https://simplecast.com Meaning in the Middle We’re best friends exploring meaning and truth in the midst of our differing beliefs. In each episode, we share a stiff drink and dive into a topic in religion and philosophy to see what we can learn from each other and to uncover what really matters. 2022 Meaning in the Middle en Tue, 31 Oct 2023 04:00:00 +0000 Tue, 31 Oct 2023 04:00:13 +0000 https://www.meaninginthemiddlepod.com Meaning in the Middle https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/9baff363-7ebe-43f5-97a8-a832218d8413/f32c888b-1b97-4f84-90a7-18414ca56ca2/3000x3000/meaning-logo-finalartboard-3000x3000.jpg?aid=rss_feed https://www.meaninginthemiddlepod.com episodic We’re best friends exploring meaning and truth in the midst of our differing beliefs. In each episode, we share a stiff drink and dive into a topic in religion and philosophy to see what we can learn from each other and to uncover what really matters. Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams yes https://feeds.simplecast.com/JES8cL7J atheism, christianity, debate, deconstruction, dialogue, meaning, philosophy, religion, truth, spirituality Landon Pontius meaninginthemiddle@gmail.com 80e3e43a-a6b1-4db5-a695-7f912f2ba925 Monsters in the Middle: aliens, ghosts, and bigfoot To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

LINKS:

Barney and Betty Hill

Mothman

Mysterious Universe Podcast

Blurry Creatures Podcast

Ancient Aliens

 

]]> Tue, 31 Oct 2023 04:00:00 +0000 meaninginthemiddle@gmail.com (John David Harris, Ryan Adams, Landon Pontius) https://www.meaninginthemiddlepod.com/episodes/monsters-in-the-middle-aliens-ghosts-and-bigfoot-LeMAifvD To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

LINKS:

Barney and Betty Hill

Mothman

Mysterious Universe Podcast

Blurry Creatures Podcast

Ancient Aliens

 

]]> Monsters in the Middle: aliens, ghosts, and bigfoot John David Harris, Ryan Adams, Landon Pontius 02:15:14 Human beings are drawn to “the unknown”. It both attracts and repels us; we’re compelled to believe there is more out there than we can assess with our senses. Since the dawn of time, humans have been captured by tales of the supernatural and paranormal that don’t fit our conventional understanding of how the universe works. In today’s episode, we’re joined by our friend John David Harris as we veer into some of the more esoteric lore surrounding things that go bump in the night - aliens, cryptids, ghosts, and ghouls. We share some of our favorite stories and we also consider “hopeful skepticism” and why it is we want to believe. Human beings are drawn to “the unknown”. It both attracts and repels us; we’re compelled to believe there is more out there than we can assess with our senses. Since the dawn of time, humans have been captured by tales of the supernatural and paranormal that don’t fit our conventional understanding of how the universe works. In today’s episode, we’re joined by our friend John David Harris as we veer into some of the more esoteric lore surrounding things that go bump in the night - aliens, cryptids, ghosts, and ghouls. We share some of our favorite stories and we also consider “hopeful skepticism” and why it is we want to believe. jesus, theology, ethics, deconstruction, atheism, morality, bigfoot, mythology, evangelical, gods, meaning, conspiracy theories, spirituality, aliens, christianity, wisdom, religion, ghosts, philosophy, halloween, paranormal yes full 31 0c55466c-e3dc-4fb0-b49b-92eb04ff6384 Lessons from Nietzsche and Kierkegaard To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Fri, 12 May 2023 15:58:28 +0000 meaninginthemiddle@gmail.com (Doug Zimmerman, Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams) https://www.meaninginthemiddlepod.com/episodes/lessons-from-nietzsche-and-kierkegaard-xnir5fQj To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Lessons from Nietzsche and Kierkegaard Doug Zimmerman, Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams 01:24:59 In order to move forward, we need to look back. This is true of our personal stories as much as it is about reading the history of philosophy and religion. We may be surprised to discover that the questions of meaning and purpose we struggle with today have been around for centuries - the voices of the past can speak truth to us now. In our conversation with Doug Zimmerman, an adjunct professor of religion and philosophy, we discuss the shifting nature of philosophical schools of thought, what Nietzsche and Kierkegaard might offer us today, and what might come next. In order to move forward, we need to look back. This is true of our personal stories as much as it is about reading the history of philosophy and religion. We may be surprised to discover that the questions of meaning and purpose we struggle with today have been around for centuries - the voices of the past can speak truth to us now. In our conversation with Doug Zimmerman, an adjunct professor of religion and philosophy, we discuss the shifting nature of philosophical schools of thought, what Nietzsche and Kierkegaard might offer us today, and what might come next. jesus, theology, ethics, deconstruction, atheism, morality, mythology, evangelical, gods, meaning, spirituality, christianity, wisdom, religion, philosophy yes full 30 4273e287-9a1c-4d40-a5db-f13f2fac2471 How To Be An Individual To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Thu, 4 May 2023 17:14:52 +0000 meaninginthemiddle@gmail.com (Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams) https://www.meaninginthemiddlepod.com/episodes/how-to-be-an-individual-_ezLZlPI To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> How To Be An Individual Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams 01:24:53 We often believe the story that we are fundamentally separate and distinct from others. That there is a tension between our personal needs and the needs of the community. But in this episode, we're going to explore ways to bring those together and understand our individuality as an integrated part of the whole. We often believe the story that we are fundamentally separate and distinct from others. That there is a tension between our personal needs and the needs of the community. But in this episode, we're going to explore ways to bring those together and understand our individuality as an integrated part of the whole. jesus, theology, ethics, deconstruction, atheism, morality, mythology, evangelical, gods, meaning, spirituality, christianity, wisdom, religion, philosophy, individualism yes full 29 f4497478-f6dd-4174-b01f-71f144e0eecb What's Next for Western Christianity To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Fri, 21 Apr 2023 18:17:49 +0000 meaninginthemiddle@gmail.com (Justin McRoberts, Ryan Adams, Landon Pontius) https://www.meaninginthemiddlepod.com/episodes/whats-next-for-western-christianity-_zYoV2ek To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> What's Next for Western Christianity Justin McRoberts, Ryan Adams, Landon Pontius 01:09:04 What is real? What is good? What has value? Do we assume our “thing” should keep existing, and are we building out of anxiety or sensitivity to what is needed? In our conversation today we sit down with Justin McRoberts, who slips between easy categories for his life work by saying he wants to “help people find their way.” Justin is passionate about creating the space necessary to entertain the deeper questions and give them their time, whether it's in our personal life or our communal existence. We talk about institutions, the gap between belief and practice, and how online community can be held to discover what comes next (hint: it’s you. You are what comes next). What is real? What is good? What has value? Do we assume our “thing” should keep existing, and are we building out of anxiety or sensitivity to what is needed? In our conversation today we sit down with Justin McRoberts, who slips between easy categories for his life work by saying he wants to “help people find their way.” Justin is passionate about creating the space necessary to entertain the deeper questions and give them their time, whether it's in our personal life or our communal existence. We talk about institutions, the gap between belief and practice, and how online community can be held to discover what comes next (hint: it’s you. You are what comes next). jesus, theology, ethics, deconstruction, atheism, morality, mythology, evangelical, gods, meaning, spirituality, christianity, wisdom, religion, philosophy yes full 28 0baf66e4-18ce-48cc-b59f-b169179a41cf Lectio Divina: Wendell Berry As always, we hope this is a meaningful exercise for you as well so we encourage you to participate with us. 

