With rates of suicide going up and depression rampant among teens, it is clear that many Americans are struggling to find some semblance of an enduring peace. Here to discuss the timeless question of how and how not to be happy is professor of government and philosophy at the University of Texas and the author of the new book entitled “How and How Not To Be Happy” – J. Budziszewski. Check out his faculty page and his personal website here. And, buy his book today!

 

Episode produced by Josh Deng, with music from Vexento. A Special Thanks to Nick and Ashley Barnett for their contribution in making this podcast possible.

School officials at Bremerton High School suspended—and later fired—football coach Joe Kennedy because of his on-the-field prayer practice that drew widespread attention from students and press. Here to talk about Kennedy v. Bremerton School District and school prayer more generally is Keisha Russell — an attorney from First Liberty Institute. For more on Keisha's work, check out her profile at FLI here. For more on the case, check out the SCOTUSblog page here.

 

Episode produced by Josh Deng, with music from Vexento. A Special Thanks to Nick and Ashley Barnett for their contribution in making this podcast possible.

 

In a time when protest reigns supreme, the right to associate under a common banner seems intuitive. But, as more and more of us become subservient to the will of the state and personal preference, the space for pure intermediate association dwindles. Here, to discuss the history and philosophy behind the freedom of association is Dr. Luke Sheahan of Duquesne University. For more on Luke, check out his page and buy his book, today!

 

Episode produced by Josh Deng, with music from Vexento. A Special Thanks to Nick and Ashley Barnett for their contribution in making this podcast possible.

Our Founding Fathers knew well the importance of religion to education. And, yet today, many have dismissed the utility of faith in the development of character. Here to discuss religion's surprising impact on academic success is author of "God, Grades, and Graduation" — Ilana Horwitz. For more on Dr. Horwitz, check out her website and her recent op-ed in the New York Times. More importantly, buy her book here.

 

Episode produced by Josh Deng, with music from Vexento. A Special Thanks to Nick and Ashley Barnett for their contribution in making this podcast possible.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells his disciplines: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” 

Joining me today to talk about peace and the making therein is the founder of Peacemaker Ministries, now dedicating his time to Christian reconciliation and building his network through Relational Wisdom 360 – Ken Sande. Buy his groundbreaking book today.

 

Episode produced by Josh Deng, with music from Vexento. A Special Thanks to Nick and Ashley Barnett for their contribution in making this podcast possible.

 

 

The public engagement of the church has been anything but boring. Joining me today to talk through 2,000 years of Christian public philosophy in 50 minutes is the director of the Oikonomia Network and a visiting assistant professor of faith and culture at Trinity Graduate School – Greg Forster. We discuss Greg's excellent overview study of the political philosophy of the church in The Contested Public Square (buy here).   Episode produced by Josh Deng, with music from Vexento. A Special Thanks to Nick and Ashley Barnett for their contribution in making this podcast possible.

The co-director of the Marion E. Wade Center at Wheaton College, Crystal L. Downing, joins me this week to talk about the subversive Dorothy L. Sayers. Discover more about Crystal's work here and buy her wonderful biography of Sayers here.   Episode produced by Josh Deng, with music from Vexento. A Special Thanks to Nick and Ashley Barnett for their contribution in making this podcast possible.

The formation of good habits and the appropriation therein by the bad is a perennial topic of concern for Christians aiming to live a life worthy of their calling. See Ephesians 4:1. My guest today has written two books that will form the basis of our two part discussion on this very issue. In this first part, we will talk about The Common Rule. Then, later in the semester, we will tackle Habits of the Household. For more on Justin and his work, go here and here. You can also follow him on Twitter at @Justin_W_Earley.  

Episode produced by Josh Deng, with music from Vexento. A Special Thanks to Nick and Ashley Barnett for their contribution in making this podcast possible.

It should come as no surprise that we are living in complex times. Christians are called to such a moment and should act accordingly by engaging more, not less, with the changing landscape. My guest today (Tod Bolsinger) has written two books helping us do just that (Canoeing The Mountains and Tempered Resilience): developing a vision for adaptive leadership. For more on Tod and his work, go here and here. You can also follow him on Twitter at @todbol.  

Episode produced by Josh Deng, with music from Vexento. A Special Thanks to Nick and Ashley Barnett for their contribution in making this podcast possible.

A recording of Lee Strobel's presentation at the 2021 CLS National Conference in San Antonio, Texas. For more on Lee's work, go here and follow him on Twitter at @LeeStrobel.  

Episode produced by Josh Deng, with music from Vexento. A Special Thanks to Nick and Ashley Barnett for their contribution in making this podcast possible.

A recording of James K.A. Smith's presentation at the 2021 CLS National Conference in San Antonio, Texas. For more on Jamie's work, go here and follow him on Twitter at @James_ka_smith.  

Episode produced by Josh Deng, with music from Vexento. A Special Thanks to Nick and Ashley Barnett for their contribution in making this podcast possible.

With the Supreme Court on the verge of overturning Roe v. Wade, questions emerge concerning the state of our society and the ability of mothers to participate fully, therein. Here to talk about that whole life is the founder of New Wave Feminists — Destiny Herndon-De La Rosa. Follow her and NWF on Twitter (i.e., @DestinyHDLR, @NWFproTX) and read more about her work here.  

Episode produced by Josh Deng, with music from Vexento. A Special Thanks to Nick and Ashley Barnett for their contribution in making this podcast possible.

Joining us today to talk about the cultivation of the Christian imagination and the life J.R.R. Tolkien is the fellow of faith & culture at the Word on Fire Institute and visiting professor of apologetics at Houston Baptist University – Holly Ordway. Her two books on Apologetics and Tolkien can be found here and here (respectively). For more, check out her website and Twitter account (@HollyOrdway).  

 

JOIN US next week in San Antonio for the CLS National Conference. This year's event will feature Lee Strobel, Ruth Okediji, James K.A. Smith, and Laudir Lugo. Register today.

 

Episode produced by Josh Deng, with music from Vexento. A Special Thanks to Nick and Ashley Barnett for their contribution in making this podcast possible.

Scripture instructs believers to "be anxious for nothing," creating the illusion that how we respond to stress is entirely a product of personal agency. Our guest today pushes back on this notion, calling for a holistic vision of anxiety rooted in theology and science. Dr. Matthew Lapine has written a wonderful book on the topic, and an accessible article for Christianity Today (here). For more, check out his website and his Twitter account (@matthewalapine).  

 

JOIN US this month in San Antonio for the CLS National Conference. This year's event will feature Lee Strobel, Ruth Okediji, James K.A. Smith, and Laudir Lugo. Register today.

 

Episode produced by Josh Deng, with music from Vexento. A Special Thanks to Nick and Ashley Barnett for their contribution in making this podcast possible.

Every Sunday, pastors across the nation are telling their congregants to leave the stresses of work behind and focus instead on Jesus. Here to discuss this separation between work and worship, and how the church can do a better job in promoting the integration therein, is Matthew Kaemingk – assistant professor, director of the Richard John Mouw Institute of Faith and Public Life, and associate dean of Fuller Theological Seminary in Houston, Texas. Find his work here and here. Purchase his books on work + worship, immigration, and political theology today [link]. Find him on Twitter at @matthewkaemingk.  

 

JOIN US this October in San Antonio for the CLS National Conference. This year's event will feature Lee Strobel, Ruth Okediji, James K.A. Smith, and Laudir Lugo. Register today.

 

Episode produced by Josh Deng, with music from Vexento. A Special Thanks to Nick and Ashley Barnett for their contribution in making this podcast possible.

In 1943, a German U-Boat attacked an American ship off the coast of Greenland. In the moments thereafter, courage and panic proved to be the currency of choice; some, succumbing to the moment in sheer terror. While others, embodying the sacrificial tenor of true heroes, gave their lives to save their friends. Here to discuss the sinking of the USS Dorchester and the awe-inspiring rescue that followed is law professor and founding director of the religious freedom clinic at the University of Texas, Steven T. Collis. Buy his book, The Immortals, today; and, follow his work at the law school.  

 

JOIN US this October in San Antonio for the CLS National Conference. This year's event will feature Lee Strobel, Ruth Okediji, James K.A. Smith, and Laudir Lugo. Register today.

 

Episode produced by Josh Deng, with music from Vexento. A Special Thanks to Nick and Ashley Barnett for their contribution in making this podcast possible.

