
Wholistic Christianity
By Reverend Shawn Garan

Wholistic ChristianitySep 25, 2023

The Prodigal, the Father, and the "Good Son." (Audio)
A Sunday message give here at uccsouthbury.org
You can also find me at shawngaran.com

The Prodigal, the Father, and the "Good Son."
A Sunday message give here at uccsouthbury.org
You can also find me at shawngaran.com

The Ego & the Shadow in the Biblical Narrative
Here is a message given here at our church:
uccsouthbury.org
shawngaran.com
Thanks for listening. Please rate, like, comment, subscribe and all that jazz if you can :)

Splitting: It's Not All Black & White
Here is a message given at our church.
You can find out more about our church and stay up to date with our messages by checking out uccsouthbury.org or shawngaran.com
Like, subscribe, and all that stuff, as well as comment, Id love to hear any feedback.
Thanks!
Shawn

James the Just (Part 4)
This is our fourth part in a series on the Letter of James, brother of Jesus.

James the Just (Part 3)
This is third part in a series on the Letter of James, brother of Jesus.

James the Just (Part 2)
Our second part in a series on the Letter of James, brother of Jesus.

James the Just (Part 1)
My apologies all for the late return. I will be uploading my previous messages once I get caught up here at my church. Now that we are streaming on Youtube I am able to download the messages and upload them here. Thanks for listening!
This is our first part in a series on the Letter of James, brother of Jesus.

The Discipline of Simplicity
In this message we cover the Discipline of Simplicity from the book, Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster.

The Discipline of Study
In this episode we look at the Discipline of Study and how it can inspire us to live a more Christ-like life.

The Discipline of Fasting
In this message we cover the discipline of fasting.

The Discipline of Prayer
In this episode we talk about the Discipline of Prayer in the life of a Christian. We are looking at the second chapter of Richard Foster's book, The Celebration of Discipline.

The Discipline of Meditation
In this new season we will be looking at the book, "A Celebration of Discipline" by Richard Foster. It is considered a Christian classic and I believe it points us in the right direction as it promotes the practice of Christianity, giving us instructions on how to live as a believer instead of just as a spectator of Christ's life.
In this episode we will be looking at the Discipline of Meditation.

The Letter to the Hebrews Chapter 4
This week we continue our study of Hebrews.

The Letter to the Hebrews Chapter 3
This week we continue our study of Hebrews.

Hebrews Chapter 2
This week we continue our journey through the Book of Hebrews.

The Messiah's Donkey
This week we celebrated Palm Sunday and this message speaks to that day in the life of Jesus, when he entered into Jerusalem with palms waving and riding on a donkey.

What Did Jesus Teach? (Sermon on the Mount)
In this message we talk about the first part in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount.

The Symbol of Fire in the Bible
This is an older sermon I preached that I had posted on Youtube a year ago. It has gotten some traction there so I thought I would post it here as a podcast.

The Symbol of the Cross (Part 2)
In this episode we look at what the cross really was for Jesus and what it is for us.

The Symbol of the Cross (Part 1)
In this episode we look at what the cross really was for Jesus and what it is for us.

Baptism, The Beginning of Our Spiritual Quest
In this episode we look at what baptism symbolizes in the life of a Christian. I call it the initiation into the Christ Quest as it marks the commitment to raise up our children not just as physical beings but also as spiritual beings.

Baptism by Water, Baptism by Spirit
What is the difference between water baptism and baptism by the Holy Spirit? Today we look at Acts 8:14-17.

The Mystery of the Ages
Here is my first official sermon delivered at the United Church of Christ in Southbury, CT. The text we looked at today was the letter to the Ephesians chapter 3 verses 1-12. You can join us each week on Zoom by visiting our website: https://www.uccsouthbury.org

The Mystery Behind the Nativity (Short Version)
Here is a clip from my Christmas message preached on 12/19 on what the Nativity means for me.

The Legend of the Nativity
This week we look at the symbolic meaning of the Nativity.

A Simple Guide for Behavior
Here is another sermon I preached back in 2020 on Matthew 7.

The Parable of the Talents
Here is a message I preached back in 2020 on the Parable of the Talents found in Matthew 25: 14-30

Carl Jung & Christianity Podcast Preview
Check my previous episodes to find the full series on this subject.

The Kingdom of Truth
This week we look at the Gospel of John chapter 18 verses 33-37 where Jesus and Pilate have a conversation over the question of “What is Truth?” Tonight we will analyze this passage to see what Jesus means when he says, “I have come to testify to the truth” and what this means for us who follow Jesus.
Many blessings,
Reverend Shawn shawngaran.com

The Parable of the Fig Tree
What does a fig tree have to do with Jesus' take on the religion of his day? In this week's message we will take a look at the Gospel of Mark chapter 13 and see how Jesus ties his interaction with a fig tree to the interaction he has at his Temple.

