Keeping It 101: A Killjoy's Introduction to Religion Podcast

Keeping It 101: A Killjoy's Introduction to Religion Podcast

Author: Profs. Ilyse Morgenstein Fuerst and Megan Goodwin Language: English Episodes: 100
Ever wonder how religion shapes the headlines, influences politics, or quietly dictates the rules we live by? Keeping It 101: A Killjoy's Introduction to Religion Podcast is here to unpack all that and more. Hosted by Profs. Ilyse Morgenstein Fuerst and Megan Goodwin, this isn't a Sunday school lesson or a dry academic lecture. It's a lively, critical conversation for the curious and the skeptical. Think of it as your friendly guide to the messy, powerful, and often misunderstood force that is religion in our world. Each episode digs into the ways belief systems are tangled up with everything from race, gender, and class to sexuality, ability, and power. The professors break down complex ideas with clarity and a dose of humor, arguing that if you have a body or exist in public, you're already grappling with religious concepts. This podcast makes the case that understanding these forces is not only more important than you might assume, but also far more accessible. You'll come away with new frameworks for critiquing the news, history, and your own daily life. It's an educational journey through history and spirituality designed for anyone who's ever asked "why?"-perfect for nerds, killjoys, and the perpetually questioning. Tune in and let these scholars show you how to see the religious dimensions of the everyday, all while keeping it real and, of course, keeping it 101.
Episodes
Twitter, Jinn, and the Great Conjunction with Dr. Ali Olomi [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:30
Guest lecture chat with Prof. Ali Olomi, reigning king of Wednesdays, the smart+fun twitter thread, and host of the Head On History Podcast. Keyword: jinn (duh) Homework: Routledge Companion to the Qur'an, eds. George Ar…
Islam Is More than You Think It Is [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:58
We (mostly Ilyse) show you why there’s way more to know about Islam and Muslims than the life of the Prophet or the latest travel ban. Keywords: Qur'an, exegesis, hadith, sunnah, shariah Storytime: from Shahab Ahmed's Wh…
Was Jesus a Wizard? with Dr. Shaily Patel [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:11
Neither of us are professionally or confessionally equipped to answer this question, so we’re bringing in Prof. Shaily Patel, Assistant Professor of Early Christianity at Virginia Tech and baller scholar of magic & relig…
Very Special Episode: 'Rona Revisited [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:52
Can you believe it's been a full freaking year of this mess? Ilyse and Megan do a quick round-up of how religious communities are responding to global crisis AND are re-joined by a very special guest. Homework: still no,…
Early Christianity Is Actually Kind of Interesting [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:49
In which we (mostly Megan) walk you through three things you maybe don't know about early Christianity: Christianity was kind of a mistakeThe New Testament is a messy bitchChristianity = imperialismKeywords: BCE/CE, gosp…
White Evangelicalism Racism with Dr. Anthea Butler [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:08
Guest lecture chat with Prof. Anthea Butler, possibly the public face of why you need to care about religion in the US? Most recently the author of White Evangelical Racism (UNC 2021). As always, be sure to visit keeping…
White American Evangelicalism + Racism = BFF [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:36
In which we (mostly Megan) quickly survey the long and sordid history of white supremacy, American politics, and evangelicalism in what’s now the US. Keywords: racism, white supremacy, evangelicalism Storytime: Baldwin,…
Simran Jeet Singh Keeps Going [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:28
Guest lecture chat with Prof. Simran Jeet Singh, author of oh so many things, but most recently Fauja Singh Keeps Going, which both NPR and the New York Public Library listed as a top 2020 title. As always, be sure to vi…
Public Scholarship and Representation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:13
In which we talk about why it's important for minoritized scholars to share what they know with the public, why it can be daunting and exhausting and dangerous to do so, and why we're so excited for writer/teacher/schola…
Welcome Back, Nerds! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:50
In which Ilyse and Megan provide a quick refresher on what we covered in seasons 1& 2 and set up the new format for season 3: intros to public scholarship, white evangelical racism in what's now the US, why early Christi…