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My guest today is Sarah Bessey. Odds are, you’ve come across Sarah’s blog at some point and found her words to be insightful and refreshing.
Today Sarah and I talk about her new book Jesus Feminist and how the words of scripture liberate women to embrace their God given gifts and abilities.
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My guest today is Danielle Shroyer. Ever since I started this podcast, everyone once in a while 
someone would say “You should really think about interviewing Danielle Shroyer!” I needed no convincing. I attended a conference in 2007 in which Danielle was a panelist and I never forgot her brilliance and wisdom.
Danielle speaks often on issues of theology, church leadership and emerging communities of faith. She is part of Journey Church in Dallas, where she served as Pastor for 8 years. Danielle lives with her husband and two children in Dallas, Texas.
Danielle joins me on the show to talk about her faith growing up, and her pastoral experiences. In 2010 Danielle published a book The Boundary-Breaking God.
In other news, in the intro I ask you the listener to vote for Seminary Dropout at podcastawards.com under the “Religion Inspiration” category. If you would take about 30 seconds to do that, I would think you’re super neato.
So I guess some people will listen to a video on youtube but not a podcast?! That’s what I’ve heard anyway.
So for those people whose internet only allows them to go to youtube, I’ll put posting all episodes of Seminary Dropout there. The first episode, my interview with Tony Kriz is now live. Slowly I’ll be posting more and more episodes to my channel. Right now all videos will simply be a graphic on the screen with the audio of the interview playing in the background, but in the future I hope to post the live video of myself and my guests in the interview. Enjoy, if you’re into that sort of thing.
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My guest today on Seminary Dropout is Stuart Murray. Stuart is chair of the Anabaptist Network and has a PhD in Anabaptist hermeneutics. Since 2001, Stuart has worked under the auspices of the Anabaptist Network as a trainer and consultant, with particular interest in urban mission, church planting, and emerging forms of church.
Stuart joins me today to talk about his book ‘The Naked Anabaptist.’ The book deals with some of the history of Anabaptism, the core convictions of Anabaptism, and why so many people are finding a home in Anabaptist thought.
We talk about this and more on today’s episode of Seminary Dropout. Leave a comment to let me know what you’ve gained from the interview.
Shane Blackshear
It's time for another round of interviews for Seminary Dropout. Who do you most want to hear? Have a favorite Jesus following musician, writer, or thinker? Add a name to the list and be sure to include a link. If you have twitter, after you vote, tweet "Hey (tag person) you should give an interview on SeminaryDropout[dot]com with @beardonabike"
Biblical scholar, Professor of New Testament at Western Theological Seminary, ordained RCA minister, author of "Bible, Gender, Sexuality"
N. T. Wright. 24,045 likes · 2,489 talking about this. N. T. Wright is the former Bishop of Durham in the Church of England and one of the world's leading Bible scholars. He is now serving as the chair of New Testament and Early Christianity at the School of Divinity at the University of St.
If you have a question or comment for Jonathan, please fill out the contact form below and submit.
Christena Cleveland is a social psychologist with a hopeful passion for overcoming cultural divisions in groups. Drawing from a vast body of research, she uncovers the underlying processes that affect relationships within and between groups and helps leaders understand how to promote an appreciation for diversity and build effective collaborations with diverse groups. She recently completed her first book Disunity in Christ: Uncovering the Hidden Forces that Keep Us Apart.
observing life, engaging faith and making connections
Robyn Afrik is a compelling platform speaker, national consultant and strategist on issues surrounding reconciliation/diversity, international adoption, multi-cultural families' and identity formation. With over a decade of community development experience and successful fundraising efforts both in the private and public sectors, Robyn, a Korean adoptee, continues sharing her own unique and personal story, to inspire,...
I went to the Story Chicago Conference this past week. The theme was A Sense of Place but I felt anything but. The 1st evening of the conference, conference creator Ben Arment gave us a brief welcome and an introduction to the 2013 Sundance-award-winning documentary, Blood Brother.
Drew Hart is interested in the intersection of African American theology and Anabaptism. His life and faith have been shaped by a hybridity of the two streams.
Lisa Sharon Harper, Sojourners' director of mobilizing, was the founding executive director of New York Faith & Justice-an organization at the hub of a new ecumenical movement to end poverty in New York City.
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To continue the Seminary Dropout tradition of introducing people who need no 
introduction…
Philip Yancey began his career as Editor of Campus Life Magazine, and has connected with more than 15 million readers since his first book was published in 1977. His books have been translated into 35 languages. Philip explores the most basic questions and deepest mysteries of Christian faith and invites readers to join him on his journeys. His books have earned recognition including two Christian Book of the Year awards and 13 Gold Medallion awards.
Philip joins me on the show to talk about his new book
‘The Question That Never Goes Away’.
