Theology Episodes

What if our mountaintop experiences weren’t just for our enjoyment? Join hosts Karin Peter and Blake Smith in a brief exploration of Moses’ encounter with God at the burning bush—a moment of holy ground, divine revelation, and a call to action on behalf of people who are suffering. Together, they challenge us to look beyond inward spiritual experiences and ask how our encounters with the sacred can move us toward justice, compassion, and service. Grab your coffee and join the conversation as we ...

Picking up right where they left off in Pt 1 (episode #990), This Fair Trade episode continues to explore what happens when a faith journey enters a new chapter—and how seeking, belonging, healing, and ministry can reshape our understanding of God and ourselves. Gail Shurtleff shares candid wisdom from her own journey into Community of Christ, emphasizing the importance of friendship, listening, accessibility, and creating safe spaces for those navigating profound transitions. Above all, Gail re...

The women are at it again... thank goodness! In this episode of Coffee to Go, Karin Peter and Blake Smith explore the story of Moses’ beginnings in Exodus, highlighting the courageous disobedience of Shiphrah, Puah, Moses’ mother and sister, and Pharaoh’s daughter. Their conversation draws striking connections between ancient oppression, contemporary fears of immigrants and outsiders, and the ways privilege can shape our response to those we perceive as different. The episode invites us to pract...

What happens when faith asks you to slow down, listen, and trust the Spirit? In this powerful “Fair Trade: Chapter Two” conversation, Gail Shurtleff reflects on the unexpected twists, deep healing, and sacred callings that have shaped her journey into Community of Christ. From navigating a profound faith transition to helping build an online congregation and discovering new possibilities for spiritual community during the pandemic, Gail’s story is one of learning to recognize God’s timing—even w...

What relationships in your life are more important than any issue or event that may have broken them down? Join hosts Karin Peter and Blake Smith for a brief exploration of Joseph’s emotional reunion with his brothers and sit with the challenging idea that every hardship isn’t always somehow part of God’s plan. Instead, consider where God is present when the blessing doesn’t come—and discover the deeper blessing found in healing, restored relationships, and reconciliation. Grab your coffee and j...

When family rivalry, favoritism, and betrayal send a young dreamer into a pit, things can get a little crazy. This week on Coffee to Go, hosts Karin Peter and Blake Smith explore the complicated story of Joseph and his brothers in Genesis 37, uncovering themes of injustice, human brokenness, and the ways we lift others up—or put them down. As Joseph’s story points toward a larger biblical narrative, we’re invited to examine our own relationships and ask: Who have I lifted up today, and who have ...

Wrestling with God can be painful, but it just might be worth it if it transforms us. In this episode of Coffee to Go, hosts Karin Peter and Blake Smith explore Jacob’s mysterious nighttime struggle in Genesis 32—and the lasting mark it leaves on him. Be prepared to reflect on the ways our own encounters with God, uncertainty, and the sacred can leave us changed, sometimes even limping into a new way of being. As we wrestle with the questions and challenges of our own lives, we’re invited to slo...

What if nothing—not suffering, rejection, failure, or even our deepest pain—could separate us from the love of God? Join hosts Karin Peter and Blake Smith as they explore Romans 8:26–39 and Paul’s powerful assurance that God’s love is not reserved for a select few but is expansive, extravagant, and available to all. Reflect on how divine love meets us in the midst of suffering and calls us to become people who practice that same lavish love through compassion, justice, peace, and deep listening....

Belonging matters! What does it mean to find a place where you truly belong? Join hosts, Karin Peter and Blake Smith, as they explore Jacob's dream at Bethel (Genesis 28:10–19) as a story of pilgrimage, migration, and unexpected encounters with God's presence. Reflect on how our journeys—whether across borders, through life's transitions, or back to cherished places—shape our identity and reveal that our deepest home is found in God's abiding presence. Listen to more episodes in the Coffee to G...

Are you playing it safe with your life, or are you scattering your gifts with reckless abandon? In this episode of Coffee to Go, hosts Karin Peter and Blake Smith dig into the famous Parable of the Sower from the Gospel of Matthew. Positioned in the midst of "Ordinary Time"—the liturgical season built for growing in our discipleship—this scripture challenges us to look closely at the soil of our own hearts. Listen to other episodes in the Coffee to Go series. Download the transcript. Thanks f...

We could all use some rest... right? In this episode of Coffee to Go, Karin and Blake explore Jesus' invitation in Matthew 11 to move beyond the exhausting patterns of busyness, striving, and self-sufficiency into a life of rest, learning, and faithful discipleship. Reflecting on the image of "infants in faith," they discuss the openness, trust, and humility that allow us to receive God's wisdom and grace. Grab a cup of your favorite beverage and settle in for a timely reminder that true whol...

What is the Christian Church? Why is it important for Christians to meet together in fellowship and worship? In a social climate where division and marginalization of others seem to be trending in the wrong direction, it’s important for us to remember the place and purpose of the Church. Join host Carla Long and guests Tony and Charmaine Chvala-Smith for this discussion on various models the church can be and its theological purpose as they explore the term "ecclesiology," which originally aired...

Things are heating up in Rome! Paul's passionate challenge in Romans 6:12–23 pushes his listeners (and ours) to choose a life shaped by grace rather than the forces that pull us away from God's purposes. Join Karin and Blake as they unpack difficult biblical language around righteousness and slavery, reframing righteousness as radical mercy, compassion, and hospitality that go beyond what is expected. Listen in, and then reflect on the influences that control your life and consider what...

Although some people see it as such, grace is not a free pass to sin! In this episode of Coffee to Go, Karin Peter and Blake Smith explore the idea of "newness of life" offered through Christ. Together they wrestle with the tension between grace and discipleship, reminding listeners that grace is not a license to remain unchanged but an invitation to walk a new path. Join them as they reflect on how God's grace accompanies us every step of the journey toward transformation and freedom. Listen t...

Do you have to be religious to live a good life? In this thoughtful and wide-ranging conversation, Shannon McAdam and Jack Hindle explore what it really means to be a "good person" through the lenses of honesty, self-reflection, compassion, grace, and community. Together they wrestle with questions about spirituality, accountability, human nature, and the challenge of choosing what is right over what is comfortable. Along the way, they discover that a good life may be less about having all the a...

This week on Coffee to Go, Karin Peter and Blake Smith explore the story of Abraham and Sarah, where hospitality, divine promise, and unexpected laughter intersect. Through Sarah’s famous exchange with God, they uncover the humor woven into scripture and reflect on how God’s presence accompanies us through uncertainty and surprise. The conversation invites listeners to consider what it means to welcome strangers, trust God’s promises, and find joy even in life’s most improbable moments. Join us ...

As the church enters Ordinary Time, Paul’s letter to the Romans invites us to wrestle with a timeless question: Is faith about following rules, or responding to grace? Karin and Blake explore Paul’s winding theological argument, uncovering how faith, grace, and God’s promises work together to shape lives marked by mercy and compassion. Along the way, they reflect on their own journeys from rule-keeping to grace-giving and challenge listeners to consider how extending grace to others might transf...

Courageous compassion, prophetic witness, and faithful engagement in a hurting world are all a part of being a disciple of Jesus, the Peaceful One. Join Blake Smith and Linda Stanbridge in a conversation that explores difficult questions surrounding advocacy, empathy, media attention, and the call to stand with vulnerable communities while affirming the worth and dignity of all people. Grounded in Christian discipleship and peacemaking, the discussion offers practical ways to move beyond awarene...

Trinity Sunday invites us into one of Christianity’s most profound and challenging ideas: God as divine community. In this episode, Karin Peter and Blake Smith explore how our language for God shapes our understanding of the sacred, the importance of inclusive imagery for the divine, and why expanding our vocabulary can create space for more people to encounter God. Through thoughtful conversation and practical spiritual practices, they encourage listeners to experience the Trinity in fresh ways...

How can we work for Peace in Israel/Palestine? This series is co-sponsored by the Community of Christ World Peace and Justice Team. Andrew Bolton and Steve Kellogg are members of the Israel/Palestine sub-team of the World Church Peace and Justice Committee. The Peace and Justice Team is working for a just peace in Israel/Palestine guided by Community of Christ’s Enduring Principles and the World Conference resolution on Israel/Palestine of 2016: Resolved, That Community of Christ specifically ...

What does Pentecost have to say in a world shaped by division, nationalism, and fear of difference? In this episode of Coffee to Go, Karin Peter and Blake Smith explore the story of Acts 2—not as a tale of spectacle, but as a radical vision of inclusion, diversity, and God’s Spirit moving beyond borders, labels, and walls. Together they reflect on the Spirit as wind, fire, and holy disruption, asking where divine presence is breaking barriers in our own communities today. Join the conversation a...

What happens when people of faith move beyond conversation and step into advocacy? In this episode of Grounds for Peace, participants from the Churches for Middle East Peace Joint Advocacy Summit reflect on lobbying in Washington, DC, interfaith partnerships, Palestinian and Israeli human rights, and the call to pursue justice rooted in faith. Through stories of difficult conversations, unexpected hope, and encounters with lawmakers, they wrestle with what it means to “plant seeds” for peace in ...

Wait. Rest. Bless. As Easter gives way to Ascension Sunday and the anticipation of Pentecost, this episode of Coffee to Go explores what it means to be “story bearers” of hope, love, and Christ’s witness in the world. Reflecting on Jesus’ final words to the disciples, Karin Peter and Blake Smith consider the sacred invitation to wait, rest, and receive before stepping into renewed purpose. In a culture that resists slowing down, they ask: What if waiting itself is a blessing? Join the conversati...

Sometimes we have to wrestle with tough passages and/or themes in scripture. The only option is to avoid them, and that’s never good. They’re in there for a reason. Join hosts Karin Peter and Blake Smith on this sixth Sunday in the Easter season as they wrestle with the difficult and often misunderstood themes of suffering, persecution, and hope found in 1 Peter 3:13–22. Get ready to challenge harmful interpretations that glorify suffering and instead explore how the early church found courage a...