Religion on the Mind

Author and researcher Ryan Burge discusses the plateau of 'nones' in America, polarization into conservative and liberal groups, challenges facing mainline Protestantism, and the importance of exposing children to diverse viewpoints in religious settings.

Returning guest and psychologist of religion Daryl Van Tongeren (Hope College) and I discuss his new book "Done: How to Flourish After Leaving Religion,” a book that is also quite helpful for those remaining in faith communities after changing beliefs/deconstructing, etc. We explore the concept of "religious residue": how religion continues to impact the way we think, feel, and act even after leaving faith. We discussed the complexity of deconversion and why leaving faith can be so challenging and time-consuming, especially when finding community. This was a rich and insightful conversation, and will hopefully be encouraging to anyone navigating the tumultuous waters of religious change.Highlights:04:16 Difficulties of Leaving Religion12:11 The Great Disillusionment: Reasons for Leaving Religion/Deconstruction26:45 Religious Residue and Crafting a New Identity36:36 Navigating Isolation55:40 Finding a New CommunityDaryl's Book | Done: How to Flourish After Leaving Religion by Darrell Van TongrenDaryl's WebsiteEpisodes with Daryl:Episode 195: “You Are Not Your Beliefs”Episode 177: “The Good of Religion Without the Bad?"___________________________________________Get Tickets for Theology Beer Camp 2024Use Code ReturnofYHP for $50 off your ticket!___________________________________________Follow Dan on IG: www.instagram.com/dancoke/Or Twitter: twitter.com/DanKochFaith deconstruction resources: www.soyouredeconstructing.com/Edited by Josh Gilbert (joshgilbertmedia.com -- he is accepting more work!)Email about the "sliding scale" for the Patreon: youhavepermissionpodcast@gmail.comYHP Patron-only FB group: tinyurl.com/ycvbbf98Website: www.dankochwords.com/yhp.htmlJoin Dan's email list: www.dankochwords.com/Artwork by sprungle.co/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matt and Max from Milkless are back! We pick up our conversation on belief and the meaning of life that we started in episode #271.After exploring the potential downsides of belief without proof (i.e. conspiracy theories) and the psychology behind how and why we believe, we chatted about the meaning of life. We grappled with the nature of meaning itself, expressing both panentheistic views of God and naturalistic explanations of existence. We also talked through how finely-tuned the universe is and debated the validity of intelligent design.We didn't solve any universal mysteries, but enjoyed a respectful, thought-provoking conversation about the biggest questions of our existence. Milkless PodcastMilkless Podcast on IGHighlights:02:56 Belief in a higher power08:07 Our need for meaning11:56 Conspiracy theories and conservative religion19:05 Spirituality with or without religion25:12 The universe and intelligent design___________________________________________Get Tickets for Theology Beer Camp 2024Use Code ReturnofYHP for $50 off your ticket!___________________________________________Follow Dan on IG: www.instagram.com/dancoke/Or Twitter: twitter.com/DanKochFaith deconstruction resources: www.soyouredeconstructing.com/Edited by Josh Gilbert (joshgilbertmedia.com -- he is accepting more work!)Join the Patreon for exclusive episodes (and more) every month: patreon.com/dankochEmail about the "sliding scale" for the Patreon: youhavepermissionpodcast@gmail.comYHP Patron-only FB group: tinyurl.com/ycvbbf98Website: www.dankochwords.com/yhp.htmlJoin Dan's email list: www.dankochwords.com/Artwork by sprungle.co/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I’m kicking off a new series exploring the intersection of comedy, religion, and spirituality!My first guest is Ryan Erwin, a gay ex-Mormon missionary turned clean comic. We talk about his idyllic Mormon childhood in Utah, his departure from Mormonism and exploration of other faiths, his introduction to comedy, and how he has ultimately found spiritual fulfillment in nature and everyday activities.I appreciated Ryan’s humor, warmth, and grounded perspective, hearing how he finds meaning outside traditional religious structures, as well as how his comedy can be a vehicle for exploring profound, sometimes uncomfortable truths about faith and identity.Highlights:08:37 “Religious Residue”22:12 The Power of Storytelling33:18 Leaving Mormonism and Pursuing Comedy45:03 Finding Spirituality in Nature and the Present Moment57:06 Living in the Here and Now: Embracing New ExperiencesRyan's InstagramRyan's WebsiteDry Bar Comedy Specials: Dry Bar Comedy - Ryan Erwin___________________________________________Get Tickets for Theology Beer Camp 2024Use Code ReturnofYHP for $50 off your ticket!___________________________________________Follow Dan on IG: www.instagram.com/dancoke/Or Twitter: twitter.com/DanKochFaith deconstruction resources: www.soyouredeconstructing.com/Edited by Josh Gilbert (joshgilbertmedia.com -- he is accepting more work!)Join the Patreon for exclusive episodes (and more) every month: patreon.com/dankochEmail about the "sliding scale" for the Patreon: youhavepermissionpodcast@gmail.comYHP Patron-only FB group: tinyurl.com/ycvbbf98Website: www.dankochwords.com/yhp.htmlJoin Dan's email list: www.dankochwords.com/Artwork by sprungle.co/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When we have spiritual experiences with things like worship music, is that the Holy Spirit moving? Or, as Tim Whitaker (The New Evangelicals) claimed in a viral Instagram meme, is it “just the drums”? Can it be both?Tim and Sarah Lane Ritchie return to discuss these ideas, Tim’s experiences as a worship drummer, “spiritual technologies” like worship music, the potential harm of conflating these experiences with “God,” the role of such experiences in the life of faith, and more. Watch this Episode on YouTube:https://youtu.be/qMTeohCkEDATim's Viral Drums Reel:https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6PhVL6OlDG/?igsh=eDdhZjFoMjI2NjJ1The New Evangelicals Podcast:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-new-evangelicals-podcast/id1557794865thenewevangelicals.comSarah's Faculty Page:https://www.templeton.org/team-member/sarah-lane-ritchie-ph-dSarah's Twitter:@slaneritchie___________________________________________Get Tickets for Theology Beer Camp 2024Use Code ReturnofYHP for $50 off your ticket!___________________________________________Follow Dan on IG: www.instagram.com/dancoke/Or Twitter: twitter.com/DanKochFaith deconstruction resources: www.soyouredeconstructing.com/Edited by Josh Gilbert (joshgilbertmedia.com -- he is accepting more work!)Join the Patreon for exclusive episodes (and more) every month: patreon.com/dankochEmail about the "sliding scale" for the Patreon: youhavepermissionpodcast@gmail.comYHP Patron-only FB group: tinyurl.com/ycvbbf98Website: www.dankochwords.com/yhp.htmlJoin Dan's email list: www.dankochwords.com/Artwork by sprungle.co/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tyson Motsenbocker returns to help Dan answer if he is being followed by a handful of AI-generated bot Instagram accounts. Could they be Russians? Why is Avis so interested in her son Jason and “knitting small bees”? Are we in an “uncanny valley” yet with AI content? Tyson on InstagramWhere the Waves Turn Back BookTyson's Website___________________________________________Get Tickets for Theology Beer Camp 2024Use Code ReturnofYHP for $50 off your ticket!___________________________________________Follow Dan on IG: www.instagram.com/dancoke/Or Twitter: twitter.com/DanKochFaith deconstruction resources: www.soyouredeconstructing.com/Edited by Josh Gilbert (joshgilbertmedia.com -- he is accepting more work!)Join the Patreon for exclusive episodes (and more) every month: patreon.com/dankochEmail about the "sliding scale" for the Patreon: youhavepermissionpodcast@gmail.comYHP Patron-only FB group: tinyurl.com/ycvbbf98Website: www.dankochwords.com/yhp.htmlJoin Dan's email list: www.dankochwords.com/Artwork by sprungle.co/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Milkless Podcast co-hosts, Max Valverde and Matt Naylor, discuss the benefits and costs of religion and spirituality in raising kids. They explore the difference between specific truth claims about God and theopoetic framings promoting human flourishing. The conversation delves into beliefs, ethics, finding comfort in music, and respectful engagement in diverse beliefs.

Finally, a long chat with indie Christian musician John Mark McMillan! John Mark started out firmly in the mainstream Christian world but has been gradually exploring more complex and nuanced expressions of faith (and doubt!) through his art. We discussed his early life on a Christian commune, what it's like to be a recording artist wrestling with deep questions of faith and doubt, and whether a doubting faith is actually more faithful than one laced with certainty. We got into meaning-making, suffering, and the audacity of hope in an imperfect world. In other words, it was great.Watch this Episode on YouTube:https://youtu.be/PcWpzObjGK4John Mark's WebsiteJohn Mark McMillan on SpotifyResources Mentioned:Hunting the Divine Fox: An Introduction to the Language of TheologyViktor Frankl's Book: A Man's Search for Meaning___________________________________________Get Tickets for Theology Beer Camp 2024Use Code ReturnofYHP for $50 off your ticket!___________________________________________Follow Dan on IG: www.instagram.com/dancoke/Or Twitter: twitter.com/DanKochFaith deconstruction resources: www.soyouredeconstructing.com/Edited by Josh Gilbert (joshgilbertmedia.com -- he is accepting more work!)Join the Patreon for exclusive episodes (and more) every month: patreon.com/dankochEmail about the "sliding scale" for the Patreon: youhavepermissionpodcast@gmail.comYHP Patron-only FB group: tinyurl.com/ycvbbf98Website: www.dankochwords.com/yhp.htmlJoin Dan's email list: www.dankochwords.com/Artwork by sprungle.co/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How many times has someone told you that you have to watch The Chosen, the smash hit TV series depicting the life of Jesus?My buddy Jeff Martin and I break down season 1, episode 2 & 3, reacting to all manner of interesting details from my own liberal Christian therapist perspective and Jeff’s more moderate Evangelical lens.We get into: Shabbat and Shabbat dinner Conversion experiences and their psychological, social, and spiritual aspects depiction of Jesus' interactions with children and his characterization I’m very curious how much appetite there is for continuing with episodes like this, so please check it out and let me know what you think!**Watch this episode on YouTube**https://youtu.be/3ViFnTp7Des___________________________________________Get Tickets for Theology Beer Camp 2024Use Code ReturnofYHP for $50 off your ticket!___________________________________________Follow Dan on IG: www.instagram.com/dancoke/Or Twitter: twitter.com/DanKochFaith deconstruction resources: www.soyouredeconstructing.com/Edited by Josh Gilbert (joshgilbertmedia.com -- he is accepting more work!)Join the Patreon for exclusive episodes (and more) every month: patreon.com/dankochEmail about the "sliding scale" for the Patreon: youhavepermissionpodcast@gmail.comYHP Patron-only FB group: tinyurl.com/ycvbbf98Website: www.dankochwords.com/yhp.htmlJoin Dan's email list: www.dankochwords.com/Artwork by sprungle.co/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sarah McCammon, NPR journalist and author of "The Exvangelicals," shares her journey out of evangelical Christianity, including her pivotal relationship with her non-religious gay grandfather.We explore how journalism provided Sarah with a space to question and how my work in therapy also demands openness to evidence. We covered the impact of the Trump era on evangelicalism and the earlier Emergent movement led by figures like Rob Bell and Rachel Held Evans.We delve into the evangelical subculture's "parallel institutions" and their role in fostering distrust of mainstream institutions. Finally, we reflect on our wariness of echo chambers and the value we now place on viewpoint diversity and factual specificity.Watch this Episode on YouTube:https://youtu.be/Kl0cr4MZaBISarah’s Book “The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church”:https://www.amazon.com/Exvangelicals-Loving-Living-Leaving-Evangelical/dp/1250284473Sarah’s SubstackDepolarize! PodcastReconstruct Podcast___________________________________________Get Tickets for Theology Beer Camp 2024Use Code ReturnofYHP for $50 off your ticket!___________________________________________Follow Dan on IG: www.instagram.com/dancoke/Or Twitter: twitter.com/DanKochFaith deconstruction resources: www.soyouredeconstructing.com/Edited by Josh Gilbert (joshgilbertmedia.com -- he is accepting more work!)Join the Patreon for exclusive episodes (and more) every month: patreon.com/dankochEmail about the "sliding scale" for the Patreon: youhavepermissionpodcast@gmail.comYHP Patron-only FB group: tinyurl.com/ycvbbf98Website: www.dankochwords.com/yhp.htmlJoin Dan's email list: www.dankochwords.com/Artwork by sprungle.co/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices