Politics and Religion. We’re not supposed to talk about that, right? Wrong! We only say that nowadays because the loudest, most extreme voices have taken over the whole conversation. Well, we‘re taking some of that space back! If you’re dying for some dialogue instead of all the yelling; if you know it’s okay to have differences without having to hate each other; if you believe politics and religion are too important to let ”the screamers” drown out the rest of us and would love some engaging, provocative and fun conversations about this stuff, then ”Talkin‘ Politics & Religion Without Killin‘ Each Other” is for you!
Episodes
Wednesday Dec 09, 2020
Wednesday Dec 09, 2020
On this episode, Ronnie and Corey talk with the brilliant, renowned economist, Michael Ferrantino. In his current role at the World Bank, Michael is ensconced in promoting recovery in global trade in the wake of COVID-19. We also mix it up with a discussion of our religious formation, get into some politics (of course) and even talk some baseball. Most importantly, back by popular demand is a special cameo by the now infamous Phyllis, aka Grandma. It's priceless. Trust me.
Sunday Dec 06, 2020
Sunday Dec 06, 2020
What is expertise? Does it still matter? How can we know things? How can we know what the truth is? How does our faith inform everything else? And what's up with anti-intellectualism?
Dr. E. Johanna Hartelius is Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. She's the author of The Gifting Logos: Expertise in the Digital Commons and The Rhetoric of Expertise. She's also a co-host on the podcasts You're Not Accepted and Crackers and Grape Juice. And yeah, she's pretty bad-ass!
Sunday Nov 29, 2020
Sunday Nov 29, 2020
Dr. Amy Laura Hall is Assoc. Prof. of Christian Ethics at Duke Divinity School and the author of several books including Kierkegaard and the Treachery of Love; Conceiving Parenthood: American Protestantism and the Spirit of Reproduction; Writing Home, With Love: Politics for Neighbors and Naysayers; and Laughing at the Devil: Seeing the World with Julian of Norwich.
Many will find our conversation highly engaging and fun while others may just get ticked off! Here's some of what we discuss:
- Who are "they"?
- The ministry of "that sucks!"
- Descending that damn escalator
- "...beautifully and wonderfully made gay by God..."
- Muscular Christianity
- Welcome to the “tzitzka-macha club”
- Plus, a cameo by Lisa Nathan
As you'll find, Amy Laura happens to be the most gracious, thoughtful, empathetic spit-fire of an activist, minister, teacher, mother, good trouble maker Durham’s ever seen!
Sunday Nov 22, 2020
Sunday Nov 22, 2020
Ross Patterson is a NY Times Best-Selling Author, Actor, Writer, Director, Producer, who has been leading the way in the podcast space, garnering millions of listeners with Drinkin’ Bros, Drinkin' Broettes, Ross Patterson Revolution, American Party Podcast and will soon be putting their sports show on it's own feed. On this episode, Corey and Ross talk about everything from the current state of media to politics (of course) and how Post Malone stole our beer pong show. Just totally ripped it off!
Sunday Nov 15, 2020
Sunday Nov 15, 2020
Dr. George Yancey is a sociologist and a professor at the Institute for Studies of Religion and Sociology at Baylor University. On this episode Corey and Ronnie cover critical issues such as Professor Yancey's alternative to anti-racism, mutual responsibility; Christianaphobia; the reasons for and dangers of the evangelical community's support of Donald Trump; the American Solidarity Party; and his read of the election results.
Dr. Yancey is a prolific author of many books including his most recent contributions So Many Christians, So Few Lions (dealing with Christianophobia); Transcending Racial Barriers; and Compromising Scholarship (on religious and political bias in Amer. higher education) among many others. And you can also have your paradigms shattered on the aptly called Shattering Paradigms his Patheos blog.
Sunday Nov 08, 2020
Sunday Nov 08, 2020
Rabbi Mark Blazer of Temple Beth Ami discusses how he became a rabbi, the differences between the Reform and Conservative movements of Judaism and his expanded role with JLTV, the network his father Phil Blazer started that garners 10s of thousands of Jewish, Christian and secular viewers from around the world. Ronnie and Corey also explore the state of politics today, in particular: Was Trump good for Israel? If so, was it worth it? You might be surprised by the answer!
Sunday Nov 01, 2020
Sunday Nov 01, 2020
Tommy Givens, author of We the People, Israel and the Catholicity of Jesus, is Assoc. Prof. of New Testament Studies at Fuller Theological Seminary. Tommy talks with Ronnie and Corey about growing up as a "pastor's kid," his formative years as a missionary in Spain and working for his doctorate at Duke Divinity School, and how his theological convictions have shaped his participation in the greater redemption project, sometimes putting him at odds with the same Evangelical community he grew up in.
Sunday Oct 25, 2020
Sunday Oct 25, 2020
In the first of our series, "The Garbage Man and the Window Washer Save the Universe," two engaged citizens discuss everything from the final presidential debate of 2020, to "the Garbage Man's" background as a local businessman as well as his religious formation, to THE POLLS! We have a lengthy conversation about how to read the polls, different factors to consider, the fact that not all polls are equal, and Corey even gives some prognostications on key swing states!
Sunday Oct 18, 2020
Sunday Oct 18, 2020
An intro to co-host Ronnie Nathan and the back story about how Corey, after growing up in a very observantly Jewish family, became a Christian, the impact that had on Ronnie and Corey's relationship as father and son, how others absorbed the news (including Phyllis, Ronnie's wife and Corey's mom), and the conversation that started that Thanksgiving morning 20 years ago involving religion, family, politics and everything in between continues to this day.