Human beings are drawn to “the unknown”. It both attracts and repels us; we’re compelled to believe there is more out there than we can assess with our senses. Since the dawn of time, humans have been captured by tales of the supernatural and paranormal that don’t fit our conventional understanding of how the universe works. In today’s episode, we’re joined by our friend John David Harris as we veer into some of the more esoteric lore surrounding things that go bump in the night - aliens, cryptids, ghosts, and ghouls. We share some of our favorite stories and we also consider “hopeful skepticism” and why it is we want to believe.

In order to move forward, we need to look back. This is true of our personal stories as much as it is about reading the history of philosophy and religion. We may be surprised to discover that the questions of meaning and purpose we struggle with today have been around for centuries - the voices of the past can speak truth to us now. In our conversation with Doug Zimmerman, an adjunct professor of religion and philosophy, we discuss the shifting nature of philosophical schools of thought, what Nietzsche and Kierkegaard might offer us today, and what might come next.

We often believe the story that we are fundamentally separate and distinct from others. That there is a tension between our personal needs and the needs of the community. But in this episode, we're going to explore ways to bring those together and understand our individuality as an integrated part of the whole.

What is real? What is good? What has value? Do we assume our “thing” should keep existing, and are we building out of anxiety or sensitivity to what is needed? In our conversation today we sit down with Justin McRoberts, who slips between easy categories for his life work by saying he wants to “help people find their way.” Justin is passionate about creating the space necessary to entertain the deeper questions and give them their time, whether it's in our personal life or our communal existence. We talk about institutions, the gap between belief and practice, and how online community can be held to discover what comes next (hint: it’s you. You are what comes next).

What is our relationship to Nature? Do we engage nature, or are we part of it? How does that shift our spiritual practices to remain grounded? In today’s episode, Landon and Ryan participate in a Lectio Divina on the poem “The Peace of Wild Things” by the writer and activist Wendell Berry, in order to delve deep into these questions.

Many have dubbed Suzanne Stabile “The Enneagram Godmother”. She's been a student of this ancient system for over 30 years, which has made her an accomplished author and much sought-after speaker. Suzanne’s unique story-based teaching style radiates a desire to help people learn who they are so they can get out of their own way and love others better. In this episode, we invite Suzanne to share her wisdom on what comes on the other side of the theory itself.

Self-knowledge and self-care are all the rage right now. Social media and pop psychology provide us with one system after another promising us life hacks to escape ourselves and become better. Thanks be to God/The Universe/Etc. that the Enneagram has already had its fifteen minutes in the limelight. Perhaps now we can engage with this ancient personality theory seeking real wisdom; and with it, the transformation that helps us love better.

John Vervaeke is a cognitive scientist by day and a leader in the growing meaning movement by night. His work spans Socrates and Neo-Platonism all the way through eastern wisdom traditions and modern-day research on attention. He also wins first place for being the person most referenced in Season 1 of this podcast.

This was our first time doing a Lectio Divina together and the result was really meaningful. Ryan brought a reading from the Irish poet John O'Donohue. If it's new to you, we'd love for you to test-drive the practice with us and let us know how it goes.

In this Lectio Divina session (plot twist!) Landon is bringing a Bible verse to the table for us to meditate on. We hope you'll participate with us!

Our first conversation with someone outside our little bubble is a real gem. Brian McLaren has been immersed in themes of spiritual migration for several decades now, as a pastor and author and activist. We had a chance to ask Brian to reflect on his journey thus far - what he has learned about what truly matters, what might come next for faith, and why we might or might not choose to stay Christian.

What does it mean for something to be "sacred" and how can we engage with it regardless of our religious beliefs?

WE'RE BACKKKKK! Season 2 is here and we're bringing you amazing guests, video episodes, and an exploration of sacred texts! We're looking forward to everything we'll explore together and we're honored that you're here. CHEERS!

Oh, how the time flies! We've reached the end of Season 1 and we're taking some time to reflect on the amazing conversations we've had and all that we've learned along the way.

In this episode, we're chatting about politics in America and considering how our discussions about ethics and religion might inform our understanding of the modern political landscape.

We're jumping back where we left off in Part 1 and asking the question, "if the bible isn't meant to be read as an owner's manual, what is the proper approach to it?"

In this episode, we are exploring the Bible. What is it, what do we do with it, and why has it stuck around for so long?

Are "the gods" just an ancient superstition or is there a way for us to approach the concept that will actually give us meaningful insights about our modern world?

In this episode, we explore how each of our frameworks for ethics might actually fit together into a broader and more viable vision of the ethical journey, and it did not disappoint!

Ryan offers a vision of Christian ethics that addresses some of the blind spots he sees in the modern conversation, and calls Christians back to square one.