages in deeply insightful conversations with Margaret Wheatley, an icon in organizational leadership, and Debra Rienstra, author of Refugia Faith: Seeking Hidden Shelters, Ordinary Wonder, and the Healing of the Earth. Wheatley paints a grim picture of the future, citing escalating climate issues, political tensions, and social unrest. Despite this outlook, she argues that meaningful, spiritually-based work can still be done. By facing the harsh realities, humans can focus on values like kindness, generosity, and community.
Wheatley emphasizes the importance of accepting that large-scale...
2024-01-301h 01
The DistilleryDebra Rienstra | Refugia FaithWhat does Christian faith have to do with creation? As the global climate crisis becomes more and more pressing, Christian communities sometimes flounder in responding to this issue. In this episode, Debra Rienstra, author of Refugia Faith: Seeking Hidden Shelters, Ordinary Wonders, and the Healing of the Earth, shares how individuals and communities can rally in a response deeply rooted in their faith.
2024-01-1133 minThe Green Lectionary Podcast”Insomniac Discipleship” (Mark 13:24-37)The Green Lectionary returns with new episodes for the Advent season! This week, we look at a text from week one of year B in the revised common lectionary, Mark 13:24-37.
We are joined by. Ched Myers. Ched is an activist theologian who has worked in social change and radical discipleship movements for more than 45 years. He is author of more than a half dozen books including Watershed Discipleship: Reinhabiting Bioregional Faith and Practice
We're also joined by Debra Rienstra, professor of english at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan and author of Re...
2023-11-241h 01Language of God153. BioLogos Book Club | Braiding SweetgrassIn our second ever BioLogos book club, we bring you a discussion on the book Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Our expert guests include Carol Bremer-Bennett, the Executive Director of World Renew; Rick Lindroth, a retired professor of ecology; and Debra Rienstra, a Professor of English. They discuss various themes from the book, including the importance of reciprocity and harmony in our relationship with the natural world, the dangers of consumerism and greed, and the need for a more inclusive and respectful language to describe non-human beings. They also explore the intersection of indigenous wisdom, science, and Christianity...
2023-10-051h 10The Green Lectionary Podcast”Water in the Wilderness” (Mark 1:1-8)This episode looks at a passage for the final week of the season of creation. Our guests are Wilson Dickinson, author of the recently released Singing the Psalms with My Son: Praying and Parenting for a Healed Planet, Debra Rienstra, author of Refugia Faith: Seeking Hidden Shelters, Ordinary Wonders, and the Healing of the Earth, and Rev. Katy Cuthill Steinberg, pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Daytona Beach and co author of Wholly Leading: Thoughts, Meditations, and Practices for Whole Self Leading.
You can learn more about this and other programs of Creation Justice Ministries at www.cre...
2023-09-2551 minClimate ChangedNicole Diroff Shares Highlights for Season TwoNicole Diroff shares excerpts from Season Two of Climate Changed podcast featuring Rob Shetterly, Shanon Shah, Margaret Wheatley, and Debra Rienstra.
Nicole Diroff: Climate Changed podcast focuses on collective honesty and hope
Nicole Diroff: Hey there. I'm Nicole Diroff. Ben Yosua-Davis and I host the Climate Changed podcast. Over the past several months, we interviewed wise and insightful guests. We collected poems and songs to provide you with a chance to center. And now we are putting finishing touches on season two of Climate Changed.
Our focus for this new season is collective...
2023-09-2008 min
Prophetic Voices: Preaching and Teaching Beloved CommunityPreaching the Feast of St. FrancisIn this episode of Prophetic Voices, we’ll be discussing the lectionary for the Feast of St. Francis. The texts covered in this episode are Job 39:1-18, Matthew 11:25-30, and John 20:11-16. Our amazing guests this week are:
The Rev. Pete Nunnally, senior associate rector at St Mary’s Episcopal Church in Arlington, Va. He leads Wilderness Church, an outdoor walking Eucharist on the banks of the Potomac River. His book on the hidden wisdom of fishing is forthcoming through Broadleaf Books.
The Rev. Rachel Taber-Hamilton, rector of Trinity Episcopal church in Everett, Wash. She is of Indigenous Shacken...
2023-09-1956 minThe Green Lectionary Podcast”What do the grapes think?” (Matt. 20:1-16)We look at a passage for the third week of the season of creation.
For this episode we are joined by three guests:
Rev. Dr. Leah Schade, professor of preaching and worship at Lexington Theological Seminary and author Creation Crisis Preaching: Ecology, Theology, and The Pulpit
Debra Rienstra, English professor at Calvin University and author of Refugia Faith: Seeking Hidden Shelters, Ordinary Wonders, and the Healing of the Earth
and Rev. Josh Scott, lead pastor of GracePointe Church in Nashville and author of Bible Stories For Grown Ups: Reading Scri...
2023-09-111h 03The Green Lectionary Podcast”A Burning Bush Moment” (Exodus 3:1-15Recorded at the Wild Goose Festival (https://wildgoosefestival.org/).
The panelists for this episode are Katy Cuthill Steinberg, pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Daytona Beach and Founder of The Missing Peace,
Debra Rienstra, English professor at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, MI and author of Refugia Faith: Seeking Hidden Shelters, Ordinary Wonders, and the Healing of the Earth
Josh Scott, lead pastor of GracePointe Church in Nashville, TN and author of Bible Stories for Grown Ups: Reading Scripture with New Eyes
The Green Lectionary is a prod...
2023-08-3043 minThe Green Lectionary PodcastGreen Lectionary, ep. 1, ”A Burning Bush Moment” (Exodus 3:1-15)Recorded at the Wild Goose Festival (https://wildgoosefestival.org/).
The panelists for this episode are Katy Cuthill Steinberg, pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Daytona Beach and Founder of The Missing Peace,
Debra Rienstra, English professor at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, MI and author of Refugia Faith: Seeking Hidden Shelters, Ordinary Wonders, and the Healing of the Earth
Josh Scott, lead pastor of GracePointe Church in Nashville, TN and author of Bible Stories for Grown Ups: Reading Scripture with New Eyes
The Green Lectionary is a prod...
2023-08-2843 minClimate ChangedAnnouncing Season Two of Climate ChangedIn season two of the climate changed podcast, Ben Yosua-Davis and Nicole Diroff will help you take an unflinching look at the devastating reality of climate change, not to scare the snot out of us. No, they and their amazing guests balance and honest view of the problems with clear direction about how we can take up our roles in this rapidly changing world.
The new season of Climate Changed podcast premieres on Tuesday September 26, 2023. Ben and Nicole ask big questions as they speak with thought leaders, climate change specialists, and people at the intersections of faith...
2023-08-0807 min
Earthkeepers: A Circlewood Podcast on Creation Care and SpiritualityBecoming Hope: Debra Rienstra on her book Refugia Faith | Ep. 85 In this episode, James Amadon and Forrest Inslee reprise a webinar discussion with Debra Rienstra, author of a new book called Refugia Faith: Seeking Hidden Shelters, Ordinary Wonders, and the Healing of the Earth. In her writing, Dr. Rienstra asks deep and sometimes difficult questions, such as: What might Creator say to us about our role in caring for creation—if we could quiet ourselves long enough to listen? Also, How can we look for the possibilities of new life and restoration of the environment, when everything seems chaotic and hopeless? And most importantly, how can faith communities integrate ear...
2023-07-3148 min
No Small Endeavor with Lee C. CampHealing The Earth: Debra Rienstra
What on God’s green earth does climate change have to do with living a good life?
To answer such a question, says author and professor Debra Rienstra, we must first ask a more basic one: what is the good life? “We have assumed that it is affluence and upward mobility,” she says, “but that good life is not sustainable.” If a good life is one of purpose and healing, then it is precisely the Western ideal of success that is eating away our ability to live good lives. In this episode, we discuss her book Refugia Faith, in...
2023-04-2051 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About Renewal#31 Artful Wildness: Biologist Dave Koetje Reflects on Season 3Dave Koetje returns as co-host to reflect on what we’ve learned about refugia church from our guests this season.--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/refugia/message This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com
2022-11-2026 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About Renewal#30 Fortress Press Roundtable: Sharon Delgado and Talitha Amadea Aho on Sentinel Experiences, the Clash of Kingdoms, and Caring Well for Young People in Crisis TimesFellow Fortress Press authors Sharon Delgado and Talitha Amadea Aho discuss writing books during a pandemic, young people's spiritual hungers, and the resources the church can offer during a climate crisis. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/refugia/message This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com
2022-11-1348 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About Renewal#29 Climate Hospitality: Karyn Bigelow and Avery Davis Lamb on Creation Justice Ministries and Resilient Church CommunitiesThe executive directors of Creation Justice Ministries explain how faith-based climate organizations can bring people together, inspiring churches and individuals to build social cohesion and work toward a livable and just future.--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/refugia/message This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com
2022-11-0648 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About Renewal#28 Becoming The Refuge: Rev. Gerry Koning on Sensory Sanctuaries, Poo-Sniffing Dogs, and the Transition to a New Kind of ChurchRev. Gerry Koning describes the process of moving from an ordinary, traditional congregation to a refugia church focused on "all abilities, all creation, all nations."--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/refugia/message This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com
2022-10-3048 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About Renewal#27 God is Still Speaking: Rev. Jim Antal on Communal Vocation, Golden Rule 2.0, and Our Urgent Moral ChallengeRev. Jim Antal recounts his long experience in climate activism and shares his conviction that Christians, and people of all faiths, are called to a communal vocation at this crucial moment in history.--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/refugia/message This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com
2022-10-1652 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About Renewal#26 At School in Community: Ruth Padilla DeBorst on Intentional Christian Community, Resisting the Allure of Empire, and Planetary GardeningTheologian Ruth Padilla DeBorst describes life in Casa Adobe, an intentional Christian community in Costa Rica, and discusses what faithful living can look like as we seek to resist complicity in the abuses of empire.--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/refugia/message This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com
2022-10-0935 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About Renewal#25 Houses of the Future: Rabbi Dean Shapiro on Biblical Stories, Renewed Ritual, and Facing Climate Change as Religious CommunitiesRabbi Shapiro, founder of an interfaith clergy training program called The Joseph Project, discusses how religious ritual and story bind us together and help us strengthen community in times of crisis. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/refugia/message This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com
2022-10-0254 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About Renewal#24 The Arc of Movement History: May Boeve on Bridging Refugia through Global Connection, Leveraging Prophetic Speech, and Looking into the Abyss with Faith350.org co-founder and Executive Director May Boeve describes the joy and challenge of connecting climate activists across the globe, scaling up climate solutions, and drawing on faith to drive courage and prophetic speech.--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/refugia/message This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com
2022-09-2543 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About Renewal#23 Purple Zone Refugia: Leah Schade on Climate Crisis Preaching, the Prophetic Church, and the Trickster ChristTo open Season 3, homiletics professor Rev. Dr. Leah D. Schade considers the prophetic role of churches amid the climate crisis, as well as the challenge of working for long-term transformation through preaching and structured dialogue.--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/refugia/message This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com
2022-09-1852 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About RenewalRefugia Podcast Season 3 TrailerWe're back! Join us for Season 3 of the Refugia Podcast starting Sept. 18.--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/refugia/message This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com
2022-09-0404 min
Midtown Presbyterian ChurchPollution Culture | Genesis 1-2 - Clint LeavittBack in 1980, there was an impending crisis looming tall in the cascade mountains of Washington. Mt. St. Helens, an active volcano, was showing signs that it was near erupting. Authorities worked to evacuate the area in preparation, and news stations got their helicopters and cameras ready. Then, on May 18th, at 8:32 am, it happened. With an energy equivalent to 1500 atom bombs, the volcano spewed rock and superheated gas outward at speeds of up to 400 MPH; the surrounding area was decimated.
Yet not all was lost. In the midst of the ash and the rubble were what scientists call "refugia:" small...
2022-08-1530 min
Pondering TheologianInterview with Dani Postma, Part #1In this episode I sit down with my good friend and fellow seminarian Dani Postma, to ask some questions about her experiences in life, faith and what the process is like for someone in higher education. Lots of questions and lots of chuckles, come check it out.
Dani mentions and recommends the book, Refugia Faith: Seeking Hidden Shelters, Ordinary Wonders, and the Healing of the Earth, by Debra Rienstra. Link below to an outline and reviews for your consideration.
https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/58778787-refugia-faith
Let me know what you think, an...
2022-07-1856 min
Harkening DeerEarth Day (A Christian Meditation) - BONUSSend us a textThis meditation is inspired by Debra Rienstra and her work in Eco-Theology.Based upon Genesis 1&2, Psalm 104, The Prophets, John 1, Romans 8, Colossians 1, Revelation 21.As a caveat, I use the word "Nature" a few times throughout this meditation. It is important to note that we are not separate from the rest of creation, in the sense that we are part of said-creation. Eco-Theologists often use the phrase "more than human creation" to describe Nature to denote this. Because this phrase feels awkward & clunky (& perhaps even disruptive) in the meditation, I simply...
2022-04-2214 min
Holy Heretics: Losing Religion and Finding JesusReWilding and Refugia: Healing Our Sacred Earth w/ Dr. Debra RienstraPeople have been sounding the alarm for climate change for generations. The earth is permanently altered by human hands. But if we have the power to hurt the earth, we share the power to heal her. Drawing on our spiritual tradition, Dr. Debra Rienstra encourages us to adapt our spiritual practices and faith to life on an altered planet. From consuming to healing, stewarding to co-creation, our task is to no longer objectify the earth but to care for her as living members of this sacred body. Dr. Rienstra encourages the idea of refugia. Refugia (reh-FU-jee-ah) is a...
