Creativity and Integrity: Martha, Peter, and a Path to Nonviolent Conflict
What if peace isn’t the absence of conflict, but the presence of integrity? January Jaxon and Andrew McRae explore Jesus’ startling claim that he came not to bring peace, but division — and how his presence exposes the false peace we create through compliance, control, and avoidance. Drawing on psychologist Karen Horney’s conflict coping strategies and master coach Jen Johnsen’s model of conflict-with-integrity, they imagine a nonviolent way of staying in relationship when tensions threaten to tear us apart.
You’ll hear:
- Karen Horney’s three conflict strategies (and why they produce false peace)
- How presence, truth, and kindness bring us back into wholeness
- How Thomas Merton’s little brother modeled integrity in a moment of conflict
- The power of Jesus’ prayer to see his enemies through God’s eyes — not his own
PLUS an exercise for identifying where violent social systems are mirrored in your own inner life, so you can practice peace from the inside out.
“I love and fully respect where you two have taken the conversation and I find it personally meaningful despite being ‘outside' the church teachings.”
—Jessica Peterson
Ideal for listeners interested in Girardian theology, Internal Family Systems as a spiritual practice, and the power of active nonviolence to transform violent systems.
Chapters:
Theology Kills is exclusively listener-funded. Subscribe to us on Patreon for bonus audio, downloadable worksheets, and a friendly community to carry on the conversation.
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
Note: This podcast is a personal exploration of theology, creativity, and human experience. January Jaxon and Andrew McRae are not medical or mental health professionals, and nothing in this podcast should be understood as medical or psychological advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Our discussions are general and are not a substitute for personalized care. If you need medical or mental health support, we encourage you to seek care from a qualified professional.
Chapters:
- (00:00) - Introduction
- (01:08) - Presentation: The Theology of Peaceful Conflict
- (23:30) - A working definition of integrity
- (32:20) - Can we recognize integrity with the help of purpose?
- (41:22) - "An absence of resistance to what is"
- (43:33) - Earth as What Is, and Heaven as What Ought To Be
- (49:25) - Thomas Merton's brother models conflict with integrity
- (57:48) - Being, Doing, and dis-integration
- (01:05:34) - Is it even possible for Doing to come before Being?
- (01:13:09) - "Love your neighbor as yourself" is both individual and social
- (01:19:03) - Are our conflict strategies always obvious?
- (01:25:57) - Resentment as a warning sign
- (01:27:46) - The practice of Fractal Integrity
- (01:52:46) - The 10 Commandments and the contagiousness of love and care
- (02:00:10) - End credits
Theology Kills is exclusively listener-funded. Subscribe to us on Patreon for bonus audio, downloadable worksheets, and a friendly community to carry on the conversation.
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
Note: This podcast is a personal exploration of theology, creativity, and human experience. January Jaxon and Andrew McRae are not medical or mental health professionals, and nothing in this podcast should be understood as medical or psychological advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Our discussions are general and are not a substitute for personalized care. If you need medical or mental health support, we encourage you to seek care from a qualified professional.
