Explore every episode of the podcast Vintage Saints and Sinners
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keep on Walking: The Camino de Santiago with Nan Marsh | 06 Jul 2023 | 00:17:47 | |
Karen Wright Marsh explores one of the lessons from her new book, Wake Up To Wonder: 22 Invitations to Amazement in the Everyday, with her daughter, Nan Marsh. | |||
| Women Who Set the World on Fire | 28 Apr 2021 | 00:28:32 | |
“Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.” These ancient words hold a challenge: a promise of a life that matters, a future of purpose and influence. But first, the question: Who does God mean me to be? Who does God mean you to be? In this special episode of the Vintage Saints and Sinners Podcast, Karen Wright Marsh tells the stories of four girls, born across the centuries, who grew up to be women who set the world on fire, each in her own way. Catherine of Siena (1347-1380) Born in medieval Italy, a time when girls were barred from education and married off young, Catherine resisted expectations, fueled by a fire to serve others and to speak truth. Amanda Berry Smith (1837-1915) Born enslaved in America, Amanda survived poverty and prejudice to live out her fire to preach the Gospel, travelling from England to Liberia to India and beyond. Mary Paik Lee (1900-1995) Born to educated, Christian parents in Korea, Mary and her family were forced to emigrate to the United States, where harsh racist laws and attitudes prevented them from flourishing. Still, Mary was fired to survive for the sake of herself and future generations. Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179) Born the tenth child of an aristocratic German family, Hildegard was donated to the church at the age of eight. After decades of enclosure, Hildegard’s fiery mystical visions led her out to lead, to create, to teach, to heal, to preach and to compose poetry and chant for a new community of women. | |||
| Aelred of Rievaulx | 07 Jan 2021 | 00:27:07 | |
Lauren Winner joins host Karen Wright Marsh to consider relationship advice from 12th century abbot Aelred of Rievaulx. Aelred of Rievaulx (1110-1167) guided monks living a cloistered communal life, far back in the misty medieval past. His teachings on authentic spiritual friendship still ring true in today’s secular, sexualized, commercialized, technology-driven world where friendship, like much of life, feels more complex than ever. Meet host Karen Wright Marsh, and learn more about the show here: www.karenwrightmarsh.com Guest Lauren Winner is an author, historian, Episcopal priest and Associate Professor of Christian Spirituality at Duke Divinity School. She writes and lectures on Christian practice, the history of Christianity in America, and Jewish–Christian relations. Lauren has appeared on PBS’s “Religion & Ethics Newsweekly” and NPR’s “All Things Considered.” She has written for The New York Times Book Review, The Washington Post Book World, Publishers Weekly, and Christianity Today. | |||
| Stories of Hope & Connection | 31 Dec 2020 | 00:22:11 | |
Alton B. Pollard III joins Karen Wright Marsh for a conversation on building bridges, casting visions and finding the way forward. Who are the little known saints who’ve altered the trajectory of your life? A junior high teacher? A courageous parent? Rev. Dr. Pollard tells the stories of people who’ve inspired him to become the leader he is today: a seminary president with hopeful visions of transformation. Reverend Dr. Alton B Pollard III is a national author, speaker, ordained minister and the president of Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. As a scholar of African American and U.S. religion and culture, he has written on mysticism and social change, the social witness of Howard Thurman, and a new edition of W.E.B. DuBois’s The Negro Church. Pollard was previously dean of the School of Divinity and professor of Religion and Culture at Howard University in Washington, D.C. | |||
| Martin Luther | 24 Dec 2020 | 00:34:38 | |
Walter Kim and host Karen Wright Marsh wrestle with the complex legacy of Martin Luther, the singular man who changed for the world forever. Who was Martin Luther -- really? Grace-filled theologian? Confrontational reformer? Tender pastor? Harsh anti-Semite? Walter Kim examines the many sides of one of history’s most important figures.
