Homebrewed Culture Cast

What do other religions say about heaven? How about hell? Do the similarities across so many cultures and faiths point to a universal cosmic truth, or does it reveal more about our basic human nature? After a few pints of heaven at the Homebrewed Theology Beer Camp, I sat down with James Younger, executive producer… Read more about Heaven and Hell with Barry Taylor, James Younger

It was reported that at least 3.2 million people marched in solidarity for women the day after Donald Trump’s inauguration. Hundreds of thousands filled the streets and sidewalks of Washington DC, with similar rallies in cities across the nation. There were even concurrent marches for women in countries around the world. The anger, tension and… Read more about Do Marches and Protests Really Matter?

This is a post-election podcast. It is very fresh. Christian and I talk about our feelings, thoughts, anger, and hopes after the election. We discuss it in three parts: as a Citizen, as a Husband-Parent, and as a Christian. At the conclusion we decided to have a future (more reflective) episode and invited listeners of… Read more about Election Hangover Podcast with Tripp and Christian

Can you be a Christian and not believe in God? Tom Krattenmaker thinks so. We talk about his new book, “Confessions of a Secular Jesus Follower,” and why he feels like Jesus has a path that makes his life – and those of others, if they’ll be open to it – more rich and meaningful, regardless… Read more about Tom Krattenmaker, Secular Jesus Follower

Christian Piatt’s recent trip to the middle east – specifically the Kingdom of Jordan – was themed “Strong in the Broken Places.” In a region surrounded by such conflict, violence and division, how does Jordan remain a safe haven for citizens, immigrants and pilgrims alike? In the midst of brokenness, from where do they find… Read more about Finding Hope in the Jordanian Ruins

Slim Moon sits down with Jake Morrill, head of the Christian Universalist Church, for the second part of their chat: this time about the future of the institutional church as a whole. Does it have a chance at survival? What will change, and what will remain? Do we need organized religion to pursue an authentic… Read more about Jake Morrill on the Future of Church

We had our friend, Rev. Aaron Metcalf, on the CultureCast this week to share his amazing story about his childhood. He went from being a relative pariah and the subject of relentless bullying to being the one who shoved others outside the circle. But it turns out that, at least in this case, karma is real,… Read more about Bully Karma and Church as Sanctuary

Alan Chambers, former long-time Director of Exodus International, speaks in this episode about his struggle with his own sexual orientation, a love-hate relationship with church and his eventual closure of the once-notorious “Conversion Therapy” organization. Chambers headed the Christian-based conversion group for years, having gone through the program himself. But after much prayerful contemplation and… Read more about Alan Chamber’s Exodus from Religious Slavery

In this CultureCast mini-sode, I chat with Todd Komarnicki, screenwriter for the new Clint Eastwood/Tom Hanks flick, SULLY. The movie focuses on Chelsea Sullenberger, captain of the US Air flight that he landed in the middle of the Hudson River after engine failures, saving all 155 people on board. Turns out there was more controversy… Read more about SULLY Screenwriter Todd Komarnicki

Who’s down with learning how not to be an asshat? I mean if you like being one, might not listen to us, cause we’re on a mission. In this episode, I talk with dad, author and groovy fellow God nerd Bruce Reyes-Chow about his new book, “DON’T BE AN ASSHAT: And Official Handbook for Raising… Read more about Ass-Hattery with Bruce Reyes-Chow

Listen in as Slim breaks down with Jake Morrill, head of the Christian Universalists and Christian Unitarian Universalist Pastor, talk about what they see as the future of institutional church and religion in our culture. Do we need it? Is it worth sustaining? Does our understanding of “Church” inevitably have to evolve? Into what? Coke… Read more about Jake Morrill on the Future of Church

For the first time, we did a live show out of town with the whole crew, and where better than at Wild Goose 2016? Trey Pearson, founder and main man in the band Everyday Sunday, was our special guest. he broke down what it’s been like going from a darling of the Contemporary Christian Music… Read more about CultureCast LIVE at the Goose with Trey Pearson

How did someone pull off an $81 million international bank heist? Better yet, how did they do it without anyone hearing about it? Mike Collins, our resident tech expert, explains. A criminal network who had planned on stealing $1 billion, got away with one of the biggest single hauls in history, leaving no trace of the… Read more about The Biggest Bank Robbery No One Knows About

In this special hour-long interview, I talk with Matthew Vines, author of “God and the Gay Christian,” and Rev. Adam Phillips, pastor of Christ Church, Portland about the tragedy in Orlando. We also discuss both what its like for a gay man like Vines, who is part of a conservative Evangelical community, to come out,… Read more about Orlando, God and the Gay Christian (Matthew Vines)

Turns out Slim has a sweaty face. But we love him anyway. This leads us to a whole conversation about body images, the privilege of male grossness and if women should embrace their armpit hair. Well, technically I guess that’s impossible but you know… As we all know, some really tough stuff has gone down… Read more about Sweaty Faces, Parent Shame, Prez Hillary & Rising Above It

Prince was shrouded so much in mystery and mystique that it’s hard to know what he was really like. So we sat down with his friend and former employee, Sam Jennings, to find out. In addition to being his graphic artist and webmaster for upwards of a decade, Sam and his family, hung out at… Read more about Prince’s Art Director, Webmaster and Historian, Sam Jennings

In this Homebrewed CultureCast Minisode, I interview Rodrigo Garcia about his latest film, “Last Days in the Desert.” Starring Ewan MacGregor as both Jesus and “the Adversary” that Jesus encounters while on a desert trek, and is shot by Emmanuel Lubezki. Lubeski, known most recently for filming “Birdman” and “The Revenant,” is the first cinematographer… Read more about Director/Writer Rodrigo Garcia on “Last Days in the Desert”

I got to chat with the producer of National Geographic Channel’s “Story of God with Morgan Freeman,” James Younger about his new interfaith series about religion, faith and who/what we understand God to be. Having worked on various science TV series and worked with such “Hard News” outlets as the Associated Press, “Story of God… Read more about Story of God w/ Morgan Freeman, Prince & Chimp Religion

Tripp Fuller, the “Podfather” of the Homebrewed podcast network, is a busy little bee. When he’s not curating a ten-book series or hosting one of five or so regular podcasts, he works with this kind of revolutionary new theological education program out on Redondo Beach called The Hatchery? What is this communal think-tank-cum-seminary a few… Read more about Tripp Fuller Hatching Awesome Jesuses. Jesii? Jesusii?

(First version of this episode was corrupt. Please download and listen to this one instead.) WARNING: The second half of this show, though sophomoric and childish, has quite a bit of potentially kind-unfriendly language. When a child is captivated by TV evangelists but you’re not exactly a religious family, what do you do? In Elizabeth… Read more about (FIXED) From “None” to Activist Minister & Tales of Gastric Horror

Happy Good Friday! Umm, I mean…. Of course the day marking Jesus’ crucifixion ain’t exactly as fun as flowers, Easter hams and egg hunts, but it’s a necessary path to it. After all, there’s no resurrection – however you understand that – without it. In that light, we’re sharing an interview we first did last Easter… Read more about Trump v Anonymous and Killing Jesus (Again)

It’s the age-old “security-versus-freedom” debate that we’ve had i the U.S. since Jefferson, but everything changes when we introduce technology. Is it fair for the government to apply a 225-plus-year-old law to information on an iPhone? Do search warrants apply not only to getting access to the phone, but requiring the manufacturer break into it?… Read more about Apple vs FBI, Trans Sisters and President Romney

I’ve wanted to interview Hanna Rosin, host of NPR’s Invisibilia Podcast, contributor to/former editor of The Atlantic, writer for Slate and author of “The End of Men,” for a couple of years and I’m geeked out to get to share this conversation we had about and power. She, much like Malcolm Gladwell (another of my favorite… Read more about Talking Sex with Invisibilia’s Hanna Rosin

When the cohosts are away, Christian will play. Slim and Amy were out this week, so I decided to go solo. The main course of this week’s episode is my talk with co-producer of the new film, “The Finest Hours,” Jim Whitaker. He worked on “8 Mile,” “Thank You for Smoking” and many others, but… Read more about THE FINEST HOURS’ Producer Jim Whitaker, Star Wars Fails & Political Geekery

After the tragic death of one of the occupiers at the nature preserve in Burns, Oregon and the arrest of several others, this interview I did with Oregon Public Broadcasting/National Public Radio’s John Sepulvado is particularly prescient. As he states in this interview, there seemed to be no way the Masher Preserve occupation wouldn’t end… Read more about The Burns, Oregon Occupation with Public Radio’s John Sepulvado

I know, I know. Cyber-ethics may not sound that riveting on first blush, but from Wikileaks and Anonymous to your kids on Youtube and every time you swipe a credit card, cyber security is everywhere. And with that incredible power comes both the potential to use and abuse it. Kinda like chainsaws. Or Bibles. Anyway…… Read more about Cyber-Ethics, Star Wars-ing and the Trump Factor

This is a different show this week. First of all, apologies for the delay in release, as Amy and I (Christian) had to make an emergency trip to be with Papa Russ while he died. You’ll hear more about it in the show, actually. It’s a somewhat shorter and differently structured episode this week. For… Read more about No More Far-Aways and Bellybutton Death

Most cities in the U.S. are experiencing a wave of re-urbanization. From high-rise condos to boutique groceries, it’s everywhere. What was old is becoming new. So why is that a bad thing? It ain’t necessarily, author, pastor and activist Leroy Barber explains this week. But the way we do it, he says, needs a major… Read more about Leroy Barber on Why Gentrification Sucks (Plus Paris and Pastafarians)

If you listened last week, we talked it up with Hell’s Kitchen’s own Portia Sabin, daughter of an actor and casting director who set out on her own to, oh, I dunno…get a PhD in cultural anthropology from Columbia, start a management company, tour the country with her own band and then take over Kill… Read more about Kill rock Star’s Portia Sabin on How the Music Biz Ticks

Christian sat down with Portia Sabin, head of Kill Rock Stars’ Records in their main office to hear her pretty amazing personal story. From growing up in Hell’s Kitchen to touring in her own band, doing post-doc work at Columbia and finally running a label, she has a life as exotic as her name. Plus… Read more about Kill Rock Stars’ Portia Sabin, Social Capital and Election Day Haps

We’re stoked to have our first creator and author of a comic book series as our guest this week. Mark Russell has joined us on an earlier show a long time ago to talk about his book, “God Is Disappointed In You,” illustrated by New Yorker cartoonist Shannon Wheeler. But now he’s the mastermind behind… Read more about Teenage Presidents, Comic Book Geekery and Man-spreading

I was really excited to get to interview author Emma Donoghue this week, author of the international bestseller and multiple award winning book, ROOM. She also worked with Director Lenny Abrahamsson (Frank, What Richard Did) to write the screenplay and tell such a gripping, moving story in just 90 minutes. The film, which also has… Read more about Bestseller Emma Donoghue, ROOM the Movie and Hillary’s Back

It took a few weeks for her to feel ready, but Amy finally opened up about the group of protesters that showed up outside our church a while back. They brought all the requisite “burn in hell” signs, disrupted worship, and even prayed for God to kill her and to send our kids to hell.… Read more about Religious Haters, Stunned Red-Staters and Pop Culture Raters

We welcomed a good friend and colleague to Portland for a recent live CultureCast. Eric Elnes came to the Lucky Lab for a pint and to talk with us about his new book, “Gifts of the Dark Wood.” It’s a spiritual guidebook for what he calls “Soulful Skeptics.” I’m not sure, but I think it’s… Read more about Eric Elnes, Spiritual Wellness and Free Stuff…Hell Yes!!!

The CultureCast crew took a few minutes away from enjoying their waning days of Portland sunlight to drop some tracks this week, straight from their mouth-parts to your ear-pieces. Why did that sound gross? As if Christian doesn’t get enough time on the show, this week he took over the interview slot as well. Actually,… Read more about Christian Panders, Fundies for Sanders, Bible Slanders (cultureCast)

To be clear, cohost Slim Moon totally didn’t take his pants off and show his butt on air; it just worked for the title. But since it’s a podcast we could also be lying. On the anniversary of 9/11 the CultureCastaways reflect on fourteen years since the attack on the Twin Towers and what it’s… Read more about Romal Tune, Kim Davis Swoons and Slim Moons

In this second half of our live Homebrewed CultureCast from Marmoset Music in Portland, Oregon, we go from fears to laughs to group karaoke so fast it’ll make your ears spin. I mean, usually we’d say it makes your head spin, but you’re not watching it, just listening. So yaknow, it’s just the ears… What… Read more about Outhouse Terrors, Fear Sharers, Soul Bearers (CultureCast LIVE pt 2 of 2)

With live shows all along the east coast this summer, it was nice to head back to the left coast to wrap up our live summer series. And hey, while we’re at it, why not have on one of the bestselling authors of all time, Wm. Paul Young (THE SHACK) as our featured guest? Paul… Read more about Wm. Paul Young, Del Phoena & Group Mad Libs (CultureCast LIVE, pt 1 of 2)

