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The Heavenly Banquet is a Progressive Christian ministry featuring sermon, educational, and devotional podcasts hosted by Chad Rhodes and Charlotte Elia. We believe in the all-inclusive, ever-expansive power of God's love, and we seek to serve those without local access to affirming, justice-centered Christian communities. We strive to be Gospel-oriented, historically grounded, and theologically rigorous. God is love, and love is serious business. Still, we avoid dogma in favor of a generous ...
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Charlotte Elia offers this sermon on Mark 6:30-34, 53-56, a passage about the crowds seeking healing from Jesus. "There’s never no more urgent time for prayer than the now in which you find yourself, but I also- I know what it feels like to exist in this world right now. I often feel overwhelmed, anxious, frightened, helpless, useless, and when I s…
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This episode is a live recording of a Requies Divina session held at Chester Presbyterian Church in Chester, VA on May 15, 2024. Join Charlotte Elia for a time of guided contemplation and centering prayer for spiritual rest and renewal. Put on some comfy clothes, settle onto a mat or bed, and give your breath, your body, and yourself to God. During…
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In this episode Chad and Charlotte discuss Charlotte's experience with COVID-related phantosmia, an olfactory disorder which causes for her the sensation of smelling smoke that is not actually present. Chad then introduces us to various philosophical takes on our perception of reality before inviting us to deeper reflection on how we perceive the D…
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This episode is a live recording of a sermon on John 21:1-19 preached by Charlotte Elia at Chester Presbyterian Church on April 7, 2024. "All of those Peter stories reflected in this text, all of those experiences, all of those lessons to be learned and Peter doesn’t know why Jesus keeps asking if he loves him. It’s Peter’s denials; it’s Jesus’ cru…
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In this episode Chad Rhodes and Charlotte Elia discuss Requies Divina, a practice of divine rest that Charlotte has been developing. They also speak more broadly about the difficulties of beginning and establishing habits of spiritual practices and the crucial need for the Church to share its wealth of spiritual tools. Charlotte: I had been thinkin…
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In this episode Chad Rhodes and Charlotte Elia talk some more about spiritual practices in the Christian tradition, but this time they get a bit more practical. They discuss specific practices and their experiences with each, and they make some suggestions for finding space for God in our current context. Chad: One thing I’ve learned in keeping up …
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In this episode Chad Rhodes and Charlotte Elia chat about the purpose and theology of spiritual practices in the Christian tradition and some of the various approaches folks have taken as they sought to enact our faith in the world. Charlotte: Spirituality in the Christian tradition has a goal of union with God through imitation of God, either imit…
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In this episode Chad Rhodes and Charlotte Elia celebrate Valentine's Day by discussing love in the Christian tradition. This episode also serves as something of a preview of the manuscript Chad has written on this topic. Chad: The one thing that always remains the same in our love relationships is constantly we want what is good for the other perso…
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In this episode Chad Rhodes and Charlotte Elia talk about the themes and significance of the liturgical season of Lent, share some reasons why it is important to them, and offer guidance on how you might observe this penitential time. Charlotte: These particular spiritual practices are ways in which we enact the faith in the world or in our persona…
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In this episode Chad Rhodes and Charlotte Elia discuss Chad's work with Francisco de Osuna's Third Spiritual Alphabet. Chad has been posting monthly on our Substack on each letter of the Third Spiritual Alphabet as both a way of introducing Francisco de Osuna's thought and of exploring the practice and concept of recollection. Chad's posts on Osuna…
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In this episode Charlotte Elia and Chad Rhodes discuss the tools and perspectives used by Origen, Cassian, and Augustine in the interpretation of scripture. Chad: The thing that impresses me most and has really kind of changed the way I think about the scriptures is this idea that you see in the early church that in coming to the scriptures I can e…
