In Good Faith

Dr. Alp Aslandogan joins Steve for a conversation about his personal journey from Turkey to the U.S., his experiences with interfaith interactions, and how he integrates faith, science, and art under his belief in God. Dr. Alp reflects on faith, love, and compassion, as well as his commitment to fostering interfaith dialogue and understanding in secular society. Dr. Y. Alp Aslandogan is the Executive Director of the Alliance for Shared Values, a non-profit organization that promotes bringing together citizens of diverse backgrounds around shared values of humanity. Prior to his current position Dr. Aslandogan served as the board president of the Institute of Interfaith Dialog in Houston, Texas, and on the Board of Scholars and Practitioners of the Journal of Interreligious Dialogue.

Carmela Javellana chats with Steve about the importance of crisis as an opportunity for growth and the universal nature of suffering. She shares how she came to Buddhism and the vibrant differences within Buddhism. Dr. Carmela Javellana is a volunteer assistant minister at the Salt Lake Buddhist Temple since 2010, which includes leading meditation service, teaching Buddhism classes, and co-teaching a 6-week course on Jodo Shinshu Buddhism and Integrative Mental Health called “Into the Light: the Shin Buddhist Path through Difficulties.” She is also a practicing psychiatrist and the founder and director of SHIN, a sanctuary for healing and integration, in Bountiful, UT.

Anne Snyder, Editor-in-Chief of Comment Magazine, joins Steve for a conversation about public theology. Discover how faith can transcend individual congregations and touch communities, blending spiritual and secular efforts. Anne shares her unique perspective shaped by her childhood experiences in outside the US and discusses the significance of public trust in religious and governmental institutions. Anne Snyder is the founder of Breaking Ground, which seeks to leaven our common life with a Christian humanist lens. Anne is also the host of The Whole Person Revolution podcast, co-editor of Breaking Ground: Charting Our Future in a Pandemic Year, and author of The Fabric of Character: A Wise Giver’s Guide to Renewing our Social and Moral Landscape. Anne is a Senior Fellow of The Trinity Forum and a Fellow at the Urban Reform Institute, a Houston-based think tank that explores how cities can drive opportunity for the bulk of their citizens. She has published widely, including The Atlantic Monthly, the Washington Post, City Journal, and, of course, Comment, and lives in Washington, DC..

Can I discuss faith at work? Does my faith fit into my job? In this episode Steve sits down with Scott Warren to discuss faith in the workplace. Scott Warren also tells his conversion story and how he, and his whole family, dove head first into organized religion. He explains how this changed every aspect of his life... including his place of work and how he treated his work colleagues. Scott Warren is the host of the Preach Where You Reach podcast, where he interviews “workplace apostles” about their experiences incorporating faith into their job. He is also the author of a book by the same name. As an author, podcast host, and speaker, Scott has experienced firsthand the profound impact of integrating faith into the fabric of his professional and personal life.

Steven Kapp Perry speaks in-person with the Smiths. They each share how they were called to ministry and answered that call. They describe how to discern the voice of God in our lives, including how He has helped them and their children find a higher purpose. Dr. Welton Smith is the pastor of the Greater Evergreen Missionary Baptist Church in Las Vegas, Nevada, and is involved in AIDS Awareness and Men’s Health issues. Reverend Debra Smith focuses on women’s issues and education. Pastor Welton Smith and Reverend Debra Smith have labored together in ministry for over twenty years. Both have served Churches, Conventions, and the U.S. Military as Facilitators, Messengers, and Instructors. They are anointed to teach, preach and heal through the gospel of Jesus Christ. Currently they serve at the Greater Evergreen Missionary Baptist Church in Las Vegas.

This week, Steve meets Sam Wilkinson, author of "Purpose: What Evolution and Human Nature Imply about the Meaning of Our Existence." They discuss the idea that knowledge, both in science and in religion, are ever expanding. They also explore the psychological connection between serving a greater cause and feeling joy. Samuel T. Wilkinson is Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Yale University, where he also serves as Associate Director of the Yale Depression Research Program. He received his MD from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. His articles have been featured in the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal.

In this episode of In Good Faith, Steven Kapp Perry speaks with Antonia Tomao. She shares a touching story of recovery from a brain tumor. During this difficult time, she learned to lean on God. After her recovery, she started a business to help others who are enduring a difficulty realize that they are not alone. Antonia is the CEO of Antonia’s Promise, originally creating cross jewelry as a symbol of “brokenness” and a reminder that prayer and our trust in God will help us heal as a symbol of hope. She hopes that wearing or having these crosses will remind people that they are not alone in their suffering because God is with them.

How do you teach kids spiritual values? How do you have conversations that increase their empathy with other religious traditions? Steve sits down with podcaster and curriculum developer Jon Ogden. Jon shares how his religious upbringing inspired him to create a method to help families practice spirituality by drawing on the world's wisdom literature. Jon has worked as a teacher, curriculum creator, content director, and writer. He’s coupled that work with a decades-long study of the world’s wisdom traditions. John seeks for ways to keep the best of the past alive while evolving beyond its limitations. At Uplift Kids, he’s taking this interest in wisdom literature from around the world to help create community, alongside his spouse, for his two sons.

Why do bad things happen to good people? How can we wrestle with God in times of trial? In this episode of In Good Faith, Steve sits down with local friend Susan Murphy. The discussion follows her journey with Catholicism and Christianity. Susan Murphy shares what she has learned in helping victims of sexual assault and incest, and how religion can provide a unique sense to healing. Susan Murphy is on the Children’s Church Committee at the Provo Community Congregational United Church of Christ. She holds a seminary degree from the Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis and is a co-founder of Daughters of Lot, an abused women’s resource in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.

Steve speaks with Philip Goldberg about spirituality and how it can affect our understandings of other religions. Never before has the spiritual landscape been as diverse and abundant as it is today. Philip explains his anti-religious upbringing, how he learned about Eastern traditions, and how hosting an interfaith podcast has changed his life. Philip Goldberg is the author or co-author of numerous books, public speaker, spiritual counselor, and ordained Interfaith Minister. A resident of Great Barrington, MA, in the heart of the Berkshires, he leads American Veda Tours to India, conducts online courses and workshops, and contributes regularly to several publications. He also hosts the Spirit Matters podcast.