We've long admired the kind of radical, intentional community that requires its members to make real commitments and sacrifices — and that holds out a vision of Christian ethics built on Jesus' sermon on the mount. Maybe we've even idealized it. In this episode, Katelyn and Roxy hear from journalist Eliza Griswold about the fate of just such a community and what happened when America's wider societal fractures found them.

Plus, we go on an eras tour through our various Christian phases.

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• Eliza Griswold is a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and poet. She is a contributing writing for The New Yorker and directs the Program in Jouranlism at Princeton University. She is the author of "Circle of Hope: A Reckoning with Love, Power, and Justice in an American Church."

You know that feeling when you have just SO. MUCH. TO. SAY about a particular current event but your podcast is on summer break?? Yeah, it's the worst. Silver lining? We've been saving up that snark for months.

So, here goes, why did JD Vance's comments about how childless cat ladies are ruining America hurt our feelings? You could probably guess but wouldn't it be more fun to listen to the episode?

Plus, some summer reminiscing. And Katelyn and Roxy ask the church: how are you elevating and including the childless (cat ladies or otherwise)? 

In the '00s, America was introduced to J.D. Vance, who pitched himself as a middle man between coastal elites and the rural white Americans he'd been raised around. Hillbilly Elegy was part memoir/part explainer and, at the time, seemed to establish Vance as a moderate conservative who wanted to bridge the partisa cultural, political and religious divide.

In this episode, Tyler and journalist/critic Sam Thielman explore Hillbilly Elegy and chart Vance's strange, subsequent journey to becoming Donald Trump's running mate. 

This week we’re wrapping up the special SBTC summer series, “Tell Katelyn What to Do with Her Life,” and Katelyn’s going out with a bang by asking the Beaty Brain Trust about the joys and challenges of parenthood.

SBTC diehards will likely remember Roxy and Katelyn’s great conversation with Annie Parsons last fall. Annie shared her journey of becoming a single mother by choice. At the time, Roxy and Katelyn agreed they wouldn’t likely go down the path as single people.

We reserve the right to change our minds (and marital status!).

This week, Katelyn wonders aloud what it might be like to become a mom as a single person. Once again she’s joined by author and podcaster Elizabeth Oldfield, who reminds us all that we’re called to relinquish some control and let life unfold for the mysterious gift it is. (Bonus: We have POETRY.)

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Meeting a man. Moving apartments. Literally just moving.

Maybe it’s a product of living in NYC, but it seems like you can’t walk outside your door these days without dropping mad cash.

It has recently occurred to Katelyn that, whatever big life decisions she makes, they will assuredly require some financial investment. Experts say by age 40, you should have an emergency fund, be debt-free, and have a retirement nest egg. Gulp.

That’s why episode 3 of the SBTC summer series, “Tell Katelyn What to Do with Her Life,” is about the thing we’re not supposed to talk about (besides religion and politics): money. Thankfully, there’s nothing more Amber Hacker, CFO of Interfaith America and fellow RNS podcast host, likes to discuss. Katelyn also fields financial advice from her 4-year-old nephew and brings back Elizabeth Oldfield for a spiritual slant on the topic the Bible talks about the most.

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Behold…the power of man-ifesting.

She’s been on the apps. She’s been to church events. She even went to a speed dating mixer with Roxy back in the day. So maybe it’s time Katelyn mix up her straight in her search for romance. Manifesting—the belief that our thoughts determine our futures—grows out of the positive thinking movement and has a distinctly American bent. Is it all hooey, or is there something to it?

In episode 2 of our SBTC summer series, Katelyn asks the Beaty Brain Trust for tips and tricks on finding romance. Then she hits the streets of New York City to see if this whole manifesting idea has any merit. (Hint: It ends in a bar called “Up Stairs,” with a free drink and some chicken tendies.) She also welcomes back Elizabeth Oldfield for a conversation on finding God amid longings deferred.

GUESTS:

• The Beaty Brain Trust: Richard Clark; Chuck DeGroat; Sarah Baldwin Scherf; E. Karen and Tim Beaty; and Roxy Stone

• Elizabeth Oldfield is author of the book Fully Alive: Tending to the Soul in Turbulent Times and hosts The Sacred podcast

Remember when people used to throw “over the hill” parties when folks turned 40? Katelyn doesn’t feel over the hill, but she’s also aging out of the young adult church group, if you know what we mean.

A milestone birthday is a great time to reflect on the life you’ve built and the person you’re becoming and want to become. That’s what this SBTC special summer series is all about. We’re calling it: “Tell Katelyn What to Do with Her Life.”

Katelyn has gathered the Beaty Brain Trust to help her find answers in four key areas of discernment. This first week, she’s asking, “Where should I live?” She’s joined by family and friends as well as author and podcaster Elizabeth Oldfield (who has the best British accent) to imagine what life might be like beyond New York City, and how to build a rich life with others wherever you end up.

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In the late '80s, a historical romance pro named Francine Rivers became a Christian, and decided to combine her creative interests with her newfound faith. The result is Redeeming Love, a runaway hit that repackaged a few verses from the Book of Hosea into a historical romance complete with trauma, betrayal, sex and more trauma. Tyler is joined by novelist Liz Riggs (who is, full disclosure, also his wife) to break down bodice-ripping, slut-shaming epic. 

After you have spent most of your adult life single, as we have, you recognize the importance of building a network of friends who are more than just brunch buddies. You need those friends who send you soup when you're sick and offer their couch for days on end after a breakup and are more than happy to sit in the hospital waiting room while you recover from anesthesia.

When you're married, these are the expected role of the spouse, but that's not the reality for many of us today. And maybe it was always too much for one person to bear anyway. On this episode, Katelyn and Roxy take another look at the early church in Acts and ask: What if they had it right all along and why have we so persistently ignored their model?

Plus, we talk with Rhaina Cohen and imagine what it could look like to elevate the role of friendship in our lives.

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Why is it a tough time to be a pastor? Let's count the ways: a pandemic, a racial justice uprising, an insurrection, hyper partisanship in the pews, cataclysmic global wars. This is not to mention all the normal pulpit pressures, like blurry boundaries, pastoral care, complaining stakeholders, etc, etc. etc. Being a pastor is hard y'all! That's why Katelyn and Roxy wanted to talk with seasoned New York pastor, Rich Villodas, who has been pastoring an incredibly diverse church in Queens for 16 years. We wanted to hear what unique pressures pastors face and how congregants can offer true support.

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