“My growing love for the clowns in Rome made me desire to clown around a little myself and to speak about such foolish things as being alone, treasuring emptiness, standing naked before God, and simply seeing things for what they are. I came to feel that in this full, imposing, venerable, and busy city there must be a very deep desire to live out the other side of our being, the side that wants to play, dance, smile, and do many other useless things." -Henri Nouwen
On this episode, my guest Rebecca Johnston* talks about making the adjustment to pastoring solo during a crisis in her family. When trouble hits, we all need to remember what is most important and return to the grounding and sometimes “foolish” practices that help us stay anchored in the life of faith. Our discussion of Henri Nouwen’s book Clowning in Rome: Reflections on Solitude, Celibacy, Prayer and Contemplation provided a great frame for our conversation.
01:30 Planting Microchurches
12:30 What is “dinner church”?
17:20 Pastoring through a spouse’s mental health crisis
27:29 About Henri Nouwen and Clowning in Rome
31:45 Four “clown-like elements for the spiritual life.
33:00 What does celibacy as “embracing emptiness” mean for single and married folks?
34:45 How celibacy teaches the church about God’s nature.
Resources Mentioned & Affiliate Links:**
Clowning in Rome: Reflections on Solitude, Celibacy, Prayer and Contemplation
*Rebecca is an intentionally co-vocational church pastor, ordained minister, grad student, mom of two, and proud midwesterner. You can follow her house-church renovations on IG.
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YPRB host Heather Weber is a book-obsessed pastor, seminarian, and author. She is the author of Dear Boy,: An Epistolary Memoir. Find out more about her writing and creative projects at www.heatherweber.org. And, subscribe to her Dear Exiles newsletter at heatherweber.substack.com.
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