Podcasts about humanist chaplain

Alex de Vries, author of the paper, “The growing energy footprint of artificial intelligence,” tells more about AI's use of electricity and other resources. Then, Greg Epstein, Humanist Chaplain at Harvard and MIT, shows why we must maintain a freethinking critical perspective toward innovation, until it proves itself worthy of our faith.

Welcome to episode #958 of Six Pixels of Separation - The ThinkersOne Podcast. Greg Epstein is not your average chaplain. As the Humanist Chaplain at both Harvard University and MIT, Greg bridges the gap between spirituality and secular life, offering a unique perspective that resonates deeply in today's rapidly evolving world. With a rich background that spans philosophy, ethics, and humanism, Greg has become a beacon for those seeking meaning beyond traditional religious frameworks. In this conversation, Greg dives into his new book, Tech Agnostic - How Technology Became The World's Most Powerful Religion, And Why It Desperately Needs A Reformation (his first book is: Good Without God - What A Billion Nonreligious People Do Believe). Picture this: technology has ascended to the status of a global deity, worshipped and unquestioned. Greg challenges this reverence, urging us to adopt a stance of skepticism and agnosticism towards our digital overlords. He doesn't advocate for abandoning technology but rather for a thoughtful and ethical approach to its integration into our lives. Greg draws on his extensive experience advising corporations, government agencies, and non-profits to highlight the ethical dilemmas posed by unchecked technological advancement. He likens the current tech-driven era to a modern-day religious movement, complete with its own set of beliefs, rituals, and moral codes. However, unlike traditional religions that offer community and purpose, technology often isolates us, fostering a superficial connection that lacks depth and genuine human interaction. Throughout our conversation, Greg emphasizes the importance of critical thinking and ethical accountability in shaping the future of technology. He challenges leaders and innovators to ask the tough questions: Who benefits from this technology? What are the unintended consequences? How can we ensure that advancements serve the greater good rather than narrow interests? Tech Agnostic is more than just a critique of our tech-obsessed society; it's a call to action for a reimagined relationship with technology - one that prioritizes human values, ethical integrity, and meaningful connections. Greg's insights are both timely and timeless, offering a roadmap for navigating the complexities of our digital age with wisdom and compassion. If you're grappling with the pervasive influence of technology in your personal or professional life, Greg's perspectives offer a refreshing and necessary counterbalance. His work serves as a reminder that amidst the rapid advancements and digital transformations, our humanity remains our most valuable asset. Enjoy the conversation... Running time: 1:01:19. Hello from beautiful Montreal. Subscribe over at Apple Podcasts. Please visit and leave comments on the blog - Six Pixels of Separation. Feel free to connect to me directly on Facebook here: Mitch Joel on Facebook. Check out ThinkersOne. or you can connect on LinkedIn. ...or on Twitter. Here is my conversation with Greg Epstein. Tech Agnostic - How Technology Became The World's Most Powerful Religion, And Why It Desperately Needs A Reformation. Good Without God - What A Billion Nonreligious People Do Believe. Follow Greg on X. Follow Greg on LinkedIn. This week's music: David Usher 'St. Lawrence River'. Chapters: (00:00) - Introduction to Humanism and Technology. (15:05) - The Intersection of Technology and Religion. (29:48) - Workism: The New Religion? (45:00) - AI and the Future of Human Interaction. (01:00:07) - Personal Reflections and Conclusion.

Now with the American election won with the help of Elon Musk and his social media platform, X, and other tech billionaires. We need to pay attention! TECH is now the major world religion! Think about it. Technology was developed as a tool to serve humans, not vice versa. Unfortunately, we humans seem to have forgotten this, as billions worldwide are literally addicted to our smartphones. Many in the upper echelon of technology circles propose and even ominously insist upon humanity serving technology futures. They believe that we, the people, should work towards constant innovation, a technological race to the top, even at the cost of humanity's future. There is also an emerging thoughtform that suggests that humanity should sacrifice the planet, our very means of existence, to ensure that technology AI data personas would be preserved and reach their ultimate destiny.Peer-reviewed through The MIT Press and distributed by Penguin Random House, Epstein asked, “Who is profiting from these tech-centric futures, and how can we center humanity at the heart of engineering?” This is one of the most important books of our time. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Greg M. Epstein reads from E.B. White's essay, Once More to the Lake, and Madeline Ostrander's essay on the ethics of bringing children into a world facing climate uncertainty, reflecting on how nostalgia and future anxieties shape our understanding of legacy and purpose. He explores how our connections to the past and future influence not only how we experience the present but also how we find resilience in facing today's challenges. Today's guest is Greg M. Epstein, the Humanist Chaplain at Harvard and MIT and author of Good Without God. For two decades, Greg has built a community of secular and non-religious students and thinkers. He discusses how humanism, self-reflection, and embracing vulnerability can lead to meaning and connection, even in the face of existential challenges. Greg's reflections offer insight into staying grounded and finding purpose amid overwhelming change. Get book links and resources at 2pageswithmbs.com and subscribe to the 2 Pages newsletter at 2pageswithmbs.substack.com. Greg reads from two essays: first, E.B. White's Once More to the Lake, and then Madeline Ostrander's How Do You Decide to Have a Baby When Climate Change Is Remaking Life on Earth? contemplating memory and time. [Reading begins at 14:27] Hear us discuss: “What if I could have, with the opportunities that were available to me, lived more deeply, appreciated more fully, connected more passionately, and done more to help others?” [04:27] | "I learned to feel regret at a young age... I regretted being who I was because I felt that it was incredibly important to be somebody else." [10:29] | "If we didn't grieve, if we didn't take time to feel deep sadness when we lose someone... then we wouldn't be paying them proper respect and in the sense we wouldn't be paying proper respect to the energy and time that we've invested in them. | “The pursuit of perfection is the biggest force taking us away from our ability to experience beauty and meaning.” [43:28]

According to Chaplain Devin Sean Moss, death “informs how we live.” The idea of impermanence —the notion that everything is in a constant state of flux— and a “meditation on finitude,” Moss suggests, is a  “cheat code of sorts to making deliberate and intentional decisions and forces the hand of what are my values…to know what my core is about.”    For most people,  the subject and contemplation of death and dying is hardly a source of inpiration. We fill our lives  with work, travel,  and spending time with friends and family. These are life affirming activities to keep our minds from wandering too far down to our inevitable end.  For Devin Moss, confronting death has been both equally a sobering  and inspiring journey. As a Humanist Chaplain, Devin Moss forged a year-long bond with Phillip Hancock who was executed by the state of Oklahoma for a double murder. Moss’s experience was chronicled by the New York Times and the subject of an earlier Life Examined. More: Facing death without God: Spiritual care in the final hours of a death row inmate Today, Moss writes and hosts the podcast The Adventures of Memento Mori in which he explores the science, mysticism, culture, and mystery of death. Moss regularly grapples with his own mortality and says its a mistake for our culture to shy away from the topic - “the inability to talk about it on a societal level has very harmful byproducts.” Moss suggests that the message society perpetuates is that there is a misunderstanding of what it means to be finite, and that “everything is limitless.”   And when it comes to death itself, Moss urges listeners not to be deterred by fear or not knowing what to do or say. “Just be okay with the unknown and do all that you can do to make it about the other person, to heck with being good at it or knowing what you're doing.” For Moss, it’ss “the ability, not what I can learn from this person as they pass, but more like, how can I ensure that their passing is maintained as a sacred act within a sacred space.”  Delve deeper into life, philosophy, and what makes us human by joining the Life Examined discussion group on Facebook.

“What is a Humanist Chaplain? A Humanist Chaplain is a secular clergy person who provides comfort, guidance, and emotional support without relying on any religious doctrine or dogma. They also strive to promote reason, ethics, and compassion in the lives of those they serve. Humanist Chaplains usually have a staff position at universities, hospitals, prisons, or other settings where chaplains are typically present. Why is the Role of Humanist Chaplain Important? The role of a Humanist Chaplain is crucial as they provide emotional and moral support to individuals who identify as nonreligious (or anyone who wants it, regardless of their beliefs). They serve as a comforting presence offering guidance and counseling in times of crisis, grief, or ethical dilemmas. Their work helps to foster a sense of community and belonging among people who may feel isolated or misunderstood because of their secular beliefs. Humanist Chaplains contribute significantly to the diversity and inclusivity of moral and spiritual perspectives in society.” -https://nathanbweller.com/what-is-a-humanist-chaplain/. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/antonio-myers4/support

