The Dismantling Doctrine Podcast

In Part 2 of my conversation with ex-evangelical Brian Staples, we'll dive further into our views of God, experiences of fundamentalist Christianity, and talk about the impact evangelicalism is having on American politics today. Brian will also offer up advice for those who have left the church behind, but aren't sure where to go next...or maybe those who are still within the church, but are questioning everything. Where do you go from there? Listen in to find out!

While on a recent trip to the States from the UK, I met up with an old Bible College buddy, Brian Staples. We had a great conversation about his own journey of deconstruction and discovery of his former Christian faith. In Part 1, we'll delve into Brian's backstory: raised in a narrowly fundamentalist church by a father who subscribed to white supremacist "Christian" views, how did Brian escape that world, and somehow not hold the exact same point of view? Find out in Part 1!

In Part 2 of my chat with Steve Stone Sr., the "Starbucks Pastor," we get into the motivations behind Steve's often provocative and (to some for sure), irritating Facebook posts. Steve regularly posts strong statements about Christianity...religion...politics in America...the evangelical support for Donald Trump...and for the inclusion of the LGBTQ+ community within the Christian church. To say that these posts are controversial, for a retired pastor of more than 20 years, would be an understatement. Just reading the responses Steve gets runs the gamut: from outraged fundamentalists to those who support him wholeheartedly. Find out why he puts himself on the firing line in Part 2!

In Part 1 with Steve Stone Sr., also known as "the Starbucks Pastor," Steve shares his backstory: growing up in a fundamentalist church in the South...yet at the same time experienced life in the real world that did not match the narrow message they preached. Find out how Steve's journey took him away from fundamentalism, into a life of sex, drugs and rock n' roll, and then later discovering the ethic of love--as he believes the simple message of Jesus to be, as portrayed within the Gospels. What is this "ethic of love" and how does it relate to his vision of spirituality and loving inclusion of "the other"?

In Part 2 of my conversation with Canadian Sam Morse from the Out of Eden podcast, we delve further into the question of how (or indeed, why) a person might be able to retain various aspects of his or her Christianity--post-deconstruction. This involves, of necessity, a re-examination of one's views on both God and the Bible--how you approach the text (hermeneutics, or lens through which we read Scripture) will of necessity change your views of God and Jesus. This strikes at the very heart of the issue: change your views on God and the Bible, and your former Christian faith (if you have any left) will never be the same again.

If you've deconstructed your former Christian faith, do you believe there's anything worth salvaging? This week's guest, Sam Morse (host of the Out of Eden podcast) and I discuss this very question: can you retain a view of God once you begin to question the whole construct of Christianity? For Sam, the answer is Yes--albeit with a very radically deconstructed and different view of both God and the Bible. Find out where he is on the journey in Part 1.

What might Martin Luther's "theology of the cross" have to say to a modern-day post-evangelical Christian? This is even more the case when that theology has been filtered through radical theology and the work of Deitrich Boenhoffer. In Part 2 of our conversation, Dutch theologian Josh deKeyzer and I discuss how he came to this position--although sometimes he admits he can be an "angry theist" too. Not all of the kinks have been ironed out, but he does retain a view of God--albeit a radically different version than his former fundamentalist views of God!

What do you do when evangelicalism no longer works for you? This involves your views of God...the Bible...and Christianity in general. Are you deconstructing your former faith? If so, where are you on this spiritual journey? This question I've been asking over the last few weeks continues with Dr Josh deKeyzer from The Netherlands. While in seminary in the USA, he began deconstructing his former very narrow evangelical faith. In this episode Josh tells his story and how he began to view everything differently...and what that did to his entire belief system.

Deconstruction of the Christian faith looks different for everyone. Some have become angry atheists; angry theists; or agnostic. Some, like Stacie Rae "The Resting Traveller," have not only deconstructed--they've reconstructed their former views of God. In this episode Stacie and I discuss how she overcame crippling anxiety, depression and thoughts of suicide to do just that--combined with a new understanding of the Bible, too.

Where are you along the path of this thing we call "the spiritual journey"? If you're deconstructing your former Christian faith, have you been able to retain a view of God? How do you read the Bible now, if you still do? These are all questions Stacie Rae "The Resting Traveller" and I tackle in this week's episode. Despite a very traumatic upbringing in the church, and questioning her very identity, Stacie has been able to retain a view of God and of the Bible--but not without experiencing major loneliness, anxiety, and depression first.