This week, Grace and I dove deep into the messy, fascinating history of how the early church wrestled with the Holy Spirit – and let me tell you, it’s way more complicated than most of us realize. We’re talking about a time when there was no canonized New Testament, no creeds, just a bunch of monotheistic folks trying to figure out what to do with the fact that God raised Jesus from the dead and they were experiencing God through the Spirit. Grace brilliantly walks us through why it took centuries to develop clear doctrine about the Trinity (spoiler: the word isn’t even in the Bible!), how Roman imperial politics shaped these theological debates, and why context absolutely matters when we’re doing theology. We tackle some killer questions from our class participants about everything from explaining the Trinity to Muslims and Jews, to how we discern when the Holy Spirit is actually working versus our own emotions and desires. Plus, we discuss how theology is always a second-order discourse from the actual life of God’s people – which means our language about God better be accountable to how God is actually present with us. If you want to understand where our doctrines come from and why they matter (or don’t), this conversation is essential listening.
REDISCOVERING THE SPIRIT: Hand-Raisers, Han, & the Holy Ghost is an open-online course exploring the dynamic, often overlooked third person of the Trinity. Based on Grace's groundbreaking work on the Holy Spirit (pneumatology), this class takes participants on a journey through biblical foundations, historical developments, diverse cultural perspectives, and practical applications of Spirit theology.
Moving beyond traditional Western theological frameworks, we'll explore feminist interpretations, global perspectives, and innovative approaches to understanding the Spirit in today's world. Whether you've felt the Spirit was missing from your faith journey or are simply curious to deepen your understanding, this class creates space for thoughtful discussion, personal reflection, and spiritual growth.
FOUR LIVE SESSIONS:
Tuesdays (May 20th - June 10th) at 10am PT / 1pm ET
ASYNCHRONOUS CLASS: You can participate fully without being present at any specific time. Replays are available on the Class Resource Page.
COST: A course like this is typically offered for $250 or more. Your contributions are what make our classes possible. We invite you to contribute whatever amount you feel led to give (including $0).
Grace Ji-Sun Kim is Coming to Theology Beer Camp!
Theology Beer Camp 2025
October 16-18, 2025 - St. Paul, Minnestoa
Theology Beer Camp is a unique three-day conference that brings together of theology nerds and craft beer for a blend of intellectual engagement, community building, and fun. Organized by Homebrewed Christianity, this event features a lineup of well-known podcasters, scholars, and theology enthusiasts who come together to "nerd out" on theological topics while enjoying loads of fun activities.
If you appreciate the work of Tripp Fuller and Homebrewed Christianity, please consider becoming a paid subscriber to the “Process This” Substack.
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