Tammy and I are joined by my brother Andrew who is back for a special Christmas episode of Beyond the Pale. As a former Evangelical Christian turned atheist Andy gives some of his thought provoking perspectives on the holiday season. And can you have a family holiday discussion without the conversation turning political? Join us as we spend a little (ok, a lot of) time analysing Evangelical Christianity's fascination and support for all things Donald Trump!
Get Ready to go Beyond the Pale with Andrew Hackman
Episode Index:
1:20 - Intro
5:20 - Politics and Trump
30:18 - Christianity without Fear
39:15 - "I was a missionary, I can't afford to retire"
44:20 - "Can We Finally Talk About Christmas?"
Live from the Britons Protection pub in Manchester England we continue our talk with Steve Priest and follow his journey in finding God not "out there" but in community with other people. Along the way we discuss the impact of Peter Rollin's Wake Festivals and the dynamics produced when we form Temporary Autonomous Zones!
Get Ready to go Beyond the Pale with Steve Priest!
Episode Index
1:28 Intro- Steve & Tammy discuss the Clockenflap Music Festival
21:37: Live from the Britons Protection pub in Manchester England
22:38: Steve talks about connecting at Greenbelt Music Festival
34:45: “God” is in everything that lives
38:08: Engaging with Peter Rollins and the Wake Festival
41:28: The dynamics of Temporary Autonomous Zones (TAZ)
1:01: (Bonus) Original recorded Pt 2 with Steve Priest
What happens when you sincerely look for God...and He doesn't show? When you seek but don't find and knock and no one answers? Steve Priest shares his journey of looking to have a relationship with God he perceived others to have but couldn't seem to experience himself. What starts as a journey of frustration becomes much more alive as Steve begins to see God manifest through relationships with friends and interactions with the community.
Get ready to go Beyond the Pale with Steve Priest!
1:44 Intro- There are no coincidences / the Camino provides
15:15 - Meeting at Pete Rollins “Wake” event
24:53 - Steve’s Journey
29:59- When everyone else feels God but you don’t
32:32- When you can’t change people, start something new
42:22- Taking responsibility for our decisions and morality
Steve shares with Tammy as well as friends Mark & Christine Cattanach about his recent pilgrimage walking 1000 miles from Canterbury England to Rome Italy. Along the way he tells the stories of good people, changed hearts, and a few lessons learned. Also what it is like to trust in "the Camino to provide".
Get ready to go Beyond the Pale with Steve & Tammy!
From Covent Garden in Central London I continue my conversation with theologian and philosopher Barry Taylor. Barry delves into how culture shapes our beliefs and faith...and even shares how the difference between C.S. Lewis' "Narnia" and J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" is reflected in the changing theology and culture of our times.
Get Ready to Go Beyond The Pale With Barry Taylor!
Episode Index:
1:02 Intro with Steve & Tammy
15:00 Church, Culture, and Belief
21:08 Does the world need Christianity to have morality?
33:23 Narnia or Harry Potter
40:00 “If you get rid of hell, you have to get rid of heaven”
46:39 Differences between Europe and the United States
Barry Taylor has come a long way since travelling backstage with the rock band AC / DC. Since those early days touring his journey has taken him from arena concerts, to exploring philosophy, encountering Christianity, becoming a church leader, and finally to a place where "something doesn't feel right".
Barry then unpacks how his faith deconstruction has led him to a place where enjoys walking the line between the sacred and the profane, atheism and theism, and inviting others to join along for the ride.
Get ready to go Beyond the Pale with Barry Taylor
Show Index:
2:40 Intro with Steve & Tammy
16:10 Do our religious “ghosts” ever really go away?
24:59 Barry shares his Journey
37:04 Considering Christianity…and sex!
41:36 Christianity and “something doesn’t feel right”
49:15 Barry unpacks why nothing has changed in the church for 25 years
Singer - Songwriter Tom Read returns to Beyond the Pale to share the story behind his new record "Lament" and how that emotion has expressed itself in his Christian journey recently. We also chat with Tom about the recent Royal Wedding as well as an anecdote or two from his recent performance live for HRH Queen Elizabeth ll.
Get Ready to go Beyond the Pale with Tom Read!
Episode Index:
1:19 (Intro) Steve gives a short Via Francigena update from the top of the Alps in Switzerland
7:37 The Royal wedding and the impact of Rev Michael Curry
12:00 Tom shares about performing live before Queen Elizabeth
16:23 Openness and transparency
18:19 “Lament” and the “Dead Things to Life” video
24:23 The Journey continues
37:33 Seeing the “bigger picture” in life, faith, and God
Steve gives a short update while on his "Via Francigena" 1,000 mile pilgrimage while passing through the Montreal Jazz Festival in Switzerland.
Adam Benner returns to Beyond the Pale to talk about what the Kingdom of God is and what it means for followers of Christ today in the here and now. Is it just a place where God rules in the "here after"? To what degree does it have ramifications for followers of Christ in this life?
