Ep83. How to Have an Enemy, Melissa Florer-Bixler

Ep83. How to Have an Enemy, Melissa Florer-Bixler

“No good comes from the denial of enmity.” I spoke with Melissa Florer-Bixler about her new book, How To Have an Enemy. The question, she emphasises, is not whether to have enemies, but how to have the right enemy. We also talk about the myth of the Christmas Day truce, problems of 'unity', and why Melissa's job as a pastor isn't "to create a politically diverse church where people share their ideas dispassionately in an attempt towards middle ground or mutual transformation.” We end with a discussion about what the church can offer in a society riddled by inequality, dispossession, and violence and how stepping out to work against the principalities and powers of this world might require us to make ourselves enemies of the community (even the family) in which we were once so lovingly rooted.

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Ep23. God Can't, Thomas Jay Oord

Ep23. God Can't, Thomas Jay Oord

I sat down with Thomas Jay Oord to talk about his new book God Can't: How to Believe in God and Love after Tragedy, Abuse, or Other Suffering. We talk about his proposal that it would contradict God's nature to stop evil and tragedy unilaterally, and how (pastorally) this is good news. We discuss evil, love, suffering, climate change, and – since this is Thomas’ third visit – I play the grand inquisitor and throw some curve ball questions his way. Watch on YouTube. Or, listen by subscribing to Love Rinse Repeat in your podcast app.

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