Dale McConkey, Host

Church Potluck: A Smorgasbord of Christian Curiosity

Religion EN ↓ 106 episodes

A Smorgasbord of Christian Curiosity! Church Potluck serves up thoughtful, friendly, informal conversation at the intersection of Christianity and contemporary culture. Just like a church potluck, we offer variety: a variety of topics, a variety of academic disciplines, and a variety of Christian traditions. Guests are friends and colleagues who are also experts in the fields of sociology, political science, theology, philosophy, divinity, and more.

Author

Dale McConkey, Host

Episodes

Coping with Grief During the Christmas Season 15.12.2022 57:49

Send us Fan Mail Christmas is supposed to be a happy, joyful time full of festive celebration. So what happens when you don't feel like celebrating? Join us for an informative and heartfelt discussion about the challenges of grieving during the holidays. Why can the holidays be so difficult? What do we in the Church do well -- and not so well -- when it comes to helping others grieve? How can...

Christmas Movies, Music, and Media 09.12.2022 46:18

Send us Fan Mail BONUS "LEFTOVER" EPISODE! After our Christmas and Culture church potluck (Episode 4), we noticed that Curt Hersey (Communication) still had a lot on his plate. So we packed up the leftovers and warmed them up for this episode on Christmas media: TV shows, movies, and music. Is Hollywood conspiring to take Christ out of Christmas? What's the story behind "A Char...

Christmas, the Bible, and the Church 06.12.2022 55:38

Send us Fan Mail If you are looking for a deep scholarly dive into the biblical and liturgical meanings of Christmas, this is the podcast for you! What does the Church get wrong about Christmas? How do different traditions understand the Nativity? Join Jonathan Parker and Jordan Rowan Fannin (religion professors and church leaders) along with Michael Papazian (philosophy professor and Armenian Ort...

Christmas and American Culture 06.12.2022 54:03

Send us Fan Mail Why is Christmas so commercialized? Why has it become politicized? How should Christians respond to these trends? Join Curt Hersey (Communication), Tom Kennedy (Philosophy), Mike Bailey (Political Science), and Dale McConkey (Sociology) as they share their personal reflections and cultural analyses of Christmas in our contemporary culture. The views expressed on Church Potluck are...

Christianity and the Midterm Election 20.11.2022 49:05

Send us Fan Mail The panelists from our inaugural episode return to discuss the 2022 midterm elections in greater detail. After an overview of the results, we consider the impact of abortion policy on young voters and Christian conservatives. We also explore the religious rhetoric in the Raphael Warnork - Herschel Walker senate race and then briefly consider other issues like Ron DeSantis' &q...

God Forbid: Scandal, Corruption, and Political Power 18.11.2022 51:20

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to our inaugural episode of Church Potluck: A Smorgasbord of Christian Thought! Thanks for bearing with us as we learn the ropes of this new medium for us. Our first episode begins with a look at Hulu's new documentary, "God Forbid: The Sex Scandal That Brought Down a Dynasty," which explores the events surrounding Jerry Fallwell, Jr., deposed president of L...