All Episodes

November 2, 2021 40 mins

Dr. Fellipe do Vale and Dr. Madison Pierce interview Dr. Manuel Rauchholz, who is Associate Professor of Anthropology and Intercultural Studies at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Manuel has been teaching at TEDS for three years, and he also is an alumnus. He completed a ThM under Paul Hiebert at TEDS before going on to doctoral work in cultural anthropology at Heidelberg University.

The episode begins with Manuel sharing the fascinating trajectory his life has taken, beginning with his birth in Germany, through to his family’s missions work in Micronesia (especially the island of Chuuk), and followed by stretches of time in Illinois, Germany, and Japan. Manuel brings his cultural expertise and curiosity to his work, and in the episode, he emphasizes the importance of a careful and detailed understanding of human communities, both in their beauty and in the difficult things one encounters therein. Such a practice enriches seminaries and churches, for it is a way to become “all things to all people,” maintains Manuel, and doing so demonstrates love and self-giving to those communities. Manuel himself has exhibited this nuanced anthropological work in his studies on human trafficking in small island communities, and concludes with some recommendations for how Christians can be agents of good in such spaces.

Along the way, listeners will discover…

  • Why Manuel thinks his wife is more German than he is
  • Some of the challenges of being a cultural anthropologist, especially since people, unlike books, do not stay in one place
  • How theologians, pastors, and ministers can learn from the study of culture

To learn more about Dr. Manuel Rauchholz, visit his faculty page, read one of his publications in journals like the Asia Pacific Journal of Anthropology, watch his recent interview on abuse and the church with the Koinonia network, or better yet, come study with him at TEDS!

Mark as Played

Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

Crime Junkie

Crime Junkie

Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.

24/7 News: The Latest

24/7 News: The Latest

The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.

Stuff You Should Know

Stuff You Should Know

If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.