In this third installment from our “Christian Shadow Work” series, the conversation reveals a striking contradiction between Christian history—famous for its condemning practices—and Christ's actual relationship with human darkness. Rather than simply erasing or punishing sin, Christ demonstrates a radical integration of human brokenness into the transformative process. Like an alchemist turning lead into gold, Christ shows us how our darknesses can become the very substance of our spiritual maturation.

We explore why modern spiritual paths that simply affirm "you're perfect as you are" miss something crucial about human development. Without acknowledging our shadows, we remain stuck in a static self-image rather than participating in the dynamic process of becoming. Our darkness isn't merely tolerated by divine love—it serves a purpose in our becoming fully human.

The third episode of our series looks again at the nature of “shadow” or “sin” as that in the human being which hinders Divine Reality from being revealed. Humanity is still working to reveal the image of God in which we have been made. We can understand our shadows, then, as opportunities to grow and mature—parts of ourselves that need to be acknowledged, understood for what they are, and transformed over time.

How does Christ Jesus relate to the sin of humanity? He demonstrates for us the path of salvation by taking up the cross, suffering, dying and being raised again by the Father. We can take up our own sin with Him and walk the same path.

Support the show

The Light in Every Thing is a podcast of The Seminary of The Christian Community in North America. Learn more about the Seminary and its offerings at our website. This podcast is supported by our growing Patreon community. To learn more, go to www.patreon.com/ccseminary.

Thanks to Elliott Chamberlin who composed our theme music, “Seeking Together,” and the legacy of our original show-notes and patreon producer, Camilla Lake.

Dear Patrons,

Today, June 24, 2025 is the festival day dedicated throughout the world-wide Christian Community to the person of John the Baptist: St. John’s Day. He stood at the banks of the Jordan as “a voice crying out in the loneliness”—a voice calling people to reorient their lives toward the spirit; a voice summoning each heart to radical truthfulness as preparation for the coming grace of God.

In honor of this extraordinary human being, whose earthly mission was to prepare the way, we are sharing episodes from our Christian Shadow Work series, first posted in May 2023. This episode is the first in that series. We hope it may serve you in your own encounter with John’s voice—his call to turn, to see, and to ready the soul for grace.

With gratitude,

Patrick

for The Light in Every Thing team

***

From the first posting:

Our new series takes up the far reaching subject of working with our “shadow,” especially as it relates to the overarching question posed this year, “What divides us?” In this first episode, Jonah and Patrick begin to lay down some of the core elements of working with the shadows we cast in the light of Christ. How do we as individuals relate to the shadow we cast into this world? Can we perceive ourselves accurately? Can we integrate our shadow in a way that bears fruit? How do we relate to the shadows of others, both individuals and larger human communities, such as Christianity as a whole or The Movement for Religious Renewal? Why is working with the shadow part of the Christian path of walking with Christ? These questions and more will be explored together over the coming episodes.

Support the show

The Light in Every Thing is a podcast of The Seminary of The Christian Community in North America. Learn more about the Seminary and its offerings at our website. This podcast is supported by our growing Patreon community. To learn more, go to www.patreon.com/ccseminary.

Thanks to Elliott Chamberlin who composed our theme music, “Seeking Together,” and the legacy of our original show-notes and patreon producer, Camilla Lake.

What if Christ’s Second Coming is not a distant, future event but is already underway—perceptible now through what the liturgy of the Christian Community calls “the eyes of the soul”? This radical perspective challenges both traditional Christian expectations and modern spiritual assumptions.

Jonah and Patrick explore the depths of the Ascension mystery, especially in its connection to the riddle of Christ’s return. Through close readings of Scripture and insights from the liturgy, they reveal that Christ’s reappearance does not depend on physical sight but on a new organ of perception—one cultivated through love and devotion. This is a seeing that can behold him in the “being of the clouds.”

But how can we come to see in this new way? The conversation turns to prayer and the mystery of clouds. Just as water rises, becomes cloud, and returns as rain, our prayers ascend as love-forces that can be gathered and poured out as blessings. When we direct these soul-forces toward Christ, we form the very medium through which he reveals himself—not in a single place, but like lightning across the heavens: a universal presence, made visible through devotion.

***

Support the show

The Light in Every Thing is a podcast of The Seminary of The Christian Community in North America. Learn more about the Seminary and its offerings at our website. This podcast is supported by our growing Patreon community. To learn more, go to www.patreon.com/ccseminary.

Thanks to Elliott Chamberlin who composed our theme music, “Seeking Together,” and the legacy of our original show-notes and patreon producer, Camilla Lake.

What if baptism isn't just an ancient ritual but a transformative medicine for the wounded human soul? This conversation explores the profound mysteries hidden in Christ's Great Commission to "baptize all nations in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit."

The traditional words of baptism have become formulaic for many modern ears. But when we penetrate beyond the formula to the living experience, we discover something revolutionary: an invitation to die to our isolated selfhood and open to the intelligence of the risen Christ. This baptismal death isn't a one-time event but an ongoing process where our thinking, creating, and feeling are gradually transformed through participation in divine life.

Through a fascinating exploration of the cross as gateway rather than mere symbol, we discover how making three crosses upon ourselves - at head, mouth and heart - can be understood as an active collaboration with the Trinity. The Father brings the ground of being to our anxious, isolated consciousness. The Son infuses our creative will with his purposes of love. The Spirit enlightens our heart-thinking with divine wisdom.

These insights address a fundamental crisis in modern consciousness. Many spiritual paths today either emphasize total self-empowerment ("manifest your reality") or complete self-abandonment ("just let go"). The baptismal understanding offers a third way - maintaining our individual agency while allowing it to be transformed through divine collaboration. The result isn't loss of self but discovery of our true purpose within the meaning of Earth itself.

Have you felt the existential insecurity that characterizes our age? Perhaps this isn't a flaw to overcome but an honest recognition of our incompleteness without connection to the gournd only the divine can provide. Perhaps the medicine we need isn't more self-optimization but immersion in the healing waters of baptism - dying to what we have been so we can live in what we are becoming.

This whole conversation uncovers one of the core missions of Christianity — baptism — as a living medicine for our humanity and how this understanding is regained in the movement for religious renewal.

Support the show

The Light in Every Thing is a podcast of The Seminary of The Christian Community in North America. Learn more about the Seminary and its offerings at our website. This podcast is supported by our growing Patreon community. To learn more, go to www.patreon.com/ccseminary.

Thanks to Elliott Chamberlin who composed our theme music, “Seeking Together,” and the legacy of our original show-notes and patreon producer, Camilla Lake.

Have you ever wondered whether Christianity is meant to remain consistently the same over time or constantly reinvent itself? In this thought-provoking conversation, we explore a radical third option: Christianity as a living organism with both consistent and evolving elements across its biography.

The jumping-off point of this conversation is a revelation from the new Easter liturgy in The Christian Community. We dive deep into the phrasing used there—that He is risen to us as the “Erden-sinn”—Christ as the meaning, purpose, and intelligence of Earth itself.

Perhaps most fascinating is how this episode connects technological evolution with spiritual development. Just as tools evolve from simple shovels to sophisticated computers, Christianity transforms while maintaining its essential mission. “I am the Alpha and Omega,” Christ declares—both seed and flower of an unfolding world, community, and individual reality.

We conclude by exploring our unique historical moment, where humanity has matured to the point that our thinking can directly connect with Christ’s intelligence. This represents a radical shift from earlier Christian epochs that emphasized faith over understanding. What might it mean for your own spiritual journey to “take this into your thinking”?

Join us next time as we continue exploring the Easter liturgy and its implications for finding purpose and meaning in all that we go through on Earth.

Support the show

The Light in Every Thing is a podcast of The Seminary of The Christian Community in North America. Learn more about the Seminary and its offerings at our website. This podcast is supported by our growing Patreon community. To learn more, go to www.patreon.com/ccseminary.

Thanks to Elliott Chamberlin who composed our theme music, “Seeking Together,” and the legacy of our original show-notes and patreon producer, Camilla Lake.

What does it mean to be "chosen" by God? Where is the line between rightful self-sacrifice and harmful self-erasure? In this final episode of our Ephesians series, we tackle these profound spiritual questions sent in by our listeners.

After 58 conversations unpacking the treasures of this extraordinary letter, we're moved by the thoughtful engagement of our global community. It has been truly moving to read from listeners how this exploration of Paul’s letter has transformed their understanding of scripture and enriched their lives. In this episode, we take up a few questions and review the journey together.

The first question we take up concerns the true nature of sacrifice and leads us to challenge the false dichotomy between standing for truth and sacrificial love. Drawing from our own painful experiences of burnout, we distinguish between genuine Christ-like sacrifice and misguided martyrdom. True sacrifice never abandons truth but risks everything for it—not from weakness or acquiescence but from spiritual strength. Sometimes the most loving action might be caring for your body and soul so you can serve sustainably rather than dramatically burning out.

We then dive into another question concerning the mystery of being "chosen" from Ephesians 1:4. Rather than an exclusive club of the predestined, we explore how all humans are "pre-purposed" in Christ from before creation. The Father has drawn all humanity to Christ, though not everyone recognizes this presence in their consciousness. This understanding honors both divine initiative and human freedom, respecting the unique spiritual journey each soul undertakes.

Some of the most powerful moments come when we acknowledge how Christ works through people of different faiths or no faith at all—whenever forgiveness, compassion, or self-sacrifice manifests in human life. The divine choosing includes our freedom to choose in return, a necessary component of spiritual maturity and authentic relationship with God.

Join us for this rich conversation that brings our Ephesians journey to a meaningful close, complete with a musical surprise from one of our listeners!

Support the show

The Light in Every Thing is a podcast of The Seminary of The Christian Community in North America. Learn more about the Seminary and its offerings at our website. This podcast is supported by our growing Patreon community. To learn more, go to www.patreon.com/ccseminary.

Thanks to Elliott Chamberlin who composed our theme music, “Seeking Together,” and the legacy of our original show-notes and patreon producer, Camilla Lake.

Christ's light seeks to shine in the most unexpected places—even in the complex, often uncomfortable power imbalances in human relationships. As Jonah and Patrick conclude their study of Ephesians, they explore how Paul's wisdom reaches its culmination in addressing “masters” and “bond-servants,” revealing a revolutionary approach to transforming unjust systems from within.

This conversation doesn't shy away from difficult truths. They acknowledge how these passages in the Bible have been misused throughout history to justify slavery and oppression—a painful example of how scripture itself can become weaponized by evil forces. Just as the devil quoted scripture to tempt Jesus in the wilderness, those seeking to maintain power have twisted these words to serve their ends.

Yet within these same verses lies an extraordinary subversion. Paul instructs servants to obey earthly masters, but then radically reframes their identity as "bondservants of Christ." The Greek word "doulos" represents not degradation but the highest calling—to be in service to God. This establishes a dignity no earthly circumstance can diminish. Meanwhile, masters are reminded they too serve the same Lord, creating a spiritual equality that undermines the very system of inequality they inhabit.

This "surrendered sabotage" mirrors transformative movements like the American Civil Rights movement, where dignity and nonviolent resistance revealed injustice without adopting the destructive methods of the oppressors. Like yeast working through dough, this approach changes systems from within by living according to a higher order while still working and living within the current one.

The episode concludes where the whole series began: with Paul's armor of God—spiritual weapons for this different kind of battle. Join us in discovering how Christ's light transforms the world, not through destruction, but by cultivating a new kingdom within it, one heart at a time.

Support the show

The Light in Every Thing is a podcast of The Seminary of The Christian Community in North America. Learn more about the Seminary and its offerings at our website. This podcast is supported by our growing Patreon community. To learn more, go to www.patreon.com/ccseminary.

Thanks to Elliott Chamberlin who composed our theme music, “Seeking Together,” and the legacy of our original show-notes and patreon producer, Camilla Lake.