The podcast is likely great for anyone who felt led astray by a fundamentalist church in their past, but as a former agnostic now Episcopalian, I found plenty of value in it as well (so much I decided to go back and listen to all of them). The show has a loose structure, no editing, and is charming in its ability to stumble upon historical facts, food for thought, and inspire musings that you may be tempted to research and ponder after you finish each listening. My main criticism is that I wish there were more guest appearances or insights from those who don’t have a similar background in a fundamentalist church to create a more diverse discussion (i.e. it’s one thing for them to say what another belief system believes, but another to hear someone formerly or currently of that system participate in the discussion). But they make no false pretenses about who they are and where they are coming from, and can speak intelligently and openly within that framework. I enjoy it.
For those interested in sampling, here are my top 5 favorite episodes (so far):
1. Episode 32 – Grief Part 2 – A great overview of grief in about 40 min via an interview with Deacon Cindy Ritter. It’s an interview and not their usual format, but an outstanding episode that can be relied upon as a resource in itself.
2. Episode 8 – Influential Authors – This is a gift that keeps on giving: a springboard for a ton of great reading for later.
3. Episode 24/25 - Prayer Part 1 &2 – A great discussion of the different types of prayer and the appropriate applications of each, as well as the misconceptions many of us have been taught to believe about the subject.
4. Episode 47 – What is wrong with just being a good person? – This was a great discussion about how easily self-deception gets in the way of good intentions for anyone, particularly those that are literally fundamentally drained.
5. Episode 35 – Politics – Thankfully, the group does not shy away from the controversial topics, and the historical evolution of Christianity in politics (for better and worse) makes for a great listen.
