Podcasts about theological inquiry

In this episode, I am joined by theologian, ethicist, and Associate Director of the Center of Theological Inquiry at Princeton, Dr. Joshua Mauldin. We delve into Joshua's recent work examining Karl Barth and Dietrich Bonhoeffer, not just as theologians but as critics of modernity. The conversation covers how these figures reflected on the crises of democracy during their time, the rise of Nazism, and World War II, while drawing parallels to today's societal challenges. We also explore the nuances of political and ethical thought in a modern context, stressing the importance of tolerance and critical reflective engagement. This is an insightful episode for theology nerds and those interested in modern political and ethical thought. Dr. Mauldin is the author of Barth, Bonhoeffer, and Modern Politics, also available in audio at a significantly cheaper price. For more audio fun with Johsua, check out the Theology Matters podcast from the Center of Theological Inquiry.  You can WATCH this conversation on YouTube here _____________________ This DECEMBER, we will be exploring the 'Theologians of Crisis' in our online Advent class - Breaking into the Broken World. Join us to learn about Karl Barth, Paul Tillich, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Rudolph Bultmann as we explore their thoughts and timely reflections in their Advent/Christmas sermons. Join my Substack - Process This! Join our class - THE RISE OF BONHOEFFER, for a guided tour of Bonhoeffer's life and thought. Go with me to Berlin to spend a week in Bonhoeffer's House! Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode I have the privilege of chatting with New Testament scholar Dr. Clifton Black to explore his journey as a biblical scholar, his recent book Mark's Gospel, and his deep insights into the unique qualities of this often-underappreciated Gospel. Dr. Black offers valuable insights on how Mark's Gospel can deepen our understanding of the Christian faith and its significance for the modern church. Dr. C. Clifton Black, Princeton Theological Seminary's Otto A. Piper Professor of Biblical Theology, earned his MA in theology from the University of Bristol, his MDiv from Emory University, and his PhD from Duke University. He is an ordained elder in the Western North Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church. While his research interests concentrate in the New Testament's Gospels, particularly in Mark, he publishes in many fields, including biblical theology, New Testament rhetoric, and the history of biblical interpretation. He offers a broad array of courses, including New Testament introduction, the exegesis of Mark's Gospel, biblical theology and the practice of ministry, the parables of Jesus, major themes in New Testament theology, the biblical and Shakespearean visions, prayer in the New Testament, series in faith and film, as well as several doctoral-level seminars. He is the author, editor, or collaborating author of 20 books, and has published more than 200 essays, articles, and reviews. Black is a member of the Society of Biblical Literature, the Catholic Biblical Association, Studiorum Novi Testamenti Societas, the Center of Theological Inquiry, and the American Association of University Professors. He serves as secretary of the American Theological Society.

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

Analyzing Prayer draws together a range of theologians and philosophers to deal with different approaches to prayer as a Christian practice. The essays included deal with issues pertaining to petitionary prayer, prayer as reorientation of oneself in the presence of God, prayer by those who do not believe, liturgical prayer, mystical prayer, whether God prays, the interrelation between prayer and various forms of knowledge, theologizing as a form of prayer, lament and prayer, prayer and God's presence, and even prayer and the meaning of life. The volume contains cutting-edge studies on a neglected topic of theological study that contributes to the broadening of themes tackled by analytic theology.Oliver D. Crisp, Professor of Analytic Theology, University of St Andrews, James M. Arcadi, ?Associate Professor of Biblical and Systematic Theology, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Illinois, Jordan Wessling, Assistant Professor of Religion, Lindsey Wilson College Oliver D. Crisp is the Professor of Analytic Theology and Director of the Logos Institute for Analytic and Exegetical Theology. He joined the Divinity School in the autumn of 2019, having previously taught at Fuller Theological Seminary in California (2011-2019), the University of Bristol (2006-2011), and St Andrews (2002-2004). He has also held postdoctoral research fellowships at the Center for Philosophy of Religion, University of Notre Dame (2004-5; 2019), and the Center of Theological Inquiry, Princeton (2008-9). Crisp is the author of over a dozen books and over a hundred journal articles. James M. Arcadi is Associate Professor of Biblical and Systematic Theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois, USA. He is author of An Incarnational Model of the Eucharist (2018), co-author of The Nature and Promise of Analytic Theology (2019), and author of essays in such journals as Scottish Journal of Theology, Religious Studies, and Journal of Theological Interpretation. He is co-editor of Love: Divine and Human: Contemporary Essays in Systematic and Philosophical Theology (2019) and The T&T Clark Handbook of Analytic Theology (2021). Ordained in the Anglican Church in North America, he has served in parishes in Massachusetts, California, and Illinois. Jordan Wessling is Assistant Professor of Religion at Lindsey Wilson College. His articles have appeared in journals such as the International Journal of Systematic Theology, Faith & Philosophy, Zygon, Theology and Science, and the International Journal of Philosophy of Religion. His book, Love Divine: A Systematic Account of God's Love for Humanity, was published by Oxford University Press in 2021, and, with Oliver Crisp and James Arcadi, he authored The Nature and Promise of Analytic Theology (2019) and edited Love, Divine and Human: Contemporary Essays in Systematic and Philosophical Theology (2019).Buy the book from Wellington Square Bookshop - ​https://www.wellingtonsquarebooks.com/book/9780192859044

Higher Ed's Fragmented Morality (from The Dispatch)... GUEST Dr Jeffrey Bilbro ... associate professor of English at Grove City College and editor in chief at the Front Porch Republic ... His most recent book is “Reading the Times: A Literary and Theological Inquiry into the News” The Expectation Gap: the tiny vast space between our beliefs and the experience of God (new book) ... GUEST Steve Cuss ... pastor and founder of Capable Life.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Higher Ed's Fragmented Morality (from The Dispatch)... GUEST Dr Jeffrey Bilbro ... associate professor of English at Grove City College and editor in chief at the Front Porch Republic ... His most recent book is “Reading the Times: A Literary and Theological Inquiry into the News” The Expectation Gap: the tiny vast space between our beliefs and the experience of God (new book) ... GUEST Steve Cuss ... pastor and founder of Capable Life.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This lecture was given on February 6th, 2024, at Regent University. For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events About the speaker: Marcus Plested holds the Henri de Lubac Chair in Theology at Marquette University. He holds a PhD from Oxford University and has been a member of the Center of Theological Inquiry and the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, NJ. He has taught, lectured, and published widely in patristic, Byzantine, and modern Orthodox theology. He is the author of two books to date: The Macarian Legacy: The Place of Macarius-Symeon in the Eastern Christian Tradition (Oxford: OUP 2004) and Orthodox Readings of Aquinas (Oxford: OUP 2012).

Hanna Reichel on the Shape of Systematic Theology by Center of Theological Inquiry

Vincent Lloyd on Systematic and Political Theology by Center of Theological Inquiry

Kevin Hector on the Shape of Systematic Theology by Center of Theological Inquiry

Dr. L. Ann Jervis is the author of Paul and Time: Life in the Temporality of Christ. Dr. Jervis is emerita professor of New Testament at Wycliffe College, University of Toronto, in Toronto, Canada. She is a member of the Centre for Ethics at Trinity College, University of Toronto, and a member of the Center of Theological Inquiry in Princeton, New Jersey. She is also a priest in the Anglican Church of Canada. PODCAST LINKS: Paul and Time: https://bakeracademic.com/p/paul-and-time-l-ann-jervis/516454 CONNECT: Website: https://wipfandstock.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/wipfandstock Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wipfandstock Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wipfandstock/ SOURCES MENTIONED: Jervis, L. Ann. Paul and Time: Life in the Temporality of Christ. Martyn, J. Louis. Galatians. Wright, N. T. The Climax of the Covenant: Christ and the Law in Pauline Theology. ———. Paul and the Faithfulness of God. *The Theology Mill and Wipf and Stock Publishers would like to thank Luca Di Alessandro for making their song “A Celestial Keyboard” available for use as the podcast's transition music. Link to license: https://pixabay.com/service/license-summary/.

Nate and Jeffrey Bilbro of Front Porch Republic sit down and discuss agrarianism. Rather than simply a general term for rural life, they discuss the economic, philosophical and moral aspects of agrarianism that make it a holistic approach to human individual and social life, distinct from the overly ideological -isms of capitalism and communism that have dominated 20th century social and political thought. Jeffrey Bilbro is an Associate Professor of English at Grove City College. He grew up in the mountainous state of Washington and earned his B.A. in Writing and Literature from George Fox University in Oregon and his Ph.D. in English from Baylor University. His books include Reading the Times: A Literary and Theological Inquiry into the News, Loving God's Wildness: The Christian Roots of Ecological Ethics in American Literature, Wendell Berry and Higher Education: Cultivating Virtues of Place (written with Jack Baker), and Virtues of Renewal: Wendell Berry's Sustainable Forms.

Roy Lennox On the World Of The Gospels by Center of Theological Inquiry

Whenever you reach for your phone or scan a newspaper to get caught up, you are not being merely informed, you are also being formed. News consumption can shape your sense of belonging, how you judged the value of your life, and even how your brains function. Jeff Bilbro believes Christians must not let the news replace prayer, Bible reading, and simple disciplines of the Christian life. On this episode of the Podcast, Dr. Bilbro and I discuss the news, the power of daily habits, and the role of both the Old Testament prophet and the informed Christian today. Dr. Bilbro also explains how being "more informed" through news media may not be as good as you think it is and why it is important to not spend your best time of the day in devotion to news media instead of God. After listening to the podcast, I encourage you to pick up a copy of Reading the Times: A Theological Inquiry into the News.

Inspired by the works of Tom Nairn, who died in January this year, the Break Up Of Britain Conference was held in the Assembly Rooms Edinburgh on November the 18th.The conference focused on the future of the United Kingdom, its nations, and the European Union.This podcast special features the opening panel session chaired by Adam Ramsay openDemocracy's special correspondent.SpeakersProfessor Will Storrar-current Director of the Center of Theological Inquiry at Princeton University. He has led research on the potential of global civil society and digital democracyCaroline Lucas MP - has twice led the Green Party of England and Wales and has been the Member of Parliament for Brighton Pavilion since the 2010 general election. She was re-elected in the 2015, 2017 and 2019 general elections.Clive Lewis MP - has been the Member of Parliament for Norwich South since winning the seat at the 2015 general election. He was a candidate for Leader of the Labour Party in the 2020 leadership election. He is a member of the Socialist Campaign Group parliamentary caucus.Leanne Wood - served as the leader of Plaid Cymru from March 2012 to September 2018, and served as a Member of the Senedd from 2003 to 2021.And oor ain Lesley RiddochNoo a correction fir an error Lesley made in her speech. Denmark's GDP per capita is one third higher than the UK's no three times higher. Still no bad fir a wee nation. ★ Support this podcast ★

Erin Raffety on Disability, Theology, and Ethnography by Center of Theological Inquiry

Kamal Ahmed on Islamic Philosophy and Theology by Center of Theological Inquiry

Matthew Barrett and Craig Carter on the Shape of Systematic Theology by Center of Theological Inquiry

This bonus episode was recorded at Loyola College in 1972. It was a Q&A session following a lecture called "Imagination & It's Relation to Theological Inquiry." The lecture recording, unfortunately, was unavailable. In this session, Campbell answers questions about the feminine principle in Buddhism, how fear of women in patriarchal cultures affect mythology, the role of the women in myths, and patriarchy in the Hebrew tradition.Pathways with Joseph Campbell is hosted by Brad Olson, PhD and is a production of the Joseph Campbell Foundation. It is produced by Tyler Lapkin. Executive Producer, John Bucher. Audio and editing services provided by Tyler Lapkin and Charles Mallett.For more information on the MythMaker Podcast Network and Joseph Campbell, visit JCF.org.All music exclusively provided by APM Music (apmmusic.com)

The Liberating Arts: Why we need liberal arts education (new book, co- edited w Jessica Hooten Wilson & David Henreckson)... GUEST Dr Jeff Bilbro ... assoc prof of English at Grove City College ... author of “Reading the Times: A Literary & Theological Inquiry into the News” and “Loving God's Wildness: the Christian Roots of Ecological Ethics in American Literature” Steelers training camp update ... GUEST Craig Wolfley ... is a former NFL offensive linemen and played 10 seasons for the Pgh Steelers ... Craig, along with Bill Hillgrove & Max Starks, is an in-game commentator for the Pittsburgh Steeler Radio Network, and co-hosts their morning talk show, "In The Locker Room," which airs during training camp on another network When the Beatitudes Aren't Meant for You: Learning from Impoverished Nicaraguans & a Faithful Centurion ... GUEST Dr Christine Jeske ... professor of cultural anthropology at Wheaton College ... She is the author of 3 books, including the latest, "The Laziness Myth: Narratives of Work and the Good Life in South Africa”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ian McFarland on the Shape of Systematic Theology by Center of Theological Inquiry

