Thinking Religion
By Sam Harrelson
Thinking ReligionMar 26, 2016
Episode 147: Thinking Religion Again
Ready for the next episode? Here we go! THINKING RELIGION is coming back in August :)
Episode 146: And In the End
Dr. Thomas J. Whitley and The Rev. Sam Harrelson discuss things we pass down and the best way to sign off.
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Episode 145: Thinking About the Term Partners
Dr. Thomas Whitley and The Rev. Sam Harrelson discuss the term "partners" in its modern context and whether or not it is performative for certain couples. That leads to a discussion about the role of social media in our lives if we could, in fact, delete Facebook.
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Episode 144: Should Your Church Delete Its Facebook Page?
Dr. Thomas Whitley and The Rev. Samuel Harrelson discuss The Great Social Media Reckoning of 2018, broadcast media vs social media, why you need a website (and why your church needs a GOOD website), and the importance of bringing it all back home.
Episode 143: Boys Keep Swinging
Dr. Thomas Whitley and the Rev. Sam Harrelson discuss boys' weekends, gender assumptions, the Documentary Hypothesis, the historicity of the Gospels, and Justice850.
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Episode 142: "Too great of a religious hurry"
Dr. Thomas Whitley and The Rev. Sam Harrelson discuss the fierce urgency of now, and why the church should be the gadflies of tension in a time of transition.
Links:
- Georgia Passes Bill That Stings Delta Over N.R.A. Position - The New York Times
- Kroger to Stop Selling Guns to Buyers Under 21 - WSJ
- Letter from a Birmingham Jail [King, Jr.] — First, I must confess that over the past few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate.
Episode 141: Could Jesus Read and Write?
Dr. Thomas Whitley and the Rev. Sam Harrelson discuss British trivia shows, the concept of literacy in the ancient world, what accent Jesus might have had, and whether we now have historical proof of the prophet Isaiah.
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Episode 140: Hermeneutic of Violence
Dr. Thomas Whitely and The Rev. Sam Harrelson discuss wearing Clerical Collars every day, our country's normalized hermeneutic of violence, and a new podcast.
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Episode 139: Hiring Policy
Dr. Thomas J. Whitley and The Rev. Sam Harrelson discuss beards, Life on Mars, and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship's hiring policy (and past, present, future).
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Episode 138: Toxic Jesusinity and The Church
Dr. Thomas Whitley and The Rev. Sam Harrelson discuss toxic masculinity and compare Trump with Jesus, Apple's woes, and voice assistants.
Episode 137: The Fertile Croissant
Dr. Thomas J. Whitley and The Rev. Samuel B. Harrelson play HQ Trivia and go to The Good Place to discuss Squab Goals.
“My name is Kierkegaard and my writing is impeccable. Check out my teleological suspension of the ethical.”
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Episode 136: A Million Little Candidates
Dr. Thomas Whitley and the Rev. Sam Harrelson discuss quantum hacks, the evolution of reality TV and its impact on our Gen X lives, and why 2020 will be a different political landscape than 2016.
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Episode 135: A Republic, If You Can Keep It
Dr. Thomas Whitley and the Rev. Sam Harrelson discuss the Bomb Cyclone, The Myth of Progress, The Apotheosis of Captain Cook, Lectionaries and conflating Gospels, and the need for a new political dialogue in our country.
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Episode 134: Advent in the Minor Key
Dr. Thomas Whitley and the Rev. Sam Harrelson discuss nativity scenes, bad Christmas songs, Epiphany, the War on Christmas, and bad Apple (batteries).
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
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Episode 133: Our Holiday Extravaganza
Dr. Thomas Whitley and The Rev. Sam Harrelson are joined by The Rev. Lauren E. Larkin, Prof. W. Travis McMaken ("McBacon"), and The Rev. Merianna Neely Harrelson in an extravaganza of epic proportions. They discuss Clash of the Titans, why you should write a book, gendered religious language, Ancient Aliens, Alex Jones, flogging, and hate watching the world burn.
Special Guests: Lauren R.E. Larkin, Merianna Neely Harrelson, and W. Travis McMaken.
Links:
- Our God Loves Justice: An Introduction to Helmut Gollwitzer | Fortress Press
- DET — W. Travis McMaken
Episode 132: Is It Worth Selling Your Soul?
Dr. Thomas Whitley and The Rev. Sam Harrelson discuss the #metoo Revolution, amplifying voices, and whether anything is worth trading your integrity.
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Episode 131: Pushing Against the Public Transcript
Dr. Thomas Whitley and the Rev. Sam Harrelson discuss Black Friday, gaming, moral questions, Evangelical strawmen, and complicity.
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Episode 130: Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!
Dr. Thomas Whitley and the Rev. Sam Harrelson are joined by Prof. Chris Frilingos to discuss his book "Jesus, Mary, and Joseph: Family Trouble in the Infancy Gospels" and why the Infancy Gospel of Thomas and Proto-Gospel of James are so important for contemporary audiences.
Special Guest: Christopher A. Frilingos.
Links:
- Jesus, Mary, and Joseph | Christopher A. Frilingos
- Amazon: Jesus, Mary, and Joseph: Family Trouble in the Infancy Gospels — When Jesus was five he killed a boy, or so reports the Infancy Gospel of Thomas. A little boy had run into Jesus by accident, bumping him on the shoulder, and Jesus took offense: "Jesus was angry a
Episode 129: Writing Their Last Chapters
Dr. Thomas Whitley and Rev. Sam Harrelson watch election returns together and discuss the impact of our choices and the role of our national patience.
Episode 128: "I have no idea what you believe."
Sam is joined by The Rev. Merianna Neely Harrelson to discuss beards, doubt, faith, securing your spot in The Good Place or The Bad Place, ethics and eschatology, rededicating your life, and salvation bracelets.
Special Guest: Merianna Neely Harrelson.
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Episode 127: Under the Screen
Dr. Thomas Whitley and Rev. Sam Harrelson discuss the iPhone X, Airpods and Mods, prepping for the coming apocalypses, Heaven's Gate, and the theologies of nativism.
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Episode 126: The Problems with The Dark Age
Dr. Thomas Whitley and Rev. Sam Harrelson discuss anniversaries and birthdays in the Facebook age, whether the Vikings referenced Allah in their gear, and why "The Dark Ages" is such a troublesome concept (and why we're currently in the midst of The Digital Dark Age).
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Episode 125: Conceptions of Hell
Love of books, Kindle vs hardbacks, home ownership, hell, sex, generational divides, and epistemology
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Episode 124: Mark is the Best Book in the Bible
Dr. Thomas Whitley and Rev. Sam Harrelson talk about phone problems and promises, growing up, and the finale of the First Thinking Religion Bible Bracket Challenge Extravaganza.
Podium Winners:
Gold: Mark
Silver: Matthew
Bronze: 1 Samuel
Sponsored By:
- Sam Harrelson Consulting: Get a free estimate for your church or nonprofit's website redesign or social media campaign from the experts at Sam Harrelson Consulting this summer. Promo Code: Hermeneutics
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Episode 123: Testing the Limits
Dr. Thomas Whitley and Rev. Sam Harrelson are joined again by David Ray Allen Jr. to cover the Final Four of the Bible Bracket Challenge. It gets bloody this week.
Special Guest: David Ray Allen Jr..
Sponsored By:
- Sam Harrelson Consulting: Get a free estimate for your church or nonprofit's website redesign or social media campaign from the experts at Sam Harrelson Consulting this summer. Promo Code: Hermeneutics
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Episode 122: Last Night on Earth
Dr. Thomas Whitley and Rev. Sam Harrelson compare their phones' home screens, discuss the relevance of Facebook to political campaigns, and continue the very contentious Bible Bracket Challenge Elite 8 Round to decide the Final Four. It's on.
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Episode 121: That's What Mordecai Said
Dr. Thomas Whitley and Rev. Sam Harrelson discuss new iPhones, playing the expectations game, and how mobile devices have transformed learning and worshipping. Then, they launch into the "Sweet 16" of the Bible Brackets Challenge. Sorry, Esther.
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Episode 120: Stink Bug Theology
The Rev. Lauren Larkin joins Dr. Thomas Whitley and The Rev. Sam Harrelson in a discussion of how hermeneutics and worldviews affect our theologies and what sort of spaces we try to build.
Special Guest: Lauren R.E. Larkin.
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Episode 119: The Greek is Good
Dr. Thomas Whitley and Rev. Sam Harrelson are joined by David Ray Allen to discuss football schedules and the third round of the Bible Bracket Challenge to determine which book is the "best" book in the Bible and which book is the "Michigan" book in the Bible.
Special Guest: David Ray Allen Jr..
Sponsored By:
- Sam Harrelson Consulting: Get a free estimate for your church or nonprofit's website redesign or social media campaign from the experts at Sam Harrelson Consulting this summer. Promo Code: Hermeneutics
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Episode 118: Better Than Ezra
Dr. Thomas Whitley and Rev. Sam Harrelson discuss the uncomfortableness of whataboutism and its interplay with American Christianity and continue the Bible Bracket Challenge semifinals.
Sponsored By:
- Sam Harrelson Consulting: Get a free estimate for your church or nonprofit's website redesign or social media campaign from the experts at Sam Harrelson Consulting this summer. Promo Code: Hermeneutics
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Episode 117: Hey Jude
Dr. Thomas Whitley and Rev. Sam Harrelson discuss the benefit of doubting Trump's America, Evangelicals carrying water for Trump, whether Joshua is a good book to include in the Bible, and why Jude deserves some reconsideration.
Sponsored By:
- Sam Harrelson Consulting: Get a free estimate for your church or nonprofit's website redesign or social media campaign from the experts at Sam Harrelson Consulting this summer. Promo Code: Hermeneutics
Links:
Episode 116: No One WANTS to Vote Against Romans
Gospel of Mary? Bel and the Dragon? The Apocryphon of John? Two Corinthians? Dr. Thomas Whitley and the Rev. Sam Harrelson are joined again by David Ray Allen to cover the second round of the Thinking Religion Bible Bracket Challenge and give a great overview of biblical books you might not have read in a while.
Special Guest: David Ray Allen Jr..
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Episode 115: Your Hair is Like a Flock of Goats
Dr. Thomas Whitley and the Rev. Sam Harrelson discuss the concept of hermeneutics and continue their ongoing quest to decide the best book in the Bible from the Thinking Religion Bible Bracket Challenge.
Sponsored By:
- Sam Harrelson Consulting: Get a free estimate for your church or nonprofit's website redesign or social media campaign from the experts at Sam Harrelson Consulting this summer. Promo Code: Hermeneutics
Links:
Episode 114: Sorry About Luke
Dr. Thomas Whitley and the Rev. Sam Harrelson are joined again by David Ray Allen Jr. to cover the next round of the Thinking Religion Bible Bracket Challenge... with a few surprises this week!
Special Guest: David Ray Allen Jr..
Sponsored By:
- Sam Harrelson Consulting: Get a free estimate for your church or nonprofit's website redesign or social media campaign from the experts at Sam Harrelson Consulting this summer. Promo Code: Hermeneutics
Links:
Episode 113: Your Grandmother’s Favorite Book in the Bible
Dr. Thomas Whitley and the Rev. Sam Harrelson are joined by David Allen Jr., a Morehead-Cain Scholar at the University of North Carolina, to cover the first few matches of the Thinking Religion Bible Bracket Challenge. David brings his own unique understanding of sports to help Thomas and Sam make the tough calls that must be made.
Sponsored By:
- Sam Harrelson Consulting: Get a free estimate for your church or nonprofit's website redesign or social media campaign from the experts at Sam Harrelson Consulting this summer. Promo Code: Hermeneutics
Links:
Episode 112: Bible Bracket Challenge Intro
Dr. Thomas Whitley and the Rev. Sam Harrelson discuss the upcoming Thinking Religion Bible Bracket Challenge (starts next week!), generational views on gay marriage, and whether the moral arc of the universe bends towards justice.
Sponsored By:
- Sam Harrelson Consulting: Get a free estimate for your church or nonprofit's website redesign or social media campaign from the experts at Sam Harrelson Consulting this summer. Promo Code: Hermeneutics
Links:
- Thinking Religion Bible Bracket Challenge - Challonge — The first annual Thinking Religion Bible Brackets Challenge... which text from the Hebrew Bible, New Testament, Pseudepigrapha, or Apocrypha (or kinda sorta associated with what we've received in the
Episode 111: Which Gospel is the Best Gospel?
Dr. Thomas Whitley and Rev. Sam Harrelson break down the problem with Paul's authorship of Colossians and Ephesians, head shaving, Gospel forgery, Matthew and the Q Community, the Gospel of Thomas, and infancy gospels.
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Episode 110: Be Wise as Serpents and Innocent as Doves
Dr. Thomas Whitley and Rev. Sam Harrelson discuss Wonder Woman's mythology, new Twitter, and whether you should "Friend" your Pastor on Facebook... or even pay them.
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Episode 109: Evangelicals and Covfefe Theology
Dr. Thomas Whitley and Rev. Sam Harrelson discuss Trump's faith statements and relationships with Evangelicals (and the how things change all of sudden).
Links:
- God and the Don - CNN.com — "I did very, very well with evangelicals in the polls," Trump interjected in the middle of the conversation -- previously unreported comments that were described to me by both pastors. They gently reminded Trump that neither of them was an evangelical. "Well, what are you then?" Trump asked. They explained they were mainline Protestants, the same Christian tradition in which Trump, a self-described Presbyterian, was raised and claims membership. Like many mainline pastors, they told the President-elect, they lead diverse congregations. Trump nodded along, then posed another question to the two men: "But you're all Christians
Episode 108: Everyone's Just Winging It
Dr. Thomas Whitley and Rev. Sam Harrelson discuss that sickening feeling you get when you realize that adults are all just faking it.
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Episode 107: Words Are Hard
Dr. Thomas Whitley and Rev. Sam Harrelson discuss the death of the Old Testament and whether biblical literacy matters to contemporary Christians and cultures.
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Episode 106: Are Kids Growing Up in a Post-Christian America?
Thomas and Sam debate renewing Evernote Premium and discuss Donald Trump's Christianity, Evangelical logic, and whether Generation Z is growing up in a "Post-Christian" America.
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Episode 105: Consider The Dogs of the Valley
Thomas and Sam discuss life changes, beard growth, corporate philosophy officers, existentialism 2.0, and whether the Canon should remain closed or be thrown open.
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Episode 104: Disrupting Jesus
Thomas and Sam discuss generational gaps in worldviews and the God-shaped hole at the heart of current American culture.
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Episode 103: MAKE EASTER GREAT AGAIN
Thomas and Sam discuss the importance of Easter and whether Pastors should be dressing up like the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus or letting the Wise Men into the party before January 6.
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Episode 102: Let Me Move That Glass Over Here
Thomas and Sam discuss the Billy Graham Rule, flipping coasters and dominance.
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Episode 101: The Sounds of Silence
Thomas and Sam discuss the persistence of memories, Evernote, device agnosticism, web automation services and whether the Karl Barth Chatbot will take off in the near-future.
Links:
- Simon & Garfunkel - The Sounds of Silence (Audio) - YouTube — People talking without speaking, People hearing without listening, People writing songs that voices never share And no one dared Disturb the sound of silence.
- Tech Dopp Kit 2 – thisisground — The Tech Dopp Kit 2 is a premium leather travel zip-up organizer with designated spots for all of your tech/technical gear. Its inspiration is half bento box, half traditional dopp kit—a 20th century-style travel bag with neatly arrange
Episode 100: "The last thing I would consider myself is a theologian."
Thomas and Sam celebrate 100 episodes and discuss Thomas' bent towards Process Theology.
Show Notes:
- Knick Knack 2 | This Is Ground
- Bullet Journal
- Follow Up: Pacifism and Karl Barth | W. Travis McMaken
- Spiritual Abuse | Merianna Neely Harrelson
- Molly Worthen on Christianity in American History | Road to Now
Episode 99: It’s Hard to Put the Cat Back In the Bag
Thomas and Sam discuss Just War Theory, Karl Barth and where we go from here.
Show Notes:Episode 98: The Pull of Nostalgia
Thomas and Sam discuss what makes things great. Again.
Show Notes:- The Religion of Donald Trump | Chicago Tribune
- Bill would make Bible state book in West Virginia | Herald-Dispatch
- Drop in teenage suicide attempts linked to legalization of same-sex marriage | Guardian