Trinity Forum Conversations Transistor (https://transistor.fm) https://feeds.transistor.fm/trinity-forum-conversations Trinity Forum Conversations is a podcast exploring the big questions in life by looking to the best of the Christian intellectual tradition and elevating the voices, both ancient and modern, who grapple with these questions and direct our hearts to the Author of the answers. We invite you to join us in one of the great joys of life: a conversation among friends on the things that matter most. © 2026 The Trinity Forum eb69bacb-aa96-54f7-94db-0d87c303c9c3 yes Waiting With Wisdom Reading and the Common Good Discovery and Doxology: Conversations on Science and Faith Season 3 trailer: Lenten Spiritual Practices Season 1 | Trailer en Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:01:13 -0400 Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:02:14 -0400 https://ttf.org/ https://img.transistorcdn.com/2cmgGbmZlROrp-SLdOxux_hLYmuOwwli844mK-LUND8/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9zaG93/LzE3OTk3LzE2MTM1/MzUwNjEtYXJ0d29y/ay5qcGc.jpg Trinity Forum Conversations https://ttf.org/ episodic The Trinity Forum Trinity Forum Conversations is a podcast exploring the big questions in life by looking to the best of the Christian intellectual tradition and elevating the voices, both ancient and modern, who grapple with these questions and direct our hearts to the Author of the answers. We invite you to join us in one of the great joys of life: a conversation among friends on the things that matter most. Trinity Forum Conversations is a podcast exploring the big questions in life by looking to the best of the Christian intellectual tradition and elevating the voices, both ancient and modern, who grapple with these questions and direct our hearts to the Author of the answers. The Trinity Forum mail@ttf.org No No Practicing Slow Theology with Nijay Gupta 13 13 139 139 Practicing Slow Theology with Nijay Gupta full 77e404e5-1c85-4811-8633-471243b21476 https://share.transistor.fm/s/a09754c7 In a culture shaped by speed, outrage, and constant distraction, many find it difficult to cultivate a resilient Christian faith. Is slowing down a key to renewing our love of God and neighbor, and sustaining a more durable, authentic faith in a restless age? And how, in practical terms, can we tune out the noise and hear the “still, small voice”?


Drawing on the themes of his book Slow Theology, its co-author, theologian Nijay Gupta, joined us for an online conversation in 2026, where we explored these questions for a live audience: 

"There's a journey that we have to take of striving after God, not because God is a cosmic killjoy, but because we have growth that needs to take place. And that happens slowly."

This episode is from a conversation from March 2026. You can view the transcript and other resources here.

We hope you’ll consider becoming a member of our community, the Trinity Forum Society. Join us in exploring timeless Christian wisdom together, so you gain clarity and courage for your own life, and help cultivate a renewed culture of hope.

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

]]> In a culture shaped by speed, outrage, and constant distraction, many find it difficult to cultivate a resilient Christian faith. Is slowing down a key to renewing our love of God and neighbor, and sustaining a more durable, authentic faith in a restless age? And how, in practical terms, can we tune out the noise and hear the “still, small voice”?


Drawing on the themes of his book Slow Theology, its co-author, theologian Nijay Gupta, joined us for an online conversation in 2026, where we explored these questions for a live audience: 

"There's a journey that we have to take of striving after God, not because God is a cosmic killjoy, but because we have growth that needs to take place. And that happens slowly."

This episode is from a conversation from March 2026. You can view the transcript and other resources here.

We hope you’ll consider becoming a member of our community, the Trinity Forum Society. Join us in exploring timeless Christian wisdom together, so you gain clarity and courage for your own life, and help cultivate a renewed culture of hope.

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

]]> Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:01:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 3231 In a culture shaped by speed, outrage, and constant distraction, many find it difficult to cultivate a resilient Christian faith. Is slowing down a key to renewing our love of God and neighbor, and sustaining a more durable, authentic faith in a restless age? And how, in practical terms, can we tune out the noise and hear the “still, small voice”?


Drawing on the themes of his book Slow Theology, its co-author, theologian Nijay Gupta, joined us for an online conversation in 2026, where we explored these questions for a live audience: 

"There's a journey that we have to take of striving after God, not because God is a cosmic killjoy, but because we have growth that needs to take place. And that happens slowly."

This episode is from a conversation from March 2026. You can view the transcript and other resources here.

We hope you’ll consider becoming a member of our community, the Trinity Forum Society. Join us in exploring timeless Christian wisdom together, so you gain clarity and courage for your own life, and help cultivate a renewed culture of hope.

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

]]> No Discovering a Life Worth Living, with Miroslav Volf 12 12 138 138 Discovering a Life Worth Living, with Miroslav Volf full d67d151e-2450-4319-b236-072eccdec093 https://share.transistor.fm/s/f6a4c84e What makes a good life? In the fragmented and harried age we inhabit, what habits of attention, reflection, and action orient us toward what is good, true, and beautiful? 


The season of Lent is a good time for us to tackle such “big questions.” Drawing on his popular course at Yale, theologian and author Miroslav Volf joined us for an online conversation in 2024, where we explored these questions for a live audience.

"What is the treasure for which you would be willing to sell everything that you have? And if you know what the treasure is, are you willing ... to risk everything to have that treasure?"


Miroslav Volf is the Henry B. Wright Professor of Theology at Yale Divinity School and founding director of the Yale Center for Faith and Culture in New Haven, Connecticut. He has written or edited more than two dozen books, including the New York Times bestseller Life Worth Living, A Public Faith, Public Faith in Action, and Exclusion and Embrace (winner of the Grawemeyer Award in Religion and selected as among the 100 best religious books of the twentieth century by Christianity Today). Educated in his native Croatia, the United States, and Germany, Volf regularly lectures around the world.

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Man's Search for Meaning; Viktor Frankl
On Happiness; Thomas Aquinas
Brave New World; Aldous Huxley
How Much Land Does a Man Need? Leo Tolstoy
Wrestling with God; Simone Weil

]]> What makes a good life? In the fragmented and harried age we inhabit, what habits of attention, reflection, and action orient us toward what is good, true, and beautiful? 


The season of Lent is a good time for us to tackle such “big questions.” Drawing on his popular course at Yale, theologian and author Miroslav Volf joined us for an online conversation in 2024, where we explored these questions for a live audience.

"What is the treasure for which you would be willing to sell everything that you have? And if you know what the treasure is, are you willing ... to risk everything to have that treasure?"


Miroslav Volf is the Henry B. Wright Professor of Theology at Yale Divinity School and founding director of the Yale Center for Faith and Culture in New Haven, Connecticut. He has written or edited more than two dozen books, including the New York Times bestseller Life Worth Living, A Public Faith, Public Faith in Action, and Exclusion and Embrace (winner of the Grawemeyer Award in Religion and selected as among the 100 best religious books of the twentieth century by Christianity Today). Educated in his native Croatia, the United States, and Germany, Volf regularly lectures around the world.

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Man's Search for Meaning; Viktor Frankl
On Happiness; Thomas Aquinas
Brave New World; Aldous Huxley
How Much Land Does a Man Need? Leo Tolstoy
Wrestling with God; Simone Weil

]]> Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:01:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 3436 What makes a good life? In the fragmented and harried age we inhabit, what habits of attention, reflection, and action orient us toward what is good, true, and beautiful? 


The season of Lent is a good time for us to tackle such “big questions.” Drawing on his popular course at Yale, theologian and author Miroslav Volf joined us for an online conversation in 2024, where we explored these questions for a live audience.

"What is the treasure for which you would be willing to sell everything that you have? And if you know what the treasure is, are you willing ... to risk everything to have that treasure?"


Miroslav Volf is the Henry B. Wright Professor of Theology at Yale Divinity School and founding director of the Yale Center for Faith and Culture in New Haven, Connecticut. He has written or edited more than two dozen books, including the New York Times bestseller Life Worth Living, A Public Faith, Public Faith in Action, and Exclusion and Embrace (winner of the Grawemeyer Award in Religion and selected as among the 100 best religious books of the twentieth century by Christianity Today). Educated in his native Croatia, the United States, and Germany, Volf regularly lectures around the world.

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Man's Search for Meaning; Viktor Frankl
On Happiness; Thomas Aquinas
Brave New World; Aldous Huxley
How Much Land Does a Man Need? Leo Tolstoy
Wrestling with God; Simone Weil

]]> No Hope in the Darkness with Curt Thompson 12 12 137 137 Hope in the Darkness with Curt Thompson full dd41bcb5-24d5-45e9-810f-e32f73393b43 https://share.transistor.fm/s/cc4c8a6d As we continue our journey through the season of Lent, we’re offering a series to help each of us prepare the way of the Lord. As we go deeper in our spiritual practices during these days, our guide today is the author and psychiatrist Dr. Curt Thompson. 


In this conversation, Curt talks about the virtue, and discipline, of pursuing hope, even amid the darkness of a broken world:

"While I am working to move toward Jesus, while I'm moving to be further in the dance of the Trinity, I continue to suffer because evil is not about to go quietly into the night ... [we must] posture ourselves with our suffering in the same way that the Holy Trinity does when it comes to the suffering that Jesus experienced, such that we can join him in that."


This episode is drawn from an online conversation recorded in 2023. View the transcript and other resources there.

Related Trinity Forum Readings:
Confessions; St Augustine
God's Grandeur; Gerard Manley Hopkins
Bulletins from Immortality; Emily Dickinson
On Friendship; Cicero
On Happiness; Aquinas
Man's Search for Meaning; Viktor Frankl

]]> As we continue our journey through the season of Lent, we’re offering a series to help each of us prepare the way of the Lord. As we go deeper in our spiritual practices during these days, our guide today is the author and psychiatrist Dr. Curt Thompson. 


In this conversation, Curt talks about the virtue, and discipline, of pursuing hope, even amid the darkness of a broken world:

"While I am working to move toward Jesus, while I'm moving to be further in the dance of the Trinity, I continue to suffer because evil is not about to go quietly into the night ... [we must] posture ourselves with our suffering in the same way that the Holy Trinity does when it comes to the suffering that Jesus experienced, such that we can join him in that."


This episode is drawn from an online conversation recorded in 2023. View the transcript and other resources there.

Related Trinity Forum Readings:
Confessions; St Augustine
God's Grandeur; Gerard Manley Hopkins
Bulletins from Immortality; Emily Dickinson
On Friendship; Cicero
On Happiness; Aquinas
Man's Search for Meaning; Viktor Frankl

]]> Tue, 17 Mar 2026 00:01:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 3336 As we continue our journey through the season of Lent, we’re offering a series to help each of us prepare the way of the Lord. As we go deeper in our spiritual practices during these days, our guide today is the author and psychiatrist Dr. Curt Thompson. 


In this conversation, Curt talks about the virtue, and discipline, of pursuing hope, even amid the darkness of a broken world:

"While I am working to move toward Jesus, while I'm moving to be further in the dance of the Trinity, I continue to suffer because evil is not about to go quietly into the night ... [we must] posture ourselves with our suffering in the same way that the Holy Trinity does when it comes to the suffering that Jesus experienced, such that we can join him in that."


This episode is drawn from an online conversation recorded in 2023. View the transcript and other resources there.

Related Trinity Forum Readings:
Confessions; St Augustine
God's Grandeur; Gerard Manley Hopkins
Bulletins from Immortality; Emily Dickinson
On Friendship; Cicero
On Happiness; Aquinas
Man's Search for Meaning; Viktor Frankl

]]> No Affirming God's Goodness Amidst Suffering, with Alan Noble 12 12 136 136 Affirming God's Goodness Amidst Suffering, with Alan Noble full a67868d3-1108-4012-9988-44c970f42abe https://share.transistor.fm/s/f918465c Welcome to the Trinity Forum Conversations podcast. 


As we move through the season of Lent, we’re offering a series to help each of us prepare the way of the Lord. It’s a good time to take stock of our spiritual practices, and our guide today is the author and professor Alan Noble. 


In his book, On Getting Out of Bed: The Burden & Gift of Living, Alan contends that simply deciding to engage with the world each day constitutes a declaration of the goodness of God:

“Now, there may come times when you are required by your suffering to radically depend upon others to carry you out of bed. My advice is to embrace those moments, knowing that you’ll carry your neighbor in return when the time comes.”

This episode is drawn from an Online Conversation recorded in 2023. We hope you enjoy the conversation.

]]> Welcome to the Trinity Forum Conversations podcast. 


As we move through the season of Lent, we’re offering a series to help each of us prepare the way of the Lord. It’s a good time to take stock of our spiritual practices, and our guide today is the author and professor Alan Noble. 


In his book, On Getting Out of Bed: The Burden & Gift of Living, Alan contends that simply deciding to engage with the world each day constitutes a declaration of the goodness of God:

“Now, there may come times when you are required by your suffering to radically depend upon others to carry you out of bed. My advice is to embrace those moments, knowing that you’ll carry your neighbor in return when the time comes.”

This episode is drawn from an Online Conversation recorded in 2023. We hope you enjoy the conversation.

]]> Tue, 03 Mar 2026 00:01:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1797 Welcome to the Trinity Forum Conversations podcast. 


As we move through the season of Lent, we’re offering a series to help each of us prepare the way of the Lord. It’s a good time to take stock of our spiritual practices, and our guide today is the author and professor Alan Noble. 


In his book, On Getting Out of Bed: The Burden & Gift of Living, Alan contends that simply deciding to engage with the world each day constitutes a declaration of the goodness of God:

“Now, there may come times when you are required by your suffering to radically depend upon others to carry you out of bed. My advice is to embrace those moments, knowing that you’ll carry your neighbor in return when the time comes.”

This episode is drawn from an Online Conversation recorded in 2023. We hope you enjoy the conversation.

]]> No Habits of the Way with John Mark Comer 12 12 135 135 Habits of the Way with John Mark Comer full 5d40c761-61f9-49f5-8cd2-66567e7fe10c https://share.transistor.fm/s/8cd1830e As we move into the season of Lent, we’re offering a series to help each of us prepare the way of the Lord. It’s a good time to take stock of our spiritual practices, and today’s guide is the author John Mark Comer. 


In his book Practicing the Way, John Mark explores the practical realities of what it means to be an apprentice of Jesus:

“It seems to me that the telos of the spiritual journey in the Christian way is becoming a person of love through deepening union with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit…It’s the two greatest commandments: love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself, that Jesus put at the center of apprenticeship to him.” 

This episode is drawn from an online conversation recorded in 2024. 

]]> As we move into the season of Lent, we’re offering a series to help each of us prepare the way of the Lord. It’s a good time to take stock of our spiritual practices, and today’s guide is the author John Mark Comer. 


In his book Practicing the Way, John Mark explores the practical realities of what it means to be an apprentice of Jesus:

“It seems to me that the telos of the spiritual journey in the Christian way is becoming a person of love through deepening union with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit…It’s the two greatest commandments: love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself, that Jesus put at the center of apprenticeship to him.” 

This episode is drawn from an online conversation recorded in 2024. 

]]> Tue, 17 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2101 As we move into the season of Lent, we’re offering a series to help each of us prepare the way of the Lord. It’s a good time to take stock of our spiritual practices, and today’s guide is the author John Mark Comer. 


In his book Practicing the Way, John Mark explores the practical realities of what it means to be an apprentice of Jesus:

“It seems to me that the telos of the spiritual journey in the Christian way is becoming a person of love through deepening union with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit…It’s the two greatest commandments: love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself, that Jesus put at the center of apprenticeship to him.” 

This episode is drawn from an online conversation recorded in 2024. 

]]> No America's Vanishing Church, with Ryan Burge 12 12 134 134 America's Vanishing Church, with Ryan Burge full 402facd4-f8d5-42f5-9bcc-b5c6afe3bf26 https://share.transistor.fm/s/73d3e8bf Many of us have been grieved by the polarization we see rending so many churches. What role has this played in America’s growing secularization and what our guest has called “the great dechurching”? And is that dechurching now actually in reverse? Fundamentally, what can we do to pursue the flourishing of both the church and the nation?


In this episode, our guide is Ryan Burge, an ordained minister, best-selling author and professor of practice at the Danforth Center on Religion and Politics at Washington University. 


His book The Vanishing Church draws upon his scholarship as a data scientist, and his experience as a pastor, to explore how the church has been harmed by, and can offer healing from, the excesses of political combat and division:

"[Attending church] is just good for your soul. It's just good for you as a person to be part of a community like that ... I think it's actually going to be good for democracy for you to realize what it's like to go ... get in the real world and realize it's actually a cool place to hang out, and there's value in that."

This episode is drawn from an online conversation recorded in 2026. Please subscribe to this podcast - it helps people find us.


And we hope you’ll consider becoming a member of our community, the Trinity Forum Society. Join us in exploring timeless Christian wisdom together, so you gain clarity and courage for your own life, and help cultivate a renewed culture of hope. You can do this at our website, ttf.org.

]]> Many of us have been grieved by the polarization we see rending so many churches. What role has this played in America’s growing secularization and what our guest has called “the great dechurching”? And is that dechurching now actually in reverse? Fundamentally, what can we do to pursue the flourishing of both the church and the nation?


In this episode, our guide is Ryan Burge, an ordained minister, best-selling author and professor of practice at the Danforth Center on Religion and Politics at Washington University. 


His book The Vanishing Church draws upon his scholarship as a data scientist, and his experience as a pastor, to explore how the church has been harmed by, and can offer healing from, the excesses of political combat and division:

"[Attending church] is just good for your soul. It's just good for you as a person to be part of a community like that ... I think it's actually going to be good for democracy for you to realize what it's like to go ... get in the real world and realize it's actually a cool place to hang out, and there's value in that."

This episode is drawn from an online conversation recorded in 2026. Please subscribe to this podcast - it helps people find us.


And we hope you’ll consider becoming a member of our community, the Trinity Forum Society. Join us in exploring timeless Christian wisdom together, so you gain clarity and courage for your own life, and help cultivate a renewed culture of hope. You can do this at our website, ttf.org.

]]> Tue, 03 Feb 2026 00:01:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 3525 Many of us have been grieved by the polarization we see rending so many churches. What role has this played in America’s growing secularization and what our guest has called “the great dechurching”? And is that dechurching now actually in reverse? Fundamentally, what can we do to pursue the flourishing of both the church and the nation?


In this episode, our guide is Ryan Burge, an ordained minister, best-selling author and professor of practice at the Danforth Center on Religion and Politics at Washington University. 


His book The Vanishing Church draws upon his scholarship as a data scientist, and his experience as a pastor, to explore how the church has been harmed by, and can offer healing from, the excesses of political combat and division:

"[Attending church] is just good for your soul. It's just good for you as a person to be part of a community like that ... I think it's actually going to be good for democracy for you to realize what it's like to go ... get in the real world and realize it's actually a cool place to hang out, and there's value in that."

This episode is drawn from an online conversation recorded in 2026. Please subscribe to this podcast - it helps people find us.


And we hope you’ll consider becoming a member of our community, the Trinity Forum Society. Join us in exploring timeless Christian wisdom together, so you gain clarity and courage for your own life, and help cultivate a renewed culture of hope. You can do this at our website, ttf.org.

]]> No Charisma in Leaders: The Hidden Dynamic with Molly Worthen 12 12 133 133 Charisma in Leaders: The Hidden Dynamic with Molly Worthen full 80ef85a0-9c54-474e-8ab1-8dec12477a4a https://share.transistor.fm/s/91556afe Charisma in leaders is a mysterious phenomenon. Maybe even baffling, if you’re the one left cold by a leader others see as charismatic. 

How has this mysterious word charisma, coined by the Apostle Paul but now applied widely, shaped us? How can this concept help us to understand our world?

Our guide in understanding it is the University of North Carolina historian Molly Worthen, who’s also one of our Senior Fellows at the Trinity Forum. She’s written widely on her unexpected turn to Christian faith. 

In this conversation, drawing on her book Spellbound, Molly will guide us in understanding the powerful effects of charisma in leadership on religious and political life in America, all the way from the Puritans to the 21st century:

"We are not that different from humans four centuries ago. The advance of democracy, the rise of the internet, scientific literacy, all of this has not really severed us from the deep past and from this, this fundamental desire to connect with a transcendent story about the universe."

This podcast is an edited version of an Online Conversation recorded in 2025. It’ll help people find us if you subscribe to this podcast wherever you listen.

And we hope you’ll consider becoming a member of our community, the Trinity Forum Society. Join us in exploring timeless Christian wisdom together, so you gain clarity and courage for your own life, and help cultivate a renewed culture of hope. You can do this at our website, ttf.org.

]]> Charisma in leaders is a mysterious phenomenon. Maybe even baffling, if you’re the one left cold by a leader others see as charismatic. 

How has this mysterious word charisma, coined by the Apostle Paul but now applied widely, shaped us? How can this concept help us to understand our world?

Our guide in understanding it is the University of North Carolina historian Molly Worthen, who’s also one of our Senior Fellows at the Trinity Forum. She’s written widely on her unexpected turn to Christian faith. 

In this conversation, drawing on her book Spellbound, Molly will guide us in understanding the powerful effects of charisma in leadership on religious and political life in America, all the way from the Puritans to the 21st century:

"We are not that different from humans four centuries ago. The advance of democracy, the rise of the internet, scientific literacy, all of this has not really severed us from the deep past and from this, this fundamental desire to connect with a transcendent story about the universe."

This podcast is an edited version of an Online Conversation recorded in 2025. It’ll help people find us if you subscribe to this podcast wherever you listen.

And we hope you’ll consider becoming a member of our community, the Trinity Forum Society. Join us in exploring timeless Christian wisdom together, so you gain clarity and courage for your own life, and help cultivate a renewed culture of hope. You can do this at our website, ttf.org.

]]> Tue, 20 Jan 2026 00:01:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 3595 Charisma in leaders is a mysterious phenomenon. Maybe even baffling, if you’re the one left cold by a leader others see as charismatic. 

How has this mysterious word charisma, coined by the Apostle Paul but now applied widely, shaped us? How can this concept help us to understand our world?

Our guide in understanding it is the University of North Carolina historian Molly Worthen, who’s also one of our Senior Fellows at the Trinity Forum. She’s written widely on her unexpected turn to Christian faith. 

In this conversation, drawing on her book Spellbound, Molly will guide us in understanding the powerful effects of charisma in leadership on religious and political life in America, all the way from the Puritans to the 21st century:

"We are not that different from humans four centuries ago. The advance of democracy, the rise of the internet, scientific literacy, all of this has not really severed us from the deep past and from this, this fundamental desire to connect with a transcendent story about the universe."

This podcast is an edited version of an Online Conversation recorded in 2025. It’ll help people find us if you subscribe to this podcast wherever you listen.

And we hope you’ll consider becoming a member of our community, the Trinity Forum Society. Join us in exploring timeless Christian wisdom together, so you gain clarity and courage for your own life, and help cultivate a renewed culture of hope. You can do this at our website, ttf.org.

]]> No On Epic Beginnings with Malcolm Guite 11 11 132 132 On Epic Beginnings with Malcolm Guite full 0a6792d3-f2c3-49d2-ae1b-19da1bbf9f39 https://share.transistor.fm/s/3c564f01 As we celebrate the new year, there’s no better guide than the poet, Anglican priest, and scholar, Malcolm Guite. Through the years, Malcolm has written beautifully on how poetic language can help our imaginations apprehend truth that our reason cannot fully comprehend.


In this episode he describes Merlin’s Isle: An Arthuriad, his forthcoming four-volume epic poem on the legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, which will be published over several years by Rabbit Room Press. He has described his purpose: making a poem that restores the spiritual elements that have been shorn away from these legends and renews their deepest meaning for our time:

"You don’t have to invent yourself because somebody else who loves you has already done it. You from the beginning, the real heart of who you are, deeper and more beautiful than you could ever know, has simmered in the Divine mind since before the beginning of time. And now he’s speaking to you."

With this work, Malcolm brings into the 21st century the epic tradition that includes Lewis, Tolkien, Milton and many others. 

This podcast is an edited version of an Evening Conversation recorded in 2025. You can find the full video on our website, ttf.org. 


While there, please consider becoming a Trinity Forum Society member too. Join us in exploring timeless Christian wisdom together, so you gain clarity and courage for your own life, and help cultivate a renewed culture of hope.


We hope you enjoy the conversation.

]]> As we celebrate the new year, there’s no better guide than the poet, Anglican priest, and scholar, Malcolm Guite. Through the years, Malcolm has written beautifully on how poetic language can help our imaginations apprehend truth that our reason cannot fully comprehend.


In this episode he describes Merlin’s Isle: An Arthuriad, his forthcoming four-volume epic poem on the legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, which will be published over several years by Rabbit Room Press. He has described his purpose: making a poem that restores the spiritual elements that have been shorn away from these legends and renews their deepest meaning for our time:

"You don’t have to invent yourself because somebody else who loves you has already done it. You from the beginning, the real heart of who you are, deeper and more beautiful than you could ever know, has simmered in the Divine mind since before the beginning of time. And now he’s speaking to you."

With this work, Malcolm brings into the 21st century the epic tradition that includes Lewis, Tolkien, Milton and many others. 

This podcast is an edited version of an Evening Conversation recorded in 2025. You can find the full video on our website, ttf.org. 


While there, please consider becoming a Trinity Forum Society member too. Join us in exploring timeless Christian wisdom together, so you gain clarity and courage for your own life, and help cultivate a renewed culture of hope.


We hope you enjoy the conversation.

]]> Tue, 06 Jan 2026 00:02:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 4841 As we celebrate the new year, there’s no better guide than the poet, Anglican priest, and scholar, Malcolm Guite. Through the years, Malcolm has written beautifully on how poetic language can help our imaginations apprehend truth that our reason cannot fully comprehend.


In this episode he describes Merlin’s Isle: An Arthuriad, his forthcoming four-volume epic poem on the legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, which will be published over several years by Rabbit Room Press. He has described his purpose: making a poem that restores the spiritual elements that have been shorn away from these legends and renews their deepest meaning for our time:

"You don’t have to invent yourself because somebody else who loves you has already done it. You from the beginning, the real heart of who you are, deeper and more beautiful than you could ever know, has simmered in the Divine mind since before the beginning of time. And now he’s speaking to you."

With this work, Malcolm brings into the 21st century the epic tradition that includes Lewis, Tolkien, Milton and many others. 

This podcast is an edited version of an Evening Conversation recorded in 2025. You can find the full video on our website, ttf.org. 


While there, please consider becoming a Trinity Forum Society member too. Join us in exploring timeless Christian wisdom together, so you gain clarity and courage for your own life, and help cultivate a renewed culture of hope.


We hope you enjoy the conversation.

]]> No Singing at Christmas and How it Forms us 11 11 131 131 Singing at Christmas and How it Forms us full 17fe4b17-8123-4505-9559-2672410cb8ed https://share.transistor.fm/s/01b5cad6 Singing during Christmastime—and at all times—has deep formative power, shaping our minds and our spirits. In times of distraction and anxiety, how can we access this formation? And how can caroling at Christmas aid us in keeping Christ at the center of our hearts?


Our guide is Keith Getty, an extraordinary hymn writer, musician, and catalyst for the modern hymn movement. In a special Christmastime conversation, we explored music, formation, and beauty:


“We’re fearfully and wonderfully made. We remember tunes and we forget sermons, not because we’re bad people, but it’s because of how God made us. The carols are special because repetition is a form of liturgy. And each Christmas, the liturgy of singing provides such an opportunity for us.” – Keith Getty


This podcast is an edited version of an Online Conversation recorded in 2023. You can find the full video on our website, ttf.org. 


While there, please consider becoming a Trinity Forum Society member too. Join us in exploring timeless Christian wisdom together, so you gain clarity and courage for your own life, and help cultivate a renewed culture of hope.

]]> Singing during Christmastime—and at all times—has deep formative power, shaping our minds and our spirits. In times of distraction and anxiety, how can we access this formation? And how can caroling at Christmas aid us in keeping Christ at the center of our hearts?


Our guide is Keith Getty, an extraordinary hymn writer, musician, and catalyst for the modern hymn movement. In a special Christmastime conversation, we explored music, formation, and beauty:


“We’re fearfully and wonderfully made. We remember tunes and we forget sermons, not because we’re bad people, but it’s because of how God made us. The carols are special because repetition is a form of liturgy. And each Christmas, the liturgy of singing provides such an opportunity for us.” – Keith Getty


This podcast is an edited version of an Online Conversation recorded in 2023. You can find the full video on our website, ttf.org. 


While there, please consider becoming a Trinity Forum Society member too. Join us in exploring timeless Christian wisdom together, so you gain clarity and courage for your own life, and help cultivate a renewed culture of hope.

]]> Tue, 23 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1766 Singing during Christmastime—and at all times—has deep formative power, shaping our minds and our spirits. In times of distraction and anxiety, how can we access this formation? And how can caroling at Christmas aid us in keeping Christ at the center of our hearts?


Our guide is Keith Getty, an extraordinary hymn writer, musician, and catalyst for the modern hymn movement. In a special Christmastime conversation, we explored music, formation, and beauty:


“We’re fearfully and wonderfully made. We remember tunes and we forget sermons, not because we’re bad people, but it’s because of how God made us. The carols are special because repetition is a form of liturgy. And each Christmas, the liturgy of singing provides such an opportunity for us.” – Keith Getty


This podcast is an edited version of an Online Conversation recorded in 2023. You can find the full video on our website, ttf.org. 


While there, please consider becoming a Trinity Forum Society member too. Join us in exploring timeless Christian wisdom together, so you gain clarity and courage for your own life, and help cultivate a renewed culture of hope.

]]> No The Duty of the Writer: A conversation from the Michael J. Gerson Memorial Prize event 11 11 130 130 The Duty of the Writer: A conversation from the Michael J. Gerson Memorial Prize event full bee847e2-599e-4335-9ad2-a7d023c878bb https://share.transistor.fm/s/edc53ba1 This special episode is taken from the launch of the inaugural Michael J. Gerson Prize for Excellence in Writing on Faith and Public Life. Through this conversation, held at Washington National Cathedral in November 2025, you’ll learn a lot about Michael, and what his legacy means for us now. 


What you’ll hear in this episode is a conversation moderated by Trinity Forum President Cherie Harder on “Conscience, Courage and Craft: The Duty of the Writer in an Age of Confusion.” 

The all-star panelists are Peter Wehner, David Brooks, Christine Emba, Russell Moore, and Karen Swallow Prior. 

You’ll also hear videos provided in Michael’s memory by two of his friends – President Bush, and Bono.

“Our responsibility [as writers] is to … remind our readers and our audiences of the good, the true, the beautiful, the virtuous … to show that those things can be lovely, actually, to redefine those words in ways that don't make them smell of just old books and past lectures that we've moved past, but something that can be alive in this moment.” —Christine Emba


Later that evening, Matthew Loftus was named as the inaugural winner of the award. You can find writings by Matthew, and by Michael Gerson, at TTF.org. You can also find the full YouTube video of the evening there. 


While you’re there, why not consider becoming a member of the Trinity Forum? Join us in exploring timeless Christian wisdom together, so you gain clarity and courage for your own life, and help cultivate a renewed culture of hope - including through next year’s Michael Gerson Prize.

]]> This special episode is taken from the launch of the inaugural Michael J. Gerson Prize for Excellence in Writing on Faith and Public Life. Through this conversation, held at Washington National Cathedral in November 2025, you’ll learn a lot about Michael, and what his legacy means for us now. 


What you’ll hear in this episode is a conversation moderated by Trinity Forum President Cherie Harder on “Conscience, Courage and Craft: The Duty of the Writer in an Age of Confusion.” 

The all-star panelists are Peter Wehner, David Brooks, Christine Emba, Russell Moore, and Karen Swallow Prior. 

You’ll also hear videos provided in Michael’s memory by two of his friends – President Bush, and Bono.

“Our responsibility [as writers] is to … remind our readers and our audiences of the good, the true, the beautiful, the virtuous … to show that those things can be lovely, actually, to redefine those words in ways that don't make them smell of just old books and past lectures that we've moved past, but something that can be alive in this moment.” —Christine Emba


Later that evening, Matthew Loftus was named as the inaugural winner of the award. You can find writings by Matthew, and by Michael Gerson, at TTF.org. You can also find the full YouTube video of the evening there. 


While you’re there, why not consider becoming a member of the Trinity Forum? Join us in exploring timeless Christian wisdom together, so you gain clarity and courage for your own life, and help cultivate a renewed culture of hope - including through next year’s Michael Gerson Prize.

]]> Tue, 09 Dec 2025 00:01:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 3395 This special episode is taken from the launch of the inaugural Michael J. Gerson Prize for Excellence in Writing on Faith and Public Life. Through this conversation, held at Washington National Cathedral in November 2025, you’ll learn a lot about Michael, and what his legacy means for us now. 


What you’ll hear in this episode is a conversation moderated by Trinity Forum President Cherie Harder on “Conscience, Courage and Craft: The Duty of the Writer in an Age of Confusion.” 

The all-star panelists are Peter Wehner, David Brooks, Christine Emba, Russell Moore, and Karen Swallow Prior. 

You’ll also hear videos provided in Michael’s memory by two of his friends – President Bush, and Bono.

“Our responsibility [as writers] is to … remind our readers and our audiences of the good, the true, the beautiful, the virtuous … to show that those things can be lovely, actually, to redefine those words in ways that don't make them smell of just old books and past lectures that we've moved past, but something that can be alive in this moment.” —Christine Emba


Later that evening, Matthew Loftus was named as the inaugural winner of the award. You can find writings by Matthew, and by Michael Gerson, at TTF.org. You can also find the full YouTube video of the evening there. 


While you’re there, why not consider becoming a member of the Trinity Forum? Join us in exploring timeless Christian wisdom together, so you gain clarity and courage for your own life, and help cultivate a renewed culture of hope - including through next year’s Michael Gerson Prize.

]]> No Thanksgiving is a Practice, with Cornelius Plantinga 11 11 129 129 Thanksgiving is a Practice, with Cornelius Plantinga full df0da5c1-e786-428b-9809-8877758190d7 https://share.transistor.fm/s/e5cc48b0 Thanksgiving is much more than a holiday. The practice of gratitude is a biblical command, it’s a Christian virtue, and it’s even one of the best predictors of personal well-being. 


But what does the practice of thanks-giving require? How can we cultivate a spirit and habit of thankfulness with the burdens we bear as individuals, and amidst the sorrows and injustices of a fallen world?


Join us in this episode in discovering formative practices from our Christian tradition that can help each of us cultivate a deeply thankful heart. 


Together we’ll be guided by Cornelius (Neal) Plantinga, theologian and author of Gratitude: Why Giving Thanks Is the Key to Our Well-Being.

 

“Gratitude makes me content because gratitude makes what I have enough.”


This episode is drawn from an online conversation held in 2025. You can find the full video of the conversation on our website, ttf.org. You can become a Trinity Forum Society member there too. 


Join us in exploring timeless Christian wisdom together, so you gain clarity and courage for your own life, and help cultivate a renewed culture of hope.

]]> Thanksgiving is much more than a holiday. The practice of gratitude is a biblical command, it’s a Christian virtue, and it’s even one of the best predictors of personal well-being. 


But what does the practice of thanks-giving require? How can we cultivate a spirit and habit of thankfulness with the burdens we bear as individuals, and amidst the sorrows and injustices of a fallen world?


Join us in this episode in discovering formative practices from our Christian tradition that can help each of us cultivate a deeply thankful heart. 


Together we’ll be guided by Cornelius (Neal) Plantinga, theologian and author of Gratitude: Why Giving Thanks Is the Key to Our Well-Being.

 

“Gratitude makes me content because gratitude makes what I have enough.”


This episode is drawn from an online conversation held in 2025. You can find the full video of the conversation on our website, ttf.org. You can become a Trinity Forum Society member there too. 


Join us in exploring timeless Christian wisdom together, so you gain clarity and courage for your own life, and help cultivate a renewed culture of hope.

]]> Tue, 25 Nov 2025 00:01:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 3524 Thanksgiving is much more than a holiday. The practice of gratitude is a biblical command, it’s a Christian virtue, and it’s even one of the best predictors of personal well-being. 


But what does the practice of thanks-giving require? How can we cultivate a spirit and habit of thankfulness with the burdens we bear as individuals, and amidst the sorrows and injustices of a fallen world?


Join us in this episode in discovering formative practices from our Christian tradition that can help each of us cultivate a deeply thankful heart. 


Together we’ll be guided by Cornelius (Neal) Plantinga, theologian and author of Gratitude: Why Giving Thanks Is the Key to Our Well-Being.

 

“Gratitude makes me content because gratitude makes what I have enough.”


This episode is drawn from an online conversation held in 2025. You can find the full video of the conversation on our website, ttf.org. You can become a Trinity Forum Society member there too. 


Join us in exploring timeless Christian wisdom together, so you gain clarity and courage for your own life, and help cultivate a renewed culture of hope.

]]> No Remembering Michael Gerson: Who Is My Neighbor? 11 11 128 128 Remembering Michael Gerson: Who Is My Neighbor? full 9d71ca03-45d2-4385-adfc-3b67d4c9d372 https://share.transistor.fm/s/c015f6aa This is a special episode in memory of Michael Gerson. 


Michael J. Gerson was a White House speechwriter and senior policy adviser, a Washington Post columnist and one of America’s most influential and eloquent commentators. Michael was shaped by his deep Christian faith, and his writing drew from the Christian tradition to call America to greater justice. In particular, he’s remembered for linking that tradition to the global health efforts he championed, including the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR.  


To mark the three years since Michael passed away due to cancer on November 17, 2022, we’re presenting this edited version of his comments at a Trinity Forum evening conversation held in 2016. 


Hearing him again reminds us of Michael’s extraordinary mind, as well as his heart. 


“You can never be too careful when you travel. You can go in search of disease and poverty and stumble upon holy ground, and you can find resilience, courage, and faithfulness that will inspire you and challenge you for the rest of your life.”


You can find the full video of the conversation on our Trinity Forum website, ttf.org. You can become a member there too. 


Join us in exploring timeless Christian wisdom together, so you gain clarity and courage for your own life, and help cultivate a renewed culture of hope.

]]> This is a special episode in memory of Michael Gerson. 


Michael J. Gerson was a White House speechwriter and senior policy adviser, a Washington Post columnist and one of America’s most influential and eloquent commentators. Michael was shaped by his deep Christian faith, and his writing drew from the Christian tradition to call America to greater justice. In particular, he’s remembered for linking that tradition to the global health efforts he championed, including the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR.  


To mark the three years since Michael passed away due to cancer on November 17, 2022, we’re presenting this edited version of his comments at a Trinity Forum evening conversation held in 2016. 


Hearing him again reminds us of Michael’s extraordinary mind, as well as his heart. 


“You can never be too careful when you travel. You can go in search of disease and poverty and stumble upon holy ground, and you can find resilience, courage, and faithfulness that will inspire you and challenge you for the rest of your life.”


You can find the full video of the conversation on our Trinity Forum website, ttf.org. You can become a member there too. 


Join us in exploring timeless Christian wisdom together, so you gain clarity and courage for your own life, and help cultivate a renewed culture of hope.

]]> Tue, 18 Nov 2025 00:01:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1413 This is a special episode in memory of Michael Gerson. 


Michael J. Gerson was a White House speechwriter and senior policy adviser, a Washington Post columnist and one of America’s most influential and eloquent commentators. Michael was shaped by his deep Christian faith, and his writing drew from the Christian tradition to call America to greater justice. In particular, he’s remembered for linking that tradition to the global health efforts he championed, including the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR.  


To mark the three years since Michael passed away due to cancer on November 17, 2022, we’re presenting this edited version of his comments at a Trinity Forum evening conversation held in 2016. 


Hearing him again reminds us of Michael’s extraordinary mind, as well as his heart. 


“You can never be too careful when you travel. You can go in search of disease and poverty and stumble upon holy ground, and you can find resilience, courage, and faithfulness that will inspire you and challenge you for the rest of your life.”


You can find the full video of the conversation on our Trinity Forum website, ttf.org. You can become a member there too. 


Join us in exploring timeless Christian wisdom together, so you gain clarity and courage for your own life, and help cultivate a renewed culture of hope.

]]> No Can Character Be Taught? with William Inboden 11 11 127 127 Can Character Be Taught? with William Inboden full ebc98868-881e-4832-957c-1ed80be4dbf9 https://share.transistor.fm/s/5b3b49d9 Does character matter? In the last century, our society shifted away from teaching character in schools in order to focus on different forms of learning. How has that change shaped the world we live in now? Should cultivating character be a focus of education, and can character even be effectively taught in a pluralistic society?


Our guest on today’s podcast is Dr. William Inboden, provost of the University of Texas, and one of our Senior Fellows here at the Trinity Forum. He’ll be our guide as we explore the roles of education, community, and faith in forming people of wisdom and integrity.


What does it mean to be in community? What are the implications of your character for that? Loyalty, honesty. Those are fundamental to building friendships. Integrity, self sacrifice. Those are also fundamental to living for something greater than yourself.


This episode is drawn from an Online Conversation held in 2025. It’ll give you a sense of what the Trinity Forum is about: a community of people renewing our culture by applying wisdom from the Christian tradition, and nurturing its growth. 

]]> Does character matter? In the last century, our society shifted away from teaching character in schools in order to focus on different forms of learning. How has that change shaped the world we live in now? Should cultivating character be a focus of education, and can character even be effectively taught in a pluralistic society?


Our guest on today’s podcast is Dr. William Inboden, provost of the University of Texas, and one of our Senior Fellows here at the Trinity Forum. He’ll be our guide as we explore the roles of education, community, and faith in forming people of wisdom and integrity.


What does it mean to be in community? What are the implications of your character for that? Loyalty, honesty. Those are fundamental to building friendships. Integrity, self sacrifice. Those are also fundamental to living for something greater than yourself.


This episode is drawn from an Online Conversation held in 2025. It’ll give you a sense of what the Trinity Forum is about: a community of people renewing our culture by applying wisdom from the Christian tradition, and nurturing its growth. 

]]> Tue, 04 Nov 2025 00:01:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 3471 Does character matter? In the last century, our society shifted away from teaching character in schools in order to focus on different forms of learning. How has that change shaped the world we live in now? Should cultivating character be a focus of education, and can character even be effectively taught in a pluralistic society?


Our guest on today’s podcast is Dr. William Inboden, provost of the University of Texas, and one of our Senior Fellows here at the Trinity Forum. He’ll be our guide as we explore the roles of education, community, and faith in forming people of wisdom and integrity.


What does it mean to be in community? What are the implications of your character for that? Loyalty, honesty. Those are fundamental to building friendships. Integrity, self sacrifice. Those are also fundamental to living for something greater than yourself.


This episode is drawn from an Online Conversation held in 2025. It’ll give you a sense of what the Trinity Forum is about: a community of people renewing our culture by applying wisdom from the Christian tradition, and nurturing its growth. 

]]> No Blaise Pascal as a Modern Guide with Graham Tomlin 11 11 126 126 Blaise Pascal as a Modern Guide with Graham Tomlin full 2d217792-0b44-4c8f-bd49-181669763f0e https://share.transistor.fm/s/ae6b5b8f In this episode, we explore the life and mind of whom historian Tom Holland calls “17th century Europe’s supreme polymath": Blaise Pascal. 


Our guide is Graham Tomlin, a former bishop in the Church of England. 


Drawing from his book, Blaise Pascal, the Man Who Made the Modern World, Graham brings us on a journey through Pascal’s life, his conversion to Christianity, and his famous argument for belief in God known as “the Wager.”


Together, we’ll explore the ways in which Pascal himself can still be a guide for us today. 


"What else does [man's] craving and helplessness proclaim—but that there was once in man a true happiness of which all that remains is the empty print and trace. This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are not there, the help that he cannot find in those that are. Though none can help. Because this infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object. In other words, by God himself."


This conversation was recorded in August 2025. You can find the original video and transcript here.

Thank you for joining us in exploring timeless wisdom together, to help you gain clarity and courage for your own life, and to help nurture a culture of renewed hope.

]]> In this episode, we explore the life and mind of whom historian Tom Holland calls “17th century Europe’s supreme polymath": Blaise Pascal. 


Our guide is Graham Tomlin, a former bishop in the Church of England. 


Drawing from his book, Blaise Pascal, the Man Who Made the Modern World, Graham brings us on a journey through Pascal’s life, his conversion to Christianity, and his famous argument for belief in God known as “the Wager.”


Together, we’ll explore the ways in which Pascal himself can still be a guide for us today. 


"What else does [man's] craving and helplessness proclaim—but that there was once in man a true happiness of which all that remains is the empty print and trace. This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are not there, the help that he cannot find in those that are. Though none can help. Because this infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object. In other words, by God himself."


This conversation was recorded in August 2025. You can find the original video and transcript here.

Thank you for joining us in exploring timeless wisdom together, to help you gain clarity and courage for your own life, and to help nurture a culture of renewed hope.

]]> Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:01:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 3766 In this episode, we explore the life and mind of whom historian Tom Holland calls “17th century Europe’s supreme polymath": Blaise Pascal. 


Our guide is Graham Tomlin, a former bishop in the Church of England. 


Drawing from his book, Blaise Pascal, the Man Who Made the Modern World, Graham brings us on a journey through Pascal’s life, his conversion to Christianity, and his famous argument for belief in God known as “the Wager.”


Together, we’ll explore the ways in which Pascal himself can still be a guide for us today. 


"What else does [man's] craving and helplessness proclaim—but that there was once in man a true happiness of which all that remains is the empty print and trace. This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are not there, the help that he cannot find in those that are. Though none can help. Because this infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object. In other words, by God himself."


This conversation was recorded in August 2025. You can find the original video and transcript here.

Thank you for joining us in exploring timeless wisdom together, to help you gain clarity and courage for your own life, and to help nurture a culture of renewed hope.

]]> No Leading for the Kingdom with Nicole Massie Martin 11 11 125 125 Leading for the Kingdom with Nicole Massie Martin full ec2e5d3d-aace-4692-ad5a-323073e330e3 https://share.transistor.fm/s/330c6d62 What does redemptive leadership mean? As Christians, we have a unique calling: not just to lead, but to serve. What does this look like in today’s culture, and how can we serve as leaders and foster an environment of abundant grace and joy wherever we are?


Christianity Today’s Dr. Nicole Massie Martin helps us to understand how we can nail outdated models of leadership to the cross, and what it will take to replace them with Biblical ones:


“We need to nail to the cross what is a very secular understanding … of [power, ego, and performance], so that what is resurrected through Christ might be redemptive and bring glory to God and good to the people that we lead.”


This conversation is from an Online Conversation recorded in May 2025. We hope this conversation will inspire you to identify the ways you lead, and how you can step further into leading with grace, humility, and joy.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:


Go deeper into the issues discussed in this episode with these Trinity Forum Readings:

]]> What does redemptive leadership mean? As Christians, we have a unique calling: not just to lead, but to serve. What does this look like in today’s culture, and how can we serve as leaders and foster an environment of abundant grace and joy wherever we are?


Christianity Today’s Dr. Nicole Massie Martin helps us to understand how we can nail outdated models of leadership to the cross, and what it will take to replace them with Biblical ones:


“We need to nail to the cross what is a very secular understanding … of [power, ego, and performance], so that what is resurrected through Christ might be redemptive and bring glory to God and good to the people that we lead.”


This conversation is from an Online Conversation recorded in May 2025. We hope this conversation will inspire you to identify the ways you lead, and how you can step further into leading with grace, humility, and joy.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:


Go deeper into the issues discussed in this episode with these Trinity Forum Readings:

]]> Tue, 07 Oct 2025 00:01:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 3365 What does redemptive leadership mean? As Christians, we have a unique calling: not just to lead, but to serve. What does this look like in today’s culture, and how can we serve as leaders and foster an environment of abundant grace and joy wherever we are?


Christianity Today’s Dr. Nicole Massie Martin helps us to understand how we can nail outdated models of leadership to the cross, and what it will take to replace them with Biblical ones:


“We need to nail to the cross what is a very secular understanding … of [power, ego, and performance], so that what is resurrected through Christ might be redemptive and bring glory to God and good to the people that we lead.”


This conversation is from an Online Conversation recorded in May 2025. We hope this conversation will inspire you to identify the ways you lead, and how you can step further into leading with grace, humility, and joy.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:


Go deeper into the issues discussed in this episode with these Trinity Forum Readings:

]]> No Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan 11 11 124 124 Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan full f5bf9cde-24a0-4498-a6df-c2b7b5f08f28 https://share.transistor.fm/s/ca2cfc8f What does it mean to walk with God? The spiritual life is so often described as a walk, journey, or pilgrimage that it can be easy to dismiss the practice of walking as a mere metaphor.

But in God Walk, author, pastor, and professor Mark Buchanan explores the way that the act of walking has profound implications for followers of the Way:


“Hurry is the enemy of attentiveness. And so love as attentiveness is listening and caring and noticing, cherishing, savoring, being awestruck, these things that we feel in a relationship. I am deeply loved by this person because they notice me. I think that that’s how God’s built it. And we can’t get that if we’re moving too fast, if we’re in a hurry.”


This episode is drawn from an online conversation held in 2023. It’ll give you a sense of what the Trinity Forum is about: a community of people renewing our culture by applying wisdom from the Christian tradition, and nurturing new growth in it, in our time. 


If that resonates with you, please join the Trinity Forum as a member, at ttf.org.

As we ponder the spirituality of walking, our fall Trinity Forum Reading features naturalist Henry David Thoreau’s ruminations on the art of walking, with an introduction by Trinity Forum President Cherie Harder. Stay tuned for pre-ordering later this week, and join our membership to receive a copy mailed directly to you.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:


Related Trinity Forum Readings:


Related Conversations:

Get tickets for The Rabbit Room's Housemoot.

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcasts/ and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society.

]]> What does it mean to walk with God? The spiritual life is so often described as a walk, journey, or pilgrimage that it can be easy to dismiss the practice of walking as a mere metaphor.

But in God Walk, author, pastor, and professor Mark Buchanan explores the way that the act of walking has profound implications for followers of the Way:


“Hurry is the enemy of attentiveness. And so love as attentiveness is listening and caring and noticing, cherishing, savoring, being awestruck, these things that we feel in a relationship. I am deeply loved by this person because they notice me. I think that that’s how God’s built it. And we can’t get that if we’re moving too fast, if we’re in a hurry.”


This episode is drawn from an online conversation held in 2023. It’ll give you a sense of what the Trinity Forum is about: a community of people renewing our culture by applying wisdom from the Christian tradition, and nurturing new growth in it, in our time. 


If that resonates with you, please join the Trinity Forum as a member, at ttf.org.

As we ponder the spirituality of walking, our fall Trinity Forum Reading features naturalist Henry David Thoreau’s ruminations on the art of walking, with an introduction by Trinity Forum President Cherie Harder. Stay tuned for pre-ordering later this week, and join our membership to receive a copy mailed directly to you.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:


Related Trinity Forum Readings:


Related Conversations:

Get tickets for The Rabbit Room's Housemoot.

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcasts/ and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society.

]]> Tue, 23 Sep 2025 00:01:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2209 What does it mean to walk with God? The spiritual life is so often described as a walk, journey, or pilgrimage that it can be easy to dismiss the practice of walking as a mere metaphor.

But in God Walk, author, pastor, and professor Mark Buchanan explores the way that the act of walking has profound implications for followers of the Way:


“Hurry is the enemy of attentiveness. And so love as attentiveness is listening and caring and noticing, cherishing, savoring, being awestruck, these things that we feel in a relationship. I am deeply loved by this person because they notice me. I think that that’s how God’s built it. And we can’t get that if we’re moving too fast, if we’re in a hurry.”


This episode is drawn from an online conversation held in 2023. It’ll give you a sense of what the Trinity Forum is about: a community of people renewing our culture by applying wisdom from the Christian tradition, and nurturing new growth in it, in our time. 


If that resonates with you, please join the Trinity Forum as a member, at ttf.org.

As we ponder the spirituality of walking, our fall Trinity Forum Reading features naturalist Henry David Thoreau’s ruminations on the art of walking, with an introduction by Trinity Forum President Cherie Harder. Stay tuned for pre-ordering later this week, and join our membership to receive a copy mailed directly to you.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:


Related Trinity Forum Readings:


Related Conversations:

Get tickets for The Rabbit Room's Housemoot.

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcasts/ and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society.

]]> No Beth Moore: Untangling Our Knotted-Up Lives 11 11 123 123 Beth Moore: Untangling Our Knotted-Up Lives full df1799e8-3792-4838-9a6c-8ad38e25f302 https://share.transistor.fm/s/c012e68b Our theme for this episode is “Untangling Our Knotted-Up Lives,” and our guest is the author and speaker Beth Moore. 

Drawing from her bestselling memoir, Beth helps us work through a challenge we all may face at various times: maintaining resilience — and faithfulness to our vocations — in the face of hardship:

“I’d come to a point where I thought, oh my goodness, I see this. I get what Jesus is doing here, whatever it might be. I had this compelling to share it, and I have throughout my whole adult life.”


This episode is drawn from an online conversation held in 2025. It’ll give you a sense of what the Trinity Forum is about: a community of people renewing our culture by applying wisdom from the Christian tradition, and nurturing new growth in it, in our time. 


If that resonates with you, please join the Trinity Forum as a member, at ttf.org.

Go deeper into the topics discussed in this conversation with these Trinity Forum Readings:

]]> Our theme for this episode is “Untangling Our Knotted-Up Lives,” and our guest is the author and speaker Beth Moore. 

Drawing from her bestselling memoir, Beth helps us work through a challenge we all may face at various times: maintaining resilience — and faithfulness to our vocations — in the face of hardship:

“I’d come to a point where I thought, oh my goodness, I see this. I get what Jesus is doing here, whatever it might be. I had this compelling to share it, and I have throughout my whole adult life.”


This episode is drawn from an online conversation held in 2025. It’ll give you a sense of what the Trinity Forum is about: a community of people renewing our culture by applying wisdom from the Christian tradition, and nurturing new growth in it, in our time. 


If that resonates with you, please join the Trinity Forum as a member, at ttf.org.

Go deeper into the topics discussed in this conversation with these Trinity Forum Readings:

]]> Tue, 09 Sep 2025 00:01:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 3538 Our theme for this episode is “Untangling Our Knotted-Up Lives,” and our guest is the author and speaker Beth Moore. 

Drawing from her bestselling memoir, Beth helps us work through a challenge we all may face at various times: maintaining resilience — and faithfulness to our vocations — in the face of hardship:

“I’d come to a point where I thought, oh my goodness, I see this. I get what Jesus is doing here, whatever it might be. I had this compelling to share it, and I have throughout my whole adult life.”


This episode is drawn from an online conversation held in 2025. It’ll give you a sense of what the Trinity Forum is about: a community of people renewing our culture by applying wisdom from the Christian tradition, and nurturing new growth in it, in our time. 


If that resonates with you, please join the Trinity Forum as a member, at ttf.org.

Go deeper into the topics discussed in this conversation with these Trinity Forum Readings:

]]> No Story, Culture, & the Common Good with Marilynne Robinson 11 11 122 122 Story, Culture, & the Common Good with Marilynne Robinson full dc4d293b-7f77-4770-bace-456b09341b2e https://share.transistor.fm/s/6935d568 Our Summer 2025 series, Beside Still Waters, focuses on the places where creativity brings life into a world fatigued by brokenness and division. From jazz to Jane Austen and in between, this season we’re focusing on the ways literature and the arts can refresh and challenge our inner lives—and connect us with the Creator of the good, the true, and the beautiful.


Today’s episode concludes our summer series. Our guide today is the acclaimed writer Marilynne Robinson, author of the Gilead series, and much else. 


In this episode, originally an Online Conversation recorded in 2020, Marilynne reflects on the art of writing as a means of exploring truth and engaging questions around learning to live well, to love others, and to create a home and community, in our fractious world:


“The unique brilliance of a human being … is something that we tend utterly to disparage, demean, utterly fail to notice … every person lives out a [life] beautiful, complicated, inaccessible to other consciousnesses. And it is sacred.”


And if this conversation resonates with you, consider joining the Trinity Forum community as a member, at ttf.org. You can find the full video of this conversation there too.

Marilynne Robinson's Novels | Housekeeping, Gilead, Home, Lila, Jack, Reading Genesis

Article in Breaking Ground from our event.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Marcel Proust

Ralph Waldo Emmerson

Paul Harding

Walt Witman

William Faulkner

John Calvin

Jonathan Edwards

Moby Dick, by Herman Mellville

Piers Plowman, by William Langland


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

 

Marilynne Robinson is a novelist, essayist, and teacher, one of the most renowned and revered of living writers. Her novels Housekeeping, Gilead, Lila, and Home have been variously honored with the Pulitzer Prize, National Books Critics Circle Award (twice), a Hemingway Foundation Award, an Orange Prize, The Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction, and the Ambassador Book Award. She's also the author of many essays and non-fiction works, including her work, “Mother Country”, and her essay collections, “Death of Adam,” “Absence of Mind,” “When I was a Child I Read Books,” “The Givenness of Things,” and “What Are We Doing Here?”. She's the recipient of the National Humanities Medal and an elected fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In addition to her writing has spent over 20 years teaching at the Iowa Writers Workshop, as well as several universities.

]]> Our Summer 2025 series, Beside Still Waters, focuses on the places where creativity brings life into a world fatigued by brokenness and division. From jazz to Jane Austen and in between, this season we’re focusing on the ways literature and the arts can refresh and challenge our inner lives—and connect us with the Creator of the good, the true, and the beautiful.


Today’s episode concludes our summer series. Our guide today is the acclaimed writer Marilynne Robinson, author of the Gilead series, and much else. 


In this episode, originally an Online Conversation recorded in 2020, Marilynne reflects on the art of writing as a means of exploring truth and engaging questions around learning to live well, to love others, and to create a home and community, in our fractious world:


“The unique brilliance of a human being … is something that we tend utterly to disparage, demean, utterly fail to notice … every person lives out a [life] beautiful, complicated, inaccessible to other consciousnesses. And it is sacred.”


And if this conversation resonates with you, consider joining the Trinity Forum community as a member, at ttf.org. You can find the full video of this conversation there too.

Marilynne Robinson's Novels | Housekeeping, Gilead, Home, Lila, Jack, Reading Genesis

Article in Breaking Ground from our event.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Marcel Proust

Ralph Waldo Emmerson

Paul Harding

Walt Witman

William Faulkner

John Calvin

Jonathan Edwards

Moby Dick, by Herman Mellville

Piers Plowman, by William Langland


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

 

Marilynne Robinson is a novelist, essayist, and teacher, one of the most renowned and revered of living writers. Her novels Housekeeping, Gilead, Lila, and Home have been variously honored with the Pulitzer Prize, National Books Critics Circle Award (twice), a Hemingway Foundation Award, an Orange Prize, The Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction, and the Ambassador Book Award. She's also the author of many essays and non-fiction works, including her work, “Mother Country”, and her essay collections, “Death of Adam,” “Absence of Mind,” “When I was a Child I Read Books,” “The Givenness of Things,” and “What Are We Doing Here?”. She's the recipient of the National Humanities Medal and an elected fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In addition to her writing has spent over 20 years teaching at the Iowa Writers Workshop, as well as several universities.

]]> Tue, 26 Aug 2025 09:35:45 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2267 Our Summer 2025 series, Beside Still Waters, focuses on the places where creativity brings life into a world fatigued by brokenness and division. From jazz to Jane Austen and in between, this season we’re focusing on the ways literature and the arts can refresh and challenge our inner lives—and connect us with the Creator of the good, the true, and the beautiful.


Today’s episode concludes our summer series. Our guide today is the acclaimed writer Marilynne Robinson, author of the Gilead series, and much else. 


In this episode, originally an Online Conversation recorded in 2020, Marilynne reflects on the art of writing as a means of exploring truth and engaging questions around learning to live well, to love others, and to create a home and community, in our fractious world:


“The unique brilliance of a human being … is something that we tend utterly to disparage, demean, utterly fail to notice … every person lives out a [life] beautiful, complicated, inaccessible to other consciousnesses. And it is sacred.”


And if this conversation resonates with you, consider joining the Trinity Forum community as a member, at ttf.org. You can find the full video of this conversation there too.

Marilynne Robinson's Novels | Housekeeping, Gilead, Home, Lila, Jack, Reading Genesis

Article in Breaking Ground from our event.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Marcel Proust

Ralph Waldo Emmerson

Paul Harding

Walt Witman

William Faulkner

John Calvin

Jonathan Edwards

Moby Dick, by Herman Mellville

Piers Plowman, by William Langland


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

 

Marilynne Robinson is a novelist, essayist, and teacher, one of the most renowned and revered of living writers. Her novels Housekeeping, Gilead, Lila, and Home have been variously honored with the Pulitzer Prize, National Books Critics Circle Award (twice), a Hemingway Foundation Award, an Orange Prize, The Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction, and the Ambassador Book Award. She's also the author of many essays and non-fiction works, including her work, “Mother Country”, and her essay collections, “Death of Adam,” “Absence of Mind,” “When I was a Child I Read Books,” “The Givenness of Things,” and “What Are We Doing Here?”. She's the recipient of the National Humanities Medal and an elected fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In addition to her writing has spent over 20 years teaching at the Iowa Writers Workshop, as well as several universities.

]]> No Creativity, Reconciliation, and Flourishing 11 11 121 121 Creativity, Reconciliation, and Flourishing full 9adc4821-e996-48de-8101-82d3e4fda1e6 https://share.transistor.fm/s/011e3dfb Our Summer 2025 series, Beside Still Waters, focuses on the places where creativity brings life into a world fatigued by brokenness and division. From jazz to Jane Austen and in between, this season we’ll focus on the ways literature and the arts can refresh and challenge our inner lives—and connect us with the Creator of the good, the true, and the beautiful.


Guided by theologian and musician David Bailey and concert pianist and chamber musician Mia Chung, this episode explores the concept that music involves mutual support, balance, and give and take among musicians to create a cohesive experience.


And we reflect on how Christian communities can apply these principles of collaboration and harmony to create faith communities that are transformative:

To the extent that the arts can actually cultivate that practice of incorporating the right hemisphere and in communication with the left, it's always together, you know, they're, complimentary. I think we can benefit each other in terms of community formation, but even benefit our own intellectual lives and the amount of joy we experience living in this world. - Mia Chung

 If this work resonates with you, please consider joining the Trinity Forum community as a society member.


This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation recorded in June, 2024. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Mia Chung and David Bailey.

Episode Outline

00:00 Introduction to Trinity Forum Conversations

00:34 Exploring Music and Christian Community

01:36 Cherie Harder on Cultural Challenges

02:55 Welcoming David Bailey and Mia Chung

04:41 David Bailey's Musical Journey

06:56 Mia Chung's Musical Formation

10:44 The Role of Arts in Reconciliation

13:19 The Power of Music in Community Building

23:17 Reintegration and Reconciliation at MIT

28:52 Challenges and Practices for Reconciliation

30:10 Digital Discipleship and Secular Influence

30:44 The Importance of Fasting and Listening

32:33 Engaging Differently as Followers of Jesus

33:28 The Role of Technology in Information Consumption

34:18 Post-COVID Convening and Empathetic Listening

37:25 The Power of Music and Emotional Expression

40:04 Silence and Contemplative Practices

44:43 Artistic Collaboration and Reconciliation

51:19 Final Thoughts and Encouragement


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Arrabon: Learning Reconciliation Through Community & Worship Music, by David Bailey


Related Trinity Forum Readings:
Hannah and Nathan, by Wendell Berry
Painting as a Pastime, by Winston Churchill
The Four Quartets, by TS Eliot
Letters from Vincent Van Gogh
Spirit and Imagination, selections from Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Why Work?, by Dorothy Sayers
The Loss of the University, featuring the works of Wendell Berry and Jacques Maritain

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society.

]]> Our Summer 2025 series, Beside Still Waters, focuses on the places where creativity brings life into a world fatigued by brokenness and division. From jazz to Jane Austen and in between, this season we’ll focus on the ways literature and the arts can refresh and challenge our inner lives—and connect us with the Creator of the good, the true, and the beautiful.


Guided by theologian and musician David Bailey and concert pianist and chamber musician Mia Chung, this episode explores the concept that music involves mutual support, balance, and give and take among musicians to create a cohesive experience.


And we reflect on how Christian communities can apply these principles of collaboration and harmony to create faith communities that are transformative:

To the extent that the arts can actually cultivate that practice of incorporating the right hemisphere and in communication with the left, it's always together, you know, they're, complimentary. I think we can benefit each other in terms of community formation, but even benefit our own intellectual lives and the amount of joy we experience living in this world. - Mia Chung

 If this work resonates with you, please consider joining the Trinity Forum community as a society member.


This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation recorded in June, 2024. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Mia Chung and David Bailey.

Episode Outline

00:00 Introduction to Trinity Forum Conversations

00:34 Exploring Music and Christian Community

01:36 Cherie Harder on Cultural Challenges

02:55 Welcoming David Bailey and Mia Chung

04:41 David Bailey's Musical Journey

06:56 Mia Chung's Musical Formation

10:44 The Role of Arts in Reconciliation

13:19 The Power of Music in Community Building

23:17 Reintegration and Reconciliation at MIT

28:52 Challenges and Practices for Reconciliation

30:10 Digital Discipleship and Secular Influence

30:44 The Importance of Fasting and Listening

32:33 Engaging Differently as Followers of Jesus

33:28 The Role of Technology in Information Consumption

34:18 Post-COVID Convening and Empathetic Listening

37:25 The Power of Music and Emotional Expression

40:04 Silence and Contemplative Practices

44:43 Artistic Collaboration and Reconciliation

51:19 Final Thoughts and Encouragement


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Arrabon: Learning Reconciliation Through Community & Worship Music, by David Bailey


Related Trinity Forum Readings:
Hannah and Nathan, by Wendell Berry
Painting as a Pastime, by Winston Churchill
The Four Quartets, by TS Eliot
Letters from Vincent Van Gogh
Spirit and Imagination, selections from Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Why Work?, by Dorothy Sayers
The Loss of the University, featuring the works of Wendell Berry and Jacques Maritain

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society.

]]> Tue, 19 Aug 2025 00:10:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 3192 Our Summer 2025 series, Beside Still Waters, focuses on the places where creativity brings life into a world fatigued by brokenness and division. From jazz to Jane Austen and in between, this season we’ll focus on the ways literature and the arts can refresh and challenge our inner lives—and connect us with the Creator of the good, the true, and the beautiful.


Guided by theologian and musician David Bailey and concert pianist and chamber musician Mia Chung, this episode explores the concept that music involves mutual support, balance, and give and take among musicians to create a cohesive experience.


And we reflect on how Christian communities can apply these principles of collaboration and harmony to create faith communities that are transformative:

To the extent that the arts can actually cultivate that practice of incorporating the right hemisphere and in communication with the left, it's always together, you know, they're, complimentary. I think we can benefit each other in terms of community formation, but even benefit our own intellectual lives and the amount of joy we experience living in this world. - Mia Chung

 If this work resonates with you, please consider joining the Trinity Forum community as a society member.


This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation recorded in June, 2024. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Mia Chung and David Bailey.

Episode Outline

00:00 Introduction to Trinity Forum Conversations

00:34 Exploring Music and Christian Community

01:36 Cherie Harder on Cultural Challenges

02:55 Welcoming David Bailey and Mia Chung

04:41 David Bailey's Musical Journey

06:56 Mia Chung's Musical Formation

10:44 The Role of Arts in Reconciliation

13:19 The Power of Music in Community Building

23:17 Reintegration and Reconciliation at MIT

28:52 Challenges and Practices for Reconciliation

30:10 Digital Discipleship and Secular Influence

30:44 The Importance of Fasting and Listening

32:33 Engaging Differently as Followers of Jesus

33:28 The Role of Technology in Information Consumption

34:18 Post-COVID Convening and Empathetic Listening

37:25 The Power of Music and Emotional Expression

40:04 Silence and Contemplative Practices

44:43 Artistic Collaboration and Reconciliation

51:19 Final Thoughts and Encouragement


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Arrabon: Learning Reconciliation Through Community & Worship Music, by David Bailey


Related Trinity Forum Readings:
Hannah and Nathan, by Wendell Berry
Painting as a Pastime, by Winston Churchill
The Four Quartets, by TS Eliot
Letters from Vincent Van Gogh
Spirit and Imagination, selections from Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Why Work?, by Dorothy Sayers
The Loss of the University, featuring the works of Wendell Berry and Jacques Maritain

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society.

]]> No Words Against Despair with Christian Wiman 11 11 120 120 Words Against Despair with Christian Wiman full 10028ff4-d5d7-4919-a896-398abee551e8 https://share.transistor.fm/s/ca76185b Our Summer 2025 series, Beside Still Waters, focuses on the places where creativity brings life into a world fatigued by brokenness and division. From jazz to Jane Austen and in between, this season we’ll focus on the ways literature and the arts can refresh and challenge our inner lives—and connect us with the Creator of the good, the true, and the beautiful.


Our guest this episode is the poet Christian Wiman, a master of the written – and spoken – word. After long wandering, he returned to the Christian faith in which he’d been raised, in part because of a terminal cancer diagnosis – one he has now long outlived. Both before and after his diagnosis, and his return to faith, his experience of despair has fueled his powerful poetry. In grappling with it, Christian uses words in ways that are a tonic against despair.


“I deal with despair because…I don’t know how not to, and it would be an evasion not to. And I think if you don’t feel it, then you’re not paying attention.”


This podcast is drawn from an online conversation from 2024. We hope this conversation will resonate with you as you explore the good, the true, and the beautiful in your own corner of creation. 


If it does, please consider joining the Trinity Forum community as a member, at ttf.org. You can find the full video of this conversation there too. And while you’re here, please subscribe to this podcast on your chosen platform.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Zero at the Bone: Fifty Entries Against Despair, by Christian Wiman

Marilynne Robinson

Danielle Chapman

William Bronk

William Wordsworth

Every Riven Thing, by Christian Wiman

My Bright Abyss: Meditations of a Modern Believer, by Christian Wiman

Prayer, by Carol Ann Duffy

The Bible and Poetry, by Michael Edwards 

Augustine of Hippo

Bittersweet, by George Herbert

Surprised by Joy, by C.S. Lewis

Richard Wilbur

Jürgen Moltmann

When the Time’s Toxins, by Christian Wiman


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Augustine’s Confessions

Devotions by John Donne, paraphrased by Philip Yancey

God’s Grandeur: the Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins

Bulletins from Immortality, by Emily Dickinson

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil


Related Conversations:
Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael Wear
The Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim Alberta
A Life Worth Living with Miroslav Volf
Towards a Better Christian Politics
Christian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference
What Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth
Scripture and the Public Square

How to be a Patriotic Christian

Life, Death, Poetry & Peace with Philip Yancey

The Fall, the Founding, and the Future of American Democracy

Fear and Conspiracy with David French


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society.

]]> Our Summer 2025 series, Beside Still Waters, focuses on the places where creativity brings life into a world fatigued by brokenness and division. From jazz to Jane Austen and in between, this season we’ll focus on the ways literature and the arts can refresh and challenge our inner lives—and connect us with the Creator of the good, the true, and the beautiful.


Our guest this episode is the poet Christian Wiman, a master of the written – and spoken – word. After long wandering, he returned to the Christian faith in which he’d been raised, in part because of a terminal cancer diagnosis – one he has now long outlived. Both before and after his diagnosis, and his return to faith, his experience of despair has fueled his powerful poetry. In grappling with it, Christian uses words in ways that are a tonic against despair.


“I deal with despair because…I don’t know how not to, and it would be an evasion not to. And I think if you don’t feel it, then you’re not paying attention.”


This podcast is drawn from an online conversation from 2024. We hope this conversation will resonate with you as you explore the good, the true, and the beautiful in your own corner of creation. 


If it does, please consider joining the Trinity Forum community as a member, at ttf.org. You can find the full video of this conversation there too. And while you’re here, please subscribe to this podcast on your chosen platform.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Zero at the Bone: Fifty Entries Against Despair, by Christian Wiman

Marilynne Robinson

Danielle Chapman

William Bronk

William Wordsworth

Every Riven Thing, by Christian Wiman

My Bright Abyss: Meditations of a Modern Believer, by Christian Wiman

Prayer, by Carol Ann Duffy

The Bible and Poetry, by Michael Edwards 

Augustine of Hippo

Bittersweet, by George Herbert

Surprised by Joy, by C.S. Lewis

Richard Wilbur

Jürgen Moltmann

When the Time’s Toxins, by Christian Wiman


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Augustine’s Confessions

Devotions by John Donne, paraphrased by Philip Yancey

God’s Grandeur: the Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins

Bulletins from Immortality, by Emily Dickinson

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil


Related Conversations:
Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael Wear
The Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim Alberta
A Life Worth Living with Miroslav Volf
Towards a Better Christian Politics
Christian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference
What Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth
Scripture and the Public Square

How to be a Patriotic Christian

Life, Death, Poetry & Peace with Philip Yancey

The Fall, the Founding, and the Future of American Democracy

Fear and Conspiracy with David French


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society.

]]> Tue, 12 Aug 2025 00:01:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1961 Our Summer 2025 series, Beside Still Waters, focuses on the places where creativity brings life into a world fatigued by brokenness and division. From jazz to Jane Austen and in between, this season we’ll focus on the ways literature and the arts can refresh and challenge our inner lives—and connect us with the Creator of the good, the true, and the beautiful.


Our guest this episode is the poet Christian Wiman, a master of the written – and spoken – word. After long wandering, he returned to the Christian faith in which he’d been raised, in part because of a terminal cancer diagnosis – one he has now long outlived. Both before and after his diagnosis, and his return to faith, his experience of despair has fueled his powerful poetry. In grappling with it, Christian uses words in ways that are a tonic against despair.


“I deal with despair because…I don’t know how not to, and it would be an evasion not to. And I think if you don’t feel it, then you’re not paying attention.”


This podcast is drawn from an online conversation from 2024. We hope this conversation will resonate with you as you explore the good, the true, and the beautiful in your own corner of creation. 


If it does, please consider joining the Trinity Forum community as a member, at ttf.org. You can find the full video of this conversation there too. And while you’re here, please subscribe to this podcast on your chosen platform.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Zero at the Bone: Fifty Entries Against Despair, by Christian Wiman

Marilynne Robinson

Danielle Chapman

William Bronk

William Wordsworth

Every Riven Thing, by Christian Wiman

My Bright Abyss: Meditations of a Modern Believer, by Christian Wiman

Prayer, by Carol Ann Duffy

The Bible and Poetry, by Michael Edwards 

Augustine of Hippo

Bittersweet, by George Herbert

Surprised by Joy, by C.S. Lewis

Richard Wilbur

Jürgen Moltmann

When the Time’s Toxins, by Christian Wiman


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Augustine’s Confessions

Devotions by John Donne, paraphrased by Philip Yancey

God’s Grandeur: the Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins

Bulletins from Immortality, by Emily Dickinson

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil


Related Conversations:
Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael Wear
The Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim Alberta
A Life Worth Living with Miroslav Volf
Towards a Better Christian Politics
Christian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference
What Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth
Scripture and the Public Square

How to be a Patriotic Christian

Life, Death, Poetry & Peace with Philip Yancey

The Fall, the Founding, and the Future of American Democracy

Fear and Conspiracy with David French


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society.

]]> No Spiritual Formation Through our Imaginations 11 11 119 119 Spiritual Formation Through our Imaginations full d5d7e0a7-2aea-495e-8104-f3091deb2e48 https://share.transistor.fm/s/85945163 In this Trinity Forum Conversation, author Lanta Davis, along with special guest host and Trinity Forum Senior Fellow Jessica Hooten Wilson, delve into the power of imagination and its role in our spiritual formation. The discussion centers on Davis's book Becoming by Beholding, which explores Christian imagination through art, literature, and historical practices.

These friends and scholars discuss the transformative potential of engaging with sacred art, the virtues, and traditional practices like Lectio Divina:

"In Jesus's parables ... He's constantly showing us that there's more hidden behind the surface than we think. The mustard seed is not just a mustard seed. Yeast is not just yeast ... Jesus shows us heavenly meanings ... This is what the incarnation helps us understand, that the divine is not just up above. It's all around us. It's here and now. That when God became matter, all the material world changed because of it."


We hope this conversation will resonate with you as you explore the good, the true, and the beautiful in your own corner of creation. 


This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation recorded in March 2025. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.


Learn more about Lanta Davis and Jessica Hooten Wilson.

