Good Faith

In front of a packed house at the National Press Club, Curtis Chang, original Good Faith co-host David French, and editor in chief of Christianity Today Russell Moore introduce the After Party project. The project seeks to heal the currently troubled relationship between Christians and politics. The conversation was hosted by Trinity Forum president Cherie Harder. In this wide ranging discussion, they talk about where we as Christians have gone wrong and how we can reform our political mindset with timeless Biblical truths.  Show Notes:   The After Party  

Curtis and Nancy French explore the power of storytelling in everyday life.   Nancy, a professional storyteller and New York Times best-selling author, urges listeners to “read” the stories of their own lives – in order to see how the ultimate Author of their stories (God) has shaped their destinies.  Curtis and Nancy also encourage people to inhabit other peoples’ stories and to interview family members, such as parents, to more clearly see the context of their “origin stories.”   SHOW NOTES: Penzu online journal   Subscribe to Redeeming Babel and receive Nancy’s resource, “100 Questions to Ask Your Parents Before They Die”  

Curtis and "founding friend" David French explore Christianity and armed conflict. Viewed through the prism of the Ukraine War, they explore Christian just war theory. David, a former Army lawyer, walks through the moral and theological origins of the law of armed conflict. Curtis emphasizes the differences between the institutional purpose of the state and the church when it comes to war. Applying those principles to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, they discuss the necessity of Ukrainian resistance and the importance of American aid.    A helpful summary from Thinking Faith on the Christian “just war” theological tradition  

Curtis and guest Dr. Lydia Dugdale talk about life and death issues (literally) that affect every single human being. How do we face death? How can we die well? What are the cultural and medical forces that are leading so many to die poorly? Why are the practices of physican-assisted suicide and euthanasia gaining momentum and acceptance - and why has the Christian pro-life movement missed the deep connection between those practices and abortion?   Dr. Lydia Dugdale is a professor at the Columbia University Medical School and a national leader in medical ethics. She is the author of The Lost Art of Dying.   SHOW NOTES:    Free PDF download  of The Lost Art of Dying  study guide.   A pilot project in NYC that provides end-of-life resources for church leaders.   An excellent compilation of Christian writing on euthanasia and related end of life issues.   Coverage about Canada’s euthanasia industry in Plough Magazine and the New Atlantis.  

Rev. Justin Giboney and host Curtis Chang discuss how the Black church provides insight on the limitations of the progressive/conservative labels for all of us. Justin and Curtis also share candidly from their own experiences, giving everyone an intimate window into the complexities of racial identity and faith.    AND Campaign  How I Got Over The After Party project Dr. Charlie Dates Rev. Eugene Rivers The William J. Seymour Society (now Seymour Institute)  Azusa Street Revival    

Host Curtis Chang and regular guest David French discuss what young Christians need to be formed for thriving. In this far ranging conversation, they explore negative partisanship, the fruits of the spirit, the revival at Asbury, and how Christians should best interact with the world through politics. Also, Curtis describes how anxiety is a surprising underlying cause of the political acrimony and divisiveness that plagues our culture today. This special Good Faith podcast was recorded in front of a live audience at The Council for Christian Colleges & Universities, a higher education association of more than 185 Christian institutions around the world. SHOW NOTES: Pre-order Curtis Chang's upcoming book, The Anxiety Opportunity.  Learn more about the theology of institutions via this online video course from Redeeming Babel Asbury Professor: We’re Witnessing a ‘Surprising Work of God’ (from Christianity Today)  More in Common: The Hidden Tribes Project Jonathan Haidt on the “Rider and the Elephant”  

Peter Wehner’s former office was the White House.  He served in the Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush administrations, as Deputy Director of Speechwriting and later Director of the Office of Strategic Initiatives for President George W. Bush. Now, he’s a contributing opinion writer for The New York Times, and a contributing editor for The Atlantic.  He’s been in the halls of power, and he writes for publications of prominence.  So why has Peter been in exile?  In this powerful episode, Curtis talks to his old friend about what it’s like to have a role in the unfolding drama of American history, to believe your most important moments are in the past, and to walk out one’s faith in complicated times. Show Notes: Global Giving - Turkey and Syria Earthquake Relief Fund: Two powerful earthquakes struck Turkey and Syria early Monday morning, killing more than 19,000 people and injuring thousands more. People are trapped and homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure have been destroyed under layers of rubble. Your donation to the Turkey and Syria Earthquake Relief Fund will provide emergency relief and fuel long-term recovery efforts in Turkey and Syria. Project Hope - Save Lives in Turkey and Communities in Crisis: Devastating earthquakes in Turkey (Türkiye) and Syria have left tens of thousands of families in desperate need of medical help and basic supplies. Our emergency response team is on the ground and working quickly to save as many lives as possible. Died: Steve Hayner, Former President of InterVarsity and Columbia Seminary, Christianity Today: This is a death notice for Steve Hayner, “one of the baby-boomer generation's most influential evangelical leaders, has died. He was known for his presidency at InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and later at Columbia Theological Seminary.” Remembering Steve Hayner, InterVarsity: This reflection from Intervarsity about their former president states, “Steve became president of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship in 1988, near the end of a turbulent decade in which InterVarsity had five presidents. “Steve brought pastoral care, healing and hope to a community that had undergone much trauma,” said Alec Hill, Steve’s successor and InterVarsity’s current president.” "Painting As a Pastime" by Winston S. Churchill; “The perfect antidote to his 'Black Dog', a depression that blighted his working life, Churchill took to painting with gusto. Picking up a paintbrush for the first time at the age of forty, Winston Churchill found in painting a passion that was to remain his constant companion. This glorious essay exudes his compulsion for a hobby that allowed him peace during his dark days, and richly rewarded a nation with a treasure trove of work.” “President Donald Trump?  Just Say No,” by Peter Wehner: This 2015 article describes Pete’s unwillingness to embrace the new GOP candidate who would ultimately become President of the United States. “The GOP and the Birther Trap,” by Peter Wehner: This 2011 Wall Street Journal article describes Wehner’s take on a fringe conspiracy theory that was then front and center in American politics: the claim that President Barack Obama might not be a natural-born American citizen. “Why I Will Never Vote for Donald Trump,” by Peter Wehner.  This 2016 New York Times explains why Pete did not find Donald J. Trump suitable for the Oval Office. Creating Beauty in Exile: Mark Labberton: Mark Labberton, president of Fuller Seminary, reflects on the themes of exile in scripture and what it means to live a “faithful exilic life” in a culture shaped by fear and violence. Exile: A Conversation with N. T. Wright, Edited by James M. Scott, by N. T. Wright; According to N. T. Wright, the controlling narrative that shaped the thinking of Jesus and Paul is this: “Israel had grievously sinned against Yahweh and suffered the judgment of exile from its land. But even though Israel had returned, the majority of Jews of the second temple era regarded themselves in paradoxical exile under Roman rule and still awaiting their full restoration. It was this crisis of exile that reached its climax and resolution in the person and work of Jesus Christ.” Makoto Fujimura on Faith and Art by Dan Clendenin, Journey with Jesus: “Makoto Fujimura is a leading contemporary artist whose process driven, refractive “slow art” has been described by David Brooks of the New York Times as ‘a small rebellion against the quickening of time.’ Robert Kushner, in the mid 90’s, has written on Fujimura’s art in Art in America this way: ‘The idea of forging a new kind of art, about hope, healing, redemption, refuge, while maintaining visual sophistication and intellectual integrity is a growing movement, one which finds Makoto Fujimura’s work at the vanguard.’” The Constitution of Knowledge: A Defense of Truth by Jonathan Rauch: Disinformation. Trolling. Conspiracies. Social media pile-ons. Campus intolerance. On the surface, these recent additions to our daily vocabulary appear to have little in common. But together, they are driving an epistemic crisis: a multi-front challenge to America's ability to distinguish fact from fiction and elevate truth above falsehood.      

