In Good Faith

Adam Jortner explains how the American Revolution increased opportunities for Jews, allowing them to achieve citizenship and serve in the military. He also addresses the misconception that America was founded as a Christian nation. Adam Jortner is Professor of Religion in the Department of History at Auburn University. He specializes in the history of religion in the American Revolution and the early nation, with particular emphasis on religious liberty, patriotism and piety, theology, and new religious traditions. He is the author most recently of A Promised Land: Jewish Patriots, the American Revolution, and the Birth of Religious Freedom.

Patricia Matthews, an Episcopal priest in Little Rock, Arkansas, discusses her journey from Southern Baptist roots through a decade-long exploration of various religious traditions to her current role as the director of the Interfaith Center. Matthews highlights the importance of interfaith dialogue and shares personal stories of building interfaith relationships, combating fear, and the impact of a dedicated physical space for interfaith activities. The Rev. Patricia Matthews is Executive Director of The Interfaith Center and Assistant Rector at Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church. Under her leadership, the Center moved into its first standalone home and expanded citywide partnerships. She also speaks frequently on faith-in-action and religious freedom, including panels at BYU Law’s Religious Freedom Annual Review and Hendrix College.

David Toole shares lessons he's learned from the example of Maggy Barankitse, a woman driven to care for orphans of the Burundi and Rwanda genocides through her organization Maison Shalom. Today, Maggy lives in exile in Rwanda after narrowly escaping an assassination attempt in 2015. Maison Shalom was declared an illegal organization in Burundi and she was sentenced to life in prison by the Supreme Court of Burundi, convicted in absentia. She has re-established Maison Shalom in Rwanda. Maggy has received multiple humanitarian awards, including the Opus Prize, the UNESCO Prize, and the Aurora Prize. David Toole holds a joint appointment as associate professor in the Duke Global Health Institute and Duke Divinity School. He is author of Love Made Me an Inventor, about Maggy, and founder of Love’s Inventions, a non-profit dedicated to spreading Maggy’s message to the world and supporting her ongoing work in Africa.

J.S. Park, chaplain at Tampa General Hospital, shares his unique role in offering spiritual and emotional support to patients and families during their most traumatic moments, including insights about the nature of grief and the intersection of mental health and faith. J.S. Park is the author of As Long As You Need: Permission to Grieve, part hospital chaplain experience and part memoir. He is also the author The Voices We Carry: Finding Your One True Voice in a World of Clamor and Noise (2020).

Rachel Whipple joins the In Good Faith team for a discussion of Pema Chödrön's When Things Fall Apart--a classic in Buddhist literature for the last 20 years. They explore themes such as dealing with fear, facing discomfort, embracing impermanence, and practicing non-attachment. Pema Chödrön is a Buddhist nun, meditation teacher, and author. In 1981 she became the first American in the Vajrayana tradition to become a fully ordained nun. She has published over 20 books. Rachel Whipple is an attorney and Provo City Councilor, and a former Research Fellow at the International Center for Law and Religion Studies. She is also a member of the Provo Awakening Valley Sangha Board of Directors.

Helen Boursier discusses her experiences as a volunteer chaplain at an immigrant family detention center in Texas. She reflects on the profound faith and resilience of the asylum-seeking families she met, highlighting their spiritual strength and the love they embody, despite their hardships. The Rev. Dr. Helen Boursier, Ph.D., was known as “Pastora Helena” for two years inside an immigrant family detention center (2015 and 2016) where she used art as a pastoral care ministry with more than 5000 women and children seeking asylum. She continues to volunteer with, and advocate for, refugees seeking asylum. Dr. Boursier teaches religious and theological studies at the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, MN. ****** Also, we’d love to talk to you! Take this short survey and, if you’re chosen, we’d love to sit down for a 30-minute Zoom call to ask you about your experience with In Good Faith. https://byu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dj29lRRCkCKmhZc

Reverend John Song shares his background growing up in an immigrant Korean church, his career transition from band teacher to pastor, and his involvement with the One America Movement. Rev. John Song is the Senior Pastor at City of Hope Presbyterian Church in Columbia, MD. He is on the Board of Directors of the One America Movement, which partners with faith communities across religious, political, and racial divides to confront toxic polarization in our society. He received his Master of Divinity at Reformed Theological Seminary in Washington D.C,, and was ordained in the Presbyterian Church in America. ****** Also, we’d love to talk to you! Take this short survey and, if you’re chosen, we’d love to sit down for a 30-minute Zoom call to ask you about your experience with In Good Faith. https://byu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dj29lRRCkCKmhZc

Brad Pomerance, Executive Vice President and On-Air Host at Jewish Life Television (JLTV), shares his passion for Jewish genealogy, the mission of JLTV, and the challenges and importance of representing diverse Jewish stories. JLTV is North America’s largest and most robust 24/7 English language, Jewish-themed television network. As On-Air Host, Brad Pomerance is helming JLTV’s newest television series, the celebrity-driven, genealogy-themed television series Generations. Previously, Brad was honored with three Los Angeles-area Emmy nominations for his work at Local Edition and Channel 35. ****** Also, we’d love to talk to you! Take this short survey and, if you’re chosen, we’d love to sit down for a 30-minute Zoom call to ask you about your experience with In Good Faith. https://byu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dj29lRRCkCKmhZc

Imam Amir Durić, chaplain at Syracuse University, shares his experiences growing up during the Bosnian War, his path towards becoming an Imam, and his work in fostering interfaith dialogue. Amir Durić is the Assistant Dean for Religious and Spiritual Life at Syracuse, overseeing the Muslim Chaplaincy at Syracuse University/SUNY ESF and educational programs supporting Muslim students, faculty, and staff. Durić previously served as the Imam, Khatib, and Mu'allim for three years in Sarajevo, and seven years in the Delaware Valley-Philadelphia region. In September 2024, his work earned national recognition as Interfaith Innovation Fellow by Interfaith America, selected from over 200 applicants. ****** Also, we’d love to talk to you! Take this short survey and, if you’re chosen, we’d love to sit down for a 30-minute Zoom call to ask you about your experience with In Good Faith. https://byu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dj29lRRCkCKmhZc

Carla Fortmann shares how the Lexington Interfaith Garden began, how it contributes to the community, and what lessons we learn from gardening. Carla Fortmann is the leader of the Lexington Interfaith Garden, a community project beside the historic Lexington Battle Green that has supplied fresh produce to the local food pantry for 15 seasons. Carla is also a registered nurse, the manager of the museum shop at the Buckman Tavern, and the former owner of The Crafty Yankee, a gift shop in Lexington, MA.

Reverend Frederick Davie shares how mentors pointed him in the direction of education and service, and how faith and social change have always been connected in his life and community. Rev. Frederick Davie is Senior Executive Vice President for Public Theology and Civic Engagement at Union Theological Seminary. He is also the Co-Chair of the Interfaith Center of New York and the Co-Chair of the Advisory Board for the Center of Earth Ethics, and a member of the Bureau of the NGO Committee for Freedom of Religion or Belief. Mr. Davie serves on the Board of Trustees of Greensboro College, his alma mater. He has served for decades as a member of the Advisory Board of the Interfaith Assembly for Homelessness and Housing. Mr. Davie is a founder and past Chair of Faith 2020/Faith Forward. A Presbyterian minister in the Presbytery of New York City, Mr. Davie has served the national Presbyterian Church, the NYC presbytery, and local congregations in various volunteer capacities.

Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg, Daisy Khan, and Chris Hayes join Steve to discuss how the story of Hagar, Sara, and Abraham infuse the Jewish, Muslim, and Christian traditons and thought. Named "rabbi to watch" by Newsweek, Danya Ruttenberg is the author of 8 books about the intersection of Jewish theology, parenting, feminism, and other topics. She was previously a guest on IGF in Episode 122: “Making Amends in an Unapologetic World.” Daisy Khan is the author of 30 Rights of Muslim Women: A Trusted Guide (2024). She is also the founder of Women’s Islamic Initiative in Spirituality and Equality (WISE), a global network of Muslim women committed to peacebuilding, gender equality, and human dignity. Daisy was on the show in Episode 138 when she spoke about her memoir Born with Wings (2018) and her experience with the hajj. She spoke about her book “30 Rights…” on Episode 263. Chris Hays teaches at Fuller Seminary and directs the master’s program in Ancient Near Eastern Studies in the School of Mission and Theology. He served as the US State Department Educational and Cultural Affairs Annual Professor at the Albright Institute of Archaeological Research in Jerusalem for 2022–23. He is ordained in the Presbyterian Church (USA).

Cherie Harder of the Trinity Forum shares the need for hospitality and civil discourse in times of political division, as well as how to ground oneself in faith in order to navigate political challenges while maintaining belief. Plus, Ms. Harder shares her recent experience on the Camino de Santiago. Cherie Harder is President of the Trinity Forum, a DC-based think tank, whose mission is to work “for the renewal of society by cultivating, curating and disseminating the best in Christian thinking for the common good, and by helping leaders to think, work, and live wisely and well.” Previously, she has worked in politics including as Special Assistant to the President and Director of Policy and Projects for First Lady Laura Bush and Senior Counselor to the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). She is also a Senior Fellow at Cardus, an Editorial Board member of Comment magazine, a current board member of the Convergence Center for Policy Resolution and Faith and Law, and an advisory board member of the National Museum of American Religion.

Pastor Amy Butler joins Steve to discuss her struggle with faith, coping with loss, and experiences as a female pastor in a male-dominated tradition--and how community and ritual brought her healing and peace. Pastor Amy Butler is the Designated Pastor at the Community Church of Honolulu in Hawai’i. Previously, she served for five years as Senior Minister and first woman at the helm of The Riverside Church in the City of New York. She’s also served as pastor in churches in Washington, D.C., and New Orleans. She recently founded Invested Faith, which helps individuals and religious institutions use their assets to fund the work of faith-rooted social entrepreneurs building businesses that are changing unjust systems. Pastor Amy grew up in Hawaii, the daughter of a leader in the Hawaiian community. She is the author of a memoir, Beautiful and Terrible Things, and more recently, Holy Disruption.

Adam Davis joins Steve in studio to share how music was important to his faith journey and his identity as a Jew. Cantor Adam Davis is the Cantor at Congregation Kol Ami in Salt Lake City, UT. He has served Temple Beth-El of Great Neck in New York, having also done so for communities in California, Illinois, Maryland and Virginia. Cantor Davis has composed many original songs and musical settings of Jewish prayers. His Uvchein was published in 2023 by Transcontinental Music Publications as part of High Holy Days Anthology, Volume II. Cantor Davis is a graduate of University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion's Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music. Prior to his pulpit work, Cantor Adam founded KFAR Jewish Arts Center in Chicago. Under his leadership, KFAR produced and presented dozens of concert events and engaged thousands of attendees in cutting edge Jewish cultural and musical experiences.

Dr. Najeeba Syeed discusses how peacebuilding and lived religion unify us and how they're crucial to a democratic society. Najeeba Syeed is the inaugural El-Hibri endowed chair and executive director of Interfaith at Augsburg University in Minneapolis MN. She co-edited the book “Critical Approaches to Interreligious Education,” and she’s been feature in the Los Angeles Times, or NPR, PBS, and other television shows, and she lectures at major universities across the US.

Ellen Skrmetti talks to Steve about her faith, her family, and the way humor has helped her navigate life's challenges. Ellen Skrmetti is the comic talent behind “Hey Jesus, It’s Me”--Instagram sketches about a middle-aged, southern-woman’s opinions on mamas, menopause, and menus. Based in Birmingham, Alabama, Ellen has trained with Second City and tours as a stand-up comedian. She has recently published her story in a new book, called Hey Jesus It’s Me.

This episode is a conversation about suicide and ways to prevent it. We know this can be a difficult topic, so please take care while listening. If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or thinking about suicide, you can call or text 988 in the US or visit 988lifeline.org for free, confidential help anytime. -------- Jacob Coyne shares how his ministry StayHereLive is transforming lives through suicide prevention and faith. He speaks powerfully about how community can make a difference. Jacob Coyne is a preacher, a Christian content creator, and the founder of Stay Here, a mental health organization that raises awareness through bold and encouraging messaging and equips others to save lives from suicide. He and his wife, Mariah, have three daughters and live in east Tennessee.

We'll be back with more episodes of In Good Faith on Sept 7, bit for now here's a taste of Take a Leap, our faith & spirituality show that we spun off with the work and commitment of IGF student producers. Take A Leap hosts talk to you people of faith who are changing the world. Please share with a young person in your life.

In Good Faith returns with new episodes Sept 7. Until then, join Voiceover for a discussion with director Morgan Atkinson about his recent documentary about the Ursuline convent in Louisville, KY, or as Morgan puts it, "a clear-eyed look at many faith-filled lives and one in particular." You can follow and subscribe to Voiceover on Apple, Spotify, or the BYUradio app. Share with the movie lover in your life.