J. Dana Trent | For Sabbath's Sake - a podcast by Matthew David Brough - Helping you stay connected to God | Let God Be God | Let God Be Present

"It's that one day a week that shapes the remaining six..."—J. Dana Trent

Episode 67 of Spirituality for Ordinary People features an interview with J. Dana Trent.  J. Dana Trent is a graduate of Duke Divinity School and professor of World Religions and Critical Thinking at Wake Tech Community College. An ordained Baptist minister and former hospital chaplain, her work has appeared on Time.com, and in Religion News Service, Sojourners, Religion Dispatches, and The Christian Century.

Key Learnings

Sabbath is not ordinary time. Sabbath is about stepping out of paying the bills, doing errands, shopping, etc. and stepping into meaning-making, being closer to God, connecting to community.

Sabbath is a privilege. It is no longer a right in American/Canadian culture 

God takes time away from creating to be in awe of the creation. When we take time to be in awe of creation a few things happen: we rest, we become more worshipful, we connect with community.

There is a tradition of the visit of the Sabbath Queen visiting your house when you keep sabbath well. Could this be a powerful image of royalty visiting your house. What would that be like?

"The community that rests together is the community that resists together."—Barbara Brown Taylor

The three barriers in the way of Sabbath keeping are: the ego, not being humble, and not trusting.

Children are great at Sabbath keeping!

Sabbath has a way of revealing what your real life is.

Sabbath can be a time for taking stock, for introspection, for asking questions about your life.

Things to Think About

How can the Sabbath be the priority that you work towards? And how can you allow the Sabbath day to shape the other six days?

How can you better prepare for Sabbath or better keep the boundaries of Sabbath?

In what way can you start small to practice Sabbath? (e.g. an afternoon, an hour, a meal with friends, etc.)

If you are a clergy person how can you model Sabbath for your congregation?

Spiritual Practices Discussed in this Episode

Sabbath (Obviously!)

Links and Resources:

• J. Dana Trent's Website



• For Sabbath's Sake by J. Dana Trent



• One Breath at a Time: A Skeptics Guide to Christian Meditation by J. Dana Trent



• Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal, and Delight in Our Busy Lives by Wayne Muller (outline of a Sabbath Day in the back of the book)



• Kate Rademacher's website (author of Following the Red Bird)

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Further episodes of Spirituality for Ordinary People

Further podcasts by Matthew David Brough - Helping you stay connected to God | Let God Be God | Let God Be Present

Website of Matthew David Brough - Helping you stay connected to God | Let God Be God | Let God Be Present