With all of the chatter happening in Mormon circles about Prophets, Apostles and Presidents I talk to two people about prophets and prophecy.
In Episode 226, Rev’d Megan Herles-Mooar, an Anglican priest and theologian talks about Walter Brueggemann’s ‘The Prophetic Imagination’ and the role that prophecy plays in the life of the church.
In Episode 227, Chris Kimball the grandson of the 12th president of the LDS Church, Spencer W. Kimball, talks about what it means to have a Prophet in the family.
What a lovely conversation. We need more discussions like this in our world; people of different faith traditions with overlapping beliefs discussing their life-experiences in coming close to and serving God. I’d love to hear you interview a Hari Krishna, Gina. I recently took a job working for a Hare Krishna couple and have no real exposure to their faith. I find them to be fascinating people. The culinary choices are a bit of a shock to a carnivore like myself and find it odd that I have to restrict what I bring to the office to eat (no meats allowed in the building) to suit their belief system.
In fact, I’d like to hear a discussion about that, actually: how the world has become a place of overly tolerant intolerance. We are becoming more tolerant of all sorts of formerly fringe lifestyles, and less tolerant of traditional lifestyles and people. White people who were once oppressive are now oppressed with the same levels of hatred and self-righteousness, women who are now empowered use their power to belittle and undermine men, calling them out in the national media and ruining their lives and careers with no verdict from judge and jury, or even a chance to speak up for themselves. Scientists like DeGrasse openly criticize and castigate religious people all the while seeking the power to create & destroy life, understand and control the universe, and become more like Gods themselves. People can now use the F-Bomb and take the name of God in vain, even in entertainment aimed at young people, and yet people have no freedom to control what they hear or what enters their homes. Streaming services that give consumers filtering controls lose every legal battle. You can’t keep pornography out because “freedom of speech” and zero functional internet controls have youth becoming addicted before they even hit puberty. I feel like the world is being turned upside down and inside out, and the outcome isn’t necessarily better than what it was before. All of these new “liberal liberties” are being used in the worst ways imaginable to destroy the very fabric of society. Some good comes of it, yes, but at what cost?
I live in a constant state of anxiety as I see what’s happening around me. Discussions like this calm those sensations, so thank you both for that. I would love to hear more from Rev. Herles. Best, Kirk
Superb interview with Chris Kimball.
So down to earth. Thank god for people like him and his family.
Makes me appreciate more everything the Kimball’s have done to keep the family business going.
Because church really is a family business for everyone who is active in it.
<3
What a contrast in ideas about prophets. Megan’s words really resonate with me.