In this episode, we reflect on Paul Kingsnorth’s critique of modern civilization, beginning with his recent lecture and moving into a wider discussion of Christian civilization, cultural decline, and the spiritual conditions of the modern age. Drawing on figures such as Oswald Spengler and Arnold Toynbee, the conversation explores Kingsnorth’s account of “the Machine” as a way of naming the impersonal technological, economic, and cultural forces that shape contemporary life. We consider what it means to live within such a world without being wholly absorbed by it, and how Christians might recover a deeper sense of agency, identity, and faithfulness amid the pressures of a machine-dominated civilization.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Preparing for the Journey

09:22 Christian Civilization and Cultural Shifts

24:30 Paul Kingsnorth's Critique of Christian Civilization

31:22 Understanding the Critique

37:38 The Influence of Spengler and Toynbee

45:56 Defining the Machine

51:32 Living with the Machine

01:03:19 Existential Reflections

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In this episode, Oliver and Ante explore themes of biblical lamentations, trauma, divine silence, and hope. They analyze the structure and theology of Lamentations, connect it to contemporary suffering, and discuss how faith persists amidst unanswered prayers and divine absence.

Chapters

• 00:00 Exploring the Book of Lamentations
• 13:30 The Meaning of 'No Resting Place'
• 22:15 The Structure and Chaos of Lamentations
• 30:35 Divine Wrath and Confusion
• 36:16 Exploring the Intensity of Lamentations
• 48:13 The Concept of God's Solidarity
• 57:07 The Role of Lamentations in the Community of Faith
• 01:09:27 The Silence of Faith in the Absence of Answers

Olive and Ante are discussing the meaning of Easter and how, paradoxically, it addresses both human doubt and comfort. Along the way, they explore whether doubt is beneficial, whether it might be "demonic," and what role certainty plays in a mature Christian faith.

* * * * * NEW TO THE PODCAST?
In this podcast, we engage in free-ranging conversations about life, faith, philosophy, ethics, relationships, culture, experience, and all matters existential. As the show’s title suggests, we approach these topics “in the middle of things”—grabbing hold of them unsystematically and provisionally. As for who we are: we are friends, verbal sparring partners, and colleagues at Andrews University. - Oliver Glanz and Ante Jerončič 

Send us your comments. We appreciate those!

It has been nearly a year since Oliver and Ante recorded their last episode. During this time, much has happened both in the world and in their personal lives. They have decided to engage in a free-flowing conversation about various aspects of their lives to reconnect, catch up, and set the stage for future discussions. For the first time, there is a transcript of the episode, which may be of interest to some listeners. Until next time!

* * * * * NEW TO THE PODCAST?
In this podcast, we engage in free-ranging conversations about life, faith, philosophy, ethics, relationships, culture, experience, and all matters existential. As the show’s title suggests, we approach these topics “in the middle of things”—grabbing hold of them unsystematically and provisionally. As for who we are: we are friends, verbal sparring partners, and colleagues at Andrews University. - Oliver Glanz and Ante Jerončič 

Send us your comments. We appreciate those!

Shame is a powerful and elusive emotion—often unnamed, yet deeply formative. In this episode, Ante and Oliver explore the nature of shame: what it is, where it comes from, and why it matters. They consider whether shame is universal or culturally accentuated, how it emerges early in life, and how it is bound up with our sense of standing and visibility before others. Drawing on insights from psychology, philosophy, and theology, they examine shame as a profoundly social emotion—one that can paralyze, distort, or even erupt into violence. They also discuss how shame differs from guilt, how it shapes identity and behavior, and whether it can be transformed into something redemptive.

* * * * * NEW TO THE PODCAST?
In this podcast, we engage in free-ranging conversations about life, faith, philosophy, ethics, relationships, culture, experience, and all matters existential. As the show’s title suggests, we approach these topics “in the middle of things”—grabbing hold of them unsystematically and provisionally. As for who we are: we are friends, verbal sparring partners, and colleagues at Andrews University. - Oliver Glanz and Ante Jerončič 

Send us your comments. We appreciate those!

René Girard—a French-American literary critic, philosopher, and anthropologist—has profoundly shaped Oliver's and Ante's thinking. In this episode, they explore key Girardian themes: desire, imitation, envy, resentment, violence, the origins of religion, and scapegoating. They argue that Girard offers a lens that, if taken seriously, radically reconfigures how we understand both reality and Scripture.

* * * * * NEW TO THE PODCAST?
In this podcast, we engage in free-ranging conversations about life, faith, philosophy, ethics, relationships, culture, experience, and all matters existential. As the show’s title suggests, we approach these topics “in the middle of things”—grabbing hold of them unsystematically and provisionally. As for who we are: we are friends, verbal sparring partners, and colleagues at Andrews University. - Oliver Glanz and Ante Jerončič 

Send us your comments. We appreciate those!

In this episode of IMR Bites, Ante turns to the theme of wisdom, central to Scripture, moral philosophy, and the moral life. Drawing on biblical texts, especially the wisdom literature and Paul’s letters, as well as insights from psychology, he explores how wisdom involves discernment, moral perception, and the ability to navigate complexity. In a time flooded with information but lacking clarity, the episode asks what it means to live wisely—and how wisdom is both something we cultivate and something we receive

Send us your comments. We appreciate those!

In this episode, Olive and Ante tackle the fraught topic of sexuality and gender.  What they are primarily interested in is how these issues are framed in contemporary culture and how certain types of discourse on these matters have become normalized over time. In so doing, they are coming to terms with the basic truism of life: all beliefs and convictions have a history behind them.

* * * * * NEW TO THE PODCAST?
In this podcast, we engage in free-ranging conversations about life, faith, philosophy, ethics, relationships, culture, experience, and all matters existential. As the show’s title suggests, we approach these topics “in the middle of things”—grabbing hold of them unsystematically and provisionally. As for who we are: we are friends, verbal sparring partners, and colleagues at Andrews University. - Oliver Glanz and Ante Jerončič 

Send us your comments. We appreciate those!

In this first episode of In Medias Res Bites, Ante introduces a new short-form format within the IMR podcast. These occasional reflections, offered by either Oliver or Ante, and possibly guest contributors in the future, complement the longer dialogues with focused meditations on themes central to the art of living.

Edited episode transcript

In this opening reflection, Ante explores the idea of archetypes—not as abstract roles or fixed types, but as existential ideals that help shape who we are becoming. Drawing on figures like Jung, Plato, the Stoics, and Scripture, he considers how certain archetypes—such as the hero, the sage, or the pilgrim—awaken in us a longing for the good and invite us to align with our deepest aspirations. He shares five archetypes that have come to orient his own journey and reflects on how such patterns of being can offer clarity, coherence, and moral direction amid the complexities of life. This episode sets the stage for a series of future reflections, each delving into one of these archetypes in greater depth.

* * * * * NEW TO THE PODCAST?
In this podcast, we engage in free-ranging conversations about life, faith, philosophy, ethics, relationships, culture, experience, and all matters existential. As the show’s title suggests, we approach these topics “in the middle of things”—grabbing hold of them unsystematically and provisionally. As for who we are: we are friends, verbal sparring partners, and colleagues at Andrews University. - Oliver Glanz and Ante Jerončič 

Send us your comments. We appreciate those!

In this episode, Oliver is joined by Torben, a psychiatrist from Norway, and Julia, a high school teacher, mother, and CBT counselor from Austria. Together, we explore how narratives shape personal and communal identity, drawing on insights from psychology, neuroscience, and theology. The conversation delves into the formative power of memory, its connection to trauma and healing, and how we can become intentional agents in reshaping the stories we live by—for the sake of personal growth, relational depth, and spiritual orientation.

* * * * * NEW TO THE PODCAST?
In this podcast, we engage in free-ranging conversations about life, faith, philosophy, ethics, relationships, culture, experience, and all matters existential. As the show’s title suggests, we approach these topics “in the middle of things”—grabbing hold of them unsystematically and provisionally. As for who we are: we are friends, verbal sparring partners, and colleagues at Andrews University. - Oliver Glanz and Ante Jerončič 

Send us your comments. We appreciate those!