Daily Theology Podcast

The June episode of the podcast features Anne Michelle Carpenter of St. Mary’s College of California! She spoke with Stephen Okey about how reading Patristic theology led her to study Hans Urs von Balthasar, the challenge and promise of teaching metaphysics to undergraduates, and the way she engages poetry in her work. They also talk a lot about Star Wars, including Prof. Carpenter’s January term course on Star Wars and Religion! Dr. Anne Michelle Carpenter is an Assistant Professor of Theology at St. Mary’s College of California in Moraga, CA. She earned her BA in History and Theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville, and then earned an MA and a PhD in Systematic Theology from Marquette University. Her research interests focus on the interrelations between aesthetics and metaphysics, with particular interest in the work of Hans Urs von Balthasar. She is the author of Theo-Poetics: Hans Urs von Balthasar and the Risk of Art and Being (University of Notre Dame Press, 2015).

Closing out March, this episode of the podcast features Megan McCabe! She spoke with Stephen Okey about her path to studying theology, the idea of “cultures of sin” and how it relates to social sin and structures of sin, and the centrality of tradition in Catholic theology. Dr. Megan McCabe is an Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA. She earned her BA in Theology from Fordham University, her MTS in Moral Theology from University of Notre Dame, and her PhD in Theological Ethics from Boston College. Her current research focuses on the idea of “cultures of sin,” drawing on Fr. Bryan Massingale’s work on racism to talk about sexual violence. She has been published in Sojourners, America Magazine, and Daily Theology. For the America pieces we discuss in this episode, see: “Why Catholic moral theology is a sign of hope in today’s church” (interview with Bill McCormick, SJ, 2019) “Create in Me A Just Heart: Treating pornography as a structure of sin” (2016)

This episode of the Daily Theology podcast features Prof. Katie Grimes of Villanova University! She talks with Stephen Okey about how her two years of volunteering with Amate House in Chicago led her to change career plans from law school to theology, her work on race and white supremacy, and how she understands popular culture as a locus for theology. She also talks about theological blogging and the gifts she’s received from writing for Women in Theology. Dr. Katie Grimes is an Assistant Professor of Theological Ethics at Villanova University. She earned her BA in philosophy and her MTS from the University of Notre Dame, and her PhD in Theological Ethics from Boston College. She is the author of two books: Fugitive Saints: Catholicism and the Politics of Slavery (Fortress, 2017) and Christ Divided: Antiblackness as Corporate Vice (Fortress, 2017). She has also written for Political Theology and Journal of Religious Ethics among others.

Happy New Year from the Daily Theology Podcast! We come back with a new episode featuring Stephen Okey’s conversation with Holly Taylor Coolman. They talk about how the evangelical subculture she grew up in provided the grounding for her interest in theology and how studying scripture drew her into questions about Jewish-Catholic dialogue. They also talk about the campaign she ran for a seat in the Rhode Island statehouse, how Thomas Aquinas shaped her motivation to do so, and her reflections on being a Catholic in politics. Dr. Holly Taylor Coolman is an Assistant Professor of Theology at Providence College in Providence, RI. She did her undergraduate studies at Wheaton College, her masters at Princeton Theological Seminary, and her doctoral work at Duke University. Her research interests are in Christianity and Judaism, ecclesiology, and the theology of St. Thomas Aquinas. Her work has been published in Journal of Moral Theology, Studies in Christian-Jewish Relations, and America Magazine among others.

The podcast closes out 2018 with Steve Okey’s conversation with Micah Kiel. In this episode, they talk about how Micah’s experience of studying abroad prompted his interest in theology, his time volunteering in Belize, and his thoughts on technology in the classroom. They also discuss his new book, Apocalyptic Ecology, and how it relates to contemporary discussions of climate change.  Micah Kiel is Professor of Theology at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, IA. He earned his BA in Music Performance at St. John’s University in Collegeville, MN, and he then went on to earn his MDiv and his PhD in Biblical Studies from Princeton Theological Seminary. He is the author of The “Whole Truth”: Rethinking Retribution in the Book of Tobit (T&T Clark, 2014) and Apocalyptic Ecology: The Book of Revelation, the Earth, and the Future (Michael Glazier, 2017). His research focuses on Biblical studies and apocalyptic texts.

Episode 40 of the podcast comes to you with Steve Okey’s conversation with Philip Cunningham of Saint Joseph’s University. Prof. Cunningham was visiting Saint Leo to give a presentation on “Moving Toward Mutuality? Challenges in Catholic-Jewish Relations.” He was also named the 14th recipient of the Saint Leo Center for Catholic Jewish Studies’ Eternal Light Award, in recognition of his significant contributions to Catholic-Jewish relations. In this episode, Prof. Cunningham speaks about his early research into how Christian religious education material represented and misrepresented Judaism, on rethinking the Good Friday liturgy in light of anti-Semitism, and how Jewish-Christian dialogue might enable one to think more deeply about Christology. This episode was recorded on October 25th, two days before the mass shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue. Prof. Philip A. Cunningham is Professor of Theology and Director of the Institute for Jewish-Catholic Relations at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, PA. He earned his BA in History and MsEd from Fordham, his MA in religious education from LaSalle University, and his PhD in Religion and Education from Boston College. He is most recently the author of Seeking Shalom: The Journey to Right Relationship between Catholics and Jews (Eerdmans, 2015), and the co-editor of Christ Jesus and the Jewish People Today: New Explorations of Theological Interrelationships (Eerdmans, 2011) and The Catholic Church and the Jewish People: Recent Reflections from Rome (Fordham University Press, 2007). Special thanks for this episode to Dr. Matthew Tapie, Director of the Center for Catholic Jewish Studies at Saint Leo University making the recording of this conversation possible.  

Today’s podcast features a conversation between Daniella Zsupan-Jerome and Stephen Okey! Friends from their time together at Boston College, they talk about how Daniella’s experience in RCIA aided her in discovering her vocation to theology, her research into media, technology, and theology, and how she brings digital media into her classroom. She also discusses her love for The Office and sets us straight on the Lenten #ashtag controversy. Dr. Daniella Zsupan-Jerome is Director of the MA in Pastoral Leadership and Professor of Pastoral Theology at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans, LA. She earned he BA from University of Notre Dame, Masters degrees from St. John’s University in Collegeville and Yale Divinity School, and her PhD in Theology and Education from the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry. She is the author of Connected Toward Communion: The Church and Social Communication in the Digital Age (Michael Glazier, 2014). She has written in the past for the Daily Theology blog.

