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Series Title: Do I Stay Christian? Book Analysis [Part I of V]

This is part one of a five part series analyzing Brian McLaren’s book "Do I Stay Christian”.

In each of the next 5 episodes, Val and Nathan go through McLaren’s 10 compelling reasons to LEAVE institutionalized Christianity and 10 compelling reasons to STAY.

In this episode the first two reasons to LEAVE are as follows:

1) Because of the brutal treatment of Jewish people by Christians throughout Christianity’s history, and

2) Because of Christianity’s long history of brutality to their own brave dissenters who have seen institutional problems of blindness, ignorance, and corruption have called them out, and have been physically or psychologically punished.

The two viable reasons to STAY in institutional Christianity discussed in this episode are:

1) Because leaving Christianity hurts those valiantly trying to heal systemic problems [and those staying comprise some of the bravest, noblest badasses you can find anywhere😉] and

2) because there are more options than to stay compliantly or leave defiantly.

Those who stay can model high levels of integrity, authenticity, and personal authority. Val and Nathan respect McLaren’s straightforward, honest look at our Christian history and share in his trust that each of us is wise enough to look truth straight in the eye in order to forge our own path towards spiritual health and wholeness.

Book referenced in this episode

• ⁠Do I Stay Christian?: A Guide for the Doubters, the Disappointed, and the Disillusioned, by Brian D. McLaren

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Series Title: Journey Out of Orthodoxy [Part II of II]

This episode is part II of Valerie and Nathan’s reflections on their journey out of orthodoxy. In this episode they respond to the large amount of feedback that the previous episode received by those listening to Valerie’s former podcast “Generation Xhausted” and address several questions, including their thoughts on parenting, leaving institutional religion all together, and more.  

Val also talks about how the human brain as a “three member committee” struggles to meet separate needs and gives a neurological explanation for why faith expansion brings up so much angst in so many people. Book referenced in this episode: Faith After Doubt by Brian McLaren.

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Series Title: Journey Out of Orthodoxy [Part I of II]

In this episode, Val and Nathan share a recording from Valerie's first podcast titled "Generation Xhausted", which is a podcast where Valerie delved into issues of soul crisis, something that many people simply call "burnout", ranging from crisis in marriage, aging, parenting, work, body image, and finally, faith crisis.  

In this particular episode, Val and Nathan talk about their own faith journeys and their ongoing realizations as they left the simplicity and somewhat hubristic comfort of orthodoxy.  They also share how they have—and currently are—making meaning of the complexities of relationship with institutional religion in the face of personal soul expansion.

This is the very first podcast episode that Valerie and Nathan did together tackling the LDS faith journey...who knew where this would lead?  

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Join Val in this beautiful conversation with Jody England Hansen as together they explore the complexities of membership in the human race (oh, and also in the LDS church) as well as other beautiful ideas about making meaning of struggle and becoming the makers of meaning in our own spiritual lives.  

This conversation focuses on these two main topics:

• The power and importance of taking ownership in our own worship.  Much can be learned if we are allowed to find and interpret relevant meaning in every aspect of our lives (ranging from the symbolism in the LDS temple to the symbolism in Star Wars or Lord of the Rings).  
• As we realize we are the creators of meaning, we find ourselves more satisfied in our worship, rather than feeling guilt, shame, or boredom for having meaning imposed upon us by outside forces.
• Jody also offers thoughts on how her childhood in the home of Mormon progressive scholar and educator Gene England has influenced her ability to stay in the wrestle and create a spiritual life that works for her, while also honoring that each individual has a unique hero's journey of their own. 

Mentioned in this episode: 

• YouTube Video — Rabbi Benay Lappe - An Unrecognizable Jewish Future: A Queer Talmudic Take (Recommended by Jodi)
• Poem — Voting As a Fire Extinguisher, by Kyle Tran Myhre

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In this episode Val and Nathan open up with a refresher courses on the theories of faith development that have impacted their growth the most and break down a theory that is less about stages of faith and more cyclical in nature. 

This stage theory breaks down 

1. Order 
2. Disorder 
3. Reorder. 

They give many examples in pop culture, nature, theology, and myth that illustrates that cycles of birth, death, and rebirth can be found virtually everywhere. This cycle reminds us that Jesus didn't begin the cycle of birth, death, and resurrection, but rather is one sublime manifestation of this pervasive phenomenon. 

Val and Nathan further talk about why we resist this cycle in our own lives, why this cycle is absolutely necessary to our growth and transformation, and how the cycles of order (birth), disorder (death/suffering), and reorder (rebirth/resurrection) can be found most significantly in our own lives as our own ideas, expectations, paradigms, and desires evolve ever upward.

