DiscoverTripp FullerReligion Before Language: Why We Danced Before We Believed
Religion Before Language: Why We Danced Before We Believed

Religion Before Language: Why We Danced Before We Believed

Update: 2025-09-09
Share

Description

So we’re at the Common Market in Charlotte drinking craft beverages and fielding questions from the Speaking to a Modern World conference, which means we’re ping-ponging between topics faster than your algorithm-addled attention span. Josh starts us off playing voice of the people, then we trade him for Leah Robinson, who’s delightfully willing to interrupt me when I get too deep in the philosophical weeds. We tackle everything from what the hell “modernity” actually means (hint: it’s not just Protestants arguing about beliefs), to why religion emerged before language as a solution to mammalian cooperation problems, to how process theology offers a different way through deconstruction than Nietzsche’s lonely child-making. Tom and I explain why we think classical theism’s omnipotent God is actually less helpful than you’d think, we get into the weeds on sacrificial language and atonement theory, and Leah keeps us honest about whether all our philosophical specificity is just academic masturbation or actually useful for people trying to figure out how to live. Plus we discover that getting kicked out of the Nazarenes gives you mixed feelings but doesn’t automatically make you drink beer.


Thomas Jay Oord is a theologian, philosopher, and scholar of multi-disciplinary studies. He is an award-winning author, and he has written or edited more than twenty-five books. Oord directs a doctoral program at Northwind Theological Seminary and the Center for Open and Relational Theology. He won the Outstanding Faculty Award twelve times as a full-time professor and now speaks at institutions across the globe. Oord is known for his contributions to research on love, open and relational theology, science and religion, and freedom and relationships for transformation.


Some Previous Tripp & Tom Pods



Leah Robinson is a practical theologian, author of Bad Theology, and professor at McAfee School of Theology at Mercer University. A Georgia native who completed her PhD at the University of Edinburgh, Robinson has taught at both the University of Glasgow and University of Edinburgh before returning to her alma mater. Her work focuses on practical theology with particular attention to feminist, queer, and liberation theological perspectives


Check out Leah’s previous visits to the podcast



UPCOMING ONLINE CLASS – The God of Justice: Where Ancient Wisdom Meets Contemporary Longing


This transformative online class brings together distinguished scholars from biblical studies, theology, history, and faith leadership to offer exactly what our moment demands: the rich, textured wisdom of multiple academic disciplines speaking into our contemporary quest for justice. Here you’ll discover how ancient texts illuminate modern struggles, how theological reflection deepens social action, and how historical understanding opens new possibilities for faithful engagement with our world’s brokenness and beauty. Join John Dominic Crossan, Peter Enns, Casey Sigmon, Aizaiah Yong, & Malcolm Foley


As always, the class is donation-based, including 0. INFO & Sign-Up at www.FaithAndPolitics.net


Theology Beer Camp is a unique three-day conference that brings together of theology nerds and craftbeer for a blend of intellectual engagement, community building, and fun. This event features a lineup of well-known podcasters, scholars, and theology enthusiasts who come together to “nerd out” on theological topics while enjoying loads of fun activities. Guests this year include John Dominic Crossan, Kelly Brown Douglas, Philip Clayton, Stacey Floyd-Thomas, Jeffery Pugh, Juan Floyd-Thomas, Andy Root, Grace Ji-Sun Kim, Noreen Herzfeld, Reggie Williams, Casper ter Kuile, and more! Get info and tickets here.


Follow the podcast, drop a review, send <a href="https://castfeedback.com/hbc" rel="noopener noreferrer" ta

Comments 
In Channel
loading
00:00
00:00
x

0.5x

0.8x

1.0x

1.25x

1.5x

2.0x

3.0x

Sleep Timer

Off

End of Episode

5 Minutes

10 Minutes

15 Minutes

30 Minutes

45 Minutes

60 Minutes

120 Minutes

Religion Before Language: Why We Danced Before We Believed

Religion Before Language: Why We Danced Before We Believed

Dr. Tripp Fuller | Theologian, Philosopher, Minister