New Books Network

On Religion May 16, 2022

On Women of Color in American Islam

A Discussion with Sylvia Chan-Malik

Sylvia Chan-Malik

Hosted by Gregory Soden

Sylvia Chan-Malik is Associate Professor in the Departments of American and Women’s and Gender Studies at Rutgers University, New Brunswick. She talks, teaches, and writes about the intersections of race …

On Religion May 13, 2022

On the Religious Freedom Center and the First Amendment

A Discussion with Charles C. Haynes

Charles C. Haynes

Hosted by Gregory Soden

Charles C. Haynes is vice president of the Freedom Forum Institute / Religious Freedom Center and a senior scholar at the First Amendment Center. Haynes is best known for his …

On Religion May 13, 2022

Awkward Rituals

Sensations of Governance in Protestant America

Dana W. Logan

Hosted by Gregory Soden

In the years between the American Revolution and the Civil War, there was an awkward persistence of sovereign rituals, vestiges of a monarchical past that were not easy to shed …

On Religion May 12, 2022

On Addiction and Spirituality

A Discussion with Chris Grosso

Chris Grosso

Hosted by Gregory Soden

Chris Grosso is a youth mental health group facilitator with Newport Academy, public speaker, writer, and author of Indie Spiritualist (Beyond Words/Simon & Schuster, 2014), Everything Mind (Sounds True, 2105) …

On Religion May 11, 2022

On Buddhism for Children

A Discussion with Andrea Miller

Andrea Miller

Hosted by Gregory Soden

Andrea Miller is the deputy editor of Lion's Roar magazine (formerly the Shambhala Sun), a publication force within Buddhism that so many of you will already know, and the author …

On Religion May 10, 2022

On Teaching Religion on YouTube

A Discussion with Andrew M. Henry

Andrew M. Henry

Hosted by Gregory Soden

Andrew M. Henry is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Religion at Boston University and founder of the educational YouTube channel, Religion for Breakfast. Andrew has produced over 5 …

On Religion May 9, 2022

On Impermanence, Embodiment, and Conscious Intention

A Discussion with Deborah Eden Tull

Deborah Eden Tull

Hosted by Gregory Soden

Deborah Eden Tull is the founder of Mindful Living Revolution. She is a Zen meditation and mindfulness teacher, public speaker, author, activist, and sustainability educator. She trained for seven years …

On Religion May 6, 2022

On Rinzai Zen Life in Japan

A Discussion with Corey Ichigen Hess

Corey Ichigen Hess

Hosted by Gregory Soden

Corey Ichigen Hess is an ordained Zen monk and body therapist. He lived a monastic life for many years at Sogenji Zen Monastery in Okayama, Japan. He teaches meditation classes …

On Religion May 5, 2022

On Interfaith Activism, Sikhism, and Hinduism

A Discussion with Tahil Sharma

Tahil Sharma

Hosted by Gregory Soden

Tahil Sharma grew up in an interfaith family and practices Sikhism and Hinduism. He is a Program Manager for Faith Outreach at Brave New Films and an Interfaith Minister in …

On Religion May 4, 2022

On Christianity and American Political Culture

A Discussion with Matthew Bowman

Matthew Bowman

Hosted by Gregory Soden

Matthew Bowman received his PhD. in history from Georgetown University. He is associate professor of history at Henderson State University, where he teaches courses in American history since the Civil …

On Religion May 3, 2022

On Witchcraft and The Holy Wild

A Discussion with Danielle Dulsky

Danielle Dulsky

Hosted by Gregory Soden

Danielle Dulsky is the author of The Holy Wild: A Heathen Bible for the Untamed Woman, out now from New World Library. …

On Religion May 2, 2022

On Mary Magdalene in the Reformation

A Discussion with Margaret Arnold

Margaret Arnold

Hosted by Gregory Soden

Margaret Arnold is the Associate Rector of Grace Episcopal Church in Medford, Massachusetts. She received her PhD in Religious and Theological Studies from Boston University. Her new book, The Magdalene …

On Religion April 29, 2022

On Mindfulness and Happiness

A Discussion with Mark Van Buren

Mark Van Buren

Hosted by Gregory Soden

Mark Van Buren is a Mindful Living Trainer, yoga/meditation instructor, personal trainer, and musician, that has been promoting health and wellness for over a decade. He has run dozens of …

On Religion April 28, 2022

On Sikhism

A Discussion with Harbaksh Sangha, Jasmine Sangha, Chetan Hans, and Ranjana Hans

Harbaksh Sangha, Jasmine Sangha, Chetan Hans, and Ranjana Hans

Hosted by Gregory Soden

This episode introduces Sikhism, including an overview of the basic beliefs, practices, important people, and specific goals of the Sikh religion, practiced by around 25 million people worldwide, with its …

On Religion April 27, 2022

On Religious Literacy in American Education

A Discussion with Benjamin P. Marcus

Benjamin P. Marcus

Hosted by Gregory Soden

Benjamin P. Marcus is the religious literacy specialist with the Religious Freedom Center of the Newseum Institute, where he examines the intersection of education, religious literacy, and identity formation in …

On Religion April 26, 2022

On Relational Mindfulness

A Discussion with Deborah Eden Tull

Deborah Eden Tull

Hosted by Gregory Soden

Deborah Eden Tull, founder of Mindful Living Revolution, teaches the integration of compassionate awareness into every aspect of our lives. She is a Zen meditation and mindfulness teacher, public speaker …

On Religion April 25, 2022

Sincerely Held

American Secularism and Its Believers

Charles Alistair McCrary

Hosted by Gregory Soden

"Sincerely held religious belief" is now a common phrase in discussions of American religious freedom, from opinions handed down by the US Supreme Court to local controversies. The "sincerity test" …

On Religion April 25, 2022

On Evangelical Christian Nationalism in the Cold War

A Discussion with Daniel Hummel

Daniel Hummel

Hosted by Gregory Soden

The topic of this episode focuses on Dr. Daniel Hummel's piece, “The Limits of Evangelical Christian Nationalism during the Cold War,” which appears in the new book North American Churches …

On Religion April 22, 2022

Buddhish

A Guide to the 20 Most Important Buddhist Ideas for the Curious and Skeptical

C. Pierce Salguero

Hosted by Gregory Soden

Are you curious about Buddhism but find yourself met with scholarly texts or high-minded moralizing every time you try to pick up a book about it? Well, if so, relax …

On Religion April 22, 2022

On Rock'n'Roll, aka "The Devil's Music"

A Discussion with Randall J. Stephens

Randall J. Stephens

Hosted by Gregory Soden

Randall J. Stephens is an Associate Professor of British and American Studies at the University of Oslo. He previously taught at Northumbria University (Newcastle upon Tyne) and Eastern Nazarene College …