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Have you ever wondered what goes on at the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting? Dr. Thom S. Rainer, prodigous author and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources, gives us some background on the SBC’s convention and what issues were raised in during the June 2013 meeting, including mental health and chartering the Boy Scouts. We also discuss various trends affecting America’s religious landscape, including the growth in large churches at the possible expense of smaller congregations and the faith of the Millenials (individuals born between 1980 and 2000). Dr. Rainer also talks about what leads to church stagnation, what it takes to turn those churches around, and a few not-so-obvious pointers on how to guarantee a vibrant church.

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A hat shop in Harlem that dispenses spiritual advice. A circle of Korean limo drivers holding Bible studies. An auto body repair shop named after Christianity’s savior. All of this stuff, and more, can be found in New York City and Tony Carnes has been on a mission to find this and document it. Following up on previous interview about Carnes’s project “A Journey Through New York City Religions,” we delve into some of the interesting, surprising, and sometimes unusual details of what constitutes NYC’s spiritual lifeblood. We go over some of the meta-trends as well as looking at the fine details. A fun and informative look at the post-secular city.

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You constantly hear how our contemporary era is in the throes of a “culture war” pitting the forces of secularism against religious fundamentalists. Would you be surprised to learn that this is not particularly new in American history? Prof. Barry Hankins (Baylor), author of “Jesus & Gin,” notes that cultural wars are quite common in American history. We spend time discussing one of the more prominent moments when this was true, The Roaring ’20s. We focus on Prohibition, big-name evangelists such as Billy Sunday, and the fundamentalist-modernist divide that was growing within Christianity. This podcast is a great antidote to those who think that we are living in unique times and that the secular is now conquering the religious.

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Journalist Tony Carnes joins us to discuss his fascinating anthropological/documentary project wherein he is exploring every nook and cranny of New York City to find out what religious life is like in the big city. Literally walking the 6,400 some odd miles of NYC, he has discovered a spiritual world more vibrant than most outside observers would expect. Indeed, his ongoing project, which tracks the origins of various houses of worship, has discovered that Gotham is experiencing a religious rennaissance to the contrary expectations of secularization theory. Indeed, he challenges Harvey Cox’s notion of “the secular city” by proclaiming New York as a “postsecular city.” We talk in length about the origins of this project, which includes reflections on religious journalism and Tony’s own life, and some of his broader findings to date. This interview sets up a future interview that looks at some of the particulars of religious life in The Big Apple.

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Does the term “Islamic Feminism” sound counter-intuitive? Dr. Alessandra González explores how women in Kuwait are finding ways to empower themselves and advocate for their interests in an environment where political Islam (or Islamism) is resurgent. She contrasts notions of Islamic feminism with how feminism is perceived in the West and reveals a number of fascinating insights on gender roles in a Muslim society. Changes in educational opportunities and changing perceptions among younger generations play a role in promoting this movement, as well as the surprising impact of Iraq’s invation of Kuwait in 1990. We also talk about the important role of conforming to traditional community norms and how men might actually be helping facilitate the struggle for women’s rights and empowerment.

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How well did the popular media do in covering the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, the Conclave of Cardinals, and the election of Francis I? We talk with RealClearReligion editor Jeremy Lott who has a unique vantage point when it comes to answering this question. As a Catholic, a writer, and a news aggregator, Jeremy provides some very interesting insights into what he calls “pope-o-rama,” the media frenzy surrounding events at the Vatican over the past six months. He offers up a very prescient observation about a bear and a backpack, plus he reminds us of a few other stories that flew under the radar when all eyes were fixed on Rome.

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How could reading Plato’s “Euthydemus” have helped a Protestant pastor avoid seriously embarassing her profession and faith at an Applebee’s restaurant? Returning guest, Prof. Jason Jewell of Faulkner University, explains how Christians should not rely upon just The Bible for helping to frame their worldview. Jason explains how he is in the process of reading through the Great Books, what constitutes a Great Book, what Great Books can tell us, and how you can join him on this intellectual journey. A fantastic podcast interview for homeschoolers.

Visit Jason Jewell’s blog for more information (click [read more] to access the blog) about how you can read along with the Great Books at home.

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Can satire be used to prompt religious reform? Prof. Chris Grenda (CUNY) discusses the role of humor, parody, irony, and satire in the changing religious landscape of the English Enlightenment (circa 17th and 18th centuries). We discuss the nature and role of satire in society and review a number of major historical satirists including Jonathan Swift and Thomas Paine, as well as the lesser known figures such as Ralph Wallis, Charles Blount, and Anthony Ashley-Cooper, the Third Earl of Shaftesbury. All of these satirists used their wit to advance the frontiers of religious toleration in an environment of growing religious pluralism and institutional corruption. How the “powers that be” — both ecclesiastical and secular — react to being the focus of ridicule is also discussed. We further bring the discussion into the contemporary era with references to Mark Steyn, Monty Python, and George Carlin. Prof. Grenda provides a number of interesting observations on what is happening to the rhetorical device of satire in our contemporary era.

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The past few decades have witnessed numerous business and financial scandals that have tarnished the reputation of the free enterprise system. Dr. Theodore Malloch discusses the role that virtue should play in the corporate world and why America’s spiritual capital is essential to a free society. As a champion of business ethics that includes more than just mere compliance with legal regulations, Dr. Malloch urges us to understand how Judeo-Christian values have shaped the American economy, making it an exemplar for other nations around the world. He also discusses the “hard” and “soft” virtues that are essential for corporate executives to promote. And finally, we discuss how secularization may be leading us away from this virtuous path.

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We are now in the midst of celebrating the 50th anniversary of The Second Vatican Council, which began in the fall of 1962 and lasted three years. Why was Vatican II called? What happened during this monumental gathering of Catholic prelates? And what impact has VCII had on the contemporary Church? Prof. James Felak, a popular guest on the show, returns to answer all of these questions and more. We explore the historical nature of Church councils and where Vatican II sits in the list of important councils.

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