Jon Ward, senior political correspondent for Yahoo News, joins Curtis to talk about his process of deconstructing - and reconstructing - his life as a follower of Jesus. Jon draws on his recently released book, Testimony: Inside the Evangelical Movement That Failed a Generation, to dissect the spiritual, social, political, and emotional dimensions of his years growing up as an insider in the evangelical world. Jon also provides a fascinating account of why his life as a journalist has been so cr...
May 06, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 73
"Founding friend" David French returns to tackle the tough question that every Republican of good faith should be asking. They explain why this particular question of "Should I stay or should I go?" is highly relevant for everyone, regardless of political affiliation. The conversation explores the ways that political calculations inescapably are spiritual in nature, and the two have a fun time unpacking this reality via the "pirate ship" metaphor. Listeners will especially be helped by how David...
Apr 29, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 72
Curtis is joined by the world's leading expert on generational distinctions, Dr. Jean Twenge. They discuss the five major generations shaping our society, with a special focus on Gen Z. The conversation provides insight and practical help for parents, managers, and anyone else interacting across generational lines. Listen especially for Jean's top advice for parents on how to keep smartphones from destroying your child's mental health. Generations: The Real Differences Between Gen Z, Millennials...
Apr 22, 2023•57 min•Ep. 71
Curtis tackles this epoch defining question with Comment Editor in Chief, Anne Snyder Brooks. Together they explore the distinctive vision Christians have to offer a world beset by dehumanizing forces. This wide ranging exploration includes both the big ideas and stakes involved in this question, as well as practical steps each one of us can take to embody (in the words of Irenaeus) "the glory of God in a human being fully alive." Resources mentioned by Anne: Comment magazine's discussion of Chr...
Apr 15, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 70
Curtis talks with the "elder statesman" of Christian counseling, Dan Allender, about how therapy has influenced the American church - in much needed and also problematic ways. They explore how therapy has provided an important place for Christians to bring to Jesus the real, hard, and sometimes traumatic realities of life - often in ways that the church could not. They also examine how "moralistic therapeutic deism" increasingly describes the actual civil religion of Americans. For examples of g...
Apr 08, 2023•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 69
Andy Crouch returns to the podcast to question the widespread preoccupation with "making an impact." Andy and Curtis talk about the limitations, drawbacks, and even potential idolatry involved when institutions and individuals are so focused on this definition of success. They then explore an alternative way to conceive of Christians' role in the world, one that is rooted in the surprising model of Jesus. For those interested in sponsoring/supporting Good Faith: https://redeemingbabel.org/sponso...
Apr 01, 2023•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 68
In front of a packed house at the National Press Club, Curtis Chang, original Good Faith co-host David French, and editor in chief of Christianity Today Russell Moore introduce the After Party project. The project seeks to heal the currently troubled relationship between Christians and politics. The conversation was hosted by Trinity Forum president Cherie Harder. In this wide ranging discussion, they talk about where we as Christians have gone wrong and how we can reform our political mindset w...
Mar 25, 2023•1 hr 25 min•Ep. 67
Curtis and Nancy French explore the power of storytelling in everyday life. Nancy, a professional storyteller and New York Times best-selling author, urges listeners to "read" the stories of their own lives – in order to see how the ultimate Author of their stories (God) has shaped their destinies. Curtis and Nancy also encourage people to inhabit other peoples' stories and to interview family members, such as parents, to more clearly see the context of their "origin stories." SHOW NOTES: Penzu ...
Mar 18, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 66
Curtis and "founding friend" David French explore Christianity and armed conflict. Viewed through the prism of the Ukraine War, they explore Christian just war theory. David, a former Army lawyer, walks through the moral and theological origins of the law of armed conflict. Curtis emphasizes the differences between the institutional purpose of the state and the church when it comes to war. Applying those principles to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, they discuss the necessity of Ukrainian resis...
Mar 11, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 65
Curtis and guest Dr. Lydia Dugdale talk about life and death issues (literally) that affect every single human being. How do we face death? How can we die well? What are the cultural and medical forces that are leading so many to die poorly? Why are the practices of physican-assisted suicide and euthanasia gaining momentum and acceptance - and why has the Christian pro-life movement missed the deep connection between those practices and abortion? Dr. Lydia Dugdale is a professor at the Columbia ...
