Virtue in the Wasteland Podcast

Cubans, Confessions, and Running to Extremes

Today's show is in two acts.  In act 1 the guys reflect on Cuba, talk about a few current events and talk about running to extreme positions in theology, politics and in general.  The second act is an interview with our friends Marcos and Mark a week after our trip to Cuba to reflect on what we learned there.

Finding Virtue in Cuba part 1

On todays show we play clips from an interview we did with Marcos Ruiz and Mark Norman.  We discuss cuban politics, religion and the state of travel to the once forbidden isle.    

A Religion of Cruel Power Part 2: The Jesus v. Moloch Epic

On today's episode we pick up the theme from last week and discuss the ancient figure of Moloch, the importance of calling out religions of cruel power, and the surprisingly anti-intuitive actions of Jesus.

A Religion of Cruel Power: The Church of Moloch

On today's episode we discuss an ancient religion with modern implications.

#METOO, The Media, and More Burning Questions

On today's show we answer actual questions from actual listeners.  We talk about tragedy, reproductive issues and ethics, the #metoo movement and the question Dan gets more than any other. Enjoy the show!

I Love it When You Call Me Big Papa, On Italian and American Popes

On Today's show we discuss current events coming out of the Vatican and with Evangelical leader Franklin Graham on current events.  We then look at a brief history of the papacy, church authority in civil matters, and why we have an inclination to find figureheads who speak publicly for us.

Godless Criticism

On today's show the guys talk about the most compelling arguments against the church and discuss ways in which we can take these criticisms (from Marx, Freud, etc... ) and build stronger arguments for the importance of religious life today.

Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics

On today's show we go to a number of recent polls that tell us number of fascinating, hopeful, and curious things.  We discuss the nature of the American job market, vocational opportunities, millennials, and a few numbers that remind us that everything is going to be ok.

The Yearbook: 2017 in Review

On today's episode we hand out awards for our favorites of 2017 and look at some of the bigger stories of the past year and discuss how they might effect 2018.

Cleaning House with Luke

An overview of the Gospel according to Luke with special attention to the concept of the Temple and the idea of cleaning the house of faith to make room for Jesus' kingdom. Political elements are particularly emphasized.  virtueinthewasteland.com 

Art, Money, and Life with Dr. Dan Siedell

Christmas Party and Family Reunion- Live!

This year's Christmas special was recorded live at the Boathouse Collective in Costa Mesa, California.  We were stoked to have Blake Flattley and his band lead the evening with a collection of interviews and musical performances.  

Sex and Purity Culture with Rebecca Lemke

On today's show we welcome author Rebecca Lemke who came out joined us here in studio from her regular base in Oklahoma.  Rebecca has written The Scarlet Virgins: When Sex Replaces Salvation.  Rebecca led us through a complicated and sometimes very difficult episode about sexual predators in the church, the role of purity culture in American evangelicalism and where we might find some hope in our preoccupation with all things sex, culture and church.  Check out virtueinthewasteland.com for li...

Feelings: A Quick Guide to Navigating Your Inner Life

On Feelings: A Quick Guide to Navigating Your Inner Life Jeff and Dan discuss the ways in which our feelings, thoughts and behaviors affect our search for a virtuous life.  It may not be going in the direction you think!

Thanks, America: A ViW Thanksgiving Special

It’s Thanksgiving and we do well to take a few minutes out of our day to remind ourselves why we love America.  The divisiveness of the last Presidential campaign and the vitriol coming through our TV boxes and ear buds has made being thankful difficult.  So, here are a few things, whether you are on the left or right, that you can be thankful about.      

Sex, Drugs, and Religion in Music- BONUS EPISODE

A bonus episode in which the guys follow their discussion of the best movies to portray Sex, Drugs and Religion with their top songs in those categories.  There is a 30 second gap between U2's 40 and Kendrick Lamar's Swimming Pools. Despite that little gaffe, we really dig this show and had a great time recording it.

Sex, Drugs and Religion Go to the Movies

On today's episode we count down our favorite films (or most poignant films) in the categories of Sex, Drugs, and Religion.  This is part 1 of a two part series.  The second part where we count down our top songs in these categories comes out on Friday.  Check out the show page to read Dan's article on Pornography, Methamphetamines and Jesus.

Sex and Magic- the Rise of Occultism

We look at the rise of the Occult in our post recession anxiety, the roots of occultism with the Rosicrucian movement in the 16th century, new religious movements in the 19th and 20th century, the curious case of Josephine Paladin, and why we shouldn't be afraid of the rise of occultism today.    

Sickness unto Death

Dan's back for a discussion of his reading of David Foster Wallace and Søren Kierkegaard in the hospital. Hope and despair in an anxious age. Defense of the so-called snowflake millennials and their plight. virtueinthewastleand.com  

Free to Serve and Bear the Sins of Others

Jeff Mallinson's lecture on the implications of Luther's concept of the freedom of the Christian. How we can love the unlovable and forgive the unforgivable. How we can stop worrying about legalistic works to earn our standing before God: once we are freed from acts of religiosity that are no good to our neighbor, we can spill out the unconditional love of God for others. Freed from worrying about looking bad by being associated with sinners, we can serve those sinners and bear the burden of ...

The Reformation of Music and Music of the Reformation

Music! Reformation! Reformation Music! Oh, ok... so maybe I say "look at this slide".  And you are all, "I can't see with my ears, dummy". And then I am like, "they were bad slides and would have confused you more". Problem solved. Today's show is on another Reformation theme and taken from a lecture Dan gave on the eve of the Reformation a few years ago.  Also, there might be a ticket or two for you last stragglers to join the crew in San Diego this weekend (Oct. 19 2017).   to see what you ...

Mental Health and the Demonic

Scratching the surface of a longer conversation regarding the nature of the demonic and mental health. Stay tuned for more detailed conversation with psychologists and biblical scholars in the weeks to come. virtueinthewasteland.com  

Health Care and Dan's Trip to the Basement

Mental health, mental illness, social stigma related to such things, and the way we fund health care. Dan starts by talking through his trip to the hospital and life for a few days in a psychiatric ward. Following this, the dudes discuss the lessons learned from the experience related to the way American's fund health care. virtueinthewasteland.com

Theologians and the Nazis

Jeff interviews newly minted PhD and former student Dr. Ryan Tafilowski about his research into the theologians in Germany under the Third Reich. Some opposed the Nazis, some cooperated. Is the two kingdom's theory to blame? Find out.

Lutheran Identity Crises

Dr. Wade Johnston discusses historical and current cultural and ideological reasons why Lutherans have a long history of not getting along. Johnston has degrees from Martin Luther College, Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Central Michigan University, and Erasmus University Rotterdam. He serves as assistant professor of theology at in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and served for ten years in parish ministry in Saginaw, Michigan. He also has a podcast:  

The American Dream and Pyramid Schemes

How pyramid schemes operate like new religious movements. The history of direct marketing. Tupperware. Herbalife. Multi-level marketing. Capitalism. John Stuart Mill and classical liberalism. Regulations and the public good. 

Travel is Fatal

Jeff interviews Christian and Chelsea Tuttle, outside their home (a Cold-War era six wheel drive: a 1982 Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer 712W) to discuss the ways in which this young couple has sought adventure, met new people, and lived life deliberately. (The cold open uses ear buds; don't worry, the audio get's better after the opening music.) They discuss the importance of travel, the ways in which people have been surprisingly decent along the road, and how one might choose the best vehicle for a r...

Vulnerability in The Wake of Divorce

A candid and uncensored conversation with Shannon, who grew up in the church but discusses the perplexing difficulties of reconciling her upbringing with the new rules of dating at age 33, especially in Manhattan. Perhaps the most valuable part of the conversation is the unique dangers for people--perhaps especially women--who live in the emotional aftermath of a divorce, and may become susceptible to manipulative people who want to capitalize on it for their own power and gratification. List...

The Civil War and Its Monuments

What was the civil war about? How ought we remember it? What about Confederate monuments and statues?  

Moral Psychology and Group Think Part 1

We explore moral psychology in Jonathan Haidt, The Righteous Mind. Next week, we will discuss further with Dr. Kristen Koenig, a sociologist.  will have relevant show notes.

Our Fragmented Culture

Perhaps the greatest difficulty today is learning how to speak to one another without a shared canon, a shared set of values, or a shared way of seeking goodness truth and beauty. We discuss the nature of our postmodern context and how ethics and aesthetics might lead us out of the present cultural quagmire.  See the show notes for links to the various projects in Baja California, Mexico, overseen by Mauricio and Abigail Parra, who we discuss in the first part of the show.   

Hip Hop (Non) Prophet

Micah is back! He's coming out with a new hip hop album that will rattle some cages. Where is the line between art, religion, politics, and freedom?  virtueinthewasteland.com themasks.org 

Burning Questions Summer 2017

Listener questions answered. What's burning, and what's at stake these days in the lives of Dan and Jeff as they return home from travels and speaking.  virtueinthewasteland.com themasks.org

Will The Real Martin Luther Please Stand Up?

As we approach the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, we address the many ways in which Martin Luther has been mischaracterized, by friends and foes alike. Dan and Jeff are joined by Dr. Uwe Siemon-Netto, author of The Fabricated Luther (Concordia Publishing) and founder and director emeritus of the League of Faithful Masks. They are also joined by 1517's own Dr. Scott Keith, who wrote his dissertation on Luther's successor, Melanchthon.   virtueinthewasteland.com themasks.org 1...

Heresy

The historical importance of the concept of heresy. A discussion of Dan's odd travels and flight cancellations. Addiction as a sin but not as a moral failing. Gnosticism, Pelagianism, Donatism, and the importance of understanding that understanding heresy is a defense against the dark arts, not an excuse to poke people in the eye. virtueinthewasteland.com themasks.org  

Voters Investors and the Media

This podcast discussion took place in France, where LFM founder, lay theologian, and renowned journalist, Dr. Uwe Siemon-Netto tends to spend his summers. He joined us to discuss the vocations of voters, the way we consume and sift through media, and what that says for Kurt Winrich's business--investment. He is on the board of 1517 but also a principle at . Note: no investment advice is given; rather we discuss the real world importance of getting the news right.   1517legacy.com virtueinethe...

Live at The Crosswise Institute

At the end of a thoughtful and enriching week (Jeff was a speaker and MC of the weeklong experience at Concordia University Irvine), the guys brought the podcast to the live audience to reflect on issues related to transhumanism, the future economy, and careers that will remain in a world of increasing AI and automation.  We had a lot of fun. We play a game about robots, and interact with some very interesting young people, who got the chance to hear from some theologians, but also from Zolta...

Mad World

The world got you down? Freaked out? Nothing new under the sun. First half: a discussion of Jeff's experience traveling to Madrid to view Bosch's "Garden of Earthly Delights" and other pieces. What was he saying with this bizarre work? Second half: a discussion of how echo chambers cause us to beat down people of principle. The example we primarily use is the case of leftist hysteria at Evergreen State College, but it can apply to most other groups that get into their own loops without genero...

Sacred and Profane Music

The newest mask Blake Flattley joins the show to talk about liturgy, art, music, emotion, and the tricky music industry.      

Baseball Mom on Trump, Jesus, and Reefer Madness

Hold on to your hats kids! You might be in for some cognitive dissonance depending on where your sensibilities might be found. How about we talk about Trump, Jesus, and Reefer Madness. Listen up. Unless you are a sensitive type who can't abide by perplexing questions and evidence that we might all be wrong. Enjoy the Show!

El Lector: Blood Oranges and the Shadow Self

Marcos Ruiz introduces, then joins the show for the second live podcast of the Sexy/Monsters summer tour. There are few venues as cool for this sort of thing as Cubaocho, in Little Havana, Miami. Art, cocktails, music and dancing abound. So does good conversation. On this show, Jeff and Dan discuss the spiritual peace we call "blood orange" and explain how the best way to get there is to confront what Jung described as the shadow self, and what Dan calls monsters. Then there's an interview wi...

Sex Drugs and Religion

Marcos Ruiz brought the guys out to Miami Florida, to a pig roast at  Church for a live recording, to launch the books Sexy and Monsters. Audience Q&A.  

Virtue Means Humanliness

What if we stopped focussing on abstractions and ideologies, and took a moment to consider virtue? Virtue is often defined literally as manliness--the Romans equated virtue with heroic human excellence. Since manliness means something a bit different, we discuss being humane, and consider how our culture could benefit from humanizing issues that are otherwise seen as abstractions. We go through an exercise where we consider several classic virtues and see whether Trump exhibits them. All in g...

Fourth Annual Graduation Special

Factors related to whether you or someone you care about should go on to a formal BA or grad degree, now that you've graduated. What college alternatives exist? What about going to Europe? Should you take a gap year? Dan and Jeff won't answer these questions for you, but they will invite you to freely ask yourself who you really are and what that means for the next phase of life.   virtueinthewasteland.com

Divorce and Its Effects

Dan and Jeff do a short introductory discussion about divorce and the difference between Pharisees and Jesus on this matter. Some follow up about Dan's relationship and the status of the books. Then they shift to a long form interview with the girlfriend of Jeff's son Auggie (who you heard back in the old days from time to time, and the bass player in the opening/closing music). Her name is Sydnie, was the child of divorce, and didn't tell us exactly how she would answer questions before we p...

If Books Could Kill Part 2

This is part two of a new focus, and this is where it gets a bit heavy. Don't give in to despair. Check out jeffmallinson.com for more information on Sexy: The Quest for Erotic Virtue in Perplexing Times and danvanvoorhis.com for more information on Monsters: Addiction, Hope, Ex-Girlfriends, and Other Dangerous Things.      

If Books Could Kill Part 1

After four years, Virtue in the Wasteland reboots, starting a new focus on sex, drugs, and religion, with a conversation between Jeff and Stacie Mallinson and Dan and Beth Anne van Voorhis, in the Gramercy Park Hotel, in New York. The first part gives some of the back story and there's some playfulness. The second part may get a bit more uncomfortable. But despite the changes long time listeners might notice, the end should be familiar. Take heart. Check out virtueinthewasteland.com for show ...

No Excuses Needed

Sometimes, we feel the need to defend great artifacts and contributors to culture. But why not let them speak for themselves, whatever the critics may think? We return to some reflections on a Father John Misty concert, discuss the cultural significance of Saturday Night live, explore the importance of a sixteenth century painter who's wilder than Dali.  Enjoy.     virtueinthewasteland.com

Robot Salad and The Importance of Virtue for the Coming Age

Joel talks about the upcoming Crosswise Institute event in Irvine, transhumanism, robots, embodiment, and his trip to Iceland. virtueinthewasteland.com

Pure Comedy

Father John Misty (the moniker for Josh Tillman, former drummer of the Fleet Foxes) dropped his third album Pure Comedy, through Sub Pop records this last week. Dan and Jeff discuss the cultural significance of this album, which is a contribution to the conversation about religion, politics, and technological culture today. Tillman reportedly was reading Zizek's Living in the End Times during the recording of the album. That book was part of a Virtue in the Wasteland "class" Dan and Jeff taug...