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Homebrewed Christianity

Cynthia Moe-Lobeda: Saints, Sinners, & Supply Chains: Living Faithfully in Economic Webs

Homebrewed Christianity

Dr. Tripp Fuller | Theologian, Philosopher, Minister

Religion & Spirituality, Christianity

4.6612 Ratings

🗓️ 2 October 2025

⏱️ 67 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

I had an incredible conversation with Cynthia Moe-Lobeda about her book Building a Moral Economy (the first in a six-book series!). We dug into how most Christians experience a profound disconnect between their faith and their economic lives—knowing intellectually that our consumer choices connect us to exploitation and ecological destruction, but feeling powerless to change systems that seem inevitable. Cynthia shared her own journey from despair to action, grounded in a mystical encounter that helped her hold both grief and hope simultaneously. She laid out a compelling vision for what a moral economy actually looks like: ecological, equitable, and democratic—three criteria that radically challenge financialized capitalism. The heart of our conversation was her framework of "10 fingers on the hands of healing change"—specific forms of action like living lightly, moving money, changing rules, and building a bigger "we." What moved me most was her insistence that our current economy isn't inevitable; it was built by human decisions and can be rebuilt differently. She reminded us that we're not isolated moral agents but a "we"—the body of Christ with diverse gifts for different kinds of action. If you've ever felt torn between providing for your family and the knowledge that our prosperity is connected to the crucified people of our world, this conversation offers a path forward rooted in resurrection faith and practical action. You can WATCH the conversation on YouTube Dr. Cynthia Moe-Lobeda is a Lutheran theologian, ethicist, and author who has dedicated her career to exploring the intersection of faith, economics, and justice. Her work focuses on building what she calls "economies for life"—economic systems that are ecological, equitable, and democratic. She is the author of Resisting Structural Evil and Building a Moral Economy. With decades of experience in ecumenical work and student ministry, Cynthia brings both academic rigor and pastoral wisdom to her writing, grounded in her conviction that the current economic system is not inevitable but can be transformed through collective action. ONLINE CLASS - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The God of Justice: Where Ancient Wisdom Meets Contemporary Longing⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join John Dominic Crossan, Peter Enns, Casey Sigmon, Aizaiah Yong, & Malcolm Foley As always, the class is donation-based, including 0. INFO & Sign-Up at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.FaithAndPolitics.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Theology Beer Camp ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠is a unique three-day conference that brings together of theology nerds and craft beer for a blend of intellectual engagement, community building, and fun. Guests this year include John Dominic Crossan, Kelly Brown Douglas, Philip Clayton, Stacey Floyd-Thomas, Jeffery Pugh, Juan Floyd-Thomas, Andy Root, Grace Ji-Sun Kim, Noreen Herzfeld, Reggie Williams, Casper ter Kuile, and more! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get info and tickets here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. _____________________ This podcast is a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Homebrewed Christianity⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ production. Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the Homebrewed Christianity⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Theology Nerd Throwdown⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Rise of Bonhoeffer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 75,000 other people by joining our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Substack - Process This!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get instant access to over 50 classes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.TheologyClass.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow the podcast, drop a review⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, send ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠feedback/questions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or become a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠member of the HBC Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:32.6

What is up, theology nerds? I want to ask you a question. Imagine this predicament I had. You're sitting

0:39.2

there on Dietrich Bonhofer's bed with your copy of his ethics, trying to create this amazing

0:45.9

moment with your son, telling the story of Bonhofer encountering it and in the back of your mind,

0:50.9

you're thinking, I purchased plane tickets that are contributing to the

0:55.4

climate crisis and you're feeling conflicted. Like, how do we live faithfully when every choice

1:00.7

seems to be complicated and confusing? We're simultaneously saint and sinners caught in webs of

1:06.8

economic relationships that sustain and harm. But what if that tension isn't just a reason for despair?

1:13.8

What if it's actually the birthplace of hope and a foundation for building something better?

1:19.3

Well, that is why I'm pumped to have Cynthia joining us in this conversation.

1:25.1

Cynthia is a professor at the Pacific Lutheran Theological School in the Bay Area

1:31.2

and has spent quite a bit of time working at the intersections of economics, ethics,

1:36.2

and hoping to create and generate a sustaining and practical way for us to work through

1:44.0

this dis-ease, this cross-pressure of our commitments

1:48.3

as Christians to the well-being of all life and thinking about the ways in which were

1:54.9

complicit and woven into a system. This was an amazing conversation. I absolutely enjoyed it, and I hope you do too. Enjoy.

2:09.6

Well, hello, everyone. This is Tripp, and I'm pumped to have Cynthia on the podcast for the first time.

2:16.7

I absolutely enjoyed reading her book, Building a Moral Economy.

...

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