What is the true meaning of Christmas? Is there such a thing?

What is the Luigi Mangione situation all about? Do we buy the billionaire and media narrative that he (or whoever The Adjuster is) should not be lionized?

And more importantly than any of that: why did we create S(h)ibboleth magazine, and what can readers expect from it?

A lot of bloody questions being asked by your chaotic friends at Beer Christianity. You may or may not like our answers. But you will hear more interesting takes than almost anywhere else in Christian media. And that ain't nothing.

Tune into this episode for our take on the health insurance CEO who had his claim on life denied, and to find out more about S(h)ibboleth magazine, which launched this week.

Along the way we also discuss what the true meaning of Christmas is and what it means to us. And this fine cup (or C-cup, we guess).

Love ya!

More from Beer Christianity at beerchristianity.co.uk and beerchristianity.substack.com.

Find S(h)ibboleth magazine at shibbolethmag.com.

Tony Campolo, the Baptist preacher, sociologist, Red Letter Christian and ceaseless campaigner for a Christian vision of social justice, has died.

In this episode, we pay tribute to Tony in the best way we know how: by letting him speak for himself. Eventually.

First, we talk about our own memories of him, and his influence on our theology. But once we've done making it about us, we share an interview with Tony from the vaults. In 2012, Tony Campolo was concerned about many of the things that are now even more pressing and horrifying.

The interview feels prophetic in multiple understandings of the word, and Campolo is solid on everything from American militarism and imperialism to the incompatibility of Christian spirituality with right-wing ideological selfishness. His identification of the central problem with evangelical engagement with culture -- the idea that everything gets better if people become Christians -- is expressed particularly poignantly, considering where we are with the Church in the West.

We hope you enjoy hearing from Tony again, and that you remember his family and friends at this time. Full disclosure: we also talk a lot about why we're excited about our new magazine, S(h)ibboleth. We hope it doesn't come across as a sales pitch and more as the genuine excitement we're feeling about connecting more Christians with similar beliefs and making the world better as a result.

Naive? Maybe. Worth a shot? Sure. Fun? Hell yeah.

Find out deets at shibbolethmag.com and beerchristianity.co.uk

The Far Right is on the rise. And, increasingly, fascists and proto-fascists are using Christian language and imagery to justify their position.

What should a Christian response be? Can we really say that our faith is being 'hijacked' by racists and bigots, or is there deeper acknowledgement and repentance to be done in the service of justice? And if fascists are the enemy, what do wee do with the command to love them?

The brilliant Revd Dr Helen Paynter, theologian, Executive Director of the Centre for the Study of Bible and Violence, and Beer Christianity's most regular guest, talks to Jonty and Laura about all this and more.

It's a good one!

Helpful links from the episode

Visit the page for The Church and the far-right claim to Christianity page for a list of events coming up. Specific events on the horizon (at time of publishing) include an event in Birmingham on Englishness and race, a London event on youth radicalisation and a YouTube-based event on the subject with the good people at Modern Church.

You can and should get hold of Helen's books we mentioned (edited and written) at these links:

The Church, the Far Right, and the Claim to Christianity

Blessed are the Peacemakers: A biblical theology of human violence

And you can also check out a discussion of the dissenting traditions here.

ALSO. We are launching a magazine. You're going to love it. It's called S(h)ibboleth, and you can read all about the new left-leaning Christian magazine here.

Find out more about Beer Christianity at beerchristianity.co.uk