Religion on the Mind

This week I speak with Christianity Today's news editor Daniel Silliman about his new book “Reading Evangelicals”. This book deep dives into five top-selling evangelical novels. We had a fascinating conversation discussing the cultural influence of Christian Fiction and each of these books' implications in broader American culture. We also touch on things like parallel institutions, the Amish tour...

This week I speak with professor and research psychologist Dr. Lindsey Root Luna. Along with teaching at Hope College, she conducts her own research on anger and forgiveness. This is an interesting and fun conversation touching on neurotransmitters, the interaction of brain sections, white evangelicalism, and some of my spiritual abuse work. We also talk practically about anger through a therapeut...

Today my guest J. Aaron Simmons joins me to discuss Danish philosopher and theologian, Soren Kierkegaard. Dr. Simmons is an author, Professor of Philosophy at Furman University, and the current president of the Soren Kierkegaard Society (USA). Aaron says “Faith is risk with a direction” and summarizes Kierkegaard with a current application: “You’re human, don’t forget that, and God sees that as a...

In the second installment of the series “Worries About Progressive Christianity”, I speak with author and professor O. Alan Noble. Both insightful and humorous, we hit the topics of suffering & theodicy, church life, and grace as the essence of human existence. Alan's Author Page: https://www.oalannoble.com/Alan's Twitter: @TheAlanNobleDan's new music project Havana Swim Club on Spotify: open.spot...

This week, I spoke with author Callid Keefe-Perry on the concept of Theopoetics. Along with his book “Way to Water: A Theopoetics Primer”, we discuss the issue of justice, following Jesus and living out Keefe-Perry’s Quaker practice. Callid speaks about how being grounded in creativity is intrinsic to humanity—we are all “crafters” and “makers” of life. As he advocates for a less dogmatic approach...

In our first installment of the “Healthy Egos” repeating segment (a knowing nod to the fact that both Tony Jones and I have at least a little narcissism running through us), Tony and I are joined by Sarah Lane Ritchie. We discuss the recent saga of Joshua Harris, newly deconverted author of “I Kissed Dating Goodbye.” His situation naturally brings to mind questions about celebrity, both within and...

Dr. Brad Strawn (Fuller) joins me today for essentially a two-parter. First, we talk about the integration of psychology and theology broadly, including Brad’s own story of coming to that work in particular. After the break, we talk about how a Christian might also be an existentialist in some ways, a field of thought commonly associated with atheism or agnosticism. Finally, Sarey Concepcion, Comm...

I'm joined by absolute neuroscience all-star William Newsome (Stanford, NIH BRAIN Project) to discuss the ways in which our will is both free and constrained. What counts as free will? Are the Sam Harris types right that we have no free will? (Nope.) How do "top-down" and "bottom-up" forces affect our will? When is it the "most free"?Follow Dan on IG: https://www.instagram.com/dancoke/Or Twitter:...

This week, you're getting a sneak peek into the kind of exclusive episodes that patrons of this show received twice per month. Multiple-time guest Tony Jones joins me to break down and respond to the first 2 episodes of the incredible Christianity Today-produced podcast "The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill." If possible, listen to those episodes before listening to us respond (but you don't have to). T...

I spoke with the multi-talented Dr. Pamela King (Fuller Seminary, Thrive Center for Human Development). She is a researcher in developmental psychology whose passion is human thriving. We talk about thriving, as well as how virtue connects to thriving. Before that, she sets the stage with a discussion of religion and its role in both virtue development and thriving. For Pam, a virtue is a "psychol...

I'm joined by one of my favorite Christian recording artists, Jon Guerra. His latest album "Keeper of Days" is phenomenal, and there is so much depth lurking just behind its carefully-constructed songs. Thankfully, a nice dose of that depth comes out in this fantastic conversation! We talk growing up the child of immigrants, Christian Nationalism, the Sermon on the Mount, the CCM machine, border p...

Actor and filmmaker Luke Barnett joins me for another installment of "I Don't Believe in That God." These are conversations with people who do not identify as Christian, but they are not debates. Rather, they are attempts to understand my guest's story and perspective, with plenty of hopefully interesting rabbit trails along the way. https://twitter.com/LukeBarnettFaith Ba$ed on Prime Video: https...

I'm joined by Bridget Eileen Rivera, a sociologist completing her Ph. D. at the City University of New York Graduate Center. A homeschool graduate and alum of Patrick Henry College, Rivera has become a leading voice on gay celibacy in the the church. She has worked with a number of faith-based organizations, including Revoice, Christians for Social Action, and Preston Sprinkle’s Center for Faith,...

Rev. Greg Farrand joins me to talk through his journey from high school burnout to PCA minister to Episcopal priest to his current gig as the executive director of Second Breath, an organization that promotes ancient Christian spiritual practice in a variety of contexts. Greg wanted an experiential faith, but found himself in a highly doctrine/reason-heavy tradition. His love for a wonderful lesbi...

A frank discussion about two highly contentious issues in one episode -- what could possibly go wrong? I'm grateful to be joined by my dear friend, theologian Sarah Lane Ritchie, a person who shares my love of nuance to discuss these really tricky issues one after the other. You might as well save up all the hate mail for one episode, right? (This episode is two shorter conversations put together,...

Today I am joined by emerging scholar Heather Griffin to talk through some language of hers that I have found *so* helpful in understanding white Evangelical culture. Terms of hers like "Bible truths," "sanctified common sense," "magic knowledge receptor," "sincerity culture," and "Evangelical insta-trust" all come up in our conversation. Perhaps most impressive, however, is the way she links all...

John Sanders joins me to drop one of the single most helpful distinctions I have ever heard in discussions of religion and culture. His identification and explanation of Nurturant and Authoritative approaches to religion, politics, parenting, and more has been kicking around my head daily for 6 weeks now. You should not skip this episode. And you should probably support indie publishers and buy hi...

I'm joined by PEW Research's Besheer Mohamed to discuss their recent fabulous deep-dive into the religious lives of Black Americans. We discuss why they decided on the topic, what was known previously, what they've been able to add, the role of religion in the lives of Black Americans, differences between Islam and Christianity in the Black community, the deep relationship to justice movements, an...

This week, I spoke with Joanna Daigle Sawatsky and Rebecca Lindenbach about their incredible research work for the new book by Sheila Wray Gregoire (their boss) "The Great Sex Rescue." This research involved surveying over 22,000 (!!!) Evangelical women about sex, reproductive issues, gender roles, and more. We break down what they found in their survey, as well as in popular Evangelical marriage/...

I am re-joined by YHP all star guest Greg Cootsona (California State University, Chico) to talk through what we know from all the social science research on whether and how religiosity and church involvement are good or bad for people. We touch on physical and mental health, resilience and happiness, meaning-making, trauma healing, prosocial behavior, and more. We also talk through the ways that i...

Another installment of one of my favorite types of episodes, where I chat with people who don't identify as Christian. Often times, I also don't believe in the God that they don't believe in. Joey Holman (ex-Cool Hand Luke) is one half of the Polyvinyl Records duo Man on Man, alongside his boyfriend Roddy Bottum (Faith No More). He grew up in a broken home outside Atlanta, found Evangelical Christ...

I'm joined by Lillian Daniel and Tony Jones to play a kind of a podcast game with simple rules: we take turns going through some of the MOST and LEAST PLAUSIBLE Christian claims we were told growing up in the church. Sometimes funny, but more often insightful (especially coming from Tony and Lillian), this was a pleasure to record. Tony's site: https://reverendhunter.com/Lillian's site: https://ww...

My guest is Robert Kunzman, managing Director of the International Center for Home Education Research. He is a professor at Indiana University, where he teaches courses in curriculum, pedagogy, and philosophy of education.  His research explores the intersection of citizenship, religion, and education, with a particular focus on homeschooling. Listeners of YHP asked almost every question in this e...

I had the immense privilege of speaking with Dr. Lisa Oakley, one of the leading researchers in the field of spiritual abuse. We talk about many aspects of SA, and then we move on to some of her newer research, focused on healthy communities in which such abuse does not thrive. World Relief Refugee petition: https://worldrelief.org/petition/Lisa’s 3 Questions:1. Would I want to be led by me?2. Aft...

In the first of what I hope are many conversations with those more conservative than myself about progressive Christianity, Brad Jones shares his worries and concerns, both personal and theological. This is a very open, frank, kind, and curious conversation between two people who agree on a good chunk of things but also disagree on a lot. I really enjoyed it and found it very helpful in understand...