Homebrewed Christianity

They unpack why modern life feels like a whirlpool that requires constant acceleration and how that exhaustion is structural, not personal. The conversation explores Rosa's idea of resonance as an alternative to a growth-driven economy. Topics include how acceleration shrinks time, the AAA ideal of availability, the three forms of systemic burnout, and how liturgy and receptive practices train us to listen for real encounter.

John Dominic Crossan, renowned New Testament scholar who studies the historical Jesus, challenges C.S. Lewis by positing two rival claimants to divinity: Caesar and Jesus. He contrasts imperial power and imagery with Jesus’ persuasive, justice-centered message. The talk examines Actium, Augustan propaganda, competing titles like Savior and Lord, and modern parallels about violence, peace, and sustainability.

David Congdon, a political theorist who studies liberalism and religion in politics, explains why postliberal currents seek authoritarian power to recreate medieval Christendom. He traces liberalism’s origins after the Reformation, critiques neoliberal betrayals, and maps varieties of postliberal thought. Conversations cover religion in public life, institutional defense, and how pluralism can be defended without sacrificing economic justice.

In this engaging discussion, Matthew Segall, a philosophy professor and writer at 'Footnotes to Plato,' dives into Hartmut Rosa's thought-provoking concepts. They explore the idea of a 'frenetic standstill' in modern life, where constant acceleration leads to burnout and dissatisfaction. Matthew illustrates this with metaphors like whirlpools and bicycles. Instead of controlling our lives, Rosa suggests we seek resonance—a transformative relationship with the world. They also connect these ideas to themes of religion and creativity, proposing a shift towards listening and encounter.

A deep dive into the moral decline of white evangelicalism reveals disturbing parallels to Nazi Germany's 'sequential complicity.' From tracing the roots of the Religious Right's racial politics to exploring the dramatic ethical shifts evidenced in modern polling, the conversation highlights how strong allegiance to Trump and the Republican Party has reshaped identity. Personal anecdotes underscore the cost of dissent, while a call for love and honest dialogue pushes for a hopeful path back to moral clarity.

Marvin Wickware, a theologian and ethicist, shares insights shaped by his upbringing in an interracial family and his journey through Christian ethics. He explores how need-based love can guide ethical decisions amidst the complexities of democracy and race. Discussing the dangers of using ideals to mask reality, he emphasizes the importance of community in sustaining hope. Marvin tackles the nuanced relationship between personal affection and systemic harm, urging listeners to engage thoughtfully with issues of race and power.

Explore Paul Tillich's insightful 1933 work as it reflects the current crisis in American Christianity. Discover Tillich's idea of 'powers of origin' and 'prophetic demand' and how their imbalance leads to tribalism or rootlessness. Dive into the dangers of Christian nationalism and the symbolic failures within progressive Christianity. Tillich's concept of 'theonomy' offers a third way, blending tradition and critique. The discussion emphasizes the urgent need for cognitive empathy and practical actions for churches today.

Ryan Burge, a political scientist who led a landmark study on religiously unaffiliated Americans, joins theologian Tony Jones and Sarah Lane Ritchie, director of the Spiritual Yearning Research Initiative. They reveal insights from the largest survey ever conducted on this demographic. Discover four distinct categories: NINOs, Spiritual But Not Religious, Disengaged, and Zealous Secularists. They dive into surprising findings about happiness levels among atheists and the implications for American religious identity.

Tad DeLay, a philosopher focused on political philosophy and climate, dives deep into the roots of democratic decline and how Plato's insights remain relevant today. He explores why people crave servitude, the connection between historical democratic movements and our current crises, and critiques the power dynamics of billionaire oligarchs like Peter Thiel. The conversation touches on the normalization of violence, social media's fake happiness, and the urgent need to revive shame about dishonesty as a political virtue, painting a complex yet oddly hopeful picture of our times.

Join Benjamin Chica, a Tillich scholar and philosopher, and Noreen Hirshfeld, a theologian with a tech background, as they unpack the intersection of AI and theology. They delve into how AI reflects human biases, the fading promise of AGI, and the crucial importance of genuine human connections that technology cannot replicate. With engaging anecdotes, they argue that while AI might simulate intelligence, it lacks true consciousness and emotional depth. Their insights emphasize the need for grounded relationships and caution against the AI hype.