Dr. Dru Johnson explores the inescapable impact of ordinary and extraordinary routines. With examples ranging from tooth brushing to baptism, he encourages everyone to "examine our ritual lives."

Those examinations can deepen our understanding about the traditions that define life and religion — the ways in which individuals and communities are different and similar.

What You’ll Learn:

• Where to find rituals in everyday life
• The importance of identifying why rituals are taught
• How Christians can learn from the traditions in other denominations and other religions

About the Guest: 

Dr. Dru Johnson is an Associate Professor of biblical and theological studies and the Director of the Center for Hebraic Thought at the King’s College in New York City.

He is the author of several books including Human Rites: The Power of Rituals, Habits, and Sacraments.

Before that, he was a high-school dropout, skinhead, punk rock drummer, combat veteran, IT supervisor, and pastor — all things that he hopes none of his children ever become.

Scripture Related to Episode:

Ephesians 5: 15-16; Making the Most of Time

1 Thessalonians 5: 21; Examine Everything

Examples of Baptism in the Hebrew Scriptures

Links Related to Episode:

Dru Johnson’s Website

Center for Hebraic Thought

The Biblical Mind

Dru Johnson - Twitter

Human Rites: The Power of Rituals, Habits, and Sacraments

Timestamped Show Notes :

01:11 - Topic: How Our Religious Rituals and Habits Shape Us and Our Beliefs

02:20 - The Blessing of a Adoptive Family

03:54 - Habits, Rituals and Rites that Shape Everyday Life

04:28 - What Makes and Activity a Ritual

08:24 - iPhones, Rituals and Stewardship

09:27 - Do I Really Perform Rituals?

10:16 - Rituals in the Human Experience

10:38 - TikTok and the Way Rituals Effect Everyone

12:01 - What Gives You the Right to Tell Me What to Do?

13:09 - Taking Stock and Making Changes, Examples from Finance and Fitness

15:25 - Improvising, Fitness and Rituals

17:38 - Surprising Rituals in the Church

18:18 - Prayer across Different Denominations

19:54 - Improvising Weddings

21:34 - The Meaning of Graduations

21:58 - Which Denominations Got Communion Right?

22:49 - Communion in the Time of Covid

24:01 - Modern Day Interpretations of Rituals

24:32 - Where Does Baptism Come From?

27:02 - How All Religious Communities Benefit from Examining Rituals

28:57 - Reframing Animal Sacrifice in Scripture

30:06 - Purpose of Rituals in Scripture

31:13 - Individualism and the Body of Christ

33:46 - Similarities in Islam and Judaism

35:37 - Learning from Muslim and Jewish People

38:01 - A Dad Joke that Makes You Go Hmmm

39:04 - Contacting Dru Johnson

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