Homebrewed Christianity

I am thrilled to have my friend Dr. Adam Clark back on the podcast. This conversation captures so many of his most potent observations about the task of thinking theologically in the key of liberation. Enjoy   Dr. Adam Clark is 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. O...

When I started the podcast over 15 years ago, Elgin was an infant, and today he is here hosting the podcast! Elgin decided to join the upcoming class, Live Before You Die, and has been collecting a stack of questions as he read through Paul Tillich’s The Courage to Be. Yesterday, we were tailgating at the Wake Forest vs Florida State football game with Arron Simmons and his family. What does a pod...

I was in Minneapolis speaking at the Festival of Homiletics and ended up at a bottle release party at Surly Brewing with my friend Tony Jones. There, we shared stories from our time in the Emerging Church Movement, what we learned, all the friends we made, and where we’ve all ended up. We decided then to do a class exploring the movement and process our learning with a bunch of its participants. F...

Everyone doesn’t have to be a theology nerd, but if you want to know what it sounds like when we have fun, this conversation with John Thatamanil is exhibit A. Over the years, John and I have had multiple conversations on and off the podcast, and everyone is a complete joy. I am always wholly hyped when it is over and have a stack of ideas brewing in my head for weeks. This episode is no exception...

How do liberal Protestant Christian theologians think? Few people are as capable as our guest, Dr. Paul Capetz, at articulating the heart of liberal Protestantism. Paul has been a friend for a long time. We first met at Claremont School of Theology when he was on sabbatical and we quickly realized how much we enjoy getting nerdy together. In this episode, we discuss his new book, Recovering Protes...

Have you ever read a book that you loved because it was uncomfortable? One that extended questions you’ve raised and challenged the answers you were attracted to? Maybe a book that, when you got done, you knew you needed to reread it? That happened when I finished Dr. Clark’s Reclaiming Stolen Earth: An Africana Ecotheology. So, I imagine you can guess how excited I was when he agreed to join the...

Kelly Brown Douglas won the 2023 Grawemeyer Award in Religion for her newest book, Resurrection Hope, and she is here on the podcast to talk about it! The Rev. Dr. Kelly Brown Douglas is Interim President of the Episcopal Divinity School and Canon Theologian at Washington National Cathedral. From 2017 to 2023, she was Dean of the Episcopal Divinity School at Union Theological Seminary and Professo...

Dan Koch is one of my favorite people. He reached out to connect in person when he was thinking of starting a podcast, and since then, he has not only produced several quality podcasts, but I have grown to love having him in my life. Like all good elder millennials, nothing says, “dude, I love being your friend,” like a quality mixtape. In this episode, we make a playlist centered on our existenti...

It is impossible to tell my own story without sharing about Philip Clayton. Not only have I read all of his books, many multiple times, but his guidance in graduate school and continued friendship have been a deep blessing. On top of that, Philip is a brilliant theologian. In this unique conversation, you will hear how a deep personal faith in Christ animates this philosophical theologian and lead...

I am THRILLED to have Reggie Williams back on the podcast! This is a powerful conversation exploring Bonhoeffer and his critique of religion. Dr. Williams is the Associate Professor of Christian Ethics at McCormick Theological Seminary and author of Bonhoeffer’s Black Jesus: Harlem Renaissance Theology and an Ethic of Resistance. This was one of the live stream sessions from the online class Bonho...

Nothing says friendship like permission to dabble in heresies together. In this episode, a group of friends who happen to be scholars of philosophy, psychology, science, and religion try to make each other uncomfortable by sharing a heresy. This podcast format was inspired by Kevin Kelly, who got Tim Ferris to try it on his show. We all had some fun. Let us know what you think about the format and...

Dr. Aaron Simmons is here to discuss his new book, “Camping with Kierkegaard: Faithfulness as a Way of Life.” It’s a banger! Ohhh and listen close to the episode to learn how to score a sweet incentive when you grab the book Dr. Aaron Simmons is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Furman University. Heres Aaarons website with tons of resources & his newsletter His previous visits to the podcas...

In this episode, I am joined by chief mycelium enthusiast and advocate, Merlin Sheldrake. We recorded in person at the Center for Process Studies’ 50th Anniversary event in Claremont, CA. Come dive beneath the forest floor as we venture into the intricate and mesmerizing realm of fungi. Dr. Merlin Sheldrake, renowned biologist and author of the critically acclaimed book “Entangled Life,” pulls bac...

