Common Threads: An Interfaith Dialogue

For centuries theologians, clergy and laity within the Abrahamic traditions have made great attempts to define where the concepts of love and justice fall within their faiths. Many Christians are quick to acknowledge that Christianity is indeed a religion founded on the principle of love, but look upon the Hebrew scriptures as being little more than a set of moral codes provided by a deity who is more concerned with the performance of ritual and appeasement. A similar view is held by many about Islam. But in Kelly Clark's new book 'Raging Fire of Love' he takes a deep dive into the sacred scriptures of these religions to offer evidence that all of them hold as their high priority the understanding that the God of Judaism, Christianity and Islam is a loving God; and that adherents to those religions are expected to replicate that love to our "neighbors" (read: everyone) in daily life.

One of the most important aspects of the interfaith movement is raising the bar from mere tolerance (Hey, I'll let you live!) to pluralism, which encourages actual engagement with those of different theologies while still maintaining one's own personal beliefs. For years now, Harvard has measured this movement in the US and occasionally helps those interested in our religious landscape get a better understanding of where we are and the conversations that still need to happen. In her new book "Pluralism in Practice" Elinor Pierce examines several recent case studies where members of religious groups have had to work out challenging issues with other groups or local governments. Each one is a compelling story in its own right.

Fred Stella welcomes MSU historian Emily Conroy-Krutz to Common Threads to discuss her book, Missionary Diplomacy The American Christian church has historically been at the forefront of the missionary movement abroad. This is not news. But what many people are not aware of is that for much of the 19th century, Church and State engaged in a serious effort to marry the work of missionaries with a burgeoning diplomatic corps. So, along with evangelizing the peoples of many nations, these churchmen and women were influencing foreign policy and international relations. As with most human endeavors, there are bright spots and dark ones. In her new book, Missionary Diplomacy, Prof. Conroy Krutz illuminates the crucial place of religion in nineteenth-century American diplomacy. From the 1810s through the 1920s, Protestant missionaries positioned themselves as key experts in the development of American relations in Asia, Africa, the Pacific, and the Middle East. Missionaries served as consuls, translators, and occasional trouble-makers who forced the State Department to take actions it otherwise would have avoided. Yet as decades passed, more Americans began to question the propriety of missionaries’ power. Were missionaries serving the interests of American diplomacy? Or were they creating unnecessary problems? As Emily Conroy-Krutz demonstrates, they were doing both. Across the century, missionaries forced the government to articulate new conceptions of the rights of U.S. citizens abroad and of the role of the US as an engine of humanitarianism and religious freedom. By the time the US entered the first world war, missionary diplomacy had for nearly a century created the conditions for some Americans to embrace a vision of their country as an internationally engaged world power. Emiy’s book, Missionary Diplomacyexposes the longstanding influence of evangelical missions on the shape of American foreign relations. Emily Conroy-Krutz is a historian of the global history of nineteenth-century America. She has particular interests in American empire and the international dimensions of American religion and reform. She is also the author of Christian Imperialism: Converting the World in the Early American Republic (Cornell, 2015). Along with Michael Blaakman and Noelani Arista, she edited The Early Imperial Republic: From the American Revolution to the U.S.-Mexcian War (Penn, 2023). At Michigan State, she teaches courses on American foreign relations, women’s history, revolutionary America, religion, and legal history. She serves as undergraduate honors advisor and mentors the History Scholars.

Over the years we've had many discussions on human sexuality and spirituality, including religion's response to homosexuality. As of late, Pope Francis has been making headlines and encouraging controversy with his recent declaration that gives permission to priests to bless gay couples. While many have accused the pontiff of opening the door to a future that endorses same-sex marriage, allies are insisting that this is not the case. The issue here is quite technical and nuanced. To unravel it all we called upon Ryan Di Corpo, a protege of Fr. James Martin (an advocate encouraging dialogue on this issue who has appeared on Common Threads several times). Ryan has a great understanding of the history of how the Church has dealt with this hot-button topic and where they may go from here. Ryan Di Corpo is the managing editor of Outreach. A former Joseph A. O’Hare, S.J., fellow at America, his work has appeared in The Washington Post, Boston College Magazine, The Emancipator and elsewhere. He holds a B.A. in film from Fordham University and an M.A. in journalism from Northeastern University, in Boston. He has been interviewed by several outlets, including Newsweek, the National Catholic Reporter and The Washington Times. He is originally from Massachusetts.

For centuries, Judeo-Christian culture has held a place for the more esoteric elements of spirituality. These would include alchemy, magic, astrology, mysticism and more. Most western religions reject them now as superstitious, or even dangerous. But several millennia ago, the practitioners of these arts (as they were classified then) were members in good standing of their churches, synagogues and mosques. In this episode, Fred discusses the subject "Esoterica" with a man who has a Ph. D in the subject: Justin Sledge.

Rabbi David Krishef & I have been friends & colleagues for years. We've had him on before to discuss a fascinating event in his life several years ago. We're having him on again, this time to discuss a remarkable new book of his. If you are a fan of the poetry of the Psalms, I think you'll find this compelling.

A cynic might chalk this up to a bit of nepotism, but I would protest. Tom Stella, my cousin, has made more appearances on Common Threads than any other guest. But aside from the sharing of DNA, Tom continues to explore the deeper parts of spirituality in which so many find resonance. In these 2 episodes we discuss his latest book "Meditation for Mediocre Mystics." Tom was ordained a Catholic priest at Notre Dame in 1972; an event I'm pleased to say I witnessed. He currently serves as a chaplain, retreat leader, spiritual advisor and author. Oh, and he continues to marry and bury a good number of members in his large extended Italian-American family. I suspect you'll enjoy this.

Even though it's been over 40 years, the memory of Jonestown and the massacre that ended it still haunts the American psyche. Few realize that the number of Americans killed on that fateful day is the highest right under the Twin Tower attacks of 9/11. Since the initial reporting of the event, little attention has been paid to any Michigan connections. Recently, MLive reporter Cole Waterman learned of a small group of citizens from various parts of the state who did meet their end in Guyana. He decided to focus on the life and death of one person in particular--Shirlee Fields. In this episode we discuss how Jonestown fascinated Cole, who was not yet born when this all happened. And we get a glimpse of a hometown girl who grew up with a passion to fight social injustice, but was ultimately led into a toxic cult that belied the ideals she held so strongly. Here are the 2 episodes where we featured Cole.

One of the most contentious issues of 19th Century Christian America revolved around the veracity of the story of Joseph Smith and his discovery of golden plates that became the foundation of the Book of Mormon. In these episodes we speak with Prof. Richard Bushman, whose book on this subject is perhaps the most detailed on the subject you'd want to see.. What piqued my interest is that while Dr. Bushman is a practicing Mormon, his academic credentials are impeccable. And he retired from Columbia University. This is interesting because so many academicians in the field of Religious Studies are actually quite secular. Above & beyond the main focus of our conversation, I question him on what it's like to be a believer in a conservative religion in the midst of the liberal landscape of college campus. Listen to what he says.

In these episodes we converse with 4 writers of religion who contributed to the now best selling book Sitting In the Shade of Another Tree. And yeah, I'm in it as well, but please don't hold that against the book and these fine minds. We were all tasked with writing an essay on a religion not our own that we hold in high estimation for one reason or another. This is a very intimate look into the personal journeys of people who in most cases did not find much value in faiths outside of their fold. Great conversations. Listen!

Armin Langer is a DAAD Visiting Assistant Professor at the Center for European Studies. Prior to joining CES, he was a Visiting Research Scholar at Brandeis University's Schusterman Center for Israel Studies in Waltham, MA, a Transatlantic Partnership on Memory & Democracy Fellow at the Center for German Studies at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, and worked for the Center for Jewish Ethics at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in Wyncote, PA. His research interests are migration, identity politics and populism in Europe and the US. He is author of a monograph on German-Jewish integration, co-edited an anthology on Jewish-Muslim entanglements and published several articles in edited volumes and peer-reviewed journals, including the German Studies Review (SSCI, AHCI), Studi Irlandesi. A Journal of Irish Studies (ESCI) and Journal of Jewish Ethics (ESCI). He has received various prizes and grants, such as the Western Jewish Studies Association's Baron Award or the University of Notre Dame's Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism Grant. Armin holds a Ph.D. in sociology from the Humboldt University of Berlin. He also studied philosophy and Jewish studies in Budapest, Jerusalem, Potsdam, and Washington, D.C., and graduated with two M.A.'s and two B.A.'s. He was ordained as a rabbi by the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and has had teaching and pulpit positions in Jewish communities in the US, Mexico, Sweden, Germany, Austria and Hungary.

Diane Winston

Eschatology (the study of end times predictions) has always fascinated me. I'm pleased that these 2023 episodes explain a great deal that I'm sure many of us did not know. Prof. Donald Akenson provides great details on how fundamentalist theology made its way from Britain and Ireland to these shores. This scriptural interpretation has been the cause of a great cacophony of imprecise prognostications that have left many Christians heartbroken and disillusioned. Yet, the beliefs continue...and continue..and, well, you know.

Jai Bansal Hinduism in America

If you are a devotee of mythologist Joseph Campbell you know his mantra for years was "follow your bliss." In the proper context, this can be a wonderful aspiration. However, some may take it at face value and end up living a rather selfish, vapid existence. Fr. Adam Bucko turned this saying on its head by titling his book "Follow Your Heartbreak." By this he means that we can find great fulfillment by looking to serve those on the margins of society. Believe me, this is a man that has been walking his talk for ages. Listen to this and be inspire to be the change you want to see.

Common Threads is both honored and humbled to be named as the #1 podcast in the arena of interfaith. We are indebted to all of you who download, listen or otherwise support our efforts. You can see the list that includes other fine programs as well here:https://blog.feedspot.com/interfaith_podcasts/

I am so pleased to have found yet another cassette tape in my basement from way back when that I'm thrilled to share. All signs point to these episodes being recorded in 2002. Fr.Richard Neuhaus, who died in 2009, was a force to be reckoned with in the conservative Catholic movement. He was the editor of 1st Things Magazine, a journal of social and religious right-of-center commentary. But we really didn't get into that sort of conversation. The focus here was on his book "As I Lay Dying." In recent times there have been more than a few books from Christians about personal experiences with their own death and some sort of afterlife journey. We've even talked about one such story that was embarrassingly debunked by the author years later (Episodes 12 & 13: I Did Not Die & Go to Heaven). But Fr. Neuhaus speaks with a sense of gravitas that compels you to listen, even though belief is another matter. I encourage you to give this a try.

There are many people of faith who, upon maturing in their spiritual growth, become willing to view the stories that surround the origins of their religions as more allegorical than historical. Admittedly, it's perhaps more challenging to find Muslims who are open to this understanding about their tradition than Jews or Christians. My understanding is that those Muslims who do question the historicity of the their scriptures tend to become ex-Muslims. In these episodes we explore how the Qur'an was created. As with all ancient religions, there is always a bit of a chasm between what academia discovers through the historical process and what the faithful are taught to believe. Sometimes it gets tense.

Every once in a while there will be episodes about projects that I've been personally involved in. This is that. These 2023 conversations are with Dr. Frank Tedesco of True Dharma International. He produced and directed a documentary that is intended to advise caregivers and medical personnel on providing comfort to those adherents in the Dharmic religions (Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism) who are nearing the end of life. It is a very powerful and significant work. I am honored to have narrated this film. If the discussions here interest you enough, please go to https://youtu.be/7PCUviLdyw0 to watch the film in its entirety.

In the Hindu tradition there is the stage of life called Vanaprastha. It is when one retires from many family and professional responsibilities to dedicate more time to spiritual advancement. Our guest on these 2023 episodes is not Hindu, but Unitarian Universalist. Rev. W. Fred Wooden, and he is expressing this epoch in his life by pilgrimage. He has traversed the globe, honoring multiple religious traditions as he walks the well trodden paths of our ancestors. Fred is a longtime friend of mine. At one point in his ministry he had a radio show of his own: Faith & Reason. I was a frequent guest. When I was we called the episode "Common Freds." Much of our conversation here revolves around a recent pilgrimage he took in Japan. His reminiscences of that experience is recorded in the book "Basho and I Take a Long Walk."