Cafeteria Christian

Nora and Natalia met on the internet and quickly formed a mutual admiration society which grew into a friendship and many conversations about life and loss and faith and God. They knew there was a place in the current cultural and political climate for a kind of Christianity that was not “THAT kind of Christian”. So Cafeteria Christian was born. They are reclaiming this pejorative for good and reminding people that even when it comes to Christianity and faith, you can take what you like and leave the rest.

#320 No Mega-Church May (June) part 3: The Church Search 06/02/2025

#320 No Mega-Church May (June) part 3: The Church Search Emmy and Natalia continue the conversation about finding a church fit, what your search might lead you into, and why you might not want to church search at all. Links: Venmo: @cafeteriachristian /episode/index/show/cafeteriachristian/id/36810110

#319 No Mega-Church May 05/28/2025

#319 No Mega-Church May We asked, and you all responded! This week Emmy and Natalia read and talk about the ways Cafeterians have church shopped and how it went. /episode/index/show/cafeteriachristian/id/36746805

#318 No Mega-Church May 05/19/2025

#318 No Mega-Church May Emmy and Natalia answer our most commonly asked listener question about churches and how to find a “good” church that also is safe, but also has good music, and also good preaching, and and and and and. Links: /episode/index/show/cafeteriachristian/id/36623345

#317 Practicing Being Human w/ Beth Silvers 05/12/2025

#317 Practicing Being Human w/ Beth Silvers Emmy and Natalia welcome Beth Silvers of Pantsuit Politics to spend a little time talking about the intersections of faith and politics and why we haven’t given up on either just yet. Links: Pantsuit Politics: Sarah Bessey Article: /episode/index/show/cafeteriachristian/id/36540575

#316 The Noise of Your Songs 05/07/2025

#316 The Noise of Your Songs Emmy and Natalia talk about a few stories about Christianity that have been in the news this week, and why it matters to stay in this faith thing, even when it feels like it would be easier to just walk away. /episode/index/show/cafeteriachristian/id/36468475

#315 Get in Loser, We’re Going Conclaving 04/30/2025

#315 Get in Loser, We’re Going Conclaving Natalia drags Emmy into her rabbit hole of interest in the papacy and tries to convince her that it matters and that we should care - even if we’re super not Catholic. /episode/index/show/cafeteriachristian/id/36371795

#314 Post-Easter Mini-sode with Emmy 04/25/2025

#314 Post-Easter Mini-sode with Emmy Emmy offers a short meditation on life after Easter Sunday. Content warning for discussion of a suicide attempt. /episode/index/show/cafeteriachristian/id/36318125

#313 Hope is Sewer Rat with Feathers 04/15/2025

#313 Hope is Sewer Rat with Feathers Emmy and Natalia talk about hope - and why it is so hard to hold onto right now, and what we are doing to hold onto hope when everything else is telling us to just let it go. Poem: Hope is Not a Thing with Feathers Emily, It Is a Sewer Rat - by Caitlin Seida /episode/index/show/cafeteriachristian/id/36160710

#312 Why Does Holy Week Matter? 04/08/2025

#312 Why Does Holy Week Matter? Emmy and Natalia talk about how we show up during a week of complicated emotions and feelings, and one that often has a lot of church baggage attached to it. As we get closer to this particular week in the church, let’s reflect on what really matters about each day, and why. /episode/index/show/cafeteriachristian/id/36058575

#311 Theology of Reality 03/31/2025

#311 Theology of Reality Emmy and Natalia get into a deeply theological talk about God and faith and life right now and why scripture is still relevant and where God is right now. Notes: Book Club Form link: /episode/index/show/cafeteriachristian/id/35927275

#310 Good Soil w/ Jeff Chu 03/24/2025

#310 Good Soil w/ Jeff Chu Emmy and Natalia welcome Jeff Chu to talk about his new book, Good Soil. Get Jeff’s Book: See Jeff on his book tour: /episode/index/show/cafeteriachristian/id/35830930

#309 Disciples of White Jesus w/ Angela Denker 03/17/2025

#309 Disciples of White Jesus w/ Angela Denker Natalia welcomes back friend of the pod friend of God Angela Denker to talk about her new book “Disciples of White Jesus: the Radicalization of American Boyhood.” This is a relevant, timely, and important book for anyone connected to young men and boys. Links for Angela: Angela’s Website: Buy Angela’s Book: See Angela at upcoming events: Angela’s Substack: /episode/index/show/cafeteriachristian/id/35717935

#308 Empathy IS Christian 03/10/2025

#308 Empathy IS Christian OMG we can’t believe we have to say this (Empathy is Christian) but it turns out some people are really pushing an anti-compassion anti-empathy rhetoric right now and Emmy and Natalia are here to clear the air. We check in about baby eagles and new cars to start, and the main topic begins around min 15. Links: www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian Jackie and Shadow Webcam: Kate’s Blessing for Empathy: /episode/index/show/cafeteriachristian/id/35584735

#307 Lent Is a Rollercoaster Baby We're Gonna Die 03/03/2025

#307 Lent Is a Rollercoaster Baby We're Gonna Die Emmy and Natalia talk about Lent and the rollercoaster of this whole season in the church: ups and downs and ups and downs and ups? It’s a lot. When life is already a lot. How do we do this sad season when life feels pretty sad on its own? Links: Emmy’s Article: Kate’s Lent Devotional: /episode/index/show/cafeteriachristian/id/35505870

#306 The Beatitudes (Emmy & Natalia’s Bible Corner) 02/24/2025

#306 The Beatitudes (Emmy & Natalia’s Bible Corner) Emmy and Natalia take some time to talk about a newly controversial topic: The Bible. Hahahahaha obviously this isn’t new, but we thought we’d start with a set of familiar verses to dig into for our return to reclaiming the Bible for good. Notes: Spencer LaJoy - Plowshare Prayer /episode/index/show/cafeteriachristian/id/35308005

#305 Embodied - Even Now w/ Ellie Roscher 02/17/2025

#305 Embodied - Even Now w/ Ellie Roscher Natalia welcomes back Ellie Roscher to talk about how we stay in our bodies despite the many ways the world is trying to get us to disengage, and how we can show up as regulated as possible each day, no matter what is happening. Links: /episode/index/show/cafeteriachristian/id/35307310

#304 A Few Things That Are Helping 02/10/2025

#304 A Few Things That Are Helping Emmy and Natalia talk about the different large and small ways they are trying to survive and manage their mental, physical, and spiritual health during this new era. Links: Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer: Natalia’s Weekly Uplift: /episode/index/show/cafeteriachristian/id/35122035

#303 I've Got Questions w/ Erin Hicks Moon 02/03/2025

#303 I've Got Questions w/ Erin Hicks Moon Emmy and Natalia sit down with the amazing Erin Hicks Moon to talk about her new book: I”ve God Questions: The Spiritual Practice of Having It Out with God. Cafeterians, Erin is our people, and this book is for us. Links: Erin Hicks Moon details: Buy/preorder her book: Follow Erin: ErinHMoon on all the things Also her podcast - Faith Adjacent: Her newsletter - The Swipe Up: /episode/index/show/cafeteriachristian/id/35121945

#302 Even After Everything - w/Stephanie Duncan Smith 01/27/2025

#302 Even After Everything - w/Stephanie Duncan Smith Emmy and Natalia welcome author Stephanie Duncan Smith for an utterly gorgeous conversation about life’s cycles of loss and grief and joy. Links: @stephduncansmith on instagram /episode/index/show/cafeteriachristian/id/35019815

#301 This is January 20, 2025 01/20/2025

#301 This is January 20, 2025 Emmy and Natalia talk about the complicated feelings about this particular January 20th - when we celebrate MLKJr Day and also the presidential inauguration day and how it all cycles into our ability to believe, not believe, and act with love anyway. Links: The Drum Major Instinct: /episode/index/show/cafeteriachristian/id/34914020

#300 Full Circle 01/13/2025

#300 Full Circle Emmy and Natalia celebrate their 300th episode (!) and reflect on where they’ve been and where they’re going next, and how where we are now really feels like a good time to go back to our roots. Links: Alter Guild, ep 12: Ritual Promise - /episode/index/show/cafeteriachristian/id/34828960

#299 What are YOU Doing for Christmas? 12/16/2024

#299 What are YOU Doing for Christmas? Emmy and Natalia talk about Christmas and why it’s so often filled with stress and shoulds instead of peace and joy. After this episode we’ll be taking a break until January 13th, but in between now and then join us for two Instagram Lives (on top of the usual Sunday morning ones). December 21st, 8:30pm (central standard time) - to celebrate the solstice/longest night. January 6th, 11am (central standard time) - to draw star words for anyone who wants one (which you can participate in by filling out ) Other links/notes from the episode: Emmy’s Church Map: Mary on the Mantle: Chasing Empty Mangers song: /episode/index/show/cafeteriachristian/id/34467155

#298 Christmas is a Mess 12/09/2024

#298 Christmas is a Mess Emmy and Natalia tackle a listener question about the different Christmas story narratives in the different Gospels, and why they are different and if it matters or not when they are. /episode/index/show/cafeteriachristian/id/34340690

#297 Apocalyptic on Purpose 12/02/2024

#297 Apocalyptic on Purpose Emmy and Natalia talk about Advent, and why it’s not a “warm glow” season but actually a truth-telling season and kind of the perfect way to spend a few weeks right now - when everything feels like it’s on fire and no one is ok. /episode/index/show/cafeteriachristian/id/34224240

#296 We Do Not Give Thanks 11/27/2024

#296 We Do Not Give Thanks Emmy and Natalia talk about Thanksgiving and the tentative and tender ways some of us are showing up at various tables, or the ways we are choosing to not show up at all. /episode/index/show/cafeteriachristian/id/34178725

#295 Women of Fire 11/18/2024

#295 Women of Fire Emmy and Natalia decide to open the Bible to the book of Judges to see what wisdom for today might be found in these not-so-modern stories. Links: Melissa Florer Bixler: /episode/index/show/cafeteriachristian/id/33966037

#294 A Snack and a Nap 11/11/2024

#294 A Snack and a Nap Emmy and Natalia try to gather their thoughts and their feelings around the election results and talk through what they are doing with all their thoughts and feelings at this time - without trying to explain what happened or pretending to have answers. Links: /episode/index/show/cafeteriachristian/id/33872462

#283 Meditations for Election Anxiety 11/04/2024

#283 Meditations for Election Anxiety Emmy and Natalia read some poetry and Scripture and blessings to help us all through this chaotic and overwhelming and anxious time. Because we all need it, whenever we need it. Support the show and what we do here: Resources from today’s episode: “Blessing in the Chaos” from The Cure for Sorrow - by Jan Richardson First Nations Version: Romans 8: 31-39 Lamentations 3: 19-30, 49-57 Luke 6, Matthew 5 John 18:33-38 Book of Common Prayer Traditional Collect for the Nation Contemporary Collect for Social Justice excerpt from Madeleine L’Engle from Rhythm of Prayer - by Sarah Bessey “For the Nation” from Ordinary Blessings, by Meta Herrick Carlson “For Feeling It All”, from Blessings for the Lives We Actually Have, by Kate Bowler How to Love the World, by James Crews Hope, by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer /episode/index/show/cafeteriachristian/id/33776187

#292 Salvation 10/28/2024

#292 Salvation Emmy and Natalia tackle a listener question about the complicated topic of salvation. Who has it? Does everyone get it? Can we lose it? SO many questions… so buckle up! Support the show: /episode/index/show/cafeteriachristian/id/33634627

#291 Parenting, Pandemic Life, and Praise Music with Emmy’s Bestie Catherine 10/21/2024

#291 Parenting, Pandemic Life, and Praise Music with Emmy’s Bestie Catherine While Natalia is galavanting in Paris, Emmy brings on her longtime bestie Catherine to talk about vocation, parenting a leukemia patient during a pandemic, the lack of good contemporary music in ELCA churches, and how grace shows up in everyday life. Support the show: /episode/index/show/cafeteriachristian/id/33545422

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