Episodes

Neil deGrasse Tyson: Christianity and the Cosmos

Neil deGrasse Tyson joins us to talk about the science found in the Bible. Should Christians make decision based on a religious text? If we could go back in time, could we prove if Jesus rose from the dead? What would Neil say to a room full of conservative Christians?

Many Creation Stories – Genesis 1:1-5 (Part 1)

In Genesis 1:1-5, we encounter intriguing aspects that invite deeper reflection. We explore the use of the pronoun "us" in the early chapters, raising questions about its connection to the Trinity and the presence of Jesus in the garden. Additionally, we debunk the notion of strict sentence structure when reading the passage in Hebrew, uncovering its poetic nature. And we challenge the idea of a perfect heaven by considering alternative perspectives.

Sex, Pleasure, and Purity Culture with Sheila Gregoire

We delve into the orgasm gap, the impact of evangelical teachings on sex, and the harm caused to marriages and women with sex researcher Sheila Gregoire.

Sarah Bessey – Navigating an Evolving Faith

What does it mean to have a faith that evolves, and are there any limits to that change? How did Rachel Held Evans influence Sarah Bessey's own faith journey, and what might we be missing from Rachel's voice today? What challenges do people face when their faith changes and evolves, and how can we navigate those challenges with grace and community?

Worship Music and Deconstructing Christianity

How can you write worship music when you're questioning your faith? What role does doubt play in the creative process of writing worship music? How can you reconcile your doubts and struggles with the lyrics of traditional worship songs? We’re joined by Sam Hedrick - a worship leader and songwriter who has been going through a process of deconstruction while continuing to write music for the church.

William Matthews: The Evolution of Worship

What does worship look like when you're questioning, leaving, or changing your faith? How can we bring everything back to our humanness, and what role does incarnation play in that? And what happens when we stop chasing after revival and focus on the wildness of the Spirit of God? Join us for a conversation with William Matthews.

Worship: Revisiting the Melodies of Our Past

Welcome to the Worship series. After our faith evolution, we now have a complicated relationship with worship music. Join us as we sing three songs (The Heart of Worship, How He Loves, and The Stand) on the worship songs that once filled our hearts and churches. Delve into how our changing theology and feelings have transformed our relationship with these songs. Embark on a musical journey that reflects our faith's evolution and reexamines the role of worship in our lives.

Name the Women of the Bible: Notable & Forgotten Biblical Women

<p class="">In honor of #InternationalWomensDay, we're dedicating this episode to highlighting some of the lesser-known women of the Bible. I'll share a list of 16 of my favorite women who have been largely unheard of. We'll explore the Second Temple period and the narrative text of Joseph and Asinith, as well as the prophet Miriam and her mentions in the Dead Sea Scrolls. I'll also discuss the Apocrypha, a collection of texts that were removed from the Protestant Old Testament, and highlight the powerful stories of two women from that collection: Judith and Susanna. Let's celebrate the voices of these women who have long been overlooked and forgotten in the Bible.</p>

Teaching Your Kids While Deconstructing Christianity – Sarah Swartzendruber

What if I still want to pass on faith to my children, but I'm not sure what I believe? What do kids need to be learning about Christianity at different stages? What do kids have to teach us about holding uncertainty.

Secrets of Raising Children During a Spiritual Transition – Cindy Wang Brandt

Do formerly fundamentalist parents project their own trauma on their children? What kind of “stability” do kids of deconstructing parents actually need? Is it okay to not ever get community back? Nate and Shelby discuss this all and more with Cindy Wang Brandt.

From Outreach to Outsider: Katherine’s Story

In this episode, we hear from listener Katherine about her disillusionment with Christianity.

Canon: Extra-Canonical Texts

What kinds of texts were rejected from the New Testament canon? Are extra-canonical texts as dangerous and bad as we used to think? How does history and archaeology affect how we read the Bible today?

Canon: The Criteria of the New Testament

How did the early church determine which texts would go into the canon and which would not? Are all texts outside the New Testament heretical or dangerous? Does the truth of the canon formation process change how we think about the Bible we have?

Canon: Is the Bible Inspired, Inerrant and Infallible?

Is the Bible the inspired words of God? What does it mean for the Bible to be infallible? If the Bible isn't inerrant, is it worthless?

Canon: Timeline of New Testament Writings

When were the documents of the New Testament written? Does it matter that details of the Gospels changed over time? What did “Bible,” “scripture,” or “canon” even mean in the first century? In this new series, Nate and Shelby dive into the formation of the New Testament canon. This episode examines the order in which the gospels were written and how we see changes and developments over time.

Exploring Religious Pluralism with Barbara Brown Taylor

Join us for a thought-provoking discussion on religious pluralism as we interview Reverend Barbara Brown Taylor, author of <em>Holy Envy: Finding God in the Faith of Others</em>. Explore the possibility of Christianity coexisting with other religions and how we can learn from them to become better humans. We also dive into John 14:6 (“I am the way, the truth and the life) and its implications. Don't miss out on this enlightening conversation!

Pushing Back on Matt Chandler’s Views on Deconstruction and Leaving Church

What are pastors getting wrong about deconstruction? Do we need more grace for church abuse? Is there ever a good reason to leave church?

Woman: Jesus, Paul and Mary Magdalene

Was Jesus a perfect example of how to treat women? Did Paul actually tell women to be silent in church? Why did Mary Magdalene disappear after the four gospels? Nate and Shelby conclude the Woman series by examining texts from both inside and outside the New Testament.

Woman: God’s silence

What has the Bible taught us about the value of women's bodies? In this episode, we look at some harder passages in the Bible and take issue with the response attributed to God.

Woman: Silenced voices of the Bible

How can the Dead Sea Scrolls help us recover women's voices? What are the implications of women's voices making up 1% of the Bible? Was the first #MeToo movement really 2,000 years ago? Let's dig into extra-biblical texts to shine a light on what is missing from the Bible.