Homebrewed Christianity

In this episode, I am joined by theologian, ethicist, and Associate Director of the Center of Theological Inquiry at Princeton, Dr. Joshua Mauldin. We delve into Joshua's recent work examining Karl Barth and Dietrich Bonhoeffer, not just as theologians but as critics of modernity. The conversation covers how these figures reflected on the crises of democracy during their time, the rise of Nazism, and World War II, while drawing parallels to today's societal challenges. We also explore the nuances of political and ethical thought in a modern context, stressing the importance of tolerance and critical reflective engagement. This is an insightful episode for theology nerds and those interested in modern political and ethical thought.

Dr. Mauldin is the author of Barth, Bonhoeffer, and Modern Politics, also available in audio at a significantly cheaper price. For more audio fun with Johsua, check out the Theology Matters podcast from the Center of Theological Inquiry. 

You can WATCH this conversation on YouTube here

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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.

Go with me to Berlin to spend a week in Bonhoeffer's House!

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, we bring you a deep and reflective conversation from Theology Beer Camp focusing on the interlocking crises of democracy and religion in America. The panel took place on the Theology Nerd stage and was moderated by previous podcast guest, Aaron Stauffer from Wendland-Cook Program in Religion & Justice  at Vanderbilt University and features esteemed scholars Robert C. Jones, Diana Butler Bass, and Gary Dorrien. They explore various dimensions of liberal democracy, social democracy, and the historical and present impacts of religion and race on American politics. The discussion delves into personal histories, the influence of the black social gospel, and practical steps for communities and churches to combat current socio-political challenges, particularly emphasizing community organizing and educational initiatives.

If you want to get info, updates, and access to pre-sale tickets for Theology Beer Camp 2025 you can signup here.

For information on Wendland-Cook's Solidarity Circles, a program to build virtual peer-networks for faith leaders, organizers, clergy, and members of the community to build grassroots solidarity, head over here.

Previous Podcast Conversations

Aaron Stauffer is the Director of Online Learning and Associate Director of the Wendland-Cook Program at Vanderbilt University Divinity School. He earned his PhD in social ethics at Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York and has organized with the Industrial Areas Foundation in San Antonio, Texas and Religions for Peace. His work has appeared in Tikkun, Sojourners, The Other Journal, Political Theology, and CrossCurrents, as well as other scholarly and popular publications.

Diana Butler Bass, Ph.D., is an award-winning author, popular speaker, inspiring preacher, and one of America’s most trusted commentators on religion and contemporary spirituality.

Gary Dorrien is Reinhold Niebuhr Professor of Social Ethics at Union Theological Seminary and Professor of Religion at Columbia University. He is also the author of Anglican Identities: Logos Idealism, Imperial Whiteness, Commonweal Ecumenism, Social Ethics in the Making: Interpreting an American Tradition, American Democratic Socialism and In a Post-Hegelian Spirit: Philosophical Theology as Idealistic Discontent. You won’t want to miss his upcoming theological memoir Over from Union Road My Christian-Left-Intellectual Life.

Robert P. Jones. Is the president and founder of Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) and the author of three books best-selling books, The Hidden Roots of White Supremacy and the Path to a Shared American Future , White Too Long: The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity, The End of White Christian America .

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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.

Go with me to Berlin to spend a week in Bonhoeffer's House!

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 writer and director Todd Komarnicki to discuss his upcoming movie, Bonhoeffer. Komarnicki discusses the grueling yet rewarding process of adapting the complicated and meaningful life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer to the big screen. We delve into Todd's relationship with Bonhoeffer and how Dietrich's story, faith, and historical context create unique cinematic challenges when telling his story in film. In the conversation, Todd addresses the controversy surrounding the film and the legacy of Bonhoeffer, rejecting Metaxas' influence and insisting that Bonhoeffer's witness serves as a challenge to Christian nationalism then and now. Komarnicki shares his thoughts on the importance of integrity, his creative process, and the deeply personal connections that bring the film to life. I was proud I managed to get through the entire conversation without asking about the four main food groups at the North Pole:)

WATCH the conversation here on YouTube

Todd Komarnicki is a prolific writer and producer of film and television as well as an acclaimed novelist. He is the writer and director of the new film Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin. Komarnicki's screenplays include Sully directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Tom Hanks, which opened at #1 in the box office to rave reviews from critics and audiences alike. He was also the producer of one of the most EPIC Christmas films, Elf starring Will Ferrell!

