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    Assumptions

    Daniel (a Christian) and Kyle (an Atheist) have competing world views and yet remain close friends. Each episode they try to understand each other’s viewpoint by using media to uncover how each interprets the world.
    enDaniel Melvill Jones and Kyle Marshall34 Episodes

    Episodes (34)

    Life In the Time of Quarantine *BONUS EPISODE*

    Life In the Time of Quarantine *BONUS EPISODE*

    In this, our third bonus episode for 2020, Kyle and Daniel talk about what they are learning from the COVID-19 Lockdown. 


    Note that this episode was recorded on April 30, 2020. Since that time there have arisen plenty of issues that Daniel and Kyle would have loved to have mentioned or talked about, including the over-abundance of conspiracy theories and, more importantly, the murder of George Floyd and the worldwide Black Lives Matters protests. As Kyle mentioned at the beginning of the episode, he and Daniel unequivocally state that Black Lives Matter. Daniel especially recommends the And Campaign’s statement for a Christian response to the killings. While two white guys talking about race would need to balanced by minority voices, an episode on racism and faith is something we would love to record in the future. 



    Show Notes:


    The Globe and Mail article on the Italians social life is here: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-the-coronavirus-quarantine-is-social-torture-for-italians/


    Here is a sample video of the Italians social distancing balcony performances: https://youtu.be/EBByYjjvNzs


    The video of a theatre audience reacting to Avengers: Endgame can be found here: https://www.polygon.com/2020/4/7/21212000/watch-avengers-endgame-live-audience-reactions-captain-america-thor-hammer-iron-man


    The episode from our first season about church and theatre can be found here: http://www.danielmelvilljones.com/blog/2017/6/28/the-cathedral-and-the-cinema-assumptions-season-one-episode-8


    There are many articles about “Zoom Fatigue”. Here is one that Daniel found interesting: https://theconvivialsociety.substack.com/p/a-theory-of-zoom-fatigue


    Our episodes from our last season in which we interviewed Christians who live alone include “Bonus Episode: An Interview with Wesley Hill”, “Bonus Episode: An Interview with Joy Beth Smith”, and “Bonus: Interview with Barry Danylak.” Daniel specifically mentions the episode with Wesley Hill.


    We mention our two last episodes: a bonus episode in which Kyle interviewed Daniel called “Love Reveals Itself” and in which Daniel interviews Kyle called “Losing Your Passion”. 


    Daniel mentioned an episode of The Daily podcast that covers a coronavirus digital funeral: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/24/podcasts/the-daily/coronavirus-deaths-grief.html


    Kyle mentioned an article about the Roaring 20s: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/05/i-predict-your-predictions-are-wrong/611896/


    The movies Kyle describes are Misery, Witness, Sunset Boulevard, Brazil, and The Thing from Another World. You can follow Kyle on Letterboxd @thekylemarshall


    The song Daniel described and recorded  is “I Shall Not Want” by Paul Zach and W. David O. Taylor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKUVLy__jv4


    We mention our previous season, Love in Our Times.


    The two podcasts Kyle described creating are Putting It Together and Kyle and Dave vs. The Machine.


    Kyle mentions Rosie O’Donnell’s live show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sePAgItK9sM


    Daniel mentioned that the Greek word from which we get “apocalypse” actualy means “revealing” and here is an excellent video explaining how that works: https://youtu.be/UNDX4tUdj1Y


    Sponsors:

    Assumptions is a member of the Alberta Podcast Network. On this episode our sponsors were Park Power and Kyle’s other podcast, Kyle and David vs the Machine.


    Credits:


    Assumptions is written by Daniel Melvill Jones and Kyle Marshall and is produced by Media Lab YYC.


    This episode edited by Kyle Marshall.


    Our soundtrack comes from The Parson Red Heads.


    Podcast artwork designed by Chris Taniguchi.

     

    Assumptions is available wherever podcasts are found, including Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Soundcloud, Spotify, iHeart Radio, and through the CKUA app.


    Don't forget to rate and review us and share and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.


    Losing Your Passion *BONUS EPISODE*

    Losing Your Passion *BONUS EPISODE*

    In this, our second bonus episode for 2020, Daniel asks Kyle about what has changed in his life. The two friends talk about how their approaches to career, creativity, legacy, and self worth are changing and growing.


    Show Notes:

    Kyle’s five podcasts are: 

    The book on suffering that Daniel is reading is Timothy Keller’s Walking with God through Pain and Suffering.


    Kyle’s business is Media Lab YYC.


    Kyle’s YouTube account can be found here.


    The conference Kyle attended for 10 years is VidCon.


    Our last episode was a bonus episode in which Kyle interviewed Daniel is called “Love Reveals Itself.”


    The artist Kyle mentions is Troye Sivan.


    We mention our previous season, Love in Our Times.


    The song that Daniel quotes is Your Labor is Not In Vain, recorded by The Porter’s Gate.


    Kyle quotes from Roger Ebert’s reply to his review of the movie Deuce Bagalow: European Gigolo. 


    Daniel quotes from Matthew 3:17: “And behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”


    Kyle quotes from John Green’s novel Turtles All the Way Down.


    The book on vocation that Daniel mentions is Parker J. Palmer’s Let Your Life Speak: Listening to for the Voice of Vocation.


    Sponsors:

    Assumptions is a member of the Alberta Podcast Network. On this episode our sponsors were the Park Power and Pod Power podcasts.


    Credits:


    Assumptions is written by Daniel Melvill Jones and Kyle Marshall and is produced by Media Lab YYC.


    This episode edited by Kyle Marshall.


    Our soundtrack comes from The Parson Red Heads.


    Podcast artwork designed by Chris Taniguchi.

     

    Assumptions is available wherever podcasts are found, including Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Soundcloud, Spotify, iHeart Radio, and through the CKUA app.


    Don't forget to rate and review us and share and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

    Love Reveals Itself *BONUS EPISODE*

    Love Reveals Itself *BONUS EPISODE*

    It has been a long time since we’ve sat down in front of a microphone. What have we been up to? In this bonus episode, Kyle asks about Daniel’s engagement, wedding, and marriage, with Daniel connecting the themes of Season Two to his own life. 


    Daniel mentions our previous set of bonus episodes, which were released in November and December of 2017. Those episodes are called The Search for Transcendence, Daniel’s Highs and Lows, and Kyle’s Internal Struggle.


    Daniel proposed to Annie on the Redwood Deck at Hoyt Arboretum in Portland, Oregon.


    The hymn that Daniel quotes is The Sands of Time Are Sinking.


    The Steve Jobs commencement speech that Kyle refers can be found here


    Kyle describes the films of Akira Kurosawa, many of which are found on The Criterion Channel. Kyle specifically mentions the films Seven Samurai, Ran, Yojimbo, and Rashomon. (By the way, Daniel’s favourite Kurosawa film is Ikiru.)


    Kyle describes Stephen Sondheim’s musical Sunday in the Park With George and quotes from the song Move On. The book of lyrics Kyle quotes is Finishing the Hat: Collected Lyrics (1954-1981) with Attendant Comments, Principles, heresies, Grudges, Whines and Anecdotes. Kyle’s successful podcast on Sondheim is called Putting It Together. Kyle also quotes from the Sondheim musical Follies and the The Road You Didn't Take.


    Throughout the episode we reference the themes discussed in our second season, Love in Our Times. You can find those episodes wherever you get your podcasts.


    Daniel mentions Timothy and Kathy Keller’s book The Meaning of Marriage.

    Sponsors:


    Assumptions is a member of the Alberta Podcast Network. On this episode our sponsor is Northwest Fest and Kyle highlights the films Scream Queen (mentioning our coverage of the film Jaws back on our episode Stories That Shape Us: Season One, Episode 2) and Angels Are Made of Light. On this episode we also highlight the podcast Let's Find Out

    Credits:


    Assumptions is written by Daniel Melvill Jones and Kyle Marshall and is produced by Media Lab YYC.


    This episode edited by Kyle Marshall.


    Our soundtrack comes from The Parson Red Heads.


    Podcast artwork designed by Chris Taniguchi.

     

    Assumptions is available wherever podcasts are found, including Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Soundcloud, Spotify, iHeart Radio, and through the CKUA app.


    Don't forget to rate and review us and share and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

    Love (and Hate) in Our Audience, Part Two – Season Two, Episode 12

    Love (and Hate) in Our Audience, Part Two – Season Two, Episode 12

    On this, the last episode of our second season, Kyle and Daniel listen to some comments and questions sent in from listeners. They discuss how social media discourages proper goodbyes, why we are good to others, and tell the story of how they became friends. 

    Show Notes:

    Daniel mentioned the ending of the children’s novel The Last Battle (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Battle).

     

    Daniel and Kyle were interviewed for patheos.com on their friendship and the origins of the podcast. We think it’s a great read and you can find it here:  http://www.patheos.com/blogs/rebeccaflorencemiller/2017/11/interview-christian-atheist-friends-podcast-assumptions

     

    The Terrence Malick film Justin, Kyle, and Daniel watched was To the Wonder. Other films they watched together included the Before Trilogy (Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, and Before Midnight), Home Alone, Of Gods and Men, Mighty Wind, and Her. 

     

    Sponsors:

    Assumptions is sponsored by Alberta Podcast Network. This week we highlighted the show That’s a Thing‽, which Kyle recently appeared on. We are also sponsored by ATBProsper.com and the podcast Otherwise.

     

    Credits:

    Assumptions is written and produced by Daniel Melvill Jones and Kyle Marshall.

    This episode edited by Kyle Marshall.

    Our soundtrack comes from The Parson Red Heads.

    Podcast artwork designed by Chris Taniguchi.

    Photography by Josh Boak

     

    Assumptions is available wherever podcasts are found, including Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Soundcloud, Spotify, iHeart Radio, and through the CKUA app.

    Don't forget to rate and review us and share and follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

    Love (and Hate) in Our Audience, Part One – Season Two, Episode 11

    Love (and Hate) in Our Audience, Part One – Season Two, Episode 11

    As we wind our way to the tail end of this season, we share feedback provided by our listeners. The questions spark conversations. We discuss what would bring us to conversion, how to understand sexual intimacy, and even masturbation. This episode also includes Kyle’s interview with Fraser Tripp.

     

    Sponsors:

    Assumptions is sponsored by Alberta Podcast Network and this week we highlighted the Young Gaffers. This week we are also sponsored by Edmonton’s Lit Fest (use the discount code atbrocks.

     

    Show Notes:

    Our episode begins with Kyle’s interview with Fraser Tripp (https://twitter.com/frasertripp?lang=en). In that conversation Dan Savage (https://www.thestranger.com/savage-love), the Buzzfeed “I’m gay but I’m not...” video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ScSlW3FCr4), and the TV Show Rosanne (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094540/). 

    We briefly mention Kyle’s studio in Calgary, Media Lab YYC (https://www.medialabyyc.com).

    Daniel mentioned the quote about how marriage turns strangers into families. It comes from Eugene Peterson in his book, Where Your Treasure Is, when he says “Every marriage brings two unrelated families into committed historical encounter with each other. We need to be forced out of ourselves into encounter with other sand to demonstrate with our lives that the other is an ally and not an enemy. Strangers, through the practice of adoration and detachment, become lovers. The natural rivalries that develop between people whoa re different are counters in the act of marriage and changed into alliances. Every marriage is proof that the other is not the enemy, not the rival, not the threat, but the friend, the ally, and, at best, the lover.”

    The names of the three three fates in Greek mythology are Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos.

    Speaking of storytelling, our whole first season, The Stories We Tell, is dedicated to the stories that shape us.

    Daniel mentioned two creeds, ancient documents that specify Christian doctrine, that provide a useful boundary as to what is Christian and what is not. If a church or denomination does not hold to any of the beliefs specified in these creeds, it’s safe to assume they are no longer orthodox. The first creed is the Apostle’s Creed (https://www.churchofengland.org/our-faith/what-we-believe/apostles-creed) and the second in the more specific Nicene Creed (https://www.churchofengland.org/our-faith/what-we-believe/apostles-creed#na)

    Once again, Daniel quotes from Alan Jacobs, who in is book How To Think: A Survival Guide for a World at Odds says that we need to spend time around people who are like-hearted, not necessarily like-minded. Here’s a great little recap of the book: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/spark/378-surge-toll-roads-how-to-think-and-more-1.4451013/we-need-a-survival-guide-for-thinking-because-we-re-bad-at-it-1.4458377

    Daniel and Kyle briefly allude to the delightful TV series Stephen Fry in America (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1307789/).

    Daniel refers to a short video by Tim Keller, which can be found here: https://vimeo.com/283015823

    We talk more about the ways the horror genre confronts secular belief in this episode from our first season. https://soundcloud.com/assumptionspod/oh-the-horror-season-one q

    Our episode dedicated to the purpose of sex is Let’s Talk About Sex:  https://soundcloud.com/assumptionspod/lets-talk-about-sex-season-two

    In our interview with Joy Beth Smith, she briefly alludes to masturbation, a topic she covers in more detail in her book Party of One:  https://soundcloud.com/assumptionspod/bonus-episode-an-interview-1

     

    Credits:

    Assumptions is written and produced by Daniel Melvill Jones and Kyle Marshall.

