Part two of ACF's sitdown with Dr Elliott Mallory-Greene to hear more about Domestic Wisdom continues the conversation about sex before pivoting to matters of dating and the role of the church community in the search for lasting relationships. We round out our time with Dr Mallory-Greene discussing a biblical anthropology of the heart.

We're joined by pastor and professor Dr. Elliott Mallory-Greene for a lively and thick conversation about Domestic Wisdom. Part One takes up wisdom for marriage and the deep theological underpinnings of how to think about one another, how to grapple with our common and unique weaknesses, and how to live in the "co-submission" that leads to life. We also consider the need for godly counsel and, perhaps more importantly, whether we're in a posture to receive it. Before we're done, we step lightly into the world of sex. Stay tuned for part 2 of Domestic Wisdom--more on sex, dating, the church, sanctification, and the fruit of the Spirit.

Episode 8 of ACF makes a humble case for committing to a local church, taking questions from listeners about the uniqueness of the church, the nature and limitations of complementary para-church groups, and how the church is made and meant to function.

Along the way, it takes stock of the most common and often understandable reasons why some prefer to set the terms of that relationship.

Resources:

"Take the Name She Gave You," a sermon summarizing that case, from a longer series entitled "Honor Your Momma."

“The Church is your Mom,” Tish Harrison Warren
Devoted to the Church, Sinclair Ferguson
Contesting the Body of Christ, Myles Werntz
Church: A Guide to the People of God, Brad East
C.S. Lewis and the Church, eds. Judith and Brendan Wolfe
The Church and its Vocation, Michael W. Goheen
“What is Church?” Jason Micheli
Life Together, Dietrich Bønhoeffer (tl;dr: start here)
Resident Aliens, Stanley Hauerwas
From Isolation to Community, Myles Werntz

Music Credit:

"Green Meadow Waltz," with special permission from Ken & Peggy Fleming of Loose Change, 1997

Episode 7 of ACF enters the house of mourning so that, in considering our end, we might lay it to heart (Eccl 7:2). What good is there in facing what instinctively causes a shudder and what modern culture has largely insulated us from? Why is it an act of love to think frequently about one's mortality, and to prepare oneself and those one loves as best one can? What are the several layers to consider when thinking about a funeral and the handling of one's remains? Per custom, expect a practical assignment by the end of the episode.

Resources:

Thomas Long on Christian Funerals (see also his book, Accompany Them with Singing)

The Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards (cf. #9)

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep (organization providing photographs for parents experiencing the death of a child)

"A good funeral," Gary Brouwers at Reformed Worship

Want to plan your own funeral? Maybe start here.

Music Credit:

"Green Meadow Waltz," with special permission from Ken & Peggy Fleming of Loose Change, 1997

Episode 6 of ACF discusses the insights of two biologists who find, at most, metaphorical truth in religious faith, but whose conclusions converge with those who find in faith more than survival or social benefit. Consider this an introduction to Dr Bret Weinstein and Dr Heather Heying, hosts of The Dark Horse Podcast, and several appreciative comments on their book about how to not just survive but thrive in a "hyper-novel" world. To borrow a phrase, we find overlapping wisdom between non-overlapping magisteria.

And along the way, the late comedian Norm MacDonald gets more than a few words in edgewise.

Resources:

The Dark Horse Podcast

A Hunter-Gatherer's Guide to the 21st Century: Evolution and the Challenges of Modern Life⁠, Bret Weinstein & Heather Heying

Assorted thoughts on faith from Norm MacDonald

• on atheism
• on faith
• on miracles
• and the famous "moth joke"

Music Credit:

"Green Meadow Waltz," with special permission from Ken & Peggy Fleming of Loose Change, 1997

What does it mean to argue in a holy way? Episode 5 invites you behind the curtain of what twenty-five years of marital arguments have taught us about the necessary elements of facing conflict.

Resources:

[For an upcoming episode]: A Hunter-Gatherer's Guide to the 21st Century: Evolution and the Challenges of Modern Life, Bret Weinstein & Heather Heying

Music Credit:

"Green Meadow Waltz," with special permission from Ken & Peggy Fleming of Loose Change, 1997

In Episode 4 of ACF we talk about the greatest paradox of our shared life, stemming from a deeply personal and now nationally relevant aspiration for which curiosity about fundamental ideas is prerequisite to honoring the dignity of everyone involved.

Resources:

"Gay Marriage, Surrogacy, Divorce & Hookup Culture, " a conversation between Jordan Peterson and Katy Faust

Them Before Us, Katy Faust

Resisting Throwaway Culture: How A Consistent Life Ethic can Unite a Culture, Dr. Charles Camosy

Music Credit:

"Green Meadow Waltz," with special permission from Ken & Peggy Fleming of Loose Change, 1997

Episode 3 of ACF discusses what's becoming a dying art, right at the time it is most needed: the art of having nearly impossible conversations.

Resources:

How to Have Impossible Conversations, Peter Boghossian

(see his practical guide in practice, in real-time)

In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership, Henri Nouwen

An Accidental Courtesy: Daryl Davis, Race & America--a Documentary

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Joining us on our 30-day (Lenten) challenge to renegotiate our relationship with our phones? Get the book, take the challenge, and share your experiences!

How to Break Up With Your Phone, Catharine Price

Music Credit:

"Green Meadow Waltz," with special permission from Ken & Peggy Fleming of Loose Change, 1997