Hey Theology Nerds! What an absolute banger of an episode we’ve got for you - two live conversations straight from the wild and wonderful chaos of Theology Beer Camp 2025 in St. Paul. First up, I sit down with the incomparable Diana Butler Bass and my co-host Sarah Heath to dive into Diana’s brand new book A Beautiful Year - and let me tell you, it’s peak DBB, friends. We’re talking about seasons and spirituality, finding God in the everyday rhythm of time, and how the church might just be walking away from us while we’re walking toward it (trust me, it makes sense when Diana explains it).
Then we pivot to my friends Andy and Kara Root, who share some nuggets of wisdom from their new book A Pilgrimage into Letting Go: Helping Parents and Pastors Embrace the Uncontrollable - basically, how to not completely screw up raising kids in a world that’s accelerating faster than we can keep up with.
Both conversations get real about control, confession, and finding those holy moments we can’t manufacture but desperately need. So do yourself a favor: grab both of these books, and while you’re at it, get on the list for Theology Beer Camp 2026 - because where else are you gonna find 600 theology nerds singing Bohemian Rhapsody together? Head over here to sign up for all the info. Trust me, you don’t want to miss what we’re cooking up for next year!
Register for the NEW ADVENT CLASS with Diana Butler Bass!
Join us for a transformative four-week Advent journey exploring how the four gospels speak their own revolutionary word against empire—both in their ancient context under Roman occupation and for our contemporary world shaped by capitalism, militarism, and nationalism.
Advent marks the beginning of the church year—an invitation to step out of the empire’s time and into God’s time, where the last are first, the mighty are scattered, and a child born in occupied territory changes everything.
This course invites you into an alternative calendar and rhythm. While our modern world races through December toward consumption and productivity, Advent calls us to a different time—a counter-imperial waiting, a subversive hope, a radical reimagining of how God enters the world.
Each week, we’ll hear one gospel’s unique vision of the birth narrative, allowing Matthew, Luke, John, and Mark to speak in their own voices about what it means for God to show up when empires think they’re in control. We’ll discover how these ancient texts of resistance offer wisdom for our own moment of political turmoil, economic inequality, and ecological crisis.
Four Livestreamed Sessions - Each session focuses on one of the gospels and includes a mini-lecture followed by a conversation between Diana and Tripp.
Live QnA with Diana and Tripp - Engage with Diana and Tripp, ask pressing questions, and enrich your understanding during our interactive QnA sessions.
Exclusive Online Community - Connect with fellow learners and dive into discussions, sharing insights and reflections.
Replays Available for Livestreams - You can participate fully without being present at any specific time. Livestreams will be available for replay on the Class Resource Page.
ASYNCHRONOUS CLASS: Livestream replays are available on the Class Resource Page. You can participate fully without being present at any specific time.
COST: A course like this is typically offered for $250 or more, but we invite you to contribute whatever you can (including $0) to help make this possible for everyone!
