Podcast appearances and mentions of jonathan merritt

Jesus' revolution was like nothing the world had ever seen. It was a revolution of love. At his arrest, some seemed to believe this was going to turn violent. And in one moment it did, when a disciple struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. But Jesus' response was different. He pointed to the fact that he was always with them, teaching and in the place of worship. These words suggest tenderness in the heart of Jesus. Something the authorities miss. Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8 Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

Jonathan Merritt speaks on Mark 13.

The Gospel Coalition on X: "Christmas means that, through the grace of God and the incarnation, peace with God is available; and if you make peace with God, then you can go out and make peace with everybody else. And the more people who embrace the gospel and do that, the better off the world is. Christmas," Jonathan Merritt on X: "5 Guidelines to Help You Maintain a Relationship Despite Disagreements: https://t.co/ngrxdLwb2B" Desiring God on X: "Even at a young age, children can grasp that God is strong, in control, and good — truths that can shape their lives forever. https://t.co/RwMlbk7LPo" Matt Smethurst on X: "What Christmas is all about. Sinclair Ferguson on the staggering wonder of the incarnation. https://t.co/gKtLTPCifC" Dan White Jr. on X: "Instead of publishing the Fastest Growing Churches every year... What if we celebrated some of the most unnoticed Faithful Neighborhood Churches that love the poor, the widowed, the lonely, the refugee, the least?"See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Text us your questions!Jonathan Merritt joins us to discuss his children's book My Guncle and Me. We also discuss what it was like to grow up with a dad who was the president of the SBC, his experience being involuntarily outed, and how to maintain relationships across serious ideological and personal divides.=====Want to support us?The best way is to subscribe to our Patreon. Annual memberships are available for a 10% discount.If you'd rather make a one-time donation, you can contribute through our PayPal. Other important info: Rate & review us on Apple & Spotify Follow us on social media at @PPWBPodcast Watch & comment on YouTube Email us at pastorandphilosopher@gmail.com Cheers!

In this week's teaching with Jonathan Merritt, we explore John 2:1-11. Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

Your Enneagram Godmother and an Enneagram Guncle got together for this INCREDIBLE conversation! If you don't know Jonathan yet, Enneagram 3, this is a wonderful introduction.   "...othering the other that othered them." It'll make more sense after you hear him talk about it!   Jonathan is a writer on faith and culture, the author of Learning To Speak God From Scratch, Jesus is Better Than You Imagined, My Guncle and Me and a few other great reads. You can find him on Instagram @jonathan_merritt and online at jonathanmerritt.com   PLUG TIME! OOOOOHHHHHH, don't let this event sell out without you being a part of it: A Contemplative, Healing, Enneagram with Rev. Joseph and Suzanne Stabile, and Hunter Mobley. February 28 - March 1, 2025 in Nashville, TN CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS or visit lifeinthetrinityministry.com/nashville   Today's INTRO The Office (S3, E1) Modern Family (S4, E21) The Other Guys (Columbia Pictures 2010)  

What happens when we divide the world into “us” vs. “them”? And what might happen if we chose to resist polarization and have our minds transformed by the Way of Jesus? Join us today as Jonathan Merritt teaches through the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. If you'd like to connect with Restore, go to www.restoreaustin.org/connect.

Jonathan Merritt teaches on belonging and the purpose of the church.

It's election season here in the U.S, y'all, and we're all trying to navigate the hot topics of the day and how to approach divisive conversations with grace…. and Ashlee Eiland's latest book, Say Good: Speaking Across Hot Topics, Complex Relationships, and Tense Situations, is just what we need right now. The holidays are coming too, and I know that can stir up complicated feelings and family dynamics and all the things. Ashlee is going to be our guide into gracefully walking with people even when we don't agree with them. This is such a needed conversation, and I think you're really going to love this one. . . . . Want to watch this episode on YouTube? Head on over to our YouTube Channel and be sure to like and subscribe!  . . . . Subscribe to Let's Read the Gospels with Annie F. Downs HERE. . . . . . Join our Patreon community Single Purpose League as we tackle the question: What is my single purpose and what is my purpose while single? . . . . . Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thatsoundsfunpodcast . . . . . Thank you to our sponsors! Better Help: Visit BetterHelp.com/THATSOUNDSFUN today to get 10% off your first month. Orgain:  Go to Orgain.com/THATSOUNDSFUN and use code THATSOUNDSFUN for 20% off your order. Hiya Health: Receive 50% off your first order at hiyahealth.com/thatsoundsfun. . . . . . If you'd like to partner with Annie as a sponsor for the That Sounds Fun podcast, fill out our Advertise With Us form! . . . . . Other topics we cover in today's episode: racial reconciliation, social media, complex relationships, accountability . . . . . NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. . . . . . Spread the Word. Leave a Rating and Review. It would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast on Apple Podcasts and leave us a brief review! You can do the same on Spotify as well. Your ratings and reviews help us spread the word to new friends! And your feedback lets me know how I can better serve you. . . . . . If you liked THIS episode, you LOVE these episodes that speak on the complexity of relationships with people we don't agree with: Unconditional Love with Jonathan Merritt and Dr. James Merritt – Episode 906 Episode 446: David Platt on What We Can Do For Unreached People Groups, Developing Muscles for Having Hard Conversations, and What Should Unify Us vs. What Should Divide Us   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on the show, you're in for a good one. You've probably heard me talk about my friend, Jonathan Merritt, and today you're going to get to know him AND his dad, Dr. James Merritt. These two have a really special relationship as father and son even though they don't see eye to eye on a lot of things, including sexuality. Today we're going to talk about their latest books The God Who Hears and My Guncle and Me, and we're also going to talk about their relationship and how they've navigated their differences. Listen. I want you to lean in here…this is a really nuanced conversation, which is hard to do in a public setting. It's such an honor that Jonathan and Dr. Merritt would agree to have this conversation with us and the sacredness of this is not lost on me. I have so much to learn from both of them and I'm grateful for what I learned in this conversation.  For parents, we recommend listening first without your kids so you can decide how you want to engage any conversations this episode might bring up. . . . . Want to watch this episode on YouTube? Head on over to our YouTube Channel and be sure to like and subscribe!  . . . . Subscribe to Let's Read the Gospels with Annie F. Downs HERE. . . . . . Join our Patreon community Single Purpose League as we tackle the question: What is my single purpose and what is my purpose while single? . . . . . Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thatsoundsfunpodcast . . . . . Thank you to our sponsors! Better Help: Visit BetterHelp.com/THATSOUNDSFUN today to get 10% off your first month. Thrive Causemetics: Right now, you can get an exclusive 10% off your first order at thrivecausemetics.com/TSF. . . . . . If you'd like to partner with Annie as a sponsor for the That Sounds Fun podcast, fill out our Advertise With Us form! . . . . . Other topics we cover in today's episode: football, georgia bulldogs, prayer, sharing Jesus, evangelism, unconditional love, cancel culture, identity, . . . . . NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Quoircast podcast episode is brought to you by Fire And Silk by Meghan Irene Turner. It is published by Quoir and is available now.In this episode we chat with Jonathan MerrittJonathan Merritt is one of America's most prolific and trusted writers on faith, culture and politics whose articles have appeared regularly in outlets such as The Atlantic, The New York Times, USA Today, Christianity Today, and The Washington Post. He is the author of numerous critically-acclaimed books including "Learning to Speak God from Scratch: Why Sacred Words are Vanishing and How We Can Revive Them," which was named "Book of the Year" by Englewood Review of Books.  Jonathan has become a popular speaker at conferences, colleges, and churches and has provided commentary on CNN, Fox News, CNN, NPR, PBS and ABC World News. He holds graduate degrees from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and Emory University's Candler School of Theology.You can follow Jonathan on:Facebook     Instagram     TwitterYou can find all things Jonathan Merritt related on his websiteYou can purchase Jonathan Merritt's books on Amazon.comYou can connect with This Is Not Church on:Facebook     Instagram      Twitter     TikTok     YouTubeAlso check out our Biolink for all things This Is Not Church relatedPlease like and follow our Quoircast Partners:Heretic Happy Hour     Messy Spirituality     Apostates Anonymous    Second Cup with Keith     The Church Needs TherapyIdeas Digest      Snarky Faith Podcast     Wild Olive     Deadly Faith     Spirituality Brew Pub     Faith For The Rest Of UsJonathan_Foster     Sacred Thoughts     Holy Heretics     Reframing Our Stories     Bros Bibles & Beer      Liminal LivingLove Covered Life     The Social Jesus Project     I Was A Teenage FundamentalistEach episode of This Is Not Church Podcast is expertly engineered by our producer The Podcast Doctor Eric Howell. If you're thinking of starting a podcast you need to connect with Eric!

