Perfectly Human with Amy Julia BeckerWe live in a time when our value is often assessed and affirmed largely in terms of our productivity. Entire industries are built around pushing us to optimize our output, maximize our results, unlock our potential, break barriers and records, and perform perpetually at peak. Often drowned out by the din of such appeals is the simple truth that to be human is to be limited, vulnerable, and mortal. And for many of us, such limitations are impossible to ignore. Today's episode features our recent conversation with award winning writer and speaker, Amy Julia Becker, who addresses questions about what it means to be perfectly human, and what understanding disability reveals to us:"To see disability in terms of brokenness is to really misunderstand, I think, this idea of human limitation. [And] also to misunderstand ourselves as beloved, as ones who do not need to produce or perform in order to be acceptable to God, for certain, but even to one another. But instead to be able to actually start from a place of belovedness and move into the world from that place with our limitations but also with an assumption that we have gifts to offer, which might look really, really different from one person to the next.” - Amy Julia BeckerWe hope this conversation helps you wrestle with questions of human limitations, perfection, and our belovedness before God, as we consider anew what constitutes the good life.This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in March of 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Amy Julia Becker.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:To Be Made Well: An Invitation to Wholeness, Healing, and Hope, by Amy Julia BeckerRelated Trinity Forum Readings:Babette's Feast by Isak DinesenBright Evening Star by Madeleine L'EngleWrestling with God by Simone WeilBulletins from Immortality poems by Emily DickinsonLetters from Vincent Van GoghRelated Conversations:A Life Worth Living with Miroslav VolfWhat Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi AshworthLife, Death, Poetry & Peace with Philip YanceyWords Against Despair with Christian WimanTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

Practicing the Way with John Mark ComerThe start of a new year prompts the reflection that if we are not intentionally modeling our life after Jesus, we are likely being formed by something or someone else. Adrift in the cultural current, we're likely to be carried to places we never consciously chose and wonder how we got there.In Practicing the Way, John Mark Comer explores what it means in our times to be a disciple of Jesus -- to be with him, to become like him, and to do as he did:“ It seems to me that the telos of the spiritual journey in the Christian way is becoming a person of love through deepening union with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit…It's the two greatest commandments: love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself, that Jesus put at the center of apprenticeship to him.” - John Mark ComerWe hope this conversation encourages you to move slowly as you abide with Jesus this year, and by his grace are transformed into a person of deeper love, joy, and peace.This podcast is an edited version of a conversation recorded in 2024. Learn more about John Mark Comer.Episode outline00:00 Introduction to Practicing the Way01:00 Formation is Inevitable02:26 John Mark Comer's Background and Influences05:21 Evangelical Discipleship and the Influence of Dallas Willard08:05 From Burnout to the Inner Journey11:26 Being Christian and Being an Apprentice of Jesus21:04 The Destructive Power of Hurry, and the Pace of Love26:13 The Practice of Contemplation and Abiding33:17 Final Thoughts and PrayerAuthors and books mentioned in the conversation:The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, Live No Lies, God Has a Name, Garden City, Practicing the Way, all by John Mark ComerDivine Conspiracy, by Dallas WillardJacques PhilippeSt. ThereseN.T. WrightGary HaugenRobert BellahMother TeresaDorothy DayFrancis ChanJohn StottThree Mile an Hour God, Kosuki KoyamaMary Oliver Marjorie ThompsonKurt ThompsonBrennan ManningRelated Trinity Forum Readings:Augustine's Confessions, with an introduction by James K. A. SmithBright Evening Star, by Madeleine L’EngleA Practical View of Real Christianity, by William WilberforceWrestling with God, by Simone WeilPilgrim's Progress, by John BunyanPilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie DillardWhy God Became Man, by St. AnselmRelated Conversations:Making as a Spiritual Practice with Mako FujimuraWriting as a Spiritual Practice with Jonathan Rogers, Tish Harrison Warren, and Doug McKelveyWalking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark BuchananTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

On Friday, December 18, 2020, in partnership with Regent College, The Rabbit Room, and The C.S. Lewis Foundation we were delighted to host the renowned poet, singer-songwriter, and Anglican priest Malcom Guite for a conversation about his work of poetry, Waiting on the Word.Learn more about Malcolm Guite. Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript from December 2020. Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:Waiting on the Word, Malcolm GuiteAs You Like It, ShakespeareJohn MiltonRobert Louis StevensonC.S. LewisSamuel Taylor ColeridgeChristmas, by John BetjemanNorth, by Seamus HeaneySt. John of the CrossA Midsummer Night's Dream, ShakespeareThe Forge, by Seamus HeaneyO Sapientia, Malcolm GuiteThomas ClarksonGeorge HerbertThe Apologist's Evening Prayer, C.S. LewisThe Agonie, by George HerbertJohn DonneGerard Manley HopkinsStation Island XI, Seamus Heaney and St. John of the CrossAdam CrothersThe Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. LewisIn the Bleak Midwinter, Christina RossettiIn Drear Nighted December, by John KeatsAlfred, Lord TennysonWilliam WordsworthSteve BellJack RedfordT.S. EliotHebrew Melodies, Lord ByronPercy Bysshe ShelleyGeoffrey Chaucer Related Trinity Forum Readings:Devotions, by John Donne and paraphrased by Philip YanceyGod’s Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley HopkinsFour Quartets, by T.S. Eliot with an introduction by Makoto Fujimura Related Conversations:Lecture given by Malcolm for the C.S. Lewis FoundationLaing Lectures given by Malcolm at Regent CollegeSteve Bell & Malcolm Guite: Live at the West End Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

Heaven & Nature Sing with Hannah AndersonAdvent invites us to enter into the joy of the season through rhythms of remembrance, renewal, and waiting. But often, our very familiarity with the Advent story can leave us dulled to the miracle and joy of the season.In her book of Advent reflections, Heaven and Nature Sing, author Hannah Anderson invites us all into a fresh reading of the Christmas story by drawing together 25 meditations on the beauty of creation:“What I believe creation invites us back to is reorienting ourselves, not only to God, but to our environment and perhaps even to our own bodies and to ourselves. And so when we are giving our attention to the patterns and rhythms and cycles of creation it has the potential to be an access point for some deeper truths that maybe we've forgotten or we've overlooked.” - Hannah AndersonThis podcast is an edited version of a conversation recorded in fall of 2022. Learn more about Hannah Anderson.Episode outline00:00 Welcome and Introduction to Advent01:51 Introducing Hannah Anderson and Her Work02:28 The Inspiration Behind 'Heaven and Nature Sing'04:39 Attentiveness to Creation and Its Lessons07:57 The Link Between Caring for Creation and Others11:58 The Legend of the First Christmas Tree15:27 Jesus' Birth and the Concept of Habitat19:11 The Brutality and Honesty of Nature22:49 Reconnecting with Nature in Modern Times26:49 Practical Steps to Attune to Nature29:32 Closing Thoughts and Poem31:07 Final Farewell and Podcast InformationAuthors and books mentioned in the conversation:All That's Good: Recovering the Lost Art of Discernment, by Hannah AndersonThe Turning of Days: Lessons from Nature, Season, and Spirit, by Hannah AndersonHeaven and Nature Sing, by Hannah AndersonAn Immense World, by Ed YongRelated Trinity Forum Readings:Bright Evening Star, by Madeleine L’EnglePilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie DillardBabette’s Feast, by Isak DinesenA Christmas Carol, by Charles DickensThe Gift of the Magi and Two Thanksgiving Gentlemen, by O. HenryGod’s Grandeur: the Poems of Gerard Manley HopkinsRelated Conversations:Waiting on the Word, with Malcolm GuiteJoy to the World: Caroling Christmas and Christian Formation, with Keith GettyAdvent: The Season of Hope, with Tish Harrison WarrenTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society.

Abraham Kuyper’s Sphere Sovereignty with Vincent BacoteIn this episode of the Trinity Forum Conversations podcast, host Brian Daskam and guest Dr. Vincent Bacote explore Dutch theologian Abraham Kuyper’s contributions to Reformed theology, with particular emphasis on his concept of sphere sovereignty:“Kuyper helps us to see that we can be Christian in public spaces without having to turn those public spaces into churches and that we don't have to have a triumphalistic aspiration in order to be faithful in those spaces.” - Dr. Vincent Bacote Kuyper believed that different domains of life, such as church, government, education, and family, each have their own integrity and should operate independently within their God-given roles. As Dr. Bacote argues, Kuyper's ideas can help modern Christians engage more faithfully and imaginatively in public life without succumbing to triumphalism or tribalism. They also address Kuyper's controversial views on race and how to critically appreciate his positive contributions despite his flaws.This podcast is an edited version of a conversation recorded in fall of 2024. Learn more about Vincent Bacote.00:00 Introducing Dr. Vincent Bacote, professor and Trinity Forum Senior Fellow00:57 Who is Abraham Kuyper?01:54 Understanding Kuyper’s Concept of Sphere Sovereignty04:33 Sphere Sovereignty in Practice14:35 Kuyper's Views on Race21:36 Applying Kuyper's Ideas Today32:10 Vince’s Thoughts on Christians Shaping CultureAuthors and books mentioned in the conversation:The Spirit in Public Theology, Appropriating the Legacy of Abraham Kuyper, by Vincent BacoteContours of the Kuyperian tradition, by Craig BartholomewRelated Trinity Forum Readings:Sphere SovereigntyWrestling with God, Simone WeilChildren of Light and Children of Darkness, by Reinhold NiebuhrPolitics, Morality, and Civility,  by Vaclav HavelThe Origins of Totalitarianism, by Hannah ArendtThe Federalist PapersA Practical View of Real Christianity, by William Wilberforce,Who Stands Fast? by Dietrich BonhoefferRelated Conversations:Hope Beyond Tribalism with James MumfordFaith, Fear & Conspiracy with David FrenchThe Fall, the Founding and the Future of American DemocracyHow to Be a Patriotic ChristianExtremism and the Path Back to Peace with Elizabeth NeumannDemocracy & Solidarity with James Davison Hunter and David BrooksTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

Democracy & Solidarity with James Davison Hunter and David BrooksOne of the biggest questions in the Christian life is what it means to love one's neighbor, both in the personal and the public spheres. While these questions have always been challenging and contested, they seem to have grown increasingly divisive and demoralizing.So how do we begin to restore and reweave solidarity and a love for neighbor into our civic fabric?Today's episode features our recent evening conversation with sociologist and author James Davision Hunter and cultural critic and author David Brooks. Together they help us explore the cultural roots of America's crisis of solidarity, and what it may mean to move together towards a renewed commitment to the common good.“Until we understand the depth that the enemy is in fact not the other side, but in fact the enemy is the nihilism that insinuates itself within almost all of our public institutions, and not least our political institutions, we're really not taking the full measure of the crisis in front of us.” - James Davison HunterWe hope this conversation helps you consider how you’re engaging in relationships, and how the smallest acts of seeing another person and listening to their story can help begin to restore our social fabric and establish new cultural norms.This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in September of 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about James Davison Hunter and David Brooks.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:Culture Wars by James Davison HunterThe Death of Character by James Davison HunterScience and the Good by James Davison HunterTo Change the World by James Davison HunterDemocracy and Solidarity by James Davison HunterThe Social Animal by David BrooksThe Road to Character by David BrooksThe Second Mountain by David BrooksHow to Know a Person by David BrooksGeorge MarsdenAristotleThe Public Philosophy, by Walter LippmanArthur SchlesingerJohn BowlbyParker PalmerDavid HumeEdmund BurkeEddie HillisonSimone WeilMother TheresaAmerican Politics: The Promise of Disharmony, by Sam HuntingtonClarence ThomasThe Upswing, by Robert PutnamHoward UsockNicholas EpleyThe Communist ManifestoRelated Trinity Forum Readings:Wrestling with God, Simone WeilChildren of Light and Children of Darkness, by Reinhold NiebuhrPolitics, Morality, and Civility,  by Vaclav HavelThe Origins of Totalitarianism, by Hannah ArendtThe Federalist PapersA Practical View of Real Christianity, by William Wilberforce,Who Stands Fast? by Dietrich BonhoefferRelated Conversations:Hope Beyond Tribalism with James MumfordFaith, Fear & Conspiracy with David FrenchThe Fall, the Founding and the Future of American DemocracyHow to Be a Patriotic ChristianExtremism and the Path Back to Peace with Elizabeth NeumannTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

Extremism and the Path Back to Peace with Elizabeth NeumannThe appropriation of Christian images and language by extremists who advocate violence has become a shocking feature of our time. Surveys show alarming numbers of people who self-identify as religious expressing openness to political violence. Against such a distortion of Christian witness, how can we faithfully live out our calling to be people of peace?Today's episode features our recent conversation with national security expert Elizabeth Neumann, who offers insight and a sobering perspective on how radicalization has taken root among us and what we can do:“Find ways to check your in-group assumptions about their narratives. Particularly when the narratives involve others.” - Elizabeth NeumannAs we approach a national election, we hope this conversation helps you thoughtfully evaluate your own assumptions, and strengthens you to serve as a non-anxious presence within your broader community.This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in October of 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Elizabeth Neumann.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:Kingdom of Rage: the Rise of Christian Extremism and the Path Back to Peace, by Elizabeth NeumannRelated Trinity Forum Readings:Children of Light and Children of Darkness, by Reinhold NiebuhrPolitics, Morality, and Civility,  by Vaclav HavelThe Origins of Totalitarianism, by Hannah ArendtThe Federalist PapersA Practical View of Real Christianity, by William Wilberforce,Who Stands Fast? by Dietrich Bonhoeffer.Related Conversations:Hope Beyond Tribalism with James MumfordFaith, Fear & Conspiracy with David FrenchThe Fall, the Founding and the Future of American DemocracyHow to Be a Patriotic ChristianTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent BacoteAs the lines between faith, politics, and patriotism have become, in some quarters, increasingly blurred, it is increasingly important to understand the origin, ideas, and consequences of Christian Nationalism — what it means, why it matters, and how best to respond.“Responsible Christian patriots try to show how Christianity can be a service to the nation; extreme nationalists make Christianity a servant of the nation.” - Mark Noll“If you think about the cross: patriotism, rightly construed from a Christian point of view, will put the flag at the foot of the cross. Christian nationalism wants to drape the [flag] over them. So is God serving your country, the sponsor of your country, or are you, as a Christian, operating wherever you are and having loyalty, but not your primary loyalty to your country over God?” - Vincent BacoteWe hope you find this conversation insightful and helpful as you consider the state of our culture and shared political life, and your role in reviving responsible Christian patriotism.This podcast is an edited version of an Online Conversation recorded in June of 2021. You can access the full conversation with transcript here. Learn more about Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind by Mark NollGod and Race in American Politics: A Short History, by Mark NollThe Civil War as Theological Crisis, by Mark NollIn the Beginning Was the Word: The Bible in American Public Life, by Mark NollThe Political Disciple, A Theology of Public Life, by Vincent BacoteReckoning with Race and Performing the Good News, by Vincent BacoteThe Spirit in Public Theology: Appropriating the legacy of Abraham Kuyper, by Vincent BacoteRelated Trinity Forum Readings:A Narrative of the Life of Frederick DouglassCity of God by St. Augustine of HippoChildren of Light and Children of Darkness by Reinhold NiebuhrLetter from a Birmingham Jail by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.Related Conversations:Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval LevinThe Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent BacoteThe Decadent Society with Ross DouthatScience, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis CollinsBeyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene RiversJustice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac PierHealing a Divided Culture with Arthur BrooksAfter Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan HaidtTrust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie KristianHope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt ThompsonTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

What does wisdom mean for Christians in an age of polarization, cynicism, and distrust? In confronting the unique concerns of our time, what can help us become wise?On our podcast, Dr. Francis S. Collins joins us to discuss his new book, The Road to Wisdom, illuminating how truth, science, faith, and trust work together to help us discern the best path forward in life:“I think the time has come for many of us to say, I think I need to be part of a solution here. I need to say, it's not enough to say things shouldn't be like this. I'm ready to say, I shouldn't be like this. Let me try to get my house in order, get my worldview reset to the truth, to faith, if that's who I am, and not let all of this other noise out there knock me off my road to wisdom in a way that's bad for me and bad for my society.” - Francis Collins We hope this conversation helps you reflect on the acquisition of wisdom, and how Christians in particular might become agents of healing and trust building in the midst of a cynical and polarized culture.This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in September 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Francis Collins.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.Jonathan HaidtThe Road to Wisdom, by Francis S. CollinsThe Language of God, by Francis S. CollinsRené DescartesDavid HumeRelated Trinity Forum Readings:Telling Truth to Kings, by Reinhold SchneiderBrave New World, by Aldous HuxleyPolitics and the English Language, by George OrwellAugustine's ConfessionsThe Wager, by Blaise PascalThe Lost Tools of Learning, by Dorothy SayersRelated Conversations:Connecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael WearThe Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim AlbertaA Life Worth Living with Miroslav VolfTowards a Better Christian PoliticsChristian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of DifferenceWhat Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi AshworthScripture and the Public SquareHow to be a Patriotic ChristianLife, Death, Poetry & Peace with Philip YanceyThe Fall, the Founding, and the Future of American DemocracyFear and Conspiracy with David FrenchWords Against Despair with Christian WimanHope Beyond Tribalism with James MumfordTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

James Mumford, an author focused on ethics and political tribalism, delves into the pervasive issues of political polarization and personal isolation. He argues for the importance of self-reflection and empathy in bridging gaps between differing beliefs. Mumford highlights the dangers of blindly adhering to political affiliations and advocates for engaging in charitable dialogues that foster understanding. He emphasizes that Christian identity should transcend political identity, promoting a vision of civil discourse rooted in faith.