Weekend Reads and Podcast Picks

Happy Friday! I hope that you’re able to get some rest on an otherwise crazy weekend: Easter Sunday. (Or for those of you who aren’t part of a church community, the third Sunday of Spring.)

Weekends are also a great time to catch up on reading and podcasts. And Julia and I would like to share some of our favorite books (me) and podcast episodes (Julia) for your weekend pleasure.

Enjoy! And equally important, share with your partner or other key family members what you enjoyed about these:

Books I’m Reading (Jeremiah)

American Midnight: The Great War, a Violent Peace, and Democracy’s Forgotten Crisis by Adam Hochschild.

It’s easy to think that we’re in unprecedented times given the nonsense that’s happening in Republican legislations nationwide. We’re not. Adam Hochschild writes about the American historical period of 1917-1921, and the ways that the Woodrow Wilson administration orchestrated repression and violence against the American people. Disturbing, but also really important to note the parallels between the pre-Roaring 20s and our current state of politics.

Sexuality Beyond Consent: Risk, Race, and Traumatophilia by Avgi Saketopoulou.

Warning: This is a super geeky read, rooted in psychoanalytic theory that Julia and I don’t subscribe to. However, Saketopoulou makes some incredibly important points about the complexities of consent: namely, the clash between consent, the development of safety for a sexual experience, and eroticisim, the need for mystery, excitement, and trust. Her perspective on surrender is a really important topic that frequently gets missed in conversations about consent. And also very different from how the church describes surrender.

Best Podcast Episodes (Julia)

Fresh Air on Monday April 3, 2023: “Armageddon”

This Fresh Air epsiode shows how literal readings of the Bible’s end times affect modern times. Bart Ehrman, New Testament expert and author of the new book Armageddon: What the Bible Really Says About the End, talks with Terry Gross about the book of Revelation and its influence on Evangelical theology. He first states that Revelation was written alongside of other apocalyptic-like literature around 95-96 CE. Revelation is pretty poorly written; the grammar sucks, the ideas are all over the place. But more importantly, Ehrman notes that Evangelicals are much more likely to worship the Jesus of Revelation, a violent, vengeful man-deity, than the Jesus of the Gospels.

This American Life on Sunday March 5: When to Leave

Jeremiah and I are in consistent communication with folks in Tennessee, North Carolina, Florida, and other states whose legislators are passing racist, misogynist, and anti-trans laws. While some are committed to staying put, others are considering leaving for states who have more accepting, affirmative policies and environments. Miki Meek and Nancy Updike talk with their guests about how you know when it’s no longer tenable to live in your current home due to violence and political unrest.

Let us know what you’re reading and listening to as well! We’d love to share these books and podcast episodes on our Instagram page!

Happy Friday!

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Reflections on Affirmative Consent

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What Do I Do When My Family Brings Up Their Religious Beliefs?