    This episode edited by Kyle Marshall.

    Our soundtrack comes from The Parson Red Heads.

    Podcast artwork designed by Chris Taniguchi.

    Photography by Josh Boak

     

    Assumptions is available wherever podcasts are found, including Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Soundcloud, Spotify, iHeart Radio, and through the CKUA app.

    Don't forget to rate and review us and share and follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

    Wrap It Up! Part Two – Season Two, Episode 10

    Wrap It Up! Part Two – Season Two, Episode 10

    This has been such a full season of conversations that our wrap up episode has been extended into a second episode. This time we discuss the many interviews we had this season and recap our conversations on marriage, loneliness, and community. 

     

    Sponsors:

    Assumptions is sponsored by Alberta Podcast Network. This week we highlighted Kyle’s new show, Putting It Together: The Music of Stephen Sondheim (https://www.albertapodcastnetwork.com/blog/2018/9/11/putting-it-together-joins-the-chorus). This week we are also sponsored by the podcast Back to School Again (https://edmontonsun.com/opinion/columnists/forbes-never-too-old-to-learn).

     

    Show Notes:

    The first part of this discussion can be found on Episode 9: https://soundcloud.com/assumptionspod/wrap-it-up-part-one-season-two.

    Our bonus episode with Wesley Hill can be found here: https://soundcloud.com/assumptionspod/bonus-episode-an-interview

    Revoice (https://revoice.us/) is the conference dedicated to the LGBT+ community within the historic Christian faith. Daniel’s friend Ethan attended and wrote about it here (http://www.patheos.com/blogs/jesuscreed/2018/07/31/an-undeniable-witness-reflections-on-the-revoice-conference/). Many, many others have also written about it, including Wesley himself (https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2018/08/revoice-and-a-vocation-of-yes).

    Our bonus episode with Joy Beth Smith can be found here:  https://soundcloud.com/assumptionspod/bonus-episode-an-interview-1

    Daniel mentioned his visit with Marc, a pastor from Door of Hope in Portland, Oregon (http://doorofhopepdx.org). Daniel loves this church.

    Episode 6 on marriage can be found here:  https://soundcloud.com/assumptionspod/dont-get-married-season-two

    The article on marriage after heaven being compared to friendship is found here: https://alastairadversaria.com/2014/07/23/a-new-icon-of-marriage.

    Our conversation on loneliness, singleness, and community was divided into two parts. Part One (Episode 7) can be found here (https://soundcloud.com/assumptionspod/we-are-all-alone-part-one) and Part Two (Episode 8) can be found here (https://soundcloud.com/assumptionspod/we-are-all-alone-part-two).

    Kyle and Daniel mentioned the podcast Start Up and their five part series on church planting. The first episode of that series can be found here:  https://www.gimletmedia.com/startup/church-planting-1-the-movement. Here is the This American Life episode that includes some of that content (and features Tim Keller): https://www.thisamericanlife.org/651/if-you-build-it-will-they-come/act-one-7.

    Our bonus episode featuring Nick Taniguchi and Tyler May can be found here: https://soundcloud.com/assumptionspod/bonus-episode-interviews.

    Daniel mentions Shamballa, the EDM music festival in British Columbia: https://shambhalamusicfestival.com

    Kyle’s new podcast on Steven Sondheim is called Putting It Together and can be found here: https://buff.ly/2N8czuI.  Kyle quotes from Sondheim’s musical “Into the Woods”.

    Our bonus episode with Lish Veldhuijzen can be found here: https://soundcloud.com/assumptionspod/bonus-episode-interview-with-1.

    Our bonus episode with Rabbi Seth Goldstein can be found here: https://soundcloud.com/assumptionspod/bonus-episode-interview-with-2.

    Our bonus episode with Barry Danylak can be found here: https://soundcloud.com/assumptionspod/bonus-interview-with-barry.

     

    Credits:

    Assumptions is written and produced by Daniel Melvill Jones and Kyle Marshall.

    This episode edited by Kyle Marshall.

    Our soundtrack comes from The Parson Red Heads.

    Podcast artwork designed by Chris Taniguchi.

    Photography by Josh Boak

     

    Assumptions is available wherever podcasts are found, including Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Soundcloud, Spotify, iHeart Radio, and through the CKUA app.

    Don't forget to rate and review us and share and follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

    Wrap It Up! Part One – Season Two, Episode 9

    Wrap It Up! Part One – Season Two, Episode 9

    It’s been quite the season and we’ve covered a lot of topics. Sex. Family. Romance. Gay Sex. So we decided it would be worth taking a step back and discussing what we learned, what we want to clarify, and what we want to explore further. This is the first of a two part episode where we talk about our first five episodes. It’s a great conversation.

     

    Sponsors:

    Assumptions is sponsored by ATB Financial (this week we highlight their Entrepreneur Centre), LitFest Alberta, (get a discount with the coupon code APNrocks)  and the Alberta Podcast Network (this week we told you about Kyle’s new show Creative Block).

     

    Show Notes:

    Our first episode, We Are Family, can be found here: https://soundcloud.com/assumptionspod/we-are-family-season-two

    Daniel alludes to Kyle’s conversation about legacy on our first season here:  https://soundcloud.com/assumptionspod/dance-dance-otherwise-we-are.

    Daniel mentions the movie The Master (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1560747/).

    Our conversation with Barry Danylak also gets alluded to: https://soundcloud.com/assumptionspod/bonus-interview-with-barry.

    Daniel spoils (but highly recommends) the movie Paterson (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5247022/).

    Daniel also mentions Andy Crouch’s book, The Tech Wise Family (https://www.amazon.ca/Tech-Wise-Family-Everyday-Putting-Technology/dp/0801018668).

    Our second episode, Let’s Talk About Sex,  can be found here:  https://soundcloud.com/assumptionspod/lets-talk-about-sex-season-two

    As promised, here is the infamous Monty Python sex education scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lRGIkLEYoA.

    Our third episode, I Am What I Am, can be found here: https://soundcloud.com/assumptionspod/i-am-what-i-am-season-two.

    We talk about the controversy around the TV show Roseanne (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roseanne).

    Kyle discusses the movie Crazy Rich Asians (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3104988/).

    Daniel mentions the movie The Big Sick (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5462602/).

    Our fourth episode, Christians Are Bigots?, can be found here: https://soundcloud.com/assumptionspod/christians-are-bigots-season. Daniel’s apology/ clarification can be found at the beginning of Episode 6: https://soundcloud.com/assumptionspod/dont-get-married-season-two.

    Kyle mentions the movie Eighth Grade (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7014006/) and Bo Burnham’s song “From God’s Perspective” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgejDl0vCsU).

    Our fifth episode, I’m Going to Die Alone, can be found here:  https://soundcloud.com/assumptionspod/im-going-to-die-alone-season

     

    Credits:

    Assumptions is written and produced by Daniel Melvill Jones and Kyle Marshall.

    This episode edited by Kyle Marshall.

    Our soundtrack comes from The Parson Red Heads.

    Podcast artwork designed by Chris Taniguchi.

    Photography by Josh Boak

    Assumptions is available wherever podcasts are found, including Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Soundcloud, Spotify, iHeart Radio, and through the CKUA app.

    Don't forget to rate and review us and share and follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

    Bonus: Interview with Barry Danylak

    Bonus: Interview with Barry Danylak

    In this bonus episode, Kyle and Daniel sit down with Dr. Barry Danylak, who has spent a lifetime studying what it means to be a single Christian and whose life is devoted to working with singles in the church. They talk about Barry’s practices as a single, celibate Christian, his scholarship on sexual ethics, and his understanding of the historical context of first century sexual ethics.

     

    Sponsors:

    Assumptions is sponsored by ATB Financial (this week we highlight their support of the Edmonton Fringe Festival)  and the Alberta Podcast Network (this week we told you about the show Un Dad).

     

    Show Notes:

    Barry Danylak got his PhD in New Testament Studies at University of Cambridge. He is currently the community pastor of single adult ministries at Centre Street Church in Calgary. He holds graduate degrees in mathematics, Christian thought, and New Testament. He is the author of Redeeming Singleness: How the Storyline of Scripture Affirms the Single Life . He speaks and teaches all over the world on biblical singleness.

    Wesley Hill refers to Barry’s work in Wesley’s book Washed and Waiting.

    The organization that Barry described (and that Daniel lived amongst for a week) is called Servants of the Word.

    Barry is a pastor at Centre Street Church in Calgary, Alberta.

    Daniel and Barry briefly allude to  Japanese trend of lonely-deaths.

    Barry quotes from Genesis 2:24: “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”

    Barry referred to a conference hosted by Tyndale House, Cambridge.

    Barry also quotes from 1 Corinthians 7:5: “Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again.”

     

    Credits:

    Assumptions is written and produced by Daniel Melvill Jones and Kyle Marshall.

    This episode edited by Kyle Marshall.

    Our soundtrack comes from The Parson Red Heads.

    Podcast artwork designed by Chris Taniguchi.

    Photography by Josh Boak

    Assumptions is available wherever podcasts are found, including Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Soundcloud, Spotify, iHeart Radio, and through the CKUA app.

    Don't forget to rate and review us and share and follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

    Bonus Episode: Interview with Rabbi Seth Goldstein

    Bonus Episode: Interview with Rabbi Seth Goldstein

    In this bonus episode, Kyle interviews Rabbi Seth Goldstein to learn a liberal Jewish perspective of the themes we’ve been discussing this season.

     

    Sponsors:

    Assumptions is sponsored by ATB Financial (this week we highlight the ATB Booster program)  and the Alberta Podcast Network (this week we told you about the show Mess Hall).

     

    Show Notes:

    Rabbi Seth Goldstein Rabbi Seth Goldstein was reached in Olympia, Washington, where he has been the rabbi of Temple Beth Hatfiloh since 2003. He blogs at rabbi360.com, his podcast is Torah tl;dr, and has the YouTube channel “Carpooling with Rabbi”.

     

    Credits:

    Assumptions is written and produced by Daniel Melvill Jones and Kyle Marshall.

    This episode edited by Kyle Marshall.

    Our soundtrack comes from The Parson Red Heads.

    Podcast artwork designed by Chris Taniguchi.

    Photography by Josh Boak

    Assumptions is available wherever podcasts are found, including Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Soundcloud, Spotify, iHeart Radio, and through the CKUA app.

    Don't forget to rate and review us and share and follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

    Bonus Episode: Interview with Lish Veldhuijzen

    Bonus Episode: Interview with Lish Veldhuijzen

    In this bonus episode, Kyle and Daniel interview their friend Lish Veldhuijzen to get her perspectives on the questions we’ve been discussing this season.

     

    Sponsors:

    Assumptions is sponsored by ATB Financial (this week we highlight their Branch for Arts and Culture)  and the Alberta Podcast Network (this week we told you about the show Blue in the Face).

     

    Show Notes:

    Lish Veldhuijzen was reached in Victoria, BC where she is studying Traditional Chinese Medicine at Pacific Rim College.

    Daniel (once again) quoted from Alan Jacob’s little book How to Think: A Survival Guide for a World at Odds: “These people are... not necessarily like-minded, but they are temperamentally disposed to openness and have habits of listening—and in that case are wonderfully like-hearted.”

    Daniel defines his life goal as a combination of creating, collaborating, and communicating and realized this after working on a project with Lish.

    Daniel referenced (and recommends) Robert Capon’s delightful book  The Supper of the Lamb: A Culinary Reflection.

    Lish references the Alan Watts quote: “If you will treat yourself for a while as a cloud or wave and realize that you can't make a mistake whatever you do, cause even if you do something that seems to be totally disastrous, it will all come out in the wash somehow or other.”

    Lish also quotes from Eckhart Tolle.

    Lish describes a conversation with her professor,  Peter Conway.

    We reference our two part episode on community and loneliness, which are  Episode 7 and  Episode 8 of Season Two.

    The town of Bamfield, BC gets a shout out.

     

    Credits:

    Assumptions is written and produced by Daniel Melvill Jones and Kyle Marshall.

    This episode edited by Kyle Marshall.

    Our soundtrack comes from The Parson Red Heads.

    Podcast artwork designed by Chris Taniguchi.

    Photography by Josh Boak

     

    Assumptions is available wherever podcasts are found, including Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Soundcloud, Spotify, iHeart Radio, and through the CKUA app.

    Don't forget to rate and review us and share and follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

    Bonus Episode: Interviews with Nick Taniguchi and Tyler May

    Bonus Episode: Interviews with Nick Taniguchi and Tyler May

    In this bonus episode, Kyle interviews two of his friends to get their opinions on the topics we’ve been discussing this season.

     

    Sponsors:

    Assumptions is sponsored by ATB Financial’s Entrepreneur Centre and the Alberta Podcast Network (this week we told you about the show The Repodcasting). Check out the CKUA app, where you can listen to Assumptions and all the other Alberta Podcast Network shows.

     

    Show Notes:

    Kyle interviewed both Nick and Tyler while attending PodCon in Seattle, Washington.

    Nick Taniguchi’s podcast is  Crush Hour.

    Nick mentions the YouTube channel Sexplanations.

    Nick mentions Kyle’s favourite conference, VidCon.

    By the way, Nick’s brother Chris, who gets alluded to, designed our excellent logo.

    Tyler May’s podcast on mental health is Mr. Feels and his photography business is Tyler May Media.

    Tyler describes the work of musician Jon Foreman.

    Tyler quotes from Colossians 3, Romans 1, and Mark 3.

     

    Further Reading

    Nick mentioned the different kinds of love that humans ought to experience. The classic text on the different kinds of love is C. S. Lewis’s book The Four Loves (and since the audiobook is the only recording we have of Lewis’s voice, it’s undoubtedly the best way to get experience it).

     

    Credits:

    Assumptions is written and produced by Daniel Melvill Jones and Kyle Marshall.

    This episode edited by Kyle Marshall.

    Our soundtrack comes from The Parson Red Heads.

    Podcast artwork designed by Chris Taniguchi.

    Photography by Josh Boak

    Assumptions is available wherever podcasts are found, including Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Soundcloud, Spotify, iHeart Radio, and through the CKUA app.

    Don't forget to rate and review us and share and follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

    We Are All Alone, Part Two – Season Two, Episode 8

    We Are All Alone, Part Two – Season Two, Episode 8

    This is the second of our two-part conversation on loneliness, singleness, community, and friendship. We talk about the struggles, sorrows, and satisfactions of friendship. 

     

    Sponsors:

    Assumptions is sponsored by ATB Financial’s Entrepreneur Centre (learn more about  No-Fee All-in Digital) and the Alberta Podcast Network (this week we told you about the show The Young Gaffers). Check out the CKUA app, where you can listen to Assumptions and all the other Alberta Podcast Network shows.

     

    Show Notes:

    This episode’s guests were Barry Danylak, Lish Veldhuijzen, Nick Taniguchi, and Rabbi Seth Goldstein.

    The limit to the number of Facebook friends (or page likes) one can have is actually 5,000.

    Daniel quotes from Alan Jacob’s fine book How To Think: A Survival Guide for a World At Odds.

    The article by Wesley Hill that much of our discussion is focused on (our full interview with him can be found here) is called Love, Again. We recommend that you read it.

    Daniel refers to the Lord of the Rings books and movies, and the biblical story of David and Jonathan.

    Wesley Hill wrote a whole book on friendship called Spiritual Friendship: Finding Love in the Church as a Celibate Gay Christian, which Daniel briefly alludes to.

    The Harry Potter series is referred to (also we recorded an episode on those books).

    The friendships in Kenneth Graham’s wonderful book The Wind in the Willows is described. 

    The Joss Whedon television shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly are referred to.

    Kyle briefly refers to the infamous “Mike Pence Rule.” Daniel quite likes his friend Karen Swallow Prior’s Christian response to the idea.

    Daniel refers to this article by Alistair Roberts that describes how, in some ways, friendship is more important to the New Testament than marriage.

    Daniel talks about this fascinating feature article in The Atlantic titled The Future of Work.

    Kyle refers to Steven Sondheim’s (more details on your podcast) musicals “Merrily We Roll Along” and “Into the Woods.”

    Daniel quotes from Tim Keller’s book The Meaning of Marriage, which has some great insights into the nature of friendship.

    Daniel very briefly refers to the film La La Land.

     

    Credits:

    Assumptions is written and produced by Daniel Melvill Jones and Kyle Marshall.

    This episode edited by Kyle Marshall.

    Our soundtrack comes from The Parson Red Heads.

    Podcast artwork designed by Chris Taniguchi.

    Photography by Josh Boak

    Assumptions is available wherever podcasts are found, including Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Soundcloud, Spotify, iHeart Radio, and through the CKUA app.

    Don't forget to rate and review us and share and follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

    We Are All Alone, Part One – Season Two, Episode 7

    We Are All Alone, Part One – Season Two, Episode 7

    After tackling dating and marriage in our previous episodes, Kyle and Daniel begin a two-part conversation on loneliness, singleness, community, and friendship. In a culture where singleness is increasingly common, what place is their for singles? What does culture say about this, compared to the storyline of the Bible? Why is loneliness so hard and what can we do about it? Why is it so hard to find and keep good friends?

     

    Sponsors:

    Assumptions is sponsored by ATB Financial’s Entrepreneur Centre (learn more about Junior ATB) and the Alberta Podcast Network (this week we told you about the show Work Not Work). Check out the CKUA app, where you can listen to Assumptions and all the other Alberta Podcast Network shows.

     

    Show Notes:

    Our recent episodes on  dating and  marriage are closely linked to this two part episode.

    We mention the recent Stats Canada statistic from 2006 which states that, for the first time, there are more Canadians who are “single” rather than legally married. 

    Once again, Wesley Hill gets mentioned. Check out our recent interview with him.

    Roald Dahl’s children’s novel  Charlie and the Chocolate Factory gets referenced.

    Kyle makes an annual pilgrimage to VidCon.

    The cartoon that Kyle mentioned can be found here.

    Daniel mentions Barry Danylak a couple times on this show. Stay tuned for our full length interview with him. For more information on Barry’s work understanding the Christian theology of singleness, check out his two books on the subject; Redeeming Singleness and the shorter A Biblical Theology of Singleness

    Daniel quotes the lyrics to Paul Simon’s song The Boxer (recorded as Simon and Garfunkel).

    The monastic organization that Daniel stayed with in London is called Servants of the Word.

    The story of Hannah in the Old Testament can be found in 1 Samual 1-2. The prophet Isaiah’s hope for the barren women can be found in Isaiah 54:1-3, and the hope for the eunuch in Isaiah 56:1-8. 

    Daniel read from Mark 3:31-35. And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you.” And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mark 3:31-35, ESV)

    Once again we mention the Purple-Red Scale and  our interview with Joy Beth Smith.

    Kyle describes Simon Sinek’s book Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action.

    Kyle also discusses the film Love, Simon (based on the novel Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli).  Kyle made a video comparing the two.

    Daniel describes the ending of the C. S. Lewis children’s novel The Last Battle and briefly alludes to the controversy of which order to read the Narnia books ought to be read (the only correct answer is read them in the order of publication).

     

    Credits:

    Assumptions is written and produced by Daniel Melvill Jones and Kyle Marshall.

    This episode edited by Kyle Marshall.

    Our soundtrack comes from The Parson Red Heads.

    Podcast artwork designed by Chris Taniguchi.

    Photography by Josh Boak

    Assumptions is available wherever podcasts are found, including Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Soundcloud, Spotify, iHeart Radio, and through the CKUA app.

     

    Don't forget to rate and review us and share and follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

    Don't Get Married? – Season Two, Episode 6

    Don't Get Married? – Season Two, Episode 6

    This episode begins with Daniel clarifying a few things that were misunderstood in Episode 4: Christians Are Bigots. We then get some updates about Daniel’s relationship and how it reflects his worldview. This is followed by a discussion of marriage. Does Kyle value it? What is the Christian vision for marriage? Is there marriage in Heaven?  

