Shifting Culture – Détails, épisodes et analyse

Jason Green was serving in the Obama White House when a phone call from his mother sent him home to sit with his grandmother in the hospital — and into a story he never knew was his. In this conversation, we talk about the hidden history of Quince Orchard, a Black community founded after emancipation, and three segregated churches that chose to merge in 1968 after Dr. King’s assassination. We explore remembrance before reconciliation, the communal strength of the Black church, breaking cycles of harm, and what it actually costs to build resilient, integrated community in a divided time. If you’re asking where we go from here — chaos or community — this episode is for you.

Jason G. Green is a Maryland-born community organizer, attorney, entrepreneur, and storyteller whose work sits at the intersection of economic opportunity, community trust-building, and democratic renewal. He is the author of the forthcoming book Too Precious to Lose (One World | Penguin Random House, 2026), an intimate narrative that blends a personal, community history with a broader call to repair the connections that bind us together.

Green served as Special Assistant to the President and Associate White House Counsel to President Obama, advising on domestic and economic policy during the recovery from the Great Recession. He later co-founded SkillSmart, a pioneering workforce and economic-impact software company that has helped quantify more than $100 billion in economic development activity and supported a talent pipeline of more than 50,000 skilled workers across the United States.
He is the President and CEO of EverGreen Labs, a strategy studio that helps organizations deepen stakeholder alignment, improve market positioning, and drive measurable business outcomes. Green previously served as Executive-in-Residence at Zeal Capital Partners, supporting early-stage companies focused on the future of work, financial technology, and health equity.

A civic leader deeply committed to history, memory, and reconciliation, Green is a trustee of the Pleasant View Historic Association and a founding commissioner and former chair of the Montgomery County Commission on Remembrance and Reconciliation. His award-winning PBS documentary, Finding Fellowship, explores the intertwined Black and white history of Quince Orchard and the community-led fight to preserve its legacy

Green has served several corporate and nonprofit boards, including Daivergent, Flare, Clear Impact, Per Scholas, the Arena, the Washington University Alumni Board of Governors and Regional Cabinet, and the Yale Law School Executive Committee and is a non-resident fellow at the Urban Institute. He holds a J.D. from Yale Law School and a B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis.
His work—spanning technology, public service, storytelling, and community leadership—is rooted in a belief that our shared future depends on our capacity to connect and build together. Green currently lives in Dallas, Texas, with his wife Ritu and their son Aidan.

Jason's Book:

Too Precious to Lose

Jason's Recommendation:

Great Expectations

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In this episode, I sit down with Hannah Miller King to talk about hope when life doesn’t resolve neatly. We explore what it means to live in the now and the not yet, how grief, loss, and unanswered prayers shape our faith, and why Christian hope isn’t the same thing as optimism. We talk about the table, the Eucharist, and the idea that salvation is less about transaction and more about union with God. This conversation wrestles honestly with suffering, expectancy versus expectation, and the courage it takes to keep loving and hoping in a broken world - without rushing past the pain.

Hannah Miller King is an Anglican priest and writer in western North Carolina. She is the associate pastor of the vine Anglican Church and author of “Feasting On Hope: How God Sets a Table in thr Wilderness” (IVP)

Hannah's Book:

Feasting on Hope

Hannah's Recommendations:

Between Two Kingdoms

The Teacher of Nomad Land

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In this episode, I sit down with Nathan Clarkson, author of I’m the Worst, for an honest conversation about brokenness, shame, confession, and freedom. Nathan shares what it was like growing up in a well-known Christian family, learning how to perform moral goodness while hiding the parts of himself he didn’t know how to face, and how confronting that reality became the beginning of healing rather than the end of the story. We talk about moral superiority, cancel culture, and the ways fear turns both politics and church life into tribes instead of communities. We also dig into the difference between shame and conviction, why confession and forgiveness matter so much for spiritual formation, and how dehumanization always leads to harm. This conversation is for anyone who is tired of polarized Christianity and is looking for a more honest, freeing, and love-shaped way forward.

Nathan Clarkson is the author of I’m the Worst, and an award-winning actor, a Netflix-trending filmmaker, and best-selling author of several books, including Different and Uniquely You. He is a podcast philosopher on the award-winning show The Overthinkers. Nathan writes regularly on the intersection of faith and culture for the Patheos column Cross Cultural and has been featured in outlets such as the Today Show, LA Times, Variety, and Relevant Magazine. Find out more at nathanclarkson.me.

Nathan's Book:

I'm the Worst

Nathan's Recommendation:

The Hidden Habits of Genius

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There's a geography of limitation that exists not on any map, but in the quiet territories of our own making. Stories that whisper: this is as far as you'll go. Today, we are talking with Mary Marantz - a woman who understands that our beginnings are not our boundaries. Growing up in a single-wide trailer on the tippy top of Fenwick Mountain, she learned something profound: that grace isn't about erasing your history, but making peace with it. Imagine a young girl watching the world from that precipice, learning that survival isn't just about enduring, but reimagining. Mary's journey from that trailer to Yale Law School isn't a bootstrapping narrative of triumph, but a meditation on grace, on the way unexpected paths unfold when we listen carefully to the whispers of our own potential. How do we create space between who we were told we could be and who we are actually called to become? How do we recognize that the most revolutionary act might be showing up, day after day, for the work that won't let go of us? Mary writes about fear like an old friend - not something to vanquish, but to understand. She knows that the stories we tell ourselves are powerful, that they can either keep us small or become the very ground from which we grow. So join us as we walk through those stories together - not as a roadmap, but as an invitation. Here’s my conversation with Mary Marantz.

Mary Marantz is the bestselling author of Dirt and Underestimated, as well as the host of the popular podcast The Mary Marantz Show. She grew up in a trailer in rural West Virginia and was the first in her family to go to college before going on to Yale for law school. Her work has been featured on CNN, MSN, Business Insider, Bustle, Thrive Global, Southern Living, Hallmark Home & Family and more. She and her husband Justin live in an 1880s fixer-upper by the sea in New Haven, Connecticut, with their two very fluffy golden retrievers, Goodspeed and Atticus. Learn more at MaryMarantz.com.

Mary's Book:

Underestimated

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Today, we’re getting into the raw, unvarnished terrain of human longing - that aching space where despair meets unexpected grace. I’m excited to welcome back David Zahl on the podcast. He isn't here to offer another self-help platitude, but to explore something far more profound: how we find relief in a world that constantly demands more, faster, better. Imagine grace not as a churchy concept, but as a radical interruption - a surprising breath of fresh air in a culture suffocating on its own expectations. We'll talk about play, productivity, regret, and those moments when God whispers, "You are more than your achievements." This conversation is a map for the weary, a compass for those feeling crushed by life's relentless pressures. We'll explore how grace shows up in unexpected places - through music, through suffering, through the simple act of truly listening. If you've ever felt overwhelmed, stuck, or like you're perpetually running on an endless treadmill, this conversation is your permission to breathe. To rest. To receive. So join us as we figure out what it means to be human in a world that rarely slows down.

David Zahl is the founder and director of Mockingbird Ministries, editor-in-chief of the Mockingbird website (www.mbird.com), and co-host of both The Mockingcast and The Brothers Zahl podcasts. He and his family live in Charlottesville, Virginia, where he also serves on the staff of Christ Episcopal Church. Zahl is the author of Seculosity: How Career, Parenting, Technology, Food, Politics, and Romance Became Our New Religion and What To Do About It and Low Anthropology: The Unlikely Key to a Gracious View of Others (and Yourself). His next book, The Big Relief: The Urgency of Grace for a Worn-Out World comes out in April 2025 from Brazos Press. His writing has been featured in The Washington Post, Christianity Today, and The Guardian, among other venues.

David's Book:

The Big Relief

David's Recommendations:

Evangelism in an Age of Despair

Meditations for Mortals

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Today, we're having a conversation that will challenge what you think you know about the devil, evil, temptation, and spiritual warfare. Jared Brock is back with us - if you remember our last incredible conversation about Jesus, where we unpacked the human life of Christ and the political imagination of his time, you know Jared brings profound theological insights that challenge our perceptions. This time, we're exploring a figure who's been misunderstood, mythologized, and frankly, given way too much credit: the devil. Who is he really? What's his actual role in the cosmic story of redemption? Jared's new book, "A Devil Named Lucifer," promises to right-size our understanding - minimizing the devil and magnifying the true King. If you're ready to see spiritual reality through a lens of hope, kingdom advancement, and radical trust in God's ultimate victory, then this episode is for you. So join us as we right-size the devil. 

Jared Brock is an award-winning author and director of several films including PBS's acclaimed Redeeming Uncle Tom with Danny Glover. His writing has appeared in Christianity Today, The Guardian, Smithsonian, USA Today, Huffington Post, Relevant, and TIME. He has traveled to more than forty countries, including North Korea, Transnistria, and the Vatican. Learn more at jaredbrock.com.

Jared's Book:

A Devil Named Lucifer

Jared's Recommendation:

Forgive Them Their Debts

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Today, we're diving into the journey of Sister Monica Clare - a woman who went from working in advertising and doing stand-up comedy to becoming a nun. Her story is a powerful testament to finding who you truly are and discovering a deeper connection with God. We'll explore her path of discernment, her experiences in religious community, and how she's now using TikTok to break down misconceptions about religious life. Sister Monica Clare will share insights on prayer, community, and finding your true calling - revealing that spiritual life isn't about perfection, but about genuine human connection and love. We explore a lot in her story, so join us. 

Sister Monica Clare is the Sister Superior at the Community of St. John Baptist, an Episcopal convent based in New Jersey, and a spiritual counselor specializing in religious trauma, mental illness, and addiction. Before becoming a nun in 2012, she worked as a photo editor in L.A. and performed in an acoustic rock duo and an improv comedy troupe.

Sister Monica's Book:

A Change of Habit

Sister Monica's Recommendation:

God Didn't Make Us to Hates Us

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We live in a world often defined by borders, fear, and division, but what if we could reimagine migration not as a threat, but as a sacred journey? Today, we're diving into a conversation that challenges what we think we know about immigrants, hospitality, and what it truly means to love our neighbor. I'm sitting down with Isaac Villegas, a Mennonite pastor and author of "Migrant God," who will take us on a transformative exploration of how faith calls us to see strangers not as enemies, but as gifts from God. We'll unpack powerful stories of hope, discuss the biblical foundations of migration, and discover how resurrection life can defeat our culture of fear. From sanctuary churches protecting undocumented families to profound moments of unexpected hospitality, this conversation will challenge you to see the world - and your neighbors - through a lens of radical love. So join us as we navigate how we love our neighbors no matter who they are. 

Isaac is an ordained minister in the Mennonite Church USA. His pastoral vocation has involved him in community organizing for immigrant justice.

Isaac's Book:

Migrant God

Isaac's Recommendation:

Santurio

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Today, we're sitting down with John Kasich, former Governor of Ohio and a passionate advocate for community-driven change. In his new book 'Heaven Help Us', Kasich explores how faith institutions can be powerful catalysts for solving local problems. We'll dive into stories of everyday people who are making real differences in their communities, from fighting human trafficking to supporting refugees. This conversation is about hope, grassroots action, and how ordinary people can create extraordinary change when they work together. John shares personal stories and insights about bottom-up problem solving, the role of faith communities, and why believing in our collective potential matters more than ever. So join us as we join together with faith communities to make a real difference in our society. 

John Kasich is a national leader who has spent a lifetime bringing people together to solve big problems and leave the world around them just a little bit better than they found it. Kasich served as the 69th governor of Ohio and ran for President during the 2016 GOP primary. His message focused on unifying Americans rather than dividing them, championing the great potential of our citizens to make positive impacts in their own communities, a strong national defense, and the importance of our international alliances. Today, he runs the Kasich Company and serves as a political analyst for NBC, CNBC, and MSNBC. He is the author of four New York Times bestsellers: Courage Is Contagious; Stand for Something; Every Other Monday; Two Paths, and It’s Up to Us. His most recent book, Heaven Help Us is available April 8. He is married to Karen Kasich and is the proud father of adult twin daughters.

John's Book:

Heaven Help Us

John's Recommendations:

Our Heavenly Father

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

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We have a bonus episode for you today. I was recently on the Follow 2 Lead podcast hosted by Tony Miltenberger. And Tony was recently on Shifting Culture, so we decided to give you a glimpse of each other's shows by airing our episodes. So, enjoy. Let me know what you think. 

Find the Follow 2 Lead podcast anywhere you get podcasts.

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