The rampant flood of misinformation has made it increasingly difficult to be a member of the reality based community. Here to diagnose this problem and to offer a solution is senior fellow at the Brookings Institute and contributing writer for The Atlantic, Jonathan Rauch. Discover his writing and follow him on Twitter at @jon_rauch. Purchase his important new book – The Constitution of Knowledge: A Defense of Truth – today!  

 

JOIN US this October in San Antonio for the CLS National Conference. This year's event will feature Lee Strobel, Ruth Okediji, James K.A. Smith, and Laudir Lugo. Register today.

 

Episode produced by Josh Deng, with music from Vexento. A Special Thanks to Nick and Ashley Barnett for their contribution in making this podcast possible.

It's no secret that religion of late has lost its luster in the eyes of many Americans. Cast into relative disrepute for seemingly disrupting the momentum in the fight for equality, religion is no longer seen as the preeminent value once deemed by both political parties. Joining the show today to discuss these issues is the national religion reporter at Deseret News: Kelsey Dallas. Read her articles and subscribe to her newsletter today to keep up with the latest developments.  

 

JOIN US this October in San Antonio for the CLS National Conference. This year's event will feature Lee Strobel, Ruth Okediji, James K.A. Smith, and Laudir Lugo. Register today.

 

Episode produced by Josh Deng, with music from Vexento.

Another term, another Supreme Court review! Kim Colby and I talk about the cases that impacted the state of religious liberty in America and what the future may bring. Learn more about her work at CLS' Center for Law & Religious Freedom here.  

Episode produced by Josh Deng, with music from Vexento.

Joining us today to talk about conservative Christianity and racial identity in the segregation era is historian Daniel Bare. We talk about the fundamentalist tradition in the early twentieth century and why the influence of the black church was lost during this period. For a sample, read his article in Christianity Today entitled The Uneasy Conscience of Black Fundamentalism and check out the review of his book from historian Thomas Kidd.   

Learn more about Daniel in his bio for Texas A&M and on Twitter via @Daniel_Bare. But, most importantly, buy his book today through NYU Press.

 

Finally, JOIN US this October in San Antonio for the CLS National Conference. This year's event will feature Lee Strobel, Ruth Okediji, James K.A. Smith, and Laudir Lugo. Register today.

 

Episode produced by Josh Deng, with music from Vexento.

From the Book of Numbers to the storming of the Capitol, Andrew L. Whitehead joins us today to discuss Christian Nationalism and its impact on American religion. His new book, with co-author Samuel Perry, offers a seminal sociological study for understanding this new movement, including the various ways Christian Nationalists think, vote, and manifest their desires for a renewed Christian America.  

To learn more about the work that Andrew is doing, check out his bio, his new book, and follow him on Twitter at @ndrewwhitehead.

 

Finally . . . join us this October in San Antonio for the CLS National Conference. This year's event will feature Lee Strobel, Ruth Okediji, James K.A. Smith, and Laudir Lugo. Register today.

 

[This episode has been produced by Josh Deng. Music comes from Vexento.]

Volume 4 of "Small Brains on Big Books" features Drew Nelson and Mike Schutt discussing Beowulf. You'll love this discussion, even if you didn't love Beowulf in High School. 

Andrew Nelson is preacher at Southside Church of Christ in Mount Pleasant Texas, and Mike Schutt is the host of Cross and Gavel audio, Executive Director of Worldview Academy, and Clinical Associate Professor at Trinity Law School.

Join host Mike Schutt, Law Student Ministries Communications Coordinator Joan McElveen, Pepperdine 3L Reed Bartley, and law student leaders from other law schools across the country, as they share and discuss virtual meetings that work. 

Listen in on excerpts from our first-ever national Law Student Leaders' Summit, featuring an introduction to Law Student Ministries, an overview of Christian Legal Society's four ministries, an exhortation on the calling of the leader, and some questions and sharing by campus leaders from all over the country. 

On Wednesday, September 9, the Department of Education announced a new rule that will protect religious groups meeting on public university campuses. Kim Colby, the director of the Center for Law and Religious Freedom at Christian Legal Society, lays out why the regulation was necessary, and what it will mean for students. 

The Department's announcement is here.