Amanda Smith is my guest today, and we discuss her experience living in the middle of deconstruction, what she needs (and doesn’t need!) from the church right now, and how her journey was deeply impacted by sexism and sexual harassment in the church. She mentions the book, “Out of Sorts” by Sarah Bessey and “A Woman Called” by

My guest Nathaniel Schweinberg returns this week and presents his top 5 Bible objections. We discuss why they are important, how they impacted his deconstruction journey, and the Christian responses to each one. Resources Nathaniel mentions and/or recommends:

Holy Koolaid’s “Christianity’s Fatal Flaw”

Religion for Breakfast

Pete Enns’ book ‘How the Bible Actually Works’

Resources Elizabeth mentions and/or recommends:

Jonathan Morrow “Questioning the Bible”

Robert Wright “The Evolution of God”

The Redemptive Movement Hermeneutic mentioned in “Slaves, Women, and Homosexuals” by William J. Webb

Nathaniel shares why injustice in America led to him reevaluating everything he believed to be true about God. We explore the question, “Can God be real, good, just, and all-powerful and still allow evil and suffering?” Nathaniel references YouTube Channels Holy Koolaid and Religion for Breakfast.

My guest Kenny White (not to be confused with his wife Jenny from earlier this season!) discusses being part of a church plant gone horribly wrong and why the structure of non-denominational Evangelical churches so often harms its members, focuses on the wrong aspects of Christianity, and eventually fails.

My guest Stephanie discusses growing up Evangelical and seeking to follow hard after Jesus even after trauma and unanswered questions. Eventually though, the political landscape of America caused her to turn her attention towards whether or not her faith was based in truth.

Jenny White discusses purity culture from a Christian perspective, including the topics of modesty, abstinence before marriage, and Christian men objectifying women. She discusses ways we might move forward as Christians from the damaging effects purity culture has left on our society. Jenny references Sheila Wray Gregoire who wrote “The Great Sex Rescue,” “A Good Girl’s Guide to Great Sex,” and “A Good Guy’s Guide to Great Sex.”

She also references Marg Mowczko whose work can be found at https://margmowczko.com

My guest Jenny worked at an evangelical church and experienced spiritual manipulation and abuse. She discusses how someone can tell it’s time to leave their church and what it’s like for her now as an Eastern Orthodox Christian.

Rachel Harrold was happy with her Evangelical faith and not looking to deconstruct in the least, but deconstruction snuck up on her. She shares her journey to Catholicism and some beautiful lessons she’s learned along the way. She mentions “Mama Bear Apologetics” by Hillary Morgan Ferrer and “Evangelical is Not Enough” by Thomas Howard.

Maria Stewart is my guest today, and we dive into the background of purity culture and why it’s so damaging in the church today, as well as why we so often misunderstand and misapply the Bible. Maria mentions the podcast “Unbelievable” and the books “How (Not) to Read the Bible” by Dan Kimball and “Pure” by Linda Kay Klein

Today, my guest Dillon Stewart describes his spiritual background growing up in the Church of Christ, his thoughts on hell and science vs. religion, and what happens when religion becomes our basis of identity.

Resources and quotes mentioned in today’s episode:

Richard Dawkins Demonstrates Laryngeal Nerve of a Giraffe

https://youtu.be/cO1a1Ek-HD0

“All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.”

-Arthur Schopenhauer

Reasons to Believe (Gap Theory Argument)

reasons.org

The Kalām Cosmological Argument by William Lane Craig