Theology Nerd Throwdown

It is time to NERD OUT with your GEEK OUT!

In this episode I am joined by my colleague and friend Dr. Sarah lane Ritchie. She was on the podcast this past summer and since moving to Edinburgh we’ve been planning to record again, so here it is.

At the beginning of the episode Sarah answers a question a number of you sent in about the different Religion and Science degrees offered here at the University of Edinburgh. Here’s info for the online Philosophy, Science and Religion Masters, the on campus taught Masters, and research based Masters and PhD Degrees.

From there we end up discussing a number of different topics, largely based off questions I received including…

Dr. Sarah Lane Ritchie is Lecturer in Theology and Science at the University of Edinburgh. She has a PhD in Science and Religion from the University of Edinburgh, where her doctoral work focused on the question of divine action in the human mind. A Michigander by birth, Sarah also holds a BA in Philosophy and Religion from Spring Arbor University, an MDiv from Princeton Theological Seminary, and an MSc in Science and Religion from the University of Edinburgh. Her published work focuses on questions arising from the intersection of theology, philosophy, and the various brain-related sciences. Sarah’s research interests include divine action, philosophy of mind, naturalism, cognitive science of religion, and the psychology of belief formation.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guess what theology nerds?

This is a special announcement.

I have just accepted a position as Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Edinburgh. There I will be part of a John Templeton Foundation project, God and the Book of Nature: Building a Science-Engaged Theology of Nature. It is hard to exaggerate how excited I am about this position and the opportunity to work in theological education. On top of that I will be able to interact and connect with a host of new voices for the podcast, across the pond.

It really is a dream come true for this theology nerd.

Here’s where I would absolutely love your help.

Taking an entry level academic position at a prestigious university will open doors in the long run, so we want to take the venture as a family. The transition over seas will have a pretty significant hit in our monthly income, but being frugal isn’t the biggest concern, it is the rather daunting costs of moving over seas. That’s why we setup a GoFundMe where you can make a tax-deductible donation to the process.

For over 11 years Homebrewed Christianity has been bringing you online theological resources. With 70k regular listeners and having crossed over 3 million downloads already this year, I know many of you enjoy it almost as much as I do. Your support not only makes the podcast possible, but has enabled me to continue to pursue my dream.

I am asking for those who are able to help out. Here’s two ways you can.

Donate to the GoFundMe to help us cover the moving costs. This donation is tax-deductible because of our partnership with ReWilder.

Join the Homebrewed Community and support the podcast with a monthly donation. You will also get access to a bunch of goodies including a year-long introduction to contemporary theology.

If you’re strapped for funds, don’t worry about it. Please, keep enjoying the podcast! But if you’re able to help out, either one-time via GoFundMe or recurring via the Homebrewed Community, it would mean alot to me.

Either way, I look forward to bringing you all-new zestiness from across the pond.

Thanks for considering!

Tripp

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Elgin, my oldest son, just turned 11 and he has managed to talk himself into a podcast appearance. Personally I had a blast. It may be a completely new parenting tactic – get your 11 year old Son to record a podcast and they will talk to you about something other than Fortnite for 30 minutes!!

Elgin is a pretty big fan of the National Geographic show MARS and we are currently rocking the second season. It is about an international team of scientists who go on a mission to colonize the red planet. The cool thing about the show is they go back and forth with a not-too-far-ahead future narrative of the first Mars team and cut-ins with info from contemporary scientists or current research connected to the mission. This leads to Elgin asking all sorts of fun questions…some of which we attempt to discuss in the episode.

If you haven’t seen Mars and have a science or Sci-Fi nerd in the house check it out. For those that are going to watch with a very inquisitive offspring, just DVR it so you can pause and discuss as you go through the episode.

For more Mars excitement you can also check out the book the show is based on, How We’ll Live on Mars. It’s extremely readable and quite fun. There is a certain individual in our house who may or may not find the book in a stocking this Christmas.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do Progressive Christians Want to Make Disciples?

We got a call from Deacon Luke Allison and he has a topic that makes the progressive Christian wiggle – discipleship. Jesus called them and told us to do it, but has that time passed? What does disciple-making look like in our pluralistic world? How does the relationship of Jesus to his disciples in the New Testament impact our contemporary vision? Can the call to make disciples ultimately be divorced from the imperial legacy of the church?

I am sure you are thinking of more questions this one topic brings up. Well once I heard the question I knew we needed to talk about it. Here’s my contribution to the conversation. Let me know what you think and any other questions that pop up.

You can be cool like Luke and submit your question via the SpeakPipe RIGHT HERE.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to a special bonus episode of the Theology Nerd Podcast with the Dr. Tripp Fuller. This is a shorter Q&A episode, where your friendly, local internet theologian answers questions submitted by you.

Today Tripp is joined by Scott Paeth, professor and ethicist at DePaul University, to help answer your questions, including:

how would your theological picture of the world change if there was a verified encounter with a sentient extraterrestrial?

Scott and Tripp discuss what that would mean for Christian theology, if God created life on other planets, how we should relate to that other life, and how this would change cosmological arguments.

Plus, could it change our treatment of non-human minds on this planet? what obligations do we have to other sentient creatures?

There are lots of ways you can submit a question for Tripp to answer: go to trippfuller.com and click the “send voicemail” button on the right (near the scroll bar); you can also leave us a 5-star review on iTunes with your question as the review; you can tweet @trippfuller; or you can send an email with your question to [email protected]

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to a special bonus episode of the Theology Nerd Podcast with the Dr. Tripp Fuller. This is a shorter Q&A episode, where your friendly, local internet theologian answers questions submitted by you.

Today Tripp is joined by Scott Paeth, professor and ethicist at DePaul University, to help answer your questions, including:

what is gained by engaging with Karl Marx if you’re a Christian?

Scott and Tripp discuss the affinities between Marxism and Christianity, how capitalism is contrary to Christian values, how Marxism and Christianity draw upon each other, how money and possessions determine a lot about our relationships, and the Marxist critique of religion.

Plus, how our unquestioned ideology sustains our economic systems, and what Marx really has to say about religion.

There are lots of ways you can submit a question for Tripp to answer: go to trippfuller.com and click the “send voicemail” button on the right (near the scroll bar); you can also leave us a 5-star review on iTunes with your question as the review; you can tweet @trippfuller; or you can send an email with your question to [email protected]

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to a special bonus episode of the Theology Nerd Podcast with the Dr. Tripp Fuller. This is a shorter Q&A episode, where your friendly, local internet theologian answers questions submitted by you.

Today Tripp is joined by Scott Paeth, professor and ethicist at DePaul University, to help answer your questions, including:

how would you make the best possible case, as a Christian, for supporting Donald Trump?

Scott explains under what circumstances it is preferable to support Trump, discusses how an ethicist look at questions about truth, goodness, justice in our divided religious and political landscape, and why political norms are important. Tripp shares some of the reasons some people on the extreme Left gave for voting for Trump, and Scott explains why he thinks they are problematic.

Plus, Scott and Tripp make a case for continued investment and engagement in the democratic process.

There are lots of ways you can submit a question for Tripp to answer: go to trippfuller.com and click the “send voicemail” button on the right (near the scroll bar); you can also leave us a 5-star review on iTunes with your question as the review; you can tweet @trippfuller; or you can send an email with your question to [email protected]

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to a special bonus episode of the Theology Nerd Podcast with the Dr. Tripp Fuller. This is a shorter Q&A episode, where your friendly, local internet theologian answers questions submitted by you.

Today, Tripp is joined by Brian McLaren to help answer your questions, including:

what are the 3 best and worst theological ideas you’re thinking about today?

Brian shares his three (total depravity/original sin; literal/inerrant interpretations of scripture; that humans are separate from creation) and asks Tripp an important question. Plus, Tripp rants about the importance of a constructive, articulate description of the Christian faith, and how the church has internalized Kant.

There are lots of ways you can submit a question for Tripp to answer: go to trippfuller.com and click the “send voicemail” button on the right (near the scroll bar); you can also leave us a 5-star review on iTunes with your question as the review; you can tweet @trippfuller; or you can send an email with your question to [email protected]

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to a special bonus episode of the Theology Nerd Podcast with the Dr. Tripp Fuller. This is a shorter Q&A episode, where your friendly, local internet theologian answers questions submitted by you.

Today, Tripp is joined by Brian McLaren to help answer your questions, including:

How do you share your faith with your children with less baggage then you had? What is the role of the community and extended family in this process?

Brian and Tripp talk about figuring out a curriculum of love, the opportunities and challenges that comes with being a parent who wants to share their faith, and the problematic assumptions about Christian formation. Brain also mentions his recent book, The Great Spiritual Migration.

There are lots of ways you can submit a question for Tripp to answer: go to trippfuller.com and click the “send voicemail” button on the right (near the scroll bar); you can also leave us a 5-star review on iTunes with your question as the review; you can tweet @trippfuller; or you can send an email with your question to [email protected]

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to a special bonus episode of the Theology Nerd Podcast with the Dr. Tripp Fuller. This is a shorter Q&A episode, where your friendly, local internet theologian answers questions submitted by you.

Today, Tripp is joined by Brian McLaren to help answer your questions, including:

In the past 3 years I’ve become more committed as a christian and more progressive politically. I just don’t understand the outrage cultural online among progressive Christians where we eat our own. How can we do better?

and

What is the point of Christianity (assuming you don’t really believe people go to hell)?

Brian and Tripp discuss politics, social science, what issues are ok to be pushy on, the disease of the internet and how the desire for retweets can be destructive, salvation and how we’ve twisted it’s meaning, rediscovering the Jewish meaning of salvation, the challenge for people to move past their inherited relationship to Christianity, and the truth at the heart of the gospel.

There are lots of ways you can submit a question for Tripp to answer: go to trippfuller.com and click the “send voicemail” button on the right (near the scroll bar); you can also leave us a 5-star review on iTunes with your question as the review; you can tweet @trippfuller; or you can send an email with your question to [email protected]

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices