Advertise on podcast: Everything Belongs: Living the Teachings of Richard Rohr Forward

Welcome to a brand-new, year-long, season that we are devoting to Fr. Richard Rohr's new book, The Tears of Things. Each month, we'll be moving through a new chapter of the book with Fr. Richard himself, as well as CAC Faculty and Staff, and a range of guests who are living the teachings forward from the context of their lives. In this episode, we're setting up the season by diving right into the Introduction, "Good Trouble." We're excited to introduce Carmen Acevedo Butcher as an additional co-host to this season of the podcast. This epiosde features all four co-hosts: Carmen Acevedo Butcher, Drew Jackson, Mike Petrow, and Paul Swanson. Resources: Grab a copy of The Tears of Things here. To learn more about The Tears of Things and additional offerings, including the trailer, a FREE Reader's Guide, and more, visit thetearsofthings.com A transcript for this episode can be found here.

How can we find wisdom amidst outrage and connect with the divine in the face of suffering? In this episode, we're exploring the self-titled first chapter of Richard's latest book, The Tears of Things: Prophetic Wisdom for an Age of Outrage, entitled "The Tears of Things." After our conversation with Richard, we're joined by Pete Enns, author, Old Testament scholar, and host of "The Bible for Normal People," who helps us explore the importance of uncertainty, the evolution of faith, and reading scripture as a journey. Pete, along with hosts and CAC Staff Mike Petrow, Paul Swanson, and Drew Jackson, discuss navigating the rhythm of order, disorder, and reorder in both life and scripture, the value of tears in the prophetic journey, and how the wisdom of the prophets can be applied to contemporary issues of injustice and outrage. Peter Enns (PhD, Harvard University) is the Abram S. Clemens Professor of Biblical Studies at Eastern University, St. David’s, Pennsylvania. He has also taught courses at Harvard University, Fuller Theological Seminary, and Princeton Theological Seminary. He is the host of The Bible for Normal People podcast, a frequent contributor to journals and encyclopedias, and the author of several books, including The Sin of Certainty, The Bible Tells Me So, and Inspiration and Incarnation. He lives in northern New Jersey. Resources: • Grab a copy of The Tears of Things here, where you can get a free reader's guide, discover a new course, and other offerings related to the book. • The transcript for this episode can be found here. • Check out the work of Pete Enns and The Bible for Normal People here.

How do we confront systemic injustice without falling into despair or self-righteousness? That's what we're exploring in this episode as we dive into Chapter 2 of Richard Rohr's new book, The Tears of Things, titled "Amos: Messenger to the Collective." Mike and Paul begin by talking with Richard about Amos's unique approach: critiquing the collective culture rather than scapegoating individuals, and turning anger over injustice into fuel for change. Following the conversation with Richard, co-hosts Mike and Carmen are joined by Rabbi Or Rose, founding director of the Miller Center of Hebrew College and author. Together in conversation, they explore Abraham Joshua Heschel's understanding of the prophet, the challenge of holding righteous indignation without self-righteousness, the power of teshuvah (return), and practical ways to remain spiritually grounded and committed to justice and peace work in overwhelming times. Rabbi Or Rose is the founding Director of The Miller Center of Hebrew College, and serves as a senior consultant to Interfaith America. Among his recent publications is the award-winning, co-edited volume With the Best of Intentions: Interreligious Missteps & Mistakes (Orbis Books). His forthcoming book, My Legs Were Praying: A Biography of Abraham Joshua Heschel for teen readers will be published in May 2025 (Monkfish Book Publishing).  Resources: Grab a copy of The Tears of Things here, where you can get a free reader's guide, discover a new course, and other offerings related to the book. Read more from Rabbi Or Rose here The transcript for this episode can be found here.

How does God enact change when the mainstream seems lost?  In this episode, we explore Chapter 3 of Richard Rohr's The Tears of Things: Prophetic Wisdom for an Age of Outrage, "A Critical Mass: The Secret of the Remnant." After our conversation with Richard about God's work from the edges, we're joined by Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis, pastor, author, and host of our sister podcast Love Period. Rev. Jaqui helps us explore what it means to embody the remnant today through fierce love, fierce freedom, and the call to un-empire Christianity. Additionally, this conversation helps us to recognize God's work in unexpected places, the prophetic call to anti-scapegoating, finding the "7,000" others, and how the small-but-mighty actions of the remnant can become a catalyst for transformation. Resources: The transcript for this episode can be found here.

