Podcasts about Religious experience

Questions? Comments? Text Us!In this deeply personal installment of What's Your Spiritual Story, Jerry L. Martin speaks with Dr. Stephen Spector, professor of English, scholar of religion and literature, and author, for a profound conversation about spiritual experience, suffering, miracles, the Bible, and the changing nature of God.Spector recounts the moment that transformed his life forever. At fifteen years old, after his mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer and given only weeks to live, he made a bargain with God. What followed would shape his spiritual life, his understanding of faith, and his lifelong relationship with scripture.Drawing from his background in medieval literature, biblical interpretation, psychology, and Jewish thought, Dr. Spector explores the Bible not only as sacred text, but as a living literary and psychological journey. Together, he and Jerry discuss Genesis, trauma, forgiveness, Jewish identity, evangelical support for Israel, Jewish-Christian dialogue, Ethiopian Jews, Isaac's suffering, the problem of evil, and the surprising idea that God may grow and change through relationship with humanity.This episode is thoughtful, intellectually rich, emotionally honest, and deeply human — ideal for listeners interested in spirituality, theology, religion, philosophy, biblical interpretation, spiritual transformation, and the search for meaning.What does it mean to wrestle with God? Can suffering transform us? And what happens when we begin reading scripture not as distant history, but as a living story about becoming human?Join the conversation on the Ultimate Questions Substack: Does each of us have a personal calling that responds to something beyond ourselves?Get the books:Radically Personal: God and Ourselves in the New Axial AgeGod: An Autobiography, As Told to a PhilosopherOther Series:The podcast began with the Dramatic Adaptation of the book and now has several series:Radically Personal: Reflections on lived experience, divine encounter, and personal vocation, drawing on a seeker-centered approach to spirituality in a new Axial Age.From God to Jerry to You: Divine messages and breakthroughs for seekers.Jerry & Abigail: An Intimate Dialogue: Love, faith, and divine presence in partnership.What's Your Spiritual Story: Real stories of people changed by encounters with God.What's On Our Mind: Reflections from Jerry and Scott on recent episodes.Two Philosophers Wrestle With God: A dialogue on God, truth, and reason.The Life Wisdom Project: Spiritual insights on living a wiser, more meaningful life.What's On Your Mind: Listener questions, divine answers, and open dialogue. Share Your Story | Site | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

Questions? Comments? Text Us!Jerry L. Martin explores the idea that humanity may be entering a New Axial Age: a new era of spiritual transformation shaped by globalization, interreligious encounter, and expanding spiritual consciousness.Drawing from philosopher Karl Jaspers, Wilfred Cantwell Smith, Robert Bellah, and Theology Without Walls, he reflects on whether the world's religions represent competing systems of belief or different dimensions of divine revelation.Beginning with the remarkable story of Saint Josaphat — a Christian saint whose story traces back to the Buddha — this episode explores “religion in the singular,” mystical experience, comparative religion, and the possibility that spiritual truth has always moved dynamically across cultures and traditions.What happens when inherited religious boundaries begin to loosen? Could humanity be moving toward a more open and interconnected understanding of spiritual reality?Get the books: Radically Personal: God and Ourselves in the New Axial Age | God: An Autobiography, As Told to a Philosopher*********We continue these spiritual and philosophical conversations through Ultimate Questions, a public discussion project of Theology Without Walls on Substack.Join the conversation and share your perspective on life's deepest questions: https://ultimatequestions.substack.com*********Other Series:The podcast began with the Dramatic Adaptation of the book and now has several series:Radically Personal: Reflections on lived experience, divine encounter, and personal vocation, drawing on a seeker-centered approach to spirituality in a new Axial Age.From God to Jerry to You: Divine messages and breakthroughs for seekers.Jerry & Abigail: An Intimate Dialogue: Love, faith, and divine presence in partnership.What's Your Spiritual Story: Real stories of people changed by encounters with God.What's On Our Mind: Reflections from Jerry and Scott on recent episodes.Two Philosophers Wrestle With God: A dialogue on God, truth, and reason.The Life Wisdom Project: Spiritual insights on living a wiser, more meaningful life.What's On Your Mind: Listener questions, divine answers, and open dialogue. Stay ConnectedShare: questions@godanautobiography.comUltimate Questions SubstackGet the books: God: An Autobiography, Radically PersonalShare Your Story | Site | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

