Common Threads: An Interfaith Dialogue

These episodes, from 2008, are conversations with Morgan Atkinson. He wrote the book & TV special "Soul Searching," an in-depth discovery of Thomas Merton and his pioneering spiritual work. Sometimes for the heck of it, I tune into EWTN, the hardcore conservative Catholic radio network. Recently on a call-in show someone asked a priest about Fr. Merton. One might guess that his take on Merton was...

Ray Suarez is one of my most favorite guests. I've been a major fan since he hosted "Talk of the Nation" on NPR back in the 90s. Is this interview dated? In a way, yes, because it was recorded in 2006. But how prescient it is. When it was broadcast GW Bush was in the White House. We did have to deal with the absurd religiosity that prompted him to make the decisions he did. But now we are still in...

These episodes are from 2008. Here I interview Dr. Rodney Stark from Baylor University. Interesting chap. One gets the impression that he doesn't suffer fools gladly...or easily. How much you wanna bet that his students call him Dr. Snark? Anyway, I did think he was quite engaging. A bit biased toward Christianity, but still, I enjoyed my time with him. We discuss his book "Discovering God." Theme...

Holy Moses! I had thought that I'd digitized all the cassette tapes of old Common Threads programs a few months ago. Now, I discover a whole shoe box filled to the brim with more. Now we start the process all over again. This little gem comes from 2007. IDA had partnered with a new org here in Grand Rapids called Grand Dialogue. Their mission is focused on the intersection of faith & science. Now...

There is no question that one of the major game changer of the 20th century was Desmond Tutu. While I'd love to tell you that these episodes feature The Man himself, I am pleased to offer you a wonderful conversation with someone he mentored for decades. Rev. Michael Battles has patterned his life after this living saint. He is the author of a deeply moving spiritual biography of Bishop Tutu. Enjo...

The Pew Survey on Religion in the USA is out now. I thought that I'd reach out to someone who could provide context & perspective on this. I happened upon an article online by Rev. Wes Granberg-Michaelson, who has roots here in West Michigan, that focuses on today's Christian population. He graciously agreed to join us in June of 2020. Soon up: Judaism in America. Theme music "Nigal."

In all of the years of Common Threads it seems like we have never really given The Devil his due. I mean, where would religion be without him? Our interview here in these 2021 episodes try to accomplish 2 things: We want to get a better understanding of the various versions of Satan/Lucifer that are exposed in the Bible. And then there is the rise of "devil worship" in modern American. Keep in min...

I've known Kavita Pallod Sekhsaria for several years now. As long as I've known her she was working toward her PhD in Psychology, with the goal of focusing her efforts on offering treatment to those in her own spiritual community. One thing we can be proud of here in the west is that we have come such a long way over the years in allowing those who suffer from depression and other mental challenge...

One of the things I love to do from time to time is take advantage of the opportunity to promote some of the great programming that we air on our sister station WGVU-TV, our areas PBS affiliate. In May of 2021 PBS stations across the country aired a remarkable documentary on the life of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, one of the most influential clergymen and academics of the 20th century. If you'd...

Hey, I love West Michigan, really. We have to admit, however, that it's not a hotbed of progressive thought. It may take a while to catch up with other areas. This has surely been the case with with gender based issues. It is almost embarrassing to know that the subject of our discussion in these 2021 episodes made news around the country. It reflected poorly on us. Thankfully, so much has changed...

Not long ago I was speaking to a friend about how Jews interpret the Bible. He couldn't see how the writings of the prophets such as Isaiah or Ezekiel could be talking about anything other than predicting the coming of Jesus as Messiah. This is remarkably provincial thinking--especially coming from a graduate of Yale who majored in philosophy! But he was never exposed to any other theological opti...

While I enjoy discussing the Big Questions of theology, eschatology, etc., there is also the appeal of just how religion shapes societies & individuals. That would be sociology. I came across our guest for these 2021 episodes in a manner similar to other bookings--by accident. I was surfing the web for something else and landed on the site for the Society of the Scientific Study of Religion. OK, I...

You probably notice that we don't cover much fiction here on Common Threads. But every once in a while a book comes my way that knocks my socks off. This is one. The story has a foundational truth. Siddhartha, who became the Buddha, did have a wife. We just don't know what happened to her after he left her. This story postulates that she followed him as a disciple. Really, really enjoy. Theme musi...

If we look back to about 120-130 years ago we can certainly find similarities between yesterday & today. We share the concerns of an unbridled form of capitalism, misguided religious fervor, corrupt elected officials and work force that is under the yoke of all the above. They were dark days. According to our guest Shalyn Romney Garrett and her co-author there can be light at the end of the tunnel...

If you've listened to a good chunk of our collection here of episodes that date back a couple of decades you may have come across a few that I've recorded with my cousin. Fr. Tom Stella was ordained at Notre Dame in the early 70s. He currently is a chaplain at a healthcare organization that is co-operated by both the Catholic Church and the 7th Day Adventists in Colorado. We aired this episode in...

These episodes aired shortly after the insurrection at the Capitol (or as some Republicans called it, "Just a regular bunch of patriotic tourists visiting'). Remember the QAnon Shaman? Many thought he might be a part of a white supremacy movement that refers to itself as Heathenism. Actually, he has no part in that, but to the uninitiated he seemed to look the part. Join us for Jennifer Snook's ta...

A question that is often asked as a thought experiment concerns the difference between a terrorist and a freedom fighter. Is there one? Well, if you are looking to either the Bible or our Founders I'm not sure you'd walk away with an easy answer. So in these 2 episodes from early 2021 we discuss with Sam Boyd his article that explores this issue. Samuel L. Boyd is an Assistant Professor in Religio...

It seems like I must be a mutant American, as I have such little interest in the British monarchy. I always seemed to know just as much as a tabloid cover in a check-out stand would tell me. So I came to The Crown with a bit of an attitude. But my wife knows good TV, and she did persuade me. And yes, I got hooked. Love it. Cant' wait for the next season. I did notice how religion has a rather sign...

Alok is a pretty impressive guy. A previous book with a similar theme came out a few years ago. The title was close as well. The publisher told him to replace the word "Hindu" with "Indian." Alok said no, & then self published. He is quite firm in his belief that it was just Indian culture that encouraged significant discoveries, but the religion of that culture. Curious? Listen. Theme music "Niga...

Rabbi James Rudin joins Common Threads joins us to discuss the history leading up to, and Judeo Christian relations since, Nostra aetate (Latin: In our time), the Declaration on the Relation of the Church with Non-Christian Religions of the 2ndVatican Council. This is from 2020 Rabbi A. James Rudin has served on the American Jewish Committee’s professional staff for thirty-two years and served as...

Gregory Camp comes to Common Threads for a discussion on conspiracy theories in evangelicalism. Gregory is the author of, ‘Selling Fear: Conspiracy Theories and End-Times Paranoia’ (1997). Dr. Camp is a historian living in Macon, Georgia. A retired history professor, in recent years his interests have been drawn to American Pentecostal history. Theme music "Nigal."

We discuss religion and education with Elise Helgesen Aguilar, Federal Policy Counsel at Americans United for Separation of Church and State in these 2020 episodes Elise earned a bachelor's degree in government from the College of William and Mary in 2008. She graduated from the University of Florida Law School in 2011. There, she was Executive Articles Editor for the Journal of Law and Public Pol...

When we produced these episodes in 2020 we were in serious doo-doo. Trump was still n the White House and Covid was at its peak. As we post these today, we are pleased to report that we have an honorable and empathic President and a vaccine that is working. So yes, we are in a bit better shape that before. But while the majority of registered Republicans believe that the election was stolen, it's...

Sam Westrop joins us in these 2 episodes from 2020 for conversation. Sam is the director of Islamist Watch. He's here to help us understand the threat of Islamism to non-Muslims and Muslims. Sam Westrop has headed Islamist Watch since March 2017. Prior to this he was research director at Americans for Peace and Tolerance, and ran Stand for Peace, a London-based counter-extremism organization monit...

Growing up in Detroit, I had no exposure to the Dutch Reformed traditions. It wasn't until I moved to Grand Rapids that I learned what an influential subculture they represent. Speaking to friends who grew up in the various Reformed denominations I heard both horror stories of strict upbringings that included no secular movies or having to refrain from swimming on 90 degree Sundays, as well as acc...