How do we navigate spiritual transformation when everything seems to be falling apart? In this episode, we're exploring Chapter 4 of Richard Rohr’s final book, The Tears of Things: Prophetic Wisdom for an Age of Outrage, titled "Welcoming Holy Disorder: How the Prophets Carry Us Through." After our conversation with Richard, we're joined by Jungian psychologist and author Connie Zweig, who deepens our exploration into the role of the shadow, the hidden parts of ourselves and our communities that disorder brings to light. Connie, along with hosts and CAC staff Mike Petrow, Paul Swanson, and Carmen Acevedo Butcher, unpack the cyclical pattern of order, disorder, and reorder that Richard calls the Wisdom Pattern. Together, they explore how disorder is not only inevitable but sacred, a season of necessary unraveling that allows space for grace, healing, and transformation. This episode shows how the prophets help us see what we cannot, why true spiritual growth demands discomfort, and how embracing the dark night of the soul can lead to profound renewal—both personally and collectively. Connie Zweig, Ph.D. is a retired Jungian therapist and author of Meeting the Shadow and Romancing the Shadow. Her award-winning book, The Inner Work of Age: Shifting from Role to Soul, extends Shadow-work into midlife and beyond and explores aging as a spiritual practice. Her book, Meeting the Shadow on the Spiritual Path: The Dance of Darkness and Light in Our Search for Awakening, extends shadow-work into religion and spirituality. Her new podcast, Dr. Neil’s Spiritual Awakening to Non-Duality, posts on all podcast platforms. See her new SUBSTACK for livestreams and new writing: https://www.shadowworkawareness.com/about. Resources: The transcript for this episode can be found here.

What wisdom emerges when contemplative action meets radical compassion? In this special bonus episode, we step outside the chapter-by-chapter rhythm of Richard Rohr’s final book, The Tears of Things: Prophetic Wisdom for an Age of Outrage, for a rare and intimate conversation between Fr. Richard Rohr and his longtime friend Fr. Greg Boyle. Together, they explore the soul of the book and the spirit of this moment in history. Fr. Greg, founder of Homeboy Industries and author of Cherished Belonging: The Healing Power of Love in Divided Times, joins Richard and CAC staff member Paul Swanson for a profound dialogue on everything from the death of Pope Francis and the surprising emergence of Pope Leo, to the themes of humiliation, humility, and radical belonging. Together, they reflect on the journey from order to disorder to reorder, offering insight into how love acts in the world, especially among the most marginalized. Fr. Richard and Fr. Greg Boyle embody the very message they share: that transformation is always possible, and that love, when lived, is the greatest force for healing in our divided world. The transcript for this episode can be found here

How do we live with hope when the path forward demands surrender? In this episode, we explore Chapter 5 of Richard Rohr’s book, The Tears of Things: Prophetic Wisdom for an Age of Outrage, titled “Jeremiah: The Patterns That Carry Us Across.” Through conversation with Richard, we reflect on the prophetic vocation as a lifelong invitation to move from anger and lament into love—and how Jeremiah models that transformation. After our dialogue with Richard, we’re joined by the beloved Reverend Dr. Walter Earl Fluker, Howard Thurman scholar and prophetic voice of ethical leadership. Together, we delve into what it means to be “dismembered to be remembered,” as Dr. Fluker shares his lifelong journey to find home, the role of the trickster God in transformation, and why there can be no liberation without struggle. This episode walks the listener through the wisdom pattern of order, disorder, and reorder as it shows up in Jeremiah’s life—and our own. From ancient covenant to inner apocalypse, from personal grief to collective trauma, this episode is a deep meditation on how tears and laughter both reveal the path to freedom. This episode invites you to consider: What if the tears you cry in sorrow are the same tears that prepare you for joy? What if the very act of being broken is the beginning of becoming whole? Resources: Listen to Dr. Fluker's episode of The Cosmic We here. Grab a copy of The Tears of Things ⁠here⁠. To learn more about The Tears of Things and additional offerings, including the trailer, a FREE Reader's Guide, and more, visit ⁠thetearsofthings.com

How do we learn from imperfect spiritual teachers and embrace our own incompleteness? In this episode, we're exploring Chapter 6 of Richard Rohr's final book, The Tears of Things, titled "Unfinished Prophets: Elijah, Jonah, and John the Baptizer." In an extended conversation at Richard's hermitage, hosts Mike Petrow and Paul Swanson dive deep into three biblical figures who never quite completed their prophetic journey from anger to sadness to love. Later, Carmen Acevedo Butcher joins to discuss what it means to love our own imperfection and learn from flawed teachers without idealizing them. Mike and Carmen explore how perfectionism serves oppressive systems, why self-compassion is essential for spiritual growth, and address the significant absence of women's voices in prophetic literature.

What does it mean to cry with God—and be healed by our tears? In this episode of Everything Belongs, we explore Chapter 7 of Richard Rohr’s The Tears of Things, called The Alchemy of Tears: How We Learn Universal Sympathy and Grace, which focuses on the "gift of tears" as a sacred pathway to healing and transformation. At Richard’s hermitage, co-hosts Mike Petrow and Paul Swanson discuss how grief, when honored, connects us to divine sadness and invites us into deeper compassion. Later, Mike and Carmen Acevedo Butcher are joined by Jungian psychotherapist, Rabbi Tirzah Firestone, to explore how we metabolize trauma and grief, heal intergenerational wounds, and move from pathologizing pain to putting it in service of love and justice. Resources: Find out more about Rabbi Tirzah Firestone here. Learn more about Tirzah's book, Wounds Into Wisdom here. Grab a copy of The Tears of Things ⁠⁠here⁠⁠. To learn more about The Tears of Things and additional offerings, including the trailer, a FREE Reader's Guide, and more, visit ⁠⁠thetearsofthings.com

In this episode of Everything Belongs, we explore Chapter 8 of Richard Rohr’s The Tears of Things. Our hosts consider how the book of Isaiah embodies Fr. Richard’s wisdom pattern of order, disorder, and reorder — and how prophecy moves us from anger to lamentation to expansive love.   Later, you’ll hear from author Cassidy Hall for a conversation about women’s often-erased voices, queerness as a contemplative lens, and the prophets on the margins.  Resources: Learn more about Cassidy Hall here. Grab a copy of The Tears of Things ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠. To learn more about The Tears of Things and additional offerings, including the trailer, a FREE Reader's Guide, and more, visit ⁠⁠⁠thetearsofthings.com

In this episode of Everything Belongs, we explore Chapter 9 of Fr. Richard Rohr’s New York Times Bestselling book The Tears of Things ⁠⁠⁠⁠— rediscovering the prophet Ezekiel through Indigenous eyes.   In the second half of this episode, you’ll hear from Rev. Dr. Randy Woodley. He reflects on how Western Christianity’s fixation on hierarchy and domination distorts the gospel — and how Indigenous wisdom invites us back into harmony with creation.   Randy Woodley is an award-winning author and a tribally recognized Keetoowah descendant (UKB), Randy weaves together Indigenous wisdom, ecological sustainability, and spirituality. Randy is both a farmer and a Distinguished Professor Emeritus. He is respected by Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities worldwide and has been featured in The New York Times, Politifact, Time Magazine, and The Huffington Post. Randy publishes a weekly Substack at https://rwoodley7.substack.com/ Together, the Woodley’s co-sustain Eloheh Indigenous Center for Earth Justice and Eloheh Farm & Seeds, https://www.eloheh.org/ a non-profit, regenerative farm and school determined to assist others grow healthy food and combat the climate crisis. They are founders of Sho-Kee Cultural Consultants www.Sho-Kee.com  Resources:  Learn more about Randy here  Grab a copy of The Tears of Things ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠.  To learn more about The Tears of Things and additional offerings, including the trailer, a FREE Reader’s Guide, and more, visit ⁠⁠⁠thetearsofthings.com.  Find the transcript of this episode here. Connect with us: Have a question you'd like us to answer about this season? Email us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Send us a voicemail: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠cac.org/voicemail⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We'll be accepting questions for our Listener Questions episode until December 31st, 2025.

Where does the prophetic journey through our anger and tears finally culminate? In this episode of Everything Belongs, we turn to Chapter 10 of Richard Rohr's The Tears of Things, called “It All Comes Down To Love.” Discover how the prophetic journey through order, disorder, and reorder ultimately leads us to Universal Love. At Richard's hermitage, our hosts discuss how great love is the only sane response to great suffering, and explore why loving one thing deeply can teach us to love everything. Afterwards all four of our hosts share the ways in which they've been impacted by our year long journey through The Tears of Things. Resources:  Grab a copy of The Tears of Things ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠. Find a transcript for this episode here. To learn more about The Tears of Things and additional offerings, including the trailer, a FREE Reader’s Guide, and more, visit ⁠⁠⁠thetearsofthings.com.  

Welcome to Season 2 of Everything Belongs! This season, we'll be exploring Richard's book Eager to Love chapter-by-chapter, and what better way to kick off a brand new season than with our friend, Mirabai Starr. In this episode, we're covering Chapter One: "What Do We Mean by 'Mysticism'?" This episode explores the themes of mysticism, spirituality, and the sacredness of everyday life, examining the nature of mystical experiences, the importance of love, and how grief can lead to deeper spiritual understanding. Before we dive into the interview with Mirabai, Mike and Paul catch up with Richard at his hermitage to hear his reflections on the first chapter of Eager to Love. Mirabai Starr is an award-winning author of creative non-fiction and contemporary translations of sacred literature. She taught Philosophy and World Religions at the University of New Mexico-Taos for 20 years and now teaches and speaks internationally on contemplative practice and inter-spiritual dialog. A certified bereavement counselor, Mirabai helps mourners harness the transformational power of loss. Her latest book, WILD MERCY: Living the Fierce & Tender Wisdom of the Women Mystics, was named one of the “Best Books of 2019”. She lives with her extended family in the mountains of northern New Mexico. Hosted by CAC Staff: Mike Petrow and Paul Swanson Resources: A PDF of the transcript for this episode is available here. Grab a copy of Eager to Love here. Grab a copy of Mirabai's new book Ordinary Mysticism here. To learn more about Mirabai Starr and Wild Heart, visit her website here.

How can we live in solidarity with the pain of the world without being overwhelmed by it? In this episode, we’re joined once again by CAC Faculty member James Finley and an additional co-host from the CAC, Director of Mission Integration Drew Jackson. Together, we continue our chapter-by-chapter exploration of Eager to Love with Chapter 2: “A Happy Run Downward: The Inner Authority of Those Who Have Suffered.” This episode explores the themes of suffering as a path to compassion, the transformative power of mystical union, and the importance of finding solace in belovedness. Before Drew and Paul dive into the interview with Jim, Mike and Paul catch up with Richard at his hermitage to hear his reflections on the second chapter of Eager to Love. James Finley, a clinical psychologist and spiritual director, is one of the core faculty members of the Center for Action and Contemplation and is the host of our sister podcast on the CAC network, Turning to the Mystics. A former novice under Thomas Merton at the Abbey of Gethsemani, he is the author of the classic book Merton's Palace of Nowhere: A Search for God through Awareness of the True Self, The Contemplative Heart, and most recently, The Healing Path. Hosted by CAC Staff: Mike Petrow, Paul Swanson, and Drew Jackson Resources: A PDF of the transcript for this episode is available here. Grab a copy of Eager to Love here. To learn more about James Finley, visit his CAC Faculty website here. Jim's latest book, The Healing Path, can be found here.

What does simplicity look like for you in your everyday life? In this episode, we’re joined by CAC Faculty member Dr. Barbara Holmes. Together, we continue our chapter-by-chapter exploration of Eager to Love with Chapter 3: “Living on the Edge of the Inside: Simplicity and Justice.” This episode explores the practice of simplicity as a path to freedom, the importance of community in supporting that journey, and the concept of "soft prophecy" as a way of living in peace and being peace in a world full of suffering. Before Paul and Drew dive into the interview with Dr. Barbara Holmes, Mike and Paul catch up with Richard at his hermitage to hear his reflections on the third chapter of Eager to Love. Dr. Barbara Holmes is a scholar of African American spirituality and mysticism. Dr. Barbara Holmes reveals how the cosmos can expand our limited constructs of religion, race, and power. As faculty at the Center for Action and Contemplation, she teaches how God’s communal presence can inspire imagination and wisdom, especially in times of crisis. She is the author of Race and the Cosmos, Joy Unspeakable, and Crisis Contemplation. She hosts CAC's podcast The Cosmic We. Hosted by CAC Staff: Mike Petrow, Paul Swanson, and Drew Jackson Resources: A PDF of the transcript for this episode can be found here. Grab a copy of Eager to Love here. To learn more about Dr. Barbara Holmes, visit her CAC Faculty website here. or, visit her website here. Check out Dr. Barbara Holme's books here. Check out The Cosmic We, the podcast Dr. B co-hosts with Donny Bryant on the CAC's podcast network here.