Religion on the Mind

Joining me today is Amanda Held Opelt, sister of Rachel Held Evans, to talk about her book "A Hole in the World: Finding Hope in Rituals and Grief of Healing." After a season of multiple losses, Amanda found herself studying grief rituals. We talk about what she learned and consequently wrote about. We also cover her experience with international aid work, making meaning out of suffering, resilien...

In today's long overdue conversation, I speak with best-selling author & speaker Brian D. McLaren about his book "Do I Stay Christian?: A Guide for the Doubters, the Disappointed, and the Disillusioned." Brian says, "In a period of rapid cultural and intellectual change, having a religion that's set up and run by change-averse people creates an interesting set of challenges." We address some of th...

*Re-broadcast* - Why I Am (Still) a Christian (#60) I’m joined by my dear friend Ben Bishop, who is both a fantastic interviewer in his own right and a former patron-only episode guest. I asked Ben to interview me on the topic of why I am (still) a Christian. No one ever asks me, “Why are you a Christian?” Or very rarely, anyway. But pretty regularly, in the context of conversations about deconstr...

Joining me today is Rev. Dr. Brian Kaylor to discuss his book "Presidential Campaign Rhetoric in an Age of Confessional Politics." Brian overviews the book's four categories for religious political rhetoric: testimonial, partisan, sectarian and liturgical. We analyze how Evangelicalism has significantly changed the political landscape in the past 50 years. Brian's Book "Presidential Campaign Rheto...

In today's delightful conversation with author Erin S. Lane, we talk about her new book "Someone Other Than a Mother: Flipping the Scripts on Woman's Purpose and Making Meaning beyond Motherhood." Erin walks us through the book's critiques of cultural scripts around motherhood and womanhood, offering real alternatives. We also cover theological implications, biological desire, bell curves, and how...

A brief announcement about the second podcast I am launching! **You Have Permission will continue as normal, including the Patreon community.** Subscribe to Pretty Good Vibrations on... Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pretty-good-vibrations/id1652779250 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3TndELJwWnjJAXv92HdS10?si=1552ae80532a477a Overcast: https://overcast.fm/+9VLk2yuqI J...

Rejoining me today is author and journalist Bonnie Kristian to discuss her book “Untrustworthy: The Knowledge Crisis Breaking Our Brains Polluting Our Politics and Corrupting Christian Community.” A delight to have on the show again, Bonnie describes contributing sources to the ongoing epistemological crisis in the West. We cover topics like digital literacy, emotional reasoning, moral complicity,...

This is the first of a number of episodes focusing on child raising in and around Christianity. Author and journalist Bekah McNeel joins me today to discuss her book "Bringing up Kids When Church Lets You Down: A Guide for Parents Questioning Their Faith." Bekah says, "we need to see our children as people with emotional realities and needs, and how we communicate love has to take that into accoun...

Today I’m joined by Justin Barrett and Sarey Concepcion to discuss their TheoPsych project and book, “TheoPsych: Psychological Science Primer for Theologians". We consider 4 reasons it might be helpful for theologians to be aware of the best available psychological science evidence. We also cover morality, our sense of what science says, philosophical intuitions and more. TheoPsych Website:http://...

Joining me today is Dr. Beth Allison Barr, author of “The Making of Biblical Womanhood.” Instead of primarily discussing Dr. Barr's book, which she has done at length, we focused on more global questions: patriarchy, plausibility structures, how history has shaped faith, and more. Beth says, "The miracle of the Bible is that the story of Jesus still gets through despite how much humans have messed...

** Re-released due to an Apple Podcasts glitch ** Joining me today for a Q&A is Dr. Matthew V. Novenson, a senior lecturer in New Testament in Christian Origins at the University of Edinburgh. All in light of the New Testament, we discuss the apostle Paul, the resurrection, Pneuma (body & spirit), and more. Email Matthew for New Testament book recommendations:Matthew. Novenson@ed.ac.uk Matthew’s E...

One of the four answered questions for the most recent Patreon exclusive episode, focused on personal growth around egoistic tendencies. To become a patron and hear the other three questions answered, head to Patreon.com/dankochThe four questions in the full episode are:1. Could you talk about the effects on the brain (positive and negative) of things like Centering Prayer, Breath work, meditation...

Caitlin Olsen (marriage and family therapist) joins me today to discuss her research on betrayal trauma in religious contexts. Caitlin says, "the concept of betrayal trauma is really helpful for people understanding systemic betrayal." We also cover benevolent sexism (or soft patriarchy), Mormonism, and focusing on betrayal trauma in a therapeutic environment. Caitlin's Website: https://caitlinols...

Listeners of this show will know I'm not shy about my Enneargream skepticism. Well, today I'm joined by Jay Medenwaldt (Master in Psychological Sciences - Baylor University) who has done some actual legwork on the topic, compiling studies that have tested the reliability and validity of the Enneagram. Jay expounds on this research and walks us through some "not so popular" critiques of The Enneagr...

Today I have the unique pleasure of continuing our “Christian Music” series with Peter Hilliard. Peter is a classical and opera composer with a robust background in church music. He says, “When you make art and music, you are exercising your humanity.” We overview several classical pieces from composures like Bach and Brahms, examining how they wrestled with things like faith, meaninglessness, and...

Dr. Joshua Knabb (author, researcher & clinician) joins me to talk widely about one's orientation and conception of God. With personal and clinical examples, Josh punctuates the conversation with topics like attachment, acceptance, and abstract psychology, as they relate to spiritual wellbeing. We also cover things like the ineffable nature of God, Buddhism (mindfulness and suffering), and Apophat...

One of my best friends' dads, Joe Bishop (pastor & therapist), is joining me today to discuss deconstruction for the boomer generation. Joe says, "There's a real lack of resources for people going through faith deconstruction in their 50s or older." We cover things like the ramifications of losing lifelong religious practice, awakening to agency later in life, and reckoning with one's complicity i...

Today I'm re-joined by author Ryan Burge to discuss his new book "20 Myths About Religion and Politics in America." Ryan talks about how 'Born again' has become its own brand, ethos & style of thinking and how Evangelicalism is still the dominant form of Christianity in America. We also talk about cynicism, institutional trust, the role plausibility structures have played in American Evangelicalis...

Today I'm joined by Dr. Jesse Fox (Stenson University) to discuss his “spiritual bypass” research in the growing field of religion and its relationship to health. Jesse says spiritual bypassing includes "[Spiritually] taking something out of context and misapplying it." We also touch on mindfulness, spiritual narcissism, and including/transcending. Jesse’s Faculty Page: https://www.stetson.edu/oth...

Today I'm rejoined by listener (and personal) favorite Heather Patton Griffin (Episode #123) to apply her conceptual framework to the recent abuse report issued by Guidepost Solutions about The Southern Baptist Convention. “Emotionalism," "Maturity Badges," and "Easy Knowledge" are concepts we cover that have often enabled abuse in church settings. We apply these and other concepts to the SBC scan...

Rejoining me today is my friend Oliver Crisp, principal of St. Mary's college and the head of the school of divinity at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. Oliver helps us wade through theologically dense waters, comparing terms like original guilt and original sin. We also look at specific theologians' views like Augustine, Calvin, etc., and address the implications of these beliefs in tod...

Today I'm joined by Dr. Wade Mullen, researcher and author of Something's Not Right: Decoding the Hidden Tactics of Abuse--and Freeing Yourself from Its Power. Our conversation focuses specifically on "Impression Management," a sociology subfield that analyzes how organizations use different mechanisms to influence their public perceptions to cover up abuse scandals. We get into Mullens's differen...

Today I'm joined by pastor Tyler Burns (Pass the Mic Podcast & President at The Witness: A Black Christian Collective). Tyler offers insight into the process of black deconstruction as experienced more communally. He also sees doubt as an inherent component of faith for black Christians in America. We cover embodiment, white nationalism, and faith expressed cerebrally vs. experientially. Pass the...

Today I’m joined by Kenneth I. Pargament (Professor at Bowling Green State University) and Julie J. Exline (Professor at Case Western Reserve University), two prominent researchers in psychology of religion, to talk about their research on “spiritual struggles.” Where does this research overlap with the “deconstruction” movement? With spiritual abuse and religious trauma? Are spiritual struggles p...

Today I'm joined by author and writer Fred Bahnson to discuss some of his work on Christian Contemplative Practice. Fred says, "Political life has replaced inner life as the arbiter of all things." We get into Thomas Merton, emotional recognition, oneness, and the political implications of contemplative practice amidst ecological crises. Fred’s Articles:“Keeping the World in Being”: https://emerge...