Homebrewed Christianity

• Is America Possible? with Corey Walker & Bill Leonard

  Hey Theology Nerds! On this episode, we're wrestling with one of those questions that'll mess with your theology AND your politics - Vincent Harding's knockout punch of a question: 'Is America possible?' I'm talking about the REAL America, not the one on your uncle's Facebook feed, but the wild, beautiful, messy dream of a multiracial, multi-ethnic, pluralistic, egalitarian democracy that actually, you know, WORKS. We're getting into all of it - how democracy and capitalism are duking it out, what Christianity has to say when it's not too busy blessing the status quo, and why asking better questions might just save us from ourselves. This is about imagination, the kind that gets people in trouble with empire. We're talking solidarity that actually costs something, conversations that require actual courage (not just Twitter courage), and why your algorithm might be more theologically problematic than that praise band you love to hate. If you've ever wondered whether faith communities could stop playing defense and start building the world we actually need, or if you're ready to imagine America as something more than a 250-year-old experiment in barely not falling apart - this one's for you. We're bringing the theological fire to the most urgent questions of our time, because apparently that's what we do around here. Corey D. B. Walker is Dean of the School of Divinity at Wake Forest University. As a scholar, he’s committed to a broad vision of human flourishing. His research, teaching, and public scholarship span the areas of African American philosophy, critical theory, ethics, and religion and American public life.  Bill Leonard is the Founding Dean and Professor of Divinity Emeritus at Wake Divinity. Leonard’s research focuses on Church History with particular attention to American religion, Baptist studies, and Appalachian religion. He is the author of over 25 books, including  The Homebrewed Christianity Guide to Church History: Flaming Heretics and Heavy Drinkers.  Previous Episodes Bill & Corey: Theology in the Age of Anxiety and Algorithms Bill & Corey: Losing Sleep Before God Welcome to the Post-Christian Century the Fundamentalization of American Religion Listening Beyond the Times The History and Transformation of American Christianity  Faith and Politics Through Church History ACCESS to the cheapest tickets.⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠UPCOMING ONLINE ADVENT CLASS w/ Diana Butler Bass⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join us for a transformative four-week Advent journey exploring how the four gospels speak their own revolutionary word against empire—both in their ancient context under Roman occupation and for our contemporary world shaped by capitalism, militarism, and nationalism.  This course invites you into an alternative calendar and rhythm. We'll discover how these ancient texts of resistance offer wisdom for our own moment of political turmoil, economic inequality, and ecological crisis. This class is donation-based, including 0. You can sign-up at ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.HomebrewedClasses.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ This podcast is a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Homebrewed Christianity ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠production. Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the Homebrewed Christianity⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Theology Nerd Throwdown⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Rise of Bonhoeffer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 70,000other people by joining our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack - Process This!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get instant access to over 50 classes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.TheologyClass.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow the podcast, drop a review⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, send ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠feedback/questions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or become a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠member of the HBC Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• The Infancy Gospel of Thomas on the Big Screen

