Dr. David Gushee returns to continue the timely discussion of his new book, The Moral Teachings of Jesus. Ken and David expand on the Golden Rule. Gushee’s doctoral work at Union Seminary focussed on ethics and the Holocaust. His work on the horrors of torture got the attention of Christianity Today when the horrific American abuses against prisoners held at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay came to light. Christian military officials asked the magazine for guidance. In reponse, David was commissioned to write CT’s extensive cover story. In it, he clarified, “the prohibition on torture in international law admits no exceptions,” and then offered an ethical treatise rooted in Jesus’ teaching. Dr. Gushee expands on Jesus’ emphasis on what we do over what we say - “By our fruit” we will be known. He points to the heavy implications that relate to money and wealth in Jesus’ direct challenge. No one can serve both God and money. “Where your heart is, there will your treasure be.” It’s a lively, insightful conversation filled with wisdom, humor and common sense - especially valuable for those sorting out the demands of toxic religion from the potent, life-altering teachings of the Rabbi from Nazareth. SHOW NOTES

The Moral Teachings of Jesus: Radical Instruction in the Will of God

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As promised, here is the heartwarming, personal story - when Mark Bodnarczuk reached out to Philip Yancey’s brother Marshall. Phillip shared Marshall’s story in his memoir and on the podcast. The two brothers responded to their father’s early death and their hyper-fundamentalist church in their own unique way. Philip became a prolific writer of Christian books. Marshall began as a young musical prodigy. Many who knew him expected that he would entertain audiences as an accomplished concert pianist. Instead, as Philip attests, Marshall dropped out of college and became one of the “first real hippies in Atlanta.” Through the decades, he suffered some serious health issues. Today from his wheelchair, he has difficulty communicating. A serious stroke has affected his speech. He understands what people say, but his responses are labored. When Mark Bodnarczuk’s job at Stanford put him close to Marshall’s home, he reached out to Philip’s brother. The two have become mutually supportive friends. In this special episode of the podcast, both Philip and Mark share their versions of this touching story. SHOW NOTES

March 2024 Podcast with Mark | Purchase the Book on Amazon | Mark’s Official Website

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The Two Kens are back with their take on the Presidential Debate. Just a few days later, the spin masters have already had their impact, obscuring Kamala Harris’ blistering victory over her opponent, Donald Trump. Most everyone agreed, including Republican politicians and pundits, that Harris won. Kemp and Fong recorded the day after the debate, with fresh commentary from start to finish. Harris took command from the beginning, with a confident handshake and greeting to a surprised and hesitant Trump. Some 67 million viewers watched the debate. The Two Kens celebrate “the sweet smell of hope” as Harris keeps the high energy enthusiasm alive. She invites the television audience to take in a Trump rally to see the madness for themselves. Trump takes her bait, reverting to crowd size, tropes about immigration, Project 2025, and insane asylums. Perhaps his most outrageous Trump comment was his self-assured claim that immigrants “are eating the dogs!” When challenged by a fact-checking moderator, he doubled down. This false claim has sparked a huge controversy and put the town of Springfield, Ohio in the crosshairs of bomb threats and racist attacks. Trump pathetically visited the “Spin Room,” claiming a victory that was not his. It’s a lively retrospective on an historic night.

Ken’s Substack Article - “They’re Eating the Dogs”

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Ken welcomes Mark Bodnarczuk back to the podcast. As he shared with Ken in March of this year, the fentanyl crisis in our country is real - and made an unwelcome visit to his home. Thomas, Mark’s then 17-year-old son, took a pill he bought on the Internet that he believed was Xanax. He died a short time after swallowing the tablet. The autopsy showed that it was fentanyl - a deadly dose in a single pill. It’s the subject of his new book (to be released October 15) - Finding New Life After the Death of My Son: Grace and Forgiveness in the Age of Counterfeit Pills and Fentanyl Poisoning. Mark shares his faith journey, and the impact of this unthinkable tragedy on his understanding of God, the Bible, science, and his years of therapy. A graduate of a Christian school (Wheaton College), his career has taken him to Stanford University and the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, which is currently building the largest digital camera for space exploration ever made. Mark’s keen interest in science, from the atom to the cosmos has also been influenced by the work of famed psychologist Carl Jung. Mark shares how psychology and science have shaped his faith, his love for the Bible, and his capacity to forgive. It’s a very personal story that takes us from the courtroom to the mountains of Colorado to the labyrinth - both inner and outer. Ken and Mark talk about significant authors including C.S. Lewis, Tim Keller, John Ortburg, and Philip Yancey (who write the Foreword to Mark’s book). SHOW NOTES

March 2024 Podcast with Mark | Purchase the Book on Amazon | Mark’s Official Website

