Unpacking Freedom: Cultural stories and biblical practices

Join Jo and Peter in a new episode of Being Human as they reflect on the concept of the 'vibe shift' and its far-reaching effects on today’s cultural and social dynamics. They explore real-life examples from changes in corporate culture and political realignments to the evolving ways people express their faith in public. Through their discussion, they emphasise the importance of grounding oneself in scripture and liturgy to navigate these shifting cultural landscapes, offering a stable foundation in Jesus. Tune in for an engaging exploration of how to live truly and fully human in today's ever-changing world.   00:00 Introduction: Cultural shifts 00:30 Welcome to Being Human 01:20 Exploring the Vibe Shift 03:21 Cultural Examples of the Vibe Shift 14:23 Faith and the Vibe Shift 26:15 Practices for Navigating in Changing Times   Links mentioned Santiago Pliego: pliego.substack.com/p/vibe-shift Alison P. Davis New York Magazine article: A Vibe Shift Is Coming. Will any of us survive it? www.thecut.com/a-vibe-shift-is-coming

Jo and Peter return to unpack freedom, chatting through insights on the topics of free speech, social justice and asking if it's okay to stop others from exercising their freedom to protect your own. Explore the dynamic exchange between Jo Frost and Peter Lynas as they delve into cultural conversations and biblical practices to explore what freedom, faith, and being truly, fully human looks like today in our latest podcast episode! Tune in for an engaging discussion that resonates with current debates and timeless truths.  00:00 Introduction: Absolute freedom is a myth   00:33:  JD Vance and free speech  01:35:  What is freedom?   02:12:  Freedom and Individualism   06:58: Are our freedoms under threat?  07:03: Coercion and Assisted Suicide  10:57: Freedom in the Digital Age  13:42: Biblical Perspective on Freedom  25:41: Christian Practices for Freedom 

In the first episode of the Being Human podcast season six, Jo Frost and Peter Lynas dive into the widespread feeling of chaos in today's world, exploring its implications on personal, cultural, and societal levels. Chatting through the different cultural stories, from politics to technology that contribute to this sense of chaotic madness, they pull on the threads of the God story to help us make sense of what’s happening and ask how practices such as fasting, hospitality, and worship can bring order and peace.   Time stamps  00:00 Introduction: It’s a mad, mad world  00:47 Exploring Cultural Stories  01:55 Understanding Chaosity  04:08 Global and Technological Chaos  10:48 Personal and Community Chaos  13:24 Biblical Perspective on Chaos  25:54 Christian Practices for Order  36:10 Conclusion and Call to Action 

In the final episode of the season, hosts Jo Frost and Peter Lynas discuss the intricate relationship between health, wellness, and what it means to be truly, fully human. Exploring the cultural stories that shape our view of health and wellness, they delve into topics such as nutrition, sleep, body image, and mental well-being. As with all episodes in this season, Jo and Peter use the Being Human lens to analyse these aspects through the aspects of presence, significance, participation, and connection. They highlight the cultural contradictions surrounding health and wellness and emphasise the importance of community, hospitality, and generosity for a holistic and healthier life. Practical applications like fasting, simplicity, and hospitality are recommended to cultivate wholeness and better health. 00:00 Season Finale Announcement 01:13 Today we’re chatting health and wellness 02:23 Recap on the Being Human lens 04:07 The importance of sleep 07:50 Health span vs. Life span 09:17 Holistic health and wellness 12:57 What does the God story tell us about healthy bodies? 19:18 Health inequality and the challenge of dignity and respect 23:33 Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit 24:26 Participation and the sedentary lifestyle 26:27 Health data and health tracking 29:22 The influence of social media on health 31:27 Connection through food and relationships 34:45 Health as a justice issue 37:33 Practices for health and wellness 43:51 That’s a wrap!