Today on the podcast we have Fr. Robert Imbelli! Now emeritus from Boston College, Fr. Imbelli spoke with Stephen Okey by phone this summer about how he found his vocation to theology within the Italian-American Catholic subculture of the mid-twentieth century, how that led him to study in Rome during the four sessions of Vatican II, and why he thinks Dei Verbum is the central text for interpreting the texts of that Council and the mission of the Church since. We also talk about Fr. Imbelli’s work in writing for popular publications and the movie A Quiet Place, which Steve is still too scared to watch.   Fr. Robert Imbelli is Associate Professor Emeritus of Theology at Boston College, where he taught for thirty years. Prior to that, he taught at St. Joseph’s Seminary (colloquially known as Dunwoodie) in New York. He earned his BA from Fordham University, his STL from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, and his PhD in Systematic Theology from Yale. His most recent book is Rekindling the Christic Imagination: Theological Meditations for the New Evangelization (Liturgical Press, 2014). He also edited Handing on the Faith: The Church’s Mission and Challenge (Crossroad, 2006), which came out of a meeting organized by Boston College’s Church in the 21st Century Center. Fr. Imbelli has written widely for popular audiences, including for America, Commonweal, and First Things.

Today’s podcast guest is Dr. Katherine Schmidt!  She spoke with Steve Okey by phone late this past summer, where they talked about their shared interests in theological engagements with media and technology, how the encounter with Catholic Social Teaching put her on the path to becoming a theologian, and why teaching gives her hope.  They also talk, albeit briefly, about The Bachelor and the Wheel of Time series. Katherine Schmidt is an Assistant Professor of Theology at Molloy College in Rockville Centre, NY.  She earned her BA in Political Science and Theology at Mount St. Mary’s University, and her MA in Theological Studies and PhD in Theology from the University of Dayton.  She teaches courses on American religion, theology and technology, and religious ethics.  Her research focuses on the intersection of theology and technology.  Her book, Virtual Communion: Theology of the Internet and the Catholic Sacramental Imagination, is forthcoming from Lexington Books.

This episode of the podcast brings us Joseph Gordon of Johnson University.  He was visiting Saint Leo University to speak about Henri de Lubac and his use of scripture in resistance to the Nazis.  In this conversation with Steve Okey, Joseph will speak about his research on this aspect of de Lubac’s life and work, how the Catholic theologians de Lubac and Lonergan have shaped Gordon’s work as a theologian in the Churches of Christ tradition, and what a Lonerganian view of assessment and student learning outcomes might look like.  They also discuss Gordon’s love of snakes, which fits perfectly with living in Florida. Dr. Joseph K. Gordon is an Associate Professor of Theology at Johnson University in Kissimmee, FL.  He earned his PhD in Systematic Theology and Ethics from Marquette University, his MDiv from Lincoln Christian Seminary, and his BA from Johnson University.  He became an ordained minister in the Christian Churches/Churches of Christ in 2009.  His research focuses on systematic and biblical theology, including his forthcoming book Divine Scripture in Human Understanding: A Systematic Theology of the Christian Bible (University of Notre Dame Press).  He also has a book forthcoming on the theology of Bernard Lonergan, SJ, entitled Bernard Lonergan: A Primer for Understanding his Life and Work (Wipf and Stock). Special thanks for this episode to Dr. Matthew Tapie, Director of the Center for Catholic Jewish Studies at Saint Leo University making the recording of this conversation possible.

The DT Podcast returns with this conversation with Pim Valkenberg! This past spring he was giving a lecture at Saint Leo University, where he sat down with Steve Okey. Listen as they talk about how Muslim migration to the Netherlands impacted Pim’s interest in interreligious dialogue, the importance of empathy and seeing the other’s point of view, and why agreement is not the real goal of dialogue. Stick around until the end to hear them talk about Dutch food and coffee culture. Dr. Pim Valkenberg is the Ordinary Professor of Religion and Culture at the Catholic University of America. He earned his BA in theology and religious studies at Utrecht State University, his MA, MDiv, and PhD at the Catholic Theological University of Utrecht. He previously taught at the Catholic University of Nijmegen and Loyola University Maryland. His research focuses on Catholic-Muslim dialogue. He has worked on the Mid-Atlantic Muslim-Catholic Dialogue (sponsored by the Islamic Circle of North America and the USCCB) since 2008. He is the author of Renewing Islam by Service: A Christian View of Fethullah Gülen and the Hizmet Movement (CUA Press, 2015), co-editor (with Anthony Cirelli) of Nostra Aetate: Celebrating 50 Years of the Catholic Church’s dialogue with Jews and Muslims (CUA Press, 2016), and editor of the textbook World Religions in Dialogue, Enhanced Edition: A Comparative Theological Approach(Anselm Academic, 2017). Special thanks for this episode to Dr. Matthew Tapie, Director of the Center for Catholic Jewish Studies at Saint Leo University making the recording of this conversation possible. You can help support us on Patreon! Patrons get shout-outs, swag, and the deep satisfaction that comes from helping bring quality theological conversation into the world of podcasts. Get all this, starting at the low commitment of $2/month!

We've been on hiatus for awhile, so here's a brief update on the Daily Theology Podcast, when we're returning (next week!), what we're doing the rest of this year (more interviews!), and a new way to support the show (Patreon!)

Season 3 of the podcast comes to a close with Steve Okey’s conversation with Greg Hillis of Bellarmine University! They met up at this past summer’s CTSA annual conference to talk about how a year at Bible college led to a career teaching theology, the gifts and challenges of inter-church marriages, and his interest in and connection to Thomas Merton and the Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky. Greg also talks about his Thomas Merton-inspired tattoo and makes his case for Saint José Bautista.   Dr. Gregory Hillis is an Associate Professor of Theology at Bellarmine University in Louisville, KY. He has BA degrees from Rocky Mountain College, and he earned his MA and PhD from McMaster University. He has done research on Patristic theology, particularly Cyril of Alexandria, but more recently has focused on the life and work of Thomas Merton. He has published in Studia Patristica, America Magazine, and First Things He also writes the blog My Unquiet Heart, and has previously written for Daily Theology. Special thanks to the Catholic Theological Society of America for providing the opportunity for this episode to be recorded at its 2017 annual convention.

Season 3 of the podcast continues with Victoria Barnett! Dr. Barnett recently visited Saint Leo University at the invitation of our Center for Catholic Jewish Studies to speak on theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer. She sat down to speak with Steve Okey (with an assist from Center Director Matt Tapie) about how studying liberation theology set her on the path to Bonhoeffer, her work with the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, and what the study of Bonhoeffer can teach us about Christian and religious life today.   Dr. Victoria Barnett is the Director of Programs on Ethics, Religion, and the Holocaust at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC. She is an alumna of Indiana University, Union Theological Seminary, and George Mason University. She has published several books, including For the Soul of the People: Protestant Protest Against Hitler (Oxford, 1992) and Bystanders: Conscience and Complicity during the Holocaust (Greenwood Press, 1999). From 2004-14, she was one of the general editors for The Complete Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works Series from Fortress Press. Special thanks for this episode to Dr. Matthew Tapie, Director of the Center for Catholic Jewish Studies at Saint Leo University, for all his work to bring Rabbi Skorka to campus and for making this conversation possible.

Welcome back to the Daily Theology Podcast! Today’s episode features Steve Okey’s conversation with Jason King of Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA! Jason and Steve caught up at the CTS conference this past summer in Newport, RI. In this conversation, they talk about how Jason found his way into Catholic moral theology, his research into Catholic identity and the hookup culture on college campuses, and what to do when a course seems to fall apart. They also talk about science fiction and their love for Star Wars. Dr. Jason King is a Professor of Theology at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA. He earned his BA from Berea College, and his MA and PhD from the Catholic University of America. His research focuses on moral theology, with particular interest in relationships, families, and Catholic identity. He is the author most recently of Faith with Benefits: Hookup Culture on Catholic Campuses (Oxford, 2017). He has also co-written two books with Donna Freitas: Killing the Imposter God: Philip Pullman’s Spiritual Imagination in His Dark Materials (Jossey-Bass, 2007) and Save the Date: A Spirituality of Dating, Love, Dinner, and the Divine (Crossroad, 2003). He is a blogger for Catholic Moral Theology. Special thanks to the College Theology Society for enabling this episode to be recorded at the 2017 annual convention.

Season 3 of the podcast continues with Stephen Okey’s interview with Kevin Ahern. Since first meeting at Boston College in 2007, they have become close friends, collaborators, and occasional housemates. They sat down during the 2017 Annual Convention of the College Theology Society to talk about how Kevin’s experience of childhood illness shaped his vocation to be a theologian, what it means to do public theology in today’s world, and the importance of lay responsibility in the church. Dr. Kevin Glauber Ahern is an Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Manhattan College in Riverdale, NY. After earning his BA from Fordham University, he served for four years as President of the International Movement of Catholic Students (IMCS-Pax Romana) in Paris. He then returned to the study of theology, earning an MA and PhD in Theological Ethics from Boston College. He is the author of Structures of Grace: Catholic Organizations Serving the Global Common Good (Orbis, 2015) and editor of Visions of Hope: Emerging Theologians and the Future of the Church (Orbis, 2012) and The Radical Bible (Orbis, 2009). Most recently he and Meghan J. Clark co-edited a festschrift in honor of David Hollenbach, SJ, titled Public Theology and the Global Common Good: The Contribution of David Hollenbach (Orbis, 2016). Special thanks to the College Theology Society for enabling this episode to be recorded at the 2017 annual convention. You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Google Play, or Stitcher

After a long hiatus, the podcast returns for a brief but mighty season 3! Our opener is Stephen Okey’s interview with Kim and Reggie Harris. In spring 2017, they were at Saint Leo University as part of the Woodrow Wilson Visiting Fellows program for Saint Leo’s Black History Month celebrations. During the interview, they spoke with Steve about the influence of African-American spirituals in their faith lives, how they brought their music into education, and the interrelationship of music and history. Kim also reveals how she maintained a full-time touring schedule while working on her Ph.D. at Union Theological Seminary and how she arranged a setting of the Catholic mass around the spirituals. Moreover, for the first time on the podcast, the guests sing!   Kim and Reggie Harris are widely regarded musicians, storytellers, and educators, who have toured extensively throughout the United States and the world. Kim is a Visiting Professor in Theological Studies at Loyola Marymount University and a liturgical consultant for the Office of Black Ministry in the Archdiocese of New York. She earned a Ph.D. from Union Theological Seminary. Her dissertation project included creating “Welcome Table: A Mass of Spirituals,” along with M. Roger Holland II. Reggie is the Music Director for the Living Legacy Project, which focuses on civil rights and is affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist Church. Together they have produced numerous albums, including “Steal Away: Songs Of The Underground Railroad” (1998), “Let My People Go! A Jewish and African American Celebration of Freedom” (2005), “Get On Board! Underground Railroad & Civil Rights Freedom Songs, Vol. 2” (2007), and “Resurrection Day” (2012). Special thanks to Saint Leo University’s School of Arts and Sciences for making this interview possible.

Season 2 of the podcast comes to an end with this very special episode featuring Rabbi Abraham Skorka! He was visiting Saint Leo University for a series of presentations on Catholic-Jewish dialogue, so he graciously sat down with Stephen Okey for this discussion. Rabbi Skorka speaks about the influence of his father on his decision to become a rabbi, his science background and how that affects his religious faith, and his friendship with Pope Francis as an example of interreligious dialogue.  Rabbi Abraham Skorka is the Rector of the Latin American Rabbinical Seminary in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was ordained a rabbi in 1973, and in 1979 he completed a Ph.D. in chemistry at the University of Buenos Aires. In 2010, he and then-Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio published Sobre el cielo y la tierra, which was based on a series of conversations they held for TV on issues ranging from science to faith to abortion to the 1970s in Argentina. Following Bergoglio’s election to the papacy, the text was translated into numerous languages; the English edition is On Heaven and Earth (Image, 2015). Special thanks for this episode to Dr. Matthew Tapie, Director of the Center for Catholic Jewish Studies at Saint Leo University, for all his work to bring Rabbi Skorka to campus and for making this conversation possible.

Welcome to episode 28! This will be the penultimate episode of season 2, and it features Steve Okey’s conversation with Anita Houck of Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, IN! They talk about the spiritual dimension of Dr. Houck’s upbringing, the place of humor in spirituality, and how the idea of vocation shapes our lives. They also reminisce about the University of Chicago Divinity School and talk about their love of good teas!   Dr. Anita Houck is an Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, IN. She earned her BA from Wesleyan University, an M.Ed. from Harvard University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. Along with Mary Doak, she is the co-editor of Translating Religion (Orbis, 2013). Special thanks to the College Theology Society for allowing this episode to be recorded at the 2016 annual meeting.

Hello again from the Daily Theology podcast! Today we bring you episode 27, featuring Steve Okey’s conversation with Dr. Mary Ellen Konieczny of the University of Notre Dame! They talk about how Prof. Konieczny’s experience working for the Archdiocese of Chicago led her to study the sociology of religion, her research into religious practice at the US Air Force Academy, and why the real problem of polarization is not conflict but lack of engagement. Prof. Mary Ellen Konieczny is an Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Notre Dame, and she holds the Henkels Family Collegiate Chair. She is also currently a fellow at the Notre Dame Institute for Advanced Study, a faculty fellow at the Kellogg Institute for International Studies, and a faculty fellow at the Center for the Study of Religion and Society. She earned her BS from Notre Dame, her MDiv from Weston Jesuit School of Theology, and her PhD from the University of Chicago. She is the author of The Spirit’s Tether: Family, Work, and Religion among American Catholics (Oxford University Press, 2013) and the forthcoming Service before Self: Organization, Cultural Conflict, and Religion at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Along with Charlie Camosy and Tricia Bruce, she is the co-editor of Polarization in the US Catholic Church: Naming the Wounds, Beginning to Heal (Liturgical Press, 2016). Her next project, “Our Lady of Kibeho: Exploring Marian Devotion in East Africa,” will take her to Rwanda for research on the interplay of post-genocide reconciliation and religious practice. She can be found on Twitter, for which she credits Charlie Camosy. Special thanks to Tara Durheim of Liturgical Press for helping to arrange this episode.

Welcome back to the Daily Theology podcast! We’ve been on hiatus the last two months to work on some episodes and other projects, but we return with Steve Okey’s conversation with Tricia Bruce! They discuss how Prof. Bruce became interested in studying the sociology of religion, the place of parishes in US Catholic polarization, and the importance of diversity within the Church. They also talk about the motivational properties of the musical Hamilton and their shared desire for a bluegrass setting of the mass.  Dr. Tricia Bruce is an Associate Professor of Sociology at Maryville College in Maryville, TN. She earned her BA in Sociology and Communication from Southwestern University and her MA and PhD in Sociology from UC Santa Barbara. She is the author of Faithful Revolution: How Voice of the Faithful Is Changing the Church (Oxford University Press, 2011) and the forthcoming Parish & Place (Oxford University Press, 2017). She is also the co-editor (along with Mary Ellen Konieczny and Charles C. Camosy) of Polarization in the US Catholic Church: Naming the Wounds, Beginning to Heal (Liturgical Press, 2016), which you hear us discuss in the podcast. You can find also find her on Twitter. Special thanks to Tara Durheim of Liturgical Press for helping to arrange this episode.

Welcome to episode 25! Today’s episode features Steve Okey’s conversation with Andrew Prevot of Boston College! Their conversation ranges from how prayer shaped Andrew’s interest in theology, the relationship between prayer and liberation theology, and the need for more sophisticated gender analysis in the study of mysticism. Dr. Prevot also speaks about his love for the Advent hymn “Creator of the Stars of Night” and makes his case for why he could be the patron saint of dog walkers.  Prof. Andrew Prevot is an assistant professor of theology at Boston College in Chestnut Hill, MA. He earned his BA from Colorado College, and his MTS and PhD from the University of Notre Dame. He recently published his first book, Thinking Prayer (University of Notre Dame Press, 2015), which won the College Theology Society’s Best Book in Theology Award for 2015. It will also be the subject of a forthcoming symposium from Syndicate. Special thanks to the College Theology Society for allowing this episode to be recorded at the 2016 annual meeting.

Welcome to episode 24 of the Daily Theology Podcast! In continuation of his Dallas trip, Mike Avery interviews Dr. Susanne Scholz of Southern Methodist university. The conversation starts with a discussion of Scholz’s influential gymnasium teacher and her later run-in with starchy conservative professors in graduate school. The interview then takes on such topics as rape in the Hebrew Bible, feminist hermeneutics and Grimm’s Fairytales. To end, Dr. Scholz reveals her love for Star Trek and confesses to being a Trekkie.   Dr. Susanne Scholz is Professor of Old Testament at Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University. She earned her M.Phil, S.T.M., and Ph.D. degrees from Union Theological Seminary in New York and and M.Div equivalent degree from the University of Heidelberg. Her research focuses on feminist interpretations of scripture and violence, especially against women, in religious texts. She is the author of numerous books, includingRape Plots: A Feminist Cultural Study of Genesis 34 (Peter Lang, 2002), Biblical Studies Alternatively: An Introductory Reader (Pearson, 2002), Introducing the Women’s Hebrew Bible (Introductions in Feminist Theology) (Bloomsbury, 2007), and Sacred Witness: Rape in the Hebrew Bible (Fortress Press, 2010). She has also edited or co-edited God Loves Diversity and Justice: Progressive Scholars Speak about Faith, Politics, and the World (Lexington Books, 2013), Feminist Interpretation of the Hebrew Bible in Retrospect. I. Biblical Books (Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2013), Feminist Interpretation of the Hebrew Bible in Retrospect. II. Social Locations (Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2013), Hidden Truths from Eden: Esoteric Readings of Genesis 13 (Semeia Studies) (SBL Press, 2014), and La Violencia and the Hebrew Bible: The Politics and Histories of Biblical Hermeneutics on the American Continent (Semeia Studies) (SBL Presss, 2016).

Welcome to episode 23! The latest installment of the Daily Theology Podcast features Mike Avery’s conversation with Dr. Charles E. Curran of Southern Methodist University. In their conversation, the two discussed Curran’s vocation as a diocesan priest and his initial skepticism towards being a teacher. The episode then ventured into such topics as Humanae Vitae, Curran’s investigation with the CDF and the necessity of dissent in response to the sign of the times. To conclude, Curran laments the narrow focus of his scholarship, even admitting to not being radical enough, but takes heart in theology’s renewed shift towards those on the margins. Prof. Charles Curran is the Elizabeth Scurlock University Professor of Human Values atSouthern Methodist University. He holds STD degrees from Academia Alfonsiana and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, an STL from the Gregorian, and a BA from St. Bernard’s College in Rochester, NY. He previously taught at the Catholic University of Americafrom 1965-1986. He has served as the president of the Catholic Theological Society of America, the Society of Christian Ethics, and the American Theological Society. He is the author of numerous books, including Tradition and Church Reform: Perspectives on Catholic Moral Teaching (Orbis Books, 2016); The Development of Moral Theology: Five Strands (Moral Traditions) (Georgetown University Press, 2013); Catholic Moral Theology in the United States: A History (Moral Traditions) (Georgetown University Press, 2008); and The Catholic Moral Tradition Today: A Synthesis (Moral Traditions) (Georgetown University Press, 1999). For more of his biography, check out Loyal Dissent: Memoir of a Catholic Theologian (Georgetown University Press, 2006).

Welcome to back to the podcast! We took an extra week off between episodes, but this was in order to bring you this excellent episode with Fr. Francis Sullivan, SJ. During a recent visit to Boston, Steve Okey had the opportunity to meet with Fr. Sullivan at the grounds of the former Weston College (and later Weston School of Theology) in Weston, MA. In a wide-ranging conversation, they talk about the role of obedience in Fr. Sullivan’s process of coming to theology, his time as Dean of the theology faculty at the Pontifical Gregorian University during Vatican II, and his engagement with the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. We also learn why Fr. Sullivan’s students nicknamed him “Arizona” and why Boston would be a bad place for an ecumenical council. Francis Sullivan, SJ, is Professor Emeritus of the Pontifical Gregorian Universityin Rome, where he taught from 1956-1992 and served as dean from 1962-1970. Following his retirement from the Greg, he taught at Boston College until 2009. He entered the Society of Jesus in 1938 at age 16, was ordained a priest in 1951, and completed his dissertation (The Christology of Theodore of Mopsuestia) in 1955. He is the author of numerous books, with a special focus on ecclesiology: Charisms and Charismatic Renewal: A Biblical and Theological Study (Wipf & Stock, 2004), Magisterium: Teaching Authority in the Catholic Church (Wipf & Stock, 2002), The Church We Believe in: One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic (Paulist Press, 1988), Salvation Outside the Church: Tracing the History of the Catholic Response (Wipf & Stock, 2002), Creative Fidelity: Weighing and Interpreting Documents of the Magisterium (Wipf & Stock, 2003), and From Apostles to Bishops: The Development of the Episcopacy in the Early Church (Paulist Press, 2001).

Season 2 shifts to Boston as episode 21 features Mike Avery’sconversation with John Baldovin, S.J. As a former student, Averyreminiscences about his time at the Boston College School ofTheology and Ministry and particularly with Fr. Baldovin’s class onthe Eucharist. The conversation takes several turns from PopeFrancis’ focus on marriage and family to Post Vatican II liturgicalreform. Along the way, Fr. Baldovin ultimately shares his love forall liturgical seasons and even reveals a hidden passion forarchitecture. John F. Baldovin, S.J., is professor ofhistorical and liturgical theology at theBoston CollegeSchool of Theology and Ministry. He is a priest of the New YorkProvince of the Society of Jesus. He received his B.A. from theCollege of theHoly Cross, an M.Div. from Weston School of Theology, an M.A.,M.Phil. and Ph.D. from Yale University. Baldovin has taught at Fordham University,the JesuitSchool of Theology at Berkeley, and, since 1999 at Weston andnow Boston College’s School of Theology and Ministry. He has alsobeen visiting professor at the University of Notre Dame and St.John Vianney National Seminary in Pretoria, South Africa. He servedon the advisory committee for the Bishops’ Committee on the Liturgyof the USCCB as well as the advisory committee of the International Commissionon English in the Liturgy (ICEL) from 1994 to 2002. He is pastpresident of the North American Academy of Liturgy (NAAL) as wellas the international ecumenical Societas Liturgica. He received theBerakah Award for distinguished achievement from the NAAL in 2007.He is also past-president of the International Jungmann Society forJesuits and the Liturgy. Baldovin has published on liturgy widelyin journals including Worship, TheologicalStudies, America, andCommonweal. Hiswritings have been translated into French, German, Spanish,Japanese, and Albanian. He has a number of presentations with NowYou Know Media, the latest of which, “Lent, Holy Week and Easter,” has recently beenreleased. His books includeThe Urban Character of ChristianWorship: The Origins, Development and Meaning of StationalLiturgy (Orientalia Christiana analecta 228, Rome, PontificalOriental Institute Press, 1987, Reprinted, 2002), Liturgy in AncientJerusalem (Alcuin/GROW Studies in Worship, Bramcote,Nottingham: Grove Books, 1989), Worship: City, Church andRenewal (Washington, DC: Pastoral Press, 1991), Bread of Life, Cup ofSalvation: Understanding the Mass (Lanham, MD: Rowman andLittlefield, 2003), Reforming the Liturgy: A Response to theCritics(Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2008). He has alsoco-edited Commentary on the Order of Mass of the RomanMissal (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2011) and (withDavid Farina Turnbloom) Catholic Sacraments: A Rich Source ofBlessings (New York: Paulist Press, 2015). Fr. Baldovin,along with Mike Avery, helped found the journal Lumen et Vita, the graduate academic journal ofthe BC School of Theology and Ministry.

Welcome to Episode 20 of the Daily Theology Podcast! This installment features Stephen Okey’s conversation with Jessica Wrobleski of Wheeling Jesuit University. In this episode, you will hear about why Prof. Wrobleski says she was “born Catholic but raised Protestant,” her understanding of the relationship between research and advocacy, and how the experience of the mundane shapes the teaching of ethics.   Dr. Jessica Wrobleski is an Assistant Professor of Theology and Religious Studies atWheeling Jesuit University in Wheeling, WV. She previously taught at Saint Mary’s College in South Bend, IN. She earned her Ph.D. in Religious Studies from Yale University in 2009, writing her dissertation under the direction of Margaret Farley, RSM. She later published that dissertation as The Limits of Hospitality (Liturgical Press, 2012). Her research focuses on ethics and particularly social and political ethics. You can also find Prof. Wrobleski’s online writing at the Catholic Moral Theology blog. Special thanks to Wheeling Jesuit’s Philosophy Club, “Sense and Nonsense,” whose generous support made this conversation possible.

Season 2 of the podcast continues with a conversation with Timothy Radcliffe, OP! Fr. Radcliffe was in Chicago to give the Kennedy Lecture at Dominican University, where our own Dannis Matteson and John DeCostanza had an opportunity to speak with him. In their conversation, they talk about the young Timothy Radcliffe’s bad boy days, the importance of friendship for vocation, and hope in the midst of suffering. Fr. Timothy Radcliffe, OP is a Dominican friar, a Catholic priest, and a biblical scholar. He was the Master of the Order of Preachers from 1992 to 2001. Since 2014, he has served as the director of the Las Casas Institute at Blackfriars, Oxford, which “examines issues concerned with human dignity in the light of Catholic Social teaching.” In 2015, Pope Francis named him a consultor to the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. He is the author of several books, including Seven Last Words (Burns & Oates, 2005) and Why Go to Church? The Drama of the Eucharist (Bloomsbury, 2009). His 2005 book What is the Point of Being a Christian? (Burns & Oates) won the Michael Ramsey Prize.

Get ready for the newest podcast episode! As Season 2 moves along, we welcome John Borelli to the microphone. In his conversation with Stephen Okey, Dr. Borelli talks about how being drafted into the Vietnam War set him on the path to studying comparative theology, the positive impact of ecumenical and interreligious dialogues on his own Catholic faith, and what he thinks will be important for engaging Nostra Aetate in the next fifty years.  Dr. John Borelli is the Special Assistant to the President for Interreligious Initiatives atGeorgetown University. He previously served as the associate director of the Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs at the USCCB. He earned his BA in Philosophy fromSaint Louis University and his PhD in History of Religions and Theology from Fordham University. He is an internationally recognized expert on interreligious dialogue. He was the editor of The Quest for Unity: Orthodox and Catholics in Dialogue : Documents of the Joint International Commission and Official Dialogues in the United States, 1965-1995 (St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1996) and co-author (along with Michael L. Fitzgerald) ofInterfaith Dialogue: A Catholic View (Orbis, 2006). Special thanks go to Dr. Matthew Tapie of the Center for Catholic Jewish Studies at Saint Leo University, who made this conversation possible.

Welcome to Season 2 of the Daily Theology Podcast! Our latest episode features Mike Avery’s conversation with Dr. Timothy O’Malley of the University of Notre Dame at the North American Academy of Liturgy conference in Houston, Texas. Much laughter took place as Dr. O’Malley retold his story of growing up as the token Catholic in his home town, undergraduate experience with religious life and the current challenges of parenting a three year-old. The conversation also ventured into more sensitive topics involving the issue of detachment with homiletics, returning to the basics with New Evangelization and the lack of theological nuance with adoption in the Catholic tradition. Of course, one cannot deny the generous amount of Notre Dame admiration weaved throughout the podcast, including a personal love for the infamous grotto. Dr. Timothy O’Malley specializes in a historical-theological approach to liturgical studies. He has specific interests in liturgical homiletics (with an emphasis on Augustinian thought), the biblical and liturgical foundations of Christian doctrine, theological aesthetics, and the role of liturgical renewal in the ressourcement movement. He is the author of Liturgy and the New Evangelization: Practicing the Art of Self-Giving Love (Liturgical Press, 2014). As director of the Notre Dame Center for Liturgy, he engages in scholarship that seeks to retrieve biblical, catechetical, and liturgical insights that facilitates a renewal of the Church’s liturgical imagination. He is also founding editor of the Institute for Church Life’s journal, Church Life: A Journal for the New Evangelization.

Welcome to the finale of season 1 of the podcast! As we go into hiatus until the new year, feast your ears on this insightful and funny conversation between Steve Okey and Natalia Imperatori-Lee! In this episode, they talk about the necessity of friendship in theology, how she became interested in Ecclesiology (the study of the Church), and her efforts to help Hispanic and first-generation college students cultivate a wider imagination about the professional opportunities they can have in life.   Dr. Natalia Imperatori-Lee is an Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Manhattan Collegein Riverdale, NY. She earned her BA from Fordham University, her MA from the University of Chicago Divinity School, and her PhD from the University of Notre Dame. Her research interests focus on Ecclesiology, with a particular interest in feminist theology, Mariology, and the Church. Her current book project (which she discusses in the episode) is on the importance of narrative in Catholic Ecclesiology. She is also the co-editor (with Julia Brumbaugh) of Turnings: Theological Reflections on a Cosmological Conversion: Essays in Honor of Elizabeth A. Johnson (Michael Glazier, 2016), a forthcoming festschrift in honor of Fordham theologian Beth Johnson. The Daily Theology Podcast was very fortunate this summer to record several conversations at the 70th annual convention of the Catholic Theological Society of America (CTSA). This is the fourth and final of these conversations, and we are grateful to the CTSA for making them possible.

Welcome to the penultimate episode of season 1 of the podcast! For our second to last offering, we have Stephen Okey’s conversation with Tobias Winright of Saint Louis University. They met up at this past summer’s CTSA convention in Milwaukee, WI, where they talked about how Prof. Winright’s background in law enforcement shaped his work in moral theology, his newer work in health care and bioethics, and what it means to be a public intellectual. They also look at his love of puns and Marvel comics! Tobias Winright is the Hubert Mäder Endowed Associate Professor of Health Care Ethics at the Albert Gnaegi Center for Health Care Ethics at Saint Louis University and an Associate Professor of Theological Ethics in theDepartment of Theological Studies at SLU. He previously taught at Simpson College in Indianola, IA and Walsh University in North Canton, OH. He earned his AA in Liberal Arts from St. Petersburg Junior College, his BA in Political Science from University of South Florida, an MDiv from Duke University Divinity School, and an MA and PhD in Moral Theology from the University of Notre Dame. Widely published, he has written and edited several volumes, including After the Smoke Clears: The Just War Tradition and Post War Justice (Orbis, 2010, co-authored with Mark Allman) and Green Discipleship: Catholic Theological Ethics and the Environment (Anselm Academic, 2011). Most recently, he and Laurie Johnston co-edited Can War Be Just in the 21st Century? (Orbis, 2015). His work can also be found on the Catholic Moral Theology andPolitical Theology Today blogs. The Daily Theology Podcast was very fortunate this summer to record several conversations at the 70th annual convention of the Catholic Theological Society of America (CTSA). This is the third of four such conversations, and we are grateful to the CTSA for making these possible.

Welcome to episode 14! This week’s podcast features guest hostStuart Squires, Assistant Professor of Theology at Brescia University in Owensboro, KY and host of the God and the Quad podcast! He talks with our own Andy Staron of Wheeling Jesuit University about the role of theology in the university, how being a family man has made Andy a better teacher, and his response to various quotes from Cardinal Ratzinger’s Donum Veritatis. Throughout, you can hear Andy talking about how teaching theology is not just about planting seeds, but about trying to give students “better soil.”   Andrew Staron is an Assistant Professor of Theology and Religious Studies at Wheeling Jesuit University in Wheeling, WV. He earned his PhD in Theology from the Catholic University of America, his MA from the University of Chicago Divinity School, and his AB from Georgetown University. His research and teaching focus on the theology of love and the Catholic imagination. You can find all his posts for DT here. Originally from Cleveland, OH, Andy continues to live in eschatological hope of a Cavaliers’ championship and/or a Browns’ Superbowl.

Welcome to another excellent episode of the Daily Theology podcast! This one features Steve Okey’s conversation with Tommy Humphries of Saint Leo University. They became fast friends after Steve started at Saint Leo, and so naturally Steve wanted to talk to Tommy about his own theological journey. In fact, this conversation was one of the first ones recorded for the podcast! In this conversation, they talk about Tommy’s background as a carpenter (and the high bar that sets for a theologian), the way the Breviary and the Doctors of the Church have shaped his spirituality, and the dangers of Gnosticism for academic theologians.   Thomas L. Humphries is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy, Theology, and Religion at Saint Leo University. He earned a BS in Forestry and a BA in Philosophy from the University of the South (Sewanee), an MA in Systematic Theology from the Catholic University of America, and a PhD in Historical Theology from Emory University. There, under the direction of Lewis Ayres, he wrote his dissertation on Pneumatology in the Latin Fathers. That text was revised and published as Ascetic Pneumatology from John Cassian to Gregory the Great (Oxford, 2013) as part of the Oxford Early Christian Studies series. Beyond his interests in patristics, spirituality, and theological anthropology, Tommy is also a volunteer firefighter in Pasco County, FL.

Welcome to episode 12 of the Daily Theology Podcast! This edition features Steve Okey’s conversation with Prof. Matt Shadle of Marymount University. This episode was recorded late this past summer and features the return of phone interviews! In their conversation, they talk about how 9/11 shaped Matt’s interest in ethics and Catholic Social Teaching, the importance of history for doing ethics, and how postmodernism shapes our students and our teaching. Matthew Shadle is an Associate Professor of Theology and Religious Studiesat Marymount University in Arlington, VA. He was previously an Associate Professor of Religious Studies and Theology at Loras College in Dubuque, IA. He earned his BA from Hendrix College and his MA and PhD from theUniversity of Dayton. His research has focused especially on war and peace ethics as well as Catholic Social Teaching and economics. He is the author ofThe Origins of War: A Catholic Perspective (Georgetown University Press, 2011), which is part of the Moral Traditions series. He has also published articles in the journals Political Theology, Horizons, and Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics. You can also find his work on the Catholic Moral Theology and Political Theology Today blogs.

Welcome to episode 11! Our latest podcast features Mike Avery’s conversation with Dr. Michael Murphy of Loyola University of Chicago. After taking in the breath taking views of Murphy’s office, the two ventured into such topics as literature and theology, the problem of poverty tourism, and the significance of the Catholic imagination. They also talked at length about Murphy’s journey through different parts of California, the life giving service of a high school teacher, and his love for Jesuit education.   Michael Murphy is Director of Catholic Studies, an interdisciplinary program at Loyola University Chicago, and teaches courses in both Theology and English. Mike’s interest in the scholarly possibilities for interdisciplinarity began to take shape at the precise moment he finished “The Enduring Chill” by Flannery O’Connor as an undergraduate at the University of San Francisco. He recalls setting the text on his chest and then erupting out loud, “Behold the many threads we are asked to contemplate! This needs something more than what the homespun English major is prepared to supply”—or something to that effect. The subsequent issues interrogated in his Master’s thesis, Flannery O’Connor: From Paradox to Mystery, were also masonry for his first book, A Theology of Criticism: Balthasar, Postmodernism, and the Catholic Imagination (Oxford, 2008), a text that proposes a framework for reinvigorating the dynamic interplay among the literary content, theological interpretation, and critical theory/practices. He also writes on other aspects of theological aesthetics—how theology and spirituality are expressed in literature, poetry and film—and has interests in eco-theology, social ethics, and the socio-political cultures of Catholicism as well. Mike has just finished a theological introduction to a forthcoming reissue of Robert Hugh Benson’s 1907 dystopian classic Lord of the World (Ave Maria, 2016) and is at work on a longer monograph on the scope of Catholic realism in late modern literary fiction. He lives in the Chicago area with his wife, two daughters, and faithful black lab.

For our tenth episode, the podcast welcomes Vincent J. Miller of the University of Dayton! Vince spoke with Stephen Okey at this past summer’s CTSA convention in Milwaukee, WI. They talked at length about Vince’s work on globalization and theology, with a particular focus on taking the virtue of solidarity as both a diagnostic lens and prescription for thinking about globalization. They also talked about how growing up in Pittsburgh during the implosion of the US steel industry has shaped Vince’s theology, the fragmentation and subtlety of zeitgeists, and Vince’s defense of “Kumbaya.” Vincent J. Miller is the Gudorf Chair in Catholic Theology and Culture at theUniversity of Dayton in Dayton, OH. He was previously an associate professor of theology at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. He earned his master’s and doctoral degrees in theology from the University of Notre Dame. He is the author of Consuming Religion: Christian Faith and Practice in a Consumer Culture (Continuum, 2005). He has written for numerous scholarly journals, including Theological Studies, Horizons, and Liturgical Ministry, as well as popular journals like America. The Daily Theology Podcast was very fortunate this summer to record several conversations at the 70th annual convention of the Catholic Theological Society of America (CTSA). This is the second of four such conversations, and we are grateful to the CTSA for making these possible.

This week’s podcast episode features a very special conversation with Tom O’Meara! Amanda Osheim and Stephen Okey spoke with Tom about his long and prolific career in theology, beginning with his joining the Dominican Order in the 1950’s. Tom shared with us his experience of formation and education before, during, and after Vatican II, how he got involved with the ecumenical movement, and the importance of liking people if one wants to be a teacher.   Thomas F. O’Meara, OP is Professor Emeritus of the Department of Theology of the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, IN, where he taught from 1981-2002. He is a member the Dominican Order and was ordained a priest in 1962. He is widely published, and his books include Thomas Aquinas: Theologian (University of Notre Dame Press, 1997), Theology of Ministry (Paulist Press, revised 1999), and Vast Universe: Christian Revelation and Extraterrestrials (Liturgical Press, 2012). If you are interested in more of Tom’s story, he has also written an autobiography: A Theologian’s Journey (Paulist Press, 2002). In 2014, over forty theologians gathered in his honor to discuss the future of ecclesiology; the resulting text was published as A Church with Open Doors: Catholic Ecclesiology for the Third Millennium (Michael Glazier, 2015). The Daily Theology Podcast was very fortunate this summer to record several conversations at the 70th annual convention of the Catholic Theological Society of America (CTSA). This is the first of four such conversations, and we are grateful to the CTSA for making these possible.

In today’s podcast episode, Mike Avery talks with Colby Dickinson of Loyola University Chicago! They talk about the importance of literature for theology, what makes a great professor, and how attending to the requests of students can lead to new and unexpected courses.   Colby Dickinson is Assistant Professor of Theology at Loyola University, Chicago, where he is also the director of majors and minors for the department. He earned his Ph.D. in theology (as well as his STB, STL, and STD) from the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium, an MA in religious education from Saint Louis University, and his MTS from Duke Divinity School. He is the author of Agamben and Theology (T&T Clark, 2011),Between the Canon and the Messiah: The Structure of Faith in Contemporary Continental Thought (Bloomsbury, 2013), The Spiritual and Creative Failures of Representation: On Poetry, Theology and the Potential of the Human Being (Fordham University Press, 2016) and, with Adam Kotsko, Agamben’s Coming Philosophy: Finding a New Use for Theology (Rowman & Littlefied, 2015). He is the editor of The Postmodern ‘Saints’ of France: Refiguring ‘the Holy’ in Contemporary French Philosophy (T&T Clark, 2013), The Shaping of Tradition: Context and Normativity (Peeters, 2013) and co-editor, with Stéphane Symons, of Walter Benjamin and Theology (Fordham University Press, 2016).

The newest episode of the podcast features Stephen Okey’s conversation with Anthony Godzieba from the annual College Theology Society convention in Portland, OR. Here, they talk about why music shapes his understanding what it means to do theology and spirituality, how teaching theology is like doing stand-up, and why fundamental theology needs to deal with TV and pop culture.   Anthony Godzieba is Professor of Theology and Religious Studies atVillanova University in Philadelphia, PA. A self-described “neighborhood kid” from Philly, he did his Ph.D. in theology at Catholic University of America in Washington, DC while commuting back to teach at Villanova. While much of his work focuses on fundamental theology and phenomenology, his wide-ranging interests include embodiment, modernity and postmodernity, and the relationship between theology and the arts. In addition to numerous scholarly articles, he is the author of Bernhard Welte’s Fundamental Theological Approach to Christology (Peter Lang, 1994) and A Theology of the Presence and Absence of God (Crossroad Publishing, 2001). For ten years, he was the editor of Horizons: The Journal of the College Theology Society.

Today’s podcast episode features Stephen Okey’s conversation with Dana Dillon. They had the opportunity to talk at the 2015 convention of the College Theology Society, held at the University of Portland in Portland, OR. In this episode, they talk about the impact of a summer service placement on Dana’s vocation, teaching race and theology to undergraduates, and theological questions raised by mental illness.   Dana Dillon is an assistant professor of theology at Providence College in Providence, RI. She did her undergraduate and MDiv degrees at the University of Notre Dame. She did her PhD atDuke University, writing her dissertation under the direction of Stanley Hauerwas. Her research focuses on fundamental moral theology with a focus on virtue ethics. In addition to scholarly articles, she writes for the Catholic Moral Theology blog (in this conversation, she specifically references her piece on “St. Augustine, Catholics, and Mental Illness“). She is also active on Twitter, where you should follow her.

Our fifth episode features Mike Avery’s conversation with Jennifer Veninga. Dr. Veninga is an assistant professor of religious and theological studies at St. Edward’s University in Austin, TX. In this episode, she talks about her discernment of both academic and ministerial calls, including what it’s like to be a United Church of Christ minister teaching theology at a Catholic University. They also discuss surviving the academic job market, what makes someone a good teacher, and Dr. Veninga’s research on Scandinavian culture and theology. Jennifer Elisa Veninga is an assistant professor of religious and theological studies at St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas. She holds an M.T.S. degree from Harvard Divinity School (2002) and a Ph.D. from the Graduate Theological Union (2011). Her research interests include imagination and theology, Søren Kierkegaard and Danish culture, Islam and the West, and media and religion. Her first book,Secularism, Theology and Islam: The Danish Social Imaginary and the Cartoon Crisis of 2005-2006 was just published by Bloomsbury Press in London in May. She frequently spends time in Denmark researching and enjoying the cool Danish summers. She is traveling back to Copenhagen this summer for research on her next project, which will be on trauma, healing and theology. Dr. Veninga is also an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ and serves as Ecumenical Minister for the St. Edward’s Campus Ministry Program. In this capacity, she coordinates worship services and supports interreligious dialogue efforts on campus. Her passions include working for social justice, studying the Danish theologian Søren Kierkegaard, and spending time with her rescue pug, Bubba.

Our fourth episode brings Mike Avery’s conversation with Fr. Louis T. Brusatti of St. Edward’s University in Austin, TX. Fr. Lou talks about how he prepares to preach, what he thinks makes a good priest, life as a theologian and dean at a university, and his new role running the Center for Religion and Culture.   Father Louis T. Brusatti joined St. Edward’s University in July 2002 as the School of Humanities dean after serving seven years as dean of the School of Theology at the University of St. Thomas in Houston. An ordained Catholic priest, his ministry has been primarily focused in higher education and has included teaching assignments at DePaul University in Chicago, St. Thomas Theological Seminary in Denver, Kentrick Seminary and Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis. Currently Fr. Lou is an Associate Professor of Religious and Theological Studies at St. Edward’s University and Director of the Center for Religion and Culture. In his spare time, Fr. Lou enjoys a nice glass of wine and spending time with his dog, Duncan.

In this episode of the Daily Theology Podcast, Mike Avery speaks with Joshua Carey Coleman of St. Michael's Catholic Academy in Austin, TX.  Mike had previously taught with Joshua at St. Michael's, and Mike's visit to Austin gave them an opportunity to reflect on their experiences teaching high school.  They also talk about Joshua's experience with Eastern Catholicism, how he survived his dissertation, and the relationship between religion and football in the southern United States.     Joshua Carey Coleman is the head of humanities and senior theology teacher at St. Michael’s Catholic Academy in Austin, Texas. He holds an MA degree in philosophy (2000) and a PhD in religious and theological studies from the University of Denver (2007). His passion lies in the supporting roles Philosophy and Literature play for Religious Studies and inter-religious dialogue; particularly in 19th century Danish thinker Soren Kierkegaard and 20th American Author Walker Percy, both of whom are critical figures for Existentialism, Postmodern Semiotics and Hermeneutics. Dr. Coleman has been an active member with the Mary House Austin Catholic Worker and is currently working on a book concerning the role of college football as religious sublimation in the Deep South. When not immersed in work, Dr. Coleman enjoys mountain biking and running with his dog, Stella.

In this episode of the Daily Theology Podcast, Stephen Okey speaks with Maria Poggi Johnson of the University of Scranton. Dr. Johnson was visiting Saint Leo University at the invitation of the Center for Catholic and Jewish Studies, and she graciously found time to speak with us. We talk about her spiritual journey towards Catholicism and how that intersected with her study of theology, the spontaneous and unplanned practice of hospitality towards her students, and what kind of writing project she hopes to pursue next. Dr. Johnson is a professor of Theology at the University of Scranton, which is a Jesuit Catholic university in Scranton, PA. Her background is in historical theology, although on the podcast she preferred to describe herself as a “sloppy generalist.” She is the author of two books, Strangers and Neighbors: What I Have Learned About Christianity by Living Among Orthodox Jews (2006) and Making a Welcome: Christian Life and the Practice of Hospitality (2011). You can also read about her experience of being Catholic and living in an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood (“Us and Them,” First Things) and about her family’s practice of hospitality towards the students who live nearby (“Late Nights at the Professor’s House,” Dallas Morning News)

Welcome to the Daily Theology Podcast! This is our very first episode, which features a conversation Stephen Okey had with Julie Hanlon Rubio. We talk about how she went from her interest in theater to studying politics to doing theology, the role of the family in her teaching and research, and her advice for newer theologians. We spoke by phone, so the sound quality could be a little better, but the conversation is absolutely worth it.