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and the National Catholic Reporter

February 9th, 2026

Episode #58, John Dear speaks with Ched Myers on his new book on the Gospel of Luke

On this week’s episode of “The Nonviolent Jesus Podcast,” John Dear speaks with Ched Myers, one of the world’s greatest scripture scholars, about his new book on the Gospel of Luke, called Healing Affluenza and Resisting Plutocracy: Luke’s Jesus and Sabbath Economics.
 
Many of us consider Ched’s commentary on Mark, Binding the Strong Man: A Political Reading of Mark’s Story of Jesus (Orbis Books, 1988), the greatest book on scripture ever written. An activist and a theologian, Ched and his partner Elaine Enns are ecumenical Mennonites based in southern California where they lead Bartimaeus Cooperative Ministries (visit www.bcmonline.org). He begins our conversation by sharing his journey to radical Christianity through the Catholic Worker movement and our mentor Daniel Berrigan, and then we turn to Luke.
 

In his new book, Ched explores Luke from the perspective of “Sabbath economics,” the biblical practice of resisting economic disparity and the idolatry of wealth, greed, and war. We discuss Jesus’ first sermon in the Nazareth synagogue where he proclaims the Jubilee Year (Lk. 4), the parable of Lazarus the rich man and the poor beggar who dies and goes to heaven (Lk. 16), and Luke’s resurrection story on the road to Emmaus (Lk. 24)
 
“The biggest single, core, root issue of violence is economic disparity–the cruel gulf between the have-too-muches- and the have-not-enoughs. Concentrated wealth underlies every form of violence and is ruining our planet. If we Christians are going to follow the Way, we need to dive into the scripture about Sabbath economics.” Listen to Ched Myers and be inspired! God bless you!

Next week…

The Nonviolent Jesus Podcast welcomes Ann Wright! For more information, visit here.

Listen on Apple, Spotify, all major platforms,
and the National Catholic Reporter

February 16th, 2026

Episode #59, John Dear speaks with activist Ann Wright

On this week’s episode of “The Nonviolent Jesus Podcast,” John Dear speaks peace activist Ann Wright. She is a retired US Army Colonel who worked in the military for 29 years, 13 on active duty and 16 in the Army Reserves, as well as a retired US state department official. In March 2003, when the US started massively bombing Iraq, she was one of three state department officials to publicly resign in protest of the US war on Iraq. Since then, she has become a full-time activist working to end war, often working with organizations such as Veterans for Peace, CODEPINK, International Peace Bureau, and World Beyond War.
 
She travels full time to places of conflict around the world, such as Iran, North Korea, Yemen, Afghanistan, Nicaragua, Palestine, and Cuba, to see firsthand the effects of US warmaking. She also speaks out and writes about the need to resist war and pursue peace.  She has been a coordinator with the Gaza Freedom Flotilla for 16 years and was jailed in Israeli prisons twice for being on Gaza flotillas. Visit: www.voicesofconscience.com
 
They discuss her public resignation over the US war on Iraq, and her work for peace in Afghanistan and Palestine as well as the abolition of nuclear weapons.
 
“I just could not be a part of what I knew was going to be a horrific death for so many people in Iraq,” she tells John about her resignation. “Never underestimate the power of trying to get people together to do something that will galvanize the rest of our community and the country. It’s our own conscience we have to watch out for. We have to be able to say: ‘I’ve done what I could to try to stop the violence in our world.’ Be consistent and keep moving!” Listen in and be inspired! God bless everyone!—Fr. John

Next week…

The Nonviolent Jesus Podcast welcomes John Dear! For more information, visit here.

Upcoming Zoom Programs:

Rev. Charlie McCarthy, “The Nonviolent Jesus Is, Before Abraham or the World Was”

Saturday February 14, 2026

11 am Pacific, 12 PM Mountain, 1 PM Central, 2 PM Eastern

 

Ched Myers on his new book, “Healing Affluenza and Resisting Plutocracy: Luke’s Jesus and Sabbath Economics”

Saturday March 7, 2026

11 am Pacific, 12 PM Mountain, 1 PM Central, 2 PM Eastern

 

Sr. Helen Prejean, in conversation with John Dear, on the Holy Week Journey of the Nonviolent Jesus

Saturday March 28, 2026

11 am Pacific, 12 PM Mountain, 1 PM Central, 2 PM Eastern

 

John Dear on his new book, “Universal Love: Surrendering to the God of Peace”

Saturday April 18, 2026

11 am Pacific, 12 PM Mountain, 1 PM Central, 2 PM Eastern

 

John Dear’s new book now available

“The Gospel of Peace:
Reading Matthew, Mark & Luke
from the Perspective of Nonviolence”

For info, click here
 
To order, Call Orbis Books at 1-800-258-5838
 
 
 
 

To invite John Dear to speak in your city, write to: john@beatitudescenter.org 

National Catholic Reporter Review of “The Gospel of Peace,” click here
 
To watch Fr. John’s interview with Dean Young of Grace Cathedral about the book, click here
 
To watch Fr. John’s sermon at Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, on Jan. 21, 2024, (at the 30 minute mark) click here

John Dear’s new book available February 17th, 2026

Universal Love:
Surrendering to the God of Peace
By John Dear

For more information, click here
 
Available from www.orbisbooks.com or call 1-800-258-5838, or Amazon.com
 
 
“One of the people I respect most on this earth and whose winsome company I enjoy most is Fr. John Dear. In this short, valuable, and practical book, John shares his conversations with a young spiritual seeker named Will who came to him seeking spiritual guidance. As I read each chapter, I felt like I was meeting with John for coffee, sharing my struggles, and receiving his wisdom and encouragement. This book is a treasure.”
— Brian McLaren, author of Faith After Doubt and The Last Voyage

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LATEST NEWS FROM THE BEATITUDES CENTER

Quote for the Day: 

“The wolf shall live with the lamb; the leopard shall lie down with the kid. The calf and the lion will feed together, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together;
and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the
adder’s den. They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the God of peace as the waters cover the sea.”

(Isaiah 11:6–9)

Quote for the Day: 

“I am called in the Word of God — as is everyone else — to the vocation of being human, nothing more and nothing less … To be a Christian
means to be called to be an exemplary human being. And to be a Christian categorically does not mean being religious. Indeed, all religious versions of the gospel are profanities. In the face of death, live humanly. In the middle of chaos, celebrate the Word. Amidst Babel, speak the truth. Confront the noise and verbiage and falsehood of death with the truth and potency and efficacy of the Word of God. Know the Word, teach the Word, nurture the Word, preach the Word, define the Word, incarnate the Word, do the Word, live the Word. And more than that, in the Word of God, expose death and all death’s works and wiles, rebuke lies,
cast out demons, exorcise, cleanse the possessed,
raise those who are dead in mind and conscience.”

–William Stringfellow

February 12, 2026

Dear friends, Christ’s blessings of peace to you!

    On the next episode of “The Nonviolent Jesus Podcast,” Monday February 16th, I speak with my friend peace activist Ann Wright. She is a retired US Army Colonel who worked in the military for 29 years, 13 on active duty and 16 in the Army Reserves, as well as a retired US state department official. 

     In March 2003, when the US started massively bombing Iraq, she was one of three state department officials to publicly resign in protest of the US war on Iraq. Since then, she has become a full-time activist working to end war, often working with organizations such as Veterans for Peace, CODEPINK, International Peace Bureau, and World Beyond War.