THE DECONSTRUCTION OF DUSTIN KENSRUE: Thrice singer/guitarist on losing faith, abuse in the church, authoritarianism, death, old lyrics

Dustin Kensrue is the singer/guitarist of Orange County post-hardcore-turned-experimental-rock band Thrice and a solo singer/songwriter. On episode two of Heavy Stories, he talks about his spiritual deconstruction, starting with his childhood in the Christian church. We go on to discuss how discovering punk rock challenged what he thought he knew about Jesus, his time as a pastor at the controversial Mars Hill Church, and how he moved away from reformed theology and Calvinism (which teaches that it’s predetermined as to whether someone goes to Heaven or Hell) to embrace uncertainty. We also unpick some of Thrice’s most interesting lyrics, look back on their “frenetic” early releases, examine the anti-authoritarian messaging of new album Horizons/West, and talk about their ongoing European tour.