Liminal Living

About Liminal Living

Welcome to the Liminal Living Podcast, where we dive deep into the realm of liminal spaces—those transitional phases where uncertainty is our companion. I'm your host and curator of conversations, Dr. Tom Rundel, and it's my pleasure to serve as your guide through these uncharted territories. With a doctoral background in spirituality and leadership from Portland Seminary, my research has centered on the spirituality found in the narratives of liminality in the Bible, but I have expanded my research to include other faith traditions and cognitive science. Since our launch in 2023, we've been dedicated to exploring the nuances of dark nights and deconstructions, but our journey expanded to include insights from a diverse array of modern-day thinkers and artists. Through a blend of stories, practices, and perspectives, we provide valuable guidance for fellow travelers navigating their own liminal spaces. So, join us as we embark on this journey and embrace the uncertainty in order to uncover the hidden wisdom that lies within the liminal spaces of life.

Publisher

Dr. Thomas J Rundel

Category

religion & spirituality · religion & spirituality · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

28 Sept 2015

Latest episode

1 Apr 2026

Latest episodes

180 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   1 Apr 2026

   164: Grand Theft Donkey: Palm Sunday Reflections

   What if Palm Sunday isn't a parade — it's a powder keg? In this Holy Week opener, Tom pulls back the curtain on one of the most politically charged moments in the Gospels. With Roman troops flooding the streets, half a million pilgrims, zealots with swords on their hips, and a crowd screaming a battle cry — Jesus rides in on a donkey. Not a war horse. A donkey. This episode unpacks why that choice was the most radical thing he could have done, and what it means for how we follow him today.

2. 

   25 Mar 2026

   163: Tom Rundel: Power Has No God: The Raising of Lazarus

   In this episode, Pastor Tom Rundel preaches from John 11:1–44 on the raising of Lazarus—the climactic miracle that ends the first half of John’s Gospel. This is not a tidy Sunday school story. It’s a sermon about what love costs, where God actually lives, and who the church is supposed to be. Tom traces the escalating conflict between Jesus and the Jerusalem authorities, unpacks why Bethany wasn’t just a location but a theological statement, and explores the Greek distinction between Phileo and Agape love that English translations almost entirely miss. The result is a layered, honest look at grief, delay, mortality, and the kind of resurrection that begins not at the end of history but at the mouth of a tomb.

3. 

   18 Mar 2026

   162: Tom Rundel: Jesus Performs and Unauthorized Miracle

   What if the most dangerous blindness is the kind that doesn't know it's blind? In this episode, Pastor Tom explores one of the most psychologically rich and theologically challenging passages in John's Gospel — the healing of the man born blind. What begins as a miracle story quickly becomes a courtroom drama, a liberation text, and a mirror held up to every system — religious or otherwise — that has ever made peace with suffering by blaming its victims.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

19 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

8 ratings

Contact Liminal Living

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.