What happens when the fragile Gospel of mutual care enters a world ruled by threat, hierarchy, and violence? In this episode, we sit with Jesus’ most misunderstood words about the sword and trace how the nativity itself exposes the systems of control that surround us. Rather than resolving the tension, we enter it, asking what kind of life becomes possible when power is expressed through mutual indwelling instead of coercion. This is an invitation to imagine a world shaped not by fear, but by care.

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Creation’s Paths: A Creation Spirituality Primer

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#CreationsPaths #Christopagan #CreationSpirituality #NonviolentFaith #GospelOfPeace #MutualIndwelling #LivingWithoutThreats #ChristmasTheology

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

00:22 The Vulnerable God: Christmas and Violence

01:51 Mutual Indwelling and Care

03:09 The Sword Motif in Matthew’s Gospel

04:54 Nonviolent Resistance in the Nativity

05:53 The Mystery of Christmas: Mary and God

07:07 Misinterpreting ‘I Came Not to Bring Peace’

08:57 Paradigm Shift and Violent Reactions

10:06 The Cleansing of the Temple Reconsidered

13:05 The Three Sword Passages in Matthew

14:45 Rejecting Systems of Control

16:48 Work, Community, and False Hierarchies

20:37 Love Without Coercion

22:11 The Temptation to Add ‘Or Else’

23:34 Blessed Are the Peacemakers

24:30 Living Without Threats

25:35 Call to Imagine Together

26:55 Closing Prayer

What does it actually mean to “take God’s name in vain”? In this Christmas-season conversation, Charlie and Brian trace the commandment back to its Jewish roots, where names carry authority, responsibility, and consequence. From the ineffable Name to performative Christianity, from “the war on Christmas” to costly signaling, this episode invites us to examine how power, faith, and compassion intertwine. If we claim the name of Christ, the question is not what we say, but how we live.

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* https://ko-fi.com/cedorsett

* https://patreon.com/cedorsett

* https://cash.app/$CreationsPaths

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New to The Seraphic Grove learn more

For Educational Resource: https://wisdomscry.com

Creation’s Paths: A Creation Spirituality Primer

Social Connections:

* BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/creationspaths.com

* Threads https://www.threads.net/@creationspaths

* Instagram https://www.instagram.com/creationspaths/

#CreationsPaths #Christopagan #CreationSpirituality #CosmicChrist #AntiImperialFaith #AdventReflections #ChristmasTheology

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

00:28 The Phrase “Taking the Lord’s Name in Vain”

01:12 Host Introductions

01:57 Understanding the Ten Commandments Context

03:38 The Sacred Name and Ancient Taboos

05:51 Moses and the Power of God’s Presence

07:08 Sacred Names and Holy Objects

08:40 Jesus and the Name of God

10:25 Taking on the Name of Christ

11:48 Performative Christianity at Christmas

13:03 The War on Christmas

14:48 The History of “Xmas”

16:41 Evolution of Religious Language

18:31 Personal Responsibility and Authority

20:28 Virtue Signaling and Costly Signaling

22:26 Judging by Fruits, Not Words

25:04 Approaching Sincere vs. Performative Beliefs

27:00 Reflection Questions

27:19 Invitation to Dialogue

What does it mean to say that God is not distant, but present in all things? In this episode of Creation’s Paths, we explore animism, panentheism, and the Cosmic Christ as ways of seeing the world infused with divine life rather than ruled by fear or domination. We talk about discernment, authority, power, and how the word in changes everything. This is an invitation to learn how to see, listen, and act from interconnection rather than separateness.

Thanks for reading! This post is public so feel free to share it.

Thank you for Tips / Donations:

* https://ko-fi.com/cedorsett

* https://patreon.com/cedorsett

* https://cash.app/$CreationsPaths

* Substack: https://www.creationspaths.com/

New to The Seraphic Grove learn more

For Educational Resource: https://wisdomscry.com

Creation’s Paths: A Creation Spirituality Primer

Social Connections:

* BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/creationspaths.com

* Threads https://www.threads.net/@creationspaths

* Instagram https://www.instagram.com/creationspaths/

#Animism #LivingGod #CosmicChrist #Christopagan #CreationSpirituality #Druidry

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction: God in All Things

00:40 Welcome and Host Introductions

01:16 Defining Panentheism and Animism

01:57 Housekeeping: Support and Reviews

02:14 Distinguishing Animism from Pantheism

03:35 The Power of the Word ‘In’

04:55 Brian: Addressing Fear Around Animism

06:24 Seeing Through Rhetoric and Projection

07:27 Authority is Granted, Not Intrinsic

08:22 Jesus as the Cosmic Christ

09:52 Challenging Trite Devotionals

11:15 Leaning on Cosmic Power, Not Personal Strength

11:51 God is for Everything, Not Just Sunday

13:09 Where Was God in the Holocaust?

14:24 The Civil Rights Movement: Living God

14:57 Brian: Speaking to the Divine in Others

16:12 The Cozy Lie That People Can’t Change

18:03 Personal Transformation Through Community

18:26 The Oklahoma University Case Study

19:47 Charlie: Persecution as Identity Signal

21:47 Yetzer Tov and Yetzer Rah: Balancing Inclinations

22:57 Recognizing the Voice of God in Separateness

24:06 God Created Light and Darkness

25:01 Understanding Motivations: Fear, Woundedness, Approval

26:48 Reconnecting to Our Interconnection

27:35 Being the Good Guys: Speaking Truth to Power

27:54 Wrap-Up and Community Engagement

28:48 Closing Prayer