Here Be Dragons 2 : When God Says NO. episode artwork

EPISODE · Mar 28, 2026 · 24 MIN

Here Be Dragons 2 : When God Says NO.

from Simply Christian LIFE with Bishop Michael Hunn · host Michael Buerkel Hunn

Here Be Dragons (Meditation 2): When God Says No—The Apophatic Way and the Church’s Stripping Away Bishop Michael Hun of the Diocese of the Rio Grande reflects on the Episcopal Church’s shift from mid-20th-century cultural confidence and institutional influence to a present season of decline, financial strain, and uncertainty, describing it as an apophatic “stripping away” in which familiar supports, plans, and programs fail and God seems to say “no.” He argues this is not a verdict of worthlessness but a clarification of vocation: willingness to follow Jesus without the future, security, or success once imagined, focusing instead on the people, place, and work actually given. Drawing cautious historical “rhymes” from the German church under Nazism and the Roman Catholic Church in Chile under Pinochet, he warns against trading the gospel for respectability, silence, or political co-option, and calls the church to speak publicly about bodies, violence, and justice while discerning how to proclaim gospel truth so people across a polarized spectrum can hear it. For more on Dietrich Bonhoeffer : https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sourc... For more on Chile and the Church see: William T Cavenaugh's book, Torture and Eucharist : Theology, Politics, and the Body of Christ. 00:00 Welcome and Series Setup 00:38 The Church We Remember 04:13 Facing Decline and Uncertainty 06:36 When God Says No 08:07 Vocation in the Wilderness 10:25 Germany and Bonhoeffer 15:24 Chile and the Churchs Voice 16:48 Gospel Not Partisan Politics 20:05 Incarnation and Public Witness 21:14 Choosing Faithfulness and Silence

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