James Reding & Medene Presley

God Talk with Medene and James

Religion EN ↓ 33 episodes

Unfiltered faith & justice conversations. Medene is a black Catholic from California with Pentecostal roots (COGIC). James is a gay Catholic from rural Kentucky. At a time when millions of us are disaffected and disaffiliating from the religion we grew up with, God Talk creates honest dialogue about faith and life. We share our on-going process of deconstructing and reconstructing theological beliefs & spiritual practices. We commit to social justice, we practice prayer & ritual from multiple traditions, and we welcome disagreement. Welcome to God Talk with Medene and James!

Author

James Reding & Medene Presley

Episodes

Wisdom from Sr. Dar: Social Justice, the Holy Spirit, and True Religion 23.09.2025 1:02:58

Sr. Darlene Kawulok, CSJ, D.Min is a lifelong educator, minister, and faithful Catholic nun. Her expertise lies in practical theology, feminist theology, and ministry formation aligned with the Second Vatican Council (Vatican II). In an age of religious and political tension, Sr. Dar leans on time-tested wisdom to give perspective on our times. There are fiercely divided, competing visions in our...

Kickass Nun: Introducing Sr. Dar - Episode 6 Trailer 16.09.2025 1:58

Sr. Darlene Kawulok CSJ is a theologian, spiritual director, professor, author, and all-around kickass nun! We are lucky to have her join as God Talk's guest for season 1 episode 6 as she discusses her spiritual journey, social justice, and tidbits of wisdom. #nun #catholic #catholicnun #spirituality #spiritualjourney

God's Justice: Who Did Jesus Save? And Why? 09.09.2025 57:56

Justice is something we all long for as we endure this human condition, from a refund for a damaged product to liability in a car accident. We have various justice systems here on earth, but this episode seeks to ruminate on the justice system of God, of what we may call in theology, divine justice. And this reality has its place in salvation history. So we ask the question of who gets justice in...

Can beauty teach us what love is? 02.09.2025 51:28

Beauty is essential to the aesthetics of our theological musings. But is it more than aesthetic? What is beautiful in the world can transcend into experiences of the Divine. Beauty can complement the love-ethics of Christ, changing our human consciousness. We need to reevaluate the role that beauty plays in our thinking about God, our God-logic. Beauty matters, because it makes us more sensitive t...

Is there hope in the face of climate change? 26.08.2025 1:03:15

Will my city be the next hit by wildfires or floods? How hot will it get next summer? What natural disasters do I need to consider as I buy a house? These types of questions fill out minds as climate change unfolds. In episode 3 of God Talk season 1, Professor Shannon Gibson of ‪ the University of Southern California joins to share about whether or not we can HOPE in the face of climate change. We...

It is a privilege to be environmentally friendly 25.08.2025 0:46

Professor Shannon Gibson talks about the reality of the fight against pollution and climate change in this trailer to episode 3 of God Talk with Medene and James.

Is Faith Personal or Communal? 19.08.2025 38:55

How was your faith formed? Did someone "give" you the gift of faith? Is your faith a personal relationship with God or something mediated by ministers and a house of worship? We are joined by Fr. Joe to discuss our experiences. Ultimately, we are led to asked whether faith is more personal or communal. We hope you are enjoying Season 1 of God Talk! This is Episode 2.

We Are Not Here to Hide 12.08.2025 37:04

This episode introduces Medene and James, offering insights into our personal lives and the people that made us. Here we share our mission and vision for God Talk, exploring themes and discussing possibilities for the future. We are not here to hide. We are who we are: Catholic Christians, theologians, ministers, sinners. We have a purpose ordained by God, and so do you!