Weird Religion

A news desk special report! We’re talking about Kathryn Krick, a Christian social media celebrity and charismatic preacher who frequents parks in the Los Angeles area to perform healings and exorcisms. We’re joined by award-winning religion journalist and New York Times contributor Sam Kestenbaum—read his new article on Kathryn Krick called “Demontime: How a former actress-turned-Christian EDM sin...

With Brian having finally finished BSG, it is now time for Leah to guide him through thinking about its meaning and weird religious implications. Along the way, we’re offering a sampler of highlights from the world of religion and pop culture scholarship engaging with the show. We consider the gritty political context of the BSG universe and the show’s spiritual messages, and we ponder the fate of...

A recent weird religion news roundup: unfortunately, an ancient killing stone has been cracked open; the Devil has attacked at our highest moments; animal heads in a bag; and the world’s most boring person is revealed at last—and it is all of us. Denzel’s Pentecostal Words to Will: https://www.today.com/popculture/awards/will-smith-appears-wipe-tears-talks-bradley-cooper-denzel-washington-o-rcna21...

Who whispers seductive dreams of warfare into the ears of kings? Ares? A lying spirit? A gang of 400 prophets? Gather ‘round for a reading of an odd biblical tale. SOURCES: Movie clip: https://youtu.be/K8A9UAqA4Ks Politico interview with Fiona Hill: https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/02/28/world-war-iii-already-there-00012340 Pascal on how origins reveal lack of justice: https://libquotes...

We begin with a throwback to the Cold War of the 1970s and quickly arrive at the war today instigated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. What are the demographics of religion in Russia today? What is the relationship between Church and State in Russia? How does Ukraine function as “spiritual space” in the Russian imagination? Is this a “religious war”? Check out the sources we’re discussing: The Lat...

In our first news roundup of 2022, we’re brimming with stories for the weird religious headlines trading game: Marxist hoodies, God being dope on the hoodie, side comments on the Super Bowl halftime show, we’ll get there inshallah , someone is ready to sell your prayers, a somewhat confusing ad about Jesus. And and and. Join us. Is God dope though? https://twitter.com/BryanBanksPhD/status/14892216...

Connect the dots: Blink-182; “exotic materials”; Trump vs. Hilary 2016; Abraham and Isaac and the frustration and allure of faith. In this episode we’re talking about some wild claims made by Blink-182 frontman Tom DeLonge and early research into the brains of those who claim to have seen UFOs. Why does a particular religious idea appeal to some but not others? How might the structure of our bodie...

We’re back! Starting next week, on Wednesday February 2nd, we’re releasing new material. Two innovations: (1) We’re going to do a “news roundup” style thing every other episode, and a more classic, scripted-ish, pop-culture artifact commentary sort of thing every other episode. (2) And to make sure we have time to make these and put the requisite effort into it, we’re going to an every-other- week...

Blessings abound as we round up some of the weirdest and most wonderful and most horrible stories from the end of 2021. Baptist women try to lead, small green children will grow up on Mars and turn feeble, you will find $600,000 in a megachurch bathroom, and you will protest our Nazi government in a Cheesecake Factory. And here are links to the stories, in no particular order: Speaking Babylonian...

An age-old historical and theological question: Why was Jesus crucified? We explore a shocking theory, as Leah engages in a rare (for her) ambush session on Brian with an unexpected twist. The 19-second sermon clip: https://youtu.be/0fVt7eR1o_w Steven Furtick’s controversial tweet: https://images.app.goo.gl/rUotpKingcWMtUgw5

WEIRDOS: peeking our heads into your life with a substantive check-in on these things: (1) Brian is still watching Battlestar Galactica , and the last ep (S4E11) was bananas (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIV5UqIV0a0&t=248s) (2) Many of us are still wounded by the ending of Lost (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JH0DigVw1bA) (3) Leo DiCaprio in talks to play Jim Jones ( https://ew.com/movies/...

A quick joke about Popeye and a philosophical theory of humor that couldn’t be included in one of the S6 eps for some reason. The Popeye joke, by Jack Handey: https://bit.ly/3u55ehF

As we finish S6 on the show and approach 70,000 downloads, we take a stroll down memory lane, thanking people in vague ways, singing The Killers and Imagine Dragons, conducting a miniature news roundup on Leah's new article, and strategizing about having the Third Eagle of the Apocalypse on the pod. Tammy Faye, a double whammy of Christian love, wins in the end: https://religionnews.com/2021/09/17...

