Homebrewed Culture Cast

Films move our culture in profound ways, but how? Did Hollywood, and particularly, the Oscars, elevate women this year after major fallout last year? How about ethnic minorities? LQBTQ? And what do 2016’s films tell us about ourselves and our world? Gareth Higgins, founder of The Porch Magazine and the Movies and Meaning Festival, joins...

What happens when an Episcopal priest Jeremy Lucas sets out to win an AR-15 in a raffle for a kids’ softball team fundraiser and gets it? What’s more, how do people – particularly Christians – react to his plans for the gun? Oh, and did I mention the the money used to buy the raffle tickets came from the church he serves? Why is this post entirely in question form? I mean…ahem… Lots of folks have suggested Donald Trump suffers from a Narcissistic Personality Disorder. So much so that Dr Allen Frances, the author of the criteria for the disorder chimed in to let us know what he thinks. Then Amy helps us tease out what it means to be fully human, as informed by the mission and teaching of Jesus. She and her colleague, Rev Adam Phillips, have been doing a sermon series this summer on the subject, so we try to work out the question on the show. Finally we offer some fresh fears to simmer over your ever-growing fires of anxiety, as well as a list of recommended songs, books and other media to help engage the “Powers That Be” in creatively subversive ways. The gang’s all here and we’re back in the esteemed CultureCast studio for this episode for part one of this two-parti interview, with segment two appearing in the following episode, slated for about a week from now. Check it out, have a laugh, be inspired and challenged. Oh, and of course, hit us up on the links below, and don’t forget to drop a five-star rating on iTunes or Stitcher; it’s more important than you might think. Thanks! Become a CultureCast Patron HERE Join us on Facebook HERE

What happens when an Episcopal priest Jeremy Lucas sets out to win an AR-15 in a raffle for a kids’ softball team fundraiser and gets it? What’s more, how do people – particularly Christians – react to his plans for the gun? Oh, and did I mention the the money used to buy the raffle tickets...

What happens when Christian and Amy head to a theology camp with three days of open jerks and about a dozen other podcasters? Well let’s find out, shall we? Thanks to Tripp Fuller for having us as part of his first-ever Theology Beer camp at the Hatchery Campus in Redondo Beach, CA recently to do our show live with a rotating tap of special guests. Here’s a list of who call joined us for different segments: Echo Chamber: Talking Trump on Inauguration Day with Nathan Gilmour (Christian Humanist Podcast) Fear of the Week/Au Contraire Mon Frere: Jason Michelli, Teer Hardy (Crackers and Grape Juice Podcast) Special Segment: Dan Koch, (Depolarize Podcast) Recommendations: Ryan Miller, Janel Apps Ramsey (Brew Theology)  Become a CultureCast Patron HERE Join us on Facebook HERE

What happens when Christian and Amy head to a theology camp with three days of open jerks and about a dozen other podcasters? Well let’s find out, shall we? Thanks to Tripp Fuller for having us as part of his first-ever Theology Beer camp at the Hatchery Campus in Redondo Beach, CA recently to do our...

What do other religions say about heaven? How about hell? Do the similarities across so many cultures and faiths point to a universal cosmic truth, or does it reveal more about our basic human nature? After a few pints of heaven at the Homebrewed Theology Beer Camp, I sat down with James Younger, executive producer...

What do other religions say about heaven? How about hell? Do the similarities across so many cultures and faiths point to a universal cosmic truth, or does it reveal more about our basic human nature? After a few pints of heaven at the Homebrewed Theology Beer Camp, I sat down with James Younger, executive producer of the “Story of God” series, hosted by Morgan Freeman on the National Geographic Channel. He showed us an advance screening of their episode on Heaven and Hell, followed by an opportunity to sit down with him face-to-face to pick his brain. After that, I went across the hall (literally) and grabbed some couch with Barry Taylor, noted eccentric, seasoned theological and cohost of the Story of Godcast, a companion podcast released after each new TV episode. In it, he and Tripp process the show and make broader and deeper connections by digging into their collective nerd-dom over a couple of mics. And finally, after a muchly (yeah, I said that) mourned absence, Amy returns to hit a few “high” points of the first handful of days in the Trump presidency. Take your dramamine if you’re prone to motion sickness, kids. It’s likely to be a bumpy ride. Support the podcast HERE Join us on Facebook HERE

It was reported that at least 3.2 million people marched in solidarity for women the day after Donald Trump’s inauguration. Hundreds of thousands filled the streets and sidewalks of Washington DC, with similar rallies in cities across the nation. There were even concurrent marches for women in countries around the world. The anger, tension and...