The film opens nationwide on November 22nd, and you can find tickets in your area here.

For those interested in the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, I would love for you to check out our audio documentary on Bonhoeffer and his resistance to Nazi Germany. Over 8 episodes, it walks through Bonhoeffer's life and legacy with the wisdom of Bonhoeffer scholars across the globe. I created it with Dr. Jeffrey Pugh to introduce the historical Bonhoeffer to a broad audience, hoping to address some of the myths and misuses of his legacy rampant in popular culture. Suppose you want to go deeper into Bonhoeffer's theology. In that case, you can join the documentary's companion class, The Rise of Bonhoeffer, to get access to extended interviews with renowned Bonhoeffer scholars, regular livestream QnA sessions, selected readings from Bonhoeffer, and an online community of fellow Bonhoeffer learners. The class is donation-based, including 0, so join the online community and learn at your own pace.

Want to read some Bonhoeffer? We are giving away The Complete Works of Dietrich Bonhoeffer (16 vols)!! You can enter the giveaway and score extra entries by sharing it with friends.

Want to learn about Bonhoeffer in Bonhoeffer's own house? Spend a week with me & Dr. Andrew Root in Bonhoeffer's House in Berlin this June as part of the Rise of Bonhoeffer Travel Learning Experience. INFO & DETAILS HERE

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Join my Substack - Process This!

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

Go with me to Berlin to spend a week in Bonhoeffer's House!

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. Preston Hill and Sarey Concepcion for a conversation about psychological trauma and theology. Preston's academic work focuses on trauma theology, aiming to help people of faith understand and address trauma through a science-informed approach. The conversation delves into the importance of balancing the seriousness of trauma with the possibilities for hope and healing. Additionally, we discuss the launch of the Spiritual First Responders Project.

WATCH the conversation on YouTube here.

Dr. Preston Hill serves as Assistant Professor of Integrative Theology at Richmont Graduate University and the Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program. ln 2021 he completed a Ph.D. in Theology at St Mary’s College, University of St Andrews, having previously completed an MLitt degree in Analytic and Exegetical Theology from the Logos Institute at St Andrews. He has released his first coauthored book with Scott Harrower and Joshua Cockayne entitled Dawn of Sunday: The Trinity and Trauma-Safe Church (Cascade) and is releasing his first edited volume entitled Christ and Trauma: Theology East of Eden (Pickwick Publications). Dr. Hill is also ordained in the Anglican tradition and is a pre-licensed clinical pastoral therapist.

Spiritual First Responders Project: Spiritual thriving after a big faith change is possible! The Spiritual First Responders Project is a new resource for navigating faith change with evidence-backed processing groups led by licensed mental health professionals. They are looking for folks who have de-identified from religion but are still seeking a healthy community and some sort of healthy spiritual practice.

We know that globally, one out of every five people used to identify as religious and now no longer identify as religious. Half of those folks still have persisting spiritual desires and don't feel like those desires are being satisfied. There's no current social infrastructure to help them flourish how they want. If you aren't finding room for doubting, questioning, or exploring other parts of your own tradition and other traditions altogether, and you want a safe community to do so, consider joining the SFRP. The essential aim is to provide groups that are aimed to meet the unique needs of this population. So if you would benefit from a safe, anonymous group led by a licensed mental health professional, check it out.

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Join my Substack - Process This!

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

Go with me to Berlin to spend a week in Bonhoeffer's House!

