I’ll take any excuse I can get to talk with Shannan Martin! This time we chatted about her most recent book release, Start With Hello, about being neighbors. (Last time we chatted about her first book, Falling Free, which celebrated its book birthday the day we recorded this interview!) On the surface, it seems simple … Continue reading Episode 217 – Shannan Martin
In the West, the Christian tradition we have inherited involves certain views of the God of the Bible and violence. It’s something many, if not most, of us have taken for granted in our discipleship. But what about the rich heritage of Christians in Eastern traditions? How do they teach and learn and experience God … Continue reading Episode 216 – Phuc Luu
Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove’s 2019 release, Revolution of Values, is just as pertinent and applicable as it was when he was writing it. He had me from page 1! Jonathan presents that over the last several decades, white conservative Christians have framed certain issues as the main ones that warrant our concern to the neglect of others. … Continue reading Episode 215 – Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove
Dr. Collin Cornell is a professor of Bible and Mission at Fuller Theological Seminary. Our conversation for this episode is based on a forthcoming article by Collin that puts some question marks over the grand biblical narrative many of us have come to take for granted. For me, the topic of fellowship as it relates … Continue reading Episode 214 – Collin Cornell
Scot McKnight is on the podcast! His new release Revelation for the Rest of Us hit home for me. Turns out, Scot and I grew up in church communities that were teaching similar things about this mysterious book. The “literal” interpretations of Revelation often led to great (and scary!) speculations about what the end of … Continue reading Episode 213 – Scot McKnight
Dr. Dennis Edwards is back! If you missed our first conversation, be sure to go back and listen – you’ll be glad you did! This time we chatted about a book that was just released, edited by Dennis and Lisa Bowens called Do Black Lives Matter? In this conversation, we talk about a few of … Continue reading Episode 212 – Dennis Edwards
Talking with professors is just about one of my favorite things to do (both on and off the podcast) and this conversation with Dr. Carmen Joy Imes definitely reinforced that joy for me! We chatted about her most recent book release, Being God’s Image. Literally, from Genesis to Revelation, Carmen writes on what it means … Continue reading Episode 211 – Carmen Joy Imes
Andrew Whitehead has researched and written extensively on Christian nationalism. His most recent book, American Idolatry, defines Christian nationalism and explains why it is so problematic. While he does have other academic resources on the topic, this text is directed toward us – the lay Christian in America (don’t worry – there are still plenty … Continue reading Episode 210 – Andrew Whitehead
Caroline Sumlin’s new book, We’ll All Be Free exposes how white supremacy affects everyone in its wake (by the way, that means all of us). White supremacy is interwoven into our society at a systemic level, but have you ever thought about how that translates to feelings of personal worth and well being? This conversation … Continue reading Episode 209 – Caroline Sumlin
The contemplative life is not one solely reserved for vocational clergy or people from religious traditions that may feel largely unfamiliar. As Adam Bucko amazingly writes, practices, and encourages, contemplation is for each of us. With each page turned in his newest book, Let Heartbreak Be Your Guide, I felt my spiritual and theological imagination … Continue reading Episode 208 – Adam Bucko
To say that the world (and us in it) are busy isn’t news. For centuries, some religious communities have found solace in the instruction to rest in the midst of busyness. Filmmaker, Martin Doblmeier, has captured some of these traditions in his newest film by Journey Films, Sabbath. In this project, Jewish and Christian scholars … Continue reading Episode 207 – Martin Doblmeier
I am so stoked to have Kate Boyd on the podcast! For anyone who is curious about the word “deconstruction,” is going through it, or knows someone who is – this conversation is for you! While Kate’s story of faith and mine have some overlap (primarily in the Bible Belt experiences), hers also includes interacting … Continue reading Episode 206 – Kate Boyd
Even though the student in me was initially a bit nervous (she is an English professor after all!), I had an absolute blast talking with Karen Swallow Prior for this episode! Her newest book, and our conversation, explore the question of what is biblical/Christian versus what is just Victorian, specifically in the evangelical context. Who … Continue reading Episode 205 – Karen Swallow Prior
I can’t tell you how excited I am to have Kaitlyn Schiess BACK on the podcast! (She was here for on Ep. 063 discussing her first book.) Her latest book, The Ballot and the Bible highlights how the Bible has been utilized in politics, for better or worse, over the course of our nation’s history. … Continue reading Episode 204 – Kaitlyn Schiess
My guest this week is no stranger to the mic – Ally Henny is on the podcast! Ally’s book, I Won’t Shut Up, is incredible and I am so grateful for her generosity to share her story. Written with Black women in mind, Ally recounts her experiences and what she has learned about the world, … Continue reading Episode 203 – Ally Henny
CNN journalist John Blake is on the podcast! His newest book, More Than I Imagined, tells his personal story. John is bi-racial, the son of a Black father and a White mother he grew up not knowing anything about. For a man who has been reporting on race for decades (and by his own admission … Continue reading Episode 202 – John Blake
I am so thrilled to have the newly declared Dr. Terence Lester back on the podcast (if you missed his first episode, we’ve got you covered!). Terence has written a beautiful book on racial solidarity through the lens of his own experience as someone who was unhoused for a season and his work for over … Continue reading Episode 201 – Terence Lester
Rev. Dr. Jack Sara is the President of Bethlehem Bible College. I met Jack on what was my 8th (?) trip to the Holy Land, but only my first trip to Palestine. If you think about it (and we mention it a bit in the episode), that fact alone is pretty remarkable. That someone could … Continue reading Episode 200 – Jack Sara
You know that feeling when you’ve been able to sense something for a while and then someone gives you language for that thing? This is exactly what happened to me when I read Dorcas Cheng-Tozun’s new book! In Social Justice for the Sensitive Soul, Dorcas helps those of us who might be Highly Sensitive People … Continue reading Episode 199 – Dorcas Cheng-Tozun
It is always a joy to welcome one of my professors to the podcast! This conversation with Jen Rosner was a true gem. Jen is a Messianic Jewish believer, which means she is Jewish and follows Jesus as her Messiah. Her unique perspective gives her a rich lens with which to view her faith and … Continue reading Episode 198 – Jen Rosner
Just a short little sermon on the center part of the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus gives us quite a few “do not” statements on giving, praying, and fasting. Thankfully, he doesn’t leave the discussion there though. Because he’s a good teacher, he also gives us some “how to” examples. There’s also talk of … Continue reading Episode 197 – Alexis Busetti
Jon Ward is a journalist who has spent the last twenty years covering American politics. He’s also a Christian. And, like so many of us, he was raised in the evangelical culture that is continuing to supply ample obstacles in the terrain as we seek to navigate questions of faith and life. Jon writes about … Continue reading Episode 196 – Jon Ward
I had a fabulous time talking with Tasha Jun! She has written an incredible memoir called Tell Me the Dream Again. Tasha’s experiences as a biracial woman often made a challenge, including in Christian spaces. As you’ll hear in our conversation, as a mixed Hispanic woman, I can totally relate to much of what Tasha … Continue reading Episode 195 – Tasha Jun
It was such a joy to speak with Dr. David Taylor! Every time I get to speak with him (he’s a professor at Fuller, btw), I come away feeling encouraged in the Lord and ready to explore some new way of interacting with my own faith. This conversation was no different! We talked about his … Continue reading Episode 194 – David Taylor
Robert Chao Romero is back! (In case you missed him the first time around, you’ll wanna catch up on that one!) This time Robert and I talk about the new book just released with his co-author, Jeff Liou, Christianity and Critical Race Theory. As referenced in our conversation (like when Robert read a not-so-nice Twitter … Continue reading Episode 193 – Robert Chao Romero
Dr. David Lamb is a biblical scholar and professor at Missio Seminary. His most recent book, The Emotions of God, is the topic of our discussion for this episode. As noted in the brief intro to our conversation, there are places where David and I don’t see eye to eye and that’s okay. The subjects … Continue reading Episode 192 – David Lamb
Happy Resurrection Day! Thanks for joining me as I offer a short homily on Luke 24:1-12. This is one of the gospel passages that describes the women and the other disciples’ discovery that the tomb where they expected to find Jesus was empty on Sunday morning! If you’ve ever been left like them, wondering what … Continue reading Episode 191 – Alexis Busetti
One of the areas I have found myself exploring more in the past few years is the theology of disability. What does it mean to be embodied? What does it look like when we come to terms with the fact that most of us will face disability in our lifetimes? How do we experience God … Continue reading Episode 190 – Lyndsey Medford
This conversation had me feeling both excited and a bit nervous. Nijay Gupta, who is gracious in every way, has written a new book on the ministry of women in the early church and historically, this subject has been a sensitive one for me. Maybe like you, I was discipled in a tradition that held … Continue reading Episode 189 – Nijay Gupta
In 2021, my amazing friend, Jasmine Bellamy, was named in Sports Illustrated’s series Elle-evate: 100 Influential Black Women in Sports! She works with Reebok as the lead for the U.S. Direct to Consumer department and as the Head of Change Management for Reebok’s United Against Racism. In that role, Jasmine has initiated Courageous Conversations as a … Continue reading Episode 188 – Jasmine Bellamy (re-release!)...
