For God and Country

Happy Christ The King, everyone. Check out our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/forgodandcountrypodcastPatrons will get at least two extra episodes a month this season, plus other goodies as we dream them up! Starts at $5/month.  Email us at forgodandcountry@fojf.orgMusic and sound effects credit:Gustov Holst's Thaxted, as performed by Kevin MacLeod, and "red tailed hawk" (no, it's not an eagle; eagles don't sound like that) as recorded by Craig Smith, both under the Creative Common License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcodehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Classical_Sampler/Thaxtedhttps://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/479610/Image credit: https://www.vecteezy.com/holiday-seasonal/61847-grungy-easter-event-flyer-vector &https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/147260-blue-stars-patriotic-grunge-backgroundand our generous graphic designer, Anonymous.

We just can't. Here we talk about the inadequacy of consent as the sole metric of ethical sex, what objectification really is and what its opposite might look like, and more. Check out our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/forgodandcountrypodcastPatrons will get (at least) two extra episodes a month this season, plus other goodies as we dream them up! Starts at $5/month. Email us at forgodandcountry@fojf.orgMusic and sound effects credit:Gustov Holst's Thaxted, as performed by Kevin MacLeod, and "red tailed hawk" (no, it's not an eagle; eagles don't sound like that) as recorded by Craig Smith, both under the Creative Common License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcodehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Classical_Sampler/Thaxtedhttps://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/479610/Image credit: https://www.vecteezy.com/holiday-seasonal/61847-grungy-easter-event-flyer-vector &https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/147260-blue-stars-patriotic-grunge-backgroundand our generous graphic designer, Anonymous.

Rosemary interviews Catholic author Emily Stimpson Chapman, mostly about her most recent book "Letters to Myself From the End of the World," but also about loving books, Catholic faith writ large, why empathy is so controversial, how to wait well, and, perhaps most importantly . . . gin martinis. https://stpaulcenter.com/product/letters-to-myself-from-the-end-of-the-world/Music and sound effects credit:Gustov Holst's Thaxted, as performed by Kevin MacLeod, and "red tailed hawk" (no, it's not an eagle; eagles don't sound like that) as recorded by Craig Smith, both under the Creative Common License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcodehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Classical_Sampler/Thaxtedhttps://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/479610/Image credit: https://www.vecteezy.com/holiday-seasonal/61847-grungy-easter-event-flyer-vector &https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/147260-blue-stars-patriotic-grunge-backgroundand our generous graphic designer, Anonymous.

Welcome to Season 2!Kicking things off a bit low-key, with Micah and Rosemary discussing Ross Douthat's book “Decadent Society.” The full round table will be back soon, and in the meantime the two of us had a great time talking through the ideas in Douthat's recent book.Check out our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/forgodandcountrypodcastPatrons will get at least two extra episodes a month this season, plus other goodies as we dream them up! Starts at $5/month.  Email us at forgodandcountry@fojf.org !Music and sound effects credit:Gustov Holst's Thaxted, as performed by Kevin MacLeod, and "red tailed hawk" (no, it's not an eagle; eagles don't sound like that) as recorded by Craig Smith, both under the Creative Common License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcodehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Classical_Sampler/Thaxtedhttps://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/479610/Image credit: https://www.vecteezy.com/holiday-seasonal/61847-grungy-easter-event-flyer-vector &https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/147260-blue-stars-patriotic-grunge-backgroundand our generous graphic designer, Anonymous.

What are the dangers of technology, and is AI likely to cause a dystopian future?Or is the problem our own view of technology, not technology itself?You decide! We are discussing this Atlantic article: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/10/yuval-noah-harari-technology-tyranny/568330/No, I do not have the screencap of Adria's very sophisticated graph....Check out our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/forgodandcountrypodcast Email us at forgodandcountry@fojf.orgMusic and sound effects credit:Gustov Holst's Thaxted, as performed by Kevin MacLeod, and "red tailed hawk" (no, it's not an eagle; eagles don't sound like that) as recorded by Craig Smith, both under the Creative Common License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcodehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Classical_Sampler/Thaxtedhttps://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/479610/Image credit: https://www.vecteezy.com/holiday-seasonal/61847-grungy-easter-event-flyer-vector &https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/147260-blue-stars-patriotic-grunge-backgroundand our generous graphic designer, Anonymous.

