Veterans of Culture Wars

Seattle Pacific University, an evangelical school affiliated with the Free Methodist Church since 1891, is in a fight over LGBTQIA+ inclusion and equality. This came to a head on May 23rd when the board rejected proposed changes supported by an overwhelming majority of students and faculty, following a threat of disassociation by the Free Methodist Church. Students have been organizing mass protes...

From the podcast "You Have Permission", Dan Koch stops by the VCW hall to share his Evangelical story and talk about the Southern Baptist (Guidepost Solutions) Abuse report that was released a few weeks ago.  Also, we discuss spiritual abuse both defining the term and giving information on how to identify if this has happened to you. Connect with Dan Koch: You can listen to "You Have Permissi...

Dr. Kait Dugan returns to the VCW hall to talk about death, apocalypse and her expertise, Karl Barth.  She talks about getting her doctorate, how thinking a lot about death has helped her in life and Pauline views of the apocalypse.  Finally, as the managing director at the Center for Barth Studies at Princeton Theological Seminary, she discusses Karl Barth and his influence on Christian...

Author Shannon TL Kearns returns to the VCW hall to discuss his new memoir, "In the Margins: A Transgender Man's Journey with Scripture" which is coming out August 9th, 2022.  We discuss Shannon's story and how his relationship with Scripture changed over time.  We chat about some of the Biblical accounts that have meant a lot to him as he transitioned and beyond. Pre-Order Shannon Kearn...

Russia expert and trans activist Chrissy Stroop joins the VCW hall to discuss Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Putin's religious and ethno-nationalist mindset, the connections between the Kremlin and some on the American right and the various anti-trans state laws that are being proposed in red states around our country.  She also shares her Evangelical story. Connect with Chrissy: Twitter: &nbs...

The return of author and professor Joel Heng Hartse to the VCW Hall! He talks about his new book Dancing About Architecture is a Reasonable Thing to Do, the process of writing about music, discussing Hillsong with a punk icon, and the joy of "fucking shit up for the Lord". Plus, Weezer. Get Joel's book Dancing About Architecture is a Reasonable Thing to Do here: https://wipfandstock.com/9781498293...

VCW listener Jon Smart joins us to discuss his Evangelical story including his time in YWAM.  Zach and Dave conducted an experiment when a guest had to postpone a returning appearance on our show.  We tweeted out an invitation for someone who has been listening to the show to come on and talk to us.  Our new friend, Jon Smart, answered that call. Follow Jon Smart on Twitter:  @...

Writer, film critic and professor Alissa Wilkinson joins the VCW pod to talk about her new book "Salty: Lessons on Eating, Drinking, and Living from Revolutionary Women"!  She shares her Evangelical story, discusses her jobs which include being a professor at King's College, a film critic at Vox and an author.  Finally, we talk about her favorite film from last year "Bergman Island", Ing...

No relation to Bill Nye the Science Guy, Kevin Nye joins the VCW podcast to talk about his new book "Grace Can Lead Us Home: A Christian Call to End Homelessness" (out on August 9th, 2022).  We discuss the causes of homelessness, the myths about people without homes, some solutions to this crisis in our society, safe injection sites and more.   Pre-order Kevin Nye's forthcoming book (out...

Professor, writer, and podcaster (Straight White American Jesus) Bradley Onishi joins us to talk about White Christian Nationalism, Christofascism, purity culture and how those things relate to current events in Russia and Ukraine.   Follow Bradley on Twitter:  @bradleyonishi Listen to Bradley on Straight White American Jesus:  https://straightwhiteamericanjesus.com/ Mentioned on th...

From the Ravel podcast, fellow Seattle-ite Josh Lieuallen joins the VCW hall to talk about his Evangelical story, his work on the Ravel Podcast, and deconstructing/reconstructing faith. Check out the Ravel Podcast:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ravel/id1528109104 Follow Josh Lieuallen on Twitter:  @joshlieuallen -Check out Zach's music by going to:  https://muzach.bandcamp....

Co-host of the Thereafter podcast, Meghan Crozier visits the VCW hall to talk about her evangelical story, purity culture, purity culture 2.0, exvangelical CCM karaoke, and more. Mentioned on the pod: "The Djembe Thread" - https://twitter.com/thepursuinglife/status/1486759817565794307 Resources Meghan Crozier recommends on the topic of Purity Culture: Talk Purity to Me - https://www.instagram.com/...

