Seek Wisdom Podcast
My podcast explores topics that encourage us to make the pursuit of wisdom a primary focus of our lives. See below for upcoming topics and guests.
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The first several episodes of my new podcast will explore the themes put forth in my first children’s book, A Good Life. Though it was written to be read aloud to children, the ideas in the book are meant to provoke thought in adults and provide insight to help us live more meaningful lives. We’ll seek wisdom via the ten metaphors for life in the book with guests whose lives have embodied each metaphor in a unique way.
Photo courtesy Templeton Honors College
A Good Life: An Interview with Fred Putnam on Using Metaphors as a Tool to Shape Our Lives and Understanding
The thought and teaching of Dr. Fred Putnam have had more impact on my own thinking than probably any other living teacher I’ve had the opportunity to learn from. His ideas on metaphor, particularly as it applies to Biblical interpretation, are profound and can have a significant positive impact on those who learn from him. It was Dr. Putnam’s teaching that inspired the idea for my book A Good Life, and we’ll be discussing his own thought on metaphors for life in this wide-ranging interview. Dr. Putnam currently serves as Professor of Bible and Liberal Studies at Eastern University’s Templeton Honors College. You can learn more about him here.
Click here for full episode page and resources.
Part 1. Using Metaphors as a Tool to Shape Our Lives and Understanding
Part 2. Does Science Need Metaphor?
Part 3. God is a Farmer
Life is a Garden: An Interview with Joel Salatin on What Gardening, Farming, and Nature Can Teach us About Life
I was first influenced by Joel Salatin through his books on farming, which I read in the late ’90s. Those books were instrumental in our family’s decision to move to the Virginia countryside where we ran an organic farm for a few years. Joel is an outspoken farmer whose thoughts on his industry and its impact on our culture have been shared across the country, from features in Smithsonian magazine to his speaking at Google headquarters. Joel and I discuss his thoughts on the “life is a garden” metaphor gleaned from his life as a farmer in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Listening to Joel is always thought-provoking. I’m honored that he agreed to spend some time with me on the topic, and I know the discussion will benefit those who hear his insights. (When he’s not farming or speaking, Joel spreads his philosophy via his blog, The Lunatic Farmer.) Click here for full episode page and resources.
Photo courtesy Polyface Farms
Upcoming Episodes
Photo by Mark Thiessen, National Geographic
Life is a Journey: An Interview with conservationist and world traveler Jonathan Baillie, Executive Vice President of National Geographic
I had the privilege of meeting Jonathan Baillie about a year ago and knew quickly he was someone I’d like to converse with often. As the Executive VP and Chief Scientist for National Geographic, traveling the world and learning from its many human (and animal) cultures has shaped his thinking in profound ways. I recently shared a meal with Jonathan and his wife, who’d been given a copy of my book A Good Life to share with their children. We discussed some of the themes in the book, and I asked Jonathan if he’d be willing to let me interview him on the metaphor “life is a journey.” I was elated when he agreed. His vast knowledge and experience gained from his global trekking will help you grow in the wisdom that can come through our travel journeys. (Find out more about Jonathan here.)
Life is a Test: An Interview with astrophysicist Dr. Hugh Ross and his wife Kathy Ross on why the universe appears to be designed to test us
This interview continues my series expounding on my illustrated children’s book A Good Life, which features 10 metaphors for helping children (and parents) think about life in meaningful ways. I’ve benefitted from the teaching and writing of Dr. Ross for the last 25+ years, and it’s a great privilege to interview both him and his wife Kathy, who holds a masters in English from the University of Southern California. We’ll be discussing how science and Scripture both indicate that the universe was designed to test us, the implications of that truth for parenting, and the place of metaphor in connecting nature and Scripture. (You can find out more about Dr. Ross here.)
Photo courtesy of Reasons to Believe
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