Shows
Freestyle TheologyLet's Talk About: PowerWhat do you think? Text me and let me know!Jesus gave away power. What does that actually mean...?What does it really mean to have power—and what happens when we hoard it? In this thought-provoking conversation, historian and theologian Dr. Bradley Melle (Freestyle Theology) sits down with international human rights advocate Rev. Joash Thomas to explore the anatomy of power: why it’s hoarded, how it corrupts, and how Jesus’ life offers a radically different way to use it.Together, we trace power from ancient empires to today’s oligarch...
2025-08-121h 09Freestyle TheologyLet's Talk About: MeditationWhat do you think? Text me and let me know!Can meditation heal spiritual wounds? In this episode of Freestyle Theology, Brad and Brielle unpack their journeys with depression, anxiety, meditation, and spiritual growth. They explore how mindfulness, breathwork, and even sung Scripture can help Christians reconnect with their bodies and cultivate a gentler, richer spiritual rhythm, all while healing from religious trauma. Whether you’re in therapy, deconstructing, or simply craving a more authentic connection with God, this conversation will invite you to explore meditation as a practice that bridges faith and nervous system hea...
2025-07-011h 14Freestyle TheologyLet's Talk About: Today's Evangelical TantrumWhat do you think? Text me and let me know!In this raw and wide-ranging episode, Brad is joined again by Rev. Joash Thomas to explore the emotional and spiritual roots of what Brad calls the “evangelical tantrum”—the reactive, fear-fueled backlash of white conservative Christianity in the face of cultural change. Why do some Christians in America act as if they’re being persecuted, even while holding power? What are they so afraid of losing—and have they even lost it?Together, Brad and Joash dive into history, theology, trauma, and personal stories. Joash opens up a...
2025-06-121h 00Freestyle TheologyLet's Talk About: The New American TheocracyWhat do you think? Text me and let me know!What if the rise of Christian nationalism in the U.S. isn’t just political—but the fruit of a long, coordinated theological strategy?In this episode of Freestyle Theology, Dr. Bradley Melle sits down with Margaret Bronson, the force behind Deconstruction Doulas, to uncover the disturbing roots of America’s new religious extremism. From growing up in a high-control cult to witnessing those same ideas go mainstream, Margaret brings both lived experience and prophetic insight into what’s really happening beneath the surface...
2025-05-2857 minFreestyle TheologyLet's Talk About: Christianity & ColonialismWhat do you think? Text me and let me know!What If Colonialism Lives On—in Our Bodies, Beliefs, and Churches?In this wide-ranging conversation, Dr. Bradley Melle is joined once again by Rev. Joash Thomas for an in-person deep dive into Christianity, colonialism, and inherited trauma. From intergenerational disease to theological rigidity, they explore how the legacies of empire aren’t just historical—they’re physiological, spiritual, and still deeply active in the life of the church.Together, they ask:What does it mean to decolonize theology without turning it into...
2025-05-1957 minFreestyle TheologyLet's Talk About: Modern FragmentationWhat do you think? Text me and let me know!Why does everything feel so fractured—and has it always been this way?In this solo episode, Dr. Bradley Melle dives deep into the 500-year story of fragmentation in the Western world, from the shattering of medieval consensus in the Reformation to today’s tribalism, polarization, and nostalgia-fueled politics. But this isn’t just a history lesson—it’s a challenge to embrace the disorientation of modern life as an opportunity for truth, empathy, and a new kind of unity.Today we...
2025-05-1250 minFreestyle TheologyLet's Talk About: Christian SupremacyWhat do you think? Text me and let me know!Church historian Bradley Melle chats with Rev. Joash Thomas about Christian supremacy, colonialism, and trauma in the church. Brad and Joash dive into how Christianity's history—from Constantine to today's Christian nationalism—has often prioritized power, dominance, and control, leading to deep historical wounds and ongoing struggles.Drawing from personal experiences, historical examples, and current events, they unpack how beliefs in Christian supremacy have shaped global Christianity, suppressed spiritual diversity, and contributed to injustice worldwide. They explore stories of colonial missions in India, Christianity's troubling alli...
