Multifaith Matters

The COVID-19 pandemic brought lots of surprises, including the political and religious conflicts connected to it. In this podcast we explore one facet of this as Emily Kubin and Frank J. Kachanoff discuss their research published in the paper "Threat Rejection Fuels Political Dehumanization" published in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science. Part of their abstract for the paper reads, "Americans disagree about many things, including what threats are most pressing. We suggest people morally condemn and dehumanize opponents when they are perceived as rejecting the existence or severity of important perceived threats." Although not a part of their research project, this dynamic may play a part in conservative Christian reactions to those who take a different stance on COVID-19 vaccines. "Threat Rejection Fuels Dehumanization": https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/19485506211068922 Learn more about our work at https://www.multifaithmatters.org. Support this work: One-time donation: https://multifaithmatters.org/donate Become my patron: https://patron.podbean.com/johnwmorehead #socialpsychology #dehumanization #COVID

Andrew DeCort is a lecturer on religious and political ethics and Ethiopian studies. He's the author of Bonhoeffer's New Beginning: Ethics After Devastation, he founded the Institute for Faith and Flourishing, and co-directs the Neighbor-Love Movement. His forthcoming book is titled Why Pray?: Seven Practices of Flourishing on the Edge of Faith. In this podcast we discuss his article "Christian Nationalism Is Tearing Ethiopia Apart," published at Foreign Policy, and his book Why Pray?. Andrew DeCort: https://andrew-decort.com/ "Christian Nationalism Is Tearing Ethiopia Apart": https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/06/18/ethiopia-pentecostal-evangelical-abiy-ahmed-christian-nationalism/ Neighbor-Love Movement: https://balinjeraye.org/en/ Bonhoeffer's New Beginning: https://www.amazon.com/Bonhoeffers-New-Beginning-Ethics-Devastation-ebook/dp/B07GBJND67/ Why Pray?: https://bittersweetmonthly.com/books/why-pray #Ethiopia #AndrewDeCort #dehumanization #ChristianNationalism

The great book From Bubble to Bridge: Educating Christians for a Multifaith World by Marion H. Larson and Sara L. H. Shady (IVP Academic, 2017) is the focus of a conversation between Charles Randall Paul, founder and president of the Foundation for Religious Diplomacy, and John W. Morehead, Director of FRD's Evangelical chapter. From Bubble to Bridge: https://www.amazon.com/Bubble-Bridge-Educating-Christians-Multifaith/dp/0830851569/ John Morehead's review of this book from Cultural Encounters journal: https://www.academia.edu/35625175/From_Bubble_to_Bridge_Educating_Christians_for_a_Multifaith_World Multifaith Matters podcast on harm-based morality with Kurt Gray: https://youtu.be/9mbQ0ul9Jo4 Learn more about our work at https://www.multifaithmatters.org. Support this work: One-time donation: https://multifaithmatters.org/donate Become my patron: https://patron.podbean.com/johnwmorehead

Why are we so polarized about gay marriage, immigration, gun rights, abortion, not to mention religious beliefs? Kurt Gray helps shed light on this through his use of interdisciplinary methods to study our deepest beliefs and how to bridge moral divides. Dr. Gray is an Associate Professor in Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of North Caroline at Chapel Hill, where he directs the Deepest Beliefs Lab and the Center for the Science of Moral Understanding. Website: https://www.kurtgray.com Deepest Beliefs Lab: https://www.deepestbeliefslab.com Center for the Science of Moral Understanding: https://www.moralunderstanding.com/ Book: The Mind Club: Who Thinks, What Feels, and Why It Matters https://www.amazon.com/The-Mind-Club-audiobook/dp/B01C4PMEAM/ Learn more about our work at https://www.multifaithmatters.org. Support this work: One-time donation: https://multifaithmatters.org/donate Become my patron: https://patron.podbean.com/johnwmorehead #KurtGray #harm-basedmorality #socialpsychology #moraltolerance #moralfoundationstheory  

Phil Wyman is a longtime friend, colleague, and great example for the Christian walk alongside all kinds of people often ignored or marginalized by the church. In this conversation we discuss the background and elements of his journey encapsulated in his new book Love Big or Go Home. Phil also provides an update on his upcoming move to Wales and how folks can play a part. Phil's website: https://burningreligion.com/ Love Big or Go Home: https://www.amazon.com/Love-Big-Go-Home-inherent/dp/1692552341/   Wild Theology podcast: https://wildtheology.podbean.com/ Learn more about our work at https://www.multifaithmatters.org. Support this work: One-time donation: https://multifaithmatters.org/donate Become my patron: https://patron.podbean.com/johnwmorehead #PhilWyman #LoveBigorGoHome #BurningReligion

Ethan Stark is a Heathen involved in interfaith work and combating extremism, and is involved with The Troth and Heathens Against Hate. In this podcast we discuss how he came to embrace Heathenism, some of the unique aspects of Heathenism, aspects of his interfaith work, and his thoughts on confronting hate and prejudice. Learn more about Ethan's work at Hallowed Renewal: https://www.hallowedrenewal.com/ The Troth: https://thetroth.org/ Heathens Against Hate: https://www.heathensagainst.org/ Suggested resources on Heathenry American Heathens: The Politics of Identity in a Pagan Religious Movement by Jennifer Snook https://www.amazon.com/American-Heathens-Politics-Identity-Religious/dp/1439910979/ A Practical Heathen's Guide to Asatru by Patricia Lafaylive https://www.amazon.com/Practical-Heathens-Guide-Asatru/dp/0738733873/ Asatru for Beginners: A Modern Heathen's Guide to the Ancient Northern Way by Mathias Nordvig https://www.amazon.com/Ásatrú-Beginners-Heathens-Ancient-Northern/dp/1647397634/ Learn more about our work at https://www.multifaithmatters.org. Support this work: One-time donation: https://multifaithmatters.org/donate Become my patron: https://patron.podbean.com/johnwmorehead #Heathenry #Asatru #Paganism #EthanStark #TheTroth #HeathensAgainstHate

Daniel S. Wise is an independent scholar whose research focuses on paranormal belief and other aspects of the evolving contemporary American religious landscape. He has a PhD in Religious Studies from the University of Virginia with a dissertation on ghost hunting as a form of late modern enchantment. In this conversation we discuss aspects of Daniel's dissertation, some of his recent writing for Religion Dispatches on the paranormal, and why the study of the paranormal is important in order to understand American religiosity. Daniel Wise website: https://danielswise.com/ Daniel's author page at Religion Dispatches: https://religiondispatches.org/author/d_wise/ Learn more about our work at https://www.multifaithmatters.org. Support this work: One-time donation: https://multifaithmatters.org/donate Become my patron: https://patron.podbean.com/johnwmorehead #ghosthunting #DanielSWise #paranormal

The Russian invasion of Ukraine is a great tragedy with many facets. One of the more significant elements is the role of Orthodoxy, Eastern Christianity often unknown by those in Western Christianity like Catholicism and Protestantism. In this episode we discuss Orthodoxy and how it is intertwined with the complexities of the invasion of Ukraine. Our guests are Paul L Gavrilyuk and Cyril Hovorun. Dr. Gavrilyuk holds the Aquinas Chair in Theology and Philosophy at the Theology Department of the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. Born in Kiev, Ukraine, he studied physics at Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology i Russia. He was one of the first scholars from the former Soviet Union to come to the United States to pursue graduate work in theology. In 2001, he received his doctorate in patristics from the Graduate Program in Religious Studies at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX. Dr. Hovorun is a Professor of Ecclessiology, International Relations and Ecumenism at Saint Ignatios and Professor at Stockholm School of Theology. He is originally from Ukraine, where he first began his studies in theoretical physics before moving to the study of theology at the theological seminary and academy in Kyiv. He continued theological education at the National and Kapodistiran University of Athens and Durham University in the United Kingdom. The topic of his thesis was related to the post-Chalcedonian Christology. Fr. Hovorun taught theology in a number of confessional and public institutions, including theological academies in Kyiv, Moscow, Minsk, and elsewhere. Please consider making a donation to Rebuild Ukraine: https://rebuild-ua.org/ Paul L. Gavrilyuk: https://paulgavrilyuk.wordpress.com/ Cyril Hovorun: https://www.sanktignatios.org/dr-cyril-hovorun/ Learn more about our work at https://www.multifaithmatters.org. Support this work: One-time donation: https://multifaithmatters.org/donate Become my patron: https://patron.podbean.com/johnwmorehead #Ukraine #RussiaUkraine #Orthodoxy #EasternOrthodoxy

The way most people think about religion and politics is only loosely linked to empirical reality argues Ryan Burge in his new book, 20 Myths about Religion and Politics in America. He explores the data and challenges common myths frequently circulated in social media. Burge is an assistant professor of political science and graduate coordinator at Eastern Illinois University. He teaches in a variety of areas, including American institutions, political behavior, and research methods. His research focuses largely on the interaction between religion and political behavior, especially in the American context. Burge is author of The Nones, and is a pastor in the American Baptist Church. Ryan Burge website: http://ryanburge.net/ 20 Myths bout Religion and Politics in America: https://www.amazon.com/Myths-about-Religion-Politics-America/dp/1506482015/ The Nones: Where They Came From, Who They Are, and Where They Are Going: https://www.amazon.com/Nones-Where-They-Came-Going/dp/1506465854/ #RyanBurge #Nones #religion #politics #religionandpolitics

In this episode, we take another look at topics in the book The Bible With and Without Jesus: How Jews and Christians Read the Same Stories Differently, as well as how the Bible has at times been weaponized by Christians against Jews. Our guests are Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Zvi Brettler. Levine is with Hartford Seminary as the Rabbi Stanley M. Kessler Distinguished Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies. She is the author of many books, including The Misunderstood Jew, Short Stories by Jesus, as well as The Difficult Words of Jesus, and she is the co-editor of the Jewish Annotated New Testament. Brettler is the Bernice and Morton Lerner Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies in the Department of Religious Studies at Duke University. He has also taught at Brandeis University, Yale University, Brown University, Wellesley College, and Middlebury College. He is the author of many books, including How to Read the Bible and The Creation of History in Ancient Israel, and is the co-editor of the Jewish Annotated New Testament. Reading the Bible With and Without Jesus https://www.amazon.com/Bible-Without-Jesus-Christians-Differently/dp/0062560158/ The Difficult Words of Jesus https://www.amazon.com/Difficult-Words-Jesus-Beginners-Perplexing/dp/1791007570/ The Creation of History in Ancient Israel https://www.amazon.com/Creation-History-Ancient-Israel-ebook/dp/B000P2XHQ2/ Learn more about our work at https://www.multifaithmatters.org. Support this work: One-time donation: https://multifaithmatters.org/donate Become my patron: https://patron.podbean.com/johnwmorehead #AmyJillLevine #MarcZviBrettler #Judaism #HebrewBible