Two weeks ago I mentioned the word concupiscence, and I confess I didn't fairly represent the Roman Catholic Church's take on the idea.This is still an oversimplification on the differences between the Roman Catholic and protestant reformers vi

(American) Football coaches and civil discourse

Nov 11th, 2020 9m 16s

In the nineties it was expected for an American football coach to berate their players, but everyone knew they were the hardest on the players with the most abilities.What can that tell us about discussing calls for change in our society?

"Simul Justus" and the sins of communities made of people we love

Nov 5th, 2020 16m 53s

It's hard to believe that our communities can be made of good people we love and participate in the sins like white supremacy or patriarchy. I argue that not only are both true, but it is a central tenant of faith that these two realities exist

Amy Coney Barrett, the consent of the governed, and congregational polity

Oct 28th, 2020 14m 25s

I'll take a break from theological reflection to look at the confirmation of Justice Barrett from the perspective of church leadership and an idea known as consent of the governed. If a council or a pastor would violate their own professed prin

The U.S. election, the consequences, and the 1st commandment

Oct 21st, 2020 9m 36s

Election campaigns, by design, convince us that there is a catastrophic urgency to their victory. It is the duty of every person of Christian faith, regardless of denomination to proclaim that idea to be false. Our God, the goodness of creation

"Guesthood" as resitance

Oct 14th, 2020 14m 5s

Can simply practicing viewing the world from the perspective of a guest combat empirical forces in our world? In this episode I talk about how the forces of empire gain cultural power, why they are dangerous, and how being a guest is in direct

Foxes, Jesus, and the call to be a guest

Oct 7th, 2020 14m 24s

When Jesus said the son of man has no place to lay his head, he was making it clear that his followers would be without a home. What does it mean for us to live without a home?

Baptism, the presidential debates, and basic qualifications

Sep 30th, 2020 10m 22s

For as political as I get in this format, I really do try not to be partisan, but one of the candidates in the first presidential debate was unable to answer some very basic qualifying questions. Like many of my colleagues, it got me to thinkin

The study of theology and the memory of RBG

Sep 23rd, 2020 13m 55s

We tend to think that "minority" voices only benefit those from that specific group. In this episode I discuss how they give all of us a more full picture of the world in which we live. For people of faith that equates to a better understanding

"They're killing my people" context in practice

Sep 16th, 2020 18m 51s

Content Warning: This episode discussed Suicide and HomicideIf you are having thoughts of suicide, please talk to someone YOU ARE NOT ALONE.In this episode I suggest that same ideology that causes white, rural, America to minimize and ignore ca

Context, the Bible, and how meaning changes

Sep 9th, 2020 21m 7s

In this episode I discuss the concept of how the context into which words are spoken change their meaning and how the Bible itself has a diversity of witness to speak to this concept.

White progressives in Trump Country

Sep 2nd, 2020 13m 1s

My progressive colleagues tend to struggle effectively preaching the Gospel of Christ's radical love in the kinds of regions I call home. In this episode I talk about how cross cultural mission techniques might help.

Libertarianism, first century messianic Jews, and a political bridge.

Aug 26th, 2020 15m 51s

This episode offers some thoughts on libertarianism and a possible bridge between left and right political perspectives.The fear of the abuse of state power is a legitimate libertarian concern. What could the first century messianic movement an

Q-anon conspiracies and the Gnostic Heresy

Aug 19th, 2020 12m 38s

Conspiracy theories seem to be gaining popularity at the moment. Some of them are dangerous at face value, but all of them share certain traits with the heresy of Gnosticism that denied the accessibility of truth to all of God's creation.

Culture wars: "Values Voting" or Christian power in politics?

Aug 11th, 2020 13m 29s

Maybe the biggest problem with the idea of "values voters" in the U.S. is that the past few decades have replaced those values with a set of codified policies. What role should an actual value proposition have in determining effective policy?

Culture wars: "Prayer in School"

Aug 5th, 2020 16m 15s

General thoughts on how the framing of the discussion around prayer in school could inform the handling current activism around race relations in the U.S.

Culture wars: Introduction

Jul 29th, 2020 10m 19s

I'm typically not interested in topics like prayer in school or the value of the nuclear family, but there is a way to present these topics that I think may have value in our larger public discourse. I make that case for a series that will disc

Guns in the U.S.

Jul 21st, 2020 16m 50s

A discussion on guns in the United States from an individual value vs public policy perspective.

Credible Critique: Anti-Racism

Jul 21st, 2020 8m 9s

A response to some valid criticism of the Anti-racism episode

Toxic Masculinity

Jul 15th, 2020 17m 42s

Theological musings on Masculinity, Mushrooms, and what Jesus did.

"Anti-Racism"

Jul 11th, 2020 15m 39s

This episode discusses the concept of "Anti-racism", whether the Christian ethic calls the followers of Jesus to specific action, and a parable that pretty much everyone has heard of.

Rate