Podcasts for Summer Program

This summer we are going to do an informal discussion during the 9:30-10:15 time slot in the Parish Hall.  Grab a cup of coffee, hear a summary of an idea, and discuss.  The catalyst for the “idea” is from several podcasts that I have been listening to throughout the year.  Some of them are directly theological/religious, some of them are philosophical/metaphysical, and some of them are current events/random.  Here are the dates and links to the podcasts that I have collected.  If you have trouble getting the podcast, let me know by email.  These are great to listen to in the car on your way around town.

June 1 -- Black Box -- Radiolab

What are your thoughts on life after death?  What is your theology of heaven?  Once you get through the ideas behind anesthesia, pay close attention to the talk about butterflies.  This gets into more than life an death, but into how we transform as humans?  Is each change that we make already a part of who we are?  What’s our role in becoming who are becoming, from moment to moment and from life to death to resurrection?

June 8  -- Simply Happy -- NPR TED Radio Hour

We all want to find happiness, but it seems elusive. Can we learn more about happiness through science? Or are there simpler ways to achieve it? Host Guy Raz feels happy listening to Pharrell’s song “Happy”, so Guy asked Pharrell to share his ideas on happiness. Then we hear from five TED speakers who contemplate different paths to finding happiness. Researcher Matt Killingsworth says we're often happiest when we're lost in the moment. Journalist Carl Honore believes our society's emphasis on speed erodes our quality of life. Writer Graham Hill makes the case for taking up less space. Psychologist Dan Gilbert challenges the idea that we’ll be miserable if we don’t get what we want. Brother David Steindl-Rast reflects on slowing down, looking where you’re going, and being grateful.

June 15 -- The Need for Creeds  Jaroslav Pelikan — On Being with Krista Tippet

The idea of reciting an unchanging creed sounds suspicious to modern ears. But the late, great historian Jaroslav Pelikan illuminated ancient tradition in order to enliven faith in the present and the future. He insisted that strong statements of belief will be necessary if pluralism in the 21st century is to thrive. We take in his moving, provocative perspective on our enduring need for creeds.

June 22 – How Pope Benedict unwittingly made the Catholic case for 'conscious uncoupling' The Week

If a pope can painlessly walk away from his relationship with the Catholic flock, why do divorced laypeople need annulment?  What is marriage?  How can we understand our own marriage or partnership in terms of sacramental, life-long, or as a contract?  Is there ever a time that death does not mean another human in the relationship, but of the relationship itself?

June 29 -- #522: Tarred and Feathered -- This American Life

Should we be doing public shaming?  Where does forgiveness fit into the concept of revenge or repentance?  The damage of gossip at a large and small scale.  What kinds of offensive acts are beyond redemption, like pedophilia?

July 6^th (no Sunday School)

July 13^th (no Sunday School – St. Benedict’s Day)

July 20 -- Tim Scanlon on What's Wrong with Inequality? Philosophy Bites

Our local sociologist Tony Bokros will be leading this discussion about ways we have dealt with inequality in our social milieu.  

July 27 --The Money Paradox NPR TED Radio Hour

What makes humans special?  What makes us unique?  Why humans make such big mistakes with money?  Why is it hard for some people to save for the future?  We will discuss the Ethical Dilemmas with money for those who “feel” rich or poor.  Do you think you would do what some of these studies say we will do?  Where does our religious understanding of money help us not to be a majority?

August 3 - The Path to More Inclusive Innovation - Sharon Vosmek (Astia) -- Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders

Are we more innovative, better, stronger when we come together from every walk of life?  Do you agree with the premise of Sharon Vosmek who believe we are more creative when we are UNEASY with the people in a group?  A great discussion about the intelligence of a group of people and Sharon’s findings about the more diverse (actually more female) a group, the smarter we are…  come on y’all, you need to be here for this one?

August 10 – Identities -- NPR TED Radio Hour

Each of us has a sense of who we are, where we come from, and what we believe. But is identity assigned at birth? Shaped by circumstance? Or is it something we choose that changes over time? In this hour, TED speakers describe their journeys to answer the question: who am I? Entrepreneur Tan Le recounts her family’s harrowing journey from Vietnam to Australia, and how it defined her identity. Writer Andrew Solomon has interviewed dozens of parents, and he talks about what it’s like to raise a child whose identity is fundamentally different from yours. Novelist Elif Shafak describes how fiction has allowed her to explore many different lives, to jump over cultural walls, and how it may have the power to overcome identity politics. Writer Pico Iyer meditates on the meaning of home in a world where the boundaries of nation-states no longer apply.

August 17 -- Do We Need Humans? (rated R) NPR TED Radio Hour

We've been promised a future where robots will be our friends, and technology will make life’s daily chores as easy as flipping a switch. But are we ready for how those innovations will change us as humans? In this episode, TED speakers consider the promises and perils of our relationship with technology. Psychologist Sherry Turkle looks at how devices and online personas are redefining human connection. Robotics engineer Cynthia Breazeal talks about building robots that teach, learn, and play. Research Scientist Andrew McAfee examines how technology affects the labor market, today and in the future. Physician and writer Abraham Verghese describes our strange new world where patients are data points, and calls for a return to the traditional physical exam.

August 24 -- Success (R)  NPR TED Radio Hour

How do we define success?  Where do we see it in our own life?  How can we help our children understand success in their own life?

August 31 -- #521: Bad Baby - This American Life

This Podcast is hilarious and scary at the same time.  Which makes it a great  precursor to the new parenting class.  To give the class a theological thread, I am suggestion that we read Barbara Brown Taylor’s book Walking in the Dark .  So we will discussing the reality of parenting, beyond the public persona that we feel we need when we talk about parenting.  Once you listen to this podcast, hopefully it will be easy to join us September 14^th.  This class will be led by the rector.  It will be about the book, but not too much – so read it or not, you will be right at home.  I will include a guest or two who know something about parenting strategies.

September 7^th – FALL SEASON STARTS – BREAKFAST IN THE PARISH HALL