In this episode Jo and Peter welcome their friend and head of public policy, Alicia to the conversation. This time ethnicity is placed the centre of the lens and through significance, connection, presence and participation, they track some of the major cultural shifts in this vital and global conversation. From the murder of George Floyd in the US to the case of Child Q in the UK, they lament over the prevalence of injustice, while looking to the God Story for a more hopeful narrative. Alongside personal stories the conversation touches on how Christians might seek wisdom when it comes to language and ideas like intersectionality. And admits a culture that so often only wants to deconstruct, they look to the opportunity for hospitality, relationship and rebuilding in Jesus’ name to bridge divides. They ask what can the story found in scripture tell us about difference, identity and community when it comes to thinking about ethnicity?   Part one (00:00)  00:07 Welcome and introductions with Alicia.   01:43 Framing today’s topic: ethnicity and identity.   06:17 Looking at language: race, ethnicity and nationality.   12:18 Putting ethnicity in the centre of the lens.   13:18 Significance and the murder of George Floyd.   18:19 Why we might struggle to recognise our own sin and prejudice.  21:12 The God story: liberation, redeeming identity and the story of Hagar.    Part two (26:17) 26:20 Connection, Christian global community and building peace.  30:01 Friendship and combatting the fear of misspeaking.  33:11 Biblical mandate: being sanctification and made holy.  36:11 Presence: Child Q as a moment of reckoning.  41:28 Deconstruction, intersectionality and rebuilding in Jesus's name.  45:35 The good shepherd.  48:05 Participation: migration and the mandate of hospitality.  52:55 Practicing gratitude.  54:12 Practicing study and intercession.  

In this episode of Being Human, Jo and Peter are joined by their twenty-five-year-old team member Emma to discuss the generational shift in perspectives on work, rest, and play. From Baby Boomers to Gen Z, they explore how different age groups approach work-life balance, purpose, and identity. Diving into the world of intergenerational workplace dynamics, the impact of digital culture, hobbies, mental health and the quest for a meaningful rest vs work ethic, they draw on the wisdom of the God Story to seek a better narrative. The episode wraps up with three practical spiritual habits – rest, solitude and communion - for navigating these challenges.   Part one (00:00)   00:40 Meet Emma: behind the scenes to on the mic. 01:10 Today’s topic: generational perspectives on work, rest, and play.  02:39 Gen-z, millennials, Gen-x and boomers: understanding the generational categories.   05:06 The Being Human lens: a way to explore the cultural stories.  07:06 Participation: what does each generation look for in work?  14:31 Play and rest: hobby and volunteering culture across generations.   16:40 The God Story: purpose and gifting.  Part two (19:58)  20:00 Significance: does your identity come from your work?    25:52 Anxious generations: shifts in work perception and uncertainty.  29:05 Work, identity, and rest: a biblical perspective.   33:30 Connection: gen-z in the digital age and conflict in relationships.   38:50 Presence and place: flexibility and the future of work.  45:15 A better story with three spiritual practices: rest, solitude and communion.   49:22 Finishing up: do get in touch!  

We are taking a short break in the season, but while you wait for the next episode why not join us for our webinar series? Join us for three 60-minute online webinars on June 11, 18 and 25 with Jo and Peter as they explore Being Human as a new apologetic for the 21st century and unpack its resources for your church. These interactive webinars will cover a range of topics: from the cultural stories of our day, to the narrative of the God story, as well as research on the different kinds of attitudes you might find in your church, and how we can be reaching out more to one another. We would love to see you there. Find out more here: https://beinghumanlens.com/being-human-webinars-june-2024

In this episode Jo and Peter use the apologetics tool - the Being Humans Lens - to chat all-things artificial intelligence (AI). They ask: does AI know us better than we know ourselves? Can AI really become a source for our relationships? And how might we draw on the wisdom of the God Story when it comes to navigating the future of tech?  Through exploring significance, connection, participation and presence the conversation covers AI’s benefits and challenges, from ChatGPT and self-driving cars to ethical dilemmas and the potential for deep fakes. They also consider the environmental impact of AI and the questions around ethical frameworks to guide its development. Ultimately, we dive back to the better story found in the pages of scripture for a hopeful perspective on integrity, empathy and wisdom in this digital age.   Part one (00:00)   01:06 Welcome back and introducing today’s topic: AI  03:03 Putting AI at the focal point of the Being Human Lens.  05:01 Significance: AI bias, data and ethics.  12:45 The God story: Genesis and wisdom.   Part two (17:03)   17:06 AI and connection: how do we build an ethnical framework?   25:36 Loneliness: is AI really a source for relationship?   27:31 Biblical empathy and ethics: relational beings in a digital world.  29:27 Real vs fake: presence and digital deconstruction.   35:38 The environmental cost of AI.   38:10 A better story: stewarding God’s creation, pursing truth and encounter.   40:51 Participation and creativity: does AI really know us better than we know ourselves?   44:50 ‘Hypersuasion’: AI's influence on our choices.   49:08 Wisdom and integrity in the age of AI.   51:12 Three spiritual habits: digital abstinence, worship and examen.

