Podcasts about impolite conversation

On this episode of Impolite Conversation, we invited Andrew Whitehead, co-author of Taking America Back for God, back on the show to explain to us how Christian nationalism complicates life in a pandemic. Then we chatted about the new FX documentary AKA Jane Roe. And in One Last Thing, Dan is glad he gave a show another chance, and Tim has branched out into a new form of comfort viewing. Some of the things we talked about on this show: Dan mentioned Bruce Lincoln's book Holy Terrors. Andrew talked about this sign from an anti-closure rally. He also mentioned two books, Thy Kingdom Come by Randall Balmer and The Power Worshippers by Katherine Stewart. Here is the story of Nino Vitale, who refuses to wear a mask because he believes his face is made in the image of God. And here is some polling information regarding evangelicals, and regarding COVID. Finally, here is some background about Operation Rescue. Dan's OLT was season 2 of Titans. Tim's OLT was Gourmet Makes from Bon Appetit. He recommends starting with the Pop-Tarts episode. 0:00-1:01: Introduction 1:05-21:50: Whitehead interview 21:54-38:20: AKA Jane Roe discussion 38:24-40:58: Dan's OLT 40:58-43:42: Tim's OLT 43:42-44:44: Credits

This month on Impolite Conversation, Tim talks to Robb Ryerse of Brand New Congress and Vote Common Good about his work with those organizations, as well as his own run for Congress in 2018, which he chronicled in his memoir Running For Our Lives: A Story of Faith, Politics, and the Common Good. And in One Last Thing, Dan has been watching gritty adaptations of lighthearted comics and Tim just wants to hold at bay the anxieties of our current moment. Some of the things we talked about in this episode: Pastor Ryerse was inspired to run for Congress by this episode of the Robcast from evangelical author Rob Bell. He also mentioned Brian McClaren's idea about a constitutional reading of Scripture and the Netflix documentary Knock Down the House. Tim and Pastor Ryerse talked about Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's speech about her faith during an Oversight Committee hearing in February. Dan's One Last Thing was about the Netflix series Titans. Tim's One Last Thing was about Arvo Part's "Spiegel im Spiegel." 0:00-1:02: Introduction 1:06-26:54: Ryerse interview 26:59-29:47: Dan's OLT 29:48-31:56: Tim's OLT 31:57-33:03: Credits

This month on Impolite Conversation, we join forces with the guys at Straight White American Jesus (you should really go subscribe) to form a nerd podcasting supergroup! Then...the four of us just sit around and talk about evangelicals in America and Brazil. And in One Last Thing, Dan and Tim have both been watching Amazon Prime, but for very different reasons. Some of the things we talked about on this show: Tim went back to his high school days reminiscing about The Arsenio Hall Show, but what Dan wanted was Super Friends. Mitt Romney's historic vote in the impeachment trial might have something to do with Donald Trump's relative unpopularity in Utah. In any case, Utahns seem to be okay with it. No one (in America, anyway) knows more about Bolsonaro and Brazilian evangelicals than Amy Erica Smith. Tim mentioned this climate change commercial from 2007. Dan mentioned the Left Behind series and the bluegrass song "Jesus Hits Like the Atom Bomb." Tim also referenced Jonathan Chait's article about how Republicans hold a globally unique position on climate change among mainstream conservative parties. Dan just wants everyone to remember that Anita Bryant once got a pie in the face. Dan's One Last Thing was about Star Trek: Discovery. Tim's One Last Thing was about Troop Zero. And in case you missed the reference, here is Ron Swanson enjoying Lagavulin. And here is more information about the Voyager probes and the golden records. 0:00-1:42: Introduction 1:46-40:53: SWAJ conversation 40:57-44:02: Dan's OLT 44:02-47:30: Tim's OLT 47:31-48:30: Credits 48:34-48:57: Outtake

On this month’s Impolite Conversation, we talk to a scholar and a bishop about the continuing crisis regarding the status of LGBTQ people in the United Methodist Church. First, Iliff School of Theology president Thomas Wolfe shares his thoughts with us. Then Karen Oliveto, the first LGBT bishop in UMC history, spares some moments to consider what the situation means for her and her flock. And in One Last Thing, Dan has been watching TV (again) and Tim has been reading News of the Gross (again). Some of the things we talked about in this episode: Here is the statement Dr. Wolfe released to the Iliff community. And here is Bishop Oliveto’s memoir. Dan’s OLT was about the Amazon show Hanna. And Tim’s OLT was about this poor woman. 0:00-1:57: Introductions 2:01-27:41: Wolfe interview 27:46-41:17: Oliveto interview 41:21-43:45: Dan’s OLT 43:46-46:10: Tim’s OLT 46:11-47:13: Credits 47:17-47:22: Outtake

This month, Impolite Conversation goes to the movies to discuss the Liberty University-produced film The Trump Prophecy and what it tells us about evangelical culture and the connection between the religious right and Donald Trump. And then Dan and Tim chat some more about the film and What It All Means. (Spoiler: we didn't like it.) And in One Last Thing, Dan is tracking a serial killer, and Tim is watching a woman be killed serially. Some of the things we discussed in this episode: The Trump Prophecy is available to rent, but we wouldn't recommend it. Dr. Willenbrink provided the greatest summary of The Day After Tomorrow we've ever heard. The talking heads in The Trump Prophecy included Jerry Boykin and Michele Bachmann. Here are the supplements sold by the real Dr. Colbert. Dr. Willenbrink also introduced us to the term SAGE Cons, but not this kind. Tim brought up the short-lived, much-mourned TV show Firefly, and how the spaceship was a character on the show. One Last Thing should be like the music of "Karma Chameleon," not the lyrics of "Karma Chameleon." Dan's One Last Thing was the BBC series The ABC Murders (also available on Amazon Prime). Tim's One Last Thing was the Netflix series Russian Doll. (Trailer NSFW.) 0:00-1:53: Introduction 1:57-39:09: Willenbrink interview 39:14-48:15: Trump Prophecy conversation 48:20-51:20: Dan's OLT 51:21-54:26: Tim's OLT 54:26-55:29: Credits

This month on Impolite Conversation we chat with the Very Reverend (and longtime Dan-friend) Barkley Thompson about trying to approach the political realm as a Christian rather than a partisan. His new book is In the Midst of the City: The Gospel and God's Politics. And then we break format to shamelessly promote Tim's new book with Heather Yates of the University of Central Arkansas, The Hollywood Connection: The Influence of Fictional Media and Celebrity Politics on American Public Opinion. (Makes a great stocking stuffer!) And in One Last Thing, Dan mourns the passing of Stan Lee and Tim dances on the grave of the Florida felon disenfranchisement law. Some of the things we talked about in this episode: Reverend Thompson mentioned his love for Wendell Berry and Flannery O'Connor, especially the short story "A Good Man Is Hard to Find." Reverend Thompson also alluded to Robert Putnam's Bowling Alone and Paul Tillich's discussion of "ultimate concern." Tim mentioned Bernard Cohen's famous assertion that "the press may not be successful much of the time in telling people what to think, but it is stunningly successful in telling its readers what to think about." Here is a short literature review on the phenomenon of agenda-setting. And here is the episode of Imp Convo co-hosted by the great and good Ashley Van Fleet. Dan's One Last Thing was about the passing of Stan Lee. Tim's One Last Thing was about Florida voters repealing that state's felon disenfranchisement law. Dan mentioned John Oliver's (NSFW) take on that topic. 0:00-1:03: Introduction 1:07-37:47: Thompson interview 37:51-56:26: Hill interview 56:30-59:29: Dan's OLT 59:29-63:03: Tim's OLT 63:03-64:07: Credits 64:11-64:27: Outtakes

This month on Impolite Conversation: we reconsider the causal arrow between religious attendance and political beliefs as we welcome Michele Margolis to talk to us about her book From Politics to the Pews: How Partisanship and the Political Environment Shape Religious Identity. And in One Last Thing, Dan wants to talk about Fear, while Tim wants to talk about inspiration. Some of the things we talked about this month: Dan mentioned Tradition in a Rootless World, by Lynn Davidman. Dan's OLT was about Bob Woodward's new book Fear: Trump in the White House. And that got us chatting about Dan Drezner's #ToddlerinChief thread and NBC's count of the days the president has spent at self-owned properties. Tim's OLT was about the astounding world record set by Eliud Kipchoge. 0:00-1:03: Introductions 1:08-37:11: Margolis interview 37:15-41:20: Dan's OLT 41:20-44:55: Tim's OLT 44:55-45:54: Credits 45:59-46:18: Outtakes

This month on Impolite Conversation, we dive into the recent headlines to talk about religious freedom and what Jeff Sessions' Department of Justice really means when it uses that term. Then we turn our attention to Arkansas, where Satanists--or really, "Satanists"--erected a goat-headed idol on the statehouse grounds in Little Rock. And in One Last Thing, Dan has been reading a book-length history of Batman and Tim has been reading stories so short, they fit into a single tweet. Some of the things we discussed in this episode: The executive orders that frame the first topic are cataloged at the White House web site. You can read more about the Religious Liberty Summit here. Two books worth reading on church and state issues: Founding Faith by Steven Waldman and The Culture of Disbelief by Stephen Carter. Three court cases integral to this conversation: Reynolds v. US, Sherbert v. Verner, and Employment Division v. Smith. There were many articles about the protest in Little Rock, but this may be the best one. Oh, and here's the petition to name a piece of a septic system after an Arkansas state legislator. Dan's OLT was The Caped Crusade by Glen Weldon. He recommends the audiobook. Tim's OLT was the Micro Flash Fiction account on Twitter. 0:00-1:34: Introductions 1:35-27:24: Religious Liberty Task Force 27:28-44:47: Protest in Little Rock 44:52-48:32: Dan's OLT 48:33-51:23: Tim's OLT 51:24-52:31: Credits 52:35-53:00: Outtakes

In this month's Impolite Conversation, we talk to David Wheeler-Reed about his new book, Regulating Sex in the Roman Empire: Ideology, the Bible, and the Early Christians. And then Dan and Tim chat about what it means when politicians quote Scripture to make a political point. And in One Last Thing, Dan has been doing some reading of his own about the ancient world, but Tim just wants to strut his summer away. Some of the things we talked about on this episode: This was an unusually Bible-heavy episode: we discussed I Corinthians 7, I Corinthians 13, Romans 13, and this passage from Exodus. Dan's OLT was Alberto Manguel's book Homer's The Iliad and The Odyssey: A Biography. Tim's OLT was a little bit Slow Burn but mostly The Stunning's new album Twice Around the World. 0:00-1:58: Introduction 2:02-29:38: Wheeler-Reed interview 29:42-45:00: Bible in politics discussion 45:04-47:43: Dan's OLT 47:44-50:55: Tim's OLT 50:56-52:15: Credits 52:18-52:33: Outtake

On this episode of Impolite Conversation, our friend Kimberly Jarvis joins us as we wrap up our three-month exploration of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with a roundtable discussion of what the future of the conflict might look like. And in One Last Thing, Kim has more thoughts on the Middle East, Courtney has thoughts on being an A's fan, Dan has thoughts on Jessica Jones, and Tim has thoughts on the recent Simpsons dust-up. Some of the things we discussed in this show: This map shows the 1948 border between Israel and the Palestinian territories. Dan mentioned King David, featuring Richard Gere. Kim referenced this article on the recent Palestinian protests. Tim talked about Israel/Palestine by Alan Dowty. Kim's OLT was about the documentary Hell on Earth: The Fall of Syria and the Rise of ISIS and the book Notes on a Foreign Country. Courtney's OLT was about the Oakland A's. Dan's OLT was about season 2 of Jessica Jones. And Tim's OLT was about The Problem With Apu. 0:00-1:41: Introductions 1:41-33:05: Israel/Palestine conversation 33:10-36:06: Kim's OLT 36:06-38:19: Courtney's OLT 38:19-41:50: Dan's OLT 41:51-45:36: Tim's OLT 45:37-46:51: Credits 46:54-47:03: Outtake  

In this episode of Impolite Conversation, Jenna Weissman Joselit discusses her new book Set in Stone: America's Embrace of the Ten Commandments. And in One Last Thing, we all riff on Oprah 2020 after Courtney's date with the Golden Globes. Plus, Dan has things to say about Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Tim has been streaming some TV shows. Some of the things we talked about in this episode: Dr. Weissman Joselit prefers the 1929 version of Cecil B. DeMille's The Ten Commandments to the 1956 version. We debate the Supreme Court's wisdom in its rulings in Van Orden v. Perry and McCreary County v. ACLU. And that reminded Dr. Weissman Joselit of this mall in Lewisville, TX. Courtney's OLT about Oprah's speech at the Golden Globes got us talking. Dan's OLT was about Star Wars: The Last Jedi, but also a little bit about CinemaSins on YouTube. Tim's OLT touched on both Netflix's A Series of Unfortunate Events and Hulu's Marvel's Runaways. 0:00-1:42: Introduction 1:42-25:28: Weissman Joselit interview 25:33-32:20: Courtney's OLT/Oprah talk 32:20-36:15: Dan's OLT 36:16-38:32: Tim's OLT 38:33-39:40: Credits 39:42-39:57: Outtakes

In this supplemental episode of Impolite Conversation, we talk to Nick Davis of Texas A&M about why white evangelicals were so loyal to Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore, and then try to hash out what it means that President Trump has recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

