The Biggest Table – Détails, épisodes et analyse

In this episode of The Biggest Table, host Andrew Camp talks with Joash Thomas, an author and advocate with a diverse background ranging from politics to human rights. Born in India and currently living in Canada, Joash shares his journey from political consultancy in the U.S. to becoming passionate about justice and human rights. The discussion delves into Joash's experiences growing up in a multi-denominational Christian family in Mumbai, the role of food and hospitality in South Asian culture, and how his faith has evolved. They also explore the themes of his new book, 'The Justice of Jesus,' which challenges Christians to view justice through the lens of faith, moving beyond traditional evangelical perspectives to embrace a more holistic approach. The conversation emphasizes the importance of re-centering the Christian practice around the table, especially the Eucharist, as a means of embodying Jesus' teachings on justice and love for marginalized communities.

Joash Thomas Bio:
Born and raised in India, Joash served as a U.S. political consultant and lobbyist before pivoting to global human rights advocacy. Now based in the Toronto area, he holds a master’s degree in Political Management from The George Washington University and has completed master’s degrees in Christian Leadership and Christian Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary. A Deacon in the Diocese of St. Anthony, Joash is also the author of the new book The Justice of Jesus, which was just released September 30.

Connect with Joash:

• Buy The Justice of Jesus
• Joash's Website
• Joash's Substack
• Joash's Instagram

This episode of the Biggest Table is brought to you in part by Wild Goose Coffee. Since 2008, Wild Goose has sought to build better communities through coffee. For our listeners, Wild Goose is offering a special promotion of 20% off a one time order using the code TABLE at checkout. To learn more and to order coffee, please visit wildgoosecoffee.com. 

In this episode of The Biggest Table, host Andrew Camp engages in a discussion with theologian Paul Schutz about the intersection of food, the table, and the experience of God's love. Paul, who has a background in systematic theology and research on creation in the Christian tradition, talks about his book 'A Theology of Flourishing.' The conversation covers Paul's multicultural upbringing, his journey into theology through ministry and liturgy, and the significance of food and table in spiritual and communal life. They delve into concepts such as radical hospitality, attunement, and listening as foundational steps for fostering individual and collective flourishing. The dialogue also explores how a theology centered on flourishing challenges current social and ecological injustices, emphasizing that true flourishing involves systemic transformation and deep engagement with suffering. Paul and Andrew conclude by discussing the role of food in community building and sharing personal reflections on memorable meals.

Paul Schutz Bio:
Born and raised in Evansville, IN, Paul Schutz received his B.A. in English from Boston College and his M.A. and Ph.D. in Systematic Theology from Fordham University. After teaching on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, he served for several years as Director of Worship at St. Mary Catholic Church in Evansville. His time working as a musician and liturgist was his gateway into the study of theology. His research focuses on the meaning and significance of creation in the Christian tradition, with an emphasis on how scientific research might inform religious accounts of humanity's relationship with other creatures. His recent publications apply the theological writings of the Jesuit astrophysicist William Stoeger to questions of gender, race, and interreligious dialogue, as well as prayer, liturgy, and ministry. His book, A Theology of Flourishing—which we'll be discussing—explores the potential of "flourishing" to serve as a starting point and center of gravity for Christian theology and spirituality and a basis for cultivating a robust praxis of ecological and social justice. In his free time, Paul enjoys reading, music, travel, hiking, cooking, baking, and eating. He lives in San Jose, CA, with his partner and dog, Albert.

Buy A Theology of Flourishing
Connect with Paul

This episode of the Biggest Table is brought to you in part by Wild Goose Coffee. Since 2008, Wild Goose has sought to build better communities through coffee. For our listeners, Wild Goose is offering a special promotion of 20% off a one time order using the code TABLE at checkout. To learn more and to order coffee, please visit wildgoosecoffee.com. 

In this episode of The Biggest Table, I welcome Isaac Villegas, an ordained Mennonite minister and community organizer for Immigrant Justice. They discuss Villegas’s book 'Migrant God,' which explores biblical reflections on immigrant justice and Christian duty. The conversation covers Isaac’s personal experiences with his immigrant family, work with sanctuary churches, and the impact of language in addressing immigration issues. They delve into concepts like solidarity, the humanizing power of meals, and the role of Christians in advocating for immigrants. The episode is rich with storytelling, including anecdotes about shared meals, the spiritual significance of communion, and projects like placing crosses in the Sonoran Desert to remember migrants who died crossing the border.

