Mark Shaffer and Eric Madison

TEXT AND ROCK.

Religion EN ↓ 111 episodes

Ancient myth and artifact meet poetry and rhythm for the post-modern soul. Hosted by Mark Shaffer and Eric Madison, TEXT AND ROCK is a weekly podcast that bridges the gap between ancient wisdom and contemporary life. Mark, an antiquarian, writer, and part-time punk rocker, and Eric, a musician, podcaster, and rhythm instructor, delve into topics ranging from biblical texts and ancient artifacts to modern spirituality and cultural critique. Their engaging discussions aim to help listeners read the Bible like an ancient and have faith like a modern. Whether you're seeking to deepen your unders...

Author

Mark Shaffer and Eric Madison

Episodes

11 GOD. GUNS. AND NORMALIZED VIOLENCE. 27.05.2022 14:35

Send us Fan Mail Hey Text and Rockers! This one is all about the misfortune that happens when faith traditions trade their goal of unity for political division, and embrace violence. Join us to talk about Why the testimony of the church in America is failing. How normalized violence is the root, school shootings are the symptom. Nothing. A moment of silence for Robb Elementary School. 10 unfortu...

10 ONE RIVER OF TRUTH. TRIBUTARIES ON EVERY SIDE. 24.05.2022 9:19

Send us Fan Mail Hey Text and Rockers! This one is all about how to grow through pain and rejection, and grant people generosity and grace along the way. Join us to talk about The profound suffering of growth. How every single thing is saturated with the divine. Why the names and stories and traditions help but... they are just that. How to hold others with generosity without expecting it to be re...

09 YOU MIGHT BECOME A COLLECTOR. 20.05.2022 10:52

Send us Fan Mail Hey Text and Rockers! This one is all about how just like your tradition is always changing...so are you. And that's A-Okay! Join us to talk about Why you can never encounter the same individual twice. How what makes it a hero's journey is that most people don't take it. How to hold people with grace and generosity without expecting it in return. Plutarch's tak...

08 YOUR STORY THROUGH TIME. 17.05.2022 11:05

Send us Fan Mail Hey Text and Rockers! This one is all about the major eras of interpretation of religious texts. It’s sort of the sequel to episode 07 HOW YOUR STORY BECAME A RELIGIOUS TEXT. Join us to talk about How interpretation of sacred literature and human intellectual history track side by side. Late Antiquity and allegory. Middle Age thought and the Reformation. The Great Enlightenment a...

07 HOW YOUR STORY BECAME A RELIGIOUS TEXT. 17.05.2022 10:59

Send us Fan Mail Hey Text and Rockers! This one is all about how your story became a religious text. I always tell folks that if your pastor/rabbi/imam/guru cannot tell you where their holy book came from in five minutes or less... listen to someone else teach it. Seriously, if the litmus test for quoting the Bible at someone was...knowing how we got the Bible.... then I might join Twitter. Ha! J...

06 WRESTLING WITH YOUR WISDOM. 13.05.2022 8:48

Send us Fan Mail Hey Text and Rockers! This one is all about how to bring big ideas down to the everyday. Join us to talk about Whether change is a good or bad, or simply unavoidable. How Eric's question is a template for wrestling with wisdom. Plato's souls like the wheels... How ancient story is only helpful when you apply it with nuance. Tonight we roll to the guitar bite. And to tho...

05 YOUR TRADITION IS A RIVER. PART TWO. 10.05.2022 10:14

Send us Fan Mail Hey Text and Rockers! This one is all about how when you realize your tradition is a river you can wade into it with more charity, grace, and levity. Join us to talk about Why dogmatic folks never help anyone. How the trick to holding faith well is levity and joy. A poem by Rumi called, "Children Running Through." A mantra for thinking about your faith journey. Let'...

04 YOUR TRADITION IS A RIVER. PART ONE. 06.05.2022 7:47

Send us Fan Mail Hey Text and Rockers! This one is all about how you can never step in the same river twice and whythat’s true for your religious tradition too. Join us to talk about Heraclitus the philosopher-mystic and all about Greek fragments. The universal flux principal and how it applies to religion. How to understand your tradition like a river. Why all interpretation of sacred texts mirro...

03 THREE RULES FOR YOUR TRAVELS. 03.05.2022 8:49

Send us Fan Mail Hey Text and Rockers! This one is all about 3 Rules for the Road for thinking about your story and all stories... or how to travel the gravel like a Text and Rocker! Join us to talk about • How un-relationships are as important as relationships. • Why characters that get beat up are better than only successful ones. • What it means to have a beginner's heart. • Why Mark says...

02 YOUR MYTHS ARE SO VALUABLE. 29.04.2022 12:23

Send us Fan Mail Hey Text and Rockers! Shazam. This episode is all about how the ancients started to realize some of their stories were less then true over time... and they were okay with it. Join us to talk about • How early scholars like Strabo found myth to have great value. • The Greek idea of EXEMPLAR. • How ancient characters come to guide your own character. We hope this discussion of what...

01 WHEN YOU LOSE YOUR STORY. 27.04.2022 12:40

Send us Fan Mail Hey Text and Rockers! It's great to be back. Let's GO! This episode is all about when you lose your story: How to think about growing up, gaining reason, and holding faith. Join us to talk about • The problem of myth and modernity. • The pain of losing your story and a part of yourself. • Why sometimes fiction tells the truth better. • How you can find wonder, hope, and...