“Grace, Truth, and a Very Confusing Gospel” (January 4, 2026 - Christmas 2A)

Send us Fan MailWhat do you do with a gospel that doesn’t tell the Christmas story, starts before time, and keeps circling back on itself like it’s thinking out loud? In this episode of Comedians with Pastors Talking Bible, we dive into the opening of Gospel of John—a text that is beautiful, frustrating, poetic, and dense all at once.Pastors Bob Schaefer and Eric Damon are joined by Pittsburgh comedians John Bankart and Roy Gackle for a wide-ranging conversation that moves from Catholic choreography and church anxiety to mushrooms (the metaphorical kind), soundboards, and the long, strange history of Christian disagreement. Along the way, we wrestle with what John means when he calls Jesus “the Word,” why light and darkness still matter, and how words—holy ones included—can heal or harm.The conversation eventually lands where John does: grace and truth. What does it mean to speak faithfully in a world where scripture has been used both to liberate and to wound? How do we hold onto the beauty of these ancient words while being honest about the damage they’ve sometimes carried? And what does it look like to trust that the light still shines, even when understanding feels elusive?As always, there are laughs, detours, pastoral honesty, and moments of real vulnerability. If you’ve ever loved the Gospel of John, struggled with it, or just wondered why it feels so different from the rest—this one’s for you.May the Holy Spirit do her thing in your life.John 1:1–18 (NRSVue)[1] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [2] He was in the beginning with God. [3] All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being [4] in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. [5] The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it. [6] There was a man sent from God whose name was John. [7] He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. [8] He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. [9] The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. [10] He was in the world, and the world came into being through him, yet the world did not know him. [11] He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. [12] But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, [13] who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. [14] And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. [15] (John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’ ”) [16] From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. [17] The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. [18] No one has ever seen God. It is the only Son, himself God, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.Hosted by Pastor Eric Damon and Pastor Bob Schaefer.Join the community!Email us at [email protected] us at @cptbpod on most social media platforms.More at linktr.ee/cptbpodMusic: Trickster by Phat SoundsFree download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10864-tricksterLicensed under CC BY 4.0: https://filmmusic.io/standard-licenseScripture quotations are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.