Thinking Faith With Eric Gurash And Dr. Brett Salkeld

Easter provides us with an annual, missionary rallying cry. Deacon Eric reflects on our Easter reminders of baptism and the vital job description that comes along with it all. We're following in the footsteps of the Apostles and carrying on with the divine rescue mission of Jesus Christ this week on Thinking Faith!

Why would two rookie preachers decide to sit down and talk homily prep and dos and don'ts? Because someone gave them microphones and a mixer. Eric and Brett give you a behind the scenes look at homily preparation and what they've learned in their short time of teaching and preaching - for what it's worth this week on Thinking Faith!

As Winter has given way to Spring, may we find hope in the paschal joy which rises from the tomb, and in the many ways that this joy is echoed in the bursting forth of new life in the natural world. By God’s grace, may we ever more witness to and participate in God’s ongoing transformation of all in need, of ourselves and our world. Christ is Risen! Happy Easter! - Archbishop Donald Bolen

The gloves are off!  Using readings from the Third Sunday of Lent, Eric and Brett face off in our first ever preaching challenge. It's master versus student, theologian versus deacon. Who will rise? Who will fall? Who will be left picking up the pieces of their lives and their pride in shame?  You be the judge this week on Thinking Faith!

How far can one go when proclaiming the Good News in different cultures? What place do cultural traditions have in the Mass? Is a 'culture free' Mass even a thing? Eric and Brett engage in a delicate balancing act between syncretism and inculturation without a net this week on Thinking Faith!

We wrap up our two-part lenten retreat by reflecting on the deep compassion, love, and mercy of our heavenly Father. Using Henri Nouwen's Spiritual classic, The Return of the Prodigal Son as a guide, we'll encounter the reality of a Heavenly Father who deeply desires a life with us, accepts the pain and suffering of letting us freely wander far from Him, and waits with ever-patient open arms to welcome us home, this week on Thinking Faith!

As we enter into the third week of Lent, we invite you to join our two-part Lenten retreat. We'll spend a bit of th=ime reflecting on Luke's parable of the prodigal son through the eyes of Henri Nouwen and the classic Rembrandt painting of the same name. This week we pray that our eyes might be opened just a little that we might come back to ourselves. We're wandering far and discovering grace this week on Thinking Faith! 

Eric and Brett discuss how not to do marriage prep/enrichment as well as discuss some positive approaches that may provide opportunities to engage the unaffiliated, who often show up in these contexts. What happens when Brett gets steamed about a Marriage Enrichment class? Podcasts and Cheesies, that's what! This week on Thinking Faith!

In this part two of two, Eric and Brett continue their discussion on the promise and the challenges of evangelizing a post-modern culture. They'll discuss New Atheists, a balanced approach to faith and reason, and how to foster a healthy dialogue that both respects objectivity and honours the created, subjective goodness of the human person. Making it up as they go, a second time around, this week on Thinking Faith! 

Modernism, post-modernism, relativism, objective truth, subjective truth. In this part one of two, Eric and Brett sort through it all, the good, the bad, and the ugly, and discuss the realities and necessary strategies of evangelizing in a post-modern culture. Are they just making it up as they go along? You decide, this week on Thinking Faith!

You've probably heard that the planet is grossly overpopulated. Or is it?  A recent WIRED magazine article examined a very different perspective presented in a new book by Darrell Bricker and John Ibbitson called Empty Planet. The same week, Hungary announced that it is waving income tax requirements for ALL mothers in an attempt to turn their own declining numbers around. That's prompted Eric and Brett to ask "Is overpopulation still a thing?" This week on Thinking Faith!

In just four years our Archdiocese has gone from 3 Permanent Deacons to a full dozen! The question is, what do you do with them all? From hammers and saws to work with our indigenous partners, we dig into what all our new Deacons have been up to these past few months this week on Thinking Faith!

It's been seven months, do you know where your deacons are? We look at what our nine new deacons are up to focussing this week on a few of the guys and their involvement in spiritual care of the sick and dying. What happens when you release nine shiny new deacons into the frigid wilds of Southern Saskatchewan? Find out this week (and next) on Thinking Faith!

Fourth of Four in our "Theology of Rock and Roll" series wherein we school Braden on Dylan's mastery of rock theology, dive into Stabilo, U2, and Creed and the particularly edifying experience of having found what may well be the most epic Christmas sweater in the universe. Finding what we're looking for, struggling with our own flawed designs and finding shelter from the storm this week on Thinking Faith!

In Part 3 of our Rock and Roll podcast, we talk Sweet Child of Mine and Chesterton, Bohemian Rhapsody's anti-rock heart, the vicious game of April Wine and the crucial work of the artist to make reality present and force us to contend with life. Lookin for satisfaction this week on Thinking Faith!

Rockin' and rollin' into our second week of a four-part series on, faith and rock. We talk Chesterton, Guns and Roses, AD/DC and life on the road, the Eurythmics and how rock tries to figure out what stirs the human heart. Oh, and Deacon Eric backs himself into a musical corner in the first ten minutes, this week on Thinking Faith! 

Over and above all the interesting and inspiring conversations that are had in the hallowed halls of the Pastoral Centre - one topic dominates among our show hosts and anyone they can get to listen. Rock and Roll. Is it possible to make a 'Theology of Rock and Roll' a thing? What kind of thing might that be? And where might this fit in an evangelization strategy? We begin a 4-part series where we might even answer these questions and more while we jam some mad air guitar riffs this week on Thinking Faith!

The adventure continues with Michelle Braden and she continues to regale and inspire us with yet more stories of the unusual, the inexplicable, the inspirational 'God-incidences' she's encountered in life and ministry. Can there be a better start to the New Year than with signs, miracles, wonders...and Thinking Faith!?  

There's no better start to the New Year than when friend and co-worker Michelle Braden graces our humble studio. In this episode, Michelle shares a few out of this world miracle moments that are sure to blow your mind and lift your heart. Breaking out the air recorders for the first of two tent-revival episodes of Thinking Faith!

From all of us at "Thinking Faith!" and everyone at the offices of the Archdiocese of Regina, we wish you and your family and loved ones a very Merry Christmas and every blessing of Christ in the New Year!