Emergence Magazine Podcast

In this in-depth interview, Reverend angel Kyodo williams reflects on our widespread crisis of story, the failure of institutional religions to offer a new way forward, and her philosophy of Radical Dharma—a path to individual and collective liberation. A Sensei in the Japanese Zen tradition, angel is author of “Being Black: Zen and the Art of Living with Fearlessness and Grace” and coauthor of “Radical Dharma: Talking Race, Love, and Liberation.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In an age when the fate of the world is frightfully unknown, George Prochnik, author of “In Pursuit of Silence: Listening for Meaning in a World of Noise,” makes a case for uncertainty as a form of faith and hope. If we unravel our desire for the all-knowing, he says, we can enter into a sanctuary of mystery, in which “I do not know” becomes a statement of hope. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As Kimberly Ruffin revisits her upbringing and spiritual heritage, she compiles the bodies of evidence that have invigorated her spirit. A certified Nature and Forest Therapy Guide and a new member of a church, Kimberly explores where “spirit power” can be found, both within a church community and in the places where faith rises up within the land. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bill Porter, known as Red Pine, is a celebrated translator with deep roots in Chinese hermit traditions and poetry. He shares his transformative journey to the Zhongnan Mountains, where simplicity and spirituality reign supreme. The discussion highlights the intricate dance of translating ancient Chinese poetry, emphasizing the essence and energy of the originals. Porter also explores the resurgence of hermit culture in modern China, as more individuals seek a deeper connection to simpler living and spiritual fulfillment.

Struggling to explain her belief in God to her atheist husband, award-winning Palestinian American poet Hala Alyan reflects on her Muslim faith as inextricably linked to her family, to Palestine, and to histories of erasure. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this narrated essay, writer and poet Lia Purpura delves into the horrified wonder and holiness of death, exploring burial practices that are intended to nourish the earth, as it has nourished us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Struck by the thought that the Catholic Church and the natural world have traded places as sources of transcendence, Paul Elie wonders how religion and the natural world might come together for shared renewal. Paul is the author of the award-winning book, “The Life You Save May Be Your Own,” and a frequent contributor to The New Yorker. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The roots of religious belief and the sacredness of nature were once closely entwined: the ancient yew grows in the churchyard; the forest monks of Thailand follow the Buddha’s example of meditating beneath trees. Chelsea Steinauer-Scudder profiles theologian Martin Palmer and his work to engage faith-based communities in recovering narratives of love and care for local ecologies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a world where the cosmologies of black women are continually erased and excluded from knowledge traditions, Kinitra Brooks seeks connection with her late great-grandmother, Mama Myrt, who first introduced her to rootworking traditions and inspired her life’s work. Kinitra’s essay, "Myrtle’s Medicine," reflects on the meaning and beauty of embodied ways of knowing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the summer of 1968, Christian mystic Thomas Merton undertook a pilgrimage to the American West. Fifty years later, writer Fred Bahnson set out to follow Merton’s path, retracing the monk’s journey across the landscape. This narrated essay offers an intimate meditation on Merton’s life and the relevance of the spiritual journey today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices