Existential Happy Hour

Today I am very happy to introduce you Dr. Anthony Pinn. 

Dr Pinn is an author and thinker, a scholar of religion, and leader in the fields of African American Religious Studies as well as Humanist Theology. 

His writing on African American humanist theology has profoundly shaped my thinking about God over the past two years, and it was an honor to have this conversation with him. 

In this hour we talk about the problem with God, whether or not God is on the side of the oppressed, and what the future of religion looks like in America. 

Abby Norman is a pastor, author, and a dear friend. She also happens to be a Christian, which I used to be but am not anymore. In this episode talk about our diverging spiritual paths, and how we each navigate our relationships with religion ... with and without God. 

Abby also talks about her new book "You Can Talk to God Like That", available May 19 wherever books are sold. 

Follow Abby on Twitter: @AbbyNormanSays

In this episode we sit down with Josh Zak (aka New Tycoon) to talk about growing up fundamentalist, losing faith, and finding mystery.

We also listen to a few tracks from his absolutely wonderful album "Wholiness", an exploration of shifting belief. This is how Josh describes it:

"Wholiness is the acceptance of a long denied truth. It's a sorrowful and jubilant exclamation, sent back in time. It's the margins of my Bible, finally full of notes. It's compassionate heresy, joyful blasphemy, and peaceful apostasy. It's the rehabilitation of an emaciated spirituality.

My wish for Wholiness is that you find something within that has nothing to do with faith.

I hope you see my humanity. I hope you see your own.

I hope you feel free."


Listen on Spotify: Wholiness by New Tycoon

Listen on Soundcloud: Wholiness by New Tycoon

Listen on Apple Music: Wholiness by New Tycoon

Josh on Instagram: @jewzak

Josh on Twitter: @jewzak

Josh's Podcast: At Home In Our Hearts

Mason Mennenga is a podcaster, theologian, internet troll extraordinaire, and a fellow seminarian with me at United Theological Seminary.

In this episode we start with a few jokes about The Office and the Enneagram, followed by a brief but serious discussion about The Office as a meta-myth with religious potential. Then we turn to the topic of Process Theology for a lengthy exploration of this fascinating metaphysical system for thinking about God, the World, and Creativity. 

We cover topics of creation, suffering, God's relationship with the world, my understanding of god as an uncaring but beautiful ocean, and what will happen to consciousness when humanity is inevitably replaced by artificial intelligence or annihilated by our ever-expanding sun.

Mason's Website:  https://masonmennenga.com
Mason on Twitter:  @masonmennenga
Mason on Instagram:  @masonmennenga
Mason on YouTube:  youtube.com/masonmennenga

John Caputo is a philosopher and theologian who has been talking about existentialism, deconstruction, religion, and God since before most of us were born.

In this conversation he shares his extraordinary insight with us about what those words mean. how we relate to the universe, and the future of religion. 

In this episode I talk with Emily Joy Allison about her brand new book #ChurchToo: How Purity Culture Upholds Abuse and How to Find Healing.

She tells us how the hashtag she started became part of an international conversation about abuse in the Church, why Christianity enables abusers, and how the death of the Church is probably a good thing.

We also discuss seminary life, evangelical higher education, exploring Buddhism, staying in Christian-adjacent spaces, panentheism, the Grand Canyon, why poetry is better that theology papers, and the struggles of having an online brand so you can sell books. 

Order the Book: #ChurchToo

Emily on Instagram: @emilyjoypoetry

Emily on Twitter: @emilyjoypoetry

Headshot by @thejennybones

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"It's Ash Wednesday. I'm here to receive ashes and deny Christ." 

This is what I wrote in my journal at the start of Lent, two years ago.  For this special Lent episode I have woven together a collection of poems and prayers and letters and stories I have written over half a dozen years as I have tried to make sense of my relationship with Jesus and the end of my Christianity. All together they tell a story about two Ash Wednesdays and the years in between. 

Today's conversation is with Josh Howard, pastor, podcaster, and author of "Determined to be Desperate". 

Josh believes that deconstruction is a wicked movement that targets people struggling with their faith, takes advantage of the broken and hurting, and leads them into darkness. And lately he's be asking around for folks in the deconstruction scene that he can interview for a book about it.

So I said, “Yo, you have questions about deconstruction? Let’s talk.” This is the result.

If you were ever in evangelicalism, this conversation will revisit some familiar questions and a lot of bible verses. It is painful at times, but I hope that in the end you know that you are not alone with your questions and there are better answers than what we were given.

I am joined by Melissa Greene (who you may know from Avalon back in the day) to talk about loving and leaving church, breaking up with Jesus, finding God after Christianity, and how to love the world. This is one of my favorite conversations I've had yet, and I think you'll love it too. 

In this episode I talk with Mike McHargue aka Science Mike aka the Cozy Robot about God and science and brains and belief. He answers questions about religious trauma, ethical frameworks, and making meaning in the absence of belief in God. Check it out!