Created in the Image of God

Where religion and reporting meet, the stakes are high, and the stories are deeply human. Writer and scholar Mark Oppenheimer joins Created in the Image of God to reflect on a life spent at the intersection of belief, culture, and public conversation. Known for his work with The New York Times, This American Life, and the groundbreaking Unorthodox podcast, Oppenheimer brings wit and candor to how...

Philosopher and educator Joe Atman approaches the Book of Genesis as a universal and familiar entry point for rethinking how humanity learns—and why we so often mistake information for understanding. Rather than treating Genesis as theology, he interprets it as a map of consciousness: a story of curiosity, judgment, and rediscovery that mirrors our intellectual and moral evolution. Drawing on his...

Can journalism still serve truth instead of ideology in an era defined by partisanship and polarization? Tangle founder Isaac Saul joins Created in the Image of God for a timely conversation about the pursuit of balance in modern media. Through Tangle’s nonpartisan model—where stories are examined from the left, right, and center—Isaac is reimagining what it means to inform without inflaming, to c...

The power of thought—hailed in the Bahá’í Writings as the true reality of humankind—has become both a creative and contested frontier. In an age of cognitive warfare, where persuasion is engineered and trust erodes by design, the act of seeking truth demands vigilance. This discussion with journalist Mehrtash Olson explores how modern media and information systems shape not only public opinion but...

In this episode of Created In The Image of God, we welcome David French — New York Times opinion columnist, constitutional lawyer, Iraq War veteran, and author of Divided We Fall. Few voices today carry his combination of legal expertise, military service, and journalistic influence. French has long argued for the importance of character in leadership, the defense of religious liberty, and the dan...

When words fail, art speaks. Licensed art psychotherapist Tracey Saia has spent over 25 years helping people process trauma, strained relationships, and life transitions through creative expression. Her work proves that art isn’t about talent — it’s about giving your inner world a way to speak. Tracey shares how art therapy turns pain into expression, builds resilience, and opens doors to healing...

Dean Simone’s résumé reads like a highlight reel of American film and television. He’s played Jim Murray in HBO’s Winning Time, shared the screen in Craig Gillespie’s Dumb Money, starred in the feature Game Day, and appears in Netflix’s upcoming Gringo Hunters. His face has anchored global Super Bowl campaigns, and his voice has fronted The Smokin’ Cobras on stages from Dodger Stadium to Tokyo. Bu...

Michael Stone was only two and a half years old when he discovered his mother hanging. His childhood spiraled into abandonment, abuse, and disconnection. Years later, his wife was murdered, leaving him to raise their daughter while living under suspicion for more than forty years until DNA evidence finally revealed the truth. These experiences could have destroyed him. Instead, they became the gro...

Suizan Schacherer knows what it’s like to feel trapped in your own body. 55 years of yo-yo diets. A lifetime of self-doubt. And the quiet, constant shame that comes with never feeling enough. One day, she decided to stop running from herself. She faced the pain. The habits. The stories she’d been telling herself for decades. A hundred pounds disappeared, yes. But more importantly — the shame vanis...

Get ready to equip yourself with fundamental tools and biblical wisdom to navigate your career, personal life, or spiritual journey! Drawing on decades of leadership development experience at Yale, Merck, Ernst & Young, and other organizations, Dr. Jay Morris joins us to reveal how the Holy Spirit actively guides us in our everyday choices, enabling us to lead with clarity, integrity, and courage....

Understanding God’s Word doesn’t have to be complicated. We sit down with Dan Parr, the narrator and publisher behind the Easy-to-Understand, Read Bible — a growing movement helping thousands of people rediscover Scripture in a way that feels personal, clear, and alive. Through his narration and publishing work, Dan has made it possible for anyone — whether new to faith or returning to it — to con...

In a world that pressures us for perfection, how can we embrace every part of our journey—including the parts that hurt? In this powerful episode, ""Life Beyond Scars,"" we sit down with the remarkable Virginia Solomons. Virginia shares her incredible story of self-acceptance, speaking with raw openness about learning to live with her scars, wounds, and pain. She challenges the labels society plac...

What if the biggest barrier to your freedom isn’t the world, but the religious systems you’ve trusted the most? That’s the heart of our conversation with Tom Snow, author of Set the Captives Free. His journey pulls back the curtain on something few want to discuss: how churches, traditions, and “discipleship movements” can quietly entrap sincere believers in patterns of control, guilt, and fear —...

Five years ago, Pamela Evischi heard God’s voice in the middle of the night: “It’s time for you to write another book — call it Courage to Heal.” What followed was a three-year journey of confronting hidden wounds, forgotten traumas, and generational patterns she didn’t even know existed. Through that process, Pamela discovered the deep connection between the soul’s health and every part of our li...

Journalism today feels like a battlefield — facts are debated, narratives are weaponized, and trust is fractured. Nancy Rommelmann has spent her career stepping straight into that chaos. From The New York Times to The Wall Street Journal, from her book To the Bridge to her cultural commentary on Smoke ’Em If You Got ’Em, Nancy follows the stories others won’t touch. Her reporting isn’t about pleas...

Claudette Milner has built a career telling stories that challenge, inspire, and spark conversation. As an award-winning author, radio host, and documentarian, she has explored topics ranging from faith and forgiveness to racism, immigration, and identity in today’s America. Her acclaimed book series, Forgiven of Our Transgressions, follows deeply personal journeys of purpose, redemption, and choi...

What defines a successful life? Is it the size of your bank account, the strength of your faith, or the impact you leave behind? For Vic Baklayan, success came through resilience — surviving his family’s losses in Lebanon, starting over in America, and rebuilding through relentless work and unshakable faith. But his story raises a bigger question: what does success mean for you? This isn’t just ab...

What happens when faith becomes a source of pain instead of healing? In this episode, memoirist and trauma survivor Alysha Lee, author of Everything I Might Have Missed, shares her raw and powerful journey through emotional abuse, spiritual betrayal, and the long road to recovery. Alysha opens up about the realities of gaslighting, religious manipulation, and codependency—and how she found resilie...

In a culture of swipes, timelines, and endless advice, how do you find real connection without losing yourself in the process? This week on Created In The Image of God, we’re joined by Nikki Anarado—dating preparation coach, emotional strategist, and founder of Prepare to Be Pursued. With appearances on The Dr. Oz Show, interviews with Tony Gaskins, and her own panel series The Male Room Show, Nik...

In this mind-stretching conversation, we speak with author and researcher John Milor, whose work explores the intersection of faith, prophecy, and what he calls Christian Ufology. Pulling from hundreds of biblical references, John offers a bold interpretation of Genesis 6, the Nephilim, the fall of Lucifer, and the possibility of intelligent life beyond Earth—all through a scriptural lens. Togethe...

In a world moving faster than ever, how do we keep human connection—and spiritual meaning—at the center of it all? In this episode, we're joined by Dominic Pedig: IT specialist, musician, and bridge-builder between generations. Known for his warm and patient approach to tech support for seniors, Dominic brings something rare to the conversation: a heart for service and a deep curiosity about how t...

It’s easy to think of God as something you check in with — at church, in prayer, or when life gets messy. But what if He was already with you… at your desk, in the kitchen, during that phone call, or on your walk home? In this Summer Sunday episode, we talk about what it means to bring God into everything — not by doing more, but by noticing more. From quiet mornings to stressful meetings, from ce...

Real healing often starts when we begin to understand ourselves—not just at the surface, but deep down. Dr. Lori Schoessler joins us to discuss how temperament therapy—a personalized, biblically-informed approach—helps people trace their emotional struggles to the root. With more than 25 years of experience in ministry and Christian counseling, Lori offers a deeply thoughtful perspective on trauma...

In a society fractured by difference, what can unite us? According to Dr. Bob Thiel—internationally respected researcher, scholar of prophecy, and host of the Bible News Prophecy program—it may be the very thing many believe divides us: our visions of the future. Dr. Thiel takes us into a nuanced conversation that bridges Biblical prophecy with perspectives from Islam, Hinduism, Taoism, and Native...

Named by Forbes as one of the best storytellers of the year, Max Stossel doesn’t just perform—he creates experiences that resonate. His one-man show, Words That Move, combines poetry, live performance, and digital visuals into something as emotionally stirring as genre-defying. With performances for Google, TEDx, and Hasbro, and short films commissioned by National Geographic, Caterpillar, and HIK...