Episode Outline

00:00 Welcome and Introduction

04:47 Exploring the Power of Imagination

05:37 The Concept of Becoming by Beholding

07:46 Living in an Enchanted World

10:53 Tradition and the Logic of Eternity

13:49 Orthodoxy, Orthopraxy, and Orthopathy

17:22 The Role of Icons and Medieval Bestiaries

23:25 Lectio Divina and Imaginative Prayer

27:20 Virtues and Vices: A Deeper Look

30:38 Understanding Virtue and Its Historical Context

31:37 The Practicality of Virtue Personifications

32:32 Teaching Virtues in Everyday Life

33:50 Exploring Courage Through Art

36:30 Incorporating Virtue in Contemporary Art

38:15 Imagination and Its Role in Understanding Reality

45:28 Scripture, Culture, and the Fruits of the Spirit

49:49 Global Christian Art and Imagination

51:34 Resources for Teaching and Engaging with Art

54:46 Travel and Exploration of Christian Art

56:33 Desire, Trust, and Identity in Modern Culture

59:39 The Last Word with Lanta Davis


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Becoming by Beholding, by Lanta Davis
Jessica Hooten Wilson
Ralph C. Wood
In the Beauty of Holiness, by David Lyle Jeffrey
Luke Ferriter
“Hurrahing in Harvest”, by ​​Gerard Manley Hopkins
Four Quartets, by T. S. Eliot
Orthodoxy, by G. K. Chesterton
Flannery O’Connor
Grace Hammond
On Reading Well: Finding the Good Life Through Great Books, by Karen Swallow Prior
Alan Noble
A Secular Age, by Charles Taylor
Dorothy Sayers
The Divine Comedy, by Dante Alighieri
James K.A. Smith
Kristin Lavransdatter, by Sigrid Undset
John Donne
Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe


Related Trinity Forum Readings:
Kristin Lavransdatter, by Sigrid Undset
Spirit and Imagination: Reflections from Samuel Taylor Coleridge
The Strangest Story in the World, by G.K. Chesterton

]]> In this Trinity Forum Conversation, author Lanta Davis, along with special guest host and Trinity Forum Senior Fellow Jessica Hooten Wilson, delve into the power of imagination and its role in our spiritual formation. The discussion centers on Davis's book Becoming by Beholding, which explores Christian imagination through art, literature, and historical practices.

These friends and scholars discuss the transformative potential of engaging with sacred art, the virtues, and traditional practices like Lectio Divina:

"In Jesus's parables ... He's constantly showing us that there's more hidden behind the surface than we think. The mustard seed is not just a mustard seed. Yeast is not just yeast ... Jesus shows us heavenly meanings ... This is what the incarnation helps us understand, that the divine is not just up above. It's all around us. It's here and now. That when God became matter, all the material world changed because of it."


We hope this conversation will resonate with you as you explore the good, the true, and the beautiful in your own corner of creation. 


This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation recorded in March 2025. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.


Learn more about Lanta Davis and Jessica Hooten Wilson.

Episode Outline

00:00 Welcome and Introduction

04:47 Exploring the Power of Imagination

05:37 The Concept of Becoming by Beholding

07:46 Living in an Enchanted World

10:53 Tradition and the Logic of Eternity

13:49 Orthodoxy, Orthopraxy, and Orthopathy

17:22 The Role of Icons and Medieval Bestiaries

23:25 Lectio Divina and Imaginative Prayer

27:20 Virtues and Vices: A Deeper Look

30:38 Understanding Virtue and Its Historical Context

31:37 The Practicality of Virtue Personifications

32:32 Teaching Virtues in Everyday Life

33:50 Exploring Courage Through Art

36:30 Incorporating Virtue in Contemporary Art

38:15 Imagination and Its Role in Understanding Reality

45:28 Scripture, Culture, and the Fruits of the Spirit

49:49 Global Christian Art and Imagination

51:34 Resources for Teaching and Engaging with Art

54:46 Travel and Exploration of Christian Art

56:33 Desire, Trust, and Identity in Modern Culture

59:39 The Last Word with Lanta Davis


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Becoming by Beholding, by Lanta Davis
Jessica Hooten Wilson
Ralph C. Wood
In the Beauty of Holiness, by David Lyle Jeffrey
Luke Ferriter
“Hurrahing in Harvest”, by ​​Gerard Manley Hopkins
Four Quartets, by T. S. Eliot
Orthodoxy, by G. K. Chesterton
Flannery O’Connor
Grace Hammond
On Reading Well: Finding the Good Life Through Great Books, by Karen Swallow Prior
Alan Noble
A Secular Age, by Charles Taylor
Dorothy Sayers
The Divine Comedy, by Dante Alighieri
James K.A. Smith
Kristin Lavransdatter, by Sigrid Undset
John Donne
Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe


Related Trinity Forum Readings:
Kristin Lavransdatter, by Sigrid Undset
Spirit and Imagination: Reflections from Samuel Taylor Coleridge
The Strangest Story in the World, by G.K. Chesterton

]]> Tue, 05 Aug 2025 00:05:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 3186 In this Trinity Forum Conversation, author Lanta Davis, along with special guest host and Trinity Forum Senior Fellow Jessica Hooten Wilson, delve into the power of imagination and its role in our spiritual formation. The discussion centers on Davis's book Becoming by Beholding, which explores Christian imagination through art, literature, and historical practices.

These friends and scholars discuss the transformative potential of engaging with sacred art, the virtues, and traditional practices like Lectio Divina:

"In Jesus's parables ... He's constantly showing us that there's more hidden behind the surface than we think. The mustard seed is not just a mustard seed. Yeast is not just yeast ... Jesus shows us heavenly meanings ... This is what the incarnation helps us understand, that the divine is not just up above. It's all around us. It's here and now. That when God became matter, all the material world changed because of it."


We hope this conversation will resonate with you as you explore the good, the true, and the beautiful in your own corner of creation. 


This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation recorded in March 2025. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.


Learn more about Lanta Davis and Jessica Hooten Wilson.

Episode Outline

00:00 Welcome and Introduction

04:47 Exploring the Power of Imagination

05:37 The Concept of Becoming by Beholding

07:46 Living in an Enchanted World

10:53 Tradition and the Logic of Eternity

13:49 Orthodoxy, Orthopraxy, and Orthopathy

17:22 The Role of Icons and Medieval Bestiaries

23:25 Lectio Divina and Imaginative Prayer

27:20 Virtues and Vices: A Deeper Look

30:38 Understanding Virtue and Its Historical Context

31:37 The Practicality of Virtue Personifications

32:32 Teaching Virtues in Everyday Life

33:50 Exploring Courage Through Art

36:30 Incorporating Virtue in Contemporary Art

38:15 Imagination and Its Role in Understanding Reality

45:28 Scripture, Culture, and the Fruits of the Spirit

49:49 Global Christian Art and Imagination

51:34 Resources for Teaching and Engaging with Art

54:46 Travel and Exploration of Christian Art

56:33 Desire, Trust, and Identity in Modern Culture

59:39 The Last Word with Lanta Davis


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Becoming by Beholding, by Lanta Davis
Jessica Hooten Wilson
Ralph C. Wood
In the Beauty of Holiness, by David Lyle Jeffrey
Luke Ferriter
“Hurrahing in Harvest”, by ​​Gerard Manley Hopkins
Four Quartets, by T. S. Eliot
Orthodoxy, by G. K. Chesterton
Flannery O’Connor
Grace Hammond
On Reading Well: Finding the Good Life Through Great Books, by Karen Swallow Prior
Alan Noble
A Secular Age, by Charles Taylor
Dorothy Sayers
The Divine Comedy, by Dante Alighieri
James K.A. Smith
Kristin Lavransdatter, by Sigrid Undset
John Donne
Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe


Related Trinity Forum Readings:
Kristin Lavransdatter, by Sigrid Undset
Spirit and Imagination: Reflections from Samuel Taylor Coleridge
The Strangest Story in the World, by G.K. Chesterton

]]> No Beauty, Music, and Spiritual Formation with Keith and Kristyn Getty 11 11 118 118 Beauty, Music, and Spiritual Formation with Keith and Kristyn Getty full b8434d01-b098-4a46-8d1c-a29a58805e1e https://share.transistor.fm/s/32bdc1b9 Our Summer 2025 series, Beside Still Waters, focuses on the places where creativity brings life into a world fatigued by brokenness and division. From jazz to Jane Austen and in between, this season we’ll focus on the ways literature and the arts can refresh and challenge our inner lives—and connect us with the Creator of the good, the true, and the beautiful.

In this episode, our guides are modern hymn writers Keith and Kristyn Getty. Back in 2019, we hosted a live Evening Conversation in which they explored the ways in which music can speak to our spiritual hunger and shape our sense of beauty, truth, and purpose: 


"Our singing doesn't just affect each one of us. We are a witness to the world around us. When we sing, we are always a witness."


We hope this conversation will resonate with you as you explore the good, the true, and the beautiful in your own corner of creation. 


If it does, please consider joining the Trinity Forum community as a member, at ttf.org. You can find the full video of this conversation there too. And while you’re here, please subscribe to this podcast on your chosen platform. 


Learn more about the Gettys.

 

Watch our Evening Conversation.

 

Authors, artists, and books mentioned in the conversation:

Peter Kreeft

The Republic, by Plato

Damon of Athens

Sing: How Worship Transforms your Life, Family, and Church, by Keith and Kristyn Getty

Unwearied Praises: Exploring Christian Faith Through Classic Hymns, by Dr. Jeff Greenman

The Pedagogy of Praise, by Dr. Jeff Greenman

John Lennox

Lucy Shaw

Eugene Peters

J.I. Packer

Martin Luther

Leonard Bernstein

Amy Carmichael

Cecil Frances Alexander

Os Guinness

Charles Spurgeon

Lloyd Jones

D.L. Moody

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Handel’s Messiah

 

Related Conversations:

Waiting on the Word with Malcolm Guite

Poetry & Beauty in Solitude with Dana Gioia

]]> Our Summer 2025 series, Beside Still Waters, focuses on the places where creativity brings life into a world fatigued by brokenness and division. From jazz to Jane Austen and in between, this season we’ll focus on the ways literature and the arts can refresh and challenge our inner lives—and connect us with the Creator of the good, the true, and the beautiful.

In this episode, our guides are modern hymn writers Keith and Kristyn Getty. Back in 2019, we hosted a live Evening Conversation in which they explored the ways in which music can speak to our spiritual hunger and shape our sense of beauty, truth, and purpose: 


"Our singing doesn't just affect each one of us. We are a witness to the world around us. When we sing, we are always a witness."


We hope this conversation will resonate with you as you explore the good, the true, and the beautiful in your own corner of creation. 


If it does, please consider joining the Trinity Forum community as a member, at ttf.org. You can find the full video of this conversation there too. And while you’re here, please subscribe to this podcast on your chosen platform. 


Learn more about the Gettys.

 

Watch our Evening Conversation.

 

Authors, artists, and books mentioned in the conversation:

Peter Kreeft

The Republic, by Plato

Damon of Athens

Sing: How Worship Transforms your Life, Family, and Church, by Keith and Kristyn Getty

Unwearied Praises: Exploring Christian Faith Through Classic Hymns, by Dr. Jeff Greenman

The Pedagogy of Praise, by Dr. Jeff Greenman

John Lennox

Lucy Shaw

Eugene Peters

J.I. Packer

Martin Luther

Leonard Bernstein

Amy Carmichael

Cecil Frances Alexander

Os Guinness

Charles Spurgeon

Lloyd Jones

D.L. Moody

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Handel’s Messiah

 

Related Conversations:

Waiting on the Word with Malcolm Guite

Poetry & Beauty in Solitude with Dana Gioia

]]> Tue, 29 Jul 2025 00:01:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2689 Our Summer 2025 series, Beside Still Waters, focuses on the places where creativity brings life into a world fatigued by brokenness and division. From jazz to Jane Austen and in between, this season we’ll focus on the ways literature and the arts can refresh and challenge our inner lives—and connect us with the Creator of the good, the true, and the beautiful.

In this episode, our guides are modern hymn writers Keith and Kristyn Getty. Back in 2019, we hosted a live Evening Conversation in which they explored the ways in which music can speak to our spiritual hunger and shape our sense of beauty, truth, and purpose: 


"Our singing doesn't just affect each one of us. We are a witness to the world around us. When we sing, we are always a witness."


We hope this conversation will resonate with you as you explore the good, the true, and the beautiful in your own corner of creation. 


If it does, please consider joining the Trinity Forum community as a member, at ttf.org. You can find the full video of this conversation there too. And while you’re here, please subscribe to this podcast on your chosen platform. 


Learn more about the Gettys.

 

Watch our Evening Conversation.

 

Authors, artists, and books mentioned in the conversation:

Peter Kreeft

The Republic, by Plato

Damon of Athens

Sing: How Worship Transforms your Life, Family, and Church, by Keith and Kristyn Getty

Unwearied Praises: Exploring Christian Faith Through Classic Hymns, by Dr. Jeff Greenman

The Pedagogy of Praise, by Dr. Jeff Greenman

John Lennox

Lucy Shaw

Eugene Peters

J.I. Packer

Martin Luther

Leonard Bernstein

Amy Carmichael

Cecil Frances Alexander

Os Guinness

Charles Spurgeon

Lloyd Jones

D.L. Moody

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Handel’s Messiah

 

Related Conversations:

Waiting on the Word with Malcolm Guite

Poetry & Beauty in Solitude with Dana Gioia

]]> No Reading Jane Austen: A Novel Approach to Virtue 11 11 117 117 Reading Jane Austen: A Novel Approach to Virtue full 5ae15771-8b9e-4c14-8f95-fc51fe8eae3b https://share.transistor.fm/s/64670789 Our Summer 2025 series, Beside Still Waters, focuses on the places where creativity brings life into a world fatigued by brokenness and division. From jazz to Jane Austen and in between, this season we’ll focus on the ways literature and the arts can refresh and challenge our inner lives—and connect us with the Creator of the good, the true, and the beautiful.


In this episode, our focus is Jane Austen, and our guide is Karen Swallow Prior, one of our Trinity Forum Senior Fellows.


Karen explores the faith-informed perspective on virtue that Austen’s novels reflect:


"Underneath the surface [Austen] is inviting us to look at our own interactions with one another, our own misperceptions, and misreadings, and I think that’s really why her work has remained so endearing to us today; because she reveals the truths of our human condition that never change, and that we’re always wrestling with."


Jane Austen’s world and concerns seem distant from ours. Yet across the centuries, she illuminates the importance of the seemingly mundane, and the path towards repaired and rightly ordered relationships. 


If this work resonates with you, consider joining the Trinity Forum community as a member, at ttf.org. This episode is drawn from an online conversation held in 2021. You can find the full video of this conversation here. And while you’re here, please subscribe to this podcast.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility,   by Jane Austen
Amusing Ourselves to Death, by Neil Postman
Praying with Jane, by Rachel Dodge  
Alasdair MacIntyre
William Shakespeare

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

]]> Our Summer 2025 series, Beside Still Waters, focuses on the places where creativity brings life into a world fatigued by brokenness and division. From jazz to Jane Austen and in between, this season we’ll focus on the ways literature and the arts can refresh and challenge our inner lives—and connect us with the Creator of the good, the true, and the beautiful.


In this episode, our focus is Jane Austen, and our guide is Karen Swallow Prior, one of our Trinity Forum Senior Fellows.


Karen explores the faith-informed perspective on virtue that Austen’s novels reflect:


"Underneath the surface [Austen] is inviting us to look at our own interactions with one another, our own misperceptions, and misreadings, and I think that’s really why her work has remained so endearing to us today; because she reveals the truths of our human condition that never change, and that we’re always wrestling with."


Jane Austen’s world and concerns seem distant from ours. Yet across the centuries, she illuminates the importance of the seemingly mundane, and the path towards repaired and rightly ordered relationships. 


If this work resonates with you, consider joining the Trinity Forum community as a member, at ttf.org. This episode is drawn from an online conversation held in 2021. You can find the full video of this conversation here. And while you’re here, please subscribe to this podcast.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility,   by Jane Austen
Amusing Ourselves to Death, by Neil Postman
Praying with Jane, by Rachel Dodge  
Alasdair MacIntyre
William Shakespeare

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

]]> Tue, 22 Jul 2025 00:01:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2468 Our Summer 2025 series, Beside Still Waters, focuses on the places where creativity brings life into a world fatigued by brokenness and division. From jazz to Jane Austen and in between, this season we’ll focus on the ways literature and the arts can refresh and challenge our inner lives—and connect us with the Creator of the good, the true, and the beautiful.


In this episode, our focus is Jane Austen, and our guide is Karen Swallow Prior, one of our Trinity Forum Senior Fellows.


Karen explores the faith-informed perspective on virtue that Austen’s novels reflect:


"Underneath the surface [Austen] is inviting us to look at our own interactions with one another, our own misperceptions, and misreadings, and I think that’s really why her work has remained so endearing to us today; because she reveals the truths of our human condition that never change, and that we’re always wrestling with."


Jane Austen’s world and concerns seem distant from ours. Yet across the centuries, she illuminates the importance of the seemingly mundane, and the path towards repaired and rightly ordered relationships. 


If this work resonates with you, consider joining the Trinity Forum community as a member, at ttf.org. This episode is drawn from an online conversation held in 2021. You can find the full video of this conversation here. And while you’re here, please subscribe to this podcast.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility,   by Jane Austen
Amusing Ourselves to Death, by Neil Postman
Praying with Jane, by Rachel Dodge  
Alasdair MacIntyre
William Shakespeare

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

]]> No The Inklings, Creativity, and Community with Diana Glyer 11 11 116 116 The Inklings, Creativity, and Community with Diana Glyer full 7c5a63a2-84c5-45aa-bcb0-40a96d7e1291 https://share.transistor.fm/s/ee3ed911 Our Summer 2025 series, Beside Still Waters, focuses on the places where creativity brings life into a world fatigued by brokenness and division. From jazz to Jane Austen and in between, this season we’ll focus on the ways literature and the arts can refresh and challenge our inner lives—and connect us with the Creator of the good, the true, and the beautiful.


Today’s guide is the author and professor Diana Glyer. She’ll be talking about the lives and work of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and their beloved community known as the Inklings.


In this episode drawn from an online conversation held in February of 2021, Diana focuses on how creativity thrives within small clusters of like-hearted people. We hope you enjoy reflecting on the potential of your own friendships and communities to be culture-shaping.

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Company They Keep: C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien as Writers in Community, by Diana Glyer

Bandersnatch: C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and the Creative Collaboration of the Inklings, by Diana Glyer

The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien

Charles Williams

C.S. Lewis

Shakespeare

Owen Barfield

Hugo Dyson

Out of the Silent Planet, by C.S. Lewis

Jerry Root

The Weight of Glory, by C.S. Lewis

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

On Friendship, by Cicero

The Golden Key, by George MacDonald

The Oracle of the Dog, by G.K. Chesterton

The Lost Tools of Learning, by Dorothy Sayers

 

Related Conversations:

Suffering, Friendship, and Courage: What Lewis & Tolkien Teach Us About Resilience & Imagination, an Online Conversation with Joe Loconte

]]> Our Summer 2025 series, Beside Still Waters, focuses on the places where creativity brings life into a world fatigued by brokenness and division. From jazz to Jane Austen and in between, this season we’ll focus on the ways literature and the arts can refresh and challenge our inner lives—and connect us with the Creator of the good, the true, and the beautiful.


Today’s guide is the author and professor Diana Glyer. She’ll be talking about the lives and work of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and their beloved community known as the Inklings.


In this episode drawn from an online conversation held in February of 2021, Diana focuses on how creativity thrives within small clusters of like-hearted people. We hope you enjoy reflecting on the potential of your own friendships and communities to be culture-shaping.

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Company They Keep: C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien as Writers in Community, by Diana Glyer

Bandersnatch: C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and the Creative Collaboration of the Inklings, by Diana Glyer

The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien

Charles Williams

C.S. Lewis

Shakespeare

Owen Barfield

Hugo Dyson

Out of the Silent Planet, by C.S. Lewis

Jerry Root

The Weight of Glory, by C.S. Lewis

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

On Friendship, by Cicero

The Golden Key, by George MacDonald

The Oracle of the Dog, by G.K. Chesterton

The Lost Tools of Learning, by Dorothy Sayers

 

Related Conversations:

Suffering, Friendship, and Courage: What Lewis & Tolkien Teach Us About Resilience & Imagination, an Online Conversation with Joe Loconte

]]> Tue, 15 Jul 2025 00:01:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2965 Our Summer 2025 series, Beside Still Waters, focuses on the places where creativity brings life into a world fatigued by brokenness and division. From jazz to Jane Austen and in between, this season we’ll focus on the ways literature and the arts can refresh and challenge our inner lives—and connect us with the Creator of the good, the true, and the beautiful.


Today’s guide is the author and professor Diana Glyer. She’ll be talking about the lives and work of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and their beloved community known as the Inklings.


In this episode drawn from an online conversation held in February of 2021, Diana focuses on how creativity thrives within small clusters of like-hearted people. We hope you enjoy reflecting on the potential of your own friendships and communities to be culture-shaping.

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Company They Keep: C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien as Writers in Community, by Diana Glyer

Bandersnatch: C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and the Creative Collaboration of the Inklings, by Diana Glyer

The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien

Charles Williams

C.S. Lewis

Shakespeare

Owen Barfield

Hugo Dyson

Out of the Silent Planet, by C.S. Lewis

Jerry Root

The Weight of Glory, by C.S. Lewis

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

On Friendship, by Cicero

The Golden Key, by George MacDonald

The Oracle of the Dog, by G.K. Chesterton

The Lost Tools of Learning, by Dorothy Sayers

 

Related Conversations:

Suffering, Friendship, and Courage: What Lewis & Tolkien Teach Us About Resilience & Imagination, an Online Conversation with Joe Loconte

]]> No Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd 11 11 115 115 Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd full a318b4ab-bb5a-434f-b99b-1dc2a562a22e https://share.transistor.fm/s/c12c9922 Our Summer 2025 series, Beside Still Waters, focuses on the places where creativity brings life into a world fatigued by brokenness and division. From jazz to Jane Austen and in between, this season we’ll focus on the ways literature and the arts can refresh and challenge our inner lives—and connect us with the Creator of the good, the true, and the beautiful.


How should we live faithfully within a world created to be good and beautiful, and yet everywhere marred by ugliness and injustice? 

Jazz vocalist and composer Ruth Naomi Floyd will guide us in bringing together music, creativity, and justice, and help us think about our roles in repairing, re-envisioning, and creating new places of beauty and flourishing:

We know that art shapes and reshapes us and that it’s there in the cross of Jesus, I believe, where beauty and violence collided and beauty won. And so that act of loving someone…purposely trying to love someone, especially those that seem or are viewed or deemed unlovable, is…directly connected and intrinsically connected to our art making.

We hope you are encouraged by Ruth’s artistic journey, as she helps us to find beauty in the midst of suffering, and to express love through creativity.

This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2021. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Ruth Naomi Floyd.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:
The Frederick Douglass Jazz Works
It Was Good, Making Music to the Glory of God, by Ruth Naomi Floyd
The Problem of Good, by Ruth Naomi Floyd
Dr. John Nunez
Toni Morrison
Martin Luther King Jr.
Vincent van Gogh
Hans Christian Andersen
Miles Davis
Francis Schaeffer
Joshua Stamper

Related Trinity Forum Readings:
A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
Letters from Vincent van Gogh
Letter from Birmingham Jail, by Martin Luther King Jr.
Revelation, by Flannery O’Connor
Bulletins from Immortality, by Emily Dickinson

Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

]]> Our Summer 2025 series, Beside Still Waters, focuses on the places where creativity brings life into a world fatigued by brokenness and division. From jazz to Jane Austen and in between, this season we’ll focus on the ways literature and the arts can refresh and challenge our inner lives—and connect us with the Creator of the good, the true, and the beautiful.


How should we live faithfully within a world created to be good and beautiful, and yet everywhere marred by ugliness and injustice? 

Jazz vocalist and composer Ruth Naomi Floyd will guide us in bringing together music, creativity, and justice, and help us think about our roles in repairing, re-envisioning, and creating new places of beauty and flourishing:

We know that art shapes and reshapes us and that it’s there in the cross of Jesus, I believe, where beauty and violence collided and beauty won. And so that act of loving someone…purposely trying to love someone, especially those that seem or are viewed or deemed unlovable, is…directly connected and intrinsically connected to our art making.

We hope you are encouraged by Ruth’s artistic journey, as she helps us to find beauty in the midst of suffering, and to express love through creativity.

This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2021. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Ruth Naomi Floyd.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:
The Frederick Douglass Jazz Works
It Was Good, Making Music to the Glory of God, by Ruth Naomi Floyd
The Problem of Good, by Ruth Naomi Floyd
Dr. John Nunez
Toni Morrison
Martin Luther King Jr.
Vincent van Gogh
Hans Christian Andersen
Miles Davis
Francis Schaeffer
Joshua Stamper

Related Trinity Forum Readings:
A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
Letters from Vincent van Gogh
Letter from Birmingham Jail, by Martin Luther King Jr.
Revelation, by Flannery O’Connor
Bulletins from Immortality, by Emily Dickinson

Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

]]> Tue, 08 Jul 2025 00:01:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1828 Our Summer 2025 series, Beside Still Waters, focuses on the places where creativity brings life into a world fatigued by brokenness and division. From jazz to Jane Austen and in between, this season we’ll focus on the ways literature and the arts can refresh and challenge our inner lives—and connect us with the Creator of the good, the true, and the beautiful.


How should we live faithfully within a world created to be good and beautiful, and yet everywhere marred by ugliness and injustice? 

Jazz vocalist and composer Ruth Naomi Floyd will guide us in bringing together music, creativity, and justice, and help us think about our roles in repairing, re-envisioning, and creating new places of beauty and flourishing:

We know that art shapes and reshapes us and that it’s there in the cross of Jesus, I believe, where beauty and violence collided and beauty won. And so that act of loving someone…purposely trying to love someone, especially those that seem or are viewed or deemed unlovable, is…directly connected and intrinsically connected to our art making.

We hope you are encouraged by Ruth’s artistic journey, as she helps us to find beauty in the midst of suffering, and to express love through creativity.

This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2021. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Ruth Naomi Floyd.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:
The Frederick Douglass Jazz Works
It Was Good, Making Music to the Glory of God, by Ruth Naomi Floyd
The Problem of Good, by Ruth Naomi Floyd
Dr. John Nunez
Toni Morrison
Martin Luther King Jr.
Vincent van Gogh
Hans Christian Andersen
Miles Davis
Francis Schaeffer
Joshua Stamper

Related Trinity Forum Readings:
A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
Letters from Vincent van Gogh
Letter from Birmingham Jail, by Martin Luther King Jr.
Revelation, by Flannery O’Connor
Bulletins from Immortality, by Emily Dickinson

Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

]]> No The Cost of Ambition with Miroslav Volf 10 10 114 114 The Cost of Ambition with Miroslav Volf full 13b2cc6f-7780-4e76-8e01-c9a3415206c1 https://share.transistor.fm/s/caae74b9 In this episode we’re joined by theologian and bestselling author Miroslav Volf of Yale Divinity School. His latest book is The Cost of Ambition: How Striving to Be Better Than Others is Making Us Worse. 

 

The question he explores is one that relates to all of us: how can we find a way to strive for excellence, rather than for superiority over those around us?

 

Finding new insights in familiar Biblical passages and the Christian tradition, he’ll help us to defy our culture of merciless ambition:

Let’s dare trust in the God who comes down to serve those who are a refuse of society. And let’s trust in that unconditional love of God that takes those of us who are nothing and places us to become sharers of the community of those who are God’s beloved children.


This episode is drawn from an online conversation held in 2025. It’ll give you a sense of what the Trinity Forum is about: a community of people working to keep the Christian intellectual tradition alive, and to nurture new growth in it in our time, for the renewal of our culture. 

 

If that resonates with you, please join the Trinity Forum as a member at ttf.org. We hope you enjoy the conversation.

]]> In this episode we’re joined by theologian and bestselling author Miroslav Volf of Yale Divinity School. His latest book is The Cost of Ambition: How Striving to Be Better Than Others is Making Us Worse. 

 

The question he explores is one that relates to all of us: how can we find a way to strive for excellence, rather than for superiority over those around us?

 

Finding new insights in familiar Biblical passages and the Christian tradition, he’ll help us to defy our culture of merciless ambition:

Let’s dare trust in the God who comes down to serve those who are a refuse of society. And let’s trust in that unconditional love of God that takes those of us who are nothing and places us to become sharers of the community of those who are God’s beloved children.


This episode is drawn from an online conversation held in 2025. It’ll give you a sense of what the Trinity Forum is about: a community of people working to keep the Christian intellectual tradition alive, and to nurture new growth in it in our time, for the renewal of our culture. 

 

If that resonates with you, please join the Trinity Forum as a member at ttf.org. We hope you enjoy the conversation.

]]> Tue, 24 Jun 2025 00:01:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 3562 In this episode we’re joined by theologian and bestselling author Miroslav Volf of Yale Divinity School. His latest book is The Cost of Ambition: How Striving to Be Better Than Others is Making Us Worse. 

 

The question he explores is one that relates to all of us: how can we find a way to strive for excellence, rather than for superiority over those around us?

 

Finding new insights in familiar Biblical passages and the Christian tradition, he’ll help us to defy our culture of merciless ambition:

Let’s dare trust in the God who comes down to serve those who are a refuse of society. And let’s trust in that unconditional love of God that takes those of us who are nothing and places us to become sharers of the community of those who are God’s beloved children.


This episode is drawn from an online conversation held in 2025. It’ll give you a sense of what the Trinity Forum is about: a community of people working to keep the Christian intellectual tradition alive, and to nurture new growth in it in our time, for the renewal of our culture. 

 

If that resonates with you, please join the Trinity Forum as a member at ttf.org. We hope you enjoy the conversation.

]]> No Living Well and Dying Well with Lydia Dugdale 10 10 113 113 Living Well and Dying Well with Lydia Dugdale full 725a7c82-b058-43fa-a1e0-7004ee2f162f https://share.transistor.fm/s/1fb2e596 This conversation is on the practical wisdom the Christian tradition offers for something that affects all of us: matters of life and death. Dr. Lydia Dugdale will be our guide. 

Lydia has applied practices from this faith tradition in her daily work with patients and families as a physician, professor and medical ethicist in New York City. She draws deeply from it in her book The Lost Art of Dying: Reviving Forgotten Wisdom – which she wrote for her patients, and those who love them:


“[Death] exists as a paradox … death has been conquered in the Resurrection of Christ, and then death is still the last enemy to be destroyed in the final resurrection of the dead.” — Lydia Dugdale


We hope this conversation helps paint a picture of what it means to live as a Christian on the road of life, where death is not the end, but a stop along the way to eternity.

This podcast was recorded with a live audience at a Trinity Forum evening conversation in Nashville in 2025. It’ll give you a good sense of what the Trinity Forum is about: a community of people working to keep the Christian intellectual tradition alive, to nurture new growth in it for society’s renewal, and to make it available to all.

Related Conversations:

Being, Living, and Dying Well, an Online Conversation with Lydia Dugdale

Faith, Health, and Healing, an Evening Conversation with Farr Curlin and Daniel Sulmasy

Suffering and Flourishing: Perseverance and Faith in the Midst of Pain, an Evening Conversation with Dr. Ray Barfield and Rev. Michael Walrond

]]> This conversation is on the practical wisdom the Christian tradition offers for something that affects all of us: matters of life and death. Dr. Lydia Dugdale will be our guide. 

Lydia has applied practices from this faith tradition in her daily work with patients and families as a physician, professor and medical ethicist in New York City. She draws deeply from it in her book The Lost Art of Dying: Reviving Forgotten Wisdom – which she wrote for her patients, and those who love them:


“[Death] exists as a paradox … death has been conquered in the Resurrection of Christ, and then death is still the last enemy to be destroyed in the final resurrection of the dead.” — Lydia Dugdale


We hope this conversation helps paint a picture of what it means to live as a Christian on the road of life, where death is not the end, but a stop along the way to eternity.

This podcast was recorded with a live audience at a Trinity Forum evening conversation in Nashville in 2025. It’ll give you a good sense of what the Trinity Forum is about: a community of people working to keep the Christian intellectual tradition alive, to nurture new growth in it for society’s renewal, and to make it available to all.

Related Conversations:

Being, Living, and Dying Well, an Online Conversation with Lydia Dugdale

Faith, Health, and Healing, an Evening Conversation with Farr Curlin and Daniel Sulmasy

Suffering and Flourishing: Perseverance and Faith in the Midst of Pain, an Evening Conversation with Dr. Ray Barfield and Rev. Michael Walrond

]]> Tue, 10 Jun 2025 00:01:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 3473 This conversation is on the practical wisdom the Christian tradition offers for something that affects all of us: matters of life and death. Dr. Lydia Dugdale will be our guide. 

Lydia has applied practices from this faith tradition in her daily work with patients and families as a physician, professor and medical ethicist in New York City. She draws deeply from it in her book The Lost Art of Dying: Reviving Forgotten Wisdom – which she wrote for her patients, and those who love them:


“[Death] exists as a paradox … death has been conquered in the Resurrection of Christ, and then death is still the last enemy to be destroyed in the final resurrection of the dead.” — Lydia Dugdale


We hope this conversation helps paint a picture of what it means to live as a Christian on the road of life, where death is not the end, but a stop along the way to eternity.

This podcast was recorded with a live audience at a Trinity Forum evening conversation in Nashville in 2025. It’ll give you a good sense of what the Trinity Forum is about: a community of people working to keep the Christian intellectual tradition alive, to nurture new growth in it for society’s renewal, and to make it available to all.

Related Conversations:

Being, Living, and Dying Well, an Online Conversation with Lydia Dugdale

Faith, Health, and Healing, an Evening Conversation with Farr Curlin and Daniel Sulmasy

Suffering and Flourishing: Perseverance and Faith in the Midst of Pain, an Evening Conversation with Dr. Ray Barfield and Rev. Michael Walrond

]]> No Reason and Belief with Ross Douthat 10 10 112 112 Reason and Belief with Ross Douthat full b57ce107-6786-46d9-8488-d77dd2d8f428 https://share.transistor.fm/s/e78b4eeb In this conversation, author Ross Douthat draws from the tradition to tackle a foundational question: Why believe?

Amid evidence that America’s long trend of secularization has leveled off, a perception of the limits of a strictly materialist worldview, and growing dissatisfaction with “do it yourself” approaches to spirituality, what does traditional faith uniquely offer those seeking truth in our time?


New York Times columnist and author Ross Douthat joins us for this conversation, making the case for Christianity and rejecting atheism, all through the lens of reason:

 “I think secularization as a deep and profound phenomenon is not real, as you can tell. I think the world remains shot through with miracle and mystery and enchantment.” – Ross Douthat 

We hope this conversation provides a look at faith from a fresh angle, and encourages you in practicing traditional faith as an answer to the search for truth in our time.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in February 2025. Watch the recording here.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Ross Douthat for The New York Times

Matter of Opinion Podcast

The Deep Places: A memoir of Illness and Discovery

The Decadent Society to Change the Church

To Change the Church: Pope Francis and the Future of Catholicism

Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics

Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious

Bethel McGrew, on left vs. right brain of Christianity

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

The Wager; Blaise Pascal

The Strangest Story in the World; G.K. Chesterton

A Practical View of Real Christianity; William Wilberforce

God’s Grandeur: Gerard Manley Hopkins selection of poems; Gerard Manley Hopkins

Related Conversations:

A World Transformed with Tom Holland

The Strangest Story in the World: G.K. Chesterton and the Incarnation with Dale Ahlquist

Truth and Trust with Francis Collins

Faith in an Empirical World with Ard Louis and Tremper Longman

]]> In this conversation, author Ross Douthat draws from the tradition to tackle a foundational question: Why believe?

Amid evidence that America’s long trend of secularization has leveled off, a perception of the limits of a strictly materialist worldview, and growing dissatisfaction with “do it yourself” approaches to spirituality, what does traditional faith uniquely offer those seeking truth in our time?


New York Times columnist and author Ross Douthat joins us for this conversation, making the case for Christianity and rejecting atheism, all through the lens of reason:

 “I think secularization as a deep and profound phenomenon is not real, as you can tell. I think the world remains shot through with miracle and mystery and enchantment.” – Ross Douthat 

We hope this conversation provides a look at faith from a fresh angle, and encourages you in practicing traditional faith as an answer to the search for truth in our time.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in February 2025. Watch the recording here.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Ross Douthat for The New York Times

Matter of Opinion Podcast

The Deep Places: A memoir of Illness and Discovery

The Decadent Society to Change the Church

To Change the Church: Pope Francis and the Future of Catholicism

Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics

Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious

Bethel McGrew, on left vs. right brain of Christianity

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

The Wager; Blaise Pascal

The Strangest Story in the World; G.K. Chesterton

A Practical View of Real Christianity; William Wilberforce

God’s Grandeur: Gerard Manley Hopkins selection of poems; Gerard Manley Hopkins

Related Conversations:

A World Transformed with Tom Holland

The Strangest Story in the World: G.K. Chesterton and the Incarnation with Dale Ahlquist

Truth and Trust with Francis Collins

Faith in an Empirical World with Ard Louis and Tremper Longman

]]> Tue, 27 May 2025 00:01:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 3518 In this conversation, author Ross Douthat draws from the tradition to tackle a foundational question: Why believe?

Amid evidence that America’s long trend of secularization has leveled off, a perception of the limits of a strictly materialist worldview, and growing dissatisfaction with “do it yourself” approaches to spirituality, what does traditional faith uniquely offer those seeking truth in our time?


New York Times columnist and author Ross Douthat joins us for this conversation, making the case for Christianity and rejecting atheism, all through the lens of reason:

 “I think secularization as a deep and profound phenomenon is not real, as you can tell. I think the world remains shot through with miracle and mystery and enchantment.” – Ross Douthat 

We hope this conversation provides a look at faith from a fresh angle, and encourages you in practicing traditional faith as an answer to the search for truth in our time.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in February 2025. Watch the recording here.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Ross Douthat for The New York Times

Matter of Opinion Podcast

The Deep Places: A memoir of Illness and Discovery

The Decadent Society to Change the Church

To Change the Church: Pope Francis and the Future of Catholicism

Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics

Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious

Bethel McGrew, on left vs. right brain of Christianity

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

The Wager; Blaise Pascal

The Strangest Story in the World; G.K. Chesterton

A Practical View of Real Christianity; William Wilberforce

God’s Grandeur: Gerard Manley Hopkins selection of poems; Gerard Manley Hopkins

Related Conversations:

A World Transformed with Tom Holland

The Strangest Story in the World: G.K. Chesterton and the Incarnation with Dale Ahlquist

Truth and Trust with Francis Collins

Faith in an Empirical World with Ard Louis and Tremper Longman

]]> No Our Souls on Technology with Andy Crouch and Jonathan Haidt 10 10 111 111 Our Souls on Technology with Andy Crouch and Jonathan Haidt full 3218fe9a-8ffe-45eb-8153-18d02bcfa242 https://share.transistor.fm/s/74b32cfd We were made for relationship — to be seen, loved, known, and committed to others. And yet we increasingly find ourselves, in the words of sociologist Jonathan Haidt, “disoriented, unable to speak the same language or recognize the same truth. We are cut off from one another and from the past.”


On our podcast Haidt and bestselling author Andy Crouch pair up to explore how the technology era has seduced us with a false vision of human flourishing—and how each of us can fight back, and restore true community:

“A person is a heart, soul, mind, strength, complex designed for love. And one of the really damaging things about our technology is very little of our technology develops all four of those qualities.” - Andy Crouch


We hope you enjoy this conversation about the seismic effects technology has had on our personal relationships, civic institutions, and even democratic foundations — and how we might approach rethinking our technologies and reclaiming human connection.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2022. Watch the full video of the conversation here. Learn more about Jonathan Haidt and Andy Crouch.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Happiness Hypothesis, by Jonathan Haidt

The Coddling of the American Mind, by Jonathan Haidt

The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion, by Jonathan Haidt

Culture Making, by Andy Crouch

Playing God, by Andy Crouch

Strong and Weak, by Andy Crouch

The TechWise Family, by Andy Crouch

My TechWise Life, by Amy and Andy Crouch

The Life We're Looking For: Reclaiming Relationship in a Technological World, by Andy Crouch

Ernest Hemingway

Francis Bacon

Howard Hotson

Greg Lukianoff

Wolfram Schultz

The Sacred Canopy, by Peter L. Berger

Epictetus

Marcus Aurelius


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Brave New World, by Alduous Huxley

Bulletins from Immortality: Poems by Emily Dickinson

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard

Politics and the English Language, by George Orwell

The Origins of Totalitarianism, by Hannah Arendt

City of God, by St. Augustine of Hippo

Children of Light and Children of Darkness by Reinhold Niebuhr

On Happiness, by Thomas Aquinas


Related Conversations:

Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin

The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote

The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat

Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins

Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers

Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier

Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks

After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt

Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian

Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help...

]]> We were made for relationship — to be seen, loved, known, and committed to others. And yet we increasingly find ourselves, in the words of sociologist Jonathan Haidt, “disoriented, unable to speak the same language or recognize the same truth. We are cut off from one another and from the past.”


On our podcast Haidt and bestselling author Andy Crouch pair up to explore how the technology era has seduced us with a false vision of human flourishing—and how each of us can fight back, and restore true community:

“A person is a heart, soul, mind, strength, complex designed for love. And one of the really damaging things about our technology is very little of our technology develops all four of those qualities.” - Andy Crouch


We hope you enjoy this conversation about the seismic effects technology has had on our personal relationships, civic institutions, and even democratic foundations — and how we might approach rethinking our technologies and reclaiming human connection.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2022. Watch the full video of the conversation here. Learn more about Jonathan Haidt and Andy Crouch.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Happiness Hypothesis, by Jonathan Haidt

The Coddling of the American Mind, by Jonathan Haidt

The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion, by Jonathan Haidt

Culture Making, by Andy Crouch

Playing God, by Andy Crouch

Strong and Weak, by Andy Crouch

The TechWise Family, by Andy Crouch

My TechWise Life, by Amy and Andy Crouch

The Life We're Looking For: Reclaiming Relationship in a Technological World, by Andy Crouch

Ernest Hemingway

Francis Bacon

Howard Hotson

Greg Lukianoff

Wolfram Schultz

The Sacred Canopy, by Peter L. Berger

Epictetus

Marcus Aurelius


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Brave New World, by Alduous Huxley

Bulletins from Immortality: Poems by Emily Dickinson

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard

Politics and the English Language, by George Orwell

The Origins of Totalitarianism, by Hannah Arendt

City of God, by St. Augustine of Hippo

Children of Light and Children of Darkness by Reinhold Niebuhr

On Happiness, by Thomas Aquinas


Related Conversations:

Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin

The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote

The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat

Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins

Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers

Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier

Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks

After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt

Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian

Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help...

]]> Tue, 13 May 2025 00:01:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2592 We were made for relationship — to be seen, loved, known, and committed to others. And yet we increasingly find ourselves, in the words of sociologist Jonathan Haidt, “disoriented, unable to speak the same language or recognize the same truth. We are cut off from one another and from the past.”


On our podcast Haidt and bestselling author Andy Crouch pair up to explore how the technology era has seduced us with a false vision of human flourishing—and how each of us can fight back, and restore true community:

“A person is a heart, soul, mind, strength, complex designed for love. And one of the really damaging things about our technology is very little of our technology develops all four of those qualities.” - Andy Crouch


We hope you enjoy this conversation about the seismic effects technology has had on our personal relationships, civic institutions, and even democratic foundations — and how we might approach rethinking our technologies and reclaiming human connection.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2022. Watch the full video of the conversation here. Learn more about Jonathan Haidt and Andy Crouch.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Happiness Hypothesis, by Jonathan Haidt

The Coddling of the American Mind, by Jonathan Haidt

The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion, by Jonathan Haidt

Culture Making, by Andy Crouch

Playing God, by Andy Crouch

Strong and Weak, by Andy Crouch

The TechWise Family, by Andy Crouch

My TechWise Life, by Amy and Andy Crouch

The Life We're Looking For: Reclaiming Relationship in a Technological World, by Andy Crouch

Ernest Hemingway

Francis Bacon

Howard Hotson

Greg Lukianoff

Wolfram Schultz

The Sacred Canopy, by Peter L. Berger

Epictetus

Marcus Aurelius


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Brave New World, by Alduous Huxley

Bulletins from Immortality: Poems by Emily Dickinson

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard

Politics and the English Language, by George Orwell

The Origins of Totalitarianism, by Hannah Arendt

City of God, by St. Augustine of Hippo

Children of Light and Children of Darkness by Reinhold Niebuhr

On Happiness, by Thomas Aquinas


Related Conversations:

Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin

The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote

The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat

Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins

Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers

Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier

Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks

After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt

Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian

Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help...

]]> No Faith and Foreign Aid 10 10 110 110 Faith and Foreign Aid full 24f1eb70-f84e-46c8-a03e-604c7ab82f15 https://share.transistor.fm/s/50c2310c US foreign aid is unexpectedly in the news in 2025 as never before. What do Christians need to know, to help us be part of the dialogue?


America's history of foreign aid dates back at least to the Marshall Plan that followed World War II. Many Christians have been involved. How have these believers thought about the appropriate roles of government and of faith-based institutions? What has the US been doing, with what impact? And what is the situation on the ground now?


Three believers knowledgeable about this work join us for this episode to illustrate the scope of how faith-based foreign aid has impacted regions worldwide, share their perspectives on what a Christ-like spirit looks like in this field, and discuss where they see aid is most needed—now more than ever.

"Jesus calls on us to help the poor, your neighbor, the stranger, the sick, the shunned, the scorned, the stigmatized. Think of Jesus embracing those in poverty, prostitution, leprosy ... the US ... is not a savior. That’s Jesus’s job. But it can be an enabler of human flourishing so that people can survive and thrive." — Mark Lagon
  • Ambassador Mark Lagon has served as the US Ambassador to combat human trafficking, and is now focused on the fight against malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS.
  • Nicole Bibbins Sedaca has held leadership roles in the government, academic and NGO sectors working and teaching on democracy, human rights and religious freedom.
  • Myal Greene leads World Relief, the development arm of the National Association of Evangelicals; while serving in Rwanda, he developed its church-based programming model.

This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation from April 2025. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.


Related Trinity Forum Readings:


Related Conversations:

Abraham Kuyper’s Sphere Sovereignty with Vincent Bacote


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society.

]]> US foreign aid is unexpectedly in the news in 2025 as never before. What do Christians need to know, to help us be part of the dialogue?


America's history of foreign aid dates back at least to the Marshall Plan that followed World War II. Many Christians have been involved. How have these believers thought about the appropriate roles of government and of faith-based institutions? What has the US been doing, with what impact? And what is the situation on the ground now?


Three believers knowledgeable about this work join us for this episode to illustrate the scope of how faith-based foreign aid has impacted regions worldwide, share their perspectives on what a Christ-like spirit looks like in this field, and discuss where they see aid is most needed—now more than ever.

"Jesus calls on us to help the poor, your neighbor, the stranger, the sick, the shunned, the scorned, the stigmatized. Think of Jesus embracing those in poverty, prostitution, leprosy ... the US ... is not a savior. That’s Jesus’s job. But it can be an enabler of human flourishing so that people can survive and thrive." — Mark Lagon
  • Ambassador Mark Lagon has served as the US Ambassador to combat human trafficking, and is now focused on the fight against malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS.
  • Nicole Bibbins Sedaca has held leadership roles in the government, academic and NGO sectors working and teaching on democracy, human rights and religious freedom.
  • Myal Greene leads World Relief, the development arm of the National Association of Evangelicals; while serving in Rwanda, he developed its church-based programming model.

This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation from April 2025. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.


Related Trinity Forum Readings:


Related Conversations:

Abraham Kuyper’s Sphere Sovereignty with Vincent Bacote


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society.

]]> Tue, 29 Apr 2025 00:01:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 3698 US foreign aid is unexpectedly in the news in 2025 as never before. What do Christians need to know, to help us be part of the dialogue?


America's history of foreign aid dates back at least to the Marshall Plan that followed World War II. Many Christians have been involved. How have these believers thought about the appropriate roles of government and of faith-based institutions? What has the US been doing, with what impact? And what is the situation on the ground now?


Three believers knowledgeable about this work join us for this episode to illustrate the scope of how faith-based foreign aid has impacted regions worldwide, share their perspectives on what a Christ-like spirit looks like in this field, and discuss where they see aid is most needed—now more than ever.

"Jesus calls on us to help the poor, your neighbor, the stranger, the sick, the shunned, the scorned, the stigmatized. Think of Jesus embracing those in poverty, prostitution, leprosy ... the US ... is not a savior. That’s Jesus’s job. But it can be an enabler of human flourishing so that people can survive and thrive." — Mark Lagon
  • Ambassador Mark Lagon has served as the US Ambassador to combat human trafficking, and is now focused on the fight against malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS.
  • Nicole Bibbins Sedaca has held leadership roles in the government, academic and NGO sectors working and teaching on democracy, human rights and religious freedom.
  • Myal Greene leads World Relief, the development arm of the National Association of Evangelicals; while serving in Rwanda, he developed its church-based programming model.

This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation from April 2025. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.


Related Trinity Forum Readings:


Related Conversations:

Abraham Kuyper’s Sphere Sovereignty with Vincent Bacote


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society.

]]> No Finding God in the Garden with Andrew Peterson 10 10 109 109 Finding God in the Garden with Andrew Peterson full 973aa775-2c02-44d9-8ced-d28da9ebbd87 https://share.transistor.fm/s/145c28fb As we emerge from the Lenten season, freshly renewed by the triumph of the Resurrection, beauty and wonder are particularly present for Christians. In this episode, author and songwriter Andrew Peterson shares his insights about the importance of location and living responsibly and attentively in whatever specific place you inhabit. He discusses how deeper attentiveness to the beauty around us can awaken us to wisdom and wonder.


This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation from December 2021. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Andrew Peterson.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The God of the Garden, by Andrew Peterson

Tim Mackey, The Bible Project’s Tree of Life podcast series

Jaber Crow, by Wendell Berry

William Wordsworth

The Death and Life of Great American Cities, Jane Jacobs

The Geography of Nowhere: The Rise and Decline of America's Man-Made Landscape, by James Howard Kunstler

Sidewalks in the Kingdom: New Urbanism and the Christian Faith, Eric O. Jacobsen

Gilead, by Marilynne Robinson

Rich Mullins

10 Resolutions for Mental Health, Clyde Kilby


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Bright Evening Star, Madeleine L’Engle

A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens 

Babette’s Feast, by Isak Dinesen


Related Conversations:

Practicing Gratitude with Diana Butler Bass


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society.

]]> As we emerge from the Lenten season, freshly renewed by the triumph of the Resurrection, beauty and wonder are particularly present for Christians. In this episode, author and songwriter Andrew Peterson shares his insights about the importance of location and living responsibly and attentively in whatever specific place you inhabit. He discusses how deeper attentiveness to the beauty around us can awaken us to wisdom and wonder.


This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation from December 2021. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Andrew Peterson.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The God of the Garden, by Andrew Peterson

Tim Mackey, The Bible Project’s Tree of Life podcast series

Jaber Crow, by Wendell Berry

William Wordsworth

The Death and Life of Great American Cities, Jane Jacobs

The Geography of Nowhere: The Rise and Decline of America's Man-Made Landscape, by James Howard Kunstler

Sidewalks in the Kingdom: New Urbanism and the Christian Faith, Eric O. Jacobsen

Gilead, by Marilynne Robinson

Rich Mullins

10 Resolutions for Mental Health, Clyde Kilby


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Bright Evening Star, Madeleine L’Engle

A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens 

Babette’s Feast, by Isak Dinesen


Related Conversations:

Practicing Gratitude with Diana Butler Bass


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society.

]]> Tue, 22 Apr 2025 00:01:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1962 As we emerge from the Lenten season, freshly renewed by the triumph of the Resurrection, beauty and wonder are particularly present for Christians. In this episode, author and songwriter Andrew Peterson shares his insights about the importance of location and living responsibly and attentively in whatever specific place you inhabit. He discusses how deeper attentiveness to the beauty around us can awaken us to wisdom and wonder.


This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation from December 2021. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Andrew Peterson.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The God of the Garden, by Andrew Peterson

Tim Mackey, The Bible Project’s Tree of Life podcast series

Jaber Crow, by Wendell Berry

William Wordsworth

The Death and Life of Great American Cities, Jane Jacobs

The Geography of Nowhere: The Rise and Decline of America's Man-Made Landscape, by James Howard Kunstler

Sidewalks in the Kingdom: New Urbanism and the Christian Faith, Eric O. Jacobsen

Gilead, by Marilynne Robinson

Rich Mullins

10 Resolutions for Mental Health, Clyde Kilby


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Bright Evening Star, Madeleine L’Engle

A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens 

Babette’s Feast, by Isak Dinesen


Related Conversations:

Practicing Gratitude with Diana Butler Bass


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society.

]]> No Waiting for Good News with N.T. Wright 9 9 108 108 Waiting for Good News with N.T. Wright full 4464e1ed-4a8b-430e-9dd6-0002dad75d9b https://share.transistor.fm/s/b0e6e1a9 Throughout Lent, we've been releasing weekly episodes focused on spiritual practices.

In the final episode of the series, this Holy Week we're considering the discipline of waiting: how we can prepare ourselves to receive good news. 

Our guide today is N.T. Wright, the Anglican Bishop and New Testament scholar. He describes how Jesus invited his hearers into a new way of understanding Israel’s ancient story of waiting, the cosmic significance of its sudden fulfillment, and its meaning for us in this in-between time of preparation to receive good news: 

"The ultimate life after death is not a platonic disembodied immortality, but resurrection life in God‘s new creation. And that new world began when Jesus came out of the tomb on Easter morning. That’s the good news. Something happened then as a result of which the world is a different place. And we are summoned, not just to enjoy its benefits, but to take up our own vocations as new creation people, as spirit-filled and spirit-led Jesus followers, bringing his kingdom into reality in our world."


We hope that this conversation will help you as you wait and prepare to receive this good news.

The podcast is drawn from an evening conversation we hosted back in 2016. You can find our shownotes and much more at ttf.org. 

Thank you for journeying with us through Lent.

 

Learn more about N.T. Wright.

 

Watch The Good News and the Good Life, with N.T. Wright and Richard Hayes.

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Who is this Man? by John Ortberg

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Devotions by John Donne and paraphrased by Philip Yancey

The Confessions of St. Augustine by Augustine of Hippo, Introduced by James K.A. Smith

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard

Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan

God’s Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins

A Spiritual Pilgrimage by Malcolm Muggeridge

 

Related Conversations:

Liturgy of the Ordinary in Extraordinary Times with Tish Harrison Warren

Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies with Marilyn McEntyre

Invitation to Solitude and Silence with Ruth Haley Barton

On the Road with Saint Augustine with James K.A. Smith and Elizabeth Bruenig

The Habit Podcast, Episode 26: Tish Harrison Warren with Doug McKelvey

The Spiritual Practice of Remembering with Margaret Bendroth

 

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org, and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, visit ttf.org/join.

]]> Throughout Lent, we've been releasing weekly episodes focused on spiritual practices.

In the final episode of the series, this Holy Week we're considering the discipline of waiting: how we can prepare ourselves to receive good news. 

Our guide today is N.T. Wright, the Anglican Bishop and New Testament scholar. He describes how Jesus invited his hearers into a new way of understanding Israel’s ancient story of waiting, the cosmic significance of its sudden fulfillment, and its meaning for us in this in-between time of preparation to receive good news: 

"The ultimate life after death is not a platonic disembodied immortality, but resurrection life in God‘s new creation. And that new world began when Jesus came out of the tomb on Easter morning. That’s the good news. Something happened then as a result of which the world is a different place. And we are summoned, not just to enjoy its benefits, but to take up our own vocations as new creation people, as spirit-filled and spirit-led Jesus followers, bringing his kingdom into reality in our world."


We hope that this conversation will help you as you wait and prepare to receive this good news.

The podcast is drawn from an evening conversation we hosted back in 2016. You can find our shownotes and much more at ttf.org. 

Thank you for journeying with us through Lent.

 

Learn more about N.T. Wright.

 

Watch The Good News and the Good Life, with N.T. Wright and Richard Hayes.

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Who is this Man? by John Ortberg

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Devotions by John Donne and paraphrased by Philip Yancey

The Confessions of St. Augustine by Augustine of Hippo, Introduced by James K.A. Smith

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard

Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan

God’s Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins

A Spiritual Pilgrimage by Malcolm Muggeridge

 

Related Conversations:

Liturgy of the Ordinary in Extraordinary Times with Tish Harrison Warren

Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies with Marilyn McEntyre

Invitation to Solitude and Silence with Ruth Haley Barton

On the Road with Saint Augustine with James K.A. Smith and Elizabeth Bruenig

The Habit Podcast, Episode 26: Tish Harrison Warren with Doug McKelvey

The Spiritual Practice of Remembering with Margaret Bendroth

 

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org, and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, visit ttf.org/join.

]]> Tue, 15 Apr 2025 00:01:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1322 Throughout Lent, we've been releasing weekly episodes focused on spiritual practices.

In the final episode of the series, this Holy Week we're considering the discipline of waiting: how we can prepare ourselves to receive good news. 

Our guide today is N.T. Wright, the Anglican Bishop and New Testament scholar. He describes how Jesus invited his hearers into a new way of understanding Israel’s ancient story of waiting, the cosmic significance of its sudden fulfillment, and its meaning for us in this in-between time of preparation to receive good news: 

"The ultimate life after death is not a platonic disembodied immortality, but resurrection life in God‘s new creation. And that new world began when Jesus came out of the tomb on Easter morning. That’s the good news. Something happened then as a result of which the world is a different place. And we are summoned, not just to enjoy its benefits, but to take up our own vocations as new creation people, as spirit-filled and spirit-led Jesus followers, bringing his kingdom into reality in our world."


We hope that this conversation will help you as you wait and prepare to receive this good news.

The podcast is drawn from an evening conversation we hosted back in 2016. You can find our shownotes and much more at ttf.org. 

Thank you for journeying with us through Lent.

 

Learn more about N.T. Wright.

 

Watch The Good News and the Good Life, with N.T. Wright and Richard Hayes.

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Who is this Man? by John Ortberg

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Devotions by John Donne and paraphrased by Philip Yancey

The Confessions of St. Augustine by Augustine of Hippo, Introduced by James K.A. Smith

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard

Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan

God’s Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins

A Spiritual Pilgrimage by Malcolm Muggeridge

 

Related Conversations:

Liturgy of the Ordinary in Extraordinary Times with Tish Harrison Warren

Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies with Marilyn McEntyre

Invitation to Solitude and Silence with Ruth Haley Barton

On the Road with Saint Augustine with James K.A. Smith and Elizabeth Bruenig

The Habit Podcast, Episode 26: Tish Harrison Warren with Doug McKelvey

The Spiritual Practice of Remembering with Margaret Bendroth

 

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org, and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, visit ttf.org/join.

]]> No Making as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto Fujimura 9 9 107 107 Making as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto Fujimura full 8a2373ec-8a7b-4415-88d8-0b6f4ddc11eb https://share.transistor.fm/s/d3794860 Throughout the season of Lent, we're releasing weekly episodes focused on spiritual practices.

If at the center of reality is a God whose love is a generative, creative force, how do humans made in God’s image begin to reflect this beauty and love in a world rent by brokenness and ugliness?

As Makoto Fujimura argues on our latest podcast, it’s in the act of making that we are able to experience the depth of God’s being and grace, and to realize an integral part of our humanity:

“Love, by definition, is something that goes way outside of utilitarian values and efficiencies and industrial bottom lines. It has to…and when we love, I think we make. That's just the way we are made, and we respond to that making. So we make, and then when we receive that making, we make again.”

Artistry and creativity are not just formative, but even liturgical in that they shape our understanding of, orientation towards, and love for, both the great creator and his creation.


We hope you’re encouraged in your making this Lenten season that the God who created you in his image delights in your delight.


If this podcast inspires you, and you’re so inclined, we’d love to see what you create, be that a painting, a meal, a poem, or some other loving, artistic expression. Feel free to share it with us by tagging us on your favorite social platform.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2021. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Makoto Fujimura.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Art + Faith: A Theology of Making, by Makoto Fujimura

William Blake

Vincent Van Gogh

N.T. Wright

Esther Meek

Jaques Pépin

Bruce Herman

Martin Luther King Jr.

The Gift, by Lewis Hyde

Amanda Goldman

T. S. Eliot

Calvin Silve

David Brooks


Related Trinity Forum Readings:
Babette's Feast, by Isak Dinesen

Four Quartets, by T.S. Eliot

Pilgrim’s Progress, by John Bunyan

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard

God’s Grandeur, by Gerard Manley Hopkins


Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn
Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson
Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society.

]]> Throughout the season of Lent, we're releasing weekly episodes focused on spiritual practices.

If at the center of reality is a God whose love is a generative, creative force, how do humans made in God’s image begin to reflect this beauty and love in a world rent by brokenness and ugliness?

As Makoto Fujimura argues on our latest podcast, it’s in the act of making that we are able to experience the depth of God’s being and grace, and to realize an integral part of our humanity:

“Love, by definition, is something that goes way outside of utilitarian values and efficiencies and industrial bottom lines. It has to…and when we love, I think we make. That's just the way we are made, and we respond to that making. So we make, and then when we receive that making, we make again.”

Artistry and creativity are not just formative, but even liturgical in that they shape our understanding of, orientation towards, and love for, both the great creator and his creation.


We hope you’re encouraged in your making this Lenten season that the God who created you in his image delights in your delight.


If this podcast inspires you, and you’re so inclined, we’d love to see what you create, be that a painting, a meal, a poem, or some other loving, artistic expression. Feel free to share it with us by tagging us on your favorite social platform.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2021. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Makoto Fujimura.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Art + Faith: A Theology of Making, by Makoto Fujimura

William Blake

Vincent Van Gogh

N.T. Wright

Esther Meek

Jaques Pépin

Bruce Herman

Martin Luther King Jr.

The Gift, by Lewis Hyde

Amanda Goldman

T. S. Eliot

Calvin Silve

David Brooks


Related Trinity Forum Readings:
Babette's Feast, by Isak Dinesen

Four Quartets, by T.S. Eliot

Pilgrim’s Progress, by John Bunyan

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard

God’s Grandeur, by Gerard Manley Hopkins


Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn
Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson
Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society.

]]> Tue, 08 Apr 2025 00:01:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2508 Throughout the season of Lent, we're releasing weekly episodes focused on spiritual practices.

If at the center of reality is a God whose love is a generative, creative force, how do humans made in God’s image begin to reflect this beauty and love in a world rent by brokenness and ugliness?

As Makoto Fujimura argues on our latest podcast, it’s in the act of making that we are able to experience the depth of God’s being and grace, and to realize an integral part of our humanity:

“Love, by definition, is something that goes way outside of utilitarian values and efficiencies and industrial bottom lines. It has to…and when we love, I think we make. That's just the way we are made, and we respond to that making. So we make, and then when we receive that making, we make again.”

Artistry and creativity are not just formative, but even liturgical in that they shape our understanding of, orientation towards, and love for, both the great creator and his creation.


We hope you’re encouraged in your making this Lenten season that the God who created you in his image delights in your delight.


If this podcast inspires you, and you’re so inclined, we’d love to see what you create, be that a painting, a meal, a poem, or some other loving, artistic expression. Feel free to share it with us by tagging us on your favorite social platform.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2021. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Makoto Fujimura.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Art + Faith: A Theology of Making, by Makoto Fujimura

William Blake

Vincent Van Gogh

N.T. Wright

Esther Meek

Jaques Pépin

Bruce Herman

Martin Luther King Jr.

The Gift, by Lewis Hyde

Amanda Goldman

T. S. Eliot

Calvin Silve

David Brooks


Related Trinity Forum Readings:
Babette's Feast, by Isak Dinesen

Four Quartets, by T.S. Eliot

Pilgrim’s Progress, by John Bunyan

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard

God’s Grandeur, by Gerard Manley Hopkins


Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn
Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson
Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society.

]]> No The Blessing of Limitations with Kelly Kapic 9 9 106 106 The Blessing of Limitations with Kelly Kapic full 7cd433d4-4c0e-4c13-8348-82d2bd8f40fd https://share.transistor.fm/s/87510e17 Throughout the season of Lent, we're releasing weekly episodes focused on spiritual practices.

We live in an age of speed and overwhelm, where we often feel we are expected to do more, move faster, work harder, brush past boundaries and limits, and shave margins. When we inevitably fail to meet all demands, we are left feeling not only exhausted, but often diminished.

"Part of what you start to see is ... our limits ... is actually what fosters our relationship with God, with others, even with the earth ... it's the stuff of life."

 

But what if, instead of seeing our limitations as an impediment, we could learn to view them as a blessing, even a gift? In You’re Only Human, theologian and scholar Kelly Kapic provides a theologically grounded approach to understanding and receiving the gift of our human finitude.

He offers us a way to find joy and relief in our incarnational limits and use them to foster greater freedom, spiritual growth, and deeper community.

This podcast is drawn from our Online Conversation from December 2022. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.


Learn more about Kelly Kapic.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

You’re Only Human, by Kelly Kapic

Embodied Hope, by  Kelly Kapic

The God Who Gives, by Kelly Kapic

The Devoted Life, by Kelly Kapic

Becoming Whole, by Kelly Kapic

Wendell Berry

The Sabbath, by Abram Joshua Heschel

Robert Emmons


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Bright Evening Star, Madeleine L’Engle
A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens
Babette’s Feast, by Isak Dinesen


Related Conversations:

Practicing Gratitude with Diana Butler Bass
Beauty and Wonder with Andrew Peterson
Time and Hope with James K.A. Smith
Beauty from Darkness with Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


]]> Throughout the season of Lent, we're releasing weekly episodes focused on spiritual practices.

We live in an age of speed and overwhelm, where we often feel we are expected to do more, move faster, work harder, brush past boundaries and limits, and shave margins. When we inevitably fail to meet all demands, we are left feeling not only exhausted, but often diminished.

"Part of what you start to see is ... our limits ... is actually what fosters our relationship with God, with others, even with the earth ... it's the stuff of life."

 

But what if, instead of seeing our limitations as an impediment, we could learn to view them as a blessing, even a gift? In You’re Only Human, theologian and scholar Kelly Kapic provides a theologically grounded approach to understanding and receiving the gift of our human finitude.

He offers us a way to find joy and relief in our incarnational limits and use them to foster greater freedom, spiritual growth, and deeper community.

This podcast is drawn from our Online Conversation from December 2022. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.


Learn more about Kelly Kapic.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

You’re Only Human, by Kelly Kapic

Embodied Hope, by  Kelly Kapic

The God Who Gives, by Kelly Kapic

The Devoted Life, by Kelly Kapic

Becoming Whole, by Kelly Kapic

Wendell Berry

The Sabbath, by Abram Joshua Heschel

Robert Emmons


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Bright Evening Star, Madeleine L’Engle
A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens
Babette’s Feast, by Isak Dinesen


Related Conversations:

Practicing Gratitude with Diana Butler Bass
Beauty and Wonder with Andrew Peterson
Time and Hope with James K.A. Smith
Beauty from Darkness with Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


]]> Tue, 01 Apr 2025 00:01:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1879 Throughout the season of Lent, we're releasing weekly episodes focused on spiritual practices.

We live in an age of speed and overwhelm, where we often feel we are expected to do more, move faster, work harder, brush past boundaries and limits, and shave margins. When we inevitably fail to meet all demands, we are left feeling not only exhausted, but often diminished.

"Part of what you start to see is ... our limits ... is actually what fosters our relationship with God, with others, even with the earth ... it's the stuff of life."

 

But what if, instead of seeing our limitations as an impediment, we could learn to view them as a blessing, even a gift? In You’re Only Human, theologian and scholar Kelly Kapic provides a theologically grounded approach to understanding and receiving the gift of our human finitude.

He offers us a way to find joy and relief in our incarnational limits and use them to foster greater freedom, spiritual growth, and deeper community.

This podcast is drawn from our Online Conversation from December 2022. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.


Learn more about Kelly Kapic.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

You’re Only Human, by Kelly Kapic

Embodied Hope, by  Kelly Kapic

The God Who Gives, by Kelly Kapic

The Devoted Life, by Kelly Kapic

Becoming Whole, by Kelly Kapic

Wendell Berry

The Sabbath, by Abram Joshua Heschel

Robert Emmons


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Bright Evening Star, Madeleine L’Engle
A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens
Babette’s Feast, by Isak Dinesen


Related Conversations:

Practicing Gratitude with Diana Butler Bass
Beauty and Wonder with Andrew Peterson
Time and Hope with James K.A. Smith
Beauty from Darkness with Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


]]> No Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn 9 9 105 105 Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn full 15b30293-8d08-4857-9de6-906549b1f194 https://share.transistor.fm/s/e617ac79 Pursuing Humility, with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn

Throughout the season of Lent, we're releasing weekly episodes focused on spiritual practices.

In an age when self-promotion is often celebrated as a sign of leadership and strength, humility may seem a lost virtue. In his work Learning Humility, theologian Richard Foster argues that humility is actually strength, releasing us from a preoccupation with self, and allowing us to live a life of freedom:


“One of the dangers among religious folks is that they can become stuffy bores. And it is hilarity that frees us from that. We don't take ourselves so seriously. We can laugh at our own foibles. If you look carefully… it's not hard to identify humble people. You'll find the freedom that they have to just enjoy life and enjoy other people, enjoy the successes of another person rather than being envious of it. Things like that. And so that's why humility, the most basic of the virtues, opens us up to a life of freedom.”


May Foster’s call to humility, and pastor and writer Brenda Quinn’s practical insights on living it out in leadership and community, inspire you this Lenten season to contemplate the humility of Jesus and the way of the cross.


This podcast is an edited version of a conversation recorded in 2022. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Learning Humility, by Richard Foster

Celebration of Discipline, by Richard Foster

Streams of Living Water, by Richard Foster

Sanctuary of the Soul, by Richard Foster

The Life With God Bible, contributed to by Richard Foster
C.S. Lewis

Timothy Keller

The Frenzy of Renown


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

The Long Loneliness, by Dorothy Day

Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley

Who Stands Fast, featuring Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Babette's Feast, by Isak Dinesen

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil 


Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

]]> Pursuing Humility, with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn

Throughout the season of Lent, we're releasing weekly episodes focused on spiritual practices.

In an age when self-promotion is often celebrated as a sign of leadership and strength, humility may seem a lost virtue. In his work Learning Humility, theologian Richard Foster argues that humility is actually strength, releasing us from a preoccupation with self, and allowing us to live a life of freedom:


“One of the dangers among religious folks is that they can become stuffy bores. And it is hilarity that frees us from that. We don't take ourselves so seriously. We can laugh at our own foibles. If you look carefully… it's not hard to identify humble people. You'll find the freedom that they have to just enjoy life and enjoy other people, enjoy the successes of another person rather than being envious of it. Things like that. And so that's why humility, the most basic of the virtues, opens us up to a life of freedom.”


May Foster’s call to humility, and pastor and writer Brenda Quinn’s practical insights on living it out in leadership and community, inspire you this Lenten season to contemplate the humility of Jesus and the way of the cross.


This podcast is an edited version of a conversation recorded in 2022. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Learning Humility, by Richard Foster

Celebration of Discipline, by Richard Foster

Streams of Living Water, by Richard Foster

Sanctuary of the Soul, by Richard Foster

The Life With God Bible, contributed to by Richard Foster
C.S. Lewis

Timothy Keller

The Frenzy of Renown


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

The Long Loneliness, by Dorothy Day

Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley

Who Stands Fast, featuring Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Babette's Feast, by Isak Dinesen

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil 


Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

]]> Tue, 25 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2212 Pursuing Humility, with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn

Throughout the season of Lent, we're releasing weekly episodes focused on spiritual practices.

In an age when self-promotion is often celebrated as a sign of leadership and strength, humility may seem a lost virtue. In his work Learning Humility, theologian Richard Foster argues that humility is actually strength, releasing us from a preoccupation with self, and allowing us to live a life of freedom:


“One of the dangers among religious folks is that they can become stuffy bores. And it is hilarity that frees us from that. We don't take ourselves so seriously. We can laugh at our own foibles. If you look carefully… it's not hard to identify humble people. You'll find the freedom that they have to just enjoy life and enjoy other people, enjoy the successes of another person rather than being envious of it. Things like that. And so that's why humility, the most basic of the virtues, opens us up to a life of freedom.”


May Foster’s call to humility, and pastor and writer Brenda Quinn’s practical insights on living it out in leadership and community, inspire you this Lenten season to contemplate the humility of Jesus and the way of the cross.


This podcast is an edited version of a conversation recorded in 2022. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Learning Humility, by Richard Foster

Celebration of Discipline, by Richard Foster

Streams of Living Water, by Richard Foster

Sanctuary of the Soul, by Richard Foster

The Life With God Bible, contributed to by Richard Foster
C.S. Lewis

Timothy Keller

The Frenzy of Renown


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

The Long Loneliness, by Dorothy Day

Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley

Who Stands Fast, featuring Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Babette's Feast, by Isak Dinesen

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil 


Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

]]> No Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson 9 9 104 104 Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson full 5513d0be-f369-4661-a896-0d3252f4b508 https://share.transistor.fm/s/a64e1677 Throughout the season of Lent, we'll be releasing weekly episodes focused on themes of reflection, prayer, and contemplation. As you listen to this episode, we invite you to take a moment to slow down, quiet your heart, and hear what God may be saying to you.

What if we viewed reading as not just a personal hobby or a pleasurable indulgence but as a spiritual practice that deepens our faith?


In her book, Reading for the Love of God, award-winning author and Trinity Forum Senior Fellow Jessica Hooten Wilson explores how Christian thinkers—including Augustine, Julian of Norwich, Frederick Douglass, and Dorothy Sayers—approached the act of reading.

She argues that reading deeply and well can not only open a portal to a broader imagination, but is akin to acquiring travel supplies for the good life:

“What I'm hoping to see more of is that the church becomes again those people of the book that really try to make others belong and strive for a deeper connection, versus the party atmosphere that our world always is tempting us to do.”


We hope you’re encouraged this Lenten season as you learn to read as a spiritual practice, finding grace and wisdom for living well along the way.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2023. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Jessica Hooten Wilson.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Learning the Good Life: Wisdom from the Great Hearts and Minds That Came Before, by Jessica Hooten Wilson

Giving the Devil His Due, by Jessica Hooten Wilson

The Scandal of Holiness: Renewing Your Imagination in the Company of Literary Saints, by Jessica Hooten Wilson

Reading for the Love of God: How to Read as a Spiritual Practice,, by Jessica Hooten Wilson

Walker Percy

]]> Throughout the season of Lent, we'll be releasing weekly episodes focused on themes of reflection, prayer, and contemplation. As you listen to this episode, we invite you to take a moment to slow down, quiet your heart, and hear what God may be saying to you.

What if we viewed reading as not just a personal hobby or a pleasurable indulgence but as a spiritual practice that deepens our faith?


In her book, Reading for the Love of God, award-winning author and Trinity Forum Senior Fellow Jessica Hooten Wilson explores how Christian thinkers—including Augustine, Julian of Norwich, Frederick Douglass, and Dorothy Sayers—approached the act of reading.

She argues that reading deeply and well can not only open a portal to a broader imagination, but is akin to acquiring travel supplies for the good life:

“What I'm hoping to see more of is that the church becomes again those people of the book that really try to make others belong and strive for a deeper connection, versus the party atmosphere that our world always is tempting us to do.”


We hope you’re encouraged this Lenten season as you learn to read as a spiritual practice, finding grace and wisdom for living well along the way.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2023. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Jessica Hooten Wilson.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Learning the Good Life: Wisdom from the Great Hearts and Minds That Came Before, by Jessica Hooten Wilson

Giving the Devil His Due, by Jessica Hooten Wilson

The Scandal of Holiness: Renewing Your Imagination in the Company of Literary Saints, by Jessica Hooten Wilson

Reading for the Love of God: How to Read as a Spiritual Practice,, by Jessica Hooten Wilson

Walker Percy

]]> Tue, 18 Mar 2025 00:01:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1725 Throughout the season of Lent, we'll be releasing weekly episodes focused on themes of reflection, prayer, and contemplation. As you listen to this episode, we invite you to take a moment to slow down, quiet your heart, and hear what God may be saying to you.

What if we viewed reading as not just a personal hobby or a pleasurable indulgence but as a spiritual practice that deepens our faith?


In her book, Reading for the Love of God, award-winning author and Trinity Forum Senior Fellow Jessica Hooten Wilson explores how Christian thinkers—including Augustine, Julian of Norwich, Frederick Douglass, and Dorothy Sayers—approached the act of reading.

She argues that reading deeply and well can not only open a portal to a broader imagination, but is akin to acquiring travel supplies for the good life:

“What I'm hoping to see more of is that the church becomes again those people of the book that really try to make others belong and strive for a deeper connection, versus the party atmosphere that our world always is tempting us to do.”


