Homebrewed Christianity Podcast

What does it sound like when two friends discuss their struggle with the concept of God? If those friends also have a shared interest in science, philosophy, and religion it could sound like this. My super-nerd friend, Sarah Lane Ritchie, is back on the podcast for a strikingly honest conversation about God and what is required for a “minimally viable” concept. It centers on three particular affirmations: God is personal God is transcendent God provides for postmortem existence Dr. Sarah Lane Ritchie received her B.A. in Philosophy & Religion from Spring Arbor University, an M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary, and an M.Sc. in Science & Religion from the University of Edinburgh. She obtained her Ph.D. at the University of Edinburgh in Science & Religion with a thesis on divine action and the human mind, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of St. Andrews. She has published a book with Cambridge University Press and numerous articles in academic journals, and continues resear

Yesterday we launched Jesus De/Constructed, an open online class with Diana Butler Bass.  This is session one, so receive it as an invitation to join the group. We are thrilled over 3000 people have already signed up   Don’t forget to join Tripp & Diana this Lent for an open online class – Jesus De/constructed! Details here.  Follow the podcast, drop a review, or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What would happen if Marty McFly went back in time and gave a young Karl Barth a copy of Charles Taylor’s A Secular Age?  It would be pretty close to Andrew Root’s new book Churches and the Crisis of Decline. The book came out today, so Andy and I talked about it on a live stream. Enjoy the convo, get the book, and look forward to the coming Karl Barth musical on Disney+ Andrew Root is the Carrie Olson Baalson Professor of Youth and Family Ministry at Luther Seminary, USA. He writes and researches in areas of theology, ministry, culture, and younger generations.  Some of his most recent books are The Congregation in a Secular Age (Baker, 2021), The End of Youth Ministry? (Baker, 2020), The Pastor in a Secular Age: Ministry to People Who No Longer Need God (Baker, 2019), Faith Formation in a Secular Age (Baker, 2017), and Exploding Stars, Dead Dinosaurs, and Zombies: Youth Ministry in the Age of Science (Fortress Press, 2018).  Andy has worked in congregations, parachurch ministries, and so

This is another zesty session of “Big God Questions” with Tom Oord. In this edition, we discuss his new book Pluriform Love, an Open and Relational account of divine revelation, and more. At the end of the episode, Tom offers to send 10 people a copy of his new book if they submit a question for a future ‘Big God Questions’ session. So send us a question HERE. We are both evangelists for Open and Relational Theology and now that it has a center you should check it out. You can also check out the doctoral program in Open and Relational Theology here. Thomas Jay Oord is a theologian, philosopher, and scholar of multi-disciplinary studies. Oord is an award-winning author, and he has written or edited more than twenty books. A twelve-time Faculty Award-winning professor, Oord teaches at institutions around the globe. A gifted speaker, Oord is known for his contributions to research on love, open and relational theology, science and religion, and the implications of freedom and relationships for transformatio

What does it mean to take one’s faith seriously during an ecological collapse? How can ministers lead faith communities when so many justice issues are polarizing? These important questions and more shape this conversation with two returning guests to the podcast – Leah Schade & Wilson Dickinson. Both are faculty at Lexington Theological Seminary where there is a deep investment in these tasks and the cultivation of a more vibrant online education. Dr. Leah Schade is Assistant Professor of Preaching and Worship at Lexington Theological Seminary, A graduate of the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, her research and experience cover the fields of homiletics and ecological theology. As an ordained minister in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA), Schade has served in suburban, urban, and rural settings and has worked with parishioners from a variety of cultural, racial, and economic backgrounds. Formerly the pastor of United in Christ Lutheran Church in Lewisburg, PA, Schade s ministry

Ryan G. Duns, SJ, is a Jesuit priest and an assistant professor of theology at Marquette University. His locates his work the intersection of philosophy and systematic theology and is interested in regarding theology as practice or "way of life." He has published on Karl Rahner, Jean-Luc Marion, René Girard, and his most recent work has involved a sustained engagement with William Desmond’s metaphysics. His monograph “Spiritual Exercises for a Secular Age: Desmond and the Quest for God" argues that, when read as a form of spiritual exercise (Pierre Hadot), Desmond’s philosophy can re-awaken a sense of the Transcendent. In the conversation we discuss... the possibility of a return to Narnia problems with cranky Thomism what is happening in the cultural fascination with Zombies 5 Commandments for doing Metaphysics... after the death of Metaphysics Want to read a summary of the book and see some stellar scholars engage it? Head over here to the Syndicate consortium. Sacramental hermenutics how spiritua

My friend and brilliant theologian, Dr. Grace Ji-Sun Kim, is back on the podcast and we have a stimulating conversation about her newest book Invisible: Theology and the Experience of Asian American Women. Check out my visit to Grace's podcast -Here's the audio & here's Mandang on YoutTube:) Grace Ji-Sun Kim is Professor of Theology at Earlham School of Religion. She received her M.Div. from Knox College and her Ph.D. from the University of Toronto. She is the author or editor of 19 books most recently, Keeping Hope Alive; Intersectional Theology co-written with Susan Shaw and Embracing the Other. Kim is a Series Editor for Palgrave Macmillan Series, “Asian Christianity in the Diaspora”. Eerdmans included her in their list of Five Great Women Scholars, and the Englewood Review of Books named her in their list of Ten Important Women Theologians You Should Be Reading Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit meg

John Cobb, the greatest living theologian, returns to the podcast for a birthday pod. What an honor, treat, and thrill! I hope you all enjoy this one half as much as I did :) Dr. John B. Cobb, Jr. taught theology at the Claremont School of Theology from 1958 to 1990. In 2014 he became the first theologian elected to the prestigious American Academy of Arts and Sciences for his interdisciplinary work in ecology, economics, and biology. Books by Cobb that come up in the episode Salvation: Jesus's Mission and Ours Christ in a Pluralistic Age Process Theology Organic Marxism: An Alternative to Capitalism and Ecological Catastrophe A Christian Natural Theology, Second Edition: Based on the Thought of Alfred North Whitehead God and the World Jesus Abba: The God Who Has Not Failed Romans Is It Too Late?: A Theology of Ecology Theological Reminiscences Spiritual Bankruptcy: A Prophetic Call to Action Sustaining the Common Good: A Christian Persp

Last night Adam and I had a live stream session for the Upsetting the Powers online reading group. After an hour or so of digging into the readings from Womanist theologian Delores Williams, we took some questions from the group and it was too timely not to share. If you want to access the entire class head over here and join up. At the end of the episode, you get a special invite to join Jesus De/Constructed with Diana Butler Bass and me. :) Dr. Adam Clark is an Associate Professor of Theology at Xavier University. He is committed to the idea that theological education in the twenty-first century must function as a counter-story. One that equips us to read against the grain of the dominant culture and inspires one to live into the Ignatian dictum of going forth “to set the world on fire.” To this end, Dr. Clark is intentional about pedagogical practices that raise critical consciousness by going beneath surface meanings, unmasking conventional wisdoms and reimagining the good. He currently serves as co-c

Dr. Andrew Schwartz is a scholar, organizer, and social entrepreneur. He is Executive Director of the Center for Process Studies and Assistant Professor of Process Studies & Comparative Theology with Claremont School of Theology at Willamette University, as well as Co-Founder and Vice President of the Institute for Ecological Civilization. He is Affiliated Faculty with the Center for Sustainability and Environmental Justice at Willamette University. His current work includes comparative religious philosophy, as well as the role of big ideas in bringing about systems change for the long-term wellbeing of people and the planet the Executive In this conversation we discus a bunch of questions sent in from the Homebrewed Community... 1. Books Andrew likes to use when teaching Process Process-Relational Philosophy: An Introduction to Alfred North Whitehead & Process Theology: A Basic Introduction by Robert C. Mesle On Whitehead by Philip Rose God of Becoming and Relationship: The Dynamic Nature of Process

