Religion on the Mind

Dan Koch

Interviews with experts, writers, psychologists and more on the intersection between psychology, religion and spirituality… with a little bit of cussing. dan@religiononthemind.com

  1. 1D AGO

    Dan Tries AI Biblical Counseling (#380)

    I invite previous guest Heather Patton Griffin back to the pod to discuss biblical counseling—but this time through the lens of AI. After our previous conversation about white evangelicalism's navigation system, I decided to test an AI biblical counseling app and share my findings with Heather. We unpacked what I'm calling "Bible facts"—authoritative claims that function as the foundation of biblical counseling—and examined the sincerity culture that makes the whole system feel so compelling to practitioners and clients alike. If you ever wanted to know what an AI biblical counselor sounds like, this episode’s for you. Previous Episodes with Heather: Church Trauma and Spiritual “Knowledge” (#317) “Bible Truths,” “Sanctified Common Sense,” & “Evangelical Insta-Trust: (#123) Highlights 05:47 Knowledge and Bible Facts in Evangelicalism 17:43 Critiques of Biblical Counseling Practices 19:36 Dan's Experiment with the AI App 35:22 The Connection Between Biblical Counseling and CBT 55:48 The Mind-Emotion Split in Counseling ___________________________________________ Follow Dan on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/dancoke/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Or Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠twitter.com/DanKoch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Faith deconstruction resources: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.soyouredeconstructing.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join the Patreon for exclusive episodes (and more) every month: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/dankoch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 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 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Nickryanluevano.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 11m
  2. 4D AGO

    C. S. Lewis's "The Great Divorce" (Part 3) (#379)

    I'm back with Kristen Tideman for Part 3 of our conversation about C.S. Lewis's 'The Great Divorce,' and honestly, I wasn't prepared for how much these chapters would make me squirm. We're diving into chapters 6-9, where Lewis introduces us to ghosts who can't stop being their own defense lawyers—and the uncomfortable realization that we're all doing the same thing. Kristen admits she saw herself in the hard-bitten conspiracy theorist ghost (the one who blames "management" for everything), which led us down a rabbit hole about victim mindsets, external locus of control, and why I still can't respond to text messages half the time. The real gut-punch came when we started talking about how good things can feel unbearable when you haven't built up the capacity for them—like trying to read Shakespeare without putting in the work. I share my frustration with how Lewis’ framework is missing the nervous system, childhood trauma, embodied experience—all the things that make human choice far messier than his neat theological categories allow. In the Patron-only second half, we tackle Chapter 9's massive theological exposition by George MacDonald and how this chapter, which felt like liberating good news when we were younger, now just feels like Lewis kicking the moral can down the road. ___________________________________________ Follow Dan on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/dancoke/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Or Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠twitter.com/DanKoch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Faith deconstruction resources: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.soyouredeconstructing.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join the Patreon for exclusive episodes (and more) every month: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/dankoch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 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 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Nickryanluevano.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    31 min
  3. FEB 9

    Tony Jones on “Neighborism” in Minnesota (#378)

    In this conversation, Minnesotan and friend of the pod, Tony Jones, joins me for another look at the complex dynamics happening below the surface in Minnesota right now. We reflect on the recent events surrounding the killing of Alex Pretti, the community's response to political tensions, and the evolving identity of Minnesota as a state that embraces diversity and neighborism.  Tony's Substack | Jonestony.substack.com Highlights 05:38 Minnesota's Unique Identity and Loyalty 16:35 Immigration and Community Dynamics 42:18 Federal Forces and Community Response 56:12 The Role of Religion in Activism 01:18:30 The Future of Minnesota and Community Resilience ___________________________________________ Follow Dan on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/dancoke/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Or Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠twitter.com/DanKoch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Faith deconstruction resources: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.soyouredeconstructing.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join the Patreon for exclusive episodes (and more) every month: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/dankoch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 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 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Nickryanluevano.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 24m
  4. FEB 5

    C. S. Lewis's "The Great Divorce" (Part 2) (#377)

    Kristen Tideman is back for Part 2 of our conversation about C.S. Lewis's 'The Great Divorce,' and we get right into discussing some of the uncomfortable questions Chapter 5 brings up (am I just deceiving myself?). We also wrestle with Lewis's critique of intellectual Christianity and the sense of gaslighting that arises from his assumption that theological doubt stems from sin rather than honest inquiry. Is there a meaningful difference between thoughtful religious evolution and the kind of endless postponement of commitment that Lewis condemns? In the Patron-only second half, we explore how existential therapy's approach to discernment and limits offers a path toward meaningful commitment without requiring blind acceptance. ___________________________________________ Follow Dan on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/dancoke/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Or Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠twitter.com/DanKoch⁠⁠⁠⁠ Faith deconstruction resources: ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.soyouredeconstructing.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join the Patreon for exclusive episodes (and more) every month: ⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/dankoch⁠⁠⁠⁠ 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 ⁠⁠⁠⁠Nickryanluevano.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    41 min
  5. FEB 2

    C. S. Lewis's "The Great Divorce" (Part 1) (#376)

    In this episode, recurring guest Kristen Tideman and I discuss C.S. Lewis's The Great Divorce, examining how its exploration of hell, isolation, and human flaws speaks to modern issues like political polarization. We also examine Lewis's allegory and its connection to broader questions about existential psychology, spirituality, mortality, and the struggle for honest self-accountability—all of which seem increasingly rare in our culture today. Highlights 05:20 The Context of The Great Divorce 11:00 The Psychological Richness of The Great Divorce 19:34 Political Polarization and Its Parallels 32:18 Theological Perspectives on Hell 47:16 Cultural Shifts in Conversations about Mortality 01:11:47 Theological Perspectives on Responsibility ___________________________________________ Follow Dan on IG: ⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/dancoke/⁠⁠⁠ Or Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠twitter.com/DanKoch⁠⁠⁠ Faith deconstruction resources: ⁠⁠⁠www.soyouredeconstructing.com/⁠⁠⁠ Join the Patreon for exclusive episodes (and more) every month: ⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/dankoch⁠⁠⁠ 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

    1h 23m
  6. JAN 12

    Kirk, Dobson & Evangelical Complexity with Bonnie Kristian (#373)

    I sit down with returning guest Bonnie Kristian, deputy editor at Christianity Today, to examine tensions in contemporary evangelicalism in light of her upcoming book, In Defense of Evangelicalism. First up, we look at James Dobson's complicated legacy and how his parenting advice represented both progress and problems for its time, and why his use of psychology credentials to bypass evidence-based research troubles me as a clinician in the field.  We then tackle the media's panic over "spiritual warfare" language at Charlie Kirk's funeral, where Bonnie points out that Pope Francis uses the same Ephesians passage about wrestling "not against flesh and blood." We also get into Peter Thiel's bizarre Antichrist lectures, which turn out to be less apocalyptic theology and more libertarian fearmongering dressed in biblical metaphor.  Throughout, we wrestle with a core question: how do we navigate religious language in public discourse when biblical literacy has collapsed, and when do passionate warnings cross the line into spiritual abuse? Previous Episodes with Bonnie: ⁠Episode 306 | Dan is Getting Libertarian-Curious⁠ ⁠Episode 21 | To Consider Inerrancy, Infallibility & Inspiration⁠ ⁠Episode 6 | To Consider ALL the Atonement Theories⁠ ___________________________________________ Follow Dan on IG: www.instagram.com/dancoke/ Or Twitter: twitter.com/DanKoch Faith deconstruction resources: www.soyouredeconstructing.com/ Join the Patreon for exclusive episodes (and more) every month: patreon.com/dankoch 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

    1h 1m

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4.7
out of 5
533 Ratings

About

Interviews with experts, writers, psychologists and more on the intersection between psychology, religion and spirituality… with a little bit of cussing. dan@religiononthemind.com

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