Rector’s Cupboard Podcast
Religion & Spirituality
About
Conversations about Hopeful Faith, Hopeful Theology.
Episodes
- A Conversation About MAID with Ken Bell
In this episode of Rector’s Cupboard, Allison, Amanda, and Ken sit down for a thoughtful and deeply human conversation about MAID — Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada. Drawing on Ken’s work as a Spiritual Health Practitioner at Lions Ga…
- A Short History of Evangelicalism: Live Recording
In this episode, we’re sharing a live recording from one of our Tasting Room Theology gatherings—informal, in-person evenings where we pair something tasty (in this case, doughnuts from Lucky’s Doughnuts ) with thoughtful theological refle…
- Addiction, Faith, and the Whole Person with Dr. Quentin Genuis
Faith always has a public facet. It is lived out in the public sphere, in our day-to-day lives, our families and friendships, in those we encounter as we walk down the street, as we think about how the most vulnerable amongst us are treate…
- Good Friday 2026
Good Friday again. Jesus gives his life for the life of the world. The hosts of Rector’s Cupboard sit down to talk about Good Friday in the world today. What does Jesus’ sacrifice mean in the midst of all of this? So much spinning around,…
- Reckoning with Faith with Barrett Sprowson
When you think back on your religious past, are there memories that make you cringe or worse? Perhaps you recall speaking in ways that you now find upsetting or even abhorrent. Maybe it’s a youth group skit that you remember with embarrass…
- Theological Healing with Dr. Marty Folsom
In this episode, the phrase “theology matters” is not a slogan but a warning. The ways we imagine God shape the ways we live in the world, how we see the world around, how we see the people around us. At the moment, political leaders are e…
- Recovering History with Matthew Stewart
If you grew up in the evangelical church you may know that there are particular ways of interpreting history in evangelical culture. That is, like any sub-culture, evangelicals tend to tell one another particular stories about the past. In…
- Engaging the World with Dr. John Martens
In this episode, we sit down with Dr. John Martens, Director of the Centre for Christian Engagement at St. Mark’s College at UBC, for a reflective conversation about faith, public life, and hope in a fractured world. Drawing on his Mennoni…
- Religion Against Democracy with Katherine Stewart
In this episode, we welcome back journalist and author Katherine Stewart, whose work has become a trusted guide for us as we continue to think about the intersection of politics, religion, and public life. Over the years, we’ve often found…
- Revival and Reflection, a Conversation with David Goa
The Cupboard is pleased to welcome back longtime friend, mentor, and Orthodox theologian David Goa for a reflective conversation about the recent rise in church attendance among young people, particularly within Orthodox Christian communit…
- Christmas Special 2025
In this annual Christmas episode of Rector’s Cupboard , the cupboard is opened for seasonal tasting, spirited conversation, and a few holy disagreements. Over glasses of wintery mead, the hosts reflect on Christmas songs they love and thos…
- Hello Unknown with Jonathan Wright
We recently had a storytelling evening in our garage studio. In this episode, we share a recording from this event featuring writer and lawyer Jonathan Wright, host of the podcast Hello Unknown , which has just released its second season.…
- "Love and Love's Energy" with Tara Boothby
In this episode, we’re joined by Tara Boothby, a registered clinical psychologist, working in BC and Alberta for nearly 20 years. She is an Experiential Attachment Focused Therapist and a certified Emotionally Focused Couples, Family, and…
- Nevertheless, Hope with Julian Davis Reid
We are very happy to welcome back returning guest and friend of the podcast, Julian Davis Reid. Julian is a gifted writer, musician, speaker, theologian, and pastor and spoke with us about his new album, Vocation, in particular the song Mo…
- Faith and the Land, Part Three: Regenerative Farming at the End of the World
For the final instalment of our Alberta mini-series we visit Happiness by the Acre a regenerative farm run by Marcus and Sarah Reidner. Rector’s Cupboard met Marcus and Sarah three years ago and things were tough then in the farming world.…
- Faith and the Land, Part Two: Everything Can Be Transformed
You have likely noticed that hope is apparently in short supply these days. Talk of politics, rising authoritarianism, and political unrest reveals a present despair felt individually and collectively. Stories of effective hope can change…
- Faith and the Land, Part One: Winter is Coming
Rector’s Cupboard in Alberta, Canada. We set out on a road trip to visit some regenerative farmers we first met three years ago. In this episode, Todd and Allison and Amanda speak about the trip and about a visit to the Pine Haven Hutterit…
- Charismatic Christianity and American Politics with Dr. André Gagné
Welcome to season 7 of Rector’s Cupboard! Do you sometimes feel like all we do is talk about America? While many Canadians would see Canada as distinct from the States, we are influenced by our neighbours to the south. In Alberta, the prov…
- Blessed are the Undone with Angela Reitsma Bick
In our final episode of season 6, we are pleased to speak with Angela Reitsma Bick , editor of Christian Courier and co-author of the newly released book Blessed Are the Undone , which explores faith deconstruction in the Canadian context.…
- Hope Instead of Fundamentalism with David Goa, Part 3
This is our third and final instalment of our series with Orthodox theologian and friend of the Cupboard, David Goa . This series has focused on the topic of fundamentalism, how it is expressed within the church, from several sides. If you…
- Hope Instead of Fundamentalism with David Goa, Part 2
This is the second of three conversations we had with friend of the Cupboard, David Goa , on the topic of fundamentalism. If you haven’t listened to part one, we’d encourage you to do so before diving into this conversation. In this conver…
- Hope Instead of Fundamentalism with David Goa, Part 1
You have likely heard, and perhaps said, that we live in a world that is very polarized. Too often, communities of faith have contributed to this polarization rather than offered help or healing to a divided world. David Goa has been, and…
- Preaching In a New Key, a Conversation with Mark Glanville
Those in Christian circles have likely spent many a Sunday morning sitting in a pew (or, perhaps, a more comfortable seat) listening to someone preach. While the length of sermon or its place in a service may vary from denomination to deno…
- Good Friday 2025
Today is Good Friday. In Christian faith, today and Easter Sunday are two of the most important days of observation. We often, on Rector’s Cupboard, refer to what is happening in the world, the news, politics, culture. In Christian faith,…
- Live Recording: An Evening of Conversation and Music with John Swinton
A special episode. Recorded live at the Rector’s Cupboard studio. John Swinton is Professor of Practical Theology at the University of Aberdeen . Before becoming a mental health professional and then a writer (of at least four books) on fa…
- Vocation and Church with Matthew Brough
It might be that being a full-time pastor is now untenable. It is a job that pulls in so many directions that it becomes virtually impossible. One of the things that can help is accepting that for pastors, spiritual energy often comes from…
- Biblical Storytelling with the Ven. Dr. Rob James
We are pleased to speak to the Ven. Dr. Rob James (which he said we could shorten to Rob), about his latest publication, 50 New Testament Stories for Storytellers , a new illustrated, beautifully illustrated we might add, children’s Bible.…
- "Money, Lies, and God" with Katherine Stewart
In the 20th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells His followers what power is like in the kingdom of God. He says that real greatness is servanthood and that we ought not aim to “lord it over” others. There is a movement in the Uni…
- The Need for a Christian Christianity with Jonathan Rauch
Jonathan Rauch is a contributing writer at The Atlantic and a senior fellow in the Governance Studies program at the Brookings Institution. His most recent book, out this week, is called Cross Purposes: Christianity’s Broken Bargain with D…
- Christmas Special 2024
Our annual hosts only Christmas special. Cupboard Master Ken Bell presents his take on a B5-2, using Nocciola, a hazelnut liqueur from one of our favourite local distilleries, The Woods Spirit Co. We ask one another three questions about C…
- Defrocked and Excommunicated with Thomas Jay Oord
We speak with theologian and philosopher Thomas Jay Oord about his church trial and his book Open and Relational Theology . Thomas, who was a minister for many years in the Church of the Nazarene, faced a trial for being inclusive on matte…
- The Changing Nature of Christianity with Rev. Dr. Ross Lockhart
We speak with friend of the show Ross Lockhart about his recent book (and PhD work) called West Coast Mission: The Changing Nature of Christianity in Vancouver. The book takes an in-depth look at 12 churches and two faith-based organizatio…
- All of You is Welcome Here with Elise Girardin
Mental health and matters of spiritual and mental wellness are often topics we address on Rector’s Cupboard and so we were very grateful to speak to Elise Girardin, Executive Director of The Woods Arts & Wellness , a North Vancouver based…
- The Particular Approach of Alpha with Shaila Visser