Devin (D.S.) Moss brings a sense of reverence for life and a curiosity about death to his work as a chaplain. During a conversation with a Zen Master about Buddhist beliefs about the afterlife, the suggestion was made to him that he would make a good chaplain. Devin didn't think he could do the work of spiritual care because of his humanist beliefs. He doesn't believe in God. Turns out the Zen Master didn't believe in God, either. Despite a religious upbringing, Devin embraces nontheistic, or humanist, beliefs. His sense of exploration led him to attend seminary and become a chaplain. He has found great fullness and human connection in the work of a chaplain. After completing his CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education) internship, Devin accepted a position to provide spiritual care for an inmate on death row in Oklahoma. He spent most of 2023 supporting convicted murderer Phillip Hancock. Their relationship culminated in Hancock's death by execution in November of that year. D.S. is also the host of the Memento Mori podcast, a show about spirituality and death he started before he became a chaplain. He's continuing his exploration and questioning in a new podcast coming the end of summer, 2024. You can find him at mystartingpoint.life. Connect with Devin (D.S.) Moss on IG or IG for Remember to Die. Watch Devin's talk at EndWell 2023 here. Find all the resources that Barbara Karnes has to offer at bkbooks.com. Purchase the End of Life Guideline Series Bundle here. Read Barbara's blog here. Connect with Barbara Karnes on social media: Facebook Insta LinkedIn Twitter Pinterest YouTube Order your copies of The Hospice Care Plan: A Plan to Comfort here, now available in English and Spanish! Check out the free library of video tutorials from the creators of The Hospice Care Plan hospice nurses Nancy Heyerman and Brenda Kizzire here. Read more about Nancy and Brenda and their mission to improve hospice care here. Find Odonata Care on social media: Facebook YouTube IG TikTok Hospice Navigation Services is here for you. If you have questions about hospice care or need to troubleshoot the care you're already receiving, book a session with an expert Hospice Navigator at theheartofhospice.com. Book podcast host Helen Bauer to speak at your event or conference by sending an email to helen@theheartofhospice.com. Find more podcast episodes from The Heart of Hospice at The Heart of Hospice Podcast (theheartofhospice.com)

Devin Moss is a media producer who became a humanist chaplain during the pandemic and surprisingly quickly found himself ministering to a death row inmate called Phillip Hancock. He was there in Hancock's final moments, a story he tells in this New York Times Magazine article, plunging him into the question of what it really means to face death without God.

“Types of Pastoral Care Practices There are various ways to practice pastoral care, including: Premarital counseling: Premarital counseling helps to prepare couples for unity in marriage. Pastors may recommend Bible verses, books, articles, and discussion topics for couples to review and pray about as they plan their life together. Weddings: Pastors performing weddings play the special role of celebrating and instituting a covenant relationship. Hospital visits: Visits to hospitals and care facilities can help those who are sick or injured to feel supported and remembered by their church family. Funerals: By facilitating funerals and caring for individuals and families in the grieving process, church leaders share the burdens of those experiencing the loss of human life. Serving the community: Church leaders can lead their congregation in providing food, clothing, and other material needs—as well as community services and gatherings—for local neighbors. In meeting with and listening to the community, churches can better connect, share the gospel, and partner with their neighbors. Birth and adoption celebrations: Meeting new parents with practical assistance like meals, diapers, financial resources, and childcare can help families care well for their children. Sustained support along the journey of parenting is another way that pastoral care can support families for long-term thriving. Spiritual direction: This pastoral care practice involves prayerful companionship and discipleship that points a person to scripture and fosters spiritual growth. -https://calvinseminary.edu/blog/difference-pastoral-care-counseling/. “What is a Humanist Chaplain? A Humanist Chaplain is a secular clergy person who provides comfort, guidance, and emotional support without relying on any religious doctrine or dogma. They also strive to promote reason, ethics, and compassion in the lives of those they serve. Humanist Chaplains usually have a staff position at universities, hospitals, prisons, or other settings where chaplains are typically present. Why is the Role of Humanist Chaplain Important? The role of a Humanist Chaplain is crucial as they provide emotional and moral support to individuals who identify as nonreligious (or anyone who wants it, regardless of their beliefs). They serve as a comforting presence offering guidance and counseling in times of crisis, grief, or ethical dilemmas. Their work helps to foster a sense of community and belonging among people who may feel isolated or misunderstood because of their secular beliefs. Humanist Chaplains contribute significantly to the diversity and inclusivity of moral and spiritual perspectives in society.” -https://nathanbweller.com/what-is-a-humanist-chaplain/. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/antonio-myers4/support

My conversation with guest Devin Moss was so rich and expansive, from our shared passion for the big existential questions to his rich and complex podcast series, Momento Mori (that dives deep into mortality), to his unexpected journey to becoming a Humanist Chaplain. He shares one of the most unique experiences of a bedside death I've ever heard. Soon after becoming certified Devin said yes to a request from an inmate on death row to have a non-theist chaplain accompany him in his final months on earth. Devin Sean Moss is a Humanist (nontheist) Chaplain unwavering in his pursuit to relate stories that connect us to our humanity. A natural explorer, he uses playful inquisition to examine the complexity of the human condition and the intrinsic meaning of life. Moss maintains an interdisciplinary practice of storytelling, street philosophy, and practical altruism. In 2015, Moss created The Adventures of Memento Mori podcast.. The consequence of this deep meditation on impermanence was life-changing. Uncertain of what happens after we die, Moss has dedicated his life to the positive changes that can happen while we're still alive. ResourcesYou can learn more about Devin's podcast, Momento Mori, and his work by visiting dsmoss.com or following him on Instagram at ds_moss Host Lisa Keefauver's forthcoming book Grief is a Sneaky Bitch: An Uncensored Guide to Navigating Loss IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble or Bookshop.org. Drop her a DM on Instagram @lisakeefauvermsw to let her know you did and she'll send you a party invite to her Book Launch Celebration Visit www.lisakeefauver.com to learn more about Lisa, sign up for her Not-So-Regular Newsletter, register for an upcoming online grief workshop or watch her TEDx talk, Why Knowing More About Grief Can Make it Suck Less. Oh, and this season, if you want to WATCH the show, you can now watch it on YouTube @lisakeefauvermsw Recorded January 26,2024 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This hour we look at the philosophy of humanism. We survey the history and evolution of the humanist tradition, and discuss what it means to practice humanism. Plus, how humanism can help us relate to technology. GUESTS:  Sarah Bakewell: Author of Humanly Possible: Seven Hundred Years of Humanist Freethinking, Inquiry and Hope, among other books Greg Epstein: Author and Humanist Chaplain at Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he is also Convener for Ethical Life at the MIT Office of Religious, Spiritual, and Ethical Life Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.  Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired on July 13, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2021 we spoke with Bart Campolo, a secular community builder, counsellor and writer who served as the Humanist Chaplain at the University of Cincinnati. He is the son of Evangelical celebrity preacher and author, Tony Campolo, with whom he made a movie about leaving Evangelical Christianity. You can connect with Bart at bartcampolo.org/ and find his podcast, Humanize Me on all good platforms. You can stream Leaving My Father's Faith here: https://campolofilm.com/  -- Transcript of the episode is here. Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf  Email: hhandhillsong@gmail.com  Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/ 

This week I'm joined for another brilliant episode by Humanist Chaplain, James Croft I loved hearing about their story and hope you do too. Luma's newest book "Believe in Them" is available now. Please subscribe, rate and review. Thanks, Suzi xxx And if you want to get in touch with me on the show, here's how... email: hello@outwithsuziruffell.com twitter: @outwithsuzi   A 'Keep It Light Media' Production Sales, advertising and general enquiries: hello@keepitlightmedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“A humanist celebrant or humanist officiant is a person who performs humanist celebrancy services, such as non-religious weddings, funerals, child namings, coming of age ceremonies and other rituals. Some humanist celebrants are accredited by humanist organisations, such as Humanists UK, Humanist Society Scotland (HSS), The Humanist Society (US), and the Humanist Association of Canada (HAC). Typically, a Humanist Chaplain works within an organisation, and within that organisation provides a Humanist perspective for those who want it. That can be anybody who just wants a friendly chat, education about Humanism, or discuss more difficult issues. Humanists have a positive outlook on life, guided by rational thought and focus on the importance of human cooperation and compassion for solving problems.” I will make the proper referrals when I need to in areas of resources. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/antonio-myers4/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/antonio-myers4/support

This hour we look at the philosophy of humanism. We survey the history and evolution of the humanist tradition, and discuss what it means to practice humanism. Plus, how humanism can help us relate to technology. GUESTS:  Sarah Bakewell: Author of Humanly Possible: Seven Hundred Years of Humanist Freethinking, Inquiry and Hope, among other books Greg Epstein: Author and Humanist Chaplain at Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he is also Convener for Ethical Life at the MIT Office of Religious, Spiritual, and Ethical Life Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode is an edited version of a live event held at WBUR's Cityspace on May 15, 2023. A full-length video of the event is available here. For decades, studies from around the globe showed that happiness followed a U-shaped curve across the lifespan. For many people, the teens and twenties were some of the happiest and most carefree times of life — a period to be enjoyed before happiness began to drop and hit its low point around 50. BUT, over the past 10 years, a seismic change has taken place. The front end of the happiness curve collapsed, meaning that teens and twenties are now the most unhappy time of life. From the increasing use of social media, to being isolated from friends during the pandemic, to the academic pressures of applying to college, to growing up in a world that feels threatened from climate change, gun violence, and political strife, the reasons for this crisis in mental health are many. The solutions, however, have been few. But there's a growing sense (and data) that when it comes to finding a way through challenging times, looking back at ancient wisdom for strategies on how to thrive — how to find joy, peace, empathy, and meaning — can help. Join Dave and a panel of experts and voices from Gen Z to explore the science behind when and how secular and spiritual practices might help young adults (and really any of us) deal with the stresses and disconnection of modern life, whatever our spiritual beliefs (including none at all). Guests: Dr. Laurie Santos is the Chandrika and Ranjan Tandon Professor of Psychology at Yale University. She hosts The Happiness Lab Podcast and created the record-breaking courses “The Science of Wellbeing” (the most popular course at Yale) and “The Science of Wellbeing for Teens.” Greg M. Epstein serves as the Humanist Chaplain at Harvard University and at MIT — a role in which he supports the ethical and communal lives of nonreligious students. He's also the author of the New York Times bestseller Good Without God, and recently served as president of Harvard University's 40+ chaplains. Tyler VanderWeele is the John L. Loeb and Frances Lehman Loeb Professor of Epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, where he directs the Human Flourishing Program. His work has been internationally recognized for illuminating the factors that underlie health and wellbeing in adolescents and adults.

In this episode, we talk with Srishti Hukku, a humanist chaplain at the University of Ottawa (Canada). We learn about Srishti's journey out of religion and her winding path to becoming a humanist chaplain. She explains what a chaplain does, why the military needs non-religious chaplains, and why it is important that these positions be filled with secular humanists. We also find out whether a True Atheist can be frightened of artificial intelligence.In the bonus section, available exclusively to Patreon supporters, Srishti asks our thoughts about this quote from Audre Lorde: “Unless one lives and loves in the trenches, it is difficult to remember that the war against dehumanization is ceaseless.” We also talk more about humanist chaplains and what book Srishti would like everyone to read.For more on Srishti: https://www.srishtihukku.ca/ Srishti's officiant page: https://www.613weds.com/ For how to become a humanist chaplain in Canada: https://www.humanistcanada.ca/chaplains/become-a-humanist-chaplain/ Follow Nathan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NathGAlexander Nathan's website: https://www.nathangalexander.com/ If you find the podcast valuable and want to support it, check out our Patreon page, where you will also find bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/beyond_atheism We are grateful for every contribution.Beyond Atheism is produced and distributed by Atheists United Studios: https://www.atheistsunited.org/au-studios

Anthony Cruz Pantojas is the Humanist Chaplain at Tufts University. They have been recognized with numerous awards, including an Interfaith America Innovation Fellowship, and spearheaded Freedom Making: A Mentorship Fellowship for Emerging Spiritual, Ethical, and Cultural Leaders —an initiative for first-generation students in college. Cruz Pantojas earned master's degrees in Theological Studies and Leadership Studies from Andover Newton Theological School, and Meadville Lombard Theological School, respectively. They hold a Certificate in Humanist Studies from the American Humanist Association Center for Education, where they are the program's first graduate. Anthony is a doctoral candidate in Cultural Studies. They serve as a board member of the Association of Chaplaincy and Spiritual Life in Higher Education and representative to the International Association of Chaplains in Higher Education. Anthony is endorsed by the Humanist Society as a Chaplain and Celebrant.They share their story with us here for Growing Up Fundie's 71st episode.He'll be making an appearance at the Secular Student Alliance conference, held June 16th through 18th at the University of Missouri St. Louis. (I'll also be there, too!)Find out more about the Humanist Chaplaincy Network here:https://www.humanistchaplains.org/__________________________________________Find this episode, and others here:Website:www.growingupfundiepodcast.comSpotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/2EHJGf8kGbSV9SRbqsfYKSApple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growing-up-fundie/id1602008078Amazon Music:https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/ad6ac91e-c2fb-47d6-8658-df8aed941eac/growing-up-fundiePatreon:https://www.patreon.com/sydneydavisjrjrBuzzsprout Subscriptions:https://www.buzzsprout.com/1908164/supporters/newYoutube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5QuI5etVfbJoTVAhbRGMkADiscord:https://discord.gg/XQNG4nD5Our Subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/GrowingUpFundie/More about the host, Sydney Davis Jr. Jr.sydneydavisjrjr.comThink you might make a great guest, or know someone who would be?Apply for yourself, or nominate someone here:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeHiy8KYW38tyKUD6MbFmOwCKdeWVHAbIA9qst1RBQf4rRPXg/viewform?usp=share_link

What do a Humanist Chaplain and a speaker at the National Conservative Conference have in common? What do a Mennonite pastor/theologian and an Educational Specialist at Harvard (who happens to be a Black Christian woman) have in common? Maybe nothing. Maybe everything. Keep these conversations alive: https://www.patreon.com/whatingods

“What exactly are the requirements for ordination? Does the minister pledge celibacy, poverty, and obedience, and declare their adherence to a strict creed? As you might imagine, they do none of these things. Matters of celibacy would generally be considered none of the congregation's business (as would matters of gender or sexual orientation). There is no vow of poverty—ministers draw salaries, like other professionals. And obedience is out of the question, although ministers do have a mutual covenant through which they agree how they will relate to one another. It involves matters of support and mutual accountability, and very much does not involve obedience. As for adherence to a strict creed, that's not only not a requirement, it's explicitly stated in the Unitarian Universalist Association bylaws that it cannot be a requirement. What happens at an ordination service? Does the bishop lay hands on the new minister? Well, this would be tricky, because there is no UU bishop. There is often a laying on of hands, but it usually involves everyone. There's usually a Charge to the Minister and a Charge to the Congregation (these are marching orders of a sort, given by someone the new minister chooses). There's usually the offering of a collegial blessing such as the right hand of fellowship, where another minister welcomes the new minister into the collegial group. And there's always the act of ordination, which is performed by the members of the congregation and is usually a reading led by the congregational president. There is no magical moment of ethereal transformation where the minister takes their place as an intermediary between God and humankind. UUs do not all agree on whether there is a God, much less where such a God might be located. But we definitely agree that whatever transcendental forces exist, ministers do not have a special place in controlling or mediating those forces. Ministry is not a supernatural state of any kind. It's a choice, a process, and an ongoing relationship.” As I child, I was willing to lose my entire life, money, housing, vehicles, my health care, my insurances, materialism, possessions, power, statuses, pleasure, comfort, praise, approval, and my acceptance for Jesus! As a child, I believed that I would gain eternal life with Christ! I think of being a theologian, and a lawyer. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/antonio-myers4/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/antonio-myers4/support

In this week's episode, Phil and Susie talk with Humanist Chaplain, Licensed Clinical Counselor, Coach, and our Good Human of the Week, Bart Campolo.  Bart is the longtime host of the Humanize Me Podcast, author of "Why I Left, Why I Stayed" which he cowrote with his famous, evangelical father, Tony Campolo, following his deconversion from a life as a professional Christian, pastor, and evangelist  He served as the first humanist chaplain at USC and now serves his community as a therapist and coach in Cincinnati and around the world.  Our conversation covers a wide variety of topics, especially around the idea of morality, humanism, having meaningful conversations with people we care about, how to make the world a better place in a secular way, and so much more.   Bart's Links: https://humanizemepodcast.com/  https://www.patreon.com/humanizeme  https://bartcampolo.org/    Follow us on Facebook @flawedtheologypodcast Join our Facebook group "Dangerous Questions" Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube Listen and Subscribe on Google, Apple, Spotify, and anywhere you listen to your favorite podcasts.     

You are invited to our Gathering with Elisa Rosoff and you as our guests, December 12th at noon (12-12 at 12) Use this link to reserve your spot: https://www.whatingods.com/can-humanist-chaplaincy-be-a-model-for-public-conversations-with-elisa-rosoff

"A humanist celebrant plays a role similar to that of a traditional clergyperson with one difference: humanist ceremonies express our positive, nontheistic philosophy of humanism instead of traditional faith. Humanist celebrants conduct humanist, nonreligious, and interreligious weddings, commitment/same-sex unions, memorials, baby namings, and other life cycle ceremonies. Celebrants are generally recognized in all states and many countries, being accorded the same rights and privileges granted by law to priests, ministers, and rabbis of traditional theistic religions. The Humanist Society offers several different endorsement options for humanist celebrants, chaplains, lay leaders, and secular invocators. The AHA Center for Education provides on-site and online celebrant training. Learn more about our wide array of endorsement levels here. Humanist Chaplains represents humanist values and principles in secular institutions such as a hospital, nursing home, prison, military unit, school, police department, university and/or humanist community. This is intended for those working as chaplains and will not be given or renewed for those not intending to work in an institutional setting and will not be renewed for those who have not had significant institutional work during the endorsement period. Chaplains are distinguished from Celebrants in their responsibility and authority to work with non-humanists as well as humanists. This position is distinguished by a professional chaplain's covenant to serve all and exploit none. Endorsement by the Humanist Society does not entitle a humanist chaplain to a paid chaplain position at an institution. Any given institute may require volunteers or paid staff to have professional certifications, whether related to chaplaincy, counseling or other credentials. The society endorsement affirms 1) the individual can authentically represent humanism and 2) the individual is ready to serve according to professional standards within and outside the humanist community. The Board of Chaplaincy Certification Inc. (BCCI), an affiliate of the Association for Professional Chaplains (APC), sets their own standards for certification. APC recognizes the Humanist Society as an endorser of chaplains. Employers may require specific professional certifications for individuals to function as a chaplain within their institution. Click here for more information on the standards set by the BCCI." My questions: "Why does God need a middle person instead of directly speaking to the sources that God should speak to? Is God saying certain things or humans saying what they feel and attributing their sayings to God?" --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/antonio-myers4/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/antonio-myers4/support

This is the second half of our time with Bart Campolo, a secular community builder, counsellor and writer who serves as the Humanist Chaplain at the University of Cincinnati. He is the son of Evangelical celebrity preacher and author, Tony Campolo, with whom he made a movie about leaving Evangelical Christianity. You can connect with Bart at bartcampolo.org/ and find his podcast, Humanize Me on all good platforms. You can stream Leaving My Father's Faith here: https://campolofilm.com/  Our links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf  Email us: hhandhillsong@gmail.com 

Bart Campolo is a secular community builder, counsellor and writer who serves as the Humanist Chaplain at the University of Cincinnati. He is the son of Evangelical celebrity preacher and author, Tony Campolo, with whom he made a movie about leaving Evangelical Christianity. You can connect with Bart at bartcampolo.org/ and find his podcast, Humanize Me on all good platforms. You can stream Leaving My Father's Faith here: https://campolofilm.com/  Our links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf  Email us: hhandhillsong@gmail.com 

Freewheeling With Loop and Lou September 8, 2021

44歲的Greg Epstein 是猶太人，但選擇成為一名無神論者。 2009年他出版了Good Without God （《善不需要上帝》）一書，並登上《紐約時報》暢銷書排行榜。他同時還是哈佛大學的人文主義牧師 (Humanist Chaplain)。更多詳細文字和圖片内容請進入《今日話題》Facebook 臉書專頁：https://www.facebook.com/1300todaystopic/

As a Humanist Chaplain, Darrin Parkin's focus is on palliative and end of life care of patients and their loved ones. Darrin walks with people through anticipatory grief, grief, and bereavement during terminal illness as well as after the death for a patients loved ones. Darrin worked for Hospice Calgary and Rosedale Hospice with end stage cancer patients as well as grief support. He is a conference speaker on topics like Spirituality in the modern age compared to the hunter gatherer age, palliative care, as well as on grief and bereavement. Darrin was a prison Chaplain for many years previously and College instructor in law enforcement focusing on restorative justice. In that capacity he took a team of prison guards to Uganda to do humanitarian work building a clinic together with a local community in East Uganda.

Bart Campolo is a humanist speaker and writer. He is also the Humanist Chaplain at the University of Cincinnati. We had a chat about the journey of losing his faith, what that meant for his relationship with his father, and how he is speaking truth and love into the world now. Enjoy the chat!

All around us the old systems of thought, meaning, belonging and identity are collapsing. Humanity is shattering into a million and one digital niches each one with their own myths, values and facts.Traditionally, the decline of one structure of meaning would lead to a new religious movement of revitalisation. But what would revitalisation look like in this secular age? Can there be a secular replacement? Can we find a society wide message of hope? Can we rebuild local communities?Greg Epstein is the perfect person to speak to about this because he's: 1) the current Humanist Chaplain at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 2) An ordained Humanist Rabbi.3) The author of the New York Times bestseller 'Good Without God: What a Billion Nonreligious People Do Believe'. But, more importantly than all that, he was the judge on FYI's reality TV show 'Married At First Sight'! If this guy can help two people who've only just met stay married, then maybe the world does stand a chance. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Humanist Chaplain at Harvard and MIT Interview starts at 3:53 and ends at 42:11 Links Greg Epstein's  bio page at Harvard and MIT Greg's Twitter account The Humanist Chaplaincy at Harvard and MIT - Click Here to donate “My name is Greg, and I'm addicted to tech” by Greg M. Epstein at The Boston Globe - January 1, 2021 “In Memory of Tom Ferrick: America's First Atheist Chaplain Died” by Greg M. Epstein at The Huffington Post - January 22, 2014 New York Times obit of the Rev. Peter J. Gomes - March 1, 2011 Good Without God: What a Billion Nonreligious People Do Believe by Greg Epstein My interview with Bryan Hudson, founding pastor of New Covenant Church in Indianapolis, Indiana - December 25, 2020 Smart Recovery Alcoholics Anonymous Light Phone, reMarkable tablet Amazon Halo Next Week's Guests Thad McIlroy and Cliff Guren, co-authors (with Steve Sieck) of COVID-19 and Book Publishing: Impacts and Insights for 2021, available for free download here. Morning Journal flash briefing for Alexa If you'd like brief daily updates on technology, books, marriage, and puppies, you can follow along with my Morning Journal flash briefing. From your Echo device, just say, “Alexa, enable Morning Journal.” Then each morning say, “Alexa, what's up?” or “Alexa, what's my flash briefing?” I post a five-minute audio journal each day except Sunday, usually by 7:30 am Eastern Time.  The Kindle Chronicles is now available at Audible Podcasts. The only thing missing are ratings! If you have time, please consider leaving one in order to help others learn about the show.  Right-click here and then click "Save Link As..." to download the audio to your computer, phone, or MP3 player.

What is a good life in the time of COVID-19? With no definitive return to “normal” in sight, where do we find hope? What do we do with our fear, and how do we handle extended isolation? Greg M. Epstein, the Humanist Chaplain at Harvard and MIT, a New York Times bestselling author and award-winning convener of ethical communities, embarks on a journey of reckoning with these questions and more, in an attempt to reclaim and reinforce what the pandemic has stolen from so many of us this year: our humanity. Supported by a Grant from MIT's MindHandHeart, this hour-long special starts at the heart of this crisis, as Greg talks with Helen Ouyang, a New York City E.R. doctor whose April New York Times Magazine cover story documented her struggle to maintain her own humanity while healing others. Jessi Gold, a leading campus psychiatrist, helps us manage the anxiety and depression levels we're all neck deep in right now. And Lama Rod Owens, an inspiring Black, Queer Tantric Buddhist Lama, helps us manage our lingering, heartbroken rage (about ... *gestures broadly at everything*), even as he tends his own.

Today we speak with Vanesa Gomez Brake, the Associate Dean of Religious Life at the University of Southern California. Vanessa’s amazing because she is the first Humanist Chaplain to be a Dean of Religious Life in any American University. In her role, she works to support and promote university religious and spiritual life, serving the spiritual needs of all students regardless of their religious perspective.Vanessa’s fascinating because even though she became nonreligious in her teens, she studied religion at university and got a Master of Divinity degree - meaning she has spent years studying religion and religious identity as a sort of outsider. She’s thought about how all people can benefit from religious and spiritual practices, even if they don’t have religious beliefs. We spoke to her because she is an expert in understanding how spiritual practices can be adapted for everyone, and she also knows how to do that within an organisation. What will you get from it?You’ll learn what what it means to be a chaplain in a secular and inclusive way, and what being a chaplain is actually is.You’ll be introduced to the idea of ‘stealth chaplaincy’. ‘Stealth chaplains’ aren’t vigilantes but Vanessa uses this term to describe how companies in Silicon Valley, now have the chaplain role but without the word.You’ll also really appreciate how Vanessa defines a ‘spiritual life’ - in a way that makes sense for religious and non-religious alike. She then digs into what that looks like on a university campus in a way that will be really useful for anyone in any type of organisation, school or community. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Encampment for Citizenship, founded in 1946 by Ethical Culture Leader Algernon D. Black and Alice (“Nanny”) Pollitzer, a prominent civic leader, offered an opportunity for “young adults of many religious, racial, social and national backgrounds” to learn “the principles and techniques of citizenship… through lived experience.” Black believed that young people could be a positive force in their communities if they developed critical thinking skills, youth activism, leadership qualities, and the courage to break free from stereotypes. Eleanor Roosevelt, long-time chair of The Encampment board of sponsors, often hosted students for discussions, workshops and barbeques at her Hyde Park estate. When the program was attacked by McCarthyite forces in the early 1950s, she defended it vigorously. “The reason I think these Encampments are so important,” she wrote, “is that they are attended by citizens of different races and groups. They prepare people for thinking in terms of all people and not in terms of a selected few. Not only we in the U.S., but people all over the world, need young people trained to be good citizens with an ability to think with an open mind.” While COVID-19 has forced this summer’s program to meet online, Encampers are still engaged in building meaningful community together. Bio: Anne Klaeysen is Leader Emerita of the New York Society for Ethical Culture. She also served as Leader of the Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island for six years and is currently Humanist Chaplain at New York University (NYU) and Ethical Humanist Religious Life Adviser at Columbia University. Anne holds a Doctor of Ministry degree in pastoral counseling and care from Hebrew Union College. She serves on the boards of the Ethical Culture Fieldston Schools and The Encampment for Citizenship.

My guest this week is Bart Campolo. Bart is the host of the Humanize Me Podcast. He is the author of “Why I Left, Why I Stayed.” Along with his famous Evangelical father, Tony Campolo, Bart is the subject of John Wright's documentary: Leaving my Father's Faith. If that is not enough, Bart is also the Humanist Chaplain at the University of Cincinnati. Bart and I discuss graceful ways of talking with people with whom we disagree, having conversations that are difficult that touch on religion, race and politics and changing one's mind. I point out that Bart has been particularly public with some of these conversations, including a book and documentary with his dad, Tony Campolo, a podcast episode with his son, Roman, where they disagree on the hope or lack thereof for our species and a recent podcast episode on race. In short, Bart wears his heart on his sleeve and lives his life out loud with humility, honesty and grace. We discuss humanism and the burden of being hopeful. Bart pushes back on my assertion that everyone needs awe, belonging and community. According to Bart different people need different amounts of each of those things. At the same time, Bart is facilitating a healthy secular community in Cincinnati providing just those things for the lucky few who attend. They put it this way: Commitment to loving relationships Making things better for other people Cultivating gratitude and wonder in life Worldview humility I normally have a few quotes from the episode, but as I was writing them down it became a transcript. Bart is eminently quotable. Listen to the show to find out. I will leave you with just one which you will need to listen to the show to understand: Show your work! Be sure to listen to the end for a funny story I tell that relates to Bart's father, Tony Campolo, during my time at bible college. Links Website https://bartcampolo.org/ Podcast https://bartcampolo.org/humanizeme Documentary https://campolofilm.com/ Book https://bartcampolo.org/why-i-left-why-i-stayed Interact Secular Grace https://gracefulatheist.wordpress.com/secular-grace/ Deconversion https://gracefulatheist.wordpress.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/ Attribution "Waves" track written and produced by Makaih Beats http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Makaih_Beats Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/us/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/gracefulatheist/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/gracefulatheist/support

April is a significant time for many major religions. April 23 is the first day of Ramadan, observed by Muslims worldwide. Ramadan begins just as Christians finished their celebration of Easter, and Jews concluded the eight days marking Passover. But because of the coronavirus, these observations were without the familiar settings and rituals. What's more, COVID-19 has stirred deep conversations about faith among believers, and among non-believers' questions about the search for meaning in a pandemic. Guests: Reverend Gloria White-Hammond - Co-pastor of the Bethel AME Church in Boston, Mass., the Swartz resident practitioner in Ministry Studies at Harvard Divinity School, and retired pediatrician. Rabbi Jeffrey Summit - Director of the new Hebrew College ‘Innovation Lab,' research professor in the Department of Music and Judaic Studies at Tufts University, and senior consultant for Hillel International. Dr. Celene Ibrahim - Faculty member in the Department of Religious Studies and Philosophy at the Groton School, former Muslim chaplain at Tufts University, and author of her forthcoming book, "Women and Gender in the Qu'an." Greg Epstein - Humanist Chaplain at Harvard University and MIT, author The New York Times bestselling book "Good Without God,” and contributor to TechCrunch. Show Credits: You can find UTR on the web at https://www.wgbh.org/news/under-the-radar-with-callie-crossley Subscribe to our show wherever you get your podcasts. "Under the Radar with Callie Crossley" is produced by Hannah Uebele and engineered by Dave Goodman. Melissa Rosales is our intern. Our theme music is FISH AND CHIPS by #weare2saxys', Grace Kelly and Leo P. Under the Radar is a production of WGBH.

Welcome to Life's Milestones - the fortnightly podcast about birth and naming ceremonies, relationship and marriage, and death and funerals, hosted by Mark Adams, a Humanist Celebrant. Mark's guest on this episode is Guy Otten. Guy is also a Humanist Celebrant, but he is also a Humanist Chaplain, a retired lawyer, and a Green Party campaigner. Guy has some fascinating stories about his life's milestones including that he has been married two and a half times! Host / Editor: Mark Adams Twitter: @LifesMilestones We Made This on Twitter: @wemadethispod www.wemadethispod.com

Welcome to Life's Milestones - the fortnightly podcast about birth and naming ceremonies, relationship and marriage, and death and funerals, hosted by Mark Adams, a Humanist Celebrant. Mark's guest on this episode is Guy Otten. Guy is also a Humanist Celebrant, but he is also a Humanist Chaplain, a retired lawyer, and a Green Party campaigner. Guy has some fascinating stories about his life's milestones including that he has been married two and a half times! Host / Editor: Mark AdamsTwitter: @LifesMilestonesWe Made This on Twitter: @wemadethispodwww.wemadethispod.com

In this episode, we speak to Justin Murray, the Humanist Chaplain who has been rejected by the Defence Force because he is not from an approved religion. 2:25 Pre-poll Voting 5:16 Anzac Day Review Hello Trevor, Can I present my nominee for ‘Most Religious Dawn Service?' 2 hymns, … https://www.ironfistvelvetglove.com.au/2019/04/episode-200-justin-murray-the-humanist-chaplain/ (Read more ›) The post https://www.ironfistvelvetglove.com.au/2019/04/episode-200-justin-murray-the-humanist-chaplain/ (Episode 200 – Justin Murray the Humanist Chaplain) appeared first on https://www.ironfistvelvetglove.com.au (The Iron Fist and the Velvet Glove). Support this podcast

On today's episode I am finally getting the opportunity to discuss the topic I am most interested in: Humanism or what I call Secular Grace. It is ultimately about answering the question, "how do we live life well post deconversion?" Rather than looking backwards, it is looking forward to learning to thrive as a human being. My guest today is Jim Palmer. Jim is an ordained minister, receiving his Master of Divinity degree from Trinity Divinity School in Chicago. After serving several years as the Senior Pastor of a non-denominational church, Jim left professional ministerial life on a quest for more authentic spirituality and has authored five books about his journey. In addition to writing, speaking and his spiritual direction practice, Jim is an adjunct professor in the areas of Ethics and Comparative Religion. He is the Co-Founder of the Nashville Humanist Association and is a certified Humanist Chaplain with the American Humanist Association. Links: Jim's Website http://www.jimpalmerauthor.com/ Jim's Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Jim-Palmer/e/B001JSBR04 Jim's Facebook https://www.facebook.com/jimpalmercommunity/ Jim's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimpalmerauthor Jim's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jimpalmer_12/ Jim's Twitter https://twitter.com/jimpalmer Jim's Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6862801.Jim_Palmer Human beings having a human experience quote: https://twitter.com/jimpalmer/status/1109421270444240897 Clergy Project http://clergyproject.org/ The Humanist Society https://www.thehumanistsociety.org/ "Waves" track written and produced by Makaih Beats Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/gracefulatheist/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/gracefulatheist/support

“Nobody comes to trauma, but through trauma.” – Karin Dremel   The true nature of addiction comes not from what we see at present but what we did not see in the past. And this is Science in what we call trauma. Our guest, Karin Dremel will expound the subject and enlighten us on the things we might not be aware of that has a direct bearing on family issues and addiction. She is a German psychotherapist, Naturopath and a Humanist Chaplain. Currently, her practice is situated in Boulder, Colorado where she helps individuals and couples through systems constellation groups.   Often, we see addiction through a limited perspective such that a present problem has something to do with how an individual copes that may potentially lead to addiction. But seldom do we consider what family origin has to do with how that individual arrived at choosing that particular type a coping mechanism. Join in today’s episode as our guest talks about the effects of generational trauma and silence, constellation healing, life-giving and life-limiting factors, belongingness and systemic trauma technology.   Get the show notes, transcription and resources mentioned at http://thefamilyrecoverysolution.com/   Highlights: 03:30 Karin’s Family Origin 08:11 The Silence 20:05 What Is Constellation 36:24 The Essence of Family Constellation: Belongingness 44:13 The Systematic Trauma Technology

Why is there evil and suffering in the world?  Guests: (extended bio below) Jim Palmer: secular humanist and author.  Aaron Pontious: Christian Apologist. Susan Schoenbohm: philosopher and Zen-Buddhist. David Outlaw: Christian Theologian and Missionary.    -Connect with Ask and Wonder and subscribe to the Newsletter at: www.askandwonder.com   -Become a patron for Ask and Wonder and help bring the world closer conversation after conversation with a monthly donation here:  https://askandwonder.com/donate   -Connect with Ask and Wonder on Social Media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/askandwonder Twitter: https://twitter.com/ASKandWONDER1 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ask_and_wonder   Questions? Email us at: askandwondernashville@gmail.com   BIOS Susan S. was born and raised in Minneapolis, MN, did her undergraduate work at St. Olaf College, MA work at San Diego State U., received her doctorate in Philosophy from Vanderbilt University, taught philosophy, women’s studies, and religious studies at University of the South, Penn State University, and Vanderbilt. Most recently, as well as teaching at Vanderbilt, she served as Program Coordinator for the former Center for Ethics. She is now retired, working toward Zen Buddhist priest ordination at Clouds in Water Zen Center, St. Paul, MN.    Aaron Pontious has been a youth pastor for a decade at The Donelson Fellowship in Nashville (TN). Aaron is a young culture expert and regularly speaks to his youth group and to other youth around the U.S. He holds a Master of Arts in Apologetics at BIOLA University in Los Angeles.   Jim Palmer received his Master of Divinity degree from Trinity Seminary in Chicago. He is the author of six books, and a Humanist Chaplain with the American Humanist Association. He is a contributing columnist for the Faith & Values section of The Tennessean. Jim lectures and speaks on subjects related to religion and spirituality. He is often a critic against the misuses of religion, and leads workshops on non-religious spirituality. You can find out more about Jim at www.jimpalmerauthor.com    David Outlaw graduated from Welch College and Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary. He has been a pastor, theologian, missionary, and writer in the United States, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Russian, Cuba, Panama, and South Korea. David is a passionate teacher of Scripture, helping others to see the glory of God and His Kingdom in a global context.

Today I finally had the privilege to meet Cass Midgley! His podcast (Everyone's Agnostic) was the first podcast I found that shared deconversion stories. This has been so encouraging to me through the years and played a big role in helping me process my deconversion. He's an open book and a straight shooter. The longer you listen to Cass, the more you'll discover an incredibly insightful, compassionate and generous human being.  Cass Midgley earned his Masters in Theological Studies from Vanderbilt University in 2013…as an atheist. Cass started the Everyone's Agnostic podcast in 2014 with friend and former co-host Bob Pondillo. Everyone's Agnostic podcast now has over half a million downloads!  As a boy, Cass knew there was a God; the two were close, personal friends.  Born and raised in Oklahoma, Cass walked right into Christianity. Christianity gave him a great life: purpose, friends, community, hope, etc.   ​ In 2004, at age 38, he left the church and began thinking and reading things he would not allow himself to while a Christian.  ​When not uniting the deconvert community, Cass also enjoys his daily crossword puzzle, watching college basketball, and drinking cheap gin & tonic with lots of lime. Cass is also a Humanist Chaplain who officiates non-religious weddings and funerals for all genders and orientations. 

This episode was recorded just before the 2018 American midterm elections. Listen to find out why!Jeremiah and Ryan discuss the nature and the difficulty of organizing humanists and others who lack faith. Ryan discusses his role within the Secular Student Alliance and as a Humanist Chaplain at USC, and the two compare it to his past work as a leader in a more religious faith community. Furthermore, they get into whether humanism is a worthwhile project or not.You can follow Ryan on Twitter at @Ryanjbell. You can listen to his podcast, Life After God, here:http://www.lifeaftergod.org/category/podcast/

Who earns a Masters degree in Theological Studies…as an atheist? Cass Midgley did! But his infatuation with God began much earlier. As a boy, he knew there was a God, and they were good friends. As a teen, he discovered there were many Christianities, and he determined to find the right one…or start his own. As an adult, he began asking questions. Eventually, he left the church altogether. Cass is now one of the hosts of the “Everyone's Agnostic” podcast, and also serves as a Humanist Chaplain. Links are for information purposes only to supplement the podcast content. RfR does not endorse this or any religious organization. Cass' Website: everyonesagnostic.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/recovering-from-religion/message

Cass Midgley talks with Ryan Bell. Ryan J. Bell is a former Seventh-day Adventist pastor who became an atheist after spending 2014, a "year without God", as an experiment. In August 2015, Ryan launched a new blog and podcast called "Life After God." He currently serves as the National Organizing Manager for the Secular Student Alliance, an organization that empowers secular students on college campuses across the US to proudly express their identity, build welcoming communities, promote secular values, and set a course for lifelong activism. Ryan is also the Humanist Chaplain at the University of Southern California. His story of gradual deconversion was covered by national and international news outlets including CNN, NPR, BBC, CBC, LA Times and Sunrise in Australia. He received a Master of Divinity degree from Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan and a Doctor of Ministry in Missional Leadership from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. Ryan is a writer, educator and public speaker and has expertise in subjects ranging from religion, intercultural communication, bioethics and brewing coffee. We interview people you don’t know, about a subject no one wants to talk about. We hope to encourage people in the process of deconstructing their faith and help curb the loneliness that accompanies it. We think the world is a better place when more people live by sight, not by faith. Please subscribe to our podcast, and leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. Also, we offer these podcasts freely. And your support truly makes a difference. You can support us monetarily in two easy ways: you can pledge a monthly donation through Patreon. that’s www.patreon.com/eapodcast,  or leave a lump-sum donation through PayPal at our website, www.everyonesagnostic.com. We taped this conversation on Oct 8th, 2018.  The intro music is by Dave Weckl called "Just Groove Me" The segue music on this episode is titled "Dudes" by David Mead Thanks for listening and Be a Yes-Sayer to what is. http://www.lifeaftergod.org/ https://www.facebook.com/ourlifeaftergod/   I don't usually use this platform to make arguments for or against the existence of gods. As the title exclaims, no one knows and thus when it comes to whether a being started the Big Bang or is somehow involved in the affairs of life on earth, no one knows. But, it all just smacks of human origin, imagination and projection. All the theistic gods are far too anthropomorphic (which is human-like) to be the unknowable, unimaginable, ineffable god that is so ethereal that even if he/she/it does exist, what difference does it make? So, at the end of the day, life is happening exactly as it would if there were no god, so let's get on with it. In fact, the banner of the Life After God Facebook site reads "Ended relationship with God. It was time." That's why some call themselves apatheists, because who gives a fuck. I've often said that atheism is the best practice of theism because if we got on with the reality of life and the struggles of being human and stop looking to the heavens for help or guidance, we'd fix our own goddamn problems, which is what a good god would want. But I bring this up today because I was shocked by something this week that reminded of the strength of the argument against the existence of God that is known best as the problem of evil. As you know, I am an unapologetic lover of what it means to be human. Sure, I could easily hate it, hate humans and hate how hard my fucking life is, but then I'm left with contrasting that with the alternative, which is utter nothingness. Unconscious. Zilch. No experience whatsoever. So yeah, if I've got to be here (or should I say GET to be here), let's do this. Let's love one another and make the best of things. But because I know that day is coming when I will fade to black, I'm also learning what battles to pick, what's important and what is not, and for damn sure, God is not. And that's how she likes it! But seriously, you all know I love orgasm. I love cold fried chicken, snow skiing, watching the Final Four, sorting out shit in my brain while I mow the lawn, Donald Fagen's music, and most of all--sex! I love the celebration of our bodies as playgrounds, I love it when people can be naked and not overly conscious of it. I love watching people fuck, all right? But a couple of times in my life, while exploring the internet for naked people enjoying themselves, I've stumbled onto some horrific, tragic, despicable, evil shit. The kind that is shocking, heart-breaking and utterly devastating to the poor soul that sees it and can't unsee it, but moreso, the real human being to which this inhumane treatment is being imposed. That happened!! And I can't unsee it. And then I ponder, "it's happening right now, somewhere in the world, maybe thousands of places--bedrooms, hotel rooms, backrooms, locked basements, children, sex-trafficking, and rape--it's all happening right now." Then I remember the few times that I've accidentally brushed my cigarette against my arm and how quickly and surprisingly painful that is and how some parents do that on purpose to their children, and the thousands of parents that I don't think have any business being parents and the unfairness of innocent children being introduced into a world they didn't have any say in entering, to parents they didn't choose, into bodies they didn't choose. Who we get to be on earth is a total lottery. No justice to it whatsoever. I have a nurse friend who worked in a children's hospital for years before it just took a toll on her and had to change careers. Right now, as we speak, countless, unspeakable evils are happening to millions of people. Screams. Horrors. Pain. Hell, this week, Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was said to have been murdered by dismembering him while he was still alive. And it took 7 minutes for him to die! And historically this is the least violent century in human history. Unimaginable evil has happened every second of every day around the world for over 200,000 years and if ANY of us were all powerful... even as unloving and selfish as we are as humans... compared to the alleged all-knowing, all-loving character of god, we would do something or go insane. And yet god does NOTHING?!?!  Any one of us would be a better god than that and put a stop to it, even if it meant putting a stop to all life. Fuck it, we'd do it, to stop the screams and suffering and injustice. We'd at least scrap this fucking disaster and start over with a better plan. So, yeah. There is no god in this god-forsaken universe. It's just us here. I got behind a car this week with a bumper sticker that said "protected by angels" and I just wanted to ram it just to show how delusional, childish, and cowardly that mindset is. Wake up! That kind of stupidity and magic-thinking is why these same evangelicals elected one of the worst specimens of a human being on the planet to the highest office on the planet, because God. God's gonna save us and he's gonna use the weak things of the world to confound the wise, those liberals, those smarty-pants, educated libtards. We'll show them. They think they can solve our problems with getting smarter and education and science and thinking and working together and cooperating and CARING! All those good things are filthy rags to a god who wants glory, who wants to show off, and the more incompetent the human being God uses, the more credit he gets. THIS IS NOT A GAME! THIS IS NOT MAKE BELIEVE! Evil is real and humans are doing it and if we're going to make this world tolerable, it will be humans that do it. Cause the only thing that stops a bad man with a god is good people without one.

When Bart Campolo lost his faith, he didn't lose his desire to minister. After all, the word “minister” was a verb before it became a noun. The fact that Bart no longer believed in a... The post #21 – Humanist Chaplain Bart Campolo on the Intersection of Work and Belief appeared first on The Distiller.

Greg Epstein, Harvard and MIT's Humanist Chaplain, joins Blue Ocean Faith's Dave Schmelzer, Christina Roberts and Ryan Bauers for a dynamic conversation about life as a nonreligious person in a largely religious country, gathering atheists/agnostics at Harvard and MIT, finding common cause with Christians and other people of faith and much more.  Mentioned in Today's Podcast -    Books Good Without God - Greg Epstein - https://amzn.to/2tO87FI Websites Greg Epstein's Webpage - The Humanist Hub Other Podcast Episodes Mentioned Episode 102 - On Men's Spiritual and Emotional Development What I'm Into Goliath on Amazon TV The Franciscan Spirituality Center

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. -- The people who think Stephen Hawking is burning in Hell. (0:18) -- PA Republican House candidate Rick Saccone claimed his critics "have a hatred for God." Nope. He's confusing God with Donald Trump. (13:55) -- Trump supporters who continue to support him. (17:05) -- Christian author claims transgender activists are urging lesbians to keep going and "become trans." (21:14) -- Tony Perkins says liberals are using Trump's affair with Stormy Daniels to "shame" politically active evangelicals. (25:29) -- Congressional Republicans are trying to stop the Navy from appointing a Humanist Chaplain. (30:48) -- The Kansas commissioner who told atheists to go to Hell. (41:43) -- An Alabama Republican legislator doesn't want to arm teachers (yay) because most of them are women (wut). (45:23) -- The pastor who once said women don't control their bodies because they belong to God. (48:36) -- Evangelical Christian Matt Barber says the Academy Awards didn't honor Rev. Billy Graham because "they hate him." (53:19) -- Pastor with "debilitating" disease sued by insurers after they discover her incriminating Facebook posts. (57:39) -- We answer a listener's question! (1:01:45)

This week on SarahTalk… Tee Rogers, Founder and Director of BE Orlando, Humanist Chaplain Be Orlando Email Tee: BEOrlando@live.com More

Ryan Bell is a former pastor who became an atheist after spending a year without God as an experiment. He started and hosts the popular blog and podcast Life After God and is now both the National Organizing Manager for the Secular Student Alliance, as well as the new Humanist Chaplain at the University of Southern California, a position that Bart held before moving back to Cincinnati.Follow Ryan and his work on Twitter at @ryanjbell.The documentary about Bart and his father Tony is now available for screenings! You can find out more information here.

For our first episode, host Eric Huffman speaks with Bart Campolo, a long-time Christian pastor turned self-described secular humanist, about the reasons Bart left the church and his views on religion, culture, and morality. We wanted address with Bart why it seems like so many people love to hate religion, but the conversation did not quite go as we intended. Please send your questions or comments to maybegodpod@gmail.com or join the discussion on our Facebook page @MaybeGodPod. *** Bart Campolo is the Humanist Chaplain at the University of Cincinnati and hosts the podcast, Humanize Me. For more about Bart, please visit his website bartcampolo.org.  Information about Leaving My Father’s Faith can be found at campolofilm.com. Special thanks to director John Wright for allowing us to use clips from his documentary.   *** Eric Huffman is the founder and lead pastor of The Story Houston. Please visit thestory.church for more information. Maybe God is produced by Eric Huffman, Julie Mirlicourtois, and Brandon Duke. Sound Engineering by Patrick Laughrey and editing by Brittany Holland. Our theme music is by Nathan Bonnes whose other music can be found at nathanbonnes.com.

Join Bart Campolo and Josh Holo as they tackle the intersection of religion, philosophy, and morality. Bart Campolo is a secular community builder, counselor and podcaster who recently spent three years as the first Humanist Chaplain at the University of Southern California, before assuming a similar position at the University of Cincinnati. Born and raised in suburban Philadelphia, Bart became an evangelical Christian as a teenager and was immediately attracted to urban ministry. After graduating from Brown University, he returned to Philadelphia to found Mission Year, a national service organization which recruits young adults to live and work among the poor in inner-city neighborhoods. While becoming an influential evangelical leader, however, Bart increasingly questioned his own faith, but it wasn’t until 2011 that he finally completed his transition from Christianity to secular humanism. His work - and his podcast, Humanize Me - now focuses on inspiring and equipping people to flourish by building loving relationships, making things better for others, and cultivating gratitude for the many wonders of this life.

Bart Campolo is the Humanist Chaplain at the Univ. of Southern California, the host of a fantastic podcast called "Humanize Me," and the author of a new book written with his evangelical father Tony Campolo called Why I Left, Why I Stayed. Bart, if you haven't figured it out already, is the one who left Christianity. The book is all about that conflict, and their love for each other, and how they can both advocate for beliefs that are in direct competition with each other without losing their own bond. I spoke with Bart about how his parents were devastated by his apparent apostasy, what atheists don't get about Christians, and why hot dogs aren't the key to a happier life.

Tony Campolo has been a fixture in the evangelical Christian scene for decades. For the past 30 years his son, Bart has followed in his footsteps. Their brand of Christianity is evangelical (personal salvation through Jesus) but with an emphasis on social justice and care for least of these. Just over two years ago, Bart decided to tell his parents that he no longer could believe in God. Out of this painful and liberating revelation is their story, the film, Far From the Tree, and the book, Why I Left: Why I Stayed: Conversations on Christianity Between an Evangelical Father and His Humanist Son. Bart is still in ministry. It isn’t Christianity, however. He is the University of Southern California’s first Humanist Chaplain. He speaks with me about what happens in many families when religion divides. Many families stop talking. The Campolos keep the conversation going.

Much of society spends a great deal of time, money, and energy trying to avoid grief. In reality, the rational thing to do is to embrace loss and its partner, grief, as an unavoidable piece of the human experience. This discussion with a Humanist Chaplain, Ben Iten, aims to provide some insight into how we can support others in the midst of their sorrow from a rational point of view. And, conversely, what can we do when we face loss in our lives.Please express your thoughts on the podcast through leaving comments, clicking Like if you like it, and if you do like it, Follow us!The podcast was brought to you by Intentional Insights, a nonprofit organization that popularizes science-based strategies to help people make wise decisions and reach their goals, with the aim of building an altruistic and flourishing world (www.intentionalinsights.org).Sign up for our newsletter here: http://intentionalinsights.org/newsletterDonate to support our work here: http://intentionalinsights.org/view/donate

Much of society spends a great deal of time, money, and energy trying to avoid grief. In reality, the rational thing to do is to embrace loss and its partner, grief, as an unavoidable piece of the human experience. This discussion with a Humanist Chaplain, Ben Iten, aims to provide some insight into how we can support others in the midst of their sorrow from a rational point of view. And, conversely, what can we do when we face loss in our lives.Please express your thoughts on the podcast through leaving comments, clicking Like if you like it, and if you do like it, Follow us!The podcast was brought to you by Intentional Insights, a nonprofit organization that popularizes science-based strategies to help people make wise decisions and reach their goals, with the aim of building an altruistic and flourishing world (www.intentionalinsights.org).Sign up for our newsletter here: http://intentionalinsights.org/newsletterDonate to support our work here: http://intentionalinsights.org/view/donate

Be prepared, Bart is a real evangelist. Bart Campolo, the Humanist Chaplain at the Univsersity of Southern California, talks with Tripp about: His story from Evangelical Christian to Evangelical Secular Humanist What happens when the Bible is no longer believed to be inerrent Why his dad named him Bart Communities and the narratives they use to convey meaning Plus, Bart tries to evangelize Tripp to be a secular humanist. Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bob and Cass interview Bart Campolo, Humanist Chaplain at the University of Southern California. Bart is the son of reknown evangelical preacher and author, Tony Campolo. Bart’s vision for creating community and helping other’s live their best lives through loving relationships is exciting and inspiring. Although this is our first time to interview Bart, we featured an interview he did with Hemant Mehta back in episode 58. We taped this episode on May 9th, 2016. If you’re liking the show, please subscribe to it, rate it with stars and shit, and/or leave a review on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.  Also, you can support us monetarily through our Patreon page. That’s patreon.com/eapodcast.  Credits: "Towering Mountain of Ignorance" intro by Hank Green https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3v3S82TuxU Intro bumper "Never Know" by Jack Johnson Thanks for listening and be a yes-sayer to what is. More about Bart Campolo: http://bartcampolo.org/  

This week I speak with my dear friend and fellow podcaster, Cass Midgley. Cass is the host of the Everyone's Agnostic podcast, along with his co-host, Bob Pondillo. After 40 years of being a Christian and nearly 20 in ministry, today Cass is an atheist and a Humanist Chaplain in Tennessee.Check out the Everyone's Agnostic Podcast at http://everyonesagnostic.libsyn.comFor more information about Life After God, please visit our website at www.lifeaftergod.org.If you appreciate this show, please make a monthly contribution to keep it going. Visit www.patreon.com/lifeaftergod.

Cass and Bob interview David Silverman, the President of American Atheists, and author of his new book, “Fighting God.” David comes down hard on the name of this podcast but we work through our differences. I celebrate his firebrand atheism, he celebrates me being a Humanist Chaplain on a college campus. I appreciate David’s unyielding respect for everyone he talks to while not necessarily respecting their beliefs. His devotion to truth is unparalleled.  We taped this talk on March 5th, 2016. Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, TuneIn  and most podcast platforms.  If you’re feeling grateful for our podcast, Patreon.com is like a per episode tip jar for our work. That’s patreon.com slash ea podcast. Credits:"Towering Mountain of Ignorance" intro by Hank Green https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3v3S82TuxUIntro bumper "Never Know" by Jack JohnsonThe segue music on this episode is Duke’s Lullaby by Steve GaddThanks for listening and be a yes-sayer to what is. http://reasonrally.org/ https://atheists.org/ http://www.amazon.com/Fighting-God-Atheist-Manifesto-Religious/dp/1250064848 https://atheists.org/fightinggod      

This week I speak with Humanist Chaplain, Bart Campolo. I first encountered Bart in the late 1990s when he was speaking on campuses around the United States creating authentic community and spurring young people on to good works. That hasn't changed for him, though he is no longer a supernaturalist, as he calls it. He gradually left his religious faith behind and has become a secular humanist.Today he works with students at USC in Los Angeles, helping them develop meaningful relationships and habits of goodness and justice. He is a loyal friend, loving husband and father, and all-around fantastic human being. To learn more about Bart and his work, visit his website, bartcampolo.org.

Episode 58 of the Everyone’s Agnostic podcast features Cass Midgley and Bob Pondillo discussing how non-religious, naturalist thinkers frame the issue of death and whether or not we have an honest narrative that is, in fact, comforting to those grieving their lost loved ones. We borrow clips from Hemant Mehta’s podcast, the Friendly Atheist, where he interviews Bart Campolo, a Humanist Chaplain for USC and UCLA. You can listen to that entire interview here. This episode was taped on August 1st  2015. Credits: "Towering Mountain of Ignorance" intro by Hank Green https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3v3S82TuxU Intro bumper "Never Know" by Jack Johnson All other music written and performed by Cass Midgley Thanks to Hemant Mehta for letting us use clips from his podcast The Friendly Atheist. Check out Bart Campolo’s podcast Wonder-Full Life at http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-wonderfull-podcast    

In this episode, Bo Bennett speaks with Greg Epstein, Humanist Chaplain at Harvard University and Executive Director of the Humanist Hub, about his recent article in Salon, "Ta-Nehisi Coates woke me up: Lessons on race, atheism, and white privilege". From HumanistHub.org: Greg M. Epstein serves as the Humanist Chaplain at Harvard University, and is author of the New York Times Bestselling book, Good Without God: What a Billion Nonreligious People Do Believe. He sits on the executive committee of the 36-member corps Harvard Chaplains. In 2005 he received ordination as a Humanist Rabbi from the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism, where he studied in Jerusalem and Michigan for five years.

Bart Campolo is a former evangelical Christian leader (and son of famed pastor Tony Campolo) who currently serves as the Humanist Chaplain at the University of Southern California and the University of California, Los Angeles. We spoke about progressive Christianity, what it was like coming to terms with his Humanism, and death. Lots about death. In all seriousness, it's one of the most interesting and inspiring conversations about death I've ever had. That segment begins around the 27:00 mark. Do yourself a favor and listen to it.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR:  http://www.naturebox.com/thinkingatheistMany claim that good and moral acts cannot exist outside of the concept of God.  Many also believe that humanity has become increasingly turbulent, violent, sinful and wicked, and they yearn for the simple, moral days of old.In this broadcast, we speak with three special guests about "goodness:"  1)  John Figdor, Humanist Chaplain at Stanford University and co-author of the book, "Atheist Mind / Humanist Heart" http://www.atheistmindhumanistheart.com2)  Dale McGowan, educator on secular parenting and Executive Director of the Foundation Beyond Belief   http://dalemcgowan.com3)  Michael Shermer, founding publisher of Skeptic Magazine and author of the new book, "The Moral Arc: How Science and Reason Lead Humanity Toward Truth, Justice, and Freedom.  http://www.amazon.com/The-Moral-Arc-Science-Humanity/dp/0805096914  

In this episode, Bo Bennett speaks with John Figdor, the current Humanist Chaplain at Stanford University where he organizes events and programs for both students and community members of the San Francisco Bay Area. He is the first Humanist Chaplain on the West Coast serving a university community. John received his B.A. with honors in Philosophy from Vassar College and holds a master's degree (MDiv) in Humanism and Interfaith Dialogue from Harvard Divinity School. He was an Organizing Fellow of the Humanist Chaplaincy at Harvard University and former Assistant Humanist Chaplain at Harvard, working with Greg Epstein. John is a former Board Member of the Secular Student Alliance, and his work has been discussed in the San Francisco Chronicle, The Huffington Post and The Washington Post. In 2014, John coauthored with Lex Bayer the book "Atheist Mind, Humanist Heart: Rewriting the Ten Commandments for the Twenty-First Century".

In this episode, Bo Bennett and Kim Ellington speak with Bart Campolo, the Humanist Chaplain at the University of Southern California who recently left Christianity and became a “preacher of reason.” Bart talks about his journey and offers advice on how secular groups can use some of the “secret sauce” used by many religious groups to build communities. After receiving his BA in Religious Studies from Brown University, Bart served as youth pastor of the Park Avenue United Methodist Church in Minneapolis before returning to his hometown of Philadelphia to found Mission Year, which recruits Christian young adults to live and work among the poor in urban neighborhoods across the country. During his fifteen years in that role, Bart became a popular writer and speaker in evangelical Christian circles, focusing on interpersonal relationships, community development, and social justice. In 2005 he returned to street-level ministry as leader of the Walnut Hills Fellowship, a missional, interfaith community in inner-city Cincinnati, and also began consulting with a variety of non-profit organizations. Most recently, he worked with the Abraham Path Initiative and the Telos Group, educating American faith leaders about the causes of and potential remedies for the modern Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Over the course of his ministry career, Bart gradually transitioned from Christianity to secular humanism. As the first Humanist Chaplain at USC, he is committed to developing a community that offers regular inspiration, pastoral care, supportive fellowship, and service opportunities to students, faculty, staff members, local families, and individuals exploring or actively pursuing secular goodness as a way of life. Bart and his wife, artist Marty Thorpe Campolo, have three adult children.

 In The News: football baptisms, proselytizing teachers, Fox & Friends lecturing FFRF on "culture of the South," and USA Today acknowledging FFRF's accomplishments. Then we talk with John Figdor, Humanist Chaplain at Stanford University, about his new book Atheist Mind, Humanist Heart: Rewriting the Ten Commandments for the Twenty-First Century.

This episode, we talk to Chris Stedman, author and Humanist Chaplain at Harvard University, about what it means to be both an atheist and an interfaith activist. Prerna Abbi, a secular Hindu, tells us about how an encounter in middle school involving PB&J sandwiches influenced her view of religion. Music by:Floating Fast (@soundcloud.com/floatingfast)Broke For Free (freemusicarchive.org/music/Broke_For_Free/)Blank & Kytt (freemusicarchive.org/music/Blank__Kytt/)

Jes Constantine and Todd Stiefel speak with Harvard University's Humanist Chaplain, Greg Epstein, about the Humanist Community Project. Plus, hear a followup interview with Dr. Darrel Ray about his new book: Sex and God: How Religion Distorts Sexuality.

Jes Constantine and Todd Stiefel interview Rabbi Binyamin Biber about his services to the community as a Humanist Celebrant and Humanist Chaplain at American University. Also, we highlight the AHA's recent “Naughty” Awareness Campaign, aimed to raise awareness of discrimination against nonbelievers in America.