Reimagining the Good Life with Amy Julia Becker

What if disability isn’t a problem to solve, but a way of revealing what it means to be human? Disabled scholar-practitioner Amy Kenny, author of My Disability Is Divine, joins Amy Julia Becker to challenge ableism and consider what it means for all humans to be created in the image of God—without caveat. They talk about how access, belonging, and interdependence can lead us toward more joyful, interconnected lives.00:00 Introduction to My Disability Is Divine06:40 What is Ableism?09:11 Joy and Humor as Resistance to Ableism14:38 What Nature Reveals About Disability20:32 How Disability Helps Us Rethink What It Means to Be Human23:42 The Expansive Nature of Access Needs33:08 Stories of Communities Where Everyone Belongs38:16 Reimagining the World Through DisabilityMENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:S5 E20 | Disability Belongs in Church with Amy Kenny, PhD • Reimagining the Good Life podcastMy Disability is Divine: A Joyful Witness That Defies Ableist Nonsense by Amy KennyMy Body Is Not a Prayer Request: Disability Justice in the Church by Amy Kenny_SUBSCRIBE to Amy Julia's weekly Substack newsletter: amyjuliabecker.substack.comWATCH this conversation on YouTube: Amy Julia Becker on YouTubeJOIN the conversation on Instagram: @amyjuliabeckerLISTEN to more episodes: amyjuliabecker.com/shows/_ABOUT OUR GUEST:Amy Kenny, PhD, is a disabled scholar-practitioner and the founding director of the Disability Cultural Center at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. She is the award-winning author of My Body Is Not a Prayer Request, and her work on disability has appeared in Teen Vogue, Sojourners, HuffPost, The Mighty, and Shondaland. Kenny has served on the mayor’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Task Force in California and with the Freedom Road Institute for Leadership and Justice. She also cofounded Jubilee Homes, a housing initiative for people experiencing homelessness.Instagram: @DrAmyKennyWe want to hear your thoughts. Send us a text!Connect with me:InstagramFacebookYouTubeWebsiteThanks for listening! 

What does government bureaucracy have to say about who matters in our society? Why does it take so long and feel so impossible to apply for some benefits and supports when other government programs seem to just show up without any effort at all? And what does any of this have to do with living a flourishing life? Journalist Annie Lowrey, author of The Time Tax, joins Amy Julia Becker to talk about what our systems reveal about whose time, dignity, and lives we value—and how we might build a society where getting help doesn't mean fighting to prove you deserve it.00:00 What is "the time tax"?06:05 Real-Life Examples of Time Tax10:29 What Government Programs Communicate19:01 Racial and Economic Disparities in Government Interaction24:08 Universal Programs and Their Effectiveness30:57 Reimagining the Role of Government in Society36:47 Political Perspectives on Healthcare and Support42:45 Fraud and Honesty in Social Programs48:23 Administrative Burdens and Health CostsMENTIONED IN S11 E1:The Time Tax by Annie LowreyAmy Julia’s Substack essay about the cost of special education_SUBSCRIBE to Amy Julia's weekly Substack newsletter: amyjuliabecker.substack.comWATCH this conversation on YouTube: Amy Julia Becker on YouTubeJOIN the conversation on Instagram: @amyjuliabeckerLISTEN to more episodes: amyjuliabecker.com/shows/_ABOUT OUR GUEST:Annie Lowrey is a staff writer at The Atlantic. She is the author of Give People Money, which was short-listed for the Financial Times and McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award. Prior to joining The Atlantic, she was a staff writer for The New York Times and New York magazine, as well as the Moneybox columnist for Slate. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and their two children.We want to hear your thoughts. Send us a text!Connect with me:InstagramFacebookYouTubeWebsiteThanks for listening! 

Here at Reimagining the Good Life, we have conversations that challenge our assumptions about what makes life good, proclaim the inherent belovedness of every human being, and help us envision and build a world of belonging where everyone matters.In the weeks ahead, you can look forward to some really wonderful conversations:With journalist Annie Lowrey, we’ll talk about her book The Time Tax—not only what the time tax is, but what it reveals about who we are as human beings and who we want to be as a society. What would it look like to build a society—indeed, the wealthiest society the world has ever known—that provides enough financial and health stability for people to make choices that allow them to flourish?With pastor Jay Kim, we'll talk about why we need to slow down, strive for less, and cultivate loving relationships. What can this actually look like in our everyday lives, from pulling out our calendars and asking ourselves some important questions to practicing breath prayers and creating family rhythms.With Amy Kenny, we'll explore what it means for all human beings to be created in the image of God, without caveat; what it means to create a world of access and welcome for everyone; and who benefits from that kind of access. (Hint: It’s not only the person with a disability.)With Rebekah Taussig, we'll talk about her work as a screenwriter for the upcoming Being Heumann film from Apple which tells the story of pioneering disability rights activist Judy Heummann and we'll talk about Rebekah's own story of navigating contemporary life as a disabled woman.With Micha Boyett, we'll explore the invitation of Advent Unhurried and what it might mean to make space for God in a season that so easily becomes hurried and overfull.And with Jen Pollock Michel, we'll talk about the difference between a rule and a resolution—and how a rule cultivated in the presence of God’s loving voice, rather than our imagined version of God’s disappointed voice, can lead us toward the unexpected good life.And that’s only half of what we have in store for you over the next few months.So please make sure you’re following Reimagining the Good Life, beginning October 28. If you’re listening in real time, new episodes will begin showing up in your podcast feed one week from now.If you know other people who would benefit from deep conversations about big questions related to faith, family, disability, and what it means to live a good life, please tell them about the show.We’re so grateful you’re here, and we can’t wait to share these conversations with you.Watch: https://youtu.be/YrmrmIeaaB4We want to hear your thoughts. Send us a text!Connect with me:InstagramFacebookYouTubeWebsiteThanks for listening! 

If you’ve struggled with questions about God, suffering, or whether faith can make sense of the world’s brokenness, you’re not alone. Poet Christian Wiman joins Amy Julia Becker to talk about pain, joy, doubt, and the lifelong hunger for God. Together, they explore a faith honest enough to hold both questions and hope.S10 E10:00:00 The Genesis of Glimmerings04:41 Navigating Differences in Faith12:24 The Role of Personal Encounters18:45 The Intersection of Suffering and Longing for God23:33 The Relationship Between Love, Suffering, and Hope36:37 Sustaining Faith in Everyday Life39:53 Cutting Through the Noise: Faith Beyond DifferencesMENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:Glimmerings: Letters on Faith Between a Poet and a Theologian by Miroslav Volf and Christian Wiman My Bright Abyss by Christian WimanMiroslav Volf on Reimagining the Good Life: The Cost of Ambition_SUBSCRIBE to Amy Julia's Substack: amyjuliabecker.substack.comWATCH this conversation on YouTube: Amy Julia Becker on YouTubeJOIN the conversation on Instagram: @amyjuliabeckerLISTEN to more episodes: amyjuliabecker.com/shows/_ABOUT OUR GUEST:Christian Wiman is the Clement-Muehl Professor of the Arts at Yale Divinity School. He is the author, editor, or translator of fifteen books, including Zero at the Bone: Fifty Entries Against Despair and Hammer Is the Prayer: Selected Poems.  His work appears regularly in Harper’s, The New Yorker, and Commonweal.More about Chris: https://divinity.yale.edu/profile/christian-wimanGlimmerings: Letters on Faith Between a Poet and a TheologianWe want to hear your thoughts. Send us a text!Connect with me:InstagramFacebookYouTubeWebsiteThanks for listening! 

When a child grows up with a sibling with a disability, what defines their childhood? Author Brian Trapp reflects on life with his twin brother with cerebral palsy. Brian shares how his childhood was a source of unexpected gifts, deep connection, and lifelong formation. He joins Amy Julia Becker to consider:Limits of labels like “glass child” and “mental age”Family and flourishing togetherThe complexity of identitySibling and caregiving relationshipsRange of Motion by Brian TrappS10 E9: 00:00 The Bond of Brotherhood: Growing Up with Disability 08:55 Glass Child Syndrome and Sibling Experiences 18:23 Analogies for Family Life with Disability 23:27 The Complexity of Identity within Relationships and Caregiving 32:07 Fiction vs. Memoir: Exploring Personal Narratives 35:31 Understanding Mental Age and Its Implications 40:23 Reimagining Disability: A House of LaughterMENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:Cognoscenti essay by Brian Trapp: My twin brother was disabled, but I don't consider myself a 'glass child'Julia Miele Rodas’ essay: “Limited Visibility; Or Confessions of a Satellite”Range of Motion: A Novel by Brian Trapp_SUBSCRIBE to Amy Julia's Substack: amyjuliabecker.substack.comWATCH this conversation on YouTube: Amy Julia Becker on YouTubeJOIN the conversation on Instagram: @amyjuliabeckerLISTEN to more episodes: amyjuliabecker.com/shows/_ABOUT OUR GUEST:Brian Trapp is the author of Range of Motion. He is director of Disability Studies at the University of Oregon, where he also teaches creative writing and edits the Northwest Review. His essay about being a sibling to his twin brother Danny was featured on NPR’s Here and Now. Find out more at: https://briantrappwriter.com/__We want to hear your thoughts. Send us a text!Connect with me:InstagramFacebookYouTubeWebsiteThanks for listening! 

Difference exposes our tendency to rank people as “better” or “worse.” Theologian Brian Brock, PhD, joins Amy Julia Becker to explore a life rooted in connection, creatureliness, and love. They consider:Social hierarchy and disability stigmaDietrich Bonhoeffer, community, and moral responsibilityHuman worth and personhoodJoining Creation's PraiseS10 E8:00:00 Introduction: Joining Creation's Praise04:35 Human Beings Are Creatures11:57 Human Exceptionalism and Disability16:00 Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Disability, Moral Responsibility, and Community21:19 Euthanasia and Historical Context24:07 Creation, Redemption, and Human Worth32:22 Understanding Personhood in Modern Ethics40:59 Reimagining the Good Life Through CreationMENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:Joining Creation's Praise: A Theological Ethic of Creatureliness by Brian Brock_SUBSCRIBE to Amy Julia's Substack: amyjuliabecker.substack.comWATCH this conversation on YouTube: Amy Julia Becker on YouTubeJOIN the conversation on Instagram: @amyjuliabeckerLISTEN to more episodes: amyjuliabecker.com/shows/_ABOUT OUR GUEST:Brian Brock (DPhil, King’s College, London) is Chair of Moral and Practical Theology at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. He has written scholarly works on the use of the Bible in Christian ethics, the ethics of technological development, the theology of disability and the doctrine of creation. He is founder and managing editor of the academic monograph series T&T Clark Enquires in Theological Ethics, is Managing Editor of the Journal of Disability and Religion and President of the Society for the Study of Christian Ethics. He is also a husband and father of three children, including Adam, who is 21, a delightful human being with Down’s Syndrome and autism. His most recent book is Joining Creation's Praise: A Theological Ethic of Creatureliness.Professor Brian Brock | The University of Aberdeen__We want to hear your thoughts. Send us a text!Connect with me:InstagramFacebookYouTubeWebsiteThanks for listening! 

S10 E7—Saying "I'm sorry" isn't enough to repair personal or institutional harm. Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg, author of On Repentance and Repair, joins Amy Julia Becker to share an ancient framework for repentance and repair that challenges our culture's obsession with quick apologies. Together they discuss forgiveness, institutional responsibility, and breaking cycles of harm.00:00 Defining Repentance and Repair04:29 The Current State of Repentance in Society07:10 Maimonides' Process of Repentance17:00 The Influence of Distorted Protestantism on American Culture22:50 The Complexity of Forgiveness and Purpose of Repentance28:45 Institutional Harm and the Challenges of Repair41:59 Repentance as a Path to a Good LifeMENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:On Repentance and Repair: Making Amends in an Unapologetic World by Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg_SUBSCRIBE to Amy Julia's Substack: amyjuliabecker.substack.comWATCH this conversation on YouTube: Amy Julia Becker on YouTubeJOIN the conversation on Instagram: @amyjuliabeckerLISTEN to more episodes: amyjuliabecker.com/shows/_ABOUT OUR GUEST:Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg is the award-winning author of eight books who now makes her primary writing home at LifeIsASacredText.com She has received the Lives of Commitment Award from Auburn Seminary, and the Rabbinic Human Rights Hero Award from the human rights organization T’ruah, was named by Newsweek as a “rabbi to watch,” and as a “faith leader to watch” by the Center for American Progress.Her newest book, On Repentance and Repair: Making Amends in an Unapologetic World is a National Jewish Book Award winner and an American Library Association’s Sophie Brody Honor Book. It was hailed by Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley as “A must read for anyone navigating the work of justice and healing.”  __We want to hear your thoughts. Send us a text!Connect with me:InstagramFacebookYouTubeWebsiteThanks for listening! 

S10 E6—Is disability a tragedy to overcome, a burden to bear, an inspirational lesson for everyone else? Or is there a different story to tell, and who gets to tell it? Craig Thomas, co-creator of How I Met Your Mother, joins Amy Julia Becker to discuss That’s Not How It Happened, his novel written from nearly two decades of growing up with a son with a rare genetic condition. Together they explore: Disability representationOverprotective parentingIndependence and agencyThe power of authentic storytelling00:00 The Story Behind "That's Not How It Happened"08:15 Character Perspectives and Empathy in Storytelling10:50 Disability and Family Dynamics: Parents and Siblings15:26 Exploring Agency, Independence, and Shared Humanity20:55 The Complexity of Emotions in Disability Narratives27:42 Challenging Myths Around Disability29:30 The Importance of Authentic Disability Representation in Media38:45 Reimagining Life with DisabilityMENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:Novel: That’s Not How It Happened by Craig ThomasTV Show: How I Met Your MotherMovie: Champions_SUBSCRIBE to Amy Julia's Substack: amyjuliabecker.substack.comWATCH this conversation on YouTube: Amy Julia Becker on YouTubeJOIN the conversation on Instagram: @amyjuliabeckerLISTEN to more episodes: amyjuliabecker.com/shows/_ABOUT OUR GUEST:Craig Thomas is the co-creator of the Emmy-winning comedy series How I Met Your Mother. His prose has appeared in The New Yorker, The Boston Globe, McSweeney's, and The Iowa Review. He lives in New York City with his wife, Rebecca, his daughter, Celia, and his son, Elliot, whose unique journey has had a huge impact on his life and work. That’s Not How It Happened is his first novel.https://www.instagram.com/craigtthomas/ and https://craigthomaswriter.com/__We want to hear your thoughts. Send us a text!Connect with me:InstagramFacebookYouTubeWebsiteThanks for listening! 

S10 E5—Where does racism come from? Many of us assume it's rooted in hatred or fear, but what if it’s actually rooted in greed? As we approach Juneteenth, a day that commemorates freedom while reminding us of the work still before us, pastor and historian Malcolm Foley, PhD, joins Amy Julia Becker to talk about his book The Anti-Greed Gospel. He traces the roots of racism to economic exploitation and invites the church to respond with solidarity, truth-telling, and tangible love.00:00 Introduction to the Link Between Greed and Racism10:56 Ida B. Wells and the Power of Economic Appeals18:11 The Cycle of Exploitation and Status22:54 Creative Resistance to Exploitation, Violence, and Lies29:05 Economic Solidarity in Contemporary Church35:23 Examples of Creative Anti-Violence in ActionMENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:The Anti-Greed Gospel: Why the Love of Money Is the Root of Racism and How the Church Can Create a New Way Forward by Malcolm FoleyBook of RevelationMatthew 6:24Acts 2 and 4Philippians 2_SUBSCRIBE to Amy Julia's Substack: amyjuliabecker.substack.comWATCH this conversation on YouTube: Amy Julia Becker on YouTubeJOIN the conversation on Instagram: @amyjuliabeckerLISTEN to more episodes: amyjuliabecker.com/shows/_ABOUT OUR GUEST:Malcolm Foley (PhD, Baylor University) is a pastor, historian, and speaker who serves as special adviser to the president for equity and campus engagement at Baylor University. He has written for Christianity Today, The Anxious Bench, and Mere Orthodoxy. Foley copastors Mosaic Waco, a multicultural church in Waco, Texas, where he lives with his wife, Desiree.Insta & threads: @revdocmalc@BrazosPressWe want to hear your thoughts. Send us a text!Connect with me:InstagramFacebookYouTubeWebsiteThanks for listening! 

S10 E4—Do you ever wonder what your life would look like if you had made different decisions a long time ago? Author Karen Swallow Prior joins Amy Julia Becker for a conversation about regret, human limitations, and her experience of not having children. Together, they explore what it means to face the losses of the past while remaining open to the unexpected opportunities and possibilities that can emerge alongside them.00:00 Introduction to Personal Narratives04:22 Navigating Infertility and Ethical Dilemmas07:10 The Role of Faith and Community in Decision-Making11:01 Control, Risk, and Reproductive Technologies17:30 The Intersection of Calling and Life Choices20:57 Navigating Regret, Limits, and Choices25:07 Historical Context of Childlessness29:07 Imagination and Reality in Family Dynamics37:25 Reimagining the Good Life Without ChildrenMENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:Christianity Today essay by Karen Swallow Prior: “The Birds and the Bees, Babies and Me”Institute for Family Studies essay by Amy Julia Becker: “Confessions of a Middle-Aged Mother”You Have a Calling: Finding Your Vocation in the True, Good, and Beautiful by Karen Swallow PriorThe Midnight Library by Matt Haig_SUBSCRIBE to Amy Julia's Substack: amyjuliabecker.substack.comWATCH this conversation on YouTube: Amy Julia Becker on YouTubeJOIN the conversation on Instagram: @amyjuliabeckerLISTEN to more episodes: amyjuliabecker.com/shows/_ABOUT OUR GUEST:Karen Swallow Prior, Ph.D. is the 2025-26 Karlson Scholar at Bethel Seminary. She is a popular writer and speaker, a contributing writer for The Dispatch, and a columnist for Religion News Service. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, Vox, The Washington Post, Christianity Today, and many other places. Her most recent book is You Have a Calling: Finding Your Vocation in the True, Good, and Beautiful (Brazos 2025).CONNECT with Karen: karenswallowprior.comFacebook: Karen Swallow PriorInstagram: karenswallowpriorX: @KSPrior Substack: @karenswallowprior__We want to hear your thoughts. Send us a text!Connect with me:InstagramFacebookYouTubeWebsiteThanks for listening!