Give and Take

What does genuine political emancipation look like in a world defined by contradiction? And what can Hegel still teach us about freedom, revolution, and the possibility of social transformation? In this episode of  Give and Take , Scott Jones sits down with philosopher Todd McGowan to discuss his provocative new book,  Emancipation After Hegel: Achieving a Contradictory Revolution . Toge...

What does it mean to be a self in an age that won’t let you stay the same? In this episode of Give and Take, Scott Jones talks with Patricia Martin about her new book Will the Future Like You?—a probing exploration of identity in a world defined by constant disruption. As technology accelerates and the pressure to adapt intensifies, Martin argues that we’ve entered an era of “hyper-reinvention,” w...

On this episode of Give and Take, Scott Jones talks with David Fitch of Northern Seminary about the fallout of the Protestant Reformation—and why it might be time to reform the Reformers. Five centuries after 1517, Protestants still celebrate courage, conscience, and clarity. But what if the Reformation also unleashed forces it couldn’t control? Fragmentation. Hyper-individualism. A faith untether...

On this episode of Give and Take, recorded on Mardi Gras, 2026, Scott Jones talks with Philly fitness and wellness coach Lindsay Lombardi about fasting, feasting, and metabolic flexibility. What actually happens in your body when you indulge? Is fasting a powerful tool—or just another trend? And how do you enjoy the feast without wrecking your progress? This is a conversation about discipline with...

In this episode of Give and Take, Scott Jones is joined by legal scholar and social innovator Susan Sturm to discuss her powerful new book, What Might Be: Confronting Racism to Transform Our Institutions. Drawing on decades of work at the intersection of law, education, and organizational change, Sturm offers a hopeful yet demanding vision for how institutions can move beyond performative commitme...

In this episode of Give and Take, Scott sits down with writer and former evangelical insider Mattie Jo Cowsert to talk about her candid and compelling new memoir, God, Sex and Rich People: A Recovering Evangelical Testimony. With honesty, humor, and a clear-eyed sense of moral urgency, Cowsert reflects on her journey through the world of American evangelicalism—and what it cost her to finally step...

On this special Christmas Eve episode of Give and Take, Scott Jones is joined by Professor Matthew Milliner of Wheaton College for a thoughtful and unexpected conversation about Mary—seen through Protestant eyes. Often sidelined or approached with hesitation in Protestant theology, Mary nevertheless stands at the very center of the Christmas story. Milliner, an art historian and theologian, helps...

It’s the holiday season and the devout are fond of reminding everyone that Jesus is the reason for the season. But what do we really know about Jesus? How reliable are the Gospel accounts—and how much can historians really know the mysterious man from Nazareth? In this episode of Give and Take, I sit down with renowned ancient historian Edward J. Watts to explore what historical methods can (and c...

It’s the holiday season and for many of you that means curling up on the couch with some popcorn and some candy and watching one of your favorite feel good Christmas movies. What if all those cozy Christmas movies aren’t really about comfort at all—but about desire, loss, and what we’re missing deep down inside? Today I’m joined by Todd McGowan and Ryan Engley from the Why Theory podcast to psycho...

My guest is James Fishkin, professor at Stanford University and one of the world’s leading scholars of democratic reform. His new book, Can Deliberation Cure the Ills of Democracy? , argues that polarization, mistrust, and democratic dysfunction aren’t just political problems—they’re failures of how we form opinions together. Drawing on decades of research and real-world experiments in deliberativ...

On this episode of Give and Take, Scott sits down with pastor, theologian, and author Mandy Smith for a deep and timely conversation about cultivating a spirit of gratitude as we head into the holiday season. For many, this time of year can feel harried, consumeristic, and stressful—an emotional whirlwind that leaves little room for reflection or joy. Mandy offers a gentle but compelling invitatio...

In this episode of Give and Take, Scott sits down with Philadelphia-based fitness and wellness coach Lindsay Lombardi for a smart, practical, and totally doable guide to staying healthy during the holiday season. From navigating parties and travel to actually enjoying your favorite foods without derailing your goals, Lindsay offers strategies that go beyond quick fixes and guilt cycles. Lindsay in...

In this conversation, Scott Jones and Bryce Eddy delve into the current state of the conservative movement, discussing the internal conflicts, the rise of the 'woke right', and the influence of figures like Nick Fuentes. They explore the generational divides within conservative media, the cultural tensions surrounding immigration and identity, and the implications of these dynamics for the future...

