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Dr. Joseph Castleberry, president of Northwest University, discusses how the recent wave of immigrants have been revitalizing religion in America, both spiritually and in terms of civil religion. He connects this revitalization back early “great awakenings” in American history that were spurred by waves of individuals coming to America in search of greater opportunity, and relays stories of how the “new pilgrims” are planting churches and inspiring success.

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When it comes to welcoming a stranger to a new church, are mainline churches, evangelicals, or Catholics more likely to discriminate based upon racial-sounding names? Prof. Bradley Wright (Connecticut) reveals the findings from his field experiment designed to answer this question. We discuss the methodology of this study and how a focus on structural versus interpersonal justice may have affected the surprising results. Prof. Wright also gives us a brief taste of what is happening with his other innovative research project, SoulPulse, and how listeners can participate.

Click “read more” to discover Prof. Wright’s books and information about participating in SoulPulse.

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Prof. John Inazu of Washington University Law School (St. Louis) explains how four of the main freedoms contained in the US Constitution’s First Amendment are interrelated and how a series of court cases during the latter half of the 20th century has boiled down these separate, but related, freedoms into a single free speech dimension. Our primary focus is on the relationship between the free expression clause and the freedom of assembly, though other issues come into play. We review important court cases from Roberts v Jaycees to Hosanna-Tabor.

Browse our vast archives to find many more interesting episodes.

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We examine the life and influence of Chuck Colson — marine, White House “fixer,” and founder of Prison Fellowship — with Owen Strachan, associate professor of Christian Theology at the Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Owen discusses how this “swamp yankee” with a chip on his shoulder ends up in prison and then becomes a dynamic force in evangelizing culture in a rather non-traditional manner. This is a fascinating look into the personality and faith of an individual who looms large in contemporary Christian circles.

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Can religion coexist with psychological counseling? While some tension has existed between these realms, Dr. Gregory Popcak explains how they are mutually facilitative and discusses his career as a Catholic psychologist. We also talk about his book “Broken Gods” and the why and how humans can become more like “god” (small “g”) and what that means. While it may sound blasphemous, Dr. Popcak notes this was a theme with such luminaries as St. Thomas Aquinas, John Calvin, and C.S. Lewis!

Visit our extensive archives to find more interesting interviews!

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In light of the horrific church shooting in South Carolina recently, we present a previously released episode related to one aspect of this news story: church security. While not the only angle to examine recent events from, the issue of church security has been one point of discussion.

Our prayers and condolences go out to all those affected by the events in Charleston.

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To what extent can local governments partner with faith-based organizations to provide social welfare? And what role does the federal government play in this relationship? Jay Hein of the Sagamore Institute discusses his time working with various faith-based initiatives at the state and federal level and what this means for the future of welfare provision in the United States. He also talks about how the Bush (43) Administration expanded the lessons from the US faith-based initiative to Africa.

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What role does religion play in shaping cultural notions of gender, and how might this be related to economics and production in both agricultural and industrial societies? And can missionaries inadvertently carry over theological messages to cultures that unintentionally reinforce gender roles? Dr. Carrie Miles, of Chapman University and Empower International, answers these questions in a fascinating look at the intersection of theology, gender, and economics.

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We return once again to the Religious Freedom Project for a panel discussion on the historical dimensions of proselytism, humanitarianism, and development that was conducted on March 4, 2015 at Georgetown University. The panel includes Thomas Farr (moderator), Michael Barnett (George Washington University), Rebecca Shah (Religious Freedom Project), and Robert Woodberry (scholar-at-large).

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What role do religious organizations play in constructing and reconstructing states? Denis Dragovic joins us from Australia to discuss his new book “Religion and Post-Conflict State-Building” and how he not only studied this topic, but also was an active participant in helping people around the world, and primarily the Middle East. Prof. Dragovic explains how religious groups — both international and domestic — help to contribute to the three key areas of state-building: legitimacy, security, and basic needs. Along the way, he also recounts how he helped rescue one of his aid workers who was kidnapped by rebels!

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