An age-old historical and theological question: Why was Jesus crucified? We explore a shocking theory, as Leah engages in a rare (for her) ambush session on Brian with an unexpected twist. The 19-second sermon clip: <a href="https://youtu.be/0fVt7eR1o_w">https://youtu.be/0fVt7eR1o_w</a> Steven Furtick’s controversial tweet: <a href="https://images.app.goo.gl/rUotpKingcWMtUgw5">https://images.app.goo.gl/rUotpKingcWMtUgw5</a>

CHRISTMAS NEWS ROUNDUP SPECIAL (Jesus applies for job; feeble green children; $600K in the bathroom; Cheesecake factory)

Weird Religion is a podcast for people who think religion is weird but love it anyway. Your hosts, Leah Payne and Brian Doak, are both professors, authors, and pop culture aficionados, whose interests range from archaeology and history and linguistics to LARPing and The Walking Dead. Episodes tackle some piece of media highlighting the wonderful weirdness of religious experience—a documentary, a television show, a Twitter scandal—and use that as a &quot;thread&quot; on which to hang reflections on a wide variety of topics. Cults. The perils of fame within the evangelical world. Church attendance. Atheism. Gamer communities. Millennials and avocado toast. It's all here.