PODCAST · religion
Untangling Christianity Podcast
by Gregg Monteith
Defusing destructive ideologies, unsnarling confused ideas, considering love and truth in Christianity
Episodes
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Examples of self-deceit 3 (176)
In evangelical Christian communities where self-deceit is prevalent, this dysfunction manifests as particular sets of expectations and codes of conduct that are tacitly created and act as “standards of faithfulness” for that community. So whether similar to my previous examples or varied by type…
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Examples of Self-Deceit 2 (175)
Having walked through one example, in the previous episode, of how an approach that is “self-deceit-aware” can reveal that a popular, evangelical belief is held because it is useful and self-serving, I want to analyze another, popular evangelical belief as well as several church situations, all...
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Examples of Self-Deceit 1 (174)
In the context of evangelical Christianity, self-deceit functions to develop and maintain the “false consciousness” that key beliefs are held because they are true and that devotion to God, or piety (however flawed or imperfect) is the Christian’s main aim. This false consciousness is a mask that...
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Foundations 7: Introducing Self-Deceit (173)
This episode is in some ways the culmination of all of the previous episodes on “First Steps”—the point toward which they were all building. On the one hand, the content of this episode directly addresses the most problematic aspect of evangelical dysfunction: its seeming invisibility to those…
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Foundations 6: Self-awareness and Experience (172)
Module 6 of “First Steps” addresses the development of self-awareness in order to become “full selves” and thereby, for non-Christians to better evaluate the value of Christianity and for Christians to reach maturity in their faith. Yet the notion of “self-awareness” immediately poses several...
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Foundations 5: Conceptual Toolbox (171)
The Foundations of Flourishing program is designed to assist Christians to recognize and overcome the entrenched dysfunction within evangelical Christianity and to assist non-Christians to decipher and evaluate the accessible, ‘here and now’ value within Christianity. This dual approach overcomes...
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Revamping Untangling Christianity (170)
“. . . in key ways, the evangelical church is neither able to help those inside become truly “Christ-like” nor is it able effectively to persuade those outside that “Christ-likeness” is a valuable or viable way of being. To put it in Christian terms, in my view the evangelical church essentially...
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Why Evangelicalism Fails (169)
The intention of this episode, the fifth episode on the Foundations of Flourishing curriculum 1, was for it to be a “round-up” of the previous four podcasts with a goal of highlighting the most important or perhaps under-exposed aspects of the first half of the curriculum that they present....
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Foundations 4: Communication is Key (168)
This episode features content from module four of the “First Steps” curriculum, entitled: “Dialogue Skills: listening gently, speaking honestly.” Module four address a key skill for Christians, yet one this is mostly overlooked. Specifically, as a religion eager to communicate its beliefs to...
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Foundations 3: Inventory-taking (167)
This is the third in a series of eight to ten episodes explaining the first curriculum (called “First Steps”) in the Foundations of Flourishing teaching program. In this episode Gregg focuses on the double-task of understanding, or “inventorying,” personal beliefs and then assessing how much one...
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Foundations 2: Understanding Fear (166)
This is the second in a series of eight to ten episodes explaining the first curriculum (called “First Steps”) in the Foundations of Flourishing teaching program. After last episode’s focus on the three negative elements that typically afflict evangelical churches (Legalism, Fear, Ignorance)…
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Foundations 1: Legalism, Fear, Ignorance (165)
Legalism, fear, and ignorance: these three words represent tendencies and orientations that none of us would like to own up to, much less that Christians would want to admit to. Sadly, however, the members of this trio are all too frequently cited by outsiders as reasons that Christians are…
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Christians Go Back to Kindergarten (164)
This is the third of the three-episode series where Gregg offers his views on the Whitehorse Inn podcast, “Do all paths lead to God?” Specifically, Gregg is replying to the claim that this podcast is an example of how Christians “engage well” with outsiders—how they engage thoughtfully, on point,...
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Non-Christians Have “Reason Enough” (163)
This is the second episode in a three-part miniseries where Gregg offers his views on the Whitehorse Inn podcast, “Do all paths lead to God?” Specifically, Gregg is replying to the claim that this podcast is an example of how Christians “engage well” with outsiders—how they engage thoughtfully…
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Fuzzy non-Christianity misrepresents non-Christians (162)
In this episode Gregg reviews an episode from the Whitehorse Inn podcast by Christian academician Michael Horton entitled: “Do all paths lead to God?” Gregg begins by noting that this podcast was offered in the Untangling Christianity Facebook group as an example of how Christians engage well…
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Foggy Interpretation (161)
In this episode Gregg returns to the notion of interpretation and its importance, particularly for Christians, given to the extent a central text—the Bible—informs and grounds their beliefs. Gregg explains that interpretation is a way of engaging with the world that we are always already doing....
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The Lightning Round (160)
In this episode John and Gregg follow-up to Episode #159, where they began discussing the process of letting go of what is old and familiar in favour of what is better, especially as it relates to Christian beliefs, beliefs about ourselves & our world, how we interact wit other information…
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Does Belief Have to Make Sense? (159)
In this episode John and Gregg consider Anna’s comments regarding the episode Problems with the Westminster Confession (155) and how they might respond to some of the situations that Anna is experiencing. Anna writes: I think that each person lives their lives according to a unique narrative that...
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Narrating, Not Writing Your Life (158)
In this episode Gregg takes up John’s challenge of episode #157 to to lay out exactly what Gregg meant in #157 by explaining that we all seek to “occupying the narrator’s position” in our own lives, and particularly what he meant by the idea of narrative identity (and why he believes that this…
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Do We Write Our Own Story? (157)
In this podcast John and Gregg team up to discuss the notion that Gregg raised in Episode #153, where he rejects the idea that we “write our own stories.” John finds the idea of writing one’s own story to be very important, to the point the we are “victims” if we do not. Gregg wonders if he and...
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faith AND suspicion; belief AND scepticism (156)
This episode is the fourth of a four-part series where Gregg reads excerpts from—and comments on—an excellent conversation that took place in the Untangling Christianity Facebook group. All comments and names are used with permission of the authors. In this podcast Gregg engages with Amy’s…
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Problems with the Westminster Confession (155)
This episode is the third of a four-part series where Gregg reads excerpts from—and comments on—an excellent conversation that took place in the Untangling Christianity Facebook group. All comments and names are used with permission of the authors. In this podcast Gregg explains his comments at…
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Meeting Non-Christians Where They Are At (154)
In this episode Gregg continues his review of—and commentary on—a conversation that took place in the Untangling Christianity Facebook group. NB: All comments have been quoted (and names mentioned) with permission. As with the first podcast in this series, this podcast is likely to move faster be...
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Understanding Non-Christians Starts With Them (153)
In this episode Gregg summarizes–and responds to–an interesting conversation that took place in the Untangling Christianity Facebook group in mid-September 2017. Note: all comments have been quoted (and names mentioned) with permission. Gregg begins by indicating that this podcast is likely to…
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Christians Disconnected From Outsiders (152)
In this episode Gregg discusses comments made in the Untangling Christianity Facebook Group regarding comments that he made in episode #149. Specifically, a listener is advocating against Gregg’s view and is stating that Christians are seeking to engage with outsiders and are, generally, doing a...
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Excellence and Inclusivity (151)
In this episode Gregg talks about the necessity for Christians to be pursuing excellence and the conditions for inclusivity within Christian communities. He does so by drawing on his experience of moving from a small town is South-Central Alberta to Canmore Alberta, 15 minutes from Banff National...
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What Do You Deserve? (150)
In this episode John and Gregg re-connect to discuss the idea of whether we “deserve” certain things. John takes this idea from the Bronnie Ware’s book, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying (upon which John has also podcasted). John is intrigued by the notion of whether we “deserve” certain things…
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Feeling Dirty at Church (149)
In this episode Gregg goes further regarding the Integration Project. He begins by expressing doubt that “seekers” actually exist, arguing that this is a fictional category of people created by Christians. Instead, Gregg views those people who appear most open to Christianity as perhaps a) those...
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Considering Love and Truth (148)
In this episode, Gregg takes the discussion of the previous few episodes (on Coaching versus Christianity) as a point of departure to begin a new, solo podcasting series that focuses on “love and truth in Christianity.” Gregg explains the importance of this focus using the tagline of the…
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Going to the Next Level (147)
In this episode John and Gregg round-out their “coaching versus Christianity” discussion. Gregg begins by affirming his perspective that it is both normal and potentially helpful to find oneself more deeply engaged or compelled by pursuits other than Christianity. John wonders: what core…
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Dinosaurs and Drumheller (146)
In this episode John and Gregg record the podcast together for the first time in person in Drumheller, Alberta. In it they discuss their recent trip to the Royal Tyrrell Museum, one of the world’s preeminent dinosaur museums, that is located in Drumheller. John explains how, while at the museum…
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Ownership, Coaching and Christianity (145)
In this episode John and Gregg return to John’s positive engagement with coaching and his unfulfilling engagement with Christianity. Gregg’s hunch is that John’s situation offers an example that is very applicable for many listeners, in that the phenomena of finding one’s faith to be lackluster…
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Coaching and Christianity (144)
This episode continues John and Gregg’s conversation about John’s excitement around coaching and lack of enthusiasm for Christianity. Yet Gregg proposes that this may actually offer positive orientation for John’s engagement with Christianity. Gregg believes that there are many Christians in a...
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Self Discovery as a Hobby or Lifestyle? (143)
In this episode John and Gregg take their discussion in a different direction. Beginning with a retrospective of the podcast, they discuss a potentially “new way” for Untangling Christianity to fulfill one of it’s original purposes which was to give hope to other people. John originally put this...
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What Belongs in the House? (142)
In this episode John and Gregg discuss an introspection on “where John is at,” touching on John’s views about God, his career, and life generally. John opens with his concern of being being misunderstood by listeners, and specifically not wanting to regret being “nailed down” to what he offers...
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Paying an Intellectual Cost (141)
In this episode John and Gregg resume their discussion from last episode of the article on apologetics in the Biola University Magazine: “Young people are indeed leaving the church,” by Craig Hazen and Larry Barnett. During this conversation John contrasts the above article with another, entitled...
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Bogus Commandments (140)
In this episode John and Gregg discuss an article from the Fall 2016 Biola University Magazine entitled, “Young People are Indeed leaving the Church.” John summarizes the article as stating that the reason why young people are leaving the church is because they have “doubts,” and if these doubts...
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Do Core Values Mix with Christianity? (139)
In this episode John and Gregg discuss what “core values” are and how they apply to Christianity. Gregg explains that he created a questionnaire for his church group when he understood that several participants were having a very hard time engaging with the material on self-deceit. One of those...
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Recognizing Our Own Deceit (138)
In this episode John and Gregg talk further about Gregg’s Sunday morning “Discussion Group.” John wonders: How is the “back and forth” within the group affecting Gregg? Gregg notes that he is learning to pay attention to how some participants habitually “detract” from or even contradict his...
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Choose Your Own Adventure? (137)
In this episode John and Gregg return to the topic of Gregg’s Sunday morning discussion group. Gregg explains that last week, instead of pursuing the course of study (on self-deceit), he presented the group with 10-question Questionnaire to help them assess their expectations, energy and…
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Identifying Self Deceit (136)
In this episode John and Gregg continue to consider Gregg’s Sunday morning discussion group. John begins by returning to his uncertainty about Gregg’s contention that the beginning of the “Disciple’s Prayer” in Matthew 6: 9-13 (“Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name, Your kingdom come, Your...
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Stuck in a Loop of Self Deceit (135)
In this episode, John and Gregg again speak about Gregg’s Sunday morning church discussion group. Gregg explains that the most recent session became rather fiery, particularly concerning the idea that the Holy Spirit does not do the majority the work in helping Christians understand the Bible’s...
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The Holy Spirit Reads the Bible for Me (134)
In this episode John and Gregg discuss the morning discussion that Gregg facilitates every Sunday. John is interested in the newest developments, and Gregg highlights how engaging with a foreign mindset can be continually surprising. For example, Gregg summarizes the culture in his church as...
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Is God Always in Control? (133)
In this episode John and Gregg discuss a recent session at the Sunday morning group that Gregg facilitates. Gregg explains how this session was quite different because the adolescents joined the adults for this discussion. The history of his involvement with this group is that Gregg has been…
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Questioning Beliefs and Trust (132)
In this episode John and Gregg discuss two different cultures, those who find Christianity and Christian beliefs to be suspect and those who are not questioning or believing that anything is wrong with their beliefs. They then focus on how to work with the latter group. Gregg explains that indeed...
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Street Preacher Experience (131)
In this episode John and Gregg discuss a meeting that Gregg had with a street preacher. Gregg explained that he has never spoken to a Street Preacher before but had his curiosity piqued and so began a conversation. After recounting his encounter with the Street Preacher, Gregg goes on to explain...
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You Guys are Too Picky (130)
In this episode John and Gregg discuss a quotation by Yogi Bhajan, submitted by an Untangling Christianity listener. John sees the discussion about Gregg’s response to the Yogi Bhajan quotation as an extension of their conversation about Christian Praise music (in episode #128, “Let them have…
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I am a Christian (129)
In this episode John and Gregg discuss a poem from an anonymous newspaper clipping titled “I am a Christian.” Gregg received the poem on Facebook as, perhaps, a way of defining what a Christian is. In Gregg’s view a Christian can be defined in two ways: a) as someone who claims to be a follower…
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Just Let People Have Their Music (128)
In this episode John and Gregg again discuss Christian worship music, focusing on a listener comment about the song “Fierce” by Jesus Culture. John is of two minds in his response to the song. On the one hand he wonders if the song, in describing God’s love for us as a “hurricane that I cannot...
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Everything Doesn’t Happen for a Reason (127)
In this episode John and Gregg discuss an article by Tim Lawrence, “Everything doesn’t happen for a reason.” This post “went viral” and concerns people trying to support those who suffer tragic circumstances by commiserating that “everything happens for a reason.” John notes both the author’s...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Defusing destructive ideologies, unsnarling confused ideas, considering love and truth in Christianity
HOSTED BY
Gregg Monteith
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Untangling Christianity Podcast have?
Untangling Christianity Podcast currently has 176 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Untangling Christianity Podcast about?
Defusing destructive ideologies, unsnarling confused ideas, considering love and truth in Christianity
How often does Untangling Christianity Podcast release new episodes?
Untangling Christianity Podcast publishes regularly with 176 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
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You can listen to Untangling Christianity Podcast 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 Untangling Christianity Podcast?
Untangling Christianity Podcast is created and hosted by Gregg Monteith.
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