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| Paul Brand | 17 Dec 2020 | 00:20:14 | |
Philip Yancey joins host Karen Wright Marsh to tell the story of his friend, Dr. Paul Brand, the compassionate, innovative healer esteemed the world over. Philip Yancey, is an author with more than 15 million books in print, published in over 50 languages. With integrity, insight and compassion, Yancey explores the most basic questions and deepest mysteries of the Christian faith, taking millions of readers with him. | |||
| W.E.B. Du Bois | 10 Dec 2020 | 00:26:40 | |
Alton B. Pollard III and Karen Wright Marsh discuss the story and complex thought of W.E.B Dubois, that towering figure in American social, political and intellectual life. In 1903, W.E.B. Dubois famously said, "The problem of the 20th century is the problem of the color-line.” Through his long life, Dubois focused his powers of intellect and influence to counter white supremacy and claim the promises of democracy. His spirit of fierce integrity is needed now more than ever. Meet host Karen Wright Marsh, and learn more about the show here: www.karenwrightmarsh.com Reverend Dr. Alton B Pollard III is a national author, speaker, ordained minister and the president of Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. As a scholar of African American and U.S. religion and culture, he has written on mysticism and social change, the social witness of Howard Thurman, and a new edition of WEB DuBois’s The Negro Church. Pollard was previously dean of the School of Divinity and professor of Religion and Culture at Howard University in Washington, D.C. | |||
| Brother Lawrence | 04 Dec 2020 | 00:26:44 | |
Lauren Winner joins host Karen Wright Marsh to tell the story of Brother Lawrence (1614-1691) and his mindful practice of the presence of God. He spent decades down in the steaming monastery kitchen, scrubbing pots and pans, a “servant of the servants of God.” Uneducated and disabled by war, Brother Lawrence grew into an unlikely spiritual genius whose insights can still transform us today. Meet host Karen Wright Marsh, and learn more about the show here: www.karenwrightmarsh.com Guest Lauren Winner is an author, historian, Episcopal priest and Associate Professor of Christian Spirituality at Duke Divinity School. She writes and lectures on Christian practice, the history of Christianity in America, and Jewish–Christian relations. Lauren has appeared on PBS’s “Religion & Ethics Newsweekly” and NPR’s “All Things Considered.” She has written for The New York Times Book Review, The Washington Post Book World, Publishers Weekly, and Christianity Today. | |||
| John Wesley | 26 Nov 2020 | 00:29:15 | |
Larycia Hawkins and host Karen Wright Marsh recount the story of John Wesley, founder of Methodism. As a young man, pious John Wesley declared the “absolute impossibility of being half a Christian.” Crushing failures humbled his grand ambitions-- yet prepared Wesley for a renewed faith, one energized by freedom, love and transformative action Guest Dr. Larycia Hawkins is an American scholar and speaker whose act of embodied solidarity became the subject of the award-winning documentary film Same God. Dr. Hawkins is general faculty at the University of Virginia, where she teaches in the departments of politics and religious studies and serves in the Religion, Race, and Democracy Lab. Meet host Karen Wright Marsh, and learn more about the show here: www.karenwrightmarsh.com | |||
| Flannery O'Connor | 20 Nov 2020 | 00:29:41 | |
Writer Carlene Bauer and Karen Wright Marsh explore the many sides of Flannery O’Connor. The American author, Flannery O’Connor (1925-1964) insisted that she was not a mystic and did not lead a holy life---yet faith infuses her fiction, letters, and private journals, tracing themes of sin and grace, fall and redemption, and the ultimate reality: God revealed in the Incarnation. What do we make of this unexpected saint? Meet host Karen Wright Marsh, and learn more about the show here: karenwrightmarsh.com | |||
| Pandemic Christianity | 13 Nov 2020 | 00:22:55 | |
Lauren Winner joins host Karen Wright Marsh for a special conversation on “pandemic Christianity.” We’re well into the coronavirus pandemic and still struggling to make sense of it all. What have we lost? What have we gained? Where is God in this time? To gain a perspective on these questions, Karen Marsh speaks with Lauren Winner, a pastor, author, and professor of Christian spirituality. Meet host Karen Wright Marsh, and learn more about the show here: www.karenwrightmarsh.com Guest Lauren Winner is an author, historian, Episcopal priest and Associate Professor of Christian Spirituality at Duke Divinity School. She writes and lectures on Christian practice, the history of Christianity in America, and Jewish–Christian relations. Lauren has appeared on PBS’s “Religion & Ethics Newsweekly” and NPR’s “All Things Considered.” She has written for The New York Times Book Review, The Washington Post Book World, Publishers Weekly, and Christianity Today. | |||
| A.W. Tozer | 05 Nov 2020 | 00:28:09 | |
