Joining the show today is Dr. Douglas E. Cowan, Professor of Religious Studies and Social Development Studies at Renison University College. Cowan has recently published a book for NYU Press called America’s Dark Theologian: The Religious Imagination of Stephen King. In the book, Cowan argues that King’s fiction represents a way of “doing” theology outside the traditional structures of historical churches. The argument has immense implications for both theology and popular culture studies. Tune in and learn how King’s work qualifies as theological and why academia too often dismisses the work of popular writers. Is academia its own kind of priesthood, guarding its own traditions? Also, what is the distinction between “answers” and “questions” in theology? How does King’s work challenge the idea of “safe” religion? What King’s work has to say about Ritual, Theodicy, and Cosmology? How does Pet Sematary model a comparative religions seminar? Many thanks to Doug Cowan for a fun, educational discussion.
America’s Dark Theologian
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Recorded live at the 2018 Mount Aloysius College Charity Comic Con! Join us for a very special episode in which Chris Maverick of the Vox Popcast rejoins the show to discuss a fascinating take on the Superman mythology. Mark Millar’s “Red Son” version of the Man of Steel posits the question: what if Superman landed in the Soviet Union rather than Kansas? From this premise, Millar’s comic revises major characters: Lex Luthor becomes the quasi-heroic President of the United States, Batman becomes a Russian dissident terrorist, and Green Lantern’s ring is an artifact of the Roswell UFO crash. Red Son also ponders philosophical and political questions; about the nature of Communism and Capitalism, Superman’s innate goodness, and freedom versus happiness. In addition, the book tackles difficult theological questions about the incarnation of God among humankind. All this and much more is covered in this extra-special episode of the Sectarian Review Podcast.
Recently, Netflix produced a documentary that told the little-remembered story of a cult and its misadventures in creating a city in the Pacific Northwest. The documentary, called Wild Wild Country, follows the expoits, controversies, and crimes of the Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and his Rajneeshi cult as they create a city in the wilderness outside Antelope, Oregon. Led by the Bhagwan’s chief lieutenant, Ma Anand Sheela, the group created a remarkable city from scratch, but fell into conflict with the local community, leading to a series of events which culminated in several major crimes. Joining Danny for this episode is first-time contributor Christopher Pipkin of Emmanuel College, and Todd Pedlar of Luther College and the Book of Nature Podcast. Pedlar also happens to have lived near the Rajneesh community during the controversy and brings a personal reflection to the discussion about cultural and religious bigotry, the marriage between religion and capitalism, and the power of cults.
Links: Wild Wild Country: On One Hand, and On the Other Too Wild Wild Country Explains Religious Freedom in America Wild Wild Country and the Dangers of Extremism 
Welcome to the 2018 Christian Humanist Radio Network Halloween Crossover! This year each of the shows in the network are examining a different film from the legendary Alfred Hitchcock. Josh Altmanshofer (of Before They Were Live) and Carter Stepper join Danny Anderson to discuss the classic film Shadow of a Doubt. The film features Joseph Cotton as a serial killer named Uncle Charlie who preys on rich widows. Uncle Charlie visits his disturbingly well-adjusted suburban family in California where his niece (and philosophical double), also named Charlie, discovers her uncle’s dark nature. Listen to a discussion about this movie’s take on nihilism, feminism, and law and order. And as with any Hitchcock film, mothers are a disturbing symbol as well, of course. Nietzsche, Batman, Thornton Wilder, Jesus, economics, phallic symbols, trains, cops, serial killers, and mothers all work their way into this fun and engaging discussion of one of Hitchcock’s most entertaining and fascinating films.
C. Derick Varn joins the show again for a discussion about a current controversy in academia. Recently, three scholars, James Lindsay, Helen Pluckrose, and Peter Boghossian wrote and submitted 20 hoax-academic papers to journals the three identify as politically-motivated “Grievance Studies” outlets. Tune in to learn about the controversy among academics and pundits about the “Sokol Squared” controversy. Learn about original Sokol hoax and what role these projects might play in correcting academic excesses. Along the way, learn about the technocratic nightmare of the academic publishing industrial complex. And what does any of this have to do with the “intellectual dark web?” All this and more. Hey don’t forget to subscribe on iTunes or your favorite pod catcher!
Links: Academic Grievance Studies and the Corruption of Scholarship What the Grievance Studies Hoax Actually Reveals What the Grievance Studies Hoax Means The Grievance Studies Scandal: Five Academics Respond 
Inspired by our recent episode on Elon Musk, this show explores the nightmarish futuristic vision of the class Fritz Lang film, Metropolis. Learn all about the background of this film’s socialist politics and groundbreaking cinematography. Still stunning to look at 90 years later, this 1927 masterpiece has influenced countless science fiction films since its release. What does the film have to say about technology and the mechanization of mankind? Is it a transhumanist fantasy or nightmare? How does this film make use of religious imagery in order to make the case for its socialist politics? Is the heart the mediator between head and hands? Plus, sexy robots! All this and much much more. Todd Pedlar of the the Book of Nature Podcast and Micah Redding of the Christian Transhumanist Society join for this great discussion about an essential film.
Wizards and clerics rejoice! This episode explores the wonders and possibilities of the classic role-playing game, Dungeons and Dragons. Joining Danny for this show is Nathan Gilmour of the Christian Humanist Podcast and Will Thomas-Clapp, a Baptist minister who organizes a game for other pastors. In the days since the Satanic Panic, how has D&D made such inroads to Evangelicals? What role do “theater of imagination” games like D&D play in the world of massive online gaming? How have misogyny and racism threatened to destroy gaming communities? What can playing such games do for the imagination and interpretive strategies for preachers? All this and much much more in this very special episode of the podcast.
Links: Roll 20 Leroy Jenkins Shadowrun Critical Role 
Welcome to Banned Books Week 2018! For the third year in a row, the show honors Banned Books Week with a show about literacy. This time, Jay Eldred and Danny discuss the wonders and joys of indie bookstores. Plus a chance for you to give some love to your favorite independent bookseller (head to the Sectarian Review Facebook page and give us some links and memories). Why are small indie bookstores so important to our society? Jay and Danny discuss community-building, the act of slowness in a world of immediacy, and these stores’ role in resisting censorship and book-banning. Also, what is so aesthetically pleasing about a little cat in a bookshop? All this and more.
Links: Snowball Bookshop in Barberton, Ohio Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh, NC Mac’s Back’s in Cleveland, Ohio The Strand Bookstore in New York, NY 
This episode explores the weird history and legacy of the John Birch Society. The conservative organization organized itself around a fervent anti-communisim and took its name from a missionary it saw as a martyr. The story of the real John Birch is told, and the show discusses how the Society that bears his name worships a false image of the man himself, who would have not agreed with the Society’s politics. How did the Birchers get kicked out of mainstream conservatism by William F. Buckley? Why did they hate Eisenhower? The episode also explores the conspiratorial nature of fringe politics in general and reflects on what the Birchers can teach us about Q anon, the Tea Party, and more paranoid styles of politics. Starring Jay Eldred and Jordan Poss!
For this episode, Danny is joined by Todd Pedlar of the Book of Nature Podcast and Micah Redding, of the Christian Transhumanist Podcast to discuss the enigma that is Elon Musk. Musk has been in the news lately for erratic Twitter behavior, corporate bullying, liberally using taxpayer money to fund his vision, and smoking giant blunts on podcasts. Is he Tony Stark or a Bond villain? Learn about Musk’s philosophical vision, his transhumanist imagination, and the ways in which he may represent the worst of Silicon Valley and it’s brand of capitalist vision-making. If a messianic project is built from capital, can it serve humanity?
Links: Micah Redding Website Book of Nature Is Elon Musk Losing It? SpaceX Employees Monitor the Color Musk’s Wife’s Hair Elon Musk Calls Other CEOs to See Who’s Tweeting About Him Elon Musk is Not the Future “Folding Beijing” by Hao Jingfang RUR by Karel Capek Life 3.0 by Max Tegmark Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow, by Yuval Noah Harari 
Of course we had to cover Alex Jones's banishment from social media. Over the last few weeks, the conspiratorial chickens of Alex Jones's InfoWars have come home to roost. Jones, in one swell foop was banned from Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Facebook, Stitcher, and apparently even pornography channels. Joining the show today is our resident conspiracy enthusiast, Jordan Poss, veteran of these types of Sectarian Review episodes. Jordan and Danny discuss the background of the controversy and explore why they are so uncomfortable with Jones's fate. Jordan brings a conservative perspective, while Danny relies on a leftist critique of the banishment, but both end up drawing the same conclusions: how comfortable are we letting markets decide who has a platform? All this and much more.