Isaac Villegas is an ordained minister in the Mennonite Church USA who is involved in the work of community organizing and activism for immigrant justice. He is also a columnist for The Christian Century and the author of Migrant God: A Christian Vision for Immigrant Justice. He has served as the president of the NC Council of Churches and on the executive board of his denomination. He lives with his wife in North Carolina.

Follow Isaac on Substack

This episode of the Biggest Table is brought to you in part by Wild Goose Coffee. Since 2008, Wild Goose has sought to build better communities through coffee. For our listeners, Wild Goose is offering a special promotion of 20% off a one time order using the code TABLE at checkout. To learn more and to order coffee, please visit wildgoosecoffee.com.

In this episode of The Biggest Table podcast, I welcome Andrew Arndt, the lead pastor of New Life East in Colorado Springs, to discuss his experiences in ministry, his love for the church, and his new book, A Strange and Gracious Light. Arndt shares his deep-rooted passion for the church, influenced by his upbringing during the charismatic renewal of the 1960s and 1970s. He reflects on seeing the church with clear eyes, acknowledging both its flaws and its beauty. The conversation delves into the importance of the church calendar, embodying the story of Jesus, and practicing hospitality. We also explore the challenge of avoiding a consumerist mentality in the church and the importance of embodying kingdom values in daily life.

Andrew Arndt is the lead pastor of New Life East, one of seven congregations of New Life Church in Colorado Springs, where he also hosts the Essential Church podcast, a weekly conversation designed to strengthen the thinking of church and ministry leaders. He previously served as lead pastor of Bloom Church, a neo-monastic, charismatic, liturgical, justice-driven network of house churches in Denver. He received his MDiv from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and DMin from Western Theological Seminary, and has written for Missio Alliance, Patheos, The Other Journal, and Mere Orthodoxy. He is the author of Streams in the Wasteland and All Flame, and  A Strange and Gracious Light, which was just released on April 15. He lives in Colorado Springs with his wife Mandi and their four kids.

This episode of the Biggest Table is brought to you in part by Wild Goose Coffee. Since 2008, Wild Goose has sought to build better communities through coffee. For our listeners, Wild Goose is offering a special promotion of 20% off a one time order using the code TABLE at checkout. To learn more and to order coffee, please visit wildgoosecoffee.com. 

In this episode of 'The Biggest Table' podcast, my guest Laurie Johnson, a political science professor at Kansas State University, delves into the socioeconomic impacts of capitalism, particularly in rural America. Drawing from her books, she examines how historical and economic shifts have led to political and cultural divisions, emphasized by urban-rural divides and the rise of Christian nationalism. Laurie also highlights the detrimental effects of agribusiness on rural communities and the loss of traditional lifestyles. She proposes Christian direct action as a solution, inspired by Dorothy Day’s Catholic Worker Movement, promoting community cooperation and support. The conversation underscores the need for rethinking economic systems, community belonging, and direct involvement to address current societal challenges.

Laurie M Johnson is a Professor of Political Science at Kansas State University. Most of her eight books have aimed at developing a thorough understanding and critique of classical liberal theory. Building on that background to understand current ideological divisions, her book Ideological Possession and the Rise of the New Right, was published in 2019. Her latest book, The Gap in God’s Country: A Longer View on Our Culture Wars, was published in 2024 by Wipf & Stock. She provides weekly content on her Political Philosophy YouTube channel, currently with over 24,000 subscribers, and its associated podcast. She is a co-founder and president of The Maurin Academy, which provides free and low-cost online classes and reading groups. She also is associated with the John Paul II Catholic Worker Farm in Kansas City, MO.

This episode of the Biggest Table is brought to you in part by Wild Goose Coffee. Since 2008, Wild Goose has sought to build better communities through coffee. For our listeners, Wild Goose is offering a special promotion of 20% off a one time order using the code TABLE at checkout. To learn more and to order coffee, please visit wildgoosecoffee.com. 

Hello and welcome to another episode, well actually a re-release of my conversation with Chris Smith which was originally released on March 12, 2024. Chris and I are re-releasing this episode as Chris just published a new book entitled The Virtue of Dialogue as part of the Cultivating Communities series. This series is part of a project by Englewood Church in Indiana in partnership with Missio Alliance and the Ekklesia Project.

The hope of this series is to offer congregations, churches, or any community for that matter field guides to aid in their transformation away from the societal forces of polarization and division and into the way and personhood of Jesus.

One of the central practices for communities is being conversation with one another. This book outlines how Englewood Church has sought to practice conversation for decades. At its core, this conversational practice is a practice of hospitality—of welcoming one another, being seen and heard. Conversation at its core is a creation of a free space to allow the other to become the person they were meant to be. Week after week, month after month, year after year. 

Chris and my conversation touch on these themes and so we both thought it was a good time to revisit this conversation.

If this piques your interest, please buy The Virtue of Dialogue, available now on Amazon and through Englewood’s website which is in the show notes.

Buy The Virtue of Dialogue: Englewood website or Amazon

In this episode I have a rich conversation with Chris Smith. We cover a range of topics, starting with his own personal journey of food over the past ten years. But we spend the majority of our time using a couple of Chris’s books, namely Slow Church and How the Body of Christ Talks, to dialogue about the importance of conversation for the health of ourselves and our community. Through recovering of conversation, we begin to see how God wants to collaborate with us in his work of redemption.

C. Christopher Smith is the founding editor of The Englewood Review of Books. He and his wife Jeni have three adult children and are members of Englewood Christian Church on the urban Near Eastside of Indianapolis. Chris is the co-author of the award-winning book Slow Church, and author of several other books including most recently, How the Body of Christ Talks: Recovering the Practice of Conversation in the Church. Most of his latest writings end up on The Englewood Review's Substack, TheConversationalLife.substack.com

This episode of the Biggest Table is brought to you in part by Wild Goose Coffee. Since 2008, Wild Goose has sought to build better communities through coffee. For our listeners, Wild Goose is offering a special promotion of 20% off a one time order using the code TABLE at checkout. To learn more and to order coffee, please visit wildgoosecoffee.com. 

In this episode of The Biggest Table, I welcome Malcolm Foley, a pastor, historian, and special advisor to the president for equity and campus engagement at Baylor University. We discuss Foley’s new book, 'The Anti Greed Gospel,' which addresses the connections between greed, racism, and the economic exploitation inherent in global systems. Foley advocates for a form of Christian socialism focused on sharing resources and combating exploitation and violence. Key topics include the role of the church in challenging societal injustices, the importance of deep economic solidarity, creative anti-violence, and prophetic truth-telling. The conversation also delves into how Christians can navigate their witness in a world dominated by greed and economic disparity, with practical steps for community engagement.

Malcolm Foley (PhD, Baylor University) is a pastor, historian, and speaker who serves as special adviser to the president for equity and campus engagement at Baylor University. He has written for Christianity Today, The Anxious Bench, and Mere Orthodoxy. He just released his first book from Brazos Press, entitled, The Anti-Greed Gospel: Why the Love of Money Is the Root of Racism and How the Church Can Create a New Way Forward. Foley copastors Mosaic Waco, a multicultural church in Waco, Texas, where he lives with his wife, Desiree.

Follow Malcolm:

• Bluesky: @malcolmbfoley.bsky.social
• Instagram: @revdocmalc

This episode of the Biggest Table is brought to you in part by Wild Goose Coffee. Since 2008, Wild Goose has sought to build better communities through coffee. For our listeners, Wild Goose is offering a special promotion of 20% off a one time order using the code TABLE at checkout. To learn more and to order coffee, please visit wildgoosecoffee.com. 

In this episode of 'The Biggest Table,' Brian McLaren, a noted author, speaker, activist, and theologian, joins me to discuss his latest book, 'Life After Doom.' McLaren delves into the concept of 'doom,' describing it not as an apocalyptic end but as a psychological feeling of overwhelming crises such as climate change, economic inequality, and the rise of surveillance capitalism. He shares insights from his journey of theological shifts, his understanding of historical and ecological cycles, and the importance of fostering resilience through community, character, and simple joys in nature. The conversation also highlights the significance of diverse perspectives in interpreting the Bible and nurturing a sense of collective and individual hope amidst prevalent global challenges.

Brian D. McLaren is an author, speaker, activist, and public theologian. A former college English teacher and pastor, he is a passionate advocate for “a new kind of Christianity” – just, generous, and working with people of all faiths for the common good. He is Dean of Faculty for the Center for Action and Contemplation. and a podcaster with Learning How to See. He is a co-host of Southern Lights. His newest books are  Faith After Doubt (January 2021), Do I Stay Christian? (May 2022), and Life After Doom: Wisdom and Courage for a World Falling Apart (2024). His co-authored children’s book Cory and the Seventh Story was released in 2023. The first book of a new science fiction trilogy, The Last Voyage, will be published in summer, 2025.

This episode of the Biggest Table is brought to you in part by Wild Goose Coffee. Since 2008, Wild Goose has sought to build better communities through coffee. For our listeners, Wild Goose is offering a special promotion of 20% off a one time order using the code TABLE at checkout. To learn more and to order coffee, please visit wildgoosecoffee.com. 

In this episode of 'The Biggest Table', I interview Sarah Westfall, a writer, speaker, and host of the 'Human Together' podcast, known for her book 'The Way of Belonging.' We discuss themes of hospitality, belonging, and experiencing God's love through food and community. Sarah shares her personal journey of belonging, from her uncomplicated childhood to the complexities of adulthood, and the significance of shifting the question from 'Where do I belong?' to 'How can I be a place of welcome?' We explore the importance of internal spiritual work, societal pressures affecting belonging, and the practice of hospitality in daily life. Sarah emphasizes the role of curiosity, imagination, and genuine human connection in fostering belonging. The conversation concludes with practical insights into living out hospitality and addresses listeners who may feel stuck or lonely, reminding them of God's ever-present welcome.

Sarah is a writer, speaker, and host of the Human Together podcast. Her book The Way of Belonging: Reimagining Who We Are and How We Relate (InterVarsity Press, 2024) is a spiritual narrative that invites us to put down the exhausting search for acceptance and approach belonging as a way of being–a divine welcome that is already ours to embrace and to extend right where we are. Her previous work includes serving as director of community for online writing groups and as a student development professional on college campuses. Sarah lives in Indiana with her husband, Ben, and four sons.

Sarah Westfall's website: https://www.sarahewestfall.com/

This episode of the Biggest Table is brought to you in part by Wild Goose Coffee. Since 2008, Wild Goose has sought to build better communities through coffee. For our listeners, Wild Goose is offering a special promotion of 20% off a one time order using the code TABLE at checkout. To learn more and to order coffee, please visit wildgoosecoffee.com. 

In this episode of 'The Biggest Table,' I welcome Reverend Dr. Christopher Carter to discuss the intricate connections between food, identity, and justice. Dr. Carter, an expert in black, womanist, and environmental ethics, shares insights from his upbringing in Michigan, where food insecurity during his childhood shaped his understanding of food's importance. We delve into Dr. Carter’s book, 'The Spirit of Soul Food,' which explores ancestral food traditions and the concept of black veganism. Highlighting the intersectionality of race, food, and non-human animals, Dr. Carter argues for ethical eating practices that honor sacred worth and oppose oppressive systems like factory farming. He emphasizes the importance of context-specific and agent-specific actions in aligning one's diet with ethical and spiritual values. Dr. Carter also calls for systemic changes and personal compassion in the pursuit of justice for both human and non-human communities.

Rev. Dr. Christopher Carter’s research, teaching, and activist interests are in Black, Womanist, and Environmental ethics, with a particular focus on race, food, and nonhuman animals. His publications include “Race, Animals, as a New Vision of the Beloved Community” in Animals and Religion (Routledge, 2024), The Spirit of Soul Food (University of Illinois Press, December 2021), and “Blood in the Soil: The Racial, Racist, and Religious Dimensions of Environmentalism” in The Bloomsbury Handbook on Religion and Nature (Bloomsbury, 2018). In them, he explores the intersectional oppressions experienced by people of color, non-human nature, and animals.

Currently, he is an Associate Professor of Theology, Ecology, and Race at Methodist Theological School in Ohio, Lead Pastor of The Loft at Westwood United Methodist Church, and he is also on the board of directors of Farm Forward, an anti-factory farming non-profit. He is married to Dr. Gabrielle Carter, a small animal veterinary oncologist, and while their son Isaiah is not a doctor of any sort, he definitely believes he is more intelligent than his parents.

Christopher Carter's website
Progressive Christian Podcast on Apple Podcasts

This episode of the Biggest Table is brought to you in part by Wild Goose Coffee. Since 2008, Wild Goose has sought to build better communities through coffee. For our listeners, Wild Goose is offering a special promotion of 20% off a one time order using the code TABLE at checkout. To learn more and to order coffee, please visit wildgoosecoffee.com.