In pursuit of faithfulness in every day life because the ordinary matters. <br/><br/><a href="https://www.ordinarymatters.org?utm_medium=podcast">www.ordinarymatters.org</a>
Ordinary Matters
Claim This Podcastby Alastair Sterne & Julia Sterne
5.0(3 reviews)
17 episodes
Updated Weekly
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Podcast Overview
In pursuit of faithfulness in every day life because the ordinary matters. <br/><br/><a href="https://www.ordinarymatters.org?utm_medium=podcast">www.ordinarymatters.org</a>
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Publishing Since
3/18/2020
1 verified contact email on file for Ordinary Matters
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Recent Episodes
June 13, 2025
How Modernity Broke Our Wonder (And How to Heal It)
<p>What do you do if you inherit a cedar waxwing named Bandit? Even more, he can’t fly—something’s wrong with his wing. You know nothing about birds, but suddenly you’re responsible for this fragile life. You can’t just Google “cedar waxwing care” and call it good. You have to live life on the terms of this yet-to-be-known creature, watching his face, learning that he’s only happy when he can see yours, discovering that you’ve become his flock.</p><p>This is the story <a target="_blank" href="https://www.estherlightcapmeek.com/">Dr. Esther Lightcap Meek</a> shared to illustrate her life’s work: real knowing isn’t about collecting information—it’s about entering relationship.</p><p>Dr. Meek is a philosopher who has spent her career asking one of the best questions: How do you know what you know? She’s Professor of Philosophy Emeritus at Geneva College and author of influential books including <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.ca/Little-Manual-Knowing-Esther-Lightcap/dp/161097784X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=296FP3GMO5Q76&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.sOD3csYkweU_zOKV20AMOQ.ty20FDGGUlPdhvPapu5lpu0QtC5wwAWcuoKcvYQJVeE&dib_tag=se&keywords=A+Little+Manual+for+Knowing&qid=1749791313&sprefix=a+little+manual+for+knowing%2Caps%2C179&sr=8-1">A Little Manual for Knowing</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.ca/Doorway-Artistry-Esther-Lightcap-Meek/dp/166676969X/ref=sr_1_3?crid=E95R20AZ39DE&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.gmu3P5CIi35uh-8yietU0yeFWeoavawnc-Vcdy9zNiEUDQNp3LRttv3DSnPBhyJnineFwfYKYVG58cSsMFztD9IULQAaYZiYsNNrEIfNNv8.xFndY2GZvjw9n5ruedJnzJ8NgHX2lG_I9xGxnOYVOhw&dib_tag=se&keywords=esther+lightcap+meek&qid=1749791351&sprefix=esther+lightcap+meek%2Caps%2C162&sr=8-3">Doorway to Artistry</a>.</p><p>In our conversation, we explore how the modernist approach to knowledge—treating it as information to be collected—is actually killing our capacity to truly know anything. Esther argues for what she calls “covenant epistemology,” where we pledge ourselves to the yet-to-be-known and discover that reality itself is welcoming us first. When we realize that we love in order to know, everything changes about how we approach learning, creativity, and even our relationship with God.</p><p>If you’ve ever felt disconnected from wonder, struggled with the limits of purely rational approaches to faith, or sensed that there’s something more to knowing than accumulating facts, this conversation offers a different way forward. It’s an opportunity to discover what Esther calls the “loving to know mindset”—and to realize that you’ve been doing it all your life.</p> <br/><br/>Get full access to Ordinary Matters at <a href="https://www.ordinarymatters.org/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4">www.ordinarymatters.org/subscribe</a>
May 30, 2025
Why Nobody Wants to Be Humble Anymore (And Why That's a Problem)
<p>Imagine: You’re watching the news. A young woman in a courtroom, tears streaming down her face, publicly repents for breaking the law. True tears. Real remorse. A genuine desire to learn and grow from her mistakes. Your heart is moved by this rare public display of humility.</p><p>Then you check social media.</p><p>Maybe you shouldn’t have.</p><p>Instead of collective appreciation, you find a digital feeding frenzy—everyone trashing this woman, using her vulnerability as an opportunity to shame her. And it hits you: </p><p>This is why nobody wants to be humble anymore.