For this episode, we took a break from talking about Evangelicalism.  Jeffrey Overstreet returns to the VCW hall to talk movies from 2021, which we all agreed was a diverse and eclectic year at the cinema, despite the year starting with theaters still closed. We talk about the Oscar nominees, our own personal top 10 films of the year, what he's been showing his students and what has reso...

Author and Podcaster Krispin Mayfield joined the VCW hall to discuss his new book "Attached to God: A Practical Guide to Deeper Spiritual Experience" (out on 2/22/2022 from Zondervan).  He writes (and talks on the show) about people being able to have a more secure attachment with God by recognizing their own styles based on Attachment Theory.  Krispin also talks about his Evangelical st...

Jazz Robertson (co-host of Multiple Sources Podcast) joins the VCW hall for a wide ranging discussion about playing music in and outside of church, letting go of certainty, Alan Watts, Britney Spears' conservatorship, the problem of white supremacy in evangelicalism, and her 5 favorite drummers of all time. Listen to Multiple Sources Podcast:  https://www.multiplesourcespod.com/ Follow Jazz o...

Author and speaker Danté Stewart joins the VCW hall to discuss his excellent new book "Shoutin in the Fire: An American Epistle" as well as his experiences in Evangelicalism being a black consultant including with The Gospel Coalition (TGC).  He describes the effects on him being in white spaces and the tension in his work of capturing the painful realities of the culture around him but also...

Well there's Santa and Jack Frost and Krampus and Rudolph. Egg nog and stockings and tree lights and strudel. But do you recall Christmas werewolves, Christmas witches, the Catalonian pooping log, Ded Moroz, hallucinogenic reindeer pee, and the Icelandic Yule Lads? Benito Cereno does, and he's here to tell us all about them. All of them. Seriously, the man is an absolute encyclopedia of internatio...

Ian Adams has worked at various game companies, on games such as State of Decay, and currently is at Wizards of the Coast (Magic: The Gathering, Dungeons and Dragons). He walks us through some of the notable history of Christian video games, with sidequests about our childhood exposure to Dungeons and Dragons, the rise of video game-based charity organizations, and his perspective on the proto-MAG...

What do you believe happens after you die? What do you hope happens after you die? Dave Maher died. Well, sort of. Host of the "This is Your Afterlife" podcast and the subject of a memorable story on NPR's This American Life, comedian Dave Maher joins the VCW to talk about his near death experience and evolving thoughts about death, his Evangelical upbringing, and how his creative proces...

Author Katelyn Beaty, former Christianity Today managing editor, current co-host of the Saved By the City podcast, and no relation to Warren "Two T's" Beatty, joins the podcast to talk about her time as the youngest and first female managing editor of Christianity Today, the state of religious journalism, evangelicalism and disinformation in a post-Trump (and potentially pre-Trump) world, and Mark...

Welcome to our one year podcast anniversary! Spooky terror lies within! Sarah Welch-Larson returns to the VCW hall to discuss horror movies and how Evangelicals approach that genre. In the second half, we have a spoiler-filled discussion about the thought-provoking new Netflix horror miniseries Midnight Mass. Follow Sarah Welch-Larson on Twitter:  @dodgyboffin Pick up a copy of Sarah Welch-La...

Blake Chastain, host of the popular podcast Exvangelical, joins us to discuss his faith story and what Evangelicals (and others) get wrong about Exvangelicals, how faith shifts impact identity, relationships, parenting, and more. Plus, Blake and Zach discuss the music of Dave Bazan, and what it's meant to them during their faith journeys. Follow Blake Chastain on Twitter:  @brchastain Listen...

Dr. Jessica Johnson (author of Biblical Porn: Affect, Labor, and Pastor Mark Driscoll's Evangelical Empire) returns to talk about her new piece in Religion Dispatches critiquing Christianity Today's "The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill" podcast. We also discuss Driscoll's recent pamphlet "Christian Theology Vs Critical Theory".  Read her article here: https://religiondispatches.org/sharing-many-of...

Roger Ebert said, "The movies are like a machine that generates empathy." Film critic and author Jeffrey Overstreet joins the pod to talk about how Evangelicals approach movies, cinematic art, transcendence, and empathy, as well as spiritually based themes in the films by the Coen Bros.  He also shares some of his favorite films from 2020. -Jeffrey Overstreet's website:  lookingcloser.or...

Revisiting our wonderful conversation with New York Times Bestselling author of "Jesus and John Wayne", Dr. Kristin Kobes Du Mez.   Author of the book "Jesus and John Wayne:  How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation", Dr. Kristin Kobes Du Mez joins the pod to talk about how white evangelicals redefined Biblical masculinity to fit the militant masculinity of secular...