Dr. Jacob Alan Cook investigates how people move from an ideas-based sense of security about who they are and what they are doing in the world toward a more vibrant, relational posture of faith. He is actively studying and experimenting with creative practices for Christian moral formation in both the academy and local church-communities. Cook’s first book, Worldview Theory, Whiteness, and the Future of Evangelical Faith, is out now along with a series of articles on Baptist News Global introducing its hypothesis. He is currently a postdoctoral fellow at Wake Forest University School of Divinity, where he leads a research program centered on formative practices and the big question: What does it look like when churches and their people thrive as agents of justice, reconciliation, and compassion in their local communities? Check out Jacob's powerful series of articles based on the book Was Adam and Eve’s ‘worldview’ the original sin? Who needs the church when we have the biblical worldview? Why your wo

This is a celebration podcast! My friend Dr. Bethany Sollereder just landed a new job as Lecturer in Science and Religion here at the University of Edinburgh. After a celebration we discuss Bethany's newest choose-your-own-adventure style book on the problem of suffering. Then we shift directions to discuss the future of Science and Religion as a field, our coming ecological collapse, and a little Tolkien:) Here’s two of Bethany’s Books to checkout God, Evolution, and Animal Suffering: Theodicy without a Fall  Why Is There Suffering?: Pick Your Own Theological Expedition Check out Bethany's previous visit to the podcast - Theology and the Ecological Crisis Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My friend and scholar of American Religion, Diana Butler Bass, is on the podcast for a little experiment. We plan to host monthly conversations about religion, politics, and culture from a progressive Christian perspective. We would love your input on the flow, format, and such - so holla :) We plan to have live stream sessions each month with our online communities. To be a part of future zoom sessions like this one, make sure you join Diana's newsletter community, the Cottage. Yes, she does have an actual cottage where she reads, writes, and zooms    Follow the podcast, drop a review, or become a member of the HBC Community. Previous Episodes with Diana & Tripp Theology and Spirituality in a Time of Rupture White Evangelical Theopolitics, John Shelby Spong, & Jesus 20 Years of Religious Decline Jesus After Religion and Beyond Fear Ruining Dinner with Diana Butler Bass and Robyn Henderson-Espinoza Evangelical Decline, the Supreme Court, and the Horizon of Possibility Debating, Praying, and Living with Tyr

What a treat! I got a real deal in-person visit from Brian and Peri Zahnd. They were in town so we recorded in my office at the Unversity of Edinburgh. The conversation was a blast... the lunch that followed was Wow:)  I hope you enjoy our first time connecting IRL (in real life). Don't forget to check out Brian's most recent book, When Everything's on Fire: Faith Forged from the Ashes. Brian Zahnd is the founder and lead pastor of Word of Life Church, a non-denominational Christian congregation in Saint Joseph, Missouri. Brian and his wife, Peri, founded the church in 1981. Brian is also the author of several books, including, Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God, Water to Wine, A Farewell To Mars, Beauty Will Save the World, and Unconditional?: The Call of Jesus to Radical Forgiveness. His newest book is When Everything's on Fire: Faith Forged from the Ashes. Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megapho

In this episode, you get a preview of what is going on in the Upsetting the Powers reading group. Each week we will be featuring a live session where Adam Clark and I discuss the week's theme, reading, and class questions... but wait...there's more :) there will also be an interview in which Adam talks with a fellow scholar and friend of James Cone. After you hear this I hope you join the class. Remember all the content is available for the members to go at their own pace and it is donation-based (including 0) so if you are interested come on in. Previous Episodes w/ Adam: Serene Jones & Adam Clark: Theology Matters and the Legacy of James Cone The Crisis of American Religion & Democracy: 1/6 a year later Christmas, BLM, Abortion, & the War on White Evangelicalism Jan 6th Theological Debrief: Adam Clark and Jeffrey Pugh Adam Clark: What is Black Theology? From Lebron James to the Black Panther: Black Theology QnA w/ Adam Clark Adam Clark: James Cone was right Dr. Adam Clark is Associate Professor of Theol

