Sharing from his own journey, David Finnegan-Hosey puts into words how faith communities can be present alongside those suffering from mental illness and crises in 'Christ on the Psych Ward.' David Finnegan-Hosey currently serves as a chaplain-in-residence at Georgetown University, having previously worked with campus ministries at American University and the University of Hawaii. He holds an M.Div from Wesley Theological Seminary. In 2011, David was diagnosed with bipolar disorder after a serie...
Apr 06, 2018•55 min
Gun violence has increased exponentially in the United States. Can the church play a role in making not only our communities safer but also in thinking theologically about violence, guns, and our calling to live as disciples of Jesus Christ? Pastor Amy Butler is the seventh Senior Minister and the first woman to serve at the helm of the Riverside Church in New York City. She holds degrees from Baylor University, the International Baptist Theological Seminary, and Wesley Theological Seminary. Fol...
Mar 30, 2018•39 min
In this episode, Jason talks with Chad Bird about his two new books Night Driving and You're God is Too Glorious. An Old Testament PhD and one-time Lutheran Pastor, Chad Bird is a Texas oil-truck driver and prodigal son who knows first hand that the Father's love comes by way of the cross.
Mar 23, 2018•43 min
Dr. Mark Mattes teaches at Grand View University in Iowa. His latest book is Martin Luther's Theology of Beauty. In this episode, we talk about the kenotic love of Christ poured out upon the Cross as the definition of Beauty and the beautiful for the Christian life. Referring to his recent essay in the book The Necessary Distinction, we also discuss how Wesleyans like us Crackers can reconcile 'perfection' with Martin's 'simul.'
Mar 16, 2018•39 min
Joined by Rev. Drew Colby, Teer and Jason interview Dr. Andy Root of Luther Seminary and author of "Faith Formation in a Secular Age: Responding to the Church's Obsession with Youthfulness."
Mar 09, 2018•53 min
"If progressives want to advance their agenda, they need to relearn how to win elections." In this episode, taped back in the late summer, I talk with Dr. Mark Lilla about his book The Once and Future Liberal: After Identity Politics. Mark Lilla is Professor of the Humanities at Columbia University and a prizewinning essayist for the New York Review of Books and other publications worldwide. His books include The Once and Future Liberal: After Identity Politics; The Shipwrecked Mind: On Politica...
Mar 02, 2018•40 min
One of the members for the retranslation of the Psalms in the 1979 Book of Common Prayer, J Chester Johnson shares his experience of not only interpreting the Psalms but also how this poetic form of scripture still speaks for the church today.
Feb 23, 2018•58 min
Jason and Taylor have a conversation with Chaim Saiman about his viral article for The Atlantic titled Why The Last Jedi Is More Spiritual Than Religious. Chaim is a Law Professor at Villanova University and is interested in the intersection between law and faith. The conversation covers a range of topics including Jesus and the Law, growing up in the bible belt, the First Commandment, Jesus as the proto-Christian, the religiosity of Star Wars, and how our faiths and cultures are tied together.
Feb 16, 2018•47 min
The guys talk about Ash Wednesday, Lent, mortality, and repentance.
Feb 14, 2018•12 min
Johanna, Jason, and Taylor talk about scripture and the season of Lent on this bonus crossover episode.
Feb 13, 2018•44 min
Does the UMC need a Donald Trump to emerge, willing to disrupt the status quo? Can the UMC move beyond the debate of human sexuality, which is really a debate over power and money, and live into is mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world?
Feb 09, 2018•59 min
Rev. Rob Lee announces his recently signed book deal exclusively with Crackers & Grape Juice. Rob opens up about the new role he finds himself in as a public theologian as well as what he has learned about race in America traveling and preaching at churches he once never dreamed of preaching in.
Feb 02, 2018•38 min
Growing up as a PK and being the spouse of someone who has worked in the local church, Tommie Marshall knows what its like not only for those in ministry but also knows the toll the calling to ministry takes on a family. In her new podcast, Backsliding, she explores the questions she, and others, have felt unable to ask of their pastors or of their neighbor in the pew. Subscribe to Backsliding and show some love: http://backsliding.libsyn.com/ https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/backsliding-a-pr...
Jan 26, 2018•30 min
Diana Butler Bass opens up about s-holes like Nazareth and gratitude while co-preaching with Teer and Jason.
Jan 19, 2018•36 min
Jason, Teer, and Taylor sat down to reflect on the interviews from 2017. The conversation covers a range of topics including bad episode titles, District Superintendents, Bishops, blowing up the UMC, final interviews, controversial topics, Jason's nerves, and the Beyoncé of Anglicanism.
Jan 12, 2018•23 min
Jason's conversation with ExPastor, Greg Horton.
Jan 05, 2018•46 min
In this episode Jason Micheli has a conversation with Josh Larsen about his book Movies Are Prayers: How Films Voice Our Deepest Longings. Josh is also the host of the radio show and podcast Filmspotting and is an editor and film reviewer at Think Christian, an online faith and culture magazine. Their conversation also covers reflections on the death of Sam Shepard, the use of creativity, Christian approaches to film, praying with images, and why Wes Anderson is the best.
