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Have You Ever Met a Secular Professor Who Became a Christian? In this episode of Good Faith, Curtis Chang talks with historian and UNC professor Molly Worthen about her surprising journey from secular skeptic to Christian believer—and what her story reveals about faith, doubt, college, and perceived crises in higher education. They explore why so many Christian students struggle with faith on secular campuses, how parents can help college-bound kids find mentors and community, and how Christian study centers are creating spaces for honest questions, intellectual formation, and spiritual growth. Molly also explains why the search for meaning in the age of AI may open new doors for Christian faith to thrive. 02:58 - Professor Molly Worthen Describes Her Faith Journey 06:22 - Is The Resurrection a Historical Truth? 10:23 - Molly's Leap of Faith Was Intellectual 11:25 - Why Do Students Leave Church in College? 13:48 - The Role of Christian Study Centers 19:49 - Students Seeking Mentorship 25:41 - Faith, Politics, and Crisis of Meaning 29:43 - The Timeless Questions of Faith Are Still the Dominant Ones 31:14 - What's The Professional Cost of Being a Public Christian on Campus? 34:01 - Can You Have a Healthy Relationship With Doubt? 39:28 - Advice for Parents of College-Bound Students More about the Consortium of Christian Study Centers More about the North Carolina Study Center Register for our America 250 episode recording with Russell Moore and David French Mentioned in This Episode: Molly Worthen's Spellbound LifeWay Research: Most Teenagers Drop Out of Church as Young Adults Tim Keller's The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism More From Molly Worthen: Molly Worthen's faculty page at UNC Molly Worthen's website Molly Worthen's Apostles of Reason: The Crisis of Authority in American Evangelicalism Follow Us: Good Faith on Instagram Good Faith on X (formerly Twitter) Good Faith on Facebook The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.

Are Aliens Demons, Our Cosmic Neighbors, or Something Stranger? Host Curtis Chang and author Andy Crouch explore the theological implications of UFOs, extraterrestrial life, and the possibility that humans are not the only created beings in the cosmos. They ask whether aliens should be understood as material creatures, angels and demons, image bearers, or cosmic neighbors—and what Scripture, Christian theology, and even Aquinas suggest about our human uniqueness. Along the way, they consider whether first contact would reveal Christian love, humility, and wonder—or our instinct toward fear and domination. 00:47 - Introduction to Alien Life and Declassified UFO Reports 02:19 - Do Aliens Exist? 08:32 - The Value of Pondering Alien Life 13:02 - Aliens vs. Angels and Demons 23:18 - God's Mysterious Creatures in Scripture 27:42 - The Octopus Dilemma and Human Specialness 38:26 - Missional Work and Alien Life? 44:26 - The Nature of God's Love 48:49 - Domination or Love : The Human Response to Aliens 50:58 - Andy Imagines Worshipping with Cosmic Neighbors Turn on Apple Podcasts Automatic Downloads: Go to the Settings app on your iPhone. Tap Apps, then tap Podcasts. Tap Automatically Download, then tap an option. Tip: To automatically download episodes from a particular podcast, go to the Podcasts app on your iPhone, tap Library, then tap Shows. Touch and hold the show, then tap Settings. Tap Automatically Download to limit automatic downloads to a certain number of episodes or a timeframe. Sign up for the Anxiety Opportunity Course Use the code: Goodfaith Scriptures Referenced: Job 1–2 (ESV) Job 38–41 (ESV) Genesis 1–2 (ESV) Genesis 4 (ESV) Ephesians 2 (ESV) 2 Peter 1:4 (ESV) Romans 8 (ESV) Isaiah 11 (ESV) Romans 10 (ESV) Mentioned in This Episode: UFO-related declassified files UAP disclosure Meghan Sullivan and Notre Dame's DELTA project What is the Fermi paradox? Eleanor Stump's Wandering in Darkness: Narrative and the Problem of Suffering C.S. Lewis's Perelandra Andy Weir's Project Hail Mary: A Novel A scene from Steven Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind A scene from Steven Spielberg's E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial A scene from Denis Villeneuve's Arrival St. Thomas Aquinas's Summa Theologica: reason / will / dominion Salvation as Theosis: The Teaching of Eastern Orthodoxy (article) Isaiah's peaceable kingdom Thunderbird in Native American traditions Do octopus brains work like humans'? (article) Pythagoras and Johannes Kepler's Musica Universalis or the Music of the Spheres More From Andy Crouch: Check out Andy's website Check out Andy's work at <a st...

Is Mortality the Enemy of a Meaningful Life? Curtis Chang sits down with psychologist Dr. Dan Allender for a searching conversation about aging, mortality, Christian hope, and the surprising freedom of growing older. Together, they explore why getting older is not merely decline, but an invitation to deeper purpose, tenderness, grace, and wisdom—especially in a culture determined to deny death. From caring for aging parents to reimagining retirement, Dan and Curtis offer biblical insight and personal honesty for anyone seeking renewed purpose, peace, and courage as we grow older. 00:43 - Introduction to Aging Well Spiritually, Not Physically 03:25 - Psalm 90 and When to Start Thinking About Age? 05:40- Why Does Our Culture Avoid Aging? 09:52 - Are There Gifts in Getting Older? 19:10 - Counting Your Days: A Biblical Perspective 25:05- Psalm 92: The Righteous Stay Vital By Serving Others 29:14 - The Problem with Retirement Culture 34:32 - What About the "Sandwich Generation"? 40:55 - Our Inner Emotional Age 44:45 - The Power of Story From Lives Well Lived 50:20 - Tending to Your Past Selves Please Enjoy the Reading Guide for This Episode: https://bit.ly/danallenderreadalong Turn on Apple Podcasts Automatic Downloads: Go to the Settings app on your iPhone. Tap Apps, then tap Podcasts. Tap Automatically Download, then tap an option. Tip: To automatically download episodes from a particular podcast, go to the Podcasts app on your iPhone, tap Library, then tap Shows. Touch and hold the show, then tap Settings. Tap Automatically Download to limit automatic downloads to a certain number of episodes or a timeframe. Sign up for The After Party Informational Webinars Sign up for The Good List Scriptures Referenced: Psalm 90:12 (all versions) Psalm 92:14 (all versions) Genesis 16 (ESV) Hebrews 4:11 (all versions) Mentioned in This Episode: Dylan Thomas's Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night Good Faith podcast episode 211: Nancy French's Joyful Grandparenting Lessons & Living Like Tomorrow Isn't Guaranteed Schindler's List scene: "I didn't do enough" More From Dan Allender: The Allender Center resources Dan Allender at The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology The Allender Center Podcast Follow Us: Good Faith on Instagram Good Faith on X (formerly Twitter) Good Faith on Facebook The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.

What Is Spiritual Weariness and How Can We Find Renewal? In this episode of The Good Faith Podcast, Curtis Chang chats with Tish Harrison Warren—Anglican priest, former New York Times columnist, and author of What Grows in Weary Lands—about burnout, spiritual weariness, and the exhaustion that escapism and rest alone cannot fix. Tish explains how polarization, digital distraction, consumerism, and isolation can leave us tempted to "flame out" or "numb out." Instead, she invites listeners to "go deeper" through prayer, silence, embodied community, Sabbath, and the difficult but meaningful commitments that lead to lasting renewal. 00:36 - Introduction to World Weariness 02:43 - Tish Describes the Draining Experience of Public Faith 06:04 - What Are the Cultural Factors of Collective Burnout? 13:01 - Dysfunctional Responses: Reinvention and Escape 15:01 - Flame Out, Numb Out, or Go Deep 20:51 - Are There Practical Steps to Go Deep? 23:29 - The Practice of "Staying in Your Cell" 26:40 - The Tough Sell of Going Deeper 32:07 - The "Dark Night of the Soul" as a Growth Stage 36:11 - Learning from Historic Church Practices 38:04 - What Do Healthy Rhythms of Engagement and Withdrawal Look Like? Sign up for The After Party Informational Webinars Sign up for The Good List Mentioned in This Episode: Tish Harrison Warren's What Grows in Weary Lands: On Christian Resilience The Ezra Klein Show: Burned Out? Start Here. Curt Thompson on Covid-era digital fatigue Thomas Aquinas's idea of arduous goods St. John of the Cross's The Dark Night of the Soul Stanley Hauerwas: Evangelicalism Will Die of Exhaustion (conversation with Al Mohler) the Desert Fathers and Mothers: "Stay in your cell" More From Tish Harrison Warren: Tish Harrison Warren's website Tish Harrison Warren's New York Times pieces Other books by Tish Harrison Warren Follow Us: Good Faith on Instagram Good Faith on X (formerly Twitter) Good Faith on Facebook The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.

What Is Spiritual Weariness and How Can We Find Renewal? In this episode of The Good Faith Podcast, Curtis Chang chats with Tish Harrison Warren—Anglican priest, former New York Times columnist, and author of What Grows in Weary Lands—about burnout, spiritual weariness, and the exhaustion that escapism and rest alone cannot fix. Tish explains how polarization, digital distraction, consumerism, and isolation can leave us tempted to "flame out" or "numb out." Instead, she invites listeners to "go deeper" through prayer, silence, embodied community, Sabbath, and the difficult but meaningful commitments that lead to lasting renewal. 00:36 - Introduction to World Weariness 02:43 - Tish Describes the Draining Experience of Public Faith 06:04 - What Are the Cultural Factors of Collective Burnout? 13:01 - Dysfunctional Responses: Reinvention and Escape 15:01 - Flame Out, Numb Out, or Go Deep 20:51 - Are There Practical Steps to Go Deep? 23:29 - The Practice of "Staying in Your Cell" 26:40 - The Tough Sell of Going Deeper 32:07 - The "Dark Night of the Soul" as a Growth Stage 36:11 - Learning from Historic Church Practices 38:04 - What Do Healthy Rhythms of Engagement and Withdrawal Look Like? Sign up for The After Party Informational Webinars Sign up for The Good List Mentioned in This Episode: Tish Harrison Warren's What Grows in Weary Lands: On Christian Resilience The Ezra Klein Show: Burned Out? Start Here. Curt Thompson on Covid-era digital fatigue Thomas Aquinas's idea of arduous goods St. John of the Cross's The Dark Night of the Soul Stanley Hauerwas: Evangelicalism Will Die of Exhaustion (conversation with Al Mohler) the Desert Fathers and Mothers: "Stay in your cell" More From Tish Harrison Warren: Tish Harrison Warren's website Tish Harrison Warren's New York Times pieces Other books by Tish Harrison Warren Follow Us: Good Faith on Instagram Good Faith on X (formerly Twitter) Good Faith on Facebook The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.

What Can Lead a Weary Soul to the Divine in a Post-Christian World? Malcolm Guite is back for part two of our chat with him, and this time we go from atheism to awe, from the Psalms to the Holy Grail, and from Keats to King Arthur. Malcolm tells the wild story of how poetry cracked open his imagination and shattered his unbelief, leading him into the living presence of God — then shows why Galahad and the Grail might be the ancient, weird, luminous story our burned-out, disenchanted world needs now. 00:00 - The Sonnet Epiphany 1. Magi 01:28 - Introduction to Malcolm Guite Part 2 03:37 - From Atheism to Wonder 06:27 - Encountering Keats's "Ode to a Nightingale" 12:11 - The Augustinian Idea of Beauty 15:18 - You Are Not the Center of the Universe 20:44 - "Take Up the Tale" A Ballad Introducing Guite's Arthurian Epic 23:54 - Why Does Retelling the Arthurian Legends Matter Now? 25:06 - The Truth of the Wasteland in the Modern World 27:19 - Conclusion and Credits Listen to Malcolm Guite pt. 1: Does Theology Need an Imaginative Spark to Grasp God's Mystery? Sign up for The After Party Informational Webinars Mentioned In This Episode: Malcolm Guite's Galahad in the Grail Malcolm Guite's Epiphany 1 The magi Malcolm Guite's Sounding the Seasons C.S. Lewis's Surprised by Joy John Keats' Ode to a Nightingale Saint Augustine, Bishop of Hippo's The Confessions Of Saint Augustine Scriptures Referenced In This Episode: Psalm 145 (1928 BCP) The Psalms (Coverdale edition) PDF version More from Malcolm Guite: Malcolm Guite's website and blog Malcolm Guite's Youtube channel Malcolm Guite's books Follow Us: Good Faith on Instagram Good Faith on X (formerly Twitter) Good Faith on Facebook The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.

Is Ukraine's Fight Against Tyranny Already America's Failure? New York Times opinion writer and Iraq War veteran David French joins Curtis Chang on the Good Faith podcast to explain why Ukraine may be the world-changing war Americans are ignoring. David argues that Ukraine's resistance to Russia has exposed America's retreat from moral leadership, transformed the global balance of power, and elevated Zelensky as one of the most consequential leaders of our time. From Trump's impact on NATO to Europe's growing defense buildup, Curtis and David explore what Ukraine reveals about U.S. power, Christian responsibility, global justice, and the fight against tyranny. Sign up for The After Party Informational Webinars Sign up for The Good List 02:41 - A Shift in the Balance of Power 08:51 - Ukraine's Rise as a World Power 10:03 - The "Trump Effect" on Germany, France, & Japan 16:30 - A Response to the Left's "Good Riddance to America" Argument 19:40 - Is the U.S. an unreliable partner? 25:41 - Why Americans Should Care About Global Affairs 30:00 - Who Is My Global Neighbor? 32:03 - Evangelicals' Narrow Political Focus 38:18 - Zelensky The Unlikely Hero 45:27 - Are There Virtues to Emulate from Zelensky? Mentioned in This Episode: David French's article Meet the New Leader of the Free World Canadian P. M. Mark Carney's speech "middle powers must act together" President Zelensky's February 24, 2022 address to Ukraine Jeffrey A. Friedman: The Myth of a Bipartisan Golden Age for U.S. Foreign Policy: The Truman-Eisenhower Consensus Remains Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies Scriptures: The Good Samaritan Luke 10:24-37 (ESV) Matthew 10:16-23 (ESV) More From David French: David French's New York Times pieces HERE Follow David French on Threads Follow Us: Good Faith on Instagram Good Faith on X (formerly Twitter) Good Faith on Facebook The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.

Is There a Hidden Power of Communion in a Hopeless Age? Hannah Miller King joins Curtis Chang on the Good Faith podcast to discuss her book Feasting on Hope: How God Sets a Table in the Wilderness and why communion is more than a symbolic church ritual. Together, they explore the Lord's Supper, Christian hope, embodied worship, and how the table of God forms Christians to resist consumer culture and carry resurrection-shaped love into a hopeless world. They discuss why this embodied practice connects believers to Christ's past sacrifice, present grace, and future return and show how the practice retrains our loves and sends us outward in mission. 02:28 - What Does Union with Christ Look Like Across All Traditions? 05:04 - The Differences: Symbolic vs. Sacramental Views 12:13 - Does the Lord's Supper Connect to Daily Life? 15:40 - Is It a Means of Hope in a Hopeless World? 26:40 - Is The Richness In "Remembering" Christ's Past, Present, and Future? 29:50 - Detaching From Worldly Loves to Re-Attach to God 33:10 - The Power of Routine Practice 35:09 - A Commission to Welcome Others Sign up for The After Party Sign up for The Good List Mentioned In This Episode: Hannah Miller King's book — Feasting on Hope: How God Sets a Table in the Wilderness Scriptures Referenced: Luke 22:19 (ESV) The Last Supper / Institution of Communion: Luke 22:14–20 (ESV), Matthew 26:26–29 (ESV), or Mark 14:22–25 (ESV) 1 Corinthians 11:23–26 (ESV) Revelation 19:6–9 (ESV) Exodus 12 (ESV) More from Hannah Miller King: Hannah Miller King's article at Christianity Today Hannah Miller King's website Follow Us: Good Faith on Instagram Good Faith on X (formerly Twitter) Good Faith on Facebook The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.

Imagination Combined with Reason Can Build a Sturdier Faith. Malcolm Guite invites us to recover a "baptized imagination," showing how poetry can do real theological work by carrying truth through image, beauty, sacrament, and story. Rather than replacing reason, imagination helps us perceive meaning—opening Scripture, creation, and the mystery of Christ in ways analysis alone cannot reach. 00:00 - A Sonnet for Saint Peter 01:16 - Introduction to the Episode 03:32 - Can Poetry Do Theology? 09:02 - What Is the Baptized Imagination? 11:09 - Reason, Imagination, and Meaning with C.S. Lewis 17:24 - The Eternal Act of Creation 20:07 - Conclusion and Preview of Part 2 Take the Listener Survey Sign up for The After Party Sign up for The Good List Mentioned In This Episode: Malcolm Guite's Galahad in the Grail Malcolm Guite's Parable and Paradox William Shakespoeare's Sonnet 18: Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? George Herbert's poem The Agonie C.S. Lewis's Bluspels and Flalansferes C.S. Lewis on Imagination and Reason in Christian Apologetics Samuel Taylor Coleridge's Biographia Literaria Scriptures Referenced In This Episode: 1 Corinthians 2 (ESV) Luke 22:19-20 (NJKV) Luke 10:27 (NKJV) John 1:1 (NIV) Psalm 19:1 (KJV) More from Malcolm Guite: Malcolm Guite's website and blog Malcolm Guite's Youtube channel Malcolm Guite's books Follow Us: Good Faith on Instagram Good Faith on X (formerly Twitter) Good Faith on Facebook The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.

How Can We Raise Capable Kids Without Rescuing Them? David Thomas, co-executive director of Daystar Counseling and co-author of Capable, joins Curtis Chang for a timely conversation on Christian parenting, kids' mental health, and raising resilient children in an age of anxiety. They explore why today's parenting culture can accidentally make kids less capable—and how faith, courage, and emotional resilience can help families face struggle without fear. If you're raising kids in this world shaped by stress, screens, and social pressure, this episode offers grounded, practical wisdom. 02:32 - It's Been a Decade of Youth Mental Health Crisis and Parental Stress 06:10 - Distinctively Christian Parenting vs. Secular Approaches 11:06 - Parenting as Spiritual Formation 16:31 - Has Language Inflation Made Parental Modeling More Important? 19:26 - How Do Some Parental Practices Undermine Capability? 25:39 - Managing Parental Discomfort and Allowing Growth 30:59 - Parenting as a Context for Parental Growth 32:02 - Death to Self and Parenting Young Adults 34:34 - Empathy and Questions: A Parental Script 36:43 - How Do Empathy and Agency Image God in Parenting? 38:17- Encouragement for Exhausted and Stuck Parents Take the Listener Survey Sign up for The After Party Sign up for The Good List Mentioned In This Episode: David Thomas & Sissy Goff's Capable: How to Teach Your Kids the Strengths, Skills, and Strategies to Build Resilience David's co-author Sissy Goff Jonathan Haidt's The Anxious Generation Jonathan Haidt's substack After Babel Katherine and Jay Wolf's Hope Heals Scriptures Referenced: John 16:33 (ESV) 2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV) Romans 8:29 (ESV) Genesis 4:26 (ESV) More from David Thomas: Listen to David's podcast: Raising Boys & Girls (with Sissy Goff, David Thomas, and Melissa Trevathan) Explore Daystar Counseling in Nashville, Tennessee Follow David on instagram: Raising Boys and Girls Other books by David Thomas Follow Us: Good Faith on Instagram Good Faith on X (formerly Twitter) Good Faith on Facebook The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.