
A Pastor and a Philosopher Walk into a Bar
Mixing a cocktail of philosophy, theology, and spirituality. We're a pastor and a philosopher who have discovered that sometimes pastors need philosophy, and sometimes philosophers need pastors. We tackle topics and interview guests that straddle the divide between our interests. Who we are: Randy Knie (Co-Host) - Randy is the founding and Lead Pastor of Brew City Church in Milwaukee, WI. Randy loves his family, the Church, cooking, and the sound of his own voice. He drinks boring pilsners. Kyle Whitaker (Co-Host) - Kyle is a philosophy PhD and an expert in disagreement and philosophy of religion. Kyle loves his wife, sarcasm, kindness, and making fun of pop psychology. He drinks childish slushy beers. Elliot Lund (Producer) - Elliot is a recovering fundamentalist. His favorite people are his wife and three boys, and his favorite things are computers and hamburgers. Elliot loves mixing with a variety of ingredients, including rye, compression, EQ, and bitters.
Latest episodes

Mar 23, 2024 • 1h 26min
Is Your Theology Too Small? A Conversation with Trey Ferguson
Text us your questions!Trey Ferguson of the New Living Treyslation and Three Black Men podcasts joins us to discuss his new book Theologizin' Bigger: Homilies on Living Freely and Loving Wholly. We talk about the Bible, the difference between "theologizin'" and theology, the racial dynamics of deconstruction, why evangelicals are so obsessed with "facts," why they're prone to grifters, white theology vs. Black theology, shame, heresy, Twitter (I refuse to call it X), and what "Michael vs. LeBron" has in common with theological frameworks. Trey is insightful, hilarious, gregarious, and humble. We hope you love this conversation as much as we did.You can find the transcript for this episode here.=====Want to support us?The best way is to subscribe to our Patreon. Annual memberships are available for a 10% discount.If you'd rather make a one-time donation, you can contribute through our PayPal. Other important info: Rate & review us on Apple & Spotify Follow us on social media at @PPWBPodcast Watch & comment on YouTube Email us at pastorandphilosopher@gmail.com Cheers!

Mar 8, 2024 • 1h 5min
Is There a Soul?
Join the hosts in a philosophical discussion on the existence of the soul, materialism vs dualism, and the implications for religion and ethics. They explore the compatibility of Christianity with materialism, sensory experience with blind whiskey tasting, and the concept of the soul in philosophy of mind. Delve into Descartes' arguments on dualism, consciousness, beliefs, and the importance of humility in spiritual discussions.

Feb 23, 2024 • 60min
Randy Quit
Text us your questions!... drinking.This is a more personal episode for us, particularly for Randy. As you know, we like alcohol around here, especially whiskey. In this episode, we chat about that and the presence it's had on our podcast and in our lives.Can we have a "healthy relationship" with alcohol? What does that look like? How does that question get answered for each of us in honest ways? How do we responsibly balance our autonomy with the example we want to set for others?Also, what kinds of conversations do we want to cultivate? (Hint: they're not necessarily churchy conversations or purely academic conversations, but conversations you might have in a bar.) What does this mean for the show going forward? And maybe most importantly, is there such a thing as a good mocktail?The NA spirits we mixed in this episode are Monday "whiskey" and Martini Rossi Vibrante.You can find the transcript for this episode here.Content note: this episode contains some mild profanity.=====Want to support us?The best way is to subscribe to our Patreon. Annual memberships are available for a 10% discount.If you'd rather make a one-time donation, you can contribute through our PayPal. Other important info: Rate & review us on Apple & Spotify Follow us on social media at @PPWBPodcast Watch & comment on YouTube Email us at pastorandphilosopher@gmail.com Cheers!

11 snips
Feb 9, 2024 • 1h 18min
Changing Our Mind with David Gushee
David Gushee, an influential Christian ethicist, talks about his book "Changing Our Mind" which challenges the church's exclusion of LGBTQ Christians. They discuss the intersection of LGBTQ issues and religion, the importance of Christian ethics, and debates on scripture, slavery, and indigenous populations.

Jan 26, 2024 • 1h 19min
Philosophy in the Wild: Aaron Simmons
Philosopher Aaron Simmons discusses his book Camping with Kierkegaard, emphasizing intentional living. They explore faith through outdoor activities, challenge success-oriented mindsets, and discuss the concept of assholes. They also talk about the importance of vulnerability and relationality.

Jan 11, 2024 • 1h 20min
After Evangelicalism with Keri Ladouceur
Text us your questions!Where do we engage when we're done with evangelicalism, but we don't want to be done with the church? Thanks be to God, there are new signs of life springing up in the post-evangelical wasteland, and we're so here for it.Keri Ladouceur leads one of those hopeful spaces called the Post Evangelical Collective. Keri is the Executive Director of the PEC, has been leading in influential church spaces for years, and she has some stories to tell. Keri's journey is one that's been marked by abuse, patriarchy, and sexism, but also by healing, goodness, beauty, and so much redemption. We're so excited about the work she is doing with the Post Evangelical Collective and can't wait to share Keri and the PEC with you.The whiskey we tasted in this episode is Wild Turkey 101 12 Year Japanese Edition.To skip the alcohol tasting, go to the 8:35. You can find the transcript for this episode here.Cheers!=====Want to support us?The best way is to subscribe to our Patreon. Annual memberships are available for a 10% discount.If you'd rather make a one-time donation, you can contribute through our PayPal. Other important info: Rate & review us on Apple & Spotify Follow us on social media at @PPWBPodcast Watch & comment on YouTube Email us at pastorandphilosopher@gmail.com Cheers!

