The new Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, Sean Rowe, and host Jo Nygard Owens discuss Bishop Rowe’s unique start and vision for the church in our digitally connected age.

Submit your question for our Ask Me Anything episode: https://cathedral.org/podcast

Download transcript: https://cathedral.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Ep-27-Transcript.pdf

Additional Resources:

• Seating of Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe: https://www.youtube.com/live/XrKQ-cbT2uc?si=uWupZ0o3NOjh4j3U

From our stained glass and carvings to leadership in worship, women have been important in the life of the Cathedral from the beginning. The Cathedral’s Provost, Jan Cope, Director of Creative Engagement, Mimi McNamara, and host Jo Nygard Owens highlight the women who have forged a path at the Cathedral.

Submit your question for our Ask Me Anything episode: https://cathedral.org/podcast

Download transcript: https://cathedral.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Ep-26-Transcript.pdf

Additional Resources:

• Crossroads episode discussing Smithsonian Folklife Festival: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dch7FHOSlN8

Join us for an inspiring and insightful conversation with the Honorable John H. Dalton, former U.S. Secretary of the Navy and Cathedral Canon; Raleigh Smith Duttweiler, Chief Impact Officer of the National Military Family Association; and Rev. Jo Nygard Owens, Pastor for Digital Ministry. Our guests reflect on how we can support the unique challenges of military life, military families, and our veterans, sharing their fascinating personal and professional trajectories in support of this essential mission.

Download transcript: https://cathedral.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Ep-17-Transcript.pdf

Additional Resources:

• https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/At-the-Helm/John-H-Dalton/9781637585153

The Cathedral is proud to be a founding partner of America250, a nonpartisan initiative working to engage every American in commemorating the 250th anniversary of our country, now through July 4, 2026. Rev. Jo Nygard Owens sits down with Rosie Rios, Chair of the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission and former Treasurer of the United States, as she reflects on her inspiring trajectory, our nation’s past, honoring the contributions of all Americans, and looking ahead toward the future we want to create for the next generation.

Learn More:

https://america250.org/

Our growing series exploring today’s disruptive technologies through the lens of ethics and faith continues! In this episode, Rev. Jo Owens, Pastor for Digital Ministry, and Dr. Sonia Coman, Director of Digital Engagement, sit down with innovator Sam Glassenberg, Founder & CEO of Level Ex, to discuss the transformative potential of video games and AI for medical training and life-saving advances in the medical field.

Additional Resources:

• https://www.levelex.com/
• https://glassenberg.com/
• https://cathedral.org/discover/3d-virtual-tour/

Please join us for a special episode as the Rev. Jo Nygard Owens, Pastor for Digital Ministry, interviews the Most Rev. Michael Bruce Curry, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church. Bishop Curry will reflect on his tenure in this period of transition and his teachings on spreading the good news and embracing love.

Additional Resources:

• A Case For Love
• Love is the Way: Holding on to Hope in Troubling Times
• The Power of Love Royal Wedding Sermon

Join the Rev. Canon Jan Cope, Provost, the Rev. Jo Nygard Owens, Pastor for Digital Ministry, and the Rev. Spencer Brown, Priest Associate, for an open conversation on anxiety, disappointment, and finding common ground. In these challenging times, our clergy explore how each of us can live faithfully together.

Additional Resources:

• https://cathedral.org/blog/an-invitation-to-a-better-way/
• https://cathedral.org/blog/a-better-way-to-find-common-ground/

Rev. Owens sits downs with our stone masons and carvers Joe Alonso, Brianna Castelli, and Sean Callahan to explore this fascinating profession and the Cathedral's unique carving style.

Additional Resources:

• https://cathedral.org/blog/celebrating-joe-alonso-cathedral-rock-star/
• https://www.instagram.com/cathedralstonemason/

Tune in for a conversation with award-winning educator, author, and speaker Rebecca Roberts and Our Chief Public Affairs Officer, Kevin Eckstrom, on the complex legacy of First Lady Edith Wilson and her and President Wilson’s ties to the Cathedral.

Additional Resources:

• https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/696995/untold-power-by-rebecca-boggs-roberts/
• https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/how-edith-wilson-kept-herselfand-her-husbandin-the-white-house-180981712/
• https://mydigimag.rrd.com/publication/?m=46623&i=824264&p=14&ver=html5

Tune in as our Dean, the Very Rev. Randy Hollerith, interviews one of the leading conductors of our time, Marin Alsop, on her first performance at the Cathedral, exploring the power of music and the timely message of Beethoven’s iconic 9th Symphony.

Learn More:

• https://www.carnegiehall.org/Explore/Articles/2020/12/08/An-Interview-with-Tracy-K-Smith
• Cathedral.org/abetterway

In this episode, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of women’s ordination in the Episcopal Church. Joining The Rev. Jo Nygard Owens is The Rev. Rose Logan Duncan, Canon for Worship and The Rev. Kelly Brown Douglas, Canon Theologian and Dean of Episcopal Divinity School at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. They reflect on the challenges that women have faced in ministry and explore the intersectionality of gender, race, and sexual orientation in the struggle for equal standing in the priesthood.

Tune in for our latest episode featuring highlights from an in-person conversation with Jim Wallis, founding Director of the Georgetown University Center on Faith and Justice, and our Dean, the Very Rev. Randy Hollerith, on Wallis’s bestselling book, The False White Gospel.

Spiritual writer and teacher John Philip Newell joins the Rev. Jo Nygard Owens to discuss how each of us can interact with both ancient and modern wisdom to bring deep knowing to the surface, discovering ourselves and working toward a better world.

Submit your question for our Ask Me Anything episode: https://cathedral.org/podcast

Download Transcript: https://cathedral.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Ep-25-Transcript.pdf

Additional Resources:

• Sacred Earth, Sacred Soul - Retreat with John Philip at the Cathedral
• Earth & Soul Initiative
• The Great Search - Book Information

Joining the Cathedral's Rev. Jo Nygard Owens, Pastor for Digital Ministry, and Rev. Leonard Hamlin, Canon Missioner, is Dr. Kate Ott, Professor of Christian Social Ethics at Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, IL, for a rich conversation on today's digital revolution and the role of Christian ethics in AI, social media, and all things digital. This is the third of a series of episodes on ethics and AI that have featured Dr. Robert Wolcott, Dr. Joseph Yun, and the Cathedral's Dr. Sonia Coman.

"Christian Ethics for a Digital Society" by Dr. Kate Ott: https://www.amazon.com/Christian-Ethics-Digital-Society-Kate/dp/1442267372

Please join the Rev. Jo Nygard Owens for a fascinating interview with the Cathedral's Canon Historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Jon Meacham, on what it means to be canon historian, insights on U.S. presidents at the intersection of sacred and civic, and the public life of the Cathedral.

In Crossroads’ latest episode, join the Rev. Leonard Hamlin, Canon Missioner, the Rev. Jan Naylor Cope, Provost, and the Rev. Jo Nygard Owens, Pastor for Digital Ministry for a fascinating conversation on how the Cathedral lives out its mission to be a house of prayer for all people by nurturing meaningful relationships across faith traditions. Our guests share poignant moments of interfaith cooperation and friendship from the Cathedral’s distant and more recent history that are not to be missed. 

With the advent of AI and other incredible technological advances, we are ever closer to a world where we can have whatever we want right when and where we want it. But what are the ethical implications? Join us for a thought-provoking conversation with Dr. Robert Wolcott, Chair of The World Innovation Network (TWIN Global), the Rev. Jo Nygard Owens, the Cathedral’s Pastor for Digital Ministry, and Dr. Sonia Coman, the Cathedral’s Director of Digital Engagement.

Additional Resources:

Proximity - Columbia University Press: https://cup.columbia.edu/book/proximity/9780231207584

The World Innovation Network: https://www.twinglobal.org/

Talk by Dr. Geoffrey Ling: https://www.twinglobal.org/multimedia/articles/lorem-ipsum-dolor-sit-amet-consectetur-5#

Tune in for a special episode featuring highlights from a conversation between Former Congresswoman Liz Cheney and Canon Historian Jon Meacham, hosted by Washington National Cathedral. Our guests discuss how America’s leaders can put principles first, and how all Americans can find a better way to be in relationship with one another.

Watch full event stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx-g3E4vAUo

Tune in for the Cathedral's first conversation on AI and ethics. Whether you are enthusiastically embracing it, reluctantly trying it out, or anxious about its consequences, AI has taken our world by storm and according to the experts, it is here to stay. Dr. Joseph Yun, CEO of Bluefoxlabs.ai and AI architect for the University of Pittsburgh, the Rev. Jo Nygard Owens, the Cathedral's Pastor for Digital Ministry, and Dr. Sonia Coman, the Cathedral's Director of Digital Engagement discuss the state of AI, its risks, and the hope it can bring to the world.

Additional Resources:

De-Mystifying Generative AI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwhzB9x69b4

Sermon by Sam Wells: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18_Uil7YmRM

The Rev. Jo Nygard Owens is joined by the Dean of the Cathedral, The Very Rev. Randy Hollerith, to discuss the theme of the Cathedral's new podcast - the intersection of sacred and civic.

Martin Luther King III and his wife, Arndrea Waters King, will join the Rev. Jo Nygard Owens and the Rev. Canon Leonard Hamlin to share how he is working to make his father’s dream a reality by building understanding, empathy and unity between people and communities.

Download transcript: https://cathedral.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Ep-24-Transcript.pdf

Additional Resources:

• Realize the Dream: A movement to uplift and transform communities in America and the world.
• Martin Luther King, Jr.'s sermon at the Cathedral
• Martin Luther King III's sermon at the Cathedral
• Yolanda King's sermon at the Cathedral

Acclaimed columnist David Brooks and Dean Randy Hollerith discuss Brooks’ latest book, How to Know a Person, which delves into the art of human connection, exploring the intricacies of empathy, understanding, and the profound impact our relationships have on our lives.

Download transcript: https://cathedral.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Ep-23-Transcript.pdf

Additional Resources:

• Watch the full event replay
• A Better Way
• How to Know a Person

Marjorie Hunt, Academy Award-winning director of the documentary The Stone Carvers, joins the Rev. Jo Nygard Owens and Chief Public Affairs Officer Kevin Eckstrom on a deep dive into the rich, captivating legacy of stone carving at the Cathedral.

Download transcript: https://cathedral.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Ep-22-Transcript.pdf

Additional Resources:

• View the Academy Award-winning short film: https://www.folkstreams.net/films/stone-carvers
• Current Cathedral Stonemasons will be featured at the upcoming Smithsonian Folklife Festival in July 2025: https://festival.si.edu/2025/looking-forward
• Marjorie's book can be found here: https://a.co/d/2VI6uQC
• Crossroads episode featuring the Cathedral's stonemasons: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Emvo0hcMm58

Embrace the new year and new beginnings as the Rev. Jo Nygard Owens and bestselling author Emily P. Freeman discuss checking in with our inner selves, decision making, and other practical advice to start 2025. You can learn more about Emily and her two bestselling books How to Walk Into a Room and The Next Right Thing on her website: https://emilypfreeman.com/

Download transcript: https://cathedral.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Ep-21-Transcript.pdf

Additional Resources:

- https://www.instagram.com/emilypfreeman/ - https://www.facebook.com/emilyfreemanauthor/ - https://x.com/emilypfreeman

Cozy up with our Crossroads Christmas episode as the Rev. Jo Nygard Owens, Canon Vicar Dana Corsello, and Chorister Director Julie DeBoer share what it takes to welcome 30,000 guests to Cathedral services and concerts.

