Ep 97: Christmas With Emily Hunter McGowin

 

It's time for another Christmas episode! Dr. Emily Hunter McGowin is here to discuss her new book Christmas: The Season of Life and Light. The conversation ranges from the joys and challenges surrounding the holiday, to reclaiming old traditions even while developing new ones, to a lightning round of Emily's Christmas favorites. Emily is associate professor of theology at Wheaton College and canon theologian for the Anglican Diocese Church For the Sake of Others (C4SO).

Christmas: The Season of Life and Light can be purchased here. An alternate version of this interview, with additional material, was released on the Tent Talks podcast.  She was one of the guests in Chris's previous series for the Tent Talks Podcast "Women in Church Leadership," which can be listened to here. You can find out more about her, including her other publications at her website.

If you are interested in reading Chris's book on the 12 days of Christmas you can find it here or here. Chris's Christmas music can be found here. Last year's Christmas episode on sad Christmas songs (from Tent Talks) can be found here.

Ep 78: Dr. Michael Ward on C.S. Lewis, Paganism, and Christmas

Dr. Michael Ward is a professor at both Oxford University and Houston Baptist University where he teaches on imaginative apologetics. Dr. Ward is perhaps best know as a C.S. Lewis scholar and for his groundbreaking work Planet Narnia. You can read more about his life, his research focus, and find links to many of his articles at his websites:
http://www.michaelward.net/
http://www.planetnarnia.com/

Purchase my book on Amazon.

I interviewed Dr. Ward in research for my book Celebrating the 12 Days of Christmas. I specifically wanted to ask him what C.S. Lewis' approach to "paganism," and mythology was in the hopes of gaining a broader understanding of how that can help us view some of the pagan influences embedded into our Christmas customs and traditions. I also wanted to ask him about Lewis' views on Christmas and what some of his own Christmas traditions were. This episode was released on November 29 to commemorate Lewis' birthday. In my book there is a section on paganism and Christmas that was directly influenced by my interview with Dr. Ward as well as his writing, which can primarily be found in these 3 articles: "God the Father of Lights: C.S. Lewis on Christianity and Paganism
C.S. Lewis, Jupiter, and Christmas
C.S. Lewis and the Star of Bethlehem

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Related Podcast Episodes and Articles:
Ep. 29: Melody Green—Tolkien Scholar
Episode 15: Mike Foster Tolkien Scholar and Author.
Ep 71: Happy Pagan Christmas!
Ep 72: The 12 Days of Christmas, New Years, and Epiphany
Ep28: Dialouges With Brandon: What Makes a Good Novel?

Episode 08: Dr. Jeremiah Gibbs on Postmodern Apologetics

Introducing Classical Education
Why Study LIterature: a concise answer
The Confessions of a Failed Literature Graduate

Ep 75: Jeff Frankenstein of Newsboys

Episode 75 features an interview with longtime Newsboys keyboardist, programmer, arranger, and even bass player (on synth!) Jeff Frankenstein. He details what it has been like to navigate changes in the music industry over the past decades as well as changes within Newsboys as a band. He also describes how they've found a balance in being a touring band with families back home. Jeff's kindness and enthusiasm shines through in whatever he does and it's worth listening back to the many Newsboys albums in order to pick out his particular contributions to the band's music and performances. You can find tour dates and much more at Newsboys's website.

It is also worth noting that my book Celebrating the 12 Days of Christmas has now been officially been released, which you can purchase on the Wipf and Stock Publishers website or on Amazon. Those who supported my Kickstarter campaign will be receiving their books soon. I'm also in the process of booking interviews and speaking engagements about the book, so if you are interested please contact me! 




Subscribe to the podcast on itunes 

Check out the podcast page to subscribe on Stitcher, 
Google Play, Tunein, and PocketCasts.

Music Related Podcast Episodes:
Bonus: Stu G on the Beautitudes Project 

Ep 74: Charlie Peacock
Ep 73: Phil Joel of Newsboys and Zealand

Ep 52: Fernando Ortega's The Crucifixion of Jesus

Ep 55: Singer-songwriter Nathan Peterson

Ep 59: Jeremy Casella's New Album and Kickstarter Campaign

Ep 56: Andrew Osenga

Ep 53: The Mosleys—Husband and Wife Duo
Ep 67: Singer-songwriter John Van Deusen
Ep 70: Glenn Kaiser

Ep 70: Glenn Kaiser and Michelle Van Loon

Ep. 70 features an interview with Glenn Kaiser, a true music legend. His blues and rock and roots music spans 5 decades, from his work in the Resurrection Band to his solo work and the Glenn Kaiser Band. Kaiser is also a pastor and teacher at the Jesus People USA ministry and community (http://jpusa.org/). I was able to talk with him at the 2018 Unite Fest in Peoria's Glenn Oak Park. You can find Kaiser's music at:
https://grrrrecords.com/glenn-kaiser
https://glennkaiser.bandcamp.com/

This episode also features an interview with author Michelle Van Loon, who recently released her book Born To Wander: Recovering the Value of Our Pilgrim Identity. You can discover more of Van Loon's writings at:
http://michellevanloon.com/
https://theperennialgen.com/

And please check out my previous article that featured some thoughts on Glenn Kaiser and Phil Keaggy: The Troubled Future Legacy of Christian Music
as well as my previous interview with Michelle Van Loon



Subscribe to the podcast on itunes 

Check out the podcast page to subscribe on Stitcher, Google Play, Tunein, and PocketCasts.

Related Podcast Episodes:

Episode 52: Fernando Ortega's The Crucifixion of Jesus

Episode 50: Stu G on the Beatitudes Project

Ep 55: Singer-songwriter Nathan Peterson

Ep 59: Jeremy Casella's New Album and Kickstarter Campaign

Ep 56: Andrew Osenga

Ep 53: The Mosleys—Husband and Wife Duo
Ep 67: Singer-songwriter John Van Deusen
Ep 62: Stephen Backhouse on the Life of Kierkegaard
Ep 45: Religion and Philosophy Professor Brooks McDaniel
Ep 47: Dr. Lester Ruth on the history of Contemporary Worship
Ep 26: Zac Hicks author of The Worship Pastor
Ep 07: Pastor Luke Edwards on "why churches should stop giving stuff away"

Ep 08: Dr. Jeremiah Gibbs on Postmodern Apologetics

Ep 11: Thom Blair on the Hebrew English Interlinear O.T. and Logos Bible Software

Ep 17: Pastor Douglas Wilson 

Ep 68: E. Byron Anderson on his book Common Worship

  

Ep 59: Jeremy Casella's New Album and Kickstarter Campaign

Jeremy Casella is a singer-songwriter from Nashville, Tennessee. He has released four albums over the years and is currently putting on a Kickstarter campaign to fund his fifth album Spirit. Jeremy is an artist I've had the privilege to get to know over the years after meeting him at a Caedmon's Call concert in 2004. Episode 59 features two interviews with him, one from 2014 done right before a house show he did after the release of his album Death in Reverse and the other done this past week on the phone as his kids were home from school in a series of perpetual snow days. Finally, this episode also contains a brief interview (and update) with artist Nathan Peterson, who was on the podcast last fall, where I speak to him about the vinyl release of his EP So Am I. You can stream the episode below.

Other links:
Support Jeremy's new album Spirit on Kickstarter
His website:
https://www.jeremycasella.com/
Or 
Purchase his music

Listen to Nathan's Peterson's music and order his So Am I EP on vinyl


 You can stream the episode above, subscribe to the podcast on itunes or Check out the podcast page to subscribe on Stitcher, Google Play, Tunein, and PocketCasts.

Related Episodes and Articles
Ep 57: Dave Trout of UTR Media
Ep 56: Andrew Osenga
Andrew Greer Interview and a Recap of Escape to the Lake
Jimmy Abegg Interview

The Troubled Future Legacy of Christian Music

Why I Cringe Everytime Someone Says "I Hate Christian Music"
Ep 55: Singer-songwriter Nathan Peterson
Ep 53: The Mosleys—Husband and Wife Duo
Episode 52: Fernando Ortega's The Crucifixion of Jesus
Episode 50: Stu G on the Beatitudes Project

Sermon: Rhythms in the Liturgy Part 1—Word & Deed

Alternate Title: What to do when the repetition of the liturgy bores you or starts driving you crazy.

This is the second sermon in a series of three. The first sermon can be found here:
The Rhythm is Gonna Get You—Rhythms in the Liturgy: Word & Table

In the first few days after starting seminary I distinctly remember running into the above work of art while needing to go downstairs to visit some staff member for one of those mundane tasks you are required to fulfill in the registration process. I chatted with the librarian, accomplished my task, and then lingered outside his office just looking at the work. It was titled The Sermon. Next to it were hung other works by the same artist, those entitled Daniel Among the Lions and The Prodigal Son, but this particular work grabbed me, demanding my attention. 

