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Grace Matters, 2008

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December December 28, 2008 David Levy – The Christmas Star MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Matthew 2:1-10   According to St. Matthew, the magi from the east were guided to the manger of the Christ Child by a star. That star, or whatever bright light may have appeared in the sky to guide these ancient astrologers, has fascinated believers and scientists alike for 20 centuries. David Levy, a lifelong astronomer, comet discoverer, and admirer of the night sky joins this broadcast for some pondering about the much talked about Christmas Star.   December 21, 2008 Advent IV – A Conversation with Benedict of Nursia MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Isaiah 55:10-11   For this final edition of a four-part Advent series with great saints of the church, host Peter Marty visits with St. Benedict (c. 480-c.547). Known for his famous “Rule,” a Rule that still guides Benedictine followers today with its teachings on humility, silence, and obedience, Benedict zeroes in on the holy reading of Scripture for this Grace Matters program. He spells out the critical value of hearing Scripture not only with our intellects but also with our hearts.   December 14, 2008 Advent III – A Conversation with Juliana of Norwich MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Romans 5:4   Juliana of Norwich, who is sometimes called Julian of Norwich (1342-c.1416), joins host Peter Marty for an imaginary conversation. Juliana possessed an unshakable belief in God despite several near-death experiences. Her profound insights on hope were gained from the conviction that one can never know true hope apart from suffering. Juliana’s faith is a testimony to the abundance of grace even in the most difficult periods of life. This is third In a four-part Advent series.   December 7, 2008 Advent II - A Conversation with Hildegard of Bingen MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Psalm 146 In the second of a four-part Advent series, host Peter Marty converses with another absentee guest. This time it is Hildegard of Bingen. The reason for absenteeism is that Hildegard and our other Advent guests are now saints of the Church. In this week’s conversation, Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) shares medieval life as an outspoken woman. Here is an individual who mixed with popes and emperors. She went on preaching tours. She even authored a medical encyclopedia. Hildegard lived her interesting life from the vantage point of faith.   November November 30, 2008 MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Advent I Meditation – A Conversation with Maximilian Kolbe 1 Thessalonians 3:13 In the first of a four-part Advent series, host Peter Marty converses with different guests who could not be present for an interview. Each week, the conversation involves one of the great saints of the church. Maximilian Kolbe is this week’s guest. He is the Polish priest who voluntarily took the place of another prisoner at the Auschwitz Concentration Camp when Nazi commanders arbitrarily selected ten prisoners for forced starvation.   November 23, 2008 MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Phyllis Tickle – The Sayings of Jesus Mark 1:40-45 After spending a life immersed in scholarship with Scripture, Phyllis Tickle determined that faith and humility were often left behind among those who study the words of Jesus. She embarked on a thoughtful journey to analyze the different ways that Jesus of Nazareth typically spoke. Five different speaking roles for Jesus surfaced from her work. In this edition of Grace Matters, she discusses some of the interesting twists and turns that Jesus took with his words.   November 16, 2008 MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Everett Worthington – A Lesson in Humility Philippians 2:5-11 Everett Worthington is a soft-spoken and gentle man. Professor of psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University, Everett gets to teach about forgiveness, reconciliation and a host of other fascinating subjects. A personally tragic experience – the murder of his mother in the mid-1990s – caused Worthington to examine forgiveness in a whole new way. What he discovered was a fresh priority for the place of humility in shaping one’s life.   November 9, 2008 Kathleen Kennedy Townsend – Responsibility for Your Neighbor MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Mark 12:28-31 Since her childhood, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend has made a point of trying to put other people first. As the eldest child of Robert and Ethel Kennedy, she assumed an early sense of responsibility for what it means to be civically engaged on behalf of those for whom the systems of justice do not work well. One-time lieutenant governor of Maryland, Kennedy Townsend has a marvelous way of letting her Christian faith inform her commitment to stand up for all who live on the margins of society.   November 2, 2008 Stormey Denise Burroughs – Avoiding an Itsy Bitsy Life MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Luke 10:2 The life of a refugee is never easy. Fleeing persecution or life-threatening circumstances in one’s own country to find a home elsewhere is next to impossible. Post 9/11 jitters and restrictions in America make the U.S. even less open to immigrants and refugees. Along comes Stormey Denise Burroughs, a young single mother and social worker in Michigan. She takes it upon herself to become the loving foster mother to four teenage boys from Burma.   October October 26, 2008 Bob Lane – The Congruent Life MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Galatians 5:22 8:31-38 Deere and Co. is a global giant in agriculture, forestry and construction. Deere’s CEO, Bob Lane, is the mover and shaker behind much of this company’s global expansion. But for all of the airplane miles Lane travels, he is still a very “grounded” individual. His Christian faith is what keeps him grounded. It is a faith that centers on cultivating the fruits of the Spirit and appreciating the undeserved character of grace.   October 19, 2008 Stephen Schmidt – Honesty and Chronic Illness MP3 | RealPlayer Stream John 8:31-38 To live with chronic illness is to live with the reality that one day can be good and fulfilling while the next may be excruciatingly painful. Physical suffering is not fun for anyone; living with it every day demands special spiritual and emotional equipment. Among the more valuable tools in the equipment box is honesty. Retired professor Stephen Schmidt is guest on this edition of Grace Matters to discuss faith and his journey with chronic illness. It is a journey whose high points have been marked by honesty.   October 12, 2008 Craig Rennebohm – Concern For Broken Things MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Psalm 51:17 Craig Rennebohm is a chaplain who works the streets of Seattle, ministering to mentally ill people. Many of them are homeless. Rennebohm knows what he is doing. He has firsthand knowledge of chronic mental illness and a commitment to advocate for the welfare of those whose minds do not function as they would wish. In this edition of Grace Matters, host Peter W. Marty explores his own up-close experience with a mentally ill brother, and what it means to trust in a Lord who cares as much about broken lives as whole ones.   October 5, 2008 Donald Kraybill – Practice. Practice. Practice. MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Matthew 6:9-15 Within 24 hours of the Nickle Mines, PA., shooting that killed five Amish girls in October 2006, the whole world knew of the tragedy. What captivated the most public attention, once the shock of the horror was digested, was the amazing capacity of the Amish people to forgive the killer and serve his family. Donald Kraybill, co-author of the book Amish Grace, joins this edition of Grace Matters to explain how honest forgiveness of the Christ-like variety can only be forged over a lifetime of practice.   September September 28, 2008 Brad and Libby Birky – Just Doing My Job MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Luke 17:5-10 Brad and Libby Birky are owners of an extraordinary restaurant in downtown Denver. It’s not a big or ostentatious place. What makes the SAME Café unique is its pricing schedule. There are no prices on the menu; there is no cash register. Patrons pay whatever they can or are willing to pay, even if the payment means an hour of kitchen labor washing dishes or cutting vegetables. For those curious about a venture created So that All God’s people May Eat, this edition of Grace Matters is a “Do Not Miss.”   September 21, 2008 Peter Benson – A Person Through Other Persons MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Matthew 14:13-21 There is a craving for community in our world, and people are struggling to fulfill that need. We may be well connected electronically, but this is hardly the same as being emotionally and spiritually connected. Communities are relational places – “the oxygen of human development,” says Peter Benson. Benson is the president of Search Institute, a nonprofit organization providing leadership and resources for the promotion of healthy children, youth, and communities. He is the guest on this edition of Grace Matters.   September 14, 2008 Bruce Weber – Share the Juices MP3 | RealPlayer Stream John 15:13 Bruce Weber is a winning NCAA basketball coach. He is also a winsome human being. His unselfish style has shaped the lives of talented young men who happen to need more than just good dribbling technique in life. For the last five years he has led the Fighting Illini of the University of Illinois, including a trip to the Final Four championship game in 2005. Weber’s faith life is an active one, connected with his local Lutheran congregation. Listen in to meet an individual who enjoys taking the needs of others to heart.   September 7, 2008 Brad Hirschfield – Is Your God Big Enough? MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Daniel 3:16-18 Rabbi Brad Hirschfield joins this edition of Grace Matters to discuss religious fanaticism. Having experienced his own incursion into the world of “being possessed by one’s religion,” Hirschfield made a sudden and dramatic turn in his faith journey. Today he is an important voice for people of all faiths who want to re-examine their most strident assumptions that put other people down. He is author of the book, You Don’t Have to Be Wrong for Me To Be Right: Finding Faith Without Fanaticism. August August 31, 2008 – Eboo Patel – The Dangers of Religious Totalitarianism (September 9, 2007 Encore) MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Acts 2:1-21 If you are tired of trying to make sense of why certain expressions of religion irritate you so thoroughly, you need to meet Eboo Patel. Chances are good that what is bothering, or even infuriating you, is what Patel calls "religious totalitarianism." Or it could be your own mistaken assumption that no one knows the truth unless they know your version of it. Eboo Patel is an articulate man of faith who is founder and executive director of Interfaith Youth Core – an organization devoted to advancing religious understanding and respect.   August 24, 2008 – Philip Yancey – Part II: Relationship in Prayer (April 22, 2007 Encore) MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Luke 18: 1-8 Award-winning author Philip Yancey returns to take a close-up look at the shape of prayer. If you have ever wondered what difference prayer can make in your life, this program is for you. Yancey covers the whole terrain of prayer, tackling some of the biggest questions surrounding its mystery. With program host Peter W. Marty, he explores the importance of relationship and why a meaningful prayer life will never evolve without some genuine hunger on our part to be in God's close company.   August 17, 2008 – Philip Yancey – Part I: The Magnanimity of Grace (April 15, 2007 Encore) MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Ephesians 2:8 Philip Yancey, popular author and reliable spiritual guide, remains the "go to" person for any memorable discussion on the amazing character of grace. With his candor as a journalist and his honesty as a Christian pilgrim, Yancey outlines both the reliability and the unpredictability of grace. He walks listeners through a love we had not counted on and a kindness we may not think we deserve.   August 10, 2008 – Francis Collins – Faith in Science, Faith in God (October 28, 2007 Encore) MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Genesis 1 Among the top tier of scientists in the world, there is Francis Collins. Longtime director of the human genome project that has mapped over 3 billion letters of the human genetic code, Collins is an articulate spokesperson for the glories of science. But he is also a person of deep faith who is not shy to speak about the place of God in biological science. Repudiating both anti-scientific thinking and shallow spirituality, Collins offers a clear-headed way for understanding the beauty of how science enhances one's reading of the Bible.   August 3, 2008 – Wayne-Daniel Berard – Retrieving Our Jewishness (September 23, 2007 Encore) MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Mark 6:3 If Christians are not careful, we have a dangerous tendency to view the Bible as an exclusively Christian book. Where this perspective exists, we do a serious disservice to both the Jewishness of Jesus and the Jewish roots of our own faith. Wayne-Daniel Berard, professor and author, who was born of a Jewish parent and adopted by a Catholic family, practices his faith today as a Christian and a Jew. He calls on Christians to explore "with open heart and mind" the Jewishness not only of Jesus but of themselves.

July July 27, 2008 – J. Brent Bill – Gaining Clarity and Insight MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Philippians 1:9-10 Spiritual discernment is a big deal. It is the practice of wisdom. It is that capacity for detecting an insight into the character of another person and into the preferred ways of God. Discernment is the hard work that comes for those who aim to love with a discriminating eye and who seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit to see reality for what it is. J. Brent Bill, a retreat leader who has authored the book, Sacred Compass, shares with us the importance of living with discernment.   July 20, 2008 – Charles Osgood – Blessed Deadlines MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Luke 16:19-31 The voice of Charles Osgood is as familiar as any in broadcast journalism. Radio host of the “Osgood File,” and anchor of CBS “Sunday Morning,” Osgood is a veteran in the industry. Juggling long hours and balancing radio and TV, he knows the importance of keeping a deadline. We all have deadlines that permeate our lives. Some of them are even spiritual in character. Our challenge is to see these deadlines more as a blessing than a curse.   July 13, 2008 – Terrence Rynne – Nonviolence as A Way of Life MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Matthew 5:38-44 If anything takes our breath away in this world full of events we cannot control, it is violence. Nothing cuts to the core of our peace of mind and joy for life like violence. So what can we learn from Jesus that might direct us to a better way? And what about the place of Gandhi’s life and teachings? Terry Rynne, founder of the Marquette University Center for Peacemaking, has studied Gandhi for a long time. He walks us into the difference between active and passive nonviolence.   July 6, 2008 — Andrea Jaeger – Holy Laughter (2007 Encore) MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Genesis 18:12-15   Those who follow the tennis world closely know the name Andrea Jaeger. In the mid-1980s she was playing number two in the world on the women’s pro circuit. That was young Andrea. Following a career– ending injury as a teenager, she engaged in a serious refocus of her life. Today she is an Anglican Dominican sister who devotes everything she is to kids who live with life-threatening diseases. It’s quite a life mixing tears, laughter, and a whole lot of fulfillment.

June June 29, 2008 — Bill Milliken – Kid Dropouts: An Adult Problem MP3 | RealPlayer Stream John 15:15 Bill Milliken has his finger on the pulse of the high school dropout epidemic in America. And, it is an epidemic. “It’s not a kid problem,” he tells us, “It’s an adult problem.” Milliken is founder of the organization Communities in Schools, an agency that connects community resources with students who need attention and care. This program highlights the poverty of relationship that many live with, and what it means to believe in another person the Jesus way.   June 22, 2008 — Rodney Clapp – Breath, Bone, and Body MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Psalm 139:13-15 Everybody seems to have their own definition for spirituality. But one definition that doesn't work well for those steeped in a biblical tradition is that which treats all things spiritual as inward and invisible. Rodney Clapp out to reclaim an important place for a more physical spirituality that refuses to ignore the body. In all of its messiness and confusion, the body can be a home through which the Lord of creation, incarnation, and resurrection goes to work. Clapp is author of the book, Tortured Wonders: Christian Spirituality for People, Not Angels.   June 15, 2008 — Timothy Johnson – Facing the Big Questions in Life (Encore show from 2/18/07) MP3 | RealPlayer Stream 1 Corinthians 13:2 Dr. Timothy Johnson, longtime medical editor for ABC news, is not afraid to ask the big questions of religion and science. As both minister and physician, he is intrigued by the interplay of two worlds that many people find hopelessly at odds. He brings his incisive mind and spiritual vitality to a conversation about the “hows” of science and the “whys” of faith.   June 8, 2008 — Jeremy Langford – Good Soil MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Psalm 65 Christian faith that does not grow in an individual is not a living faith. Such lifeless or immature faith is certainly not a resource to rely on in the crises of life. This edition of Grace Matters explores the necessity of growing and nurturing the seeds of God’s Word that get planted in our lives. Host Peter Marty explores the strange phenomenon of growing many dimensions in our lives as we age, but leaving our faith presuppositions and knowledge at the third grade level. Jeremy Langford, a communicator for the Jesuit community in Chicago, is guest on the program.   June 1, 2008 — Martha Stortz – Inside Out, Upside Down MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Matthew 5:1-12 The most extensive preaching we have from the lips of Jesus is recorded in Matthew’s Gospel account, “The Sermon on the Mount.” Jesus opens this sermon not with command but with blessing. These blessings reveal some of the major themes that dot the ministry of Jesus. They propose that we turn our lives upside and inside out to catch the splendor of God. Martha Stortz, professor of historical theology and ethics at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, helps us navigate these blessings, or beatitudes of Jesus. May May 25, 2008 — Steven Prothero – Religious Illiteracy MP3 | RealPlayer Stream John 13:17 Stephen Prothero has conducted an interesting study of religious literacy in America. What he has found is that while many people have a deep faith and a gut sense of spirituality, their Biblical and religious knowledge is very scant. In other words, their faith is formed more on feeling and sentiment than accurate knowledge of valued sources. Prothero is chair of the religion department at Boston University and author of the book Religious Literacy.   May 18, 2008 — Wayne Muller – The Rhythm of the Christian Life MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Deuteronomy 5:12 According to Holy Scripture, God built rhythm into the universe. Work and rest were meant to be fair players with one another. Something happened to this rhythm along the way, however. Rest got bumped to the periphery and work assumed center stage. Author and minister Wayne Muller reflects on how effectively we keep – and do not keep – the Sabbath commandment. Host Peter Marty looks at the distinctive rhythm of the Christian life.   May 11, 2008 — Jules and Gedeon Naudet – Terror and Faith MP3 | RealPlayer Stream 1 John 4:18 Jules and Gedeon are a pair of French-born brothers who enjoy working together. They also happen to be award-winning filmmakers. Not only did they produce the acclaimed documentary “9/11,” containing the only known footage of the first plane striking the first tower of the World Trade Center, they followed that up with a documentary on faith, entitled: “In God’s Name.” This edition of Grace Matters explores the place of terror in American public and private life, and the role of the Christian faith as a response.   May 4, 2008 – Letter Writing from the Heart MP3 | RealPlayer Stream 2 Corinthians 3:3 Otolaryngology is an important word, but a mouthful to pronounce. It happens to be shorthand for that branch of medicine that deals with ear, nose, and throat. Dr. Bruce Campbell, head and neck surgeon at the Medical College of Wisconsin, “sees it all” on the cancer ward where he works and in the classrooms where he teaches. Campbell practices a particular kind of medicine that includes a thoughtful inclusion of his own personal faith. His patients are the direct beneficiaries. April April 27, 2008 — Stacey Jutila – "The Joy of Play" MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Zechariah 8: 4-5 Hospital chaplaincy is calm and even in character, though occasionally high adrenaline in crisis moments. But what is a hospital like at nighttime, besides just nurses waking patients up for “checking vitals” when they don’t want to be awakened? And specifically, what does a hospital chaplain see happen at a children’s hospital at night? Host Peter W. Marty asks these sorts of questions of Rev. Stacey Jutila, a hospital chaplain in the Chicago area. Jutila brings valuable perspective to the conversation of illness and wellness, and an important reminder about the place of play in children’s lives.   April 20, 2008 — Jim Wallis – A Revival In the Works MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Isaiah 42:1 We live in a day when individuals from all walks of life are trying to make sense of the intersection between religion and politics. Most of us know we are not enamored with the extremes, where strident know-it-alls dominate the airwaves, but what is the middle ground? Or better said, how can people of faith think deeply about the moral and justice issues of the day? New York Times best-selling author, and faith-based activist Jim Wallis is as poised as anyone to speak about this topic. He is encouraged by a new movement emerging among America’s religious faithful.   April 13, 2008 — Robert Abernethy – Depth. Heft. Gravity. MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Psalm 139 All of us want to live lives of meaning. No person seeks to drift through life with a purposelessness. Yet some individuals have the gift of thinking with clarity on matters of the heart. Some know exactly how to put their faith into words. These are people, by and large, who live and speak with depth, heft and gravity. Bob Abernethy is the executive editor and host of the PBS program "Religion and Ethics NewsWeekly." He joins the program to discuss why lives of meaning matter so much to him.   April 6, 2008 — Bill McKibben – Treating Our Planet Courteously MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Isaiah 24 Few subjects are more urgent than the crisis of our planet. The stresses we put on the natural resources of planet earth, not to mention the air we breathe and the water we drink, are growing each day. Our personal behaviors and global economies are all contributing to the crisis. Bill McKibben, author and writer-in-residence at Middlebury College in Vermont, is one of nation’s most articulate spokespersons on the environment, climate change and the need for all people to live more lightly. His personal faith powers much of his message. March March 30, 2008 — Joy Newcom – When You Did Not Expect Joy MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Psalm 16 Joy Newcom is the mother of two boys, one of whom was born with multiple birth defects. That birth and that child has ended up transforming her life. Much of it has been an involuntary transformation, taking her places she never asked to go. But every step of the way, joy keeps giving shape to the transformation. It’s a hard but beautiful story of God working steadfastly with us through the circumstances of our lives.   March 23, 2008 — Peter W. Marty – Easter Sunday – The Nonsense of Standstill Christianity MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Mark 16:1-8 In this special Easter Sunday meditation, program host Peter W. Marty ponders the Easter story from St. Mark's Gospel. He takes a candid look at the Christian life lived in light of the resurrection. If Jesus has been raised from the dead, there is no such thing as a standstill Christian. Believing people must be on the move, open to new possibilities. They cannot park their faith in contentment with the past, or in coziness with the present. Living the Christian life well is all about trying to keep up with the risen Christ, who keeps showing up several steps ahead of us.   March 16, 2008 — Peter W. Marty – Palm Sunday Special – A Life of Reconciliation MP3 | RealPlayer Stream 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 Program host Peter W. Marty takes you from a street fair in Palm Springs, California to the dusty road in Jerusalem where Jesus made his final and triumphant entry prior to his death. Along the way, he stops to contemplate the silence of Jesus and what Jesus was willing to absorb. Reconciliation becomes the focus of Jesus' ministry in those final days, as he demonstrates that being in a relationship is much more important than being right.   March 9, 2008 — Luci Shaw – The Crime of Living Cautiously MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Exodus 16-3 God built risk into the universe. It is all over creation. It is part and parcel of the Christian life as well. There is no indication that Jesus of Nazareth promoted a safe life as the highest priority. In fact, his definition of discipleship encourages us to take paths that nobody may have ever walked before. Poet Luci Shaw understands life to be full of adventure and risk, with her own personal life as evidence. She joins the program to help distinguish faith from fear, and both from fanaticism.   March 2, 2008 — Tim Wise – Insulating Your Attic MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Galatians 3:28 Racism can be a tough thing to get our hands around, especially when the majority white culture struggles to even recognize the many unspoken privileges it enjoys. What does it mean to be born into privilege – not economic wealth, but all of the other perks and comforts that go with unseen advantages of being born white? Tim Wise, an author and anti-racism activist has a sharp mind for thinking creatively about this question. Host Peter Marty reflects on a Biblical word about our tendency to draw distinctions between people.   February February 24, 2008 — Carmen Richards – Stretched to the Limit MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Psalm 90:1-12 Have you ever felt over-committed, over-scheduled, over-ambitious, over-eager or over-programmed? Most of us have been there sometime in the last week, or the last year. We "try to do it all" and find that strategy to come up short. In this program, host Peter W. Marty speaks to the limits that God puts upon our lives, not as drawbacks or defects, but as reminders of our mortality and finitude. These limits also happen to afford us an opportunity to draw closer to God. His conversation partner is Carmen Richards, national president of Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. February 17, 2008 — Peter Gomes – Be Transformed MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Romans 12:1-2 Peter Gomes, Professor of Christian Morals at Harvard University and pastor of the Memorial Church there, is often referred to as one of America's great preachers. In part, this acclaim is due to Gomes' witty use of words, his clever cultural insights, and his deep belief that Christians need transformation in Christ, not conformity to the world. If you have not thought about the transformation of your own spiritual life in a while, and what it would mean to put your life through a major overhaul, this program will get your creative juices flowing.   February 10, 2008 — Eugene Peterson – Part II – The Perils of Ownership MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Luke 14:25-33 Eugene Peterson returns for the second part of a two-part series. Here he discusses the Bible and our use of it. Nobody would seem better poised and more suited to converse about the place of Scripture in our lives than this prolific author and Bible translator. Peterson unwraps the drawbacks to our owning of Bibles, our over-study of Scripture, and our reading (instead of speaking) the Word. He speaks, however, with nothing less than a passionate love for Scripture and the difference it makes in our lives.   February 3, 2008 — Eugene Peterson – Part I – Alphabet of Faith MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Luke 2:19 It can be a joy to hear someone who writes extensively and well actually talk about the words that comprise his or her writing. That is the privilege of this edition of Grace Matters. Eugene Peterson, who translated the entire Bible into the contemporary translation, The Message, speaks to different words in the Christian vocabulary. He talks candidly about the power and gift of some words, and the detriment and misuse of others.

January January 27, 2008 — Immaculée Ilibagiza (Part II) – Forgiving the Unforgivable MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Luke 7:36-50   Immaculée Ilibagiza returns for the second of a two-part series on the tragedy of the Rwandan genocide of 1994. She is the author of the book, Left to Tell, a gripping narrative of the ordeal that left her family and most of her village dead. In this broadcast Immaculée relives the jail encounter that brought her face-to-face with the killer who stabbed her parents and brother to death. This woman of faith will reawaken the power of forgiveness for all who are seeking a new way of life.   January 20, 2008 — Immaculée Ilibagiza (Part I) – Burning Hate MP3 | RealPlayer Stream John 15:23-25   Immaculée Ilibagiza is an amazing woman. She narrowly escaped death in the Rwandan genocide of 1994 by hiding in the bathroom of her pastor’s house for 91 consecutive days. In this compelling interview, the first in a two-part series, Immaculée gives an inside look at the faith that carried her through a horrific ordeal. She discusses the mystery of hatred and the necessity of Christian hope.   January 13, 2008 — Jim Autry – Rethinking Miracle Stories MP3 | RealPlayer Stream John 10:38   Jim Autry is a former Fortune 500 business executive, a leadership consultant, poet and author. But he is something else too. He is the loving father of an autistic son. Raising this son has caused Autry to read the healing miracles of Jesus in a way that might surprise many conventional or orthodox Christians. If you are wondering whether or not to believe in miracles, and whether they might be pointing to something larger, this program is for you.   January 6, 2008 — Philip Gulley – If Grace is True… MP3 | RealPlayer Stream Romans 11:33-36   One of the favorite questions many Christians love to ask is, “Who is saved? Is She? Is He? Am I?” The question grows in interest when people who do not profess Jesus Christ are included in the question. Philip Gulley, a popular author and Quaker minister, has some very important things to say about who gets saved. If grace is true, as a concept, a word, and as the defining characteristic of God, reasons Gulley, then it must be true for ALL people.