Rethinking Faith

Canadian Mennonite Philosopher Myron A. Penner discusses consciousness, demons, epistemology, skepticism towards spiritual encounters, exploring resurrection, intertwining beauty with faith and science, and a humorous historical church figures bar challenge.

This week I was joined by Dr. Brian G. Henning to discuss his new book, "Value, Beauty & Nature: The Philosophy of Organism and the Metaphysical Foundations of Environmental Ethics". "Grounded in an organicist process worldview, Brian G. Henning shows that it is possible to make progress in key debates within environmental philosophy, including those concerning the nature of intrinsic value; anthropocentrism; hierarchy; the moral significance of beauty; the nature of individuality; teleology and the naturalistic fallacy; and worldview reconstruction. A Whiteheadian fallibilistic, naturalistic, event ontology allows for the recovery of systematic, speculative metaphysical thought without a revanchist movement toward a necessitarian philosophia perennis. Thus, in contrast to the claims of environmental pragmatists, Value, Beauty, and Nature demonstrates that environmental ethics would greatly benefit from an adequate metaphysical foundation and, of the candidate metaphysical systems, Alfred North Whitehead's philosophy of organism is the most adequate." Enjoy!RESOURCES:Value, Beauty & Nature: The Philosophy of Organism and the Metaphysical Foundations of Environmental Ethics (Book)Dr. Brian G. HenningJoin the Patreon *A special thanks to Josh Gilbert for managing the podcast, to Marty Fredrick for producing the podcast, and to Dan Koch for providing the music for the podcast." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, New Testament Scholar James F. McGrath joins me to talk about his latest book, "The A to Z of the New Testament: Things Experts Know That Everyone Else Should Too". Many of us grew up with notions and understandings of the New Testament that were unhelpful to say the least. James introduces us to the normative conversations taking place within the academic world of Biblical Scholarship. What if we were to engage the New Testament on its own terms? What if the New Testament is a lot cooler, more weird, and significantly more interesting than just some innerrant document that fell out of the sky? Well friends... it's time to start reading the New Testament like adults. Enjoy!Resources:The A to Z of the New Testament: Things Experts Know That Everyone Else Should Too (Book)James' Author PageJoin the Patreon for an Add-Free Listening Experience*A special thanks to Josh Gilbert for managing the podcast, Marty Fredrick for producing the podcast, and Dan Koch for providing the music for the podcast.* Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week I am joined by T.C. Moore to discuss his new book, "Forged: Following Jesus into New Kind of Family". Is the nuclear family really biblical? Has the image of the nuclear family been co-opted and turned into an idol? Is there a better way to forge a family? T.C. says yes and offers us a better way forward by following the way of Jesus into a new kind of family forged from kinship, authenticity, and inclusivity. Enjoy!Resources:Forged: Following Jesus into a New Kind of Family (Book)ForgedFamilyBook.ComJoin the Patreon for an Add-Free Listening Experience*A special thanks to Josh Gilbert for managing the podcast, Marty Fredrick for producing the podcast, and Dan Koch for providing music for the podcast.* Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Explore the connection between hip-hop and Black liberation with Lenny Duncan, as they treat hip-hop songs like sacred scripture. Learn about the power of hip-hop artists in narrating societal events and the importance of embracing uniqueness and authenticity. Delve into the impact of Lenny's book and amplifying marginalized voices through art.

This week I am joined by Kevin Garcia for a lovely conversation around their latest book, "What Makes You Bloom: Cultivating A Practice for Connecting With Your Divine Self". Kevin is a Spiritual Coach, Mystical Theologian, Writer, Podcaster, and Human. Many of us who have deconstructed and stepped away from the Church still feel some kind of spiritual connection. Some of us even still feel a genuine connection to Jesus the Christ. Kevin offers us a spirituality and a practice where we can continue to foster a relationship with the Divine, even the Divine within. This conversation was a lot of fun and we covered a lot of ground. We go both deep and wide sharing our own stories and spiritual practices. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did! Resources:TheKevinGarcia.ComWhat Makes You Bloom (Book)Join the Patreon for Bonus Content and Add Free Episodes*A special thanks to Josh Gilbert for managing the podcast, Marty Fredrick for producing the podcast, and Dan Koch for providing the music for the podcast.* Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Kazi Adi Shakti joins me to discuss her essay "Emptiness, Creativity, & Feminist Ecology: An Introduction to Process Buddhism." Kazi is an artist and independent researcher studying and theorizing on the intersections of Process Philosophy, Madhyamaka Buddhism, Western Marxism and Ecofeminism, with a special focus on the unique role each might play in a holistic soteriology that includes them all.This was a fun conversation exploring Process thought in the flavor of Madhyamaka Buddhism. On the surface, the world of Process thought and Buddhism could appear to be at odds. Kazi proposes, that when held together, they actually inform each other and can create something beautiful.In her own words, Kazi believes that "Process Buddhism is able to more consistently fulfill the concept of Madhyamaka as freedom from views since the Buddhist dialectical component never supplies a view or perspective of its own, but only functions to eliminate inconsistencies and assumptions of the intrinsic nature from the one creatively advancing perspective in -process."Enjoy!Resources:Holo-Poiesis.comJoin the Patreon for an Add-Free listening experience.*A Special thanks to Josh Gilbert for managing the podcast, Marty Fredrick for producing the podcast, and Dan Koch for providing the music for the podcast.* Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kathleen Bonnette discusses her faith journey, evolving from Evangelical to Catholic tradition. The conversation delves into questions of love for God, women in the church, cosmology, consciousness, and marginalized voices. Embracing relational faith and reimagining traditions are key themes, challenging hierarchical structures in favor of inclusivity and interconnectedness.

Nia & Katie Chiaramonte, authors of 'Embracing Queer Family: Learning to Live Authentically in Our Families and Communities', join the podcast to discuss their experiences of coming out and the impact on their relationship. They explore the concentric circle model of the coming out journey and the challenges they faced within religious systems. They also highlight the importance of creating a safe and accepting space for children in queer families and the wisdom found in embracing a child-like mindset. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the significance of sharing personal stories and fostering community.

Dr. Thomas Jay Oord explores open and relational theology as an alternative to deconstruction. They discuss the benefits of being open to new knowledge and experiences, share personal stories of deconstruction, and announce upcoming live events. They also delve into evolving views of God and offer approaches to engaging with the Bible after deconstruction. The episode explores the challenges and real-world implications of deconstruction and reflects on understanding God as love.