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Interfaith Voices Podcast

Interfaith Voices provides engaging and informative discussion on the key public issues of our day through the lenses of many different faith perspectives. We foster religious tolerance and educate our listeners on the broad diversity of religious traditions and viewpoints in the United States. This podcast feed is for the hour-long version of the program.

2021

CLEAN

1 seasons

Production: Interfaith Voices

Episodes

Season 1

"No One is Holding Back Their Pain" - The Muslim Burial Abu Didn't Get

Sabila Khan found herself in the surreal position of watching her father’s burial on her cell phone. When she did not find the support she needed, she co-founded a Facebook group for people that have lost family and friends to the Pandemic.

51:30

With Visions of a Rebuilding a Holy Rus - Putin's Russia Attacks Ukraine

In the face of invading Russian forces, a young democratic nation’s resistance has galvanized world attention and support. We take a closer look at the religious context behind the conflict

"The Hamlet Problem - Congregational and Faith Leaders Think They are the Stars"

Bob Smietana is an award-winning religion reporter and editor whose new book Reorganized Religion takes a closer look at the state of the American church and the way congregations and their leaders are adapting, shifting, or resisting.

Alyssa's Story - originally broadcast in 2018

Alyssa, a young Mormon woman, tells us her personal story of sexual assault. When her church leaders pressured her to forgive her abuser, it made her feel as if her pain did not matter and that she wasn’t worthy of being believed.

"Scared to Life" - Faith and Gun Reform in Tennessee

Liam Adams, the religion reporter for The Tennessean in Nashville, introduces us to the complex religious landscape of the city, and talks about the response of the faith community to the Covenant School shooting. Many faith leaders are calling for gun reform – including leaders within conservative Christian faith traditions, and Governor Lee is listening. Liam Adams. Religion reporter at the Tennessean in Nashville. Before, he freelanced stories about religion for Christianity Today , Religion News Service , and National Catholic Reporter

This is not a feel-good story...

This week, Kelley Nikondeha joins to talk about why she wrote about that first season and how the book, released in October 2022, is now being discovered as more Christians want to learn about Palestine.

John Wayne is held up as an ideal of Christian manhoodhe is the good guy with the gun.

Kristin Kobes Du Mez talks about the role of Christian pop culture in reshaping evangelical attitudes about gun rights, gender, and demographic changes sweeping across the country.

If our religions hold wisdom for us about how to treat each other with love and kindness and compassion. We need to reclaim that, especially in this moment.

Jeanne Lewis reflects on how faith-rooted work differs from the organizing of previous eras and rejects the notion that the progressive movement has lost religion.

Buddhist Teachings Taught Me How to Sit with Suffering

For many years, Dr. Duane Bidwell served as a hospital chaplain, working to offer spiritual support to people who were often in their most vulnerable moments.

I had to unlearn a lot of biases and stereotypes about Palestinians.

Two Catholic women share how they are working to educate and engage American Catholics to examine their beliefs and perceptions about Palestinians.

26:55

Making space for women In mosques (encore)

Women don’t always feel welcome in American mosques. They’re sometimes turned away, sent to basements to pray, or discouraged from serving on the boards of directors. Aisha al-Adawiya has devoted her life to changing that.

23:50

Muslim Voters Take to Polls to Protest Biden Administration Policy in Gaza (encore)

The issue advocacy campaign to urge voters in Michigan to cast an uncommitted ballot as a protest vote exceeded organizers' expectations and has sparked a movement spreading to other primary states.

16:35

Words Count: From "Woman" to "Mother," "Embryo" to "Child"

Samira Mehta discusses how words like “sacred,” “ensoulment,” “mother,” and “baby” have been used by both sides of the culture war over reproductive rights and how they have changed our perception of pregnancy.

34:55

Sacred Pregnancy: Building a Spiritual Community

Author Ann W. Duncan describes the “sacred pregnancy movement” and examines three major organizations involved. Their services range from sacred belly painting in luxurious retreat settings to helping process pregnancy loss.

14:30

Combatting Vaccine Hesitancy with Faith (encore)

A group of public health workers in North Carolina worked to foster trusting relationships to tackle vaccine hesitancy among Native Americans.

37:15

The Long and Storied History of Solidarity of Irish and Black Activists

This special segment was produced by NPR’s Code Switch , co-hosts B. A. Parker and Gene Denby explore the curious twists and turns in the relationship between freedom-seeking activists across oceans and borders.

...I get right back on my mat again.

Dr. Toni Pressley-Sanon's latest book, Lifting As They Climb: Black Women Buddhists and Collective Liberation explores how a growing number of Black women have integrated Buddhist practices into their spiritual lives.

...We must be the ones most dedicated to Palestinian freedom.

A college student shares what it is like to be a religious Jew who rejects Zionism

...Covering Religion in North Texas

Joy Ashford is the new religion reporter at the Dallas Morning News, supported by Report for America. They join us to share some of the stories Joy has been covering in North Texas.

...Project Lavender and Where Is Daddy

The Israeli military is using artificial intelligence and the targeting of low-level members of Hamas in their homes at a time when civilian casualties would be high.

Quakers in Gaza Have a Long History

Mike Merryman-Lotze joins us to share the struggles facing humanitarian workers in Gaza.

What IS This-On the Mystery of Being. (encore)

Pastor Bob Otis describes his own personal faith journey that brought him from a Christian home in Tennessee to a psychedelic church in Berkeley.

28:16

"What IS This"? On the Mystery of Being. (encore)

Pastor Bob Otis describes his faith journey from a Christian home in Tennessee to a psychedelic church in Berkeley. Then, Chief Phillip Scott discusses the fine line between respectful use and cultural appropriation.

22:01

The Church of "Least Dogma" (encore)

Bob Otis, founding pastor of Sacred Garden Community Church, outlines its beliefs and practices. Then, the author of God on Psychedelics describes how psychedelic worship communities are proliferating.

...we were all dressed up with nowhere to go.

A trailblazer in Christian feminist theology, Dr. Mary Hunt, joins to reflect on how the world for women in religion has changed and how groups like hers are adapting.

Can you be a Hindu and an atheistthe answer is yes.

In 2023, the Religion News Service hired Richa Karmarkar as the first national religion reporter covering the Hindu beat. She hopes the growth of the Hindu community sparks interest and curiosity about the diversity of a religious tradition that is not well understood.

Grandmothers Are the Glue. (encore)

Cultural anthropologist Lynsey Farrell, co-founder of The Grandmother Collective, is building community by connecting older women with adolescent girls.

From Role to Soul (encore)

Dr. Connie Zweig discusses why spirituality—however it may be defined—is crucial to a fulfilling old age.

21:10

A Council of Elders (encore)

Carolina Nieto, director of Ashoka's Mexican, Central American, and Caribbean office, established a "council of elders," hoping to tap into its members' wisdom, patience, and spirituality.

We are pushing back on the misuse of the Bible in the public square

The leader of Word and Way, a Christian media company, is focused on building conversation spaces for Christians to deal with the MAGA version of Christianity and confront the political manipulation of scripture.

Americans Believe Religion is a Force for Good in Society

A new poll released by the Pew Research Center reinforces one key finding: Americans believe religion is a force for good in society.

51:25

Muslim Wellness Foundation Founder: "Our story does not start with oppression."

Dr. Kameelah Mu’Min Oseguera joins us to explain why she sees interrogating the Western narrative of the enslaved as interconnected to Black Muslim mental health today.

22:10

The Pilgrimage for Peace

As the United States vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, a group of multifaith peace activists began a journey from Philadelphia heading for the White House.

46:05

Unpacking Christian Nationalism

Dr. Robert P. Jones, President and Founder of PRRI, discusses the latest research documenting the rising influence of Christian Nationalism in some segments of American politics.

26:50

Making space for women In mosques

Women don’t always feel welcome in American mosques. They’re sometimes turned away, sent to basements to pray, or discouraged from serving on the boards of directors. Aisha al-Adawiya has devoted her life to changing that. She’s inspired a national campaign — and a fatwa — that’s persuading the men who control mosques to share space and power. Our partners at "The Spiritual Edge" brought this story to us.

24:00

Muslim Voters Take to Polls to Protest Biden Administration Policy in Gaza

Emgage Action Michigan interim executive director Hira Khan joins to explain why her organization and volunteer network worked with partners to encourage voters to use the ballot to send a message instead of disengaging.

Climbing Out of Poverty Takes a Network

Among the hundreds of volunteers preparing to lobby lawmakers was Anne Murphy, a Catholic retiree and resident of Northern Virginia. In this conversation, she describes why she has attended these annual lobbying events with the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy.

We Dont Want to Tilt at Windmills

Kim Bobo, executive director of the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, joins us to discuss the 2024 legislative agenda and how the 42-year-old organization continues to grow and expand its base across the Commonwealth.

Jeffersons Quran. (encore)

As a law student, Thomas Jefferson bought a Quran from an English publisher. But why? Did he read it as a sacred text? As a window into Muslim law?

16:20

Presidential Religion in the Civil War and The Age of Imperialism. (encore)

Both Union and Confederate leaders invoked God to advance their causes during the Civil War. But Abraham Lincoln refused to claim the divine on his side.

16:05

Untraditional Christians: The Beliefs of the Founding Fathers (encore)

Though the Founding Fathers were Christian, many of them held beliefs out of step with most American Christians of their time – and ours.

11:25

The Echos of Anti-Catholicism Today. (encore)

We talk to Daisy Vargas, whose current work traces the history of anti-Mexican and anti-Catholic bias in the U.S.

40:05

For an old monastery, a second life. (encore)

Sick, tired, and hopeful, Central American migrants are bused daily from a detention center to a former Benedictine monastery in Tucson, Ariz., where a small army of volunteers offers showers, fresh clothes, and medical treatment.

51:00

How Far to the Promised Land with Rev. Esau McCaulley (encore)

Rev. Esau McCaulley confronts the controversy that the Civil War was not fought because of slavery but because of Southern heritage.

50:20

How to Fight Racism: A Conversation with Dr. Jemar Tisby (encore)

We explore the inspiration behind Dr. Jemar Tisby's new book, How to "Fight Racism: A Young Reader's Edition".

20:25

Scenes from the "Undertow" (encore)

Journalist Jeff Sharlet talks about the "slow civil war" taking place in the United States and his book The Undertow.

31:05

The Rise of NonDenominational Christianity

Dr. Ryan Burge discusses the trends and data that may explain Mr. Trump’s ongoing appeal, evidenced in the 2024 Iowa Caucus results.

The Gospel According to James Baldwin

Episcopal priest and writer Greg Garrett confronts the religious legacy of James Baldwin and the challenge his theology poses to anti-black racism in the United States.

The Arc of Truth is Long: Reading Martin Luther King Jr. in a Post-Truth Age (encore)

Dr. Lewis V Baldwin discusses his new book, “The Arc of Truth: The Thinking of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.” He looks at what we could lose if we forget the teachings of Dr. King.

17:10

Religion Now: 21st Century Controversies

Tia Kolbaba of Rutgers University co-teaches a popular course connecting religion to the hot-button headlines. Kolbaba teaches her students that religion is not separate from everything else but is almost always in the room.

Religion is Always in the Room: Spokane FVS

In Spokane, Washington, a religion-news website called FVS is bucking the national trend away from local news.

Religion Nerds Speak: Behind the Top Ten Faith Stories of 2023

The RNA ’s Ken Chitwood breaks down the top three religion stories of the year.

51:30

Sounds of Faith: A Special Holiday Concert Exploring Traditions (encore)

This week, we feature selections from the December 8, 2019, Sounds of Faith concert at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.

The Kingdom, The Power, and The Glory, by Tim Alberta

Tim Alberta’s new book, "The Kingdom, The Power, and The Glory," examines the divisions threatening to destroy the American evangelical movement.

Backs Against the WallThe Howard Thurman Story

Journey Films founder and director Martin Doblmeir talks about the documentary feature that tells the story of Black liberation theologian Howard Thurman and his legacy. The feature film now airing on public television introduces audiences to the life of a man Doblmeir describes as “a poet" and “mystic.”

This is not a feel-good story

This week, Kelley Nikondeha joins to talk about why she wrote about that first season and how the book, released in October 2022, is now being discovered as more Christians want to learn about Palestine.

50:59

The Power of Holocaust Memory and Nazi Imagery

Raza Segal, an Israeli-born scholar of the Holocaust. at Stockton University, describes how the decontextualized use of Holocaust memory and Nazi imagery can be used to justify war crimes.

51:30

Adventures in Faith & Food (encore)

No matter your race, class, gender, or faith, we all have to eat. We explore what food says about who we are and what we believe.

50:35

Honor: A Conversation with Thrity Umrigar (encore)

Honor is a riveting novel that transports readers to an India where interfaith marriage between Muslims and Hindus animates deep religious polarization.

50:15

Confronting History: Religious Institutions and Slavery

We look at one of the thorniest issues confronting contemporary America – how to reconcile our history of slavery with our present.

13:40

The Healing Power of Dia de Los Muertos (Encore)

Dr. Mathew Sandoval’s scholarship and research into the history and evolution of the festival known as Dia de Los Muertos was fueled by two pivotal events: as a young man traveling to Guatemala and observing the festival for the first time in a country that was not Mexico and, the death of his father.

37:50

Horror and The Spiritual (Encore)

Reporter Kimberly Winston explores the links and intersections between religion and horror with Dr. Jonathan Greenaway from the University of Chester in Manchester, England.

52:30

Israel Responds to Hamas Terror with 6,000 bombs in Six Days

As the drumbeat of support for Israel’s retribution for a deadly terror attack grows, some faith leaders are raising concerns.

50:53

Interfaith Solidarity Tested by Reach of Hindu Nationalism

Human rights leaders talk about the threat of Hindu nationalism for religious minorities and the struggle to hold India accountable for transnational repression.

51:30

Bravery and Truth: Conversations with Mariann Edgar Budde and Annette Gordon-Reed (encore)

On June 2, 2020, Donald Trump used military and law enforcement to forcibly clear peaceful protesters, so he could pose for a photo with a bible. With Juneteenth approaching we interrogate the symbology of this event.

50:35

The Things They Carry: On Refugees and Relics with Stephanie Saldaa

What do people bring with them when forced out of their homes, perhaps never to return? Stephanie Saldaña set out to answer this question.

50:35

The Things They Carry

In 2016, journalist Stephanie Salda set out to interview people fleeing wars in Iraq and Syria. What, she wondered, did people bring with them when forced out of their homes.

How Far to the Promised Land with Rev. Esau McCaulley

This is Not the Story of An Exceptional Kid. Rev. Esau McCaulley uses the memoir to write a story about the family and community that shaped him, not his journey or success. In each chapter, he introduces readers to a new person who he sees as shaping and forming the world that raised him.

24:05

Fireside: A Chat with Blair Hodges

Blair Hodges, host of Fireside with Blair Hodges, discusses the new freedom he has as a podcaster since leaving the Maxwell Institute at Brigham Young University.

26:08

A Conversation with Rabbi Ruttenberg On Redemption and Repair (Edited from a story originally broadcast in December 2022.)

Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg spoke to a reporter about the Jewish views on redemption and forgiveness in 2018. When she shared her teachings in a Twitter thread, the reaction surprised her.

50:13

Spiritual Magpies

We speak with two “spiritual magpies” – Blair Hodges, the Mormon host of a popular podcast, and Rabbi Danya Rutenberg, the “wunderkind of Jewish feminism.”

50:50

The Challenge of Reporting Religion in Modis India

Journalist Kalpana Jain is raising alarms about the threats to press freedom in the world’s most populous democracy, India.

50:05

A Prayer for Salmon - Final Installment

Filled with anticipation and hope, the indigenous community hopes a rare sighting of a salmon in the creek is the answer to a century of prayers.

From Role to Soul

Dr. Connie Zweig, a retired therapist in her 70s, is the author of multiple books on spiritual wellness. She discusses why spirituality -- however it may be defined -- is crucial to a fulfilling old age.

Grandmothers Are the Glue

Cultural anthropologist Lynsey Farrell co-founder of The Grandmother Collective is building community by connecting older women with adolescent girls.

21:10

A Council of Elders

Carolina Nieto started working for the non-profit Ashoka at the age of 62. Now she is the director of its Mexican, Central American, and Caribbean offices. Just this year, she and Ashoka established a council of elders drawn from Spanish speakers across Latin America, hoping to tap into its member's wisdom, patience, and spirituality

49:30

Too Busy to Rest? A New Documentary Looks At the Benefits of Sabbath Culture

We sit down with award-winning filmmaker Martin Dobleimer to discuss his latest documentary, "Sabbath: An Ancient Practice Meets the Modern World".

We Drop Out of Our Egocentric Ways of Thinking (encore)

In this non-narrated reflection from musician Craig Green, we learn why creating space for people to sing outdoors is his spiritual calling.

36:05

The God Within (encore)

Dr. Robert Gross outlines the often confounding basics of Transcendentalism and shows why they were extraordinary in 19th-century America.

28:05

A Prayer For Salmon: War Dance on Shasta Dam

This episode of "A Pray For Salmon". begins as Northern California's Winnemem Wintu tribe faces a turning point in 2004 as the government plans to raise the Shasta dam accelerate. The tribal leaders make a difficult decision to revive an ancient practice: the War Dance.

51:30

Face-to-Face with our Future

A Northern California indigenous tribe's declaration of war generates global support. Then the faith identity of Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer.

The Nearness

Many Americans feel disillusioned with formalized religious institutions, yet their hunger for spiritual comfort remains. Enter, the Nearness, a year-old online space where people of all faiths and no faith can talk over the “big questions.” Nearness co-founder Casper ter Kuile talks about the importance of dedicated, judgment-free spaces for spiritual curiosity, and his own spiritual journey from atheism to Harvard Divinity School and beyond.

15:35

InnoFaith: Crossing Interfaith Lines

The online space InnoFaith works to transcend religious boundaries by building service-based community programs to foster mutual understanding and empowerment. Founder Danielle Goldstone shares her vision of how humanity can thrive by harnessing shared values drawn from diverse perspectives.

18:30

Changemakers: Inspiring Albanian Youth

Mentor Dida was an 8-year-old boy when the Balkan War came to his hometown in Kosovo. A chance encounter with a volunteer aid worker in a refugee camp set the course of the rest of Dida's life, leading directly to his founding of Changemakers, an Albanian-language website for exploring spiritual questions beyond religious boundaries.

14:20

..More Americans Are Likely to Say There Are Only Two Genders

In June 2023, the Public Religious Research Institute released a new poll exploring America’s shifting public attitudes on gender, the role of inclusive policies and perceptions of fairness, and the recent attacks on policies that support transgender individuals. Public Religion Research Institute’s CEO Dr. Melissa Deckman joins Ambereen Khan to discuss the findings and to review the shifts in attitudes especially among a surprising cohort -- younger Americans.

14:35

Combatting Vaccine Hesitancy with Faith

In the first year of the global pandemic, COVID deaths among Native Americans were significantly higher than any other ethnic or racial group in America due to exceedingly poor public health infrastructure. To combat the inequity, a group of public health workers in North Carolina led by Dr. David Tillman, supported by a grant from Interfaith America, worked to foster trusting relationships to tackle vaccine hesitancy and combat misinformation with the Coharie tribe in Sampson County. Producer Monique Parsons of Interfaith America reports this story from North Carolina.

22:35

A Closer Look at the SCOTUS Ruling in 303 Creative v. Elenis

Elizabeth Reiner Platt, director of Columbia Law School’s Law, Rights and Religion Project discusses the implications of the Supreme Court’s majority opinion in 303 Creative v Elenis. She explains why the controversial ruling extending First Amendment protections to a creative business creates a dangerous precedent opening the door for other potential challenges to anti-discrimination policies. Platt reminds listeners of an earlier era in which businesses could explicitly reject people based on gender, religion and race to deny access to goods, services, and public accommodations. Citing the 303 Creative ruling and hypotheticals presented during oral arguments, Platt notes that nothing in the decision limits its application to same-sex couples seeking to marry.

51:30

The Evolution of Dorothy Day (encore)

Filmmaker Martin Doblmeier talks about his 2021 Gabriel Award-winning film "Revolution of the Heart: The Dorothy Day Story" and the life of this powerful social activist.

23:55

A Prayer for Salmon - Speaking for Salmon

This installment of A Prayer For Salmon begins with the creation story of the Winnemem Wintu, at a sacred spring high up on Mt. Shasta.

26:45

The Rainbow and Religion

At a school board protest hundreds of Muslim and Ethiopian Orthodox parents demand the right to opt their kids out of reading LGBTQ+ story books invoking religious rights and then, the organizer of Faith for Pride talks about their work.

50:30

The Spiritual Battle Over Water: A Prayer for Salmon Part Five

In the next part of A Prayer for Salmon , we travel back to Northern California to continue the story of an indigenous community fighting plans to raise the level of Shasta Dam.

History is an Art: On Juneteenth and Black Texas.

Annette Gordon-Reed is no stranger to diving into the areas that make readers uncomfortable. In her 2021 book, On Juneteenth , she offers a hybrid history and memoir that gets personal.

And I Objected.

Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde is the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington D.C. and one of the most influential women in American Christianity. Her new book, How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith, was born out of her response to President Donald Trump’s bible-waving photo op in front of an Episcopal church during the protest summer of 2020.

22:55

What Makes a "Spiritual Innovator?"

Guest Anne Borden Evans of the Ashoka Foundation discusses why this secular non-profit is interested in supporting what it calls “spiritual changemakers” and “spiritual innovators.”

28:00

From Evangelicalism to Ecumenism: The Evolution of Soularize

Soularize founder Spencer Burke talks about his vision for Soularize and lays out its goals – to be a bridge between people working at the different intersections of faith with social justice, youth empowerment, migration, the environment, and longevity.

23:00

Forgive, Why Should I and How Do I?

We revisit our December 2022 conversation between host Ambereen Khan and Keller, including how his terminal cancer changed his views on mortality and time, and heightened the need to make forgiveness a cultural priority.

13:45

Every Atheist Needs a Pastor like Tim Keller

Public intellectual, gay marriage activist, journalist, and author Jonathan Rauch shares how he found an unlikely friendship with Keller, who, as a Reformed evangelical opposed same-sex marriage.

14:45

In Defense of Faith

Editor-in-Chief of the Gospel Coalition Collin Hansen reflects on his friendship with Keller and insights from writing the pastor’s biography, released earlier this year. Hansen shares how pivotal experiences shaped Keller’s beliefs about religion and politics and why he was often criticized by both the political left and right.

Keep My Fires Burning

Lummi Nation member Darrell Hillaire is on a mission: amplify native indigenous storytelling using technology to educate and inspire actions to protect water ecosystems for future generations.

51:30

The Sacred Obligation of the Salmon People

Episode five of "A Prayer for Salmon," and an Elder of the Lummi Nation uses indigenous storytelling to educate the world about the sacred obligation to protect the water.

27:30

The Run for Salmon

In episode five of A Prayer for Salmon , the Winnemem Wintu and supporters start a two-week Run4Salmon prayer to call salmon back to the waters above Shasta Dam.

Who are the Spiritual but not religious? (encore)

Dr. Linda Mercadante a Distinguished Research Professor, Emerita, Methodist Theological School in Ohio. and founder of HealthyBeliefs discussed her journey from being "spiritual but not religious" to becoming a scholar of religion. She argues for more research and understanding into the growing numbers of Americans identifying as such. In her book, "Beliefs without Borders: Inside the Minds of the Spiritual But Not Religious," Mercadante shares her research findings from a listening tour across the US, Canada, Mexico, and beyond. She discovered that while sociologically, people identifying as “spiritual but not religious” are quite different, they share many common beliefs — including rejecting the word "God" while still believing in something bigger than themselves. Belief Without Borders Oxford University Press Our theme Breath Deep is copyright MC Yogi. This week's closing music, New Hope , by Audiobinger , used under a Creative Commons By Attribution 4.0 license. Additional music by Blue Dot Session.

God the Best Seller (encore)

In his book, God, the Best Seller , Stephen Prothro tells the story of Eugene Exman, responsible for the religious book department at Harper and Brothers from 1928 to 1965. Prothro argues that Exman was partly responsible for the current trend toward “spirituality not religious.” The book highlights Exman’s role in publishing some of the most influential religion books of the 20th century — including The Perennial Philosophy by Aldi Huxley, essays on Zen Buddhism by DT Suzuki, The Long Loneliness by Dorothy Day, and The Religions of Man by Houston Smith. God the Bestseller Harper Collins

12:20

Baptized in the Sea (encore)

In a soundscape of surf, sand, and spirituality, Father Christian Mondor recounts how he began riding waves at age 70. In water, he finds a metaphor for the holy trinity. And in the surf, he finds a kind of baptism.

12:20

Baptized in the Sea 9encore)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Fournier

24:30

The Contents of a Spiritual Toolbox (encore)

Our guests, a physician and a hospice chaplain, discuss the importance of attending to the spirit as well as the body at the end of life.

14:40

Oksana Chapman: "I got an 'A' in Atheism." (encore)

We spend a day with Rabbi Oksana Chapman, a Russian-speaking chaplain who grew up under Soviet rule and once got an 'A' in Atheism.

Scared to Life Faith and Gun Reform in Tennessee

Liam Adams, the religion reporter for The Tennessean in Nashville, introduces us to the complex religious landscape of the city, and talks about the response of the faith community to the Covenant School shooting. Many faith leaders are calling for gun reform – including leaders within conservative Christian faith traditions, and Governor Lee is listening. Liam Adams. Religion reporter at the Tennessean in Nashville. Before, he freelanced stories about religion for Christianity Today , Religion News Service , and National Catholic Reporter

A Prayer for Salmon Its Legal

An elder remembers indigenous life back before Shasta Dam was built. The legality of the proposal to raise Shasta Dam is considered. Meanwhile, Chief Caleen Sisk considers a new strategy to fight back: turning an adversary — the Westlands Water District — into an ally. All of the episodes of A Prayer for Salmon can be found on The Spiritual Edge website.

51:10

The Undertow: Scenes From a Slow Civil War

In his latest book, The Undertow: Scenes From a Slow Civil War , Journalist Jeff Sharlet outlines a new era of martyrs and civil war.

Turtle Medicine: Slowing Down the Rush to Psychedelics

Chief Phillip Scott is a teacher in indigenous medicine with Lakota ancestry. He has consulted with Sacred Garden Community Church on their use of what he calls “sacred plants."

"What IS This?" On the Mystery of Being.

Pastor Bob Otis describes his own personal faith journey that brought him from a Christian home in Tennessee to a psychedelic church in Berkeley.

21:55

The Church of "Least Dogma"

Bob Otis is the founding pastor of Sacred Garden Community Church. He outlines its core beliefs, its practices, and the somewhat long path to membership. Then Don Lattin, author of “God on Psychedelics,” describes how worship communities based on psychedelic plants are popping up from Massachusetts to Washington State.

I am carrying that story How A Prayer for Salmon came to be.

Judy Silber, producer of A Prayer for Salmon, talks about building trust with the Winnemem Wintu tribe as a journalist,

Chapter Three: The Shasta Dam and Reservoir Enlargement Project

The story continues as Judy Silber explores how the Winnemem Wintu view water and land as sacred entities that must be in balance and believe they were put on Earth to protect and steward their homeland.

54:45

Introducing A Prayer for Salmon

We present A Prayer for Salmon: A documentary series from The Spiritual Edge telling the story of the Winnemem Wintu people and their clash with the raising of Shasta Dam.

We as a society need to understand what is in the soil of this country

Pardeep Kaleka shares what he has learned about himself, how his faith has evolved, and how escalation in mass shootings demands a reckoning with the deeply held values of the nation.

Part of interreligious engagement is sitting in discomfort."

To say that planning a Model Seder and Iftar was a learning experience would be an understatement. In this conversation, Orthodox Jew Deena Grant shares how surprised she was to discover many similarities between her tradition and those in Islam.

51:30

The Rise of the Spiritual not Religious

Stephen Prothero talks about Eugene Exmam who was responsible for publishing some of the most important religious books of the 20th century.

God the Best Seller

In his book, God, the Best Seller , Stephen Prothro tells the story of Eugene Exman, responsible for the religious book department at Harper and Brothers from 1928 to 1965.

Who are the Spiritual but not religious?

Dr. Linda Mercadante a Distinguished Research Professor, Emerita, at Methodist Theological School in Ohio. and founder of HealthyBeliefs discussed her journey from being "spiritual but not religious" to becoming a scholar of religion.

17:30

A feminist pioneer in Islamic theology

In 2005 Dr. Amina Wadud made waves when she led Muslim prayers in New York City.

13:00

"There's a massive silencing effect."

Dr. Tricia Bruce, a sociologist from Notre Dame’s Center for the Study of Religion in Society recently published a paper studying discordant benevolence as it relates to attitudes about abortion in America.

17:40

An ancient story challenges us to ask...will we rise to the moment? (encore)

Finding new inspiration in this ancient story to stand with oppressed women in the #MeToo era.

33:50

Lost in the Valley of Death: Seeking Justin Alexander Shetler, (encore)

Harley Rustad recounts the life of Justin Alexander Shetler, an American man who vanished in India’s Parvati Valley in 2016. Shetler, described as a sort of “lost boy” by his friends, was on a spiritual quest, one that caused him to push himself to greater and greater extremes and eventually, fatal danger.

22:18

Web Extra: Maureen Fieldler's interviews with President Jimmy Carter in 2014

In 2014, our founder Maureen Fiedler interviewed President Jimmy Carter shortly after his book A Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence, and Power.

23:35

"Redeemer: The Life of Jimmy Carter"

In the 2014 religious biography Redeemer , Randall Balmer describes how the controversial president’s rise and fall coincided with the decline of Christian progressives and the Religious Right.

27:10

"Be Kind to the Person In Front of You"

Jan Williams witnessed and describes President Carter’s spiritual legacy which included working to support women’s access and inclusion in all spheres of church life.

22:00

Family, Reflection and Slowing Down (encore)

Martyn Oliver, says fasting most likely predates organized religion. And we explore how individuals and communities are embracing the ancient ritual of abstaining from food, water, intimacy, and comfort as a response to modern life. Then, the 19-Day Fast in the Bahá’í tradition begins at sundown on March 1, 2023. The fast marks the last month of the Bahá’í calendar before the new year. It involves abstaining from food or drink from sunrise to sunset. The multigenerational Ewing-Boyd family of Washington DC invites host, Ambereen Khan, to join a breaking of the fast and share how they do their best to use this time of fasting as an opportunity to slow down, gain discipline, and reconnect with each other.

29:30

Father James Martin on Talking to God (encore)

In his 2021 book, “Learning to Pray,” Jesuit priest and bestselling author Father James Martin charts an approach to prayer that is not just for Catholics, but is for everyone.

Generation Z is Not a Monolith

Springtide Research Institute’s former executive Josh Packard explains why data and survey research offers more nuance and insights into GenZ’s approach to values, meaning-making, and answering the big questions.

Reorganized Religion (Encore)

Bob Smietana's new book Reorganized Religion takes a closer look at the state of the American church and the way congregations and their leaders are adapting, shifting, or resisting.

22:40

Shenandoah Valley Church of the Wild

Five years ago she left her church and found a more profound sense of connection and belonging outdoors. Valerie Luna Serrels shares her journey and offers a glimpse at how members of her local Church of the Wild gather and find meaning.

I have not lost faith in the American Dream

Jovana Nieto is the coordinator of the Migrant Accompaniment Network and she is on a mission to recruit volunteers to support newcomers on their journey to making the US home.

We Dont Have a Migrant Crisis We Have an Affordable Housing Crisis

The leader of the New York Immigration Coalition Murad Awawdeh is undeterred in his advocacy for migrants. The oldest coalition of immigration groups in New York is leading efforts to secure housing, shelter, and support for new arrivals.

We are Deeply Disappointed

Two years ago on the campaign trail, President Biden promised to end the inhuman border policies that barred migrants seeking asylum from entering the United States. Instead of ending the use of Title 42, faith leaders describe how new proposed rules and laws will expand its use.

In Her Grandmothers House: Black Women in the Black Church (encore)

Dr. Yolanda Pierce, dean of Howard University's Divinity School, describes how women keep the institution of the Black church strong and growing, despite being often unwelcome in the pulpit.

This is Our Story, This is Our Song: The Making of The Black Church (encore)

One of the major themes to emerge from the new PBS documentary "The Black Church: This is Our Story, This is Our Song" is the often-overlooked roles Black women play in strengthening that institution.

51:30

From Fear and Hate to Redemption: "Stranger at the Gate" (encore)

We talk to filmmaker Joshua Seftel to learn about his Academy Award-nominated film "Stranger at the Gate" and the backstory that lead him to make it.

19:15

Faith on the Football Field

Rev. Earl Smith, Jr is the chaplain for the San Francisco 49ers and Golden State Warriors. It’s a pastoral job that demands a different approach.

The White Mosque

Award-winning author Sofia Samatar was raised Mennonite, but, with brown skin in a Germanic faith, she sometimes felt she did not fit in. Then she discovered the obscure story of a group of 19th-century Russian Mennonites who made a difficult and deadly migration to Uzbekistan.

25:45

Will Religious Nationalism Spark Another Intifada? A Conversation with Daoud Kuttub

Award-winning Palestinian-American journalist Daoud Kuttub writes for the Religion News Service that the rise of Israel’s far-right orthodox parties in the new coalition government could threaten democracy and democratic norms.

The Arc of Truth is Long: Reading Martin Luther King Jr. in a Post-Truth Age

Dr. Lewis V Baldwin, professor emeritus at Vanderbilt University, discusses his new book, “The Arc of Truth: The Thinking of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr,” which he was inspired to write, in part, by the battle over truth that characterized the presidency of Donald Trump.

20:50

Another Perspective

Dilshad Ali shares her top picks of stories that began in 2022.

30:40

Top Global Stories

Kalpana Jain offers context, history, and analysis of the biggest global stories likely to appear in the headlines in 2023.

23:30

Anti-Semitism on the Rise

Lauren Markoe is the news editor at the Forward. This American Jewish weekly publication monitors the rise in anti-Semitism and the various responses from civic and government leaders.

24:25

Religion Reporters Top Ten

Christian Chronicle editor Bobby Ross Jr. and producer Kimberly Winston discuss the biggest stories in the US based on feedback from religion reporters around the world.

Alyssas Story - originally broadcast in 2018

Alyssa, a young Mormon woman, tells us her personal story of sexual assault. When her church leaders pressured her to forgive her abuser, it made her feel as if her pain did not matter and that she wasn’t worthy of being believed.

Vengeance is not Justice

After building a megachurch in Manhattan, Presbyterian Timothy Keller has no trouble engaging secular and skeptical audiences. Keller insists that our culture is failing to value a key skill and essential building block of relationships: the ability to forgive.

51:00

A Conversation with Rabbi Ruttenberg On Redemption and Repair

Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg talks about what it means to make amends and if a person wronged has an obligation to forgive the person who hurt them.

15:40

Joshua Safran: From Wiccan Love Child to Orthodox Jew

Joshua Safran was born in 1975 into a coven of radical feminist witches. Then one day he discovered he was Jewish, and after years of wandering he finally felt he had found a home.

12:00

Lauren Drain: Why I Left the Westboro Baptist Church

Lauren Drain, was a member of The Westboro Baptist Church for seven years. Today, She is a cardiac nurse and a popular fitness model.

23:50

Luzer Twersky: First Hasidism, Then Hollywood

>When Luzer Twersky was in his early twenties and already a married father of two, he decided to leave the only world he had ever known, a close knit Jewish enclave in Brooklyn. He told his story to documentary producer Josh Gleason in 2010, when he was just beginning his new life in the secular world.

51:30

Escaping Religion (selections form the archives).

First-person accounts of people who grew up inside insular religious groups, and then choose a different path. These stories are collected from our Escaping Religion series.

51:05

A Day of Mourning in Plymouth, Massachusetts

Jean-Luc Pierite, the chair of the board of the Native American Culture Center in Boston — dives into the history and role of the National Day of Mourning.

23:55

The 2022 American Values Survey

Robert P. Jones, Founder, and President of the Public Religion Research Institute joins us to talk about the findings from the 2022 American Values Survey.

26:40

Faith on the Campaign Trail

Religion News Service national religion reporter Jack Jenkins talks about the races where faith and religion emerged in surprising and not-so-surprising ways.

15:40

The Greatest Story Never Told: Documentary Explains the Origins of the Baha'i Faith

Steve Sarowitz is not a filmmaker. But when the former tech entrepreneur declared himself a Baha’i, he felt compelled to let others know about his new faith.

17:55

Yoruba Religion: The Way of Connection

The Yoruba religion is a tapestry of myths, magic, spirits, and secrets. Prothero calls it "a tradition about hanging onto tradition," a way for people scattered by the African diaspora to connect to their common origins.

A Conversation with Thrity Umrigar about Binnys Diwali

Thrity Umriga r is a much-lauded author of literary fiction, much of it set in India and among the Indian diaspora. Now, she returns to the Diwali celebrations of her Indian childhood for Binny’s Diwali, a picture book for children that explains how her family celebrates this important but little-understood Indian festival.

Putting Church With The Wild Reframes It

A seminarian decides to recharge by centering nature in her sacred practices and rituals in Ojai, California. Within six years Victoria Loorz's exploration and experimentation sparked a new movement – The Church of the Wild.

The Hamlet Problem Congregational and Faith Leaders Think They are the Stars

Bob Smietana is an award-winning religion reporter and editor whose new book Reorganized Religion takes a closer look at the state of the American church and the way congregations and their leaders are adapting, shifting, or resisting.

We Knew Each Other From a Distance...

Rev. Dr. Alvin Edwards has been part of the Charlottesville, Virginia faith community since 1981 but in 2015 after the horrific attack at the Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina he began to assess his relationships with the local clergy. The question he could not shake – do we trust each other enough to come together if racially motivated hate and violence come to our community.

You Tried to Wound Me, But I Blossomed Instead

table, th, td { padding: 0px; border: 0px solid white; border-collapse: collapse; } On October 15, 2022, in Washington Square Park in New York City, hundreds gathered to demonstrate support for the resistance movements in Iran. Host Ambereen Khan captures the sounds and talks to Iranian-Americans about their hopes and fears

Catching the Imagination of the World: Past and Present"

Reza Aslan believes a 22-year-old Presbyterian missionary from North Dakota offers a spiritual lesson for those losing hope in democratic institutions and liberal values. In a new biography, Aslan introduces the events surrounding the 1906 revolution in Iran that sparked aspirations of self-determination and hope in empires subjected to oppressive and arbitrary leaders.

When the People Vote, the People Win

Reverend Timothy McDonald, III is the senior pastor of First Iconium Baptist Church in Atlanta and a leader in Faithworks, a new voter mobilization campaign to increase voter participation in Georgia.

Sages are the Faith Leaders Are Critical To this Movement

Veteran environmental advocate Heather White talks about her new book, One Green Thing: Discover Your Hidden Power to Save the Earth.

Grappling with the Seeds of Doubt

Producer Kimberly Winston interviews Dr. Katey Walter Anthony, author of Chasing Lakes: Love, Science and the Secrets of the Arctic , about how science and faith intersect in her life.

36:05

The God Within

Dr. Robert Gross outlines the often confounding basics of Transcendentalism and shows why they were extraordinary in 19th-century America.

We Drop Out of Our Egocentric Ways of Thinking

Musician Craig Green, tells us why creating space for people to sing outdoors is his spiritual calling.

51:30

From Fear and Hate to Redemption: "Stranger at the Gate"

We talk to filmmaker Joshua Seftel to learn about his film "Stranger at the Gate" and the backstory that lead him to make it.

51:15

The Killjoys Guide to Religion

Two religion professors team up to launch an irreverent and informative podcast, and become what host Ambereen Khan calls "the Click and Clack of religion podcasting."

51:30

Looking back: 9/11 and "Interfaith Voices" (encore)

This week we are reflecting on the anniversary of 9/11 and the origins of Interfaith Voices. Dalia Mogahed and Dr. Sylvia Chan-Malik share their insights.

16:40

Gone to God: How We Think About Heaven

Producer Kimberly Winston talks with Catherine Wolff, an educator, and university chaplain, about her new book, Beyond:: How Humankind Thinks About Heaven.

"Missionaries were often a part of the colonial enterprize

As the United Kingdom mourns the death of Queen Elizabeth II, around the globe a new generation is calling for a reckoning.

15:55

Conventional Wisdom Was Wrong: In 2021 More Americans Embrace QAnon beliefs.

Dr. Melissa Deckman, CEO of the Public Religion Research Institute, describes the main findings of their research survey work examining attitudes, affiliations, and beliefs of QAnon supporters.

35:35

Our Brains Are Not in the Truth Business. (encore)

Shankar Vedantam defines a “useful delusion” as an untruth we allow ourselves to believe so we can get through the day or accomplish some greater goal.

50:55

I Used to Have a Little Girl: A Conversation With Susan Bro

This week, a conversation with Susan Bro, the mother of Heather Heyer, who was killed five years ago at the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

13:30

New Life for an Old Faith

Recently, The Associated Press’s David Crary wrote a primer about Zoroastrians, one of the oldest faiths that has, until recently, experienced ever-dwindling numbers. A new focus on young Zoroastrians may change that.

16:15

Telling the Truth is the First Step

Emily McFarlan Miller has been following the investigations into abuses at residential boarding schools for indigenous peoples run by the governments of Canada and the U.S.

Pro-Family Christians and The Big Lie

Steve Rabey talks about the links between Christian pro-family groups and Republicans who support and promote the false and misleading claims that the 2020 election was stolen.

51:30

Where God Lives: Religion Behind the Headlines

We look into some of the biggest headlines of the last few months from the perspective of religion.

18:00

Wandering in the Spiritual Desert (encore)

There are times when people of faith feel, for a while, far from God. Former NPR religion correspondent Barbara Bradley Hagerty sits down with two spiritual scholars to talk about their experiences with "the dark night of the soul".

Lost in the Valley of Death: Seeking Justin Alexander Shetler

Harley Rustad recounts the life of Justin Alexander Shetler, an American man who vanished in India’s Parvati Valley in 2016.

9:10

We have seen this cultural shift happen in Hollywood.

Alex Kronemer lays out the history of Muslim representation in Hollywood media, and charts how negative perceptions of off-screen Muslims are influenced by on-screen Muslim characters.

21:00

Each one of these kids carries a dream.

As Haydar and Robins travel historic Route 66, they encounter Muslims and hear their untold stories of Islam’s contributions to American history and culture.

Were really trying to tell the story of people.

Alex Kronemer shares behind-the-scenes insights about Syrian-American rapper Mona Haydar and her husband, educator, and Muslim convert Sebastian Robins.

51:30

Route 66: Where the American Story is the Muslim Story

The PBS limited series, The Great Muslim American Road Trip is on a mission to break stereotypes.

51:30

God and Guns Part 2: White Evangelicals and Gun Culture

Guns and God continues. This week we take a closer look at the way gun culture has been cultivated and intertwined with evangelical faith over the last 75 years.

17:05

On God and Guns in American Christianity

Michael Austin, Christian ethicist and author of Gods, Guns and America shares reflections and insights from contemplating whether a Christian can find a theology that supports gun ownership? And why it's so difficult to discuss so-called “common sense” gun laws in white evangelical spaces.

34:25

A Generation Embraces Raising Knights

Kristin Kobes Du Mez is a historian and the best-selling author of Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation talks about the role of Christian pop culture in reshaping evangelical attitudes about gun rights, gender, and demographic changes sweeping across the country.

It's About Making a Space Rather Than Making a Case

Reverend Corey Passons of Interfaith Works in Washington State oversees Faith Explorations, a summer camp that offers age-appropriate activities for 8-12-year-olds that explore different religious beliefs and wisdom traditions.

Nothing Happens Without the Messengers

AP Religion Reporter Deepa Bharat shares observations and highlights from the 2022 Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) annual gathering in Anaheim, California.

51:30

Summer of Reckoning and Discovery

We review this year’s Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting. Then we hear how an interfaith organization in Olympia, Washington is running an innovative summer camp.

We Cannot Rely on the United States Supreme Court to Protect Our Rights"

Baptists are a diverse group and that is in some ways most evident in the advocacy around issues of church and state.

No matter how we pray or where we come... we lament

The lamentation took place outside the Supreme Court on June 24, 2022, when the nation’s highest court overturned Roe v. Wade.

51:30

Then and Now: Religious Freedom and Liberty

As a conservative Supreme Court majority overturns long-standing precedents, we look at the implications for church and state with an eye on history.

24:40

"I Stepped on an Escalator and I Had to Follow it." - The Spiritual Journey of Devi Parvati"

Devi Parvati who identifies as a practitioner of all traditions describes how her life changed when she attended a retreat at an Ashram in the Poconos in 1968 and her journey to becoming a Swami.

"Its More than Fun Games" - Traditions, Culture, and Control.

Summer camps are not just about fun and games They are, more broadly speaking, immersive and unique experiences that quickly create an ethos and culture that allow for the transmission of tradition, morality, and beliefs.

15:45

"It's not like there's just one path that I'm in for the rest of my life."

2021 was Radhika Amin’s last summer attending the Hindu Heritage Summer Camp in upstate New York. Each year the camp attracts 200 eight to 15-year-olds to attend two-week sessions at the rural campus on the outskirts of Rochester.

51:30

The Evolution of the Hindu Heritage Summer Camp Tradition. (encore)

Summer is not yet over for campers attending the Hindu Heritage Summer Camp in Rochester, New York.

24:55

The Echo Chamber: On God and Guns in American Christianity

Data shows that the two most likely predictors of gun ownership in America are religion – evangelical Christianity, in particular – and political affiliation – Republicans own more guns than Democrats.

51:40

What is Freedom?: On Juneteenth and Guns

We look at two expressions of freedom in the United States: Juneteenth, or Emancipation Day and the right to bear arms.

These are heavy stories

For ten years religion reporter Michael O’Loughlin covered the Catholic beat. This led him to question an unexamined chapter of church history: the Church’s role at the height of the AIDS crisis.

I felt like I was being thrown out of my home

In this first episode of the limited series podcast Plague: Untold Stories of AIDS and the Catholic Church , we meet David Pace who shares his first memories from the early days of the AIDS crisis.

50:10

Gay and Catholic: Memories of Trauma and Compassion During the AIDS Crisis

Journalist Michael O’Loughlin digs into the history of the AIDS epidemic and the Catholic Church in his podcast Plague, and the companion book Hidden Mercy.

40:45

A Seminary Student Walks Into an Abortion Clinic

Before she became the leader of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, Rev. Katey Zeh was a seminary student who volunteered to provide spiritual support to women having abortions.

9:30

'We Don't Go Into Religion" - Rev. Alan Parks' 'Ministry' Against Abortion

Lawyer Allan Parker of the Justice Foundation describes his work representing women who have had abortions and his legal ministry working to overturn the laws that legalize abortion.

There are No Hallmark Cards for This - What is Ambiguous Loss?

Dr. Pauline Boss has spent decades studying ambiguous loss — a loss in which there may be no body to bury, no clear explanation of death, no real answer to the question, “Why did this happen?”

50:15

A Complicated Choice - Abortion, Stigma, and Religion

Rev. Katey Zeh of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice describes her preparations for an anticipated overturning of Roe v Wade, and Lawyer Allan Parker describes his legal ministry to overturn it.

No One is Holding Back Their Pain - The Muslim Burial Abu Didnt Get

Sabila Khan found herself in the surreal position of watching her father’s burial on her cell phone. When she did not find the support she needed, she co-founded a Facebook group for people that have lost family and friends to the Pandemic.

51:30

The Myth of Closure - Mourning Our COVID Dead

Shortly before Memorial Day, Americans marked a grim milestone - one million deaths from COVID-19. How can we comprehend such a loss? How can we commemorate it? And how can we make sure this never happens again?

50:20

A Different View of American Buddhism (encore)

The spiritual journey of activist and author Chenxing Han led to one persistent question: "Where are all the Asian-American Buddhists in American Buddhism?"

38:35

Beyond the Polls: How Americans Understand Abortion

Historian Mary Ziegler, visiting professor at Harvard University explains why so many Americans are confused by the legal history, timeline, and rhetoric of the abortion battles taking place in the states and courts. Then sociologist Dr. Tricia Bruce describes the findings from an expansive 2020 research study that created a safe space to explore how Americans feel about abortion.

12:45

A Bombshell Leak Produces Anger and Defiance

We review the various political reactions to the unprecedented leak of a SCOTUS draft opinion made public on the evening of May 2, 2022, and how some religious voices and leaders are preparing to respond with national religion correspondent Emily MacFarlan Miller of the Religion News Service.

51:20

Abortion is the Story

We examine the unprecedented leak of a draft opinion from the Supreme Court that outlines a legal argument for reversing a 49-year legal precedent that legalized abortion.

51:30

Discovery and Revelation: The Changing Dance Between Science and Religion

Science and religion are often portrayed as the bitterest of enemies, or, as Stephen Jay Gould termed them, “non-overlapping magisteria.” But the reality is often much more complex.

18:35

Beyond Belief: Science and Religion and Individual Rights

Dr. Adam R. Shapiro discusses how the interplay between science and religion has changed in the last decade,

14:20

Henrietta Lacks: Patron Saint of Science and Religion

As a consultant to the Smithsonian’s “Discovery and Revelation” exhibit, Dr. Myrna Sheldon - wanted visitors to understand the direct impact science and religion have on individual lives.

19:25

When Judaism Meets Goodnight Moon: The American Religious Sounds Project

Professors Amy DeRogatis and Isaac Weiner were collecting recordings of traditional religious practices when COVID struck. They had to quickly pivot their work to life under lockdown.

14:55

Harofei: The One Who Heals

We talk to Solomon Hoffman, a rabbinical student and composer, and Keely Garfield, a Buddhist and director of a dance company. They collaborated on a piece of music, dance, and song called “ Harofei ,” Hebrew for “the one who heals.”

18:35

Science and Religion: Making Sense of Things

Dr. Peter Manseau, the curator of American religious history at the National Museum of American History, discusses the purpose of the Smithsonian’s new exhibit, “Discovery and Revelation: Science, Religion and Making Sense of Things.”

51:30

The Religious Sounds of COVID (encore)

We look at the sacred sounds people of faith are making during the COVID-19 pandemic and what those sounds—music, prayer, chants, songs—tell us about our future.

17:10

A Tiny Thing We Cannot See: The Songs of COVID-19

The pandemic has prompted composers to create new sacred music of all kinds — hymns, liturgical music, prayers, praise music, and more.

Sacred Space, Sacred Time: A Walk Through the D.C. Temple

We take an audio tour of the Washington D.C. Temple of The Church of Latter-day Saints,

Where Are the Children Who Look Like Me?: Black Mormons

Phylicia Jimenez, a Black woman and an LDS convert discusses the progress – or lack thereof – towards racial equity in the LDS Church.

51:30

"This is the Place": Inside a Mormon Temple

The Washington D.C. Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is normally reserved only for church members. But after a four-year renovation, the doors are open to the public.

10:50

Who are the Mormons and What is a Temple?

After four years of renovation, the Washington D.C. Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is open to the public. We look back to the founding of the church.

51:10

Memory's Chaplain: A Conversation With Lynn Casteel Harper (encore)

Rev. Lynn Casteel Harper discusses her book On Vanishing: Mortality, Dementia and What it Means to Disappear, a call for communities of faith to rethink the value of people coping with memory loss.

12:10

Raul

Raul Gonzalez lives in the Chicago area and converted to Islam twenty years ago. He has been trying to answer the question of how to reconcile his identity as a Latino — and Muslim — ever since.

20:30

Abdul Raoof

This week we are featuring a radio documentary from KALW’s The Spiritual Edge. Host and Reporter Hana Baba explores the motivations and challenges of converts as they carve out a uniquely American path for being Muslim in the United States.

51:30

Becoming Muslim from The Spiritual Edge

The Spiritual Edge podcast brings us stories that explore the motivations and challenges facing converts to Islam in the United States.

18:50

Sofie

Sofie Lovern is a Latina convert and comedienne who learned the difficulty of trying to merge two very different cultures in a marriage, even when their religions were the same.

49:20

Honor: A Conversation with Thrity Umrigar

Honor is a riveting novel that transports readers to an India where interfaith marriage between Muslims and Hindus animates deep religious polarization.

50:40

Unpacking Just War Thinking in the Case of Ukraine

This week we look at the morals, emotions, and ideas about order and justice that have shaped just war thinking and public rhetoric with Dr. Valerie Morkeviius.

Religion in Ukraine - 101

We get a Religion 101 for Ukraine with Associated Press reporter Peter Smith.

12:25

"The Sanctuary Was Full"

On Sunday, February 27th, 2022, Father Hitchens was overwhelmed to see the wider community's solidarity with the Ukrainian people.

27:50

Ukrainian National Identity Was Forged by Putin

As Russian President Vladamir Putin ordered Russian troops to the border with Ukraine, he sought to reframe the way the world sees Ukraine. Religion was at the heart of that effort.

"I feel called to stay and minister here in the bomb shelter."

Instead of leaving Ukraine for the United States when the conflict erupted, Pastor Benjamin Morrison explained this is home and his calling is to minister and support those in need.

51:30

With Visions of a Rebuilding a Holy Rus - Putins Russia Attacks Ukraine

In the face of invading Russian forces, a young democratic nation’s resistance has galvanized world attention and support. We take a closer look at the religious context behind the conflict

17:40

Diversity and Non-Belief: Sociologist Juhem Navarro-Rivera on OnlySky

Dr. Juhem Navarro-Rivera studies people like him – atheists, agnostics, “Nones” and other non-believers of color. He says non-believers of color have extra challenges in “coming out”.

11:30

What is a Secular Media Platform?: OnlySky Founder Shawn Hardin

Founder Shawn Hardin believes OnlySky will be a one-of-a-kind media platform because of its secular orientation.

22:20

A Post-Religious Space: OnlySky Editor Phil Zuckerman

Phil Zuckerman outlines the goals of OnlySky, one of which is to erase the stereotype of atheists and other non-believers as angry white men. How will OnlySky attract voices of color?

51:30

Above Us, OnlySky: A Media Platform for the Non-Religious

January saw the debut of OnlySky Media. The new media outlet offers news, commentary, criticism, podcasts, video, and more, all from a secular perspective.

Jeffersons Quran

Thomas Jefferson bought a Quran from an English publisher. But why? Did he read it as a sacred text? As a window into Muslim law?

51:35

The Faith of the Presidents

From George Washington to Donald Trump, we explore the often surprising religious history of the presidency and the Constitution's promise of religious freedom.

16:20

Presidential Religion in the Civil War and The Age of Imperialism

Both Union and Confederate leaders invoked God to advance their causes during the Civil War. But Abraham Lincoln refused to claim the divine on his side.

16:05

Untraditional Christians: The Beliefs of the Founding Fathers

Though the Founding Fathers were Christian, many of them held beliefs out of step with most American Christians of their time – and ours.

50:45

When Pick One is Not an Option: Building Interfaith Families

Susan Katz Miller explores the possibilities, benefits, and challenges of interfaith marriages — and we hear from listeners who describe their own interfaith families..

51:10

Rites Evolve: From the Olympics to Eco-Burials

The interplay between culture, politics, and personal practice at the Olympics and in a new movement that includes approaching death and dying differently.

25:35

What is a Good Death?

For Buddhist lay minister Caroline Yongue - the journey to change the way we think about death, dying, and the impermanence of suffering began decades ago.

25:35

Religion and the 2022 Winter Olympics

Religion Reporter Kelsey Dallas talks about the ways religion is showing up at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.

20:35

Uncivil Religion: A Digital Exploration

Dr. Michael Altman co-leads a collaborative platform Uncivil Religion that offers visitors an immersive experience navigating curated content with analysis from a bench of public scholars in the humanities.

Captain Maroni and the Symbolism of a Mormon Spiritual Warrior in todays GOP

Dr. Benjamin Parks explains why an obscure spiritual figure from Mormon sacred texts has become a political symbol and what it says about the challenges facing the leadership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

51:30

Finding the Teachable Moment from January 6th

We take a look at a new initiative of public scholars of history, religion, philosophy, and sociology to contribute to the civic discourse around January 6, 2021.

51:10

"Go Back to Where You Came From", with Wajahat Ali

Playwright, commentator, and author Wajahat Ali discusses his memoir, "Go Back to Where You Came From and Other Helpful Recommendations on How to Become an American."

50:35

How to Fight Racism: A Conversation with Dr. Jemar Tisby

We explore the inspiration behind Dr. Jemar Tisby's new book, How to "Fight Racism: A Young Reader's Edition".

51:10

Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet

We speak with Sister True Dedication, who has edited a collection of the great Zen Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hahn’s thoughts on the natural world.

25:50

Can Theology be a Transformative Force in Prisons - One Theology Professor Says Yes

Inside an Illinois maximum-security prison -- theology professor Michele Clifton-Soderstrom found a new calling.

52:00

Investing in the Incarcerated -- Stories of Hope, Forgiveness and Redemption

From a graduate degree program in a maximum-security prison in Illinois to humanizing incarcerated people on death row - people of faith are advocating for those behind bars.

26:10

Dead Man Walking: The Prequel

We talk to Sister Helen Prejean, whose memoir,

51:30

Evolving Faith: Remembering Anne Rice and a Season of Carolling

We remember Interview with a Vampire author, Anne Rice, and we dive into the sounds of the season with the podcast Hark!

29:55

Anne Rice: Called Out of Darkness

On December 11th, 2021, best-selling vampire novelist Anne Rice passed away. We listen back to interviews Rice gave to with Mark Oppenheimer and our founder Sr. Maureen Fiedler, SL.

21:35

More than a Song? Hark! Podcast Explores the History and Evolution of Carolling

If you have ever wondered about the backstory of holiday carols and Christmas hymns - you are not alone. We talk with Maggie Van Dorn about what she learned hosting the podcast Hark !

51:30

Year in Review: The Big Religion Stories

We’ve assembled a cadre of top religion journalists to dive into the top religion news stories of the 2021.

51:05

An Inspired Story Slam: One Family, Many Beliefs

We take a look back at our first-ever live show, we explore the beauty and chaos that comes with having a diverse family.

15:50

How the Attack on the U.S. Capitol Became the Top Religion News Story of the Year

Religion journalists across the country picked the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol as the top religion story of the year.

17:40

Finding the Faith Angle in the Big News

Religion reporters like to say “religion is always in the room,” meaning there is a religion, faith, or spirituality angle to all of the big news stories of the day.

18:00

When COVID Becomes a Religion Story

This week we are diving into the top religion news stories of the year as chosen by the members of the Religion News Association.

11:05

Addressing The Stigma of Food Insecurity

As people seek ways to do good, researcher and food security advocate Kate Martin offers ways to minimize harm and remove the stigma and shame people feel when receiving charity

18:05

Bringing in the Sheaves: Gleaning in Faith

Volunteers across the country are “gleaning” -- the ancient practice of picking crops for the poor after the harvest is completed.

22:20

Caring for our neighbors, old and new.

The leader of an Adventist community organization collecting donations, and partnering with other organizations to help new arrivals fleeing war and violence.

51:30

In a Season of Need: Finding Ways to Help

This week we hear from volunteers across the country helping neighbors in need.

51:30

Adventures in Faith & Food

No matter your race, class, gender, or faith, we all have to eat. We explore what food says about who we are and what we believe.

16:00

The spirituality of vegetarianism, veganism, and Jainism

Vegetarianism and veganism are not religions, but Ben Zeller of Lake Forest College says the decision to stop eating meat and other animal products can be an incredibly meaningful shift in one’s philosophy of eating.

16:00

The Sikh tradition of langar hits the road

Ravinder “Ravi” Singh, head of the Share a Meal program under the Khalsa Peace Corps , is taking langar on the road to reach the most vulnerable.

19:30

The legacy of Thanksgiving: gratitude, identity, and eating

Food is not traditionally included in the study of religion, but as our guest says, “everyone eats!”

21:25

How Did We Get Here?

Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David Garrow traces the evolution of today’s battles over when a fetus becomes a person with rights.

20:00

Do American Catholics Really Oppose Abortion?

Jamie Manson, the new leader of Catholics for Choice, outlines the ways Catholic attitudes towards abortion access have changed.

10:05

Where Are We Going?

Historian David Garrow and Liz Cavell, an attorney for the Freedom From Religion Foundation, parse the possible outcomes of the recent arguments abortion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organizations.

51:30

How Did We Get Here? On Abortion, the Fetus and Religion

We stand on the steps of the Supreme Court as Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health is heard - a major challenge to Roe v. Wade - and ask, “How did we get here?”

32:55

Weaponizing the Wafer: The Political Undercurrents in American

Dr. Massimo Faggioli is an expert on American Catholicism looks at the subtext of President Joseph Biden’s recent meeting with Pope Francis -- only the second time in history a sitting Catholic president has met with a sitting Pope.

27:30

On a Mission: The Nun who Survived Torture and Became a Global Advocate for Peace and Justice

In 1989 Sister Dianna Ortiz survived torture in Guatemala and became a voice for victims.

50:25

An Inclusive Diwali Story for Children and the Politics of Weaponizing the Wafer

A children’s book about Diwali and a discussion of what is at stake as the US Conference of Catholic Bishops considers denying communion to politicians who support abortion.

24:00

Church and State: The Evolving Power and Legacy of the Herodian Dynasty

Dr. Bruce Chilton chronicles the intrigue-filled dynastic exploits of Herod the Great and his family in The Herods: Murder, Politics, and the Art of Succession.

46:57

Web Extra: Full interview with Dr. Bruce Chilton

Host and Executive producer, Ambereen Khan's interview with Dr. Bruce Chilton contained a wealth of fascinating information. Far more than we could fit in this week's show. For all of the history geeks out there, here is their uncut interview.

51:30

The Survival Story of Sister Dianna Ortiz and Lessons from the Herodian Dynast

A remembrance of the life of Sister Dianna Ortiz a survivor of torture who became a voice for victims. And the intrigue-filled exploits of Herod the Great and his family.

13:40

The Healing Power of Dia de Los Muertos

Dr. Mathew Sandoval maps the evolution of an obscure syncretic holiday into a pop culture mainstay.

37:50

Horror and The Spiritual

Reporter Kimberly Winston explores the links and intersections between religion and horror with Dr. Jonathan Greenaway.

51:30

Scary or Sacred: Unmasking the rites and rituals of the season

From a study of spirituality in the horror genre to the celebration of Dia de Los Muertos, we explore how people find meaning in rituals we may not fully understand.

13:10

Witchcraft for the masses

We talk with Gabriela Herstik, a witch and writer living in Los Angeles, writes the “Ask a Witch” column for NYLON, a lifestyle website that caters to young women.

18:30

Celebrating Mabon, the autumnal equinox

We meet up with a Washington D.C. area pagan group, the Firefly House, which is trying to counter the stereotypes and stigmas swirling around paganism.

19:50

The multiplicity of modern paganism

Wiccans and druids — and other practitioners of paganism. It’s a diverse group with an array of spiritual practices and beliefs.

51:30

Modern Paganism, Ancient Spirituality

I t's not devil worship. It's not make-believe. Modern-day pagans are taking part in a diverse array of spiritual practices and reviving traditions of long ago. (Originally broadcast in September 2018.)

50:43

9-11: A Legacy of Peace

Family members of those killed in the attacks of 9-11 have organized to promote peace and prevent the memory of their loved ones from being manipulated to justify war and violence.

51:20

Uncovering the History of Compromise. (Originally broadcast in July of 2020.)

The national conversation on racism has shifted. Americans are participating in a reckoning with the legacy of slavery. This week’s episode features a conversation with Black Christian leader, activist, and historian Jemar Tisby.

51:30

Twenty Years After 9/11

This week we begin a three-part special reflecting on the 20 th anniversary of 9/11 and the origins of Interfaith Voices. Dalia Mogahed and Dr. Sylvia Chan-Malik share their insights.

17:05

“What changed...the engagement in activism, organizing and artistic expressions”

Distinguished American Studies scholar Dr. Sylvia Chan-Malik reflecting on the 9/11 anniversary, and how the last twenty years have led to greater introspection and reflection about identity, race, gender, and ethnicity among U.S. Muslim communities.

34:25

“I Just Got Angry and Had to Do Something"

We begin this week’s episode by revisiting the origin story of Interfaith Voices. The very first pilot episode took place exactly one week after the 9/11 attacks. Then we talk with Dalia Mogahed, a hijab-wearing, Egyptian American mom having to deal with a new reality of Islamophobia.

36:45

Life Under the Taliban: What Will It Look Like?

Counter-terrorism expert Abdul Basit has spent almost two decades studying the Taliban, al-Qaeda, and ISIS in Afghanistan and beyond.

14:25

“It’s Not Just the War of the Afghans”

Sher Jan Ahmadzai—an Afghan American—expresses the great fear, disappointment, and sorrow he feels as he watches from afar.

51:10

Eyes on Afghanistan: Taliban 2.0

The world watched in disbelief and concern as the last of the U.S. armed forces left Afghanistan. Two guests with ties to Afghanistan share their fears and hopes for the country.

24:20

Making a Place at the Table

Co-authors Laura Shovan, and Saadia Faruqi introduce readers to experiences drawn from their lives. Readers meet how a young Jewish and Muslim girl find friendship in an unlikely place, an afterschool cooking club.

27:20

Fauja Singh Keeps Going: A Conversation with Simran Jeet Singh

“Fauja Singh Keeps Going,” is an illustrated picture book about the real-life 109-year-old Sikh marathon runner who shattered world records.

51:40

Promoting Understanding Through Young People’s Literature

Reflections from children's book authors who write about fostering understanding and overcoming adversity. (Segments of this show were originally broadcast in November and December of 2020.)

50:49

Embedded: A Conversation with the co-hosts of Unfinished Short Creek

Beyond the headlines of abuse, underage marriages, and polygamy, the award-winning podcast UNFINISHED: SHORT CREEK , explores how this community is wrestling with its history.

24:40

I Stepped on an Escalator and I Had to Follow it...The Spiritual Journey of Devi Parvati

Devi Parvati breaks all kinds of stereotypes. Today the mystic who identifies as a practitioner of all traditions describes how her life changed when she attended a retreat at an Ashram in the Poconos in 1968.

8:45

It’s More than Fun Games...Traditions, Culture and Control

Summer camps are not just about fun and games according to Dr. Shana Sippy. They are, more broadly speaking, immersive and unique experiences that quickly create an ethos and culture.

51:30

The Evolution of the Hindu Heritage Summer Camp Tradition

Summer is not yet over for campers attending the Hindu Heritage Summer Camp in Rochester, New York.

51:30

The Power and Paradox of Delusions (encore)

Shankar Vedantam examines how self-deception helps us succeed at things like parenting. Then Robert Griffin explores beliefs about the 2020 presidential election. (Original broadcast July 2021)

13:50

Let My People Vote: Activists Send a Message to Texas Lawmakers

The leader of the oldest interfaith network in Texas is calling on advocates and activists to make their voices heard.

53:15

Explaining Texas: On Juneteenth, Voting, and Faith

Annette Gordon-Reed and Bee Moorhead provide context for the showdown over voting rights in Texas.

12:15

What Happened in Austin and Why Biden Makes a Bigger Case for Voting Protections.

An audio tour of the 48-hour marathon in the statehouse sets the stage for Texas Democrats retreat to Washington, DC in an effort to prevent the Republican majority from passing restrictive voting laws.

27:10

History is not just the fun things that happened.

In her book "On Juneteenth", Annette Gordon-Reed offers a hybrid history and memoir that gets personal and is timely as Texas lawmakers battle over voting rights.

17:30

The Gift of Sobriety: The Spiritual Side of Recovery

Rev. Steve Lane is both an Episcopal priest and a recovering addict, a two-sided identity that gives him special insight into addiction recovery.

52:00

Calling for Dignity: Ending the Stigma of Addiction

Three guests with first-hand experience of the destruction addiction causes to individuals, families, and communities discuss what can be done to erase the stigma of addiction.

23:45

Interfaith Activists Push for Citizenship for All

As co-chair of the Interfaith Immigration Coalition, Peniel Ibe is working with advocates and activists to create a path to citizenship for the estimated 11 million undocumented American residents.

27:45

Fearless Nuns Determined to Help Detained Immigrants

Getting arrested in the United States Capitol and lobbying their Senator to end the policy of detaining children is what two Chicago-based nuns would describe as an exciting day but not extraordinary.

51:30

Creating a Pathway for Migrants: Fearless Nuns and Interfaith Advocates Challenge Detention

This week we take a closer look at three women who are supporting immigrants through direct service and advocacy.

8:03

Religious groups wrestle with myriad, competing views on transgender identity

We asked some scholars from a variety of different faith traditions: Is it okay to be trans in the eyes of God? But as we'll learn, the answer is far from simple.

25:13

America's rapidly shifting views on gender, identity, and LGBT rights.

In the past decade, public opinion on LGBT issues, like same-sex marriage, has changed drastically. But the growing acceptance of the L, the G, and the B has not necessarily extended to the T.

20:00

Toni Newman-'I'm accountable only to God'

Toni Newman grew up in a strict, southern Christian household. But when Toni came out as a gay man in college, family and church relationships were strained. And then, Toni came to realize she was really a transgender woman, not gay. She says she lost her friends in the gay community and felt the whole world turn away.

53:24

Trans in the Eyes of God: Part 1

In our special series, we hear the personal stories of transgender people of faith and where they are finding spiritual homes among America's religious traditions.

20:04

Lift Every Voice: Behind the ‘Black National Anthem'

A 120-year-old anthem is enjoying a new life in Black Lives Matter demonstrations across the country. Producer Kimberly Winston looks at the history of the song.

31:25

Regret of an Israeli officer

A former Israeli soldier starts to question violence towards Palestinians and finds himself under fire by his own government.

51:29

Redemption and Hope

This week, a story from the Sacred Steps podcast. We hear from a former Israeli soldier who wrestles with identity and his faith. Then, reflections on "The Black National Anthem", Lift Every Voice.

21:05

The Attack: The Reverend Dr. Raphael Warnock Faith Under Fire

The 2020 elections are not over in Georgia. Emory University Assistant Professor of Political Science Audra Gillespie explains why the attacks by Kelly Loeffler's campaign are pernicious.

15:30

When Islam Is Not A Religion

Author and attorney Asma Uddin explains why the charge that Islam is not actually a religion threatens all Americans’ religious rights.

12:05

The Response: Clergy Condemn Political Ads

To Rev. Dr. David Key the level of manipulation and attacks on the prophetic tradition of the black church go too far. Now he's speaking out and he's not alone.

39:35

Prophecy and Cryptic Messages: Is QAnon A New Religious Movement?

From the fringes of the dark web to Christian influencers on Instagram - why are some followers of QAnon motivated to run for office while others are stockpiling weapons and ammunition preparing to fight the Deep State?

18:01

Samaritans on Trial: Religious Freedom in the Borderlands

Religious Freedom in the Borderlands

16:45

Roundup: What Have We Learned About Faith?

Our six guests reveal what life in the pandemic has taught them about community, prayer, religious identity, resilience, and more.

16:00

Roundup: The Problem of Suffering

In this exploration of theodicy–the problem of evil in a world created by a benevolent creator–our roundup guests tackle the age-old question anew as the global death count from COVID-19 approaches two million.

51:20

White Lies: A Conversation on White Christian Privilege

America’s founding documents proclaim religious equality, but Khyati Joshi, a professor of education at Fairleigh Dickinson University, argues in her new book that white Christian privilege is ubiquitous.

49:45

Memory's Chaplain: A Conversation With Lynn Casteel Harper

13:38

We Are the Music Makers

Stephane Wrembel explains how he moved from Catholicism to a more expansive spirituality through music, which he shares with us. And we check in with Interfaith Voices founding host Maureen Fiedler.

51:20

The Battle for (some) Souls at the Polls

In an election like no other, we look at the appeals to values voters across the political spectrum.

30:50

Finding Answers in Data: The Impact of Religiosity and Race on Party Identification

To understand the strategies used by activists we turn to the numbers. Dr. Ryan Burge from Eastern Illinois University is a professor of political science and a pastor who researches political trends.

51:10

Keeping Secrets: Faith in Public Service

16:50

Many Different Secularisms

As more Americans identify as not religious, secularism is still, in many quarters, a dirty word. Jacques Berlinerblau traces our changing attitudes towards secularism from its heyday in the mid-20th century to its curre

20:30

In a Pandemic the Struggle to Reach Voters

With limited organizing opportunities, advocacy groups and faith-based political organizations use social media advertising and digital rallies to reach faithful voters.

51:30

May You Live in Interesting Times: Faith in a Pandemic

As we turn the calendar page on 2020, we asked clergy, a university chaplain, a theologian, and a spiritual director–all from different faith backgrounds–to tackle some big questions.

51:20

Protest, Power and Love

We take a closer look at how a photo-op at a church draws both condemnation and celebration and how faithful love feasts are returning in the time of COVID.

19:50

Toni Newman: "I'm accountable only to God"

Toni Newman grew up in a strict, southern Christian household. When Toni came to realize she was really a transgender woman, she says "Not only did I lose my natural family, my church family, I lost my gay family."

51:20

Uncovering the History of Compromise

The national conversation on racism has shifted. Americans are participating in a reckoning with the legacy of slavery. This week’s episode features a conversation with Black Christian leader, activist, and historian Je

38:16

The Armor of God

Damien Echols talks about his daily practice of magick and how it involves the summoning of angels and archangels, which he calls “putting on the armor of God.”

15:05

All of US: New Campaign Targets Evangelical Christians with Values Message

Ali Noorani, talks about a new campaign targeting a constituency that has opposed immigration policies and reforms: evangelical Christians.

20:25

Offering Forgiveness: Seeking Justice in Charleston

In honor of this year's Juneteenth observance, we revisit a 2015 segment about the slaying of nine African American members of the Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, S.C.

51:20

Chaplains: Contemplative Care

This week's rebroadcast is part of our 'Chaplains' series. We follow a Zen Buddhist monk and see how mindfulness nourishes patients and doctors.

51:20

Faith, Politics, and Power in 2020: Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove’s Revolution of Values

12:54

Don’t Look Away: Tulsa’s Race Massacre

When President Trump announced the first indoor reelection rally would be on Juneteenth in Tulsa, there was a swift backlash.

50:55

The Enchanted Forest: Seeking Balance in Nature

We explore the growing practice of a Japanese inspired forest “bathing” and how this modern tradition has roots in ancient Shinto rituals.

14:25

Together Apart: Social Distance as a Spiritual Practice

A Baptist minister describes social distancing as both a moral obligation and a spiritual practice.

30:55

The Spiritual Evolution of the Boy Who Dreamt of Becoming the First American Pope

It would be hard to envision former CIA Director John Brennan meditating in a Buddhist temple, after all the Irish-Catholic who served six presidents is the first to acknowledge he has a hot-temper. But he did. - And he

51:30

Bridges Made of Music

How can music bring out our better selves? How can music forge connections between people in the same room -- and across worlds? Originally aired on July 18, 2019.

14:30

The Take on Ramadan: Fasting During a Pandemic

Dina Kesbeh and Malika Bilal – of The Take podcast – talk to Muslims about observing the month of fasting during a quarantine.

20:15

Charismatics in a Dystopian Gilead?

14:40

Beyond Charity: Pope Francis Boosts the Universal Basic Wage

How Pope Francis’s call for honoring forgotten laborers with a universal basic wage fits into Catholic social justice history.

20:55

36 Words for 320 Million People

We continue our discussion with Jacques Berlinerblau. On the eve of the 2020 election, Berlinerblau looks at what American secularism may be in for in a Biden-Harris administration or a second Trump Administration.

21:33

Exploring America’s Religious Diversity Through Music

We hear selections by Orfeia and Cantor Arianne Brown from the Sounds of Faith concert at the National Museum of American History–along with an interview with Dr. Peter Manseau.

18:19

A New PAC Emerges: The New Moral Majority

We meet the Rev Ryan Ellers, the founder of the New Moral Majority, and learn how he decided to start a faith-based political action committee and what they hope to achieve in the coming years.

18:45

Roundup: Prayers and Rituals for the New Year

From breathing techniques to vesper services, hiking to confession, our panelists share prayers, rituals, spiritual exercises, and practices that they hope will bring renewal in 2021.

51:23

Secularly Speaking: How 32 Words Govern 320 Million Americans"

Professor Jacques Berlinerblau explains the U.S. brand of secularism and why so many people seem to fear or hate it. And with tensions high after the election, we return to Interfaith Voices founding host Maureen Fiedler

29:47

From Hebrew to Gospel by way of Islam: When Music Becomes the Religious Experience

We hear music from Cantor Arianne Brown, Afro Blue, and the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra and the thoughts of Dr. Peter Manseau, Dr. Hussein Rashid, and Cantor Brown on religious music.

15:20

How the Media Shapes What We Think About Religious Groups

Political science professor Erik Bleich explains how media coverage of Muslims, Jews and others influences opinions about these groups.

51:30

Sounds of Faith: A Special Holiday Concert Exploring Traditions

This week we feature selections from the December 8, 2019 Sounds of Faith concert at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History

48:20

Lost in a Web of Lies: How QAnon Changed Everything

A growing number of Christians are dealing with QAnon and struggling to understand what it is and why so many were falling under its sway.

51:29

Georgia Senate Race: Faith on the Ballot

The future of the Senate will be decided by two run-off elections taking place in Georgia on January 5th. We look at how the faith of Rev. Warnock has come under attack and how clergy from around the country are fi

32:15

Inconvenient Denial: 75 years after Auschwitz, anti-Semitism and conspiracy theories emerge

"Inconvenient” details according to Emory University Professor and Holocaust Studies expert Deborah Lipstadt are evidence of a new form of denial.

30:25

Nury Turkel’s Campaign to End the Persecution of the Uihgurs and Religious Persecution in The Context of Pan-Chinese Identity

We explore Chinese General Secretary Xi Jinping’s political doctrine that serves both cultural and economic ambitions. Then, we meet an American Uighur activist making the case for Uighur human rights.

