Show Notes
What stories do we miss when we only read the Bible at the surface? In this episode, Rev. Natalie Perkins, co-author of the new book In Trembling Boldness, helps us take a deeper look at how we read and experience traditional from the Bible, as well as stories from extra-canonical texts. Natalie offers us this: “We often approach the Bible as fact. It’s not about fact. If we approached it more like poetry, we would get a richer sense of the nature of the Divine.” May this engaging conversation inspire you to change the way you read—and listen to—scripture. Resource:
Natalie's book, In Trembling Boldness can be found here.
Natalie's album can be found on Spotify | YouTube | and Apple Music.
A transcript for this episode can be found here.
More from Love Period with Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis
“Love calls us to ask a ubiquitous question that happens across all the world's major religions: What does my neighbor need?”
I think hope is about eyesight, keeping our eyes on the Holy One who is at work in us and in the world. As we prepare for a brand new season in 2025, Rev. Jacqui wanted to do a series of monologues this fall exploring ways in which we could listen, learn, and lean into peace during these challenging times. In this reflective piece, Jacqui explores the themes of Advent, focusing on the journey from darkness to light, and the significance of hope in challenging times. She discusses the importance of community, the role of faith, and the promise of restoration as articulated in the biblical text of Jeremiah. Jacqui emphasizes that hope is not just a feeling but an active decision to see beyond current struggles and trust in a brighter future. She draws on insights from various thinkers (Emily Dickinson, Howard Thurman, Martin Luther King Jr.) to illustrate the multifaceted nature of hope and how we can embrace it as a guiding principle in our lives. Resources:
"You are a theologian in residence in your own life, beloved." As we prepare for a brand new season in 2025, Rev. Jacqui wanted to do a series of monologues this fall exploring ways in which we could listen, learn, and lean into peace during these challenging times. In this monologue, Jacqui explores the power of love as a guiding principle in a world filled with division and hate. Drawing upon teachings within Christianity, and the power of Ubuntu, Jacqui explores how love is not just a personal sentiment, but a way of life that requires action, compassion, and a commitment to seeing the humanity in others. May you choose love as a lens through which to view the world, and to build communities that foster understanding and empathy for one another. Resources: A transcript for this episode can be found here.
What if your deepest identity came from God? On this episode, writer and thought leader Tiq Milan joins Jacqui to discuss the transformative power of Love—particularly when we offer it freely and generously to our LGBTQ friends and family. He offers: "My transness and my queerness make me closer to God. It's my gift. I feel present in this life because I get to be the man I need to be. I've come into the best version of myself." Resources:
What can we do today to prevent a bit more suffering for those around us? An award-winning writer who serves as Scholar in Residence at the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW), Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg joins Jacqui for the latest episode of Love Period, to discuss healing work that is happening around us even amid chaos and uncertainty. She offers: “We must do the best we can to prevent as much suffering as possible. That is our main job down here, on earth. That’s the work.” Don’t miss this moving conversation about finding clarity for the questions we face in our world today. Listen now online or subscribe to Love Period on your favorite podcast platform.