Homebrewed Christianity

Merlin Sheldrake: Entangled Life

In this episode, I am joined by chief mycelium enthusiast and advocate, Merlin Sheldrake. We recorded in person at the Center for Process Studies’ 50th Anniversary event in Claremont, CA. Come dive beneath the forest floor as we venture into the intricate and mesmerizing realm of fungi. Dr. Merlin Sheldrake, renowned biologist and author of the critically acclaimed book “Entangled Life,” pulls back the curtain on the hidden networks that underpin our ecosystems, nourish our trees, and have the potential to reshape our understanding of the world around us. Not only that, but we unpack the ways his research has inspired a larger process-relational vision. Merlin Sheldrake is a biologist, writer, and speaker with a background in plant sciences, microbiology, ecology, and the history and philosophy of science. He received a Ph.D. in tropical ecology from Cambridge University for his work on underground fungal networks in tropical forests in Panama, where he was a predoctoral research fellow of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. He is a research associate of the Vrije University Amsterdam, works with the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks (SPUN), and sits on the advisory board of the Fungi Foundation. Merlin's research ranges from fungal biology, to the history of Amazonian ethnobotany, to the relationship between sound and form in resonant systems. A keen brewer and fermenter, he is fascinated by the relationships that arise between humans and more-than-human organisms. He is a musician and performs on the piano and accordion. In the conversation, we discuss… Merlins intellectual origin story How did studying the history of science reveal unexamined metaphysical prejudice within the sciences How nothing but scientific explanations and blinds us to a deep account of experience Why the bifurcation of nature isnt helpful for science or the humanities The many invisible lives of plants, fungi, & soil The moment Merlin found the need for a process style metaphysic Panpsychism! How growing up a Sheldrake shaped his religious and spiritual outlook Why Godsplainers are the worst;) Dont kill the questions! Spiritual experiments in truth You may remember when Merlin’s Dad, Rubert Sheldrake, was on the podcast. You can listen to it here: From the Science Delusion to Psychedelic Religion. Follow the podcast, drop a review, or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Willemien Otten: Medieval Wisdom for Contemporary Theology

Dr. Willemien Otten is the Dorothy Grant Maclear Professor of Theology and the History of Christianity at the University of Chicago Divinity School. In this conversation we discuss: How Dr Otten became a medievalist What is missed by skipping church history between Augustine, Aquinas, to Luther What Augustine gets right about and bodies How it took to the 12th century before Priests were really celibate The role of scripture in Medieval culture The origin of the doctrine of Creation out of Nothing How the revival of Bonaventure and the Franciscan tradition is generating a more lively account of nature How theology changes when the doctrine of nature is more than the canvas of salvation history Why Dr. Otten finds the Barthian rejection of natural theology unconvincing The role of nature for theological reflection in a secular age The problem of Protestantism doctrine of stewardship How to talk about books you havent read and become a strategic non-reader Returning to Schleiermacher without Barthian blinders The unique gift of the American philosophical tradition and its religious naturalism Why more theologians need to read Emerson Whats the role of the received tradition for contemporary constructive theology? Willemien Otten studies the history of Christianity and Christian thought with a focus on the medieval and the early Christian intellectual tradition, especially in the West, and an emphasis on the continuity of Platonic themes. She analyzes (early) medieval thought and theology as an amalgam of biblical, classical, and patristic influences which, woven together, constitute their own intellectual matrix. Within this matrix the place and role of nature and humanity interest her most. She has worked on the Carolingian thinker Johannes Scottus Eriugena, on twelfth-century humanistic thinkers including Peter Abelard and, most recently, has ventured into the thought of R.W. Emerson and William James. Her co-edited volume Religion and Memory (Fordham, 2013; with Burcht Pranger and Babette Hellemans) addresses how best to conceive the pastness of religion. Her co-edited volume Eriugena and Creation (Turnhout: Brepols, 2014; with Michael I. Allen), brings together selected papers on medieval nature. Besides her medieval work Otten maintains an active interest in Tertullian, Augustine, and the broader patristic tradition. With Editor-in Chief Karla Pollmann, she edited the three-volume Oxford Guide to the Historical Reception of Augustine (Oxford, 2013) and with Susan Schreiner she co-edited Augustine Our Contemporary. Examining the Self in Past and Present (Notre Dame, 2018). Reflecting her interest in natural theology beyond the medieval period, Ottens latest study Thinking Nature and the Nature of Thinking: From Eriugena to Emerson (Stanford, 2020) approaches ideas of nature and human selfhood across a wide array of thinkers, from Augustine to William James and from Maximus the Confessor to Schleiermacher. Deconstructing the notion of pantheism in the Western religious tradition, Otten draws attention to a more elusive idea of nature in which nature is an ally and co-worker of the divine Follow the podcast, drop a review, or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Daniel Kirk: on ROMANS + Biblical Authority, Jesus’ Adoption, and Post-Penal Atonement

The good doctor Daniel Kirk joined me for some live QnA as we spread the word about our upcoming OPEN ONLINE CLASS – Romans: A Guide to the Most Misused, Problematic, & Prooftexted Letter in the Bible. Venture into the depth and richness of Paul’s letter to the Romans in this dynamic five-session online course. Guided by the acclaimed biblical scholar Dr. J. R. Daniel Kirk, participants will be introduced to the central themes, historical background, and transformative messages of this pivotal New Testament text. Having published two books on Romans, Kirk will bring clarity and fresh perspectives to one of the most foundational Christian writings.   Embark on this transformative journey to navigate the profound truths of Paul’s magnum opus. Whether you’re a seasoned theologian, a faith seeker, or simply someone intrigued by the origins of Christian thought, this course promises insightful revelations and a deeper connection to the heart of Romans.   You can get more info and sign-up here. As always, this gathering is donation-based, including 0. You don’t have to join live to get all the content. Everyone who signs up will receive the recordings of each session.   Daniel Kirk (Ph.D., Duke University) is an award-winning New Testament scholar whose work takes place at the intersection of history, biblical interpretation, and real life. He is currently broadening his intellectual and vocational horizons by studying to be a Physician Assistant. Look for upcoming work to have a robust dose of science and politics mixed into the biblical conversations. Previous Episodes w. Dr. Kirk How Paul Preaches Christmas A Man Attested by God The Secret Chart to the END OF TIME (kind of) TNT Easter-Cast  Kirk talks Paul w/ Tripp & Pete Rollins Follow the podcast, drop a review, or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bruce Benson & Aaron Simmons: Faith After Deconstruction

I am THRILLED to have two remarkable philosophers join me to unpack philosophical deconstruction and how it can help reframe the ongoing process of deconstruction. Bruce Benson and Aaron Simmons are both accomplished postmodern philosophers, with a bunch of books on my bookshelf. This episode was even better than my high expectations! After you listen, I hope you feel the lure to come hang out with all three of us at Theology Beer Camp this October. Dr. Bruce Benson teaches Philosophy of Religions and Continental Philosophy at the University of Nottingham, as well as being Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the University of Vienna, as part of the project ‘Revenge of the Sacred: Phenomenology and the Ends of Christianity in Europe.’ Prior to that, Bruce was Senior Research Fellow at the University of St Andrews. Over the years, he has taught and engaged in research at Loyola Marymount University, Wheaton College, the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, and Union Theological Seminary (NYC). He also serves as the Executive Director of the Society for Continental Philosophy and Theology, Philosophy of Religion editor for Syndicate Journal, editorial board member for Faith and Philosophy and the Journal of Continental Philosophy and Theology, and co-editor for the Eerdmans series ‘Prophetic Christianity’. Check out Bruce’s books here. Dr. Aaron Simmons is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Furman University.
Here’s Aaaron’s website with tons of resources & his newsletter His previous visits to the podcast include, Do I Have a Soul? & other cultural preferences in bold,Off-Road Religion & Pandemic Philosophizing, Smells Like Teenage Phenomenology &  Whose Christianity, Which Postmodernism?, Philosophy & the Experience of God
Youtube Channel, Philosophy for Where We Find Ourselves TedX Speaker: The Failure of Success
check out Aaron’s books here Follow the podcast, drop a review, or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ilia Delio & Bruce Epperly: Bonaventure & the Cosmos in Process

What a fun conversation! Ilia Delio and Bruce Epperly joined me for an in-person conversation at ORTCON23. Since Ilia wrote a book on Bonaventure and Bruce is in the middle of writing one, it was the perfect time to get to know the 13th Century philosopher, theologian, and Saint. Ilia Delio, OSF, PhD is a Franciscan Sister of Washington, DC, and American theologian specializing in science and religion, with interests in evolution, physics, and neuroscience and the import of these for theology. Ilia currently holds the Josephine C. Connelly Endowed Chair in Theology at Villanova University and is the author of twenty books, including Care for Creation (coauthored with Keith Warner and Pamela Woods) which won two Catholic Press Book Awards in 2009, first place for social concerns and second place in spirituality. Her book The Emergent Christ won a third-place Catholic Press Book Award in 2011 for the area of Science and Religion. Her recent books include The Unbearable Wholeness of Being: God, Evolution and the Power of Love (Orbis, 2013), which received the 2014 Silver Nautilus Book Award and a third-place Catholic Press Association Award for Faith and Science. Ilia holds two honorary doctorates, one from St. Francis University in 2015 and one from Sacred Heart University in 2020. Ilias previous visit to the podcast: Catching a Cosmic Faith the Entangled God of My Heart Bruce Epperly has served as a congregational pastor and university chaplain, university and seminary professor and administrator, and is a prolific author and lectionary commentator.  With over forty years joining pulpit and classroom, Bruce recently retired from congregational ministry after serving eight years as Senior Pastor of South Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, Centerville, MA . He has relocated from Cape Cod to the Washington DC suburbs to be closer to his family. He continues to teach as Adjunct Faculty at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington DC. Ordained in the United Church of Christ and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), he is the author of more than sixty books in theology, spirituality, healing and wholeness, scripture, and clergy wellbeing, including Follow the podcast, drop a review, or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Force Ghosts, a ‘Biblical’ Jesus, & Pre-Human Religion w/ Pete Enns & Tripp Fuller

A Bible scholar and a theologian answer a bunch of really important questions while having some fun. Pete Enns joined me live on the HBC YouTube channel (that you should follow) to tackle some fun nerdy questions. If this experience isn't painful and you think it would be fun to hangout with us, then join us in person at Theology Beer Camp October 19-21! Peter Enns (Ph.D., Harvard University) is Abram S. Clemens professor of biblical studies at Eastern University in St. Davids, Pennsylvania. He has written numerous books, including The Bible Tells Me So, The Sin of Certainty, and How the Bible Actually Works. Follow the podcast, drop a review, or become a member of the HBC Community. Previous Podcasts with Pete Enns God, Jesus, & Whatever Pete Enns & Tony Jones Love Baseball Pete Enns & the God-Pod Party Adaptive Christianity & the God of the Bible Don’t Sin. Doubt and Listen to Pete For The Bible Tells Me So The Evolution of Adam   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Special #TheologyBeerCamp Update

Earlier this week I spent three days in Springfiled, MO preparing and planning Theology Beer Camp. I was joined by Tim Whitaker from the New Evangelicals, as we visited a number of the breweries and food trucks bringing the goods to camp and spent some time with the amazing team at The Venues, our hosting congregation. Â Right before we headed back home, Tim and Bren (our local coordinator) recorded this short episode where we share more details about the event, what to expect, and a few suprising new details! Follow the podcast, drop a review, or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matthew Thiessen: Jesus & the Forces of Death

Dr. Matthew Thiessen is associate professor of religious studies at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. He is the author of Contesting Conversion: Genealogy, Circumcision, and Identity in Ancient Judaism and Christianity (awarded the Manfred Lautenschlaeger Award for Theological Promise), Paul and the Gentile Problem, and Jesus and the Forces of Death. Soon he will release a new book, A Jewish Paul: The Messiah’s Herald to the Gentiles. Matt wants you to troll him on twitter Follow the podcast, drop a review, or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lori Brandt Hale: Bonhoeffer & Christian Nationalism

How does the work of Dietrich Bonhoeffer help us think ethically about Christian Nationalism? What is the task for a public theologian given the rise of fascist religion? In this conversation, my co-host Dr. Jeff Pugh and I are joined by Dr. Lori Brandt Hale to discuss her work on Bonhoeffer and its application to the political moment. This was one of the live stream sessions from the online class Bonhoeffer and the Future of Faith. To access Dr. Hale and all the other contributors amazing lectures head over here. These live streams were inspired by the contributors address, their reading selection from Bonhoeffer, and class member questions. Lori Brandt Hale is professor and chair of the Department of Religion and Philosophy at Augsburg University in Minneapolis, MN. She is the Vice President of the International Bonhoeffer Society  English Language Section and a Westar Institute Scholar. Brandt Hale is co-editor of and contributor to Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Theology, and Political Resistance (June 2020), the second volume in a new series on faith and political theology by Lexington Books. Her chapter in this book, a constructive read of Bonhoeffers work, is titled, The Interfaith Imperative: How Bonhoeffer Compels Interfaith Action. She is also the co-author of Bonhoeffer for Armchair Theologians (Westminster John Knox, 2009). She has written numerous articles and book chapters on Bonhoeffers political resistance, understanding of vocation, and relevance in contemporary times – including the now perennial question, Is this a Bonhoeffer moment?   Follow the podcast, drop a review, or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dianne Rayson: Bonhoeffer & Theology for the Anthropocene

How does the work of Dietrich Bonhoeffer help us think ethically about the climate crisis? What is the shape of theology in the Anthropocene? In this conversation my co-host Dr. Jeff Pugh and I are joined by Dr. Dianne Rayson to discuss her work on Bonhoeffer and ecology. This was one of the live stream sessions from the online class Bonhoeffer and the Future of Faith. To access Dr. Rayson’s and all the other contributor’s amazing lectures head over here. These live streams were inspired by the contributor’s lecture, thier reading selection from Bonhoeffer, and class member questions. Di Rayson is Senior Lecturer in Theology and Ethics at Pacific Theological College in Suva, Fiji and is an ecotheologian and Bonhoeffer scholar, having published widely. Her first book was Bonhoeffer and Climate Change: Theology and Ethics for the Anthropocene. Di is co-convenor of the upcoming XIV International Bonhoeffer Congress in Sydney, Australia in January 2024. Prior to becoming a theologian she had an extensive career in public health and social policy in Australia and the Pacific. Di is an Anglican lay preacher, singer and cellist. When in Australia she lives on a small farm between the mountains and the sea. Follow the podcast, drop a review, or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices