Ravel

In this episode, we explore abuse of power in church leadership, accountability structures across denominations, and the ways grace and forgiveness can be distorted to protect harmful behavior instead of vulnerable people. We each reflect on personal experiences with church hypocrisy, charismatic celebrity culture, and the tension between repentance, justice, and institutional self-protection. The conversation moves through stories of denominational failures, queer exclusion, public scandals, and the social contracts churches break when trust is betrayed. We arrive at the idea that meaningful accountability requires transparency, transformation, and small everyday acts of compassion rather than power, image, or platform. Host RecommendationsEmily: Follow the Wesleyan “three simple rules”Stephen: Rediscover and lean into your favorite color as an adultJosh: Replace furniture you no longer love or use wellHost DE-RecommendationsEmily: Do not excuse harmful behavior or abuse under the guise of grace, forgiveness, or religious authorityStephen: Do not make judgment calls about other people’s spiritual or philosophical practices when you do not understand their story or needsJosh: Do not hold onto furniture you dislike simply because you already own itJoin us:Join our free Discord community by emailing us at [email protected] for an invite link!Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In this episode, Josh and Stephen explore a noticed growing anti-city sentiment within American Christianity, unpacking how politics, economics, fear, and cultural identity shape a rural-versus-urban divide. We contrast this with the deeply city-centered theology of the New Testament, noting the irony in modern Christian attitudes toward urban spaces. We weave through media narratives, food culture, and even biblical imagery, suggesting that American Christianity may be drifting toward Old Testament “outsider” and conquest frameworks rather than Jesus’ embodied presence among diverse city populations.Host Recommendations Stephen: Eat “vitamin carrots”Josh: Make homemade Chipotle-style bowlsHost DE-RecommendationsStephen: Neglecting dryer vent cleaningJosh: Leaving phone text notification sounds onJoin us:Join our free Discord community by emailing us at [email protected] for an invite link!Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We explore angels in the Bible and in Christian imagination, asking what role they actually play in the stories that shaped the tradition. Moving through familiar passages and odd details alike, we consider whether angels are supernatural beings, literary devices, or something closer to a storytelling signal that a narrative turn is about to happen. The conversation wanders through ancient mythology, modern interpretations, guardian angels, and the human impulse to find meaning in unexpected moments. Along the way we land on a curious possibility: whenever angels show up, the story may be about to go unorthodox.Host RecommendationsEmily: Updated healthy eating food pyramidStephen: Meaningful desk trinketsJosh: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, specifically the audiobook versionHost DE-RecommendationsEmily: Junk political mailersStephen: Sticking with an internet providerJosh: Forgetting routine car maintenanceJoin us:Join our free Discord community by emailing us at [email protected] for an invite link!Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We explore what optimism actually is and is not, moving beyond half full versus half empty toward peace, joy, acceptance, and responsible action. Drawing on psychology, Buddhism, and our own religious upbringings, we consider whether optimism is innate, learned, or a practice that shapes how we meet uncertainty and tragedy. We wrestle with how optimism can slide into apathy in politics and church culture, and close with small rituals and a Tao Te Ching passage that frames hope as spacious presence rather than certainty.Host RecommendationsEmily: Do the thing you’ve been afraid to do. Stop hovering and just jump in.Stephen: Be the person who gently puts bugs outside (or befriends them).Josh: Get on a simple “kick” — a small, playful obsession you look forward to.Host DE-RecommendationsEmily: Smoking (take care of your lungs).Stephen: Mindless social-media scrolling — unfollow ~20 clutter accounts.Josh: Fruit Loops (if it looks like a rainbow, it should taste like one).Join us:Join our free Discord community by emailing us at [email protected] for an invite link!Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

After listening to the two episodes Emily and Stephen did without him, Josh takes the chance to speak with Stephen about questions he had about his experience so far at the Methodist church and whether or not Stephen might be finally ready to adopt his coined term, "Christian-ish Agnostic". Stephen is skeptical, but open. Emily is unfortunately not here today.Host RecommendationsStephen: browse and add Calendars of Interest in Google CalendarsJosh: Handy subscription servicesJoin us:Join our free Discord community by emailing us at [email protected] for an invite link!Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In this episode, we explore why fulfilled desires so often fail to satisfy. Recorded in September 2025—before the current football season now in the playoffs, the conversation weaves together stories from the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl mindset and Stephen’s long search for a Lazuli Bunting to ask a deeper question: what happens when the thing you want finally arrives and still isn’t enough? Drawing from Christian theology, Buddhism, Daoism, and everyday life, we reflect on desire, attachment, joy, and the difference between pleasure and presence—ultimately suggesting that meaning may be found not in reaching a destination, but in learning how to play, pay attention, and remain open to what comes next.Host RecommendationsStephen: Go birding, The Tao Te Ching as translated by Stephen MitchellJosh: The Residence on Netflix, Tour De Pharmacy filmEmily: Combine two favorite foods into one (spaghetti tacos or pan toast), touch grass, sweatersJoin us:Join our free Discord community by emailing us at [email protected] for an invite link!Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We're feeling silly out here, so Josh decides it's time we at Ravel finally invent our own typology system.Host RecommendationsStephen: The Complete Enneagram by Beatrice Chestnut, You Were Born For This by Chani NicholasJosh: Game Changer on dropout.tv, go somewhere newEmily: Get a new tattoo, deepen a relationship you're enjoyingJoin us:Join our free Discord community by emailing us at [email protected] for an invite link!Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Of course, we had to turn the tables. Because Emily is probably not the only one wondering, "Stephen, why are you going to church if you're still an atheist?"Join us:Join our free Discord community by emailing us at [email protected] for an invite link!Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

