The Two Cities

In this episode we’re joined by Dr. Matthew Elia, who is assistant professor of theology, race, and environment at Saint Louis University, and the author of The Problem of the Christian Master: Augustine in the Afterlife of Slavery (published by Yale University Press). Over the course of our conversation we talk about what Augustine had to say about slavery, as well as how Augustine relates to the...

In this episode we’re joined by Prof. David Pechansky, who is Professor Emeritus at the University of St. Thomas, and the author of the book we’re discussing in this episode, Solomon and the Ant: The Qu’ran in Conversation with the Bible (published with Cascade). Over the course of our conversation we talk about various thematic parallels that emerge when the Bible is intentionally juxtaposed with...

In this episode we’re joined by Aimee Byrd, who is the author of a number of books, including the one we’re discussing on this episode, The Hope in Our Scars: Finding the Bride of Christ in the Underground of Disillusionment (published with Zondervan). In our conversation, Aimee points to the hope that she has in the midst of the negativity that she has experienced in her church context, and we ta...

In this episode we’re joined by Dr. John Inazu, who is the Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law and Religion at Washington University in St. Louis, and the author of the book that we discuss in this episode, Learning to Disagree: The Surprising Path to Navigating Differences with Empathy and Respect  (published by Zondervan). Over the course of our conversation we talk about what...

CW: sexual and physical abuse, spiritual abuse, grooming, molestation, childhood trauma   In this episode we're joined by Ryan George, who is the author of Hurt and Healed by the Church: Redemption and Reconstruction After Spiritual Abuse. During our conversation, Ryan tells us his story, which centers on how his father was an abusive pastor in the Independent Fundamentalist Baptist context,...

In this episode we’re joined by Gabriel Gordon, who is a master’s student in Theology at Marquette University and the author of the book that we discuss in this episode, The Fundamentals of a Recovering Fundamentalist: Reorienting towards the True, Good, and Beautiful (Wipf & Stock). In our conversation, Gabriel talks about how he deconstructed his fundamentalist upbringing in favor of an indi...

In this episode we’re talking about Dispensationalism with Dr. Daniel Hummel, who is the Director of the Lumen Center and Upper House in Madison, WI, a research fellow in the History Department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the host of the UpWords podcast, and the author of The Rise and Fall of Dispensationalism: How the Evangelical Battle Over the End Times Shaped a Nation  (Eerdma...

In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Jason Staples, who is Asst Teaching Professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at North Carolina State University, and the author of The Idea of Israel (CUP) as well as the more recent book that we’re discussing in this episode, Paul and the Resurrection of Israel (also with CUP). Over the course of our conversation, we talk about the impre...

In this episode we’re joined by Dr. Nicholas Elder, who is Associate Professor of New Testament at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary and the author of the book that we discuss in this episode, Gospel Media: Reading, Writing, and Circulating Jesus Traditions (published by Eerdmans). Over the course of our conversation, Dr. Elder talks about some major myths that are perpetuated in scho...

In this episode we’re joined by Professor Curtis Freeman, who is Ruth D. Duncan Director of the Baptist House of Studies and Research Professor of Theology and Baptist Studies at Duke Divinity School, and he’s the author of Pilgrim Letters , and the book that we’re excited to discuss in this episode, Pilgrim Journey . In our conversation we talk about the value of speaking Christianly about the wo...

In this episode we’re joined by Dr. Jonathan Downie (PhD, Heriot-Watt University), who is a Consultant Interpreter and Researcher in Multilingual Churches, and the author of Multilingual Church: Strategies for Making Disciples in All Languages (w/ William Carey Publishing). Over the course of our conversation, Dr. Downie articulates the importance of multilingualism as something that churches shou...

Dr. Barnabas Aspray is Assistant Professor of Systematic Theology at St. Mary's Seminary and University in Baltimore, MD and the author of a recent article in the academic journal, Modern Theology , called "Jesus Was A Refugee: Unpacking the Theological Implications." In this episode Dr. Aspray addresses the topic of the refugee crisis around the world by building upon the notion of the Holy Famil...

CW: violence against children, assault, domestic partner violence, adverse religious experiences, suicide Rev. Dr. Scott Harrower is Lecturer in Christian Thought at Ridley College and an ordained minister in the Anglican Church. In this episode, Revd Dr. Harrower offers a theological response to trauma through the doctrine of the Trinity–reflected in large part in his book God of All Comfort . We...

CW: adverse religious experiences Dr. Charles Kiser is a pastor and theologian with Storyline Christian Community in Dallas, TX, and Dr. Elanie Heath is the former Dean of Duke Divinity School and the author of The Mystic Way of Evangelism and Loving the Hell Out of Ourselves (and Others) . In this episode, we talk about Dr. Kiser’s and Dr. Heath’s recent book Trauma-Informed Evangelism . In addit...

CW: murder, depression Dr. Matthew D. Kim is the Professor of Practical Theology; Holder of the Hubert H. and Gladys S. Raborn Chair of Pastoral Leadership at Truett Seminary at Baylor University. In this episode, Dr. Kim introduces us to his book Preaching to People in Pain (Baker Academic, 2021) and his broader philosophies around trauma informed preaching. He explains some of the ways that prea...

CW: adverse religious experiences, church-related trauma, narcissistic leaders Dr. Scot McKnight is Professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary and Laura Barringer is an author and a Kindergarten Teacher. In this episode, they summarize their two recent books ( A Church Called Tov and Pivot ). In the first part, in the light of abuse related to Willow Creek Church and the Southern Baptist Conv...

CW: wartime violence, civilian casualities, suicide Dr. Brian Powers is Vann Fellow in Christianity and the Armed Forces and Executive Director of the International Centre for Moral Injury at Durham University. In this episode Dr. Powers defines the term “moral injury” and helps us to understand some of the applications of this term with respect to military personnel, veterans, and frontline healt...

CW: sexual assault, forced migration, intimate partner violence. Dr. Alexiana Fry is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Copenhagen and the author of Trauma Talks in the Hebrew Bible . In this episode, we talk about how she began working on this topic as well as several different texts that have or could be read in light of trauma (e.g., Judges 19; Lamentations). She offers helpful comp...

Dr. Tim Middleton is Tutorial Fellow in Theology & Director of the Centre for Baptist Studies at Regent’s Park College at Oxford University.  In this episode, we talk about ecological trauma—the trauma experienced by the earth and as a result of climate change and other ecological conditions. Dr. Middleton explains how his work intersects with trauma theologies and brings Christology into...

CW: microaggressions, institutional trauma, intergenerational trauma Pastor Juliet Liu is a co-pastor of Life on the Vine in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, and she serves as Chair of the Board for Missio Alliance. In this episode, we talk about what constitutes racial trauma, how this occurs differently in different environments, how intergenerational trauma affects the children of those who ha...

CW: suicidal ideations, obsessive compulsive disorder In this episode we’re talking about trauma and mental illness with John Andrew Bryant. John Andrew Bryant is a caregiver, writer, and part-time street pastor in a small steel town outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and he is the author of A Quiet Mind to Suffer With , published in 2023 with Lexham Press. He defines and then shares his own experi...

CW: Domestic and Family Violence Erica Mandi Manga (née Hamence), who is Associate Minister of Formation and Training at St Barnabas Broadway in Australia, joins us to talk about the trauma caused by Domestic and Family Violence. In this episode, we talk about Erica's work in resourcing churches, define "domestic and family violence," which encompasses far more than intimate partner violence, char...

CW: Sexual Harassment, Gender-Based Discrimination Tiffany Bluhm is an author and speaker who serves at the intersection of justice and faith. In the book we feature her book Prey Tell . In this episode, she explains how women often experience abuses of power and portions of her story where she experienced sexual harassment and retaliation. She also offers a really helpful approach to bystander in...

CW: gender-based discrimination, religious trauma Aimee Byrd is the author of several books, including Recovering from Biblical Manhood and Womanhood and The Sexual Reformation . In this episode we hear Aimee recount her experiences of trauma in conjunction with her ministry as an author and speaker. She shares about her gender-based discrimination and the harm caused by her denomination, how she...

CW: gender-based violence, sexual assault, religious trauma, intimate partner violence Dr. Katie Cross is Lecturer in Practical Theology at Christ’s College at the University of Aberdeen. She is the author of The Sunday Assembly and Theologies of Suffering and the co-editor of Feminist Trauma Theologies and Bearing Witness . (Bonus note: Her co-editor is last week’s guest Karen O’Donnell!) In this...