Beyond the Box

For the last several months Ray has been working on a new project, The Mundane Revolution. The Mundane Revolution is a documentary-style podcast with original music where Ray will be focusing on reimagining a better world. This project is an outgrowth of Beyond the Box. So, no need to fear – Beyond the Box isn’t […]

Join Ray for a conversation with John Dear – peace activist, author, theologian, Catholic priest, and all-around amazing man! John has worked in homeless shelters, soup kitchens, and community centers; traveled in warzones around the world, including Iraq, Palestine, Nicaragua, Afghanistan, India, and Colombia; lived in El Salvador, Guatemala and Northern Ireland; been arrested over […]

Here it is – the second episode from the BtB Gathering 2014 in Nashville, TN! This episode was recorded at the first ever BtB Gathering, where we were joined by wonderful people from all over the US and Canada. It was three days filled with great conversations and virtual friendships finding connection in the physical […]

Here it is – the first episode from the BtB Gathering 2014 in Nashville, TN! This episode was recorded at the first ever BtB Gathering, where we were joined by wonderful people from all over the US and Canada. It was three days filled with great conversations and virtual friendships finding connection in the physical […]

Why is it so common for some to desire to exert control over others? In this conversation, Steve and Ray talk about control and the many manifestations it makes within the context of Christianity and religion. Prompted by a video (visit the website to view) of a church service that has been making the rounds […]

In this episode Ray is joined by Jim Douglass for a riveting recollection of a life lived for peace and justice in the way of Jesus. James W. Douglass is a longtime peace activist, theologian, and writer. He and his wife Shelley are co-founders of the Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action in WA state, […]

What do the assassinations of Gandhi, John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Robert Kennedy have to teach us today? Is there a thread that runs through the lives and deaths of these well-known victims of assassination? These are the questions that Jim Douglass has been asking through his eye-opening series of […]

In the (now almost) 6 years of the Beyond the Box Podcast, and in the years of personal conversation between Ray and Steve prior to the launch of BtB, one thing has stayed very consistent: A pursuit of meaningful and healthy expressions of faith in authentic relationships outside the institution or religion. In the evolution […]

UNITY. This seems to be a real buzz word in the Body of Christ, but seldom do we achieve it. What is unity? Does unity mean that we must all agree and affirm the same doctrines? Or, does unity mean that we must all lay aside our distinctive beliefs in an effort to not offend […]

In this episode Ray is joined by Jim Palmer for an exhilarating discussion about spirituality, suffering, and being human. Jim has a knack for making otherwise ethereal, spiritual concepts feel both meaningful and practical. He believes that the spiritual life is something to be embraced by everyone instead of a gift reserved for gurus and […]

The Chicken Manure Incident – It was supposed to be a quick and dirty solution. Early in the morning on June 4, 2013, workers from the City of Abbotsford, BC pulled up to a homeless camp on the side of the road and dumped a truckload of chicken manure on the site. Intended as a […]

In this episode Ray is joined by author and fellow “Beyond the Boxer”, Jamie Arpin-Ricci, for a discussion about intentional community, issues of justice, Francis of Assisi, and his book The Cost of Community. Join us as we chat about living in community, radical hospitality, co-housing, “shoulds”, and a lot more! Check out Jamie’s book […]

Prompted by a suggestion from listener Joshua, Steve and Ray fire up a discussion about Panentheism and whether or not it could be a helpful idea in our journey with God. Panentheism is to not to be confused with Pantheism (the belief that creation itself is God), but rather is the idea that the entirety […]

It’s our first ever Groupcast! Groupcast is a new Beyond the Box feature that’s all about listening to and interacting with you, in order to explore life in Christ within the context of community. Speaking of community, in this first installment of Groupcast, that’s exactly what we talk about. Community – What does it mean? […]

In this episode, Ray is excited to be joined by Dr. Lee C. Camp for a discussion about his book Who Is My Enemy?, and the power of nonviolence to act as an apologetic for Jesus as the Messiah. Join us as we talk about double vision, the politics of Jesus, and the idolatrous nature […]

In this episode Shane Hipps joins Ray for a conversation about his book Selling Water by the River: A Book About the Life Jesus Promised and the Religion That Gets in the Way. Why is it that Christians feel we have the corner on God? Why do we protect the Kingdom like a guard instead […]

July 6, 2013 marked five years since Ray and Steve uploaded their first episode of Beyond the Box! And shortly before the anniversary of their first episode, Ray and Steve spent about 2-1/2 hours recapping some of the journey to this point.  Filled with classic Beyond the Box style and humor, including the revival of […]

In early May, Steve traveled to Pennsylvania and decided to moderate a roundtable discussion with several friends of the podcast, including some former guests of the podcast and some new ones as well.  The discussion, while a typical Beyond the Box exercise in rabbit trails, launches from the starting point of discussing the potential impact […]

Here is a great discussion with the insightful, charming, and witty Phyllis Tickle! Join Ray and Phyllis as they discuss Phyllis’ most recent book, Emergence Christianity. Strap yourself in as Phyllis takes us on a whirlwind tour of 2000 years of Church history, demonstrating how seemingly unrelated events have worked together to generate the spiritual […]

Join Ray as he talks with Anthony Bartlett about his book Virtually Christian. The good news is even better than we thought! Tony helps us understand that Jesus is about the business of actually changing what it means to be human in the here and now. More than preparing us for a transfer to a […]

Have you noticed that much of Christianity is recognized by the safe-guarding of borders and boudaries? In this discussion Ray is joined by Dr. Richard Beck as they explore together how we might move beyond a faith defined by purity and embrace a life of mercy as modeled by Jesus. Join us as we venture […]

In this episode Steve and Ray hit the road to join the people of “A Place To Talk” for a discussion about freedom, rights, and the Kingdom of God. Should followers of Jesus be concerned to protect their rights? Are our rights God-given, government-given, or some combination of both? Do we need freedom to proclaim […]

In this episode Ray is joined by Michael Hardin and Brad Jersak for a discussion on “the satan”. Who is the satan? What is the satan? Does a personal devil exist, or is satan an anthropological entity? These questions and more are addressed in this in-depth conversation on the nature of evil, and it just […]

In this episode Ray is joined once again by Tripp York for a discussion about Tripp’s book The Devil Wears Nada. In the book, Tripp embarks on a journey for God via searching for the devil. Sound crazy? Well get ready to laugh as you rethink who God is and who the devil isn’t. Check […]

In this conversation Ray is joined by Dr. Tripp York for a discussion about Christian nonviolence and the book A Faith Not Worth Fighting For: Addressing Commonly Asked Questions about Christian Nonviolence. Tripp helps us sort through some of the most difficult questions posed to Christian pacifists as found in the book. A Faith Not […]

In this episode Ray is excited to be joined by Brian McLaren for a discussion about Brian’s newest book Why Did Jesus, Moses, the Buddha, and Mohammed Cross the Road?  Brian’s book offers thought-provoking insights into living as a follower of Jesus in a pluralistic world, and in this discussion Brian answers questions like, “Is […]

Prompted by the recent endorsement of Mitt Romney by both Billy and Franklin Graham, in this episode Steve and Ray talk about the problem of using the Gospel to promote a political platform or candidate. As always the conversation takes “the scenic route” while stopping to explore a few rabbit trails along the way!

In this episode Ray is joined once again by Derek Flood for a discussion about Derek’s new book Healing the Gospel. Derek believes that restorative justice is the heart of the Gospel, and in this episode Derek shares his heart for healing the broken picture that many of us have of God and the Gospel […]

In this episode Ray hits the road to join the people of A Place To Talk, a fellowship of believers in Hickory, NC. The first hour of this episode is a live podcast discussion about nonviolence between Ray and Josh McDowell of A Place To Talk, which serves to set the groundwork for the last […]

In this episode Ray is joined by Dr. Peter Enns for a discussion about the ideas in his books Inspiration and Incarnation and The Evolution of Adam. What is the nature of Scripture? How are we to understand the balance between divine inspiration and human authorship in Scripture? Was Adam an historical person? Join us […]

In this fourth Loose At the Wild Goose podcast Ray speaks with Logan Mehl-Laituri about his journey from soldier to disciple of Jesus. Logan recounts his crisis of faith after realizing that his walk with Christ was a matter of convenience rather than discipleship. Logan’s new book Reborn On The Fourth Of July is now […]

In this episode Ray is joined by Dave Andrews for Part 3 of the Loose At the Wild Goose series recorded at the Wild Goose Festival. Dave is a practitioner of Christian Anarchy and someone known for his radical spirituality and incarnational ministry. Listen in as Dave shares with Ray his heart for Christian Anarchy, […]

In this episode Ray is joined by Derek Flood for Part 2 of the Loose At the Wild Goose series recorded at the Wild Goose Festival. Join in the conversation as Derek and Ray discuss how Paul reinterpreted the Old Testament in the light of Jesus, and how we are to follow the trajectory rather […]

In this first Loose At the Wild Goose podcast from the Wild Goose Festival, Ray is joined by Steve Berry, Kevin Miller, Brad Jersak, and Lorri & Michael Hardin for a lively discussion about the story of Ananias and Sapphira found in Acts 5. Did God kill Ananias and Sapphira? What assumptions have we read […]

Fresh from the release of the second edition of his book, The Evangelical Universalist, Robin Parry pays a visit to Beyond the Box to talk to Steve about the current state of acceptance of Christian Universalism in evangelical circles and the effect this has had on other areas of theology within the body of Christ. […]

Prompted by a recent discussion on the Facebook page, Steve and Ray dialog about ideas surrounding how we understand holiness and mercy. Are holiness and mercy opposed or could they be synonymous? Are holiness and mercy competing characteristics within God or manifestations of the same desire? What does the “more” in the title refer to? Take a […]

In this episode Ray is joined once again by Dr. Richard Beck for a discussion of his “Slavery of Death” blog series which you can find at Richard’s blog, Experimental Theology. This is the third of a three part series summarizing the material covered in the “Slavery of Death” series. In this third part, Richard […]

In this episode Ray is joined once again by Dr. Richard Beck for a discussion of his “Slavery of Death” blog series which you can find at Richard’s blog, Experimental Theology. This is the second of a three part series surrounding the material covered in the “Slavery of Death” series. In this second part, Richard […]

In this episode Ray is joined by Dr. Richard Beck for a discussion of his Slavery of Death blog series which you can find at Richard’s blog, Experimental Theology. This is the first of a three part series surrounding the material covered in the Slavery of Death series. In this first part, Richard and Ray […]

In this episode Ray is joined once again by Brad Jersak for a discussion about Brad’s recent trip to Israel for the Christ At The Checkpoint conference. The aim of Christ at the Checkpoint is to “provide an opportunity for evangelical Christians who take the Bible seriously to prayerfully seek a proper awareness of issues […]

In this episode Steve and Ray discuss living with a theology rooted and grounded in love instead of one driven by fear or even hatred of the other. What are the practical implications? What does it look like? We aren’t exactly sure ourselves, but join us for a good discussion starter!

In this episode Ray is joined by Kevin Miller, writer and director of the upcoming movie “Hellbound?”. Kevin talks about the process of dreaming up and making Hellbound? and the impact the process has had on his life. Kevin and Ray discuss how our ideas of hell and death inform the rest of our faith […]

In this episode Ray is joined once again by Brian McLaren for a discussion about Brian’s newest book Naked Spirituality: A Life With God In 12 Simple Words. Brian shares about the four seasons of the spiritual life and helps us understand that, just as in a song, it’s not about getting to the end, […]

In this episode Ray is joined by Brian McLaren for a discussion about Brian’s book A New Kind of Christianity. In the book Brian presents ten questions which he believes are transforming the Christian faith. Brian and Ray focus on the first two questions dealing with the story and purpose of the Bible. Make sure […]

Michael Hardin is back! In this episode Michael Hardin talks with Ray about understanding eschatology and the book of Revelation in the light of the God who is love. Is Jesus coming back to kick butt and take names? Michael doesn’t think so, and he shares from the book Compassionate Eschatology why he thinks we […]

In this episode Steve and Ray talk about living free from the fear of rejection based upon performance. Should we focus on how to avoid sin?  Are we just  sinners saved by grace? Should sin even be an issue for a believer in Jesus? Steve and Ray discuss trusting in God’s love and the ironic […]

In this episode Ray talks with Brad Jersak about an idea that Brad is calling “A Theology of Consent”. Consent holds a lot of promise in helping us understand such questions as why do we pray? why is there evil in the world? how do we partner with God in manifesting His kingdom? This conversation […]

In the institutional church, “discipleship” is a process only performed by professionals in the confines of the church program.  Listener Judy Gale (who impresses us with her knowledge of the Chinese language during the intro) asked a question on the Facebook page about discipleship outside the institutional church.  For those of us not in the […]