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

Philosopher Dr. Aaron Simmons & ethicist Dr. Kevin Carnahan join me for a powerful and enlightening conversation. These two friends and scholars attempt to process the recent election results through the lens of philosophy, theology, and ethics. Addressing complex societal anxieties, they helped me delve into themes of burnout, cross-tribal dialogue, the reality of human suffering, and the necessity of compassion. Despite the challenging topics, the conversation maintains a hopeful tone, encouraging listeners to lead with empathy and resilience during turbulent times.

You can WATCH this conversation on YouTube here.

Dr. Simmons is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Furman University. You can follow his Substack 'Philosophy in the Wild.'

Dr. Carnahan is Professor of Philosophy and Religion at Central Methodist University, former editor of the Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics, and president of The Niebuhr Society. You can follow him on Tic-Tok.

Previous Related Episodes with Kevin and Aaron

_____________________

Join my Substack - Process This!

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

Go with me to Berlin to spend a week in Bonhoeffer's House!

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 thought-provoking episode, I am joined by Dr. David Congdon to discuss his new book tackling the complex question of what defines a true Christian. The conversation delves into the historical and theological nuances of defining Christianity through various lenses such as doctrine, culture, and politics. Congdon critiques modern and orthodox notions of Christianity while proposing a new framework he calls 'polydoxy', informed by intellectual autonomy and religious self-determination. The discussion also explores how traditional ideas about orthodoxy and heterodoxy might evolve in a contemporary context, offering a fresh perspective on the ever-relevant debate about religious identity and authority.

WATCH the conversation here 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.

In this episode, we discuss his new book Who Is a True Christian?: Contesting Religious Identity in American Culture. It is an intellectual history of the modern quest to define the “essence of Christianity,” a quest that both liberals and conservative traditionalists have participated in—the former wittingly and reflectively, and the latter often unwittingly and unreflectively. The book examines three versions of the conservative quest for the essence that have profoundly shaped contemporary American Christianity: the doctrinal quest for “historic Christianity,” the cultural quest for the Christian worldview, and the political quest for a global, persecuted, cisheteronormative identity. Having traced these developments historically, he argues that the root of the problem is the concept of orthodoxy itself, and suggests the transgressive concept of polydoxy as a constructive way forward for Christianity in a pluralistic society.

Previous Podcast Episodes with David

_____________________

Join my Substack - Process This!

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

Go with me to Berlin to spend a week in Bonhoeffer's House!

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, Tripp sits down with returning guest Paul Capetz, a historical theologian and Methodist minister, to discuss his new compelling book on the Reformation's relationship to scripture. They delve into the evolution and the different trajectories of scriptural interpretation from Martin Luther and John Calvin, through modern theologians like Karl Barth and Rudolf Bultmann. Capetz shares personal anecdotes about his journey in the church and discusses the critical need for Protestantism to reorient itself around the gospel, while making space for modern questions and criticisms. This conversation navigates through historical theology, scripture's authority, and the vital challenge of reclaiming an authentically Protestant understanding of faith in today's context.

WATCH the conversation on YouTube

Paul E. Capetz is professor of historical theology emeritus at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities in Minnesota, and is currently minister at Christ Church by the Sea in Newport Beach, California. He is the author of God: A Brief History and co-editor of James Gustafson’s Moral Discernment in the Christian Life. This episode centers on his recent book, Recovering Protestantism’s Original Insight.

01:19 Discussing the New Book

03:26 Personal Journey and Early Influences

06:40 Challenges with Biblical Interpretation

19:44 Luther vs. Calvin on Scripture

29:21 Modern Protestantism and Its Contradictions

37:29 Historical Critical Methods and Modernity

39:05 Liberal Protestantism and the Reformation Heritage

40:18 Barth and Bultmann: Diverging Paths

47:24 Existential Interpretation and Demythologizing

51:27 Modernity, Faith, and the Existential Question

58:44 Challenges of Contemporary Christianity

01:04:38 The Future of Liberal Protestantism

01:15:47 Concluding Thoughts and Reflections

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Join my Substack - Process This!

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

Go with me to Berlin to spend a week in Bonhoeffer's House!

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

So many of us have been challenged and shaped by the witness and work of Gustavo Gutiérrez, the Father of Liberation Theology. Few theologians have shaped theology in the 20th century and beyond as much as Gutiérrez, so I asked my friend Dr. Joerg Rieger to join me in reflecting on his life. Joerg is not just a fellow scholar of liberation but was blessed to work and interact with Gustavo personally. In our conversation, we introduce some of his most important theological contributions and let Joerg share some stories to give us a window into his powerful personality.

Learn more about Solidarity Circles here.

You can WATCH the video on YouTube

Joerg Rieger is Distinguished Professor of Theology and the Cal Turner Chancellor’s Chair of Wesleyan Studies. He is also the founding director of the Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice. For more than two decades, he has worked to bring together theology and the struggles for justice and liberation that mark our age. His work addresses the relation of theology and public life, reflecting on the misuse of power in religion, politics, and economics. His main interest is in developments and movements that bring about change and in the positive contributions of religion and theology. His constructive work in theology draws on a wide range of historical and contemporary traditions, with a concern for manifestations of the divine in the pressures of everyday life.

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Join my Substack - Process This!

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

Go with me to Berlin to spend a week in Bonhoeffer's House!

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 Kester Brewin, my partner, for the first Process This series on Artificial Intelligence. Here we wrap-up our series of interviews as we delve into the multifaceted impact of artificial intelligence on theology, ethics, law, and society. Reflecting on our conversations with interdisciplinary experts, we focus on the philosophical and ethical implications of AI, from Taylor Swift's stance on AI misuse to the potential dangers of deep fake technology on social media platforms. Topics include AI's challenges to human individuality, freedom, and personhood, illustrated by references to TikTok, historical events, and Weber's theory of disenchantment. The episode explores the balancing act between technological advancements and ethical considerations, highlighting both optimistic and pessimistic views on AI's role in problem-solving and its societal impact. Through examples from Tolkien, transhumanism, and educational practices, the discussion underscores the need for responsible regulation and the importance of community in navigating modern capitalism's whirlpool, ultimately pondering the true cost of technological progress on human dignity and autonomy.

Kester joined me, and the members of the Process This community as we recorded it live. If you want to hear the entire conversation, be invited to join future Process This live streams, and get an ad-free version of all the Homebrewed Christianity podcast episodes, then come join the community for as little as $6.70 per month. 

Kester Brewin is an author, speaker, 25-year veteran of the classroom, and now Head of Communications at the Institute for the Future of Work, a research charity exploring how AI impacts the UK labour market. His most recent book, God-Like: a 500-year History of AI, is not only a powerful telling of humanity’s ongoing relationship with technology and a reflection on the current questions surrounding AI, but it is also a powerful and compelling work of radical theology. 

Previous Episodes with Kester

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Join my Substack - Process This!

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

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

On this episode, I am joined by Logan Isaac, a veteran, theologian, and ethicist, to discuss the intricate relationship between the church and veterans. This conversation delves into the trauma and moral harm veterans bring into faith communities, the stereotypes faced by soldiers, and the responsibility of the church in addressing these issues. Logan shares his personal journey from artilleryman to conscientious objector, offering deep insights into the ethical complexities, the role of humility, and the importance of creating inclusive spaces for veterans. Explore the narrative of spiritual and political empowerment, the impact of stereotypes, and the historical context of veterans' involvement in social movements. Don't miss this enriching dialogue, which also highlights some upcoming opportunities to connect at Theology Beer Camp aimed at fostering support and understanding for veterans and their families.

Logan Issac served six years in the Army as a forward observer assigned to the 82nd Airborne and 25th Infantry (Light) divisions. After a deployment to Iraq, he sought to lay down my weapons as a noncombatant but was discharged instead. Then he earned degrees in theology at Duke University (MTS, 2013) and the University of St Andrews (M.Litt, 2015). He is an author and editor with over 20 publications, including Reborn on the Fourth of July, awarded a Publishers Weekly Starred Review, and “Ponder Christian Soldiers,” named the Best Article Series of 2016 by the Evangelical Press Association.

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Join my Substack - Process This!

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

Come to THEOLOGY BEER CAMP.

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