The Mockingcast

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk healthy forgetfulness, vengeful superheroes, theories of enchantment, and personalized religion. Also, Dave breaks some troubling news to a bunch of children. Click here for more details or to pre-register for our upcoming conference in New York City (April 28-30). Click here to read the NY Times column on forgetting the pandemic. Click here to read Blake Nail's review of The Batman on Mbird. Click here to read The Atlantic's profile of Chloe Valdary and her Theory of Enchantment. Click here to read Richard Beck's newsletter about Joel Osteen and CCM. Click here to read Sarah's column on The Relief of Lent. Click here to learn more about The Tent to which Sarah is contributing.

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk cheugy parents, happy churchgoers, urgent prayers, and long defeats. Also, while Dave makes a Pink Floyd faux-pas, RJ does some stitching. Click here to read Katie Couric's confession of cheugy-ness. Click here to read the NY Times Magazine's interview with Laurie Santos. Click here to read The School of Life's entry On Nagging. Click here to read Torey Lightcap's piece on Polite vs Urgent Worship in America Magazine. Click here to read Jason Micheli's post on why Nobody Is Making a Docuseries about Ordinary Churches.

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk porch pirates, fading friendships, trivialized trauma, and hopeful humor. Also, God works through a robot vacuum cleaner. Click here to read Meghan O'Gieblyn's answer to the question "Do Good Doorbell Cams Make Good Neighbors?" in Wired Click here to read Jennifer Senior's essay on "It's Your Friends Who Break Your Heart" in The Atlantic. Click here to read Lexi Pandell's column on "How 'Trauma' Became the Word of the Decade" in Vox Click here to watch Stephen Colbert's surprising response to Dua Lipa's question about humor and faith. For more information about Dave speaking at RJ's church on Feb 26&27, visit the website for Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in West Palm Beach, FL.

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk Wordle distractions, parenting silos, mental midwinters, and undeserving fairy tales. Also, Sarah recalls the glory of heads-up seven-up. Click here to read Charlie Warzel's newsletter about Wordle backlash. Click here to read Anne Helen Petersen's newsletter on Screaming Parents. Click here to read The School of Life's entry on Mental Midwinters. Click here to read Benjamin Self's piece on Fairy Tales Click here to read Stephanie Phillips's essay on Divine Interruptions.

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk habit formation, performative meetings, Latin American religion, and the benefits of falling apart in church. Also, George Costanza chimes in with some tips on working less. Click here for more information about our Tulsa Conference (1/21-22). Click here for more information about the Same Old Song "Preaching During Lent" virtual event. Click here to read Sarah's post about "A Light Year." Click here to read Faith Hill's column on how "New Years' Resolutions Are Not the Vibe of 2022". Click here to read the Economist piece on "The Rise of Performative Work." Click here to read The Wall Street Journal's investigation into Why the Catholic Church Is Losing South America. Click here to read Mallory McDuff's article on Why I Cry in Church.

To respond to the opening appeal and support the work of Mockingbird, please click here. All gifts are tax-deductible. Our last episode of the year in which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk mallstalgia, gift aversions, parent-child privilege gaps, and gambling addictions. Click here to read Jason Tebbe's piece on mallstalgia for Tropics of Meta. Click here to read Sarah Hinlicky Wilson's confession, "I Hate Presents." Click here to read Esau McCaulley's op-ed on how to raise middle-class kids if you grew up poor. Click here to read Stephen Marche's article about how America's Gambling Addiction is Metastasizing in The Atlantic. Click here to read Sam Bush's reflection on Risky Business.

In which Dave, RJ, and Sarah talk college essays, supermodel insecurities, ferocious coziness, and because-because propositions. Also, Sarah attends a Renaissance Festival and Dave visits some European comic book stores. Click here to read Joseph E Davis's piece on "The Studied Art of the College Application Essay" Click here to read Carrie Battan's review of Emily Ratajkowski's book in The New Yorker Click here to read Kathryn Jezer-Morton's newsletter asking "Is Cozy Season a Cry for Help?" Click here to read Nadia Bolz-Weber's sermon "Sin Boldly" This episode is dedicated to the memory of John Owen, a member of the Condon family who died recently.

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk the fastest growing sport in America, the allure of conspirituality, exvangelical hashtags, and renamed churches. Also, a pair of golden girls wipe the pickleball court with Mr. Zahl. Click here to read Craig Coyne's piece on "How Pickleball Won Everyone Over" in Vanity Fair. Click here to check out Alex Da Corte's sculpture on the top of the Met. Click here to read Ian Bogost's piece "People Aren't Meant to Talk This Much" in The Atlantic. Click here to read Eva Wiseman's exploration of "The Dark Side of Wellness." Click here to read Zack Verham's piece on "Faith After Exvangelical Deconstruction." Click here to read Giles Fraser writing about Trendy Vicars (and St. Mike's).

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk travel selves, generational generalizations, optimistic pitfalls, and forgiving bad fathers. Also, Sarah spies some aliens and RJ jumps off several cliffs. Click here to read “You’re a Different Person When You Travel” by Jen Rose Smith in The Washington Post. Click here Louis Menand’s essay “It’s Time to Stop Talking about ‘Generations’” in The New Yorker. Click here to read Arthur Brooks piece on The Difference Between Optimism and Hope. Click here to read Joseph Keegin's essay on Death and Forgiveness.

In which Sarah, Dave, and RJ talk self-awareness, gracious friendships, nap ministries, and the "gift" of rejection. Also, RJ explores his haze-ability while Sarah buys a bridesmaid dress. Click here to read David Brooks column on "Is Self-Awareness a Mirage?" Click here to read the interview with Anne Lamott in Time. Click here to read about the Nap Ministry. Click here to read Dave's water polo story. (And here to order the book in question). Oh and click here to learn more about Storymakers.