The Bad Orthodox Podcast

Episode 8: Who is Allowed to be Orthodox?

badorthodox@gmail.com (The Bad Orthodox Podcast) — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 03:44:00 +0000

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In this episode, taking their lead from the themes of the previous episode, Lydia and Kevin reflect on how different people and ideas are included in and excluded from the Orthodox community.

Topics discussed include:

The nature of community
Experiences of inclusion and exclusion
What criteria are (or are not) used as the basis for including or excluding someone from the church community

Episode 7: Authority in the Church

badorthodox@gmail.com (The Bad Orthodox Podcast) — Thu, 16 Mar 2017 21:50:00 +0000

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In this episode, taking their lead from the themes of the previous episode, Lydia and Kevin reflect on the nature and exercise of authority in the Orthodox Church.

Topics discussed include:

The nature of priestly and episcopal authority
The ways that authority is embodied and enacted by the clergy and the laity
The history of church hierarchy and structure
Roles of the ordained and the non-ordained
Ways that ministry can be extended beyond the purview of one person, the parish priest

Passing On

The following books, blogs, podcasts, and articles were used in preparing this episode. Please check them out for more information and discussion on the subjects we dove into today!

Tune in next time to hear Lydia and Kevin discuss the book and recent film of The Shack!

Episode 6: Small Gods

badorthodox@gmail.com (The Bad Orthodox Podcast) — Thu, 19 Jan 2017 22:03:00 +0000

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In this episode, Lydia and Kevin reflect on the novel Small Gods, by the late Sir Terry Pratchett.

Topics discussed include:

Religious certainty and delusion
The ways belief works (or doesn’t work)
How can we know anything about God?

Passing On

The following books and articles were used in preparing this episode. Please check them out for more information and discussion on the subjects we dove into today!

The novel itself, Small Gods, by Terry Pratchett
The Folklore of Discworld: Legends, Myths, and Customs from the Discworld with Helpful Hints from Planet Earth, by Terry Pratchett and Jaqueline Simpson
The Terry Pratchett website
“Alzheimer’s leads atheist Terry Pratchett to appreciate God,” by Robert Watts
“Imaginary Worlds, Real Stories,” by Terry Pratchett, in Folklore 111:2

Tune in next time to hear Lydia and Kevin discuss the nature of authority!

Episode 5: Interview With Dr. Jorgensen, Companion Episode

badorthodox@gmail.com (The Bad Orthodox Podcast) — Fri, 27 May 2016 08:11:00 +0000

Wherein we respond to the interview in the previous episode.

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In this episode, Lydia and Kevin reflect, react, and respond to our interview in the last episode with Dr. Jeana Jorgensen, Ph.D., and the topics we discussed with her.

Dr. Jorgensen’s work can be found online in the following places:

Topics discussed include:

Good versus bad Platonism
Monasticism and its influence on Orthodox theology
The context of patristic literature
The significance of symbols and images

Passing On

The following books and articles were used in preparing this episode. Please check them out for more information and discussion on the subjects we dove into today!

Theological Disambiguations: An Unconventional Handbook of Orthodox Theology, by Fr. Vladan Perišić
“Pushing Back: ‘Greek Thinking’ vs. ‘Jewish Thinking’ is a Dualistic Error,” by Brad Jersak
“Gender as Icon and Vocation,” Orthodox Institute 2012
The Burden of the Flesh: Fasting and Sexuality in Early Christianity, by Teresa M. Shaw
“The Monk and the Married Christian: Some Comparisons in early Monastic Sources,” by Metropolitan Kallistos Ware, Eastern Churches Review, 6:1 (1974), 72-83

Tune in next time to hear Lydia and Kevin review the late Sir Terry Pratchett’s fantasy novel Small Gods.

Episode 4: Interview with Dr. Jeana Jorgensen

badorthodox@gmail.com (The Bad Orthodox Podcast) — Fri, 27 May 2016 07:57:00 +0000

An Interview with Dr. Jeana Jorgensen

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[Note: about 54 minutes in there is some major distortion in the audio recording that we didn’t notice during the recording process. Since Dr. Jorgensen’s comments are still discernible, and very important, we decided to keep this in, but be aware of this, and feel free to skip ahead 6 or 7 minutes if it’s beyond your ability to endure :-) ]

In this episode, Lydia and Kevin interview Dr. Jeana Jorgensen, Ph.D., folklorist, sex educator, and belly dancer extraordinaire!

