Claim OwnershipThe Beached White Male Podcast with Ken Kemp
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© 2025 The Beached White Male Podcast with Ken Kemp
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Religion and Politics - subjects we avoid in polite society. But not here. Stories and people who challenge our assumptions and blaze new trails. Inspiring. Challenging. Out of the box. For Blog and Official BWM site, go to www.thebeachedwhitemale.com.
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Ken welcomes back Dr. Scott Chesebro. Just last week, Ken and Scott spent two days walking the streets of Hyde Park and the University of Chicago there on the South Side. Scott and Ken we classmates and fast friends, living in the city for three years and a second summer in the late 60s and early 70s. Scott became a sociologist and college professor with the Ph.D. he earned at Notre Dame. For over four decades, Scott was Executive Director of the Chicago Center for Urban Life and Culture, wel...
Ken welcomes Washington political commentator, speechwriter, and author Peter Wehner. Pete is a contributing writer at The Atlantic and a senior fellow at the Trinity Forum. He is well known for his prolific contribution to the intersection of politics, public policy, and faith. Early on, he identified as a conservative, a Republican, and an Evangelical. From 2011, when Donald Trump campaigned to challenge the legitimacy of the Obama Presidency, suggesting that he was born in Kenya and not th...
When Ken Fong saw the flames coming over the ridge from his front yard, he voluntarily evacuated along with his adult daughter. His home church, First Baptist of Pasadena, opened its doors to evacuees. Fong joined them for two nights. Ken Kemp, dealing with power outs, high winds, and menacing fire danger, called on Ken for a conversation around this catastrophic fire season - especially for Pacific Palisades and Altadena. Fong’s wedding, scheduled for this weekend, meant that a late-night de...
In memory of President Jimmie Carter, Ken has invited three quests to share their personal reflections on a 100 year long life well lived: historian, professor and prolific author, Dr. Randall Balmer; retired Biola University political science professor, Dr. Dave Peters; and his Beach Talk friend, Betsey Newenhuyse (See Part I). Here In Part Two, Dr. Balmer continues to share his thoughts from his recent article (Published in the L.A. Times, Religious News Service (RNS) and others) entit...
Special Guests in Part I: Randall Balmer, Ph.D. and Betsey NewenhuyseIn memory of President Jimmie Carter, Ken invites three quests to share their personal reflections on a 100 year long life well lived: historian, professor and prolific author, Dr. Randall Balmer; retired Biola University political science professor, Dr. Dave Peters; and his Beach Talk friend, Betsey Newenhuyse. In Part One, Dr. Balmer shares his thoughts from his recent article (Published in the L.A. Times, Religious News S...
For Easter Week, Ken and Carla begin on a very personal note - Carla's departed husband, Fritz would be celebrating his birthday on the day of this recording. They reminisce about Fritz who, like Ken, went o seminary and served as a pastor. Carla shares the story of their romance. The two reflect on the meaning of this season of resurrection. Turning to the headlines, Joe Biden acknowledges that the Russian assault on Ukraine is genocide. The war crimes accumulate. Ken shares his reading - Am...
Ken welcomes Nate Manderson back as we close out our year and Season 5. Nate’s rich experience as a pastor, an educator, and an advocate for the working class has made him a popular writer for The Boston Globe and Salon.com. His most recent piece is entitled, How the left can get its mojo back: Listen to working-class people of faith. It’s a rich analysis of where the Democrats got it wrong in the Presidential election. Ken and Nate review the election and fill it in with Nate’s considerable ...
Ken and Betsey usually discuss politics. Today, they set aside the political turmoil in the headlines and discuss Christmas. Ken’s most recent Substack reflects on the central scene that is the focus of the celebration of Christmas by Christians all around the world - the Nativity. Joseph. Mary. The baby Jesus. It’s a wide-ranging conversation around literalism, fundamentalism, and a contemplation of what is real and true. From Charles Dickens to Karen Armstrong, they share their childhood ex...
Ken shares his reflections on the opening of the restored Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris after the devastating fire of April 2019.You can follow along on his Substack Page here.Become a PatronSupport the show
Ken and Betsey reflect on the Late Great Planet Earth, the monster 197o best-seller by Hal Lindsey, who passed away on November 25th. The cottage industry of apocalyptic books and movies spawned by Lindsey’s book live with us to this day. While they acknowledge the need to move on from the distress and anxiety of election day, they invite their listeners into a continued conversation of some of the main headlines. President Biden issued a complete pardon for his son, Biden. The week’s politic...
Ken welcomes back professor, author, and activist Dr. David Dark to discuss his new book, We Become What We Normalize. David shares the recent tragedy on Belmont University's campus in the shooting of the popular freshman, accomplished musician Jillian Ludwig . He tells us about the impact of this horrible incident on his students. The entire nation took note - raising the issue of gun control. David asks a provocative question: "Am I responsible for the lies that other people voice in my pre...
SPOILER ALERT: If you have not seen the movie or read the book CONCLAVE, you may not want to listen (until you've seen the film or read the book). The Two Kens take a deep dive into the symbolism and message of this highly acclaimed motion picture starring Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, Isabella Rossellini, John Lithgow, and more. There’s much to discuss, unpack, and explore in this groundbreaking film. It’s a film set in the Vatican when a fictional Pope dies, leaving the College of Cardinals...
Ken shares his latest Substack entry: Factions - Tribal Warfare Has A Long History. It’s inspired by the Apostle Paul and Robert Harris’ novel, Conclave (now a highly acclaimed feature film). As we gather, let’s embrace the gifts that surround us, even in troubled times.Ken’s SubstackSupport the show
As we somehow adjust to the presidential election results, we bid farewell to an evangelical leader who stood for integrity over conformity. As Ken and Betsey connect again and share their disappointment over the election results, they begin with a lengthy reflection on the life of a powerful communicator, an inspirational influencer, a compelling professor/theologian, and an entertaining orator - Tony Campolo. We don’t know if he was alert enough in those final days to have grasped the MAGA ...
Ken welcomes back to the podcast the originator of the hashtag that launched a movement: #exvangelical, Blake Chastain. They discuss his new book, Exvangelical and Beyond: How American Christianity Went Radical and the Movement Fighting Back. An undergraduate at an evangelical university in Central Indiana, Blake had questions - about the Bible, the exclusive truth claims, the identification with conservative politics, the indifference to Earth care, to race, to social justice, and finally, t...
Ken joins Ken Fong for a morning after the election review. It’s not so much an autopsy on what went wrong as it is a reflection of their visceral response to the news that the 45th President won a decisive victory. He will become the 47th President of the United States. More than half the nation is celebrating this week - but celebrating what? The other less than half is deeply disappointed, fearful, depressed, and stunned. Once again, pollsters missed it. As a former senator put it, “Fear s...
Ken welcomes back essayist, teacher, guidance counselor, and ordained minister Nathaniel Manderson from his home in Boston. Last Summer, Nate took thirty days to walk the 500 mile Camino do Santiago pilgrimage tradition says was taken by St. James, the Apostle. It's the same journey memorialized by the Emilio Estevez film starring his father, Martin Sheen called The Way. Nate shares his remarkable journey - the prompting to go, the people he met, lessons along the way, and the intensely emoti...
Ken welcomes writer, teacher, preacher and justice advocate, Jim Wallis. Rev. Wallis’ new book, The False White Gospel: Rejecting Christian Nationalism, Reclaiming True Faith, and Refounding Democracy is getting high marks and a wide reading. It’s a timely and prophetic challenge in an era of polarization and worse, the advancement in America of what Jim calls an heretical version of The Gospel. Wallis calls this a “Bonhoeffer moment.” Silence is not an option. Ken and Jim reminisce over thei...
Ken welcomes historian, author, and media commentator Martyn Whittock from his home across the Pond just outside London. Martyn read Ken’s Substack series on Biblical Authority and reached out with some comments. It prompted this lively conversation - and led to another focus: Martyn’s article recently published in the UK - How US Evangelicals Could Affect the Entire World. Whittock, a licensed minister in the Church of England, is a self-described “Evangelical.” For years, he has been a stud...
For a second time, Ken welcomes Rev. Ben Cremer to the podcast for Season 5. Ken starts by thanking Ben for that first interview, "Myths We Believe," which is far and away the most downloaded podcast of Ken's more than 300 episodes (exceeding the former first-place interview with Kristin Kobes Du Mez). Ben is a prolific author, just finishing up the manuscript of his first book. He has a big audience for his newsletter, which is delivered weekly on Sunday mornings. He calls it "Into The Gray....
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