Utterly Heretical

How did Revelation impact you? Were you traumatized by maybe getting spit out of the mouth of God like Nate & Shelby? Listeners in the Facebook group are asking for a series on Revelation, so we brainstorm what that series could look like. Also, we give an update on the baby.

In this episode, Nate and Shelby unpack a young competitor's apologetics speech from the conservative homeschool speech league featured in "Shiny Happy People." The speaker argues that God must punish every sin to be just. Join us as we challenge this traditional view and discuss its implications for the future of faith and justice.

Do pastors not know that Paul didn't write all the things attributed to him? Are they trying to hide it from us? What's going on?

Is Heaven meant to be perfect? Was the original creation in Genesis perfect? What is the difference between good and perfect? We delve into these topics as we discuss what we used to think about the creation story found in Genesis and how that has changed.

We visit a beautiful benedictine abbey near our home and talk about what we used to think about Catholicism. We talk about the good and the bad. We also talk about what aspects of our own faith we miss or are worth trying to hang on to.

In this Utterly Heretical episode, Nate and Shelby flip open the Bible to three random passages and share their thoughts on them. Join them as they discuss how unanswered prayer led them away from trusting God, the damaging belief that we're only God's friend if we do what he says, and their past experiences with the Holy Spirit and how they navigate those in deconstruction. Tune in for a thoughtful and honest conversation about these topics.

In this Utterly Heretical episode, Nate and Shelby flip open the Bible to three random passages and share their thoughts on them. Join them as they discuss how unanswered prayer led them away from trusting God, the damaging belief that we're only God's friend if we do what he says, and their past experiences with the Holy Spirit and how they navigate those in deconstruction. Tune in for a thoughtful and honest conversation about these topics.

We answer a patron question and explore the challenges and complexities of speaking your truth, offering practical tips for navigating difficult conversations with friends and family. Tune in for insights and advice on finding common ground with those who hold different beliefs, maintaining healthy relationships during times of change, and more.

In this episode, we listen to a random sermon from a random church and discuss the negative effects of shame-based theology. The sermon left us feeling inadequate and unworthy, prompting us to explore the damaging impact of messages that reinforce the belief that we are "not good enough." Through our conversation, we offer insight into how to move beyond shame and cultivate a more compassionate and empowering faith.

New segment: "Reconstruct _______". New segment: "Reconstruct _______". Join us as we explore the concept of daily devotionals and ask whether there are elements of the 'quiet time' experience worth reconstructing. Through honest conversation, we offer practical tips for cultivating a more authentic connection with your faith, whether you're in the midst of deconstruction or simply seeking a more meaningful spiritual practice.

We sing worship songs and share thoughts and feelings. What was good? What was bad? How can we think about them now. A bunch of nostalgia and catchy melodies mixed with real discussion about good/bad theology.

Join us for a fascinating episode where we flip open the Bible to random verses and unpack some challenging stories. From Herod the killing of children in Matthew, the strange tale in Judges, to the persistent widow, we explore how we used to view these stories and how we see them now. Listen in for insights and reflections on these complex biblical narratives. Don't miss out on this thought-provoking conversation!

In a world of online debates, how do we respond when others disagree with our beliefs? Shelby's article on the Bible as a collection of texts sparked some pushback, and in this Utterly Heretical episode, we dive into how to engage in constructive conversations with those who have differing views. Join us for insights on navigating these challenging discussions.

Join us as we flip our bibles to 3 random passages and share our honest and thought-provoking responses. From challenging passages to controversial topics, you won't want to miss our unfiltered discussion.

Struggling with the idea of going back to church after COVID? Or maybe you're not sure if church is for you at all. In this episode, we explore the reasons why people leave or stay in church, and offer tips for creating a meaningful spiritual practice beyond Sunday mornings.

Many people who have left Christianity are angry at the Church, usually for good reasons: abuse, hypocrisy, toxic relationships, etc. Or maybe they’re angry at God for allowing such massive injustices and suffering in the world. Either way, that anger is often used as a way to write off the person. Sure, anger can sometimes blind us. But anger can also be one of the greatest tools for recognizing what is wrong. Whether angry or not, my questions are valid.

In this episode, we address the misconception that deconstructing your faith is taking the easy way out. We explore the emotional and spiritual turmoil that comes with questioning long-held beliefs and how it can actually be harder than just going along with the status quo. We also dive into the idea of culture and how it's not always a bad thing to question the norms. Tune in to discover the complexity and nuance of deconstruction.

If we've questioned or left our faith, does that mean it was never "real"? Do we have to discredit all of those experiences? Could the experience have been real and really lead us to a place outside of orthodox Christianity? Matt Chandler recently said that if you really experienced Jesus, then that's really hard to deconstruct. Nate and Shelby share from their experiences to share otherwise.

If we've questioned or left our faith, does that mean it was never "real"? Do we have to discredit all of those experiences? Could the experience have been real and really lead us to a place outside of orthodox Christianity? Matt Chandler recently said that if you really experienced Jesus, then that's really hard to deconstruct. Nate and Shelby share from their experiences to share otherwise.

Nate responds to being listed on the Exvangelical Wikipedia page. Does Nate resonate with the term? Shelby and Nate talk about John Cooper of Skillet calling deconstruction "a false religion". And we talk about how to deconstruct without being a jerk.

Is there a translation of the Bible that most accurately reflects the original texts? What even are the original texts? Did Jesus actually say the words in red? Why do Bible translations have to be approved by a committee, and who is on the committee? Are there things that simply cannot be translated?

Nate and Shelby share how their past ministry was so focused on hell and reasons they couldn't keep believing in it.

Nate and Tim have a mini-debate about how prevalent it is that a pastor abuses their power. Does it happen a lot, more than in the world, or does "ignore your feelings" type of theology just create a breeding ground for abuse? We chat about it all.

You've probably heard christians say "There's nothing good in me apart from Christ." Is that true? How do we know right from wrong? How do we hear from God?

Looking at history, are Christian's the last ones to get on board with progress or are they the leaders in change? Is the Bible holding some back from making progress? Why do some christians refuse to look at science and data? Nate and Tim talk about all of this, as well as the Jetsons, autonomous vehicles, the Large Hadron Collider, abolitionists, #metoo and #churchtoo.

A man after God's own heart... What does that mean? Often Christian's lift up David as the example for what a godly human looks like, but is that dangerous? Men's bible study books are all about the life of King David (I'm looking at you, John Eldredge... wild at heart), but that's missing the point. Also, lots of the religious right's support for Donald Trump comes from a misunderstanding of how the bible elevates David. Let's explore.

How do we come to change our mind on topics and ideas? What is the next issue that will require brave people to go out front and champion the cause? We discuss all of this right after our chat with Hillary McBride.

Have you ever heard someone pray for a hedge of protection around someone? Tim talks about where this came from, as Nate and Tim both argue about how high they pictured the hedge being.

How do Tim and Nate actually pray? Why is it so difficult after deconstruction? We talk honestly about our practices.