Sarah Lane Ritchie: a Minimally Viable God Concept

Homebrewed Christianity

Dr. Tripp Fuller | Theologian, Philosopher, Minister

Christianity, Religion & Spirituality

4.6 • 612 Ratings

🗓️ 7 March 2022

⏱️ 98 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

What does it sound like when two friends discuss their struggle with the concept of God? If those friends also have a shared interest in science, philosophy, and religion it could sound like this. My super-nerd friend, Sarah Lane Ritchie, is back on the podcast for a strikingly honest conversation about God and what is required for a “minimally viable” concept. It centers on three particular affirmations: God is personal God is transcendent God provides for postmortem existence Dr. Sarah Lane Ritchie received her B.A. in Philosophy & Religion from Spring Arbor University, an M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary, and an M.Sc. in Science & Religion from the University of Edinburgh. She obtained her Ph.D. at the University of Edinburgh in Science & Religion with a thesis on divine action and the human mind, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of St. Andrews. She has published a book with Cambridge University Press and numerous articles in academic journals, and continues research in the field of science and religion. Sarah’s Previous Podcast Visits Staff Lounge Shenanigans Can Scientists study gods, souls, and rituals? an Integrated Physicality and the Sacred Trilogies, Atonement Power Rankings, & Sex Work at Happy Hour Everyone You Ever Loved Will Die, so Merry Christmas! Kombucha, Meditation, Tarot, and Stink Bombs Don’t forget to join Tripp & Diana this Lent for an open online class – Jesus De/constructed! Details here. Follow the podcast, drop a review, or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Oh, yeah, theology nerds. This is Tripp. And you're listening to Homebrewed Christianity.
0:13.1	And today on the podcast, we have a return visit from Sarah Lane Richie, scholar of religion and science.
0:20.3	Very good friend of mine. And we talk about God.
0:24.7	That's right. In fact, we talk about the minimal, viable concept of God. Like what exactly
0:31.6	do you really need in the concept of God for it to be worth God. Yeah, that's what we talk about.
0:40.1	This gets to whether or not God's personal, whether or not God's transcendent, whether or not
0:43.7	God does anything, and how religious traditions would relate to that concept of God.
0:48.9	Yeah, exactly. It's a nerdy, fun conversation, religion, science, theology, all right here in this episode.
0:56.0	This is why I love doing this podcast. Since 2008, I've been bringing you interviews with scholars so that wisdom that's locked up in the ivory tower gets right into your earbuds so you can think, reflect, and wrestle with faith.
1:11.6	And this episode is a great example of that.
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1:24.7	Go to homebrewd community.com.
1:27.3	That's right. When you go to homebrewd community.com. That's right.
1:28.0	When you go to homebrewd community.com, you too can support the podcast.
1:34.9	Not only will you be able to go to bed at night, knowing that you help bring this stuff
1:40.2	to the masses, but you'll get access to the members-only super secret community podcast feed
1:46.1	with over 150 episodes going through all sorts of previous homebrewed classes, special lectures
1:51.4	and talks, and special members-only podcast sessions like our monthly hang out with Diana Butler
1:58.1	Bass called Ruinning Dinner, where we talk about religion,
2:01.1	politics, and culture that are in the news that month.
2:05.0	Yeah, that's what I'm talking about.
	...

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