S3 Ep308: Sarah Drummond on the Best Leaders You Know: Dynamic Discernment in Dynamic Times
What In God’s Name talked with Sarah Drummond, Founding Dean of Andover Newton Seminary at Yale Divinity School, last winter, before the pandemic changed our lives. The insights that Sarah offers from her book “Dynamic Discernment: Reason, Emotion, and Power in Change Leadership” are helpful to us all, as we negotiate change in these challenging times. Reason, emotion, and power map onto a thr...
23m Oct 15, 2020
23m
S3 Ep307: Asylum-Seeker As Mirror: The Commonality of Psychic Pain, and Our Common Search for Home
Estrangement and care: lifting the veil to reveal our common vulnerability, our common humanity. As What In God’s Name partners with Project Home (NH) to raise funds for 4 families in southwest New Hampshire in the US asylum process, we wonder about the basic moral choice between accompaniment and abandonment. Is the truth of the human condition so terrifying, that we can’t bear to look? Does...
22m Oct 08, 2020
22m
S3 Ep306: How Will American Democracy Survive? Walt Whitman and Bonds of Affection (Replay from October 2019)
This is a replay of a show that dropped in October 2019, nearly a year ago. Listen to see how it has aged. Bonds of affection in American democracy: did Walt Whitman have insights into what will make American democracy work into the future, or is he hopelessly out of touch with the modern world? Shayna and Chris discuss Whitman’s theology, his vision of the human being, and his vision of human...
24m Oct 01, 2020
24m
S3 Ep305: It Must Be Nice To Have Washington On Your Side: Faction, Revenge, and the Supreme Court
Shayna says that the death of RBG means we're screwed. Chris says it’s worse than that. George Washington’s warnings against faction couldn’t be more timely in these days. What is faction? How does faction erode self-governance? Do we expect cycles of revenge to continue? How will they stop? What are the teachings from religion and moral philosophy that help us understand the dynamics of reven...
25m Sep 24, 2020
25m
S3 Ep304: The Morally Outrageous as Spectacle: The Sign of a Lost People
What In God’s Name asks: What moves us to act publicly, with courage? Does knowing what is good automatically move us to do what is good? Or are there human complications that interrupt the exercise of virtue? What becomes of a society where being morally outrageous is entertaining and titillating, rather than blameworthy? Our show pushes back against the unexamined, often unconscious ways th...
23m Sep 17, 2020
23m
S3 Ep303: Re-Telling American History and the Forces of Resistance: A Lens on the High Stakes/High Emotions of Confederate Monuments and Black Lives
What In God’s Name builds into Season Three with an examination of history. Particularly, American history. Particularly, how we tell our history now. What is “harmless” history? Chris and Shayna bounce this back and forth—how would you define harmless history? Is there such a thing? What dimensions does the lens of theology open up, when we use it to look at current controversies and current...
20m Sep 10, 2020
20m
S3 Ep302: Renewal... And the Big Spinny Wheel Reveal!
What In God’s Name builds into Season Three with an examination of renewal, AND a fun excursion into the realm of spinny wheels. When is renewal necessary? And what makes it necessary? We’re talking about both personal and communal renewal. How is vocation related to renewal? How does examining the past help us in the process of renewal? When examining the past is contentious, what skills do ...
23m Sep 03, 2020
23m
S3 Ep301: Gird Your Loins: It's Time to Tuck Your Tunic into Your Belt for the Coming Darker Nights
What In God’s Name begins Season Three! Chris and Shayna update what it means “to gird one’s loins” for today. What In God’s Name isn’t usually in the prediction business, but we foresee added stress and strain in the upcoming months: people are tired from months of pandemic uncertainties, and an upcoming presidential election will heighten people’s anxieties. How does hyper-individualism man...
19m Aug 27, 2020
19m
S2 Ep257: Trump Rally Live-- Trilogy 3, Part 3-- Summer Replay from September 5, 2019
This show originally aired September 5, 2019
23m Aug 20, 2020
23m
S2 Ep256: Trumpism: A Theology-- Trilogy 3, Part 2-- Summer Replay from May 28, 2020
This show originally aired on May 28, 2020
22m Aug 13, 2020
22m
S2 Ep255: Is Trump Evil? Trilogy 3, Part 1-- Summer Replay from December 5, 2019
This show originally aired on December 5, 2019
30m Aug 06, 2020
30m
S2 Ep254: The Fogiveness Dynamic: Brandt Jean And Our Racist Inheritance-- Trilogy 2, Part 3-- Summer Replay from October 17, 2019
This show originally aired on October 17, 2019
23m Jul 30, 2020
23m
S2 Ep253: Mass Shootings: Finding Power In Community-- Trilogy 2, Part 2-- Summer Replay from October 10, 2019
This show originally aired on October 10, 2019
30m Jul 23, 2020
30m
S2 Ep252: Mass Shootings: Confronting Fear-- Trilogy 2, Part 1-- Summer Replay from October 3, 2019
This show originally aired on October 3, 2019
24m Jul 16, 2020
24m
S2 Ep251: Humility In Moral Activism-- Trilogy 1, Part 3-- Summer Replay from February 13, 2020
This show originally aired on February 13, 2020
25m Jul 09, 2020
25m
S2 Ep250: Pray For Your Enemies: Are You A Sucker? Trilogy 1, Part 2-- Summer Replay from February 6, 2020
This show originally aired on February 6, 2020
29m Jul 02, 2020
29m
S2 Ep249: Theology Of Social Justice-- Trilogy 1, Part 1--Summer Replay from January 30, 2020
This show originally aired on January 30, 2020
28m Jun 26, 2020
28m
S2 Ep248: What Do Walt Whitman, James Mattis, and St. Augustine All Have In Common? Season Two Retrospective
Season Two comes to a close. We look back, and then ahead to Season Three. Our show pushes back against the unexamined, often unconscious ways that we frame public questions using political or economic modes of thinking. We aim to be part of a growing movement of people who are critical of the narrowness of political and economic categories, and who want to revive a vision of human flourishing...
19m Jun 18, 2020
19m
S2 Ep247: If I Have Light Skin, Do I Have To Be White? The Diminishments of Whiteness and Blackness
Racism. If it’s a social construct, can we re-define what it means to be “black” and “white?” Our show pushes back against the unexamined, often unconscious ways that we frame public questions using political or economic modes of thinking. We aim to be part of a growing movement of people who are critical of the narrowness of political and economic categories, and who want to revive a vision of...
22m Jun 11, 2020
22m
S2 Ep246: The Slight Lifting Begins: A Poem for Pandemic Time by Ed Burke
This is a special 5-minute Tuesday edition of What In God's Name
6m Jun 09, 2020
6m
S2 Ep245: Holding The Bible Like A Python: Murder, Protest, Political Pose
So much is current events now; so much is the original sin of racism through our history. So much is new ways of using religious items as props; so much is age-old hypocrisy.  Our show pushes back against the unexamined, often unconscious ways that we frame public questions using political or economic modes of thinking. We aim to be part of a growing movement of people who are critical of the n...
23m Jun 04, 2020
23m
S2 Ep244: Trumpism: Theological Reflections
What can we learn about Trumpism, using Christian theological reflection? It’s important to understand the spiritual dimension of this political ideology.  Our show pushes back against the unexamined, often unconscious ways that we frame public questions using political or economic modes of thinking. We aim to be part of a growing movement of people who are critical of the narrowness of politic...
22m May 28, 2020
22m
S2 Ep243: Couples Counseling: A Model for Civil Discourse, or Whistling Past the Graveyard?
Can a marriage and family counseling model help bridge political divisions, or are there deeper forces at work that require us to re-think American identity and the unmoored self of post-modernity? Our show pushes back against the unexamined, often unconscious ways that we frame public questions using political or economic modes of thinking. We aim to be part of a growing movement of people who...
21m May 21, 2020
21m
S2 Ep242: Centering In And Zoning Out: What's The Difference? Spending Time Alone in Pandemic Time
What’s the difference between centering down, and zoning out? Pandemic time means we are by ourselves more, so how do we assess our alone time? Our show pushes back against the unexamined, often unconscious ways that we frame public questions using political or economic modes of thinking. We aim to be part of a growing movement of people who are critical of the narrowness of political and econo...
21m May 14, 2020
21m
S2 Ep241: Giving Sadness Shape: The Horn Solo in Brahms' Third Symphony, An Example of Music for Pandemic Time
This is a special 5-minute Tuesday edition of What In God's Name.
5m May 12, 2020
5m
S2 Ep240: Now Is Not A Time To Play It Small: We Can Tell New Stories, Imagine New Futures in Pandemic Time
Does the pandemic give us an opening to re-assess the trajectory of our social life and systems? Can we tell a different story going forward? Our show pushes back against the unexamined, often unconscious ways that we frame public questions using political or economic modes of thinking. We aim to be part of a growing movement of people who are critical of the narrowness of political and economi...
21m May 07, 2020
21m
S2 Ep239: Best of WIGN: Shayna Shares Her Breast Cancer Diagnosis (from May 2019)
This is a Best of WIGN replay from May 2019.
25m Apr 30, 2020
25m
S2 Ep238: Brahms Is Dead: A 5-Minute Tuesday Special Edition
An educational consideration of the horn solo in Symphony 2, Movement 2, and how this music projects defiance in the face of forces--viral, moral-- that are brutish, ugly, and coarse.
5m Apr 28, 2020
5m
S2 Ep237: Best of WIGN: Democratic Values and the Love of America
This show originally aired in August 2019. We recorded this show before the most recent mass shooting in El Paso. That murderous violence, part of a pattern of white nationalist violence in our recent (and not-so-recent) past, underscores the What In God’s Name conversation about What powers are currently at work in the American spirit? What values do we believe in? How can a sense of the Trans...
19m Apr 23, 2020
19m
S2 Ep236: The Easter Bunny Has Cooties: How Do We Navigate the Tension of Grief and Hope? (It's Been Done Before)
The Easter bunny has cooties! How do we hold hope of new life, while living in the middle of a moment  when disease leads to death, uncertainty, and fear?   Our show pushes back against the unexamined, often unconscious ways that we frame public questions using political or economic modes of thinking. We aim to be part of a growing movement of people who are critical of the narrowness of politi...
20m Apr 16, 2020
20m
S2 Ep235: Rainbows and Unicorns? Not Today, Thank You: Staying Present to Suffering in Pandemic Time
We don’t do suffering well. Kate Bowler’s perspectives, captured in an interview published in the New York Times, is our point of departure.  Our show pushes back against the unexamined, often unconscious ways that we frame public questions using political or economic modes of thinking. We aim to be part of a growing movement of people who are critical of the narrowness of political and economi...
23m Apr 09, 2020
23m
S2 Ep234: The Long Haul: Perseverance, Together, In Pandemic Days
Settling into the long haul: walking the pandemic path with endurance. Our show pushes back against the unexamined, often unconscious ways that we frame public questions using political or economic modes of thinking. We aim to be part of a growing movement of people who are critical of the narrowness of political and economic categories, and who want to revive a vision of human flourishing that...
22m Apr 02, 2020
22m
S2 Ep233: 5-Minute Special Edition: Shayna on One Thing You Can Do To Transform Stress
This is the second of our special 5-minute Tuesday shows in response to Covid-19
6m Mar 31, 2020
6m
S2 Ep232: "Do What You Can, and Trust That It's Enough": More Pastoral Words in a Pandemic Time
How do we respond to anxiety and uncertainty in a time of pandemic? Shayna brings wisdom to us, from her experience and knowledge in working as a chaplain with first responders. Our show pushes back against the unexamined, often unconscious ways that we frame public questions using political or economic modes of thinking. We aim to be part of a growing movement of people who are critical of the...
23m Mar 26, 2020
23m
S2 Ep231: "Do Not Let Your Hearts Be Troubled": Good Words in These Days of Covid-19 Trials
How do we respond to anxiety and uncertainty? Some practices and perspectives for life at this time of a novel coronavirus. Our show pushes back against the unexamined, often unconscious ways that we frame public questions using political or economic modes of thinking. We aim to be part of a growing movement of people who are critical of the narrowness of political and economic categories, and ...
22m Mar 19, 2020
22m
S2 Ep230: A Little 5-Minute Show of Comfort: What In God's Name Pastoral Message on Covid-19
Three practices for dealing with anxiety and fear. And don't forget to stay curious, go deep, and shine light - no matter what!
5m Mar 18, 2020
5m
S2 Ep229: A Little 5-Minute Show Of Comfort In An Anxious Moment: What In God's Name Pastoral Message on Covid-19
Three practices for dealing with anxiety and fear. And don't forget to stay curious, go deep, and shine light - no matter what!
5m Mar 17, 2020
5m
S2 Ep228: How You Respond To Jerks Makes A Difference: Conversation with Mark Heim, part one
How you respond to jerks matters: theology and evolutionary biology shed light on forgiveness as a society-wide, rather than interpersonal, dynamic. Our show pushes back against the unexamined, often unconscious ways that we frame public questions using political or economic modes of thinking. We aim to be part of a growing movement of people who are critical of the narrowness of political and ...
27m Mar 12, 2020
27m
S2 Ep227: Can We Think About Abortion?
Abortion is one of the wedge issues in the culture wars. The quality of the moral thinking in the public conversation is lackluster. What In God’s Name draws on recent scholarship to bring some fresh air to a stale room. Our show pushes back against the unexamined, often unconscious ways that we frame public questions using political or economic modes of thinking. We aim to be part of a growing...
24m Mar 05, 2020
24m
S2 Ep226: Skeletons Have a Hard Time in the Arizona Desert: Chris Walks to Memorial Sites of Migrant Remains
Shayna sends Chris on assignment to the borderlands near Nogales, Arizona. Chris brings back audio of a hike into the desert, to sites where migrant remains were found. No vision of God’s dream for the world would include these deaths. So what are we missing? It’s complicated, but the lack of moral imagination is one thing. Our show pushes back against the unexamined, often unconscious ways tha...
23m Feb 27, 2020
23m
S2 Ep225: A Social Hydraulic Braking System: Why A Secular Society Needs to Slow Itself
What are the pros and cons, the benefits and the costs, of secularization? We take Jose Casanova’s work in the sociology of religion as a point of departure.   Our show pushes back against the unexamined, often unconscious ways that we frame public questions using political or economic modes of thinking. We aim to be part of a growing association of people who are critical of the narrowness of ...
24m Feb 20, 2020
24m
S2 Ep224: We Will Not Accomplish All There Is To Be Done In One Lifetime: Kathleen McTigue, Part Three
Do we have the discipline to play the long game that making a more moral, more fair, more humane society requires?   Our show pushes back against the unexamined, often unconscious ways that we frame public questions using political or economic modes of thinking. We aim to be part of a growing association of people who are critical of the narrowness of political and economic categories, and who ...
25m Feb 13, 2020
25m
S2 Ep223: If You Pray For Your Enemies, Are You A Sucker? Part Two of Our Conversation with Kathleen McTigue
If you pray for your enemies and seek to regard your enemies in their humanity, aren’t you going to get steamrolled? More broadly: how should spiritual practice inform political engagement?   Our show pushes back against the unexamined, often unconscious ways that we frame public questions using political or economic modes of thinking. We aim to be part of a growing association of people who ar...
29m Feb 06, 2020
29m
S2 Ep222: "Social Justice": Liberal Political Agenda or Moral Imperative? Kathleen McTigue, Unitarian Universalist Service Committee in Conversation
Within the larger effort to create a more healthy society, what is the difference between offering “service,” and partnering with people who want your help?   What is social justice? Why is social justice often perceived as synonymous with liberal political agendas?   Our show pushes back against the unexamined, often unconscious ways that we frame public questions using political or economic m...
28m Jan 30, 2020
28m
S2 Ep221: A Contracting Spirit: The Animating Spirit of Selfishness in Our Time (and in 18th-century England)
Today our topic is selfishness: how does selfishness manifest in our culture? Are there new ways to shed light on selfishness, new insights that can deepen our understanding of how selfishness operates in American society?   Part of the What In God’s Name mission is to create a cohort or community of people who see, as we do, the need to renew certain habits of feeling and being together in com...
22m Jan 23, 2020
22m
S2 Ep220: Consumerism's Lie: We Are So Much More Than What We Make Or Spend (Part Two of our Conversation with Jeff MacDonald)
Part Two of our conversation focuses on the ways our culture reduces human beings to consumers, and what we can do about it.   As we begin the new year, we re-emphasize part of the What In God’s Name mission: we want to create a cohort or community of people who see, as we do, the need to renew certain habits of feeling and being together in community, and ways of thinking about and understandi...
29m Jan 16, 2020
29m
S2 Ep219: How Does Media Cover Religion? A Conversation with Freelance Reporter Jeff MacDonald (part one)
Jeff MacDonald is our guest. Jeff’s award-winning reporting on religion has appeared in Time, Conde Nast Traveler, the Boston Globe, the Christian Science Monitor, and other publications. He is the author of Thieves in the Temple: The Christian Church and the Selling of the American Soul. His new book, Part Time Is Plenty: Thriving Without Full-Time Clergy will be released in April.   Part One ...
28m Jan 09, 2020
28m
S2 Ep218: Year End Replay: What Is A Human Response To Mass Shooting Violence? How Does Responding In Community Give Us Power?
This show was recorded in October 2019. What In God’s Name has a conversation with Mark Koyama, Tina O’Neil, Sarah Ellis, and Mona Brooks of the United Church of Jaffrey, New Hampshire. Our conversation: their community’s religiously anchored response to the number of Americans killed by gun violence in 2019. In this second part of our conversation, visual artist Mona Brooks talks about the phy...
30m Jan 02, 2020
30m
S2 Ep217: Year End Replay: Concord Fire Chief Dan Andrus On Opioid Overdoses, and Other Reflections on Anxiety and Depression
This is a replay of a show from April 2019. Our conversation with Dan Andrus, fire chief of Concord, the capital of New Hampshire, touches on PTSD in first responders, depression and suicide. Here is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline website: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ The Lifeline phone number is: 1-800-273-8255 (tel:1-800-273-8255) . Also, in part one of our conversation, D...
26m Dec 26, 2019
26m
S2 Ep216: That's Just Bad Awe: Nothing But-ery and Other Disenchantments
Awe and wonder, part two: what gets in the way of awe and wonder? We consider certain kinds of reductionisms, including scientific materialist reductionism, as a way that wonder can be dismissed. Are there limits to human knowing? We think so.   What In God’s Name continues to celebrate being one year old! We give thanks to you, our loyal, thoughtful, caring, and supportive listeners.   Our fal...
26m Dec 20, 2019
26m