The Magnificast

This week on the pod we're talking about the new statement from the Bishops of the Global South for COP30. In their statement they reject false solutions like technocracy and green capitalism and argue that the way forward is degrowth! 

Read the statement here: https://www.cidse.org/2025/07/01/churches-of-the-global-south-call-for-climate-justice-resisting-false-solutions-and-standing-for-hope/

Intro Music by Amaryah Arm...

This week, we're talking about a new article that Matt has in Sojourners Called Is AI Demonic? Throughout the ep, Matt and Dean talk about Rod Dreher, ChatGPT induced psychosis, the history of the telegraph, and how our only hope is organizing our workplaces.

Read Matt's Sojourners article here: https://sojo.net/articles/opinion/ai-demonic

Intro Music by Amaryah Armstrong

Outro music by theillogicalspoon

https://theillalogica...

This week on the pod, we're talking about the militarization of society, speed, politics, and death. In case you couldn't guess based on that constellation of topics, this episode features one of our favs, Paul Virilio. Throughout the episode, we're primarily referencing Paul Virilio's book Pure War. But we also reference Virilio's The Administration of Death. 

Intro Music by Amaryah Armstrong

Outro music by theillogicalspoo...

Folks, we're once again kind of busy this week and couldn't record an episode. However, given the ongoing protests and police violence in LA, I thought it might be fun to give you this classic ep from 2020 about police abolition and Marxism. Please do not hold us too accountable for anything we said in 2020...unless it's good, then we're accountable.

This week on The Magnificast, Matt & Dean talk about Alex Vitale's boo...

We talk a lot on this show about all of the bad stuff that Christianity contributes to the world. But this week, we're talking about the historical Christian tools and ideas that have contributed something good to the world. Specifically, we're linking together some of overarching themes we find in left-wing expressions of Christianity that have something to contribute to degrowth socialism. We've got Basil the great, St. ...

Folks, we've got a new Pope. Pope Leo is here and we're going to tell you about him. In this episode, we cover the midwest pope meme, Rod Dreher's take, the Pope and his past on survivors of sexual abuse, and his emerging takes on AI.

Here are the articles we talked about in this episode.
https://religionnews.com/2025/05/21/theres-an-american-pope-and-hes-just-like-us-at-least-we-really-really-want-him-to-be/
https:...

We're recouping from all the travel we've done in the last week, so enjoy a classic ep. 

A lot of moral questions revolve around doing or not doing something, but what if the biggest moral problems were actually about the very way we live our lives? Driving, smartphones, food production, etc. are all far more political than most people realize. In this episode, we talk through the book The Imperial Mode of Living by Ulrich ...

Folks, the conclave kicks off tomorrow and we can barely contain ourselves. This week, we're doing a round up of everything you need to know before we get conclaving.

Here are the articles we referenced
https://www.ncronline.org/vatican/conclave-roundup-conclave-begin-less-48-hours
https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2025/05/young-people-tell-cardinals-they-want-a-role-in-the-future-church

https://cruxnow.com/church-in-the-am...

In this episode, Matt and Dean reflect on Pope Francis' life, death, and everything that comes after. Later in the episode we talk about conclave and how to think about some of the reporting on who will be the next Pope. 

Read Dean's article on the Conclave in the Nation: https://www.thenation.com/article/society/pope-francis-jorge-bergoglio-dead-obituary/
Also read Dean's article reflecting on the Pope who was too often...

There's a Cheeto in the White House and he's once again doing some devious stuff. Back in February, the President signed an executive order against the weaponization of anti-Christian bias. Listen in for the whole story. 

Articles we talked about
https://theconversation.com/claims-of-anti-christian-bias-sound-to-some-voters-like-a-message-about-race-not-just-religion-250729
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/11/sta...

We're back with an episode from the vault. Dean is out traveling through the exotic province of Ontario, so this week we're giving you a classic Episode with Marika Rose.

You might remember a few weeks back we talked about Angels from the perspective of a weird book by Michel Serres. Well, we decided we couldn't leave the conversation there. We needed an angel expert. So, this week, we're joined by Marika Rose to talk abou...

In the gospel, Jesus says you've got to love your enemies. But, that's such a hard thing to do when your enemies are so contemptible, cruel, and stupid. This week, we're getting to the bottom of how to love your enemies, but not in a cringe way.

Here are the articles and books we mentioned in this episode.
The best way to love Elon Musk? Protest him - https://sojo.net/articles/opinion/best-way-love-elon-musk-protest-hi...

There have been some "strategic conversations" lately in Europe about nuclear sharing and other scary ideas about the proliferation of nuclear weapons. So, we're using this as an opportunity to talk about how Christians have thought about nuclear weapons and mass death.

Here's the Bill Wylie-Kellerman essay we read from at the end of the episode: https://geezmagazine.org/magazine/article/eucharist-at-gunpoint 

Intro Music by...

Last week, we had a chat about right-wing forms of Christianity. This week, we're taking a bit of a different approach and thinking through the process of building counter Christianities to help keep ourselves mentally healthy (maybe) and oppose right-wing Christianity.

Intro Music by Amaryah Armstrong

Outro music by theillogicalspoon

https://theillalogicalspoon.bandcamp.com/track/hoods-up-the-low-down-technified-blues

*Suppor...

If you're a long-time listener of the Magnificast, you'll know that we have a unique analysis of the question: are right-wing Christians actually Christians? We've got another round of right-wing Christians in power at the moment, so we're bringing the discourse back and telling you everything you need to know. 
 
Intro Music by Amaryah Armstrong

Outro music by theillogicalspoon

https://theillalogicalspoon.bandcamp.com...

Magnificast lock in? No. This week, we're descending into the crypt. Buckle up bone perverts, it's time to answer all of the hottest bone related reddit questions. 

Intro Music by Amaryah Armstrong

Outro music by theillogicalspoon

https://theillalogicalspoon.bandcamp.com/track/hoods-up-the-low-down-technified-blues

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This week, we're locking in and answering all of the hottest questions from the internet about Christianity. In this episode, we talk about walking into a Catholic Church, gaseous Jesus, Nudist Episcopalianism, Scotland, and chicken fossils. 

Intro Music by Amaryah Armstrong

Outro music by theillogicalspoon

https://theillalogicalspoon.bandcamp.com/track/hoods-up-the-low-down-technified-blues

*Support The Magnificast on Patreon...

When it comes to climate change and mitigation, some have suggested that we harness the power of capitalist growth and use it for something useful like green energy. But, there are some problems baked into capitalism about why that won't work. Listen in and learn all about why.

Here are the books we mentioned in the ep. 

Brett Christophers - The Price is Wrong - https://www.versobooks.com/en-gb/products/3069-the-price-is-wro...