In this episode you get a preview of what is going on in the Upsetting the Powers reading group. Each week we will be featuring a live session where Adam Clark and I discuss the week's theme, reading, and class questions... but wait...there's more :) there will also be an interview in which Adam talks with a fellow scholar and friend of James Cone. After you hear this I hope you join the class. Remember all the content is available for the members to go at their own pace and it is donation based (including 0) so if you are interested come on in.   Previous Episodes w/ Adam: The Crisis of American Religion & Democracy: 1/6 a year later Christmas, BLM, Abortion, & the War on White Evangelicalism Jan 6th Theological Debrief: Adam Clark and Jeffrey Pugh Adam Clark: What is Black Theology? From Lebron James to the Black Panther: Black Theology QnA w/ Adam Clark Adam Clark: James Cone was right Dr. Adam Clark is Associate Professor of Theology at Xavier University. He is committed to the idea that theological ed

Adam Clark & Jeffrey Pugh joined me for a theological debrief on the anniversary of the 1/6 insurrection. It was a powerful conversation with two dear friends. Previous Episodes w/ Adam: Christmas, BLM, Abortion, & the War on White Evangelicalism Jan 6th Theological Debrief: Adam Clark and Jeffrey Pugh Adam Clark: What is Black Theology? From Lebron James to the Black Panther: Black Theology QnA w/ Adam Clark Adam Clark: James Cone was right The Secret Chart to the END OF TIME (kind of) with Jeffrey Pugh and Daniel Kirk God Loves Science (Fiction) with Jeff Pugh and Will Rose Jeffrey C. Pugh: Why Go Bonhoeffer? Dr. Jeffrey C. Pugh recently retired as Maude Sharpe Powell Professor of Religious Studies and Distinguished University Professor from Elon University in North Carolina. The author of six books ranging from Barth, religion and science, and the apocalyptic imagination to Bonhoeffer, Pugh’s work has focused on Christian complicity in the Holocaust and the lessons that can be applied to instruct future

What happens when three fans of the Matrix film series who happen to be religion professors get together? This. Donna Bowman & James McGrath return to the podcast for a bunch of fun. We hope you enjoy it half as much as we did.   Here's previous pods with James and Donna: James McGrath: What Jesus Learned from Women Early Christian Monotheism with James McGrath: Homebrewed Christianity 68 Becoming the Best Bag of Bones You Can Be with Donna Bowman Politics, Pussy Hats, and Patriarchy with Donna Bowman God and the World Wide Web with Donna Bowman Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does a progressive Christian do at Christmas? Do you cross your fingers the entire time? What about the Virgin Birth? The Incarnation? Last month senior Deacon Tony Jones was on the podcast responding to questions from the listeners. Afterward, I immediately got messages asking about Christmas, like those above, so we decided to talk it out. A Few Previous Podcast Visits with Tony A Deacon’s Meeting with Tony Jones Tony Jones: the Post-Emergent Church Devilpalooza: N.T. Wright, Richard Beck, Greg Boyd, Tony Jones and Duke! Soapbox Blabbery with Peter Rollins & Tony Jones Tony Jones & Peter Rollins on #TheGreatDebacle Did God Kill Jesus? w/ Tony Jones Tony Jones is the author of Did God Kill Jesus? (HarperOne, 2015) and contributing writer to several outdoors periodicals. He’s written a dozen books, including The New Christians: Dispatches from the Emergent Frontier and The Sacred Way: Spiritual Practices for Everyday Life, developed the iPhone app, hosts the Reverend Hunter Po

I am sure many of you were saddened by the news of Anne Rice's passing. She visited the podcast in 2010 after publicly 'quitting Christianity' and enough of the long-time listeners asked for the interview we decided to share it. My buddy Mike occasionally did interviews back then and he is the one asking the questions here. Since it was 2010 the technology was not as good, but I reworked the audio as best as I could. Here's Mike's reflection on Anne's passing In the wee hours this morning I heard the heartbreaking news that Anne Rice died, surrounded by loved ones, due to complications from a stroke.   Anne revolutionized gothic horror writing with her layered, humanizing, and sensuous approach to storytelling, initiating a trend toward more sympathetic portrayals of (say) vampires, telling the story of their eternal power and anguish from *their* point of view, which became the de facto norm for later shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Twilight, and True Blood. The LGBTQ community in particular embra