Steve also gives an update as he walks the 1000 mile "Via Francigena" from Canterbury England to Rome!
Ever thought of taking a trip to Burning Man; that week long event in experimental community that takes place in the Black Rock Desert every summer? Our friend Natalie Chan shares her adventures at Burning Man 2017 and explains it's focus on "radical inclusion", "self -reliance", and "self -expression"!
Get Ready to go Beyond the Pale with Natalie Chan at Burning Man!
We continue our talk with entrepreneur Natalie Chan as she shares her journey establishing OWN Academy and the challenges she has faced confronting rigid structures and mindsets. Her successes as well as her setbacks will be an inspiration to you on your own life journey.
Get ready to go Beyond the Pale with Natalie Chan!
Show Notes:
1:04 Steve’s Intro
5:26 Challenging set structures
14:10 Diversity and New Perspectives
17: 34 Pushing through to achieve your goal
29:40 Overcoming setbacks
Natalie Chan is an educator and entrepreneur who is helping to rethink and reshape new ways of learning for the 21st century. She shares her story of entering the corporate world only to then see a different path leading her to addressing areas of justice and the betterment of society through new educational paradigms.
Go Beyond the Pale with Natalie Chan!
Episode Index:
1:12 Intro to episode with Steve & Tammy
9:50: What pulls us away from what we are used to?
17:00- Natalie’s story begins
28:00 - Opening our mind to other cultures
35:00- Entering the corporate world
36:40- Creating opportunity despite rejection
49:36- How do we learn?
In Episode 71 Christine & Mark continue their story and share about Christine's new position as an "Intergenerational Missioner" for the Anglican Church. How she seeks to connect various generations with each other and the church has implications for all of us in an increasingly changing society.
Get ready to go Beyond the Pale with Mark & Christine Cattenach
Show Index:
00;20 Intro with Steve & Tammy
17:05- Investing resources in people
28:18 Becoming a “Missioner”
38:00 Gungor & The Big Church Day Out
Steve travels to London England on today's episode to sit down with Mark and Christine Cattanach as they share how and why they took a break from church. Their story of hitting the pause button to find their bearings and reflect will be an inspiration on your own journey. Get ready to go beyond the Pale with Mark & Christine Cattanach
Show index:
1:20 - Intro with Steve & Tammy
12:12 - How going to church became a challenge
26:36 - What God wants or what we want?
39:13- Finding church in different places
45:12- Held hostage to “Words from God”?
RTHK Radio 3 film critic James Marsh sits down with Steve to discuss this year's Oscar race, review the Best Picture nominees, and give his predictions of what films will be taking home the gold at the 90th Annual Academy Awards.
Show index:
9:00- Best Supporting Actor
20:50- Best Supporting Actress
35:57- Best Actor
49:08- Best Actress
1:04:00- Best Director
1:15:44- Best Picture
Padraig O' Tuama is a poet, storyteller, musician, and leader of the peace and reconciliation community called Corrymeela in Belfast Northern Ireland. Padraig discusses with Steve his journey as he navigates culture, faith, sexual orientation, and even his understanding of God with a religious structure often at odds. He shares the stories of how he learned to do so in a way that that brought peace to himself and those around him. Go Beyond the Pale with Padraig O'Tuama
Episode Index:
1:07 (intro) Tammy reads selected sections and poetry from Padraig’s book “In the Shelter”
15:12- Growing up Catholic in Ireland
19:54 - Being Catholic in an Evangelical surrounding
34:43 - Living in Community
39:19- Faith & Sexual Orientation
45:35- The Devil? Who is he?
55:05- The Corrymeela Community
1:00:34- “Blessed are the Peacemakers…”
Youth Pastor Rich Kifer, a previous guest on Beyond the Pale, asked if he could chat with me by phone to discuss some questions as he deconstructs, and attempts to reconstruct, his faith. He kindly allowed me to record our conversation as I suggested it might help others who are also processing their faith. Along the way Rich and I discuss hell, suffering, Biblical violence, and some bad church experiences. I even share about the time the church board shut down my high school dance. Yes, Footloose is not just a movie for me.
Get ready to go Beyond the Pale with Rich Kifer
Show Index:
0:53 (Intro) Steve in London England
9:30- Why I can't be an atheist
13:05- Bible Literalism?
24:45- Deconstructing Hell & Salvation
35:30 - Changing "how" we believe rather than "what" we believe
47:09 On Suffering
1:09:28- Reconstruction
Martin Daniel, Beyond the Pale's "geek" correspondent, sits down with Steve & Tammy to discuss and review the latest installment in the Star Wars franchise; The Last Jedi. Does the return of Luke Skywalker live up to the hype? Or does the film fail to deliver?
Get ready to go Beyond the Pale with Martin Daniel!