We just lost John Cobb months before his 100th birthday. In this episode, Philip Clayton joins me for a conversation to celebrate his life and thought. My relationship with John started as the author of a book that changed my life (God & the World). Then, I got to take a summer school class with him in Claremont before Divinity School. When I moved to LA for my PhD he invited me and my family to lunch. Over the years in SoCal we had many meals and conversations together. We have recorded over 30 hours of conversation and taught two classes together. Beyond being a creative, brilliant, and ground-breaking scholar, John was a deeply passionate and compassionate disciple of Jesus. When friends ask about his picture with me, I say "That's John freaking Cobb, and he's my Gandalf." The last time we got to hang he introduced me as his friend (and said this in front of a bunch of people).

I recently edited a book of John Cobb's best theological writing from across his career, including some excellent introductory chapters for people new to Process theology. Check it out.

You can WATCH the conversation on YouTube

Dr. John B. Cobb, Jr. taught theology at the Claremont School of Theology from 1958 to 1990. In 2014 he became the first theologian elected to the prestigious American Academy of Arts and Sciences for his interdisciplinary work in ecology, economics, and biology.

Previous Episodes with John Cobb

Lexington Theological Seminary is a pioneer in online theological education. Both the Doctoral and Masters programs are designed with the flexibility and contextual focus needed for the working student. You can learn more by heading here.

Here are a few episodes with a couple of their Profs

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Join my Substack - Process This!

Join our class - TRUTH IN TOUGH TIMES: Global Voices of Liberation

Spend a week with Tripp & Andrew Root in Bonhoeffer’s House in Berlin this June as part of the Rise of Bonhoeffer Travel Learning Experience. INFO & DETAILS HERE

Get access to over 45 of our online classes at TheologyClass.com

Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community.

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In this episode, I am joined by theologian and ethicist Dr. Joerg Rieger. In the conversation, we explore critiques of religion in the public square, its global influence on right-wing populism, and its decline as an institution amidst growing discontent with modern life. Joerg argues that while religion remains significant, the type of religion is crucial. We delve into how conceptions of God shape communities—whether toward solidarity and justice for the Other or demands for sacrifice. Enjoy this conversation on the future of faith and its implications for society.

You can WATCH the conversation on YouTube

Dr. Joerg Rieger is Distinguished Professor of Theology and the Cal Turner Chancellor’s Chair of Wesleyan Studies at Vanderbilt University and founding director of the Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice. For three decades, he has worked to bring together theology and the struggles for justice and liberation that mark our age. Several of his 24 authored and edited books address the topics of this course, including No Rising Tide: Theology, Economics, and the Future; Unified We Are a Force: How Faith and Labor Can Overcome America’s Inequalities (with Rosemarie Henkel-Rieger); and Faith, Class, and Labor: Intersectional Approaches in a Global Context (with Jin Young Choi). www.joergrieger.com

UPCOMING ONLINE CLASS - Truth in Tough Times: Global Voices of Liberation

I am thrilled to announce our upcoming class with Joerg Rieger and a host of liberation theologians from across the globe. Our goal is to create an experience where participants will get a clear and compelling account of contemporary liberation theology and meet the most critical voices of our generation. As always, then lass is donation-based, including 0. Get info and join up at www.TruthInToughTimes.com

Previous Episodes w/ Joerg



This episode is sponsored by Union Presbyterian Seminary

A calling is about who you are. Where you’re going in life. You may be in college. You may be halfway through a career. But you know, deep inside your heart, you want something different. To prepare for the future, you want to invest your time and energy to expand your knowledge. With people who listen to you…yet challenge you. People from different countries and backgrounds. A place with globally recognized connections. There is a place for you at Union Presbyterian Seminary. You’ll find your own path—with online, hybrid, or residential platforms. You’ll find generous financial aid. With thousands of graduates all over the world, you’ll build lifelong networks…a community that supports you and equips you. Be a leader of gospel-inspired transformative change in pursuit of a more just and compassionate world. It’s your call. Respond with UPSem. To learn more, visit upsem.edu or email [email protected]

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Join my Substack - Process This!

Join our class - TRUTH IN TOUGH TIMES: Global Voices of Liberation

Spend a week with Tripp & Andrew Root in Bonhoeffer’s House in Berlin this June as part of the Rise of Bonhoeffer Travel Learning Experience. INFO & DETAILS HERE

Get access to over 45 of our online classes at TheologyClass.com

Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My friend and philosopher, Dr. Andrew Davis, is back on the podcast to bring us a stellar introduction to Alfred North Whitehead's Process philosophy. “Process philosophy” is wider than the work of Alfred North Whitehead (1861–1947), but the depth and dynamism of his “philosophy of organism” have made him the defining figure of the modern process tradition. His beloved wife Evelyn once used the metaphor of a prism to describe his thinking: “It must be seen not from one side alone but from all sides, then from underneath and overhead. So seen, as one moves around it, the prism is full of changing lights and colors. To have seen it from one side only is to not have seen it.” In this conversation, Dr. Davis walks us through 5 different sides, lights, and colors belonging to Whitehead’s prismatic universe from the microscopic to the macroscopic, and in direct relation to human experience as an expression of the cosmos.

If this conversation is intriguing and you want a guided tour of Whitehead's philosophy, go join up for the class Whitehead's Universe. I am so excited about Andrew's project and having a new compelling introduction to process philosophy for the people.

You can WATCH the conversation on YouTube

Andrew M. Davis is an American process philosopher, theologian, and scholar of the cosmos. He is the academic and research director for the Center for Process Studies where he researches, writes, teaches, and organizes conferences on various aspects of process-relational thought (Whitehead and Beyond). An advocate of metaphysics and meaning in a hospitable universe, he approaches philosophy as the endeavor to systematically think through what reality must be like because we are a part of it. He is the author, editor, and co-editor of nearly a dozen books including Mind, Value, and Cosmos: On the Relational Nature of Ultimacy, Process Cosmology: New Integrations in Science and Philosophy, and Metaphysics of Exo-Life: Toward a Constructive Whiteheadian Cosmotheology. This course is based upon drafts of his next book which is comprehensive, yet conversational, introduction to Whitehead’s universe.

Andrew’s Previous visits to the podcast

UPCOMING ONLINE CLASS - Truth in Tough Times: Global Voices of Liberation

I am thrilled to announce our upcoming class with Joerg Rieger and a host of liberation theologians from across the globe. Our goal is to create an experience where participants will get a clear and compelling account of contemporary liberation theology and meet the most critical voices of our generation. As always, then lass is donation-based, including 0. Get info and join up at www.TruthInToughTimes.com

_____________________

Join my Substack - Process This!

Join our class - TRUTH IN TOUGH TIMES: Global Voices of Liberation

Spend a week with Tripp & Andrew Root in Bonhoeffer’s House in Berlin this June as part of the Rise of Bonhoeffer Travel Learning Experience. INFO & DETAILS HERE

Get access to over 45 of our online classes at TheologyClass.com

Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I team up with our producer, Josh Gilbert, for an experimental format inspired by our podcast planning sessions, where Josh often brings up intriguing questions he’s gathered while editing. Together, we explore how our initial infatuation with ideas can grow into a deeper understanding and mastery and how our personal biases inevitably shape our philosophical inquiries.  

We discuss the significance of philosophy in making sense of existence, agency, and how we apply ideas in everyday life. We talk about the value of curiosity and the ongoing journey of learning across the humanities, emphasizing the need to engage with philosophical texts critically and passionately. Josh pressed me on the distinction between plausibility and intensity of faith commitments, the existential register’s importance in understanding religious identity, and how modern empiricism and cultural narratives influence individual agency.  

Throughout the conversation, we weave in insights from thinkers like Alfred North Whitehead, Hans-Georg Gadamer, Søren Kierkegaard, Paul Tillich, Karl Barth, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, J.R.R. Tolkien, Martin Heidegger, Philip Goff, and Charles Taylor. Together, we explore how these voices create a community of inquiry that invigorates our understanding of life and existence, showing how philosophy can shape what we think and how we live.

To get the entire conversation, all podcast episodes ad-free, and support our work, consider joining the Process This on SubStack or get access to our entire catalog of classes & all the rest by joining up at Theology Class.

UPCOMING ONLINE CLASS - Truth in Tough Times: Global Voices of Liberation

I am thrilled to announce our upcoming class with Joerg Rieger and a host of liberation theologians from across the globe. Our goal is to create an experience where participants will get a clear and compelling account of contemporary liberation theology and meet the most critical voices of our generation. As always, then lass is donation-based, including 0. Get info and join up at www.TruthInToughTimes.com

_____________________

Join my Substack - Process This!

Join our class - THE RISE OF BONHOEFFER, for a guided tour of Bonhoeffer's life and thought.

Spend a week with Tripp & Andrew Root in Bonhoeffer’s House in Berlin this June as part of the Rise of Bonhoeffer Travel Learning Experience. INFO & DETAILS HERE

Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Grace Ji-Sun Kim discusses her provocative new book, When God Became White. We delve into challenging topics like the implications of a colonialist legacy on the church, the intersections of race, gender, and religion, and how historical missions have shaped perceptions. We also discuss the representation of Jesus in church life, syncretism in Christianity, and the experiences of Korean immigrants.

Grace Ji-Sun Kim is a professor of theology at Earlham School of Religion and host of the Madang podcast.

You can WATCH the conversation on YouTube.

Garrett Theological Seminary sponsored this episode. Seminary education isn’t just for pastors. Social awareness of the world’s most pressing problems, robust ethical analysis, empathic biblical wisdom, and courageous leadership are skills you can use across a wide range of vocations. Whether you feel called to care and counseling, public service, prophetic arts, or non-profit management, there’s a degree program at Garrett Seminary that’s right for you. Our global faculty and diverse student body nurture class discussions that reflect the contextual realities in the communities you’ll serve, and our commitment to hands-on learning means you’ll have plenty of opportunities to put that knowledge to use. Located in the heart of Northwestern’s campus, just a short train ride from Chicago, let our city be your training ground. Garrett also offers fully online and hybrid programs. So wherever and whoever you are, apply to begin your fulfilling new career today. Learn more here.

_____________________

Join my Substack - Process This!

Join our class - THE RISE OF BONHOEFFER, for a guided tour of Bonhoeffer's life and thought.

Spend a week with Tripp & Andrew Root in Bonhoeffer’s House in Berlin this June as part of the Rise of Bonhoeffer Travel Learning Experience. INFO & DETAILS HERE

Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Dr. David Congdon joins me to discuss Rudolf Bultmann and his Advent preaching. He is infamous for his “demythologizing” approach to scripture, which seeks to uncover the true meaning behind the biblical narratives. Bultmann’s Advent sermons strip away sentimentalism, presenting the Incarnation as a call to authentic existence. We’ll consider how his approach can help us understand Christmas as more than a story, but as a profound encounter with God’s call in our own lives.

You can WATCH the conversation on YouTube

David Congdon is an author, speaker, and scholar working in the area of theology and culture. Originally from Portland, Oregon, he completed a B.A. in English at Wheaton College, acquired an M.Div. and Ph.D. in theology from Princeton Theological Seminary, and have since worked in the publishing industry as an academic acquisitions editor.

Previous Podcast Episodes with David

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This DECEMBER, we will be exploring the 'Theologians of Crisis' in our online Advent class - Breaking into the Broken World. Join us to learn about Karl Barth, Paul Tillich, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Rudolph Bultmann as we explore their thoughts and timely reflections in their Advent/Christmas sermons.

Join my Substack - Process This!

Join our class - THE RISE OF BONHOEFFER, for a guided tour of Bonhoeffer's life and thought.

Spend a week with Tripp & Andrew Root in Bonhoeffer’s House in Berlin this June as part of the Rise of Bonhoeffer Travel Learning Experience. INFO & DETAILS HERE

Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I am joined by Dr. John Thatamanil to discuss how Paul Tillich’s theology understands God’s relationship to history and incarnation. We discuss his Christian existentialism, the contrast between Chronos and Karios time, and his vision of the divine. Covering topics from Tillich's understanding of religious socialism to the complexities of conditioned and unconditioned existence, our dialogue offers a rich introductory exploration of Tillich's thought. We also engage the contemporary implications of Tillich's theology, making connections to modern societal issues and the lived reality of faith in challenging times.

You can WATCH this conversation on YouTube

This DECEMBER, we are exploring the 'Theologians of Crisis' in our online Advent class - Breaking into the Broken World. Join us to learn about Karl Barth, Paul Tillich, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Rudolph Bultmann as we explore their thoughts and timely reflections in their Advent/Christmas sermons.

Dr. Thatamanil is Professor of Theology & World Religions at Union Theological Seminary in NYC.

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This DECEMBER, we will be exploring the 'Theologians of Crisis' in our online Advent class - Breaking into the Broken World. Join us to learn about Karl Barth, Paul Tillich, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Rudolph Bultmann as we explore their thoughts and timely reflections in their Advent/Christmas sermons.

Join my Substack - Process This!

Join our class - THE RISE OF BONHOEFFER, for a guided tour of Bonhoeffer's life and thought.

Spend a week with Tripp & Andrew Root in Bonhoeffer’s House in Berlin this June as part of the Rise of Bonhoeffer Travel Learning Experience. INFO & DETAILS HERE

Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I am joined by my partner in The Rise of Bonhoeffer, Dr. Jeffrey Pugh, for a profound conversation with theologian, ethicist, and Bonhoeffer scholar Dr. Reggie Williams. The discussion revolves around Dietrich Bonhoeffer's provocative ethical challenge, particularly drawing from his experience in Harlem. Reggie helps us explore his critique of religion, its relevance to contemporary American issues, and how his theology can inform our response to modern ethical challenges. The conversation also touches on the influence of the Black church tradition, global liberation theology, and practical ways to engage with current sociopolitical issues, including the situation in Palestine.

You can WATCH the conversation on YouTube.

Reggie Williams has just begun screening his new documentary, “The Cloud of Witnesses: Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Harlem 1930/31.” It is a powerful film that focuses on Bonhoeffer’s time in NYC, the witness of the Harlem Renaissance, and the prophetic gospel of Abyssinian Baptist Church. There is no better guide to this vital terrain than Reggie! 

Reggie Williams is associate professor of Black theology at St. Louis University and author of Bonhoeffer’s Black Jesus: Harlem Renaissance Theology and an Ethic of Resistance. You can check out his recent essay on the Bonhoeffer film here.

Here’s Reggie’s previous visits to the podcast:

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This DECEMBER, we will be exploring the 'Theologians of Crisis' in our online Advent class - Breaking into the Broken World. Join us to learn about Karl Barth, Paul Tillich, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Rudolph Bultmann as we explore their thoughts and timely reflections in their Advent/Christmas sermons.

Join my Substack - Process This!

Join our class - THE RISE OF BONHOEFFER, for a guided tour of Bonhoeffer's life and thought.

Spend a week with Tripp & Andrew Root in Bonhoeffer’s House in Berlin this June as part of the Rise of Bonhoeffer Travel Learning Experience. INFO & DETAILS HERE

Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Andrew Root to delve into the Advent sermons of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, discussing the context and impact of his work. We unpack Bonhoeffer's experiences in Barcelona, Cuba, Berlin, and London, touching on his interaction with his time's ideological and theological crises. The conversation also includes insights into Bonhoeffer’s relationships, his formative years, and the implications of his theological perspectives. Bonhoeffer’s emphasis on waiting, his critiques of ideology, and his reflections on community and personhood are given attention.

You can WATCH the conversation on YouTube

This DECEMBER, we will be exploring the 'Theologians of Crisis' in our online Advent class - Breaking into the Broken World. Join us to learn about Karl Barth, Paul Tillich, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Rudolph Bultmann as we explore their thoughts and timely reflections in their Advent/Christmas sermons.

_____________________

This DECEMBER, we will be exploring the 'Theologians of Crisis' in our online Advent class - Breaking into the Broken World. Join us to learn about Karl Barth, Paul Tillich, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Rudolph Bultmann as we explore their thoughts and timely reflections in their Advent/Christmas sermons.

Join my Substack - Process This!

Join our class - THE RISE OF BONHOEFFER, for a guided tour of Bonhoeffer's life and thought.

Spend a week with Tripp & Andrew Root in Bonhoeffer’s House in Berlin this June as part of the Rise of Bonhoeffer Travel Learning Experience. INFO & DETAILS HERE

Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Travis McMacken joins the fun as we explore the life and theology of Karl Barth, the original crisis theologian. In this insightful conversation, we dive into Barth's theological perspective, his reaction to World War I, and his thoughts on the incarnation and revelation. The discussion covers how Barth's theology evolved, his views on the role of the church in times of crisis, and the contemporary relevance of his ideas.

This DECEMBER, we will be exploring the 'Theologians of Crisis' in our online Advent class - Breaking into the Broken World. Join us to learn about Karl Barth, Paul Tillich, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Rudolph Bultmann as we explore their thoughts and timely reflections in their Advent/Christmas sermons.

WATCH the conversation on YouTube

W. Travis McMaken, PhD, is the Butler Bible Endowed Professor of Religion and Associate Dean of Arts and Humanities at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, MO. He is a Ruling Elder in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

McMaken’s writing engages primarily with 20th century theology (esp. Protestant theology, with specialization in Karl Barth, Helmut Gollwitzer, and T. F. Torrance) while working constructively on the subjects of sacramentology, ecclesiology, and political theology.

Previous Episodes with Travis include:

_____________________

This DECEMBER, we will be exploring the 'Theologians of Crisis' in our online Advent class - Breaking into the Broken World. Join us to learn about Karl Barth, Paul Tillich, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Rudolph Bultmann as we explore their thoughts and timely reflections in their Advent/Christmas sermons.

Join my Substack - Process This!

Join our class - THE RISE OF BONHOEFFER, for a guided tour of Bonhoeffer's life and thought.

Spend a week with Tripp & Andrew Root in Bonhoeffer’s House in Berlin this June as part of the Rise of Bonhoeffer Travel Learning Experience. INFO & DETAILS HERE

Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices