Veterans of Culture Wars

Author, Podcaster, Communications Professor and interdenominational speaker Dr. Heather Thompson Day joins the VCW hall to share her story with Evangelicalism and talk about her new book (written with her husband Seth Day) "I'll See you Tomorrow".  Dr. Day discusses how lonely and disconnected our society is and how we can have meaningful friendships and relationships.  We also talk about radical forgiveness. Buy the book, "I'll See You Tomorrow", here:  https://www.heatherthompsonday.com/seeyoutomorrow Connect with Dr. Heather Thompson Day Website: https://www.heatherthompsonday.com/ Instagram: @heatherthompsonday Twitter:  @heathertday -Check out Zach's music by going to:  https://muzach.bandcamp.com -Buy VCW merch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/VCWHall Twitter: Twitter: @vcwpod Zach- @muzach Dave- @Davejlester Podcast music by Zach Malm Logo by Zach Malm

Matt Johnson, former Mars Hill elder and drummer in the "Christians in a band not Christian Band" bands Roadside Monument, Blenderhead, and Raft of Dead Monkeys talks with us about the pre-Mars Hill 1990s Seattle Christian punk community, centered around Calvary Chapel in the University District, where Damien Jurado, Dave Bazan and many others also attended. We talk about his time in those bands, particularly Roadside Monument, who recently played a reunion show at Furnace Fest. We also talk about his 17 years at Mars Hill, what it was like being on staff as it was imploding, and the lingering trauma of that experience. -Buy Matt Johnson's book "Getting Jesus Wrong" right here: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/getting-jesus-wrong-matt-johnson/1124724146 -Matt Johnson writes in Mockingbird while looking back at his experiences at Mars Hill Church and after: https://mbird.com/religion/17-years-at-mars-hill-life-after-disillusionment/ -Follow Roadside Monument on Instagram: @roadsidemonumentband -Read about and see a video of their 2017 Seattle reunion show: https://www.npr.org/sections/allsongs/2017/06/19/532960633/roadside-monument-15-years-and-2-700-miles-later-reunite-a-lost-seattle -Check out Zach's music by going to:  https://muzach.bandcamp.com -Buy VCW merch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/VCWHall Twitter: Twitter: @vcwpod Zach- @muzach Dave- @Davejlester Podcast music by Zach Malm Logo by Zach Malm

In this special and occasionally heavy episode, we were honored to have Alan Sparhawk from the band Low visit the VCW hall to chat about his music, his religious journey with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and faith and hope. We discuss how faith and hope are different but play together, moments of transcendence, and the feeling of bumping into something holy. Knowing that Zach is a cancer survivor, Alan wanted to talk about the biggest thing happening in his life right now, as his wife and bandmate Mimi is currently undergoing treatment for ovarian cancer. We were so grateful for this conversation, and for Alan's openness and desire for authentic connection during a very difficult time, and hope you'll join us in sending love, positive thoughts, prayers, or whatever you see fit in support of Mimi. Low performances: The Murder of Crows live at Sacred Heart: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gb6Rube7YUg Low performing "Murderer": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhJAR6UZsCk Twitter and Instagram: @lowtheband Label site: https://www.subpop.com/artists/low The band's site: https://www.chairkickers.com/ -Check out Zach's music by going to:  https://muzach.bandcamp.com -Buy VCW merch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/VCWHall Twitter: Twitter: @vcwpod Zach- @muzach Dave- @Davejlester Podcast music by Zach Malm Logo by Zach Malm

Trigger warning: In this episode, we discuss sexual abuse toward minors. Dr. Paul Hoard joins the VCW hall to discuss his journey with Evangelicalism and how Evangelicals have interacted with psychology. We chat about cheap forgiveness vs true forgiveness, Sigmund Freud and Jesus casting out demons. Connect with Dr. Paul Hoard on Twitter:  @Hoardpaul Website:  https://paul-hoard.clientsecure.me/ Articles regarding a professor who abused students at Grace College: https://julieroys.com/report-sex-abuse-claims-substantiated-founder-grace-college-music-dept/ https://www.christianpost.com/news/founder-of-grace-colleges-music-department-was-serial-predator.html Information on Nouthetic Counseling: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/two-sides-of-the-counseling-coin/ -Check out Zach's music by going to:  https://muzach.bandcamp.com -Buy VCW merch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/VCWHall Twitter: Twitter: @vcwpod Zach- @muzach Dave- @Davejlester Podcast music by Zach Malm Logo by Zach Malm

Podcaster and soon-to-be-author Tori Williams Douglass joins the VCW hall for a wide-ranging discussion of her own story of being homeschooled in a fundamentalist Christian environment and going to Northwest College. She traces her journey to becoming an anti-racist educator working with businesses, churches and other organizations. We talk in detail about Critical Race Theory, the rightwing freakout over a black mermaid, Phyllis Schlafly, body positivity and body neutrality. Finally, Tori gives us a sneak preview of her forthcoming book. Connect with Tori: On Twitter- @toriglass Instagram- @toriglass Listen to Tori's Podcasts: *White Homework- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/white-homework/id1481083774 *Go Home Bible, You're Drunk- https://www.irreverent.fm/show/go-home-bible-youre-drunk/ -Check out Zach's music by going to:  https://muzach.bandcamp.com -Buy VCW merch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/VCWHall Twitter: Twitter: @vcwpod Zach- @muzach Dave- @Davejlester Podcast music by Zach Malm Logo by Zach Malm

Note: Listening to this episode will not count toward your required chapel credits. Host of the Chapel Probation Podcast and soon-to-be author R. Scott Okamoto stops by the VCW hall to share his Evangelical story including his years teaching, deconstructing, and encountering racism at Azusa Pacific University, a school that claims to be "God First" since 1899.  We talk about Christian colleges and universities, prosperity gospel theology and if Christian colleges actually are a factor in some students deconstructing their faith once they enter the "real world". Connect with Scott on Twitter:  @rsokamoto Visit Scott's website:  rscottokamoto.com Listen to the Chapel Probation Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chapel-probation/id1604103239 Listen to a Chapel speech by Scott at Azusa Pacific University back in the past (referenced during the show):  https://vimeo.com/95769927?fbclid=IwAR2mAZ9zs3ale4tZcls4V60jxUCBiTqJs5m-ewBdlw5OKnZymZuxibOgv4Y -Check out Zach's music by going to:  https://muzach.bandcamp.com -Buy VCW merch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/VCWHall Twitter: Twitter: @vcwpod Zach- @muzach Dave- @Davejlester Podcast music by Zach Malm Logo by Zach Malm

Grief coach, author, and founder of the Restorative Grief Project, Mandy Capehart joins the VCW hall as we talk all about grief in its many forms, including anticipatory and disenfranchised/ambiguous grief, grief guilt, grief brain, grief as a non-linear experience, why the "5 stages" aren't helpful for understanding grief, and how churches often fail to support grievers, particularly through spiritual bypassing and through terminating cliches. Finally, we talk about how people can be better "grief supporters" when people in our lives are dealing with unimaginable loss. Buy Mandy Capehart's book "Restorative Grief: Embracing Our Losses Without Losing Ourselves" right here: https://www.mandycapehart.com/book-restorative-grief/ Connect with Mandy Capehart on her website and various social media platforms: https://www.mandycapehart.com/ Listen to her podcasts: Uncomfortable Grace Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uncomfortable-grace-podcast/id1541028115) Restorative Grief Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/restorative-grief-with-mandy-capehart/id1583949156) -Check out Zach's music by going to:  https://muzach.bandcamp.com -Buy VCW merch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/VCWHall Twitter: Twitter: @vcwpod Zach- @muzach Dave- @Davejlester Podcast music by Zach Malm Logo by Zach Malm

Matt Zoller Seitz, Editor at Large of RogerEbert.com, joins the VCW hall to talk about "The Deadwood Bible: A Lie Agreed Upon", his new book on the HBO series Deadwood, as well as its fascinating and complex creator David Milch. We talk about grief, addiction, recovery, certainty, Terrence Malick, and Matt shares his changing thoughts on spirituality and faith while having experienced unimaginable loss. Toward the end, Matt talks a bit about encountering Wes Anderson at the beginning of his career, including being on set during the filming of Bottle Rocket. Buy "The Deadwood Bible" right here: https://mzs.press/Deadwood-Collection-c136338555 Connect with MZS on Twitter: @mattzollerseitz Read MZS's film reviews here: https://www.rogerebert.com/contributors/matt-zoller-seitz -Check out Zach's music by going to:  https://muzach.bandcamp.com -Buy VCW merch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/VCWHall Twitter: Twitter: @vcwpod Zach- @muzach Dave- @Davejlester Podcast music by Zach Malm Logo by Zach Malm

Managing editor of Religion News Service and co-host of the award-winning podcast Saved By the City, Roxanne Stone joins the VCW to talk about her Evangelical story, how the last 5 years have affected her faith, the urban/rural divide in America including on faith issues, how she broke the news about Hillsong NYC Pastor Carl Lentz's resignation because of an affair, and her experience going from writing about religion at Christian publications to writing about it at a secular news outlet. Also, we talk a bit about the Seven Mountains Mandate, the New Apostolic Reformation, and the Passion translation of the Bible. Listen to Saved By the City with Roxy and Katelyn Beaty right here:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/saved-by-the-city/id1557930520 Connect with Roxanne Stone: Twitter:  @roxyleestone instagram:  @roxyleestone Religion News Service: https://religionnews.com/tag/roxanne-stone/ -Check out Zach's music by going to:  https://muzach.bandcamp.com Twitter: Twitter: @vcwpod Zach- @muzach Dave- @Davejlester Podcast music by Zach Malm Logo by Zach Malm

Author George Azar joins the VCW hall to talk about "My Gay Church Days", his self-published memoir of converting to evangelicalism as a teenager, becoming a pastor and thinking of himself as "struggling with same-sex attraction", his experience at Exodus International (the most notorious gay conversion organization in the world before it disbanded in 2012), and eventual acceptance of himself as a gay man and exit from evangelicalism. Connect with George Azar: Twitter:  @mygaychurchdays Instagram:  @mygaychurchdays Website: (Where you can order the book) https://www.mygaychurchdays.com/ -Check out Zach's music by going to:  https://muzach.bandcamp.com Twitter: Twitter: @vcwpod Zach- @muzach Dave- @Davejlester Podcast music by Zach Malm Logo by Zach Malm