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

    Religious “Nones” and “Dones” with Ryan Burge (#382)

    In this conversation, Ryan Burge joins me to explore the evolving landscape of religion in America, focusing on the concepts of “nones” and “dones”—those who identify as non-religious or have distanced themselves from organized religion—and how we see these concepts playing out across society. Highlights 05:36 The State of American Christianity 11:29 The Impact of Partisanship on Religion 14:28 Self-Worth and Life Satisfaction in Religious Contexts 54:35 The Evolution of Gender Identity Awareness 01:08:51 Navigating the Complexities of Trans Issues ___________________________________________ 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 27m
  2. 5D AGO

    C. S. Lewis's "The Great Divorce" (Part 4) (#381)

    This is it — the finale of our four-part series on C.S. Lewis's The Great Divorce, and Kristen Tideman and I go out with a bang. We work through chapters 10-14, where Lewis's portrait of a controlling wife raises questions for us both. We also get into the lizard-turned-stallion scene, Lewis's theology of maternal love (I push back pretty hard), the soul-building argument for suffering, and a Sarah Smith moment I found a little too neat. After the Patreon break, Kristen and I dig into the deeper theological mechanics Lewis is proposing about hell, free will, and post-mortem choice — and land on what I think is our central critique of the whole book: as a psychological metaphor, it's surprisingly rich, but as eschatology, it doesn't quite hold together. ___________________________________________ 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

    27 min
  3. FEB 16

    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
  4. FEB 13

    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
  5. 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
  6. 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
  7. 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

Hosts & Guests

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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