Saved by the City

Brian Zahnd, founder and lead pastor of Word of Life Church, dives into the complexities of atonement theories, particularly penal substitutionary atonement. He discusses the ongoing debate about the meaning of Jesus' death and resurrection, urging listeners to reconsider traditional views. The conversation explores various interpretations, including the emphasis on God's love and the significance of storytelling in faith. Zahnd encourages a deeper engagement with Easter traditions and highlights the importance of sacramental participation in Christianity.

Chappell Roan says all her friends with kids are in hell. A popular subreddit asks "does anyone else just… not like kids?" A crowd of the usual suspects — pro-natalists, theo bros and mom influencers — pounce on these examples to decry our increasingly "anti-kid" and "childless cat lady" culture. Is this just a recycled generational debate — feminists vs homemakers but this time on TikTok — or is there something new going on here? Are some women (and men too, though maybe to less pearl clutching) just saying the quiet part out loud? That parenthood is really hard and changes your life, not always in super positive ways. That kids can be difficult to handle in public places. Or is this a true shift in public thinking — toward a less kid inclusive world? Katelyn and Roxy explore these questions and look at the evidence (data dump, anyone?), as we also ask: What role do children play in the Church and in Christian life? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you know there are piles of guidebooks meant to help women excel at being the church's first lady? From how to step out of a car when pulling up to church on Sunday, to preparing the perfect casserole, to keeping the kids smiling and still in the front pew. And those dirty dishes in the sink? They could be the talk of the lady's luncheon if you're not careful. On this episode, Katelyn and Roxy dig into the pile of expectations put on pastor's wives — and the idea that his ministry must be her ministry.As a woman newly wed to a priest, Roxy wonders what those expectations mean for her — and which parts of this role to lean into and which to resist. And Katelyn ... well, Katelyn has some new reasons to care too (listen to find out!). We talk with historian Beth Allison Barr about why the role of pastor's wife has evolved in many denominations to be the primary path of ministry for some women.Plus: The Millennial Girl Boss's Guide to Being the Pastor's Wife (as cringe as you'd expect!)GUEST: Beth Allison Barr is the James Vardaman Professor of History at Baylor University. She is the author of the New York Times bestselling book, "Becoming the Pastor’s Wife: How Marriage Replaced Ordination as a Woman’s Path to Ministry," as well as, "The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth." She is a pastor’s wife and mom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Ross Douthat, a New York Times columnist and author, as he dives into the mystical and metaphysical. He argues that skepticism has overshadowed our understanding of the spiritual. The discussion touches on the persistence of mystical experiences and the allure of supernatural beliefs. Ross emphasizes the importance of committing to a single religious tradition for spiritual growth and warns of the dangers that accompany solitary spiritual explorations. He intriguingly parallels UFO lore with fairy encounters, revealing a complex supernatural landscape.

Katelyn and Roxy both moved to New York City with a dream of starting fresh and the promise of a new life with new adventures, new friends and new romance. And, to be honest, New York delivered on pretty much all of that. It's a great city! But it's not the only city — and moving here cost us too. Money, yes, but also stability and roots and proximity to long-time friends. We've both moved from city to city over the years, and we've gained gifts in each but we've also come to realize that age-old truth: wherever you go, there you are. On this episode, we explore the benefits of staying put and putting down roots — even as we celebrate our nomadic adventures. We are joined by Methodist minister and author Lydia Sohn who helps us see the spiritual roots of making home.GUEST: Lydia Sohn is a minister and a writer, currently serving as the senior pastor of Walnut United Methodist Church and the author of "Here: A Spirituality of Staying in a Culture of Leaving." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Were you more of a truth person or a dare person? On this episode, Katelyn and Roxy revisit some of the Capital T-truths of their youth group days and dare to say "maybe I don't believe that anymore." From hell to dinosaurs to midnight demons, we go there. And we're joined by Erin Hicks Moon, who isn’t afraid to ask the big, thorny questions about modern faith. Questions like: What if this whole Christian thing is just a man-made system used to control people? Why does it feel like so many Christians have lost their ding-dang minds? And, when is the Mexican Pizza coming back on the Taco Bell menu?Chapter Markers0:00 - Do You Know Where You’re Going? (And Why We All Panicked)3:10 - Truth or Dare: Evangelical Edition7:00 - What’s the Most Embarrassing Dare You’ve Done?9:49 - Asking Big Questions: What If None of This Is Real?12:47 - The Fear of Hell & Writing to Brio Magazine15:57 - Rapture Trauma: The Ultimate Sleep Paralysis Demon18:00 - The Bible, Dinosaurs, and Why We Were That Kid at Church Camp22:17 - If God Is Good, Why Is the World So Messed Up?26:39 - Evangelicals and the Fear of Questioning Faith30:34 - Erin Moon Joins to Talk About I've Got Questions36:12 - Why Have So Many Christians Lost Their Minds?40:47 - The Biggest Shift in Faith Since Our Youth Group Days46:17 - What If Asking Questions Breaks Your Faith?50:55 - Where to Go When You Don’t Know What You Believe54:42 - Most Googled Questions of All Time (And Our Best Guesses)55:47 - Outro & What’s Coming Next👉 Subscribe for more bold conversations on faith, doubt, and the lives we build.Instagram, TikTok, YouTube: @savedbythecity Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's toxic. It's sinful. It's compassion corrupted. It's ruining the world and is definitely at the root of all the bad things. What is this fresh evil? Empathy, of course! Or so says a growing faction of Christians with very loud voices. On this first episode of a brand new season, Katelyn and Roxy try to trace this argument back to its roots and figure out how a trait that seems so virtuous — so Christian — became the bogeyman for a new movement of conservative evangelicals.Plus: a sickness story swap and the punishing timeline nobody asked for. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Core memory: flipping the Bible open to a random page, pointing with eyes closed to a verse, and "claiming" that verse as God's answer to the particular problem of that day. Whew. Where did we get that idea? On this episode, Katelyn and Roxy dig into those formative experiences with the Bible, many of them shaped by an evangelical approach to Bible reading and interpretation. We reflect on why Bible reading has become so complicated (even triggering?) as adults. What would it take to approach the Bible afresh — or, at least, with curiosity? We are joined by author and theologian Kaitlyn Schiess who offers some perspective on the use and abuse of the Bible in the public square, as well as some wisdom for when you want to pick the Good Book up again. Plus, listener Rachel shares her own grown up journey of learning to love the Bible.GUEST: Kaitlyn Schiess is a doctoral student at Duke Divinity School studying political theology, ethics, and biblical interpretation. She is most recently the author of "The Ballot and the Bible: How Scripture Has Been Used and Abused in American Politics and Where We Go from Here." She is a frequent co-host at the Holy Post podcast and host of Curiously Kaitlyn. Rachel! A listener of SBTC who emailed us to share her own story! We love it - we want more of it! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gather 'round with your marshmallows and cups of cheer, it's that time of year to send good tidings and spiced takes. No, that's not a typo, though maybe you can have your cake and eat it too with this year's roasts and toasts. Did you embrace the barrel leg and the ballet flat? Are you pro-pigmy hippo or did you mute baby Moo Deng? And what about the end of Bennifer (again)? Katelyn and Roxy are joined by their first ever co-host, the extra zingy Tiffany Bluhm, as we up vote and down vote our way through the most important cultural phenomena of the year of our Lord, two thousand and twenty four.GUEST: Tiffany Bluhm is an author, speaker, and podcaster with two books under her belt: “The Women We’ve Been Waiting For: A 40-Day Devotional for Self-Care, Resilience, and Communal Flourishing", and "Prey Tell: Why We Silence Women Who Tell the Truth and How Everyone Can Speak Up." Tiffany also serves as executive director of PAX, which provides mentoring and vocational development for Christians of color. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The days are getting short. The nights are getting long. Christ has come but he'll also come again. We're in the now and the not yet. We're waiting, preparing, standing guard. Y'all it's Advent. And this year, we are living that limbo life. Katelyn and Roxy explore the lessons of Advent for those in between seasons and how to live with intentionality when you're not sure what's next. Stephanie Duncan Smith joins the show to share some of her reflections on life through the lens of the liturgical calendar.Plus: Is there an enneagram type for every liturgical season?GUEST: Stephanie Duncan Smith  is a senior editor for HarperOne and the author of "Even After Everything: The Spiritual Practice of Knowing the Risks and Loving Anyway." She is also the creator of Slant Letter, a Substack for writers who want to deepen their craft and do it in style. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices