Podcasts about Orbis Books

Join Robert Ellsberg, publisher of Orbis Books, in this One On One interview with James Finley as they discuss Thomas Merton (Turning to the Mystics)https://orbisbooks.com/products/thomas-merton-turning-to-the-mysticsThis new series, Turning to the Mystics, grows out of the much-loved podcast in which James Finley gently accompanies listeners into the wisdom of the Christian mystical tradition. Each volume offers a contemplative reading of one or two mystics, weaving their wisdom together with Finley's reflective commentary and simple practices for prayer. These mystics become living guides, offering room to notice how grace is already moving in the reality of our own lives and revealing the ever-present intimate nearness of God. In this volume, he delves into the mystical insights of Thomas Merton, the renowned Trappist monk, whom Finley first knew as his novice master at the Abbey of Gethsemani.James Finley, a psychotherapist and renowned retreat leader and spiritual director, is part of the Core Faculty of the Center for Action and Contemplation in New Mexico. A former novice at the Trappist Abbey of Gethsemani, he is well known for his classic, Merton's Palace of Nowhere. His other books include his recent bestseller, The Healing Path: A Memoir and an Invitation. He lives in California.Get your copy today: https://orbisbooks.com/products/thomas-merton-turning-to-the-mystics#OrbisBooks #JamesFinley #RobertEllsberg #Mystics #Catholic #Christian #Wisdom

Join Robert Ellsberg, publisher of Orbis Books, in this One On One interview withPhyllis Zagano as they discuss The Vatican and Women Deaconshttps://orbisbooks.com/products/the-vatican-and-women-deaconsIn The Vatican and Women Deacons, Phyllis Zagano explores the history, theology, and ongoing debate surrounding women in ordained ministry within the Catholic Church. Drawing from years of scholarship and direct involvement in Vatican discussions, Zagano examines the role of women deacons in the early Church, the contemporary questions facing the Vatican, and what the restoration of the female diaconate could mean for the future of Catholic ministry and leadership.Phyllis Zagano is an internationally recognized Catholic scholar and author specializing in contemporary spirituality and women's roles in the Church. She served on Pope Francis' 2016 Study Commission on the Women's Diaconate and has written extensively on ministry, ecclesiology, and Church history.Get your copy today: https://orbisbooks.com/products/the-vatican-and-women-deacons#OrbisBooks #PhyllisZagano #RobertEllsberg #WomenDeacons #CatholicChurch #Theology

Join Robert Ellsberg, publisher of Orbis Books, in this One On One interview with Mary Fontana as they discuss Strangers in the Province of Joy: Practicing Radical Hospitality on the US - Mexico Borderhttps://orbisbooks.com/products/strangers-in-the-province-of-joy-practicing-radical-hospitality-on-the-us-mexico-borderThis is the story of America writ small—a nation founded by immigrants and its shifting, oft-contradictory attitudes toward them. Since 1978, El Paso's Annunciation House has welcomed over half a million people: migrants and refugees, doing what humans have always done to find sustenance and safety, and volunteers seeking meaning and purpose. Through this chronicle of their individual journeys, Mary Fontana exposes the forces driving global migration and challenges readers to confront the borders in their own hearts.Mary Fontana has supported migrant hospitality efforts in El Paso for over two decades. She has written about the border for America, BorderLore, and Consequence. Learn more at maryfontana.com.Get your copy today: https://orbisbooks.com/products/strangers-in-the-province-of-joy-practicing-radical-hospitality-on-the-us-mexico-border#OrbisBooks #MaryFontana #RobertEllsberg #Migrants #CatholicChurch #Refugees #US #Mexico

On February 3rd, 2026, Joe Pine released The Transformation Economy, which is a follow-up to The Experience Economy co-written with James Gilmore and published in 1999. They identified a key pattern of how economic offerings have evolved beyond commodities, goods, and services, and moved into experiences as well as transformations. Their prescient predictions about these underlying patterns in the late '90s took many years of convincing businesses of their merits. But after a few decades, their core ideas of The Experience Economy have taken root, and now it is much easier to see how consumers have shown that they are willing to pay for memorable experiences. Now Pine is back at it again with The Transformation Economy with ideas that have been there from the very beginning, but he told me that the world wasn't ready yet, and he wasn't ready either. About 5-6 years ago, Pine started to hear from designers at World Experience Organization events talking about the transformative intent behind their experiences. This was the catalyst indicating to him that it was time to finally write this book, and he started researching the topics of aspiration, positive psychology, human flourishing, and the dynamics of transformation. I had a chance to interview Pine about The Transformation Economy, and in my write-up below I provide an overview of some of his biggest ideas, some of my personal reactions, how they relate to the XR industry, and finally some of my disagreements on where value comes from. Despite some of my philosophical disagreements with Pine, I still see a lot of value in the frameworks laid out in his book. He describes a roadmap towards a future where the core values driving a critical mass of businesses have evolved to focus on helping their customers fulfill their deepest aspirations, find meaning and purpose, and promote human flourishing. Progression of Economic Value Pine & Gilmore first theorized about a hierarchy of economic value in a 1997 article titled: "Beyond Goods and Services: Staging Experiences and Guiding Transformations." They originally called it "The Economic Pyramid," and described it by saying, "The inexorable march of competitive forces drives the advancement of economic offerings over time: commodities are extracted from the environment to make goods, then delivered as services, which are scripted to stage experiences, which then guide those persons or enterprises in a transformation." "The Progression of Economic Value" figure from page 3 of Pine's The Transformation Economy (2026). Within their "Welcome to the Experience Economy" article in the 1998 issue of Harvard Business Review and in their 1999 book The Experience Economy, they started calling it "The Progression of Economic Value" as shown in the figure above. In The Transformation Economy on page x, Pine describes each of the five distinct economic genres as well as their associated verb / function, Extract Commodities (fungible stuff) Make Goods (tangible things) Deliver Services (intangible activities) Stage Experiences (memorable events) Guide Transformations (effectual outcomes) There is an inevitable gravity towards commodification, and the antidote is customization. This insight first came to Pine in 1994 after he wrote a book in 1993 titled Mass Customization: The New Frontier in Business Competition that explored how Mass Production was moving into Mass Customization. When customization is applied to a service, then it yields an experience. When customization is applied to an experience, then it has the potential to yield a transformation that could be life-changing. Here's how Pine & Gilmore described this progression to transformations in their original 1997 article, "The way out of the commodization trap in which so many service companies find themselves is to move up an echelon of value and stage an experience. But experiences are not the utmost in economic offerings. Just as customizing a good automatically turns it into a service, so customizing an experience turns it into something distinct. If you design an experience so in tune with what an individual needs at an exact juncture in time, you cannot help but change that individual — guiding him to (and through) a life-transforming experience. Transformations are a fifth economic offering, whose value far exceeds that of any other." Pine also says in The Transformation Economy that "Eliminating human contact is a surefire way to commoditize yourself." Technology has an inclination to move more and more towards automation and creating "frictionless experiences," but I see the value of human intuition, emotion, relationality, community, and meaning being a differentiating factor in the transformation economy. I suspect that it will be really beneficial to deliberately embrace friction and tension that comes from interacting with other humans as explored in the piece called Deep Soup. I see the movement towards the transformational economy as a bit of an argument against automating too many things with AI because people will be craving authentic human contact. Key Concepts and My Personal Experience of The Transformation Economy The Transformation Economy book is written with the intention to become a transformational experience within itself. There are many pointed questions throughout the book that helped shape my overall framing through the lens of my business. My first reading of the book was focusing on trying to understand the origin, development, and evolution of Pine's provocative ideas to explore within my interview with him. My ongoing second reading of the book has catalyzed me to reconceive some fundamental notions around my identity, as well as the story of why I do what I do with The Voices of VR Podcast. So much of my work has been driven by a fundamental impulse to bring about change in the world. My motivation to cover the frontiers of emerging technology with XR, AI, immersive storytelling, and experiential design has been because I've seen the transformative power of embodied and immersive experiences to potentially bring about some meaningful changes in the world. I'm also very much drawn to philosophical frameworks like Process Philosophy that provide some key metaphysical foundations leading to a paradigm shift around the underlying nature of experience and reality itself. Here's a graphic from Andrew Davis' upcoming Whitehead's Universe book that lays out some of the scaffolding of this paradigm shift from substance metaphysics to process-relational metaphysics. Davis, Andrew M. (Forthcoming in 2026). Whitehead's Universe: A Prismatic Introduction. Orbis Books. One of the key concepts that really stuck with me from Pine's The Transformation Economy was at the beginning of the third chapter that says, "All transformation is identity change." Pine cites Suzy Ross' definition of identity as "all the ways you can complete the statement ‘I am . . .' " He says "From / To" statements are also key where you might say, "I was X, now I am Y." I really resonate with these definitions of identity since they're very flexible and practical. Once I became aware of these "I am ..." statements, then I started to hear them all the time. I found myself naturally making and reflecting upon identity statements, which provide clues to changes that I aspire to. As an example, I've often found myself saying something to the effect of "I'm more a knowledge artist than a viable business person." So in essence, my aspirational, identity-transformation statement is "I am a terrible business person, but I aspire to become a thriving independent scholar and transformational change agent." Reading through The Transformation Economy has been really inspiring since it's the first business book I've ever read where I can really see myself in these frameworks. Pine has been giving me language to articulate the possible futures that I'd love to live into, but yet the business models around the transformation economy are still nascent, uncertain, not very well specified, and rapidly developing. Each business will have a unique blend of commodities, goods, services, experiences, and/or transformations that they'll be offering, and so it is unlikely that there will be a universal formula that works across all contexts. I'm still meditating on this statement where Pine claims that your business is what you charge for. He says on page 22, "A business ultimately defines itself by what it charges for. If you charge for undifferentiated stuff, you're in the commodities business. If you charge for tangible things, you are in the goods business. If you charge for the activities your people do, you are in the services business. So, economically, you are in the experience business if and only if you charge for the time customers spend with you." Pine says that experiences are inherently ephemeral, and sometimes the only thing you keep from it is the memory, which can fade over time. He contrasts this with his definition of transformations, which he shares on page 10 as, "Transformations are effectual outcomes that change individuals in a lasting way. Where experiences are memorable, transformations are effectual." This implies that the business offering of transformations actually has more of an ongoing time commitment. Businesses in the transformation economy will be helping "aspirants" (Pine's preferred term for customers in the transformation economy) achieve their aspirations of transforming from one state into another state over longer periods of time. Aspirants will need to invest time, be patient with results, make progress, but also deal with periodic regressions. I've been reckoning with how I am what I charge for, and I can't help but think about the logistical difficulty in trying to escape the real-time accounting of how we've conceived of value delivered

Join Robert Ellsberg, publisher of Orbis Books, in this One On One interview withAndrew T. Vink as they discuss  Common Evil: Political Economy and the Ethics of Liberationhttps://orbisbooks.com/products/common-evil-political-economy-and-the-ethics-of-liberationCommon Evil: addresses a malignant hopelessness that has overtaken our society through a theological analysis that emphasizes concrete manifestations of ideology in history. Part of the struggle of understanding the malaise of our society is a difficulty in connecting the abstract concepts of sinful social structures such as racism, sexism, and neoliberal capitalism to the concrete realities that we experience daily. The common evil, developed from Ellacuría's theological work, provides a language to start making these connections. As we become able to identify and understand these connections, we are able to participate in critical praxis towards alleviating the suffering created by common evil.Andrew T. Vink holds a PhD in systematic theology from Boston College and master's degrees in theology and philosophy from Marquette University. A Roman Catholic, Vink has served as adjunct professor at Mount St. Mary's University and lecturer at Marymount University.Get your copy today:  https://orbisbooks.com/products/common-evil-political-economy-and-the-ethics-of-liberation#OrbisBooks #AndrewTVink  #RobertEllsberg #Ethics #Politics #Liberation

Welcome to Madang.Madang is the outdoor living room of the world. Here, we invite you to sit and tune into unreserved, remarkable conversations with renowned authors, leaders, public figures, and scholars on religion, culture, and everything in between.This is the 59th episode of Madang Podcast featuring Kelley Nikondeha. Kelly is a writer, speaker, liberation theologian, and community development practitioner. Together with her husband, Claude Nikondeha, they founded Communities of Hope (an NGO in Burundi), Kazoza Bank, and have an ongoing partnership with the United Nations Capital Development Fund around economic development. She is the author of Jubilee Economics.On this episode of Madang Podcast, Nikondeha and I talk about her new book, Jubilee Economics, debt, lament, hope, Jubilee, and so much more.I am so grateful to these wonderful sponsors of Madang Podcast hosted by Baptist News Global.1. Orbis Books-Madang is grateful to Orbis Books for sponsoring this episode of Madang Podcast hosted by BNG. Please order your copy of Jubilee Economics from Orbis Books. Use the discount code “MAD” for 30% off.Please visit www.orbisbooks.com to order and check out the other wonderful books from Orbis. They publish “A World of Books that Matter”.2. Upper Room AS YOURSELF: The Sacred Work of Embodying Grace, By Caroline VogelWhat does it really mean to love your neighbor as yourself? For many of us, loving God and loving others feels natural. But loving ourselves? That's the hard part. In her new book, As Yourself: The Sacred Work of Embodying Grace, spiritual director and therapist Caroline Vogel invites you into a different way of living—one rooted not in striving, but in receiving. Through honest storytelling, biblical insights, and gentle spiritual practices, Vogel helps you release perfectionism, quiet shame, and open yourself to the truth that God's grace is already alive within you. What if you didn't have to earn God's love? What if you could simply receive it—and live from it? As Yourself is an invitation to slow down, reconnect with the Spirit, and discover what it means to live as God's beloved—fully, freely, and just as you are. Available now - Save 20% on As Yourself at The Upper Room! Visit store.upperroom.org/Madang - and use promo code MADANG at checkout.

Join Robert Ellsberg, publisher of Orbis Books, in this One On One interview withWes Howard-Brook as they discuss  Creation or Empire: A Choice of Religions in the Bible and Beyondhttps://orbisbooks.com/products/creation-or-empire-a-choice-of-religions-in-the-bible-and-beyond“If we study Wes' brilliant insight to the Bible, we will not only want to join the biblical lineage of nonviolent resistance to empire with all our hearts, but discover anew the living God of universal love and peace who calls us to a new world of peace.”—Rev. John Dear, author, The Gospel of Peace “This book is a clarion call and a summons. To choose Creation over Empire is not a moral decision. It is to decide what kind of world will live in us. The gospel is not neutral—it is a jailbreak, a holy uprising against every system that cages the imagination that belongs to God. Creation or Empire extends that vision to the whole world.”—Rev. Lynice Pinkard, UCC Philadelphia area pastor “Creation or Empire delivers a template showing how Christians can live a religion of creation story today!” —Angela N. Parker, PhD, Mercer UniversityWes Howard-Brook is the author of several award-winning books, including “Come Out, My People!” God's Call out of Empire in the Bible and Beyond and Empire Baptized: How the Church Embraced What Jesus Rejected, 2nd-5th Centuries. He collaborates in the ministry Abide in Me with his wife Sue Ferguson Johnson. His YouTube channel, Radical Bible (https://radicalbible.net), is a word-by word, video biblical commentary.Get your copy today:  https://orbisbooks.com/products/creation-or-empire-a-choice-of-religions-in-the-bible-and-beyond#OrbisBooks #WesHoward-Brook  #RobertEllsberg #Religion #Bible

Join Robert Ellsberg, publisher of Orbis Books, in this One On One interview withJohn Dear as they discuss:  Universal Love: Surrendering to the God of Peacehttps://orbisbooks.com/products/universal-love-surrendering-to-the-god-of-peaceThis book arose from a young man's request that John serve as his spiritual director. He did not believe in God, but he believed in “love and truth and compassion.” John replied that those are all names for God, and they agreed that they would speak of Universal Love. From this beginning, John discovered a new understanding of spirituality, and his own life of peacemaking as an exercise in “surrendering to the God of Peace.” In short reflections, he outlines what this means, offers practical exercises, and shows how this might lead us more deeply into the meaning of discipleship in a world of violence and conflict.Rev. John Dear is a priest, long time peace activist, lecturer, and author of 40 books including The Gospel of Peace. He is the founder and director of  www.beatitudescenter.org and offers a weekly podcast, “The Nonviolent Jesus Podcast.” Visit www.johndear.org.Get your copy today:  https://orbisbooks.com/products/universal-love-surrendering-to-the-god-of-peace#OrbisBooks #JohnDear  #RobertEllsberg #GodOfPeace #spiritualexercize #discipleship

Join Robert Ellsberg, publisher of Orbis Books, in this One On One interview withGerard O'Connell and Elisabetta Pique as they discuss  The Election of Pope Leo XIV: The Last Surprise of Pope Francishttps://orbisbooks.com/products/the-election-of-pope-leo-xiv-the-last-suprise-of-pope-francisFrom the death and funeral of Pope Francis, to the behind-the-scenes maneuvers as cardinals arrive in Rome, to the surprising election of Pope Leo XIV: Here is the story behind the headlines, as told by two of the Vatican's most trusted correspondents.Elisabetta Piqué is a correspondent for La Nación, the Argentine daily published in Buenos Aires, and author of three books including Francis, Life and Revolution (Loyola Press), which was adapted into a film. During last year's conclave she served as Vatican analyst for CNN international. Gerard O'Connell, Vatican correspondent for America Magazine, is the author of three books including The Election of Pope Francis: An Inside Story of the Conclave that Changed History (Orbis Books). He served as Vatican analyst for CTV (Canada) during the past three conclaves, and also as contributor to BBC, Al Jazeera, ABC, NBC, ARD television in Germany, as well as various radio and television networks.Get your copy today:  https://orbisbooks.com/products/the-election-of-pope-leo-xiv-the-last-suprise-of-pope-francis#OrbisBooks #ElisabettaPique  #RobertEllsberg #GerardO'Connell  #PopeLeoXIV #Conclave

