Dr. Thomas J Rundel

Liminal Living

Religion EN ↓ 180 episodes

Welcome to the Liminal Living Podcast, where we dive deep into the realm of liminal spaces—those transitional phases where uncertainty is our companion. I'm your host and curator of conversations, Dr. Tom Rundel, and it's my pleasure to serve as your guide through these uncharted territories. With a doctoral background in spirituality and leadership from Portland Seminary, my research has centered on the spirituality found in the narratives of liminality in the Bible, but I have expanded my research to include other faith traditions and cognitive science. Since our launch in 2023, we've been d...

Author

Dr. Thomas J Rundel

Category

Religion

Podcast website

www.patheos.com

Latest episode

Apr 1, 2026

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Episodes

74: Anthony Smith: Faith, Race, and Politics 14.08.2024

Chapters Introductions   Faith Rooted Organizer  Anthony vs Confederate Statue  An Ecumenical Exorcism of White Nationalism and Racism An Apocalyptic moment and call  Christians call to apocalyptic action  Hyper individualism and its damage on society  The Gospel and White Jesus made an atheist  The Gospel evolve to meet us  White Christian Nationalism is a form of bad Atheism  Christianity as ide...

73: Chris Green: Dead Answers vs Living Questions 07.08.2024

Chapters  Intro  Theology and Art  Where does art come from?  What does art do?  Art involves us in the truth  Art opens us up to truth   Imagination and Faith  Sweaty Pentecostalism   Knowing more about demons than about God   Bonhoeffer   A true place to belong   Incarnation shows us what God is like   Conclusion Sponsors Quoir Square 2 Class: https://www.bk2sq1.com/square-2-next-steps-into-reco...

72: Matthew J Distefano: The Wisdom of Hobbits for Today 31.07.2024

Key points include: • The unhealthy balance between individual well-being and community demands in evangelical settings. • The symbolic and inspirational aspects of Tolkien’s stories and how they relate to real-life experiences. • The importance of continuing to do good without relying on miraculous interventions. • Reflections on the role of marginalized voices in pursuing true justice and equity...

71: Larry Jordan: Non Religious Spirituality 24.07.2024

Takeaways Hold beliefs loosely and be open to subjective experiences and objective evidence. Recognize the limitations of creedal faith and the need for a more contextualized understanding of God. Explore the concept of oneness and the connection between mysticism, science, and different religious traditions. Embrace a sense of awe, gratitude, and responsibility towards everyone and everything. Qu...

70: Tom Rundel: Recognize High Control Religious Language 17.07.2024

Take Aways Liminality is the space between what was and what will be, where we are trying to figure out how to be in a rapidly changing world. High-control religious environments can be toxic and manipulative, exerting authority over individuals and stifling personal growth. It is important to recognize and reject religious jargon that seeks to control and manipulate others. Reclaiming common huma...

69: Justin Scoggins: Inking Christ: Tattoos as Religious Art 10.07.2024

Take Aways Meeting tangible needs in the community is an important expression of faith. Faith is a journey of growth and evolving perspectives. Extending grace and love to others is a central aspect of the Christian faith. The stigma of tattoos in the Christian context can be challenged and reevaluated. Personal expressions of art, such as tattoos, can be a way to build relationships and express o...

68: Eric Nevins: Dark Night of the Vocational Soul 03.07.2024

Highlights: Embrace the ongoing process of spiritual growth and recognize that there is no arrival point. Question expectations that God will make everything smooth sailing and happy. Allow God the freedom to be creative in how He works in your life and the lives of others. Recognize the tension between the objective and subjective experiences of God and embrace both. Don't compare your spiritual...

67: Keith Giles: Decoding the Gospel of Thomas 26.06.2024

Insights The Gospel of Thomas is a collection of the sayings of Jesus and does not have a narrative like the other Gospels. The Gospel of Thomas was suppressed by early church leaders, particularly those who opposed the Valentinians. The Gospel of Thomas was found in 1945 in a clay jar buried in the desert. Scholars have dated the Gospel of Thomas to the early second century and believe it may hav...

66: Steve Harper: Christian Nationalism Isn't Christian 19.06.2024

The importance of stripping away layers of interpretation to reveal the true essence of Christ. The challenges of countering Christian nationalism and the significance of speaking the truth in love. The concept of God as a being and the implications of this understanding. The connection between spiritual formation and the inspiration behind the book 'Jesus Unpainted.' The nature of God is explored...

65: Thomas Jay Oord: On Trial for Heresy 12.06.2024

Advocacy for LGBTQ+ inclusion within the Church of the Nazarene is a complex and challenging endeavor, involving theological, social, and personal dimensions. The conversation sheds light on the tensions and complexities within the church and society regarding LGBTQ+ issues, highlighting the need for thoughtful dialogue and understanding. Thomas Jay Oord's journey of advocacy and the challenges he...

64: Peter Rollins: Is God Dead? A Peek Into Radical Theology 05.06.2024

Key Take Aways: Embrace the contradictions and dividedness that are inherent in being human. Loss and death are fundamental aspects of existence that shape our experiences. Grief should be acknowledged and processed as a natural part of life. The death of God and the tearing of the temple curtain challenge the idea of liminality as a space where the finite and infinite meet.  Certain objects captu...

63: Grace Ji-Sun Kim: When God Became White 29.05.2024

Buy the book: https://www.ivpress.com/when-god-became-white Listen to the pod: https://www.christiancentury.org/podcast/madang Read her Blog: https://gracejisunkim.wordpress.com/ Subscribe Substack: https://gracek.substack.com/  Names hold deep significance in Korean culture, connecting individuals to their family and generations. Understanding race as a social construct is essential in dismantlin...

62: Ben Katt: The Hero's Journey to Wholeness 22.05.2024

Check out Ben's Website here: https://www.benjaminkatt.com/  Grab Ben's Book here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1250910447?tag=macmillan-20 Leaving the familiar and falling into the unknown are two distinct stages of a transformative journey. Leaving the familiar involves recognizing the need for change and making a decisive break from the past, while falling into the unknown is the disorienting and...

61: Daniel Wolpert: Looking Inward, Living Outward 15.05.2024

You can buy the book here: https://upperroombooks.com/book/looking-inward-living-outward/ You can connect with Daniel here: https://www.facebook.com/daniel.wolpert.1 Contemplation frees individuals from habits and patterns that cause suffering and promotes compassion and care. Contemplation is not just an individual practice, but also a communal one. Contemplative psychology explores the concept o...

60: Brian McLaren: Life After Doom 08.05.2024

You can preorder the book here: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250893277/life-after-doom   You can find Brian's work here: https://brianmclaren.net/  Introduction The Conflict Between Conservative Faith and Love for Nature Facing a New Situation The Impact of Climate Change and Rising Depression The Importance of Spiritual Help The Power of Naming Grief The Complicated Nature of Hope Superfici...

59: Zach Lambert: A Holistic Inclusive Bible Interpretation 01.05.2024

"Have you ever had a difficult time reading Paul’s Epistles? Ever felt like your questions were not part of the preapproved rhetoric of the groupthink? Zach felt the same way growing up in the Southern Baptist Church and lived at the edges of inclusion, fading further away from his faith. And then he read the Gospels and wondered why his church was not talking about this Jesus guy at all. Today’s...

58: Tom Rundel: Arriving at 95% Certainty is Good Enough 24.04.2024

"Have you ever wondered how much of what you believe to be true is actually influenced by the quirks of your own mind? In this solo episode of the Liminal Living podcast, we delve into the fascinating realm of cognitive biases and their impact on our perception of reality. We use Brian McLaren’s list of 13 cognitive biases that cloud our judgment, revealing how they shape our understanding of trut...

57: Chad Bahl: To Hell with Eternal Conscious Torment 17.04.2024

"Have you ever always hated the doctrine of eternal conscious torment but felt like it was too central to the faith to discard? Chad is the guy to talk to. Today we deconstruct the theology of ECT, discuss its origins, its evolution, and its future home in the proverbial lake of fire. We also discuss open and relational theology, evangelicalism, liminality, contemplation, and more views of the aft...

56: Ally Henny: I Won't Shut Up 11.04.2024

"Have you ever wondered how one finds their voice in a world that often seeks to silence them? Today, we're diving deep into that question with author and advocate-minister Ally Henny, as we explore her journey of resilience, faith, and empowerment. Ally is the brilliant mind behind "I Won't Shut Up: Finding Your Voice When the World Tries to Silence You," a wonderful work that delves into the com...

55: Justin Lee: Coming out as Gay in the Southern Baptist Church 03.04.2024

Have you ever been made the “prayer request” of a community because your story didn’t match the triumphal testimony narrative? Justin grew up in the Southern Baptist Church as a conservative labeled by his high school peers as “God boy.” He was handing out tracts, evangelizing, and really good at obeying purity culture rules when it came to women. Then he realized that he was gay. He went on a lon...

54: Amy Fritz: Untangling Faith from the Evangelical Industrial Complex 27.03.2024

Has your faith community become a breeding ground for spiritual abuse? Today I talk to Amy Fritz, host of the podcast "Untangled Faith," and we delve into the complexities of spiritual abuse within faith communities, drawing from her personal experiences and her husband's encounters while working for Dave Ramasey. Through occasional articles, Amy shares insights on faith, parenting, and...

53: Matthew Paul Turner: Finding Belonging after deconstruction 20.03.2024

Have you struggled with finding community and belonging after deconstruction? Many do, because you are in a liminal space of development, unsure of who you are, what you believe, and therefore, who your people are. Matthew Paul Turner, no relation to Tina, has been on a journey of belonging that he illustrates with a new Children’s book, You Will Always Belong. Matthew takes deep spiritual truths...

52: Trey Ferguson: Theologizin Bigger 13.03.2024

Have you ever felt like your faith tradition put you in a box, stifling your curiosity and ability to ask real questions? If so, then you'll want to hear this interview with author Trey Ferguson. Trey's book "Theologizin Bigger" takes a refreshing look at how to "theologize" - to wrestle with faith and theology in an embodied way that embraces mystery, questioning, and diverse...

51: Josh Patterson: Mysticism, Spiritual Evolution, Merton 06.03.2024

What happens when you get two deconstructed pastors in a zoom conversation together? A talk that spans from Thomas Merton’s mysticism, faith evolution, open and relational theology, Christian nationalism, and beer. Today’s conversation is the sharing of two deconstruction journeys and the evolution of faith that took place. Today we talk with Josh Patterson, who runs the (Re)thinking Faith Podcast...

50: Dr Andrew M Davis: Philosophy, Theology, and Alien Life 28.02.2024

S3 E9: Dr Andrew M Davis: Philosophy, Theology, and Alien Life If our theological framework was developed in medieval times under an earth centric understanding of the universe, how does that change with the discovery of near infinite galaxies out there? What does a Christian faith look like that is not earth centric or human centric? What does that do to the doctrine of the incarnation; God becom...

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