Revolutionary Spirituality

Marj Johnston is the Assistant Pator at Westminster Congregational United Church of Christ in Spokane, Wa. In a return visit to the program, we will be discussing James Fowler's book - Stages of Faith: The Psychology of Human Development and the Quest for Meaning. This show originally aired on 11/16/09. Contact Information - www.westminsterucc.org or (509)-624-1366.

Rev. Joe Niemiec is the co-pastor of the Center for Spiritual Living in Spokane, WA. He will be discussing his spiritual journey and offering an understanding of Science of Mind. This show originally aired on 11/2/09.Contact Information - http://cslspokane.org or (509) 534-1011.

Mark Potok is the Director of the Intelligence Project at the Southern Poverty Law Center, a  nonprofit organization based in Montgomery, Alabama, that was founded in 1971 as a small civil rights law firm. Today, SPLC is internationally known for its tolerance education programs, its legal victories against white supremacists, and its tracking of hate groups. The Intelligence Project monitors hate groups and extremist activities throughout the U.S. and publishes the Center's award-winning Intelligence Report. We will be discussing religious extremist groups in the United States. Contact Information - http://splcenter.org or (334)-956-8200. This program originally aired on 10/19/09/

Dr. Isabelle Kinnard Richman is the Vice President for Education at the First Freedom Center, which is a non-profit, non-political, non-denominational, educational organization based in Richmond, Virginia, whose mission is to increase understanding and respect for religious freedom in diverse communities worldwide, through education about this core human value: the freedom of thought, conscience and belief. Dr. Kinnard will be discussing the history of and the current state of religious freedom in America. Contact Information - http://firstfreedom.org or (804) 643-1786. This program originally aired on 10/5/09.

Rev. Toni Niemiec, pastor of the Center for Spiritual Living, will we talking about an upcoming event in Spokane called Pathways to Peace, which runs from September 11 - 21. It is a series of Peace Events that includes participants from many peace groups and faith traditions, offering various approaches to inner peace and to being of service in the world. The event is sponsored by a local organization called One Peace Many Paths. We will talk about the event, the organization and the the idea that real peace first must be addressed from within. This show originally aired on 9/7/09.Contact information: http://onepeacemanypaths.org

Dr. Chandra Reddy was my guest as we discussed Hinduism, which is regarded as the oldest of the world's major religions, and also the third largest, with over a billion adherents. Contact Information - www.spokanedesi.com or contact Mrs. Sreedharani Nandagopal, President of the South Asian Cultural Association at sreedharani@hotmail.com. This show originally aired on 8/31/09.

Clyde Young is a member of the Revolutionary Communist Party. As a young man, he spent many years in prison where he became a revolutionary. In 2008, he spoke at the University of California Los Angeles on a panel titled Religion, Atheism and Black People. He will be talking about communism, atheism and the role that spirituality plays in his political views. For more information visit the website for the Revolutionary Communist Party - http://revcom.us. This show originally aired on 8/17/09.

Venerable Geshe Thupten Phelgye was born in Tibet in 1956 and escaped to India with his family when he was three years old. He became a monk at the age of seventeen, completed the rigorous eighteen year course of traditional studies in Buddhist philosophy that earned him the title "Geshe" (PhD) from the Sera Monastic University in 1991 and followed that with Buddhist Tantryana studies at Gyumeh Tantric Monastry. In 1993 he dedicated five years to a meditation retreat in the mountains of Dharamsala and in 1998 with the blessing of the Dalia Lama established the Universal Compassion Movement. In 2001 Geshe Thupten Phelgye was elected as a member of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile where he currently serves. Over the years Geshe Thupten Phelgye has been giving talks around the world advocating vegetarianism, interfaith dialogue and Universal Compassion. We will be discussing Buddhism, politics in Tibet and the Universal Compassion Movement. Contact Information - http://universalcompassion.org. This program origin

Jon O'Brien is President of Catholics for Choice, a Washington DC based, non-profit oragnization that was founded in 1973 to serve as a voice for Catholics who believe that the Catholic tradition supports a woman’s moral and legal right to follow her conscience in matters of sexuality and reproductive health. In response to the murder of Dr. George Tiller on May 31st in the foyer of his church, we will be discussing the ongoing debate about the issue of abortion and the role that religion plays in it.For more information you can call Catholics for Choice (202) 986-6093 or visit their website at http://catholicsforchoice.org. This show originally aired on 7/6/09.

In honor of Juneteenth, a little known holiday that celebrates the end of slavery in the United States, I have invited a former guest back to discuss the role of the Southern Baptist Church (in particular) in slavery in the United States, as well as a paper that she previously wrote on Black Catholics. Beverly Spears is an ordained American Baptist Minister who earned her Master's Degree in Pastoral Studies from Seattle University's School of Theology and Ministry. She was ordained in the American Baptist tradition after 30-years as a Roman Catholic, and a 20-year career in public service which included several years as a senior policy analyst for the City of Seattle. She currently is a ministry consultant, specializing in the design and implementation of education and outreach programs for churches and faith-based organizations. For more information contact this show. This show originally aired on 7/29/09.

