Rector’s Cupboard Podcast

About Rector’s Cupboard Podcast

Conversations about hopeful faith and hopeful theology.

Publisher

Rector’s Cupboard

Category

religion & spirituality

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

31 Jan 2020

Latest episode

23 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

146 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   23 Oct 2026

   Between Two Gileads with Rev. Dr. Henry Walter Spauling III

   What happens when the Bible is used to justify power, certainty, and exclusion? And what might it look like to read scripture in a way that draws us toward grace, humility, and a deeper love of our neighbours? In this episode of Rector’s Cupboard, we’re joined by the Reverend Dr. Henry Walter Spaulding III—who kindly gives us permission to call him Hank—to discuss his book Between Two Gileads: Christian Nationalism, Fundamentalism, Romans 13:1–7, and the Future of Political Theology. Drawing on the contrasting visions of Gilead imagined by Margaret Atwood and Marilynne Robinson, Hank explores how Christian faith can be used to justify authoritarianism and exclusion, or open us to the grace and humanity of others. He invites us to read difficult biblical texts with care, resisting the temptation to assume that any single interpretation has the final word on what God is saying. What happens when we approach scripture with humility rather than certainty, especially when faith and political power intersect? The conversation also offers a hopeful alternative. Drawing on Robinson, Jacques Ellul, and other thinkers, Hank describes the paradox of non-power: choosing not to dominate, even when we can. What if faithfulness has less to do with winning or gaining influence, and more to do with trusting God’s work and practising the slow, relational work of presence, humility, and love? We hope you enjoy the conversation.

2. 

   9 Oct 2026

   What Might the Church Become? with Angela Reitsma Bick

   What happens when the stories we’ve inherited about the church no longer fit with what we know about its history, or with our own experiences of faith? And what might it mean to move forward when going back is no longer possible—or even desirable? In this episode of Rector’s Cupboard, we’re joined by author and researcher Angela Reitsma Bick, co-author of Blessed Are the Undone: Testimonies of the Quiet Deconstruction of Faith in Canada, for a conversation about the changing landscape of Christianity in Canada and the questions that are leading people to reconsider their relationship with the church. Drawing on interviews with Canadians across generations and denominations, Angela explores the experiences that have led people to question their faith, from abuse of power and the legacy of residential schools to questions about theology, sexuality, and the influence of American Christianity. These stories invite us to look beyond what has gone wrong and consider what a church willing to listen, learn, and make amends might become. Angela reflects on the importance of honesty, humility, compassion, and repentance—not as abstract ideals, but as the beginnings of a different way of being together. What if acknowledging harm didn’t have to mean giving up on faith? What if asking difficult questions could be an expression of faithfulness, rather than a threat to it? Perhaps the question isn’t how we get back to the church we remember, but how we move toward something more honest, humble, and hopeful. Angela will be joining us in Vancouver for our November conference, What on Earth Is Happening with Christianity? We hope you enjoy the conversation. References: Information and registration details about Angela’s upcoming course with ICS (Institute for Christian Studies) can be found here. If you’d like to check out the Righteous Gemstones scene referenced in this episode you can take a look here.

3. 

   25 Sept 2026

   When Christianity Seeks Power with André Gagné

   What if some of the most significant changes happening in Christianity are happening in places we aren’t paying much attention to? What happens when movements that many Christians might think of as fringe are actually becoming increasingly influential in the places where religion, culture, and political power intersect? In this episode of Rector’s Cupboard, we’re joined by André Gagné, professor and chair of the Department of Theological Studies at Concordia University in Montreal, to talk about neo-charismatic Pentecostalism and its growing influence around the world. What exactly is happening within these movements? How did they become so widespread, and what happens when ideas about spiritual authority, spiritual warfare, and the supernatural begin to intersect with the pursuit of power? Drawing on his own experience within the movement as well as years of research, André helps us understand the diversity of Pentecostal and neo-charismatic Christianity, the ways it has shaped contemporary Christian life, and some of the theological currents that have emerged within it. We also talk about what can happen when those currents become connected to political power—and why understanding that connection matters, even when the people involved may have very different intentions, experiences, and understandings of what they are part of. Perhaps the challenge is not simply to ask what is happening, but to learn how to see it more clearly: to take the ideas seriously without reducing the people who hold them to those ideas, and to notice the ways theology can shape the world around us in ways we might not expect. This conversation is part of our exploration of What on Earth Is Happening with Christianity?—and André will be joining us in person for our November conference in Vancouver. More information and registration for our upcoming conference available here. We hope you enjoy the conversation. References: “The Demon Next Door”, The Atlantic, July 7, 2026 Andrés Substack, which contains writings and podcast episodes - Spirit, State, and Society

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Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Spotify

4.0 / 5

4 ratings

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Guest appearances

Books guests

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