Rethinking Faith

Returning guest Jared Byas joins the podcast for a fun game of 20ish Q's. They discuss theology, faith deconstruction, Lord of the Rings cosplay, extraterrestrial life, and more. An insightful and entertaining conversation!

This week Dr. Bradford McCall sat down with me to discuss his newest book, "Macroevolution, Contingency, and Divine Activity: Divine Involvement through Uncontrolling, Amorepotent Love in an Evolutionary World". How is the contingentist amorepotent and uncontrolling love of God understood as purposeful? If there is a laundry list of things an uncontrolling God CAN'T do... what CAN and uncontrolling God do? McCall insists that God amorepotently loves the population of the natural world into greater forms of complexity, relationally, and beauty in varied and multifarious forms, along with the extension of diversity. Enjoy!RESOURCES:Macroevolution, Contingency, and Divine Action (Book)Dr. Bradford McCall's BooksJoin the Patreon for bonus content & an Add-Free listening experience. THEOLOGY BEER CAMPCome hang out at this years Theology Beer Camp October 17-19. Use code RETHINKINGBAGGINS for $50 off!*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. Love you guys <3* Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author Tony Jones discusses his book 'The God of Wild Places', covering topics like his journey out of the church, online controversy, hunting, friendship, love for dogs, embracing finitude, and more. The conversation touches on vulnerability, mortality, ethical hunting, and the spiritual connection to nature.

This week Hebrew Bible Scholar Dr. John H. Walton joins the show to discuss his new book, "The Lost World of the Prophets: Old Testament Prophecy and Apocalyptic Literature in Ancient Context". Walton claims that being responsive to God is at the heart of prophecy, but average readers of ancient prophecies and apocalyptic literature often come away thoroughly perplexed. Are the prophets speaking about their own times, about our present, or about some still-unrealized future?It's common to study prophecy with a focus on the sole question of prediction and fulfillment, either for the sake of apologetics or for understanding the end times, but such an approach fails to track with the original intent of the authors. We need to shake loose both from a paradigm of reading prophecy as an offer of mysterious divination as well as from the habit of constructing eschatological timelines of any sort. Walton helps us answer the question, "How do we read prophecy and apocalyptic literature like responsible adults?". Enjoy!RESOURCES:The Lost World of the Prophets (Book)Dr. John WaltonTHEOLOGY BEER CAMP 2024: Use code RETHINKINGBAGGINS for $25 off!Join the Patreon for bonus episodes and an Add-Free listening Experience.*A special thanks to Josh Gilbert for managing the podcast, Marty Fredrick for producing the podcast, and Dank Koch for providing music for the podcast. Love you guys <3* Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy Friday! Today I have a surprise episode for you all that almost fell through the cracks! Many apologies to my friends over at Almost Heretical for the delay this episode experienced. This was a fun conversation both Nate and Shelby from the Almost Heretical Podcast. They were nominated by Kristen and Sarey to come on and play my 20ish Q's game and they did a great job! Enjoy.RESOURCES:AlmostHeretical.comJoin the Patreon for bonus material and an Add-Free listening experience! *A special thanks to Josh Gilbert for managing the podcast, to Marty Fredrick for producing the podcast, and Dan Koch for providing the music for the podcast. Love you guys <3* Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Kristy Whaley reevaluates Imago Dei, centering on trauma, wounds, and non-contrastive transcendence. She incorporates literature and critiques from Feminist and Womanist scholars, emphasizing a more inclusive understanding. The discussion explores connecting with the Divine through risks, wounds, and grief. Embracing scars, healing, and transformation are highlighted in a progressive theological space.

This week I step out of my comfort zone a bit for a fun conversation with Scott M. Coley. Coley's new book, "Ministers of Propaganda: Truth, Power, and the Ideology of the Religious Right" takes a deep dive into the fusion of Evangelicalism and Right-Wing Politics. We take a look at the rhetoric and proof-texting that support Christo-authoritarianism and presses Christian theology into the service of authoritarian politics. The Christian message is being distorted by propaganda together with motivated reasoning and a perceived self-interest. I had a good time talking with Scott and I really enjoyed reading his book. Enjoy.RESOURCES:Ministers of Propaganda: Truth, Power, and the Ideology of the Religious Right (Book)Join the Patreon for bonus content and add free listening. THEOLOGY BEER CAMP 2024Snag your tickets today for Theology Beer Camp! This year we will be hanging out in Denver, October 17-19. Tickets are on sale now and go up in price June 1. Use code: RETHINKINGBAGGINS for $25 off. Hope to see you there!*Thank you to Josh Gilbert for managing the podcast, Marty Fredrick for producing the podcast, and Dan Koch for providing the music. Love you guys <3* Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Andre Rabe discusses harmonizing Process Philosophy and Mimetic theory, showcasing the interplay between Whitehead and Girard's philosophies. The conversation dives into the origins of desire, transformative implications of process philosophy, and the concept of mimetic desire. Exploring faith as risking oneself towards the image of Jesus, the podcast offers enlightening insights on interconnected harmonization within creation.

This week (Re)thinking Faith takes a quick trip to Denmark as Ulrick Dam joins show. We had a wonderful conversation around Dam's new book, "Building the Basileia: Moving the Church into the 22nd Century". What might it look like to apply an Open and Relational framework to our understanding of the Church? What might it look like to breathe new life into the Church that is shaped and focused not on hierarchy and power, but on Love. It is no secret that Church attendance is declining rapidly, and for good reasons. Richard Rohr has often said, "The best critique of the bad, is practice of the better.". Could Open and Relational Theology provide a helpful and much needed critique to the Church and offer it something better? Ulrick Dam says and enthusiastic, "YES"! Enjoy.RESOURCES:Building the Basileia: Moving the Church into the 22nd Century (Book)Join me at Theology Beer Camp! Get your tickets HERE and use code: RETHINKINGBAGGINS for $25 off.Join the Patreon Community for 2 bonus shows, "Happy Hour(s)" & "The Emogelicals" along with and Add-Free listening experience.*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. I love you guys!* Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week I was very excited to be in conversation with Dr. John J. Thatamanil. In this conversation we discuss Dr. Thatamanil's book "Circling the Elephant: A Comparative Theology of Religious Diversity". Thatamanil builds a compelling case for Religious Pluralism that is deeply shaped by humility, hospitality, and mutual transformation. Christians do not have a monopoly on encounters with the Divine or Ultimate Reality and other Religious Traditions do in fact have access to both Truth and transformation. It is more than time that we stop just learning ABOUT other religious traditions, and start learning FROM them. Thatamanil demonstrates that religious diversity should be seen as a promise and not a problem and proposes a theology of religious diversity that opens the door to robust interreligious learning and transformation through encountering the other. Enjoy!RESOURCES:Dr. John J. ThatamanilCircling the Elephant: A Comparative Theology of Religious Diversity (Book)Theology Beer Camp 2024 (Use code RETHINKINGBAGGINS for $25 off)Join the Patreon for Bonus Content & Add-Free listening*A Special thanks to Josh Gilbert for managing the podcast, to Marty Fredrick for producing the podcast, and Dan Koch for providing the music for the podcast. Love you guys.* Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices