Trinity Forum Conversations

In this episode we're joined by theologian and bestselling author Miroslav Volf of Yale Divinity School. His latest book is The Cost of Ambition: How Striving to Be Better Than Others is Making Us Worse.  The question he explores is one that relates to all of us: how can we find a way to strive for excellence, rather than for superiority over those around us? Finding new insights in familiar Biblical passages and the Christian tradition, he'll help us to defy our culture of merciless ambition:Let's dare trust in the God who comes down to serve those who are a refuse of society. And let's trust in that unconditional love of God that takes those of us who are nothing and places us to become sharers of the community of those who are God's beloved children.This episode is drawn from an online conversation held in 2025. It'll give you a sense of what the Trinity Forum is about: a community of people working to keep the Christian intellectual tradition alive, and to nurture new growth in it in our time, for the renewal of our culture.  If that resonates with you, please join the Trinity Forum as a member at ttf.org. We hope you enjoy the conversation.

This conversation is on the practical wisdom the Christian tradition offers for something that affects all of us: matters of life and death. Dr. Lydia Dugdale will be our guide. Lydia has applied practices from this faith tradition in her daily work with patients and families as a physician, professor and medical ethicist in New York City. She draws deeply from it in her book The Lost Art of Dying: Reviving Forgotten Wisdom – which she wrote for her patients, and those who love them:“[Death] exists as a paradox … death has been conquered in the Resurrection of Christ, and then death is still the last enemy to be destroyed in the final resurrection of the dead.” — Lydia DugdaleWe hope this conversation helps paint a picture of what it means to live as a Christian on the road of life, where death is not the end, but a stop along the way to eternity.This podcast was recorded with a live audience at a Trinity Forum evening conversation in Nashville in 2025. It'll give you a good sense of what the Trinity Forum is about: a community of people working to keep the Christian intellectual tradition alive, to nurture new growth in it for society's renewal, and to make it available to all. Related Conversations:Being, Living, and Dying Well, an Online Conversation with Lydia DugdaleFaith, Health, and Healing, an Evening Conversation with Farr Curlin and Daniel SulmasySuffering and Flourishing: Perseverance and Faith in the Midst of Pain, an Evening Conversation with Dr. Ray Barfield and Rev. Michael Walrond

In this conversation, author Ross Douthat draws from the tradition to tackle a foundational question: Why believe?Amid evidence that America's long trend of secularization has leveled off, a perception of the limits of a strictly materialist worldview, and growing dissatisfaction with “do it yourself” approaches to spirituality, what does traditional faith uniquely offer those seeking truth in our time?New York Times columnist and author Ross Douthat joins us for this conversation, making the case for Christianity and rejecting atheism, all through the lens of reason: “I think secularization as a deep and profound phenomenon is not real, as you can tell. I think the world remains shot through with miracle and mystery and enchantment.” – Ross Douthat We hope this conversation provides a look at faith from a fresh angle, and encourages you in practicing traditional faith as an answer to the search for truth in our time.This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in February 2025. Watch the recording here.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:Ross Douthat for The New York TimesMatter of Opinion PodcastThe Deep Places: A memoir of Illness and DiscoveryThe Decadent Society to Change the ChurchTo Change the Church: Pope Francis and the Future of CatholicismBad Religion: How We Became a Nation of HereticsBelieve: Why Everyone Should Be ReligiousBethel McGrew, on left vs. right brain of ChristianityRelated Trinity Forum Readings:The Wager; Blaise PascalThe Strangest Story in the World; G.K. ChestertonA Practical View of Real Christianity; William WilberforceGod's Grandeur: Gerard Manley Hopkins selection of poems; Gerard Manley HopkinsRelated Conversations:A World Transformed with Tom HollandThe Strangest Story in the World: G.K. Chesterton and the Incarnation with Dale AhlquistTruth and Trust with Francis CollinsFaith in an Empirical World with Ard Louis and Tremper Longman

We were made for relationship — to be seen, loved, known, and committed to others. And yet we increasingly find ourselves, in the words of sociologist Jonathan Haidt, “disoriented, unable to speak the same language or recognize the same truth. We are cut off from one another and from the past.”On our podcast Haidt and bestselling author Andy Crouch pair up to explore how the technology era has seduced us with a false vision of human flourishing—and how each of us can fight back, and restore true community:“A person is a heart, soul, mind, strength, complex designed for love. And one of the really damaging things about our technology is very little of our technology develops all four of those qualities.” - Andy CrouchWe hope you enjoy this conversation about the seismic effects technology has had on our personal relationships, civic institutions, and even democratic foundations — and how we might approach rethinking our technologies and reclaiming human connection.This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2022. Watch the full video of the conversation here. Learn more about Jonathan Haidt and Andy Crouch.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:The Happiness Hypothesis, by Jonathan HaidtThe Coddling of the American Mind, by Jonathan HaidtThe Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion, by Jonathan HaidtCulture Making, by Andy CrouchPlaying God, by Andy CrouchStrong and Weak, by Andy CrouchThe TechWise Family, by Andy CrouchMy TechWise Life, by Amy and Andy CrouchThe Life We're Looking For: Reclaiming Relationship in a Technological World, by Andy CrouchErnest HemingwayFrancis BaconHoward HotsonGreg LukianoffWolfram SchultzThe Sacred Canopy, by Peter L. BergerEpictetusMarcus AureliusRelated Trinity Forum Readings:Brave New World, by Alduous HuxleyBulletins from Immortality: Poems by Emily DickinsonPilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie DillardPolitics and the English Language, by George OrwellThe Origins of Totalitarianism, by Hannah ArendtCity of God, by St. Augustine of HippoChildren of Light and Children of Darkness by Reinhold NiebuhrOn Happiness, by Thomas AquinasRelated Conversations:Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval LevinThe Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent BacoteThe Decadent Society with Ross DouthatScience, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis CollinsBeyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene RiversJustice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac PierHealing a Divided Culture with Arthur BrooksAfter Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan HaidtTrust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie KristianHope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt ThompsonTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help...

US foreign aid is unexpectedly in the news in 2025 as never before. What do Christians need to know, to help us be part of the dialogue?America's history of foreign aid dates back at least to the Marshall Plan that followed World War II. Many Christians have been involved. How have these believers thought about the appropriate roles of government and of faith-based institutions? What has the US been doing, with what impact? And what is the situation on the ground now?Three believers knowledgeable about this work join us for this episode to illustrate the scope of how faith-based foreign aid has impacted regions worldwide, share their perspectives on what a Christ-like spirit looks like in this field, and discuss where they see aid is most needed—now more than ever."Jesus calls on us to help the poor, your neighbor, the stranger, the sick, the shunned, the scorned, the stigmatized. Think of Jesus embracing those in poverty, prostitution, leprosy ... the US ... is not a savior. That's Jesus's job. But it can be an enabler of human flourishing so that people can survive and thrive." — Mark LagonAmbassador Mark Lagon has served as the US Ambassador to combat human trafficking, and is now focused on the fight against malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS.Nicole Bibbins Sedaca has held leadership roles in the government, academic and NGO sectors working and teaching on democracy, human rights and religious freedom.Myal Greene leads World Relief, the development arm of the National Association of Evangelicals; while serving in Rwanda, he developed its church-based programming model.This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation from April 2025. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.Related Trinity Forum Readings:A Man Who Changed His Times; William WilberforceThis Child Will Be Great; Ellen Sirleaf JohnsonOut of My Life and Thought; Albert Schweitzer Cry, the Beloved Country; Alan PatonSphere Sovereignty; Abraham KuyperPolitics, Morality, and Civility; Václav HavelRelated Conversations:Abraham Kuyper's Sphere Sovereignty with Vincent BacoteTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society.

As we emerge from the Lenten season, freshly renewed by the triumph of the Resurrection, beauty and wonder are particularly present for Christians. In this episode, author and songwriter Andrew Peterson shares his insights about the importance of location and living responsibly and attentively in whatever specific place you inhabit. He discusses how deeper attentiveness to the beauty around us can awaken us to wisdom and wonder.This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation from December 2021. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.Learn more about Andrew Peterson.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:The God of the Garden, by Andrew PetersonTim Mackey, The Bible Project's Tree of Life podcast seriesJaber Crow, by Wendell BerryWilliam WordsworthThe Death and Life of Great American Cities, Jane JacobsThe Geography of Nowhere: The Rise and Decline of America's Man-Made Landscape, by James Howard KunstlerSidewalks in the Kingdom: New Urbanism and the Christian Faith, Eric O. JacobsenGilead, by Marilynne RobinsonRich Mullins10 Resolutions for Mental Health, Clyde KilbyRelated Trinity Forum Readings:Bright Evening Star, Madeleine L'EngleA Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens Babette's Feast, by Isak DinesenRelated Conversations:Practicing Gratitude with Diana Butler BassTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

Throughout Lent, we've been releasing weekly episodes focused on spiritual practices.In the final episode of the series, this Holy Week we're considering the discipline of waiting: how we can prepare ourselves to receive good news. Our guide today is N.T. Wright, the Anglican Bishop and New Testament scholar. He describes how Jesus invited his hearers into a new way of understanding Israel's ancient story of waiting, the cosmic significance of its sudden fulfillment, and its meaning for us in this in-between time of preparation to receive good news: "The ultimate life after death is not a platonic disembodied immortality, but resurrection life in God‘s new creation. And that new world began when Jesus came out of the tomb on Easter morning. That's the good news. Something happened then as a result of which the world is a different place. And we are summoned, not just to enjoy its benefits, but to take up our own vocations as new creation people, as spirit-filled and spirit-led Jesus followers, bringing his kingdom into reality in our world."We hope that this conversation will help you as you wait and prepare to receive this good news.The podcast is drawn from an evening conversation we hosted back in 2016. You can find our shownotes and much more at ttf.org. Thank you for journeying with us through Lent. Learn more about N.T. Wright. Watch The Good News and the Good Life, with N.T. Wright and Richard Hayes. Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:Who is this Man? by John Ortberg Related Trinity Forum Readings:Devotions by John Donne and paraphrased by Philip YanceyThe Confessions of St. Augustine by Augustine of Hippo, Introduced by James K.A. SmithPilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie DillardPilgrim's Progress by John BunyanGod's Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley HopkinsA Spiritual Pilgrimage by Malcolm Muggeridge Related Conversations:Liturgy of the Ordinary in Extraordinary Times with Tish Harrison WarrenCaring for Words in a Culture of Lies with Marilyn McEntyreInvitation to Solitude and Silence with Ruth Haley BartonOn the Road with Saint Augustine with James K.A. Smith and Elizabeth BruenigThe Habit Podcast, Episode 26: Tish Harrison Warren with Doug McKelveyThe Spiritual Practice of Remembering with Margaret Bendroth To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org, and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, visit ttf.org/join.

Throughout the season of Lent, we're releasing weekly episodes focused on spiritual practices.If at the center of reality is a God whose love is a generative, creative force, how do humans made in God's image begin to reflect this beauty and love in a world rent by brokenness and ugliness?As Makoto Fujimura argues on our latest podcast, it's in the act of making that we are able to experience the depth of God's being and grace, and to realize an integral part of our humanity:“Love, by definition, is something that goes way outside of utilitarian values and efficiencies and industrial bottom lines. It has to…and when we love, I think we make. That's just the way we are made, and we respond to that making. So we make, and then when we receive that making, we make again.”Artistry and creativity are not just formative, but even liturgical in that they shape our understanding of, orientation towards, and love for, both the great creator and his creation.We hope you're encouraged in your making this Lenten season that the God who created you in his image delights in your delight.If this podcast inspires you, and you're so inclined, we'd love to see what you create, be that a painting, a meal, a poem, or some other loving, artistic expression. Feel free to share it with us by tagging us on your favorite social platform.This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2021. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Makoto Fujimura.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:Art + Faith: A Theology of Making, by Makoto FujimuraWilliam BlakeVincent Van GoghN.T. WrightEsther MeekJaques PépinBruce HermanMartin Luther King Jr.The Gift, by Lewis HydeAmanda GoldmanT. S. EliotCalvin SilveDavid BrooksRelated Trinity Forum Readings:Babette's Feast, by Isak DinesenFour Quartets, by T.S. EliotPilgrim's Progress, by John BunyanPilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie DillardGod's Grandeur, by Gerard Manley HopkinsRelated Conversations:A New Year With The Word with Malcolm GuiteMusic, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi FloydPursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda QuinnReading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten WilsonWalking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark BuchananTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society.

Throughout the season of Lent, we're releasing weekly episodes focused on spiritual practices.We live in an age of speed and overwhelm, where we often feel we are expected to do more, move faster, work harder, brush past boundaries and limits, and shave margins. When we inevitably fail to meet all demands, we are left feeling not only exhausted, but often diminished."Part of what you start to see is ... our limits ... is actually what fosters our relationship with God, with others, even with the earth ... it's the stuff of life." But what if, instead of seeing our limitations as an impediment, we could learn to view them as a blessing, even a gift? In You're Only Human, theologian and scholar Kelly Kapic provides a theologically grounded approach to understanding and receiving the gift of our human finitude.He offers us a way to find joy and relief in our incarnational limits and use them to foster greater freedom, spiritual growth, and deeper community.This podcast is drawn from our Online Conversation from December 2022. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.Learn more about Kelly Kapic.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:You're Only Human, by Kelly KapicEmbodied Hope, by  Kelly KapicThe God Who Gives, by Kelly KapicThe Devoted Life, by Kelly KapicBecoming Whole, by Kelly KapicWendell BerryThe Sabbath, by Abram Joshua HeschelRobert EmmonsRelated Trinity Forum Readings:Bright Evening Star, Madeleine L'EngleA Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens Babette's Feast, by Isak DinesenRelated Conversations:Practicing Gratitude with Diana Butler BassBeauty and Wonder with Andrew PetersonTime and Hope with James K.A. SmithBeauty from Darkness with Curt ThompsonTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

Pursuing Humility, with Richard Foster and Brenda QuinnThroughout the season of Lent, we're releasing weekly episodes focused on spiritual practices.In an age when self-promotion is often celebrated as a sign of leadership and strength, humility may seem a lost virtue. In his work Learning Humility, theologian Richard Foster argues that humility is actually strength, releasing us from a preoccupation with self, and allowing us to live a life of freedom:“One of the dangers among religious folks is that they can become stuffy bores. And it is hilarity that frees us from that. We don't take ourselves so seriously. We can laugh at our own foibles. If you look carefully… it's not hard to identify humble people. You'll find the freedom that they have to just enjoy life and enjoy other people, enjoy the successes of another person rather than being envious of it. Things like that. And so that's why humility, the most basic of the virtues, opens us up to a life of freedom.”May Foster's call to humility, and pastor and writer Brenda Quinn's practical insights on living it out in leadership and community, inspire you this Lenten season to contemplate the humility of Jesus and the way of the cross.This podcast is an edited version of a conversation recorded in 2022. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:Learning Humility, by Richard FosterCelebration of Discipline, by Richard FosterStreams of Living Water, by Richard FosterSanctuary of the Soul, by Richard FosterThe Life With God Bible, contributed to by Richard FosterC.S. LewisTimothy KellerThe Frenzy of RenownRelated Trinity Forum Readings:The Long Loneliness, by Dorothy DayBrave New World, by Aldous HuxleyWho Stands Fast, featuring Dietrich BonhoefferBabette's Feast, by Isak DinesenWrestling with God, by Simone Weil Related Conversations:A New Year With The Word with Malcolm GuiteMusic, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi FloydTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

Throughout the season of Lent, we'll be releasing weekly episodes focused on themes of reflection, prayer, and contemplation. As you listen to this episode, we invite you to take a moment to slow down, quiet your heart, and hear what God may be saying to you. What if we viewed reading as not just a personal hobby or a pleasurable indulgence but as a spiritual practice that deepens our faith?In her book, Reading for the Love of God, award-winning author and Trinity Forum Senior Fellow Jessica Hooten Wilson explores how Christian thinkers—including Augustine, Julian of Norwich, Frederick Douglass, and Dorothy Sayers—approached the act of reading.She argues that reading deeply and well can not only open a portal to a broader imagination, but is akin to acquiring travel supplies for the good life:“What I'm hoping to see more of is that the church becomes again those people of the book that really try to make others belong and strive for a deeper connection, versus the party atmosphere that our world always is tempting us to do.”We hope you're encouraged this Lenten season as you learn to read as a spiritual practice, finding grace and wisdom for living well along the way.This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2023. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Jessica Hooten Wilson.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:Learning the Good Life: Wisdom from the Great Hearts and Minds That Came Before, by Jessica Hooten WilsonGiving the Devil His Due, by Jessica Hooten WilsonThe Scandal of Holiness: Renewing Your Imagination in the Company of Literary Saints, by Jessica Hooten WilsonReading for the Love of God: How to Read as a Spiritual Practice,, by Jessica Hooten WilsonWalker Percy

In the first episode of our weekly Lenten series, we invite you to take a moment to slow down, quiet your heart, and hear what God may be saying to you. Throughout the season of Lent, we'll be releasing weekly episodes focused on themes of reflection, prayer, and contemplation.On March 19, 2021 we were delighted to host Christian author, leader, and teacher, Ruth Haley Barton. Barton is founding President/CEO of the Transforming Center, a ministry dedicated to strengthening the souls of Christian leaders and the congregations and organizations they serve. Ruth is the author of numerous books and resources on the spiritual life, including Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership and Sacred Rhythms. She reflects regularly on spirituality and leadership in her blog, Beyond Words, and on her podcast Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership.We hope you enjoy this conversation around her book, Invitation to Solitude and Silence: Experiencing God's Transforming Presence. Our attention, Barton believes, has become a commodity that we must protect if we are to avoid being swept away by our distracted age. She invites listeners to engage in these ancient biblical practices to find the rest for our souls that Jesus promises. In this Lenten season, we hope this will inspire you to pursue God's transforming presence in new ways and contemplatively sit in solitude and silence with the Author and Perfecter of our faith. Learn more about Ruth Haley Barton. Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript from March 19, 2021. Related reading:A Shocking Lack of Solitude, Cherie Harder Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:Blaise PascalJohn MiltonC.S. LewisRichard RohrDallas WillardHenry NouwenShop Class as Soulcraft, by Matthew B. CrawfordRabbi Abraham Joshua HeschelJulian of NorwichInvitation to Solitude and Silence: Experiencing God's Transforming Presence, by Ruth Haley Barton Related Trinity Forum Readings:Confessions | A Trinity Forum Reading by St. Augustine, introduced by James K.A. Smith.Pilgrim at Tinker Creek | A Trinity Forum Reading by Annie Dillard, introduced by Tish Harrison Warren.Devotions | A Trinity Forum Reading by John Donne, introduced and paraphrased by Philip Yancey.The Long Loneliness | A Trinity Forum Reading by Dorothy Day, introduced by Anne and David Brooks.Wrestling with God | A Trinity Forum Reading by Simone Weil, introduced by Alonzo McDonald.The Pilgrim's Progress | A Trinity Forum Reading by John Bunyan, introduced by Alonzo McDonald.

How Christianity Remade the WorldIn the context of the pagan classical world, the Christian faith was a shocking, even unfathomable inversion of the values systems and structures of the time. In that embattled context, its explosive growth was unimaginable. Today, however, Christianity is often considered boring or backwards.How might we better discern and understand the radicalism of Christianity's origins, its impact through the centuries, and its enduring formational power? Historian Tom Holland's landmark book Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World, calls attention to these puzzles and paradoxes:”Dominion was written as an attempt to stress test my hunch that Christianity really had been the most seismic and revolutionary development, not just really in the history of the West, but probably globally. And  I'm relieved to say that I was satisfied that it had been what I was setting out to show that it had been.” - Tom HollandWe trust this conversation will fire your imagination anew, and help you see with new eyes how the inverted values and priorities of God's kingdom continue to disrupt the patterns of the world, and shape our cultural assumptions.This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation recorded in February, 2025. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.Learn more about Tom Holland.To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietyEpisode Outline00:00 Introduction to Dominion and Tom Holland03:09 Tom Holland's Journey to Writing Dominion03:48 The Alien World of Classical Antiquity06:32 The Impact of Christianity on Western Civilization07:33 The Crucifixion and its Historical Significance10:42 The Uncanny Character of Jesus13:13 Early Christian Persecution and Martyrdom16:59 Paul's Radical Teachings and their Legacy21:37 The Doctrine of Original Sin and Human Dignity27:51 Christianity's Influence on Modern Politics32:17 Tom Holland's Personal Reflections on Christianity36:38 Viewer Questions on American Politics and Christianity's Influence on the Family, Modern Politics, and More49:50 Tom's Closing Thoughts and White Tiger, by Poet RS ThomasAuthors and books mentioned in the conversation:The Rest is History (podcast)The Histories by Herodotus, translation by Tom HollandRubicon, Millennium, Persian Fire, Pax, Dominion, by Tom HollandThe City of God, by St. Augustine of HippoRelated Trinity Forum Readings:City of God, by St. Augustine of Hippo The Strangest Story in the World, by GK ChestertonWhy God Became Man, by Anselm of CanterburyA Practical View of Real Christianity, by William WilberforceRelated Conversations:

Suffering, Wayfaring & Hope with Curt Thompson and Warren KinghornAnxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges are surging among both young and old. By some estimates, more than one in five American adults struggle with some form of mental illness each year. There are few untouched – either directly or through loved ones – with the suffering that attends such struggles. What does faith offer those in the midst of such challenges?Warren Kinghorn and Curt Thompson, both practicing Christian psychiatrists, join our podcast to help explore these questions. Warren's book, Wayfaring: A Christian Approach to Mental Health Care, draws from the theology of Thomas Aquinas as well as the science of today. Curt's latest book, The Deepest Place: Suffering and the Formation of Hope, draws from the Apostle Paul's experience to show us how we can flourish in the midst of suffering. Together, they help us to reframe our understanding of mental health care from fixing machines to accompanying fellow wayfarers on the way to the Lord's feast:“There's a lot of really good things about thinking about mental health care as a process of careful work to reduce symptoms. But what are we missing?“I think some of what we're missing are the stories that people bring in and the stories, not just of individuals, but of communities and cultures…Maybe they're not just internal problems where something's broken and needs to be fixed, but maybe we need to think about it in a broader and more holistic context.”- Warren KinghornWe trust this podcast will give you new language, compassion, and tools to address mental health challenges, and to wayfare alongside loved ones who may also be struggling.This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation recorded in January, 2025. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.Learn more about Warren Kinghorn and Curt Thompson.Episode Outline0:00 Introduction: The Mental Health Crisis00:51 Meet the Experts: Curt Thompson and Warren Kinghorn03:58 The Power of Stories in Mental Health07:13 Reframing Mental Health: From Machines to Wayfarers15:55 The Role of Community in Healing35:50 Q&A: Addressing Shame, Community, and Healing55:36 The Last Word from Warren Kinghorn and Curt ThompsonAuthors and books mentioned in the conversation: The Deepest Place, by Curt ThompsonWayfaring, by Warren KinghornSt. Thomas Aquinas Anatomy of the Soul, by Curt ThompsonThe Soul of Shame, by Curt ThompsonThe Soul of Desire: Discovering the Neuroscience of Longing, Beauty, and Community, by Curt ThompsonThompsonWendell BerryJohn C. PolanyiJulianne Holt-LunstadRelated Trinity Forum Readings:On Happiness, St. Thomas AquinasMan's Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl,Confessions, by St. Augustine The Long Loneliness, by Dorothy DayPilgrim's Progress, by John BunyanPilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie DillardRelated Conversations:The Soul of Desire with Curt ThompsonHope and Healing in Hard Times with Curt ThompsonTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

The Strangest Story in the World: G.K. Chesterton & the IncarnationC.S. Lewis famously credited G.K. Chesterton's The Everlasting Man as a key step in his turn from atheism to Christian faith. The book audaciously surveyed the broad sweep of human history, then zeroed in on the Incarnation of Christ. How, Chesterton asked, could such a mysterious and startling event come to be known as the center point of history? And how did this intellectual mystic offer a fresh path into this story for so many? In this episode, we dive into one of Chesterton's greatest works and explore the mystery of the incarnation of Jesus Christ alongside Dale Ahlquist, one of the world's leading experts on G.K. Chesterton:“Philosophy and religion come together for the first time when Jesus comes. Why is that so strange? Because the spiritual life and the intellectual life have finally run into each other in a big way. And how does it come? It comes in the most unexpected way possible.”Our 100th podcast episode illustrates what we do here at the Trinity Forum: keeping the Christian intellectual tradition alive, while also nurturing new growth – for our own time, and for future generations.This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation recorded in 2024. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.Learn more about Dale Ahlquist.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation: The Everlasting Man, by G.K. ChestertonC.S. LewisEvelyn Waugh G. K. Chesterton: The Apostle of Common Sense, by Dale Ahlquist Orthodoxy, by G.K. ChestertonThe Everlasting Man: A Guide to G.K. Chesterton's Masterpiece, by Dale AhlquistGeorge MacDonaldC.S. LewisCharles DickensWilliam ShakespeareJ.R.R. TolkienThe Benedict Option, by Rod DreherAlan JacobsH.G. Wells Roger Kipling George Bernard ShawRelated Trinity Forum Readings:The Strangest Story in the World, by G.K. ChestertonBright Evening Star', by Madeleine L'EngleBabbette's Feast, by Isak DinesenThe Gift of the Magi & Two Thanksgiving Day Gentlemen, by O. Henry Why God Became Man, by AnselmThe Spirit of the Imagination: Selections from Samuel Taylor Coleridge, with an introduction by Malcolm GuiteHandel's Messiah The Oracle of the Dog, by G.K. ChestertonThe Golden Key, by George McDonaldRelated Conversations:Waiting on the Word with Malcolm GuiteAdvent: The Season of Hope, with Tish Harrison WarrenRenewing the Joy of Advent, with Hannah AndersonTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

Perfectly Human with Amy Julia BeckerWe live in a time when our value is often assessed and affirmed largely in terms of our productivity. Entire industries are built around pushing us to optimize our output, maximize our results, unlock our potential, break barriers and records, and perform perpetually at peak. Often drowned out by the din of such appeals is the simple truth that to be human is to be limited, vulnerable, and mortal. And for many of us, such limitations are impossible to ignore. Today's episode features our recent conversation with award winning writer and speaker, Amy Julia Becker, who addresses questions about what it means to be perfectly human, and what understanding disability reveals to us:"To see disability in terms of brokenness is to really misunderstand, I think, this idea of human limitation. [And] also to misunderstand ourselves as beloved, as ones who do not need to produce or perform in order to be acceptable to God, for certain, but even to one another. But instead to be able to actually start from a place of belovedness and move into the world from that place with our limitations but also with an assumption that we have gifts to offer, which might look really, really different from one person to the next.” - Amy Julia BeckerWe hope this conversation helps you wrestle with questions of human limitations, perfection, and our belovedness before God, as we consider anew what constitutes the good life.This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in March of 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Amy Julia Becker.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:To Be Made Well: An Invitation to Wholeness, Healing, and Hope, by Amy Julia BeckerRelated Trinity Forum Readings:Babette's Feast by Isak DinesenBright Evening Star by Madeleine L'EngleWrestling with God by Simone WeilBulletins from Immortality poems by Emily DickinsonLetters from Vincent Van GoghRelated Conversations:A Life Worth Living with Miroslav VolfWhat Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi AshworthLife, Death, Poetry & Peace with Philip YanceyWords Against Despair with Christian WimanTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

Practicing the Way with John Mark ComerThe start of a new year prompts the reflection that if we are not intentionally modeling our life after Jesus, we are likely being formed by something or someone else. Adrift in the cultural current, we're likely to be carried to places we never consciously chose and wonder how we got there.In Practicing the Way, John Mark Comer explores what it means in our times to be a disciple of Jesus -- to be with him, to become like him, and to do as he did:“ It seems to me that the telos of the spiritual journey in the Christian way is becoming a person of love through deepening union with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit…It's the two greatest commandments: love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself, that Jesus put at the center of apprenticeship to him.” - John Mark ComerWe hope this conversation encourages you to move slowly as you abide with Jesus this year, and by his grace are transformed into a person of deeper love, joy, and peace.This podcast is an edited version of a conversation recorded in 2024. Learn more about John Mark Comer.Episode outline00:00 Introduction to Practicing the Way01:00 Formation is Inevitable02:26 John Mark Comer's Background and Influences05:21 Evangelical Discipleship and the Influence of Dallas Willard08:05 From Burnout to the Inner Journey11:26 Being Christian and Being an Apprentice of Jesus21:04 The Destructive Power of Hurry, and the Pace of Love26:13 The Practice of Contemplation and Abiding33:17 Final Thoughts and PrayerAuthors and books mentioned in the conversation:The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, Live No Lies, God Has a Name, Garden City, Practicing the Way, all by John Mark ComerDivine Conspiracy, by Dallas WillardJacques PhilippeSt. ThereseN.T. WrightGary HaugenRobert BellahMother TeresaDorothy DayFrancis ChanJohn StottThree Mile an Hour God, Kosuki KoyamaMary Oliver Marjorie ThompsonKurt ThompsonBrennan ManningRelated Trinity Forum Readings:Augustine's Confessions, with an introduction by James K. A. SmithBright Evening Star, by Madeleine L'EngleA Practical View of Real Christianity, by William WilberforceWrestling with God, by Simone WeilPilgrim's Progress, by John BunyanPilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie DillardWhy God Became Man, by St. AnselmRelated Conversations:Making as a Spiritual Practice with Mako FujimuraWriting as a Spiritual Practice with Jonathan Rogers, Tish Harrison Warren, and Doug McKelveyWalking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark BuchananTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

Heaven & Nature Sing with Hannah AndersonAdvent invites us to enter into the joy of the season through rhythms of remembrance, renewal, and waiting. But often, our very familiarity with the Advent story can leave us dulled to the miracle and joy of the season.In her book of Advent reflections, Heaven and Nature Sing, author Hannah Anderson invites us all into a fresh reading of the Christmas story by drawing together 25 meditations on the beauty of creation:“What I believe creation invites us back to is reorienting ourselves, not only to God, but to our environment and perhaps even to our own bodies and to ourselves. And so when we are giving our attention to the patterns and rhythms and cycles of creation it has the potential to be an access point for some deeper truths that maybe we've forgotten or we've overlooked.” - Hannah AndersonThis podcast is an edited version of a conversation recorded in fall of 2022. Learn more about Hannah Anderson.Episode outline00:00 Welcome and Introduction to Advent01:51 Introducing Hannah Anderson and Her Work02:28 The Inspiration Behind 'Heaven and Nature Sing'04:39 Attentiveness to Creation and Its Lessons07:57 The Link Between Caring for Creation and Others11:58 The Legend of the First Christmas Tree15:27 Jesus' Birth and the Concept of Habitat19:11 The Brutality and Honesty of Nature22:49 Reconnecting with Nature in Modern Times26:49 Practical Steps to Attune to Nature29:32 Closing Thoughts and Poem31:07 Final Farewell and Podcast InformationAuthors and books mentioned in the conversation:All That's Good: Recovering the Lost Art of Discernment, by Hannah AndersonThe Turning of Days: Lessons from Nature, Season, and Spirit, by Hannah AndersonHeaven and Nature Sing, by Hannah AndersonAn Immense World, by Ed YongRelated Trinity Forum Readings:Bright Evening Star, by Madeleine L'EnglePilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie DillardBabette's Feast, by Isak DinesenA Christmas Carol, by Charles DickensThe Gift of the Magi and Two Thanksgiving Gentlemen, by O. HenryGod's Grandeur: the Poems of Gerard Manley HopkinsRelated Conversations:Waiting on the Word, with Malcolm GuiteJoy to the World: Caroling Christmas and Christian Formation, with Keith GettyAdvent: The Season of Hope, with Tish Harrison WarrenTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society.

Abraham Kuyper's Sphere Sovereignty with Vincent BacoteIn this episode of the Trinity Forum Conversations podcast, host Brian Daskam and guest Dr. Vincent Bacote explore Dutch theologian Abraham Kuyper's contributions to Reformed theology, with particular emphasis on his concept of sphere sovereignty:“Kuyper helps us to see that we can be Christian in public spaces without having to turn those public spaces into churches and that we don't have to have a triumphalistic aspiration in order to be faithful in those spaces.” - Dr. Vincent Bacote Kuyper believed that different domains of life, such as church, government, education, and family, each have their own integrity and should operate independently within their God-given roles. As Dr. Bacote argues, Kuyper's ideas can help modern Christians engage more faithfully and imaginatively in public life without succumbing to triumphalism or tribalism. They also address Kuyper's controversial views on race and how to critically appreciate his positive contributions despite his flaws.This podcast is an edited version of a conversation recorded in fall of 2024. Learn more about Vincent Bacote.00:00 Introducing Dr. Vincent Bacote, professor and Trinity Forum Senior Fellow00:57 Who is Abraham Kuyper?01:54 Understanding Kuyper's Concept of Sphere Sovereignty04:33 Sphere Sovereignty in Practice14:35 Kuyper's Views on Race21:36 Applying Kuyper's Ideas Today32:10 Vince's Thoughts on Christians Shaping CultureAuthors and books mentioned in the conversation:The Spirit in Public Theology, Appropriating the Legacy of Abraham Kuyper, by Vincent BacoteContours of the Kuyperian tradition, by Craig BartholomewRelated Trinity Forum Readings:Sphere SovereigntyWrestling with God, Simone WeilChildren of Light and Children of Darkness, by Reinhold NiebuhrPolitics, Morality, and Civility,  by Vaclav HavelThe Origins of Totalitarianism, by Hannah ArendtThe Federalist PapersA Practical View of Real Christianity, by William Wilberforce,Who Stands Fast? by Dietrich BonhoefferRelated Conversations:Hope Beyond Tribalism with James MumfordFaith, Fear & Conspiracy with David FrenchThe Fall, the Founding and the Future of American DemocracyHow to Be a Patriotic ChristianExtremism and the Path Back to Peace with Elizabeth NeumannDemocracy & Solidarity with James Davison Hunter and David BrooksTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

Democracy & Solidarity with James Davison Hunter and David BrooksOne of the biggest questions in the Christian life is what it means to love one's neighbor, both in the personal and the public spheres. While these questions have always been challenging and contested, they seem to have grown increasingly divisive and demoralizing.So how do we begin to restore and reweave solidarity and a love for neighbor into our civic fabric?Today's episode features our recent evening conversation with sociologist and author James Davision Hunter and cultural critic and author David Brooks. Together they help us explore the cultural roots of America's crisis of solidarity, and what it may mean to move together towards a renewed commitment to the common good.“Until we understand the depth that the enemy is in fact not the other side, but in fact the enemy is the nihilism that insinuates itself within almost all of our public institutions, and not least our political institutions, we're really not taking the full measure of the crisis in front of us.” - James Davison HunterWe hope this conversation helps you consider how you're engaging in relationships, and how the smallest acts of seeing another person and listening to their story can help begin to restore our social fabric and establish new cultural norms.This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in September of 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about James Davison Hunter and David Brooks.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:Culture Wars by James Davison HunterThe Death of Character by James Davison HunterScience and the Good by James Davison HunterTo Change the World by James Davison HunterDemocracy and Solidarity by James Davison HunterThe Social Animal by David BrooksThe Road to Character by David BrooksThe Second Mountain by David BrooksHow to Know a Person by David BrooksGeorge MarsdenAristotleThe Public Philosophy, by Walter LippmanArthur SchlesingerJohn BowlbyParker PalmerDavid HumeEdmund BurkeEddie HillisonSimone WeilMother TheresaAmerican Politics: The Promise of Disharmony, by Sam HuntingtonClarence ThomasThe Upswing, by Robert PutnamHoward UsockNicholas EpleyThe Communist ManifestoRelated Trinity Forum Readings:Wrestling with God, Simone WeilChildren of Light and Children of Darkness, by Reinhold NiebuhrPolitics, Morality, and Civility,  by Vaclav HavelThe Origins of Totalitarianism, by Hannah ArendtThe Federalist PapersA Practical View of Real Christianity, by William Wilberforce,Who Stands Fast? by Dietrich BonhoefferRelated Conversations:Hope Beyond Tribalism with James MumfordFaith, Fear & Conspiracy with David FrenchThe Fall, the Founding and the Future of American DemocracyHow to Be a Patriotic ChristianExtremism and the Path Back to Peace with Elizabeth NeumannTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

Extremism and the Path Back to Peace with Elizabeth NeumannThe appropriation of Christian images and language by extremists who advocate violence has become a shocking feature of our time. Surveys show alarming numbers of people who self-identify as religious expressing openness to political violence. Against such a distortion of Christian witness, how can we faithfully live out our calling to be people of peace?Today's episode features our recent conversation with national security expert Elizabeth Neumann, who offers insight and a sobering perspective on how radicalization has taken root among us and what we can do:“Find ways to check your in-group assumptions about their narratives. Particularly when the narratives involve others.” - Elizabeth NeumannAs we approach a national election, we hope this conversation helps you thoughtfully evaluate your own assumptions, and strengthens you to serve as a non-anxious presence within your broader community.This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in October of 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Elizabeth Neumann.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:Kingdom of Rage: the Rise of Christian Extremism and the Path Back to Peace, by Elizabeth NeumannRelated Trinity Forum Readings:Children of Light and Children of Darkness, by Reinhold NiebuhrPolitics, Morality, and Civility,  by Vaclav HavelThe Origins of Totalitarianism, by Hannah ArendtThe Federalist PapersA Practical View of Real Christianity, by William Wilberforce,Who Stands Fast? by Dietrich Bonhoeffer.Related Conversations:Hope Beyond Tribalism with James MumfordFaith, Fear & Conspiracy with David FrenchThe Fall, the Founding and the Future of American DemocracyHow to Be a Patriotic ChristianTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent BacoteAs the lines between faith, politics, and patriotism have become, in some quarters, increasingly blurred, it is increasingly important to understand the origin, ideas, and consequences of Christian Nationalism — what it means, why it matters, and how best to respond.“Responsible Christian patriots try to show how Christianity can be a service to the nation; extreme nationalists make Christianity a servant of the nation.” - Mark Noll“If you think about the cross: patriotism, rightly construed from a Christian point of view, will put the flag at the foot of the cross. Christian nationalism wants to drape the [flag] over them. So is God serving your country, the sponsor of your country, or are you, as a Christian, operating wherever you are and having loyalty, but not your primary loyalty to your country over God?” - Vincent BacoteWe hope you find this conversation insightful and helpful as you consider the state of our culture and shared political life, and your role in reviving responsible Christian patriotism.This podcast is an edited version of an Online Conversation recorded in June of 2021. You can access the full conversation with transcript here. Learn more about Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind by Mark NollGod and Race in American Politics: A Short History, by Mark NollThe Civil War as Theological Crisis, by Mark NollIn the Beginning Was the Word: The Bible in American Public Life, by Mark NollThe Political Disciple, A Theology of Public Life, by Vincent BacoteReckoning with Race and Performing the Good News, by Vincent BacoteThe Spirit in Public Theology: Appropriating the legacy of Abraham Kuyper, by Vincent BacoteRelated Trinity Forum Readings:A Narrative of the Life of Frederick DouglassCity of God by St. Augustine of HippoChildren of Light and Children of Darkness by Reinhold NiebuhrLetter from a Birmingham Jail by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.Related Conversations:Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval LevinThe Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent BacoteThe Decadent Society with Ross DouthatScience, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis CollinsBeyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene RiversJustice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac PierHealing a Divided Culture with Arthur BrooksAfter Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan HaidtTrust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie KristianHope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt ThompsonTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

What does wisdom mean for Christians in an age of polarization, cynicism, and distrust? In confronting the unique concerns of our time, what can help us become wise?On our podcast, Dr. Francis S. Collins joins us to discuss his new book, The Road to Wisdom, illuminating how truth, science, faith, and trust work together to help us discern the best path forward in life:“I think the time has come for many of us to say, I think I need to be part of a solution here. I need to say, it's not enough to say things shouldn't be like this. I'm ready to say, I shouldn't be like this. Let me try to get my house in order, get my worldview reset to the truth, to faith, if that's who I am, and not let all of this other noise out there knock me off my road to wisdom in a way that's bad for me and bad for my society.” - Francis Collins We hope this conversation helps you reflect on the acquisition of wisdom, and how Christians in particular might become agents of healing and trust building in the midst of a cynical and polarized culture.This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in September 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Francis Collins.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.Jonathan HaidtThe Road to Wisdom, by Francis S. CollinsThe Language of God, by Francis S. CollinsRené DescartesDavid HumeRelated Trinity Forum Readings:Telling Truth to Kings, by Reinhold SchneiderBrave New World, by Aldous HuxleyPolitics and the English Language, by George OrwellAugustine's ConfessionsThe Wager, by Blaise PascalThe Lost Tools of Learning, by Dorothy SayersRelated Conversations:Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael WearThe Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim AlbertaA Life Worth Living with Miroslav VolfTowards a Better Christian PoliticsChristian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of DifferenceWhat Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi AshworthScripture and the Public SquareHow to be a Patriotic ChristianLife, Death, Poetry & Peace with Philip YanceyThe Fall, the Founding, and the Future of American DemocracyFear and Conspiracy with David FrenchWords Against Despair with Christian WimanHope Beyond Tribalism with James MumfordTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

Hope Beyond Tribalism with James MumfordAmidst a culture of political tribalism and personal loneliness, how can we more clearly, creatively, charitably, and faithfully think and engage with our neighbors? What kinds of practices of mind, body, and spirit, might help us to see and act with greater empathy and understanding?In his book, Vexed: Ethics Beyond Political Tribes, author James Mumford considers these questions and how often our ethical convictions get politically bundled up with others in what he calls a kind of “package deal.”It's in examining our own convictions, and the exercise of the moral imagination that we can begin to move beyond tribalism into a greater freedom:“The sort of engagement relationally that I'm talking about, it's very different from the sort of combative exchange that we see on social media.  And so it is a counter cultural project, I think, to disengage, to question our own assumptions, and then also to engage with other people about their own assumptions and their own convictions and how those fit together.” - James MumfordWe hope this conversation helps you to think more clearly about your own convictions, and to view your neighbors, even those with whom you disagree, with greater empathy.This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in June 2020. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about James Mumford.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:Vexed: Ethics Beyond Political Tribes, by James MumfordThe Righteous Mind, by Jonathan HaidtT. S. EliotRelated Trinity Forum Readings:Four Quartets - T.S. EliotChildren of Light and the Children of Darkness, by Reinhold NiebuhrDemocracy in America, Alexis de TocquevilleBabette's Feast, by Isak DinesenPolitics, Morality, and Civility, by Václav HavelRelated Conversations:Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael WearThe Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim AlbertaA Life Worth Living with Miroslav VolfTowards a Better Christian PoliticsChristian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of DifferenceWhat Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi AshworthScripture and the Public SquareHow to be a Patriotic ChristianLife, Death, Poetry & Peace with Philip YanceyThe Fall, the Founding, and the Future of American DemocracyFear and Conspiracy with David FrenchWords Against Despair with Christian WimanTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

Words Against Despair with Christian WimanAs poet Christian Wiman explains on our podcast, despair is part of the human condition: “I deal with despair because…I don't know how not to, and it would be an evasion not to. And I think if you don't feel it, then you're not paying attention.”In his new book, Zero at the Bone: Fifty Entries Against Despair, the acclaimed poet chases meaning through words, including memoir and poetry. And in this conversation he explains how he has found relief from despair in poetry, even and especially when poets grapple honestly with despair, “they speak of [despair] as a thing that can be spoken of.”Wiman returned to Christian faith in part through a terminal cancer diagnosis–one that he has, to his astonishment, now lived with for over 18 years. His work explores themes of illness, love, faith, and the “almost spiritual joy” of encountering a deadly coral snake. We trust you will find in his poetry, and in this conversation with Trinity Forum's guest host, Tom Wash, a great tonic against despair.This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in April 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Christian Wiman.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:Zero at the Bone: Fifty Entries Against Despair, by Chrisitan WimanMarylin RobisonDanielle ChapmanWilliam BronkWilliam WordsworthEvery Riven Thing, by Christian WimanMy Bright Abyss: Meditations of a Modern Believer, by Christian WimanPrayer, by Carol Ann DuffyThe Bible and Poetry, by Michael Edwards Augustine of HippoBittersweet, by George HerbertSurprised by Joy, by C.S. LewisRichard WilburJürgen MoltmannWhen the Time's Toxins, by Christian WimanRelated Trinity Forum Readings:Augustine's ConfessionsDevotions by John Donne, paraphrased by Philip YanceyGod's Grandeur: the Poems of Gerard Manley HopkinsBulletins from Immortality, by Emily DickinsonWrestling with God, by Simone WeilRelated Conversations:Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael WearThe Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim AlbertaA Life Worth Living with Miroslav VolfTowards a Better Christian PoliticsChristian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of DifferenceWhat Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi AshworthScripture and the Public SquareHow to be a Patriotic ChristianLife, Death, Poetry & Peace with Philip YanceyThe Fall, the Founding, and the Future of American DemocracyFear and Conspiracy with David FrenchTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

In his book, Divided We Fall, author David French explores not only the rise of conspiracy thinking, but also the tribalism and alienation that has divided the country. On our podcast, French considers why our unsettling times have proven fertile ground for the growth of conspiracy thinking, especially within the Christian community, and he offers his thoughts on  what a Christian response to conspiracy theories might entail:“Media consumption that is not thoughtfully curated can actually be quite harmful to our perceptions of reality and our fellow man.” - David FrenchThis podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2021. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about David French.Especially in these chaotic times, we hope this conversation will inspire you to grow in your faith and find the freedom that comes in the pursuit of truth and the ways of its Author.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:The Rise of Isis: A Threat We Can't Ignore, by David FrenchA Season for Justice: Defending the Rights of Christian Home School and Church, by David FrenchHome and Away: A Story of Family in Time of War, by David FrenchDivided We Fall, by David FrenchRod DreherCass SunsteinBill BishopJonathan HaidtRelated Trinity Forum Readings:Brave New World, by Alduos HuxleyThe Federalist PapersDemocracy in America, by Alexis de TocquevillePolitics, Morality, and Civility, by Vaclav HavelChildren of Light, Children of Darkness, by Reinhold NiebuhrRelated Conversations:A New Year With The Word with Malcolm GuiteMusic, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi FloydPursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda QuinnReading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten WilsonWalking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark BuchananMaking as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto FujimuraConnecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael WearThe Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim AlbertaA Life Worth Living with Miroslav VolfTowards a Better Christian PoliticsChristian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of DifferenceWhat Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi AshworthScripture and the Public SquareHow to be a Patriotic ChristianLife, Death, Poetry & Peace with Philip YanceyThe Fall, the Founding, and the Future of American DemocracyTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

The Fall, the Founding, and the Future of American DemocracyWhat did America's founders believe about human nature? How might a deeper understanding of their perspective shape the way we think about current and future challenges to our democracy?On this podcast episode, historian and author Dr. Tracy McKenzie helps us take a closer look at the founder's view of human nature, what the abandonment of this view implies, and the tension of fallen human beings entrusted with self-governance:We are storytelling creatures and the stories that we tell one another, the stories that relentlessly we hear in the public square are stories that tell us that liberty and justice and human dignity can all be upheld by leaving our hearts untouched. That's not the message of the gospel.  - Tracy McKenzieThis is podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2022. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Dr. Tracy McKenzie.We hope this conversation on America's history helps you see the present with fresh insight as together we consider how Christians and the Church can play a positive role in the public and political life of our country.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:The First Thanksgiving: What the Real Story Tells Us About a Loving God and Learning from History, by Dr. Tracy McKenzieA Little Book for New Historians: Why and How to Study History, by Dr. Tracy McKenzieWe the Fallen People: the Founders and the Future of American Democracy, by Dr. Tracy McKenzieDemocracy in America, by Alexis de TocquevilleRelated Trinity Forum Readings:The Federalist PapersDemocracy in America, by Alexis de TocquevillePolitics, Morality, and Civility, by Vaclav HavelChildren of Light, Children of Darkness, by Reinhold NiebuhrRelated Conversations:A New Year With The Word with Malcolm GuiteMusic, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi FloydPursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda QuinnReading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten WilsonWalking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark BuchananMaking as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto FujimuraConnecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael WearThe Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim AlbertaA Life Worth Living with Miroslav VolfTowards a Better Christian PoliticsChristian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of DifferenceWhat Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi AshworthScripture and the Public SquareHow to be a Patriotic ChristianLife, Death, Poetry & Peace with Philip YanceyTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

Life, Death, Poetry & Peace with Philip YanceyLife has changed dramatically in the 400 years since John Donne wrote his Devotions. Yet despite the advances of the intervening centuries, we find that, like Donne, we are still subject to sickness and death. We still long for comfort. We still want to know what God is saying to us.Author Philip Yancey has found surprisingly relevant answers to these perennial questions in the works of John Donne. Updating the great poet's work for modern readers in his book UNDONE: A Modern Rendering of John Donne's Devotions, Yancey has given us a devotional treasure, particularly for those in the midst of trial and suffering:God is on the side of the sufferer. And that's so important. When I go to places like Virginia Tech or Columbine in my backyard here in Colorado or various places and talk about pain and suffering, it's just an important point to get across. And I know that's true because God gave us a face. God showed us what God is like in human form. - Philip YanceyThis is a conversation rich with insights into the problem of pain and the human condition, and full of comfort as we get a clearer picture of God in the face of Jesus. We hope that it encourages you deeply and that you'll share it with others.This is podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Philip Yancey.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:UNDONE: A Modern Rendering of John Donne's Devotions, by Philip YanceyWhere Is God When It Hurts, by Philip YanceyIn His Image, by Philip Yancey and Paul BrandDisappointment with God, by Philip YanceyThe Jesus I never Knew, by Philip YanceyWhat's So Amazing About Grace, by Philip YanceyDevotions Upon Emergent Occasions, by John DonneThe Art of Dying, by Lydia DugdaleDr. Paul BrandRelated Trinity Forum Readings:Sacred and Profane Love, the poetry of John DonneWrestling with God, by Simone WeilBulletins from Immortality: Poems by Emily DickinsonMan's Search for Meaning, by Viktor FranklRelated Conversations:A New Year With The Word with Malcolm GuiteMusic, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi FloydPursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda QuinnReading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten WilsonWalking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark BuchananMaking as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto FujimuraConnecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael WearThe Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim AlbertaA Life Worth Living with Miroslav VolfTowards a Better Christian PoliticsChristian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of DifferenceWhat Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi AshworthScripture and the Public SquareHow to be a...

How to be a Patriotic ChristianThe topic of Christian nationalism takes us into deep questions of how we understand and live out our allegiances to both our country and the kingdom of God, how we ought to relate to our neighbors, and how we should pursue justice and flourishing within our nation. It's also a topic rife with confusion and uncertainty. But what is Christian nationalism, and how is it different from a robust patriotism? On our podcast we explore these questions with scholars and authors Richard Mouw and Paul D. Miller who help us distinguish between living out one's faith in the public square and instrumentalizing faith for political ends:"Because I think America is in fact, so great, it means it is so tempting to idolize America because it's just one of the greatest things. Anything we idolize becomes destructive, and it can be destructive individually of our spiritual lives. But when you idolize a nation, that nation can be unbelievably destructive." - Paul D. MillerThis podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2023. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Richard Mouw and Paul D. MillerWe hope that this conversation has been helpful in articulating what it means to be a patriotic Christian, and in offering better language and frameworks for wrestling with questions of how to live out our faith in the public square.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:Uncommon Decency: Christian Civility in an Uncivil World, by Richard MouwPluralisms and Horizons, by Richard MouwPraying at Burger King, by Richard MouwHow to Be a Patriotic Christian: Love of Country as Love of Neighbor, by Richard MouwThe Religion of American Greatness: What's Wrong with Christian Nationalism, by Paul D. MillerThis America: The Case for the Nation, by Jill LeporeAristotlePlatoRev. Martin Luther King Jr.AugustineC.S. LewisRichard John NeuhausSimone WeilJohn CalvinSt. Thérèse of LisieuxGeorge OrwellCurt ThompsonFrederick DouglassRelated Trinity Forum Readings:City of God, by AugustineThe Children of Light and The Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr Wrestling with God, by Simone WeilLetter from Birmingham Jail, by Martin Luther King Jr'sDemocracy in America, by Alexis de TocquevilleRelated Conversations:A New Year With The Word with Malcolm GuiteMusic, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi FloydPursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda QuinnReading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten WilsonWalking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark BuchananMaking as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto FujimuraConnecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael WearThe Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim AlbertaA Life Worth Living with Miroslav VolfTowards a Better Christian PoliticsChristian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of DifferenceWhat Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi AshworthScripture and the Public SquareTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

The language of the Bible has often been invoked in American political discourse through the centuries. Scripture has been quoted by suffragists and secessionists, invoked in arguments for (and against) American independence, the Civil War, and each succeeding conflict, and cited by virtually every President across parties. So how should we discern a faithful application of scripture in public life from instrumentalizing the Bible for political purposes? What can we learn from America's history of using the Bible in politics?[insert quote]Kaitlyn Schiess, theologian, speaker, and author of the new book, The Ballot and The Bible: How Scripture Has Been Used and Abused In American Politics and Where We Go From Here, joined us on Friday, September 15 to help us examine America's history of using (and misusing) biblical language in politics, and explore what we can learn from the times Scripture has been wisely applied as well as egregiously misused. With a wide-ranging discussion covering history, hermeneutics, and political theology, she helped us consider the proper use of the Bible in political discourse.We hope this conversation sparks your creativity and encourages you to look differently at the small matters of life that matter a lot.This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2023. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Kaitlyn Schiess here.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:The Ballot and the Bible, Kaitlyn SchiessLiturgy of Politics: Spiritual Formation for the Sake of Our Neighbor, by Kaitlyn SchiessJohn WinthropRelated Trinity Forum Readings:City of God, by AugustineThe Federalist PapersWho Stands Fast, by Dietrich BonhoefferThe Children of Light and The Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr Related Conversations:A New Year With The Word with Malcolm GuiteMusic, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi FloydPursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda QuinnReading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten WilsonWalking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark BuchananMaking as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto FujimuraConnecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael WearThe Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim AlbertaA Life Worth Living with Miroslav VolfTowards a Better Christian PoliticsChristian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of DifferenceWhat Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi AshworthTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society.Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

What Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi AshworthOurs is an age that values and valorizes productivity, speed, and scale, and emphasizes precise and perpetual measurement and management of those markers. A whole range of organizations, including nonprofits, and even churches, as well as individuals believe that what is valuable is empirical and measurable, and that those measurements show us what's real and what really matters. Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth today offer a radically different way of seeing the world. They assert that it is not the empirical but love that is, in their words, the highest way of knowing and the trustworthy basis of the imaginative and creative good. They argue that the small aspects of life, whether it's cooking or gardening, music making, hospitality, or family matters–those things that often seem not to matter so much are actually what matters most. It's an invitation toward fruitfulness, and a new way of understanding and living:“Fruitfulness is what God talks so much about what Jesus talks so much about and it is really something that he is doing in us and with us as we turn towards him. We can't really measure it. We can't really see it. We don't tally it up for ourselves. It's more of a trust that if we walk in the faithful path that God has for us, we can trust that there is a fruitfulness and that it's God's to measure. And I think there's a real freedom in that.” - Andi AshworthWe hope this conversation sparks your creativity and encourages you to look differently at the small matters of life that matter a lot.This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth here.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:Martin Luther King Jr.Real Love for Real Life: The Art and Work of Caring, by Andi AshworthWild Things in Castles in the Sky: A Guide to Choosing the Best Books for Children, by Andi AshworthWhy Everything That Doesn't Matter Matters So Much, by Charlie Peacock and Andi AshworthThe Call, by Os GuinnessSteven GarberFrancis SchaefferFrederick BuechnerEugene PetersonRelated Trinity Forum Readings:Babette's Feast, by Isak DenisonHannah and Nathan, by Wendell BerryPilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie DillardBright Evening Star, by Madeline L'engleLetters from Vincent Van GoghRelated Conversations:A New Year With The Word with Malcolm GuiteMusic, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi FloydPursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda QuinnReading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten WilsonWalking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark BuchananMaking as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto FujimuraConnecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael WearThe Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim AlbertaA Life Worth Living with Miroslav VolfTowards a Better Christian PoliticsChristian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of DifferenceTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

Christian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of DifferenceThe term ‘pluralism' has been subject to misunderstanding – even misuse – over the past several years. Some read or hear the word and think simply of a multiplicity of opinions. Others think of a sort of moral relativism that affirms your truth and my truth, no matter how contradictory they may be. Others still may think of this as some sort of squishy interfaith unity that denies matters of ultimate importance. In a conversation with John Inazu, Trillia Newbell, and Michael Wear we dive into the meaning of pluralism and how it is that Christians in particular can live faithfully amidst a world of difference. These careful writers and thinkers help us begin to grasp a more robust vision for Christian pluralism:“We are all actually called to be reconcilers. Any one of us who have professed faith in Jesus Christ, we are called to a ministry of reconciliation. That means a proclamation of the gospel. So sharing the good news of Jesus Christ to the world around me, to my neighbors, to my friends...I believe that the greatest love that we can extend to others is Jesus.” - Trillia NewbellWe hope you're inspired by this conversation about hope, justice, faithfulness, and love, even in the midst of change, challenge, and conflict.This podcast is an edited version of an evening conversation recorded in 2020. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about John Inazu, Trillia Newbell, and Michael Wear.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:Liberty's Refuge: The Forgotten Freedom of Assembly, by John InazuConfident Pluralism: Surviving and Thriving Through Deep Difference, by John InazuUncommon Ground: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference, by John InazuSacred Endurance, by Trilia NewbellIf God Is For Us, by Trilia NewbellFear and Faith, by Trilia NewbellGod's Very Good Idea, by Trilia NewbellReclaiming Hope: Lessons Learned in the Obama White House About the Future of Faith in America, by Michael WearChristianity, Pluralism, and Public Life in the United States: Insights from Christian Leaders, by Michael Wear and Amy BlackTim KellerRussell MooreToni MorrisonRelated Trinity Forum Readings:The Federalist PapersCity of God, by Augustine of HippoThe Children of Light and the Children of Darkness, by Reinhold NiebuhrPolitics, Morality, and Civility, by Václav HavelRelated Conversations:A New Year With The Word with Malcolm GuiteMusic, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi FloydPursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda QuinnReading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten WilsonWalking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark BuchananMaking as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto FujimuraConnecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael WearThe Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim AlbertaA Life Worth Living with Miroslav VolfTowards a Better Christian PoliticsTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

The relentless pull and pressure of partisan antagonisms and tribalism have fractured friendships, families, communities — and churches. In a time of conflict over what is good and confusion over what is true, what can church leaders do to cultivate a more faithful form of civic engagement? How can we learn to discern the call to love and justice amidst the clamor of political wars?On our latest podcast, three wise men, as Cherie affectionately calls them, address these pressing questions. Curtis Chang, David French, and Russell Moore are each writers, scholars, and thinkers who have made courageous and insightful contributions towards a better Christian politics and we're delighted to share their comments from an evening conversation in 2023 with you:“Be of great hope. Because the after party is coming…It's the wedding feast of the lamb when Jesus returns to cleanse his church, made spotless. And in that moment, the restoration not of the church, but of the world at war where the swords are beaten into plowshares, the spears into pruning hooks. That's the after party that's coming. So if you know how the story ends, how can we not have great hope? - Curtis ChangThis podcast is an edited version of an evening conversation recorded in early 2023. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Curtis Chang, David French, and Russell Moore.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:Divided We Fall, by David FrenchThe Courage to Stand, Facing Your Fear Without Losing Your Soul, by Russell MooreOnward: Engaging the Culture without Losing the Gospel, by Russell MooreThe Storm Tossed Family: How the Cross Reshapes the Home, by Russell MooreLosing our Religion: An Altar Call for Evangelical Christians, by Russell MooreThe Anxiety Opportunity, by Curtis ChangErnest HemmingwayThe Big Sort, by Bill BishopCass SunsteinConstitution of Knowledge, by Jonathan RauchThe Moviegoer, by Walker PercyThe Righteous Mind, by Jonathan HaidtHigh Conflict, by Amanda RipleyRelated Trinity Forum Readings:The Federalist PapersCity of God, by Augustine of Hippo

A Life Worth LivingWhat makes a good life? What habits of attention, reflection, and action orient us towards knowing, desiring, and doing what is good, true, and beautiful? Such “big questions” may seem unanswerable and intimidating — but their exploration is at the heart of the human quest for meaning.Drawing on his popular Yale course, theologian Miroslav Volf joined us to reflect on what makes for a flourishing life in our times:“You realize that there are things that are much more important. I mean this is the life of fullness. This is his life of weight. [It is the] arduous life that is, in fact, the truly happy life.Despite the real challenge of human suffering and pain, Volf argues that happiness is possible and that an examined life that grapples with the good in our emotions, circumstances, and actions is a life worth living.This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in early 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Miroslav Volf.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:Exclusion and Embrace, by Miroslav VolfLife Worth Living: A Guide to What Matters Most, by Miroslav Volf, Matthew Croasmun, and Ryan McAnnally-LinzFriedrich NietzscheRelated Trinity Forum Readings:Man's Search for Meaning, by Viktor FranklOn Happiness, by Thomas AquinasBrave New World, by Aldous HuxleyHow Much Land Does a Man Need, by Leo TolstoyWrestling with God, by Simone WeilRelated Conversations:A New Year With The Word with Malcolm GuiteMusic, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi FloydPursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda QuinnReading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten WilsonWalking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark BuchananMaking as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto FujimuraConnecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael WearThe Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim AlbertaTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

The Kingdom, The Power, and The Glory with Tim AlbertaAmerican Christians are certainly not immune to the anger, division, and fear that characterize our political moment. For many, the prospect of another election year is a source of dread or of numb exhaustion; others have responded with aggression or defensiveness.On our podcast, author and journalist Tim Alberta encourages us toward a better media diet, and to remember where our true allegiance lies:“I would pray alongside of you that in our political and civic engagement, no matter who it is that we ultimately vote for, no matter what policies we support, that our allegiance is never to the Donkeys or to the Republicans. Our allegiance is never to a political figure.“We have a king, we have a kingdom, and the best way for us to retain our saltiness is to prioritize that allegiance and that allegiance alone.”We hope this conversation, coming in a heated election year and at a time of great political import for our nation, is, in fact, a kind of spiritual balm to you. May Tim's guidance help us to retain our distinctiveness as we engage in the public square for the common good.This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in early 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Tim Alberta.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:American Carnage, by Tim AlbertaThe Kingdom, the Power and the Glory, American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism, by Tim AlbertaRush LimbaughRobert JeffressRelated Trinity Forum Readings:Children of Light and The Children of Darkness, by Reinhold NiebuhrCity of God, by AugustinePolitics, Morality and Civility, by Václav HavelRelated Conversations:A New Year With The Word with Malcolm GuiteMusic, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi FloydPursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda QuinnReading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten WilsonWalking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark BuchananMaking as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto FujimuraConnecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael WearTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

Connecting Spiritual Formation and Public Life with Michael WearIn the midst of what is proving to be a frustrating, fractious, and even frightening election year, how can Christians best respond to the situation in front of us, and how can we offer a positive contribution to our common life?Drawing on the life and work of the late philosopher Dallas Willard, Michael Wear helps us explore what true spiritual formation could mean for the reformation of our polarized political life:“We need to retrieve a sense that we live in a moral universe in which moral decisions are not optional. We make moral decisions all of the time, and our politics is actually not absent of moral assertion. “You could say our politics today is actually more robustly full of moral assertions than it has been at any other time this century.”We trust that you'll be encouraged by Michael's call to gentleness in our politics and his practical suggestions of Christian practices that help orient our hearts in the midst of cultural confusion and political fractiousness.This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in early 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Michael Wear.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:The Divine Conspiracy, by Dallas WillardReclaiming Hope, by Michael WearThe Spirit of our Politics, by Michael WearChristian SmithAmerican Grace, by David Campbell and Robert PutnamThe Allure of Gentleness, by Dallas WillardEitan HershThe Spirit of the Disciplines, by Dallas WillardRelated Trinity Forum Readings:Abraham Lincoln: The Spiritual Growth of a Public ManLetter from Birmingham Jail, by Martin Luther King Jr.City of God, by AugustinePolitics, Morality and Civility, by Václav HavelRelated Conversations:A New Year With The Word with Malcolm GuiteMusic, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi FloydPursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda QuinnReading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten WilsonWalking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark BuchananMaking as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto FujimuraTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

Making as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto FujimuraIf at the center of reality is a God whose love is a generative, creative force, how do humans made in God's image begin to reflect this beauty and love in a world rent by brokenness and ugliness?As Mako argues on our latest podcast, it's in the act of making that we are able to experience the depth of God's being and grace, and to realize an integral part of our humanity:“Love, by definition, is something that goes way outside of utilitarian values and efficiencies and industrial bottom lines. It has to…and when we love, I think we make.  That's just the way we are made, and we respond to that making. So we make, and then when we receive that making, we make again.”Artistry and creativity are not just formative, but even liturgical in that they shape our understanding of, orientation towards, and love for, both the great creator and his creation.We hope you're encouraged in your making this Lenten season that the God who created you in his image delights in your delight.If this podcast inspires you, and you're so inclined, we'd love to see what you create, be that a painting, a meal, a poem, or some other loving, artistic expression. Feel free to share it with us by tagging us on your favorite social platform.This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2021. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Makoto Fujimura.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:Art + Faith: A Theology of Making, by Makoto FujimuraWilliam BlakeVincent VanGoghN. T. WrightEsther MeekJaques PépinBruce HermanMartin Luther King Jr.The Gift, byLewis HydeAmanda GoldmanT. S. EliotCalvin SilveDavid BrooksRelated Trinity Forum Readings:Babette's Feast, by Isak DinesenFour Quartets, by T.S. EliotPilgrim's Progress, by John BunyanPilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie DillardGod's Grandeur, by Gerard Manley HopkinsRelated Conversations:A New Year With The Word with Malcolm GuiteMusic, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi FloydPursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda QuinnReading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten WilsonWalking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark BuchananTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

What does it mean to walk with God? The spiritual life is so often described as a walk, journey, or pilgrimage that it can be easy to dismiss the practice of walking as a mere metaphor.But in God Walk, author, pastor, and professor Mark Buchanan explores the way that the act of walking has profound implications for followers of the Way.Buchanan reflects on the ways in which walking can be both a spiritual practice and a means by which we can deepen our connection to the earth beneath us, our fellow travelers, and the God we worship:“Hurry is the enemy of attentiveness. And so love as attentiveness is listening and caring and noticing, cherishing, savoring, being awestruck, these things that we feel in a relationship. I am deeply loved by this person because they notice me. I think that that's how God's built it. And we can't get that if we're moving too fast, if we're in a hurry.”We hope you're encouraged this Lenten season as you learn to walk at godspeed, seeing this embodied act as a profoundly spiritual practice.This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2023. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Mark Buchanan.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:AristotleSøren KierkegaardJean-Jacques RousseauGod Walk, by Mark BuchananSimone WeilThe Three Mile an Hour God, by Kosaku KoyamaWanderlust: A History of Walking, by Rebecca SolnitKnowing God, J.I. PackerKai MillerRelated Trinity Forum Readings:Pilgrim's Progress, by John BunyanPilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie DillardGod's Grandeur, by Gerard Manley HopkinsLong Walk to Freedom, by Nelson MandelaBrave New World, by Alduous HuxleyRelated Conversations:A New Year With The Word with Malcolm GuiteMusic, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi FloydPursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda QuinnReading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten WilsonTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society.Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

What if we viewed reading as not just a personal hobby or a pleasurable indulgence but as a spiritual practice that deepens our faith?In her book, Reading for the Love of God, award-winning author and Trinity Forum Senior Fellow Jessica Hooten Wilson explores how Christian thinkers—including Augustine, Julian of Norwich, Frederick Douglass, and Dorothy Sayers—approached the act of reading.She argues that reading deeply and well can not only open a portal to a broader imagination, but is akin to acquiring travel supplies for the good life:“What I'm hoping to see more of is that the church becomes again those people of the book that really try to make others belong and strive for a deeper connection, versus the party atmosphere that our world always is tempting us to do.”We hope you're encouraged this Lenten season as you learn to read as a spiritual practice, finding grace and wisdom for living well along the way.This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2023. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Jessica Hooten Wilson.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:Learning the Good Life: Wisdom from the Great Hearts and Minds That Came Before, by Jessica Hooten WilsonGiving the Devil His Due, by Jessica Hooten WilsonThe Scandal of Holiness: Renewing Your Imagination in the Company of Literary Saints, by Jessica Hooten WilsonReading for the Love of God: How to Read as a Spiritual Practice,, by Jessica Hooten WilsonWalker PercyThe Life you Save May Be Your Own, by Flannery O'ConnorFyodor DostoevskyBoethiusAugustineMystery and Manners, by Flannery O'ConnorSt. BasilOrigenPeople of the Book, by David L. JeffreyA History of Reading, by Alberto ManguelJeromeAndy CrouchDana GioiaDorothy SayersRoss DouthatLife Together, by Dietrich BonhoefferJulian of NorwichDante AlighieriEugene PetersonRelated Trinity Forum Readings:Revelation, Flannery O'ConnorThe Narrative of the Life of Frederick DouglassAugustine's ConfessionsThe Grand Inquisitor, by Fyodor DostoyevskyMoses Man of the Mountain, by Zora Neale HurstonGod's Grandeur: the Poems of Gerard Manley HopkinsRelated Conversations:A New Year With The Word with Malcolm GuiteMusic, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi FloydPursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda QuinnTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

Pursuing Humility, with Richard Foster and Brenda QuinnIn an age when self-promotion is often celebrated as a sign of leadership and strength, humility may seem a lost virtue. Or alternatively, a form of moral condolence for the less successful.In his recent work, Learning Humility, theologian Richard Foster argues that humility is actually strength, and that learning humility is more needed than ever. As Foster explains, humility releases us from a preoccupation with self, and allows us to live a life of freedom:“One of the dangers among religious folks is that they can become stuffy boars. And it is hilarity that frees us from that. We don't take ourselves so seriously. We can laugh at our own foibles. If you look carefully… it's not hard to identify humble people. You'll find the freedom that they have to just enjoy life and enjoy other people, enjoy the successes of another person rather than being envious of it. Things like that. And so that's why humility, the most basic of the virtues, opens us up to a life of freedom.”May Foster's call to humility, and pastor and writer Brenda Quinn's practical insights on living it out in leadership and community, inspire you this Lenten season to contemplate the humility of Jesus and the way of the cross.This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2022. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:Learning Humility, by Richard FosterCelebration of Discipline, by Richard FosterStreams of Living Water, by Richard FosterSanctuary of the Soul, by Richard FosterThe Life With God Bible, contributed to by Richard FosterC.S. LewisTimothy KellerThe Frenzy of RenownRelated Trinity Forum Readings:The Long Loneliness, by Dorothy DayBrave New World, by Aldous HuxleyWho stands Fast, featuring Dietrich BonhoefferBabette's Feast, by Isak DinesenWrestling with God, by Simone Weil Related Conversations:A New Year With The Word with Malcolm GuiteMusic, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi FloydTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

Word Beneath the Words with Malcolm GuiteWe're joined on our podcast by poet, priest and songwriter, Malcolm Guite. With grace and insight, Malcolm has written of the mystery, beauty and imaginative force of language and the ways in which our imaginations apprehend truth that our reason cannot fully comprehend:“Jesus says, love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your soul, and all your strength, and all your mind. And somewhere in all those ‘alls' is all your imagination.  And in fact, when we look at the teaching of Jesus, it's mostly an appeal to the imagination as a way of perceiving truth in a fresh way. He tells stories and parables.”We trust that you'll be inspired by the beauty of Guite's poetry, and by the ways in which the poetic imagination brings healing to the false divide between the subjective and the objective.04:44 The Connection Between the Priestly and Poetic Vocations12:02 The Role of Imagination in Apprehending Truth17:48 The Responsibility of Language and the Power of Words23:24 The Idea of Being Spoken into Being32:25 The Destructive Power of Words36:23 The Importance of Intellectual HospitalityThis podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Malcolm Guite.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:John DonneLove, Remember, by Malcolm GuiteParable and Paradox, by Malcolm GuiteTheology and the Poetic Imagination, by Malcolm GuiteThe Singing Bowl, by Malcolm GuiteWaiting on the Word, by Malcolm GuiteLifting the Veil, by Malcolm GuiteSounding the Seasons, by Malcolm GuiteThe Word Within the Words, by Malcolm GuiteGerard Manley HopkinsGeorge HerbertR.S. ThomasSeamus HeaneyJohn KeatsSamuel Taylor ColeridgeWiliiam WordsworthWilliam ShakespeareC. S. LewisSir AndrewsMere Christianity, by C.S. LewisThe Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. LewisJohn MiltonEdmund SpenserThomas ClarksonPilgrim's ProgressDiana GlyerDavid's Crown, by Malcolm GuiteRelated Trinity Forum Readings:Spirit and Imagination, selections from Samuel Taylor Coleridge with an introduction by Malcolm GuiteBulletins from Immortality: Poems by Emily DickinsonGod's Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley HopkinsSacred and Profane Love, featuring the poetry of John DonneRelated Conversations:A New Year With The Word with Malcolm GuiteMusic, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi FloydTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi FloydHow should we think about work within, and live faithfully within a world that was called and created to be good and beautiful, and yet everywhere is marred by ugliness and injustice? Jazz vocalist and composer Ruth Naomi Floyd joins our podcast to discuss the intersection of music, creativity, and justice, and to help us think deeply about our role in repairing, re-envisioning, and creating new places of beauty, justice, and flourishing:We know that art shapes and reshapes us and that it's there in the cross of Jesus, I believe, where beauty and violence collided and beauty won. And so that act of loving someone…purposely trying to love someone, especially those that seem or are viewed or deemed unlovable, is…directly connected and intrinsically connected to our art making.We hope you enjoy and are encouraged by Floyd's artistic journey, how she finds beauty in the midst of suffering, and her vision for the role of love in creativity.This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2021. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Ruth Naomi Floyd.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:The Frederick Douglass Jazz WorksIt Was Good, Making Music to the Glory of God, by Ruth Naomi FloydThe Problem of Good, by Ruth Naomi FloydDr. John NunezToni MorrisonMartin Luther King Jr.Vincent van GoghHans Christian AndersenMiles DavisFrancis SchaefferJoshua StamperRelated Trinity Forum Readings:A Narrative of the Life of Frederick DouglassLetters from Vincent van GoghLetter from Birmingham Jail, by Martin Luther King Jr.Revelation, by Flannery O'Connor, Bulletins from Immortality, by Emily Dickinson.Related Conversations:A New Year With The Word with Malcolm GuiteTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

Learning in Wartime with Lewis and Tolkien and Joe LaconteTrinity Forum Senior Fellow Joe Loconte joins our podcast to discuss the friendship and legacy of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. He highlights how their wartime experiences, and their subsequent refusal to become disillusioned and disenchanted in the aftermath of World War I allowed for some of the greatest works of literature in modern history.In the moral and cultural tumult of the inter-war years, their example of resilience and imagination is inspiring. As Joe Loconte shared, they were using their art to actively resist the totalizing and dehumanizing ideologies that were ascendent in their day:And it's just no coincidence. They are deliberately pushing back, I think, in a way that, that some biographers have not maybe fully appreciated. They are pushing back in their writings against the totalitarian impulse and trying to defend the role of the individual, the choices that individuals have to make.Joe Loconte reminds us of the surprising return of hope for those who look up—as Samwise Gamgee says in the Lord of the Rings,” In the end the shadow was only a small and passing thing. There was light and high beauty forever beyond its reach.”This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2020. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Joe Loconte here.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:C.S. LewisJ.R.R. TolkienThe Searchers: A Quest for Faith in the Valley of Doubt, by Joe LoconteThe End of Illusions: Religious Leaders Confront Hitler's Gathering Storm, by Joe LoconteGod, Locke, and Liberty: The Struggle for Religious Freedom in the West, by Joe LoconteA Hobbit, A Wardrobe, and A Great War, by Joe LoconteMere Christianity, by C.S. LewisJohn LockeLord of the Rings, by J.R.R. TolkienF. Scott FitzgeraldErnest HemingwayErich Maria RemarqueThe Wasteland, by T. S. EliotThe Inner Ring, by C.S. LewisOwen BarfieldHugo DysonPhantastes, by George MacDonaldThe Four Loves, by C.S. LewisRelated Trinity Forum Readings:A Time to Stand, by Helmuth James von MoltkeBrave New World, by Aldous HuxleyChildren of Light and Children of Darkness, by Reinhold NiebuhrThe Golden Key, by George MacDonaldRelated Conversations:Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval LevinThe Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent BacoteThe Decadent Society with Ross DouthatScience, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis CollinsBeyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene RiversJustice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac PierHealing a Divided Culture with Arthur BrooksAfter Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan HaidtTrust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie KristianHope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt ThompsonAdvent: the Season of Hope with Tish Harrison WarrenCaroling Christmas and Christian Formation with Keith GettyTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

We are in an anxious age. By some estimates, a third of all Americans will struggle with anxiety in their lives, and nearly 20% currently suffer from an anxiety disorder. For those suffering the mental distortions of anxiety, life can be difficult, and hope elusive. And for many Christians who have tried and failed to stop their slide into fear and worry by simply “laying down their burdens,” they may feel an added sense of spiritual failure as well.We're joined on our podcast by psychiatrist Curt Thopmson and theologian Curtis Chang who help us explore a counterintuitive approach to understanding our anxiety:I believe the Bible and Jesus's own life invites us to treat [anxiety] not as a problem to make go away, but precisely as a signal. A signal, an invitation, what I call an opportunity, an invitation to walk through anxiety, to actually experience it in the way that actually we were designed to by God for spiritual growth in Jesus, where we actually meet Jesus more deeply, precisely in our anxiety.It's not that we have to make anxiety go away, and then finally, then we're like qualified to somehow be with Jesus. It's that actually in our experience of anxiety, that's where we encounter Jesus most deeply and encounter the truths about ourselves most deeply.This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2023. Watch the full video of the conversation here. Learn more about Curt Thopmson and Curtis Chang.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:The Anxiety Opportunity: How Worry is the Doorway to Your Best Self, by Curtis ChangThe Age of Anxiety, by W.H. AudenThe Anatomy of the Soul, The Soul of Shame, The Soul of Desire, by Curt ThompsonJonathan HaidtRichard SchwartzRelated Trinity Forum Readings:Man's Search for Meaning, by Viktor FranklWrestling with God, by Simone WeilAugustine's ConfessionsBrave New World, by Aldous HuxleyThe Long Loneliness, by Dorothy DayRelated Conversations:Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval LevinThe Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent BacoteThe Decadent Society with Ross DouthatScience, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis CollinsBeyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene RiversJustice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac PierHealing a Divided Culture with Arthur BrooksAfter Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan HaidtHow to Know a Person with David BrooksTrust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie KristianHope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt ThompsonTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

During Advent and Christmastide–and at all times–how can we understand and fully experience the formative power of music? And amid distraction and anxiety, how can we keep Christ at the center of our hearts as we sing?As Keith Getty explains, Christmas carols are not only about festivity, but also formation. For all of the delight they bring, they stand as musical masterpieces that teach deep truths, embed them within our memory and consciousness, unite a disparate people in praise, and cultivate and orient our sense of joy:“We're fearfully and wonderfully made. We remember tunes and we forget sermons, not because we're bad people, but it's because of how God made us. The carols are special because repetition is a form of liturgy. And each Christmas, the liturgy of singing provides such an opportunity for us.” - Keith GettyThis podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded earlier this month. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Keith Getty here.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:Sing! How Worship Transforms Your Life, Family, and Church, by Keith and Kristen GettyJohn LennoxWinston ChurchillCharles WesleyFelix MendelssohnJeremy BegbieAlistair BeggIsaac WattsJohn CalvinKeith Getty is an extraordinary hymn writer, musician, and catalyst for the modern hymn movement. He joined us for a special Trinity Forum Online Conversation to explore music, formation, and beauty which we're pleased to bring you now as a special podcast during this season of Advent.This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded earlier this month. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Keith Getty here.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:Sing! How Worship Transforms Your Life, Family, and Church, by Keith and Kristen GettyRelated Trinity Forum Readings:Bright Evening Star, by Madeleine L'EngleWhy God Became Man, by Anselm of CanterburyPilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie DillardThe Strangest Story in the World, by G.K. ChestertonHandel's Messiah Related Conversations:Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval LevinThe Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent BacoteThe Decadent Society with Ross DouthatScience, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis CollinsBeyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene RiversJustice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac PierHealing a Divided Culture with Arthur BrooksAfter Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan HaidtTrust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie KristianHope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt ThompsonAdvent: the Season of Hope with Tish Harrison WarrenTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

The season of Advent calls us to remember the incarnation of Christ into our world while anticipating his future return. Yet what does Advent have to tell us about our present “now and not yet” moment?In her new book Advent: The Season of Hope, priest, author, and Trinity Forum Senior Fellow Tish Harrison Warren draws our attention towards the ways the church reflects and represents the incarnation of Christ, and how our waiting can be transformed from drudgery to joy by the object of our hope:The only way that waiting can be transformed to this thing that is full of joy, that has anticipation, that is hopeful and not just drudgery or sorrow is if the character of the one we are waiting for, or who is asking us to wait in this case, is trustworthy, and if what we're waiting for is worth the wait. - Tish Harrison WarrenThis podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in December of 2023. Watch the full video of the conversation here. Learn more about Tish Harrison Warren.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:Liturgy of the Ordinary, by Tish Harrison WarrenPrayer In the Night, by Tish Harrison WarrenAdvent: The Season of Hope, by Tish Harrison WarrenReceiving the Day, by Dorothy BassRelated Trinity Forum Readings:Bright Evening Star, by Madeleine L'EngleWhy God Became Man, by Anselm of CanterburyPilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie DillardThe Strangest Story in the World, by G.K. ChestertonHandel's Messiah Related Conversations:Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval LevinThe Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent BacoteThe Decadent Society with Ross DouthatScience, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis CollinsBeyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene RiversJustice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac PierHealing a Divided Culture with Arthur BrooksAfter Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan HaidtTrust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie KristianHope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt ThompsonTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

In a society where so many feel unseen and unknown, how do we become the kind of people who deeply see and know those around us? The conflict and division in our society demonstrate the need for people committed to pursuing human connection, even across lines of difference. What can we do – as individuals and in community – that will help us really understand the people in our lives?David Brooks, author of How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen, joined us to explore what it means to know others and to be known by them:When I ask people, tell me about a time you've been seen, they tell me with bright eyes and joy in their face, they tell me about time somebody totally got them. Because seeing someone, if I see potential in you, you'll see potential in yourself. If I beam my attention on you, you'll blossom. And so it's just super powerful to feel seen. But it's also powerful and fantastic to feel like you're the seer.This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2023. Watch the full video of the conversation here. Learn more about David Brooks.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:Bobos in Paradise, On Paradise Drive, The Social Animal, The Road to Character, The Second Mountain, and How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen, by David BrooksFrederick BuechnerIris MurdochDan McAdamsMónica GuzmánE. M. FosterJennie JeromeWilliam GladstoneBenjamin DisraeliHarry NyquistAndy CrouchMichael GersonMan's Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl Thornton WilderOprah WinfreyKate MurpheyRelated Trinity Forum Readings:Man's Search for Meaning, by Viktor FranklWrestling with God, by Simone WeilRelated Conversations:Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval LevinThe Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent BacoteThe Decadent Society with Ross DouthatScience, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis CollinsBeyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene RiversJustice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac PierHealing a Divided Culture with Arthur BrooksAfter Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan HaidtTrust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie KristianHope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt ThompsonTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

We were made for relationship — to be seen, loved, known, and committed to others. And yet we increasingly find ourselves, in the words of sociologist Jonathan Haidt, “disoriented, unable to speak the same language or recognize the same truth. We are cut off from one another and from the past.”On our podcast Haidt and bestselling author Andy Crouch pair up to explore how the technology era has seduced us with a false vision of human flourishing—and how each of us can fight back, and restore true community:“A person is a heart, soul, mind, strength, complex designed for love. And one of the really damaging things about our technology is very little of our technology develops all four of those qualities.” - Andy CrouchWe hope you enjoy this conversation about the seismic effects technology has had on our personal relationships, civic institutions, and even democratic foundations — and how we might approach rethinking our technologies and reclaiming human connection.This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2022. Watch the full video of the conversation here. Learn more about Jonathan Haidt and Andy Crouch.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:The Happiness Hypothesis, by Jonathan HaidtThe Coddling of the American Mind, by Jonathan HaidtThe Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion, by Jonathan HaidtCulture Making, by Andy CrouchPlaying God, by Andy CrouchStrong and Weak, by Andy CrouchThe TechWise Family, by Andy CrouchMy TechWise Life, by Amy and Andy CrouchThe Life We're Looking For: Reclaiming Relationship in a Technological World, by Andy CrouchErnest HemingwayFrancis BaconHoward HotsonGreg LukianoffWolfram SchultzThe Sacred Canopy, by Peter L. BergerEpictetusMarcus AureliusRelated Trinity Forum Readings:Brave New World, by Alduous HuxleyBulletins from Immortality: Poems by Emily DickinsonPilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie DillardPolitics and the English Language, by George OrwellThe Origins of Totalitarianism, by Hannah ArendtCity of God, by St. Augustine of HippoChildren of Light and Children of Darkness by Reinhold NiebuhrOn Happiness, by Thomas AquinasRelated Conversations:Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval LevinThe Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent BacoteThe Decadent Society with Ross DouthatScience, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis CollinsBeyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene RiversJustice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac PierHealing a Divided Culture with Arthur BrooksAfter Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan HaidtTrust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie KristianHope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt ThompsonTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

The question “How do I know what's true?” comes up with increasing frequency and urgency in our time of angry polarization, deliberately-stoked outrage, and earned distrust. There is money to be made and a growing market for the kind of misinformation that reinforces our views and confirms our preconceptions — as well as a large price to be paid:“We like to tell ourselves that we're consuming this political media because we're going to be good citizens and we're going to be well informed and have, you know, very rational opinions and all sorts of flattering things like that. But in practice, what our behavior suggests is that that's not actually why we're consuming this media.“We're consuming it because of how it affects us emotionally and how it makes us feel better about ourselves than other people. How it excites us, how it sort of inflames us.” Drawing on her experience as a journalist, Bonnie Kristian joined us in October 2022 to explore the sources that contribute to widespread confusion and conspiracy thinking. She offers insight into ways to combat misinformation and pursue truth in our own lives, families, and church communities, and we hope you'll find this conversation encouraging, and practical.This podcast is an edited version of an evening conversation recorded in 2022. Watch the full video of the conversation here. Learn more about Bonnie Kristian.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:A Flexible Faith: Rethinking What it Means to Follow Jesus Today, by Bonnie KristianUntrustworthy: the Knowledge Crisis Breaking Our Brains, Polluting our Politics, and Corrupting Christian Community, by Bonnie KristianHannah ArendtN.T. WrightThomas AquinasRelated Trinity Forum Readings:The Origins of Totalitarianism, by Hannah ArendtCity of God, by St. Augustine of HippoChildren of Light and Children of Darkness by Reinhold NiebuhrBrave New World, by Aldous HuxleyOn Happiness, by Thomas AquinasRelated Conversations:Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval LevinThe Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent BacoteThe Decadent Society with Ross DouthatScience, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis CollinsBeyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene RiversJustice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac PierHealing a Divided Culture with Arthur BrooksAfter Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan HaidtTrust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie KristianHope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt ThompsonTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur BrooksIn his book, Love Your Enemies best-selling author, thought leader, and professor Arthur Brooks blends cutting-edge behavioral research and ancient wisdom to offer a better way to bridge divides and mend relationships.In March of 2022, The Trinity Forum hosted an Evening Conversation with Brooks to help us explore just how to love those we disagree with and be agents of redemption and reconciliation amidst a divisive time. Arthur unpacked several of the strategies necessary to overcome such cleavages and restore harmony, and the moral courage required:“We often hear today, in our culture of activism and anger, that real courage is standing up to the people with whom you disagree, sticking it to the people with whom you disagree publicly. That's moral courage.That's wrong. That is maybe a perfectly fine thing to do. You should stand up and say the things that you believe. But that's not moral courage.You know what moral courage is? My father taught me this as a kid. Moral courage is standing up for the people with whom you disagree. Standing up to the people with whom you agree on behalf of those with whom you disagree. That's moral courage”.- Arthur BrooksWe hope this conversation kindles in you a deeper affection for your neighbors, and a greater desire to see the divisions in our communities and our nation be healed.This podcast is an edited version of an evening conversation recorded in 2022. Watch the full video of the conversation here. Learn more about Arthur Brooks.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:Love your Enemies, by Arthur BrooksStrength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life, by Arthur BrooksArthur SchopenhauerJohn and Julie GottmanDalai LamaRelated Trinity Forum Readings:City of God by St. Augustine of HippoChildren of Light and Children of Darkness by Reinhold NiebuhrRelated Conversations:Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval LevinThe Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent BacoteThe Decadent Society with Ross DouthatScience, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis CollinsBeyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene RiversJustice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac PierHealing a Divided Culture with Arthur BrooksAfter Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan HaidtTrust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie KristianHope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt ThompsonTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac PierA recent Gallup poll found that over 70% of Americans are both worried about and deeply dissatisfied with the racial tensions and divisions in the country. And yet when those numbers are broken down, you'll find that around a third of white Americans consider a race to be a significant problem in the country, compared to around three quarters of African Americans and nearly 60% of Latinos.Given these differences both in perception as well as the many differences of opinion that are embedded in it, how do we understand and live out the biblical mandate to love our neighbor? How do we learn to know and love our neighbor across difference?Dr. Mac Pier and Bishop Claude Alexander join our podcast to help us think deeply about our various spheres and stations and how through intention and vulnerability, we can begin to heal divides, overcome injustice, and create new places of mercy and flourishing:“It's really important for those of us that have had opportunities to really think about what is our role in making things right…and in God's commitment to that. And just as God met our need for justice on the cross, he invites us to meet the need for justice in community with one another.” - Mac PierWe hope this conversation inspires you to deepen your commitment to being an agent of reconciliation right where you are. Because as Dr. Pier shares, it's a “radically powerful thing when we become enveloped relationally and affectionately by people that are different from ourselves.”This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in November of 2021. Get a full transcript and watch a video of the conversation here. Learn more about Bishop Alexander and Dr. Pier.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:Required: God's Call to Justice, Mercy, and Humility to Overcome Racial Division, by Bishop Claude Alexander and Dr. Mac PierNecessary Christianity: What Jesus Shows We Must Be and Do, by Claude AlexanderA Disruptive Gospel: Stories and Strategies for Transforming Your City, by Mac PierA Disruptive Generosity: Stories of Transforming Cities through Strategic Giving, by Mac PierA Disruptive God: Encounter Psalm 23 and Discover God's Purpose For You, by Mac PierRelated Trinity Forum Readings:A Narrative of the Life of Frederick DouglassCity of God by St. Augustine of HippoChildren of Light and Children of Darkness by Reinhold NiebuhrLetter from a Birmingham Jail by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson MandelaRelated Conversations:Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval LevinThe Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent BacoteThe Decadent Society with Ross DouthatScience, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis CollinsBeyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene RiversJustice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac PierHealing a Divided Culture with Arthur BrooksAfter Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan HaidtTrust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie KristianHope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt ThompsonTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.