Download transcript: https://cathedral.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Ep-20-Transcript.pdf

Additional Resources:

• "O Come, All Ye Faithful" Chord

Tune in for a rich conversation between Dean Randy Hollerith and Francis S. Collins, MD, former director of the National Institutes of Health, former Director of the Human Genome Project, and New York Times-bestselling author. They reflect on faith, trust, and how we can move forward and together during these deeply polarizing times.

Download transcript: https://cathedral.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Ep-19-Transcript.pdf

Additional Resources:

• https://www.francisscollins.com/
• https://deratethehate.com/
• https://braverangels.org/

The Rev. Jo Nygard Owens interviews Cathedral friend Peter Wehner, Senior Fellow at The Trinity Forum, former speechwriter for the administrations of three Republican US presidents, and contributing opinion writer for the New York Times. Tune in for a nourishing conversation on re-centering ourselves after this year’s momentous election and on the eve of Thanksgiving.

Download transcript: https://cathedral.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Ep-18-Transcript.pdf

Additional Resources:

• Peter Wehner, "The Death of Politics"
• C.S. Lewis, "Surprised by Joy"
• Vaclav Havel, "Disturbing the Peace: A Conversation with Karel Huizdala"
• Francis Collins, "The Road to Wisdom: On Truth, Science, Faith, and Trust"

Join us for highlights of an exclusive conversation with Bishop Mariann Budde and Rev. Jo Nygard Owens. Recorded in front of an intimate gathering at the Cathedral, their discussion explores how we can hold onto hope and lean into joy even in the midst of today’s challenges.

Additional Resources:

• A Better Way

As we mark ten years since the senseless murder of nine parishioners of Mother Emanuel A.M.E. Church in Charleston, Senior Pastor Eric S.C. Manning joins the Rev. Canon Leonard Hamlin and the Rev. Jo Nygard Owens for a poignant and inspiring conversation about forgiveness.

Additional Resources:

• Mother Emanuel AMEC
• Context and Timeline of the Cathedral's Now and Forever Windows

The Cathedral will soon unveil a new addition to its iconography – a beautifully carved statue of St. Phoebe. The Rev. Jo Nygard Owens chats with painter/sculptor Chas Fagan and Cathedral stone carver Sean Callahan about their creative cross-medium collaboration for this project and the significance of St. Phoebe.

Additional Resources:

• Photo gallery of St. Phoebe statue
• Learn more about Chas Fagan
• Chas' portrait of Barbara Bush
• St. Phoebe on the Episcopal Lectionary
• Elie Wiesel carving
• Jonathan Daniels carving
• Crossroads Ep. 12 - Meet our Stonemasons
• Crossroads Ep. 26 - Celebrating Woman at the Cathedral

In a special episode in New York City, the Cathedral’s podcast team sits down with Moran Cerf, neuroscientist, professor of business, and storyteller, to discuss how world-changing advances in science and technology can reshape our sense of self.

Full episode - video podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP6ph4NakTw

Additional Resources:

• Moran's website
• Moran Cerf at the Center for Advanced Technology and Human Performance
• Moran Cerf at Return on AI
• Moran Cerf at Columbia Business School
• TED Talk by Moran Cerf on Neuroscience and Brain Implants
• Crick and the invention of the double helix in the DNA

Our ability to know the historical Jesus is limited at best, but award-winning author Elaine Pagels uses little-known primary sources and her own deep faith to assemble the puzzle of Jesus of Nazareth and the enduring power of the Christian message.

Additional Resources:

• Elaine's sermon at the Cathedral
• Miracles and Wonders
• More on Marc Chagall

To celebrate the one-year anniversary of our Crossroads podcast, host Jo Nygard Owens is joined by the Dean, our Vicar, and other clergy and staff to answers listeners’ questions for a behind-the-scenes glimpse into life at the Cathedral.

Episodes Highlighted:

• Episode 1 - Where Sacred and Civic Meet
• Episode 2 - AI and Ethics
• Episode 6 - US Presidents and the Cathedral
• Episode 12 - Meet Our Stonemasons
• Episode 13 - A Better Way to Coping with Anxiety
• Episode 16 - America’s Milestone Birthday
• Episode 20 - Christmas Confidential
• Episode 21 - New Year Decisions and Routines

In today’s increasingly AI-powered world, how can churches help their parishioners utilize AI while staying authentic and ethical? The Rev. Mercedes Clements and the Rev. Peter Levenstrong, co-hosts of the AI Church Toolkit podcast, join Dr. Sonia Coman and the Rev. Jo Nygard Owens to discuss ways to center your creativity and your relationship with God to help navigate this new era of disruptive technology.

Download transcript: https://cathedral.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Ep-35-Transcript.pdf

Additional Resources:

• AI Church Toolkit Podcast
• Living Stories Sermons

As we celebrate July 4th and mark just one year until America’s milestone 250th birthday, multidisciplinary artist Chas Fagan joins Kevin Eckstrom and Dr. Sonia Coman for a closer look at our nation’s history at the Cathedral. Fagan, who painted the official portrait of First Lady Barbara Bush and sculpted a statue of President Ronald Reagan at National Airport, shares his unique insights on American iconography at the Cathedral, including his own carvings.   Additional Resources:

• Crossroads episode featuring Chas on St. Phoebe carving
• Crossroads episode on Edith Wilson

Join us for highlights from an in-person conversation with the Rt. Rev. C. Andrew Doyle, Bishop of Texas, about the challenges of modern-day faith. Through the lens of Bishop Doyle’s latest book, we discussed the forces that challenge our spiritual lives and how we can respond with courage, clarity, and conviction. 

Download transcript: https://cathedral.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Ep-43-Transcript.pdf

Additional Resources:

• https://www.churchpublishing.org/unabashedfaith

Join us for a special edition of Crossroads featuring a conversation with Dr. Jane Goodall and Dean Randy Hollerith, recorded just 12 days before her passing. Known and beloved around the world for her groundbreaking study of wild chimpanzees and as a global advocate for human rights, animal welfare, and species protection, Dr. Jane spoke to us about faith and hope, the power of curiosity, and the importance of empowering young people to advocate for conservation and the fundamental need to respect all forms of life on Earth.

Download Transcript: https://cathedral.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Ep-42-Transcript.pdf

Additional Resources:

• https://janegoodall.org/
• https://rootsandshoots.org/

The Rev. Dr. Russ Levenson, Jr., acclaimed author and spiritual advisor to the late George H.W. and Barbara Bush, joins Dean Randy Hollerith to discuss Rev. Levenson’s latest book, Witness to Belief. Listen along as they dive into insights from the book’s unique collection of interviews—from cultural icons to Oscar winners—on how their Christian faith has fueled their creativity and guided them through the challenges of their lives.

Download transcript: https://cathedral.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Ep-41-Transcript.pdf

Additional Resources:

• Witness to Belief

“Do no harm” and “treat the whole person” are fundamental principles of the medical field and also resonate with pastoral care rooted in the Christian tradition. Internationally-renowned physician-scientist Dr. Michael DeBaun joins Canon Missioner Leonard Hamlin and Dr. Sonia Coman to discuss how these principles guide the work of doctors and spiritual shepherds in today’s highly techonologized environment.

Download transcript: https://cathedral.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Ep-40-transcript.pdf

Additional Resources:

• Dr. DeBaun's Election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Continuing our exploration of AI and ethics, the podcast welcomes David Timis, an expert in disruptive technologies and workforce development. With experience at Google and now as part of the leadership of Generation, one of the world’s largest employment nonprofits, David lends his perspective and insight to this timely conversation on how AI is reshaping the workforce.

Download transcript: https://cathedral.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Ep-39-Transcript.pdf

Additional Resources:

• Learn more about David
• The Human Difference in the AI Age

Icons of biblical and American history adorn many of the Cathedral’s stained glass windows, needlepoint kneelers, and stone carvings. Chosen at the time as figures to be remembered or emulated, what advice or insight might these icons have for us about the challenges of our current society? Canon Leonard Hamlin joins Kevin Eckstrom for a creative exploration of Cathedral iconography.

Download transcript: https://cathedral.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Ep-38-Transcript.pdf

Additional Resources:

• "Icons Speak" in Cathedral Age

How can the simple act of gathering interfaith groups for a meal help promote peace? The Rev. Terry Kyllo, Executive Director of Paths to Understanding, is exploring this idea through The Potluck Project. He joins Cathedral Dean Randy Hollerith to discuss how this small yet profound exercise can overcome division and help foster understanding across denominations and faiths.

Download transcript: https://cathedral.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Ep-37-Transcript.pdf

Additional Resources:

• The Potluck Project
• A Better Way

The Cathedral is home to one of 12 special editions of the Saint John’s Bible — the first hand-written, hand-illuminated Bible commissioned by a Benedictine monastery in over 500 years. The Rev. Dr. John F. Ross, Executive Director of The Saint John’s Bible Heritage Edition, joins the podcast to share the inspiring story behind this masterpiece of Biblical art.

Download transcript: https://cathedral.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Ep-36-Transcript.pdf

Additional Resources:

• Learn more about the St. John's Bible
• Contact Rev. Dr. Ross 
• Turning the Pages - Explore a digital version of St. John's Bible
• A Closer Look at the Cathedral's Copy of the St. John's Bible

Cathedral Dean Randy Hollerith welcomes Canon Historian Jon Meacham and U.S. Senator Cory Booker for a discussion on the moral foundations of democracy and the role of faith in shaping public life.

The Rev. Canon Leyla King joins the Rev. Spencer Brown to discuss King’s journey as a Palestinian-American Episcopal priest and the stories at the heart of her book, Daughters of Palestine. Their conversation explores identity, inherited faith, and the ways memory and storytelling shape vocation, resilience, and faithful witness in a fractured world.

Additional Resources:

• Leyla's Website
• Daughters of Palestine

Dean Hollerith welcomes Bogdan Klich, Head of Mission at the Embassy of the Republic of Poland, to reflect on the pro-democratic opposition movement in communist Poland during the 1970s and 1980s, including his imprisonment at the time. Together, they explore themes of civic leadership and the place of faith in moments of personal and historical significance.

Author and advocate Tia Levings joins Vicar Dana Corsello to discuss Levings’ experience within a highly structured religious environment and her subsequent journey of reflection and recovery. Their conversation explores belief, authority, theology, and identity, as well as how religious frameworks can shape individual lives and communities.

Additional Resources:

• Tia Levings - Personal Website
• A Well-Trained Wife

Catch up on the highlights of our recent forum featuring Utah Governor Spencer Cox (R) and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (D), moderated by Savannah Guthrie, co-anchor of TODAY and chief legal correspondent at NBC News. The governors reflect on the responsibilities of leadership in moments of crisis and the work of building civic life rooted in dignity, safety, and hope.

Additional Resources:

• A Better Way

On this special Christmas Eve episode, Dean Randy Hollerith and Provost Jan Cope chat with Cathedral Canon John L. Peterson, former Secretary General of the Worldwide Anglican Communion. Alongside Canon Peterson’s fascinating insight into the realities of the Holy Family and Nativity, the group reflects on the deep spiritual resonance of the Holy Land for Christians from around the world.

Additional Resources:

• https://www.oursundayvisitor.com/was-jesus-really-born-in-a-stable/
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irI0IDvOwI4

For 100 years, Cathedral Age has told the story of Washington National Cathedral, its people, its mission, and its place in the life of the nation. First published in 1925, the magazine chronicled a century of faith, beauty, challenge, and renewal. As we celebrate this milestone, join former editor Kevin Eckstrom and Provost Jan Cope as they reflect on its history and how it speaks to the present moment and inspires generations to come.

Additional Resources:

• Cathedral Age
• Fall 2025 Issue