Had our raffle for the Jeffery Rice rebind and the layered cross Rich made right at the start of the program. Then we talked a bit about Jake Brancatella and a situation in his life, and then dove into the many examples of the suicide of the West that came out over the weekend. We moved to Jonathan Merritt's article promoting the new revisionist book on homosexuality coming in September, and closed up looking at Francis assigning yet another compromised theologian to a high level committee, part of the continuing compromise of the Roman Church at its highest levels.

Had our raffle for the Jeffery Rice rebind and the layered cross Rich made right at the start of the program. Then we talked a bit about Jake Brancatella and a situation in his life, and then dove into the many examples of the suicide of the West that came out over the weekend. We moved to Jonathan Merritt's article promoting the new revisionist book on homosexuality coming in September, and closed up looking at Francis assigning yet another compromised theologian to a high level committee, part of the continuing compromise of the Roman Church at its highest levels.

Had our raffle for the Jeffery Rice rebind and the layered cross Rich made right at the start of the program. Then we talked a bit about Jake Brancatella and a situation in his life, and then dove into the many examples of the suicide of the West that came out over the weekend. We moved to Jonathan Merritt's article promoting the new revisionist book on homosexuality coming in September, and closed up looking at Francis assigning yet another compromised theologian to a high level committee, part of the continuing compromise of the Roman Church at its highest levels.

This week we're joined by award-winning author, journalist, and public speaker Jonathan Merritt! Jonathan wasn't just a “pastor's kid,” his father was the president of the Southern Baptist Convention. Steeped in conservative evangelicalism, his life took a turn during college when he decided he wanted to be a religion and spirituality writer. Jonathan lost himself in his work, publishing several books, writing articles for prominent publications, and earning two graduate degrees. From the outside looking in his life appeared to be on track, but nobody knew that this rising star in progressive Christianity was a closeted gay man. Then he was publicly outed… and his whole world turned upside down. Jonathan is a truly prolific person with a one-of-a-kind perspective, and we love his approach to faith, family, and community. He just published his first children's book, “My Gunkle & Me,” a story about a boy whose gay uncle shows him that his little differences make him special. It's a wonderful book that we absolutely recommend to anyone with kids in their life! Follow Jonathan on Instagram (@jonathan_merritt) and X (@jonathanmerritt), check out his podcast Seekers & Speakers, for more information go to www.jonathanmerritt.com.

Award-winning columnist and commentator on politics, spirituality, and culture, Jonathan Merritt returns to Typology to explore the challenges of authenticity, fear and his journey towards self-compassion. Jonathan opens up about his personal experiences reconciling his identity with his upbringing, the role fear has played in his life, and how he's learning to trust and let go.  We discuss his new children's book, "My Gunkle and Me," a heartwarming story that celebrates individuality and inclusivity. As Jonathan explains, “the ways in which you are different from the majority of people in this world. Those differences are not liabilities. They're your gifts to the world. They're the things that make you, you.”  Join us for this enlightening but deeply moving conversation, offering a powerful reminder of the transformative power of self-compassion and acceptance.  

Jen Hatmaker revisits one of the most impactful and downloaded episodes from her "For the Love" podcast's 7-year history. In this powerful encore, she has a candid conversation with acclaimed writer and speaker Jonathan Merritt who publicly comes out as gay for the first time during their interview. Jen and Jonathan reflect on their intertwined journeys - she as an ally leaving the evangelical world, he as a prominent faith voice reckoning with his sexuality. Brace yourself for an emotional, insightful look at the joy and pain of Jonathan's coming out experience. This is one powerhouse episode you won't want to miss again (or for the first time!). * * * Thought-Provoking Quotes: “I had a choice. I could either leave the idea of being loved in that way and loving in that way behind and to get belonging and acceptance, or I could choose to be rejected by the people that I was given as a family and a faith community and I could go off on my own way and try to find love. And that's a tough decision.” – Jonathan Merritt  “I'd grown up hearing this, ‘we hate the sin, we love the sinner.' And yet, everywhere I looked was all this sin-hate. And there was no marking of loving these people.” – Jonathan Merritt “The number one reason that someone changes their views on homosexuality or same-sex marriage is how they answer the question, ‘Do you have a close family member or friend who is gay?'” – Jonathan Merritt “I live in an Episcopal seminary. You feel hundreds of years of prayers that have been prayed here by good people. People who joined the Civil Rights Movement. And people who were marching after the Stonewall Riots. And people who did it because they loved Jesus and not in spite of that fact.” – Jonathan Merritt "American evangelicalism is predicated on the existence of an enemy to fight, and that keeps people coming to church. It's the need to be against, right? And people revel in that, that's the selling point." – Jonathan Merritt Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Love is the Game Changer of Our Faith: Bishop Michael Curry - https://bit.ly/3BQ2FUl How to Create a Politics of Love: Lisa Sharon Harper - https://bit.ly/3IdV3gW Jen Hatmaker: Trump, Black Lives Matter, Gay Marriage & More - Jonathan Merritt - https://bit.ly/3IhrUS0 Christian Rock Star Comes Out as Gay in Letter to the World - Jonathan Merritt - https://bit.ly/3siB9Ms Eugene Peterson on Changing His Mind About Same-Sex Issues and Marriage - Jonathan Merritt - https://bit.ly/3LXWlyX Leading Evangelical Ethicist is now Pro-LGBT (David Gushee) - Jonathan Merritt - https://bit.ly/3LVOTUV A Faith of Our Own: Following Jesus Beyond the Culture Wars - Jonathan Merritt - https://bit.ly/3Vvj8J6 Dr. Michael Lindsay - Sociologist & Author - https://www.taylor.edu/about/president-profile James Martin - Jesuit Priest - https://www.instagram.com/jamesmartinsj/ My Guncle and Me by Jonathan Merritt - https://www.amazon.com/My-Guncle-Me-Jonathan-Merritt/dp/0762485612 Guest's Links: Website - https://www.jonathanmerritt.com  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jonathan_merritt/  Twitter - https://twitter.com/JonathanMerritt Connect with Jen! Jen's website - https://jenhatmaker.com/ Jen's Instagram - https://instagram.com/jenhatmaker Jen's Twitter - https://twitter.com/jenHatmaker/ Jen's Facebook - https://facebook.com/jenhatmaker Jen's YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JenHatmaker The For the Love Podcast is a production of Four Eyes Media, presented by Audacy.  Four Eyes Media: https://www.iiiimedia.com/ To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A sermon on 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 by author Jonathan Merritt.

This week on From the Front Porch, Annie chats with literary agent and author Jonathan Merritt! Jonathan's new picture book, My Guncle and Me, available now, is delightful summer reading for families. Jonathan is Annie's literary agent, and today they dig into the publishing world, his writing process and new book, and more. To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, visit our website or or download and shop on The Bookshelf's official app: My Guncle and Me by Jonathan Merritt From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf's daily happenings on Instagram, Tiktok, and Facebook, and all the books from today's episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com.  A full transcript of today's episode can be found below. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Podcast Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations.  If you liked what you heard in today's episode, tell us by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. You can also support us on Patreon, where you can access bonus content, monthly live Porch Visits with Annie, our monthly live Patreon Book Club with Bookshelf staffers, Conquer a Classic episodes with Hunter, and more. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We're so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week. Our Executive Producers are...Jennifer Bannerton, Stephanie Dean, Linda Lee Drozt, Ashley Ferrell, Susan Hulings, Wendi Jenkins, Martha, Nicole Marsee, Gene Queens, Cammy Tidwell, and Amanda Whigham.

Speaker and author, Jonathan Merritt, joins us on the podcast to share his story of getting outed in the church as a pastor's kid. He shares how he found himself, pushed through and became the successful writer he is today. He shares his brand new children's book. My Guncle and Me, a beautifully illustrated story of acceptance and love. You can find the book at: https://amzn.to/3V1yvbX --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/i-tried-to-be-straight/support

You wouldn't think it a "defiant act" but in today's environment, it almost is. In a world where LGBTQ supportive material in schools is under attack comes a new book My Guncle and Me by author Jonathan Merritt. The book celebrates individuality and inclusivity, reminding young readers that they are unique, seen, and celebrated for who they are. The main character, Henry Higgleston struggles with being deemed an oddball by other kids at school. When his fabulous gay uncle arrives for a weekend with his French bulldog, Jimmy Chew, in tow, Guncle is on a mission to teach Henry that it's what makes us different that actually makes us special. Illustrated by Joanna Carillo and endorsed by New York Times bestselling authors Kate Bowler, Shauna Niequist, and Marianne Williamson, MY GUNCLE AND ME is a joyful story of self-acceptance and self-love that will resonate with anyone who has ever felt different. We have Jonathan with us today! He is an award-winning columnist and commentator on politics, spirituality, and culture. He is a contributing editor for The Week and has been featured on prominent national outlets including The New York Times, USA Today, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and CNN. Jonathan has authored four critically acclaimed books and was a ghostwriter on dozens of others, many of which became New York Times bestsellers. Jonathan is a proud biological Guncle to five little ones in Georgia and a proud adoptive Guncle to ten nephews and nieces in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan, where he resides. With co-host Brody Levesque.

You wouldn't think it a "defiant act" but in today's environment, it almost is. In a world where LGBTQ supportive material in schools is under attack comes a new book My Guncle and Me by author Jonathan Merritt. The book celebrates individuality and inclusivity, reminding young readers that they are unique, seen, and celebrated for who they are. The main character, Henry Higgleston struggles with being deemed an oddball by other kids at school. When his fabulous gay uncle arrives for a weekend with his French bulldog, Jimmy Chew, in tow, Guncle is on a mission to teach Henry that it's what makes us different that actually makes us special. Illustrated by Joanna Carillo and endorsed by New York Times bestselling authors Kate Bowler, Shauna Niequist, and Marianne Williamson, MY GUNCLE AND ME is a joyful story of self-acceptance and self-love that will resonate with anyone who has ever felt different. We have Jonathan with us today! He is an award-winning columnist and commentator on politics, spirituality, and culture. He is a contributing editor for The Week and has been featured on prominent national outlets including The New York Times, USA Today, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and CNN. Jonathan has authored four critically acclaimed books and was a ghostwriter on dozens of others, many of which became New York Times bestsellers. Jonathan is a proud biological Guncle to five little ones in Georgia and a proud adoptive Guncle to ten nephews and nieces in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan, where he resides. With co-host Brody Levesque.

Today's episode is the story of a guncle finding family and finding himself through the imagination-expanding power of relationships. Jonathan Merritt (he/him) is an award-winning columnist and commentator on politics, spirituality, and culture. He is a contributing editor for The Week and has been featured on prominent national outlets including The New York Times, USA Today, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and CNN. Jonathan has authored four critically-acclaimed books and has also served as a ghostwriter on dozens of others, many of which became New York Times bestsellers. Jonathan is a proud biological Guncle to five little ones in Georgia and a proud adoptive Guncle to ten nephews and nieces in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan, where he resides.In today's episode, you'll hear Jonathan and I discuss: What a children's book about a Guncle can teach us about celebrating ourselves. Learning who we are in the midst of found familyEmbracing our differences not as liabilities but gifts Accepting limitations in relationships And the messy reality of loving across differences. You can get your copy of My Guncle and Me TODAY wherever books are sold. Follow Jonathan on the 'gram and Threads @jonathan_merritt. Read more of Jonathan's work on his website www.jonathanmerritt.comSupport the Show.