In this episode of Give and Take, Scott sits down with Sarah Hurwitz—former Obama speechwriter and bestselling author—for a sharp, lively conversation about her new book, As a Jew: Reclaiming Our Story from Those Who Blame, Shame, and Try to Erase Us . Hurwitz takes aim at the loudest misconceptions about Jewish identity today—whether they come from bad-faith critics, confused allies, or within th...

In this episode, Scott sits down with historian and friend of the show Edward J. Watts to explore his magisterial new work, The Romans: A 2,000-Year History. From the founding myths of Romulus and Remus to the sack of Constantinople, Watts offers a sweeping narrative that refuses to let the Roman story end in the Western part of the Empire— instead, he argues for a more expansive conception of “Ro...

In this episode of Give and Take, Scott talks with Jeffrey Rosen, president of the National Constitution Center and author of the new book The Pursuit of Liberty: How Hamilton vs. Jefferson Ignited the Lasting Battle Over Power in America. Rosen explores how the clash between Alexander Hamilton’s vision of energetic government and Thomas Jefferson’s dream of individual freedom continues to define...

In this episode of Give and Take, Scott Jones talks with Colin Woodard about his latest forthcoming book, Nations Apart . Woodard maps the deep regional cultures of America, tracing their historical roots and showing how they continue to shape today’s most urgent issues—from gun violence and health disparities to the tension between individual liberty and the common good. To truly understand the r...

On this episode of Give and Take, Bryce Eddy—former President of Turning Point USA and a close personal friend of Charlie Kirk—pulls back the curtain on his time with Kirk, charting Kirk’s rise and influence on youth culture. The conversation doesn’t shy away from the hot-button issues—faith, race, Trump, Christian nationalism—and asks what it really takes to have honest political dialogue in a cu...

In this episode of Give and Take, Scott Jones talks with novelist Carla Malden about her new book, Playback. The novel is a haunting and beautifully layered exploration of memory, loss, and reinvention—blurring the lines between past and present to show how grief reshapes identity and how the stories we tell ourselves can both hold us back and set us free. Together, Scott and Carla dive into the i...

In this conversation, Scott Jones and J Kameron Carter explore the complex themes of whiteness, authoritarianism, and the historical context of race in America. They discuss how whiteness is not just a racial identity but a civilizational logic that has shaped political structures and ideologies. The conversation delves into the implications of Trump as a revelation of underlying authoritarian ten...

On this episode of Give and Take, I talk with Topher McDougal, author of Gaia Wakes: Earth's Emergent Consciousness in an Age of Environmental Devastation. In the book, McDougal explores the provocative idea that the planet itself might be waking up—that Earth, long treated as a backdrop to human drama, is revealing itself as a conscious, responsive system in the midst of ecological crisis. We tal...

My guest today is Coltan Scrivner, a behavioral scientist who has spent years studying the psychology of why we’re drawn to the dark, the eerie, and the unsettling. His brand-new book, Morbidly Curious, takes us deep into the strange territory of horror films, true crime, haunted houses, and all the things we’d rather pretend we don’t think about—but secretly can’t look away from. In our conversat...

For our 300th episode of Give and Take, we’re doing something different. Instead of hosting, Scott Jones steps into the guest chair. His friend—and former guest of the show—Jane Rosenzweig takes the reins as interviewer. Together, they look back at the journey of Give and Take: the conversations that shaped it, the surprising turns along the way, and what Scott has learned from asking (and sometim...

On this episode of Give and Take, Scott Jones sits down with author and pastor Mandy Smith to talk about her new book Confessions of an Amateur Saint. In it, Mandy offers an honest, grace-filled exploration of what it means to stumble faithfully toward holiness in an ordinary, imperfect life. Together, they unpack how spiritual growth often looks less like polished sainthood and more like vulnerab...

On this episode of Give and Take, Scott Jones talks with Beatrice Marovich about her provocative new essay, “Is Theology Dying?”, published in the Spring 2025 edition of The Other Journal. Marovich, author of Sister Death: Political Theologies for Living and Dying, reflects on the state of theology in our contemporary world—its dwindling institutional presence, its surprising resilience in unexpec...