Church Potluck: A Smorgasbord of Christian Curiosity
A Smorgasbord of Christian Curiosity! Church Potluck serves up thoughtful, friendly, informal conversation at the intersection of Christianity and contemporary culture. Just like a church potluck, we offer variety: a variety of topics, a variety of academic disciplines, and a variety of Christian traditions. Guests are friends and colleagues who are also experts in the fields of sociology, political science, theology, philosophy, divinity, and more.
Church Potluck: A Smorgasbord of Christian Curiosity
ADVENT DAY 17: La Tamaleada and Las Posadas
In this warm and joyful episode of the Church Potluck Advent Calendar, Dale welcomes first-time guest Mary Ángel Castillo Obando, a Berry College student from Costa Rica, to share two beloved Christmas traditions from her home country. She first discusses the all-day, extended-family ritual of making tamales—known in Costa Rica as La Tamaleada. Mary Ángel then describes the celebration of Las Posadas, a festive reenactment of Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter, this conversation offers a beautiful glimpse into how culture, family, and faith intertwine during the Christmas season. Along the way, Mary Ángel reflects on community, memory, and what it means to carry cherished traditions across borders while studying far from home. It’s a heartfelt, festive episode that captures the spirit of Advent as preparation, hospitality, and shared joy.
The views expressed on Church Potluck are solely those of the participants and do not represent any organization.
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