2025-04-0455 minFreestyle TheologyLet's Talk About: Love & SafetyWhat do you think? Text me and let me know!In this episode of Freestyle Theology, Dr. Bradley Melle and Brielle Goheen dive into the complexities of love and its manifestation within church communities. They explore the idea of love as a multifaceted and often misunderstood concept in religious circles, emphasizing the importance of clear communication, honesty, and dealing with awkward and painful experiences as expressions of love.Melle and Goheen discuss how love is often conflated with service, yet true love involves deeper elements like knowing one's role in the body of Christ and...
2024-07-151h 03Freestyle TheologyLet's Talk About: Residential Schools as Church HistoryWhat do you think? Text me and let me know!In this enlightening episode of "Freestyle Theology," Dr. Bradley Melle, a historian of Global Christianity, dives deep into the history of colonialism, Indigenous Christianity, and the impact of residential schools. Joining forces with John Simon and Thomas Duell from the "Church History for Chumps" podcast, Dr. Melle shares his insights from his teaching stint in Arizona, bringing to light the little-known history of American Indian boarding schools amidst Arizona's large Indigenous population.The discussion unveils the dark legacy of colonialism intertwined with Christianity, exploring the...
2024-03-051h 20Freestyle TheologyLet's Talk About: Church UnityWhat do you think? Text me and let me know!Welcome to another thought-provoking episode of Freestyle Theology! I'm Dr. Bradley Melle, a religious historian, and in this episode, I'm joined by Dave Witt, the network developer of True City Hamilton. We dive deep into the multifaceted topic of church unity, exploring its roots, evolution, and implications in today's world.Dave Witt, with his rich experience in fostering inter-church relationships, shares the story of True City Hamilton – a unique network of 14 churches united for the welfare of their city. This episode unravels the complexities of ch...
2024-01-1756 minFreestyle TheologyLet's Talk About: Personal DevelopmentWhat do you think? Text me and let me know!Today, Dr. Bradley Melle and Brielle Goheen discuss the self-help industry, personal development, and the body's systems of survival, all with attention to a practical spirituality. Don't miss it!
2023-12-2955 minFreestyle TheologyLet's Talk About: Mary, the ProphetWhat do you think? Text me and let me know!We've gotten Mary wrong. Dr. Bradley Melle and Danielle Steenwyk-Rowaan grapple together about Mary, the Magnificat, submission, the toppling of the rich, and the exaltation of the poor.
2023-12-2451 minFreestyle TheologyLet's Talk About: AntiochWhat do you think? Text me and let me know!One of my favourite topics coming at you this week! Let's talk about unity, conformity, and the bold, cross-cultural risks taken in the 1st century at Antioch.
2023-06-1748 minFreestyle TheologyLet's Talk About: PilgrimageWhat do you think? Text me and let me know!15 years after successfully completing the Camino de Santiago together, Dr. Bradley Melle and Mike Doyle are in the studio this week to discuss pilgrimage. Tune in for some fascinating takes on relics, crusades, folk Catholicism, sacred space, and even the mall.Follow @freestyletheology on Instagram if you have any thoughts to share!And for those interested in where the benefits of meditation meet the beauty of Scripture, check out the Daily Breadth app!
2023-04-211h 06Freestyle TheologyLet's Talk About: IndividualityWhat do you think? Text me and let me know!Dr. Bradley Melle and Brielle Goheen discuss individuality, myths about individualism, the frustrations of Jesus, and the characteristics of real, complicated, healthy communities. Follow @freestyletheology on Instagram if you have any thoughts to share!
2023-04-1158 minFreestyle TheologyLet's Talk About: Celtic Christianity (Part Two)What do you think? Text me and let me know!Brad, John, and Tom are back at it for Part Two of our conversation on Celtic Christianity. Today we dig further down into the Celtic Christ, the challenge of syncretism, the wild wandering of the Celtic monks, the strange wisdom of Simon the Stylite, the Saxon Christ, and the modern fascination with all things Celtic! Don't forget to follow John and Tom's Church History for Chump's Instagram account @churchhistory4chumps to get all the details about their upcoming launch! And follow...
2023-04-0351 minFreestyle TheologyLet's Talk About: Celtic Christianity (Part One)What do you think? Text me and let me know!This week, join Brad for a special two-part episode on Celtic Christianity! Coming at you this time around from Tucson, Arizona, Dr. Bradley Melle talks with Thomas Duell and John Simon about all things Celtic and Christian. As a co-release between Freestyle Theology and John & Tom's Church History for Chumps, join us as we delve into Irish spirituality, "Thin Places," and the Celtic-Roman missionary encounter of the 5th century. Don't forget to check out Part Two next week!
2023-03-2445 minFreestyle TheologyLet's Talk About: MetaphorWhat do you think? Text me and let me know!The doctors are in, again! Brad and Erin are back at it, this week talking about metaphor, the movement of peoples, images for God, and the rational Christianity of the Enlightenment.
2023-02-2055 minFreestyle TheologyLet's Talk About: WordsWhat do you think? Text me and let me know!Join Brad and Dr. Erin Goheen Glanville in a wild and winding discussion about words, listening, anger, and the Logos!
2023-02-1059 minFreestyle TheologyLet's Talk About: The GnosticsWhat do you think? Text me and let me know!Brad talks ancient Roman mystery cults, Gnosticism, and the rivalries of early Christianity (c. 100-300 AD)
2023-01-3048 minFreestyle TheologyLet's Talk About: Fear & ForestWhat do you think? Text me and let me know!Dr. Bradley Melle and Brielle Goheen discuss the fear of the forest, civilization, colonialism, the disorienting comforts of the Big Box Store empire.
2023-01-1941 minFreestyle TheologyLet's Talk About: DesireWhat do you think? Text me and let me know!Is desire the source of suffering or the mark of a healthy human being? Chris and Brad talk Buddhism, Christianity, happiness, dissatisfaction, and contentment.
2022-12-2930 minFreestyle TheologyLet's Talk About: DoubtWhat do you think? Text me and let me know!Chris and Brad talk doubting God, self-doubt, the beautiful vision, and finding the energy to endure.
2022-12-1535 minFreestyle TheologyLet's Talk About: Depression & RestWhat do you think? Text me and let me know!Brad and Chris talk depression, work, processing emotions, and God's Sabbath rest.
2022-12-0931 minFreestyle TheologyLet's Talk About: The End of TimeWhat do you think? Text me and let me know!Chris and Brad talk Advent, the cycle of birth and death, the return of Christ, and the rebirth of the Universe
2022-12-0231 minFreestyle TheologyLet's Talk About: The SagesWhat do you think? Text me and let me know!This week Brad and Chris talk about Muhammad, the Buddha, and a way Christians can relate to the revered figures from other faiths.
2022-11-1830 minFreestyle TheologyLet's Talk About: BabelWhat do you think? Text me and let me know!Chris and Brad talk the Tower of Babel, PhDs, cultural diversity, and Indigenous Christianity.
2022-11-1133 minFreestyle TheologyLet's Talk About: GuiltWhat do you think? Text me and let me know!Chris and Brad talk about the weird Christian obsession with guilt and how we use it to control others and attempt to control God.
2022-11-0332 minFreestyle TheologyLet's Talk About: God-BearingWhat do you think? Text me and let me know!Join Chris and Brad as Advent begins talking about bearing the Image of God, Mary the Theotokos, and increasing our capacity to bear difficult thoughts and feelings.
2022-10-2928 minFreestyle TheologyLet's Talk About: ImaginationWhat do you think? Text me and let me know!Brad and Chris talk imagination, theology, and the Image of GodFreestyle Theology is a branch of Daily Breadth: Christian Meditation that Works. dailybreadth.app
2022-10-2328 min
ICATechnology Now: Blackness on the InternetCurator and writer Legacy Russell leads a panel discussion examining the question: what freedoms can be found in the ‘publics’ realised via the digital for bodies of colour?
https://www.ica.art/whats-on/technology-now-blackness-internet
This panel builds connections between ongoing conversations both within and outside of the UK regarding Blackness and the material of the internet.
Speakers include academic Rizvana Bradley, writer and curator Taylor Le Melle and writer and editor Derica Shields.
This is presented on the occasion of the group exhibition Wandering/WILDING: Blackness on the Internet
2017-11-101h 39