Religion on the Mind

Latest Episodes:

Tony Jones on “Neighborism” in Minnesota (#378) Feb 09, 2026

Show notes

In this conversation, Minnesotan and friend of the pod, Tony Jones, joins me for another look at the complex dynamics happening below the surface in Minnesota right now. We reflect on the recent events surrounding the killing of Alex Pretti, the community's response to political tensions, and the evolving identity of Minnesota as a state that embraces diversity and neighborism.

Tony's Substack | Jonestony.substack.com

Highlights

05:38 Minnesota's Unique Identity and Loyalty

16:35 Immigration and Community Dynamics

42:18 Federal Forces and Community Response

56:12 The Role of Religion in Activism

01:18:30 The Future of Minnesota and Community Resilience

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Follow Dan on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/dancoke/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Or Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠twitter.com/DanKoch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Faith deconstruction resources: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.soyouredeconstructing.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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C. S. Lewis's "The Great Divorce" (Part 2) (#377) Feb 05, 2026

Show notes

Kristen Tideman is back for Part 2 of our conversation about C.S. Lewis's 'The Great Divorce,' and we get right into discussing some of the uncomfortable questions Chapter 5 brings up (am I just deceiving myself?). We also wrestle with Lewis's critique of intellectual Christianity and the sense of gaslighting that arises from his assumption that theological doubt stems from sin rather than honest inquiry. Is there a meaningful difference between thoughtful religious evolution and the kind of endless postponement of commitment that Lewis condemns?

In the Patron-only second half, we explore how existential therapy's approach to discernment and limits offers a path toward meaningful commitment without requiring blind acceptance.

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Follow Dan on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/dancoke/⁠⁠⁠⁠

Or Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠twitter.com/DanKoch⁠⁠⁠⁠

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C. S. Lewis's "The Great Divorce" (Part 1) (#376) Feb 02, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, recurring guest Kristen Tideman and I discuss C.S. Lewis's The Great Divorce, examining how its exploration of hell, isolation, and human flaws speaks to modern issues like political polarization. We also examine Lewis's allegory and its connection to broader questions about existential psychology, spirituality, mortality, and the struggle for honest self-accountability—all of which seem increasingly rare in our culture today.

Highlights

05:20 The Context of The Great Divorce

11:00 The Psychological Richness of The Great Divorce

19:34 Political Polarization and Its Parallels

32:18 Theological Perspectives on Hell

47:16 Cultural Shifts in Conversations about Mortality

01:11:47 Theological Perspectives on Responsibility

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Follow Dan on IG: ⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/dancoke/⁠⁠⁠

Or Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠twitter.com/DanKoch⁠⁠⁠

Faith deconstruction resources: ⁠⁠⁠www.soyouredeconstructing.com/⁠⁠⁠

Join the Patreon for exclusive episodes (and more) every month: ⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/dankoch⁠⁠⁠

Email about the "sliding scale" for the Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠youhavepermissionpodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠

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An Update From Minneapolis with Mason Mennenga (#375) Jan 26, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of "Religion on the Mind," Mason Mennenga joins me to discuss what it’s like to be in Minneapolis right now, amid intense immigration enforcement and community responses. He shares the emotional toll of living in a city under national scrutiny (it happened during the George Floyd protests, too), as well as what he’s personally experiencing with ICE raids and the community's efforts to support one another amid fear and uncertainty.

Highlights

06:01 Community Responses to ICE Raids

16:53 The Psychological Impact of Current Events

27:27 The Future of Christianity in a Polarized World

44:05 The Disruption of Worship Services

01:02:12 Healthy vs. Pathological Anxiety

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Follow Dan on IG: ⁠⁠www.instagram.com/dancoke/⁠⁠

Or Twitter: ⁠⁠twitter.com/DanKoch⁠⁠

Faith deconstruction resources: ⁠⁠www.soyouredeconstructing.com/⁠⁠

Join the Patreon for exclusive episodes (and more) every month: ⁠⁠patreon.com/dankoch⁠⁠

Email about the "sliding scale" for the Patreon: ⁠⁠youhavepermissionpodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠

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Is Religion “Natural” to Humans? (Live From Theology Beer Camp) (#374) Jan 19, 2026

Show notes

In this live episode of Religion on the Mind, recorded at Theology Beer Camp in October 2025, I sit down with friend and philosopher Myron A. Penner to explore the naturalness of religion, discussing its philosophical implications, evolutionary origins, and the role of cognitive science in understanding religious behavior. Philip Clayton joins us for a follow-up conversation and audience questions about halfway through.

Myron's Website | Myronapenner.com

Philip's Website | Philipclayton.net

Highlights:

13:47 Evolutionary Origins of Religion

20:02 Cognitive Science of Religion

38:12 Practical Implications for Therapy

43:54 Audience Engagement and Q&A

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Follow Dan on IG: ⁠www.instagram.com/dancoke/⁠

Or Twitter: ⁠twitter.com/DanKoch⁠

Faith deconstruction resources: ⁠www.soyouredeconstructing.com/⁠

Join the Patreon for exclusive episodes (and more) every month: ⁠patreon.com/dankoch⁠

Email about the "sliding scale" for the Patreon: ⁠youhavepermissionpodcast@gmail.com⁠

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Kirk, Dobson & Evangelical Complexity with Bonnie Kristian (#373) Jan 12, 2026

Show notes

I sit down with returning guest Bonnie Kristian, deputy editor at Christianity Today, to examine tensions in contemporary evangelicalism in light of her upcoming book, In Defense of Evangelicalism.

First up, we look at James Dobson's complicated legacy and how his parenting advice represented both progress and problems for its time, and why his use of psychology credentials to bypass evidence-based research troubles me as a clinician in the field.

We then tackle the media's panic over "spiritual warfare" language at Charlie Kirk's funeral, where Bonnie points out that Pope Francis uses the same Ephesians passage about wrestling "not against flesh and blood." We also get into Peter Thiel's bizarre Antichrist lectures, which turn out to be less apocalyptic theology and more libertarian fearmongering dressed in biblical metaphor.

Throughout, we wrestle with a core question: how do we navigate religious language in public discourse when biblical literacy has collapsed, and when do passionate warnings cross the line into spiritual abuse?

Previous Episodes with Bonnie:

⁠Episode 306 | Dan is Getting Libertarian-Curious⁠

⁠Episode 21 | To Consider Inerrancy, Infallibility & Inspiration⁠

⁠Episode 6 | To Consider ALL the Atonement Theories⁠

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Follow Dan on IG: www.instagram.com/dancoke/

Or Twitter: twitter.com/DanKoch

Faith deconstruction resources: www.soyouredeconstructing.com/

Join the Patreon for exclusive episodes (and more) every month: patreon.com/dankoch

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Hopelessly Religious & Moving to the Country (#372) Jan 08, 2026

Show notes

I reconnect with my friend Brian Hall to explore his family's move from Portland to rural Oregon—driven by their kids' special needs, exhaustion with sociopolitical polarization, and Brian's ongoing “reconstruction” of his spirituality. We discuss the tension between liberal values and individual family choices as Brian deliberately exposes himself to conservative religious spaces. I push back on his embrace of Trump-supporting communities while acknowledging my own growing interest in center-right perspectives, and we wrestle with questions about schooling, how to teach kids about systemic injustice and related issues, and whether spiritual practice requires suspending judgment. Brian describes finding unexpected vitality in charismatic worship with older Black Pentecostals and why Portland's progressive culture started feeling like a fundamentalist Bible study. We're both tired of performative resistance, yet neither wants to abandon genuine insights. This leaves us in the messy middle, trying to be present for our kids while staying intellectually honest.

In the Patron-only second half of the episode, we discuss the therapeutic wisdom of Brian's approach, his specific reasons for leaving Portland's school system, attempted nuanced takes on gender ideology and trans issues, and Brian’s experience with improvisational worship music services.

Brian's Album | Reconstruction in C Major Spotify Link

Previous Episode with Brian | Still Christian & Spiritual: Brian Hall (#244)

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Follow Dan on IG: www.instagram.com/dancoke/

Or Twitter: twitter.com/DanKoch

Faith deconstruction resources: www.soyouredeconstructing.com/

Join the Patreon for exclusive episodes (and more) every month: patreon.com/dankoch

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Making Peace with Mortality, Or “Dying, Fast and Slow” (#371) Jan 05, 2026

Show notes

These are the notes I just worked on: I sit down with our friend Kristen Tideman for one of those conversations that starts heavy and somehow leaves you feeling more alive.

Kristen recently received a complicated diagnosis just months after becoming a new mom—a gut-punching reminder of mortality. We talk about what I'm calling "dying fast and slow" and how we avoid thinking about death in Western culture, why that avoidance might actually rob us of meaning, and how limitations—whether from illness, mortality, or just being human—can paradoxically give us freedom.

Drawing on existential therapy, C.S. Lewis, Sufjan Stevens' darkest song, and even the psychology of Mormon communities, we wrestle with questions I keep coming back to, like: What does it mean to face our finitude honestly? Why does religious art sometimes feel less authentic than secular art? Can we find meaning in this life even when we're unsure what comes after?

This one goes to some vulnerable, uncomfortable places, but I promise it's worth the journey.

Kristen's Website | Kristentideman.com

Tatiana Schlossberg⁠'s Article | Battle with My Blood

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Follow Dan on IG: www.instagram.com/dancoke/

Or Twitter: twitter.com/DanKoch

Faith deconstruction resources: www.soyouredeconstructing.com/

Join the Patreon for exclusive episodes (and more) every month: patreon.com/dankoch

Email about the "sliding scale" for the Patreon: youhavepermissionpodcast@gmail.com

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Trusting Yourself After Religious Change (#370) Dec 29, 2025

Show notes

In today’s episode, I’m joined by licensed professional counselor Monica DiCristina to explore the question that haunts so many people leaving conservative religious environments: What can I trust about myself?

Monica shares her thoughts on navigating the messy reality of learning to trust your own intuition, emotions, and body when you've been taught that authority figures and scripture are the only reliable sources of “knowing.” We swap stories about our own religious upbringings—hers navigating both Spanish Catholicism and 90s evangelicalism—and how anxiety disorders complicated our ability to discern what was "the Holy Spirit" versus our own mental health struggles.

We explore how naming your pain is different from naming yourself, why wisdom feels expansive rather than anxious, and how Jesus's command to "love your neighbor as yourself" actually validates self-trust rather than self-abandonment.

If you've ever wondered whether you can trust a gut feeling or found yourself paralyzed by the epistemological crisis of our current moment, this conversation offers a refreshingly non-anxious path forward.

Monica's Website | Monicadicristina.com

___________________________________________

Follow Dan on IG: www.instagram.com/dancoke/

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Faith deconstruction resources: www.soyouredeconstructing.com/

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Skillet’s Demonic Cover, AI Gospel Music & Trendy Sobriety: Religion On the News with Mason Mennenga (#369) Dec 22, 2025

Show notes

Religion on the News is back — (thanks to our patron Samantha for suggesting that series title!) Mason Mennenga joins me to round up the latest stories from faith, culture, and psychology.

After acknowledging the tragedy of the mass shooting in Australia, we segue into the absurdity of Skillet—yes, the massive Christian rock band—getting "criticized" for making their Christmas hymn cover sound too demonic (spoiler: the controversy seems manufactured by two Twitter/X accounts with tiny followings). But this leads us down a fascinating rabbit hole about evangelicalism's century-long panic over music itself, from jazz's "jungle rhythms" to today's active rock, and why conservative Christians keep mistaking their aesthetic preferences for theological truths.

Speaking of music, AI-generated gospel music hit #1 on iTunes! We reckon with whether the "art vs. artist" divide holds up when there's no actual artist at all—just algorithms and Auto-Tune's logical endpoint.

Finally, we discuss if declining alcohol consumption might actually be terrible news for the American community, drawing on Blue Zones research and my own recent reckoning with using substances to enhance rather than escape.

If you've ever wondered whether Process Theology can capitalize on increased cannabis use, why college students don't party anymore, or what it means that we're losing our shared vices without replacing the social functions they served, pour yourself a craft beer (or don't) and listen now.

Mason's Website | ⁠Masonmennenga.com

___________________________________________

Follow Dan on IG: www.instagram.com/dancoke/

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Faith deconstruction resources: www.soyouredeconstructing.com/

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