Best Bruce Ellis Benson Podcasts (2024)

1
Deconstructing Jesus 32:26

16h ago32:26

32:26

In today’s episode, we’re be looking at Jesus. As with all historical figures, establishing exactly what happened is sometimes very difficult. In this episode, we’ll talk about the gospels and why they are problematic, both because they are propaganda and because they were written so long after Jesus lived. We’ll also talk about the distinction bet…

1
Trying to Make Sense of 'God' 37:25

12d ago37:25

37:25

Have you ever noticed that the God of the Bible, who is supposed to be the ultimate 'Good', is often petty, mean, and vengeful? In this episode, we'll consider, first, the argument that Feuerbach presents for how the concept of 'God' came into existence. Then we'll consider where the Hebrew concept of 'God' comes from (hint: it's not from God). Fin…

1
Is There a Correlation Between Religion and Happiness? 31:42

24d ago31:42

31:42

Does being religious make you any happier? In this episode, we consider whether 'religion' might make for a happier you. The problem, as soon becomes apparent, is that there are many senses and ways of being 'religious', some of which are likely better than others at making us happier.By Bruce Ellis Benson

1
What Does It Mean to Be Saved 35:26

1M ago35:26

35:26

The idea that Christianity is about salvation seems as fundamental as any idea or concept in Christian theology. In this episode, I first ask the question 'where does this idea come from?' More specifically, how did followers of Jesus come to interpret his death as somehow providing salvation? I don't think there's a clear answer to this question, …

1
The Need for the Ascetic Priest 31:21

1M ago31:21

31:21

How have priests or pastors served to make the slave revolt something permanent? It's that they heal the wound and inflict it at the same time. In this episode, we consider how the priest emerges in society to become the figure that channels the ressentiment of the slave and creates a new kind of being.…

1
A Nietzschean Analysis of Trumpianity 33:54

2M ago33:54

33:54

Both Christian and secular commentators have remarked on and questioned the close relationship between Trump and Evangelicals. Supposedly, there are such great differences between them that it's hard to see how they connect. But Trump and Evangelicals share a deep sense of ressentiment toward the world around them. In this episode, I argue that fai…

1
The Creation of the Concept 'Sinner' 36:21

2M ago36:21

36:21

All of our ideas and concepts come from somewhere. So where did the notion of 'sinner' come from? In this episode, we explore the distinction Nietzsche makes between master and slave morality. We'll begin by explicating the idea of master morality and then see how that morality compares to the morality of the slave or those on the bottom of the hie…

1
Is the Christian Concept of Sin a Form of Child Abuse? 49:02

2M ago49:02

49:02

This episode is the first in a new series titled 'Deconstructing Christianity', in which we will be examining fundamental Christian doctrines. We begin with the notion of sin, since that basic concept provides much of the scaffolding for Christianity as we know it. After explicating the Evangelical notion of sin, we then consider the extent it can …

1
Rethinking the Ten Commandments 38:53

2M ago38:53

38:53

You may have heard that the governor of Louisiana has decreed that the Ten Commandments must be posted in all public classrooms. In this episode, we'll consider what the effect of such a move might be. But we'll also take a look at the actual commandments themselves, which turn out to be somewhat less 'moral' than one might expect.…

1
In Praise of Pride 29:25

3M ago29:25

29:25

It's Pride Month! We begin the month with a reflection on pride as a vice and a virtue. My own experience of teaching Evangelical students is that they often don't know what to do with compliments since they are trying to avoid being 'prideful'. But there is nothing in the Bible that indicates that having a healthy self-respect is bad. Indeed, thin…

1
A Few Things You Might Want to Know about Me 32:41

4M ago32:41

32:41

In this episode, I discuss some aspects of my thinking. Although I've never been a rebel, I have always asked questions, including questions that have gotten me into trouble. While I believe that most human knowing isn't certain or indubitable, that doesn't mean that there can be no sense of 'knowledge'. Finally, I discuss how improvisation is the …

1
The Future of Religion (Part Two) 32:03

5M ago32:03

32:03

By Bruce Ellis Benson

1
The Future of Religion (Part One) 32:57

5M ago32:57

32:57

We're back, and more critically-minded than ever! After a brief hiatus due to a recent move, Dr. Benson returns to offer thoughts on where religion -- and religions -- may be headed.By Bruce Ellis Benson

1
PENSÉE: What Is Woke? 16:55

6M ago16:55

16:55

'Wokeness' has become a flashpoint in contemporary culture wars, and a major presence in media coverage of social policy, but do we really know what it means to 'be woke'? In this episode, Dr. Benson breaks down the history, context, and current state of the debates around 'wokeness.'By Bruce Ellis Benson

1
PENSÉE: Christian Nationalism in the Press 16:00

6M ago16:00

16:00

In this short episode, Dr. Benson discusses Ross Douthat's recent New York Times article "Four Ways of Looking at Christian Nationalism," and gives his own take on the current situation.By Bruce Ellis Benson

1
Alabama, Fetal Personhood, and Christian Nationalism 33:42

6M ago33:42

33:42

In this episode, Dr. Benson discusses the recent Alabama ruling that mixed theology with the law, disrupted fertility care across the state, declared frozen embryoes children, and brought out an issue that has become increasingly popular with Christian conservatives in the United States: fetal personhood. Can frozen embryoes really be considered ch…

1
PENSÉE:Bill Ackman, Free Speech, and Alumni Influence 13:35

7M ago13:35

13:35

In this episode, Dr. Benson discusses the role that Bill Ackman, a billionaire businessman and activist investor, has played in shaping debates about higher education.By Bruce Ellis Benson

1
Academic Bullying 34:37

7M ago34:37

34:37

In this episode, Dr. Benson discusses bullying and incivility in the Academic world, and how it harms professors, students, and even administrators. For more of this content, please subscribe to our Patreon (found in our twitter pinned tweet, or at patreon.com/onbecomingpodcast) for special bonus segments that will be posted after each episode, as …

1
PENSÉE: Academic Burnout 12:51

7M ago12:51

12:51

A short reflection on burnout, and the various factors that can cause it in the world of academia.By Bruce Ellis Benson

1
Academic Freedom 34:40

7M ago34:40

34:40

What is academic freedom? Why does it matter? Recent debates about politics and speech on college campuses have brought this issue into the mainstream. In this episode of On Becoming, Dr. Benson draws on his decades of experience as a professor and researcher to shed new light on the importance of academic freedom for the academy, as well as its de…

1
The State of Academia 31:59

7M ago31:59

31:59

By Bruce Ellis Benson

1
The Attack on Scholarship 31:42

7M ago31:42

31:42

By Bruce Ellis Benson

1
Is College Worth It?: The Value of Higher Education (Part Two) 28:01

7M ago28:01

28:01

In this episode, Dr. Benson goes into more details about the variety of options provided to students at different types of schools, and how these impact their experiences. Utilizing his years of experience as a professor, Dr. Benson discusses the elements of a college education that are perhaps less tangible and less directly-connected to financial…

1
Is College Worth It?: The Value of Higher Education 32:26

8M ago32:26

32:26

Is college worth it? With tuition prices at stratospheric highs, and the burden of student loans constantly in the news, Dr Benson discusses the perceptions of college's value, as well as the financial considerations one must make. This is part one of a two-part series. In the next episode, Dr Benson will consider the value of higher education that…

1
PENSÉES: What is the Future of Higher Education 9:39

8M ago9:39

9:39

This episode is part of a new series from On Becoming. These shorter episodes — which we will call ‘Pensées, after the work of Blaise Pascal — will serve as ‘reflections’ on the general themes that will be addressed at greater length in our standard, full-length episodes each week. In this pensée, Dr. Benson discusses the idea of what the future of…

1
Religion as a Way of Life (Part 3) 30:37

8M ago30:37

30:37

After a brief holiday break we are back with part three of the 'Religion as a Way of Life' series!By Bruce Ellis Benson

1
Religion as a Way of Life (Part One) 31:58

9M ago31:58

31:58

By Bruce Ellis Benson

1
Where Does Religion Come From? (Part Two) 30:26

9M ago30:26

30:26

In this episode, Dr. Benson continues his discussion of Ross Douthat's New York Times op-ed 'Where Does Religion Come From?'By Bruce Ellis Benson

1
Where Does Religion Come From? (Part One) 32:19

9M ago32:19

32:19

In this episode, Dr. Benson discusses Ross Douthat's recent New York Times op-ed 'Where Does Religion Come From?,' offers his take on where Douthat goes wrong, and gives his own take on the question.By Bruce Ellis Benson

1
What Is Conversion (Sunday School with Dr.Benson) 10:49

10M ago10:49

10:49

This short episode on conversion is an example of the bonus content that is made available to those who support the podcast on Patreon. If you are interested in more, please subscribe at https://www.patreon.com/onbecomingpodcast !By Bruce Ellis Benson

1
The Death of God (Part Two) 32:15

10M ago32:15

32:15

In this episode, Dr. Benson continues to explore the context and implications of one of the best-known statements in the history of philosophy: "God is dead."By Bruce Ellis Benson

1
The Death of God 33:33

10M ago33:33

33:33

In this episode, Dr. Benson discusses his experience at last week's conference, Theology Beer Camp, and further examines Nietzsche's critique of Christianity.By Bruce Ellis Benson

1
The Prayers and Tears of Friedrich Nietzsche (PartThree) 34:05

11M ago34:05

34:05

In the final episode of our Nietzsche series, Dr. Benson discusses his final thoughts on Nietzsche's life and work, and adds a bit of detail about how his own philosophical itinerary brought him to Nietzsche's thought.By Bruce Ellis Benson

1
The Prayers and Tears of Friedrich Nietzsche (Part Two) 32:06

11M ago32:06

32:06

In this episode, Dr. Benson continues the series on Nietzsche, and goes in-depth on Nietzsche's "Thus Spoke Zarathustra."By Bruce Ellis Benson

1
The Prayers and Tears of Friedrich Nietzsche (Part One) 27:05

11M ago27:05

27:05

In this episode, Dr. Benson begins a discussion of theological elements in Nietzsche's life and work.By Bruce Ellis Benson

1
Gadamer Course Preview 6:38

11M ago6:38

6:38

If you've already signed up for the Gadamer course, you might be interested in hearing what we'll be discussing. For those of you who have been meaning to sign up (but just haven't gotten around to it yet), you might find it interesting too. If you're interested in signing up, don't forget that the deadline is October 1st. To sign up, you can conta…

1
Kierkegaard on the Paradox 33:08

11M ago33:08

33:08

In this episode, I share a recent presentation on Kierkegaard. I was part of a workshop on contradictions in theology and my assignment was to present on Kierkegaard and the paradox. The context for the workshop was the problem of contradiction in two major doctrines in Christianity: the trinity (3 in 1) and the incarnation (fully human, fully divi…

1
Is Loneliness A Silent Pandemic?: Part Two 33:47

12M ago33:47

33:47

In this episode, Dr. Benson further elaborates on loneliness, and addresses strategies that we can use to regain a sense of community.By Bruce Ellis Benson

1
Is Loneliness A Silent Pandemic?: Part One 31:50

12M ago31:50

31:50

In this episode, Dr. Benson talks about loneliness. After the Covid-19 pandemic, loneliness is certainly a topic that many feel well-acquainted with, yet putting a finger on exactly how it affects us and how we can deal with it is a challenge.By Bruce Ellis Benson

1
Everything You Wanted to Know about Deconstruction (But Were Afraid to Ask) Part Two 31:08

12M ago31:08

31:08

In this concluding episode, we consider how Derrida's thought was received. Unfortunately, many people came to think that Derrida was a relativist or skeptic or some other bad thing. Yet Derrida strongly rejected any such reading of his work. And then he went on to say that justice cannot be deconstructed since justice is an absolute ideal. We fini…

1
Everything You Wanted to Know about Deconstruction (But Were Afraid to Ask) Part One 30:14

12M ago30:14

30:14

It's not everyday that a technical term used by a philosopher becomes a common word that most everyone knows. But, as is often the case when things get disconnected from their original context, the meaning can change or even become something quite different than the philosopher intended. Such is the case with 'deconstruction'. In this episode, you'…

1
Is Communication Really Possible? Part Two 31:55

1y ago31:55

31:55

In this episode, we conclude our exploration into Husserl’s idea of how communication is possible by considering the distinction between text and context, or meaning and significance. Husserl insists that all meaning is set within a horizon. However, if the text’s or person’s horizon is different from ours, then that significantly affects the possi…

1
Is Communication Really Possible? Part One 31:58

1y ago31:58

31:58

In this episode, I consider what makes communication possible by way of turning back to Edmund Husserl, the famed founder of phenomenology. Then we turn to questions posed by Derrida regarding whether Husserl is right about how communication works and the extent to which direct and complete communication is possible.…

1
Interview with Liz Edman--Part Two 42:06

1y ago42:06

42:06

In this second half of our interview with Liz Edman, we turn explicitly to her book. To get a bit more context for this second half of the interview, you may want to listen to that part first. As you'll hear, Liz speaks very powerfully about what the church can learn from queer people. Liz contends that the Bible is deeply queer, though you'll disc…

1
First Anniversary Episode 27:59

1y ago27:59

27:59

It's with great delight that I present our first anniversary episode! We've already had many interesting and, I hope, helpful episodes on big philosophical and theological questions. In this episode, I consider the various themes we've discussed and how they relate to the continuing development of the podcast. But I also have a surprise announcemen…

1
Interview with Liz Edman--Part One 35:48

1y ago35:48

35:48

This episode begins a two-part series with The Revd Liz Edman, author of Queer Virtue. Liz (she/her) is an Episcopal priest and political strategist who has been igniting people's understanding of Christianity and queer life for more than 25 years. She has served as an inner city hospital chaplain to people with HIV/AIDS from 1989 to 1995, helping …

1
The Philosopher Who Changed My Life Forever--Part Two 31:39

1y ago31:39

31:39

In this episode, I continue our discussion of the thought of Hans-Georg Gadamer. We explore how coming to think like Gadamer makes one open to new ideas. He speaks of being 'radically undogmatic' and, as I point out in this episode, that was the way he did philosophy. I also talk about how the students whom I've taught Gadamer found that they chang…

1
The Philosopher Who Changed My Life Forever 29:34

1y ago29:34

29:34

When I first read Gadamer, it was as if my eyes were opened. Reading his work broadened my mind and helped me understand everything from theology and philosophy to what I do as a jazz musician. In this episode, I discuss some of the aspects that were so welcome to hear and put so many things into perspective.…

1
Resisting Forgiveness Oppression--Part Two 29:13

1y ago29:13

29:13

In this episode, I conclude our discussion of forgiveness and, specifically, the idea of forgiveness oppression. Victims of abuse and violence are often pressured to forgive their perpetrators, despite a lack of remorse or a change of behaviour. I show how Jesus' teachings have been significantly distorted to create the norm of unconditional forgiv…

1
Resisting Forgiveness Oppression--Part One 33:14

1y ago33:14

33:14

Victims of abuse and violence are often pressured to forgive their perpetrators. The idea of unconditional forgiveness—forgiveness granted regardless of apology, remorse, or change of behaviour—has become a norm for many in the west and those who refuse to forgive are often seen as resentful and bitter. Yet those imploring forgiveness are often the…

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