Good Faith

In this Good Faith Classic episode, Curtis and David talk with Meghan Sullivan, philosopher, teacher, and creator of the most popular class at the University of Notre Dame, “God and the Good Life.” As many of us send our kids off to college (or head off to college ourselves), Meghan helps us appreciate the role of education–and of philosophy in particular–in helping students take on the big questions of life.

Show Notes:

–The Good Life Method by Meghan Sullivan and Paul Blaschko

–God and the Good Life (Notre Dame course)

–What is Philosophy?: Crash Course Philosophy #1

-We want to hear your stories of living out your “good faith!” Share with us at: https://redeemingbabel.org/campfire-stories/

Many Christians are tempted to just avoid the Book of Revelation. It can seem confusing and hard to read. Yet this avoidance can leave us vulnerable to the misuses of this part of Scripture, especially in making sense of our world. Here to help us is distinguished Biblical scholar, Tremper Longman III. Join us as we dive into the helpful - and unhelpful - ways to read the final culminating book of the Bible.

We want to hear your stories of living out your “good faith!” Share with us at: https://redeemingbabel.org/campfire-stories/

Revelation Through Old Testament Eyes by Tremper Longman III

Is the COVID vaccine the “mark of the beast?” by Curtis Chang

Bright Hope for Tomorrow: How Anticipating Jesus’ Return Gives Strength for Today by Chris Davis

Revelation for Everyone (The New Testament for Everyone) by N.T. Wright

Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church by N.T. Wright

Revelation (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture) by Peter S. Williamson

All Things New: Revelation as Canonical Capstone by Brian J. Tabb

B2THEWORLD: Join the Christian effort to rebuild high quality schools in war torn parts of the world.

Matthew 5:9 Fellowship: Join with other pastors and Christian leaders seeking a way out of our political division.

Should your investment portfolio as a follower of Jesus look any different from everyone else’s? Do our Biblical values have implications for our 401K? Robin John and Finny Kuruvilla founded Eventide Investments because they believe the answer is a resounding, “Yes!” They join Curtis to explore how we as Christians can pursue a kind of financial investing that “makes the world rejoice.”

Redeeming Babel is hiring! Check out our openings here for a Director of Development and a Manager of Partnerships and Projects. https://redeemingbabel.org/we-are-hiring/

The article the guests cited on the connections between pornography and the sex slave trade can be found here. Their article on how common mutual funds are complicit in fostering childhood smoking can be found here.

Also, read about the work of the Justice Defense Fund in exposing how publicly traded companies - and investors in those companies - profit from pornography and sex abuse.

B2THEWORLD: Join the Christian effort to rebuild high quality schools in war torn parts of the world.

George Fox University: Check out the offerings of one of the premier Christian universities in the country.

What is happening inside us when we ourselves suffer or those around us are suffering? What is happening in our brain? In our soul? Curtis is joined by “the other Curt” - Dr. Curt Thompson - to talk about his new book, The Deepest Place: Suffering and the Formation of Hope. Their conversation explores questions such as: What is the connection between our desire for beauty and our vulnerability to suffering? Why do we avoid others when we ourselves are suffering? Why do the sufferings of others make us so uncomfortable? Most of all, the they probe for the invitation of God amidst suffering.

Redeeming Babel is hiring! Check out our openings here for a Director of Development and a Manager of Partnerships and Projects. https://redeemingbabel.org/we-are-hiring/

The Deepest Place: Suffering and the Formation of Hope by Dr. Curt Thompson

Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World by Tom Holland

B2THEWORLD: Join the Christian effort to rebuild high quality schools in war torn parts of the world.

George Fox University: Check out the offerings of one of the premier Christian universities in the country.

“Founding friend” David French returns to address with Curtis the visceral question in many hearts and minds, “When will things return to normal?” They explore all the questions behind the question, such as “What exactly is ‘normal?” Does it differ for different people? What picture of the past undergirds my longing?” They compare this political and social moment with past eras in American history and church history. Most importantly, they ask, “Is this the right question that God would have us ask - or is there a better question to pose in this particular moment?”

Redeeming Babel is hiring! Check out our openings here for a Director of Development and a Manager of Partnerships and Projects. https://redeemingbabel.org/we-are-hiring/

The Right: The Hundred-Year War for American Conservatism by Matthew Continetti

“Three Generations Under One Roof” by David French in NYT

Why do we as a society keep building more and more housing for people who already have the most options, all the while we are forcing people who most need housing to scramble amidst shortage? How do we not just understand what is happening, but also make something better? Jimmy Wright and Michael Hall were motivated by their Christian faith to do just that via their business Launch Capital. Listen in to get inspired by their creative and hopeful work.

RSVP here for the Washington DC live Good Faith recording on 9/5/23: Curtis will talk with AEI’s Yuval Levin on Institutions and Anxiety. The event will be held in the AEI Auditorium at 1789 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

Matthew 5:9 Fellowship: Join with other pastors and Christian leaders seeking a way out of our political division.

George Fox University: Check out the offerings of one of the premier Christian universities in the country.

Learn more about Launch Capital and ways to invest in their model

Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City and Poverty, by America (both by Matthew Desmond)

Learn about the YIMBY (Yes, In My BackYard) movement

Bob Fu was a student leader during the Tiananmen Square demonstrations in 1989. He later became a “double agent,” meaning he taught Communist Party officials during the day and operated illegal house churches at night.

After he and his wife were imprisoned for “illegal evangelism,” they eventually fled to the United States as religious refugees.  Since then, Bob has helped rescue persecuted Christians around the world and has earned the moniker of “the operator of the Chinese Underground Railroad.”

On this week’s Good Faith podcast, guest host Nancy French interviews Bob who explains China’s human rights violations, the importance of religious freedom and rule of law, and how the Western church can pray for their persecuted brothers and sisters in China.

SHOW NOTES: 

RSVP here for the Washington DC live Good Faith recording on 9/5/23: Curtis will talk with AEI’s Yuval Levin on Institutions and Anxiety. The event will be held in the AEI Auditorium at 1789 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

B2THEWORLD: Join the Christian effort to rebuild high quality schools in war torn parts of the world.

George Fox University: Check out the offerings of one of the premier Christian universities in the country.

Notes on the ministry of Bob Fu

“The Chinese Communist Party is rewriting the Bible: Gospel according to Chairman Xi has Jesus turn killer instead of forgiving sin,” by Mike Gallagher, FoxNews.

Donald Trump praises Xi to Tucker Carlson

God's Double Agent: The True Story of a Chinese Christian's Fight for Freedom by Bob Fu, collaborator Nancy French

The Politics of Inclusive Pluralism: A Proposed Foundation for Religious Freedom in a Post-Communist, Democratic China by Bob Fu 

Freedom to Pray – How Good Faith listeners can pray more effectively for their brothers and sisters in China.

ChinaAid.org – ChinaAid exposes human rights abuses and promotes truth, justice and freedom by advocating for religious freedom and the rule of law in China. ChinaAid continues to endeavor for the immediate release of prisoners of conscience, equip human rights defenders and religious and community leaders with religious freedom and rule of law training, rescue and resettle persecuted leaders and their families, encourage families of prisoners of conscience by providing financial assistance, and exposing abuse by featuring unique stories of persecution and injustice on ChinaAid’s website and through social media.

Our good friend and partner in The After Party project, Russell Moore, joins us to talk about his new book, “Losing Our Religion: An Altar Call for Evangelical America.” Curtis and Russell talk about why “mapping” our loss is critical for those who currently feel culturally, politically, or spiritually homeless. We explore two kinds of maps - the “treasure map” and the “minefield map” - and why Christians need both.

“Losing Our Religion: An Altar Call for Evangelical America” by Russell Moore

One cannot make sense of the deformation of the current conservative movement without understanding immigration. And one cannot grasp the nature of immigration without understanding anxiety. Like most political issues today, the topic of immigration is bathed in anxiety - for everyone on all sides. Curtis draws these connections, with the ultimate aim to show that Christians can uniquely contribute to the conversation about immigration because we have uniquely good news about anxiety. This episode draws from Curtis’ talk at a convening of the National Immigration Forum in Ohio that included local pastors and civic leaders.
January 6 Was Practice, The Atlantic, January 2022 by Barton Gellman Pew Research Center on Immigration and Politics
Immigration and far-right voting : New evidence (from Europe) from the Center for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

For this episode, we rerun David and Curtis tackling the topic of Christian nationalism. What is it exactly? How does it relate to a genuine Christian understanding of how faith should relate to a nation? And how does it relate to our Founders’ intentions? Curtis and David also explore the nature of healthy patriotism and how to love your national home, warts and all.

• National Immigration Forum Ohio Conference: "From Anxious People to Hopeful People." Tuesday, July 25 from 10am-4pm at Vineyard Church (6000 Cooper Rd, Westerville, OH). It is free to attend and lunch is included. You can register for the National Immigration Forum event here.

• The After Party Informational Pastors' Lunch. Wednesday, July 26 from 12:00pm-1:30pm in Independence, OH. Email [email protected] for further details and the link to register.

-Thomas Kidd: “Christian Nationalism vs. Christian Patriotism”

-Deseret News: “What the latest data tells us about Christian nationalism”

-French Press: “Discerning the Difference Between Christian Nationalism and Christian Patriotism”

-French Press: “The Seeds of Political Violence Are Being Sown in Church”