The Magnificast

The Vatican released a document about economics and dang are the commenters upset! This week we talk about what the document does and doesn't do for Christians on the left, how the Vatican needs a better PR game, and what Christians can say about systemic capitalist problems. You can read along with us for the Magnificast home game here: http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2018/05/17/180517a.html Intro/transition music by Amaryah Armstrong Outro by theillalogicalspoon

This week we remember the life of James Cone, who sparked black liberation theology in the United States. He died on April 28th this year. To think about his work, influence, and future, we talk with Amaryah Armstrong about how Cone has played a role in her own work and in public theology. We also talk about Cone's essay "The Black Church and Marxism: What Do They Have To Say To Each Other?" Also, we give you an update from the Benedict Basement. Spoiler: Marxism is scary, folks! Intro/transition music by Amaryah Armstrong Outro by theillalogicalspoon

Every Christian think piece since 2012 has basically been asking the same question: Why are young people leaving the church? In this episode, Matt and Dean (along with their good friend Rosa Luxemburg) offer a definitive answer to that question: churches just aren't communist enough! Intro Music by Amaryah Armstrong Outro Music by theillogicalspoon.

Happy May Day, Happy Birthday Karl Marx! This week is full of leftist celebrations! To help us think more about the historical connections about Christianity and the US Labor movement, we've got Heath Carter back for another discussion about the ways Christianity has informed class struggle! Intro Music by Amaryah Armstrong Outro Music by Woodie Guthrie

This week we sat down with Kiegan Irish, MA student at the Institute for Christian Studies and part of Christians for Socialism Toronto, to talk about his recent essay "Christian Reflections on Locke Street Anarchism." We think through what direct action says about society, why Christians have a hard time not siding with capital, and how you don't even have to be an anarchist to dig what anarchists are trying to tell you. Kiegan's essay is available here: http://www.groundmotive.net/2018/04/christian-reflections-on-locke-street_20.html Intro/transition music by Amaryah Armstrong. Outro music by theillalogicalspoon.

We all know that the Zapatistas are the coolest and most inspiring political movement, so this week we decided to learn more about them! In this episode, we talked with author, Hilary Klein, about her incredible book Compañeras: Zapatista Women's Stories. You can find her book here: https://www.amazon.com/Compa%C3%B1eras-Zapatista-Stories-Hilary-Klein/dp/1609805879 Intro music: Amaryah Armstrong Outro music: theillogicalspoon

After last week's discussion with Greg Daly about the Easter Rising, we decided to track down how the Irish Christian Left emerged later in the 20th century. Unsurprisingly, our search brought us to 1968, when a radical Christian collective were in the news for demonstrations and publications. We rounded up a magazine called "Grille," published by some of those Irish Christian lefties, and decided to talk about the article "Theology of Violence" by journalist John Feeney. Intro music by Amaryah Armstrong. Outro by theillalogicalspoon.

On last week's episode, Travis McMaken commented that it's important to find other examples of Christianity that diverge from the usual right-wing path. This episode, we're investigating the faithful revolutionaries from the 1916 Easter Rising in Ireland. This episode features a brilliant interview with Greg Daly, the author of 1916: The Church and the Rising. Intro music by Amaryah Armstrong Outro music by theillogicalspoon

The Christian political imagination is often limited to a brutal and ignorant capitalism or a stuffy and naive liberalism. Finding other examples of Christianity that counter both of these logics are essential projects for the Christian Left. In this episode, we interviewed W. Travis McMaken about one of those characters that express a faithful and socialist Christianity: Helmut Gollwitzer. You can find a link to "Our God Loves Justice" here: http://fortresspress.com/product/our-god-loves-justice-introduction-helmut-gollwitzer Intro/transition music by Amaryah Armstrong. Outro by theillalogicalspoon

Last week we talked about Jacques Ellul's weird anarchism, so this week we're talking with Katherine and Hye Sung from the Friendly Fire Collective about cool anarchism! We talk about how Quakerism and pentecostalism feed into anarchism, why anarchists and Marxists can be buds, and hear about an upcoming retreat in Philadelphia--which you can register for until March 29 (https://friendlyfirecollective.wordpress.com/retreat/). You might remember Katherine from the episode we did together with her podcast Friendly Anarchism (Ep 39), and you can here both of them chat more in Friendly Anarchism episode 29! You can read more about the arrest of one of their comrades at a protest against Richard Spencer at Michigan State, and contribute to the bail fund, here: https://friendlyfirecollective.wordpress.com/2018/03/07/our-quaker-comrades-are-in-jail/ *EDIT* In the episode, we briefly talked about Blair's (of the Friendly Fire Collective mentioned in the episode) pending multiple convictions. However, we've been updated that he is now only facing one! Intro/transition music by Amaryah Armstrong. Outro by theillalogicalspoon