THIS WEEK... JP and Father Chuck talk about "fan ownership" and the nature of entitlement that is inherent in fandom. From demanding that certain characters are forced to have a romantic relationship, to insisting that certain head canon is official canon. Where does one draw the line? We talk about the fun that can be found in critical analysis, theories, and individual interpretation as it relates to the "death of the author" theory. It's a fun episode where JP and Father Chuck let loose on a ...
Oct 17, 2017•1 hr 16 min
First and foremost, we are deeply saddened by the events that took place in Las Vegas on October 1st. Our hearts go out to the victims and their families, and we continue to keep those affected by this tragedy in our prayers. This week, JP and Matt are joined by Amanda Young, a colleague of JP's from their film school days! Amanda just wrapped her first short film, LOVE, GWEN, a deeply personal crime-thriller that was written and directed by her in order to attend the American Film Institute's W...
Oct 10, 2017•1 hr 16 min
Matt returns! This week, Matt joins JP and Father Chuck as they have another riff-tastic episode about...stuff! Father Chuck checked out The Orville, Seth McFarlane's "send up"(?) of Star Trek (or is it??), Matt watched a couple of underwhelming movies and we're all just doing our best to get by, man. Matt also tells us what it was like to be an on-duty officer during Hurricane Irma and how life On The Streets is treating him. We have fun with this one, so just come hang out with us, you'll floa...
Oct 03, 2017•55 min
JP and Father Chuck are back together again after Father Chuck endured the wrath of Irma. Then our duo tells the tale of The Rise and Fall of Devin Faraci, a film critic that JP and Father Chuck followed closely until controversy arose, and why he is suddenly in the news. It's a discussion that leads to musings on forgiveness, redemption, and the ol' Internet Witch Hunt. Then they get into some arguments about pineapple on pizza, how to properly pronounce Gif, and "soda" vs "pop." Yeah, it's one...
Sep 19, 2017•1 hr 20 min
JP and Father Chuck talk hurricanes, natural disasters and whether or not Harvey and Irma is God's vengeful wrath. The duo geek out a little over the upcoming Halloween Horror Nights, reminisce and share stories of experiencing hurricanes in the past (both JP and Chuck were living in South Florida during the marathon of hurricanes in 2004, and also Wilma!), and Father Chuck assures us all that he will be safe as Irma approaches Florida - also keep in mind this was recorded before Irma made landf...
Sep 12, 2017•52 min
JP and Father Chuck are back for another episode about "Christian curiosities." This is one of those episodes where we talk about weird Christian ephemera, whether it be a book about how a prayer can grant you anything you want, a harmless bracelet with roots in social justice, or an emblem on a car that became the most recognizable modern day Christian symbol that isn't a cross. This episode is of course about the latter, as JP and Father Chuck discuss the history of the Ichthys, or as what som...
Sep 05, 2017•58 min
In American society the idea of a hero is pretty much the ultimate ideal a human being can achieve. But what does that mean, exactly? Does anyone truly personify the idea of being a hero, or is being a hero acting on heroic moments that happen upon us? The Masters of Divinity discuss heroism and what exactly it means to be a hero, and even get into some philosophical/theological musing on nothingness. It ties in. I think. Also, Father Chuck is none-too-happy about DC's dual Joker films coming do...
Aug 29, 2017•1 hr 5 min
In this edition of Masters of Divinity, JP and Father Chuck spew their triggered SJW liberal snowflake propaganda about why Nazi's and white supremacy is bad. We get it. It's a low bar. We wondered why we should even address something as obvious as "don't be a white supremacist," and yet, here we are. They address the many issues and concerns surrounding the Charlottesville incident and attempt to get to the root of the kind of hatred that spawns white supremacy. If you'd like to support the sho...
Aug 22, 2017•1 hr
Steven Spielberg is responsible for many things. A fantastic output of films for all ages in the 80s, a resurgence in optimism and hope in cinema, traumatizing Matt Wells so that he'll never step foot in to the ocean, and of course Poltergeist. We wrap up our creator series with a creator who needs no introduction: Steven Spielberg. JP talks about Steven Spielberg's most personal film, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, his overall influence and cinema and why he is a truly legendary creator. The gang ...
Aug 15, 2017•59 min
In the second part of our snazzy title-less creator series, Father Chuck submits Shigeru Miyamoto as the focus of discussion. You may not know his name, but you probably know his work like the back of your hand. Miyamoto created three of the most iconic video games of all time: Donkey Kong, Super Mario Bros., and The Legend of Zelda. His work is also tied into the creation and evolution of Nintendo. Basically, he's a huge deal, and if you're not acquainted with the man behind the games, you will...
