Episodes

  • Luke Healy – From Conservative Roots to a New Era of Mystical Christianity
    Nov 5 2024
    In this episode, Mark sits down with Luke Healy, cofounder of the Integral Christian Network (ICN), to explore Luke’s journey from a conservative Christian background to becoming a pioneer in mystical, integral Christianity. Luke shares how his evolving faith led him to connect with Paul Smith, a significant figure in progressive Christianity, and how their shared vision sparked the creation of ICN. Together, Luke and Mark reflect on the soul enriching We Spaces, the small online gatherings that bring people together from across the globe, and the large Sunday gatherings designed to foster deep, spiritual connections among participants. They also dive into the reasons why ICN has seen substantial growth as people are drawn to its one-of-a-kind mystical Christian experience. Mark also reflects on a specific We Space group exclusively for queer men he co-created with Paul. Find out more about ICN at IntegralChristianNetwork.orgRemember to come see us in person at Theology Beer Camp October 17-19 Denver, CO Get Information and Tickets for https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tRADICALHOBBITthe-return-of-the-god-pods-tickets-824208298207 Promo Code for our listeners: RADICALHOBBIT (all caps, no spaces) ______ Find your guides at Quoir Academy! If you’ve ever deconstructed your faith you know it’s not easy. But just imagine if you could have people to guide you through your process? People like, Jim Palmer, Kristin Du Mez, Jennifer Knapp, Brad Jersak, Brian Zahnd, Paul Young, and more? Well, if you head over to Quoir Academy and register for SQUARE 2 using the Promo Code [RAD] you’ll get 10% off the regular registration cost of this awesome course and community just for being a fan of our show. Follow this registration link: https://www.bk2sq1.com/square-2-next-steps-into-reconstruction?coupon=RAD
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    46 mins
  • Discovering Fire: Spiritual Practices that Spark Souls with Roger Wolsey
    Oct 20 2024
    Roger Wolsey wants to set your soul on fire! We've been huge fans of Wolsey's "Kissing Fish Book" Facebook fan page for years, (inspired by his book "Kissing Fish: Christianity for People who Don't Like Christianity") where he curates a Progressive Christian forum that challenges fixed ideas about Christianity, so we were so grateful go get to talk with him about his current burning passions. His latest book, "Discovering Fire: Spiritual Practices that Transform Lives" carries on his iconoclastic work and explores a more expansive view of love, society, and our possibilities to connect with the divine on a soul level. Wolsey describes himself as a "Progressive Pastor, Spiritual Director, Speaker, Writer, Soul Friend, & Coach." From his website: "I have been a speaker at The Wild Goose Festival (4 times), The Embrace Festival, The Lion and The Lamb Festival, and Christianity 21. I’ve blogged for Elephant Journal, Huffington Post, and now primarily for Patheos as “The Holy Kiss.” I’m the author of Discovering Fire, and Kissing Fish, and am the administrator of the Kissing Fish Facebook fan-page. I am also a contributing writer for the John Shelby Spong weekly newsletter “Progressing Spirit,” and serve on the Board of Directors of ProgressiveChristianity.org Roger Wolsey https://www.rogerwolsey.com/ https://www.facebook.com/RogerWolseySoulCoach https://www.facebook.com/KissingFishBook https://www.instagram.com/rogerwolsey/Remember to come see us in person at Theology Beer Camp October 17-19 Denver, CO Get Information and Tickets for https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tRADICALHOBBITthe-return-of-the-god-pods-tickets-824208298207 Promo Code for our listeners: RADICALHOBBIT (all caps, no spaces) ______ Find your guides at Quoir Academy! If you’ve ever deconstructed your faith you know it’s not easy. But just imagine if you could have people to guide you through your process? People like, Jim Palmer, Kristin Du Mez, Jennifer Knapp, Brad Jersak, Brian Zahnd, Paul Young, and more? Well, if you head over to Quoir Academy and register for SQUARE 2 using the Promo Code [RAD] you’ll get 10% off the regular registration cost of this awesome course and community just for being a fan of our show. Follow this registration link: https://www.bk2sq1.com/square-2-next-steps-into-reconstruction?coupon=RAD
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    57 mins
  • Honoring the Journey from "Sister Christian" to Authenticity
    Oct 13 2024

    Leslie Nease, author of "Honoring the Journey: The Deconstruction of Sister Christian," has been on an amazing journey, and we were blessed to be able to talk with her about it. Former Christian Radio Personality? Survivor Contestant? Publicly Celebrating People's Deconstruction Journeys? Life & Faith Transitions Coach? Yep, she is all of those and more.

    In Leslie's words: "I was very active in Christian Media and Ministry for about 16 years. I was a Christian Radio Host, Podcaster, Writer, Speaker and I was also a contestant on Survivor China, where I was dubbed “Sister Christian” by my fellow tribe-mates. My journey on Survivor was probably the catalyst that made me begin to question some of my beliefs and theology, but it took awhile for me to fully jump into deconstruction. For the past 7 years, though, I have been deconstructing my beliefs ). Now, I’m speaking out publicly on my podcast, sharing stories of faith and faith transitions, hoping to get people to listen and learn from my guests and encouraging people to share their life and faith journeys.

    Website: www.leslieneasecoaching.com
    Podcast: https://honoring-the-journey.simplecast.com
    Facebook: http://facebook.com/leslieann.nease
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leslienease
    X: https://x.com/leslienease

    Remember to come see us in person at Theology Beer Camp October 17-19 Denver, CO
    Get Information and Tickets for https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tRADICALHOBBITthe-return-of-the-god-pods-tickets-824208298207 Promo Code for our listeners: RADICALHOBBIT (all caps, no spaces)
    ______

    Find your guides at Quoir Academy! If you’ve ever deconstructed your faith you know it’s not easy. But just imagine if you could have people to guide you through your process? People like, Jim Palmer, Kristin Du Mez, Jennifer Knapp, Brad Jersak, Brian Zahnd, Paul Young, and more? Well, if you head over to Quoir Academy and register for SQUARE 2 using the Promo Code [RAD] you’ll get 10% off the regular registration cost of this awesome course and community just for being a fan of our show. Follow this registration link: https://www.bk2sq1.com/square-2-next-steps-into-reconstruction?coupon=RAD

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    51 mins
  • The devoted atheist who wants us see each other's (God-given) humanity
    Oct 6 2024

    What is the connection between religion and radicalization? When either one turns into dehumanizing others, there is quite an overlap between the two. This week we talk with online personality The Fallen Ape-Theist (formerly known as the Faithiest Atheist) about his spiritual journey that led him to a kind of faith-friendly-atheism that frustrates believers and non-believers alike (albeit with a great sense of humor), and more seriously, how his military and counter-terrorism experience taught him about the dehumanizing power of radicalization--whether through religion, politics, or any movement that goes to the extremes.

    We talk about how our polarized society contributes to extreme views, how social media pours fuel on the fire, the first-hand experiences that he has had facing and disrupting radicalization, and the kind of community he maintains online, where people with differing views can talk with one another without thinking of others as less than human just because they disagree.

    Find the Fallen Ape Theist at:

    Twitter @TheApe_Theist
    Threads @thefallenape_theist
    Instagram @thefallenape_theist
    TikTok @thefallenape.theist
    YouTube https://youtube.com/@thefallenape-theist?si=9WkQRfmG47pbU6za

    Remember to come see us in person at Theology Beer Camp October 17-19 Denver, CO
    Get Information and Tickets for https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tRADICALHOBBITthe-return-of-the-god-pods-tickets-824208298207 Promo Code for our listeners: RADICALHOBBIT (all caps, no spaces)
    ______

    Find your guides at Quoir Academy! If you’ve ever deconstructed your faith you know it’s not easy. But just imagine if you could have people to guide you through your process? People like, Jim Palmer, Kristin Du Mez, Jennifer Knapp, Brad Jersak, Brian Zahnd, Paul Young, and more? Well, if you head over to Quoir Academy and register for SQUARE 2 using the Promo Code [RAD] you’ll get 10% off the regular registration cost of this awesome course and community just for being a fan of our show. Follow this registration link: https://www.bk2sq1.com/square-2-next-steps-into-reconstruction?coupon=RAD

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    55 mins
  • Talking Across the Cultural Divide (And how to do it better) with Justin Lee
    Sep 29 2024

    How do we talk with the people with whom we disagree the most? Especially in today's toxic social, religious, and political environment, where disagreement is seen as treason and we're all on the edge of being canceled? This week, we had our eyes opened when Justin Lee gave us some practical advice for how to communicate with those across the aisle--and why our old arguments have always failed so miserably. Justin first appeared on our radar in the early 2000s, when the "Great Debate" on his blog about LGBTQ+ inclusion in the church broke new ground in showing that there is such a thing as a committed, faithful, gay Christian, and arguing that the Bible may not say exactly what we think it does about all queer relationships through all time and circumstances. That conversation turned into the popular book "Torn: Rescuing the Gospel from the Gays-vs.-Christians Debate," which was recently updated in a 2024 edition. Justin has now turned his attention to an even bigger picture, focusing on the many ways that we disagree across different aspects of our society, and dives deep into the causes of our disagreements, why our old ways of arguing with one another often backfire and make the divine even wider, and practical tools and methods of having productive conversations with the people who disagree with us the most. His essential book on this topic is called "Talking Across the Divide: How to Communicate with People You Disagree with and Maybe Even Change the World" Bio: Justin Lee has been successfully bridging cultural divides for 25 years. He first developed his strategic dialogue techniques while working at the difficult intersection of faith and LGBTQ issues, where he became internationally known for helping heal family and community rifts. His book on that subject, Torn, is now one of the most widely read in the field. Justin’s latest book, Talking Across the Divide: How to Communicate with People You Disagree With—and Maybe Even Change the World, draws on scientific research and real-world examples to apply these same techniques to today’s political and social conflicts. Follow Justin’s work at GeekyJustin.com.

    Justin Lee Website: https://geekyjustin.com/ Facebook: @geekyjustin Instagram: @geekyjustinlee Twitter/X: @geekyjustinlee

    Remember to come see us in person at Theology Beer Camp October 17-19 Denver, CO
    Get Information and Tickets for https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tRADICALHOBBITthe-return-of-the-god-pods-tickets-824208298207 Promo Code for our listeners: RADICALHOBBIT (all caps, no spaces)
    ______

    Find your guides at Quoir Academy! If you’ve ever deconstructed your faith you know it’s not easy. But just imagine if you could have people to guide you through your process? People like, Jim Palmer, Kristin Du Mez, Jennifer Knapp, Brad Jersak, Brian Zahnd, Paul Young, and more? Well, if you head over to Quoir Academy and register for SQUARE 2 using the Promo Code [RAD] you’ll get 10% off the regular registration cost of this awesome course and community just for being a fan of our show. Follow this registration link: https://www.bk2sq1.com/square-2-next-steps-into-reconstruction?coupon=RAD

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    45 mins
  • What the Bible REALLY Says about Marriage...and More Surprises! with Dr. Jennifer Bird
    Sep 24 2024

    Jennifer Bird,PhD, knows a lot about the Christian Bible--including what's in it and also what isn't in it. This eye-opening conversation covers both ends of that spectrum, using Bird's book "Permission Granted: Take the Bible Into Your Own Hands" as a launching off point about what she discovered about the Bible, how our reading of the Bible impacts so many aspects of our culture, and why Biblical literacy is so important. We also dig in deeper on the subjects of "Biblical marriage" and women in Christianity, two subjects about which she is passionate, which she addresses head-on in her most recent book, "Marriage in the Bible: What DO the Texts Say?"

    From her bio at JenniferGraceBird.com: Her background within the United Methodist Church, education in a Presbyterian affiliated institution, more than a decade spent in several ministerial contexts, six years of graduate work in biblical studies, and more than 25 years of teaching in classrooms of all kinds all inform her approach to having quite honest, and sometimes difficult, conversations about what is actually to be found in the scriptures of the Christian Bible. You can also hear Jennifer regularly on the Wild Olive podcast (with Jeanne Petrolle,) as well as many other podcasts, lectures, videos, and more!

    Find Jennifer at:
    https://www.jennifergracebird.com/
    https://www.instagram.com/moxieprof/
    https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.grace.bird
    https://www.youtube.com/@JenniferBirdPhD
    https://www.tiktok.com/@jbird.moxieprof

    Remember to come see us in person at Theology Beer Camp October 17-19 Denver, CO
    Get Information and Tickets for https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tRADICALHOBBITthe-return-of-the-god-pods-tickets-824208298207 Promo Code for our listeners: RADICALHOBBIT (all caps, no spaces)
    ______

    Find your guides at Quoir Academy! If you’ve ever deconstructed your faith you know it’s not easy. But just imagine if you could have people to guide you through your process? People like, Jim Palmer, Kristin Du Mez, Jennifer Knapp, Brad Jersak, Brian Zahnd, Paul Young, and more? Well, if you head over to Quoir Academy and register for SQUARE 2 using the Promo Code [RAD] you’ll get 10% off the regular registration cost of this awesome course and community just for being a fan of our show. Follow this registration link: https://www.bk2sq1.com/square-2-next-steps-into-reconstruction?coupon=RAD

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    1 hr and 6 mins
  • Showing White People the Pathway to Anti-Racism (and Other Spiritual Journeys)
    Sep 15 2024
    Daniel Henderson, the author of "The Spiritual Journey to Anti-Racism: A Travel Guide for White People" (Quoir Press) embodies the idea that solving racism is a White People problem, not a People Of Color problem. While many well-meaning White liberals have relied on People of Color for racial education and pathways to reconciliation, Henderson has been inspired by his beliefs to pro-actively use his platform to guide White people on dismantling the systems that continue to perpetuate racial inequality OURSELVES. Our conversation covers Henderson's background in education and religion, his transition from Evangelical to a system of belief that more authentically fit his conscience (chronicled in his earlier book "Confessions of a Recovering Evangelical,"), and how that transformation led to his mission to do the work of dismantling racism. Henderson's story of belief goes back as far as the moment in 1966, when he "went forward" at a Billy Graham Crusade to give his life to Christ, up through the moment 40 years later, in 2005, he walked away from the traditional Evangelical church for a more authentic faith. With a 40-year career as an educator, speaker, writer and historian, Henderson continues today to encourage others to find their faith, embrace doubt, ask hard questions, and find their own spiritual path.Remember to come see us in person at Theology Beer Camp October 17-19 Denver, CO Get Information and Tickets for https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tRADICALHOBBITthe-return-of-the-god-pods-tickets-824208298207 Promo Code for our listeners: RADICALHOBBIT (all caps, no spaces) ______ Find your guides at Quoir Academy! If you’ve ever deconstructed your faith you know it’s not easy. But just imagine if you could have people to guide you through your process? People like, Jim Palmer, Kristin Du Mez, Jennifer Knapp, Brad Jersak, Brian Zahnd, Paul Young, and more? Well, if you head over to Quoir Academy and register for SQUARE 2 using the Promo Code [RAD] you’ll get 10% off the regular registration cost of this awesome course and community just for being a fan of our show. Follow this registration link: https://www.bk2sq1.com/square-2-next-steps-into-reconstruction?coupon=RAD
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    52 mins
  • Tattoos, taboos, and theology with Justin Scoggins, author of Inking Christ
    Sep 8 2024
    Justin Scoggins has a passion for tattoos, and a passion for an authentic Christian faith, and finds an intersection of the two in his new book "Inking Christ: A Theological Approach to Faith." In a discussion that goes way beyond the surface discussion of ink and skin, we talk about what it means to be a true Christian witness, the status of our bodies as "temples," and what the Bible passages about "marking ourselves" are really about. This was a fascinating exploration for all of us. Dr. Justin Scoggins has is currently Associate Director of Homeless Outreach in Winter Haven, Florida and holds a Doctorate in Theology. From Quoir Publishing: Inking Christ is a celebration of art, faith, and the myriad ways they intertwine. It is an invitation to view tattoos not as marks of rebellion or mere decoration, but as sacred symbols that narrate the story of one's walk with Jesus. Through this book, Dr. Scoggins aims to inspire believers to embrace the artistry of tattoos as a legitimate and meaningful form of worship, reflecting the beauty and love of Christ in a unique and personal manner.Remember to come see us in person at Theology Beer Camp October 17-19 Denver, CO Get Information and Tickets for https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tRADICALHOBBITthe-return-of-the-god-pods-tickets-824208298207 Promo Code for our listeners: RADICALHOBBIT (all caps, no spaces) ______ Find your guides at Quoir Academy! If you’ve ever deconstructed your faith you know it’s not easy. But just imagine if you could have people to guide you through your process? People like, Jim Palmer, Kristin Du Mez, Jennifer Knapp, Brad Jersak, Brian Zahnd, Paul Young, and more? Well, if you head over to Quoir Academy and register for SQUARE 2 using the Promo Code [RAD] you’ll get 10% off the regular registration cost of this awesome course and community just for being a fan of our show. Follow this registration link: https://www.bk2sq1.com/square-2-next-steps-into-reconstruction?coupon=RAD
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    52 mins