This breakout is entitled “The Reformation Today” because “Is the Reformation Over?” has already been taken by everyone writing at First Things or The Gospel Coalition. Also, because at Mockingbird we believe the answer to that question is a resounding “NO.” In order to make my pitch, I believe the shake up at the burger chain Carl’s Jr and Hardee’s has a lot to to say. For seventeen years, Carl’s Jr and Hardee’s defined their business not by amazing fast food burgers (when it comes to fast-food...
Jun 20, 2017•41 min
According to the Pew Research Center (see here and here), over half of American adults who were sampled (59%) believe that, in general, science is often in conflict with religion. But “conflict” is only one way of seeing how science and religion might relate. Other possibilities include “independent”, “competition”, “dialogue”, “discussion”, “engagement”, “partnership”, “collaboration”, among others. Some, like scientist and theologian Alister McGrath, take a more nuanced approach, and describe ...
Jun 13, 2017•48 min
Nietzsche said that he would only believe in a “God who dances.” As Mockingbird devotees, and survivors of three marriages, Debbie and I have come to believe in a dancing God. Yet, this view of God only came after years, many years, in which we didn’t. A romantic courtship, with breathless excitement and anticipation of an American-dream marriage, quickly turned into a marriage of unmet expectations from both sides. Indeed, each of us hurt the other (albeit unintentionally) in the very fashion t...
Jun 13, 2017•43 min
Dynamite does one thing well: it blows stuff up. Dynamite is no more than an absorbent material, such as sawdust, soaked in a highly combustible chemical called nitroglycerin. The absorbent material makes the nitroglycerin much more stable. Attached to the nitroglycerin infused sawdust is either a fuse of a blasting cap. Once lit, the fuse or cap creates a small explosion that triggers the larger explosion in the dynamite itself. Once ignited, the dynamite burns extremely rapidly and produces a ...
May 30, 2017•42 min
I don’t “read much” and I don’t “look the part” I’m not “seminary trained” or even “theologically inclined.” I don’t “know what ‘Pelagian’ means” and I “don’t look comfortable in front of an audience” I “sleep in my make-up” and “also with stuffed animals” I guess I “talk too much” and I “sweat when I’m nervous” and I “can’t remember names” because I’m “too concerned with myself” even though I “don’t bathe regularly” and I’ve “let myself go.” I haven’t “learned my lesson” my “coffee hasn’t kicke...
May 23, 2017•36 min
It doesn’t take long at Mockingbird before one hears about… yes, here it comes… Law and Gospel. It is the name of the book after all. And while most of the fun is to be had in observing this versatile skeleton key to the human condition illustrated in everything from Finding Dory to David Bowie, or from Black Mirror to Axl Rose, the original Law/Gospel illustration, of course, came from Martin Luther’s BFF, Lucas Cranach the Elder, as evidenced below. On the left, expectation and obligation – wi...
May 23, 2017•55 min
We’re living in an age of “ subjective sovereignty ,” where life is “all the feels” and emotional offense is king. It is a time less describable by policy discord and differences of opinion, but instead by vindictive joy and holy rage . Arguments are couched in first-person noise—disagreements have the sting of personal attacks—which means the arguments are, on the whole, harder to argue or critique. As we’ve become “touchier” about the things we care about, the logic behind those sensitivities ...
May 12, 2017•1 hr 3 min
Closing Saturday morning talk at our 2017 Conference in New York City, given by David Zahl. Delivered April 29th, 2017 at St George's Episcopal Church.
May 09, 2017•31 min
Saturday morning talk at our 2017 Conference in New York City, given by Nicole Cliffe (The Toast). Delivered April 29th, 2017 at St George's Episcopal Church.
May 09, 2017•46 min
Saturday morning talk at our 2017 Conference in New York City, given by Duo Dickinson. Delivered April 29th, 2017 at St George's Episcopal Church.
May 09, 2017•28 min
Friday evening talk at our 2017 Conference in NYC, given by The Rev. Fleming Rutledge. Delivered April 28th, 2017 at St George's Episcopal Church.
May 09, 2017•42 min
Friday afternoon talk at our 2017 Conference in NYC, given by Oliver Burkeman (The Guardian). Delivered April 28th, 2017 at St George's Episcopal Church.
May 09, 2017•37 min
Second Friday morning talk at our 2017 Conference in NYC from Dr. Simeon Zahl. Delivered April 28th, 2017 at St George's Episcopal Church. Subtitle: "The Lost Doctrine of Sin.
May 09, 2017•38 min
Friday morning talk at our 2017 Conference in NYC from The Rev. Sarah Condon. Delivered April 28th, 2017 at St George's Episcopal Church. Subtitle: "The Losing Battle of Being in Charge".
May 09, 2017•31 min
Opening talk at our 2017 Conference in NYC from The Rev. Aaron Zimmerman. Delivered April 27th, 2017 at St George's Episcopal Church. Subtitle: "The Secret of Mockingbird's Success".
