Faith And Reason 360

Listen as John Dominic Crossan explores Luke's infancy story of Jesus’ birth. In this episode, David and Debo talk to Crossan about “The First Christmas,” the book by Crossan and the late Marcus Borg. In Luke’s nativity story, why does Luke choose to have Mary give birth to Jesus in such a humble setting as a stable? Crossan breaks down Luke’s gospel. Luke tells the story of the shepherds in the field. Luke is more interested in Jesus as the healer, a person directly helping the poor, and interested in compassion, mercy, and healing. This Jesus story stresses the very humble beginnings of life. Crossan talks about the infancy story of Luke as parabolic overture to that gospel. Imagine Luke 3-24 as the finished Gospel according to Luke and the author starting to compose its parabolic overture. How was that overture necessarily and inevitably determined by the vision of the completed Gospel?

Listen as John Dominic Crossan dives deep into Matthew’s infancy story of Jesus’ birth! In this episode, David and Debo talk to Crossan about “The First Christmas,” the book by Crossan and the late Marcus Borg. Crossan breaks down Matthew’s Gospel. Matthew tells the story of Herod and the wise men, as well as the genealogy of Jesus. Mary and Joseph flee from Herod because he wants to kill first born babies. Matthew, interested in placing Jesus directly in the Davidic royal bloodline, makes his intention plain: he wants to restore Israel to its former prominence. Wise men come from far east to find Jesus–to bow at his feet and recognize him as their promised king. Crossan talks about the infancy story of Matthew as parabolic overture to that Gospel. Imagine Matthew 3-28 as the finished Gospel according to Matthew and the author starting to compose its parabolic overture. How was that overture necessarily and inevitably determined by the vision of the completed Gospel?

Kick off Advent with John Dominic Crossan! In this episode, David and Debo talk to Crossan about “The First Christmas,” the book by Crossan and the late Marcus Borg. In this episode, Crossan breaks down what he means by a parabolic overture, and points to some main differences in the Matthew and Luke gospels. Although our traditional nativity crib scene has the Shepherds and the Magi there together, each actually belongs to a different story. The Magi are from Matthew alone and the Shepherds from Luke alone. That difference draws attention to the fact that the two stories of Jesus’s Infancy are rather completely different in mood and content. Crossan also notes the importance of respecting the intention of the author at hand. Once you understand the intention, ask yourself: Is this still valid for me today, or is it simply understandable in the 21st century but outdated? Are there any patterns or themes taken from these parables that can apply to events happening now?

Debo and Catherine Young sit down with Dr. Kristin Black to talk about the realities of black Americans' access to healthcare. There’s a widespread misconception that faith is not interested in fact and scientific research. Faith is always concerned with reality and truth. For faith to be active, faith has to know what the facts are. Science explores the natural world that God created. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, and black women are significantly more likely to be diagnosed at a more advanced stage. Dr. Black talks about implicit bias in the healthcare system, as well as how the church plays a role in advocating for black women as it relates to breast cancer awareness. Dr. Black is an assistant professor in the department of health education and promotion at East Carolina University. She received her Masters of Public Health in 2011 and her PhD in 2016 in maternal and child health from UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health

In honor of Suicide Prevention Month, Debo and David sit down with Reverend Dr. Jason Coker to talk about mental health. Dr. Coker recently released a new book, Faded Flowers: Preaching in the Aftermath of Suicide, about suicide and responding to pain as a church and as individuals. People deal with loss and pain in different ways, and Dr. Coker describes his own experience preaching in the aftermath of suicide. The rate of depression is much larger in youth and minorities than a lot of people realize. In the south, the layers of poverty and racism are very deep. Children that grow up in these spaces of pressure create many stories of resilience and strength, but at the same time it can also be difficult, especially with the added intensity of a pandemic, poverty, and systemic racism. If you or a loved one is struggling with mental health and suicide, call the Suicide Prevention hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or visit https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org for more information and resources. There is no shame in se