We hope you’re encouraged this Lenten season as you learn to read as a spiritual practice, finding grace and wisdom for living well along the way.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2023. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Jessica Hooten Wilson.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Learning the Good Life: Wisdom from the Great Hearts and Minds That Came Before, by Jessica Hooten Wilson

Giving the Devil His Due, by Jessica Hooten Wilson

The Scandal of Holiness: Renewing Your Imagination in the Company of Literary Saints, by Jessica Hooten Wilson

Reading for the Love of God: How to Read as a Spiritual Practice,, by Jessica Hooten Wilson

Walker Percy

]]> No Silence and Solitude with Ruth Haley Barton 9 9 103 103 Silence and Solitude with Ruth Haley Barton full 466774fc-951b-4d92-9cf9-bbe38761c40d https://share.transistor.fm/s/a8149c6e In the first episode of our weekly Lenten series, we invite you to take a moment to slow down, quiet your heart, and hear what God may be saying to you. Throughout the season of Lent, we'll be releasing weekly episodes focused on themes of reflection, prayer, and contemplation.

On March 19, 2021 we were delighted to host Christian author, leader, and teacher, Ruth Haley Barton. Barton is founding President/CEO of the Transforming Center, a ministry dedicated to strengthening the souls of Christian leaders and the congregations and organizations they serve. Ruth is the author of numerous books and resources on the spiritual life, including Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership and Sacred Rhythms. She reflects regularly on spirituality and leadership in her blog, Beyond Words, and on her podcast Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership.


We hope you enjoy this conversation around her book, Invitation to Solitude and Silence: Experiencing God’s Transforming Presence. Our attention, Barton believes, has become a commodity that we must protect if we are to avoid being swept away by our distracted age. She invites listeners to engage in these ancient biblical practices to find the rest for our souls that Jesus promises. In this Lenten season, we hope this will inspire you to pursue God’s transforming presence in new ways and contemplatively sit in solitude and silence with the Author and Perfecter of our faith.

 

Learn more about Ruth Haley Barton.

 

Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript from March 19, 2021.

 

Related reading:

A Shocking Lack of Solitude, Cherie Harder

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Blaise Pascal

John Milton

C.S. Lewis

Richard Rohr

Dallas Willard

Henry Nouwen

Shop Class as Soulcraft, by Matthew B. Crawford

Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel

Julian of Norwich

Invitation to Solitude and Silence: Experiencing God's Transforming Presence, by Ruth Haley Barton

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Confessions | A Trinity Forum Reading by St. Augustine, introduced by James K.A. Smith.
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek | A Trinity Forum Reading by Annie Dillard, introduced by Tish Harrison Warren.
Devotions | A Trinity Forum Reading by John Donne, introduced and paraphrased by Philip Yancey.
The Long Loneliness | A Trinity Forum Reading by Dorothy Day, introduced by Anne and David Brooks.
Wrestling with God | A Trinity Forum Reading by Simone Weil, introduced by Alonzo McDonald.
The Pilgrim's Progress | A Trinity Forum Reading by John Bunyan, introduced by Alonzo McDonald.

]]> In the first episode of our weekly Lenten series, we invite you to take a moment to slow down, quiet your heart, and hear what God may be saying to you. Throughout the season of Lent, we'll be releasing weekly episodes focused on themes of reflection, prayer, and contemplation.

On March 19, 2021 we were delighted to host Christian author, leader, and teacher, Ruth Haley Barton. Barton is founding President/CEO of the Transforming Center, a ministry dedicated to strengthening the souls of Christian leaders and the congregations and organizations they serve. Ruth is the author of numerous books and resources on the spiritual life, including Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership and Sacred Rhythms. She reflects regularly on spirituality and leadership in her blog, Beyond Words, and on her podcast Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership.


We hope you enjoy this conversation around her book, Invitation to Solitude and Silence: Experiencing God’s Transforming Presence. Our attention, Barton believes, has become a commodity that we must protect if we are to avoid being swept away by our distracted age. She invites listeners to engage in these ancient biblical practices to find the rest for our souls that Jesus promises. In this Lenten season, we hope this will inspire you to pursue God’s transforming presence in new ways and contemplatively sit in solitude and silence with the Author and Perfecter of our faith.

 

Learn more about Ruth Haley Barton.

 

Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript from March 19, 2021.

 

Related reading:

A Shocking Lack of Solitude, Cherie Harder

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Blaise Pascal

John Milton

C.S. Lewis

Richard Rohr

Dallas Willard

Henry Nouwen

Shop Class as Soulcraft, by Matthew B. Crawford

Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel

Julian of Norwich

Invitation to Solitude and Silence: Experiencing God's Transforming Presence, by Ruth Haley Barton

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Confessions | A Trinity Forum Reading by St. Augustine, introduced by James K.A. Smith.
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek | A Trinity Forum Reading by Annie Dillard, introduced by Tish Harrison Warren.
Devotions | A Trinity Forum Reading by John Donne, introduced and paraphrased by Philip Yancey.
The Long Loneliness | A Trinity Forum Reading by Dorothy Day, introduced by Anne and David Brooks.
Wrestling with God | A Trinity Forum Reading by Simone Weil, introduced by Alonzo McDonald.
The Pilgrim's Progress | A Trinity Forum Reading by John Bunyan, introduced by Alonzo McDonald.

]]> Tue, 11 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 3003 In the first episode of our weekly Lenten series, we invite you to take a moment to slow down, quiet your heart, and hear what God may be saying to you. Throughout the season of Lent, we'll be releasing weekly episodes focused on themes of reflection, prayer, and contemplation.

On March 19, 2021 we were delighted to host Christian author, leader, and teacher, Ruth Haley Barton. Barton is founding President/CEO of the Transforming Center, a ministry dedicated to strengthening the souls of Christian leaders and the congregations and organizations they serve. Ruth is the author of numerous books and resources on the spiritual life, including Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership and Sacred Rhythms. She reflects regularly on spirituality and leadership in her blog, Beyond Words, and on her podcast Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership.


We hope you enjoy this conversation around her book, Invitation to Solitude and Silence: Experiencing God’s Transforming Presence. Our attention, Barton believes, has become a commodity that we must protect if we are to avoid being swept away by our distracted age. She invites listeners to engage in these ancient biblical practices to find the rest for our souls that Jesus promises. In this Lenten season, we hope this will inspire you to pursue God’s transforming presence in new ways and contemplatively sit in solitude and silence with the Author and Perfecter of our faith.

 

Learn more about Ruth Haley Barton.

 

Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript from March 19, 2021.

 

Related reading:

A Shocking Lack of Solitude, Cherie Harder

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Blaise Pascal

John Milton

C.S. Lewis

Richard Rohr

Dallas Willard

Henry Nouwen

Shop Class as Soulcraft, by Matthew B. Crawford

Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel

Julian of Norwich

Invitation to Solitude and Silence: Experiencing God's Transforming Presence, by Ruth Haley Barton

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Confessions | A Trinity Forum Reading by St. Augustine, introduced by James K.A. Smith.
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek | A Trinity Forum Reading by Annie Dillard, introduced by Tish Harrison Warren.
Devotions | A Trinity Forum Reading by John Donne, introduced and paraphrased by Philip Yancey.
The Long Loneliness | A Trinity Forum Reading by Dorothy Day, introduced by Anne and David Brooks.
Wrestling with God | A Trinity Forum Reading by Simone Weil, introduced by Alonzo McDonald.
The Pilgrim's Progress | A Trinity Forum Reading by John Bunyan, introduced by Alonzo McDonald.

]]> Ruth Haley Barton, Lent, Silence Solitude, Cherie Harder, Transforming Center No How Christianity Remade the World with Tom Holland 9 9 102 102 How Christianity Remade the World with Tom Holland full e1c439a1-cd74-45a8-8629-913528cd3d71 https://share.transistor.fm/s/6a179726 How Christianity Remade the World

In the context of the pagan classical world, the Christian faith was a shocking, even unfathomable inversion of the values systems and structures of the time. In that embattled context, its explosive growth was unimaginable. Today, however, Christianity is often considered boring or backwards.

How might we better discern and understand the radicalism of Christianity’s origins, its impact through the centuries, and its enduring formational power? 


Historian Tom Holland’s landmark book Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World, calls attention to these puzzles and paradoxes:

”Dominion was written as an attempt to stress test my hunch that Christianity really had been the most seismic and revolutionary development, not just really in the history of the West, but probably globally. And  I'm relieved to say that I was satisfied that it had been what I was setting out to show that it had been.” - Tom Holland

We trust this conversation will fire your imagination anew, and help you see with new eyes how the inverted values and priorities of God’s kingdom continue to disrupt the patterns of the world, and shape our cultural assumptions.

This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation recorded in February, 2025. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Tom Holland.


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

Episode Outline

00:00 Introduction to Dominion and Tom Holland

03:09 Tom Holland's Journey to Writing Dominion

03:48 The Alien World of Classical Antiquity

06:32 The Impact of Christianity on Western Civilization

07:33 The Crucifixion and its Historical Significance

10:42 The Uncanny Character of Jesus

13:13 Early Christian Persecution and Martyrdom

16:59 Paul's Radical Teachings and their Legacy

21:37 The Doctrine of Original Sin and Human Dignity

27:51 Christianity's Influence on Modern Politics

32:17 Tom Holland's Personal Reflections on Christianity

36:38 Viewer Questions on American Politics and Christianity’s Influence on the Family, Modern Politics, and More

49:50 Tom’s Closing Thoughts and White Tiger, by Poet RS Thomas


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Rest is History (podcast)
The Histories by Herodotus, translation by Tom Holland
Rubicon, Millennium, Persian Fire, Pax, Dominion, by Tom Holland
The City of God, by St. Augustine of Hippo


Related Trinity Forum Readings:
City of God, by St. Augustine of Hippo
 The Strangest Story in the World, by GK Chesterton
Why God Became Man, by Anselm of Canterbury
A Practical View of Real Christianity, by William Wilberforce


Related Conversations:

]]> How Christianity Remade the World

In the context of the pagan classical world, the Christian faith was a shocking, even unfathomable inversion of the values systems and structures of the time. In that embattled context, its explosive growth was unimaginable. Today, however, Christianity is often considered boring or backwards.

How might we better discern and understand the radicalism of Christianity’s origins, its impact through the centuries, and its enduring formational power? 


Historian Tom Holland’s landmark book Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World, calls attention to these puzzles and paradoxes:

”Dominion was written as an attempt to stress test my hunch that Christianity really had been the most seismic and revolutionary development, not just really in the history of the West, but probably globally. And  I'm relieved to say that I was satisfied that it had been what I was setting out to show that it had been.” - Tom Holland

We trust this conversation will fire your imagination anew, and help you see with new eyes how the inverted values and priorities of God’s kingdom continue to disrupt the patterns of the world, and shape our cultural assumptions.

This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation recorded in February, 2025. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Tom Holland.


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

Episode Outline

00:00 Introduction to Dominion and Tom Holland

03:09 Tom Holland's Journey to Writing Dominion

03:48 The Alien World of Classical Antiquity

06:32 The Impact of Christianity on Western Civilization

07:33 The Crucifixion and its Historical Significance

10:42 The Uncanny Character of Jesus

13:13 Early Christian Persecution and Martyrdom

16:59 Paul's Radical Teachings and their Legacy

21:37 The Doctrine of Original Sin and Human Dignity

27:51 Christianity's Influence on Modern Politics

32:17 Tom Holland's Personal Reflections on Christianity

36:38 Viewer Questions on American Politics and Christianity’s Influence on the Family, Modern Politics, and More

49:50 Tom’s Closing Thoughts and White Tiger, by Poet RS Thomas


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Rest is History (podcast)
The Histories by Herodotus, translation by Tom Holland
Rubicon, Millennium, Persian Fire, Pax, Dominion, by Tom Holland
The City of God, by St. Augustine of Hippo


Related Trinity Forum Readings:
City of God, by St. Augustine of Hippo
 The Strangest Story in the World, by GK Chesterton
Why God Became Man, by Anselm of Canterbury
A Practical View of Real Christianity, by William Wilberforce


Related Conversations:

]]> Tue, 04 Mar 2025 00:05:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 3113 How Christianity Remade the World

In the context of the pagan classical world, the Christian faith was a shocking, even unfathomable inversion of the values systems and structures of the time. In that embattled context, its explosive growth was unimaginable. Today, however, Christianity is often considered boring or backwards.

How might we better discern and understand the radicalism of Christianity’s origins, its impact through the centuries, and its enduring formational power? 


Historian Tom Holland’s landmark book Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World, calls attention to these puzzles and paradoxes:

”Dominion was written as an attempt to stress test my hunch that Christianity really had been the most seismic and revolutionary development, not just really in the history of the West, but probably globally. And  I'm relieved to say that I was satisfied that it had been what I was setting out to show that it had been.” - Tom Holland

We trust this conversation will fire your imagination anew, and help you see with new eyes how the inverted values and priorities of God’s kingdom continue to disrupt the patterns of the world, and shape our cultural assumptions.

This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation recorded in February, 2025. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Tom Holland.


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

Episode Outline

00:00 Introduction to Dominion and Tom Holland

03:09 Tom Holland's Journey to Writing Dominion

03:48 The Alien World of Classical Antiquity

06:32 The Impact of Christianity on Western Civilization

07:33 The Crucifixion and its Historical Significance

10:42 The Uncanny Character of Jesus

13:13 Early Christian Persecution and Martyrdom

16:59 Paul's Radical Teachings and their Legacy

21:37 The Doctrine of Original Sin and Human Dignity

27:51 Christianity's Influence on Modern Politics

32:17 Tom Holland's Personal Reflections on Christianity

36:38 Viewer Questions on American Politics and Christianity’s Influence on the Family, Modern Politics, and More

49:50 Tom’s Closing Thoughts and White Tiger, by Poet RS Thomas


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Rest is History (podcast)
The Histories by Herodotus, translation by Tom Holland
Rubicon, Millennium, Persian Fire, Pax, Dominion, by Tom Holland
The City of God, by St. Augustine of Hippo


Related Trinity Forum Readings:
City of God, by St. Augustine of Hippo
 The Strangest Story in the World, by GK Chesterton
Why God Became Man, by Anselm of Canterbury
A Practical View of Real Christianity, by William Wilberforce


Related Conversations:

]]> No Suffering, Wayfaring & Hope: A Conversation on Faith and Mental Health 9 9 101 101 Suffering, Wayfaring & Hope: A Conversation on Faith and Mental Health full f2f4f0b4-c69b-45a1-b6e0-c88b651e8925 https://share.transistor.fm/s/bb4f21af Suffering, Wayfaring & Hope with Curt Thompson and Warren Kinghorn

Anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges are surging among both young and old. By some estimates, more than one in five American adults struggle with some form of mental illness each year. There are few untouched – either directly or through loved ones – with the suffering that attends such struggles. What does faith offer those in the midst of such challenges?


Warren Kinghorn and Curt Thompson, both practicing Christian psychiatrists, join our podcast to help explore these questions.

Warren’s book, Wayfaring: A Christian Approach to Mental Health Care, draws from the theology of Thomas Aquinas as well as the science of today. Curt’s latest book, The Deepest Place: Suffering and the Formation of Hope, draws from the Apostle Paul’s experience to show us how we can flourish in the midst of suffering. Together, they help us to reframe our understanding of mental health care from fixing machines to accompanying fellow wayfarers on the way to the Lord’s feast:

“There's a lot of really good things about thinking about mental health care as a process of careful work to reduce symptoms. But what are we missing?

“I think some of what we're missing are the stories that people bring in and the stories, not just of individuals, but of communities and cultures…Maybe they're not just internal problems where something's broken and needs to be fixed, but maybe we need to think about it in a broader and more holistic context.”


- Warren Kinghorn

We trust this podcast will give you new language, compassion, and tools to address mental health challenges, and to wayfare alongside loved ones who may also be struggling.


This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation recorded in January, 2025. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Warren Kinghorn and Curt Thompson.

Episode Outline
0:00 Introduction: The Mental Health Crisis
00:51 Meet the Experts: Curt Thompson and Warren Kinghorn
03:58 The Power of Stories in Mental Health
07:13 Reframing Mental Health: From Machines to Wayfarers
15:55 The Role of Community in Healing
35:50 Q&A: Addressing Shame, Community, and Healing
55:36 The Last Word from Warren Kinghorn and Curt Thompson

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

 The Deepest Place, by Curt Thompson
Wayfaring, by Warren Kinghorn
St. Thomas Aquinas
 Anatomy of the Soul, by Curt Thompson
The Soul of Shame, by Curt Thompson
The Soul of Desire: Discovering the Neuroscience of Longing, Beauty, and Community, by Curt Thompson
Thompson
Wendell Berry
John C. Polanyi
Julianne Holt-Lunstad


Related Trinity Forum Readings:
On Happiness, St. Thomas Aquinas
Man's Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl,
Confessions, by St. Augustine
The Long Loneliness, by Dorothy Day
Pilgrim's Progress, by John Bunyan
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard


Related Conversations:
The Soul of Desire with Curt Thompson
Hope and Healing in Hard Times with Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Suffering, Wayfaring & Hope with Curt Thompson and Warren Kinghorn

Anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges are surging among both young and old. By some estimates, more than one in five American adults struggle with some form of mental illness each year. There are few untouched – either directly or through loved ones – with the suffering that attends such struggles. What does faith offer those in the midst of such challenges?


Warren Kinghorn and Curt Thompson, both practicing Christian psychiatrists, join our podcast to help explore these questions.

Warren’s book, Wayfaring: A Christian Approach to Mental Health Care, draws from the theology of Thomas Aquinas as well as the science of today. Curt’s latest book, The Deepest Place: Suffering and the Formation of Hope, draws from the Apostle Paul’s experience to show us how we can flourish in the midst of suffering. Together, they help us to reframe our understanding of mental health care from fixing machines to accompanying fellow wayfarers on the way to the Lord’s feast:

“There's a lot of really good things about thinking about mental health care as a process of careful work to reduce symptoms. But what are we missing?

“I think some of what we're missing are the stories that people bring in and the stories, not just of individuals, but of communities and cultures…Maybe they're not just internal problems where something's broken and needs to be fixed, but maybe we need to think about it in a broader and more holistic context.”


- Warren Kinghorn

We trust this podcast will give you new language, compassion, and tools to address mental health challenges, and to wayfare alongside loved ones who may also be struggling.


This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation recorded in January, 2025. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Warren Kinghorn and Curt Thompson.

Episode Outline
0:00 Introduction: The Mental Health Crisis
00:51 Meet the Experts: Curt Thompson and Warren Kinghorn
03:58 The Power of Stories in Mental Health
07:13 Reframing Mental Health: From Machines to Wayfarers
15:55 The Role of Community in Healing
35:50 Q&A: Addressing Shame, Community, and Healing
55:36 The Last Word from Warren Kinghorn and Curt Thompson

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

 The Deepest Place, by Curt Thompson
Wayfaring, by Warren Kinghorn
St. Thomas Aquinas
 Anatomy of the Soul, by Curt Thompson
The Soul of Shame, by Curt Thompson
The Soul of Desire: Discovering the Neuroscience of Longing, Beauty, and Community, by Curt Thompson
Thompson
Wendell Berry
John C. Polanyi
Julianne Holt-Lunstad


Related Trinity Forum Readings:
On Happiness, St. Thomas Aquinas
Man's Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl,
Confessions, by St. Augustine
The Long Loneliness, by Dorothy Day
Pilgrim's Progress, by John Bunyan
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard


Related Conversations:
The Soul of Desire with Curt Thompson
Hope and Healing in Hard Times with Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 18 Feb 2025 00:05:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 3180 Suffering, Wayfaring & Hope with Curt Thompson and Warren Kinghorn

Anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges are surging among both young and old. By some estimates, more than one in five American adults struggle with some form of mental illness each year. There are few untouched – either directly or through loved ones – with the suffering that attends such struggles. What does faith offer those in the midst of such challenges?


Warren Kinghorn and Curt Thompson, both practicing Christian psychiatrists, join our podcast to help explore these questions.

Warren’s book, Wayfaring: A Christian Approach to Mental Health Care, draws from the theology of Thomas Aquinas as well as the science of today. Curt’s latest book, The Deepest Place: Suffering and the Formation of Hope, draws from the Apostle Paul’s experience to show us how we can flourish in the midst of suffering. Together, they help us to reframe our understanding of mental health care from fixing machines to accompanying fellow wayfarers on the way to the Lord’s feast:

“There's a lot of really good things about thinking about mental health care as a process of careful work to reduce symptoms. But what are we missing?

“I think some of what we're missing are the stories that people bring in and the stories, not just of individuals, but of communities and cultures…Maybe they're not just internal problems where something's broken and needs to be fixed, but maybe we need to think about it in a broader and more holistic context.”


- Warren Kinghorn

We trust this podcast will give you new language, compassion, and tools to address mental health challenges, and to wayfare alongside loved ones who may also be struggling.


This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation recorded in January, 2025. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Warren Kinghorn and Curt Thompson.

Episode Outline
0:00 Introduction: The Mental Health Crisis
00:51 Meet the Experts: Curt Thompson and Warren Kinghorn
03:58 The Power of Stories in Mental Health
07:13 Reframing Mental Health: From Machines to Wayfarers
15:55 The Role of Community in Healing
35:50 Q&A: Addressing Shame, Community, and Healing
55:36 The Last Word from Warren Kinghorn and Curt Thompson

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

 The Deepest Place, by Curt Thompson
Wayfaring, by Warren Kinghorn
St. Thomas Aquinas
 Anatomy of the Soul, by Curt Thompson
The Soul of Shame, by Curt Thompson
The Soul of Desire: Discovering the Neuroscience of Longing, Beauty, and Community, by Curt Thompson
Thompson
Wendell Berry
John C. Polanyi
Julianne Holt-Lunstad


Related Trinity Forum Readings:
On Happiness, St. Thomas Aquinas
Man's Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl,
Confessions, by St. Augustine
The Long Loneliness, by Dorothy Day
Pilgrim's Progress, by John Bunyan
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard


Related Conversations:
The Soul of Desire with Curt Thompson
Hope and Healing in Hard Times with Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> No The Strangest Story in the World: G.K. Chesterton & the Incarnation 9 9 100 100 The Strangest Story in the World: G.K. Chesterton & the Incarnation full 98009e59-f85a-424a-8806-75e578e49bb0 https://share.transistor.fm/s/953e83e4 The Strangest Story in the World: G.K. Chesterton & the Incarnation

C.S. Lewis famously credited G.K. Chesterton’s The Everlasting Man as a key step in his turn from atheism to Christian faith. The book audaciously surveyed the broad sweep of human history, then zeroed in on the Incarnation of Christ. How, Chesterton asked, could such a mysterious and startling event come to be known as the center point of history? And how did this intellectual mystic offer a fresh path into this story for so many? 


In this episode, we dive into one of Chesterton’s greatest works and explore the mystery of the incarnation of Jesus Christ alongside Dale Ahlquist, one of the world’s leading experts on G.K. Chesterton:


“Philosophy and religion come together for the first time when Jesus comes. Why is that so strange? Because the spiritual life and the intellectual life have finally run into each other in a big way. And how does it come? It comes in the most unexpected way possible.”


Our 100th podcast episode illustrates what we do here at the Trinity Forum: keeping the Christian intellectual tradition alive, while also nurturing new growth – for our own time, and for future generations.


This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation recorded in 2024. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Dale Ahlquist.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

 The Everlasting Man, by G.K. Chesterton

C.S. Lewis

Evelyn Waugh

 G. K. Chesterton: The Apostle of Common Sense, by Dale Ahlquist

 Orthodoxy, by G.K. Chesterton
The Everlasting Man: A Guide to G.K. Chesterton’s Masterpiece, by Dale Ahlquist

George MacDonald

C.S. Lewis

Charles Dickens

William Shakespeare

J.R.R. Tolkien

The Benedict Option, by Rod Dreher

Alan Jacobs

H.G. Wells

 Roger Kipling
 George Bernard Shaw


Related Trinity Forum Readings:
The Strangest Story in the World, by G.K. Chesterton
Bright Evening Star’, by Madeleine L’Engle
Babbette’s Feast, by Isak Dinesen
The Gift of the Magi & Two Thanksgiving Day Gentlemen, by O. Henry
 Why God Became Man, by Anselm
The Spirit of the Imagination: Selections from Samuel Taylor Coleridge, with an introduction by Malcolm Guite
Handel's Messiah
 The Oracle of the Dog, by G.K. Chesterton
The Golden Key, by George McDonald

Related Conversations:
Waiting on the Word with Malcolm Guite
Advent: The Season of Hope, with Tish Harrison Warren
Renewing the Joy of Advent, with Hannah Anderson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> The Strangest Story in the World: G.K. Chesterton & the Incarnation

C.S. Lewis famously credited G.K. Chesterton’s The Everlasting Man as a key step in his turn from atheism to Christian faith. The book audaciously surveyed the broad sweep of human history, then zeroed in on the Incarnation of Christ. How, Chesterton asked, could such a mysterious and startling event come to be known as the center point of history? And how did this intellectual mystic offer a fresh path into this story for so many? 


In this episode, we dive into one of Chesterton’s greatest works and explore the mystery of the incarnation of Jesus Christ alongside Dale Ahlquist, one of the world’s leading experts on G.K. Chesterton:


“Philosophy and religion come together for the first time when Jesus comes. Why is that so strange? Because the spiritual life and the intellectual life have finally run into each other in a big way. And how does it come? It comes in the most unexpected way possible.”


Our 100th podcast episode illustrates what we do here at the Trinity Forum: keeping the Christian intellectual tradition alive, while also nurturing new growth – for our own time, and for future generations.


This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation recorded in 2024. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Dale Ahlquist.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

 The Everlasting Man, by G.K. Chesterton

C.S. Lewis

Evelyn Waugh

 G. K. Chesterton: The Apostle of Common Sense, by Dale Ahlquist

 Orthodoxy, by G.K. Chesterton
The Everlasting Man: A Guide to G.K. Chesterton’s Masterpiece, by Dale Ahlquist

George MacDonald

C.S. Lewis

Charles Dickens

William Shakespeare

J.R.R. Tolkien

The Benedict Option, by Rod Dreher

Alan Jacobs

H.G. Wells

 Roger Kipling
 George Bernard Shaw


Related Trinity Forum Readings:
The Strangest Story in the World, by G.K. Chesterton
Bright Evening Star’, by Madeleine L’Engle
Babbette’s Feast, by Isak Dinesen
The Gift of the Magi & Two Thanksgiving Day Gentlemen, by O. Henry
 Why God Became Man, by Anselm
The Spirit of the Imagination: Selections from Samuel Taylor Coleridge, with an introduction by Malcolm Guite
Handel's Messiah
 The Oracle of the Dog, by G.K. Chesterton
The Golden Key, by George McDonald

Related Conversations:
Waiting on the Word with Malcolm Guite
Advent: The Season of Hope, with Tish Harrison Warren
Renewing the Joy of Advent, with Hannah Anderson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 04 Feb 2025 00:10:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1916 The Strangest Story in the World: G.K. Chesterton & the Incarnation

C.S. Lewis famously credited G.K. Chesterton’s The Everlasting Man as a key step in his turn from atheism to Christian faith. The book audaciously surveyed the broad sweep of human history, then zeroed in on the Incarnation of Christ. How, Chesterton asked, could such a mysterious and startling event come to be known as the center point of history? And how did this intellectual mystic offer a fresh path into this story for so many? 


In this episode, we dive into one of Chesterton’s greatest works and explore the mystery of the incarnation of Jesus Christ alongside Dale Ahlquist, one of the world’s leading experts on G.K. Chesterton:


“Philosophy and religion come together for the first time when Jesus comes. Why is that so strange? Because the spiritual life and the intellectual life have finally run into each other in a big way. And how does it come? It comes in the most unexpected way possible.”


Our 100th podcast episode illustrates what we do here at the Trinity Forum: keeping the Christian intellectual tradition alive, while also nurturing new growth – for our own time, and for future generations.


This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation recorded in 2024. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Dale Ahlquist.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

 The Everlasting Man, by G.K. Chesterton

C.S. Lewis

Evelyn Waugh

 G. K. Chesterton: The Apostle of Common Sense, by Dale Ahlquist

 Orthodoxy, by G.K. Chesterton
The Everlasting Man: A Guide to G.K. Chesterton’s Masterpiece, by Dale Ahlquist

George MacDonald

C.S. Lewis

Charles Dickens

William Shakespeare

J.R.R. Tolkien

The Benedict Option, by Rod Dreher

Alan Jacobs

H.G. Wells

 Roger Kipling
 George Bernard Shaw


Related Trinity Forum Readings:
The Strangest Story in the World, by G.K. Chesterton
Bright Evening Star’, by Madeleine L’Engle
Babbette’s Feast, by Isak Dinesen
The Gift of the Magi & Two Thanksgiving Day Gentlemen, by O. Henry
 Why God Became Man, by Anselm
The Spirit of the Imagination: Selections from Samuel Taylor Coleridge, with an introduction by Malcolm Guite
Handel's Messiah
 The Oracle of the Dog, by G.K. Chesterton
The Golden Key, by George McDonald

Related Conversations:
Waiting on the Word with Malcolm Guite
Advent: The Season of Hope, with Tish Harrison Warren
Renewing the Joy of Advent, with Hannah Anderson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> No Perfectly Human with Amy Julia Becker 9 9 99 99 Perfectly Human with Amy Julia Becker full 888db1de-f5a7-47c1-8c1f-bd1aaa9ed0bf https://share.transistor.fm/s/6d90916b Perfectly Human with Amy Julia Becker


We live in a time when our value is often assessed and affirmed largely in terms of our productivity. Entire industries are built around pushing us to optimize our output, maximize our results, unlock our potential, break barriers and records, and perform perpetually at peak. 


Often drowned out by the din of such appeals is the simple truth that to be human is to be limited, vulnerable, and mortal. And for many of us, such limitations are impossible to ignore. 

Today's episode features our recent conversation with award winning writer and speaker, Amy Julia Becker, who addresses questions about what it means to be perfectly human, and what understanding disability reveals to us:

"To see disability in terms of brokenness is to really misunderstand, I think, this idea of human limitation. [And] also to misunderstand ourselves as beloved, as ones who do not need to produce or perform in order to be acceptable to God, for certain, but even to one another. But instead to be able to actually start from a place of belovedness and move into the world from that place with our limitations but also with an assumption that we have gifts to offer, which might look really, really different from one person to the next.” - Amy Julia Becker

We hope this conversation helps you wrestle with questions of human limitations, perfection, and our belovedness before God, as we consider anew what constitutes the good life.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in March of 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Amy Julia Becker.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

To Be Made Well: An Invitation to Wholeness, Healing, and Hope, by Amy Julia Becker


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Babette's Feast by Isak Dinesen

Bright Evening Star by Madeleine L'Engle

Wrestling with God by Simone Weil

Bulletins from Immortality poems by Emily Dickinson

Letters from Vincent Van Gogh


Related Conversations:
A Life Worth Living with Miroslav Volf
What Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth
Life, Death, Poetry & Peace with Philip Yancey

Words Against Despair with Christian Wiman


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Perfectly Human with Amy Julia Becker


We live in a time when our value is often assessed and affirmed largely in terms of our productivity. Entire industries are built around pushing us to optimize our output, maximize our results, unlock our potential, break barriers and records, and perform perpetually at peak. 


Often drowned out by the din of such appeals is the simple truth that to be human is to be limited, vulnerable, and mortal. And for many of us, such limitations are impossible to ignore. 

Today's episode features our recent conversation with award winning writer and speaker, Amy Julia Becker, who addresses questions about what it means to be perfectly human, and what understanding disability reveals to us:

"To see disability in terms of brokenness is to really misunderstand, I think, this idea of human limitation. [And] also to misunderstand ourselves as beloved, as ones who do not need to produce or perform in order to be acceptable to God, for certain, but even to one another. But instead to be able to actually start from a place of belovedness and move into the world from that place with our limitations but also with an assumption that we have gifts to offer, which might look really, really different from one person to the next.” - Amy Julia Becker

We hope this conversation helps you wrestle with questions of human limitations, perfection, and our belovedness before God, as we consider anew what constitutes the good life.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in March of 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Amy Julia Becker.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

To Be Made Well: An Invitation to Wholeness, Healing, and Hope, by Amy Julia Becker


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Babette's Feast by Isak Dinesen

Bright Evening Star by Madeleine L'Engle

Wrestling with God by Simone Weil

Bulletins from Immortality poems by Emily Dickinson

Letters from Vincent Van Gogh


Related Conversations:
A Life Worth Living with Miroslav Volf
What Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth
Life, Death, Poetry & Peace with Philip Yancey

Words Against Despair with Christian Wiman


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 21 Jan 2025 00:05:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1891 Perfectly Human with Amy Julia Becker


We live in a time when our value is often assessed and affirmed largely in terms of our productivity. Entire industries are built around pushing us to optimize our output, maximize our results, unlock our potential, break barriers and records, and perform perpetually at peak. 


Often drowned out by the din of such appeals is the simple truth that to be human is to be limited, vulnerable, and mortal. And for many of us, such limitations are impossible to ignore. 

Today's episode features our recent conversation with award winning writer and speaker, Amy Julia Becker, who addresses questions about what it means to be perfectly human, and what understanding disability reveals to us:

"To see disability in terms of brokenness is to really misunderstand, I think, this idea of human limitation. [And] also to misunderstand ourselves as beloved, as ones who do not need to produce or perform in order to be acceptable to God, for certain, but even to one another. But instead to be able to actually start from a place of belovedness and move into the world from that place with our limitations but also with an assumption that we have gifts to offer, which might look really, really different from one person to the next.” - Amy Julia Becker

We hope this conversation helps you wrestle with questions of human limitations, perfection, and our belovedness before God, as we consider anew what constitutes the good life.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in March of 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Amy Julia Becker.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

To Be Made Well: An Invitation to Wholeness, Healing, and Hope, by Amy Julia Becker


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Babette's Feast by Isak Dinesen

Bright Evening Star by Madeleine L'Engle

Wrestling with God by Simone Weil

Bulletins from Immortality poems by Emily Dickinson

Letters from Vincent Van Gogh


Related Conversations:
A Life Worth Living with Miroslav Volf
What Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth
Life, Death, Poetry & Peace with Philip Yancey

Words Against Despair with Christian Wiman


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> No Practicing the Way with John Mark Comer 9 9 98 98 Practicing the Way with John Mark Comer full 2666ee8a-a382-448f-b3ac-61aa194f86f1 https://share.transistor.fm/s/06936fbc Practicing the Way with John Mark Comer


The start of a new year prompts the reflection that if we are not intentionally modeling our life after Jesus, we are likely being formed by something or someone else. Adrift in the cultural current, we're likely to be carried to places we never consciously chose and wonder how we got there.


In Practicing the Way, John Mark Comer explores what it means in our times to be a disciple of Jesus -- to be with him, to become like him, and to do as he did:

“ It seems to me that the telos of the spiritual journey in the Christian way is becoming a person of love through deepening union with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit…It's the two greatest commandments: love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself, that Jesus put at the center of apprenticeship to him.” - John Mark Comer

We hope this conversation encourages you to move slowly as you abide with Jesus this year, and by his grace are transformed into a person of deeper love, joy, and peace.


This podcast is an edited version of a conversation recorded in 2024. Learn more about John Mark Comer.


Episode outline

00:00 Introduction to Practicing the Way
01:00 Formation is Inevitable
02:26 John Mark Comer's Background and Influences
05:21 Evangelical Discipleship and the Influence of Dallas Willard
08:05 From Burnout to the Inner Journey
11:26 Being Christian and Being an Apprentice of Jesus
21:04 The Destructive Power of Hurry, and the Pace of Love
26:13 The Practice of Contemplation and Abiding
33:17 Final Thoughts and Prayer


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, Live No Lies, God Has a Name, Garden City, Practicing the Way, all by John Mark Comer

Divine Conspiracy, by Dallas Willard

Jacques Philippe

St. Therese

N.T. Wright

Gary Haugen

Robert Bellah

Mother Teresa

Dorothy Day

Francis Chan

John Stott

Three Mile an Hour God, Kosuki Koyama

Mary Oliver

 Marjorie Thompson

Kurt Thompson

Brennan Manning


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Augustine's Confessions, with an introduction by James K. A. Smith

Bright Evening Star, by Madeleine L’Engle

A Practical View of Real Christianity, by William Wilberforce

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil

Pilgrim's Progress, by John Bunyan

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard

Why God Became Man, by St. Anselm


Related Conversations:
Making as a Spiritual Practice with Mako Fujimura

Writing as a Spiritual Practice with Jonathan Rogers, Tish Harrison Warren, and Doug McKelvey

Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Practicing the Way with John Mark Comer


The start of a new year prompts the reflection that if we are not intentionally modeling our life after Jesus, we are likely being formed by something or someone else. Adrift in the cultural current, we're likely to be carried to places we never consciously chose and wonder how we got there.


In Practicing the Way, John Mark Comer explores what it means in our times to be a disciple of Jesus -- to be with him, to become like him, and to do as he did:

“ It seems to me that the telos of the spiritual journey in the Christian way is becoming a person of love through deepening union with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit…It's the two greatest commandments: love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself, that Jesus put at the center of apprenticeship to him.” - John Mark Comer

We hope this conversation encourages you to move slowly as you abide with Jesus this year, and by his grace are transformed into a person of deeper love, joy, and peace.


This podcast is an edited version of a conversation recorded in 2024. Learn more about John Mark Comer.


Episode outline

00:00 Introduction to Practicing the Way
01:00 Formation is Inevitable
02:26 John Mark Comer's Background and Influences
05:21 Evangelical Discipleship and the Influence of Dallas Willard
08:05 From Burnout to the Inner Journey
11:26 Being Christian and Being an Apprentice of Jesus
21:04 The Destructive Power of Hurry, and the Pace of Love
26:13 The Practice of Contemplation and Abiding
33:17 Final Thoughts and Prayer


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, Live No Lies, God Has a Name, Garden City, Practicing the Way, all by John Mark Comer

Divine Conspiracy, by Dallas Willard

Jacques Philippe

St. Therese

N.T. Wright

Gary Haugen

Robert Bellah

Mother Teresa

Dorothy Day

Francis Chan

John Stott

Three Mile an Hour God, Kosuki Koyama

Mary Oliver

 Marjorie Thompson

Kurt Thompson

Brennan Manning


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Augustine's Confessions, with an introduction by James K. A. Smith

Bright Evening Star, by Madeleine L’Engle

A Practical View of Real Christianity, by William Wilberforce

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil

Pilgrim's Progress, by John Bunyan

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard

Why God Became Man, by St. Anselm


Related Conversations:
Making as a Spiritual Practice with Mako Fujimura

Writing as a Spiritual Practice with Jonathan Rogers, Tish Harrison Warren, and Doug McKelvey

Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 07 Jan 2025 00:05:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2135 Practicing the Way with John Mark Comer


The start of a new year prompts the reflection that if we are not intentionally modeling our life after Jesus, we are likely being formed by something or someone else. Adrift in the cultural current, we're likely to be carried to places we never consciously chose and wonder how we got there.


In Practicing the Way, John Mark Comer explores what it means in our times to be a disciple of Jesus -- to be with him, to become like him, and to do as he did:

“ It seems to me that the telos of the spiritual journey in the Christian way is becoming a person of love through deepening union with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit…It's the two greatest commandments: love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself, that Jesus put at the center of apprenticeship to him.” - John Mark Comer

We hope this conversation encourages you to move slowly as you abide with Jesus this year, and by his grace are transformed into a person of deeper love, joy, and peace.


This podcast is an edited version of a conversation recorded in 2024. Learn more about John Mark Comer.


Episode outline

00:00 Introduction to Practicing the Way
01:00 Formation is Inevitable
02:26 John Mark Comer's Background and Influences
05:21 Evangelical Discipleship and the Influence of Dallas Willard
08:05 From Burnout to the Inner Journey
11:26 Being Christian and Being an Apprentice of Jesus
21:04 The Destructive Power of Hurry, and the Pace of Love
26:13 The Practice of Contemplation and Abiding
33:17 Final Thoughts and Prayer


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, Live No Lies, God Has a Name, Garden City, Practicing the Way, all by John Mark Comer

Divine Conspiracy, by Dallas Willard

Jacques Philippe

St. Therese

N.T. Wright

Gary Haugen

Robert Bellah

Mother Teresa

Dorothy Day

Francis Chan

John Stott

Three Mile an Hour God, Kosuki Koyama

Mary Oliver

 Marjorie Thompson

Kurt Thompson

Brennan Manning


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Augustine's Confessions, with an introduction by James K. A. Smith

Bright Evening Star, by Madeleine L’Engle

A Practical View of Real Christianity, by William Wilberforce

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil

Pilgrim's Progress, by John Bunyan

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard

Why God Became Man, by St. Anselm


Related Conversations:
Making as a Spiritual Practice with Mako Fujimura

Writing as a Spiritual Practice with Jonathan Rogers, Tish Harrison Warren, and Doug McKelvey

Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> No Waiting on the Word with Malcolm Guite 9 9 97 97 Waiting on the Word with Malcolm Guite full b26a7297-3021-4a0f-89bf-37f34ddbbde1 https://share.transistor.fm/s/21c42ed1 On Friday, December 18, 2020, in partnership with Regent College, The Rabbit Room, and The C.S. Lewis Foundation we were delighted to host the renowned poet, singer-songwriter, and Anglican priest Malcom Guite for a conversation about his work of poetry, Waiting on the Word.


Learn more about Malcolm Guite.

 

Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript from December 2020.

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Waiting on the Word, Malcolm Guite

As You Like It, Shakespeare

John Milton

Robert Louis Stevenson

C.S. Lewis

Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Christmas, by John Betjeman

North, by Seamus Heaney

St. John of the Cross

A Midsummer Night's Dream, Shakespeare

The Forge, by Seamus Heaney

O Sapientia, Malcolm Guite

Thomas Clarkson

George Herbert

The Apologist's Evening Prayer, C.S. Lewis

The Agonie, by George Herbert

John Donne

Gerard Manley Hopkins

Station Island XI, Seamus Heaney and St. John of the Cross

Adam Crothers

The Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis

In the Bleak Midwinter, Christina Rossetti

In Drear Nighted December, by John Keats

Alfred, Lord Tennyson

William Wordsworth

Steve Bell

Jack Redford

T.S. Eliot

Hebrew Melodies, Lord Byron

Percy Bysshe Shelley

Geoffrey Chaucer

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Devotions, by John Donne and paraphrased by Philip Yancey

God’s Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins

Four Quartets, by T.S. Eliot with an introduction by Makoto Fujimura

 

Related Conversations:

Lecture given by Malcolm for the C.S. Lewis Foundation

Laing Lectures given by Malcolm at Regent College

Steve Bell & Malcolm Guite: Live at the West End


 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.


]]> On Friday, December 18, 2020, in partnership with Regent College, The Rabbit Room, and The C.S. Lewis Foundation we were delighted to host the renowned poet, singer-songwriter, and Anglican priest Malcom Guite for a conversation about his work of poetry, Waiting on the Word.


Learn more about Malcolm Guite.

 

Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript from December 2020.

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Waiting on the Word, Malcolm Guite

As You Like It, Shakespeare

John Milton

Robert Louis Stevenson

C.S. Lewis

Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Christmas, by John Betjeman

North, by Seamus Heaney

St. John of the Cross

A Midsummer Night's Dream, Shakespeare

The Forge, by Seamus Heaney

O Sapientia, Malcolm Guite

Thomas Clarkson

George Herbert

The Apologist's Evening Prayer, C.S. Lewis

The Agonie, by George Herbert

John Donne

Gerard Manley Hopkins

Station Island XI, Seamus Heaney and St. John of the Cross

Adam Crothers

The Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis

In the Bleak Midwinter, Christina Rossetti

In Drear Nighted December, by John Keats

Alfred, Lord Tennyson

William Wordsworth

Steve Bell

Jack Redford

T.S. Eliot

Hebrew Melodies, Lord Byron

Percy Bysshe Shelley

Geoffrey Chaucer

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Devotions, by John Donne and paraphrased by Philip Yancey

God’s Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins

Four Quartets, by T.S. Eliot with an introduction by Makoto Fujimura

 

Related Conversations:

Lecture given by Malcolm for the C.S. Lewis Foundation

Laing Lectures given by Malcolm at Regent College

Steve Bell & Malcolm Guite: Live at the West End


 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.


]]> Tue, 24 Dec 2024 02:00:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2968 Renowned poet, singer-songwriter, and Anglican priest Malcom Guite joins us for a conversation about his work of poetry for the season of Advent, "Waiting on the Word." Renowned poet, singer-songwriter, and Anglican priest Malcom Guite joins us for a conversation about his work of poetry for the season of Advent, "Waiting on the Word." Malcolm Guite, poetry, Cherie Harder, Advent, The Trinity Forum, The Rabbit Room No Heaven & Nature Sing with Hannah Anderson 9 9 96 96 Heaven & Nature Sing with Hannah Anderson full 25e7a6c7-5df3-45cc-a570-eff8f3e7d279 https://share.transistor.fm/s/400a0ed2 Heaven & Nature Sing with Hannah Anderson


Advent invites us to enter into the joy of the season through rhythms of remembrance, renewal, and waiting. But often, our very familiarity with the Advent story can leave us dulled to the miracle and joy of the season.


In her book of Advent reflections, Heaven and Nature Sing, author Hannah Anderson invites us all into a fresh reading of the Christmas story by drawing together 25 meditations on the beauty of creation:

“What I believe creation invites us back to is reorienting ourselves, not only to God, but to our environment and perhaps even to our own bodies and to ourselves. And so when we are giving our attention to the patterns and rhythms and cycles of creation it has the potential to be an access point for some deeper truths that maybe we've forgotten or we've overlooked.” - Hannah Anderson

This podcast is an edited version of a conversation recorded in fall of 2022. Learn more about Hannah Anderson.


Episode outline

00:00 Welcome and Introduction to Advent

01:51 Introducing Hannah Anderson and Her Work

02:28 The Inspiration Behind 'Heaven and Nature Sing'

04:39 Attentiveness to Creation and Its Lessons

07:57 The Link Between Caring for Creation and Others

11:58 The Legend of the First Christmas Tree

15:27 Jesus' Birth and the Concept of Habitat

19:11 The Brutality and Honesty of Nature

22:49 Reconnecting with Nature in Modern Times

26:49 Practical Steps to Attune to Nature

29:32 Closing Thoughts and Poem

31:07 Final Farewell and Podcast Information


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

All That's Good: Recovering the Lost Art of Discernment, by Hannah Anderson

The Turning of Days: Lessons from Nature, Season, and Spirit, by Hannah Anderson

Heaven and Nature Sing, by Hannah Anderson

An Immense World, by Ed Yong


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Bright Evening Star, by Madeleine L’Engle

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard

Babette’s Feast, by Isak Dinesen

A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens

The Gift of the Magi and Two Thanksgiving Gentlemen, by O. Henry

God’s Grandeur: the Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins


Related Conversations:
Waiting on the Word, with Malcolm Guite

Joy to the World: Caroling Christmas and Christian Formation, with Keith Getty

Advent: The Season of Hope, with Tish Harrison Warren


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society.

]]> Heaven & Nature Sing with Hannah Anderson


Advent invites us to enter into the joy of the season through rhythms of remembrance, renewal, and waiting. But often, our very familiarity with the Advent story can leave us dulled to the miracle and joy of the season.


In her book of Advent reflections, Heaven and Nature Sing, author Hannah Anderson invites us all into a fresh reading of the Christmas story by drawing together 25 meditations on the beauty of creation:

“What I believe creation invites us back to is reorienting ourselves, not only to God, but to our environment and perhaps even to our own bodies and to ourselves. And so when we are giving our attention to the patterns and rhythms and cycles of creation it has the potential to be an access point for some deeper truths that maybe we've forgotten or we've overlooked.” - Hannah Anderson

This podcast is an edited version of a conversation recorded in fall of 2022. Learn more about Hannah Anderson.


Episode outline

00:00 Welcome and Introduction to Advent

01:51 Introducing Hannah Anderson and Her Work

02:28 The Inspiration Behind 'Heaven and Nature Sing'

04:39 Attentiveness to Creation and Its Lessons

07:57 The Link Between Caring for Creation and Others

11:58 The Legend of the First Christmas Tree

15:27 Jesus' Birth and the Concept of Habitat

19:11 The Brutality and Honesty of Nature

22:49 Reconnecting with Nature in Modern Times

26:49 Practical Steps to Attune to Nature

29:32 Closing Thoughts and Poem

31:07 Final Farewell and Podcast Information


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

All That's Good: Recovering the Lost Art of Discernment, by Hannah Anderson

The Turning of Days: Lessons from Nature, Season, and Spirit, by Hannah Anderson

Heaven and Nature Sing, by Hannah Anderson

An Immense World, by Ed Yong


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Bright Evening Star, by Madeleine L’Engle

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard

Babette’s Feast, by Isak Dinesen

A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens

The Gift of the Magi and Two Thanksgiving Gentlemen, by O. Henry

God’s Grandeur: the Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins


Related Conversations:
Waiting on the Word, with Malcolm Guite

Joy to the World: Caroling Christmas and Christian Formation, with Keith Getty

Advent: The Season of Hope, with Tish Harrison Warren


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society.

]]> Tue, 10 Dec 2024 00:10:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1891 Heaven & Nature Sing with Hannah Anderson


Advent invites us to enter into the joy of the season through rhythms of remembrance, renewal, and waiting. But often, our very familiarity with the Advent story can leave us dulled to the miracle and joy of the season.


In her book of Advent reflections, Heaven and Nature Sing, author Hannah Anderson invites us all into a fresh reading of the Christmas story by drawing together 25 meditations on the beauty of creation:

“What I believe creation invites us back to is reorienting ourselves, not only to God, but to our environment and perhaps even to our own bodies and to ourselves. And so when we are giving our attention to the patterns and rhythms and cycles of creation it has the potential to be an access point for some deeper truths that maybe we've forgotten or we've overlooked.” - Hannah Anderson

This podcast is an edited version of a conversation recorded in fall of 2022. Learn more about Hannah Anderson.


Episode outline

00:00 Welcome and Introduction to Advent

01:51 Introducing Hannah Anderson and Her Work

02:28 The Inspiration Behind 'Heaven and Nature Sing'

04:39 Attentiveness to Creation and Its Lessons

07:57 The Link Between Caring for Creation and Others

11:58 The Legend of the First Christmas Tree

15:27 Jesus' Birth and the Concept of Habitat

19:11 The Brutality and Honesty of Nature

22:49 Reconnecting with Nature in Modern Times

26:49 Practical Steps to Attune to Nature

29:32 Closing Thoughts and Poem

31:07 Final Farewell and Podcast Information


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

All That's Good: Recovering the Lost Art of Discernment, by Hannah Anderson

The Turning of Days: Lessons from Nature, Season, and Spirit, by Hannah Anderson

Heaven and Nature Sing, by Hannah Anderson

An Immense World, by Ed Yong


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Bright Evening Star, by Madeleine L’Engle

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard

Babette’s Feast, by Isak Dinesen

A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens

The Gift of the Magi and Two Thanksgiving Gentlemen, by O. Henry

God’s Grandeur: the Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins


Related Conversations:
Waiting on the Word, with Malcolm Guite

Joy to the World: Caroling Christmas and Christian Formation, with Keith Getty

Advent: The Season of Hope, with Tish Harrison Warren


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society.

]]> No Abraham Kuyper's Sphere Sovereignty with Vincent Bacote 9 9 95 95 Abraham Kuyper's Sphere Sovereignty with Vincent Bacote full a605f545-b828-4094-aa11-c52101d21231 https://share.transistor.fm/s/ee86bcf8 Abraham Kuyper’s Sphere Sovereignty with Vincent Bacote


In this episode of the Trinity Forum Conversations podcast, host Brian Daskam and guest Dr. Vincent Bacote explore Dutch theologian Abraham Kuyper’s contributions to Reformed theology, with particular emphasis on his concept of sphere sovereignty:

“Kuyper helps us to see that we can be Christian in public spaces without having to turn those public spaces into churches and that we don't have to have a triumphalistic aspiration in order to be faithful in those spaces.” - Dr. Vincent Bacote 

Kuyper believed that different domains of life, such as church, government, education, and family, each have their own integrity and should operate independently within their God-given roles. As Dr. Bacote argues, Kuyper's ideas can help modern Christians engage more faithfully and imaginatively in public life without succumbing to triumphalism or tribalism. They also address Kuyper's controversial views on race and how to critically appreciate his positive contributions despite his flaws.


This podcast is an edited version of a conversation recorded in fall of 2024. Learn more about Vincent Bacote.


00:00 Introducing Dr. Vincent Bacote, professor and Trinity Forum Senior Fellow

00:57 Who is Abraham Kuyper?

01:54 Understanding Kuyper’s Concept of Sphere Sovereignty

04:33 Sphere Sovereignty in Practice

14:35 Kuyper's Views on Race

21:36 Applying Kuyper's Ideas Today

32:10 Vince’s Thoughts on Christians Shaping Culture


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Spirit in Public Theology, Appropriating the Legacy of Abraham Kuyper, by Vincent Bacote

Contours of the Kuyperian tradition, by Craig Bartholomew


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Sphere Sovereignty

Wrestling with God, Simone Weil

Children of Light and Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr

Politics, Morality, and Civility,  by Vaclav Havel

The Origins of Totalitarianism, by Hannah Arendt

The Federalist Papers

A Practical View of Real Christianity, by William Wilberforce,

Who Stands Fast? by Dietrich Bonhoeffer


Related Conversations:
Hope Beyond Tribalism with James Mumford

Faith, Fear & Conspiracy with David French

The Fall, the Founding and the Future of American Democracy

How to Be a Patriotic Christian

Extremism and the Path Back to Peace with Elizabeth Neumann
Democracy & Solidarity with James Davison Hunter and David Brooks


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Abraham Kuyper’s Sphere Sovereignty with Vincent Bacote


In this episode of the Trinity Forum Conversations podcast, host Brian Daskam and guest Dr. Vincent Bacote explore Dutch theologian Abraham Kuyper’s contributions to Reformed theology, with particular emphasis on his concept of sphere sovereignty:

“Kuyper helps us to see that we can be Christian in public spaces without having to turn those public spaces into churches and that we don't have to have a triumphalistic aspiration in order to be faithful in those spaces.” - Dr. Vincent Bacote 

Kuyper believed that different domains of life, such as church, government, education, and family, each have their own integrity and should operate independently within their God-given roles. As Dr. Bacote argues, Kuyper's ideas can help modern Christians engage more faithfully and imaginatively in public life without succumbing to triumphalism or tribalism. They also address Kuyper's controversial views on race and how to critically appreciate his positive contributions despite his flaws.


This podcast is an edited version of a conversation recorded in fall of 2024. Learn more about Vincent Bacote.


00:00 Introducing Dr. Vincent Bacote, professor and Trinity Forum Senior Fellow

00:57 Who is Abraham Kuyper?

01:54 Understanding Kuyper’s Concept of Sphere Sovereignty

04:33 Sphere Sovereignty in Practice

14:35 Kuyper's Views on Race

21:36 Applying Kuyper's Ideas Today

32:10 Vince’s Thoughts on Christians Shaping Culture


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Spirit in Public Theology, Appropriating the Legacy of Abraham Kuyper, by Vincent Bacote

Contours of the Kuyperian tradition, by Craig Bartholomew


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Sphere Sovereignty

Wrestling with God, Simone Weil

Children of Light and Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr

Politics, Morality, and Civility,  by Vaclav Havel

The Origins of Totalitarianism, by Hannah Arendt

The Federalist Papers

A Practical View of Real Christianity, by William Wilberforce,

Who Stands Fast? by Dietrich Bonhoeffer


Related Conversations:
Hope Beyond Tribalism with James Mumford

Faith, Fear & Conspiracy with David French

The Fall, the Founding and the Future of American Democracy

How to Be a Patriotic Christian

Extremism and the Path Back to Peace with Elizabeth Neumann
Democracy & Solidarity with James Davison Hunter and David Brooks


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 26 Nov 2024 00:05:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1845 Abraham Kuyper’s Sphere Sovereignty with Vincent Bacote


In this episode of the Trinity Forum Conversations podcast, host Brian Daskam and guest Dr. Vincent Bacote explore Dutch theologian Abraham Kuyper’s contributions to Reformed theology, with particular emphasis on his concept of sphere sovereignty:

“Kuyper helps us to see that we can be Christian in public spaces without having to turn those public spaces into churches and that we don't have to have a triumphalistic aspiration in order to be faithful in those spaces.” - Dr. Vincent Bacote 

Kuyper believed that different domains of life, such as church, government, education, and family, each have their own integrity and should operate independently within their God-given roles. As Dr. Bacote argues, Kuyper's ideas can help modern Christians engage more faithfully and imaginatively in public life without succumbing to triumphalism or tribalism. They also address Kuyper's controversial views on race and how to critically appreciate his positive contributions despite his flaws.


This podcast is an edited version of a conversation recorded in fall of 2024. Learn more about Vincent Bacote.


00:00 Introducing Dr. Vincent Bacote, professor and Trinity Forum Senior Fellow

00:57 Who is Abraham Kuyper?

01:54 Understanding Kuyper’s Concept of Sphere Sovereignty

04:33 Sphere Sovereignty in Practice

14:35 Kuyper's Views on Race

21:36 Applying Kuyper's Ideas Today

32:10 Vince’s Thoughts on Christians Shaping Culture


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Spirit in Public Theology, Appropriating the Legacy of Abraham Kuyper, by Vincent Bacote

Contours of the Kuyperian tradition, by Craig Bartholomew


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Sphere Sovereignty

Wrestling with God, Simone Weil

Children of Light and Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr

Politics, Morality, and Civility,  by Vaclav Havel

The Origins of Totalitarianism, by Hannah Arendt

The Federalist Papers

A Practical View of Real Christianity, by William Wilberforce,

Who Stands Fast? by Dietrich Bonhoeffer


Related Conversations:
Hope Beyond Tribalism with James Mumford

Faith, Fear & Conspiracy with David French

The Fall, the Founding and the Future of American Democracy

How to Be a Patriotic Christian

Extremism and the Path Back to Peace with Elizabeth Neumann
Democracy & Solidarity with James Davison Hunter and David Brooks


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> No Democracy & Solidarity with James Davison Hunter and David Brooks 9 9 94 94 Democracy & Solidarity with James Davison Hunter and David Brooks full 1798bdec-2947-438a-9675-6a609d9ee849 https://share.transistor.fm/s/11b5b95e Democracy & Solidarity with James Davison Hunter and David Brooks


One of the biggest questions in the Christian life is what it means to love one's neighbor, both in the personal and the public spheres. While these questions have always been challenging and contested, they seem to have grown increasingly divisive and demoralizing.


So how do we begin to restore and reweave solidarity and a love for neighbor into our civic fabric?


Today's episode features our recent evening conversation with sociologist and author James Davision Hunter and cultural critic and author David Brooks. Together they help us explore the cultural roots of America's crisis of solidarity, and what it may mean to move together towards a renewed commitment to the common good.

“Until we understand the depth that the enemy is in fact not the other side, but in fact the enemy is the nihilism that insinuates itself within almost all of our public institutions, and not least our political institutions, we're really not taking the full measure of the crisis in front of us.” - James Davison Hunter

We hope this conversation helps you consider how you’re engaging in relationships, and how the smallest acts of seeing another person and listening to their story can help begin to restore our social fabric and establish new cultural norms.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in September of 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about James Davison Hunter and David Brooks.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Culture Wars by James Davison Hunter

The Death of Character by James Davison Hunter

Science and the Good by James Davison Hunter

To Change the World by James Davison Hunter

Democracy and Solidarity by James Davison Hunter

The Social Animal by David Brooks

The Road to Character by David Brooks

The Second Mountain by David Brooks

How to Know a Person by David Brooks

George Marsden

Aristotle

The Public Philosophy, by Walter Lippman

Arthur Schlesinger

John Bowlby

Parker Palmer

David Hume

Edmund Burke

Eddie Hillison

Simone Weil

Mother Theresa

American Politics: The Promise of Disharmony, by Sam Huntington

Clarence Thomas

The Upswing, by Robert Putnam

Howard Usock

Nicholas Epley

The Communist Manifesto


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Wrestling with God, Simone Weil

Children of Light and Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr

Politics, Morality, and Civility,  by Vaclav Havel

The Origins of Totalitarianism, by Hannah Arendt

The Federalist Papers

A Practical View of Real Christianity, by William Wilberforce,

Who Stands Fast? by Dietrich Bonhoeffer


Related Conversations:
Hope Beyond Tribalism with James Mumford

Faith, Fear & Conspiracy with David French

The Fall, the Founding and the Future of American Democracy

How to Be a Patriotic Christian

Extremism and the Path Back to Peace with Elizabeth Neumann


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Democracy & Solidarity with James Davison Hunter and David Brooks


One of the biggest questions in the Christian life is what it means to love one's neighbor, both in the personal and the public spheres. While these questions have always been challenging and contested, they seem to have grown increasingly divisive and demoralizing.


So how do we begin to restore and reweave solidarity and a love for neighbor into our civic fabric?


Today's episode features our recent evening conversation with sociologist and author James Davision Hunter and cultural critic and author David Brooks. Together they help us explore the cultural roots of America's crisis of solidarity, and what it may mean to move together towards a renewed commitment to the common good.

“Until we understand the depth that the enemy is in fact not the other side, but in fact the enemy is the nihilism that insinuates itself within almost all of our public institutions, and not least our political institutions, we're really not taking the full measure of the crisis in front of us.” - James Davison Hunter

We hope this conversation helps you consider how you’re engaging in relationships, and how the smallest acts of seeing another person and listening to their story can help begin to restore our social fabric and establish new cultural norms.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in September of 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about James Davison Hunter and David Brooks.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Culture Wars by James Davison Hunter

The Death of Character by James Davison Hunter

Science and the Good by James Davison Hunter

To Change the World by James Davison Hunter

Democracy and Solidarity by James Davison Hunter

The Social Animal by David Brooks

The Road to Character by David Brooks

The Second Mountain by David Brooks

How to Know a Person by David Brooks

George Marsden

Aristotle

The Public Philosophy, by Walter Lippman

Arthur Schlesinger

John Bowlby

Parker Palmer

David Hume

Edmund Burke

Eddie Hillison

Simone Weil

Mother Theresa

American Politics: The Promise of Disharmony, by Sam Huntington

Clarence Thomas

The Upswing, by Robert Putnam

Howard Usock

Nicholas Epley

The Communist Manifesto


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Wrestling with God, Simone Weil

Children of Light and Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr

Politics, Morality, and Civility,  by Vaclav Havel

The Origins of Totalitarianism, by Hannah Arendt

The Federalist Papers

A Practical View of Real Christianity, by William Wilberforce,

Who Stands Fast? by Dietrich Bonhoeffer


Related Conversations:
Hope Beyond Tribalism with James Mumford

Faith, Fear & Conspiracy with David French

The Fall, the Founding and the Future of American Democracy

How to Be a Patriotic Christian

Extremism and the Path Back to Peace with Elizabeth Neumann


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 12 Nov 2024 00:05:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 3208 Democracy & Solidarity with James Davison Hunter and David Brooks


One of the biggest questions in the Christian life is what it means to love one's neighbor, both in the personal and the public spheres. While these questions have always been challenging and contested, they seem to have grown increasingly divisive and demoralizing.


So how do we begin to restore and reweave solidarity and a love for neighbor into our civic fabric?


Today's episode features our recent evening conversation with sociologist and author James Davision Hunter and cultural critic and author David Brooks. Together they help us explore the cultural roots of America's crisis of solidarity, and what it may mean to move together towards a renewed commitment to the common good.

“Until we understand the depth that the enemy is in fact not the other side, but in fact the enemy is the nihilism that insinuates itself within almost all of our public institutions, and not least our political institutions, we're really not taking the full measure of the crisis in front of us.” - James Davison Hunter

We hope this conversation helps you consider how you’re engaging in relationships, and how the smallest acts of seeing another person and listening to their story can help begin to restore our social fabric and establish new cultural norms.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in September of 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about James Davison Hunter and David Brooks.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Culture Wars by James Davison Hunter

The Death of Character by James Davison Hunter

Science and the Good by James Davison Hunter

To Change the World by James Davison Hunter

Democracy and Solidarity by James Davison Hunter

The Social Animal by David Brooks

The Road to Character by David Brooks

The Second Mountain by David Brooks

How to Know a Person by David Brooks

George Marsden

Aristotle

The Public Philosophy, by Walter Lippman

Arthur Schlesinger

John Bowlby

Parker Palmer

David Hume

Edmund Burke

Eddie Hillison

Simone Weil

Mother Theresa

American Politics: The Promise of Disharmony, by Sam Huntington

Clarence Thomas

The Upswing, by Robert Putnam

Howard Usock

Nicholas Epley

The Communist Manifesto


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Wrestling with God, Simone Weil

Children of Light and Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr

Politics, Morality, and Civility,  by Vaclav Havel

The Origins of Totalitarianism, by Hannah Arendt

The Federalist Papers

A Practical View of Real Christianity, by William Wilberforce,

Who Stands Fast? by Dietrich Bonhoeffer


Related Conversations:
Hope Beyond Tribalism with James Mumford

Faith, Fear & Conspiracy with David French

The Fall, the Founding and the Future of American Democracy

How to Be a Patriotic Christian

Extremism and the Path Back to Peace with Elizabeth Neumann


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> No Extremism and the Path Back to Peace 9 9 93 93 Extremism and the Path Back to Peace full 4f6cad42-a400-41ba-8f2c-73039a725b9e https://share.transistor.fm/s/62179071 Extremism and the Path Back to Peace with Elizabeth Neumann


The appropriation of Christian images and language by extremists who advocate violence has become a shocking feature of our time. Surveys show alarming numbers of people who self-identify as religious expressing openness to political violence. Against such a distortion of Christian witness, how can we faithfully live out our calling to be people of peace?


Today's episode features our recent conversation with national security expert Elizabeth Neumann, who offers insight and a sobering perspective on how radicalization has taken root among us and what we can do:


“Find ways to check your in-group assumptions about their narratives. Particularly when the narratives involve others.” - Elizabeth Neumann


As we approach a national election, we hope this conversation helps you thoughtfully evaluate your own assumptions, and strengthens you to serve as a non-anxious presence within your broader community.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in October of 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Elizabeth Neumann.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Kingdom of Rage: the Rise of Christian Extremism and the Path Back to Peace, by Elizabeth Neumann


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Children of Light and Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr

Politics, Morality, and Civility,  by Vaclav Havel

The Origins of Totalitarianism, by Hannah Arendt

The Federalist Papers

A Practical View of Real Christianity, by William Wilberforce,

Who Stands Fast? by Dietrich Bonhoeffer.


Related Conversations:
Hope Beyond Tribalism with James Mumford

Faith, Fear & Conspiracy with David French

The Fall, the Founding and the Future of American Democracy

How to Be a Patriotic Christian


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

]]> Extremism and the Path Back to Peace with Elizabeth Neumann


The appropriation of Christian images and language by extremists who advocate violence has become a shocking feature of our time. Surveys show alarming numbers of people who self-identify as religious expressing openness to political violence. Against such a distortion of Christian witness, how can we faithfully live out our calling to be people of peace?


Today's episode features our recent conversation with national security expert Elizabeth Neumann, who offers insight and a sobering perspective on how radicalization has taken root among us and what we can do:


“Find ways to check your in-group assumptions about their narratives. Particularly when the narratives involve others.” - Elizabeth Neumann


As we approach a national election, we hope this conversation helps you thoughtfully evaluate your own assumptions, and strengthens you to serve as a non-anxious presence within your broader community.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in October of 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Elizabeth Neumann.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Kingdom of Rage: the Rise of Christian Extremism and the Path Back to Peace, by Elizabeth Neumann


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Children of Light and Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr

Politics, Morality, and Civility,  by Vaclav Havel

The Origins of Totalitarianism, by Hannah Arendt

The Federalist Papers

A Practical View of Real Christianity, by William Wilberforce,

Who Stands Fast? by Dietrich Bonhoeffer.


Related Conversations:
Hope Beyond Tribalism with James Mumford

Faith, Fear & Conspiracy with David French

The Fall, the Founding and the Future of American Democracy

How to Be a Patriotic Christian


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

]]> Tue, 29 Oct 2024 00:05:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2111 Extremism and the Path Back to Peace with Elizabeth Neumann


The appropriation of Christian images and language by extremists who advocate violence has become a shocking feature of our time. Surveys show alarming numbers of people who self-identify as religious expressing openness to political violence. Against such a distortion of Christian witness, how can we faithfully live out our calling to be people of peace?


Today's episode features our recent conversation with national security expert Elizabeth Neumann, who offers insight and a sobering perspective on how radicalization has taken root among us and what we can do:


“Find ways to check your in-group assumptions about their narratives. Particularly when the narratives involve others.” - Elizabeth Neumann


As we approach a national election, we hope this conversation helps you thoughtfully evaluate your own assumptions, and strengthens you to serve as a non-anxious presence within your broader community.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in October of 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Elizabeth Neumann.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Kingdom of Rage: the Rise of Christian Extremism and the Path Back to Peace, by Elizabeth Neumann


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Children of Light and Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr

Politics, Morality, and Civility,  by Vaclav Havel

The Origins of Totalitarianism, by Hannah Arendt

The Federalist Papers

A Practical View of Real Christianity, by William Wilberforce,

Who Stands Fast? by Dietrich Bonhoeffer.


Related Conversations:
Hope Beyond Tribalism with James Mumford

Faith, Fear & Conspiracy with David French

The Fall, the Founding and the Future of American Democracy

How to Be a Patriotic Christian


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

]]> No The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote 9 9 92 92 The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote full 381f7c01-a12a-4c59-9f2d-8ac2fa4438ef https://share.transistor.fm/s/8acdeb99 The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote

As the lines between faith, politics, and patriotism have become, in some quarters, increasingly blurred, it is increasingly important to understand the origin, ideas, and consequences of Christian Nationalism — what it means, why it matters, and how best to respond.

“Responsible Christian patriots try to show how Christianity can be a service to the nation; extreme nationalists make Christianity a servant of the nation.” - Mark Noll

“If you think about the cross: patriotism, rightly construed from a Christian point of view, will put the flag at the foot of the cross. Christian nationalism wants to drape the [flag] over them. So is God serving your country, the sponsor of your country, or are you, as a Christian, operating wherever you are and having loyalty, but not your primary loyalty to your country over God?” - Vincent Bacote

We hope you find this conversation insightful and helpful as you consider the state of our culture and shared political life, and your role in reviving responsible Christian patriotism.

This podcast is an edited version of an Online Conversation recorded in June of 2021. You can access the full conversation with transcript here. Learn more about Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind by Mark Noll

God and Race in American Politics: A Short History, by Mark Noll

The Civil War as Theological Crisis, by Mark Noll

In the Beginning Was the Word: The Bible in American Public Life, by Mark Noll

The Political Disciple, A Theology of Public Life, by Vincent Bacote

Reckoning with Race and Performing the Good News, by Vincent Bacote

The Spirit in Public Theology: Appropriating the legacy of Abraham Kuyper, by Vincent Bacote


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

City of God by St. Augustine of Hippo

Children of Light and Children of Darkness by Reinhold Niebuhr

Letter from a Birmingham Jail by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.


Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote

As the lines between faith, politics, and patriotism have become, in some quarters, increasingly blurred, it is increasingly important to understand the origin, ideas, and consequences of Christian Nationalism — what it means, why it matters, and how best to respond.

“Responsible Christian patriots try to show how Christianity can be a service to the nation; extreme nationalists make Christianity a servant of the nation.” - Mark Noll

“If you think about the cross: patriotism, rightly construed from a Christian point of view, will put the flag at the foot of the cross. Christian nationalism wants to drape the [flag] over them. So is God serving your country, the sponsor of your country, or are you, as a Christian, operating wherever you are and having loyalty, but not your primary loyalty to your country over God?” - Vincent Bacote

We hope you find this conversation insightful and helpful as you consider the state of our culture and shared political life, and your role in reviving responsible Christian patriotism.

This podcast is an edited version of an Online Conversation recorded in June of 2021. You can access the full conversation with transcript here. Learn more about Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind by Mark Noll

God and Race in American Politics: A Short History, by Mark Noll

The Civil War as Theological Crisis, by Mark Noll

In the Beginning Was the Word: The Bible in American Public Life, by Mark Noll

The Political Disciple, A Theology of Public Life, by Vincent Bacote

Reckoning with Race and Performing the Good News, by Vincent Bacote

The Spirit in Public Theology: Appropriating the legacy of Abraham Kuyper, by Vincent Bacote


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

City of God by St. Augustine of Hippo

Children of Light and Children of Darkness by Reinhold Niebuhr

Letter from a Birmingham Jail by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.


Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 15 Oct 2024 01:00:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2509 The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote

As the lines between faith, politics, and patriotism have become, in some quarters, increasingly blurred, it is increasingly important to understand the origin, ideas, and consequences of Christian Nationalism — what it means, why it matters, and how best to respond.

“Responsible Christian patriots try to show how Christianity can be a service to the nation; extreme nationalists make Christianity a servant of the nation.” - Mark Noll

“If you think about the cross: patriotism, rightly construed from a Christian point of view, will put the flag at the foot of the cross. Christian nationalism wants to drape the [flag] over them. So is God serving your country, the sponsor of your country, or are you, as a Christian, operating wherever you are and having loyalty, but not your primary loyalty to your country over God?” - Vincent Bacote

We hope you find this conversation insightful and helpful as you consider the state of our culture and shared political life, and your role in reviving responsible Christian patriotism.

This podcast is an edited version of an Online Conversation recorded in June of 2021. You can access the full conversation with transcript here. Learn more about Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind by Mark Noll

God and Race in American Politics: A Short History, by Mark Noll

The Civil War as Theological Crisis, by Mark Noll

In the Beginning Was the Word: The Bible in American Public Life, by Mark Noll

The Political Disciple, A Theology of Public Life, by Vincent Bacote

Reckoning with Race and Performing the Good News, by Vincent Bacote

The Spirit in Public Theology: Appropriating the legacy of Abraham Kuyper, by Vincent Bacote


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

City of God by St. Augustine of Hippo

Children of Light and Children of Darkness by Reinhold Niebuhr

Letter from a Birmingham Jail by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.


Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Christian Nationalism No Truth & Trust with Francis Collins 9 9 91 91 Truth & Trust with Francis Collins full a113a910-81a8-42a1-bdcf-e1ea1469472c https://share.transistor.fm/s/aa10ba9c What does wisdom mean for Christians in an age of polarization, cynicism, and distrust? In confronting the unique concerns of our time, what can help us become wise?


On our podcast, Dr. Francis S. Collins joins us to discuss his new book, The Road to Wisdom, illuminating how truth, science, faith, and trust work together to help us discern the best path forward in life:

“I think the time has come for many of us to say, I think I need to be part of a solution here. I need to say, it's not enough to say things shouldn't be like this. I'm ready to say, I shouldn't be like this. Let me try to get my house in order, get my worldview reset to the truth, to faith, if that's who I am, and not let all of this other noise out there knock me off my road to wisdom in a way that's bad for me and bad for my society.” - Francis Collins 

We hope this conversation helps you reflect on the acquisition of wisdom, and how Christians in particular might become agents of healing and trust building in the midst of a cynical and polarized culture.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in September 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Francis Collins.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Jonathan Haidt

The Road to Wisdom, by Francis S. Collins

The Language of God, by Francis S. Collins

René Descartes

David Hume


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Telling Truth to Kings, by Reinhold Schneider

Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley

Politics and the English Language, by George Orwell

Augustine's Confessions

The Wager, by Blaise Pascal

The Lost Tools of Learning, by Dorothy Sayers


Related Conversations:
Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael Wear
The Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim Alberta
A Life Worth Living with Miroslav Volf
Towards a Better Christian Politics
Christian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference
What Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth
Scripture and the Public Square

How to be a Patriotic Christian

Life, Death, Poetry & Peace with Philip Yancey

The Fall, the Founding, and the Future of American Democracy

Fear and Conspiracy with David French

Words Against Despair with Christian Wiman

Hope Beyond Tribalism with James Mumford

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> What does wisdom mean for Christians in an age of polarization, cynicism, and distrust? In confronting the unique concerns of our time, what can help us become wise?


On our podcast, Dr. Francis S. Collins joins us to discuss his new book, The Road to Wisdom, illuminating how truth, science, faith, and trust work together to help us discern the best path forward in life:

“I think the time has come for many of us to say, I think I need to be part of a solution here. I need to say, it's not enough to say things shouldn't be like this. I'm ready to say, I shouldn't be like this. Let me try to get my house in order, get my worldview reset to the truth, to faith, if that's who I am, and not let all of this other noise out there knock me off my road to wisdom in a way that's bad for me and bad for my society.” - Francis Collins 

We hope this conversation helps you reflect on the acquisition of wisdom, and how Christians in particular might become agents of healing and trust building in the midst of a cynical and polarized culture.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in September 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Francis Collins.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Jonathan Haidt

The Road to Wisdom, by Francis S. Collins

The Language of God, by Francis S. Collins

René Descartes

David Hume


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Telling Truth to Kings, by Reinhold Schneider

Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley

Politics and the English Language, by George Orwell

Augustine's Confessions

The Wager, by Blaise Pascal

The Lost Tools of Learning, by Dorothy Sayers


Related Conversations:
Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael Wear
The Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim Alberta
A Life Worth Living with Miroslav Volf
Towards a Better Christian Politics
Christian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference
What Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth
Scripture and the Public Square

How to be a Patriotic Christian

Life, Death, Poetry & Peace with Philip Yancey

The Fall, the Founding, and the Future of American Democracy

Fear and Conspiracy with David French

Words Against Despair with Christian Wiman

Hope Beyond Tribalism with James Mumford

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 01 Oct 2024 00:05:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2333 What does wisdom mean for Christians in an age of polarization, cynicism, and distrust? In confronting the unique concerns of our time, what can help us become wise?


On our podcast, Dr. Francis S. Collins joins us to discuss his new book, The Road to Wisdom, illuminating how truth, science, faith, and trust work together to help us discern the best path forward in life:

“I think the time has come for many of us to say, I think I need to be part of a solution here. I need to say, it's not enough to say things shouldn't be like this. I'm ready to say, I shouldn't be like this. Let me try to get my house in order, get my worldview reset to the truth, to faith, if that's who I am, and not let all of this other noise out there knock me off my road to wisdom in a way that's bad for me and bad for my society.” - Francis Collins 

We hope this conversation helps you reflect on the acquisition of wisdom, and how Christians in particular might become agents of healing and trust building in the midst of a cynical and polarized culture.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in September 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Francis Collins.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Jonathan Haidt

The Road to Wisdom, by Francis S. Collins

The Language of God, by Francis S. Collins

René Descartes

David Hume


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Telling Truth to Kings, by Reinhold Schneider

Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley

Politics and the English Language, by George Orwell

Augustine's Confessions

The Wager, by Blaise Pascal

The Lost Tools of Learning, by Dorothy Sayers


Related Conversations:
Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael Wear
The Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim Alberta
A Life Worth Living with Miroslav Volf
Towards a Better Christian Politics
Christian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference
What Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth
Scripture and the Public Square

How to be a Patriotic Christian

Life, Death, Poetry & Peace with Philip Yancey

The Fall, the Founding, and the Future of American Democracy

Fear and Conspiracy with David French

Words Against Despair with Christian Wiman

Hope Beyond Tribalism with James Mumford

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> No Hope Beyond Tribalism with James Mumford 9 9 90 90 Hope Beyond Tribalism with James Mumford full c8c66a59-1354-4ffa-8795-792aa98e5bdf https://share.transistor.fm/s/23eece5f Hope Beyond Tribalism with James Mumford


Amidst a culture of political tribalism and personal loneliness, how can we more clearly, creatively, charitably, and faithfully think and engage with our neighbors? What kinds of practices of mind, body, and spirit, might help us to see and act with greater empathy and understanding?


In his book, Vexed: Ethics Beyond Political Tribes, author James Mumford considers these questions and how often our ethical convictions get politically bundled up with others in what he calls a kind of “package deal.”


It’s in examining our own convictions, and the exercise of the moral imagination that we can begin to move beyond tribalism into a greater freedom:

“The sort of engagement relationally that I'm talking about, it's very different from the sort of combative exchange that we see on social media.  And so it is a counter cultural project, I think, to disengage, to question our own assumptions, and then also to engage with other people about their own assumptions and their own convictions and how those fit together.” - James Mumford

We hope this conversation helps you to think more clearly about your own convictions, and to view your neighbors, even those with whom you disagree, with greater empathy.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in June 2020. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about James Mumford.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Vexed: Ethics Beyond Political Tribes, by James Mumford

The Righteous Mind, by Jonathan Haidt

T. S. Eliot


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Four Quartets - T.S. Eliot

Children of Light and the Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr

Democracy in America, Alexis de Tocqueville

Babette’s Feast, by Isak Dinesen

Politics, Morality, and Civility, by Václav Havel


Related Conversations:
Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael Wear
The Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim Alberta
A Life Worth Living with Miroslav Volf
Towards a Better Christian Politics
Christian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference
What Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth
Scripture and the Public Square

How to be a Patriotic Christian

Life, Death, Poetry & Peace with Philip Yancey

The Fall, the Founding, and the Future of American Democracy

Fear and Conspiracy with David French

Words Against Despair with Christian Wiman


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Hope Beyond Tribalism with James Mumford


Amidst a culture of political tribalism and personal loneliness, how can we more clearly, creatively, charitably, and faithfully think and engage with our neighbors? What kinds of practices of mind, body, and spirit, might help us to see and act with greater empathy and understanding?


In his book, Vexed: Ethics Beyond Political Tribes, author James Mumford considers these questions and how often our ethical convictions get politically bundled up with others in what he calls a kind of “package deal.”


It’s in examining our own convictions, and the exercise of the moral imagination that we can begin to move beyond tribalism into a greater freedom:

“The sort of engagement relationally that I'm talking about, it's very different from the sort of combative exchange that we see on social media.  And so it is a counter cultural project, I think, to disengage, to question our own assumptions, and then also to engage with other people about their own assumptions and their own convictions and how those fit together.” - James Mumford

We hope this conversation helps you to think more clearly about your own convictions, and to view your neighbors, even those with whom you disagree, with greater empathy.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in June 2020. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about James Mumford.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Vexed: Ethics Beyond Political Tribes, by James Mumford

The Righteous Mind, by Jonathan Haidt

T. S. Eliot


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Four Quartets - T.S. Eliot

Children of Light and the Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr

Democracy in America, Alexis de Tocqueville

Babette’s Feast, by Isak Dinesen

Politics, Morality, and Civility, by Václav Havel


Related Conversations:
Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael Wear
The Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim Alberta
A Life Worth Living with Miroslav Volf
Towards a Better Christian Politics
Christian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference
What Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth
Scripture and the Public Square

How to be a Patriotic Christian

Life, Death, Poetry & Peace with Philip Yancey

The Fall, the Founding, and the Future of American Democracy

Fear and Conspiracy with David French

Words Against Despair with Christian Wiman


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 17 Sep 2024 00:05:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1679 Hope Beyond Tribalism with James Mumford


Amidst a culture of political tribalism and personal loneliness, how can we more clearly, creatively, charitably, and faithfully think and engage with our neighbors? What kinds of practices of mind, body, and spirit, might help us to see and act with greater empathy and understanding?


In his book, Vexed: Ethics Beyond Political Tribes, author James Mumford considers these questions and how often our ethical convictions get politically bundled up with others in what he calls a kind of “package deal.”


It’s in examining our own convictions, and the exercise of the moral imagination that we can begin to move beyond tribalism into a greater freedom:

“The sort of engagement relationally that I'm talking about, it's very different from the sort of combative exchange that we see on social media.  And so it is a counter cultural project, I think, to disengage, to question our own assumptions, and then also to engage with other people about their own assumptions and their own convictions and how those fit together.” - James Mumford

We hope this conversation helps you to think more clearly about your own convictions, and to view your neighbors, even those with whom you disagree, with greater empathy.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in June 2020. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about James Mumford.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Vexed: Ethics Beyond Political Tribes, by James Mumford

The Righteous Mind, by Jonathan Haidt

T. S. Eliot


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Four Quartets - T.S. Eliot

Children of Light and the Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr

Democracy in America, Alexis de Tocqueville

Babette’s Feast, by Isak Dinesen

Politics, Morality, and Civility, by Václav Havel


Related Conversations:
Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael Wear
The Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim Alberta
A Life Worth Living with Miroslav Volf
Towards a Better Christian Politics
Christian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference
What Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth
Scripture and the Public Square

How to be a Patriotic Christian

Life, Death, Poetry & Peace with Philip Yancey

The Fall, the Founding, and the Future of American Democracy

Fear and Conspiracy with David French

Words Against Despair with Christian Wiman


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> tribalism, james mumford, politics, ethics No Words Against Despair with Christian Wiman 9 9 89 89 Words Against Despair with Christian Wiman full 2dc7d6af-9c01-4bc8-a0b7-545af3a49b98 https://share.transistor.fm/s/d662f982 Words Against Despair with Christian Wiman


As poet Christian Wiman explains on our podcast, despair is part of the human condition: “I deal with despair because…I don't know how not to, and it would be an evasion not to. And I think if you don't feel it, then you're not paying attention.”


In his new book, Zero at the Bone: Fifty Entries Against Despair, the acclaimed poet chases meaning through words, including memoir and poetry. And in this conversation he explains how he has found relief from despair in poetry, even and especially when poets grapple honestly with despair, “they speak of [despair] as a thing that can be spoken of.”

Wiman returned to Christian faith in part through a terminal cancer diagnosis–one that he has, to his astonishment, now lived with for over 18 years. His work explores themes of illness, love, faith, and the “almost spiritual joy” of encountering a deadly coral snake. We trust you will find in his poetry, and in this conversation with Trinity Forum’s guest host, Tom Wash, a great tonic against despair.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in April 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Christian Wiman.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Zero at the Bone: Fifty Entries Against Despair, by Christian Wiman

Marilynne Robinson

Danielle Chapman

William Bronk

William Wordsworth

Every Riven Thing, by Christian Wiman

My Bright Abyss: Meditations of a Modern Believer, by Christian Wiman

Prayer, by Carol Ann Duffy

The Bible and Poetry, by Michael Edwards 

Augustine of Hippo

Bittersweet, by George Herbert

Surprised by Joy, by C.S. Lewis

Richard Wilbur

Jürgen Moltmann

When the Time’s Toxins, by Christian Wiman


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Augustine’s Confessions

Devotions by John Donne, paraphrased by Philip Yancey

God’s Grandeur: the Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins

Bulletins from Immortality, by Emily Dickinson

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil


Related Conversations:
Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael Wear
The Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim Alberta
A Life Worth Living with Miroslav Volf
Towards a Better Christian Politics
Christian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference
What Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth
Scripture and the Public Square

How to be a Patriotic Christian

Life, Death, Poetry & Peace with Philip Yancey

The Fall, the Founding, and the Future of American Democracy

Fear and Conspiracy with David French


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Words Against Despair with Christian Wiman


As poet Christian Wiman explains on our podcast, despair is part of the human condition: “I deal with despair because…I don't know how not to, and it would be an evasion not to. And I think if you don't feel it, then you're not paying attention.”


In his new book, Zero at the Bone: Fifty Entries Against Despair, the acclaimed poet chases meaning through words, including memoir and poetry. And in this conversation he explains how he has found relief from despair in poetry, even and especially when poets grapple honestly with despair, “they speak of [despair] as a thing that can be spoken of.”

Wiman returned to Christian faith in part through a terminal cancer diagnosis–one that he has, to his astonishment, now lived with for over 18 years. His work explores themes of illness, love, faith, and the “almost spiritual joy” of encountering a deadly coral snake. We trust you will find in his poetry, and in this conversation with Trinity Forum’s guest host, Tom Wash, a great tonic against despair.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in April 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Christian Wiman.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Zero at the Bone: Fifty Entries Against Despair, by Christian Wiman

Marilynne Robinson

Danielle Chapman

William Bronk

William Wordsworth

Every Riven Thing, by Christian Wiman

My Bright Abyss: Meditations of a Modern Believer, by Christian Wiman

Prayer, by Carol Ann Duffy

The Bible and Poetry, by Michael Edwards 

Augustine of Hippo

Bittersweet, by George Herbert

Surprised by Joy, by C.S. Lewis

Richard Wilbur

Jürgen Moltmann

When the Time’s Toxins, by Christian Wiman


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Augustine’s Confessions

Devotions by John Donne, paraphrased by Philip Yancey

God’s Grandeur: the Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins

Bulletins from Immortality, by Emily Dickinson

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil


Related Conversations:
Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael Wear
The Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim Alberta
A Life Worth Living with Miroslav Volf
Towards a Better Christian Politics
Christian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference
What Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth
Scripture and the Public Square

How to be a Patriotic Christian

Life, Death, Poetry & Peace with Philip Yancey

The Fall, the Founding, and the Future of American Democracy

Fear and Conspiracy with David French


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 03 Sep 2024 00:05:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1921 Words Against Despair with Christian Wiman


As poet Christian Wiman explains on our podcast, despair is part of the human condition: “I deal with despair because…I don't know how not to, and it would be an evasion not to. And I think if you don't feel it, then you're not paying attention.”


In his new book, Zero at the Bone: Fifty Entries Against Despair, the acclaimed poet chases meaning through words, including memoir and poetry. And in this conversation he explains how he has found relief from despair in poetry, even and especially when poets grapple honestly with despair, “they speak of [despair] as a thing that can be spoken of.”

Wiman returned to Christian faith in part through a terminal cancer diagnosis–one that he has, to his astonishment, now lived with for over 18 years. His work explores themes of illness, love, faith, and the “almost spiritual joy” of encountering a deadly coral snake. We trust you will find in his poetry, and in this conversation with Trinity Forum’s guest host, Tom Wash, a great tonic against despair.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in April 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Christian Wiman.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Zero at the Bone: Fifty Entries Against Despair, by Christian Wiman

Marilynne Robinson

Danielle Chapman

William Bronk

William Wordsworth

Every Riven Thing, by Christian Wiman

My Bright Abyss: Meditations of a Modern Believer, by Christian Wiman

Prayer, by Carol Ann Duffy

The Bible and Poetry, by Michael Edwards 

Augustine of Hippo

Bittersweet, by George Herbert

Surprised by Joy, by C.S. Lewis

Richard Wilbur

Jürgen Moltmann

When the Time’s Toxins, by Christian Wiman


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Augustine’s Confessions

Devotions by John Donne, paraphrased by Philip Yancey

God’s Grandeur: the Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins

Bulletins from Immortality, by Emily Dickinson

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil


Related Conversations:
Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael Wear
The Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim Alberta
A Life Worth Living with Miroslav Volf
Towards a Better Christian Politics
Christian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference
What Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth
Scripture and the Public Square

How to be a Patriotic Christian

Life, Death, Poetry & Peace with Philip Yancey

The Fall, the Founding, and the Future of American Democracy

Fear and Conspiracy with David French


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> No Faith, Fear & Conspiracy with David French 9 9 88 88 Faith, Fear & Conspiracy with David French full 7f958585-8f89-4b8e-abf6-8cc492f96492 https://share.transistor.fm/s/cce6a138 In his book, Divided We Fall, author David French explores not only the rise of conspiracy thinking, but also the tribalism and alienation that has divided the country. On our podcast, French considers why our unsettling times have proven fertile ground for the growth of conspiracy thinking, especially within the Christian community, and he offers his thoughts on  what a Christian response to conspiracy theories might entail:

“Media consumption that is not thoughtfully curated can actually be quite harmful to our perceptions of reality and our fellow man.” - David French

This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2021. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about David French.


Especially in these chaotic times, we hope this conversation will inspire you to grow in your faith and find the freedom that comes in the pursuit of truth and the ways of its Author.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Rise of Isis: A Threat We Can't Ignore, by David French

A Season for Justice: Defending the Rights of Christian Home School and Church, by David French

Home and Away: A Story of Family in Time of War, by David French

Divided We Fall, by David French

Rod Dreher

Cass Sunstein

Bill Bishop

Jonathan Haidt


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Brave New World, by Alduos Huxley

The Federalist Papers

Democracy in America, by Alexis de Tocqueville

Politics, Morality, and Civility, by Vaclav Havel

Children of Light, Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr


Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn
Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson
Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan
Making as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto Fujimura
Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael Wear
The Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim Alberta
A Life Worth Living with Miroslav Volf
Towards a Better Christian Politics
Christian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference
What Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth
Scripture and the Public Square

How to be a Patriotic Christian

Life, Death, Poetry & Peace with Philip Yancey

The Fall, the Founding, and the Future of American Democracy

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> In his book, Divided We Fall, author David French explores not only the rise of conspiracy thinking, but also the tribalism and alienation that has divided the country. On our podcast, French considers why our unsettling times have proven fertile ground for the growth of conspiracy thinking, especially within the Christian community, and he offers his thoughts on  what a Christian response to conspiracy theories might entail:

“Media consumption that is not thoughtfully curated can actually be quite harmful to our perceptions of reality and our fellow man.” - David French

This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2021. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about David French.


Especially in these chaotic times, we hope this conversation will inspire you to grow in your faith and find the freedom that comes in the pursuit of truth and the ways of its Author.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Rise of Isis: A Threat We Can't Ignore, by David French

A Season for Justice: Defending the Rights of Christian Home School and Church, by David French

Home and Away: A Story of Family in Time of War, by David French

Divided We Fall, by David French

Rod Dreher

Cass Sunstein

Bill Bishop

Jonathan Haidt


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Brave New World, by Alduos Huxley

The Federalist Papers

Democracy in America, by Alexis de Tocqueville

Politics, Morality, and Civility, by Vaclav Havel

Children of Light, Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr


Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn
Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson
Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan
Making as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto Fujimura
Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael Wear
The Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim Alberta
A Life Worth Living with Miroslav Volf
Towards a Better Christian Politics
Christian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference
What Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth
Scripture and the Public Square

How to be a Patriotic Christian

Life, Death, Poetry & Peace with Philip Yancey

The Fall, the Founding, and the Future of American Democracy

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 20 Aug 2024 00:05:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2104 In his book, Divided We Fall, author David French explores not only the rise of conspiracy thinking, but also the tribalism and alienation that has divided the country. On our podcast, French considers why our unsettling times have proven fertile ground for the growth of conspiracy thinking, especially within the Christian community, and he offers his thoughts on  what a Christian response to conspiracy theories might entail:

“Media consumption that is not thoughtfully curated can actually be quite harmful to our perceptions of reality and our fellow man.” - David French

This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2021. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about David French.


Especially in these chaotic times, we hope this conversation will inspire you to grow in your faith and find the freedom that comes in the pursuit of truth and the ways of its Author.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Rise of Isis: A Threat We Can't Ignore, by David French

A Season for Justice: Defending the Rights of Christian Home School and Church, by David French

Home and Away: A Story of Family in Time of War, by David French

Divided We Fall, by David French

Rod Dreher

Cass Sunstein

Bill Bishop

Jonathan Haidt


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Brave New World, by Alduos Huxley

The Federalist Papers

Democracy in America, by Alexis de Tocqueville

Politics, Morality, and Civility, by Vaclav Havel

Children of Light, Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr


Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn
Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson
Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan
Making as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto Fujimura
Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael Wear
The Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim Alberta
A Life Worth Living with Miroslav Volf
Towards a Better Christian Politics
Christian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference
What Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth
Scripture and the Public Square

How to be a Patriotic Christian

Life, Death, Poetry & Peace with Philip Yancey

The Fall, the Founding, and the Future of American Democracy

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> No The Fall, the Founding, and the Future of American Democracy 8 8 87 87 The Fall, the Founding, and the Future of American Democracy full 694f5ebe-246f-48e7-b688-bd89e9118fcc https://share.transistor.fm/s/c30f1bec The Fall, the Founding, and the Future of American Democracy


What did America’s founders believe about human nature? How might a deeper understanding of their perspective shape the way we think about current and future challenges to our democracy?


On this podcast episode, historian and author Dr. Tracy McKenzie helps us take a closer look at the founder’s view of human nature, what the abandonment of this view implies, and the tension of fallen human beings entrusted with self-governance:

We are storytelling creatures and the stories that we tell one another, the stories that relentlessly we hear in the public square are stories that tell us that liberty and justice and human dignity can all be upheld by leaving our hearts untouched. That's not the message of the gospel.  - Tracy McKenzie

This is podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2022. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Dr. Tracy McKenzie.


We hope this conversation on America’s history helps you see the present with fresh insight as together we consider how Christians and the Church can play a positive role in the public and political life of our country.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The First Thanksgiving: What the Real Story Tells Us About a Loving God and Learning from History, by Dr. Tracy McKenzie

A Little Book for New Historians: Why and How to Study History, by Dr. Tracy McKenzie

We the Fallen People: the Founders and the Future of American Democracy, by Dr. Tracy McKenzie

Democracy in America, by Alexis de Tocqueville


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

The Federalist Papers

Democracy in America, by Alexis de Tocqueville

Politics, Morality, and Civility, by Vaclav Havel

Children of Light, Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr


Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn
Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson
Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan
Making as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto Fujimura
Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael Wear
The Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim Alberta
A Life Worth Living with Miroslav Volf
Towards a Better Christian Politics
Christian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference
What Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth
Scripture and the Public Square

How to be a Patriotic Christian

Life, Death, Poetry & Peace with Philip Yancey

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> The Fall, the Founding, and the Future of American Democracy


What did America’s founders believe about human nature? How might a deeper understanding of their perspective shape the way we think about current and future challenges to our democracy?


On this podcast episode, historian and author Dr. Tracy McKenzie helps us take a closer look at the founder’s view of human nature, what the abandonment of this view implies, and the tension of fallen human beings entrusted with self-governance:

We are storytelling creatures and the stories that we tell one another, the stories that relentlessly we hear in the public square are stories that tell us that liberty and justice and human dignity can all be upheld by leaving our hearts untouched. That's not the message of the gospel.  - Tracy McKenzie

This is podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2022. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Dr. Tracy McKenzie.


We hope this conversation on America’s history helps you see the present with fresh insight as together we consider how Christians and the Church can play a positive role in the public and political life of our country.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The First Thanksgiving: What the Real Story Tells Us About a Loving God and Learning from History, by Dr. Tracy McKenzie

A Little Book for New Historians: Why and How to Study History, by Dr. Tracy McKenzie

We the Fallen People: the Founders and the Future of American Democracy, by Dr. Tracy McKenzie

Democracy in America, by Alexis de Tocqueville


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

The Federalist Papers

Democracy in America, by Alexis de Tocqueville

Politics, Morality, and Civility, by Vaclav Havel

Children of Light, Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr


Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn
Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson
Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan
Making as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto Fujimura
Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael Wear
The Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim Alberta
A Life Worth Living with Miroslav Volf
Towards a Better Christian Politics
Christian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference
What Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth
Scripture and the Public Square

How to be a Patriotic Christian

Life, Death, Poetry & Peace with Philip Yancey

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 06 Aug 2024 00:05:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1609 The Fall, the Founding, and the Future of American Democracy


What did America’s founders believe about human nature? How might a deeper understanding of their perspective shape the way we think about current and future challenges to our democracy?


On this podcast episode, historian and author Dr. Tracy McKenzie helps us take a closer look at the founder’s view of human nature, what the abandonment of this view implies, and the tension of fallen human beings entrusted with self-governance:

We are storytelling creatures and the stories that we tell one another, the stories that relentlessly we hear in the public square are stories that tell us that liberty and justice and human dignity can all be upheld by leaving our hearts untouched. That's not the message of the gospel.  - Tracy McKenzie

This is podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2022. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Dr. Tracy McKenzie.


We hope this conversation on America’s history helps you see the present with fresh insight as together we consider how Christians and the Church can play a positive role in the public and political life of our country.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The First Thanksgiving: What the Real Story Tells Us About a Loving God and Learning from History, by Dr. Tracy McKenzie

A Little Book for New Historians: Why and How to Study History, by Dr. Tracy McKenzie

We the Fallen People: the Founders and the Future of American Democracy, by Dr. Tracy McKenzie

Democracy in America, by Alexis de Tocqueville


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

The Federalist Papers

Democracy in America, by Alexis de Tocqueville

Politics, Morality, and Civility, by Vaclav Havel

Children of Light, Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr


Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn
Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson
Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan
Making as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto Fujimura
Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael Wear
The Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim Alberta
A Life Worth Living with Miroslav Volf
Towards a Better Christian Politics
Christian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference
What Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth
Scripture and the Public Square

How to be a Patriotic Christian

Life, Death, Poetry & Peace with Philip Yancey

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> No Life, Death, Poetry & Peace with Philip Yancey 8 8 86 86 Life, Death, Poetry & Peace with Philip Yancey full 0bd30deb-28b3-42c8-9aa9-0c7a9df89249 https://share.transistor.fm/s/a7859e2b Life, Death, Poetry & Peace with Philip Yancey


Life has changed dramatically in the 400 years since John Donne wrote his Devotions. Yet despite the advances of the intervening centuries, we find that, like Donne, we are still subject to sickness and death. We still long for comfort. We still want to know what God is saying to us.


Author Philip Yancey has found surprisingly relevant answers to these perennial questions in the works of John Donne. Updating the great poet’s work for modern readers in his book UNDONE: A Modern Rendering of John Donne’s Devotions, Yancey has given us a devotional treasure, particularly for those in the midst of trial and suffering:


God is on the side of the sufferer. And that's so important. When I go to places like Virginia Tech or Columbine in my backyard here in Colorado or various places and talk about pain and suffering, it's just an important point to get across. And I know that's true because God gave us a face. God showed us what God is like in human form. - Philip Yancey


This is a conversation rich with insights into the problem of pain and the human condition, and full of comfort as we get a clearer picture of God in the face of Jesus. We hope that it encourages you deeply and that you’ll share it with others.


This is podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Philip Yancey.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

UNDONE: A Modern Rendering of John Donne’s Devotions, by Philip Yancey

Where Is God When It Hurts, by Philip Yancey

In His Image, by Philip Yancey and Paul Brand

Disappointment with God, by Philip Yancey

The Jesus I never Knew, by Philip Yancey

What's So Amazing About Grace, by Philip Yancey

Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions, by John Donne

The Art of Dying, by Lydia Dugdale

Dr. Paul Brand


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Sacred and Profane Love, the poetry of John Donne

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil

Bulletins from Immortality: Poems by Emily Dickinson

Man's Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl


Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn
Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson
Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan
Making as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto Fujimura
Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael Wear
The Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim Alberta
A Life Worth Living with Miroslav Volf
Towards a Better Christian Politics
Christian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference
What Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth
Scripture and the Public Square

How to be a...

]]> Life, Death, Poetry & Peace with Philip Yancey


Life has changed dramatically in the 400 years since John Donne wrote his Devotions. Yet despite the advances of the intervening centuries, we find that, like Donne, we are still subject to sickness and death. We still long for comfort. We still want to know what God is saying to us.


Author Philip Yancey has found surprisingly relevant answers to these perennial questions in the works of John Donne. Updating the great poet’s work for modern readers in his book UNDONE: A Modern Rendering of John Donne’s Devotions, Yancey has given us a devotional treasure, particularly for those in the midst of trial and suffering:


God is on the side of the sufferer. And that's so important. When I go to places like Virginia Tech or Columbine in my backyard here in Colorado or various places and talk about pain and suffering, it's just an important point to get across. And I know that's true because God gave us a face. God showed us what God is like in human form. - Philip Yancey


This is a conversation rich with insights into the problem of pain and the human condition, and full of comfort as we get a clearer picture of God in the face of Jesus. We hope that it encourages you deeply and that you’ll share it with others.


This is podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Philip Yancey.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

UNDONE: A Modern Rendering of John Donne’s Devotions, by Philip Yancey

Where Is God When It Hurts, by Philip Yancey

In His Image, by Philip Yancey and Paul Brand

Disappointment with God, by Philip Yancey

The Jesus I never Knew, by Philip Yancey

What's So Amazing About Grace, by Philip Yancey

Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions, by John Donne

The Art of Dying, by Lydia Dugdale

Dr. Paul Brand


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Sacred and Profane Love, the poetry of John Donne

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil

Bulletins from Immortality: Poems by Emily Dickinson

Man's Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl


Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn
Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson
Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan
Making as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto Fujimura
Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael Wear
The Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim Alberta
A Life Worth Living with Miroslav Volf
Towards a Better Christian Politics
Christian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference
What Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth
Scripture and the Public Square

How to be a...

]]> Tue, 23 Jul 2024 00:05:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1821 Life, Death, Poetry & Peace with Philip Yancey


Life has changed dramatically in the 400 years since John Donne wrote his Devotions. Yet despite the advances of the intervening centuries, we find that, like Donne, we are still subject to sickness and death. We still long for comfort. We still want to know what God is saying to us.


Author Philip Yancey has found surprisingly relevant answers to these perennial questions in the works of John Donne. Updating the great poet’s work for modern readers in his book UNDONE: A Modern Rendering of John Donne’s Devotions, Yancey has given us a devotional treasure, particularly for those in the midst of trial and suffering:


God is on the side of the sufferer. And that's so important. When I go to places like Virginia Tech or Columbine in my backyard here in Colorado or various places and talk about pain and suffering, it's just an important point to get across. And I know that's true because God gave us a face. God showed us what God is like in human form. - Philip Yancey


This is a conversation rich with insights into the problem of pain and the human condition, and full of comfort as we get a clearer picture of God in the face of Jesus. We hope that it encourages you deeply and that you’ll share it with others.


This is podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Philip Yancey.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

UNDONE: A Modern Rendering of John Donne’s Devotions, by Philip Yancey

Where Is God When It Hurts, by Philip Yancey

In His Image, by Philip Yancey and Paul Brand

Disappointment with God, by Philip Yancey

The Jesus I never Knew, by Philip Yancey

What's So Amazing About Grace, by Philip Yancey

Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions, by John Donne

The Art of Dying, by Lydia Dugdale

Dr. Paul Brand


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Sacred and Profane Love, the poetry of John Donne

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil

Bulletins from Immortality: Poems by Emily Dickinson

Man's Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl


Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn
Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson
Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan
Making as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto Fujimura
Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael Wear
The Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim Alberta
A Life Worth Living with Miroslav Volf
Towards a Better Christian Politics
Christian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference
What Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth
Scripture and the Public Square

How to be a...

]]> No How to be a Patriotic Christian 8 8 85 85 How to be a Patriotic Christian full 67cf5525-8b5c-488d-91fa-204a77a52577 https://share.transistor.fm/s/acbb8ff8 How to be a Patriotic Christian


The topic of Christian nationalism takes us into deep questions of how we understand and live out our allegiances to both our country and the kingdom of God, how we ought to relate to our neighbors, and how we should pursue justice and flourishing within our nation. 

It's also a topic rife with confusion and uncertainty. But what is Christian nationalism, and how is it different from a robust patriotism? On our podcast we explore these questions with scholars and authors Richard Mouw and Paul D. Miller who help us distinguish between living out one's faith in the public square and instrumentalizing faith for political ends:

"Because I think America is in fact, so great, it means it is so tempting to idolize America because it's just one of the greatest things. Anything we idolize becomes destructive, and it can be destructive individually of our spiritual lives. But when you idolize a nation, that nation can be unbelievably destructive." - Paul D. Miller

This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2023. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Richard Mouw and Paul D. Miller

We hope that this conversation has been helpful in articulating what it means to be a patriotic Christian, and in offering better language and frameworks for wrestling with questions of how to live out our faith in the public square.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Uncommon Decency: Christian Civility in an Uncivil World, by Richard Mouw

Pluralisms and Horizons, by Richard Mouw

Praying at Burger King, by Richard Mouw

How to Be a Patriotic Christian: Love of Country as Love of Neighbor, by Richard Mouw

The Religion of American Greatness: What’s Wrong with Christian Nationalism, by Paul D. Miller

This America: The Case for the Nation, by Jill Lepore

Aristotle

Plato

Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Augustine

C.S. Lewis

Richard John Neuhaus

Simone Weil

John Calvin

St. Thérèse of Lisieux

George Orwell

Curt Thompson

Frederick Douglass

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

City of God, by Augustine

The Children of Light and The Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr 

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil

Letter from Birmingham Jail, by Martin Luther King Jr's

Democracy in America, by Alexis de Tocqueville


Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn
Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson
Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan
Making as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto Fujimura
Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael Wear
The Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim Alberta
A Life Worth Living with Miroslav Volf
Towards a Better Christian Politics
Christian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference
What Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth
Scripture and the Public Square

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> How to be a Patriotic Christian


The topic of Christian nationalism takes us into deep questions of how we understand and live out our allegiances to both our country and the kingdom of God, how we ought to relate to our neighbors, and how we should pursue justice and flourishing within our nation. 

It's also a topic rife with confusion and uncertainty. But what is Christian nationalism, and how is it different from a robust patriotism? On our podcast we explore these questions with scholars and authors Richard Mouw and Paul D. Miller who help us distinguish between living out one's faith in the public square and instrumentalizing faith for political ends:

"Because I think America is in fact, so great, it means it is so tempting to idolize America because it's just one of the greatest things. Anything we idolize becomes destructive, and it can be destructive individually of our spiritual lives. But when you idolize a nation, that nation can be unbelievably destructive." - Paul D. Miller

This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2023. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Richard Mouw and Paul D. Miller

We hope that this conversation has been helpful in articulating what it means to be a patriotic Christian, and in offering better language and frameworks for wrestling with questions of how to live out our faith in the public square.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Uncommon Decency: Christian Civility in an Uncivil World, by Richard Mouw

Pluralisms and Horizons, by Richard Mouw

Praying at Burger King, by Richard Mouw

How to Be a Patriotic Christian: Love of Country as Love of Neighbor, by Richard Mouw

The Religion of American Greatness: What’s Wrong with Christian Nationalism, by Paul D. Miller

This America: The Case for the Nation, by Jill Lepore

Aristotle

Plato

Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Augustine

C.S. Lewis

Richard John Neuhaus

Simone Weil

John Calvin

St. Thérèse of Lisieux

George Orwell

Curt Thompson

Frederick Douglass

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

City of God, by Augustine

The Children of Light and The Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr 

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil

Letter from Birmingham Jail, by Martin Luther King Jr's

Democracy in America, by Alexis de Tocqueville


Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn
Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson
Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan
Making as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto Fujimura
Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael Wear
The Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim Alberta
A Life Worth Living with Miroslav Volf
Towards a Better Christian Politics
Christian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference
What Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth
Scripture and the Public Square

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 09 Jul 2024 00:05:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1869 How to be a Patriotic Christian


The topic of Christian nationalism takes us into deep questions of how we understand and live out our allegiances to both our country and the kingdom of God, how we ought to relate to our neighbors, and how we should pursue justice and flourishing within our nation. 

It's also a topic rife with confusion and uncertainty. But what is Christian nationalism, and how is it different from a robust patriotism? On our podcast we explore these questions with scholars and authors Richard Mouw and Paul D. Miller who help us distinguish between living out one's faith in the public square and instrumentalizing faith for political ends:

"Because I think America is in fact, so great, it means it is so tempting to idolize America because it's just one of the greatest things. Anything we idolize becomes destructive, and it can be destructive individually of our spiritual lives. But when you idolize a nation, that nation can be unbelievably destructive." - Paul D. Miller

This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2023. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Richard Mouw and Paul D. Miller

We hope that this conversation has been helpful in articulating what it means to be a patriotic Christian, and in offering better language and frameworks for wrestling with questions of how to live out our faith in the public square.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Uncommon Decency: Christian Civility in an Uncivil World, by Richard Mouw

Pluralisms and Horizons, by Richard Mouw

Praying at Burger King, by Richard Mouw

How to Be a Patriotic Christian: Love of Country as Love of Neighbor, by Richard Mouw

The Religion of American Greatness: What’s Wrong with Christian Nationalism, by Paul D. Miller

This America: The Case for the Nation, by Jill Lepore

Aristotle

Plato

Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Augustine

C.S. Lewis

Richard John Neuhaus

Simone Weil

John Calvin

St. Thérèse of Lisieux

George Orwell

Curt Thompson

Frederick Douglass

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

City of God, by Augustine

The Children of Light and The Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr 

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil

Letter from Birmingham Jail, by Martin Luther King Jr's

Democracy in America, by Alexis de Tocqueville


Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn
Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson
Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan
Making as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto Fujimura
Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael Wear
The Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim Alberta
A Life Worth Living with Miroslav Volf
Towards a Better Christian Politics
Christian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference
What Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth
Scripture and the Public Square

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> patriotism, nationalism, Christianity, Richard Mouw, Paul Miller No Scripture and the Public Square 8 8 84 84 Scripture and the Public Square full a3538d9b-35e7-4db2-9fba-ec6d1b0d1880 https://share.transistor.fm/s/dd261b4f The language of the Bible has often been invoked in American political discourse through the centuries. Quoted by suffragists and secessionists, invoked in arguments for (and against) American independence, the Civil War, and cited by virtually every President across parties.

So how should we discern a faithful application of scripture in public life from instrumentalizing the Bible for political purposes? What can we learn from America’s history of using the Bible in politics?

Theologian, speaker and author Kaitlyn Schiess helps us think more carefully and clearly about our history and these challenging questions on our latest podcast:

"When I look throughout history and when I look at other communities of Christians throughout even our own history in our own country, I see instances, especially of people that are not the main focus of most of the church history textbooks that I read in seminary, who were faithful, who interpreted scripture well, who acted well in history. And that's been really surprisingly hopeful to me, I know now to go to other Christians in other times and places around the world too, and see instances of faithfulness." - Kaitlyn Schiess

As our election cycle continues to twist and turn toward the ballot box in November, we hope this conversation will provoke new ways of thinking about scripture and its faithful application for the common good.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2023. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Kaitlyn Schiess here.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Ballot and the Bible, Kaitlyn Schiess

Liturgy of Politics: Spiritual Formation for the Sake of Our Neighbor, by Kaitlyn Schiess

John Winthrop


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

City of God, by Augustine

The Federalist Papers

Who Stands Fast, by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

The Children of Light and The Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr 

Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn
Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson
Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan
Making as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto Fujimura
Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael Wear
The Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim Alberta
A Life Worth Living with Miroslav Volf
Towards a Better Christian Politics
Christian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference
What Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society.


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> The language of the Bible has often been invoked in American political discourse through the centuries. Quoted by suffragists and secessionists, invoked in arguments for (and against) American independence, the Civil War, and cited by virtually every President across parties.

So how should we discern a faithful application of scripture in public life from instrumentalizing the Bible for political purposes? What can we learn from America’s history of using the Bible in politics?

Theologian, speaker and author Kaitlyn Schiess helps us think more carefully and clearly about our history and these challenging questions on our latest podcast:

"When I look throughout history and when I look at other communities of Christians throughout even our own history in our own country, I see instances, especially of people that are not the main focus of most of the church history textbooks that I read in seminary, who were faithful, who interpreted scripture well, who acted well in history. And that's been really surprisingly hopeful to me, I know now to go to other Christians in other times and places around the world too, and see instances of faithfulness." - Kaitlyn Schiess

As our election cycle continues to twist and turn toward the ballot box in November, we hope this conversation will provoke new ways of thinking about scripture and its faithful application for the common good.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2023. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Kaitlyn Schiess here.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Ballot and the Bible, Kaitlyn Schiess

Liturgy of Politics: Spiritual Formation for the Sake of Our Neighbor, by Kaitlyn Schiess

John Winthrop


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

City of God, by Augustine

The Federalist Papers

Who Stands Fast, by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

The Children of Light and The Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr 

Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn
Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson
Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan
Making as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto Fujimura
Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael Wear
The Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim Alberta
A Life Worth Living with Miroslav Volf
Towards a Better Christian Politics
Christian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference
What Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society.


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 25 Jun 2024 00:05:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2149 The language of the Bible has often been invoked in American political discourse through the centuries. Quoted by suffragists and secessionists, invoked in arguments for (and against) American independence, the Civil War, and cited by virtually every President across parties.

So how should we discern a faithful application of scripture in public life from instrumentalizing the Bible for political purposes? What can we learn from America’s history of using the Bible in politics?

Theologian, speaker and author Kaitlyn Schiess helps us think more carefully and clearly about our history and these challenging questions on our latest podcast:

"When I look throughout history and when I look at other communities of Christians throughout even our own history in our own country, I see instances, especially of people that are not the main focus of most of the church history textbooks that I read in seminary, who were faithful, who interpreted scripture well, who acted well in history. And that's been really surprisingly hopeful to me, I know now to go to other Christians in other times and places around the world too, and see instances of faithfulness." - Kaitlyn Schiess

As our election cycle continues to twist and turn toward the ballot box in November, we hope this conversation will provoke new ways of thinking about scripture and its faithful application for the common good.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2023. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Kaitlyn Schiess here.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Ballot and the Bible, Kaitlyn Schiess

Liturgy of Politics: Spiritual Formation for the Sake of Our Neighbor, by Kaitlyn Schiess

John Winthrop


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

City of God, by Augustine

The Federalist Papers

Who Stands Fast, by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

The Children of Light and The Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr 

Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn
Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson
Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan
Making as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto Fujimura
Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael Wear
The Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim Alberta
A Life Worth Living with Miroslav Volf
Towards a Better Christian Politics
Christian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference
What Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society.


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> No What Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth 8 8 83 83 What Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth full 431dd78d-1be5-4881-b5af-af5e4833baff https://share.transistor.fm/s/a4b900b7 What Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth

Ours is an age that values and valorizes productivity, speed, and scale, and emphasizes precise and perpetual measurement and management of those markers. A whole range of organizations, including nonprofits, and even churches, as well as individuals believe that what is valuable is empirical and measurable, and that those measurements show us what's real and what really matters. 


Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth today offer a radically different way of seeing the world. They assert that it is not the empirical but love that is, in their words, the highest way of knowing and the trustworthy basis of the imaginative and creative good. They argue that the small aspects of life, whether it's cooking or gardening, music making, hospitality, or family matters–those things that often seem not to matter so much are actually what matters most. It's an invitation toward fruitfulness, and a new way of understanding and living:

“Fruitfulness is what God talks so much about what Jesus talks so much about and it is really something that he is doing in us and with us as we turn towards him. We can't really measure it. We can't really see it. We don't tally it up for ourselves. It's more of a trust that if we walk in the faithful path that God has for us, we can trust that there is a fruitfulness and that it's God's to measure. And I think there's a real freedom in that.” - Andi Ashworth

We hope this conversation sparks your creativity and encourages you to look differently at the small matters of life that matter a lot.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth here.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Martin Luther King Jr.

Real Love for Real Life: The Art and Work of Caring, by Andi Ashworth

Wild Things in Castles in the Sky: A Guide to Choosing the Best Books for Children, by Andi Ashworth

Why Everything That Doesn't Matter Matters So Much, by Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth

The Call, by Os Guinness

Steven Garber

Francis Schaeffer

Frederick Buechner

Eugene Peterson


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Babette's Feast, by Isak Denison

Hannah and Nathan, by Wendell Berry

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard

Bright Evening Star, by Madeline L'engle

Letters from Vincent Van Gogh

Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn
Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson
Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan
Making as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto Fujimura
Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael Wear
The Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim Alberta
A Life Worth Living with Miroslav Volf
Towards a Better Christian Politics
Christian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> What Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth

Ours is an age that values and valorizes productivity, speed, and scale, and emphasizes precise and perpetual measurement and management of those markers. A whole range of organizations, including nonprofits, and even churches, as well as individuals believe that what is valuable is empirical and measurable, and that those measurements show us what's real and what really matters. 


Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth today offer a radically different way of seeing the world. They assert that it is not the empirical but love that is, in their words, the highest way of knowing and the trustworthy basis of the imaginative and creative good. They argue that the small aspects of life, whether it's cooking or gardening, music making, hospitality, or family matters–those things that often seem not to matter so much are actually what matters most. It's an invitation toward fruitfulness, and a new way of understanding and living:

“Fruitfulness is what God talks so much about what Jesus talks so much about and it is really something that he is doing in us and with us as we turn towards him. We can't really measure it. We can't really see it. We don't tally it up for ourselves. It's more of a trust that if we walk in the faithful path that God has for us, we can trust that there is a fruitfulness and that it's God's to measure. And I think there's a real freedom in that.” - Andi Ashworth

We hope this conversation sparks your creativity and encourages you to look differently at the small matters of life that matter a lot.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth here.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Martin Luther King Jr.

Real Love for Real Life: The Art and Work of Caring, by Andi Ashworth

Wild Things in Castles in the Sky: A Guide to Choosing the Best Books for Children, by Andi Ashworth

Why Everything That Doesn't Matter Matters So Much, by Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth

The Call, by Os Guinness

Steven Garber

Francis Schaeffer

Frederick Buechner

Eugene Peterson


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Babette's Feast, by Isak Denison

Hannah and Nathan, by Wendell Berry

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard

Bright Evening Star, by Madeline L'engle

Letters from Vincent Van Gogh

Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn
Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson
Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan
Making as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto Fujimura
Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael Wear
The Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim Alberta
A Life Worth Living with Miroslav Volf
Towards a Better Christian Politics
Christian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 11 Jun 2024 00:05:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2372 What Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth

Ours is an age that values and valorizes productivity, speed, and scale, and emphasizes precise and perpetual measurement and management of those markers. A whole range of organizations, including nonprofits, and even churches, as well as individuals believe that what is valuable is empirical and measurable, and that those measurements show us what's real and what really matters. 


Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth today offer a radically different way of seeing the world. They assert that it is not the empirical but love that is, in their words, the highest way of knowing and the trustworthy basis of the imaginative and creative good. They argue that the small aspects of life, whether it's cooking or gardening, music making, hospitality, or family matters–those things that often seem not to matter so much are actually what matters most. It's an invitation toward fruitfulness, and a new way of understanding and living:

“Fruitfulness is what God talks so much about what Jesus talks so much about and it is really something that he is doing in us and with us as we turn towards him. We can't really measure it. We can't really see it. We don't tally it up for ourselves. It's more of a trust that if we walk in the faithful path that God has for us, we can trust that there is a fruitfulness and that it's God's to measure. And I think there's a real freedom in that.” - Andi Ashworth

We hope this conversation sparks your creativity and encourages you to look differently at the small matters of life that matter a lot.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth here.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Martin Luther King Jr.

Real Love for Real Life: The Art and Work of Caring, by Andi Ashworth

Wild Things in Castles in the Sky: A Guide to Choosing the Best Books for Children, by Andi Ashworth

Why Everything That Doesn't Matter Matters So Much, by Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth

The Call, by Os Guinness

Steven Garber

Francis Schaeffer

Frederick Buechner

Eugene Peterson


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Babette's Feast, by Isak Denison

Hannah and Nathan, by Wendell Berry

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard

Bright Evening Star, by Madeline L'engle

Letters from Vincent Van Gogh

Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn
Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson
Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan
Making as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto Fujimura
Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael Wear
The Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim Alberta
A Life Worth Living with Miroslav Volf
Towards a Better Christian Politics
Christian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> No Christian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference 8 8 82 82 Christian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference full f45fbb3d-5202-4709-8dd0-5ef70e7c2ac8 https://share.transistor.fm/s/c969ffcd Christian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference


The term ‘pluralism’ has been subject to misunderstanding – even misuse – over the past several years. Some read or hear the word and think simply of a multiplicity of opinions. Others think of a sort of moral relativism that affirms your truth and my truth, no matter how contradictory they may be. Others still may think of this as some sort of squishy interfaith unity that denies matters of ultimate importance. 


In a conversation with John Inazu, Trillia Newbell, and Michael Wear we dive into the meaning of pluralism and how it is that Christians in particular can live faithfully amidst a world of difference. These careful writers and thinkers help us begin to grasp a more robust vision for Christian pluralism:


“We are all actually called to be reconcilers. Any one of us who have professed faith in Jesus Christ, we are called to a ministry of reconciliation. That means a proclamation of the gospel. So sharing the good news of Jesus Christ to the world around me, to my neighbors, to my friends...I believe that the greatest love that we can extend to others is Jesus.” - Trillia Newbell


We hope you’re inspired by this conversation about hope, justice, faithfulness, and love, even in the midst of change, challenge, and conflict.


This podcast is an edited version of an evening conversation recorded in 2020. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about John Inazu, Trillia Newbell, and Michael Wear.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Liberty’s Refuge: The Forgotten Freedom of Assembly, by John Inazu

Confident Pluralism: Surviving and Thriving Through Deep Difference, by John Inazu

Uncommon Ground: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference, by John Inazu

Sacred Endurance, by Trilia Newbell

If God Is For Us, by Trilia Newbell

Fear and Faith, by Trilia Newbell

God’s Very Good Idea, by Trilia Newbell

Reclaiming Hope: Lessons Learned in the Obama White House About the Future of Faith in America, by Michael Wear

Christianity, Pluralism, and Public Life in the United States: Insights from Christian Leaders, by Michael Wear and Amy Black

Tim Keller

Russell Moore

Toni Morrison


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

The Federalist Papers

City of God, by Augustine of Hippo

The Children of Light and the Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr

Politics, Morality, and Civility, by Václav Havel

Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn
Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson
Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan
Making as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto Fujimura
Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael Wear
The Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim Alberta
A Life Worth Living with Miroslav Volf
Towards a Better Christian Politics


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.


]]> Christian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference


The term ‘pluralism’ has been subject to misunderstanding – even misuse – over the past several years. Some read or hear the word and think simply of a multiplicity of opinions. Others think of a sort of moral relativism that affirms your truth and my truth, no matter how contradictory they may be. Others still may think of this as some sort of squishy interfaith unity that denies matters of ultimate importance. 


In a conversation with John Inazu, Trillia Newbell, and Michael Wear we dive into the meaning of pluralism and how it is that Christians in particular can live faithfully amidst a world of difference. These careful writers and thinkers help us begin to grasp a more robust vision for Christian pluralism:


“We are all actually called to be reconcilers. Any one of us who have professed faith in Jesus Christ, we are called to a ministry of reconciliation. That means a proclamation of the gospel. So sharing the good news of Jesus Christ to the world around me, to my neighbors, to my friends...I believe that the greatest love that we can extend to others is Jesus.” - Trillia Newbell


We hope you’re inspired by this conversation about hope, justice, faithfulness, and love, even in the midst of change, challenge, and conflict.


This podcast is an edited version of an evening conversation recorded in 2020. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about John Inazu, Trillia Newbell, and Michael Wear.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Liberty’s Refuge: The Forgotten Freedom of Assembly, by John Inazu

Confident Pluralism: Surviving and Thriving Through Deep Difference, by John Inazu

Uncommon Ground: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference, by John Inazu

Sacred Endurance, by Trilia Newbell

If God Is For Us, by Trilia Newbell

Fear and Faith, by Trilia Newbell

God’s Very Good Idea, by Trilia Newbell

Reclaiming Hope: Lessons Learned in the Obama White House About the Future of Faith in America, by Michael Wear

Christianity, Pluralism, and Public Life in the United States: Insights from Christian Leaders, by Michael Wear and Amy Black

Tim Keller

Russell Moore

Toni Morrison


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

The Federalist Papers

City of God, by Augustine of Hippo

The Children of Light and the Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr

Politics, Morality, and Civility, by Václav Havel

Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn
Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson
Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan
Making as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto Fujimura
Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael Wear
The Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim Alberta
A Life Worth Living with Miroslav Volf
Towards a Better Christian Politics


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.


]]> Tue, 28 May 2024 00:05:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2332 Christian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference


The term ‘pluralism’ has been subject to misunderstanding – even misuse – over the past several years. Some read or hear the word and think simply of a multiplicity of opinions. Others think of a sort of moral relativism that affirms your truth and my truth, no matter how contradictory they may be. Others still may think of this as some sort of squishy interfaith unity that denies matters of ultimate importance. 


In a conversation with John Inazu, Trillia Newbell, and Michael Wear we dive into the meaning of pluralism and how it is that Christians in particular can live faithfully amidst a world of difference. These careful writers and thinkers help us begin to grasp a more robust vision for Christian pluralism:


“We are all actually called to be reconcilers. Any one of us who have professed faith in Jesus Christ, we are called to a ministry of reconciliation. That means a proclamation of the gospel. So sharing the good news of Jesus Christ to the world around me, to my neighbors, to my friends...I believe that the greatest love that we can extend to others is Jesus.” - Trillia Newbell


We hope you’re inspired by this conversation about hope, justice, faithfulness, and love, even in the midst of change, challenge, and conflict.


This podcast is an edited version of an evening conversation recorded in 2020. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about John Inazu, Trillia Newbell, and Michael Wear.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Liberty’s Refuge: The Forgotten Freedom of Assembly, by John Inazu

Confident Pluralism: Surviving and Thriving Through Deep Difference, by John Inazu

Uncommon Ground: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference, by John Inazu

Sacred Endurance, by Trilia Newbell

If God Is For Us, by Trilia Newbell

Fear and Faith, by Trilia Newbell

God’s Very Good Idea, by Trilia Newbell

Reclaiming Hope: Lessons Learned in the Obama White House About the Future of Faith in America, by Michael Wear

Christianity, Pluralism, and Public Life in the United States: Insights from Christian Leaders, by Michael Wear and Amy Black

Tim Keller

Russell Moore

Toni Morrison


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

The Federalist Papers

City of God, by Augustine of Hippo

The Children of Light and the Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr

Politics, Morality, and Civility, by Václav Havel

Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn
Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson
Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan
Making as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto Fujimura
Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael Wear
The Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim Alberta
A Life Worth Living with Miroslav Volf
Towards a Better Christian Politics


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.


]]> No Towards a Better Christian Politics 8 8 81 81 Towards a Better Christian Politics full e99206d8-4921-426f-b07e-c99a224456b9 https://share.transistor.fm/s/07d21698 The relentless pull and pressure of partisan antagonisms and tribalism have fractured friendships, families, communities — and churches. In a time of conflict over what is good and confusion over what is true, what can church leaders do to cultivate a more faithful form of civic engagement? How can we learn to discern the call to love and justice amidst the clamor of political wars?


On our latest podcast, three wise men, as Cherie affectionately calls them, address these pressing questions. Curtis Chang, David French, and Russell Moore are each writers, scholars, and thinkers who have made courageous and insightful contributions towards a better Christian politics and we’re delighted to share their comments from an evening conversation in 2023 with you:


“Be of great hope. Because the after party is coming…It's the wedding feast of the lamb when Jesus returns to cleanse his church, made spotless. And in that moment, the restoration not of the church, but of the world at war where the swords are beaten into plowshares, the spears into pruning hooks. That's the after party that's coming. So if you know how the story ends, how can we not have great hope? - Curtis Chang


This podcast is an edited version of an evening conversation recorded in early 2023. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Curtis Chang, David French, and Russell Moore.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Divided We Fall, by David French

The Courage to Stand, Facing Your Fear Without Losing Your Soul, by Russell Moore

Onward: Engaging the Culture without Losing the Gospel, by Russell Moore

The Storm Tossed Family: How the Cross Reshapes the Home, by Russell Moore

Losing our Religion: An Altar Call for Evangelical Christians, by Russell Moore

The Anxiety Opportunity, by Curtis Chang

Ernest Hemmingway

The Big Sort, by Bill Bishop

Cass Sunstein

Constitution of Knowledge, by Jonathan Rauch

The Moviegoer, by Walker Percy

The Righteous Mind, by Jonathan Haidt

High Conflict, by Amanda Ripley


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

The Federalist Papers

City of God, by Augustine of Hippo

]]> The relentless pull and pressure of partisan antagonisms and tribalism have fractured friendships, families, communities — and churches. In a time of conflict over what is good and confusion over what is true, what can church leaders do to cultivate a more faithful form of civic engagement? How can we learn to discern the call to love and justice amidst the clamor of political wars?


On our latest podcast, three wise men, as Cherie affectionately calls them, address these pressing questions. Curtis Chang, David French, and Russell Moore are each writers, scholars, and thinkers who have made courageous and insightful contributions towards a better Christian politics and we’re delighted to share their comments from an evening conversation in 2023 with you:


“Be of great hope. Because the after party is coming…It's the wedding feast of the lamb when Jesus returns to cleanse his church, made spotless. And in that moment, the restoration not of the church, but of the world at war where the swords are beaten into plowshares, the spears into pruning hooks. That's the after party that's coming. So if you know how the story ends, how can we not have great hope? - Curtis Chang


This podcast is an edited version of an evening conversation recorded in early 2023. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Curtis Chang, David French, and Russell Moore.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Divided We Fall, by David French

The Courage to Stand, Facing Your Fear Without Losing Your Soul, by Russell Moore

Onward: Engaging the Culture without Losing the Gospel, by Russell Moore

The Storm Tossed Family: How the Cross Reshapes the Home, by Russell Moore

Losing our Religion: An Altar Call for Evangelical Christians, by Russell Moore

The Anxiety Opportunity, by Curtis Chang

Ernest Hemmingway

The Big Sort, by Bill Bishop

Cass Sunstein

Constitution of Knowledge, by Jonathan Rauch

The Moviegoer, by Walker Percy

The Righteous Mind, by Jonathan Haidt

High Conflict, by Amanda Ripley


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

The Federalist Papers

City of God, by Augustine of Hippo

]]> Tue, 14 May 2024 00:05:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 3840 The relentless pull and pressure of partisan antagonisms and tribalism have fractured friendships, families, communities — and churches. In a time of conflict over what is good and confusion over what is true, what can church leaders do to cultivate a more faithful form of civic engagement? How can we learn to discern the call to love and justice amidst the clamor of political wars?


On our latest podcast, three wise men, as Cherie affectionately calls them, address these pressing questions. Curtis Chang, David French, and Russell Moore are each writers, scholars, and thinkers who have made courageous and insightful contributions towards a better Christian politics and we’re delighted to share their comments from an evening conversation in 2023 with you:


“Be of great hope. Because the after party is coming…It's the wedding feast of the lamb when Jesus returns to cleanse his church, made spotless. And in that moment, the restoration not of the church, but of the world at war where the swords are beaten into plowshares, the spears into pruning hooks. That's the after party that's coming. So if you know how the story ends, how can we not have great hope? - Curtis Chang


This podcast is an edited version of an evening conversation recorded in early 2023. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Curtis Chang, David French, and Russell Moore.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Divided We Fall, by David French

The Courage to Stand, Facing Your Fear Without Losing Your Soul, by Russell Moore

Onward: Engaging the Culture without Losing the Gospel, by Russell Moore

The Storm Tossed Family: How the Cross Reshapes the Home, by Russell Moore

Losing our Religion: An Altar Call for Evangelical Christians, by Russell Moore

The Anxiety Opportunity, by Curtis Chang

Ernest Hemmingway

The Big Sort, by Bill Bishop

Cass Sunstein

Constitution of Knowledge, by Jonathan Rauch

The Moviegoer, by Walker Percy

The Righteous Mind, by Jonathan Haidt

High Conflict, by Amanda Ripley


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

The Federalist Papers

City of God, by Augustine of Hippo

]]> No A Life Worth Living with Miroslav Volf 8 8 80 80 A Life Worth Living with Miroslav Volf full a538aad2-c924-4763-a81f-a2927a92a7c2 https://share.transistor.fm/s/5e9c5e95 A Life Worth Living

What makes a good life? What habits of attention, reflection, and action orient us towards knowing, desiring, and doing what is good, true, and beautiful? Such “big questions” may seem unanswerable and intimidating — but their exploration is at the heart of the human quest for meaning.

Drawing on his popular Yale course, theologian Miroslav Volf joined us to reflect on what makes for a flourishing life in our times:

“You realize that there are things that are much more important. I mean this is the life of fullness. This is his life of weight. [It is the] arduous life that is, in fact, the truly happy life.

Despite the real challenge of human suffering and pain, Volf argues that happiness is possible and that an examined life that grapples with the good in our emotions, circumstances, and actions is a life worth living.

This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in early 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Miroslav Volf.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:
Exclusion and Embrace, by Miroslav Volf
Life Worth Living: A Guide to What Matters Most, by Miroslav Volf, Matthew Croasmun, and Ryan McAnnally-Linz
Friedrich Nietzsche

Related Trinity Forum Readings:
Man's Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl
On Happiness, by Thomas Aquinas
Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
How Much Land Does a Man Need, by Leo Tolstoy
Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil

Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn
Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson
Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan
Making as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto Fujimura
Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael Wear
The Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim Alberta

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> A Life Worth Living

What makes a good life? What habits of attention, reflection, and action orient us towards knowing, desiring, and doing what is good, true, and beautiful? Such “big questions” may seem unanswerable and intimidating — but their exploration is at the heart of the human quest for meaning.

Drawing on his popular Yale course, theologian Miroslav Volf joined us to reflect on what makes for a flourishing life in our times:

“You realize that there are things that are much more important. I mean this is the life of fullness. This is his life of weight. [It is the] arduous life that is, in fact, the truly happy life.

Despite the real challenge of human suffering and pain, Volf argues that happiness is possible and that an examined life that grapples with the good in our emotions, circumstances, and actions is a life worth living.

This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in early 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Miroslav Volf.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:
Exclusion and Embrace, by Miroslav Volf
Life Worth Living: A Guide to What Matters Most, by Miroslav Volf, Matthew Croasmun, and Ryan McAnnally-Linz
Friedrich Nietzsche

Related Trinity Forum Readings:
Man's Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl
On Happiness, by Thomas Aquinas
Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
How Much Land Does a Man Need, by Leo Tolstoy
Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil

Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn
Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson
Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan
Making as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto Fujimura
Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael Wear
The Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim Alberta

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 30 Apr 2024 00:10:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1990 A Life Worth Living

What makes a good life? What habits of attention, reflection, and action orient us towards knowing, desiring, and doing what is good, true, and beautiful? Such “big questions” may seem unanswerable and intimidating — but their exploration is at the heart of the human quest for meaning.

Drawing on his popular Yale course, theologian Miroslav Volf joined us to reflect on what makes for a flourishing life in our times:

“You realize that there are things that are much more important. I mean this is the life of fullness. This is his life of weight. [It is the] arduous life that is, in fact, the truly happy life.

Despite the real challenge of human suffering and pain, Volf argues that happiness is possible and that an examined life that grapples with the good in our emotions, circumstances, and actions is a life worth living.

This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in early 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Miroslav Volf.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:
Exclusion and Embrace, by Miroslav Volf
Life Worth Living: A Guide to What Matters Most, by Miroslav Volf, Matthew Croasmun, and Ryan McAnnally-Linz
Friedrich Nietzsche

Related Trinity Forum Readings:
Man's Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl
On Happiness, by Thomas Aquinas
Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
How Much Land Does a Man Need, by Leo Tolstoy
Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil

Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn
Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson
Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan
Making as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto Fujimura
Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael Wear
The Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim Alberta

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> No The Kingdom, The Power, and The Glory with Tim Alberta 8 8 79 79 The Kingdom, The Power, and The Glory with Tim Alberta full 3789251c-3e13-453e-a7d2-f3dd532aa2f1 https://share.transistor.fm/s/56bc2402 The Kingdom, The Power, and The Glory with Tim Alberta


American Christians are certainly not immune to the anger, division, and fear that characterize our political moment. For many, the prospect of another election year is a source of dread or of numb exhaustion; others have responded with aggression or defensiveness.

On our podcast, author and journalist Tim Alberta encourages us toward a better media diet, and to remember where our true allegiance lies:

“I would pray alongside of you that in our political and civic engagement, no matter who it is that we ultimately vote for, no matter what policies we support, that our allegiance is never to the Donkeys or to the Republicans. Our allegiance is never to a political figure.

“We have a king, we have a kingdom, and the best way for us to retain our saltiness is to prioritize that allegiance and that allegiance alone.”

We hope this conversation, coming in a heated election year and at a time of great political import for our nation, is, in fact, a kind of spiritual balm to you. May Tim’s guidance help us to retain our distinctiveness as we engage in the public square for the common good.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in early 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Tim Alberta.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

American Carnage, by Tim Alberta

The Kingdom, the Power and the Glory, American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism, by Tim Alberta

Rush Limbaugh

Robert Jeffress


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Children of Light and The Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr

City of God, by Augustine

Politics, Morality and Civility, by Václav Havel


Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn
Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson
Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan
Making as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto Fujimura
Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael Wear


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> The Kingdom, The Power, and The Glory with Tim Alberta


American Christians are certainly not immune to the anger, division, and fear that characterize our political moment. For many, the prospect of another election year is a source of dread or of numb exhaustion; others have responded with aggression or defensiveness.

On our podcast, author and journalist Tim Alberta encourages us toward a better media diet, and to remember where our true allegiance lies:

“I would pray alongside of you that in our political and civic engagement, no matter who it is that we ultimately vote for, no matter what policies we support, that our allegiance is never to the Donkeys or to the Republicans. Our allegiance is never to a political figure.

“We have a king, we have a kingdom, and the best way for us to retain our saltiness is to prioritize that allegiance and that allegiance alone.”

We hope this conversation, coming in a heated election year and at a time of great political import for our nation, is, in fact, a kind of spiritual balm to you. May Tim’s guidance help us to retain our distinctiveness as we engage in the public square for the common good.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in early 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Tim Alberta.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

American Carnage, by Tim Alberta

The Kingdom, the Power and the Glory, American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism, by Tim Alberta

Rush Limbaugh

Robert Jeffress


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Children of Light and The Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr

City of God, by Augustine

Politics, Morality and Civility, by Václav Havel


Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn
Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson
Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan
Making as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto Fujimura
Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael Wear


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 16 Apr 2024 00:05:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2539 The Kingdom, The Power, and The Glory with Tim Alberta


American Christians are certainly not immune to the anger, division, and fear that characterize our political moment. For many, the prospect of another election year is a source of dread or of numb exhaustion; others have responded with aggression or defensiveness.

On our podcast, author and journalist Tim Alberta encourages us toward a better media diet, and to remember where our true allegiance lies:

“I would pray alongside of you that in our political and civic engagement, no matter who it is that we ultimately vote for, no matter what policies we support, that our allegiance is never to the Donkeys or to the Republicans. Our allegiance is never to a political figure.

“We have a king, we have a kingdom, and the best way for us to retain our saltiness is to prioritize that allegiance and that allegiance alone.”

We hope this conversation, coming in a heated election year and at a time of great political import for our nation, is, in fact, a kind of spiritual balm to you. May Tim’s guidance help us to retain our distinctiveness as we engage in the public square for the common good.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in early 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Tim Alberta.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

American Carnage, by Tim Alberta

The Kingdom, the Power and the Glory, American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism, by Tim Alberta

Rush Limbaugh

Robert Jeffress


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Children of Light and The Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr

City of God, by Augustine

Politics, Morality and Civility, by Václav Havel


Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn
Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson
Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan
Making as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto Fujimura
Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael Wear


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> No Connecting Spiritual Formation and Public Life with Michael Wear 8 8 78 78 Connecting Spiritual Formation and Public Life with Michael Wear full 7b558926-e752-4d05-93d0-44353b8617b4 https://share.transistor.fm/s/fb4d8c66 Connecting Spiritual Formation and Public Life with Michael Wear


In the midst of what is proving to be a frustrating, fractious, and even frightening election year, how can Christians best respond to the situation in front of us, and how can we offer a positive contribution to our common life?


Drawing on the life and work of the late philosopher Dallas Willard, Michael Wear helps us explore what true spiritual formation could mean for the reformation of our polarized political life:

“We need to retrieve a sense that we live in a moral universe in which moral decisions are not optional. We make moral decisions all of the time, and our politics is actually not absent of moral assertion. 

“You could say our politics today is actually more robustly full of moral assertions than it has been at any other time this century.”

We trust that you’ll be encouraged by Michael’s call to gentleness in our politics and his practical suggestions of Christian practices that help orient our hearts in the midst of cultural confusion and political fractiousness.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in early 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Michael Wear.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Divine Conspiracy, by Dallas Willard

Reclaiming Hope, by Michael Wear

The Spirit of our Politics, by Michael Wear

Christian Smith

American Grace, by David Campbell and Robert Putnam

The Allure of Gentleness, by Dallas Willard

Eitan Hersh

The Spirit of the Disciplines, by Dallas Willard


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Abraham Lincoln: The Spiritual Growth of a Public Man

Letter from Birmingham Jail, by Martin Luther King Jr.

City of God, by Augustine

Politics, Morality and Civility, by Václav Havel


Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn
Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson
Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan
Making as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto Fujimura


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Connecting Spiritual Formation and Public Life with Michael Wear


In the midst of what is proving to be a frustrating, fractious, and even frightening election year, how can Christians best respond to the situation in front of us, and how can we offer a positive contribution to our common life?


Drawing on the life and work of the late philosopher Dallas Willard, Michael Wear helps us explore what true spiritual formation could mean for the reformation of our polarized political life:

“We need to retrieve a sense that we live in a moral universe in which moral decisions are not optional. We make moral decisions all of the time, and our politics is actually not absent of moral assertion. 

“You could say our politics today is actually more robustly full of moral assertions than it has been at any other time this century.”

We trust that you’ll be encouraged by Michael’s call to gentleness in our politics and his practical suggestions of Christian practices that help orient our hearts in the midst of cultural confusion and political fractiousness.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in early 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Michael Wear.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Divine Conspiracy, by Dallas Willard

Reclaiming Hope, by Michael Wear

The Spirit of our Politics, by Michael Wear

Christian Smith

American Grace, by David Campbell and Robert Putnam

The Allure of Gentleness, by Dallas Willard

Eitan Hersh

The Spirit of the Disciplines, by Dallas Willard


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Abraham Lincoln: The Spiritual Growth of a Public Man

Letter from Birmingham Jail, by Martin Luther King Jr.

City of God, by Augustine

Politics, Morality and Civility, by Václav Havel


Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn
Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson
Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan
Making as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto Fujimura


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 02 Apr 2024 00:04:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1990 Connecting Spiritual Formation and Public Life with Michael Wear


In the midst of what is proving to be a frustrating, fractious, and even frightening election year, how can Christians best respond to the situation in front of us, and how can we offer a positive contribution to our common life?


Drawing on the life and work of the late philosopher Dallas Willard, Michael Wear helps us explore what true spiritual formation could mean for the reformation of our polarized political life:

“We need to retrieve a sense that we live in a moral universe in which moral decisions are not optional. We make moral decisions all of the time, and our politics is actually not absent of moral assertion. 

“You could say our politics today is actually more robustly full of moral assertions than it has been at any other time this century.”

We trust that you’ll be encouraged by Michael’s call to gentleness in our politics and his practical suggestions of Christian practices that help orient our hearts in the midst of cultural confusion and political fractiousness.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in early 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Michael Wear.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Divine Conspiracy, by Dallas Willard

Reclaiming Hope, by Michael Wear

The Spirit of our Politics, by Michael Wear

Christian Smith

American Grace, by David Campbell and Robert Putnam

The Allure of Gentleness, by Dallas Willard

Eitan Hersh

The Spirit of the Disciplines, by Dallas Willard


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Abraham Lincoln: The Spiritual Growth of a Public Man

Letter from Birmingham Jail, by Martin Luther King Jr.

City of God, by Augustine

Politics, Morality and Civility, by Václav Havel


Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn
Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson
Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan
Making as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto Fujimura


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> No Making as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto Fujimura 8 8 77 77 Making as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto Fujimura full 5a2b043c-4d7f-4594-8383-a344e82cdd62 https://share.transistor.fm/s/5e62b884 Making as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto Fujimura

If at the center of reality is a God whose love is a generative, creative force, how do humans made in God’s image begin to reflect this beauty and love in a world rent by brokenness and ugliness?

As Mako argues on our latest podcast, it’s in the act of making that we are able to experience the depth of God’s being and grace, and to realize an integral part of our humanity:

“Love, by definition, is something that goes way outside of utilitarian values and efficiencies and industrial bottom lines. It has to…and when we love, I think we make.  That's just the way we are made, and we respond to that making. So we make, and then when we receive that making, we make again.”

Artistry and creativity are not just formative, but even liturgical in that they shape our understanding of, orientation towards, and love for, both the great creator and his creation.


We hope you’re encouraged in your making this Lenten season that the God who created you in his image delights in your delight.


If this podcast inspires you, and you’re so inclined, we’d love to see what you create, be that a painting, a meal, a poem, or some other loving, artistic expression. Feel free to share it with us by tagging us on your favorite social platform.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2021. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Makoto Fujimura.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Art + Faith: A Theology of Making, by Makoto Fujimura

William Blake

Vincent VanGogh

N. T. Wright

Esther Meek

Jaques Pépin

Bruce Herman

Martin Luther King Jr.

The Gift, byLewis Hyde

Amanda Goldman

T. S. Eliot

Calvin Silve

David Brooks


Related Trinity Forum Readings:
Babette's Feast, by Isak Dinesen

Four Quartets, by T.S. Eliot

Pilgrim’s Progress, by John Bunyan

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard

God’s Grandeur, by Gerard Manley Hopkins


Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn
Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson
Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Making as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto Fujimura

If at the center of reality is a God whose love is a generative, creative force, how do humans made in God’s image begin to reflect this beauty and love in a world rent by brokenness and ugliness?

As Mako argues on our latest podcast, it’s in the act of making that we are able to experience the depth of God’s being and grace, and to realize an integral part of our humanity:

“Love, by definition, is something that goes way outside of utilitarian values and efficiencies and industrial bottom lines. It has to…and when we love, I think we make.  That's just the way we are made, and we respond to that making. So we make, and then when we receive that making, we make again.”

Artistry and creativity are not just formative, but even liturgical in that they shape our understanding of, orientation towards, and love for, both the great creator and his creation.


We hope you’re encouraged in your making this Lenten season that the God who created you in his image delights in your delight.


If this podcast inspires you, and you’re so inclined, we’d love to see what you create, be that a painting, a meal, a poem, or some other loving, artistic expression. Feel free to share it with us by tagging us on your favorite social platform.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2021. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Makoto Fujimura.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Art + Faith: A Theology of Making, by Makoto Fujimura

William Blake

Vincent VanGogh

N. T. Wright

Esther Meek

Jaques Pépin

Bruce Herman

Martin Luther King Jr.

The Gift, byLewis Hyde

Amanda Goldman

T. S. Eliot

Calvin Silve

David Brooks


Related Trinity Forum Readings:
Babette's Feast, by Isak Dinesen

Four Quartets, by T.S. Eliot

Pilgrim’s Progress, by John Bunyan

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard

God’s Grandeur, by Gerard Manley Hopkins


Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn
Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson
Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 26 Mar 2024 00:05:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2442 Making as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto Fujimura

If at the center of reality is a God whose love is a generative, creative force, how do humans made in God’s image begin to reflect this beauty and love in a world rent by brokenness and ugliness?

As Mako argues on our latest podcast, it’s in the act of making that we are able to experience the depth of God’s being and grace, and to realize an integral part of our humanity:

“Love, by definition, is something that goes way outside of utilitarian values and efficiencies and industrial bottom lines. It has to…and when we love, I think we make.  That's just the way we are made, and we respond to that making. So we make, and then when we receive that making, we make again.”

Artistry and creativity are not just formative, but even liturgical in that they shape our understanding of, orientation towards, and love for, both the great creator and his creation.


We hope you’re encouraged in your making this Lenten season that the God who created you in his image delights in your delight.


If this podcast inspires you, and you’re so inclined, we’d love to see what you create, be that a painting, a meal, a poem, or some other loving, artistic expression. Feel free to share it with us by tagging us on your favorite social platform.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2021. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Makoto Fujimura.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Art + Faith: A Theology of Making, by Makoto Fujimura

William Blake

Vincent VanGogh

N. T. Wright

Esther Meek

Jaques Pépin

Bruce Herman

Martin Luther King Jr.

The Gift, byLewis Hyde

Amanda Goldman

T. S. Eliot

Calvin Silve

David Brooks


Related Trinity Forum Readings:
Babette's Feast, by Isak Dinesen

Four Quartets, by T.S. Eliot

Pilgrim’s Progress, by John Bunyan

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard

God’s Grandeur, by Gerard Manley Hopkins


Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn
Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson
Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> No Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan 8 8 76 76 Walking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark Buchanan full 608f3370-8c13-400b-a70f-085127079e64 https://share.transistor.fm/s/5e6e913d What does it mean to walk with God? The spiritual life is so often described as a walk, journey, or pilgrimage that it can be easy to dismiss the practice of walking as a mere metaphor.

But in God Walk, author, pastor, and professor Mark Buchanan explores the way that the act of walking has profound implications for followers of the Way.

Buchanan reflects on the ways in which walking can be both a spiritual practice and a means by which we can deepen our connection to the earth beneath us, our fellow travelers, and the God we worship:

“Hurry is the enemy of attentiveness. And so love as attentiveness is listening and caring and noticing, cherishing, savoring, being awestruck, these things that we feel in a relationship. I am deeply loved by this person because they notice me. I think that that’s how God’s built it. And we can’t get that if we’re moving too fast, if we’re in a hurry.”

We hope you’re encouraged this Lenten season as you learn to walk at godspeed, seeing this embodied act as a profoundly spiritual practice.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2023. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Mark Buchanan.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Aristotle

Søren Kierkegaard

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

God Walk, by Mark Buchanan

Simone Weil
The Three Mile an Hour God, by Kosaku Koyama

Wanderlust: A History of Walking, by Rebecca Solnit

Knowing God, J.I. Packer

Kai Miller


Related Trinity Forum Readings:
Pilgrim’s Progress, by John Bunyan

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard

God’s Grandeur, by Gerard Manley Hopkins

Long Walk to Freedom, by Nelson Mandela

Brave New World, by Alduous Huxley


Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn
Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society.

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> What does it mean to walk with God? The spiritual life is so often described as a walk, journey, or pilgrimage that it can be easy to dismiss the practice of walking as a mere metaphor.

But in God Walk, author, pastor, and professor Mark Buchanan explores the way that the act of walking has profound implications for followers of the Way.