Links: ACLU Warns Against Worrisome Alex Jones Ban Facebook Can't Be 'Ministry of Truth' Twitter Decides to Help Alex Jones Spread Lies The requisite "Vox Explains Everything" article When the Content Police Came for the Babylon Bee 
In the third installment of our "Keywords" series with C. Derick Varn, we focus on a single term with a long and diabolical history: Cultural Marxism. The theory that truth-denying, postmodern Marxists are seeking to undermine society has been around for a while and most recently has been popularized by such intellectual luminaries as Jordan Peterson. What many people don't know, however, is the deeply anti-Semitic roots of this conspiracy theory. What are the historical roots of the term? How was a marginal conspiracy theory mainstreamed by people like Pat Buchanan? Why are conspiracy theories more prevalent on the right than the left? All this and more!
**UPDATE: Varn wishes to make the following correction: "I made one error in this, I got Horkheimer and Axel Honneth confused on ethnic background. Horkheimer was Jewish and Honneth isn't as far as I know." Link: Diet Soap Podcast. Doug Lain interviews Mark Fisher 
Danny and C. Derek Varn continue their exploration of language in part II of the ongoing series "Keywords: A Vocabulary of Barbarism and Stupidity." In this episode, Varn dishes on the following words: Intersectionality, Cultural Appropriation, Human Bio-Diversity, and Snowflake. Have any words for future episodes? Contact the show on Facebook, Twitter, or at www.sectarianreviewpodcast.com
The inaugural episode of a new, ongoing series called "Keywords: A Vocabulary of Barbarism and Stupidity." C. Derick Varn joins Danny to discuss a series of words that have become pervasive in our political discourse, yet have been divorced from their original meanings in many ways. The series will probably offend liberals, conservatives, and leftists alike at some point, but we at the Sectarian Review think it's important to be honest about our language. In this episode, Varn dives into the history and transformations of the following Keywords: "Woke," "Gaslight," "Privilege," and "Millennial."
A fun walk down apocalyptic memory lane. 30 years ago, Edgar Whisenant published 88 Reasons Why the Rapture Will Be in 1988. The short pamphlet was one in a long line of "save the date" apocalyptic literature, predicting that Jesus would return in September of 1988. While the date of Whisenant's prediction came and went and his book drifted into obscurity, he did publish and distribute millions of copies of his opus in churches all over America. For this episode, Coyle Neal of the City of Man Podcast and Nathan Gilmour of the Christian Humanist join Danny Anderson to discuss the history, theology, and rhetoric of conspiratorial prophecy like 88 Reasons. The book provides a template for how these fringe ideas operate and Danny tries to make a case for how that template applies to our political discourse as well.
Link: 88 Reasons Why the Rapture Will be in 1988 
Since the 2016 election, a racial tension within white Evangelical churches has been made apparent. Donald Trump's election, for better or worse, has become a seismic event in American history. This episode explores how, since 2016 Race has emerged as perhaps the preeminent problem for Evangelicalism, to the point where we need to acknowledge that much of what we have called Evangelical Christianity is really better thought of as WHITE Christianity. Joining the show today is Tamara Johnson, who recently wrote a piece for The Witness titled "For Those Who Stay." In this essay, she recounts her own reasons for leaving her largely white church and returning to the traditions and social spaces of the Black Church. Johnson answers the following questions: "How did you find yourself in a largely white church and how did the events of 2016 affect you in that space?" "What is the scope and scale of this "Black Exodus?" "Why do white people, and not their black friends, bear the responsibility for educating themselves about structural racism?" "What role did Charlottesville play in your Exodus?" "How does abortion serve as a wedge issue when dealing with racial justice in the Church?" "Why the distinction between White Church and Black Church?" "How has MLK been misused?" "What is your advice to Black people who stay in White Churches?"
Links: "For Those Who Stay" "If You Love Me, Do Your Homework" "A Quiet Exodus" - NY Times "Pass the Mic" Podcast "Truth's Table" Podcast Cloak and Dagger on Hulu James Cone's The Cross and the Lynching Tree Michael Eric Dyson's Tears We Cannot Stop 
Ed Simon joins the show again to discuss Trump, Putin, and Russiagate. Liberals, eager to find a way to impeach Trump have been focusing on the investigation in all its minutiae, valorizing the American intelligence community, and finding conspiracy around every corner. Leftists, on the other hand, have been largely dismissive of the story, accusing Liberals of losing sight of more tangible, more structural issues. This episode, while agreeing that Liberals have gone a bit over the top, questions whether the Left is too dismissive of possible collusion between Trump and Putin’s forces.
Topics:
Ed Simon’s home page Michael Kazin’s “Five Reasons Why the Left Should Care About Russiagate” “It Matters Yes But How Much,” by Nathan A. Robinson - Current Affairs “Russiagate Can’t End Well for the Left,” by Seth Ackerman - Jacobin “Trumpism It’s Coming from the Suburbs,” by Jesse A. Myerson - The Nation 
In this episode, Danny Anderson is joined by Rob Osborn to discuss a recent article in Comment by Rosalyn F.T. Murphy called “The Fellowship of the King: A Social Church for a Lonely World.” Murphy’s article, explores the growing problem of Loneliness, both in society and in the Church as well. Huge numbers of elderly and homeless people suffer from chronic loneliness with terrifying social and physical ramifications. But this problem affects people from all demographics as well. The article also explores the growing moving of “new monasticism” as a reaction against this social problem. Danny and Rob discuss the article and some of the ways in which the Church fails to provide community to people most in need of it. Also, how does our modern economy lead to alienation? Why Genesis 2 is about more than marital relationships. What is Danny’s plan for the Starbucks coming to his town? Plus, lots of listener feedback! All this and much more.
Links: “The Fellowship of the King: A Social Church for a Lonely World” The UK has a “Minister for Loneliness” Hidden Brain Podcast: “Guys, We Have A Problem: How American Masculinity Creates Lonely Men” Recovery Boys on Netflix 
Recently, President Trump spoke about his intention to create a sixth branch of the military, the “Space Force.” In typical Trump fashion, the unveiling was bombastic and rather silly (with Trump even going so far as to casually drop the phrase “separate but equal” into his speech somehow). And in the immediate aftermath of the announcement, a lot of jokes were made on social media (see links below). However, to Danny’s surprise, there were a lot of ostensibly Serious Media People who approved. What did the SMP’s see that we missed? To discuss the idea of militarizing space, Todd Pedlar, Professor of Physics and co-host of the Book of Nature podcast joins Danny on this episode. What are the technical difficulties of doing work in space? What are we fighting over in space in the first place? What are the legal, and more importantly, ethical ramifications of militarizing space? Plus Danny makes a 2001 analogy.
Links: “Space Force Theme Song” NPR’s report Al Jazeera’s critique Chicago Tribune’s editorial The Hill’s glowing support 
Today we’re going to be exploring, maybe reminiscing a bit, the long gone days of yore when if you wanted to watch a movie at home that wasn’t on television, you had to drive your lazy butt over to a video store and scope out your options. Blockbuster is of course the big symbol for this era, but there were tons of local places to go as well. Joining the show today is Seth Lancaster, who is a regular listener of the show and who sent me an email at sectarianreview@gmail.com with a link to an article by Kate Hagen called “In Search of the Last Great Video Store.”
Some of what we’ll be doing today is romancing that era, but is there a lesson to be learned beyond the commerce of movie consumption? Has the American Church undergone its own for of Netflixization? What can the bygone days of video stores teach us about community, liturgy, and tradition? Links: “In Search of the Last Great Video Store” by Kate Hagan “Stop Trying to Make Church Cool” by Rachel Held Evans Jesus, Bread, and Chocolate by John J. Thompson Immeasurable by Skye Jethani Seth Lancaster’s “Wine and Vinegar” blog The Ritual on Netflix 
Since its release last year, DC’s “Justice League” has been heavily maligned, with some critics going so far as to call it the worst superhero movie ever made. This show is meant to dispel that ridiculous claim. Joining Danny for this episode is Coyle Neal of the City of Man Podcast. Coyle suggested the show and Danny took him up on it, watching it twice in two days. Much to his surprise, Danny thought the movie was not only “not bad,” it was actually “quite good.” Why does this tale of Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Cyborg, Aquaman, and a resurrected-Superman not connect with critics and audiences as much as Marvel’s Avengers-based universe? Certainly the residual hatred of Batman Vs. Superman had something to do with this consensus, but Danny has a different thesis: “Everyone loves Marvel and everyone hates DC right now.The outsized adulation for Infinity War is even more galling when paired against the snarky dismissal of Justice League. My theory is that people love what Marvel is doing because it is perfectly in sync with our current liberal democratic ideological state. Marvel is, in Gramsci’s (or is it Althusser's? Sorry it's been a while) terms, an ideological state apparatus, reflecting and perpetuating our shared values of equal rights for individuals and drone strikes for American military hegemony. DC, on the other hand is offering a decidedly pre-modern, even religious ideology. This is what the critics really hate about it.”
Agree? Disagree? Listen to the show for more. And don’t forget to subscribe on iTunes and other podcatchers. Plus, please go to Facebook and like the show there for much more content. 
Alan Moore’s Watchmen forever changed the way we view superheroes. Ultimately, the argument of that graphic novel is that the superhero is an inherently fascist figure. Thinking about this got Danny to wondering what on Earth a socialist superhero might even look like. Well, to answer that question, Danny called on Wayne Wise and Chris Maverick from the Vox Popcast. Wayne and Mav both recommended that Danny read Alan Moore’s earlier exploration of this subject, Miracleman. In this podcast, we explore the really complicated publishing history of the most important comic you’ve never read, and then we dive into the book to find out what it is about superheroes that makes socialism a seeming impossibility. Plus, a discussion about postmodernism and Moore’s aesthetic, and the profound religious implications of Miracleman. Plus a major dose of comic book recommendations!
Finally, if you haven’t yet subscribed to the show, please do so and also leave us a positive review. Subscription info is available at www.sectarianreviewpodcast.com Links: Vox Popcast Recommendations: Stormwatch/The Authority Superman/Red Son An article on Coates’s Black Panther The October Faction The Ultimates The Vision: Little Worse Than a Man Mockingbird by Chelsea Cain East of West The Wicked + The Divine Giant Days 
In this episode, Danny is joined by Dr. Tony Dragani, Professor of Religion at Mount Aloysius College. Listen for an informative, though-provoking exploration of a form of Catholicism you may not even know exists: Eastern Catholicism. Learn about the initial fracture between Rome and the East and how some Eastern traditions eventually made peace with the Pope of Rome. In addition, learn about what the ancient, even alien, traditions of Eastern Orthodoxy and Catholicism offer to the modern subject. And what on Earth is an “Uberdox” Christian? As always, remember to subscribe to the show via iTunes and leave a review. Danny will read your feedback on air. In addition, like our Facebook page and add to the conversation there.
Links: Dr. Dragani’s website about Eastern Catholicism Dr. Dragani’s fantasy writing community: Mythic Scribes! 
If you've ever wondered about the creative process, this show is for you. Fan favorite C. Derick Varn joins the show to discuss his new book of poetry, Apocalyptics, just released by Unlikely Books. Learn about how Varn’s Marxist politics and unique religious background come together in this collection of poems that “reveal.” Varn’s book is a fascinating adaptation of traditional religious themes and in this episode, he tells us about his process and the formal exploration of intersections between politics, history, Christianity, Judaism, and Buddhism.
Links: Unlikely Books page for Apocalyptics Apocalyptics Facebook Page Symptomatic Commentary Zero Books 
On May 22, 2018, American Novelist Philip Roth died at the age of 85. His passing marks the end of an era in American literature, when “serious” fiction and popular celebrity were not entirely distinct, and “important” books had a broad cultural impact. This week, the podcast looks back at the career of one of America’s most important artists. What does Newark, NJ and American Jewishness have to do with Roth’s work? Should he have received that Nobel? What was distinctive about his style and subject matter? What exactly have we lost as a culture, and how might Roth’s approach to fiction help us find it? Michial Farmer of the Christian Humanist Podcast and Matthew Shipe, President of the Philip Roth Society join for this humorous, enlightening discussion about an seminal figure in American letters.
Links: Philip Roth Society “Remembering Philip Roth: A Giant of American Literature,” by Adam Kirsch “The Day the Genius Died,” by Megan Garber “The Plot Against America,” by Chris Gehrz “What Roth Didn’t Know about Women Could Fill a Book,” by Dara Horn |
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The Sectarian Review Podcast is a proud member of the Christian Humanist Radio Network. www.christianhumanist.org
The Sectarian Review Podcast is a proud member of the Christian Humanist Radio Network. www.christianhumanist.org