
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

Feb 10, 2022 • 1h 10min
LGBTQ, the Church, and Why We're Affirming
Text us your questions!Finally, we talk about sexuality, the queer community, and why we're affirming. This is a very personal episode (as much as it can be for a couple of straight white dudes). In this episode, we chat about where we came from, where we are now, and how we got there. Within that conversation, we touch on the Bible, philosophy, science, reason, the beauty in the LGBTQ community, and much more. This episode begins a four episode mini-series on human sexuality and LGBTQ issues.The beer we tasted in this episode is Abraxas by Perennial Artisan Ales.The beverage tasting is at 4:42. To skip to the main segment, go to 9:02.You can find the transcript for this episode here.Content note: this episode contains some mild profanity and discussion of suicide and abuse.=====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 27, 2022 • 1h 9min
Porn, Games, and Echo Chambers: An Interview with Dr. C. Thi Nguyen
Text us your questions!This one's fun. Thi Nguyen is a philosopher from the University of Utah and studies epistemology and philosophy of art, community, and games. He also used to be a food critic and enjoys great whiskey. A man after our own hearts.In this episode, we talk about things like the seduction of clarity, moral outrage porn, epistemic bubbles, echo chambers, expertise, and our gamified world. Seriously fascinating stuff. You can find Thi's work at his website: https://objectionable.net/. His recent book, Games: Agency As Art, won the 2021 APA Book Prize.In our tasting, we enjoyed the limited release Cabin Strength Bourbon from Central Standard Distillery available exclusively at Story Hill BKC in Milwaukee.The beverage tasting is at 1:37. To skip to the main segment, go to 5:23.You can find the transcript for this episode here.Content note: this episode contains 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!

Jan 14, 2022 • 1h 18min
Subversive Witness: An Interview with Dominique DuBois Gilliard
Text us your questions!Buckle up for this one, friends, because Dominique DuBois Gilliard brings straight fire. Dominique's book is, "Subversive Witness: Scripture's Call to Leverage Privilege", and it's a good one. In this episode, we talk about using privilege on behalf of the marginalized, giving power away, what it's like to be Black in America (and in the Church in America) and many more topics. Make sure to share this on the socials...everyone needs to sit in this with us.The podcast with Willie Jennings that Dominique recommends in the episode is "My Anger, God's Righteous Indignation."The beer we tasted in this episode is Evil Julius from Treehouse Brewing Company. It's delightful.The beverage tasting is at 0:56. To skip to the main segment, go to 5:24.You can find the transcript for this episode here.Content Note: This episode contains discussion or mention of racialized violence and intimidation, rape, and 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 29, 2021 • 59min
Self-care, Mental Health, and COVID-19 - Interview with Jenny Heckman (Re-Release from S01E03)
Text us your questions!For New Year's, we're revisiting an episode from early in Season 1. We spoke with professional counselor and former pastor Jenny Heckman (MS, LPC, NCC) about dealing with anxiety and staying mentally healthy during the pandemic. We think her insights here are important and every bit as relevant as they were last year.We'll be back on our regular schedule with new content on January 12.The beer featured in this episode is Strawberry Rhubarb Wild Fruit Ale by New Glarus Brewing Company.The beverage tasting is at 1:52. To skip to the main segment, go to 5:00.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!

Dec 16, 2021 • 1h 19min
Shane Claiborne on How to Be a Christian in America
Text us your questions!Shane Claiborne...what a gem. Shane has written a number of incredible books including The Irresistible Revolution and Jesus for President, and we got the opportunity to chat with him about a whole bunch of things. The cult (and possible heresy) of Christian nationalism, trying to embody the Sermon on the Mount as an American, the death penalty, and a number of other things. Shane is a delight and has such a knack for centering every topic of every conversation back to Jesus. The beer we drank on this episode was Bell's Brewery Imperial Rye Barrel Aged Ale supplied by the wonderful people at Story Hill BKC.The beverage tasting is at 0:42. To skip to the main segment, go to 4:39.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!

