21. Has the church Become an Idol?

In our interview with Diana Greenfield, a vicar in the Church of Wales, we delved into her fascinating journey of exploring the intersection between neopaganism and Christianity through her doctoral research titled, “Conversing with the Goddess and the Saint.” Diana’s unique perspective sheds light on the importance of embracing diversity in beliefs and coming together with our neighbors who hold different worldviews. By engaging in open and respectful dialogue, we can learn from one another, foster understanding, and build bridges of empathy and compassion. Diana’s work challenges us to transcend boundaries and cultivate a spirit of unity and harmony in our communities, regardless of our individual faith trajectories. *** Thank you for listening!

Join us as we delve into the topic of our evolving relationship with religion and the pressing need for change within organized churches. We explore the significance of persistently addressing issues such as abuse and necessary reforms within the church. Join us as we engage in a thought-provoking discussion on these crucial matters and more. We value your presence and look forward to hearing your insights on these topics. ------------------------------------ Glorious Things is hosted by Shannon Ruddy and Ashley Simmons Follow us on... ⁠tiktok.com/@gloriousthingspod⁠ ⁠instagram.com/gloriousthingspodcast/⁠ ⁠facebook.com/gloriousthingspod

It's Shannon here. I couldn't sleep last night and stumbled on a YouTube video from a podcast called The Diary of a CEO, hosted by a deep-thinking guy called Steven Bartlett. In this episode he is interviewing neuroscientist, Dr. Tara Swart Bieber. She blew my mind in so many ways. That started me thinking about how some of the different topics they were discussing are things we often see in our deconstruction process. I am just speaking my thoughts into the mic as they come, so I hope it brings some life to you, even though it's unfiltered (and I hope my thoughts are not too confusing and messy). I will add The Diary of a CEO YouTube video to our website www.gloriousthingspodcast.com, and will also put a link to that podcast episode below (I am sharing the Spotify link, but you can listen to it anywhere you listen to podcasts) The Diary of a CEO (interview with Dr. Tara Swart Bieber) https://open.spotify.com/episode/4dZEZbWDOjFLOZPMJPsZf1?si=f6336b624d67499c Glorious Things is hosted by Shannon Ruddy & Ashley Simmons Follow us on... tiktok.com/@gloriousthingspod instagram.com/gloriousthingspodcast/ facebook.com/gloriousthingspod

Episode 27 Hey friends! We are back with an episode that covers topics on everything from dealing with life & death, doctrines built on disappointments, and our ever-evolving beliefs (just to name a few). Thanks for listening and hanging in there with us as we try our best to get back to a regular publishing schedule. Much love and thanks to you all! We hope you enjoy this episode. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- GLORIOUS THINGS MERCH IS COMING SOON!! Hosted by Shannon Ruddy & Ashley Simmons Website: gloriousthingspodcast.com Email us at: [email protected] Follow us on... tiktok.com/@gloriousthingspod instagram.com/gloriousthingspodcast/ facebook.com/gloriousthingspod

As we examine and heal from the belief systems we were once part of, many of us find ourselves in very different places. Some of us still believe in God, some of us don't. What do these new friendships and spaces look like for us? How can we support one another in our differences? We talk about this and more in this episode. **We'd appreciate it if you would consider leaving us a review and share your favorite episodes with friends. It helps others find our podcast. Thank you!!** ----------------------------------- GLORIOUS THINGS MERCH IS COMING SOON!! Hosted by Shannon Ruddy & Ashley Simmons Website: www.gloriousthingspodcast.com Email us at: [email protected] Follow us on... tiktok.com/@gloriousthingspod instagram.com/gloriousthingspodcast/ facebook.com/gloriousthingspod

We're back! In this episode we talk about what people need vs what the institutional church thinks it needs to stay relevant and alive. We touch on "revival" that the church has been talking about for years, being seen, longing for a family that feels like home, the belief that it's all on us, and a whole lot more. We are glad to be back and happy that you're here. **We'd appreciate it if you would consider leaving us a review. It helps others find our podcast. Thank you!** ----------------------------------------------------- GLORIOUS THINGS MERCH IS COMING SOON!! Hosted by Shannon Ruddy & Ashley Simmons www.gloriousthingspodcast.com [email protected] Follow us on... tiktok.com/@gloriousthingspod instagram.com/gloriousthingspodcast/ facebook.com/gloriousthingspod

Our guest on this episode is Gaz Kishere. He's a friend and the author of a book that we highly recommend. So many of us have walked away from everything we knew when we left organized religion. It's so important to give and receive permission to change our beliefs as we go. We discuss many things, including how we were taught to fear losing what was always free and unorganized Christianity. It's a beautiful conversation that we hope you'll enjoy. You can find Gaz on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/movingthewalls You can buy his book here. ------------------------------------ Hosted by Shannon Ruddy & Ashley Simmons www.gloriousthingspodcast.com [email protected] Follow us on... instagram.com/gloriousthingspodcast/ facebook.com/gloriousthingspod

We're finally publishing our December episode mid-January! We hope you had a wonderful Christmas and wish you the best year yet in 2023. In this episode we're covering SO MANY TOPICS: - Navigating grief - Supernatural awkwardness - The Great Deconstruction - What IS salvation, actually? - Floating Southern Baptist drummers - Planks & splinters - Church splits vs reconcilation - "Earth's crammed with heaven, And every common bush afire with God..." (A poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning) and more. Glorious Things is hosted and made in every way by Shannon Ruddy & Ashley Simmons. New episodes every month gloriousthingspodcast.com Email us! We'd love to hear from you: [email protected] Follow us on... instagram.com/gloriousthingspodcast/ facebook.com/gloriousthingspod

In this episode we're exploring our beliefs about universalism, God's justice and Love. We also touch on eternity, mammograms and alcoholic beverages. Welcome to the table. We're glad you're here. “I don’t mean to water down my Christianity into a vague kind of universalism, with Buddha and Mohommad all being more or less equal to Jesus—not at all! But neither do I want to tell God (or my friends) where He can and cannot be seen! We human beings far too often tend to codify God, to feel that we know where He is and where He is not . . .We live by revelation, as Christians, as artists, which means that we must be careful never to get set into rigid molds. The minute we begin to think we know all the answers, we forget the questions, and we become smug like the Pharisee who listed all his considerable virtues, and thanked God that he was not like other men.” Madeleine L'Engle ---------------------- Hosted by Shannon Ruddy & Ashley Simmons gloriousthingspodcast.com [email protected] Follow us on... instagram.com/gloriousthingspodcast/ facebook.com/gloriousthingspod

In this episode we ask: Has the church become an idol? To be fair, we answer our question and then discuss the different ways we see this happening. We also talk about loneliness in the journey, connecting with others and more. Do you think the church has become an idol?  Hosted by Shannon Ruddy & Ashley Simmons We want to hear from you! Email us at: [email protected] gloriousthingspodcast.com Follow us on... instagram.com/gloriousthingspodcast/ facebook.com/gloriousthingspod