May 06, 2017•39 min
Our guest this week is Jeffrey Hanson, author of "Kierkegaard and the Life of Faith: The Aesthetic, the Ethical, and the Religious in 'Fear and Trembling'". Then the roundtable talks Yik Yak, the breeding grounds of resentment and more Melissa Febos. Special Guest: Jeffrey Hanson.
Mar 24, 2017•1 hr 4 min
Our guest this week is Tony Jones. Tony is a theologian, author and the trade editor at Fortress Press. He's also a consultant on Hulu's popular serial drama "The Path". Then the roundtable talks happiness, headwinds and the Zacchaeus option. Special Guest: Tony Jones.
Mar 17, 2017•1 hr 14 min
Our guest this week is Emily Esfani Smith. She's the author of The Power Of Meaning: Crafting a Life That Matters. Then the roundtable talks tribalism, storytelling and failure. Special Guest: Emily Esfahani Smith.
Mar 10, 2017•1 hr 8 min
Our guest this week is Adam Morton. Having successfully avoided the pitfalls of money and social standing, sometime Mockingbird contributor Adam Morton serves as pastor of Christ Lutheran Church and associate pastor of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, both in Lancaster, PA. His wife Tasha does more or less the same thing, but competently. Together they parent a very wide toddler. Adam is inordinately proud of his standing as a native Minnesotan, and supports the state’s athletic teams in true Luthe...
Mar 03, 2017•1 hr 13 min
This week's guest is Melissa Febos. She's the author of the critically acclaimed memoir, Whip Smart (St. Martin’s Press 2010) and the forthcoming essay collection, Abandon Me (Bloomsbury 2017). Then the roundtable comes to you live from Texas at the mbirdtyler.com conference. Special Guest: Melissa Febos.
Feb 24, 2017•1 hr 3 min
Our guest this week is Jason Micheli. Jason is a United Methodist pastor. He's the author of Cancer Is Funny: Keeping Faith in Stage-Serious Chemo. He's the co-host of the Crackers and Grape Juice podcast. Then roundtable talks loved, religion and death. Special Guest: Jason Micheli.
Feb 17, 2017•1 hr 7 min
This week our guest is Stephanie Butnick, co-host of Tablet Magazine's popular podcast Unorthodox. We have now had all three co-hosts as guests. We saved the best for last! Then the roundtable talks eating your way to immortality, atheist conversion studies and concludes with a story of what love is all about. Special Guest: Stephanie Butnick.
Feb 10, 2017•1 hr 11 min
In this special episode of The Mockingcast we give a preview of some of the content of Mockingbird's quarterly print magazine. Several contributors are featured including Dr. Helen Zoe Veit. She's the author of Modern Food, Moral Food. Special Guest: Helen Zoe Veit.
Feb 09, 2017•1 hr 19 min
Our guest this week is Nadia Bolz-Weber. She is a pastor, author, speaker, fitness jedi and poster child for the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. Then the roundtable tackles fat shaming, date hating, food solidarity and the definition of a sermon. Special Guest: Nadia Bolz-Weber.
Feb 03, 2017•1 hr 16 min
Our guest this week is Carlen Maddux, author of A Path Revealed: How Hope, Love And Joy Found Us In A Deep Maze Called Alzheimer's. Then the roundtable talks "people analytics", living in bubbles and the foolish culture of the carnival. Special Guests: Carlen Maddux, Lindy Jones.
Jan 27, 2017•56 min
This week our guest is Paul Walker. Paul is the Rector at Christ Episcopal Church, where Mockingbird is headquartered. He’s also a longtime friend of Mockingbird and spoke at the first Mockingbird conference in New York City. After our conversation with Paul the usual suspects talk about the death of the American dream, frames of mind and the stories we tell ourselves. Special Guest: Paul Walker .
Jan 20, 2017•1 hr 11 min
Our guest this week is Jennifer Underwood. Jennifer is a lawyer, wife and mother of 3. She blogs at the Houston Moms Blog. Then the roundtable talks about profanity and honest, shame, forgiveness and Silence. Special Guest: Jennifer Underwood.
Jan 13, 2017•1 hr 3 min
Dr. Todd Brewer, New Testament Professor at General Theological Seminary, comes on the podcast to talk about Mockingbird’s best theology book list of 2016. Then the roundtable talks about, among other things, Good Riddance Day.
Jan 06, 2017•49 min
Our guest on our Christmas episode is Rev. Mandy Smith. She has recently written about dealing with mixed emotions during the holidays. She also created an advent art exercise to help cultivate child-likeness. Then David, Sarah and Scott talk business, Christmas gifts and how to grow old.
Dec 23, 2016•58 min
This week’s guest is Simeon Zahl. Simeon is a theologian who teaches at the University of Nottingham. His work focuses on the role of emotion and feeling in the spiritual life. He’s also David Zahl’s brother. Then David, Sarah and Scott talk about judgyness, the significance of place and reflect on the legacy of Henri Nouwen.
Dec 16, 2016•1 hr 28 min