Classic Christian Music: A List of Radio Stations, Websites, Books, and Documentaries

I recently put up a post that has been viewed by more people than I ever thought it would. It is about the state Christian Music, or CCM, or "Jesus Music" is in, specifically how the music of older artists (or "legacy" artists) have gone out of print and that for those artists still touring their concerts are relatively small (though faithfully attended by a few). You can view the article here: The Troubled Future Legacy of Christian Music.

The Troubled Future Legacy of Christian Music

Related article: A Classic Christian Music—A list of radio stations, websites, books, and documentaries

This past weekend I had a most amazing concert-going experience in Champaign, Illinois.

I was there seeing two little known aging rock artists. I say little known because the crowd was mostly in their 40's or above, with a few sprinklings of people in their 20's and 30's, as well as a few kids. I also say little known because only around 200-300 people were there, and though the venue was mostly full the two artists who performed have both had sustainable music careers for over 40 years. So...you'd think more than 200-300 people would be there...

And I should also say both of these artists are rock legends who continue to put out music showing they are still at the top of their craft. Well, what was the problem? Why weren't there more people there? The answer is easy: they both are "Christian" artists who put out "Christian" music within the realm of the Christian music industry. The concert I went to featured a doubling billing of Glenn Kaiser playing solo blues and Phil Keaggy playing a rare show with a full band. Most anyone who knows anything about these artists would easily call them "rock legends", most especially Keaggy but I think Kaiser deserves to be up there too. It was the best concert experience I have had in years and it made me a little bit sad.

"Christian"music, you see, has a legacy problem and it manifests itself in two main ways:
1.) there is basically no infrastructure for artists  to go on tour. 
2.) there is basically no infrastructure for artists' music to stay in print or reach a new audience.

Sermon: Reflections on the Death of Moses—Deuteronomy 24 and Psalm 90

This Sunday (the Twentieth Sunday After Pentecost,  October 26, 2014) we be reading the story of the death of Moses. This is a reflection I wrote in preparation for that.

"To be or NOT to be ('Christian', that is): The Dilemma of a Christian Artist

If you could only choose one...

Last week I wrote two posts on "Christian" music:
Why I Cringe Every Time Someone Says "I hate Christian Music" and
Yes, There is Such a Thing as "Christian Music": A Response to Derek Webb

This week I have two more articles on the same subject in response to two comments I received from readers. You can read the first article here: 'Christian music is like beer': An insight from a reader."

Today I am responding to Heather Peterson, keyboardist, singer, and songwriter in the band Hello Industry. You can go here to listen to an interview I did with her husband Nathan last year when their album Matter came out. I think Heather's position on whether or not to call oneself and one's art "Christian" is important. She is a working musician (she's also a piano teacher!) and actually has to exist out in the big bad world. As artists Hello Industry has gone back and forth for years playing in Christian environments (churches, youth camps, ministry conferences) and then just trying to play "normal" shows wherever they can. Their faith is embedded in every aspect of their art and yet I can tell they really feel a tension in how they label themselves and how they communicate their faith.

Yes, There is Such a Thing as "Christian" Music: A response to Derek Webb

I've just put Derek Webb into a very uncomfortable situation. 

In 2013 Derek Webb wrote an essay on his tumblr entitled "Safe For the Whole Family: The Marketing of Jesus", which is essentially his argument as to why we should not call works of art "Christian", and why there is really no such thing as "Christian" music. In light of a recent Christianity Today article called "Why I Stopped Hating Christian Music" and my own recent article relating to the same topic I decided to write a response to Webb's essay. It's something that has been festering in me for some time regarding the issue of "Christian Music" and I hope I have been able to fashion a legitimate argument. It is not that I think Webb's perspective is entirely wrong, but I do think it is lacking on some levels...(oh, and I should also say, I'm a long time Derek Webb fanboy! Apart from a few things here and there [some of the Caedmon's Call EP's and independent releases and the acoustic version of Control], I own basically everything he's put out.) My intentions are not to bring down Webb or be a troll or whatever but to instead further and deepen the conversation about what Christian music is and is not.
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What Really Annoys Me About This Whole Duck Dynasty Debacle

I know next to nothing about the show Duck Dynasty and I would like to keep it that way.  What little I do know has been gained merely through ever-present media saturation.  How else would I even know that they had released a Christmas album?! (??? and !!!).  Actually, I believe my lack of knowledge gives this blog post strength.  I have never seen the show and I have not even read the interview that got Patriarch Robertson fired.  I care very little about all of it.

Here is what I do care about though: I am seriously annoyed right now.

And here is why: