Good Faith

It’s been an eventful week, and for many a deeply troubling one. But of course, no matter what end of the political spectrum you come from, weeks like this seem increasingly common. The hits just keep on coming, as do the feelings of loss and fear. So how are we as Christians to navigate such deeply troubled times? This week, David and Curtis dive into this question with some interesting thoughts from Rudyard Kipling, and some even more important (and eternal) wisdom from the Psalms.

Show Notes:

-Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter

-Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org

This week David’s theological wingman Curtis returns from his July sabbatical. He’s rested and raring to go, but rather than dive into another hot political or cultural issue, Curtis actually has some remarkable insights to share about the nature of sabbath rest and the spiritual discipline of letting go, stepping away from our illusions of ultimate control and placing all our striving in God’s hands. In the second half of this episode Curtis also shares some important thoughts about the nature of remembrance and loss based on his experience at the 9/11 Memorial. If you’re a regular listener who is tempted to skip this episode because it’s not Good Faith’s regular political/cultural fare, then this episode is even more for you.

Show Notes:

-Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter

-Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org

While Curtis is still on sabbatical, David talks to Justin Giboney, co-founder of the AND Campaign, about racial justice, political tribalism, and the “God gap” in the Democratic Party. They discuss the problems with left and right as they grapple with extremism, and they talk about Justin’s experiences talking about hot-button topics from a politically heterodox (but theologically orthodox) point of view.

Show Notes:

-Good Faith Debates: How Should the Church Address Racial Injustice?

-AND Campaign

-Compassion (&) Conviction by Justin Giboney

-Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter

-Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org

While Curtis is still on sabbatical, David talks to Justin Giboney, co-founder of the AND Campaign, about racial justice, political tribalism, and the “God gap” in the Democratic Party. They discuss the problems with left and right as they grapple with extremism, and they talk about Justin’s experiences talking about hot-button topics from a politically heterodox (but theologically orthodox) point of view.

Show Notes:

-Good Faith Debates: How Should the Church Address Racial Injustice?

-AND Campaign

-Compassion (&) Conviction by Justin Giboney

-Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter

-Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org

David talks to Georgetown professor and Bush administration alum Paul Miller about Paul's new book, “The Religion of American Greatness: What's Wrong With Christian Nationalism.” Paul defines Christian nationalism, discusses what's wrong with it theologically, what's wrong with it politically, and how it invariably leads to conflict and illiberalism. They also discuss Christian underrepresentation in the academy and other elite spaces, including its causes and consequences.

Show Notes:

-“The Religion of American Greatness” by Paul D. Miller

-Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter

-Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org

David talks to Scott Sauls, an author and pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee. They talk about handling the exhaustion of the current moment, whether winsomeness "works," and the challenges facing pastors in the face of relentless criticism. They also address Scott's prescient warnings about the dangers of culture war obsessions--warnings that date well before the present extreme polarization.

Show Notes:

-“Beautiful People Don't Just Happen” by Scott Sauls

-“Jesus Outside the Lines” by Scott Sauls

-Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter

-Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org

This week Eboo Patel, a Muslim pioneer in interfaith work, joins David and Curtis to discuss his book, We Need to Build. They discuss the need to allow people of different faiths to be able to bring their whole selves, including real and significant religious disagreements, to these conversations. Eboo also helps us understand why it is so important to do more than criticize what we don’t like in the culture, but instead to adopt the more mature approach of actually building what we want to see in society.

Show Notes:

-We Need to Build: Field Notes for Diverse Democracy by Eboo Patel

-Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter

-Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org

Dobbs; January 6 hearings; war in Ukraine; mass shootings. We are being overwhelmed on a weekly basis by a relentlessly heavy news cycle. In this week’s episode David and Curtis give us a break from all this to talk with us about anxiety, despair and weariness. Wait . . . what?! Yes that’s right, this is the Good Faith version of “lighter” fare! It’s actually a very uplifting conversation and you may even walk away with some helpful ways to navigate the overwhelming feelings all of us are experiencing these days.

Show Notes:

-Future Tense: Why Anxiety Is Good for You (Even Though It Feels Bad) by Tracy Dennis-Tiwary

-Anxiety as Opportunity for Spiritual Growth (online course by Curtis Chang)

-Al Pacino “Inches” speech from Any Given Sunday

-Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter

-Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org

In part one of this two part podcast, Curtis and David respond to the breaking news that the Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade. Rather than dive into the legal or political dimensions of the ruling, they take a look at the social and spiritual dimensions, asking questions like:

• What does this actually mean for abortion in America?
• What are the opportunities and fears now in play?
• How should a pro-life Christian respond to pro-choice friends and family members?
• How should a pro-choice Christian respond to this decision?
• What is the most important move to make now for Christians on both sides?

In part two they welcome guest Rachel Ferguson to discuss her new book “Black Liberation Through the Marketplace,” a classical liberal response to racial injustice in America.

Show Notes:

-Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization

-Black Liberation Through the Marketplace: Hope, Heartbreak, and the Promise of America by Rachel S. Ferguson and Marcus M. Witcher

-Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter

-Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org

Some folks are fascinated by the unfolding narrative of the January 6 hearings, but many are simply tuning out, feeling it is just more politics. This week David and Curtis help us think through why we should be paying attention to these hearings. They explore some of the underlying stories around the key players involved and how those stories not only impact how we think of these people, but perhaps even how we think of ourselves.

Show Notes:

-Megan N. Fontenot - Exploring the People of Middle-earth: Boromir the Brave

-Brooke Singman (Fox News) - Barr says parents taught him 'not to care what other people think' growing up, calls faith 'indispensable'

-Rivka Maizlish - Alasdair MacIntyre on Narrative, History, and the Unity of a Life

-Hannah Natanson and Moriah Balingit (Washington Post) - Caught in the culture wars, teachers are being forced from their jobs

-Ryan Grim (The Intercept) - Meltdowns Have Brought Progressive Advocacy Groups to a Standstill at a Critical Moment in World History

-Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter

-Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org