Rethinking Faith (Re)thinking Faith

This week I step out of my comfort zone a bit for a fun conversation with Scott M. Coley. Coley's new book, "Ministers of Propaganda: Truth, Power, and the Ideology of the Religious Right" takes a deep dive into the fusion of Evangelicalism and Right-Wing Politics. We take a look at the rhetoric and proof-texting that support Christo-authoritarianism and presses Christian theology into the service of authoritarian politics. The Christian message is being distorted by propaganda together with motivated reasoning and a perceived self-interest. I had a good time talking with Scott and I really enjoyed reading his book. Enjoy.
RESOURCES:
Ministers of Propaganda: Truth, Power, and the Ideology of the Religious Right (Book)
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THEOLOGY BEER CAMP 2024
Snag your tickets today for Theology Beer Camp! This year we will be hanging out in Denver, October 17-19. Tickets are on sale now and go up in price June 1. Use code: RETHINKINGBAGGINS for $25 off. Hope to see you there!

*Thank you to Josh Gilbert for managing the podcast, Marty Fredrick for producing the podcast, and Dan Koch for providing the music. Love you guys 3*
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This week Dr. Andre Rabe joins the podcast to discuss his latest book, "Processing Mimetic Reality: Harmonizing Alfred North Whitehead and Rene Girard". What, if anything, does Process Philosophy have in common with Mimetic theory? Rabe seeks to answer this question, not by collapsing the two schools of thought into one, but rather seeking to harmonize them. Dr. Rabe demonstrates that deep, broad, and significant harmonies exist between process philosophy and mimetic theory. Girard enriches Whitehead through exemplification, and Whitehead enriches Girard through an expansion of the overall narrative and deeper ontological insights into the processes that made us human. The result is an illuminating unveiling of the biases we developed in becoming human and a proposal for how we may access the more creative and beneficial aspects of desire that lie latent within these processes. I really enjoyed this conversation and even got emotional at the end! Enjoy.
RESOURCES:
Processing Mimetic Reality: Harmonizing Alfred North Whitehead and Rene Girard (Book)
AlwaysLoved.net
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THEOLOGY BEER CAMP 2024
(Re)thinking Faith will be returning to Theology Beer Camp this year in Denver October 17-19. This year camp is back bigger and better than ever! Be sure to snag your tickets today. Use promo code: RETHINKINGBAGGINS for $25 off at check out.
Get Tickets Here

*A special thanks to Josh Gilbert for managing the podcast, to Marty Fredrick for producing the podcast, and Dan Koch for providing the music for the podcast. I love you guys.*
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This week (Re)thinking Faith takes a quick trip to Denmark as Ulrick Dam joins show. We had a wonderful conversation around Dam's new book, "Building the Basileia: Moving the Church into the 22nd Century". What might it look like to apply an Open and Relational framework to our understanding of the Church? What might it look like to breathe new life into the Church that is shaped and focused not on hierarchy and power, but on Love. It is no secret that Church attendance is declining rapidly, and for good reasons. Richard Rohr has often said, "The best critique of the bad, is practice of the better.". Could Open and Relational Theology provide a helpful and much needed critique to the Church and offer it something better? Ulrick Dam says and enthusiastic, "YES"! Enjoy.
RESOURCES:
Building the Basileia: Moving the Church into the 22nd Century (Book)
Join me at Theology Beer Camp! Get your tickets HERE and use code: RETHINKINGBAGGINS for $25 off.
Join the Patreon Community for 2 bonus shows, "Happy Hour(s)" & "The Emogelicals" along with and Add-Free listening experience.

*A special thanks to Josh Gilbert for managing the podcast, to Marty Fredrick for producing the podcast, and to Dan Koch for providing the music for the podcast. I love you guys!*
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This week I was very excited to be in conversation with Dr. John J. Thatamanil. In this conversation we discuss Dr. Thatamanil's book "Circling the Elephant: A Comparative Theology of Religious Diversity". Thatamanil builds a compelling case for Religious Pluralism that is deeply shaped by humility, hospitality, and mutual transformation. Christians do not have a monopoly on encounters with the Divine or Ultimate Reality and other Religious Traditions do in fact have access to both Truth and transformation. It is more than time that we stop just learning ABOUT other religious traditions, and start learning FROM them. Thatamanil demonstrates that religious diversity should be seen as a promise and not a problem and proposes a theology of religious diversity that opens the door to robust interreligious learning and transformation through encountering the other. Enjoy!
RESOURCES:
Dr. John J. Thatamanil
Circling the Elephant: A Comparative Theology of Religious Diversity (Book)
Theology Beer Camp 2024 (Use code RETHINKINGBAGGINS for $25 off)
Join the Patreon for Bonus Content & Add-Free listening
*A Special thanks to Josh Gilbert for managing the podcast, to Marty Fredrick for producing the podcast, and Dan Koch for providing the music for the podcast. Love you guys.*
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ARE YOU LISTENING?!?!?!?! Thats right! I have teamed up with my good friend Jed Payne of "Church and Other Drugs" for a brand new, Patreon-Exclusive show called "The Emogelicals" This first episode is FREE, but after that, it'll all be on Patreon. You can listen to it on either of our Patreons... so if you like Jed better, throw the guy a few bones. If you still love me after hearing the beautiful voice of the one they call Jed, join the (Re)thinking Faith patreon and have some fun with us!
We are working on special graphics, t-shirts, and some cool merch! We hope you enjoy.
Patreon Links:
Church and Other Drugs
(Re)thinking Faith
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This week I had the privilege of being joined by Susan M. Shaw & Grace Ji-Sun Kim to discuss their new book "Surviving God: A New Vision of God Through the Eyes of Sexual Abuse Survivors". It is no secret that Sexual Abuse is a HUGE problem; not just in society as a whole, but within the doors of the Church as well. Grace and Susan both share their own experiences and the experiences of other survivors to help call out the systems and ideologies that are at play that lend themselves to sexual violence and abuse. Our theology is called into question as well as Grace and Susan invite us to look at our understanding of God through the eyes of sexual abuse survivors. I hope this conversation is both challenging and rewarding. Enjoy.
RESOURCES:
Surviving God: A New Vision of God Through the Eyes of Sexual Abuse Survivors (Book)
GraceJiSunKim.Com
Susan M Shaw
Join the Patreon for bonus episodes and an ADD FREE listening experience.
*A special thanks to Josh Gilbert for managing the podcast, Marty Fredrick for producing the podcast, and Dan Koch for providing the music for the podcast. Love you guys!*
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