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That’s right! This episode is all about Advent and Christmas. Trees, holiday origins, wreaths, and more—our hosts unpack it all. On a sincere note, the Common Space podcast hosts and producers would like to thank you for another wonderful year of community and connection. We are so grateful that this podcast has become another place to further inspire questions and conversations. All things considered, we are still at an early stage of our journey together, but we can’t wait to keep moving forward and chopping it up in the coming year! Thank you for listening! Don’t forget to subscribe or follow the podcast so you don’t miss a single episode. Enjoyed the episode? Share it with a friend, and leave a rating and review to help us reach more people! We need your questions! Email [email protected] or visit https://ahumc.org/questions to submit your faith-related questions. Email us at [email protected] or visit ahumc.org to learn more about Alamo Heights UMC. Recommended Resources: ‘National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation’ (1989) ‘Spiritual But Not Anxious’ by Darrell Smith ‘The Family Stone’ (2005) Hosts: Chris Estus, Ryan Jacobson, and Darrell Smith

In this episode, our hosts answer a listener question regarding the Bible and provide more context for how we view and treat the books it contains today. It’s complicated, to be sure, but it is worth unpacking the depth, history, and everything in between. Thank you for listening! Don’t forget to subscribe or follow the podcast so you don’t miss a single episode. Enjoyed the episode? Share it with a friend, and leave a rating and review to help us reach more people! We need your questions! Email [email protected] or visit https://ahumc.org/questions to submit your faith-related questions. Email us at [email protected] or visit ahumc.org to learn more about Alamo Heights UMC. Recommended Reading: ‘Hearing God’ by Dallas Willard ‘The Storytelling Church’ by Jeff Barker ‘Reading the Bible Again For the First Time’ by Marcus Borg

On this episode, our hosts answer some of your questions about prayer. Because prayer can be so much more complex than we think. It means a lot of different things to different people. But maybe that’s also part of what makes it so special? Thank you for listening! Don’t forget to subscribe or follow the podcast so you don’t miss a single episode. Enjoyed the episode? Share it with a friend, and leave a rating and review to help us reach more people! We need your questions! Email [email protected] or visit https://ahumc.org/questions to submit your faith-related questions. Email us at [email protected] or visit ahumc.org to learn more about Alamo Heights UMC. Recommended Reading: ‘The Awakened Brain’ by Lisa Miller, PhD ‘Learning to Pray’ by James Martina ‘Celebration of Discipline’ by Richard J. Foster ‘The Heart of Prayer’ by Rupert Spira Hosts: Chris Estus, Ryan Jacobson, and Darrell Smith

Wrapping up our current exploration through some of the Genesis narratives, our hosts conclude the journey with one of scripture’s central figures: Jacob. There’s no shortage of takeaways from Jacob’s tales. From wrestling to manipulation and family drama—Jacob’s got it all! Thank you for listening! Don’t forget to subscribe or follow the podcast so you don’t miss a single episode. Enjoyed the episode? Share it with a friend, and leave a rating and review to help us reach more people! We need your questions! Email [email protected] or visit https://ahumc.org/questions to submit your faith-related questions. Email us at [email protected] or visit ahumc.org to learn more about Alamo Heights UMC. Recommended Resources: ‘God Was in This Place & I, I Did Not Know’ by Rabbi Lawrence Kushner Rabbi Sacks’ Writings on Jacob: https://rabbisacks.org/archive/?s=jacob The Laundry List – 14 Traits of an Adult Child of an Alcoholic: https://adultchildren.org/laundry-list/ Hosts: Chris Estus, Ryan Jacobson, and Darrell Smith

One of the most shocking stories in scripture is that of Abraham and Isaac. You know the story: In Genesis, Abraham is visited by an angel of God, who instructs Abraham to sacrifice his son. Strangely, Abraham immediately obeys and begins a journey up a mountain with Isaac to do just that. What do we do with this story today? In this episode, our hosts unpack the context of this wild tale, share its absurdities, and invite listeners to interpret it differently. Thank you for listening! Don’t forget to subscribe or follow the podcast so you don’t miss a single episode. Enjoyed the episode? Share it with a friend, and leave a rating and review to help us reach more people! We need your questions! Email [email protected] or visit https://ahumc.org/questions to submit your faith-related questions. Email us at [email protected] or visit ahumc.org to learn more about Alamo Heights UMC. Recommended Resources: ‘Not in God’s Name’ by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks ‘Breathing Under Water’ Chapter 3 by Richard Rohr “All Directions” Music Video by Son Lux Hosts: Chris Estus, Ryan Jacobson, and Darrell Smith

What happens when, in Genesis, God looks down and finds a group of people trying to build a tower that reaches the heavens? In this episode, our hosts dive into the story of “The Tower of Babel.” Is this narrative really only about language, or could it be about much more? And what could we take away from the text today? Thank you for listening! Don’t forget to subscribe or follow the podcast so you don’t miss a single episode. Enjoyed the episode? Share it with a friend, and leave a rating and review to help us reach more people! We need your questions! Email [email protected] or visit https://ahumc.org/questions to submit your faith-related questions. Email us at [email protected] or visit ahumc.org to learn more about Alamo Heights UMC. Recommended Reading: Genesis 1-11 ‘Genesis for Normal People’ by Jared Byas and Peter Enns  Hosts: Chris Estus, Ryan Jacobson, and Darrell Smith

We're no longer kids shown bright, colorful displays of Noah's Ark and cartoons depicting the tale. So, what do we do with the Bible's flood narrative(s)? Should we take the story at face value and not dive deeper for the core of the story's message? In this episode, our hosts do just that—they dive deeper. Chris, Ryan, and Darrell unpack the flood written about in Genesis, provide cultural context, and tell us why hope—despite a divine disaster that wipes out the world—is what it's all about. Thank you for listening! Don’t forget to subscribe or follow the podcast so you don’t miss a single episode.  Enjoyed the episode? Share it with a friend, and leave a rating and review to help us reach more people! We need your questions! Email [email protected] or visit https://ahumc.org/questions to submit your faith-related questions. Email us at [email protected] or visit ahumc.org to learn more about Alamo Heights UMC. Recommended Reading: ‘The Epic of Gilgamesh’ by Unknown ‘Genesis for Normal People’ by Jared Byas and Peter Enns  ‘Theology of the Old Testament’ by Walter Brueggemann ‘Spiritual But Not Anxious’ by Darrell Smith Hosts: Chris Estus, Ryan Jacobson, and Darrell Smith

The boys are back! In this episode, our hosts celebrate Chris’ 25th year of sobriety. Chris shares more of his journey while also exploring throughlines between recovery, faith, and community. What exactly can we learn and apply to our lives even if we aren’t in recovery? Learn more about Recovery at AHUMC here: https://ahumc.org/recovery/ Thank you for listening! Don’t forget to subscribe or follow the podcast so you don’t miss a single episode.  Enjoyed the episode? Share it with a friend, and leave a rating and review to help us reach more people! We need your questions! Email [email protected] or visit https://ahumc.org/podcasts to submit your faith-related questions. Email us at [email protected] or visit ahumc.org to learn more about Alamo Heights UMC. Recommended Reading: ‘Alcoholics Anonymous: The Big Book’ by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services Inc. ‘Breathing Under Water’ by Richard Rohr Hosts: Chris Estus, Ryan Jacobson, and Darrell Smith

The audiobook for Spiritual But Not Anxious is here. It is expected to be available in the next two weeks. In the meantime, you can listen to a free excerpt right here on this podcast. This excerpt includes Chapters 3 through 6—exploring the difference between fear and anxiety and how anxiety works in and through our religion. You can order the book on Amazon, Apple, Nook, and Google Play.

Thank you for listening! Don’t forget to subscribe or follow the podcast so you don’t miss a single episode. We need your questions! Email [email protected] or visit https://ahumc.org/podcasts to submit your faith-related questions. Email us at [email protected] or visit ahumc.org to learn more about Alamo Heights UMC.   Recommended Reading: ‘The Day the Revolution Began’ by N.T. Wright  ‘Faith Lies’ by Darrell Smith  ‘Did God Kill Jesus?’ by Tony Jones  ‘Original Blessing’ by Danielle Shroyer   HOSTS:  Chris Estus, Ryan Jacobson, and Darrell Smith

Thank you for listening! Don’t forget to subscribe or follow the podcast so you don’t miss a single episode. We need your questions! Email [email protected] or visit https://ahumc.org/podcasts to submit your faith-related questions. Email us at [email protected] or visit ahumc.org to learn more about Alamo Heights UMC. Recommended Resources: Genesis 1 & 2 ‘Cosmos’ with Neil deGrasse Tyson ‘God in Creation’ by Jürgen Moltmann ‘Genesis for Normal People’ by Peter Enns ‘Getting Involved with God’ by Ellen F. Davis ‘This Strange and Sacred Scripture’ by Matthew Richard Schlimm HOSTS: Chris Estus, Ryan Jacobson, and Darrell Smith

DESCRIPTION: Thank you for listening! Don’t forget to subscribe or follow the podcast so you don’t miss a single episode. We need your questions! Email [email protected] or visit https://ahumc.org/podcasts to submit your faith-related questions. Email us at [email protected] or visit ahumc.org to learn more about Alamo Heights UMC. Recommended Resources: ‘God is Not One’ by Stephen Prothero ‘The Trinity and the Kingdom’ by Jürgen Moltmann ‘Learning to Pray’ by James Martin ‘Another Name For Every Thing’ Podcast with Richard Rohr ‘What We Talk About When We Talk About God’ by Rob Bell ‘Open and Relational Theology’ by Thomas Jay Oord HOSTS:Chris Estus, Ryan Jacobson, and Darrell Smith

Thank you for listening! Don’t forget to subscribe or follow the podcast so you don’t miss a single episode. We need your questions! Email [email protected] or visit https://ahumc.org/podcasts to submit your faith-related questions. Email us at [email protected] or visit ahumc.org to learn more about Alamo Heights UMC. Recommended Reading:  What Is the Bible? by Rob Bell Why the Bible Began by Jacob L. Wright Speaking Christian by Marcus Borg Hosts: Chris Estus, Ryan Jacobson, and Darrell Smith

Thank you for listening! Don’t forget to subscribe or follow the podcast so you don’t miss a single episode. We need your questions! Email [email protected] or visit https://ahumc.org/podcasts to submit your faith-related questions. Email us at [email protected] or visit ahumc.org to learn more about Alamo Heights UMC. HOSTS: Chris Estus, Ryan Jacobson, and Darrell Smith

Darrell Smith is a teacher, writer, liturgist, and integral theologian. Serving both in the church and as the founding director of Chapter 3—an ecumenical, non-profit committed to serving people and the common good—Darrell has been exploring and, at times, protesting faith, religion and spirituality for over twenty years. Darrell’s exploration and protest has led him to homeless shelters, recovery groups, and refugee ghettos as well as universities, churches, and prisons. He has supported relief efforts in Central and South America and worked with such organizations as Renovaré, Apprentice, and Kairos Prison Ministry. Darrell attended the Perkins School of Theology, Wayland Baptist University, the Robert Webber Institute for Worship Studies, and  Texas A&M University and holds degrees in English, Speech Communication, Christian Ministry, and Worship Studies. His most recent published work is 2019’s Faith Lies: Seven Incomplete Ideas That Hijack Faith and How to See Beyond Them. For the last 20 years, Darrell has served at Alamo Heights United Methodist Church in San Antonio, Texas. Darrell is married to Stacy, and they have three children—Nathanael, Samuel, and Abigail. His personal interests include basketball, fitness, kickboxing, music, and good conversation.