Culture At A Crossroads

A philanthropist and former financier at Wood Gundy, Jeremy Wentworth Stanley joins the show to talk about his newest endeavor called Respectonomics. After more than 50 years in the corporate world, Jeremy explains how businesses can better care for their employees when they consider the whole person that includes body, soul, and spirit. 

In 2008 she was captured by the Taliban for 28 days. Now she is on a mission to ensure that abductions like this don't go unnoticed. Don't miss my conversation award-winning journalist Melissa Fung as we talk about her new book on the stolen girls of Boko Haram from Nigeria. We also delve into the role of prayer while in desperation. 

Former principal at Massey College, and author of Funeral for a Queen: 12 Days in London, John Fraser, joins the show to asses the reign so far of King Charles. Fraser attended his coronation and his written on the royal file for decades.

Former MPP and director of Public Policy at Martin Luther University College in Waterloo John Milloy shares from his new book and makes a case for how people of faith can be part of a culture of openness. 

Award-winning author Charles Foran joins the show to chat about his new book Just Once No More.  The memoir explored his gruff-but-fond father wrestling with the end of his life. This launched Charles on a journey to better see the depth of the relationship he had with his dad and the impact that has had on who he is as a person. 

Owner and operator of Living Water Resorts (Collingwood ON) Larry Law joins the show to share about how he went from a humble upbringing in China to success as an architect, builder and  hotelier. Larry also talks about what it took for him to consider the meaning of life, and how that new meaning colours his business mindset in a radical way. 

Former Toronto Argonauts offensive lineman Jude St. John shares about his unlikely journey of transitioning from the football field to the pulpit. Today Jude is the lead pastor at West London Alliance Church. 

The University of Toronto's Kent Roach has pumped out a new book that makes the case for righting wrongs in Canada's judicial system. From false guilty pleas, to imagined crimes, he digs up where we've gone wrong in the past, and how we can amend the human error that has led to some Canadians wrongly in prison. 

Long-time chaplain of the Jays, David Fisher, reflects on some of the great days he had running services and meeting with players one-on-one. From writing the players notes of encouragement to celebrating a second straight pennant with the team in '93, Fisher has been an under the radar hero to this franchise. 

VP of Cardus think tank Ray Pennings brings us up to speed on the latest data on Canadians and spirituality. Plus, he explains what a think tank is and the importance of them.  And, he unpacks findings on the researched impact that religious institutions do for the Canadian good right down to the dollar.

Rev. Dr. Stuart Macdonald of Knox College in Toronto shares about his findings from the book Leaving Christianity. Macdonald offers analysis on how church attendance waned among the different denominations following WWII. 

Professor from the University of British Columbia and activist Paul Kershaw joins the show to talk about generational inequality. We delve into how Kershaw's Generation Squeeze has made big strides in challenging government and policy makers to consider the implications it has on each generation. 

Kelly Thompson, author of Girls Need Not Apply, joins the show to chat about her memoir. She speaks to her experience in Canada's military as a woman, the positives and the negatives.

Award-winning journalist Molly Thomas joins the show to talk about her life journey from preacher's daughter to working for Canadian national networks. Plus, how God has opened doors and her heart to cover stories all over the world. 

One Soccer broadcaster and Vice President of the Canadian Premier League Kristian Jack joins the show to talk about the growth of the game of soccer in Canada, and how his career has intersected. Kristian shares what it has been like to tell this story and his own of moving from the UK and being brought closer to God. Plus, how you have to cover sports in a post-highlights show era. 

Journalist and author Julian Sher joins the show to discuss his latest book, The North Star. Julian walks us through the eerie history for Canadians that supported the South during the Civil War. Don't miss how Toronto and Montreal became vital meeting places and refuges for the Confederates, and how some Canadian church leaders were among those who were on the wrong side of history. And, the way faith led Abraham Lincoln to become increasingly opposed to slavery. 

We begin a new season on the podcast with a special trip down memory lane. Former Rector in the Anglican Network in Canada Brian McVitty joins the show to share about how our country has been shaped by the Christian faith. We take a deep dive through the Peace Tower, and the Coat of Arms. Brian shares faith-inspiring stories that you may have never heard of before on where Psalm 72:8 and Hebrews 11:16 came from for Canada. 

In this special interview and season-ending episode I chat with award-winning author Yann Martel. Our conversation ranges from the the makings of his magnum opus Life of Pi to the tool religion can play in uncovering what it means to be human.  

Gordon Houlden from the China Institute (University of Alberta) joins the show to trace the history of China's interest in Canada. As investigation of possible election interference continues, Gordon shares from decades of experience being stationed in China, and speaks to the growing number of Christians in the country. 

Orion Edwards joins the show to talk about his last couple of years on the Bobsled track. Last time he joined us he shared about transitioning from football to the sport made famous by "Cool Runnings." This time around, we'll learn about the position of pilot, what training looks like for this sport, and how Orion is running the race marked out for him both on the track and in his faith. 

Senior Climatologist for Environment and Climate Change Canada David Phillips returns to the show to share his analysis of major weather events over the past year, including a recent warm spell in April. Plus, he responds to the eco-anxiety among young people, and explains how he finds hope for the future of the earth. 

The majority of young Evangelical Christians in Canada (18-40) are worried about climate change and nature loss and believe the time to act is now.  Groundbreaking findings from a full-on 2023 survey compiled by Tearfund and A Rocha indicate this. Tearfund Director of Marketing and Communication Matthew Schroeder helps flesh out the results.

Derek Ross of the Christian Legal Fellowship is back on the show to chat about the government's recent delays to expand medical assisted dying to be included for those who are mentally unwell. Derek raises where the backlash is coming for this, and challenges us to consider the ramifications it could have on a person's dignity. 

In this special 'Power of the Cross' episode, Josh Tymciw shares about how God tracked him down in the midst of living for himself. He shares about his harsh rejection of youth group, his personal struggles as a teenager, and what he thought was sweet freedom as a university student. Plus, how God has him using his faith to intersect with his career in sports. 

Bible scholar and Crandall University professor John Stackhouse Jr. returns to the program to talk about Easter. We discuss how to generate fresh wonder for this sacred time of year, why the blood of Christ is so significant, and why this is so starkly different than the bunnies and chocolate. 

Globe and Mail reporter and author Josh O'Kane joins the show to talk about the story behind the development that was being considered on Queen's Quay in Toronto that was being considered to be turned into almost like a robotic city. Josh will get into why the incompatibility of democracy and efficiency contributed the outcome in Toronto. He'll also shed light on what he's learned as social fabrics for holding communities together. 

Leading epidemiologist from the University of Toronto Dr. David Fisman is back on the show. This time we dive into where the pandemic has taken us today. He shares what's driving the pivot for him as a disease specialist to pool resources with engineers and delve into the role of shared air. With this we also consider the social inequity that the pandemic exposed and what that means now. 

As high interest rates and inflation continue to strain Canadians, Peter Duraisami of Scott Mission helps us understand what this has meant for those on the streets, plus how it has many using food shelters who have never walked through these doors before. 

Journalist, author and former celloist Adriana Barton joins the show to discuss the riveting findings she has discovered in researching for her new book, Wired For Music. She helps us see the unique connection that our brains have with musical rhythms that may run deeper than speech itself. Plus, don't miss our deep dive into music's ability to unify as a tool and how it intersects with spirituality.  

Pastor, writer, and Into The Word Bible teacher Paul Carter joins the show to talk about how his show has shot into the top 1 percentile of podcasts. He shares about the unique vision for his show that goes verse by verse through the Bible, where his conviction for understanding scripture comes from, and how he's been equipped to lead as a pastor. 

McMaster Divinity College professor and author Jim Payton Jr. helps us to better understand the religious and historical context for Russia's war on Ukraine. He takes us on a journey back in time to when the nations split out of Kievan Rus, what makes the orthodox religion so special to the country of Russia, and what has shaped the distinct Ukrainian identity. 

Award-winning author Terry Fallis joins the program to discuss what it's like to write fiction, to do so with humour, and to use all of it as a backdrop to get people thinking about real issues. 

Distinguished journalist and author John Fraser shares about his experience writing a book around the Queen's funeral and King Charles' ascension. He sheds light on the historic ties between the Crown and Indigenous. John makes a case for why he is so pro-monarchy. 

Evangelical Fellowship of Canada President Bruce Clemenger joins the show to chat about his new book that explores Canada's emerging civil religion and traces us through history how the Church has engaged up until present day. 

Regent College professor and scholar Bruce Hindmarsh has studied John Newton and 'Amazing Grace' in depth. He brings to life how this hymn has touched so many over the past 250 years. He explains the context of Newton's rich ministry when he penned this. Plus how this song broadened beyond the church, and why we can learn so much from the gratitude of God's grace at all stages of life. 

Philosopher, professor, and author James K.A. Smith joins the show to challenge us to more fully grasp what it means to be conscious of the moment of time we're in. He also explains the gift philosophy can be to the Church, the world, and us individually. 

In this 100th episode David is joined by psychotherapist Ann-Marie Covert. The licensed counsellor gives us a needed education on what's contributing to our body's reactions and how to bring this in further control with our spiritual and mental health. Read more...>>>

Journalist and author Andrew Lawton joins the show to discuss his new book "The Freedom Convoy: The Inside Story of Three Weeks That Shook The World." He also provides helpful commentary on the Public Order Emergency Commission. This is putting the federal government's use of the Emergencies Act in February through a microscope.Read more...>>>

Many people set out to accomplish certain goals, are driven by idealistic standards, have intentions to conquer their world for any variety of reasons. Lorna Dueck was particularly goal-driven. Lorna is an accomplished journalist and broadcast executive, author, radio host, TV anchor and holds a Masters Degree in Evangelism and Leadership, and is a recipient of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal for community contribution.  Read more...>>> 

Craig Brannan of Next Step Counselling returns to offer insight on how big of a role values play in your life. He helps uncover how this affects your time, relationships, reactions, and ambitions. Read more...>>>

Iconic Canadian sports broadcaster Dan O'Toole joins the show to chat about what life has been like since his time with TSN. He shares about the not so glamorous parts of doing sports highlights, plus Dan opens up about the freedom he's gained after going to rehab and explains how this has challenged him spiritually. Read more...>>>

Leading military historian and author Ted Barris is back on the show to share about his latest book, The Battle of The Atlantic. In the lead-up to Remembrance Day he describes this precedence-setting battle that would lead the allies to victory.  You'll come away with a newfound appreciation for what our troops went through, how the country was mobilized, and what it took to counter the lethal German u boats. Read more...>>>

CEO and Broker of the Faris Team, Mark Faris joins the show to share the story from his humble beginnings of real estate cold calling to now having the #1 brokerage in all of Canada. Mark delves into the systems that his teams has mastered to stand above competition, and explains why an attitude of service is the best approach to making any sale. Plus, don's miss how his faith in Jesus drives him to both relentless improvement and building something worthwhile. Read more...

Joanna Chiu is the author of the book, China Unbound. The Toronto Star reporter spent about a decade living in Hong Kong. Her family is of Chinese descent. We explore the rise of this super power, and where that came from since the past 'Century of Humiliation'  for the country.  Joanna also sheds light on underground churches, and the overt way the Republic watches over its people, including in Canada.

In this special multi-guest, we hear from leading epidemiologist David Fisman once again on the role of faith and science. And, we check in with a molecular scientist who is on the cusp of using COVID precedence to help fight off other diseases. Don't miss this groundbreaking episode.

As we continue in this time of mourning, for Queen Elizabeth II, we take a closer look at the role faith played in her life. Brian McVitty is a retired Rector in the Anglican Church in Canada (ANIC). He offers excellent commentary on how this denomination coalesces with the Royal Family, as well as defining moments in the Queen's spiritual journey like crossing paths with Billy Graham. 

Healthcare funding expert Jason Sutherland of UBC joins the show to weigh out private and public pros and cons for Canadian hospitals among other things. 

The Hockey Canada scandal has sent parents and aspiring hockey players reeling. Don't miss my conversation with former OHL star Jake Worrad. Jake wrote an open letter in 2015 titled, “My Farewell to Hockey.” In it Jake disclosed how toxic change room culture can be for young men still maturing. Jake, now a lawyer, strives for balance as he points to the bigger problem of a sexualized culture in our world. He weaves in how identity in Jesus can be transformational in rising up past such temptations. Read more.

Former foreign Minister of Foreign Affairs and chair of the World Refugee and Migration Council Lloyd Axworthy joins the show for an enlightening conversation on the crisis of refugees. Axworthy shares about his experience helping to lay the framework for the Charter, the International Criminal Court, and explains why he thinks the world is less compassionate towards refugees than they used to be. He also talks about how his personal faith impacts his work, in particular the influence of the Social Gospel movement. 

Ottawa University law professor, and writer Michael Geist joins the show to talk about what Bill C-11. Michael will unpack what this is all about for streaming services like YouTube and Spotify, why there has been such a strong reaction from tech and countries outside the US. Plus, we'll dig into if ensuring Cancon is really the best ingredient for supporting Canadian development. 

John Longhurst, faith columnist for the Winnipeg Free Press, shares how it's preserved the only remaining faith section of a major newspaper, and what it's doing to expand coverage even further with its Religion in the News Project. Read more.