What Is A Good Life? #142 - Cultivating A Faith In Life Itself with Jim Palmer

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/@jimpalmerauthorLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimpalmerauthor/For more from Mark McCartney:Newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/Website: https://www.mmcleadership.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlifeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/markcmccartney00:00 Introduction and Setup01:51 Exploring the Good Life02:50 The More Than Human World06:22 Personal Evolution and Crisis of Faith12:22 Experiences as a Mega Church Pastor17:35 The Challenges of Mega Church Culture21:22  Theological Deconstruction and Reconstruction26:38 Confronting Suffering and Injustice33:03 Cognitive Dissonance in Religion39:13 Processing Religious Trauma42:55 Rewilding Spirituality50:04 God as a Verb54:20 The Good Life as a Process of Inquiry58:06 Faith in Life and InterconnectivityKeywords: Meaning of Life Interviews | meaning of life conversations | exploring life | big life questions | meaning of life discussions | creating a meaningful life​