Almost Heretical
Are you ready to rethink the Bible and challenge easy answers? Join guests like Neil deGrasse Tyson, Marianne Williamson, Tim Mackie (BibleProject), Jon Foreman (Switchfoot), Rainn Wilson (The Office), and Rob Bell as we dive into complex conversations about faith, moving beyond conservative and liberal camps. If you don’t fit neatly into either space, you’ll fit in just fine here. Hosted by Nate Hanson (former Crazy Love pastor) and Shelby Hanson (MA Biblical Studies & Dead Sea Scrolls), Almost Heretical invites you to explore Christianity without subscribing to tribal ideologies. With over 2 million downloads, this is a space for those asking tough questions and seeking honest answers. You’re not alone.
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#138 – Olivia Jackson: Why Christians Deconstruct
Do people really deconstruct for street cred?
36 min
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#137 – Tim Alberta: Reject Trump, Embrace Jesus
How can Christians navigate politics with grace? How should the church respond to cultural shifts and conflicts?
64 min
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#136 – Tiffany Yecke Brooks: Spiritual Anxiety ...
Breaking Free from Spiritual Anxiety and Religious Trauma
58 min
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#135 – Thomas Jay Oord: Open Relational Theology
Exploring the transformative concept of a God who loves, influences, and is influenced by us.
63 min
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#134 – Dr. Laura Anderson: Sex, Dating, Courtsh...
How Does Religious Trauma Shape Us? Can Purity Culture Distort Love?
57 min
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#133 – David Fitch: Is God's Love Coercive?
David Fitch debates with Nate and Shelby about whether God's love is coercive.
54 min
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#132 – Elaine Pagels: Trump and Doubting Thomas
Did the gospel of John pull a Trump and create Doubting Thomas? What can we learn from the Gospel of Mary?
60 min
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#131 – Peter Rollins: The Philosophy of Deconst...
Unraveling Belief and Unbelief
75 min
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#130 – Anna Gazmarian: Religious OCD and Mental...
Faith and Seeking Support: Can the Church Embrace Mental Health Struggles?
39 min
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#129 – Did Noah's Ark Actually Happen?
Noah's ark means something completely different
43 min
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#128 – Nephilim and Gender Dynamics (Genesis 6:...
Uncover the Nephilim, their biblical significance, and enduring mysteries of the sons of God.
44 min
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#127 – Eve and the Apple (Genesis 3)
Satan, Paul and Women's roles
31 min
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#126 – Marriage, Gender, and Homosexuality (Gen...
Is Genesis 2:24 an institution of heterosexual marriage? Does it matter?
31 min
39
#125 – Rethinking Adam and Eve (Genesis 2:7)
Did the Tree of Knowledge Really Cause the Fall? Why No Mention of Satan?
31 min
40
#124 – How was light created before the sun? (G...
What have we been missing in the creation story? What does the Sun being created before “Light” mean? Why do we have two different creation stories?
52 min
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#123 – Rainn Wilson: Spirituality and the Meani...
When did the West lose spirituality? What is the motivation to love? What would Dwight Schrute think of all this?
67 min
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#122 – Neil deGrasse Tyson: Christianity and th...
Is there evidence Jesus rose from the dead? What does Neil say to the pushback from Christians that "science is always changing so you can't trust it"? Is the U.S. a Christian nation?
65 min
43
#121 – Many Creation Stories (Genesis 1:1-5)
Dig deeper into Genesis 1:1-5 to see things we may have missed.
45 min
44
#120 – Sex, Orgasm, Masturbation and Purity Cul...
We talk about orgasm, sex education and masturbation.
69 min
45
#119 – Sarah Bessey: Evolving Faith
What does it mean to have a faith that evolves, and are there any limits to that change? How did Rachel Held Evans influence Sarah Bessey's own faith journey, and what might we be missing from Rachel's voice today? What challenges do people face when their faith changes and evolves, and how can we navigate those challenges with grace and community?
65 min
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#118 – Deconstructing Worship Music
How can you write worship music when you're questioning your faith? What role does doubt play in the creative process of writing worship music? How can you reconcile your doubts and struggles with the lyrics of traditional worship songs?
76 min
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#117 – William Matthews: The Evolution of Worship
Exploring the intersection of music, deconstruction, and faith with former Bethel worship leader William Matthews
75 min
48
#116 – Worship: Revisiting the Melodies of Our ...
Embark on a musical journey as we revisit cherished worship songs, exploring how our evolving faith and feelings have reshaped our connection to these melodies.
65 min
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#115 – Name the Women of the Bible: 16 Notable ...
Exploring the Stories of Women Named in the Bible—Both Famous and Forgotten
54 min
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#114 – Teaching Your Kids While Deconstructing ...
What if I still want to pass on faith to my children, but I'm not sure what I believe? What do kids need to be learning about Christianity at different stages? What do kids have to teach us about holding uncertainty. We talk with Sarah Swartzendruber, a pastor passionate about empowering parents in deconstruction to create spiritual practices for their kids.
74 min