Crackers And Grape Juice Podcast

Will Willimon’s chicken sitter, Slice Penny is a rising third year student at Duke Divinity School and soon-to-be-husband. A recovering drug and alcohol addict, Slice served four years for drug trafficking at a maximum security prison in Florida. Looking back, he sees it’s all a part of God’s call upon his life. 

Tony Jones joins the podcast to discuss his new book, The God of Wild Places, and his experiences in the outdoors. The book is a memoir that explores themes of vulnerability, redemption, and the search for identity. Tony discusses the process of writing and recording the audiobook and the challenges of sharing personal stories. The conversation also touches on the role of anger and the theology of the cross in Tony's journey.Overall, the conversation highlights the importance of honesty and authenticity in storytelling. Tony reflects on the connection between nature and spirituality, the role of the church in his life, and the challenges he faced in his personal journey. The conversation also touches on themes of redemption, mentorship, and the importance of disciplined practice. Tony shares his writing process and future projects, including a study on the 'nones' and a potential trip to Jerusalem and Rome.Don't forget to head over to https://www.crackersandgrapejuice.com Click on “Support the Show.”Subscribe

Brian Kaylor and Beau Underwood join the pod to discuss their new book, Baptizing America - How Mainline Protestants Helped Build Christian Nationalism.From the publisher:In the face of a rising threat to both church and democracy, Baptizing America provides an urgent examination and an enlightening critique exposing the dangerous undercurrents of Christian Nationalism. How can Mainline Protestants spot such practices in their own activities? A crucial call to reckon with influences before it's too late. Christian Nationalism presents an existential threat to both Christ’s church and American democracy. Now is the time — before it is too late — to reckon with all the places its pernicious influence arises. On full display in recent elections, Christian Nationalism also exists in sanctuaries where an American flag has been displayed for decades, when we pledge allegiance to one nation “Under God,” or when the U.S. is called a Christian nation. Baptizing America critiques the concept of civil religion, arguing

Join the Homebrewed Christianity & Crackers and Grape Juice podcasts for a unique evening of candid theological discussions over a pint at Petty Thieves Brewing Co. ahead of the 2024 General Conference of The United Methodist Church. A dynamic trio of thought leaders will join us: Dr. Leah Robinson, Rev. Dr. Will Willimon, and Rev. Derrick Scott.This event is for anyone interested in theology and who wants to engage in open conversations in a relaxed setting. We will delve deep into the pressing issues confronting the modern church in America. From societal challenges to internal transformations, these voices offer unique perspectives, sparking conversations on faith, culture, and the evolving role of the church in our communities. Don't miss out on this one-of-a-kind opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and explore theological topics in a casual and welcoming environment.The event will not be live-streamed, but rest assured that because this is a live podcast recording, the audio will be a

Teer caught up with the Godfather of the pod, Brian Zahnd to talk about his newest book The Wood Between the Worlds - A Poetic Theology of the Cross. Brian and Teer talk about why a theology of the cross is necessary to fully understand the Good News of the Gospel, along with what is lost when we become numb to the violence of Good Friday.The cross is the heart of ScriptureEverything about the gospel message leads to the cross, and proceeds from the cross. In fact, within the narrative of Scripture, the crucifixion of Jesus is literally the crux of the story—the axis upon which the biblical story turns. But it would be a mistake to think we could sum up the significance of the crucifixion in a tidy sentence or two. That kind of thinking only insulates us from the magnificence of what God has done. In our ongoing quest to make meaning of the cross, we need to recognize that this conversation will never conclude—that there is always something more to be said.Brian Zahnd reminds us that the meaning of the cross

Here is a conversation Dr. Johanna Hartelius, and Jason shared with Dr. Chad Kim of St. Louis University on his wonderful book, The Way of Humility.

Sarah discusses the significance of the Transfiguration and its importance in the church calendar. She explores the distinction between the transfigured Jesus and the risen Jesus, highlighting the unique characteristics of each. Sarah also delves into the misunderstood offer to build booths and its connection to the Festival of Booths. She examines the representation of Moses and Elijah in the transfiguration and their role in the eschatological narrative. Sarah emphasizes the Jewish reticence to capture the glory of God and the modesty of biblical miracle stories. She concludes by emphasizing the importance of listening to Jesus. In this conversation, Sarah Henlicky Wilson discusses the transfiguration in the Gospel of John and its connections to Sukkot and other Jewish festivals. She highlights the allusions to Sukkot in John and the significance of Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem for the final Passover. Sarah also explores the presence of Greeks in the Sukkot story and their connection to Jesus' hour of glo

Our latest episode with our new friend Rabbi Joseph Edelheit, who's promised to return several more times so we can learn from and listen to one another. Rabbi Joseph joined Johanna and me to share his reflections as a Jew living in Diaspora on the 10/7 Hamas massacre. We discuss other matters but never wander far from today’s headlines. Here’s a bit about Joseph:50 Years in the Rabbinate: Rabbi Joseph A. Edelheit (C ’73) on the Unique Experiences of His Rabbinic Engagement:When I thought about becoming a rabbi as an undergraduate at CAL Berkely in 1966, I could never have imagined the extraordinary experiences I would have. For fifty years, people have asked me to engage them, teach them, and sometimes lead and interpret a meaningful ritual in their life.I have served three Reform congregations over thirty years in the Upper Midwest. where I learned what “windchill” meant. From the outset, the reality of interfaith couples and families became a central focus of my rabbinate. “Intro to Judaism” education and

In light of their recent panel discussion at Theology Beer Camp in Springfield, Mo, the Monday night crew discusses Sola Scriptura.

Liel Liebowitz is an Israeli journalist, author, media critic and video game scholar. Liel was born in Tel Aviv, immigrated to the United States in 1999, and earned a Ph.D. from Columbia University in 2007. In 2014, he was Visiting Assistant Professor of Media, Culture and Communication at New York University. A veteran of the Israeli Defense Force, Liel is now Editor at Large for Tablet Magazine and a host of its weekly culture podcast Unorthodox and daily Talmud podcast Take One. Jason spoke with him recently about the horrific terrorist attack upon Israelis last Saturday and how Christians and Jews in particular can respond. In the conversation, he shares Tablet’s project to archive the testimonials of Jewish victims and survivors. You can find that record HERE.

Here is a recent conversation I had with Kate Boyd about her new book, An Untidy Faith. In the wake of scandal, culture wars, and abuse, many Christians are wondering whether the North American church is redeemable—and if not, whether they should even stay. While many are answering no to those questions, this book is for those who long to disentangle their faith from all the cultural baggage and recapture the joy of following Jesus. Through personal anecdotes, encounters with the global church, deep dives into Scripture, and helpful historical context about Christianity, An Untidy Faith takes readers on two journeys. The first journey lays out the grand vision of Christianity and the legacy passed on to us by the early believers in hopes of renewing readers’ belief in the church writ large. The second journey helps believers understand why they feel distant from their church settings and provides a reorientation drawn from Scripture of God’s vision for community. A gentle companion, Kate Boyd walks alongside

New York Times bestseller Fr. James Martin joins the pod again to talk about his latest book Come Forth: The Promise of Jesus's Greatest Miracle.In this wise and compassionate book, Father James Martin, SJ explores the story of Jesus’s greatest miracle—the raising of Lazarus from the dead—and what Jesus means when he calls each of us to “come forth.” Meditatively and carefully, Martin leads us verse by verse, offering profound reflections on Jesus’s lessons on love, family, sadness, frustration, fear, anger, freedom, and joy. Come Forth combines:Compelling analysis of the biblical textInsights about the historical setting of the storySpiritual lessons for today’s readersMeditations on Lazarus in art and the larger cultureStories from Martin’s travels through the Holy LandAs he explores these strands in depth, Martin helps us let go of the limiting beliefs that prevent us from experiencing God’s presence in our lives. We need only to open ourselves to the transformative story of Lazarus and trust that God can

Dr. Tobias Cremer joins us on the pod this week to talk about his new book The Godless Crusade: Religion, Populism, and Right-Wing Idenity Politics in the West. Dr. Cremer is a Junior Research Fellow in Religion and the Frontier Challenges at Pembroke College Oxford. His research focuses on the relationship between religion, secularisation and the rise of right-wing identity politics throughout western societies. In his doctoral research (University of Cambridge, funded by the ESRC) Tobias explored how right-wing populist movements in Germany, France and the United States employ Christianity as a cultural identity marker, and how believers and church authorities are reacting to such references.