Shaila Visser is the National Director of Alpha Canada and the Global Senior Vice-President for Alpha International. She is the Executive Producer of both The Alpha Youth Film Series (2013) and The Alpha Film Series (2016), and currently h…
- Religious Moderation with Dr. Aurelian Crăiuțu
Dr. Aurelian Crăiuțu is Professor in the Department of Political Science at Indiana University, Bloomington, and Adjunct Professor in the Lilly Family School of Philanthropic Studies at IUPUI, Indianapolis. He is also affiliated with the R…
- Host Only: Summer Recommendations
As we close season 5 of Rector’s Cupboard and begin summer, Rector’s Cupboard hosts, Todd, Amanda, and Allison have gathered to talk about what is on our summer reading/watching/listening lists this year that we think you might find intere…
- Changing Your Mind About Important Issues with Benjamin Perrin
Benjamin Perrin is a professor at the University of British Columbia, Peter A. Allard School of Law and a senior fellow in criminal justice at the Macdonald Laurier Institute of Public Policy and the author of several books including Indic…
- Karl Barth's Church Dogmatics with Dr. Marty Folsom
We were pleased to speak again to Dr. Marty Folsom about his latest work, Karl Barth’s Church Dogmatics For Everyone, Vol 2 – The Doctrine of God: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners and Pros . Marty Folsom has taken up an expansive work of…
- Host Only, A Conversation About Hope and Fear
This week on Rector’s Cupboard, we gather the Cupboard hosts, Todd, Allison, and Amanda, as well as Cupboard Master, Ken, to discuss what we’re watching and reading right now, as well as few articles that speak about the apocalypse, hope,…
- The Church In-Between Times: A Conversation with David Goa
This week on Rector’s Cupboard we are pleased to offer a collaboration with our good friend, David Goa . David has been on the podcast a number of times through the years and in 2022 we partnered with David to record a series of conversati…
- COP 28 and Stories of Doom and Hope with Deb Walker
We speak with United Church Minister Deb Walker about her attendance at the COP 28 Climate Conference in Dubai. 85,0000 people attended the event, which was held in a country often referred to as a Petrol State. Deb’s attendance was offici…
- The Art of Spiritual Memoir with Richard Lischer
Do you have a testimony? If you are familiar with the culture of evangelical church, you will know what is being asked. Maybe you heard someone give their testimony at church, or at camp. In this context, testimony meant a personal account…
- Historical Theology with Dr. J. Warren Smith
Dr. J. Warren Smith is Professor of Historical Theology at Duke Divinity School. Professor Smith is a great guide in helping us to see hope for the future in listening to voices of hope from the past. We talk with him about how some saying…
- A Visit with David Goa
At least once a season, we speak with David Goa , a spiritual friend and mentor. David is a writer, professor, and theologian and has been a great help to us as we hope to articulate a hopeful vision of faith and theology. When we speak wi…
- Vocation, Spirituality and Design with J Alkana
We are pleased to speak with J Alkana about his work in architecture and design. J thoughtfully asks questions of meaning, humanity and faith in relation to the work that he does. What is vocation? What gives your work meaning? Various und…
- Church is Different Now with Elle Pyke
The image of a new leaf implies new season, new hope. Elle Pyke, Director of Programs and Innovation at New Leaf Network, helps to navigate people and organizations through some of the significant changes in what it means to be a church wi…
- Christmas Special 2023
There are some truly terrifying Christmas/winter characters out there. Many may have heard of Krampus, a German partner of St. Nick who punishes poorly behaved children, but what about Peruchty, a winter witch who likes to disembowel naugh…
- Those Other Churches with Rev. Dr. Ross Lockhart
In recent years, there has been a growing number of people who have moved from one Christian faith tradition to another. Some of the lines within Christian expression have been fairly rigid. This rigidity has even led, in some instances, t…
- Host Only: Is God Like a Cat?
Have you been feeling like things are a little precarious at the moment? If so, you are certainly not alone. For our first Host Only episode of season five, we gather to discuss some of the precarious nature of our current days. The conver…
- Does Faith Include Non-Belief? With Professor John Lennox
John Lennox is a mathematician and bioethicist at Oxford University, where he is a Professor of Mathematics. He has spoken internationally and written many books on the intersection of science and philosophy and religion. His latest book,…