Mar 04, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 64
Rev. Justin Giboney and host Curtis Chang discuss how the Black church provides insight on the limitations of the progressive/conservative labels for all of us. Justin and Curtis also share candidly from their own experiences, giving everyone an intimate window into the complexities of racial identity and faith. AND Campaign How I Got Over The After Party project Dr. Charlie Dates Rev. Eugene Rivers The William J. Seymour Society (now Seymour Institute) Azusa Street Revival...
Feb 25, 2023•58 min•Ep. 63
Host Curtis Chang and regular guest David French discuss what young Christians need to be formed for thriving. In this far ranging conversation, they explore negative partisanship, the fruits of the spirit, the revival at Asbury, and how Christians should best interact with the world through politics. Also, Curtis describes how anxiety is a surprising underlying cause of the political acrimony and divisiveness that plagues our culture today. This special Good Faith podcast was recorded in front ...
Feb 18, 2023•56 min•Ep. 62
Peter Wehner's former office was the White House. He served in the Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush administrations, as Deputy Director of Speechwriting and later Director of the Office of Strategic Initiatives for President George W. Bush. Now, he's a contributing opinion writer for The New York Times, and a contributing editor for The Atlantic . He's been in the halls of power, and he writes for publications of prominence. So why has Peter been in exile? In this powerful episode, C...
Feb 11, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 61
New technology seems to be revolutionizing our world on a daily basis. ChatGPT — which has been used by more than a million people — might replace internet search engines and possibly your job. How should Christians deal with these machines that can communicate facts, create business plans, and do homework at the push of a button? On this week's episode of the Good Faith podcast, Curtis sits down with his friend, bestselling author Andy Crouch, to discuss how technology can enhance our lives or ...
Feb 04, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 60
In life, we have moments in which opportunities present the possibility of dramatic change. Dr. Michael Lindsay, president of Gordon College, calls these instances "hinge moments," since a hinge can either shut or close a door leading to very different pathways in our lives. This episode of the Good Faith podcast is actually one of these "hinge moments" for co-hosts David French and Curtis Chang, as David transitions to his new job at the New York Times. What will happen to the podcast? (Spoiler...
Jan 28, 2023•59 min•Ep. 59
Show Notes: A New Chapter in Millennial Church Attendance : "Patterns of attendance among younger generations can be especially important—and perplexing—for pastors to understand, in their own church and at large. Barna Group has studied the intersection of faith and culture for nearly four decades, with an emphasis on generational trends. This article explores recent data to help church leaders ground themselves in the present reality of church attendance across generations—especially Millennia...
Jan 21, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 58
In this podcast, David and Curtis return from trips around the world to give us a philosophical insight on courage. From Churchill to Lord of The Rings, stories of virtue can influence our own actions when tests cross our paths. They talk about the power of narratives and how they can build moral courage and character. Both dig into their past to bring up personal models of strength that have influenced who they are today. They wrap up with a critical look at political institutions under this mo...
Jan 14, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 57
What does it look like to have Christian hope in this chaotic world? As believers, we live in the "already but not yet," which means that we are currently in the kingdom of God, though the kingdom has not reached its full expression. In other words, we are "already" in the kingdom of God, but we do "not yet" experience its full glory. In this Advent episode, David and Curtis look back at the challenging year and look for signs of the "coming Kingdom" so that listeners can "read the signs of the ...
Dec 17, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 56
Jesse Wiese robbed a bank and spent eight-and-a-half years in prison. After he served his time, he experienced the challenges of reentering society. He joined the Prison Fellowship, graduating from law school, and is now the vice president of program design and evaluation at Prison Fellowship. Now he spends his time attempting to help fellow imprisoned people flourish after serving time in prison. In this episode, Jesse shares his remarkable journey from bank robber to attorney, while David and ...
Dec 10, 2022•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 55
We toss around words like "conservative" and "progressive" without really understanding – or agreeing on – the meaning of these terms. This week, David and Curtis discuss how these labels simply don't work when applied across both theology and politics. How is the equivocation surrounding these terms misleading and therefore damaging to Christian discourse? Can politics be used as a proxy for faithfulness? If so, when? Join David and Curtis as they dive deeper into the word "progressive" and "co...
Dec 03, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 54
This week David and Curtis are joined by Eric Costanzo, a Southern Baptist pastor from Tulsa, Oklahoma who has led his own congregation in the practice of welcoming refugees and immigrants in their community. Eric is also the co-author of the book "Inalienable: How Marginalized Kingdom Voices Can Help Save the American Church". Join us for this challenging discussion that, based on the number of times it's mentioned in scripture (plus Jesus' own experience as a displaced refugee), is an issue ne...
Nov 19, 2022•59 min•Ep. 53
There is no shortage of punditry, analysis and Monday morning quarterbacking about this week's midterm elections, including David's own work at the Dispatch. In this podcast, however, David and Curtis try to take a slightly broader (dare we say higher?) view, to ask not only the raw political questions, but also the broader questions about what this election might be signaling for our country, our culture, and our church. What are the signs we should be paying attention to, and how should we as ...
Nov 12, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 52
Episode 51 - Does Jesus Need an Ad Campaign? with Jason Vanderground If you watch any sports on television you may have seen one of the edgy, black & white ads from the "He Gets Us" campaign. Designed to introduce Jesus to a culture that is actually quite intrigued by him, this campaign has created both curiosity and questions. We are excited to be joined this week by one of the chief architects of the campaign, Jason Vanderground. Join us for this excellent conversation about the campaign i...
Nov 05, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 51
This week David and Curtis are joined by David Skeel, one of the world's leading experts on bankruptcy law and the Chairman of the Financial Oversight & Management Board for Puerto Rico, which was responsible for helping the territory restructure and cut its public debt by 80%. David brings a unique perspective as both a legal scholar and follower of Christ, particularly around how our understanding of debt can and should image Biblical values while not being strictly prescribed by Biblical ...
Oct 29, 2022•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 50
So how should Christians be approaching the midterm elections? Apart from the basic question of who to vote for, are there perhaps deeper questions to consider? What about the fact that 60% of Americans will have an election denier on their ballot this year? Is our democracy as unstable as a game of Jenga? Join David and Curtis for this enlightening discussion around the midterms and how we as Christians should be thinking about our role in the process. -Alexander Solzhenitsyn - Live Not by Lies...
Oct 22, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 49
Anxiety is everywhere. It feels as though it is at crisis levels individually, and is also spilling over into our culture at large, particularly in the political arena. This week David and Curtis are joined by a live studio audience in Washington, DC to talk about our personal and cultural anxiety. Fortunately, they also offer some good news. Drawing upon Curtis' upcoming book "The Anxiety Opportunity", we learn how Christians can actually view anxiety as an opportunity to grow closer to a Savio...
Oct 15, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 48
Are Christians called to navigate their finances differently from everyone else? Are the oft-repeated directives to save aggressively and avoid all debt either scriptural or wise? Is it possible that spiritual wisdom and practical wisdom are sometimes one and the same? Join David and Curtis in this excellent discussion with James Choi, Professor of Finance at Yale. As a Christian and a behavioral economist, James brings both spiritual and practical wisdom to the area of personal finance and expo...
Oct 08, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 47
Raise yourself up by your own bootstraps. This is a refrain we hear all the time, especially as Americans catechized in the dogma of personal responsibility. But what if some people don't have bootstraps? What if some don't even have boots? This week David and Curtis welcome educational expert and Rice University sociology professor Ruth López Turley. Raised on the U.S./Mexico border, Ruth's own educational story is fascinating and lends special weight to her observations about educational equit...
Oct 01, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 46
Evil is certainly a powerful force in our world. We are witnessing it live in the form of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. But is evil ultimately as powerful as it is popularly portrayed? Does evil perhaps contain in itself the seeds of its own destruction? Join David and Curtis in this week's fascinating discussion about the inherent weakness of evil. Show Notes: Why the Allies Won by Richard Overy Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield N.T. Wright: "Paul and Caesar: A New Reading of Romans" Good F...
Sep 24, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 45
In this special re-release, we at the Good Faith podcast want to honor the life of Jonathan Tjarks, who passed away last week. Jonathan was an NBA beat writer and podcaster for The Ringer, but he was so much more! Just 6 months ago we had the pleasure of having Jonathan join us to talk about his cancer diagnosis, the role of his faith community in caring for his family, and even a little NBA talk. Whether you caught this episode or not, we believe his hard-earned wisdom is worth hearing over and...
Sep 17, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 44