Jan 1, 2024 • 1h 13min
William Paul Young & Brad Jersak: Judgment, Wrath, Hell, and the God Who Is Love (Re-Release from S01E11)
This conversation features Brad Jersak, a theologian known for his insights on grace and forgiveness, and William Paul Young, acclaimed author of 'The Shack.' They unravel profound themes like the nature of God's love amidst suffering and trauma. Discussions dive into the metaphor of Hell, challenging traditional views, and emphasizing healing through grace. They also reflect on navigating faith journeys and the transformative power of storytelling in processing pain. Expect heartfelt thoughts on community, vulnerability, and the ongoing journey of reconciliation.

Dec 17, 2023 • 1h 15min
The Other Side of Advent with Brian Zahnd
Text us your questions!Merry Christmas! Brian Zahnd is back on the show to discuss his Christmas devotional The Anticipated Christ. We talk about why he's "trying to be religious," the difference between Christmas and Advent, the book of Isaiah, the Magnificat, what nonviolence has to do with Advent, the current Israel–Hamas war, and more.We also spend a few minutes at the end just riffing on music. Why? Because Brian loves music and created an unconventional Advent playlist to go along with the book. And after our conversation, he created another one inspired by this episode! We strongly recommend rocking out to them while cooking Christmas dinner.Here's a couple more links to things mentioned in the episode:Eggnog recipeSpiritual, Not ReligiousThe beverage we taste in this episode is ... eggnog. With some Eagle Rare, if you're so inclined.You can find the transcript for this episode here.Content note: this episode contains some mild profanity.=====Want to support us?The best way is to subscribe to our Patreon. Annual memberships are available for a 10% discount.If you'd rather make a one-time donation, you can contribute through our PayPal. Other important info: Rate & review us on Apple & Spotify Follow us on social media at @PPWBPodcast Watch & comment on YouTube Email us at pastorandphilosopher@gmail.com Cheers!

Dec 1, 2023 • 1h 13min
Theology, Race, and Inclusion: An Interview w/ Dr. Willie James Jennings
Text us your questions!This is such a rich conversation. Dr. Willie James Jennings is an incredible theologian who teaches Systematic Theology and Africana Studies at Yale Divinity School. Dr. Jennings has written influential books like, The Christian Imagination: Theology and Origins of Race, After Whiteness: An Education in Belonging, and a groundbreaking commentary on the book of Acts, among a number of other books. Dr. Jennings is a treasure to the church and we loved chatting with him. We spoke about theology, race, whiteness, the book of Acts, LGBTQ+ inclusion and much more. Enjoy!The whiskey we tasted in this episode is Old Fitzgerald Bottle in Bond 16 Year. Good luck finding that.To skip the alcohol tasting, skip to the 8:10 mark. You can find the transcript for this episode here.=====Want to support us?The best way is to subscribe to our Patreon. Annual memberships are available for a 10% discount.If you'd rather make a one-time donation, you can contribute through our PayPal. Other important info: Rate & review us on Apple & Spotify Follow us on social media at @PPWBPodcast Watch & comment on YouTube Email us at pastorandphilosopher@gmail.com Cheers!

Nov 17, 2023 • 1h 14min
Theology from the Margins: An Interview w/ Dr. Grace Ji-Sun Kim
Text us your questions!How do you process your identity and theology if you feel invisible as a person? What if your story, history, and experience are largely rejected and excluded from the culture you're a part of? How does that shape the way you see God and the world?Dr. Grace Ji-Sun Kim is a Korean-American theologian who works in liberation and feminist theology and wrote the book Invisible asking those questions from her perspective as an Asian American woman. In this conversation, we talk about identity, whiteness, white supremacy, and how the Holy Spirit and the Asian concept of chi might be interwoven. The bourbon we taste in this episode is a 1980 I.W. Harper. But don't go looking for it, because it's, you know, 43 years old. To skip the tasting, go to 7:19. You can find the transcript for this episode here.Production note: Logic corrupted our files (thanks Apple), so we had to use Zoom audio this time. Apologies.PS: Kyle was dealing with some family stuff and unfortunately couldn't make it for this interview. He'll be back next episode.=====Want to support us?The best way is to subscribe to our Patreon. Annual memberships are available for a 10% discount.If you'd rather make a one-time donation, you can contribute through our PayPal. Other important info: Rate & review us on Apple & Spotify Follow us on social media at @PPWBPodcast Watch & comment on YouTube Email us at pastorandphilosopher@gmail.com Cheers!