Logos(ish)

Horror and the Bible. What is there to be afraid of? Everything? Nothing? We talk horror, scripture, Scream, movies, and everything in between. Announcement: Several of our host are new parents, and so we'll be taking a short break until November. For more from Brandon: https://etseminary.academia.edu/BrandonGrafius On Twitter: @BrGrafius Check us out at logosish.com Support local book stores and this podcast

Jon and Sara have vanished into the moving void, and nobody is quite sure what Garrett is up to. So Brian has come to the rescue! Today, he's talking to Jesse Zink about Christianity in South Sudan, religious culture, and making connections.   For more from Jesse: https://jessezink.com/ https://riskingchurch.substack.com/p/beating-the-bounds On Twitter: @jazink Check us out at logosish.com Support local book stores and this podcast

Is a church parking lot the perfect metaphor for the dystopian suburban landscape of modern life? Did we even discuss this question in today's episode? What do parking lots have to do with religion and ethics? Does Jon dream of riding in a totally autonomous flying car someday? Is the vocative comma truly a worthwhile punctuation mark? You might find out the answer to some or all of these questions in today's episode. For more from Laura: On Twitter: @_LauraHartman Check us out at logosish.com Support local book stores and this podcast

Rev. Dr. Mary Shore joins us to talk all things literature, theology, and where she would rate herself on our newly invented champagne scale of effervescence (patent pending, seriously do you think we could sell this as a personality evaluation tool?)   For more from Mary: https://www.lr.edu/ltss Check us out at logosish.com Support local book stores and this podcast

What do metaphors have to do with religion? Everything! Dr. Ryan Bonfiglio, director of the Candler Foundry tells us why on today's episode. For more from Ryan: https://candlerfoundry.emory.edu/ Check us out at logosish.com Support local book stores and this podcast

Spandrels, psychedelics, hidden Gods, four chord songs, Charles Wesley's tasteful use of bar tunes, science of the mind and contemplation. Today we talked to Dr. Sarah Ritchie about belief formation and a thousand other things. Like us on Twitter, and keep an eye out for our upcoming poll that will determine the name of Jon and Sara's baby. Are we joking? Who knows? But would you joke about something as serious as naming your first born child? For more from Sarah: @slaneritchie Check us out at logosish.com Support local book stores and this podcast

Alright, alright, alright! This week we talked with Elizabeth Hagan about her new book, growing up Southern Baptist, and creating spaces for real conversation in church settings. For more from Elizabeth: https://elizabethhagan.com/ Check us out at logosish.com Get Elizabeth's book and support local book stores and this podcast

Today on Logos(ish), we talked to sociologist Emily Sigalow about 20th century encounters between Judaism and Buddhism in the United States. For more from Emily: http://emilysigalow.com/ Check us out at logosish.com Get Emily's book and support local book stores and this podcast

Aikido, Kendo, and more. What do these martial arts have to do with making the world a peaceful place? How can Christian churches begin to practice being peacemakers? We talked to Rev. Roger Hudson about his journey to find out. For more from Roger: http://jerusalemcrossgarden.blogspot.com/ Check us out at logosish.com Support local book stores and this podcast

This week we talked to Adam Baker and Chrisie Reeves-Pendergrass of the podcast Instructions for Living a Life about faith, mental health, and rock and roll. Our opening and ending music was Hope Like the Ocean from Adam's band Bares His Teeth. Discover why Brian's comic book alter ego is cleary Alfred from Batman, brave the new wilds of reminiscing about 90's Christian music, and examine the nuances of emotional expression right here on Logos(ish)!   For more from Chrisie and Adam, check out the links below: https://instructionsforlivingalife.com/#home https://tinyurl.com/simplementalhealth https://bareshisteeth.bandcamp.com/ https://www.friendclubrecords.com/ Check us out at logosish.com Support local book stores and this podcast

Happy Earth day! Today on the show we discuss the links between environmentalism, ethics, and feminism. Our guest is none other than the esteemed Laurel Meierdiercks. She is Garrett's better half, and she's ready to talk about the issues of today. Like whether Godzilla or Snowpiercer is the better environmental disaster film. Find more from Laurel at: https://www.laurelmeierdiercks.com/ Check us out at logosish.com Support local book stores and this podcast

Recently, a Pew research poll revealed that for the first time ever, most Americans do not consider themselves to be affiliated with a specific religious tradition. What does this mean. What's changed? Rev. Dr. David Lose has some ideas, and he has some wise words for those thinking about the future of American Christianity.   Check us out at logosish.com Support local book stores and this podcast

Get ready for some Group Spiritual Direction! Rev. Dr. Dobson takes us through the ins and outs of the global spiritual practice that is sweeping contemplative circles near you. Are you ready to de-stress, find some peace, and make some new friends? Well Logos(ish) is here to help.   Check us out at logosish.com Support local book stores and this podcast

We are back with the final episode in our UM Watch series. This week our topic is Jurisdictions (and bishops) in the UMC, and we are using it to explore the selection of top tier leaders in large denominations.    Check us out at logosish.com Support local book stores and this podcast

We are back with a new episode in our UM Watch series. This week our topic is the General Conference of the UMC, and we are using it to look at the challenges facing US based global christian denominations. Spoiler alert: Brian knows some really nerdy facts.   Check us out at logosish.com Support local book stores and this podcast

Robots, Mars, and the great digital frontier, what does it all mean for religious/spiritual communities? Our guest today has some thoughts on the future of Christianity and the role digital life will play in that future. Also, where did Brian go? He was on the podcast at the beginning. Is his mustache growing, and is it imbuing him with certain invisible characteristics? Find out!   For more Michael Beck: https://michaeladambeck.com/ For more of us: www.logosish.com https://bookshop.org/shop/logosishpod  

What a weird week! Sadly, several of our scheduled guests have come down with Covid all in a row. They are recovering, and we are rescheduling. So this week we sat down to chat a little bit about our UM Watch series and the events of the past week. Also, we now have a bookshop at https://bookshop.org/shop/logosishpod. Purchasing something from our store will help support local bookstores as well as the podcast. So enjoy browsing!

Our first episode in our UM Watch series. We are doing a deep dive into the future of Mainline Protestant Christianity in the United States using the United Methodist Church as our muse. Today, Helen Ryde joins us to talk about the function of Mainline churches in the United States as well as LGBTQ+ inclusion.   Helen gave us some book recommendations. Check out our spot to buy some great books, help the podcast, and support local book sellers: https://bookshop.org/shop/logosishpod

Join us as we discuss Dr. Paul Mendes-Flohr's new book Martin Buber: A Life of Faith and Dissent. We discuss Martin's childhood, adult experience, and his life's work of bringing people together. So join us at the window for a look into the life of an extraordinary person.  Find the book and help out local book stores at our online shop: https://bookshop.org/shop/logosishpod

Join us as we get really zen with Dr. Steven Heine today while we talk about his new book on Dogen's masterwork. Buy the book and find more from Dr. Heine:https://asian.fiu.edu/about/steven-heine/https://www.amazon.com/Readings-Treasury-Columbia-Buddhist-Literature-ebook/dp/B081VVRFX1/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1613251080&sr=8-7

Comics, films, and television all have a lot of fun with superheroes. We figured we'd get some friends together and have some fun too. Shannon Mullen is back, along with our friends Katherine and Rusty, to talk about the ever present theme of redemptive violence in art, mostly art involving superheroes. Share in the controversy! Who's excited for the Snydercut? Who is Jon's Batman? Was Iron Man right in Civil War (several of our hosts think yes but our editorial staff may disagree)? Can't we all just get along and be friends? How does Christianity appear to have influenced our favorite characters? We answer all this and more on this episode of LOGOSISH!

Philosopher Dwight Lewis, the host of Larger, Freer, More Loving, joins us this week as we unpack some thoughts on the riot at the US Capitol and the BLM protests from the summer of 2019. The discussion ranges from silly fun to sober consideration about the intersections between wealth, faith, and race.Check out Dwight here: https://rss.com/podcasts/largerfreermoreloving/

We are back for a brand new season 2! Our kickoff episode features author Catherine McNiel talking about her most recent book All Shall Be Well: Awakening to God's Presence in This Messy Abundant World. You can find Catherine on social media @CatherineMcNiel and her book wherever books are sold. Check it out here:https://www.amazon.com/All-Shall-Be-Well-Awakening-ebook/dp/B07KML1NT9/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2TZ7PUI91H7YJ&dchild=1&keywords=all+shall+be+well+catherine+mcniel&qid=1611000986&sprefix=all+shall+be%2Caps%2C217&sr=8-1

We are back for one last episode this year. Come hang out with us as we talk in way too serious tones about Muppets. Also, learn about the circumstances behind the Irish Potato Famine, and find out which of our hosts hates the song Christmas Shoes (hint: it's all of them). Thanks so much for listening this year! This podcast has been a bright spot during a tough year, and we can't wait for more in 2021. It's not too late to leave us a year end review on all your favorite podcast platforms! Happy Holidays!

Hope is an anchor. Hope is a risk. What can we learn from Taylor Swift's breakups? This week we talk to Rev. Dr. Grace Ji-Sun Kim about her new book Hope in Disarray: Piecing Our Lives Together in Faith. Also, Jon has controversial opinions about New Girl. Will Sara and Garrett kick him off the podcast? Find Rev. Dr. Grace Ji-Sun Kim here:https://gracejisunkim.wordpress.com/about/ Buy the Book:https://www.thepilgrimpress.com/products/hope-in-disarray-piecing-our-lives-together-in-faith-kim

Author and pastor Lee Ann Pomrenke joins us today to talk about her book Embodied: Clergy Women and the Solidarity of a Mothering God. Discover the limits and benefits of family and mothering metaphors in spiritual life, the best place to find cookie infused espresso drinks in Decatur, Georgia, and more! This week on Logos(ish).Find Lee Ann here:https://leeannpomrenke.com/ You can buy the book here:https://www.amazon.com/Embodied-Clergy-Women-Solidarity-Mothering/dp/1640653090/ref=sr_1_1?crid=130G8KCUZRQKW&dchild=1&keywords=lee+ann+pomrenke&qid=1605542741&sprefix=leeann+pom%2Caps%2C200&sr=8-1

Theologian Thomas Jay Oord joins us to talk about his book God Can't, the problem of evil, Open & Relational Theology, and God's character. If you'd like to buy the book or check out Thomas Jay Oord's other work, check out his website or find him on social media:http://thomasjayoord.com/ @ThomasJayOord

Today, Sara and Garrett discuss Luther and Lutherans with Rev. Dr. Justin Nickel of Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary at Lenoir-Rhyne. Discover the wonders of justification by faith alone! Revel at the potential for a gritty HBO max reboot of a dramatization of  Luther's life! Contemplate the mysteries of the unknown here on Logos(ish). A quick note defining some terms:Justification is a theological idea having to do with God's work in the world. God seeks to be in right relationship with humanity and works through the experience of faith to be so. It relates to legal terminology in which the individual is considered to be righteous before the law rather than guilty of a crime or trespass.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justification_(theology)Indulgences were an act one could perform, or an item one could purchase, in the 16th century Christian church in the hopes of assuaging a person's time spent in purgatory, a sort of afterlife space that was believed to purify souls prior to resurrection. At one point, the purchase of indulgences formed a large portion of the church's economic base, and they were a point of contention between papal loyalists and protestant reformers who split with the church; though, it should be noted the reform movements that stayed in the church also took issue with the practice.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indulgence

Youth pastor JJ Gibbs joins us from his mountain hideaway in the wilds of North Carolina to talk about youth ministry in the United Methodist Church. We'll be off the week of Thanksgiving. So look for us again in the first week of December.

On today's episode, we explore the uses of acorn flour, discuss being a Whole Foods Willy Wonka, and talk about practicing one's spirituality at an interfaith ashram. Permaculture design may also briefly feature as well. As always, the mustache does come up, and Maruti may have Brian beaten in the facial hair department. To connect with Maruti and get some of that sweet acorn flour, check him out on Instagram @maruti_jaya.

Nerd out with us as we talk about J.R.R. Tolkien this week on Logos(ish)! Find out how Tolkien thought about myth. Discover how he used religious imagery. Debate which of his books was truly the best.If you want to pick up a copy of Dr. Morrow's book Seeking the Lord of Middle Earth, check out the link below:https://www.amazon.com/Seeking-Lord-Middle-Earth-Theological/dp/1532600046

Sara and Jon take a moment to reminisce with Twitter's chaplain Laura Jean Truman. Which Doctor from Dr. Who is the most important Jesus figure of the 21st century? What are some strategies for continuing to cope with COVID? Will the Enneagram come up again? Find out this week, on Logos(ish)! For more from Laura, check her out at the link below:https://www.patreon.com/LauraJeanTruman On Twitter: @LauraJeanTruman

In this no frills bonus episode, "Ben Christian," visionary creator of A Game for Good Christians, joins us to talk shop including the upcoming apocalyptic expansion, paraphrasing the Bible, and a theology of swearing. Our conversation is raw. It is in depth, and it may make you chuckle. For more from "Ben," check out: https://www.agameforgoodchristians.com/

This week we sat down with author and editor Jessica Brodie to discuss her experience as a journalist, author, and Thanksgiving advice giver. We got in touch with our human sides, and geeked out over dystopian fiction. For more of Jessica's work, check out: https://www.jessicabrodie.com/

The whole gang is back together this week. We talked about religious metanarratives, assumptions, personal bias, hell, and Brian's gorgeous flowing locks emerging from just above his upper lip.

Rev. Megan Gray joins us today to discuss her new business and the FIRO-B assessment. We enjoy catching up, discovering that Garrett is a 10 on the Enneagram, and Jon's determined efforts to cast himself as a cross between Jim Halpert and Ron Swanson. Will it work? Found out... on this episode of Logos(ish)! If you'd like to learn more about Megan's work, check out the links below:https://inspireandrespond.com/ https://www.facebook.com/inspireandrespond https://www.instagram.com/inspirerespond/ https://twitter.com/inspirerespond

While Sara and Jon are at the beach, we took the time to tackle the Nicene Creed, a foundational document of Christianity. We also discovered the origin of the word Neapolitan, and Garrett has disappeared! Will he ever escape his constant meetings!? Find out next week on Logos(ish).

Today we dive into a little American religious history by looking at the excavation of a unique graveyard in Winston-Salem. Who were the Moravians, and how did they change after coming to America? Dr. Leland Ferguson joins us to provide some questions and some answers in today's episode. In the episode, we make a lot of references to Leland's book God's Fields Landscape, Religion, and Race in Moravian Wachovia. You can get the book through the link below: https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Fields-Landscape-Religion-Moravian/dp/0813037484/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=god%27s+fields+ferguson&qid=1600992574&sr=8-1

Today we discussed Plato, Homer, and whether Emperor Augustus' family values platform would work out in today's political climate. Dr. Ben  Haller, Professor of Classics at Virginia Wesleyan, joins us to talk life in first century Rome.

Should Jesus have been an ant? This week we talked about reality, bats, ants, incarnation, and Dr. Becky Copeland's new book Created Being: Expanding Creedal Christology. We also made Brian the official fact checker of the podcast. So from now on, direct all complaints about factual errors to him.Dr. Copeland's book is available through the link below, and they'll take an extra 20% off if you use the code 17FALL20.https://www.baylorpress.com/9781481313025/created-being/

Quaker minister Ashley Wilcox joins us today to chat about how Christians can make better use of Bible stories about women and the divine feminine. If you'd like to pre-order Ashley's book, you can find it on Amazon at the link below.https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0664266193/

Nearly Dr. Bryan Ellrod joined us this week to discuss ethics and NBC's hit show "The Good Place." We chat about whether the ending worked, who cried at the end of the show, and whether Brian Boettcher's mustache has fully transcended our physical reality.

Dr. Brent Driggers of Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary at Lenoir-Rhyne University joined us this week to explore how Christians read and wrestle with the most violent texts in the Bible. If you are interested in learning more, Dr. Driggers recommended picking up a copy of Eric Seibert's The Violence of Scripture: Overcoming the Old Testament's Troubling Legacy.

Rev. Wendy Hudson joined us this week to share tips and tricks for fostering better relationships between religious organizations and their communities. We also got to take time to fantasize about going to church in a soccer stadium pub. Seriously, what place could be more holy?

Pastor Shannon Mullen joins us for our inaugural episode! He explains the history of Christian beliefs about how Jesus' life and death effect humanity. Surprise! It's quite a doozy of a journey. Check out the soon to be number 1 podcast that all the fundamentalists will say will send you straight to hell. Also, we could use some reviews. Any reviews. Please? For Shannon's book list, look no further:These are in no particular order – don’t read anything into it. Some I have read all of, many I have read part of, and some are recommended by trusted friends. While I made the bibliography, I ordered 4 more myself!- Shannon WRITTEN FOR ALL PEOPLE - No knowledge of seminary jargon required! Brian Zahnd. Sinners in the Hands of a Loving GodBrian McLaren “With too many American Christian leaders echoing the angry, arrogant, vindictive, and violent rhetoric of our political culture, it’s hard to imagine a book more relevant and needed than Brian Zahnd’s Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God. Zahnd rightly helps us see that for better or worse, we reflect the image of the God we believe in. Zahnd’s insights into Scripture are rich and deep, making clear that if we want a less violent future, we need a vision of a nonviolent God.” Emily Swan and Ken Wilson. Solus Jesus: A Theology of Resistance“Solus Jesus not only grapples with the authority question in Christianity, but also provides a massive re-think of traditional atonement theories. Leaning on the work of René Girard, they conclude that the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus together reveal a completely good, non-violent God who is on the side of the oppressed and scapegoated of this world. As a work of queer theology, the book is intersectional in its understanding of justice, and invites readers to reconsider our understanding of what it means to follow Jesus.” J.D. Myers, Nothing but the Blood of Jesus: How the Sacrifice of Jesus Saves the World from SinThis book has amazing editorial reviews from many of the other authors on this list! For example:Brian Zahnd: "When we talk about the cross of Christ and how it is that we find salvation in it, we inevitably begin to use words like sin, law, and sacrifice. But these words are always in danger of collapsing into empty religious cliché. Thankfully, J. D. Myers takes us beyond the realm of cliché and into substantive answers in his book, Nothing but the Blood of Jesus. The chief task in atonement theology is to think about the cross in ways that do not project upon God our own sins of retributive violence. This is what Nothing but the Blood of Jesus achieves." Anthony Bartlett. Seven Stories: How to Study and Teach the Nonviolent BibleA nonviolent account of the whole sweep of God's biblical action, and includes an essential intro on atonement.Brian McLaren: “…provides a comprehensive overview of seven main story lines of the Bible, and helps us turn the Bible from a weapon (as it is too often used) into a pathway to justice, reconciliation, compassion, and peace." Brad Jersak. A More Christlike God“While not exclusively about atonement theology, this book covers a lot of ground in "unwrathing" (his word) the atonement.”“Jersek’s book is based on the simple premise that God is like Jesus. This should be an uncontroversial assertion for many Christians, but if taken to its logical conclusion and its implications spelled out, the idea undoes many assumptions made by Christianity in the West… Jersek’s Christology governs his view of atonement, i.e. what God did in the world through Christ. These two should not be different, if Christ was carrying out the mission of God in the world. Derek Flood. Healing the Gospel: A Radical Vision for Grace, Justice, and the Cross“Healing the Gospel challenges the assumption that the Christian understanding of justice is rooted in a demand for violent punishment, and instead offers a radically different understanding of the gospel based on God's restorative justice.” Michelle Clifton-Soderstrom. Where is it Written? Understanding the Cross and the Church’s Ministry of LoveArticle on P.Waldenström, 19th century author Swedish pastor who got into hot water with Swedish Lutherans in Sweden and the US for pushing back against “payment for sin” theology. There is nothing new under the sun!Available here:  http://covchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2010/05/0804-Where-Is-It-Written.pdf William Paul Young. The ShackNovel in which God is depicted rejecting substitutionary atonement thinking.Quote from the author in an interview: “…we’re dealing with the concept of the wrath of God, and here’s an underlying question: ‘Do you believe that God does anything that is not motivated by love?’”  Richard Rohr. The Universal Christ: How a Forgotten Reality Can Change Everything We See, Hope For, and BelieveNewly released. NY Times Best Seller. “Drawing on scripture, history, and spiritual practice, Rohr articulates a transformative view of Jesus Christ as a portrait of God’s constant, unfolding work in the world. ‘God loves things by becoming them…’ Tony Jones. Did God Kill Jesus? Searching for Love in History's Most Famous ExecutionMany Christians believe that God the Father demanded his only Son die a cruel, gruesome death to appease His wrath, since humanity is so irredeemably sinful and therefore repugnant to God. Tony Jones, popular progressive Christian blogger, author, and scholar, argues that this understanding is actually a medieval invention and not what the Bible really teaches. Greg Boyd, Crucifixion of the Warrior GodEpic treatment – two volumes, comprising nearly 1500 pages.“Developing a theological interpretation of Scripture that he labels a "cruciform hermeneutic," Boyd demonstrates how the Bible's violent images of God are reframed and their violence subverted when interpreted through the lens of the cross and resurrection. Indeed, when read in this way, Boyd argues that these violent depictions bear witness to the same self-sacrificial nature of God that was ultimately revealed on the cross.” Greg Boyd. Cross Vision: How the Crucifixion of Jesus Makes Sense of Old Testament ViolenceA follow-up to The Crucifixion of the Warrior God. Less than 300 pages.“Boyd shows how the death and resurrection of Jesus reframes the troubling violence of the Old Testament, how all of Scripture reveals God's self-sacrificial love, and, most importantly, how we can follow Jesus' example of peace.” N.T. Wright. The Day the Revolution BeganMike McHargue: “With this work, N.T. Wright topples the simplistic, personalized view of the cross and the bloodthirsty God that once wrecked my own faith. Instead, we find the cross illuminated by a God that invites us to bring goodness into this world instead of trying to escape it.” Danielle Shroyer. Original Blessing: Putting Sin in its Rightful PlaceNot strictly atonement theory, but deeply connected.“The wrathful God of the Old Testament overshadows the gracious "Abba Father" that Jesus taught his disciples to pray to. A wrathful frightening portrayal of God can be found in both the Old and New Testaments, but fortunately it is not the only picture scripture conveys! Shroyer brings this more gracious and loving picture into focus.”Richard Beck: "Original sin is one of the most hurtful doctrines within Christianity. Hurtful to ourselves and to others. But what if our identities flow out blessing rather than total depravity? Danielle Shroyer's profound and compelling Original Blessing is a life-giving paradigm shift that draws us out of fear, shame, and guilt and deeper into joy, love, and grace." Gil Baillie. Violence Unveiled: Humanity at the CrossroadsJ.D. Myers: “Of all the books I have read so far on Girard's mimetic theory and the practice of scapegoating and how this helps us read and understand the violence of God in Scripture, this book by Bailie was the most helpful one yet. If you want to understand the violence of Scripture, or mimetic theory, or the Christus Victor view of the atonement, or what Jesus accomplished on the cross, this is one of the books you absolutely must read.” Michael Hardin. The Jesus Driven Life: Reconnecting Humanity with JesusThe Jesus Driven Life looks at the Bible through the lens of Rene Girard's mimetic theory to develop a way of understanding the authority of scripture within Christianity apart from a theory of the inspiration of the Bible.J.D. Myers: “This is a great book, with groundbreaking information that will transform how you read the Old Testament and the New Testament, and how you understand the role of religion in society and culture. This book provides a great move forward in the discussion on non-violence.”Caveat: “…the book seemed to follow a "stream of consciousness" approach. Each section was incredibly insightful and helpful, but one section rarely fit well with what preceded or followed it. If you can get past that, this book will challenge everything you think you know about the violence in Scripture, the role of the church in the world, and how you view your enemies.” James Alison. Knowing JesusDelves into a topic most often associated with evangelical Protestant Christianity: having a personal relationship with Jesus. At the heart of Knowing Jesus is the idea of "the intelligence of the victim." Alison explains "the intelligence of the victim" as Jesus' self-understanding of his role as victim, and his freely given self-offering in sacrifice. This "intelligence of the victim" only becomes apparent to the disciples of Jesus after their experience of the crucified and resurrected Christ--and even then it took some time for it to sink in. As we ourselves apprehend "the intelligence of the victim" we can experience the freely offered grace of God's forgiveness and at the same time extricate ourselves from the role of victimizer, as participant in the violence of the world that led to Christ's death and that causes so much pain and destruction to this day. Sharon Baker. Executing God: Rethinking Everything You've Been Taught about Salvation and the CrossBrian McLaren: "I've grappled with the subject of this book for years and read piles of books on it. Sharon has crystallized the problems so clearly and proposed solutions so gently and graciously that I know I'll be recommending it widely. Young Christians especially should take advantage of this chance for Sharon to be their professor. She's a consummate educator and a trustworthy guide." Sharon Baker. Razing Hell: Rethinking Everything You've Been Taught about God's Wrath and JudgmentJohn D. Caputo: "A lively, thoughtful and accessible rethinking of one of the most disturbing notions in Christian theology, the prospect of eternal damnation. Put this book on your 'must read' list."Brian McLaren: "What I tried to do in my book The Last Word and the Word After That, Sharon Baker has done in Razing Hell - with more brevity, more levity, and probably with more clarity and accessibility too. Highly recommended." Jacqueline Bussie. Love Without Limits: Jesus' Radical Vision for Love with No ExceptionsNot atonement theology per se, but a must read about the radical Love of God. My congregation members (with average attendance of 140) purchased 120+ copies. People gave it as gifts to dozens.Jessica Mesman Griffith: "I want to press this book into the hands of every Christian who has despaired of our faith being choked by narrow moralism, prejudice, nationalism, and all those who sought Jesus and were greeted by a door slammed in the face instead of a seat at his banquet table. I want to stock it in every church pew where I've heard something contrary to the love of Christ preached. Bussie's words reminded me of how vast and expansive Christ was (is)--and that Christian love shook the earth precisely because it extends to every single person without exception, even to me. Bussie's a gifted preacher with the voice of a friend who will grab you by the shoulders, look you in the eye, and say, no matter what your family of origin says, no matter what your church says, no matter what you say, you are beloved. Full stop."  CURRICULA James Alison. "Jesus the Forgiving Victim" series“Alison's work is refreshing and eye-opening, making sense of things in an inspiring way, and laying to rest old systems of belief that help to perpetuate violence and retribution in society. While his other work can be hard to traverse in its scholarship and vocabulary, Jesus the Forgiving Victim is written for lay church groups uninitiated in theological jargon. Especially when experienced in a community (like a book club/discussion group) or in conjunction with the available videos, this is a most satisfying theology that starts from who we are as people, and from that scientific, anthropological foundation, makes a case for a God who created us for a different kind of life here on this planet, and personally shows us the way to make that happen.” David Lose. Making Sense of the CrossGood Sunday School/small group material - but incomplete. Doesn't address violence head on and does not get to Girardian theory.   ADDITIONAL BIBLIOGRAPHY From my good friend Paul Nuechterlein, editor of www.GirardianLectionary.netwww.girardianlectionary.net/learn/atonement-and-mimetic-theory    MORE ACADEMIC – PERHAPS MORE SUITABLE FOR SEMINARY EDUCATED READERS: Michael Gorman. The Death of the Messiah and the Birth of the New CovenantGorman argues that New Covenant atonement understanding is an ancient model in need of rediscovery, but also a more comprehensive, integrated, participatory, communal, and missional model than any of the major models in the tradition. Life in this new covenant, Gorman argues, is a life of communal and individual participation in Jesus' faithful, loving, peacemaking death. Darrin Belousek. Atonement, Justice, and Peace: The Message of the Cross and the Mission of the Church“Long and challenging (but actually reads well) - an excellent book for anyone who wants a detailed examination of the biblical material.”"The most comprehensive and persuasive biblical critique of penal substitution currently available (and possibly ever written). Belousek analyzes in detail virtually every nut and bolt in the edifice of penal atonement theology as it is presented in current mainstream evangelicalism and does so with the kind of exegetical precision and theological commitment necessary to command a hearing from those he critiques. This is exactly the kind of book I would like to have on my shelves so that when someone asks me, 'What about Isaiah 53?' or 'What about God's wrath?' or 'What about no forgiveness without the shedding of blood?', I would know where to turn for a carefully reasoned answer."  Mark Heim. Saved from Sacrifice: A Theology of the Cross.Highly recommended by many. A good, scholarly introduction to Girardian, non-violent, atonement theory. Michael Kirwan and Sheelah Treflé Hidden, editors. Mimesis and Atonement: Rene Girard and the Doctrine of SalvationCollection of essays. Ed Willard Swartley, editor. Violence RenouncedCollection of essays.Relating to chapter 7: “Robin Collin, Theory of Mimetic participation…the best thing out there!” Andrew Sung Park. Triune Atonement: Christ's Healing for Sinners, Victims, and the Whole Creation“The book surveys historical views but also proposes that the atonement be seen as the death of Christ for both victims and the oppressed, for sinners and oppressors, for the whole creation--including animals and nature.” Gustaf Aulen. Christus Victor: An Historical Study of the Three Main Types of the Idea of the AtonementThe 1931 work which sparked a rethinking of the three classic models. Sallie McFague. Metaphorical Theology: Models of God in Religious LanguageOffers a great Feminist critique of and corrective to the historic doctrines that ought not be overlooked. Academic work. Catherine LaCugna. God For Us: the Trinity and the Christian LifeOffers a great Feminist critique of and corrective to the historic doctrines that ought not be overlooked. Academic work. Sally A. Brown. Cross Talk: Preaching Redemption Here and NowHomiletics – for preachers. “Brown proposes a metaphorical and pastoral model for preaching about the cross. Preachers can reclaim preaching on the cross, she urges, by joining New Testament metaphors to pastoral situations rather than adapting atonement theories for the pulpit. She offers specific examples in sermons designed for particular homiletical occasions.” Stephan Finlan. Problems with Atonement“The origins of atonement are found in Paul's writings. Popular Christian theology has understood them to mean that God demanded a bloody victim to pay for human sin. In Problems with Atonement Stephen Finlan examines the Christian doctrine of atonement and current debates about it.” Dennis Weaver. The Nonviolent Atonement“…challenges the traditional, Anselmian understanding of atonement ― along with the assumption that heavenly justice depends on Christ’s passive, innocent submission to violent death at the hands of a cruel God. Instead J. Denny Weaver offers a thoroughly nonviolent paradigm for understanding atonement, grounded in the New Testament and sensitive to the concerns of pacifist, black, feminist, and womanist theology. While many scholars have engaged the subject of violence in atonement theology, Weaver’s Nonviolent Atonement is the only book that offers a radically new theory rather than simply refurbishing existing theories.”

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