Cross & Gavel Podcast

In a time when protest reigns supreme, the right to associate under a common banner seems intuitive. But, as more and more of us become subservient to the will of the state and personal preference, the space for pure intermediate association dwindles. Here, to discuss the history and philosophy behind the freedom of association is Dr. Luke Sheahan of Duquesne University. For more on Luke, check out his page and buy his book, today!   Episode produced by Josh Deng, with music from Vexento. A Special Thanks to Nick and Ashley Barnett for their contribution in making this podcast possible.

Our Founding Fathers knew well the importance of religion to education. And, yet today, many have dismissed the utility of faith in the development of character. Here to discuss religion's surprising impact on academic success is author of "God, Grades, and Graduation" — Ilana Horwitz. For more on Dr. Horwitz, check out her website and her recent op-ed in the New York Times. More importantly, buy her book here.   Episode produced by Josh Deng, with music from Vexento. A Special Thanks to Nick and Ashley Barnett for their contribution in making this podcast possible.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells his disciplines: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”  Joining me today to talk about peace and the making therein is the founder of Peacemaker Ministries, now dedicating his time to Christian reconciliation and building his network through Relational Wisdom 360 – Ken Sande. Buy his groundbreaking book today.   Episode produced by Josh Deng, with music from Vexento. A Special Thanks to Nick and Ashley Barnett for their contribution in making this podcast possible.    

The public engagement of the church has been anything but boring. Joining me today to talk through 2,000 years of Christian public philosophy in 50 minutes is the director of the Oikonomia Network and a visiting assistant professor of faith and culture at Trinity Graduate School – Greg Forster. We discuss Greg's excellent overview study of the political philosophy of the church in The Contested Public Square (buy here).   Episode produced by Josh Deng, with music from Vexento. A Special Thanks to Nick and Ashley Barnett for their contribution in making this podcast possible.

The co-director of the Marion E. Wade Center at Wheaton College, Crystal L. Downing, joins me this week to talk about the subversive Dorothy L. Sayers. Discover more about Crystal's work here and buy her wonderful biography of Sayers here.   Episode produced by Josh Deng, with music from Vexento. A Special Thanks to Nick and Ashley Barnett for their contribution in making this podcast possible.

The formation of good habits and the appropriation therein by the bad is a perennial topic of concern for Christians aiming to live a life worthy of their calling. See Ephesians 4:1. My guest today has written two books that will form the basis of our two part discussion on this very issue. In this first part, we will talk about The Common Rule. Then, later in the semester, we will tackle Habits of the Household. For more on Justin and his work, go here and here. You can also follow him on Twitter at @Justin_W_Earley.   Episode produced by Josh Deng, with music from Vexento. A Special Thanks to Nick and Ashley Barnett for their contribution in making this podcast possible.

It should come as no surprise that we are living in complex times. Christians are called to such a moment and should act accordingly by engaging more, not less, with the changing landscape. My guest today (Tod Bolsinger) has written two books helping us do just that (Canoeing The Mountains and Tempered Resilience): developing a vision for adaptive leadership. For more on Tod and his work, go here and here. You can also follow him on Twitter at @todbol.   Episode produced by Josh Deng, with music from Vexento. A Special Thanks to Nick and Ashley Barnett for their contribution in making this podcast possible.

A recording of Lee Strobel's presentation at the 2021 CLS National Conference in San Antonio, Texas. For more on Lee's work, go here and follow him on Twitter at @LeeStrobel.   Episode produced by Josh Deng, with music from Vexento. A Special Thanks to Nick and Ashley Barnett for their contribution in making this podcast possible.

A recording of James K.A. Smith's presentation at the 2021 CLS National Conference in San Antonio, Texas. For more on Jamie's work, go here and follow him on Twitter at @James_ka_smith.   Episode produced by Josh Deng, with music from Vexento. A Special Thanks to Nick and Ashley Barnett for their contribution in making this podcast possible.

With the Supreme Court on the verge of overturning Roe v. Wade, questions emerge concerning the state of our society and the ability of mothers to participate fully, therein. Here to talk about that whole life is the founder of New Wave Feminists — Destiny Herndon-De La Rosa. Follow her and NWF on Twitter (i.e., @DestinyHDLR, @NWFproTX) and read more about her work here.   Episode produced by Josh Deng, with music from Vexento. A Special Thanks to Nick and Ashley Barnett for their contribution in making this podcast possible.