Amarok c'est le jeudi et l'Ascension c'est toujours un jeudi alors il fallait bien que je fasse un jour une thématique, même pour le moins… approximative !  Rassurez-vous, pas de playlist "religieuse"; mais juste un clin d'œil avec deux morceaux portant ce titre similaire ainsi qu'une musque globalement "aérienne" (avec pas mal de synthétiseurs) et /ou aux noms quelque peu évocateurs :  En ouverture d'émission j'ai choisi un titre tiré d'un livre d'Atrhur C. Clarke qui y décrit un système permettant de faire monter à bord d'un vaisseau spatial (de terriens en exil faisant escale en orbite d'une planète), de l'eau grâce à un câble, opération très sensible ayant pour nom  Ascension et dont  le titre figure sur l'adaptation musicale de ce roman sous le même titre "Songs Of Distant Eatrh" par MIKE OLDFIELD en 1994.  Le second morceau intitulé "Ascension" en fin de programme est effectivement une musique dont le terme se rapporte à la spiritualité, publié en 2021 par le King of the Keybords RICHARD ANTHONY BEAN, tiré de l'album éponyme. Un instrumental épique et chargé d'émotions comme Richard sait si bien le faire ! J'en profite pour vous recommander sa nouvelle production : un album de reprises de de l'un des mentors de Richard, le grand Vangelis, sous le titre Pulstar", dix reprises par le disciple anglais disponible !  Entre ces deux titres, une expérience religieuse. Rassurez--vous, je veux parler de ce titre particulier de KEVIN AYERS ! "Religious Experience",  titre de travail de "Singing A Song In The Morning", 1er single de Kevin Ayers en solo sorti quelques mois après son 1er album "Joy Of A Toy" (1969) dont l'extrait "Eleanor's Cake" était placé en face B ("Singing ..." n'étant pas sur l'album original). Le contexte : Avec ses collègues de Soft Machine qu'il vient de quitter, Kevin a donné un coup de main à l'enregistrement de "Madcap Laughs", 1er album solo de SYD BARRETT, leader et co-fondateur de Pink Floyd dont on connait l'état psychique dans il se trouvait alors et qui avait sérieusement besoin de renforts pour aller au terme de cet album…  Durant ces séances,  Syd va enregistrer une piste de guitare pour Kevin, destiné à son single, piste qui ne sera finalement pas conservée dans le mixage final paru début 1970. Hors en 2003, à l'occasion de la réédition de l'album "Joy Of A Toy", ce fameux single réintitulé "Religious Experience" y est ajouté en bonus avec la piste guitare de Syd ! Un beau témoignage et c'est cette version qui vous était proposée dans ce numéro !  Nous avons quitté provisoirement  les Sujets de sa Majesté pour aller faire un tour en Russie y retrouver le duo SUN Q. Bientôt dix ans que ce duo composé d' Ivan Shalimov et Elena Tiron y fait ses gammes et j'avais eu plaisir à diffuser des extrait de leur album "Myth" en 2023. Sun Q propose habituellement une pop-rock à tendance progressive mais sur ce nouvel opus, ils ont imaginé ce qu'aurait pu être "Mythe" s'il avait été écrit dans les années 80, dans la mouvance new wave, synthpop. "Mythwave" n'est pas un réenregistrement de "Myht" mais un aperçu de ce que sa création aurait pu être dans cet univers hybride entre nostalgie analogique et univers cinématique et futuriste. Le visuel de l'album (sorti aujourd'hui même ! )  représente une pochette de vinyle écorné et je lui souhaite une belle… ascension dans les charts !  Autre nouveauté fort intéressante : "Fields And Worms" par  LUCIE SHAME. Je n'ai découvert cette artiste que cette semaine et même si je m'éloigne des musiques progressives, ce single n'est pas hors de propos dans cette émission, un morceau plutôt "art rock - folk" s'il fallait vraiment lui coller une étiquette mais surtout d'un grande sensibilité. Sa créatrice et interprète a reçue une éducation musicale classique au piano mais très vite, elle s'est découvert une appétence pour la poésie, l'écriture et la composition. Et puis le grunge à l'adolescence. Forte de ce bagage hybride, elle enregistre un album sur un simple magnéto cassette à 17 ans dans sa chambre. Ajoutez une expérience de vie personnelle assez rude et vous avez alors quelques éléments pour comprendre sa musique, un croisement entre classique, P.J. Harvey et Kate Bush et ce titre que je vous proposais donc dans ce numéro, un texte évoquant à la première personne la plongée dans l'au-delà d'une suicidée, pas le titre le plus gai de l'émission je vous l'accorde, mais d'une magnifique sensibilité !  Ce qui est incroyable avec cette émission c'est qu'en la préparant je fais encore des découvertes d'artistes pourtant reconnus mais dont j'étais passé à côté… Alors sachant que cette émission est aussi (un peu) suivie au Québec, j'entend déjà des railleries (justifiées) outre atlantique ! !  JEAN-PIERRE FERLAND y a été célèbre, et même animateur de télé ! Mais évidemment c'est sa musique qui m'a interpellé (grâce aux bons conseils judicieux d'un ami musicien). A ma décharge, son œuvre n'est pas spécifiquement "rock progressif" mais quand même : l'album "Jaune", quelle originalité ! Si la structure musicale n'est pas forcément prog, la subtilité des arrangements, le son, tout en fait un album qui a légitimement sa place ici ! D'ailleurs, on y trouve un certain Tony Levin, bassiste futur membre de King Crimson, tiens donc… mais aussi (entre autres) le guitariste David Spinoza qui sera appelé à jouer entre autres belles collaborations (la liste est trop longue) , sur des albums de McCartney, Lennon et Star. Jean-Pierre nous a quittés en 2024 mais il laisse une belle discographie à (re)découvrir peu importe les genres et notamment "Jaune" cette pépite de 1970 donc l'extrait "God Is An America", titre forcément lié au thème de ce numéro mais surtout qui n' a jamais sonné aussi juste face aux égos démesurés d'un Donald ou autres dirigeants actuels, laissez moi rire...jaune !   Il y a quelques semaines, une nouvelle pépite est arrivée  : "Autumn" , le nouvel album du multi-instrumentiste normand (entre autres compétences de producteur, auteur de musique de films) EMMANUEL QUENNEVILLE. A l'inverse de son dernier album "Dôme" qui nous avaient envoyés dans l'espace, ce nouvel opus sonne plus près de nous pauvres pécheurs mais reste aussi pas certains côtés, un album encore aérien (Si vous êtes aficionados de la musique oldfieldienne, vous noterez les influences dans le jeu de guitare d'Emmanuel qui lui confère aussi cet aspect). Plus lyrique aussi, il invite tant à l'introspection qu'au voyage intérieur  (je vous recommande une belle séance d'écoute au casque , imparable ! ).  En bonus, la superbe pochette de l'album digne de la célèbre maison Hipgnosis (à qui l'on doit notamment la plupart des pochettes de Pink Floyd),mais c'est à sa fille Clem qui a réalisé ce beau visuel, image garantie sans intelligence artificielle ! Enfin, sans citer tous les collaborateurs de ce bel album, mais au moins quand même :  Lambert Wilson et Pedro Almodovar ! Le cinéma dans vos oreilles !  Désolé si j'ai plombé l'ambiance avec le single de Lucie Shame, mais je réitère avec histoire de femme découverte dans son appartement londonien trois ans après sa mort. Le talentueux STEVEN WILSON s'est inspirée de cette tragédie symptomatique de notre société d'isolement derrière l'apparence d'être connectés… Le 4ème album solo du fondateur de Porcupine Tree basé sur ce triste fait ...d'hiver social est juste entré parmi les indispensables de ma discographie. Extrait dans ce numéro de "Hand Cannot Erase" sorti en 2015. Je vous rappelle qu'en 2026, Steven Wilson se produira en concert uniquement pour deux dates uniques  : 28 et 29 octobre au prestigieux Royal Albert Hall avec chœur et orchestre, avis aux fans !   Le multi-instrumentiste et producteur anglais BRENDAN PERKINS vient de publier un nouvel album intitulé "Trading River Songs qu'il décrit comme "rock progressif pastoral et symphonique". Je l'en remercie car cela m'évite d'avoir à trop me creuser la tête pour le décrire, oui j'aime bien aussi profiter des jours fériés ! Cela dit, je vous confirme que la description est correcte, j'ajouterai qu'à l'instar d' "Autumn" d'Emmanuel Quenneville, cet album gagne à être écouté en immersion et sous casque. Le titre éponyme proposé ce soir évoque les épreuves d'une famille qui va retrouver son statut de "clan". Vous avez les infos : montez le son !  Pour revenir au thème de notre émission, pas possible de passer à côté de la Genèse, autrement dit GENESIS ! L'occasion de revenir sur cet album (double et pas expresso s'il vous plait ! ) de 1974 : "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway". Un album remarquable et ultime participation de Peter Gabriel qui s'est vu offrir (l'album, pas Peter ! ) à l'occasion de ses 50 ans une cure de remasterisation augmentée d'un live d'époque et de quelques goodies dans un somptueux coffret. Bon encore des sous à dépenser mais c'est vrai que  50 ans ça se fête  ! Le problème c'est que cette époque bénie du rock progressif regorge de rééditions sous formes d'onéreux coffrets depuis quelques années. On devrait être plus tranquille et faire des économies à la fin de la décennie !  Avant de refermer cet épisode et reprendre l'Ascension avec Richard Anthony Bean, un petit tour en Australie avec un groupe au nom un peu à rallonge : THE SEA NOT HAVE  THEM (du nom d'un film de guerre anglais et devise de l'unité de secours de la Royal Air Force). Mais revenons à ce qui nous intéresse ici, la musique. TSNHT (c'est plus facile ! ) propose un post-rock ambient qui se caractérise par un juste équilibre entre un son puissant, énergique et des sonorités aériennes. Finalement on peut faire une analogie avec la Royal Air Force ! Cette formation m'était inconnue mais je suis tombé dessus (pas de mon Hawker je vous rassure ! ) en suivant l'actu de leurs compatriotes ORPHANED BEE, projet qui propose un mélange de synthwave et de rock psychédélique et que j'ai déjà eu l'occasion de vous présenter ici. Le single "No Breathing In Dreams" vient donc d'être publié par TSNHT mais en collaboration pertinente et réussie avec les Orphaned Bee. Le temps de gagner en altitude pour une Ascension finale, promis je reviens sur Terre jeudi prochain à 20h !  Thierry Joigny AMAROK, chaque jeudi à 20h           

In this PART 2 episode, Mundo returns to tell the next chapter of his unbelievable story. After years as a high-ranking Mexican Mafia member involved in multiple murders and violent operations, he describes the religious experience he had in jail that changed the course of his life. What follows is a shocking account of becoming a secret informant while still surrounded by fugitives, gang politics, drugs, and murder. Mundo explains how he began working with law enforcement, why he felt driven to help bring down the same organization he once served, and how his undercover role pulled him deeper into danger. He talks about working around figures like Joe Morgan, Alfie, and Sailor, the chaos of double lives, cartel-connected drug operations, bank robberies, contract killings, and the moment everything began closing in on him again. He also reflects on the cost of that life, his Christian faith, witness protection, and how he later became a trainer and consultant for law enforcement. The conversation closes with a deep look at the Mexican Mafia today, its structure, cartel ties, Sureño influence, and how prison gang power still shapes the streets. This is a raw, intense interview about violence, betrayal, redemption, and survival from someone who lived at the center of it. For Part 1 go to https://youtu.be/BjPka7eDvoc Go Support Mundo! Books: https://www.policeandfirepublishing.com/ YouTube: @convictsandcops Movie: https://www.amazon.com/Mundo-Vince-Romo/dp/B07MMP45GC Join The Patreon For Bonus Content! https://www.patreon.com/theconnectshow 00:00 Recap & Introduction to Mundo's Story 02:00 High Standing in the Mexican Mafia 04:00 Religious Experience and Departure 08:00 Facing the Organization & Seeking Redemption 13:00 Decision to Go Undercover 18:00 First Steps as an Informant 22:00 Working with Sailor & Early Undercover Operations 28:00 Navigating the Dope Game Undercover 37:00 Bank Robberies and Growing Paranoia 45:00 Contract Killings & Legal Troubles 51:00 Plea Deals and Testifying Against Joe Morgan 56:00 Witness Protection & Life After the Gang 01:03:00 Mexican Mafia Structure Today 01:10:00 Modern Cartel Connections 01:18:00 Personal Life, Faith, and Final Reflections 01:21:00 Books, Resources, and Closing Inspiration Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Higher education is in upheaval, and a wave of "micro colleges" is reimagining undergraduate formation. Matthew Smith, co-founder and president of Hildegard College in Costa Mesa, California, joins Mark Labberton to talk about a tiny school marrying the Great Books to redemptive entrepreneurship. "We need young adults who are coming out of college who are failure resilient." In this episode, Smith reflects on the demographic cliff, the limits of professionalized majors, and why eighteen-year-olds need formation before a career. Together they discuss higher ed innovation, redemptive entrepreneurship, beauty as a public good, and what employers really want. Episode Highlights "We need young adults who are coming out of college who are failure resilient." "Most of these schools are endeavoring at least to promise a fruitful career … leaving behind what most 18 to 23 year olds actually need." "I would warn people away from universities that cannot clearly answer the question, what will all students learn at your school?" "First you need to seek what's true and good, what's worthy of being loved. Then you need to be formed into the kind of person that loves it. And then finally, the natural outlet of that is creation." "If there's a problem, they figure it out. They're not just asking their computers what the answer is." About Matthew Smith Matthew J. Smith is the founding president of Hildegard College, a Christian liberal arts micro college in Costa Mesa, California. He holds a PhD in Literature from USC, and taught for fifteen years at Azusa Pacific University before founding Hildegard College. His scholarship covers Shakespeare, John Milton, John Donne, and George Herbert; he has authored or edited four books on early modern literature and religion, and is working on a new book on beauty. Helpful Links and Resources Hildegard College https://www.hildegard.college Praxis on Redemptive Entrepreneurship https://www.praxis.co/redemptive-entrepreneurship St. John's College https://www.sjc.edu Literature and Religious Experience, by Matthew J. Smith https://www.amazon.com/Literature-Religious-Experience-Beyond-Unbelief/dp/1350193917 Show Notes Higher ed in flux "It's the economy that's driving disruptive innovation in higher education right now." The demographic cliff and small private colleges Job readiness vs. personal transformation "Leaving behind what 18 to 23 year olds actually need … becoming wise and faithful adults." From English professor to college founder Discovering micro colleges through classical K–12 schooling Trivium, quadrivium, democratic liberal education Visiting startup colleges in 2018; tuition often $10K–$15K "A shared vision of the end of learning" Hildegard's founding: liberal arts plus entrepreneurial arts Hildegard of Bingen, polymath patron Borrowing redemptive entrepreneurship from Praxis Beauty as antidote to weaponized truth and goodness Foundations of Thought + Entrepreneur Lab Real campaigns, real ventures—not test answers Field trips: Portland and El Salvador "We need young adults … who are failure resilient." Limits of pure classicism at St. John's, Thomas Aquinas "I loved my college, but I wish they would've taught us how to do something." Startup speed: idea Thursday, launching next Thursday "What will all students learn at your school?" Why Smith stopped believing in the English major Employers want teachability and adaptability "First you need to seek … then to be formed … then creation." Intellectual confidence and humility together #HigherEducation #ClassicalEducation #LiberalArts #MicroCollege #ChristianHigherEd #RedemptiveEntrepreneurship #GreatBooks #HildegardCollege Production Credits Conversing is produced and distributed in partnership with Comment magazine and Fuller Seminary.

