Theology in the Raw

Justin Bronson Barringer is a pastor, consultant, writer, editor, and a PhD candidate in religious ethics at Southern Methodist University. He’s also a star in the hit reality show Duck Dynasty. (Just kidding.) I met Justin many years ago when he agreed to read (and critique!) early drafts of my book Fight, now called Nonviolence: The Revolutionary Way of Jesus. He was very influential in helping me understand Christian nonviolence and the ethical challenges it presents. In this episode, we talk about his new book that he edited: The Business of War: Theological and Ethical Reflections on the Military-Industrial Complex​. Once we understand how profitable war can be, it sort of changes your view on the whole military industrial complex.  

While many Christians read the book of Revelation as mostly about future events, it’s best understood as a piece of political protest. John is writing to confront Chrisitan Nationalism--in a first-century sort of way. There’s no better person to help us read Revelation in this way than Dr. Dan Morrison. Dan is assistant professor of New Testament at George Fox University and he wrote his doctoral dissertation on Revelation. It’s called: “Apocalypse as Protest: Reading Revelation from Places of Poverty, Privilege, Power, and Persecution”

Jon Tyson is a brother from another Australian mother (or mum). Jon’s one of the wisest, most intelligent, astute, prophetic, and spiritually authentic Chrisitans leaders in the church today. This dude walks with Jesus in both heart and mind. In this episode, I wanted Jon to give a prophetic perspective on 2020. How should we think about this crazy year? What should we learn from it? How should we look forward in 2021 and beyond? What should the church keep doing after Covid, and what should the church leave behind? Oh, and we also discuss the roots and symptoms of Trumpism and I actually say “you are Trump; we are Trump.” Or something like that. I can’t remember exactly what I said, but I know I’ll get some emails. You can address them to JonTyson@hotmail.com (Just kidding...as if Jon has a hotmail account.) Jon Tyson is a Pastor and Church Planter in New York City. Originally from Adelaide, Australia, Jon moved to the United States twenty years ago with a passion to seek and cultivate renewal in the Western Church. He is the author of Sacred Roots, A Creative Minority, and The Burden is Light. Jon lives in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan with his wife and two children. He serves as the Lead Pastor of Church of the City New York.

Dr. Hruz (pronounced “rooz”) is an associate Professor of Pediatrics, Cell Biology & Physiology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. He has a Ph.D. and an M.D. and specializes in pediatric endocrinology. Dr. Hruz has clinical interest in a wide range of endocrine disorders, with a special interest in diabetes mellitus. Dr. Hruz's research interests include intermediary carbohydrate metabolism, glucose transporter structure and function and mechanism of insulin action. Dr. Hruz has also become an expert in the discussion currounding puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and trans* teenagers seeking transition. This is what we focused on in our discussion. We looked at the health risks and benefits of blockers and cross sex hormones and some of the ideology surrounding the discussion.

Addie was raised in a conservative Christian home and has always had a strong faith in Jesus. Addie also has experienced severe gender dysphoria from a young age, and after much prayer, study, and seeking counsel, she decided to transition from male to female toward the end of college. Add is very happy with her decision, believes it was the right thing for her to do, and still has a robust faith in Jesus. Addie is still theologically and politically conservative, so she doesn’t fit neatly into the categories that people often have of trans* people.

Helena is one of many females who have experienced “Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria,” where gender dysphoria seems to come out of nowhere and is allegedly brought on, in part, through social contagion. Helena talks honestly and opening about her journey where, as a teenager, she used to identify as trans* but later renounced that identity and detransitioned back to her biological sex as female. Helena believes she was brainwashed into this identity through various online social media sites such as Tumblr and Reddit. 

In this third part of our series “Diversity of Trans*,” I sit down with my good friend Kyla Gillespie. Kyla is female, transitioned to male 10 years ago, then back to female 4 years ago. She tells her story in this episode and discusses why she transitioned in the first place, the results of that transition, her encounter with Jesus in 2017, her decision to detransition back to her birth sex, and her ongoing journey in the gospel. Pre-order my book Embodied: Transgender Identities, the Church, and What the Bible Has to Say from this website to recieve pre-order incentives: https://davidccook.org/books-preston-sprinkle-embodied/

Renee has experienced gender dysphoria from an early age and it’s never gone away. She hates wearing dresses and has never worn make-up, which means she doesn’t at all resonate with the culturally defined gender stereotypes of western culture. Renee is also a radical follower of Jesus, has a masters in Theology and is pursuing a Ph.D., and aspires to be a writer and theological educator. While she experiences ongoing gender dysphoria and doesn’t fit your typical narrow box of femininity, she also doesn’t agree with many things in a “gender affirming” ideology. Pre-order my book Embodied: Transgender Identities, the Church, and What the Bible Has to Say from this website to recieve pre-order incentives: https://davidccook.org/books-preston-sprinkle-embodied/

Miranda Yardley is an engaging writer, an astute thinker, and a atheist #transsexual (Miranda's preferred term) who's been very outspokenly critical of many tenets of trans* activist ideology. In this episode, we talk about #autogynephilia, the meaning of sex and #gender, human nature, why it’s impossible to change sex, the role that porn plays in the rise of youth exploring sexual and gender identities, and many other things. 

Tish Harrison Warren is the real deal. Super raw, super wise, down to earth, yet can hang in the loftiest ivory towers. Tish is a priest in the Anglican Church in North America. She is the author of Liturgy of the Ordinary: Sacred Practices in Everyday Life, which was Christianity Today's 2018 Book of the Year, and the forthcoming Prayer in the Night: For Those Who Work, or Watch, or Weep (IVP, 2021). These two books form the backbone of our conversation, and toward the end of the podcast we get super raw and real about the problem of evil and stuff.

What does the Bible—not culture, not democrats, not republicans, but the freakin’ word of God!—say about immigration? In this podcast, Danny and Preston sit down to talk about what the Bible says about immigration, including how to respond to undocumented immigrants, and also how this intersects with politics and culture on the issue. 

David Bennett is the real deal. As he details in his book A War of Loves, David used to be a gay activist and ardent opponent to Christianity. But then one day, God met him in a pub. And the rest is history. David is currently a Ph.D. student in theology at Oxford University and a dynamic speaker, theologian, and evangelist. In this episode, we talk about his story, celibacy, Jesus, same-sex sexuality, Jesus, the gospel, Jesus, sexual desire and its intrinsic relationship to communion with God, and Jesus. 

Whether you love him or hate him—and it seems like these are the only two options—we are now living in a post-Trump world. What does this mean for Christianity? How should Christians think through 2021? Preston and Karen sit down to banter around about all things related to Christianity and culture. 

Monica is a survivor of sexual abuse and rape, and she talks about how people who have gone through the same kind of trauma can heal and walk a path of freedom. Monica is a speaker, mentor, leader, and the co-host of "Christian Sexuality: Conversations about Jesus, Sex, and Gender"--a youth curriculum on sex, sexuality, and gender.

Preston talks through some new things happening on Theology in the Raw for 2021! More podcasts, more guests, more Q & A; extra real, super raw. Let’s take this puppy to the next level!