Deep Talks: Exploring Theology and Meaning Making
199 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 21 hours ago - ★★★★★ - 151 ratingsDeep Talks: Exploring Theology and Meaning-Making is a podcast dedicated to exploring the integral relationship between theology and all of our efforts to find and make meaning in the world. Fostering nuanced, non-combative dialogue about theology and culture, science, the arts and entertainment, and philosophy within a broad, historic Christian perspective.
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Episodes
Deep Talks Essentials: Metamodernism (Part 3)
July 22, 2024 03:05 - 1 hour - 117 MBThis summer, we'll be replaying some of the essential episodes from the past six years of Deep Talks. Here's one of those episodes from September 2023!
Deep Talks Essentials: Metamodernism (Part 2)
July 15, 2024 03:05 - 1 hour - 114 MBThis summer, we'll be replaying some of the essential episodes from the past six years of Deep Talks. Here's one of those episodes from August 2023!
Deep Talks Essentials: Metamodernism (Part 1)
July 08, 2024 03:05 - 56 minutes - 104 MBThis summer, we'll be replaying some of the essential episodes from the past six years of Deep Talks. Here's one of those episodes from August 2023!
Deep Talks Essentials: John Vervaeke and Paul VanderKlay
July 01, 2024 03:05 - 2 hours - 261 MBThis summer, we'll be replaying some of the essential episodes from the past six years of Deep Talks. Here's one of those episodes from December 2021!
Deep Talks Essentials: Dr. John Walton- Answers in Genesis?
June 24, 2024 03:05 - 1 hour - 210 MBThis summer, we'll be replaying some of the essential episodes from the past six years of Deep Talks. Here's one of those episodes from March 2021!
Deep Talks Essentials: Christ and Culture (Part 3)
June 17, 2024 03:05 - 1 hour - 214 MBThis summer, we'll be replaying some of the essential episodes from the past six years of Deep Talks. Here's one of those episodes from July 2019!
Deep Talks Essentials: Christ and Culture (Part 2)
June 10, 2024 03:05 - 1 hour - 148 MBThis summer, we'll be replaying some of the essential episodes from the past six years of Deep Talks. Here's one of those episodes from July 2019!
Deep Talks Essentials: Christ and Culture (Part 1)
June 03, 2024 03:05 - 1 hour - 148 MBThis summer, we'll be replaying some of the essential episodes from the past six years of Deep Talks. Here's one of those episodes from June 2019!
Deep Talks Essentials: Andy Squyres, John Mark McMillan, and Ted Kim
May 27, 2024 03:05 - 2 hours - 267 MBThis summer, we'll be replaying some of the essential episodes from the past six years of Deep Talks. Here's one of those episodes from January of 2022!
The Science and Theology of the Flow State (Part 2)
May 14, 2024 15:24 - 50 minutes - 116 MBSteph Curry experiences it when he’s “in the zone” and hitting 35-foot three-pointers with ease. John Coltrane experienced it when he was recording his saxaphone performance on A Love Supreme. Psychologists have come to call this experience “the flow state.” But how might the flow state be related to what a monk experiences when he is deep in contemplative prayer or what a revival preacher feels in a tent meeting? In this series, we’ll explore the science of the flow state through the grou...
Does Evolution Point to Christ? | Sam Tideman
April 16, 2024 03:16 - 1 hour - 198 MBIn today's episode, Sam Tideman and I discuss all things science and faith in one of the most profound discussions I've had on the subject of evolution, science, and Christianity in the six-year history of this podcast. Sam Tideman is a Harvard-trained biostatistical data scientist and the host of the Transfigured podcast/YouTube channel. —————— Become a patron on Patreon and get bonus Q&A Episodes, resources, opportunities for live discussions on Zoom, and access to our community ...
The Science and Theology of the Flow State (Part 1)
April 08, 2024 04:11 - 47 minutes - 86.5 MBSteph Curry experiences it when he’s “in the zone” and hitting 35-foot three pointers with ease. John Coltrane experienced it when he was recording his saxaphone performance on A Love Supreme. Psychologists have come to call this experience “the flow state.” But how might the flow state be related to what a monk experiences when he is deep in contemplative prayer or what a revival preacher feels in a tent meeting? In this series, we’ll explore the science of the flow state through the gro...