Douglas Ottati on the Shape of Systematic Theology by Center of Theological Inquiry

Shaun Casey on Religion and American Diplomacy by Center of Theological Inquiry

Set in the remote, mountainous Guangxi Autonomous Region and based on ethnographic fieldwork, Families We Need: Disability, Abandonment, and Foster Care's Resistance in Contemporary China (Rutgers UP, 2022) traces the movement of three Chinese foster children, Dengrong, Pei Pei, and Meili, from the state orphanage into the humble, foster homes of Auntie Li, Auntie Ma, and Auntie Huang. Traversing the geography of Guangxi, from the modern capital Nanning where Pei Pei and Meili reside, to the small farming village several hours away where Dengrong is placed, this ethnography details the hardships of social abandonment for disabled children and disenfranchised, older women in China, while also analyzing the state's efforts to cope with such marginal populations and incorporate them into China's modern future. The book argues that Chinese foster families perform necessary, invisible service to the Chinese state and intercountry adoption, yet the bonds they form also resist such forces, exposing the inequalities, privilege, and ableism at the heart of global family making. Erin Raffety is a research fellow at the Center for Theological Inquiry, an empirical research consultant at Princeton Theological Seminary, and an associate research scholar at Princeton Seminary's Institute for Youth Ministry. Raffety researches and writes on disability, congregational ministry, and church leadership and is an advocate for disabled people. Shu Wan is currently matriculated as a doctoral student in history at the University at Buffalo. As a digital and disability historian, he serves in the editorial team of Digital Humanities Quarterly and Nursing Clio. 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

Set in the remote, mountainous Guangxi Autonomous Region and based on ethnographic fieldwork, Families We Need: Disability, Abandonment, and Foster Care's Resistance in Contemporary China (Rutgers UP, 2022) traces the movement of three Chinese foster children, Dengrong, Pei Pei, and Meili, from the state orphanage into the humble, foster homes of Auntie Li, Auntie Ma, and Auntie Huang. Traversing the geography of Guangxi, from the modern capital Nanning where Pei Pei and Meili reside, to the small farming village several hours away where Dengrong is placed, this ethnography details the hardships of social abandonment for disabled children and disenfranchised, older women in China, while also analyzing the state's efforts to cope with such marginal populations and incorporate them into China's modern future. The book argues that Chinese foster families perform necessary, invisible service to the Chinese state and intercountry adoption, yet the bonds they form also resist such forces, exposing the inequalities, privilege, and ableism at the heart of global family making. Erin Raffety is a research fellow at the Center for Theological Inquiry, an empirical research consultant at Princeton Theological Seminary, and an associate research scholar at Princeton Seminary's Institute for Youth Ministry. Raffety researches and writes on disability, congregational ministry, and church leadership and is an advocate for disabled people. Shu Wan is currently matriculated as a doctoral student in history at the University at Buffalo. As a digital and disability historian, he serves in the editorial team of Digital Humanities Quarterly and Nursing Clio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/east-asian-studies

Set in the remote, mountainous Guangxi Autonomous Region and based on ethnographic fieldwork, Families We Need: Disability, Abandonment, and Foster Care's Resistance in Contemporary China (Rutgers UP, 2022) traces the movement of three Chinese foster children, Dengrong, Pei Pei, and Meili, from the state orphanage into the humble, foster homes of Auntie Li, Auntie Ma, and Auntie Huang. Traversing the geography of Guangxi, from the modern capital Nanning where Pei Pei and Meili reside, to the small farming village several hours away where Dengrong is placed, this ethnography details the hardships of social abandonment for disabled children and disenfranchised, older women in China, while also analyzing the state's efforts to cope with such marginal populations and incorporate them into China's modern future. The book argues that Chinese foster families perform necessary, invisible service to the Chinese state and intercountry adoption, yet the bonds they form also resist such forces, exposing the inequalities, privilege, and ableism at the heart of global family making. Erin Raffety is a research fellow at the Center for Theological Inquiry, an empirical research consultant at Princeton Theological Seminary, and an associate research scholar at Princeton Seminary's Institute for Youth Ministry. Raffety researches and writes on disability, congregational ministry, and church leadership and is an advocate for disabled people. Shu Wan is currently matriculated as a doctoral student in history at the University at Buffalo. As a digital and disability historian, he serves in the editorial team of Digital Humanities Quarterly and Nursing Clio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/anthropology

Set in the remote, mountainous Guangxi Autonomous Region and based on ethnographic fieldwork, Families We Need: Disability, Abandonment, and Foster Care's Resistance in Contemporary China (Rutgers UP, 2022) traces the movement of three Chinese foster children, Dengrong, Pei Pei, and Meili, from the state orphanage into the humble, foster homes of Auntie Li, Auntie Ma, and Auntie Huang. Traversing the geography of Guangxi, from the modern capital Nanning where Pei Pei and Meili reside, to the small farming village several hours away where Dengrong is placed, this ethnography details the hardships of social abandonment for disabled children and disenfranchised, older women in China, while also analyzing the state's efforts to cope with such marginal populations and incorporate them into China's modern future. The book argues that Chinese foster families perform necessary, invisible service to the Chinese state and intercountry adoption, yet the bonds they form also resist such forces, exposing the inequalities, privilege, and ableism at the heart of global family making. Erin Raffety is a research fellow at the Center for Theological Inquiry, an empirical research consultant at Princeton Theological Seminary, and an associate research scholar at Princeton Seminary's Institute for Youth Ministry. Raffety researches and writes on disability, congregational ministry, and church leadership and is an advocate for disabled people. Shu Wan is currently matriculated as a doctoral student in history at the University at Buffalo. As a digital and disability historian, he serves in the editorial team of Digital Humanities Quarterly and Nursing Clio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/chinese-studies

Set in the remote, mountainous Guangxi Autonomous Region and based on ethnographic fieldwork, Families We Need: Disability, Abandonment, and Foster Care's Resistance in Contemporary China (Rutgers UP, 2022) traces the movement of three Chinese foster children, Dengrong, Pei Pei, and Meili, from the state orphanage into the humble, foster homes of Auntie Li, Auntie Ma, and Auntie Huang. Traversing the geography of Guangxi, from the modern capital Nanning where Pei Pei and Meili reside, to the small farming village several hours away where Dengrong is placed, this ethnography details the hardships of social abandonment for disabled children and disenfranchised, older women in China, while also analyzing the state's efforts to cope with such marginal populations and incorporate them into China's modern future. The book argues that Chinese foster families perform necessary, invisible service to the Chinese state and intercountry adoption, yet the bonds they form also resist such forces, exposing the inequalities, privilege, and ableism at the heart of global family making. Erin Raffety is a research fellow at the Center for Theological Inquiry, an empirical research consultant at Princeton Theological Seminary, and an associate research scholar at Princeton Seminary's Institute for Youth Ministry. Raffety researches and writes on disability, congregational ministry, and church leadership and is an advocate for disabled people. Shu Wan is currently matriculated as a doctoral student in history at the University at Buffalo. As a digital and disability historian, he serves in the editorial team of Digital Humanities Quarterly and Nursing Clio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sociology

The Ride Home with John & Kathy! Buckle in for a Tuesday full! Like… The Secret Place of Thunder ... GUESTJohn Starke ... Pastors Apostles Church Uptown in Manhattan ... author of "The Possibility of Prayer: Finding Stillness with God in a Restless World" Dying to the Indispensable Self: Perhaps we need to hear Jesus' words as a command to deny our default ways of valuing & measuring the self (from CT) ... GUEST Dr Jeff Bilbro ... assoc prof of English at Grove City College ... author of “Reading the Times: A Literary & Theological Inquiry into the News” and “Loving God's Wildness: the Christian Roots of Ecological Ethics in American Literature” Managing Kids in our Entertainment Culture ... GUEST Adam Holz ... site director of Plugged In, Focus on the Family's publication that looks at popular entertainment These States Are Devouring Widows' Houses: A recent Supreme Court case reveals the injustice of property-tax debt forfeiture ... GUEST Bonnie Kristian ... columnist at Christianity Today and deputy editor at The Week ... author of "A Flexible Faith: Rethinking What It Means to Follow Jesus Today" and "Untrustworthy: The Knowledge Crisis Breaking Our Brains, Polluting Our Politics, & Corrupting Christian Community" Plus Does This Make Sense? And more! Thanks for riding with us on The Ride Home with John & Kathy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Set in the remote, mountainous Guangxi Autonomous Region and based on ethnographic fieldwork, Families We Need: Disability, Abandonment, and Foster Care's Resistance in Contemporary China (Rutgers UP, 2022) traces the movement of three Chinese foster children, Dengrong, Pei Pei, and Meili, from the state orphanage into the humble, foster homes of Auntie Li, Auntie Ma, and Auntie Huang. Traversing the geography of Guangxi, from the modern capital Nanning where Pei Pei and Meili reside, to the small farming village several hours away where Dengrong is placed, this ethnography details the hardships of social abandonment for disabled children and disenfranchised, older women in China, while also analyzing the state's efforts to cope with such marginal populations and incorporate them into China's modern future. The book argues that Chinese foster families perform necessary, invisible service to the Chinese state and intercountry adoption, yet the bonds they form also resist such forces, exposing the inequalities, privilege, and ableism at the heart of global family making. Erin Raffety is a research fellow at the Center for Theological Inquiry, an empirical research consultant at Princeton Theological Seminary, and an associate research scholar at Princeton Seminary's Institute for Youth Ministry. Raffety researches and writes on disability, congregational ministry, and church leadership and is an advocate for disabled people. Shu Wan is currently matriculated as a doctoral student in history at the University at Buffalo. As a digital and disability historian, he serves in the editorial team of Digital Humanities Quarterly and Nursing Clio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/public-policy

Set in the remote, mountainous Guangxi Autonomous Region and based on ethnographic fieldwork, Families We Need: Disability, Abandonment, and Foster Care's Resistance in Contemporary China (Rutgers UP, 2022) traces the movement of three Chinese foster children, Dengrong, Pei Pei, and Meili, from the state orphanage into the humble, foster homes of Auntie Li, Auntie Ma, and Auntie Huang. Traversing the geography of Guangxi, from the modern capital Nanning where Pei Pei and Meili reside, to the small farming village several hours away where Dengrong is placed, this ethnography details the hardships of social abandonment for disabled children and disenfranchised, older women in China, while also analyzing the state's efforts to cope with such marginal populations and incorporate them into China's modern future. The book argues that Chinese foster families perform necessary, invisible service to the Chinese state and intercountry adoption, yet the bonds they form also resist such forces, exposing the inequalities, privilege, and ableism at the heart of global family making. Erin Raffety is a research fellow at the Center for Theological Inquiry, an empirical research consultant at Princeton Theological Seminary, and an associate research scholar at Princeton Seminary's Institute for Youth Ministry. Raffety researches and writes on disability, congregational ministry, and church leadership and is an advocate for disabled people. Shu Wan is currently matriculated as a doctoral student in history at the University at Buffalo. As a digital and disability historian, he serves in the editorial team of Digital Humanities Quarterly and Nursing Clio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Introduction: Special Series on the Purpose, Impact, and Task of Theology by Center of Theological Inquiry

For many, the term “inclusion” is the end all for social justice efforts. But, in her new book, Erin Raffety suggests that “inclusion” doesn't work, at least in churches with disabled people. Listen to this quote: “The church is called apart from the world to repent of its ableism, disown its power, abandon inclusion, and pursue justice alongside disabled people.” Throughout her book she clarifies why inclusions falters and what justice might look like. She does this by interpreting scripture, drawing from her ethnographic research with congregations in Northeastern America, and engaging with disability activists and scholars. So, you'll get to hear about some of those things in our conversation. I'm excited for you to hear it. Erin Raffety is Associate Research Scholar at Princeton Theological Seminary and Research Fellow in Machine Intelligence & Pastoral Care at the Center for Theological Inquiry in Princeton, New Jersey. She is the author of From Inclusion to Justice, the book we're discussing today, which is out now through Baylor University Press. And I'm grateful also that Dr. Devan Stahl joined us for this conversation as a cohost. Devan is Assistant Professor of Religion here at Baylor University and author of a new book called Disability's Challenge to Theology (UND Press). You can listen to us discuss Devan's book in our episode "An Era of Soft Eugenics?" Resources for Further Education on Disability Visit Erin's curated list of resources on her website. Browse Baylor University Press's books on the topic.

Whenever we reach for our phones or scan a newspaper to get caught up, we are being not merely informed but also formed. News consumption can shape our sense of belonging, how we judge the value of our lives, and even how our brains function. Christians mustn't let the news replace prayer as Hegel envisioned, but neither should we simply discard the daily feed. We need a better understanding of what the news is for and how to read it well. Jeffrey Bilbro invites readers to take a step back and gain some theological and historical perspective on the nature and very purpose of news. In Reading the Times: A Literary and Theological Inquiry into the News (IVP Academic, 2021) he reflects on how we pay attention, how we discern the nature of time and history, and how we form communities through what we read and discuss. Drawing on writers from Thoreau and Dante to Merton and Berry, along with activist-journalists such as Frederick Douglass and Dorothy Day, Bilbro offers an alternative vision of the rhythms of life, one in which we understand our times in light of what is timeless. Throughout, he suggests practices to counteract common maladies tied to media consumption in order to cultivate healthier ways of reading and being. When the news sets itself up as the light of the world, it usurps the role of the living Word. But when it helps us attend together to the work of Christ--down through history and within our daily contexts--it can play a vital part in enabling us to love our neighbors. Reading the Times is a refreshing and humane call to put the news in its place. 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

Whenever we reach for our phones or scan a newspaper to get caught up, we are being not merely informed but also formed. News consumption can shape our sense of belonging, how we judge the value of our lives, and even how our brains function. Christians mustn't let the news replace prayer as Hegel envisioned, but neither should we simply discard the daily feed. We need a better understanding of what the news is for and how to read it well. Jeffrey Bilbro invites readers to take a step back and gain some theological and historical perspective on the nature and very purpose of news. In Reading the Times: A Literary and Theological Inquiry into the News (IVP Academic, 2021) he reflects on how we pay attention, how we discern the nature of time and history, and how we form communities through what we read and discuss. Drawing on writers from Thoreau and Dante to Merton and Berry, along with activist-journalists such as Frederick Douglass and Dorothy Day, Bilbro offers an alternative vision of the rhythms of life, one in which we understand our times in light of what is timeless. Throughout, he suggests practices to counteract common maladies tied to media consumption in order to cultivate healthier ways of reading and being. When the news sets itself up as the light of the world, it usurps the role of the living Word. But when it helps us attend together to the work of Christ--down through history and within our daily contexts--it can play a vital part in enabling us to love our neighbors. Reading the Times is a refreshing and humane call to put the news in its place. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/religion

On this episode of Doomer Optimism, first-time host Donald Antenen (@riversofeurope) and Ashley Colby (@RizomaSchool) interview associate English professor and editor of Front Porch Republic, Jeff Bilbro (@jeff_bilbro). Topics range from Jeff's experiences living in a remote part of Washington state to his work at Front Porch Republic. About Jeff Bilbro Jeffrey Bilbro is an Associate Professor of English at Grove City College. He grew up in the mountainous state of Washington and earned his B.A. in Writing and Literature from George Fox University in Oregon and his Ph.D. in English from Baylor University. His books include Reading the Times: A Literary and Theological Inquiry into the News, Loving God's Wildness: The Christian Roots of Ecological Ethics in American Literature, Wendell Berry and Higher Education: Cultivating Virtues of Place (written with Jack Baker), and Virtues of Renewal: Wendell Berry's Sustainable Forms. About Donald Antenen Donald Antenen lives with his wife and daughters in the Pacific Northwest. He is translating Genesis: Beginning: a Verse Translation of Genesis. About Ashley Colby Ashley is an Environmental Sociologist who studied at Washington State University, the department that founded the subdiscipline. She's interested in and passionate about the myriad creative ways in which people are forming new social worlds in resistance to the failures of late capitalism and resultant climate disasters. I am a qualitative researcher so I tend to focus on the informal spaces of innovation. She's the founder of Rizoma Field School and Rizoma Foundation.

Show Notes:In this episode, Eddie and Chris are joined by previous guest Jeff Bilbro in a continuing conversation about reading and contemplation. Jeff is an author and essayist whose most recent book, Reading the Times: A Literary and Theological Inquiry into the News, is about how we consume the news--and how sometimes we let the news consume us. Jeff challenges us to think about how we spend our time and attention and to think about how we can have a healthier reading diet. Just like athletes and musicians practice their skills, reading, praying, and contemplation require practice, too--and they are activities we can improve upon or allow to atrophy.Jeff is an editor at Front Porch Republic and an Associate Professor of English at Grove City College in Pennsylvania. If you want to hear more from Jeff, check out his first episode on The Weight, Wendell Berry and Local Place.Resources:Follow Jeff Bilbro on the web:  https://jeffbilbro.comCheck out all of Jeff Bilbro's books:  https://jeffbilbro.com/books/Follow Jeff Bilbro on social media:  https://twitter.com/jeff_bilbro

4:15     GUEST: Greg Clugston … SRN News White House Correspondent 5:15     GUEST Dr Ryan P Burge … assistant prof of political science at Eastern Illinois Univ … author of “20 Myths about Religion and Politics in America” and ,”The Nones: Where They Came From, Who They Are, and Where They Are Going” … His research appears on the site Religion in Public, and he tweets at @ryanburge 5:35     *** DOES THIS MAKE SENSE: Malls? Toupes? 5:40     GUEST Jeffrey Bilbro … is Assoc Professor of English at Grove City College, an editor at Front Porch Republic, and author of "Reading the Times: A Literary and Theological Inquiry into the News"See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NASA recently displayed several breathtaking new images taken by the recently launched James Webb Space Telescope. But by the time you have seen the pictures and have read a little something about the science behind the stunning cosmic entities, the information has been filtered multiple times. It is filtered first by the enormous industrial-technical conglomerate of NASA itself, then by the scientists and engineers who present the information, then by members of the media and press, then by the media outlets, many of which are large for-profit corporations. But it is not just the universe which is processed and interpreted this way.Any event that makes the headlines or goes viral on social media is likewise filtered through a variety of agencies and interpretations. In such a predominantly secular and technological culture like ours which gives deference to science, technology, and the economy, reading the times in light of Scripture is no easy task, especially when the volume of news and information thrown at us is far more than we could ever keep up with, let alone respond to. Our guest again this week is associate professor of English at Grove City College in Pennsylvania, Dr. Jeffery Bilbro. Jeff discusses with us his new book Reading the Times - A Literary and Theological Inquiry Into the News. Here on part two, Jeff continues to discuss some of the ideas of Wendell Berry in reflecting about ways in which we as believers can begin to filter, read, and understand news and social media.Dr. Jeffrey Bilbro is an Associate Professor of English at Grove City College and the Editor-in-Chief at Front Porch Republic. He grew up in the mountainous state of Washington and earned his B.A. in Writing and Literature from George Fox University in Oregon and his Ph.D. in English from Baylor University. His books include Reading the Times: A Literary and Theological Inquiry into the News, Loving God's Wildness: The Christian Roots of Ecological Ethics in American Literature, Wendell Berry and Higher Education: Cultivating Virtues of Place (written with Jack Baker), and Virtues of Renewal: Wendell Berry's Sustainable Forms.ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: Dr. Bilbro's website: www.JeffBilbro.com Book by Dr. Bilbro - Reading the Times: A Literary and Theological Inquiry into the News: https://amzn.to/3PyjI3c Book by Wendell Berry - A Timbered Choir: https://amzn.to/3aFZrdg A Good Heavens! podcast with Daniel Ray on the Pleiades: https://apple.co/3PbseW4 Book by Daniel Ray - The Story of the Cosmos - How the Heavens Declare the Glory of God: watchman.org/CosmosBook Watchman Fellowship's 4-page Profile on Cosmos (TV Series) by Daniel Ray: watchman.org/CosmosTV Watchman Fellowship's 4-page Profile on Scientism by Luke Barnes and Daniel Ray: watchman.org/Scientism FREE: We are also offering a free subscription to our bimonthly Profiles here: www.watchman.org/FreeSUPPORT: Help us create more content like this. Make a tax-deductible donation here: www.watchman.org/give.Apologetics Profile is a ministry of Watchman FellowshipFor more information, visit www.watchman.org © Watchman Fellowship, Inc.

We are inundated with social media, non-stop news, and information coming at us from all directions. How do we even begin to filter it all? What are some ways in which we can think Christianly about the news and social media today without succumbing to the secularist assumptions and the often overwhelmingly trivial, inane, and tragic events that routinely fill our newsfeeds? One way is to refamiliarize ourselves with our physical environments. Though not a cure-all for our hypermodern technological media culture we inhabit, a reorienting of ourselves to Christ, to nature and neighbor, as mediated through the lens of Scripture, is certainly one way we can healthfully filter the information inundation we daily encounter online. Our guest author on the next two episodes of Apologetics Profile, Dr. Jeffery Bilbro, has written a smart little book (the idea of which sprang from a discussion in social media) about how we as Christians can not only think but act redemptively and contemplatively toward the news and social media. Here on part one, Jeff discusses some of the thoughts and theology of Wendell Berry, an agrarian, poet, and essayist. Can Berry's theology of creation and place serve as a means by which we can recover a thoughtful Christian response to today's hypermedia culture?Dr. Jeffrey Bilbro is an Associate Professor of English at Grove City College and the Editor-in-Chief at Front Porch Republic. He grew up in the mountainous state of Washington and earned his B.A. in Writing and Literature from George Fox University in Oregon and his Ph.D. in English from Baylor University. His books include Reading the Times: A Literary and Theological Inquiry into the News, Loving God's Wildness: The Christian Roots of Ecological Ethics in American Literature, Wendell Berry and Higher Education: Cultivating Virtues of Place (written with Jack Baker), and Virtues of Renewal: Wendell Berry's Sustainable Forms.ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: Dr. Bilbro's website: www.JeffBilbro.com Book by Dr. Bilbro - Reading the Times: A Literary and Theological Inquiry into the News: https://amzn.to/3PyjI3c Book by Wendell Berry - A Timbered Choir: https://amzn.to/3aFZrdg A Good Heavens! podcast with Daniel Ray on the Pleiades: https://apple.co/3PbseW4 Book by Daniel Ray - The Story of the Cosmos - How the Heavens Declare the Glory of God: watchman.org/CosmosBook  Watchman Fellowship's 4-page Profile on Cosmos (TV Series) by Daniel Ray: watchman.org/CosmosTV Watchman Fellowship's 4-page Profile on Scientism by Luke Barnes and Daniel Ray: watchman.org/Scientism FREE: We are also offering a free subscription to our bimonthly Profiles here: www.watchman.org/FreeSUPPORT: Help us create more content like this. Make a tax-deductible donation here: www.watchman.org/give.Apologetics Profile is a ministry of Watchman FellowshipFor more information, visit www.watchman.org © Watchman Fellowship, Inc.

Our first international interview with guest Dr. Marcia Pally as we talk about her book "White Evangelicalism and Right Wing Populism: How Did We Get Here?". We discuss the duresses that white Evangelicals perceive themselves to be under, a history of how those perceived stressors and "us vs them" thinking inflames right wing populism. We also discuss how some Evangelicals at the end of the 1800s and beginning of the 1900s were socialists and/or supported more social programs. Toward the end, we talk briefly about her book on Leonard Cohen. Professor Pally teaches at New York University, at Fordham University and is an annual guest professor at Humboldt University's Theology Faculty. In 2019-2020 she was a Fellow and The Center for Theological Inquiry, Princeton. Her research interests are culture, religion, and politics as well as the intersection of culture and language. She is the author of several books. Connect with Dr. Marcia Pally: Website: https://marciapally.com/ Twitter: @Marcia_Pally Dr. Pally's books mentioned on the podcast: -"White Evangelicals and Right-Wing Populism: How Did We Get Here?" Order here: https://www.amazon.com/White-Evangelicals-Right-Wing-Populism-Routledge/dp/1032134828 -"From This Broken Hill I Sing To You: God, Sex, and Politics in the Work of Leonard Cohen" Order here: https://www.amazon.com/this-Broken-Hill-Sing-You/dp/0567694763/ -"The New Evangelicals: Expanding the Vision of the Common Good" Order here: https://marciapally.com/2020/07/the-new-evangelicals-expanding-the-vision-of-the-common-good/ -Check out Zach's music by going to: https://muzach.bandcamp.com Twitter: Twitter: @vcwpod Zach- @muzach Dave- @Davejlester Podcast music by Zach Malm Logo by Zach Malm

As our virtual engagement with the wider world has increased, our local connections have diminished. In some ways the internet has become more real than our neighborhoods, and virtual "friendships" have replaced the real thing. This leaves us longing for a sense of place in a rootless world. Why are we so restless? Because we no longer know where we live. At the conclusion of John’s talk, co-hosts Center for Public Christianity Executive Director Josh Chatraw and New City Fellows alumnus Micah Vandegrift are joined by Abby Vandegrift, Micah’s wife and a New City Fellows alumnae, to reflect on John’s teaching and discuss how it applies to daily life. So, keep listening! Additional Resources From John’s Talks A Time to Keep: Theology, Mortality, and the Shape of a Human Life by Ephraim Radner Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places by Eugene Peterson Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville Penséesby Blaise Pascal Reading the Times: A Literary and Theological Inquiry into the News by Jeffrey Bilbro The Givenness of Things: Essays by Marilynne Robinson The Power of Place: Choosing Stability in a Rootless Ageby Daniel Grothe You’re Only Human: How Your Limits Reflect God’s Design and Why That’s Good News by Kelly M. Kapic You Are Not Your Own: Belonging to God in an Inhuman Worldby Alan Noble Why We Are Restless: On the Modern Quest for Contentmentby Benjamin Storey and Jenna Silber Storeycom From the Discussion Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business by Neil Postman Liturgy of the Ordinary: Sacred Practices in Everyday Life by Tish Harrison Warren You Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit by James K. A. Smith Websites https://htcraleigh.org/ https://centerforpublicchristianity.org/

We live in an age of information. Not only are we generating more than ever before, we have unprecedented access to information of all kinds. Our phones have become portals to a world of infinite knowledge. And this brave new world of endless information is busy reshaping our humanity. Why are we so restless? Because we are obsessed with information in a world that is desperate for wisdom. At the conclusion of John’s talk, co-hosts Center for Public Christianity Executive Director Josh Chatraw and New City Fellows alumnus Micah Vandegrift are joined by Matt Benson, also a New City Fellows alumnus, to reflect on John’s teaching and discuss how it applies to daily life. So, keep listening! Additional Resources From John’s Talks A Time to Keep: Theology, Mortality, and the Shape of a Human Life by Ephraim Radner Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places by Eugene Peterson Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville Penséesby Blaise Pascal Reading the Times: A Literary and Theological Inquiry into the News by Jeffrey Bilbro The Givenness of Things: Essays by Marilynne Robinson The Power of Place: Choosing Stability in a Rootless Ageby Daniel Grothe You’re Only Human: How Your Limits Reflect God’s Design and Why That’s Good News by Kelly M. Kapic You Are Not Your Own: Belonging to God in an Inhuman Worldby Alan Noble Why We Are Restless: On the Modern Quest for Contentmentby Benjamin Storey and Jenna Silber Storey From the Discussion How to Think: A Survival Guide for a World at Odds by Alan Jacobs To Change the World: The Irony, Tragedy, and Possibility of Christianity in the Late Modern World by James Davison Hunter https://grayscale.whiteboard.is/ Websites https://htcraleigh.org/ https://centerforpublicchristianity.org/

Everything about our lives these days is fast. We measure time in fractions of a second. We prize efficiency and good time management more than just about anything else. But this puts pressure on us that ultimately degrades our humanity. When so much of life and growth happens slowly, being in a hurry can wear you down. Why are we so restless? Because we've lost track of time. At the conclusion of John’s talk, co-hosts Center for Public Christianity Executive Director Josh Chatraw and New City Fellows alumnus Micah Vandegrift are joined by Jimmy Doster, also a New City Fellows alumnus, to reflect on John’s teaching and discuss how it applies to daily life. So, keep listening! Additional Resources From John’s Talks A Time to Keep: Theology, Mortality, and the Shape of a Human Life by Ephraim Radner Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places by Eugene Peterson Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville Penséesby Blaise Pascal Reading the Times: A Literary and Theological Inquiry into the News by Jeffrey Bilbro The Givenness of Things:Essays by Marilynne Robinson The Power of Place: Choosing Stability in a Rootless Ageby Daniel Grothe You’re Only Human: How Your Limits Reflect God’s Design and Why That’s Good News by Kelly M. Kapic You Are Not Your Own: Belonging to God in an Inhuman Worldby Alan Noble Why We Are Restless: On the Modern Quest for Contentmentby Benjamin Storey and Jenna Silber Storey From the Discussion He Held Radical Light: The Art of Faith, the Faith of Art by Christian Wiman How to Inhabit Time: Understanding the Past, Facing the Future, Living Faithfully Now by James K. A. Smith The Sacrament of the Present Moment by Andrew Fellows Websites https://htcraleigh.org/ https://centerforpublicchristianity.org/

Our country was founded on the premise that all of us have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. But what is happiness and where do we find it? The world around us encourages us to look within, to find our passions and pursue them. But this doesn't always work. Why are we so restless? Because we’re pursuing happiness in the wrong direction. At the conclusion of John’s talk, co-hosts Center for Public Christianity Executive Director Josh Chatraw and New City Fellows alumnus Micah Vandegrift are joined by Seth Berman, also a New City Fellows alumnus, to reflect on John’s teaching and discuss how it applies to daily life. So, keep listening! Additional Resources From John’s Talks Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places by Eugene Peterson Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville Penséesby Blaise Pascal Reading the Times: A Literary and Theological Inquiry into the News by Jeffrey Bilbro The Power of Place: Choosing Stability in a Rootless Ageby Daniel Grothe You’re Only Human: How Your Limits Reflect God’s Design and Why That’s Good News by Kelly M. Kapic You Are Not Your Own: Belonging to God in an Inhuman Worldby Alan Noble Why We Are Restless: On the Modern Quest for Contentmentby Benjamin Storey and Jenna Silber Storey Websites https://htcraleigh.org/ https://centerforpublicchristianity.org/

The world says that who we are is up to us: look deep into your heart to find your greatest passions and there you will find yourself. As creatures made in the image of God, we know that there is more to who we are than this. But we still struggle to "find" ourselves and to justify our existence. Why are we so restless? Because we feel responsible for crafting our own identities. At the conclusion of John’s talk, co-hosts Center for Public Christianity Executive Director Josh Chatraw and New City Fellows alumnus Micah Vandegrift are joined by Program Coordinator for the Center for Public Christianity and Holy Trinity Local Outreach Coordinator Daniel Lee to reflect on John’s teaching and discuss how it applies to daily life. Additional Resources From John’s Talks Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places by Eugene Peterson Penséesby Blaise Pascal Reading the Times: A Literary and Theological Inquiry into the News by Jeffrey Bilbro The Power of Place: Choosing Stability in a Rootless Ageby Daniel Grothe You’re Only Human: How Your Limits Reflect God’s Design and Why That’s Good News by Kelly M. Kapic You Are Not Your Own: Belonging to God in an Inhuman Worldby Alan Noble Why We Are Restless: On the Modern Quest for Contentmentby Benjamin Storey and Jenna Silber Storey From the Discussion Cultural Engagement: A Crash Course in Contemporary Issues by Josh Chatraw and Karen Swallow Prior Telling a Better Story: How to Talk About God in a Skeptical Age by Josh Chatraw Body Be by Johnny Q. Public (a Christian rock song) Websites https://htcraleigh.org/ https://centerforpublicchristianity.org/

We live in a world where technology has vastly expanded human potential. We live longer, healthier lives and can do more in less time than ever before. But we are still human – finite, fallible creatures with limits given to us by our Creator. When we forget our limits or, worse, reject them, we rebel against our humanity. Why are we so restless? Because we've forgotten that we are creatures. At the conclusion of John’s talk, co-hosts Center for Public Christianity Executive Director Josh Chatraw and New City Fellows alumnus Micah Vandegrift are joined by special guest Catherine Doster, a New City Fellows alumnae, to briefly reflect on John’s teaching and discuss how it applies to daily life. Additional Resources From John’s Talk Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places by Eugene Peterson Penséesby Blaise Pascal Reading the Times: A Literary and Theological Inquiry into the News by Jeffrey Bilbro The Power of Place: Choosing Stability in a Rootless Ageby Daniel Grothe You’re Only Human: How Your Limits Reflect God’s Design and Why That’s Good News by Kelly M. Kapic You Are Not Your Own: Belonging to God in an Inhuman Worldby Alan Noble Why We Are Restless: On the Modern Quest for Contentmentby Benjamin Storey and Jenna Silber Storey From the Discussion The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis The Redwall Series by Brian Jacques The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson Who Sang the First Song by Ellie Holcomb Websites https://htcraleigh.org/ https://centerforpublicchristianity.org/

NASA wants to assess how humans will react if alien life is found on other planets and discovery could impact our ideas of gods and creation. According to reports, the agency is hiring 24 theologians to take part in its program at the Center for Theological Inquiry (CTI) at Princeton University in New Jersey, which NASA gave a $1.1 million grant to in 2014. CTI is described as building 'bridges of under understanding by convening theologians, scientists, scholars, and policymakers to think together. The program's aim is to answer questions that have confused us for a long time such as 'What is life? What does it mean to be alive? Where do we draw the line between humans and aliens? What are the possibilities for sentient life in other places?'Presently, NASA has two rovers on Mars, and several probes orbiting Jupiter and Saturn. It also launched the James Web Telescope yesterday that will study galaxy, star and planet formation in the universe. The agency is in hopes to discover life outside Earth. The Rev Dr Andrew Davison, a priest and theologian at the University of Cambridge with a doctorate in biochemistry from Oxford, is among 24 theologians chosen for the program.'Religious traditions would be an important feature in how humanity would work through any such confirmation of life elsewhere,' Davidson shared in a blog post on the University of Cambridge site.'Because of that, it features as part of NASA's ongoing aim to support work on 'the societal implications of astrobiology', working with various partner organizations, including the Center of Theological Inquiry at Princeton.' Davison is set to publish a book next year, titled Astrobiology and Christian Doctrine, which notes he believes we are getting closer to finding life on other planets.About Jim WillisA theologian, historian, and musician, Jim Willis earned his Bachelor's degree from the Eastman School of Music, and his Master's degree from Andover Newton Theological School. He has been an ordained minister for over 40 years. While serving as an adjunct college professor in the fields of comparative religion and cross-cultural studies, he was the host of his own drive-time radio show and part-time musician. His concern for spiritual growth in modern-day society prompted a series of lectures on historical studies and contemporary spirituality. Upon retirement, he was determined to confront the essential, mystical Reality that has inspired humankind since the very beginning of time. A background in theology and education led to his writing more than a dozen books on religion, the apocalypse, cross-cultural spirituality, and arcane or buried cultures, specializing in research bridging lost civilizations, suppressed history, and the study of earth energy, dowsing, and out-of-body experiences.www.jimwillis.net

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Erin Raffety (MDiv '08), PCUSA pastor and researcher, about her work with persons with disabilities in the church, and how she seeks to use her research to inform deeper, richer pastoral care and conversation within congregations. Erin's goal is to take seriously the voices, experiences, and contributions of people with disabilities in order to enable the church to connect with, learn from, and better minister to people with disabilities.Dr. Erin Raffety (she/her) is a practical theologian who uses ethnographic research methods to study congregations. At the Center of Theological Inquiry, Erin is the Research Fellow in machine intelligence and pastoral care, where she studies how artificial intelligence and video game technology can support spiritual connection for people with disabilities and congregations. She is also the Empirical Research Consultant for the Imagining Church Project and the Associate Research Scholar for the Institute for Youth Ministry, both at Princeton Theological Seminary. Her book, From Inclusion to Justice: Why Christian Congregations Need Disabled Ministry and Leadership, will be published this year with Baylor University Press. Erin is an ordained pastor in the Presbyterian Church (USA), holds a Ph.D. in cultural anthropology from Princeton University, and is a proud parent of a daughter with multiple disabilities.