The continuation of our conversation on the Lamb's War. We make it more personal, talking about the Lamb's War in our lives, including about forgiveness: how to forgive, and what forgiveness is. Check out our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/forgodandcountrypodcast Email us at forgodandcountry@fojf.orgMusic and sound effects credit:Gustov Holst's Thaxted, as performed by Kevin MacLeod, and "red tailed hawk" (no, it's not an eagle; eagles don't sound like that) as recorded by Craig Smith, both under the Creative Common License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcodehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Classical_Sampler/Thaxtedhttps://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/479610/Image credit: https://www.vecteezy.com/holiday-seasonal/61847-grungy-easter-event-flyer-vector &https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/147260-blue-stars-patriotic-grunge-backgroundand our generous graphic designer, Anonymous.

Adria and Rosemary sit down to talk about the Lamb's War. What is "The Lamb's War," and how does one fight in it? Why do we have to have a war at all? Is evil even real?All this and more!Check out our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/forgodandcountrypodcast Email us at forgodandcountry@fojf.orgMusic and sound effects credit:Gustov Holst's Thaxted, as performed by Kevin MacLeod, and "red tailed hawk" (no, it's not an eagle; eagles don't sound like that) as recorded by Craig Smith, both under the Creative Common License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcodehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Classical_Sampler/Thaxtedhttps://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/479610/Image credit: https://www.vecteezy.com/holiday-seasonal/61847-grungy-easter-event-flyer-vector &https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/147260-blue-stars-patriotic-grunge-backgroundand our generous graphic designer, Anonymous.

As it says on the tin. Apologies: one of our squad has quite the cold (I shall withold their name to protect the guilty) and I didn't realize how imperfectly I'd edited out all the GSK-style heavy breathing until I'd already flattened the audio. Mea culpa! It's worst towards the beginning so if you can soldier through, it will improve. Right off the bat, we dive into the nuts and bolts of the verdict itself (also, Adria gives the 10,000 foot overview of the case for anyone who has been living under a rock for the last year). Then...Brandon shares a nice reflection on constitutionalism and the rule of law.Rosemary goes on a bit of a rant regarding the "this isn't justice; this is accountability" meme (spoiler: she hates it).We ask what  justice is, anyway, and how do we get there? Do the ends ever justify the means? (Trick question.)To what extent is police brutality driven by racism vs classism vs other factors, and to what extent do these distinctions matter?Micah takes a moment to rant against social media (and plug for Esperanto...)When we say "the system," what do we actually mean? What function does this vague language serve? How is racial justice like chastity? Have YOU ever had sex with a panda in a moving car?....and so much more.Check out our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/forgodandcountrypodcast Email us at forgodandcountry@fojf.orgMusic and sound effects credit:Gustov Holst's Thaxted, as performed by Kevin MacLeod, and "red tailed hawk" (no, it's not an eagle; eagles don't sound like that) as recorded by Craig Smith, both under the Creative Common License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcodehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Classical_Sampler/Thaxtedhttps://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/479610/Image credit: https://www.vecteezy.com/holiday-seasonal/61847-grungy-easter-event-flyer-vector &https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/147260-blue-stars-patriotic-grunge-backgroundand our generous graphic designer, Anonymous.

Does the right-wing purity culture of the 80s and 90s have anything to teach us about similar purity movements today?We springboard from this David French piece on purity culture https://frenchpress.thedispatch.com/p/why-the-atlanta-massacre-triggered and, as usual, go our own way from there.Check out our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/forgodandcountrypodcast Email us at forgodandcountry@fojf.orgMusic and sound effects credit:Gustov Holst's Thaxted, as performed by Kevin MacLeod, and "red tailed hawk" (no, it's not an eagle; eagles don't sound like that) as recorded by Craig Smith, both under the Creative Common License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcodehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Classical_Sampler/Thaxtedhttps://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/479610/Image credit: https://www.vecteezy.com/holiday-seasonal/61847-grungy-easter-event-flyer-vector &https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/147260-blue-stars-patriotic-grunge-backgroundand our generous graphic designer, Anonymous.

My "guest" for this second of our book review series isn't actually a guest at all; it's our very own Brandon. We discuss Alan Jacobs' book "How To Think"...at some length, too! "How To Think": https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/551280/how-to-think-by-alan-jacobs/Alan Jacobs' blog, "Snakes and Ladders": https://blog.ayjay.orgWhat is "lived experience" and how is it different from plain old "experience"? Two somewhat critical perspectives (Brandon cannot be held responsible for these; I couldn't find the article he referenced when it came time for show notes, so I had to 'do a google,' as Micah says.) https://newdiscourses.com/tftw-lived-experience/https://medium.com/@jacobhoerger/lived-experience-vs-experience-2e467b6c2229John Oliver vs Tucker Carlson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMGxxRRtmHc"Cruelty is Apostasy," by David French: https://frenchpress.thedispatch.com/p/cruelty-is-apostasy (maybe the best article I have read all year; cannot recommend strongly enough)"The Weight of Glory," the original source for discussion on 'Inner Ringery': https://www.cslewis.com/us/books/format/weight-of-glory/9780061950285/Check out our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/forgodandcountrypodcast Email us at forgodandcountry@fojf.orgMusic and sound effects credit:Gustov Holst's Thaxted, as performed by Kevin MacLeod, and "red tailed hawk" (no, it's not an eagle; eagles don't sound like that) as recorded by Craig Smith, both under the Creative Common License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcodehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Classical_Sampler/Thaxtedhttps://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/479610/Image credit: https://www.vecteezy.com/holiday-seasonal/61847-grungy-easter-event-flyer-vector &https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/147260-blue-stars-patriotic-grunge-backgroundand our generous graphic designer, Anonymous.

We discuss a Guardian article (by the founding editor of Jacobin) of this title, found here: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/mar/06/racial-equality-working-class-americans-advocacy?fbclid=IwAR25oM29H18GXyF-WuZlZiyvCC_wMTogpZfV9FL1RmOoBgWUt3XLEdy6acIAll of us on the pod are deeply skeptical of much of modern "anti-racism," while simultaneously being equally deeply concerned to actually advance equality in this country. What does modern anti-racism get wrong, and, more importantly, where can we go from here? How can we make a better world?Check out our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/forgodandcountrypodcast (patrons-only for this episode will be a continuation of the main conversation, so if you liked this, you'll like that!) Email us at forgodandcountry@fojf.orgMusic and sound effects credit:Gustov Holst's Thaxted, as performed by Kevin MacLeod, and "red tailed hawk" (no, it's not an eagle; eagles don't sound like that) as recorded by Craig Smith, both under the Creative Common License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcodehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Classical_Sampler/Thaxtedhttps://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/479610/Image credit: https://www.vecteezy.com/holiday-seasonal/61847-grungy-easter-event-flyer-vector &https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/147260-blue-stars-patriotic-grunge-backgroundand our generous graphic designer, Anonymous.

Welcome to the first episode in our intermittent book series! My guest Paula Binsol and I (Rosemary) discuss C. S. Lewis's The Screwtape Letters (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Screwtape_Letters) and its impact on us. We read and discuss passages from the book, so this should be a great intro for anyone who hasn't read it and wonders if they might be interested. (Hint: you should be interested!)If you find Paula as delightful as I do and want to hear more of her, a Paula-centric patrons-only will be dropping in the next couple of days, all about Catholic "third orders." Did you know that it's possible to be a lay Franciscan, Benedictine, Carmelite, or Dominican? Curious? Listen on!Housekeeping: For anyone who didn't catch it, I laid out our scheduling updates here https://www.patreon.com/posts/48748888tl;dr: We decided to switch our round-table episodes to every other week, and in the space that opens up, we're going to interleave interviews, book reviews, and deep-dive one-on-ones with our very own podcast crew. We've got some really neat stuff in the pipeline that I am very excited about! Apologies for dropping the ball a bit last week; there will be two (TWO!) free episodes this week to make up for it, along with two (TWO!) patrons-only episodes for those who choose to become patrons. Check out our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/forgodandcountrypodcast Email us at forgodandcountry@fojf.orgMusic and sound effects credit:Gustov Holst's Thaxted, as performed by Kevin MacLeod, and "red tailed hawk" (no, it's not an eagle; eagles don't sound like that) as recorded by Craig Smith, both under the Creative Common License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcodehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Classical_Sampler/Thaxtedhttps://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/479610/Image credit: https://www.vecteezy.com/holiday-seasonal/61847-grungy-easter-event-flyer-vector &https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/147260-blue-stars-patriotic-grunge-backgroundand our generous graphic designer, Anonymous.

Thank you so much for your patience during our week off last week! We are obviously a small show, and sometimes we need breaks. Back and at 'em this week on our new Wednesday (everyone episode) and Saturday (patrons episode) schedule!If anyone wants to hear some of our personal stories about formation, that's the patrons episode this week, so SIGN ON UP!Anyway, formation: What is it? How do we get there? How do we NOT get there? Guidance? Where to start? Got ya covered.Check out our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/forgodandcountrypodcast Email us at forgodandcountry@fojf.orgMusic and sound effects credit:Gustov Holst's Thaxted, as performed by Kevin MacLeod, and "red tailed hawk" (no, it's not an eagle; eagles don't sound like that) as recorded by Craig Smith, both under the Creative Common License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcodehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Classical_Sampler/Thaxtedhttps://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/479610/Image credit: https://www.vecteezy.com/holiday-seasonal/61847-grungy-easter-event-flyer-vector &https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/147260-blue-stars-patriotic-grunge-backgroundand our generous graphic designer, Anonymous.

PORNOGRAPHY. Can't live with it, can't live . . . waaaaaaaaiiiiittt. Let's talk Christian sexual ethics, especially around porn. We start with discussing why we all find porn so morally problematic (different reasons for each of us, though we all arrive at the same conclusion), move into discussing "what about the CHILDREN?" and the potential end of the internet, and conclude by asking each other if there is any way for a Christian to consume pornography in any way (and whether Rosemary has to skip the spicy bits in the romance novel she just got in the mail). Housekeeping notes: taking a quick break next week, but will be back the week after! Also, in case you didn't notice, our drop schedule has officially changed to Wednesdays, primarily to give me (Rosemary) more breathing room between recording and drop. Check out our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/forgodandcountrypodcast Email us at forgodandcountry@fojf.orgMusic and sound effects credit:Gustov Holst's Thaxted, as performed by Kevin MacLeod, and "red tailed hawk" (no, it's not an eagle; eagles don't sound like that) as recorded by Craig Smith, both under the Creative Common License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcodehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Classical_Sampler/Thaxtedhttps://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/479610/Image credit: https://www.vecteezy.com/holiday-seasonal/61847-grungy-easter-event-flyer-vector &https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/147260-blue-stars-patriotic-grunge-backgroundand our generous graphic designer, Anonymous.

What does pluralism mean, and how do we pursue it?We open with a brief discussion of how not to form a pluralistic society, then move to a discussion of how we can pursue one. We use the "cakemaster bakeshop" case (totally different and unrelated in every way to the "masterpiece cakeshop" case) as a case study in how the desire to foster a range of dedicated communities (Christian bakeries, Jewish delis, all-women's colleges) always necessitates a tradeoff in the liberty of others, and we play around wondering where the lines should be drawn. Brandon opens us up with a book quote, Micah and Rosemary go at it over Catholic pharmacies refusing to dispense contraception, and Adria closes us out with a thrilling recitation from Epic Rap Battles of History. It's a good show!The book from which Brandon reads:A summary of the Masterpiece Cakeshop, er, Cakemaster Bakeshop case: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masterpiece_Cakeshop_v._Colorado_Civil_Rights_CommissionEpic Rap Battles of History, Trump vs Hillary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kbryz0mxuMYCheck out our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/forgodandcountrypodcast Email us at forgodandcountry@fojf.orgMusic and sound effects credit:Gustov Holst's Thaxted, as performed by Kevin MacLeod, and "red tailed hawk" (no, it's not an eagle; eagles don't sound like that) as recorded by Craig Smith, both under the Creative Common License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcodehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Classical_Sampler/Thaxtedhttps://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/479610/Image credit: https://www.vecteezy.com/holiday-seasonal/61847-grungy-easter-event-flyer-vector &https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/147260-blue-stars-patriotic-grunge-backgroundand our generous graphic designer, Anonymous.

What does it really mean to be a "conservative," a "liberal," or a "progressive"? What are some of the ideologies that underlie these common labels? Why all this obsession about our political tribes to begin with?We hash it out together, leaning heavily on our resident political scientist to treat us as if we're first year students in his "politics for idiots" class.Here's the link to the "Political compass" test mentioned in the show: https://www.politicalcompass.org/Not mentioned in the podcast, but very interesting, is the “Hidden Tribes” project, found here: https://hiddentribes.us/Check out our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/forgodandcountrypodcastEmail us at forgodandcountry@fojf.orgMusic and sound effects credit:Gustov Holst's Thaxted, as performed by Kevin MacLeod, and "red tailed hawk" (no, it's not an eagle; eagles don't sound like that) as recorded by Craig Smith, both under the Creative Common License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcodehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Classical_Sampler/Thaxtedhttps://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/479610/Image credit: https://www.vecteezy.com/holiday-seasonal/61847-grungy-easter-event-flyer-vector &https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/147260-blue-stars-patriotic-grunge-backgroundand our generous graphic designer, Anonymous.

-How about that inauguration, eh?-Unity! What is it good for? Absolutely...depends whom you ask. Sing it again!-Executive orders-And much, much more"Come on, Patrick! Could you use an anlogy, Patrick?" https://www.youtube.com/watch/KQLfgaUoQCwCheck out our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/forgodandcountrypodcast Email us at forgodandcountry@fojf.orgMusic and sound effects credit:Gustov Holst's Thaxted, as performed by Kevin MacLeod, and "red tailed hawk" (no, it's not an eagle; eagles don't sound like that) as recorded by Craig Smith, both under the Creative Common License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcodehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Classical_Sampler/Thaxtedhttps://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/479610/Image credit: https://www.vecteezy.com/holiday-seasonal/61847-grungy-easter-event-flyer-vector &https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/147260-blue-stars-patriotic-grunge-backgroundand our generous graphic designer, Anonymous.

Since neither of the two major American political parties were instituted by God, one imagines that faith should help us break free of these artificial dichotomies . . . and yet. AND YET. In this episode we dig into what is becoming the central theme of our podcast: how following God first and Caesar second leads us (or at least should lead us) into some uncomfortable places, into drawing outside the usual political lines. Check out our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/forgodandcountrypodcast Email us at forgodandcountry@fojf.orgMusic and sound effects credit:Gustov Holst's Thaxted, as performed by Kevin MacLeod, and "red tailed hawk" (no, it's not an eagle; eagles don't sound like that) as recorded by Craig Smith, both under the Creative Common License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcodehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Classical_Sampler/Thaxtedhttps://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/479610/Image credit: https://www.vecteezy.com/holiday-seasonal/61847-grungy-easter-event-flyer-vector &https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/147260-blue-stars-patriotic-grunge-backgroundand our generous graphic designer, Anonymous.

What else could our episode this week possibly be about? Adria's out this week (will be back net week, when ALL FOUR of us should be back together!) so the boys and Rosemary are on their own to break it down. We cover the following questions:-What actually happened? (No one really knows yet, and you shouldn't trust anyone who says they do.)-Acknowledging that we're speculating in advance of the facts, was the utter failure of the Capitol police to control the mob due to higher-level incompetence, on-the-ground bias, or both? (Opinions are divided.)-How is a Christian to treat their enemies? (This answer should be obvious to anyone with a passing knowledge of the faith, but it bears repeating.)-Can we neatly summarize the reaction on left and right? (Rosemary gives the most cynical possible answer.).....and more!Reference links:-The best tik-tok of events we've found so far (sadly came out after we recorded): https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/10/us/politics/capitol-siege-security.html?referringSource=articleShare-Slate article about the terrifying zip-tie people: https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2021/01/was-there-a-plan-for-hostages-or-killings-at-the-capitol.html-Referenced article about disparate police responses to right and left protests: https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-polices-tepid-response-to-the-capitol-breach-wasnt-an-aberration/Check out our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/forgodandcountrypodcast Email us at forgodandcountry@fojf.orgMusic and sound effects credit:Gustov Holst's Thaxted, as performed by Kevin MacLeod, and "red tailed hawk" (no, it's not an eagle; eagles don't sound like that) as recorded by Craig Smith, both under the Creative Common License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcodehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Classical_Sampler/Thaxtedhttps://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/479610/Image credit: https://www.vecteezy.com/holiday-seasonal/61847-grungy-easter-event-flyer-vector &https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/147260-blue-stars-patriotic-grunge-backgroundand our generous graphic designer, Anonymous.

Statues, statues, statues. We take them down, we leave them up, we argue about them all. Most recently, the "Emancipation memorial" or "Freedman's memorial" was taken down from its place in Boston (the original statue in Washington DC may also be removed) over concerns that it is demeaning and lacks context. (Two news articles are linked in the show notes.)Because this is what we do and how we roll, the three of us (Micah is out this week; he'll be back next week) break down this conversation along absolutely nothing like its usual lines. We start on perhaps more familiar ground by placing the need to remember history in tension against the potential for emotional damage, but then we talk about what it really means to criticize a statue, as art or as history or as both, what we're really doing when we use shorthand language like "white nonprofits" or "lived experience," and -- of course -- how we as Christians are called to respond.https://thehill.com/changing-america/respect/equality/532012-statue-of-lincoln-standing-over-freed-slave-in-boston-hashttps://www.npr.org/2020/12/29/951206414/statue-of-lincoln-with-freed-slave-at-his-feet-is-removed-in-bostonCheck out our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/forgodandcountrypodcast Email us at forgodandcountry@fojf.orgMusic and sound effects credit:Gustov Holst's Thaxted, as performed by Kevin MacLeod, and "red tailed hawk" (no, it's not an eagle; eagles don't sound like that) as recorded by Craig Smith, both under the Creative Common License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcodehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Classical_Sampler/Thaxtedhttps://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/479610/Image credit: https://www.vecteezy.com/holiday-seasonal/61847-grungy-easter-event-flyer-vector &https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/147260-blue-stars-patriotic-grunge-backgroundand our generous graphic designer, Anonymous.

We put out a call for questions and we sure got them, so here's a mailbag episode. Brandon is out this week (he'll be back next week) so we had to muddle along without his wisdom. Questions we tackled:-Are those who never hear the Gospel necessarily damned?-How can Christians square the 'prosperity gospel' with the teachings of Christ?-How do we respect religion whilst keeping it out of the sphere of governance?-Does 'sanctity of life' extend to animals, and if so, does this require vegetarianism?-Why did so many Christians vote for Trump?More questions (and answers!) coming up on our patrons-only this Friday, so if you want to hear that, join our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/forgodandcountrypodcast Email us at forgodandcountry@fojf.orgMusic and sound effects credit:Gustov Holst's Thaxted, as performed by Kevin MacLeod, and "red tailed hawk" (no, it's not an eagle; eagles don't sound like that) as recorded by Craig Smith, both under the Creative Common License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcodehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Classical_Sampler/Thaxtedhttps://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/479610/Image credit: https://www.vecteezy.com/holiday-seasonal/61847-grungy-easter-event-flyer-vector &https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/147260-blue-stars-patriotic-grunge-backgroundand our generous graphic designer, Anonymous.

It's Christmas, so today we're releasing a patrons-only episode for everyone. We won't do this too often, as it would defeat the point of having a Patreon! But in this case, hey, it's Christmas.Earlham School of Religion is the only Quaker seminary in North America, and it's going through some . . . . upheaval. Two ESR board members (Micah and Adria) discuss the inside baseball aspects, and then the conversation broadens out to the general state of higher ed in 2020, a topic on which, as you might suspect, Professor Zicha has some opinions. Small liberal arts colleges are closing everywhere. What are we to make of this? What models might work going forward? And what the hell, Earlham College?Check out our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/forgodandcountrypodcast Email us at forgodandcountry@fojf.orgMusic and sound effects credit:Gustov Holst's Thaxted, as performed by Kevin MacLeod, and "red tailed hawk" (no, it's not an eagle; eagles don't sound like that) as recorded by Craig Smith, both under the Creative Common License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcodehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Classical_Sampler/Thaxtedhttps://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/479610/Image credit: https://www.vecteezy.com/holiday-seasonal/61847-grungy-easter-event-flyer-vector &https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/147260-blue-stars-patriotic-grunge-backgroundand our generous graphic designer, Anonymous.

It's almost Christmas, so we thought we'd sit down and discuss the meaning of liturgy and the liturgical year in our lives and in our traditions, ending with reflections on the meaning of Christmas.Two of us are from famously non or even anti-liturgical traditions (Adria and Micah, the two Quakers), while two of us are from just-as-famously very liturgical traditions (Rosemary and Brandon, the Catholic and the high church Anglican). Between Micah bringing up conquering the pagans and a brief diversion into intra-church divisions regarding sacramental theology, things get a bit rowdy at times, but hey. Merry Christmas! Check out our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/forgodandcountrypodcast Email us at forgodandcountry@fojf.orgMusic and sound effects credit:Gustov Holst's Thaxted, as performed by Kevin MacLeod, and "red tailed hawk" as recorded by Craig Smith, both under the Creative Common License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcodehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Classical_Sampler/Thaxtedhttps://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/479610/Image credit: https://www.vecteezy.com/holiday-seasonal/61847-grungy-easter-event-flyer-vector &https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/147260-blue-stars-patriotic-grunge-backgroundand our generous graphic designer, Anonymous.

Because we just can't stop poking our fingers into the most controversial possible social issues.Do we have a "right" to euthanasia? Who decides the value of a human life? Is it possible for a choice to be right for an individual but wrong for a society?Check out our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/forgodandcountrypodcast Email us at forgodandcountry@fojf.orgMusic and sound effects credit:Gustov Holst's Thaxted, as performed by Kevin MacLeod, and "red tailed hawk" (no, it's not an eagle; eagles don't sound like that) as recorded by Craig Smith, both under the Creative Common License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcodehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Classical_Sampler/Thaxtedhttps://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/479610/Image credit: https://www.vecteezy.com/holiday-seasonal/61847-grungy-easter-event-flyer-vector &https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/147260-blue-stars-patriotic-grunge-backgroundand our generous graphic designer, Anonymous.

Springboarding from our abortion episode, we (n.b.: all four of us are parents) note how parenting has essentially become a lifestyle choice within the last generation or so, and we spin out the various effects this has had on our culture and our social fabric.Check out our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/forgodandcountrypodcastEmail us at forgodandcountry@fojf.orgMusic and sound effects credit:Gustov Holst's Thaxted, as performed by Kevin MacLeod, and "red tailed hawk" (no, it's not an eagle; eagles don't sound like that) as recorded by Craig Smith, both under the Creative Common License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcodehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Classical_Sampler/Thaxtedhttps://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/479610/Image credit: https://www.vecteezy.com/holiday-seasonal/61847-grungy-easter-event-flyer-vector &https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/147260-blue-stars-patriotic-grunge-backgroundand our generous graphic designer, Anonymous.

Only 18 children with Down Syndrome were born in the entire country of Denmark last year. Denmark is a small country, but it's not that small. What is happening to all the other babies with Trisomy 21 (hint is in our episode title)? What do we have to say about it all?The article we're discussing was just published in the Atlantic here: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/12/the-last-children-of-down-syndrome/616928/Obvious content note, for, well, obviously.Check out our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/forgodandcountrypodcastEmail us at forgodandcountry@fojf.orgMusic and sound effects credit:Gustov Holst's Thaxted, as performed by Kevin MacLeod, and "red tailed hawk" (no, it's not an eagle; eagles don't sound like that) as recorded by Craig Smith, both under the Creative Common License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcodehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Classical_Sampler/Thaxtedhttps://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/479610/Image credit: https://www.vecteezy.com/holiday-seasonal/61847-grungy-easter-event-flyer-vector &https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/147260-blue-stars-patriotic-grunge-backgroundand our generous graphic designer, Anonymous.

We discuss authoritarian and totalitarianism on the right and on the left. Check out our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/forgodandcountrypodcastEmail us at forgodandcountry@fojf.org-Is there an “authoritarian” psychological profile?https://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2020/10/29/america-authoritarian-threat-government-democracyhttps://righteousmind.com/the-key-to-trump-is-stenners-authoritarianism/-What’s the difference between authoritarianism and totalitarianism? Our resident political scientist breaks it down.-We go on a tear about totalitarianism on the lefthttps://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/may/20/scientist-booted-off-oil-spill-panel-over-writing/-What are Christians called to in response to authoritarianism and totalitarianism?-Is Christianity inherently totalitarian?Music and sound effects credit:Gustov Holst's Thaxted, as performed by Kevin MacLeod, and "red tailed hawk" (no, it's not an eagle; eagles don't sound like that) as recorded by Craig Smith, both under the Creative Common License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcodehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Classical_Sampler/Thaxtedhttps://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/479610/Image credit: https://www.vecteezy.com/holiday-seasonal/61847-grungy-easter-event-flyer-vector & https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/147260-blue-stars-patriotic-grunge-backgroundand our generous graphic designer, Anonymous.

Just as it says on the tin, we discuss Trump's reluctance to concede (and the willingness of his party to humor him), then pivot to a discussion of what Trumpism might look like after Trump. Check out our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/forgodandcountrypodcastEmail us at forgodandcountry@fojf.orgSound credit:Gustov Holst's Thaxted, as performed by Kevin MacLeod, and "red tailed hawk" (no, it's not an eagle; eagles don't sound like that) as recorded by Craig Smith, both under the Creative Common License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcode https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Classical_Sampler/Thaxted https://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/479610/Image credit: https://www.vecteezy.com/holiday-seasonal/61847-grungy-easter-event-flyer-vector & https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/147260-blue-stars-patriotic-grunge-backgroundand our generous graphic designer, Anonymous.

Everyone on the God Squad has had a trying week, just like every other American (even the ones living in the Netherlands) but we are coming through for you, by laughing at it all, bringing some God Talk to the table, and perhaps dropping some insight (or at least some Scripture) on you. Check out our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/forgodandcountrypodcastEmail us at forgodandcountry@fojf.orgMusic and sound effects credit: Gustov Holst's Thaxted, as performed by Kevin MacLeod, and "red tailed hawk" (no, it's not an eagle; eagles don't sound like that) as recorded by Craig Smith, both under the Creative Common License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcodehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Classical_Sampler/Thaxtedhttps://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/479610/Image credit: https://www.vecteezy.com/holiday-seasonal/61847-grungy-easter-event-flyer-vector &https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/147260-blue-stars-patriotic-grunge-backgroundand our generous graphic designer, Anonymous.

Brandon and Micah discuss the considerations going into their votes (Micah, somewhere to the left of Bernie, is considering holding his presidential vote, whereas Brandon, a conservative Democrat, is that rarest of creatures -- an enthusiastic Biden voter). Meanwhile Adria philosophizes about the importance of maintaining close relationships across political divides.Then we delve into the ways politics can toxify our faith communities. Adria lays down the Gulizia Rule regarding where it's acceptable to draw political boundaries around faith communities and where it is not. Brandon discusses how the mix of politics and faith became so toxic in his own community that he left it for another, and finally Micah weighs in with a pastoral perspective to keep us all humble. Finally, we discuss the important of faith formation in forming our consciences for faithful citizenship, each of us tackling it from our own particular faith perspective (Brandon detects the distinct odor of Rome in Rosemary's contribution, and he is not wrong.)Resources, links, attributions, errata:-The evangelical college that only recently changed its policy on interracial dating was Bob Jones, not Liberty (sorry, Liberty)-Watch this space for an update on Brandon's 100-euro shirt! Links and picture coming!-The USCCB's voting guide, "Forming consciences for faithful citizenship" is available here: https://www.usccb.org/resources/forming-consciences-faithful-citizenship-pdf-If you don't believe Rosemary when she says that a Catholic need not fear damnation in the absence of sacramental confession, so long as they are truly contrite (and firmly intend to get to confession ASAP), check CCC #1452 https://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c2a4.htmCheck out our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/forgodandcountrypodcastEmail us at forgodandcountry@fojf.orgMusic and sound effects credit (under the Creative Commons license): Gustov Holst's Thaxted was performed by Kevin MacLeodRed-tailed hawk was recorded by Craig Smith https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcodehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Classical_Sampler/Thaxtedhttps://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/479610/Image credit: https://www.vecteezy.com/holiday-seasonal/61847-grungy-easter-event-flyer-vector &https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/147260-blue-stars-patriotic-grunge-backgroundand our generous graphic designer, Anonymous.

A liberal Quaker pastor out of Berkeley, a conservative Anglican political science professor out of the Hague, and a moderate Quaker lawyer out of NYC -- all moderated by a lay Catholic from upstate NY -- discuss faith and politics in "For God and Country," your smart, ecumenical exit ramp from the echo-chambers of left and right.In our pilot episode, we discuss abortion politics in America and why cleaving to a consistent life ethic seems so impossibly hard for most Christians; the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett to the SCOTUS and what's fair game (or not) when criticizing the faith and morals of a jurist; and how we as Christians are called to comport ourselves leading into this maybe-slightly-polarizing election.With Adria Gulizia, Brandon Zicha, Micah Bales, and Rosemary Zimmermann-------------Music credit: Gustov Holst's Thaxted, as performed by Kevin MacLeod, under the Creative Common License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcodeImage credit: https://www.vecteezy.com/holiday-seasonal/61847-grungy-easter-event-flyer-vector &https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/147260-blue-stars-patriotic-grunge-background