What are the five stages of the spiritual life (as identified by Brian McLaren)? Do we dilute the Gospel by starting with the bad news? And have you ever peed on a frog?

These important questions all come up in this, our second episode from Greenbelt festival 2022.

Greenbelt was wonderful this year. You should go to the next one.

A festival review is only a sort of festival, as Graham Greene sort of said. Everyone's experience of Greenbelt, in particular, will be different.

This episode shares our thoughts about the best parts we experienced of Britain's best and most inclusive festival, but we'd love to hear what your highlights were. So please get in touch!

Is Greenbelt festival a guilty pleasure for evangelicals, a Church without the hassle of 365day pastoral care or a breaking through of the kingdom of God?

Paul Northup Greenbelt festival Beer Christianity

We talk to Paul Northup, Creative Director (aka Big Dog) of Britain’s best festival about the inclusion of Richard Dawkins at a Christian festival, what inclusion means and what makes Greenbelt a special space for so many people.

Paul takes time out of his busiest and most stressful time of year to talk to the Beer Christianity Crew about how Greenbelt has changed over the years, the challenges of creating a safe and yet challenging space and the difficulties of putting on a festival that does something fundamentally different from other Christian, art or justice events.

We also talk about his time as a rock star (a term he laughingly rejects) and the VERY surprising speaker Greenbelt get pressured to invite (you will be shocked). Greenbelt is the ultimate broad church, while still remaining true to the faith.

If you’re anywhere near the UK, it is not too late to book your tickets to Greenbelt. Visit https://www.greenbelt.org.uk and come!

It should have been a shot of Amarula. Or good Cape wine. But in this short sharp shot, Jonty sips on some terrible sweet bubbly and tells you about all the animals that have tried to attack his wife recently - as well as an encounter of sorts with another religious in South Africa's Kruger National Park.

Glories of creation, all things not so bright and beautiful, coming to you from South of the equator.

It's the clash of cultures! It's a battle royale between two podcast hosts of different faiths! It's a competition to see which religion is better! (It's none of these things.)

Christian v Muslim podcast

It IS a joint episode, published in slightly different forms, by both Beer Christianity and the Amreekies podcast, hosted by the lovely Ehab who you have heard on our show before.

So Amreekies listeners and Beer Christianity listeners will hear largely the same thing, with some key differences. Mostly those differences are that poor Ehab had to edit out Jonty's swears.

You can listen to both versions and see which one you like best!

Ehab and Jonty share their thoughts on dealing with depression and anxiety while performing and hosting, being a niche version of your faith and demonstrating another side of your faith to outsiders. They also talk about podcast producing angst,, not being a very good Christian/Muslim and how the Ummah will triumph. You should listen!

This episode very kindly produced by Ehab from Amreekies. Because Jonty was slow.

Is anyone else a little alarmed by how quickly so many people have begun singing off the same jingoistic and bellicose hymn sheet?

Ukraine propaganda and warIs anyone a little freaked out by how the rhetoric around the evil happening in Ukraine right now seems to ignore very similar things 'our side' has done?

Is Jonty the only one who worries about critical thinking when everyone seems to be parroting 'He's insane / evil' but is doing pretty much what most leaders in his position have done (including our own)?

Probably just Jonty, and if these questions alone make you angry you are going to HATE this episode and should probably skip it.

Just asking some questions...

Beer Christianity SHO(R)Ts are only about 15 minutes long and are more compact and punchy than our full episodes. Which are also great.

All Boris do is eat hot chip and lie. So we talk about that. As well as following up on listeners' letters, including more thoughts on what defines a Christian; slapping compassion into Tories; Boris Johnson's general awfulness and what we look for in a leader.

We also cover Geordie Kieffer (peace be on his house), whether it's better for some churches not to call themselves inclusive and what the hell you call it when women aren't allowed to preach.

We should have called this episode something about BB guns, but honestly I can't remember exactly what. Special shout out for anyone who both listens to the end and reads this and contacts us to tell us what that presumed title would be!

Who is the law for? Why do the police get called for some wrongdoing and not other, usually 'white-collar' crimes? Can I call the police if my boss doesn't pay me on time? And if not, why can they call the cops when I take my salary out of petty cash?

In this short episode, Jonty asks if we are conformed to the thinking of this world in accepting who the police and law truly serve.

Patriotism, prayer for the Big Sad and a port-flavoured man-toe.

Laura looking tired with "I'm TIYAHD" written on itLau-Lau, Malky and Jonts answer listeners' letters SUPER late, and discuss British v American Christian patriotism; suffering and the theodicy and whether we are EXvangelicals.

So if you want to hear about virgin sacrifice in Oxford, Malky's diagram of healing, scumbag pseudo-Christian newspapers, what Westboro Baptist got right and why one of us is a disgrace, you should listen.

It's Christianity without the labels. It's beer for the ear. It's faith, hops and love.

Also, there's an Easter egg at the end that calls for credit to be given because it is based on an original work by Crowander, used under a Creative Commons license.

School Yard by Crowander has been edited and become I'm TIYAHD by MC LauLau. You should check Crowander out.

Also: write to us!

Jonty talks ponders the dangers in making statements about what 'Christians believe' and the foolishness of pretending that there is only one type of Christian (or one way of being a Christian). He also ponders the orb.

But if there are many ways to follow Jesus, where are the boundaries? Where does a different approach become heresy, or just not specifically Christian? Is following Jesus really just a matter of identity?

We don't really have any answers - but you might! So get in touch and tell us your thoughts. Get in touch! beerchristianity[that squiggly symbol with the 'a' in it]yahoo[dotcom]

Happy Halloween!

Can Christians like Halloween legitimately? Is there something wrong with the 'glorification of darkness' that is inherent in dressing up as a fictional Transylvanian? Or are Christians who hate Halloween actually being kind of insulting and damaging their witness? Jonty discusses with a spooky Goth voice in this special Beer Christianity Halloween episode.

It's spooky season! Aka Goth Christmas. Aka The (real) Most Wonderful Time of the Year. In honour of that, we're talking monsters, horror and,, the Bible?

Brandon Grafius horror beerHorror movies are deeper than you think - and more Christian! Dr Brandon Grafius, Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies at Ecumenical Theological Seminary, Detroit, joins Malky, Jonty and Laura to talk monster theory, the Bible and Horror.

We cover some of the best horror with Christian significance, how religion itself can be a source of horror and the bizarre phenomenon of 'hell houses'.

If you're sceptical of horror films and whether they can be substantial and edifying, or of you want to know more about what makes this popular genre tick, you'll enjoy this. And if you don't there's lots of jokes and beer. Share it with your horror loving/hating friend!

Brandon's book for the Devil's Advocate series, The Witch, is available in libraries and bookstores. Keep an eye out for Brandon Grafius' next book, coming out October 2022.

If baptism means dying to sin, what does sin mean for progressives? And how is our treatment of people we deem sinful any different from the judgemental Christians we don't want to be?

Jonty meditates on this as well as the TV dramas The North Water and Midnight Mass.

God's healing from the pulpit? Is it unfaithful not to? Is there a better way than damaging optimism or modern day Sadduceeism?

Jonty and Laura chat on the way to go bowling.

Beer Christianity SHO(R)TS are shorter episdoes of Beer Christianity sharing thoughts on issues of religious, political or social interest.

A short sharp shot of an episode, talking about the petrol crisis in the UK and judging panic buyers.

Jonty drives his car around to talk about petrol shortages. Never knowingly not on brand.

Here's a more chill explanation. With less road rage.

Three Christians and a Muslim walk into a bar... They get along famously. The end.

Ehab Jalal is the producer, director, host and editor of The Amreekies podcast - a show about being Arab, Muslim and American. It has a very similar vibe to Beer Christianity (but with significantly less swearing and a LOT less drinking).

Ehab talks to us (over a kombucha) about being 14 and recently returned to the US when 9-11 happened; how it feels when people try to convert you and the Christian who has been a big influence on his spirituality.

We also talk about Taybeh, the American dream beer produced in Christian Palestine and what Ehab wants you to know about 'the Old Country'.

White supremacy, the assumption of white superiority and white normalcy, as well as patriarchy and what the hell might be wrong with evangelicalism. We tackle these and other thorny topics with writer, broadcaster, Greenbelt Trustee and Christian Aid Head of Public Engagement, Chine McDonald.

We also talk:

'Pretty Jesus' and the othering of God

Why Margaret Thatcher wasn't great despite being a woman

Whether writers are worth as much as designers

Gay TikTok (a LOT)

Whether evangelicalism can be redeemed or whether it can be chucked in the bin

How to be an ally

You can get Chine's book God is Not a White Man in all good bookstores (and as an audiobook).

Visit ChineMcDonald.com for more about what Chine is doing and more of her work.

Christian Aid is an excellent charity doing a lot of good in the world. Check Christian Aid out here.

Is it ever okay for Christians to break the law? Many Christians believe it's fine in the fight against injustice. But how far can we legitimately take that resistance? And what about the Bible verses that tell us to submit to authorities?

Wale Hudson-Roberts is a justice enabler for the Baptist Union of Great Britain and minister of a Church of England congregation. He joins us to talk about privilege, resistance and the use of force.

Symon Hill has been arrested for obstructing an arms fair in London and is an activist for peace groups. He talks to us about his experiences and how we're sometimes wrong about what is and isn't legal.

With two interviews, it's a long episode, but worth the time! Jump to the interviews at about 11 minutes in.

We also cover:

- Are football fans the worst?

- The slave rebellion led by a Baptist

- Palestinian struggles against oppression and colonisation

- A life hack to save you money

- Strong words for those who think mboat migrants should die

- Jonty's parenting advice

Here are some links to things that came up while we talked:

Jonty's article in Premier Christianity about resisting injustice (and that features quotes from these interviews).

Wale Hudson-Roberts on George Floyd

Holy crap! 50 episodes! Whodathunk?! In celebration, we got back with our first proper guests on the show, the amazing Harry and Chris!

Harry and Chris talk about their favourite episodes of Beer Christianity*, as well as sharing some incidents of animal cruelty, nudity and beer-based Narnia puns.

This bumper episode also features a retrospective of all 49 preceding ones and a discussion of what the point of the Christian life really is.

Full disclosure, we started recording after midnight on a Friday night and some of us had already had a few!

You can get hold of all Harry and Chris tour dates at harryandchris.com!