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Wed, 29 Mar 2023 14:52:11 +0000 meaninginthemiddle@gmail.com (Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams) https://www.meaninginthemiddlepod.com/episodes/lectio-divina-wendell-berry-a7mwK45l As always, we hope this is a meaningful exercise for you as well so we encourage you to participate with us. 

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Lectio Divina: Wendell Berry Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams 00:57:17 What is our relationship to Nature? Do we engage nature, or are we part of it? How does that shift our spiritual practices to remain grounded? In today’s episode, Landon and Ryan participate in a Lectio Divina on the poem “The Peace of Wild Things” by the writer and activist Wendell Berry, in order to delve deep into these questions. What is our relationship to Nature? Do we engage nature, or are we part of it? How does that shift our spiritual practices to remain grounded? In today’s episode, Landon and Ryan participate in a Lectio Divina on the poem “The Peace of Wild Things” by the writer and activist Wendell Berry, in order to delve deep into these questions. jesus, theology, ethics, deconstruction, atheism, morality, mythology, evangelical, gods, meaning, spirituality, christianity, wisdom, religion, philosophy yes full 27 d40a6b61-ed4e-4f5b-b464-d80846f8da05 Curiosity and the Enneagram with Suzanne Stabile The unexamined life is not worth living”, Socrates tells us. This rings true both for the Big Concepts we’ve tackled on this podcast so far, and the invitation to know ourselves as we seek out meaning with those we love. In many ways, the pursuit of wisdom is as much about our inner world as it is about the outer world of ideas and beliefs. 

Many have dubbed Suzanne Stabile “The Enneagram Godmother”. She's been a student of this ancient system for over 30 years, which has made her an accomplished author and much sought-after speaker. Suzanne’s unique story-based teaching style radiates a desire to help people learn who they are so they can get out of their own way and love others better. 
In this episode, we invite Suzanne to share her wisdom about what comes on the other side of the theory itself. 


You can find Suzanne's work and connect with what she's doing at https://suzannestabile.com/

 

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Wed, 15 Mar 2023 12:20:31 +0000 meaninginthemiddle@gmail.com (Suzanne Stabile, Ryan Adams, Landon Pontius) https://www.meaninginthemiddlepod.com/episodes/curiosity-and-the-enneagram-with-suzanne-stabile-v3FbgMR_ The unexamined life is not worth living”, Socrates tells us. This rings true both for the Big Concepts we’ve tackled on this podcast so far, and the invitation to know ourselves as we seek out meaning with those we love. In many ways, the pursuit of wisdom is as much about our inner world as it is about the outer world of ideas and beliefs. 

Many have dubbed Suzanne Stabile “The Enneagram Godmother”. She's been a student of this ancient system for over 30 years, which has made her an accomplished author and much sought-after speaker. Suzanne’s unique story-based teaching style radiates a desire to help people learn who they are so they can get out of their own way and love others better. 
In this episode, we invite Suzanne to share her wisdom about what comes on the other side of the theory itself. 


You can find Suzanne's work and connect with what she's doing at https://suzannestabile.com/

 

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Curiosity and the Enneagram with Suzanne Stabile Suzanne Stabile, Ryan Adams, Landon Pontius 00:56:41 Many have dubbed Suzanne Stabile “The Enneagram Godmother”. She's been a student of this ancient system for over 30 years, which has made her an accomplished author and much sought-after speaker. Suzanne’s unique story-based teaching style radiates a desire to help people learn who they are so they can get out of their own way and love others better. In this episode, we invite Suzanne to share her wisdom on what comes on the other side of the theory itself. Many have dubbed Suzanne Stabile “The Enneagram Godmother”. She's been a student of this ancient system for over 30 years, which has made her an accomplished author and much sought-after speaker. Suzanne’s unique story-based teaching style radiates a desire to help people learn who they are so they can get out of their own way and love others better. In this episode, we invite Suzanne to share her wisdom on what comes on the other side of the theory itself. jesus, theology, ethics, enneagram, deconstruction, atheism, morality, mythology, evangelical, gods, meaning, spirituality, christianity, wisdom, personality test, religion, philosophy no full 26 3b350727-94e5-477b-9246-d844c9ed5294 The Enneagram In this episode, Ryan and Landon give an overview of the nine personality types found in the Enneagram and share some personal reflections each of them possesses from taking seriously the wealth of knowledge found herein. Whether you have been inundated with memes for years, or you are still suspicious this thing might be demonic, there is something for everyone to discover here.

 

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Thu, 9 Mar 2023 03:17:54 +0000 meaninginthemiddle@gmail.com (Ryan Adams, Landon Pontius) https://www.meaninginthemiddlepod.com/episodes/the-enneagram-42fDXDgb In this episode, Ryan and Landon give an overview of the nine personality types found in the Enneagram and share some personal reflections each of them possesses from taking seriously the wealth of knowledge found herein. Whether you have been inundated with memes for years, or you are still suspicious this thing might be demonic, there is something for everyone to discover here.

 

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> The Enneagram Ryan Adams, Landon Pontius 01:29:23 Self-knowledge and self-care are all the rage right now. Social media and pop psychology provide us with one system after another promising us life hacks to escape ourselves and become better. Thanks be to God/The Universe/Etc. that the Enneagram has already had its fifteen minutes in the limelight. Perhaps now we can engage with this ancient personality theory seeking real wisdom; and with it, the transformation that helps us love better. Self-knowledge and self-care are all the rage right now. Social media and pop psychology provide us with one system after another promising us life hacks to escape ourselves and become better. Thanks be to God/The Universe/Etc. that the Enneagram has already had its fifteen minutes in the limelight. Perhaps now we can engage with this ancient personality theory seeking real wisdom; and with it, the transformation that helps us love better. jesus, theology, ethics, enneagram, deconstruction, atheism, morality, mythology, evangelical, gods, meaning, spirituality, christianity, wisdom, religion, philosophy yes full 25 4bbe1849-97d9-41f5-bf0f-bed1f21eaab6 The Future of Religion and Finding Meaning with John Vervaeke John has had a massive impact on the language and concepts that we use on this show and we still can't quite believe that he was willing to chat with us. This is a conversation that we will not soon forget. 

We hope you get as much insight from it as we did. 

Click HERE to watch the Youtube video of this episode.

Where to follow John:
www.johnvervaeke.com 

John's Youtube Channel where you can find his popular Awakening from the Meaning Crisis series, Voices with Vervaeke, and his new series After Socrates.

 

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Fri, 24 Feb 2023 20:51:07 +0000 meaninginthemiddle@gmail.com (John Vervaeke, Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams) https://www.meaninginthemiddlepod.com/episodes/the-future-of-religion-and-finding-meaning-with-john-vervaeke-9s8NMXvR John has had a massive impact on the language and concepts that we use on this show and we still can't quite believe that he was willing to chat with us. This is a conversation that we will not soon forget. 

