Podcasts about Duke Divinity School

On Friends Like Us, host Marina Franklin dives deep into critical discussions on black maternal health with the incredible Dr. Wylin D. Wilson and comedian Ashima Franklin. Empower yourself with knowledge, laughter, and inspiration!  Wylin D. Wilson is Associate Professor of Theological Ethics at Duke Divinity School where she teaches Womanist Bioethics within the Theology Medicine and Culture program. She is author of Economic Ethics and the Black Church and Womanist Bioethics: Social Justice, Spirituality, and Black Women's Health. Ashima Franklin is a comedian, writer and actor, born and raised in Mobile, AL. Recently, she was selected as one of the inaugural 2024 NETFLIX IS A JOKE… Introducing (New Faces) comedians. In addition, she was also selected “Best of Fest” at Moontower Comedy Festival in Austin. She also performed in comedy festivals like Flyover Comedy Fest, Laughing Skull and New York Comedy Festival. Previously, she toured the country for 5 years with Katt Williams on the Priceless, The Katt Pack and Katapocolypse tours. . As an actor, she also appeared in the movie THE AFTERPARTY on Netflix. Ashima recently appeared on the ALLBLK Network on the Kendall Kyndall show with Drew Sadora, as well as Season 2 of OWN's READY TO LOVE. In addition, she appeared on Kountry Wayne's COMEDY SHIT (Youtube), in which she is currently a recurring cast member. Ashima also headlined the Vivica Fox Funny by Nature Tour. Ashima was selected to be a part of the 2022 & 2023 New York Comedy Festival. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf. Writer for HBO's 'Divorce' and the new Tracy Morgan show on Paramount Plus: 'Crutch'.     

Dr. Warren Kinghorn is a psychiatrist and theologian at Duke University, where he holds joint appointments at Duke Divinity School and the Duke University Medical Center. Warren’s work focuses on the intersection of theology, mental health, and human flourishing—and he brings an integrated, humane perspective to questions that too often get reduced to biology or technique. His new book is Wayfaring: A Christian Approach to Mental Health Care. In this episode, Warren Kinghorn and Jonathan Rogers discuss how the metaphor of the human being as a machine has shaped mental health care—and what is gained by reclaiming the older metaphor of the human as wayfarer; they talk about the ways that Thomas Aquinas’s teleological vision of human behavior opens up a richer account of freedom, agency, and virtue; and they talk about the possibility that the meaning of life is an active participation in blessing.Support the show: https://therabbitroom.givingfuel.com/memberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if God never meant for you to live in fear, shame, or self-hatred?In this powerful conversation, I'm joined by Rev. Lizzie McManus-Dail — Episcopal priest, creator, and author ofGod Didn't Make Us to Hate Us: 40 Devotions to Liberate Your Faith from Fear and Reconnect with Joy. We dive deep into unlearning fear-based faith, healing from toxic theology, and reclaiming the radical joy of being fully loved by God. Whether you're deep in deconstruction or just beginning to ask hard questions, this episode offers hope, healing, and a reminder that curiosity, nuance, and belonging were always part of the story.We explore:The deep roots of fear-based faith — and how it shapes our sense of selfWhy reclaiming joy is a radical act of spiritual liberationHealing from church hurt without losing your connection to GodThe intersections of faith, feminism, queerness, and justiceNavigating deconstruction with gentleness, curiosity, and hopeEmbracing the truth that you were created from love, for love — not fearBuilding a spirituality rooted in joy, abundance, and radical belongingIf this conversation stirred something in your heart, I'd be honored if you'd subscribe, leave a review, or share it with a friend who might need to hear it. Your support helps us spread messages of hope, healing, and spiritual liberation to more souls who are ready to reclaim the joy they were made for.Meet Rev. Lizzie McManus-Dail:Rev. Lizzie is an Episcopal priest, author, and joyful disruptor of toxic theology. She's the founding pastor of Jubilee Episcopal Church in Austin, Texas—a vibrant community rooted in ancient worship and radical hospitality. With degrees from Mount Holyoke College, Duke Divinity School, and Seminary of the Southwest, Lizzie weaves together faith, feminism, and queer theology. Her debut book is a love letter to the disillusioned, deconstructing, and deeply hopeful.Connect with Lizzie:Follow Rev. Lizzie on InstagramVisit her websiteListen to the And Also With You PodcastLearn more about Jubilee Episcopal ChurchOrder God Didn't Make Us to Hate UsConnect with Emily:Website: www.EmilyReuschel.comInstagram: @emilyreuschelFacebook: Emily ReuschelLinkedIn: Emily ReuschelJoin my Book Insiders List: Sign up here!Resources & Links:Sign up here to get the inside scoop on my book writing journeyInterested in sponsoring Gather in Growth? Apply...

Eric Lewis Williams, Ph.D. is Director of the Office of Black Church Studies and Assistant Professor of Theology and Black Church Studies at Duke Divinity School. 

Over the last few years, in addition to teaching young single adults a temple prep class she calls “Temple Plus,” Melinda Brown has traveled from her home in Utah to Durham, North Carolina to pursue a degree from Duke Divinity School. In the process, she has found her love and appreciation for the temple deepen. On this week's episode, she shares why she believes the gifts God intends to endow us with within His holy house are intended to bless our lives in the present.  She now recognizes that eternity is now. 2:50- Divinity School 11:25- Liturgy and Temple Worship 16:15- The Giver and the Receiver 22:51- Teaching Children About the Temple 31:21- Seeking a Positive Temple Experience 38:19- Temple Garments 43:25- Practice 48:09- What Does It Mean To Be All In the Gospel of Jesus Christ? “Every day is a new starting point and we just get to keep trying. It's all practice.” Links:  An Endowment of Love- https://bit.ly/3S2OqVu Eve and Adam- https://bit.ly/4kahyGe Instagram Live with Mindy Brown- https://www.instagram.com/tv/Ch0wfgLpIGl/?igsh=cXl1MWozdmo4aTNv Previous All In episode with Mindy Brown- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-in/id1439975046?i=1000467433196 YouTube mini-class on the Temple with Mindy- https://youtu.be/dw1CkaFJp_w Other recent interviews with Mindy about “An Endowment of Love”-  Out of the Best Books: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/out-of-the-best-books/id1779601020?i=1000704289819 Magnify- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-fresh-perspective-on-our-temple-experience/id1643211858?i=1000702502616

Today's conversation is with Dr. Lester Ruth, a research professor of Christian Worship at Duke Divinity School. If you go back in the archives you'll see I interviewed Lester and Swee Hong Lim around the time they released their book A History of Contemporary Praise & Worship. Lester is a worship historian. The subject of […] The post #356: Christian Nationalism and Worship: Faith, Politics, & Identity with Dr. Lester Ruth appeared first on Beyond Sunday Worship.

This lecture is entitled Aristotle's Great-Souled Man in Jane Austen, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, and Saint Augustine. It was presented by J. Warren Smith of Duke Divinity School on January 26, 2023, at the University of Chicago's Swift Hall.

Show Notes:Chris and Eddie are joined by previous guest Greg Jones for a spirited conversation about leaning into hopeful imagination: looking for places where the Holy Spirit is at work and where we can see a future that's different from the past and the present. What does it mean to be formed in God's imagination? How can we use that formation to find security in a fractured, uncertain world? How can we bring resurrection hope--the surety of a risen Christ to heal the world--to our institutions, our communities, and our daily lives?Greg is the President of Belmont University as well as the former Dean of Duke Divinity School and the author of several books, including Navigating the Future (co-authored with Andrew P. Hogue), Christian Social Innovation, and Thriving Communities (co-authored with Kavin Rowe). His hope for his time at Belmont is to make it a leading Christ-centered university in the world, radically championing the pursuit of life abundant for all people. Resources:Listen to Greg's previous episode on The Weight here.Learn more about his books and buy them online here.Learn more about Dr. Jones here.

Eric Lewis Williams, Ph.D. is Director of the Office of Black Church Studies and Assistant Professor of Theology and Black Church Studies at Duke Divinity School. Williams quotes Zora Neale Hurston, "I was born with God in my house." Hear a scholar's story of having been raised in a Pentecostal household, mentored into the scholarship of religion with no contradiction, and working as a professor, museum curator, and higher education administrator. Williams' journey is one of curiosity, boldness, and creativity.

As I approach my graduation at Duke Divinity School, I've been reflecting on some of my class assignments over the past four years. Many of them were very academic papers comparing historical doctrines, or exploring Christianity in another part of the world (in the class I took we explored Christianity in Latin America).Other assignments were more formative, encouraging us to deepen our personal spiritual life in reflecting not only on our education but on the world around us. For one of our formation classes, our assignment was to write one prayer per day for five days in a row. That was the entire prompt; we could write about whatever God put on our hearts each day.For the last day, I was reflecting on how we often get so tangled up in our day-to-day world that we forget that God's world is very different. I looked for some Scripture verses to remind me that God really is everywhere if we will just look, feel, smell, hear, and taste, using all our senses.Here's my prayer from Day 5: Praise for our ability to perceive God through all our senses.Dear heavenly Father, I praise you as you have filled the world with immense beauty. It is only through my senses that I can behold your gracious hand in all these works. It is through my hearing that the mourning dove welcomes me to another orange sunrise. My sense of smell is the most likely to return me to a memory of a forgotten love or a new one just discovered. I am thankful for my ability to touch you when I give or receive a hug from a good friend or help a two-year old tie their shoelaces. It is through taste that I perceive your goodness not only in the fruits of the earth but the spices and flavors that you have given to different parts of the world for us to explore, exchange, and welcome as we give thanks for the nourishment of the plants and animals that give us strength. It is through the magnificent gift of sight that you bring us to our knees as we see the boldness of your created world that inspires us to use our imagination to envision your kingdom here on earth. It is with joy that I sing praises to you, Lord, as there is no one who can love me better or more completely than you do by showing me the majesty of your world. Amen.I hope that no matter what tries to distract us that we will see God all around us and never far away.Blessings, my friend,Agatha Notes: Genesis 8:21, Psalm 34:8, 115:3-8, 119:103; Proverbs 20:12, Matthew 13:16, Mark 4:23, Romans 10:13, 2 Corinthians 2:15

MDJ Script/ Top Stories for May 2nd Publish Date:  May 2nd    Commercial: From the BG AD Group Studio, Welcome to the Marietta Daily Journal Podcast.    Today is Friday, May 2nd and Happy Birthday to Dwayne Johnson 05.02.25 - BIRTHDAY – DWAYNE JOHNSON*** I’m Keith Ippolito and here are the stories Cobb is talking about, presented by Times Journal KSU Computer Science Student Honored with First President’s Award of Distinction Kennesaw Continues Outdoor Movie Series on May 17 Hundreds Gather at Cobb Prayer Breakfast to Reflect, Reconnect and Pray Plus, Leah McGrath from Ingles Markets on diabetes All of this and more is coming up on the Marietta Daily Journal Podcast, and if you are looking for community news, we encourage you to listen and subscribe!  BREAK: TOP TECH MECHANICAL STORY 1: KSU Computer Science Student Honored with First President’s Award of Distinction Anh Duong, a Kennesaw State University senior, has been honored as the first recipient of the President’s Award of Distinction for her academic excellence, leadership, and impactful research. Inspired by her grandparents’ struggles with diabetes, Duong has worked on innovative projects like GlucoCheck, a non-invasive glucose monitoring device, and a mental health prediction app. A first-generation college student with a 3.99 GPA, she has excelled in KSU’s Honors College and the Double Owl Pathways program. Duong credits KSU for shaping her purpose to use technology to improve lives and inspire meaningful change. STORY 2: Kennesaw Continues Outdoor Movie Series on May 17 Kennesaw’s free Outdoor Movie Series continues on May 17 at 8:15 p.m. with a showing of *The Parent Trap* at Swift-Cantrell Park. Attendees can bring blankets or low-backed chairs, while food vendors and family-friendly activities start at 6 p.m. VIP tents are available for $50, including seating and a reserved spot. Before the movie, enjoy free games like hula-hoop contests and sack races. The event coincides with the Backyard Campout, featuring stargazing, s’mores, and field activities. Campout registration is $25 for bring-your-own tents or $50 for pre-set campsites, including meals. Advance reservations are required. STORY 3: Hundreds Gather at Cobb Prayer Breakfast to Reflect, Reconnect and Pray Around 900 attendees gathered at the Cobb Galleria Centre for the 41st Annual Cobb County Prayer Breakfast on the National Day of Prayer. The event featured nondenominational worship, scripture readings, and hymns led by Linked UP Church. Keynote speaker Kevin Paul Scott, a Cobb native and leadership consultant, delivered an inspiring message centered on the idea that "If you have a pulse, you have a purpose." Sharing humorous parenting prayers and reflections on life’s meaning, Scott encouraged attendees to embrace their purpose. Local leaders, including Cobb Schools Superintendent Chris Ragsdale, emphasized the power of daily prayer and community fellowship. We have opportunities for sponsors to get great engagement on these shows. Call 770.799.6810 for more info.  Break: Ingles Markets 2 STORY 4: Judge Sonja N. Brown Honored with Justice Robert Benham Award Superior Court Judge Sonja N. Brown was honored at the 25th Annual Justice Robert Benham Awards for Community Service for her dedication to volunteerism. Serving Cobb County since January 2023, Judge Brown is active in philanthropy, including her work with the Tommy Nobis Center and Covenant House Georgia, where she raises awareness about youth homelessness. With a distinguished legal career spanning roles in DeKalb and Fulton counties, she also holds degrees from Clark Atlanta University, Duke Divinity School, and Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School. Judge Brown expressed gratitude for the award and her commitment to community service. STORY 5: All Vision To Learn Summer Break 2025 Appointments Have Been Booked All 680 appointment slots for Vision To Learn’s free eye exams and glasses at nine Cobb County Public Library locations this summer were filled within a week of registration opening. Vision To Learn, a nonprofit serving children ages 5-18, has partnered with Cobb libraries since 2018, making Cobb the first in Georgia to host the program. The initiative, part of Learn4Life’s Atlanta Vision Project, aims to provide glasses to all metro Atlanta elementary students in need by 2028, with additional clinics planned across several counties this summer. Break: And now here is Leah McGrath from Ingles Markets on diabetes *** INGLES ASK LEAH (DIABETES)_FINAL*** We’ll have closing comments after this. Break: TIDWELL TREES Signoff-   Thanks again for hanging out with us on today’s Marietta Daily Journal Podcast. If you enjoy these shows, we encourage you to check out our other offerings, like the Cherokee Tribune Ledger Podcast, the Marietta Daily Journal, or the Community Podcast for Rockdale Newton and Morgan Counties. Read more about all our stories and get other great content at mdjonline.com Did you know over 50% of Americans listen to podcasts weekly? Giving you important news about our community and telling great stories are what we do. Make sure you join us for our next episode and be sure to share this podcast on social media with your friends and family. Add us to your Alexa Flash Briefing or your Google Home Briefing and be sure to like, follow, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. 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Dr. Wylan D. Wilson, an esteemed Assistant Professor of Theological Ethics at Duke Divinity School, joins us to discuss the crucial intersection of bioethics, gender, and theology, particularly as they relate to the health disparities faced by Black women. Her current research focuses on the role of the Black church in addressing the alarming maternal health crisis in the United States, highlighting the systemic inequities that persist within healthcare. Dr. Wilson's insights illuminate the necessity for a womanist approach to bioethics, which seeks to include diverse voices and experiences, thereby fostering a more equitable healthcare landscape. Throughout our conversation, she emphasizes the importance of listening to marginalized voices, advocating for justice, and creating supportive communities. Join us as we explore these pressing issues and the transformative potential of womanist bioethics in reshaping health outcomes for all.An engaging discourse on the intersections of theology, medicine, and ethics unfolds through the insights of Dr. Wylan D. Wilson, an esteemed assistant professor at Duke Divinity School, whose expertise encompasses bioethics, gender, and theology. The conversation delves into Dr. Wilson's pivotal research project, which investigates the role of the Black church in addressing racial inequities in Black women's health, particularly in the context of maternal health crises in North Carolina. Through a rich narrative, Dr. Wilson elucidates the historical and systemic factors contributing to health disparities faced by marginalized communities, emphasizing the necessity of a womanist approach to bioethics that seeks to uplift and empower Black women and other women of color. This dialogue not only highlights the critical need for inclusive theological discourse but also advocates for the urgent reformation of healthcare practices to ensure equitable access and treatment for all, particularly in underrepresented demographics. Dr. Wilson's unique perspective invites listeners to consider how faith communities can act as agents of change, fostering a holistic understanding of health that intertwines spiritual, social, and ethical dimensions, ultimately enriching the broader conversation about health and justice in society.Takeaways: Dr. Wylan D. Wilson emphasizes the urgent need to address racial inequities in healthcare, particularly for Black women. The intersection of bioethics and womanist theology highlights the importance of inclusive perspectives in addressing health disparities. Effective communication and transparency are crucial in personal relationships, as emphasized by Dr. Wilson's father's advice regarding marriage. Community engagement and accountability are essential for faith institutions to reclaim their role in healthcare advocacy and support.

George began a series on Rhythm and what it means to know God as the source of our lives in which 'we live and move and have our being.' In this teaching, we looked at Pope Francis and the Apostle Paul in Athens, and how they examplified the same gracious posture we see in Jesus and that which we hope to embody ourselves.SLIDE GEORGE READWe are at the forefront of a new reformation, one that is freeing the Christian faith from the sinful structures of patriarchy, racism, classism, many phobias and exploitative forms of mission and evangelism. The new reformation is all about the emergence of a generous, hospitable, equitable form of Christianity that heals the wounds of the world. I believe much of the work for the church in the years ahead, is that we must focus on healing the wounds inflicted by Christendom so that the beauty and inclusive goodness of the gospel can be heard and seen and experienced. —Elaine Heath, Duke Divinity School

Send us a textRev. Dr. Raigan Miskelly, senior pastor at Galloway UMC in Jackson, MS, joins Alex and Susan to answer the questions, "How did God never have a beginning? Was God made?"ABOUT RAIGAN:  Rev. Dr. Raigan Miskelly is an Ordained United Methodist Elder in the Mississippi Conference. Dr. Miskelly holds a Master of Divinity degree from Pacific School of Religion and a Doctor of Ministry from Duke Divinity School. She is currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration with an emphasis on Nonprofit Management. She is a certified coach, teacher, and speaker with the John Maxwell Leadership Team. She's also a certified spin instructor. Raigan is married to Rocky and is the mother of two college-age children. She is also the stepmother of two adult sons. Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com. Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.

Black people, and especially Black women, suffer and die from diseases at much higher rates than their white counterparts. The vast majority of these health disparities are not attributed to behavioral differences or biology, but to the pervasive devaluation of Black bodies. Womanist Bioethics: Social Justice, Spirituality, and Black Women's Health (NYU Press, 2025), by Dr. Wylin D. Wilson, addresses this crisis from a bioethical standpoint. It offers a critique of mainstream bioethics as having embraced the perspective of its mainly white, male progenitors, limiting the extent to which it is positioned to engage the issues that particularly affect vulnerable populations. This book makes the provocative but essential case that because African American women—across almost every health indicator—fare worse than others, we must not only include, but center, Black women's experiences and voices in bioethics discourse and practice. Womanist Bioethics develops the first specifically womanist form of bioethics, focused on the diverse vulnerabilities and multiple oppressions that women of color face. This innovative womanist bioethics is grounded in the Black Christian prophetic tradition, based on the ideas that God does not condone oppression and that it is imperative to defend those who are vulnerable. It also draws on womanist theology and Black liberation theology, which take similar stances. At its core, the volume offers a new, broad-based approach to bioethics that is meant as a corrective to mainstream bioethics' privileging of white, particularly male, experiences, and it outlines ways in which hospitals, churches, and the larger community can better respond to the healthcare needs of Black women. Our guest is: Dr. Wylin D. Wilson, who is associate professor of theological ethics at Duke Divinity School. Her work lies at the intersection of religion, gender, and bioethics. Her academic interests also include rural bioethics and Black church studies. Prior to joining Duke Divinity School in 2020, she was a teaching faculty member at the Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics and a senior fellow at the Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard Divinity School. She is the theologian-in-residence for the Children's Defense Fund and is a member of the American Academy of Religion's Bioethics and Religion Program Unit Steering Committee. Among her publications is her book, Economic Ethics and the Black Church. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, who is the creator and producer of the Academic Life podcast. Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! You can support the show by downloading and sharing episodes. Join us again to learn from more experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 250+ Academic Life episodes? Find them here. And thank you for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/african-american-studies

Black people, and especially Black women, suffer and die from diseases at much higher rates than their white counterparts. The vast majority of these health disparities are not attributed to behavioral differences or biology, but to the pervasive devaluation of Black bodies. Womanist Bioethics: Social Justice, Spirituality, and Black Women's Health (NYU Press, 2025), by Dr. Wylin D. Wilson, addresses this crisis from a bioethical standpoint. It offers a critique of mainstream bioethics as having embraced the perspective of its mainly white, male progenitors, limiting the extent to which it is positioned to engage the issues that particularly affect vulnerable populations. This book makes the provocative but essential case that because African American women—across almost every health indicator—fare worse than others, we must not only include, but center, Black women's experiences and voices in bioethics discourse and practice. Womanist Bioethics develops the first specifically womanist form of bioethics, focused on the diverse vulnerabilities and multiple oppressions that women of color face. This innovative womanist bioethics is grounded in the Black Christian prophetic tradition, based on the ideas that God does not condone oppression and that it is imperative to defend those who are vulnerable. It also draws on womanist theology and Black liberation theology, which take similar stances. At its core, the volume offers a new, broad-based approach to bioethics that is meant as a corrective to mainstream bioethics' privileging of white, particularly male, experiences, and it outlines ways in which hospitals, churches, and the larger community can better respond to the healthcare needs of Black women. Our guest is: Dr. Wylin D. Wilson, who is associate professor of theological ethics at Duke Divinity School. Her work lies at the intersection of religion, gender, and bioethics. Her academic interests also include rural bioethics and Black church studies. Prior to joining Duke Divinity School in 2020, she was a teaching faculty member at the Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics and a senior fellow at the Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard Divinity School. She is the theologian-in-residence for the Children's Defense Fund and is a member of the American Academy of Religion's Bioethics and Religion Program Unit Steering Committee. Among her publications is her book, Economic Ethics and the Black Church. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, who is the creator and producer of the Academic Life podcast. Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! You can support the show by downloading and sharing episodes. Join us again to learn from more experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 250+ Academic Life episodes? Find them here. And thank you for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Black people, and especially Black women, suffer and die from diseases at much higher rates than their white counterparts. The vast majority of these health disparities are not attributed to behavioral differences or biology, but to the pervasive devaluation of Black bodies. Womanist Bioethics: Social Justice, Spirituality, and Black Women's Health (NYU Press, 2025), by Dr. Wylin D. Wilson, addresses this crisis from a bioethical standpoint. It offers a critique of mainstream bioethics as having embraced the perspective of its mainly white, male progenitors, limiting the extent to which it is positioned to engage the issues that particularly affect vulnerable populations. This book makes the provocative but essential case that because African American women—across almost every health indicator—fare worse than others, we must not only include, but center, Black women's experiences and voices in bioethics discourse and practice. Womanist Bioethics develops the first specifically womanist form of bioethics, focused on the diverse vulnerabilities and multiple oppressions that women of color face. This innovative womanist bioethics is grounded in the Black Christian prophetic tradition, based on the ideas that God does not condone oppression and that it is imperative to defend those who are vulnerable. It also draws on womanist theology and Black liberation theology, which take similar stances. At its core, the volume offers a new, broad-based approach to bioethics that is meant as a corrective to mainstream bioethics' privileging of white, particularly male, experiences, and it outlines ways in which hospitals, churches, and the larger community can better respond to the healthcare needs of Black women. Our guest is: Dr. Wylin D. Wilson, who is associate professor of theological ethics at Duke Divinity School. Her work lies at the intersection of religion, gender, and bioethics. Her academic interests also include rural bioethics and Black church studies. Prior to joining Duke Divinity School in 2020, she was a teaching faculty member at the Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics and a senior fellow at the Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard Divinity School. She is the theologian-in-residence for the Children's Defense Fund and is a member of the American Academy of Religion's Bioethics and Religion Program Unit Steering Committee. Among her publications is her book, Economic Ethics and the Black Church. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, who is the creator and producer of the Academic Life podcast. Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! You can support the show by downloading and sharing episodes. Join us again to learn from more experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 250+ Academic Life episodes? Find them here. And thank you for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/gender-studies

Black people, and especially Black women, suffer and die from diseases at much higher rates than their white counterparts. The vast majority of these health disparities are not attributed to behavioral differences or biology, but to the pervasive devaluation of Black bodies. Womanist Bioethics: Social Justice, Spirituality, and Black Women's Health (NYU Press, 2025), by Dr. Wylin D. Wilson, addresses this crisis from a bioethical standpoint. It offers a critique of mainstream bioethics as having embraced the perspective of its mainly white, male progenitors, limiting the extent to which it is positioned to engage the issues that particularly affect vulnerable populations. This book makes the provocative but essential case that because African American women—across almost every health indicator—fare worse than others, we must not only include, but center, Black women's experiences and voices in bioethics discourse and practice. Womanist Bioethics develops the first specifically womanist form of bioethics, focused on the diverse vulnerabilities and multiple oppressions that women of color face. This innovative womanist bioethics is grounded in the Black Christian prophetic tradition, based on the ideas that God does not condone oppression and that it is imperative to defend those who are vulnerable. It also draws on womanist theology and Black liberation theology, which take similar stances. At its core, the volume offers a new, broad-based approach to bioethics that is meant as a corrective to mainstream bioethics' privileging of white, particularly male, experiences, and it outlines ways in which hospitals, churches, and the larger community can better respond to the healthcare needs of Black women. Our guest is: Dr. Wylin D. Wilson, who is associate professor of theological ethics at Duke Divinity School. Her work lies at the intersection of religion, gender, and bioethics. Her academic interests also include rural bioethics and Black church studies. Prior to joining Duke Divinity School in 2020, she was a teaching faculty member at the Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics and a senior fellow at the Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard Divinity School. She is the theologian-in-residence for the Children's Defense Fund and is a member of the American Academy of Religion's Bioethics and Religion Program Unit Steering Committee. Among her publications is her book, Economic Ethics and the Black Church. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, who is the creator and producer of the Academic Life podcast. Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! You can support the show by downloading and sharing episodes. Join us again to learn from more experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 250+ Academic Life episodes? Find them here. And thank you for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/medicine

Black people, and especially Black women, suffer and die from diseases at much higher rates than their white counterparts. The vast majority of these health disparities are not attributed to behavioral differences or biology, but to the pervasive devaluation of Black bodies. Womanist Bioethics: Social Justice, Spirituality, and Black Women's Health (NYU Press, 2025), by Dr. Wylin D. Wilson, addresses this crisis from a bioethical standpoint. It offers a critique of mainstream bioethics as having embraced the perspective of its mainly white, male progenitors, limiting the extent to which it is positioned to engage the issues that particularly affect vulnerable populations. This book makes the provocative but essential case that because African American women—across almost every health indicator—fare worse than others, we must not only include, but center, Black women's experiences and voices in bioethics discourse and practice. Womanist Bioethics develops the first specifically womanist form of bioethics, focused on the diverse vulnerabilities and multiple oppressions that women of color face. This innovative womanist bioethics is grounded in the Black Christian prophetic tradition, based on the ideas that God does not condone oppression and that it is imperative to defend those who are vulnerable. It also draws on womanist theology and Black liberation theology, which take similar stances. At its core, the volume offers a new, broad-based approach to bioethics that is meant as a corrective to mainstream bioethics' privileging of white, particularly male, experiences, and it outlines ways in which hospitals, churches, and the larger community can better respond to the healthcare needs of Black women. Our guest is: Dr. Wylin D. Wilson, who is associate professor of theological ethics at Duke Divinity School. Her work lies at the intersection of religion, gender, and bioethics. Her academic interests also include rural bioethics and Black church studies. Prior to joining Duke Divinity School in 2020, she was a teaching faculty member at the Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics and a senior fellow at the Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard Divinity School. She is the theologian-in-residence for the Children's Defense Fund and is a member of the American Academy of Religion's Bioethics and Religion Program Unit Steering Committee. Among her publications is her book, Economic Ethics and the Black Church. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, who is the creator and producer of the Academic Life podcast. Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! You can support the show by downloading and sharing episodes. Join us again to learn from more experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 250+ Academic Life episodes? Find them here. And thank you for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/academic-life

Black people, and especially Black women, suffer and die from diseases at much higher rates than their white counterparts. The vast majority of these health disparities are not attributed to behavioral differences or biology, but to the pervasive devaluation of Black bodies. Womanist Bioethics: Social Justice, Spirituality, and Black Women's Health (NYU Press, 2025), by Dr. Wylin D. Wilson, addresses this crisis from a bioethical standpoint. It offers a critique of mainstream bioethics as having embraced the perspective of its mainly white, male progenitors, limiting the extent to which it is positioned to engage the issues that particularly affect vulnerable populations. This book makes the provocative but essential case that because African American women—across almost every health indicator—fare worse than others, we must not only include, but center, Black women's experiences and voices in bioethics discourse and practice. Womanist Bioethics develops the first specifically womanist form of bioethics, focused on the diverse vulnerabilities and multiple oppressions that women of color face. This innovative womanist bioethics is grounded in the Black Christian prophetic tradition, based on the ideas that God does not condone oppression and that it is imperative to defend those who are vulnerable. It also draws on womanist theology and Black liberation theology, which take similar stances. At its core, the volume offers a new, broad-based approach to bioethics that is meant as a corrective to mainstream bioethics' privileging of white, particularly male, experiences, and it outlines ways in which hospitals, churches, and the larger community can better respond to the healthcare needs of Black women. Our guest is: Dr. Wylin D. Wilson, who is associate professor of theological ethics at Duke Divinity School. Her work lies at the intersection of religion, gender, and bioethics. Her academic interests also include rural bioethics and Black church studies. Prior to joining Duke Divinity School in 2020, she was a teaching faculty member at the Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics and a senior fellow at the Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard Divinity School. She is the theologian-in-residence for the Children's Defense Fund and is a member of the American Academy of Religion's Bioethics and Religion Program Unit Steering Committee. Among her publications is her book, Economic Ethics and the Black Church. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, who is the creator and producer of the Academic Life podcast. Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! You can support the show by downloading and sharing episodes. Join us again to learn from more experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 250+ Academic Life episodes? Find them here. And thank you for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode we're joined by Dr. Jerusha Neal, who is Assistant Professor of Homiletics at Duke Divinity School and the author of Holy Ground: Climate Change, Preaching, and the Apocalypse of Place (published by Baylor University Press). In this conversation we talk about climate-informed homiletics and specifically what Dr. Neal gleaned from indigenous preaching that others can learn and incorporate into their preaching.Use the code 17PROMO for 20% off! Team members on the episode from The Two Cities includes: Dr. John Anthony Dunne and Dr. Grace Emmett. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dan Wells Ph.D. is a scholar of American religious history, consulting faculty at Duke Divinity School, Methodist pastor, and hunter outdoorsman in Muskingum County, Ohio.  On this episode focused on the Christian God & wild snake handling churches of Appalachia, we begin with a haunting story about Dan's ancestors' old home-place. Back-&-forth we share experiences about our Christian upbringings, early skepticisms on the likes of hypocrisy and the problem of evil, followed by Dan's religious calling as an intellectual pursuit. From there we're into the serpents with Dan describing his first-hand experiences at a Kentucky snake church, diving into the history, beliefs, deaths and legal restrictions of these serpent handling practitioners opening conversations about martyrdom & sainthood, the Hopi snake dance, Biblical snake symbolism, and rattlesnake catch-&-release hunting. From there we bring together Christianity and reverence for nature through the teachings of the early desert fathers and mystics. We end on dreams and an allegorical hunting story about God's fatherly protection over his spiritual children.Reading from Foxfire 7: "The People Who Take Up Serpents" by Elliot WiggintonLearn more about Dan at DrDanWells.comSupport Our Numinous Nature on Patreon.Follow Our Numinous Nature & my naturalist illustrations on InstagramCheck out my shop of shirts, prints, and books featuring my artContact: herbaceoushuman@gmail.com

308: 3 Keys to Building a Dynamic Nonprofit Team (Chris Jenkins)SUMMARYThis episode is brought to you by our friends at Armstrong McGuire & Associates. Check them out for your next career opportunity OR for help finding an interim executive or your next leader.What makes or breaks a nonprofit team? In episode #308 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Chris Jenkins shares how he has built a thriving organization by prioritizing trust, mission alignment, and strategic leadership. Discover why micromanagement is one of the biggest threats to team dynamics and how empowering staff with autonomy leads to stronger results. Learn how to foster a culture of accountability, encourage team-driven decision-making, and create an evaluation process that ensures long-term success. This conversation dives into the importance of hiring people who challenge your perspective, how to balance visionary leadership with structured planning, and why succession planning starts long before a leadership transition.ABOUT CHRISChris Jenkins is the Founder of Hope Restorations Inc. which he started in February of 2015. Hope Restorations is a non-profit social enterprise striving to help adults recover from addiction and/or incarceration by providing honest, paid, dignified employment. The program uses the daily work environment to build relationships and trust as the foundation to help each individual identify and overcome their own unique barriers to success. The work involves acquiring and renovating deteriorating, eyesore properties in the community to provide affordable housing for low-income families. Chris served in the US Navy and then managed privately owned manufacturing operations before opening his own auto repair shop. In 2004, he began answering a calling into formal ministry. He holds a Bachelor's in Occupational Education from Eastern New Mexico University and has completed the Course of Study for Ordained Ministry in the United Methodist Church at Duke Divinity School. He's an ASE Certified Master Auto Technician, an NC General Contractor, and a USCG Licensed Captain.EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESReady for your next leadership opportunity? Visit our partners at Armstrong McGuireWatch Chris's story here!Start with Why by Simon SinekHave you gotten Patton's book

This week we are revisiting an episode originally recorded in April 2024 with the incredible Kate Bowler! She is a four-time New York Times bestselling author, award-winning podcast host, and an Associate Professor of American Religious History at Duke University. Jann and Kate discuss the importance of taking action in the face of challenges, the need for authentic conversations about grief, and the pressure to always be positive. They also touch on the topic of medically assisted dying and the complexities surrounding it. Kate Bowler shares her personal experiences with chronic pain and how it inspired her latest book, 'Have a Beautiful, Terrible Day,' which offers bite-sized reflections for navigating ups and downs in life. In this conversation, Kate Bowler discusses the challenges of navigating grief and supporting others in times of difficulty. They explore the concept of being overwhelmed by other people's problems and the need to set boundaries. They also discuss the role of religion and spirituality in coping with hardship and finding a sense of community. The conversation emphasizes the importance of vulnerability, love, and self-compassion in helping each other through tough times. More about Kate Bowler: Kate studies the cultural stories we tell ourselves about success, suffering, and whether (or not) we're capable of change. She is the author of Blessed: A History of the American Prosperity Gospel and The Preacher's Wife: The Precarious Power of Evangelical Women Celebrities. After being unexpectedly diagnosed with Stage IV cancer at age 35, she penned the New York Times bestselling memoir, Everything Happens for a Reason (and Other Lies I've Loved) and No Cure For Being Human (and Other Truths I Need to Hear). She has also co-written with Jessica Richie, spiritual reflections: Good Enough: 40ish Devotionals for a Life of Imperfection and The Lives We Actually Have: 100 Blessings for Imperfect Days. Kate's most recent book, Have a Beautiful, Terrible Day! Daily Meditations for the Ups, Downs, and In-Betweens, is packed with bite-sized reflections and action-oriented steps to help you get through the day, be it good, bad, or totally mediocre. Kate hosts the award-winning Everything Happens podcast where, in warm, insightful, often funny conversations, she talks with people like Malcolm Gladwell and Beth Moore about what they've learned in difficult times. She lives in Durham, North Carolina with her family and continues to teach do-gooders at Duke Divinity School. https://katebowler.com/ Watch Kate Bowler's Ted Talk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode Summary:You need to sit down for this episode.Mercer University's Dr. Angela Parker joins me today on the podcast for a heart-wrenching conversation about white supremacy, intersectionality, womanist theology, authoritarian Christianity, decolonization, Kamala Harris, and her sought-after book, If God Still Breathes, Why Can't I? According to Eerdmans Publishing House, “Angela Parker wasn't just trained to be a biblical scholar; she was trained to be a White male biblical scholar. She is neither White nor male.” Thank God.Womanist theology is a methodological approach to theology that centers the experiences and perspectives of Black women, particularly African-American women. Emerging in the mid to late 1980s, it serves as a corrective to early feminist theology—which often overlooked racial issues—and Black theology, which predominantly reflected male viewpoints. In plain language, Womanist theology interprets the Bible, Christianity, and life here in the American empire through the eyes and lived experiences of Black women.As a Black scholar who traces her family history out of slavery, segregation, Jim Crow, and into the halls of higher education, Dr. Parker talks candidly about what it means to be an educated Black woman in both predominantly white higher education and Trump's MAGA America.I know I say this a lot, but this is one of the most important conversations we've had to date on Holy Heretics.If the United States is to survive the MAGA cult, it will be through the embodied actions, wisdom, spirituality, and lived experience of Black women and men who understand what it takes to resist, regroup, and offer the world a beautiful invitation into God's beloved, alternative community. In the context of Trump's America, characterized by racist policies and rhetoric, Womanist theology is particularly poignant. By offering a framework that not only addresses the intersections of race, gender, and class, “womanism” also actively resists the oppressive structures of White America.BIO:Rev. Dr. Angela N. Parker is associate professor of New Testament and Greek at McAfee School of Theology at Mercer University. She received her B.A. in religion and philosophy from Shaw University (2008), her M.T.S. from Duke Divinity School (2008-2010) and her Ph.D. in Bible, culture, and hermeneutics from Chicago Theological Seminary (2015). Before this position, Dr. Parker was assistant professor of Biblical Studies at The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology. She teaches courses in New Testament, Greek Exegesis, the Gospel of Mark, the Corinthians Correspondence, the Gospel of John, and Womanist and Feminist Hermeneutics unto preaching.In her research, Dr. Parker merges Womanist thought and postcolonial theory while reading biblical texts. Dr. Parker's most popular book is titled, If God Still Breathes, Why Can't I: Black Lives Matter and Biblical Authority. In this book, Dr. Parker draws from her experience as a Womanist New Testament scholar in order to deconstruct one of White Christianity's most pernicious lies: the conflation of biblical authority with the doctrines of inerrancy and infallibility. As Dr. Parker shows, these doctrines are less about the text of the Bible itself and more about the arbiters of its interpretation—historically, White males in positions of power who have used Scripture to justify control over marginalized groups. This oppressive use of the Bible has been suffocating. To learn to breathe again, Dr. Parker says, we must “let God breathe in us.”Please Follow us on social media (use the buttons below) and help us get the word out! (Also, please don't hesitate to use any of these channels or email to contact us with any questions, concerns, or feedback.)If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and a review, or share on your socials

Thomas is the Alice Mary Baldwin Distinguished Professor of English at Duke University and Professor of Historical Theology in the Duke Divinity School. He is the author of four monographs: "Wordsworth Profession: Form, Class, and the Logic of Romantic Cultural Production," "Romantic Moods: Paranoia, Trauma, and Melancholy, 1790-1840," "Minding the Modern: Human Agency, Intellectual Traditions, and Responsible Knowledge," and "Incomprehensible Certainty: Metaphysics and Hermeneutics of the Image." ​In this conversation, Thomas and I explored theological aesthetics through a focus on the distinction between pictures and images and especially how images mediate spiritual realities. We discussed the transformative potential of art, the role of attention in perceiving the deeper meaning of images, and the implications of apophatic theology in understanding visual culture. Our dialogue also touched on viewing nature and art through a sacramental lens, the impact of consumerism on perception, and the need for humility and wonder to reclaim the mystical dimensions of images and their connection to the divine.

Hello and welcome to The Relatable Voice podcast! Today, we are driving to Durham, North Carolina, to talk with Dr. Wylin Wilson. Dr. Wilson is an Assistant Professor of Theological Ethics at Duke Divinity School, where she teaches within the Theology, Medicine, and Culture Initiative. Her latest book, Womanist Bioethics: Social Justice, Spirituality, and Black Women's Health, is out now.

In this conversation, Kaitlyn Scheiss discusses her book, 'The Ballot and the Bible,' which explores how scripture has been used and misused in American politics. She reflects on her journey as a doctoral student in political theology, the challenges of writing a book during her studies, and the importance of understanding the historical context of biblical interpretations in political discourse. The discussion delves into the complexities of how different Christian traditions engage with scripture in political contexts, particularly in relation to contentious issues like slavery and social justice.Our host for this episode is Dan Hummel, Director of the Lumen Center for the SL Brown Foundation. Our guest is Kaitlyn Schiess, she is the author of 'The Ballot and the Bible: How Scripture has been Used and Abused in American Politics and Where We Go from Here' (Brazos Press, 2023) and 'The Liturgy of Politics: Spiritual Formation for the Sake of Our Neighbor' (InterVarsity Press, 2020). She has also written for Christianity Today, The New York Times, Christ and Pop Culture, RELEVANT, and Sojourner. Kaitlyn is a co-host of the Holy Post podcast and the host of the podcast Curiously, Kaitlyn, two shows that work to help Christians think well and live faithfully in a pluralistic world. She has a ThM in systematic theology from Dallas Theological Seminary and is currently a doctoral student in political theology at Duke Divinity School.

Hello and welcome to The Relatable Voice podcast! Today, we are driving to Durham, North Carolina, to talk with Dr. Wylin Wilson. Dr. Wilson is an Assistant Professor of Theological Ethics at Duke Divinity School, where she teaches within the Theology, Medicine, and Culture Initiative. Her latest book, Womanist Bioethics: Social Justice, Spirituality, and Black Women's Health, is out now.

Peter has been a Professor at Duke Divinity School since 2020. Before Duke, he taught at Notre Dame and was the founding director of DePaul's Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology. He has published a monograph, Word as Bread: Language and Theology in Nicholas of Cusa. On November 15, 2024, his edited volume of the essays of Louis Dupré, Thinking the Unknowable, appeared with the University of Notre Dame Press.​In this conversation, Peter and I explored the relationship between art and theology with a focus on both theological aesthetics and the prophetic role of art. We discussed the influence of the Holy Spirit in the creative process, the significance of cultural symbols, and the contributions of Santero artists in Latin American culture. Our dialogue also touched on the impact of Thomas Merton in visual art, the role of reredos and moradas in Christian art history, and the blending of Spanish and indigenous traditions in Latino art as a reflection of cultural identity and spirituality.

Forgiveness is an essential part of the healing journey, not because it erases the past but because it frees us from being trapped in it. True healing isn't about forgetting what happened or pretending pain never existed—it's about acknowledging the hurt while choosing to move forward with strength and grace. Forgiveness, whether for ourselves or others, allows us to release the weight of resentment and step into a life filled with more peace, joy, and emotional freedom. It is an act of courage, a gift we give not only to those who have wronged us but to ourselves, creating space for growth, love, and new beginnings.In this episode, we explore the transformative power of forgiveness—both self-forgiveness and forgiving others—and how it shapes long-term happiness and joy with Rev. Lizzie McManus Dail.  Rev. Lizzie has lived all over the world with her boots now rooted in Austin, Texas, where she is living her dream as the founder of Jubilee Episcopal Church. Lizzie is passionate about the evangelism of a God who makes each of us for joy, which is why you might see her doing silly dances and talking about church history on Instagram and TikTok with her 90K followers. As a graduate of Mt. Holyoke College, Lizzie brought a passion for intersectional feminism and queer theology to her studies at Duke Divinity School and Seminary of the Southwest. It was her time in both Massachusetts and North Carolina that brought her into the Episcopal church, where she was ordained in 2020. While grateful for her academic formation, she still swears most things she learned about being a priest she learned from 5 plus years of working in the service industry and access to the arts in her public high school.  Tune in!What You Will Learn:[00:01] Intro and a bit about our guest today, Rev. Lizzie[06:50] What spirituality is and how it differs from religion [09:45] Understanding forgiveness vs. reconciliation and moving on[17:07] Steps to seeking forgiveness: Repentance and Repair [26:01] Why seeking forgiveness doesn't invalidate pain or wrong experienced[27:50] Healing from past wounds without forgiveness [31:24] The role of lament and repentance in the forgiveness process[32:27] What inspired Rev Lizzie to write about Church Hurt in her book [42:52] A devotion for you if you're struggling with forgiveness[52:56] Practices to cultivate a more forgiving heart[58:36] Setting boundaries, accountability, and taking responsibility[59:38] Wrap up and end of the showStandout Quotes:“Saying I'm sorry is the first step, and then how can I help?” [18:47]“Forgiveness is not forgetting; forgiving is saying that you were in pain, and it's not going to define you anymore.” [26:00]“Healing is essential, but it's not linear, and it's not about restoration to a mythic perfect state.” [44:51]“Boundaries are critically important, and so is accountability and responsibility when you make a mistake.” [59:21]Resources MentionedNo Future Without Forgiveness by Desmond Tutu: https://www.amazon.com/Future-Without-Forgiveness-Desmond-Tutu/dp/0385496907Let's ConnectWebsite:https://www.jubileeatx.org/staffTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rev.lizzie?lang=enChandler StroudWebsite: https://healingheroespodcast.com/Mixing, editing, and show notes provided by Next Day Podcast.

The United Methodist Church (UMC) had a momentous global meeting last year (2024), with the major outcome of allowing—or at least not preventing or taking action against—performing same-sex marriages and ordaining non-celibate gay leaders in the church. Methodists around the world have WIDE disagreements on how they even interpret this outcome, much less what they should do about it.This conflict is as much about church unity and governance as it is about LGBTQ rights and people—but of course they're wrapped up together. You might recognize yourself and your own Christian denomination in the UMC's 40+ years of conversations on these topics. Church unity is hard, folks.Last year, we talked to two members of the UMC to hear their perspectives: a U.S.-based seminary student pursuing ordination with the UMC, and a bishop in UMC leadership in Liberia.This is Part 1 of 2. Part 2 can be found here: [link available Feb 19, 2025]It's so important to take the time to listen to each other as we examine our own convictions. Please join us in listening with care for our Christian siblings around the world.About Our Guest:Joe Meinholz is currently a seminarian at Duke Divinity School pursuing ordination in the United Methodist Church. He grew up farming in Ho Chunk land (Southern Wisconsin) and is an aspiring community organizer, pastor, water protector, and lover of Jesus.—Note: This episode uses the terms “Side A” and “Side B” (and X, Y) as shorthand quite a bit. If you're new to the conversation, you might find it helpful to check out episode #3, where we talk through the four “sides”: ⁠#3 - A-B-Y-X | 4 Sides on SSA/Gay Sexuality⁠—★ Timestamps00:00 #58 - The United Methodist Church Lifts Ban on Gay Marriage: Polity and Progress with Joe Meinholz (Part 1 of 2 on the UMC)01:32 Polity: How the United Methodist Church denomination governs itself08:38 1972-today: UMC's history of LGBT marriage and theology12:51 2019-today: Making paths for "disaffiliation"20:32 Rulings from the 2024 UMC general conference: A more neutral position?27:17 The Global Methodist Church": A new denomination of disaffiliated churches29:00 Moving toward regional meetings of equals36:19 The fruit of our united front: Must we align on social principles?40:51 If you were Methodist, would YOU have disaffiliated?51:19 What does "church unity" mean? Can we disagree on sexuality?57:17 Wrapping up, looking forward—★ Links and ReferencesThe Other Significant Others by Rhaina CohenA recent letter from the African Bishops: www.unitedmethodistbishops.org/newsdetail/africa-umc-bishops-statement-2024-18627021Comments from the Africa Initiative: peopleneedjesus.net/2024/05/24/africa-initiative-united-methodism-in-africa-is-not-for-sale-to-western-cultural-christianity/One author on “ubuntu”: https://um-insight.net/general-conference/a-way-forward/ubuntu/—★ Send us feedback, questions, comments, and support!Email: communionandshalom@gmail.com | Instagram: @newkinship | Substack: @newkinship | Patreon: @newkinship—★ CreditsCreators and Hosts: David Frank, TJ Espinoza | Audio Engineer: Carl Swenson, carlswensonmusic.com | Podcast Manager: Elena F. | Graphic Designer: Gavin Popken, gavinpopkenart.com ★ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit newkinship.substack.com

In this thought-provoking episode with Curtis Chang, we explore a radical shift in how we view anxiety—not as a problem to be solved or eliminated, but as an opportunity to draw nearer to Jesus. Curtis delves into how anxiety often marks the people who approach Jesus, and how it can serve as the catalyst for spiritual growth. We discuss the contrasting approaches of the church and the world to anxiety, with prayer as the church's method of elimination and prescription as the world's solution. Curtis offers a mindset switch that invites us to see anxiety not as a sign of distance from Christ, but as an invitation to step closer to Him. Tune in for a transformative perspective on anxiety that could change the way you experience your faith.Curtis Chang is a consulting professor in innovation and organization at Duke Divinity School and a senior fellow at Fuller Theological Seminary. He is also a faculty member at American University. Curtis has a distinguished background in social innovation, having won an Obama White House award as the founder and head of Consulting Within Reach, a firm dedicated to serving nonprofits and government. His work bridges the worlds of faith, leadership, and mental health, focusing on how spiritual growth can be integrated with personal transformation. Curtis is the author of Engaging Unbelief: A Captivating Strategy from Augustine and Aquinas (IVP) and is a former Rockefeller Fellow. Known for his thoughtful and transformative approach to anxiety, he encourages individuals to view their struggles not as barriers, but as opportunities to grow closer to Jesus. Check out Dr. Chang's book below:Anxiety Opportunity Also listen to his podcast here:The good faith podcast Find out more about Dr. Chang's work on his website:Redeeming Babble

Kaitlyn Schiess (Curiously Kaitlyn, The Holy Post) opens up about a pivotal conversation with someone at her church that reshaped how she approaches the tricky intersection of politics and faith. She dives into the power of asking meaningful questions to get at the heart of others—even when beliefs feel under attack. Sharing stories from her own journey of teaching kids in church, wrestling with tough theological questions, and navigating heated debates about the Bible and American politics, Schiess reminds us how curiosity and a steady heart can pave the way for deeper connections and insights. Kaitlyn Schiess is a theologian, podcast host, and author of The Ballot and the Bible: How Scripture Has Been Used and Abused in American Politics and Where We Go From Here. She is currently pursuing a PhD in political theology at Duke Divinity School. Another Holy Post podcast regular, David French, was also on Uncomfy recently talking about being willing to admit you're wrong. Check it out here - https://youtu.be/wD7V1_-0w2w Related Links Kaitlyn's Website – https://kaitlynschiess.com/ Kaitlyn's book, The Ballot and the Bible – https://kaitlynschiess.com/the-ballot-and-the-bible Kaitlyn's podcasts - https://kaitlynschiess.com/podcasts Follow us on social media! Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/TheUncomfyPod/ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/uncomfy.podcast/ Tik Tok – https://www.tiktok.com/@theuncomfypodcast/ Threads – https://www.threads.net/@uncomfy.podcast/

Dr. Richard Hays, the dean of Duke Divinity School once declared that homosexuality is “alienated from God's loving purpose.”  However, he recently revealed that God has changed His mind.  Did He?  Although most of us like to reserve the right to change our minds, when it comes to God—that's a terrifying statement.   We will also explore the question:  Why did Dr. Hays change his mind about God's nature? That's the fascinating question. We can trace all our human problems to our view of God. Brightmedia.org twitter.com/GodIsTheIssue GOD, Who Are You Anyway?  by Bill Bright, with Brad Bright brightmedia.org/resources #faith  #worldview

On today's Equipping You in Grace show, Dave has a wide-ranging conversation with Dr. Guy Waters about biblical illiteracy and biblical preaching focused on helping you understand the aim, goal, and marks of biblical preaching, how to listen to such sermons, and much more on this new Equipping You in Grace show.What you'll hear in this episodeWhat it means to preach the Word.Why it matters how we preach the Word to God's people.The marks of biblical preaching.The role biblical preaching should have in the life of the church.Why Christians should be under biblically qualified male pastors.How biblical preaching helps address the issue of biblical illiteracy.How pastors can continue to grow in their biblical literacy.How Christians should listen to sermons.How church members should address concerns about their pastors' sermons with their pastor and elders.How pastors should address false teaching from the pulpit.Concerns about preaching in the evangelical church and what to do about them.About Today's GuestDr. Guy Waters is the James M. Baird, Jr. Professor of New Testament with a particular interest in the letters and theology of Paul, the use of Scripture in the New Testament, and the Synoptic Gospels. He received his B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania (1995), his MDiv from Westminster Theological Seminary (1998), and his Ph.D. from Duke University (2002).  Prior to coming to RTS Jackson in 2007, he spent one year teaching Hellenistic Greek at Duke Divinity School and five years as Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies at Belhaven College.  In 2003, he became a teaching elder in the Mississippi Valley Presbytery (PCA).  He served as the Chair of the Credentials Committee for more than ten years.Subscribing, sharing, and your feedbackYou can subscribe to Equipping You in Grace via iTunes, Google Play, or your favorite podcast catcher. If you like what you've heard, please consider leaving a rating and share it with your friends (it takes only takes a second and will go a long way to helping other people find the show). You can also connect with me on Twitter at @davejjenkins, on Facebook, or via email to share your feedback.Thanks for listening to this episode of Equipping You in Grace!

A special episode for the inauguration of Donald Trump's second term, as the forty-seventh president of the United States. Whether you're filled with hope and joy, or anxiety and fearfulness, how can we pursue a common citizenship that is grounded in faith and moral sensitivity, focused on justice and love, and rightfully patriotic? Today, Mark welcomes friends Pete Wehner (columnist, The Atlantic, and Fellow, Trinity Forum), Anne Snyder (editor-in-chief, Comment magazine), and David Goatley (president, Fuller Seminary). Together they discuss: The inauguration of Donald Trump for his second term in office; The meaning of patriotism in an unfolding, rambunctious democratic experiment; Repentance, repair, and understanding; How to keep a moral-ethical grounding in political life; Balancing open curiosity and genuine concern; What rejuvenates and renews us during anxious political times (exploring beauty in nature and art); Learning disagreement in a post-civility era; Peacemaking instead of polarization; Developing civic antibodies and the need for regeneration and renewal; And how to pray for Donald Trump as he enters his next term in office. About Peter Wehner Peter Wehner, an American essayist, is a contributing opinion writer for the New York Times, a contributing writer for The Atlantic, and senior fellow at the Trinity Forum. He writes on politics and political ideas, on faith and culture, on foreign policy, sports, and friendships. Wehner served in three presidential administrations, including as deputy director of presidential speechwriting for President George W. Bush. Later, he served as the director of the Office of Strategic Initiatives. Wehner, a graduate of the University of Washington, is editor or author of six books, including The Death of Politics: How to Heal Our Frayed Republic After Trump, which the New York Times called “a model of conscientious political engagements.” Married and the father of three, he lives in McLean, Virginia. About Anne Snyder Anne Snyder is the editor-in-chief of Comment magazine, **which is a core publication of Cardus, a think tank devoted to renewing North American social architecture, rooted in two thousand years of Christian social thought. Visit comment.org for more information. For years, Anne has been engaged in concerns for the social architecture of the world. That is, the way that our practices of social engagement, life, conversation, discussion, debate, and difference can all be held in the right kind of ways for the sake of the thriving of people, individuals, communities, and our nation at large. Anne also oversees Comment's partner project, Breaking Ground, and is the host of The Whole Person Revolution podcast and co-editor of Breaking Ground: Charting Our Future in a Pandemic Year (2022). About David Goatley David Emmanuel Goatley is president of Fuller Seminary. Prior to his appointment in January 2023, he served as the associate dean for academic and vocational formation, Ruth W. and A. Morris Williams Jr. Research Professor of Theology and Christian Ministry, and director of the Office of Black Church Studies at Duke Divinity School. Ordained in the National Baptist Convention, USA, he served as pastor of the First Baptist Church of Campbellsville, Kentucky, for nine years (1986–1995). In addition to his articles, essays, and book chapters, Goatley is the author of Were You There? Godforsakenness in Slave Religion and A Divine Assignment: The Missiology of Wendell Clay Somerville, as well as the editor of Black Religion, Black Theology: Collected Essays of J. Deotis Roberts. His current research focuses on flourishing in ministry and thriving congregations, most recently working on projects funded by the Lilly Endowment and the Duke Endowment. Show Notes What each guest values and honours about America, expressing commitment and affection as citizens “Any presidential inauguration is weight bearing.” Pete Wehner: a first-generation American From ideals to reality about the history of America “ I'm the kind of patriot who is committed to the country being the best that it can be.” “Rambunctious unfolding-still … democratic experiment.” The scene for Inauguration Day 2021 Strength and vitality of American life What are your commitments and hopes for the next four years? “Some of my siblings for whom their angst is new, and I'm happy to say, welcome to my world.” The posture of believers and people of good will to “keep a moral ethical grounding” “Justice, especially for the dispossessed, the aliens, the powerless” Pulled in different directions Eugene Peterson formulation: “There's the Jesus truth, and the Jesus way.” Called to be different things at different moments Name reality as best we can “Is it possible to be both prophetic and the force of unity at the same time?” Will there be a World War III in the next decade? Creative ways to develop resilience “A great chastening” “I feel both curious and really concerned.” When patience runs out “ I'm socially and humanly curious—and strangely a little hopeful for new frames of how we are with one another—but I am steeling myself for turbulence and violence at a time when it feels like we can't afford those things.” The shifting global stage The need for deep compassion and energy that doesn't stop listening or caring What rejuvenates and renews you in this moment? Being outside, natural beauty, artistic beauty, and staying actively in community with people who will stay reflective. Turning off the news National Gallery of Art's Impressionist exhibit (link) “For most of us, our day-to-day lives, even in the political realm, are not really driven primarily by what's happening with the presidency.” Jon Batiste “Healthy, substantive arguments that are not ad hominem” Are we living in the post-civility era? Peacemaking instead of polarization Developing civic antibodies and the need for regeneration and renewal “Something has gone deeply wrong in the white evangelical world” “ I'm completely fine with deconstruction as long as there's reconstruction.” “There's a great line that the ancient Greeks used, Bobby Kennedy used that in a speech of his in the late ‘60s, where he said that the task was to tame the savageness of man and to make gentle the life of this world.” Prayers for Donald Trump That the Spirit of God would overshadow Donald Trump and political leaders That “Not our will but Thy will be done.” For moral sensitivity ”I'll just be candid here. I have a sense that he's a, he is a person with a lot of brokenness in his life.” “We're part of a story, and there's an author. … But those chapters aren't the whole story.” A notorious chapter in American history   Production Credits Conversing is produced and distributed in partnership with Comment magazine and Fuller Seminary.

Kaitlyn Schiess (ThM, Dallas Theological Seminary), a doctoral student at Duke Divinity School, is the author of The Liturgy of Politics: Spiritual Formation for the Sake of Our Neighbor and The Ballot and the Bible: How Scripture Has Been Used and Abused in American Politics and Where We Go From Here. She is also a regular cohost on the Holy Post podcast.

The real miracle of Christmas is not the title of a Hallmark movie. And it's not very cozy. We indulge in some cozy chat today (Cambridge at Christmas time!), but the heart of our conversation is about the Incarnation in the arts, and how music, painting, poetry can help to unstick us, to remind us who our Incarnate Lord really is, in all the puzzling and startling smallness of his Nativity.The Rev. Dr. Jeremy Begbie is the Thomas A. Langford Distinguished Research Professor of Theology at Duke Divinity School, and McDonald Agape Director of Duke Initiatives in Theology and the Arts. He is Senior Member at Wolfson College, Cambridge, and an Affiliated Lecturer in the Faculty of Music at the University of Cambridge. He's the author of several good books, books including Resounding Truth: Christian Wisdom in the World of Music (Baker/SPCK) and Abundantly More: The Theological Promise of the Arts in a Reductionist World (Baker). Now get yourself a mug of something, crank up the fire, crack out the mince pies, but don't get so cozy that you neglect to be discomfited by Christmas. We hope you enjoy the conversation.Jeremy Begbie's booksRecipe for mince pieGive to support this podcast.

Peter Casarella, professor of theology at Duke Divinity School, and Cecilia González-Andrieu, professor of theological studies at Loyola Marymount University, discuss the geopolitical and cultural influence of the pope, the challenges and opportunities the Catholic Church faces in addressing international issues, and the global religious leadership of Pope Francis.

Dr. Nancy Dawson holds a M.S. in plant taxonomy and Ph.D. in biology/cell biology. After teaching in that field at Western Kentucky University and Texas A&M, she attended Duke Divinity School. She now works as an independent scholar in theology and has published All the Genealogies of the Bible: Visual Charts and Exegetical Commentary (Zondervan, 2023). In this episode she draws upon that research to shed light on Jesus' parents, their relationship to each other and to Elizabeth, and how these people and relationships help us understand who Jesus is. Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/3ZHQ6YU  M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/3D4iWtP 

Lindsey and Dan felt sick at how they and their bodies were treated during their struggle with infertility. They felt they were being sold hope that couldn't be promised, by doctors who told them they had no answers. The entire journey didn't sit right with them, so they went looking for other avenues. Along the journey, they discovered an approach to fertility that was natural, cooperative, faithful, and left them feeling peaceful. Listen to Lindsey and Dan as they share their vulnerable story of growing their family, submitting their fertility to God, and finally feeling knowledgable and at peace. NOTE: This episode uses the word sex and may not be appropriate for all audiences. GUEST BIO: Dan works as an appeals attorney and law professor. Lindsey has a background in theology from Duke Divinity School, focusing on Patristics and disability theology. They have two daughters, but faced infertility for three years before their first child was born. Through the journey of infertility, they began to explore her menstrual health and fertility more deeply, and ultimately, they started using the Creighton Method.FUN FACT: This episode is available on YouTube! Check it out @wovenfertility on YouTubeSHOW NOTES: Lindsey and Dan discuss many of their spiritual questions that led them to use and continue to use the Creighton system. If you would like to talk through some of these questions or learn more about how fertility can be used as a spiritual practice, check out our substack page where we talk about the intersection of fertility and faith, or contact Caitlin through Woven Natural Fertility Care. Interested in learning about the Creighton Model System? You're in the right place! Register for Creighton Introductory Session: Register here for our next Introductory SessionLooking for ways to implement fertility awareness into your life and faith? Check out out most helpful resources: Substack Newsletter (free)Website Resources (free)Have a question or want to give us feedback? Send us a textSupport the showSend us a textSupport the showThis podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. The information provided should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, and those seeking personal medical advice should consult with a licensed physician. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health provider regarding a medical condition. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room immediately. Neither Woven nor its staff, nor any contributor to this podcast, makes any representations, express or implied, with respect to the information provided herein or to its use.

The holiday season, while often filled with joy and celebration, can also amplify feelings of loneliness, grief, and overwhelm. In those moments, it's easy to feel as though we're navigating life's challenges alone, carrying burdens too heavy to bear. But what if the very struggles we face are opportunities to connect with a deeper source of strength? In this episode, Rev. Lizzie reminds us that through spirituality, we can find a wellspring of resilience and hope. Whether we're juggling endless to-do lists or grieving a profound loss, Lizzie shares how God's presence and love offer us the courage to endure, grow, and heal—even in life's most trying seasons.Rev. Lizzie McManus Dail has lived all over the world with her boots now rooted in Austin, Texas, where she is living her dream as the founder of Jubilee Episcopal Church. Lizzie is passionate about the evangelism of a God who makes each of us for joy, which is why you might see her doing silly dances and talking about church history on Instagram and TikTok with her 80K followers. As a graduate of Mt. Holyoke College, Lizzie brought a passion for intersectional feminism and queer theology to her studies at Duke Divinity School and Seminary of the Southwest. It was her time in both Massachusetts and North Carolina that brought her into the Episcopal church, where she was ordained in 2020. While grateful for her academic formation, she still swears most things she learned about being a priest she learned from 5 plus years of working in the service industry and access to the arts in her public high school.  Tune in!What You Will Learn:[00:01] Intro and a bit about our guest today, Rev. Lizzie[04:53] What spirituality is and how it differs from religion [06:57] How spirituality helps build emotional resilience during challenging times[0942] How spiritual communities offer emotional strength and support [16:14] Spiritual practices to build trust and manage difficult emotions[28:26] Two Advent practices to cultivate peace and trust this holiday season [34:06] Rev. Lizzie's upcoming book and its message on emotional resilience[43:22] How God calls us to walk and transform us through a refining fire  [47:18] What inspired Rev Lizzie to write her book, and how it will support readers [53:48] One key takeaway from Rev Lizzie to apply to your life this holiday season[54:56] Wrap up and end of the showStandout Quotes:“To know God is to go deep within ourselves; we have to learn to trust and listen deep within ourselves to hear how God is speaking to us and giving us everything we need to endure.” [07:57]“Taking some deliberate quiet time in the hustle and bustle of holiday season can be really significant.” [30:25]“You don't have to do anything to deserve and receive the bigness of God's love; it's just given to you.” [54:29]Resources MentionedThe Mystics Would Like a Word by Shannon K. Evans: https://www.amazon.com/Mystics-Would-Like-Word-Spirituality/dp/0593727274.Interior Castle by St. Teresa of Avila: https://www.amazon.com/Interior-Castle-St-Teresa-Avila/dp/1619491001Let's ConnectChandler StroudWebsite: https://healingheroespodcast.com/Mixing, editing and show notes provided by Next Day Podcast.

Tune in to hear Head of School, Dr. Mark Carleton, chat with author Curtis Chang. Presbyterian School was honored to host Curtis earlier this month for a parent ed event focused on his book, The Anxiety Opportunity.  If you missed this parent ed event, tune in to our podcast to hear some of his thoughts. This episode is now live and available for download on our People of PS Podcast. A graduate of Harvard University and former Rockefeller Fellow, Curtis Chang bridges the worlds of secular institutions and theology. He is the founder and CEO of Consulting Within Reach (CWR), a firm serving nonprofits and government agencies. His consulting work has won an award in social innovation from the Obama White House, and he teaches strategic planning as a faculty member of American University's School of International Service. Curtis is also a consulting professor at Duke Divinity School and a Senior Fellow at Fuller Theological Seminary. Prior to his career in consulting, Curtis served as the senior pastor of an Evangelical Covenant Church in San Jose, California. He is the author of The After Party: Towards Better Christian Politics (with Nancy French), The Anxiety Opportunity: How Worry Is the Doorway to Your Best Self, and Engaging Unbelief: A Captivating Strategy from Augustine and Aquinas. Learn more from Curtis on his Good Faith podcast where he discusses how Christian faith intersects with culture, law and politics.

While modern psychiatry has improved many patients' quality of life, it falls short in addressing their relational and spiritual needs? Can we draw on theological wisdom and scientific evidence to reframe our understanding of mental health care? Dr. Warren Kinghorn is a psychiatrist and theological ethicist whose work centers on the role of religious communities in caring for persons with mental health problems. He is jointly appointed to the faculties of Duke Divinity School and the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences of Duke University Medical Center, and practices psychiatry at the Durham VA Medical Center.Check out the DMIN in Spiritual Formation and Relational Neuroscience here. Stay Connected: NEED spiritual direction or coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

In case you were wondering, “hymnody” is an actual word and we didn't make it up. It simply means the singing or composition of hymns, religious songs or poems of praise to God. And today's guest has a lot to say about hymns.  Ted Campbell is the Albert C. Outlet Professor of Wesley Studies at Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University. He has served as a United Methodist pastor and has taught at the Methodist Theological School in Ohio, Duke Divinity School, and Wesley Theological Seminary. He is the author of many books, including Wesleyan Beliefs, The Gospel of Christian Tradition, and most recently A Core Methodist Hymnal, which is more like a devotional and less like a traditional hymnal.Resources:Learn more about Ted at his website, tedcampbell.comBuy A Core Methodist Hymnal

In this episode we're joined by Kaitlyn Schiess, who is a Doctoral Student at Duke Divinity School, the Co-host of the Holy Post podcast and host of the Curiously Kaitlyn podcast, and the author of The Ballot and the Bible: How Scripture Has Been Used and Abused in American Politics and Where We Go from Her (published by Brazos). Over the course of our conversation, Kaitlyn shares with us how she's processing the results of the US Elections while also offering us many wise words about managing the diverse emotional responses expressed by people in our churches and neighborhoods, the need to be curious in order to cultivate empathy for others, and the importance of showing up locally instead of being so nationally-focused, among many other valuable insights. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities: Dr. John Anthony Dunne, Dr. Madison Pierce, and Dr. Logan Williams. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How should we respond to the anxiety, fear, and catastrophizing of Election Day? Is there an alternative to fight, flight, or freeze? Can people of Christian conviction stand firm, grounded in faith, leaning into the storm? In this special Election Day episode of Conversing, Mark Labberton welcomes Peter Wehner (columnist, the New York Times, The Atlantic) and David Goatley (president, Fuller Seminary) to make sense of the moral, emotional, and spiritual factors operating in the 2024 US general election. Together they discuss the emotional response to political media; faithful alternatives to the overabundance of fear, anxiety, and catastrophizing; how the threat of affective polarization divides families and friendships; biblical attitudes toward troubling or frightening political and cultural events; how to respond to vitriol, anger, cynicism, hate, and manipulative language; and how the church can help restore trust and be a faithful witness, standing firm through the political storm. About Peter Wehner Peter Wehner, an American essayist, is a contributing opinion writer for the New York Times, a contributing writer for The Atlantic, and senior fellow at the Trinity Forum. He writes on politics and political ideas, on faith and culture, on foreign policy, sports, and friendships. Wehner served in three presidential administrations, including as deputy director of presidential speechwriting for President George W. Bush. Later, he served as the director of the Office of Strategic Initiatives. Wehner, a graduate of the University of Washington, is editor or author of six books, including The Death of Politics: How to Heal Our Frayed Republic After Trump, which the New York Times called “a model of conscientious political engagements.” Married and the father of three, he lives in McLean, Virginia. About David Goatley David Emmanuel Goatley is president of Fuller Seminary. Prior to his appointment in January 2023, he served as the associate dean for academic and vocational formation, Ruth W. and A. Morris Williams Jr. Research Professor of Theology and Christian Ministry, and director of the Office of Black Church Studies at Duke Divinity School. Ordained in the National Baptist Convention, USA, he served as pastor of the First Baptist Church of Campbellsville, Kentucky, for nine years (1986–1995). In addition to his articles, essays, and book chapters, Goatley is the author of Were You There? Godforsakenness in Slave Religion and A Divine Assignment: The Missiology of Wendell Clay Somerville, as well as the editor of Black Religion, Black Theology: Collected Essays of J. Deotis Roberts. His current research focuses on flourishing in ministry and thriving congregations, most recently working on projects funded by the Lilly Endowment and the Duke Endowment. Show Notes Anxiety, Uncertainty, and Worst-Case Scenarios The regular appeal to “the most important election of our lifetimes” Assuming the worst about others “We are at a fork in the road for a certain kind of vision of who we want to be.” “As an African American, many of us always live in the crosswinds.” Living with fragility, vulnerability, and uncertainty Hymn: “On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand” Anger, Antipathy, and Fear Passions and beliefs—and an electoral system built to amplify those “They're more amplified than in the past.” Families and friendships that divide over politics. Feeling like we “share a continent but not a country” Affective polarization—”There's a sense of the other side being an enemy.” Catastrophizing Recalibrate, reset, and rethink Hoping that calmer heads prevail Church splintering and aligning with partisan politics “God will use all things—not that God intends all things.” The political balance wheel “Fear is not a Christian state of mind.” “Hope is based on something real.” “The long game for believers is to hearken back to the early church and remember that Jesus is Lord, and the emperor is not.” Political toxicity that infects the household of faith “We have to do all that we can to live with peacefully with each other.” Vitriol, hubris “It's important to name things. … If you don't name them—if you try to hide them—then you can't begin the process of healing.” “Faith is subordinate to other factors that they're not aware of.” The Era of Fear: What informs our fears? What can we do about our fears? Fear of the Lord that sets us free Firmness as an alternative to fighting or fleeing “Valuing the vibrant diversity of God” “Expand your reading.” Breaking out of conformity and homogeneity “Meeting the moment”: Inflection points in a human life or a society's life—a moment for leaders to rise up, speak, and shape Example: Winston Churchill and Great Britain pre–World War II (from pariah to prime minister) Example: Jonathan Haidt's The Anxious Generation and the agenda to make schools phone-free These aren't the conditions for human flourishing “We've got to be faithful. We may not be successful.” Cultivating a political garden to prepare the soil for shared core values of decency, respect, fairness “… what we have loved, / Others will love, and we will teach them how” (William Wordsworth, “The Prelude”) Loving the right things Voting “Complicating my view of the world.” “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Before voting: “A prayer to submit myself to the will of God.” “Tell me how you came to believe what you believe … over time it can create a feeling of trust” “What don't I see? What about my own blindspots?” Stunned by the profundity and sobering word that “God will not be mocked” Expressing convictions through voting Production Credits Conversing is produced and distributed in partnership with Comment magazine and Fuller Seminary.

In today's episode, Ruth and guests Rev. Dr. Prince Rivers and Rev. Dr. David Hughes navigate the depths of the future of Christian spirituality through the lenses of the atonement. The discussion confronts traditional interpretations of the cross and atonement, addressing challenges posed by modern perspectives. Ruth, Prince, and David explore theories from historical and contemporary theologians, such as penal substitution, while highlighting how these interpretations impact real-life contexts, especially among marginalized communities and the oppressed. The conversation concludes with reflections on faith, suffering, and power, emphasizing transformation through love over wrath, with a heartfelt prayer for divine guidance and liberation.   This season we are exploring the future of Christian spirituality. Based on her own experience and the lives of people she accompanies on the journey, Ruth has been naming what she is noticing and observing regarding the future of Christian spirituality– how the Spirit is moving and how we can align ourselves to participate in the future God is leading us into. Elements she is naming include respect for the role of desire; emphasis on spiritual direction; welcoming and inclusive; committed to justice; and more. This season Ruth will sit down with thoughtful Christian leaders to discuss their thoughts on one of these elements, as it has to do with the future of Christian spirituality. This season was inspired by the Beyond Words series by the same name. Check out those posts here.   PRINCE RIVERS is senior pastor of Union Baptist Church in Durham, N.C. He has been a participant in the Pastor-Theologian Program at the Center of Theological Inquiry in Princeton, N.J., and has a B.A. in psychology from Morehouse College and an M.Div. from Duke Divinity School and currently serves as consulting faculty at Duke Divinity School.   DAVID HUGHES served as a pastor for 37+ years. In 2013, after attending and serving in several Transforming Community experiences, he became the Executive Director of the Transforming Center, where he served for a number of years. Currently, he serves as the part-time Ambassador of the TC. He is married to Joani, and they have three adult children, and two grandchildren. His passion is to accompany church leaders and congregations in their journey to be spiritually formed and transformed in this most challenging era of the Christian church.   Mentioned in this episode: The Cross and the Lynching Tree by James Cone Invitation to a Journey by Robert Muholland The Deeper Journey by Robert Muholland Music Credit: Kingdom Come by Aaron Niequist Yesterday Today Forever from Music in Solitude   Join us for our upcoming Online Oasis: When the Road is Dark and Dim:  Navigating the Dark Night, Depression, and Grief on the Spiritual Journey. In this Online Oasis event, Dr. Bob Watson, a licensed clinical psychologist, joins Ruth to explore the differences and the overlaps between the dark night of the soul, depression, and the experience of grief on the spiritual journey. Whether you are wondering about this for yourself,  for someone you love, or  someone you are accompanying as a pastor, psychologist or spiritual director, this conversation will equip you to more wisely discern what is really going on, help you learn how to welcome God's presence into this aspect of the journey, and identify the appropriate resources for each.    It is ideal for:  pastors, spiritual directors, psychologists, individuals, spiritual friends. Join us on Wednesday, October 30 from 12-1:30 CST. Learn more and register HERE.   Support the podcast! This season patrons will receive special bonus episodes with each guest, guiding listeners on how to pray into these different topics. Become a patron today by visiting our Patreon page!     The Transforming Center exists to create space for God to strengthen leaders and transform communities. You are invited to join our next Transforming Community:® A Two-year Spiritual Formation Experience for Leaders.  Delivered in nine quarterly retreats, this practice-based learning opportunity is grounded in the conviction that the best thing you bring to leadership is your own transforming self! Learn more and apply HERE.   *this post contains affiliate links