Dec 2, 2021 • 58min
Theology From the Margins: An Interview with Kat Armas
Text us your questions!Where does real theology and spirituality happen? Should we continue looking to the academy and pulpits or might we find a more embodied and lived theology and spirituality in the kitchens and homes of marginalized women? Kat Armas calls us and our theology to the marginalized and colonized women in her book Abuelita Faith. It's a powerful book that is delightfully decentering and challenges our theology and spirituality that has been formed by people in power. She draws us to the forgotten and overlooked people in the Bible, letting them teach us and form our faith. The whiskey we tasted in this episode is Whistle Pig's 10 Year Rye Whiskey.The beverage tasting is at 2:40. To skip to the main segment, go to 6:30.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!

Nov 18, 2021 • 1h 14min
Converging Traditions, Toxic Environments, and Healthy Spiritual Practices: An Interview with Aaron Niequist
Text us your questions!Aaron Niequist has been to the top of the evangelical mountain and has experienced first hand the goodness and the toxicity and the pain that is often a byproduct of that world. He's come out of the belly of the evangelical beast without the bitterness and cynicism that many of us fall victim to. He doesn't want to label himself an Ex-vangelical. He's dreaming of living in and creating spiritual places and practices that are a convergence of the best of a number of Christian traditions, and it's beautiful. Check out his 2018 book The Eternal Current.In this episode, we tasted Eagle Park Brewing's BOTM's Up and Big BOTM's. They're delicious.To skip the tasting, go to 4:43. 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 4, 2021 • 1h 10min
How to Be Happy: A Conversation with Frank Schaeffer
Text us your questions!We cover a lot of ground in this one folks. You may know Frank Schaeffer as the son of famed evangelical author Francis Schaeffer, but since helping his father found the religious right in America (we're not kidding), Frank has had a dramatic personal transformation and a fascinating career. We talk with him about his new book Fall in Love, Have Children, Stay Put, Save the Planet, Be Happy. The conversation covers Frank's role in abortion becoming the cause célèbre of the American evangelical establishment, his relationship with his parents and other famous evangelical leaders of recent decades, what a family values agenda would actually look like, how corporate tech culture is killing people's ability to be happy, and how understanding human evolution can help. Frank is raw, honest, and deliciously brash. He's also got a potty mouth, so be advised if you're listening with children.Check out Frank's own podcast, In Conversation... with Frank Schaeffer.The beer we taste in this episode is Terror Dome from Saint Errant Brewing.To skip the tasting, go to 6:13. 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!

Oct 21, 2021 • 56min
Shoutin' in the Fire: Interview with Danté Stewart
Text us your questions!Danté Stewart's book Shoutin' in the Fire: An American Epistle is one of the most stirring and powerfully written that we've encountered on the podcast. This conversation with him is comparable. He's engaging, funny, and erudite all at once, and he has critical things to teach the white church if we'll listen. He's also super well-read, and he wants you to be too. Here are the five authors/books he mentions in the episode:Robert Jones Jr. (The Prophets)Deesha Philyaw (The Secret Lives of Church Ladies)Kiese Laymon (Heavy)Jason Reynolds (Look Both Ways)Jesmyn Ward (Sing, Unburied, Sing)This is one of those interviews that was so rich we had to trim it down significantly for time. If you want to hear the extra content that didn't make it into the episode--including a deep dive into the philosophy of Frantz Fanon, some reflections on the interview from Kyle and Randy, and more--subscribe to our Patreon (link below)!The whisky we tasted in this episode is Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban.To skip the tasting, go to 7:08. 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!

Oct 6, 2021 • 1h 9min
What Happens When We Die?
Text us your questions!Heavy. Weighty. Decentering.In this episode we discuss the afterlife. What happens when we die? Kyle takes us on a journey through historic philosophical thinking about afterlife and why we just don't know what happens when we die. Randy mixes in some pastoral and spiritual insights here and some possible heresy there...delicious.Content Warning: If the idea of the possibility of there being no life after death is too disturbing at this moment to consider, please don't listen to this episode. We've got lots of other episodes for you to catch up on.The whiskey we tasted in this episode is Ezra Brooks 99 by Lux Row Distillers.=====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!