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In this encore presentation from 2012, Prof. Sung Joon Jang discusses his recent study on Eagle Scouts and the Boy Scouts of America, conducted by the Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion with Byron Johnson and Young Il-Kim. The report focused on the effect that Scouting has on developing the behavior and character of young men, particularly those who earned the rank of Eagle Scout. Prof. Jang details a list of pro-social behaviors that are associated with Eagle Scouts well into their adulthood and compares these traits with individuals who were in Scouting but never obtained Eagle and the general population. The results are fascinating and contain a few surprises.

We will return next week with a brand new episode. Please stay tuned and tell a friend.

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Prof. Sung Joon Jang discusses his recent study on Eagle Scouts and the Boy Scouts of America, conducted by the Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion with Byron Johnson and Young Il-Kim. The report focused on the effect that Scouting has on developing the behavior and character of young men, particularly those who earned the rank of Eagle Scout. Prof. Jang details a list of pro-social behaviors that are associated with Eagle Scouts well into their adulthood and compares these traits with individuals who were in Scouting but never obtained Eagle and the general population. The results are fascinating and contain a few surprises. At the end of this podcast, Tony visits with Gene Sjoberg, one of his old buddies from his Scouting days, to discuss his experience being an Eagle. The interview closes with one of the most powerful and inspiring moments in the two year history of this podcast series. Don’t miss it.

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What does religious faith have to do with environmental stewardship? Rev. Fletcher Harper of GreenFaith joins us to discuss the history and work of his ecumenical environmental advocacy organization. We cover the biblical basis for environmental stewardship and explore why religious groups have been relative latecomers to the “green movement.” Rev. Harper also discusses the various projects GreenFaith has been involved in and how his group has been received by members of other religious communities and the secular environmental movement. Our podcast also explores the relationship between religious individuals and the government when it comes to improving environmental quality. Rev. Harper makes the case that it is important not only to change the culture, but to get the incentives right if Christians and other faith traditions want to make a positive impact on society.

Know of anybody you think should appear on the show? Email the host at tgill (at) uw (dot) edu.

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Scott Thompson, the youth pastor at Redemption Church in Duvall (WA), reveals his insights into running a youth ministry. We discuss the daily operations of a youth ministry as well as some of the challenges facing junior high and high school students and how a congregation in a rural Washington town attempts to attract and retain students in religious life. This is the third in our series of interviews looking at Redemption Church and includes a special guest appearance by the host’s eleven year old son.

If you like this interview, there is a good chance some of your friends will too. Please tell them about it!

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Sit in on a collegial discussion with Tony and his good friend Prof. Steve Pfaff as they discuss a range of topics including denominationalism and whether churches today emphasize sin enough. These two topics lead us down several different paths taking a look at how and why churches create brands, the benefits of religious pluralism, youth religious practice and whether megachurches are really just soft-peddling Christianity. This open-ended discussion is a window into what Tony & Steve often talk about while hanging out at the University of Washington and is a great wrap around to several recent podcasts we’ve featured on the show.

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