Sunday School Dropouts

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An ex-Christian (Lauren O’Neal) and a nonbelieving sort-of Jew (Niko Bakulich) read the entire Bible, cover to cover, so you don’t have to. If you’ve ever been curious about what’s actually in the bestselling book in history but never found the time to read it, we’ve got you covered. Sunday School D…

Recorded History Podcast Network

  • Feb 15, 2020 LATEST EPISODE
  • infrequent NEW EPISODES
  • 1h 3m AVG DURATION
  • 112 EPISODES


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Latest episodes from Sunday School Dropouts

Heaven and Hell

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 15, 2020 84:11


It’s the season 3 finale! Niko and Lauren discuss a variety of underworlds, Dante’s Inferno, The Good Place, and why everything you thought you knew about heaven and hell is wrong. Plus: medieval hellmouths, and ancient Coltons Burpo! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hanukkah

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 28, 2019 65:37


Lauren, Niko, and special guest Sarah Michael (Niko's mom) discuss the Maccabees, dreidel disasters, all nine candles including the shamash, and everything else in the story of Hanukkah. Plus: growing up Jewish in 1960s Flint, Michigan, and Niko doesn't like sour cream on his latkes please! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Masada

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2019 65:22


Niko and Lauren discuss the Zealots, the Sicarii, Flavius Josephus and the destruction of the second temple, and everything else in the story of the siege of Masada. Plus: 20th century Israeli poetry, and Niko wants a taste of those ancient dates! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Life of Flavius Josephus

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2019 70:20


Lauren and Niko discuss the siege of Jotapata, the destruction of the second temple at Jerusalem, Essene internships, and everything else in The Life of Flavius Josephus. Plus: John and Jesus! But not that John and Jesus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Dead Sea Scrolls

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2019 65:29


Niko and Lauren discuss Bedouin goatherds, John the Baptist, a mysterious sect of Judaism called the Essenes, and everything else about the Dead Sea Scrolls. Plus: life in an ancient commune, and why archaeologists shouldn’t use Scotch tape. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

3 Baruch

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2019 50:21


Lauren and Niko discuss the phoenix, the angel Phamael, a heavenly ascent, and everything else in the apocryphal book of 3 Baruch. Plus: the thickness of doors is discussed, and what's the poop situation? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Beasts of the Bible

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 6, 2019 57:31


Lauren and Niko discuss the leviathan, behemoth, ziz, and other mythological beasts of the Bible. Plus: pagan sports, and r u being served at the messianic banquet? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Noah

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 22, 2019 71:20


Niko and Lauren discuss gopher wood, Mesopotamian flood myths, the curse of Ham, and everything else about Noah and his ark. Plus: a giant named Og hitches a ride, and oh yeah, this is our 100th episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apocalypse of Abraham

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2019 56:42


Niko and Lauren discuss Terah's idols, Jahoel, Abraham's revelation, a possible Jesus sighting, and everything else in the apocryphal Apocalypse of Abraham. Plus: Bogomil and friends! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Philippians: Anthology Edition

Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2019 69:54


Hey! Lauren coedited an anthology called Empty the Pews: Stories of Leaving the Church! You can read an excerpt and get a preorder discount at bit.ly/EmptyThePews. To celebrate we’re rerunning our episode with her coeditor, Dr. Chris Stroop. Original show notes: Lauren and Niko welcome Dr. Chris Stroop to the show to talk about growing up Christian in Indiana, a twenty-year crisis of faith, battling demons Hulk-style, and everything else in the book of Philippians. Plus: rejoice in the Lord always, and again, I say, rejoice! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Archangels

Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2019 54:53


Niko and Lauren discuss the archangels Michael, Gabriel, Raphael; the humans-turned-angels Metatron and Sandalphon; and a bunch of other angels who were important enough to get names. Plus: angels are weird, and angels are Ninja Turtles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Angels

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2019 71:21


Lauren and Niko discuss cherubim, seraphim, grotesque eye monsters, and everything else about angels. Plus: Whose angel rankings are authoritative: Maimonides, Dionysisus, or Niko? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shekhinah

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2019 75:51


Comedian/playwright Rebecca Bulnes (@almondmilkhotel) joins Lauren and Niko to discuss Kabbalah, the sacred feminine, the bride of God, and everything else about the Shekhinah. Plus: Maya Angelou, and Niko gets locked out of the Etymology Corner! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Acts of Andrew

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2019 52:16


Niko and Lauren discuss miracle inflation, marriage between cousins, X-shaped crosses, and everything else in the apocryphal Acts of Andrew. Plus: a rat king of demons, and we question Gregory of Tours’ editorial instincts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nimrod

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2019 61:42


Writer Nate Waggoner (@nathanielwagg) joins Lauren and Niko to talk about Gilgamesh, the White Stag, the Huns vs. the Magyars, and everything else tangentially related to the story of Nimrod. Plus: Looney Tunes theology, and a classic Sunday School Dropouts Tower Check™️! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lilith

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2019 61:49


Comedian and writer Ryan Houlihan (@ryanhoulihan) joins Lauren and Niko to talk about killing babies, magic amulets, seducing rabbis, and everything else about Adam's first wife Lilith! Plus: Talkin' 'bout Britney! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Fall of Satan

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 10, 2019 55:21


In the inaugural episode of season 3, Niko and Lauren discuss the serpent, Adam and Eve, John Milton's Paradise Lost, and everything else about the fall of Satan. Plus: the return of everyone's favorite sexy angels! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Testament Part 4

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 22, 2018 65:09


Join Lauren and Niko for the thrilling conclusion of our playthrough of the Bible-based role-playing game Testament. Our guests for this miniseason are Maggie Tokuda-Hall (@emteehall) and Greg (@leducviolet).  WILL the adventurers finally root out heresy in Jericho? WILL Neva finally find love? WILL there be a shocking reveal that was not foreshadowed at all? The only way to find out is to listen! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Testament Part 3

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 15, 2018 89:13


Lauren and Niko continue playing  the Bible-based role-playing game Testament along with their guests Greg (@leducviolet) and Maggie Tokuda-Hall (@emteehall). Tune in this week as our heroes continue their investigation into the bizarre heresies of Jericho. Plus: Greg's rival is revealed, and more hyena facts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Testament Part 2

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2018 84:11


Join Lauren, Niko, Greg (@leducviolet), and Maggie (@emteehall) as miniseason 2.5 continues with another session of the Bible-based RPG Testament. This week we’ve got Hittite leprechauns, mouse sexts, and blasphemous comedy within blasphemous comedy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Testament Part 1

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 1, 2018 82:59


Lauren and Niko are back in the premiere of our brief miniseason 2.5! Join us and our guests Greg (@leducviolet) and Maggie Tokuda-Hall (@emteehall) as we begin a game of Testament, the Biblically based tabletop roleplaying game. Come for the Bible jokes, stay for the high-intensity dice-rolling! Plus: Hyena facts abound, and Accents, Accents, Accents! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Revelation

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2018 92:23


In a fat, juicy, 90-minute season finale, Niko and Lauren discuss Patmos, Armageddon, the true meaning of the word “apocalypse,” the number of the beast, seven lampstands/seals/trumpets/bowls of wrath, and everything else in the Book of Revelation. Plus: a deep dive into different configurations of eyeballs, and we finally (sort of) rate the Good Book! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jude

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2018 41:26


Lauren and Niko discuss plagiarism in the Bible, Balaam's error, the Book of Enoch, the Assumption of Moses, and everything else in the Epistle of Jude. Plus: Lauren gets her wish, and the entire show is now Fast Facts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apocalypse of Paul

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2018 57:37


Lauren and Niko discuss Dante’s Inferno, milk lakes, celeb cameos, and everything else in the apocryphal Apocalypse of Paul. Plus: Paul asks too many questions, and we’ll be gnawing our tongues in hell! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gospel of Judas

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2018 58:54


Niko and Lauren discuss Long Island strip malls, the realm of Barbelo, a new and exciting Demiurge, and everything else in the apocryphal Gospel of Judas. Plus: bewildered disciples, and Gnosticism is simply weird. Further reading: The Lost Gospel of Judas Iscariot by Bart Ehrman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

3 John

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 11, 2018 57:46


Sulagna Misra (@sulagnamisra) joins Lauren and Niko to discuss the shortest book in the entire Bible, which doesn’t even mention Jesus: 3 John. Plus: Hindu comic books, and everyone knows how Ganesh got his elephant head. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2 John

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 4, 2018 56:41


Lauren and Niko discuss the antichrist, hologram Jesus, whether the skateboarding scorpion crab is a fool, and everything else we can wring from the book of 2 John. Plus: Bree Mae joins us to talk about homeschooling and Bible quizzing! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1 John

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 28, 2018 61:19


Exvangelical’s Blake Chastain joins Niko and Lauren to talk about testimony, sin, and light, which are the only three words in the book of 1 John. Plus: God is love, and Niko’s tight five on ghosts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gospel of Mary

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 21, 2018 61:29


Lauren and Niko discuss The Da Vinci Code, common misconceptions about Mary Magdalene, the apostle to the apostles, and everything else in the apocryphal Gospel of Mary. Plus: the Cathar Crusade, and Jesus's Borat impression! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2 Peter

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2018 49:46


Niko and Lauren discuss Old Testament punishment, science in the Bible, those bad bad angels, and everything else in the book of 2 Peter. Plus: a bunch of really cool Sunday School Dropout stories from listeners! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1 Peter

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 7, 2018 51:09


Niko and Lauren discuss suffering in the body, the Harrowing of Hell, more justification of slavery, and everything else in the book of 1 Peter. Plus: two exciting visits, one from the fuck angels, and one from the inventor of cat curses! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

James

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2017 70:30


Niko and Lauren discuss taming the tongue, wisdom literature in the New Testament, straight-up socialism, and everything else in the book of James. Plus: @leducviolet’s dad Jim, a longtime Catholic school educator, teaches us about liberation theology and the Biblical case for social justice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Acts of John Part 2

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 3, 2017 58:37


Niko and Lauren discuss bedbugs, snake venom, gnostic weirdness, and everything else in the second half of the Acts of John. Plus: please don’t do necrophilia, and also please don’t watch someone else do necrophilia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Acts of John Part 1

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 26, 2017 53:56


Lauren and Niko discuss painting peeping portraits, doing magic in the nude, terrible murder sons, and everything else in the first half of the apocryphal Acts of John. Plus: unruly members, and Lauren’s definition of love is too broad! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hebrews

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2017 66:46


Lauren and Niko discuss high priests, the mystery of Melchizedek, an alternate take on Jacob and Esau, and everything else in the Epistle to the Hebrews. Plus: this book was definitely written by a woman, and maybe we actually like it! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Philemon

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 12, 2017 58:52


Lauren and Niko discuss digital monsters, Biblical views of slavery, Paul using his passive-aggressiveness for good, and everything else in the Epistle to Philemon. Plus: enough alternate Bible translations to choke the Behemoth, and a very special crab (who is a scorpion). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gospel and Apocalypse of Peter

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 29, 2017 57:28


Lauren and Niko discuss a bizarre, alternate Easter story, the humanity and divinity of the apocryphal Jesus, a Dante-esque tour of the early Christian afterlife, and everything else in the apocryphal Gospel and Apocalypse of Peter. Plus: Niko does some fast facts, and Lauren learns a lesson! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Titus

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2017 76:15


Ryan Honaker joins us to talk about the Book of Mormon, greenies and comps proselytizing in Poland, Jesus’s vacation to the Americas, and everything else about growing up Mormon. Also: the book of Titus is in there somewhere. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1 and 2 Timothy

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2017 58:15


Niko and Lauren discuss the widow test, morality in the end times, and everything else in the books of 1 and 2 Timothy. Plus: a cider problem and Who’s Your Bible Dad? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Didache

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 8, 2017 55:57


Niko and Lauren discuss old-school communion, Christian conmen, rules for Jewish Christians, and everything else in the apocryphal Didache. Plus: filthy talking, and Niko’s hunt for mummy honey continues? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Acts of Peter

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 1, 2017 61:25


Lauren and Niko discuss talking dogs, a magician battle, the upside-down cross, and everything else in the apocryphal Acts of Peter. Plus: Niko wants mummy honey, and cat curses go where they’ve never gone before! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rerun: Robobible

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2017 55:16


There's no new episode this week, but we're delighted to rerun a favorite of ours from the beginning of the second season! Original show notes: Niko and Lauren feed the text of the Bible to an artificial-intelligence program and have it create its own Bible passage. With the help of Rose Eveleth (@roseveleth), Greg (@leducviolet), Mallory Ortberg, Ezekiel Kweku (@theshrillest), and J. W. Friedman, they discuss being a donkey as the mountain shall do to the sky, making gold of the purple, and all the other weird stuff the robo-Bible came up with. You can read the passage at sundayschooldropouts.lol/robobible and send us your interpretations at contact@sundayschooldropouts.lol. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2 Thessalonians

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2017 58:55


Lauren and Niko discuss the lawless one, welfare in the Bible, and everything else in the book of 2 Thessalonians. Plus: Dr. Jason Staples (@jasonstaples) joins us to talk about Paul’s eschatology and why Paul is so obsessed with Gentiles. (Hint: it’s not circumcision!) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1 Thessalonians

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2017 61:05


Lauren and Niko discuss sending Timothy all over the world, footnotes about Satan, and everything else in Paul’s First Epistle to the Thessalonians. Plus: Tasbeeh Herwees joins us to talk about how Jesus is portrayed in Islam and how Jesus bumper stickers are not unique to Christians. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Colossians

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 3, 2017 64:28


Niko and Lauren discuss the Colossian heresy, possible gnosticism, a spooky mummy, and everything else in the book of Colossians. Plus: Writer and astrologer Luke Dani Blue joins us to read Jesus’s horoscope. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Acts of Thomas Part 2

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2017 63:21


Lauren and Niko discuss the Hymn of the Pearl, twin pranks, weird baptism rituals, and everything else in the second half of the apocryphal Acts of Thomas. Plus: the best character gets screwed over, and more gnosticism! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Acts of Thomas Part 1

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 20, 2017 58:58


Lauren and Niko discuss Jesus’ twin brother Thomas, celibate marriage, a spiritual palace scam, another exploding dragon, and everything else in the first half of the apocryphal Acts of Thomas. Plus: Hell is weird, but Heaven’s even weirder, and you can all log off! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gospel of Thomas

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2017 63:05


Niko and Lauren discuss Gnosticism, the Demiurge, the Pleroma, and all the rest of the secret mystical knowledge in the apocryphal Gospel of Thomas. Plus: How to Be a Spiritual Robot, and more anti-body propaganda. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Philippians

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2017 67:55


Lauren and Niko welcome Dr. Chris Stroop to the show to talk about growing up Christian in Indiana, a twenty-year crisis of faith, battling demons Hulk-style, and everything else in the book of Philippians. Plus: rejoice in the Lord always, and again, I say, rejoice! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1 and 2 Clement

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 30, 2017 58:20


Niko and Lauren discuss apostolic succession, deposed presbyters, what a sermon really is, and everything else in the apocryphal books of 1 and 2 Clement. Plus: it’s literally impossible to follow Jesus, and listener mail! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ephesians

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 16, 2017 73:41


Lauren and Niko discuss holy armor, salty babies, “mutual submission,” and everything else in the epistle to the Ephesians. Plus: a new segment called Pop Theology, and a quiz about famous Pauls. The music in this episode is the album Moon and Sun by Ellisa Sun, which Niko plays bass on! More details here: http://www.ellisasun.com/music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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