David, Debo, and Catherine Young talk with Rev. Peter Laarman about structural racism in America and how that racism plays into religion. Biblical tradition describes two very different Gods: a jealous God and a God of boundless love and kindness. Over the last 50 years, white American Christianity has been further degraded by the idea that God prospers people individually -- that it’s a transactional kind of religion. If you’re already at the point where you think of some human beings as less than, then you can easily find a way to make your God also think of some people as less than. This idea utterly contradicts the idea that God is supremely loving. You can’t have a God who consigns people to damnation on a count no fault of their own and a God who calls us by name. Peter Laarman is a United Church of Christ minister who served as senior minister of New York's Judson Memorial Church and then as executive director of LA's Progressive Christians Uniting before retiring in 2014. He remains deeply involved in

Debo and Catherine Young sit down with Dr. Stephen Farrow, Executive Director of the National Diabetes and Obesity Research Institute of Mississippi (NDORI), to discuss health as a justice issue and how social factors like income and education impact health. Mississippi has the highest rate of obesity and childhood obesity in the United States, and 1 out of 3 people in Mississippi are considered obese. When thinking about health and obesity, one must also consider how racial bias and structural racism play into health and economy. Access to healthcare, education level, economic achievement and quality of life in the workplace all affect health and diabetes. Before moving to Mississippi, Dr. Farrow lived in Detroit. He moved to Mississippi the week before Hurricane Katrina hit. From that moment, he knew he wanted to stay in Mississippi to help rebuild the state and make a visible positive impact. The more education we can provide throughout the state, and the sooner we can provide solutions, that gives people

For the fifth episode of Faith & Reason’s Born Black series, Debo and Catherine Young chat with Dr. Corey Wiggins, the Executive Director of the NAACP Mississippi State Conference. Dr. Wiggins goes into detail about growing up and figuring out what he wanted to do with his life, as well as how all that led to his position at the NAACP. They touch on the importance of the vote to remove confederate emblems from the Mississippi state flag, and how that vote was followed with debates about issues like funding for public schools and universities. Since Mississippi has voted to remove the flag, the policies and decisions that have come after are reflective of the same ideals that the previous flag stood for. We must change the hearts and minds of our community and leadership in order to make real change happen. So, what happens next? What does change look like, and what can we do? Originally from Hazlehurst, Mississippi, Dr. Wiggins has a Bachelor of Science from Alcorn State University, and a Masters of Scien

In the fourth episode of the Born Black Faith & Reason series, Debo and Catherine Young chat with Normella Walker, Director of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Brigham Health hospital. Walker talks about diversity in the workplace, as well as the importance of organizations’ roles in civic responsibility and social justice issues. If we’re going to see change, we need to have leaders in place who value diversity and who will work to create change. How does white privilege apply to organizations when we talk about diversity and inclusion? They discuss how the movement for change has taken to social media and amplified the voices of many people, especially the younger generation, who yearn for change, as well as how to keep the dialogue and energy for progress going. Walker explores the care of black patients in hospitals and how organizations can work to make people of color, both employees and customers, feel more included by having things like leadership development training sessions and

In the third episode of the Born Black Faith & Reason series, Debo and Catherine Young talk with Dr. Alice Graham, the executive director of Back Bay Mission in Biloxi. Dr. Graham recounts her own experience growing up, as well as how she found herself living in Mississippi. Dr. Graham goes into detail about how there are racial inequities evident in things like education, lack of funding for transportation, and red lining of properties. Dr. Graham describes her work with Back Bay Mission, strengthening neighborhoods with services like education and empowerment programs, food pantries, and their Bridges Out of Poverty program. Back Bay Mission’s work in communities on the Mississippi Gulf Coast creates a road map for tackling systemic racism in communities across the country. As a reverend from Chicago, Dr. Graham has served as the executive director and co-founder of Pastoral Ministries Institute in Virginia and as a professor of Pastoral Care and Counseling at Hood Theological Seminary. Dr. Graham recei

Debo and Catherine Young sit down with Dr. Wilma E. Mosely Clopton, a writer, producer, director, and author. In this episode, Dr. Clopton talks about her experience growing up with her parents, and how she didn’t experience the direct impact of racism until her junior year of college, when she was away from the insulated world outside of her home. Dr. Clopton believes that those experiences gave her strength, and she uses that strength to make change. Dr. Clopton goes into detail about several NMHS Unlimited documentaries, like “Did Johnny Come Marching Home” and “Elport Chess and the Lanier High School Bus Boycott of 1947.” Dr. Clopton references these films in regard to the miseducation of people, specifically when it comes to African Americans’ role in history and how systematic misinformation has been put into place to divide people. Dr. Clopton is a graduate of St. Louis University, and she is the owner of the NMHS (The Negro in Mississippi Historical Society) Unlimited Film Productions that was origina

Debo and David sit down with Catherine C. Young, Sr. Vice President of the Memphis Mid-South Affiliate of Susan G. Komen, to talk about systemic racism and the murder of George Floyd. Catherine starts off the conversation by highlighting the first time she experienced racism, as well as how she has faced discrimination in her life since then. Catherine goes into detail about how people of color view white privilege. She defines it as a recycling of wealth within the white community that results in white people being at the top, because they are given privileges that others do not have access to. Catherine also talks about what it’s like to have to teach your children and grandchildren about safety, ranging from what to do when you encounter the police to being extra precautious in stores, and how black mothers are so fearful any time their child leaves the house, wondering if their child will make it back home. This episode features Catherine Young, Executive Director and Sr. Vice President of the Memphis Mid

Debo and David sit down with Dr. Keri Day, Associate Professor of Constructive Theology and African American Religion at Princeton Theological Seminary. COVID-19 in Dr. Day’s home state of New Jersey shows the disparities between well-to-do white communities versus areas with people of color. Dr. Day also defines African American Religion and talks about how religion has developed in the United States. They also talk about the disproportionate rate that COVID-19 has affected black people. Why is this happening? Dr. Day goes into detail about the top reasons for this: inequality and inequity. Low income African American communities are deeply disenfranchised, not just politically but economically. Is this pandemic the latest example of the systemic inequalities faced by black Americans in the United States, and if so, is this an opportunity for us to do something different and correct ourselves? Dr. Keri Day earned her PhD in Religion from Vanderbilt, her MA in Religion and Ethics at Yale University Divinity S

In part 2 of our exploration of a world reshaped by COVID-19, Joerg Rieger emphasizes the importance of communities coming together to build power. He continues his call for us to see God amidst us as a working person. How has the image of the cross changed over time, and how does it relate to resurrection? What if we viewed the cross as a symbol of resistance? Joerg Rieger is a distinguished professor of Theology, Cal Turner Chancellor’s Chair in Wesleyan Studies, and Director of the Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice at Vanderbilt University. The Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice engages religion and matters of economic and ecological justice. As part of theological and religious reflection, its fellows study and support matters of economic and ecological justice and its implications for religious communities and the wider public.

Theologian Joerg Rieger talks about why oppressed people have been hit hardest with COVID-19 and why people of faith and theologians should care. Joerg’s theory of the logic of downturn in regard to the broken system in the United States asks, "What if we thought about God from this perspective from the bottom up, or the perspective of an essential worker? How are we going to get out of this?" This situation becomes an opportunity to improve how we think about who has the power, and we’re realizing there’s a lot more power at the bottom with essential workers. If we think about God as a working person, then we give working class people more power and find hope. Joerg Rieger is a distinguished professor of Theology, Cal Turner Chancellor’s Chair in Wesleyan Studies, and Director of the Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice at Vanderbilt University. The Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice engages religion and matters of economic and ecological justice. As part of theological and reli

Why have many faith traditions have been silent during this pandemic, and what would it take for us to own the problem of COVID-19 as a country? Debo and David sit down with Peter Laarman to talk about faith and leadership during COVID-19. Peter dives into the idea that this crisis reveals the unacceptable things that have always been present in the United States: the winner-take-all economic system or the broken for-profit health care system. They also discuss what all of this means during an election year, and why it seems so impossible to make headway against economic and political injustice in the United States. Peter Laarman is a United Church of Christ minister who served as senior minister of New York's Judson Memorial Church and then as executive director of LA's Progressive Christians Uniting before retiring in 2014. He remains deeply involved in national and regional social justice projects touching on race, class, and religion.

David and Debo sit down with Daniel Ball, incoming Chief of Staff for Freedom For All Americans located in Washington, D.C. Daniel was born in Hazlehurst, Mississippi, grew up in Jackson, and graduated at Ole Miss before returning to Jackson. Before becoming Chief of Staff at Freedom For All Americans, he worked with the Human Rights Campaign. In this episode, Daniel talks about his passion for social justice and human rights, especially LGBTQ and civil rights issues, as well as his own experience growing up in the church as a gay, black man and adopting and raising his nephew Terrance. David and Debo chat with Daniel about the lack of protection for LGBTQ individuals in states like Mississippi and how religion has come to be seen as a tool that is used to weaponize and divide people. Daniel also goes into detail about alternative forms of spiritual healing and the importance of interfaith.

Our scholars and audiences seek understanding about the history and faith of religious people and culture—but not just for the sake of knowledge. Faith And Reason challenges faith to confront injustice in our world. Today, that means taking a critical look at the injustice right in our own backyard. In celebration of Black History Month in the United States, we are doing a series of podcasts featuring a few exceptional individuals who are devoting their lives to making a difference for black people in Mississippi. Debo Dykes and Donna Ladd, an American investigative journalist who is a co-founder of the Jackson Free Press and the upcoming nonprofit Mississippi Free Press, sit down with Representative Ronnie Crudup, Jr. of Hinds County’s House District 71 in Jackson, Mississippi, where Faith & Reason is based. Representative Crudup, a native of Jackson and an advocate of south Jackson, attended Murrah High School and received his bachelor's degree at Belhaven University, and now serves as a minister at New

Our scholars and audiences seek understanding about the history and faith of religious people and culture—but not just for the sake of knowledge. Faith And Reason challenges faith to confront injustice in our world. Today, that means taking a critical look at the injustice right in our own backyard. In celebration of Black History Month in the United States, we are doing a series of podcasts featuring a few exceptional individuals who are devoting their lives to making a difference for black people in Mississippi. Every February since 1976, the United States has celebrated the achievements of African-Americans during Black History Month. The month-long celebration puts those accomplishments and milestones into focus through social media and in classrooms across the country. Most people are aware of the atrocities that have taken place in Mississippi over the past 250 years. This savagery and wickedness towards black Americans in Mississippi continue to this day. This episode features Catherine C. Young, Sr. V

Like winter holidays of many other religions, including Christians’ Advent, Hanukkah emphasizes light during the darkest part of the year. The main Hanukkah observances are lighting a menorah (a ceremonial candelabra), spinning a top called a dreidel in a game of chance, and eating fried foods (to symbolize the oil in the story). Hanukkah is an 8-day long Jewish festive holiday that commemorates an improbable victory, some 22 centuries ago, by the Maccabees, a band of Jewish guerilla fighters seeking to reclaim their land, their Temple, and their sovereignty from the oppressive rule of the Syrian Greek Empire. The word “Hanukkah” means “dedication,” and it refers to the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem which took place after the Maccabees’ victory in 164 BCE. Once the Maccabees had restored the Temple and re-purified it, the traditional story says that they sought to relight a lamp known as the “eternal flame.” But, according to story, only one day’s worth of consecrated olive oil could be found, and i