Blessed Are the Binary Breakers

Honest to God: From the spotlight, to the pulpit, to the wilderness

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John Hamilton is a non-theist pastor whose lifelong search for transcendence has taken him from altar boy to rock-and-roll musician, from preaching with certainty into embracing the unknowable nature of God. In this episode, John and I discuss his upcoming memoir, Honest to God, which comes out September 15. Get book info at Wildhouse Publishing here.

Click here for an episode transcript.

Content warning: alcohol & addiction (from 19:00-24:35).

Talking Points:

  • (0:00) Introducing John Hamilton’s memoir Honest to God
  • (5:00) The inspiration and publication process
  • (11:00) Reaching ego death through transcendence; transcendence in Catholic worship
  • (16:13) Finding transcendence as a rock-and-roll musician
  • (19:00) Years of keeping a panic disorder secret; getting in and out of alcohol dependence
  • (24:35) Becoming a pastor, coming to understand that God is unknowable
  • (36:10) Looking to humanity's future — more divisions, dying churches; what do we hold onto?
  • (44:00) Finding "hard hope" while pastoring dying churches
  • (47:30) Hoping for deeper and more honest conversations; wrapping up

    • Where to find John:

    • therealjohnhamilton.com
    • John's substack
    • John's music on Spotify
    • John's playlist for Honest to God

      • ____

      This show's theme song is "Aetherium" by Leah Horn. This episode also made use of "At Home," "Sunrise, St. Chapelle," and "Closing Time" by John Hamilton, with permission.

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      Blessed Are the Binary BreakersBy Avery Arden
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