Religion on the Mind

In this latest episode focused on masculinity and unique modern problems facing men and boys, Dan talks with moderate evangelical radio host Brant Hansen about his book from a couple years back, which focuses on an alternative vision of masculinity that is nonetheless rooted in mainstream Christian understandings of gender. They discuss bell curve distributions of traits, biological differences be...

In stride with recent episodes focused on I Think You Should Leave and Shiny Happy People, Dan shares his favorite TV series and films of 2023. Yes, he's a few weeks late, but his wife just had a baby in December! The information may yet prove useful to you, dear listeners. Dan shares what he loved the most and why, including any psychological or theological angles he enjoyed. _____________ Follow...

The guys are joined by Josh’s girlfriend Emily for a direct report on Gilbert Christmas Tree Sleepover 2023. Dan, Josh and Tony also play a round of “Bar, Bank, Church, or Dispensary,” consider ways they are becoming like their dads, and discuss Tony’s “no politics on hunting trips” rule. If you'd like to WATCH this episode, you now can by joining the Patreon: patreon.com/dankoch _____________ Fol...

In the inaugural “Still Christian” episode (more to come!), Dan talks with two of his favorite songwriters, personal friends Tyson Motsenbocker and John Van Deusen, who in addition to their own solo recording careers also play in Telephone Friends together. Dan explains the genesis of this new episode type, and all three talk about the reasons they consider themselves Christian, what the word “Chr...

Is there deep meaning to be found in absurdist comedy? Can shows like I Think You Should Leave prompt us into deep waters, or do they merely trigger shallow laughter and enjoyment? Returning guests Matt Wright and Kristen Tideman join Dan this week to find out as they discuss the first season of the Netflix comedy hit (and possibly Dan’s all-time favorite comedic television show) I Think You Shoul...

Does interaction with scary media "open us up to spiritual influence?" What do professional exorcists think that exorcism is actually "doing" for the possessed? Is there a legitimate role for "the fear of the Lord"? What are the benefits of telling and re-telling horrifying stories? Fuller Seminary's Kutter Callaway joins Dan this week to discuss questions like this and they discuss his podcast Be...

Speaking as much to himself as to listeners, Dan goes through three common thinking errors, known in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as “cognitive distortions,” that he sees in news coverage around the possibility of a Donald Trump victory in 2024. Recognizing these distortions in the media as well as our own thoughts about the election and its results can 1) reduce our anxiety and 2) align our thoug...

Dan continues the series by talking with former worship director and pastor's kid Joy Vetterlein. Joy’s Website: https://www.joyvetterlein.com/ Joy’s Instagram @joyvetterlein Christian Smith’s Book “The Bible Made Impossible”: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=the+bible+made+impossible&hvadid=174278255243&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9019667&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=10981934186039507283&hvtargid=kwd-28154002665&hydad...

Dan is joined by Dr. Laura Anderson, a fellow spiritual abuse/religious trauma researcher whose new book When Religion Hurts You is a pretty great and concise summary of what is known today about religious trauma and its effects on humans. They define terms like “religious trauma” and “spiritual abuse” and talk about the benefits of religion, the failures of pop psychology, the difference between...

*Re-broadcast* - The Quagmire of Modern Missions (#70) Original Description: I interview Jim and Breanna Randall, missionaries (if you want to call them that) in Myanmar. We talk about the various pitfalls that are present in modern day missions work (bad actors, psychologists breaking their oaths to do no harm, donor fragility, American/White Exceptionalism, and more), as well as some more hopefu...

As Dan has wrestled with his understanding of the Bible over the years, one issue has taken center stage in his mind: the multivocality of Scripture. In other words: if we take the Bible as we find it, it becomes clear that voices of biblical writers are in disagreement and conversation with each other, across and even within books of the Bible. And, it turns out, many listeners are also curious a...

Dan continues his (occasional) focus on Faith deconstruction amid Baby Boomers by talking with Southern Californian Dan Gross. For the second half of this conversation, join the Patreon @ patreon.com/dankoch Episodes Mentioned: To Consider *ALL* the Atonement Theories #6: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/you-have-permission/id1448000113?i=1000428619214 The Argument for Universal Salvation #43...

Those of us who grew up with the Gospel's exhortation to “lay down your life” and “take up your cross” find modern culture constantly encouraging “self-care.” Is this helpful, like putting on our own oxygen masks before helping someone else, or mere selfishness in disguise? Are there limits to self-care or self-sacrifice? In today’s episode (Part 2) Matt Wright gets into this topic by way of discu...

Those of us who grew up with the Gospels exhortation to “lay down your life” and “take up your cross” find modern culture constantly encouraging “self-care.” Is this helpful, like putting on our own oxygen masks before helping someone else, or mere selfishness in disguise? Are there limits to self-care or self-sacrifice? In today’s episode (Part 1), returning guest Andy Squires expresses some conc...

Derek Kubilus, a Methodist minister, was surprised to find so much pain around the concept of Hell among his parishioners despite serving in a progressive denomination. This led him to write the new book “Holy Hell: A Case against Eternal Damnation” and to explore the concept and history of “Hell” without the baggage it is often accompanied by in more conservative spaces. Over time, humans seem to...

Kathleen Tarrant, a Seattle music journalist who covered Mars Hill Church extensively, joins for another “I Don’t Believe In That God” episode with Dan. Kathleen was raised Catholic and finds some value in aspects of that experience, but these days finds herself outside of Christian/religious circles.  Kathleen’s The Stranger Page: https://www.thestranger.com/authors/23297822/kathleen-tarrant?page...

Our own Kristen Tideman (media and marketing) joins Dan for another Q&A session — for the full episode, join up at patreon.com/dankoch. Questions for Dan include: - what got you into podcasting? - will Taylor and Travis last? - when did your panic attacks start, and what do they feel like? - how do you think you would you handle fame? - if you lost your hearing, what would you do for work? The Fee...

(First ever) FOUR-time guest Bonnie Kristian returns to talk about the different tiers of Christian publishing, which Dan thinks applies equally to podcasting. Embedded in this discussion is the fact that Bonnie is a Christian female writer… but she’s definitely not a “Christian female writer.” What is expected of these writers? Must they constantly “create content” populated by their shiny, happy...

Good times were had by all at this live-at-Theology-Beer-Camp special edition of the Generation Gap Culture Hour, the recurring Patreon-feed show where Dan is joined by Tony Jones and Josh Gilbert. Organized on the fly after Jars of Clay’s Dan Haseltine failed to arrive at camp, Dan put the question to Josh and Tony: Is there a “masculinity crisis” as has been reported in some corners of the media...

Jed Payne (Church and Other Drugs Podcast) is back to continue the series of “Worries About…” episodes, this time on Jed’s concern that progressive Christianity might be too “humanistic” and not serious enough about human depravity. As always with Jed, it’s a great and incredibly candid conversation with a lot of much-appreciated vulnerability, especially on Jed’s end. They discuss OCD/religious s...

After Dan’s solo mini episode on Israel-Hamas and the “End Times” (as conceived of by Left Behind-style premillennial dispensationalist Protestants), he wanted to go further in-depth on the background of that particular theology and reading of apocalyptic texts within the Bible. Dan Hummel (University of Wisconsin Madison) was gracious enough to join on short notice, and the two cover the history...

Aaron Simmons is back! This time, we are not talking so much about Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard, but rather in more general terms about the philosophical movement he began: existentialism. Or anyway, he kicked off modern European Existentialism. Since Tripp Fuller and I are gearing up for our “Live Before You Die: Existentialism in Psychology and Theology” online class, I wanted to talk wi...

Given recent events in Israel and Palestine, it is inevitable that Christians focused on the Rapture and a Left-Behind-style view of the “End Times” will begin to draw explicit connections between this war and the so-called “signs of Christ’s return.” Dan is planning at least one more episode on this topic, but in the meanwhile, these two episodes, featuring conversations with four Baby Boomers wh...

Given recent events in Israel and Palestine, it is inevitable that Christians focused on the Rapture and a Left-Behind-style view of the “End Times” will begin to draw explicit connections between this war and the so-called “signs of Christ’s return.” Dan is planning at least one more episode on this topic, but in the meanwhile, these two episodes, featuring conversations with four Baby Boomers wh...

Dan's old college friend and country artist Sam Outlaw (born Sam Morgan) joins to talk about the role of his faith/spirituality in recovering from alcohol use disorder. Along the way, they discuss authoritative vs. nurturant parenting styles, messages they received about alcohol growing up Evangelical, some of the benefits of that upbringing, and the awkwardness inherent in many parachurch organiz...