We hope you get as much insight from it as we did. 

Click HERE to watch the Youtube video of this episode.

Where to follow John:
www.johnvervaeke.com 

John's Youtube Channel where you can find his popular Awakening from the Meaning Crisis series, Voices with Vervaeke, and his new series After Socrates.

 

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> The Future of Religion and Finding Meaning with John Vervaeke John Vervaeke, Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams 01:26:32 John Vervaeke is a cognitive scientist by day and a leader in the growing meaning movement by night. His work spans Socrates and Neo-Platonism all the way through eastern wisdom traditions and modern-day research on attention. He also wins first place for being the person most referenced in Season 1 of this podcast. John Vervaeke is a cognitive scientist by day and a leader in the growing meaning movement by night. His work spans Socrates and Neo-Platonism all the way through eastern wisdom traditions and modern-day research on attention. He also wins first place for being the person most referenced in Season 1 of this podcast. jesus, theology, ethics, deconstruction, atheism, morality, mythology, evangelical, gods, meaning, spirituality, christianity, wisdom, religion, philosophy no full 24 e91c4778-3927-40ae-9ba2-3f2c647eb8d8 Lectio Divina: John O'Donohue We can talk about philosophy and religion forever (and we just might) but we also need to engage in other ways that aren't so exclusively intellectual. Lectio Divina is an ancient practice of reading a text in a meditative posture, allowing your intuition to guide you rather than approaching the text analytically. The result can be really impactful and meaningful and can reveal surprising insights. 

In this episode, Ryan brings a lovely poem from the Irish writer John O'Donohue. 

We hope some of you will try it along with us. 


To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Wed, 8 Feb 2023 19:10:28 +0000 meaninginthemiddle@gmail.com (Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams) https://www.meaninginthemiddlepod.com/episodes/lectio-divina-john-odonohue-iHVM4tAw We can talk about philosophy and religion forever (and we just might) but we also need to engage in other ways that aren't so exclusively intellectual. Lectio Divina is an ancient practice of reading a text in a meditative posture, allowing your intuition to guide you rather than approaching the text analytically. The result can be really impactful and meaningful and can reveal surprising insights. 

In this episode, Ryan brings a lovely poem from the Irish writer John O'Donohue. 

We hope some of you will try it along with us. 


To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Lectio Divina: John O'Donohue Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams 00:59:12 This was our first time doing a Lectio Divina together and the result was really meaningful. Ryan brought a reading from the Irish poet John O'Donohue. If it's new to you, we'd love for you to test-drive the practice with us and let us know how it goes. This was our first time doing a Lectio Divina together and the result was really meaningful. Ryan brought a reading from the Irish poet John O'Donohue. If it's new to you, we'd love for you to test-drive the practice with us and let us know how it goes. jesus, theology, ethics, deconstruction, atheism, morality, mythology, evangelical, gods, meaning, spirituality, christianity, wisdom, religion, philosophy no full 23 a92481a7-0504-4b1b-9a8e-642345b64c45 Lectio Divina: Philippians 4 There is an old trope in theology that, “familiarity breeds unfamiliarity, and unfamiliarity breeds contempt”. For many of us who grew up Christian, the Bible has been presented in such sanitary ways that we miss the deep wisdom it contains in its patterns for us today. But perhaps there is still a way of entering into the scriptural world that orients to eternal truths, regardless of where we’re at in our belief system (or lack thereof).

In today’s episode, Landon leads us through a sacred reading of Philippians 4. After a time of contemplation, we share what this passage is speaking to each of us about gratitude, discipline, and attention.

 

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Tue, 7 Feb 2023 18:24:29 +0000 meaninginthemiddle@gmail.com (Ryan Adams, Landon Pontius) https://www.meaninginthemiddlepod.com/episodes/lectio-divina-1-philippians-4-ZFZe0lCx There is an old trope in theology that, “familiarity breeds unfamiliarity, and unfamiliarity breeds contempt”. For many of us who grew up Christian, the Bible has been presented in such sanitary ways that we miss the deep wisdom it contains in its patterns for us today. But perhaps there is still a way of entering into the scriptural world that orients to eternal truths, regardless of where we’re at in our belief system (or lack thereof).

In today’s episode, Landon leads us through a sacred reading of Philippians 4. After a time of contemplation, we share what this passage is speaking to each of us about gratitude, discipline, and attention.

 

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Lectio Divina: Philippians 4 Ryan Adams, Landon Pontius 00:59:49 In this Lectio Divina session (plot twist!) Landon is bringing a Bible verse to the table for us to meditate on. We hope you'll participate with us! In this Lectio Divina session (plot twist!) Landon is bringing a Bible verse to the table for us to meditate on. We hope you'll participate with us! jesus, theology, ethics, deconstruction, atheism, morality, mythology, evangelical, gods, meaning, spirituality, christianity, wisdom, religion, philosophy no full 22 7a626bf0-6341-40f2-9fb3-20fae5b67f2d Do I Stay Christian with Brian McLaren Our first conversation with someone outside our little bubble is a real gem. Brian McLaren has been immersed in themes of spiritual migration for several decades now, as a pastor and author and activist. We had a chance to ask Brian to reflect on his journey thus far - what he has learned about what truly matters, what might come next for faith, and why we might or might not choose to stay Christian.

 

We highly recommend you check out Brian's new book Do I Stay Christian

 

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Mon, 23 Jan 2023 13:21:42 +0000 meaninginthemiddle@gmail.com (Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams, Brian McLaren) https://www.meaninginthemiddlepod.com/episodes/do-i-stay-christian-with-brian-maclaren-I5pkl6i4 Our first conversation with someone outside our little bubble is a real gem. Brian McLaren has been immersed in themes of spiritual migration for several decades now, as a pastor and author and activist. We had a chance to ask Brian to reflect on his journey thus far - what he has learned about what truly matters, what might come next for faith, and why we might or might not choose to stay Christian.

 

We highly recommend you check out Brian's new book Do I Stay Christian

 

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Do I Stay Christian with Brian McLaren Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams, Brian McLaren 01:12:39 Our first conversation with someone outside our little bubble is a real gem. Brian McLaren has been immersed in themes of spiritual migration for several decades now, as a pastor and author and activist. We had a chance to ask Brian to reflect on his journey thus far - what he has learned about what truly matters, what might come next for faith, and why we might or might not choose to stay Christian. Our first conversation with someone outside our little bubble is a real gem. Brian McLaren has been immersed in themes of spiritual migration for several decades now, as a pastor and author and activist. We had a chance to ask Brian to reflect on his journey thus far - what he has learned about what truly matters, what might come next for faith, and why we might or might not choose to stay Christian. jesus, theology, ethics, deconstruction, atheism, morality, mythology, evangelical, gods, meaning, spirituality, christianity, wisdom, religion, philosophy yes full 21 af31fee2-c4d5-433d-92cd-02a7b60d9161 The Sacred + Lectio Divina We're exploring a powerful understanding of sacredness and discussing one way we're going to engage with it together called Lectio Divina. This is a long episode but the topics are important and lay the groundwork for much of this season so we wanted to take our time with it. 

We hope you enjoy this chat and we look forward to you participating with us in this. 

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Mon, 12 Dec 2022 16:18:05 +0000 meaninginthemiddle@gmail.com (Ryan Adams, Landon Pontius) https://www.meaninginthemiddlepod.com/episodes/the-sacred-lectio-divina-XjEz9gvN We're exploring a powerful understanding of sacredness and discussing one way we're going to engage with it together called Lectio Divina. This is a long episode but the topics are important and lay the groundwork for much of this season so we wanted to take our time with it. 

We hope you enjoy this chat and we look forward to you participating with us in this. 

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> The Sacred + Lectio Divina Ryan Adams, Landon Pontius 01:43:26 What does it mean for something to be "sacred" and how can we engage with it regardless of our religious beliefs? What does it mean for something to be "sacred" and how can we engage with it regardless of our religious beliefs? jesus, theology, ethics, deconstruction, atheism, morality, mythology, evangelical, gods, meaning, spirituality, christianity, wisdom, religion, philosophy yes full 20 509cc83b-ff00-46e2-b7ad-22f9684db9e8 Season 2 Intro WE'RE BACKKKKK! 

Season 2 is here and we're bringing you amazing guests, video episodes, and an exploration of sacred texts! 
We're looking forward to everything we'll explore together and we're honored that you're here. CHEERS!

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Mon, 21 Nov 2022 14:32:42 +0000 meaninginthemiddle@gmail.com (Ryan Adams, Landon Pontius) https://www.meaninginthemiddlepod.com/episodes/season-2-intro-dgn5Ugz2 WE'RE BACKKKKK! 

Season 2 is here and we're bringing you amazing guests, video episodes, and an exploration of sacred texts! 
We're looking forward to everything we'll explore together and we're honored that you're here. CHEERS!

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Season 2 Intro Ryan Adams, Landon Pontius 00:56:14 WE'RE BACKKKKK! Season 2 is here and we're bringing you amazing guests, video episodes, and an exploration of sacred texts! We're looking forward to everything we'll explore together and we're honored that you're here. CHEERS! WE'RE BACKKKKK! Season 2 is here and we're bringing you amazing guests, video episodes, and an exploration of sacred texts! We're looking forward to everything we'll explore together and we're honored that you're here. CHEERS! jesus, theology, ethics, deconstruction, atheism, morality, mythology, evangelical, gods, meaning, spirituality, christianity, wisdom, religion, philosophy no full 19 6b907179-75b8-4e05-b4a8-d5a07c4f10ce Season 1: In Review We covered A LOT of ground in Season 1!

We've both learned a lot and we're looking back on what impacted us the most along the way. 
Thank you again to everyone who's joined us on this journey and your messages and feedback mean the world to us! 

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Thu, 21 Jul 2022 12:34:56 +0000 meaninginthemiddle@gmail.com (Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams) https://www.meaninginthemiddlepod.com/episodes/season-1-in-review-8BzMmApn We covered A LOT of ground in Season 1!

We've both learned a lot and we're looking back on what impacted us the most along the way. 
Thank you again to everyone who's joined us on this journey and your messages and feedback mean the world to us! 

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Season 1: In Review Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams 01:06:30 Oh, how the time flies! We've reached the end of Season 1 and we're taking some time to reflect on the amazing conversations we've had and all that we've learned along the way. Oh, how the time flies! We've reached the end of Season 1 and we're taking some time to reflect on the amazing conversations we've had and all that we've learned along the way. jesus, theology, ethics, deconstruction, atheism, morality, mythology, evangelical, gods, meaning, spirituality, christianity, wisdom, religion, philosophy no full 18 827a6050-f7b3-4c34-a283-84e835b719bb Politics  Traditional wisdom would tell you there are two things you should never talk about at the dinner table - religion and politics. In our modern era, however, it seems it's all anyone can talk about, especially as we become increasingly divided by our ideologies.

Politics isn’t a dirty word, but it’s a complex one. It’s the space where our convictions and ethics meet in the public square to find a way we can co-exist in a pluralistic society. In this episode, we discuss an historical approach to politics, how we got to where we are today and some ways we can each examine our own lenses and assumptions to forge the necessary common ground to help society move forward.

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Wed, 6 Jul 2022 13:01:22 +0000 meaninginthemiddle@gmail.com (Ryan Adams, Landon Pontius) https://www.meaninginthemiddlepod.com/episodes/politics-ZXbkVCtc  Traditional wisdom would tell you there are two things you should never talk about at the dinner table - religion and politics. In our modern era, however, it seems it's all anyone can talk about, especially as we become increasingly divided by our ideologies.

Politics isn’t a dirty word, but it’s a complex one. It’s the space where our convictions and ethics meet in the public square to find a way we can co-exist in a pluralistic society. In this episode, we discuss an historical approach to politics, how we got to where we are today and some ways we can each examine our own lenses and assumptions to forge the necessary common ground to help society move forward.

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Politics Ryan Adams, Landon Pontius 01:23:29 In this episode, we're chatting about politics in America and considering how our discussions about ethics and religion might inform our understanding of the modern political landscape. In this episode, we're chatting about politics in America and considering how our discussions about ethics and religion might inform our understanding of the modern political landscape. jesus, theology, ethics, deconstruction, atheism, morality, mythology, evangelical, gods, meaning, spirituality, christianity, wisdom, america, religion, philosophy, politics yes full 17 0b0b2297-bfb9-43f3-be8d-e1b6d592c761 The Bible - Part 2 Perhaps the Bible is more about interacting with "the sacred" in pursuit of wisdom than a source of ethical or spiritual knowledge. 
We're continuing the chat from the last episode and exploring ways to approach the Bible that might avoid some of the pitfalls discussed in Part 1. 

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Wed, 15 Jun 2022 04:00:00 +0000 meaninginthemiddle@gmail.com (Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams) https://www.meaninginthemiddlepod.com/episodes/the-bible-part-2-2mXCdliW Perhaps the Bible is more about interacting with "the sacred" in pursuit of wisdom than a source of ethical or spiritual knowledge. 
We're continuing the chat from the last episode and exploring ways to approach the Bible that might avoid some of the pitfalls discussed in Part 1. 

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> The Bible - Part 2 Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams 01:19:49 We're jumping back where we left off in Part 1 and asking the question, "if the bible isn't meant to be read as an owner's manual, what is the proper approach to it?" We're jumping back where we left off in Part 1 and asking the question, "if the bible isn't meant to be read as an owner's manual, what is the proper approach to it?" jesus, theology, ethics, deconstruction, atheism, morality, the bible, mythology, evangelical, gods, meaning, spirituality, scripture, christianity, wisdom, sacred, religion, philosophy yes full 16 2681d6cd-5e9a-469f-8d9c-1180dedef2ba The Bible - Part 1 The Bible is a messy, beautiful, violent, depressing, and hopeful book. It covers the full spectrum of the human experience and the journey of the Jewish people as they wrestle with understanding God. We chat about how the Bible was assembled, the myriad of ways that it's misused, as well as why it's valuable, and why it cannot be easily dismissed. 

