Seeker and Scholar

What makes land sacred and who gets to decide? In this episode, we sit down with archaeologist, Rob Weiner, to explore the enduring mysteries of Chaco Culture National Historical Park, the cultural and spiritual significance of Indigenous sacred landscapes, and the controversy surrounding border infrastructure near holy sites in the American Southwest. We examine what happens when government priorities, economic interests, and religious traditions collide. Can a landscape be both public land and sacred ground? And how should a pluralistic society navigate competing claims about places that carry deep historical, cultural, and spiritual meaning?

The Pope doesn't hate AI. He's worried about who controls it. This week, we explore Pope Leo's call for ethical AI, the dangers of concentrated power, lessons from slavery and historical injustice, and why the future of technology may depend on whether humanity can work together instead of letting a handful of billionaires shape the world for everyone else.

Noah’s Ark. Dinosaurs. Divine regret.This week on The Seeker and The Scholar, we accidentally spiral into one of the strangest conversations in the Bible: a giant boat full of animals, humans apparently living with dinosaurs, and a moment where God basically says, “You know what? I’ve made a terrible mistake.”Somewhere between evangelical creationism, ancient flood myths, and trying to figure out how two baby T-Rexes survived on a wooden zoo cruise ship, we completely lose composure more than once.It’s theology, existential dread, childhood Sunday school trauma, and laughing way too hard at questions nobody can answer with confidence. Buckle up — the flood is coming.The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed by the hosts in this podcast are their own and do not represent those of their employers, organizations, or any other affiliated entities. The content is provide for informational and discussion purposes only.

In this episode, we take a hard look at the legacy of James Dobson — from his parenting philosophy and advocacy of corporal punishment to the rise of patriarchal family structures centered on obedience, authority, and control. We explore how these ideas shaped generations of evangelical households, the political machine many people never realized was operating behind the scenes, and the lasting emotional, cultural, and societal damage critics argue was left in its wake. From spanking and “strong-willed child” theology to Christian nationalism and political influence, this conversation examines how one man’s vision of the family helped shape modern American conservatism.The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed by the hosts in this podcast are their own and do not represent those of their employers, organizations, or any other affiliated entities. The content is provide for informational and discussion purposes only.

This episode gets personal. What do you do with a faith — or lack thereof — that shaped you, when you start a family of your own?We're talking about what it means to grow up churched or unchurched, carry that formation into adulthood, and then face a new question: How do you introduce a child to the sacred without passing down the wreckage?For those of us without an active religious community, there's no roadmap. Just the weight of figuring out how to hold space for mystery and meaning — without the gatekeeping, the shame, or the certainty that was handed to us.Seeker & Scholar gets honest about what we're willing to pass down, what we're not, and what we're still sorting out.The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed by the hosts in this podcast are their own and do not represent those of their employers, organizations, or any other affiliated entities. The content is provide for informational and discussion purposes only.

In this episode of Seeker and Scholar, we unpack St. Mary Catholic Parish v. Roy, exploring the legal, theological, and cultural questions at the heart of the case. We discuss what it reveals about religious liberty, public tax dollars, and the evolving relationship between faith institutions and modern law while asking what these tensions mean for believers and skeptics alike.The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed by the hosts in this podcast are their own and do not represent those of their employers, organizations, or any other affiliated entities. This content is provided for informational and discussion purposes only.

When Pete Hegseth leads prayer inside the Pentagon, it raises a question: whose faith gets a seat at the table of power?This episode delves in Hegseth's worldview and traces the influence of his mentor, Douglas Wilson, founder of Christ Church in Moscow, a church known for strict gender roles, cultural conservatism, and even rules around appearance like prohibitions on beards.We talk about the broader history of Christian stances toward war and violence, and we unpack the subtle restructuring of religious recognition inside the military, from hundreds of faith expressions down to just a few dozen.What happens when entire traditions are pushed to the margins? Why do some denominations gain influence while others, including Catholics, feel increasingly unwelcome?This isn’t just about one man or one sermon. It’s about power, regulating belief, and the evolving boundary between church and state in America’s most powerful institutions.The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed by the hosts in this podcast are their own and do not represent those of their employers, organizations, or any other affiliated entities. This content is provided for informational and discussion purposes only.

What if the Antichrist isn't a person but a system? In this episode, we unpack how Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel reads the apocalypse through the lens of technology, power, and control. We examine what apocalyptic literature is and consider how the Antichrist has been understood over the centuries and why it remains an appealing idea.From AI regulation to global governance, we explore Thiel's claim that the real threat to humanity may come disguised as safety and stability. No one is off limits from critique. Not even the Pope.The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed by the hosts in this podcast are their own and do not represent those of their employers, organizations, or any other affiliated entities. This content is provided for informational and discussion purposes only.

In this epic fail of an episode (clearly) due to the work of Satan, get to know Devin and Nichole, their past, their beliefs and how the podcast came to be. Dive deep on the first American Pope with two former Chicagoans. We also consider whether demons sound like buzzsaws. Join us in prayer for the good works of home renovations to finally be complete.The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed by the hosts in this podcast are their own and do not represent those of their employers, organizations, or any other affiliated entities. This content is provided for informational and discussion purposes only.

In this episode, we explore whether cryptocurrency is a new financial system—or something closer to a religion. We touch on the appeal of crypto and evaluate hype versus evidence. We look at a blockchain based religious movement and ask why some scholars are studying the links between crypto and religion. Why does talking to some crypto enthusiasts feel like being evangelized by zealous believers? Why do some see crypto as promising a utopia of freedom and authenticity? Why does it still feel like a pyramid scheme?From faith in code to digital communities, we unpack the beliefs and rituals that shape the space—complete with prophets, evangelists, and a whole lot of faith in something you can’t see.The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed by the hosts in this podcast are their own and do not represent those of their employers, organizations, or any other affiliated entities. This content is provided for informational and discussion purposes only.

It gets a little weird in episode 1, as Nichole and Devin dive into Crustafarianism, a religion that sprung up out of Moltbook, a social media platform run entirely by AI Agents. Learn about the 64 Prophets of the claw and why we can't figure out what to say at the end of a Crustafarian Psalm. What might it mean that autonomous agents have created their own religious community? What does it say about religion more broadly? What does it say about us? We also answer the ever important question: will Nichole's autonomous domestic robot pray with her at the dinner table? And Devin has a new theory about how the world ends. The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed by the hosts in this podcast are their own and do not represent those of their employers, organizations, or any other affiliated entities. This content is provided for informational and discussion purposes only.