Assumptions
34 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 4 years ago - ★★★★★ - 6 ratingsDaniel (a Christian) and Kyle (an Atheist) have competing world views and yet remain close friends. Each episode they try to understand each other’s viewpoint by using media to uncover how each interprets the world.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
Life In the Time of Quarantine *BONUS EPISODE*
June 11, 2020 15:00 - 58 minutes - 53.9 MBIn this, our third bonus episode for 2020, Kyle and Daniel talk about what they are learning from the COVID-19 Lockdown. Note that this episode was recorded on April 30, 2020. Since that time there have arisen plenty of issues that Daniel and Kyle would have loved to have mentioned or talked about, including the over-abundance of conspiracy theories and, more importantly, the murder of George Floyd and the worldwide Black Lives Matters protests. As Kyle mentioned at the beginning ...
Losing Your Passion *BONUS EPISODE*
May 28, 2020 09:00 - 55 minutes - 50.7 MBIn this, our second bonus episode for 2020, Daniel asks Kyle about what has changed in his life. The two friends talk about how their approaches to career, creativity, legacy, and self worth are changing and growing. Show Notes: Kyle’s five podcasts are: This podcast, Assumptions Creative Block Kyle and Dave vs The Machine Putting It Together Whatever This Is The book on suffering that Daniel is reading is Timothy Keller’s Walking with God through Pain and Suffering. Kyle’...
Love Reveals Itself *BONUS EPISODE*
May 14, 2020 09:00 - 51 minutes - 47.2 MBIt has been a long time since we’ve sat down in front of a microphone. What have we been up to? In this bonus episode, Kyle asks about Daniel’s engagement, wedding, and marriage, with Daniel connecting the themes of Season Two to his own life. Daniel mentions our previous set of bonus episodes, which were released in November and December of 2017. Those episodes are called The Search for Transcendence, Daniel’s Highs and Lows, and Kyle’s Internal Struggle. Daniel proposed to Anni...
Love (and Hate) in Our Audience, Part Two – Season Two, Episode 12
October 15, 2018 04:21 - 40 minutes - 33 MBOn this, the last episode of our second season, Kyle and Daniel listen to some comments and questions sent in from listeners. They discuss how social media discourages proper goodbyes, why we are good to others, and tell the story of how they became friends. Show Notes: Daniel mentioned the ending of the children’s novel The Last Battle (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Battle). Daniel and Kyle were interviewed for patheos.com on their friendship and the origins of the ...
Love (and Hate) in Our Audience, Part One – Season Two, Episode 11
October 01, 2018 14:30 - 1 hour - 84.3 MBAs we wind our way to the tail end of this season, we share feedback provided by our listeners. The questions spark conversations. We discuss what would bring us to conversion, how to understand sexual intimacy, and even masturbation. This episode also includes Kyle’s interview with Fraser Tripp. Sponsors: Assumptions is sponsored by Alberta Podcast Network and this week we highlighted the Young Gaffers. This week we are also sponsored by Edmonton’s Lit Fest (use the discount c...
Wrap It Up! Part Two – Season Two, Episode 10
September 17, 2018 15:00 - 42 minutes - 58.4 MBThis has been such a full season of conversations that our wrap up episode has been extended into a second episode. This time we discuss the many interviews we had this season and recap our conversations on marriage, loneliness, and community. Sponsors: Assumptions is sponsored by Alberta Podcast Network. This week we highlighted Kyle’s new show, Putting It Together: The Music of Stephen Sondheim (https://www.albertapodcastnetwork.com/blog/2018/9/11/putting-it-together-joins-t...
Wrap It Up! Part One – Season Two, Episode 9
September 03, 2018 21:05 - 50 minutes - 69.9 MBIt’s been quite the season and we’ve covered a lot of topics. Sex. Family. Romance. Gay Sex. So we decided it would be worth taking a step back and discussing what we learned, what we want to clarify, and what we want to explore further. This is the first of a two part episode where we talk about our first five episodes. It’s a great conversation. Sponsors: Assumptions is sponsored by ATB Financial (this week we highlight their Entrepreneur Centre), LitFest Alberta, (get a disc...
Bonus: Interview with Barry Danylak
August 20, 2018 13:36 - 1 hour - 127 MBIn this bonus episode, Kyle and Daniel sit down with Dr. Barry Danylak, who has spent a lifetime studying what it means to be a single Christian and whose life is devoted to working with singles in the church. They talk about Barry’s practices as a single, celibate Christian, his scholarship on sexual ethics, and his understanding of the historical context of first century sexual ethics. Sponsors: Assumptions is sponsored by ATB Financial (this week we highlight their support o...
