Ravel

Ravel LLC
  • 4.2 (103)
  • Christianity
  • Updated Semimonthly

We all grew up in different parts of American Christianity, and we still keep thinking about how to take it seriously, even as we leave some beliefs behind. Join us our round-table discussion as we ravel out our faith in a complex world, pulling on one thread at a time, seeking Meaning at the end of it all.

  1. 5d ago

    198. Religious Big D*** Energy

    In this episode of Ravel, we unpack the idea of “religious big dick energy” as a way of describing the swagger, certainty, and supremacy often embedded in modern evangelical and political culture. We explore how manifest destiny, Christian nationalism, masculinity, power, and influencer culture all intertwine to create environments where people feel justified forcing their beliefs onto others. Along the way, we wrestle with our own experiences of certainty, deconstruction, disgust, grief, and the difficulty of extending grace to people whose ideologies feel harmful. By the end, we arrive at a conversation about supremacy versus intimacy, and whether forgiveness, humility, and genuine listening might be the only way out of the cycle.  Host Recommendations Emily: Practice feng shui by rearranging your physical space, priorities, and energy to create a healthier environmentStephen: Find ways to gamify your life and work to reduce overwhelm and stay centeredJosh: Watch The Testament of Ann LeeHost DE-Recommendations Emily: Giving every podcast five stars… except Ravel 😄Stephen: Giving every book five stars on Goodreads because ratings lose meaning when everything is rated the sameJosh: Giving every movie five stars on Letterboxd because five stars should actually mean something Join us: Join our free Discord community by emailing us at theravelpod@gmail.com for an invite link!Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Credits: Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

    48 min

  2. May 27

    197. Souls, Frontiers, and Ninja Kangaroos

    In this episode, we return to the classic “How is it with your soul?” format and end up exploring identity, awareness, embodiment, spirituality, and community through a deeply personal and philosophical conversation. We reflect on how the self is shaped by memory, relationships, language, perception, and even the ways we are seen by others, while also grounding the discussion in ordinary life updates like health changes, therapy milestones, meditation, new pets, and rediscovering joy in simple rhythms. Beneath all the humor and tangents, the episode becomes a conversation about healing, mystery, and learning how to live more peacefully and presently within ourselves and with one another. Host Recommendations Emily: Accept praise when people give it to you.Stephen: Paint your nails.Josh: Celebrate healing outcomes more openly and enthusiastically to help people reconnect with trust in medicine and recovery.Host DE-Recommendations Emily: Do not consume nonstop news.Stephen: Do not let too much time pass without reaching out to friends.Josh: Stop using AI.Join us: Join our free Discord community by emailing us at theravelpod@gmail.com for an invite link!Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Credits: Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

    44 min

  3. May 13

    196. Check Your Power At The Door

    In this episode, we explore abuse of power in church leadership, accountability structures across denominations, and the ways grace and forgiveness can be distorted to protect harmful behavior instead of vulnerable people. We each reflect on personal experiences with church hypocrisy, charismatic celebrity culture, and the tension between repentance, justice, and institutional self-protection. The conversation moves through stories of denominational failures, queer exclusion, public scandals, and the social contracts churches break when trust is betrayed. We arrive at the idea that meaningful accountability requires transparency, transformation, and small everyday acts of compassion rather than power, image, or platform.  Host Recommendations Emily: Follow the Wesleyan “three simple rules”Stephen: Rediscover and lean into your favorite color as an adultJosh: Replace furniture you no longer love or use wellHost DE-Recommendations Emily: Do not excuse harmful behavior or abuse under the guise of grace, forgiveness, or religious authorityStephen: Do not make judgment calls about other people’s spiritual or philosophical practices when you do not understand their story or needsJosh: Do not hold onto furniture you dislike simply because you already own itJoin us: Join our free Discord community by emailing us at theravelpod@gmail.com for an invite link!Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Credits: Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

    55 min

  4. Apr 9

    195. A Tale of Two City Theologies

    In this episode, Josh and Stephen explore a noticed growing anti-city sentiment within American Christianity, unpacking how politics, economics, fear, and cultural identity shape a rural-versus-urban divide. We contrast this with the deeply city-centered theology of the New Testament, noting the irony in modern Christian attitudes toward urban spaces. We weave through media narratives, food culture, and even biblical imagery, suggesting that American Christianity may be drifting toward Old Testament “outsider” and conquest frameworks rather than Jesus’ embodied presence among diverse city populations. Host Recommendations  Stephen: Eat “vitamin carrots”Josh: Make homemade Chipotle-style bowlsHost DE-Recommendations Stephen: Neglecting dryer vent cleaningJosh: Leaving phone text notification sounds onJoin us: Join our free Discord community by emailing us at theravelpod@gmail.com for an invite link!Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Credits: Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

    51 min

  5. Mar 12

    194. Angels: Heralds of the Unorthodox

    We explore angels in the Bible and in Christian imagination, asking what role they actually play in the stories that shaped the tradition. Moving through familiar passages and odd details alike, we consider whether angels are supernatural beings, literary devices, or something closer to a storytelling signal that a narrative turn is about to happen. The conversation wanders through ancient mythology, modern interpretations, guardian angels, and the human impulse to find meaning in unexpected moments. Along the way we land on a curious possibility: whenever angels show up, the story may be about to go unorthodox. Host Recommendations Emily: Updated healthy eating food pyramidStephen: Meaningful desk trinketsJosh: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, specifically the audiobook versionHost DE-Recommendations Emily: Junk political mailersStephen: Sticking with an internet providerJosh: Forgetting routine car maintenanceJoin us: Join our free Discord community by emailing us at theravelpod@gmail.com for an invite link!Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Credits: Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

    43 min

  6. Feb 11

    193. This One Is Half Full

    We explore what optimism actually is and is not, moving beyond half full versus half empty toward peace, joy, acceptance, and responsible action. Drawing on psychology, Buddhism, and our own religious upbringings, we consider whether optimism is innate, learned, or a practice that shapes how we meet uncertainty and tragedy. We wrestle with how optimism can slide into apathy in politics and church culture, and close with small rituals and a Tao Te Ching passage that frames hope as spacious presence rather than certainty. Host Recommendations Emily: Do the thing you’ve been afraid to do. Stop hovering and just jump in.Stephen: Be the person who gently puts bugs outside (or befriends them).Josh: Get on a simple “kick” — a small, playful obsession you look forward to.Host DE-Recommendations Emily: Smoking (take care of your lungs).Stephen: Mindless social-media scrolling — unfollow ~20 clutter accounts.Josh: Fruit Loops (if it looks like a rainbow, it should taste like one).Join us: Join our free Discord community by emailing us at theravelpod@gmail.com for an invite link!Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Credits: Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

    52 min

  7. Feb 4

    192. Selling Christian Agnosticism

    After listening to the two episodes Emily and Stephen did without him, Josh takes the chance to speak with Stephen about questions he had about his experience so far at the Methodist church and whether or not Stephen might be finally ready to adopt his coined term, "Christian-ish Agnostic". Stephen is skeptical, but open. Emily is unfortunately not here today. Host Recommendations Stephen: browse and add Calendars of Interest in Google CalendarsJosh: Handy subscription servicesJoin us: Join our free Discord community by emailing us at theravelpod@gmail.com for an invite link!Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Credits: Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

    52 min

  8. Jan 14

    191. When Desires Don't Quite "Hit"

    In this episode, we explore why fulfilled desires so often fail to satisfy. Recorded in September 2025—before the current football season now in the playoffs, the conversation weaves together stories from the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl mindset and Stephen’s long search for a Lazuli Bunting to ask a deeper question: what happens when the thing you want finally arrives and still isn’t enough? Drawing from Christian theology, Buddhism, Daoism, and everyday life, we reflect on desire, attachment, joy, and the difference between pleasure and presence—ultimately suggesting that meaning may be found not in reaching a destination, but in learning how to play, pay attention, and remain open to what comes next. Host Recommendations Stephen: Go birding, The Tao Te Ching as translated by Stephen MitchellJosh: The Residence on Netflix, Tour De Pharmacy filmEmily: Combine two favorite foods into one (spaghetti tacos or pan toast), touch grass, sweatersJoin us: Join our free Discord community by emailing us at theravelpod@gmail.com for an invite link!Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Credits: Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

    1h 8m
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Trailer

4.2
out of 5
103 Ratings

About

We all grew up in different parts of American Christianity, and we still keep thinking about how to take it seriously, even as we leave some beliefs behind. Join us our round-table discussion as we ravel out our faith in a complex world, pulling on one thread at a time, seeking Meaning at the end of it all.

Information

  • Creator
    Ravel LLC
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    218
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Ravel LLC
  • Show Website
    Ravel

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