On Becoming

This episode marks a new emphasis for On Becoming. While I have referred to trauma before, here it becomes a lens through which we examine high-control religion (like Evangelicalism). I begin by considering the role of cruelty in Christianity, though a recent article by David French. Next, I turn to Alice Miller's book The Drama of the Gifted Child as a way of thinking about how children are often treated with a lack of respect and thus traumatised. Finally, I turn to James Dobson to work out the ways in which trauma and violence are part of most Evangelical's upbringing.

In this episode, we take a look at various ways of framing Jesus. I grew up thinking that Jesus was supposed to be Lord of my life. But, as time went on, I came to think that this wasn't a very helpful framing. Here we'll consider other ways of framing--Jesus as Cynic philosopher, apocalyptic teacher, charismatic healer, sage, and social prophet. In short, I read Jesus like I read Socrates.

In today's episode, we're be looking at Jesus. As with all historical figures, establishing exactly what happened is sometimes very difficult. In this episode, we'll talk about the gospels and why they are problematic, both because they are propaganda and because they were written so long after Jesus lived. We'll also talk about the distinction between what has often been called ‘the historical Jesus' and ‘the Christ of faith'. 

Have you ever noticed that the God of the Bible, who is supposed to be the ultimate 'Good', is often petty, mean, and vengeful? In this episode, we'll consider, first, the argument that Feuerbach presents for how the concept of 'God' came into existence. Then we'll consider where the Hebrew concept of 'God' comes from (hint: it's not from God). Finally, we'll turn to some examples of God being jealous, petty, misogynistic, and constantly trying to glorify himself.

Does being religious make you any happier? In this episode, we consider whether 'religion' might make for a happier you. The problem, as soon becomes apparent, is that there are many senses and ways of being 'religious', some of which are likely better than others at making us happier.

The idea that Christianity is about salvation seems as fundamental as any idea or concept in Christian theology. In this episode, I first ask the question 'where does this idea come from?' More specifically, how did followers of Jesus come to interpret his death as somehow providing salvation? I don't think there's a clear answer to this question, though Nietzsche provides an interesting analysis of Paul. In the remaining portion of the episode, we consider the main theories that have been advanced to explain how Jesus' death brings about salvation.

How have priests or pastors served to make the slave revolt something permanent? It's that they heal the wound and inflict it at the same time. In this episode, we consider how the priest emerges in society to become the figure that channels the ressentiment of the slave and creates a new kind of being. 

Both Christian and secular commentators have remarked on and questioned the close relationship between Trump and Evangelicals. Supposedly, there are such great differences between them that it's hard to see how they connect. But Trump and Evangelicals share a deep sense of ressentiment toward the world around them. In this episode, I argue that faith in Trump has replaced faith in Jesus. I use the term 'Trumpianity' to indicate something like a new religion (rather than simply a different version of Christianity). My reading of Trumpianity is primarily shaped by Nietzsche's account of the development of slave morality. But I believe that Trump has provided a way for Evangelicals to leave Jesus behind in favour of a new version of master morality in which Evangelicals are the masters. Whereas Jesus teaches love, Trump teaches his followers to hate.

All of our ideas and concepts come from somewhere. So where did the notion of 'sinner' come from? In this episode, we explore the distinction Nietzsche makes between master and slave morality. We'll begin by explicating the idea of master morality and then see how that morality compares to the morality of the slave or those on the bottom of the hierarchy. Nietzsche credits the slaves with a revolt that turns the values of the masters on their heads and replaces them with a very different conception of morality. It's that revolt that constitutes a change in values that begins in Judaism and continues into what we now call 'Christianity'.

This episode is the first in a new series titled 'Deconstructing Christianity', in which we will be examining fundamental Christian doctrines. We begin with the notion of sin, since that basic concept provides much of the scaffolding for Christianity as we know it. After explicating the Evangelical notion of sin, we then consider the extent it can be seen as abusive.

You may have heard that the governor of Louisiana has decreed that the Ten Commandments must be posted in all public classrooms. In this episode, we'll consider what the effect of such a move might be. But we'll also take a look at the actual commandments themselves, which turn out to be somewhat less 'moral' than one might expect.

It's Pride Month!  We begin the month with a reflection on pride as a vice and a virtue. My own experience of teaching Evangelical students is that they often don't know what to do with compliments since they are trying to avoid being 'prideful'. But there is nothing in the Bible that indicates that having a healthy self-respect is bad. Indeed, things that both Paul and Jesus say suggest the opposite. In this episode, we consider what something like 'proper pride' might be. I also spend some time considering the recent speech given by Harrison Butler, since he specifically mentions the kind of pride associated with Pride Month only to say that it's 'the deadly sin sort of pride'.

In this episode, I discuss some aspects of my thinking. Although I've never been a rebel, I have always asked questions, including questions that have gotten me into trouble. While I believe that most human knowing isn't certain or indubitable, that doesn't mean that there can be no sense of 'knowledge'. Finally, I discuss how improvisation is the key to my thinking.

We're back, and more critically-minded than ever! After a brief hiatus due to a recent move, Dr. Benson returns to offer thoughts on where religion -- and religions -- may be headed.

'Wokeness' has become a flashpoint in contemporary culture wars, and a major presence in media coverage of social policy, but do we really know what it means to 'be woke'? In this episode, Dr. Benson breaks down the history, context, and current state of the debates around 'wokeness.'

In this short episode, Dr. Benson discusses Ross Douthat's recent New York Times article "Four Ways of Looking at Christian Nationalism," and gives his own take on the current situation. 

In this episode, Dr. Benson discusses the recent Alabama ruling that mixed theology with the law, disrupted fertility care across the state, declared frozen embryoes children, and brought out an issue that has become increasingly popular with Christian conservatives in the United States: fetal personhood. Can frozen embryoes really be considered children? How does theology play into this question? What are the possible political, cultural, and philosophical issues of this ruling? Tune in to find out! 

In this episode, Dr. Benson discusses the role that Bill Ackman, a billionaire businessman and activist investor, has played in shaping debates about higher education.

In this episode, Dr. Benson discusses bullying and incivility in the Academic world, and how it harms professors, students, and even administrators. For more of this content, please subscribe to our Patreon (found in our twitter pinned tweet, or at patreon.com/onbecomingpodcast) for special bonus segments that will be posted after each episode, as well as a number of other benefits. 

A short reflection on burnout, and the various factors that can cause it in the world of academia. 

What is academic freedom? Why does it matter? Recent debates about politics and speech on college campuses have brought this issue into the mainstream. In this episode of On Becoming, Dr. Benson draws on his decades of experience as a professor and researcher to shed new light on the importance of academic freedom for the academy, as well as its development. 

In this episode, Dr. Benson goes into more details about the variety of options provided to students at different types of schools, and how these impact their experiences. Utilizing his years of experience as a professor, Dr. Benson discusses the elements of a college education that are perhaps less tangible and less directly-connected to financial outcomes. 

Is college worth it? With tuition prices at stratospheric highs, and the burden of student loans constantly in the news, Dr Benson discusses the perceptions of college's value, as well as the financial considerations one must make. This is part one of a two-part series. In the next episode, Dr Benson will consider the value of higher education that goes beyond the finances. 

This episode is part of a new series from On Becoming. These shorter episodes — which we will call ‘Pensées, after the work of Blaise Pascal — will serve as ‘reflections' on the general themes that will be addressed at greater length in our standard, full-length episodes each week. In this pensée, Dr. Benson discusses the idea of what the future of higher education may be, and outlines a few of the issues in colleges and universities that will come up in our full episode this week. 

After a brief holiday break we are back with part three of the 'Religion as a Way of Life' series!

In this episode, Dr. Benson continues his discussion of Ross Douthat's New York Times op-ed 'Where Does Religion Come From?'

In this episode, Dr. Benson discusses Ross Douthat's recent New York Times op-ed 'Where Does Religion Come From?,' offers his take on where Douthat goes wrong, and gives his own take on the question. 

This short episode on conversion is an example of the bonus content that is made available to those who support the podcast on Patreon. If you are interested in more, please subscribe at https://www.patreon.com/onbecomingpodcast !

In this episode, Dr. Benson continues to explore the context and implications of one of the best-known statements in the history of philosophy: "God is dead."

In this episode, Dr. Benson discusses his experience at last week's conference, Theology Beer Camp, and further examines Nietzsche's critique of Christianity. 

In the final episode of our Nietzsche series, Dr. Benson discusses his final thoughts on Nietzsche's life and work, and adds a bit of detail about how his own philosophical itinerary brought him to Nietzsche's thought. 

In this episode, Dr. Benson continues the series on Nietzsche, and goes in-depth on Nietzsche's "Thus Spoke Zarathustra."

In this episode, Dr. Benson begins a discussion of theological elements in Nietzsche's life and work. 

If you've already signed up for the Gadamer course, you might be interested in hearing what we'll be discussing. For those of you who have been meaning to sign up (but just haven't gotten around to it yet), you might find it interesting too. If you're interested in signing up, don't forget that the deadline is October 1st. To sign up, you can contact us at onbecomingpodcast@gmail.com or send us a DM on twitter/X (@OnBecomingPod).  

In this episode, I share a recent presentation on Kierkegaard. I was part of a workshop on contradictions in theology and my assignment was to present on Kierkegaard and the paradox. The context for the workshop was the problem of contradiction in two major doctrines in Christianity: the trinity (3 in 1) and the incarnation (fully human, fully divine). While Kierkegaard is aware of (and wants to avoid) the logical contradiction, he is more concerned about the existential dimension of the paradox. 

In this episode, Dr. Benson further elaborates on loneliness, and addresses strategies that we can use to regain a sense of community. 

In this episode, Dr. Benson talks about loneliness. After the Covid-19 pandemic, loneliness is certainly a topic that many feel well-acquainted with, yet putting a finger on exactly how it affects us and how we can deal with it is a challenge. 

In this concluding episode, we consider how Derrida's thought was received. Unfortunately, many people came to think that Derrida was a relativist or skeptic or some other bad thing. Yet Derrida strongly rejected any such reading of his work. And then he went on to say that justice cannot be deconstructed since justice is an absolute ideal. We finish the episode by considering some 'aporias' of justice (as well as explain what an 'aporia' is).

It's not everyday that a technical term used by a philosopher becomes a common word that most everyone knows. But, as is often the case when things get disconnected from their original context, the meaning can change or even become something quite different than the philosopher intended. Such is the case with 'deconstruction'. In this episode, you'll finally discover where this word comes from and what Derrida means by it.

In this episode, we conclude our exploration into Husserl's idea of how communication is possible by considering the distinction between text and context, or meaning and significance. Husserl insists that all meaning is set within a horizon. However, if the text's or person's horizon is different from ours, then that significantly affects the possibility of communication.

In this episode, I consider what makes communication possible by way of turning back to Edmund Husserl, the famed founder of phenomenology. Then we turn to questions posed by Derrida regarding whether Husserl is right about how communication works and the extent to which direct and complete communication is possible. 

In this second half of our interview with Liz Edman, we turn explicitly to her book. To get a bit more context for this second half of the interview, you may want to listen to that part first. As you'll hear, Liz speaks very powerfully about what the church can learn from queer people. Liz contends that the Bible is deeply queer, though you'll discover that this turns out to be one of its best attributes.

It's with great delight that I present our first anniversary episode! We've already had many interesting and, I hope, helpful episodes on big philosophical and theological questions. In this episode, I consider the various themes we've discussed and how they relate to the continuing development of the podcast. But I also have a surprise announcement: I'm planning to offer a short course on Gadamer in October. You'll find the details of that in this episode.

This episode begins a two-part series with The Revd Liz Edman, author of Queer Virtue. Liz (she/her) is an Episcopal priest and political strategist who has been igniting people's understanding of Christianity and queer life for more than 25 years. She has served as an inner city hospital chaplain to people with HIV/AIDS from 1989 to 1995, helping craft political and communications strategies for marriage equality efforts, and persevering for almost two decades to become an openly queer priest in the Episcopal Church. Born and raised in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas, Liz has lived most of her adult life in New York City. She is a member of St. Lydia's Dinner Church in Brooklyn and Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, the LGBTQ synagogue in Manhattan. 

In this episode, I continue our discussion of the thought of Hans-Georg Gadamer. We explore how coming to think like Gadamer makes one open to new ideas. He speaks of being 'radically undogmatic' and, as I point out in this episode, that was the way he did philosophy. I also talk about how the students whom I've taught Gadamer found that they changed significantly--for the better.

When I first read Gadamer, it was as if my eyes were opened. Reading his work broadened my mind and helped me understand everything from theology and philosophy to what I do as a jazz musician. In this episode, I discuss some of the aspects that were so welcome to hear and put so many things into perspective.

In this episode, I conclude our discussion of forgiveness and, specifically, the idea of forgiveness oppression. Victims of abuse and violence are often pressured to forgive their perpetrators, despite a lack of remorse or a change of behaviour. I show how Jesus' teachings have been significantly distorted to create the norm of unconditional forgiveness. Finally, I consider the value and place of resentment.