</p><p>This is the story A.J. Swoboda shared with me to open our conversation. A.J. is a theologian, pastor, and author of the brilliant new book <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.ca/Teachable-Spirit-Learning-Strangers-Absolutely/dp/0310153433/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3P16TQX37OENQ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.fo-idl2ggEy052f-_b9KUIZOndd99MZ_V_nA-i8_aLY58d2DRLD-BSIes8hQpA1-JnYUQusxsZyeEMjpAT6HOaKAsC8bfMoPL0m3kAgcka9cPMCjTpkMWx6uIIBjYvhta4ptjaNogOr29jiX4q7kQVy3M2jkg7vpkzHrbPm4pzNWbN5nVtvtMvsUwdVl4E7FUOHt04T6Rpl-to7s3EMlvWIhS2RXwI2cTUrv3SVx_454bOIAHPc4ae58A4hpZukzLlym4VdBLsq4n4X5WtR4AMtFmW5wQZygSYJLuMRDYgI.CVW94YZX4PkuWVw38o3ACbAkfKW6wLrUDgDgg4UYz6A&dib_tag=se&keywords=a+teachable+spirit&qid=1748573438&sprefix=a+teachable+spiri%2Caps%2C162&sr=8-1">A Teachable Spirit</a> (you should definitely read it—I loved it). </p><p>A.J. brings wisdom to our cultural moment where humility has become a liability. In our conversation, we explore how to cultivate teachability when vulnerability gets weaponized, why learning from people we disagree with feels so threatening, and why the early Christians were so radical precisely because they were learners.</p><p><strong>One of my favourite new insights:</strong> A.J. unpacks how “humble” comes from the Latin humus, meaning dirt … “Humans are dirtbags that just breathe in the breath of God. That's all we are.” There’s something humourous and liberating about remembering what we actually are.</p><p>A.J. makes a compelling case that humility is actually strength, and that we practice teachability before we feel it—just like generosity or love. If you’re tired of a cultural moment where admitting ignorance feels dangerous and changing your mind feels like betrayal, this conversation offers a different way forward. It’s an invitation into what A.J. calls “the quiet strength of humility.”</p><p>You can learn more about A.J. at his <a target="_blank" href="https://ajswoboda.com/">website</a>. I also highly recommend subscribing to his Substack, <a target="_blank" href="https://ajswoboda.substack.com/">The Low-Level Theologian</a>, and checking out <a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/slow-theology-simple-faith-for-chaotic-times/id1556188087">Slow Theology</a>, the podcast he cohosts with Nijay Gupta.</p> <br/><br/>Get full access to Ordinary Matters at <a href="https://www.ordinarymatters.org/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4">www.ordinarymatters.org/subscribe</a>
January 14, 2025
We Don't Do Feelings Alone
<p>What if emotions weren’t problems to be solved, but experiences to be lived? What if our kitchens and living rooms could be places where grief and joy move through us naturally, without needing to hide away?</p><p>We had fun sitting down with our friend Dr. Hillary McBride, a therapist who understands that our relationship with emotions shapes how we move through the world. When Hillary lost two cousins within weeks of each other, she found herself navigating grief in ordinary moments—while making dinner, driving her daughter to school, taking evening baths. Instead of hiding these feelings, she chose to model to her daughter how to be present with them.</p><p>Our conversation explores how emotions live in our bodies, why imagination matters for healing, and what it means to feel together rather than alone. “We don’t do feelings alone in our family,” Hillary shares, offering a powerful alternative to the isolation many of us learned around difficult emotions.</p><p>From practical insights about moving through grief to fascinating discussions about neuroscience and embodiment, Hillary brings both expertise and genuine humanity to these vital questions. You’ll appreciate her thoughtful approach to living more fully with all our emotions, even—and especially—in the most ordinary moments of our days.</p><p><strong>Opening and Closing Song:</strong> Water, Blitz//Berlin</p><p>Story Song: Genoa, Blitz//Berlin</p> <br/><br/>Get full access to Ordinary Matters at <a href="https://www.ordinarymatters.org/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4">www.ordinarymatters.org/subscribe</a>
17 total episodes available
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- What is Ordinary Matters?
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This podcast updates weekly.
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This podcast is available on 8 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
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Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.
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