Some days, the news seems too much to bear. Yet another tsunami or earthquake or flood or fire or war atrocity. One more gun-toting madman stalking young people in idyllic Norway or moviegoers in Colorado or schoolchildren in Newtown, Connecticut. We turn off the news only to get a phone call about expectant parents with a stillborn baby, or a loved one whose cancer has returned.
Really, God? we ask. This again?
If we have faith in God, it gets shaken to the core. What was God doing in the moment when that tragedy could have been prevented? If we can’t trust God to keep our children safe or our loved ones from dying in agony, what can we trust God for?
In his classic book Where Is God When It Hurts, Philip Yancey gave us permission to doubt, reasons not to abandon faith, and practical ways to reach out to hurting people. Now, with new perspectives and stories gathered across nearly twenty-five years, once again he tackles the hard questions head-on. His visits to three places in 2012 raised the old problems with new urgency.
More veteran pilgrim than curious journalist in his later years, Yancey faces with his trademark honesty the issues that often undermine faith, yet he emerges with comfort and hope. Along the way, he shows that Christians have an important role to play in bringing healing to a deeply wounded world.
There are hopeful reasons to ask, once again, the question that never goes away. . . .
-From the publisher.
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David Fitch is a co-pastor and founder of Life on the Vine Christian Community and the author of The Great Giveawaway and The End of Evangelism?
Geoff Holsclaw is also a co-pastor at Life on the Vine Christian Community, an adjuncy professor of theology at Northern Seminary, and a regional coordinator for Ecclesia Network.
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David & Geoff join me on Seminary Dropout to talk about their new book Prodigal Christianity. Prodigal Christianity is a book for church & lay leaders to help their churches navigate through different issues of the day (scripture, sexuality, justice, etc.) , especially for those like me who don’t fit well into, what the authors call the Neo-Reformed or Emergent streams of Christianity
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Cliff Ravenscraft, is founder of the Generally Speaking Production Network. Podcasting since 2005, Cliff has turned a hobby into his full time business. He has produced hundreds of podcast episodes on topics ranging from Entertainment, Technology, Faith, and Family.
On this episode of Seminary Dropout, Cliff comes on the show to talk about living out faith in a secular vocation, the church, and ABC’s hit TV show LOST.
You can find out more about Cliff at GSPN.TV
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Today I’m proud to have Scot McKnight with me on the podcast.
Scot is a recognized authority on the New Testament, early Christianity, and the historical Jesus. McKnight, author or editor of forty books, is the Professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary in Lombard, IL. Dr. McKnight has given interviews on radios across the nation, has appeared on television, and is regularly speaks at local churches, conferences, colleges, and seminaries in the USA and abroad. Dr. McKnight obtained his Ph.D. at the University of Nottingham (1986).
Scot sits down to talk about Jesus Is Lord Caesar Is Not, which he edited with Joseph B. Modica.
As the tagline infers, the book is an evaluation of Empire Criticism in the New Testament. For those unfamiliar with Empire Criticism as I was before reading the book, it can defined as an approach to New Testament studies whereby the New Testament’s message is seen primarily as a criticism of the Roman empire.
I loved every second of this interview with Scot, and was especially struck by this statement…
“There is politicization…. Young evangelicals have become progressives… Progressives today are socially active, believing that the way to make society better, so for instance the aim is the common good, the aim is repairing the world, the aim is to be significant in the world and make the world a better place, the aim is socio political, and means is socio political, namely they see themselves as repairing the world by becoming involved in social justice, that is a fundamental politicization of discipleship in the church and Christianity, in fact so politicized is it that many of these young progressive evangelical type Christians and non-evangelical type Christians have very little to do with the church… it’s a progressive posture in our culture on the part of Christians where they see their fundamental task to work for the common good by providing water, helping to end sex trafficking, etc., all of these things are good, but they are divorced from the church and they are anchored in the actions of politicians in Washington DC and Berlin and London, these become the central focus and when that happens we do exactly what happened when Gustavo Gutierrez was arguing in the 1970’s and 80’s that the church has to be de-centralized, so what we have I think is a colossal politicization of the church in our world today and it is impacting the church in ways that I think could be remarkable.”
Please go and hear this for yourself in the context of the entire interview! Then come back and tell me what you think about what Scot said.
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Matt Appling joins me this week to talk about his new book Life After Art. Matt is an art teacher & pastor in Kansas City, Missouri.
In the interview we talk about…
…art
…Jesus
…that terrifyi
ng time in gym class
“Everyone was an artist, once. But somewhere between kindergarten and now, we lost the confidence to create. We’ve crumbled under the pressure to find our place in the “real, grown-up” world and now see the art room as a happy memory with no real value.
Yet If we travel back to our sears in the art room, art teacher Matt Appling reminds us of lessons we’ve forgotten, the joy of creating, and the freedom we had to succeed or fail. We can relearn these lessons and productive them to lead the contented, joy-filled, and productive lives that God created to live.” -From the back cover of Life After Art
Find out more about Matt on his website MattAppling.com.