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Wed, 8 Jun 2022 04:00:00 +0000 meaninginthemiddle@gmail.com (Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams) https://www.meaninginthemiddlepod.com/episodes/the-bible-part-1-bjq_LqeI The Bible is a messy, beautiful, violent, depressing, and hopeful book. It covers the full spectrum of the human experience and the journey of the Jewish people as they wrestle with understanding God. We chat about how the Bible was assembled, the myriad of ways that it's misused, as well as why it's valuable, and why it cannot be easily dismissed. 

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> The Bible - Part 1 Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams 01:07:38 In this episode, we are exploring the Bible. What is it, what do we do with it, and why has it stuck around for so long? In this episode, we are exploring the Bible. What is it, what do we do with it, and why has it stuck around for so long? jesus, theology, ethics, deconstruction, atheism, morality, mythology, evangelical, bible, gods, meaning, spirituality, scripture, christianity, wisdom, religion, philosophy no full 15 5cedf67e-316e-4e70-a971-f96983b5ea36 The Gods THE GODS have been a fixture of human culture for as long as we can remember and the modern era is no exception. We may no longer believe that Zeus sits atop Mount Olympus or that the rain god looks after our crops, but there are systems and forces that still fulfill the role of the gods in our communities, our politics, and our culture at large. 

We hope you enjoy this exploration of how we can reframe the idea of "the gods" in such a way that we actually gain insights about how the world of human society really works. 

 

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Wed, 1 Jun 2022 04:00:00 +0000 meaninginthemiddle@gmail.com (Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams) https://www.meaninginthemiddlepod.com/episodes/the-gods-8OtzDPj8 THE GODS have been a fixture of human culture for as long as we can remember and the modern era is no exception. We may no longer believe that Zeus sits atop Mount Olympus or that the rain god looks after our crops, but there are systems and forces that still fulfill the role of the gods in our communities, our politics, and our culture at large. 

We hope you enjoy this exploration of how we can reframe the idea of "the gods" in such a way that we actually gain insights about how the world of human society really works. 

 

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> The Gods Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams 01:31:02 Are "the gods" just an ancient superstition or is there a way for us to approach the concept that will actually give us meaningful insights about our modern world? Are "the gods" just an ancient superstition or is there a way for us to approach the concept that will actually give us meaningful insights about our modern world? jesus, theology, ethics, deconstruction, atheism, morality, mythology, evangelical, gods, meaning, spirituality, christianity, wisdom, religion, philosophy yes full 14 f10317b0-8aed-4374-93df-9ad97d0414f4 Morality in the Middle Something unexpected happened after we recorded each of our episodes on ethics. 

Rather than highlight major differences and contradictions in our approaches, we actually began to see that we could potentially join them together into a broader and more complete understanding of ethical truth. 

Landon's framework takes us from the bottom, at conscious experience, and builds up the logical structure into a vision of reasoned universal boundaries and respect. Where ethical action is grounded in pragmatic reasoning about human nature and our shared needs and desires. 
Ryan's framework starts at the top and establishes Jesus as the north star that we model our ethical pursuit after. A vision of virtue ethics that fuels positive moral action from identity and meaning to empower us to reach our full ethical potential. 

These are two parts of the same whole, and it's when they come together that we begin to see a truly broad and robust expression of the ethical journey.  
 

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Wed, 18 May 2022 05:00:00 +0000 meaninginthemiddle@gmail.com (Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams) https://www.meaninginthemiddlepod.com/episodes/morality-in-the-middle-oFZMaWXC Something unexpected happened after we recorded each of our episodes on ethics. 

Rather than highlight major differences and contradictions in our approaches, we actually began to see that we could potentially join them together into a broader and more complete understanding of ethical truth. 

Landon's framework takes us from the bottom, at conscious experience, and builds up the logical structure into a vision of reasoned universal boundaries and respect. Where ethical action is grounded in pragmatic reasoning about human nature and our shared needs and desires. 
Ryan's framework starts at the top and establishes Jesus as the north star that we model our ethical pursuit after. A vision of virtue ethics that fuels positive moral action from identity and meaning to empower us to reach our full ethical potential. 

These are two parts of the same whole, and it's when they come together that we begin to see a truly broad and robust expression of the ethical journey.  
 

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Morality in the Middle Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams 01:19:48 In this episode, we explore how each of our frameworks for ethics might actually fit together into a broader and more viable vision of the ethical journey, and it did not disappoint! In this episode, we explore how each of our frameworks for ethics might actually fit together into a broader and more viable vision of the ethical journey, and it did not disappoint! jesus, theology, ethics, deconstruction, atheism, morality, evangelical, meaning, spirituality, christianity, wisdom, religion, philosophy yes full 13 37fc04b3-bcaf-4c4f-9a2e-262bf0b6fb19 Ryan's Ethics Ryan explains that in an era marked by moral fragmentation, we have lost the common narrative that informed us of who we are. Legalism and behavior modification have led to a moral crisis regardless of religious affiliation. What if there is a way to go back and reclaim a posture that seeks to place our ethics in a narrative that speaks of our origin and our destination in God?

This narrative ethic places a greater emphasis on developing virtue as a way to discern what to do in any given moment, rather than following a set of rules or obligations. In the Christian faith, it’s referred to as embodying the Kingdom of God, becoming like God in how we think, feel, and act.

 

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Wed, 11 May 2022 06:00:00 +0000 meaninginthemiddle@gmail.com (Ryan Adams, Landon Pontius) https://www.meaninginthemiddlepod.com/episodes/ryans-ethics-4Gesys6i Ryan explains that in an era marked by moral fragmentation, we have lost the common narrative that informed us of who we are. Legalism and behavior modification have led to a moral crisis regardless of religious affiliation. What if there is a way to go back and reclaim a posture that seeks to place our ethics in a narrative that speaks of our origin and our destination in God?

This narrative ethic places a greater emphasis on developing virtue as a way to discern what to do in any given moment, rather than following a set of rules or obligations. In the Christian faith, it’s referred to as embodying the Kingdom of God, becoming like God in how we think, feel, and act.

 

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Ryan's Ethics Ryan Adams, Landon Pontius 01:08:34 Ryan offers a vision of Christian ethics that addresses some of the blind spots he sees in the modern conversation, and calls Christians back to square one. Ryan offers a vision of Christian ethics that addresses some of the blind spots he sees in the modern conversation, and calls Christians back to square one. jesus, theology, ethics, deconstruction, atheism, morality, evangelical, meaning, spirituality, christianity, wisdom, religion, philosophy no full 12 8f01a526-f854-4a98-8d58-94397ae55eed Landon's Ethics After Landon left Christianity, he repeatedly encountered the claim that without god he no longer had a way to ground "objective" moral truth (ethical truth that applies to everyone regardless of individual opinion or preference) and was only left with moral relativism in which claims about morality must appeal to individual preference. 

His attempt to answer these claims has resulted in a fascination with moral philosophy and a very intentional exploration of how we can reason our way to universal moral truth. 

This episode is a snapshot of where he is in that journey. 
We would LOVE to hear your feedback!

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Wed, 4 May 2022 05:00:00 +0000 meaninginthemiddle@gmail.com (Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams) https://www.meaninginthemiddlepod.com/episodes/landons-ethics-LadcKn_P After Landon left Christianity, he repeatedly encountered the claim that without god he no longer had a way to ground "objective" moral truth (ethical truth that applies to everyone regardless of individual opinion or preference) and was only left with moral relativism in which claims about morality must appeal to individual preference. 

His attempt to answer these claims has resulted in a fascination with moral philosophy and a very intentional exploration of how we can reason our way to universal moral truth. 

This episode is a snapshot of where he is in that journey. 
We would LOVE to hear your feedback!

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Landon's Ethics Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams 01:22:08 Landon walks us through how he thinks about ethics as an atheist, and explores how we might reason our way to universal moral truth. Landon walks us through how he thinks about ethics as an atheist, and explores how we might reason our way to universal moral truth. jesus, theology, ethics, deconstruction, atheism, morality, evangelical, meaning, spirituality, christianity, wisdom, religion, philosophy no full 11 4ada4316-701b-4e31-aa1a-98ca292dc360 Jesus Whether you believe in Jesus or not, you can’t deny his story has had a radical effect on human society over the past 2000 years. While the debates about what actually happened or did not happen matter, we're are choosing to meditate on what Jesus’ story means for us, particularly in our understanding of self-sacrificial love and transcendence.

Useful references from the discussion: 

  • Jordan Peterson -  is a Canadian clinical psychologist, YouTube personality, author, and professor emeritus of psychology
  • John Vervaeke - is a professor of cognitive science at the University of Toronto, who has published a series on Youtube, called "Awakening from the Meaning Crisis"
  • Carl Jung - was a Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who founded analytical psychology. Search his work on archetypes
  • Paul Johannes Tillich - was a German-American Christian existentialist philosopher and Lutheran Protestant theologian who is widely regarded as one of the most influential theologians of the twentieth century
     

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Wed, 30 Mar 2022 16:49:43 +0000 meaninginthemiddle@gmail.com (Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams) https://www.meaninginthemiddlepod.com/episodes/jesus-f163k43H Whether you believe in Jesus or not, you can’t deny his story has had a radical effect on human society over the past 2000 years. While the debates about what actually happened or did not happen matter, we're are choosing to meditate on what Jesus’ story means for us, particularly in our understanding of self-sacrificial love and transcendence.

Useful references from the discussion: 

  • Jordan Peterson -  is a Canadian clinical psychologist, YouTube personality, author, and professor emeritus of psychology
  • John Vervaeke - is a professor of cognitive science at the University of Toronto, who has published a series on Youtube, called "Awakening from the Meaning Crisis"
  • Carl Jung - was a Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who founded analytical psychology. Search his work on archetypes
  • Paul Johannes Tillich - was a German-American Christian existentialist philosopher and Lutheran Protestant theologian who is widely regarded as one of the most influential theologians of the twentieth century
     

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Jesus Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams 01:16:53 What if the mythos of Jesus is still the greatest story ever told, even if we don’t believe it happened? In this episode, Ryan and Landon find some surprising and profound commonality in their approach to Jesus - who he was and is, and what he means for our pursuit of love. What if the mythos of Jesus is still the greatest story ever told, even if we don’t believe it happened? In this episode, Ryan and Landon find some surprising and profound commonality in their approach to Jesus - who he was and is, and what he means for our pursuit of love. jesus, theology, deconstruction, atheism, evangelical, meaning, spirituality, christianity, wisdom, christ, religion, philosophy no full 10 019115ba-7109-4929-91d4-9633d1840725 Q&A We love discussing big topics in our normal episodes, but we REALLY LOVE hearing from you and being able to answer questions that the podcast is prompting! 

Thank you to everyone who submitted questions this time and please keep them coming! 

To join the discussion (and to ask some questions of your own), visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Wed, 23 Mar 2022 06:00:00 +0000 meaninginthemiddle@gmail.com (Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams) https://www.meaninginthemiddlepod.com/episodes/qa-DO5cxl46 We love discussing big topics in our normal episodes, but we REALLY LOVE hearing from you and being able to answer questions that the podcast is prompting! 

Thank you to everyone who submitted questions this time and please keep them coming! 

To join the discussion (and to ask some questions of your own), visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Q&A Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams 01:07:47 We interrupt this broadcast to bring you our first Q&A episode! We interrupt this broadcast to bring you our first Q&A episode! church, faith, theology, deconstruction, atheism, debate, exvangelical, spirituality, christianity, religion, philosophy, politics no full 9 e011b7dc-f664-441e-b048-8391a2a829dc Deconstruction Deconstruction has become a buzzword in many Christian circles. In recent years, we've seen the decline in church attendance punctuated by public announcements from prominent Christian leaders and artists explaining that they have gone through this thing called "deconstruction" and no longer consider themselves to be a part of the faith. 

Spoiler Alert: there's NUANCE to be explored! We chat about the healthy and unhealthy forms of deconstruction and what the implications might be for the future of the Evangelical church. 

 

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Wed, 16 Mar 2022 14:04:11 +0000 meaninginthemiddle@gmail.com (Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams) https://www.meaninginthemiddlepod.com/episodes/deconstruction-a8uhZRNB Deconstruction has become a buzzword in many Christian circles. In recent years, we've seen the decline in church attendance punctuated by public announcements from prominent Christian leaders and artists explaining that they have gone through this thing called "deconstruction" and no longer consider themselves to be a part of the faith. 

Spoiler Alert: there's NUANCE to be explored! We chat about the healthy and unhealthy forms of deconstruction and what the implications might be for the future of the Evangelical church. 

 

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Deconstruction Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams 01:16:42 In this episode, we finally discuss what the Deconstruction movement in Evangelical Christianity has to do with the infamous feud between Taylor Swift and Kanye West. We also explore the potential causes and implications of the movement and how it played out in Landon's journey. In this episode, we finally discuss what the Deconstruction movement in Evangelical Christianity has to do with the infamous feud between Taylor Swift and Kanye West. We also explore the potential causes and implications of the movement and how it played out in Landon's journey. church, faith, deconstruction, atheism, exvangelical, evangelicalism, spirituality, christianity, philosophy, dialogue yes full 8 ad9772a3-85af-4f30-b607-da174279a4d3 Religion Is there a way to engage with religion, to benefit from its value and sacredness, even if we don't consider ourselves religiously ideological? Is modern religion up to the task of responding to our ever-changing world or do we need something new? 

This is one of our favorite conversations so far and we're really excited to share it with you! 

Useful references from the discussion: 

  • John Vervaeke - is a professor of cognitive science at the University of Toronto, who has published a series on Youtube, called "Awakening from the Meaning Crisis"
  • Paul Johannes Tillich - was a German-American Christian existentialist philosopher and Lutheran Protestant theologian who is widely regarded as one of the most influential theologians of the twentieth century
  • Slavoj Žižek - is a Slovenian philosopher, a researcher at the Department of Philosophy of the University of Ljubljana Faculty of Arts and international director of the Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities of the University of London.
  • Robert Webber - Ancient Future Faith
  • Richard Rohr -  is an American Franciscan priest and writer on spirituality
  • Phyllis Tickle  - was an American author and lecturer whose work focuses on spirituality and religion issues.
     