Aug 08, 2017•1 hr 11 min
Rob Bell is a controversial figure in the realm of modern day Christianity, but the Masters of Divinity are huge fans (it should go without saying, we had him on the show!). However, there is no bigger Rob Bell fan than our very own Matt Wells. This week in the first part of our series on our favorite creators, Matt tells us why Rob Bell's work is so important to him and how it influenced his own spiritual journey (and continues to, to this day). Also, Father Chuck reveals that prior to recordin...
Aug 01, 2017•57 min
In preparation for an upcoming series about creativity and favorite creators, the Masters of Divinity discuss the fundamentals of creation. What is creation? Why do humans need to be creative? There's also some mention of Dan Harmon, Bob Ross and Joseph Campbell, influential creators in their own right and how they inspire deep, provocative meditations on the act of creating. Plus, we talk about some nerdy Star Wars stuff and our reactions to Spider-Man: Homecoming! If you'd like to support the ...
Jul 18, 2017•1 hr 19 min
This week, after catching up on 4th of July shenanigans, Father Chuck and JP sit down to discuss the topic of forgiveness. How does one purely forgive someone? What is expected of you once you are forgiven? Has our society lost the concept of forgiveness as evident by many an Internet fiasco? They also start the episode with a brand new segment, where JP and Father Chuck discuss what they've been watching and reading, or in JP's case, what he's being missing out on. If you'd like to support the ...
Jul 11, 2017•1 hr 10 min
In another edition of Masters of Divinity, our trio unites to share their thoughts and experiences on what they've been watching, reading, and thinking. JP has a bone to pick with The Mummy (the title of this episode is supposed to be ironic) and the studios making big blockbuster tentpoles, Father Chuck has been challenging himself by reading a book by Rod Dreher, and Matt thinks it's a good idea to read Stephen King's IT before falling asleep every night. Listen to the riff-tastic episode, and...
Jun 27, 2017•1 hr 16 min
As you all know by now, The Masters of Divinity love to dive in and explore "Christian curiosities," whether it's the Prayer of Jabez, the Satanic Panic, or even small movements in music-driven culture such as Christian Punk, we're there, we're talking about it, and we love it. This week we talk about Christian Punk and how Father Chuck was a pretty active member of the scene back in the day. This of course leads to attempting to define punk, asking ourselves and Christianity and punk rock truly...
Jun 20, 2017•1 hr 16 min
Wonder Woman has taken the world by storm and has become a phenomenon, so of course ya boys JP, Father Chuck and Matt are gonna talk about it. Turns out, they loved it too. It was a perfect superhero movie, but the Masters of Divinity are also pretty over the moon that WB/DC were actually able to deliver a good movie for once, and to prove we aren't a bunch of Marvel shills, we talk about why it worked, and why we're hopeful for the future of DC's cinematic universe. If you'd like to support the...
Jun 13, 2017•1 hr 5 min
This week, JP and Father Chuck address the representation of Christians in films and television. Christians don't often find characters in media that represent what they believe or their lifestyle, and sometimes they're often portrayed in a negative or a less empathetic light. But JP and Father Chuck have discovered plenty of characters who represent Christians positively, and have found that as entertainment evolves, religion is being used to create more nuanced characters. If you'd like to sup...
Jun 06, 2017•1 hr 11 min
It's the last installment of this month's theme, Music May-hem, and the guys go all out on the explosive album, "Who's Next" by legendary band The Who. This week, Father Patrick Funston (aka "Father Fun") joins us with his all-time favorite album, and takes us all to church on everything there is to know about The Who's greatest album. There's plenty of talk about the hits like Baba O'Riley, Behind Blue Eyes, and Won't Get Fooled Again, as well as some deep diving into deeper cuts, the origin of...
May 30, 2017•1 hr 11 min
This week on Masters of Divinity's latest installment of Music MAY-hem, WE ARE GROOT! Keeping with the theme of the month, and also in the spirit of mixing things up, JP, Father Chuck, and Matt talk about this month's cinematic treasure, GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2. Chuck finds interesting gnostic parallels in the relationship between Ego the Living Planet and Chris Pratt's character Peter Quill. They talk about their favorite musical numbers in the movie, their favorite relationships and cha...
May 23, 2017•1 hr 2 min
In this short but sweet episode, Father Chuck and JP discuss Paul Simon's "Graceland," that album Father Chuck chose for this latest installment of Music MAY-hem. JP had to go outside his wheelhouse for this one as this wasn't punk or alternative or New Wave, but luckily he was very much rewarded for his faith in Paul Simon. They talk about the history of the album, the impact it had on Paul Simon's career, its hand in possibly ending apartheid in South Africa, and of course revealing to the wor...
