Weird Religion

Let us discuss a DANGEROUS TV SHOW. And of course, we’re talking about a very family friendly Jesus TV show—The Chosen. What is the state of the evangelical search for validation, for legitimacy, in the American religious landscape today? Has Christian TV arrived? Can we tell who is an “evangelical” by what they purchase, what they consume?

The Last Temptation of Christ (1988 film): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095497/ 

Artifact: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/the-chosen-dallas-jenkins-interview-season-4-1235909988/

Dallas Jenkins: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dallas_Jenkins

Ronald Numbers, The Creationists: https://books.google.com/books?id=GQ3TI5njXfIC&lpg=PP1&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=false

“Name it and Frame It” Phony Doctorates in the Church: https://www.apologeticsindex.org/2794-name-it-and-frame-it-phony-doctorates-in-the-church

The National Association of Evangelicals: https://www.nae.org/ 

The “Bebbington Quadrilateral”: https://www.baylorpress.com/9781481314435/the-evangelical-quadrilateral/ 

Leah Payne, “‘Sound of Freedom’ and the Media Fueling Belief in America’s ‘Special Role’ in Human History”: https://www.prri.org/spotlight/sound-of-freedom-and-the-media-fueling-belief-in-americas-special-role-in-human-history/

The “Holiness Movement”: https://www.thearda.com/us-religion/history/timelines/entry?etype=3&eid=13

Randall J. Stephens, The Fire Spreads: Holiness and Pentecostalism in the American South: https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674046856

We celebrate the religious aesthetic—and mourn the loss—of Precious Moments creator Sam Butcher. A pastel-colored, Christian-infused aesthetic embodied by Precious Moments may of course prompt a reaction: like the “Precious Mutation” of Keith Busher. Did evangelical art (and theology) ever grow up?

How can this couple have been married 25 years when they are children: https://www.preciousmoments.com/twenty-five-happy-years-together-figurine

Jesus said: “wise as a serpent, gentle as a dove”: https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/Matthew%2010%3A16

Daniel Silliman obituary of Sam Butcher: https://www.christianitytoday.com/2024/05/sam-butcher-precious-moments-art-artist-chapel-obit/

The Sam Butcher story on the Precious Moments website: https://www.preciousmoments.com/butcher-story/

Keith Busher, the “Precious Mutator” (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/preciousmutator/?hl=en; (Etsy): https://www.etsy.com/shop/PreciousMutations

Precious Mutations story: https://www.today.com/home/precious-mutants-are-terrifying-version-precious-moments-figurines-t161577 

Thomas Kincaid, “The Painter of Light”: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Kinkade

The “Precious Moments Chapel” mural: https://www.preciousmoments.com/blog/history-of-precious-moments-chapel-hallelujah-square

Later Sam Butcher paintings of nude bodies: https://x.com/danielsilliman/status/1795890318853767351

Garbage Pail Kids example: https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/120329100954-garbage-pail-kids-leaky-lindsay.jpg?q=w_1248,h_1732,x_0,y_0,c_fill

Today we’re discussing a book by religion and philosophy professor Jeffrey Kripal (Rice University), called How to Think Impossibly: About Souls, UFOs, Time, Belief, and Everything Else (University of Chicago Press, 2024). He seems to be suggesting…that we should believe…in impossible things. Miracles. Levitation. UFOs. Archetypes. And many other things Leah and Brian were told not to believe in during their time in secular graduate programs, of the type that Kripal himself would seem to teach in. What is happening here? We explore. Join us.

“Authentic” was the 2023 Merriam-Webster word of year: https://www.georgefamilyfoundation.org/news/blog-post-title-three-x9s6e-h4jbh#:~:text=Merriam-Webster

Leah Payne, award winner, for God Gave Rock and Roll to You: https://www.christianitytoday.com/2024/12/christianity-today-book-awards-2024/?

Here is the book on the publisher’s website, Jeffrey Kripal’s, How to Think Impossibly: About Souls, UFOs, Time, Belief, and Everything Else: https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/H/bo216049049.html

“dual aspect monism” // double-aspect theory: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double-aspect_theory

Jeffrey J. Kripal: https://profiles.rice.edu/faculty/jeffrey-j-kripal

Jonathan Z. Smith: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Z._Smith

Jonathan Z. Smith, “Religion, Religions, Religious”: https://womrel.sitehost.iu.edu/Rel433%20Readings/SearchableTextFiles/Smith_ReligionReligionsReligious.pdf

Jonathan Z. Smith, “In Comparison a Magic Dwells”: https://classics.osu.edu/sites/classics.osu.edu/files/Magic_Dwells.pdf

Russel McCutcheon, Critics Not Caretakers: https://www.routledge.com/Critics-Not-Caretakers-Redescribing-the-Public-Study-of-Religion/McCutcheon/p/book/9781032467924

Mircea Eliade: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mircea_Eliade

The Nietzsche book Brian was trying to remember: The Birth of Tragedy: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/51356/51356-h/51356-h.htm

Book Leah mentioned, that she taught this past semester: Charles Freeman, Holy Bones, Holy Dust: How Relics Shaped the History of Medieval Europe: https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Bones-Dust-History-Medieval/dp/0300184301

Carlos Eire, They Flew: A History of the Impossible: https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300280074/they-flew/

The mystery of where socks go in the washer: https://youtube.com/shorts/lh64cnjDsWg?si=P15MsWcO3Op2eC3t

The Coach bag Brian is describing, note outer side pocket, and there is an identical one on the other side: https://photos-us.bazaarvoice.com/photo/2/cGhvdG86bWFjeXM/0f759b29-68af-5b3c-85e7-cc3983a4cd24

Feeling spiritually vulnerable while you are in an airport? You are not alone. Looking for a Popeye horror film? You are not alone. Naming your child Muhammed in the UK this year? You are not alone. Flocking to Orthodoxy as a young man? You are not alone. Committing acts of microfeminism? You are not alone.

Portland airport Beni the Therapy Llama: https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2024/11/03/nx-s1-5173755/therapy-animals-portland-airport-llama-alpaca

The new most popular baby name in the UK: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/most-popular-100-baby-names-34251941 

The Late Great Hal Lindsey: https://religionnews.com/2024/12/05/the-late-great-hal-lindsey/

Young men flock to Orthodoxy: https://nypost.com/2024/12/03/us-news/young-men-are-converting-to-orthodox-christianity-in-droves/

The two heads of St. Thomas: https://religionnews.com/2024/12/05/when-it-comes-to-venerating-st-thomas-aquinas-are-two-heads-better-than-one/ 

Are you a microfeminist: https://www.npr.org/2024/12/04/g-s1-36686/microfeminism-ashley-chaney-sexism 

12 acts of microfeminism (image on cover) from: https://www.instagram.com/micahlarsen_/

Book mentioned, We Have Never Been Woke: https://www.city-journal.org/article/review-of-we-have-never-been-woke-by-musa-al-gharbi 

Popeye horror film: https://www.msn.com/en-us/movies/news/gruesome-popeye-horror-film-trailer-sees-classic-character-brutally-murder-helpless-victims/ar-AA1uO0tq 

When, and why, did Catholics stop saying “and also with you” in response to “The Lord be with you,” and instead start saying, “and with your spirit”? And how would you respond to the ecstatic worship practice of “running the aisles”? We discuss the aesthetic we’d want—in heaven. Brian gaslights himself and all academics about “change.” Leah sings several times and claims to be a “pilgrim.” Some very serious talk about the communion ritual. And craniosacral therapy.

And with you vs. And with your spirit: https://www.npr.org/2008/08/11/93419478/catholics-will-no-longer-recite-and-also-with-you 

Let Google google for you!! https://blog.google/products/search/generative-ai-google-search-may-2024/

Matthew 8:8: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%208%3A8&version=NIV

“Running the Aisles” as an ecstatic worship practice: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Running_the_aisles

Cy Twombly, Leaving Paphos: https://gagosian.com/exhibitions/2009/cy-twombly-leaving-paphos-ringed-with-waves/

Craniosacral therapy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craniosacral_therapy

The Swiss have created a new way to confess sins. Brian does something he vowed he would never do. Digital oligarchs will rule our future. A mysterious man passes by outside dressed like a priest of the Pacific Northwest.

The Film Her (2013): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1798709/

“Hey Alexa, Are You Sexist?”: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/12/us/alexa-bots-female-voice.html

Oligarch for Sort Of Post-Evangelicals Peter Enns: https://www.eastern.edu/peter-enns

AI Jesus hears confessions (Vice article): https://www.vice.com/en/article/ai-jesus-is-now-taking-confessions-at-a-church-in-switzerland/ 

AI Jesus hears confessions in Switzerland (video we played): https://www.dw.com/en/switzerlands-ai-jesus-answers-questions-of-faith/video-70737962 

Checking on the term “double dog dare”: https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-origins-of-the-term-double-dog-dare

One of the biggest religious storylines of 2023 has been: the huge number of people leaving their faith communities. Because Christianity is the #1 by volume religion in America, the loss has been felt heaviest there. Why has this been happening? And how many have left? A new book shares the latest research, and the data may shock you (= clickbait)!!! We review and comment and teach. 

The Great Dechurching (new book): https://www.amazon.com/Great-Dechurching-Leaving-Going-Bring/dp/0310147433 

Ryan Burge, PhD: http://ryanburge.net/ 

Ryan Burge substack, “Graphs About Religion”: https://www.graphsaboutreligion.com/ 

“Good Faith” podcast interview with Great Dechurching author Michael Graham: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-great-dechurching-with-david-french-and-michael-graham/id1594454747?i=1000631285992

Peter’s Choi’s book on George Whitefield: https://www.amazon.com/George-Whitefield-Evangelist-Religious-Biography/dp/0802875491 

Buck Williams: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buck_Williams

Beware, lest ye try to convict others in court, that ye have never sinned! We review some recent weird religious news with an eye toward non-obvious stories. From dreams of living forever to Taylor Swift promoting witchcraft: while away this thirty minutes with us.

Lori Vallow statement, opens with “he who is without sin throw the first stone”: https://youtu.be/uJ4nFtSsa3U

On the woman caught in adultery story: https://www.bibleodyssey.org/passages/main-articles/the-woman-caught-in-adultery-john-81-11/

Bonus story: Natalee Hollaway’s murderer claims to have changed his ways, to born again Christianity: https://www.christianpost.com/news/joran-van-der-sloot-claims-hes-now-born-again-christian.html 

The man who thinks he can live forever: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11679715/Tech-tycoon-45-spends-2-million-year-team-doctors-regain-teenage-body.html

The longevity industrial complex: https://www.axios.com/2023/09/24/longevity-podcasts-huberman-rogan-science

Pastor locks himself into cage with lions to show divine protection: https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/world-news/pastor-goes-cage-full-lions-31066685 

Historian Mary Beard on men getting obsessed with the Roman Empire: https://time.com/6317735/men-roman-empire-mary-beard-history/ 

Church buildings going empty: https://slate.com/business/2023/07/church-real-estate-development-west-park-presbyterian.html 

Taylor Swift promotes witchcraft: https://www.movieguide.org/news-articles/taylor-swift-promotes-witchcraft-on-tour-in-willow-performance.html 

Religious Group Shinzo Abe assassination: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2023/10/shinzo-abe-assassination-japan-unification-church-moonies/675114/

We prepare to engage in the yearly ritual of scholars in our field: the annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion (AAR) and Society of Biblical Literature (SBL), abbreviated AAR-SBL…or is it SBL-AAR? The order makes all the difference. Quality tips are shared to survive an academic conference of this type. Brian shares the tale of his first panic attack, and leaks crucial details from one of his conference presentations—about the Puritan leader Cotton Mather and his belief that the bones of biblical giants had been uncovered in America. 

The Society of Biblical Literature (SBL): https://www.sbl-site.org/ 

The American Academy of Religion (AAR): https://aarweb.org/

The annual meeting online program book (you can search presentations by last name and keyword): https://sbl-site.org/meetings/Congresses_ProgramBook.aspx?MeetingId=43 

Cotton Mather: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotton_Mather 

Bozeman, To Live Ancient Lives: https://uncpress.org/book/9780807896273/to-live-ancient-lives 

Bryce Traister: https://fccs.ok.ubc.ca/about/contact/bryce-traister/ 

The text of Cotton Mather’s first letter to the Royal Society about the giant bones: https://www.jstor.org/stable/2936986?origin=crossref&seq=1 

Gather ‘round for an episode recorded in front of a LIVE AUDIENCE in Portland, Oregon! We take a piece of listener (e)mail and answer the call: to talk about books that have been deeply impactful for our lives and research—books that anyone could read and learn a lot. From classics in the early history of sociology to ritual to women in the church to child sacrifice, it’s a magic carpet ride of books.

Max Weber, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Protestant_Ethic_and_the_Spirit_of_Capitalism

Émile Durkheim, The Elementary Forms of Religious Life: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Elementary_Forms_of_the_Religious_Life

Gianni Vattimo, ideas in this book about the incarnation Brian mentioned: http://cup.columbia.edu/book/the-future-of-religion/9780231134941

On the “deep incarnation” idea: https://inters.org/gregersen-incarnation

Catherine Bell, Ritual Theory, Ritual Practice: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/ritual-theory-ritual-practice-9780199733620

Jon Levenson, The Death and Resurrection of the Beloved Son: https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300065114/the-death-and-resurrection-of-the-beloved-son

Anthea Butler, Women in the Church of God in Christ: https://uncpress.org/book/9780807858080/women-in-the-church-of-god-in-christ/

Brian’s third book that we didn’t have time to talk about! Mark Smith, The Origins of Biblical Monotheism: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-origins-of-biblical-monotheism-9780195134803