Today's episode is also available as a video at: https://youtu.be/6UV3Ea2E9jg Today's episode is a recording of a conversation I had as a guest on The Vast podcast exploring some of the ideas I wrote about in last month's piece for Ekstasis Magazine entitled "The God We Thought Was Dead". I really enjoyed the conversation with these gentlemen and I hope you find it to be helpful. You can check out The Vast podcast at: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-vast-podcast/id1558428782 You can re...
Mar 15, 2022•54 min•Ep. 146
Today's episode is also available as a video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/h_fL-zlqyfE In today's episode, I'm sharing a sermon on one of my favorite books of the Bible. How does the ancient book of Ecclesiastes provide timeless wisdom even as we wrestle with our modern meaning-crisis? Is everything meaningless? For one of the core sources I draw upon in this sermon, you can check out this scholarly paper on Ecclesiastes here: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/harvard-theological-review/art...
Feb 15, 2022•43 min•Ep. 145
Today's episode is also available as a video at: https://youtu.be/knl_8xviEGU As Americans begin a month long celebration of Black history, I thought it would be valuable to explore the personal history and theology of one of America's premier Black theologians- Dr. Dwight Hopkins. This episode originally aired in June of 2020, but is worth revisiting. Dr. Dwight N. Hopkins was born and raised in the segregated south, but through the support system of his loving family and the African American c...
Feb 02, 2022•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 144
Today's podcast is also available in video format at: https://youtu.be/XsZRjC-EOLw Would a corporate ethics or emotional intelligence employee training course from a healthy American company work aboard a Klingon "Bird of Prey" ship in Star Trek? Probably not. (Don't worry, you don't have to be a Trekkie to understand the thought experiment in today's video!) That's because, whether we are aware of it or not, there is an assumed narrative structure in our culture that informs our ethical norms. ...
Jan 21, 2022•33 min•Ep. 143
Today's podcast is also available as in video format: https://youtu.be/plgag7h2vPY In nearly 4 years of recording these sorts of long-form discussions, I can honestly say that this was one of the best conversations I've ever had. I struggled to even give it a title. I never want to hype something up, so please trust me when I say that you'll really want to watch or listen to this whole thing. The crescendo of where we get to by the end together is still stirring my heart now. Long time listeners...
Jan 11, 2022•2 hr 26 min•Ep. 142
Today's podcast is also available as a video at : https://youtu.be/tiSGdDc3bQY In this video, we'll compare video clips from past lectures by the famed psychologist and author, Jordan Peterson & Old Testament & Ancient Near Eastern scholar, author, and professor John Walton on Genesis chapter one. After my introduction, I will present the clips without commentary because I really want to invite you to share with me your observations in the comments. What do you see as the points of harmo...
Jan 03, 2022•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 141
This week's episode comes from an extended segment of my conversation as a guest on The Meaning Code (a YouTube channel about philosophy, physics, art, economics, and theology hosted by Karen Wong). How might we best understand the intended meaning of Genesis 1 and what theologians often refer to as the "Four Phase Story of the Bible" (Creation, Fall, Redemption, & Consummation/Resurrection)? How do we discern the intended order for the cosmos, and what is our part in it all? You can check o...
Dec 22, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 140
It's a honor to be joined by Paul VanderKlay and John Vervaeke for a discussion on what the word "God" means and why we all should want to move past common Christian vs atheist debates that seem to reduce what "God" means to a conception of a Doctor Manhattan-like supreme being in an arena of other beings. Paul VanderKlay is a minister in the Christian Reformed Church of North America and the host of a popular YouTube/podcast that explores questions surrounding theology & the meaning-crisis....
Dec 14, 2021•2 hr 23 min•Ep. 139
I've been taking some time to do some theological responses on YouTube to the recent conversation between Jordan Peterson, John Vervaeke, Bishop Robert Barron, and Jonathan Pageau. This is part 3 in that series (the other's of which are available on YouTube). There was a section of the conversation I could not neglect. Jordan Peterson thinks the New Testament book of Revelation is the result of a psychedelic experience. Is there evidence to support that claim? And what about his admiration for "...
Nov 30, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 138
This week I wanted to throw it back to one of the very first interviews I had on this podcast. It's probably a conversation even many of you long-time listeners have never listened to. The guest is New Testament scholar & theologian, Matthew J. Thomas who has a groundbreaking and controversial book on the Apostle Paul that seems to give a considerable amount of historical evidence that many Protestants & Evangelical Christians (especially those who are more direct theological descendants...
Nov 23, 2021•1 hr 43 min•Ep. 137
Humans have an innate sense for detecting where they stand in the hierarchical structure of social groups. As social creatures, hierarchical structures are inevitable. From the family, to the military, school and even church- every where there are human communities, there are social status competitions and delineated pecking orders. In Matthew's Gospel in particular, Jesus is presented as an authoritative figure, perhaps even one with the authority to knock out the "alpha" at the top of the hier...
Nov 09, 2021•49 min•Ep. 136
This episode originally aired September 16, 2019 If one treats the Bible as inspired and authoritative in their life, are there better or worse ways of reading the Bible that could produce good or bad results in one's life? Dr. Jeannine K. Brown is a New Testament Scholar, NIV Biblical translator, author and professor. She has taught at Bethel Seminary for over 20 years. To check out some of Dr. Jeannine K. Brown's books/commentaries: Scripture as Communication Matthew (Two Horizons Commentary) ...
Nov 02, 2021•1 hr 25 min•Ep. 135
It's Halloween this upcoming weekend, and I remember when I was a teenager going to a "Hell House". It was pretty horrifying. But where do common Christian notions of hell come from? Are they even biblical? ___________ TAGS: hell, eternal conscious torment, universalism, Origen, Rob Bell, Gregory of Nyssa, Edward Fudge, annihilationism, conditional immortality, judgment day, soteriology, biblical theology, John Walton, biblical anthropology, eschatology ______________ If you find this podcast to...
Oct 25, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 134
My guest today is Dr. Jeremy Perigo from Dordt University. He is the Director of Campus Ministries & Worship Arts and an associate professor at Dordt. He is also a visiting lecturer at London School of Theology where he previously spent six years as head of theology, music, and worship programs. Jeremy did his undergrad at Purdue University, then went on to do a Masters in Practical Theology at Regent University and a Doctorate at Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies. My relationsh...
Oct 12, 2021•1 hr 32 min•Ep. 133
What if our entire lives were affected by the outcome of a battle of the gods? Invisible "spirits" have always been on top of a hierarchy of culture dictating our entire way of life. From ancient Babylon to modern-day America, we'll explore the fascinating connection between the domain of "spirit" and how this spiritual realm is made manifest in our art, movies, music, economics & politics. Plus: -The connection between national flags and ancient idols -Why early Christians didn't understand...
Oct 05, 2021•1 hr 34 min•Ep. 132
This is PART TWO in a series entitled "Christ & Culture". If you haven't already, you may want to listen to Part 1 first. In today's episode, we'll explore three options for how Christians may relate to culture. These three mediating options are alternatives to the extreme "Christ against Culture" & "Christ of Culture" theologies (which were covered in part 1). _____________________________ TAGS: H.R. Niebuhr, H. Richard Niebuhr, Christ and Culture, Christ and Culture Niebuhr, theology a...
Sep 28, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 131
Knowing that many of you became listeners over the past year or so, and knowing the intense difficulties many Christians in America are experiencing trying to navigate faith and culture war issues, I wanted to re-air an old series that has been absolutely foundational to just about everything else that gets covered in this podcast. So over the next several weeks, I will be re-airing the "Christ & Culture" series from the summer of 2019. Whether you've been a listener since day one or whether...
Sep 21, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 130
In lieu of deepening tensions among Christians caught up in the Culture War, I thought it would be appropriate this week to re-air episode 73 (from October 2020). This episode is entitled "Christ & the Culture War (don't leave republican jesus for democrat jesus). ----- I'm an 80's/90's kid who grew up in the evangelical heyday of Christian subculture. "Christian" music, movies, tv, bookstores, and even our own brand of science was all part of a larger culture war movement. A lot of people m...
Sep 13, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 129
In part 3 of "Jesus and John Vervaeke", we'll be exploring the points of intersection between N.T. Wright's "epistemology of love" and Vervaeke's work on de-centering and agape love. How might love be foundational to knowing anything at all rightly? John Vervaeke and I have had two wonderful discussions in the past. You can check them out here: https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-cuaty-f7d11a and here: https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-q3ccv-107e94b A good intro to Wright's epistemology of love: https://w...
Sep 06, 2021•54 min•Ep. 128
In part two of this series exploring the intersection of theology & cognitive science via the work of John Vervaeke, we'll examine the potential points of intersection between Vervaeke's work and the work of Christian theologians & philosophers such as David Bentley Hart, Pseudo-Dionysius, Søren Kierkegaard, & Miroslav Volf. We'll consider the nature of consciousness, how even mystical experiences may stop short of true metanoia/repentance, and what to look for as marks of genuine sp...
