University Professor and former bassist for the Christian punk band "Undercover" Ojo Taylor returns to discuss a recent blog post he wrote as he turned 65.

Getting older ain't easy but Ojo reflects on the benefits that ageing brings including wisdom, perspective, and an understanding of what's really important in life. And of course with his very public transition from Christian musician to atheism we go on frequent tangents discussing God, faith, the nature of belief, and morality without religion...among other things!

Go Beyond the Pale with Ojo Taylor!

5:23 - Conversation begins

10:23 - When "friends" unfriend over belief differences

15:57 - Discussing ageing, mortality, and stages of life

16:32 - The benefits of therapy

24:48 - Comparing ourselves to others

25:52 - With age, "Time" becomes our currency

44:56 - No longer trying to "save the world for Jesus"

53:10 - Discussing morality without religion

Hannah Land is an Occupational Therapist and administrator for the online community Progressing Church.  She joins Beyond the Pale to discuss the how theology can be employed to address the personal suffering and trauma experienced by many.  Along the way she opens up about her own experience with sexual abuse as well as sharing some of the life giving understanding of Christ that have helped her and others on their journey.  We also touch on spiritual deconstruction and the process of engaging with others.

Go Beyond the Pale with Hannah Land!

Episode Index

1:08 - Intro with Steve & Tammy

9:00 - Conversation with Hannah begins

10:47 - What is trauma theology?

18:00 - Hannah shares her personal experience

20:39 - Jesus & the trauma he experienced

32:41 - Spiritual Deconstruction- Is it just a "white people" thing?

42:40 - When is it OK to provoke other people?

The release of Denis Villeneuve's much anticipated adaption of Frank Herbert's "Dune" has drawn the inevitable comparisons to the David Lynch's 1984 adaption. On today's special episode I sit down with movie critic James Marsh to do a deep dive into who really did it better; Dune 1984 or Dune 2021

Episode Index

3:20 - Paul Atreides (Kyle Maclachlan vs. Timothy Chalamet)

8:24- Do we have a bias for the 1984 Dune film

10:40 - Duke Leto (Jurgen Prochnow vs. Oscar Issacs)

15:80- Lady Jessica (Francesca Annis vs. Rebecca Ferguson)

17:11- Baron Harkonnen (Kenneth McMillan vs. Stellan Skarsgard

26:16- Supporting Cast 1984 vs Supporting Cast 2021

35:29- Faithfulness to the book 1984 vs 2021

42:28- Film Score (Toto vs. Hans Zimmer)

46:00- Final comparisons Dune 1984 vs Dune 2021

Steve Barker joined us back in Episode 41 to talk about Re-Thinking Church and now comes to my rescue to help spare me of the boredom of a mandated 14 days isolation in a Hong Kong hotel room.  Along the way we discuss the COVID situation, my confirmation in the Anglican church, and making the Christian faith practical in the world around us.

Go Beyond the Pale with Steve Barker!

Episode Index

1:23 - Intro with Steve & Tammy 

8:37 - Conversation with Steve Barker begins

9:00 - The effects of quarantine isolation

15:15 - When do we just learn to live with Covid?

22:00 - Traveling Internationally during Covid is expensive

29:32 - Joining the Anglican church

38:19 - Musing on the need for "church"

48:26 - Practical applications of Christianity vs. "Finding God's Will for my Life"

Our Camino Tales series continues as we sit down with our pilgrim friend Diarmuid O'Reiley to discuss some of our shared adventures together on the Camino de Santiago.  Along the way Diarmuid shares a bit of his faith journey, the Lord's Prayer in Gaelic, as well as some political thoughts including an Irish perspective on America's fascination with Donald Trump.  My son Gabriel who walked our 2015 with Diarmuid also joins us in the interview.

Go Beyond the Pale with Diarmuid O'Reilly!

Episode Guide

1:10- (Intro) Steve in Covid quarantine

8:57 - Conversation begins & Guinness is opened

10:40-  Talking Camino De Santiago

22:05-  The Lord’s Prayer in Gaelic

23:01-  Going from Catholic to Charismatic

32:31-  An Irish perspective on Donald Trump

44:20-  When the truth loses it’s currency

49:32-  Reminiscing Camino times with Diarmuid

50:35-  Taking Communion on the Camino de Santiago

1:01:01: Pilgrim friends on the Camino

Keith Giles returns to Beyond the Pale to discuss his new book Jesus Unforsaken in which he argues the real Good News of Jesus has been replaced in much of today's church with a toxic message originating with John Calvin in the 1500s.  Keith explains why its crucial to return to the historic Christ-centered view of the cross that sets people free from sin and unveils a God of love who would rather die than live without us.

Go Beyond the Pale with Keith Giles!

Episode Index:

1:34- Intro with Steve

5:02- Conversation with Keith begins

8:06- Catching up with Keith since our last podcast together

12:53- What is "atonement" and why it's important

22:21- "To realise God is NOT a monster"

32:12- Alisa Childers and "progressive Christians"

33:56- Discussing a recent history of Christian "boogymen"

37:37- Labels and how followers of Jesus might identify themselves

42:26- Peace Catalyst podcast and building bridges with the Muslim community

52:45- How to choose the path that leads to peace with others

South China Morning Post and RTHK Radio 3 movie critic James Marsh sits down with Steve for their annual Academy Awards predictions.  Along the way we discuss the the nominees in the major categories, who we think WILL win vs. who SHOULD win, and why Brian Cox played a better Hannibal Lector than Anthony Hopkins.

Go Beyond the Pale with James Marsh!

Episode Index:

1:13- Steve’s Intro

4:28- Interview begins / Small Talk

10:14- Best Actress in a Supporting Role

21:02- Best Actor in a Supporting Role

31:05- Best Actress in a Leading Role

38:10- Best Actor in a Lead Role

41:44 - (Tangent) Anthony Hopkins vs. Brian Cox as Hannibal Lector

46:44 - Best Actor discussion resumes

54:28- Best Director

1:10:39 - Best Picture

On today's episode Steve sits down with two of his good friends who are nominal Trump voters to help better understand why Christians seem fascinated with conspiracy theories and why they tend to fuel them rather than extinguish them.  Along the way we discuss Donald Trump, the Epoch Times, and how Christians can be conditioned into toxic patterns.

Episode Index:

2:17- Intro with Steve

12:16- Was Portland destroyed by Black Lives Matter?

14:10- What does the "main stream media" report on?

21:35- What's on the horizon in "conspiracy land"?

33:24- Refusing a peaceful transfer of power brings violence

41:38- The trusty Epoch Times?

51:50- The habit to defend our Christian "tribe"

55:24- Why Christians struggle to believe Biden can do good

1:05:40- What we think about God matters

David Morgan joins us to discuss University of Chicago Political Science professor Eric Oliver's new book "Enchanted America: How Intuition & Reason Divide Our Politics".  Along the way David helps explain why many Americans are increasingly embracing bizarre conspiracy theories in an attempt to make sense of a complicated and changing world.

Go Beyond the Pale with David Morgan!

Episode Index:

1:25- Intro with Steve

7:07- Conversation with David begins

9:40- Why Americans are not divided by ideology but by thinking styles

17:00- Why the brain creates mental shortcuts to explain the world

28:28- Can you be a rationalist & believe in the Bible?

34:44- How people respond when they feel judged

47:30- Fragile masculinity leads to even more bizarre behaviour

57:28- Conspiracy theories are a reaction to fear

Filmmakers David & Kathi Peters sit down with Steve & Tammy to discuss their new documentary Postcards from Babylon which takes aim at the growing Christian Nationalism within American Evangelicalism.  Along the way they share about the impact of Donald Trump on the church, filming Brian & Peri Zahnd while on the Camino de Santiago, and the film's timely message of the Hope still to be found in embracing the Way Jesus proclaimed.

Go Beyond the Pale with David & Kathi Peters!

Episode Index:

1:38 - Intro with Steve & Tammy

10:35 - Conversation with David & Kathi begins

11:06- Growing up in the centre of Evangelical Christianity

20:29 - “In my house you couldn’t be a Christian and a Democrat”

31:12 - The “Postcards from Babylon” documentary

34:46 - Filming with Brian & Peri Zahnd on the Camino de Santiago

45:01- Tammy shares how the film moved her to tears

50:16- Filming Walter Brueggemann

54:55- Postcards from Babylon reminds the viewer there is hope

Pilgrim Bruce Ayling sits down with Steve to chat about their 2015 journey on the Camino de Santiago.  Along the way Bruce shares how his pilgrimage in Spain helped him to understand his Christian faith in a deeper way.

Go Beyond the Pale with Bruce Ayling! 

Episode index

1:40- Intro with Steve & Tammy

7:40- Conversation with Bruce begins

13:33- Learning to see God as a Father

26:44 - Doing the Camino in segments

30:33- Highlight of Bruce's Camino de Santiago

40:04- Future "bucket list" pilgrimages

Author Paul Ellis returns to talk about his new book "The Silent Queen" and why the church needs women to find their voice.  Along the way Paul shares historically how we got to this place of sanctioned gender discrimination in the church and what God's original plan was and can still be.

Go Beyond the Pale with Paul Ellis

Episode Index:

1:14 - Intro with Steve & Tammy

10:30 - Discussion with Paul begins

15:45 - Background to "The Silent Queen"

24:20- How Aristotle and Plato's sexist ideas infected the early church

27:25 - We think we're not sexist, but we are

38:15 - Tammy explains why women remain silent in the church

48:30 Paul explains why we can often support sex discrimination in the church wrongly believing it's God's plan

On today's episode Steve has a conversation an old friend, Steve Bowens, on issues surrounding race issues in America and specifically the Black Lives Matter movement   Along the way Steve, who is an African-American educator from Colorado, also shares how his Christian faith has shaped him not only in his approach to race relations but in all areas of his life's journey.

Go Beyond the Pale with Steve Bowens

Episode Index

1:35 - Intro with Steve & Tammy

12:24 - Conversation with Steve Bowens begins

18:35 - Steve shares his Christian faith journey

27:10 - When the church gets partisan

35:24 - Discussing Black Lives Matter

50:00 - Positive ways forward in race relations