Join Robert Ellsberg, publisher of Orbis Books, in this One On One interview withTodd Walatka, as they discuss  Words of Life: The Preaching of Saint Oscar Romerohttps://maryknoll.link/3foSt. Óscar Romero, the archbishop of San Salvador, who was slain at the altar while saying Mass in 1980, is undoubtedly one of the towering figures of the modern church. More than four decades later, his words and witness are a source of challenge and inspiration.It is arguably Romero's homilies that provide the best and most intimate portrait of his testimony. Yet that message, in six volumes totaling more than 2,500 pages, has been hard to access. In Words of Life: The Preaching of St. Óscar Romero, Todd Walatka has selected a dozen of his most iconic sermons, beginning with his homily following the assassination of his friend, Jesuit Father Rutilio Grande, in 1977, and concluding with his final homily on the day of his assassination three years later.Broadcast live on the radio from his cathedral in San Salvador, Romero's Sunday homilies were a national and ecclesial event. While reflecting aloud on the Word of God, he related the gospel to the daily events in El Salvador. Addressing the hopes, joys, and anguish of his suffering people, he was also careful to document the accelerating incidence of human rights violations.But if Romero's preaching had political implications, these sermons show how deeply his response to the world was rooted in his deep incarnational faith. Following the path of the Son of God who took on our flesh, Romero urged his flock to incarnate the gospel message in their own lives in their commitment both to charity and to justice.All the while, he knew the risks he was taking. Yet he persisted to the end. As he said in his final sermon, “Those who seek to shun danger will lose their lives, whereas those who, for love of Christ, dedicate themselves to the service of others will live. . . . They are like that grain of wheat that dies, at least in appearance. If the grain does not die, it remains alone. If it yields a crop, it is because it dies, allowing itself to be immolated in the earth.”Todd Walatka is a professor of theology at the University of Notre Dame who has taught and researched on Óscar Romero for a number of years. He is the editor of Óscar Romero and Catholic Social Teaching and author of Von Balthasar and the Option for the Poor.Get your copy today:  https://maryknoll.link/3fo#OrbisBooks #ToddWalatka  #RobertEllsberg  #OscarRomero #CatholicSocialTeaching

The Hermeneutic Circle I mention is from this book: The Liberation of Theology (1976), written by Juan Luis Segundo, S.J., translated by John Drury, and published by Orbis Books. The second book mentioned is The Secret Message of Jesus by Brian D. McLaren. The Third is The Great Emergence by Phyllis Tickle.  Here is a link to the Good News translation that I reference. Good News Translation Here is a link to the Message Translation, which is useful if you are very familiar with the text and need a fresh take. The Message Translation To read along with the test of the reports, go to my Substack - https://adriangrscott.substack.com/  

Join Robert Ellsberg, publisher of Orbis Books, in this One On One interview withO'neil Van Horn , as they discuss  Making Hope: Practices, Prayers, and Parables for a Changing Climatehttps://maryknoll.link/87aIn Making Hope, O'neil Van Horn explores how slow, still, and often quiet practices can cultivate hope for ourselves, each other, and our planetary home. With an accessible beauty, he shows how the ordinary things we do—mending, seed-saving, composting, and birding—can become new parables that might help us make hope where it is least felt and most needed. Meditative, inviting, and prayerful, Van Horn's writing compassionately makes space and time for readers to experience the meaningful practice of hope. O'neil Van Horn is assistant professor, theology, Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH. He holds a PhD in philosophical and theological studies in religion from Drew University and was a Louisville Scholar from 2021 to 2023. With a background in organic agriculture and sustainability, he is author of On the Ground: Terrestrial Theopoetics and Planetary Politics (Fordham University Press).Get your copy today:  https://maryknoll.link/87a#OrbisBooks #O'neilVanHorn  #RobertEllsberg  #theopetics #ecology #agriculture #theology

Join Robert Ellsberg, publisher of Orbis Books, in this One On One interview withLiza J. Rankow , as they discuss  Soul Medicine for a Fractured World: Healing, Justice, and the Path of Wholenesshttps://maryknoll.link/29bEach day brings news of worsening ecological, political, and social upheaval. None of us individually can solve the intersecting crises we face; we are not meant to. Yet each of us carries a vital gift for these times. As we navigate the collapse of a world built on domination and division, we can engage in the birthing of new possibilities, finding strength in our belonging to a wholeness that is ancient, infinite, and eternal.Combining the insightful analysis of a longtime grassroots activist with the compassion of a seasoned spiritual guide, Liza J. Rankow shows readers how to live with purpose and meaning, not just in spite of the rising tide of calamities around us, but as our response to them.With an approach to liberation inspired by “mystic activists” from various faith and cultural traditions, Soul Medicine for a Fractured World offers an integrative path toward healing and social transformation, rooted in our kinship with one another, the Earth, and all of life.  Rich with practical application, the book includes questions for reflection as well as an array of spiritual and healing practices to help readers put the ideas shared into embodied action.Liza J. Rankow, PhD, MHS, is an interfaith minister, educator, activist, and writer. Her lifework centers the deep healing that is essential to personal and social transformation. Liza is the founder and former executive director of OneLife Institute, which for almost 20 years supported the well-being of frontline activists, caregivers, and community. She has been a spiritual counselor and teacher for more than three decades, and is co-editor of The Living Wisdom of Howard Thurman audio collection. Get your copy today:  https://maryknoll.link/29b#OrbisBooks #LizaJRankow  #RobertEllsberg #activism #Theology #ecology #politics

DR. Shaleen Kendrick is founder and creator of Neuro-Relational Integration, which helps leaders and organizations navigate complexity and rapid change through neuroscience, relational attunement, and innate spirituality; catalyzing evolutionary integration and wholeness-making.Her forthcoming book, "The 3 Brains", releases from Orbis Books in the fall of 2026.To learn more go to: https://nrintegration.comFollow Dr. Shaleen Kendrick on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/shaleen.kendrick/This QuoirCast Podcast is brought to you by, QUANTUM THEOLOGY, Volume 1, edited by Keith Giles.Available on Amazon February 17th, 2026.Quantum Theology: Volume One (Foreword by Keith Giles) brings together an extraordinary and diverse group of scientists, mathematicians, theologians, mystics, authors, and cultural commentators to explore one of the most provocative conversations of our time: What happens when Quantum Physics and Theology begin to overlap?Featuring contributions from:Steve McVeyBrandy AndersonMo ThomasStuart DelonyNish DubashiaWillian SarillJenny Lorraine NielsenAnd many more! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Join Robert Ellsberg, publisher of Orbis Books, in this One On One interview withKelley Nikondeha, as they discuss  Jubilee Economics: The Purpose, Practices and Possibilities for a Better Future.https://maryknoll.link/3ucMost consider jubilee to be an aspirational, ancient practice, dismissing it as impractical for modern economic practices. Among theologians and economists many doubt it was ever practiced. And they would be wrong. Kelley Nikondeha uncovers recent scholarship that tells a different story, one of Jubilee's robust capabilities for resetting just economic systems.Kelley Nikondeha is a writer, speaker, liberation theologian, and community development practitioner. Together with her husband, Claude Nikondeha, they founded Communities of Hope (an NGO in Burundi), Kazoza Bank, and have an ongoing partnership with the United Nations Capital Development Fund around economic development.Get your copy today:  https://maryknoll.link/3uc#OrbisBooks #KelleyNikondeha #RobertEllsberg #economics #Theology 

Join Robert Ellsberg, publisher of Orbis Books, in this One On One interview withMac Loftin, as they discuss  In the Twilight of the Christian West: A Theology of Mourning and Resistance.https://maryknoll.link/opgCountering this malignant theology, Loftin draws on the vision of antifascist thinkers, mystics, and theologians including Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Simone Weil, and Michel de Certeau. He reveals how these revolutionaries forged potent theological resistance in their own fraught political moments by recovering a radically different Christian tradition: one that embraces impermanence, reconciliation, difference, and the liberative work of mourning.Mac Loftin is lecturer on theology at Harvard University. His writing has appeared in Political Theology, The Christian Century, and Earth & Altar.Get your copy today:  https://maryknoll.link/opg#OrbisBooks #MacLoftin #RobertEllsberg #ChristianBooks #Theology #ChristianResistance

Welcome to Madang.Madang is the outdoor living room of the world. Here, we invite you to sit and tune into unreserved, remarkable conversations with renowned authors, leaders, public figures, and scholars on religion, culture, and everything in between.This is the 55th episode featuring Rev. Wes Granberg-Michaelson is the General Secretary Emeritus of the Reformed Church in America, having served in that role for 17 years. Earlier he served as Director of Church and Society for the World Council of Churches. Wes is an author, global ecumenical leader, and widely respected voice relating faith to pressing issues of public life. Wes has authored ten books and countless articles including his new book, The Soulwork of Justice: Four Movements of Contemplative Action (Orbis Books).On this episode of Madang Podcast hosted by Faith and Reason, Granberg-Michaelson and I talk about his book, The Soulwork of Justice: Four Movements of Contemplative Action (Orbis Books). We discuss prisons for profit, Survivors of Abuse, praying, retreat, journaling, belonging, letting go, and much more.I am grateful to ⁠The Upper Room⁠ for sponsoring this episode of Madang Podcast. Please check out their special webpage for ⁠Madang Podcast⁠ listeners and subscribe to The Upper Room daily devotional guide. The Upper Room is a daily devotional magazine published in more than 30 languages and 100 countries around the world. The daily meditations are written by readers of the magazine and others interested in sharing their faith experiences through writing. Every day, readers of The Upper Room around the world read the same story in many different languages and pray the same prayer together.I am grateful to Orbis Books for sponsoring this episode. Please use the discount code “MAD” to get 30% off ⁠The Soulwork of Justice⁠ by Wesley Granberg-Michaelson. Please visit ⁠www.orbisbooks.com⁠ to order this book and their recent releases. Orbis Books publishes “books that matter,” and their books are meaningful and thoughtful gifts for friends, family, and seekers of faith.Please reach out to me if you would like to sponsor the next episode of the ⁠Madang podcast⁠⁠. Or simply ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠support me on my ⁠Substack: Loving Life⁠⁠.Madang is presented by ⁠FaithAndReason.org⁠.

Join Robert Ellsberg, publisher of Orbis Books, in this One On One interview withRebecca Bratten Weiss, as they discuss  The Books That Made Us: Deconstructing the Modern Christian Classics.https://maryknoll.link/80c4d8What do you do when you realize that the books you were taught to revere imbued you with false perspectives on humanity, society, and morals?  This is the question editor and journalist Rebecca Bratten Weiss poses, as she revisits beloved but problematic Christian writers like G.K. Chesterton, T.S. Eliot, J.R.R. Tolkien, Evelyn Waugh, and C.S. Lewis. While documenting her journey out of conservative Christian culture, Bratten Weiss sorts through the rubble of old beliefs, discerning which to discard and which to keep. The Books That Made Us reminds readers how powerfully literature can shape us—and how devastatingly it can harm us.Rebecca Bratten Weiss is digital editor at U.S. Catholic magazine, co-host of the Glad You Asked podcast, and a regular contributor to the National Catholic Reporter. She has published extensively on religion, culture, and politics, and is co-editor (with Jessica Mesman) of Sick Pilgrims: An Anthology of Catholic Spiritual Autobiography.Get your copy today:  https://maryknoll.link/80c4d8#OrbisBooks #RebeccaBrattenWeiss #RobertEllsberg #ChristianBooks

Look, we all have that person in our life who won't stop talking about Motlmann or keeps “accidentally” bringing up liberation theology at Thanksgiving. Maybe that person is you. No judgment. I'm right there with you. That's why I brought in my friend Rev. Dr. Thomas Hermans-Webster, acquisitions editor at Orbis Books, to help us figure out what books belong under the tree this year. We each picked 10 books that will make your theology nerd feel seen, challenged, and deeply grateful you know them so well. HERE'S THE GOOD NEWS: Orbis put the whole collection on sale. Use code ZESTY at checkout and get 30% off. The code is good through the 12 days of Christmas and all the way to Mardi Gras—we're being liturgical about this.

Join Robert Ellsberg, publisher of Orbis Books, in this One On One interview withMary C. Boys, as they discuss Blessing of a New Dawn: Reorienting Christianity's Relation to Judaismhttps://maryknoll.link/b4nAn expert in Jewish-Christian relations and a serious student of Scripture engages the latest scholarship to offer a succinct, informative exploration of the history that informed Christian attitudes toward Judaism, and how a new reading can lead to a richer understanding between peoples.  Mary C. Boys is Skinner and McAlpin Professor of Practical Theology, Union Theological Seminary, NYC, and its former Academic Vice-President and Dean. Long experienced in Jewish-Christian dialogue, she is a member of the Committee on Religion, Ethics, and the Holocaust at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC. A member of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, she is also author of Has God Only One Blessing? Judaism as a Source of Christian Self-Understanding.Get your copy today:  https://maryknoll.link/b4n#OrbisBooks #JewishChristianDialogue #InterfaithUnderstanding #MaryCBoys #RobertEllsberg

Join Robert Ellsberg, publisher of Orbis Books, in this One On One interview withJohn S. Munayer and Samuel S. Munayer, as they discuss The Cross and the Olive Tree: Cultivating Palestinian Theology amid Gazahttps://maryknoll.link/v3h From the lived theology of grandmothers to traditions of scholarship, from ancient liturgies to contemporary resistance, eight Palestinian Christian theologians offer a crucial and vibrant perspective on liberation, reconciliation, and divine imagination. Written within the heart of suffering, the cross and the olive tree interpret each other in an unwavering hope, symbols of faith and homeland.John Munayer is a Palestinian theologian from Jerusalem and holds degrees from King's College London, the University of Edinburgh, and VU University Amsterdam. John is currently involved in interreligious activism and is the founder and editor of the Journal of Palestinian Christianity at the Bethlehem Bible College. He is a PhD candidate at the University of Edinburgh, researching the political theology of the Palestinian laity in relation to the Holy Fire ceremony.  Samuel Munayer is a Palestinian theologian from Jerusalem and holds degrees from Durham University and Exeter University. Samuel works as an advocacy and access officer for a humanitarian organization that works in Gaza and the West Bank. He recently co-authored with John the article entitled, “Decolonising Palestinian Liberation Theology: New Methods, Sources, and Voices.”Get your copy today:  https://maryknoll.link/v3h#PalestinianTheology #LiberationTheology #OrbisBooks #FaithAndJustice

This episode is a part of Across the Divide's Monthly Book Club. Here Jen has a conversation with John Munayer and Samuel Munayer about their edited volume The Cross and the Olive Tree: Cultivating Palestinian Theology amid Gaza. They discussed how this book emerged as a communal Palestinian theological project and the unique approaches that the eight contributors took. John and Sam both reflect on the ways that doing Palestinian theology amid genocide in Gaza has impacted their faith, and they consider the profound invitation that this book extends to Palestinian and non-Palestinian Christians who are committed to justice work.We invite you to read The Cross and the Olive Tree along with the ATD community and consider joining our virtual Book Club conversation on the book for our Patreon supporters on Sunday, November 30, 2025. To learn more and become a Patreon supporter, visit https://www.patreon.com/c/AcrosstheDivide The Cross and the Olive Tree is edited by John Munayer and Samuel Munayer and includes contributions from Yousef AlKhouri, Marah Sarji, Azmera Hammouri-Davis, Lamma Mansour, Daniel Munayer, Shadia Qubti, John Munayer, and Samuel Munayer. You can purchase the book here through Orbis Books, and see our Patreon page for a limited-time discount code for purchases within the U.S.John Munayer is a Palestinian theologian from Jerusalem and holds degrees from King's College London, the University of Edinburgh, and VU University Amsterdam. John is currently involved in interreligious activism and is the founder and editor of the Journal of Palestinian Christianity at the Bethlehem Bible College. He is a PhD candidate at the University of Edinburgh, researching the political theology of the Palestinian laity in relation to the Holy Fire ceremony. Samuel Munayer is a Palestinian theologian from Jerusalem and holds degrees from Durham University and Exeter University. Samuel works as an advocacy and access officer for a humanitarian organization that works in Gaza and the West Bank. He recently co-authored with John the article entitled, “Decolonising Palestinian Liberation Theology: New Methods, Sources, and Voices.”

Join Robert Ellsberg, publisher of Orbis Books, in this One On One interview with author James W. Douglass, as they discuss Martyrs to the Unspeakable: The Assassinations of JFK, Martin, Malcolm, and RFKhttps://maryknoll.link/bxyHere at last is the long-awaited sequel to James Douglass's bestselling work, JFK and the Unspeakable: Why He Died and Why It Matters. That book, unlike most books that posit a conspiracy in JFK's assassination, focuses less on "who dunnit" as on "why they dunnit." Douglas's answer was to trace the steps by which JFK moved from being a traditional Cold Warrior to a prophetic commitment to peace, willing to risk his own life in order to avoid nuclear war. In particular JFK's partnership in pursuit of peace with ostensible adversary, Nikita Khrushchev, caused him to be regarded as a traitor by elements of the military-industrial-intelligence complex who deployed the mechanisms of the National Security State--which had previously targeted foreign "threats"--to neutralize the President of the United States. This new volume necessarily returns to the story of JFK, and demonstrates how the same story was enacted again and again in the deaths of his brother, Bobby Kennedy, as well as the killings of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. In each case, American figures who made a prophetic commitment to peace and social transformation were regarded as enemies of the state who had to be eliminated. Douglass believes that this hidden history holds a key to recovering and advancing their mission, and setting our country and the world on a path to peace.James W. Douglass is a longtime peace activist and writer. He and his wife Shelley are co-founders of the Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action in Poulsbo, WA, and Mary's House, a Catholic Worker house of hospitality in Birmingham, AL, where they now live. His other books include The Nonviolent Coming of God, Resistance and Contemplation, Gandhi and the Unspeakable, and JFK and the Unspeakable.Get your copy today:  https://maryknoll.link/bxy#MartyrsToTheUnspeakable  #JamesWDouglass  #PeaceAndJustice #JFKMLKMalcolmXRFK  #NonviolentResistance

Join Robert Ellsberg, publisher of Orbis Books, in this One On One interview with author Cyprian Consiglio, as they discuss Epiphanies of Nature and Grace: Twelve Meditations from a Life in Dialoguehttps://maryknoll.link/oc9These moving and eloquent meditations on a range of spiritual themes draw on the author's study of scripture and his deep monastic experience, as well as on his many pilgrimages to India and his immersion in the spiritual wisdom both of Asia and the Christian West.Cyprian Consiglio, OSB Cam., is a Camaldolese Benedictine monk, musician, composer, author, and teacher. He has shared his time between a hermitage in Big Sur, CA, and traveling in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, studying, teaching, and performing. After retiring from his office as prior of his community, he currently lives in Rome, serving as Secretary General for Monastic Interreligious Dialogue (DIMMID). His books include Rediscovering the Divine: New Ways to Understand, Experience, and Express God. Get your copy today:  https://maryknoll.link/oc9#RobertEllsberg #OrbisBooks #DustinFeddon #spiritualwisdom #Christian #meditations

El apoyo evangélico a Israel es uno de los factores más influyentes en la política moderna. Pero, ¿de dónde viene? No es solo política, es profecía. Descubre cómo la interpretación de la Biblia está dando forma a las relaciones internacionales y al conflicto en Medio Oriente. Una historia de fe, poder y la creencia en un plan divino por cumplirse.

Join Robert Ellsberg, publisher of Orbis Books, in this One On One interview with author Fr. Dustin Feddon, as they discuss More Than Half Way Home: A Story of Accompaniment in the Shadows of Incarceration.https://maryknoll.link/p1hWhen Dustin Feddon began accompanying men on death row and in solitary confinement, he saw a broken system that failed man after man within its walls. Even for those in “release” programs, what he saw—and the men he met—compelled him to ask if there could be new kinds of spaces, not confined spaces or “halfway houses,” but communities that welcomed people back into the human family, re-affirming their dignity? The answer he discovered, was a resounding Yes. That yes began a new community—and the story of Joseph House.Fr. Dustin Feddon, a Catholic priest of the diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, is founder and executive director of Joseph House, a home and community for men released from prison. Fr. Dustin and Joseph House have partnered with Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), Legal Defense Fund, and other groups fighting for greater justice and mercy for those impacted by the criminal justice systemGet your copy today:  https://maryknoll.link/p1hAll author royalties will go to support the work of Joseph House.#RobertEllsberg #OrbisBooks #DustinFeddon #equaljustice #activism #ministry #humandignity

Join Robert Ellsberg, publisher of Orbis Books, in this One On One interview with author Wesley Granberg-Michaelson, as they discuss The Soulwork of Justice: Four Movements for Contemplative Action.https://maryknoll.link/1yuFormer politico, long-time activist, and faith leader Wes Granberg-Michaelson (Without Oars: Casting Off into a Life of Pilgrimage) looks at a life in activism. advocacy,  and ministry to reveal four key discernable movements of a lifelong soul journey to God's justice. He's also witnessed these elements consistently in the lives of others devoted to both soul-care and justice. Now he offers these four key movements for anyone at any age wanting to step into the entwined lineage of justice and soul work. While all experience it, few justice leaders talk about in the often exhausting effort of their work, and how critical soulwork--spiritual formation--is for sustaining a life of outward social witness.Culled from the wisdom of decades of leadership experience in global ecumenical initiatives, religious organizations, and social justice movements, this book combines tenacity of vision with the groundedness of soul that has sustained Granberg-Michaelson even as it offers support to others engaged in the work for a lifetime and beyond.Wesley Granberg-Michaelson is a writer, speaker, and global ecumenical leader working at the intersection of faith, justice, and public life. Previously a legislative assistant to Senator Mark O. Hatfield and Director of Church and Society for the World Council of Churches, he now serves on the board of the Global Christian Forum. He and his wife, Kaarin, live in Santa Fe, NM.Get your copy today:  https://maryknoll.link/1yu #RobertEllsberg #OrbisBooks #Wesley Granberg-Michaelson #socialjustice #activism #ministry #spiritualformation

Join Robert Ellsberg, publisher of Orbis Books, in this One On One interview with author Paul J. Schutz, as they discuss A Theology of Flourishing: The Fullness of Life for all Creation.Proposing a groundbreaking theological approach to what it means to truly thrive, A Theology of Flourishing reframes Christian thought around the concept of abundant life for all of creation. Drawing from scripture, tradition, and contemporary theology, Schutz argues that flourishing is God's fundamental intention for the universe. Suitable for students and scholars alike, this timely work confronts modern crises of injustice, inequality, and ecological destruction while constructing a fresh, hope-filled vision of Christian life for the well-being of all.Paul J. Schutz is associate professor of religious studies, Santa Clara University. He writes and teaches courses on the meaning and significance of creation in and beyond the Christian tradition, with an emphasis on how scientific research might inform religious accounts of humanity's relationship with other-than-human creatures.Get your copy today:  https://maryknoll.link/nk8 #RobertEllsberg #OrbisBooks  #PaulJSchutz #CreationCare #IntegralEcology #FaithAndScience

Join Robert Ellsberg, publisher of Orbis Books, in this One On One interview with author Grace Ji-Sun Kim, as they discuss Earthbound: God at the Intersection of Climate and Justice. https://maryknoll.link/7547deIn the face of tremendous ecological changes, environmental crises, and social inequity, our God-talk must reveal our profound interconnectedness with Earth and all its inhabitants. Grace Ji-Sun Kim offers a transformative vision of divine presence that calls us to active, restorative justice. Drawing from Christian theology and urgent ecological insights, the book discusses our current climate catastrophes while illuminating pathways of healing and hope. Earthbound invites readers to embrace a radical theology of relationship—one that recognizes our responsibility to each other, to all living systems, and to the intricate web of life that sustains us.Grace Ji-Sun Kim holds a PhD from University of St. Michael's College, Toronto. She was born in Korea, educated in Canada, and now teaches in the United States as professor of theology, Earlham School of Religion. She is the author or editor of twenty-five books, including Keeping Hope Alive: Sermons and Speeches of Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. (Orbis). She is the host of Madang podcast, which is sponsored by the Christian Century.Get your copy today:  https://maryknoll.link/7547de #RobertEllsberg #OrbisBooks #SpiritualEcology #TheologyOfCreation #ClimateJustice #EnvironmentalJustice #GraceJiSunKim

In this episode of the Dialogues Podcast, David Chao interviews Father Joseph Cheah, OSM, PhD, about his groundbreaking 2022 book "Anti-Asian Racism: Myths, Stereotypes, and Catholic Social Teaching" published by Orbis Books. Father Joseph Cheah is Professor of Religious Studies and Theology and Chair of the Department of Philosophy, Theology, and Religious Studies at the University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford, Connecticut. The only Catholic scholarly work addressing anti-Asian racism, Father Joe's book critiques two 2018 documents published by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops—one a pastoral letter on racism, the other a pastoral response to AAPI Catholics—which he argues did not sufficiently discuss AAPI experiences of racism. It also examines historical patterns of anti-Asian racism and proposes a theological framework for addressing racism based on tenets of Catholic social teaching. ResourcesCheah, Joseph. 2022. Anti-Asian Racism. Orbis Books. Bransfield, J. Brian. 2018. Review of Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love – a Pastoral Letter against Racism. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. https://www.usccb.org/resources/open-wide-our-hearts_0.pdf.Bransfield, J. Brian. 2018. Review of Encountering Christ in Harmony: A Pastoral Response to Our Asian and Pacific Island Brothers and Sisters. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. https://www.usccb.org/resources/Encountering%20Christ%20in%20Harmony%20A%20Pastoral%20Response%20to%20Our%20Asian%20and%20Pacific%20Island%20Brothers%20and%20Sisters_0.pdf.‌Jeung, Russell. 2022. Stop AAPI Hate and Racial Trauma. In 2022 Mental Health and Asian Americans Conference.‌Jeung, Russell. 2019. An Asian American Exilic Call to Politics. In 2019 Asian American Theology Conference.Transformative Hope by Russell Jeung and Tammy Ho https://aparri.org/transformative-hope/Noel Quintana:Photo by Jason Leung on Unsplash This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit caacptsem.substack.com

Join Robert Ellsberg, publisher of Orbis Books, in this One On One interview with author Joyce Rupp, as they discuss The Years of Ripening: Reflections on Aging in the Later Years.  The Years of Ripening focuses on personal transformation, the wonder and goodness of our hidden self, how the qualities of our personhood have been expressed, and in what ways we can claim ever more of the truest reality of our inner being.As old age takes place, our physical being naturally weakens and wrinkles. At the same time, our non-physical being smooths out with a peaceful satisfaction. The tight ridges of past failures recede and dark illusions fade as we increasingly trust our life to be a harmonious song rooted in love. This encourages us to shed our self-willed, false control until we become freed from what binds our spirit. We let go of who we imagined ourself to be and grow in a transparency that reveals our seasoned-with-love self. All is not ended with our final departure. We leave behind the beauty and bounty that resided within our aged selves. Like a ripened melon on the vine, so the matured fruit of our loving heart and weathered wisdom leaves a beneficial legacy to nurture a future generation.Joyce Rupp is well known for her work as a writer, international retreat leader, and conference speaker. She is the author of numerous bestselling books, including Praying Our Goodbyes, Open the Door, and Fragments of Your Ancient Name. Fly While You Still Have Wings is among her publications earning an award in the spirituality books category from the Catholic Press Association. Her Orbis Books including last year's bestseller, Vessels of Love: Prayers and Poems for the Later Years of Life. Joyce has a B.A. in English, a M.R.E. in Religious Education, and a M.A. in Transpersonal Psychology. She is a member of the Servites (Servants of Mary) community and was a volunteer for Hospice for fifteen years. She currently resides in Des Moines, Iowa.Get your copy today: https://maryknoll.link/8e1692#JoyceRupp #personhood #RobertEllsberg #OrbisBooks #Christianity #CatholicChurch #Aging

Join Robert Ellsberg, publisher of Orbis Books, in this One On One interview with author Michael J. Rogers, as they discuss Many Paths with Mary: Popular Piety and the Future Church.  Michael J. Rogers takes readers on an international journey, exploring how Mary, Mother of God, comes to be understood in different times and places: including 16th century Copacabana, Boliva, and Tepeyac, Mexico, 19th century Lourdes, France, and even more recently in Mexico. He explicates some of the many ways that the Holy Spirit speaks through the people of God when popular piety emerges in the meeting of distinct cultures, through moments of meaning, and amid ruptures in society.Michael J. Rogers is currently head of mission for Catholic hospitals in New England. He earned his PhD from the University of Toronto and holds degrees from the College of the Holy Cross, Saint Louis University, and the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome. He completed most of the field research for Many Paths with Mary while a fellow at the McFarland Center for Religion Ethics and Culture, College of the Holy Cross. He has written for Crux, America, and the Huffington Post and is an occasional commentator for Vatican Radio, Euronews, Catholic News Service, and the Canadian Broadcasting Company.Get your copy today: https://maryknoll.link/03a188#MichaelJRogers #RobertEllsberg #OrbisBooks #Christianity #CatholicChurch #Marian

Join Robert Ellsberg, publisher of Orbis Books, in this One On One interview with author Marjorie Corbman, as they discuss Divine Rage: Malcolm X's Challenge to Christians.  The impact of Malcolm X's apocalyptic vision—in which the world's oppressed would join together to make God's righteous judgment on racism, colonialism, and all forms of slavery—galvanized, outraged, and troubled many. In Divine Rage educator Marjorie Corbman explores how Christian activists and theologians wrestled with it, from Congregational ministry Rev. Albert B. Cleage, Jr., to a young Black scholar, James H. Cone, to Catholic monk and writer Thomas Merton, to queer activists of color Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera.Marjorie Corbman is an educator and scholar working as an academic director at Mansfield Hall, a residential living-learning community for neurodivergent college students in Burlington, VT. Alumna of the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London (MA) and Fordham University (PhD), Corbman was assistant professor in the department of theology and religious studies at Molloy College from 2020 to 2022.Get your copy today: https://maryknoll.link/3b04ce#MarjorieCorbman  MalcomX #RobertEllsberg #OrbisBooks

Join Robert Ellsberg, publisher of Orbis Books, in this One On One interview with author David O'Toole, as they discuss Love Made Me An Inventor: The Story of Maggy Barankitse - Humanitarian, Genocide Survivor, Citizen without Borders.  They are joined by special guest Maggy Barankitse.On October 25, 1993, Maggy Barankitse buried seventy-two bodies in a mass grave on the grounds of the bishop's house in Burundi, a day after she was made to watch as they were murdered in a fit of ethnic violence. What happened next would save tens of thousands of children from death and despair during a protracted civil war.Love Made Me an Inventor is how Marguerite (Maggy) Barankitse describes how she has been able to accomplish her life-saving work. In this first-ever authorized biography in English, readers will encounter her extraordinary journey from survivor to founder of Maison Shalom and the name “Angel of Burundi.” Exiled to Rwanda, Maggy continues her extraordinary vocation. David Toole is Nannerl O. Keohane Director of the Kenan Institute for Ethics, Duke University, where he holds a joint appointment as associate professor of the practice of theology, ethics, and global health in the Duke Global Health Institute and Duke Divinity School. He is author of Waiting for Godot in Sarajevo and founder of Love's Inventions, a non-profit dedicated to spreading Maggy's message to the world and supporting her ongoing work in Africa. He and his wife, Nancy, live in Durham, NC.Get your copy today: https://maryknoll.link/2d2d33#MaggyBarankitse  #DavidOToole #RobertEllsberg #OrbisBooks #Rwanda

Join Robert Ellsberg , publisher of Orbis Books, in this One on One interview with author Kerra Becker English, as they discuss True Awakening.Very few books on spirituality reveal the reality of awakening and address our deep fear of change. In True Awakening, spiritual director, and teacher Kerra Becker English does both while offering guidance and encouragement for the process—no matter how messy it might get.Exploring classic themes –the  hero(ine)'s journey, the dark night, and what it means to answer a call—she reveals the challenges we face as we respond to the terrifying breaking-open of awakening—an invitation that changes everything.Kerra Becker English preaches and speaks about spiritual life in relatable ways, borrowing lines or insights from song lyrics and ancient texts, ballroom dance lessons or the process of getting a tattoo. She also is an ordained Presbyterian minister. You can find more about her at kerraenglish.com.Get your copy today: https://maryknoll.link/4d1b7c#TrueAwakening  #SpiritualJourney  #KerraBeckerEnglish #RobertEllsberg #OrbisBooks

Welcome to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Madang Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠Madang is the outdoor living room of the world. Here, we invite you to sit and tune into unreserved, remarkable conversations with renown authors, leaders, public figures and scholars on religion, culture and everything in-between. This has been a dream of mine for many years and now it is a reality. Please join me at Madang Podcast hosted by the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Christian Century⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠This is the 47th Episode with Diarmuid O'Murchu, a member of the Sacred Heart Missionary Order, and a graduate of Trinity College, Ireland, is a social psychologist. He has worked as a workshop leader and group facilitator, conducting programmes on Adult Faith Development across several countries. Now as a retired missionary, he lives in Dublin. He is with us today to talk about his book, Divine Radiance in Human Evolution published by Orbis Books.Today, he is with us today to share his latest book, Divine Spirit, Aristotle, Soul, Incarnation, AI, climate crisis nd so much more.I am grateful to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Homebrewed Christianity⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Orbis Books ⁠⁠⁠for sponsoring this episode. Please join Homebrewed Christianity's online class, ⁠⁠Rise of Bonhoeffer⁠⁠. Please read some of the latest Orbis Books⁠ that are impacting the world. Please reach out to me if you would like to sponsor the next episode of Madang podcast. Or simply ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠support me on my ⁠⁠substack.

What is the Church for? Does the Church have a mission? Or, does the mission have a Church? What is your understanding of God? Fr. Stephen Bevans, SVD, raises these questions in this week's edition of Deacons Pod. Fr. Bevens is author of the new book "Community of Missionary Disciples: The Continuing Creation of the Church" from Orbis Books. A professor emeritus at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, Fr. Bevans is a missionary of the Society of the Divine Word. ABOUT THE SHOW: Deacons Pod is a podcast for everyone. But, it's especially created to inspire and give hope to people on the “threshold of faith”: Those who are thinking about going to Church and those who are thinking about leaving Church. Deacons Pod is hosted by the Paulist Deacon affiliates. The podcast is a production of the Paulist Fathers. More at deaconspod.com

Welcome to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Madang Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠ Madang is the outdoor living room of the world. Here, we invite you to sit and tune into unreserved, remarkable conversations with renown authors, leaders, public figures and scholars on religion, culture and everything in-between. This has been a dream of mine for many years and now it is a reality. Please join me at Madang Podcast hosted by the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Christian Century⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. This is the 41st Episode where I converse with Dr. Elizabeth Johnson on her book, Come, Have Breakfast. Dr. Johnson is the Distinguished Professor of Theology at Fordham University. Professor, mentor, writer, editor, and public lecturer at home and abroad, she is a former president of the Catholic Theological Society of America, the oldest and the largest society of theologians in the world, and a former president of the American Theological Society, an ecumenical association. Dr. Johnson has received fifteen honorary doctorates, the John Courtney Murray Award for distinguished achievement in theology, and numerous other accolades. On this episode, she talks about her newest book, Come, Have Breakfast, God as personal, creator, rock, dove, and verb and so much more. I am grateful to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Homebrewed Christianity, ⁠Good Faith Media and Orbis Books for sponsoring this episode. Please check out their website for their work, events and to donate. Register for ⁠⁠⁠Homebrewed Christianity Theology Beer Camp.⁠⁠ Check out Good Faith Media⁠'s podcasts, columns, books and events. Order Come, Have Breakfast from Orbis Books and use discount code "MAD" for 30% off. Please reach out to me if you would like to sponsor the next episode of Madang podcast. Or simply ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠support me here. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/grace-ji-sun-kim/support

This Quoircast podcast episode is brought to you by the Deadly Faith Podcast. A true crime podcast that explores the world where religion and crime collide.In this episode we chat with Alessandra HarrisAlessandra Harris doesn't shy away from controversial topics, and writes books that reflect the diversity of her world. In addition to writing fiction, Alessandra is an advocate for mental health and racial justice. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and four children. Her debut novel, Blaming the Wind, was published by Red Adept Publishing in 2016, followed by Everything She Lost in 2018, and Last Place Seen in 2022. Her first non-fiction title, In the Shadow of Freedom: The Enduring Call for Racial Justice, will be released with Orbis Books in 2024. In addition to co-founding and writing for Black Catholic Messenger, her writing has appeared in National Catholic Reporter, America Magazine, US Catholic, The Revealer, Critical Theology, The Catholic Worker, and Notre Dame's Grotto Network.You can follow Alessandra on:Facebook     Instagram     Twitter     Threads     YouTubeYou can find all things Alessandra Hariis related on her websiteYou can purchase In The Shadow Of Freedom on Amazon.comYou can connect with This Is Not Church on:Facebook     Instagram      Twitter     TikTok     YouTubeAlso check out our Biolink for all things This Is Not Church relatedPlease like and follow our Quoircast Partners:Heretic Happy Hour     Messy Spirituality     Apostates Anonymous    Second Cup with Keith     The Church Needs TherapyIdeas Digest      Snarky Faith Podcast     Wild Olive     Deadly Faith     Spirituality Brew Pub     Faith For The Rest Of UsJonathan_Foster     Sacred Thoughts     Holy Heretics     Reframing Our Stories     Bros Bibles & Beer      Liminal LivingLove Covered Life     The Social Jesus ProjectEach episode of This Is Not Church Podcast is expertly engineered by our producer The Podcast Doctor Eric Howell. If you're thinking of starting a podcast you need to connect with Eric!

Welcome to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Madang Podcast⁠.⁠⁠⁠ Madang is the outdoor living room of the world. Here, we invite you to sit and tune into unreserved, remarkable conversations with renown authors, leaders, public figures and scholars on religion, culture and everything in-between. This has been a dream of mine for many years and now it is a reality. Please join me at Madang Podcast hosted by the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Christian Century⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. This is the 38th Episode where I converse with Sr. Ilia Delio on her book, The Not-Yet God: Carl Jung, Teilhard de Chardin, and the Relational Whole. She is a Franciscan Sister of Washington, DC and American theologian specializing in the area of science and religion, with interests in evolution, physics and neuroscience and the import of these for theology. Ilia currently holds the Josephine C. Connelly Endowed Chair in Theology at Villanova University, and is the author of twenty books. On this episode, Delio talks about The Not-Yet God, creation, evolution, word for God, pantheism, panentheism and so much more. I am grateful to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Eerdmans Publishing⁠⁠, Homebrewed Christianity and Orbis Books for their sponsorship of this episode. Please check out their website for their work, events and to donate. Join ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Eerdmans Publishing⁠⁠'s newsletter The Logo to get all the latest news on books, authors and events. Order The Not-Yet God and use discount code "MAD" to get 30% off. Register for Homebrewed Christianity Theology Beer Camp. Please reach out to me if you would like to sponsor the next episode of Madang podcast. Or simply ⁠⁠⁠⁠support me here. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/grace-ji-sun-kim/support

The roles are reversed in this special episode that kicks off our next season of Hunger for Wholeness. In this one-part, special episode our esteemed host Ilia Delio is interviewed by Robert Ellsberg, publisher of Ilia's latest book The Not-Yet God. Thanks to Robert Ellsberg and Orbis Books, Maryknoll, New York, for permission to share this recording. You can purchase The Not-Yet God (or any of Ilia's books) by visiting OrbisBooks.com.ABOUT ILIA DELIOIlia Delio, OSF, PhD, is a Franciscan Sister of Washington, DC, and an American theologian specializing in the area of science and religion, with interests in evolution, physics, and neuroscience and the import of these for theology. Her ground-breaking work is the premise of our podcast the Hunger for Wholeness, produced in partnership with the Fetzer Institute. On Hunger for Wholeness, Ilia interviews special guests who are also giving a new voice to the dialogue between science, technology and religion. This season, they include the likes of theologian Bruce Epperly, author and speaker Fr. Dan Horan, futurist Kevin Kelly, and many more.Support the showA huge thank you to all of you who subscribe and support our show! Support for A Hunger for Wholeness comes from the Fetzer Institute. Fetzer supports a movement of organizations who are applying spiritual solutions to society's toughest problems. Get involved at fetzer.org. Support 'Hunger for Wholeness' on Patreon as our team continues to develop content for listeners to dive deeper. Visit the Center for Christogenesis' website at christogenesis.org to browse all Hunger for Wholeness episodes and read more from Ilia Delio. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for episode releases and other updates.

Preaching for Christmas, Natalia Imperatori-Lee reflects on God's determination to "make room" and encourages us to do likewise: "In the incarnation, God, too, makes room. God is determined to make room. Room for light in the darkness. Room for joy in our sadness. Room for triumph in our defeats. Room for peace in our broken, war-torn world. God is determined to make space among the ruins for celebration, to make possible within our vulnerability a sense of safety. God is determined to make room in the darkness that surrounds us for an inextinguishable light. How are we being called to make room in our lives? ...Are we determined like God to make room for good in this world filled with suffering?" Natalia Imperatori-Lee is Professor of Religious Studies at Manhattan College in the Bronx, NY, where she also coordinates the Catholic Studies program. She is the author, most recently, of "Women and the Church: From Devil's Gateway to Disciples" (Paulist Press, 2024), and of "Cuéntame: Narrative in the Ecclesial Present"(Orbis Books, 2018). Her work focuses on the intersection of Latinx theologies, feminist theologies, and Catholic ecclesiology. She lives in the Bronx with her spouse and children. Visit www.catholicwomenpreach.org/preaching/12252023 to learn more about Natalia, to read her preaching text, and for more preaching from Catholic Women Preach.

The deacons speak with Robert Ellsberg, publisher of Orbis Books, writer of the "Blessed Among Us" column in "Give Us This Day," and one-time managing editor of the Catholic Worker newspaper. The episode touches on Advent, Christmas, the future of Catholic book publishing, Servant of God Dorothy Day, Servant of God Isaac Hecker, and Robert's well-known father Daniel Ellsberg, who entered eternal life in June, 2023. ABOUT THE SHOW: Deacons Pod is a podcast for everyone. But, it's especially created to inspire and give hope to people on the “threshold of faith”: Those who are thinking about going to Church and those who are thinking about leaving Church. Deacons Pod is hosted by Deacon Tom Casey, Deacon Drew Dickson, and Deacon Dennis Dolan, all permanent deacons who are Paulist Deacon Affiliates. The podcast is a production of the Paulist Fathers. More at deaconspod.com

Welcome to ⁠⁠Madang Podcast.⁠⁠ Madang is the outdoor living room of the world. Here, we invite you to sit and tune into unreserved, remarkable conversations with renown authors, leaders, public figures and scholars on religion, culture and everything in-between. This has been a dream of mine for many years and now it is a reality. Please join me at Madang Podcast hosted by the ⁠⁠Christian Century⁠⁠. This is the 34th episode of Madang where I converse with Mitri Raheb on his book, Decolonizing Palestine. Raheb is founder and president of Dar al-Kalima University in Bethlehem, Palestine. Raheb is the most widely published Palestinian theologian to date, including his Orbis books Faith in the Face of Empire and, with Suzanne Henderson, The Cross in Contexts: Suffering and Redemption in Palestine. He received the 2017 Tolerance Ring Award from the European Academy of Arts and Sciences, the 2015 Olof Palme Prize, the 2012 German Media Prize just to name a few. He holds a doctorate in theology from Philipps University, Germany, and an honorary doctorate from Concordia University, Chicago. On this episode, Raheb talks with me about Decolonizing Palestine, Christian Zionism, settle colonialism, Biblical interpretation and so much more. You can also listen to the podcast on ⁠Spotify⁠ and ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠. I am grateful to ⁠⁠Homebrewed Christianity, Orbis Books, Bright Starts of Bethlehem and ⁠⁠Garrett Seminary⁠⁠ for their sponsorship of this episode. Please check out their website for their work, events and to donate. Please reach out to me if you would like to sponsor the next episode of Madang podcast. Or simply ⁠support me here. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/grace-ji-sun-kim/support

Welcome Christiana Zenner, PhD  onto the podcast, Associate Professor of Theology, Science and Ethics in the Department of Theology at Fordham University. She is a deeply interdisciplinary scholar and teacher, so we cover a lot of exciting topics, including her research into emerging and established fresh water ethics, religious ecologies, the Anthropocene, the ecological turn in Catholic social teaching (including Laudato Si', the ecological encyclical from Pope Francis), the tensions between the degrowth movement and ecomodernist advocates of green growth, our shared hope in the youth and their energy for communication and community organizing, citational politics, bingo games, and a whole lot more. Her book Just Water: Theology, Ethics, and Global Fresh Water Crises is on its second edition with Orbis Books (2018).

Today on the show we have Dr. Greg Garrett. Greg is the Carole Ann McDaniel Hanks Chair of Literature and Culture at Baylor University. His new book with Orbis Books is titled “The Gospel According to James Baldwin: What America's Great Prophet Can Teach Us About Life, Love and Identity.”  Greg holds degrees from The University of Central Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University, and the Episcopal Seminary of the Southwest. He also serves as Canon Theologian at the American Cathedral In Paris. I loved Greg's book and I hope you will check it out. Anyway, let's listen in.  PS--Be sure to check out Greg's recent novel, mentioned in the podcast "Bastille Day" that came out earlier this year.

In his new book, Down Deep in My Soul: An African American Catholic Theology of Preaching (Orbis Books, 2023), Father Maurice Nutt, a doctor of preaching from the Aquinas Institute of Theology and a Redemptorist priest, teaches us about African American oratorical and homiletic tradition and shows how it can enrich preaching in every church. This is a discussion about history, cultural anthropology, and the Roman Catholic Church. As always, we ask how we got here and where do we go next. I also ask Father Maurice to respond to Pope Francis's recommendation that homilies should be kept under ten minutes. Finally, Father Maurice gives guidance that will benefit all preachers—and, in fact, all public speakers. Father Maurice's webpage Father Maurice's book, Deep Down in My Soul (Orbis, 2023) Father Maurice's spiritual direction ministry Father Maurice on Almost Good Catholics, episode 21: We Shall Overcome: Sister Thea Bowman and the Black Catholic Experience Krzysztof Odyniec is a historian of Medieval and Early Modern Europe; he is also the host of the 'Almost Good Catholics' podcast. 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

In his new book, Down Deep in My Soul: An African American Catholic Theology of Preaching (Orbis Books, 2023), Father Maurice Nutt, a doctor of preaching from the Aquinas Institute of Theology and a Redemptorist priest, teaches us about African American oratorical and homiletic tradition and shows how it can enrich preaching in every church. This is a discussion about history, cultural anthropology, and the Roman Catholic Church. As always, we ask how we got here and where do we go next. I also ask Father Maurice to respond to Pope Francis's recommendation that homilies should be kept under ten minutes. Finally, Father Maurice gives guidance that will benefit all preachers—and, in fact, all public speakers. Father Maurice's webpage Father Maurice's book, Deep Down in My Soul (Orbis, 2023) Father Maurice's spiritual direction ministry Father Maurice on Almost Good Catholics, episode 21: We Shall Overcome: Sister Thea Bowman and the Black Catholic Experience Krzysztof Odyniec is a historian of Medieval and Early Modern Europe; he is also the host of the 'Almost Good Catholics' podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to ⁠Madang⁠! Madang is the outdoor living room of the world. Here, we invite you to sit and tune into unreserved, remarkable conversations with renown authors, leaders, public figures and scholars on religion, culture and everything in-between. This has been a dream of mine for many years and now it is. reality. Please join me at Madang. This is the 26th episode of Madang where I converse with Robert Ellsberg on his editions of Dorothy Day “On Pilgrimage: The Sixties” and “On Pilgrimage: the Seventies”. Robert Ellsberg who is the editor-in-chief and publisher of Orbis Books, where he has served for over 35 years. From 1975-80 he was part of the Catholic Worker community in New York City, working with CW founder Dorothy Day for the last five years of her life. For two years he served as managing editor of The Catholic Worker newspaper. He studied religion and literature at Harvard College and later earned a ThM degree in theology from Harvard Divinity School, before joining Orbis in 1987. He has continued to promote the work and legacy of Dorothy Day, editing five volumes of her writings, including The Duty of Delight: The Diaries of Dorothy Day, and All the Way to Heaven: Selected Letters of Dorothy Day. Robert has written and edited 25 books, including six books on saints and holiness. For over 10 years he has written a daily entry, “Blessed Among Us” for “Give Us This Day” (Liturgical). This special episodes celebrates the 90th anniversary of the Catholic Worker on May 1, 2023! What a great celebration. I am thrilled to announce that Madang podcast is hosted by the Christian Century. Please visit their website for the latest Madang podcast as well as current articles on Christianity, culture and society. I have written several pieces for the Christian Century and welcome this new partnership. https://www.christiancentury.org/madang You can also listen to the podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0fSZ... and Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast... I am grateful to Homebrewed Christianity and Orbis Books for their sponsorship of this episode. Please check out their website for their work, events and to donate. Please reach out to me if you would like to sponsor the next episode of Madang podcast. Or simply support me here: https://anchor.fm/grace-ji-sun-kim --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/grace-ji-sun-kim/support

Episode 58 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Email | RSS | More "We're shaped … and affected by what we love, what we care about, what we pay attention to, what we admire.” - Robert Ellsberg IN THIS EPISODE "Our faith is rooted not in maxims, but in a narrative," shares publisher and editor-in-chief of Orbis Books, Robert Ellsberg, in his conversation with Sister Julia in Episode 58 of the Messy Jesus Business Podcast. Other topics explored in the discussion include the meaning of holiness, the communion of saints and the mess of being a Christian disciple. Robert's own narrative has been a movement to peace and a path to spiritual writing that brought him to Dorothy Day, the Catholic Worker Movement and Sister Wendy Beckett; to the ethos of authorship about the lives of saints and their perspectives of the presence of God in all of us. Their humanity, partly through all the difficulties and happy accidents that gave them powerful presence in our lives, has been Ellsberg's inspiration to write, in order to "spread... these seeds of mindfulness and compassion and awareness." ABOUT THE GUEST Robert Ellsberg is the editor-in-chief and publisher of Orbis Books, where he has worked for 35 years. He spent 1975-80 working with Dorothy Day at the Catholic Worker, two years as managing editor of the paper; and he has edited Day's selected writings, diaries, letters, and other work. Robert has written and edited 25 books, including six books on saints and holiness. For over 10 years he has written a daily entry, "Blessed Among Us" for "Give Us This Day" (Liturgical). Robert's most recent book is Dearest Sister Wendy…A Surprising Story of Faith and Friendship. Dorothy Day's Selected Writings, edited by Robert: https://orbisbooks.com/products/dorothy-day?_pos=4&_sid=e6af7dd2e&_ss=r Robert's essays in America Magazine: https://www.americamagazine.org/voices/robert-ellsberg Follow Robert on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RobertEllsberg MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at messyjesusbusiness@gmail.com BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness LISTEN HERE: