I'm an 80's/90's kid who grew up in the evangelical heyday of Christian subculture. "Christian" music, movies, tv, bookstores, and even our own brand of science was all part of a larger culture war movement. A lot of people my age eventually abandoned right-wing, republican Evangelicalism but simply traded it for left-wing, progressive post-evangelicalism (if they didn't reject Christianity altogether) not realizing they were still combatants in a culture war even though they switched teams. How does the culture war lure people into a false sense of community?   Why is cultural influence so much easier to attain if we just play the culture war game? How might serious reflections on historic Christology and philosophical theology on the nature of the Truth help us transcend the culture war? What possible dangers should we brace for if we attempt to leave the constant cycle of culture war?  Deep Talks is trying to reach a goal of 300 patrons on Patreon to sustain weekly, ad-free episodes. Supporters on Patreon get access to bonus Q&A Episodes, articles, and other resources. Please consider supporting free theological and philosophical education for as little as $2 a month by going to: https://www.patreon.com/deeptalkstheologypodcast   Interested in how we see theological and philosophical ideas embedded in comic book mythology? Check out Paul's latest video on YouTube exploring the deep ideas embedded in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice: https://youtu.be/_eZkgte8Tx4    To Subscribe & Review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/deep-talks-exploring-theology-and-meaning-making/id1401730159   Connect with Paul Anleitner on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/PaulAnleitner

How should Christians in America navigate the "culture war"? Are we forced to choose between either being angry cultural combatants or being passively assimilated into ideologies & guiding stories foreign to the way of Jesus? How do narratives, especially the hero myths that fill our comic book pages and movie theater screen, invite people to explore theology, ethics, and philosophy? Where might Christ be at work in those stories to reveal what is true, good, and beautiful? And why might you be watching entire series of The Office for the 100th time? Our guest to helps us explore these questions is Dr. Russell Moore. Russell Moore is president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, the moral and public policy agency of the nation’s largest Protestant denomination. Dr. Moore is the author of several books, including Onward: Engaging the Culture without Losing the Gospel and The Storm-Tossed Family: How the Cross Reshapes the Home. A native Mississippian, he and his wife Maria are the parents of five sons. Make sure to check out his forthcoming book Courage to Stand here: https://www.bhpublishinggroup.com/products/the-courage-to-stand-2/ To find out more about Dr. Moore's work at the ERLC, visit their website at : https://erlc.com Deep Talks is trying to reach a goal of 300 patrons on Patreon to sustain weekly, ad-free episodes. Supporters on Patreon get access to bonus Q&A Episodes, articles, and other resources. Please consider supporting free theological and philosophical education for as little as $2 a month by going to: https://www.patreon.com/deeptalkstheologypodcast   Interested in how we see theological and philosophical ideas embedded in comic book mythology? Check out Paul's latest video on YouTube exploring the deep ideas embedded in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice: https://youtu.be/_eZkgte8Tx4    To Subscribe & Review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/deep-talks-exploring-theology-and-meaning-making/id1401730159   Connect with Paul Anleitner on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/PaulAnleitner   You can also give a one-time donation for this episode directly at: https://cash.app/$PaulAnleitner  

Is the role of a pastor becoming obsolete? One thousand years ago, the role of a pastor (or priest) had a radically different value in society than the role they occupy today in Western culture. Understanding how we shifted from a worldview filled with magic and enchantment where pastors were seen as powerful wizards of white magic to modern CEO's of private spiritual corporations won't merely be helpful for pastors to understand but will be transformative to anyone who's spent any amount of time in church. Our guest to help us explore these important questions and ideas is Dr. Andrew Root. Dr. Root is a theology professor at Luther Seminary. He earned his PhD from Princeton as well as a Master’s in Theology and a Master of Divinity degree from Fuller Theological Seminary. He's also the author of several books including The Pastor in a Secular Age: Ministry to People Who No Longer Need God, which we spend our time discussing together today. Get a copy of Andy's book here: https://www.amazon.com/Pastor-Secular-Age-Ministry-People/dp/0801098475/ref=sr_1_1?crid=PV70T0M3AVPJ&dchild=1&keywords=the+pastor+in+a+secular+age+by+andrew+root&qid=1600184508&sprefix=the+pastor+in%2Caps%2C177&sr=8-1 This summer, Deep Talks is trying to reach a goal of 300 patrons on Patreon to sustain weekly, ad-free episodes. Supporters on Patreon get access to bonus Q&A Episodes, articles, and other resources. Please consider supporting free theological and philosophical education for as little as $2 a month by going to: https://www.patreon.com/deeptalkstheologypodcast   To Subscribe & Review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/deep-talks-exploring-theology-and-meaning-making/id1401730159   Connect with Paul Anleitner on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/PaulAnleitner   You can also give a one-time donation for this episode directly at: https://cash.app/$PaulAnleitner  

In my formative years when I first started getting into theology and philosophy, I used to really enjoy watching debates between Christian and atheist apologists on the question "Does God exist?" But the deeper I went on my journey the more I realized that this question, and many of my conceptions of God, were fundamentally flawed. I had misunderstood what the word "God" meant. When we properly understand what that word means, it becomes clear that everyone (yes, even Richard Dawkins!) believes in God. It also becomes clear, that not every Christian believes in the same God. In this episode, I'll share a bit of my own journey and lay out the case for why the question, "Does God exist?" is dead. This summer, Deep Talks is trying to reach a goal of 300 patrons on Patreon to sustain weekly, ad-free episodes. Supporters on Patreon get access to bonus Q&A Episodes, articles, and other resources. Please consider supporting free theological and philosophical education for as little as $2 a month by going to: https://www.patreon.com/deeptalkstheologypodcast   To Subscribe & Review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/deep-talks-exploring-theology-and-meaning-making/id1401730159   Connect with Paul Anleitner on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/PaulAnleitner   You can also give a one-time donation for this episode directly at: https://cash.app/$PaulAnleitner

Like Immanuel Kant, Friedrich Schleiermacher believed that our reasoning ability has its limits. With growing anti-religious attitudes spreading throughout Europe in the 18th century, Schleiermacher set out to make Christianity relevant to the "cultured despisers" of religion as the Enlightenment shifted into the 19th century. But did Schleiermacher adapt and redefine Christianity too much? Was he right to believe that we should do away with ideas about the Devil? After all, does believing that Satan exists or not even really change the problem of evil at all? Listen to his arguments and let me know what you think. This summer, Deep Talks is trying to reach a goal of 300 patrons on Patreon to sustain weekly, ad-free episodes. Supporters on Patreon get access to bonus Q&A Episodes, articles, and other resources. Please consider supporting free theological and philosophical education for as little as $2 a month by going to: https://www.patreon.com/deeptalkstheologypodcast   To Subscribe & Review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/deep-talks-exploring-theology-and-meaning-making/id1401730159   Connect with Paul Anleitner on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/PaulAnleitner   You can also give a one-time donation for this episode directly at: https://cash.app/$PaulAnleitner

In this week's episode, we'll explore how theology, philosophy, and the quest for meaning has been the spark that ignited revolutions throughout history, especially since the advent of mass communication beginning in the 15th century.  Why do revolutionaries seek to change aesthetic symbols and "holy-days" on their path towards changing a culture's guiding story? Historically, how has something as small as work of theology or philosophy been the seed for eventual political revolutions, civil wars, and mass cultural changes? Why is training in theology, philosophy, and meaning-making absolutely necessary during these tumultuous times in America? Is Frozen 2 an example of how new guiding stories seep into the cultural consciousness? (but seriously...) How do followers of Jesus deal with new or different "guiding stories" without falling into either the ditch of cultural assimilation on one side or a failed "culture war" on the other side?   To watch the Bible Project video on "The Way of the Exile" that I referred to in this episode, go to this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzWpa0gcPyo&t=6s This summer, Deep Talks is trying to reach a goal of 300 patrons on Patreon to sustain weekly, ad-free episodes. Supporters on Patreon get access to bonus Q&A Episodes, articles, and other resources. Please consider supporting free theological and philosophical education for as little as $2 a month by going to: https://www.patreon.com/deeptalkstheologypodcast   To Subscribe & Review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/deep-talks-exploring-theology-and-meaning-making/id1401730159   Connect with Paul Anleitner on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/PaulAnleitner   You can also give a one-time donation for this episode directly at: https://cash.app/$PaulAnleitner    

Our journey through history searching for insights and answers to the problem of evil has brought us to the height of the Enlightenment era where the limits of reason, especially as it relates to the problem of evil and Christian theology, were stretched and challenged. What happens if you were to only use reason and "natural" theology to determine what God is like and how reality is structured? This is was Deism attempted to do. Is there a danger to this hyper-rationalism that would eventually lead to the idea of God becoming obsolete, especially in the face of a confusing, painful universe? What if when it comes to understanding God and figuring out why evil exists at all, we reach a point that is beyond reason? Immanuel Kant thought this was the case and tried to offer a very different, and revolutionary, philosophical framework with a very different theodicy from the Deists, Gottfried Leibniz, or even early Christian thinkers like Calvin, Aquinas, or Augustine. This summer, Deep Talks is trying to reach a goal of 300 patrons on Patreon to sustain weekly, ad-free episodes. Supporters on Patreon get access to bonus Q&A Episodes, articles, and other resources. Please consider supporting free theological and philosophical education for as little as $2 a month by going to: https://www.patreon.com/deeptalkstheologypodcast   To Subscribe & Review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/deep-talks-exploring-theology-and-meaning-making/id1401730159   Connect with Paul Anleitner on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/PaulAnleitner   You can also give a one-time donation for this episode directly at: https://cash.app/$PaulAnleitner

Dr. Dwight N. Hopkins was born and raised in the segregated south, but through the support system of his loving family and the African American church community, he grew to become a renowned theologian. Hopkins is the Alexander Campbell Professor of Theology at the University of Chicago Divinity School. Graduating from Harvard, Hopkins went on to earn PhD's from Union Seminary and the University of Cape Town (South Africa). Those of you who listen to this program regularly know that I have credited Dr. Hopkins as being the one who's work first exposed me to the idea of culture as spirit, aesthetic, and labor.  In today's conversation, I talk with Dr. Hopkins about: -his personal journey of faith and calling into theology -how his experiences in African American church communities shaped his interest in cultural theology -culture as spirit, aesthetic, and labor; and if "spirits" aren't just psychologically symbolic -how he would theologically and personally evaluate the recent phenomenon of the tearing down statues and monuments throughout America (his answer surprised me!) -and more! This summer, Deep Talks is trying to reach a goal of 300 patrons on Patreon to sustain weekly, ad-free episodes. Supporters on Patreon get access to bonus Q&A Episodes, articles, and other resources. Please consider supporting free theological and philosophical education for as little as $2 a month by going to: https://www.patreon.com/deeptalkstheologypodcast To Subscribe & Review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/deep-talks-exploring-theology-and-meaning-making/id1401730159 Connect with Paul Anleitner on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/PaulAnleitner You can also give a one-time donation for this episode directly at: https://cash.app/$PaulAnleitner

The Problem of Evil series returns with part 10! In this episode, we'll review some of the reasons why theology shifted towards natural theology and rationalism during the Enlightenment and we'll see how a Christian rationalist like Gottfried Leibniz (a man who invented calculus, mechanical calculators, and artificial intelligence over 300 years ago) attempted to solve the problem of evil with his "best of all possible worlds" theodicy. You find all the previous episodes in this series at: https://deeptalkstheologypodcast.podbean.com/p/the-problem-of-evil-1572355242/ This summer, Deep Talks is trying to reach a goal of 300 patrons on Patreon to sustain weekly, ad-free episodes. Supporters on Patreon get access to bonus Q&A Episodes, articles, and other resources. Please consider supporting for as little as $2 a month by going to: https://www.patreon.com/deeptalkstheologypodcast To Subscribe & Review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/deep-talks-exploring-theology-and-meaning-making/id1401730159 Connect with Paul Anleitner on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/PaulAnleitner You can also give a one-time donation for this episode directly at: https://cash.app/$PaulAnleitner

As the old guiding stories found in traditional religious structures seem to be breaking down, why are horror films and nihilistic comedies like Rick and Morty apparently growing in popularity? What sorts of theological and philosophical ideas are embedded in these expressions of popular culture? To help unpack these ideas, we're joined by author and pastor, JR. Forasteros. JR writes, podcasts, and speaks extensively about the intersection of theology & pop culture. He's got a Master's in Religious Studies, New Testament, and Early Christianity from the University of Missouri-Columbia. To find out more about JR.'s work, check out his website at : http://jrforasteros.com/ This summer we're pushing for a goal of 300 patrons on Patreon to keep this podcast going. If you want to support this podcast and become a member of the Deep Talks Patreon Community, go to this link: https://www.patreon.com/deeptalkstheologypodcast   To Subscribe & Review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/deep-talks-exploring-theology-and-meaning-making/id1401730159 Connect with Paul Anleitner on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/PaulAnleitner You can also give a one-time donation for this episode directly at: https://cash.app/$PaulAnleitner