The Bible As a Spiritual Journal
Today we will be looking at the Hebrews 9 and see how the Bible is not a book stuck in time but rather a spiritual journal that speaks to the picture of God as a developing image that is getting clearer to us over time.

Rethinking Abraham
Today we will take a look at Genesis 22, the story where Abraham is tested, to examine it with modern eyes to see if we can take away something that helps us think about our faith.

The True Story of Noah and the Flood
Paul tells us many times in Scripture that the stories of the Bible have "secret and hidden" messages underneath them. Today we will look at the Story of Noah and the Flood, found in Genesis chapter 5-10, and see the deeper spiritual message of that old children's tale we grew up with. Thanks for watching! Rev. Shawn shawngaran.com

God in the Garden vs. The God Revealed by Jesus
It is hard to come to the Bible without bringing our preconceived beliefs to it. We all grew up with these Biblical stories and never really questioned them. In this series we are going through the Bible using our God-given minds to see if we might update our understanding in light of what Jesus taught us about the nature of God the Father.
Many blessings,
Reverend Shawn
shawngaran.com

Loving God, Loving One Another
In our conclusion to this series on Jung and Christianity I boil down everything we have talked about this year and sum up what I think the Gnostics, Jung, and Jesus had been saying about the nature of our Self, God, and the people around us.

Jung & Christianity (Part 4) Jesus and the YHWH Archetype
In this message we learn about how the idea of God emerged from the people of Israel and how that archetype of YHWH was realized in the person of Jesus. Knowing this can lead us to a better understanding of what we are called to do with Jesus as our model and teacher.
Many blessings,
Reverend Shawn

Jung & Christianity (Part 3): Christ & the Archetype of the Self

To Change Or Not to Change
A message I preached on the Book of Galatians and the Book of Acts.

For Such A Time As This
A message on the book of Jeremiah I preached awhile back.

God Steps Down with a New Way
This is an older message I taught about how God changed from being someone who sits on a throne to being a God who dwells among us.

The Difference Between the Physical & Spiritual Flesh
In this episode we look at what Paul meant in 1 Corinthians 15. This is a message I preached in February of 2019.

Why the Name Change from Gnostic to Wholistic Christianity?
I just wanted to share shortly on why I changed the name from Gnostic to Wholistic Christianity as some have asked me about that.

Ancient Storytelling & the Biblical Narrative
This is a message I preached awhile back. It speaks to how the ancient people used stories as a way of communicating a narrative. We must understand that the ancient people were not recording history but rather trying to relay a message.

Jung & the Book of Job (Jung & Christianity Pt. 2)
This week we will be looking at what Carl Jung has to say about the Book of Job and how it radically shifts the story of God into a more personal story of a Father who is learning how to love Creation. This weeks service will be outdoors under the tent.

Jung & Christianity (Part 1)
This week we will be gathering together again for a new series that looks at Christianity through the lens of Dr. Carl Jung. Jung grew up as a pastors kid and was fascinated by the symbolism and meaning that this world religion expressed in its story and practice. His perspective will, I hope, give us fresh eyes to see Christianity in ways that inspire and encourage us to live out the call of Christ in our everyday lives.

The Gospel of Philip (Part 5)
Discovered at Nag Hammadi in Egypt, the Gospel of Philip looks at new a new text from the period of early Christianity that invites us to spark a new imagination around the person of Jesus Christ. Tonight we are introducing the character of Philip and seeing how his interactions with Jesus may have set the stage for how we look at this new and fascinating discovery from the 3rd century A.D.

The Gospel of Philip (Part 4)
In this message we look through the lens of the Gospel of Philip to understand the symbolism behind the Flesh and Blood of Christ.

The Gospel of Philip (Part 3)
Discovered at Nag Hammadi in Egypt, the Gospel of Philip looks at new a new text from the period of early Christianity that invites us to spark a new imagination around the person of Jesus Christ.
You can find this and all my content on shawngaran.com

The Gospel of Philip (Part 2)
Discovered at Nag Hammadi in Egypt, the Gospel of Philip looks at new a new text from the period of early Christianity that invites us to spark a new imagination around the person of Jesus Christ. Tonight we are introducing the character of Philip and seeing how his interactions with Jesus may have set the stage for how we look at this new and fascinating discovery from the 3rd century A.D.
You can find this and all my content on shawngaran.com