Cross & Gavel Audio

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 (Digital Public Square), following him on Twitter (@jasonthacker), & getting his newsletter on weekly tech—all of which can be found here. Episode produced by Josh Deng, with music from Vexento.

Joining this week to talk about how 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 in uncharted territory (#110). 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.

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 event 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 CONTENT 1. How and How Not To Be Happy (#118). 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.

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 Pete's article in Christianity Today — "Why I Voted For the Atheist President of Harvard's Chaplain Group."  RELATED CONTENT 1. Steve Collis talks heroic chaplains durnig WWII (#105). 2. Doing religion in Silicon Valley (#120). 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.

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).   RELATED CONTENT 1. Discussing the Post-Roe Society (#109 and #122). 2. Diving into the neuroscience and theology of the body (#107 and #123).    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.

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 from Vexento. A Special Thanks to Nick and Ashley Barnett for their contribution in making this podcast possible.

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 Holloway (Founder of Pro-Black Pro Life). Also, check out this article from Destiny in the Church Life Journal at Notre Dame University: The Bigger Vision of a World Without Roe v. Wade.   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.

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!   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.

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 Special Thanks to Nick and Ashley Barnett for their contribution in making this podcast possible.

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 music from Vexento. A Special Thanks to Nick and Ashley Barnett for their contribution in making this podcast possible.

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 his faculty page and his personal website here. And, buy his book today!   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.

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 FLI here. For more on the case, check out the SCOTUSblog page 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.  

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 out his page and buy his book, today!   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.

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, buy her book 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.

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 produced by Josh Deng, with music from Vexento. A Special Thanks to Nick and Ashley Barnett for their contribution in making this podcast possible.    

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 Public Square (buy 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.

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.

The formation of good habits and the appropriation therein by the bad is a perennial topic of concern for Christians aiming to live a life worthy of their calling. See Ephesians 4:1. My guest today has written two books that will form the basis of our two part discussion on this very issue. In this first part, we will talk about The Common Rule. Then, later in the semester, we will tackle Habits of the Household. For more on Justin and his work, go here and here. You can also follow him on Twitter at @Justin_W_Earley.   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.

It should come as no surprise that we are living in complex times. Christians are called to such a moment and should act accordingly by engaging more, not less, with the changing landscape. My guest today (Tod Bolsinger) has written two books helping us do just that (Canoeing The Mountains and Tempered Resilience): developing a vision for adaptive leadership. For more on Tod and his work, go here and here. You can also follow him on Twitter at @todbol.   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.