You Tube Theology

Welcome to Episode One in our series George MacDonald for Every Generation. This episode features Julie Canlis and Leah Holser. Today's conversation reviews George MacDonald's background and his own experience within a community that embraced Federal Calvinism, a very strong and austere derivative of Calvinism. We explore how MacDonald gently resisted some of these ideas, and how his imaginative works brought to life the inherent hypocrisy and danger that lurked within the constructs of Federal Calvinism. We discuss how our ideas of God are shaped in childhood and how parents and ministers can feel liberated to allow the child's imagination to run free in the love of God. Julie Canlis, PhD St Andrews Author and acclaimed Calvin scholar, Canlis is a sessional lecturer at Regent College Vancouver, and a guest lecturer to many institutions. Her research was awarded the prestigious Templeton Prize, and her first book was awarded a Christianity Today Award in Theology. While raising four children, she produced the microbook A Theology of the Ordinary and developed the non-profit associated with her husband's documentary Godspeed. She is also co-founder of The Abbey School in Scotland and is liturgical director for Trinity Church in Wenatchee, WA. Leah Holser will complete her Master's in Theology & Culture at St. Stephen's University in 2025. She has been active in parenting and children's ministry for nearly 25 years, and has a passion for families to be full of love and flourish in every way. She is the President of the Board of Directors of Northwest Family Life, a Seattle-based nonprofit organization dedicated to ending the cycle of domestic violence. Since 1989, Northwest Family Life's network of faith based counselors has been characterized by a strong commitment to our mission of "assisting individuals and families in finding hope and healing when facing the pain of domestic violence, trafficking, trauma, and related issues." As a non-profit learning and counseling center based in the greater Seattle area, we have a three-pronged approach to ending domestic violence: advocacy, intervention, and prevention. Northwest Family Life is a 501(c)3 organization. https://northwestfamilylife.org/ Connect with Derek: X: https://X.com/derekholser TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@derekholser Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplungewithderekholser/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/derekholser New Book! Lightgliders: https://a.co/d/bDvRc0Y Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to George McDonald 08:25 Misconceptions About George McDonald 11:18 Understanding Federal Calvinism 13:58 McDonald's Perspective on Calvinism 16:45 The Emotional and Spiritual Misalignment 19:12 The Role of Imagination in Faith 21:57 Parenting and Faith in McDonald's Thought 33:57 The Power of Imagination and Wonder 36:55 Reframing Obedience and Freedom 42:22 Characters that Inspire: The Grandmother and Sir Gibby 49:30 Imagination as a Tool for Parenting 54:59 Overcoming Fear in Parenting 01:00:16 Podcast Open B_V1.wav 01:00:40 Embracing Whimsy in Life 01:02:07 The Importance of Playfulness and Spontaneity