Reconciliation Roundtable

In this episode, we welcome Rev. Pat Mahoney, a nationally known Christian social and political activist, and an ordained minister in the Reformed Presbyterian Church. Rev. Mahoney is director of the Christian Defense Coalition, a ”national ministry committed to challenging the Body of Christ to live out their faith in the public  Born in New Jersey, Rev. Mahoney attended the University of Dayton...

In this episode, we welcome Jonathan Rauch, a senior fellow of the Governance Studies program at Brookings Institution and the author of nine books and many articles on public policy, culture, and government. He is a contributing writer of The Atlantic and recipient of the 2005 National Magazine Award, the magazine industry’s equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize. His latest book, published in 2025 by...

Join host Mark Beckwith, retired bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark, and guest Rev. Rick Joyner, a prominent Evangelical leader, author, public speaker, and founder of Morningstar Ministries, a multi-faceted mission organization which includes Heritage International Ministries, MorningStar University, and MorningStar Fellowship of Churches and Ministries. We explore how to respectfully buil...

In this episode we welcome Jim Wallis, a writer, teacher, preacher and justice advocate who believes the gospel of Jesus must be emancipated from its cultural and political captivities. He is a New York Times bestselling author, public theologian, preacher and commentator on ethics and public life. He is the inaugural holder of the Chair in Faith and Justice and the founding Director of the George...

In this episode, we welcome a very special guest, the dynamic and inspirational Bishop Michael Curry, 27th Presiding Bishop and Primate of The Episcopal Church. Known worldwide for his passionate proclamation of "The Way of Love," Bishop Curry's ministry centers on the transformative power of God’s unconditional love to heal, unite, and renew. With his charismatic preaching style and a...

It's an honor to welcome new guest Curtis Chang to Reconciliation Roundtable to discuss his efforts to bridge partisan divides through his work on the The Good Faith Podcast and The After Party project . In this episode, we delve into the importance of addressing spiritual dysfunctions in the Church and fostering meaningful dialogues across differences. Curtis offers helpful insights into over...

In this episode, I welcome new guest Dr. Ryan Burge, an associate professor of political science at Eastern Illinois University. He is the author or co-author of four books including The Nones, 20 Myths about Religion and Politics in America , and The Great Dechurching . He has written for the New York Times , the Wall Street Journal and POLITICO . He has also appeared on 60 Minutes, where Anderso...

Reverend Adam Hamilton is the founding Senior Pastor of the Church of the Resurrection in Kansas City, the largest Methodist church in the U.S. Adam grew up in the Kansas City area, earned a Bachelor’s degree in Pastoral Ministry from Oral Roberts University and a Master of Divinity degree from Southern Methodist University. He is the author of numerous books, served as a presidential appointee in...

Rabbi Matthew D. Gewirtz joins me to discuss his journey towards becoming a rabbi, the challenges faced in his role, and his deep involvement in interfaith work. The discussion also covers the Hebrew concept of machloket (disagreeing without rancor), its relevance in the current crisis between Israel and Gaza, and the importance of interfaith dialogue both for religious leaders and the wider commu...

Guest Dr. Matthew D. Taylor shares his faith journey and we discuss his involvement in religious pluralism and extensive research on the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) movement in America. Dr. Taylor shares insights into his background in and transition from evangelical fundamentalism, his interfaith dialogues, and the threats posed by NAR's radical Christian nationalism, which advocates for...

This is a special episode in which I reflect on the last year of the Reconciliation Roundtable podcast and thank all listeners for spending time with me and my guests, exploring how we can be agents of reconciliation in a time and a place where doing so often seems to be beyond the pale. This podcast is possible because of your support, so if you enjoy listening please share it with others and mak...

Wilk Wilkinson joins me to discuss his journey from political apathy to toxic political engagement, followed by the epiphany that since led him on a mission of bettering the world, one attitude at a time, by charting a course toward understanding, bridging divides, and fostering a community where wisdom prevails over discord. We talk about how this mission shapes Wilk's work with Braver Angels...

The Reverend Canon Dr. Stephanie Spellers is one of the Episcopal Church’s leading thinkers around 21st-century ministry and mission. She is a priest, author, speaker, and friend who currently serves as the Canon to the Presiding Bishop for Evangelism, Reconciliation, and Creation Care. She is the author of Radical Welcome: Embracing God, The Other, and the Spirit of Transformation as well as The...

The Rev. Amy Peeler , Ph. D. is an Associate Professor of New Testament at Wheaton College, IL and an Associate Rector at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Geneva, IL. Author of  Women and Gender of God  (Eerdmans, 2022),  “You Are My Son”: The Family of God in the Epistle to the Hebrews  (T&T Clark, 2014), and co-author with Patrick Gray of  Hebrews: An Introduction and Study Guide  (T&T Cla...

Bishop Mariann Budde is the bishop and spiritual leader of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, D.C., and the Washington National Cathedral. Prior to her election in 2011, she was a parish priest in Minneapolis for eighteen years. She has appeared on PBS NewsHour, Meet the Press, Good Morning America , and the Today show , among others. Bishop Budde earned her master’s in divinity and doctor of mi...

Pastor Raymond Chang is the president of the Asian American Christian Collaborative (AACC) , a pastor, and writer. He regularly preaches and speaks throughout the country on issues pertaining to Christianity and culture, race and faith. He has lived throughout the world (Korea, Guatemala, Panama, Spain, China), traveled to nearly 50 countries, and currently lives in Chicagoland, serving as the Exe...

Angela Ferrell-Zabala (“Fuh-RELL Zuh-BAH-luh”) serves as the first ever Executive Director of Moms Demand Action where she is responsible for leading and growing the largest grassroots network in the gun violence prevention space. Angela has been with the organization since 2019 leading its movement building work overseeing grassroots organizing, external, cultural and corporate engagement, and na...

Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon is the executive director of Churches for Middle East Peace and an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC). Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) is a coalition of more than 30 national Church communions and organizations working to encourage U.S. policies that actively promote just, lasting, and comprehensive resolutions to conflicts in the Middle East....

Daniel Darling is an award-winning writer, bestselling author of fifteen books, pastor and Christian leader who regularly appears on and contributes to national news and media outlets. He currently serves as the Director of The Land Center for Cultural Engagement at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Assistant Professor of Faith and Culture at Texas Baptist College. Daniel hosts the wee...

In this episode, I talk with my friend and colleague Shane Claiborne about his passion for gun violence prevention, his faith journey, and his work as founder of The Simple Way and leader of Red Letter Christians , a movement of folks who are committed to living "as if Jesus meant the things he said." Shane is a champion for grace which has led him to jail advocating for the homeless, and...

In this episode, I had a chance to talk to Dr. Gilford (Gil) T. Monrose, who is based in the East Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. He is doing amazing work serving humanity, building bridges, and working on gun violence prevention. Our conversation touches on how his faith anchors him and, when gun violence met Pastor Monrose "at the front door" of his church, how his faith com...

In this week's episode, guest and friend John Wood Jr. joins me to discuss his "unorthodox path to Christianity" involving a beautiful journey of the heart facilitated by lessons he learned from his parents, by performing music, meeting the woman who would become his wife, and encountering Christ in others. John also shares about his pathway to working as the National Ambassador at Bra...

This week I had the chance to talk with a friend of mine, David Blankenhorn, about his passion for building bridges of understanding and helping people find common ground. You’ll learn about his journey from growing up in Mississippi to the inspiration behind an initiative he co-founded and leads called Braver Angels, a grassroots movement to restore civic trust that seeks to bring Americans toget...

Welcome to the first episode of Reconciliation Roundtable, a new podcast where we discuss building bridges of understanding across religious and political difference. This week I had the chance to talk with a friend and collaborator, Reverend Rob Schenck, about his path to God and what he calls his journey of "three conversions," from childhood Jewish roots to Christianity, from a pure fai...