Philip Yancey and host Karen Wright Marsh tell the story of A.W. Tozer, the American Bible teacher whose gravestone read simply: “A Man of God.” Thirsting after God, he literally burned the midnight oil to know the Holy One. Yet A.W. Tozer failed his wife and children in profound ways. What do we do with the broken humanity of our spiritual heroes? Award winning author Philip Yancey wrestles with the question. Meet host Karen Wright Marsh, and learn more about the show here: www.karenwrightmarsh.com Karen’s guest, Philip Yancey, is an author with more than 15 million books in print, published in over 50 languages. With integrity, insight and compassion, Yancey explores the most basic questions and deepest mysteries of the Christian faith, taking millions of readers with him. | |||
| Saints of Charlottesville | 20 Apr 2021 | 00:28:58 | |
In this special Saints of Charlottesville episode, Karen Wright Marsh tells the stories of “saints” who lived, worked and witnessed in the Virginia city they called home. Isabella and William Gibbons (c. 1836-1890 & 1825-1886) Enslaved by professors on the Grounds of the University of Virginia, Isabella and William Gibbons welcomed emancipation in 1863. Isabella became an esteemed teacher of freed black Charlottesvillians and William pastored First Baptist Church, the oldest Black Church in the city. Lottie Moon (1841-1912) A rebellious child of privilege, Lottie Moon answered a call to ministry in China, one of the first female Southern Baptist missionaries, where she pursued evangelism, medical outreach and theological education. Herbert and Dieta Jehle (1907-1983 & 1915-2009) German-born brilliant academics driven into exile by the Nazi regime, Herbert and Dieta Jehle settled in Charlottesville, where they combined scholarship with activism grounded in their Quaker convictions. This Saints of Charlottesville podcast episode is part of Saints of the City (SotC), an outreach initiative of Theological Horizons, a ministry based at the University of Virginia. SotC seeks to provide a warm environment for people from different ages, faith and cultural backgrounds, an invitation to connect with others and consider one aspect of spiritual truth or practical wisdom as modeled by a saint from the Christian tradition. Saints of the City has launched in Atlanta, Washington, DC/Northern Virginia, Charlottesville — and is coming soon to a city near you. Learn more. Join us! https://www.theologicalhorizons.org/saints Led by Vintage Saints and Sinners podcast host Karen Wright Marsh, Theological Horizons is a ministry that supports Christians and seekers in academia by providing a welcoming community for engaging faith, thought and life. It is based on Grounds at the University of Virginia, but its distinctive ministry style, robust alumni network, Vintage Saints and Sinners podcast, and online discipleship resources help its ministry reach well beyond Charlottesville’s city limits. www.TheologicalHorizons.org | |||
| Sojourner Truth | 30 Oct 2020 | 00:20:10 | |
Meet American legend Sojourner Truth through the eyes of Natasha Sistrunk Robinson, an African American woman who journeyed from South Carolina to the U.S. Naval Academy, and then to her calling as an international speaker, mentor, and thought leader. Sojourner Truth (1797-1883), famous for her preaching and activism on behalf of enslaved persons and disenfranchised women, blazed a trail that still shines today. She was a person of vision who was willing to take risks, speak up and make pathways for others—an example of godly, courageous leadership. Guest Natasha Sistrunk Robinson is a leadership consultant, mentoring coach, and visionary founder of the nonprofit Leadership LINKS. Natasha is a graduate of the US Naval Academy and of Gordon-Conwell Seminary and she has served as an officer in the Marine Corps. Her newest book is A Sojourner’s Truth: Choosing Freedom and Courage in a Divided World.
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| Howard Thurman | 22 Oct 2020 | 00:23:29 | |
Alton B. Pollard III joins Karen Wright Marsh to recount the story of Howard Thurman and to consider Thurman’s urgent question, “How can I believe that life has meaning if I do not believe that my own life has meaning?” Howard Thurman (1899–1981) is a rarity in our world. He practiced what he believed and what he believed was that every human being matters -- and not only that every human being matters, but that all of life matters. Thurman’s words and witness resonate now, more than ever. Meet host Karen Wright Marsh, and learn more about the show here: www.karenwrightmarsh.com | |||
| Fannie Lou Hamer | 15 Oct 2020 | 00:26:52 | |
Larycia Hawkins and host Karen Wright Marsh recount the story of the indomitable American civil rights leader Mrs. Fannie Lou Hamer. Fannie Lou Hamer was a native of the Mississippi Delta, one of twenty children, the girl who was forced to leave school after sixth grade to work in the cotton fields. That same Fannie Lou heard the call of Jesus, boldly raised her hand and never looked back. Her courage would change America.
