The Four Seasons problem

The Premier of Ontario is all about building more prisons, getting rid of encampments and shutting down safe comsumption sites. Like a lot of things, Jesus has a story for that.Link to "A Safer Ontario" ad from the Government of Ontario.---Wilderness Times is co-created with Broadview, an award-winning Canadian publication known for thoughtful journalism that attends to spirituality, justice and the questions that tug at our collective conscience.Broadview is a registered charity and has made this Substack freely available because we believe that thoughtful, justice-seeking journalism should be accessible to everyone. Creating this space — and keeping it free — takes time, skill and resources. If this space nourishes you, please make a tax-deductible donation.Your support empowers Broadview to tell more courageous stories and helps build a more just and compassionate world.Donate to Broadview

Some messy thoughts as Bri-anne attends Texas' 600th execution carried out in the Modern Era of the Death Penalty.---Wilderness Times is co-created with Broadview, an award-winning Canadian publication known for thoughtful journalism that attends to spirituality, justice and the questions that tug at our collective conscience.Broadview is a registered charity and has made this Substack freely available because we believe that thoughtful, justice-seeking journalism should be accessible to everyone. Creating this space — and keeping it free — takes time, skill and resources. If this space nourishes you, please make a tax-deductible donation.Your support empowers Broadview to tell more courageous stories and helps build a more just and compassionate world.Donate to Broadview

On this episode, we ask a difficult question: what happens when the language of protecting women is used to harm others instead? Through politics, scripture, and the story of Dinah in the Book of Genesis, we explore how easily protection can become a mask for power.---Wilderness Times is co-created with Broadview, an award-winning Canadian publication known for thoughtful journalism that attends to spirituality, justice and the questions that tug at our collective conscience.Broadview is a registered charity and has made this Substack freely available because we believe that thoughtful, justice-seeking journalism should be accessible to everyone. Creating this space — and keeping it free — takes time, skill and resources. If this space nourishes you, please make a tax-deductible donation.Your support empowers Broadview to tell more courageous stories and helps build a more just and compassionate world.Donate to Broadview

There is a particular kind of loneliness that comes from being the only awake person in a house where someone is dying. This episode tells the story of my father’s final year during COVID and asks what happens when grief is carried without witnesses.---Wilderness Times is co-created with Broadview, an award-winning Canadian publication known for thoughtful journalism that attends to spirituality, justice and the questions that tug at our collective conscience.Broadview is a registered charity and has made this Substack freely available because we believe that thoughtful, justice-seeking journalism should be accessible to everyone. Creating this space — and keeping it free — takes time, skill and resources. If this space nourishes you, please make a tax-deductible donation.Your support empowers Broadview to tell more courageous stories and helps build a more just and compassionate world.Donate to Broadview

Rev. Bri-anne shares an interview with her spiritual advisee in the days leading up to his scheduled execution. They talk about faith, his desire to donate one of his kidneys, and how he sees it as a means to atone for past mistakes. More complete shownotes can be found on our website.BIBLE BITES"Keeping Awake within in the Prison Cell"MUSICGravity of Love - The BrillianceFoxes & Birds -  Amick CutlerRELEVANT LINKS FROM THIS EPISODEA Texas death row inmate is seeking a 30-day reprieve to donate a kidney. An appeals court has issued an execution stay for a different reasonOn Death Row, He Is Grasping at GraceBroadview Magazine ArticleWILDERNESS TIMES' LINKSWilderness Times Website Jubilee United Church WebsiteJubilee United Church - FacebookJubilee United Church - InstagramJubilee United Church - YouTubeJubilee United Church - TikTokResistance Church WebsiteResistance Church - TikTokResistance Church - InstagramResistance Church - FacebookResistance Church - YouTubeWilderness Times and Resistance Church are digital ministries of Jubilee United Church, an Affirming (2SLGBTQ+ positive) congregation of the United Church of Canada, committed to the work of being an anti-racist congregation, as well as Right Relationship with Indigenous Peoples.  The space on which we work and gather is the land of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnaabe, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples, and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples from across Turtle Island.Resistance Church reaches out to those for whom traditional church models are not always relevant or accessible. Rest. Hope. Community. Subversive faith & radical love in response to extraordinary times.

Rev. Bri-anne sits down with Cantor Michael Zoosman to talk about L'chaim: Jews Against the Death Penalty and the importance of advocating against Captial Punishment.More complete shownotes can be found on our website.GUESTSCantor Michael ZoosmanBIBLE BITESThe Final Three PlaguesBri-anne specifically reads:Exodus 11 from outside the former Don JailMUSICSee the Love - The BrillianceLet Healing Swiftly Come - Bri-anne SwanRELEVANT LINKS FROM THIS EPISODEL'chaim: Jews Against the Death PenaltyBo: Softening the ‘Hardened Hearts’ of Pro-Death Political LeadersGov. DeSantis’ Death Penalty Pledges for Holocaust Remembrance Day“The Banality of Execution”WILDERNESS TIMES' LINKSWilderness Times Website Jubilee United Church WebsiteJubilee United Church - FacebookJubilee United Church - InstagramJubilee United Church - YouTubeJubilee United Church - TikTokResistance Church WebsiteResistance Church - TikTokResistance Church - InstagramResistance Church - FacebookResistance Church - YouTubeWilderness Times and Resistance Church are digital ministries of Jubilee United Church, an Affirming (2SLGBTQ+ positive) congregation of the United Church of Canada, committed to the work of being an anti-racist congregation, as well as Right Relationship with Indigenous Peoples.  The space on which we work and gather is the land of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnaabe, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples, and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples from across Turtle Island.Resistance Church reaches out to those for whom traditional church models are not always relevant or accessible. Rest. Hope. Community. Subversive faith & radical love in response to extraordinary times.

With a few audio issues (oops) Rev. Bri-anne sits down with author Cynthia Vacca Davis as they discuss Cynthia's newly released book Intersexion, as well as Cynthia's journey of allyship, and the cost of being Intersex in a complicated church landscape.More complete shownotes can be found on our website.GUESTSCynthia Vacca DavisBIBLE BITESPsalm 138:14read by Julian | King Julez from Toronto, Canada.Julian is chair of Affirm United S'affirmer EnsembleMUSICMommy Issues - Don't Leave Me Here on My OwnEmorie - LighthouseRELEVANT LINKS FROM THIS EPISODEDefinition of "Intersex" from PlannedParenthood.orgIntersexion: A Story of Faith, Identity, and Authenticity: Lake Drive BooksAmazon CanadaAmazon USIndigo"The Gospel of Rope" by Rev. AnonymousThe Canadian Journal of Theology Mental Health and Disability 2 no. 2, Fall 2022WILDERNESS TIMES' LINKSWilderness Times Website Jubilee United Church WebsiteJubilee United Church - FacebookJubilee United Church - InstagramJubilee United Church - YouTubeJubilee United Church - TikTokResistance Church WebsiteResistance Church - TikTokResistance Church - InstagramResistance Church - FacebookResistance Church - YouTubeWilderness Times and Resistance Church are digital ministries of Jubilee United Church, an Affirming (2SLGBTQ+ positive) congregation of the United Church of Canada, committed to the work of being an anti-racist congregation, as well as Right Relationship with Indigenous Peoples.  The space on which we work and gather is the land of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnaabe, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples, and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples from across Turtle Island.Resistance Church reaches out to those for whom traditional church models are not always relevant or accessible. Rest. Hope. Community. Subversive faith & radical love in response to extraordinary times.

Rev. Bri-anne sits down with Rev. Daniel Hayward as they discuss disability justice, the United Church of Canada’s statements on Medical Assistance in Dying, and some thoughts about balancing the rights of the individual against the welfare of the collective.More complete shownotes can be found on our website.GUESTSRev. Daniel HaywardDan's TwitterBIBLE BITESJeremiah 29:7Read by Landon Hammet of South Carolina, from a trade show in Chicago.MUSICTimbre Choir - Come and GoEmorie - RiverRELEVANT LINKS FROM THIS EPISODEUnited Church of Canada's Statements on Medical Assistance in Dying           2017 Statement           Revised Statement (2021)The Rooster Crows Podcast from Lawrence Park Community ChurchWoman with chemical sensitivities chose medically-assisted death after failed bid to get better housing – CTV News: April 13, 2022How poverty, not pain, is driving Canadians with disabilities to consider medically-assisted death – Global News: October 8, 2022Ethics of medically-assisted death questioned as some turn to it as an alternative to poverty – CityTV: October 14, 2022WILDERNESS TIMES' LINKSWilderness Times Website Jubilee United Church WebsiteJubilee United Church - FacebookJubilee United Church - InstagramJubilee United Church - YouTubeJubilee United Church - TikTokResistance Church WebsiteResistance Church - TikTokResistance Church - InstagramResistance Church - FacebookResistance Church - YouTubeWilderness Times and Resistance Church are digital ministries of Jubilee United Church, an Affirming (2SLGBTQ+ positive) congregation of the United Church of Canada, committed to the work of being an anti-racist congregation, as well as Right Relationship with Indigenous Peoples.  The space on which we work and gather is the land of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnaabe, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples, and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples from across Turtle Island.Resistance Church reaches out to those for whom traditional church models are not always relevant or accessible. Rest. Hope. Community. Subversive faith & radical love in response to extraordinary times.

Rev. Bri-anne sites down with Marshall Project Investigative Reporter, Keri Blakinger.  Together they discuss her new book, "Corrections in Ink", the dehumanizing nature of the criminal justice system, and how public safety might be best served by actually treating prisoners with compassion.More complete shownotes can be found on our website.GUESTSKeri BlakingerBIBLE BITESMatthew 25:34-40Read by Bri-anne, outside the Huntsville ("Walls") Unit of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in Huntsville, Texas.MUSICMy Best by VAULTZ What My Heart is Looking For by Bonner BlackRELEVANT LINKS FROM THIS EPISODECorrections in Ink by Keri Blakinger (Macmillan Publishers)Corrections in Ink - AmazonKeri's TwitterKeri's TikTokKeri's profile on The Marshall ProjectWILDERNESS TIMES' LINKSWilderness Times Website Jubilee United Church WebsiteJubilee United Church - FacebookJubilee United Church - InstagramJubilee United Church - YouTubeJubilee United Church - TikTokResistance Church WebsiteResistance Church - TikTokResistance Church - InstagramResistance Church - FacebookResistance Church - YouTubeWilderness Times and Resistance Church are digital ministries of Jubilee United Church, an Affirming (2SLGBTQ+ positive) congregation of the United Church of Canada, committed to the work of being an anti-racist congregation, as well as Right Relationship with Indigenous Peoples.  The space on which we work and gather is the land of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnaabe, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples, and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples from across Turtle Island.Resistance Church reaches out to those for whom traditional church models are not always relevant or accessible. Rest. Hope. Community. Subversive faith & radical love in response to extraordinary times.

In this episode, Rev. Bri-anne sits down with progressive Christian mystic, Damon Garcia, as they talk about Damon's new book, "The God Who Riots: Taking Back the Radical Jesus." Anchored with the story of Jesus overturning the tables in the temple, we discuss the origins of Damon's book, the importance of understanding the context out of which the Jesus movement emerged, and how absolutely ridiculous it is to talk about Jesus being "cancelled."A full transcript of this episode is available.More complete shownotes can be found on our website.GUESTSDamon GarciaBIBLE BITESJohn 2:13-22 - Jesus Cleanses the Templeread by the Rev. Stephen Milton, minister at Lawrence Park Community Church in Toronto, Canada.MUSICRaise a Voice (Hear it Echo) by EmorieStand Our Ground by DreamlampRELEVANT LINKS FROM THIS EPISODEThe God Who Riots: Taking Back the Radical Jesus [Amazon]The God Who Riots: Taking Back the Radical Jesus [Indiebound]Damon Garcia's Patreon PageDamon's YouTube ChannelDamon's TwitterDamon's InstagramDamon Garcia's TikTokWILDERNESS TIMES' LINKSWilderness Times Website Jubilee United Church WebsiteJubilee United Church - FacebookJubilee United Church - InstagramJubilee United Church - YouTubeJubilee United Church - TikTokResistance Church WebsiteResistance Church - TikTokResistance Church - InstagramResistance Church - FacebookResistance Church - YouTubeWilderness Times and Resistance Church are digital ministries of Jubilee United Church, an Affirming (2SLGBTQ+ positive) congregation of the United Church of Canada, committed to the work of being an anti-racist congregation, as well as Right Relationship with Indigenous Peoples.  The space on which we work and gather is the land of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnaabe, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples, and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples from across Turtle Island.Resistance Church reaches out to those for whom traditional church models are not always relevant or accessible. Rest. Hope. Community. Subversive faith & radical love in response to extraordinary times.