45 - Learning to Speak God from Scratch (feat. Jonathan Merritt)
Surprise! We're still on summer break, but we're popping in with this episode. I get the chance to talk to award-winning author Jonathan Merritt about why people are using sacred language less, why that matters, and what we can do about it. We'll see you in a few weeks for Season 3, kicking off in September!
Things we mention in this episode/other resources:
- Studies in Words by C. S. Lewis
- If you're interested more in the connection between our language and the way we view the world, I (Robert) recommend Words Can Change Your Brain by Andrew Newberg & Mark Robert Waldman
- Psychology Today article: 'How the Language You Speak Influences the Way You Think'
Connect with Jonathan on his website, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or buy his new book Learning to Speak God from Scratch: Why Sacred Words are Vanishing - and How We Can Revive Them on Amazon. You can also listen to Jonathan on The Faith Angle or Seekers & Speakers.
Quotes:
- “The vast majority of Americans, despite widespread religiosity, do not feel comfortable having spiritual conversations." (tweet)
- “The words that we speak reveal something about what we believe and then shape what we believe.” (tweet)
- “Language is not just expressive, it is also formative. The language that we use actually shapes what is inside of us.” (tweet)
- “You cannot pretend you use language in a vacuum. It’s always attached to our experiences.” (tweet)
Connect with Robert on his website, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
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Intro/Outro music for this episode is ‘Fall Down’ by Rivers & Robots.
