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© Cafeteria Christian
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Cafeteria Christian started as a place for people who love Jesus but are so over the version of Christianity that forgets love, justice, and curiosity.
Hosted by Pastor Natalia Terfa and Pastor Emmy Kegler, the show is a mix of faith conversations, cultural commentary, and the beautiful, complicated mess of trying to follow Jesus in the real world. From biblical deep dives to big feelings about the world, Emmy and Natalia create a space where honesty and hope coexist.
Together, we're reclaiming the term "Cafeteria Christian" — because when it comes to faith, you really can take what you like and leave the rest.
Hosted by Pastor Natalia Terfa and Pastor Emmy Kegler, the show is a mix of faith conversations, cultural commentary, and the beautiful, complicated mess of trying to follow Jesus in the real world. From biblical deep dives to big feelings about the world, Emmy and Natalia create a space where honesty and hope coexist.
Together, we're reclaiming the term "Cafeteria Christian" — because when it comes to faith, you really can take what you like and leave the rest.
356 Episodes
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Emmy and Natalia welcome very special guest Meta Herrick Carlson to talk about her new book for children: We Remember Your Baptism. We also talk about baptism generally and why it matters more than ever to lean into our belovedness right now. Patreon Meta's New Book Meta's Website
Emmy and Natalia talk about Romans 13 and how it gets tossed around as a reason to be quiet and just comply. No thank you. Not only is it theologically bad, but it's just wrong! They'll dig into the context and history of Romans 13, and why it doesn't quite mean what you think it means. www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian Rev Benjamin Cremer Article
Natalia and Emmy talk about the last few days in Minnesota/Minneapolis, how we're feeling, how we're showing up, and how you can all do your own thing. www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian
Emmy and Natalia give an update from Minneapolis, talk about ways to support the communities here, and how to take care of the overwhelm many of you have told us you are feeling. www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian Ollie Schminkey Poem David Gate article Give: Holy Trinity Lutheran Church (Pastor Discretionary Fund) Stand With Minnesota
Emmy and Natalia process the escalation and violence in Minneapolis after the killing of Renee Nicole Good, and what our faith tells us about how we respond in times such as this. Unidos/Monarca St Pauls/San Pablos Give Link
Natalia welcomes back author and artist and friend of the pod friend of God Ellie Roscher to talk about her new book: Fair Game: Trans Athletes and the Future of Sports. Book Ellie's Website Previous Ellie CC Episodes (SO MANY, but here are a few): Tiny Things The Embodied Path The Body Stories Embodiment as a Spiritual Practice Search Ellie Roscher Cafeteria Christian in apple podcasts to find a whole list!
Emmy and Natalia create a little Christmas service video, for anyone who isn't quite feeling up to going into a church, for whatever reason. Special Musical Guests: Paul and Amy Koopman Patreon Email us questions or future episode suggestions Join us on the gram: @cafeteriachristian
Emmy and Natalia talk about the genealogy of Jesus and why it's just as messy (if not messier) than we are. Content Warning: adult themes, and some light talk of Santa, so keep the little ears away from this one! Patreon Email us questions or future episode suggestions Join us on the gram: @cafeteriachristian
Emmy and Natalia talk a little bit about what's happening in Minneapolis right now with our Somali community members, and also talk about why this season of Advent is hard but with a strong undercurrent of hope that we should not ignore. www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian Mary Did You Know: Theologian takes David Gate: A Rebellion of Care
Emmy and Natalia talk NT ladies: who they are and why we don't hear about all of them, and what we can learn about God when we discover their stories. www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian We Can Do Hard Things Episode Meggan Watterson
Emmy and Natalia talk about Advent, what it is and why we love it, and Emmy gets curmudgeonly about Advent calendars. www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian Advent Holy Land Virtual Trip
Emmy and Natalia talk about two viral moments in culture this week, and how they are connected, and how they say a lot more about where we're at spiritually than we might think. Anne Helen Peterson Link
Did you know there's a church holy day to declare that there are no kings but Christ? It's coming up on November 23rd, but we thought we'd give you a couple of weeks to prepare for it this year. Emmy and Natalia welcome special guest Meta Herrick Carlson so we can all nerd out together on this holy day and why it matters more than ever this year. www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian www.metaherrickcarlson.com Join us this Advent!
Emmy and Natalia talk about the Feeding Miracles of Jesus, and why they matter today as much as ever. Scripture References: Matthew 14:13-21 Luke 9: 10-17 Mark 6: 30-44 John 6: 1-14 https://venmo.com/u/cafeteriachristian www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian
Emmy and Natalia answer a listener email about sin and confession and if we're all inherently bad or good. You know, light easy topics, just in time for Halloween. CW: church language around inherent sinfulness. www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian Join us & Mary Danho this Advent KPDH Blog post
Emmy and Natalia talk about how everyone always needs to comment about everything, and wonder together what it might look like if we all practiced having more unexpressed thoughts. www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian Kelly Latimore Ben Wildflower
Summary: Get ready for an auditory Powerpoint presentation on supernatural horror flicks and non-canonical gospels because Emmy took the wheel on this one re the forthcoming release of The Carpenter's Son, a supernatural horror film based on (we're not kidding) the Infancy Gospel of Thomas and starring Nicolas Cage as Jesus' father Joseph. The Carpenter's Son Trailer Nic Cage hunts for the Holy Grail The Five Gospels Infancy Gospel of Thomas in translation Fun fact skipped for time: The oldest existing fragment of the IGT might be a student's handwriting practice www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian
Emmy and Natalia set aside current events (and big feelings about current events) to talk about the biblical book of the prophet Micah and discover that actually, not a lot has changed since 700 BCE. www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian
Emmy and Natalia finally talk about the Seven Heavenly Virtues, and wonder if they even really matter at all? www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian
Emmy and Natalia continue the conversation from last week, about why everything feels like too much, and what we are trying to do about it. Links: https://substack.com/@dianabutlerbass/note/c-157891892?r=3g6zg&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
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Honestly, I am astounded that this is considered a fully Christian podcast. Christianity is not about forming our religion only out of the theology we accept and enjoy. Christianity is about accepting even the hard things that the Bible tells us and learning from what God is trying to tell us. Christianity is not a cafeteria plate. The motto that they use goes entirely against basic Christian morals. If you want to find Christ and you are unsure of accepting Jesus I highly recommend Tim Keller's Gospel Life Podcast.
Let's start with what I like about this podcast. I like that they avoid Christian buzzwords and platitudes. I like that they evaluate Christians with a critical eye rather than defending their tribal in-group. I like that they speak unapologetically about their problems with church and the Christian social mindset. Unfortunately, this podcast has many objective problems, factual errors, and contradictions that are apparent from the second episode. The hosts claim that Jesus never said Christianity is the only way to God. On the contrary, Jesus famously said "No one comes to the Father except through me." Furthermore, the first two of the Ten Commandments forbid idolatry. Jesus said "I have not come to abolish but to fulfill the law," so you can't claim to follow Jesus and yet dismiss this point. Their treatment of Old Testament law in general is egregious. The hosts didn't know why Leviticus is called Leviticus, and one of them claims to be a pastor. The hosts claim to have constructed