Saved by the City

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ApocryFUN: Hillbilly Elegy + Sam Thielman Sep 19, 2024

Show notes

In the '00s, America was introduced to J.D. Vance, who pitched himself as a middle man between coastal elites and the rural white Americans he'd been raised around. Hillbilly Elegy was part memoir/part explainer and, at the time, seemed to establish Vance as a moderate conservative who wanted to bridge the partisa cultural, political and religious divide.

In this episode, Tyler and journalist/critic Sam Thielman explore Hillbilly Elegy and chart Vance's strange, subsequent journey to becoming Donald Trump's running mate.

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Should I Become a Mom? Tell Katelyn What to Do with Her Life, Part IV Aug 29, 2024

Show notes

This week we’re wrapping up the special SBTC summer series, “Tell Katelyn What to Do with Her Life,” and Katelyn’s going out with a bang by asking the Beaty Brain Trust about the joys and challenges of parenthood.

SBTC diehards will likely remember Roxy and Katelyn’s great conversation with Annie Parsons last fall. Annie shared her journey of becoming a single mother by choice. At the time, Roxy and Katelyn agreed they wouldn’t likely go down the path as single people.

We reserve the right to change our minds (and marital status!).

This week, Katelyn wonders aloud what it might be like to become a mom as a single person. Once again she’s joined by author and podcaster Elizabeth Oldfield, who reminds us all that we’re called to relinquish some control and let life unfold for the mysterious gift it is. (Bonus: We have POETRY.)

GUESTS:

The Beaty Brain Trust: Richard Clark; Sarah Scherf; Chuck DeGroat; E. Karen and Tim Beaty; Roxy Stone
Elizabeth Oldfield is author of the book Fully Alive: Tending to the Soul in Turbulent Times and hosts The Sacred podcast

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How Should I Manage My Money? Tell Katelyn What to Do with Her Life, Part III Aug 22, 2024

Show notes

Meeting a man. Moving apartments. Literally just moving.

Maybe it’s a product of living in NYC, but it seems like you can’t walk outside your door these days without dropping mad cash.

It has recently occurred to Katelyn that, whatever big life decisions she makes, they will assuredly require some financial investment. Experts say by age 40, you should have an emergency fund, be debt-free, and have a retirement nest egg. Gulp.

That’s why episode 3 of the SBTC summer series, “Tell Katelyn What to Do with Her Life,” is about the thing we’re not supposed to talk about (besides religion and politics): money. Thankfully, there’s nothing more Amber Hacker, CFO of Interfaith America and fellow RNS podcast host, likes to discuss. Katelyn also fields financial advice from her 4-year-old nephew and brings back Elizabeth Oldfield for a spiritual slant on the topic the Bible talks about the most.

GUESTS:

Luther Beaty is unofficial CEO of the Beaty family and is passionate about Legos, fighting baddies, and hanging out with his Aunt Kiki
Amber Hacker, aka the “Budget Hacker,” is CFO of Interfaith America and co-hosts the podcast Money, Meet Meaning
Elizabeth Oldfield is author of the book Fully Alive: Tending to the Soul in Turbulent Times and hosts The Sacred podcast

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Where to Find a Man? Tell Katelyn What to Do with Her Life, Part II Aug 15, 2024

Show notes

Behold…the power of man-ifesting.

She’s been on the apps. She’s been to church events. She even went to a speed dating mixer with Roxy back in the day. So maybe it’s time Katelyn mix up her straight in her search for romance. Manifesting—the belief that our thoughts determine our futures—grows out of the positive thinking movement and has a distinctly American bent. Is it all hooey, or is there something to it?

In episode 2 of our SBTC summer series, Katelyn asks the Beaty Brain Trust for tips and tricks on finding romance. Then she hits the streets of New York City to see if this whole manifesting idea has any merit. (Hint: It ends in a bar called “Up Stairs,” with a free drink and some chicken tendies.) She also welcomes back Elizabeth Oldfield for a conversation on finding God amid longings deferred.

GUESTS:

• The Beaty Brain Trust: Richard Clark; Chuck DeGroat; Sarah Baldwin Scherf; E. Karen and Tim Beaty; and Roxy Stone

• Elizabeth Oldfield is author of the book Fully Alive: Tending to the Soul in Turbulent Times and hosts The Sacred podcast

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Where Should I Live?: Tell Katelyn What To Do with Her Life, Part I Aug 08, 2024

Show notes

Remember when people used to throw “over the hill” parties when folks turned 40? Katelyn doesn’t feel over the hill, but she’s also aging out of the young adult church group, if you know what we mean.

A milestone birthday is a great time to reflect on the life you’ve built and the person you’re becoming and want to become. That’s what this SBTC special summer series is all about. We’re calling it: “Tell Katelyn What to Do with Her Life.”

Katelyn has gathered the Beaty Brain Trust to help her find answers in four key areas of discernment. This first week, she’s asking, “Where should I live?” She’s joined by family and friends as well as author and podcaster Elizabeth Oldfield (who has the best British accent) to imagine what life might be like beyond New York City, and how to build a rich life with others wherever you end up.

GUESTS:

The Beaty Brain Trust: Richard Clark; Chuck DeGroat; Sarah Baldwin Scherf; E. Karen and Tim Beaty; and Roxy Stone
Elizabeth Oldfield is author of the book Fully Alive: Tending to the Soul in Turbulent Times and hosts The Sacred podcast

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ApocryFUN: Redeeming Love + Liz Riggs Jul 26, 2024

Show notes

In the late '80s, a historical romance pro named Francine Rivers became a Christian, and decided to combine her creative interests with her newfound faith. The result is Redeeming Love, a runaway hit that repackaged a few verses from the Book of Hosea into a historical romance complete with trauma, betrayal, sex and more trauma. Tyler is joined by novelist Liz Riggs (who is, full disclosure, also his wife) to break down bodice-ripping, slut-shaming epic.

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It's Time to Move On From the Nuclear Family + Rhaina Cohen May 16, 2024

Show notes

After you have spent most of your adult life single, as we have, you recognize the importance of building a network of friends who are more than just brunch buddies. You need those friends who send you soup when you're sick and offer their couch for days on end after a breakup and are more than happy to sit in the hospital waiting room while you recover from anesthesia.

When you're married, these are the expected role of the spouse, but that's not the reality for many of us today. And maybe it was always too much for one person to bear anyway. On this episode, Katelyn and Roxy take another look at the early church in Acts and ask: What if they had it right all along and why have we so persistently ignored their model?

Plus, we talk with Rhaina Cohen and imagine what it could look like to elevate the role of friendship in our lives.

GUEST:

Rhaina Cohen is a journalist based in D.C. and the author of the bestselling book "The Other Significant Others: Reimagining Life With Friendship at the Center," and a producer and editor for NPR’s "Embedded."

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We're Losing Pastors Left & Right + Rich Villodas May 09, 2024

Show notes

Why is it a tough time to be a pastor? Let's count the ways: a pandemic, a racial justice uprising, an insurrection, hyper partisanship in the pews, cataclysmic global wars. This is not to mention all the normal pulpit pressures, like blurry boundaries, pastoral care, complaining stakeholders, etc, etc. etc. Being a pastor is hard y'all! That's why Katelyn and Roxy wanted to talk with seasoned New York pastor, Rich Villodas, who has been pastoring an incredibly diverse church in Queens for 16 years. We wanted to hear what unique pressures pastors face and how congregants can offer true support.

GUEST:

Rich Villodas is a life-long New Yorker and the lead pastor of New Life Fellowship in Queens, a multiracial church with more than seventy-five countries represented in its pews. Rich is the author of several books including the forthcoming, "The Narrow Path: How the Subversive Way of Jesus Satisfies Our Souls."

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ApocryFUN: Captivated + Katelyn Beaty May 02, 2024

Show notes

Of course there's one for women, too.

In this episode, Katelyn joins Tyler to discuss Captivating, John and Stasi Eldredge's attempt to do Wild at Heart for girls. We dig into the flipside of the evangelical gender binary of the early '00s to explore what the Christian Macho Man playbook meant for all the damsels they were supposed to be rescuing. Also: quite a bit more Lord of the Rings content than we expected!

APOCRYFUN returns, now as a monthly series as part of the expanding Saved By the City Auditory Multiverse! On each episode of this show, we talk about a popular, influential — or at least lucrative — Christian book from the 90s or 2000s (you know, our era). We discuss how the book shaped American Christianity, our own personal faith journeys, and how it has aged in our current dystopian Christian Nationalist hellscape.

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Spicy Takes from the World of Religion News Apr 25, 2024

Show notes

A dozen religion journalists walk into a karaoke bar...

On this episode, Katelyn and Roxy bring you all the hot takes from the world of Religion News Association. And believe you me, there are some real spicy stories to tell. We've got Julie Roys, from the Roys Report, talking investigative reporting on scandalous religion. Kate Shellnutt, of Christianity Today, with a daring provocation. And Sarah Riccardi-Swartz, professor of religion at Northeastern University, delivering the receipts on Eastern Orthodoxy in the manosphere.

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