The Spiritual Brewpub

Maria French: A Post-Christian Journey

What does post-Christian mean? According to Maria French, it doesn't automatically mean post-Jesus or post-faith. Join Maria and Michael as they discuss why the ideas in Maria's book are so critical to the conversation about deconstruction. The community of post-evangelicals, or even those who are still evangelical but disillusioned, will benefit to hear how Maria's journey offers this lesser known path—outside what we might think a destination would be after conservative Christianity like progressive Christianity, agnosticism, or atheism—but a path for us who still believe in mystery and connection to the spirit of life, but who feel trapped by old ideas and constructs.

Maria gives us a new construct, from within which we can work to reconstruct something after evangelicalism. Maria also shares advice on how to navigate deconstruction and relationships with friends and family who are still evangelical and reject or misunderstand the post-evangelical or post-Christian path. 

Learn more about Maria and find her book at www.mariafrancescafrench.com and more about Michael at www.spiritualbrewpub.com . Find more episodes here: https://spiritualbrewpub.podbean.com/ 

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Confessions of a Recovering Evangelical - Deconstructing & Rebuilding Faith

Dan Henderson joins Michael to discuss his book, Confessions of a Recovering Evangelical, which chronicles his journey of alienation and frustration with traditional evangelical Christianity. Many like Dan are "Nones" and are often traumatized by the transition from a rigid religious world view to a more humanistic open one. They are also usually harassed by family and former friends.

Drawing on his many years experience as a former Christian private school teacher, Dan shares how he gave up narrow Bible beliefs, harmful theologies, a gay-bashing attitude, the evangelical behavior-police badge, and racial discrimination to germinate and grow a new, more authentic faith. His story engenders a safe place for others to do the same. 

Learn how the evangelical and Christian Nationalist movement in the U.S. threatens our culture and democracy and how evangelical belief and practices harm individuals and society. Dan doesn't toss following Jesus or all of the Bible. He shares a vision for moving on to a more humanistic (not a dirty word) and spiritual way of being that emulates the heart of Jesus' teaching.

Visit danhendersonauthor.com to learn more about Dan and the book. Visit The Spiritual Brewpub to learn more about Michael. Also see Other Podcast Episodes.

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Rob Schenck, Evangelical Minister, Exposes a Disturbing Gun Culture and the Lies Inside the Pro Life Movement

Rob Schenck had at least three conversions. One, to Christ, two to a highly politicized faith, and three from the Religious Right back to Jesus' teachings. Michael and Rob have a fascinating conversation about his journey and how evangelicals turned their backs on Jesus' love ethic by justifying outlandish gun rights and using Jane Roe (Norma McCorvey) of "Roe v. Wade" as a trophy in the abortion culture war.

Rob and the mother of a teenage shooting victim ask, is it possible to be both pro-gun and pro-life? What should be the moral and ethical response to gun violence, especially for those who claim to follow Jesus? When Norma McCorvey supposedly was converted to evangelical Christianity, Rob confesses his complicity in using her as a means to an end and violating her human dignity. What really went on behind the headlines?

You don't want to miss this riveting conversation about guns, the 2nd Amendment vs. the 2nd  Commandment, the controversial anti-abortion/pro-life organization Operation Rescue (that Rob and Michael used to be a part of), and Rob's message today to his current and former evangelical friends (for some, who now consider him an enemy). Learn more about Rob at revrobschenck.com and watch the two documentaries he's highlighted in at Armor of Light and AKA Jane Roe.

See the interview in Videocast version. 

Going Gay and Other Stories that Expose the Harmful Ex-Gay Movement - Tim Rymel

Can you be a Christian and be gay? Tim Rymel spent nearly 20 years emphatically answering no to that question. Born into the fundamentalist, Pentecostal Christian faith, he went into the ministry at 15-years-old, pleading with God to make him straight.