It was reported that at least 3.2 million people marched in solidarity for women the day after Donald Trump’s inauguration. Hundreds of thousands filled the streets and sidewalks of Washington DC, with similar rallies in cities across the nation. There were even concurrent marches for women in countries around the world. The anger, tension and need to be heard was palpable. But did anything change? We took time to chat with Dan Koch, host of the Depolarize Podcast and Jessica Hecox, member of Pantsuit Nation and participant in the recent marches, to try and answer this. Are such demonstrations necessary to advance cause? Do we need them as part of our own catharsis and feeling of not being alone? And can we do better, more, especially as people with some spiritual pursuit? I also chatted with Aric Clark, Presbyterian pastor, writer, cohost of the Two Friars and a Fool Podcast and host on the LectionAric Youtube channel who spent a week at the protest site on native lands where the Dakota Access pipeline had been proposed. Though the development of the pipeline was delayed temporarily, it appears that the new administration in the White House has other intentions. So what do we do now? What can we learn from that gathering of activists? Listen in and tell us what you think! Become a Homebrewed CultureCast patron HERE  Join us on Facebook HERE

This is a post-election podcast. It is very fresh. Christian and I talk about our feelings, thoughts, anger, and hopes after the election. We discuss it in three parts: as a Citizen, as a Husband-Parent, and as a Christian.  At the conclusion we decided to have a future (more reflective) episode and invited listeners of...

This is a post-election podcast. It is very fresh. Christian and I talk about our feelings, thoughts, anger, and hopes after the election. We discuss it in three parts: as a Citizen, as a Husband-Parent, and as a Christian.  At the conclusion we decided to have a future (more reflective) episode and invited listeners of both podcasts to join it via the SpeakPipe. You can do that here and add your voice to a future episode.  We also mention an upcoming event in LA the day before Theology Beer Camp on January 18th called Third Rail Theology: Race, Class, & White Privilege in the Church. If you are a SoCal local you are invited, along with everyone coming to the Homebrewed event. If for some reason you don’t subscribe to both the CultureCast and HBC… think about it!  

Can you be a Christian and not believe in God? Tom Krattenmaker thinks so. We talk about his new book, “Confessions of a Secular Jesus Follower,” and why he feels like Jesus has a path that makes his life – and those of others, if they’ll be open to it – more rich and meaningful, regardless of theological belief. Refreshingly compassionate toward evangelical Christians, the USA Today columnist and editor has a history of dispelling religious stereotypes. But rather than advocating for understanding of agnostics, humanists and atheists, he’s actually calling on his fellow skeptics (and us progressive Christians) to open our hearts and minds a little more to the good still at the heart of Christian Community. We break down how it is that a guy who doesn’t embrace the idea of a Divine presence still follows a man whose ministry was centered on connection with said Divine presence. Krattenmaker, communications director at Yale Divinity School is in many ways the essence of postmodern theological and philosophical pursuits: a walking paradox. But his earnestness and thoughtfulness will challenge at least something about your assumptions, be it about humanists or Christians. Plus he’s just a swell guy. The CultureCast crew chats up Christian’s recent trek to the Kingdom of Jordan, challenging some assumptions many of us have about the Middle East. Seems there’s a theme in this episode; if only I could put my finger on it… Christian’s trip was sponsored by the Jordan Tourism Board and through the generosity of Phillips Theological Seminary. Check both of our partners out if you’re interested in expanding your worldview, either here or abroad.  Support the podcast and get some swaggy goodness by becoming a CultureCaster HERE.

Can you be a Christian and not believe in God? Tom Krattenmaker thinks so. We talk about his new book, “Confessions of a Secular Jesus Follower,” and why he feels like Jesus has a path that makes his life – and those of others, if they’ll be open to it – more rich and meaningful, regardless...

Christian Piatt’s recent trip to the middle east – specifically the Kingdom of Jordan – was themed “Strong in the Broken Places.” In a region surrounded by such conflict, violence and division, how does Jordan remain a safe haven for citizens, immigrants and pilgrims alike? In the midst of brokenness, from where do they find their strength? After two years of struggling with both epilepsy and hypertension, dual diagnoses given to him within weeks of each other, Christian went in search of strength in the rubble of some of his own feelings of brokenness. This is is the first of his audio entry “mini-sodes” from that trip, which came from the day when he was sitting in the midst of millennia-old ruins, some of which were being renovated, while others disintegrated into nothingness. How do we decide what really matters? Sometimes it takes things falling apart for us to figure it out. Christian’s trip was sponsored generously by the Jordan Tourism Board and by Phillips Theological Seminary. Learn more about having your own Jordan experience by clicking HERE; discover how you can enrich and broaden your theological education by visiting HERE.  

Christian Piatt’s recent trip to the middle east – specifically the Kingdom of Jordan – was themed “Strong in the Broken Places.” In a region surrounded by such conflict, violence and division, how does Jordan remain a safe haven for citizens, immigrants and pilgrims alike? In the midst of brokenness, from where do they find...