Let Go of God to Find GodLet Go of God to Find God
Father Bill W.
Father Bill W. and Fr. James R. talk about the “God problem” in recovery, sharing personal stories and introducing radical theology as a way to rethink belief. The conversation focuses on changing images of God, deep 12‑step work, and how doubt can sit alongside a living spiritual life.
31:52•30 Mar 2026
Letting Go of Old Gods: Radical Faith for Real Recovery
Episode Overview
- Questioning old images of God can be a healthy and necessary part of long-term recovery.
- AA is described as a “spiritual kindergarten”, offering foundations that people are expected to build on elsewhere.
- Radical theology is presented as a way to seek what is actually believable in religion, especially for those who struggle with traditional beliefs.
- Deep step work, especially around steps three, six and seven, is portrayed as slow, sometimes painful, but genuinely life-changing.
- Doubt is framed as a vital part of a living faith, while apathy and rigidity are seen as the real threats to spiritual growth.
“I don’t think that doubt is the opposite of faith. I think apathy, and being crystallised, is the opposite of faith.”
How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? This conversation between Father Bill W. and fellow Episcopal priest Fr. James R. heads straight into what many in recovery call “the God problem” – that uneasy mix of doubt, pain and longing that sits behind the word “God”. Aimed at people in 12-step fellowships who wince at traditional God-talk, this episode looks at how faith can shift over a lifetime. Fr.
James shares how he declared himself an atheist at ten, fell in love with church as a safe haven, became a scientist, immersed himself in Asian religions, and eventually returned to priesthood and recovery.
Each stage meant, as he puts it, “putting down what I earlier thought God was and kind of facing a question mark.” Father Bill frames the series around John Caputo’s book *What to Believe: 12 Brief Lessons in Radical Theology*, chosen for those who struggle with the “God word”. Caputo’s line hits hard: “Religion is making itself increasingly unbelievable.
Radical theology seeks out what is believable.” The pair joke about bishops and “chemists” in recovery, but they’re deadly serious about how outdated images of God can block sobriety. They talk honestly about AA as a “spiritual kindergarten”, the difference between box-ticking step work and real interior change, and the shock of discovering that God is not a “battery pack for my ego’s desires”. One stand-out moment is Fr.
James saying, “I don’t think that doubt is the opposite of faith. I think apathy… is the opposite of faith.” If you’ve ever thought, “I don’t believe in that God either,” this episode offers language, humour and plenty of questions to help you let go of an old image of God so something more honest can grow. Are you ready to set down a few old ideas and see what might take their place?
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