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Homebrewed Christianity

The Infancy Gospel of Thomas on the Big Screen

Homebrewed Christianity

Dr. Tripp Fuller | Theologian, Philosopher, Minister

Religion & Spirituality, Christianity

4.6612 Ratings

🗓️ 13 November 2025

⏱️ 56 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Wow, do we have a conversation for you! My filmmaker-theologian friend Sarey Martin Concepción and I sat down with director Lofty Nathan about his wild new film "The Carpenter's Son"—and let me tell you, this isn't your Sunday school Jesus. We're talking Nicholas Cage as Joseph (yes, he's a national treasure), FKA twigs bringing something totally unconventional to Mary, and demon snakes that literally made my phone start searching when I mentioned them. The film pulls from the Infancy Gospel of Thomas—one of those apocryphal texts that didn't make the canonical cut but the Coptic Orthodox Church has preserved—and asks the question nobody really wants to ask: what was it actually like for Jesus to figure out he was, you know, God? Nathan, who grew up Coptic Christian himself, doesn't sanitize anything here. We dig into all the big stuff: identity crises, divine vocation, the problem of suffering, and what happens when your kid can perform miracles but doesn't quite get the whole "with great power" thing yet. Fair warning: I watched this alone in the dark and those demon snakes freaked me out. But underneath the horror elements, there's this sincere, thoughtful wrestling with what incarnation really means. November 17th, folks—see it in theaters where you can properly freak out with other people. Sign up HERE to stay up to date on Theology Beer Camp 2026 & get EARLY ACCESS to the cheapest tickets.⁠⁠ ⁠⁠UPCOMING ONLINE ADVENT CLASS w/ 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. What will we experience? 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. This class is donation-based, including 0. You can sign-up at ⁠⁠⁠www.HomebrewedClasses.com⁠⁠⁠ 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 70,000other 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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0:00.0

Hey, friends, this is Tripp, and coming up this December, Diana Boller Bass is joining me for a four-week

0:10.0

Advent class, the journey up to Christmas, the beginning of the church year, and I would love

0:16.6

for you to join us. The class is called the beginning of another world, Advent against Empire, and each week

0:22.8

we're going to have a live stream and you'll get the recording and stuff as well that looks

0:27.7

at each of the four Gospels and the way in which they understand, describe, and wrestle with

0:34.0

the coming of God.

0:35.4

And we'll look at those texts, but also see what are the

0:37.8

invitations each of these gospel writers are giving us today? How can the coming of God in Christ

0:44.4

in that time help us reflect on the coming of God in ours? And if this sounds fun, if it sounds exciting,

0:51.6

if you want to connect with an online community, this advent,

0:54.9

then come and join me and Diana Butler Bass. It's donation-based, including zero.

1:00.9

And all you got to do is head over to homebrewdclasses.com. That's right. Homebrewdclasses.com.

1:07.5

Join up. Invite your friends. And, uh, you know, we'll see you online this Advent season.

1:14.8

Ever wondered if theological education was for you, but weren't sure who'd talk to about it.

1:20.9

Garrett's seminary is forming laity discernment cohorts to support people and discerning their

1:25.3

vocation and how to embrace it. Regardless of where

1:28.2

and how you were called, theological education can support you and offer tools for the journey.

1:33.2

Seminary gives you the knowledge to support your work in congregations and communities, the spiritual

1:38.0

formation to invigorate your leadership, and the practical skills you need to cultivate communities

1:42.7

of justice, compassion, and hope.

1:44.9

In Garrett's program, you'll meet monthly with 20 students who are on the same journey to talk through resources,

1:50.2

dream of how you can be in ministry, and dip your toe into the water of theological education.

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