Welcome to God at the Movies!  We're glad you're here.  Co-hosts Danielle Strickland and James Sholl spend this season diving deep into popular movies and TV shows and what's being said about culture today.  The base from which they approach this task is found in the belief that God is at work redeeming all things everywhere.  If you watch and listen closely, popular movies and tv shows are exposing the deep seated questions of our time. This is an invitation into humanity’s collective experience of life that has the potential to move us into deeper love for others and an increased hope in Jesus.Christians have traditionally had two major responses to popular culture: avoid completely (defensive), or embrace completely (assimilation).  We want to offer a different way: meaningful engagement that leads to connection and change. Along with the podcast, there is a discussion guide available for you if you're looking to engage with movies and TV in community.  Each episode will have a more specific guide attached in the show notes.  For this weeks guide: Discussion GuideFor more information on Infinitum Life, please visit infinitumlife.comFor all the other initiatives that Danielle is involved in, visit daniellestrickland.com For more information on James and his community, go to wellspringtoronto.ca

Trigger warning: abuse, sexual violence & self-harmThe movie discussed in this bonus episode is the Oscar-nominated film "Women Talking"Guests on this episode are Lori-Ann Thompson and Angela Lam.Lori Anne Thompson is Survivor. Storyteller. Student. She holds a BSCH Kinesiology from Queens University and a MA in Child Advocacy and Policy from Montclair State University. Her bravery in exposing the abuse of Ravi Zacharias is considered to be one of the catalysts for the #churchtoo movementAngela Lam is the Co-Founder of Hagar's Voice who brings 20 years of pastoral experience to her work with survivors and the prevention of abuse in religious spaces.If you, or someone you know, has experienced clergy sexual abuse, Hagar's Voice is a space designed for safety & support for survivors of this particular form of abuse. If you need support around a broader scope of abuse, resources are available for you in your local area. A Google search of 'How to get help if you're being abused' will produce results specific to your local context.If you desire to spark your imagination and theology on the Jesus-based work against abuse, check out the resource The Liberating Move of God.

Guest - Jonathan ClemensFor a comprehensive account of Yoder’s abuse and subsequent responses to it, read https://www.bishop-accountability.org/news5/2015_01_Goossen_Defanging_the_Beast.pdfHillary Scasella’s response to why so many have missed the mark in response to Yoder’s abuse is brilliant - https://www.abc.net.au/religion/not-making-sense-why-stanley-hauerwass-response-to-yoders-sexual/10095168 The essay Jon mentioned by Villegas can be found here - https://waynenorthey.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/EcclesialEthicsofJHYAbuse.pdf 

Guest - Anna ChadwickAs a survivor of Clergy Sexual Abuse, Anna understands this type of abuse at a very personal level.  In order to help others, she is attending graduate school to study trauma and abuse at The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology.  Additionally, she co-founded and serves as a co-director for Restored Voices Collective, a community of survivors healing together.  The restored voices website can be found here www.restoredvoicescollective.comA link to recommendations for church leaders dealing with abuse:https://www.dianelangberg.com/2019/02/recommendations-for-churches-dealing-with-abuse/