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Charlotte Elia offers this sermon on Matthew 22:1-14, commonly referred to as the Parable of the Wedding Feast. "This is a parable that like Jesus’ teachings, a parable that like Jesus’ life, shows the absurdity, the lies, the ultimate ineffectiveness of supposed power. Power seeks only to maintain power, and power is maintained through cruelty, ma…
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Join Charlotte Elia for a time of guided contemplation and centering prayer for spiritual rest and renewal. Put on some comfy clothes, settle onto a mat or bed, and give your breath, your body, and yourself to God. During our practice you will be invited to focus on an intention, for healing or wholeness, for yourself or someone else, something tha…
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On this episode Charlotte Elia and Chad Rhodes discuss the relationship between faith and science. What threats might they pose to each other? Could they possibly enhance one another? Are there even ways that science might bring us to a deeper understanding of faith? And what might we do when faith and science seemingly come into conflict? Charlott…
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In this episode Charlotte Elia and Chad Rhodes discuss creation care. Why have so many Christian absolved themselves from the dominion mandate or chosen to interpret it in a destructive way? What's lost in relationship to the faith when parts of creation are marred or destroyed? And why aren't we in constant lament for the destruction of our planet…
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In this episode Charlotte Elia and Chad Rhodes discuss apokatastasis, a form of Christian universalism prevalent in the early centuries of the faith. What are some primary features of apokatastasis? Why was it championed by so many leading figures in the early church? Charlotte and Chad consider these questions and others as they exam a more hopefu…
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In this episode Chad Rhodes and Charlotte Elia discuss recent actions by the Southern Baptist Convention to further suppress women. They then look at the scripture most often used to justify this misogyny and consider some of the absurd non-biblical arguments raised. Chad: Here’s the thing: Paul is writing letters; he doesn’t see himself as writing…
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In this episode Chad Rhodes and Charlotte Elia discuss a recent church service in Nuremberg, Germany that was organized and led by ChatGPT, and that leads them to muse on the nature of preaching, our capacity for creativity, and what it means to be human. Chad: I mean, the computer is just a program. I don’t know if people need to hear that. It’s e…
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In this episode Chad Rhodes and Charlotte Elia talk about Jesus' sayings in Matthew and Luke regarding the "sign of Jonah." Here they revisit the story of Jonah, investigate how it illuminates Jesus' work, ponder how Jesus might have understood Jonah's story, and ask what bearing these comparisons have on the work of biblical interpretation. Charlo…
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In this episode Chad Rhodes and Charlotte Elia chat a bit about the doctrine of the Trinity, what they most value there, some challenges it presents, and their favorite analogies of the Trinity. Chad: There's something about the idea of this perfect identity of diversity in unity that hits a lot of high notes for me. I mean, the creation reflects t…
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In this episode Chad Rhodes and Charlotte Elia take a look at the section of the Nicene Creed that addresses the Church and try to unpack the wealth of meaning there that can almost be obscured by our familiarity with the text. The sound quality for this episode falls far from our own expectations. Charlotte called in to record from what sounds lik…
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In this episode Chad Rhodes and Charlotte Elia take a look at the section of the Nicene Creed that addresses Holy Spirit incarnation and try to unpack the wealth of meaning there that can almost be obscured by our familiarity with the text.由The Heavenly Banquet
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In this episode Chad Rhodes and Charlotte Elia take a look at the section of the Nicene Creed that addresses Christ's incarnation and try to unpack the wealth of meaning there that can almost be obscured by our familiarity with the text.由The Heavenly Banquet
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In this episode Chad Rhodes and Charlotte Elia take a look at the second section of the Nicene Creed and try to unpack the wealth of meaning there that can almost be obscured by our familiarity with the text. Chad: The idea, at least according to the tradition, is that we’re created ex nihilo, out of nothing, and the principle they would use is, “A…
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In this episode Chad Rhodes and Charlotte Elia take a look at the first section of the Nicene Creed and try to unpack the wealth of meaning there that can almost be obscured by our familiarity with the text. Chad: When I was first looking at this, I was like, “My goodness. What are we going to talk about?” But the more I started thinking about it a…
