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Pub Theology: Beer, Conversation, and God
From London to New York to Ann Arbor, people are gathering in pubs and bars to communicate, connect, and learn from one another over the topic of religion, of all things. In Pub Theology, pastor, writer, and pub theologian Bryan Berghoef draws from his own experience in one such setting in northern Michigan. Berghoef contends that for too long the church has insisted on setting the terms for how one can find and encounter God. Yet what if God is to be found in places we haven't been looking at all: in a coworker who doesn't believe in God, in a Buddhist neighbor, in a friend who prefers a yoga studio to a sanctuary? This book will move readers to shift toward a more chastened, humble, and inviting faith. A faith that seeks not to teach, but to learn; not to speak, but to listen. A faith that will have a seat at the table in the important religious conversations our world is having. Real-life stories gleaned from conversations and encounters during pub theology gatherings, combined with the author's own experience in grappling with these issues, make for an intriguing and enlightening read. So what are you waiting for? Pull up a chair and join the conversation! ""Bryan Berghoef has given us the most complete presentation to date of what pub theology is, why it exists, and what it contributes to the lives and faiths of an increasing number of Christians. With his conversationally written and accessible reportage, he has also created something close to a manual for those who want to initiate a pub theology circle or simply find and join one."" --Phyllis Tickle, author of The Great Emergence: How Christianity Is Changing and Why ""Some of the best theological conversations happen over a beer at the pub. Bryan Berghoef captures something of the relaxed and relational dynamic that makes these discussions so pleasurable, while at the same time wrestling with serious theological questions. So pull up a chair, order your favorite drink, and settle in with this delightful and stimulating book. Invite a friend as well--the conversation's just getting started."" --John R. Franke, author of Manifold Witness: The Plurality of Truth ""Pub Theology is a wonderful, whimsical, and wise story about what happens when a pastor with more questions than answers goes to the pub instead of church."" --John Suk, author of Not Sure: A Pastor's Journey from Faith to Doubt and former editor of The Banner ""This is a book about God's freedom and ours! Bryan Berghoef invites us to pull up a chair and dares us to converse about what matters. No fear! This engrossing and transformative story about how to live an open Christian life will save, stir, and strengthen the faith of many."" --Samir Selmanovic, author of It's Really All About God: How Islam, Atheism, and Judaism Made Me a Better Christian Bryan Berghoef was the founding pastor of Watershed Church in Traverse City, Michigan, and has been facilitating Pub Theology gatherings for several years. He and his wife are currently starting a new faith community in Washington, DC. Bryan's latest thoughts can be found at www.pubtheologian.com.
158 pages, Hardcover
First published June 12, 2012
About the author
Bryan Berghoef
2 books9 followersBryan Berghoef is a pastor, writer, and pub theologian.
If you like beer, or talking with friends, or thinking deeply about spiritual and philosophical topics -- you'll like Bryan's writings, particularly his new book: "Pub Theology: Beer, Conversation, and God."
If you like beer, or talking with friends, or thinking deeply about spiritual and philosophical topics -- you'll like Bryan's writings, particularly his new book: "Pub Theology: Beer, Conversation, and God."
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
October 8, 2012
Disclaimer: Bryan Berghoef is the husband of the cousin of a guy I went to college with. His kids swam in my pool and proclaimed it to be the best part of their California vacation. In exchange, Bryan gave me a copy of Pub Theology.
As I was reading Pub Theology, my thoughts alternated between, “Wow, this is such a great idea,” and “Wow, this is so embarrassing.” Allow me to explain.
Pub Theology is about an idea. The idea is this: let’s get together with other people and talk about theology over beer. That’s it. That’s the whole idea. Not exactly rocket surgery, as I’ve been known to say after I’ve had a few beers myself. You’d hardly think you’d need to write a book about an idea like that. I mean, it’s a fairly short book, but still. An idea like that needs a flyer, or maybe a pamphlet. Pamphlet is a really strange word. It’s kind of creeping me out. Pamphlet. OK, moving on.
The embarrassing part is that I can see why Bryan did have to write this book. You see, in Christian circles, there’s a long tradition of discussing theology. It works like this: we meet with a bunch of other Christians in the church social hall, open with prayer, have coffee and windmill cookies (type of cookies may vary by denomination), listen to a presentation by some recognized authority (generally a pastor) and then discuss the topic amongst ourselves for 22 minutes. Often there are breakout groups and worksheets involved. At the end, the leader presents the answers to the questions and we mark up our worksheets. Then we close with prayer. I daresay that most North American Christians have never seriously discussed theology in any environment that was not ultimately controlled by some religious authority (church, Sunday school, Christian school, Christian camp, etc.).
If you grew up in that tradition and you’re uncomfortable with the idea of discussing theology over beer, with atheists, Buddhists, Jedis, or whoever else might show up, in an uncontrolled environment without any “leaders” and without any real structure (no worksheets, no agenda, no prayer), then you should read this book. Bryan makes an excellent case for why that’s exactly what we should be doing – and not as a strategy to “reach the unbelievers,” but rather as a way of building bridges and (gasp!) possibly learning something from people who believe differently than you.
If you’re outside of that tradition, the amount of effort that Bryan puts into convincing Christians that this this is a good idea may seem a little baffling to you. On the other hand, when’s the last time you had a serious discussion about theology (or religion, or spirituality, or whatever you want to call it) with someone whose beliefs are starkly different from your own? North American Christians have had a particularly easy time avoiding “unbelievers,” over the past couple hundred years, since Christianity has been the dominant religion during that time. But we all tend to congregate with like-minded people, dismissing those who disagree with us as ignorant or morally deficient.
Pub Theology is a call to all of us, not just Christians, to put down our biases and have an honest, respectful discussion over beer. And lest you think the book is one long polemic against dogmatism, it’s really more of an account of Bryan’s own experiences with facilitating pub theology gatherings (I hate that word, facilitating, but “running” doesn’t seem right), why he got started with it in the first place, and what worked and didn’t work. It’s an encouraging story and I’ll be surprised if, when you finish it, you aren’t tempted to get together for beer and discussion with some local heretics, weirdos and Bible-thumpers at your own local tavern.
As I was reading Pub Theology, my thoughts alternated between, “Wow, this is such a great idea,” and “Wow, this is so embarrassing.” Allow me to explain.
Pub Theology is about an idea. The idea is this: let’s get together with other people and talk about theology over beer. That’s it. That’s the whole idea. Not exactly rocket surgery, as I’ve been known to say after I’ve had a few beers myself. You’d hardly think you’d need to write a book about an idea like that. I mean, it’s a fairly short book, but still. An idea like that needs a flyer, or maybe a pamphlet. Pamphlet is a really strange word. It’s kind of creeping me out. Pamphlet. OK, moving on.
The embarrassing part is that I can see why Bryan did have to write this book. You see, in Christian circles, there’s a long tradition of discussing theology. It works like this: we meet with a bunch of other Christians in the church social hall, open with prayer, have coffee and windmill cookies (type of cookies may vary by denomination), listen to a presentation by some recognized authority (generally a pastor) and then discuss the topic amongst ourselves for 22 minutes. Often there are breakout groups and worksheets involved. At the end, the leader presents the answers to the questions and we mark up our worksheets. Then we close with prayer. I daresay that most North American Christians have never seriously discussed theology in any environment that was not ultimately controlled by some religious authority (church, Sunday school, Christian school, Christian camp, etc.).
If you grew up in that tradition and you’re uncomfortable with the idea of discussing theology over beer, with atheists, Buddhists, Jedis, or whoever else might show up, in an uncontrolled environment without any “leaders” and without any real structure (no worksheets, no agenda, no prayer), then you should read this book. Bryan makes an excellent case for why that’s exactly what we should be doing – and not as a strategy to “reach the unbelievers,” but rather as a way of building bridges and (gasp!) possibly learning something from people who believe differently than you.
If you’re outside of that tradition, the amount of effort that Bryan puts into convincing Christians that this this is a good idea may seem a little baffling to you. On the other hand, when’s the last time you had a serious discussion about theology (or religion, or spirituality, or whatever you want to call it) with someone whose beliefs are starkly different from your own? North American Christians have had a particularly easy time avoiding “unbelievers,” over the past couple hundred years, since Christianity has been the dominant religion during that time. But we all tend to congregate with like-minded people, dismissing those who disagree with us as ignorant or morally deficient.
Pub Theology is a call to all of us, not just Christians, to put down our biases and have an honest, respectful discussion over beer. And lest you think the book is one long polemic against dogmatism, it’s really more of an account of Bryan’s own experiences with facilitating pub theology gatherings (I hate that word, facilitating, but “running” doesn’t seem right), why he got started with it in the first place, and what worked and didn’t work. It’s an encouraging story and I’ll be surprised if, when you finish it, you aren’t tempted to get together for beer and discussion with some local heretics, weirdos and Bible-thumpers at your own local tavern.
