How about a national night of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction instead of another debate?
This thought from Krista (@kristatippett) caught the imagination of our followers on @Beingtweets. I think it's no mere coincidence that these words found expression in the City of Brotherly Love:
In Philadelphia at the American Philosophical Society talking science and religion with oils of Ben Franklin and George Washington above.
This week, at the invitation of the Princeton Center for Theological Inquiry and the Templeton Foundation, Krista interviewed novelist Marilynne Robinson
and astrophysicist Marcelo Gleiser on "the mystery we are":
Science and theology speaking together is a feast of exploring how mysterious, strange, dangerous, beautiful, and powerful we are.
By all accounts, the conversation was a smashing success. Ms. Robinson offered this useful analogy for religion:
Think of denominations as prisms. None tells the whole truth, but each tells us something about the nature of light.
Thankfully, our production staff was thinking ahead and arranged for a split-track recording of the interview. This means we'll be able to produce for our radio broadcast and podcast. Keep your eye out for this show in the coming weeks. Can't wait!
And, in the following days, Krista attended a symposium with several dozen scientists and theologians, including Robert Bellah, Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, and the Scottish theologian David Fergusson. Thankfully, Krista shared some memorable gems from the attendees:
Conversation is a kind of prayer. -Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, quoting the Babylonian Talmud. (I love this, obviously.)
There is a dialectic between the holy and the secular. -Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
There are leaps of faith in science; and faith in any life evolves.
Meanwhile, last week's interview with a musical and improvisational maestro was warmly received. Digital and marketing guru Seth Godin gave us a significant bump
in traffic when he cited Krista's conversation as an example of how we can redefine productivity in terms of innovation rather than "a race to the bottom":
"Take a listen to Krista Tippett's fabulous interview with Bobby McFerrin: On Being. These conversations go to the heart of the sort of high-productivity work we create today, but would make no sense at all just a generation ago."
And, Kerry Parke (@kelissa), a listener living and working in Madrid, Spain, offered this observation:
Bobby McFerrin is proof that the world is filled with lovely people. On Being interview w/ @kristatippett: onbeing.org/program/catchi…
Speaking of beautiful human beings, long-time friend and blog contributor
Pádraig Ó Tuama (@duanalla) has published a remarkable book of poetry titled Readings from the Book of Exile:
@duanalla I have been traveling with your poetry. Thank you for sending and for your long friendship from afar.
@kristatippett Krista - your work has nurtured the heart, mind & imagination for years. Honoured to have you travel with the book of exile.
Which reminds me of another book of poems Krista has been toting about...
Speaking of good with words, savoring Mary Oliver's gorgeous new collection, A Thousand Mornings.
...and sharing these lines from "I Go Down to the Shore" by Mary Oliver, whom the Irish poet calls "a sacrament in writing":
...I say, oh, I am miserable / ...and the sea says / in its lovely voice: Excuse me, I have work to do.
I'll end this letter on a musical note. It's been some time since I've posted a Tuesday evening melody to our Tumblr, but this week we broke form and shared this magical song by The Civil Wars: "Barton Hollow," live from the Austin City Limits Music Festival.
Enjoy and have a splendid weekend!
~Trent (@TrentGilliss)








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