     

    Sponsors:

    Assumptions is sponsored by ATB Financial’s Entrepreneur Centre (check out ATB Cares) and the Alberta Podcast Network (this week we describe the show Walk Cast). Check out the CKUA app, where you can listen to Assumptions and all the other Alberta Podcast Network shows.

     

    Show Notes:

    This episode begins with Daniel clarifying some of the things he said on  Episode 4: Christians Are Bigots.

    Daniel’s church is Calvary Grace Church of Calgary. Kyle visited it back in  Season One: Episode 8: The Cathedral and the Cinema.

    Daniel mentions Wesley Hill’s story. We interviewed Wesley on this bonus episode.

    Daniel mentioned hearing Kyle’s story, which we did on Episode 3: I Am What I Am.

    Kyle mentions an episode of  Conversations With People Who Hate Me

    The story of Jesus and the woman caught in adultery can be found in John 7:53-8:11

    They went each to his own house, but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” (John 8:1-11, ESV)

    Our episode where we talk more about dating is  Episode 5: I’m Going To Die Alone.

    Daniel described the impact of reading Timothy Keller on marriage. The quote can be found in Centre Church: Doing Balanced, Gospel-Centred Ministry in Your City:

    When we think of “sex ethics,” we usually think individualistically. What does it mean to follow the biblical sex ethic as a single Christian? It means (1) you should not have sex until you’re married, and (2) you should not marry someone who does not share a similar commitment to Christ. But does this exhaust what it means to be a light to the world in the area of sex and relationships?

    Jesus urged, “Let your light shine” before the world as a city on a hill – as a counterculture (Matt 5:16). How should Christians as a community show the difference Christ makes in the area of sexuality? In our culture, appearance and money are all important criteria in mate selection. It is certainly true that most churches, even conservative ones, are basically conformed to the world in this area. What if we were community in which single men didn’t date only good-looking women but actually assessed the potential partner’s worth primarily on the basis of her character? And what if we were a community in which single women didn’t date only prosperous men but actually assessed the potential partner’s worth primarily on the basis of his character (cf. 1 Sam 16:7; 1 Peter 3:3-4)?

    So it is quite possible to follow the letter of the law in individual ethics and still miss  importance of showing forth God’s glory in our community’s ways and practices. 

    Tim Keller’s book devoted to marriage is The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God. Daniel has been heavily influenced by it, and recommends it to anyone interested in learning more about a gospel-centred Christian view on relationships and marriage. 

    Hebrews 9-10 talk more about how Christ is the Christian’s mediator between themselves and God. 

    Kyle brings up a CBC article about  marriage statistics.

    The article on marriage enduring in Heaven as spiritual friendship can be found here:  https://alastairadversaria.com/2014/07/23/a-new-icon-of-marriage/

    For more on the Christian vision of Heaven, check out this video on the overlap of Heaven and Earth.

     

    Credits:

    Assumptions is written and produced by Daniel Melvill Jones and Kyle Marshall.

    This episode edited by Kyle Marshall.

    Our soundtrack comes from The Parson Red Heads.

    Podcast artwork designed by Chris Taniguchi.

    Photography by Josh Boak

     

    Assumptions is available wherever podcasts are found, including Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Soundcloud, Spotify, iHeart Radio, and through the CKUA app.

    Don't forget to rate and review us and share and follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

    Bonus Episode: An Interview with Joy Beth Smith

    Bonus Episode: An Interview with Joy Beth Smith

    In our second Season Two bonus episode, we talk to author and editor Joy Beth Smith about the frustrations of dating as a Christian and her insights into sexuality and what it means to be human. This was a fun and enlightening conversation. We hope you enjoy it!

    Sponsors:

    Assumptions is sponsored by ATB Financial’s Entrepreneur Centre (check out ATB Cares) and the Alberta Podcast Network (this week we describe the show That’s So Maven). Check out the CKUA app, where you can listen to Assumptions and all the other Alberta Podcast Network shows.

    Show Notes:

    Our guest today is Joy Beth Smith. Joy Beth is a managing editor with Christianity Today and the author of Party of One: Truth, Longing, and the Subtle Art of Singleness. She has also written for  The New York Times, The Washington Post, Salt Lake Tribune, Virginian Pilot, and Christ and Pop Culture, and  has been featured in The Atlantic.

    Check out a few of her articles relevant to this conversation, including  ‘Just a little touching’: My own pastor excused my sexual assault and  Fat. Single. Christian. In church, being overweight and dating feels like a sin.

    Once again, here is the  Purple Red Scale referred to on the show and more information about the Kinsy Scale.

    We reference our recent interview with Wesley Hill.

    Joy Beth refers to, but doesn’t recommend the book How To Get a Date Worth Keeping.

    Daniel makes a veiled reference to this terrific Portlandia skit.

    You can find Joy Beth by looking up @JBsTwoCents on your favorite social media. 

     

    Credits:

    Assumptions is written and produced by Daniel Melvill Jones and Kyle Marshall.

    This episode edited by Kyle Marshall.

    Our soundtrack comes from The Parson Red Heads.

    Podcast artwork designed by Chris Taniguchi.

    Photography by Josh Boak

    Assumptions is available wherever podcasts are found, including Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Soundcloud, Spotify, iHeart Radio, and through the CKUA app.

    Don't forget to rate and review us and share and follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

    Bonus Episode: An Interview with Wesley Hill

    Bonus Episode: An Interview with Wesley Hill

    In our first bonus episode of Season Two, we interview scholar and author Wesley Hill. We are really excited to share this conversation with our listeners.

     

    Sponsors:

    Assumptions is sponsored by ATB Financial’s Entrepreneur Centre and the Alberta Podcast Network (this week we recommend the podcast Makeshift Stories).

     

    Show Notes:

    Our guest today is Dr. Wesley Hill. Wesley is the Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies at Trinity School for Ministry, an Anglican based seminary in Pennsylvania. 

    He has written three books - Paul and the Trinity: Persons, Relations, and the Pauline Letters (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2015),  Spiritual Friendship: Finding Love in the Church as a Celibate Gay Christian (Grand Rapids: Brazos, 2015), and Washed and Waiting: Reflections on Christian Faithfulness and Homosexuality (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2010) - and received his PhD from Durham University in the UK. 

    Wesley has also written for many magazines and journals, sits on the editorial board for several publications, and blogs at http://wesleyhill.tumblr.com and https://spiritualfriendship.org

    More information about the Facebook group that Daniel mentioned can be found here.

