The Cross Ties the Whole Place Together - Easter 7A (May 14, 2026)

Send us Fan MailComedians with Pastors Talking Bible is the show where Pittsburgh stand-up comedians and ELCA pastors sit down with the week's gospel text — and see what happens when nobody's too precious about it.This week Abby Evans (@itsabbye) and Erick Williams (@comicaledubs) return as Resident Comic Theologians for a Short Take on John 17:1-11, the High Priestly Prayer — Jesus's long, looping, recursive prayer on the last night before the crucifixion. It's the 7th Sunday of Easter, the church where CPTB records is being sold to a Sheetz developer, and Jesus is praying in circles. Which, it turns out, might be the most honest thing anyone's ever done.Expect:Why the Trinity doesn't work on a logical level, and why that might actually be the pointThe High Priestly Prayer as Jesus's big showstopper — his "Defying Gravity," the number where the lights dim downA religion founded on the Big Lebowski, and why the cross ties the whole place togetherAbby's assembled crack legal team (Brittany, Alexis, Rebecca Canterbury, James J. Hamilton — different specialties, all bases covered)Whether Hamlet is the Lion King or the Lion King is Hamlet — Abby rules, decisivelyThe theological case that old church buildings are just holding cells for Spirit Halloween"Jesus is proof that sometimes you have to trust your friends even when they're talking in a way that's really annoying." — Erick Williams---Luke 24:44–53 (NRSVue)[44] Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” [45] Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, [46] and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day [47] and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. [48] You are witnesses of these things. [49] And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised, so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” [50] Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. [51] While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. [52] And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, [53] and they were continually in the temple blessing God.Hosted by Pastor Eric Damon and Pastor Bob Schaefer.Join the community!Email us at [email protected] us at @cptbpod on most social media platforms.More at linktr.ee/cptbpodMusic: Trickster by Phat SoundsFree download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10864-tricksterLicensed under CC BY 4.0: https://filmmusic.io/standard-licenseScripture quotations are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.