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A pastor, a Trekker, and a Star Wars fan walk into a recording session... That’s the set-up for this series which explores the intersection of religion and science fiction. The three hosts -- Drew, Dan, and Pastor Dave -- discuss a particular theological topic as it morphs through the sci fi realm. Well, Pastor Dave tries to keep Drew and Dan focused on one particular topic. He really tries. Their mothers should have warned him.
Episodes
Wednesday Mar 01, 2023
Wednesday Mar 01, 2023
We're back! Season 2 finally launches after a long hiatus: going underground to escape the Shadow Bishop, Drew and Dan performing with Figrin D'an on his intergalactic concert tour as a covert cover, and rescuing Pastor Dave from the Spa of Innumerable Unpleasures. (Drew and Dan will post recovered audio from their SighOps debriefs as the season goes on.)
In this episode: live play! We begin Season 2 with actual play of The Quiet Year. In Season 1, Pastor Dave lamented the lack of sci fi about Lutherans in space. Now, in a bout of hard-set wish fulfillment, he teaches Drew and Dan how to play The Quiet Year, with this set-up: the ELCA's first colony ship has just landed on Mars. How can they eek out an existence in the harsh environment of Mars? Did NASA pack casserole dishes in the supply ship? And is there a good spot for a Holy Suspension Bridge?
All this and more await you in this start to Season 2!
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For more of our shenanigans, be sure to follow us on Twitter! We're @churchnspace.
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Credits:
Editor Extraordinaire: Cathy Rinella of Merodi Media
Co-Producers & Co-Hosts: Dave Kamphuis & Drew Nelsen
Producer & Plucky Sidekick: Dan Mushalko
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"It's not going to do any good to land on Mars if we're stupid."
Thursday Nov 03, 2022
Thursday Nov 03, 2022
After a long hiatus due to the rigors and chaos of our modern lives -- and not at all due to a massive theological conspiracy to silence those who question religious dogma within the framework of deeply informed speculative fiction, nor who believe The Rings of Power IS canon -- Church in Space will return in a few days.
Listen to the announcement for more.
If you dare!
Monday Sep 05, 2022
Monday Sep 05, 2022
In which Pastor Dave and Drew desperately try to make Dan an acolyte of baseball. They try pointing out that it's a Calvinist game, that you can be really out of shape to play (even professionally), and that there's a whole lot of physics and math involved. Will Dan be drawn in to this Cult of Sport? Or is he simply too far down the path of Nerdom to ever succumb?
On the way, Dan learns that American football may well be the wimpiest of all pro sports (but has the most money); OSU football fits the definition of a religion; and that getting cities to foot the bill for new stadia and arenas is an economic scam.
He does like baseball's practice of the walk-in song, so Drew devises our weekly game on that!
It's our riskiest, lowest sci fi show ever. Do we strike out or knock this one out of the park?
Remember to follow us on Twitter! We're @ChurchNSpace .
Sunday Aug 07, 2022
Sunday Aug 07, 2022
In which the 3Ds ponder the presence of aliens influencing human development in ancient times. Does the Bible document ETs amongst the prophets? On the way, we learn that Pastor Dave would make the universe's absolute worst Starfleet officer, who even now would feel much more comfortable in the Dark Ages. Meanwhile, Drew and Dan shudder at the possibility that the solution to the Fermi Pardox is simply that humans are the oldest and wisest life forms in the galaxy. We close with a few thoughts about the impact made by the late Nichelle Nichols, both on screen and off.
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Follow us on Twitter for a daily dose of...stuff. We're @churchnspace .
Saturday Jul 30, 2022
Saturday Jul 30, 2022
In which the 3Ds debate the merits of hard versus soft science fiction -- and wonder which type each of the Gospel writers would be fan boys of. Along the way, we learn that whoever wrote Matthew really didn't understand the point of poetry; the need for Bryce Dallas Howard and Leah Thompson to direct more sci fi (a lot more, please!); Alan Tudyk is the perfect anti-star; and Dan is disgusted at the utter and complete lack of science in Star Wars. Dave and Drew are shockingly not surprised in the slightest.
Friday Jul 22, 2022
Friday Jul 22, 2022
In which Pastor Dave does for evildoers what Carl Linnaeus did for life: creates a classification system useful in wretched hives of scum and villainy everywhere. The 3Ds promptly debate which villains -- one each from pop culture and the Bible -- fit into which categories. Thanos and Paul fit in the same phylum; Khan and Cain; Loki and Pilate; Palpatine and Ramses; and so many more! Along the way, Drew has visions of Bugs Bunny kicking in Hell's doors during the Harrowing. Dan, meanwhile, concludes that complete world domination just isn't worth all the work.
Sunday Jul 10, 2022
Sunday Jul 10, 2022
In which the 3Ds contemplate the role of monastics in space. From Dr. Who to Stargate, monk variants are almost ubiquitous in sci-fi -- usually resembling Catholic or Eastern Mystic traditions. And they almost always gain special powers through their faith. Of course, we talk Jedi, too; they're the low-hanging fruit, which doesn't stop us from figuring out that these Force-monks led to their own downfall. The good news for geeks: doctrine maintains that Christians are resident aliens, wherever they live...a thought that makes us feel right at home!
Thursday Jun 30, 2022
Thursday Jun 30, 2022
In which the 3-Ds contemplate Mad Max, and why the Southern Hemisphere's apocalyptic movies are so distinctly different from the Northern Hemisphere's apocalyptic movies. Australians, in particular, seem to enjoy their post-apocalyptic lives! Then it's on to Samuel L. Jackson's next role: the Punisher? Gandalf? Khan? You be the judge. It's the end of the world as we know it, distilled into a half-hour of smooth-sipping fun in the world's only barrel-aged podcast.
Sunday Jun 26, 2022
Sunday Jun 26, 2022
In which the 3-Ds return after an unplanned hiatus (due to unannounced "rolling blackouts," storms, and unseasonal high heat), we discuss the portrayal of climate change in science fiction. Because reality. On the way, we discover that Dan is the world's most dangerous lab partner...Drew is hip on hops as we plan the official church brewery...and Pastor Dave reveals he dreams of becoming Emperor Dave, benevolent ruler of the entire universe. We suspect he'd become Darth Kamphuis.
It took a while to get this show to you -- what with podcasting requiring electricity and all -- but it's well worth the wait!
Thursday Jun 09, 2022
Thursday Jun 09, 2022
In which the 3-Ds build on a question from our last episode: who are you, really? It's all about identity this time around. We must be having an identity crisis, because all three of us are unusually serious in this show. "To thine own self be true," quoth Shakespeare...but who be thee? Does your identity change depending on the situation, or are you always the same person at your core? Does your personality change into your favorite character the more you play a particular game? What's the real identity of a superhero: the mask or the person behind it? Does your job define you? Is Lord of the Rings more realistic in its characters' identities than Game of Thrones? Why do I ask so many questions in these show descriptions?