    Daniel and Wesley refer to Alan Jacob’s little book  How To Think: A Survival Guide for a World at Odds. They both recommend it. 

    The evangelical university that Wesley attended was Wheaton College. 

    Wesley refers to two verses in the Bible. Jesus referring back to Genesis in defining marriage can be found in Matthew 19:3-6.  “And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause?” He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” (Matthew 19:3-6, ESV)

    Paul talks about the Christian life being “sorrowful yet always rejoicing” in 2 Corinthians 6:10.

    Wesley refers to two examples of friendship in church history: Aelred of Rievaulx and John Henry Newman.

    Daniel asks Wesley about the Nashville Statement, a conservative Christian statement on sexual ethics.

    Wesley quotes Andrew Sullivan’s description of Christian church’s approach to homosexual counseling as a “vast, embarrassed silence.”

     

    Credits:

    Assumptions is written and produced by Daniel Melvill Jones and Kyle Marshall.

    This episode edited by Kyle Marshall.

    Our soundtrack comes from The Parson Red Heads.

    Podcast artwork designed by Chris Taniguchi.

    Photography by Josh Boak

     

    Assumptions is available wherever podcasts are found, including Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Soundcloud, Spotify, and iHeart Radio.

    Don't forget to rate and review us and share and follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

    I'm Going to Die Alone – Season Two, Episode 5

    I'm Going to Die Alone – Season Two, Episode 5

    Let’s talk about dating! Kyle and Daniel have slightly different approaches and very different experiences. They talk about their stories, their priorities, and how these differences affect their perspectives on this often emotionally tumultuous approach. 

     

    Sponsors:

    Assumptions is sponsored by ATB Financial’s Entrepreneur Centre and the Alberta Podcast Network (this week we recommend the podcast That’s A Thing).

     

    Show Notes:

    At the beginning of the episode we heard from the following friends and authors:

    Rabbi Seth Goldstein

    Barry Danylak 

    Lish Veldhuijzen

    Joy Beth Smith (who mentioned the book How to Get a Date Worth Keeping by Henry Cloud)

    Our full length interviews with these guests will appear as bonus episodes later this season, starting with our next episode featuring Wesley Hill.

    Daniel’s parents helped build and sail the SALTS boats around the world. The ministry is still going strong to this day.

    Daniel talked about the verse in the Bible that urges Christians not to be “unequally yoked” to unbelievers: Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14, ESV)

    Kyle refers to Aziz Ansari’s book Modern Romance. This episode was recorded before the recent controversy around his sexual harassment of women emerged.

    Kyle’s story of his first, sad sexual encounter was shared on Episode Two of this Season.

    Once again, we mention our forthcoming interview with Joy Beth Smith and her discussion of the Purple-Red Scale of sexuality.

    We refer to the ending of the film La La Land.

    We reference the song Aaron Bur, Sir from the musical Hamilton.

    Daniel quoted a line from our interview with Wesley Hill (which will be released as our next episode), in which he refers to our current cultures “cult of romance.”

    Please email us your questions, comments, or thoughts. We’d love to include them in a future episode. Send an voice recording to assumptionspod@gmail.com

    Daniel’s website is www.danielmelvilljones.com. Kyle can be found on twitter.com/thekylemarshall or www.thekylemarshall.com

     

    Further Reading:

    Speaking of Aziz Ansari, Daniel finds this Washington Post take on the controversy fascinating and relevant to our season: https://t.co/HRKo6QbMhw?ssr=true

    Kyle was so inspired by the Purple Red Scale that he made a video about it. https://youtu.be/fdPVQkt0Alg

     

    Credits:

    Assumptions is written and produced by Daniel Melvill Jones and Kyle Marshall.

    This episode edited by Kyle Marshall.

    Our soundtrack comes from The Parson Red Heads.

    Podcast artwork designed by Chris Taniguchi.

    Photography by Josh Boak

     

    Assumptions is available wherever podcasts are found, including Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Soundcloud, Spotify, and iHeart Radio.

    Don't forget to rate and review us and share and follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

    Christians are Bigots? – Season Two, Episode 4

    Christians are Bigots? – Season Two, Episode 4

    After hearing Kyle’s story on the last episode, it’s Daniel’s turn to be in the hot-seat. What are his views on what the Bible has to say about LGBTQ relationships? What did Jesus have to say about sexual ethics? And how has the modern church failed in these matters? Kyle and Daniel discuss and disagree.

    Sponsors:

    Assumptions is sponsored by ATB Financial’s Entrepreneur Centre and the Alberta Podcast Network.

    Show Notes:

    At the beginning of the episode we heard from the following friends and authors:

    Joy Beth Smith (who was asked about the Purple-Red Scale of sexuality)

    Tyler May

    Wesley Hill

    Nick Taniguchi

    Fraser Tripp

    Our full length interviews with these guests will appear as bonus episodes later this season.

    Daniel referees to several passages in the Bible. The Sermon on the Mount (found in Matthew 5-7) includes Jesus’s words:

    “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:27-28, English Standard Version). 

    The story of Jesus and the woman accused of adultery is found in John 8:3-11.

    “The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”  (John 8:3-11, English Standard Version)

    Daniel mentions our forthcoming interviews with biblical scholars Wesley Hill and Barry Danylak. Expect these interviews to be released as bonus episodes later this season.

    Daniel also mentioned a review written by Manhattan pastor Timothy Keller, which talks more about comparing slavery to homosexual relations in the Bible: http://t.co/QgvSXYlFl1

    Please email us your questions, comments, or thoughts. We’d love to include them in a future episode. Send an voice recording to assumptionspod@gmail.com

    Daniel’s website is www.danielmelvilljones.com. Kyle can be found on twitter.com/thekylemarshall or www.thekylemarshall.com

     

    Further Reading:

    Daniel talked about how the Old Testament law ought to be read in the context of the storyline of the Bible. This beautiful video by The Bible Project offers an elegant explanation of how the law fits into that story and you should watch it: https://youtu.be/3BGO9Mmd_cU.

    The also have a video explaining the strange shellfish laws found in the Bible: https://youtu.be/WmvyrLXoQio

    Daniel also discussed the New Testament letter of Philemon, and The Bible Project also made a video explaining that book: https://youtu.be/aW9Q3Jt6Yvk

    Finally, Daniel’s convictions on how Christians should talk about the LGBTQ community are echoed in this blog post written in response to the conservative Christian statement on sexual ethics. We will discuss these themes more in our forthcoming interview with Wesley Hill.

     

    Credits:

    Assumptions is written and produced by Daniel Melvill Jones and Kyle Marshall.

    This episode edited by Kyle Marshall and Josh Boak.

    Our soundtrack comes from The Parson Red Heads.

    Podcast artwork designed by Chris Taniguchi.

    Photography by Josh Boak

    Assumptions is available wherever podcasts are found, including Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Soundcloud, Spotify, and iHeart Radio.

    Don't forget to rate and review us and share and follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

     

    I Am What I Am – Season Two, Episode 3

    I Am What I Am – Season Two, Episode 3

    We all know that Kyle is bisexual. And many of us questions about what that means for Kyle and how he got here. In this episode, Kyle tells Daniel his story of how he came to understand his sexuality and they talk about the implications. 

    Sponsors:

    Assumptions is sponsored by ATB Financial’s Entrepreneur Centre and the Alberta Podcast Network. This week we mention The Daveberta Podcast.

    Show Notes:

    Daniel describes how author (and Assumptions guest) Wesley Hill describes the desire to feel loved by others in his book 

    Washed and Waiting: Reflections on Christian Faithfulness and Homosexuality. Here is the excerpt Daniel alluded to, and we will be featuring our interview with Wesley Hill on a future episode.

    "All our lives we're searching for someone who will take us seriously. That's what it means to be human," a friend of mine once mused. Whether straight or gay, people are wired, it seems, to pursue relationships of love and commitment. Maybe it's possible to be more specific: it seems that we long for the experience of mutual desire. We're on a quest to find a relationship in which we can want someone wholeheartedly and be wanted with the same intensity, in which there is a contrapuntal enhancement of desire. For many people, entering into this kind of relationship means stepping into a new world of radiant wonder and breathtaking beauty. The tingly, life-changing sense that I am wanted! and I want another person in return! makes everything look fresh and bright. 

    Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, expresses it this way: "To desire my joy is to desire the joy of the one I desire: my search for enjoyment through the . . . presence of another is a longing to be enjoyed . . . Romantic partners 'admire' in each other 'the lineaments of gratified desire'. We are pleased because we are pleasing." Relationships of love show both partners that they are lovable. [...]

    In Wendell Berry's novel Hannah Coulter, the title character describes how she first fell in love with Nathan, the man she eventually married. "To know you love somebody, and to feel his desire falling over you like a warm rain, touching you everywhere, is to have a kind of light," she reminisces from the vantage point of her old age. "The knowledge of his desire and of myself as desirable and of my desire would come over me" without warning, she said. 

    Hannah reflects, "A woman doesn't learn she is beautiful by looking in a mirror . . . She learns it so that she actually knows it from men. The way they look at her makes a sort of glimmer she walks in. That tells her. It changes the way she walks too . . . It had been a longish while since I had thought of being beautiful, but Nathan's looks were reminding me that I was." 

    Kyle talks about Alfred Kinsey and his Kinsey Scale and briefly alludes to the Liam Neeson film Kinsey.

    Daniel and Kyle allude to Kyle’s interview with Rabbi Seth Goldstein. We will be featuring the full length interview on an upcoming episode of this season. 

    Kyle described the impact the TV sitcom Roseanne had on him, and when Ellen Degeneres came out as gay (the year was 1997). The Oprah interview that Kyle mentioned can be found on YouTube.

    Please email us your questions, comments, or thoughts. We’d love to include them in a future episode. Send an voice recording to assumptionspod@gmail.com

    Daniel’s website is www.danielmelvilljones.com. Kyle can be found on twitter.com/thekylemarshall or www.thekylemarshall.com

     

    Further Reading

    For a Christian response to the now infamous Mike Spence rule, Daniel recommends this article written for Vox by his friend Karen Swallow Prior.

    Speaking of the Kinsey scale, our forthcoming interview with Joy Beth Smith will talk more about the similar Purple-Red Scale

    Credits:

    Assumptions is written and produced by Daniel Melvill Jones and Kyle Marshall.

    This episode edited by Kyle Marshall.

    Our soundtrack comes from The Parson Red Heads.

    Podcast artwork designed by Chris Taniguchi.

    Photography by Josh Boak

    Assumptions is available wherever podcasts are found, including Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Soundcloud, Spotify, and iHeart Radio.

    Don't forget to rate and review us and share and follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

    Let's Talk About Sex: Season Two, Episode 2

    Let's Talk About Sex: Season Two, Episode 2

    What is the purpose of sex? Is it an act shot through with meaning and consequence, or is it just for pleasure? How does it affect our identity? When and with whom should it be done? Is sex good? How does this apply to Christians and how does it apply to the LGBQ+ community? Kyle and Daniel bravely work their way through a discussion of these weighty matters.

    Sponsors:

    Assumptions is sponsored by ATB Financial’s Entrepreneur Centre and the Alberta Podcast Network. This week we suggest checking out the podcast Desktop.

    Show Notes:

    At the beginning of the episode, we heard from Joy Beth Smith, Barry Danylak, Lish Veldhuijzen, Nick Taniguchi (who mentioned the YouTube channel sexplanations) and Rabbi Seth Goldstein.. Our full length interviews with these and other guests will be released as episodes towards the end of this season.  

    Daniel quoted from (and highly recommends) the delightful book The Supper of the Lamb: A Culinary Reflection by the late Robert Farrar Capon. 

    Kyle mentioned a YouTube video that compares consent to having tea. Here it is.

    Kyle told the story of the first time he had sex. He also made a video about it. Here it is.

    Daniel mentioned a scene in Terrence Malik’s film on the proper place for love, To the Wonder. The scene features a woman having an affair with a man to whom she is not married, and the scene gives the act with a devastating weight of consequence.

    Kyle mentions the film Titanic

    Kyle mentions the book The ABCs of LGBT+.

    A couple times during this episode, we mention Wesley Hill, a guest of our podcast, who describes himself as a celibate gay. Our interview with him will be published as bonus episode later in the season. Wesley has written two books highly relevant to our season; Washed and Waiting: Reflections on Christian Faithfulness and Homosexuality and Spiritual Friendship: Finding Love in the Church as a Celibate Gay Christian.

    Daniel mentions an illustration by Manhattan pastor Timothy Keller

    Please email us your questions, comments, or thoughts. We’d love to include them in a future episode. Send an voice recording to assumptionspod@gmail.com

    Daniel’s website is www.danielmelvilljones.com. Kyle can be found on twitter.com/thekylemarshall or www.thekylemarshall.com

     

    Credits:

    Assumptions is written and produced by Daniel Melvill Jones and Kyle Marshall.

    This episode edited by Kyle Marshall and Josh Boak.

    Our soundtrack comes from The Parson Red Heads.

    Podcast artwork designed by Chris Taniguchi.

    Photography by Josh Boak

     

    Assumptions is available wherever podcasts are found, including Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Soundcloud, Spotify, and iHeart Radio.

    Don't forget to rate and review us and share and follow us on Facebook or Twitter.