  Wow, do we have a conversation for you! My filmmaker-theologian friend Sarey Martin Concepción and I sat down with director Lofty Nathan about his wild new film "The Carpenter's Son"—and let me tell you, this isn't your Sunday school Jesus. We're talking Nicholas Cage as Joseph (yes, he's a national treasure), FKA twigs bringing something totally unconventional to Mary, and demon snakes that literally made my phone start searching when I mentioned them. The film pulls from the Infancy Gospel of Thomas—one of those apocryphal texts that didn't make the canonical cut but the Coptic Orthodox Church has preserved—and asks the question nobody really wants to ask: what was it actually like for Jesus to figure out he was, you know, God? Nathan, who grew up Coptic Christian himself, doesn't sanitize anything here. We dig into all the big stuff: identity crises, divine vocation, the problem of suffering, and what happens when your kid can perform miracles but doesn't quite get the whole "with great power" thing yet. Fair warning: I watched this alone in the dark and those demon snakes freaked me out. But underneath the horror elements, there's this sincere, thoughtful wrestling with what incarnation really means. November 17th, folks—see it in theaters where you can properly freak out with other people. Sign up HERE to stay up to date on Theology Beer Camp 2026 & get EARLY ACCESS to the cheapest tickets.⁠⁠ ⁠⁠UPCOMING ONLINE ADVENT CLASS w/ Diana Butler Bass⁠⁠⁠ Join us for a transformative four-week Advent journey exploring how the four gospels speak their own revolutionary word against empire—both in their ancient context under Roman occupation and for our contemporary world shaped by capitalism, militarism, and nationalism.  Advent marks the beginning of the church year—an invitation to step out of the empire's time and into God's time, where the last are first, the mighty are scattered, and a child born in occupied territory changes everything. This course invites you into an alternative calendar and rhythm. While our modern world races through December toward consumption and productivity, Advent calls us to a different time—a counter-imperial waiting, a subversive hope, a radical reimagining of how God enters the world. What will we experience? Each week, we'll hear one gospel's unique vision of the birth narrative, allowing Matthew, Luke, John, and Mark to speak in their own voices about what it means for God to show up when empires think they're in control. We'll discover how these ancient texts of resistance offer wisdom for our own moment of political turmoil, economic inequality, and ecological crisis. This class is donation-based, including 0. You can sign-up at ⁠⁠⁠www.HomebrewedClasses.com⁠⁠⁠ This podcast is a ⁠⁠⁠⁠Homebrewed Christianity ⁠⁠⁠⁠production. Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠the Homebrewed Christianity⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Theology Nerd Throwdown⁠⁠⁠⁠, & ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Rise of Bonhoeffer⁠⁠⁠⁠ podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 70,000other people by joining our ⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack - Process This!⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get instant access to over 50 classes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.TheologyClass.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow the podcast, drop a review⁠⁠⁠⁠, send ⁠⁠⁠⁠feedback/questions⁠⁠⁠⁠ or become a ⁠⁠⁠⁠member of the HBC Community⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Two Books, One Night: Finding Beauty in What We Can't Control with Diana Butler Bass & Andy and Kara Root

  Hey Theology Nerds! What an absolute banger of an episode we've got for you - two live conversations straight from the wild and wonderful chaos of Theology Beer Camp 2025 in St. Paul. First up, I sit down with the incomparable Diana Butler Bass and my co-host Sarah Heath to dive into Diana's brand new book A Beautiful Year - and let me tell you, it's peak DBB, friends. We're talking about seasons and spirituality, finding God in the everyday rhythm of time, and how the church might just be walking away from us while we're walking toward it (trust me, it makes sense when Diana explains it). Then we pivot to my friends Andy and Kara Root who share killer insights from their new book A Pilgrimage into Letting Go: Helping Parents and Pastors Embrace the Uncontrollable - basically how to not completely screw up raising kids in a world that's accelerating faster than we can keep up with. Both conversations get real about control, confession, and finding those holy moments we can't manufacture but desperately need. So do yourself a favor: grab both of these books, and while you're at it, get on the list for Theology Beer Camp 2026 - because where else are you gonna find 600 theology nerds singing Bohemian Rhapsody together? Head over here to sign up for all the info. Trust me, you don't want to miss what we're cooking up for next year! You can WATCH the conversation on YouTube Sign up HERE to stay up to date on Theology Beer Camp 2026 & get EARLY ACCESS to the cheapest tickets.