Episode 219 - Gary Laderman, Sacred Drugs

Episode 219 is the 17th episode of Season 4.

Returning to the show for the first time since Episode 79 is Gary Laderman, Goodrich C. White Professor of American Religious History and Cultures at Emory University. Gary joins us to discuss his new book Sacred Drugs: How Psychoactive Substances Mix with Religious Life and the deeper relationship between psychoactive substances, spirituality and human culture.

We talk about the ways substances ranging from coffee and alcohol to cannabis, psychedelics and pharmaceuticals have historically shaped religious practice, community and personal transformation. Gary also shares insights from his popular Emory course Sacred Drugs, discussing why altered states have remained such a persistent part of human meaning-making and how modern society continues to navigate questions around healing, transcendence and consciousness.

This episode is a thoughtful conversation about religion, culture, psychoactive substances and the stories societies tell themselves about what is sacred.

Find out more at garyladerman.com
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Enjoy the show!