Kenny and Mike discuss and spot faith in the hit Apple TV series from Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul creator Vince Gilligan. Set in Albuquerque Plur1bus stars Better Call Saul co-star Rhea Seehorn (Carol) and co-stars Karolina Wydra ( Zosia) and Carlos-Manuel Vesga (Manousos)

Carol is one of 13 people world wide who are immune from an extraterrestrial derived virus that has united all the worlds population into "The Others," a mind hive where everyone is interconnected, content and peaceful. Every individual "Other" can communicate with all "Others" and have knowledge of everything ever known.

While 11 of the immune are content with the change, as the Others provide everything they need or want, Carol and Manousos resist and are determined to reverse the virus and restore the world to the way things were prior to the arrival of the virus. Season 1 of Plur1bus is currently on Apple+TV.

Faith Issues Spotted:

Freedom to Choose: God's willingness to give people agency to make their own life decisions and act in ways that are counter to the life and desires God has for them. Such freedom is a part of the brokenness and suffering of creation and is the source of pain and suffering to all of creation as well as God. This freedom to choose is also part of what makes humanity the highest level of creation as it is a part of being in the image and likeness of God.

Purpose and Power of Community: When individuals gather together to work together for the benefit of the community, suffering can be greatly reduced for persons inside and beyond the collective. Acts 2:44-46, Acts 4:32-35

Individuality: While community is important and part of God's desire for humanity, each person is an individual, given unique interests, gifts, talents, and calling.

The place and purpose of Grief in being able to move through loss.

The importance of satisfaction in life, being able to enjoy one's life and accomplishments.

Kenny and Mike review the Prime Video documentary The Merchants of Joy and speak with the director Celia Aniskovich. The Merchants of Joy offers a look into the people and work behind the Christmas tree stands that seem to magically popup the day after Thanksgiving. Ankisovich presents the stories of the families, the competition that begins in the Summer as they bid on stand locations, their work the with tree farms, the financial risks, the month of 18 hour days managing and selling the trees that play an important part in their customers celebrating the joy of the season, and the community they have developed.

Faith Reflected:

The nature of calling, as represented by the five families as they not only to profit by the stands but help spread the joy of the season. Additionally, Kenny and Mike discuss with Celia her calling to likewise work long, hard and take financial risk to tell the story of the merchants.

The fullness and complexity of joy. Joy is more than happiness, it is also resistance and this aspect reflects the joy of the nativity, God's resisting the brokeness of the world through the inauguration of the Kingdom through the birth of Jesus.

Faithspotting co-hosts Mike and Kenny are joined by writer / director Max Walker-Silverman to discuss his newest film Rebuilding, which stars Josh O'connor, Lily LaTorre, Meghann Fahy, Kali Reis, and Amy Madigan. Set in Max's home state of Colorado, Rebuilding is a moving story of a family and community coming together in the aftermath of a wildfire that destroyed their homes and scorched their land and lives. Max drew upon his experience of losing a family home and acerage to a fire when he was growing up. Rebuilding is distributed by Bleeker Street.

Following Kenny and MIke's discussion of the film and faith they spotted, there is an interview with Max Walker-Silverman. In addition, Mike's co-teacher Michael Logan and one of their students, Trip Breslin join in the interview.

Faith Topics:

Hope in Rebuilding: Hope is grounded in faith in the possibility of new life and community plays an important role in rebuilding. Community can be family, friends, neighbors as well as strangers.

Rebuilding New Not Same Lives. Though the temptation is to seek to rebuild life just as it was before, new life will be different, and even if it seems less, it can often be a more fulfilling life.

Faith is change, and the Paradox of Home. Individuals, families, and communities often seek out "home"because it is known, comfortable, and predictable, yet home is typically changing or under threat of change. Part of faith is growth and accepting and embracing change. Seeking to avoid change and growth is based in fear and the opposite of faith.

Non-Anxious lives. Faith fosters a life that is non-anxious in the midst of change and even struggle. While everyone experiences anxiety in life and seasons of struggle and loss, faith, including the support of community, is an instrument in releasing anxiety.

Resurrection follows Good Friday. As witnessed in the Gospels, Jesus had to experience the suffering of Good Friday and the tomb before the resurrection. Most people will also experience suffering prior to the new life of resurrection. People of the Christian faith are Easter people prior to their death and passage from life unto life.