How the Lectionary Kept Me Christian: Diana Butler Bass on Practicing the Year

Homebrewed Christianity

Dr. Tripp Fuller | Theologian, Philosopher, Minister

Religion & Spirituality, Christianity

4.6 • 612 Ratings

🗓️ 21 November 2025

⏱️ 66 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

What is up, Theology Nerds! So this episode we got my friend Diana Butler Bass back in the house to talk about her brand new book A Beautiful Year and this open online Advent class we're doing together over the next four weeks. Here's the deal: Diana's gonna walk us through how the Christian liturgical year—especially the lectionary—actually saved her faith during the pandemic when the church doors closed. She unpacks the lectionary as a real deep, anti-imperial, feminist, creation-care kind of reading that shows how Jesus is literally challenging Caesar through the gospel accounts. We break down why that matters for how we read the four Gospels and their unique takes on the Incarnation, and this is the crucial part: how all of this ancient story stuff actually orients us for what's happening right now with Christian nationalism and all that ugliness. The Advent class is donation-based (yeah, pay what you want), and you can catch it live each week or grab the video and audio later. Head to homebrewedclasses.com to sign up. Trust me, you're gonna want in on this conversation. Diana Butler Bass, Ph.D., is an award-winning author, popular speaker, inspiring preacher, and one of America’s most trusted commentators on religion and contemporary spirituality. UPCOMING ONLINE ADVENT CLASS w/ Diana Butler Bass⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join us for a transformative four-week Advent journey exploring how the four gospels speak their own revolutionary word against empire—both in their ancient context under Roman occupation and for our contemporary world shaped by capitalism, militarism, and nationalism. This course invites you into an alternative calendar and rhythm. We'll discover how these ancient texts of resistance offer wisdom for our own moment of political turmoil, economic inequality, and ecological crisis. This class is donation-based, including 0. You can sign-up at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.HomebrewedClasses.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ This podcast is a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Homebrewed Christianity ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠production. Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the Homebrewed Christianity⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Theology Nerd Throwdown⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Rise of Bonhoeffer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 70,000other people by joining our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack - Process This!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get instant access to over 50 classes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.TheologyClass.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow the podcast, drop a review⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, send ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠feedback/questions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or become a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠member of the HBC Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, friends, this is Tripp, and coming up this December, Diana Boller Bass is joining me for a four-week
0:10.0	Advent class, the journey up to Christmas, the beginning of the church year, and I would love
0:16.6	for you to join us. The class is called the beginning of another world, Advent against Empire, and each week
0:22.8	we're going to have a live stream and you'll get the recording and stuff as well that looks
0:27.7	at each of the four Gospels and the way in which they understand, describe, and wrestle with
0:34.0	the coming of God.
0:35.4	And we'll look at those texts, but also see what are the
0:37.8	invitations each of these gospel writers are giving us today? How can the coming of God in Christ
0:44.4	in that time help us reflect on the coming of God in ours? And if this sounds fun, if it sounds exciting,
0:51.6	if you want to connect with an online community, this advent,
0:54.9	then come and join me and Diana Butler Bass. It's donation-based, including zero.
1:00.9	And all you got to do is head over to homebrewdclasses.com. That's right. Homebrewdclasses.com.
1:07.5	Join up. Invite your friends. And, uh, you know, we'll see you online this Advent season.
1:14.8	Ever wondered if theological education was for you, but weren't sure who'd talk to about it.
1:20.9	Garrett's seminary is forming laity discernment cohorts to support people and discerning their
1:25.3	vocation and how to embrace it. Regardless of where
1:28.2	and how you were called, theological education can support you and offer tools for the journey.
1:33.2	Seminary gives you the knowledge to support your work in congregations and communities, the spiritual
1:38.0	formation to invigorate your leadership, and the practical skills you need to cultivate communities
1:42.7	of justice, compassion, and hope.
1:44.9	In Garrett's program, you'll meet monthly with 20 students who are on the same journey to talk through resources,
1:50.2	dream of how you can be in ministry, and dip your toe into the water of theological education.
	...

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