Spiritual Misfits Podcast

I presume many of you, like me, are feeling a deep swirl of emotions coming out of a week where we have witnessed the re-election of Trump. Honestly it feels so baffling to me that someone can so blatantly be a convicted felon, a misogynist, an authoritarian, completely void of compassion and empathy for vulnerable people…and with all this and so much more on full display and public record… still be worshipped and adored and actively chosen by a majority of voters. And one of the most disturbing realities is how many white Evangelical Christians unashamedly throw their support and indeed their votes behind this man. There’s a strong argument to be made that Evangelical support for Trump in 2016 has been one of the major catalysts for people deconstructing faith and leaving the institutional church. The #exvangelical movement can largely be traced back to that election.White Evangelicals aren’t solely responsible for Trump — and why he had such a clear majority of support in this election is beyond my ability or this podcast’s ability to answer. And yet, this disturbing confluence of politics and religion and the questions it raises has obviously been very real and personal for many of us. And so this week I actually wanted to replay an earlier podcast conversation from a couple years back now, with David Gushee (that I think remains very relevant).   David has been one of the voices that has helped me understand the history that led to what American Evangelicalism is today. He has also been a strong advocate for defending democracy — and my second of two interviews with him was discussing his book ‘Defending Democracy from its Christian Enemies’. You may want to go back and listen to that though I understand if the wound feels too fresh right now (though of course the need to defend democracy only increases after this election result). But I actually wanted to revisit my first conversation with David, in which we mainly spoke about his book ‘After Evangelicalism’ which asks where do you go when you’ve seen the ugliest manifestations of Evangelical Christianity and want none of that…but you still want a faith that makes sense and approaches the world in ethical, compassionate, just ways? David speaks so well about this.I’m reminded this week — as I often am — that the most important choice is not between theism or atheism. Between religious or non-religious. Christian or not Christian. The choice is what kind of Christian will I be? What kind of human will I be? What kind of neighbour will I be? Evil arrives under the guise of many labels. So too does love. And when we fail to see love through the most powerful leaders in this world — we might want to throw our hands up in despair. Yet, I think it only becomes more essential that we choose the alternate reality — the truer reality — of self-giving love lived out in our lives and neighbourhoods Want to reach out and let us know your thoughts or suggestions for the show? Send us a message here; we’d love to hear from you.The Spiritual Misfits Survival Guide (FREE): https://www.spiritualmisfits.com.au/survivalguideSign up to our mailing list:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/Join our online Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/spiritualmisfitspodcastSupport the pod:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/support-us/View all episodes at: https://spiritualmisfits.buzzsprout.com

Tim Winton gave the Centre for Public Christianity’s 2024 Richard Johnson lecture. Will and his brother Joel went along. In this conversation they discuss Tim’s powerful words on toxic positivity, climate crisis, and the prophetic voices of young, environmental activists crying out for change. Read an excerpt from Tim’s lecture here: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/oct/27/if-fossil-fuel-dependency-is-a-global-addiction-climate-activists-are-prophets-trying-to-save-us-from-our-stupor?CMP=share_btn_url Want to reach out and let us know your thoughts or suggestions for the show? Send us a message here; we’d love to hear from you.The Spiritual Misfits Survival Guide (FREE): https://www.spiritualmisfits.com.au/survivalguideSign up to our mailing list:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/Join our online Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/spiritualmisfitspodcastSupport the pod:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/support-us/View all episodes at: https://spiritualmisfits.buzzsprout.com

Anna Robinson is a regular co-host on Nomad podcast, and the founder of LiveLight|DwellDeep. She describes herself as "a contemplative, deeply drawn to the mystics and misfits, those who feel at home in the wilderness."In this conversation, Will and Anna explore the themes of wonder, contemplative spirituality, and the journey of rediscovering a deeper connection with the divine. They discuss the importance of nurturing a sense of awe in children, the transformative power of contemplative practices, and the significance of embracing doubt and mystery in spiritual journeys. Anna shares her personal experiences with various spiritual practices and the influence of mentors in her life, highlighting the need for a holistic approach to spirituality that integrates daily life with moments of reflection and connection to nature. This episode was produced by Meeting Ground and edited by Phil McNab.Want to reach out and let us know your thoughts or suggestions for the show? Send us a message here; we’d love to hear from you.The Spiritual Misfits Survival Guide (FREE): https://www.spiritualmisfits.com.au/survivalguideSign up to our mailing list:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/Join our online Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/spiritualmisfitspodcastSupport the pod:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/support-us/View all episodes at: https://spiritualmisfits.buzzsprout.com

In this episode Sally Longley shares her journey from a belief in violence to embracing pacifism and Ignatian spirituality. Sally shares her experiences in South Africa during apartheid, her theological studies, and the transformative power of silence and imagination in spiritual practice. The conversation delves into the complexities of nonviolence, the role of anger and grief, and the importance of silence in modern life, emphasizing that true transformation often requires confronting uncomfortable truths. In this conversation, Will Small and Sally explore the significance of rest, silence, and contemplative practices in a chaotic world. They discuss the essential nature of patience in love, the importance of creating inclusive communities, and the role of spiritual direction in navigating crises of faith. Sally emphasizes the power of deep listening and the need for spaces where individuals can come as they are, fostering a sense of belonging and connection.Connect more with Sally's work here: https://www.longley.com.au/Want to reach out and let us know your thoughts or suggestions for the show? Send us a message here; we’d love to hear from you.The Spiritual Misfits Survival Guide (FREE): https://www.spiritualmisfits.com.au/survivalguideSign up to our mailing list:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/Join our online Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/spiritualmisfitspodcastSupport the pod:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/support-us/View all episodes at: https://spiritualmisfits.buzzsprout.com

Jack Turner joins Will and Mitch at the virtual pub to discuss Christianity and political engagement. Do Christians typically care more about meeting the needs of the poor than asking why they're poor in the first place? Was Jesus a communist? Should we be capitalists? Socialists? Something else-ists?Crack a drink and join us as we throw around ideas, and occasionally say something wise between the banter.Want to reach out and let us know your thoughts or suggestions for the show? Send us a message here; we’d love to hear from you.The Spiritual Misfits Survival Guide (FREE): https://www.spiritualmisfits.com.au/survivalguideSign up to our mailing list:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/Join our online Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/spiritualmisfitspodcastSupport the pod:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/support-us/View all episodes at: https://spiritualmisfits.buzzsprout.com

Hello fellow misfits, friends, humans of all kinds! An absolutely delightful conversation awaits you with Scott Erickson. He’s a painter, author, performance speaker. His instagram bio says ‘Curator of awesomeness’. And I think that’s absolutely accurate. We had a great chat about Scott's creative process, the role of visual art In forming how we see the world and the paradoxical nature of life, creativity and spirituality.TWO OTHER GREAT THINGS TO TELL YOU ABOUT:1. The Spiritual Misfits Survival Guide recently launched! A free set of videos, podcast episodes, suggested practices and more available on our website, spiritualmisfits.com.au. Great for your own process, also great for discussing with friends.2. Future Church Conference tickets are live! January 28th next year. A day of misfits and fringe dwellers asking what kind of Church would we actually want to stick around for, advocate for, work for? And how do we make that happen? You can get an exclusive Spiritual Misfits discount right now. $10 off if you book a ticket using the discount code SPIRITUALMISFITS. Connect more with Scott Erickson: https://www.scottericksonart.com/Follow Scott on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scottthepainter/Want to reach out and let us know your thoughts or suggestions for the show? Send us a message here; we’d love to hear from you.The Spiritual Misfits Survival Guide (FREE): https://www.spiritualmisfits.com.au/survivalguideSign up to our mailing list:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/Join our online Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/spiritualmisfitspodcastSupport the pod:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/support-us/View all episodes at: https://spiritualmisfits.buzzsprout.com

Mitch, Hannah and Will crack a drink and throw around various questions from Spiritual Misfits listeners (submitted in the Facebook group)Questions/topics discussed include: Is there a role for hedonism and pleasure in connecting us with the divine?Who is responsible for creating safety within a community? What place should lament have in faith...and when does it turn into wallowing?Do church-based organisations have double-standards when it comes to supporting LGBTQI+ people?Can you talk about the 'gospel' without using any Christianise?  Want to reach out and let us know your thoughts or suggestions for the show? Send us a message here; we’d love to hear from you.The Spiritual Misfits Survival Guide (FREE): https://www.spiritualmisfits.com.au/survivalguideSign up to our mailing list:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/Join our online Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/spiritualmisfitspodcastSupport the pod:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/support-us/View all episodes at: https://spiritualmisfits.buzzsprout.com

Scott Parker comes on the podcast to discuss 'Hillsong Boy': a theatrical exploration of the highs and lows of growing up queer in a megachurch, based on Scott’s real life. Want to reach out and let us know your thoughts or suggestions for the show? Send us a message here; we’d love to hear from you.The Spiritual Misfits Survival Guide (FREE): https://www.spiritualmisfits.com.au/survivalguideSign up to our mailing list:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/Join our online Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/spiritualmisfitspodcastSupport the pod:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/support-us/View all episodes at: https://spiritualmisfits.buzzsprout.com

Jason John is a fascinating human being with a very interesting story doing very interesting things. He’s an ordained minister in the Uniting Church, has a PhD in zoology and is, amongst other things, a ‘forest chaplain.’In this conversation we talk about evolution, sexual ethics, eco-faith communities and poetry.At the end of this episode Jason shares a couple of his poems — which in my opinion are brilliant. One of the poems in particular uses strong language that you may not want to listen to with kids around. Or if you’re the kind of person who potentially may be offended by some strong language, you’re also welcome to not listen to it. In my opinion it is an excellent piece of art, that provokes some great questions around language and offence and patriarchy and divinity, and we do unpack some of that briefly afterwards. That poem starts at around 53 minutes. Everything before then is great if you want to listen that far and then tap out. Of course, you’re also welcome to skip straight to the juicy bit if you are now desperate to hear strong language. In our conversation we talk about one of Jason’s books, called ‘Christian Sex Today’, which Jason has very generously made free for listeners of the pod. What a top guy! Listen to the episode, download his book and then send him a warm message of gratitude.Learn more about Jason and his work: https://ecofaith.org/Get Jason’s book ‘Christian Sex Today’ FREE!https://ecofaith.org/freebiesPassword: SpiritualMisfitsWant to reach out and let us know your thoughts or suggestions for the show? Send us a message here; we’d love to hear from you.The Spiritual Misfits Survival Guide (FREE): https://www.spiritualmisfits.com.au/survivalguideSign up to our mailing list:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/Join our online Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/spiritualmisfitspodcastSupport the pod:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/support-us/View all episodes at: https://spiritualmisfits.buzzsprout.com

Amy Kenny, author of 'My Body Is Not A Prayer Request,' joins Will for a discussion about disability justice and ableism in the church. She shares her experiences of being prayed over for her disability to be erased and the harmful treatment she received in the church. Amy emphasizes the importance of recognizing the image of God in disabled bodies and reframing our understanding of healing and curing. She challenges the ableist language, assumptions, and practices that exist in churches and calls for a more inclusive and holistic approach to faith. The conversation explores the themes of inclusivity, disability in scripture, and creating communities that fully receive the gifts of all members. Amy Kenny shares her journey of accepting and being proud of her disabled identity and how her theology has evolved to embrace disability. She emphasizes the need to move beyond tolerance and charity towards celebrating and learning from disabled individuals. Amy also discusses the importance of unlearning ableism, creating cultures of access, and developing a community care network for disabled members. The conversation concludes with final thoughts for both disabled and non-disabled listeners.Amy's website: https://amy-kenny.com/Amy's book: 'My Body is not a Prayer Request'Keywordsdisability justice, ableism, church, disabled bodies, healing, curing, image of God, inclusive faith, inclusivity, disability, scripture, theology, identity, acceptance, pride, ableism, access, community care, unlearning, celebrationChapters00:50Introduction and Background of Amy Kenny04:02Feeling Like a Spiritual Misfit08:00Encountering Jesus in Unexpected Places11:03The Harmful Ableism in the Church17:40Reframing Our Understanding of God and Disability31:54Reshaping Conceptions of God for Inclusivity38:18Moving Beyond Tolerance to Fully Receiving Gifts44:11Developing a Community Care Network for Disabled Members48:43Architecting Life and Community for Co-Flourishing50:47Learning from and with Disabled Individuals58:29Embracing Divine Identity as Disabled IndividualsWant to reach out and let us know your thoughts or suggestions for the show? Send us a message here; we’d love to hear from you.The Spiritual Misfits Survival Guide (FREE): https://www.spiritualmisfits.com.au/survivalguideSign up to our mailing list:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/Join our online Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/spiritualmisfitspodcastSupport the pod:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/support-us/View all episodes at: https://spiritualmisfits.buzzsprout.com