New technology seems to be revolutionizing our world on a daily basis.  ChatGPT — which has been used by more than a million people — might replace internet search engines and possibly your job.  How should Christians deal with these machines that can communicate facts, create business plans, and do homework at the push of a button? On this week’s episode of the Good Faith podcast, Curtis sits down with his friend, bestselling author Andy Crouch, to discuss how technology can enhance our lives or possibly deform us. They describe how technology paints as a false vision of human flourishing—and encourage Christians to fight back.  SHOW NOTES: ChatGPT: In December 2022, Jeremy Howard, an artificial intelligence researcher, introduced an online chatbot called ChatGPT. Joe Rogan Interviews Steve Jobs (Artificial Intelligence): Hosted by a fake version of Joe Rogan, this podcast attempts to bring the late Steve Jobs’ voice using artificial intelligence. “The meandering, near-20 minute fake interview was both surreal and occasionally funny,” writes Kyle Barr. The Life We're Looking For: Reclaiming Relationship in a Technological World by Andy Crouch; The bestselling author Andy Crouch shows how we have been seduced by a false vision of human flourishing—and how each of us can fight back. 

In life, we have moments in which opportunities present the possibility of dramatic change.  Dr. Michael Lindsay, president of Gordon College, calls these instances “hinge moments,” since a hinge can either shut or close a door leading to very different pathways in our lives.   This episode of the Good Faith podcast is actually one of these “hinge moments” for co-hosts David French and Curtis Chang, as David transitions to his new job at the New York Times.  What will happen to the podcast? (Spoiler alert: it will go on!) In this powerful episode, Dr. Lindsay joins his old friends David and Curtis to talk about his book, “Hinge Moments: Making the Most of Life's Transitions” and gives practical advice which applies to the podcasters and to all experiencing change that alters the course of our lives.  SHOW NOTES: Hinge Moments: Making the Most of Life's Transitions by Dr. Michael Lindsay: In this book, Lindsay shares faith-based stories of success and failure from his 10-year study of 550 PLATINUM leaders. He has charted seven phases of transition, providing both practical and spiritual insights for making the most of each stage. In uncertain and tumultuous times, there is no better advantage than wisdom gained early. Me, Myself, and Bob: A True Story About Dreams, God, and Talking Vegetables by Phil Vischer: This story by the VeggieTales creator is about dreaming big and working hard, of spectacular success and breathtaking failure, of shouted questions, and, at long last, whispered answers. Sometimes God can use the death of a dream to point us toward true success.

Show Notes: A New Chapter in Millennial Church Attendance: “Patterns of attendance among younger generations can be especially important—and perplexing—for pastors to understand, in their own church and at large. Barna Group has studied the intersection of faith and culture for nearly four decades, with an emphasis on generational trends. This article explores recent data to help church leaders ground themselves in the present reality of church attendance across generations—especially Millennials—in 2022.” The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America by Richard Rothstein: “Richard Rothstein argues with exacting precision and fascinating insight how segregation in America—the incessant kind that continues to dog our major cities and has contributed to so much recent social strife—is the byproduct of explicit government policies at the local, state, and federal levels.” The Technological Society by Jacques Ellul: “Ellul offers a penetrating analysis of our technological civilization, showing how technology—which began innocuously enough as a servant of humankind—threatens to overthrow humanity itself in its ongoing creation of an environment that meets its own ends.” Nancy French’s entertainment suggestion tweet thread: “In the French house, David and I love to watch series. Frequently, people ask what good shows we've watched, so I thought I'd start a list (and I'll keep adding to it) of some of the binge-worthy TV we've enjoyed.” Fasting: The Ancient Practices  by Scot McKnight: “Christianity has traditionally been at odds with the human body. At times in the history of the church, Christians have viewed the body and physical desires as the enemy. Now, Scot McKnight, best-selling author of The Jesus Creed , reconnects the spiritual and the physical in the ancient discipline of fasting.”