Cocktail Theology
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Cocktail Theology
Life and God from a very broadly Christian perspective, with no filter, over cocktails. Progressive, Biblically grounded, LGBTQ-affirming, candid discussions about faith, life, politics, roller coasters, sex, and anything else that matters. ABOUT THE HOSTS Benton Stokes is a songwriter, a r...
Nedávné epizody
173 epizod
Is Fat A Spiritual Issue?
Does someone’s weight have anything to do with their spirituality? Well…it depends. Benton and Elane talk about body image and how the way we see ours...

Feel-Better Media For Frustrating Times
Benton and Elane chat about what books they’ve ben reading, what shows they’ve been streaming, and what music has been bringing them life lately.

Forgiveness
Elane and Benton talk about the complicated concept of forgiveness—what it is, when to do it, and when not to.
Cocktail: Closing Argument
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Antichrist
If ‘antichrist’ is an adjective describing anything that is antithetical to the way Jesus lived and what he taught, then why is the term being applied...

In/Of
If you’ve been a Christian any length of time, you’re familiar with the idea that even though we are “in the world,” we are not to be “of the world” (...
![How To [Re]start Reading The Bible](https://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/a/f/9/b/af9b7ffe522686ae16c3140a3186d450/43EF9795-8E81-46E0-8E18-B2E1BCBEBC59_1_105_c.jpeg)
How To [Re]start Reading The Bible
Elane and Benton chat about the Bible—what it is, what it isn’t, and how to start (or restart) reading it—all while enjoying a classic three-ingredien...

The Damage Dobson Did
Benton and Elane discuss the legacy of Dr. James Dobson, conservative Christian psychologist, radio personality, and political figure.
Cocktail:...

Manifesting Vs Praying
So suppose you REALLY want a BMW. Is it wrong to pray for a BMW? How disappointed will you be if God gives you a ’78 Maverick instead? Benton and Elan...

When To Leave Your Church (And When To Stay)
How do you know when it’s time to leave your church? Elane and Benton chat about the reasons why someone might choose to leave their church home—and t...

The Ins And The Outs
Benton attended his grandfather’s funeral and two different approaches to how one gets to heaven—or ends up in hell—were presented. He and Elane discu...

Selfish Or Self-Aware?
Elane and Benton discuss what it means to see someone—or oneself—as being selfish, and the distinctions between selfishness and self-awareness.
...

Is It Important To Be Nice?
Benton likes to be thought of as a nice person. But is being nice important? He and Elane chat about niceness, manners, kindness, and the fruits of th...

Why Something Bigger Matters
NEW EPISODE! In a world that is often upended because of our president’s whims, it’s important to have something bigger, more consistent and reliable,...

Church + State: Public Prayer Outside The White House
A listener shared a viral video that captures a circle of charismatic Christians praying freely and fervently outside the White House. Elane and Bento...

Living Like Acts 2 Christians
In Acts 2, there is a description of how early Christians lived—eating together, praying together, supporting each other in all the ways. Elane poses...

Victimhood
Most of us have felt like a victim at some point. When someone breaks into your home. When you’re on the receiving end of a breakup you didn’t see com...

Who Are Your Saints?
Benton and Elane recount the people and experiences in their lives that have helped guide and shape their faith.
Cocktail: Poet’s Dream
Th...

Pentecost Ponderings
What if the Holy Spirit showed up in Los Angeles today the way She did in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost? And how would we know if She did? Elane a...

Elane's Conversation With John Birdsall
In celebration of the release of WHAT IS QUEER FOOD?, the new book written by our friend, multi-award-winning writer John Birdsall, this is a newly ed...

The Pope And Why He Should Matter To Protestants
The Roman Catholic Church (and the world) has a new pope. Many Protestant Christians don’t see why the Pope is important, or even relevant, to the liv...

The Wonder Problem
What if humanity is suffering from a lack of wonder? Our need for control and certainty has left us with a God who has been demystified, and a Preside...

Was Jesus A Wuss?
Christians throughout the ages have claimed the Cross as their banner while they committed atrocities against those who opposed them--or who were simp...

Christmas Songs We Love (And Love To Hate)
In this last episode of the season, Elane and Benton share the Christmas songs they find most moving, most cringy, and most special. All while enjoyin...

Surviving And Thriving During The Holidays
NEW EPISODE! The holidays present challenges for most of us. Family tensions. Grief. Issues around eating, drinking, and gifts. Benton and Elane have...

Is It Spiritual?
What makes something spiritual? Is it the intent or spirituality of its creator? Is it how the thing is received? And what does it mean for something...

So Are You Tolerant, Accepting, Or An Ally?
Elane and Benton have an in-depth conversation about what it means for Christians to be tolerant, accepting, or allies toward those who are different...

Mythology/Theology
Elane and Benton respond to a listener’s question about the difference between mythology and theology.
Cocktail: The Vancouver
Theme song:...

Here Come The Holidays
Benton and Elane have a lighthearted chat about Thanksgiving, Christmas, and what happens between—while enjoying an apple brandy cocktail.
Cockt...

Elitism, Compassion & Trump
Many Jesus-followers on the left (and some on the right) are understandably stunned, angry, and afraid at the election of Donald Trump. Could a reject...

Our Sacred Calling
NEW EPISODE! Recorded right before Election Day, Elane and Benton chat about Jesus’ commandment to love—no matter who, no matter what.
Cocktail:...

Messianic Jews
Benton and Elane discuss Messianic Jews—that is, Jews who believe Jesus was/is the Messiah and behave kinda like evangelical Christians do. Does this...

Toxic Positivity
Life presents us all with realities that merit reactions like anger, fear, grief, and sadness. Toxically positive Christians deny the existence of suc...

Christians & Climate Change
There are Christians who have some interesting views on why they shouldn’t have to care for the planet. Elane and Benton have a conversation about som...

Baptism
What is baptism? Is it vital to a Christian’s faith or salvation? Is it sacramental? Is it transformational? What did/does Jesus’s baptism mean? All t...

Are Christian Scientists Christians?
Another in their series on what people who profess to be Christians believe, Elane and Benton explore what it means to be a practitioner of Christian...

Personhood & Reproductive Rights
Elane and Benton discuss the idea of personhood—when does a person become a person?—and the often controversial subject of reproductive rights. What d...

K-LOVE And The Banalization Of Christian Music
Benton wrote Christian pop songs professionally in the 90s. In this episode, he and Elane chat about the current state of Christian pop, its odd relat...

How Important Is Church In The Life Of A Christian?
Fewer Americans are attending worship services at a local church than ever before. Many professing Christians seem to have no affiliation—or interest...

6 Ways Churches Are Talking About Anxiety & Depression
Many Christians struggle with mental health issues, especially anxiety and depression. Elane and Benton discuss six kinds of conversations that are ha...

Are Mormons & Seventh-Day Adventists Christians?
Elane and Benton discuss some of the distinctives of Mormons and Seventh-Day Adventists while they pose the question, what are the key things that def...