17:40

Surviving Trauma: A closer look at the myths that persist

From denial to remembering the horrors of death camps, torture, and trauma, we turn to a different question from a different perspective.

6:35

Remembering Rabbi Jonathan Sacks

An influential thought leader in the Jewish and interfaith worlds, Rabbi Jonathan Sacks was a public scholar, religious leader, and prolific communicator. In this segment, we revisit an excerpt from his conversation on

51:30

Stories of Hope and Survival: Gifts that Give Back

This pandemic holiday season, we look at ways consumer dollars can make a difference. From a children’s book about Sikh centenarian marathoner, Fauja Singh – to a virtual marketplace to foster connections with refugees.

21:45

A Sister’s Battle: Rushan Abbas Raises Her Voice Around the World

When Rushan Abaas spoke out about the disappearance of her husband’s family in September of 2018, she never expected that the Chinese police would detain her sister.

49:55

75 Years Later: Remembering the Holocaust, Confronting Anti-Semitism and Exploring Trauma Across Generations

This week new research from the Pew Center for Religion revealed the ignorance of Americans regarding the Holocaust. Listen as we remember and survive.

13:35

Being Both: Black and Jewish

We talk to two people who are proudly both Jewish and Black. They reflect on the shared history of the two groups, and how they are sometimes "othered" by the larger Jewish community

17:55

Myth Busting the First Thanksgiving

What did that first holiday look like from the Native American perspective?

19:55

From a Ministry to Marketplace: Ethical Shopping with the One Journey

One Journey, a nonprofit organization based in Virginia is promoting the creative endeavors of refugees by hosting a virtual holiday marketplace this year.

51:20

Angels on Death Row: Damien Echols and Practical Magick (Encore)

Damien Echols, one of the West Memphis Three, describes how 17 years on death row for a series of murders he did not commit led him to the practice of “magick.”

38:16

The Armor of God (Encore)

Damien Echols talks about his daily practice of magick and how it involves the summoning of angels and archangels, which he calls “putting on the armor of God.”

13:20

From Satanic Panic to QAnon (Encore)

Dr. Nathan Bjorge responds to Damien Echols’ version of magick and traces its history to the early 20th-century occultist Aleister Crowley.

70:25

The QAnon Effect: How a Conspiracy Network is Channeling Anti-Semitic Myths to Upend the Church and Politics

The cosmic war between good and evil, a hero in the White House, and the threat of election day violence -- why we cannot ignore the spread of the conspiracy network QAnon.

21:20

The Post-Election Story of Religious Voters

This week our 2020 post-election analysis begins with Robert P. Jones from the Public Religion Research Institute.

51:50

The Fruits of Our Labor: Hunger and Thanksgiving in America

This Thanksgiving week we look at faith-based responses to hunger, and we have a conversation about the myths surrounding the First Thanksgiving.

51:30

What We Learn

Post-election analysis with Robert P. Jones, a new YA book explores food, family, and interfaith friendship, and we honor the life of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks.

8:34

Lost Souls Need Water: A Calling to Help after Finding Human Remains

A Calling to Help after Finding Human Remains

15:15

The $1.40 Meal: The Politics of Hunger

One in six Americans will be hungry this Thanksgiving. What can people of faith contribute to a solution?

24:18

Lessons from Fighting Ebola: Engaging Faith Leaders Creates Safer Communities

David Robinson offers lessons and some cautionary tales for those on frontlines working to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

15:25

Discovering Meaning in Art: A Religion Scholar Makes a Startling Discovery

Easter images and messages center on the resurrection story of Jesus. John Dominic Crossan asks, is it the right one?

16:05

A Viral Poem: Meet the Unitarian Universalist Minister Lynn Ungar Who Wrote Pandemic

The Rev. Dr. Lynn Ungar was Inspired to answer the need for poetry in these uncertain times. In three days, her poem "Pandemic" had gone viral.

17:34

A New Normal: Faith Leaders Adapt Styles to Craft Meaningful Bridges to Connect - Part 2

Part Two of our exploration of sermons, meditations, and wisdom, from diverse traditions around the country that can be found online.

19:52

A New Normal: Faith Leaders Adapt Styles to Craft Meaningful Bridges to Connect - Part 1

In this segment, we bring listeners a selection of clips from sermons that streamed online from houses of worship and diverse traditions around the country.

19:50

An Evangelist for Religious Literacy

Ben Marcus says he promotes religious literacy as a counter to bigotry and the violence that it can fuel.

12:00

Telling Guru Nanak’s Story: Filmmakers Trek the Globe

When Gerry and Adam Krell agreed to make a documentary about the Sikh faith, both were quick to acknowledge how little they knew. It was that lack of knowledge they credit with helping them tell the story.

51:30

Life and Legacy: New Documentary on Guru Nanak Airs on Public Television

Most Americans know little about Sikhism and virtually nothing about its founder – Guru Nanak Dev Ji. A new documentary film seeks to change that.

17:51

A Big Tent and No Walls: What “Caring for the Least of These” Means to Rev. Sloan McDow

Los Angeles’ First United Methodist is a church without walls. Rev. Mandy Sloan McDow describes how they protect the most vulnerable in their community.

19:00

The Legacy of the Holocaust: Carrying Trauma Across Generations

The children of Holocaust survivors describe how their parents’ trauma became their own.

10:25

Not an Afterthought: How One County Works with Interfaith Leaders

Montgomery County, Maryland has made representatives from two dozen local faith groups an integral part of its crisis response program.

23:50

The Journey into the Healing Arts: From Mindful Meditation to Healing Foods

In this third week of social distancing more people are turning to yoga, and, meditation. We talk with meditation and yoga teacher Ashely Litecky Elenbaas.

50:46

Streaming Hope: Spiritual Leaders Offer Wisdom and Connection

From poetry to spiritual practices, people of faith and goodwill are turning to new ways of connecting with their spiritual communities.

12:30

Searching for Answers: The Mystics of Mile End Author Makes an Unlikely Discovery

When Sigal Samuel sees her grandmother meticulously peeling the egg on the Seder plate, she begins a journey that reveals her family’s Kabalhistic heritage.

52:34

Faith Leaders Respond to Coronavirus Outbreak

This week we learn how faith leaders and government officials learned to work together during an Ebola outbreak. Then we see what houses of worship are doing to protect their congregations.

51:45

Spring Forward: A Time for Renewal and Discovery

On this week’s show, we explore self-discovery and renewal through yoga, one author’s rediscovery of her family’s Kabbalistic heritage, and a new interpretation of the Resurrection.

22:12

Religion and Conflict in India: Divine Enemies or Political Reality

Are the underlying assumptions that religious tension is to blame for recent violence in India the whole story? Not according to scholar Ayesha Jalal. She traces the roots of division to British colonial rule.

52:10

Resisting Fear: Uihgur Americans Raise Voices for the Missing

We talk to Uihgur Americans working to free three million Uihgur and other ethnic minorities being held in secret prisons by the government of the Peoples Republic of China.

Crossing Fault Lines: A Religion Journalist’s Mission to Spark Engagement

We meet a reporter who launched a start-up using an online platform to challenge the assumption that folks are not interested in religion.

16:20

UPDATE: CORRECTED LINK Crossing Fault Lines: A Religion Journalist’s Mission to Spark Engagement

51:15

Football, Faith, and America's Civil Religion

In a polarized nation, we take a closer look at the intersection of football, pastoral care and the ways we come together.

21:40

The Color of Compromise

Many American Christians are remembered as anti-racist activists and abolitionists. But American Christianity as an institution has done much to buttress racism… even before the country was founded.

20:15

Faith Inside the Locker Room: Meet 49ers Team Pastor Earl Smith

As the San Francisco 49ers prepare to meet the Kansas City Chiefs in Miami for the Super Bowl LIV we talk to Team Pastor Earl Smith.

51:05

Commemorating MLK and Remembering a Forgotten History

As we commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, we learn about the role American religion has played in both reinforcing and combating racism.

14:40

The Longer View: Exploring the Ancient Cultural Roots of America’s Civil Religion

When a religious studies professor discovered a way to bring his academic scholarship to his passion for sports -- he found a niche.

50:55

Religion Rebounders

In this week's rebroadcast of a show we did last November...Some people don't want much or anything to do with the religion of their childhood... and then go all in.

20:50

Spiritual Journeys: Two-Spirit Native American Rev. Norma Gann

Rev. Norma Gann shares the story of how she found clarity and comfort in her Two-Spirit identity and traditional belief system of her Cherokee ancestors.

50:40

Religious Illiteracy: The Consequences of Ignorance

Americans don't know much about religion. That can lead to fear, scapegoating and political manipulation...which can lead to violence.

51:50

Faithful Distance and Spiritual Connection

Religious leaders and practitioners discuss how the coronavirus pandemic affects them on the front lines and behind the scenes.

17:30

A War Correspondent Reclaims God

As a teenager, Bryan Mealer disavowed the Christianity of his childhood and confirmed his disbelief as a war correspondent. Now he is a Christian seminarian.

33:25

Here All Along

Sarah Hurwitz, a White House speechwriter during all eight years of the Obama administration, explains her rediscovery of Judaism.

52:25

Count Your Neighbors: Leaders Connect Faith to the Census

We look at the U.S. Census Bureau’s attempts to build relationships with faith communities to overcome mistrust and suspicion.

12:15

From Mandate to Mission: Inspiring Minorities to Answer the Census

Shagufta Ahmed, who spearheads interfaith outreach for the U.S. Census, Bureau inherited her passion for the census from her immigrant father.

15:50

Remembering the women of the Civil Rights Movement

Take a moment to think of the most famous women of the civil rights movement. Coming up short? Our guest says the African-American experience has been “flattened” by history.

21:45

The Power Seekers: How Christian Nationalists Look at the White House

Andrew Whitehead, a religion sociologist from Clemson University, talks about Christian nationalism. Why is it so embedded in some people’s idea of the United States?

50:50

Finding Solace and Relief

Rev. Norma Gann. shares how she found clarity and comfort as a Two-Spirit person in the traditional belief of her Cherokee ancestors. Then we explore the effect of the recent Supreme Court decision on LGBTQ rights.

32:50

The Growing Edge

Folksinger Carrie Newcomer and best-selling author Parker Palmer explain their project to help people become their better selves.

17:20

The House of Mourning

Kate Braestrup is an unusual chaplain. She ministers to game wardens- people who come to the aid of hunters, fishers, and hikers who've had mishaps in the wilderness.

15:15

Tear Gas, Rubber Bullets and ‘A Bible’: Outside St. John’s Episcopal Church

Host Amber Khan takes to the streets to talk to clergy about the protest s following the homicide of George Floyd and the message Trump’s actions in its wake.

22:50

American Prophets: New Book Documents Rise of Progressive Faith Influence

National religion reporter Jack Jenkins seeks to confirm what many have wondered: is there a religious left?

18:40

Qawwali: An Islamic Musical Tradition Reaches New Audiences

The leader of a Texas-based qawwali group calls its music, which is rooted i n Sufi poetry, "South Asian gospel."

51:20

Audacious Devotion: Peace and Justice Activist Sandhya Jha

Reverend Sandhya Rani Jha a peace activist reflects on how her work with people of different races, ethnicities, and backgrounds informed her devotionals and how listening more closely across boundaries can bring about p

21:25

Numbers Rule: Why the Census Matters

Communities of faith connect their belief in a loving God with a religious duty to stand up and be counted.

51:45

Shining a Light on Those Forgotten and Lost

In honor of Yom Hashoah, the Day of Remembrance for Holocaust victims, we talk to people who place remembering those we often overlook at the center of their work.

13:20

From Satanic Panic to QAnon

Dr. Nathan Bjorge responds to Damien Echols’ version of magick and traces its history to the early 20th-century occultist Aleister Crowley.

51:20

The Evolution of Dorothy Day

We talk with documentary filmmaker Martin Doblmeier about his latest film, Revolution of the Heart about Dorothy Day – social activist and founder of the Catholic Workers Movement.

51:20

Beyond the Headlines with Aysha Khan

Aysha Khan national reporter for the Religion News Service shares her insights on American Muslim science women fiction writers, election challenges, and the silver linings of worshipping remotely.

18:05

A Journey to Remember: Finding the Hidden Branches on the Family Tree

A Catholic woman from Mississippi travels to Hungary to find the story of family killed in the Holocaust.

13:25

The Eleventh Plague: Passover in a Time of Coronavirus

Four Jewish thinkers describe the lessons they draw from this year’s Passover in a time of real plague.

15:40

On Trial: The Government’s Prosecution Galvanized a Faith Community

The Government’s Prosecution Galvanized a Faith Community

24:00

Spiritual First Responders: Reflections from a Hospital Chaplain

Two religion professionals on New York’s coronavirus front lines discuss self-care strategies for spiritual responders.

12:40

A Closer Look at Religious Exemptions

Katherine Franke wrote an amicus briedf in souppoft of Scott Warren. She offers context on religious freedom as it applies to aiding mirgants at the US border.

12:15

From Mandate to Mission: Inspiring Minorities to Take the Census

Shagufta Ahmed, who spearheads interfaith outreach for the U.S. Census, Bureau inherited her passion for the census from her immigrant father.

51:20

Angels on Death Row: Damien Echols and Practical Magick

Damien Echols, one of the West Memphis Three, describes how 17 years on death row for a series of murders he did not commit led him to the practice of “magick.”

20:30

The Zen Thing

Koshin Paley Ellison is one of a small but growing number of chaplains in the United States who are Buddhists. In fact, Koshin is a Zen Buddhist monk. He works in hospice.

18:45

Partners in Trust: The Campaign to Count America

Demographer William Frey talks about the importance of an accurate census count and how attempts to insert a citizenship question threatens that accuracy.

30:00

Landmark Ruling Signals Potential Battle Over Rights Coverage

We hear the reactions to the Supreme Court's recent ruling and it's effects on LGBTQ rights. Then we explore changing attitudes among religious Americans.

13:30

Mindfulness in Medicine

We speak to a palliative care physician and a Buddhist chaplain about contemplative care-- a mindful approach to the patient-caregiver relationship.

52:25

Faith-filled Politics and Fasting

We explore the religious left, and fostering understanding about immigrants. Then we reflect on celebrating Ramadan under quarantine.

51:21

Naming The Other Pandemic: Systemic Racism

We look at how people of faith are confronting racism. We begin in Minnesota's Twin Cities, where the senseless death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police reignited the fight for justice.

52:14

Called to Remember: Greenwood, Charleston and Beyond

Tulsa’s historic Greenwood neighborhood prepares to celebrate Juneteenth in the shadow of a Trump rally, forgiveness in the Black Christian experience, and an old song finding new life in the time of Black Lives Matter.

14:20

Breakfast with Jesus: Rediscovering the ‘Love Feast” during COVID-19

A centuries-old Christian tradition with roots in the early church is enjoying a revival among United Methodists with churches shuttered during the pandemic.

17:18

Zero to 550: A Community Leader Sees an Opportunity

Most Americans know little about Sikhism, and virtually nothing about its founder – Guru Nanak Dev Ji. A new documentary film seeks to change that.

31:55

Everyone Can Pray: Father James Martin on Talking to God

In his new book, “Learning to Pray,” Jesuit priest and bestselling author Father James Martin charts an approach to prayer that is not just for Catholics, or even for Christians, but is for everyone. He describes the solace prayer can bring in tough times, like our current pandemic, and acknowledges that prayer, like anything, takes commitment, practice, and perseverance.

51:30

From the Background to the Forefront: Women and the Black Church

One of the major themes to emerge from the new PBS documentary The Black Church: This is Our Story, This is Our Song is the often-overlooked roles Black women play in strengthening that institution.

51:30

Make Your Voice Heard on High: Prayer and Fasting in a Time of Loss

[Episode 2109] We explore the benefits of prayer, fasting, sacrifice, and reflection with best-selling author and Father James Martin, and Jack Gordon, host of the radio show “Interfaith-ish.” Both men made spiritual migrations in their lives -- Father Martin from a corporate desk to the Jesuit brothers and Gordon from Judaism to the Baha’i faith. And both share their insights into the current religious observances of Lent among Christians and the fast during the month of Ala among Bahá'ís.

20:20

Ravished by Sweetness

Depending on your point of view, cicadas are miraculous or migraine-inducing; a wonder or a whopping pain.

17:45

Leaving Your Comfort Zone Might Offer Answers in a World Divided

Producer Tracy Simmons shares how she discovered Pastor Dan and why she believes more stories that humanize people we don’t understand is an important step in bridging divides.

23:25

A Scientist Becomes an Advocate for Vaccines

As a member of the Kingdom Fellowship AME Church, Dr. Dawn Holt found support from her congregational leaders including senior pastor Reverend Matthew L. Watley.

13:30

Pledging to Work Across the Faith Divides

Melissa Rogers seeks to encourage local and state governments to mindfully navigate church-state boundaries as they form relationships with faith leaders.

50:25

Counting the Days: Ramadan

We visit two Hifz Islamic schools where a new generation is committing the entire Quran to memory. Then we take a look at how the Biden Administration is fairing after 100 days in office.

8:11

Bilingual Volunteers Support Neighbors Hardest Hit by Covid-19

We talk with volunteers registering residents in Montgomery County, Maryland waiting for a food distribution event to begin at the Hughes United Methodist Church.

17:10

A Pastor Urges Neighbors to Put Faith in Vaccine Science and Trust God

Diane Wingeler-Royo was a nurse and public health promoter in Nicaragua. She uses that experience as fueling her efforts to help her neighbors overcome vaccine hesitancy.

51:35

The Religious Sounds of COVID

We look at the sacred sounds people of faith are making during the COVID-19 pandemic and what those sounds—music, prayer, chants, songs—tell us about our future.

26:10

New Poll Sheds Light on the Nuances of Vaccine Hesitancy and Refusal

A new report from the Public Religion Research Institute sheds light on the role of faith-based efforts in combating vaccine hesitancy.

51:38

The Dispossessed and Displaced in the Occupied Palestinian Territories

A growing chorus of voices and coalitions of people of faith are calling on the Biden Administration to take a different approach to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians — to forge a just peace.

28:15

100 Days Round-up: Faith-based Advocates Respond to the Biden Policy Actions

Deseret News national religion reporter, Kellsey Dallas walks us through the first 100 days of the Biden Administration, and how faith-based advocates and organizations have responded.

30:12

An Invitation to Wander in the Woods: Forest Bathing and it's Shinto Origins.

Washington-DC-based author and certified Forest Bathing therapist Melanie Choukas-Bradley takes host Amber Khan on a guided tour at the Woodend Sanctuary at the Audubon Naturalist Society headquarters.

50:30

A Different View of American Buddhism

The spiritual journey of activist and author Chenxing Han led to one persistent question: "Where are all the Asian-American Buddhists in American Buddhism?"

42:24

The Path Forward: Prioritizing Human Rights and Learning from the History

According to the Rev Dr. Mae Elise Cannon the bureaucratic efforts that allow the Israeli government to seize Palestinian homes and forcefully remove residents have been ongoing and represent a violation of human rights.

51:30

Religion and Vaccine Hesitancy

While the Biden Administration celebrates 200 million vaccines, we look at the religious groups who are resisting, and why public health appeals may be missing the mark.

9:09

The Scale of Destruction the Unseen Trauma

When Ahmet left the United States in early May to spend the last week of Ramadan with his family in Gaza, he had no idea what was to come. The long-awaited reunion turned into a struggle to survive.

22:10

Guardians of the Word: Islamic Schools Prepare A New Generation of Hafiz ul Quran

We meet students and teachers at two Islamic schools where students attend full-time Hifz programs to learn how to recite from memory the 114 Chapters of the Qur’an.

51:35

Impeachment and an Oath: Finding Our Way Forward

U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver says accountability is critical to unifying the nation–and multi-faith activist Valerie Kaur is organizing the People’s Inauguration.

51:55

A Domestic Terror Attack and the Faith Divides

We begin by discussing this week's domestic terror attack on the United States Capitol with religion reporter Jack Jenkins. Then we look at an emerging trend in the West, conservative Christians moving to Idaho.

17:20

Contrasting Responses from Faith Leaders

We discuss this week's domestic terror attack on the United States Capitol with religion reporter Jack Jenkins.

13:55

On the Brink of Democratic Suicide

Missouri Congressman Emanuel Cleaver sharing his concerns about the rise of religious extremism, the dangers of what he calls “Trumplicans,” and the critical issues facing our imperfect union.

25:25

Reflections on an Insurrection: Calling for Thoughtfulness

Father Frederick Edlefsen reads an excerpt of his public call for a new way of engaging in our civic life and talks about the need for political charity and the role of faith and civic leaders moving forward.

16:50

A Wave of Conservative Christians Heads to Idaho

Tracy Simmons brings us a conversation that puts a face to a growing trend taking place in the West. Conservative Christians seeking to avoid pandemic public health restrictions and life in blue states by moving to Idaho

37:40

Embracing a Revolutionary Love for Neighbors Across Divides

Sikh activist Valerie Kaur calls for an online People’s Inauguration on January 21st.

51:35

Never Forget: Confronting Anti-Semitism and Surviving the Holocaust

January 27th is International Holocaust Remembrance Day. This week we explore the roots of denial and the legacy of trauma.

26:30

Biden’s Rosary is Not a Prop

Villanova University Professor of Religious Studies Massimo Faggioli traces the evolution of American political Catholic life, the brewing confrontations between the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops and the V

17:00

From their House to the House of Representatives: Working to Fix a Broken System

Representative Madeleine Dean and her son Harry Cunnane discuss Dean’s newly proposed END Stigma Act,

34:30

Lord, I am Not Worthy-When Addiction Comes Home

Madeleine Dean and Harry Cunnane discuss their new double-memoir, "Under Our Roof: A Son's Battle for Recovery; a Mother's Battle for Her Son," and discuss why they wanted to share this painful chapter with the public. (This segment was originally broadcast in February 2021)

32:54

From a Child Bride to Psychotherapist: Confronting Shame and Stigma

Nahid Fattahi was born in war-torn Afghanistan. Those early formative experiences inform her work and advocacy today encouraging Muslim leaders to learn how to support members struggling with mental health.

17:35

The critical role of faith communities and belief in wellness and trauma recovery

The leader of a philanthropy dedicated to advancing mental and spiritual health is calling on the Biden Administration to address the growing mental health crisis in America.

50:05

Combating Addiction and Fighting for Recovery Programs: Congresswoman Dean is on a Mission

U.S. House Representative Madeleine Dean and her son Harry Cunnane discuss their new double-memoir, “Under Our Roof” about addiction, faith, and recovery.

50:29

Working Together: Advocates Call for Access and Equity in Mental Health Care

How are faith communities engaging in the national discussion on our growing mental health crisis? We speak with Wellbeing Trust CEO Tyler Norris, and mental health advocate Nahid Fattahi.

51:55

A Different Kind of Catholic President

A closer look at the faith of President Biden, the seismic shift in American Catholicism’s relationship to the Vatican, and the likely divide to come.

29:50

This is Our Story, This is Our Song: The Making of “The Black Church”

Stacy Holman and Shayla Harris describe how they got involved with "The Balck Church" and what they hope its four hours impart about the most powerful institution in Black culture.

19:35

The Fasting Rituals and Prayer Life of Baha'i Jack Gordon

Interfaith activist Jack Gordon was raised Jewish but migrated to the Bahá'í faith in his early adulthood. Currently in the middle of a 19-day period of fasting, prayer, and study, he talks about how the Bahá’i tenet of the oneness of all human beings and the value of all faiths speaks to the pandemic and this time of loss. This year Gordon is hosting a series of 19 virtual Instagram Live conversations after breaking the fast at sunset. He has invited interfaith collaborators to reflect on the meaning of a passage from the Hidden Words, a book of verses written in 1858 by the faith’s founder, Bahá’u’llah. Host Ambereen Khan joined Gordon on Sunday, March 7th on the @interfaith-ish live feed.

21:40

In Her Grandmother’s House: Black Women in the Black Church

Dr. Yolanda Pierce, dean of Howard University’s divinity school, describes how women keep the institution of the Black Church strong and growing, despite being often unwelcome in the pulpit.

11:15

Where Are All the Asian American Buddhists

Chenxing Han skillfully curates conversations about how privilege, culture, and identity intersect in the American Buddhist landscape.

19:30

Decoding Purity Culture with Dr. Julie Ingersoll

Professor Dr. Julie Ingersoll describes the tenents and ideology behind the modern purity movement that grew to prominence in the 1990s.

51:30

Finding Hope in Northeastern Iraq and Syria

Journalist Gayle Tzemach Lemmon is on a mission to tell the story of the Kurdish women who fought to protect their communities from ISIS. And then, the Pope’s historic trip to Iraq–a conversation with reporter Colm Flynn.

18:00

'Iraq is Your Second Home,' Euphoria after a Historic Papal Trip to Iraq

Reporter Colm Flynn shares reflections after accompanying Pope Francis on a three-day trip to Iraq.

51:30

Reckoning with Anti-Asian Racism and Sexism

Asian American Christian Collaborative leaders call for solidarity in response to the wave of anti-Asian hate crimes–and author Chenzing Han's novel challenges assumption about American Buddhism.

33:30

Once I heard the Story, I had to Share It

As the Syrian war enters its 10th year, a new book from best-selling author Gayle Tzemach Lemmon brings the incredible story of the Kurdish women fighting ISIS.

20:45

Reject the ideology of nationalism and Repent the sins of racism

In the wake of the massacre in Atlanta, a volunteer network for Asian-American Christians calls for Christian leaders to repent and work to combat racism.

51:25

Faithful Ambassadors for Public Health

Education and community outreach have decreased the prevalence of vaccine hesitancy among African Americans, but among white evangelicals, conspiracy theories have taken hold.

12:23

The Next Mormons

Jana Riess shares her findings on one of the most comprehensive studies of young Mormons to date.

16:00

Conspiracy Theories Drive Vaccine Resistance Among White Evangelical

As a growing number of white Evangelicals express vaccine hesitancy, a new question emerges, how to reach this religious group.

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Conspiracy Theories Drive Vaccine Resistance Among White Evangelical

As a growing number of white Evangelicals express vaccine hesitancy, a new question emerges, how to reach this religious group.

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