In recent years, 36 states have legalized or decriminalized marijuana for either medical or recreational use or both. Colorado led the way. Living in a place in which weed is ubiquitous and legal raises interesting questions for followers of Jesus. Does the Bible provide wisdom for navigating this cultural issue? Is marijuana use allowable for Christians? Should Christians participate in the marijuana industry?
Dave and Autumn discuss these questions, looking to Ephesians 5:18 and Proverbs 31:6-7 to bring clarity and nuance to this topic. They observe that a desire for escape, relief, and transcendence motivate much of the widespread use of marijuana and other psychotropic drugs. In conclusion, they discuss that the gospel offers the possibility of transcendence and the promise of being made new in a wholly different and better way than mind and mood altering substances.
Episode 58 | VFL Culture: Marijuana
Season 1, Episode 58
October 13, 2021 • Autumn Gardner, Dave Morlan
Episode 167 | Politics, Part 3: Trends In American Politics
April 17, 2024 • Autumn Gardner, Hunter Beaumont
Resources mentioned in this episode: https://www.amazon.com/this-america-nation-jill-lepore/dp/1631496417 by Jill Lepore https://www.amazon.com/church-matters-authoritarianism-nationalism-protestantism/dp/1960877046/ref=sr_1_1?crid=t7e7mpi5q2t7&dib=eyj2ijoimsj9.eftspouewaieowl5iwkgvkk8ysjgq4gzfvvfc-fu6m66c4jh41sloiajrkfpau7pbj23qdlvylbmdvkaxbaviv0frwybdbu_dmh4licm5lhl33pnkgmx7amhes34zllyirus_uwvzejdgc1w4l8fwbt6wfsgpyvpqfcrlox2r9p8xv8fdwfx2ql1uofbl2ewsu2snmu8infn3jdnsnyuw6sjdwygd65rzmjeurqw6km.memql_o7vb33xhosjl6c691fa6tlbwvclxzbtwflbmy&dib_tag=se&keywords=a+new+christian+authoritarianism&qid=1712252587&s=books&sprefix=a+new+christian+authoritarianism%2cstripbooks%2c117&sr=1-1 by Jonathan Leeman https://www.amazon.com/city-penguin-classics-augustine-hippo/dp/0140448942/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1sbwxqnqj4siw&dib=eyj2ijoimsj9.k0gq3b18clmagree0scqvaoffftm8gseucbll2wuny6lgylihmt09f87aztrmm5wiidrhcymzuxzyoyofuf8t02lejgjgidd720gagbu7lrt-oflmadeeoyfdatw97xot_1cufj9js3ofgmcfe9d2sdcwwzd9aq6iihvzqqq4kgsmo5l8ap-v83etxub05rsikso3nzg9xdlfsnhfndu2y2iokect4olvvitjo5e9js.pykl5g-s93n7deoxr8pkhomskzakcfq7dfgctkc2t8e&dib_tag=se&keywords=city+of+god&qid=1712252607&s=books&sprefix=city+of+god%2cstripbooks%2c120&sr=1-3 by St. Augustine
Episode 166 | Politics, Part 2: The Purpose Of Government
April 10, 2024 • Autumn Gardner, Hunter Beaumont
Resources mentioned in this episode: 1. VFL Politics class audio (https://subsplash.com/fellowshipdenver/lb/mi/+9pdsb7f, https://subsplash.com/fellowshipdenver/lb/mi/+nvkknc2, https://subsplash.com/fellowshipdenver/lb/mi/+bb293ty, https://subsplash.com/fellowshipdenver/lb/mi/+hpxt6t5) 2. https://www.amazon.com/how-nations-rage-rethinking-politics/dp/1400218446/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1yavx9hh4sr7l&dib=eyj2ijoimsj9.il2ip5ud7drhrrlxzhhntinzy7rfd4kiybaru15np4i.mkeiganbk_0pe6m2wsoveccwyzimydgvg6yjowklk_a&dib_tag=se&keywords=how+the+nations+rage+by+jonathan+leeman&qid=1710438340&sprefix=how+the+nations+rage%2caps%2c115&sr=8-1 by Jonathan Leeman 3. https://youtu.be/ejln9jdqfsc by Johnny Cash
Episode 165 | Politics, Part 1: The Purpose Of Politics
April 3, 2024 • Autumn Gardner, Hunter Beaumont
When we talk about “politics,” we usually mean elections and debates about public issues involving our government and “politicians.” But we can’t think well about governmental politics unless we understand “politics” in a bigger way, as an aspect of our inter-relational existence created by God. Hunter and Autumn discuss two paradigms to get at this bigger meaning of politics. The first paradigm utilizes the biblical movements of creation, fall, and redemption to elucidate the intention, complication, and redeemed modality of politics. The second paradigm relies on the biblical terms shalom, justice, and righteousness to inquire how a redeemed body politick, the Church, can pursue wholeness as the purpose of “politics.”