Ann Hurst, the Director of Chaplaincy & the Providence Center for Faith and Healing will be talking about her role at the hospital and how religion and spirituality impact the many issues surrounding end of life, hospice care, and death and dying. Contact Information - (509)474-4973 or Ann.Hurst@Providence.org. Show originally aired on 6/15/09.

Wayne Shull, the lay pastoral leader of Emmanuel Metropolitan Communinty Church in Spokane, talks about his background, the MCC church and its history, his role in the church and Spokane's upcoming Pride Parade and Celebration on June 13th. Contact Information - emccspokane@yahoo.com or http://emccspokane.org

Dr. Lynn Williams (QuanYinLyn) introduces listners to her practice of Sufi and explains how she has integrated it into her personal and professional life. Contact Information:  QuanYinLyn@gmail.com or visit the website at: http://ruhaniat.org. This show originally aired on 5/18/09.

Dr. Cate Siejk, an Associate Professor in the Religious Studies Department at Gonzaga University, returns to the show in honor of Mother's Day. On her last visit we discussed Feminist Theology, during this show we will be discussing Feminist Spirituality, and will talk about the similarities and differences. Contact Information: 509-313-6776. This show originally aired on 5/4/09.

Eloiwa, a certified Veriditas Labyrinth Facilitator, Spiritual Counselor and Healing Facilitator, discusses her spiritual journey and how it surprisingly led her towards music, when she had no musical background. She currently uses various forms of music, particularly the harp, as a vehicle for healing in her work with children and those on the verge of death. Eloiwa also conducts transformational workshops and retreats that incorporate music and the Labyrinth. Contact information: http://heart-sounds.com or 509-951-2310. Show originally aired on 4/27/09.

Brigitte Sztab  introduces listeners to Family Constellations, a healing practice that she was introduced to in Germany at a workshop in 1997. She felt immediately called to pursue the work and was one of the first to begin sponsoring workshops in the United States. Family Constellations is a form of energy therapy that brings together ancient ways of healing with modern forms of therapy. Brigitte is one of the most experienced Constellation facilitators in the field and has been offering workshops since 2001.  http://familyconstellations-usa.com/training.htm. Contact Information - brigitte@familyconstellations-usa.com or 509-682-4107. Program originally aired on 4/13/09.

Pastor Tom Sorenson, a pastor at Monroe Congregational United Church of Christ in Monroe Washington, will be discussing his new book: "Liberating Christianity: Overcoming Obstacles to Faith in the New Millennium." Pastor Sorenson's book offers a different understanding of faith. It begins with a discussion of the universal human experience of the spiritual dimension of reality. It then discusses symbol and myth as the necessary language for communicating that experience. Pastor Sorenson goes on to explain that all human experience is necessarily subjective and that religious truth is thus also necessarily subjective. Therefore, he states, religous truth is relative, not universal and absolute. He then closes with a provacative section that replaces the dominant social conservatism of popular Christianity with Jesus's teachings of nonviolence, economic justice and radical inclusivity. This program originally aired on 3/23/09.  Contact Information - http://monroeucc.org, pastor@monroeucc.org,  or (360) 794-7601

Dr. Cocoa Welton, founder of the Los Angeles based Moriah Institute, is a Global Lecturer, teacher and experienced workshop facilitator who has been speaking locally and internationally for decades on topics as varied as socio-politics, human behavioral motivations, and the intersection of science and philosophy. Dr. Welton was shaped by the Black Nationalist movement of the 1960s and influenced by the teachings of Marxism and Science of Mind, amongst other things. He has studied both Eastern and Western religions, in addition to the works of Dr. Albert Einstein, Dr. Stephen Hawking, Dr. Carl Sagan, and Dr. Michio Kaku, amongst many others. He has incorporated all of it into a multi-dimensional, multi-faceted understanding of the universe, life, and human behavior that he calls the "NEW INTEGRATION." Dr. Welton will be sharing his thoughts on the limitations that we place on our lives. This show originally aired on 3/16/09.

Dr. Bill Dienst is a family and emergency physician in Omak, WA, who has frequently volunteered for humanitarian relief programs in the Middle East. In August of 2008 he was detained by Israel after delivering food and medicine to the Palestinian people in Gaza, breaking Israel's 40 year blockade. He discusses his experiences, his views on the Middle East, and how he has been changed by what he has witnessed. For More Information go to http://freegaza.org/ or Dr. Dienst's 27 photojournals on Palestine can be seen by going to http://electronicintifada.net/ and putting "dienst" into their search engine.

In this celebration of the one year anniversary of Revolutionary Spirituality, host Sandy Williams ends up on the other side of the mic and is interviewed by a former guest, Sarah Conover. Sandy talks about her journey, spiritual and otherwise, and her reasons for wanting to do the show.