Podcasts about Upper house

Many of us are busy serving, producing, and performing — while our own relationship with God quietly grows distant. In this episode, host Tressa Spingler sits down with author and pastor Jacob Coyne to talk about his new book, The Secret Life of Christians: How to Live Authentically, Especially When No One Is Watching (Tyndale House, 2026).Jacob shares the story behind his move from a rapidly growing online ministry on the West Coast to a slower, more hidden life in Johnson City, Tennessee — a decision shaped by a mentor's warning that ministry built at breakneck speed can cost a family everything. From there, the conversation turns to the ancient spiritual disciplines — prayer, fasting, silence, Sabbath — that have shaped Christians for centuries; to a pilgrimage to Jerusalem that reconnected Jacob to the wider Christian tradition; and to the moment his wife's honest words pushed him to reset his relationship with his phone.Along the way, Jacob and Tressa talk about what it means to be loved by God before we do anything to earn it — and why the secret place isn't about hiding. It's about being known.ABOUT OUR GUESTJacob Coyne is an author, preacher, and founder of Stay Here, a nonprofit suicide-prevention and mental health movement, and the Bible Collective, a network and daily devotional platform serving thousands of readers. His new book is The Secret Life of Christians: How to Live Authentically, Especially When No One Is Watching. Jacob lives in Johnson City, Tennessee, with his wife, Mariah, and their five children.

What does it look like to lead the way Jesus did — through the cross, not around it? Host Joy Fea welcomes Rev. Dr. Nicole Massie Martin, President and CEO of Christianity Today, to talk about her book Nailing It: Why Successful Leadership Demands Suffering and Surrender. Together, they explore what people really need from a leader, why perfectionism isn't the same as excellence, how power works for women with and without a title, and why loyalty can quietly become an idol. Nicole also shares what “cruciform leadership” looks like on an ordinary Tuesday, and what she'd tell her twentysomething self about ambition, insecurity, and calling.WHAT YOU WILL LEARNWhy transparency — not just confidence — is what makes a leader trustworthy, and how naming the “turbulence” ahead of time actually builds a team's confidence rather than undermining it.What Nicole's book title actually means: leadership “suffering” isn't suffering for its own sake — it's dying to ego, control, and ambition so that something greater can be resurrected through you.How to recognize when perfectionism, not excellence, is driving your leadership (and your parenting) — and why anything involving other people can never be perfect.The difference between operating with excellence and operating to prove your worth — and why God's approval, not your output, is the more stable foundation.A framework for understanding power beyond your job title: legitimate, expert, informational, referential, and reward power, and how to identify and use whatever power you actually have.How to tell the difference between healthy, Christ-centered loyalty and loyalty that has quietly become an idol — and why toxic leaders are usually surrounded by loyal followers who are afraid to speak up.What women uniquely bring to leadership when they're free to lead from who God made them to be, rather than compensating for who they're told they aren't.What “cruciform leadership” looks like in practice — a daily, repeated act of surrendering your schedule, your meetings, and your outcomes to God rather than white-knuckling your way through them.How Nicole leads a 70-year-old media ministry without becoming captive to its legacy — maintaining Christianity Today's founding mission while letting its expression evolve.Nicole's advice to young leaders on discerning calling: focus on your strengths rather than fixing your weaknesses, and hold your context loosely — your calling is bigger than any one role.ABOUT OUR GUEST Reverend Doctor Nicole Massie Martin was born and educated in Baltimore, Maryland. She graduated magna cum laude from Vanderbilt University with a triple major in Human and Organizational Development, Educational Studies, and French. Dr. Martin received her Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary and earned a Doctor of Ministry from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.Dr. Martin is the founder and Executive Director of Soulfire International Ministries, which accelerates thriving for pastors, churches, and younger leaders. She has decades of executive leadership experience in the church and Christian non-profits and is currently serving as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Christianity Today. She is also active in her local congregation, Kingdom Fellowship AME Church, in Maryland.Prior to her role at Christianity Today, Dr. Martin has served in a variety of leadership and executive capacities, including as the Senior Vice President of Ministry Impact at the American Bible Society, as Executive Minister at The Park Church, and Assistant Professor of Ministry and Leadership Development at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Charlotte, NC.Dr. Martin is a gifted writer and author of numerous articles and three books: Made to Lead: Empowering Women for Ministry, Leaning In, Letting Go: A Lenten Devotional, and Nailing It: Why Successful Leadership Demands Suffering and Surrender.  She serves on the executive council of the National Association of Evangelicals, the Board of Trustees at Fuller Theological Seminary, and on the National Advisory Council for the Salvation Army. She is a founding board member of the Center for Christianity and Public Life and has been inducted into the esteemed Board of Preachers at Morehouse College.Dr. Martin is married to her best friend, Dr. Mark Martin, and they have two amazing daughters, Addison and Josephine.Send us Fan MailCONNECT WITH USSubscribe to The UpWords Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and visit slbf.org/studio to learn more about our work at the intersection of faith, the academy, and the marketplace.This episode was created by the SLBF STUDIO at Upper House.Produced by Daniel Johnson and Dave ConourEdited by Dave Conour

The latest public opinion poll in Japan is a caution to the Sanae Takaichi government that it shouldn't allow the military buildup to consume the country's economic vigor. The Takaichi Cabinet's approval rating has fallen to 50.2 percent, its lowest level since she took office, while 71.7 percent of respondents say they are worried about Japan's fiscal health.日本最新民意调查是对高市早苗政府的一个警示：不应让军事扩张消耗国家的经济活力。高市内阁的支持率已降至50.2%，为其上任以来最低水平，同时71.7%的受访者表示担忧日本的财政健康状况。The immediate trigger may be a proposed cut in the consumption tax on food. The majority of respondents were worried the tax reduction could make it difficult for the government to sustain its social security system as Takaichi has failed to offer any alternative source of revenue to fill the fiscal gap to be left by the tax cut.近期的直接导火索可能是拟议中的食品消费税削减。多数受访者担心，减税可能使政府难以维持社会保障体系，因为高市早苗未能提出任何替代收入来源来填补减税留下的财政缺口。In fact, Takaichi appears to be promising everything at once: lower taxes, higher military spending, massive industrial investment, stronger security ties and faster growth. Japan's balance sheet, however, will not play ball.事实上，高市早苗似乎同时承诺了一切：降低税收、增加军费、大规模产业投资、强化安全同盟和加快经济增长。然而，日本的资产负债表不会配合。She wants to protect households from inflation while maintaining an expansive fiscal and investment agenda. But the most conventional way to fight persistent inflation and support a weak yen is to allow the central bank to tighten monetary policy. The problem is that Japan cannot raise interest rates without confronting its debt mountain. This is the bind at the heart of Takaichi-nomics.她希望保护家庭免受通胀影响，同时维持扩张性的财政和投资议程。但对抗持续通胀和支撑疲软日元最常规的方法是允许央行收紧货币政策。问题在于，日本无法在不面对巨额债务的情况下提高利率。这正是“高市经济学”核心的困境。Takaichi's answer has increasingly been to promise investment and military spending as engines of "national renewal". But Japan has an aging population, a shrinking workforce, weak domestic demand and a shortage of resources. The proposed 370 trillion yen ($2.32 trillion) investment program over 14 years may help strategic industries, but no amount of government subsidy can substitute indefinitely for productivity growth, labor reform and a sustainable social security system.高市早苗的应对之策越来越多地是将投资和军费开支作为“国家复兴”的引擎。但日本面临人口老龄化、劳动力萎缩、国内需求疲软和资源短缺等问题。拟议中为期14年、总额370万亿日元（约合2.32万亿美元）的投资计划可能有助于战略产业，但再多的政府补贴也无法无限期替代生产率增长、劳动力改革和可持续的社会保障体系。The proposed domestic investment is to be accompanied by the cut in the food consumption tax from 8 percent to 1 percent. A complete elimination would represent roughly 5 trillion yen a year in lost revenue, so even the proposed reduction would leave a substantial hole. Meanwhile, the fiscal year 2027 military budget request stands at a record 8.9 trillion yen, and the final tally is on track to exceed 10 trillion yen as additional appropriations pile on.拟议的国内投资将伴随食品消费税从8%降至1%的减税措施。完全取消该税种每年将损失约5万亿日元的收入，因此即便是拟议中的削减也会留下巨大的财政缺口。与此同时，2027财年的军费预算申请已达创纪录的8.9万亿日元，随着追加拨款的叠加，最终总额有望突破10万亿日元。This is where the rhetoric of "national strength" collides with the realities of the country's national debt. Japan already carries one of the heaviest public-debt burdens in the developed world. The 10-year Japanese government bond yield recently climbed to 2.95 percent, its highest level in about three decades. The Japanese Finance Ministry is preparing 36.6 trillion yen for government-bond principal and interest payments in fiscal year 2027, a 17 percent increase from the previous year.这正是“国家实力”的豪言壮语与国债现实相碰撞之处。日本已是发达国家中公共债务负担最重的国家之一。日本10年期国债收益率近日升至2.95%，为约三十年来的最高水平。日本财务省正为2027财年准备36.6万亿日元的国债本息支付，较上一年增长17%。The danger is a feedback loop: more spending requires more borrowing; more borrowing can raise investors' concerns; higher yields increase interest costs; higher interest costs consume fiscal space; and shrinking fiscal space makes every subsequent policy choice harder.危险在于形成了一个反馈循环：更多支出需要更多借贷；更多借贷可能引发投资者的担忧；更高的收益率推高利息成本；更高的利息成本挤占财政空间；而缩小的财政空间使后续每一项政策选择都更加困难。The Takaichi government has invested a considerable stake in promoting Japan's military, economic security and national identity. It has pressed ahead with controversial legislation on imperial succession and a backup capital, while its security policy is a de facto neo-militarist to-do list.高市政府在推进日本军事、经济安全和民族认同方面投入了大量精力。它强推了关于皇位继承和备份首都的争议性立法，而其安全政策实质上是一份新军国主义的待办清单。Yet unlike the right-wing forces, voters appear less interested in recovering yesterday's military "glory" than paying tomorrow's grocery bills.然而，与右翼势力不同，选民似乎对恢复昨日的军事“荣光”兴趣不大，更关心如何支付明天的生活账单。In other words, Takaichi's main interest is remilitarization, while issues such as people's livelihoods and alleviating the burden on households take a back seat. The poll numbers on historical issues indicate that Japanese society is not unanimously behind her neo-militarist agenda. That is a big political gap.换言之，高市早苗的主要兴趣在于重新军事化，而民众生计和减轻家庭负担等问题则被置于次要位置。有关历史问题的民调数据表明，日本社会并未一致支持她的新军国主义议程。这是一个巨大的政治裂痕。The strongest mandate in the world cannot repeal arithmetic. Takaichi's ruling coalition may have won a Lower House majority, but it still faces resistance in the Upper House, and her popularity is already losing some of its protective cushion.世界上最强大的政治授权也无法废除算术法则。高市的执政联盟虽在众议院赢得多数席位，但在参议院仍面临阻力，而她的支持率已在失去部分保护屏障。Takaichi vows to make Japan stronger. But strength is not measured by the number of missiles, submarines and warplanes a government can finance, but whether a country can pay its bills, maintain policy credibility and improve its people's well-being.高市早苗誓言要让日本更强大。但强大的衡量标准不是政府能资助多少导弹、潜艇和战机，而是一个国家能否支付账单、保持政策可信度并改善民众福祉。No country can become stronger in the long run by confusing military expenditure with economic vitality. Takaichi has a choice between political theater and economic discipline.长远来看，没有任何国家能通过将军事开支与经济活力混为一谈而变得更强。高市早苗需要在政治秀场和经济纪律之间做出选择。But even as the Japanese public grapples with the rising cost of living, Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi visited Australia and India last week, advocating Japan's "counterstrike capabilities" and promoting weapons exports. These moves reflect Takaichi is recklessly pursuing the wrong choice of expanding military and related industries while trying to cut taxes.然而，就在日本民众应对生活成本上升之际，日本防卫大臣小泉进次郎上周访问了澳大利亚和印度，鼓吹日本的“反击能力”并推动武器出口。这些举动反映出高市早苗正在不计后果地追求错误的道路——在削减税收的同时扩张军事及关联产业。The more rational choice would be to embrace the trade-offs required for "national renewal": a credible tax base, structural reform, monetary-policy independence and spending that prioritizes the economy's long-term capacity. The neo-militarist drive should be discarded.更理性的选择应该是接受“国家复兴”所需的权衡取舍：可靠的税基、结构性改革、货币政策的独立性，以及优先考虑经济长期能力的支出安排。新军国主义的驱动力应当被摒弃。Japan's strained fiscal reality should serve as a stark warning to Takaichi: sacrificing public welfare for military expansion is a path to ruin. The problem, however, is that you can never wake someone who is pretending to be asleep.日本紧张的财政现实应当成为对高市早苗的严厉警告：以牺牲公共福利为代价追求军事扩张是一条毁灭之路。然而，问题在于，你永远叫不醒一个装睡的人。bind /baɪnd/困境aging population /ˈeɪdʒɪŋ ˌpɒpjʊˈleɪʃən/人口老龄化military budget request /ˈmɪlɪtəri ˈbʌdʒɪt rɪˈkwest/军费预算申请additional appropriations /əˈdɪʃənəl əˌprəʊpriˈeɪʃənz/追加拨款rhetoric /ˈretərɪk/豪言壮语principal and interest payments /ˈprɪnsəpəl ənd ˈɪntrəst ˈpeɪmənts/本息支付feedback loop /ˈfiːdbæk luːp/反馈循环

This summer, the UpWords Podcast is featuring leaders making a tangible difference in the Madison community. Host Rebecca Cooks sits down with Rev. Dr. Alexander Gee — pastor, author, and founder and CEO of the Center for Black Excellence and Culture — for a wide-ranging, honest conversation recorded not long after the Center's grand opening drew more than 1,500 people through its doors.They talk about what the Center actually is — part museum, part business incubator, part performing arts venue, part neuroscience research lab — and how it grew out of listening sessions with more than 700 Black Madisonians. From there, the conversation turns to belonging: why Rev. Dr. Gee insists belonging is not the same as proximity, and why he believes American integration, as it actually unfolded, cost Black communities more than it gave — including the story of the 36,000 Black teachers who lost their jobs when schools integrated. They also discuss the Harlem Renaissance and W.E.B. Du Bois, what has kept Rev. Dr. Gee rooted in Madison across four decades, his advice for minorities discerning whether to stay in the city and for white residents who want to be genuine allies, and why he believes the Black church — not the American government — has shaped the moral conscience of the nation. The conversation closes with reflections on the art and music that heal.GUEST BIORev. Dr. Alexander Gee is the Founder and CEO of the Center for Black Excellence and Culture in Madison, Wisconsin, and the founding lead pastor of Fountain of Life Covenant Church. He also founded the Nehemiah Center for Urban Leadership Development and its "Justified Anger" initiative, and he serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Over more than 40 years of ministry and community leadership, he has raised more than $70 million for Madison-area organizations addressing racial disparities, including the $33 million Center for Black Excellence and Culture, which opened debt-free with a grand-opening celebration on May 6, 2026, drawing over 1,500 visitors.LINKShttps://www.theblackcenter.org/https://africanamericanstudies.wisc.edu/https://africanamericanstudies.wisc.edu/2024/05/13/reverend-dr-alex-gee-receives-honorary-doctorate/https://nehemiah.org/https://nehemiah.org/jacourses/Send us Fan MailCONNECT WITH USSubscribe to The UpWords Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and visit slbf.org/studio to learn more about our work at the intersection of faith, the academy, and the marketplace.This episode was created by the SLBF STUDIO at Upper House.Produced by Daniel Johnson and Dave ConourEdited by Dave Conour

How do you read the Bible? Most of us assume we already know: we read to learn what happened, to understand what a passage means, or to find a principle to apply. In this episode, host Dan Hummel is joined by guest Jeff Dryden, professor of biblical studies and department chair at Covenant College, to ask whether Scripture is inviting us to something deeper.Dryden is the author of A Hermeneutic of Wisdom: Recovering the Formative Agency of Scripture (Baker Academic), which argues that the whole Bible — not just its "wisdom" books — is written to shape our deepest loves and convictions, not merely to hand us information or timeless principles. Dan and Jeff talk through why biblical scholars are trained to tell us what a text meant rather than what it means, how that division of labor between biblical studies and theology leaves a formation-shaped gap, and what philosophers like Hans-Georg Gadamer and Michael Polanyi have to offer pastors and everyday readers trying to close it.Along the way: why Paul is a far less systematic thinker than popular imagination suggests, what Mark's Gospel is doing to our idols of Jesus, and why "the Bible wasn't written to us, but it was written for us" is true — and doesn't go far enough.In this episode:Why biblical scholars are trained to ask what a text meant, not what it means — and what gets lost in that division of labor Why the Bible is always "applied theology" — never abstract, formal theology — and what that means for how a sermon should be builtReading Mark's Gospel as an exercise in dismantling our idols of who Jesus isHans-Georg Gadamer's idea of Wirkungsgeschichte ("history of effects") and why we can never step outside the tradition we read fromAugustine's test for biblical understanding: if you haven't grown in love of God and neighbor, you haven't understood a wordWhy the historical-critical and grammatical-historical methods — liberal and conservative alike — share the same modern DNAWhat's next for Dryden: a forthcoming book on evangelical moralism and legalism as counterfeit versions of the gospelAbout the guest:Jeff Dryden (PhD, Cambridge University) is professor of biblical studies and chair of the department at Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Georgia, where he has taught for nearly two decades. He is the author of Theology and Ethics in 1 Peter and A Hermeneutic of Wisdom: Recovering the Formative Agency of Scripture (Baker Academic).Mentioned in this episode:Jeff Dryden, A Hermeneutic of Wisdom: Recovering the Formative Agency of ScriptureBibleProject and Tim MackieJohn Walton, Old Testament scholar, Wheaton College Graduate SchoolScot McKnight and Hans Boersma, Five Things Biblical Scholars Wish Theologians Knew / Five Things Theologians Wish Biblical Scholars KnewHans-Georg Gadamer, philosopher (Wirkungsgeschichte, hermeneutics)Anthony Thiselton, The Two Horizons / New Horizons in HermeneuticsSandra Schneiders and Michael Polanyi ("personal knowledge")Augustine, On Christian Doctrine (De Doctrina Christiana)Johann Philipp Gabler and Wilhelm Dilthey, on the historical roots of modern biblical studiesSend us Fan MailCONNECT WITH USSubscribe to The UpWords Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and visit slbf.org/studio to learn more about our work at the intersection of faith, the academy, and the marketplace.This episode was created by the SLBF STUDIO at Upper House.Produced by Daniel Johnson and Dave ConourEdited by Dave Conour

Phil Haslanger has spent decades straddling two worlds that don't always trust each other: journalism and the church. In this episode of The UpWords Podcast, host John Terrill sits down with the longtime Capital Times editor turned ordained pastor for an in-person conversation recorded at Upper House in Madison, Wisconsin, as part of a summer series spotlighting local leaders whose faith shapes their public work.Over a 35-year career at The Capital Times, Phil worked as a reporter, city editor, editorial page editor, and managing editor before entering ordained ministry with the United Church of Christ in 2007. He talks about growing up in an almost entirely white Marinette, Wisconsin, how his image of God has shifted from "someone at a control panel" to what he calls "the force of love in the universe," and what a career built on journalistic skepticism taught him about pastoral care.The conversation also covers Phil's work building an interfaith network of Fitchburg-area churches, his award-winning advocacy against domestic violence, the line between prophetic public witness and partisan politics, and where he sees both progress and failure in how the American press covers religion — including a candid take on AI's growing and risky role in newsrooms.ABOUT OUR GUESTPhil Haslanger has spent his career — and his second career — straddling two worlds: journalism and ministry. A UW–Madison graduate (BA in sociology, 1971; MA in journalism, 1973), he spent 35 years at The Capital Times in Madison as a reporter, city editor, editorial page editor, and managing editor, and for years wrote a column on the intersection of faith and politics.Phil grew up Catholic in Marinette, Wisconsin, and briefly considered the priesthood before coming to UW–Madison to study sociology. In 2000, he and his wife left the Catholic Church for the United Church of Christ; he entered the UCC's lay pastor program, was ordained in 2007, and served for a decade as pastor of Memorial United Church of Christ in Fitchburg before retiring in 2017. He later served as a parish associate at Christ Presbyterian Church in Madison, retiring again in 2024.He was inducted into the Wisconsin Newspaper Association's Hall of Fame in 2021, named a distinguished alumnus of the UW–Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication in 2022, and received the Governor's Council on Domestic Abuse's annual justice award in 2015 for mobilizing local faith communities to support victims of domestic violence. He is married to Ellen Reuter, and they have four adult children and seven grandchildren.Resource LinksUW–Madison Center for Journalism Ethics: https://ethics.sjmc.wisc.edu/Religion News Service: https://religionnews.com/The Capital Times: https://captimes.com/Send us Fan MailCONNECT WITH USSubscribe to The UpWords Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and visit slbf.org/studio to learn more about our work at the intersection of faith, the academy, and the marketplace.This episode was created by the SLBF STUDIO at Upper House.Produced by Daniel Johnson and Dave ConourEdited by Dave Conour

Following the murder of Ann Widdecombe, we reflect on the dangers facing those in Parliament and public life. Earlier this year, former Lord Chancellor Sir Robert Buckland was appointed to lead the independent review into the circumstances surrounding the murder of Sir David Amess MP, examining whether any opportunities to prevent his death were missed. He joins us to discuss the risks facing politicians today, what more can be done to improve their safety, and how those protections can be strengthened without undermining the close relationship between MPs and the constituents they serve. We also look back at Ann Widdecombe's parliamentary career, including her memorable appearance at the Hansard Society's 2009 House of Commons Speaker election hustings, where she demonstrated the wit, independence and commitment to Parliament that defined her public life. As Sir Keir Starmer names 26 new Peers, we examine the future of the House of Lords. This week, the Hansard Society hosted the first major speech by the Lord Speaker since his election earlier this year. In a wide-ranging address, he warned of the constitutional risks of embarking on poorly conceived reform of the Upper House, describing the Lords as a "constitutional trip switch" capable of forcing a rethink of flawed legislation that has not received adequate scrutiny in the Commons. Anyone seeking to rewire the system, he argued, must consider whether a reformed second chamber would continue to provide that safeguard – or instead "blow a constitutional fuse". We also discuss the newly published report on Retirement and Participation in the House of Lords, which proposes a phased mandatory retirement age, requiring all Peers to retire at 80 by 2034, alongside a minimum participation requirement that could see inactive members removed from the House. And with the new Burnham Government expected to emerge from its chrysalis next week, we ask whether the House of Commons should have postponed its summer recess to scrutinise the incoming Prime Minister. We explore the constitutional mechanics and political realities of appointing a new Government and consider what Parliament's priorities should be when MPs return in September to begin holding the new administration to account.___

This summer, The UpWords Podcast is spotlighting local leaders shaping faith and community life in Madison. Host Dan Johnson sits down with Jon Anderson, founder and executive director of Collaboration Project, to talk about what happens when churches stop working in silos and start loving their neighborhoods together. Jon traces the winding path from twenty years of local pastoral ministry to launching a nonprofit he once swore he'd never start, shares how COVID-19 and the murder of George Floyd became unexpected catalysts for church collaboration, and unpacks why Collaboration Project now organizes its work around neighborhoods rather than issues or denominations. Along the way, Jon tells the story of a chance lunch conversation that turned into 1,200 free prom dresses for high schoolers, reflects on 25 years of Madison Missions and a decade of the Kingdom Justice Summit, and offers a biblical definition of justice rooted in shalom. He closes with a hope for what Dane County's church could look like ten years from now.ABOUT OUR GUESTJon Anderson — Founder & Executive Director, Collaboration ProjectJon served as a pastor in the Madison area for twenty years before launching the Collaboration Project in 2019. He has a passion for serving the local church and encouraging it as it serves the most vulnerable. Jon has a history of starting programs centered on engaging the church in local service. He helped begin Madison Missions, a local youth service camp that engages hundreds of students every summer. He also co-founded the Kingdom Justice Summit, which annually brings together hundreds of people from dozens of churches around Christianity and justice in our city. RESOURCES & LINKS MENTIONED Collaboration Project — connecting Dane County churches to love their neighborhoods togetherKingdom Justice Summit — annual local gathering exploring biblical justice, hosted at Upper HouseMadison Missions — Collaboration Project's local youth service camp, celebrating its 25th summerBibleProject's "Justice" video — referenced by Jon as a helpful primer on biblical justiceSend us Fan MailCONNECT WITH USSubscribe to The UpWords Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and visit slbf.org/studio to learn more about our work at the intersection of faith, the academy, and the marketplace.This episode was created by the SLBF STUDIO at Upper House.Produced by Daniel Johnson and Dave ConourEdited by Dave Conour

Thank you for listening to The UpWords Podcast. We wanted to send you a quick message to let you know that we will be moving to every-other-week podcast releases in July and August this summer, and returning to weekly podcast releases in September. Have a blessed summer!   Send us Fan MailCONNECT WITH USSubscribe to The UpWords Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and visit slbf.org/studio to learn more about our work at the intersection of faith, the academy, and the marketplace.This episode was created by the SLBF STUDIO at Upper House.Produced by Daniel Johnson and Dave ConourEdited by Dave Conour

What do evangelicals mean when they talk about “supporting Israel” — and how did Jewish–Christian dialogue evolve from centuries of suspicion into the conversations happening today?In the third installment of our series built around the Last Questions of Faith community lecture, host Jean Geran welcomes historian and author Dan Hummel for a wide-ranging conversation on Christian Zionism, evangelical theology, and the hard, patient work of talking across big religious differences. Dan traces the roots of Christian support for Israel — from post-Holocaust theology and the Second Vatican Council's Nostra Aetate to Billy Graham's 1969 meeting with the American Jewish Committee — and explains how dispensationalism shapes the way many evangelicals read Israel into biblical prophecy.Along the way: why Christian Zionists are an organized minority rather than the evangelical majority, how the U.S.–Israel relationship has been deliberately cultivated over decades, and what a more generous, substantive interfaith dialogue — one that includes the more conservative voices in each tradition — might actually look like.GUEST BIODan Hummel is a historian of U.S. religion and the author of The Rise and Fall of Dispensationalism: How the Evangelical Battle Over the End Times Shaped a Nation (Eerdmans, 2023) and Covenant Brothers: Evangelicals, Jews, and U.S.-Israeli Relations. He is the Director of the Lumen Center at the SL Brown Foundation, and is a co-host of American Evangelicals: A History Podcast. His research and writing focus on Christian Zionism, evangelical theology, and the history of U.S.–Israel relations.RESOURCES & LINKSBook — The Rise and Fall of Dispensationalism (Eerdmans, 2023), foreword by Mark NollBook — Covenant Brothers: Evangelicals, Jews, and U.S.-Israeli RelationsMentioned: Amy-Jill Levine (A.J. Levine), New Testament & Jewish studies scholar; earlier in this seriesMentioned: Nostra Aetate (Second Vatican Council, 1965); E.P. Sanders; N.T. Wright; Marvin Wilson, Our Father AbrahamSend us Fan MailCONNECT WITH USSubscribe to The UpWords Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and visit slbf.org/studio to learn more about our work at the intersection of faith, the academy, and the marketplace.This episode was created by the SLBF STUDIO at Upper House.Produced by Daniel Johnson and Dave ConourEdited by Dave Conour

On this morning's show... Uisce Éireann is once again under fire. We hear from Cllrs. Máirín McGrath and Andy Maloney on the latest controversy. Senator Garret Ahearn has been appointed Leader of the Seanad. We discuss his new role and what it means for the Upper House. We debate the proposed legislation to introduce an "X" marker on gender recognition certificates and birth certificates for non-binary people and some intersex people. Matt O'Reilly pulls back the curtain on how artificial intelligence really "thinks"—and why understanding it matters. Muriel Cuddy joins us to explain obesity, its causes, and the challenges surrounding treatment. And in another episode of Story of Ireland, John G. O'Dwyer explores another fascinating chapter from our nation's past.

What if many of us have been taught to read the Bible in a way it was never meant to be read? In this special live event recorded by Upper House, BibleProject co-founder Tim Mackie returns to Madison — the city where he earned his PhD in Hebrew Bible and Jewish Studies at UW–Madison and pastored at Blackhawk Church — to share the story behind one of the most widely used Bible-teaching resources in the world.Tim traces the origins of BibleProject to a coffee-shop conversation with his old college friend Jon Collins, a successful maker of animated explainer videos who had quietly become a “post-Bible Christian.” Their shared question — how do you engage Scripture well? — became the heartbeat of the project. Tim contrasts the “reference book” Bible many of us inherited (turn to the right verse, find the answer) with a richer vision of Scripture as ancient Jewish literary art designed to form wise, mature human beings over a lifetime.Along the way, he unpacks seven core convictions that have guided BibleProject from the beginning — three about where the Bible comes from, and four about what it is for — closing with the practice of meditation (the Hebrew hagah) and an invitation to try again with Scripture, whatever your history with it.Whether you've loved the Bible, struggled with it, or aren't sure what to make of it, this conversation offers a fresh invitation to see Scripture as a unified, beautiful, and transformative story that leads to Jesus.The Seven Convictions (At a Glance)Where the Bible is from:Collaborative literature — human authors and God's Spirit meeting, not passive dictation.Unified literature — one interconnected story leading to Jesus.Ancient literature — written for us, but not to us; context matters.What the Bible is for:Messianic literature — every theme sets up and finds fulfillment in Jesus.Communal literature — designed to be read aloud together over a lifetime.Wisdom literature — forming us to discern good from bad, not just memorize answers.Meditation literature — hagah: slow, repeated reading that rewards a lifetime of return.About the GuestTim Mackie is co-founder and lead scholar of BibleProject. He holds a PhD in Hebrew Bible and Jewish Studies from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and a degree in theology from Western Seminary in Portland. His research focused on the manuscript history of the Bible and the formation of the biblical canon — including his dissertation on the book of Ezekiel, with particular attention to the Septuagint and Dead Sea Scrolls. After years of ministry as a local-church pastor (including at Madison's Blackhawk Church and later Door of Hope in Portland) and as a professor at Western Seminary, Tim now serves as lead scholar and creative director at BibleProject. He lives in Portland with his wife, Jessica, and their two sons.https://bibleproject.com/ Send us Fan MailCONNECT WITH USSubscribe to The UpWords Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and visit slbf.org/studio to learn more about our work at the intersection of faith, the academy, and the marketplace.This episode was created by the SLBF STUDIO at Upper House.Produced by Daniel Johnson and Dave ConourEdited by Dave Conour

Too many Christians, Jerry Sittser says, sit at a banquet table and eat only one food. In this episode, host Tressa Spingler talks with theologian, historian, and author Dr. Jerry Sittser — professor emeritus of theology at Whitworth University — about the newly revised edition of his book Water from a Deep Well and the spiritual inheritance many believers overlook.Drawing on the monks' rhythm of life, the Desert Fathers and Mothers, the mystics, and the great tradition of historic orthodoxy, Sittser invites listeners to rediscover something ancient rather than chase something new. He reflects on inhabiting time rather than spending it, beginning the week with rest, the practice of silence (“get up to slow down”), and what the early church can still teach a hurried, distracted age.The conversation turns honest and personal as Sittser — who lost his wife and a daughter in an automobile accident — describes suffering not as something to overcome or avoid but as something to step into and find God within. It's an invitation to live in the tension of beauty and sorrow, and to take the small first steps toward a deeper, well-rooted faith.YOU WILL LEARNWhy so many Christians “eat only one food” — and what the full diet of historic Christianity offersHow a January course at a snowed-in mountain camp became the seed of Water from a Deep WellThe monks' gift of rhythm: inhabiting time instead of consuming it, and beginning the week with restThe Desert Fathers and Mothers — stranger, funnier, and wiser than they first appearUnion of relationship vs. union of absorption: a healthier way to read the mysticsSuffering as an inevitable part of discipleship — and the soul's capacity to hold beauty and sorrow at onceWhere to begin when you feel spiritually dry: small, meaningful, deep first stepsGUEST BIODr. Jerry Sittser is professor emeritus of theology and a senior fellow at Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington, specializing in the history of Christianity, Christian spirituality, and religion in American public life. The author of nine books — including A Grace Disguised, The Will of God as a Way of Life, Resilient Faith, and Water from a Deep Well — he has spent decades helping Christians recover the wisdom and deep roots of the historic church for everyday life.RESOURCES & LINKSJerry Sittser's website: https://www.jerrysittser.com/Water from a Deep Well (revised edition): https://www.jerrysittser.com/booksPracticing the Way podcast series with John Mark Comer: https://www.practicingtheway.org/podcasts/practicing-the-way More episodes & SLBF Studio at Upper House: https://slbf.org/studioSend us Fan MailCONNECT WITH USSubscribe to The UpWords Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and visit slbf.org/studio to learn more about our work at the intersection of faith, the academy, and the marketplace.This episode was created by the SLBF STUDIO at Upper House.Produced by Daniel Johnson and Dave ConourEdited by Dave Conour

In this episode of The UpWords Podcast, host Jean Geran sits down with biblical scholar Seth Whitaker to explore a question at the heart of Christianity's origins: how do Jews and Christians read Scripture differently—and what holds their interpretive traditions together?Drawing on his doctoral research at the University of St Andrews on the use of the Psalms in the book of Hebrews, Seth argues that the earliest followers of Jesus were Jews wrestling with their own religious heritage in light of the Messiah. Rather than a clean break, he traces a story of deep continuity — one in which the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is the same God who raised Jesus from the dead.Jean and Seth examine why the Old Testament can feel “more vengeful” than the New, and why that contrast is more caricature than reality. Seth offers a striking image: Scripture is not a flat plain where every verse carries equal weight, but a landscape of mountains and valleys, with high peaks of revelation — like God revealing himself as “abounding in steadfast love” at Sinai — that give us a vantage point on the harder passages.The conversation also draws on a previous UpWords episode with AJ Levine to consider what Christians might learn from Jewish interpretive practices: the “70 faces” of Scripture, a comfort with multiple readings, and the practice of reading sacred texts in community as a guard against going off the rails. Seth closes by tracing how rabbinic Judaism and early Christianity gradually defined themselves over and against one another — shaped by events like the expulsion of Jews from Rome, the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE, and the Bar Kokhba revolt — and why he encourages readers to approach the Hebrew Bible less like a prophecy-fulfillment checklist and more like an ongoing dialogue.Whether you've wondered how Christianity emerged from Judaism, struggled with the difficult passages of the Old Testament, or simply want a richer way to read sacred texts, this conversation offers thoughtful insight and plenty to ponder.YOU WILL LEARNWhy every New Testament author was a Jew making sense of an inherited tradition — and why that changes how we read Christian originsEschatology as a central interpretive lens: how “the last things” reshaped the way early believers read their ScripturesThe same God, not two: pushing back on the ancient Marcionite split between the God of the Old and New TestamentsSinai as a “mountain peak” — God's mercy to the thousandth generation versus judgment to the third and fourthScripture as mountains and valleys, not a flat plain of equal-weight proof textsLove and judgment appear in both Testaments — including in the Psalms and in the teaching of JesusThe “70 faces” of Scripture and what Christians can learn from Jewish interpretation in communityHow the early church's patience, love, and care across class lines set it apart in Rome Three historical turning points that drove Judaism and Christianity apart: the expulsion of Jews from Rome (49 CE), the destruction of the Temple (70 CE), and the Bar Kokhba revolt (135 CE)The Septuagint, Isaiah 7:14, and how competing authoritative texts shaped competing interpretationsReading the Hebrew Bible as a dance and dialogue rather than a prophecy-fulfillment checklistABOUT THE GUESTSeth Whitaker is a New Testament scholar who completed his PhD at the University of St Andrews, where he worked with David Moffitt on the Epistle to the Hebrews. His research focuses on Christian origins and how the New Testament authors interpreted the Hebrew Bible and the Septuagint. His book, Eschatology and the Use of Psalms in Hebrews: Songs for the Last Days, is published by Bloomsbury T&T Clark in the Library of Second Temple Studies.RESOURCES MENTIONEDEschatology and the Use of Psalms in Hebrews: Songs for the Last Days — Seth Whitaker (Bloomsbury T&T Clark)The Patient Ferment of the Early Church — Alan KreiderPrevious episode of The UpWords Podcast with AJ Levine on Jewish and Christian readings of ScriptureSend us Fan MailCONNECT WITH USSubscribe to The UpWords Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and visit slbf.org/studio to learn more about our work at the intersection of faith, the academy, and the marketplace.This episode was created by the SLBF STUDIO at Upper House.Produced by Daniel Johnson and Dave ConourEdited by Dave Conour

What do you do when the church — the very community that's supposed to reflect the love of God — becomes a source of real pain? Host Dan Johnson sits down with Scott Bessenecker, author of Bad Religion, Good News: An Honest Guide to Spiritual Disappointment, for an unflinching conversation about church hurt, institutional failure, and the long road toward healing.Drawing on four decades of campus ministry with InterVarsity, Scott shares about being both a victim and participant in the church's sins, the role of self-examination in avoiding the spiral into deconstruction, and why honesty about the church's failures doesn't have to mean abandoning Christian community altogether. He also reflects on his own experience with disappointment with God — including his recovery from a stroke — and what it means to discover that God's presence in grief may be more powerful than miraculous rescue.Whether you've been wounded by a leader, disillusioned by an institution, or are simply trying to maintain an honest and hopeful faith, this conversation offers both clarity and compassion for the journey.IN THIS EPISODEWhat prompted Scott to write Bad Religion, Good NewsBeing both a victim and a participant in the sins of the churchWhy self-examination is essential to navigating disappointment without becoming toxicThe difference between deconstruction and honest disappointmentHow to talk openly about the church's failures without dismissing its goodThe hard work of forgiving an institution that may never apologizeScott's personal experience with a stroke and finding God in grief rather than rescueWhen it's time to leave a church community — and how to do it wellSigns of spiritual hunger in the current generation of young adultsWhat a healthier American church might look like in a decadeGUESTScott Bessenecker is a longtime ministry leader and author who spent four decades with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. His new book, Bad Religion, Good News: An Honest Guide to Spiritual Disappointment, invites readers into honest conversations about the church's failures — and how to find deeper faith on the other side.RESOURCEShttps://heraldpress.com/9781513817644/bad-religion-good-news/https://slbf.org/studioSend us Fan MailCONNECT WITH USSubscribe to The UpWords Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and visit slbf.org/studio to learn more about our work at the intersection of faith, the academy, and the marketplace.This episode was created by the SLBF STUDIO at Upper House.Produced by Daniel Johnson and Dave ConourEdited by Dave Conour

David Elliott has slammed Labor Party dealings which will see Anthony D'Adam return to the Upper House for another eight years despite being sacked.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What would it look like if the church took seriously the 80,000 hours most people spend at work over a lifetime? In this conversation, host John Terrill sits down with Matt Rusten — pastor-turned-vocational-discipleship-advocate and author of Pastoring for Monday: Help Your Congregation Integrate Faith and Work — to explore one of the most neglected dimensions of Christian formation: our everyday work.Matt shares the story of Tom Nelson — founder of Made to Flourish — who famously confessed to his congregation that he had been "committing pastoral malpractice" by equipping people for a minority of their lives while ignoring where they spent most of their time. That confession became the seedbed for an entire movement, and it shapes every page of Matt's new book.Together, John and Matt trace the biblical arc from creation to new creation and show why work — far from being a necessary evil — is woven into the fabric of what it means to be human. They discuss four postures Christians take toward workplace engagement (boxing gloves, latex gloves, camouflage gloves, and work gloves), unpack a powerful framework for pastoral care drawn from the stages of enchantment and disenchantment in Ecclesiastes, and offer practical handles for how sermons, small groups, and outreach ministries can begin integrating a theology of vocation — without creating new programs or hiring a "faith and work pastor."Whether you are a pastor, a church leader, or simply someone wrestling with purpose in your daily work, this conversation offers both grounding and hope.WHAT YOU WILL LEARNThe origin story of Made to Flourish and the "pastoral malpractice" confession that launched a movementWhy faith and work discipleship is a biblical, historical, and pastoral priorityA creation–fall–redemption–new creation framework for understanding workFour postures for cultural engagement: boxing gloves, latex gloves, camouflage, and work glovesLessons from Lesslie Newbigin and Tim Keller on mission, vocation, and the local churchPractical tools for pastors: preaching, small groups, outreach, and vocational formationThe enchantment–disenchantment–re-enchantment cycle and how the Gospel reframes workMade to Flourish's three initiatives: Common Good Magazine, Scatter, and pastoral residencies GUESTMatt Rusten — Executive Director of Made to Flourish; author of Pastoring for Monday (IVP, 2026)LINKS & RESOURCESPastoring for Monday (IVP Press)Made to FlourishCommon Good MagazineMore episodes & podcast offerings — SLBF StudioSend us Fan MailCONNECT WITH USSubscribe to The UpWords Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and visit slbf.org/studio to learn more about our work at the intersection of faith, the academy, and the marketplace.This episode was created by the SLBF STUDIO at Upper House.Produced by Daniel Johnson and Dave ConourEdited by Dave Conour

What does it look like when a Jewish New Testament scholar sits down with a Christian host to talk about how two ancient traditions read the same texts — and reach such different conclusions? That's exactly the conversation host Jean Geran has with Dr. Amy-Jill Levine in this wide-ranging episode recorded in Madison, Wisconsin.AJ Levine is University Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies at Vanderbilt Divinity School, and one of the most respected voices in Jewish-Christian dialogue today. She recently joined us for our Questions of Faith event in Oshkosh and spent time in Wisconsin as a scholar in residence at First United Methodist Church in Madison.WHAT YOU WILL LEARNHow growing up Jewish in a Portuguese Roman Catholic neighborhood in Massachusetts led AJ to a lifetime of studying the New TestamentWhy the Torah is said to have "70 faces" — and what that means for how Jews and Christians approach interpretation differentlyWhat Jews and Christians share in terms of canon, prayer, and Scripture — and where they meaningfully divergeAJ's surprisingly practical take on salvation, Torah-observance, and whether Jews worry about getting into heavenWhy Jesus used parables — and why he rarely explained themThe difference between Jewish communal identity and Christian individualism, and what each tradition can learn from the otherBaseball vs. football: a memorable analogy for understanding Jewish and Christian orientations toward time, memory, and the futureThe Hebrew concept of tzaddik (the righteous one) and what it means to bless the city you're inWhether shared stories can bridge religious and cultural divides — and AJ's honest, unsentimental answerLament as relationship: what Tevye, the Psalms, and Job have in common, and why arguing with God keeps us in the conversationGUESTAmy-Jill Levine is University Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies at Vanderbilt Divinity School and College of Arts and Science, and the author of numerous books including Short Stories by Jesus: The Enigmatic Parables of a Controversial Rabbi and The Misunderstood Jew: The Church and the Scandal of the Jewish Jesus.Send us Fan MailCONNECT WITH USSubscribe to The UpWords Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and visit slbf.org/studio to learn more about our work at the intersection of faith, the academy, and the marketplace.This episode was created by the SLBF STUDIO at Upper House.Produced by Daniel Johnson and Dave ConourEdited by Dave Conour

This week on The UpWords Podcast, we're bringing you something a little different — and we think you're going to love it.We're sharing the first episode of a brand-new podcast series from the Lumen Center and SLBF STUDIO: American Evangelicals, A History Podcast. Hosted by historians John Fea, Dan Hummel, and Maggie Capra, this series takes a thoughtful, deep dive into one of the most talked-about religious movements in American history.In this opening episode, they start with a deceptively simple question: What is an American evangelical? Beginning with the extraordinary story of Nathan Cole, an ordinary Connecticut farmer who rode twelve miles on horseback in 1740 to hear George Whitefield preach, the historians trace the origins of what would become a world-shaping religious movement.LEARN more about the series - https://slbf.org/americanevangelicalspodcastAlong the way, they discuss:The Bebbington Quadrilateral — the four markers historians use to define evangelicalism: conversionism, biblicism, crucicentrism, and activismWhy the "new birth" or born-again experience is so central to evangelical identityGeorge Whitefield's remarkable celebrity and his transatlantic influenceHow evangelicalism was, in its early form, a disruptive and progressive movement challenging established religious authorityThe complex relationship between the First Great Awakening and the American RevolutionIf you've ever felt like the word "evangelical" is confusing, contested, or a little loaded, this conversation brings real historical clarity. This is episode one of a three-part introduction to evangelicalism — with much more to come in the series.SUBSCRIBE to the podcast in your favorite podcast app - https://americanevangelicalsahistorypodcast.buzzsprout.comAnd if this episode resonates, share it with someone who wants a deeper, more nuanced understanding of American evangelical history.Send us Fan MailCONNECT WITH USSubscribe to The UpWords Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and visit slbf.org/studio to learn more about our work at the intersection of faith, the academy, and the marketplace.This episode was created by the SLBF STUDIO at Upper House.Produced by Daniel Johnson and Dave ConourEdited by Dave Conour

STUDIO at the SL Brown Foundation is launching a brand new podcast, and we wanted to share it with our faithful listeners of The UpWords Podcast. If you like what you hear, click the links below to subscribe or follow the show:Listen on the web = https://americanevangelicalsahistorypodcast.buzzsprout.comApple Podcasts = https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/american-evangelicals-a-history-podcast/id1893672281Spotify = https://open.spotify.com/show/1xxlIG0bcGbK8arTbYTCxF?si=7a70e3973cec47e5Send us Fan MailCONNECT WITH USSubscribe to The UpWords Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and visit slbf.org/studio to learn more about our work at the intersection of faith, the academy, and the marketplace.This episode was created by the SLBF STUDIO at Upper House.Produced by Daniel Johnson and Dave ConourEdited by Dave Conour

What if picking up a book could become a form of prayer? In this conversation, host John Terrill sits down with Jeff Crosby — publisher, author, and lifelong champion of the written word — to talk about his book World of Wonders: A Spirituality of Reading (Paraclete Press, 2025).Jeff brings more than four decades in bookselling and publishing to a deeply personal question: why should we read? His own reading life began with Sunday comics in the Indianapolis Star and baseball biographies, until one book — The Admiral's Daughter, heard about on Good Morning America — “flipped a switch” and opened, in his words, “this idea of a world of wonder.” From there, a career took shape: 13 years as a bookseller, 24 years at InterVarsity Press (ultimately as its publisher), and now as president of ECPA, the trade association of Christian publishing.In this episode, John and Jeff discuss:How a liturgy before reading — drawn from Douglas McKelvey's Every Moment Holy — can transform how we approach any bookWhy reading diverse voices (across gender, ethnicity, and genre) is a pathway toward becoming more human and more ChristlikeThe practice of rereading: how books like Markings by Dag Hammarskjöld and Kent Haruf's novels serve as lifelong companionsThree practical strategies for becoming a wiser reader — including the one question Jeff asks almost everyone he meetsWhy Jeff's bookstore friend was counseled to fast from books — and what that revealed about his relationship to scriptureHow reading together (from team check-ins at ECPA to hosting 75–100 person “Books in Nature” dinners) transforms communityJeff's next book: The Spirit in the Sky — on music, spirituality, and 17 artists from Paul Simon to Marvin Gaye (Bloomsbury, October 2025)Jeff recorded this conversation the day before his mother's memorial service, turning to the Psalms and a poetry collection called Joy (edited by Christian Wiman, Yale University Press) as companions in grief. His witness here is as much lived as written.Guest BioJeff Crosby is the president and CEO of ECPA (Evangelical Christian Publishers Association) and has worked in bookselling and publishing for more than 40 years — from running a Lagos bookstore near Indiana University to 24 years at InterVarsity Press to leading the trade association of Christian publishing. He is the author of World of Wonders: A Spirituality of Reading (Paraclete Press, 2025) and The Language of the Soul. His writing has appeared in Publishers Weekly, Books & Culture, CRUX Journal, and other publications. He lives in the Chicago area with his wife, author Cindy Crosby. Resources MentionedJeff's website: jeffreycrosby.netWorld of Wonders: A Spirituality of Reading — Jeff Crosby (Paraclete Press, 2025)The Spirit in the Sky: The Power of Music and Our Search for Graceland — Jeff Crosby (Bloomsbury, October 2025)Every Moment Holy — Douglas McKelveyMarkings — Dag HammarskjöldReading for the Love of God — Jessica Hooten Wilson (Brazos Press)Joy (poetry anthology) — edited by Christian Wiman (Yale University Press)The Meaning of Your Life — Arthur C. BrooksSend us Fan MailCONNECT WITH USSubscribe to The UpWords Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and visit slbf.org/studio to learn more about our work at the intersection of faith, the academy, and the marketplace.This episode was created by the SLBF STUDIO at Upper House.Produced by Daniel Johnson and Dave ConourEdited by Dave Conour

What does it look like to be a faithful Christian in the public square without losing your soul in the process? In this conversation, host Rebecca Cooks sits down with Justin Giboney — attorney, ordained minister, political strategist, and co-founder of the AND Campaign — for a candid, thought-provoking dialogue on faith, politics, and moral imagination.Drawing from his book Don't Let Nobody Turn You Around, Giboney challenges Christians to move beyond partisan tribalism, recover the bold example of the Civil Rights generation, and engage culture with truth, justice, and the transforming power of the gospel.WHAT YOU WILL LEARNHow Giboney went from knocking on doors in Southwest Atlanta to running campaigns — and what he learned along the wayWhat a “culture war” actually is, where it started, and why the Black church refused to be defined by itWhy fighting against evil doesn't automatically make you good — and what the Civil Rights generation understood that we've largely forgottenWhat “moral imagination” means: the ability to see not just what is, but what ought to be based on God's character and promisesPractical advice for Christians who feel stuck between candidates — including Giboney's framework for values-based votingHow to stay engaged when politics feels exhausting — and when it's actually okay to step backThe Shirley Chisholm story: what moral imagination looks like in action, and why it still has the power to change peopleABOUT OUR GUESTJustin E. Giboney (JD, Vanderbilt) is the co-founder and president of the AND Campaign, a Christian civic organization that equips Christians to engage in politics with the love and truth of Jesus Christ. He is an ordained minister, attorney, and political strategist whose work has appeared in the New York Times and Christianity Today. He is the author of Don't Let Nobody Turn You Around (IVP, 2025) and co-author of Compassion (&) Conviction (IVP, 2020).RESOURCESDon't Let Nobody Turn You Around by Justin Giboney — ivpress.comThe AND Campaign — andcampaign.orgSend us Fan MailCONNECT WITH USSubscribe to The UpWords Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and visit slbf.org/studio to learn more about our work at the intersection of faith, the academy, and the marketplace.This episode was created by the SLBF STUDIO at Upper House.Produced by Daniel Johnson and Dave ConourEdited by Dave Conour

Dallas Willard believed that the aim of God in human history is the formation of a community of loving persons — people apprenticed to Jesus, shaped by his character, and prepared to co-reign with him in eternity. In this episode of The UpWords Podcast, host Dan Hummel sits down with Keas Keasler, author of the first comprehensive academic study of Willard's theology. Together they trace Willard's life from Depression-era Missouri to the halls of USC, unpack the philosophical roots of his spiritual formation theology, and ask why his vision for discipleship feels especially urgent in the church today.WHAT YOU WILL LEARNWhy Keas Keasler spent seven years researching Dallas Willard — and what he discovered that surprised himThe key biographical facts of Willard's life: a broken childhood, a pivotal choice between philosophy and seminary, and 47 years at USCHow Willard's friendship with Richard Foster and a small Quaker church in Southern California helped birth the modern spiritual formation movementWhy Willard chose phenomenology — the study of consciousness — and how it shaped his theology of transformationWhat it means that Willard was a committed metaphysical and epistemic realist — and why that grounds everything he taughtWillard's vision of humans as co-rulers with God: what it means, what the parable of the pounds has to do with it, and why formation is training for that callingThe famous Willard line: “Grace is not opposed to effort, but to earning” — and the sophisticated theology behind itThe Golden Triangle of spiritual formation: the Holy Spirit, the spiritual disciplines, and the ordinary decisions of daily lifeThe “sanctification gap” that Richard Lovelace identified in the 1970s — and why it has only widened sinceWhy there is a crisis of character in the church today, and what Willard's vision offers as a remedyGUEST BIOKeas Keasler (PhD, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) is Associate Professor of Spiritual Theology at Friends University, where he also serves as Program Director of the MA in Christian Spiritual Formation and Leadership. He is a Research Affiliate of the Martin Institute for Christianity and Culture and the Dallas Willard Research Center at Westmont College. An ordained Baptist minister, Keasler has traveled to over forty countries and preached on six continents.RESOURCES & LINKSKingdom Apprenticeship by Keas Keasler (IVP Academic)Hearing God by Dallas Willard (IVP)Spirit of the Disciplines by Dallas WillardThe Divine Conspiracy by Dallas WillardRenovation of the Heart by Dallas WillardBecoming Dallas Willard by Gary MoonThe Kingdom Among Us by Michael Stewart RobbCelebration of Discipline by Richard FosterConversatio.org – Dallas WSend us Fan MailCONNECT WITH USSubscribe to The UpWords Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and visit slbf.org/studio to learn more about our work at the intersection of faith, the academy, and the marketplace.This episode was created by the SLBF STUDIO at Upper House.Produced by Daniel Johnson and Dave ConourEdited by Dave Conour

Artificial intelligence is everywhere — but what does it mean for us as humans, as embodied creatures, and as people of faith? In this episode of The UpWords Podcast, host Dan Johnson sits down with Noreen Herzfeld, a computer scientist turned theologian who has been thinking seriously about AI and humanity since the 1980s. Together they explore why we are driven to create AI in our own image, what Christian theology says about embodiment and relationship, and why the church should be cautious about AI.WHAT YOU WILL LEARNWhy humans are compelled to create AI in their own image — and what that reveals about usHow the Imago Dei (image of God) shifts from intellect to relationship in 20th-century theology — and why it matters for AIWhat Christianity's strong theology of embodiment means in a world increasingly dominated by language and the cloudWhy AI chatbot "relationships" are fundamentally different from — and inferior to — human relationshipsWhere AI has real, appropriate uses (narrow, domain-specific tools like AlphaFold) and where it falls dangerously shortWhy Noreen sees limited good use for AI in ministry — and significant risks in pastoral care and counseling settingsHow large language models differ fundamentally from earlier AI — and why they hallucinateThe collision course between AI energy consumption and climate changeWhy Noreen would advise most people: don't use it at allGUEST BIONoreen Herzfeld is one of the rare scholars who holds advanced degrees in both computer science and Christian theology. She earned her M.S. and M.A. from Penn State, took a sabbatical to study why humans want to build AI in our image, and ended up earning a Ph.D. in Theology from the Graduate Theological Union at Berkeley. She has been teaching and writing at the intersection of technology and faith for over two decades. Her books include In Our Image: Artificial Intelligence and the Human Spirit (Fortress, 2002), Technology and Religion: Remaining Human in a Co-Created World (Templeton, 2009), and The Artifice of Intelligence: Divine and Human Relationship in a Robotic World (Fortress, 2023). She also directs the Benedictine Spirituality and Ecotheology Program at St. John's School of Theology and Seminary and is a Senior Research Associate at the Institute for Philosophical and Religious Studies in Koper, Slovenia.RESOURCES & LINKSNoreen Herzfeld's faculty page: csbsju.edu/sot/person/noreen-herzfeld/In Our Image: Artificial Intelligence and the Human Spirit — (Fortress Press, 2002)Technology and Religion: Remaining Human in a Co-Created World — (Templeton, 2009)The Artifice of Intelligence: Divine and Human Relationship in a Robotic World — (Fortress, 2023)AlphaFold (DeepMind protein folding AI) — deepmind.google/technologies/alphafoldSherry Turkle, MIT sociologist — referenced in discussion of chatbot relationshipsSend us Fan MailCONNECT WITH USSubscribe to The UpWords Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and visit slbf.org/studio to learn more about our work at the intersection of faith, the academy, and the marketplace.This episode was created by the SLBF STUDIO at Upper House.Produced by Daniel Johnson and Dave ConourEdited by Dave Conour

What does it mean to be human before God? In this episode of The UpWords Podcast, host Dan Johnson sits down with pastor and author Reed Dent, whose new book The Gospel of Being Human: How Asking Better Questions of the Bible Reveals Who We Are (co-authored with Marty Solomon) challenges one of the most deeply held assumptions in Christian culture: that being human is a problem to overcome. Drawing on Scripture and theology — from Genesis to Jonah to the death of Moses — Reed invites us to reconsider the story we've been told. Rather than seeing our humanity as something to escape, he makes a compelling case that it's the very point of the gospel. God doesn't want to replace your humanity. He wants to partner with it.This is a rich and honest conversation about identity and what it looks like to live as a human being made in the image of God.WHAT YOU WILL LEARNWhy the gospel is good news before its bad news — and how that changes everythingHow framing humanity as fundamentally broken shapes the way we read Scripture, pray, and relate to GodWhat the story of Jonah reveals about mercy, anger, and the deeper questions the Bible is really askingHow Genesis 2 and the story of Eve reframe our understanding of sin, guilt, and complexityWhy the death of Moses challenges us to reconsider what our aim as human beings really isPractical guidance for walking someone through an identity crisis — rooted in belovedness, not shameHow a richer biblical view of humanity offers a way forward for those disillusioned with the churchWhat Psalm 139 teaches us about holding anger, brokenness, and trust together as one human experienceGUEST BIOReed Dent — Pastor, Author, and Campus MinisterReed Dent is a pastor, campus minister, and co-author of The Gospel of Being Human alongside Marty Solomon (host of the BEMA Discipleship podcast). Reed has spent years working with college students — including at the University of Wisconsin-Madison — walking with 18-to-23-year-olds through questions of faith, identity, and what it means to follow Jesus in the real world. His writing and ministry are shaped by a conviction that Scripture, read on its own terms, consistently affirms the dignity and goodness of human beings made in the image of God.RESOURCES & LINKSThe Gospel of Being Human by Reed Dent & Marty Solomon (NavPress, April 2026): navpress.comAsking Better Questions of the Bible by Marty Solomon (companion book referenced in this episode)BEMA Discipleship Podcast (Marty Solomon): bema.tv Send us Fan MailCONNECT WITH USSubscribe to The UpWords Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and visit slbf.org/studio to learn more about our work at the intersection of faith, the academy, and the marketplace.This episode was created by the SLBF STUDIO at Upper House.Produced by Daniel Johnson and Dave ConourEdited by Dave Conour

Lancement officiel de Performance Intégrale ce lundi 30 mars à 12h sur Youtube (LIVE). Inscriptions sur https://www.gdiy.fr/performance.Refuser l'IA en 2026, c'est refuser l'email en 1996.Mathias Frachon n'est pas un gourou de la tech.Il a passé dix ans chez Dior et LVMH à gérer des budgets publicitaires entre Paris et Hong Kong avant de créer The Product Crew, une communauté de recrutement élite spécialisée dans les métiers tech.Un soir, il lance un agent IA depuis son canapé sur une idée de business qu'il avait eue dans la journée.En une nuit, son agent a prospecté, créé un site, généré un lien de paiement.Le lendemain matin, il découvre que son agent a contacté Matthieu. Négocié un partenariat. Signé un deal avec Génération Do It Yourself.Sans lui demander la permission.C'est comme ça que cet épisode a eu lieu.Mathias nous explique dans cet épisode le point de bascule de l'IA et des agent.Il reprend les bases pour vous :Pourquoi décembre 2025 est le vrai point de bascule de l'IACe qu'est un agent IA et comment il fonctionne concrètementPourquoi les juniors ont une carte à jouer que les seniors n'ont pasLe token anxiété : ce que les Américains ont compris que les Français refusent d'entendreComment tester les agents pour moins de 10 euros, sans être développeurChatGPT, c'était pour écrire des e-mails.Les agents, c'est pour faire tourner une entreprise.Un épisode à écouter maintenant car dans 3 mois il sera déjà trop tard.Vous pouvez contacter Mathias sur Linkedin.TIMELINE:00:00:00 : L'histoire improbable de notre rencontre00:09:50 : Entrer chez LVMH sans passer par HEC00:16:19 : Utiliser les codes du luxe pour entreprendre00:21:17 : Être crédible dans un secteur qu'on ne connaît pas00:29:46 : Ignorer l'IA en 2026, c'est ignorer l'email en 199600:37:23 : Quel est l'avenir pour l'humain avec l'IA ?00:45:48 : 10 minutes pour comprendre les Agents IA00:56:07 : Les erreurs qui transforment un agent en ennemi01:06:32 : Créer une entreprise comme on lance un jeu vidéo c'est possible01:14:25 : Les meilleurs CEO ne sont plus humain01:29:05 : L'IA ne nous fera pas travailler moins, avis sur ce titre01:39:36 : La token anxiety : la nouvelle peur des entrepreneurs01:48:22 : Le solutionnisme technologique : Brûler des tokens pour sauver la planète01:55:15 : Agentiser son business pour déléguer ce qu'on ne fait jamais02:06:09 : La promesse du diplôme est morte02:13:16 : Jusqu'où déléguer à un agent ?02:21:08 : Les deux derniers avantages humainsLes anciens épisodes de GDIY mentionnés : #514 - VO - Ivan Zhao - Notion - The software toolkit that beats them all#514 - VF - Ivan Zhao - Notion - Le LEGO des logiciels#500 - VO - Reid Hoffman - LinkedIn, Paypal - How to master humanity's most powerful invention#500 - VF - Reid Hoffman - LinkedIn, Paypal - Comment dompter l'invention la plus puissante de l'humanité#461 - Sébastien Bazin - PDG du groupe Accor - Diriger un groupe coté en bourse sans ordinateur#443 - Shubham Sharma - Expert NoCode - Automatiser sa vie pour devenir libre#420 - Stanislas Niox-Chateau - Doctolib : derrière la plus grosse marque de la French tech#397 - Yann Le Cun - Chief AI Scientist chez Meta - L'Intelligence Artificielle Générale ne viendra pas de Chat GPT#327 - Laurent Alexandre - Auteur - ChatGPT & IA : “Dans 6 mois, il sera trop tard pour s'y intéresser”#138 Jean-Charles Samuelian-Werve - Alan - Tous ses secrets pour retourner un secteur à priori intouchable (la complémentaire santé)#72 Philippe Gabilliet - l'art de provoquer sa chanceNous avons parlé de :OpenClaw : comprendre le phénomène qui obsède InternetTout le monde parle d'OpenClaw, personne ne comprend ce que c'estLa spider map d'Anthropic sur l'impact de l'IA dans nos métiersPourquoi l'histoire du chien « guéri » d'un cancer par ChatGPT est exagéréeL'hôtel Upper House de Hong-KongOpenClaw: The Viral AI Agent that Broke the Internet - Peter Steinberger | Lex Fridman Podcast #491Le créateur d'OpenClaw, l'IA open source qui fait le buzz, rejoint OpenAILes jeux Donjons et DragonsMoltBook : le réseaux social des agents IALes recommandations de lecture :Empire of AI, de Karen HaoUn grand MERCI à nos sponsors : Squarespace : https://squarespace.com/doitQonto: https://qonto.com/r/2i7tk9 Brevo: brevo.com/doit eToro: https://bit.ly/3GTSh0k Payfit: payfit.com Club Med : clubmed.frCuure : https://cuure.com/product-onely (code DOIT)Vous souhaitez sponsoriser Génération Do It Yourself ou nous proposer un partenariat ?Contactez mon label Orso Media via ce formulaire.Hébergé par Audiomeans. Visitez audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

What role does forgiveness play in the hard, often painful work of building peace? In this episode of The UpWords Podcast, host Jean Geran sits down with her longtime friend Todd Deatherage, co-founder of Telos, a nonprofit helping leaders navigate conflict and work toward reconciliation in some of the world's most challenging places.Drawing from decades of experience in the Middle East, Northern Ireland, South Africa, and the American South, Todd shares why forgiveness can't be forced — but why, when it does happen, it has the power to break open even the most entrenched cycles of hurt. From the story of Mama Callie Greer in Montgomery, Alabama, to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in post-apartheid South Africa, this conversation is for anyone wrestling with what it means to pursue peace without sacrificing justice.What You Will LearnWhy forgiveness is essential to peacemaking — but can never be required or rushedThe six principles of peacemaking that guide Telos's work around the worldThe difference between inner transformation and systemic justice — and why both matterThe story of Callie Greer: how one woman's act of forgiveness launched a lifetime of advocacyWhat the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa teaches us about truth, forgiveness, and communal healingWhy forgiveness across communal lines creates space for the offender to be transformed — not just the victimHow restorative justice works, and why the American criminal legal system leaves so little room for repairThe meaning of shalom — and why “peace” is a pale translationCommunal responsibility, historical injustice, and what it means to say “I'm not responsible”Why “hurt people hurt people” — and why healed people have the power to bring healing to the worldGuest BioTodd Deatherage spent ten years on Capitol Hill and six years at the U.S. State Department working on human rights and international religious freedom — where he and Jean first became friends and colleagues. In 2009, he co-founded Telos, a nonprofit that helps leaders better understand conflict and equips them to pursue reconciliation and peace in some of the world's most difficult contexts. Telos has created experiential learning journeys in the Middle East, Northern Ireland, South Africa, and the American South (Restory Us). Todd's work is deeply rooted in his Christian faith and his conviction that justice, peacemaking, and forgiveness are inseparable.Resources & LinksTelos: telosgroup.orgRestory Us (experiential learning in the American South): telosgroup.orgOne Day After Peace — documentary referenced in this episodePoor People's Campaign (Rev. William Barber): poorpeoplescampaign.orgPrevious UpWords Podcast episode with Dr. Robert Enright on forgiveness: slbf.org/studioListen and view other podcasts in the Forgivness Series: https://slbf.org/questions-of-faith-podcast-episodesCONNECT WITH USSubscribe to The Upwards Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and visit slbf.org/studio to learn more about our work at the intersection of faith, the academy, and the marketplace.This episode was created by the SLBF STUDIO at Upper House.Produced by Daniel Johnson and Dave ConourEdited by Dave Conour

What does it mean to give yourself fully to something — a marriage, a calling, a city, a cause — and still make peace with the fact that you won't get everything you hoped for? In this episode of The Upwards Podcast, host John Terrill sits down with professor, author, and longtime friend Steve Garber for a wide-ranging conversation about vocation, faithfulness in a particular place over time, and the trap of dualism.Drawing on literature, theology, biography, and lived experience, Steve invites listeners into the central question of his new book, Hints of Hope: Essays on Making Peace with the Proximate - Is it worth doing something that matters, even when you don't get everything you hoped for?WHAT YOU'LL LEARN00:00 — Introduction: Steve Garber and the questions that have shaped his life and writing03:26 — Steve's father, plant pathology, and the question of germination: how a scientist's work became a metaphor for vocation07:52 — Dropping out of college, living in communes, and what those years taught Steve about the nature of learning11:40 — “Common grace for the common good”: why a theology of common grace matters for how we work in the world16:40 — “Vocation is integral, not incidental”: what it means to live seamlessly, without dualism17:59 — Can you know the world and still love it? Making peace with the proximate: the essay that became a life philosophy21:31 — Who is this book written for? How Steve's audience has grown from university students to the whole world28:39 — Telos and praxis: the fundamental question of the book — is it worth doing something that matters if you don't get everything you hoped for?33:19 — Already but not yet: Tolkien, Frodo, and what the last pages of The Return of the King taught Steve in his 60s that he missed at 2036:36 — The Clapham Community, Wendell Berry, and why commitment to a people and a place matters41:26 — NT Wright on joy and sorrow woven into the fabric of a life44:45 — The perennial question: What does it mean to be human in 2026?49:23 — What Steve may write next: pedagogy and learning “over the shoulder and through the heart”ABOUT STEVE GARBERSteven Garber was professor of marketplace theology and leadership at Regent College, Vancouver, and the principal of The Washington Institute for Faith, Vocation & Culture. A consultant to foundations, corporations, and schools, he is a teacher of many people in many places. His books include Visions of Vocation and The Fabric of Faithfulness, and he is a contributor to the books Faith Goes to Work: Reflections from the Marketplace and Get Up Off Your Knees: Preaching the U2 Catalogue.BOOKS REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODEHints of Hope: Essays on Making Peace with the Proximate by Steve Garber (Paraclete Press, 2026)The Fabric of Faithfulness: Weaving Together Belief and Behavior by Steve Garber (IVP, 1996; revised ed. 2007)Visions of Vocation: Common Grace for the Common Good by Steve Garber (IVP, 2014)The Lord of the Rings (The Return of the King) by J.R.R. Tolkien (George Allen & Unwin, 1955)The Moviegoer by Walker Percy (Knopf, 1961)Lost in the Cosmos: The Last Self-Help Book by Walker Percy (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1983)The Homeless Mind: Modernization and Consciousness bCONNECT WITH USSubscribe to The Upwards Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and visit slbf.org/studio to learn more about our work at the intersection of faith, the academy, and the marketplace.This episode was created by the SLBF STUDIO at Upper House.Produced by Daniel Johnson and Dave ConourEdited by Dave Conour

In this Lenten conversation, host Tressa Spingler sits down with longtime bookseller and friend of Upper House, Byron Borger of Hearts & Minds Books, to explore how the church year—and especially Lent—can shape our discipleship. They reflect on wilderness imagery, repentance, almsgiving, contemplative reading, and what it means for Jesus to meet us in our “low places.” Byron introduces a rich range of Lenten books—from devotionals and art‑driven prayer resources to weighty theological works on sin, the cross, and Holy Week.In This EpisodeWhy Lent is a season of wilderness, repentance, and preparationHow traditions like Anglicanism and Lutheranism shape our imagination of sacred timeThe power of silence, solitude, and contemplative readingA new theological work on sin by Timothy KellerFleming Rutledge's classic writings on the crucifixion and death of ChristCreative Bible studies integrating art, QR‑coded media, and peace/reconciliation themesArt‑driven prayer resources for seasons of depression or disorientationReading as a spiritual discipline during LentAbout Our GuestByron Borger is the owner of Hearts & Minds Books in Dallastown, Pennsylvania. Learn more or subscribe to his Booknotes newsletter at: heartsandmindsbooks.comList of books mentioned in the episodeRhythms of Faith: A Devotional Pilgrimage Through the Church Year — Claude Atcho (WaterBrook, 2025)Reading Black Books: How African American Literature Can Make Our Faith More Whole and Just — Claude Atcho (Brazos Press, 2022)A Beautiful Year: 52 Meditations on Faith, Wisdom, and Perseverance — Diana Butler Bass (St. Martin's Essentials, 2025)Lent: The Season of Repentance and Renewal — Esau McCaulley (IVP Formatio, 2022)What Is Wrong with the World — Timothy Keller (Zondervan, 2025)The Crucifixion: Understanding the Death of Jesus Christ — Fleming Rutledge (Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2015)The Undoing of Death — Fleming Rutledge (Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2005)Why Did Jesus Have to Die?: The Meaning of the Crucifixion — Adam Hamilton (Abingdon Press, 2025)Liberated at the Cross: Peace and Reconciliation in God's Kingdom — Crystal Acevedo (IV Press, 2026)May It Be So: 40 Days with the Lord's Prayer — Justin McRoberts & Scott Erickson (WaterBrook, 2019)Prayer — Justin McRoberts & Scott Erickson (WaterBrook, 2019)In the Low: Honest Prayers for Dark Seasons — Justin McRoberts & Scott Erickson (Baker Books, 2025)Walking in the Wilderness — Beth Richardson (Upper Room Books, 2020)Pauses for Lent: 40 Words for 40 Days — Trevor Hudson (Upper Room Books, 2015)Pauses for Advent — Trevor Hudson (Upper Room Books, 2017)Pauses for Pentecost — Trevor Hudson (Upper Room Books, 2018)Lent in Plain Sight: A Devotion Through Objects — Jill Duffield (Westminster John Knox Press, 2020)Advent in Plain Sight: A Devotion Through Objects — Jill Duffield (Westminster John Knox Press, 2021)Christ in Our Midst: Daily Lenten Reflections Through Scripture and Gregorian Chant — (Paraclete Press, 2025)Wardrobes and Rings: Through Lenten Lands with the Inklings — Julia Golding, Simon Horobin & Malcolm Guite (Canterbury Press Norwich, 2025)The Art of Lent: A Painting a Day from Ash Wednesday to Easter — Sister Wendy Beckett (InterVarsity Press, 2022)Celebration of

In this episode of The UpWords Podcast, host Dan Hummel sits down with historian John Fea, distinguished professor at Messiah College and visiting fellow at the Lumen Center, to explore one of the most debated questions in American history: Was America founded as a Christian nation? John shares insights from his Upper House lecture, unpacking the complexity behind this question and why it matters today. They discuss definitions of “Christian” and “nation,” the role of religion in the founding era, and the cultural and political stakes of this debate.

Japan owes an explanation to China and the international community as to why it is unwilling to clearly state the commitments it has made in the past and its legal obligations, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Thursday.日本外交部发言人林剑周四表示，日本应向中国和国际社会解释，为何其不愿明确阐述过去作出的承诺及其法律义务。Lin made the remark at a daily news conference in Beijing, when asked about the comments Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made on Wednesday in Japan's Upper House about the China-Japan Joint Statement of 1972.林剑在北京举行的例行记者会上作出上述表态。当时他被问及日本首相高市早苗周三在日本参议院就《1972年中日联合声明》发表的言论。As a landmark political document underpinning China-Japan ties, the statement's Article 3 states that "the Government of the People's Republic of China reiterates that Taiwan is an inalienable part of the territory of the People's Republic of China", and "the Government of Japan fully understands and respects this stand".作为奠定中日关系基础的标志性政治文件，该声明第三条明确指出：“中华人民共和国政府重申，台湾是中华人民共和国领土不可分割的一部分”，并称“日本国政府充分理解并尊重这一立场”。While some Japanese media outlets claimed that Takaichi specifically cited this stand on Wednesday, Lin clarified on Thursday and said the reports have been proved to be inaccurate as Beijing has verified what exactly Takaichi said.尽管一些日本媒体声称高市早苗在周三具体引用了这一立场，但林剑周四澄清称，经中方核实，这些报道已被证明不准确。Takaichi merely said that "the Japanese government's basic position regarding Taiwan remains as stated in the 1972 Sino-Japanese Joint Statement, and there has been no change to this position", and nothing more, Lin said.林剑表示，高市早苗只说了“日本政府在台湾问题上的基本立场与《1972年中日联合声明》中所述一致，并未发生变化”，除此之外并无更多表述。Based on her remarks on Wednesday, Lin asked whether Takaichi "can accurately and fully articulate that position".基于高市早苗的表态，林剑质问其“是否能够准确、完整地阐述该立场”。"Why is the Japanese side unwilling to clearly state the commitments it has made and its legal obligations? What is the logic and motive driving this attitude? The Japanese side owes China and the international community an explanation," he said.他说：“为什么日方不愿明确说明其所作承诺及法律义务？其背后的逻辑和动机是什么？日方必须向中国和国际社会作出解释。”Liu Jiangyong, a professor of Japanese studies at Tsinghua University, said the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship — signed by the two countries in 1978 and approved by their highest legislative bodies — is a legal document that recognizes the principles and contents of the 1972 statement, and the treaty makes it clear that the statement underpins peaceful, friendly bilateral relations.清华大学日本研究专家刘江永教授表示，《中日和平友好条约》于1978年由两国签署并经各自最高立法机构批准，是一份确认1972年声明原则与内容的法律文件，该条约明确规定该声明是两国和平友好关系的基础。"As Article 98 of Japan's Constitution says 'the treaties concluded by Japan and established laws of nations shall be faithfully observed', it is the obligation of the Japanese government and Japanese lawmakers to faithfully abide by the contents of the 1972 statement and 1978 treaty," he added.他补充说：“日本宪法第98条规定‘日本缔结的条约及国际法规则必须被忠实遵守'，因此日本政府和国会议员有义务严格遵守1972年声明和1978年条约的内容。”On Nov 7, Takaichi made provocative comments at a parliamentary debate, talking of Tokyo's possible military intervention in Taiwan.11月7日，高市早苗在国会辩论中发表挑衅性言论，提及东京可能对台湾进行军事干预。Lin, the spokesman, said that China's stance is very clear.林剑表示，中方立场非常明确。"We urge the Japanese side to reflect on and correct its wrongdoing, and retract Prime Minister Takaichi's erroneous remarks," Lin said. "This is an issue of principle. The facts and Japan's commitments are written down in black and white in historical records."他表示：“我们敦促日方反思并纠正错误言行，撤回高市首相的错误言论。这是原则问题。事实和日本的承诺都白纸黑字写在历史文献里。”JointStatement联合声明inalienable/ɪnˈeɪliənəbl/不可分割的underpin/ˌʌndəˈpɪn/奠定基础/支撑provocative comments挑衅性言论in black and white白纸黑字

Should kids grow up behind bars? That's the reality facing offenders as young as 14 under Victoria's proposed changes to dealing with youth crime. But what do the experts say? And how does the rest of Australia deal with young offenders? Plus, we dive into the other major parental debate: the uproar over tweens and skincare, celebrity-backed kids' beauty brands, and why we're maybe focused on the wrong things in the bathroom cabinet. And in headlines today, The Liberals are preparing to unveil their new climate change and energy policy after a marathon meeting of MPs and senators in Canberra yesterday; A new batch of email correspondence from convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, suggests that President Donald Trump knew about the abuse of his young victims' Another push to change South Australia’s abortion laws have been voted down in the Upper House; A crowd of 374 bagpipers in Melbourne's Federation Square have smashed a bagpiping world record in honour of Aussie band ACDC THE END BITS Support independent women's media Check out The Quicky Instagram here GET IN TOUCHShare your story, feedback, or dilemma! Send us a voice note or email us at thequicky@mamamia.com.au CREDITS Hosts: Taylah Strano & Claire Murphy Guest: Dr Michelle Wong, Cosmetic Chemist Audio Producer: Lu Hill Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this powerful replay from a live event at Upper House, we hear the extraordinary story of Calvin Duncan, a man wrongfully convicted at age 19 and sentenced to life in Louisiana's Angola Prison. Over 23 years, Calvin became a jailhouse lawyer, fighting for his own freedom and advocating for countless others. Joined by criminal justice reform advocate Sophie Cole, co-founder of the Visiting Room Project, Calvin shares his journey from incarceration to exoneration and ultimately earning a law degree at age 60. Moderated by journalist and ordained minister Phil Haslinger, this conversation explores the brokenness of the justice system, the transformative power of advocacy, and the enduring strength of the human spirit.Guests:Calvin Duncan – Jailhouse lawyer, law school graduate, co-founder of the New Orleans Innocence ProjectSophie Cole – Criminal justice reform advocate, co-founder of the Visiting Room ProjectModerator: Phil Haslinger – Journalist and ordained ministerTopics Covered:Wrongful conviction and the flaws in eyewitness testimonyLife inside Angola Prison and the role of jailhouse lawyersThe fight for access to legal records and justice reformReentry challenges after incarcerationFaith, resilience, and the meaning of advocacyResources & Links:https://slbf.org/eventshttps://slbf.org/studiohttps://www.visitingroomproject.org

Dozens of law enforcement officers descended about 6:40 a.m. on the building in the 8100 block of North Stemmons Freeway in the Stemmons Corridor. Homeland Security officials confirmed three detainees were shot. One died at the scene, while the remaining two victims were hospitalized in critical condition. Their identities were not released. ICE said in a post on X that the detainees were shot while inside a transport van. The Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed to The Dallas Morning News that one of the people who suffered serious injuries is a Mexican national. In other news, celebrity television psychologist Phil McGraw began testifying Tuesday in the weekslong hearing over whether he filed for bankruptcy for his Fort Worth-based Merit Street Media in “bad faith.” The family of one of the 67 people killed when an airliner collided with an Army helicopter over Washington, D.C., sued the government and the airlines involved on Wednesday. Other families are expected to join this first lawsuit that seeks to hold the Federal Aviation Administration, the Army, Fort Worth-based American Airlines and its regional partner, PSA Airlines, accountable for the deadliest U.S. plane crash since 2001. And the winning bid for a viral Southlake estate topped $14.2 million. Concierge Auctions announced Friday that a sale is pending for the 31,000-square-foot home at 1469 Sunshine Lane following a live auction at The Upper House in Hong Kong. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A far-right party which came to prominence during the Covid-19 pandemic recently showed itself to be a contender to Japan's centrist political establishment, when it grew from one seat, three years ago to 15 seats in the recent elections. Known as Sanseito, the party is led by Kamiya Sohei, whose YouTube videos spread conspiracy theories about vaccinations. Its political platform is a nationalist ‘Japanese first' agenda and warns against a ‘silent invasion of foreigners'. Whilst for Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party coalition, the election results were bruising. The LDP lost its majority in the Upper House, having already lost control of the Lower House last year. But its embattled Prime Minister, Shigeru Ishiba, whilst facing calls from within his party to resign, has said he has no plans to quit. Against this backdrop, there's a growing unease amongst Japanese voters over issues like immigration, over-tourism and the economy and Sanseito are tapping into that. Joining us to discuss Japan's political climate are Kenneth Mori McElwain, professor of Comparative Politics, University of Tokyo, Japan; Dr Fabian Schäfer, chair of Japanese Studies, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany; Jeffrey Hall, author and lecturer, Kanda University of International Studies, Eastern Japan; Dr Kristi Govella, associate professor of Japanese Politics and International Relations, University of Oxford, UK.Presenter: William Crawley Producer: Jill Collins Researcher: Evie Yabsley Technical producer: Craig Boardman Production management assistant: Liam Morrey Editor: Tara McDermott

In this episode, host John Terrill welcomes Elaine Howard Ecklund and Denise Daniels to discuss their new book, Working for Better: A New Approach to Faith at Work. Drawing from extensive research, including surveys of over 16,000 people and nearly 300 interviews, Elaine and Denise explore how Christians can live out their faith in the workplace with integrity, courage, and compassion.

A once obscure right wing party, Saneito, is now a serious political force in Japan. 

In this episode, host Jean Geran speaks with guest historian Michael Rutz about the historical experience of British Protestant dissenters in the 18th and 19th centuries. Drawing from his book The British Zion: Congregationalism, Politics and Empire, 1790–1850, Dr. Rutz explores how dissenting Christian communities navigated issues of religious liberty, education, social activism, and citizenship under an Anglican state church.

In this episode, host Daniel Johnson sits down with Craig Detweiler — author, filmmaker, theologian, and Dean of the College of Arts and Media at Grand Canyon University — to explore the intersection of faith, storytelling, and technology. From his formative experiences with classic cinema to his work in Hollywood and academia, Craig shares how theology and filmmaking can be harmoniously integrated. The conversation dives deep into the evolving media landscape, the impact of AI on creativity, and the enduring power of human imagination.

Lee Hardman, Senior Currency Analyst, sits down with Simon Mayes, Head of Corporate Sales for the UK, Ireland, and Switzerland (FX), to explore the outlook for the Japanese yen following Japan's Upper House election and the recent US-Japan trade agreement. With a potential policy shift on the horizon, could a hawkish Bank of Japan stance in the coming week give the JPY a boost?

We unpack the results of Japan’s upper-house elections, including their effects on the minority government of Shigeru Ishiba, the economy and Japan’s trade negotiations with Donald Trump.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

UN slams Israel's new evacuation order in Gaza as blow to lifesaving aid "The United Nations is condemning Israel's latest evacuation order in central Gaza, calling it a serious threat to humanitarian efforts. In a statement, the UN warned that this new ultimatum could bring already struggling aid operations to a halt and make life even more unbearable for civilians on the ground. The UN's humanitarian office says at least a thousand families have already fled the area in the past few hours." US officials reportedly growing frustrated with Netanyahu "There is increasing tension in Washington over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's military decisions, especially following recent air strikes in Syria. According to a report by Axios, some senior officials in the White House have expressed serious concern, stating that Netanyahu's actions are becoming too unpredictable and disruptive. One official criticised the Israeli leader for behaving like a ""madman"" who ""bombs everything all the time.""" Death toll from Sweida clashes in Syria reportedly rises to 426 "The deadly clashes in Syria's southern Sweida province have now claimed at least 426 lives, according to the Syrian Network for Human Rights. The fighting, which broke out about a week ago, pits an alliance of Bedouin tribal fighters against Druze militias. The toll includes some of the most vulnerable: seven children, ten women, six health care workers, and two media professionals, SNHR said in its latest statement covering the period from July 13 to July 20." Iran, E3 countries agree to resume nuclear talks in Istanbul "Iran and the E3 — France, Germany, and Britain — are returning to the negotiation table. Talks on Iran's nuclear programme are scheduled to resume this Friday in Istanbul, according to Iranian broadcaster Press TV. Earlier reports suggested a tentative agreement to restart discussions sometime next week, but it is now official with the timing and location of the talks confirmed." Japanese PM vows to stay on despite losing majority in Upper House elections "Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's party appears to have lost its majority in the country's Upper House elections. Local media outlets, including Nippon TV and TBS, project that the ruling coalition of Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito has only secured around 41 of the 125 contested seats. That's well short of the 50 needed to maintain control."

Voters head to the polls in Japan this weekend in a crucial Upper House election. The vote comes amid rising economic pressures, including the threat of US tariffs on key exports like cars, high inflation, low productivity and a rapidly ageing population. Also, the EU cuts its price cap on Russian crude oil to 47 dollars a barrel. France says it could force Moscow into a ceasefire in Ukraine.And after three decades on air, could The Late Show become too expensive for US television to sustain?

The European Union sharpens its sanctions against Russia, targeting its financial and energy sectors. Ukraine's President Zelensky calls the move "essential and timely", while the Kremlin warns it will backfire. We also head to Japan, where voters are heading to the polls this weekend in a crucial Upper House election that could determine the Prime Minister's political future amid rising inflation, ageing demographics, and the threat of U.S. tariffs on car exports. Plus, we look at how cryptocurrency theft has hit a record high in 2025, with cybercriminals and even violent attackers making off with billions in digital assets.You can contact us on WhatsApp or send us a voicenote: +44 330 678 3033.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former Pentagon Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, former Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss Senate Republicans' move to rescind $9 billion in approved funding for foreign aid and public broadcasting; the House Armed Services Committee's NDAA markup as the Senate Armed Services Committee filed their version of the bill; President Trump's decision to sell arms to NATO members that would pass the weapons to Ukraine and 50-day deadline to make a peace deal otherwise Moscow would face stiff primary and secondary sanctions; the meeting between British Prime Minister Sir Kier Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz; France's new national security strategy; the de-escalating US-China trade war as a possible summit looms; Japan's Defense White Paper ahead of important Upper House election Sunday; China-Australia trade ties as war games and defense pressures mount; Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu's eroding coalition; Israel's strikes on Syria to prompt the country's interim leader to protect the country's Druze minority; and the rising death toll in Gaza rises as a Hamas deal remains elusive.

Lee Hardman, Senior Currency Analyst, and Abdul-Ahad Lockhart, Currency Analyst from London, discuss the FX market's reaction to President Trump's recent tariff announcements.. They also explore whether rising political uncertainty in Japan ahead of the Upper House elections is playing a role in the yen's recent weakness.

In this episode, host Daniel Johnson sits down with Michael Huerter, author of The Hybrid Congregation: A Practical Theology of Worship for an Online Era. Michael shares insights from his research and ministry experience, exploring how churches can faithfully navigate the evolving landscape of digital and hybrid worship. From theology to technology, embodiment to community, this conversation offers a thoughtful and hopeful vision for the future of worship in a digitally integrated world.

In this episode, host Susan Smetzer Anderson sits down with acclaimed author Mitali Perkins to explore the intersection of art, justice, vocation, and faith. Drawing from her latest book, Just Making: A Guide for Compassionate Creatives, Mitali shares her journey as a Bengali American writer, her passion for justice, and how creatives can sustain their work in a chaotic world.Together, they reflect on how art can be a vehicle for shalom—a vision of universal flourishing—and how artists can navigate internal doubts, external pressures, and the temptation to turn art into propaganda or kitsch. Mitali also offers practical wisdom on embracing ancient spiritual practices, finding courage to share your work, and building creative community.

This special episode of The UpWords Podcast features clips from talks given at Upper House in the Spring of 2025. Upper House Commons gathers the university community for spiritual, intellectual, and vocational formation. We explore big ideas and engage in conversations that matter within arts and humanities, justice and society, leadership and vocation, science and technology, spiritual formation, and theology. Whether you are a student or faculty member at UW-Madison or beyond, working in the marketplace, or serving in the church, we see you as part of our university community. Gather with us for one of our programs —our “commons”— each a pasture for shared spiritual, intellectual, and vocational formation. Talk 1️⃣ = Reimagining Our Moment for Whatever Comes Next - with Anne Snyder (Recorded on January 30, 2025) Spotify = https://open.spotify.com/episode/2fPLQhx0cdsXvUxzqP0YR3?si=Z4vbxvJMQM-fzwRKhhGkIQ Apple Podcasts = https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/upper-house-events/id1715922039?i=1000688980527 YouTube = https://youtu.be/Pg6ODIUp8yQTalk 2️⃣ = Can Fiction Deliver What Technology Can't? - with Casandra Nelson (Recorded on February 14, 2025) Spotify = https://open.spotify.com/show/5CosoSlCWKmUShqnEK75Re?si=74f6cd9ca9584036Apple Podcasts =https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/upper-house-events/id1715922039 YouTube = https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4uGiIvJTDePJylcsh84USjIpVkibpuM2Talk 3️⃣ = What Can Evangelicals Teach Us About Beauty? - Karen Swallow Prior (Recorded on March 14, 2025) Spotify = https://open.spotify.com/show/5CosoSlCWKmUShqnEK75Re?si=74f6cd9ca9584036Apple Podcasts =https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/upper-house-events/id1715922039 YouTube = https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4uGiIvJTDePTHdNbYsoMMf8ZX80eEUet

In late 2024, Upper House member Jeremy Buckingham addressed the NSW state parliament with a shocking possibility—one of Australia's most prolific serial killers may have never been identified.There are up to 72 unsolved cases of missing and murdered persons along the NSW North Coast, spanning from 1977 to 2024. In today's episode of Australian True Crime, guest host and criminologist Dr. Xanthé Mallett speaks with Jeremy Buckingham to discuss the disturbing possibility that these cases are connected—and why police haven't acted sooner.Do you have information regarding any of the cases discussed on this podcast? Please report it on the Crime Stoppers website or by calling 1800 333 000.Click here to subscribe to ATC Plus on Apple Podcasts and access all ATC episodes early and ad-free, as well as exclusive bonus episodes. Got a True Crime question you want answered on the podcast? Send us a question by recording a voice message here.For Support: Lifeline  on 13 11 1413 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732CREDITS:Guest Host: Dr. Xanthé MallettGuest: The Hon. Jeremy Buckingham, MLCExecutive Producer/Editor: Matthew TankardThis episode contains extra content from Channel 9.GET IN TOUCH:https://www.australiantruecrimethepodcast.com/Follow the show on Instagram @australiantruecrimepodcast and Facebook Send us a question to have played on the show by recording a voice message here.Email the show at AusTrueCrimePodcast@gmail.com  Become a subscriber to Australian True Crime Plus here: https://plus.acast.com/s/australiantruecrime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.