Aug 17, 2021•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 127
What are the points of resonance & dissonance between Christian theology & the latest in cognitive science surrounding personal meaning & spiritual transformation? In this series, we'll examine the work of one of the world's most important voices in the field cognitive science and in it's intersection with philosophy & religion- Dr. John Vervaeke at the University of Toronto. In this series, I'm going to take you through some of the highlights of Vervaeke's popular "Awakening fro...
Aug 09, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 126
As the secular age approaches its inevitable demise, many who are dissatisfied with the claim that only what is immanent is real have begun to question whether immanence is real at all & considered pursuing transcendence through various forms of Neo-Gnosticism. We see this “red pill suspicion of immanence” in popular modern cultural stories such as The Matrix, WandaVision, and Loki. In today’s episode, we’ll explore some of the symbols of those popular stories in the cultural zeitgeist and c...
Jul 20, 2021•55 min•Ep. 125
I’m honored to once again be joined by Dr. John Vervaeke. Vervaeke’s first appearance on this podcast was back in Episode 83, and it was one of my all time favorites. If you want to know more about his backstory and work, then I’d encourage you to listen to that episode. John Vervaeke is a renowned scientist and award winning professor at the University of Toronto. He’s produced groundbreaking research in the area of cognitive science & the experience of meaning. He has also become a cult in...
Jul 05, 2021•1 hr 59 min•Ep. 124
Recently I was interviewed on the Behind the Image Leadership Podcast to discuss the role of our guiding stories and values in shaping the behaviors of individuals, non-profits, and businesses. I thought it was a fascinating conversation exploring points of application for cultural theology that I don't always explore on my podcast. Make sure to check out and subscribe to the Behind the Image Leadership Podcast, hosted by my friend Rick Guttersohn. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/behind-th...
Jun 28, 2021•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 123
Paul Vander Klay returns once again for a discussion on the evidence for the looming end of the secular age in America. We talk: the link Comic book movies & ancient mythology, Fight Club & Mammon, The Good Place theology, Jordan Peterson, Joe Rogan & psychedelics , Jonathan Pageau vs John Vervaeke, hyper-woke culture and the French Revolution, & did Blockbuster Video cause church decline? Paul Vander Klay’s YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/c/PaulVanderKlay If you find this p...
Jun 21, 2021•1 hr 47 min•Ep. 122
The Death of Superman. Kingdom Come. Fight Club. These are just a few of the cultural artifacts emerging from our collective cultural consciousness that give evidence to an imminent shift away from secularity in the West. Our modern myths are showing signs of a shifting cultural moment. We were told that if we killed God we'd have a religionless world, but what we got instead were new gods. Now, we're not so sure that we like these new gods better. Who or what are the new gods? Let's look at a c...
May 25, 2021•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 121
Kenneth Tanner is the pastor of Holy Redeemer Church, a Charismatic Episcopal church in Rochester Hills, Michigan. He is also a writer who weaves theological insights from the ancient witness of the global, historic Church into contemporary issues. He’s written for Patheos, Christianity Today, Mockingbird, and the Huffington Post. You can read some of his articles over at his blog: https://kennethtanner.medium.com/ If you find this podcast to be helpful and you want to see it continue ad-free, w...
May 17, 2021•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 120
As someone who loves cultural theology, I’m completely fascinated by ancient and modern myths and how those mythological stories serve as guiding stories for entire civilizations. Whether it is the ancient tales of Zeus and the Greek Olympian gods or the myths of virtuous super-human heroes and lazer sword wielding wizards that fill our comic book pages & big box office movie screens, I’m fascinated by what these stories reveal about our views on God, reality, what is good and evil, and what...
May 11, 2021•54 min•Ep. 119
My dear friends Ted Kim, John Mark McMIllan, and Andy Squyres are all back on the podcast this week to discuss a range of topics all centered around re-enchanting our secular (or post-secular?) cultural frame. Ted Kim is senior pastor of Evanston Vineyard. He did his undergrad degree at the University of Chicago and has Masters of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. His first time on the podcast was in Episode 86. You can listen here: https://www.podbean.com...
May 03, 2021•1 hr 54 min•Ep. 118
This is the finale to our 3 part series on salvation in a pluralistic world. In part two, I made the case that Christocentric inclusivism makes the best sense of the Biblical narrative. In today's episode, I will show you that this was the belief of some of the earliest and most important church fathers and make the case that it was during the era of Constantine that the "no salvation outside of the church" doctrine perverted what the Scriptures and earlier Christians believed. The Roman Catholi...
Apr 26, 2021•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 117