Dr. Hawkins is general faculty at the University of Virginia, where she teaches in the departments of politics and religious studies and serves in the Religion, Race, and Democracy Lab. | |||
| Dietrich Bonhoeffer | 08 Oct 2020 | 00:26:24 | |
Walter Kim joins host Karen Wright Marsh to ask the question: was Dietrich Bonhoeffer an evangelical? Yes, Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a heroic martyr. But he was far more: a spiritual teacher to generations of strugglers. His words emboldened young Walter Kim to answer God’s unsettling call. Years later, Walter imagines what Bonhoeffer might have to teach in this current moment. Meet host Karen Wright Marsh, and learn more about the show here: www.karenwrightmarsh.com Walter Kim is the president of the National Association of Evangelicals and a Presbyterian pastor who has served as chaplain at Yale University. He has taught at Boston College and Harvard University, where he received his PhD. Walter Kim's commitment to exploring biblical theology and cultural issues is grounded in his personal experience as the child of Korean American immigrant parents. | |||
| Augustine | 01 Oct 2020 | 00:26:18 | |
Lauren Winner joins host Karen Wright Marsh to take a fresh look at the story of Augustine and the promise of his faith for today. You’ve probably heard of Augustine (354-430) -- but if you’d met him as a college freshman, you wouldn’t have considered him to be saint material. Smart and ambitious, he’d rejected his mother’s faith in Jesus in favor of sex and high living. So how did Augustine become one of the world’s best known Christians? Meet host Karen Wright Marsh, and learn more about the show here: www.karenwrightmarsh.com | |||
| Thomas Merton | 24 Sep 2020 | 00:29:06 | |
Philip Yancey and host Karen Wright Marsh tell the story of Thomas Merton, a most unusual monastic: best-selling author, peacemaker, and contemplative spiritual teacher. The Dalai Lama, spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, couldn’t stop talking about his “brother” Tom Merton—about his luminous inner life, his true humility, his deep faith—declaring that it was Tom who first introduced him to the real meaning of the word Christian. Who was this Real Christian? And what can he teach us today? | |||
| Ignatius of Loyola | 17 Sep 2020 | 00:28:22 | |
Best-selling author Father James Martin, S.J, joins host Karen Wright Marsh to tell the riveting story of the Ignatius of Loyola and his transformative approach to the spiritual life. Meet host Karen Wright Marsh, and learn more about the show here: www.karenwrightmarsh.com The Rev. James Martin, SJ, is a Jesuit priest, editor at large of America, consultor to the Vatican's Dicastery for Communication and the author of many books, including the New York Times bestsellers The Jesuit Guide and Jesus: A Pilgrimage. His latest book Learning to Pray: A Guide for Everyone will be released in February 2021.
America Magazine www.americamagazine.org/voices/james-martin-sj James Martin: Essential Writings (Modern Spiritual Masters) a volume of Fr. Martin’s writings Books by James Martin: The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything: A Spirituality for Real Life My Life with the Saints Jesus: A Pilgrimage Building a Bridge: How the Catholic Church and the LGBT Community Can Enter into a Relationship of Respect, Compassion, and Sensitivity In Good Company: The Fast Track from the Corporate World to Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience Other Ignatian resources: https://www.ignatianspirituality.com/ Sacred Listening: Discovering the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius Loyola by James L. Wakefield The Ignatian Adventure: Experiencing the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius in Daily Life by Kevin O'Brien
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| Bonus: Bold and Inspiring Tales | 06 Jul 2020 | 00:22:08 | |
Author Carey Wallace joins host Karen Wright Marsh to talk about her fabulous new book, Stories of the Saints: Bold and Inspiring Tales of Adventure, Grace and Courage. They slew dragons, led armies, and talked with animals. From martyrs and healers to scholars and shepherds, Carey Wallace tells the riveting stories of seventy best-loved saints in her children’s book that appeals to all ages, with splendid illustrations that bring saints both familiar and obscure to life. Karen and Carey explore the difference between fairy tales, myths and hagiography, talk about what kids truly want in a story, and trade favorite tales. Meet host Karen Wright Marsh, and learn more about the show here: www.karenwrightmarsh.com Guest Carey Wallace is the author of The Blind Contessa’s New Machine, The Ghost In The Glass House, and a choose-your-own-adventure novel called Choose. She grew up Quaker in small Michigan towns, and now lives and writes in Brooklyn.
Stories of the Saints: Bold and Inspiring Tales of Adventure, Grace and Courage by Carey Wallace, illustrated by Nick Thornborrow (Workman, 2020). Carey and friends reads aloud from her book in the video Stories of the Saints Read-Aloud Series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ds8fmng6lSw
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| Body and Soul: Practices to Shape A Life | 23 Feb 2020 | 00:16:17 | |
In the final episode of Season One, Donyelle McCray of Yale Divinity School and host Karen Wright Marsh talk about embodied practices that bring spiritual vitality into everyday life. The best kind of spirituality enlivens us: body, soul and spirit. Donyelle McCray and Karen Marsh explore the many ways in which we can practice faith in the world, from self care to soul care, from standing in solidarity to fighting for justice. Even the practices of play and retreat have a place in a full, faithful life. Enjoy this final episode of the Vintage Saints and Sinners Podcast Season One!
Guest Donyelle McCray, Assistant Professor of Homiletics at Yale Divinity School, writes about the ways African American women and lay people use the sermon to play, remember, invent, and disrupt. Her book, The Censored Pulpit: Julian of Norwich as Preacher, offers a homiletical reading of Julian’s life and ministry. Her current research examines the preaching and spirituality of the Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray. She is also working on a documentary film on Race, Church, and Theological Practices. Learn more at https://divinity.yale.edu/faculty-and-research/yds-faculty/donyelle-mccray For more reading, Karen recommends “Got Some Nerve: Pauli Murray’s Spirituality of Risk-Taking,” a lecture by Donyelle McCray at austinseminarydigital.org The Pauli Murray Project at paulimurrayproject.org The Life of the Body by Valerie E. Hess and Lane M. Arnold
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| Dorothy Day | 14 Feb 2020 | 00:21:24 | |
Tim Tseng and Karen Wright Marsh wrestle with the life and legacy of Dorothy Day, the controversial American social reformer who said, “Don't call me a saint. I don't want to be dismissed so easily." Dorothy Day was a person of contradictions: activist and contemplative, political radical and theological conservative. She founded The Catholic Worker, a Jesus-centered movement of mercy and resistance that continues to this day. Host Karen Marsh tells Dorothy’s story and then digs deeper with pastor Tim Tseng. Meet host Karen Wright Marsh, and learn more about the show here: www.karenwrightmarsh.com Guest Dr. Tim Tseng is all about helping Jesus followers flourish wherever faith and life intersect. He is currently the Pacific Area Director for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship’s Graduate and Faculty Ministries (GFM). His ministries have included being a seminary professor, scholar, founder of a non-profit organization, and pastor. Tim’s heart aches for a generation of students and leaders who will awaken the world to God’s redemptive love. Learn more at timtseng.net. Karen recommends: Dorothy Day’s autobiography, The Long Loneliness By Little and by Little: The Selected Writings of Dorothy Day, edited by Robert Ellsberg All Is Grace: A Biography of Dorothy Day by Jim Forest
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| Saints of Washington | 10 Apr 2021 | 00:27:37 | |
In this special Saints of Washington episode, Karen Wright Marsh tells the stories of four “saints” who lived, worked and witnessed in the city they called home: George Washington, Carter G. Woodson, Joan Trumpauer Mulholland and Marie H. Reed. Each, in their own way, expressed God’s love and mercy to the Washington, DC, area. EDUCATION: Carter G. Woodson (1875-1950) UNITY: Joan Trumpauer Mulholland (1941- ) COMMUNITY: Marie H. Reed (1915-1969) This Saints of Washington podcast episode is part of Saints of the City (SotC), an outreach initiative of Theological Horizons, a ministry based at the University of Virginia. SotC seeks to provide a warm environment for people from different ages, faith and cultural backgrounds, an invitation to connect with others and consider one aspect of spiritual truth or practical wisdom as modeled by a saint from the Christian tradition. Saints of the City has launched in Atlanta, Washington, DC/Northern Virginia, Charlottesville — and is coming soon to a city near you. Learn more. Join us! https://www.theologicalhorizons.org/saints Led by Vintage Saints and Sinners podcast host, Karen Wright Marsh, Theological Horizons is a ministry that supports Christians and seekers in academia by providing a welcoming community for engaging faith, thought and life. It is based on Grounds at the University of Virginia, but its distinctive ministry style, robust alumni network, Vintage Saints and Sinners podcast, and online discipleship resources help its ministry reach well beyond Charlottesville’s city limits. www.TheologicalHorizons.org | |||
| Juana Ines de la Cruz | 10 Feb 2020 | 00:21:20 | |
Religion commentator Katelyn Beaty joins host Karen Wright Marsh to tell the story of Juana Ines de la Cruz (1648-1695), the first female theologian of the Americas, a woman whose passion for knowledge fueled her dramatic life. Have your heard of the little Mexican girl whose intellectual gifts dazzled the elites of her day? Despite the constraints of colonial powers, Juana Ines de la Cruz collected the largest library in Mexico, wrote poetry and plays known across the Western Hemisphere, and, in the end, was brought down by the Spanish Inquisition. Discover the courageous woman determined to share her God-given talents with the world. Meet host Karen Wright Marsh, and learn more about the show here: www.karenwrightmarsh.com Guest Katelyn Beaty is author of A Woman’s Place: A Christian Vision for Your Calling in the Office, the Home, and the World and has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Religion News Service, She is an acquisitions editor for Brazos Press and has served as an editor at Christianity Today magazine. Find out more at www.katelynbeaty.com/ For more reading, Karen recommends Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz: Selected Works, translated by Edith Grossman, with an introduction by Julia Alvarez Sor Juana by Octavio Paz
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| Henri Nouwen | 01 Feb 2020 | 00:23:12 | |
Vulnerable. Gentle. Pastoral. These words describe Henri J.M. Nouwen, (1932-1996), the spiritual writer and priest who experienced both academic status at Harvard and Yale and service at L’Arche, a community of people with intellectual disabilities and their caregivers. Nouwen speaks honestly of anguish and freedom, struggle and belovedness, with insights that touch us even today.
