Spirituality Matters with Rev Karla

God is Black, Gay and Female

In this episode, Rev Karla breaks down how we can release God from physical attributes and understand the experience of God to be the undefinable, the indescribable, and the unexplainable. We have humanized God through a patriarchal lens, but God is bigger than the image we created. Rev Karla talks about the many names for God in Christianity and religions all around the world. Rev Karla also discusses where we can find examples of the feminine power of the Divine in scripture and closes the episode with how God is revealed within ourselves. So, if God is all of these things, then God is black, gay, and female. You can read more from Rev Karla on this topic in her blog post. 

Additional resources for this episode include: God is For Everyone, The Bible’s Many Gods, Understanding the Book of Revelation, The Dalai Lama on the Full Ordination of Women, Julian of Norwich, Animals in the Bible, 7 Bible Verses about God Living In Us, The Story of Elijah and the Prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel 

Our First Interview Guest: Rev Arda Itez

In this episode, Rev Karla interviews Rev Arda Itez, Humanist Minister and now Numa Soul's Director of Programs and Partnerships. Karla and Arda recount how they met at seminary school, how their spiritual paths have continued to grow together, and their plans for the future. Rev Arda discusses her spiritual background and how she began deconstruction from the Christian faith by redefining spirituality and religion altogether. If you have questions or additional comments, please email revarda@numasoul.com. 

Addition resources for this episode include: Suicide Statistics and U.S. Church Membership Falls Below Majority for First Time

Can Love Build a Bridge

In this episode, Rev Karla discusses how to have tough conversations with your friends, colleagues, and loved ones about race, religion, and social justice movements. These conversations require a lot of soul work in preparation. Rev Karla talks about what it means to understand your "why," understanding your boundaries, and knowing when to walk away. Each situation is different, of course, but this episode can help you begin your soul work to have these conversations. You can find more on this topic from Rev Karla in this week's blog post.

Q&A with Rev Karla

In this episode, Rev Karla answers some of your questions! Find out answers to: What does it mean to be spiritual but not religious? Should we stay in church and try to reform it? What's Rev Karla's opinion on atheism? What about Hebrews 10:25? And answers to a few more of your questions on today's episode. Resources for this episode include: U.S. Church Membership Falls Below Majority for First Time, and Rev Karla's Book Recommendations. 

The Rise of the Nones

Why America is Becoming Less Christian and More Compassionate

In this episode, Rev Karla discusses a few reasons why some people have chosen to step away from organized religion. The latest data shows that a record-low number of Americans identify themselves with any religion at all. People are leaving church in order to separate themselves from the radical Christians. We are not "nondenominational," which is very different from being non-religious. We are the Nones– we don't identify with a religion, but that doesn't mean we aren't spiritually connected to the Divine. To read more on this topic from Rev Karla, be sure to check out her blog post. 

More resources for this episode include: E22 The Radicalization of Christianity, We're at the End of White Christian America, Paula White’s Sermon Comment About ‘Satanic Pregnancies’, Trump's Bible Fail, In U.S., Decline of Christianity Continues at Rapid Pace

 

Falling in Love with Jesus Again

In this episode, Rev Karla invites you to explore mysticism and understand that there are many different ways to look at Jesus and Christianity. This episode is for the unchurched, the spiritual but not religious, the seeker, the spiritual nomad, the one who knows that spirituality is larger than what can be held inside of organized religion. We will discuss how we can recognize and unlearn some of the biases we learned through religion and how mysticism can heal our hearts and expand our souls. You can read more on this topic from Rev Karla in her blog post.

Additional resources for this episode include: What is God?, Crusades, Inquisition, Reformation, The mystical Jesus and non-dualism, Reclaiming the mystical interpretation of the Resurrection, Part I: The Fourth Gospel: Tales of a Jewish Mystic, Part II Introducing The Fourth Gospel: Tales of a Jewish Mystic, The Battle For Eucharist, The Mystical Christ, What Buddha Didn't Say About God, The Inside Story of a Controversial New Text About Jesus, Is the Apocrypha canonical? Does it carry the weight of 'Scripture'?, What did Jesus mean when He said, “The kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21, KJV)?

