Cafeteria Christian

We asked, and you all responded! This week Emmy and Natalia read and talk about the ways Cafeterians have church shopped and how it went.  www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian  

Emmy and Natalia answer our most commonly asked listener question about churches and how to find a "good" church that also is safe, but also has good music, and also good preaching, and and and and and.  Links:  www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian

Emmy and Natalia welcome Beth Silvers of Pantsuit Politics to spend a little time talking about the intersections of faith and politics and why we haven't given up on either just yet.  Links: Pantsuit Politics: https://www.pantsuitpoliticsshow.com/     Sarah Bessey Article: https://sarahbessey.substack.com/p/are-we-still-calling-ourselves-christians     www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian  

Emmy and Natalia talk about a few stories about Christianity that have been in the news this week, and why it matters to stay in this faith thing, even when it feels like it would be easier to just walk away. www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian

Natalia drags Emmy into her rabbit hole of interest in the papacy and tries to convince her that it matters and that we should care - even if we're super not Catholic. http://patreon.com/cafeteriachristian    

Emmy offers a short meditation on life after Easter Sunday.  Content warning for discussion of a suicide attempt. www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian

Emmy and Natalia talk about hope - and why it is so hard to hold onto right now, and what we are doing to hold onto hope when everything else is telling us to just let it go.  Poem: Hope is Not a Thing with Feathers Emily, It Is a Sewer Rat - by Caitlin Seida www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian

Emmy and Natalia talk about how we show up during a week of complicated emotions and feelings, and one that often has a lot of church baggage attached to it. As we get closer to this particular week in the church, let's reflect on what really matters about each day, and why. http://patreon.com/cafeteriachristian  

Emmy and Natalia get into a deeply theological talk about God and faith and life right now and why scripture is still relevant and where God is right now.    Notes:  www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian www.facebook.com/groups/cafeteriachristian   Book Club Form link: https://forms.gle/QobkVMPsvLQX44QP7

Emmy and Natalia welcome Jeff Chu to talk about his new book, Good Soil.    Get Jeff's Book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/729761/good-soil-by-jeff-chu/   See Jeff on his book tour: https://byjeffchu.com/tour www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian  

Natalia welcomes back friend of the pod friend of God Angela Denker to talk about her new book "Disciples of White Jesus: the Radicalization of American Boyhood." This is a relevant, timely, and important book for anyone connected to young men and boys.  Links for Angela: Angela's Website: https://www.angeladenker.com/   Buy Angela's Book: https://bookshop.org/p/books/disciples-of-white-jesus-the-...

OMG we can't believe we have to say this (Empathy is Christian) but it turns out some people are really pushing an anti-compassion anti-empathy rhetoric right now and Emmy and Natalia are here to clear the air.  We check in about baby eagles and new cars to start, and the main topic begins around min 15.  Links:  www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian Jackie and Shadow Webcam: https://www.youtube.com/...

Emmy and Natalia talk about Lent and the rollercoaster of this whole season in the church: ups and downs and ups and downs and ups? It's a lot. When life is already a lot. How do we do this sad season when life feels pretty sad on its own? www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian Links:  Emmy's Article: https://sojo.net/articles/unintended-consequences-spiritual-discipline Kate's Lent Devotional: https:...

Emmy and Natalia take some time to talk about a newly controversial topic: The Bible. Hahahahaha obviously this isn't new, but we thought we'd start with a set of familiar verses to dig into for our return to reclaiming the Bible for good.  Notes:  Spencer LaJoy - Plowshare Prayer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHQ9FoQC3BI   www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian  

Natalia welcomes back Ellie Roscher to talk about how we stay in our bodies despite the many ways the world is trying to get us to disengage, and how we can show up as regulated as possible each day, no matter what is happening.    Links: www.ellieroscher.com www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian  

Emmy and Natalia talk about the different large and small ways they are trying to survive and manage their mental, physical, and spiritual health during this new era.    Links: Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer: https://www.wordwoman.com/a-daily-dose-of-poetry/ Natalia's Weekly Uplift: https://www.nataliaterfa.com/uplift www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian  

Emmy and Natalia sit down with the amazing Erin Hicks Moon to talk about her new book: I"ve God Questions: The Spiritual Practice of Having It Out with God. Cafeterians, Erin is our people, and this book is for us.    Links: www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian   Erin Hicks Moon details: Buy/preorder her book: https://bakerpublishinggroup.com/books/i-ve-got-questions/419610   Follow Erin: ErinHMoon...

Emmy and Natalia welcome author Stephanie Duncan Smith for an utterly gorgeous conversation about life's cycles of loss and grief and joy.    Links:  www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian https://stephanieduncansmith.substack.com/   @stephduncansmith on instagram  

Emmy and Natalia talk about the complicated feelings about this particular January 20th - when we celebrate MLKJr Day and also the presidential inauguration day and how it all cycles into our ability to believe, not believe, and act with love anyway.    Links:  www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian   The Drum Major Instinct: https://bethlehemfarm.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DrumMajorInstinct.pdf

Emmy and Natalia celebrate their 300th episode (!) and reflect on where they've been and where they're going next, and how where we are now really feels like a good time to go back to our roots.  Links:  Alter Guild, ep 12: Ritual Promise - https://go.ivoox.com/rf/35237112 www.facebook.com/groups/cafeteriachristian www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian  

Emmy and Natalia talk about Christmas and why it's so often filled with stress and shoulds instead of peace and joy.  After this episode we'll be taking a break until January 13th, but in between now and then join us for two Instagram Lives (on top of the usual Sunday morning ones).  December 21st, 8:30pm (central standard time) - to celebrate the solstice/longest night.  January 6th, 11am (centra...

Emmy and Natalia tackle a listener question about the different Christmas story narratives in the different Gospels, and why they are different and if it matters or not when they are.    www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian  

Emmy and Natalia talk about Advent, and why it's not a "warm glow" season but actually a truth-telling season and kind of the perfect way to spend a few weeks right now - when everything feels like it's on fire and no one is ok.    www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian  

Emmy and Natalia talk about Thanksgiving and the tentative and tender ways some of us are showing up at various tables, or the ways we are choosing to not show up at all.  www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian  

Emmy and Natalia decide to open the Bible to the book of Judges to see what wisdom for today might be found in these not-so-modern stories.    Links:  www.facebook.com/groups/cafeteriachristian www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian Melissa Florer Bixler: https://substack.com/home/post/p-151371020