Homebrewed Christianity

In this podcast, Dr. Paul Capetz discusses liberal Protestantism's roots in Luther's critical theology. Topics include engaging historical criticism, tradition in theology, contrasting Calvin and Luther on Biblical authority, ethics in the Bible, existentialist impact of Gospel, and America's anti-intellectualism. The conversation also covers honesty in history, same-sex marriage in the Presbyterian church, and the relationship between liberal and liberation theologies.

Have you ever read a book that you loved because it was uncomfortable? One that extended questions you’ve raised and challenged the answers you were attracted to? Maybe a book that, when you got done, you knew you needed to reread it? That happened when I finished Dr. Clark’s Reclaiming Stolen Earth: An Africana Ecotheology. So, I imagine you can guess how excited I was when he agreed to join the podcast! Jawanza Eric Clark is professor of global Christianity at Manhattan College, NY. He holds a BA from Morehouse College, an MDiv from Yale Divinity School, and a ThM and PhD from Emory University. He is editor of Albert Cleage Jr. and the Black Madonna and Child, and author of Indigenous Black Theology: Towards an African-Centered Theology of the African-American Religious Experience. He is currently co-chair of the Black Theology unit of the American Academy of Religion.   Follow the podcast, drop a review, or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kelly Brown Douglas won the 2023 Grawemeyer Award in Religion for her newest book, Resurrection Hope, and she is here on the podcast to talk about it! The Rev. Dr. Kelly Brown Douglas is Interim President of the Episcopal Divinity School and Canon Theologian at Washington National Cathedral. From 2017 to 2023, she was Dean of the Episcopal Divinity School at Union Theological Seminary and Professor of Theology. She is considered a leader in the field of womanist theology, racial reconciliation, and sexuality and the black church. Her Orbis books include The Black Christ, Whats Faith Got to Do with It? and Stand Your Ground: Black Bodies and the Justice of God   Follow the podcast, drop a review, or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Koch is one of my favorite people. He reached out to connect in person when he was thinking of starting a podcast, and since then, he has not only produced several quality podcasts, but I have grown to love having him in my life. Like all good elder millennials, nothing says, “dude, I love being your friend,” like a quality mixtape. In this episode, we make a playlist centered on our existential dread  If you liked this, check out his music podcast –  Pretty Good Vibrations analyzes and celebrates pop and rock music and its crucial role throughout our lives. Dan hosts the You Have Permission podcast and has seven years of podcasting experience, including previous shows Depolarize! (politics/psychology) and Reconstruct (theology). He holds a Master’s of Counseling Psychology and has completed doctoral coursework at Northwest University in Kirkland, WA. His research focuses on spiritual abuse, and his “Development of the Spiritual Harm and Abuse Scale” was published in 2022 by the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. In his clinical therapy practice, Dan specializes in working with religious issues, including religious trauma, and utilizes a cognitive-existential modality. He is skilled in making academic research accessible to a broad audience, keeping things interesting while responsibly maintaining the right amount of nuance. You can check out my previous convos with Dan here Only Friends Share Mixtapes Dabbling in Heresy You Have Permission to be Awesome with Dan Koch The Best Antidote to Rampant Partisanship with Dan Koch Religious Trauma, Bracketing Belief, & the Best Reason to Believe in God The Evangelical Youth Group Fantasy Draft Science and Spiritual Experience #Experiencing God Follow the podcast, drop a review, or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Philip Clayton, a brilliant theologian, discusses theological thinking, religious pluralism, Quaker traditions, practical wisdom from scripture, and nuanced views on resurrection in this insightful podcast. He emphasizes humility, openness, and learning from diverse encounters to enrich theological understanding.

Reggie Williams, Assoc. Prof. of Christian Ethics, discusses Bonhoeffer's critique of religion. Topics include Bonhoeffer's time in Harlem, deconstructing Eurocentric theology, and reimagining Christianity. They explore the transformative power of resurrection and Bonhoeffer's views on language. The conversation also touches on NBA playoffs and team loyalties.

Dr. Myron Penner, a philosophy professor, and Dr. Sarah Lane Ritchie, a science and religion scholar, join in a discussion exploring heresies, contemporary worship music, ecstatic worship experiences, moral discourse complexities, and the notion of America as a great country. They also engage in casual conversations about power ranking religions and the law of manifestation.

Dr. Aaron Simmons discusses his book 'Camping with Kierkegaard' on finding faith through getting lost, along with insights on existential philosophy. The podcast also explores the upcoming Theology Beer Camp event, emphasizing faith as risk and direction. The conversation delves into existential questions on worthiness and finitude, promoting a more meaningful way of life through self-reflection and outdoor activities.

In this episode, I am joined by chief mycelium enthusiast and advocate, Merlin Sheldrake. We recorded in person at the Center for Process Studies’ 50th Anniversary event in Claremont, CA. Come dive beneath the forest floor as we venture into the intricate and mesmerizing realm of fungi. Dr. Merlin Sheldrake, renowned biologist and author of the critically acclaimed book “Entangled Life,” pulls back the curtain on the hidden networks that underpin our ecosystems, nourish our trees, and have the potential to reshape our understanding of the world around us. Not only that, but we unpack the ways his research has inspired a larger process-relational vision. Merlin Sheldrake is a biologist, writer, and speaker with a background in plant sciences, microbiology, ecology, and the history and philosophy of science. He received a Ph.D. in tropical ecology from Cambridge University for his work on underground fungal networks in tropical forests in Panama, where he was a predoctoral research fellow of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. He is a research associate of the Vrije University Amsterdam, works with the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks (SPUN), and sits on the advisory board of the Fungi Foundation. Merlin's research ranges from fungal biology, to the history of Amazonian ethnobotany, to the relationship between sound and form in resonant systems. A keen brewer and fermenter, he is fascinated by the relationships that arise between humans and more-than-human organisms. He is a musician and performs on the piano and accordion. In the conversation, we discuss… Merlins intellectual origin story How did studying the history of science reveal unexamined metaphysical prejudice within the sciences How nothing but scientific explanations and blinds us to a deep account of experience Why the bifurcation of nature isnt helpful for science or the humanities The many invisible lives of plants, fungi, & soil The moment Merlin found the need for a process style metaphysic Panpsychism! How growing up a Sheldrake shaped his religious and spiritual outlook Why Godsplainers are the worst;) Dont kill the questions! Spiritual experiments in truth You may remember when Merlin’s Dad, Rubert Sheldrake, was on the podcast. You can listen to it here: From the Science Delusion to Psychedelic Religion. Follow the podcast, drop a review, or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Willemien Otten, professor of theology and history of Christianity, discusses the importance of studying the period between Augustine and Aquinas, the evolution of celibacy practices in the Middle Ages, the shifting understanding of creation and nature in the medieval church, the relationship between Barth and Schleiermacher in the context of natural theology, and the role of tradition in contemporary theological reflection.