Episode Overview
Podcast: Conspirituality
Episode: Brief: Prospirituality Predictions for 2026
Host: Matthew Remski
Date: January 24, 2026
This episode, hosted solo by Matthew Remski, offers a forward-looking, “prospirituality” counterpoint to the dominating influences of New Age cults, wellness grifters, and conspiracy-driven spirituality. Remski explores the dialectic within religious communities: for every regressive or fascist movement co-opting spiritual or religious rhetoric, there exists an emergent, progressive wave seeking justice and solidarity. Remski “speedruns” through three in-depth case studies—Judaism, Islam, and Catholicism—arguing that positive religious movements are rising up to counter authoritarianism, labor threats from AI, and climate disaster in the wake of recent crises.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Dialectics of Religion & Prospirituality (00:51–02:51)
- Remski posits a dialectical understanding of religion: whenever spiritual rhetoric buttresses the status quo or supports authoritarianism, progressive responses inevitably emerge within those traditions.
- Religion is defined here, quoting William James, as “a person’s total reaction upon life”—a vast, living struggle expressed through metaphysical language.
2. Case Study 1: Judaism – Religious Texts, Genocide, and Resistance (02:52–12:00)
Key Points:
- Post-October 7 Rhetoric: Israeli officials and influencers deployed biblical language—such as Netanyahu invoking Amalek and rabbis dedicating artillery shells with scriptural verses—to justify actions in Gaza.
- Biblical Stories Co-Opted: The story of Simeon and Levi’s massacre at Shechem was used to rationalize revenge, though the original Genesis story serves as a cautionary tale against collective violence. Jacob’s rebuke (Genesis 34:30) is ignored in favor of a militaristic reading.
- Remski’s critique: “Imagine that—a one-to-one disconnection between the point of a story and its usage.”
- Religious Resistance: In response, US-based Jewish rabbis and intellectuals have galvanized antiwar and anti-genocide stances, with some (Alyssa Weiss, Brandt Rosen) unapologetically using the word “genocide” and centering Palestinian solidarity as a spiritual imperative.
- Peter Beinart’s Shift: Beinart, once a proponent of US hegemony and liberal Zionism, now advocates for a single democratic state and examines Jewish ethics in his recent book. He draws on theologian Yeshayahu Leibovitz to challenge Jewish exceptionalism and calls out idolatry in the elevation of statehood over human dignity.
- Quote (Remski, 10:15): “It was considered idolatrous to worship a Jewish state, to elevate its value beyond that of the human beings under its control.”
3. Case Study 2: Islam – Feminism, Social Activism, and Pluralism (12:00–23:39)
Key Points:
- Muslim Representation: Remski notes the persistent erasure and stereotyping of Muslims in Western media but observes a cultural shift through the activism and visibility of Muslim student organizations allied with Jewish anti-Zionist groups during the 2024 campus protests.
- Zoran Mamdani: An example of plural, materially grounded Muslim politics, breaking the “good Muslim” binary and demonstrating solidarity across issues like health care, housing, and Gaza.
- Mona Haydar: Centerpiece of the segment—a Syrian-American rapper, poet, and activist. Haydar combines spirituality, feminism, and anticolonial activism.
- “Anti violence and pro justice acts of love are a part of my path and work in the world as a Muslim.” (Haydar, quoted by Remski, 16:30)
- Emphasizes ummah (global Muslim community) as a paradigm for mutual aid.
- Uses public theology and creative outreach to combat both Islamophobia and dogmatism within her tradition.
- Publicly challenges both right-wing and conservative Muslims, noting, “Suddenly these communities have this shared love of hating me. I think it’s fabulous.” (Haydar to Marie Claire, 21:17)
- Theological Innovation: Haydar draws on concepts like quantum entanglement to foster a theology of interconnectedness, applying New Age tropes in the service of anti-genocide, intersectional solidarity rather than magical thinking.
4. Case Study 3: Catholicism under Pope Leo – Liberation Theology vs. U.S. Fascism (23:40–27:40)
Key Points:
- Pope Leo’s Intervention: Pope Leo directly challenges U.S. Catholics—20% of Americans—on the contradiction of ‘pro-life’ identity paired with support for anti-immigrant policies.
- Quote (Leo, September 2025, 23:56): “Someone who says I am against abortion but am in agreement with the inhuman treatment of immigrants in the United States—I don’t know if that’s pro-life.”
- Appointments & Actions: Leo appoints socially conscious bishops, notably replacing conservative Dolan in New York with Ronald Hicks, a vocal advocate for migrant dignity.
- Clash with U.S. Bishops: Prominent Americans like Bishop Barron push back, invoking Cold War anti-communism and denouncing collectivism.
- Quote (Barron, 26:40): “For God’s sake, spare me the warmth of collectivism.”
- Liberation Theology’s Challenge: Remski notes the complexity of coalition-building with a church still restrictive on gender and reproductive rights while increasingly vocal on economic and racial justice.
- Ecumenical Resistance: Episcopal Bishop Rob Hirschfeld calls clergy to “stand between the powers of this world and the most vulnerable” — moving from statements to embodied resistance. (Hirschfeld, 27:20)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Religious Dialectics (01:25):
“So my understanding of religion is dialectical in that way. It’s a space of material struggle expressed in metaphysical terms where one movement is always being responded to by another.”
— Matthew Remski -
On Weaponizing Religion (06:32):
“Soldiers inscribed graffiti on Gazan walls, quoting the brothers’ justification for the massacre: ‘Should he have treated our sister like a prostitute?’... The original story presents the actions of Simeon and Levi as a cautionary tale against committing genocide.”
— Matthew Remski -
On Jewish Ethics (11:23):
“For Leibowitz, it was essential that being chosen by God did not make Jews better than anyone else. It meant they had a special set of obligations...”
— Paraphrasing Peter Beinart on Yeshayahu Leibovitz -
On Muslim Activism (16:37):
“Anti violence and pro justice acts of love are a part of my path and work in the world as a Muslim. As Americans, we have to stand up to dog whistle politics and the fear mongering rhetoric that separates us.”
— Mona Haydar, quoted by Matthew Remski -
On Alt-Right and Conservative Muslim Critiques (21:17):
“The alt-right says she’s a terrorist, a mouthpiece for ISIS. We hate her. Conservative Muslims say she’s not even Muslim... Suddenly these communities have this shared love of hating me. I think it’s fabulous.”
— Mona Haydar to Marie Claire -
On Catholic Contradiction (23:56):
“Someone who says I am against abortion but am in agreement with the inhuman treatment of immigrants in the United States—I don’t know if that’s pro-life.”
— Pope Leo -
On American Catholic Backlash (26:40):
“For God’s sake, spare me the warmth of collectivism.”
— Bishop Robert Barron -
On Embodied Resistance (27:20):
“Because it may be that now is no longer the time for statements, but for us with our bodies to stand—stand between the powers of this world and the most vulnerable.”
— Bishop Rob Hirschfeld
Timestamps for Key Segments
- [00:51] – Introduction to 'prospirituality' and dialectics of religion
- [02:52] – Judaism: Biblical justification for violence and resistance
- [12:00] – Islam: Mona Haydar, Muslim activism, and pluralism
- [23:40] – Catholicism: Pope Leo’s interventions, U.S. bishops’ opposition, liberation theology
- [27:20] – Bishop Hirschfeld on embodied resistance
Conclusion
Remski crafts an incisive vision of “prospirituality” for 2026, identifying and celebrating strands of Judaism, Islam, and Catholicism that confront the rise of global fascism and authoritarian spirituality. Each religious tradition, while vulnerable to co-optation by power-hungry actors, harbors powerful countercurrents using theological resources for justice, resistance, and solidarity. This episode is essential listening or reading for anyone trying to understand the hopeful possibilities in today’s conflicted spiritual landscape.