Rector’s Cupboard Podcast

2020: Annus Horribilis | Episode 2: The Power Worshippers with Katherine Stewart

Religious Nationalism in the United States. 
We speak with Katherine Stewart, author of “The Power Worshippers”. Katherine Stewart’s work has appeared in the New York Times, The Washington Post, the American Prospect, the Atlantic, and other publications. She is the author of The Good News Club, an investigation of the religious right and public education. 
From the book: 
“Perhaps the most salient impediment to our understanding of the movement is the notion that Christian nationalism is a “conservative” ideology. The correct word is “radical”. 
“This movement pretends to represent the past and stand for old traditions. But in reality it is a creature of present circumstances and is organized around a vision for the future that most Americans would find abhorrent.” 
You may have heard the names, James Dobson, Franklin Graham, Ralph Reed. These are just a few of the influential personalities in the movement of Religious Nationalism in the United States. This movement has had strong impact on the evangelical church in the United States. Religious Nationalism assumes that one particular branch of Christian understanding and those attached to it, should be in power politically and culturally. Donald Trump could not have risen to the office of the president without the support of Christian nationalists. 
Katherine Stewart has spent years investigating the movement. She has attended conferences and church conventions. She has visited the “Museum of the Bible” and the “Creation Museum”. Her book is a thorough look at how the movement began, how it is about politics and power more than it is about faith. To understand how we got to where we are at in 2020, it helps to understand this current manifestation of religious nationalism. 
Books and articles referenced in this episode:
The Power WorshippersThe Good News ClubHow a Data-backed Christian Nationalist Machine Helped Trump to Power - The Guardian, March 2020Bill Barr Thinks America is Going to Hell - The New York Times, December 2019Why Trump Reigns as King Cyrus - The New York Times, December 2018   

2020: Annus Horribilis | Episode 1: American Apocalypse with Matthew Avery Sutton

We speak with author Matthew Avery Sutton about his book American Apocalypse. 
The book is a detailed account of the rise of evangelicalism in the United States. Our consideration is to examine how we got to the religious and political landscape current with Donald Trump being embraced by a large majority of evangelicals. What is the movement about? Where did it originate? How did it move from the cultural and political fringe to the Oval Office? 
Closer to home, what is the history of some of the central beliefs of the evangelical faith? Many people who grew up hearing about end times, the rapture, the sacred/secular divide and the so-called dangers of public education are not necessarily aware of where the beliefs originated. It is a little too simplistic to say that they came from the Bible. They actually came from one particular interpretation of the Bible that was imposed upon all manner of things including world history, political leadership and cultural expression. Much of the movement was (and in some cases still is) homophobic, xenophobic, misogynistic, and even racist. Some would want us to point out here that there was (and is) much good as well, but that seems strange to say after a statement like the above. 
It is not an attack to mention that in regards to the central tenet of evangelical fundamentalism, those who espoused it were, to say it bluntly; wrong. For years and for decades they maintained that, “Jesus is coming again soon.” Very soon. Right away. 
Billy Graham, for over 60 years, never stopped declaring that he was convinced that Jesus was returning within a couple of years.  Even if such declarations get it right eventually; that would be a record of 1500 wrong to 1 right, or 375 wrong to 1 right, however you want to count.  The whole system was built upon this apocalyptic way of thinking and it is not so much that they were wrong just about that, it is that they then built religious, cultural and political understanding on top of this central mistake that has come to dominate much of what people are told is now “Christianity”.  
Maybe it’s time to grow up a little theologically.  
Matthew Avery Sutton books:American Apocalypse Double CrossedBilly Graham was on the wrong side of history - The Guardian, February 2018
This episode we enjoyed Heck Yeah lemon iced tea pale ale from Beere Brewing Co. in North Vancouver.  
 

Rector's Cupboard: Special Series

Three Episodes, "Annus Horribilis, 2020 Horrible Year, How Did we Get Here?" Each episode will examine a particular area of faith and culture.First: the history of evangelicalism, with Matthew Avery SuttonSecond: religious nationalism in the United States, with Katherine StewartThird: the connection between Christianity and white supremacy, with Willie James Jennings These episodes can go a long way in helping us move past some negative or fearful ways of seeing things and open up the way for a more hopeful, positive faith.Our three guests have written and spoken extensively in Rolling Stone, The Guardian, New York Times, Christian Century, and appeared on multiple media outlets. We are grateful that they were interested in speaking with us.Will it take courage to listen? Not really. But we're hoping that listening shakes you up a little to move towards better ways of seeing things and better ways of seeing people.

Technology, Humanity, and Faith with Dr. Jason Byassee and Andria Irwin

with Jason Byassee and Andria Irwin        Every single one of us has had to embrace technology in ways that we hadn't before during this pandemic. We sit down with Jason Byassee and Andria Irwin. Jason and Andria are completing a book about technology and the church. We speak with them about how the things that we make make us, about attention span, about community. What is a mature way to speak about technology being mindful of its cost and limitations while still grateful for how it help us?
 
Jason Byassee - Vancouver School of Theology
Andria Irwin - Highlands United Church
In this episode our tasting is a Bourbon Blood Orange Wheat Ale from Bridge Brewing Company.

Saints or Savages: Host Only Episode

This episode was recorded on May 25, 2020 before the news of the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis. 
 
Todd, Allison, Amanda and Cupboard Master Ken get together (distanced, of course). We ask each other, for your consideration; Why would people argue over wearing masks? We look at the ways people respond in times of danger or crisis. An upcoming book by Rutger Bregman seeks to show that for the most part people help one another. What does this say about human nature? What are the implications for faith? We argue that there is a better way to relate to people than to start with the assumption that people are basically bad. Noting that there are instances of oppression, hate and even evil in the world, we consider the concepts of fear and division. 
The tasting for this episode is a Rose Wine from the Okanagan in BC called Diabolica. Fitting for this episode’s conversation. Check out Diabolica Wines here 
Rutger Bregman review – Times of London   
The Guardian article - Regarding shipwrecked boys
The New York Times article - Regarding encounter in Central Park 
Book discussed, Marilynne Robinson, “The Givenness of Things”, particularly the chapter “Fear”

Archbishop Melissa Skelton

The Cupboard welcomes Archbishop Melissa Skelton (Diocese of New Westminster, Province of BC and Yukon). We speak about the place of the church in a “Post-Christendom” world. Archbishop Melissa has had vocation in business and in the church. She has worked as a brand manager for Procter and Gamble and has also worked with Tom’s of Maine. 
In her vocation in the church she has worked at Trinity Church in Manhattan and at St. Paul’s in Olympia, Washington. Currently Archbishop Melissa is also Rector at Christ Church Cathedral on Burrard and Georgia in downtown Vancouver. 
Host banter about a great NYT article (clink here to read it) on a restaurant closure in New York City. 

"J.E.S.U.S.A." The Movie with Kevin Miller

The Cupboard welcomes Kevin Miller. Kevin is an author and documentary filmmaker.  He recently directed “J.E.S.U.S.A.”  
View the trailer here 
Kevin says that he writes books that make kids laugh and films that make adults angry. We speak with him about his recent film which delves into the conflation of some Christian groups in the United States with a form of militarism and nationalism. The documentary is not polemic, but rather offers a thoughtful look at biblical interpretation and misinterpretation. While the challenges are real in terms of distortion of Christian faith, there are many reasons to hope for better, more loving expression. 
We highly recommend that you purchase or rent the documentary. The first 8 to 10 minutes are pretty tough to take, but stay with it, better expressions of faith are to follow. 
Episode Terminology:
 
Epistemology: The theory of knowledge. Has to do with how we know what we know.
 
Nationalism: Generally the concept of one particular nation (usually one’s own) as being better than other nations. Nationalism breeds protectionism in terms of immigration, etc.
 
Religious Nationalism: The conflation, the coming together of nationalism with a particular religious perspective. Christian nationalism in the United States implies that the nation would be better off if conservative evangelical Christians were in power.
 
Polemic: oppositional, an attack on something.
 
Books, articles, and websites discussed in this episode:
J.E.S.U.S.A. film
Kevin Miller
Article on the mimetic theory and René Girard, CBC, 2016 
Paul Vasquez video, 2010 
 
This episode we enjoyed two ciders, Hail Mary Rosé Cider and Jackpot Dry Craft Cider, from local cider makers, Windfall Cider. 

Will Willimon

"Discovering God in the Rearview Mirror. Knowing the Hopeful Future in Christ.”
We speak with Rev. Dr. Will Willimon from Duke Divinity School in North Carolina. Will speaks with us about the surprising character of God, the concept of vocation and the hopeful reminder that Christian faith is about the future.
Will has written far too many books to list. He has preached at the National Cathedral in Washington DC and he once sued former Attorney General Jeff Sessions. We feel a kindred spirit with Will because he upsets people on both the political right and the political left.
Even better than that, he demonstrates a deep love for humanity with a willingness to admit the reality of our foibles and ridiculousness.
“I feared boredom more than heresy. They said nasty things about Jesus. Nobody ever said he was dull.”
 
For more information about Will and his work, visit www.willwillimon.com.
Books referenced on this podcast: 
Stories
Accidental Preacher
 
 

A More Christ-like Way with Brad Jersak

On March 16 of 2020, just before the orders were issued to stay home, The Rector's Cupboard gathered as small group at Township 7 Winery in Langley, BC.  
Sitting in view of a vineyard on a beautiful day in the shadow of a pandemic, we spoke with author and speaker Brad Jersak about a better way of faith.Brad has written a number of books (see some links below) and has become a help to many “exvangelicals”. In a recent book he pointed out that perhaps the “crisis of faith” that many are so quick to mention in religious circles is not on the part of younger people who are walking away, but rather on the part of those who have handed down a faith that can so often be divisive, misogynistic, fearful and anti-gay. 
We speak with Brad about the differences between deconstructing faith and bulldozing faith and about more helpful metaphors such as renovation of faith and belief.
 
More information about our guest, Brad Jersak, his books and his blog can be found at his website https://bradjersak.com
We're grateful to our host, Jason Ocenas and Township 7 Vineyard and Tasting Room.  Township 7 can be found here: https://township7.com

Growing Up Evangelical: Moms and Daughters

The Cupboard gathers this episode with Allison and her mom, Esther; Catherine and her mom, Carol.
This episode is a bit of a different format as we bring together two moms and their daughters to talk about life, faith, and growing up in what would be considered conservative Christian homes. What was positive about it? What wasn’t helpful? There is much to be said about what it was like raising children within that framework and what it felt like growing up in it. We would suggest grabbing a cocktail, or a cup of tea, and probably some tissues as you listen.
This episode was recorded at Deep Cove Brewery back in February 2020, a very different time, and you can certainly hear it in our voices. Although a different time there is much discussed that transcends our current circumstances and can speak into how we relate to each other in our families and faith communities.
Deep Cove Brewery – www.deepcovecraft.com