Mark Vernon: Spiritual Intelligence & the Evolution of Religion


Episode Artwork
1.0x
0% played 00:00 00:00
Apr 08 2025 108 mins   10

In this episode, I am joined by Mark Vernon to discuss the relationship between spirituality, science, and meaning in the modern world. Mark explores how our conception of religion has narrowed to focus primarily on doctrines and morals rather than experiential dimensions, which is a relatively recent development in human history. Vernon describes how human spiritual intelligence evolved not merely as a survival mechanism but as a form of “niche exploration” that allowed humans to discover immaterial realities. He contrasts the dominant enlightenment epistemology of mastery and control with spiritual traditions that emphasize receptivity and participation. Throughout the conversation, Vernon weaves together insights from his background in physics, theology, philosophy, and psychotherapy to argue that reconnecting with our inner lives and recovering a sense of wonder might be essential for addressing our current meaning crisis.




3 Days of Craft Nerdiness with 50+ Theologians & God-Pods and 600 new friends.










Online Class: The Many Faces of Christ Today



The question Jesus asked his disciples still resonates today: “Who do you say that I am?”

Join our transformative 5-week online learning community as we explore a rich tapestry of contemporary Christologies. Experience how diverse theological voices create a compelling vision of Jesus Christ for today’s world.




With the help of some amazing theologians we will cover:

* The quest for the historical Jesus and contemporary historical approaches.

* The humanity and divinity of Christ, including traditional and innovative interpretations.

* Gender and Christology, including how feminist, womanist, and queer perspectives reimagine Jesus beyond patriarchal frameworks.

* Ecological Christology focusing on Christ’s relationship to creation and implications for environmental ethics.

* Liberation and justice diving into how Jesus’ life and teachings challenge systems of oppression and call for social transformation.

* Salvation and the meaning of the incarnation, cross, and resurrection across theological traditions.

* Christ and religious pluralism, including theological responses to a religiously diverse world.



Expand your spiritual horizons. Challenge your assumptions. Enrich your faith. As always, the class is donation-based (including 0), so head over to ManyFacesOfChrist.com for more details and to sign up!


This podcast is a Homebrewed Christianity production. Follow the Homebrewed Christianity, Theology Nerd Throwdown, & The Rise of Bonhoeffer podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 80,000 other people by joining our Substack – Process This!Get instant access to over 45 classes at www.TheologyClass.com


Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community.