Expanding the Table

America 250: How Gender and Sexuality Shape Religion and Politics

Princeton Theological Seminary, Heath Carter — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 20:07:09 -0400

In America’s 250th year, religion — particularly Christianity — continues to influence political divides, ideologies, and debates over gender and sexuality. A leading historian of American religion, Dr. R. Marie Griffith joins Princeton Seminary’s Dr. Heath W. Carter for a discussion about how religious ideas become intertwined with questions of power, identity, and public life.

Griffith is Washington University’s John C. Danforth Distinguished Professor in the Humanities. She served for 12 years (2011-2023) as director of the John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics and editor of the center’s journal, Religion & Politics. Her research focuses on American Christianity, including the changing profile of American evangelicals and ongoing conflicts over gender, sexuality, and marriage.

Expanding the Table is a Princeton Theological Seminary podcast hosted by President Jonathan Lee Walton, PhD. The podcast gathers experts in health, politics, theology, and history to explore questions of faith, leadership, and justice.

#America250 #ReligionAndPolitics #GenderAndSexuality #AmericanChristianity #ChristianityAndPolitics #AmericanPolitics #PrincetonSeminary #ExpandingTheTable

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America 250: Political Polarization, Loneliness, Alienation

Princeton Theological Seminary, Heath Carter — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 19:59:51 -0400

As America marks its 250th anniversary amid deep political polarization, an epidemic of loneliness, and constant technological distraction, what wisdom can Christianity offer for navigating these challenges? President of The Trinity Forum Cherie Harder joins Princeton Theological Seminary’s Dr. Heath W. Carter during this special-edition episode of Expanding the Table for a discussion about how Christianity’s values can offer timeless wisdom to today’s divisive and rapidly changing world.

Prior to joining the Trinity Forum in 2008, Harder served in the White House as Special Assistant to the President and Director of Policy and Projects for First Lady Laura Bush and in several other advisory roles on Capitol Hill.

#America250 #PoliticalPolarization #Loneliness #ChristianityAndPolitics #AmericanPolitics #PrincetonSeminary #ExpandingTheTable

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America 250: Democratic Crisis and Christianity

Princeton Theological Seminary, Heath Carter — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 19:52:36 -0400

How can Christianity shape the future of American democracy to create a more pluralistic, democratic society? Author Jonathan Rauch explores how the virtues of Christianity can be applied in a civic context alongside Princeton Theological Seminary’s Dr. Heath W. Carter, during this special-edition episode of Expanding the Table.

An award-winning author, journalist, and activist, Rauch is a senior fellow in the governance studies program at Brookings. He has authored nine books — including “Cross Purposes: Christianity's Broken Bargain with Democracy” — and many articles on 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.

#America250 #ChristianityAndDemocracy #FaithAndDemocracy #ReligiousPluralism #AmericanPolitics #PrincetonSeminary #ExpandingTheTable

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America 250: Christianity and Nationalism’s History

Princeton Theological Seminary, Jonathan Lee Walton — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 19:35:15 -0400

Christianity and American democracy have a long, intertwined history that continues to shape U.S. politics today. In the 250th year of our nation, amid deep divisions and partisan politics, Princeton Seminary’s Dr. Heath W. Carter asks which version of Christianity will shape the future of democracy?

In this special-edition episode of Expanding the Table Carter joins President Walton for a wide-ranging discussion about religion and public life, the future of American democracy, and Christianity and nationalism.

Carter is Associate Professor of American Christianity at Princeton Theological Seminary. He is the author of four books, and working on the forthcoming book “On Earth as it is in Heaven: Social Christians and the Fight to End American Inequality.” His insights and writing have been featured in a variety of publications, including The New York Times, The Atlantic, Newsweek, CNN, The New Republic, Mother Jones, Jacobin, The Christian Century, Sojourners, Christianity Today, and Religion News Service.

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America 250: How Did We Get Here? Lessons from the Past

Princeton Theological Seminary, Heath Carter — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 19:27:08 -0400

As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, what can history teach us about today’s American political landscape and the deep divisions the country faces today? Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and Harvard Law professor Annette Gordon-Reed joins Princeton Theological Seminary’s Dr. Heath W. Carter for this special-edition episode of Expanding the Table to discuss how history shapes current society, viewpoints, and democracy.

Gordon-Reed is the Carl M. Loeb University Professor at Harvard. Known for her groundbreaking work on the life of Thomas Jefferson, she is the author of eight books, including “The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family,” “On Juneteenth,” and her most recent book, “Jefferson on Race: A Reader.” Gordon-Reed has won 16 book prizes, including the Pulitzer Prize in History in 2009 and the National Book Award in 2008.

#America250 #AmericanHistory #AmericanPolitics #Democracy #ThomasJefferson #USHistory #PrincetonSeminary #ExpandingTheTable

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How Churches Can Support Teen Faith | Christian Spiritual Formation

Princeton Theological Seminary, Jonathan Lee Walton — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Christian spiritual formation and teen faith development are critical topics for churches, youth ministers, and parents seeking meaningful ways to engage young people in the life of the church.

President Walton and Dr. Almeda Wright, professor of religious education at Yale Divinity School, explore how mentorship and apprenticeship in the church can support Christian spiritual formation and faith development among teens in this episode of Expanding the Table. The conversation also examines how Christian formation can help young adults grow spiritually while remaining open, intellectually curious,and respectful toward people of other faiths.

Wright specializes in the intersection of African American religion, education, and the spiritual lives of teenagers and young adults. She is the author of “Teaching to Live: Black Religion, Activist-Educators, and Radical Social Change” and “The Spiritual Lives of Young African Americans.” At Yale Divinity School, Wright currently directs the research initiative Communitas, which focuses on young adult spirituality and innovation, and is the co-director for the Conectere initiative to support parents and caregivers in encouraging the faith development of their children.

#ChristianFormation #SpiritualFormation #YouthMinistry #TeenFaith #FaithDevelopment #BlackChurch #ReligiousEducation #Princeton Seminary #ExpandingtheTable

Expanding the Table is a Princeton Theological Seminary podcast hosted by President Jonathan Lee Walton, PhD. The podcast gathers experts in health, politics, theology, and history to explore questions of faith, leadership, and justice.

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Religious Diversity in Healthcare: Why Faith Matters for Patient Care

Princeton Theological Seminary, Jonathan Lee Walton — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

How can healthcare providers better support patients’ religious beliefs, faith traditions, and spiritual needs? The Rev. Dr. Suzanne Watts Henderson, MDiv ’90, senior director of faith and health for Interfaith America, joins President Walton to explore how understanding religious diversity in healthcare can improve patient well-being and health outcomes in this episode of Expanding the Table.

Many physicians and healthcare professionals receive little training in addressing spirituality, religion, and faith in patient care, even though these factors often influence medical decisions, coping strategies, and healing.

Watts Henderson leads Interfaith America’s growing exploration of the intersection of faith and health with the goal of engaging religious diversity to strengthen health across the nation. She is an ordained Disciples minister and New Testament scholar, who previously served as a professor of religion and dean of the chapel at Queens University of Charlotte.

#ReligionAndHealthcare #FaithAndHealth #SpiritualityInHealthcare #ReligiousDiversity #SpiritualCare #PrincetonSeminary #ExpandingtheTable

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Why Faith and Religion Matter for Your Health

Princeton Theological Seminary, Jonathan Lee Walton — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

How do faith, religion, and spirituality affect mental and physical health? Dr. Howard K. Koh, Harvard University professor and former U.S. assistant secretary for health, joins President Walton to discuss the powerful connection between spirituality and overall well-being in this episode of Expanding the Table.

Together they explore how faith and health intersect, why spirituality matters for public health, and the relationship between religion, wellness, and purpose.

Koh is the Harvey V. Fineberg Professor of the Practice of Public Health Leadership at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. He also serves as the inaugural chair of Harvard’s Initiative on Health and Homelessness and co-director of the Initiative on Health, Spirituality and Religion. Koh served as the 14th assistant secretary for health for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services from 2009-14, after his appointment as the commissioner of public health for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

#FaithAndHealth #Spirituality #ReligionAndHealth #MentalHealth #Wellness #PublicHealth #PrincetonSeminary #ExpandingtheTable

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Lessons in Morality and Democracy from the Civil Rights Movement

Princeton Theological Seminary, Jonathan Lee Walton — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

President Walton is joined by Dr. Peniel Joseph, The University of Texas at Austin professor of public affairs, to discuss how 1963 became a turning point in America’s civil rights struggle, bringing conversations about race, human dignity, and morality to the forefront in this episode of Expanding the Table.

Joseph shares how leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. used themes of Christian morality and redemption to envision a multiracial democracy, shaping the future of American civil rights.

Joseph holds a joint professorship appointment at the LBJ School of Public Affairs and the History Department in the College of Liberal Arts at The University of Texas at Austin. He is also the founding director of the LBJ School's Center for the Study of Race and Democracy.

#CivilRightsMovement #FreedomSeason #RaceAndJustice #Democracy #SocialJustice #AmericanHistory

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How Spirituality Supports Teen Mental Health and Resilience

Princeton Theological Seminary, Jonathan Lee Walton — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

President Walton welcomes Dr. Lisa Miller to discuss the connection between spirituality, adolescent mental health, and emotional well-being in this episode of Expanding the Table.

Miller, a professor of psychology and education at Columbia University’s Teachers College and founder of the Spirituality Mind Body Institute, shares research on how spiritual development can strengthen resilience and protect against depression and substance abuse in teenagers.

Drawing on insights from her books “The Awakened Brain: The New Science of Spirituality and Our Quest for an Inspired Life” and “The Spiritual Child: The New Science on Parenting for Health and Lifelong Thriving,” Miller explains how spirituality — regardless of religious affiliation — can be a powerful protective factor for adolescent mental health.

#TeenMentalHealth #Spirituality #AdolescentMentalHealth #Resilience #MentalHealthResearch #PrincetonSeminary #ExpandingtheTable

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How Farming Teaches Us About Productivity and Life

Princeton Theological Seminary, Jonathan Lee Walton — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

What life lessons does farming teach about productivity, rest, and faith? Dr. Nathan Stucky, director of The Farminary Project at Princeton Theological Seminary, and President Walton explore how regenerative agriculture and working on a 21-acre farm reveal the rhythm between effort, failure, and renewal in this episode of Expanding the Table.

At the Farminary, students learn how faith, sustainability, and food justice intersect with the cycles of nature, challenging society’s 24/7 culture of unending productivity. This discussion emphasizes the spiritual, ecological, and practical lessons that farming provides for personal growth, leadership, and wellness.

#Farming #Productivity #RegenerativeAgriculture #Sustainability #FaithAndWork #FoodJustice #LifeLessons #Ecology #PrincetonSeminary #ExpandingtheTable

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Senator Raphael Warnock on Faith, Politics, and the Moral Crisis in America

Princeton Theological Seminary, Jonathan Lee Walton — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 15:20:34 -0400

U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock joins President Walton on Expanding the Table to discuss how his identity as a pastor shapes his work in the Senate — and why American politics desperately needs a moral imagination.

In this episode, Senator Warnock reflects on his new book, “The Crooked Places Made Straight: Reflections on the Moral Meaning of America,” drawn from his longtime sermon inspired by Isaiah 40. He breaks down the moral stakes behind the issues affecting everyday Americans: voting rights and voter suppression, healthcare access, mass incarceration, gun violence, Climate change, and more.

A history-maker, Warnock is the first African American elected to the U.S. Senate from the state of Georgia and only the second African American to represent a southern state in the Senate since Reconstruction. For the past two decades, he has also served as senior pastor of the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, in Atlanta, Georgia — the youngest person to ever hold that role at the spiritual home of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

#RaphaelWarnock #FaithAndPolitics #MoralLeadership #VotingRights #SenatorWarnock #PrincetonSeminary #ExpandingtheTable

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