We’re talking with award-winning film writer and director Chris White about his new feature Electric Jesus, chronicling the rise and fall of a Christian heavy metal band in the summer of 1986 and the pastor’s daughter who runs away from home to join them. Adorableness, personal memories, and deep commentary about Christian music then and now ensue. Join us. Chris White, filmmaker: http://chriswhit...

Facebook has gathered church leaders for a conference to ask how they can have church on Facebook. It’s all about “connection.” Peanut allergies and Netflix’s new dating show Sexy Beast and Brian not having a son are discussed, as well as theories of brand dilution and holiness. And the revelation: We speculate about how Facebook is promoting a particular version of the internet and its new produc...

We’re at our local coffee shop for an all-lightning round version of this week in weird religion news. Advice: If you’re writing a Christian romance novel, steer clear of genocide. Here are the stories we’re tracking: Get your daily prophecy: https://www.elijahlist.com/index.php Biden compares troops to prophets: https://www.relevantmagazine.com/current/nation/in-an-address-to-the-nation-biden-use...

Biblical forgery cases get everyone riled up—here are the two hottest controversies of the moment, covering both Old and New Testaments: “The Shapira Scroll” and the “Gospel of Jesus’ Wife.” Brian goes off. Come for the juicy details on both documents, and stay for the hard discussion of “history” and meditation on intellectual humility. The pandemic never ends joke: https://twitter.com/mattbooshe...

We’re talking with professor and author Natalie Wigg-Stevenson about transgression and devotion in the award-winning TV series Fleabag. Natalie Wigg-Stevenson profile: https://www.tst.edu/directory/faculty/wigg-stevenson-natalie Transgressive Devotion: Theology as Performance Art (2021), by Natalie Wigg-Stevenson: https://www.amazon.com/Transgressive-Devotion-Theology-Performance-Art/dp/033405947X...

The weird religion news is on fire as always. This week: Is there a Matt Damon - Ben Affleck curse? Has Britney Spears become Catholic? Is Amanda Knox a philosopher? Can you go beyond yoga? Britney Spears goes Catholic on Insta, then deletes it: https://www.instagram.com/britneyspears/ ; https://www.newsweek.com/britney-spears-reveals-shes-now-catholic-she-models-mass-dress-1616859 Britney gets a...

You know how you do that thing where you watch an intriguing trailer for an artsy horror film and then make all your friends watch it? Here we are. In The Lamb , forthcoming this fall, a couple tries to raise a lamb (?) as if it is their own child (?), and the lamb then morphs into something like a human (?), and some difficult things happen when the lamb parents come to reclaim their own (?). Wit...

We’re talking with host of Things Not Seen Radio host and professor David Dault about the X-Files. Enough said. Check out David Dault’s massive and amazing catalogue NOW: https://www.thingsnotseenradio.com/ Dr. David Dault at Loyola Chicago: https://www.luc.edu/ips/about/faculty/daviddaultphd.shtml X-Files on Hulu, S4E14: “Memento Mori”: https://www.hulu.com/watch/f3a2f201-c27e-42bf-a621-45a3a4341...

In this week’s News Roundup, we’re going to marry God, pronounce on Bible translations on Tiktok, and make a very convoluted analogy to the JEDP Pentateuchal source critical scheme!! This week’s stories: A woman marries the Holy Spirit; husband objects: https://religionnews.com/2021/06/04/kenyan-woman-marries-the-holy-spirit-in-anglican-ceremony/ Anthony Bourdain’s voice raised from the dead: http...

We take a deep breath and watch Darren Arnofsky’s maybe brilliant maybe dumb yet deeply religiously inspired and definitely provocative 2017 film mother! Film critic Joel Mayward joins us for support. Brian tries to ex(man)splain. Leah is not having it. (Warning: this episode contains some disturbing content, and also a heaping of razor sharp film criticism by Dr. Joel Mayward.) Trailer and other...

A very short episode dedicated to our friend Javier Garcia, who died recently. He was 34 years old, a Bonhoeffer scholar, director of an Honors program, a surfer, mountain climber, brother, son, and friend. With the flare-up of a long-brewing and continuing and still bitter disagreement between Brian and Leah about the quality of the show Battlestar Gallactica . Obituary for Javier Garcia: https:/...

We’re talking about the spirituality of the biggest financial scam in history—with the star-creator and director of an award winning and genre-bending new film: A Kaddish for Bernie Madoff . Alicia Jo Rabins and Alicia J. Rose join us for a conversation about excommunication, success, failure, the artistic process, “cycles,” and mysticism. And UFOs. A Kaddish for Bernie Madoff : https://www.akaddi...