Dr. Jorgensen’s work can be found online in the following places:

Topics discussed include:

Feminism
The difference between sex and gender
What Orthodox Christians and other religious groups and leaders can do to promote healthy sexuality

Passing On

As suggested reading on the subjects we discussed today, here are two books you may find helpful

Tune in next time to hear our companion episode, where Lydia and Kevin react and respond to the interview you heard today, and for further resources.

Episode 3: Hellbound? by Kevin Miller

badorthodox@gmail.com (The Bad Orthodox Podcast) — Fri, 20 May 2016 00:11:00 +0000

Hellbound? by Kevin Miller

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In this episode, Lydia and Kevin examine Hellbound?, a 2013 documentary film on different Christian visions of hell by Kevin Miller.

Topics discussed include:

Subjectivity and objectivity in interpretation
The nature of salvation and damnation
Emotional motivations for visions of the afterlife
The art of documentary filmmaking
Good preaching and bad preaching

Passing On

To purchase a DVD or a download of the film, as well as additional materials, such as the discussion guide, check out the Hellbound website.

Also, you might be interested in the following books, articles, podcasts, and videos on the subjects of Salvation, the Gospel, Good and Evil, and Hell:

“The Mirror of Hell,” a roundtable discussion on Hellbound? between Abp. Lazar Puhalo, Brad Jersak, Ron Dart, and Kevin Miller.
“The Death of Death,” a sermon by Brad Jersak
“Apocatastasis: The Heresy That Never Was,” by Fr. Aidan Kimel
“‘The Satan’ with Brad Jersak and Michael Hardin,” an episode of the Beyond the Box podcast
Life After Death: A History of the Afterlife in Western Religion, by Alan Segal
The Origin of Satan: How Christians Demonized Jews, Pagans, and Heretics, by Elaine Pagels

Tune in next time to hear our interview of Dr. Jeana Jorgensen, Ph.D., folklorist, sex educator, and belly dancer extraordinaire!

Hellbound? preview

badorthodox@gmail.com (The Bad Orthodox Podcast) — Thu, 07 Apr 2016 19:22:00 +0000

In our next episode, we will be reviewing and interacting with the film Hellbound?, a documentary made in 2012 by filmmaker Kevin Miller.

As a preview of what we’ll be talking about, here is the trailers for the film.

Share and enjoy!

Episode 2: Pastrix

badorthodox@gmail.com (The Bad Orthodox Podcast) — Sun, 27 Mar 2016 01:28:00 +0000

Pastrix: The Cranky, Beautiful Faith of a Sinner & Saint, by Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber

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In this episode, Lydia and Kevin examine Pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber’s theological memoirs, Pastrix, published in 2014.

Topics discussed include:

Liturgical innovation
The role of women in the church
The nature of authority and priestly ministry
Pastoral vulnerability
Grace and the Gospel message

Passing On

Buy a copy of Pastrix on Amazon!

Listen to Rev. Bolz-Weber’s interview about Pastrix with the Nomad Podcast here …

… and her interview with NPR’s On Being podcast here!

Also, you can listen to sermons by Pastor Nadia and others at her parish, House for All Sinners and Saints in Denver, CO, on the church website, here!

Episode 1: Introductions

badorthodox@gmail.com (The Bad Orthodox Podcast) — Tue, 23 Feb 2016 07:10:00 +0000

Our first episode!

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In this episode, our intrepid hosts talk to each other about their journeys as Orthodox academics and the backgrounds they bring to the conversation they are starting with the podcast.

Topics discussed include:

Culture and community
Authority
Language
Seeking the truth
Different understandings of concepts and theories
What do we really mean by terms like “the Church” and “Orthodoxy”?

Passing on

In order to understand our perspectives and background, each host recommended some reading material.

Lydia suggested “Religious Folklore,” by Larry Danielson as an introduction to how folklorists investigate religious subjects.

Kevin suggested the book Socrates Meets Jesus, by Peter Kreeft, which was the first book of philosophy he ever read, and set him off on the pursuit of Truth and Wisdom.