On this episode of Impolite Conversation, we talk to Paul Harvey of the University of Colorado--Colorado Springs about the role religion played in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and how that role has changed in 2017. Then we have a chat about Colin Kaepernick, Donald Trump, and the symbols of civil religion. And in One Last Thing, Dan is hunting serial killers, Courtney is keeping an eye on the halls of power in Beijing, and Tim goes intergalactic. Some things we talk about in this episode: During our talk with Dr. Harvey, we mentioned Moral Mondays, the Fight for 15, Stephen Carter's The Culture of Disbelief, and our own fifth episode. During our chat about football, Courtney referenced Ninian Smart's seven dimensions of religion. In One Last Thing, Dan talked about Mindhunter, Courtney discussed the recent Chinese election, and Tim discussed the WHIM between galaxies. 0:00-1:21: Introduction 1:25-16:36: Harvey interview 16:40-32:11: Football conversation 32:16-35:12: Dan's OLT 35:13-36:39: Courtney's OLT 36:40-38:41: Tim's OLT 38:42-39:59: Credits 40:00-40:07: Outtake

This month on Impolite Conversation, we talk with Leah Rediger-Schulte, Doane's new Director of Religious and Spiritual Life, about why religious literacy is important for ourselves, our schools, and our society. And in One Last Thing, Leah studies a nontraditional sacred text, Dan reads about the comic book purges of the 1950s, and Tim goes to see a romantic comedy that's about more than just romance and comedy. Some of the things we talked about this month: Stephen Prothero's book Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know--And Doesn't was the inspiration for this episode. Prothero's quiz is in the back of the book, or you can find it online here. Dan mentioned Diana Eck's book Encountering God. Leah mentioned From Bubble to Bridge, by Marion Larson and Sarah Shady. Watch the social capital video produced by the Interfaith Youth Core. Or go to their website for lots of other resources. In One Last Thing, Leah talked about Vanessa Zoltan's podcast Harry Potter and the Sacred Text. Dan's OLT was on The Ten-Cent Plague, by David Hajdu. Finally, Tim's OLT was about The Big Sick. 0:00-1:34 Opening 1:34-36:48 Rediger-Schulte interview 36:53-38:41 Rediger-Schulte OLT 38:42-43:36 Clanton OLT 43:37-47:59 Hill OLT 48:00-49:50 Closing 42-54-50:01 Outtakes

On this month's Impolite Conversation, we take a break from the news of the world and get back to what's really important: Bruce Springsteen. First, we discuss how Springsteen's music informs his politics (and vice versa), and then we dive deep into the theologies (plural) that exist in the Boss's lyrics. If you're not familiar with Springsteen's music, here's a place to start. And in One Last Thing, Tim discussed the novel Underground Airlines, and Dan recommends the latest Star Wars story.

On this month’s Impolite Conversation, our friend Courtney Bruntz stops by the studio to talk us through which forms of religion are legal in contemporary China, which ones are banned, and which ones fall in between the two. And in a special year-end One Last Thing, we look back at OLTs past and find the ones that best sum up the year gone by. Some of things we talked about in this episode: Dr. Bruntz told the story of Chairman Mao and the mangoes. Dan referenced this scene from Monty Python’s Life of Brian. Dr. Bruntz also told us about Xian’er, the robot monk, and his claymation adventures. Dan’s One Last Thing to sum up 2016 was about the many releases from Marvel Studios. Tim’s OLT returned to ESPN’s documentary Small Potatoes: Who Killed the USFL? Original air date: 1/3/17.

This month on Impolite Conversation, we talk with a scholar who wants to challenge the conventional wisdom on the “God gap,” and then look back on the 2016 campaign, as well as forward to the next four years. And in One Last Thing, Dan has a thing for bulletproof guys in hoodies and Tim ruminates on a little-discussed aspect of the polling process. Some of the things we discussed on the show: Ryan L. Claassen mentioned both The American Voter and the work of Keith Krehibiel. More about Luke Cage, Dan’s OLT. More about the agreement to reduce the use of HFC’s. The two Upshot articles Tim discussed can be found hereand here. Original air date: 11/1/16.

On this episode of Impolite Conversation, Miguel de la Torre joins us to talk about how the marginalization of Latinx culture creates new space for Biblical interpretation. And in One Last Thing, Dan has been re-re-re-watching Captain America: Civil War and Tim has found A Few Reasonable Words to keep the pain away. To read more about one of the biggest movies of the year, this is a good place to start. The website for A Few Reasonable Words is here. And you can find Harry Frankfurt’s great essay On Bullsh*t here (and lots of other places). Original air date: 10/4/16.

It’s America’s birthday so hosts Sean, Paul, Bob and Josey are joined by Comedian, Musician, and writer Willis Gordon to discuss his upcoming series “Impolite Conversation” and the other events he has coming up like Rock the Block. Plus! heavy political debates, and strange love connections.  This Weeks Topics Include: Goldeneye, Sarta, Dave Grohl Check out Rock the Block Sept. 15th 2016. and look for Willis’ new series Impolite Conversation in the next few weeks.