In this episode climate change is at the focal point of the Being Human lens. Jo and Peter chat through presence, significance, connection and participation as they tackle one of the biggest issues facing humanity today. How might we shift some of culture’s most dominant climate conversation from blame and hopelessness, to care and stewardship?   From micro stories of London’s ultra-low emission zone to larger macro-stories of rising sea levels and climate refugees, they consider the importance of human equality, and issues of local and global justice. All the while bringing the conversation back to the better story found in the pages of scripture – how do biblical themes like sabbath, jubilee and stewarding land help reframe these debates? As followers of Jesus, how might we think about some of the disagreements surrounding tackling climate change and consider the role of both personal and collective responsibility.    Part one (00:00)  00:59 Welcome to back and a reminder that we would love to hear from you.  01:33 Climate Change: opening up the conversation and uncovering the why behind taking care of the planet.  05:13 Looking at UK: local and national climate issues and policy.  09:42 The Being Human Lens and putting climate change at the focal point.  11:13 Presence: being here now matters. Looking at some of the macro stories on climate change.   16:12 Acknowledging a historical misreading of the bible and reframing the whole earth as God’s temple.   Part two (19:02)  19:04 Significance and equality of human life when thinking about climate and creation.  23:03 Sabbath, Jubilee and the promised land: exploring the biblical story.  27:19 Who is our neighbour? Exploring connection, justice and peace.   31:53 Greta Thunberg and the future generations.  34:02 A more hopeful story: being in relationship with the giver of the land.  36:39 Participation – individual vs collective responsibility?   44:39 Personal practical practices towards environmental stewardship – study, simplicity and fasting.   45:18 Collective practices: practicing advocacy and communion.  

This episode explores the limits and boundaries of human life, particularly when it comes to abortion and euthanasia. Jo and Peter use the Being Human lens as a tool to help us think faithfully and compassionately about the start and end of life, recognising these are hugely contested areas in public debate.   They take a look at the law surrounding abortion and euthanasia as well as stories from around the world on where these debates are bubbling up across the media. The conversation touches on justice and autonomy from women, dignity in suffering, and the deeply personal dilemmas individuals face. They bring us back the story of God and his people, taking note of the role of the early church in caring for babies and the promise of hope woven throughout scripture. The episode lands on how we might navigate these conversations well in our own lives and sharing a better story through practices of hospitality, different forms of prayer and gratitude.    Part one (00:00)  01:24 Diving into the debate: are there limits on life? Both entry to life and exiting from life are two of the most contested areas in public debate.   02:46 Stories of abortion and euthanasia in UK media and policy.   06:03 The Being Human Lens: a tool for this discussion.   07:49 Understanding statistics and the law around abortion in the UK.   12:37 Significance and abortion: considering a woman’s autonomy over her own body and the life of a baby.  14:05 Moving to euthanasia – why is it such a hot topic at the moment?   16:00 Dignity and death: having compassion for those suffering and the promise of hope in the Christian story.  Part two (21:59)  22:00 Connection: How does the start and end of life affect our relationships with each other, with God and with our world?   24:38 Is abortion the pinnacle of the justice for women or is it perpetuating further injustices in new forms?  28:06 Navigating the euthanasia debate in Canada  32:58 The early church: revisiting ancient values and practices of our forefathers.  35:20 Presence and the recognising the cost of caring for our loved ones.   41:03 Participation and the story of Sarah and Paul Williams. Does purpose necessitate being human?   47:21 Practising and inhabiting a better story: hospitality, gratitude, intercession and examen prayer.   Interested in taking this conversation further? Take a look at some resources and organisations mentioned in the episode:   Both Lives Matter Home for good  Safer families  Perfectly Human: Nine Months with Cerian (Shaming the Strong) by Sarah Williams