This week, Kat is joined by the amazing Jonathan Merritt, who is about to release his first children's book, My Guncle And Me. Jonathan is an award-winning columnist and commentator on politics, spirituality, and culture. He is a contributing editor for The Week and has been featured on prominent national outlets including The New York Times, USA Today, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and CNN. He is also a profoundly kind, caring, and inspiring soul who helped create a space for a conversation about safety, love, & inclusivity. Listen to this episode to hear about what Jonathan calls the difference between "A Thing" and "A Version of a Thing" and learn how he went from experiencing a malicious public outing to feeling more loved & celebrated for who he is than ever before.  Click HERE to see the new merch! Follow Kat on Instagram: @Kat.Defatta Follow the podcast Instagram: @YouNeedTherapyPodcast Have a question, concern, guest idea, something else? Reach Kat at: Kathryn@youneedtherapyodcast.com Heard about Three Cords Therapy but don't know what it is? Click here!   Produced by: @HoustonTilleySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Author and award-winning columnist Jonathan Merritt joins Paul and April to discuss his journey from being publicly outed to being proudly out and his new children's book My Guncle and Me. He also talks about his own faith, his relationship with his pastor parents and his inspiration to write My Guncle and Me. Buy the book: www.myguncleandme.com Connect with Jonathan's work. www.jonathanmerritt.com Follow Jonathan: @JonathanMerritt Stay connected or support us by visiting our website: evangelicalish.com Follow the Evangelicalish team on Tiktok, IG, FB & X: @evangelicalish, @aprilajoy @unconventionalpastorpaul,

On today's episode I talk with a dear friend and acclaimed writer Jonathan Merritt about the power of owning your story, about sharing your story even when it alienates you from your community and about his new beautiful children's book called Me and My Guncle. If you've ever wondered what it might be like to share the FULL, REAL you with the world, you aren't going to want to miss this powerful conversation.     Please pre-order a copy of Jonathan's new book Me and My Guncle wherever you buy books.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Summary:Interviewing Jonathan Merritt felt like having a conversation with myself. His journey out of white evangelical subculture is an almost mirror-image of my journey. My guess is, you'll find a lot of correlation as well. Jonathan was a card-carrying evangelical who left his Southern roots and evangelical home to find faith, family, and freedom outside the confines and cult-like community of evangelical Christianity. His journey led him from certainty to contemplation, from winning to wisdom, from the shallow end of the pool into the deep waters of Ignatian spirituality, and from exclusion to radical inclusion. As he reminds us, evangelical Christianity is not only a fairly modern invention, it is also a minority movement within global Christianity. Evangelicals do not have a monopoly on God. There are a myriad of spiritual pathways available to you once you leave. So take heart, there is life after evangelicalism. There is faith after evangelicalism. There is new found family after evangelicalism. You get to decide what your future is going to look like. You have the power to form a freer faith and a more inclusive “family.” Four years and seventy-four episodes into Holy Heretics Podcast and I can honestly say I believe this conversation with Jonathan Merritt to be the most helpful and hopeful episode we've ever created. I hope you enjoy!Bio:Jonathan Merritt is one of America's most popular writers on issues of faith and culture. He is author of several critically-acclaimed books, including Learning to Speak God from Scratch: Why Sacred Words are Vanishing - and How We Can Revive Them, named “Book of the Year” by the Englewood Review of Books. Jonathan is an award-winning contributor for The Atlantic, a contributing editor for The Week, and a regular columnist for Religion News Service. He has published more than 3000 articles in respected outlets such as The New York Times, USA Today, Buzzfeed, The Washington Post, The Daily Beast and Christianity Today. In addition to the written word, Jonathan regularly contributes commentary to television, print, and radio news outlets. He has been interviewed by ABC World News, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, NPR, PBS, and CBS' “60 Minutes.” Jonathan is also a sought after speaker at colleges, conferences, and churches on topics relating to spirituality, politics, and current events. Whether he is delivering an academic lecture or inspirational sermon, Jonathan's captivating communication style and powerful presence are well-suited for intimate gatherings of hundreds or arenas filled with thousands. As a collaborator or ghostwriter, Jonathan has worked on more than 50 books, with several titles landing on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestsellers lists. Additionally, he trains hundreds of young writers through his Write Brilliant seminars and online course. He is often available for exclusive one-on-one coaching for a select number of advanced writers.Jonathan holds a Master of Divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, a Master of Theology from Emory University's Candler School of Theology, and has done additional graduate work focused on ascetical theology at The General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church. He is the recipient of numerous awards and accolades including the Wilbur Award for excellence in journalism, and the Religion News Association's columnist of the year award. Jonathan currently happily resides in New York City. You can find Jonathan's latest children's book My Guncle and Me here! For more information about Jonathan and his writings, visit his website. You can also connect with Jonathan on Instagram. Please follow us on social media (use the buttons below) and help us get the word out! (Also, please don't hesitate to use any of these channels or email to contact us with any questions, concerns, or feedback.)If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and a review, or share on your socials

Palm Sunday is the day we commemorate the time that Jesus entered into Jerusalem on the back of donkey. The disciples spread their cloaks on the donkey for Jesus to sit on, and the multitudes came out to welcome him, laying before Jesus their cloaks and the branches of palm trees. The palm branches and cloaks symbolized Jesus' victory and triumph. The people hailed and praised Him as the “King who comes in the name of the Lord”. After welcoming Jesus triumphantly into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, the people expected him to overthrow Roman rule and establish an earthly kingdom. However, when Jesus didn't fulfill these expectations and instead challenged religious authorities, disillusionment set in, leading to their eventual rejection of him and his crucifixion on Good Friday. Just as the people of Jerusalem anticipated a certain outcome from Jesus and grew disillusioned when it didn't materialize, sometimes we experience similar disappointment, doubt, or even anger towards God when our prayers seem unanswered or when life doesn't unfold as we hoped. Therefore, faith often involves surrendering our own expectations and trusting in God's greater purpose, even when it's not immediately clear or aligns with our desires. References: Food Pantry at Waterstone “Disappointment is unmet expectations, and the more significant the expectations, the more significant the disappointment.” Brene Brown “Maybe you picture God as a heavenly bellhop whose job is to satisfy your deepest desires. Or perhaps God is a holy matchmaker who will secure you a spouse. Maybe God is a cosmic bodyguard who protects you from harm. Or the world’s best nanny, making sure your children turn out right. Or a divine doctor, healing your every physical and mental ailment. Or a wonder-working accountant, solving all your financial problems.” Jonathan Merritt, Palm Sunday and the Gift of Disillusionment, Christianity Today TRANSCRIPT

Palm Sunday is the day we commemorate the time that Jesus entered into Jerusalem on the back of donkey. The disciples spread their cloaks on the donkey for Jesus to sit on, and the multitudes came out to welcome him, laying before Jesus their cloaks and the branches of palm trees. The palm branches and cloaks symbolized Jesus' victory and triumph. The people hailed and praised Him as the “King who comes in the name of the Lord”. After welcoming Jesus triumphantly into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, the people expected him to overthrow Roman rule and establish an earthly kingdom. However, when Jesus didn't fulfill these expectations and instead challenged religious authorities, disillusionment set in, leading to their eventual rejection of him and his crucifixion on Good Friday. Just as the people of Jerusalem anticipated a certain outcome from Jesus and grew disillusioned when it didn't materialize, sometimes we experience similar disappointment, doubt, or even anger towards God when our prayers seem unanswered or when life doesn't unfold as we hoped. Therefore, faith often involves surrendering our own expectations and trusting in God's greater purpose, even when it's not immediately clear or aligns with our desires. References: Food Pantry at Waterstone “Disappointment is unmet expectations, and the more significant the expectations, the more significant the disappointment.” Brene Brown “Maybe you picture God as a heavenly bellhop whose job is to satisfy your deepest desires. Or perhaps God is a holy matchmaker who will secure you a spouse. Maybe God is a cosmic bodyguard who protects you from harm. Or the world’s best nanny, making sure your children turn out right. Or a divine doctor, healing your every physical and mental ailment. Or a wonder-working accountant, solving all your financial problems.” Jonathan Merritt, Palm Sunday and the Gift of Disillusionment, Christianity Today TRANSCRIPT

Have you ended a relationship to get relief from tension and conflict?Do you struggle with developing a clear sense of boundaries around what's your responsibility and what's not, especially when feeling responsible for how others think and feel? When relationships are toxic, abusive, and oppressive and the other person does not have the interest or capacity to work on the relationship, ending the relationship can bring grief but also relief, emotional healing, and health.But when you regularly use emotional cutoffs to protect yourself from hurt and discomfort, you create a world that feels dangerous and small when the slightest sense of conflict or overwhelm arises. But if two people can come together with clear boundaries, shared values, compassion, curiosity, humility, and support to work through conflict and disagreement, an emotional cut-off may become unnecessary.My guest today returns to the podcast to share his experience of an incident that could have ended his relationship with his father, and how they both committed to working through the conflict to maintain their connection, even through their differences.Jonathan Merritt is a prolific and trusted writer on faith, culture, and politics whose articles have appeared regularly in outlets such as The Atlantic, The New York Times, USA Today, Christianity Today, and The Washington Post. He is the author of numerous critically acclaimed books, including Learning to Speak God from Scratch: Why Sacred Words are Vanishing and How We Can Revive Them, which was named Book of the Year by Englewood Review of Books. He is also author of the forthcoming children's book, My Guncle and Me, releasing in May 2024. Jonathan has become a popular speaker at conferences, colleges, and churches and guest commentary on CNN, Fox News, CNN, NPR, PBS, and ABC World News. He holds graduate degrees from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and Emory University's Candler School of Theology.Listen to the full episode to hear:How being publicly outed forced Jonathan into a reckoning with his faith, his identity, and his family and communityThe role that dreams and expectations play in the way both parents and children respond to fundamental differences between themWhy an expectation of change cannot be a prerequisite for a relationshipWhy Jonathan says he and his father fight with each other in private and for each other in publicWhy finding healthy surrogates or outlets for processing is vital for healing when we truly can't continue the relationshipNavigating past avoidance and confrontation to renegotiating the relationship with necessary boundaries and guardrailsHow “flash-card faith” stifles the questioning and openness to possibilities that underpin trust and faith and breeds binary divisivenessLearn more about Jonathan Merritt:WebsiteFacebook: @JonathanMerrittWriterInstagram: @jonathan_merrittTwitter: @JonathanMerrittLearning to Speak God from Scratch: Why Sacred Words Are Vanishing–and How We Can Revive ThemPreorder My Guncle and MeLearn more about Rebecca:rebeccaching.comWork With RebeccaSign up for the weekly Unburdened Leader EmailResources:Bowen Family SystemsFaith does not live by answers alone, Jonathan MerrittThe Artist's Way, Julia CameronWrite for Life: Creative Tools for Every Writer, Julia CameronMother, Nature: A 5,000-Mile Journey to Discover If a Mother and Son Can Survive Their Differences, Jedidiah JenkinsDarlin' (Christmas is Coming), Over the RhineIf We Make It Through December, Phoebe BridgersIf We Make It Through December, Merle HaggardJulia

Today, Debbie talks with Kirsten Powers, a New York Times bestselling author, a liberal columnist and, most recently, an on-air political analyst with CNN. In 2023, after almost two decades, she left what she calls the “media circus” to pursue a different life as a writer and a life coach. Kirsten, who is 56, is [b]old by any definition.Prior to CNN she was at Fox (as a liberal voice) and before that she was a columnist for USA Today, The Daily Beast, American Prospect Online, and the New York Post. Her recent bestselling book is Saving Grace: Speak Your Truth, Stay Centered, and Learn to Coexist with People Who Drive You Nuts.Currently Kirsten writes a very popular newsletter on Substack, called, appropriately, "Changing the Channel." It's about living authentically, unlearning societal conditioning, and how to actually change your life. She published an essay recently about her plan to move to Italy with her husband because, as she put it, the U.S. is unlivable, with school shootings, the frenetic pace of life and because it's too expensive. Somehow we are societally conditioned to accept this, as if it's normal. But it's not, Kirsten emphasizes. The post went viral, hitting a nerve with her many readers. Now she's working on a book proposal. Since leaving her on-air job, Kirsten has been deliberately pursuing what she calls a "more easeful life" that is less striving and less accomplishment-oriented. It includes writing on Substack, which she loves. In this episode she also talks about her transition from evangelical christian to atheist. Kirsten is fast thinking and provocative and Debbie loved this conversation with her. //////////Don't miss the Behind The Scenes for every episode in Debbie's [B]OLD AGE newsletter.//////////  Mentioned in this episode or useful:Kirsten Powers - Wikipediakirstenpowers.comChanging the Channel : Kirsten's Substack newsletterThe way we live in the United States is not normal: Kirsten's viral Substack post about moving to Italy  (Nov. 29, 2023)Saving Grace: Speak Your Truth, Stay Centered, and Learn to Coexist with People Who Drive You Nuts by Kirsten Powers (Convergent Books; Nov. 2021)Kirsten Powers: A liberal working for Fox News (Washington Post, June 17, 2015)What are the Nine Enneagram Types?CP Enneagram where Kirsten is studying for an Enneagram certificate.Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®)Jonathan Merritt on Personal Transformation and the Complicated Intersection of Faith and Culture:  Season 5, Episode 19 of the podcast.Behind the Scenes with Jonathan Merritt  by Debbie Weil (Substack, July 7, 2023)My Complicated Feelings About Tim Keller by Kirsten Powers (Substack, May 24, 2023)MEA: the midlife wisdom school  in Baja, MX and Sante Fe, NM where Debbie and Kirsten met. Connect with Debbie:debbieweil.com[B]OLD AGE podcast[B]OLD AGE newsletter on SubstackGap Year After Sixty Debbie Weil and husband Sam Harrington's joint blog Our Media Partners:CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)MEA and with thanks to Chip ConleyNext For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell) How to Support this podcast:Leave a review on Apple PodcastsSubscribe via Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or Spotify Credits:Host: Debbie WeilProducer: Far Out MediaMusic: Lakeside Path by Duck Lake

... and it may surprise you that he said it on Malcolm Gladwell's podcast. In addition, Brian and Aubrey react to Andy Stanley not livestreaming his sermon last Sunday; how Jonathan Merritt (a progressive Christian) maintains a close relationship with his dad, a conservative; and the tweet from John Piper that is making coffee-loving Christians absolutely crazy. Follow The Common Good on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Hosted by Aubrey Sampson and Brian From Produced by Laura Finch and Keith ConradSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode: Aaron and guest host Rob discuss breaking down walls and curiosity about others' stories. Nate is on a cruise. Our Guest: Jonathan Merritt is an author, journalist, coach, and speaker. Learning to understand how news and opinion differ and how they change the reader. Embracing and investigating fear. Not allowing fear to tear us apart, especially when considering fear and faith. Are you covering fear with joy? Learning to investigate the stories of fear in your life as you grow. Jonathan guides us through engaging in healthy discussion and debate. Seek first to understand, then to be understood. Links:   Jonathan Merritt Books: Learning to Speak God From Scratch Learning to Walk in the Dark Sponsor: Life Works Counseling Annual Retreat: 2023 Samson Annual Retreat   If you have thoughts or questions that you'd like the guys to address in upcoming episodes or suggestions for future guests, please drop a note to piratemonkpodcast@gmail.com.   The music on this podcast is contributed by members of the Samson Society and www.fiftysounds.com. For more information on this ministry, please visit samsonsociety.com.  Support for the women who have been impacted by our choices is available at sarahsociety.com. The Pirate Monk Podcast is provided by Samson Society, a ministry of Samson House, a 501(c)3 nonprofit. To help support the vision, please consider a contribution to Samson House.

Today, Debbie brings her husband Sam Harrington back on the show to wrap up another [B]OLDER season.You'll hear their 11-year-old granddaughter Ruthie talking about her recent trip with them to the Swiss Alps. Definitely a high point of the season and of the past year. A lot has happened during Season 5 of [B]OLDER: Debbie and Sam celebrated their 50th anniversary while they were in San Miguel de Allende in Mexico. Then, right after that, Debbie's 92-year-old mother died unexpectedly, prompting a lot of memories, much appreciation, and a blunt reminder of life's finitude.We re-ran episodes with some of our most popular guests who talked about psychedelic therapy and about Covid's place in the history of plagues.  *****NEW! Read and subscribe to Debbie's Substack.Substack is the new home for Debbie's newsletter. She offers behind-the-scenes commentary on the latest episodes of the podcast. She also writes from a personal perspective about entering the land of the old at 71.***** In Season 5 Debbie talked to new guests about cellular research on aging, about helping elderly parents plan ahead, what UNretirement is really like, and one of her all-time favorite interviews: a conversation with famed New York Times health columnist Jane Brody about what she learned from a half century at the Times. And finally, renowned writer and speaker Jonathan Merritt eloquently explained God and religion to Debbie, a non-church person.In this wrap-up you'll hear Sam - hopefully not slurping his coffee but maybe a little - and teasing Debbie about "jumping right in." (She likes that podcast expression; he does not.)This is the finale of Season 5 of the [B]OLDER podcast. Have a great summer, thank you for listening, and we'll be back in the fall.In the meantime, find Debbie on Substack where she writes about what it's really like to grow old(er)? Mentioned in this episode or useful:S5-EP8: Debbie & Sam on 50 Years of MarriageS5-EP19: Jonathan Merritt on Personal Transformation and the Complicated Intersection of Faith and CultureS5-EP6: Jane Brody on Life and Lessons From a Half Century at The New York TimesS5-EP7: Andrew Steele on Research at the Cellular Level That Could Slow AgingS5-EP11: Expat Bonnie Lee Black on the Pros (& Very Few Cons) of Retiring to San Miguel de AllendeS5-EP14: Best Of: Plague Expert Nicholas Christakis on Why the Pandemic Will End in 2024S5-EP17: Best Of: Dr. Bree Johnston on Psilocybin Trips and the Growing Acceptance of Psychedelic TherapyS5-EP10: Star Bradbury on How to Successfully Navigate the Care of Elderly Parents More linksOn Debbie's Substack: Switzerland with Ruthie: Mind-Bending and Memory-LadenBackroads (the tour company Debbie and Sam used for their trip to Switzerland)The Eiger Mountain which looms over GrindelwaldCrash Landing on You (the popular Korean TV series filmed in Iseltwald, Switzerland) Connect with Debbie:debbieweil.com[B]OLDER podcastSubstack: https://debbieweil.substack.com/Email: thebolderpodcast@gmail.comBlog: Gap Year After SixtyFacebook: @debbieweilInstagram: @debbieweilLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/debbieweilTwitter: @debbieweil Our Media Partners:CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)MEA and with thanks to Chip ConleyNext For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell) Credits:Host: Debbie WeilProducer: Far Out MediaMusic: Lakeside Path by Duck Lake

his week, former Disney Cast Member and Family Savvy's very own Finlay Coupland shares her expert advice on all things Disney travel. Episode At A Glance: This week on The SavvyCast, Finlay Coupland, Family Savvy's Communication Coordinator & Podcast Editor, joins the podcast to discuss her Disney College Program experience and share her best Disney travel tips and tricks. In this episode, Finlay shares her advice on the best time to take a Disney trip, where to stay and eat, how to avoid long lines, and so much more!  Who Is Finlay Coupland?  Finlay Coupland graduated in Spring 2022 from Samford University with a BA in Journalism and Mass Communication. After graduating, Finlay decided to set off on the adventure of a lifetime and intern at Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL. Finlay began working at ESPN Wide World of Sports and Disney's Animal Kingdom. Then, she had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work at Disney's newest experience, Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser. From being a 6-year-old little girl dreaming of one day working for the most magical place on earth to receiving the job opportunity of a lifetime, Finlay's story is a testament that dreams really do come true. Questions Answered In This Episode:  When is the best time to go to Disney World? How can you avoid the long lines? Where are the best places to stay? How do you get a hard-to-get dining reservation at Disney? What are some Disney dining tips? What are the best restaurants at Disney? What are the best modes of transportation? How does Disney handle a missing child situation? What are some activities that you can do at Disney that will keep your kids engaged? Resources Mentioned In This Episode:  If you're looking to book any vacation, especially a Disney vacation, contact All About Travel Smashed Potatoes Recipe  Disney VIP Tours Disney College Program site I hope you enjoyed this episode! As always, if you have time to rate, review and subscribe to The SavvyCast on Apple Podcasts, it would be SO appreciated. If you would prefer to watch the podcast interview, check it out on YouTube. Blessings to you! Behind the Scenes of Family Savvy: Meet the Team How to Become a Writer and Publish a Book with Jonathan Merritt      

