A Matter of Faith: A Presby Podcast
Welcome to A Matter of Faith: A Presby Podcast, the podcast where we respond to your questions and comments on issues of faith, social justice and church life. Don't be afraid to write in and ask your question because if it matters to you, it matters to us and it just might be a matter of faith. Whether it be faith in God, faith in others or faith in yourself. We are brought to you by the Office of Faith-Based Investing & Corporate Engagement, the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program, and Unbound: An Interactive Journal on Christian Social Justice for the Presbyterian Church (USA). Submit questions to faithpodcast@pcusa.org. LISTENING GUIDES FOUND IN PODCAST SHOW NOTES.
Episodes
Special Guest:
Michael Heyes, Author of Devils of Democracy: America's Love Affair with Political Demons from the Revolution to Today & Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Religion at Lycoming College
Question of the Week:
How do theologies based on fear shape the way Christians understand power, enemies, and democracy? Why are fear and demonization such persuasive and powerful tools in relig...
Special Guest:
Sarah Stankorb, Author of Disobedient Women & Damned If She Does: Why Women Quit Church and What It Means for the Future of Religion, reporter on the intersection of religion, politics, and gender
Question of the Week:
Why are women leaving the church and Christianity? Beyond simply loss of membership, what is the greater impact and significance of women leaving the Church? Is it possible for...
Special Guest:
Chelsea Kim Long, Author of Faithfully Dissident Daughters: Reclaiming Christian Womanhood beyond Patriarchy; Neighborhood Pastor and Lay Theologian
Question of the Week:
How do patriarchal views of Christianity undermine women and womanhood? How can progressive faith communities help empower women to reimagine their faith and relationship with God?
Special Guest:
Will Brown, Author of No Longer Male and Female: A Biblical Guide for Our Questions about Gender & Hospital Chaplain
Question of the Week:
How can faith communities invite people who see gender as only “male and female” to have a wider understanding of human experience and what it means to be made in the image of God?
No Longer Male and Female: A Biblical Guide for Our Questions ab...
Special Guest:
Rabbi Caryn Broitman, Author of The Torah is an Open Book: Radical Readings for the Seeker and the Skeptic and rabbi of the Martha's Vineyard Hebrew Center
Question of the Week:
We’ve talked a lot on the podcast recently about Biblical literalism and Christian nationalism and how the Bible has been used to shame and exclude people. But those conversations have been rooted in a Christi...
Special Guest:
Kimberly Knowle-Zeller, Author of Small Steps: Blessings to Lift Your Soul on the Pilgrimage of Life & ELCA Pastor
Question of the Week:
What does it mean to view our everyday lives as pilgrimages? How does that impact the way we understand our lives?
Small Steps:Blessings to Lift Your Soul on the Pilgrimage of Life
For Listening Guides, click here!
Got a question for us? Send them to faithp...
Special Guest:
Elizabeth Hinson-Hasty, J. Roy Davis Family Chair of Theology and History, Director of Doctorate of Ministry Program at Union Presbyterian Seminary; Member of Charlotte Presbytery
Question of the Week:
A major challenge for churches is that they are both religious institutions and also non-profit organizations. How can faith communities navigate the relationship between economics/business and fai...
Special Guest:
Chantal Morales McKinney, Author of Following Jesus Beyond Church Walls: A Catalyst for Your Spiritual Growth & Episcopal Priest
Question of the Week:
What happens to our faith when our churches or institutions fail? Whether it be because they close or fail to live up to their own values, this can be a devastating event for one’s faith. How can we maintain our faith and also all...
Special Guest:
Pamela Gales Conrad, Author of A Believer's Journey Through the Stars: Spiritual Reflections on the Wonders of the Universe, Astrobiologist, Former NASA Scientist, & Episcopal Priest
Question of the Week:
We often hear that science and faith cannot coexist and are in opposition with each other. How does your experience with astronomy, space exploration and the Mars Rover mission and astrobiol...
Special Guest:
Rachel Kessler, Author of Nerd Faith: 60 Second Sprints of Spiritual Guidance for the Occasionally Uncool, Episcopal Priest & Chaplain at Kenyon College
Question of the Week:
People often separate pop culture from faith. But how do pop culture and spirituality intersect and how can pop culture actually be an entry point to deeper topics of faith and justice?
Special Guest:
Natalia Terfa, Author of It All Counts: Finding God Everywhere They Told You Not to Look; ELCA Pastor, & Host of the Cafeteria Christian Podcast
Question of the Week:
We’ve seen a lot of changes and challenges to the ways we understand what it means to be a person of faith or a church. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic forced communities to embrace new ways of worshipping. What does it...
Special Guest:
Marty Folsom, Author of The Psalms: A Sanctuary for the Soul, Book 1: 1–30
Question of the Week:
Why do ancient prayers like the Psalms still matter in today's world?
The Psalms: A Sanctuary for the Soul, Book 1: 1–30
For Listening Guides, click here!
Got a question for us? Send them to faithpodcast@pcusa.org!
A Matter of Faith website
Special Guest:
Ben Daniel, Author of Grace Over Guns & Pastor at Montclair Presbyterian Church, Oakland, CA
Question of the Week:
We often hear about debates between military force ocassionally being justified compared to true, full pacifism. How are we to navigate this debate as Christians?
For Listening Guides, click here!
Got a question for us? Send them to faithpodcast@pcusa.org!
A ...
Special Guest:
Richard Bruxvoort Colligan, Author of Dangerous Songs: The Psalms and a Gloriously Disrupted Life & Director of Spiritual Formation at Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Rochester, Minnesota
Question of the Week:
People often view the Psalms as scriptures for comfort and consolation. But the Psalms are so much more complex. What do we miss by failing to recognize the full experience that the Psal...
Special Guest:
Sarah K. Butterfield, Author, Podcaster & Ministry Director
Question of the Week:
Life is so busy for parents, and especially for moms and maternal figures. What does it look like to cultivate spiritual practices in the middle of busy “mom life”? How can spouses and partners support moms so they have time for their own spirituality?
Special Guest:
Rick Hamlin, Author of Everlasting Jesus: 40 Days of Timeless Wisdom for Modern Living
Question of the Week:
In today’s busy world full of news and noise, it can be a challenge to actually sit down and read scripture. Then when we finally do, we feel compelled to “get through” the reading to get on to the next thing, without actually absorbing any of Jesus’ teachings. How ...
Special Guest:
Richard Beck, Author of The Book of Love: A Better Way to Read the Bible & Professor of Psychology at Abilene Christian University
Question of the Week:
In a polarized and politicized society, people hold very strongly what they believe is "right" or "the truth" when it comes to understanding and interpreting scripture. How can we read scripture together and have productive conversations abou...
Special Guest:
Rev. William H. Lamar IV, Author of Ancestors: Those Who Bless Us, Curse Us, and Hold Us
Question of the Week:
In a challenging and polarized world, it is easy to focus only on moving forward and not reflect on our own past and history. What do we miss when we forget to acknowledge and understand our ancestors? How does understanding our ancestors impact how see ourselves, especially as Chr...
Special Guest:
Warren Throckmorton, Author of The Christian Past That Wasn’t: Debunking the Christian Nationalist Myths That Hijack History
Question of the Week:
What are the myths that Christian nationalism perpetuates? Who do they empower and how do they misrepresent history and scripture? How can we counter this narrative?
The Christian Past That Wasn't Debunking the Christian Nationalist Myths ...
Special Guest: Aaron Cline Hanbury, Author of Wired for Wonder: Dispatches on Technology, Culture, God, and Self
Question of the Week: As technology advances, our world and our lives become more technology driven. Is this a “good” thing in terms of how we interact with the world, each other, and how we understand God and the divine?
Wired for Wonder: Dispatches on Technology, Culture, God, and Self
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