My guest on our latest “Messy Conversations” BONUS episode of the podcast is Matthew J. Distefano. Matthew is a brilliant writer, theologian, musician, podcaster, social worker, and Patheos contributor. He is one of four co-hosts of the insanely popular Heretic Happy Hour podcast and also hosts a solo podcast, “Apostates Anonymous”. He is the author of the Amazon bestselling books Heretic!, All Set Free, From the Blood of Abel, Devoted as F*ck, and the multi-volume “The Bonfire Sessions” co-written with… Read more
December 13, 2020
Sledding Down the Slippery Slope (a conversation with Matthew J. Distefano)
December 13, 2020 By Jason Elam
237 Comments
December 6, 2020
Finding Peace in Trying Times (a conversation with Laura and Karl Forehand)
December 6, 2020 By Jason Elam
93 Comments
In this brand new Messy Conversations episode of the podcast, we welcome our good friends, Karl and Laura Forehand, as we explore practical ways to keep our peace in chaotic times. This conversation was real and raw and I think you’ll really enjoy it. Laura Forehand is an educator, author, podcaster, mom, grandmother, and so much more. Her podcast is “The Whole Brain Teaching Podcast”. Karl Forehand is a former pastor, Patheos columnist, podcaster on “The Desert Sanctuary”, and is… Read more
December 3, 2020
We’re All Going to Be OK (a conversation about patristic universalism with Keith Giles)
December 3, 2020 By Jason Elam
3 Comments
We’ve just released a bonus “Messy Conversations” episode of The Messy Spirituality Podcast featuring author Keith Giles! You can listen to it here or wherever you listen to podcasts. In this heartfelt and moving conversation, Keith and I discuss his transition from holding a view of eternal conscious torment (burning forever in hell) to annihilationism and then to his current view of patristic universalism. We also discuss common objections to ultimate redemption. Keith is one of four co-hosts of the… Read more
September 8, 2020
A Letter to the American Church
September 8, 2020 By Jason Elam
1,312 Comments
To the American Church (that I love), You taught me to be a person of integrity. Then you condoned the man who paid hush money to a porn star. You taught me that the Kingdom of God is bigger than the USA. Then you chanted “American First”. You taught me to be accountable for my actions. Then you turned a blind eye to as the president refused to take responsibility for absolutely anything that happened on his watch. You told… Read more
August 13, 2020
Praying With Our Eyes Wide Open
August 13, 2020 By Jason Elam
605 Comments
Many people struggle with the idea of prayer post deconstruction. As we come to know a God whose love constrains God from controlling the decisions and circumstances of humanity, it can difficult to know what to pray for. Some might even wonder why we bother to pray at all. Prayer as Bypassing For most of my life, my prayers were actually a form of spiritual bypassing. Rather than feeding the hungry homeless person, I would pray for them asking God… Read more
August 10, 2020
The Worship God Wants
August 10, 2020 By Jason Elam
748 Comments
Worship leader (and former Republican congressional candidate) Sean Feucht has been traveling the country leading outdoor worship events in violation of local health orders. Portland One such event recently took place in Portland, Oregon in the shadow of the ongoing protests there. The gathering was seen by some as a politically-charged attempt to overshadow the protestors demonstrating against police brutality. Feucht, however, said his event was really about standing up to tyrannical local government. Sounding very much like a political… Read more
August 7, 2020
Letting Love In, Part 3: Love Keeps Us and Never Leaves
August 7, 2020 By Jason Elam
986 Comments
There is a strong temptation for us to believe that while it’s love that rescues us from the illusion of separation, it’s our rule keeping, church attendance, or personal devotion that maintains our salvation. Nothing could be further from the truth. You are completely and totally loved. There is nothing you can do to make God love you more. There’s nothing you can do to make God love you less. You are at home in the embrace of God. It’s… Read more
August 5, 2020
Letting Love In: Part 2-Love Heals Us
August 5, 2020 By Jason Elam
452 Comments
This is the second post in a series on Letting Love In. If you missed the first installment, check it out here. Salvation Receiving the love of God heals our wounds and makes us whole. The Greek word that we translate as “salvation” literally means “to be made whole”. To receive the salvation of God is to be made whole. God’s truly unconditional love heals the damage done by hatred and injustice. It breaks the power of insecurity and sets… Read more
August 3, 2020
Letting Love In: Part 1-Love Finds Us
August 3, 2020 By Jason Elam
699 Comments
This week, I’ll be taking a look at how the love of God transforms us and sets us free to finally become in public the image of God that we have always been within. This series will contain three posts, starting with this one. Truly Unconditional Growing up in the church, I heard a lot about the unconditional love of God. I remember thinking how odd it was that this God who supposedly loved us so much would impose so… Read more
July 31, 2020
Progressive Like Jesus
July 31, 2020 By Jason Elam
776 Comments
For most of my life, I assumed that Jesus was a white, middle-class, Republican. I remember hearing former Texas Governor Ann Richards say, “If English was good enough for Jesus, it’s good enough for Texas.” during a statewide debate about English as the official language. I laughed at the thought of a Jew living 2,000 years ago speaking a language that didn’t yet exist. At the same time, I wondered what myths about Jesus I might be under the influence… Read more
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