May 16, 2017•47 min
In this episode about the album The Beatles recorded to get back to their roots and record in the same space together, the Masters of Divinity get back to their roots and record in the same space together! This week on Music MAY-hem [guitar riff], Deputy Matt chooses "Let It Be... Naked" by The Beatles. Chuck gives us an in-depth history of the album, Matt tells us why the album is his favorite Beatles album, and why it's so important, and JP (a Beatles neophyte) talks about his first impression...
May 09, 2017•1 hr 6 min
In our first episode of Music MAY-hem, JP chats individually with Father Chuck and Matt about Green Day's most successful album, "Dookie." JP and Chuck share their history with the album, and Matt reveals that the album has made him realize how much he misses punk music. There's a lot of discussion about the lyrics of some of the most popular songs on the album (Basket Case, Longview, When I Come Around, Welcome To Paradise) as well as some not-so-popular songs. It's a great first installment of...
May 02, 2017•1 hr 25 min
In this episode, JP and Father Chuck delve deep into their relationships with the fantasy genre. These days the genre seems to be exploding, with roleplaying games like Dungeons and Dragons exploding on the scene and more Harry Potter movies. They talk about draw fantasy has toward Christian authors, why some fundamental Christians are so against fantasy, and their own history with the genre. Also, a teaser for next week's theme: Music May-hem! If you'd like to support the show, become a patron ...
Apr 25, 2017•1 hr 14 min
One of the cool things about being The Masters of Divinity is that our very own Fr. Chuck is a working priest in the Episcopal Church. And so we decided that we'd take a week off and let him do the heavy-lift— I mean, give you all the opportunity to hear him preach his Easter sermon. So if you've ever wanted to hear the proclamation of our Risen Lord preached alongside references to Moses, Mad Max: Fury Road, and the 1986 Disney Classic, Flight of the Navigator, then boy-howdy do we have the ser...
Apr 18, 2017•14 min
In this episode, JP, Father Chuck, and Silent Matt talk about demons. Father Chuck takes JP to school with his knowledge on the origin of demons and the true nature of the demonic, while dispelling myths and common misconceptions. We’ve got biblical demons, personal demons, pop culture demons, and Frank Peretti demons - we cover the whole gamut of mankind’s understanding of demons. And in true Masters of Divinity, it is handled with reverence and finesse. Kinda. If you'd like to support the show...
Apr 11, 2017•1 hr 16 min
It's episode 54, and the gang is once again reunited, this time to take on the infamous Bible code! Do you remember the Bible Code? Apparently there are secret messages hidden in the Bible that predict events in the future, and one brave soul discovered a code to find these messages...that doesn't really gel with our Masters of Divinity, and they dive deep into the history of the fad as well as the methods used. Shocker: it gets weird. If you'd like to support the show, become a patron by visit ...
Apr 04, 2017•50 min
Welcome, Space Brothers! JP and Father Chuck are here to guide you through the bizarre and fascinating world of UFO's, aliens, and conspiracies! How far can you push yourself to the boundaries of your own sanity while JP and Chuck educate you on the two different species of Grey Aliens, the function of the Mantids, and lift the curtain on the Reptilian Conspiracy?! We also learn about the highest ranking government official from a G8 country that takes the aliens VERY seriously. Also, The Master...
Mar 28, 2017•1 hr 8 min
On today's episode, Matt and JP celebrate 20 years of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Last week was the 20th Anniversary of the titular series, and if you've been following the podcast or know JP and Matt in real life, you'll know that they are life-long Buffy fans. Father Chuck, unfortunately, is not present. While JP records from the comfort of his home, Matt is patrolling the graveyards for blood-sucking fiends from beyond the grave. The duo talk about what Buffy as a show means to them, why Buffy ...
Mar 21, 2017•1 hr 2 min
On today's episode, Matt and JP celebrate 20 years of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Last week was the 20th Anniversary of the titular series, and if you've been following the podcast or know JP and Matt in real life, you'll know that they are life-long Buffy fans. Father Chuck, unfortunately, is not present. While JP records from the comfort of his home, Matt is patrolling the graveyards for blood-sucking fiends from beyond the grave. The duo talk about what Buffy as a show means to them, why Buffy ...
Mar 21, 2017•48 min
In this week's episode, Matt Wells is joined by Father Chuck and JP as they dive head-first into the history of the WWJD brand. You might remember it as an innocuous brand used to sell bracelets and guilt teenagers out of making out or seeing Rated R movies. What the majority of people don't realize is that the phrase "What Would Jesus Do?" is deeply rooted in the Social Gospel movement, and was coined by Charles Sheldon, a minister from the 1800's. We talk about Charles Sheldon and his message,...
Mar 14, 2017•57 min