⁠ ⁠UPCOMING ONLINE ADVENT CLASS w/ Diana Butler Bass⁠⁠ Join us for a transformative four-week Advent journey exploring how the four gospels speak their own revolutionary word against empire—both in their ancient context under Roman occupation and for our contemporary world shaped by capitalism, militarism, and nationalism.  Advent marks the beginning of the church year—an invitation to step out of the empire's time and into God's time, where the last are first, the mighty are scattered, and a child born in occupied territory changes everything. This course invites you into an alternative calendar and rhythm. While our modern world races through December toward consumption and productivity, Advent calls us to a different time—a counter-imperial waiting, a subversive hope, a radical reimagining of how God enters the world. What will we experience? Each week, we'll hear one gospel's unique vision of the birth narrative, allowing Matthew, Luke, John, and Mark to speak in their own voices about what it means for God to show up when empires think they're in control. We'll discover how these ancient texts of resistance offer wisdom for our own moment of political turmoil, economic inequality, and ecological crisis. This class is donation-based, including 0. You can sign-up at ⁠⁠www.HomebrewedClasses.com⁠⁠ This podcast is a ⁠⁠⁠Homebrewed Christianity ⁠⁠⁠production. Follow ⁠⁠⁠the Homebrewed Christianity⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Theology Nerd Throwdown⁠⁠⁠, & ⁠⁠⁠The Rise of Bonhoeffer⁠⁠⁠ podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 70,000other people by joining our ⁠⁠⁠Substack - Process This!⁠⁠⁠ Get instant access to over 50 classes at ⁠⁠⁠www.TheologyClass.com⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow the podcast, drop a review⁠⁠⁠, send ⁠⁠⁠feedback/questions⁠⁠⁠ or become a ⁠⁠⁠member of the HBC Community⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Religion in the Making: Where Evolution Turns Up the Volume on Value

  Hey friends! In this introductory session for our "Religion in the Making" reading group, Andrew Davis and I dive into why Whitehead's 1926 lectures are the perfect entry point into process thought—way more accessible than slogging through Process and Reality's 40-page tangents on numbers! We explore how Whitehead was in this exciting third phase of his life, finally getting to work out his philosophical ideas after leaving Cambridge for Harvard, and how this book captures that fresh energy of someone discovering how religion isn't just about beliefs but about the habits and ways we orient ourselves toward value and meaning. Andrew shares how Whitehead flips modern philosophy on its head by showing that our clear sense perceptions emerge from a deeper "iceberg of related connectedness," making room for those moments when the depth dimension of reality breaks through into consciousness. If you want to join us for the next four weeks as we work through each lecture, become a supporting member at ProcessThis.Substack.com and let's explore together how religion is about finding "that side of the universe we can care for" that flows from the very nature of things! Andrew M. Davis is an American process philosopher, theologian, and scholar of the cosmos. He is the academic and research director for the Center for Process Studies where he researches, writes, teaches, and organizes conferences on various aspects of process-relational thought (Whitehead and Beyond). Andrew’s Previous visits to the podcast Whitehead’s Universe: a Guide to Thinking Process Mind, Value, and the Cosmos. the Power of Love & the Experience of God ⁠UPCOMING ONLINE ADVENT CLASS w/ Diana Butler Bass⁠⁠ Join us for a transformative four-week Advent journey exploring how the four gospels speak their own revolutionary word against empire—both in their ancient context under Roman occupation and for our contemporary world shaped by capitalism, militarism, and nationalism.  Advent marks the beginning of the church year—an invitation to step out of the empire's time and into God's time, where the last are first, the mighty are scattered, and a child born in occupied territory changes everything. This course invites you into an alternative calendar and rhythm. While our modern world races through December toward consumption and productivity, Advent calls us to a different time—a counter-imperial waiting, a subversive hope, a radical reimagining of how God enters the world. What will we experience? Each week, we'll hear one gospel's unique vision of the birth narrative, allowing Matthew, Luke, John, and Mark to speak in their own voices about what it means for God to show up when empires think they're in control. We'll discover how these ancient texts of resistance offer wisdom for our own moment of political turmoil, economic inequality, and ecological crisis. This class is donation-based, including 0. You can sign-up at ⁠⁠www.HomebrewedClasses.com⁠⁠ ⁠Sign up HERE to stay up to date on Theology Beer Camp 2026 & get EARLY ACCESS to the cheapest tickets.⁠⁠ This podcast is a ⁠⁠⁠Homebrewed Christianity ⁠⁠⁠production. Follow ⁠⁠⁠the Homebrewed Christianity⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Theology Nerd Throwdown⁠⁠⁠, & ⁠⁠⁠The Rise of Bonhoeffer⁠⁠⁠ podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 70,000other people by joining our ⁠⁠⁠Substack - Process This!⁠⁠⁠ Get instant access to over 50 classes at ⁠⁠⁠www.TheologyClass.com⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow the podcast, drop a review⁠⁠⁠, send ⁠⁠⁠feedback/questions⁠⁠⁠ or become a ⁠⁠⁠member of the HBC Community⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• An Adventure in Ideas: Discovering Whitehead's "Religion in the Making"

  In this audio essay, I explore why Alfred North Whitehead's "Religion in the Making" might be exactly what we need in 2025—especially if you're someone who's done with traditional religion but can't shake the feeling that something sacred is going on. I share Whitehead's remarkable story: a Cambridge mathematician who didn't even start teaching philosophy until he was 63, who lost his son in WWI, and whose wife Evelyn taught him that beauty and love aren't decorations on philosophy—they are the philosophy. Writing in 1926 amidst post-war trauma and scientific revolution, Whitehead saw past the tired warfare between science and religion to something more generous: What if the universe isn't dead matter but alive with meaning? What if we're not weird exceptions in a meaningless cosmos but examples of what the universe has been doing all along? I explain why this matters for anyone deconstructing faith, loving science, seeking justice, or simply hungry for a spirituality that's intellectually honest and alive to mystery. Most beautifully, Whitehead reminds us that religion isn't about safety or certainty—it's an adventure of the spirit, and maybe it's time we said yes to that adventure again. To join the Whitehead reading group, become a supporting member of the Process This Substack. In addition to Zoom invites to the reading group and archives of each session, you will get an ad-free podcast feed of the podcast and invites to all the other live streams with friends like Diana Butler Bass & Ryan Burge.  ⁠UPCOMING ONLINE ADVENT CLASS w/ Diana Butler Bass⁠⁠ Join us for a transformative four-week Advent journey exploring how the four gospels speak their own revolutionary word against empire—both in their ancient context under Roman occupation and for our contemporary world shaped by capitalism, militarism, and nationalism.  Advent marks the beginning of the church year—an invitation to step out of the empire's time and into God's time, where the last are first, the mighty are scattered, and a child born in occupied territory changes everything. This course invites you into an alternative calendar and rhythm. While our modern world races through December toward consumption and productivity, Advent calls us to a different time—a counter-imperial waiting, a subversive hope, a radical reimagining of how God enters the world. What will we experience? Each week, we'll hear one gospel's unique vision of the birth narrative, allowing Matthew, Luke, John, and Mark to speak in their own voices about what it means for God to show up when empires think they're in control. We'll discover how these ancient texts of resistance offer wisdom for our own moment of political turmoil, economic inequality, and ecological crisis. This class is donation-based, including 0. You can sign-up at ⁠⁠www.HomebrewedClasses.com⁠⁠ ⁠Sign up HERE to stay up to date on Theology Beer Camp 2026 & get EARLY ACCESS to the cheapest tickets.⁠⁠ This podcast is a ⁠⁠⁠Homebrewed Christianity ⁠⁠⁠production. Follow ⁠⁠⁠the Homebrewed Christianity⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Theology Nerd Throwdown⁠⁠⁠, & ⁠⁠⁠The Rise of Bonhoeffer⁠⁠⁠ podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 70,000other people by joining our ⁠⁠⁠Substack - Process This!⁠⁠⁠ Get instant access to over 50 classes at ⁠⁠⁠www.TheologyClass.com⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow the podcast, drop a review⁠⁠⁠, send ⁠⁠⁠feedback/questions⁠⁠⁠ or become a ⁠⁠⁠member of the HBC Community⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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