Naming Faith — Eric Sharp is a Pluralist Agnostic & Systemic Therapist - a podcast by Avery Smith

I sit down with my fellow seminary grad Eric Sharp (degree in Marriage & Family Therapy) for the story of how he came to call himself a Pluralist Agnostic who draws from Womanism and Postmodernism. On the way, we also discuss: the power of swearing and of playfulness; appreciating many truths in place of one Big Truth; and bringing healing into a broken world — with plenty of laughter as we go.

Click here for an episode transcript.

Content Warning: swearing; discussions of mental illness, addiction, and suicide ideation; of abuse and neglect and trauma, including among children; of sex; and mentions of the Holocaust, hell, and religious homophobia

Talking Points:

(0:00 - 8:00) Introducing Eric: Systemic therapist; cis, white, with gay as his "teeny-tiny window of oppression"

(8:01 - 14:25) Eric's childhood: crushing on his best friend & on Jesus; pressure to choose between gay and God; lonely

(14:26 - 18:20) Meeting our spouses; Eric's college experience — befriending atheists who seem to live love better than his Christian friends

(18:21 - 21:52) "I love swearing!"; post-college therapy jobs

(21:53 - 27:01) Entering seminary as openly gay & agnostic; one problem of agnosticism: "I didn't know how to claim what I knew"

(27:02 - 29:14) Basing therapy interventions in processes of love, affirmation, community; suicide prevention must go beyond hotlines

(29:15 - 34:36) A class on "Biblical Interpretation after the Holocaust"; believing you have The Truth is dangerous — many truths, many ways

(34:36 - 41:10) ACES and counter-ACES — the power of one safe, caring adult, and of playfulness

(41:11 - 48:26) The Good Place as a sacred text; "The Story of the Seven Blind Mice" — agnosticism

(48:27 - 54:16) Heaven and hell are here on earth — we can reduce the hell and cultivate heaven; breaking down isolation & scarcity

(54:17 - 59:20) No broken people; divinely created people dropped in a broken world, injured but capable of bringing healing

(59:21 - end) Wrapping up — send me feedback & ideas!

Eric practices therapy at Best Life Mental Health Services in Louisville, Kentucky.

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Blessed  Are the Binary Breakers is part of the Rock Candy Podcast  Network. Find more shows, such as Bubble & Squeak, at www.rockcandyrecordings.com.

This show's theme song is "Aetherium" by Leah Horn. This episode also makes use of "Gold Beamer" by Mother Hood; as well as a brief clip from The Good Place.

Further episodes of Blessed Are the Binary Breakers

Further podcasts by Avery Smith

Website of Avery Smith