Theology in the Raw
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Helping believers think Christianly about theological and cultural issues by engaging in curious conversations with a diverse range of thoughtful people.
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Join the Theology in the Raw Patreon for bonus content, extra episodes, and more! This is our first in-person episode from my trip to NYC. Jonathan Merritt joined me to talk about his journey from his conservative Southern Baptist upbringing, to what he now describes as post-evangelicalism. We talked about deconstruction, navigating family dynamics, and why he doesn't describe himself as an "exvangelical." Jonathan currently serves as a Vice President and Executive Editor for Simon & Schuster, where he oversees the acquisition of books in the faith / spirituality category as well as select general market non-fiction. authored several critically-acclaimed books, including Learning to Speak God from Scratch: Why Sacred Words are Vanishing - and How We Can Revive Them, named “Book of the Year” by the Englewood Review of Books. He has worked as a collaborator or ghostwriter on dozens of books, with several titles landing on The New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal and Publishers Weekly bestsellers lists.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
In this solo episode, I talk about some of the highlights over the last year of the Theology in the Raw podcast. I give a little insight into how I pick guests, and some thoughts on platforming. We get into some of the stats, and I share some of my favorite positive (and negative) reviews from the Apple podcast app. It's been a great year! I'm glad you're with me. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Dr. John Anthony Dunne associate professor of New Testament at Bethel Seminary and the Co-host and editor of The Two Cities podcast. John is the author of several books including his most recent book: The Mountains Shall Drip Sweet Wine: A Biblical Theology of Alcohol, which is the topic of our conversation. What does the Bible say about alcohol? We talk about questions like: did wine have the same alcohol percentage as today? Was it diluted? What is strong drink? Is getting drunk or buzzed always condemned? How can Christians consume alcohol without abusing it? Or, should Christians simply stay away from alcohol? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Dr. Munther Isaac is a Palestinian pastor, theologian, author, and activist. He has an MA from Westminster Theological Seminary and a PhD from the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies. Munther is the pastor of Hope Evangelical Church in Ramallah, Palestine, and the Director of the Bethlehem Institute for Peace and Justice. Munther is also the author of several books including the recently released: Christ in the Rubble: Faith, the Bible, and the Genocide in Gaza. Music in this episode:Rejoice! by Evan Wickham. From Christmas Music Vol. 2 O Holy Night by Evan Wickham. From Christmas Music Vol. 2Used with Permission Evan’s YoutubeEvan’s Site Christmas Nativity Story Animation by M_Y_G. Licensed through Envato.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Join the Theology in the Raw community for as little as $5/month to get access to premium content. Dr. Bruce Fisk (PhD Duke) is Professor of New Testament, Westmont College (retired); Senior Research Fellow, Network of Evangelicals for the Middle East. Dr. Ross Wagner (PhD Duke) Associate Professor of New Testament, Duke Divinity School. Ross and Bruce are co-editors of the recently released, Being Christian After the Desolation of Gaza (Cascade, 2025).See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
This was a fun one! Dr. Brian Brock has written a deeply thoughtful theology of creation, which set the foundation for our conversation. As you'll see, we ended up going down several unexpected paths and honestly got me thinking through things I've never considered before.We talked about what it means to image God, the role gender plays in human creation, and the theological distinctions between humans and animals. Yes, we even wrestled with the question of whether my dog Tank will be with me in heaven.Toward the end of the conversation, we also touched on Dr. Brock’s significant work in the theology of disability,Join the Theology in the Raw community on Patreon for as little as $5/month to get access to premium content. Dr. Brian Brock is Professor of Moral and Practical Theology at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. He has written scholarly works on the use of the Bible in Christian ethics the ethics of technological development and the theology of disability. He the author of several books including his magnum opus Joining Creation’s Praise: A Theological Ethic of Creatureliness See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Register for the Exiles in Babylon conference! April 30-May 2, 2026. https://www.theologyintheraw.com/exiles26Baptism, Communion, Corporate Worship and Singing.... do these ancient rituals matter today? Do I need to physically go to church for this stuff, or can I just go pray at a park? What's the point of these rituals if we're saved by faith and not by works? Dr. Isaac Serrano serves as Lead Pastor of South Valley Community Church in CA. He also is an adjunct professor at Western Seminary and on the leadership team for the Regeneration Project. He’s also the author of the recently released book published by InterVarsity Press, called: “When Life Feels Empty: 7 Ancient Practices to Cultivate Meaning” (InterVarsity)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Join the Theology in the Raw community for as little as $5/month to get access to premium content. Dr. Josh Packard (PhD, Vanderbilt University) is a sociologist and cofounder of Future of Faith, which helps faith leaders expand and sustain relational ministries in today's rapidly evolving cultural landscape. He is the author of several books, including Church Refugees: Sociologists Reveal Why People Are Done with Church but Not Their Faith and his most recent book: Faithful Futures: Sacred Tools for Engaging Younger Generations, which is the topic of our conversation. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Join the Theology in the Raw community for as little as $5/month to get access to premium content. Todd Nettleton is the Vice President of Message for The Voice of the Martyrs–USA and host of The Voice of the Martyrs Radio. He serves as a voice for persecuted Christians, inspiring Christians with the faithfulness of Christ’s followers in 70+ nations where they face persecution for wearing His name. During more than 25 years serving at VOM, Todd has traveled the world and conducted face-to-face interviews with hundreds of Christians who’ve endured persecution in more than 30 nations. Check out his book When Faith Is Forbidden: 40 Days on the Frontlines with Persecuted Christians (Moody 2021)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Join us for the Exiles in Babylon conference! April 30-May 2, 2026. Details hereTara-Leigh Cobble is a bestselling author and the creator/host of The Bible Recap podcast, which reached #1 in Apple’s Overall Charts and has 500 million downloads to date. She founded D-Group International, a network of nearly 500 weekly Bible study groups that meet in homes, churches, and online, and she hosts a daily radio show called The God Shot. And she recently released the 365 Day Chronological Study Bible, which I highly recommend. Buy it here.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Join us for the Exiles in Babylon conference! April 30-May 2, 2026. Justin E. Giboney (JD, Vanderbilt University) is the cofounder and president of the AND Campaign, a Christian civic organization focused on raising civic literacy, promoting civic pluralism, and equipping Christians to engage politics with the love and truth of Jesus Christ. An ordained minister, attorney, and political strategist, Giboney has been featured in publications such as the New York Times and Christianity Today and is the coauthor of the book Compassion (&) Conviction and the author of the recently released: Don’t Let nobody Turn You Around: How the Black Church’s Public Witness Leads us Out of the Culture War (IVP 2025)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Join us for the Exiles in Babylon conference! April 30-May 2, 2026. Mike Erre is an author, podcaster, instigator, and a teaching pastor at Journey Church in Brentwood, TN. Mike began vocational ministry in 1999 as a student ministries and college pastor at Mariners Church in Irvine, Calif. Prior to joining Journey’s staff, he also taught at Rock Harbor (Costa Mesa, Calif.) and Mariners’ Mission Viejo, Calif. campus. He served as the senior Pastor at EV Free Fullerton and founded the VOX Community and podcast (now Voxology). Mike has published five books: The Jesus of Suburbia (2006), Why Guys Need God (2008), Death By Church (2009), Why the Bible Matters (2010), and Astonished ( 2014). He holds an M.A. in philosophy of religion and ethics from the Talbot School of Theology.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Join my Patreon Community for extra episodes, bonus content, event tickets and more! Get your Free Copy of When Faith is Forbidden here!Dr. Andrew Rillera holds a PhD (Duke University) and is Associate Professor of Biblical Studies and Theology at The King's University, Edmonton AB. Andrew is the author of the pot-stirring book: The Lamb of the Free: Recovering the Varied Sacrificial Understandings of Jesus’s Death, which challenges the doctrine of penal substitutionary atonement.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Join the Theology in the Raw Patreon for as little as $5/month to get access to premium content. Jamin Goggin (PhD, University of Aberdeen) is an associate professor at Talbot School of Theology at Biola University and the director of the Healthy Pastor Initiative at Finishing the Task. He is the co-author of The Way of the Dragon or the Way of the Lamb and the author of the recently released book Pastoral Confessions: The Healthy Path to Faithful Ministry.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Join the Theology in the Raw community for as little as $5/month to get access to premium content. Lysa TerKeurst is the president and chief visionary officer of Proverbs 31 Ministries and the author of eight New York Times bestsellers. Her most recent book is Surviving an Unwanted Divorce: A Biblical, Practical Guide to Letting Go While Holding Yourself Together, which she co-wrote with Jim Cress and Dr. Joel Muddamalle, who joins us on the show. Joel holds a PhD in theology, serves as the director of theology and research at Proverbs 31 Ministries, and has written several books including the forthcoming book The Unseen Battle. He and Lysa cohosts the Therapy & Theology podcast. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Join my Patreon to watch our Extra Innings on Atonement for FREE. Watch it now! N.T. Wright is...N.T. Wright. If you don't know who he is, Google it. Wright's latest book is The Vision of Ephesians: The Task of the Church and the Glory of God, which is a must read! In this converstion, Wright walks us through the grand story of the Bible, which is captured in Paul's letter to the Ephesians.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Join the Theology in the Raw community on Patreon for as little as $5/month to get access to premium content. Dave Coles was a pastor for 10 years in the US before he served in Indonesia for 24 years. He is now an Encourager and Resourcer of Church Planting Movements, primarily through writing and editing. Dave is the author of many books, including his recently released: God on the Move: Making Disciples Among the Nations.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Join the Theology in the Raw community for as little as $5/month to get access to premium content. Diana Oestreich is an author, activist and Soldier-turned- Peacemaker. Diana served as a combat medic on the battlefield of the Iraq war. She was awarded the Army Commendation Medal and Iraq Campaign Medal. She’s a nationally recognized speaker at the intersection of justice, Peace, nonviolence, faith and how everyday peacemakers are changing our world. She’s the author of the book: Waging Peace: One Soldier’s Story of Putting Love First, which forms the backdrop of our conversation. Check out the Waging Peace Project.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Join the Theology in the Raw community for as little as $5/month to get access to premium content. Dr. Carmen Joy Imes is associate professor of Old Testament at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University, in Southern California. She is the author of Bearing God's Name: Why Sinai Still Matters, Being God's Image: Why Creation Still Matters, and Becoming God's Family: Why the Church Still Matters. Carmen also has a YouTube channel where she releases weekly Torah Tuesday videos. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Check out the Theology in the Raw Patreon community to watch my extended conversation with Dr. Yarhouse Pick up a copy of Emerging Sexual Identities by Dr. Mark Yarhouse and Julia Sadusky today! Learn more about the Exiles in Babylon Conference hereMy guest today is Dr. Mark Yarhouse! Dr. Yarhouse has published over 100 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters and is author or co-author of several books, including Understanding Gender Dysphoria: Navigating Transgender Issues in a Changing Culture. His forthcoming book, Emerging Sexual Identities (with Dr. Julia Sadusky) will be published by Brazos Press at the end of October.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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This is eye-opening and I'm so thankful you are exposing the truth.
I think the interviewee is overstating her case. In my experience, fiction readers are not any more empathetic than non-fiction readers. ln fact, there are plenty of non-fiction books that promote empathy far more effectively. To say that a preference for reading non-fiction is a stronghold is over the top. Sometimes it's just a preference.
Other than having to listen to all the talk about the Rangers (Go Mariners!), fascinating talk.
This was quite frustrating to listen to at times and makes me desire for someone with an opposing view to be having a discussion along with Mark, because Preston oftentimes does not present opposing viewpoints accurately or with much detail, then the guest just dismisses it as totally illegitimate and Preston just giggles as if to suggest certain concerns are only coming from conspiracy theorist Neanderthals - kind of insulting. I can't believe Mark said that the pandemic would essentially be over if everyone got vaccinated today. Is he not at all aware of the dozens of examples (anywhere from institutions to entire countries) that have extremely high vaccination rates and yet are experiencing record outbreaks? Mark seemed to in no way acknowledge that vaccinated people are very much spreading the virus themselves. I could say more, but it was just very disappointing to get this unbalanced view.
I think you meant "and wife?" :)
Brother , I was really looking forward to listening to this podcast but her audio is so muddy that is very difficult to listen to this for more than 5 min
Some good questions and answers, but you both made several unquestioned assumptions and missed some important biblical/hermeneutical issues. Additionally, there were some problematic statement: e.g., What about those who had being "Eunuchs" forced on them (e.g., by being attracted to the same sex)? You excluded that category and didn't address it. That's not intellectually rigorous and should have been part of the conversation (knowing you both probably have some response to this). Also, generally, marriage is not a calling, neither is celibacy. And, since most are heterosexual, why is that not sufficient for the broad purpose of marriage (particularly procreation) and leave those who can't have children, don't want children, or are attracted to the same sex join in a committed relationship, particularly since the biblical authors and audiences would not have been able to image this debate with their cultural blinders? Then there's the comment that was made that the family unit is the
So many good points. I would quibble that the image of God is not what enables resurrection. I would also say that no part of creation is inherently immortal.
catholicism is not christianity. Christianity is a Faith. Catholicism is a religion(don't know the difference?). Look it up!!
Great episode! On point. I'd just quibble that sin isn't only or mainly an issue of power. That's a different ideology.
Sadly, Preston's political awareness is drastically insufficient. Also, leaning towards Fox News app a more reliable source is being willfully blinded... look at the current law suit. Every news source has a bent, but Preston doesn't seem to be willing to do the homework to properly address credibility. Case in point, border dementia began under Obama, but separating children from parents began under Trump...a distinction never acknowledged or understood.
And you're not concerned about Trump undermining democracy and following autocratic playbooks? How one-sided.
The assessment off the need landscape is terribly off. Fox News is not more objective than others.
i prefer calling it the Kung Flu
Sprinkle is very academically and Biblically robust while maintaining authentic relatability and pastoral application in every episode. Love myself some Theology in the Raw.