Dec 29, 2017•57 min
The Crackers & Grape Juice team hosted a live podcast event where we invited Tripp Fuller and Diana Butler Bass to offer thoughts about the 1st and 2nd Advents. In this episode Tripp and Diana respond to questions from the live audience including: Why is the 2nd Advent necessary? Why is Advent important for white people in a world full of racial inequality? What's right with the church? Also, the episode ends with a Christmas sing-a-long led by Tripp...
Dec 23, 2017•22 min
The Crackers & Grape Juice team hosted a live podcast event where we invited Tripp Fuller and Diana Butler Bass to offer thoughts about the 1st and 2nd Advents. In this episode Diana reflects on the announcement of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, the importance of the 2nd Advent, Divine vs. Human Agency, and how to teach our kids about the already but not yet of God's Advent.
Dec 22, 2017•30 min
The Crackers & Grape Juice team hosted a live podcast event where we invited Tripp Fuller and Diana Butler Bass to offer thoughts about the 1st and 2nd Advents. In this episode Tripp reflects on what it means to Make Advent Great Again, the inherent politics of Advent, the virgin birth, and how to teach children about the importance of this liturgical season.
Dec 21, 2017•36 min
Tim Keller caused a stir this week on Twitter when he wrote, "Jesus didn't come primarily to solve the economic, political, and social problems of the world. He came to forgive our sins." Did Jesus come to save us from our sin? Was the purpose of the incarnation to correct the economic, political, and social problems of the world?
Dec 20, 2017•59 min
With the soon to be election day dilemma for conservative evangelicals across Alabama, David French questions where the faith of evangelicals has gone. In this episode, Teer and Jason interview French discussing trends in media and entertainment in the era of Trump, the evangelical dilemma, and the negative polarization of America. http://www.nationalreview.com/article/453637/roy-moores-evangelical-supporters-lack-faith...
Dec 12, 2017•1 hr 6 min
Reading the Bible does not have to suck. That might sound like news to many. The Bible is a book that begs to be read critically and read often but if you've been told you're not allowed to read it or that your reading is 'wrong,' you might have put it down. Christian Piatt's new book 'Surviving the Bible: A Devotional for the Church Year 2018,' is a weekly devotional grounded in the Lectionary and he joins us to talk about reading the Bible in plain English and how we need to recapture the prac...
Dec 08, 2017•48 min
Church revival is not an easy task. While it took Jesus 3 days to overcome death, revival within the church takes more time. Donna Claycomb Sokol, pastor of Mount Vernon Place UMC in Washington, D.C., is leading her congregation in a revival. Donna co-wrote A New Day In The City, about this transformation alongside L. Roger Owens. In the interview Teer talked with Donna about Mount Vernon Place's public repentance for its role in white supremacy, as well as prophetic preaching. On its 100th anni...
Dec 01, 2017•42 min
In this interview Jason talks with Emma Green of The Atlantic. Green is a staff writer at The Atlantic, where she covers politics, policy, and religion. She's also responsible for the viral video based on what one of her articles, "Do Democrats Have a Religion Problem?" She and Jason discuss that question, the Trump administration, race in Southern Baptist Church, and the role of religion in the public square. https://www.theatlantic.com/author/emma-green/...
Nov 24, 2017•45 min
Todd Littleton joined to team for this interview with Adam Clark and Christian Piatt at the Theology Beer Camp in January. While the interview was over 9 months ago, who would've thought that the conversation would STILL resonate today as we deal with issues of race and social justice.
Nov 17, 2017•31 min
Jason had the opportunity to sit down for a conversation with Mike McCurry, the White House Press Secretary during the Clinton administration. Their conversation covers a range of topics including CJ Cregg on the West Wing, the cynicism that comes with working for the government, fighting Newt Gingrich, the absence of faith in politics, and thoughts on A Way Forward for the United Methodist Church.
Nov 03, 2017•1 hr 2 min
500th Anniversary of Luther’s 95 Theses, Jason, Teer, and Johanna talk with the Beyonce of Anglicanism, Fleming Rutledge, about ongoing relevance of Protestantism’s primary message of grace and God’s agency.
Oct 31, 2017•1 hr 10 min
Teer and Taylor traveled to the Conference Office in Glen Allen, VA to interview Bishop Lewis. Their conversation covers a range of topics including the vision of the Annual Conference, how to respond to racism, and Bishop Lewis even shares her thoughts about Jason's book Cancer Is Funny.
Oct 27, 2017•51 min
Back in the day, Ruben taught Jason Barth for the first time. Now, they're both black sheep, closet Reformation guys in Catholic and Wesleyan folds respectively. Ruben Rosario Rodriguez teaches theology at St. Louis University and is the author of the powerful new book Christian Martyrdom and Political Violence. Jason and Ruben talk about racism, liberation theology, the limits of post-liberalism, and martyrdom as a necessary possibility to any definition of Christian 'witness.'
Oct 20, 2017•51 min
