On the 142nd episode of What is a Good Life?, I’m delighted to welcome Jim Palmer, Founder of the Center for Non-Religious Spirituality. A critically acclaimed author, former megachurch pastor, adjunct professor, and chaplain with the American Humanist Association, Jim is also a trained counsellor in religious trauma and spiritual abuse.
In this conversation, he reflects on his journey through a crisis of faith, his experiences as a megachurch pastor, and his challenges of navigating religious culture. We explore theological deconstruction, rewilding spirituality, and the importance of embracing diverse perspectives. This episode invites you to consider a faith in life itself as a way to deepen our connection with existence.
For more of Jim's work:
Substack: https://substack.com/@jimpalmerauthor
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimpalmerauthor/
Contact me at mark@whatisagood.life if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, my 5-week group courses, or to discuss team coaching to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams.
- For the What is a Good Life? podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos
- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/
00:00 Introduction and Setup
01:51 Exploring the Good Life
02:50 The More Than Human World
06:22 Personal Evolution and Crisis of Faith
12:22 Experiences as a Mega Church Pastor
17:35 The Challenges of Mega Church Culture
21:22 Theological Deconstruction and Reconstruction
26:38 Confronting Suffering and Injustice
33:03 Cognitive Dissonance in Religion
39:13 Processing Religious Trauma
42:55 Rewilding Spirituality
50:04 God as a Verb
54:20 The Good Life as a Process of Inquiry
58:06 Faith in Life and Interconnectivity