The Disenchantment of the World & The Loss of Story
March 26, 2024 01:28 - 1 hour - 156 MBIn this week's episode, we'll engage with the work of philosopher Byung-Chul Han to discuss how the constant consumption of information can contribute to a sense of meaninglessness and what role narrative and a reorientation of our relationship to God and the world plays in re-enchanting the world. Become a patron on Patreon and get bonus Q&A Episodes, resources, opportunities for live discussions on Zoom, and access to our community Discord server: www.patreon.com/deeptalkstheologypodc...
Why Joe Rogan is Changing His Mind on Jesus & Religion
March 05, 2024 04:15 - 59 minutes - 109 MBJoe Rogan, once a vocal evangelist of New Atheist talking points on religion, recently expressed how he yearns for the "just and righteous" Kingdom of God and believes the world "needs Jesus...for real." That's quite a change for Rogan, but his journey is emblematic of a broader shift in attitudes towards religion. In this episode, I'll explain why this cultural shift is happening, and we'll engage with the work of Charles Taylor, Jonathan Haidt, Paul Tillich, and others to help us better u...
Theology and Anime | Kaz Hayashi
February 27, 2024 04:15 - 1 hour - 112 MBKaz Hayashi is a biblical scholar, archeologist, and theologian from Japan. He is currently an associate professor of Old Testament at Bethel Seminary and has written on the theology and anime. Check out his work in: Anime Philosophy and Religion https://a.co/d/auLDmUN And watch his lecture on "Yahweh the Tyrant!?: The Depiction and Role of Yahweh in BLEACH and other Japanese Anime and Manga" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeUQy... In this episode of Deep Talks, Paul and ...
Justin Wells | A Story Above All Stories?
February 06, 2024 04:15 - 1 hour - 134 MBJustin Wells teaches documentary filmmaking at Biola Unversity and is the author of How to Film Truth. He has several graduate degrees, including a Master's in Philosophy from California State University- Long Beach, a Master of Theology and Art from Fuller Theological Seminary, and a Master's in Art and Documentary Film from the Art Center College of Design. In today's episode, we discuss his work on the patterns and shapes of stories in film, television, and literature and how those guid...
Can We Teach A.I. to be Christian? (Part 2) Sam Tideman
January 23, 2024 12:57 - 42 minutes - 78.2 MBSam Tideman is a Harvard-trained biostatistical data scientist and the host of the Transfigured podcast/YouTube channel. In this episode, we continue our discussion from Part 1 on what happens when AI is put in positions where its "decisions" have life-and-death implications (like in an emergency room or battlefield). What ethical framework will guide it? Is it possible to teach artificial intelligence to be Christian? To access the full unedited video podcast of this conversation, become...
Can We Teach A.I. to be Christian? (Part 1) | Sam Tideman
January 16, 2024 04:15 - 49 minutes - 91.5 MBSam Tideman is a Harvard-trained biostatistical data scientist and the host of the Transfigured podcast/YouTube channel. In this episode, we discuss what happens when AI is put in positions where its "decisions" have life-and-death implications (like in an emergency room or battlefield). What ethical framework will guide it? Is it possible to teach artificial intelligence to be Christian? To access the full unedited conversation and not wait for part 2 next week, become a supporter of thi...
Brendan Graham Dempsey | Understanding Metamodernism
December 18, 2023 13:23 - 1 hour - 174 MBBrendan Graham Dempsey is a writer who's work focuses on the meaning crisis and the reconstruction of spirituality after postmodernism. He holds a BA in religious studies from the University of Vermont and a master's in religion and art from Yale University. He is the author of the 7-volume Metamodern Spirituality Series and, most recently, Metamodernism: Or, The Cultural Logic of Cultural Logics. In this episode, we discuss metamodernism. What is it? How did it emerge? What will religion ...
Rafe Kelley | Training Our Bodies to Pursue the Highest Good
December 05, 2023 10:15 - 2 hours - 223 MBRafe Kelley, founder of Evolve Move Play, discusses the transformative benefits of physical fitness and embodied spiritual disciplines. He shares about his unique upbringing in the counterculture and how it has shaped his current interest in ancient Christian ideas and the intersection of myth and science. Rafe's work explores the value of physical discipline in character transformation. He's been featured on Paul VanderKlay, John Vervaeke, Jordan B. Peterson, Jonathan Pageau, and many o...
Dru Johnson | Is Darwin and the Bible Telling the Same Story?
November 20, 2023 05:27 - 1 hour - 191 MBVideo of this episode available at: https://youtu.be/ub_buhL5LU8?si=j0LfzM0eMpBd-ky7 Dru Johnson, PhD is a biblical scholar at Hope College. He is also the co-host of the On-Script Podcast and director of The Center for Hebraic Study. His new book What Hath Darwin to Do with Scripture: Comparing the Conceptual Worlds of the Bible and Evolution proposes that the ancient Hebrew worldview of the Bible uniquely explores common concerns shared by Charles Darwin's evolutionary theory. Togeth...
Do Christians Have to Believe Young Earth Creationism? (VIDEO EPISODE)
November 14, 2023 04:20 - 18 minutes - 34.6 MBFor the video of the episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/R0dKco1cDw4?si=Um0PpY96DJ0mOWIJ I made this video to help those who, like me, come from church or Christian school contexts where Young Earth Creationism has been treated as the only way to think about science and the Bible. In this video, I'll explain 3 basic theological reasons why Christians who want to take the Bible seriously don't have to believe in Young Earth Creationism. Become a patron on Patreon and get bonus Q&A E...
Metamodernism & The Meaning of Sigma Male Culture | A Conversation with Theohopracy
November 07, 2023 09:00 - 1 hour - 223 MBToday's episode was recorded during a livestream with the Irish, Gen Z theology YouTuber extraordinaire- THEOHOPRACY. Theohopracy invited me on to discuss metamodernism, the Patrick Bateman meme / "sigma male" internet culture, and why there's a growing internet culture of young men attracted to "masculine" paganism. For Theohopracy's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW1cJ0NQOUA3G3ARqBw4JFw Become a patron on Patreon and get bonus Q&A Episodes, resources, opportunities ...
Halloween: God & The Universal Monsters
October 31, 2023 12:00 - 14 minutes - 27.1 MBVideo of this episode is available at: https://youtu.be/_zbklHa9kPc?si=33cv1KE01BwLOABU The celebration of Halloween in America seems to be at an all-time high. Is this just because corporations are learning how to capitalize on the costumes, decorations, and candy of the season, or is something deeper at work? In this episode, we'll explore the religious and philosophical symbolism of the Universal Classic Monsters- Dracula, Frankenstein, the Wolfman, and the Mummy and why these old f...
Metamodernism, Part 4 | Metamodern Christianity?
October 24, 2023 12:02 - 40 minutes - 73.9 MBToday's episode is also available in video format at: https://youtu.be/5PTczGpDIPo?si=jcEK_6BEATlnE9Vp In my podcast series on #metamodernism we've been exploring the new cultural and philosophical shift that's happening in the West and how it is changing the way we tell stories and communicate. But what will metamodernism do to Christianity? How might this shift affect Christianity in the West? Should Christians be optimistic or worried? Support my work on Patreon and get access to b...
Video Episode: Metamodernism & Creed
October 10, 2023 14:06 - 15 minutes - 34.8 MBSubscribe to my relaunched YouTube Channel and watch today's episode: https://youtu.be/sdWKwWLjTXI?si=RkyrfLHkk_gCad62 The band Creed is making a comeback, and it's all thanks to metamodernism. Even the Texas Rangers are using Creed to turn their baseball season around. Let me explain what's going on. Support my work on Patreon and get access to bonus episodes, live Zoom discussions, and more: patreon.com/deeptalkstheologypodcast
Metamodernism, Part 3 | The Metamodern Hero’s Journey
September 18, 2023 03:15 - 1 hour - 117 MBCan Joseph Campbell's "hero's journey" happen within metamodern storytelling? In today's episode, I help you understand how the structure of great myths like Homer's Illiad and The Odyssey, Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, and Star Wars can still exist within the emerging metamodern storytelling aesthetic. We'll explore how the critically acclaimed animated "Spider-verse" movies (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse & Across the Spider-Verse) give us a brilliant example of a metamodern hero's...
Metamodernism, Part 2 | A Longing for Mundane Transcendence
August 29, 2023 15:54 - 1 hour - 114 MBThere's a cultural shift in how we are telling stories, and it's a relatively new phenomenon. It's something different from postmodernism but still incorporates elements from modernism and postmodernism. Philosophers are just barely beginning to grasp what is happening; some call it metamodernism. In today's episode, we'll explore the shift from modernism to postmodernism and into metamodernism through the genre of the American sitcom so that you can notice the distinct flavors of each tha...
Metamodernism, Part 1 | What’s happening & why is this happening?
August 15, 2023 03:15 - 56 minutes - 104 MBThere's a cultural shift in how we are telling stories, and it's a relatively new phenomenon. You can see it in Everything Everywhere All at Once, Barbie, Wes Anderson movies, and Shrek. Yes, I said Shrek. It's something different from postmodernism but still uses postmodernism. Philosophers are just barely beginning to grasp what is happening; some call it metamodernism. In this series, I'm going to explain what metamodernism is all about and help you identify it in popular culture. If...
Oppenheimer: Christopher Nolan, Nihilism, and the Human Condition
July 24, 2023 03:15 - 1 hour - 111 MBDoes Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer tell a different story about the human condition and nihilism than the story he's told in films like The Dark Knight and Interstellar? Yes. In this episode, we'll explore how Nolan's films grapple with ideas from Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Camus, Augustine, and even New Age humanists and discuss why Oppenheimer is his most Augustinian film. https://linktr.ee/paulanleitner ______ If you find this podcast helpful and want to see it continue ad-free, wo...
The Secretly Growing Seed
July 11, 2023 03:15 - 40 minutes - 74.6 MBWhy the rule of God doesn't look like what we might expect. ____ If you find this podcast helpful and want to see it continue ad-free, would you consider becoming a supporter on Patreon? You're not only supporting this podcast, but you are also supporting my free Substack page and YouTube channel. We need 200 patrons to ensure that my work can continue in 2023. https://www.patreon.com/deeptalkstheologypodcast Connect with Paul Anleitner on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/PaulAnlei...
Navigating Political Divisions Among Christians
June 27, 2023 03:15 - 39 minutes - 90.6 MBHave you felt an increasing sense of division and hostility with other Christians over politics in the last few years? You're not alone. Political polarization is affecting many, if not most, church communities in America on some level. So what's the best strategy for how to successfully navigate these tensions? In this episode, we'll explore wise strategies that are both biblically and scientifically informed. ____ If you find this podcast helpful and want to see it continue ad-free,...
John Vervaeke & Paul Vander Klay
June 13, 2023 03:15 - 2 hours - 261 MBThis episode originally aired in December of 2021. In this episode, I'm joined by Paul VanderKlay and John Vervaeke for a discussion on what the word "God" means and why we all should want to move past common Christian vs. atheist debates that seem to reduce what "God" means to a conception of a Doctor Manhattan-like supreme being in an arena of other beings. Paul Vander Klay is a minister in the Christian Reformed Church of North America and the host of a popular YouTube/podcast th...
Evolution & The Slain Lamb
June 06, 2023 03:15 - 1 hour - 113 MBIn this episode, we'll explore connections between theology and science as we examine the often neglected role that cooperation plays in evolution. Is God's supposedly "good" creation governed by violent competition or by cruciform cooperation? ____ If you find this podcast helpful and want to see it continue ad-free, would you consider becoming a supporter on Patreon? You're not only supporting this podcast, but you are also supporting my free Substack page and YouTube channel. We...
Parker Settecase | Is God Writing a Good Story?
May 16, 2023 03:15 - 1 hour - 165 MBAre we characters in a story authored by God? Can God write himself into the story? Why did God write a story with so much evil and suffering? Where is this story headed? Parker Settecase from the oustanding philosophy podcast "Parker's Pensees" joins me to discuss all this along with reflections on the work of his mentor Kevin Vanhoozer, understanding the philosophical divide between Continental and Analytic philosophy, and so much more! Subscribe to Parker's YouTube channel at : https:/...
Mind Software: How Culture Programs Your Values (Part 2)
May 09, 2023 14:15 - 1 hour - 179 MBThis episode originally aired in December 2020. Make sure to listen to Part 1 before listening to this! In this episode, we'll explore the differences between masculine & feminine cultures and the differences between cultures that avoid uncertainty and those that embrace it. Plus, we'll try to answer some of the initial questions I posed at the start of part 1 and consider how Christians can begin to comparatively discern the values of Jesus' Kingdom of God and the values within their ow...
Mind Software- How Culture Programs Your Values (Part 1)
May 02, 2023 03:15 - 1 hour - 184 MBWhat is behind political Left vs Right cultural divide in America? Why do some people become convinced by conspiracies? Why do some march in Black Lives Matter protests while others fly Blue Lives Matter flags in their yards? Have you ever visited a foreign country and been completely shocked at how different the cultural values and behaviors were? In this two-part miniseries, we'll explore how culture acts as software for our minds, shaping our perceptions of reality, and programming our ...
John Mark McMillan Wrestles with Our Violent Heroes (Part 2)
April 18, 2023 14:05 - 59 minutes - 109 MBJohn Mark McMillan is a platinum-selling songwriter and artist from Charlotte, North Carolina. https://www.johnmarkmcmillan.com/ In today's episode, I continue exploring with John Mark many of the themes and questions surrounding the formative power of "hunter-hero" myths that I discussed in the previous episode with Dr. Chris Green. How do these cultural stories that center around violent heroes shape the way we (especially as men) look at God, the world, and our own sense of vocation...
John Mark McMillan Wrestles with Our Violent Heroes (Part 1)
April 11, 2023 03:15 - 48 minutes - 89.2 MBJohn Mark McMillan is a platinum-selling songwriter and artist from Charlotte, North Carolina. https://www.johnmarkmcmillan.com/ In today's episode, I continue exploring with John Mark many of the themes and questions surrounding the formative power of "hunter-hero" myths that I discussed in the previous episode with Dr. Chris Green. How do these cultural stories that center around violent heroes shape the way we (especially as men) look at God, the world, and our own sense of vocation...
Dr. Chris Green | Christianity & The Complicated Cowboy Myth: Jesus, John Wayne, & Masculinity
March 27, 2023 03:15 - 1 hour - 181 MBHas the archetypal cowboy hero of the Western film corrupted American religion and infected generations of Christian men with toxic masculinity, or is the role of these formative stories and heroes more complicated? What should we make of the relationship between Jesus and John Wayne? Dr. Chris Green joins me today to help us wrestle with the complexity of these issues and the important ramifications of our culture's guiding stories on how we read the Bible, do politics, think about the rol...
The Inevitability of Death: A Lenten Theological Reflection
March 21, 2023 02:48 - 12 minutes - 22.3 MBAs we approach the end of Lent and move into what Christians often call "Holy Week", I wanted to offer a short theological reflection on the intended message of the hope of the Resurrection to the earliest Christians - a message that is often misunderstood today. This essay is featured on my Substack page. Subscribe for free at: https://paulanleitner.substack.com/ If you find this podcast helpful and want to see it continue ad-free, would you consider becoming a supporter on Patreon? Yo...
Prosperity Gospel, Open Theism, and the Problem of Evil with Dan Kent
March 07, 2023 04:15 - 40 minutes - 93.3 MBDan Kent (author and pastor at Woodland Hills Church with Greg Boyd) invited me on to his podcast Surprising God to discuss my journey in and out of Open Theism and my work done on the problem of evil in Dis-Ordered: A Christian Journey Through the Problem of Evil & Suffering. You can find out more about Dan Kent's writing, sermons, and podcasts at : https://thatdankent.com/ You can purchase Dis-Ordered: A Christian Journey Through the Problem of Evil & Suffering at: https://www.ama...
John Mark McMillan, Stephen Roach, Ted Kim (Part 2) | Transcendence, Time, & Ecclesiastes
February 28, 2023 04:15 - 27 minutes - 49.5 MBThis week's episode is part 2 of a collaboration with Makers & Mystics- a podcast hosted by Stephen Roach. In it, I participate with Stephen, Chicago pastor Ted Kim, and singer-songwriter John Mark McMillan in a roundtable discussion on "Art & The Urge For Transcendence." This is Part 2 of 2. Check out the fantastic Makers & Mystics podcast here: http://www.makersandmystics.com/ If you find this podcast helpful and want to see it continue ad-free, would you consider becoming a suppor...
John Mark McMillan, Stephen Roach, Ted Kim (Part 1) | Longing & Survival | Makers & Mystics Roundtable
February 21, 2023 14:39 - 51 minutes - 94.4 MBThis is week's episode is part of a collaboration with Makers & Mystics- a podcast hosted by Stephen Roach. In it, I participate with Stephen, Chicago pastor Ted Kim, and singer-songwriter John Mark McMillan in a roundtable discussion on "Art & The Urge For Transcendence" This is Part 1 of 2.' Check out the fantastic Makers & Mystics podcast here: http://www.makersandmystics.com/ If you find this podcast helpful and want to see it continue ad-free, would you consider becoming a suppo...
Strahan Coleman | Beyond Consumeristic Christianity (Part 2)
February 14, 2023 04:16 - 38 minutes - 71 MBStrahan is a writer, award-winning folk musician, and spiritual director from Aotearoa, New Zealand. He is the founder of Commoner's Communion and the author of Beholding: Deepening Our Experience with God. Make sure to listen to Part 1 of my conversation with Strahan before listening to this one. In today's episode, we discuss the need to move beyond consumeristic, transactional Christianity into a more healthy and less anxious view of God. Strahan offers his insights and wisdom on how...
Strahan Coleman | A More Holistic Charismatic (Part 1)
February 08, 2023 01:44 - 54 minutes - 99 MBStrahan is a writer, award-winning folk musician, and spiritual director from Aotearoa, New Zealand. He is the founder of Commoner's Communion and the author of Beholding: Deepening Our Experience with God. In today's episode, I begin to wrap up my series on "A Quest for Meaning as a Spiritual Species" by talking with Strahan about his spiritual journey as he struggled to make sense of God while in the depths of hyper-Charismatic culture. How did he recover from liturgies of anxiety and dis...
Spiritual Species (Part 4)- Damien Walter | Transcendence & Story
January 31, 2023 04:15 - 46 minutes - 85.3 MBThis is part 4 of "A Quest for Meaning as a Spiritual Species" and the second segment of my conversation with Damien Walter. Damien Walter is an expert in modern myth, sci-fi, fantasy, and storytelling. Damien has written for the BBC, Wired, The Guardian, Independent, and a host of other publications. His podcast Science Fiction with Damien Walter has been in the top charts of Apple podcasts in the UK and he leads an online community of 18,000 members interested in science fiction, fantasy...
Spiritual Species (Part 3) - Damien Walter | The Role of Story
January 24, 2023 04:15 - 57 minutes - 105 MBThis is part 3 of "A Quest for Meaning as a Spiritual Species" Are Star Wars and Avengers the new religious myths of our culture? What role does story play in our quest for meaning? In today's episode, I'm joined by an expert in modern myth, sci-fi, fantasy, and storytelling, Damien Walter. Damien has written for the BBC, Wired, The Guardian, Independent, and a host of other publications. His podcast Science Fiction with Damien Walter has been in the top charts of Apple podcasts in the UK...
A Quest for Meaning as a Spiritual Species (Part 2)- Dr. Clay Routledge & Ben Wilterdink
January 17, 2023 04:15 - 52 minutes - 96.6 MBI believe humans are fundamentally a spiritual species in search of meaning and that we’re in the beginning stages of a massive culture-wide rejection of the materialistic, nihilistic story. In this new series, I talk with experts in a variety of disciplines who share this conviction and want to work towards solutions even if they disagree with me or don't hold to all of my religious/theological convictions. This is part 2 of this series, and it continues my conversation with Dr. Clay Routl...
A Quest for Meaning as a Spiritual Species (Part 1)- Dr. Clay Routledge & Ben Wilterdink
January 10, 2023 04:02 - 58 minutes - 107 MBI believe humans are fundamentally a spiritual species in search of meaning and that we’re in the beginning stages of a massive culture-wide rejection of the materialistic, nihilistic story. In this new series, I talk with experts in a variety of disciplines who share this conviction and want to work towards solutions even if they disagree with me or don't hold to all of my religious/theological convictions. Dr. Clay Routledge is a leading expert in existential psychology. He is a highly ci...