Buchanan reflects on the ways in which walking can be both a spiritual practice and a means by which we can deepen our connection to the earth beneath us, our fellow travelers, and the God we worship:

“Hurry is the enemy of attentiveness. And so love as attentiveness is listening and caring and noticing, cherishing, savoring, being awestruck, these things that we feel in a relationship. I am deeply loved by this person because they notice me. I think that that’s how God’s built it. And we can’t get that if we’re moving too fast, if we’re in a hurry.”

We hope you’re encouraged this Lenten season as you learn to walk at godspeed, seeing this embodied act as a profoundly spiritual practice.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2023. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Mark Buchanan.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Aristotle

Søren Kierkegaard

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

God Walk, by Mark Buchanan

Simone Weil
The Three Mile an Hour God, by Kosaku Koyama

Wanderlust: A History of Walking, by Rebecca Solnit

Knowing God, J.I. Packer

Kai Miller


Related Trinity Forum Readings:
Pilgrim’s Progress, by John Bunyan

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard

God’s Grandeur, by Gerard Manley Hopkins

Long Walk to Freedom, by Nelson Mandela

Brave New World, by Alduous Huxley


Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn
Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society.

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 19 Mar 2024 00:05:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2171 What does it mean to walk with God? The spiritual life is so often described as a walk, journey, or pilgrimage that it can be easy to dismiss the practice of walking as a mere metaphor.

But in God Walk, author, pastor, and professor Mark Buchanan explores the way that the act of walking has profound implications for followers of the Way.

Buchanan reflects on the ways in which walking can be both a spiritual practice and a means by which we can deepen our connection to the earth beneath us, our fellow travelers, and the God we worship:

“Hurry is the enemy of attentiveness. And so love as attentiveness is listening and caring and noticing, cherishing, savoring, being awestruck, these things that we feel in a relationship. I am deeply loved by this person because they notice me. I think that that’s how God’s built it. And we can’t get that if we’re moving too fast, if we’re in a hurry.”

We hope you’re encouraged this Lenten season as you learn to walk at godspeed, seeing this embodied act as a profoundly spiritual practice.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2023. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Mark Buchanan.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Aristotle

Søren Kierkegaard

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

God Walk, by Mark Buchanan

Simone Weil
The Three Mile an Hour God, by Kosaku Koyama

Wanderlust: A History of Walking, by Rebecca Solnit

Knowing God, J.I. Packer

Kai Miller


Related Trinity Forum Readings:
Pilgrim’s Progress, by John Bunyan

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard

God’s Grandeur, by Gerard Manley Hopkins

Long Walk to Freedom, by Nelson Mandela

Brave New World, by Alduous Huxley


Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn
Reading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten Wilson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society.

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> walking No Reading as a Spiritual Practice Jessica Hooten Wilson 8 8 75 75 Reading as a Spiritual Practice Jessica Hooten Wilson full 6e82965c-2ad6-48c6-894e-2aeffeea93b6 https://share.transistor.fm/s/65fd35a4 What if we viewed reading as not just a personal hobby or a pleasurable indulgence but as a spiritual practice that deepens our faith?


In her book, Reading for the Love of God, award-winning author and Trinity Forum Senior Fellow Jessica Hooten Wilson explores how Christian thinkers—including Augustine, Julian of Norwich, Frederick Douglass, and Dorothy Sayers—approached the act of reading.

She argues that reading deeply and well can not only open a portal to a broader imagination, but is akin to acquiring travel supplies for the good life:

“What I'm hoping to see more of is that the church becomes again those people of the book that really try to make others belong and strive for a deeper connection, versus the party atmosphere that our world always is tempting us to do.”


We hope you’re encouraged this Lenten season as you learn to read as a spiritual practice, finding grace and wisdom for living well along the way.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2023. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Jessica Hooten Wilson.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Learning the Good Life: Wisdom from the Great Hearts and Minds That Came Before, by Jessica Hooten Wilson

Giving the Devil His Due, by Jessica Hooten Wilson

The Scandal of Holiness: Renewing Your Imagination in the Company of Literary Saints, by Jessica Hooten Wilson

Reading for the Love of God: How to Read as a Spiritual Practice,, by Jessica Hooten Wilson

Walker Percy

The Life you Save May Be Your Own, by Flannery O'Connor

Fyodor Dostoevsky

Boethius

Augustine

Mystery and Manners, by Flannery O’Connor

St. Basil

Origen

People of the Book, by David L. Jeffrey

A History of Reading, by Alberto Manguel

Jerome

Andy Crouch

Dana Gioia

Dorothy Sayers

Ross Douthat

Life Together, by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Julian of Norwich

Dante Alighieri

Eugene Peterson


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Revelation, Flannery O'Connor

The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Augustine's Confessions

The Grand Inquisitor, by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Moses Man of the Mountain, by Zora Neale Hurston

God's Grandeur: the Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins


Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> What if we viewed reading as not just a personal hobby or a pleasurable indulgence but as a spiritual practice that deepens our faith?


In her book, Reading for the Love of God, award-winning author and Trinity Forum Senior Fellow Jessica Hooten Wilson explores how Christian thinkers—including Augustine, Julian of Norwich, Frederick Douglass, and Dorothy Sayers—approached the act of reading.

She argues that reading deeply and well can not only open a portal to a broader imagination, but is akin to acquiring travel supplies for the good life:

“What I'm hoping to see more of is that the church becomes again those people of the book that really try to make others belong and strive for a deeper connection, versus the party atmosphere that our world always is tempting us to do.”


We hope you’re encouraged this Lenten season as you learn to read as a spiritual practice, finding grace and wisdom for living well along the way.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2023. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Jessica Hooten Wilson.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Learning the Good Life: Wisdom from the Great Hearts and Minds That Came Before, by Jessica Hooten Wilson

Giving the Devil His Due, by Jessica Hooten Wilson

The Scandal of Holiness: Renewing Your Imagination in the Company of Literary Saints, by Jessica Hooten Wilson

Reading for the Love of God: How to Read as a Spiritual Practice,, by Jessica Hooten Wilson

Walker Percy

The Life you Save May Be Your Own, by Flannery O'Connor

Fyodor Dostoevsky

Boethius

Augustine

Mystery and Manners, by Flannery O’Connor

St. Basil

Origen

People of the Book, by David L. Jeffrey

A History of Reading, by Alberto Manguel

Jerome

Andy Crouch

Dana Gioia

Dorothy Sayers

Ross Douthat

Life Together, by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Julian of Norwich

Dante Alighieri

Eugene Peterson


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Revelation, Flannery O'Connor

The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Augustine's Confessions

The Grand Inquisitor, by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Moses Man of the Mountain, by Zora Neale Hurston

God's Grandeur: the Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins


Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 05 Mar 2024 00:05:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1737 What if we viewed reading as not just a personal hobby or a pleasurable indulgence but as a spiritual practice that deepens our faith?


In her book, Reading for the Love of God, award-winning author and Trinity Forum Senior Fellow Jessica Hooten Wilson explores how Christian thinkers—including Augustine, Julian of Norwich, Frederick Douglass, and Dorothy Sayers—approached the act of reading.

She argues that reading deeply and well can not only open a portal to a broader imagination, but is akin to acquiring travel supplies for the good life:

“What I'm hoping to see more of is that the church becomes again those people of the book that really try to make others belong and strive for a deeper connection, versus the party atmosphere that our world always is tempting us to do.”


We hope you’re encouraged this Lenten season as you learn to read as a spiritual practice, finding grace and wisdom for living well along the way.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2023. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Jessica Hooten Wilson.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Learning the Good Life: Wisdom from the Great Hearts and Minds That Came Before, by Jessica Hooten Wilson

Giving the Devil His Due, by Jessica Hooten Wilson

The Scandal of Holiness: Renewing Your Imagination in the Company of Literary Saints, by Jessica Hooten Wilson

Reading for the Love of God: How to Read as a Spiritual Practice,, by Jessica Hooten Wilson

Walker Percy

The Life you Save May Be Your Own, by Flannery O'Connor

Fyodor Dostoevsky

Boethius

Augustine

Mystery and Manners, by Flannery O’Connor

St. Basil

Origen

People of the Book, by David L. Jeffrey

A History of Reading, by Alberto Manguel

Jerome

Andy Crouch

Dana Gioia

Dorothy Sayers

Ross Douthat

Life Together, by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Julian of Norwich

Dante Alighieri

Eugene Peterson


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Revelation, Flannery O'Connor

The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Augustine's Confessions

The Grand Inquisitor, by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Moses Man of the Mountain, by Zora Neale Hurston

God's Grandeur: the Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins


Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd
Pursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> No Pursuing Humility, with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn 8 8 74 74 Pursuing Humility, with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn full 659d6501-4436-4a0b-9755-11f52ed1b2c5 https://share.transistor.fm/s/684ac2a3 Pursuing Humility, with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn

In an age when self-promotion is often celebrated as a sign of leadership and strength, humility may seem a lost virtue. Or alternatively, a form of moral condolence for the less successful.

In his recent work, Learning Humility, theologian Richard Foster argues that humility is actually strength, and that learning humility is more needed than ever. As Foster explains, humility releases us from a preoccupation with self, and allows us to live a life of freedom:


“One of the dangers among religious folks is that they can become stuffy bores. And it is hilarity that frees us from that. We don't take ourselves so seriously. We can laugh at our own foibles. If you look carefully… it's not hard to identify humble people. You'll find the freedom that they have to just enjoy life and enjoy other people, enjoy the successes of another person rather than being envious of it. Things like that. And so that's why humility, the most basic of the virtues, opens us up to a life of freedom.”


May Foster’s call to humility, and pastor and writer Brenda Quinn’s practical insights on living it out in leadership and community, inspire you this Lenten season to contemplate the humility of Jesus and the way of the cross.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2022. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Learning Humility, by Richard Foster

Celebration of Discipline, by Richard Foster

Streams of Living Water, by Richard Foster

Sanctuary of the Soul, by Richard Foster

The Life With God Bible, contributed to by Richard Foster
C.S. Lewis

Timothy Keller

The Frenzy of Renown


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

The Long Loneliness, by Dorothy Day

Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley

Who stands Fast, featuring Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Babette's Feast, by Isak Dinesen

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil 


Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.


]]> Pursuing Humility, with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn

In an age when self-promotion is often celebrated as a sign of leadership and strength, humility may seem a lost virtue. Or alternatively, a form of moral condolence for the less successful.

In his recent work, Learning Humility, theologian Richard Foster argues that humility is actually strength, and that learning humility is more needed than ever. As Foster explains, humility releases us from a preoccupation with self, and allows us to live a life of freedom:


“One of the dangers among religious folks is that they can become stuffy bores. And it is hilarity that frees us from that. We don't take ourselves so seriously. We can laugh at our own foibles. If you look carefully… it's not hard to identify humble people. You'll find the freedom that they have to just enjoy life and enjoy other people, enjoy the successes of another person rather than being envious of it. Things like that. And so that's why humility, the most basic of the virtues, opens us up to a life of freedom.”


May Foster’s call to humility, and pastor and writer Brenda Quinn’s practical insights on living it out in leadership and community, inspire you this Lenten season to contemplate the humility of Jesus and the way of the cross.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2022. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Learning Humility, by Richard Foster

Celebration of Discipline, by Richard Foster

Streams of Living Water, by Richard Foster

Sanctuary of the Soul, by Richard Foster

The Life With God Bible, contributed to by Richard Foster
C.S. Lewis

Timothy Keller

The Frenzy of Renown


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

The Long Loneliness, by Dorothy Day

Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley

Who stands Fast, featuring Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Babette's Feast, by Isak Dinesen

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil 


Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.


]]> Tue, 20 Feb 2024 00:05:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2199 Pursuing Humility, with Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn

In an age when self-promotion is often celebrated as a sign of leadership and strength, humility may seem a lost virtue. Or alternatively, a form of moral condolence for the less successful.

In his recent work, Learning Humility, theologian Richard Foster argues that humility is actually strength, and that learning humility is more needed than ever. As Foster explains, humility releases us from a preoccupation with self, and allows us to live a life of freedom:


“One of the dangers among religious folks is that they can become stuffy bores. And it is hilarity that frees us from that. We don't take ourselves so seriously. We can laugh at our own foibles. If you look carefully… it's not hard to identify humble people. You'll find the freedom that they have to just enjoy life and enjoy other people, enjoy the successes of another person rather than being envious of it. Things like that. And so that's why humility, the most basic of the virtues, opens us up to a life of freedom.”


May Foster’s call to humility, and pastor and writer Brenda Quinn’s practical insights on living it out in leadership and community, inspire you this Lenten season to contemplate the humility of Jesus and the way of the cross.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2022. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Richard Foster and Brenda Quinn.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Learning Humility, by Richard Foster

Celebration of Discipline, by Richard Foster

Streams of Living Water, by Richard Foster

Sanctuary of the Soul, by Richard Foster

The Life With God Bible, contributed to by Richard Foster
C.S. Lewis

Timothy Keller

The Frenzy of Renown


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

The Long Loneliness, by Dorothy Day

Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley

Who stands Fast, featuring Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Babette's Feast, by Isak Dinesen

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil 


Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.


]]> No Word Beneath the Words with Malcolm Guite 8 8 73 73 Word Beneath the Words with Malcolm Guite full 3f898461-69fd-4bd4-9575-947837670dca https://share.transistor.fm/s/068224fc Word Beneath the Words with Malcolm Guite


We’re joined on our podcast by poet, priest and songwriter, Malcolm Guite. With grace and insight, Malcolm has written of the mystery, beauty and imaginative force of language and the ways in which our imaginations apprehend truth that our reason cannot fully comprehend:

“Jesus says, love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your soul, and all your strength, and all your mind. And somewhere in all those ‘alls’ is all your imagination.  And in fact, when we look at the teaching of Jesus, it's mostly an appeal to the imagination as a way of perceiving truth in a fresh way. He tells stories and parables.”

We trust that you’ll be inspired by the beauty of Guite’s poetry, and by the ways in which the poetic imagination brings healing to the false divide between the subjective and the objective.

  • 04:44 The Connection Between the Priestly and Poetic Vocations
  • 12:02 The Role of Imagination in Apprehending Truth
  • 17:48 The Responsibility of Language and the Power of Words
  • 23:24 The Idea of Being Spoken into Being
  • 32:25 The Destructive Power of Words
  • 36:23 The Importance of Intellectual Hospitality

This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Malcolm Guite.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

John Donne

Love, Remember, by Malcolm Guite

Parable and Paradox, by Malcolm Guite

Theology and the Poetic Imagination, by Malcolm Guite

The Singing Bowl, by Malcolm Guite

Waiting on the Word, by Malcolm Guite

Lifting the Veil, by Malcolm Guite

Sounding the Seasons, by Malcolm Guite

The Word Within the Words, by Malcolm Guite

Gerard Manley Hopkins

George Herbert

R.S. Thomas

Seamus Heaney

John Keats

Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Wiliiam Wordsworth

William Shakespeare

C. S. Lewis

Sir Andrews

Mere Christianity, by C.S. Lewis

The Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis

John Milton

Edmund Spenser

Thomas Clarkson

Pilgrim's Progress

Diana Glyer

David's Crown, by Malcolm Guite


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Spirit and Imagination, selections from Samuel Taylor Coleridge with an introduction by Malcolm Guite

Bulletins from Immortality: Poems by Emily Dickinson

God's Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins

Sacred and Profane Love, featuring the poetry of John Donne


Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Word Beneath the Words with Malcolm Guite


We’re joined on our podcast by poet, priest and songwriter, Malcolm Guite. With grace and insight, Malcolm has written of the mystery, beauty and imaginative force of language and the ways in which our imaginations apprehend truth that our reason cannot fully comprehend:

“Jesus says, love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your soul, and all your strength, and all your mind. And somewhere in all those ‘alls’ is all your imagination.  And in fact, when we look at the teaching of Jesus, it's mostly an appeal to the imagination as a way of perceiving truth in a fresh way. He tells stories and parables.”

We trust that you’ll be inspired by the beauty of Guite’s poetry, and by the ways in which the poetic imagination brings healing to the false divide between the subjective and the objective.

  • 04:44 The Connection Between the Priestly and Poetic Vocations
  • 12:02 The Role of Imagination in Apprehending Truth
  • 17:48 The Responsibility of Language and the Power of Words
  • 23:24 The Idea of Being Spoken into Being
  • 32:25 The Destructive Power of Words
  • 36:23 The Importance of Intellectual Hospitality

This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Malcolm Guite.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

John Donne

Love, Remember, by Malcolm Guite

Parable and Paradox, by Malcolm Guite

Theology and the Poetic Imagination, by Malcolm Guite

The Singing Bowl, by Malcolm Guite

Waiting on the Word, by Malcolm Guite

Lifting the Veil, by Malcolm Guite

Sounding the Seasons, by Malcolm Guite

The Word Within the Words, by Malcolm Guite

Gerard Manley Hopkins

George Herbert

R.S. Thomas

Seamus Heaney

John Keats

Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Wiliiam Wordsworth

William Shakespeare

C. S. Lewis

Sir Andrews

Mere Christianity, by C.S. Lewis

The Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis

John Milton

Edmund Spenser

Thomas Clarkson

Pilgrim's Progress

Diana Glyer

David's Crown, by Malcolm Guite


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Spirit and Imagination, selections from Samuel Taylor Coleridge with an introduction by Malcolm Guite

Bulletins from Immortality: Poems by Emily Dickinson

God's Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins

Sacred and Profane Love, featuring the poetry of John Donne


Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 06 Feb 2024 00:05:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2541 Word Beneath the Words with Malcolm Guite


We’re joined on our podcast by poet, priest and songwriter, Malcolm Guite. With grace and insight, Malcolm has written of the mystery, beauty and imaginative force of language and the ways in which our imaginations apprehend truth that our reason cannot fully comprehend:

“Jesus says, love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your soul, and all your strength, and all your mind. And somewhere in all those ‘alls’ is all your imagination.  And in fact, when we look at the teaching of Jesus, it's mostly an appeal to the imagination as a way of perceiving truth in a fresh way. He tells stories and parables.”

We trust that you’ll be inspired by the beauty of Guite’s poetry, and by the ways in which the poetic imagination brings healing to the false divide between the subjective and the objective.

  • 04:44 The Connection Between the Priestly and Poetic Vocations
  • 12:02 The Role of Imagination in Apprehending Truth
  • 17:48 The Responsibility of Language and the Power of Words
  • 23:24 The Idea of Being Spoken into Being
  • 32:25 The Destructive Power of Words
  • 36:23 The Importance of Intellectual Hospitality

This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Malcolm Guite.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

John Donne

Love, Remember, by Malcolm Guite

Parable and Paradox, by Malcolm Guite

Theology and the Poetic Imagination, by Malcolm Guite

The Singing Bowl, by Malcolm Guite

Waiting on the Word, by Malcolm Guite

Lifting the Veil, by Malcolm Guite

Sounding the Seasons, by Malcolm Guite

The Word Within the Words, by Malcolm Guite

Gerard Manley Hopkins

George Herbert

R.S. Thomas

Seamus Heaney

John Keats

Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Wiliiam Wordsworth

William Shakespeare

C. S. Lewis

Sir Andrews

Mere Christianity, by C.S. Lewis

The Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis

John Milton

Edmund Spenser

Thomas Clarkson

Pilgrim's Progress

Diana Glyer

David's Crown, by Malcolm Guite


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Spirit and Imagination, selections from Samuel Taylor Coleridge with an introduction by Malcolm Guite

Bulletins from Immortality: Poems by Emily Dickinson

God's Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins

Sacred and Profane Love, featuring the poetry of John Donne


Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite
Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> No Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd 8 8 72 72 Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd full 3505e386-bd3c-4e97-add2-e7a7ffd3eed0 https://share.transistor.fm/s/729a77ec Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd

How should we think about work within, and live faithfully within a world that was called and created to be good and beautiful, and yet everywhere is marred by ugliness and injustice? 

Jazz vocalist and composer Ruth Naomi Floyd joins our podcast to discuss the intersection of music, creativity, and justice, and to help us think deeply about our role in repairing, re-envisioning, and creating new places of beauty, justice, and flourishing:

We know that art shapes and reshapes us and that it's there in the cross of Jesus, I believe, where beauty and violence collided and beauty won. And so that act of loving someone…purposely trying to love someone, especially those that seem or are viewed or deemed unlovable, is…directly connected and intrinsically connected to our art making.

We hope you enjoy and are encouraged by Floyd’s artistic journey, how she finds beauty in the midst of suffering, and her vision for the role of love in creativity.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2021. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Ruth Naomi Floyd.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Frederick Douglass Jazz Works

It Was Good, Making Music to the Glory of God, by Ruth Naomi Floyd

The Problem of Good, by Ruth Naomi Floyd

Dr. John Nunez

Toni Morrison

Martin Luther King Jr.

Vincent van Gogh

Hans Christian Andersen

Miles Davis

Francis Schaeffer

Joshua Stamper


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Letters from Vincent van Gogh

Letter from Birmingham Jail, by Martin Luther King Jr.

Revelation, by Flannery O'Connor, 

Bulletins from Immortality, by Emily Dickinson.

Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd

How should we think about work within, and live faithfully within a world that was called and created to be good and beautiful, and yet everywhere is marred by ugliness and injustice? 

Jazz vocalist and composer Ruth Naomi Floyd joins our podcast to discuss the intersection of music, creativity, and justice, and to help us think deeply about our role in repairing, re-envisioning, and creating new places of beauty, justice, and flourishing:

We know that art shapes and reshapes us and that it's there in the cross of Jesus, I believe, where beauty and violence collided and beauty won. And so that act of loving someone…purposely trying to love someone, especially those that seem or are viewed or deemed unlovable, is…directly connected and intrinsically connected to our art making.

We hope you enjoy and are encouraged by Floyd’s artistic journey, how she finds beauty in the midst of suffering, and her vision for the role of love in creativity.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2021. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Ruth Naomi Floyd.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Frederick Douglass Jazz Works

It Was Good, Making Music to the Glory of God, by Ruth Naomi Floyd

The Problem of Good, by Ruth Naomi Floyd

Dr. John Nunez

Toni Morrison

Martin Luther King Jr.

Vincent van Gogh

Hans Christian Andersen

Miles Davis

Francis Schaeffer

Joshua Stamper


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Letters from Vincent van Gogh

Letter from Birmingham Jail, by Martin Luther King Jr.

Revelation, by Flannery O'Connor, 

Bulletins from Immortality, by Emily Dickinson.

Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 23 Jan 2024 00:10:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1815 Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd

How should we think about work within, and live faithfully within a world that was called and created to be good and beautiful, and yet everywhere is marred by ugliness and injustice? 

Jazz vocalist and composer Ruth Naomi Floyd joins our podcast to discuss the intersection of music, creativity, and justice, and to help us think deeply about our role in repairing, re-envisioning, and creating new places of beauty, justice, and flourishing:

We know that art shapes and reshapes us and that it's there in the cross of Jesus, I believe, where beauty and violence collided and beauty won. And so that act of loving someone…purposely trying to love someone, especially those that seem or are viewed or deemed unlovable, is…directly connected and intrinsically connected to our art making.

We hope you enjoy and are encouraged by Floyd’s artistic journey, how she finds beauty in the midst of suffering, and her vision for the role of love in creativity.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2021. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Ruth Naomi Floyd.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Frederick Douglass Jazz Works

It Was Good, Making Music to the Glory of God, by Ruth Naomi Floyd

The Problem of Good, by Ruth Naomi Floyd

Dr. John Nunez

Toni Morrison

Martin Luther King Jr.

Vincent van Gogh

Hans Christian Andersen

Miles Davis

Francis Schaeffer

Joshua Stamper


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Letters from Vincent van Gogh

Letter from Birmingham Jail, by Martin Luther King Jr.

Revelation, by Flannery O'Connor, 

Bulletins from Immortality, by Emily Dickinson.

Related Conversations:
A New Year With The Word with Malcolm Guite

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> No Tolkien, Lewis, and the Realities of War with Joe Loconte 7 7 71 71 Tolkien, Lewis, and the Realities of War with Joe Loconte full 94fb9885-f458-477a-964c-b03246e65479 https://share.transistor.fm/s/83709444 Learning in Wartime with Lewis and Tolkien and Joe Laconte


Trinity Forum Senior Fellow Joe Loconte joins our podcast to discuss the friendship and legacy of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. He highlights how their wartime experiences, and their subsequent refusal to become disillusioned and disenchanted in the aftermath of World War I allowed for some of the greatest works of literature in modern history.


In the moral and cultural tumult of the inter-war years, their example of resilience and imagination is inspiring. As Joe Loconte shared, they were using their art to actively resist the totalizing and dehumanizing ideologies that were ascendent in their day:

And it's just no coincidence. They are deliberately pushing back, I think, in a way that, that some biographers have not maybe fully appreciated. They are pushing back in their writings against the totalitarian impulse and trying to defend the role of the individual, the choices that individuals have to make.

Joe Loconte reminds us of the surprising return of hope for those who look up—as Samwise Gamgee says in the Lord of the Rings,” In the end the shadow was only a small and passing thing. There was light and high beauty forever beyond its reach.”


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2020. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Joe Loconte here.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

C.S. Lewis

J.R.R. Tolkien

The Searchers: A Quest for Faith in the Valley of Doubt, by Joe Loconte

The End of Illusions: Religious Leaders Confront Hitler's Gathering Storm, by Joe Loconte

God, Locke, and Liberty: The Struggle for Religious Freedom in the West, by Joe Loconte

A Hobbit, A Wardrobe, and A Great War, by Joe Loconte

Mere Christianity, by C.S. Lewis

John Locke

Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien

F. Scott Fitzgerald

Ernest Hemingway

Erich Maria Remarque

The Wasteland, by T. S. Eliot

The Inner Ring, by C.S. Lewis

Owen Barfield

Hugo Dyson

Phantastes, by George MacDonald

The Four Loves, by C.S. Lewis


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

A Time to Stand, by Helmuth James von Moltke

Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley

Children of Light and Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr

The Golden Key, by George MacDonald


Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson
Advent: the Season of Hope with Tish Harrison Warren
Caroling Christmas and Christian Formation with Keith Getty


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Learning in Wartime with Lewis and Tolkien and Joe Laconte


Trinity Forum Senior Fellow Joe Loconte joins our podcast to discuss the friendship and legacy of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. He highlights how their wartime experiences, and their subsequent refusal to become disillusioned and disenchanted in the aftermath of World War I allowed for some of the greatest works of literature in modern history.


In the moral and cultural tumult of the inter-war years, their example of resilience and imagination is inspiring. As Joe Loconte shared, they were using their art to actively resist the totalizing and dehumanizing ideologies that were ascendent in their day:

And it's just no coincidence. They are deliberately pushing back, I think, in a way that, that some biographers have not maybe fully appreciated. They are pushing back in their writings against the totalitarian impulse and trying to defend the role of the individual, the choices that individuals have to make.

Joe Loconte reminds us of the surprising return of hope for those who look up—as Samwise Gamgee says in the Lord of the Rings,” In the end the shadow was only a small and passing thing. There was light and high beauty forever beyond its reach.”


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2020. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Joe Loconte here.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

C.S. Lewis

J.R.R. Tolkien

The Searchers: A Quest for Faith in the Valley of Doubt, by Joe Loconte

The End of Illusions: Religious Leaders Confront Hitler's Gathering Storm, by Joe Loconte

God, Locke, and Liberty: The Struggle for Religious Freedom in the West, by Joe Loconte

A Hobbit, A Wardrobe, and A Great War, by Joe Loconte

Mere Christianity, by C.S. Lewis

John Locke

Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien

F. Scott Fitzgerald

Ernest Hemingway

Erich Maria Remarque

The Wasteland, by T. S. Eliot

The Inner Ring, by C.S. Lewis

Owen Barfield

Hugo Dyson

Phantastes, by George MacDonald

The Four Loves, by C.S. Lewis


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

A Time to Stand, by Helmuth James von Moltke

Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley

Children of Light and Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr

The Golden Key, by George MacDonald


Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson
Advent: the Season of Hope with Tish Harrison Warren
Caroling Christmas and Christian Formation with Keith Getty


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 09 Jan 2024 00:05:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1756 Learning in Wartime with Lewis and Tolkien and Joe Laconte


Trinity Forum Senior Fellow Joe Loconte joins our podcast to discuss the friendship and legacy of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. He highlights how their wartime experiences, and their subsequent refusal to become disillusioned and disenchanted in the aftermath of World War I allowed for some of the greatest works of literature in modern history.


In the moral and cultural tumult of the inter-war years, their example of resilience and imagination is inspiring. As Joe Loconte shared, they were using their art to actively resist the totalizing and dehumanizing ideologies that were ascendent in their day:

And it's just no coincidence. They are deliberately pushing back, I think, in a way that, that some biographers have not maybe fully appreciated. They are pushing back in their writings against the totalitarian impulse and trying to defend the role of the individual, the choices that individuals have to make.

Joe Loconte reminds us of the surprising return of hope for those who look up—as Samwise Gamgee says in the Lord of the Rings,” In the end the shadow was only a small and passing thing. There was light and high beauty forever beyond its reach.”


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2020. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Joe Loconte here.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

C.S. Lewis

J.R.R. Tolkien

The Searchers: A Quest for Faith in the Valley of Doubt, by Joe Loconte

The End of Illusions: Religious Leaders Confront Hitler's Gathering Storm, by Joe Loconte

God, Locke, and Liberty: The Struggle for Religious Freedom in the West, by Joe Loconte

A Hobbit, A Wardrobe, and A Great War, by Joe Loconte

Mere Christianity, by C.S. Lewis

John Locke

Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien

F. Scott Fitzgerald

Ernest Hemingway

Erich Maria Remarque

The Wasteland, by T. S. Eliot

The Inner Ring, by C.S. Lewis

Owen Barfield

Hugo Dyson

Phantastes, by George MacDonald

The Four Loves, by C.S. Lewis


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

A Time to Stand, by Helmuth James von Moltke

Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley

Children of Light and Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr

The Golden Key, by George MacDonald


Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson
Advent: the Season of Hope with Tish Harrison Warren
Caroling Christmas and Christian Formation with Keith Getty


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> No Hope in an Age of Anxiety 7 7 70 70 Hope in an Age of Anxiety full 7bc43767-0719-4930-8307-76aed59d5ac2 https://share.transistor.fm/s/2a03709b We are in an anxious age. By some estimates, a third of all Americans will struggle with anxiety in their lives, and nearly 20% currently suffer from an anxiety disorder. For those suffering the mental distortions of anxiety, life can be difficult, and hope elusive. And for many Christians who have tried and failed to stop their slide into fear and worry by simply “laying down their burdens,” they may feel an added sense of spiritual failure as well.


We’re joined on our podcast by psychiatrist Curt Thopmson and theologian Curtis Chang who help us explore a counterintuitive approach to understanding our anxiety:

I believe the Bible and Jesus's own life invites us to treat [anxiety] not as a problem to make go away, but precisely as a signal. A signal, an invitation, what I call an opportunity, an invitation to walk through anxiety, to actually experience it in the way that actually we were designed to by God for spiritual growth in Jesus, where we actually meet Jesus more deeply, precisely in our anxiety.

It's not that we have to make anxiety go away, and then finally, then we're like qualified to somehow be with Jesus. It's that actually in our experience of anxiety, that's where we encounter Jesus most deeply and encounter the truths about ourselves most deeply.

This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2023. Watch the full video of the conversation here. Learn more about Curt Thopmson and Curtis Chang.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Anxiety Opportunity: How Worry is the Doorway to Your Best Self, by Curtis Chang

The Age of Anxiety, by W.H. Auden

The Anatomy of the Soul, The Soul of Shame, The Soul of Desire, by Curt Thompson

Jonathan Haidt

Richard Schwartz


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil

Augustine's Confessions

Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley

The Long Loneliness, by Dorothy Day


Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt

How to Know a Person with David Brooks
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.


]]> We are in an anxious age. By some estimates, a third of all Americans will struggle with anxiety in their lives, and nearly 20% currently suffer from an anxiety disorder. For those suffering the mental distortions of anxiety, life can be difficult, and hope elusive. And for many Christians who have tried and failed to stop their slide into fear and worry by simply “laying down their burdens,” they may feel an added sense of spiritual failure as well.


We’re joined on our podcast by psychiatrist Curt Thopmson and theologian Curtis Chang who help us explore a counterintuitive approach to understanding our anxiety:

I believe the Bible and Jesus's own life invites us to treat [anxiety] not as a problem to make go away, but precisely as a signal. A signal, an invitation, what I call an opportunity, an invitation to walk through anxiety, to actually experience it in the way that actually we were designed to by God for spiritual growth in Jesus, where we actually meet Jesus more deeply, precisely in our anxiety.

It's not that we have to make anxiety go away, and then finally, then we're like qualified to somehow be with Jesus. It's that actually in our experience of anxiety, that's where we encounter Jesus most deeply and encounter the truths about ourselves most deeply.

This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2023. Watch the full video of the conversation here. Learn more about Curt Thopmson and Curtis Chang.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Anxiety Opportunity: How Worry is the Doorway to Your Best Self, by Curtis Chang

The Age of Anxiety, by W.H. Auden

The Anatomy of the Soul, The Soul of Shame, The Soul of Desire, by Curt Thompson

Jonathan Haidt

Richard Schwartz


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil

Augustine's Confessions

Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley

The Long Loneliness, by Dorothy Day


Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt

How to Know a Person with David Brooks
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.


]]> Tue, 26 Dec 2023 00:05:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2265 We are in an anxious age. By some estimates, a third of all Americans will struggle with anxiety in their lives, and nearly 20% currently suffer from an anxiety disorder. For those suffering the mental distortions of anxiety, life can be difficult, and hope elusive. And for many Christians who have tried and failed to stop their slide into fear and worry by simply “laying down their burdens,” they may feel an added sense of spiritual failure as well.


We’re joined on our podcast by psychiatrist Curt Thopmson and theologian Curtis Chang who help us explore a counterintuitive approach to understanding our anxiety:

I believe the Bible and Jesus's own life invites us to treat [anxiety] not as a problem to make go away, but precisely as a signal. A signal, an invitation, what I call an opportunity, an invitation to walk through anxiety, to actually experience it in the way that actually we were designed to by God for spiritual growth in Jesus, where we actually meet Jesus more deeply, precisely in our anxiety.

It's not that we have to make anxiety go away, and then finally, then we're like qualified to somehow be with Jesus. It's that actually in our experience of anxiety, that's where we encounter Jesus most deeply and encounter the truths about ourselves most deeply.

This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2023. Watch the full video of the conversation here. Learn more about Curt Thopmson and Curtis Chang.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Anxiety Opportunity: How Worry is the Doorway to Your Best Self, by Curtis Chang

The Age of Anxiety, by W.H. Auden

The Anatomy of the Soul, The Soul of Shame, The Soul of Desire, by Curt Thompson

Jonathan Haidt

Richard Schwartz


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil

Augustine's Confessions

Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley

The Long Loneliness, by Dorothy Day


Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt

How to Know a Person with David Brooks
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.


]]> No Caroling Christmas and Christian Formation with Keith Getty 7 7 69 69 Caroling Christmas and Christian Formation with Keith Getty full 6cdfa4d4-2401-43cb-8551-9a33ffd9a1c5 https://share.transistor.fm/s/e94071f6 During Advent and Christmastide–and at all times–how can we understand and fully experience the formative power of music? And amid distraction and anxiety, how can we keep Christ at the center of our hearts as we sing?

As Keith Getty explains, Christmas carols are not only about festivity, but also formation. For all of the delight they bring, they stand as musical masterpieces that teach deep truths, embed them within our memory and consciousness, unite a disparate people in praise, and cultivate and orient our sense of joy:

“We're fearfully and wonderfully made. We remember tunes and we forget sermons, not because we're bad people, but it's because of how God made us. The carols are special because repetition is a form of liturgy. And each Christmas, the liturgy of singing provides such an opportunity for us.” - Keith Getty

This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded earlier this month. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Keith Getty here.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Sing! How Worship Transforms Your Life, Family, and Church, by Keith and Kristen Getty

John Lennox
Winston Churchill

Charles Wesley

Felix Mendelssohn

Jeremy Begbie

Alistair Begg

Isaac Watts

John Calvin


Keith Getty is an extraordinary hymn writer, musician, and catalyst for the modern hymn movement. He joined us for a special Trinity Forum Online Conversation to explore music, formation, and beauty which we're pleased to bring you now as a special podcast during this season of Advent.

This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded earlier this month. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Keith Getty here.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Sing! How Worship Transforms Your Life, Family, and Church, by Keith and Kristen Getty


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Bright Evening Star, by Madeleine L'Engle

Why God Became Man, by Anselm of Canterbury

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard

The Strangest Story in the World, by G.K. Chesterton

Handel's Messiah 

Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson
Advent: the Season of Hope with Tish Harrison Warren


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> During Advent and Christmastide–and at all times–how can we understand and fully experience the formative power of music? And amid distraction and anxiety, how can we keep Christ at the center of our hearts as we sing?

As Keith Getty explains, Christmas carols are not only about festivity, but also formation. For all of the delight they bring, they stand as musical masterpieces that teach deep truths, embed them within our memory and consciousness, unite a disparate people in praise, and cultivate and orient our sense of joy:

“We're fearfully and wonderfully made. We remember tunes and we forget sermons, not because we're bad people, but it's because of how God made us. The carols are special because repetition is a form of liturgy. And each Christmas, the liturgy of singing provides such an opportunity for us.” - Keith Getty

This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded earlier this month. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Keith Getty here.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Sing! How Worship Transforms Your Life, Family, and Church, by Keith and Kristen Getty

John Lennox
Winston Churchill

Charles Wesley

Felix Mendelssohn

Jeremy Begbie

Alistair Begg

Isaac Watts

John Calvin


Keith Getty is an extraordinary hymn writer, musician, and catalyst for the modern hymn movement. He joined us for a special Trinity Forum Online Conversation to explore music, formation, and beauty which we're pleased to bring you now as a special podcast during this season of Advent.

This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded earlier this month. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Keith Getty here.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Sing! How Worship Transforms Your Life, Family, and Church, by Keith and Kristen Getty


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Bright Evening Star, by Madeleine L'Engle

Why God Became Man, by Anselm of Canterbury

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard

The Strangest Story in the World, by G.K. Chesterton

Handel's Messiah 

Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson
Advent: the Season of Hope with Tish Harrison Warren


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 19 Dec 2023 00:15:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1756 During Advent and Christmastide–and at all times–how can we understand and fully experience the formative power of music? And amid distraction and anxiety, how can we keep Christ at the center of our hearts as we sing?

As Keith Getty explains, Christmas carols are not only about festivity, but also formation. For all of the delight they bring, they stand as musical masterpieces that teach deep truths, embed them within our memory and consciousness, unite a disparate people in praise, and cultivate and orient our sense of joy:

“We're fearfully and wonderfully made. We remember tunes and we forget sermons, not because we're bad people, but it's because of how God made us. The carols are special because repetition is a form of liturgy. And each Christmas, the liturgy of singing provides such an opportunity for us.” - Keith Getty

This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded earlier this month. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Keith Getty here.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Sing! How Worship Transforms Your Life, Family, and Church, by Keith and Kristen Getty

John Lennox
Winston Churchill

Charles Wesley

Felix Mendelssohn

Jeremy Begbie

Alistair Begg

Isaac Watts

John Calvin


Keith Getty is an extraordinary hymn writer, musician, and catalyst for the modern hymn movement. He joined us for a special Trinity Forum Online Conversation to explore music, formation, and beauty which we're pleased to bring you now as a special podcast during this season of Advent.

This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded earlier this month. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Keith Getty here.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Sing! How Worship Transforms Your Life, Family, and Church, by Keith and Kristen Getty


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Bright Evening Star, by Madeleine L'Engle

Why God Became Man, by Anselm of Canterbury

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard

The Strangest Story in the World, by G.K. Chesterton

Handel's Messiah 

Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson
Advent: the Season of Hope with Tish Harrison Warren


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> No Advent: The Season of Hope with Tish Harrison Warren 7 7 68 68 Advent: The Season of Hope with Tish Harrison Warren full e89a31a7-7478-451d-b106-38ff2b630fd2 https://share.transistor.fm/s/ea1f7831 The season of Advent calls us to remember the incarnation of Christ into our world while anticipating his future return. Yet what does Advent have to tell us about our present “now and not yet” moment?


In her new book Advent: The Season of Hope, priest, author, and Trinity Forum Senior Fellow Tish Harrison Warren draws our attention towards the ways the church reflects and represents the incarnation of Christ, and how our waiting can be transformed from drudgery to joy by the object of our hope:

The only way that waiting can be transformed to this thing that is full of joy, that has anticipation, that is hopeful and not just drudgery or sorrow is if the character of the one we are waiting for, or who is asking us to wait in this case, is trustworthy, and if what we're waiting for is worth the wait. - Tish Harrison Warren

This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in December of 2023. Watch the full video of the conversation here. Learn more about Tish Harrison Warren.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Liturgy of the Ordinary, by Tish Harrison Warren

Prayer In the Night, by Tish Harrison Warren

Advent: The Season of Hope, by Tish Harrison Warren

Receiving the Day, by Dorothy Bass


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Bright Evening Star, by Madeleine L'Engle

Why God Became Man, by Anselm of Canterbury

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard

The Strangest Story in the World, by G.K. Chesterton

Handel's Messiah 

Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> The season of Advent calls us to remember the incarnation of Christ into our world while anticipating his future return. Yet what does Advent have to tell us about our present “now and not yet” moment?


In her new book Advent: The Season of Hope, priest, author, and Trinity Forum Senior Fellow Tish Harrison Warren draws our attention towards the ways the church reflects and represents the incarnation of Christ, and how our waiting can be transformed from drudgery to joy by the object of our hope:

The only way that waiting can be transformed to this thing that is full of joy, that has anticipation, that is hopeful and not just drudgery or sorrow is if the character of the one we are waiting for, or who is asking us to wait in this case, is trustworthy, and if what we're waiting for is worth the wait. - Tish Harrison Warren

This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in December of 2023. Watch the full video of the conversation here. Learn more about Tish Harrison Warren.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Liturgy of the Ordinary, by Tish Harrison Warren

Prayer In the Night, by Tish Harrison Warren

Advent: The Season of Hope, by Tish Harrison Warren

Receiving the Day, by Dorothy Bass


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Bright Evening Star, by Madeleine L'Engle

Why God Became Man, by Anselm of Canterbury

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard

The Strangest Story in the World, by G.K. Chesterton

Handel's Messiah 

Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 12 Dec 2023 00:05:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2083 The season of Advent calls us to remember the incarnation of Christ into our world while anticipating his future return. Yet what does Advent have to tell us about our present “now and not yet” moment?


In her new book Advent: The Season of Hope, priest, author, and Trinity Forum Senior Fellow Tish Harrison Warren draws our attention towards the ways the church reflects and represents the incarnation of Christ, and how our waiting can be transformed from drudgery to joy by the object of our hope:

The only way that waiting can be transformed to this thing that is full of joy, that has anticipation, that is hopeful and not just drudgery or sorrow is if the character of the one we are waiting for, or who is asking us to wait in this case, is trustworthy, and if what we're waiting for is worth the wait. - Tish Harrison Warren

This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in December of 2023. Watch the full video of the conversation here. Learn more about Tish Harrison Warren.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Liturgy of the Ordinary, by Tish Harrison Warren

Prayer In the Night, by Tish Harrison Warren

Advent: The Season of Hope, by Tish Harrison Warren

Receiving the Day, by Dorothy Bass


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Bright Evening Star, by Madeleine L'Engle

Why God Became Man, by Anselm of Canterbury

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard

The Strangest Story in the World, by G.K. Chesterton

Handel's Messiah 

Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Advent No How to Know a Person with David Brooks 7 7 67 67 How to Know a Person with David Brooks full b86537cf-3c36-49ad-9d1e-6e8636708565 https://share.transistor.fm/s/8137cbb3 In a society where so many feel unseen and unknown, how do we become the kind of people who deeply see and know those around us? The conflict and division in our society demonstrate the need for people committed to pursuing human connection, even across lines of difference. What can we do – as individuals and in community – that will help us really understand the people in our lives?


David Brooks, author of How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen, joined us to explore what it means to know others and to be known by them:

When I ask people, tell me about a time you've been seen, they tell me with bright eyes and joy in their face, they tell me about time somebody totally got them. Because seeing someone, if I see potential in you, you'll see potential in yourself. If I beam my attention on you, you'll blossom. And so it's just super powerful to feel seen. But it's also powerful and fantastic to feel like you're the seer.

This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2023. Watch the full video of the conversation here. Learn more about David Brooks.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Bobos in Paradise, On Paradise Drive, The Social Animal, The Road to Character, The Second Mountain, and How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen, by David Brooks

Frederick Buechner

Iris Murdoch

Dan McAdams

Mónica Guzmán

E. M. Foster

Jennie Jerome

William Gladstone

Benjamin Disraeli

Harry Nyquist

Andy Crouch

Michael Gerson

Man's Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl 

Thornton Wilder

Oprah Winfrey

Kate Murphey


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil


Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> In a society where so many feel unseen and unknown, how do we become the kind of people who deeply see and know those around us? The conflict and division in our society demonstrate the need for people committed to pursuing human connection, even across lines of difference. What can we do – as individuals and in community – that will help us really understand the people in our lives?


David Brooks, author of How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen, joined us to explore what it means to know others and to be known by them:

When I ask people, tell me about a time you've been seen, they tell me with bright eyes and joy in their face, they tell me about time somebody totally got them. Because seeing someone, if I see potential in you, you'll see potential in yourself. If I beam my attention on you, you'll blossom. And so it's just super powerful to feel seen. But it's also powerful and fantastic to feel like you're the seer.

This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2023. Watch the full video of the conversation here. Learn more about David Brooks.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Bobos in Paradise, On Paradise Drive, The Social Animal, The Road to Character, The Second Mountain, and How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen, by David Brooks

Frederick Buechner

Iris Murdoch

Dan McAdams

Mónica Guzmán

E. M. Foster

Jennie Jerome

William Gladstone

Benjamin Disraeli

Harry Nyquist

Andy Crouch

Michael Gerson

Man's Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl 

Thornton Wilder

Oprah Winfrey

Kate Murphey


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil


Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 28 Nov 2023 00:30:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2261 In a society where so many feel unseen and unknown, how do we become the kind of people who deeply see and know those around us? The conflict and division in our society demonstrate the need for people committed to pursuing human connection, even across lines of difference. What can we do – as individuals and in community – that will help us really understand the people in our lives?


David Brooks, author of How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen, joined us to explore what it means to know others and to be known by them:

When I ask people, tell me about a time you've been seen, they tell me with bright eyes and joy in their face, they tell me about time somebody totally got them. Because seeing someone, if I see potential in you, you'll see potential in yourself. If I beam my attention on you, you'll blossom. And so it's just super powerful to feel seen. But it's also powerful and fantastic to feel like you're the seer.

This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2023. Watch the full video of the conversation here. Learn more about David Brooks.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Bobos in Paradise, On Paradise Drive, The Social Animal, The Road to Character, The Second Mountain, and How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen, by David Brooks

Frederick Buechner

Iris Murdoch

Dan McAdams

Mónica Guzmán

E. M. Foster

Jennie Jerome

William Gladstone

Benjamin Disraeli

Harry Nyquist

Andy Crouch

Michael Gerson

Man's Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl 

Thornton Wilder

Oprah Winfrey

Kate Murphey


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil


Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> No After Babel with Jonathan Haidt and Andy Crouch 7 7 66 66 After Babel with Jonathan Haidt and Andy Crouch full ac08f3d7-fd4d-4825-9d6a-e4c2b1232eea https://share.transistor.fm/s/3c1db146 We were made for relationship — to be seen, loved, known, and committed to others. And yet we increasingly find ourselves, in the words of sociologist Jonathan Haidt, “disoriented, unable to speak the same language or recognize the same truth. We are cut off from one another and from the past.”

On our podcast Haidt and bestselling author Andy Crouch pair up to explore how the technology era has seduced us with a false vision of human flourishing—and how each of us can fight back, and restore true community:

“A person is a heart, soul, mind, strength, complex designed for love. And one of the really damaging things about our technology is very little of our technology develops all four of those qualities.” - Andy Crouch

We hope you enjoy this conversation about the seismic effects technology has had on our personal relationships, civic institutions, and even democratic foundations — and how we might approach rethinking our technologies and reclaiming human connection.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2022. Watch the full video of the conversation here. Learn more about Jonathan Haidt and Andy Crouch.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Happiness Hypothesis, by Jonathan Haidt

The Coddling of the American Mind, by Jonathan Haidt

The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion, by Jonathan Haidt

Culture Making, by Andy Crouch

Playing God, by Andy Crouch

Strong and Weak, by Andy Crouch

The TechWise Family, by Andy Crouch

My TechWise Life, by Amy and Andy Crouch

The Life We're Looking For: Reclaiming Relationship in a Technological World, by Andy Crouch

Ernest Hemingway

Francis Bacon

Howard Hotson

Greg Lukianoff

Wolfram Schultz

The Sacred Canopy, by Peter L. Berger

Epictetus

Marcus Aurelius

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Brave New World, by Alduous Huxley

Bulletins from Immortality: Poems by Emily Dickinson

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard

Politics and the English Language, by George Orwell

The Origins of Totalitarianism, by Hannah Arendt

City of God, by St. Augustine of Hippo

Children of Light and Children of Darkness by Reinhold Niebuhr

On Happiness, by Thomas Aquinas


Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks ...

]]> We were made for relationship — to be seen, loved, known, and committed to others. And yet we increasingly find ourselves, in the words of sociologist Jonathan Haidt, “disoriented, unable to speak the same language or recognize the same truth. We are cut off from one another and from the past.”

On our podcast Haidt and bestselling author Andy Crouch pair up to explore how the technology era has seduced us with a false vision of human flourishing—and how each of us can fight back, and restore true community:

“A person is a heart, soul, mind, strength, complex designed for love. And one of the really damaging things about our technology is very little of our technology develops all four of those qualities.” - Andy Crouch

We hope you enjoy this conversation about the seismic effects technology has had on our personal relationships, civic institutions, and even democratic foundations — and how we might approach rethinking our technologies and reclaiming human connection.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2022. Watch the full video of the conversation here. Learn more about Jonathan Haidt and Andy Crouch.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Happiness Hypothesis, by Jonathan Haidt

The Coddling of the American Mind, by Jonathan Haidt

The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion, by Jonathan Haidt

Culture Making, by Andy Crouch

Playing God, by Andy Crouch

Strong and Weak, by Andy Crouch

The TechWise Family, by Andy Crouch

My TechWise Life, by Amy and Andy Crouch

The Life We're Looking For: Reclaiming Relationship in a Technological World, by Andy Crouch

Ernest Hemingway

Francis Bacon

Howard Hotson

Greg Lukianoff

Wolfram Schultz

The Sacred Canopy, by Peter L. Berger

Epictetus

Marcus Aurelius

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Brave New World, by Alduous Huxley

Bulletins from Immortality: Poems by Emily Dickinson

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard

Politics and the English Language, by George Orwell

The Origins of Totalitarianism, by Hannah Arendt

City of God, by St. Augustine of Hippo

Children of Light and Children of Darkness by Reinhold Niebuhr

On Happiness, by Thomas Aquinas


Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks ...

]]> Tue, 14 Nov 2023 00:05:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2600 We were made for relationship — to be seen, loved, known, and committed to others. And yet we increasingly find ourselves, in the words of sociologist Jonathan Haidt, “disoriented, unable to speak the same language or recognize the same truth. We are cut off from one another and from the past.”

On our podcast Haidt and bestselling author Andy Crouch pair up to explore how the technology era has seduced us with a false vision of human flourishing—and how each of us can fight back, and restore true community:

“A person is a heart, soul, mind, strength, complex designed for love. And one of the really damaging things about our technology is very little of our technology develops all four of those qualities.” - Andy Crouch

We hope you enjoy this conversation about the seismic effects technology has had on our personal relationships, civic institutions, and even democratic foundations — and how we might approach rethinking our technologies and reclaiming human connection.


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2022. Watch the full video of the conversation here. Learn more about Jonathan Haidt and Andy Crouch.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Happiness Hypothesis, by Jonathan Haidt

The Coddling of the American Mind, by Jonathan Haidt

The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion, by Jonathan Haidt

Culture Making, by Andy Crouch

Playing God, by Andy Crouch

Strong and Weak, by Andy Crouch

The TechWise Family, by Andy Crouch

My TechWise Life, by Amy and Andy Crouch

The Life We're Looking For: Reclaiming Relationship in a Technological World, by Andy Crouch

Ernest Hemingway

Francis Bacon

Howard Hotson

Greg Lukianoff

Wolfram Schultz

The Sacred Canopy, by Peter L. Berger

Epictetus

Marcus Aurelius

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Brave New World, by Alduous Huxley

Bulletins from Immortality: Poems by Emily Dickinson

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard

Politics and the English Language, by George Orwell

The Origins of Totalitarianism, by Hannah Arendt

City of God, by St. Augustine of Hippo

Children of Light and Children of Darkness by Reinhold Niebuhr

On Happiness, by Thomas Aquinas


Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks ...

]]> No Trust, Truth, and the Knowledge Crisis 7 7 65 65 Trust, Truth, and the Knowledge Crisis full 71c086ea-0100-4598-926f-1e6e1c3f00d4 https://share.transistor.fm/s/07a9bc6c The question “How do I know what’s true?” comes up with increasing frequency and urgency in our time of angry polarization, deliberately-stoked outrage, and earned distrust. There is money to be made and a growing market for the kind of misinformation that reinforces our views and confirms our preconceptions — as well as a large price to be paid:

“We like to tell ourselves that we're consuming this political media because we're going to be good citizens and we're going to be well informed and have, you know, very rational opinions and all sorts of flattering things like that. But in practice, what our behavior suggests is that that's not actually why we're consuming this media.

“We're consuming it because of how it affects us emotionally and how it makes us feel better about ourselves than other people. How it excites us, how it sort of inflames us.” 

Drawing on her experience as a journalist, Bonnie Kristian joined us in October 2022 to explore the sources that contribute to widespread confusion and conspiracy thinking. She offers insight into ways to combat misinformation and pursue truth in our own lives, families, and church communities, and we hope you’ll find this conversation encouraging, and practical.


This podcast is an edited version of an evening conversation recorded in 2022. Watch the full video of the conversation here. Learn more about Bonnie Kristian.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

A Flexible Faith: Rethinking What it Means to Follow Jesus Today, by Bonnie Kristian

Untrustworthy: the Knowledge Crisis Breaking Our Brains, Polluting our Politics, and Corrupting Christian Community, by Bonnie Kristian

Hannah Arendt

N.T. Wright

Thomas Aquinas


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

The Origins of Totalitarianism, by Hannah Arendt

City of God, by St. Augustine of Hippo

Children of Light and Children of Darkness by Reinhold Niebuhr

Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley

On Happiness, by Thomas Aquinas


Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> The question “How do I know what’s true?” comes up with increasing frequency and urgency in our time of angry polarization, deliberately-stoked outrage, and earned distrust. There is money to be made and a growing market for the kind of misinformation that reinforces our views and confirms our preconceptions — as well as a large price to be paid:

“We like to tell ourselves that we're consuming this political media because we're going to be good citizens and we're going to be well informed and have, you know, very rational opinions and all sorts of flattering things like that. But in practice, what our behavior suggests is that that's not actually why we're consuming this media.

“We're consuming it because of how it affects us emotionally and how it makes us feel better about ourselves than other people. How it excites us, how it sort of inflames us.” 

Drawing on her experience as a journalist, Bonnie Kristian joined us in October 2022 to explore the sources that contribute to widespread confusion and conspiracy thinking. She offers insight into ways to combat misinformation and pursue truth in our own lives, families, and church communities, and we hope you’ll find this conversation encouraging, and practical.


This podcast is an edited version of an evening conversation recorded in 2022. Watch the full video of the conversation here. Learn more about Bonnie Kristian.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

A Flexible Faith: Rethinking What it Means to Follow Jesus Today, by Bonnie Kristian

Untrustworthy: the Knowledge Crisis Breaking Our Brains, Polluting our Politics, and Corrupting Christian Community, by Bonnie Kristian

Hannah Arendt

N.T. Wright

Thomas Aquinas


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

The Origins of Totalitarianism, by Hannah Arendt

City of God, by St. Augustine of Hippo

Children of Light and Children of Darkness by Reinhold Niebuhr

Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley

On Happiness, by Thomas Aquinas


Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 31 Oct 2023 00:15:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2036 The question “How do I know what’s true?” comes up with increasing frequency and urgency in our time of angry polarization, deliberately-stoked outrage, and earned distrust. There is money to be made and a growing market for the kind of misinformation that reinforces our views and confirms our preconceptions — as well as a large price to be paid:

“We like to tell ourselves that we're consuming this political media because we're going to be good citizens and we're going to be well informed and have, you know, very rational opinions and all sorts of flattering things like that. But in practice, what our behavior suggests is that that's not actually why we're consuming this media.

“We're consuming it because of how it affects us emotionally and how it makes us feel better about ourselves than other people. How it excites us, how it sort of inflames us.” 

Drawing on her experience as a journalist, Bonnie Kristian joined us in October 2022 to explore the sources that contribute to widespread confusion and conspiracy thinking. She offers insight into ways to combat misinformation and pursue truth in our own lives, families, and church communities, and we hope you’ll find this conversation encouraging, and practical.


This podcast is an edited version of an evening conversation recorded in 2022. Watch the full video of the conversation here. Learn more about Bonnie Kristian.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

A Flexible Faith: Rethinking What it Means to Follow Jesus Today, by Bonnie Kristian

Untrustworthy: the Knowledge Crisis Breaking Our Brains, Polluting our Politics, and Corrupting Christian Community, by Bonnie Kristian

Hannah Arendt

N.T. Wright

Thomas Aquinas


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

The Origins of Totalitarianism, by Hannah Arendt

City of God, by St. Augustine of Hippo

Children of Light and Children of Darkness by Reinhold Niebuhr

Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley

On Happiness, by Thomas Aquinas


Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> No Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks 7 7 64 64 Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks full 99eaed60-0be1-4f82-a258-fe5e116cd010 https://share.transistor.fm/s/17553790 Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks

In his book, Love Your Enemies best-selling author, thought leader, and professor Arthur Brooks blends cutting-edge behavioral research and ancient wisdom to offer a better way to bridge divides and mend relationships.


In March of 2022, The Trinity Forum hosted an Evening Conversation with Brooks to help us explore just how to love those we disagree with and be agents of redemption and reconciliation amidst a divisive time. Arthur unpacked several of the strategies necessary to overcome such cleavages and restore harmony, and the moral courage required:

“We often hear today, in our culture of activism and anger, that real courage is standing up to the people with whom you disagree, sticking it to the people with whom you disagree publicly. That's moral courage.

That's wrong. That is maybe a perfectly fine thing to do. You should stand up and say the things that you believe. But that's not moral courage.

You know what moral courage is? My father taught me this as a kid. Moral courage is standing up for the people with whom you disagree. Standing up to the people with whom you agree on behalf of those with whom you disagree. That's moral courage”.- Arthur Brooks

We hope this conversation kindles in you a deeper affection for your neighbors, and a greater desire to see the divisions in our communities and our nation be healed.


This podcast is an edited version of an evening conversation recorded in 2022. Watch the full video of the conversation here. Learn more about Arthur Brooks.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Love your Enemies, by Arthur Brooks

Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life, by Arthur Brooks

Arthur Schopenhauer

John and Julie Gottman

Dalai Lama


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

City of God by St. Augustine of Hippo

Children of Light and Children of Darkness by Reinhold Niebuhr


Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks

In his book, Love Your Enemies best-selling author, thought leader, and professor Arthur Brooks blends cutting-edge behavioral research and ancient wisdom to offer a better way to bridge divides and mend relationships.


In March of 2022, The Trinity Forum hosted an Evening Conversation with Brooks to help us explore just how to love those we disagree with and be agents of redemption and reconciliation amidst a divisive time. Arthur unpacked several of the strategies necessary to overcome such cleavages and restore harmony, and the moral courage required:

“We often hear today, in our culture of activism and anger, that real courage is standing up to the people with whom you disagree, sticking it to the people with whom you disagree publicly. That's moral courage.

That's wrong. That is maybe a perfectly fine thing to do. You should stand up and say the things that you believe. But that's not moral courage.

You know what moral courage is? My father taught me this as a kid. Moral courage is standing up for the people with whom you disagree. Standing up to the people with whom you agree on behalf of those with whom you disagree. That's moral courage”.- Arthur Brooks

We hope this conversation kindles in you a deeper affection for your neighbors, and a greater desire to see the divisions in our communities and our nation be healed.


This podcast is an edited version of an evening conversation recorded in 2022. Watch the full video of the conversation here. Learn more about Arthur Brooks.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Love your Enemies, by Arthur Brooks

Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life, by Arthur Brooks

Arthur Schopenhauer

John and Julie Gottman

Dalai Lama


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

City of God by St. Augustine of Hippo

Children of Light and Children of Darkness by Reinhold Niebuhr


Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 17 Oct 2023 00:30:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 3020 Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks

In his book, Love Your Enemies best-selling author, thought leader, and professor Arthur Brooks blends cutting-edge behavioral research and ancient wisdom to offer a better way to bridge divides and mend relationships.


In March of 2022, The Trinity Forum hosted an Evening Conversation with Brooks to help us explore just how to love those we disagree with and be agents of redemption and reconciliation amidst a divisive time. Arthur unpacked several of the strategies necessary to overcome such cleavages and restore harmony, and the moral courage required:

“We often hear today, in our culture of activism and anger, that real courage is standing up to the people with whom you disagree, sticking it to the people with whom you disagree publicly. That's moral courage.

That's wrong. That is maybe a perfectly fine thing to do. You should stand up and say the things that you believe. But that's not moral courage.

You know what moral courage is? My father taught me this as a kid. Moral courage is standing up for the people with whom you disagree. Standing up to the people with whom you agree on behalf of those with whom you disagree. That's moral courage”.- Arthur Brooks

We hope this conversation kindles in you a deeper affection for your neighbors, and a greater desire to see the divisions in our communities and our nation be healed.


This podcast is an edited version of an evening conversation recorded in 2022. Watch the full video of the conversation here. Learn more about Arthur Brooks.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Love your Enemies, by Arthur Brooks

Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life, by Arthur Brooks

Arthur Schopenhauer

John and Julie Gottman

Dalai Lama


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

City of God by St. Augustine of Hippo

Children of Light and Children of Darkness by Reinhold Niebuhr


Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> No Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division 7 7 63 63 Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division full bffeacaf-f328-4e01-81d8-aa2f306f36f0 https://share.transistor.fm/s/7828f05d Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier


A recent Gallup poll found that over 70% of Americans are both worried about and deeply dissatisfied with the racial tensions and divisions in the country. And yet when those numbers are broken down, you’ll find that around a third of white Americans consider a race to be a significant problem in the country, compared to around three quarters of African Americans and nearly 60% of Latinos.


Given these differences both in perception as well as the many differences of opinion that are embedded in it, how do we understand and live out the biblical mandate to love our neighbor? How do we learn to know and love our neighbor across difference?


Dr. Mac Pier and Bishop Claude Alexander join our podcast to help us think deeply about our various spheres and stations and how through intention and vulnerability, we can begin to heal divides, overcome injustice, and create new places of mercy and flourishing:


“It's really important for those of us that have had opportunities to really think about what is our role in making things right…and in God's commitment to that. And just as God met our need for justice on the cross, he invites us to meet the need for justice in community with one another.” - Mac Pier


We hope this conversation inspires you to deepen your commitment to being an agent of reconciliation right where you are. Because as Dr. Pier shares, it’s a “radically powerful thing when we become enveloped relationally and affectionately by people that are different from ourselves.”


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in November of 2021. Get a full transcript and watch a video of the conversation here. Learn more about Bishop Alexander and Dr. Pier.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Required: God’s Call to Justice, Mercy, and Humility to Overcome Racial Division, by Bishop Claude Alexander and Dr. Mac Pier

Necessary Christianity: What Jesus Shows We Must Be and Do, by Claude Alexander

A Disruptive Gospel: Stories and Strategies for Transforming Your City, by Mac Pier

A Disruptive Generosity: Stories of Transforming Cities through Strategic Giving, by Mac Pier

A Disruptive God: Encounter Psalm 23 and Discover God's Purpose For You, by Mac Pier


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

City of God by St. Augustine of Hippo

Children of Light and Children of Darkness by Reinhold Niebuhr

Letter from a Birmingham Jail by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela


Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier


A recent Gallup poll found that over 70% of Americans are both worried about and deeply dissatisfied with the racial tensions and divisions in the country. And yet when those numbers are broken down, you’ll find that around a third of white Americans consider a race to be a significant problem in the country, compared to around three quarters of African Americans and nearly 60% of Latinos.


Given these differences both in perception as well as the many differences of opinion that are embedded in it, how do we understand and live out the biblical mandate to love our neighbor? How do we learn to know and love our neighbor across difference?


Dr. Mac Pier and Bishop Claude Alexander join our podcast to help us think deeply about our various spheres and stations and how through intention and vulnerability, we can begin to heal divides, overcome injustice, and create new places of mercy and flourishing:


“It's really important for those of us that have had opportunities to really think about what is our role in making things right…and in God's commitment to that. And just as God met our need for justice on the cross, he invites us to meet the need for justice in community with one another.” - Mac Pier


We hope this conversation inspires you to deepen your commitment to being an agent of reconciliation right where you are. Because as Dr. Pier shares, it’s a “radically powerful thing when we become enveloped relationally and affectionately by people that are different from ourselves.”


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in November of 2021. Get a full transcript and watch a video of the conversation here. Learn more about Bishop Alexander and Dr. Pier.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Required: God’s Call to Justice, Mercy, and Humility to Overcome Racial Division, by Bishop Claude Alexander and Dr. Mac Pier

Necessary Christianity: What Jesus Shows We Must Be and Do, by Claude Alexander

A Disruptive Gospel: Stories and Strategies for Transforming Your City, by Mac Pier

A Disruptive Generosity: Stories of Transforming Cities through Strategic Giving, by Mac Pier

A Disruptive God: Encounter Psalm 23 and Discover God's Purpose For You, by Mac Pier


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

City of God by St. Augustine of Hippo

Children of Light and Children of Darkness by Reinhold Niebuhr

Letter from a Birmingham Jail by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela


Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 03 Oct 2023 00:30:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1869 Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier


A recent Gallup poll found that over 70% of Americans are both worried about and deeply dissatisfied with the racial tensions and divisions in the country. And yet when those numbers are broken down, you’ll find that around a third of white Americans consider a race to be a significant problem in the country, compared to around three quarters of African Americans and nearly 60% of Latinos.


Given these differences both in perception as well as the many differences of opinion that are embedded in it, how do we understand and live out the biblical mandate to love our neighbor? How do we learn to know and love our neighbor across difference?


Dr. Mac Pier and Bishop Claude Alexander join our podcast to help us think deeply about our various spheres and stations and how through intention and vulnerability, we can begin to heal divides, overcome injustice, and create new places of mercy and flourishing:


“It's really important for those of us that have had opportunities to really think about what is our role in making things right…and in God's commitment to that. And just as God met our need for justice on the cross, he invites us to meet the need for justice in community with one another.” - Mac Pier


We hope this conversation inspires you to deepen your commitment to being an agent of reconciliation right where you are. Because as Dr. Pier shares, it’s a “radically powerful thing when we become enveloped relationally and affectionately by people that are different from ourselves.”


This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in November of 2021. Get a full transcript and watch a video of the conversation here. Learn more about Bishop Alexander and Dr. Pier.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Required: God’s Call to Justice, Mercy, and Humility to Overcome Racial Division, by Bishop Claude Alexander and Dr. Mac Pier

Necessary Christianity: What Jesus Shows We Must Be and Do, by Claude Alexander

A Disruptive Gospel: Stories and Strategies for Transforming Your City, by Mac Pier

A Disruptive Generosity: Stories of Transforming Cities through Strategic Giving, by Mac Pier

A Disruptive God: Encounter Psalm 23 and Discover God's Purpose For You, by Mac Pier


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

City of God by St. Augustine of Hippo

Children of Light and Children of Darkness by Reinhold Niebuhr

Letter from a Birmingham Jail by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela


Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> No Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers 7 7 62 62 Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers full 8666df3b-10b0-46cb-a1f0-c0685a954e3f https://share.transistor.fm/s/b7bb6df3 What is ideology? What are the consequences of an era when seemingly every human issue is viewed through an ideological lens?


In October of 2021, the Trinity Forum and Comment magazine partnered for an evening conversation to explore precisely these questions. Cherie Harder and Anne Snyder moderated a conversation with philosopher Peter Kreeft and Rev. Eugene Rivers to unpack the nature and implications of ideology’s reign in our present culture — both what it’s doing to our intellectual vitality as a society, but perhaps more urgently, what it’s doing to our civic and organizational life across sectors and geography:


“So from a Christian point of view, what's the most important and first thing we must do in order to save Western culture or Western civilization?...Well, I think the first answer is stop idolizing it. Stop making the salvation of Western civilization your summum bonum, your final end, and religion a means to it. Religion is not a means to politics.” - Peter Kreeft


This wide ranging conversation takes on the spiritual dimensions of our ideological age, and centers our hope not in politics, but squarely in the love of God in Christ. Dr. Kreeft and Rev. Rivers call us back to the first things, asking us to look afresh at our political commitments, and to see the image of God in the face of our neighbor.


This podcast is an edited version of an evening conversation recorded in 2021. Get a full transcript and watch a video of the conversation here. Learn more about Dr. Peter Kreeft and Rev. Eugene Rivers.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Christianity for Modern Pagans, by Peter Kreeft

Three Philosophies of Life, by Peter Kreeft

Suma of the Suma, by Peter Kreeft

If Einstein Had Been a Surfer, by Peter Kreeft

The Philosophy of Jesus, by Peter Kreeft

Doors in the Walls of the World, by Peter Kreeft

Socrates

Elizabeth Anscombe

The Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis

Donald Williams

The Dust of Death, by OS Guinness

Frantz Fanon

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Abraham Heschel

The End of Ideology, by Daniel Bell

Exodus and Revolution, by Michael Walzer

Francis Schaeffer

Carl F. Henry

James Boyce

John J. DiIulio

Achieving our Country, by Richard Rorty

St. Augustine

Billy Graham

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

City of God by St. Augustine of Hippo

Children of Light and Children of Darkness by Reinhold Niebuhr

Letter from a Birmingham Jail by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Brave New World, by Alduous Huxley


Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> What is ideology? What are the consequences of an era when seemingly every human issue is viewed through an ideological lens?


In October of 2021, the Trinity Forum and Comment magazine partnered for an evening conversation to explore precisely these questions. Cherie Harder and Anne Snyder moderated a conversation with philosopher Peter Kreeft and Rev. Eugene Rivers to unpack the nature and implications of ideology’s reign in our present culture — both what it’s doing to our intellectual vitality as a society, but perhaps more urgently, what it’s doing to our civic and organizational life across sectors and geography:


“So from a Christian point of view, what's the most important and first thing we must do in order to save Western culture or Western civilization?...Well, I think the first answer is stop idolizing it. Stop making the salvation of Western civilization your summum bonum, your final end, and religion a means to it. Religion is not a means to politics.” - Peter Kreeft


This wide ranging conversation takes on the spiritual dimensions of our ideological age, and centers our hope not in politics, but squarely in the love of God in Christ. Dr. Kreeft and Rev. Rivers call us back to the first things, asking us to look afresh at our political commitments, and to see the image of God in the face of our neighbor.


This podcast is an edited version of an evening conversation recorded in 2021. Get a full transcript and watch a video of the conversation here. Learn more about Dr. Peter Kreeft and Rev. Eugene Rivers.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Christianity for Modern Pagans, by Peter Kreeft

Three Philosophies of Life, by Peter Kreeft

Suma of the Suma, by Peter Kreeft

If Einstein Had Been a Surfer, by Peter Kreeft

The Philosophy of Jesus, by Peter Kreeft

Doors in the Walls of the World, by Peter Kreeft

Socrates

Elizabeth Anscombe

The Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis

Donald Williams

The Dust of Death, by OS Guinness

Frantz Fanon

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Abraham Heschel

The End of Ideology, by Daniel Bell

Exodus and Revolution, by Michael Walzer

Francis Schaeffer

Carl F. Henry

James Boyce

John J. DiIulio

Achieving our Country, by Richard Rorty

St. Augustine

Billy Graham

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

City of God by St. Augustine of Hippo

Children of Light and Children of Darkness by Reinhold Niebuhr

Letter from a Birmingham Jail by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Brave New World, by Alduous Huxley


Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 19 Sep 2023 00:30:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2832 What is ideology? What are the consequences of an era when seemingly every human issue is viewed through an ideological lens?


In October of 2021, the Trinity Forum and Comment magazine partnered for an evening conversation to explore precisely these questions. Cherie Harder and Anne Snyder moderated a conversation with philosopher Peter Kreeft and Rev. Eugene Rivers to unpack the nature and implications of ideology’s reign in our present culture — both what it’s doing to our intellectual vitality as a society, but perhaps more urgently, what it’s doing to our civic and organizational life across sectors and geography:


“So from a Christian point of view, what's the most important and first thing we must do in order to save Western culture or Western civilization?...Well, I think the first answer is stop idolizing it. Stop making the salvation of Western civilization your summum bonum, your final end, and religion a means to it. Religion is not a means to politics.” - Peter Kreeft


This wide ranging conversation takes on the spiritual dimensions of our ideological age, and centers our hope not in politics, but squarely in the love of God in Christ. Dr. Kreeft and Rev. Rivers call us back to the first things, asking us to look afresh at our political commitments, and to see the image of God in the face of our neighbor.


This podcast is an edited version of an evening conversation recorded in 2021. Get a full transcript and watch a video of the conversation here. Learn more about Dr. Peter Kreeft and Rev. Eugene Rivers.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Christianity for Modern Pagans, by Peter Kreeft

Three Philosophies of Life, by Peter Kreeft

Suma of the Suma, by Peter Kreeft

If Einstein Had Been a Surfer, by Peter Kreeft

The Philosophy of Jesus, by Peter Kreeft

Doors in the Walls of the World, by Peter Kreeft

Socrates

Elizabeth Anscombe

The Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis

Donald Williams

The Dust of Death, by OS Guinness

Frantz Fanon

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Abraham Heschel

The End of Ideology, by Daniel Bell

Exodus and Revolution, by Michael Walzer

Francis Schaeffer

Carl F. Henry

James Boyce

John J. DiIulio

Achieving our Country, by Richard Rorty

St. Augustine

Billy Graham

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

City of God by St. Augustine of Hippo

Children of Light and Children of Darkness by Reinhold Niebuhr

Letter from a Birmingham Jail by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Brave New World, by Alduous Huxley


Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> No The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat 7 7 61 61 The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat full 8e177194-4440-4bc7-b7ab-338e79517dce https://share.transistor.fm/s/536215fb Decadence isn’t a word most of us use on a daily basis, and yet author and columnist Ross Douthat believes that it perfectly captures the state of a largely stagnant and sclerotic American culture.

In his book, The Decadent Society, Douthat explores both the meaning of decadence and the trajectory that led us there. But in addition to diagnosing our state of cultural stagnation, he points with great hope toward societal renewal:


“I think the escape from decadence is probably a dynamic thing where technology, politics, and religion are all sort of operating together, but it's hard to imagine it happening without a really strong religious element within it.” - Ross Douthat


This conversation is being released for the first time as part of our podcast series on the Challenges of Modernity, and we hope you’ll both enjoy it and that it provokes you to consider those paths toward societal renewal that give Douthat hope.


This podcast is an edited version of a conversation recorded in 2020. Learn more about Ross Douthat.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Decadent Society: How we Became Victims of our Own Success, by Ross Douthat

From Dawn to Decadence: 1500 to the Present: 500 Years of Western Cultural Life, by Jacques Barzun

Hatchet, by Gary Paulsen

Steven Pinker

Brave New World, by Alduous Huxley

Robert Gordon
Karl Marx

Rod Dreher

Rob Bell

James Pike

Pope Francis

Peter Thiel

Martin Luther

Ignatius of Loyola

Watership Down by Richard Adams

The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

City of God by St. Augustine of Hippo

Children of Light and Children of Darkness by Reinhold Niebuhr

Letter from a Birmingham Jail by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Brave New World, by Alduous Huxley


Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Decadence isn’t a word most of us use on a daily basis, and yet author and columnist Ross Douthat believes that it perfectly captures the state of a largely stagnant and sclerotic American culture.

In his book, The Decadent Society, Douthat explores both the meaning of decadence and the trajectory that led us there. But in addition to diagnosing our state of cultural stagnation, he points with great hope toward societal renewal:


“I think the escape from decadence is probably a dynamic thing where technology, politics, and religion are all sort of operating together, but it's hard to imagine it happening without a really strong religious element within it.” - Ross Douthat


This conversation is being released for the first time as part of our podcast series on the Challenges of Modernity, and we hope you’ll both enjoy it and that it provokes you to consider those paths toward societal renewal that give Douthat hope.


This podcast is an edited version of a conversation recorded in 2020. Learn more about Ross Douthat.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Decadent Society: How we Became Victims of our Own Success, by Ross Douthat

From Dawn to Decadence: 1500 to the Present: 500 Years of Western Cultural Life, by Jacques Barzun

Hatchet, by Gary Paulsen

Steven Pinker

Brave New World, by Alduous Huxley

Robert Gordon
Karl Marx

Rod Dreher

Rob Bell

James Pike

Pope Francis

Peter Thiel

Martin Luther

Ignatius of Loyola

Watership Down by Richard Adams

The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

City of God by St. Augustine of Hippo

Children of Light and Children of Darkness by Reinhold Niebuhr

Letter from a Birmingham Jail by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Brave New World, by Alduous Huxley


Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 05 Sep 2023 00:30:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2821 Decadence isn’t a word most of us use on a daily basis, and yet author and columnist Ross Douthat believes that it perfectly captures the state of a largely stagnant and sclerotic American culture.

In his book, The Decadent Society, Douthat explores both the meaning of decadence and the trajectory that led us there. But in addition to diagnosing our state of cultural stagnation, he points with great hope toward societal renewal:


“I think the escape from decadence is probably a dynamic thing where technology, politics, and religion are all sort of operating together, but it's hard to imagine it happening without a really strong religious element within it.” - Ross Douthat


This conversation is being released for the first time as part of our podcast series on the Challenges of Modernity, and we hope you’ll both enjoy it and that it provokes you to consider those paths toward societal renewal that give Douthat hope.


This podcast is an edited version of a conversation recorded in 2020. Learn more about Ross Douthat.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Decadent Society: How we Became Victims of our Own Success, by Ross Douthat

From Dawn to Decadence: 1500 to the Present: 500 Years of Western Cultural Life, by Jacques Barzun

Hatchet, by Gary Paulsen

Steven Pinker

Brave New World, by Alduous Huxley

Robert Gordon
Karl Marx

Rod Dreher

Rob Bell

James Pike

Pope Francis

Peter Thiel

Martin Luther

Ignatius of Loyola

Watership Down by Richard Adams

The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

City of God by St. Augustine of Hippo

Children of Light and Children of Darkness by Reinhold Niebuhr

Letter from a Birmingham Jail by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Brave New World, by Alduous Huxley


Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> No The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote 7 7 60 60 The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote full 5792ce08-7089-4ecf-8373-04fee14fc960 https://share.transistor.fm/s/fad1fbc5 The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote

As the lines between faith, politics, and patriotism have become, in some quarters, increasingly blurred, it is increasingly important to understand the origin, ideas, and consequences of Christian Nationalism — what it means, why it matters, and how best to respond.

“Responsible Christian patriots try to show how Christianity can be a service to the nation; extreme nationalists make Christianity a servant of the nation.” - Mark Noll

“If you think about the cross: patriotism, rightly construed from a Christian point of view, will put the flag at the foot of the cross. Christian nationalism wants to drape the [flag] over them. So is God serving your country, the sponsor of your country, or are you, as a Christian, operating wherever you are and having loyalty, but not your primary loyalty to your country over God?” - Vincent Bacote

We hope you find this conversation insightful and helpful as you consider the state of our culture and shared political life, and your role in reviving responsible Christian patriotism.

This podcast is an edited version of an Online Conversation recorded in June of 2021. You can access the full conversation with transcript here. Learn more about Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind by Mark Noll

God and Race in American Politics: A Short History, by Mark Noll

The Civil War as Theological Crisis, by Mark Noll

In the Beginning Was the Word: The Bible in American Public Life, by Mark Noll

The Political Disciple, A Theology of Public Life, by Vincent Bacote

Reckoning with Race and Performing the Good News, by Vincent Bacote

The Spirit in Public Theology: Appropriating the legacy of Abraham Kuyper, by Vincent Bacote


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

City of God by St. Augustine of Hippo

Children of Light and Children of Darkness by Reinhold Niebuhr

Letter from a Birmingham Jail by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.


Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote

As the lines between faith, politics, and patriotism have become, in some quarters, increasingly blurred, it is increasingly important to understand the origin, ideas, and consequences of Christian Nationalism — what it means, why it matters, and how best to respond.

“Responsible Christian patriots try to show how Christianity can be a service to the nation; extreme nationalists make Christianity a servant of the nation.” - Mark Noll

“If you think about the cross: patriotism, rightly construed from a Christian point of view, will put the flag at the foot of the cross. Christian nationalism wants to drape the [flag] over them. So is God serving your country, the sponsor of your country, or are you, as a Christian, operating wherever you are and having loyalty, but not your primary loyalty to your country over God?” - Vincent Bacote

We hope you find this conversation insightful and helpful as you consider the state of our culture and shared political life, and your role in reviving responsible Christian patriotism.

This podcast is an edited version of an Online Conversation recorded in June of 2021. You can access the full conversation with transcript here. Learn more about Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind by Mark Noll

God and Race in American Politics: A Short History, by Mark Noll

The Civil War as Theological Crisis, by Mark Noll

In the Beginning Was the Word: The Bible in American Public Life, by Mark Noll

The Political Disciple, A Theology of Public Life, by Vincent Bacote

Reckoning with Race and Performing the Good News, by Vincent Bacote

The Spirit in Public Theology: Appropriating the legacy of Abraham Kuyper, by Vincent Bacote


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

City of God by St. Augustine of Hippo

Children of Light and Children of Darkness by Reinhold Niebuhr

Letter from a Birmingham Jail by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.


Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 22 Aug 2023 00:30:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2509 The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote

As the lines between faith, politics, and patriotism have become, in some quarters, increasingly blurred, it is increasingly important to understand the origin, ideas, and consequences of Christian Nationalism — what it means, why it matters, and how best to respond.

“Responsible Christian patriots try to show how Christianity can be a service to the nation; extreme nationalists make Christianity a servant of the nation.” - Mark Noll

“If you think about the cross: patriotism, rightly construed from a Christian point of view, will put the flag at the foot of the cross. Christian nationalism wants to drape the [flag] over them. So is God serving your country, the sponsor of your country, or are you, as a Christian, operating wherever you are and having loyalty, but not your primary loyalty to your country over God?” - Vincent Bacote

We hope you find this conversation insightful and helpful as you consider the state of our culture and shared political life, and your role in reviving responsible Christian patriotism.

This podcast is an edited version of an Online Conversation recorded in June of 2021. You can access the full conversation with transcript here. Learn more about Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind by Mark Noll

God and Race in American Politics: A Short History, by Mark Noll

The Civil War as Theological Crisis, by Mark Noll

In the Beginning Was the Word: The Bible in American Public Life, by Mark Noll

The Political Disciple, A Theology of Public Life, by Vincent Bacote

Reckoning with Race and Performing the Good News, by Vincent Bacote

The Spirit in Public Theology: Appropriating the legacy of Abraham Kuyper, by Vincent Bacote


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

City of God by St. Augustine of Hippo

Children of Light and Children of Darkness by Reinhold Niebuhr

Letter from a Birmingham Jail by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.


Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> No Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin 7 7 59 59 Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin full b0aa7917-c9d7-45b9-a54e-a0707e89e88b https://share.transistor.fm/s/5a8c2c8f Rebuilding our Common life with Yuval Levin

One of the greatest problems in our civic life is that our institutions are weak. And they're weak not merely because they are distrusted by outsiders, but because their leaders fail to take their institution-building responsibilities seriously. Rather than submitting to the responsibilities and constraints that any functioning institution imposes, those leaders have come to use the institution as a personal platform to gain attention and express themselves.


On our podcast, Yuval Levin explains how institutions have historically served to connect, mediate, and structure much of our social interaction, but as they’ve been hollowed out from within, they’ve lost their sense of authority and are no longer able to serve a morally formative purpose:

“A lot of people are using institutions as platforms to express themselves in the culture war, rather than as molds that might form us into better men and women. And that contributes enormously to that loss of confidence and also to the broader social crisis that we're all living with.” - Yuval Levin

We hope this conversation inspires you to look afresh at the institutions you lead or of which you are a part, and ask, “what is my responsibility here?” Please share it with a friend and other institution builders you know.

This podcast is an edited version of an Online Conversation with Yuval recorded in November of 2020. You can access the full conversation with transcript here. Learn more about Yuval Levin.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

A Time to Build: From Family and Community to Congress and the Campus, How Recommitting to Our Institutions Can Revive the American Dream, by Yuval Levin

Rabbi Johnathan Sacks


Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Rebuilding our Common life with Yuval Levin

One of the greatest problems in our civic life is that our institutions are weak. And they're weak not merely because they are distrusted by outsiders, but because their leaders fail to take their institution-building responsibilities seriously. Rather than submitting to the responsibilities and constraints that any functioning institution imposes, those leaders have come to use the institution as a personal platform to gain attention and express themselves.


On our podcast, Yuval Levin explains how institutions have historically served to connect, mediate, and structure much of our social interaction, but as they’ve been hollowed out from within, they’ve lost their sense of authority and are no longer able to serve a morally formative purpose:

“A lot of people are using institutions as platforms to express themselves in the culture war, rather than as molds that might form us into better men and women. And that contributes enormously to that loss of confidence and also to the broader social crisis that we're all living with.” - Yuval Levin

We hope this conversation inspires you to look afresh at the institutions you lead or of which you are a part, and ask, “what is my responsibility here?” Please share it with a friend and other institution builders you know.

This podcast is an edited version of an Online Conversation with Yuval recorded in November of 2020. You can access the full conversation with transcript here. Learn more about Yuval Levin.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

A Time to Build: From Family and Community to Congress and the Campus, How Recommitting to Our Institutions Can Revive the American Dream, by Yuval Levin

Rabbi Johnathan Sacks


Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 08 Aug 2023 00:10:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1886 Rebuilding our Common life with Yuval Levin

One of the greatest problems in our civic life is that our institutions are weak. And they're weak not merely because they are distrusted by outsiders, but because their leaders fail to take their institution-building responsibilities seriously. Rather than submitting to the responsibilities and constraints that any functioning institution imposes, those leaders have come to use the institution as a personal platform to gain attention and express themselves.


On our podcast, Yuval Levin explains how institutions have historically served to connect, mediate, and structure much of our social interaction, but as they’ve been hollowed out from within, they’ve lost their sense of authority and are no longer able to serve a morally formative purpose:

“A lot of people are using institutions as platforms to express themselves in the culture war, rather than as molds that might form us into better men and women. And that contributes enormously to that loss of confidence and also to the broader social crisis that we're all living with.” - Yuval Levin

We hope this conversation inspires you to look afresh at the institutions you lead or of which you are a part, and ask, “what is my responsibility here?” Please share it with a friend and other institution builders you know.

This podcast is an edited version of an Online Conversation with Yuval recorded in November of 2020. You can access the full conversation with transcript here. Learn more about Yuval Levin.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

A Time to Build: From Family and Community to Congress and the Campus, How Recommitting to Our Institutions Can Revive the American Dream, by Yuval Levin

Rabbi Johnathan Sacks


Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> No All the Lonely People with Ryan Streeter and Francie Broghammer 7 7 58 58 All the Lonely People with Ryan Streeter and Francie Broghammer full 58b0016b-5152-4066-8dd8-f3502e46d48c https://share.transistor.fm/s/081fd422 All the Lonely People with Ryan Streeter and Francie Broghammer

Why is it, in the midst of relative peace and prosperity, we are increasingly alienated, lonely, and depressed? Even before we lived through a global pandemic, we were (and are) living through a deadly loneliness epidemic.


In this conversation Ryan Streeter and Francie Broghammer join us to wrestle with tough questions such as how to think about reinvigorating relational and community ties that encourage the flourishing of both the individual and the body politic.


We discuss the antidotes to isolation in a time of pandemic and strive to find hope for connecting lonely people in a divided and polarized nation:

 Loneliness is the subjective feeling of being alone. You can feel alone in a crowded room. And so this is important that we highlight because what happens when you start feeling that way is that not far from there is this inability to find meaning in your life and daily actions. - Francie Broghammer

We hope this conversation on America’s epidemic of loneliness and the path towards meaningful connection inspires you to consider how you can further cultivate enduring friendships and engage with your community.


Our podcast is an edited version of an Online Conversation with Ryan and Francie from April, 2021. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Ryan Streeter and Francie Broghammer.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Transforming Charity, by Ryan Streeter

Religion and the Public Sphere in the 21st Century, by Ryan Streeter

The Soul of Civil Society, by Ryan Streeter

The Pursuit of Loneliness, by Philip Slater

The Lonely Crowd, by David Riesman

Bowling Alone, by Robert Putnam

Arthur Brooks

George Orwell

Yuval Levin

Alexis de Tocqueville


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

On Happiness, by Thomas Aquinas

On Friendship, by Cicero

Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl

Augustine’s Confessions

The Long Loneliness, by Dorothy Day

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil


Related Conversations:
Strength in the Second Half with Arthur Brooks
Cultivating a Life of Learning with Zena Hitz
Being, Living, and Dying Well with Lydia Dugdale
Hope, Heartbreak, and Meaning with Kate Bowler
The Burden of Living and the and the Goodness of God with Alan Noble
All the Lonely People with Ryan Streeter and Francie Broghammer


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> All the Lonely People with Ryan Streeter and Francie Broghammer

Why is it, in the midst of relative peace and prosperity, we are increasingly alienated, lonely, and depressed? Even before we lived through a global pandemic, we were (and are) living through a deadly loneliness epidemic.


In this conversation Ryan Streeter and Francie Broghammer join us to wrestle with tough questions such as how to think about reinvigorating relational and community ties that encourage the flourishing of both the individual and the body politic.


We discuss the antidotes to isolation in a time of pandemic and strive to find hope for connecting lonely people in a divided and polarized nation:

 Loneliness is the subjective feeling of being alone. You can feel alone in a crowded room. And so this is important that we highlight because what happens when you start feeling that way is that not far from there is this inability to find meaning in your life and daily actions. - Francie Broghammer

We hope this conversation on America’s epidemic of loneliness and the path towards meaningful connection inspires you to consider how you can further cultivate enduring friendships and engage with your community.


Our podcast is an edited version of an Online Conversation with Ryan and Francie from April, 2021. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Ryan Streeter and Francie Broghammer.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Transforming Charity, by Ryan Streeter

Religion and the Public Sphere in the 21st Century, by Ryan Streeter

The Soul of Civil Society, by Ryan Streeter

The Pursuit of Loneliness, by Philip Slater

The Lonely Crowd, by David Riesman

Bowling Alone, by Robert Putnam

Arthur Brooks

George Orwell

Yuval Levin

Alexis de Tocqueville


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

On Happiness, by Thomas Aquinas

On Friendship, by Cicero

Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl

Augustine’s Confessions

The Long Loneliness, by Dorothy Day

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil


Related Conversations:
Strength in the Second Half with Arthur Brooks
Cultivating a Life of Learning with Zena Hitz
Being, Living, and Dying Well with Lydia Dugdale
Hope, Heartbreak, and Meaning with Kate Bowler
The Burden of Living and the and the Goodness of God with Alan Noble
All the Lonely People with Ryan Streeter and Francie Broghammer


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 25 Jul 2023 00:01:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2335 All the Lonely People with Ryan Streeter and Francie Broghammer

Why is it, in the midst of relative peace and prosperity, we are increasingly alienated, lonely, and depressed? Even before we lived through a global pandemic, we were (and are) living through a deadly loneliness epidemic.


In this conversation Ryan Streeter and Francie Broghammer join us to wrestle with tough questions such as how to think about reinvigorating relational and community ties that encourage the flourishing of both the individual and the body politic.


We discuss the antidotes to isolation in a time of pandemic and strive to find hope for connecting lonely people in a divided and polarized nation:

 Loneliness is the subjective feeling of being alone. You can feel alone in a crowded room. And so this is important that we highlight because what happens when you start feeling that way is that not far from there is this inability to find meaning in your life and daily actions. - Francie Broghammer

We hope this conversation on America’s epidemic of loneliness and the path towards meaningful connection inspires you to consider how you can further cultivate enduring friendships and engage with your community.


Our podcast is an edited version of an Online Conversation with Ryan and Francie from April, 2021. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Ryan Streeter and Francie Broghammer.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Transforming Charity, by Ryan Streeter

Religion and the Public Sphere in the 21st Century, by Ryan Streeter

The Soul of Civil Society, by Ryan Streeter

The Pursuit of Loneliness, by Philip Slater

The Lonely Crowd, by David Riesman

Bowling Alone, by Robert Putnam

Arthur Brooks

George Orwell

Yuval Levin

Alexis de Tocqueville


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

On Happiness, by Thomas Aquinas

On Friendship, by Cicero

Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl

Augustine’s Confessions

The Long Loneliness, by Dorothy Day

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil


Related Conversations:
Strength in the Second Half with Arthur Brooks
Cultivating a Life of Learning with Zena Hitz
Being, Living, and Dying Well with Lydia Dugdale
Hope, Heartbreak, and Meaning with Kate Bowler
The Burden of Living and the and the Goodness of God with Alan Noble
All the Lonely People with Ryan Streeter and Francie Broghammer


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> No The Burden of Living and the Goodness of God with Alan Noble 7 7 57 57 The Burden of Living and the Goodness of God with Alan Noble full 69642bb5-43ca-4882-af63-1479e5373840 https://share.transistor.fm/s/948465b9 The Burden of Living and the Goodness of God with Alan Noble

We don’t often talk about the courage required to face ordinary life. Such common human challenges as sorrow, despair, anxiety, and mental illness may cause us to experience life more as a burden than a gift. For many, this struggle is a constant one.


In his new book, On Getting Out of Bed: The Burden & Gift of Living, author and professor Alan Noble considers the challenges that face each one of us every morning. He concludes that the simple decision to engage with the world each day constitutes a declaration of the goodness of God.

“One of the things I want to remind people of is that actually just by choosing to go through the basic motions of life, you are affirming to other people that this life is good.

“And just putting your feet on the ground and getting up despite the suffering you might be experiencing, communicates to other people that this life is worth living even when you are suffering. And that's a powerful witness.”


Bearing witness and Carrying Each Other

As Alan so eloquently makes the case, our call to faithfulness is not a solo journey. When we persevere despite our suffering, we communicate that God’s creation is good, and it’s an encouragement to others. It's by carrying and being carried by others that the pilgrim can make it home.

“Now, there may come times when you are required by your suffering to radically depend upon others to carry you out of bed. My advice is to embrace those moments, knowing that you'll carry your neighbor in return when the time comes.”

We hope you’ll enjoy this conversation and share it with your community.

This podcast is an edited version of an Online Conversation with Alan recorded in April of 2023. You can access the full conversation with transcript here. Learn more about Alan Noble.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

On Getting Out of Bed: The Burden & Gift of Living, by Alan Noble

Disruptive Witness: Speaking Truth in a Distracted Age, by Alan Noble

You Are Not Your Own: Belonging to God in an Inhuman World, by Alan Noble

Jacques Ellul

The Soul of Shame: Retelling the Stories We Believe About Ourselves, by Curt Thompson

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

On Happiness, by Thomas Aquinas

On Friendship, by Cicero

Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl

Augustine’s Confessions

The Long Loneliness, by Dorothy Day

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil

Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens

Related Conversations:

Strength in the Second Half with Arthur Brooks
Cultivating a Life of Learning with Zena Hitz
Being, Living, and Dying Well with Lydia Dugdale
Blessings for Imperfect Days with Kate Bowler
The Burden of Living and the and the Goodness of God with Alan Noble
All the Lonely People with Ryan Streeter and Francie Broghammer

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> The Burden of Living and the Goodness of God with Alan Noble

We don’t often talk about the courage required to face ordinary life. Such common human challenges as sorrow, despair, anxiety, and mental illness may cause us to experience life more as a burden than a gift. For many, this struggle is a constant one.


In his new book, On Getting Out of Bed: The Burden & Gift of Living, author and professor Alan Noble considers the challenges that face each one of us every morning. He concludes that the simple decision to engage with the world each day constitutes a declaration of the goodness of God.

“One of the things I want to remind people of is that actually just by choosing to go through the basic motions of life, you are affirming to other people that this life is good.

“And just putting your feet on the ground and getting up despite the suffering you might be experiencing, communicates to other people that this life is worth living even when you are suffering. And that's a powerful witness.”


Bearing witness and Carrying Each Other

As Alan so eloquently makes the case, our call to faithfulness is not a solo journey. When we persevere despite our suffering, we communicate that God’s creation is good, and it’s an encouragement to others. It's by carrying and being carried by others that the pilgrim can make it home.

“Now, there may come times when you are required by your suffering to radically depend upon others to carry you out of bed. My advice is to embrace those moments, knowing that you'll carry your neighbor in return when the time comes.”

We hope you’ll enjoy this conversation and share it with your community.

This podcast is an edited version of an Online Conversation with Alan recorded in April of 2023. You can access the full conversation with transcript here. Learn more about Alan Noble.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

On Getting Out of Bed: The Burden & Gift of Living, by Alan Noble

Disruptive Witness: Speaking Truth in a Distracted Age, by Alan Noble

You Are Not Your Own: Belonging to God in an Inhuman World, by Alan Noble

Jacques Ellul

The Soul of Shame: Retelling the Stories We Believe About Ourselves, by Curt Thompson

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

On Happiness, by Thomas Aquinas

On Friendship, by Cicero

Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl

Augustine’s Confessions

The Long Loneliness, by Dorothy Day

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil

Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens

Related Conversations:

Strength in the Second Half with Arthur Brooks
Cultivating a Life of Learning with Zena Hitz
Being, Living, and Dying Well with Lydia Dugdale
Blessings for Imperfect Days with Kate Bowler
The Burden of Living and the and the Goodness of God with Alan Noble
All the Lonely People with Ryan Streeter and Francie Broghammer

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 11 Jul 2023 01:00:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1870 The Burden of Living and the Goodness of God with Alan Noble

We don’t often talk about the courage required to face ordinary life. Such common human challenges as sorrow, despair, anxiety, and mental illness may cause us to experience life more as a burden than a gift. For many, this struggle is a constant one.


In his new book, On Getting Out of Bed: The Burden & Gift of Living, author and professor Alan Noble considers the challenges that face each one of us every morning. He concludes that the simple decision to engage with the world each day constitutes a declaration of the goodness of God.

“One of the things I want to remind people of is that actually just by choosing to go through the basic motions of life, you are affirming to other people that this life is good.

“And just putting your feet on the ground and getting up despite the suffering you might be experiencing, communicates to other people that this life is worth living even when you are suffering. And that's a powerful witness.”


Bearing witness and Carrying Each Other

As Alan so eloquently makes the case, our call to faithfulness is not a solo journey. When we persevere despite our suffering, we communicate that God’s creation is good, and it’s an encouragement to others. It's by carrying and being carried by others that the pilgrim can make it home.

“Now, there may come times when you are required by your suffering to radically depend upon others to carry you out of bed. My advice is to embrace those moments, knowing that you'll carry your neighbor in return when the time comes.”

We hope you’ll enjoy this conversation and share it with your community.

This podcast is an edited version of an Online Conversation with Alan recorded in April of 2023. You can access the full conversation with transcript here. Learn more about Alan Noble.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

On Getting Out of Bed: The Burden & Gift of Living, by Alan Noble

Disruptive Witness: Speaking Truth in a Distracted Age, by Alan Noble

You Are Not Your Own: Belonging to God in an Inhuman World, by Alan Noble

Jacques Ellul

The Soul of Shame: Retelling the Stories We Believe About Ourselves, by Curt Thompson

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

On Happiness, by Thomas Aquinas

On Friendship, by Cicero

Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl

Augustine’s Confessions

The Long Loneliness, by Dorothy Day

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil

Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens

Related Conversations:

Strength in the Second Half with Arthur Brooks
Cultivating a Life of Learning with Zena Hitz
Being, Living, and Dying Well with Lydia Dugdale
Blessings for Imperfect Days with Kate Bowler
The Burden of Living and the and the Goodness of God with Alan Noble
All the Lonely People with Ryan Streeter and Francie Broghammer

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> No Blessings for Imperfect Days with Kate Bowler 7 7 56 56 Blessings for Imperfect Days with Kate Bowler full 13842f57-4462-45af-9624-861bab31a55e https://share.transistor.fm/s/186d52ad The Blessing of Imperfect Days with Kate Bowler

It’s easy to be caught in the trap of perfectionism, especially when those around us seem to have it all together. But we can find ourselves alone and discouraged when things don’t go as we’ve planned, and the lives we actually have fail to resemble those we’d hoped to lead.


In her recently released book The Lives We Actually Lead, New York Times best-selling author and Duke University professor Kate Bowler (along with co-author Jessica Richie) offer a collection of blessings that center gratitude and hope while acknowledging the reality of our often messy and frantic everyday lives. They show how embracing our limitations and vulnerabilities, as well as those of others, can open new possibilities for healing, hope, and community.

Finitude, Gratitude, and Being of Help
In this conversation, Kate shares about her work detailing the Prosperity Gospel movement from an academic standpoint, and how her own setbacks and health catastrophe in a cancer diagnosis both deepened her sense of being loved by God and softened her toward those desperate for a miracle.

Kate and Cherie's conversation goes through deep waters, but does so with much humor and heart. We hope you'll listen and share it with your friends and loved ones.

This podcast is an edited version of an Evening Conversation with Kate recorded in February of 2023. You can access the full conversation with transcript here. Learn more about Kate Bowler.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Blessed: A History of the American Prosperity Gospel, by Kate Bowler

The Preacher's Wife: The Precarious Power of Evangelical Women Celebrities, by Kate Bowler

Everything Happens For a Reason: And Other Lies I've Loved, by Kate Bowler

No Cure for Being Human: (And Other Truths I Need to Hear), by Kate Bowler

The Lives We Actually Have: A Hundred Blessings for Imperfect Days, by Kate Bowler and Jessica Richie

Seneca

Joel Osteen

Oprah

Joanna Gaines

Rev. Dr. Stephen B. Chapman

Wendell Berry


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

On Happiness, by Thomas Aquinas

On Friendship, by Cicero

Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl

Augustine’s Confessions

The Long Loneliness, by Dorothy Day

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil

Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens


Related Conversations:

Strength in the Second Half with Arthur Brooks
Cultivating a Life of Learning with Zena Hitz
Being, Living, and Dying Well with Lydia Dugdale
Hope, Heartbreak, and Meaning with Kate Bowler
The Burden of Living and the and the Goodness of God with Alan Noble
All the Lonely People with Ryan Streeter and Francie Broghammer


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.


]]> The Blessing of Imperfect Days with Kate Bowler

It’s easy to be caught in the trap of perfectionism, especially when those around us seem to have it all together. But we can find ourselves alone and discouraged when things don’t go as we’ve planned, and the lives we actually have fail to resemble those we’d hoped to lead.


In her recently released book The Lives We Actually Lead, New York Times best-selling author and Duke University professor Kate Bowler (along with co-author Jessica Richie) offer a collection of blessings that center gratitude and hope while acknowledging the reality of our often messy and frantic everyday lives. They show how embracing our limitations and vulnerabilities, as well as those of others, can open new possibilities for healing, hope, and community.

Finitude, Gratitude, and Being of Help
In this conversation, Kate shares about her work detailing the Prosperity Gospel movement from an academic standpoint, and how her own setbacks and health catastrophe in a cancer diagnosis both deepened her sense of being loved by God and softened her toward those desperate for a miracle.

Kate and Cherie's conversation goes through deep waters, but does so with much humor and heart. We hope you'll listen and share it with your friends and loved ones.

This podcast is an edited version of an Evening Conversation with Kate recorded in February of 2023. You can access the full conversation with transcript here. Learn more about Kate Bowler.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Blessed: A History of the American Prosperity Gospel, by Kate Bowler

The Preacher's Wife: The Precarious Power of Evangelical Women Celebrities, by Kate Bowler

Everything Happens For a Reason: And Other Lies I've Loved, by Kate Bowler

No Cure for Being Human: (And Other Truths I Need to Hear), by Kate Bowler

The Lives We Actually Have: A Hundred Blessings for Imperfect Days, by Kate Bowler and Jessica Richie

Seneca

Joel Osteen

Oprah

Joanna Gaines

Rev. Dr. Stephen B. Chapman

Wendell Berry


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

On Happiness, by Thomas Aquinas

On Friendship, by Cicero

Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl

Augustine’s Confessions

The Long Loneliness, by Dorothy Day

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil

Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens


Related Conversations:

Strength in the Second Half with Arthur Brooks
Cultivating a Life of Learning with Zena Hitz
Being, Living, and Dying Well with Lydia Dugdale
Hope, Heartbreak, and Meaning with Kate Bowler
The Burden of Living and the and the Goodness of God with Alan Noble
All the Lonely People with Ryan Streeter and Francie Broghammer


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.


]]> Tue, 27 Jun 2023 00:30:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2914 The Blessing of Imperfect Days with Kate Bowler

It’s easy to be caught in the trap of perfectionism, especially when those around us seem to have it all together. But we can find ourselves alone and discouraged when things don’t go as we’ve planned, and the lives we actually have fail to resemble those we’d hoped to lead.


In her recently released book The Lives We Actually Lead, New York Times best-selling author and Duke University professor Kate Bowler (along with co-author Jessica Richie) offer a collection of blessings that center gratitude and hope while acknowledging the reality of our often messy and frantic everyday lives. They show how embracing our limitations and vulnerabilities, as well as those of others, can open new possibilities for healing, hope, and community.

Finitude, Gratitude, and Being of Help
In this conversation, Kate shares about her work detailing the Prosperity Gospel movement from an academic standpoint, and how her own setbacks and health catastrophe in a cancer diagnosis both deepened her sense of being loved by God and softened her toward those desperate for a miracle.

Kate and Cherie's conversation goes through deep waters, but does so with much humor and heart. We hope you'll listen and share it with your friends and loved ones.

This podcast is an edited version of an Evening Conversation with Kate recorded in February of 2023. You can access the full conversation with transcript here. Learn more about Kate Bowler.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Blessed: A History of the American Prosperity Gospel, by Kate Bowler

The Preacher's Wife: The Precarious Power of Evangelical Women Celebrities, by Kate Bowler

Everything Happens For a Reason: And Other Lies I've Loved, by Kate Bowler

No Cure for Being Human: (And Other Truths I Need to Hear), by Kate Bowler

The Lives We Actually Have: A Hundred Blessings for Imperfect Days, by Kate Bowler and Jessica Richie

Seneca

Joel Osteen

Oprah

Joanna Gaines

Rev. Dr. Stephen B. Chapman

Wendell Berry


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

On Happiness, by Thomas Aquinas

On Friendship, by Cicero

Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl

Augustine’s Confessions

The Long Loneliness, by Dorothy Day

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil

Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens


Related Conversations:

Strength in the Second Half with Arthur Brooks
Cultivating a Life of Learning with Zena Hitz
Being, Living, and Dying Well with Lydia Dugdale
Hope, Heartbreak, and Meaning with Kate Bowler
The Burden of Living and the and the Goodness of God with Alan Noble
All the Lonely People with Ryan Streeter and Francie Broghammer


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.


]]> No Being, Living, and Dying Well with Lydia Dugdale 7 7 55 55 Being, Living, and Dying Well with Lydia Dugdale full 78e8d5f9-8422-4ec4-9b01-40d7456e2c86 https://share.transistor.fm/s/87d2500b Being, Living, and Dying Well with Lydia Dugdale

In the wake of the Black Plague of the middle ages, people cried out for help to die well. What developed over the ensuing centuries was a work called the Ars Moriendi, a book designed to help Christians die well. In the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 we were joined by professor and physician Lydia Dugdale to discuss her book The Lost Art of Dying Well which explores the wisdom of the Ars Moriendi:

“The Christian theology about death is one of paradox in many ways. Death is overcome. That is what Christians celebrate on Easter Sunday. But death still has a sting. It still is bitter. It hurts, it rips, a hole in the fabric of our lives. And so we hold in tension this idea that death has this sting, but also is ultimately overcome. So we don't need to accept death, but we need to start by acknowledging finitude.”

Acknowledging our Finitude and Call for Community
Over the course of our conversation, Lydia explains how acknowledging our finitude and investing in our community are the two crucial first steps in preparing to die well. And these steps in preparation for a good death ultimately help us to live well too.


We trust you’ll find much to think about and wrestle with in this conversation, and we hope it inspires you to live wisely and well today.


This podcast is an edited version of an Online Conversation with Lydia recorded on Good Friday in April of 2021. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Lydia Dugdale.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Lost Art of Dying: Reviving Forgotten Wisdom, by Lydia Dugdale

This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War,  by Drew Gilpin Faust

Philippe Ariès

A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens

The Christian Art of Dying: Learning from Jesus, by Allen Verhey

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

On Happiness, by Thomas Aquinas

On Friendship, by Cicero

Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl

Augustine’s Confessions

The Long Loneliness, by Dorothy Day

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil

Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens

Related Conversations:

Strength in the Second Half with Arthur Brooks
Cultivating a Life of Learning with Zena Hitz
Being, Living, and Dying Well with Lydia Dugdale
Hope, Heartbreak, and Meaning with Kate Bowler
The Burden of Living and the and the Goodness of God with Alan Noble
All the Lonely People with Ryan Streeter and Francie Broghammer

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Being, Living, and Dying Well with Lydia Dugdale

In the wake of the Black Plague of the middle ages, people cried out for help to die well. What developed over the ensuing centuries was a work called the Ars Moriendi, a book designed to help Christians die well. In the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 we were joined by professor and physician Lydia Dugdale to discuss her book The Lost Art of Dying Well which explores the wisdom of the Ars Moriendi:

“The Christian theology about death is one of paradox in many ways. Death is overcome. That is what Christians celebrate on Easter Sunday. But death still has a sting. It still is bitter. It hurts, it rips, a hole in the fabric of our lives. And so we hold in tension this idea that death has this sting, but also is ultimately overcome. So we don't need to accept death, but we need to start by acknowledging finitude.”

Acknowledging our Finitude and Call for Community
Over the course of our conversation, Lydia explains how acknowledging our finitude and investing in our community are the two crucial first steps in preparing to die well. And these steps in preparation for a good death ultimately help us to live well too.


We trust you’ll find much to think about and wrestle with in this conversation, and we hope it inspires you to live wisely and well today.


This podcast is an edited version of an Online Conversation with Lydia recorded on Good Friday in April of 2021. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Lydia Dugdale.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Lost Art of Dying: Reviving Forgotten Wisdom, by Lydia Dugdale

This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War,  by Drew Gilpin Faust

Philippe Ariès

A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens

The Christian Art of Dying: Learning from Jesus, by Allen Verhey

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

On Happiness, by Thomas Aquinas

On Friendship, by Cicero

Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl

Augustine’s Confessions

The Long Loneliness, by Dorothy Day

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil

Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens

Related Conversations:

Strength in the Second Half with Arthur Brooks
Cultivating a Life of Learning with Zena Hitz
Being, Living, and Dying Well with Lydia Dugdale
Hope, Heartbreak, and Meaning with Kate Bowler
The Burden of Living and the and the Goodness of God with Alan Noble
All the Lonely People with Ryan Streeter and Francie Broghammer

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 13 Jun 2023 00:50:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1729 Being, Living, and Dying Well with Lydia Dugdale

In the wake of the Black Plague of the middle ages, people cried out for help to die well. What developed over the ensuing centuries was a work called the Ars Moriendi, a book designed to help Christians die well. In the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 we were joined by professor and physician Lydia Dugdale to discuss her book The Lost Art of Dying Well which explores the wisdom of the Ars Moriendi:

“The Christian theology about death is one of paradox in many ways. Death is overcome. That is what Christians celebrate on Easter Sunday. But death still has a sting. It still is bitter. It hurts, it rips, a hole in the fabric of our lives. And so we hold in tension this idea that death has this sting, but also is ultimately overcome. So we don't need to accept death, but we need to start by acknowledging finitude.”

Acknowledging our Finitude and Call for Community
Over the course of our conversation, Lydia explains how acknowledging our finitude and investing in our community are the two crucial first steps in preparing to die well. And these steps in preparation for a good death ultimately help us to live well too.


We trust you’ll find much to think about and wrestle with in this conversation, and we hope it inspires you to live wisely and well today.


This podcast is an edited version of an Online Conversation with Lydia recorded on Good Friday in April of 2021. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Lydia Dugdale.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Lost Art of Dying: Reviving Forgotten Wisdom, by Lydia Dugdale

This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War,  by Drew Gilpin Faust

Philippe Ariès

A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens

The Christian Art of Dying: Learning from Jesus, by Allen Verhey

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

On Happiness, by Thomas Aquinas

On Friendship, by Cicero

Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl

Augustine’s Confessions

The Long Loneliness, by Dorothy Day

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil

Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens

Related Conversations:

Strength in the Second Half with Arthur Brooks
Cultivating a Life of Learning with Zena Hitz
Being, Living, and Dying Well with Lydia Dugdale
Hope, Heartbreak, and Meaning with Kate Bowler
The Burden of Living and the and the Goodness of God with Alan Noble
All the Lonely People with Ryan Streeter and Francie Broghammer

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> No Cultivating a Life of Learning with Zena Hitz 7 7 54 54 Cultivating a Life of Learning with Zena Hitz full ace531ff-3b5a-4cfd-a5d9-662be5a5a691 https://share.transistor.fm/s/1d6ce04c Cultivating a Life of Learning with Zena Hitz 

How can we cultivate the habits and discipline required for a life of learning, especially in an age of distraction? And is such a life really worth it?


Zena Hitz is a humanities scholar and author of Lost in Thought: The Hidden Pleasures of an Intellectual Life, and she joins our podcast to argue that few experiences are as formative and fulfilling as the cultivation of a rich inner life of learning and contemplation:

“Virtually any intellectual activity, any piece of thinking or contemplation involves others. Even just sitting reading a book, there's an author that wrote that book and there are characters within the book that the author is sharing with you. And a lot of what I think we do and in a great books education is you encounter the minds of these authors and…even if they're long dead you see something about who they were and what they saw. So there's a human connection at the bottom of it.”

Learning in Community, and the need for Perseverance
Zena argues that learning is worth doing for its own sake, as something intrinsically valuable, reflective of, and fortifying to our dignity as human beings and a vital part of the good life. And when we find our energy flagging or our motives for learning to be mixed, community and perseverance are the necessary prescription for deepening and sustaining our intellectual lives.


Our podcast is an edited version of an Online Conversation with Zena from September, 2022. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Zena Hitz.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:


Lost in Thought: The Hidden Pleasures of the Intellectual Life, by Zena Hitz
Augustine

Plato
Aristotle

Jonathan Haidt

David Hume

Jessica Hooten Wilson


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

On Happiness, by Thomas Aquinas

On Friendship, by Cicero

Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl

Augustine’s Confessions

The Long Loneliness, by Dorothy Day

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil


Related Conversations:

Strength in the Second Half with Arthur Brooks
Cultivating a Life of Learning with Zena Hitz
Being, Living, and Dying Well with Lydia Dugdale
Hope, Heartbreak, and Meaning with Kate Bowler
The Burden of Living and the and the Goodness of God with Alan Noble
All the Lonely People with Ryan Streeter and Francie Broghammer


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Cultivating a Life of Learning with Zena Hitz 

How can we cultivate the habits and discipline required for a life of learning, especially in an age of distraction? And is such a life really worth it?


Zena Hitz is a humanities scholar and author of Lost in Thought: The Hidden Pleasures of an Intellectual Life, and she joins our podcast to argue that few experiences are as formative and fulfilling as the cultivation of a rich inner life of learning and contemplation:

“Virtually any intellectual activity, any piece of thinking or contemplation involves others. Even just sitting reading a book, there's an author that wrote that book and there are characters within the book that the author is sharing with you. And a lot of what I think we do and in a great books education is you encounter the minds of these authors and…even if they're long dead you see something about who they were and what they saw. So there's a human connection at the bottom of it.”

Learning in Community, and the need for Perseverance
Zena argues that learning is worth doing for its own sake, as something intrinsically valuable, reflective of, and fortifying to our dignity as human beings and a vital part of the good life. And when we find our energy flagging or our motives for learning to be mixed, community and perseverance are the necessary prescription for deepening and sustaining our intellectual lives.


Our podcast is an edited version of an Online Conversation with Zena from September, 2022. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Zena Hitz.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:


Lost in Thought: The Hidden Pleasures of the Intellectual Life, by Zena Hitz
Augustine

Plato
Aristotle

Jonathan Haidt

David Hume

Jessica Hooten Wilson


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

On Happiness, by Thomas Aquinas

On Friendship, by Cicero

Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl

Augustine’s Confessions

The Long Loneliness, by Dorothy Day

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil


Related Conversations:

Strength in the Second Half with Arthur Brooks
Cultivating a Life of Learning with Zena Hitz
Being, Living, and Dying Well with Lydia Dugdale
Hope, Heartbreak, and Meaning with Kate Bowler
The Burden of Living and the and the Goodness of God with Alan Noble
All the Lonely People with Ryan Streeter and Francie Broghammer


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 30 May 2023 00:05:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1878 Cultivating a Life of Learning with Zena Hitz 

How can we cultivate the habits and discipline required for a life of learning, especially in an age of distraction? And is such a life really worth it?


Zena Hitz is a humanities scholar and author of Lost in Thought: The Hidden Pleasures of an Intellectual Life, and she joins our podcast to argue that few experiences are as formative and fulfilling as the cultivation of a rich inner life of learning and contemplation:

“Virtually any intellectual activity, any piece of thinking or contemplation involves others. Even just sitting reading a book, there's an author that wrote that book and there are characters within the book that the author is sharing with you. And a lot of what I think we do and in a great books education is you encounter the minds of these authors and…even if they're long dead you see something about who they were and what they saw. So there's a human connection at the bottom of it.”

Learning in Community, and the need for Perseverance
Zena argues that learning is worth doing for its own sake, as something intrinsically valuable, reflective of, and fortifying to our dignity as human beings and a vital part of the good life. And when we find our energy flagging or our motives for learning to be mixed, community and perseverance are the necessary prescription for deepening and sustaining our intellectual lives.


Our podcast is an edited version of an Online Conversation with Zena from September, 2022. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Zena Hitz.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:


Lost in Thought: The Hidden Pleasures of the Intellectual Life, by Zena Hitz
Augustine

Plato
Aristotle

Jonathan Haidt

David Hume

Jessica Hooten Wilson


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

On Happiness, by Thomas Aquinas

On Friendship, by Cicero

Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl

Augustine’s Confessions

The Long Loneliness, by Dorothy Day

Wrestling with God, by Simone Weil


Related Conversations:

Strength in the Second Half with Arthur Brooks
Cultivating a Life of Learning with Zena Hitz
Being, Living, and Dying Well with Lydia Dugdale
Hope, Heartbreak, and Meaning with Kate Bowler
The Burden of Living and the and the Goodness of God with Alan Noble
All the Lonely People with Ryan Streeter and Francie Broghammer


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> No Strength to Strength with Arthur Brooks 7 7 53 53 Strength to Strength with Arthur Brooks full 556b409e-f6c3-44ba-9df7-1dd39a1ed3a9 https://share.transistor.fm/s/f5e2da87 As we start to approach middle age (or beyond), how do we think about our vocation and purpose? Should our sense of mission change? What should we do to equip ourselves for a joyful, purposeful, and meaningful second half?


Arthur Brooks joined us to discuss ideas in his latest book Strength to Strength, which weaves together philosophy and research on human flourishing to illuminate the inescapable fact of change as we grow older — and to offer practical guidance on flourishing in new stages of life:

“I can tell you that if you boil the ocean of 10,000 research articles, you'll find the happiest people, they pursue four things every day. Faith, family, friendship, and work that serves others. In other words, love, love, love. And more love.”

Friendship, crystalized intelligence, and the beatific vision
This conversation is rich in reflections on achievement, the way our intelligence changes as we age, the importance of making and sustaining real friendships, and how pondering our own mortality can lead to greater joy.


Our podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation from February, 2022. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Arthur Brooks.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Love Your Enemies, by Arthur Brooks

From Strength to Strength, by Arthur Brooks

Summa Theologica, by Thomas Aquinas

The Nicomachean Ethics, by Aristotle

The Dalai Lama

The Apostle Paul

St. Augustine

David Foster Wallace

Abraham Maslow


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

On Happiness, by Thomas Aquinas

On Friendship, by Cicero

Two Old men, by Leo Tolstoy
How Much Land Does a Man Need? by Leo Tolstoy
Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl


Related Conversations:

Strength in the Second Half with Arthur Brooks
Cultivating a Life of Learning with Zena Hitz
Being, Living, and Dying Well with Lydia Dugdale
Hope, Heartbreak, and Meaning with Kate Bowler
The Burden of Living and the and the Goodness of God with Alan Noble
All the Lonely People with Ryan Streeter and Francie Broghammer


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.


]]> As we start to approach middle age (or beyond), how do we think about our vocation and purpose? Should our sense of mission change? What should we do to equip ourselves for a joyful, purposeful, and meaningful second half?


Arthur Brooks joined us to discuss ideas in his latest book Strength to Strength, which weaves together philosophy and research on human flourishing to illuminate the inescapable fact of change as we grow older — and to offer practical guidance on flourishing in new stages of life:

“I can tell you that if you boil the ocean of 10,000 research articles, you'll find the happiest people, they pursue four things every day. Faith, family, friendship, and work that serves others. In other words, love, love, love. And more love.”

Friendship, crystalized intelligence, and the beatific vision
This conversation is rich in reflections on achievement, the way our intelligence changes as we age, the importance of making and sustaining real friendships, and how pondering our own mortality can lead to greater joy.


Our podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation from February, 2022. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Arthur Brooks.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Love Your Enemies, by Arthur Brooks

From Strength to Strength, by Arthur Brooks

Summa Theologica, by Thomas Aquinas

The Nicomachean Ethics, by Aristotle

The Dalai Lama

The Apostle Paul

St. Augustine

David Foster Wallace

Abraham Maslow


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

On Happiness, by Thomas Aquinas

On Friendship, by Cicero

Two Old men, by Leo Tolstoy
How Much Land Does a Man Need? by Leo Tolstoy
Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl


Related Conversations:

Strength in the Second Half with Arthur Brooks
Cultivating a Life of Learning with Zena Hitz
Being, Living, and Dying Well with Lydia Dugdale
Hope, Heartbreak, and Meaning with Kate Bowler
The Burden of Living and the and the Goodness of God with Alan Noble
All the Lonely People with Ryan Streeter and Francie Broghammer


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.


]]> Tue, 16 May 2023 00:05:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1834 As we start to approach middle age (or beyond), how do we think about our vocation and purpose? Should our sense of mission change? What should we do to equip ourselves for a joyful, purposeful, and meaningful second half?


Arthur Brooks joined us to discuss ideas in his latest book Strength to Strength, which weaves together philosophy and research on human flourishing to illuminate the inescapable fact of change as we grow older — and to offer practical guidance on flourishing in new stages of life:

“I can tell you that if you boil the ocean of 10,000 research articles, you'll find the happiest people, they pursue four things every day. Faith, family, friendship, and work that serves others. In other words, love, love, love. And more love.”

Friendship, crystalized intelligence, and the beatific vision
This conversation is rich in reflections on achievement, the way our intelligence changes as we age, the importance of making and sustaining real friendships, and how pondering our own mortality can lead to greater joy.


Our podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation from February, 2022. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Arthur Brooks.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Love Your Enemies, by Arthur Brooks

From Strength to Strength, by Arthur Brooks

Summa Theologica, by Thomas Aquinas

The Nicomachean Ethics, by Aristotle

The Dalai Lama

The Apostle Paul

St. Augustine

David Foster Wallace

Abraham Maslow


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

On Happiness, by Thomas Aquinas

On Friendship, by Cicero

Two Old men, by Leo Tolstoy
How Much Land Does a Man Need? by Leo Tolstoy
Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl


Related Conversations:

Strength in the Second Half with Arthur Brooks
Cultivating a Life of Learning with Zena Hitz
Being, Living, and Dying Well with Lydia Dugdale
Hope, Heartbreak, and Meaning with Kate Bowler
The Burden of Living and the and the Goodness of God with Alan Noble
All the Lonely People with Ryan Streeter and Francie Broghammer


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.


]]> No The Soul of Desire with Curt Thompson 7 7 52 52 The Soul of Desire with Curt Thompson full 89c62981-d38b-4058-a94c-184016dcd32d https://share.transistor.fm/s/a578660d We all long to be fully known. Yet so often this desire for true connection and community is impaired by trauma, shame, and suffering. In October of 2021, we hosted psychiatrist Curt Thompson to discuss his book, The Soul of Desire: Discovering the Neuroscience of Longing, Beauty, and Community.


In his book, Thompson weaves together neurobiological insight and spiritual formation to open up new ways of understanding our longing for connection with God and each other. Curt explored the ways cultivating presence with ourselves, others, and God can move us from brokenness to beauty:


“The reason that this is important is because our trauma and our shame, all that stuff–if I don't take care of that, I'm necessarily literally going to have to be burning neurobiological energy to contain it, and that is energy that I then will not have available to create those artifacts of beauty and goodness in the world that God has prepared for me and you together, along with the presence of the Holy Spirit from before the foundation of the world, to create.”


Confessional Community and the Imagination
During our conversation, Curt offers up a vision for the ways in which a confessional community can reshape our imaginations and reveal new possibilities for better knowing and loving God ourselves and others. It's a redemptive, hopeful, even beautiful vision, and we hope it inspires you to press into your community too.

This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation from October, 2021. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Curt Thompson.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:


The Soul of Desire: Discovering the Neuroscience of Longing, Beauty, and Community, by Curt Thompson

Daniel J. Siegel

Tina Payne Bryson
James K.A. Smith

The Silver Chair, by C.S. Lewis

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Insights from Great Literature
Man’s Search for Meaning


Related Conversations:

Strength in the Second Half with Arthur Brooks
Cultivating a Life of Learning with Zena Hitz
Being, Living, and Dying Well with Lydia Dugdale
Hope, Heartbreak, and Meaning with Kate Bowler
The Burden of Living and the and the Goodness of God with Alan Noble
All the Lonely People with Ryan Streeter and Francie Broghammer

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.


]]> We all long to be fully known. Yet so often this desire for true connection and community is impaired by trauma, shame, and suffering. In October of 2021, we hosted psychiatrist Curt Thompson to discuss his book, The Soul of Desire: Discovering the Neuroscience of Longing, Beauty, and Community.


In his book, Thompson weaves together neurobiological insight and spiritual formation to open up new ways of understanding our longing for connection with God and each other. Curt explored the ways cultivating presence with ourselves, others, and God can move us from brokenness to beauty:


“The reason that this is important is because our trauma and our shame, all that stuff–if I don't take care of that, I'm necessarily literally going to have to be burning neurobiological energy to contain it, and that is energy that I then will not have available to create those artifacts of beauty and goodness in the world that God has prepared for me and you together, along with the presence of the Holy Spirit from before the foundation of the world, to create.”


Confessional Community and the Imagination
During our conversation, Curt offers up a vision for the ways in which a confessional community can reshape our imaginations and reveal new possibilities for better knowing and loving God ourselves and others. It's a redemptive, hopeful, even beautiful vision, and we hope it inspires you to press into your community too.

This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation from October, 2021. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Curt Thompson.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:


The Soul of Desire: Discovering the Neuroscience of Longing, Beauty, and Community, by Curt Thompson

Daniel J. Siegel

Tina Payne Bryson
James K.A. Smith

The Silver Chair, by C.S. Lewis

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Insights from Great Literature
Man’s Search for Meaning


Related Conversations:

Strength in the Second Half with Arthur Brooks
Cultivating a Life of Learning with Zena Hitz
Being, Living, and Dying Well with Lydia Dugdale
Hope, Heartbreak, and Meaning with Kate Bowler
The Burden of Living and the and the Goodness of God with Alan Noble
All the Lonely People with Ryan Streeter and Francie Broghammer

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.


]]> Tue, 02 May 2023 00:01:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2444 We all long to be fully known. Yet so often this desire for true connection and community is impaired by trauma, shame, and suffering. In October of 2021, we hosted psychiatrist Curt Thompson to discuss his book, The Soul of Desire: Discovering the Neuroscience of Longing, Beauty, and Community.


In his book, Thompson weaves together neurobiological insight and spiritual formation to open up new ways of understanding our longing for connection with God and each other. Curt explored the ways cultivating presence with ourselves, others, and God can move us from brokenness to beauty:


“The reason that this is important is because our trauma and our shame, all that stuff–if I don't take care of that, I'm necessarily literally going to have to be burning neurobiological energy to contain it, and that is energy that I then will not have available to create those artifacts of beauty and goodness in the world that God has prepared for me and you together, along with the presence of the Holy Spirit from before the foundation of the world, to create.”


Confessional Community and the Imagination
During our conversation, Curt offers up a vision for the ways in which a confessional community can reshape our imaginations and reveal new possibilities for better knowing and loving God ourselves and others. It's a redemptive, hopeful, even beautiful vision, and we hope it inspires you to press into your community too.

This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation from October, 2021. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Curt Thompson.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:


The Soul of Desire: Discovering the Neuroscience of Longing, Beauty, and Community, by Curt Thompson

Daniel J. Siegel

Tina Payne Bryson
James K.A. Smith

The Silver Chair, by C.S. Lewis

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Insights from Great Literature
Man’s Search for Meaning


Related Conversations:

Strength in the Second Half with Arthur Brooks
Cultivating a Life of Learning with Zena Hitz
Being, Living, and Dying Well with Lydia Dugdale
Hope, Heartbreak, and Meaning with Kate Bowler
The Burden of Living and the and the Goodness of God with Alan Noble
All the Lonely People with Ryan Streeter and Francie Broghammer

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.


]]> No Public Faith in Polarized Times 7 7 51 51 Public Faith in Polarized Times full 26aec67c-f0b7-452b-aeb5-7b3dc8a434b1 https://share.transistor.fm/s/62fa7365 Public Faith in Polarized Times with Mark Labberton, Claude Alexander, Walter Kim


In a public square increasingly riven by tribalism, identity politics, and polarization, how can Christians wisely and faithfully engage?


We were joined by Mark Labberton, Claude Alexander, and Walter Kim in August of 2021 to explore ways of understanding and approaching Christian public engagement beyond the ruts of timid quietism or belligerent culture-warring:


“It's easy to think about public faith in terms of our public character. In other words, how we conduct ourselves in public. And that's critical, that's very important. The posture, the characters of integrity. The ability to bring joy and peace to others. But there's a deeper issue at stake of not merely character, but the very presence of the gospel in society, the presence of faith in society.

"So the gospel no longer becomes this narrow vision of personal and characterological transformation, which it is including, but it also encompasses this very expansive vision of the implications of faith for every sector of human existence and endeavor.” - Walter Kim


The Church's Historic and Global Witness
Drawing on both the church’s historic witness under times of stress and persecution, and the ways in which the faith is expressed globally, Labberton, Alexander, and Kim offer a vision that is both sobering and hopeful:


“I do think for me, there's the assurance that God is not the least bit surprised or undone by this moment. In fact, it's quite familiar if you look back on the pages of both the Hebrew scriptures and the New Testament, you find plenty of evidences of the makings of such moments as this.

“So the sense of faith against staggering power or resistance to change, or to deep confession or all of that, that's familiar biblical terrain. That's why it required the death of God in Jesus to be able to actually take all of this with the deep seriousness that it requires.” - Mark Labberton


The Church can be a Blessing in Polarized Times

We believe you’ll find their vision for a church that can thrive in the midst of difficulty and serve as an exemplar of unity in a time of fragmentation and political polarization inspiring.


This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation from August, 2021. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Mark Labberton, Walter Kim, and Claude Alexander.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Martin Luther King. Jr.

Yuval Levin

G.K. Chesterton

St. Paul

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Crisis-Ready Leadership Collection
The Confessions of St. Augustine
City of God
Children of Light and the Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr
Politics and the English Language, by George Orwell
Politics, Morality, and Civility, by Václav Havel 


Related Conversations:

Leadership in Tumultuous Times with Ron C. White

Lincoln in Private with Ron C. White
Crisis Ready Leadership
Redeeming Power with Diane Langberg

Character, Virtue, and Leadership with Michael Lamb


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Public Faith in Polarized Times with Mark Labberton, Claude Alexander, Walter Kim


In a public square increasingly riven by tribalism, identity politics, and polarization, how can Christians wisely and faithfully engage?


We were joined by Mark Labberton, Claude Alexander, and Walter Kim in August of 2021 to explore ways of understanding and approaching Christian public engagement beyond the ruts of timid quietism or belligerent culture-warring:


“It's easy to think about public faith in terms of our public character. In other words, how we conduct ourselves in public. And that's critical, that's very important. The posture, the characters of integrity. The ability to bring joy and peace to others. But there's a deeper issue at stake of not merely character, but the very presence of the gospel in society, the presence of faith in society.

"So the gospel no longer becomes this narrow vision of personal and characterological transformation, which it is including, but it also encompasses this very expansive vision of the implications of faith for every sector of human existence and endeavor.” - Walter Kim


The Church's Historic and Global Witness
Drawing on both the church’s historic witness under times of stress and persecution, and the ways in which the faith is expressed globally, Labberton, Alexander, and Kim offer a vision that is both sobering and hopeful:


“I do think for me, there's the assurance that God is not the least bit surprised or undone by this moment. In fact, it's quite familiar if you look back on the pages of both the Hebrew scriptures and the New Testament, you find plenty of evidences of the makings of such moments as this.

“So the sense of faith against staggering power or resistance to change, or to deep confession or all of that, that's familiar biblical terrain. That's why it required the death of God in Jesus to be able to actually take all of this with the deep seriousness that it requires.” - Mark Labberton


The Church can be a Blessing in Polarized Times

We believe you’ll find their vision for a church that can thrive in the midst of difficulty and serve as an exemplar of unity in a time of fragmentation and political polarization inspiring.


This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation from August, 2021. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Mark Labberton, Walter Kim, and Claude Alexander.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Martin Luther King. Jr.

Yuval Levin

G.K. Chesterton

St. Paul

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Crisis-Ready Leadership Collection
The Confessions of St. Augustine
City of God
Children of Light and the Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr
Politics and the English Language, by George Orwell
Politics, Morality, and Civility, by Václav Havel 


Related Conversations:

Leadership in Tumultuous Times with Ron C. White

Lincoln in Private with Ron C. White
Crisis Ready Leadership
Redeeming Power with Diane Langberg

Character, Virtue, and Leadership with Michael Lamb


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 18 Apr 2023 00:01:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2568 Public Faith in Polarized Times with Mark Labberton, Claude Alexander, Walter Kim


In a public square increasingly riven by tribalism, identity politics, and polarization, how can Christians wisely and faithfully engage?


We were joined by Mark Labberton, Claude Alexander, and Walter Kim in August of 2021 to explore ways of understanding and approaching Christian public engagement beyond the ruts of timid quietism or belligerent culture-warring:


“It's easy to think about public faith in terms of our public character. In other words, how we conduct ourselves in public. And that's critical, that's very important. The posture, the characters of integrity. The ability to bring joy and peace to others. But there's a deeper issue at stake of not merely character, but the very presence of the gospel in society, the presence of faith in society.

"So the gospel no longer becomes this narrow vision of personal and characterological transformation, which it is including, but it also encompasses this very expansive vision of the implications of faith for every sector of human existence and endeavor.” - Walter Kim


The Church's Historic and Global Witness
Drawing on both the church’s historic witness under times of stress and persecution, and the ways in which the faith is expressed globally, Labberton, Alexander, and Kim offer a vision that is both sobering and hopeful:


“I do think for me, there's the assurance that God is not the least bit surprised or undone by this moment. In fact, it's quite familiar if you look back on the pages of both the Hebrew scriptures and the New Testament, you find plenty of evidences of the makings of such moments as this.

“So the sense of faith against staggering power or resistance to change, or to deep confession or all of that, that's familiar biblical terrain. That's why it required the death of God in Jesus to be able to actually take all of this with the deep seriousness that it requires.” - Mark Labberton


The Church can be a Blessing in Polarized Times

We believe you’ll find their vision for a church that can thrive in the midst of difficulty and serve as an exemplar of unity in a time of fragmentation and political polarization inspiring.


This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation from August, 2021. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Mark Labberton, Walter Kim, and Claude Alexander.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Martin Luther King. Jr.

Yuval Levin

G.K. Chesterton

St. Paul

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Crisis-Ready Leadership Collection
The Confessions of St. Augustine
City of God
Children of Light and the Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr
Politics and the English Language, by George Orwell
Politics, Morality, and Civility, by Václav Havel 


Related Conversations:

Leadership in Tumultuous Times with Ron C. White

Lincoln in Private with Ron C. White
Crisis Ready Leadership
Redeeming Power with Diane Langberg

Character, Virtue, and Leadership with Michael Lamb


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> polarization, politics, christianity No Character, Virtue, and Leadership with Michael Lamb 7 7 50 50 Character, Virtue, and Leadership with Michael Lamb full 8ef4f347-f478-4cf0-8448-3f7241fc77ea https://share.transistor.fm/s/232c3036 Character, Virtue, and Leadership with Michael Lamb

The increasing conflict, chaos, and moral confusion of our time has made leadership more challenging, and the role of character increasingly questioned. What does it mean to lead wisely and well? Is successful leadership defined by “winning”? How is trust built in a cynical age?


The Link Between Virtue and Leadership

Wake Forest professor, author, and director of the The Program for Leadership and Character, Michael Lamb helps us wrestle with these questions by exploring the link between virtue and wise leadership, and showing how character formation enables leaders to establish trust, think wisely, empower others, and persevere through difficult times.


“If we do care about our social fabric, if we care about our communal flourishing, we need the virtues that help us build meaningful relationships. We need empathy and we need humility to recognize our limits. And we need courage and justice, and we need other virtues. And I think in that context, I think what's really important is to recognize that.


“Character matters and it matters for our flourishing, but also it can actually lead to more effective results.”


Defining Leadership and Character

In addition to helpfully defining leadership and character, Michael offers insight into why we often prefer unscrupulous or brash leaders in public while seeking friends of virtue. Drawing on Augustine, Michael reminds us that we aren’t victims of our times, but instead have an active, hopeful role to play in shaping the character of our communities in our time.


This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation from February, 2023. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Michael Lamb.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Anthony Kronman

Harry Lewis

Return on Character: The Real Reason Leaders and Their Companies Win, Fred Kiel

Richard Reeves

Machiavelli

Aristotle

The Road to Character, David Brooks

St. Augustine of Hippo

Martin Luther King Jr.

Gandhi

The Courage to Teach, Parker Palmer


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Crisis-Ready Leadership Collection
The Confessions of St. Augustine


Related Conversations:

Leadership in Tumultuous Times with Ron C. White

Lincoln in Private with Ron C. White
Crisis Ready Leadership
Redeeming Power with Diane Langberg


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.


]]> Character, Virtue, and Leadership with Michael Lamb

The increasing conflict, chaos, and moral confusion of our time has made leadership more challenging, and the role of character increasingly questioned. What does it mean to lead wisely and well? Is successful leadership defined by “winning”? How is trust built in a cynical age?


The Link Between Virtue and Leadership

Wake Forest professor, author, and director of the The Program for Leadership and Character, Michael Lamb helps us wrestle with these questions by exploring the link between virtue and wise leadership, and showing how character formation enables leaders to establish trust, think wisely, empower others, and persevere through difficult times.


“If we do care about our social fabric, if we care about our communal flourishing, we need the virtues that help us build meaningful relationships. We need empathy and we need humility to recognize our limits. And we need courage and justice, and we need other virtues. And I think in that context, I think what's really important is to recognize that.


“Character matters and it matters for our flourishing, but also it can actually lead to more effective results.”


Defining Leadership and Character

In addition to helpfully defining leadership and character, Michael offers insight into why we often prefer unscrupulous or brash leaders in public while seeking friends of virtue. Drawing on Augustine, Michael reminds us that we aren’t victims of our times, but instead have an active, hopeful role to play in shaping the character of our communities in our time.


This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation from February, 2023. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Michael Lamb.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Anthony Kronman

Harry Lewis

Return on Character: The Real Reason Leaders and Their Companies Win, Fred Kiel

Richard Reeves

Machiavelli

Aristotle

The Road to Character, David Brooks

St. Augustine of Hippo

Martin Luther King Jr.

Gandhi

The Courage to Teach, Parker Palmer


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Crisis-Ready Leadership Collection
The Confessions of St. Augustine


Related Conversations:

Leadership in Tumultuous Times with Ron C. White

Lincoln in Private with Ron C. White
Crisis Ready Leadership
Redeeming Power with Diane Langberg


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.


]]> Tue, 04 Apr 2023 00:20:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1839 Character, Virtue, and Leadership with Michael Lamb

The increasing conflict, chaos, and moral confusion of our time has made leadership more challenging, and the role of character increasingly questioned. What does it mean to lead wisely and well? Is successful leadership defined by “winning”? How is trust built in a cynical age?


The Link Between Virtue and Leadership

Wake Forest professor, author, and director of the The Program for Leadership and Character, Michael Lamb helps us wrestle with these questions by exploring the link between virtue and wise leadership, and showing how character formation enables leaders to establish trust, think wisely, empower others, and persevere through difficult times.


“If we do care about our social fabric, if we care about our communal flourishing, we need the virtues that help us build meaningful relationships. We need empathy and we need humility to recognize our limits. And we need courage and justice, and we need other virtues. And I think in that context, I think what's really important is to recognize that.


“Character matters and it matters for our flourishing, but also it can actually lead to more effective results.”


Defining Leadership and Character

In addition to helpfully defining leadership and character, Michael offers insight into why we often prefer unscrupulous or brash leaders in public while seeking friends of virtue. Drawing on Augustine, Michael reminds us that we aren’t victims of our times, but instead have an active, hopeful role to play in shaping the character of our communities in our time.


This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation from February, 2023. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Michael Lamb.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Anthony Kronman

Harry Lewis

Return on Character: The Real Reason Leaders and Their Companies Win, Fred Kiel

Richard Reeves

Machiavelli

Aristotle

The Road to Character, David Brooks

St. Augustine of Hippo

Martin Luther King Jr.

Gandhi

The Courage to Teach, Parker Palmer


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Crisis-Ready Leadership Collection
The Confessions of St. Augustine


Related Conversations:

Leadership in Tumultuous Times with Ron C. White

Lincoln in Private with Ron C. White
Crisis Ready Leadership
Redeeming Power with Diane Langberg


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.


]]> No Redeeming Power with Diane Langberg 7 7 49 49 Redeeming Power with Diane Langberg full 5cd68f08-3167-4e6b-bb59-3a7e4a5a3288 https://share.transistor.fm/s/6acafcc7 Redeeming Power with Diane Langberg


Psychologist and author Dr. Diane Langberg joins our podcast to discuss the themes in her book, Redeeming Power: Understanding Authority and Abuse in the Church. Dr. Langberg who has been working with survivors of trauma and abuse, clergy, and caregivers for almost 50 years, desires to increase awareness and understanding of power and its abuse so those who have been abandoned by broken systems of power can be defended and protected.

Defending dysfunctional and abusive systems

"When we think about a system of any kind, whether it's a government or some kind of organization, or the church, which is a system, it's people standing together usually for a particular goal or purpose or whatever.And so what the people want to do is maintain the system because of what it gives them. So if you come along and say, the person who's running that system is a wolf and is devouring the sheep, nobody wants to hear that. Because if that's the case, then the thing that they believe in that keeps them safe isn't safe. That's terrifying." - Diane Langberg

In this conversation Dr. Langberg discusses the purposes, dynamics, systems, and proper place of power, as well as the ways in which it can deform and distort, noting that “our responses to the vulnerable expose who we are.”

And she noted that while “much of Christendom today seems less interested in seeing as Jesus saw…and far more interested in gaining power,” there is also the invitation and opportunity before us to “cross divides, step out of high positions, and reach out with love to those who are vulnerable, whose power is little or trampled, bestowing benedictions as we go.” We trust you’ll find this conversation inspiring and hopeful.

This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation from July 2021. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Diane Langberg.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

George Herbert


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Crisis-Ready Leadership Collection


Related Conversations:

Leadership in Tumultuous Times with Ron C. White
Lincoln in Private with Ron C. White
Crisis Ready Leadership


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Redeeming Power with Diane Langberg


Psychologist and author Dr. Diane Langberg joins our podcast to discuss the themes in her book, Redeeming Power: Understanding Authority and Abuse in the Church. Dr. Langberg who has been working with survivors of trauma and abuse, clergy, and caregivers for almost 50 years, desires to increase awareness and understanding of power and its abuse so those who have been abandoned by broken systems of power can be defended and protected.

Defending dysfunctional and abusive systems

"When we think about a system of any kind, whether it's a government or some kind of organization, or the church, which is a system, it's people standing together usually for a particular goal or purpose or whatever.And so what the people want to do is maintain the system because of what it gives them. So if you come along and say, the person who's running that system is a wolf and is devouring the sheep, nobody wants to hear that. Because if that's the case, then the thing that they believe in that keeps them safe isn't safe. That's terrifying." - Diane Langberg

In this conversation Dr. Langberg discusses the purposes, dynamics, systems, and proper place of power, as well as the ways in which it can deform and distort, noting that “our responses to the vulnerable expose who we are.”

And she noted that while “much of Christendom today seems less interested in seeing as Jesus saw…and far more interested in gaining power,” there is also the invitation and opportunity before us to “cross divides, step out of high positions, and reach out with love to those who are vulnerable, whose power is little or trampled, bestowing benedictions as we go.” We trust you’ll find this conversation inspiring and hopeful.

This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation from July 2021. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Diane Langberg.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

George Herbert


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Crisis-Ready Leadership Collection


Related Conversations:

Leadership in Tumultuous Times with Ron C. White
Lincoln in Private with Ron C. White
Crisis Ready Leadership


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 21 Mar 2023 00:01:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1770 Redeeming Power with Diane Langberg


Psychologist and author Dr. Diane Langberg joins our podcast to discuss the themes in her book, Redeeming Power: Understanding Authority and Abuse in the Church. Dr. Langberg who has been working with survivors of trauma and abuse, clergy, and caregivers for almost 50 years, desires to increase awareness and understanding of power and its abuse so those who have been abandoned by broken systems of power can be defended and protected.

Defending dysfunctional and abusive systems

"When we think about a system of any kind, whether it's a government or some kind of organization, or the church, which is a system, it's people standing together usually for a particular goal or purpose or whatever.And so what the people want to do is maintain the system because of what it gives them. So if you come along and say, the person who's running that system is a wolf and is devouring the sheep, nobody wants to hear that. Because if that's the case, then the thing that they believe in that keeps them safe isn't safe. That's terrifying." - Diane Langberg

In this conversation Dr. Langberg discusses the purposes, dynamics, systems, and proper place of power, as well as the ways in which it can deform and distort, noting that “our responses to the vulnerable expose who we are.”

And she noted that while “much of Christendom today seems less interested in seeing as Jesus saw…and far more interested in gaining power,” there is also the invitation and opportunity before us to “cross divides, step out of high positions, and reach out with love to those who are vulnerable, whose power is little or trampled, bestowing benedictions as we go.” We trust you’ll find this conversation inspiring and hopeful.

This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation from July 2021. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Diane Langberg.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

George Herbert


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Crisis-Ready Leadership Collection


Related Conversations:

Leadership in Tumultuous Times with Ron C. White
Lincoln in Private with Ron C. White
Crisis Ready Leadership


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> No Crisis Ready Leadership 7 7 48 48 Crisis Ready Leadership full 66e79091-9433-4b4e-8f68-7d29ff140e8d https://share.transistor.fm/s/9d2a6579 Crisis Ready Leadership with Justin Giboney, Russell Moore, Shirley Hoogstra, Walter Kim


What does it take to listen, respond, learn, and lead? How do leaders prepare for the unexpected and unpredictable?


In this episode Shirley Hoogstra, Russell Moore, Justin Giboney and Walter Kim consider the historic values of leadership, share lessons learned from their own lives, and provide encouragement for leaders today.


How to Speak in a Crisis

Reflecting on the temptation to tell people what they want to hear, Russell Moore encourages leaders to consider long-term credibility and speaking the truth:

“I think one of the most dangerous things that can possibly happen is if people don't believe that you believe what it is that you're saying. And that's a tendency…to think, well, what would people want me to say? And I will say that. And that can make things easy for the moment, but long term, you're not going to be believed by the very people who need you to lead.” - Russell Moore

Faithfulness vs. Perfection
Shirley Hoogstra shared about the freedom that comes with being “roughly ready” in a crisis, and in casting our fears and anxieties on God:

“In this time of fear, Christians actually have the advantage because the Bible speaks about fear. It speaks about “don't be afraid,” “don't be  anxious,” not because you've got the willpower to do it, but because you can bring your anxiety and your fear to God.
“And I'm sure with the other leaders on this call, you've woken up in the middle of the night and you've wondered about decisions or actions that you have to take, and then you say, ‘Lord, I just have to give it over to you. You have it. I don't have to have it. You are the engine. I'm not the engine. And you'll gimme a redo loop if I get it wrong.’ It is not perfection, it's faithfulness.”

This podcast offers a wealth of wisdom on leading through crisis, and is an edited version of our Online Conversation from June 2020. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Justin Gibony, Russell Moore, Shirley Hoogstra, and Walter Kim.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Max De Pree

Seth Godin

Learning in Wartime, by C.S. Lewis

Good to Great, by Jim Collins

Bishop Claude Alexander

Dr. Charlie Day

Esau McCauley

Andy Crouch

A Rule of Life, by Praxis Labs

The Dip, by Seth Godin

Eugene Peterson

Your Labor is not in Vain

Leadership on the Line, by Martin Linsky and Ronald A. Heifetz


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Crisis-Ready Leadership Collection


Related Conversations:

Leadership in Tumultuous Times with Ron C. White
Lincoln in Private with Ron C. White


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Crisis Ready Leadership with Justin Giboney, Russell Moore, Shirley Hoogstra, Walter Kim


What does it take to listen, respond, learn, and lead? How do leaders prepare for the unexpected and unpredictable?


In this episode Shirley Hoogstra, Russell Moore, Justin Giboney and Walter Kim consider the historic values of leadership, share lessons learned from their own lives, and provide encouragement for leaders today.


How to Speak in a Crisis

Reflecting on the temptation to tell people what they want to hear, Russell Moore encourages leaders to consider long-term credibility and speaking the truth:

“I think one of the most dangerous things that can possibly happen is if people don't believe that you believe what it is that you're saying. And that's a tendency…to think, well, what would people want me to say? And I will say that. And that can make things easy for the moment, but long term, you're not going to be believed by the very people who need you to lead.” - Russell Moore

Faithfulness vs. Perfection
Shirley Hoogstra shared about the freedom that comes with being “roughly ready” in a crisis, and in casting our fears and anxieties on God:

“In this time of fear, Christians actually have the advantage because the Bible speaks about fear. It speaks about “don't be afraid,” “don't be  anxious,” not because you've got the willpower to do it, but because you can bring your anxiety and your fear to God.
“And I'm sure with the other leaders on this call, you've woken up in the middle of the night and you've wondered about decisions or actions that you have to take, and then you say, ‘Lord, I just have to give it over to you. You have it. I don't have to have it. You are the engine. I'm not the engine. And you'll gimme a redo loop if I get it wrong.’ It is not perfection, it's faithfulness.”

This podcast offers a wealth of wisdom on leading through crisis, and is an edited version of our Online Conversation from June 2020. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Justin Gibony, Russell Moore, Shirley Hoogstra, and Walter Kim.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Max De Pree

Seth Godin

Learning in Wartime, by C.S. Lewis

Good to Great, by Jim Collins

Bishop Claude Alexander

Dr. Charlie Day

Esau McCauley

Andy Crouch

A Rule of Life, by Praxis Labs

The Dip, by Seth Godin

Eugene Peterson

Your Labor is not in Vain

Leadership on the Line, by Martin Linsky and Ronald A. Heifetz


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Crisis-Ready Leadership Collection


Related Conversations:

Leadership in Tumultuous Times with Ron C. White
Lincoln in Private with Ron C. White


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 07 Mar 2023 01:00:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2584 Crisis Ready Leadership with Justin Giboney, Russell Moore, Shirley Hoogstra, Walter Kim


What does it take to listen, respond, learn, and lead? How do leaders prepare for the unexpected and unpredictable?


In this episode Shirley Hoogstra, Russell Moore, Justin Giboney and Walter Kim consider the historic values of leadership, share lessons learned from their own lives, and provide encouragement for leaders today.


How to Speak in a Crisis

Reflecting on the temptation to tell people what they want to hear, Russell Moore encourages leaders to consider long-term credibility and speaking the truth:

“I think one of the most dangerous things that can possibly happen is if people don't believe that you believe what it is that you're saying. And that's a tendency…to think, well, what would people want me to say? And I will say that. And that can make things easy for the moment, but long term, you're not going to be believed by the very people who need you to lead.” - Russell Moore

Faithfulness vs. Perfection
Shirley Hoogstra shared about the freedom that comes with being “roughly ready” in a crisis, and in casting our fears and anxieties on God:

“In this time of fear, Christians actually have the advantage because the Bible speaks about fear. It speaks about “don't be afraid,” “don't be  anxious,” not because you've got the willpower to do it, but because you can bring your anxiety and your fear to God.
“And I'm sure with the other leaders on this call, you've woken up in the middle of the night and you've wondered about decisions or actions that you have to take, and then you say, ‘Lord, I just have to give it over to you. You have it. I don't have to have it. You are the engine. I'm not the engine. And you'll gimme a redo loop if I get it wrong.’ It is not perfection, it's faithfulness.”

This podcast offers a wealth of wisdom on leading through crisis, and is an edited version of our Online Conversation from June 2020. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Justin Gibony, Russell Moore, Shirley Hoogstra, and Walter Kim.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Max De Pree

Seth Godin

Learning in Wartime, by C.S. Lewis

Good to Great, by Jim Collins

Bishop Claude Alexander

Dr. Charlie Day

Esau McCauley

Andy Crouch

A Rule of Life, by Praxis Labs

The Dip, by Seth Godin

Eugene Peterson

Your Labor is not in Vain

Leadership on the Line, by Martin Linsky and Ronald A. Heifetz


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Crisis-Ready Leadership Collection


Related Conversations:

Leadership in Tumultuous Times with Ron C. White
Lincoln in Private with Ron C. White


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> No Lincoln in Private: Leadership Behind Closed Doors with Ron C. White 7 7 47 47 Lincoln in Private: Leadership Behind Closed Doors with Ron C. White full a683594a-c3a3-4c50-9a18-cfe0bfa4ae1c https://share.transistor.fm/s/0f6a3d26 Lincoln in Private: Leadership Behind Closed Doors with Ron White


Lincoln did not keep a diary but he developed the habit of writing reflections and ruminations on little slips of paper. These notes, which Lincoln never intended for anyone to see, help us understand the depth of Lincoln’s character and thinking and introduce us to the private Lincoln behind the public Lincoln.


In his new work Lincoln in Private, renowned historian and biographer Ronald C. White takes the reader through a tour of Abraham Lincoln’s private notes that illustrate the ways in which he struggled with the national, moral, and spiritual crises of his times, and reflected on the possibilities of God’s purposes during the Civil War. In doing so, White shows the struggles of leadership behind closed doors — and what can be learned from Lincoln’s example.

At the end of the day, character does matter that policies are important, but policies will come and go. Character is what is lasting and over the long haul, whoever the person is. We don't need to think even simply of political figures. Leaders in business, lawyers, teachers, presidents of colleges or universities, character is what will endure or what will actually cause a person to fall.

Whether we know it or not, whether we talk about it or not. Character might sound like an old-fashioned word, but I think it's the underlying definition of who leaders are. - Ron C. White

This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation from May 2021. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.


Learn more about Ron White.


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Abraham Lincoln: the Spiritual Growth of a Public Man
The Great Lives Collection 


Related Conversations:

Leadership in Tumultuous Times with Ron C. White


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Lincoln in Private: Leadership Behind Closed Doors with Ron White


Lincoln did not keep a diary but he developed the habit of writing reflections and ruminations on little slips of paper. These notes, which Lincoln never intended for anyone to see, help us understand the depth of Lincoln’s character and thinking and introduce us to the private Lincoln behind the public Lincoln.


In his new work Lincoln in Private, renowned historian and biographer Ronald C. White takes the reader through a tour of Abraham Lincoln’s private notes that illustrate the ways in which he struggled with the national, moral, and spiritual crises of his times, and reflected on the possibilities of God’s purposes during the Civil War. In doing so, White shows the struggles of leadership behind closed doors — and what can be learned from Lincoln’s example.

At the end of the day, character does matter that policies are important, but policies will come and go. Character is what is lasting and over the long haul, whoever the person is. We don't need to think even simply of political figures. Leaders in business, lawyers, teachers, presidents of colleges or universities, character is what will endure or what will actually cause a person to fall.

Whether we know it or not, whether we talk about it or not. Character might sound like an old-fashioned word, but I think it's the underlying definition of who leaders are. - Ron C. White

This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation from May 2021. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.


Learn more about Ron White.


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Abraham Lincoln: the Spiritual Growth of a Public Man
The Great Lives Collection 


Related Conversations:

Leadership in Tumultuous Times with Ron C. White


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Tue, 21 Feb 2023 01:01:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1659 Lincoln in Private: Leadership Behind Closed Doors with Ron White


Lincoln did not keep a diary but he developed the habit of writing reflections and ruminations on little slips of paper. These notes, which Lincoln never intended for anyone to see, help us understand the depth of Lincoln’s character and thinking and introduce us to the private Lincoln behind the public Lincoln.


In his new work Lincoln in Private, renowned historian and biographer Ronald C. White takes the reader through a tour of Abraham Lincoln’s private notes that illustrate the ways in which he struggled with the national, moral, and spiritual crises of his times, and reflected on the possibilities of God’s purposes during the Civil War. In doing so, White shows the struggles of leadership behind closed doors — and what can be learned from Lincoln’s example.

At the end of the day, character does matter that policies are important, but policies will come and go. Character is what is lasting and over the long haul, whoever the person is. We don't need to think even simply of political figures. Leaders in business, lawyers, teachers, presidents of colleges or universities, character is what will endure or what will actually cause a person to fall.

Whether we know it or not, whether we talk about it or not. Character might sound like an old-fashioned word, but I think it's the underlying definition of who leaders are. - Ron C. White

This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation from May 2021. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.


Learn more about Ron White.


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Abraham Lincoln: the Spiritual Growth of a Public Man
The Great Lives Collection 


Related Conversations:

Leadership in Tumultuous Times with Ron C. White


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> No The Blessing of Limitations with Kelly Kapic 6 6 46 46 The Blessing of Limitations with Kelly Kapic full ad37efdb-84de-4669-90ec-4e3205cb2775 https://share.transistor.fm/s/f827ea6d The Blessing of Limitations with Kelly Kapic

 

We live in an age of speed and overwhelm, where we often feel we are constantly expected to do more, move faster, work harder, brush past boundaries and limits, and shave margins. When we inevitably fail to meet all demands, we are left feeling not only exhausted and discouraged, but often disoriented and diminished.

 

But what if, instead of seeing our limitations as an impediment, we could learn to view them as a blessing, even a gift? In You’re Only Human, theologian and scholar Kelly Kapic provides a theologically grounded approach to understanding and receiving the gift of our human finitude.

 

On this final podcast episode of our Advent series, Kelly Kapic offers us a way to find joy and relief in our incarnational limits and use them to foster greater freedom, spiritual growth, and deeper community.

This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation from December 2022. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.


Learn more about Kelly Kapic.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

You’re Only Human, by Kelly Kapic

Embodied Hope, by  Kelly Kapic

The God Who Gives, by Kelly Kapic

The Devoted Life, by Kelly Kapic

Becoming Whole, by Kelly Kapic

Wendell Berry

The Sabbath, by Abram Joshua Heschel

Robert Emmons


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Bright Evening Star, Madeleine L’Engle
A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens
Babette’s Feast, by Isak Dinesen


Related Conversations:

Practicing Gratitude with Diana Butler Bass
Beauty and Wonder with Andrew Peterson
Time and Hope with James K.A. Smith
Beauty from Darkness with Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.


]]> The Blessing of Limitations with Kelly Kapic

 

We live in an age of speed and overwhelm, where we often feel we are constantly expected to do more, move faster, work harder, brush past boundaries and limits, and shave margins. When we inevitably fail to meet all demands, we are left feeling not only exhausted and discouraged, but often disoriented and diminished.

 

But what if, instead of seeing our limitations as an impediment, we could learn to view them as a blessing, even a gift? In You’re Only Human, theologian and scholar Kelly Kapic provides a theologically grounded approach to understanding and receiving the gift of our human finitude.

 

On this final podcast episode of our Advent series, Kelly Kapic offers us a way to find joy and relief in our incarnational limits and use them to foster greater freedom, spiritual growth, and deeper community.

This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation from December 2022. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.


Learn more about Kelly Kapic.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

You’re Only Human, by Kelly Kapic

Embodied Hope, by  Kelly Kapic

The God Who Gives, by Kelly Kapic

The Devoted Life, by Kelly Kapic

Becoming Whole, by Kelly Kapic

Wendell Berry

The Sabbath, by Abram Joshua Heschel

Robert Emmons


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Bright Evening Star, Madeleine L’Engle
A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens
Babette’s Feast, by Isak Dinesen


Related Conversations:

Practicing Gratitude with Diana Butler Bass
Beauty and Wonder with Andrew Peterson
Time and Hope with James K.A. Smith
Beauty from Darkness with Curt Thompson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.


]]> Mon, 19 Dec 2022 23:50:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1806 What if, instead of seeing our limitations as an impediment, we could learn to view them as a blessing, even a gift? Theologian and scholar Kelly Kapic offers a theologically grounded approach to understanding and receiving the gift of our human finitude. What if, instead of seeing our limitations as an impediment, we could learn to view them as a blessing, even a gift? Theologian and scholar Kelly Kapic offers a theologically grounded approach to understanding and receiving the gift of our human finitude. No Beauty from Darkness with Curt Thompson 6 6 45 45 Beauty from Darkness with Curt Thompson full 581bc229-9fc5-4ead-b70b-51d8ca5d09fe https://share.transistor.fm/s/850c6849 Beauty from Darkness with Curt Thompson

How do we seek, find and share hope and healing in hard times?

 

In this fourth episode of our Advent Series, psychiatrist and author Curt Thompson and Trinity Forum President Cherie Harder discuss healing, grace, and reintegration — both for our individual and spiritual lives, and our shared life together. Together they consider how being known and believing what is true about our stories can transform our perspective and bring hope and healing:

 

"Shame is the antithesis and is that force that evil wants to use to undermine not only our ability to be known by one another deeply, which we were made for, we were made to be known, but we were also made to be known on the way to creating artifacts of beauty, whether those artifacts are relationships, whether they're new pieces of music, art, businesses, and so forth."
– Curt Thompson


This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation from November 2020. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Curt Thompson.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Makoto Fujimura

M. Scott Peck


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Bright Evening Star, Madeleine L’Engle
A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens
Babette’s Feast, by Isak Dinesen


Related Conversations:

Practicing Gratitude with Diana Butler Bass
Beauty and Wonder with Andrew Peterson
Time and Hope with James K.A. Smith


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Beauty from Darkness with Curt Thompson

How do we seek, find and share hope and healing in hard times?

 

In this fourth episode of our Advent Series, psychiatrist and author Curt Thompson and Trinity Forum President Cherie Harder discuss healing, grace, and reintegration — both for our individual and spiritual lives, and our shared life together. Together they consider how being known and believing what is true about our stories can transform our perspective and bring hope and healing:

 

"Shame is the antithesis and is that force that evil wants to use to undermine not only our ability to be known by one another deeply, which we were made for, we were made to be known, but we were also made to be known on the way to creating artifacts of beauty, whether those artifacts are relationships, whether they're new pieces of music, art, businesses, and so forth."
– Curt Thompson


This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation from November 2020. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Curt Thompson.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Makoto Fujimura

M. Scott Peck


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Bright Evening Star, Madeleine L’Engle
A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens
Babette’s Feast, by Isak Dinesen


Related Conversations:

Practicing Gratitude with Diana Butler Bass
Beauty and Wonder with Andrew Peterson
Time and Hope with James K.A. Smith


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

]]> Mon, 12 Dec 2022 23:50:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2152 Author and psychiatrist Curt Thompson and Cherie Harder discuss beauty, healing, and reintegration — both for our individual and spiritual lives, and our shared life together as part of our Advent podcast series. Author and psychiatrist Curt Thompson and Cherie Harder discuss beauty, healing, and reintegration — both for our individual and spiritual lives, and our shared life together as part of our Advent podcast series. No Time and Hope James. K.A. Smith 6 6 44 44 Time and Hope James. K.A. Smith full 0414fa0e-a068-4380-873c-e178d22522d0 https://share.transistor.fm/s/f78bf8fe Time and Hope with James K.A. Smith

In this third episode of our Advent Series, philosopher and author James K.A. Smith helps us consider what it means to be creatures that are bound and formed by time. Each of us is shaped by the stories that precede us:

 

“I think to be a creature who is living into the fullness of being human means grappling with, reckoning with, and sort of gratefully receiving the way that our past, our history, our our  embeddedness in time has contributed to this unique identity that God has made us to fulfill. And, , it's hard work.”


As we mark Advent, a season of waiting, of reckoning with time, and of hopeful longing for the fulfillment of the Kingdom, Smith helps us rightly locate our hope in God:

 

“Hope is possible precisely because you don't think the present is all there is. And you also don't think that humans are the only agents in this, that the God of the cosmos who fires the world with love is out ahead of us, which is precisely why there can always be new possibilities. I think that's radical for us to think about personally and individually. And I think it's radical for us to think about collectively and communally.”

This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation from September 2022. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about James K.A. Smith.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Who's Afraid of Postmodernism

Desiring The Kingdom.

The Devil Reads Derrida - and Other Essays on the University, the Church, Politics, and the Arts

You Are What You Love

Awaiting The King

On the road with St. Augustine: A Real World Spirituality for Restless Hearts

How to Inhabit Time: Understanding the Past, Facing the Future, and Living Faithful Now

Makoto Fujimura

Henri Nouwen

St. Teresa of Avila

Thomas Merton


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Bright Evening Star, Madeleine L’Engle
A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens
Babette’s Feast, by Isak Dinesen


Related Conversations:

Practicing Gratitude with Diana Butler Bass
Beauty and Wonder with Andrew Peterson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.


]]> Time and Hope with James K.A. Smith

In this third episode of our Advent Series, philosopher and author James K.A. Smith helps us consider what it means to be creatures that are bound and formed by time. Each of us is shaped by the stories that precede us:

 

“I think to be a creature who is living into the fullness of being human means grappling with, reckoning with, and sort of gratefully receiving the way that our past, our history, our our  embeddedness in time has contributed to this unique identity that God has made us to fulfill. And, , it's hard work.”


As we mark Advent, a season of waiting, of reckoning with time, and of hopeful longing for the fulfillment of the Kingdom, Smith helps us rightly locate our hope in God:

 

“Hope is possible precisely because you don't think the present is all there is. And you also don't think that humans are the only agents in this, that the God of the cosmos who fires the world with love is out ahead of us, which is precisely why there can always be new possibilities. I think that's radical for us to think about personally and individually. And I think it's radical for us to think about collectively and communally.”

This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation from September 2022. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about James K.A. Smith.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Who's Afraid of Postmodernism

Desiring The Kingdom.

The Devil Reads Derrida - and Other Essays on the University, the Church, Politics, and the Arts

You Are What You Love

Awaiting The King

On the road with St. Augustine: A Real World Spirituality for Restless Hearts

How to Inhabit Time: Understanding the Past, Facing the Future, and Living Faithful Now

Makoto Fujimura

Henri Nouwen

St. Teresa of Avila

Thomas Merton


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Bright Evening Star, Madeleine L’Engle
A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens
Babette’s Feast, by Isak Dinesen


Related Conversations:

Practicing Gratitude with Diana Butler Bass
Beauty and Wonder with Andrew Peterson


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society


Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.


]]> Mon, 05 Dec 2022 23:50:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1766 Philosopher and author James K.A. Smith helps us think about how to inhabit time as we enter deeply into Advent, a season of waiting and hopeful anticipation. Philosopher and author James K.A. Smith helps us think about how to inhabit time as we enter deeply into Advent, a season of waiting and hopeful anticipation. No Beauty and Wonder with Andrew Peterson 6 6 43 43 Beauty and Wonder with Andrew Peterson full ccad488c-dbd0-4361-a24c-b95c1270192f https://share.transistor.fm/s/00d4c206
Beauty and Wonder with Andrew Peterson

In this second episode of our Advent Series, celebrated author and songwriter Andrew Peterson shares his insights about the importance of location and living responsibly and attentively in whatever specific place you inhabit. He discusses how deeper attentiveness to the beauty around us can awaken us to wisdom and wonder.

This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation from December 2021. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Andrew Peterson.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The God of the Garden, by Andrew Peterson
Tim Mackey, The Bible Project’s Tree of Life podcast series
Jaber Crow, by Wendell Berry
William Wordsworth
The Death and Life of Great American Cities, Jane Jacobs
The Geography of Nowhere: The Rise and Decline of America's Man-Made Landscape, by James Howard Kunstler
Sidewalks in the Kingdom: New Urbanism and the Christian Faith, Eric O. Jacobsen
Gilead, by Marilynne Robinson
Rich Mullins
10 Resolutions for Mental Health, Clyde Kilby


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Bright Evening Star, Madeleine L’Engle
A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens
Babette’s Feast, by Isak Dinesen


Related Conversations:

Practicing Gratitude with Diana Butler Bass


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.


]]>
Beauty and Wonder with Andrew Peterson

In this second episode of our Advent Series, celebrated author and songwriter Andrew Peterson shares his insights about the importance of location and living responsibly and attentively in whatever specific place you inhabit. He discusses how deeper attentiveness to the beauty around us can awaken us to wisdom and wonder.

This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation from December 2021. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Andrew Peterson.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The God of the Garden, by Andrew Peterson
Tim Mackey, The Bible Project’s Tree of Life podcast series
Jaber Crow, by Wendell Berry
William Wordsworth
The Death and Life of Great American Cities, Jane Jacobs
The Geography of Nowhere: The Rise and Decline of America's Man-Made Landscape, by James Howard Kunstler
Sidewalks in the Kingdom: New Urbanism and the Christian Faith, Eric O. Jacobsen
Gilead, by Marilynne Robinson
Rich Mullins
10 Resolutions for Mental Health, Clyde Kilby


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Bright Evening Star, Madeleine L’Engle
A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens
Babette’s Feast, by Isak Dinesen


Related Conversations:

Practicing Gratitude with Diana Butler Bass


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.


]]> Mon, 28 Nov 2022 23:50:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2024 Author and songwriter Andrew Peterson shares his insights about the importance of location and living responsibly and attentively in whatever specific place you inhabit. Author and songwriter Andrew Peterson shares his insights about the importance of location and living responsibly and attentively in whatever specific place you inhabit. No Practicing Gratitude with Diana Butler Bass 6 6 42 42 Practicing Gratitude with Diana Butler Bass full 21b37796-e842-4fff-8ba7-0a3026ef3a85 https://share.transistor.fm/s/66481032 This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation from November 2021. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Diana Butler Bass.

Diana’s Substack, The Cottage is available here.

You can find Diana’s book Grateful and others here.

Grace and Gratitude: The Eucharistic Theology of John Calvin by Brian Gerrish

Mary Jo Leddy

Join the Trinity Forum Society

]]> This podcast is an edited version of our Online Conversation from November 2021. You can access the full conversation with transcript here.

Learn more about Diana Butler Bass.

Diana’s Substack, The Cottage is available here.

You can find Diana’s book Grateful and others here.

Grace and Gratitude: The Eucharistic Theology of John Calvin by Brian Gerrish

Mary Jo Leddy

Join the Trinity Forum Society

]]> Mon, 21 Nov 2022 23:45:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1567 How do we practically cultivate and sustain a life marked by gratitude? We hosted Diana Butler Bass to explore the transformative, subversive power of gratitude for our personal lives and communities. Through her book, Grateful, cultural observer and theologian Diana Butler Bass untangled our conflicting cultural understandings of gratitude and set the table for a renewed practice of giving thanks. How do we practically cultivate and sustain a life marked by gratitude? We hosted Diana Butler Bass to explore the transformative, subversive power of gratitude for our personal lives and communities. Through her book, Grateful, cultural observer and theo No Waiting With Wisdom 6 6 41 41 Waiting With Wisdom trailer e1348836-b5a0-44f2-bd2c-b27cb849139b https://share.transistor.fm/s/4d03b40f With Thanksgiving and the season of Advent approaching, The Trinity Forum is offering a new podcast series to help you think more deeply about ideas and practices related to gratitude, attention, anticipation, and what it means to behold beauty. We’ll talk with Diana Butler Bass about the meaning and practice of Gratitude Andrew Peterson will share his insights on how deeper attentiveness to the beauty around us can awaken us to wisdom and wonder. James K.A. Smith will help us explore the importance of being time-bound creates and how to best inhabit time Curt Thompson will consider the ways that beauty can emerge from the most difficult situations. Subscribe to Trinity Forum Conversations wherever you listen to podcasts to make sure you don't miss an episode. And thank you for allowing us to be part of your Thanksgiving and Advent season.


]]> With Thanksgiving and the season of Advent approaching, The Trinity Forum is offering a new podcast series to help you think more deeply about ideas and practices related to gratitude, attention, anticipation, and what it means to behold beauty. We’ll talk with Diana Butler Bass about the meaning and practice of Gratitude Andrew Peterson will share his insights on how deeper attentiveness to the beauty around us can awaken us to wisdom and wonder. James K.A. Smith will help us explore the importance of being time-bound creates and how to best inhabit time Curt Thompson will consider the ways that beauty can emerge from the most difficult situations. Subscribe to Trinity Forum Conversations wherever you listen to podcasts to make sure you don't miss an episode. And thank you for allowing us to be part of your Thanksgiving and Advent season.


]]> Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:27:49 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 137 We're pleased to introduce our new podcast series, Waiting With Wisdom. We'll host conversations with Diana Butler Bass, Andrew Peterson, James K.A. Smith, Curt Thompson, and more. We're pleased to introduce our new podcast series, Waiting With Wisdom. We'll host conversations with Diana Butler Bass, Andrew Peterson, James K.A. Smith, Curt Thompson, and more. No Reading Poetry 5 5 40 40 Reading Poetry full 87f7bbd8-3ac3-41ed-9674-d6f9858bd635 https://share.transistor.fm/s/6a9ba43f Our series on Reading & The Common Good concludes with this episode on the importance of reading poetry. Trinity Forum President, Cherie Harder speaks with internationally acclaimed poet and writer, Dana Gioia, who is a former California Poet laureate and Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts.

As poetry often does, the conversation in this episode considers the personal as well as the universal, including how Dana became interested in poetry, and what can be done to interest a generation of readers to the habit of reading--and even memorizing--poetry.

]]> Our series on Reading & The Common Good concludes with this episode on the importance of reading poetry. Trinity Forum President, Cherie Harder speaks with internationally acclaimed poet and writer, Dana Gioia, who is a former California Poet laureate and Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts.

As poetry often does, the conversation in this episode considers the personal as well as the universal, including how Dana became interested in poetry, and what can be done to interest a generation of readers to the habit of reading--and even memorizing--poetry.

]]> Wed, 19 Oct 2022 05:45:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2165 Our series on Reading & The Common Good concludes with this episode on the importance of reading poetry. Trinity Forum President, Cherie Harder speaks with internationally acclaimed poet and writer, Dana Gioia, who is a former California Poet laureate and Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. Our series on Reading & The Common Good concludes with this episode on the importance of reading poetry. Trinity Forum President, Cherie Harder speaks with internationally acclaimed poet and writer, Dana Gioia, who is a former California Poet laureate poetry, Dana Gioia, reading, culture No Reading and Community 5 5 39 39 Reading and Community full d838bec3-f04c-4ef1-b6f9-acde5af65cd8 https://share.transistor.fm/s/e3d8ffc1 Christians have been called a “people of the book,” yet how often do we spend time gathering together to read deeply? In a fast-paced technological world, taking time to read deeply and well, let alone alongside others, can feel like a daunting task. And while reading alone has extraordinary value (and, research shows, is intriguingly linked with spending more time with others), reading in community is a uniquely formative endeavor that shapes how we think, what we value, and our ability to have genuine and meaningful dialogue and relationship with others.

The Trinity Forum hosted an Online Conversation with Matthew Lee Anderson and Anika Prather to explore the importance of reading together and the impact that such small but meaningful interactions can have on ourselves, our communities, and our civic structures. 

]]> Christians have been called a “people of the book,” yet how often do we spend time gathering together to read deeply? In a fast-paced technological world, taking time to read deeply and well, let alone alongside others, can feel like a daunting task. And while reading alone has extraordinary value (and, research shows, is intriguingly linked with spending more time with others), reading in community is a uniquely formative endeavor that shapes how we think, what we value, and our ability to have genuine and meaningful dialogue and relationship with others.

The Trinity Forum hosted an Online Conversation with Matthew Lee Anderson and Anika Prather to explore the importance of reading together and the impact that such small but meaningful interactions can have on ourselves, our communities, and our civic structures. 

]]> Wed, 12 Oct 2022 06:30:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1976 In this episode, Matthew Lee Anderson and Anika Prather join Cherie Harder to discuss our shared heritage in the canon of western literature, the ephemerality of a post-reading culture, and the benefits of communal reading. This podcast is an edited version of an Online Conversation, which you can find with video and transcript at ttf.org. In this episode, Matthew Lee Anderson and Anika Prather join Cherie Harder to discuss our shared heritage in the canon of western literature, the ephemerality of a post-reading culture, and the benefits of communal reading. This podcast is an edited versi No Reading for Virtue 5 5 38 38 Reading for Virtue full 87639b7d-cc23-418f-bfc4-7c8c878662bb https://share.transistor.fm/s/6f7c27cc Cherie Harder speaks with author and literature professor Karen Swallow Prior about her own history of reading as well as the challenges and possibilities for virtue formation that reading literature presents.

Visit ttf.org/bookclub to get everything you need to start your own bookclub.

]]> Cherie Harder speaks with author and literature professor Karen Swallow Prior about her own history of reading as well as the challenges and possibilities for virtue formation that reading literature presents.

Visit ttf.org/bookclub to get everything you need to start your own bookclub.

]]> Tue, 04 Oct 2022 23:23:47 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1787 Cherie Harder speaks with author and literature professor Karen Swallow Prior about her own history of reading as well as the challenges and possibilities for virtue formation that reading literature presents. Cherie Harder speaks with author and literature professor Karen Swallow Prior about her own history of reading as well as the challenges and possibilities for virtue formation that reading literature presents. No Reading for Regeneration 5 5 37 37 Reading for Regeneration full 9bde2def-b7c9-4ca7-b0b8-5b5c48c1d2b8 https://www.ttf.org/?post_type=portfolio&p=33397&preview=true Reading for Regeneration

In this episode, Jessica Hooten Wilson and Claude Atcho join Cherie Harder to discuss the countercultural practice of reading carefully and communally. This podcast is an edited version of an Online Conversation, which you can find with video and transcript, here.

If you're interested in reading old books in community, we encourage you to check out our newly announced Bookclub Box. The Bookclub Box is designed to make it easy for you to host your own reading group. Each quarter will release a new box with a trio of curated, thematically linked Trinity Forum Readings. You'll also get a discussion guide to spur conversation on each of the Readings, as well as some other great Trinity Forum items, including a tote bag, notepad, pen and bookmark.

]]> Reading for Regeneration

In this episode, Jessica Hooten Wilson and Claude Atcho join Cherie Harder to discuss the countercultural practice of reading carefully and communally. This podcast is an edited version of an Online Conversation, which you can find with video and transcript, here.

If you're interested in reading old books in community, we encourage you to check out our newly announced Bookclub Box. The Bookclub Box is designed to make it easy for you to host your own reading group. Each quarter will release a new box with a trio of curated, thematically linked Trinity Forum Readings. You'll also get a discussion guide to spur conversation on each of the Readings, as well as some other great Trinity Forum items, including a tote bag, notepad, pen and bookmark.

]]> Wed, 28 Sep 2022 05:00:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2016 In this episode, Jessica Hooten Wilson and Claude Atcho join Cherie Harder to discuss the countercultural practice of reading carefully and communally. This podcast is an edited version of an Online Conversation. In this episode, Jessica Hooten Wilson and Claude Atcho join Cherie Harder to discuss the countercultural practice of reading carefully and communally. This podcast is an edited version of an Online Conversation. No Reading for a More Tranquil Mind 5 5 36 36 Reading for a More Tranquil Mind full 4fe21c11-7aa4-4348-8da3-1702e5320896 https://share.transistor.fm/s/804b129b Alan Jacobs joins Cherie Harder to discuss his book, Breaking Bread with the Dead: A Readers Guide to a More Tranquil Mind. This podcast is an edited version of the Online Conversation, which you can find with video and transcript, here.

We encourage you to put the ideas discussed in this episode into practice by starting your own reading group. The Trinity Forum Bookclub Box has everything you need to get started.

]]> Alan Jacobs joins Cherie Harder to discuss his book, Breaking Bread with the Dead: A Readers Guide to a More Tranquil Mind. This podcast is an edited version of the Online Conversation, which you can find with video and transcript, here.

We encourage you to put the ideas discussed in this episode into practice by starting your own reading group. The Trinity Forum Bookclub Box has everything you need to get started.

]]> Wed, 21 Sep 2022 10:16:17 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2259 Alan Jacobs joins Cherie Harder to discuss how reading old books can increase your "personal density" and lead to a more tranquil mind. Alan Jacobs joins Cherie Harder to discuss how reading old books can increase your "personal density" and lead to a more tranquil mind. reading, books, technology, social media, personal density, Alan Jacobs No Reading and the Common Good 5 5 35 35 Reading and the Common Good trailer 454e74dc-716f-4f81-8ee7-49d26773b10d https://share.transistor.fm/s/f564006b Reading & The Common Good is our new podcast series with Jessica Hooten Wilson, Karen Swallow Prior, Alan Jacobs, Dana Gioia, Anika Prather, and Matthew Lee Anderson. Few things in life are as enriching and humanizing as reading deeply and well. Yet the pace and technology of modern life make it hard for many of us to give books the time and attention they demand. Join us this season as we hear from guests who explain the value of reading in community, reading alone, reading old books, reading new books, and, above all, how reading serves as an antidote to the many problems of our time.

If you're interested in leading your own reading group, we encourage you to visit our website. There you'll find information about our newly announced Bookclub Box. The Bookclub Box is designed to make it easy for you to host your own reading group. Each quarter will release a new box with a trio of curated, thematically linked Trinity Forum Readings.

 

You'll also get a discussion guide to spur conversation on each of the Readings, as well as some other great Trinity Forum items, including a tote bag, notepad, pen and bookmark.


]]> Reading & The Common Good is our new podcast series with Jessica Hooten Wilson, Karen Swallow Prior, Alan Jacobs, Dana Gioia, Anika Prather, and Matthew Lee Anderson. Few things in life are as enriching and humanizing as reading deeply and well. Yet the pace and technology of modern life make it hard for many of us to give books the time and attention they demand. Join us this season as we hear from guests who explain the value of reading in community, reading alone, reading old books, reading new books, and, above all, how reading serves as an antidote to the many problems of our time.

If you're interested in leading your own reading group, we encourage you to visit our website. There you'll find information about our newly announced Bookclub Box. The Bookclub Box is designed to make it easy for you to host your own reading group. Each quarter will release a new box with a trio of curated, thematically linked Trinity Forum Readings.

 

You'll also get a discussion guide to spur conversation on each of the Readings, as well as some other great Trinity Forum items, including a tote bag, notepad, pen and bookmark.


]]> Wed, 14 Sep 2022 16:14:48 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 241 Join us this season as we hear from guests who explain the value of reading in community, reading alone, reading old books, reading new books, and, above all, how reading serves as an antidote to the many problems of our time. Join us this season as we hear from guests who explain the value of reading in community, reading alone, reading old books, reading new books, and, above all, how reading serves as an antidote to the many problems of our time. Reading, community, discussion, literature, poetry No Neurobiology and the Soul with Curt Thompson and Jeffrey Dudiak 4 4 34 34 Neurobiology and the Soul with Curt Thompson and Jeffrey Dudiak full 4873e09b-06f9-4817-83d1-6e3d40125431 https://share.transistor.fm/s/e0226364 Neurobiology and the Soul
What is the connection between our mind and our soul? New discoveries in neuroscience reveal that love can literally change our minds — that our relationships and interactions with others help shape our brains – which in turn, shape our relationships and behaviors. The link between our habits and spiritual practices and the renewing of our mind may be far more direct than once supposed.


Friendship Shapes our Soul

On Friday, June 24th we hosted an Online Conversation with psychiatrist Curt Thompson and The King’s University philosophy professor Jeffrey Dudiak to discuss the convergence of what brain research and spiritual practices reveal about the formation and development of our mind, heart, and soul. These longtime friends shared how their relationship has been used by God to repair and shape their lives in fascinating and unexpected ways.


This Conversation is part of our Discovery and Doxology series in partnership with BioLogos and Church of the Advent bringing together leading scientists, theologians, and scholars to discuss the relationship between science and faith.


Learn more about Curt Thompson and Jeff Dudiak.

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis 

John Wood

Makoto Fujimura

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Brave New World, Aldous Huxley

God's Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins

Babbet’s Feast, by Isak Dinesen

 

Related Conversations:
Faith in an Empirical World: an Online Conversation with Ard Louis and Tremper Longman
Suffering, Healing, and Meaning, with Philip Yancey and Julia Wattacheril
Understanding Transhumanism with Rosalind Picard and Richard Mouw 

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, visit ttf.org/join.

 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

]]> Neurobiology and the Soul
What is the connection between our mind and our soul? New discoveries in neuroscience reveal that love can literally change our minds — that our relationships and interactions with others help shape our brains – which in turn, shape our relationships and behaviors. The link between our habits and spiritual practices and the renewing of our mind may be far more direct than once supposed.


Friendship Shapes our Soul

On Friday, June 24th we hosted an Online Conversation with psychiatrist Curt Thompson and The King’s University philosophy professor Jeffrey Dudiak to discuss the convergence of what brain research and spiritual practices reveal about the formation and development of our mind, heart, and soul. These longtime friends shared how their relationship has been used by God to repair and shape their lives in fascinating and unexpected ways.


This Conversation is part of our Discovery and Doxology series in partnership with BioLogos and Church of the Advent bringing together leading scientists, theologians, and scholars to discuss the relationship between science and faith.


Learn more about Curt Thompson and Jeff Dudiak.

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis 

John Wood

Makoto Fujimura

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Brave New World, Aldous Huxley

God's Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins

Babbet’s Feast, by Isak Dinesen

 

Related Conversations:
Faith in an Empirical World: an Online Conversation with Ard Louis and Tremper Longman
Suffering, Healing, and Meaning, with Philip Yancey and Julia Wattacheril
Understanding Transhumanism with Rosalind Picard and Richard Mouw 

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, visit ttf.org/join.

 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

]]> Wed, 13 Jul 2022 00:30:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 3097 Curt Thompson and Jeff Dudiak discuss the convergence of what brain research and spiritual practices reveal about the formation and development of our mind, heart, and soul. Curt Thompson and Jeff Dudiak discuss the convergence of what brain research and spiritual practices reveal about the formation and development of our mind, heart, and soul. Neurobiology, friendship, Curt Thompson, Jeffrey Dudaik, Trinity Forum, Cherie Harder No Science, Faith, and the Pursuit of Truth 4 4 33 33 Science, Faith, and the Pursuit of Truth full 1564df7f-6872-4cab-94ee-f75d86f2e435 https://share.transistor.fm/s/a85a5bdc Science, Faith, and the Pursuit of Truth

What does it mean to pursue truth — and how do we know what we know? Science and religion have often been assumed to offer either contradictory or unrelated forms of knowledge, with any intersection between them presumed to be a conflict.


Such assumptions have grown more contentious in recent years in a world awash in misinformation and epistemic battles. How do science and faith relate in pursuing truth? What might each have to say to the other? And how might such a conversation enhance our understanding of knowledge itself?

 

On Friday, March 25 2022, The Trinity Forum hosted a conversation with Elaine Howard Ecklund and Ted Davis to show how science and Christianity intersect in constructive, even beautiful ways.

 

This conversation is a part of our Discovery and Doxology series, and hosted in partnership with Biologos and Church of the Advent and made possible through the support of Templeton Religion Trust. This series brings together leading scientists, philosophers, and theologians to discuss the relationship between science and faith.

 

Learn more about Elaine Howard Ecklund and Ted Davis.

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Christian View of Science and Scripture, Bernard Ramm

Richard Dawkins

Philo Judaeus

John Philoponus

Augustine of Hippo

Galileo Galilei

Ptolemy

Galen

Euclid

Sam Harris

A Brief Retrospect of the Eighteenth Century, Samuel Miller

Ken Ham

Francis Collins

Albert Einstein

Peter Medewar

Thomas Henry Huxley

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Brave New World, Aldous Huxley

God's Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins 

Related Conversations:
Faith in an Empirical World: an Online Conversation with Ard Louis and Tremper Longman
Neurobiology and the Soul with Curt Thompson and Jeffrey Dudiak
Suffering, Healing, and Meaning, with Philip Yancey and Julia Wattacheril
Understanding Transhumanism with Rosalind Picard and Richard Mouw

 

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, visit ttf.org/join.

 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

]]> Science, Faith, and the Pursuit of Truth

What does it mean to pursue truth — and how do we know what we know? Science and religion have often been assumed to offer either contradictory or unrelated forms of knowledge, with any intersection between them presumed to be a conflict.


Such assumptions have grown more contentious in recent years in a world awash in misinformation and epistemic battles. How do science and faith relate in pursuing truth? What might each have to say to the other? And how might such a conversation enhance our understanding of knowledge itself?

 

On Friday, March 25 2022, The Trinity Forum hosted a conversation with Elaine Howard Ecklund and Ted Davis to show how science and Christianity intersect in constructive, even beautiful ways.

 

This conversation is a part of our Discovery and Doxology series, and hosted in partnership with Biologos and Church of the Advent and made possible through the support of Templeton Religion Trust. This series brings together leading scientists, philosophers, and theologians to discuss the relationship between science and faith.

 

Learn more about Elaine Howard Ecklund and Ted Davis.

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Christian View of Science and Scripture, Bernard Ramm

Richard Dawkins

Philo Judaeus

John Philoponus

Augustine of Hippo

Galileo Galilei

Ptolemy

Galen

Euclid

Sam Harris

A Brief Retrospect of the Eighteenth Century, Samuel Miller

Ken Ham

Francis Collins

Albert Einstein

Peter Medewar

Thomas Henry Huxley

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Brave New World, Aldous Huxley

God's Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins 

Related Conversations:
Faith in an Empirical World: an Online Conversation with Ard Louis and Tremper Longman
Neurobiology and the Soul with Curt Thompson and Jeffrey Dudiak
Suffering, Healing, and Meaning, with Philip Yancey and Julia Wattacheril
Understanding Transhumanism with Rosalind Picard and Richard Mouw

 

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, visit ttf.org/join.

 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

]]> Wed, 06 Jul 2022 00:30:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2486 Elaine Howard Ecklund and Ted Davis discuss how science and faith intersect in constructive, even beautiful ways as we pursue truth. Elaine Howard Ecklund and Ted Davis discuss how science and faith intersect in constructive, even beautiful ways as we pursue truth. Elaine Howard Ecklund, Ted Davis, Cherie Harder, The Trinity Forum, Faith, Religion, Science No Understanding Transhumanism 4 4 32 32 Understanding Transhumanism full d7155cff-6020-48f4-9fa7-6eff1e783d58 https://share.transistor.fm/s/0e282442 Understanding Transhumanism

Rapid developments in artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies can add confusion to the existential questions of who we are and why we are here. Through this conversation, Mouw and Picard explore the potential benefits and cautions of these technologies and thoughtfully examine the philosophical foundation of transhumanism.

 

This conversation is a part of our Discovery and Doxology series, and hosted in partnership with Biologos and Church of the Advent and made possible through the support of Templeton Religion Trust. This series brings together leading scientists, philosophers, and theologians to discuss the relationship between science and faith.

 

Learn more about Rosalind Picard and Richard Mouw.

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Raymond Kurzweil

Brave New World, by Alduous Huxley

Uncommon Decency: Christian Civility and Uncivil World, Pluralisms and Horizons, He Shines in All That’s Fair, Praying at Burger King, Calvinism in the Las Vegas Airport: Making Connections in Today's World, all by Richard Mouw

BF Skinner

The Concept of Mind, by Gilbert Ryle

Hubert Dreyfus

Friedrich Nietzsche

He Jiankui

Neil Postman

John McCarthy

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Brave New World, Aldous Huxley
God's Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins

 

Related Conversations:

Faith in an Empirical World: an Online Conversation with Ard Louis and Tremper Longman

Science, Faith, & the Pursuit of Truth with Elaine Howard Ecklund and Ted Davis

Neurobiology and the Soul with Curt Thompson and Jeffrey Dudiak

 

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, visit ttf.org/join.

 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.


]]> Understanding Transhumanism

Rapid developments in artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies can add confusion to the existential questions of who we are and why we are here. Through this conversation, Mouw and Picard explore the potential benefits and cautions of these technologies and thoughtfully examine the philosophical foundation of transhumanism.

 

This conversation is a part of our Discovery and Doxology series, and hosted in partnership with Biologos and Church of the Advent and made possible through the support of Templeton Religion Trust. This series brings together leading scientists, philosophers, and theologians to discuss the relationship between science and faith.

 

Learn more about Rosalind Picard and Richard Mouw.

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Raymond Kurzweil

Brave New World, by Alduous Huxley

Uncommon Decency: Christian Civility and Uncivil World, Pluralisms and Horizons, He Shines in All That’s Fair, Praying at Burger King, Calvinism in the Las Vegas Airport: Making Connections in Today's World, all by Richard Mouw

BF Skinner

The Concept of Mind, by Gilbert Ryle

Hubert Dreyfus

Friedrich Nietzsche

He Jiankui

Neil Postman

John McCarthy

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Brave New World, Aldous Huxley
God's Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins

 

Related Conversations:

Faith in an Empirical World: an Online Conversation with Ard Louis and Tremper Longman

Science, Faith, & the Pursuit of Truth with Elaine Howard Ecklund and Ted Davis

Neurobiology and the Soul with Curt Thompson and Jeffrey Dudiak

 

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, visit ttf.org/join.

 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.


]]> Wed, 29 Jun 2022 00:30:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2706 Theologian and philosopher Richard Mouw and scientist, engineer, and inventor Rosalind Picard explore the interconnection of AI, transhumanism, and human flourishing. Theologian and philosopher Richard Mouw and scientist, engineer, and inventor Rosalind Picard explore the interconnection of AI, transhumanism, and human flourishing. Rosalind Picard, Artificial Intelligence, Richard Mouw, Transhumanism, The Trinity Forum, Cherie Harder, Science, Religion, Christianity No Faith in an Empirical World 4 4 31 31 Faith in an Empirical World full 84121f43-2fd1-4111-8436-2bdfa252e15b https://share.transistor.fm/s/c7c731d2 Science and Faith in Conflict?

We live in an era where science and faith are widely believed to be in conflict. A spreading materialism asserts, even assumes, that only empirical knowledge is reliable, and denigrates ways of understanding reality beyond the quantitative. Others believe that the realms of science and religion are entirely separate — each with interesting things to say, but nothing to say to each other.


Wonder Can Lead to Worship

In this conversation, we offer a different hypothesis: that science and faith actually have things to say to each other and can enable us to better understand ourselves, our minds, our world, and its originator and designer.  In contemplating the complexity of our Cosmos, and the mystery of our self and soul, we may cultivate a new sense of wonder, awe, and even worship – a doxology amidst discovery.


This conversation is a part of our Discovery and Doxology series, and hosted in partnership with Biologos and Church of the Advent and made possible through the support of Templeton Religion Trust. This series brings together leading scientists, philosophers, and theologians to discuss the relationship between science and faith.


Learn more about Tremper Longman and Ard Louis.

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Elaine Howard Ecklund

Isaac Newton

Sir Robert Boyle

James Clerk Maxwell

Simon Conway Morris

David Alcalde

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Charles Colson

The Language of God, by Francis Collins

Deborah Haarsma

John Paul II

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Brave New World, Aldous Huxley
God's Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins


Related Conversations:

Understanding Transhumanism

Science, Faith, & the Pursuit of Truth with Elaine Howard Ecklund and Ted Davis


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, visit ttf.org/join.

 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

]]> Science and Faith in Conflict?

We live in an era where science and faith are widely believed to be in conflict. A spreading materialism asserts, even assumes, that only empirical knowledge is reliable, and denigrates ways of understanding reality beyond the quantitative. Others believe that the realms of science and religion are entirely separate — each with interesting things to say, but nothing to say to each other.


Wonder Can Lead to Worship

In this conversation, we offer a different hypothesis: that science and faith actually have things to say to each other and can enable us to better understand ourselves, our minds, our world, and its originator and designer.  In contemplating the complexity of our Cosmos, and the mystery of our self and soul, we may cultivate a new sense of wonder, awe, and even worship – a doxology amidst discovery.


This conversation is a part of our Discovery and Doxology series, and hosted in partnership with Biologos and Church of the Advent and made possible through the support of Templeton Religion Trust. This series brings together leading scientists, philosophers, and theologians to discuss the relationship between science and faith.


Learn more about Tremper Longman and Ard Louis.

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Elaine Howard Ecklund

Isaac Newton

Sir Robert Boyle

James Clerk Maxwell

Simon Conway Morris

David Alcalde

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Charles Colson

The Language of God, by Francis Collins

Deborah Haarsma

John Paul II

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Brave New World, Aldous Huxley
God's Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins


Related Conversations:

Understanding Transhumanism

Science, Faith, & the Pursuit of Truth with Elaine Howard Ecklund and Ted Davis


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, visit ttf.org/join.

 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

]]> Wed, 22 Jun 2022 00:15:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2580 Dr. Tremper Longman, professor of biblical studies, and Ard Louis, professor of theoretical physics, discuss how we can cultivate faithful epistemology in a culture marked by conflict and confusion. Dr. Tremper Longman, professor of biblical studies, and Ard Louis, professor of theoretical physics, discuss how we can cultivate faithful epistemology in a culture marked by conflict and confusion. Ard Louis, Tremper Longman, science, faith, theology, The Trinity Forum, No Discovery and Doxology: Conversations on Science and Faith 4 4 30 30 Discovery and Doxology: Conversations on Science and Faith trailer 3aaac438-2ca9-49a8-9cba-78698cd6bc47 https://share.transistor.fm/s/da44e816 Discovery and Doxology
This special podcast series is called Discovery and Doxology conversations on science and faith and is created in partnership with Templeton, Religion Trust, Biologos, and Church of the Advent.  The four conversations in this series features conversations between scientists, philosophers, and theologians helping us explore the relationship between science and faith.

Science and Faith in Conflict?
We live in a time when science and faith are often thought to be in conflict. The discipline of science is sometimes conflated, even within the scientific community, with a reductionistic materialism or scientism that asserts or even assumes that only empirical knowledge is reliable and dismisses ways of knowing what is real beyond the merely quantitative.

On the other hand, some people of faith fear that scientific findings are undermining of spiritual authority or Christian orthodoxy, and may even see discoveries and fields like vaccine creation, gene therapy, and artificial intelligence as a threat to the claims of Christianity. But as our conversations make clear, the mistrust between Christians and scientists hasn't always existed.

Scientific Discovery Leading to Worship of the Creator
Many of the greatest lights in the history of science understood their calling as one of making known the beauty and grandeur of God through a better understanding of the created order. They believed science and worship were connected by a shared love of truth and its author, and that discovery led to doxology.

The conversations that make up our discovery and doxology series explores these tensions and possibilities. It's our aim to introduce you to some of the brightest scientific and theological lights of our own generation and to help you think wisely and well about these questions. You can listen to any of these conversations in full at ttf.org.

Our sincere thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork and to Andrew Peterson for providing our music.

]]> Discovery and Doxology
This special podcast series is called Discovery and Doxology conversations on science and faith and is created in partnership with Templeton, Religion Trust, Biologos, and Church of the Advent.  The four conversations in this series features conversations between scientists, philosophers, and theologians helping us explore the relationship between science and faith.

Science and Faith in Conflict?
We live in a time when science and faith are often thought to be in conflict. The discipline of science is sometimes conflated, even within the scientific community, with a reductionistic materialism or scientism that asserts or even assumes that only empirical knowledge is reliable and dismisses ways of knowing what is real beyond the merely quantitative.

On the other hand, some people of faith fear that scientific findings are undermining of spiritual authority or Christian orthodoxy, and may even see discoveries and fields like vaccine creation, gene therapy, and artificial intelligence as a threat to the claims of Christianity. But as our conversations make clear, the mistrust between Christians and scientists hasn't always existed.

Scientific Discovery Leading to Worship of the Creator
Many of the greatest lights in the history of science understood their calling as one of making known the beauty and grandeur of God through a better understanding of the created order. They believed science and worship were connected by a shared love of truth and its author, and that discovery led to doxology.

The conversations that make up our discovery and doxology series explores these tensions and possibilities. It's our aim to introduce you to some of the brightest scientific and theological lights of our own generation and to help you think wisely and well about these questions. You can listen to any of these conversations in full at ttf.org.

Our sincere thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork and to Andrew Peterson for providing our music.

]]> Tue, 21 Jun 2022 00:30:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 139 Discovery and Doxology is a four part series featuring conversations between scientists, philosophers, and theologians helping us explore the relationship between science and faith. Discovery and Doxology is a four part series featuring conversations between scientists, philosophers, and theologians helping us explore the relationship between science and faith. Science, Technology, Transhumanism, Doxology, Theology, Trinity Forum No Reading Scripture with N.T. Wright 3 3 29 29 Reading Scripture with N.T. Wright full b3f4b713-d236-4610-82a5-df41431dafdc https://share.transistor.fm/s/740da3c1 In our final podcast episode of our special Lenten series, we're considering the meaning of the good news view through the lens of scripture, with an emphasis on Christ, passion and triumph. 

 

Reading Scripture with New Eyes

To help us explore the spiritual discipline of reading scripture, we’re returning to an evening conversation we hosted back in 2016 with Anglican Bishop, and New Testament scholar, N.T. Wright.


Since the very earliest days of the Christian Church, the reading of scripture has been foundational for Christian formation. Rather than prescribe a particular methodology of Bible reading this week, our invitation is simply to join us in reading each of the four gospel accounts of Jesus' last days, but to do so with a refreshed understanding of what Jesus meant when he spoke of the “good news.”


On Earth as it is in Heaven

As N.T. Wright makes clear, Jesus’ good news wasn't about giving advice, or founding a new religion, or even where a soul goes when the body dies. Jesus was inviting his hearers into a new way of understanding Israel's ancient story and the cosmic significance of its sudden fulfillment.

 

It's our hope that this conversation will help you read slowly, thoughtfully, and to consider and savor aspects of this good news that you may have missed before.

 

Thank you for journeying with us through Lent, and we wish you a very happy Easter.

 

Learn more about N.T. Wright.

 

Watch The Good News and the Good Life, with N.T. Wright and Richard Hayes.

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Who is this Man? by John Ortberg

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Devotions by John Donne and paraphrased by Philip Yancey

The Confessions of St. Augustine by Augustine of Hippo, Introduced by James K.A. Smith

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard

Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan

God’s Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins

A Spiritual Pilgrimage by Malcolm Muggeridge

 

Related Conversations:

Liturgy of the Ordinary in Extraordinary Times with Tish Harrison Warren

Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies with Marilyn McEntyre

Invitation to Solitude and Silence with Ruth Haley Barton

On the Road with Saint Augustine with James K.A. Smith and Elizabeth Bruenig

The Habit Podcast, Episode 26: Tish Harrison Warren with Doug McKelvey

The Spiritual Practice of Remembering with Margaret Bendroth

 

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org, and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, visit ttf.org/join.

 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.


]]> In our final podcast episode of our special Lenten series, we're considering the meaning of the good news view through the lens of scripture, with an emphasis on Christ, passion and triumph. 

 

Reading Scripture with New Eyes

To help us explore the spiritual discipline of reading scripture, we’re returning to an evening conversation we hosted back in 2016 with Anglican Bishop, and New Testament scholar, N.T. Wright.


Since the very earliest days of the Christian Church, the reading of scripture has been foundational for Christian formation. Rather than prescribe a particular methodology of Bible reading this week, our invitation is simply to join us in reading each of the four gospel accounts of Jesus' last days, but to do so with a refreshed understanding of what Jesus meant when he spoke of the “good news.”


On Earth as it is in Heaven

As N.T. Wright makes clear, Jesus’ good news wasn't about giving advice, or founding a new religion, or even where a soul goes when the body dies. Jesus was inviting his hearers into a new way of understanding Israel's ancient story and the cosmic significance of its sudden fulfillment.

 

It's our hope that this conversation will help you read slowly, thoughtfully, and to consider and savor aspects of this good news that you may have missed before.

 

Thank you for journeying with us through Lent, and we wish you a very happy Easter.

 

Learn more about N.T. Wright.

 

Watch The Good News and the Good Life, with N.T. Wright and Richard Hayes.

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Who is this Man? by John Ortberg

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Devotions by John Donne and paraphrased by Philip Yancey

The Confessions of St. Augustine by Augustine of Hippo, Introduced by James K.A. Smith

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard

Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan

God’s Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins

A Spiritual Pilgrimage by Malcolm Muggeridge

 

Related Conversations:

Liturgy of the Ordinary in Extraordinary Times with Tish Harrison Warren

Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies with Marilyn McEntyre

Invitation to Solitude and Silence with Ruth Haley Barton

On the Road with Saint Augustine with James K.A. Smith and Elizabeth Bruenig

The Habit Podcast, Episode 26: Tish Harrison Warren with Doug McKelvey

The Spiritual Practice of Remembering with Margaret Bendroth

 

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org, and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, visit ttf.org/join.

 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.


]]> Wed, 13 Apr 2022 02:00:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1273 Consider anew the meaning of Jesus' "good news" as we explore the spiritual practice of reading scripture with Anglican Bishop and New Testament scholar N.T. Wright. Consider anew the meaning of Jesus' "good news" as we explore the spiritual practice of reading scripture with Anglican Bishop and New Testament scholar N.T. Wright. No Remembering with Margaret Bendroth 3 3 28 28 Remembering with Margaret Bendroth full 55344fd4-e429-4ab7-adf5-d4db1724d93e https://share.transistor.fm/s/5ccc5867 We continue our Lenten podcast series by considering the spiritual practice of remembering with historian and author, Margaret Bendroth.


Remembering is a Scriptural Imperative

The promise of modernity was progress, and so our default orientation is often to the present and future and away from the past, which can be seen as either irrelevant or even benighted. But it is uncanny how often the Bible instructs us to remember the great story, to meditate upon it, ponder it, write it in our heart, dwell on it, and never forget.


In this conversation, Margaret Bendroth invites us to reflect on our own stories, to see our lives as the product of a long choosing linked to the generations that have come before. And then to be willing to examine our family and spiritual histories as part of knowing ourselves and our place in God's story.


Righteous Remembrance Means Extending Grace to our Ancestors

And while she acknowledges the potential for discomfort in looking back, Bendroth encourages us to a posture of “righteous remembrance,” extending the charity to our ancestors that we hope will be extended to us. In doing so, we open up the door to healing not only of our own past, but also to gain access to resources and wisdom from previous generations.


May this conversation inspire you to reflect on your own history and its place within the great story.


Learn more about Margareth Bendroth.

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Miroslav Volf

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Devotions by John Donne and paraphrased by Philip Yancey

The Confessions of St. Augustine by Augustine of Hippo, Introduced by James K.A. Smith

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard

Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan

God’s Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins

A Spiritual Pilgrimage by Malcolm Muggeridge

 

Related Conversations:

Liturgy of the Ordinary in Extraordinary Times with Tish Harrison Warren

Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies with Marilyn McEntyre

Invitation to Solitude and Silence with Ruth Haley Barton

On the Road with Saint Augustine with James K.A. Smith and Elizabeth Bruenig

The Habit Podcast, Episode 26: Tish Harrison Warren with Doug McKelvey
The Spiritual Practice of Remembering with Margaret Bendroth


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org, and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, visit ttf.org/join.

 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

]]> We continue our Lenten podcast series by considering the spiritual practice of remembering with historian and author, Margaret Bendroth.


Remembering is a Scriptural Imperative

The promise of modernity was progress, and so our default orientation is often to the present and future and away from the past, which can be seen as either irrelevant or even benighted. But it is uncanny how often the Bible instructs us to remember the great story, to meditate upon it, ponder it, write it in our heart, dwell on it, and never forget.


In this conversation, Margaret Bendroth invites us to reflect on our own stories, to see our lives as the product of a long choosing linked to the generations that have come before. And then to be willing to examine our family and spiritual histories as part of knowing ourselves and our place in God's story.


Righteous Remembrance Means Extending Grace to our Ancestors

And while she acknowledges the potential for discomfort in looking back, Bendroth encourages us to a posture of “righteous remembrance,” extending the charity to our ancestors that we hope will be extended to us. In doing so, we open up the door to healing not only of our own past, but also to gain access to resources and wisdom from previous generations.


May this conversation inspire you to reflect on your own history and its place within the great story.


Learn more about Margareth Bendroth.

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Miroslav Volf

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Devotions by John Donne and paraphrased by Philip Yancey

The Confessions of St. Augustine by Augustine of Hippo, Introduced by James K.A. Smith

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard

Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan

God’s Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins

A Spiritual Pilgrimage by Malcolm Muggeridge

 

Related Conversations:

Liturgy of the Ordinary in Extraordinary Times with Tish Harrison Warren

Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies with Marilyn McEntyre

Invitation to Solitude and Silence with Ruth Haley Barton

On the Road with Saint Augustine with James K.A. Smith and Elizabeth Bruenig

The Habit Podcast, Episode 26: Tish Harrison Warren with Doug McKelvey
The Spiritual Practice of Remembering with Margaret Bendroth


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org, and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, visit ttf.org/join.

 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

]]> Wed, 06 Apr 2022 02:00:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1212 Margaret Bendroth invites us to reflect on our own stories, to see our lives as the product of a long choosing linked to the generations that have come before. And then to be willing to examine our family and spiritual histories as part of knowing ourselves and our place in God's story. Margaret Bendroth invites us to reflect on our own stories, to see our lives as the product of a long choosing linked to the generations that have come before. And then to be willing to examine our family and spiritual histories as part of knowing ourselv Margaret Bendroth, Lent, Spiritual Disciplines, Cherie Harder, Trinity Forum No Writing as a Spiritual Practice with Jonathan Rogers, Tish Harrison Warren and Doug McKelvey 3 3 27 27 Writing as a Spiritual Practice with Jonathan Rogers, Tish Harrison Warren and Doug McKelvey full e566baf6-8ab0-4ae7-9cbc-5f44d60c4c99 https://share.transistor.fm/s/e08673bc On this episode of our special Lenten podcast series we explore the spiritual practice of writing by listening to a conversation between authors, Tish Harrison Warren, Doug McKelvey and Jonathan Rogers.


The Spiritual Practice of Writing 

As these three authors explore the craft of writing, what becomes clear is that the creativity and spiritual insight that marks their work is predicated on the discipline of showing up, to sit in the quiet with tools in hand and to attend to the wonder and mystery of their own lives. The very ordinary disciplines surrounding writing have become for these authors a liturgy by which they come into contact with the divine, writing things and expressing truths they didn't know that they knew.


The Habit: Conversations with Writers about Writing

This conversation originally appeared on the Habit Podcast, a production of the Rabbit Room podcast network, and a portion of it is used here with their generous permission and goodwill. To listen to more of the Habit visit Rabbitroom.com/podcast.


It's our hope that this conversation will inspire your own practice of writing during Lent and help you to enter into the mystery and grace of the Father's love.

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Charlie Peacock

James Bryant Smith

Walker Percy

Jessica Hooten Wilson

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Devotions by John Donne and paraphrased by Philip Yancey

The Confessions of St. Augustine by Augustine of Hippo, Introduced by James K.A. Smith

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard

Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan

God’s Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins

A Spiritual Pilgrimage by Malcolm Muggeridge

 

Related Conversations:

Liturgy of the Ordinary in Extraordinary Times with Tish Harrison Warren

Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies with Marilyn McEntyre

Invitation to Solitude and Silence with Ruth Haley Barton

On the Road with Saint Augustine with James K.A. Smith and Elizabeth Bruenig

The Habit Podcast, Episode 26: Tish Harrison Warren with Doug McKelvey


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org, and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, visit ttf.org/join.

 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

]]> On this episode of our special Lenten podcast series we explore the spiritual practice of writing by listening to a conversation between authors, Tish Harrison Warren, Doug McKelvey and Jonathan Rogers.


The Spiritual Practice of Writing 

As these three authors explore the craft of writing, what becomes clear is that the creativity and spiritual insight that marks their work is predicated on the discipline of showing up, to sit in the quiet with tools in hand and to attend to the wonder and mystery of their own lives. The very ordinary disciplines surrounding writing have become for these authors a liturgy by which they come into contact with the divine, writing things and expressing truths they didn't know that they knew.


The Habit: Conversations with Writers about Writing

This conversation originally appeared on the Habit Podcast, a production of the Rabbit Room podcast network, and a portion of it is used here with their generous permission and goodwill. To listen to more of the Habit visit Rabbitroom.com/podcast.


It's our hope that this conversation will inspire your own practice of writing during Lent and help you to enter into the mystery and grace of the Father's love.

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Charlie Peacock

James Bryant Smith

Walker Percy

Jessica Hooten Wilson

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Devotions by John Donne and paraphrased by Philip Yancey

The Confessions of St. Augustine by Augustine of Hippo, Introduced by James K.A. Smith

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard

Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan

God’s Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins

A Spiritual Pilgrimage by Malcolm Muggeridge

 

Related Conversations:

Liturgy of the Ordinary in Extraordinary Times with Tish Harrison Warren

Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies with Marilyn McEntyre

Invitation to Solitude and Silence with Ruth Haley Barton

On the Road with Saint Augustine with James K.A. Smith and Elizabeth Bruenig

The Habit Podcast, Episode 26: Tish Harrison Warren with Doug McKelvey


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org, and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, visit ttf.org/join.

 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

]]> Wed, 30 Mar 2022 04:00:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1111 As part of our special Lenten podcast series, we're exploring the spiritual practice of writing with Jonathan Rogers, Tish Harrison Warren, and Doug McKelvey. As part of our special Lenten podcast series, we're exploring the spiritual practice of writing with Jonathan Rogers, Tish Harrison Warren, and Doug McKelvey. Tish Harrison Warren, Dougl McKelvey, Jonathan Rogers, Cherie Harder No Repentance with James K.A. Smith 3 3 26 26 Repentance with James K.A. Smith full a75054b0-7f4e-44b3-b3d6-213debe4fce6 https://share.transistor.fm/s/b768481a Repentance and St. Augustine


We continue our Lenten podcast series by considering the spiritual practice of repentance with author, philosophy professor, and Trinity Forum Senior Fellow, James K.A. Smith. 


Few figures cast as long a shadow over church history as Saint Augustine of Hippo, regarded by many as second only to St. Paul in terms of his extraordinary contributions to theology and philosophy. For his part, James K.A. Smith takes a different approach, describing Augustine as an AA sponsor for the soul.


Disordered Desire and the Role of Repentance


In Augustine’s book, Confessions, he offers us a searingly honest glimpse into the human heart and it’s Augustine’s refusal to look away from his own disordered loves, but instead to confess and repent at the level of his deepest desires, that makes Confessions one of the most enduring works of Christian spiritual writing of all time.


Learn more about James K.A. Smith.


Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript.

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Confessions by St. Augustine

On The Road With Saint Augustine by James. K.A. Smith

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Devotions by John Donne and paraphrased by Philip Yancey

The Confessions of St. Augustine by Augustine of Hippo, Introduced by James K.A. Smith

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard

Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan

God’s Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins

A Spiritual Pilgrimage by Malcolm Muggeridge.

 

Related Conversations:

Liturgy of the Ordinary in Extraordinary Times with Tish Harrison Warren

Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies with Marilyn McEntyre

Invitation to Solitude and Silence with Ruth Haley Barton

The Second Mountain with David Brooks

On the Road with Saint Augustine with James K.A. Smith and Elizabeth Bruenig


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org, and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, visit ttf.org/join.

 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

]]> Repentance and St. Augustine


We continue our Lenten podcast series by considering the spiritual practice of repentance with author, philosophy professor, and Trinity Forum Senior Fellow, James K.A. Smith. 


Few figures cast as long a shadow over church history as Saint Augustine of Hippo, regarded by many as second only to St. Paul in terms of his extraordinary contributions to theology and philosophy. For his part, James K.A. Smith takes a different approach, describing Augustine as an AA sponsor for the soul.


Disordered Desire and the Role of Repentance


In Augustine’s book, Confessions, he offers us a searingly honest glimpse into the human heart and it’s Augustine’s refusal to look away from his own disordered loves, but instead to confess and repent at the level of his deepest desires, that makes Confessions one of the most enduring works of Christian spiritual writing of all time.


Learn more about James K.A. Smith.


Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript.

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Confessions by St. Augustine

On The Road With Saint Augustine by James. K.A. Smith

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Devotions by John Donne and paraphrased by Philip Yancey

The Confessions of St. Augustine by Augustine of Hippo, Introduced by James K.A. Smith

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard

Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan

God’s Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins

A Spiritual Pilgrimage by Malcolm Muggeridge.

 

Related Conversations:

Liturgy of the Ordinary in Extraordinary Times with Tish Harrison Warren

Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies with Marilyn McEntyre

Invitation to Solitude and Silence with Ruth Haley Barton

The Second Mountain with David Brooks

On the Road with Saint Augustine with James K.A. Smith and Elizabeth Bruenig


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org, and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, visit ttf.org/join.

 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

]]> Wed, 23 Mar 2022 02:00:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 689 Jamie Smith describes Augustine as an AA sponsor for the soul. Confessions offers us a searingly honest glimpse into the human heart as Augustine repents at the level of his desire. Jamie Smith describes Augustine as an AA sponsor for the soul. Confessions offers us a searingly honest glimpse into the human heart as Augustine repents at the level of his desire. James K.A. Smith, St. Augustine, The Confessions, The Trinity Forum, Cherie Harder, Lent, Repentance No Generosity with Marilyn McEntyre 3 3 25 25 Generosity with Marilyn McEntyre full 28b52b34-0dad-45e0-8498-cc2bb6c3b1d6 https://share.transistor.fm/s/23806d0a Generosity with Marilyn McEntyre


We continue our Lenten podcast series this week by looking at the spiritual practice of generosity with professor, author, and poet, Marilyn McEntyre. Generosity, or to use more ancient language, charity or almsgiving, was a practice Christians historically emphasized during Lent. And while providing material support to those in need is certainly a vital part of charity and love of neighbor, in this episode, Marilyn challenges us to broaden our understanding of what generosity can mean.


Caring for our Words is Part of Caring for our Neighbor


The book of Proverbs teaches us that death and life are in the power of the tongue and, in this conversation, Dr. McEntyre argues that caring for language is inextricably bound up with our caring for others. It's our hope that the conversation which follows stretches your categories of generosity and caregiving this week, as we consider together what it means to attend to our language and to practice charity with our words.


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org, and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, visit ttf.org/join.


Learn more about Dr. Marilyn McEntyre.


Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript.

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies by Marilyn McEntyre

Jane Austen

David Brooks

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Devotions by John Donne and paraphrased by Philip Yancey

The Confessions of St. Augustine by Augustine of Hippo, Introduced by James K.A. Smith

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard

Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan

God’s Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins

A Spiritual Pilgrimage by Malcolm Muggeridge


 

Related Conversations:

Liturgy of the Ordinary in Extraordinary Times with Tish Harrison Warren

Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies with Marilyn McEntyre

Invitation to Solitude and Silence with Ruth Haley Barton

The Second Mountain with David Brooks

On the Road with Saint Augustine with James K.A. Smith and Elizabeth Bruenig

 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

]]> Generosity with Marilyn McEntyre


We continue our Lenten podcast series this week by looking at the spiritual practice of generosity with professor, author, and poet, Marilyn McEntyre. Generosity, or to use more ancient language, charity or almsgiving, was a practice Christians historically emphasized during Lent. And while providing material support to those in need is certainly a vital part of charity and love of neighbor, in this episode, Marilyn challenges us to broaden our understanding of what generosity can mean.


Caring for our Words is Part of Caring for our Neighbor


The book of Proverbs teaches us that death and life are in the power of the tongue and, in this conversation, Dr. McEntyre argues that caring for language is inextricably bound up with our caring for others. It's our hope that the conversation which follows stretches your categories of generosity and caregiving this week, as we consider together what it means to attend to our language and to practice charity with our words.


To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org, and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, visit ttf.org/join.


Learn more about Dr. Marilyn McEntyre.


Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript.

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies by Marilyn McEntyre

Jane Austen

David Brooks

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Devotions by John Donne and paraphrased by Philip Yancey

The Confessions of St. Augustine by Augustine of Hippo, Introduced by James K.A. Smith

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard

Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan

God’s Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins

A Spiritual Pilgrimage by Malcolm Muggeridge


 

Related Conversations:

Liturgy of the Ordinary in Extraordinary Times with Tish Harrison Warren

Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies with Marilyn McEntyre

Invitation to Solitude and Silence with Ruth Haley Barton

The Second Mountain with David Brooks

On the Road with Saint Augustine with James K.A. Smith and Elizabeth Bruenig

 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

]]> Wed, 16 Mar 2022 02:00:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1128 The book of Proverbs teaches us that death and life are in the power of the tongue, and in this conversation Dr. McEntyre argues that caring for language is inextricably bound up with our caring for others. The book of Proverbs teaches us that death and life are in the power of the tongue, and in this conversation Dr. McEntyre argues that caring for language is inextricably bound up with our caring for others. Marilyn McEntyre, Writing, language, generosity, Lent, Spiritual Practices, Spiritual Disciplines No Silence and Solitude with Ruth Haley Barton 3 3 24 24 Silence and Solitude with Ruth Haley Barton full ee3a78f4-3732-4d74-8bb1-2b3f11a5cd34 https://share.transistor.fm/s/170a4b86 Silence and Solitude

We continue our special Lenten podcast series with author and spiritual director, Ruth Haley Barton, and this brief introduction to the spiritual disciplines of silence and solitude. Ruth considers the unique gift these practices offer us, why they can be so challenging, and the way that these practices look different depending on your season of life. 


Where We Encounter God


"Solitude and silence in particular is where we encounter God, but it is also the place that's most challenging for us on so many different levels." - Ruth Haley Barton


We hope you're encouraged to start right where you are, even if that's just a minute or two of silence in the morning before the day begins, or at night to allow the sediment of the day to settle and to see more clearly what's most important.


Learn more about Ruth Haley Barton.

 

Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript.

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Richard Rohr

Dallas Willard

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Devotions by John Donne and paraphrased by Philip Yancey

The Confessions of St. Augustine by Augustine of Hippo, Introduced by James K.A. Smith

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard

Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan

God’s Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins

A Spiritual Pilgrimage by Malcolm Muggeridge


Related Conversations:

Liturgy of the Ordinary in Extraordinary Times with Tish Harrison Warren

Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies with Marilyn McEntyre

Invitation to Solitude and Silence with Ruth Haley Barton

On the Road with Saint Augustine with James K.A. Smith and Elizabeth Bruenig

 

Listen to this or any of our conversations in full at ttf.org, and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, visit https://ttf.org/join.

 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

]]> Silence and Solitude

We continue our special Lenten podcast series with author and spiritual director, Ruth Haley Barton, and this brief introduction to the spiritual disciplines of silence and solitude. Ruth considers the unique gift these practices offer us, why they can be so challenging, and the way that these practices look different depending on your season of life. 


Where We Encounter God


"Solitude and silence in particular is where we encounter God, but it is also the place that's most challenging for us on so many different levels." - Ruth Haley Barton


We hope you're encouraged to start right where you are, even if that's just a minute or two of silence in the morning before the day begins, or at night to allow the sediment of the day to settle and to see more clearly what's most important.


Learn more about Ruth Haley Barton.

 

Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript.

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Richard Rohr

Dallas Willard

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Devotions by John Donne and paraphrased by Philip Yancey

The Confessions of St. Augustine by Augustine of Hippo, Introduced by James K.A. Smith

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard

Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan

God’s Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins

A Spiritual Pilgrimage by Malcolm Muggeridge


Related Conversations:

Liturgy of the Ordinary in Extraordinary Times with Tish Harrison Warren

Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies with Marilyn McEntyre

Invitation to Solitude and Silence with Ruth Haley Barton

On the Road with Saint Augustine with James K.A. Smith and Elizabeth Bruenig

 

Listen to this or any of our conversations in full at ttf.org, and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, visit https://ttf.org/join.

 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

]]> Wed, 09 Mar 2022 02:00:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 1311 Ruth Haley Barton offers an introduction to silence and solitude, considering the unique gift these practices offer us, why they can be so challenging, and the way that these practices look different depending on our season of life. Ruth Haley Barton offers an introduction to silence and solitude, considering the unique gift these practices offer us, why they can be so challenging, and the way that these practices look different depending on our season of life. Ruth Haley Barton, Lent, The Trinity Forum, Cherie Harder, Silence, Solitude, Spiritual Practices, Spiritual Disciplines No Formation and Habit with Tish Harrison Warren 3 3 23 23 Formation and Habit with Tish Harrison Warren full ac8ecaa6-e68d-4149-a6ea-faa3654a0623 https://share.transistor.fm/s/83dda8f4 Formation and Habit with Tish Harrison Warren

In our first Lenten podcast, we're turning to author and Anglican priest Tish Harrison Warren to help us frame our thinking about how we're formed spiritually and what the goal of formation is. Tish helps make us conscious of the habits, practices, and liturgies that are present and forming us in our everyday lives.

Practices are a Response to Love


She does a beautiful job of recasting spiritual disciplines not as an effort to make ourselves worthy of God's love, but as a response to God's declaration that we are already his beloved. We hope this conversation inspires you to consider anew the formative power of your habits, and to join us weekly in exploring spiritual disciplines, not out of obligation, but out of a deep and growing sense of your own belovedness before God.

To listen to this or any of our conversations in full, visit https://ttf.org, and to join the Trinity Forum Society to help make more content like this possible, visit https://ttf.org/join.

Learn more about Tish Harrison Warren.


Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:
Liturgy of the Ordinary by Tish Harrison Warren
John Mark Comer

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Devotions by John Donne and paraphrased by Philip Yancey

The Confessions of St. Augustine by Augustine of Hippo, Introduced by James K.A. Smith

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard

Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan

God’s Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins

A Spiritual Pilgrimage by Malcolm Muggeridge

 

Related Conversations:

Liturgy of the Ordinary in Extraordinary Times with Tish Harrison Warren

Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies with Marilyn McEntyre

Invitation to Solitude and Silence with Ruth Haley Barton

On the Road with Saint Augustine with James K.A. Smith and Elizabeth Bruenig


]]> Formation and Habit with Tish Harrison Warren

In our first Lenten podcast, we're turning to author and Anglican priest Tish Harrison Warren to help us frame our thinking about how we're formed spiritually and what the goal of formation is. Tish helps make us conscious of the habits, practices, and liturgies that are present and forming us in our everyday lives.

Practices are a Response to Love


She does a beautiful job of recasting spiritual disciplines not as an effort to make ourselves worthy of God's love, but as a response to God's declaration that we are already his beloved. We hope this conversation inspires you to consider anew the formative power of your habits, and to join us weekly in exploring spiritual disciplines, not out of obligation, but out of a deep and growing sense of your own belovedness before God.

To listen to this or any of our conversations in full, visit https://ttf.org, and to join the Trinity Forum Society to help make more content like this possible, visit https://ttf.org/join.

Learn more about Tish Harrison Warren.


Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:
Liturgy of the Ordinary by Tish Harrison Warren
John Mark Comer

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Devotions by John Donne and paraphrased by Philip Yancey

The Confessions of St. Augustine by Augustine of Hippo, Introduced by James K.A. Smith

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard

Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan

God’s Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins

A Spiritual Pilgrimage by Malcolm Muggeridge

 

Related Conversations:

Liturgy of the Ordinary in Extraordinary Times with Tish Harrison Warren

Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies with Marilyn McEntyre

Invitation to Solitude and Silence with Ruth Haley Barton

On the Road with Saint Augustine with James K.A. Smith and Elizabeth Bruenig


]]> Wed, 02 Mar 2022 04:00:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 697 To help us frame our thinking about how we're formed spiritually and what the goal of formation is, we turn to author and Anglican priest, Tish Harrison Warren. To help us frame our thinking about how we're formed spiritually and what the goal of formation is, we turn to author and Anglican priest, Tish Harrison Warren. Tish Harrison Warren, habits, formation, the Trinity Forum, Cherie Harder, Lent No Season 3 trailer: Lenten Spiritual Practices 3 3 22 22 Season 3 trailer: Lenten Spiritual Practices trailer ae270e3e-2d81-4c76-bac9-2d41b8350286 https://share.transistor.fm/s/756ce1f1 For 2000 years, Lent has been a season of spiritual preparation in which you reflect on Christ's temptation suffering and death. Beginning on Ash Wednesday and ending with Easter, the 40 days of lent have historically been a time for Christians to draw closer to God through prayer, fasting, repentance, and self-denial.

Of course, that's a hard sell in our time. Embracing spiritual disciplines has never been easy, but in a cultural context where denying ourselves our desires is seen not just as odd, but repressive, or even harmful, humbling ourselves through spiritual disciplines and walking in these ancient paths can seem more daunting than ever.

But far from being the exclusive province of medieval monks or cloistered mystics of some far away place and time, these disciplines are for everyone, and offer through embodied practices, a path to more deeply and joyfully following in the ways of Jesus. So this Lenten season, we ask you to join us as we explore seven different spiritual disciplines through this special podcast series.

Each week we'll release a new conversation that considers a practice to help you draw closer to God in mind, body and spirit. The point is not to master any particular spiritual discipline, but to simply start where you are. It's our hope that these conversations will inspire you to take a step into a new practice of learning to better know, love, and enjoy the Lord who died for us as we remember his passion, and anticipate the joy of his resurrection.

Listen to or watch any of our conversations in full at TTF.org, or to help support this podcast and our ongoing work, visit: TTF.org/join.

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

]]> For 2000 years, Lent has been a season of spiritual preparation in which you reflect on Christ's temptation suffering and death. Beginning on Ash Wednesday and ending with Easter, the 40 days of lent have historically been a time for Christians to draw closer to God through prayer, fasting, repentance, and self-denial.

Of course, that's a hard sell in our time. Embracing spiritual disciplines has never been easy, but in a cultural context where denying ourselves our desires is seen not just as odd, but repressive, or even harmful, humbling ourselves through spiritual disciplines and walking in these ancient paths can seem more daunting than ever.

But far from being the exclusive province of medieval monks or cloistered mystics of some far away place and time, these disciplines are for everyone, and offer through embodied practices, a path to more deeply and joyfully following in the ways of Jesus. So this Lenten season, we ask you to join us as we explore seven different spiritual disciplines through this special podcast series.

Each week we'll release a new conversation that considers a practice to help you draw closer to God in mind, body and spirit. The point is not to master any particular spiritual discipline, but to simply start where you are. It's our hope that these conversations will inspire you to take a step into a new practice of learning to better know, love, and enjoy the Lord who died for us as we remember his passion, and anticipate the joy of his resurrection.

Listen to or watch any of our conversations in full at TTF.org, or to help support this podcast and our ongoing work, visit: TTF.org/join.

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

]]> Mon, 28 Feb 2022 23:59:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 131 Join us this Lenten season as we explore seven different spiritual practices from Ash Wednesday to Holy Week. Join us this Lenten season as we explore seven different spiritual practices from Ash Wednesday to Holy Week. Lent, Spiritual Disciplines, Tish Harrison Warren, Ruth Haley Barton, James K.A. Smith, N.T. Wright, Marilyn McEntyre, Margaret Bendroth, Trinity Forum, Spiritual Practices No Poetry & Beauty in Solitude with Dana Gioia 2 2 20 20 Poetry & Beauty in Solitude with Dana Gioia full 2d7cdb9b-c9ff-45fe-94a4-95ece9a6c250 https://share.transistor.fm/s/1b7e000a On Friday, May 1 The Trinity Forum hosted from Former Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, and Poet Laureate of California, Dana Gioia. Dana shared his unique insights about beauty, poetry, and solitude. Dana encourages us to use this time of quarantine to begin afresh.


Learn more about Dana Gioia.

 

Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript from May 2020.

 

Authors, artists, and books mentioned in the conversation:

T.S. Eliot

Wallace Stevens

Jacques Maritain

Thomas Acquinas

A Portrait of An Artist as a Young Man, by James Joyce

Georgia O'Keeffe

Étienne Mallarmé

Edgar Allen Poe

Friedrich Nietzsche
Horace

Catullus

Virgil

W.H. Auden

Philip Larkin

Robert Frost

Emily Dickinson

A.E. Stallings

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

John Greenleaf Whittier

King Lear, by William Shakespeare

The Idiot, by Fyodor Dostoevsky

C.S. Lewis

Immanuel Kant

Frederick Turner

Makoto Fujimura

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

God’s Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins with introduction by Dana Gioia

Bulletins From Immortality: Poems by Emily Dickinson

Devotions by John Donne (paraphrased by Philip Yancey)

Sacred & Profane Love, John Donne with an introduction by Dana Gioia

Four Quartets! By T.S. Eliot with an introduction by Mako Fujimura

 

Related Conversations:

Waiting on the Word with Malcolm Guite

Dana Gioia - Beauty

“Poetry, Imagination, and Spiritual Formation” an Evening Conversation in with Dana Gioia, September 11, 2019

“Why Poetry Matters” an Evening Conversation with Dana Gioia, April 20, 2016 

“Why Beauty Matters: The Significance of Beauty in Art, Faith, and Politics” an Evening Conversation with Dana Gioia, April 1, 2014 

“Poetry, Prayer, and Passion” an Evening Conversation with Dana Gioia, October 18, 2012

“Art + Faith: A Theology of Making” an Online Conversation with Makoto Fujimura, January 29, 2021

“Culture Care: Mending to Make New” an Online Conversation with Makoto Fujimura, August 7, 2020

“Culture Care” an Evening Conversation in with Makoto Fujimura, September 19, 2017

“Culture Care in a Fragmented Modern World” an Evening Conversation with Makoto Fujimura, November 4, 2016

“Beauty in a Broken World” an Evening Conversation with Makoto Fujimura, March 31, 2016

 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.


]]> On Friday, May 1 The Trinity Forum hosted from Former Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, and Poet Laureate of California, Dana Gioia. Dana shared his unique insights about beauty, poetry, and solitude. Dana encourages us to use this time of quarantine to begin afresh.


Learn more about Dana Gioia.

 

Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript from May 2020.

 

Authors, artists, and books mentioned in the conversation:

T.S. Eliot

Wallace Stevens

Jacques Maritain

Thomas Acquinas

A Portrait of An Artist as a Young Man, by James Joyce

Georgia O'Keeffe

Étienne Mallarmé

Edgar Allen Poe

Friedrich Nietzsche
Horace

Catullus

Virgil

W.H. Auden

Philip Larkin

Robert Frost

Emily Dickinson

A.E. Stallings

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

John Greenleaf Whittier

King Lear, by William Shakespeare

The Idiot, by Fyodor Dostoevsky

C.S. Lewis

Immanuel Kant

Frederick Turner

Makoto Fujimura

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

God’s Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins with introduction by Dana Gioia

Bulletins From Immortality: Poems by Emily Dickinson

Devotions by John Donne (paraphrased by Philip Yancey)

Sacred & Profane Love, John Donne with an introduction by Dana Gioia

Four Quartets! By T.S. Eliot with an introduction by Mako Fujimura

 

Related Conversations:

Waiting on the Word with Malcolm Guite

Dana Gioia - Beauty

“Poetry, Imagination, and Spiritual Formation” an Evening Conversation in with Dana Gioia, September 11, 2019

“Why Poetry Matters” an Evening Conversation with Dana Gioia, April 20, 2016 

“Why Beauty Matters: The Significance of Beauty in Art, Faith, and Politics” an Evening Conversation with Dana Gioia, April 1, 2014 

“Poetry, Prayer, and Passion” an Evening Conversation with Dana Gioia, October 18, 2012

“Art + Faith: A Theology of Making” an Online Conversation with Makoto Fujimura, January 29, 2021

“Culture Care: Mending to Make New” an Online Conversation with Makoto Fujimura, August 7, 2020

“Culture Care” an Evening Conversation in with Makoto Fujimura, September 19, 2017

“Culture Care in a Fragmented Modern World” an Evening Conversation with Makoto Fujimura, November 4, 2016

“Beauty in a Broken World” an Evening Conversation with Makoto Fujimura, March 31, 2016

 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.


]]> Mon, 29 Nov 2021 23:56:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2848 Former Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, and Poet Laureate of California, Dana Gioia shares his unique insights about beauty, poetry, and solitude. Dana encourages us to begin afresh. Former Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, and Poet Laureate of California, Dana Gioia shares his unique insights about beauty, poetry, and solitude. Dana encourages us to begin afresh. Dana Gioia, poetry, National Endowment for the Arts, Cherie Harder, The Trinity Forum No Beauty, Music, and Spiritual Formation with Keith & Kristyn Getty 2 2 19 19 Beauty, Music, and Spiritual Formation with Keith & Kristyn Getty full c4c57a1f-ac9d-4c8a-b559-b73e1b7ec8b3 https://share.transistor.fm/s/0a607868 On November 19th, 2019 the Trinity Forum, Regent College, and Reformed Theological Seminary hosted an Evening Conversation with modern hymn writers Keith and Kristyn Getty. They discussed “Beauty, Music, and Spiritual Formation” as the second in our series on Art, Faith, and Formation in which we aim to discuss the ways in which the literary, musical, and visual arts speak to spiritual hunger and shape our sense of beauty, truth, and purpose.


Learn more about the Gettys.

 

Watch our Evening Conversation.

 

Authors, artists, and books mentioned in the conversation:

Peter Kreeft

The Republic, by Plato

Damon of Athens

Sing: How Worship Transforms your Life, Family, and Church, by Keith and Kristyn Getty

Unwearied Praises: Exploring Christian Faith Through Classic Hymns, by Dr. Jeff Greenman

The Pedagogy of Praise, by Dr. Jeff Greenman

John Lennox

Lucy Shaw

Eugene Peters

J.I. Packer

Martin Luther

Leonard Bernstein

Amy Carmichael

Cecil Frances Alexander

Os Guinness

Charles Spurgeon

Lloyd Jones

D.L. Moody

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Handel’s Messiah

 

Related Conversations:

Waiting on the Word with Malcolm Guite

Poetry & Beauty in Solitude with Dana Gioia

 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

]]> On November 19th, 2019 the Trinity Forum, Regent College, and Reformed Theological Seminary hosted an Evening Conversation with modern hymn writers Keith and Kristyn Getty. They discussed “Beauty, Music, and Spiritual Formation” as the second in our series on Art, Faith, and Formation in which we aim to discuss the ways in which the literary, musical, and visual arts speak to spiritual hunger and shape our sense of beauty, truth, and purpose.


Learn more about the Gettys.

 

Watch our Evening Conversation.

 

Authors, artists, and books mentioned in the conversation:

Peter Kreeft

The Republic, by Plato

Damon of Athens

Sing: How Worship Transforms your Life, Family, and Church, by Keith and Kristyn Getty

Unwearied Praises: Exploring Christian Faith Through Classic Hymns, by Dr. Jeff Greenman

The Pedagogy of Praise, by Dr. Jeff Greenman

John Lennox

Lucy Shaw

Eugene Peters

J.I. Packer

Martin Luther

Leonard Bernstein

Amy Carmichael

Cecil Frances Alexander

Os Guinness

Charles Spurgeon

Lloyd Jones

D.L. Moody

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Handel’s Messiah

 

Related Conversations:

Waiting on the Word with Malcolm Guite

Poetry & Beauty in Solitude with Dana Gioia

 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

]]> Mon, 29 Nov 2021 23:55:00 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2809 Modern hymn writers Keith and Kristyn Getty discuss “Beauty, Music, and Spiritual Formation” and the ways in which the literary, musical, and visual arts speak to spiritual hunger and shape our sense of beauty, truth, and purpose. Modern hymn writers Keith and Kristyn Getty discuss “Beauty, Music, and Spiritual Formation” and the ways in which the literary, musical, and visual arts speak to spiritual hunger and shape our sense of beauty, truth, and purpose. Keith Getty, Kristyn Getter, Modern Hymondy, The Trinity Forum, In Christ Alone, Cherie Harder No Hope and Healing for a Hurting Culture with Jonathan Haidt and Pete Wehner 2 2 18 18 Hope and Healing for a Hurting Culture with Jonathan Haidt and Pete Wehner full 5ee0850c-2c72-4eaa-b84e-0b938abc6724 https://share.transistor.fm/s/17a09d21 On February 19th, 2021, we were delighted to welcome social psychologist and bestselling author, Jonathan Haidt, along with widely published speechwriter and author, Peter Wehner. Wehner is a New York Times columnist, a contributing editor for The Atlantic, and a Trinity Forum Senior Fellow with a deep interest in healing our divided nation. Haidt has done extensive research examining the intuitive foundations of morality and how morality varies across cultures. His books address these topics and provide insights into how to cultivate meaningful, moral conversations across cultural divides.


We hope you enjoy this conversation on the impact of hyper-politicization and polarization, the temptations of illiberalism, the natural tendency towards bias and blind spots in our thinking, and the role of faith in bringing healing and hope to a hurting culture. Especially in our ongoing season of isolation and social restrictions, we hope this will inspire you to reach out and connect with those around you and think about how you can grow culture-shaping friendships and communities.

 

Learn more about Jonathan Haidt and Pete Wehner.

 

Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript from February 19, 2021.

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom, by Jonathan Haidt

The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure, by Jonathan Haidt and Greg Lukainoff

The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion, by Jonathan Haidt

City of Man: Religion and Politics in a New Era, by Peter Wehner and Michael Gerson

The Death of Politics: How to Heal Our Frayed Republic After Trump, by Peter Wehner

A Time to Build: From Family and Community to Congress and the Campus, How Recommitting to Our Institutions Can Revive the American Dream, by Yuval Levin

Why We’re Polarized, by Ezra Klein

Blaise Pascal

John McWhorter

Francis Collins

C.S. Lewis

Owen Barfield

David Brooks

On Liberty, by John Stuart Mill

Ibram X. Kendi

Richard Reeves, Brookings Institution

How To Think: A Guide for the Perplexed, by Alan Jacobs

The Enigma of Reason, by Hugo Mercier and Dan Sperber

My Bright Abyss: Meditation of a Modern Believer, by Christian Wiman

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Politics in the English Language, by George Orwell

Politics, Morality, and Civility, by Václav Havel

Democracy in America, by Alexis de Tocqueville

Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley

 

Related Conversations:

Rebuilding our Common Life, with Yuval Levin

 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

]]> On February 19th, 2021, we were delighted to welcome social psychologist and bestselling author, Jonathan Haidt, along with widely published speechwriter and author, Peter Wehner. Wehner is a New York Times columnist, a contributing editor for The Atlantic, and a Trinity Forum Senior Fellow with a deep interest in healing our divided nation. Haidt has done extensive research examining the intuitive foundations of morality and how morality varies across cultures. His books address these topics and provide insights into how to cultivate meaningful, moral conversations across cultural divides.


We hope you enjoy this conversation on the impact of hyper-politicization and polarization, the temptations of illiberalism, the natural tendency towards bias and blind spots in our thinking, and the role of faith in bringing healing and hope to a hurting culture. Especially in our ongoing season of isolation and social restrictions, we hope this will inspire you to reach out and connect with those around you and think about how you can grow culture-shaping friendships and communities.

 

Learn more about Jonathan Haidt and Pete Wehner.

 

Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript from February 19, 2021.

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom, by Jonathan Haidt

The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure, by Jonathan Haidt and Greg Lukainoff

The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion, by Jonathan Haidt

City of Man: Religion and Politics in a New Era, by Peter Wehner and Michael Gerson

The Death of Politics: How to Heal Our Frayed Republic After Trump, by Peter Wehner

A Time to Build: From Family and Community to Congress and the Campus, How Recommitting to Our Institutions Can Revive the American Dream, by Yuval Levin

Why We’re Polarized, by Ezra Klein

Blaise Pascal

John McWhorter

Francis Collins

C.S. Lewis

Owen Barfield

David Brooks

On Liberty, by John Stuart Mill

Ibram X. Kendi

Richard Reeves, Brookings Institution

How To Think: A Guide for the Perplexed, by Alan Jacobs

The Enigma of Reason, by Hugo Mercier and Dan Sperber

My Bright Abyss: Meditation of a Modern Believer, by Christian Wiman

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Politics in the English Language, by George Orwell

Politics, Morality, and Civility, by Václav Havel

Democracy in America, by Alexis de Tocqueville

Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley

 

Related Conversations:

Rebuilding our Common Life, with Yuval Levin

 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

]]> Tue, 28 Sep 2021 23:53:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 3141 Jonathan Haidt and Peter Wehner joined us to discuss the impact of hyper-politicization and polarization, the temptations of illiberalism, the natural tendency towards bias and blind spots in our thinking, and the role of faith in bringing healing and hope to a hurting culture. Jonathan Haidt and Peter Wehner joined us to discuss the impact of hyper-politicization and polarization, the temptations of illiberalism, the natural tendency towards bias and blind spots in our thinking, and the role of faith in bringing healing and hop Jonathan Haidt, Peter Wehner No The Lonely American: Rootedness and Reconciliation in a Riven Land with Ben Sasse and Russell Moore 2 2 17 17 The Lonely American: Rootedness and Reconciliation in a Riven Land with Ben Sasse and Russell Moore full 9a94eeca-a580-4bdd-ae6c-9d19ab948fdb https://share.transistor.fm/s/f314d50c In this podcast, edited from an Evening Conversation in 2018 titled "The Lonely American: Rootedness and Reconciliation in a Riven Land" with Senator Ben Sasse and Russell Moore in Washington, DC, we discuss the growing problem of loneliness in the country — the ways in which our alienation from each other is destroying individual lives and the fabric of society — and what can be done about it.

 

Learn more about Senator Ben Sasse and Dr. Russell Moore.

 

Watch the full Evening Conversation from November 2018.

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Vanishing American Adult: Our Coming-of-Age Crisis--and How to Rebuild a Culture of Self-Reliance, by Ben Sasse

Them: Why We Hate Each Other--and How to Heal, by Ben Sasse

James K.A. Smith

Daniel Patrick Moynihan

Robert Putnam

Charles Murray

Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now, by Jason Lanier

Marilynne Robinson

The Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis

The Year of Our Lord 1943: Christian Humanism in an Age of Crisis, by Alan Jacobs

Elie Wiesel

 

Related Conversations:

Strong and Weak, with Andy Crouch

 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

]]> In this podcast, edited from an Evening Conversation in 2018 titled "The Lonely American: Rootedness and Reconciliation in a Riven Land" with Senator Ben Sasse and Russell Moore in Washington, DC, we discuss the growing problem of loneliness in the country — the ways in which our alienation from each other is destroying individual lives and the fabric of society — and what can be done about it.

 

Learn more about Senator Ben Sasse and Dr. Russell Moore.

 

Watch the full Evening Conversation from November 2018.

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Vanishing American Adult: Our Coming-of-Age Crisis--and How to Rebuild a Culture of Self-Reliance, by Ben Sasse

Them: Why We Hate Each Other--and How to Heal, by Ben Sasse

James K.A. Smith

Daniel Patrick Moynihan

Robert Putnam

Charles Murray

Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now, by Jason Lanier

Marilynne Robinson

The Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis

The Year of Our Lord 1943: Christian Humanism in an Age of Crisis, by Alan Jacobs

Elie Wiesel

 

Related Conversations:

Strong and Weak, with Andy Crouch

 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

]]> Tue, 28 Sep 2021 23:52:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2995 Senator Ben Sasse and Russell Moore joined us to discuss the growing problem of loneliness in the country — the ways in which our alienation from each other is destroying individual lives and the fabric of society — and what can be done about it. Senator Ben Sasse and Russell Moore joined us to discuss the growing problem of loneliness in the country — the ways in which our alienation from each other is destroying individual lives and the fabric of society — and what can be done about it. Ben Sasse, Russell More, loneliness, isolation, No The Inklings, Creativity, and Community, with Diana Glyer 2 2 16 16 The Inklings, Creativity, and Community, with Diana Glyer full 783a1439-ac9f-4a76-a34f-33c249cd4658 https://share.transistor.fm/s/ce0060bd On February 12th, 2021, we were delighted to welcome award-winning author and professor Diana Glyer. Glyer is intrigued by the creative process, particularly how creativity thrives within small groups and creative clusters. She has written extensively on the lives and work of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and their beloved community known as the Inklings.


We hope you enjoy this conversation on the importance of collaboration and the necessity of friendship to the creative process, and we hope you’ll be inspired to think imaginatively about how you can cultivate generative and culture-shaping friendships and communities.

 

Learn more about Diana Glyer.

 

Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript from February 12, 2021. 

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Company They Keep: C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien as Writers in Community, by Diana Glyer

Bandersnatch: C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and the Creative Collaboration of the Inklings, by Diana Glyer

The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien

Charles Williams

C.S. Lewis

Shakespeare

Owen Barfield

Hugo Dyson

Out of the Silent Planet, by C.S. Lewis

Jerry Root

The Weight of Glory, by C.S. Lewis

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

On Friendship, by Cicero

The Golden Key, by George MacDonald

The Oracle of the Dog, by G.K. Chesterton

The Lost Tools of Learning, by Dorothy Sayers

 

Related Conversations:

Suffering, Friendship, and Courage: What Lewis & Tolkien Teach us about Resilience & Imagination, an Online Conversation with Joe Loconte

 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

]]> On February 12th, 2021, we were delighted to welcome award-winning author and professor Diana Glyer. Glyer is intrigued by the creative process, particularly how creativity thrives within small groups and creative clusters. She has written extensively on the lives and work of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and their beloved community known as the Inklings.


We hope you enjoy this conversation on the importance of collaboration and the necessity of friendship to the creative process, and we hope you’ll be inspired to think imaginatively about how you can cultivate generative and culture-shaping friendships and communities.

 

Learn more about Diana Glyer.

 

Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript from February 12, 2021. 

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Company They Keep: C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien as Writers in Community, by Diana Glyer

Bandersnatch: C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and the Creative Collaboration of the Inklings, by Diana Glyer

The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien

Charles Williams

C.S. Lewis

Shakespeare

Owen Barfield

Hugo Dyson

Out of the Silent Planet, by C.S. Lewis

Jerry Root

The Weight of Glory, by C.S. Lewis

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

On Friendship, by Cicero

The Golden Key, by George MacDonald

The Oracle of the Dog, by G.K. Chesterton

The Lost Tools of Learning, by Dorothy Sayers

 

Related Conversations:

Suffering, Friendship, and Courage: What Lewis & Tolkien Teach us about Resilience & Imagination, an Online Conversation with Joe Loconte

 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

]]> Tue, 28 Sep 2021 23:51:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 3015 Professor Diana Glyer joined us to discuss how creativity thrives within small groups and creative clusters. She has written extensively on the lives and work of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and their beloved community known as the Inklings. You'll enjoy this exploration of collaboration and the necessity of friendship to the creative process. Professor Diana Glyer joined us to discuss how creativity thrives within small groups and creative clusters. She has written extensively on the lives and work of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and their beloved community known as the Inklings. You'll enjoy t Diana Glyer, J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Inklings No Speaking Peace & Seeking Reconciliation with David Bailey & Marilyn McEntyre 2 2 15 15 Speaking Peace & Seeking Reconciliation with David Bailey & Marilyn McEntyre full 09cbac17-61e1-4dbd-944a-336c763c6d07 https://share.transistor.fm/s/206e8dfb On Friday, November 6th, 2021, we were delighted to partner again with our friends at Coracle to present Speaking Peace and Seeking Reconciliation in a Fractured Culture, an Online Conversation with David Bailey and Marilyn McEntyre. Recorded at the end of the election week, we spoke with David and Marilyn, exemplars of peace and reconciliation both in word and action, and discussed what we can do, as individuals and as the Church, to walk in the way of true shalom, love of neighbor, and truth telling.

 

Learn more about David Bailey and Dr. Marilyn McEntyre.

 

Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript from November 6, 2020. 

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Arrabon: Learning Reconciliation Through Community & Worship Music, by David Bailey
Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies, by Marilyn McEntyre

Speaking Peace in a Climate of Conflict, by Marilyn McEntyre

Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling, by Andy Crouch

Ezra Pound

The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict, by Ken Sande

G.K. Chesterton

A Book of Uncommon Prayer: 100 Celebrations of the Miracle & Muddle of the Ordinary, by Brian Doyle

Oscar Romero

T.S. Eliot

Middlemarch, by George Eliot

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Politics and the English Language, by George Orwell

Abraham Lincoln: The Spiritual Growth of a Public Man

Long Walk to Freedom, by Nelson Mandela

 

Related Conversations:

Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies, with Marilyn McEntyre

Creating Cultural Artifacts that Build New Legacies | David Bailey | TEDxRVA

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

]]> On Friday, November 6th, 2021, we were delighted to partner again with our friends at Coracle to present Speaking Peace and Seeking Reconciliation in a Fractured Culture, an Online Conversation with David Bailey and Marilyn McEntyre. Recorded at the end of the election week, we spoke with David and Marilyn, exemplars of peace and reconciliation both in word and action, and discussed what we can do, as individuals and as the Church, to walk in the way of true shalom, love of neighbor, and truth telling.

 

Learn more about David Bailey and Dr. Marilyn McEntyre.

 

Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript from November 6, 2020. 

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Arrabon: Learning Reconciliation Through Community & Worship Music, by David Bailey
Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies, by Marilyn McEntyre

Speaking Peace in a Climate of Conflict, by Marilyn McEntyre

Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling, by Andy Crouch

Ezra Pound

The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict, by Ken Sande

G.K. Chesterton

A Book of Uncommon Prayer: 100 Celebrations of the Miracle & Muddle of the Ordinary, by Brian Doyle

Oscar Romero

T.S. Eliot

Middlemarch, by George Eliot

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Politics and the English Language, by George Orwell

Abraham Lincoln: The Spiritual Growth of a Public Man

Long Walk to Freedom, by Nelson Mandela

 

Related Conversations:

Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies, with Marilyn McEntyre

Creating Cultural Artifacts that Build New Legacies | David Bailey | TEDxRVA

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

]]> Tue, 28 Sep 2021 23:50:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 3095 David and Marilyn are exemplars of peace and reconciliation both in word and action, and on our podcast we discussed what we can do, as individuals and as the Church, to walk in the way of true shalom, love of neighbor, and truth telling. David and Marilyn are exemplars of peace and reconciliation both in word and action, and on our podcast we discussed what we can do, as individuals and as the Church, to walk in the way of true shalom, love of neighbor, and truth telling. David Bailey, Marilyn McEntyre No Invitation to Solitude and Silence with Ruth Haley Barton 2 2 14 14 Invitation to Solitude and Silence with Ruth Haley Barton full 26caa83a-2a2f-416b-bea5-1a8a77abc444 https://share.transistor.fm/s/dd0a4dcd On March 19, 2021 we were delighted to host Christian author, leader, and teacher, Ruth Haley Barton. Barton is founding President/CEO of the Transforming Center, a ministry dedicated to strengthening the souls of Christian leaders and the congregations and organizations they serve. Ruth is the author of numerous books and resources on the spiritual life, including Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership and Sacred Rhythms. She reflects regularly on spirituality and leadership in her blog, Beyond Words, and on her podcast Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership.


We hope you enjoy this conversation around her book, Invitation to Solitude and Silence: Experiencing God’s Transforming Presence. Our attention, Barton believes, has become a commodity that we must protect if we are to avoid being swept away by our distracted age. She invites listeners to engage in these ancient biblical practices to find the rest for our souls that Jesus promises. In this Lenten season, we hope this will inspire you to pursue God’s transforming presence in new ways and contemplatively sit in solitude and silence with the Author and Perfecter of our faith.

 

Learn more about Ruth Haley Barton.

 

Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript from March 19, 2021.

 

Related reading:

A Shocking Lack of Solitude, Cherie Harder

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Blaise Pascal

John Milton

C.S. Lewis

Richard Rohr

Dallas Willard

Henry Nouwen

Shop Class as Soulcraft, by Matthew B. Crawford

Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel

Julian of Norwich

Invitation to Solitude and Silence: Experiencing God's Transforming Presence, by Ruth Haley Barton

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Confessions | A Trinity Forum Reading by St. Augustine, introduced by James K.A. Smith.
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek | A Trinity Forum Reading by Annie Dillard, introduced by Tish Harrison Warren.
Devotions | A Trinity Forum Reading by John Donne, introduced and paraphrased by Philip Yancey.
The Long Loneliness | A Trinity Forum Reading by Dorothy Day, introduced by Anne and David Brooks.
Wrestling with God | A Trinity Forum Reading by Simone Weil, introduced by Alonzo McDonald.
The Pilgrim's Progress | A Trinity Forum Reading by John Bunyan, introduced by Alonzo McDonald.

 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.


]]> On March 19, 2021 we were delighted to host Christian author, leader, and teacher, Ruth Haley Barton. Barton is founding President/CEO of the Transforming Center, a ministry dedicated to strengthening the souls of Christian leaders and the congregations and organizations they serve. Ruth is the author of numerous books and resources on the spiritual life, including Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership and Sacred Rhythms. She reflects regularly on spirituality and leadership in her blog, Beyond Words, and on her podcast Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership.


We hope you enjoy this conversation around her book, Invitation to Solitude and Silence: Experiencing God’s Transforming Presence. Our attention, Barton believes, has become a commodity that we must protect if we are to avoid being swept away by our distracted age. She invites listeners to engage in these ancient biblical practices to find the rest for our souls that Jesus promises. In this Lenten season, we hope this will inspire you to pursue God’s transforming presence in new ways and contemplatively sit in solitude and silence with the Author and Perfecter of our faith.

 

Learn more about Ruth Haley Barton.

 

Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript from March 19, 2021.

 

Related reading:

A Shocking Lack of Solitude, Cherie Harder

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Blaise Pascal

John Milton

C.S. Lewis

Richard Rohr

Dallas Willard

Henry Nouwen

Shop Class as Soulcraft, by Matthew B. Crawford

Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel

Julian of Norwich

Invitation to Solitude and Silence: Experiencing God's Transforming Presence, by Ruth Haley Barton

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Confessions | A Trinity Forum Reading by St. Augustine, introduced by James K.A. Smith.
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek | A Trinity Forum Reading by Annie Dillard, introduced by Tish Harrison Warren.
Devotions | A Trinity Forum Reading by John Donne, introduced and paraphrased by Philip Yancey.
The Long Loneliness | A Trinity Forum Reading by Dorothy Day, introduced by Anne and David Brooks.
Wrestling with God | A Trinity Forum Reading by Simone Weil, introduced by Alonzo McDonald.
The Pilgrim's Progress | A Trinity Forum Reading by John Bunyan, introduced by Alonzo McDonald.

 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.


]]> Tue, 17 Aug 2021 21:00:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 3056 Our attention, Barton believes, has become a commodity that we must protect if we are to avoid being swept away by our distracted age. She invites listeners to engage in these ancient biblical practices to find the rest for our souls that Jesus promises. Our attention, Barton believes, has become a commodity that we must protect if we are to avoid being swept away by our distracted age. She invites listeners to engage in these ancient biblical practices to find the rest for our souls that Jesus promises. Ruth Haley Barton, Silence Solitude, Cherie Harder, Transforming Center No Suffering, Healing, and Meaning, with Philip Yancey and Julia Wattacheril 2 2 12 12 Suffering, Healing, and Meaning, with Philip Yancey and Julia Wattacheril full a645776c-96b7-4bda-b2d8-d9dffcece6ac https://share.transistor.fm/s/89126f79 On Friday, April 23rd, 2021 we were delighted to launch a new series on “Discovery and Doxology” in partnership with BioLogos and Church of the Advent. This series brings together leading scientists and theologians to discuss the relationship between science and faith. In this, our first event in the series, we hosted author and theologian, Philip Yancey, and Dr. Julia Wattacheril, discussing suffering, healing, and meaning. Yancey and Wattacheril help us to think through the meaning of our personal and national pain and how knowing the God who suffers with us can redeem such suffering, even transform it.

 

This event was made possible through the support of a grant from Templeton Religion Trust. The opinions expressed in this program do not necessarily reflect the views of Templeton Religion Trust.

 

Learn more about Philip Yancey and Dr. Julia Wattacheril.

 

Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript from April 23, 2021.

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Jesus I Never Knew

Where Is God When It Hurts?

Disappointment with God

What's So Amazing about Grace?

A Companion in Crisis

C.S. Lewis

John Donne

Dr. Paul Brand

Time Magazine

N.T. Wright

G.K. Chesterton

Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Devotions, a Trinity Forum Reading by John Donne and introduced and paraphrased by Philip Yancey

Wrestling with God, a Trinity Forum Reading by Simon Weil
 

The Purchase of a Soul, a Trinity Forum Reading by Victor Hugo

Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl 

 

 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music!



]]> On Friday, April 23rd, 2021 we were delighted to launch a new series on “Discovery and Doxology” in partnership with BioLogos and Church of the Advent. This series brings together leading scientists and theologians to discuss the relationship between science and faith. In this, our first event in the series, we hosted author and theologian, Philip Yancey, and Dr. Julia Wattacheril, discussing suffering, healing, and meaning. Yancey and Wattacheril help us to think through the meaning of our personal and national pain and how knowing the God who suffers with us can redeem such suffering, even transform it.

 

This event was made possible through the support of a grant from Templeton Religion Trust. The opinions expressed in this program do not necessarily reflect the views of Templeton Religion Trust.

 

Learn more about Philip Yancey and Dr. Julia Wattacheril.

 

Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript from April 23, 2021.

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

The Jesus I Never Knew

Where Is God When It Hurts?

Disappointment with God

What's So Amazing about Grace?

A Companion in Crisis

C.S. Lewis

John Donne

Dr. Paul Brand

Time Magazine

N.T. Wright

G.K. Chesterton

Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Devotions, a Trinity Forum Reading by John Donne and introduced and paraphrased by Philip Yancey

Wrestling with God, a Trinity Forum Reading by Simon Weil
 

The Purchase of a Soul, a Trinity Forum Reading by Victor Hugo

Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl 

 

 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music!



]]> Tue, 17 Aug 2021 21:00:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2854 Author and theologian Philip Yancey and Dr. Julia Wattacheril discuss suffering, healing, and meaning in the context of a global pandemic. Yancey and Wattacheril help us to think through the meaning of our personal and national pain and how knowing the God who suffers with us can redeem such suffering, even transform it. Author and theologian Philip Yancey and Dr. Julia Wattacheril discuss suffering, healing, and meaning in the context of a global pandemic. Yancey and Wattacheril help us to think through the meaning of our personal and national pain and how knowing the Go Philip Yancey, Julia Wattacheril, pandemic No Calling & Community in a Post-Pandemic World with Os Guinness & Pete Peterson 2 2 11 11 Calling & Community in a Post-Pandemic World with Os Guinness & Pete Peterson full 8ecc1f1b-4729-4468-ba8a-ae2923366928 https://share.transistor.fm/s/ab0036b1 On Friday, May 15th, 2020 we were delighted to welcome Trinity Forum founder, author, and social-critic, Os Guinness, and Dean of Pepperdine’s School of Public Policy, Pete Peterson, to discuss calling and community in the aftermath of this global crisis.


Learn more about Os Guinness, and Pete Peterson.


Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript from May 15, 2020.


Mentioned authors and books:

The Call, by Os Guinness

John Stott

A Treatise on Vocations, William Perkins

Patrick Deneen

Søren Kierkegaard

Dr. James Houston

Range, by Jeffrey Epstein

The City of God, by St. Augustine

Strong and Weak, by Andy Crouch

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

“William Wilberforce: A Man Who Changed His Times,” by John Pollock, A Trinity Forum Reading

“Why Work?” by Dorothy Sayers, A Trinity Forum Reading

“How Much Land Does a Man Need?” by Leo Tolstoy, A Trinity Forum Reading

“Letters from Vincent Van Gogh,” by Vincent Van Gogh, A Trinity Forum Reading


Related viewing:

Pete Peterson’s webinar on calling  

Our Evening Conversation with Andy Crouch on Strong and Weak

Trinity Forum Evening Conversations with Os Guinness:

https://www.ttf.org/?portfolio=evening-conversation-with-os-guinness

https://www.ttf.org/?portfolio=evening-conversation-with-os-guinness-on-celebrating-the-500th-anniversary-of-the-reformation

https://www.ttf.org/?portfolio=evening-conversation-with-os-guinness-february-4-2014

https://www.ttf.org/?portfolio=evening-conversation-with-os-guiness-september-5-2013

Entrepreneurs of Life



]]> On Friday, May 15th, 2020 we were delighted to welcome Trinity Forum founder, author, and social-critic, Os Guinness, and Dean of Pepperdine’s School of Public Policy, Pete Peterson, to discuss calling and community in the aftermath of this global crisis.


Learn more about Os Guinness, and Pete Peterson.


Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript from May 15, 2020.


Mentioned authors and books:

The Call, by Os Guinness

John Stott

A Treatise on Vocations, William Perkins

Patrick Deneen

Søren Kierkegaard

Dr. James Houston

Range, by Jeffrey Epstein

The City of God, by St. Augustine

Strong and Weak, by Andy Crouch

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

“William Wilberforce: A Man Who Changed His Times,” by John Pollock, A Trinity Forum Reading

“Why Work?” by Dorothy Sayers, A Trinity Forum Reading

“How Much Land Does a Man Need?” by Leo Tolstoy, A Trinity Forum Reading

“Letters from Vincent Van Gogh,” by Vincent Van Gogh, A Trinity Forum Reading


Related viewing:

Pete Peterson’s webinar on calling  

Our Evening Conversation with Andy Crouch on Strong and Weak

Trinity Forum Evening Conversations with Os Guinness:

https://www.ttf.org/?portfolio=evening-conversation-with-os-guinness

https://www.ttf.org/?portfolio=evening-conversation-with-os-guinness-on-celebrating-the-500th-anniversary-of-the-reformation

https://www.ttf.org/?portfolio=evening-conversation-with-os-guinness-february-4-2014

https://www.ttf.org/?portfolio=evening-conversation-with-os-guiness-september-5-2013

Entrepreneurs of Life



]]> Tue, 17 Aug 2021 21:00:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2980 Founder, author, and social-critic Os Guinness, and Dean of Pepperdine’s School of Public Policy, Pete Peterson joined us to discuss calling and community in the aftermath of this global crisis. Founder, author, and social-critic Os Guinness, and Dean of Pepperdine’s School of Public Policy, Pete Peterson joined us to discuss calling and community in the aftermath of this global crisis. Os Guinness, Pete Peterson, Calling, Vocation, The Call No Living a Tech-Wise Life with Andy and Amy Crouch 2 2 13 13 Living a Tech-Wise Life with Andy and Amy Crouch full fb88ce16-801c-462c-bafe-5791c6b2d5c1 https://share.transistor.fm/s/bc1d62ea On Friday, June 11th, we were pleased to welcome author and cultural analyst, Andy Crouch, and his daughter, Amy Crouch, to discuss their book entitled My Tech-Wise Life: Growing Up and Making Choices in a World of Devices. In it they explore how to navigate the possibilities and pitfalls of technology and its influence in one’s life. Andy and Amy believe there is a wise path we can walk with our technology, a different and better way to imagine our lives together. We hope you enjoy this conversation.

 

Learn more about Andy Crouch and Amy Crouch.

 

Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript from June 11, 2021.

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Annie Dillard

My Tech-Wise Life: Growing Up and Making Choices in a World of Devices

Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling

Playing God: Redeeming the Gift of Power

Strong and Weak: Embracing a Life of Love, Risk and True Flourishing 

The Tech-Wise Family: Everyday Steps for Putting Technology in Its Proper Place

Marshal McLuhan

Neil Postman

Albert Borgman

Bowling Alone, by Robert Putnam

Augustine of Hippo

James K.A. Smith

 

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Brave New World, a Trinity Forum Reading by Aldous Huxley

The Confessions of St. Augustine, a Trinity Forum Reading

On Happiness, a Trinity Forum Reading by Thomas Aquinas, introduced by Fr. Dominic Legge 


Related conversations:

Online Conversation with Andy Crouch on “Playing God: Redeeming the Gift of Power” in 2013.

Online Conversation with Andy Crouch on his book “Strong and Weak: Embracing a Life of Love, Risk and True Flourishing”  in 2016. 

 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

]]> On Friday, June 11th, we were pleased to welcome author and cultural analyst, Andy Crouch, and his daughter, Amy Crouch, to discuss their book entitled My Tech-Wise Life: Growing Up and Making Choices in a World of Devices. In it they explore how to navigate the possibilities and pitfalls of technology and its influence in one’s life. Andy and Amy believe there is a wise path we can walk with our technology, a different and better way to imagine our lives together. We hope you enjoy this conversation.

 

Learn more about Andy Crouch and Amy Crouch.

 

Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript from June 11, 2021.

 

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Annie Dillard

My Tech-Wise Life: Growing Up and Making Choices in a World of Devices

Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling

Playing God: Redeeming the Gift of Power

Strong and Weak: Embracing a Life of Love, Risk and True Flourishing 

The Tech-Wise Family: Everyday Steps for Putting Technology in Its Proper Place

Marshal McLuhan

Neil Postman

Albert Borgman

Bowling Alone, by Robert Putnam

Augustine of Hippo

James K.A. Smith

 

 

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Brave New World, a Trinity Forum Reading by Aldous Huxley

The Confessions of St. Augustine, a Trinity Forum Reading

On Happiness, a Trinity Forum Reading by Thomas Aquinas, introduced by Fr. Dominic Legge 


Related conversations:

Online Conversation with Andy Crouch on “Playing God: Redeeming the Gift of Power” in 2013.

Online Conversation with Andy Crouch on his book “Strong and Weak: Embracing a Life of Love, Risk and True Flourishing”  in 2016. 

 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

]]> Tue, 17 Aug 2021 21:00:00 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2985 Author and cultural analyst Andy Crouch and his daughter and co-author Amy Crouch joined us to discuss their book, My Tech-Wise Life: Growing Up and Making Choices in a World of Devices. In it they explore how to navigate the possibilities and pitfalls of technology and its influence in one’s life. Andy and Amy believe there is a wise path we can walk with our technology, a different and better way to imagine our lives together. Author and cultural analyst Andy Crouch and his daughter and co-author Amy Crouch joined us to discuss their book, My Tech-Wise Life: Growing Up and Making Choices in a World of Devices. In it they explore how to navigate the possibilities and pitfalls of Andy Crouch, Amy Crouch, Tech-Wise Life No Living a Second Mountain Life, with David Brooks 1 1 10 10 Living a Second Mountain Life, with David Brooks full 6da5c757-dc8f-4048-8d6b-257cd1636386 https://share.transistor.fm/s/ca946c3a This episode features a conversation that took place on May 28, 2019 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. with New York Times columnist and author David Brooks on “The Second Mountain.” Brooks offers the fascinating argument that we are, paradoxically, most fulfilled, and even most ourselves, in the context of commitment to community, family, vocation, and faith. The Second Mountain is an examination of how putting commitment-making at the center of our lives can repair the social fabric of our communities and ourselves.

Watch the full Evening Conversation from May 14, 2021.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Jayber Crow, by Wendell Berry
Mere Christianity, by C.S. Lewis 
Alasdair MacIntyre 
Richard Rohr
Dorothy Day
John Stott
Vaclav Havel

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

David Brooks is an Op-Ed columnist for The New York Times a commentator on “PBS NewsHour,” NPR’s “All Things Considered” and NBC’s “Meet the Press.” He is the author of numerous books including “The Road to Character,” and “The Second Mountain.” Mr. Brooks also teaches at Yale University, and is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

]]> This episode features a conversation that took place on May 28, 2019 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. with New York Times columnist and author David Brooks on “The Second Mountain.” Brooks offers the fascinating argument that we are, paradoxically, most fulfilled, and even most ourselves, in the context of commitment to community, family, vocation, and faith. The Second Mountain is an examination of how putting commitment-making at the center of our lives can repair the social fabric of our communities and ourselves.

Watch the full Evening Conversation from May 14, 2021.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Jayber Crow, by Wendell Berry
Mere Christianity, by C.S. Lewis 
Alasdair MacIntyre 
Richard Rohr
Dorothy Day
John Stott
Vaclav Havel

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

David Brooks is an Op-Ed columnist for The New York Times a commentator on “PBS NewsHour,” NPR’s “All Things Considered” and NBC’s “Meet the Press.” He is the author of numerous books including “The Road to Character,” and “The Second Mountain.” Mr. Brooks also teaches at Yale University, and is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

]]> Wed, 16 Jun 2021 00:06:16 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2542 With Baylor University in Washington, we hosted an Evening Conversation on “The Second Mountain,” with New York Times columnist and author David Brooks. Brooks offers the fascinating argument that we are, paradoxically, most fulfilled, and even most ourselves, in the context of commitment to community, family, vocation, and faith. The Second Mountain is an examination of how putting commitment-making at the center of our lives can repair the social fabric of our communities and ourselves. With Baylor University in Washington, we hosted an Evening Conversation on “The Second Mountain,” with New York Times columnist and author David Brooks. Brooks offers the fascinating argument that we are, paradoxically, most fulfilled, and even most ourse No Jane Austen and the Liturgies of Ordinary Life, with Karen Swallow Prior 1 1 9 9 Jane Austen and the Liturgies of Ordinary Life, with Karen Swallow Prior full 8d89f8dd-20ee-4d3a-bb2c-9c3da74a1b96 https://share.transistor.fm/s/3f586cfd This episode features a conversation we hosted on Friday, May 21st with author and Trinity Forum Senior Fellow Karen Swallow prior on Jane Austen and her novel approach to virtue. Speaking of Austen’s Christian faith, Prior says, “Hers was the restrained, quiet, and personal faith of her Anglican tradition. Her novels are less altar calls than liturgies of ordinary life.” Austen’s world may feel quite removed from ours, but her focus on such everyday liturgies illustrate the importance of the seemingly mundane and illuminate the path towards repaired and rightly ordered relationships. 

We hope you enjoy this conversation!

Learn more about Karen Swallow Prior 

Watch the full Evening Conversation and read the transcript from May 21st, 2021.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility,   by Jane Austen
Amusing Ourselves to Death, by Neil Postman
Praying with Jane, by Rachel Dodge  
Alasdair MacIntyre
William Shakespeare

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Dr. Karen Swallow Prior is Professor of English at Liberty University, where she has won multiple teaching awards. She writes frequently on literature, culture, ethics, and ideas. Her writing appears at Christianity Today, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, First Things, Vox, Think Christian, The Gospel Coalition, Books and Culture and other places. She is the author of Booked: Literature in the Soul of Me, Fierce Convictions: The Extraordinary Life of Hannah More—Poet, Reformer, Abolitionist , and On Reading Well: Finding the Good Life through Great Literature, and her most recent work Sense and Sensibility: A Guide to Reading and Reflecting. 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music!

]]> This episode features a conversation we hosted on Friday, May 21st with author and Trinity Forum Senior Fellow Karen Swallow prior on Jane Austen and her novel approach to virtue. Speaking of Austen’s Christian faith, Prior says, “Hers was the restrained, quiet, and personal faith of her Anglican tradition. Her novels are less altar calls than liturgies of ordinary life.” Austen’s world may feel quite removed from ours, but her focus on such everyday liturgies illustrate the importance of the seemingly mundane and illuminate the path towards repaired and rightly ordered relationships. 

We hope you enjoy this conversation!

Learn more about Karen Swallow Prior 

Watch the full Evening Conversation and read the transcript from May 21st, 2021.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility,   by Jane Austen
Amusing Ourselves to Death, by Neil Postman
Praying with Jane, by Rachel Dodge  
Alasdair MacIntyre
William Shakespeare

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Dr. Karen Swallow Prior is Professor of English at Liberty University, where she has won multiple teaching awards. She writes frequently on literature, culture, ethics, and ideas. Her writing appears at Christianity Today, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, First Things, Vox, Think Christian, The Gospel Coalition, Books and Culture and other places. She is the author of Booked: Literature in the Soul of Me, Fierce Convictions: The Extraordinary Life of Hannah More—Poet, Reformer, Abolitionist , and On Reading Well: Finding the Good Life through Great Literature, and her most recent work Sense and Sensibility: A Guide to Reading and Reflecting. 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music!

]]> Wed, 16 Jun 2021 00:06:09 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2469 In celebration of our spring Reading on Pride and Prejudice, we were delighted to host its introduction author, and Trinity Forum Senior Fellow Karen Swallow Prior for a discussion on Jane Austen and her novel approach to virtue. In celebration of our spring Reading on Pride and Prejudice, we were delighted to host its introduction author, and Trinity Forum Senior Fellow Karen Swallow Prior for a discussion on Jane Austen and her novel approach to virtue. Jane Austen, Karen Swallow Prior No Creativity for the Life of the World, with Sho Baraka 1 1 8 8 Creativity for the Life of the World, with Sho Baraka full 2bd295bc-2a59-449f-b623-a4081ceeda6c https://share.transistor.fm/s/e8012116 This episode features a conversation we hosted on Friday, May 14th with artist and author Sho Baraka for a conversation around his new book He Saw That It Was Good: Reimagining Your Creative Life To Repair A Broken World. Baraka says, “The command to love—in all the fullness and justice of that word—is laid on all, from politician to painter. With every policy pushed, every stroke of the brush, we put forth what we believe about God and about good. With what we make, we affect the world. For better or for worse.” In this conversation we explore how our creative gifts and good works can contribute to the care and repair of our hurting world. We hope you enjoy!

Learn more about Sho Baraka 


Watch the full Evening Conversation and read the transcript from May 14, 2021.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

100 Years of Solitude, by Gabriel García Márquez
Frederick Douglass
Flannery O’Connor 
G.K. Chesterton

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Sho Baraka is a globally recognized recording artist, performer, culture curator, activist, and writer. His work combines his artistic platform with his academic history to contribute a unique perspective, elevating the contemporary conversation on faith, art, and culture. An alumnus of Tuskegee University and the University of North Texas, Baraka is a cofounder of Forth District and the AND Campaign, and he has served as an adjunct professor at Wake Forest School of Divinity. He was also an original member of influential hip-hop consortium 116 Clique, recording with Reach Records. Baraka lives in Atlanta with his wife Patreece and their three children.

 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music!

]]> This episode features a conversation we hosted on Friday, May 14th with artist and author Sho Baraka for a conversation around his new book He Saw That It Was Good: Reimagining Your Creative Life To Repair A Broken World. Baraka says, “The command to love—in all the fullness and justice of that word—is laid on all, from politician to painter. With every policy pushed, every stroke of the brush, we put forth what we believe about God and about good. With what we make, we affect the world. For better or for worse.” In this conversation we explore how our creative gifts and good works can contribute to the care and repair of our hurting world. We hope you enjoy!

Learn more about Sho Baraka 


Watch the full Evening Conversation and read the transcript from May 14, 2021.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

100 Years of Solitude, by Gabriel García Márquez
Frederick Douglass
Flannery O’Connor 
G.K. Chesterton

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Sho Baraka is a globally recognized recording artist, performer, culture curator, activist, and writer. His work combines his artistic platform with his academic history to contribute a unique perspective, elevating the contemporary conversation on faith, art, and culture. An alumnus of Tuskegee University and the University of North Texas, Baraka is a cofounder of Forth District and the AND Campaign, and he has served as an adjunct professor at Wake Forest School of Divinity. He was also an original member of influential hip-hop consortium 116 Clique, recording with Reach Records. Baraka lives in Atlanta with his wife Patreece and their three children.

 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music!

]]> Wed, 16 Jun 2021 00:06:02 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2466 Author and hip hop artist Sho Baraka joins Trinity Forum President Cherie Harder to discuss his first book and the call to tell better, more true stories for the good of the world. Author and hip hop artist Sho Baraka joins Trinity Forum President Cherie Harder to discuss his first book and the call to tell better, more true stories for the good of the world. No A Theology of Making, with Makoto Fujimura 1 1 7 7 A Theology of Making, with Makoto Fujimura full bc85f362-306a-4871-a797-58c04191c459 https://share.transistor.fm/s/dfb71b0b This episode features a conversation  we originally hosted on Friday, January 29th with artist and author Makoto Fujimura on his recent book  Art + Faith: A Theology of Making. Mako says, “I now consider what I do in the studio to be theological work as much as aesthetic work. I experience God, my Maker, in the studio. I am immersed in the art of creating, and I have come to understand this dimension of life as the most profound way of grasping human experience and the nature of our existence in the world. I call it the “Theology of Making.”

We hope you enjoy this conversation exploring the theological work of creating.

Learn more about Makoto Fujimura.


Watch the full Evening Conversation and read the transcript from January 29th, 2021.


Thanks to Windrider Productions and The Rabbit Room for their partnership on the event with Mako on January 29.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

William Blake
N.T. Wright
Esther Meek
The Gift, by Lewis Hyde
Bruce Herman
T.S. Eliot
Amanda Gorman
David Brooks
Richard Mouw

Learn more about Kintsugi.

Related Trinity Forum Readings and Resources:

Makoto Fujimura is a leading contemporary artist whose process driven, refractive “slow art” has been described by David Brooks of New York Times as “a small rebellion against the quickening of time”. In addition to his work as an artist Mako is an author whose works include Refractions: A Journey of Faith, Art, and Culture and his just released work Art + Faith: A Theology of Making. Mako is also a senior fellow of the Trinity forum. 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music!

]]> This episode features a conversation  we originally hosted on Friday, January 29th with artist and author Makoto Fujimura on his recent book  Art + Faith: A Theology of Making. Mako says, “I now consider what I do in the studio to be theological work as much as aesthetic work. I experience God, my Maker, in the studio. I am immersed in the art of creating, and I have come to understand this dimension of life as the most profound way of grasping human experience and the nature of our existence in the world. I call it the “Theology of Making.”

We hope you enjoy this conversation exploring the theological work of creating.

Learn more about Makoto Fujimura.


Watch the full Evening Conversation and read the transcript from January 29th, 2021.


Thanks to Windrider Productions and The Rabbit Room for their partnership on the event with Mako on January 29.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

William Blake
N.T. Wright
Esther Meek
The Gift, by Lewis Hyde
Bruce Herman
T.S. Eliot
Amanda Gorman
David Brooks
Richard Mouw

Learn more about Kintsugi.

Related Trinity Forum Readings and Resources:

Makoto Fujimura is a leading contemporary artist whose process driven, refractive “slow art” has been described by David Brooks of New York Times as “a small rebellion against the quickening of time”. In addition to his work as an artist Mako is an author whose works include Refractions: A Journey of Faith, Art, and Culture and his just released work Art + Faith: A Theology of Making. Mako is also a senior fellow of the Trinity forum. 

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music!

]]> Wed, 16 Jun 2021 00:05:53 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2668 We were delighted to welcome artist, author, and senior fellow Mako Fujimura for a conversation around his brand new book, Art + Faith: A Theology of Making. Mako believes that in the act of making we are able to know and experience the depth of God’s being and grace. We were delighted to welcome artist, author, and senior fellow Mako Fujimura for a conversation around his brand new book, Art + Faith: A Theology of Making. Mako believes that in the act of making we are able to know and experience the depth of God’s bei No The Good News and the Good Life, with N.T. Wright and Richard Hays 1 1 6 6 The Good News and the Good Life, with N.T. Wright and Richard Hays full 55397389-5489-4389-83e9-4c7f2469c9e9 https://share.transistor.fm/s/3d83380f This conversation took place on February 24, 2016 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. We welcomed scholars and theologians N.T. Wright and Richard B. Hays to discuss The Good News and The Good Life. In this eastertide season we hope this conversation will encourage and inspire us to live as resurrection people.


Learn more about Richard Hays and N.T. Wright.

Watch the full Evening Conversation and read the transcript from February 24, 2016.


Learn more about our partners: 

Duke Divinity School — https://divinity.duke.edu

Baylor University Press — https://www.baylorpress.com/

McDonald Agape Fund — https://www.mcdonaldagape.org/agape/mcdonald-agape-foundation.html


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:


Who Is This Man, by John Ortberg

To Change the World, by James Davison Hunter

The Cost of Discipleship, by Dietrich Bonhoeffer


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

 

Richard Hayes is internationally recognized as one of the foremost biblical scholars bridging the disciplines between biblical criticism and literary studies. He served for many years, both as the Dean and the George Washington IB Professor of New Testament at Duke Divinity School. Prior to coming to Duke, he served on the faculty of Yale Divinity School and his many books include, 'The Faith of Jesus Christ,' 'Echos of Scripture and the Letters of Paul,' 'The Moral Vision of the New Testament,' which was selected by Christianity Today as one of the hundred most important books of the 20th century, 'The Art of Reading Scripture,' and most recently, 'Reading Backwards.'

 

He's also an ordained minister in the United Methodist Church and has preached in settings ranging from rural Oklahoma to Westminster Abbey, as well as serving on the editorial boards of numerous scholarly journals, he holds a PhD from Emory, an honorary doctorate from Gerta University, and degrees from Yale.

 

N.T. Wright is a theologian academic author and minister who has been called by such sources as Time and Newsweek as one of the world's leading New Testament scholars and the most formidable figure in the world of Christian thought. He serves as the research professor of New Testament, the University of St. Andrews in Scotland and previously taught New Testament at Cambridge, McGill and Oxford Universities for over 20 years, and then held various posts in the Church of England, most recently as the Bishop of Durham. Dr. Wright is the author of over 80 different books, including 'Simply Good News,' 'How God Became King,' 'Simply Jesus,' 'Surprised by Scripture,' and many others and holds honorary doctorates from over a dozen different universities.

]]> This conversation took place on February 24, 2016 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. We welcomed scholars and theologians N.T. Wright and Richard B. Hays to discuss The Good News and The Good Life. In this eastertide season we hope this conversation will encourage and inspire us to live as resurrection people.


Learn more about Richard Hays and N.T. Wright.

Watch the full Evening Conversation and read the transcript from February 24, 2016.


Learn more about our partners: 

Duke Divinity School — https://divinity.duke.edu

Baylor University Press — https://www.baylorpress.com/

McDonald Agape Fund — https://www.mcdonaldagape.org/agape/mcdonald-agape-foundation.html


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:


Who Is This Man, by John Ortberg

To Change the World, by James Davison Hunter

The Cost of Discipleship, by Dietrich Bonhoeffer


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

 

Richard Hayes is internationally recognized as one of the foremost biblical scholars bridging the disciplines between biblical criticism and literary studies. He served for many years, both as the Dean and the George Washington IB Professor of New Testament at Duke Divinity School. Prior to coming to Duke, he served on the faculty of Yale Divinity School and his many books include, 'The Faith of Jesus Christ,' 'Echos of Scripture and the Letters of Paul,' 'The Moral Vision of the New Testament,' which was selected by Christianity Today as one of the hundred most important books of the 20th century, 'The Art of Reading Scripture,' and most recently, 'Reading Backwards.'

 

He's also an ordained minister in the United Methodist Church and has preached in settings ranging from rural Oklahoma to Westminster Abbey, as well as serving on the editorial boards of numerous scholarly journals, he holds a PhD from Emory, an honorary doctorate from Gerta University, and degrees from Yale.

 

N.T. Wright is a theologian academic author and minister who has been called by such sources as Time and Newsweek as one of the world's leading New Testament scholars and the most formidable figure in the world of Christian thought. He serves as the research professor of New Testament, the University of St. Andrews in Scotland and previously taught New Testament at Cambridge, McGill and Oxford Universities for over 20 years, and then held various posts in the Church of England, most recently as the Bishop of Durham. Dr. Wright is the author of over 80 different books, including 'Simply Good News,' 'How God Became King,' 'Simply Jesus,' 'Surprised by Scripture,' and many others and holds honorary doctorates from over a dozen different universities.

]]> Wed, 28 Apr 2021 02:49:18 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2610 This conversation took place on February 24, 2016 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. We welcomed scholars and theologians N.T. Wright and Richard B. Hays to discuss The Good News and The Good Life. In this eastertide season we hope this conversation will encourage and inspire us to live as resurrection people. This conversation took place on February 24, 2016 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. We welcomed scholars and theologians N.T. Wright and Richard B. Hays to discuss The Good News and The Good Life. In this eastertide season we hope this conver N.T. Wright, Richard Hays, The Good Life No Crisis and Christian Humanism, with Alan Jacobs 1 1 5 5 Crisis and Christian Humanism, with Alan Jacobs full 6330c0ca-24ad-4216-b84f-5a74f862fd43 https://share.transistor.fm/s/2f0fb11e On Friday, July 10th we welcomed distinguished professor, author, and scholar Alan Jacobs to discuss his ever-timely book The Year of Our Lord 1943: Christian Humanism in an Age of Crisis. In his book, Jacobs describes how after the second World War, five Christian intellectuals presented strikingly similar visions for the moral and spiritual renewal of their countries.

Jacques Maritain, T. S. Eliot, C. S. Lewis, W. H. Auden, and Simone Weil all believed the renewal of their respective societies in the aftermath of World War II would come through education that was grounded in a Christian understanding of the power and limitations of human beings. Alan helped us consider the ways our world is changing due to our current crisis, and look back to these Christian intellectuals and their vision for cultivating a flourishing society and rebuilding a shared sense of the common good after world-wide disruption. We hope you enjoy this conversation!

Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript here.


Learn more about Alan Jacobs.


Alan Jacobs’ Books:

Breaking Bread with the Dead: A Reader’s Guide to a more Tranquil Mind, The Year of our Lord 1943: Christian Humanism in an Age of Crisis, How to Think: A Survival Guide for a World at Odds, The Book of Common Prayer: A Biography.

 

Baylor University Great Texts Program


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Education at the Crossroads by Jacques Maritain

The Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis

Vocation and Society, a lecture given at Swarthmore College by W.H. Auden

Christianity and Culture by T.S. Elliot

Between Past and Future, by Hannah Arendt

Rationalism in Politics, by Michael Oakeshott

Roberts Coles - Harvard Professor.

Bleak House, by Charles Dickens

C.S. Lewis - “The Inner Ring,” “Membership,” Abolition of Man, That Hideous Strength.

Leszek Kolakowski

George Eliot 

Søren Kierkegaard


Related Trinity Forum Readings and Resources:

 

Alan Jacobs is a scholar, English literature, a writer, a literary critic. He's a distinguished professor of the humanities and the honors college at Baylor university and previously taught for nearly 30 years at Wheaton college in Illinois, a prolific author and a wide ranging thinker. He's written for such publications as The Atlantic, Harper's, Comment, The New Yorker, the Weekly Standard and the Hedgehog Review and has published more than 15 different books on a wide range of topics from literature, technology theology and cognitive psychology, including How to Think, The Book of Common Prayer, the book we're discussing today, The Year of our Lord 1943, which was named by the Wall Street Journal is one of their best books on politics for the year of 2018 and many more, including the forthcoming book, Breaking Bread with the Dead: A Reader's Guide to a more Tranquil Mind, which is available now.


]]> On Friday, July 10th we welcomed distinguished professor, author, and scholar Alan Jacobs to discuss his ever-timely book The Year of Our Lord 1943: Christian Humanism in an Age of Crisis. In his book, Jacobs describes how after the second World War, five Christian intellectuals presented strikingly similar visions for the moral and spiritual renewal of their countries.

Jacques Maritain, T. S. Eliot, C. S. Lewis, W. H. Auden, and Simone Weil all believed the renewal of their respective societies in the aftermath of World War II would come through education that was grounded in a Christian understanding of the power and limitations of human beings. Alan helped us consider the ways our world is changing due to our current crisis, and look back to these Christian intellectuals and their vision for cultivating a flourishing society and rebuilding a shared sense of the common good after world-wide disruption. We hope you enjoy this conversation!

Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript here.


Learn more about Alan Jacobs.


Alan Jacobs’ Books:

Breaking Bread with the Dead: A Reader’s Guide to a more Tranquil Mind, The Year of our Lord 1943: Christian Humanism in an Age of Crisis, How to Think: A Survival Guide for a World at Odds, The Book of Common Prayer: A Biography.

 

Baylor University Great Texts Program


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Education at the Crossroads by Jacques Maritain

The Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis

Vocation and Society, a lecture given at Swarthmore College by W.H. Auden

Christianity and Culture by T.S. Elliot

Between Past and Future, by Hannah Arendt

Rationalism in Politics, by Michael Oakeshott

Roberts Coles - Harvard Professor.

Bleak House, by Charles Dickens

C.S. Lewis - “The Inner Ring,” “Membership,” Abolition of Man, That Hideous Strength.

Leszek Kolakowski

George Eliot 

Søren Kierkegaard


Related Trinity Forum Readings and Resources:

 

Alan Jacobs is a scholar, English literature, a writer, a literary critic. He's a distinguished professor of the humanities and the honors college at Baylor university and previously taught for nearly 30 years at Wheaton college in Illinois, a prolific author and a wide ranging thinker. He's written for such publications as The Atlantic, Harper's, Comment, The New Yorker, the Weekly Standard and the Hedgehog Review and has published more than 15 different books on a wide range of topics from literature, technology theology and cognitive psychology, including How to Think, The Book of Common Prayer, the book we're discussing today, The Year of our Lord 1943, which was named by the Wall Street Journal is one of their best books on politics for the year of 2018 and many more, including the forthcoming book, Breaking Bread with the Dead: A Reader's Guide to a more Tranquil Mind, which is available now.


]]> Wed, 28 Apr 2021 01:49:09 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2716 On Friday, July 10th we welcomed distinguished professor, author, and scholar Alan Jacobs to discuss his ever-timely book The Year of Our Lord 1943: Christian Humanism in an Age of Crisis. In his book, Jacobs describes how after the second World War, five Christian intellectuals presented strikingly similar visions for the moral and spiritual renewal of their countries. Jacques Maritain, T. S. Eliot, C. S. Lewis, W. H. Auden, and Simone Weil all believed the renewal of their respective societies in the aftermath of World War II would come through education that was grounded in a Christian understanding of the power and limitations of human beings. On Friday, July 10th we welcomed distinguished professor, author, and scholar Alan Jacobs to discuss his ever-timely book The Year of Our Lord 1943: Christian Humanism in an Age of Crisis. In his book, Jacobs describes how after the second World War, five No Story, Culture, & the Common Good, with Marilynne Robinson 1 1 4 4 Story, Culture, & the Common Good, with Marilynne Robinson full ef09bba6-1d72-4bb9-82a6-e0aef1e5e83d https://share.transistor.fm/s/f18373e7 On Friday, July 24th we were honored to host award-winning and much-beloved novelist and essayist, Marilynne Robinson for a wide-ranging conversation on the art of writing as a means of exploring truth and engaging the questions around learning to live well, to love others, and to create a home and community in an often fractious world. Robinson, known for her keen observations on humanity and religion has plumbed the depths of the human spirit in her novels, including the National Book Critics Circle Award-winning Lila, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning Gilead. We hope you enjoy this conversation on “Story, Culture, and the Common Good.”

Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript here.


Marilynne Robinson's Novels | Housekeeping, Gilead, Home, Lila

Article in Breaking Ground from our event.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Marcel Proust

Ralph Waldo Emmerson

Paul Harding

Walt Witman

William Faulkner

John Calvin

Jonathan Edwards

Moby Dick, by Herman Mellville

Piers Plowman, by William Langland


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

 

Marilynne Robinson is a novelist, essayist, and teacher, one of the most renowned and revered of living writers. Her novels Housekeeping, Gilead, Lila, and Home have been variously honored with the Pulitzer Prize, National Books Critics Circle Award (twice), a Hemingway Foundation Award, an Orange Prize, The Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction, and the Ambassador Book Award. She's also the author of many essays and non-fiction works, including her work, “Mother Country”, and her essay collections, “Death of Adam,” “Absence of Mind,” “When I was a Child I Read Books,” “The Givenness of Things,” and “What Are We Doing Here?”. She's the recipient of the National Humanities Medal and an elected fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In addition to her writing has spent over 20 years teaching at the Iowa Writers Workshop, as well as several universities.


]]> On Friday, July 24th we were honored to host award-winning and much-beloved novelist and essayist, Marilynne Robinson for a wide-ranging conversation on the art of writing as a means of exploring truth and engaging the questions around learning to live well, to love others, and to create a home and community in an often fractious world. Robinson, known for her keen observations on humanity and religion has plumbed the depths of the human spirit in her novels, including the National Book Critics Circle Award-winning Lila, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning Gilead. We hope you enjoy this conversation on “Story, Culture, and the Common Good.”

Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript here.


Marilynne Robinson's Novels | Housekeeping, Gilead, Home, Lila

Article in Breaking Ground from our event.


Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Marcel Proust

Ralph Waldo Emmerson

Paul Harding

Walt Witman

William Faulkner

John Calvin

Jonathan Edwards

Moby Dick, by Herman Mellville

Piers Plowman, by William Langland


Related Trinity Forum Readings:

 

Marilynne Robinson is a novelist, essayist, and teacher, one of the most renowned and revered of living writers. Her novels Housekeeping, Gilead, Lila, and Home have been variously honored with the Pulitzer Prize, National Books Critics Circle Award (twice), a Hemingway Foundation Award, an Orange Prize, The Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction, and the Ambassador Book Award. She's also the author of many essays and non-fiction works, including her work, “Mother Country”, and her essay collections, “Death of Adam,” “Absence of Mind,” “When I was a Child I Read Books,” “The Givenness of Things,” and “What Are We Doing Here?”. She's the recipient of the National Humanities Medal and an elected fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In addition to her writing has spent over 20 years teaching at the Iowa Writers Workshop, as well as several universities.


]]> Wed, 28 Apr 2021 01:14:27 -0400 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2269 On Friday, July 24th we were honored to host award-winning and much-beloved novelist and essayist, Marilynne Robinson for a wide-ranging conversation on the art of writing as a means of exploring truth and engaging the questions around learning to live well, to love others, and to create a home and community in an often fractious world. Robinson, known for her keen observations on humanity and religion has plumbed the depths of the human spirit in her novels, including the National Book Critics Circle Award-winning Lila, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning Gilead. On Friday, July 24th we were honored to host award-winning and much-beloved novelist and essayist, Marilynne Robinson for a wide-ranging conversation on the art of writing as a means of exploring truth and engaging the questions around learning to live we No Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies with Marilyn McEntyre 1 1 3 3 Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies with Marilyn McEntyre full e5db72e9-1edc-45f7-8a9e-ec30db71ea59 https://www.ttf.org/portfolios/episode-3-marilyn-mcentyre/ On Friday, July 17, 2020 we welcomed writer, poet, and professor Marilyn McEntyre for an Online Conversation to discuss her provocative book, Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies. The book focuses on the morality, power, and importance of caring for language. She notes that caring for one another is not entirely separable from caring for words. Words are entrusted to us as equipment for our life together, to help us survive, guide, and nourish one another. If language is to retain its power to nourish and sustain our common life, we have to care for it the way good farmers care for the earth.



Authors mentioned in the conversation:


Books mentioned in the conversation:

BBC Radio Program - My Word

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music!

]]> On Friday, July 17, 2020 we welcomed writer, poet, and professor Marilyn McEntyre for an Online Conversation to discuss her provocative book, Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies. The book focuses on the morality, power, and importance of caring for language. She notes that caring for one another is not entirely separable from caring for words. Words are entrusted to us as equipment for our life together, to help us survive, guide, and nourish one another. If language is to retain its power to nourish and sustain our common life, we have to care for it the way good farmers care for the earth.



Authors mentioned in the conversation:


Books mentioned in the conversation:

BBC Radio Program - My Word

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music!

]]> Wed, 24 Feb 2021 01:50:50 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2847 Writer, poet, and professor Marilyn McEntyre discusses her provocative book, Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies. Focusing on the morality, power, and importance of caring for language. Words are entrusted to us as equipment for our life together, to help us survive, guide, and nourish one another. If language is to retain its power to nourish and sustain our common life, we have to care for it the way good farmers care for the earth. Writer, poet, and professor Marilyn McEntyre discusses her provocative book, Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies. Focusing on the morality, power, and importance of caring for language. Words are entrusted to us as equipment for our life together, to he No Believing a Truer Story, with Curt Thompson 1 1 2 2 Believing a Truer Story, with Curt Thompson full edad6534-80a3-4d97-bc39-0c5e9f838a3f https://www.ttf.org/portfolios/episode-2-curt-thompson/ On Good Friday, April 10, 2020 The Trinity Forum hosted psychiatrist Curt Thompson for an Online Conversation to discuss his insights on suffering, shame, and isolation, which are felt acutely in the COVID-19 pandemic. Curt’s word for us in this time is to be of good cheer—our King is coming!


Dr. Curt Thompson is a psychiatrist, author and speaker who specializes in connecting our intrinsic desire to be known with the need to tell truer stories about ourselves — showing us how to form deep relationships, discover meaning and live integrated, creative lives. Curt Thompson’s books Anatomy of the Soul and The Soul of Shame speak to the innermost desires of our hearts and souls, bringing together a dialect of interpersonal neurobiology and a Christian anthropology to uncover the key to living life fully: being known. To do that, we need genuine relationships, which can only be found when we tell the whole truth about who we are — to ourselves and others.

]]> On Good Friday, April 10, 2020 The Trinity Forum hosted psychiatrist Curt Thompson for an Online Conversation to discuss his insights on suffering, shame, and isolation, which are felt acutely in the COVID-19 pandemic. Curt’s word for us in this time is to be of good cheer—our King is coming!


Dr. Curt Thompson is a psychiatrist, author and speaker who specializes in connecting our intrinsic desire to be known with the need to tell truer stories about ourselves — showing us how to form deep relationships, discover meaning and live integrated, creative lives. Curt Thompson’s books Anatomy of the Soul and The Soul of Shame speak to the innermost desires of our hearts and souls, bringing together a dialect of interpersonal neurobiology and a Christian anthropology to uncover the key to living life fully: being known. To do that, we need genuine relationships, which can only be found when we tell the whole truth about who we are — to ourselves and others.

]]> Wed, 24 Feb 2021 00:37:56 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 3123 On Good Friday, April 10, 2020 The Trinity Forum hosted psychiatrist Curt Thompson to discuss his insights on suffering, shame, and isolation, which are felt acutely in the COVID-19 pandemic. Curt’s word for us in this time is to be of good cheer—our King is coming! On Good Friday, April 10, 2020 The Trinity Forum hosted psychiatrist Curt Thompson to discuss his insights on suffering, shame, and isolation, which are felt acutely in the COVID-19 pandemic. Curt’s word for us in this time is to be of good cheer—our King No Redeeming a Culture of Contempt, with Arthur Brooks 1 1 1 1 Redeeming a Culture of Contempt, with Arthur Brooks full 6f338eb9-92a3-4e92-a92d-595407cca9db https://www.ttf.org/portfolios/episode-1-arthur-brooks/ On Friday, September 25 we had the privilege of hosting best-selling author, thought leader, and Harvard Business and Kennedy School professor Arthur Brooks for an Online Conversation on “Redeeming a Culture of Contempt.” In his book, Love Your Enemies Brooks blends cutting-edge behavioral research and ancient wisdom to offer a better way to bridge divides and mend relationships. Brooks helps us to think about practical ways we can choose to love those we disagree with—to will their good and be agents of redemption and reconciliation amidst a divisive time.


Learn more about Arthur Brooks


Watch the full video and read the transcript of our conversation with Arthur


Resources mentioned during the conversation:

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music!

]]> On Friday, September 25 we had the privilege of hosting best-selling author, thought leader, and Harvard Business and Kennedy School professor Arthur Brooks for an Online Conversation on “Redeeming a Culture of Contempt.” In his book, Love Your Enemies Brooks blends cutting-edge behavioral research and ancient wisdom to offer a better way to bridge divides and mend relationships. Brooks helps us to think about practical ways we can choose to love those we disagree with—to will their good and be agents of redemption and reconciliation amidst a divisive time.


Learn more about Arthur Brooks


Watch the full video and read the transcript of our conversation with Arthur


Resources mentioned during the conversation:

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music!

]]> Tue, 23 Feb 2021 23:41:17 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 2521 In this first episode we revisit our conversation on September 25, 2020 with best-selling author, thought leader, and professor Arthur Brooks who shares about the necessity and adventure of Loving Your Enemies. In this first episode we revisit our conversation on September 25, 2020 with best-selling author, thought leader, and professor Arthur Brooks who shares about the necessity and adventure of Loving Your Enemies. Arthur Brooks, Love your enemies, Business, Culture, Religion No Season 1 | Trailer 1 1 Season 1 | Trailer trailer 44fadc9c-4756-43f4-9f32-a925fcc54ded https://share.transistor.fm/s/078e818a Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music!

]]> Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music!

]]> Wed, 17 Feb 2021 01:52:15 -0500 The Trinity Forum The Trinity Forum 191 Welcome to Trinity Forum Conversations! Please enjoy this preview of what to expect in our first season of this new podcast. Welcome to Trinity Forum Conversations! Please enjoy this preview of what to expect in our first season of this new podcast. trailer, Cherie Harder, Arthur Brooks, Marilyn McEntyre, Curt Thompson, Alan Jacobs No