Restless Sanctuary Episode 9: Flinching and shrugging from the cross?

In this episode James and Albert are joined by preacher, piper, poet and publisher Jock Stein to talk about what it means to flinch or shrug from the cross. For many of us our reactions to the cross will be a mix of sorrow, scepticism, awe and hope. Indeed if the cross never makes us flinch — is it the cross we’re looking at? Or just an empty symbol? And if we have never shrugged, scratched our heads, and been frustrated by the cross — is it the cross we’re looking at or just a logo? How can flinching and shrugging be part of going deeper into what the cross means in our lives?

Listen every fortnight to our new podcast about faith, restlessness and the search for meaning! James Cathcart and Albert Bogle from Sanctuary First share what it’s like to be restless Christians, wrestling with the Bible and spirituality as they try and live it out today.

Right now our world is very restless — politically, economically, culturally, technologically and environmentally. We are living through an age of disruption and upheaval. Many of us are longing for a sense of sanctuary, for belonging, and direction to help us face new and unprecedented challenges.

At the root of Christianity James and Albert uncover a restlessness in God’s heart that mirrors our own. A deep longing and restless love that searches out for each one of us. We glimpse God in the faces of one another in need and in God we glimpse our own human yearning for wholeness and love.

James and Albert reckon Jesus offers sanctuary and respite for our restless souls, but that it is often a restless sanctuary, a temporary makeshift shelter in a world that we are called in turn to go out and love. The ship in their logo, designed by Jack Steel, is itself a restless sanctuary on the open water — not a shelter from the storm but a shelter through the storm.

Join them every fortnight for fascinating discussions about being restless Christians in a restless world!

The series is a collaboration between James Cathcart and Albert Bogle and features the track ‘Symphony of Lies’ by The Bogle Band.

References:

Jock Stein’s book Temple and Tartan: Psalms, Poetry and Scotland from Handsel Press.

Find the podcast here on Sanctuary First, in our Sanctuary First App, and on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and most other podcasting platforms!