Books referenced in this episode:

• Stages of Faith: The Psychology of Human Development and the Quest for Meaning, by James Fowler
• The Road Less Traveled: A New Psychology of Love, Values, and Spiritual Growth, by M. Scott Peck
• The Different Drum: Community Making and Peace, by M. Scott Peck
• The Road Less Traveled and Beyond: Spiritual Growth in an Age of Anxiety, by M. Scott Peck
• Faith After Doubt: Why Your Beliefs Stopped Working and What to Do About It, by Brian McLaren
• The Hero with a Thousand Faces: The Collected Works of Joseph Campbell, by Joseph Campbell
• The Universal Christ: How a Forgotten Reality Can Change Everything We See, Hope for, and Believe, by Richard Rohr

Podcasts mentioned in this episode:

• Latter Day Struggles | Episode 33: Stages of Faith Development, Why We are Stuck, How to get Unstuck (for Valerie's Sunstone Symposium Lecture on Stages of Faith Development and Why we as a church are stuck). 

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In this episode Val and Nathan review several common cognitive biases that many Christians worldwide struggle with due to their leadership’s tendency to constrict intellectualism [because broad and open inquiry may challenge their denomination’s particular ideologies]. 

When intellectualism is stifled, we do not become complex thinkers and we tend to overlook these biases and shortchange our own God-given abilities to grow in knowledge, truth, and wisdom. 

The biases are these:

1. Confirmation bias
2. Complexity bias
3. Community bias
4. Comfort and complacency bias
5. Confidence bias
6. Conspiracy bias
7. Catastrophe/normalcy bias
8. Cash bias

Books referenced in this episode: 

• Do I Stay Christian?: A Guide for the Doubters, the Disappointed, and the Disillusioned, by Brian D. McLaren⁠
• ⁠The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power,⁠⁠ by D. Michael Quinn

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In this episode Nathan and Val draw from the wisdom of Jungian scholar James Hollis and his insights about truly evolved parenting.

Turns out that parenting is not about crafting perfect children.  It is not about crafting compliant children.  It is not even about protecting children from tough lessons.  Nor is it about needing children to carry on their parents belief systems.  While this may induce anxiety in many of us who have been taught that this is exactly what parenting is all about, this in fact is not the healthiest way to create a relationship truly based on unconditional love and connection with our kids.  

Val and Nathan talk about their own journey, the nuances, the differences that arise with children of different ages and even how this dance between parent and child carries on into older (and sometimes much older) adulthood.

The bottom line? Our children are not here to validate our lives, our roles, or our beliefs.  They are here to become beautifully themselves.  And we do well to honor this process.  And we can best honor this process when we are spiritually and psychologically healthy ourselves.

Book referenced in this epode:

• Living an Examined Life, by James Hollis (one of Valerie's top scholarly crushes)

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Series Title: Tribute to the Life & Poetry of Carol Lynn Pearson [Part VIII of VIII]

In this Q&R episode Valerie asks CAROL LYNN PEARSON several tough questions from you listeners about how she has managed to navigate some of the thorniest topics in Mormondom. Perhaps the more challenging question she answers is how she navigates feeling congruent with herself as a contributing and lifelong member in a religious institution that struggles so much with issues of gender, patriarchy, control, and power.  

One of the MANY nuggets of wisdom that she shares is a plea for all of us to "BE BRAVE.  AND BE KIND."  She embodies both bravery and kindness in her entire life and legacy and invites us to do the same in our open, honest, struggle with the institution that is our home.  She also says, "If there is trouble in the family, we have the right to talk about it.  It is our home and our family."  God bless Carol Lynn.  Enjoy this episode!

Here are some of the books that most influenced Carol Lynn throughout her life:

• The Chalice and the Blade, by Riane Eisler
• The Creation of Patriarchy, by Gerda Lerner
• Goddesses: Mysteries of the Feminine Divine, by Joseph Campbell
• A New Earth: Awakening Your Life's Purpose, by Eckhart Tolle
• A Course in Miracles: Combined Volume, by The Foundation for Inner Peace

Podcasts mentioned and recommended in this episode: 

• “In Her Image”
• “Marriage on a Tight Rope” 

To purchase the entire autographed book, go to carollynnpearson.com

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Series Title: Tribute to the Life & Poetry of Carol Lynn Pearson [Part VII of VIII]

For these mini-episodes I will be showcasing some of my favorite poems more deeply acquainting us with the feminine face of God.  Please listen and listen again...these poems hold lost and forgotten truths that can recall to us our sometime distant relationship with our dear Mother God. 

To purchase the entire autographed book, go to carollynnpearson.com.

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Series Title: Tribute to the Life & Poetry of Carol Lynn Pearson [Part VI of VIII]

For these mini-episodes I will be showcasing some of my favorite poems more deeply acquainting us with the feminine face of God.  Please listen and listen again...these poems hold lost and forgotten truths that can recall to us our sometime distant relationship with our dear Mother God.

To purchase the entire autographed book, go to carollynnpearson.com.

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