

The Magnificast
The Magnificast
A weekly podcast about Christianity and leftist politics. The Magnificast is hosted by Dean Dettloff and Matt Bernico. Each week's episode focuses on a unique or under-realized aspect of territory between Christianity and politics that no one taught you about in sunday school.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 11, 2025 • 59min
The Theology of Relinquishment
Last week, we talked about dependency theory and trash. This week on the pod, we're talking about how some theologians from the Global North responded to liberation theology and dependency theory at its height in the 1970's and 80's. You'll also hear two grandpas talking about a long gone Christian band called The Psalters. Listen to the Psalters: https://psalters.bandcamp.com/album/the-divine-liturgy-of-the-wretched-exilesIntro Music by Amaryah ArmstrongOutro music by theillogicalspoonhttps://theillalogicalspoon.bandcamp.com/track/hoods-up-the-low-down-technified-bluesSupport The Magnificast on Patreonhttp://patreon.com/themagnificastGet Magnificast Merchhttps://www.redbubble.com

Aug 6, 2025 • 54min
Magnificast Classic: Joe Wallace, the Greatest Canadian Communist Christian Poet in the Soviet Union
Ernesto Cardenal is great, right? He is, but have you ever wondered who the Greatest Canadian Communist Christian Poet in the Soviet Union was? Well, it was Joe Wallace. Intro Music by Amaryah Armstrong Outro music by theillogicalspoon https://theillalogicalspoon.bandcamp.com/track/hoods-up-the-low-down-technified-blues*Support The Magnificast on Patreon* http://patreon.com/themagnificast *Get Magnificast Merch* https://www.redbubble.com/people/themagnificast/og-shop?asc=u

Jul 30, 2025 • 48min
Riding spaceship earth
This week on the pod, we're talking trash! This week we get into dependency theory, Leonardo Boff, and coffeeHere's the study we mentioned about sustainable coffee brewing: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352550921001160Intro Music by Amaryah ArmstrongOutro music by theillogicalspoonhttps://theillalogicalspoon.bandcamp.com/track/hoods-up-the-low-down-technified-bluesSupport The Magnificast on Patreonhttp://patreon.com/themagnificastGet Magnificast Merchhttps://www.redbubble.com

Jul 22, 2025 • 57min
The Liberation from Trash
Lately, we've been talking about the resonance between regrowth and liberation theology when it comes to talking about consumption patterns in the Global North. This week, we're taking a look at the result of all that consumption: trash. Trash plays an essential economic role in capitalism in the way it creates growth. Want to know how? Then listen to this episode!Intro Music by Amaryah ArmstrongOutro music by theillogicalspoonhttps://theillalogicalspoon.bandcamp.com/track/hoods-up-the-low-down-technified-bluesSupport The Magnificast on Patreonhttp://patreon.com/themagnificastGet Magnificast Merchhttps://www.redbubble.com

Jul 15, 2025 • 52min
This could be you (bones)
Folks, this week, we're locked in answering reddit questions, talking about cranky liberation theologian, Clodovis Boff, and ICE raids. Find the article from Mel Buer that we talked about here: https://www.welcometohellworld.com/a-life-was-snuffed-out-in-the-pursuit-of-a-quota/Intro Music by Amaryah ArmstrongOutro music by theillogicalspoonhttps://theillalogicalspoon.bandcamp.com/track/hoods-up-the-low-down-technified-bluesSupport The Magnificast on Patreonhttp://patreon.com/themagnificastGet Magnificast Merchhttps://www.redbubble.com

Jul 8, 2025 • 60min
Degrowth bishops
This week on the pod we're talking about the new statement from the Bishops of the Global South for COP30. In their statement they reject false solutions like technocracy and green capitalism and argue that the way forward is degrowth! Read the statement here: https://www.cidse.org/2025/07/01/churches-of-the-global-south-call-for-climate-justice-resisting-false-solutions-and-standing-for-hope/Intro Music by Amaryah ArmstrongOutro music by theillogicalspoonhttps://theillalogicalspoon.bandcamp.com/track/hoods-up-the-low-down-technified-bluesSupport The Magnificast on Patreonhttp://patreon.com/themagnificastGet Magnificast Merchhttps://www.redbubble.com

Jul 1, 2025 • 56min
AI is demonic
This week, we're talking about a new article that Matt has in Sojourners Called Is AI Demonic? Throughout the ep, Matt and Dean talk about Rod Dreher, ChatGPT induced psychosis, the history of the telegraph, and how our only hope is organizing our workplaces. Read Matt's Sojourners article here: https://sojo.net/articles/opinion/ai-demonicIntro Music by Amaryah ArmstrongOutro music by theillogicalspoonhttps://theillalogicalspoon.bandcamp.com/track/hoods-up-the-low-down-technified-blues*Support The Magnificast on Patreon*http://patreon.com/themagnificast*Get Magnificast Merch*https://www.redbubble.com

Jun 24, 2025 • 1h 7min
Oops all war
This week on the pod, we're talking about the militarization of society, speed, politics, and death. In case you couldn't guess based on that constellation of topics, this episode features one of our favs, Paul Virilio. Throughout the episode, we're primarily referencing Paul Virilio's book Pure War. But we also reference Virilio's The Administration of Death. Intro Music by Amaryah ArmstrongOutro music by theillogicalspoonhttps://theillalogicalspoon.bandcamp.com/track/hoods-up-the-low-down-technified-blues*Support The Magnificast on Patreon*http://patreon.com/themagnificast*Get Magnificast Merch*https://www.redbubble.com

Jun 12, 2025 • 1h 3min
Magnificast classic: Abolition & Marxism
Folks, we're once again kind of busy this week and couldn't record an episode. However, given the ongoing protests and police violence in LA, I thought it might be fun to give you this classic ep from 2020 about police abolition and Marxism. Please do not hold us too accountable for anything we said in 2020...unless it's good, then we're accountable.This week on The Magnificast, Matt & Dean talk about Alex Vitale's book The End of Police and talk about why Christians on the left should care about police abolition. They also discuss Jamal Rich's take on abolition and communism. You can find the article here: https://www.cpusa.org/article/prison-and-police-abolition-reimagining-public-safety-and-liberation/Intro Music by Amaryah Armstrong Outro music by theillogicalspoon https://theillalogicalspoon.bandcamp.com/track/hoods-up-the-low-down-technified-blues*Support The Magnificast on Patreon* http://patreon.com/themagnificast *Get Magnificast Merch* https://www.redbubble.com/people/themagnificast/

Jun 3, 2025 • 58min
Christian tools for conviviality
We talk a lot on this show about all of the bad stuff that Christianity contributes to the world. But this week, we're talking about the historical Christian tools and ideas that have contributed something good to the world. Specifically, we're linking together some of overarching themes we find in left-wing expressions of Christianity that have something to contribute to degrowth socialism. We've got Basil the great, St. Francis, Gerard Winstanley, and Thomas Müntzer. You're not going to want to miss this!Intro Music by Amaryah ArmstrongOutro music by theillogicalspoonhttps://theillalogicalspoon.bandcamp.com/track/hoods-up-the-low-down-technified-blues*Support The Magnificast on Patreon*http://patreon.com/themagnificast*Get Magnificast Merch*https://www.redbubble.com