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In this episode Chad Rhodes and Charlotte Elia discuss the so-called Asbury Revival, a chapel service on February 8, 2023 that just didn't stop. Chad offers some background on the Methodist Holiness Movement and shares insights from his own experience at Asbury University. Charlotte has a lot of questions as she struggles to fight her own skepticis…
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In this episode Chad Rhodes and Charlotte Elia discuss whether all passages of scripture equally merit preaching and teaching and whether there are some passages that might not merit any investigation at all. Does every bit of scripture lift up the love of God and the love of neighbor or are there some truly terrible texts that are simply irredeema…
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In this episode Chad Rhodes and Charlotte Elia discuss whether people of other faiths and people of no faith are cut off from the means of salvation. Can those be saved who have never heard the gospel? What about good, moral people of other traditions? And how do we as Christians relate to those of other religions? Charlotte: What I know and what I…
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In this episode Chad Rhodes and Charlotte Elia start with considering how one might tell if someone is a Christian before meandering through the related issues of what it means to be a Christian and what is essential for the faith. Chad: The internet has opened up my eyes to a lot of things, and one thing is there’s a lot of people out there confes…
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In this episode Chad Rhodes and Charlotte Elia mark the beginning of a new year by reflecting on Christian themes of renewal, the relationship between time and eternity, and the contemplative life as a counter to our time-bound existence. Chad: It’s a great act of faith to live in the moment without bringing the burdens of the past or the fears or …
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In this episode Chad Rhodes and Charlotte Elia continue to celebrate Christmas by chatting about the nativity stories, the meaning of the incarnation, and their favorite Christmas carols. Chad: When Christmas comes around, it’s such a great time to think about just the wonder of what it means for the Word of God to take on flesh and live among us, …
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In this episode Chad Rhodes and Charlotte Elia take a look back at the most downloaded episodes of 2022 and recommend a few host favorites. The top five episodes of 2022 were: 1. What is Love? 2. Will There Be Animals in Heaven? 3. The Older, Responsible Son 4. Concerning That Richard Rohr Meme 5. Faith and Doubt; Faith or Doubt? Also mentioned in …
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Charlotte Elia offers a reflection on Luke 1:38-56. "We don’t know Mary’s song because we largely have no revolution in us. And having no revolution in us only speaks of a more distressing underlying condition of having no real hope within us, no real conviction that things can or even should be better, no strength of belief in the promises of God …
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In this episode Chad Rhodes and Charlotte Elia chat about Matthew 1:18-25, the Gospel lesson for the fourth Sunday of Advent, Year A. This telling of the nativity story centers Joseph, his righteousness, and his dreams. Here we have a couple beset with obstacles and facing grave danger before they even begin their lives together, and we have an ima…
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In this episode Chad Rhodes and Charlotte Elia chat about Matthew 11:2-11, the Gospel lesson for the third Sunday of Advent, Year A. John the Baptist is in prison, and he asks if Jesus is the one. Jesus affirms his identity as Messiah and commends John's mission as forerunner, but a particular omission points to John's fate. This is a hard passage …
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In this episode Chad Rhodes and Charlotte Elia chat about Matthew 3:1-12, the Gospel lesson for the second Sunday of Advent, Year A. This text has it all: baptism, repentance, locusts, and wild honey. Listen as your hosts discuss John the Baptist as a type of Christ, the ecological and eschatological implications of the text, the ongoing work of ba…
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In this episode Chad Rhodes and Charlotte Elia chat about Matthew 24:36-44, the gospel lesson for the first Sunday of Advent, Year A. The season opens by inviting us to look at Jesus' words about his return and by demanding that we prepare ourselves for that encounter. How should we respond? What can we do to prepare? And where's the good news here…
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In this episode Chad Rhodes and Charlotte Elia talk through the acronym TULIP, an encapsulation of five points of Calvinism: total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, and perseverance of the saints. Your hosts discuss each point, how it functions within Augustinian Calvinism, and what they find either beneficia…
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In this episode Chad Rhodes and Charlotte Elia discuss both their favorite and least favorite books of the Bible. The scriptures are the authoritative, written witness to Jesus Christ and the rule of faith and practice. The scriptures are also incredibly diverse, containing both beautiful, instructive content as well as questionable, hardly helpful…
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Charlotte Elia offers a reflection on Romans 8:31-39 for All Souls' Day. "Love can reach across any obstacle, real or imagined, present or future, anything in life and even the chasm of death. You know 'Till death do us part?' That’s a legal boundary, not a Christian one. We love each other beyond death, through death, in spite of death. On this Al…
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In this episode Chad Rhodes and Charlotte Elia discuss their approach to engaging each other in theological conversation and offer some tips and encouragement for listeners hoping to find their own "soul friends." Charlotte: Regardless of where either one of us might go in a conversation there’s a presupposition that I’m trying to come from a place…
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As we enter Allhallowtide Charlotte Elia offers a reflection on Romans 8:31-39. "Our God chose death, destroyed death by occupying death. Our God chose that, chose that out of such a great love for us. God chose to die so that even the terrifying, unknown spaces between worlds would be filled with God’s love, and we’d never be alone, not for a mome…
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In this episode Chad Rhodes gives Charlotte Elia some space to rant about the hate being spewed online by the so-called Christian Right, and then your hosts discuss both the wisdom of trying to respond to it and some tactics should one choose to witness against it. "Ultimately, beyond scriptural evidence, the tradition, what Paul may or may not hav…
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In this episode Chad Rhodes and Charlotte Elia return to one of Chad's blog posts on Osuna and the apophatic way or via negativa. While the kataphatic approach seeks to define God in positive terms, by affirming what God is, the apophatic way seeks the divine by dismissing those things which are not God. The apophatic approach is most often embrace…
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“If the faith is not a journey toward union with God and it’s not transformative, then it’s trash.” -Charlotte In this episode Chad Rhodes and Charlotte Elia take a look at a popular meme featuring a quote from Richard Rohr. The quote reads as follows: "We worshipped Jesus instead of following him on his same path. We made Jesus into a mere religio…
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In this episode Chad Rhodes and Charlotte Elia talk about aliens and what impact an encounter with extraterrestrial life might have on the Christian faith. Your hosts also discuss the impact of Christ's life, death, and resurrection on the entire cosmos and wonder if aliens even need salvation. Will the story of a 1st century Palestinian Jew preach…
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In this episode each of your hosts brings a topic to the table. Chad starts things off by discussing the relationship between Lectio Divina and Christian mysticism. Charlotte then introduces Chad to the pastors who have confused Jesus' teaching and example with the very worst of hyper/toxic masculinity. From Part 1: Chad: One way to think of lectio…
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Charlotte Elia offers a sermon on a passage from Luke 15, commonly referred to as the Parable of the Prodigal Son. "There was a man who had two sons..." It's one of the most repeated stories in the Bible, bringing to mind Cain and Abel, Ishmael and Isaac, Esau and Jacob. The younger son is indulged by his father, leaves the family home, squanders h…
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In this episode Chad Rhodes and Charlotte Elia discuss the issue of "re-baptism." Why would someone seek that for themselves and why would some demand it of others? What's the worry there? What happens to the sins you commit after baptism anyhow? Are they forgiven too? What are some alternatives for folks seeking to mark transitions in their life o…
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Charlotte Elia offers a reflection on Luke 14:25-33. "You see, too many of our churches and far too much of American society are filled with nominal Christians, those who are Christian in name only. Those are folks who have aligned themselves with this faith for friends, power, social networks, and warm, fuzzy feelings rather than mission, the hard…
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