Dr. Willemien Otten is the Dorothy Grant Maclear Professor of Theology and the History of Christianity at the University of Chicago Divinity School. In this conversation we discuss: How Dr Otten became a medievalist What is missed by skipping church history between Augustine, Aquinas, to Luther What Augustine gets right about sex and bodies How it took to the 12th century before Priests were reall...

The good doctor Daniel Kirk joined me for some live QnA as we spread the word about our upcoming OPEN ONLINE CLASS – Romans: A Guide to the Most Misused, Problematic, & Prooftexted Letter in the Bible. Venture into the depth and richness of Paul’s letter to the Romans in this dynamic five-session online course. Guided by the acclaimed biblical scholar Dr. J. R. Daniel Kirk, participants will be in...

I am THRILLED to have two remarkable philosophers join me to unpack philosophical deconstruction and how it can help reframe the ongoing process of deconstruction. Bruce Benson and Aaron Simmons are both accomplished postmodern philosophers, with a bunch of books on my bookshelf. This episode was even better than my high expectations! After you listen, I hope you feel the lure to come hang out wit...

What a fun conversation! Ilia Delio and Bruce Epperly joined me for an in-person conversation at ORTCON23. Since Ilia wrote a book on Bonaventure and Bruce is in the middle of writing one, it was the perfect time to get to know the 13th Century philosopher, theologian, and Saint. Ilia Delio, OSF, PhD is a Franciscan Sister of Washington, DC, and American theologian specializing in science and reli...

A Bible scholar and a theologian answer a bunch of really important questions while having some fun. Pete Enns joined me live on the HBC YouTube channel (that you should follow) to tackle some fun nerdy questions. If this experience isn't painful and you think it would be fun to hangout with us, then join us in person at Theology Beer Camp October 19-21! Peter Enns (Ph. D., Harvard University) is...

Earlier this week I spent three days in Springfiled, MO preparing and planning Theology Beer Camp. I was joined by Tim Whitaker from the New Evangelicals, as we visited a number of the breweries and food trucks bringing the goods to camp and spent some time with the amazing team at The Venues, our hosting congregation. Â Right before we headed back home, Tim and Bren (our local coordinator) record...

Dr. Matthew Thiessen is associate professor of religious studies at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. He is the author of Contesting Conversion: Genealogy, Circumcision, and Identity in Ancient Judaism and Christianity (awarded the Manfred Lautenschlaeger Award for Theological Promise), Paul and the Gentile Problem, and Jesus and the Forces of Death. Soon he will release a new book, A Jewi...

How does the work of Dietrich Bonhoeffer help us think ethically about Christian Nationalism? What is the task for a public theologian given the rise of fascist religion? In this conversation, my co-host Dr. Jeff Pugh and I are joined by Dr. Lori Brandt Hale to discuss her work on Bonhoeffer and its application to the political moment. This was one of the live stream sessions from the online class...

How does the work of Dietrich Bonhoeffer help us think ethically about the climate crisis? What is the shape of theology in the Anthropocene? In this conversation my co-host Dr. Jeff Pugh and I are joined by Dr. Dianne Rayson to discuss her work on Bonhoeffer and ecology. This was one of the live stream sessions from the online class Bonhoeffer and the Future of Faith. To access Dr. Rayson’s and a...

I am thrilled to have my friend and Barthian Travis McMaken back on the podcast. This time we are joined by his co-editor for the Karl Barth volume in the Classics of Western Spirituality volume, Ash Cocksworth. I really enjoyed this volume of one of my favorite series, and I hope this conversation communicates what a stellar job they did putting it together. The selections were excellent, their i...

Adam Clark is back on the podcast! Adam is not only a dear friend, a brilliant theologian who taught two previous HBC classes on Black Theology and the legacy of James Cone, but Adam is the first theologian we are announcing for Theology Beer Camp 2023!! In this episode, we will hear Adam reflect on his recent pilgrimage to Ghana, the origin of Black Theology, the relationship of contemplation and...

This podcast was recorded LIVE at Petty Thieves Brewing Co in Charlotte, North Carolina. We were celebrating the release of Leah Robinson’s new book Bad Theology: Oppression in the Name of God. Obviously Leah would need to be there, but we were also joined by nerdy friends of the podcast, Sarah Lane Ritchie and Ben Boswell. Dr. Leah Robinson is Associate Professor of Religion at Pfieffer Universit...