Cross & Gavel Podcast

In this episode of the Leadership Roundtable, we are joined by Dean Eric Enlow, calling in from South Korea. His topic is a fascinating one: public witness and persecution, with an emphasis on the political theology of Pastor Wang Yi, a house-church pastor currently serving a prison term in China. Eric is the dean and a professor of law at Handong International Law School (HILS). He is an expert o...

Lecture from Tom Lin (President of Intervarsity ) at this year's CLS National Conference in Newport Beach, CA.

Lecture from Jennifer (Marshall) Patterson ( RTS ) at this year's CLS National Conference in Newport Beach, CA.

Lecture from Justin E. Giboney ( AND Campaign ) at this year's CLS National Conference in Newport Beach, CA. Following him on Twitter at @JustinEGiboney.

A special group of perfect strangers got together one evening during the 2022 CLS National Conference to talk about Aquinas, swingsets, and the authority of God. A few weeks later . . . their audio was found. PARTICIPANTS: Eric Enlow, Myron Steeves, Frank Beckwith, Eddie Colanter, Mike Schutt (aka "Not a Dean of Anything"). Cross & Gavel is a production of CHRISTIAN LEGAL SOCIETY. The episode was...

Joining me this week to talk about the dangers of adopting an "always be innovating" model for the church is Andrew Root. His new book ("The Church After Innovation: Questioning Our Obsession with Work, Creativity, and Entrepreneurship") is now available ( here ). RELATED CONTENT 1. Religion of Silicon Valley ( #120 ) 2. Christian Leadership in Uncertain Terrain ( #110 ) Cross & Gavel is a product...

This week, I talk with two executive directors for their respective organizations about modern day slavery in the form of sex trafficking. Liz runs the International Organization for Stopping Exploitation of Women ( IoSEW ) and Brianna runs Triad Ladder of Hope ( here ). For more on this heionous crime, check out the memoir Girls Like Us from Rachel Lloyd. RELATED CONTENT 1. Prosecuting Human Traf...

Joining me today to talk about the all important work of preparing the church to tackle the technological age is Jason Thacker — the chair of research in technology ethics and director of the research institute at The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC). Jason's new book is out now and can be purchased here . For more on Jason's work, I recommend subscribing to his own excellent podcast...

Joining this week to talk about h ow Christianity lost its cultural influence and can begin rebuilding it anew is  assistant professor of biblical and systematic theology  at Trinity International University —Greg Forster.  His book,  Joy for the World, can be purchased here . RELATED CONTENT 1. My first discussion with Greg on the history of political theology ( #113 ). 2. On Christian leadership...

For our first ever Leadership Roundtable , the students and I were joined by Dr. Jason Lepojärvi on the topic of overcoming resentment culture and better loving our neighbors. Jason is the C.S. Lewis Associate Professor of Theology & Literature (Honors Program) at George Fox University. For more on the forum and the speaker, check out the YouTube page here.

Finding contentment is difficult. So, instead, we replace that pursuit with temporal acts of distraction and pleasure. Joining me this week to discuss the search for meaning through the eyes of four french philosophers is AEI Fellow and author of " Why We Are Restless " — Benjamin Storey. Get his latest book here . Read his latest NY TIMES op-ed, with co-author Jenna Storey,  here . RELATED CONTEN...

Joining me today talk about the ministry of presence and the role of chaplaincy on university campuses is Dr. Winnifred Sullivan – professor of religious studies and co-director of the Center for Religion and the Human at Indiana University. And, Pete Williamson, staff members with Intervarsity Christian Fellowship and a chaplain at Harvard University. Check out Winnifred's fauclty page here and P...

Closing out our summer of Dobbs is a discussion about the opinion itself and the looming state of demedicalized aborton. Joining me today is senior counsel at Americans United for Life —  Clarke Forsythe . Check out his work at AUL ( here ) and read his latest paper on  State Regulation of Chemical Abortion After Dobbs ( here ). His seminal study on Roe   is a must read (available here ).   RELATE...

With the end of Roe  comes a renewed conversation about the meaning of sex and the purpose of our physical bodies. Here to discuss the theology of the body and his new book — Wonderfully Made — is a Lutheran man from a land down under: John Kleining. Check out John's faculty page at Australian Lutheran College ( here ) and buy his book ( here ) today!   Episode produced by Josh Deng, with music fr...

With the end of Roe v. Wade comes the next chapter of the abortion saga. Here to discuss whether the pro-life movement has adequately prepared us for this moment, and what States must do next to help women, is three experts on the topics of employment, community, and life: Amelia Ragan ( employment attorney and partner ), Destiny Herndon-De La Rosa ( Founder of New Wave Feminists ), and Cherilyn H...

The loss of civility has not gone unnoticed, as more and more of us seek the institutional self over the service of community and higher principles. Discussing the intellectual history of the self in the work of Michel de Montainge — and, how his understanding of civility has failed today — is philosopher Ann Hartle. For more on Ann's work, check out her faculty page and buy her new book today!  ...

When work becomes religion in Silicon Valley  — that is the topic for this episode. With UC-Berekeley sociologist Carolyn Chen serving as our guide, helping us understand how tech workers have ushered in a new era of ritual and life in the shadows of productivity. For more on Carolyn's work, check out her page and buy her new book today! Episode produced by Josh Deng, with music from Vexento. A Sp...

Finding a healthy work-life balance in the legal profession is a challenge. Here to discuss what students and faculty must do to help cultivate this balance is law professor at Georgia State University College of Law — Jonathan Todres. Check out more of this work here and read his brand new paper " Work-Life Balance and the Need to Give Law Students a Break ."   Episode produced by Josh Deng, with...

With rates of suicide going up and depression rampant among teens, it is clear that many Americans are struggling to find some semblance of an enduring peace. Here to discuss the timeless question of how and how not to be happy is professor of government and philosophy at the University of Texas and the author of the new book entitled " How and How Not To Be Happy " – J. Budziszewski. Check out hi...

School officials at Bremerton High School suspended—and later fired—football coach Joe Kennedy because of his on-the-field prayer practice that drew widespread attention from students and press. Here to talk about  Kennedy v. Bremerton School District  and school prayer more generally is Keisha Russell — an attorney from First Liberty Institute. For more on Keisha's work, check out her profile at...

In a time when protest reigns supreme, the right to associate under a common banner seems intuitive. But, as more and more of us become subservient to the will of the state and personal preference, the space for pure intermediate association dwindles. Here, to discuss the history and philosophy behind the freedom of association is Dr. Luke Sheahan of Duquesne University. For more on Luke, check ou...

Our Founding Fathers knew well the importance of religion to education. And, yet today, many have dismissed the utility of faith in the development of character. Here to discuss religion's surprising impact on academic success is author of " God, Grades, and Graduation " — Ilana Horwitz. For more on Dr. Horwitz, check out her website and her recent op-ed in the New York Times . More importantly, b...

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells his disciplines: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."  Joining me today to talk about peace and the making therein is the founder of  Peacemaker Ministries , now dedicating his time to Christian reconciliation and building his network through Relational Wisdom 360 – Ken Sande . Buy his groundbreaking book today.   Episode p...

The public engagement of the church has been anything but boring. Joining me today to talk through 2,000 years of Christian public philosophy in 50 minutes is the director of the Oikonomia Network and a visiting assistant professor of faith and culture at Trinity Graduate School – Greg Forster. We discuss Greg's excellent overview study of the political philosophy of the church in  The Contested P...

The co-director of the Marion E. Wade Center at Wheaton College, Crystal L. Downing, joins me this week to talk about the subversive Dorothy L. Sayers. Discover more about Crystal's work here and buy her wonderful biography of Sayers here .   Episode produced by Josh Deng, with music from Vexento. A Special Thanks to Nick and Ashley Barnett for their contribution in making this podcast possible.