Screw rhyming titles this week; we’re going full-on alliteration! That’s how nerdy we are (mic drop…picks up mic to keep talking in type form, awkwardly apologizing for feedback from prior mic drop). Anyhoo… We’ll take you to the mountains and valleys in this episode, friends. For starters, we have one of our co-producers, Adam Phillips,… Read more about Sex, Satire and Subversion (Homebrewed CultureCast)

Usually we’re content to talk pop culture, a little news and some theology sprinkled with anatomical humor and the like, but this one goes out to all the geeks in the podcast tribe who like digging down into sticky topics and really think them out. This special episode is entirely dedicated to a debate facilitated… Read more about The Iran Nuclear Debate (Homebrewed CultureCast Special Episode)

  This is second sold out live show from the Disciples of Christ General Assembly in Columbus Ohio. It was a spectacular evening and some it was recorded. What wasn’t recorded was taking our guest Andy on his first trip to Waffle House. In this episode you will get… * Adam Phillips & Andy Goebel shall be in the… Read more about The DOC gets Scattered, Smothered & Covered LIVE

Come see Wm. Paul Young LIVE as part of the upcoming Homebrewed CultureCast show at Marmoset Music in Portland, OR August 13th. Get your tickets HERE while they’re still available. Prepare yourself for an audiological explosion of monumental proportions. This is the first night of HBC\CultureCast excitement at the Disciples of Christ General Assembly in… Read more about A Live Podcast Explosion from Columbus Ohio

Live shows are always a blast, but the LIVE CultureCast at Wild Goose festival was a new kinda awesome. First, we chatted with Lisa Gungor about everything from their new three-album project to being judged by fundie fans and the challenge that was 2014 (hint: album one in the three-album set, “This Wild Life,” was… Read more about Wild Goose Squawks, Gungor Rocks, Bald Brothers Talk (CultureCast LIVE)

Hey, wait a minute. This podcast has always been a low-rent, seat-of-the-pants kinda thing. And now it’s getting all fancy and crap. Guess all the monumental fame and fortune of podcasting (ahem) is going to their heads. Actually, it’s just what happens when you bring on someone like John, a former podcast producer for CNN… Read more about Racist Flags, Greece Sags, Jurassic Drags (CultureCast)

CultureCast cohost Christian Piatt is a geek when it comes to tech stuff. From gadgets to all things virtual, he’ll talk himself some ones and zeroes until the Minecraft cows come home. This week, our guest is professional hacker Mike Collins, who explains everything from Cyberterrorism to Silk Road, the Dark Web and why your… Read more about Hacker’s Survival Guide, Charleston’s Hopeful Side, Obama’s Speech Divides (CultureCast)

Could it be? Are the CultureCasters back on the horse after a two-part live extravaganza, more more miles than a presidential primary candidate and more excuses than, um, well…a presidential primary candidate? Yessir/ma’am. We’re back and on track, for tha reelz. For the first episode after the live gig, we’ve got Tony Jones talking about… Read more about Tony Jones, Republican Drones and Santorum Versus Rome (Homebrewed CultureCast)

Be afraid…be very afraid… No, wait. Don’t do that. That’s Amy Piatt’s job. How about just checking out part two of the awesome LIVE Homebrewed CultureCast instead? We dispensed with all the serious stuff in the first half (if you didn’t check that out yet, CLICK HERE), so now it’s time for a new segment,… Read more about Something to Like, Believe…and FEAR (CultureCast LIVE Pt. 2 of 2)

Are you sitting down? Good, cause this show is pretty sure to rock your shorts clean off. And if you’re at a coffeeshop, goofing off at work or the like that could be a little awkward. But Christian, you ask, pray tell why this show would rock me out of my clothes more so than… Read more about CultureCast LIVE (pt. 1 of 2): Chalke, Pagitt, Horse Feathers, Heatherlyn…and Beer

I tell ya, one week without our cohost Slim Moon around and it all turns to chaos. Well, not really, but we missed him this week. Sitting in for him is our buddy, Rev. Adam Phillips, pastor of the much-publicized Christ Church Portland, who got kicked out of the Evangelical Covenant Church denomination for being too… Read more about Worship How-Tos, Franklin Graham Blues and New Tattoos (CultureCast)

It’s official; the Piatt household has been declared a biohazard zone. With three of the four of the Piatt clan beaten down by a spring sickness, cohost Slim Moon wisely opted to keep his distance. But dammit, we have an interview just too good to wait, so Amy and Christian muscled through, tissue and drugs… Read more about “The Shack’s” Wm. Paul Young: Where’s God When…