 

Return of the Warmth

In this episode, Rev Karla discusses the spring equinox and the spiritual wisdom we can learn from it. Cultures and communities have been recognizing or celebrating the spring or vernal equinox dating back to ancient civilizations. Religions around the world have added their own religious holidays around the spring equinox, creating many different ways to celebrate. This is a time to welcome new beginnings, and plant seeds for success for the coming year. There is symbolism and wisdom in this season of warmth returning, Rev Karla offers some contemplative questions to spend time answering in your journaling practice, or you could talk a walk to connect with the earth, or create an altar of gratitude for things in your life. For more on this topic from Rev Karla, read her blog post. 

Additional resources for this episode include: What is the Spring Equinox?, Vernal Equinox, Simple Ways to Celebrate the Spring Equinox, Stonehenge, Solstice Tours, Timeless Spring

The Types of Christians You’ll Meet Along the Way and Why it Matters

In this episode, Rev Karla discusses the different types of Christians you will meet and how understanding the differences can help you on your spiritual journey. With hundreds of Christian denominations, if you want to be a part of one, it is important that you understand the theology they stand for. Rev Karla discusses the difference between Protestants, Evangelicals, Fundamentalists, Conservatives, and Progressive Christians to help you understand which theology you might agree with most. It's important to not let any of these labels limit your spiritual journey. Your spirituality can ebb and flow through these as you explore what works for you. And for some, the expectations and obligations of the church are not for them at all. To read more on this topic from Rev Karla, check out her blog post.

Additional recourses for this episode include: Religious Composition of Conservatives, The 3 Types of Christians We See Today, Classification of Protestant Denominations, Conservatives Who Are Christian, Defining 'Evangelical', Evangelical Christians Must Take Action to Love Thy Neighbor, Evangelicals Vs. Fundamentalists, White Christian Radicalization is a Violent Threat, Why Faith Voters Should Stick with Trump, Religious Group Voting and the 2020 Election, White Evangelical Christians Stick by Trump Again, The Changing Religious Composition of the U.S., Religious Composition of U.S. Adults, Why Are Christians Such Bad Tippers?, Hello Flat Earth, Flat Earth Vs. Round Earth

The Spiritual Wilderness

In this episode, Rev Karla talks about what it's like to be in the spiritual wilderness after leaving church. People leave church for a number of reasons, but one of them may actually be spiritual maturity. You may have realized, your spirituality is a sacred connection between you and the Divine and can exist outside of organized religion. Rev Karla helps you find your next steps in deconstructing your religious beliefs and exploring what religious practices work for you. You are not alone on this journey, Rev Karla reads from religious leaders throughout history and their interpretation of the spiritual wilderness. 

To read more on this topic from Rev Karla, check out her blog post. You can watch the video version of this episode on Rev Karla's YouTube Channel.

Additional Resources for this episode include: Wilderness Spirituality, The Dark Night of the Soul, John of the Cross, The Christological Controversies, Why Most People Leave Religion, Why America's 'nones' Left Religion Behind, Why Millennials Are Really Leaving Religion, What is Christian Mysticism?, The Mystics, What is a Christian Mystic?, Centering Prayer, Sufi Islam, 5 Lessons We Should Learn from Christ's Time in the Wilderness, Part III Mathew: The Shadow of Moses Continues, What is Mysticism?, Christian Mysticism, and The Stages of Spiritual Growth. 

The Dark Side of Kindness

In this episode, Rev Karla discusses what it really means to be kind by going back to the dictionary definition as well as the Bible's definition. She deconstructs why kindness is sometimes viewed as a weakness based on how you were raised and how you can break those cycles to be kind and brave at the same time. It is important to first be kind to yourself so that you know how to better show kindness to others. Rev Karla also explains the difference between being actively generous and kind versus passive or harmless generosity and which one you can practice in order to grow spiritually. 

To read more from Rev Karla on this topic, check out her blog post.

Additional resources for this episode include: Are Fears Of Self-Compassion Holding Us Back?, Are You Hiding Yourself in Fear of Being Fully Seen?, Deconstructing the Fear of Rejection, Why Is Kindness Sometimes Associated with Weakness?, Why Kindness Is A Strength, Not A Weakness, Being Kind When It’s Seen as a Weakness, Is Your Kindness Viewed as Weakness?