290 episodes

So many of us have been given bad answers to good questions -- questions about God, suffering, prayer, fate, science, justice, and more -- often by people with pure intentions. But we needn't stop with those pat answers. You have permission to take both Christianity and the modern world very seriously, and this podcast will introduce you to people from across the Christian spectrum engaging these timeless and difficult questions in various ways.

You Have Permission Dan Koch

    • Religion & Spirituality

So many of us have been given bad answers to good questions -- questions about God, suffering, prayer, fate, science, justice, and more -- often by people with pure intentions. But we needn't stop with those pat answers. You have permission to take both Christianity and the modern world very seriously, and this podcast will introduce you to people from across the Christian spectrum engaging these timeless and difficult questions in various ways.

    John Mark McMillan: Faith & Doubt (#270)

    John Mark McMillan: Faith & Doubt (#270)

    Finally, a long chat with indie Christian musician John Mark McMillan! John Mark started out firmly in the mainstream Christian world but has been gradually exploring more complex and nuanced expressions of faith (and doubt!) through his art. 
    We discussed his early life on a Christian commune, what it's like to be a recording artist wrestling with deep questions of faith and doubt, and whether a doubting faith is actually more faithful than one laced with certainty. We got into meaning-making, suffering, and the audacity of hope in an imperfect world. In other words, it was great.

    Watch this Episode on YouTube:
    https://youtu.be/PcWpzObjGK4

    John Mark's Website
    John Mark McMillan on Spotify

    Resources Mentioned:
    Hunting the Divine Fox: An Introduction to the Language of Theology
    Viktor Frankl's Book: A Man's Search for Meaning

    ___________________________________________
    Get Tickets for Theology Beer Camp 2024:
    https://homebrewedchristianity.lpages.co/theology-beer-camp-24/
    Use Code ReturnofYHP for $50 off your ticket!
    ___________________________________________
    Follow Dan on IG: www.instagram.com/dancoke/
    Or Twitter: twitter.com/DanKoch
    Faith deconstruction resources: www.soyouredeconstructing.com/
    Edited by Josh Gilbert (joshgilbertmedia.com -- he is accepting more work!)
    Email about the "sliding scale" for the Patreon: youhavepermissionpodcast@gmail.com
    YHP Patron-only FB group: tinyurl.com/ycvbbf98
    Website: www.dankochwords.com/yhp.html
    Join Dan's email list: www.dankochwords.com/
    Artwork by sprungle.co/
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    • 1 hr 44 min
    We Watched The Chosen So You Don't Have To: Season 1, Episodes 2 & 3 (#269)

    We Watched The Chosen So You Don't Have To: Season 1, Episodes 2 & 3 (#269)

    How many times has someone told you that you have to watch The Chosen, the smash hit TV series depicting the life of Jesus?
    My buddy Jeff Martin and I break down season 1, episode 2 & 3, reacting to all manner of interesting details from my own liberal Christian therapist perspective and Jeff’s more moderate Evangelical lens.
    We get into:

    Shabbat and Shabbat dinner

    Conversion experiences and their psychological, social, and spiritual aspects

    depiction of Jesus' interactions with children and his characterization


    I’m very curious how much appetite there is for continuing with episodes like this, so please check it out and let me know what you think!

    **Watch this episode on YouTube**
    https://youtu.be/3ViFnTp7Des
    ___________________________________________
    Get Tickets for Theology Beer Camp 2024:
    https://homebrewedchristianity.lpages.co/theology-beer-camp-24/
    Use Code ReturnofYHP for $50 off your ticket!
    ___________________________________________
    Follow Dan on IG: www.instagram.com/dancoke/
    Or Twitter: twitter.com/DanKoch
    Faith deconstruction resources: www.soyouredeconstructing.com/
    Edited by Josh Gilbert (joshgilbertmedia.com -- he is accepting more work!)
    Email about the "sliding scale" for the Patreon: youhavepermissionpodcast@gmail.com
    YHP Patron-only FB group: tinyurl.com/ycvbbf98
    Website: www.dankochwords.com/yhp.html
    Join Dan's email list: www.dankochwords.com/
    Artwork by sprungle.co/
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    • 1 hr 38 min
    Who Are the Exvangelicals? (#268)

    Who Are the Exvangelicals? (#268)

    Sarah McCammon, NPR journalist and author of "The Exvangelicals," shares her journey out of evangelical Christianity, including her pivotal relationship with her non-religious gay grandfather.
    We explore how journalism provided Sarah with a space to question and how my work in therapy also demands openness to evidence. We covered the impact of the Trump era on evangelicalism and the earlier Emergent movement led by figures like Rob Bell and Rachel Held Evans.
    We delve into the evangelical subculture's "parallel institutions" and their role in fostering distrust of mainstream institutions. Finally, we reflect on our wariness of echo chambers and the value we now place on viewpoint diversity and factual specificity.

    Watch this Episode on YouTube:
    https://youtu.be/Kl0cr4MZaBI

    Sarah’s Book “The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church”:
    https://www.amazon.com/Exvangelicals-Loving-Living-Leaving-Evangelical/dp/1250284473
    Sarah’s Substack
    Depolarize! Podcast
    Reconstruct Podcast
    ___________________________________________
    Get Tickets for Theology Beer Camp 2024:
    https://homebrewedchristianity.lpages.co/theology-beer-camp-24/
    Use Code ReturnofYHP for $50 off your ticket!
    ___________________________________________
    Follow Dan on IG: www.instagram.com/dancoke/
    Or Twitter: twitter.com/DanKoch
    Faith deconstruction resources: www.soyouredeconstructing.com/
    Edited by Josh Gilbert (joshgilbertmedia.com -- he is accepting more work!)
    Email about the "sliding scale" for the Patreon: youhavepermissionpodcast@gmail.com
    YHP Patron-only FB group: tinyurl.com/ycvbbf98
    Website: www.dankochwords.com/yhp.html
    Join Dan's email list: www.dankochwords.com/
    Artwork by sprungle.co/
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    • 59 min
    GGCH: Israel, Rome and Christianity as a Story (#267)

    GGCH: Israel, Rome and Christianity as a Story (#267)

    After kicking things off with our usual game of "Bar, Bank, Church or Dispensary?” and “Ways we are becoming our dads” segments, I introduced a new segment focused on funny Hard Times headlines.
    Tony recalled his recent time in Rome and reflected on the passing of theologian Jurgen Moltmann. This led into a conversation about Israel and the war in Gaza, and all three of us gave our thoughts on the conflict.
    Finally, I brought forward the idea of seeing Christianity as a story in which we find ourselves, and we compared it with other meta-narratives competing for our attention and loyalty.

    Watch this Episode on YouTube:
    https://youtu.be/O27kTZyxVcU

    RESOURCES MENTIONED:

    Tony's Substack on Jürgen Moltmann
    Movie: God On Trial
    Kristen Ashley's Book: Knight

    ___________________________________________
    Get Tickets for Theology Beer Camp 2024:
    Use Code ReturnofYHP for $50 off your ticket!
    ___________________________________________

    Follow Dan on IG: www.instagram.com/dancoke/
    Or Twitter: twitter.com/DanKoch
    Faith deconstruction resources: www.soyouredeconstructing.com/
    Edited by Josh Gilbert (joshgilbertmedia.com -- he is accepting more work!)
    Email about the "sliding scale" for the Patreon: youhavepermissionpodcast@gmail.com
    YHP Patron-only FB group: tinyurl.com/ycvbbf98
    Website: www.dankochwords.com/yhp.html
    Join Dan's email list: www.dankochwords.com/
    Artwork by sprungle.co/
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    • 45 min
    A Difficult Relationship with Christianity (#266)

    A Difficult Relationship with Christianity (#266)

    Today’s episode is a thoughtful conversation with my friend Josh Patterson of the (Re)Thinking Faith Podcast about his evolving relationship with Christianity. No longer a pastor, he sometimes struggles to articulate theological concepts that once came easily. Practices that used to nourish his soul now give him pause, and he wonders if his reduced engagement with Christian community and spiritual disciplines has contributed to this sense of distance.
    Despite this, Josh still experiences spontaneous moments of prayer, gratitude, and spiritual connection. He values embodied spiritual experiences over mere intellectual agreement with doctrines. The theological issues that once consumed him, such as Hell and atonement theories, have been overshadowed by more fundamental metaphysical and philosophical questions. He resonates with poetic and metaphorical approaches to theology (AKA “theopoetics”) that allow religious language to gesture toward profound truths and experiences without collapsing into rigid literalism.

    Watch this Episode on YouTube:
    https://youtu.be/BuySOBvUOhY

    Josh's Podcast "Rethinking Faith":
    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rethinking-faith/id1438696524

    ___________________________________________
    Get Tickets for Theology Beer Camp 2024:
    https://homebrewedchristianity.lpages.co/theology-beer-camp-24/
    Use Code ReturnofYHP for $50 off your ticket!
    ___________________________________________
    Follow Dan on IG: www.instagram.com/dancoke/
    Or Twitter: twitter.com/DanKoch
    Faith deconstruction resources: www.soyouredeconstructing.com/
    Edited by Josh Gilbert (joshgilbertmedia.com -- he is accepting more work!)
    Email about the "sliding scale" for the Patreon: youhavepermissionpodcast@gmail.com
    YHP Patron-only FB group: tinyurl.com/ycvbbf98
    Website: www.dankochwords.com/yhp.html
    Join Dan's email list: www.dankochwords.com/
    Artwork by sprungle.co/
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    • 1 hr 6 min
    Using Movies in Therapy (#265)

    Using Movies in Therapy (#265)

    In this mid-week episode (full version is available on Patreon!) I am joined by Jenny Hamilton, a licensed therapist and senior lecturer at the University of Lincoln in the UK, talking about her peer-reviewed movie therapy method.

    We discussed how films can provide a unique form of escapism while also helping foster empathy by allowing viewers to experience the world through someone else's perspective. Jenny emphasized the importance of tailoring selections to each individual client's interests, issues, and comfort level. We also touched on the value of using well-known films as a common reference point, which can help build rapport and facilitate deeper conversations.

    Should I find a guest or two who wants to try out the MOVIE Method, perhaps for a Patreon episode? We would watch a well-known movie and then talk through some journaling/response “homework” based on Jenny’s approach? Let me know! 

    Jenny's Website:
    https://jennyhamiltoncounselling.wordpress.com/

    Jenny's Podcast "The Movie Method":
    https://open.spotify.com/show/3hx4QmEz4LfQOoxqScwEU8?si=a4c8760608624958

    The conversation article: https://theconversation.com/watching-movies-could-be-good-for-your-mental-health-214325

    Jenny's Twitter @JennyHa0216

    ___________________________________________
    Follow Dan on IG: www.instagram.com/dancoke/
    Or Twitter: twitter.com/DanKoch
    Faith deconstruction resources: www.soyouredeconstructing.com/
    Edited by Josh Gilbert (joshgilbertmedia.com -- he is accepting more work!)
    Email about the "sliding scale" for the Patreon: youhavepermissionpodcast@gmail.com
    YHP Patron-only FB group: tinyurl.com/ycvbbf98
    Website: www.dankochwords.com/yhp.html
    Join Dan's email list: www.dankochwords.com/
    Artwork by sprungle.co/
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    • 35 min

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