Rethinking Faith

This week I was happy to welcome back my friend Jonathan J. Foster. We talk about The Curian Network (formerly the Open Table Network). We also take a look at Jonathan's new Micro-Theology series and take a deep dive into his working definition of love. Enjoy! RESOURCES: The Curian Network Jonathan's Substack *A special thanks to Marty, Josh, and Dan. Love you guys

This week Dr. Thomas Jay Oord returns to the podcast to discuss his latest project... A Systematic Theology of Love. Tom proposes 15 new ideas for Systematic Theology and I invited my former student Julian Oetinger on to help keep Tom honest... Enjoy! RESOURCES: Tom's Substack *A special thanks to Josh, Marty, and Dan. Love you guys

This week on the (Re)thinking Faith podcast, I had the privilege of reconnecting with Dr. Drew Hart, an associate professor of theology and an author deeply engaged in discussions around racial justice and faith. Our conversation delves into Dr. Hart’s journey through the Black church, Anabaptism, and how these experiences shape his understanding of justice in today’s world. Through personal stori...

Alright friends this week I have a special treat for you... Emogelicals is a show I record once a month with my good buddy Jed over at Church and Other Drugs. Typically this is released for Patrons only, but this week you get a sneak peek into what you are missing out on. Enjoy! JOIN MY PATREON: Click HERE to join.

So we're LIVE at the Common Market in Charlotte, drinking craft beverages and fielding questions from the Speaking to a Modern World conference, which means we're ping-ponging between topics faster than your algorithm-addled attention span. Josh starts us off playing voice of the people, then we trade him for Leah Robinson, who's delightfully willing to interrupt me when I get too deep in the phil...

Rethinking Comics kicks off with a deep dive into the emotional rollercoaster of Ice Cream Man issue #5, aptly titled "Ballad of a Falling Man." Right off the bat, the hosts, Josh and Joshua, explore the heavy themes of suicide, existentialism, and the complexity of human relationships, all wrapped in the chilling narrative of a man plummeting from a corporate skyscraper. As they dissect the juxta...

This week I have something a little bit different for you... Recently I was invited to present at the "Speaking to A Modern World" Conference in Charlotte North Carolina. I was tasked with giving a talk putting Open and Relational Theology in conversation with some of the biggest critiques of theism offered by Atheists today. In my presentation, I critique the god of Classical Theism and take the...

This week I am joined by Theologian and Ethicist Brandon Ambrosino to talk about his new book, "Is it God's Will? Making Sense of Tragedy, Luck, and Hope in a World Gone Wrong". Together we explore deep theological topics, including the nature of God, the significance of hope, and the role of love in understanding faith. We look at the metaphor of the basement in theology, and the importance of Th...

This week I was joined by my friend the Rev. Dr. Shaleen Kenrick for a fun and insightful conversation about her work around her Neuro-Relational Integration Model. Dr. Kendrick's wrote a fantastic dissertation titled, "Neuro-Relational Spirituality: Salvation as Experiential Wholeness-Making Through the Integration of Mind-Body-Spirit". I have heard her present on this model multiple times and I...

This week, Swami Padmanabha joins the podcast to share his spiritual journey and his insights into the nature of love, spirituality, and the divine. Swami has a new book out titled "Evolution in Divine Love: The Eternal Becoming of God, Soul, and Matter", that we used as our jumping-off point for the conversation. He discusses the concept of Bhakti, the yoga of love, and emphasizes the importance...

This week on the podcast, Dr. Aaron Simmons returns for yet another fun and nerdy conversation. Aaron takes us on a deep dive into phenomenology, exploring its implications for consciousness, intentionality, and the human experience. We discuss the historical context of phenomenology, its connection to hermeneutics, and its relevance in contemporary philosophical and political discourse. The conve...

This week I was joined by my friend the Pediatrician and Theologian Dr. Chris Hanson to talk about his new book, "Open and Relational Parenting: Loving Parents Reflecting a Loving God". We take a deep dive into Open and Relational Theology and the insights it has into our parenting techniques. Enjoy! RESOURCES: Open and Relational Parenting (Book) OpenAndRelationalParenting. Com THEOLOGY BEER CAMP...

This week I am happy to share a conversation that was recorded live at UNION Craft Brewing in Baltimore Maryland. My friend Nia Chiaramonte returned to the podcast to talk about her new book, "I Hardly Knew Me: Following Love, Faith, and Skittles to a Transgender Awakening". We take a deep dive into Nia's story of discovering who she is as a transgender woman. Nia interweaves her experiences of fa...

This week I would like to share a recent conversation I got to have on a different podcast called "The Unraveler". The host, Alan Bondar had me on for a conversation he titled "Does Process Theology Save Christianity?". We had a great conversation that was a lot of fun for both of us. I offered up both Process Theism and Radical Theism as viable options for conceiving of the Divine. Did I do a goo...

This week my good friend Dan Koch joins the show once again for a conversation I was a bit nervous about... my growing disillusionment with pop-deconstruction and Progressive Christianity. I specifically wanted to talk to Dan about this because he is always careful with his language and also does a good job not buying into the ideology of either side of the aisle. We have an honest chat and it tur...

This week I sat down with my first ever Brother and Sister duo for a wonderful conversation. Billie and Paul Hoard joined me to discuss their fantastic new book, "Eucontamination: Disgust Theology and the Christian Life". It turns out the psychology of disgust impacts our lives in many ways, including out theology! Eucontamination is a word Billie & Paul coined that posits goodness can spread and...

This week I was excited to be rejoined by Brian McLaren for a very fun conversation about his new book, "The Last Voyage". This new book is wonderful and I genuinely couldn't put it down. McLaren tackles themes of climate change, economic crisis, political crisis, interpersonal relationships, Religion and Science, and what it means to be human. I loved talking with Brian as always and can't wait f...

Back in July I had the privilege of attending ORTCon. Each night of the conference I hosted a live podcast. Here is the final conversation I had with Tim Miller about his very fun, and very helpful book, "The Silence of the Lamb: Exploring the Hiddenness of Christ and God". We talk about the problem of Divine Hiddenness, explore ways the tradition has tried to answer the problem, and then engage H...

This week I was joined by my friend Dr. Chad Bahl to discuss his recently defended doctoral thesis, "The Death of Supernaturalism: The Case for Process Naturalism". We all know belief in God is at an all time low and classical theism has become incredulous to many. Addressing such issues as the problem of evil, divine hiddenness, conflicts with science, and biblicism Bahl offers a compelling case...

Back in July I had the privilege of attending ORTCon. Each night of the conference I hosted a live podcast. Here is a wonderful conversation I had with Tracy Tucker about his deeply helpful book, "Can We Talk About Death? An Open and Relational Vision". We discuss how poor we are as a society at talking about and dealing with death. We look into bad theology that hurts our understanding of death a...

This week I was joined by Shannon Kerns, for a wonderful conversation about his book, "No One Taught Me How to Be A Man: What a Trans Man's Experience Reveals About Masculinity". We explore the complexities of masculinity, the crisis many men face today, and the importance of emotional health and community. Shannon shares insights from his own experiences discussing the need for men to unlearn tox...

Back in July I had the privilege of attending ORTCon. Each night of the conference I hosted a live podcast. Here is a conversation I had with Deanna Young about her book "Unblaming God: Interpreting the Old Testament Through the Lens of Jesus". I was also joined by Joshua Noel from the Whole Church Podcast to help me cohost this episode. Enjoy! RESOURCES: Unblaming God (Book) THEOLOGY BEER CAMP 20...

This week I am joined by my friend Jon Paul Sydnor to talk about his fantastic book, "The Great Open Dance: A Progressive Christian Theology". Jon Paul is a progressive Christian theologian and we explore themes of progressive Christianity, the Social Trinity, Agapic non-duality, and the importance of joy in faith. We discuss the intersection of different faith traditions, the role of community, a...

This week I am joined by Dr. Kevin Carnahan, a professor of philosophy and religion, to discuss his book 'The Disappearance of Eve and the Gender of Christ.' The conversation explores the implications of traditional soteriology and the role of Eve in Christian theology. Carnahan argues for a more inclusive understanding of Jesus's gender and emphasizes the importance of engaging with LGBTQ perspec...

This week I had the privilege of being joined by Dr. Mark C. Taylor, to explore his works 'After God' and 'After the Human'. We discuss the interconnectedness of humanity, nature, and technology, the impact of climate change and artificial intelligence, and the philosophical implications of anthropocentrism. Taylor shares insights on the importance of relationality, the role of hope in the face of...