2022-04-191h 00
The Bible For Normal PeopleEpisode 201: Debra Rienstra - Eco-Theology: Beyond StewardshipHow are faith and nature interwoven? In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Debra Rienstra joins Pete and Jared to discuss the value of the created world in scripture and what it looks like to care for the earth properly.Show Notes → Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2022-04-1156 minLanguage of God108. Debra Rienstra | The Discipline of HopeOur best scientific models make it clear that society needs a big change at a global scale in order to limit irreversible damage—what good can individual actions and attitudes do in the face of this immense problem? Today’s guest, Debra Rienstra, argues that the right relationship with the Earth can actually make all the difference and that new worlds of hope are built in hidden refuges amidst the surrounding devastation. Genuine lament and grief help reorient us toward the beauty and majesty of creation. Only once this groundwork has been laid can we truly repent for what we h...
2022-03-1057 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About Renewal#22 Living Together in a World of Wounds: Dave Koetje and Summing Up Season 2Biologist Dave Koetje returns to reflect with host Debra Rienstra on major themes from Season 2.--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/refugia/message This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com
2020-11-2845 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About Renewal#21 Infrastructures of Holiness: Fred Bahnson on Arks, Intercessory Forests, and Gregarious HermitsWriter Fred Bahnson explores the distinction between arks and refugia. He describes his visit to the church forests of Ethiopia and his involvement in the community garden movement, and he ponders the role of metanoia and mystical connection in a refugia faith. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/refugia/message This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com
2020-11-1452 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About Renewal#20: Imaginative and Messy: Kathryn Mae Post on Religion Journalism and Reconstructing FaithKathryn Mae Post describes her own process of reckoning with a faith crisis, engaging in anti-racism work, and starting out in religion journalism at a time of major cultural and religious transition.--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/refugia/message This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com
2020-11-0737 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About Renewal#19 Love Thy Downstream Neighbor: Tim Van Deelen on Sorrow, Anger, and Conservation Biology.Wildlife biologist Tim Van Deelen reflects on the spiritual challenges of wildlife conservation and considers the call to value the commons and engage in strategic activism. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/refugia/message This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com
2020-10-3142 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About Renewal#18 Where Beauty is Happening: Katerina Parsons on International Development, Ripple Effects, and Hunger for Deep RootsKaterina Parsons reflects on refugia in international development settings, on engaging in advocacy and activism as a young adult, and on feeling restless and place-starved at once.--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/refugia/message This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com
2020-10-2441 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About Renewal#17 Dreaming of Eloheh: Randy Woodley on Following the Harmony WayRandy Woodley brings Christian and indigenous worldviews into instructive conversation, describing his quest to establish Eloheh Farm, a place where people can reconnect with land and recover indigenous farming practices.--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/refugia/message This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com
2020-10-1738 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About Renewal#16 Kites and Kingfishers: Ruth Harvey on Iona Community and Emerging PatternsRuth Harvey describes how times of crisis spur people toward new ways of imagining and organizing community. She reflects on how the Iona Community models refugia as places we move in and out of, located and dispersed.--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/refugia/message This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com
2020-10-1039 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About Renewal#15 Momentum into the Next Thing: Bill McKibben on Fighting Overwhelming Odds and Praying Through Mental StaticBill McKibben reviews some recent good news in the climate fight and reflects on an ethic of human solidarity, the demands of activism, and holding on to Christian faith. Also: the book of Job, refugia, and the delights of vernal pools.--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/refugia/message This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com
2020-10-0339 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About Renewal#14 Sacramental Cats and Hungry Deer: Dave Koetje on Refugia Amid COVIDBiologist Dave Koetje talks with host Debra Rienstra about how the COVID-19 pandemic has altered his ideas about refugia. Also: Zoom worship, garden pests, and stepping-stone refugia.--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/refugia/message This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com
2020-09-2639 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About Renewal#13 Important Dying: Dave Koetje and Summing Up the Refugia SeriesBiologist Dave Koetje returns to reflect with host Debra Rienstra on everything we’ve learned over the course of the last twelve episodes. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/refugia/message This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com
2019-12-0638 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About Renewal#12 Baselines and Soul Work: Hillary Scholten on Immigration Reform and the Urgency of Creating Good PolicyHillary Scholten, an attorney who worked for the DOJ under President Obama and then provided legal representation for migrant workers in Michigan, considers how government policy, people of faith, and the larger community can intersect to create healing refugia spaces.--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/refugia/message This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com
2019-11-2926 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About Renewal#11 Jazz on the Dunes: David Jellema and the Colony at Lost ValleyIn this episode, we travel out to the shore of Lake Michigan and back in time. Jazz musician David Jellema recounts the history of the "artist intelligentsia retreat" founded by his father and uncle.--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/refugia/message This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com
2019-11-2241 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About Renewal#10 Do the Next Right Thing: Kate Kooyman on Refuge, Refugees, and Stewarding CitizenshipA pastor and education team leader at the Christian Reformed Church’s Office of Social Justice, Kate Kooyman sorts out some confusing matters of immigration policy and explores how people of faith help immigrants and refugees go beyond refuge to community integration.--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/refugia/message This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com
2019-11-1541 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About Renewal#9 Keep All the Pieces: Tim Van Deelen on Wildlife Conservation and the Ghost of Aldo LeopoldTim Van Deelen, professor of wildlife ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, explains how the term refugia is used in the context of wildlife conservation, along the way telling stories about grizzlies, black-footed ferrets, wolves, and Aldo Leopold.--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/refugia/message This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com
2019-11-0850 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About Renewal#8 Dying and Rising: Jeff Chu on Composting, Evolving Faith, and Pop-Up RefugiaJournalist and recent seminary graduate Jeff Chu ponders the intersection of theology and farming. He also describes the Evolving Faith Conference and other places of healing and fresh imagination for people who are, for whatever reason, feeling on the margins of the church.--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/refugia/message This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com
2019-11-0137 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About Renewal#7 Through Pain to Freedom: John Witvliet on Prayer, Lament, and Refugia in WorshipJohn Witvliet, Director of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, explores how Christians can create refugia spaces in worship through thoughtful public prayer and courageous practices of lament.--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/refugia/message This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com
2019-10-2531 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About Renewal#6 Kitchen Table Refugia: Christina Edmondson on Higher Education, Social Media, and Discipleship for DiscernmentDean for Intercultural Student Development at Calvin University and co-host of the Truth’s Table podcast, Christina Edmondson reflects on the potential for refugia on college campuses and on the virtues and difficulties of virtual refugia.--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/refugia/message This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com
2019-10-1840 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About Renewal#5 New Generation Rising: Kyle Meyaard-Schaap on Young Evangelicals and the Climate CrisisKyle Meyaard-Schaap, National Organizer and Spokesperson for Young Evangelicals for Climate Action, takes stock of how the church is doing in addressing climate change and describes how young Christians are leading the way, finding refugia through intentional action.--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/refugia/message This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com
2019-10-1137 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About Renewal#4 Sacred Vessels: Jo-Ann Van Reeuwyk on the Arts, the Holy Spirit, and Sanctuary SpacesStudio artist and art educator Jo-Ann Van Reeuwyk reflects on art and risk-taking, sacred spaces pedagogy, vessels, and pokey things.--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/refugia/message This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com
2019-10-0436 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About Renewal#3 Seedbed to Be a Blessing: Steve Bouma-Prediger on Refugia in ScriptureSteve Bouma-Prediger, professor of religion at Hope College and “ecotheologian,” reflects on examples of refugia in the Bible and the virtues necessary to fulfill our God-given, human responsibility to the earth.--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/refugia/message This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com
2019-09-2742 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About Renewal#2 The Great Laughter: Jamie Skillen on Humility and HopeJamie Skillen, professor of environmental studies at Calvin University, overviews the sometimes tense relationship between Christianity and environmentalism and urges us to aspire toward an “eschatological stewardship.”--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/refugia/message This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com
2019-09-2034 min
Refugia Podcast: A Podcast About Renewal#1 Little Pockets: Dave Koetje and Defining Our TermsDave Koetje, professor of biology at Calvin University, helps lay the groundwork with some definitions.--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/refugia/message This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com
2019-09-0622 min
The January Series of Calvin University2008 - Debra Rienstra - Words Wear OutI am an Associate Professor of English at Calvin College, where I have taught since 1996. I teach early modern British literature, world literature, Shakespeare, composition, and poetry. For me, teaching and writing are mutually enriching actions. Teaching keeps me in contact with great literature of the past and present and with the unmatched vitality of young minds. Writing allows me to reflect, imagine, and enter a larger human conversation about things mundane and eternal. In 2002, Tarcher/Putnam published my first book, "Great with Child: On Becoming a Mother" , a meditative account of my third pregnancy and my son's first...
2008-03-271h 00