The Curian Podcast Transistor (https://transistor.fm) https://feeds.transistor.fm/curian-podcast The Curian Podcast, hosted by Rev. Jill Elizabeth and Jonathan J. Foster, is for intellectually honest faith leaders, theological migrants, and anyone navigating what it means to build new communities oriented around uncontrolling love. / Through conversations with authors, theologians, pastors, and thinkers, we reimagine a Christianity less influenced by power-seeking, scapegoating, and false certainty. We also explore how theology shows up in pop culture, asking what our cultural narratives reveal about love, trauma, community, and what it means to be human. / This podcast is especially for pastors, chaplains, and spiritual directors—people who need theological depth and the reminder that meaning is made in community, not in isolation. Whether unpacking open and relational thought, mimetic theory, or cultural phenomena, the goal is the same: to put love where there is no love and help move the world forward one conversation at a time. / About the Hosts: Jill Elizabeth is a credentialed Reverend, host of the Curian Podcast, and board member at Heal & Thrive Global. A mom of three and business owner, she specializes in connecting systems thinking with compassion, fostering transformative conversations on faith, life, and resilience. / Jonathan J. Foster is a theologian, author, podcaster, and father of three who holds a doctorate in theology from Northwind Seminary. He is the founder and chief advocate of Love Haiti and facilitates the Curian Network (formerly Open Table Network), resourcing and credentialing pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, counselors, and faith leaders committed to love-centered leadership. / Learn more at thecurian.network and follow along on social media @thecurian.network on Facebook and Instagram. / Production and original music by Ruthie Santiago Productions 2025 Curian Network 798df742-50bd-59d6-bd48-8c7a09a2e8e3 yes Jonathan J. Foster Jill Elizabeth Ruthie Santiago en Thu, 16 Apr 2026 10:50:26 -0700 Thu, 16 Apr 2026 10:56:08 -0700 http://thecurian.network https://img.transistorcdn.com/zxNgzFn5vtPzWsxMPmQSTxPaQIbA2tMQCrHB4b5U45w/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS85NmIz/NDE0ZTVjNjEwYzk0/ZGUxMjVmZDU4NGQx/NTliYS5wbmc.jpg The Curian Podcast http://thecurian.network episodic The Curian Network The Curian Podcast, hosted by Rev. Jill Elizabeth and Jonathan J. Foster, is for intellectually honest faith leaders, theological migrants, and anyone navigating what it means to build new communities oriented around uncontrolling love. / Through conversations with authors, theologians, pastors, and thinkers, we reimagine a Christianity less influenced by power-seeking, scapegoating, and false certainty. We also explore how theology shows up in pop culture, asking what our cultural narratives reveal about love, trauma, community, and what it means to be human. / This podcast is especially for pastors, chaplains, and spiritual directors—people who need theological depth and the reminder that meaning is made in community, not in isolation. Whether unpacking open and relational thought, mimetic theory, or cultural phenomena, the goal is the same: to put love where there is no love and help move the world forward one conversation at a time. / About the Hosts: Jill Elizabeth is a credentialed Reverend, host of the Curian Podcast, and board member at Heal & Thrive Global. A mom of three and business owner, she specializes in connecting systems thinking with compassion, fostering transformative conversations on faith, life, and resilience. / Jonathan J. Foster is a theologian, author, podcaster, and father of three who holds a doctorate in theology from Northwind Seminary. He is the founder and chief advocate of Love Haiti and facilitates the Curian Network (formerly Open Table Network), resourcing and credentialing pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, counselors, and faith leaders committed to love-centered leadership. / Learn more at thecurian.network and follow along on social media @thecurian.network on Facebook and Instagram. / Production and original music by Ruthie Santiago Productions The Curian Podcast, hosted by Rev. Jonathan Foster No No Faith, Sexuality, and the Courage to Be Honest (Part 2) | EP 9 9 9 Faith, Sexuality, and the Courage to Be Honest (Part 2) | EP 9 full 47f2e121-24e3-4667-baad-8a97fe9d5fed https://thecuriannetwork.transistor.fm/9 Note: This episode includes conversation around sexuality and experiences of harm within the church, including abuse. We invite you to listen with care and attentiveness to your own experience. 

In this follow-up conversation, Jonathan and Rev. Jill Elizabeth reflect on Jill's dialogue with Tori Owens, continuing to explore themes of faith, sexuality, and belonging within the church. Drawing from their own experiences and theological perspectives, they consider what it means to hold space for honesty, tension, and growth in spiritual communities.


Together, they revisit key ideas from Part 1 and expand the conversation, asking how faith leaders and communities can move toward greater compassion, integrity, and care for those navigating questions of identity. This episode invites listeners to sit with the ongoing work of listening, unlearning, and reimagining what it means to create spaces where people can be fully seen and known.


About The Curian Network

  • The Curian Network (formerly opentable.network) is a denominational space credentialing and resourcing pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, and counselors in this wild day and age we live in, which is as extremely irreligious as it is hyper-religious.
  • We believe that what works out on the extreme edges and all the spaces in between is love. Not love that simply makes space for people within the terms set by existing structures, but love that allows difference to enhance the entirety of who we are.
  • Top-down religion is no longer viable in a world shaped by algorithms, micro-communities, and interconnected networks. What’s needed is something relational and rhizomatic—a way of being that sends out roots in all directions, grows horizontally, and has no fixed beginning or end.
  • The Curian Network connects faith leaders and communities without demanding conformity to specific creed or covenant. We are networked rather than hierarchical, woven together by relationship across digital and physical space—an ecosystem emphasizing the one thing that matters: faith expressing itself through love (Gal 5:6).
  • We are a 501(c)(3) organization and a recognized endorser with The Board of Chaplaincy Certification and The Association of Professional Chaplains.

Learn More

  • Learn how the Curian Network serves and credentials pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, theologians, professors, and other faith leaders seeking a spiritual home.
  • Visit thecurian.network and follow @thecurian.network on Facebook and Instagram.

Credits

  • Produced and original music by Ruthie Santiago Productions
]]> Note: This episode includes conversation around sexuality and experiences of harm within the church, including abuse. We invite you to listen with care and attentiveness to your own experience. 

In this follow-up conversation, Jonathan and Rev. Jill Elizabeth reflect on Jill's dialogue with Tori Owens, continuing to explore themes of faith, sexuality, and belonging within the church. Drawing from their own experiences and theological perspectives, they consider what it means to hold space for honesty, tension, and growth in spiritual communities.


Together, they revisit key ideas from Part 1 and expand the conversation, asking how faith leaders and communities can move toward greater compassion, integrity, and care for those navigating questions of identity. This episode invites listeners to sit with the ongoing work of listening, unlearning, and reimagining what it means to create spaces where people can be fully seen and known.


About The Curian Network

  • The Curian Network (formerly opentable.network) is a denominational space credentialing and resourcing pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, and counselors in this wild day and age we live in, which is as extremely irreligious as it is hyper-religious.
  • We believe that what works out on the extreme edges and all the spaces in between is love. Not love that simply makes space for people within the terms set by existing structures, but love that allows difference to enhance the entirety of who we are.
  • Top-down religion is no longer viable in a world shaped by algorithms, micro-communities, and interconnected networks. What’s needed is something relational and rhizomatic—a way of being that sends out roots in all directions, grows horizontally, and has no fixed beginning or end.
  • The Curian Network connects faith leaders and communities without demanding conformity to specific creed or covenant. We are networked rather than hierarchical, woven together by relationship across digital and physical space—an ecosystem emphasizing the one thing that matters: faith expressing itself through love (Gal 5:6).
  • We are a 501(c)(3) organization and a recognized endorser with The Board of Chaplaincy Certification and The Association of Professional Chaplains.

Learn More

  • Learn how the Curian Network serves and credentials pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, theologians, professors, and other faith leaders seeking a spiritual home.
  • Visit thecurian.network and follow @thecurian.network on Facebook and Instagram.

Credits

  • Produced and original music by Ruthie Santiago Productions
]]> Thu, 16 Apr 2026 10:50:26 -0700 The Curian Network The Curian Network 3804 Note: This episode includes conversation around sexuality and experiences of harm within the church, including abuse. We invite you to listen with care and attentiveness to your own experience. 

In this follow-up conversation, Jonathan and Rev. Jill Elizabeth reflect on Jill's dialogue with Tori Owens, continuing to explore themes of faith, sexuality, and belonging within the church. Drawing from their own experiences and theological perspectives, they consider what it means to hold space for honesty, tension, and growth in spiritual communities.


Together, they revisit key ideas from Part 1 and expand the conversation, asking how faith leaders and communities can move toward greater compassion, integrity, and care for those navigating questions of identity. This episode invites listeners to sit with the ongoing work of listening, unlearning, and reimagining what it means to create spaces where people can be fully seen and known.


About The Curian Network

  • The Curian Network (formerly opentable.network) is a denominational space credentialing and resourcing pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, and counselors in this wild day and age we live in, which is as extremely irreligious as it is hyper-religious.
  • We believe that what works out on the extreme edges and all the spaces in between is love. Not love that simply makes space for people within the terms set by existing structures, but love that allows difference to enhance the entirety of who we are.
  • Top-down religion is no longer viable in a world shaped by algorithms, micro-communities, and interconnected networks. What’s needed is something relational and rhizomatic—a way of being that sends out roots in all directions, grows horizontally, and has no fixed beginning or end.
  • The Curian Network connects faith leaders and communities without demanding conformity to specific creed or covenant. We are networked rather than hierarchical, woven together by relationship across digital and physical space—an ecosystem emphasizing the one thing that matters: faith expressing itself through love (Gal 5:6).
  • We are a 501(c)(3) organization and a recognized endorser with The Board of Chaplaincy Certification and The Association of Professional Chaplains.

Learn More

  • Learn how the Curian Network serves and credentials pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, theologians, professors, and other faith leaders seeking a spiritual home.
  • Visit thecurian.network and follow @thecurian.network on Facebook and Instagram.

Credits

  • Produced and original music by Ruthie Santiago Productions
]]> No Jonathan J. Foster Jill Elizabeth Ruthie Santiago Faith, Sexuality, and the Courage to Be Honest with Tori Owens (Part 1) | EP 8 8 8 Faith, Sexuality, and the Courage to Be Honest with Tori Owens (Part 1) | EP 8 full c4d285d7-dc5f-4288-9167-fb290c71da50 https://thecuriannetwork.transistor.fm/8 In this episode, Jill Elizabeth is joined by Tori Owens, a therapist and spiritual director, for a thoughtful and personal conversation about faith, sexuality, and the search for belonging within the church. Drawing from her own lived experience, Tori reflects on the tension between identity and tradition, and what it has meant to navigate spaces that have not always made room for her full self.


Together, they explore how honesty, spiritual formation, and compassionate presence can open new pathways for healing and integration. This conversation invites listeners to consider what it looks like to hold faith and identity together with integrity, and how communities might become more life-giving for those on the margins.


About The Curian Network

  • The Curian Network (formerly opentable.network) is a denominational space credentialing and resourcing pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, and counselors in this wild day and age we live in, which is as extremely irreligious as it is hyper-religious.
  • We believe that what works out on the extreme edges and all the spaces in between is love. Not love that simply makes space for people within the terms set by existing structures, but love that allows difference to enhance the entirety of who we are.
  • Top-down religion is no longer viable in a world shaped by algorithms, micro-communities, and interconnected networks. What’s needed is something relational and rhizomatic—a way of being that sends out roots in all directions, grows horizontally, and has no fixed beginning or end.
  • The Curian Network connects faith leaders and communities without demanding conformity to specific creed or covenant. We are networked rather than hierarchical, woven together by relationship across digital and physical space—an ecosystem emphasizing the one thing that matters: faith expressing itself through love (Gal 5:6).
  • We are a 501(c)(3) organization and a recognized endorser with The Board of Chaplaincy Certification and The Association of Professional Chaplains.

Learn More

  • Learn how the Curian Network serves and credentials pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, theologians, professors, and other faith leaders seeking a spiritual home.
  • Visit thecurian.network and follow @thecurian.network on Facebook and Instagram.

Credits

  • Produced and original music by Ruthie Santiago Productions
]]> In this episode, Jill Elizabeth is joined by Tori Owens, a therapist and spiritual director, for a thoughtful and personal conversation about faith, sexuality, and the search for belonging within the church. Drawing from her own lived experience, Tori reflects on the tension between identity and tradition, and what it has meant to navigate spaces that have not always made room for her full self.


Together, they explore how honesty, spiritual formation, and compassionate presence can open new pathways for healing and integration. This conversation invites listeners to consider what it looks like to hold faith and identity together with integrity, and how communities might become more life-giving for those on the margins.


About The Curian Network

  • The Curian Network (formerly opentable.network) is a denominational space credentialing and resourcing pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, and counselors in this wild day and age we live in, which is as extremely irreligious as it is hyper-religious.
  • We believe that what works out on the extreme edges and all the spaces in between is love. Not love that simply makes space for people within the terms set by existing structures, but love that allows difference to enhance the entirety of who we are.
  • Top-down religion is no longer viable in a world shaped by algorithms, micro-communities, and interconnected networks. What’s needed is something relational and rhizomatic—a way of being that sends out roots in all directions, grows horizontally, and has no fixed beginning or end.
  • The Curian Network connects faith leaders and communities without demanding conformity to specific creed or covenant. We are networked rather than hierarchical, woven together by relationship across digital and physical space—an ecosystem emphasizing the one thing that matters: faith expressing itself through love (Gal 5:6).
  • We are a 501(c)(3) organization and a recognized endorser with The Board of Chaplaincy Certification and The Association of Professional Chaplains.

Learn More

  • Learn how the Curian Network serves and credentials pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, theologians, professors, and other faith leaders seeking a spiritual home.
  • Visit thecurian.network and follow @thecurian.network on Facebook and Instagram.

Credits

  • Produced and original music by Ruthie Santiago Productions
]]> Tue, 31 Mar 2026 16:42:26 -0700 The Curian Network The Curian Network 3507 In this episode, Jill Elizabeth is joined by Tori Owens, a therapist and spiritual director, for a thoughtful and personal conversation about faith, sexuality, and the search for belonging within the church. Drawing from her own lived experience, Tori reflects on the tension between identity and tradition, and what it has meant to navigate spaces that have not always made room for her full self.


Together, they explore how honesty, spiritual formation, and compassionate presence can open new pathways for healing and integration. This conversation invites listeners to consider what it looks like to hold faith and identity together with integrity, and how communities might become more life-giving for those on the margins.


About The Curian Network

  • The Curian Network (formerly opentable.network) is a denominational space credentialing and resourcing pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, and counselors in this wild day and age we live in, which is as extremely irreligious as it is hyper-religious.
  • We believe that what works out on the extreme edges and all the spaces in between is love. Not love that simply makes space for people within the terms set by existing structures, but love that allows difference to enhance the entirety of who we are.
  • Top-down religion is no longer viable in a world shaped by algorithms, micro-communities, and interconnected networks. What’s needed is something relational and rhizomatic—a way of being that sends out roots in all directions, grows horizontally, and has no fixed beginning or end.
  • The Curian Network connects faith leaders and communities without demanding conformity to specific creed or covenant. We are networked rather than hierarchical, woven together by relationship across digital and physical space—an ecosystem emphasizing the one thing that matters: faith expressing itself through love (Gal 5:6).
  • We are a 501(c)(3) organization and a recognized endorser with The Board of Chaplaincy Certification and The Association of Professional Chaplains.

Learn More

  • Learn how the Curian Network serves and credentials pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, theologians, professors, and other faith leaders seeking a spiritual home.
  • Visit thecurian.network and follow @thecurian.network on Facebook and Instagram.

Credits

  • Produced and original music by Ruthie Santiago Productions
]]> No Jill Elizabeth Ruthie Santiago Tori Owens Mo: Identity, Belonging, and the Search for Home | EP 7 7 7 Mo: Identity, Belonging, and the Search for Home | EP 7 full 059d4e3f-82a8-4f61-82a2-01874dfbe735 https://thecuriannetwork.transistor.fm/7 In this episode, Jonathan Foster and Rev. Jill Elizabeth reflect on the Netflix series Mo, a story that weaves humor, hardship, and cultural tension into a deeply human narrative. Through the life of its central character, the series explores questions of identity, displacement, and what it means to belong in a world shaped by borders, systems, and competing loyalties.

Jonathan and Jill approach Mo as both cultural commentary and spiritual reflection, considering how the series illuminates themes of immigration, resilience, family, and faith. Together, they discuss how stories like this invite us to see more clearly the lived realities of marginalized communities and challenge us to imagine a more compassionate and just way of being together.


About The Curian Network

  • The Curian Network (formerly opentable.network) is a denominational space credentialing and resourcing pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, and counselors in this wild day and age we live in, which is as extremely irreligious as it is hyper-religious.
  • We believe that what works out on the extreme edges and all the spaces in between is love. Not love that simply makes space for people within the terms set by existing structures, but love that allows difference to enhance the entirety of who we are.
  • Top-down religion is no longer viable in a world shaped by algorithms, micro-communities, and interconnected networks. What’s needed is something relational and rhizomatic—a way of being that sends out roots in all directions, grows horizontally, and has no fixed beginning or end.
  • The Curian Network connects faith leaders and communities without demanding conformity to specific creed or covenant. We are networked rather than hierarchical, woven together by relationship across digital and physical space—an ecosystem emphasizing the one thing that matters: faith expressing itself through love (Gal 5:6).
  • We are a 501(c)(3) organization and a recognized endorser with The Board of Chaplaincy Certification and The Association of Professional Chaplains.

Learn More

  • Learn how the Curian Network serves and credentials pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, theologians, professors, and other faith leaders seeking a spiritual home.
  • Visit thecurian.network and follow @thecurian.network on Facebook and Instagram.

Credits

  • Produced and original music by Ruthie Santiago Productions
]]> In this episode, Jonathan Foster and Rev. Jill Elizabeth reflect on the Netflix series Mo, a story that weaves humor, hardship, and cultural tension into a deeply human narrative. Through the life of its central character, the series explores questions of identity, displacement, and what it means to belong in a world shaped by borders, systems, and competing loyalties.

Jonathan and Jill approach Mo as both cultural commentary and spiritual reflection, considering how the series illuminates themes of immigration, resilience, family, and faith. Together, they discuss how stories like this invite us to see more clearly the lived realities of marginalized communities and challenge us to imagine a more compassionate and just way of being together.


About The Curian Network

  • The Curian Network (formerly opentable.network) is a denominational space credentialing and resourcing pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, and counselors in this wild day and age we live in, which is as extremely irreligious as it is hyper-religious.
  • We believe that what works out on the extreme edges and all the spaces in between is love. Not love that simply makes space for people within the terms set by existing structures, but love that allows difference to enhance the entirety of who we are.
  • Top-down religion is no longer viable in a world shaped by algorithms, micro-communities, and interconnected networks. What’s needed is something relational and rhizomatic—a way of being that sends out roots in all directions, grows horizontally, and has no fixed beginning or end.
  • The Curian Network connects faith leaders and communities without demanding conformity to specific creed or covenant. We are networked rather than hierarchical, woven together by relationship across digital and physical space—an ecosystem emphasizing the one thing that matters: faith expressing itself through love (Gal 5:6).
  • We are a 501(c)(3) organization and a recognized endorser with The Board of Chaplaincy Certification and The Association of Professional Chaplains.

Learn More

  • Learn how the Curian Network serves and credentials pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, theologians, professors, and other faith leaders seeking a spiritual home.
  • Visit thecurian.network and follow @thecurian.network on Facebook and Instagram.

Credits

  • Produced and original music by Ruthie Santiago Productions
]]> Mon, 16 Mar 2026 13:00:22 -0700 The Curian Network The Curian Network 2800 In this episode, Jonathan Foster and Rev. Jill Elizabeth reflect on the Netflix series Mo, a story that weaves humor, hardship, and cultural tension into a deeply human narrative. Through the life of its central character, the series explores questions of identity, displacement, and what it means to belong in a world shaped by borders, systems, and competing loyalties.

Jonathan and Jill approach Mo as both cultural commentary and spiritual reflection, considering how the series illuminates themes of immigration, resilience, family, and faith. Together, they discuss how stories like this invite us to see more clearly the lived realities of marginalized communities and challenge us to imagine a more compassionate and just way of being together.


About The Curian Network

  • The Curian Network (formerly opentable.network) is a denominational space credentialing and resourcing pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, and counselors in this wild day and age we live in, which is as extremely irreligious as it is hyper-religious.
  • We believe that what works out on the extreme edges and all the spaces in between is love. Not love that simply makes space for people within the terms set by existing structures, but love that allows difference to enhance the entirety of who we are.
  • Top-down religion is no longer viable in a world shaped by algorithms, micro-communities, and interconnected networks. What’s needed is something relational and rhizomatic—a way of being that sends out roots in all directions, grows horizontally, and has no fixed beginning or end.
  • The Curian Network connects faith leaders and communities without demanding conformity to specific creed or covenant. We are networked rather than hierarchical, woven together by relationship across digital and physical space—an ecosystem emphasizing the one thing that matters: faith expressing itself through love (Gal 5:6).
  • We are a 501(c)(3) organization and a recognized endorser with The Board of Chaplaincy Certification and The Association of Professional Chaplains.

Learn More

  • Learn how the Curian Network serves and credentials pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, theologians, professors, and other faith leaders seeking a spiritual home.
  • Visit thecurian.network and follow @thecurian.network on Facebook and Instagram.

Credits

  • Produced and original music by Ruthie Santiago Productions
]]> No Jonathan J. Foster Jill Elizabeth Ruthie Santiago Reimagining Faith and Belonging with Keri Ladouceur | EP 6 6 6 Reimagining Faith and Belonging with Keri Ladouceur | EP 6 full 04dff6db-b09f-4521-a61e-c2c8f5f35e08 https://thecuriannetwork.transistor.fm/6 In this episode, Jonathan Foster and Jill Elizabeth are joined by Keri Ladouceur, executive director and co-founder of the Post-Evangelical Collective. Keri is a pastor, teacher, and bridge-building peacemaker who longs to cultivate new faith spaces of mutuality and flourishing for all people.

Together, they explore what it means to live faithfully beyond the confines of traditional evangelical structures, and how communities can remain rooted in the Way of Jesus while pursuing inclusion, holistic justice, and deep spiritual formation. Drawing on Keri’s leadership within the Post-Evangelical Collective — a network committed to connecting and resourcing post-evangelical churches — the conversation invites listeners to consider new models of belonging, witness, and love in the present cultural moment.

About The Curian Network

  • The Curian Network (formerly opentable.network) is a denominational space credentialing and resourcing pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, and counselors in this wild day and age we live in, which is as extremely irreligious as it is hyper-religious.
  • We believe that what works out on the extreme edges and all the spaces in between is love. Not love that simply makes space for people within the terms set by existing structures, but love that allows difference to enhance the entirety of who we are.
  • Top-down religion is no longer viable in a world shaped by algorithms, micro-communities, and interconnected networks. What’s needed is something relational and rhizomatic—a way of being that sends out roots in all directions, grows horizontally, and has no fixed beginning or end.
  • The Curian Network connects faith leaders and communities without demanding conformity to specific creed or covenant. We are networked rather than hierarchical, woven together by relationship across digital and physical space—an ecosystem emphasizing the one thing that matters: faith expressing itself through love (Gal 5:6).
  • We are a 501(c)(3) organization and a recognized endorser with The Board of Chaplaincy Certification and The Association of Professional Chaplains.

Learn More

  • Learn how the Curian Network serves and credentials pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, theologians, professors, and other faith leaders seeking a spiritual home.
  • Visit thecurian.network and follow @thecurian.network on Facebook and Instagram.

Credits

  • Produced and original music by Ruthie Santiago Productions
]]> In this episode, Jonathan Foster and Jill Elizabeth are joined by Keri Ladouceur, executive director and co-founder of the Post-Evangelical Collective. Keri is a pastor, teacher, and bridge-building peacemaker who longs to cultivate new faith spaces of mutuality and flourishing for all people.

Together, they explore what it means to live faithfully beyond the confines of traditional evangelical structures, and how communities can remain rooted in the Way of Jesus while pursuing inclusion, holistic justice, and deep spiritual formation. Drawing on Keri’s leadership within the Post-Evangelical Collective — a network committed to connecting and resourcing post-evangelical churches — the conversation invites listeners to consider new models of belonging, witness, and love in the present cultural moment.

About The Curian Network

  • The Curian Network (formerly opentable.network) is a denominational space credentialing and resourcing pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, and counselors in this wild day and age we live in, which is as extremely irreligious as it is hyper-religious.
  • We believe that what works out on the extreme edges and all the spaces in between is love. Not love that simply makes space for people within the terms set by existing structures, but love that allows difference to enhance the entirety of who we are.
  • Top-down religion is no longer viable in a world shaped by algorithms, micro-communities, and interconnected networks. What’s needed is something relational and rhizomatic—a way of being that sends out roots in all directions, grows horizontally, and has no fixed beginning or end.
  • The Curian Network connects faith leaders and communities without demanding conformity to specific creed or covenant. We are networked rather than hierarchical, woven together by relationship across digital and physical space—an ecosystem emphasizing the one thing that matters: faith expressing itself through love (Gal 5:6).
  • We are a 501(c)(3) organization and a recognized endorser with The Board of Chaplaincy Certification and The Association of Professional Chaplains.

Learn More

  • Learn how the Curian Network serves and credentials pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, theologians, professors, and other faith leaders seeking a spiritual home.
  • Visit thecurian.network and follow @thecurian.network on Facebook and Instagram.

Credits

  • Produced and original music by Ruthie Santiago Productions
]]> Thu, 05 Mar 2026 08:13:01 -0800 The Curian Network The Curian Network 3829 In this episode, Jonathan Foster and Jill Elizabeth are joined by Keri Ladouceur, executive director and co-founder of the Post-Evangelical Collective. Keri is a pastor, teacher, and bridge-building peacemaker who longs to cultivate new faith spaces of mutuality and flourishing for all people.

Together, they explore what it means to live faithfully beyond the confines of traditional evangelical structures, and how communities can remain rooted in the Way of Jesus while pursuing inclusion, holistic justice, and deep spiritual formation. Drawing on Keri’s leadership within the Post-Evangelical Collective — a network committed to connecting and resourcing post-evangelical churches — the conversation invites listeners to consider new models of belonging, witness, and love in the present cultural moment.

About The Curian Network

  • The Curian Network (formerly opentable.network) is a denominational space credentialing and resourcing pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, and counselors in this wild day and age we live in, which is as extremely irreligious as it is hyper-religious.
  • We believe that what works out on the extreme edges and all the spaces in between is love. Not love that simply makes space for people within the terms set by existing structures, but love that allows difference to enhance the entirety of who we are.
  • Top-down religion is no longer viable in a world shaped by algorithms, micro-communities, and interconnected networks. What’s needed is something relational and rhizomatic—a way of being that sends out roots in all directions, grows horizontally, and has no fixed beginning or end.
  • The Curian Network connects faith leaders and communities without demanding conformity to specific creed or covenant. We are networked rather than hierarchical, woven together by relationship across digital and physical space—an ecosystem emphasizing the one thing that matters: faith expressing itself through love (Gal 5:6).
  • We are a 501(c)(3) organization and a recognized endorser with The Board of Chaplaincy Certification and The Association of Professional Chaplains.

Learn More

  • Learn how the Curian Network serves and credentials pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, theologians, professors, and other faith leaders seeking a spiritual home.
  • Visit thecurian.network and follow @thecurian.network on Facebook and Instagram.

Credits

  • Produced and original music by Ruthie Santiago Productions
]]> No Jonathan J. Foster Jill Elizabeth Ruthie Santiago Keri Ladouceur Sinners (2025): Faith, Violence, and the Long Shadow of Oppression | EP 5 5 5 Sinners (2025): Faith, Violence, and the Long Shadow of Oppression | EP 5 full 395bfd1b-4cb9-475f-8794-0ddbd66e2c2c https://thecuriannetwork.transistor.fm/5
In this episode, Jonathan Foster and Jill Elizabeth reflect on Sinners, the 2025 supernatural horror film directed by Ryan Coogler. They approach the film as a cultural and theological text, exploring the deeper questions it raises about faith, oppression, and moral responsibility.

Together, they consider how horror can illuminate the dynamics of power, communal fear, and inherited trauma. The conversation engages themes of religion, violence, and belonging, asking what stories like Sinners reveal about the human condition and the systems that shape it.


Thoughtful and probing, this dialogue invites listeners to reflect not only on the film itself, but on the spiritual and cultural realities it mirrors.


About The Curian Network

  • The Curian Network (formerly opentable.network) is a denominational space credentialing and resourcing pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, and counselors in this wild day and age we live in, which is as extremely irreligious as it is hyper-religious.
  • We believe that what works out on the extreme edges and all the spaces in between is love. Not love that simply makes space for people within the terms set by existing structures, but love that allows difference to enhance the entirety of who we are.
  • Top-down religion is no longer viable in a world shaped by algorithms, micro-communities, and interconnected networks. What’s needed is something relational and rhizomatic—a way of being that sends out roots in all directions, grows horizontally, and has no fixed beginning or end.
  • The Curian Network connects faith leaders and communities without demanding conformity to specific creed or covenant. We are networked rather than hierarchical, woven together by relationship across digital and physical space—an ecosystem emphasizing the one thing that matters: faith expressing itself through love (Gal 5:6).
  • We are a 501(c)(3) organization and a recognized endorser with The Board of Chaplaincy Certification and The Association of Professional Chaplains.

Learn More

  • Learn how the Curian Network serves and credentials pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, theologians, professors, and other faith leaders seeking a spiritual home.
  • Visit thecurian.network and follow @thecurian.network on Facebook and Instagram.

Credits

  • Produced and original music by Ruthie Santiago Productions
]]>
In this episode, Jonathan Foster and Jill Elizabeth reflect on Sinners, the 2025 supernatural horror film directed by Ryan Coogler. They approach the film as a cultural and theological text, exploring the deeper questions it raises about faith, oppression, and moral responsibility.

Together, they consider how horror can illuminate the dynamics of power, communal fear, and inherited trauma. The conversation engages themes of religion, violence, and belonging, asking what stories like Sinners reveal about the human condition and the systems that shape it.


Thoughtful and probing, this dialogue invites listeners to reflect not only on the film itself, but on the spiritual and cultural realities it mirrors.


About The Curian Network

  • The Curian Network (formerly opentable.network) is a denominational space credentialing and resourcing pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, and counselors in this wild day and age we live in, which is as extremely irreligious as it is hyper-religious.
  • We believe that what works out on the extreme edges and all the spaces in between is love. Not love that simply makes space for people within the terms set by existing structures, but love that allows difference to enhance the entirety of who we are.
  • Top-down religion is no longer viable in a world shaped by algorithms, micro-communities, and interconnected networks. What’s needed is something relational and rhizomatic—a way of being that sends out roots in all directions, grows horizontally, and has no fixed beginning or end.
  • The Curian Network connects faith leaders and communities without demanding conformity to specific creed or covenant. We are networked rather than hierarchical, woven together by relationship across digital and physical space—an ecosystem emphasizing the one thing that matters: faith expressing itself through love (Gal 5:6).
  • We are a 501(c)(3) organization and a recognized endorser with The Board of Chaplaincy Certification and The Association of Professional Chaplains.

Learn More

  • Learn how the Curian Network serves and credentials pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, theologians, professors, and other faith leaders seeking a spiritual home.
  • Visit thecurian.network and follow @thecurian.network on Facebook and Instagram.

Credits

  • Produced and original music by Ruthie Santiago Productions
]]> Tue, 17 Feb 2026 12:09:15 -0800 The Curian Network The Curian Network 3403
In this episode, Jonathan Foster and Jill Elizabeth reflect on Sinners, the 2025 supernatural horror film directed by Ryan Coogler. They approach the film as a cultural and theological text, exploring the deeper questions it raises about faith, oppression, and moral responsibility.

Together, they consider how horror can illuminate the dynamics of power, communal fear, and inherited trauma. The conversation engages themes of religion, violence, and belonging, asking what stories like Sinners reveal about the human condition and the systems that shape it.


Thoughtful and probing, this dialogue invites listeners to reflect not only on the film itself, but on the spiritual and cultural realities it mirrors.