The title kinda says it all. You read that right. Stephen, the atheist of the pod, is now going to church. And he has questions for his new pastor about the denominations practices, motivations, and histories!Host RecommendationsStephen: Hope United Methodist Church in Billings Heights, MontanaEmily: Try going to a different church every one in a whileJoin us:Join our free Discord community by emailing us at [email protected] for an invite link!Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

After a late night road trip full of nostalgia, Josh has questions about what music brings us back to the good ol' days. Especially within the Christian genre, we meander through many songs, bands, and eras of the Christian music we grew up with: good, bad, and cringy. We try to name the silliest Christian song, the silliest Silly song, silliest camp song, and take some serious shots at grifters like Kanye. So enjoy!And enjoy this TREASURE TROVE of music linked below recommended by each of the hosts!Host RecommendationsStephen: Song: We Can Do Hard Things by Tish MeltonSong: Kiss The Sky by Maren MorrisAlbum: Dark Sun by DayseekerAlbum: Color Decay by The Devil Wears PradaAlbum: Fatalism by PolarisAlbum: Five Score and Seven Years Ago by Relient KAlbum: Sick Boi by RenMusic Video: Hi Ren by RenArtist: Roo PanesAlbum: Turbo by Cory Wong & Dirty LoopsPlaylist: JAMSJosh: Artist: Gregory Alan IsakovArtist: Remi WolfArtist: The Band CAMINOArtist: JonsiArtist: Tessa VioletEmily: Album: The Joshua Tree album by U2Artist: The Rocket SummerSong: Peach Fuzz by CaampSong: Jericho by InikoSong: No Regrets by JAHKOYSong: Come and Get Your Love by Red BoneSong: Lost In The Woods from Frozen 2Join us:Join our free Discord community by emailing us at [email protected] for an invite link!Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

It's a boys night! Josh and Stephen are left alone to talk about religion in the workplace. It felt fitting, after all, to let the pastor have a break for this one, considering her workplace IS her religion. We get into public shows of faith at work, evangelism in the cubicles, and what exactly "makes us different."Host RecommendationsJosh: Phrases on a tiltStephen: LEGOsJoin us:Join our free Discord community by emailing us at [email protected] for an invite link!Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

There are still quite a few things we've never done here at Ravel. One of them was playing games on air. So we change that today, as Stephen leads us through a bracket style challenge game, pitting 32 ancient and modern heresies against each other in order to find the ultimate ICK! Grab a drink, play along, and learn a little bit about what Christians through the ages have cared about enough to condemn certain ideas as (scare quotes) HERESY!Join us:Join our free Discord community by emailing us at [email protected] for an invite link!Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

... but we're actually not going anywhere! Just different.Join us:Join our free Discord community by emailing us at [email protected] for an invite link!Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Natural disasters often ignite spiritual reflection, but what if the apocalypse isn’t destruction, but transformation? In this episode, we trace the line between eschatology and ecology, questioning the theology that sees disaster as divine judgment and exploring what it means to live as responsible stewards in a world crying out for renewal.Host RecommendationsStephen: Octavia Butler's Earth Seed seriesJosh: Get a dog, if you canEmily: Explore new hobbiesJoin us:Join our free Discord community by emailing us at [email protected] for an invite link!Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We're back, and we explore whether transitional beliefs are helpful or harmful in faith journeys. We dig into slippery slopes, the power of personal values, and how openness (not rigidity) often shapes a healthier spiritual life. Along the way, we debate if progressive Christianity is truly an “off-ramp” out of faith, or just a new way to stay on the road. Mentioned in the episode:Spiral Dynamics WikiCritique of Pure Reason by Immanuel KantIs Dan A Christian Agnostic? YHP episodeFiddler On The RoofHost RecommendationsI Wrote This When I Was Manic by Mason ScurryTwo Steps With Stephen HenningConclave movieSupport us:Join our Patreon community and buy us a drink at patreon.com/ravelpod for as little as $3/mo!Submit a voice memo or comment to the inbox at [email protected]! Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

***CW: There is a brief mention of suicide at 39:48 and a story involving the following memorial service lasting until 41:20. If you or a loved one are experiencing mental health struggles, please call or text the Crisis Lifeline at 988. Please listen gently and carefully.***Allow us to set the table for a classic Christian conundrum: who gets to come to the table and partake in Communion? Do the gluten-free get to have an option in this highly symbolic act of worship and ritual? What about those with food allergies? Or that youth group camp that is forced to use corn chips and yellow lemonade in their communion service? Or perhaps you enjoy a meal in remembrance of a loved one with boxed wine and McDoubles? What COUNTS?Mentioned in the episode:Ravel Episode 63. It's All About FoodHost RecommendationsMany booksJesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist by Brant PitreThe Lambs Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth by Scott HahnSigns of Life: 40 Catholic Customs and Their Biblical Roots by Scott HahnThe Fourth Cup: Unveiling the Mystery of the Last Supper and the Cross by Scott HahnConsuming The Word: The New Testament and the Eucharist in the Early Church by Scott HahnSpinach creamWholesome weekly rituals like Waffle WednesdaySupport us:Join our Patreon community and buy us a drink at patreon.com/ravelpod for as little as $3/mo!Submit a voice memo or comment to the inbox at [email protected]! Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Truly, this is just one of those episodes you have to listen to to believe. Josh does a book report on The Xanue: Befriending the Bigfoot Forrest People (no link provided because we don't actually think you should buy the book). Bigfoot is a missionary for the gospel of Christ Jesus. There are warring factions of shapeshifters fighting to confuse and terrify THAT ARE DEFINITELY NOT NEPHILIM. The Garden of Eden is the name of an extragalactic planet where the progenitors of humanity (Adam and Eve) FAILED the test while the Xanue people PASSED and became ascended, unfallen beings of the universe.Support us:Join our Patreon community and buy us a drink at patreon.com/ravelpod for as little as $3/mo!Submit a voice memo or comment to the inbox at [email protected]! Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In this episode, we volley interpretations around the story of Pharoah not letting the Israelites go because of his "hardened heart." What does it mean? In the light and heat of YHWH, was Pharoah more like mud baking dry rather than wax melting smooth? And what the heck do we do with the New Testament's "Unforgivable Sin"? And ultimately, are we looking at the same thing in Pharoah?Mentioned in the episode:Exodus 7-11 The Plagues of EgyptEpisode 141 I'm An Atheist Now AMAEpisode 117 I See Jesus In The EisegesisHebrews 10:26-31 The Unforgivable SinRomans 6:1-2 Do we continue to sin so that grace may abound?The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi KaurSupport us:Join our Patreon community and buy us a drink at patreon.com/ravelpod for as little as $3/mo!Submit a voice memo or comment to the inbox at [email protected]! Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

WHO'S YOUR DADDY??? Ravel is back from the unplanned break and ready to gooooo! We're bringing you an episode that was, admittedly, recorded months ago, but it is no less fun. We're getting into the reading of the Hebrew word "ABBA" as we try to figure out where the heck this whole "daddy" business started as it's used to refer to God.(FACT CHECK: Stephen goes the entire episode talking about the "ABBA, Father" verse as if Jesus was the one teaching it, while it was in fact, Paul in Romans 8:15.)Mentioned in the episode:Breath by James NestorRomans 8:15 - Abba, FatherMatthew 6:9-13 - The Lords PrayerMatthew 6:6 - Pray in your closet Matthew 7:9-12 - Who would give their child a serpent?JELLY B Drinkable Konjac snackAdam's Return by Richard RohrSupport us:Join our Patreon community and buy us a drink at patreon.com/ravelpod for as little as $3/mo!Submit a voice memo or comment to the inbox at [email protected]! Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Stephen says "there are a lot of god shaped ghosts in my attic." Josh takes the idea and runs with it, saying that "we will always be haunted by the Holy Ghost, but it is up to us whether it's like Casper the friendly ghost or like a poltergeist." Mentioned in the episode:Lofi GirliOS Mental Health Check-In FeatureBeedle The BardcoreSupport us:Join our Patreon community and buy us a drink at patreon.com/ravelpod for as little as $3/mo!Submit a voice memo or comment to the inbox at [email protected]! Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Thank you for your supreme patience while we took an unscheduled break for a couple months! We're back with a conversation about the historical Jesus! Specifically, we're avoiding talking about "the Christ," instead focusing on the ideas of Jesus' humanity. Speculations include: as a devout Jewish man, he was likely married; he was likely born in Nazareth and not Bethlehem; and he was almost surely a stonemason and not a woodworker.Mentioned in the episode:codyumc.comSupport us:Join our Patreon community and buy us a drink at patreon.com/ravelpod for as little as $3/mo!Submit a voice memo or comment to the inbox at [email protected]! Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

***This episode includes discussion of nihilism, meaninglessness, and suicide. If you or someone you know are experiencing suicidal thoughts or a crisis, please contact the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or visit 988lifeline.org. Please listen with care.***Josh wonders if we ever escape nihilism. Stephen is ready to embrace the existential meaningless in a joyful, stoic way. Emily sees meaning in literally everything.Mentioned in the episode:EcclesiastesThe Myth of Sisyphus by Albert CamusHank Green Eats His Last Meal on Mythical KitchenEnlightenment Now by Steven PinkerSupport us:Join our Patreon community and buy us a drink at patreon.com/ravelpod for as little as $3/mo!Submit a voice memo or comment to the inbox at [email protected]! Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

When does honest and earnest transparency tip into oversharing and misplaced attention seeking? (the podcasters ask, fully acknowledging what irony this invites...) What is gossip actually? How can information shared amongst a community be helpful for reinforcing good boundaries and expectations without tipping into harmful rumor-mongering? Mentioned in the episode:Stephen's GoodreadsNothing much happens: bedtime stories to help you sleep PodcastRaging with Compassion by John SwintonSupport us:Join our Patreon community and buy us a drink at patreon.com/ravelpod for as little as $3/mo!Submit a voice memo or comment to the inbox at [email protected]! Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Really though? When it's essentially the only human experience that is truly universal, that we all will die, why do we have such a bad relationship with it? Stephen wonders if the fear of death is something religion does to inspire fear to win converts. "Oh death, where is your sting?" Perhaps we got it all wrong and what we thought was a sting was a kiss all along!Mentioned in the episode:Twenty Thousand Hertz - Dies Irae32. The Afterlife and How To Get There Ravel EpisodePete Holmes: I'm Not For Everyone Netflix SpecialPete Holmes: A God That's Better Than Larry on Faith For Normal PeopleLetters From A Stoic by Seneca23 purple flowers by Mason ScurrySupport us:Join our Patreon community and buy us a drink at patreon.com/ravelpod for as little as $3/mo!Submit a voice memo or comment to the inbox at [email protected]! Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

It's about time we check in on our thoughts on money, huh? A lot has changes since the teen episodes of our podcast and Josh is wondering "does it matter where money comes from?" Unsurprisingly, we talk about the implications of philanthropy, giving vs tithing mindset, the churches that are greasy and gross about money, and the ones who could be doing it better.Mentioned in the episode:18. Our 2 Cents On Money, Part 1 Ravel Episode19. Our 2 Cents On Money, Part 2 Ravel EpisodeWhere'd You Park Your Spaceship? by Rob BellLuke 19 ZacchaeusMatthew 20 The First Shall Be LastSupport us:Join our Patreon community and buy us a drink at patreon.com/ravelpod for as little as $3/mo!Submit a voice memo or comment to the inbox at [email protected]! Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Why don't more people wonder about what Jesus himself thought the church would be? Would Jesus like what we've done with the place? Or would he think we completely missed the mark from what he had in mind when he told Peter "upon this rock I will build my church"? These questions and more as we grapple with the greek ecclesia and play a wild hypothetical when Stephen asks Emily what would happen if Jesus showed up at the church she pastors!Mentioned in the episode:Matthew 16:8 - Upon this rock, I will build my church Verse13. On The Origin Of Spiritual Truth Ravel EpisodeMatthew &;24-27 - Building a house on solid ground VerseActs 2:1-13 - Day of Pentacost Sermon VersesAfter Jesus Before Christianity by Erin Vearncombe, Brandon Scott, & Hal TaussigMolinism WikiThe Bible For Normal People with Elizabeth Schrader Polczer - Resurrecting Mary The Tower EpisodeSupport us:Join our Patreon community and buy us a drink at patreon.com/ravelpod for as little as $3/mo!Submit a voice memo or comment to the inbox at [email protected]! Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Stephen has officially entered his atheist Philosophy Era (think Taylor Swift's Reputation Era with equal amounts of confidence with a dash of ennui-bordering-on-nihilism) and wants to play with the classic thought experiment presented by Blaise Pascal: the famous "wager." We discuss the misconceptions and misapplications as used by evangelical Christian apologists as well as Pascal's thoughts on uncertainty.Support us:Join our Patreon community and buy us a drink at patreon.com/ravelpod for as little as $3/mo!Submit a voicemail by calling 601-55RAVEL (601-557-2835) or submit a voice memo to the inbox at [email protected]! Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We at the pod are using the classic New Year energy to reevaluate priorities and goals and have come to a decision to dial back the pod to an every-other-week release schedule. We have additionally decided to retire our social media presence as @ravelpod. Stay subscribed and look forward to a new episode next week!Support us:Join our Patreon community and buy us a drink at patreon.com/ravelpod for as little as $3/mo!Submit a voicemail by calling 601-55RAVEL (601-557-2835) or submit a voice memo to the inbox at [email protected]! Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We're starting the year off right by talking about the cRiNgE thrown around by Christians and atheists alike. What's at the root of the cringe response? Why do we hate it? What do we love to hate it?Mentioned in the episode: Matthew 18:15-20Support us:Join our Patreon community and buy us a drink at patreon.com/ravelpod for as little as $3/mo!Submit a voicemail by calling 601-55RAVEL (601-557-2835) or submit a voice memo to the inbox at [email protected]! Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Follow on Threads, Instagram, and TikTok at @ravelpod!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningSocial Media by Josh LieuallenCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

ROB BELL pulls up a stool to the Ravel table! We're overjoyed to bring you one final audio offering in the year of our Lord, 2023, where Stephen and Emily get to spend a whole 90 minutes with the singular Robell (with one B) in the great living room in the sky. Stephen guides our time together as he deep dives into Rob's newest NOVEL entitled Where'd You Park Your Spaceship? There are readings to and by the author as we touch on ideas like imagination, Big Magic, generative art, integration/disintegration/reintegration, a love affair with tomatoes, the ideal notion of Platonic CIRCLES versus Lines and trajectories, the zimzum of love and loss, ungrieved grief, delicious secret breads, bee pollen potions, and the classic "may you..." blessing gifted to us by the Dill Tudd of our universe, Rob Bell. PIDDLE. PIDDLE. PIDDLE.Rob Bell: Website: robbell.comWhere'd You Park Your Spaceship? Print and AudiobookWhat's A Knucka?Instagram: @realrobbellWhere'd You Park Your Spaceship? MerchstoreSupport us:Join our Patreon community and buy us a drink at patreon.com/ravelpod for as little as $3/mo!Submit a voicemail by calling 601-55RAVEL (601-557-2835) or submit a voice memo to the inbox at [email protected]! Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Follow on Threads, Instagram, and TikTok at @ravelpod!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningSocial Media by Josh LieuallenCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Emily is feeling reflective this year about where we've had the comforts come and go from our lives. But Stephen is feeling silly and derails the episode almost immediately by insisting the LOTR quote Emily brought to share was actually from the blockbuster film masterpiece, The Chicken Run. But then, of course, we get back on track as we talk about lovely new comforts in our lives while all three hosts grieve what they once had through the practice of prayer. AND THEN, we wrap up the episode with a point about the blockbuster film masterpiece, The Chicken Run, that actually kind of works!Happy 2023 to all who have joined us this year! May you, may we, enter 2024 with joy and peace.Mentioned in the episode: The Return of the King by JRR TolkienSupport us:Join our Patreon community and buy us a drink at patreon.com/ravelpod for as little as $3/mo!Submit a voicemail by calling 601-55RAVEL (601-557-2835) or submit a voice memo to the inbox at [email protected]! Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Follow on Threads, Instagram, and TikTok at @ravelpod!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningSocial Media by Josh LieuallenCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We're doing some soul care today while Stephen struggles with what Josh affectionately coins as "the downward dog-ness of the soul." Experiencing a darkness and a weight on the soul, we discuss the feelings of being in exile and discuss Emily's life-giving definition of self care: creating a life that you do not want to escape.Mentioned in the episode: 162. Inspired Ravel Episode1 Kings 19 - God's Voice In The WhisperThe Book of NehemiahThe Book of EzraExodus 32 - Worship Of The Golden CalfStockholm Syndrome BrittanicaThe Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien89. Metanoia Ravel Episode141. I'm An Atheist Now AMA Ravel EpisodeThe Beautiful Letdown by SwitchfootFAA Turbulence StatsSupport us:Join our Patreon community and buy us a drink at patreon.com/ravelpod for as little as $3/mo!Submit a voicemail by calling 601-55RAVEL (601-557-2835) or submit a voice memo to the inbox at [email protected]! Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Follow on Threads, Instagram, and TikTok at @ravelpod!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningSocial Media by Josh LieuallenCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

What has us coming back, again and again, to the Bible? Josh thinks it has something to do with the nature of the written word in general, that we bias writings as more "truthy" because they are written. We discuss how we encounter writing differently over time, even when the writing isn't changing. And we ponder what Christianity would look like if we released the bias for the written word and came back to a tradition of active storytelling and imagination.Our Sponsor: NOCD.com: effective, evidence-based treatment breaking the cycle of religious OCDMentioned in the episode: 117. I See Jesus In The Eisegesis Ravel Episode152. The Gang Writes A Creed Ravel Episode15. What is the Wesleyan Quadrilateral Ravel Episode166. I Get Emotional, Baby Ravel EpisodeSupport us:Join our Patreon community and buy us a drink at patreon.com/ravelpod for as little as $3/mo!Submit a voicemail by calling 601-55RAVEL (601-557-2835) or submit a voice memo to the inbox at [email protected]! Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Follow on Threads, Instagram, and TikTok at @ravelpod!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningSocial Media by Josh LieuallenCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Taking a suggestion from the voicemail box today, we consider the role of negative emotions in our lives and in our church and wonder why we're all so bent on stuffing them down and moving on. We discuss the embodiment of such emotions as what is actually called positive or negative, instead of the emotions themselves. As river water flowing through your fingers, emotions enter stage right and exit stage left; it's what we do with them while we share the stage that matters. And perhaps, as we learn to not identify with our emotions, we also are freed from identifying with the emotions put on us be others, like "bitter"!Our Sponsor: NOCD.com: effective, evidence-based treatment breaking the cycle of religious OCDMentioned in the episode: Heaven Bent Podcast66. Anger Is One Helluva Drug Ravel Episode27. God And The Question Of Feeling Ravel EpisodeSupport us:Join our Patreon community and buy us a drink at patreon.com/ravelpod for as little as $3/mo!Submit a voicemail by calling 601-55RAVEL (601-557-2835) or submit a voice memo to the inbox at [email protected]! Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Follow on Threads, Instagram, and TikTok at @ravelpod!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningSocial Media by Josh LieuallenCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

You'd think, with an American faith-based podcast releasing an episode so close to the holiday of Thanksgiving, that we'd enjoy a lighthearted meditation on what we're grateful for in our lives and the nature of gratitude in general... BUT NO! Instead, we dive headfirst into the harm perpetuated around the world by Eurocentric Christianity, wielding the tried-and-true tools of militarized empire in order to force assimilation with a sense of exclusivity and superiority. We grieve the harms done to indigenous communities around the world and take a critical look at how we are complicit as current or former representatives of such a storied faith background.Our Sponsor: NOCD.com: effective, evidence-based treatment breaking the cycle of religious OCDMentioned in the episode: Holy/Hurt with Dr. Hillary McBride at holyhurtpodcast.comOn Repentence and Repair by Rabbi Danya RuttenbergHow To Make Wrongs Right with Rabbi Ruttenberg on Glennon Doyle's We Can Do Hard Things podcastTink TinkerNative by Kaitlin Curtice Living Resistance by Kaitlin CurticeA Fresh Vision For The Spiritual Life with Kaitlin Curtice on Faith For Normal People podcastSupport us:Join our Patreon community and buy us a drink at patreon.com/ravelpod for as little as $3/mo!Submit a voicemail by calling 601-55RAVEL (601-557-2835) or submit a voice memo to the inbox at [email protected]! Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Follow on Threads, Instagram, and TikTok at @ravelpod!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningSocial Media by Josh LieuallenCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

What begins as an exercise in classifying religion ends in a deeply personal conversation about the impacts of eschatological theology. We adopt a comparative lens to view modern Christianity against its ancient expression, asking questions like "Is it a failed apocalyptic project?" and "As such, was it inevitable that it became a dominant-state religion?" And then Josh makes it personal and ask Stephen how he's thinking about his recent apocalypse of faith.Our Sponsor: NOCD.com: effective, evidence-based treatment breaking the cycle of religious OCDMentioned in the episode: Major religious groups WikiThe Silmarillion by JRR TolkienShane Claiborne and Red Letter ChristiansRachel Held Evans Website13. On the Origin of Spiritual Truth Ravel EpisodeBuddhist eschatology Wiki163. Is This All Idle Talk? Ravel EpisodeSupport us:Join our Patreon community and buy us a drink at patreon.com/ravelpod for as little as $3/mo!Submit a voicemail by calling 601-55RAVEL (601-557-2835) or submit a voice memo to the inbox at [email protected]! Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Follow on Threads, Instagram, and TikTok at @ravelpod!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsProduced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily RettinghouseEditing/Audio Engineering by Stephen HenningSocial Media by Josh LieuallenCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We suppose it's about time we reflect and ask, "has this just been idle talk?" After all, it seems like everyone has a podcast these days! Are we guilty of the same old theobro energy that we find so problematic or are we part of a reclamation of normal people doing theology? We'll let you come to your own conclusions.Mentioned in the episode: Matthew 12:36Still Unbelievable! Episode 103 - Featuring Stephen from RavelHoly HellSearch EngineHeavyweightYou Have Permission with Dan KochHeaven BentPodcast Launch Inquiries at stephenghenning.comSupport us:Join our Patreon community and buy us a drink at patreon.com/ravelpod for as little as $3/mo!Submit a voicemail by calling 601-55RAVEL (601-557-2835) or submit a voice memo to the inbox at [email protected]! Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Follow on Threads, Instagram, and TikTok at @ravelpod!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsEditing/Sound Design by Stephen HenningSocial Media by Josh LieuallenCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Think of all the thoughts that haven't been thought. Or the writings that haven't been written. Where do they come from and how do they visit us in our minds? We take a voicemail today from a listener who is wondering what we mean when we say something is "inspired"? Does it necessarily have to be divine intervention? What is that creative spark that tells us to make art anew?Mentioned in the episode: Stuff They Don't Want You To Know Podcast - The Bicameral MindBig Magic by Elizabeth GilbertOh The Places You'll Go by Dr. SuessInspired by Rachel Held EvansSupport us:Join our Patreon community and buy us a drink at patreon.com/ravelpod for as little as $3/mo!Submit a voicemail by calling 601-55RAVEL (601-557-2835) or submit a voice memo to the inbox at [email protected]! Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Follow on Threads, Instagram, and TikTok at @ravelpod!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsEditing/Sound Design by Stephen HenningSocial Media by Josh LieuallenCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

If you have a moment, would you consider listening to our humble podcast? We know you have finite time and attention, but we'd be honored to welcome you at the table. Today, we peer curiously at the ticking clock of the universe and share our experiences of time, how we try to stop it, and how present actions can not only write futures but also rewrite pasts. It's all timey-wimey Jeremy Bearimy today and full of puns, just in the nick of time!Mentioned in the episode: Handsome Podcast with Tig Notaro, Fortune Feimster, and Mae MartinThe Secret To A Long Life Radiolab EpisodeSupport us:Join our Patreon community and buy us a drink at patreon.com/ravelpod for as little as $3/mo!Submit a voicemail by calling 601-55RAVEL (601-557-2835) or submit a voice memo to the inbox at [email protected]! Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Follow on Threads, Instagram, and TikTok at @ravelpod!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsEditing/Sound Design by Stephen HenningSocial Media by Josh LieuallenCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We're really leaning into the spooky season and discussing the reality of ghosts! Contemplating the mysteries of space, time, and consciousness, we think maybe one day even science could reasonably explain ghostly experiences. On a spiritual level, we think maybe they are folks who refuse to move on, spirits in limbo with unfinished business. We, of course, share our own stories. Once, when Emily visited a defunded and abandoned nursing home. And another, when Stephen met one on his recent visit to Scotland!Mentioned in the episode: 9. Demons and Satan and Angels, Oh My! Ravel Episode39. Aliens and Exotheology Ravel EpisodeBorn This Way? Radiolab EpisodeUnder The Whispering Door by TJ KluneSupport us:Join our Patreon community and buy us a drink at patreon.com/ravelpod for as little as $3/mo!Submit a voicemail by calling 601-55RAVEL (601-557-2835) or submit a voice memo to the inbox at [email protected]! Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Follow on Threads, Instagram, and TikTok at @ravelpod!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsEditing/Sound Design by Stephen HenningSocial Media by Josh LieuallenCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Like, seriously, could you tell us without listening to the episode first? It seems as though "gnosticism" is a Christian boogeyman term used to slander anyone thinking outside of orthodoxy! It's been used to denigrate other denominations, deconstruction, mysticism, other religions. Can we please define our terms?! And once we do so, can we spot it in the modern world?Mentioned in the episode: Google's word usage of Gnosticism graphicJohn 1 - John's PreambleSupport us:Join our Patreon community and buy us a drink at patreon.com/ravelpod for as little as $3/mo!Submit a voicemail by calling 601-55RAVEL (601-557-2835) or submit a voice memo to the inbox at [email protected]! Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Follow on Threads, Instagram, and TikTok at @ravelpod!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsEditing/Sound Design by Stephen HenningSocial Media by Josh LieuallenCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

STARTER PACK: We Clearly DisagreeHave you ever wondered if life is somewhere out there among the stars? Maybe even looking back at us? How would your theology change? Emily brings us many questions about alien life and the impacts to our structures of belief.Mentioned in the episode: Josh's TikTokYHP to Consider Quakerism and Panentheism (God = Universe + Something) #12Space Trilogy by C.S. LewisYHP to Think Theologically about Aliens (Seriously) #3Mysterious Universe PodcastSupport us:Join our Patreon community and buy us a drink at patreon.com/ravelpod for as little as $3/mo!Submit a voicemail by calling 601-55RAVEL (601-557-2835) or submit a voice memo to the inbox at [email protected]! Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Follow on Threads, Instagram, and TikTok at @ravelpod!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsEditing/Sound Design by Stephen HenningSocial Media by Josh LieuallenCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

The Patreon group spoke and got us to consider biblical marriage in all it's forms. What does the bible describe about marriage versus prescribe? Was Paul potentially a marriage abolitionist at the end of the day? And why does it make us uncomfortable to consider the (likely) possibility of Jesus of Nazareth being married?Mentioned in the episode: The Mason Mennenga Marriage Tweet69. Let's (Finally) Talk About Sex! Ravel EpisodeSupport us:Join our Patreon community and buy us a drink at patreon.com/ravelpod for as little as $3/mo!Submit a voicemail by calling 601-55RAVEL (601-557-2835) or submit a voice memo to the inbox at [email protected]! Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Follow on Threads, Instagram, and TikTok at @ravelpod!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsEditing/Sound Design by Stephen HenningSocial Media by Josh LieuallenCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

How do you deal with change? Do you consider it inevitable? Do you not like change because a pocket full of coins is annoying? Jokes aside, Emily is asking today why it's so hard to affect change in certain church communities and why some changes in personal beliefs come with such high contrast. And Stephen goes on a fiery rant against "thoughts and prayers", fulfilling his role as the shows' angry atheist.Mentioned in the episode: Sorites Paradox WikiBlack Mirror: Bandersnatch IMDB141. I'm An Atheist Now AMA Ravel EpisodeSupport us:Join our Patreon community and buy us a drink at patreon.com/ravelpod for as little as $3/mo!Submit a voicemail by calling 601-55RAVEL (601-557-2835) or submit a voice memo to the inbox at [email protected]! Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Follow on Threads, Instagram, and TikTok at @ravelpod!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsEditing/Sound Design by Stephen HenningSocial Media by Josh LieuallenCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

A grandmother is sitting with her grandson and says, "In life, there are two wolves inside of you that are constantly in battle. The good wolf represents things like kindness, love, and joy while the bad wolf represents things like greed, hatred and fear." The grandson thinks about it for a moment then looks up at his grandmother and asks, "But grandmother, which one wins?" The grandmother answers with, "The one you feed."We think about the Self and our relationship with it. In addition to the parable, we ponder the ideas of Self embedded in concepts like the Inner Child, Internal Family Systems, personality typologies. Bonus questions include: is it possible to be codependent on God in the worshiper/divine relationship.Mentioned in the episode: The One You Feed PodcastMatthew 7:12 - The Golden RuleThe Artists Way by Julia CameronCodependent No More by Melody BeattieJohn 14:6 - I Am The WayLuke 10 - The Prodigal SonsSupport us:Join our Patreon community and buy us a drink at patreon.com/ravelpod for as little as $3/mo!Submit a voicemail by calling 601-55RAVEL (601-557-2835) or submit a voice memo to the inbox at [email protected]! Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Follow on Threads, Instagram, and TikTok at @ravelpod!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsEditing/Sound Design by Stephen HenningSocial Media by Josh LieuallenCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Let's dive into some psychoanalysis and "get heady" with our good friend Lacan. Josh offers a new angle on the ravel metaphor by introducing us to the "quilting point", all leading to the question: how do we avoid the Arrival Fallacy? Be sure to play along and tap through the links here in the show notes!Mentioned in the episode: What Is The Quilting Point? Article (with referenced photo of red couch)The Son of Man painted by Rene MagritteQuilting Point Youtube videoLacan's Concept of the Phallus152. The Gang Writes A Creed Ravel EpisodeSupport us:Join our Patreon community and buy us a drink at patreon.com/ravelpod for as little as $3/mo!Submit a voicemail by calling 601-55RAVEL (601-557-2835) or submit a voice memo to the inbox at [email protected]! Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Follow on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok at @ravelpod!Credits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsEditing/Sound Design by Stephen HenningSocial Media by Josh LieuallenCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We're asked to interrogate the sentiment behind "I don't know, I'm not God" when a listen calls in (601-557-2835) with a bit of feedback from our recent episode on the Trinity. So we dig into the limits of human knowledge, where we believe there may be true unknowables, and discuss the implications of the first story of sin in the bible being humanity eating of the Tree of Knowledge.Mentioned in the episode: The Bechdel Test91X. Love Makes Room with Staci Frenes Ravel Episode150. Trinity: Paradox, Bullsh*t, or Some Secret Third Thing Ravel Episode"What is the function of the human appendix?" Scientific American articleNASA on Pluto artice - Planet to non-planet to dwarf planet "Memory storage space" of the human brain is believed to be around 2.5 petabytes (2.5 million gigabytes) Scientific American articleSynaptic Pruning Neuroscience News articleGenesis 3 - Our first sin is knowledgeLuke 10 - The Prodigal SonsThe Essence of Christianity by Ludwig FeuerbachIshmael by Daniel QuinnThe Lorax by Dr. SuessSupport us:Join our Patreon community and buy us a drink at patreon.com/ravelpod for as little as $3/mo!Submit a voicemail by calling 601-55RAVEL (601-557-2835) or submit a voice memo to the inbox at [email protected]! Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Follow on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok at @ravelpod!Follow the hosts on social: Josh Twitter: @joshlieuallenStephen Twitter: @stephenghenningEmily Instagram: @RevRettinghouseCredits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsEditing/Sound Design by Stephen HenningSocial Media by Josh LieuallenCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

So you may have seen this making the TikTok rounds in recent weeks... The "Sparkle Creed" is a radical take on Christian inclusivity that got some folks fired up! Emily has spent some time dwelling on it's contents and it's message and has some thoughts. We ravel through the language of the Sparkle Creed, comparing and contrasting to the Creeds of tradition, and by the end of it all, we end up crafting our own!Mentioned in the episode: Article on The Sparkle CreedApostles Creed WikiNicene Creed WikiMark 9:23-24 - Help My UnbeliefSo Will I (100 Billion X) by HillsongStephen Reviews So Will I on the Worship Review PodcastPart 1 "Stephen from Ravel and Know Normal People"Part 2 "So Will I (100 Billion X) Review"Support us:Join our Patreon community and buy us a drink at patreon.com/ravelpod for as little as $3/mo!Submit a voicemail by calling 601-55RAVEL (601-557-2835) or submit a voice memo to the inbox at [email protected]! Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Follow on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok at @ravelpod!Follow the hosts on social: Josh Twitter: @joshlieuallenStephen Twitter: @stephenghenningEmily Instagram: @RevRettinghouseCredits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsEditing/Sound Design by Stephen HenningSocial Media by Josh LieuallenCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Who belongs at the table that is called Christianity? Stephen feels like the vast majority of Christianity today and through the ages would say he does not any longer. Emily and Josh have different convictions. We wrestle with God and our fellow men today as we enter this dialogue.Mentioned in the episode: 109. Who Is A Christian? Ravel EpisodeYou Have Permission Podcast with Dan Koch6. The Heretic In Our Midst Ravel EpisodeJeremiah 29:7 Make the City ProsperThe Essence of Christianity by Ludwig FeuerbachSupport us:Join our Patreon community and buy us a drink at patreon.com/ravelpod for as little as $3/mo!Submit a voicemail by calling 601-55RAVEL (601-557-2835) or submit a voice memo to the inbox at [email protected]! Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Follow on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok at @ravelpod!Follow the hosts on social: Josh Twitter: @joshlieuallenStephen Twitter: @stephenghenningEmily Instagram: @RevRettinghouseCredits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsEditing/Sound Design by Stephen HenningSocial Media by Josh LieuallenCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Hard to know where to even start with this one, to be honest. The Trinity is one of the most paradoxical, "accept on faith" concepts in all of Christianity. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. All-in-All, Three-In-One nature. While being careful not to slip in modalism or tritheism, we attempt to work on this theological idea that has stumped Christians for thousands of years. Mentioned in the episode: The Holy Hell PodcastMatthew 3:13-17 - The Baptism of JesusGenesis 1 - The Trinity At CreationThe Essence of Christianity by Ludwig FeuerbachThe Essence of Christianity by Ludwig Feuerbach Librivox Public Domain Audiobook FREEThe Divine Dance by Richard RohrIsaiah 9:6 - Wonderful CounselorSupport us:Join our Patreon community and buy us a drink at patreon.com/ravelpod for as little as $3/mo!Submit a voicemail by calling 601-55RAVEL (601-557-2835) or submit a voice memo to the inbox at [email protected]! Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Follow on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok at @ravelpod!Follow the hosts on social: Josh Twitter: @joshlieuallenStephen Twitter: @stephenghenningEmily Instagram: @RevRettinghouseCredits:Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and BandcampArtwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedrawsEditing/Sound Design by Stephen HenningSocial Media by Josh LieuallenCertified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★