July 10, 2020
Finally, Bryan Berghoef, evangelical Christian pastor and beer connoisseur, gives us in written form what so many of us secretly desire: permission to mix up our beer and religion, in public even! In Pub Theology, he describes the formation of a club so unique as to be both hated and feared in his community, a club in which the only requirement is humble curiosity and the willingness to discuss things of God and faith. Invited are Islamists, Buddhists, Athiests, Christians, and learners of all persuasions who would like to explore key topics that form the basis of faith, in a setting that provides the consumption of good IPAs and Extra Special Darks. It makes perfect sense, really. The availability of alcohol both precludes the arrival of Bible-toting ranters who need to dominate the conversation; and the presence of alcohol in the veins ensures conversation flows with less inhibition than such a subject generally engenders. Opponents of such an idea express outrage that a Christian pastor would not only meet in such a pagan setting, but also that he would not even subtly direct the conversation to a three-point sermon on salvation through the blood of Jesus at the end of each meeting. Quite the contrary, he provides merely the questions to get conversation going, allowing all parties to share openly their opinions and experiences, and if a Bible-thumper starts filibustering, the conversation is politely re-directed to a new topic. Berghoef encourages an “exploration approach” to faith, which focuses on experiencing God graciously in life-affirming and socially beneficial community, rather than an “indoctrination approach,” which focuses on knowing right answers. Christians who feel the need to believe the right things will no doubt cringe when reading much of this book, but to them he would say, No Fear! The very strength of our faith, and yes, even the faiths of others who are different, is his ultimate goal. Such conversations strip down notions that we perhaps have never thought through, that are not truly necessary components of traditions that may be entirely human in origin, citing that “Ironically, it may well be that opening ourselves up to the traditions of others is the very thing that helps save our own.” It is even possible, he contests, that "being right" is not really very Christian at all: “In our efforts to refute other perspectives, to shout the loudest, to make sure people know that we are right, we may in fact be betraying the very God we are seeking to represent." He suggests that the best way to show faith in Jesus is to “simply spend time with anyone, simply because they are a fellow human being, and that perhaps I am especially called to spend time with those who are often outcast by our communities of faith.” A pub seems like one of the least intimidating places to meet folks of different backgrounds, who might ultimately benefit most from such conversations. Do you dare do it yourself? Maybe a Pub Theology setting is just the challenge your faith has been needing.
“Doubt comes in the window when inquiry is denied at the door” (Benjamin Jowett).
“Doubt comes in the window when inquiry is denied at the door” (Benjamin Jowett).
November 20, 2012
While I was an undergrad Religious Studies major at a state university, I had some of the best interfaith conversations of my life...at the bar. Our regular group consisted of an atheist, a Wiccan, a Catholic, and a Methodist (me). There were others from the department who would join us at times. This group was informal, formed quite organically, and was the setting of some of the most rewarding theological and philosophical conversations I ever had. Then something happened. I went to seminary. Although I continued having theological and philosophical conversations at the bar, they were mostly with other Christians. Now I am a pastor, and my conversations have become even more limited.
Bryan Berghoef has both invited and challenged me to return to the bar and to the transformational conversations that happen when we gather with folks that are different from us. “Pub Theology” is a insightful yet approachable blend of personal narrative, community narrative, theology, and oh yeah...beer. Bryan's honesty about his own journey and the risk of denominational disapproval should be an encouragement to all pastors who feel that they are hiding part of themselves in order to fit within the system. Bryan stepped out in faith, not to do something new and cool, but instead to authentically express the ways that God was calling him to be in community and conversation with others.
“Pub Theology” is not a how to book for the next cool new fad in church outreach. “Pub Theology” is not necessarily even new or cool. Instead, “Pub Theology” is an authentic expression of the very old idea of coming together around the table in community with others. Deep conversations in pubs have existed as long as pubs have. When people are in a comfortable setting (with good beer) they feel free to let their guard down and be vulnerable with each other. That vulnerability opens up deep spaces where deep transformation can happen.
Make no mistake, Bryan has not written a whimsical proposal about how much fun it would be to talk about God over a beer. “Pub Theology” marries the experience of a community with deep theological thought. Bryan turns to minds like Jack Caputo and Peter Rollins (two of my inspirations), and presents their ideas in an approachable manner without watering them down. This book is a very pleasant read that has deep and complex flavors for the more discerning palate. Perhaps this is coincidence, or perhaps it is the author's intention to have his book evoke the feeling of drinking a great beer.
I raise my glass to Bryan Berghoef and “Pub Theology” for inviting, challenging, and encouraging me to return the types of conversations that God is call all of us to participate in.
Bryan Berghoef has both invited and challenged me to return to the bar and to the transformational conversations that happen when we gather with folks that are different from us. “Pub Theology” is a insightful yet approachable blend of personal narrative, community narrative, theology, and oh yeah...beer. Bryan's honesty about his own journey and the risk of denominational disapproval should be an encouragement to all pastors who feel that they are hiding part of themselves in order to fit within the system. Bryan stepped out in faith, not to do something new and cool, but instead to authentically express the ways that God was calling him to be in community and conversation with others.
“Pub Theology” is not a how to book for the next cool new fad in church outreach. “Pub Theology” is not necessarily even new or cool. Instead, “Pub Theology” is an authentic expression of the very old idea of coming together around the table in community with others. Deep conversations in pubs have existed as long as pubs have. When people are in a comfortable setting (with good beer) they feel free to let their guard down and be vulnerable with each other. That vulnerability opens up deep spaces where deep transformation can happen.
Make no mistake, Bryan has not written a whimsical proposal about how much fun it would be to talk about God over a beer. “Pub Theology” marries the experience of a community with deep theological thought. Bryan turns to minds like Jack Caputo and Peter Rollins (two of my inspirations), and presents their ideas in an approachable manner without watering them down. This book is a very pleasant read that has deep and complex flavors for the more discerning palate. Perhaps this is coincidence, or perhaps it is the author's intention to have his book evoke the feeling of drinking a great beer.
I raise my glass to Bryan Berghoef and “Pub Theology” for inviting, challenging, and encouraging me to return the types of conversations that God is call all of us to participate in.
Read
October 15, 2012Glad for the encouragement to get up and walk out the door and into the world.
June 6, 2026
I bought this book a decade or more ago when I was first interested in pub theology. At the time my church was starting something similar called Taproom Theology. But I never got around to reading it. I recently decided to actually read it. It was interesting. Partly because in tone and style it feels a little dated; as part of the energy of the "emerging church" movement which seems to have receded and now we live in a more polarized culture. The openness and non-doctrinaire elements will all be coded left as the kids say (do they?).
But the basic idea is pretty simple. Christians should stop insisting that they have all the answers and instead be open to conversations with differing faith communities and people of no faith. And that an effective way to do this is to have a group that meets at a bar or pub over beer to discuss faith, life and the big questions. In this way we can learn from other perspectives, build community and relationships, and being to understand faith as a journey not as a set of concrete beliefs or doctrines. I am very sympathetic to this argument. But I think the weakness is that it is not a real substitute for an actual historic faith. I appreciate that the author doesn't view these events as opportunities to proselytize but there is a unresolved tensions from someone who seems to hold rather standard Reformed theology and yet often writes almost in the spiritual but not religious vein. That's perhaps unfair but it is unclear how exactly people with traditional theology come to see atheists and practitioners of other faiths as all on a path to truth.
What struck me was not that this was a ground breaking way to explore faith so much as it was a great way to build community and relationships. Getting to know people through discussing theology, faith and the hard issues of life is a great way to strengthen community and build deeper relationships. Doing it over a beer lowers the formality and makes it easier of folks to relax and enjoy the conversation but the depth of conversation means things go beyond chit chat, and shallow conversations.
The tension in my own case, however, has more to do with who is interested in these gatherings. In my experience at two different churches the folks who came were active church members. The idea was to provide an opportunity to discuss faith and theology outside of church but the people who came were the people who attended church activities. There was not an attempt to bring in non-church goers and people of other faiths. It would be interesting to see the dynamic of a group aimed, like the one described in this book, at people of different faiths and no faith at all. What would a community discussion truly open to a variety of perspective look like?
The other thing that I was thinking was that I might not be a good leader for such a group. I have hard time not lecturing and debating rather than facilitating and listening. Not that I couldn't develop such a skill but it is not one I am practiced at. Instead, what I was looking for was a way to share my own heterodox approaches to theology and prove alternatives to overly-simplistic approaches to theology and faith today. There is an element to this in pub theology but the emphasis should be on conversation not debate.
All in all I found the book to be interesting and thought provoking even if a little hard to pin down.
But the basic idea is pretty simple. Christians should stop insisting that they have all the answers and instead be open to conversations with differing faith communities and people of no faith. And that an effective way to do this is to have a group that meets at a bar or pub over beer to discuss faith, life and the big questions. In this way we can learn from other perspectives, build community and relationships, and being to understand faith as a journey not as a set of concrete beliefs or doctrines. I am very sympathetic to this argument. But I think the weakness is that it is not a real substitute for an actual historic faith. I appreciate that the author doesn't view these events as opportunities to proselytize but there is a unresolved tensions from someone who seems to hold rather standard Reformed theology and yet often writes almost in the spiritual but not religious vein. That's perhaps unfair but it is unclear how exactly people with traditional theology come to see atheists and practitioners of other faiths as all on a path to truth.
What struck me was not that this was a ground breaking way to explore faith so much as it was a great way to build community and relationships. Getting to know people through discussing theology, faith and the hard issues of life is a great way to strengthen community and build deeper relationships. Doing it over a beer lowers the formality and makes it easier of folks to relax and enjoy the conversation but the depth of conversation means things go beyond chit chat, and shallow conversations.
The tension in my own case, however, has more to do with who is interested in these gatherings. In my experience at two different churches the folks who came were active church members. The idea was to provide an opportunity to discuss faith and theology outside of church but the people who came were the people who attended church activities. There was not an attempt to bring in non-church goers and people of other faiths. It would be interesting to see the dynamic of a group aimed, like the one described in this book, at people of different faiths and no faith at all. What would a community discussion truly open to a variety of perspective look like?
The other thing that I was thinking was that I might not be a good leader for such a group. I have hard time not lecturing and debating rather than facilitating and listening. Not that I couldn't develop such a skill but it is not one I am practiced at. Instead, what I was looking for was a way to share my own heterodox approaches to theology and prove alternatives to overly-simplistic approaches to theology and faith today. There is an element to this in pub theology but the emphasis should be on conversation not debate.
All in all I found the book to be interesting and thought provoking even if a little hard to pin down.
February 21, 2023
Many times in life we may find ourselves with people of our own beliefs and perspective and believe that we're being safe that way. This book challenges thinking beyond our normal boundaries and accepting the thoughts and questions of those outside of our own spiritual tradition. I went from agreeing wholeheartedly with the concepts in the book to wanting to put the brakes on, to wanting to slam the brakes on, back to wanting to embrace the challenge. It's a thought provoking book that should lead to an open stance when listening to the differences and many varying beliefs in others around us. We can only understand others as we commit to truly listening to them. Give it a read and see what you think.
October 31, 2016
This book has come at just the right time for me. This is something I've been thinking of doing and the approach seems to be just what I want to do. A very helpful guide and a philosophy that is very close to mine. I'm gong to do this.
August 5, 2019
An excellent read for Christians and non-Christians alike. How Berghoef describes ways to engage with others in an effort to better understand one another and, therefore, better understand God, is well worth the read.
March 3, 2019
Repetitive in parts, but a good reminder about keeping an open mind to things and that some holy people understand that there's a difference between religion and faith.
November 1, 2018
Theology @ The Pub?
Great book on a burgeoning movement that is creating safe, inviting spaces for conversations about life, faith, and doubt. Come join the talk.
Great book on a burgeoning movement that is creating safe, inviting spaces for conversations about life, faith, and doubt. Come join the talk.
March 26, 2013
An excellent entry into a world of God that is bigger than our little box. Practical and engaging. And from it, I started my own pub theology talks. The author is a great guy and communicated with me personally. I can't recommend this book highly enough - even if you don't like beer.
April 13, 2015
This book was less a how-to than a call for conservative evangelicals to compromise their beliefs and lean toward pluralism. The few pointers on the how-to were nice, but overall the book was neither orthodox nor good.
July 21, 2013
Great cover and concept, but would've been a better article than book. Horribly written and repetitive.
July 24, 2013
Excellent book; thought provoking: stimulating discussions on beliefs, theology and faith.
And I'm proud to say I know the author-:)
And I'm proud to say I know the author-:)
July 13, 2014
Interesting idea. It would be nice if something like this existed 'round this way.
February 20, 2015
Just read this book for a second time, in prep for beginning a Pub Theology group in Toronto. Good things happen when the pastor and some friends go to the bar.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews