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The ideal preacher should be able both to convey the truths of the Christian faith clearly and to inspire a wholehearted commitment to living out those truths, but in practice most of us are better at one part of that equation than the other. One teacher who was very good at doing both was C. S. Lewis. In his book The Abolition of Man Lewis offers a clue about how to manage this integration. Lewis says there is an integrative quality in human beings that allows the true things we believe to become meaningful in our lives. He gives this quality a few different names—sometimes it is the quality of “the chest,” mediating between the reason of the head and the appetites of the belly, and sometimes it is magnanimity, which is the quality of having a great soul. Henry Scougal, another great teacher, famously said, “The worth and excellency of a soul can be measured by the object of its love.” The great-souled quality that Lewis described depends on loving and desiring what is worthy and excellent. In this session we discuss ways to preach and teach “into the chest” in ways that awaken such love and desire.
In this episode, Katie Callaway of Christian Temple Christian Church, in Catonsville, Maryland, shares how her congregation explored and deepened their understanding of worship by experimenting with godly play.
In this episode, Robby Kiley of Saint Pius X Parish in Granger, Indiana, shares how a grant project focused on welcome at the Mass for people across the spectrum of abilities extended beyond worship into a wider embrace of people in community and participation.
In this episode, Nathan Longfield, pastor of Emmaus Church, a newer worshiping community, talks about their year-long project that explored embodiment and trauma-informed practices to more deeply engage in worship as a congregation and community.
In this episode, Katie Callaway of Christian Temple Christian Church, in Catonsville, Maryland, shares how her congregation explored and deepened their understanding of worship by experimenting with godly play.
In this episode, Robby Kiley of Saint Pius X Parish in Granger, Indiana, shares how a grant project focused on welcome at the Mass for people across the spectrum of abilities extended beyond worship into a wider embrace of people in community and participation.
In this episode, Nathan Longfield, pastor of Emmaus Church, a newer worshiping community, talks about their year-long project that explored embodiment and trauma-informed practices to more deeply engage in worship as a congregation and community.
A podcast from Calvin University featuring thoughtful leaders discussing key topics related to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the context of Christian life and witness.
