In the second half of my conversation with David Madison, we finish up talking about biblical inerrancy and move on to two tough problems facing Christianity: the problem of evil and the atonement. Theologians and scholars alike--both within Judaism and Christianity--have struggled to explain the problem of evil. Theodicy--a defense of a supposedly all-powerful, all-knowing and all-benevolent God--has long been a mainstay of both religions. David and I tackle this as well as discussing related issues with God requiring a human sacrifice so that human beings could go to heaven. Couldn't the God, who makes all the rules, just forgive everybody without requiring Jesus to die?  

If you are someone who identifies as a Christian, do you feel you have the freedom to question what you think you believe, and what you think you know? Can you prove the existence of God and Jesus with 100% certainty? Is the Bible indeed inspired, inerrant (without error), infallible and totally trustworthy in everything it affirms? If you are in the process of deconstructing your faith, or just want to challenge your belief system, then don't miss this thought-provoking conversation with David Madison, author of 10 Tough Problems in Christian Thought and Belief: A Minister Turned Atheist Shows Why You Should Ditch the Faith.  In this first half of 2 episodes, we discuss David's own faith journey from pastor to atheist, and challenge some of Christianity's sacred cows. Don't miss this conversation!

MindShift podcast is back for 2018! Since I never did a pilot episode when I started the podcast nearly a year ago, it's time to do one now! Originally called "The Preacher's Forum Podcast," a lot has changed over the last year. As I continue down the road on this journey of deconstruction, discovery and now reconstruction, will you join me in 2018? In this episode, I lay out 2 helpful models for those who have left the church behind. Where are you on the spectrum? Find yourself along the scale! Also, I explore a helpful analogy of a "kernel and husk" that will help you to think critically about Christianity--as a religion.  

In this final episode of MindShift for 2017, Ray Gilford and I finish our discussion we began last week on the subject of biblical inerrancy--the fundamentalist belief that "the Bible is 100% error-free"--inerrant. In Part 2, Ray opens up about his own personal journey away from church. The idea of biblical absolutism--the teaching that the Bible is all that is necessary for faith and practice--permeates many a conservative evangelical church today. This, in part, has led Ray away from the mainstream church, and on a journey of deconstructing his own faith and belief systems. Perhaps this describes your own personal journey away from mainstream churches. If so, then you won't want to miss Part 2! MindShift will return in January 2018 so stay tuned for some outstanding interviews and conversations on a wide variety of topics related to God, the church, and spirituality. Join me on the journey of deconstruction and discovery!

What does the word "inerrancy" even mean? And in what possible way could  that term apply to the Bible? Common among many Christians is the belief that not only is the Bible inspired (the human writers of Scripture were guided by the Holy Spirit), it is also inerrant (free from errors), infallible (completely trustworthy in all that it says), and on the basis of all of the above it is therefore authoritative in all matters of faith and belief. But what is the legacy of this doctrine? Has the church always believed the Bible to be inerrant? And how does that teaching affect the average Christian today in terms of beliefs and behaviors? In this episode, Ray Gilford and I discuss this issue and deconstruct it from both a scholarly and a practical point of view. Do not miss this edition of MindShift if you want to be challenged!

What would you do if you were told by your doctor: "You have cancer." How would you react to such news? Many people all over the world have indeed heard that prognosis. For Jeff and Karin Green, those words completely rocked their world just 7 months ago when he was diagnosed with leukemia.  But rather than react out of despair or anger--completely understandable emotions--Jeff and his family have focused on finding the positive in the midst of this situation.  This special episode gives them a chance to share their experiences, how they are dealing with life, and how they are now beginning to help others in need. This is an inspiring, heartwarming and amazing story! 

Part 2 of my wide-ranging and though-prvoking conversation with Karen Garst, "The Faithless Feminist," continues in this episode. For those undergoing a process of discovery and deconstruction of their inherited belief systems--particularly coming out of a fundamentalist or conservative religious framework--then this episode is a must-listen. That process is fraught with emotional threats: fear, anxiety, and separation from loved ones. But it can also foster learning and new directions for life, previously unimagined. Don't miss this one!  

"Religion contributes to--or directly causes--gender inequity." Particularly in the case of women, this statement is certainly true--both historically, and even now in terms of religions. Women have been marginalized, oppressed, shunned, vilified, and more by a variety of religions, and not just limited to Christianity. In this episode, I engage in a wide-ranging interview with author, blogger, feminist and atheist Karen L. Garst, who wrote a fascinating work interviewing 22 women from a variety of Judeo-Christian religions who have left it all behind--and who are finding out what life can be like without religion.

What standard to you use to measure success? In our money- and achievement-driven Western world, where success is measured in very quantifiable ways by our current society, this becomes a very important issue.  You could, for example, be considered a huge success if you're wealthy, have a large house, several (expensive) cars in the driveway, or have a high-powered job moving fast up the corporate ladder. On the other hand, you could be considered a total failure—that is, if you're being judged by certain current cultural standards. Shawn Manley and I revisit this point in more detail in the second half of our conversation, and relate the metrics for success into the realm of the church also.  Don't miss this conversation!  

How do you measure success?  Depending upon the yardstick you use, the answer to that question can vary wildly. Pastors of churches, for example, can measure "success" by the number of members attending their church; how many are on church staff; or by the church's annual budget. Others measure success by how much money they earn, or where they're at on the corporate ladder--which rung are you on? "Success," however, is actually much more difficult to quantify than just by numbers alone. Measuring the metrics for success depends on which qualifiers you use to measure it. In the first half of our conversation, Shawn and I discuss his experiences of being a church planter in Southern California, how that experience ended, and talk about our shared stories of church leadership. What constitutes "success," and how do you define it? Find out in this episode!