Episodes
Tuesday Nov 03, 2015
Episode 72 - An Introduction to Gnosticism (Historical Heresies, Part 2)
Tuesday Nov 03, 2015
Tuesday Nov 03, 2015
Our holiday fundraiser for The Bodhana Group has officially begun! Grant and a recuperating Peter kick off this episode with a plug for that, before diving into the complex structure and philosophy of Gnosticism in order to lay a foundation for further episodes on specific Gnostic Christian sects. Grant provides an overview of core Gnostic beliefs, and how they connect to Christianity and Judaism (as well as other beliefs from around the Hellenistic world.) We touch on Kabbalah and modern Gnostic influences, and then spend some time discussing a major and newly-discovered Gnostic text: The Gospel of Judas. Grab a notepad, and enjoy!
Scripture: Deuteronomy 4:39, 1 Timothy 6:20-21, 1 John 4:2-3
Tuesday Oct 06, 2015
Episode 70 - Adoptionism and Ebionism (Historical Heresies, Part 1)
Tuesday Oct 06, 2015
Tuesday Oct 06, 2015
Grant and Peter kick off a new Historical Heresies series, analyzing heresies from the early Church! Without much additional news, we dive right into our Scripture and topic, starting with Adoptionism and Ebionism. Along the way, we explain what we hope our listeners can learn from this new series and what we hope they can use in their games. As always, feedback is appreciated—especially for a new series—so let us know what you think and what you'd like to hear in future episodes in the comments!
Also mentioned in this episode: Richard Beck's book Unclean.
Scripture: Isaiah 56:6-8, John 1:1-5, John 10:16
Tuesday Dec 30, 2014
Episode 53 - Humility (Virtues & Vices, Part 14)
Tuesday Dec 30, 2014
Tuesday Dec 30, 2014
Our Virtues & Vices series concludes with a look at humility! Peter's published again in Sojourn Volume 2 and our fundraiser for The Bodhana Group is nearly wrapped up, and well past its goal! There's also an ongoing discussion we'd like you participate in—essentially, we're looking for suggestions and improvements for the coming year. After all that, we talk over humility in characters and at the gaming table, and conclude with a special thank-you to our listeners and wishes for a merry Christmas and an awesome New Year.
Scripture: Psalm 131, Matthew 11:29-30, Philippians 2:3-11
Tuesday Dec 16, 2014
Episode 52 - Pride (Virtues & Vices, Part 13)
Tuesday Dec 16, 2014
Tuesday Dec 16, 2014
It's only Grant and Peter this episode, as we head into the final pair in our Virtues & Vices series! First, we talk about our ongoing (and quickly wrapping up) fundraiser for The Bodhana Group, and give Innroads Ministries some much-deserved plugs as well. Then we explore what C.S. Lewis called "the complete anti-God state of mind"—Pride. Some theological and practical definitions of pride get discussed before we explore pride as a character trait, and its manifestation at the gaming table.
Also mentioned in this episode: Episode 33 of Saving the Game, "Our Origin Stories (with Mike Perna)"; Peter's Evil Overlord Guide.
Scripture: Jeremiah 9:23-24, Matthew 23:8-12, , 1 Corinthians 3:5-9
Tuesday Sep 09, 2014
Episode 46 - Kindness (Virtues & Vices, Part 12)
Tuesday Sep 09, 2014
Tuesday Sep 09, 2014
Grant's back, and there's so much news! Our official store is open, Peter's getting published again, Branden has a job, and our live Q&A episode is coming up. And all that's before we get into our main topic, Kindness. After defining kindness and discussing its nature as a virtue, we dive headlong into its in-game uses and role as a storytelling trope. Finally, we wrap up with a discussion of kindness at the gaming table.
Scripture: Micah 6:8, Ezekiel 36:26, Matthew 25:34-40, Colossians 3:12, Ephesians 4:32
Tuesday Aug 26, 2014
Bonus Episode 4 - Brandon Tells A Story
Tuesday Aug 26, 2014
Tuesday Aug 26, 2014
BIG NEWS: Branden will be a Save Against Fear 2014! If you're not familiar with SAFe and The Bodhana Group, take a listen to Episode 25, "Therapeutic Roleplaying (with Jack Berkenstock)".
This should be our last bonus episode for a bit—Grant will be back next episode—but Peter and Branden wanted to take some of the work we've done in our Science of Storytelling series and apply it to a real campaign pitch, with multiple demands from virtual players (all played by Peter) and Branden as the GM. Enjoy!
Scripture: Proverbs 4:13, Luke 6:40
Tuesday Jul 29, 2014
Episode 45 - Envy (Virtues & Vices, Part 11)
Tuesday Jul 29, 2014
Tuesday Jul 29, 2014
Branden and Peter continue our Virtues & Vices series with a discussion of Envy! BIG news first, though: Episode 50 will be recorded LIVE, with an ongoing listener Q&A during the episode! Also, Grant's working on t-shirts and other STG products. Then we talk about Envy: The Christian definition of it, why it's a capital vice, using it in games and stories, and dealing with it at the table.
Scripture: Genesis 4:2-10, Exodus 20:17, Proverbs 14:30, Luke 15:25-30, James 3:13-18
Tuesday Jun 03, 2014
Episode 41 - The Types of Stories
Tuesday Jun 03, 2014
Tuesday Jun 03, 2014
Professor Branden schools Peter and Grant on some traditional lists of archetypal stories! We start things off with a reminder that Peter will be at Fear the Con 7 from June 12th to June 14th (find him there and say 'hello'!), and a mention of our appearance on Game Store Prophets #74, "Tearing The Veil Of Familiarity". Then we dive right in with Booker's seven story archetypes, Polti's Thirty-Six Dramatic Situations, and Snyder's ten basic movie plots. Oh, and somewhere along the way Grant plugs Happy Jacks RPG Podcast's "Tales from the Floating Vagabond" Actual Play (NSFW). Phew!
Scripture: >Genesis 25:24-34, Ecclesiastes 1:9, Matthew 13:13
Tuesday Apr 22, 2014
Episode 39 - Chastity (Virtues & Vices, Part 10)
Tuesday Apr 22, 2014
Tuesday Apr 22, 2014
After an aside on the books which have impacted us most strongly, Grant, Peter and Branden settle in on a difficult and unpopular topic: Chastity. We take a few minutes to define it, then discuss the prospect of using chastity as an in-game plot driver or character trait. We wrap up with a discussion of chastity -- and respect -- at the gaming table.
Scripture: Exodus 20:14, Job 31:1-4, Ephesians 5:1-13
Tuesday Mar 25, 2014
Episode 37 - Lust (Virtues & Vices, Part 9)
Tuesday Mar 25, 2014
Tuesday Mar 25, 2014
Our Virtues & Vices series picks up again with a particularly difficult topic: Lust. We briefly plug Sojourn again, and then dive headlong into a discussion about this capital sin. We explain what lust is (and isn't), why it's a capital sin, and why it's so pervasive and accepted. Then we talk about the problems (and storytelling opportunities) that the sin of lust can create in your game, discuss the problems lust can cause at the gaming table, and wrap up with some thoughts on how lust in particular bleeds across that in-game/out-of-game boundary.
Scripture: 2 Samuel 11-12, Proverbs 6:27-29, Matthew 5:27-30, 1 Corinthians 6:12-20