Cocktail Theology

Music Credits "The Chains Of Maybe" Words & music by Benton Stokes. Available on Turn Off The Moon. (CD on BentonStokes.com; digitally on Amazon and iTunes) Our theme music: “Moving On (Feels Pretty Good)”. Words & music by Benton Stokes. Available on Grace & Gravity  (CD on BentonStokes.com; digitally on Amazon and iTunes) Copyright 2018 Songs From the Basement (BMI).  All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission. Become a Big Tipper, Regular, or Executive Producer (and receive our thanks & swag) on Patreon.    Timestamp Info 0-1:30 In the dark. With candles. Without coffee, but with Lionel Richie. 1:30-2:50  What is the role of politics in the pulpit, when one is concerned with the kind of person one is becoming? 2:50-10:00  Should pastors use their pulpits to speak to issues of the day? The (often-earned) power of the pastor in the congregation. Churches and denominations take public positions; must the pastor toe that line? What about when the pastor’s core convictions shift, and diverge from t

Why is it that nearly everyone identifies with the prodigal son? Why do we feel like outcasts, disappointments, failures? Join us for Being The Black Sheep! Music Credits "Unreal" Words & music by Benton Stokes. Available on Grace & Gravity. (CD on BentonStokes.com; digitally on Amazon and iTunes) Our theme music: “Moving On (Feels Pretty Good)”. Words & music by Benton Stokes. Available on Grace & Gravity  (CD on BentonStokes.com; digitally on Amazon and iTunes) Copyright 2018 Songs From the Basement (BMI).  All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission. Become a Big Tipper, Regular, or Executive Producer (and receive our thanks & swag) on Patreon.    Timestamp Info 0-2:11  Our new cocktail (with roses!) will be in the digital mixology guide, and also in the softbound version, available for appropriate monthly giving, through our Patreon site: www.patreon.com/cocktailtheology.  Elane and Benton consider an alternate career as bartenders. 2:11-8:50  The mystery of familial relationships: most pe

Synopsis When good-hearted Jesus-followers are embarrassed to be called “Christians,” what does that say about Christianity? Elane and Benton discuss what it means to be “a Christian,” what Christianity is about, and whether worldly success has ruined the whole enterprise. Music Credits "Blue" Words & music by Benton Stokes & Janine Smith. Available on Grace & Gravity  (CD on BentonStokes.com; digitally on Amazon and iTunes) Our theme music: “Moving On (Feels Pretty Good)”. Words & music by Benton Stokes. Available on Grace & Gravity  (CD on BentonStokes.com; digitally on Amazon and iTunes) Copyright 2018 Songs From the Basement (BMI).  All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission. Tonight’s cocktail: Cold sober coffee Become a Big Tipper, Regular, or Executive Producer (and receive our thanks & swag) on Patreon.    Timestamp Info 0-4:20 Introduction to the topic: Religion of any kind, Christianity in particular, does not always do more harm than good (examples: first hospitals, first unive

Music Credits "Now" Words & music by Benton Stokes. Available on Turn Off The Moon (CD on BentonStokes.com; digitally on Amazon and iTunes) Our theme music: “Moving On (Feels Pretty Good)”. Words & music by Benton Stokes. Available on Grace & Gravity  (CD on BentonStokes.com; digitally on Amazon and iTunes) Copyright 2018 Songs From the Basement (BMI).  All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission. Become a Big Tipper, Regular, or Executive Producer (and receive our thanks & swag) on Patreon.    Timestamp Info 0-4:50 Our weekend at Wild Goose, including conversations with post-evangelicals, John Pavlovitz, Jen Hatmaker, Brian McLaren, Frank Schaeffer, Diana Butler Bass, Randall Balmer, and Trey Pearson. The unholy alliance between Empire & Christianity. Benton’s post-Evangelical view of Wild Goose vs. Elane’s liberal-Christianity view of the same event. 4:50-5:50 Our pirate cocktail: The Anne Bonny—rum, fresh tangerine juice, triple sec, fresh lime juice, orange bitters. 5:50-11:00 Introduction

Benton and Elane discuss the differences among the meanings of “trespasses” “debts” and “sins” in the Lord’s Prayer, and why that might mean that everyone is actually praying a different prayer. Music Credits "Sitting On The Edge Of Your World" Words & music by Benton Stokes. Available on Turn Off The Moon (CD on BentonStokes.com; digitally on Amazon and iTunes) Our theme music: “Moving On (Feels Pretty Good)”. Words & music by Benton Stokes. Available on Grace & Gravity  (CD on BentonStokes.com; digitally on Amazon and iTunes) Copyright 2018 Songs From the Basement (BMI).  All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission. Tonight’s Cocktail  The Summitt—Vodka, lemon juice, triple sec, a lot of bitters, and bergamot syrup—named by Big Tipper Marti Milliken. Become a Big Tipper, Regular, or Executive Producer (and receive our thanks & swag) on Patreon.    Timestamp Info 0-1:00 Cocktail of the evening: The Summitt 1:00-3:00 Introduction to the Lord’s Prayer, the verse “Forgive us our ________________,” a

Music Credits Confessions Of A Lesser Me Words & music by Benton Stokes.  Available on Grace & Gravity at http://www.bentonstokesmusic.com. Copyright 2018 Songs From the Basement (BMI).  All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission. Become A Regular Supporter, help us hire an engineer, and receive our thanks & swag on Patreon.    Timestamp Info 0-2:15 Introduction of our guest Greg Richardson, blogger on contemplative practice on Patheos, Art Of Craft columnist for dabelly.com, spiritual director and consultant at strategicmonk.com. Plus, all the usual social media as strategicmonk. 2:15-7:14  Greg’s story of growing up to be a “right answer” guy, and while that was great for being a criminal prosecutor, it didn’t serve him in becoming himself.  Why he became a lawyer: Perry Mason and presidential aspirations. 7:14- 11:50 When reality smacked into Greg: the theft of tires from a salvage yard, and the path to spiritual direction. California girls, Pasadena, the Rose Bowl, and the losing Wisconsin team.

Benton and Elane discuss the meaning of love, the problem of pronouns, and why God is in the kind of love that sticks. Music Credits "Love Is A Dirty Word" Words & music by Benton Stokes. Available on Turn Off The Moon (CD on BentonStokes.com; digitally on Amazon and iTunes) Copyright 2018 Songs From the Basement (BMI).  All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission. Become A Regular Supporter (and receive our thanks & swag) on Patreon.    Timestamp Info 0-2:52 Caps, hats, Benton’s discomfort with being adored, and Elane’s verbal demonstration of her unhipness. Love Is A Dirty Word 2:52-6:00  Wine of the night: Prophecy Red Blend, delicious, beautiful label, great price point.  Let people know about Cocktail Theology and School For Seekers! Support us through our Patreon site—http://www.patreon.com/cocktailtheology—and get naming rights, our mixology guide, gratitude, and other benefits! 6:00-12:00  Why are “Love you!” and “I love you.” so different?    “Love you!” as a text message quick hug goodbye. “I lo

Music Credits "Better Than I Ought To Be" Words & music by Benton Stokes. Available on Grace & Gravity (CD on BentonStokes.com; MP3 on Amazon) Copyright 2018 Songs From the Basement (BMI).  All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission. Become A Regular Supporter (and receive our thanks & swag) on Patreon. Your monthly gift means more podcasts, more interviews, better sound, and food on the table for our kids.  Thank you for your support. Timestamp Info 0:00-6:15 Introductions. Drink of the night: Margarita. Benton recommends “Three Ingredient Cocktails” by Robert Simonson, and talks about the music he’s making these days. We want to come to you! Bring us to your place to lead a course or a workshop, play a concert, or do Cocktail Theology live for your friends. Our current live offering is Bible 101: Reading The Bible As If It Matters. Shoot us an email at info@schoolforseekers.com to talk about possibilities! Who are you? Introduce yourself in the comment section at CocktailTheology.com, or visit us o

Benton and Elane finish their conversation about Jesus' statement to his disciples to "go and make disciples" and decide that authentic love and care matter, God goes where God is wanted, and spaghetti may or may not come up in conversation.   Music Credits "Moving On (Feels Pretty Good)" Words & music by Benton Stokes & Janine Smith. Available on Grace & Gravity (CD on BentonStokes.com; MP3 on Amazon)  Copyright 2018 Songs From the Basement (BMI).  All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission. Messa de Requiem by Giuseppe Verdi (1874) Become A Regular Supporter (and receive our thanks & swag) on Patreon. Your monthly gift means more podcasts, more interviews, better sound, and food on the table for our kids.  Thank you for your support. Timestamp Info 0:00-7:07 Our visit to the Nashville Symphony performing Verdi’s Requiem with the (Holocaust) Violins of Hope. 7:07-10:05  Recap of The Great Commission Part 1 10:05-16:00  When my set of beliefs runs up against someone’s else’s set. Belief as assent

Elane and Benton consider the contemporary implications of Jesus' last instructions to his disciples, The Great Commission: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit..." (Matthew 28:19).  Spoiler alert: It all depends upon your view of heaven.   Music credits: "Moving On (Feels Pretty Good)" Words & music by Benton Stokes & Janine Smith  "California" Words & music by Benton Stokes "Paper Cup" Words & music by Benton Stokes All songs Copyright 2018 Songs From the Basement (BMI).  All Rights Reserved.  Used by Permission.

Benton and Elane discuss their childhood summers, distinguishing the voice of the Divine and drawing others into intimacy with an awe-inspiring God.   Timestamp info:   0-7:00 Benton’s idyllic  summers & Elane’s passion for summer school. 7:00-10:45  Visit our Patreon site (http://www.patreon.com/cocktailtheology) to support this podcast on a monthly basis and gain swag, including mixology books, cocktail-naming rights, and tickets to Cocktail Theology Live. Ask us questions or suggest topics at www.cocktailtheology.com or the Patreon site or on Facebook or by emailing us at info@schoolforseekers.com.  10:46-17:30   Prayer that asks for something, and people who seem to have a hotline to God. Connection to any person, including God, comes from spending time with that person. 17:30-22:30  Telling God who God is—what we often call praise—is about inspiring confidence in the pray-er, not stroking God’s fragile ego. The priestly role as becoming PVC pipe for others. Creating a space of intimacy with God into

Elane and Benton discuss what spiritual practices are and how they lead to spiritual disciplines.  Elane shares about her upcoming visit to a monastery.  Elane and Benton talk gin cocktails.   0-8:50 Elane’s upcoming silent retreat at the Trappist (Cistercian) Abbey of Gethsemani. The naming of our many entries into the Uncle Val’s Botanical Gin cocktail contest. Book recommendation: The Cloister Walk (by Kathleen Norris). 8:50-13:30  Benton’s relatively recent introduction to Christian spiritual practices. Benton’s more recent interview with Greg “The Strategic Monk” Richardson (watch for that!). Disciples are people who discipline themselves to learn what their teachers do and become what their teachers are. 13:30-22:32  What a discipline is and why we do them. What we should do when a discipline “doesn’t work” anymore.  Prayer as a discipline/practice for getting to know God, and why we do it even when we don’t feel like it. Benton & Elane have a relationship practice, resembling the discipline of pray

Benton and Elane discuss perceptions of heaven and hell, how to stop chasing thoughts and Benton's recent adventure in Southern California.   Timestamp Info: 0-3:30 Introduction, cocktail of the day, and Benton’s perfect day in Southern California.  3:30-12:50 Mindfulness and getting there. Purpose and spiritual formation function of (Christian) meditation, and Greg Richardson (The Strategic Monk).  12:50-17:12 God-things, and feeling deeply okay in a concentration camp (Frankl). 17:12-28:12 What heaven is like. Talking about Dallas Willard’s basic view--the connection we pursue with God in this life largely determines our apprehension of God after bodily death—with a 10-year-old. 28:12-35:47 What hell is like. Choosing hell in this life, for ourselves and others. Disembodied persistence of the soul. Deathbed conversions and full apprehension of God. The need to be open to God in order to behold God. CS Lewis’ The Great Divorce. 35:47- 40:10 What to tell the children about heaven. Elane rants about a kids’ c

Elane and Benton discuss Plato, famous American presidents and what makes a good person good and Benton nerds out over one of his summer obsessions.

Elane interviews Scott Erickson (aka Scott The Painter) at Compass Coffee in Vancouver, Washington.  They discuss, among other things, surfing, spiritual formation, cathedrals, Nat King Cole and iconography. To purchase Scott's work, or to follow his posts: https://scottericksonartshop.com Instagram: @scottthepainter

Elane and Benton go on a road trip and discuss camping, goat cheese and spiritual itchiness. And bears. Don't forget the bears.

In this episode, recorded live in February 2018, Benton and Elane discuss the pain and promise of moving on. We all run up against walls--crises of life or faith--that force us to re-evaluate what we are doing and what we believe. Whether it's from a job, a relationship, our personal history, or from ideas about God that just don't fit anymore, there are times when we have to move on to something new. Hitting the wall, and moving on from it, can be hard and lonely work. It helps to know God is always with us, and waiting on the other side.  Cocktail of the evening: Manhattans with Evan Williams Black, Dolin Rouge, Fee Orange Bitters, and Luxardo cherries.