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

 

]]> Wed, 9 Mar 2022 01:38:38 +0000 meaninginthemiddle@gmail.com (Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams) https://www.meaninginthemiddlepod.com/episodes/religion-uYEKx0DN Is there a way to engage with religion, to benefit from its value and sacredness, even if we don't consider ourselves religiously ideological? Is modern religion up to the task of responding to our ever-changing world or do we need something new? 

This is one of our favorite conversations so far and we're really excited to share it with you! 

Useful references from the discussion: 

  • John Vervaeke - is a professor of cognitive science at the University of Toronto, who has published a series on Youtube, called "Awakening from the Meaning Crisis"
  • Paul Johannes Tillich - was a German-American Christian existentialist philosopher and Lutheran Protestant theologian who is widely regarded as one of the most influential theologians of the twentieth century
  • Slavoj Žižek - is a Slovenian philosopher, a researcher at the Department of Philosophy of the University of Ljubljana Faculty of Arts and international director of the Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities of the University of London.
  • Robert Webber - Ancient Future Faith
  • Richard Rohr -  is an American Franciscan priest and writer on spirituality
  • Phyllis Tickle  - was an American author and lecturer whose work focuses on spirituality and religion issues.
     

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

 

]]> Religion Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams 01:27:11 In this episode, we discuss the baby in the bathwater of religion and explore how religion might be the best answer we have to the modern meaning crisis...if it can undergo the necessary evolution. In this episode, we discuss the baby in the bathwater of religion and explore how religion might be the best answer we have to the modern meaning crisis...if it can undergo the necessary evolution. faith, belief, atheism, morality, debate, spirituality, religion, dialogue, politics no full 7 2e6cba72-c3a3-41d4-b683-c9da6c4b7631 Faith In this episode, Ryan offers Landon three approaches to the word that have helped him frame the discussion, from philosopher Kierkegaard’s palate-cleansing “virtue of the absurd”, to theologian Tillich’s “centered act of personality," and finally biblical scholar Matthew Bates’ “allegiance”.

Useful references from the discussion: 

  • Søren Kierkegaard - was a Danish theologian, philosopher, poet, social critic, and religious author who is widely considered to be the first existentialist philosopher
  • Paul Johannes Tillich - was a German-American Christian existentialist philosopher and Lutheran Protestant theologian who is widely regarded as one of the most influential theologians of the twentieth century
  • Matthew Bates - is Associate Professor of Theology at Quincy University. His main teaching area is the Bible and early Christian literature.

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Wed, 2 Mar 2022 13:34:33 +0000 meaninginthemiddle@gmail.com (Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams) https://www.meaninginthemiddlepod.com/episodes/faith-Vc0b5sjW In this episode, Ryan offers Landon three approaches to the word that have helped him frame the discussion, from philosopher Kierkegaard’s palate-cleansing “virtue of the absurd”, to theologian Tillich’s “centered act of personality," and finally biblical scholar Matthew Bates’ “allegiance”.

Useful references from the discussion: 

  • Søren Kierkegaard - was a Danish theologian, philosopher, poet, social critic, and religious author who is widely considered to be the first existentialist philosopher
  • Paul Johannes Tillich - was a German-American Christian existentialist philosopher and Lutheran Protestant theologian who is widely regarded as one of the most influential theologians of the twentieth century
  • Matthew Bates - is Associate Professor of Theology at Quincy University. His main teaching area is the Bible and early Christian literature.

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Faith Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams 01:38:36 Has the definition of “faith” changed over time? Are there definitions worth revisiting, or saving? What if we could find a way to talk about faith that applies to us all? Has the definition of “faith” changed over time? Are there definitions worth revisiting, or saving? What if we could find a way to talk about faith that applies to us all? faith, belief, atheism, bible, christianity, religion, philosophy, dialogue no full 6 6e02c81d-395c-45f6-bc09-3598a298e943 The Middle In this episode, we're discussing the principles and techniques that we've found helpful for reaching "the middle" and generating productive conversations. 

We hope that these points will be helpful in guiding your own conversations to meaningful places. Good luck! 

  • Curiosity
  • Humility
  • Nuance
  • Self-Awareness
  • Dignity

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Wed, 23 Feb 2022 03:50:00 +0000 meaninginthemiddle@gmail.com (Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams) https://www.meaninginthemiddlepod.com/episodes/the-middle-tbuN8EmN In this episode, we're discussing the principles and techniques that we've found helpful for reaching "the middle" and generating productive conversations. 

We hope that these points will be helpful in guiding your own conversations to meaningful places. Good luck! 

  • Curiosity
  • Humility
  • Nuance
  • Self-Awareness
  • Dignity

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> The Middle Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams 01:27:38 How can we avoid our conversations going off the rails? In this episode, we're discussing the principles and techniques that we've found helpful for reaching "the middle" and generating productive conversations. How can we avoid our conversations going off the rails? In this episode, we're discussing the principles and techniques that we've found helpful for reaching "the middle" and generating productive conversations. humility, nuance, atheism, debate, curiosity, christianity, discussion, dialogue no full 5 c4c14c54-ac62-4b5d-9c88-eeacf03538ec Truth In this episode, we dive into the weeds and try to understand exactly what we each mean when we say something is TRUE. 

Are we saying something is factual objectively or that it's meaningful and aligns with our human nature?
How important is that distinction anyway? 

This can be a tricky topic in religion and philosophy to navigate and we've found it very valuable to try and be as clear as possible about how we each think about TRUTH and what criteria we consider when determining whether or not something is TRUE. 

Useful references from the discussion: 

  • Jordan Peterson -  is a Canadian clinical psychologist, YouTube personality, author, and professor emeritus of psychology
  • John Vervaeke - is a professor of cognitive science at the University of Toronto, who has published a series on Youtube, called "Awakening from the Meaning Crisis"
  • Søren Kierkegaard - was a Danish theologian, philosopher, poet, social critic, and religious author who is widely considered to be the first existentialist philosopher
  • Alexander Schmemann - For the Life of the World
  • Jacques Lacan - a French psychoanalyst and psychiatrist who has been called "the most controversial psycho-analyst since Freud"
  • Carl Jung - was a Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who founded analytical psychology. Search his work on archetypes 
  • Julian of Norwich 
  • Teresa of Avila
     

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Wed, 16 Feb 2022 05:00:00 +0000 meaninginthemiddle@gmail.com (Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams) https://www.meaninginthemiddlepod.com/episodes/truth-lDnuuWJG In this episode, we dive into the weeds and try to understand exactly what we each mean when we say something is TRUE. 

Are we saying something is factual objectively or that it's meaningful and aligns with our human nature?
How important is that distinction anyway? 

This can be a tricky topic in religion and philosophy to navigate and we've found it very valuable to try and be as clear as possible about how we each think about TRUTH and what criteria we consider when determining whether or not something is TRUE. 

Useful references from the discussion: 

  • Jordan Peterson -  is a Canadian clinical psychologist, YouTube personality, author, and professor emeritus of psychology
  • John Vervaeke - is a professor of cognitive science at the University of Toronto, who has published a series on Youtube, called "Awakening from the Meaning Crisis"
  • Søren Kierkegaard - was a Danish theologian, philosopher, poet, social critic, and religious author who is widely considered to be the first existentialist philosopher
  • Alexander Schmemann - For the Life of the World
  • Jacques Lacan - a French psychoanalyst and psychiatrist who has been called "the most controversial psycho-analyst since Freud"
  • Carl Jung - was a Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who founded analytical psychology. Search his work on archetypes 
  • Julian of Norwich 
  • Teresa of Avila
     

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod and in the Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Truth Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams 01:21:28 What does it mean to say that something is TRUE? We explore this idea and try to navigate the space between meaning and fact. What does it mean to say that something is TRUE? We explore this idea and try to navigate the space between meaning and fact. faith, belief, theology, truth, deconstruction, debate, meaning, spirituality, athiesm, christianity, religion, philosophy, god no full 4 6993c554-7677-4f93-b94d-f8de74dd2d19 God What is GOD? 

In episode 3 we're tackling this question, and good news, we totally solve it once and for all. 
Ryan starts us off with the idea of God as the "ground of all being" and we discuss trying to connect that framing to a sentient God that intervenes in human affairs. 

Useful references from the discussion: 

  • Jordan Peterson -  is a Canadian clinical psychologist, YouTube personality, author, and professor emeritus of psychology
  • John Vervaeke - is a professor of cognitive science at the University of Toronto, who has published a series on Youtube, called "Awakening from the Meaning Crisis"
  • Søren Kierkegaard - was a Danish theologian, philosopher, poet, social critic, and religious author who is widely considered to be the first existentialist philosopher
  • Paul Johannes Tillich - was a German-American Christian existentialist philosopher and Lutheran Protestant theologian who is widely regarded as one of the most influential theologians of the twentieth century
  • Rene Descartes - was a French philosopher, mathematician, scientist and lay Catholic who invented analytic geometry
     

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod or in our Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Wed, 9 Feb 2022 05:00:00 +0000 meaninginthemiddle@gmail.com (Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams) https://www.meaninginthemiddlepod.com/episodes/god-hnso0A93 What is GOD? 

In episode 3 we're tackling this question, and good news, we totally solve it once and for all. 
Ryan starts us off with the idea of God as the "ground of all being" and we discuss trying to connect that framing to a sentient God that intervenes in human affairs. 

Useful references from the discussion: 

  • Jordan Peterson -  is a Canadian clinical psychologist, YouTube personality, author, and professor emeritus of psychology
  • John Vervaeke - is a professor of cognitive science at the University of Toronto, who has published a series on Youtube, called "Awakening from the Meaning Crisis"
  • Søren Kierkegaard - was a Danish theologian, philosopher, poet, social critic, and religious author who is widely considered to be the first existentialist philosopher
  • Paul Johannes Tillich - was a German-American Christian existentialist philosopher and Lutheran Protestant theologian who is widely regarded as one of the most influential theologians of the twentieth century
  • Rene Descartes - was a French philosopher, mathematician, scientist and lay Catholic who invented analytic geometry
     

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod or in our Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> God Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams 01:16:03 In this episode, we're starting with the low-hanging fruit, the softball topic, taking a long slow ramp into the shallow end...we're going to talk about GOD. In this episode, we're starting with the low-hanging fruit, the softball topic, taking a long slow ramp into the shallow end...we're going to talk about GOD. faith, belief, theology, truth, deconstruction, atheism, meaning, christianity, religion, philosophy, god, theism no full 3 bcfe8e18-0848-45b2-922f-d76f07804b7e Ryan's Story In this episode, Ryan talks about being from Northern Ireland, growing up in the church as a pastor's kid, and unexpectedly finding his way to becoming a pastor himself. The guys explore his journey in and out of various church traditions and discuss important differences between Landon's background in American Evangelicalism and Ryan's background in the Anglican Church. 

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod or in our Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Wed, 2 Feb 2022 05:00:00 +0000 meaninginthemiddle@gmail.com (Ryan Adams, Landon Pontius) https://www.meaninginthemiddlepod.com/episodes/ryans-story-9T8T6pIt In this episode, Ryan talks about being from Northern Ireland, growing up in the church as a pastor's kid, and unexpectedly finding his way to becoming a pastor himself. The guys explore his journey in and out of various church traditions and discuss important differences between Landon's background in American Evangelicalism and Ryan's background in the Anglican Church. 

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod or in our Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers! 

]]> Ryan's Story Ryan Adams, Landon Pontius 01:06:32 It's time for Reverend Ryan™ to share his story! It's time for Reverend Ryan™ to share his story! church, faith, belief, deconstruction, atheism, pastor, evangelical, christianity, anglican no full 2 e46caf52-7686-4afe-a601-ec723c22afd3 Landon's Story Below is a link to the essay Landon published when he announced that he was no longer a Christian: 

https://medium.com/@landonpontius/why-im-not-a-christian-anymore-842c35d342ae

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod or in our Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers.  

]]> Wed, 26 Jan 2022 06:15:43 +0000 meaninginthemiddle@gmail.com (Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams) https://www.meaninginthemiddlepod.com/episodes/landons-story-EK1QwDet Below is a link to the essay Landon published when he announced that he was no longer a Christian: 

https://medium.com/@landonpontius/why-im-not-a-christian-anymore-842c35d342ae

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod or in our Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers.  

]]> Landon's Story Landon Pontius, Ryan Adams 01:02:09 Landon recounts what it was like being raised as an Evangelical Christian before eventually deconstructing and becoming an atheist. Landon recounts what it was like being raised as an Evangelical Christian before eventually deconstructing and becoming an atheist. faith, deconstruction, atheism, evangelicalism, christianity no full 1 d529ab12-d702-4031-a785-13a2d9594fb4 Introduction Welcome to our new podcast! 

In this episode, we sit down to discuss why we're here and what we hope this podcast will mean for you along the way. 
We really believe in the power of honest and open dialogue and we're honored to have you along for the ride. 

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod or in our Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers.  
 

]]> Thu, 20 Jan 2022 17:05:00 +0000 meaninginthemiddle@gmail.com (Ryan Adams, Landon Pontius) https://www.meaninginthemiddlepod.com/episodes/introduction-JHFFd2_b Welcome to our new podcast! 

In this episode, we sit down to discuss why we're here and what we hope this podcast will mean for you along the way. 
We really believe in the power of honest and open dialogue and we're honored to have you along for the ride. 

To join the discussion, visit us on Instagram @meaninginthemiddlepod or in our Meaning in the Middle Facebook group.

Cheers.  
 

]]> Introduction Ryan Adams, Landon Pontius 00:11:09 This episode is a brief discussion about our goals and intentions for the podcast. This episode is a brief discussion about our goals and intentions for the podcast. truth, deconstruction, atheism, meaning, spirituality, christianity, religion, philosophy no trailer