Can we ever really know who we are? And does self-knowledge come with an incredible cost to ourselves and others? Maybe! We investigate the First Philip K. Dick Adaptation, with a 1962 episode of the British TV show Out of This World on his short story "The Imposter." Plus, we do a medium dive into PKD's life. And there's lots to discuss in the MouthGarf Report! Plus, I See What You Did There! Sources: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NATbmF4Qxc (While labeled "The Cold Equations" this is the audio for "The Imposter") https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impostor_(short_story) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_K._Dick https://web.archive.org/web/20120511082635/http://www.philipkdick.com/media_sfeye87.html https://web.archive.org/web/20170921182200/http://culture.pl/en/article/philip-k-dick-stanislaw-lem-is-a-communist-committee https://www.salon.com/2022/07/23/8-facts-about-philip-k-dick_partner/ Please give us a 5 star rating on Apple Podcasts!  Want to ask us a question? Talk to us! Email debutbuddies@gmail.com Listen to Kelly and Chelsea's awesome horror movie podcast, Never Show the Monster. Get some sci-fi from Spaceboy Books. Get down with Michael J. O'Connor and the Cold Family and check out his new compilation The Best of the Bad Years 2005 - 2025 Next time: First Film Directed by Markiplier/Mark Fischbach

11:00 Emergency Pod: Another Attempt on Trump, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IL6ftH2jFUs 13:00 Brian Stelter: ‘An extraordinary moment for America's media elite is all too ordinary in America', https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=184546 16:00 Symptoms of Underearning, https://www.underearnersanonymous.org/newcomers-to-underearners-anonymous/symptoms-of-underearning/ 36:30 CSPAN Live Coverage of the attack, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HraD2CMHJGI 49:00 The Cartography of Avoidance: Historical Taboos and the Architecture of Intellectual Life, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=184528 58:00 Who Is Served And Who Is Hurt By The Frame That Hitler Was The Ultimate Evil? https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=184503 1:03:00 The Great Delusion, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=184359 1:14:00 Making Democratic Theory Democratic: Democracy, Law, and Administration after Weber and Kelsen, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=162442 1:16:00 Christopher Caldwell: ‘The Lamps Are Going Out', https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=184324 1:20:00 The Varieties of Religious Experience, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=184213 1:23:00 The Coalition Will See You Now, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=184040 1:34:00 MONTY PYTHON'S CARL SCHMITT (A FOUND FRAGMENT), https://x.com/lukeford/status/2044167769516920937 1:40:00 Platform, Pulpit, Archive: Three Models of MO Rabbinic Self-Presentation in Los Angeles, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=184006

Questions? Comments? Text Us!What if spiritual experiences are real — but deeply personal?In this episode of God: An Autobiography, The Podcast, philosopher Jerry L. Martin explores one of the most difficult questions in religion: how do we discern whether a spiritual experience is genuine?Drawing on William James and the long philosophical tradition of spiritual discernment, Jerry examines why religious experience varies from person to person.Different temperaments, histories, and cultures shape how individuals encounter ultimate reality. But if spiritual experiences differ so widely, how can they be evaluated?Can one religion judge another? Is there a neutral standpoint from which competing belief systems can be assessed?Jerry explores the philosophical challenge of spiritual discernment beyond the boundaries of any single tradition. Along the way he discusses thinkers such as Ignatius of Loyola, Jonathan Edwards, and William James.The episode also introduces the idea of the “clarified soul,” the cultivated inner capacity that allows us to perceive spiritual truth with greater clarity and depth.In a world of many religions and worldviews, the question remains: how do we responsibly seek what is ultimately true?Get the books: Radically Personal: God and Ourselves in the New Axial Age | God: An Autobiography, As Told to a PhilosopherOther Series:The podcast began with the Dramatic Adaptation of the book and now has several series:Radically Personal: Reflections on lived experience, divine encounter, and personal vocation, drawing on a seeker-centered approach to spirituality in a new Axial Age.From God to Jerry to You: Divine messages and breakthroughs for seekers.Jerry & Abigail: An Intimate Dialogue: Love, faith, and divine presence in partnership.What's Your Spiritual Story: Real stories of people changed by encounters with God.What's On Our Mind: Reflections from Jerry and Scott on recent episodes.Two Philosophers Wrestle With God: A dialogue on God, truth, and reason.The Life Wisdom Project: Spiritual insights on living a wiser, more meaningful life.What's On Your Mind: Listener questions, divine answers, and open dialogue. Stay ConnectedShare: questions@godanautobiography.comUltimate Questions SubstackGet the books: God: An Autobiography, Radically PersonalShare Your Story | Site | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

Questions? Comments? Text Us!In Episode 272 of God: An Autobiography, The Podcast, Jerry Martin and Scott Langdon ask a deceptively simple question: What is experience?Is it just a stream of sensations passing through us — or is it the unfolding of meaning across a lifetime? When we look back at our lives, do we merely remember events, or do we discover layers of significance we couldn't see before?Drawing from Scott's recent What's Your Spiritual Story episode and Jerry's Radically Personal series, the conversation turns to the radical uniqueness of every human life. No one has ever been duplicated. Every consciousness is singular. What might it mean, then, to say: “You are the experience God is having”?Through reflections on theater, personal memory, Jane Austen's Emma, the play Proof, and the philosophical idea of “thisness” (haecceitas), Jerry and Scott explore whether awareness itself is the meeting point between the human and the divine.Experience changes us. Meaning deepens. And perhaps consciousness is not merely personal — but participatory in something far greater.As you listen, consider your own experience. Where has meaning deepened for you? And what might it reveal about the divine presence within your life?Related Episodes:270. Recovering the Depth of Experience in a Flattened World- Radically Personal271. What's Your Spiritual Story: Scott's Journey from Certainty to LoveOther Series:The podcast began with the Dramatic Adaptation of the book and now has several series:The Life Wisdom Project – Spiritual insights on living a wiser, more meaningful life.From God to Jerry to You – Divine messages and breakthroughs for seekers.Two Philosophers Wrestle With God – A dialogue on God, truth, and reason.Jerry & Abigail: An Intimate Dialogue – Love, faith, and divine presence in partnership.What's Your Spiritual Story – Real stories of people changed by encounters with God.What's On Our Mind – Reflections from Jerry and Scott on recent episodes.What's On Your Mind – Listener questions, divine answers, and open dialogue. Stay ConnectedShare: questions@godanautobiography.comGet the books: God: An Autobiography, Radically PersonalShare Your Story | Site | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

Questions? Comments? Text Us!In Episode 271 of God: An Autobiography, The Podcast, host Scott Langdon shares his personal spiritual journey — from Lutheran liturgy and evangelical certainty to faith deconstruction, mental health challenges, and a renewed understanding of God as love.Raised in the church and later immersed in evangelical Christianity, Scott's faith was shaped by music, scripture, and sacred ritual. But a pivotal moment — being baptized again and feeling nothing — marked the beginning of a profound spiritual transformation. Through theater, bipolar diagnosis, marriage, loss, and deep questioning, Scott's understanding of God shifted from external authority to lived experience.What happens when you “give up God” and begin praying to love instead? Can faith survive doubt, silence, and reinvention?God: An Autobiography, The Podcast explores spiritual experience through personal stories, philosophical reflection, and dramatic readings from the book God: An Autobiography, As Told to a Philosopher. Each episode invites listeners to consider their own spiritual story and the possibility that divine encounter is rooted in lived experience.If you've wrestled with belief, deconstruction, or the meaning of love and faith — this episode is for you.Other Series:The podcast began with the Dramatic Adaptation of the book and now has several series:The Life Wisdom Project – Spiritual insights on living a wiser, more meaningful life.From God to Jerry to You – Divine messages and breakthroughs for seekers.Two Philosophers Wrestle With God – A dialogue on God, truth, and reason.Jerry & Abigail: An Intimate Dialogue – Love, faith, and divine presence in partnership.What's Your Spiritual Story – Real stories of people changed by encounters with God.What's On Our Mind – Reflections from Jerry and Scott on recent episodes.What's On Your Mind – Listener questions, divine answers, and open dialogue. Stay ConnectedShare your thoughts or questions at questions@godanautobiography.comGet the books: Radically Personal: God and Ourselves in the New Axial Age | God: An Autobiography, As Told to a PhilosopherShare Your Story | Site | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

In this episode, James, Marinus, and Cory, continue their series reading and discussing Herman Bavinck's Philosophy of Revelation. This week, they discuss the eighth chapter on “Revelation and Religious Experience”Read along with us as we walk through the chapters of this significant work.Works mentioned:Herman Bavinck, Philosophy of Revelation: A New Annotated Edition Adapted and Expanded from the 1908 Stone Lectures: Presented at Princeton Theological Seminary, A new annotated edition, ed. Cory Brock and Nathaniel Gray Sutanto, with Princeton Theological Seminary (Hendrickson Publishers, 2018).⁠https://www.amazon.com/Philosophy-Revelation-Annotated-Herman-Bavinck/dp/1683071360⁠Reach us at graceincommonpodcast@gmail.com. If you want to make a donation, please visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://donorbox.org/graceincommon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Our theme music is Molly Molly by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue) ⁠⁠⁠CC BY-NC 4.0⁠⁠⁠

In this engaging conversation with Dr. Steven Engler, we explore esoteric traditions, mystical experiences, and how spiritual meaning shows up across cultures and belief systems. Dr. Engler is a Professor of Religious Studies in the Department of Humanities at Mount Royal University, whose work bridges scholarship, lived experience, and cross-cultural inquiry. His research spans fieldwork with Afro-Brazilian and esoteric spirit-incorporation traditions in Brazil, as well as methodological and theoretical approaches to understanding religion, spirituality, and meaning-making. Dr. Engler's work also examines how concepts like tradition, lived religion, and esotericism shape both personal experience and broader cultural narratives. Beyond his research and teaching, Dr. Engler is a co-editor of leading journals and book series in religious studies and has closely analyzed the academic landscape of religion and spirituality in Latin America. Click play to uncover: How people's stories reflect the beliefs of their respective traditions.  The ways that belief makes a difference in experience.  Experiences that have impacted Dr. Engler's perspective. You can find more about Dr. Engler here!

When setting off on any journey, it's best to know your intended destination in advance. On the 12th Step journey, to use the Big Book's original wording, that means following the 12 Steps to arrive at a transformational spiritual experience - one powerful enough to overcome addiction. Of course, the wording of the 12th Step was soon changed to “a spiritual awakening” not wanting to scare newcomers away. But when Bill Wilson tried changing it back to the original, AA wouldn't let him.This single episode describes the “psychic change” the Steps are intended to bring about using three quotes to describe the experience. First, a definition that originated with William James in his Varieties of Religious Experience; second, the description contained in the Big Book; and finally, a helpful quote from Jungian author Robert A. Johnson's book Transformation.  These quotes are contained in a handout found in the show notes.Show notes: What Is a Psychic Change or Spiritual ExperienceQuantum Change by Professor William MillerTransformation by Robert A. JohnsonJung's Answer to Job https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Answer_to_Job

Questions? Comments? Text Us!In this episode of Radically Personal, Jerry L. Martin turns to the work of American philosopher and psychologist William James to explore how divine reality is encountered in lived experience. Drawing from The Varieties of Religious Experience, Jerry reflects on James's influence on the philosophy of religion and his claim that religion begins not with doctrines or institutions, but with personal experience—with what happens in the depths of a human life.This conversation examines how experience functions as a window onto reality, why feelings and intuitions matter for discernment, and how religious and spiritual experience may reveal divine presence not as an object we perceive, but as a reality we participate in. Jerry explores prayer as relationship, the limits of abstract theory, and the importance of remaining open to fleeting, partial, and even unsystematic glimpses of meaning.Radically Personal invites listeners into a seeker-centered approach to spirituality—one that trusts experience, honors personal vocation, and explores how God may still speak within the drama of everyday life._______________Other Series:The podcast began with the Dramatic Adaptation of the book and now has several series:Radically Personal – Reflections on lived experience, divine encounter, and personal vocation, drawing on a seeker-centered approach to spirituality in a new Axial Age.From God to Jerry to You – Divine messages and breakthroughs for seekers.Jerry & Abigail: An Intimate Dialogue – Love, faith, and divine presence in partnership.What's Your Spiritual Story – Real stories of people changed by encounters with God.What's On Our Mind – Reflections from Jerry and Scott on recent episodes.Two Philosophers Wrestle With God – A dialogue on God, truth, and reason.The Life Wisdom Project – Spiritual insights on living a wiser, more meaningful life.What's On Your Mind – Listener questions, divine answers, and open dialogue. _______________Stay ConnectedShare your thoughts or questions: questions@godandautobiography.comGet the books:  Radically Personal: God and Ourselves in the New Axial Age God: An Autobiography, As Told to a PhilosopherShare Your Story | Site | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

In this deeply personal and spiritually rich video, the speaker shares a profound dream about undergoing brain surgery performed by God. The dream serves as a metaphor for spiritual awakening, transformation, and enlightenment. Through the narrative, the speaker explores themes of prophecy, visions, dreams, and the removal of mental and spiritual burdens. Join the journey of understanding divine intervention and the challenges of spiritual growth, as the speaker interprets the dream's significance in the context of Christian faith and scripture.

In this deeply personal and spiritually rich video, the speaker shares a profound dream about undergoing brain surgery performed by God. The dream serves as a metaphor for spiritual awakening, transformation, and enlightenment. Through the narrative, the speaker explores themes of prophecy, visions, dreams, and the removal of mental and spiritual burdens. Join the journey of understanding divine intervention and the challenges of spiritual growth, as the speaker interprets the dream's significance in the context of Christian faith and scripture.

Prof. Miller's book Quantum Change: When Epiphanies and Sudden Insights Transform Ordinary Lives has been described as the most definitive work on the subject of religious experiences since William James' Varieties of Religious Experience. The latter has had a profound influence on AA and Bill Wilson's development of the 12-Steps, and this book brings the subject into the modern era.  Fr. Bill interviews Professor Miller in an audio only format.Show notes:Quantum Change: When Epiphanies and Sudden Insights Transform Ordinary Lives by Professor William R. MillerWhat AA Has to Teach the Church by Sam Shoemaker / pdf on Step Study

DECEMBER 27, 2025 HOUR 1: Peter Boyles talks about the Decline of Church Attendance in America, What is causing it? Why don't You go to Church? Why did you Stop Going? Listener Calls on their Religious Experience, and their "Church"-going habits. LINK TO VIDEO: https://youtube.com/live/4hEbAZtFrMUSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we speak with Philip Goff—a philosophy professor who devotes much of his work to investigating the ultimate nature of reality—about consciousness, mysticism, and God. We also hear from Rabbi Eli Rubin about the possibility of “Jewish panpsychism.”In this episode we discuss:What is the relationship between consciousness and scientific observation?How should people find purpose in their lives?How does a secular philosopher make the decision to turn to religion?Tune in to hear a conversation about whether mysticism has scientific credibility. Interview begins at 9:22.Philip Goff is a philosophy professor at Durham University, UK, where he devotes much of his work to investigating the ultimate nature of reality. He publishes weekly interviews and articles on his Substack. Goff is known for defending panpsychism as the best available theory of consciousness; his TEDx talk, "Is there consciousness beyond the brain?" presents this view to a wider audience. His recent book, Why? The Purpose of the Universe (Oxford University Press, 2023), explores panpsychism as a middle ground between traditional belief in God and secular atheism. He is a recent convert to a form of “heretical Christianity".References:Kabbalah and the Rupture of Modernity by Eli RubinGalileo's Error by Philip GoffMy Bright Abyss by Christian WimanThe Varieties of Religious Experience by William JamesGödel, Escher, Bach by Douglas R. HofstadterTanya Chapter 2For more 18Forty:NEWSLETTER: 18forty.org/joinCALL: (212) 582-1840EMAIL: info@18forty.orgWEBSITE: 18forty.orgIG: @18fortyX: @18_fortyWhatsApp: join hereBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

This interview is a replay of EP#2 . To date, it is the most-listened-to episode of the podcast. ___ In an age dominated by secularism and philosophical naturalism, the idea that people have supernatural experiences is often considered to be a relic of a bygone era. And yet, credible people still report such experiences. That's the subject of this episode, which features an interview with Dale C. Allison about his recent book, Encountering Mystery: Religious Experience in a Secular Age. In his book, Allison documents and discusses a range of religious experiences that people have reported -- including his own (which he shares in this interview). For students of the Bible, this topic is an important one to consider. The Bible is, after all, full of religious experiences. Allison's work on this subject will no doubt help modern people come to terms with a forgotten fact: There's more to reality than just physical reality. About Dale C. Allison:Dale C. Allison, Jr. is the Richard J. Dearborn Professor of New Testament at Princeton Theological Seminary. He earned his MA and PhD from Duke University. His academic research and publications include the historical Jesus, the Gospel of Matthew, Second Temple Judaism, and the history of the interpretation and application of biblical texts. Faculty Page: https://ptsem.edu/academics/faculty/dale-c-allison-jr/ Check out Dale's Book: Encountering Mystery+++Support The Bible (Unmuted) via Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Matthew's blog: ⁠matthewhalsted.substack.com⁠Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)!

This week the ACP take on the gods themselves... in comics that is! From pantheons, mythologies, beliefs and the view of superheroes, its a fascinating look at a vast subject. Joining the trio this week is Sam Hardacre (Splorers) who also catches everyone up on his own prolific comic journey and recommend stuff you should be reading in the future! Great stuff to check out: Hellbreaker, Pat Mills, Ian Ashcroft, Ken Reynolds,  Vyper: Red Shadow, Killtopia: Phantoms, Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees, Big Shoulders, Robowolf, Jake Smith, Dead Gremlin Comix, Three Point Perspective, Otherkin, Mahoneys, Hardline Comics, Junked, Black Ink Comix, X-O Manowar, Alien Books, The Strange Tales of Oscar Zahn

Today on The Psychedelic Christian Podcast returning guest, from episode 33, creator of the website & blog – thepsychedelicchristian.com, Jonathan Hansen & I have the pleasure of hosting the author of Sacred Knowledge: Psychedelics & Religious Experiences – psychedelic researcher, Dr. William Richards  Dr. Bill Richards is a clinical psychologist and has been studying the therapeutic potential […]

In judging of religious experience it is all-important to keep steadily in view the system of divine truth contained in the Holy Scriptures; otherwise, our experience, as is too often the case, will degenerate into wild enthusiasm. Many ardent professors seem too readily to take it for granted that all religious feelings must be good. They therefore take no care to discriminate between the genuine and the spurious, the pure gold and the tinsel. Their only concern is about the ardor of their feelings; not considering that if they are spurious, the more intense they are, the further will they lead them astray. In our day there is nothing more necessary than to distinguish carefully between true and false experiences in religion; to "test the spirits—whether they are from God." (1 John 4:1) And in making this discrimination, there is no other test but the infallible Word of God; let every thought, motive, impulse and emotion be brought to this touchstone.

What should time mean to us?Peter Sjöstedt-Hughes is a philosopher of mind who specialises in the thought of Alfred North Whitehead, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Benedict de Spinoza, and in fields pertaining to panpsychism and altered states of mind. In this talk, he combines insights from psychedelic experiences with an intriguing view put forward by Spinoza: that the mind can enter a rare state of eternity, not as a spirit enduring beyond the corpse, but as a mind collapsing into the eternal.Don't hesitate to email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts or questions on the episode!To witness such debates live buy tickets for our upcoming festival: https://howthelightgetsin.org/festivals/And visit our website for many more articles, videos, and podcasts like this one: https://iai.tv/You can find everything we referenced here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The week, Book Boys say goodbye to the Summer of Bad Vibes by discussing Don DeLillo's opus "Libra". We discuss paranoid reading, Lee Harvey Oswald as American everyman, Hysterial Realism. At the end, we even take a brief detour to Tinsel Town and chat a bit about Oliver Stone's "JFK".As always, we hope that you enjoy our conversation!Works Cited"Paranoid and Reparative Reading" by Eve Sedgewick"Varieties of Religious Experience" by William James

Host Pierce Salguero sits down with Richard Saville-Smith, an independent scholar of madness, religion, and psychiatry. We discuss Richard's book Acute Religious Experiences (2023), which argues that frameworks from Mad Studies can get us out from under the academy's current habit of either pathologizing or sanitizing religious experiences. Along the way, we talk about the power struggle between psychiatry & the humanities, the influence of Queer Studies on Richard's work, and his reinterpretation of Jesus as a madman. If you want to hear scholars and practitioners engaging in deep conversations about the dark side of Asian religions and medicines, then subscribe to Black Beryl wherever you get your podcasts. Also check out our members-only benefits on Substack.com to see what our guests have shared with you. Enjoy the show! Resources mentioned in this episode: Acute Religious Experiences: Madness, Psychosis and Religious Studies (2023) Become a paid subscriber on blackberyl.substack.com to unlock our members-only benefits, including PDFs of some of these resources. Pierce Salguero is a transdisciplinary scholar of health humanities who is fascinated by historical and contemporary intersections between Buddhism, medicine, and crosscultural exchange. He has a Ph.D. in History of Medicine from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine (2010), and teaches Asian history, medicine, and religion at Penn State University's Abington College, located near Philadelphia. www.piercesalguero.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/psychoanalysis

Host Pierce Salguero sits down with Richard Saville-Smith, an independent scholar of madness, religion, and psychiatry. We discuss Richard's book Acute Religious Experiences (2023), which argues that frameworks from Mad Studies can get us out from under the academy's current habit of either pathologizing or sanitizing religious experiences. Along the way, we talk about the power struggle between psychiatry & the humanities, the influence of Queer Studies on Richard's work, and his reinterpretation of Jesus as a madman. If you want to hear scholars and practitioners engaging in deep conversations about the dark side of Asian religions and medicines, then subscribe to Black Beryl wherever you get your podcasts. Also check out our members-only benefits on Substack.com to see what our guests have shared with you. Enjoy the show! Resources mentioned in this episode: Acute Religious Experiences: Madness, Psychosis and Religious Studies (2023) Become a paid subscriber on blackberyl.substack.com to unlock our members-only benefits, including PDFs of some of these resources. Pierce Salguero is a transdisciplinary scholar of health humanities who is fascinated by historical and contemporary intersections between Buddhism, medicine, and crosscultural exchange. He has a Ph.D. in History of Medicine from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine (2010), and teaches Asian history, medicine, and religion at Penn State University's Abington College, located near Philadelphia. www.piercesalguero.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Host Pierce Salguero sits down with Richard Saville-Smith, an independent scholar of madness, religion, and psychiatry. We discuss Richard's book Acute Religious Experiences (2023), which argues that frameworks from Mad Studies can get us out from under the academy's current habit of either pathologizing or sanitizing religious experiences. Along the way, we talk about the power struggle between psychiatry & the humanities, the influence of Queer Studies on Richard's work, and his reinterpretation of Jesus as a madman. If you want to hear scholars and practitioners engaging in deep conversations about the dark side of Asian religions and medicines, then subscribe to Black Beryl wherever you get your podcasts. Also check out our members-only benefits on Substack.com to see what our guests have shared with you. Enjoy the show! Resources mentioned in this episode: Acute Religious Experiences: Madness, Psychosis and Religious Studies (2023) Become a paid subscriber on blackberyl.substack.com to unlock our members-only benefits, including PDFs of some of these resources. Pierce Salguero is a transdisciplinary scholar of health humanities who is fascinated by historical and contemporary intersections between Buddhism, medicine, and crosscultural exchange. He has a Ph.D. in History of Medicine from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine (2010), and teaches Asian history, medicine, and religion at Penn State University's Abington College, located near Philadelphia. www.piercesalguero.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/psychology

Host Pierce Salguero sits down with Richard Saville-Smith, an independent scholar of madness, religion, and psychiatry. We discuss Richard's book Acute Religious Experiences (2023), which argues that frameworks from Mad Studies can get us out from under the academy's current habit of either pathologizing or sanitizing religious experiences. Along the way, we talk about the power struggle between psychiatry & the humanities, the influence of Queer Studies on Richard's work, and his reinterpretation of Jesus as a madman. If you want to hear scholars and practitioners engaging in deep conversations about the dark side of Asian religions and medicines, then subscribe to Black Beryl wherever you get your podcasts. Also check out our members-only benefits on Substack.com to see what our guests have shared with you. Enjoy the show! Resources mentioned in this episode: Acute Religious Experiences: Madness, Psychosis and Religious Studies (2023) Become a paid subscriber on blackberyl.substack.com to unlock our members-only benefits, including PDFs of some of these resources. Pierce Salguero is a transdisciplinary scholar of health humanities who is fascinated by historical and contemporary intersections between Buddhism, medicine, and crosscultural exchange. He has a Ph.D. in History of Medicine from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine (2010), and teaches Asian history, medicine, and religion at Penn State University's Abington College, located near Philadelphia. www.piercesalguero.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/religion

Today I sit down with Richard Saville-Smith, an independent scholar of madness, religion, and psychiatry. We discuss Richard's book Acute Religious Experiences (2023), which argues that frameworks from Mad Studies can get us out from under the academy's current habit of either pathologizing or sanitizing religious experiences. Along the way, we talk about the power struggle between psychiatry & the humanities, the influence of Queer Studies on Richard's work, and his reinterpretation of Jesus as a madman.   If you want to hear scholars and practitioners engaging in deep conversations about the dark side of Asian religions and medicines, then subscribe to Black Beryl wherever you get your podcasts. Also check out our members-only benefits on Substack.com to see what our guests have shared with you. Enjoy the show!Resources mentioned in this episode: Acute Religious Experiences: Madness, Psychosis and Religious Studies (2023)Become a paid subscriber on blackberyl.substack.com to unlock our members-only benefits, including downloading:Chapter 10 from Richard's book, which presents his D.R.E.A.D. framework for acute religious experiences.

Tune on in folks - its worth it trust me. Also, I need to format the spreadsheet, so it'll be posted in time for bets Friday. Vince apologizes he says. 

What does it take to build the perfect first shelf? This week we tackle the joyful—and surprisingly stressful—task of creating a starter library. We're joined by John Williams, book editor at The Washington Post, to discuss how to choose ten books that someone can use as a starter library, offering comfort, surprise, and a little stretch along the way. We compare approaches, confess our struggles, and share the shelves we'd hand to a friend ready build their personal library.We'd love to hear from you—what books would make it onto your own starter library?We've got some fantastic author-focused episodes lined up for the foreseeable future, and we want to give you plenty of time to dive in if you'd like to read along with us. These episodes come around every ten episodes, and with our bi-weekly release schedule, you'll have a few months to get ready for each. Here's what we have in store:* Episode 115: Kazuo Ishiguro* Episode 125: Flannery O'Connor* Episode 135: William Faulkner* Episode 145: Elizabeth Taylor* Episode 155: Naguib MahfouzThere's no rush—take your time, and grab a book (or two, or three) so you're prepared for these as they come!Join the Mookse and the Gripes on DiscordWant to share your thoughts on these upcoming authors or anything else we're discussing? Join us over on Discord! It's the perfect place to dive deeper into the conversation—whether you're reading along with our author-focused episodes or just want to chat about the books that are on your mind.We're also just now in our second novella book club, where we're reading Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin. It's a fantastic book, and we'd love to have you join the discussion. It's a great space to engage with fellow listeners, share your insights, and discover new perspectives on the books you're reading.ShownotesWhat are we reading?* Paul: The Endless Week, by Laura Vasquez, translated by Alex Niemi* John: Giovanni's Room, by James Baldin* Trevor: Nadja, by André Breton, translated by Mark PolizzottiOur Starter LibrariesPaul* The Complete Calvin and Hobbes, by Bill Waterson* Moby-Dick, by Herman Melville* Finding Beauty in a Broken World, by Terry Tempest Williams* The Complete Works of William Shakespeare* Lonesome Dove, by Larry McMurtry* The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson* The Complete Stories of Clarice Lispector* To the Lighthouse, by Virginia Woolf* Kindred, by Octavia Butler* Pride and Prejudice, by Jane AustenTrevor* Ex Libris, by Anne Fademan* The Remains of the Day, by Kazuo Ishiguro* The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas* A Good Man Is Hard to Find, by Flannery O'Connor* The Emigrants, by W.G. Sebald, translated by Michael Hulse* The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkein* Cockroaches, by Scholastique Mukasonga, translated by Jordan Stump* So Long, See You Tomorrow, by William Maxwell* Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard* The Complete Poems of Emily DickinsonJohn* The Collected Stories of William Trevor* The Varieties of Religious Experience, by William James* The Collected Poems of Philip Larkin* Notes from Underground, by Fyodor Dostoevsky* The Book of Disquiet, by Fernando Pessoa* The Sellout, by Paul Beatty* The Black Prince, by Iris Murdoch* Nixon Agonistes: The Crisis of the Self-Made Man, by Garry Wills* Essays in Disguise, by Wilfrid Sheed* Mrs. Dalloway, by Virginia Woolf* Why Does the World Exist, by Jim HoltOther* The Library, Duncan FallowellThe Mookse and the Gripes Podcast is a bookish conversation hosted by Paul and Trevor. Every other week, we explore a bookish topic and celebrate our love of reading. We're glad you're here, and we hope you'll continue to join us on this literary journey!A huge thank you to those who help make this podcast possible! If you'd like to support us, you can do so via Substack or Patreon. Subscribers receive access to periodic bonus episodes and early access to all new episodes. Plus, each supporter gets their own dedicated feed, allowing them to download episodes a few days before they're released to the public. We'd love for you to check it out! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mookse.substack.com/subscribe

In this enlightening episode of Father and Joe, hosts Father Boniface and Joe Rockey tackle a common challenge faced in both missionary work and personal faith journeys: effectively communicating the vast benefits of attending Mass. Using the analogy of sales and products with multiple benefits, Joe introduces the idea that one needs to understand the needs of the person they're engaging with to convey the most relevant benefits. Just as eggs can be appreciated for various uses in meals, the benefits of Mass extend far beyond individual understanding, offering a unique and personalized spiritual experience to every attendee.Father Boniface steps in to explain the power of forming meaningful relationships, not just in sales but within the spectrum of evangelization and attending Mass. Our episode explores the concept of 'accompaniment,' where personal interaction and understanding play critical roles in spiritual guidance and evangelization. This approach helps parishioners form a deeper connection with the Mass, experiencing its full benefits uniquely tailored to their life stage and personal circumstances.We delve into the importance of fostering interior participation in Mass, where silence plays a crucial role. Father Boniface introduces practical ways to connect deeply with the Mass's proceedings, which is essential for transforming a routine obligation into an enriching personal journey filled with discovery and purpose.Additionally, we discuss overcoming the initial sensations of social awkwardness that some might feel when attending Mass, focusing on how to transition from merely going through the motions to actively engaging in a way that reveals Mass's transformative power. Discover how Mass is not just a weekly obligation but a profound means of receiving guidance, healing, and purpose throughout life's fluctuations.Join us as we explore creating moments in Mass that lead to spiritual growth by aligning personal experiences with the spiritual community and the central purpose of the Eucharist. Whether you're a devout parishioner or someone seeking to reengage with your faith, this conversation provides helpful insights to transform your relationship with Mass.Tags: Faith, Podcast, Mass Benefits, Personal Faith, Spiritual Growth, Eucharist, Sales Analogy, Evangelization, Accompaniment, Interior Participation, Spiritual Guidance, Overcoming Awkwardness, Father Boniface, Joe Rockey, Religious Experience, Church Community, Personalized Spirituality, Missionary Work, Transformation, Spiritual Wisdom, Theology, Catholic Church, Christian Faith, Building Relationships, Mass Engagement, Discovering Faith, Church Attendance, Meaningful Worship, Personalized Faith, Spiritual Fulfillment, Religious Obligations, Community Support, Guidance through Mass, Listening to God, Interior Silence, Growth through Faith, Christian Podcast, Spiritual Direction, Personal Connection, Catholic PodcastHashtags: #FaithJourney, #PodcastSeries, #MassBenefits, #SpiritualGrowth, #Eucharist, #SalesAnalogy, #Evangelization, #Accompaniment, #InteriorParticipation, #SpiritualGuidance, #OvercomingAwkwardness, #FatherBoniface, #JoeRockey, #ReligiousExperience, #ChurchCommunity, #PersonalizedSpirituality, #MissionaryWork, #Transformation, #SpiritualWisdom, #Theology, #CatholicChurch, #ChristianFaith, #BuildingRelationships, #MassEngagement, #DiscoveringFaith, #ChurchAttendance, #MeaningfulWorship, #PersonalizedFaith, #SpiritualFulfillment, #ReligiousObligations, #CommunitySupport, #GuidanceThroughMass, #ListeningToGod, #InteriorSilence, #GrowthThroughFaith, #ChristianPodcast, #SpiritualDirection, #PersonalConnection, #CatholicPodcastThis line is here to correct the site's formatting error.

How can a Christian prepare for death? It is a question pertinent to us all, and yet it is asked earnestly by so few. This week we seek guidance on this question from the work of the seventeenth-century minister George Swinnock and the nineteenth-century pastoral theologian Archibald Alexander.    Featured Resources:  - Excerpt from 'The Fading of the Flesh' in The Works of George Swinnock, Vol. 3 (1672; repr. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1996), pages 466–471.  - Excerpt from Archibald Alexander, Thoughts on Religious Experience (1844; repr. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1978, 2024), pages 277–280.    Related resources:  The Works of George Swinnock (5 volumes, 2526 pages, clothbound) The Works of George Swinnock, Volume 3 (source of today's excerpt from The Fading of the Flesh, a work contained in volumes 3 and 4 of Swinnock's Works) Archibald Alexander, Thoughts on Religious Experience   Explore the work of the Banner of Truth: www.banneroftruth.org Subscribe to the Magazine (print/digital/both): www.banneroftruth.org/magazine Leave us your feedback or a testimony: www.speakpipe.com/magazinepodcast

In this episode, we visit Hillsong's mothership in Baulkham Hills so you don't have to! We unpack the atmosphere, the music, the offering, the supposed miracles, the sermon and the continued exploitation of volunteers. Join us as we reflect on the evolving, yet somehow still familiar landscape of the 'new' Hillsong and its diminishing impact on those of us who have left the faith.Key takeaways:Atmosphere and Scale: Hillsong's grand scale and corporate feel can be both impressive and overwhelming, reflecting its status as a mega church.Volunteer Involvement: The church relies heavily on volunteers, highlighting the importance of community involvement in its operations.Sermon Analysis: Pastor Robert Ferguson's sermon emphasized movement and miracles, but raised questions about interpretation and relevance for exvangelicals.Cultural Diversity: The diverse congregation at Hillsong showcases the church's broad appeal and the changing demographics of modern Christianity.Community Connection: Despite the large scale, the sense of community and belonging remains a strong draw for attendees.Comparative Reflections: The visit prompted reflections on past church experiences and the evolution of evangelical practices.Emotional Responses: The service evoked a range of emotions, from nostalgia to skepticism, among those familiar with evangelical culture.Impact on Exvangelicals: The experience highlighted the ongoing influence of mega churches and their role in the faith journeys of those who have left.  ---We're now on video on YouTube here.Want more? Check out our exclusive Patreon episodes here.Our blog is here.Join the conversation and connect with others here.The transcript of this episode is here.All our other links are here. Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone, and Recovering from Religion is here to help.

As everyone in the Z-vatnik community is getting more and more gloomy, Girkin's recent text made me understand how to best formulate how Putin and vatniks see Russia. You have to treat it as a religious entity, and it starts to make a lot more sense.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello media consumers! Bryan and David discuss the NYT's story on Zohran Mamdani and what the point was of running their "scoop" obtained in a hack of Columbia University records, new info on the Epstein files reports there are in fact no files, and new contenders for "Worst Question Ever Asked at the White House" (7:15), before revisiting David Foster Wallace's 2006 piece on Roger Federer entitled, 'Roger Federer as Religious Experience' (22:25). Next Bryan is joined by WSJ's Josh Dawsey to discuss his new book, '2024: How Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America' co-written with Tyler Pager and Isaac Arnsdorf (41:25). Finally David and Bryan reconnect in wake of the new 'Superman' film to discuss Clark Kent the journalist, and for David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline (1:09:10)! Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker Guest: Josh Dawsey Producer: Kye Crichton Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus content most Mondays, bonus episodes every month, ad-free listening, access to the entire 800-episode archive, Discord access, and more: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ In this episode of Straight White American Jesus, Brad sits down with Dr. Ruth Braunstein, professor at Johns Hopkins University and author of My Tax Dollars. Together, they explore an unexpected question: Can paying taxes be a moral act? Far from being a dry civic obligation, Braunstein argues that taxation can serve as a collective ritual—one that reflects our values, builds solidarity, and fuels moral debate. The conversation traces the historical evolution of tax narratives in the U.S., from patriotic propaganda during World War II to the rise of anti-tax movements tied to abortion, war, and distrust in government. They also unpack the cultural shift from taxes as a civic duty to something to be avoided or even bragged about, as seen in Donald Trump's infamous comment on dodging taxes. Throughout the episode, Braunstein sheds light on how Americans' attitudes toward taxation reveal deeper fault lines around democracy, governance, and belonging. Linktree: https://linktr.ee/StraightWhiteJC Order Brad's book: https://bookshop.org/a/95982/9781506482163 Check out BetterHelp and use my code SWA for a great deal: www.betterhelp.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 101. This is the second part of my discussion with Judith Pajo and Zeyneb Sayilgan about living our faiths in America and Germany. While we have all lived in both countries, we practice different faiths, representing the three Abrahamic religions––Judaism, Christianity, and Islam respectively.  In the first part released on 12 June, we discussed our backgrounds, immigration patterns, religious identity and the dynamic of universalism and particularism. In this part, we continue the conversation about the universal and the particular, the problem with identity boxes, and the value or challenge of diversity, before shifting to the issues of the abuse of religion in national efforts to claim power. Bio for Judith:Judith Pajo, PhD, grew up in both Germany and the United States. She studied Catholic theology and cultural anthropology on both sides of the Atlantic and has been teaching at Pace University in New York City. Her new research on interfaith dialogue among Jews, Christians, and Muslims in Europe and North America, conceived a little over a year ago, is transforming her Catholic faith. She is currently working on an article about cultural transgressions in interfaith work. Judith lives in Queens, NY. Links for Judith: Profile at Pace University LinkedIn – Judith Pajo Bio for Zeyneb:Zeyneb Sayilgan, PhD, is the Muslim Scholar at ICJS, The Institute for Islamic, Christian, and Jewish Studies in Baltimore, where her research focuses on Islamic theology and spirituality as articulated in the writings of Muslim scholar Bediüzzaman Said Nursi (1876-1960). She is the host of the Podcast On Being Muslim. You can read her publications on her blog.Links for Zeyneb: On Being Muslim podcastZeyneb's blogICJS website – www.icjs.orgTranscript on BuzzsproutMore episodes about living abroad:Daniel Stein Kokin 'Reinterpreting Jewish Liturgy'Oliver Bradley 'A Jew in Germany'Social Media and other links for Méli:Website – the Talking with God ProjectMeli's emailLinkedIn – Meli SolomonFacebook – Meli SolomonFollow the podcast!The Living Our Beliefs podcast is part of the Talking with God Project.

Episode 100.   For this episode, I've invited two women, Judith Pajo and Zeyneb Sayilgan, for a group discussion about living our faiths in America and Germany. We each have unique patterns of immigration in addition to different religious identities and practice. Judith grew up in both countries as a Catholic, Zeyneb likewise grew up in Germany and is a lifelong Muslim, while I grew up in the US and lived in Germany for nearly nine years, having become a practicing Jew as an adult. In comparing our unique religious experiences in these two countries, we found engaging layers of issues that we hope to further explore.   A small note. Because this conversation was so extensive, I've divided it into two episodes of approximately 30 minutes each. This first part includes discussion of our background, religious identity and the dynamic of universalism and individuality. Part two will be released in two weeks. Bio for Judith:Judith Pajo, PhD, grew up in both Germany and the United States. She studied Catholic theology and cultural anthropology on both sides of the Atlantic and has been teaching at Pace University in New York City. Her new research on interfaith dialogue among Jews, Christians, and Muslims in Europe and North America, conceived a little over a year ago, is transforming her Catholic faith. She is currently working on an article about cultural transgressions in interfaith work. Judith lives in Queens, NY. Links for Judith: Profile at Pace University LinkedIn – Judith Pajo Bio for Zeyneb:Zeyneb Sayilgan, PhD, is the Muslim Scholar at ICJS, The Institute for Islamic, Christian, and Jewish Studies in Baltimore, where her research focuses on Islamic theology and spirituality as articulated in the writings of Muslim scholar Bediüzzaman Said Nursi (1876-1960). She is the host of the Podcast On Being Muslim. You can read her publications on her blog.Links for Zeyneb: On Being Muslim podcastZeyneb's blogICJS website – www.icjs.orgTranscript on BuzzsproutMore episodes about living abroad:Daniel Stein Kokin 'Reinterpreting Jewish Liturgy'Oliver Bradley 'A Jew in Germany'Transcript on BuzzsproutSocial Media and other links for Méli:Website – the Talking with God ProjectMeli's emailLinkedIn – Meli SolomonFacebook – Meli SolomonFollow the podcast!The Living Our Beliefs podcast is part of the Talking with God Project.

This week, Richard Saville-Smith joins Kelly and John to talk about his book Acute Religious Experiences – Madness, Psychosis, and Religious Studies, which was published by Bloomsbury in 2023. Saville-Smith is an independent researcher who focuses on the intersection of madness, mental disorders, and acute religious experiences, from a mad studies perspective. He earned his PhD in Philosophy and Religious Studies from the University of Edinburgh in 2020. They discuss the relatively little-known academic field of mad studies - which seeks to destigmatize and depathologize the concept of madness - and how the fields of psychiatry and religious studies, often operating in conflict with one another, have distorted our understanding of the authenticity of acute religious experiences like the ones described in the lives of Joan of Arc or Jesus. Richard is on Bluesky @dranamorphosis

““Believest thou…?”: Faith, Cognitive Dissonance, and the Psychology of Religious Experience” by Wendy Ulrich at the 2005 FAIR Conference It's an old and frequent spiritual question, and it shows up […] The post Classic FAIR – Faith and Cognitive Dissonance – Wendy Ulrich, 2005 appeared first on FAIR.

What are Adverse Religious Experiences (AREs) and spiritual abuse? Aren't they the same thing as religious trauma? Join Andrew and Laura on this week's episode to discuss AREs, spiritual abuse, dynamics of power and control, how this relates to fundamentalism and how all of this…isn't religious trauma? You heard us correctly!  Andrew and Laura discuss all of this AND how these things can result in religious trauma on this episode of Sunday School Dropouts!This podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @deconstruct_everything Follow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com Hosts: Laura Anderson and Andrew KerbsMusic by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji Editing and Production by Kevin Crowe

Archibald Alexander's Thoughts on Religious Experience stands as a classic in Reformed pastoral theology, offering a penetrating exploration of the inner dynamics of Christian life. Drawing from decades of ministerial experience, Alexander traces the spiritual journey from early convictions and conversion to the trials and consolations of aged believers. With careful attention to the work of the Holy Spirit and the role of Scripture, he examines the diverse patterns of growth, doubt, assurance, and sanctification that mark the believer's pilgrimage. The expanded 1844 edition includes pastoral letters that provide seasoned counsel across generational lines, enriching the book's enduring value for spiritual formation.

“All of this together shaped how I began to think about mind, not as something to be mastered, but as a landscape of the unspoken whether it was ghosts or griefs or desires that were hard to relinquish. I saw that the ghost was not always an ‘other'. It was often intimate, tied to lost ones, sometimes to unmet desires, to unbearable longings, but in some ways possession was an attempt to keep close what was slipping away. The ghost doesn't just haunt, it feels as if it wants something, and we just have to learn to develop ears to listen to what it wants.”  Episode Description: We acknowledge Loewald's concept of 'ghosts becoming ancestors' and consider the similarities and differences with those who hold 'ghosts' to be literal. Shalini shares with us her journey to open herself to the uncertainty and ambiguity of these externalized entities while appreciating both their cultural and intrapsychic sources. We learn of her family's involvement with exorcisms, especially her grandmother's "fearless warmth" and "empathy that saw beyond the terror of the ghosts." She considers the many facets of mind that are represented by 'ghosts' and the essential value of approaching them as guides to the "landscape of the unspoken." Shalini describes a long term engagement that she had with an individual who "taught me to receive the inchoate and horrific...to contain the brokenness and not interpret it away.. and to appreciate the glimpses of beauty in the most grotesque parts of self."   Our Guest: Shalini Masih, a psychoanalytic psychotherapist and writer, grew up in India amidst priests and healers, witnessing spirit possession and exorcism. Now based in Worcestershire, UK, she holds a Master's degree in Psychoanalytic Studies from Tavistock & Portman, London, and a PhD from the University of Delhi. Mentored by psychoanalysts Michael Eigen and Sudhir Kakar, she's an award-winning scholar of the American Psychological Association. She has taught and supervised psychoanalytic psychotherapists in Ambedkar University, Delhi and in Birkbeck, University of London. Her acclaimed paper, 'Devil! Sing me the Blues', was nominated for Gradiva Awards in 2020. Her debut book is Psychoanalytic Conversations with States of Spirit Possession: Beauty in Brokenness.  Recommended Readings: Kakar, Sudhir. Shamans, mystics, and doctors: A psychological inquiry into India and its healing traditions. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1991.   Kakar, Sudhir. Mad and Divine. India: Penguin Books India, 2008.   Eigen, Michael. “On Demonized Aspects of the Self” In The Electrified Tightrope. Routledge. 2018.   Kumar, Mansi, Dhar Anup & Mishra, Anurag. Psychoanalysis from the Indian Terroir: Emerging Themes in Culture, Family, and Childhood. New York:Lexington Books, 2018.   Meltzer, Donald, and Williams, Meg H. The apprehension of beauty: The role of aesthetic conflict in development, art and violence. Karnac, London: The Harris Meltzer Trust, 2008.   Obeyesekere, Gananath. Medusa's Hair: An Essay on Personal Symbols and Religious Experience. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1981.   Ogden, Thomas. This Art of Psychoanalysis—Dreaming Undreamt Dreams and Interrupted Cries. East Sussex: Routledge, 2005   Botella, Cesar, and Botella, Sara. The Work of Psychic Figurability: Mental States without Representation. Brunner-Routledge. Taylor and Francis Group: Hove and New York. 2005.   Winnicott. Donald W. “Transitional objects and transitional phenomena.”  International Journal of Psycho-Analysis, 34, (1953): 89–97

Andrew Callaghan opens up about faith, death, and the search for meaning with Patrick Bet-David. From childhood beliefs to losing a puppy, the conversation turns deep. They explore religion, Iran, dogs in heaven, and the evolving journey of finding your spiritual identity.

This series focuses on Harold Begbie's book Life Changers. Published in 1922 it describes key elements in Frank Buchman's program of radical change from which AA drew so many of its principles and practices. Studying the source material for the 12-Steps can give us insights into the transformational process the Group was trying to achieve both in individuals and in nations. They can prove invaluable to anyone whose recovery has lost its “zing” or to individuals unable to recover because of a “watered down” recovery approach. Fr. Bill focuses on chapters 3 through 9 of Life Changers drawing broadly from the stories of some who attended the 1922 house party and the elements that helped bring about their change. Show notes: Life Changers:https://www.amazon.com/Life-Changers-13th-Harold-Begbie/dp/1439232067War of the Gods in Addiction by David Schoen:https://www.amazon.com/War-Gods-Addiction-David-Schoen/dp/1882670574Varieties of Religious Experience by William James (free / pdf version)https://csrs.nd.edu/assets/59930/williams_1902.pdf

For our April episode on books, we, the CPT staff, have been reading:CR Wiley, In the House of Tom Bombadil (2021)Ryan Holiday, The Obstacle Is the Way (2014)Percival Everett, James (2024)Harold Netland, Religious Experience and the Knowledge of God (2022)Exiles in Babylon

A new Craftwork episode featuring a conversation with John Kaag, a philosopher and author who is also now the co-founder and chief creative officer of Rebind, a company that creates interactive reading experiences using AI and featuring leading authors and scholars like Margaret Atwood, Clancy Martin, John Banville, Roxane Gay, Deepak Chopra, and others. Kaag is professor of Philosophy at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. Kaag specializes in American philosophy and is the Donohue Professor of Ethics and the Arts at UMass Lowell, External Professor at the Santa Fe Institute and Advisor at Outlier.org. In February 2023, Kaag delivered the lecture "William James and the Sick Soul" for Harvard Divinity School's William James Lectures on Religious Experience series. He lives in Carlisle, MA with his wife, Kathleen, and their two children. *** Otherppl with Brad Listi is a weekly literary podcast featuring in-depth interviews with today's leading writers. Available where podcasts are available: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, etc. Subscribe to Brad Listi's email newsletter. Support the show on Patreon Merch Instagram  TikTok Bluesky Email the show: letters [at] otherppl [dot] com The podcast is a proud affiliate partner of Bookshop, working to support local, independent bookstores. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices