PODCAST · religion
Couch Communion
by Sara Kaufmann & Jordyn Manczyk
Are we theologians? No. But are we experts on life and culture? Also no. What we are is a podcast featuring two progressive, southern, (almost) 30 year olds who just want to rant about faith, church culture, modern issues, and our D&D characters (sometimes).Do you need something to listen to while you clean your house or drive to work? Do you like hearing people rant and then ranting about those things to yourself later in the shower? Us too. Join us.
Episodes
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40. God's Big They/Them Energy
Oh hey there! Been a bit, but we're back! And if you thought we skipped episode 39, don't worry! We didn't. It's around here...somewhere... On today's episode, we're talking about the "gender" of God, or if God has a gender at all. We also have a little fun playing Deconstruction Bingo,...
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38. Cult Communion: Warren Jeffs and the FLDS
Anyone else obsessed with cult documentaries? Just us? Well, we recently watched Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey on Netflix and it's inspired us to dig deep into the FLDS and its (awful? creepy? evil genius?) leader, Warren Jeffs. We also talk about songs that sound like worship songs but aren't, and...
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37. Two American Girls Lament
Topic: The first half of 2022, Roe v. Wade, and things we're annoyed about. TW: Sexual abuse In this episode, Jordyn and Sara discuss recent events in the United States Supreme Court, as well as the recent scandals in the Southern Baptist Convention. There's a lot of lamenting, and this episode…
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36. The (Im)patience Of Job
Topic: The book of Job, and why it might not be so bad? Or at least, how it's been misunderstood. Y'all, we have to admit... we were feeling a little silly on this one. We do eventually get to talking about the book of Job, how it's been taught over the years, and what lessons we can learn from…
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35. Don't Just Do Something, Stand There!
Topic: Missions and Service In this (especially long) episode, Jordyn and Sara talk about what it means to serve people well. We discuss how in order to love people, to truly serve them, we must hold back from doing, see them, acknowledge them for who they are, and just stand witness.
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34. The Higher The Hair, The Closer To God? (Discussing The Way Down)
TW: sexual abuse, child abuse, death Topic: The Way Down: God, Greed, and the Cult of Gwen Shamblin. In this episode, Sara and Jordyn talk about the recent HBO docu-series The Way Down, which covers Gwen Shamblin Lara and the Remnant Church. This isn't technically a Cult Communion episode, but it...
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33. Facing Those Giants IRL
Topic: The Kennedy V. Bermerton Supreme Court Case In this episode, Sara and Jordyn discuss a lot of Spare Change before they get to the topic of the day: the first amendment and praying on football fields. They wrestle with the two sides of the Kennedy v. Bermerton supreme court case and the…
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Surprise! It's a Minisode!
Surprise! We've brought you a little something extra this week that we hope you enjoy. Sara and Jordyn sit down to chat about recent events in their lives, upcoming topic ideas, and much more!
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32. Cult Communion: The Institute of Basic Life Principles and ATI
Welcome to our second Cult Communion episode! There is so much that we could say about IBLP and ATI, but we would be talking for days. So we've covered some of the basics of the IBLP beliefs, Bill Gothard being creepy, and how the ATI program compares to the other homeschool curriculum we've…
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31. Christian Homeschooling Part 2: ACE Is The Place
We're continuing our journey into the world of Christian homeschooling curriculum with this part two, all about the ACE Academy. If you haven't heard last week's episode, I would definitely go back and give it a listen. Hope you enjoy! And Happy Easter weekend!
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30. Christian Homeschooling Part 1: Pangea Is Globalist Propaganda!
Topic: Christian Homeschooling This week we have a shorter (than usual) episode for you - we just had a whole lot to say! In this episode, we discuss different Christian-based homeschool curriculum, the origins of homeschooling, and why we probably should have payed more attention to learning...
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29: Breakfast and Church In The Metaverse
Topic: Online/Virtual Church Services In today's episode, Sara and Jordyn discuss the growth in the amount of virtual church services that are available to people now, especially since the pandemic began. How do these services differ from in-person church, and is one better than the other? They...
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28: Why, What...Salvation?! (Some Thoughts On The Afterlife)
Topic: Salvation philosophies, the nature of sin, what happens when you die, and…you know…the point of it all? Jordyn and Sara take a dive into some theological standpoints on salvation and the afterlife and stumble their way through the ideas of universalism, annihilationism, and other theories...
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27: Dinosaur Blankets and Purity Balls: Reading Christian AITAs
We're back, and it's officially season 2! We wanted to ease back into the couch cushions by hanging out and browsing Reddit. We read through some Christian-related dilemmas, including sisters who don't believe in dinosaurs, petty email feuds, and offensive D&D characters. And ultimately, we will...
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26. Bible Jeopardy With Podcast Pals! (feat. Reclaiming The Garden)
Since it's our last episode before we take a break for the holidays, we wanted to do something chill and fun. And who better to do chill fun things with than friends? So we invited our podcast pals Anna and April from the podcast Reclaiming The Garden to come chill on the couch and show off their...
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25: Call Outs and Cancelling Pt. 2: War on Christmas
In a continuation of last week’s episode, Jordyn and Sara talk about the history of Christian cancelling, the "War on Christmas" and why One Million Moms thinks Twix is attempting to destroy all of western society by destroying gender norms. And so is Avocado Mattresses. And Credit Karma. And...
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24. Call Outs and Cancelling Pt. 1: The Groundwork
Topic: Cancel Culture In this episode, Jordyn and Sara begin a 2-part discussion on cancel culture and its place in Christian circles. This episode lays the groundwork of what cancel culture is, how we have seen it appear in popular culture and in society, and what the Christian response to...
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23. Merry Chrysler! Welcome Sinterklaas!
Topic: Christmas Traditions and Their Origins Grab your cozy slippers, eat a gingerbread cookie, and brace yourselves for a long one! In this episode, Sara and Jordyn discuss the holidays to come, mainly Christmas, the traditions they hold dear, and where our western traditions surrounding...
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22. Gaslight, Girlboss, Gospel Pt. 2
Topic: Multi-Level Marketing Hey y'all, it's time for a part 2! This week, Sara dives further into the world of MLMs, specifically Amway and Young Living. These two companies have a strong Christian following, and we want to understand why. It's bananas. It's infuriating. It's a good time. Listen...
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21. Gaslight, Girlboss, Gospel
Topic: Multi-Level Marketing Hey Girlie!! I was taking a look at your podcast feed, and it looks like we might have a lot of the same interests! I wanted to share more about this wonderful, amazing, podcast opportunity! Today on the show, Sara and Jordyn dive into the world of Multi-Level...
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20: Tract Or Treat!
Topic: Halloween HAPPY HALLOWEEN! We're celebrating the end of spooky season by talking all about Halloween, and why (or why not) Christians still celebrate it. In this episode we discuss the history of Halloween, the best and worst kinds of candy, and how Sara and Jordyn both accidentally...
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19. Never Going Back to Bobby Mackey's
Topic: Exorcisms - It's a spooky one! [TW: discussions of spiritual warfare, and some depictions of ritualistic sacrifice and the effects of demonic possession] In this, our first-ever "spooky-sode," we prepare for the last weeks of the Halloween season with the height of spiritual spookiness:...
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18. Cult Communion: Youth With A Mission (YWAM)
It's the first episode of CULT Communion! We'll talk about definite cults, possible cults, and what makes things culty or not. For today's episode, we'll be talking about Youth With A Mission AKA YWAM. It's hard to say whether or not this organization can be called a cult or not, but we dive into...
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17. Brawl Like Bibleman, Love Like Larry
Topic: Christian Kids Shows In this episode, Jordyn and Sara discuss the wonders of a few beloved (and maybe notorious?) Christian shows for kids. Let's be honest, it's mostly about Veggie Tales, but Bibleman, 321 Penguins, and Adventures in Odyssey also make an appearance--as well as a…
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16. Calling Out "Christianese"
Guys, we're just feeling led by the spirit to share our testimony with all of you, especially in this season where the abiding presence of God is moving us to fellowship and to grow in our mission opportunities and.....um... kinda lost where we were going with that. Anyway, we're talking about...
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15. Breaking the Echo Chamber
Topic: Diverse Friendships In this episode, we discuss the importance (and the benefits) of having genuine, unconditionally loving friendships and relationships with people who look, think, and believe differently than you. We dive into some of the interpersonal and cognitive benefits to being...
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14: It's Mental Illness, Innit?
TW: Discussions of mental health, suicide/suicidal ideation So, we can all admit the church isn't always a great place to talk about mental health, right? But hopefully one day it will get better! In this episode, Sara and Jordyn discuss myths surrounding mental health, the difference between...
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13. A Meal of Chance: Jordyn and Sara Talk About Food
Topic: Potlucks, food, and the spirituality of a meal together In this episode, Jordyn and Sara talk about the many ways food connects with their spiritual lives. They discuss the importance of making and sharing meals with those you love--and they share some KFC in the process. Warning: this...
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12. Couch Corrections, Confessions, and Clarifications (The Minisode!)
Hiya, babes! It's our first minisode! We read some of the stories you sent to us, clarify some points, tie up loose ends, and try out our Love Island accents. Hope you enjoy!
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11. Let's Go Ladies, Let's Go!
Topic: Biblical Womanhood and Gender Roles In this episode, we discuss a little bit about the women who have inspired us, women's roles in church, and some of the biblical ladies who didn't wait around for men to tell them what to do. If Yael wanted to drive a tent stake through a man's head to...
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10. Hippity Hop - Do The Church Hop
Topic: Church Hopping In this episode, we discuss some of the difficulties (and sometimes serendipity) surrounding hopping from one church to the next. We also discuss why it is so difficult and important to find community as young adults today.
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9. About Doubt
Topic: Questions and Doubt Have you ever wondered why there is suffering in the world if God is loving? Have you ever read your bible and wondered how it could possibly all be true? Have questions about your faith ever made you feel scared and alone? US TOO! So let's talk about it! Having…
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8. Modest Ain't Hottest: The Purity Problem (Part 2)
Topic: Purity Culture [TW: sexual assault and sexual abuse---At the end of this episode we have provided some information and resources if you or someone you love has been impacted by these difficult topics. For those resources, skip to 1:06:50.] Our second of two episodes concerning purity...
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7. Modest Ain't Hottest: The Purity Problem (Part 1)
Topic: Purity Culture [TW: sexual assault and sexual abuse---At the end of this episode we have provided some information and resources if you or someone you love has been impacted by these difficult topics. For those resources, skip to 1:06:37.] Our first of two episodes concerning purity…
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6. Juked for Jesus
Topic: Stuff Christians Like! (by Jon Acuff) In this episode, Jordyn and Sara record until almost 1 am, get really slap-happy, and talk about some of the weird things that Christians like to do, including "improving" worship songs with bad sign language, rubbing people's necks, and making cringey...
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5. Don't Panic! It's Not Satanic!
TW: Discussion of child sexual abuse cases. Although the cases discussed in this episode have been debunked or overturned, we recognize the sensitivity of this topic overall. Topic: The Satanic Panic In this episode we discuss the history and continued impacts of the American cultural and…
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4. Prophets and Profits
Topic: The Prosperity Gospel [TW: discussions of terminal illness, death, and spiritual abuse] We've got an extra long, extra spicy episode for you today! You know what we really hate? Bad theology, spiritual manipulation, and rich people who profit off of those who are less fortunate. And...
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3. Cry Night at the Church Camp
Topic: Church Youth Groups, Church Camp, & the "Cry Night" In this episode we talk about youth group culture in our early years, the manipulation of young people in the church, and how "Cry Night" is really not the best way to prepare young Christians to have a strong, ever-evolving faith.
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2. Bizarro Road
Topic: Conspiracy theories in Christian communities TW: Discussions of gun violence In this episode, we discuss some prevalent conspiracy theories that circulate in Christian communities, how they started, and why we think people cling to bizarre (and often damaging) stories despite widespread...
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1. Weird is Different From Wrong
Topic: Weird things Christians believe In this episode, we talk about some of the weirder main beliefs of the Christian faith, including the bodily resurrection and the Virgin birth. We discuss how sometimes believing (or not believing) some things can cause tension in the Christian community…
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0. Who Are We? What Is This Podcast?
Want to know what this podcast is and who these wonderful ladies are? This is the place to start. In this trailer, we talk a little bit about ourselves, our backgrounds, and what our hopes are for Couch Communion the podcast.
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Are we theologians? No. But are we experts on life and culture? Also no. What we are is a podcast featuring two progressive, southern, (almost) 30 year olds who just want to rant about faith, church culture, modern issues, and our D&D characters (sometimes).Do you need something to listen to while you clean your house or drive to work? Do you like hearing people rant and then ranting about those things to yourself later in the shower? Us too. Join us.
HOSTED BY
Sara Kaufmann & Jordyn Manczyk
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Couch Communion have?
Couch Communion currently has 41 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Couch Communion about?
Are we theologians? No. But are we experts on life and culture? Also no. What we are is a podcast featuring two progressive, southern, (almost) 30 year olds who just want to rant about faith, church culture, modern issues, and our D&D characters (sometimes).Do you need something to listen to while...
How often does Couch Communion release new episodes?
Couch Communion has 41 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Couch Communion?
You can listen to Couch Communion on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Couch Communion?
Couch Communion is created and hosted by Sara Kaufmann & Jordyn Manczyk.
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