Theology Jam
By Theology Jam
Contact us at theologyjam@gmail.com
Theology JamApr 11, 2024
Ep. 51: The Atonement
Why did Jesus die? This question has challenged theologians for centuries. In this episode, Jon and Matthew jam on the nature of Jesus' death.
Ep. 50: MAID
*Warning* The following episode deals with the topic of suicide.
In this episode, Jon and Matthew discuss the challenging topic of MAID, its concerning implications for the mentally ill and impoverished, and how to think theologically about this complicated issue.
Ep. 49: Interview with Steve from Teen Challenge
*Warning* The following episode discusses drug abuse and sexual assault.
In this episode, Steve St. Denis discusses his addiction recovery and how God used Teen Challenge to bring healing into his life.
If you need help with drug addiction, please seek professional help. For more about Teen Challenge, visit https://www.teenchallenge.ca/.
Ep. 48: Does the Church Fail Young Adults?
Shannon and Aiden join the podcast and discuss their experiences as young adults in the church.
Ep. 47: Does the Church Fail Women?
In this episode, Jon and Matthew discuss the failure of the church to embrace women's leadership and how this has harmed not only women but the church in general.
Ep. 46: The Book of Revelation
In this episode, Jon and Matthew discuss the book of Revelation and how its misunderstanding has caused many problems within the church.
To learn more about Jon's current series on Revelation, visit www.villagegreenchurch.com.
Ep. 45: AI and the Church
Happy New Year!
Lately, it feels as though robots are taking over the world. What are the implications of AI for the church? What are the ethical implications for society? Should we be afraid? Excited? Concerned? Hopeful? In what will likely be one episode of many, Jon and Matthew talk about technology and faith.
Ep. 44: A Christmas Reflection
Merry Christmas from us both! In this episode, we discuss the theological depth of a baby born in a manger and how Christmas relates to the whole of humanity.
Ep: 43: Interview with John Atkinson from Compassion Canada
We were glad to sit down and chat with John Atkinson, the Regional Relationship Manager at Compassion Canada. In this episode, we talk about the vision and operation of Compassion to release children from poverty in Jesus' name.
Compassion Canada has been named by Charity Intelligence as one of Canada’s Top 100 Charities. Compassion Canada consistently receives a 5-star rating from the charity watchdog, which evaluates charities based on results, costs and impact. For more information, visit compassion.ca.
Ep 42: Interview with Kent Weber
Jon and Matthew sit down with Kent Weber about his experiences at Oxford and the recent release of Surprised by Oxford, a film based on his wife's memoir of the same name.
https://www.surprisedbyoxford.movie/
Contact us at: theologyjam@gmail.com
Ep 41: Protests in Canada
Recently, a mass protest occurred in Canada against sexual education curriculums in schools. In this episode, Jon and Matthew try to tackle the subject from various angles and raise some perspectives to become more empathetic to one another.
*Warning: This episode deals with mature subject matter.
Contact us at: theologyjam@gmail.com
Ep 40: What's the Deal with the Rapture?
Jon and Matthew tackle some eschatology and discuss the problems and consequences of believing in the rapture.
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Ep 39: Interview with Barry Slauenwhite of CCNL
Jon and Matthew sit down with Barry Slauenwhite, the Christian Churches Network London executive director about his faith journey and what God is doing in the city of London.
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CCNL: https://www.ccnl.org/
Jon's Website
Ep 38: Is There Hope for the Church?
The church has had some low moments lately. In this episode, Jon and Matthew ask: Is there hope for the church?
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Ep 37: Interview with Rielly McLaren
Trigger Warning: This episode deals with drug abuse, sexual assault, violence, and trauma.
Rielly McLaren is a pastor at Windsor Mennonite Fellowship and community chaplain to ex-offenders and their families through St. Leonard’s House in Windsor, Ontario. In this episode, Rielly shares his life story and about his ministry as a pastor and chaplain. We discuss issues of justice, harm, redemption, and ways the church can improve its mission of reconciliation.
Windsor Mennonite Fellowship: https://windsormenno.ca/
St. Leonard's House Windsor: https://www.stleonardswindsor.com/
Contact us at: theologyjam@gmail.com
Ep 36: Fundamentalist Reconstructionism in Canada
In this episode, Jon and Matthew respond to a CBC article detailing the rising fundamentalist movement in Canada.
CBC article: https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/fundamentalist-christian-movement-1.6793677
Contact us at: theologyjam@gmail.com
Ep 35: What Is Bothering Us?
In this episode, Jon and Matthew jam away at the question: What is Bothering Us?
Episode 34: Interview with Jared Vander Meulen from Open Doors Canada
Jared Vander Meulen is a Social Media and Digital Communications specialist for Open Doors Canada, an organization supporting persecuted Christians worldwide. In this episode, Jared explains the nature of Christian persecution and how the church in Canada can help Christians suffering for their faith. For more information and to get informed and involved, visit https://www.opendoorscanada.org/.
Contact us at: theologyjam@gmail.com
Episode 33: Interview with Marion from Faith99.9
In this episode, Jon and Matthew interview afternoon radio host Marion from Faith99.9 about her journey into radio and the impact Christian radio has on the city of London.
For more information about Faith99.9 and to explore their resources, visit https://faith999.ca/.
Contact us at: theologyjam@gmail.com
Episode 32: Ecotheology
What is the relationship between theology and the environment? In this episode, Jon and Matthew discuss why the church should care for our world and the dangers certain theologies cause our planet.
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Episode 31: Interview with Village Green Staff
Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes at a church? In this episode, we are joined by Julianne Breen and Noreen Spruyt, who are Jon's fellow staff members at Village Green Community Church.
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Episode 30: Faith and Science
One of the seemingly endless cultural battles is the topic of faith and science. Jon and Matthew share their experiences of science in the church and propose ways through the conflict.
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Episode 29: Evangelism
In this episode, Jon and Matthew respond to a question about the usage and ethics of evangelism.
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Episode 28: The Afterlife
One of the most complicated challenges in life is losing a loved one. For Christians, losing someone who is not a believer can add even more grief. In this episode, Jon and Matthew tackle the topic of the afterlife.
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Episode 27: Interview with David Barker
In this episode, Jon and Matthew interview Professor David Barker from Heritage College and Seminary about his newly released book This Poor Man Called and the broader culture of worship in the church.
Book link: https://hesedandemet.com/product/this-poor-man-called-stories-and-songs-of-david-volume-1/
Contact us at: theologyjam@gmail.com
Episode 26: Christian Nationalism
A disturbing trend in North America is the rise of Christian nationalism ideology. In this episode, Jon and Matthew discuss what Christian nationalism is and why it tends to leave Jesus on the outside.
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Episode 25: Why Leadership is Going to Get Harder
In this episode, Jon and Matthew discuss the challenges facing church leaders and why leadership will get more complicated in the future.
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Episode 24: Interview with Trish and John Morris
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Jon's Website
Matthew's Website
Episode 23: Five Keys to Healthy Relationships
In this episode, pastor Jon shares some wisdom from his career in ministry and discusses five keys to healthy relationships.
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Episode 22: Why is Faith Dangerous?
Faith can inspire meaning and hope, but it can also be used as a weapon to cause harm. In this episode, Jon and Matthew ask: "Why is faith sometimes dangerous?"
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Episode 21: Interview with Pam Bains
In this episode of Theology Jam, Jon and Matthew talk with Microcad owner Pam Bains about her faith and business journey.
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Episode 20: Six Roadblocks to Spiritual Growth
In this episode, we discuss six common roadblocks to spiritual growth that pastor Jon has observed in his ministry.
Episode 19: Social Media and the Church
In this episode, Jon and Matthew discuss recent trends of churches pulling out of social media. What should the church's role be in the world of social media?
Episode 18: Surprised by Oxford: An interview with Carolyn Weber
In this episode, Jon interviews Carolyn Weber about her upcoming film Surprised by Oxford.
Episode 17: The Problem with Sin
Inspired by Matthew's latest blog post, he and Dr Jon Korkidakis discuss ways in which Christian ideas of sin can be harmful to believers. The way sin is taught brings people to hate things that are intrinsic to our humanity. Hate of human desire can very easily lead to hate of one's self. It can also essentialize others down to their sins, leading to combative discourse between believers and outsiders.
Episode 16: Stephanie Webb Guest
In this episode, Dr Jon Korkidakis interviews writer and podcaster Stephanie Webb. Stephanie is an open critic of Christianity, and her differences with Jon lead to an insightful conversation ranging from religion to psychology. Her difficult experiences with the church have brought difficulty to her life, but also empathy, nuance, and understanding for others.
Contact us at: theologyjam@gmail.com
Episode 15: Abortion
In this episode, Jon and Matthew discuss how to stay considerate and empathetic when dealing with the complex topic of abortion. Regardless of where you fall on the argument, empathy is extremely important for us Christians to maintain while addressing these emotional questions.
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Episode 14: The COVID Blahs
The COVID pandemic is still shaping our church culture. In this episode, Jon and Matthew discuss their experiences in church leadership during this time.
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The 2022 CCNL London Christian Prayer Breakfast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdPfG9QANh
Episode 13: Future Proofing the Church
In this episode, Jon and Matthew discuss important challenges and tasks facing the church. What can we learn from the past and present to "future-proof" the church?
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Episode 12: Why Did Jesus Die?
In this solo episode, Matthew shares a lecture that dives into the topic of penal substitutionary atonement and what we can learn from this long-lasting debate.
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Episode 11: Theology and Politics
Nothing seems quite as tumultuous as the topic of politics and the church. Jon and Matthew decide to enter the fray and possibly offer a way to navigate through the noise.
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Episode 10: Faith Over Fear?
In this episode, Jon and Matthew discuss the relationship between faith, fear, and mental health.
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Episode 9: What is the Bible?
Following Dr Jon Korkidakis' recent sermon on The Bible, he and Matthew Burkholder explore how they both approach studying it.
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Episode 8: The Digital Church
Dr Jon Korkidakis and Matthew Burkholder consider the opposite perspective to what they mentioned in Episode 2, about the importance of the in-person church. Going digital has its benefits as well, and has helped the church reach a wider audience and to continue to reach people well beyond the doors of the building.
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Episode 7: Touching God
In this episode, Dr Jon Korkidakis gives a preview of what he will be commenting on in his upcoming book, Touching God: Discovering Prayer that Moves the Heart of God. The book will cover a variety of topics relating to prayer. Touching God is planned to be released by early 2022.
Contact us at: theologyjam@gmail.com
Episode 6: Gender (Part 1)
Dr Jon Korkidakis and Matthew Burkholder discuss how they think about gender, and how their perspectives are informed by their faith and differing generational cultures.
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Episode 5: Deconstructing Faith
In a recent trend, some believers have been deconstructing their faith, but end up abandoning God altogether. Dr Jon Korkidakis and Matthew Burkholder explore how to address the parts of the bible that make us uncomfortable, in a way that allows us to continue, and even strengthen our spiritual lives instead.
Contact us at: theologyjam@gmail.com
Episode 4: Interfaith Dialogue
Dr. Jon Korkidakis and Mathew Burkholder explore healthy ways for us, as Christians, to engage in the societal push towards religious diversity and acceptance. How should Christians go about loving and respecting people of opposing faiths?
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Episode 3: Keep Asking Questions
Dr Jon Korkidakis and Matthew Burkholder discuss their experiences in school, both as a student and a professor. Education in theology may not be for everyone, but learning more and asking questions are vital to one's faith and life.
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Episode 2: Why Should You Come Back to Church?
Dr Jon Korkidakis and Matthew Burkholder consider the benefits of worshipping together in a building. When it appears Canada is moving out of lockdowns finally, the question about coming back to church is an important one to ask.
Contact us at: theologyjam@gmail.com