Sacred Realms: Exploring the Nexus of Religion, Spirituality, Science Fiction and Fantasy

In this episode of Sacred Realms, Rabbi Andrew Pepperstone, Pastor Travis McKee and Dr. Matthew Umbarger talk about spend some time talking about the recent James Gunn film Superman. You can contact us with any questions, comments or suggestions at sacredrealmspodcast@gmail.com

In this episode of What’s Happening in the Realm, Rabbi Andrew Pepperstone, Pastor Travis McKee and Dr. Matthew Umbarger talk about sci-fi, fantasy and religion. We begin with this month’s She’lah / The Question of the Month: What food would you take to an Apocalypse. Then on to what we have been watching or reading lately, including catching up on our Marvel shows and movies, Murderbot, The Last...

In this episode of What’s Happening in the Realm, our hosts, Andrew, Travis and Matthews address a question about inner turmoil, talk about what we have been watching or reading lately, which includes Andor, The Last of Us, Thunderbolts, Murberbot, Captain America: New World Order, and Black Mirror. Then, Mattew pulls out of the Geniza The Dragon King Trilogy. You can contact us with any questions...

In this episode of Sacred Realms, Changes in the Realms, we meet our two new co- hosts, Pastor Travis Smith McKee and Professor Matthew Umbarger, discuss our new format, and talk about expanding the podcast to be an ongoing multi-faith conversation. Then we talk about Revenge of the Sith, which came out 20 years ago this May.

It's been over a year since we have uploaded any episodes to the podcast. This short episode is all about changes coming to the podcast, which is on track to begin productions again this summer.. New format. New hosts. New orientation. Look for new episodes this summer!

We are back after a post-Passover break with our first full episode this year! We hope you will enjoy it, and tell your friends about it! In this episode of Sacred Realms, Canon and Creativity - The Parallels of Midrash and Fan Fiction , Rabbis Andrew and Lindsey talk about the human drive to embrace canons of myths and narratives and then to creatively develop and expand those worlds. We begin wi...

In this special episode of Sacred Realms, Rabbis Andrew and Lindsey talk about one year since the beginning of this podcast. They look over its beginnings, the original intent, and where things have organically taken the podcast up to now and into the next year. You can contact us with any questions, comments or suggestions (general, suggestions for a She'elah / Question of the Month, or episode t...

In this twelfth episode of Sacred Realms, “From Sarah to Sarah Connor - Heroines in Tanakh, Sci-Fi and Fantasy.” Rabbis Andrew and Lindsey talk about female characters in the Hebrew Bible, Science Fiction and Fantasy. We begin with this month’s She’lah / The Question of the Month: “Who is your favorite heroine?” Then on to what we have been watching or reading lately. Then we delve into this episo...

In this eleventh episode of Sacred Realms, “Just My Type,” Rabbis Andrew and Lindsey talk about competing and conflicting narratives in Sci-fi, Fantasy and Judaism. We begin with this month’s She’lah / The Question of the Week: “When have you felt like you were living a scene from the Tanakh?” Then on to what we have been watching or reading lately. Then we delve into this episode’s main topic: “J...

In this tenth episode of Sacred Realms, “Clash of the Narratives,” Rabbis Andrew and Lindsey talk about competing and conflicting narratives in Sc-fi, Fantasy and Judaism. We begin with this month’s She’lah / The Question of the Week: “How did you negotiate among conflicting narratives?” Then on to what we have been watching or reading lately. Then we delve into this episode’s main topic: “Clash o...

In this ninth episode of Sacred Realms, “Living in the Grey: Beyond Good and Evil,” Rabbis Andrew and Lindsey talk about the moral clarity of narratives that have stark contrasts between Good and Evil, and ones where the line is blurry and even non-existent. We begin with this month’s She’lah / The Question of the Month: “Who is your favorite morally ambiguous villain?” Then on to what we have bee...

In this eighth episode of Sacred Realms, “At Journey’s End,” Rabbis Andrew and Lindsey talk about the classic motif of the journey, and how the Torah’s narratives and some sci-fi and fantasy subvert our expectations at the end of the “Hero’s Journey.” We begin with this month’s She’lah / The Question of the Month: “What has been an important journey in your life?” Then on to what we have been watc...

In this seventh episode of Sacred Realms: From Ruin to Renewal, Rabbis Andrew and Lindsey talk about Destruction and Reconstruction. We begin this week’s She’lah / The Question of the Week : “What was an important aspect of renewal in your life?” Then on to what we have been watching or reading lately, with Rabbis Andrew and Lindsay talking about Foundation, Secret Invasion, Star Trek and Barbie....

In this sixth episode of Sacred Realms, Rabbis Andrew and Lindsey talk about Golems: Protectors or Perils? We begin this week’s She’lah / The Question of the Week: “If you had a golem, what task would you have them do for you?” Then on to what we have been watching or reading lately, with Rabbi Andrew talking Apple’s Silo, Marvel’s Secret Invasion, and tracing the theme of golems in pop-culture, a...

In this fifth episode of Sacred Realms, Rabbis Andrew and Lindsey talk about the limits of Technology, Machines, Robots and AI.We begin this week’s She’lah / The Question of the Week: “What is your favorite piece of technology from sci-fi or fantasy?”Then on to what we have been watching or reading lately, with Rabbi Andrew talking about The Flash, Silo, The Great, Across the Spiderverse and a few...

During out fourth episode on What if? Futurism and Speculative Fiction, we digressed into the topic of rational thought, mystical thought and psychedelics in Judaism and in Jewish thought. If that interests you, we hope you will have a listen.

In this fourth episode of Sacred Realms, Rabbis Andrew and Lindsey talk about What if? Speculative Fiction and Futurism .We begin with what is now called She’lah / The Question of the Week : “What favorite realm of yours would you like to see one thousand years in the future?”Then on to what we have been watching or reading lately , with Rabbi Andrew talking about the shows The Mandalorian: Season...

In this third episode of Sacred Realms, Rabbis Andrew and Lindsay talk about Storytelling. We begin getting to know each by sharing our favorite storytellers, and then on to what we have been watching or reading lately, with Rabbi Andrew talking about the Jewish themes in Season 3 of the Mandalorian, and Rabbi Lindsay talking about Carnival Row, cultural appropriation and colonization. Then we del...

Show Notes: In this second episode of Sacred Realms, Rabbis Andrew and Lindsey get to know each other a little better, talk about what they have been watching or reading as of late (Servant and Wednesday), and then delve into this episode’s main topic: Empires in Biblical and Rabbinic sources, and in science fiction and fantasy settings as well, specifically in two epic political sagas, Star Wars...

In the first episode of this podcast, Rabbis Lindsay and Andrew: Introduce themselves , their sci-fi and fantasy fan backgrounds and their Jewish and Rabbinic backgrounds, as well as the goals and aim for this podcast series; Talk about what we have been watching or reading lately; Delve into our main topic: Trees , Tu Bishvat, the Jewish New of Trees (which falls this year on Monday, February 6),...