Hosted by Dr. Bertice Berry, Ph.D, Susan Landrum & The Rev. Samantha McKean, this podcast is about the mysteries, questions and practices of a faithful life.

Too often, the idea that a mystery is something that can never be known is offered up when our ability to know and understand is limited. “Only God knows,” or “it’s too much for the human mind to comprehend,” is provided as a response to anyone who seeks to gain a deeper level of understanding of the Bible’s many conflicting ideas.

Rev. Michael White, the Rector at Christ Church Episcopal in Savannah, Georgia points out that a “mystery is not something we can never know, rather it is something we get to keep knowing over and over again.” In other words, the faith mysteries are being revealed to us throughout our life as we go deeper and deeper into our relationship with God.

As we began to move into our own faith journeys, we were amazed, excited, and then somewhat shocked by the awareness of the knowledge, processes, ideas, and practices that were readily available to anyone seeking to obtain Holy Orders, or ordination to the ministry. It felt as if we’d entered a secret society, one with its own language, symbols, structures, and practices. We are continually delighted and somewhat stymied by the array of practical tools and procedures that were in plain view but hidden behind the closed doors of the seminary.

As social scientists and practitioners, we marveled at the simple, yet beautiful design of tools that could be applied to the lives of everyday people who are trying to live an everyday life. These tools were not mysterious gifts from God waiting for the characters Indiana Jones or Robert Langdon to discover and reveal them. They had been designed by human hands and handed down for hundreds of years from one postulant to the next.  When applied to the problems of everyday life, these tools could address issues of life work balance, selfcare, systemic racism, anomie (hopelessness), loneliness and despair, depression, anxiety, injustice, and organizational conflict.

We wondered why these gifts were not shared with the masses. But we didn’t wonder for very long. For this reason, we’re bringing you this podcast. Our daily lives are filled with the everyday chores of parental care and carpools. We too are inundated with the work-life stuff of everyday people who have work and a life, and we understand the need for solutions that speak to us in the here and now.

We fear that waiting until we are done with our own ordination process is too long a wait to share what we are hearing and seeing. We are afraid that like so many before us, our memories will be wiped clean of the beautiful and mysterious gifts. These gifts when applied to everyday life, not only become clearer they become more beautiful. Join in on the conversation by listening, sharing and staying in touch with us about your own spiritual questions!