This week, Jonathan Merritt joins me to discuss all things writing and publishing. If you have ever been interested in the behind-the-scenes of publishing a book or have the desire to refine your own writing, you will surely enjoy this episode!  Episode At A Glance: This week on The SavvyCast, Jonathan Merritt joins me to discuss all things writing, publishing, and ghostwriting. Jonathan is a widely celebrated author, cultural commentator, and ghostwriter. He is also an incredible writing teacher and has trained hundreds of young writers through one-on-one coaching, his online seminar, and writing courses. In this episode, Jonathan shares how he became involved with writing, the details of his writing seminar, the three main ways to publish a book, and so much more.  Who Is Jonathan Merritt?  Jonathan Merritt is one of America's most popular writers on issues of faith and culture. He is the author of several critically-acclaimed books, including Learning to Speak God from Scratch: Why Sacred Words are Vanishing - and How We Can Revive Them, named “Book of the Year” by the Englewood Review of Books. Jonathan is an award-winning contributor for The Atlantic, a contributing editor for The Week, and a regular columnist for Religion News Service. He has published more than 3000 articles in respected outlets such as The New York Times, USA Today, Buzzfeed, The Washington Post, The Daily Beast, and Christianity Today.  As a collaborator or ghostwriter, Jonathan has worked on more than 50 books, with several titles landing on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestsellers lists. Additionally, he trains hundreds of young writers through his Write Brilliant seminars and online courses. He is often available for exclusive one-on-one coaching for a select number of advanced writers. Jonathan holds a Master of Divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, a Master of Theology from Emory University's Candler School of Theology, and has done additional graduate work focused on ascetical theology at The General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church. Jonathan currently happily resides in New York City. He is an aspiring dog dad, a college football fan, and intolerable before coffee. Questions Answered In This Episode: How did Jonathan start writing? What are other forms of writing people can do other than writing a book? What is the “Write Brilliant” writing course and what skills does it teach? What is ghostwriting? What is the ghostwriting process like? What are the 3 main ways to publish a book? What do you need if you want to go into trade publishing? What is hybrid publishing? Resources Mentioned In This Episode: Jonathan Merritt's website Write Brilliant Writing Course - Use code SAVVY for 25% off until Oct. 1 http://www.christopherferebee.com/ I hope you enjoyed this episode! As always, if you have time to rate, review and subscribe to The SavvyCast on Apple Podcasts, it would be SO appreciated. If you would prefer to watch the podcast interview, check it out on YouTube. Blessings to you! Jamie Announces New Role With Birmingham/Nashville Christian Family Magazines How Glorilight is Making Kids' Bedtime More Productive and Peaceful

Today, Debbie speaks to Jonathan Merritt, one of America's most respected writers on faith and culture.Debbie met Jonathan in the hot tub in Baja Mexico, but don't get the wrong idea.They were both in Baja to attend a weeklong workshop organized by Modern Elder Academy. And as you'll hear in this episode, "change and transformation" were very much on the agenda.You may have heard her talk about MEA. It's billed as a midlife wisdom school whose core mission is to shift our negative mindset about aging.  MEA is also a little bit of paradise. The campus, bursting with pink bougainvillea, sits on a wide, surf-pounded beach near Todos Santos, MX, just north of Cabo.  *****NEW! Subscribe to Debbie's Substack.Substack is the new home for Debbie's regular newsletter. She offers behind-the-scenes commentary on the latest episodes of the podcast. She also writes in more depth, from a personal perspective, about the land of the old: the positives, the negatives, and the surprises. ***** Debbie and Jonathan were part of a group of about 20 in a recent workshop, pondering how to use sensory experience in the here and now to map out their futures. Debbie was intrigued with Jonathan's thoughtful comments. She was also drawn to his Atlanta accent which she couldn't quite place at first but which she recognized. She has a bunch of Georgia cousins.In the hot tub, Jonathan revealed a bit about why he had flown from New York to spend a week at MEA. She wanted to find out more so she invited him onto the show. And she wanted him to explain things to her, a non church-person. Jonathan is best known as a writer on the complicated intersection of faith and culture — as it applies to LGBTQ intolerance and evangelicalism  — and much more.The son of an evangelical leader and a former pastor himself, Jonathan was outed as gay a decade ago. He moved to New York City and has since become an award-winning contributor to The Atlantic, a senior columnist for Religion News Service; has authored several books (including the critically-acclaimed How to Speak God From Scratch); has been interviewed on ABC, CBS, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, NPR and PBS; is a literary agent; has ghostwritten or collaborated on more than 50 books (with several titles landing on the NYTimes, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists); speaks and teaches at colleges, conferences and churches; has just finished writing his first children's book; and is writing a TV series about religion and popular culture.Oh, and he just turned 40.Despite — or perhaps because of — his achievements, Jonathan is working on a transformation, his own “what's next.” He's an old soul, he tells Debbie, so he's approaching this with intentionality; his week at MEA was just one step.On the podcast they talk about:The urge to embrace spirituality (and religion) as you get older.Why Sunday service at Yale's Battell Chapel felt like a safe place for Debbie to weep after her mother died recently — even though she is not a church-person.The definition of evangelicalism.The connection between evangelicalism and fundamentalism and far right conservative ideologies.The Rev. Tim Keller and his untimely death in May 2023 at age 72 (in his obituary, the NYT dubbed him Manhattan's Pioneering Evangelist).Jonathan's personal story of being outed as gay  just days before his 30th birthday, and then moving from Atlanta to NYC to start a new life.Appreciative inquiry and the art of asking ourselves the right questions.Jonathan's adaptation of The Ignation Examen as part of his daily intentional practice.And, despite his notable success as a journalist, speaker, literary agent, ghostwriter, creative and more, why he's feeling the need to transform himself at age 40.As Debbie tells Jonathan, she could listen to him explain things all day — especially as they relate to religion, church, community, identity, intolerance and more. And yes, it's okay to go to church, he told her. Even if you don't believe in God, per se. She loved this conversation and hopes you will too. Mentioned in this episode or useful:About Jonathanjonathanmerritt.comJonathan's InstagramTwitterLinks to Jonathan's workThe Ignatian ExamenJonathan's church: Good Shepherd New YorkTim Keller Taught Me About Joy by David Brooks (NYT, May 22 2023)My Complicated Feelings About Tim Keller (Kirsten Powers on her Substack,May 24 2023)What Does 'Evangelical' Mean? By Jonathan Merritt (The Atlantic, December 7 2015)The April 2023 workshop Debbie and Jonathan attended at MEA (led by Michael Perman)Yale's Battell Chapel Connect with Debbie:debbieweil.com[B]OLDER podcastEmail: thebolderpodcast@gmail.comBlog: Gap Year After SixtyFacebook: @debbieweilInstagram: @debbieweilLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/debbieweilTwitter: @debbieweil Our Media Partners:CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)MEA and with thanks to Chip ConleyNext For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell) Credits:Host: Debbie WeilProducer: Far Out MediaMusic: Lakeside Path by Duck Lake

Today, Lindsey and Nicole sit down with writer and Onsite alum, Jonathan Merritt, to dig into a topic that's not often discussed: trauma in spiritual environments. Through navigating his own spiritual journey and conducting extensive cultural research, Jonathan shares his unique perspective on spirituality as both wounder and healer. In this episode, Jonathan elucidates the significant impact spiritual direction has had on his life and the set of daily practices he has put in place to ensure his journey of healing is a lasting one. Full Show Notes Living Centered Program

Religion reporter and book author Jonathan Merritt joins the VCW to share his Evangelical story that includes the trauma of being outed in 2012. We also discuss the ethics of publicly outing people (who are harmful to the LGBTQ community), death anxiety from certain religious backgrounds, and his fascinating *newest* book "Learning to Speak God from Scratch". Buy the book here: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/learning-to-speak-god-from-scratch-jonathan-merritt/1126434908#/ Connect with Jonathan Merritt: Website: https://www.jonathanmerritt.com/ Twitter: @jonathanmerritt Instagram: @jonathan_merritt Linktree: https://linktr.ee/JonathanMerritt Check out Zach's music by going to:  https://muzach.bandcamp.com Twitter: Twitter: @vcwpod Zach- @muzach Dave- @Davejlester Podcast music by Zach Malm Logo by Zach Malm

Jonathan Merritt is one of America's most popular writers on issues of faith and culture. He is author of several critically-acclaimed books, including "Learning to Speak God from Scratch: Why Sacred Words are Vanishing - and How We Can Revive Them" named “Book of the Year” by the Englewood Review of Books. Jonathan is an award-winning contributor for The Atlantic, a contributing editor for The Week, and a regular columnist for Religion News Service. He has published more than 3000 articles in respected outlets such as The New York Times, USA Today, Buzzfeed, The Washington Post, The Daily Beast and Christianity Today. In addition to the written word, Jonathan regularly contributes commentary to television, print, and radio news outlets. He has been interviewed by ABC World News, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, NPR, PBS, and CBS' “60 Minutes.” Jonathan is also a sought after speaker at colleges, conferences, and churches on topics relating to spirituality, politics, and current events. Whether he is delivering an academic lecture or inspirational sermon, Jonathan's captivating communication style and powerful presence are well-suited for intimate gatherings of hundreds or arenas filled with thousands. As a collaborator or ghostwriter, Jonathan has worked on more than 50 books, with several titles landing on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestsellers lists. Additionally, he trains hundreds of young writers through his Write Brilliant seminars and online course. He is often available for exclusive one-on-one coaching for a select number of advanced writers.Jonathan holds a Master of Divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, a Master of Theology from Emory University's Candler School of Theology, and has done additional graduate work focused on ascetical theology at The General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church. He is the recipient of numerous awards and accolades including the Wilbur Award for excellence in journalism, and the Religion News Association's columnist of the year award. Jonathan currently happily resides in New York City. He is an aspiring dog dad, a college football fan, and intolerable before coffee. Hear more from Jonathan at:https://www.jonathanmerritt.com/Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/jonathan_merritt/Facebok:  https://www.facebook.com/JonathanMerrittWriter/ Learn more at StephanieNelson.comDownload Stephanie's free ebook to cut your grocery bill in half--no coupons required!Follow us on Instagram @stephanie_nelson_cmFollow us on Facebook at CouponMom

"Oh! Lord of Hosts," cried a voice among the crowd, "provide a Champion for thy people!" - The Gray Champion, Nathaniel Hawthorne (1835) This Episode's Links: Nikki Haley Declares Her Candidacy For The Presidency - Hank Berrien, The Daily Wire Top U.S. Air Force General Makes Shocking Remarks About Unidentified Objects Shot Down By U.S. Military - Ryan Saavedra, The Daily Wire What C.S. Lewis thought about space exploration and aliens - Jonathan Merritt, Religion News Service Inflation surged in January, and experts say it's likely to increase again from here - Commodore Vanderbilt, Not the Bee U.S. Inflation Calculator Winning! DeSantis announces legislation blocking banks from using ESG social credit scores - Commodore Vanderbilt, Not the Bee DeSantis announces new legislation to ban ESG, ‘woke' banking in Florida - Sam Sachs, WFLA The Gray Champion - Nathaniel Hawthorne, Twice-Told Tales, 1837 Why was King Charles I executed? - Royal Museums Greenwich --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/garrett-ashley-mullet/message

Andy Stanley steps on a faith bomb, Nancy Pelosi calls for an exorcism on her house, and the IRS could be going away (but probably not). Meanwhile, we offer an antidote to the hand-wringing that happens these days in the Church. Visit Matthew Pancake's Facebook http://www.facebook.com/matthew.pancake Visit Pastor Gary Held's Facebook http://www.facebook.com/garyheld Visit our Website www.RadicalGraceRadio.com

On this episode of Protestia Tonight for January 24th, 2023, David demonstrates why Andy Stanley is the perfect mascot for the "Bible Shreddin'" segment of the show, and allows the late, great R.C. Sproul to describe the error in the Roman Catholic doctrine of concupiscence. In the PT VIP portion, David talks about the Damar Hamlin conspiracy and the "vax," and reminds everyone that if Jonathan Merritt supports what you've said, you're almost 100% guaranteed to be wrong.

Jonathan writes for the Atlantic and the USA Today. He grew up in Snellville where his dad was the President of the Southern Baptist Convention. He's an alumnus of Liberty University.In the mid 20-teens he was outed as a gay man and has defined his identity from a perspective of a member of the lgbt community. He writes about issues of the day frequently on religion.Jonathan discusses how the culture has changed in America during and after Donald Trump and where he finds common ground with members of the lgbt community. We also discuss where he finds issues and questions with progressive ideology towards puberty blockers and gender dysphoria with transgender children.We also discussed the issues with the Southern Baptist Conventions recent issues that have come to light from a guidepost report, that clearly highlight a massive problem that had existed for decades regarding leaders and crimes against children.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Peter Choi's talk from the Post Evangelical Collective 2022 in Denver, CO. Jonathan Merritt closes out our time together with Eucharist

God is not asking you to do it, he is asking you to believe him for it! Thank you so much Pastor Jonathan Merritt for bringing us this incredible word!Support the show

Doug Pagitt and Dan Deitrich sit down with filmmakers Kathi and David Peters to talk about their documentary Postcards From Babylon, based on the book by Brian Zahnd. The film features Shane Claiborne, Kristin Du Mez, Peter Wehner, Lisa Sharon Harper, Walter Brueggemann, Jonathan Merritt, and more on the ways Christian nationalism is incompatible with the Way of Jesus www.postcardsdoc.com www.globalstoryfilms.com   Doug Pagitt is the Executive Director and one of the founders of Vote Common Good. He is also a pastor, author, and social activist.  @pagitt   Daniel Deitrich is a singer-songwriter, former-pastor-turned-activist, and producer of The Common Good Podcast. @danieldeitrich Our theme music is composed by Ben Grace. @bengracemusic   votecommongood.com votecommongood.com/podcast facebook.com/votecommongood twitter.com/votecommon

We are one week away from the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting and it promises to be an interesting time.Aside from another contentious presidential election, the nation's largest Protestant denomination must also reckon with the explosive findings from a sweeping sex abuse investigation. On this week's episode, Roxy is joined by her good friend and a son of the Southern Baptists, Jonathan Merritt. The two discuss their own SBC upbringings and how it feels to watch your childhood denomination go so off the rails. They are also joined by SBC insider Ben Cole, who gives a preview of what to expect next week in Anaheim.GUESTS:Jonathan Merritt is one of America's most trusted and popular writers on religion, culture, and politics. He is an award-winning contributor for The Atlantic, a contributing editor and monthly columnist for Religion News Service. He is author of several critically-acclaimed books including "Learning to Speak God from Scratch: Why Sacred Words are Vanishing - and How We Can Revive Them."Benjamin Cole is the founder of Longview Strategies consulting firm. On Twitter, he's @BaptistBlogger, where he has a lively feed. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.