Politics and Religion. Weāre not supposed to talk about that, right? Wrong! We only say that nowadays because the loudest, most extreme voices have taken over the whole conversation. Well, weāre taking some of that space back! If youāre dying for some dialogue instead of all the yelling; if you know itās okay to have differences without having to hate each other; if you believe politics and religion are too important to let āthe screamersā drown out the rest of us and would love some engaging, provocative and fun conversations about this stuff, then āTalkinā Politics & Religion Without Killinā Each Otherā is for you!
Episodes
4 days ago
4 days ago
Dobson and MacArthur shaped a movement. Now it's time to ask: at what cost?
āØ Episode Summary
In this powerful roundtable conversation, host Corey Nathan is joined by author and public theologian Lisa Sharon Harper and pastor Joe Smith to explore the complex legacies of James Dobson and John MacArthurātwo towering figures in American Evangelicalism who recently passed away.
What starts as a reflective discussion on personal experiences with Dobsonās and MacArthurās teachings evolves into a profound analysis of spiritual formation, systemic violence, and the urgent need for a new way forward in faith communities.
Together, the guests courageously confront the intersections of race, gender, theology, and powerāand what it means to heal, both personally and as a collective.
ā±ļø Timestamps
| Time | Topic |
|---|---|
| 00:00 | Introduction to the episode & guests |
| 01:00 | Lisa Sharon Harper on her spiritual beginnings |
| 03:00 | Legacy and impact of James Dobson |
| 08:00 | Dobsonās theology of discipline and its cultural roots |
| 14:00 | The trauma of ābiblicalā corporal punishment |
| 20:00 | Confessions of former Dobson followers ā personal growth and regret |
| 25:00 | John MacArthur's institutional power and theological rigidity |
| 30:00 | Colonialism and the colonization of scripture |
| 36:00 | Reading scripture through empire vs. liberation |
| 44:00 | Who benefits from dominant theological frameworks? |
| 48:00 | Embracing humility and paradigm shifts in theology |
| 54:00 | Stories of change: how family and love reshape theology |
| 1:02:00 | Creating soft landing spaces for theological transformation |
| 1:08:00 | Substack, Freedom Road, and Lisaās ongoing work |
| 1:10:00 | Final reflections on urgent action, humility, and grace |
š§ Key Takeaways
-
Dobsonās influence wasnāt just theologicalāit had lasting psychological, cultural, and political ramifications, particularly around corporal punishment.
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John MacArthur's legacy is marked by strict dogmatism and theological frameworks that protect power structures.
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Colonial frameworks of reading the Bible have displaced the voices of those who were closest to the original context of scripture.
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Transformation is possible, but it requires humility, relationships, and spaces where people can ask hard questions without fear.
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Urgency matters ā personal and institutional change cannot come at the cost of marginalized communities' well-being.
š„ Notable Quotes
š£ļø "Dobson taught us to break children like we break horses. But what does that say about our own brokenness?" ā Lisa Sharon Harper
š£ļø "Scripture can't only be understood one way across all time and culturesāthat's not reverence, that's colonialism." ā Joe Smith
š£ļø "People's freedom can't wait for our paradigm shift." ā Lisa Sharon Harper
š Resources & Mentions
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Fortune: How Race Broke My Family and the World, and How to Repair It All by Lisa Sharon Harper - lisasharonharper.com/fortune
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If God Still Breathes, Why Canāt I? by Dr. Angela Parker - www.eerdmans.com/9780802879264/if-god-still-breathes-why-cant-i
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Lisa's Substack post on the passing of James Dobson - substack.com/home/post/p-171912453
š Connect with the Guests
-
Lisa Sharon Harper
Substack - lisasharonharper.substack.com
Instagram - www.instagram.com/lisasharper -
Joe Smith
Meizon Church GNV -Ā www.meizonchurch.com
Instagram - www.instagram.com/therealjoe.smith
š£ Calls to Action:
ā TELL A FRIEND ABOUT TP&R!!! Bring more folks into the conversation.
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