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David Gushee - author, ethicist and global influencer - returns to talk about his new book entitled The Moral Teachings of Jesus: Radical Instruction in the Will of God. Professor Gushee, like Ken, interacts with many folks of all ages and stages who have become disillusioned with Christianity - particularly the evangelical version that has become identified with political conservatism. Often, while deconstructing religion, these same people will report - Jesus’ life and teaching remain relevant and compelling. Ken takes the opportunity to ask some questions he’s had for a long time: Why did my tradition focus way more on Paul than Jesus? Since the four gospels were written years after Jesus, how can we rely on them as an accurate account of the teachings of Jesus? Has the “Great Commission” in Matthew 28 been misrepresented and misunderstood to justify colonialism? Imperialism? To make the world like us? What about Matthew 25? Was Jesus influenced by the community at Qumran? Ken and Dr. Gushee review a collection of Jesus’ teachings that are surprisingly relevant today. They include a review of Gushee’s graduate school mentor, Glen Stassen’s reading of the Sermon on the Mount, “no one can serve both God and mammon;” the “Golden Rule;” the house built on a rock; the rich man, Lazarus and “eternal conscious torment;” the woman caught in adultery; the Samaritan woman at the well, and more. Dr. Gushee finishes with a surprisingly powerful conclusion. SHOW NOTES

The Moral Teachings of Jesus: Radical Instruction in the Will of God

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Ken welcomes Darcy McKenzie back for a follow-up conversation post-DNC (Democratic Convention). When Tim Walz made his acceptance speech on Thursday Night, Darcy contacted her considerable network of political activists in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area to come to her home for a Tim Walz watch party. Local ABC affiliate Eyewitness News (Channel 5) sent a crew to Darcy and Dane’s home to interview her and her guests. Ken and Darcy talk about the enthusiastic celebration in her backyard as the Minnesota Governor accepted the nomination to be Kamala Harris’ Vice President as Gus cheered. They also offer a post-convention review. Ken checks in on Darcy’s reaction to Jill and Joe Biden, Michelle and Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Pete Buttigieg, Gabby Giffords, Mark Kelly, Governor Josh Shapiro, Maya Harris, and finally, Kalama’s acceptance speech. Darcy is a genuine insider - with insights and perspectives that bring clarity, conviction, and contagious excitement. SHOW NOTES

VIDEO - Minnesotans gather at watch parties to watch Walz DNC address

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The morning after the 2024 Democratic Convention closed with a dazzling acceptance speech from Kamala Harris. Ken Fong joins Ken for a week’s end review. Harris is the first woman of color in history to receive a party’s nomination for President of the United States. Kemp’s Substack Article became the theme of their talk, rooted in Abraham’s Inaugural Address from 1861 when he appealed to “the better angels of our nature.” They compare and contrast the RNC with the DNC. The Republican’s dystopian theme - “this country is going to hell” - will be remembered as a stark contrast with the Democrats by claiming “a future and a hope” and by calling for freedom from the unAmerican blueprint of Project 2025. Kemp says, “The DNC is an appeal to the better angels of our nature.” They discuss the poignant comments of Frank Schaeffer - the “atheist who believes in God” - on the presidential contest. The son of the famed Christian apologist Francis Schaeffer, Frank Jr. predicts utter disaster if Donald Trump wins. The two Ken’s hit the highlights of the week - Joe Biden’s passing of the baton to Harris. Michelle Obama’s lightning bolt of a speech riveted everyone in the packed arena and the millions of us who tuned in. “Who’s going to tell him that the job he’s currently seeking might just be one of those ‘Black jobs’?” she said. The surprise appearance of the Central Park Five reminded us of Trump’s efforts to have these innocent men executed. So many more. Adam Kinsinger. Gabby Gifford. Republican Mayor John Giles. Oprah Winfrey. Doug Emhoff. Kamala’s sister, Maya. Tim Walz’s rousing acceptance speech as his son Gus celebrated through his tears with irrepressible joy. And finally, the nominee herself, Kamala Harris accepted the nomination to the roar of the crowd. “America, let us show each other - and the world - who we are. And what we stand for. Freedom. Opportunity. Compassion. Dignity. Fairness. And endless possibilities.”

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Piper Dellums, keynote speaker, author, filmmaker, poet, and activist returns to the podcast as the nation’s political drama intensifies. Piper responded enthusiastically to Ken’s Substack article, “Yeah, … She’s a DEI hire” (a reflection on the Republican’s vain attempt to diminish the Democratic nominee for President, Kamala Harris.) Piper brings profound insight into the state of our nation. As an undergraduate at the University of California at Berkeley, Piper was an Alpha Kappa Alpha, Inc. (AKA) Sorority member, the same as Kamala Harris when she attended Howard University. No stranger to politics, Piper is the daughter of the late Honorable Ron Dellums who served as Mayor of Oakland California after he served for 28 years as a member of the United States House of Representatives. In the 80s and 90s, Congressman Dellums played an active role in pressuring South Africa to dismantle and outlaw the historically racist apartheid system. He was a personal friend to F.W. de Klerk, Nelson Mandela, and Bishop Tutu. Ken and Piper talk about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), the extraordinary rise of Kamala Harris, her popular running mate Tim Walz, and their eclipse of Donald Trump - relegating him to the shadows. On a very personal level, Piper shares her experience in a church that pressured her to remain in an abusive marriage - and how she found the strength to escape with the help and care of some unexpected, unlikely advocates. SHOW NOTES

Links: Piper’s Official Web Site | Piper’s YouTube Channel | Earthstock Summit

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