What if the relationship between Christianity and mind-altering substances is far more complicated than we've been taught?

For much of modern Christian history, drugs and spirituality have been presented as fundamentally opposing forces. But is that opposition as ancient as we assume? And what happens when we begin examining the historical relationship between religious ritual, altered states of consciousness, and the human desire to encounter the divine?

In Part One of our conversation, we're joined by Timothy McMahan King, Episcopal deacon and author of What Are Drugs For? An Exploration of Stolen Fire, for a fascinating exploration of drugs, religion, and the history of human consciousness.

Together, we examine the surprising intersections of ancient religious practices, sacred anointing oils, and the possibility that psychoactive substances played a role in certain spiritual traditions. We also explore how religious institutions have shaped our understanding of which experiences are considered sacred and which are dismissed as dangerous or illegitimate.

Along the way, we wrestle with some important questions:

• What role have mind-altering substances played in humanity's religious history?
• Is there historical evidence connecting psychoactive substances to ancient religious rituals?
• How did Christianity develop its modern attitudes toward drugs and altered consciousness?
• Who gets to determine whether a spiritual experience is authentic?
• And what might we discover when we approach these questions with curiosity rather than fear?

It's a conversation that challenges easy answers and invites us to reconsider the boundaries we've drawn between the sacred and the profane.

About Our Guest

Timothy McMahan King is an author, Episcopal deacon, and advocate whose work explores the intersection of spirituality, addiction, drug policy, and human flourishing. His book What Are Drugs For? An Exploration of Stolen Fire challenges conventional narratives about drugs and invites readers to consider their place in human culture, history, and spiritual experience.

After more than a decade of conversations on The Deconstructionists, we're preparing to begin something new.

Our upcoming podcast, This Is Who We Become, explores the extraordinary moments that transform ordinary lives.

Every life has a before. Every life has an after.

Through intimate, deeply human conversations, we'll explore the experiences that change everything: loss, discovery, survival, transformation, and the unexpected events that reshape how we understand ourselves and the world.

Launching December 2026.

Visit our website and join the mailing list to be among the first to hear our new episodes:

Website: https://www.thisiswhowebecome.com

Have a story worth sharing? Nominate yourself or someone else:

https://www.thisiswhowebecome.com/nominatesomeone

Thank you for being part of The Deconstructionists community. We're so grateful for the curiosity, generosity, and openness you've brought to these conversations over the years.