His desperate journey led him into conversion therapy (among the Ex-Gay Movement), where he went from participant to leader at what was once the world's oldest and leading ex-gay organization. He, and the prominent ministry staff, including John Paulk, John Smid, and other Exodus leaders, suddenly found themselves thrust into the national media spotlight at a time when the battle between the LGBTQ community and the evangelical church was heating up.

Michael and Tim discuss Tim's story as told in his book, "Going Gay." Hear Tim's thought-provoking account of one man's journey to accept and understand himself. In a culture where faith and sexuality seem often to be at war, Tim brings insight and light to the conversation. They also discuss Tim's other book, "Rethinking Everything When Faith and Reality Don't Make Sense," and how important and freeing it is to have a reasoned, fact-based faith or philosophy of life. To learn more about Tim, visit timrymel.net. Find other Spiritual Brewpub episodes at https://www.spiritualbrewpub.com/partners. 

Confronting Christofascism: Healing the Evangelical Wound - Carolyn Baker

This episode is critical to listen to as we get close to the midterm elections in November 2022. My new friend, Carolyn Baker, shares lessons from her book, Confronting Christofascism: Healing the Evangelical Wound. We discuss the history of this unholy alliance--fascist, macho, authoritarian ideas mixed with conservative Christianity (and politics)--its relation to Trumpism, and how it threatens society and democracy. Carolyn invites those recovering from the influence of fundamentalist religions, as well as the non-religious seeking to preserve the democratic experiment, to excise the toxic influences of religious authoritarianism from politics and personal life. Listeners from all backgrounds will be enlightened and inspired by Carolyn's clear and incisive snapshot of this defining moment in our history. Writing from her upbringing as a fundamentalist Christian and her years of practicing psychotherapy, she offers a deep dive into the psychology of fundamentalism as well as specific guidelines for healing the wounds of immersion in a subculture of religious domination. Don't miss this one! And, don't think this is hyperbole! Hear what Carolyn has to say based on her personal experience, historical research, and training as a psychotherapist. 

To find the book, visit Confronting Christofascism on Amazon. To learn more about Carolyn Baker and her other books, visit carolynbaker.net. To learn more about Michael and his journey out of evangelicalism into the historical, fact-based way of Jesus, visit The Spiritual Brewpub. Find more episodes here. 

In Search of Christian Origins: A Conversation About the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

There is the accepted, often-repeated version of Christian history—and then there’s the real story. In this podcast, Michael interviews author Steve Paul on his book that helps people learn little-known details of the world’s largest faith and helps them differentiate between Jesus' teachings and institutional religion. 

Steve's extensive research of Christian history, once simply called "The Timeline," was often cited in Michael's first two books. Meet the man behind that study and learn how he started his journey to search for meaning through the study of history. Paul's book is an excellent source for any student or lover of history or anyone who is rethinking or deconstructing evangelical or fundamentalist Christianity. 

Don't miss this fascinating conversation. As Steve Paul says, to understand Christian history is to unearth the roots of our current divisive American culture—and hopefully find the tools to fix it in order to grow into a more cooperative society. After listening, find out more and get the book at insearchofchristianorigins.com. The website includes a handy Index for each century and maps that track Christian expansion through the centuries. 

Chris Kratzer on Stupid Shit Heard in Church

When Chris Kratzer left his Lutheran roots, he became a pastor of evangelical and Southern Baptist churches for 21 years. Later, he got caught up in the intoxicating church growth movement. Eventually, after a long road of self examination and realization, he had a radical change of heart and mind that led him to walk away from it all.

Enter The Spiritual Brewpub and hear Michael and Chris discussing Chris's evolution and revelations that showed him how God is portrayed in most evangelical churches--as a hating, violent, temperamental, murderous, codependent, and exclusive deity. 

Michael and Chris agree that the religious-right has hijacked Jesus and made him into the mascot of their bigotry, discrimination, power, and greed. Chris shares the messages found in his book, “Stupid Shit Heard In Church: And the Truth that Will Wipe You Clean,” where he boldly confronts the evils of much of modern Christianity and charts a new path of faith that rescues Jesus out of the claws of conservative Evangelicalism. Hear Chris' fascinating journey and discover a faith that doesn't require you to lose your mind, heart, and self in the process. Learn more at www.chriskratzer.com

Joshua Harris: Why I Left Evangelicalism, Church, and Purity Culture

Joshua Harris became famous at 22 in evangelical circles after writing a book called, "I Kissed Dating Goodbye" that popularized the concept of "courting" as a "Christian" alternative to the secular dating scene. Harris was a product of the conservative Christian homeschool movement. He later became a senior pastor of a Sovereign Grace Ministries mega church (formerly People of Destiny) outside Washington, DC. After embracing what appeared to him as an exciting church movement on the cutting edge of living and spreading "the gospel" of Jesus, he discovered its dark side. Seeing spiritual abuse, manipulation, controlling leaders, and sexual abuse lawsuits that hit his denomination, he ultimately became disillusioned, left the church, attended a progressive seminary, admitted his ministry mistakes, and then announced he no longer considered himself a Christian. 

Join Michael and Josh in a fascinating conversation on Josh's evolution, how and why he changed his mind, and what brought him to where he is today--having deconstructed evangelicalism and wondering if what faith should boil down to is simply loving your neighbor--i.e., the love ethic of Christ. Michael and Josh have a lot in common in their past and reminisce about the recent history of the evangelical movement, where they think it lost its way, and how to approach religious deconstruction and reconstruction. Learn about Josh's journey at joshharris.com and Michael's at spiritualbrewpub.com. 

Frank Schaeffer on Leaving Evangelicalism and What Matters Most

In his newest book, "Fall in Love, Have Children, Stay Put, Save the Planet, Be Happy," Frank Schaeffer offers a passionate political, social, and lifestyle “blueprint” for changes millions of us know are needed to rebalance our work lives with thriving relationships. Before Covid, many Americans were already questioning capitalism’s “values.” We were already challenging the idea that your job defines you. We already knew something was wrong. Loneliness, frustration, and alienation were already on the rise. 

Michael and Frank have a fascinating conversation on Frank's journey out of his conservative, evangelical past and into a new way of looking at the world that aligns with history and science and focuses on what matters most: the priority of relationships, connections, community, love, caring for the earth, and empowering the poor and marginalized--all things that Jesus taught. 

Far from the conservative Christian view that all humans are depraved at birth and destined to screw up without some divine intervention, you will hear how evolutionary history points to the notion of "survival of the friendliest." Humanity is conditioned to cooperate and be kind to one another. It's innately built in whether you believe in an evolutionary path, that we were created in the image of a God of love, or both. Join Frank and Michael to hear reflections on years of American evangelical trends, why feminism is important, and ideas on how to prioritize what matters most. Learn more about Frank at frankschaeffer.com and Michael at spiritualbrewpub.com. 

Keith Giles on Unmasking Toxic Theology to Reclaim Unrelenting Love

Keith Giles and his wife, Wendy, work with Peace Catalyst International to help build relationships between Christians and Muslims in El Paso, TX. Keith was formerly a licensed and ordained minister who walked away from organized church over a decade ago to start a home fellowship that gave away 100% of the offering to the poor in the community. Today he is the author of the best-selling “Jesus Un” series of books, including Jesus Unbound: Liberating the Word of God from the Bible and Jesus Unforsaken: Substituting Divine Wrath with Unrelenting Love. Keith is also a part of the Heretic Happy Hour podcast. 

Michael and Keith have a lively conversation about spiritual deconstruction and reconstruction, Keith's journey out of a Southern Baptist and Vineyard ministry, a more authentic and historical way of viewing Jesus, the Bible, and Church, and how to find a place of peace in the midst of one's spiritual evolution. Also learn more about Michael's similar journey at The Spiritual Brewpub website.