About The Curian Network

  • The Curian Network (formerly opentable.network) is a denominational space credentialing and resourcing pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, and counselors in this wild day and age we live in, which is as extremely irreligious as it is hyper-religious.
  • We believe that what works out on the extreme edges and all the spaces in between is love. Not love that simply makes space for people within the terms set by existing structures, but love that allows difference to enhance the entirety of who we are.
  • Top-down religion is no longer viable in a world shaped by algorithms, micro-communities, and interconnected networks. What’s needed is something relational and rhizomatic—a way of being that sends out roots in all directions, grows horizontally, and has no fixed beginning or end.
  • The Curian Network connects faith leaders and communities without demanding conformity to specific creed or covenant. We are networked rather than hierarchical, woven together by relationship across digital and physical space—an ecosystem emphasizing the one thing that matters: faith expressing itself through love (Gal 5:6).
  • We are a 501(c)(3) organization and a recognized endorser with The Board of Chaplaincy Certification and The Association of Professional Chaplains.

Learn More

  • Learn how the Curian Network serves and credentials pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, theologians, professors, and other faith leaders seeking a spiritual home.
  • Visit thecurian.network and follow @thecurian.network on Facebook and Instagram.

Credits

  • Produced and original music by Ruthie Santiago Productions
]]> No Jonathan J. Foster Jill Elizabeth Ruthie Santiago Mimetic Theory: Desire, Scapegoating, and Faith | EP 4 4 4 Mimetic Theory: Desire, Scapegoating, and Faith | EP 4 full c3af76a8-ad54-49ec-98c7-c7d0c2cbe466 https://thecuriannetwork.transistor.fm/4 In this episode, Jonathan Foster and Jill Elizabeth explore mimetic theory, a framework developed by French thinker René Girard that examines how desire, rivalry, and scapegoating shape human behavior and communities. Drawing on Jonathan’s doctoral work and long engagement with Girard’s thought, they discuss how mimesis influenced his faith, theology, and understanding of conflict within religious systems. Together, they reflect on how scapegoating operates in churches and institutions today, and why mimetic theory offers a compelling lens for reimagining faith rooted in truth, accountability, and nonviolent love.

Learn how the Curian Network serves and credentials pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, theologians, professors, and other faith leaders seeking a spiritual home. Visit our website thecurian.network and follow us on social media @thecurian.network on Facebook and Instagram.


Produced and original music by Ruthie Santiago Productions

]]> In this episode, Jonathan Foster and Jill Elizabeth explore mimetic theory, a framework developed by French thinker René Girard that examines how desire, rivalry, and scapegoating shape human behavior and communities. Drawing on Jonathan’s doctoral work and long engagement with Girard’s thought, they discuss how mimesis influenced his faith, theology, and understanding of conflict within religious systems. Together, they reflect on how scapegoating operates in churches and institutions today, and why mimetic theory offers a compelling lens for reimagining faith rooted in truth, accountability, and nonviolent love.

Learn how the Curian Network serves and credentials pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, theologians, professors, and other faith leaders seeking a spiritual home. Visit our website thecurian.network and follow us on social media @thecurian.network on Facebook and Instagram.


Produced and original music by Ruthie Santiago Productions

]]> Mon, 02 Feb 2026 12:18:28 -0800 The Curian Network The Curian Network 3679 In this episode, Jonathan Foster and Jill Elizabeth explore mimetic theory, a framework developed by French thinker René Girard that examines how desire, rivalry, and scapegoating shape human behavior and communities. Drawing on Jonathan’s doctoral work and long engagement with Girard’s thought, they discuss how mimesis influenced his faith, theology, and understanding of conflict within religious systems. Together, they reflect on how scapegoating operates in churches and institutions today, and why mimetic theory offers a compelling lens for reimagining faith rooted in truth, accountability, and nonviolent love.

Learn how the Curian Network serves and credentials pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, theologians, professors, and other faith leaders seeking a spiritual home. Visit our website thecurian.network and follow us on social media @thecurian.network on Facebook and Instagram.


Produced and original music by Ruthie Santiago Productions

]]> No Jonathan J. Foster Jill Elizabeth Ruthie Santiago Conclave (2024): Inside the Dynamics of Religious Power | EP 3 3 3 Conclave (2024): Inside the Dynamics of Religious Power | EP 3 full 184aabed-5e22-4880-a334-d203a3ad59b7 https://thecuriannetwork.transistor.fm/3  In this episode, Jonathan Foster and Jill Elizabeth reflect on the 2024 film Conclave, using it as a lens to explore the inner dynamics of religious institutions. They examine how power, secrecy, and loyalty shape leadership and decision-making within sacred systems, and what the film reveals about institutional authority. The conversation invites listeners to consider how faith communities might move toward leadership rooted in humility, conscience, and love rather than control. 


Learn how the Curian Network serves and credentials pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, theologians, professors, and other faith leaders seeking a spiritual home. Visit our website thecurian.network and follow us on social media @thecurian.network on Facebook and Instagram.


Produced and original music by Ruthie Santiago Productions

]]>  In this episode, Jonathan Foster and Jill Elizabeth reflect on the 2024 film Conclave, using it as a lens to explore the inner dynamics of religious institutions. They examine how power, secrecy, and loyalty shape leadership and decision-making within sacred systems, and what the film reveals about institutional authority. The conversation invites listeners to consider how faith communities might move toward leadership rooted in humility, conscience, and love rather than control. 


Learn how the Curian Network serves and credentials pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, theologians, professors, and other faith leaders seeking a spiritual home. Visit our website thecurian.network and follow us on social media @thecurian.network on Facebook and Instagram.


Produced and original music by Ruthie Santiago Productions

]]> Mon, 19 Jan 2026 11:31:29 -0800 The Curian Network The Curian Network 3339  In this episode, Jonathan Foster and Jill Elizabeth reflect on the 2024 film Conclave, using it as a lens to explore the inner dynamics of religious institutions. They examine how power, secrecy, and loyalty shape leadership and decision-making within sacred systems, and what the film reveals about institutional authority. The conversation invites listeners to consider how faith communities might move toward leadership rooted in humility, conscience, and love rather than control. 


Learn how the Curian Network serves and credentials pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, theologians, professors, and other faith leaders seeking a spiritual home. Visit our website thecurian.network and follow us on social media @thecurian.network on Facebook and Instagram.


Produced and original music by Ruthie Santiago Productions

]]> No Jonathan J. Foster Jill Elizabeth Ruthie Santiago Immigration, Faith, and Human Dignity with Andrea Martinez | EP 2 2 2 Immigration, Faith, and Human Dignity with Andrea Martinez | EP 2 full c004faa1-911e-4a84-ab97-7f2ffac70d82 https://thecuriannetwork.transistor.fm/2 In this episode, Jonathan Foster and Jill Elizabeth are joined by Andrea Martinez of Martinez Immigration Law, a Kansas City–based immigration attorney featured in the Netflix documentary Living Undocumented, for a conversation at the intersection of faith, law, and human dignity. Together, they explore the ethical and theological questions surrounding immigration, the realities faced by immigrant communities, and what it means to accompany individuals and families with compassion as they navigate complex legal systems.

Learn how the Curian Network serves and credentials pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, theologians, professors, and other faith leaders seeking a spiritual home.

Learn more at our website thecurian.network and on social media @thecurian.network on Facebook and Instagram.

Produced and original music by Ruthie Santiago Productions

]]> In this episode, Jonathan Foster and Jill Elizabeth are joined by Andrea Martinez of Martinez Immigration Law, a Kansas City–based immigration attorney featured in the Netflix documentary Living Undocumented, for a conversation at the intersection of faith, law, and human dignity. Together, they explore the ethical and theological questions surrounding immigration, the realities faced by immigrant communities, and what it means to accompany individuals and families with compassion as they navigate complex legal systems.

Learn how the Curian Network serves and credentials pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, theologians, professors, and other faith leaders seeking a spiritual home.

Learn more at our website thecurian.network and on social media @thecurian.network on Facebook and Instagram.

Produced and original music by Ruthie Santiago Productions

]]> Tue, 06 Jan 2026 10:48:45 -0800 The Curian Network The Curian Network 2594 In this episode, Jonathan Foster and Jill Elizabeth are joined by Andrea Martinez of Martinez Immigration Law, a Kansas City–based immigration attorney featured in the Netflix documentary Living Undocumented, for a conversation at the intersection of faith, law, and human dignity. Together, they explore the ethical and theological questions surrounding immigration, the realities faced by immigrant communities, and what it means to accompany individuals and families with compassion as they navigate complex legal systems.

Learn how the Curian Network serves and credentials pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, theologians, professors, and other faith leaders seeking a spiritual home.

Learn more at our website thecurian.network and on social media @thecurian.network on Facebook and Instagram.

Produced and original music by Ruthie Santiago Productions

]]> immigration, faith, human dignity No Jonathan J. Foster Jill Elizabeth Andrea C. Martinez Ruthie Santiago Welcome to The Curian Podcast: Faith, Harm, and Hope with Dana Hicks | EP 1 1 1 Welcome to The Curian Podcast: Faith, Harm, and Hope with Dana Hicks | EP 1 full d83b429d-5a11-441c-889c-f4287194cbf1 https://thecuriannetwork.transistor.fm/1 In this opening episode, Jonathan Foster and Jill Elizabeth welcome co-founder, Dana Hicks, president of the Curian Network, for a conversation about the story and heart behind Curian. Together, they reflect on their journeys within the church, being disinvited from their denomination, and what led them to create a new spiritual ecosystem rooted in care, integrity, and human dignity. 


Learn how the Curian Network serves and credentials pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, theologians, professors, and other faith leaders seeking a spiritual home.


Learn more at our website thecurian.network and on social media @thecurian.network on Facebook and Instagram.

Production and original music by Ruthie Santiago Productions

]]> In this opening episode, Jonathan Foster and Jill Elizabeth welcome co-founder, Dana Hicks, president of the Curian Network, for a conversation about the story and heart behind Curian. Together, they reflect on their journeys within the church, being disinvited from their denomination, and what led them to create a new spiritual ecosystem rooted in care, integrity, and human dignity. 


Learn how the Curian Network serves and credentials pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, theologians, professors, and other faith leaders seeking a spiritual home.


Learn more at our website thecurian.network and on social media @thecurian.network on Facebook and Instagram.

Production and original music by Ruthie Santiago Productions

]]> Mon, 29 Dec 2025 13:04:58 -0800 The Curian Network The Curian Network 3252 In this opening episode, Jonathan Foster and Jill Elizabeth welcome co-founder, Dana Hicks, president of the Curian Network, for a conversation about the story and heart behind Curian. Together, they reflect on their journeys within the church, being disinvited from their denomination, and what led them to create a new spiritual ecosystem rooted in care, integrity, and human dignity. 


Learn how the Curian Network serves and credentials pastors, chaplains, spiritual directors, theologians, professors, and other faith leaders seeking a spiritual home.


Learn more at our website thecurian.network and on social media @thecurian.network on Facebook and Instagram.

Production and original music by Ruthie Santiago Productions

]]> No Jonathan J. Foster Jill Elizabeth Ruthie Santiago Dana Hicks