Bonus Episode: Interview with Rabbi Seth Goldstein
August 06, 2018 20:43 - 57 minutes - 105 MBIn this bonus episode, Kyle interviews Rabbi Seth Goldstein to learn a liberal Jewish perspective of the themes we’ve been discussing this season. Sponsors: Assumptions is sponsored by ATB Financial (this week we highlight the ATB Booster program) and the Alberta Podcast Network (this week we told you about the show Mess Hall). Show Notes: Rabbi Seth Goldstein Rabbi Seth Goldstein was reached in Olympia, Washington, where he has been the rabbi of Temple Beth Hatfiloh sinc...
Bonus Episode: Interview with Lish Veldhuijzen
July 23, 2018 13:15 - 45 minutes - 84 MBIn this bonus episode, Kyle and Daniel interview their friend Lish Veldhuijzen to get her perspectives on the questions we’ve been discussing this season. Sponsors: Assumptions is sponsored by ATB Financial (this week we highlight their Branch for Arts and Culture) and the Alberta Podcast Network (this week we told you about the show Blue in the Face). Show Notes: Lish Veldhuijzen was reached in Victoria, BC where she is studying Traditional Chinese Medicine at Pacific Ri...
Bonus Episode: Interviews with Nick Taniguchi and Tyler May
July 09, 2018 14:00 - 50 minutes - 92.2 MBIn this bonus episode, Kyle interviews two of his friends to get their opinions on the topics we’ve been discussing this season. Sponsors: Assumptions is sponsored by ATB Financial’s Entrepreneur Centre and the Alberta Podcast Network (this week we told you about the show The Repodcasting). Check out the CKUA app, where you can listen to Assumptions and all the other Alberta Podcast Network shows. Show Notes: Kyle interviewed both Nick and Tyler while attending PodCon in S...
We Are All Alone, Part Two – Season Two, Episode 8
June 26, 2018 14:00 - 53 minutes - 97.9 MBThis is the second of our two-part conversation on loneliness, singleness, community, and friendship. We talk about the struggles, sorrows, and satisfactions of friendship. Sponsors: Assumptions is sponsored by ATB Financial’s Entrepreneur Centre (learn more about No-Fee All-in Digital) and the Alberta Podcast Network (this week we told you about the show The Young Gaffers). Check out the CKUA app, where you can listen to Assumptions and all the other Alberta Podcast Network ...
We Are All Alone, Part One – Season Two, Episode 7
June 11, 2018 14:00 - 57 minutes - 106 MBAfter tackling dating and marriage in our previous episodes, Kyle and Daniel begin a two-part conversation on loneliness, singleness, community, and friendship. In a culture where singleness is increasingly common, what place is their for singles? What does culture say about this, compared to the storyline of the Bible? Why is loneliness so hard and what can we do about it? Why is it so hard to find and keep good friends? Sponsors: Assumptions is sponsored by ATB Financial’s En...
Don't Get Married? – Season Two, Episode 6
May 28, 2018 14:00 - 1 hour - 130 MBThis episode begins with Daniel clarifying a few things that were misunderstood in Episode 4: Christians Are Bigots. We then get some updates about Daniel’s relationship and how it reflects his worldview. This is followed by a discussion of marriage. Does Kyle value it? What is the Christian vision for marriage? Is there marriage in Heaven? Sponsors: Assumptions is sponsored by ATB Financial’s Entrepreneur Centre (check out ATB Cares) and the Alberta Podcast Network (this wee...
Bonus Episode: An Interview with Joy Beth Smith
May 14, 2018 14:00 - 48 minutes - 88.2 MBIn our second Season Two bonus episode, we talk to author and editor Joy Beth Smith about the frustrations of dating as a Christian and her insights into sexuality and what it means to be human. This was a fun and enlightening conversation. We hope you enjoy it! Sponsors: Assumptions is sponsored by ATB Financial’s Entrepreneur Centre (check out ATB Cares) and the Alberta Podcast Network (this week we describe the show That’s So Maven). Check out the CKUA app, where you can listen...
Bonus Episode: An Interview with Wesley Hill
May 01, 2018 04:28 - 34 minutes - 62.8 MBIn our first bonus episode of Season Two, we interview scholar and author Wesley Hill. We are really excited to share this conversation with our listeners. Sponsors: Assumptions is sponsored by ATB Financial’s Entrepreneur Centre and the Alberta Podcast Network (this week we recommend the podcast Makeshift Stories). Show Notes: Our guest today is Dr. Wesley Hill. Wesley is the Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies at Trinity School for Ministry, an Anglican based seminar...
I'm Going to Die Alone – Season Two, Episode 5
April 16, 2018 14:00 - 58 minutes - 107 MBLet’s talk about dating! Kyle and Daniel have slightly different approaches and very different experiences. They talk about their stories, their priorities, and how these differences affect their perspectives on this often emotionally tumultuous approach. Sponsors: Assumptions is sponsored by ATB Financial’s Entrepreneur Centre and the Alberta Podcast Network (this week we recommend the podcast That’s A Thing). Show Notes: At the beginning of the episode we heard fr...
Christians are Bigots? – Season Two, Episode 4
April 02, 2018 14:00 - 1 hour - 84.4 MBAfter hearing Kyle’s story on the last episode, it’s Daniel’s turn to be in the hot-seat. What are his views on what the Bible has to say about LGBTQ relationships? What did Jesus have to say about sexual ethics? And how has the modern church failed in these matters? Kyle and Daniel discuss and disagree. Sponsors: Assumptions is sponsored by ATB Financial’s Entrepreneur Centre and the Alberta Podcast Network. Show Notes: At the beginning of the episode we heard from the foll...
I Am What I Am – Season Two, Episode 3
March 19, 2018 14:00 - 49 minutes - 91.4 MBWe all know that Kyle is bisexual. And many of us questions about what that means for Kyle and how he got here. In this episode, Kyle tells Daniel his story of how he came to understand his sexuality and they talk about the implications. Sponsors: Assumptions is sponsored by ATB Financial’s Entrepreneur Centre and the Alberta Podcast Network. This week we mention The Daveberta Podcast. Show Notes: Daniel describes how author (and Assumptions guest) Wesley Hill describes the...
Let's Talk About Sex: Season Two, Episode 2
March 05, 2018 15:00 - 58 minutes - 107 MBWhat is the purpose of sex? Is it an act shot through with meaning and consequence, or is it just for pleasure? How does it affect our identity? When and with whom should it be done? Is sex good? How does this apply to Christians and how does it apply to the LGBQ+ community? Kyle and Daniel bravely work their way through a discussion of these weighty matters. Sponsors: Assumptions is sponsored by ATB Financial’s Entrepreneur Centre and the Alberta Podcast Network. This week we s...
We Are Family – Season Two, Episode 1
February 19, 2018 15:00 - 56 minutes - 103 MBIn our first episode of this new season, Kyle and Daniel introduce the themes we hope to explore throughout the upcoming episodes. As we set the stage for discussing sexuality, we talk about our different experiences of family growing up. Is raising a family a selfless or selfish act? How has the expectation of having a family changed in our generation? Why do we hope to have our own families some day? Sponsors: Assumptions is sponsored by ATB Financial’s Entrepreneur Centr...
Kyle's Internal Struggle – BONUS EPISODE 3
December 10, 2017 15:00 - 39 minutes - 71.9 MBIt’s been a long time since you’ve heard from us at Assumptions. While we continue to prepare our second season, we’re releasing a short series of bonus episodes. It’s Daniel’s turn to interview Kyle and learn about his enterprising plans to start a new business dedication to content creation. This being Assumptions, the conversation included discussions on uncertainty, and confidence, mental health, and the kind of legacy we hope to leave. Sponsors: Assumptions is sponsored by ...
Daniel's Highs and Lows – BONUS EPISODE 2
November 26, 2017 15:00 - 31 minutes - 43.5 MBIt’s been a long time since you’ve heard from us at Assumptions. While we continue to prepare our second season, we’re releasing a short series of bonus episodes. Our show is all about worldview, and up until now we’ve been discussing the ideas that shape us. But one’s worldview should never be divorced from one’s life. So in this episode Kyle interviews Daniel to learn what has changed in his life and how it’s influence his Christian worldview. Sponsors: Assumptions is spo...
The Search For Transcendence – BONUS EPISODE 1
November 12, 2017 15:00 - 42 minutes - 58.5 MBIt’s been a long time since you’ve heard from us at Assumptions. While we continue to prepare our second season, we’re releasing a short series of bonus episodes. On this episode, Kyle and Daniel talk about the movies and music they’ve been consuming and how they reflect our post-religious culture. Sponsors: Assumptions is sponsored by ATB Financial’s Entrepreneur Centre and the Alberta Podcast Network. We also mention another Alberta Podcast Network show dedicated to spor...
Concluding Thoughts – Season One, Episode 9
July 09, 2017 14:00 - 58 minutes - 79.8 MBKyle and Daniel pause to look back on their conversations. They walk through each episode asking questions like, what did they learn about each other? How did their opinions changed? What surprised them? They also gather up any loose ends discussed over the season and announce their plans for Season Two. Media Discussed: Daniel’s Lego Yellow Submarine can be found here. The origins of Assumptions can be found way back in 2013 when a younger Daniel and Kyle talked about books an...
The Cathedral and the Cinema – Season One, Episode 8
June 25, 2017 14:00 - 34 minutes - 47 MBDaniel likes to think that weekly church service he attends tells a story that its congregation becomes immersed in. So Kyle bravely attends Daniel's church and offers his outsider's observations. They then discuss the Kyle's weekly temple experience: the movie theatre. How do these communities shape the stories of our lives? Important reminder! We'd love to have your questions or feedback for our wrap up episode. Please reach out to us on Facebook or email us at assumptionspod@gma...
#Stories – Season One, Episode 7
June 11, 2017 14:00 - 38 minutes - 52.5 MBDaniel and Kyle discuss how social media impacts the stories we tell about ourselves. Media Discussed: Daniel quotes from the chapter "Honey Boo Boo and the Weight of Glory" in Mike Cosper's book Stories We Tell: How TV and Movies Long for and Echo the Truth. We discussed this book in our first episode and we borrowed from its title to name our season. Daniel recommends reading the whole chapter if you can, but here are some relevant quotes from it: "One way to understand social...
Dance, Dance, Otherwise We Are Lost! – Season One, Episode 6
May 28, 2017 14:00 - 34 minutes - 46.8 MBDaniel and Kyle are both creative people and both have a relentless drive to create. Why? Why create art when there is more than enough already? What happens when our art goes unseen and unvalued? Such deep questions. The film The Matrix (1999) is briefly alluded to. Examples of Daniel's photography and writing can be found on his website, www.danielmelvilljones.com. Kyle's YouTube channel is https://www.youtube.com/user/Maddog53. Kyle mentions the character actor Stephen To...
The Validity of Video Games – Season One, Episode 5
May 14, 2017 14:00 - 34 minutes - 47.7 MBDaniel's instinct is to think of video games as mostly a waste of time. Can Kyle convince him otherwise? Is the storytelling approach to video games unique to our age? Together they play the video game "That Dragon Cancer" and get emotional talking about death. Media Discussed: Much of this show discusses the video game 'That Dragon Cancer' (http://www.thatdragoncancer.com), available for Mac, PC, iOS, and Android. We briefly mention the board games Operation and Life, and d...
Harry Potter is of the Devil – Season One, Episode 4
April 30, 2017 14:00 - 44 minutes - 61.7 MBDaniel grew up believing that the Harry Potter books were, quite literally, inspired by the devil. Until last year, when he read the whole series. Now, he thinks they are, at their core, essentially Christian novels. What does Kyle think of this theory. Why does our culture love these books so much? In the episode's opening, Daniel reads from an email he received from Some Freaks (2016) director Ian MacAllister McDonald (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3283864/?ref_=nv_sr_1). This...
Oh, the Horror! – Season One, Episode 3
April 16, 2017 14:00 - 36 minutes - 50 MBDaniel argues that many horror films deal blatantly with the existence of evil and often have strong religious themes. So why are they so popular amongst our secular culture? And why do most evangelical Christians avoid them like a curse of Satan? Does Kyle believe in ghosts anyways? Links to Media Discussed: The 1990 TV mini-series It (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099864/) and the original 1986 horror novel by Stephen King (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It_(novel)). The 1960 f...
Stories That Shape Us: Season One, Episode 2
April 02, 2017 14:00 - 29 minutes - 40.4 MBKyle's favourite movie of all time is Jaws, which Daniel has never seen. We sit down to watch it and then ask: why does this movie speak so deeply to Kyle? We also talk about Daniel's favourite movie, Moonrise Kingdom and examine why these different stories mean so much to us and what they say about our worldviews. On this episode, the following media is mentioned or discussed: The 1975 film Jaws (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073195/), directed by Stephen Spielberg. The 2012 fi...
We Are Made of Stories: Season 1, Episode 1
March 19, 2017 14:00 - 36 minutes - 50.2 MBThe book Stories We Tell by Mike Cosper investigates the subtle power of the stories told through movies and TV. Daniel and Kyle discuss the allure of storytelling in both of their lives and ask why, according to their differing creeds, does this desire exist? Media Discussed: Stories We Tell by Mike Cosper Like Someone in Love (film) Boyhood (film) The Raid (film) Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien Harry Potter book series by J. K. Rowling The Shadow (radio drama) Guns...
Assumptions: Season 1 Teaser
March 13, 2017 05:06 - 4 minutes - 6.65 MBA Christian and an Atheist have a polite conversation. Kind of. Daniel and Kyle have competing world views and yet still remain close friends. Each try to understand each other’s viewpoints. Specifically they use media to uncover how each interprets their world.