Common Threads: An Interfaith Dialogue

One of my favorites! In these 2 episodes I speak to Mark Pinsky, the author of The Gospel According to The Simpsons, which aired in 2001. Not only insightful, but a lot of fun. OK, I'm a bit biased, as before publication Mark reached out to me. I am quoted in the book. And here's something of a bonus track. As you might suspect, when I say goodbye to a guest on air, we normally chat for another mi...

I haven't counted how many episodes we've posted so far with the esteemed teacher Swami Bodhanada. Well, here are 2 more. These aired in 2004. As always, please ignore any promotions for events that are included in our conversations. Also featured here is Dr. Ruth Harring, a remarkable scholar in her own right. Very few are able to explain the non-dual philosophy of Vedanta with such clarity as Sw...

If you've been listening long enough to Common Threads you know that we champion the cause of liberal religion of all stripes. Here we discuss Islam and the challenges its adherents are faced with from a very conservative all-male leadership. In these 2005 episodes we speak with Asra Nomani, a thorn in the side of the Muslim establishment in the USA. Hers is a harrowing tale that could easily have...

Benyamin Cohen, an Orthodox Jew embedded himself in Christian culture for a year just to, y'know, see what it's like. Not much to say to lure you to listen other than this very compelling title. Aired in 2008. Theme music "Nigal."

Many, if not most, religionists will claim that their faith is supported by science. The problem is, most scientists look upon these claims with a very skeptical eye, as they should. But some who speak from wisdom are able to make claims that really should be heard, contemplated and given respect. The work of Rabbi David Nelson would fall into this category. Listen and learn. David Nelson spent mu...

A few things can be taken for granted about our penal system. For one, much of how we punish and/or rehabilitate prisoners is based on rather ancient codes. Also, religion has strongly impacted how we think about punishment. In these 2006 episodes my guests & I discuss how we can move away from a system that seems to work only sometimes, to a place of restorative justice that from all accounts, pr...

Do you know how many times I've heard people ringing the death knell for the religious right? The 1st time was during a sermon given by a Unitarian minister in the 1980s. Yeah, How'd that work out? Even during the GW Bush years pundits were claiming that the movement would be short-lived. And during the Obama years the very naive thought that the Tea Party replaced the Evangelicals with a message...

I was thrilled to find this cassette in the box of old shows. These episodes aired toward the end of 1999. My guest was also a very dear friend named Don Herman. Don passed away in 2019. He meant a lot to my wife & me. His wife Bluma is still a part of our lives. In 1997 Jewish Theatre Grand Rapids staged a play Don wrote called "That Reminds Me of a Story." It was collection of brilliant examples...

I really enjoyed conversing with these co-authors Sandra Hirsh & Jane Kise about their book "Soul Types: Matching Your Personality to Your Spiritual Path." They have devised a testing practice based on the well known Myers Briggs formula that they claim allows one to find a tradition, religion, practice, etc. that seems to resonate. I was impressed with their research. It made for a good discussio...

This is a 2-part conversation with my friend Ali Metwalli from 2001. It is an in-depth explanation of the meaning and logistics of Hajj, the Quran mandated pilgrimage to Mecca that every Muslim who able to must make at least once in a lifetime. Here we are 20 years later, and Ali & I still collaborate on interfaith projects. As I'm writing this we're working on the annual interfaith Thanksgiving w...

Sadly, we have lost significant ground here in the US since these episodes were 1st broadcast in 2009. We were just coming out of what most would call a disastrous presidency of GW Bush. We were so very hopeful with the incoming Obama administration. But fundamentalism, racism & a distorted sense of nationalism fomented. It laid the groundwork for an even more chilling 4 years of Trumpism. Our aut...

In these 2002 conversations I discuss how the Baha'i faith deals with issues of race. Unlike most other religions, the Bahai's really go out of their way to promote interracial couplings. David is that author (with his wife Barbara) of "Marriage Beyond Black & White." I recall telling the story of my father's discovery while jogging recently. I'd forgotten that I told it here. It had a real impact...

If you consume mainstream media here in the US you might get the impression that the Rastriya Swayamsevak Sangh is the Hindu equivalent of ISIS. I've known for a while that they weren't getting a fair shake, but didn't know anyone who could refute the common narrative. Then I came across Dr. Walter Andersen, a scholar specializing in South Asian Studies. His credentials are impressive, as you'll h...

Earlier on in our history we hosted a lot more shows on inner spirituality; the kind of thing you hear listening to "On Being." Nowadays I turn down about 90% of the requests I get for themes like this. As you can probably see by later episodes, we are much more interested in how religion and spirituality intersect with society. All that said, I do remember enjoying these 2004 conversations with M...

I believe this all started in 2004, when I was asked to write an article. You'll hear all about it in the introduction. I can't remember just how I found our guest. Kate Lynns has, as you will hear, an impressive resume. I'm really quite surprised that I can't seem to find her online today. I always like knowing what happened to my guests from years past. Regardless of her status today, I think yo...

If you have been through much of the catalogue that we've got posted from the vault you'll notice at least 3 or 4 episodes that deal with LGBT & Christianity. It seems like a lot, I know. But things really evolved in the past 2 decades, and I wanted to document the prevailing attitudes over time. These conversations were with Rev. Steve Bohlert, who is in the archives telling about his fascinating...

The most important thing to know about these episodes is that in the beginning of Part 1 I seem to confuse the word "apophatics" with Appomattox. Please know it was a joke. I do that now and then. My wife has asked me more than once why I go out of my way to have people believe I'm an idiot. Sorry, but sometimes getting a laugh trumps my dignity. Anyway, this is a good 2-part discussion with Dr. K...

I think these conversations were 1st broadcast in September of 2002. My guess is that this was the initial investigation into Pagan movements that we ever did on Common Threads. A Pagan Pride festival was soon to be held, so we used this to promote the event. As always, please note that websites, phone numbers, etc., have no bearing today. But I hope you enjoy this. Theme music "Nigal."

OK, this was funny. I interviewed Mary a year or 2 before these episodes from 2005 on her experience as a Baptist studying Judaism. When we reconnect for these broadcasts she tells me that at some point during the process of her studying Sufism, she converts to Judaism. But the book was written (as I recall) while she was still a Christian. So all during my line of questioning I have to treat her...

These episodes are a bit of a mystery in terms of chronology. I can't recall when these aired, but am pretty sure that would have happened between 2000-2005. I do remember that someone put me in touch with this very sweet man, Fridoon Rahimi. A dedicated Baha'i, he took on a personal mission of transmitting a sense of morality and character. Timely now as then. Enjoy. Theme music "Nigal."

These shows are follow-ups to Episode #192 of this podcast series. Our guests for these weeks in 2000 were authors Sharan Newman & Caroline Roe. As with our guest previously, these women were here in Grand Rapids for the annual Historical Fiction Conference in Kalamazoo, which has been in existence for almost 50 years. Thanks to a dear friend (Jo Ellyn Clarey) who suggested these 2 very interestin...

While I do respect the power, history & impact of all religions. I have to admit that I have a very hard time with the concept of Hell as it is portrayed in Christian and Muslim theology. Others may have similar dark afterlife regions, but often there is the option of redemption in the future. Well, one of my favorite guests over the years, Brian McLaren, wrote a book that came out in 2005 called...

The book this was based on was impressive. As I say in the intro, I had no idea it would be so....well, sassy. Selema Addul Gafoor collects essays from various American Muslim women that explores behavior that would result in severe physical punishment if discovered in some Islamist societies. There is a lot of stereotype-busting ammo here. These 2005 episodes were really enlightening. Enjoy. Them...

Over the years I've hosted my cousin Tom Stella several times. If you scroll down all the episodes here I think you'll find him 2 or 3 times. Well, as I continue to dig through all these old cassettes that I'm digitizing, lo & behold, I find the very 1st shows we recorded. At this time, in 2000, Tom had his 1st book in mind. The working title was The Essence of Us. When it finally hit print it bec...

These episodes aired circa 2002. Our guest for these was a man I truly admired & loved. Swami Yogeshananda was a dear soul who lived a simple life, and attempted to open up the lines of communication that would facilitate deep dialogue. He was greatly instrumental in the seminal days of Interfaith Dialogue Association, a few years before my time. As you'll hear, we kinda sorta stole the name of ou...