Guest Donyelle McCray, Assistant Professor of Homiletics at Yale Divinity School, writes about the ways African American women and lay people use the sermon to play, remember, invent, and disrupt. Her book, The Censored Pulpit: Julian of Norwich as Preacher, offers a homiletical reading of Julian’s life and ministry. Her current research examines the preaching and spirituality of the Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray. She is also working on a documentary film on Race, Church, and Theological Practices. Learn more at https://divinity.yale.edu/faculty-and-research/yds-faculty/donyelle-mccray
Henri Nouwen (Modern Spiritual Masters): Writings Selected with an Introduction by Robert A. Jonas There are numerous books by Henri J.M. Nouwen. Among them are: The Life of the Beloved: Spiritual Living in a Secular World The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership
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| Who’s a Sinner? Who’s a Saint? Who decides? | 24 Jan 2020 | 00:27:33 | |
The label “saint” conjures up images of bloody martyrs, serene mystics, and selfless heroes—overachievers whose sanctity is out of reach for common strugglers. Katelyn Beaty and Karen Wright Marsh take a fresh look at the old divide between sinner and saint. Together they explore new ways to live a spiritual life, a life that just may promise sanctity for the likes of you and me.
Guest Katelyn Beaty is author of A Woman’s Place: A Christian Vision for Your Calling in the Office, the Home, and the World and has written for The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Washington Post, Religion News Service, and Religion and Politics. She currently serves as an acquisitions editor for Brazos Press and served as an editor at Christianity Today magazine. She lives in Brooklyn. Learn more at katelynbeaty.com. For further exploration: Listen to Karen’s conversation with Susie Davis on her Dear Daughters podcast: https://susiedavis.org/karen-marsh-dear-daughters-36/
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| Mary Paik Lee | 18 Jan 2020 | 00:24:08 | |
Mary Paik Lee, born to a Christian family in Korea, grew up in California at a time when Asians labored under race based exclusionary laws and daily persecution -- often at the hands of white brothers and sisters in Christ. How does Mary understand God’s purposes in the midst of suffering? Asian-American pastor and scholar Tim Tseng helps us understand Lee’s experiences and insights.
Guest Dr. Tim Tseng is all about helping Jesus followers flourish wherever faith and life intersect. He is currently the Pacific Area Director for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship’s Graduate and Faculty Ministries (GFM). His ministries have included being a seminary professor, scholar, founder of a non-profit organization, and pastor. Tim’s heart aches for a generation of students and leaders who will awaken the world to God’s redemptive love. Learn more at timtseng.net
Mary Paik Lee’s autobiography, A Quiet Odyssey: A Pioneer Woman in America
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| Søren Kierkegaard | 11 Jan 2020 | 00:23:34 | |
Søren Kierkegaard was an angsty young intellectual determined to find and follow his life’s purpose. Years of struggle led Søren to a most unexpected place: in living conversation with the very God he had long avoided. Could Kierkegaard be the perfect saint for today’s nonbelievers?
Guest Jonathan Merritt is an award-winning writer on religion, culture, and politics. He writes for The Atlantic and is the author of several critically-acclaimed books including Learning to Speak God from Scratch: Why Sacred Words are Vanishing - and How We Can Revive Them. Jonathan has published more than 3500 articles in respected outlets from The New York Times to Christianity Today. Learn more at jonathanmerritt.com. For further reading, Karen recommends: The Prayers of Kierkegaard by Soren Kierkegaard. Edited by Perry D. LeFevre Christianity Today’s profile of Kierkegaard: https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/people/moversandshakers/soren-kierkegaard.html
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| Saints for Nones and Everyone | 04 Jan 2020 | 00:20:21 | |
Millions of Americans are abandoning traditional religious institutions. Nearly 1 in 4 Americans choose "None" when asked to give their religious affiliation. Yet spirituality holds an enduring appeal—and true stories of saints exemplify spiritual lives well lived. Who are the Vintage believers who show the way for Nones…and for the rest of us? Meet host Karen Wright Marsh, and learn more about the show here: www.karenwrightmarsh.com Guest Dr. Tim Tseng is all about helping Jesus followers flourish wherever faith and life intersect. He is currently the Pacific Area Director for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship’s Graduate and Faculty Ministries (GFM). His ministries have included being a seminary professor, scholar, founder of a non-profit organization, and pastor. Tim’s heart aches for a generation of students and leaders who will awaken the world to God’s redemptive love. Learn more at timtseng.net For further exploration: See the interview with Diana Butler Bass, “The Rise of the Nones.” Become a podcast partner! Make your gift at: www.theologicalhorizons.org/giving. Thank you! | |||
| Julian of Norwich | 28 Dec 2019 | 00:21:33 | |
Donyelle McCray of Yale Divinity School joins host Karen Wright Marsh to tell the startling story of the visionary Julian of Norwich. During a terrifying time of deadly plague and war, Julian of Norwich (1342-c.1416) received an extraordinary vision of Christ’s saving, comforting presence. Now, more than ever, we need to hear sister Julian’s radical message: that despite the alarming events of our own present day, God’s love will have the final word. “All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.” It’s a truth to embrace.
Guest Donyelle McCray, Assistant Professor of Homiletics at Yale Divinity School, writes about the ways African American women and lay people use the sermon to play, remember, invent, and disrupt. Her book, The Censored Pulpit: Julian of Norwich as Preacher, offers a homiletical reading of Julian’s life and ministry. Her current research examines the preaching and spirituality of the Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray. She is also working on a documentary film on Race, Church, and Theological Practices. Learn more at https://divinity.yale.edu/faculty-and-research/yds-faculty/donyelle-mccray For more reading, Karen recommends Revelations of Divine Love:Unabridged Contemporary English Edition by Julian of Norwich (Paraclete Press) The Censored Pulpit: Julian of Norwich as Preacher by Donyelle McCray (Fortress Academic) Laughing at the Devil: Seeing the World with Julian of Norwich by Amy Laura Hall (Duke University Press) Julian of Norwich, Theologian by Denys Turner (Yale University Press) Julian of Norwich: A Contemplative Biography by Amy Frykholm (Paraclete Press)
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| Francis and Clare of Assisi | 19 Dec 2019 | 00:23:48 | |
Host Karen Wright Marsh tells the story of Francis and Clare Assisi and discusses their lives with Jonathan Merritt, award-winning faith and culture writer. Everyone knows placid Francis of Assisi, the beaming saint of garden statuary. But in reality, Francis and his friend Clare were bold spiritual adventurers who risked everything to be like Jesus, no matter how crazy it seemed to their families, friends and neighbors. Do we dare to follow their example today? Meet host Karen Wright Marsh, and learn more about the show here: www.karenwrightmarsh.com Guest Jonathan Merritt is an award-winning writer on religion, culture, and politics. He writes for The Atlantic and is the author of several critically-acclaimed books including Learning to Speak God from Scratch: Why Sacred Words are Vanishing - and How We Can Revive Them. Jonathan has published more than 3500 articles in respected outlets from The New York Times to Christianity Today. Learn more at jonathanmerritt.com. For further reading, Karen recommends: Francis of Assisi: A New Biography by Augustine Thompson Francis and Clare: A True Story by Jon M. Sweeney Francis and Clare: The Complete Works in The Classics of Western Spirituality
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| Thérèse of Lisieux | 13 Dec 2019 | 00:24:07 | |
Do you seek satisfaction—but struggle to find purpose in the routines of daily life? Well, bold Thérèse of Lisieux is the saint for you. She reframes everyday experience, with its unseen acts of service, as an invitation into transformational love and faithfulness. Discover the wisdom of the Thérèse, who dares to say, “Everything is grace.” Meet host Karen Wright Marsh, and learn more about the show here: www.karenwrightmarsh.com Guest Katelyn Beaty is author of A Woman’s Place: A Christian Vision for Your Calling in the Office, the Home, and the World and has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Religion News Service, She is an acquisitions editor for Brazos Press and has served as an editor at Christianity Today magazine. Find out more at www.katelynbeaty.com/ For more reading, Karen recommends “Take a Little Way: a Reading from Thérèse of Lisieux with Leader’s Guide” At https://karenwrightmarsh.com/vintage-sessions “The Love of Saint Thérèse” by Philip Zaleski https://www.firstthings.com/article/2004/12/the-love-of-saint-thrse “Father James Martin on St. Thérèse of Lisieux, his favorite saint (Sorry Ignatius!)”
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| Ancient Friendships & the Future of Faith | 06 Dec 2019 | 00:19:57 | |
Research indicates that millennials have been leaving the church in alarming numbers; 59 percent of younger Americans raised in church have already left. In the face of institutional decline, vintage saints offer a fresh, authentic witness to the vitality of faith. What is the unexpected promise of ancient friendship for the future of faith?
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| Saints of Atlanta | 03 Apr 2021 | 00:26:07 | |
In this special Saints of Atlanta episode, Karen Wright Marsh tells the stories of four “saints” who lived, worked and witnessed in the city they called home: Each, in their own way, expressed God’s love and mercy to Atlanta. MEDIATOR: Thomas O’Reilly (1831-1872) ADVOCATE: Demetrios Petrides (c.1865-1917) EDUCATOR: Alberta Williams King (1904-1974) HEALER: Leila Denmark (1898-2012) This Saints of Atlanta podcast episode is part of Saints of the City (SotC), an outreach initiative of Theological Horizons, a ministry based at the University of Virginia. Saints of the City has launched in Atlanta, Washington, DC/Northern Virginia, Charlottesville — and is coming soon to a city near you. Learn more. Join us! https://www.theologicalhorizons.org/saints | |||
| Benedict and Scholastica | 29 Nov 2019 | 00:22:07 | |
Host Karen Wright Marsh tells the story of Benedict and Scholastica, the twins who altered Western civilization. She explores their wisdom with pastor historian Tim Tseng. Stressed out, overwhelmed and overworked? Is it possible to achieve that ever-elusive work/life balance? Benedict and Scholastica, two surprising 5th century Italians, want to show you the brilliant and practical secrets to a good life of play, work, prayer, community and rest. Guest Dr. Tim Tseng is all about helping Jesus followers flourish wherever faith and life intersect. He is currently the Pacific Area Director for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship’s Graduate and Faculty Ministries (GFM). His ministries have included being a seminary professor, scholar, founder of a non-profit organization, and pastor. Tim’s heart aches for a generation of students and leaders who will awaken the world to God’s redemptive love. Learn more at timtseng.net For more reading, Karen recommends A guide to Benedictine spirituality at explorefaith.org http://www.explorefaith.org/livingspiritually/benedictine_spirituality/index.php and A Good Life: Benedict's Guide to Everyday Joy by Robert Benson https://paracletepress.com/collections/benedictine-spirituality/products/good-life
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| Amanda Berry Smith | 22 Nov 2019 | 00:20:18 | |
Born enslaved on a Maryland plantation, Amanda Berry Smith (1837-1915) went on to preach the Gospel across the United States, Europe, Africa and India. How did an impoverished black woman achieve such freedom and influence? Did she ever overcome her anxious fears? Hear the story of one of the greatest Christians you’ve never heard of. Learn more at https://divinity.yale.edu/faculty-and-research/yds-faculty/donyelle-mccray Meet host Karen Wright Marsh, and learn more about the show here: www.karenwrightmarsh.com | |||
| C.S. Lewis | 15 Nov 2019 | 00:20:27 | |
As a teenager, C.S. Lewis, the famed apologist for Christianity, declared that religion was pure myth and that believers were irrational fools. How, then, did the confirmed atheist come to embrace Christianity as the truth? And what does Lewis say about our own skepticism? Can the world be re-enchanted after all? Become a podcast partner! Make your gift at: www.theologicalhorizons.org/giving | |||
| Mother Teresa | 05 Nov 2019 | 00:24:49 | |
While Mother Teresa lived, she was an icon of smiling sanctity. But her private, posthumous letters reveal a dark side of her faith: a reckoning with God's silence. Was Mother Teresa a hypocrite after all? Or is she the perfect saint for our lonely, anxious times? | |||
| Toni Morrison | 11 Feb 2021 | 00:29:10 | |
Alton B. Pollard III joins Karen Wright Marsh to explore the religious and spiritual imagination of Toni Morrison. You won’t find her name at the top of the roster of Christian saints. She’s not often thought of as a religious writer. But Toni Morrison (1931-2019) the esteemed Nobel and Pulitzer winning novelist, editor and professor, converted to the Catholic church at age 12. What do we know about her faith? Meet Karen Wright Marsh, and learn more about the show here: www.karenwrightmarsh.com Guest Reverend Dr. Alton B Pollard III is a national author, speaker, ordained minister and the president of Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. As a scholar of African American and U.S. religion and culture, he has written on mysticism and social change, the social witness of Howard Thurman, and a new edition of WEB DuBois’s The Negro Church. Pollard was previously dean of the School of Divinity and professor of Religion and Culture at Howard University in Washington, D.C. | |||
| The Saints We Need Right Now | 04 Feb 2021 | 00:28:30 | |
How is a leader made? The child of immigrants, Rev. Dr. Walter Kim tells stories of his faith journey and the spiritual mentors who have shaped him along the way. Meet host Karen Wright Marsh, and learn more about the show here: www.karenwrightmarsh.com Guest Walter Kim is the president of the National Association of Evangelicals and a Presbyterian pastor who has served as chaplain at Yale University. He has taught at Boston College and Harvard University, where he received his PhD. Walter Kim's commitment to exploring biblical theology and cultural issues is grounded in his personal experience as the child of Korean American immigrant parents. | |||
| Stories of Embodied Witness | 28 Jan 2021 | 00:20:56 | |
What is “embodied solidarity”? Larycia Hawkins illuminates the power of a risky Christian witness made incarnate in the world. Meet host Karen Wright Marsh, and learn more about the show here: www.karenwrightmarsh.com Dr. Larycia Hawkins is an American scholar and speaker whose act of embodied solidarity became the subject of the award-winning documentary film Same God. Dr. Hawkins is general faculty at the University of Virginia, where she teaches in the departments of politics and religious studies and serves in the Religion, Race, and Democracy Lab.
Same God the film, https://samegodfilm.com/, streaming on Amazon Prime Video & iTunes “The Professor Wore a Hijab in Solidarity — Then Lost Her Job,” New York Times Magazine https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/16/magazine/the-professor-wore-a-hijab-in-solidarity-then-lost-her-job.html “Dear America” by Larycia Hawkins in Comment Magazine: https://www.cardus.ca/comment/article/dear-america/ | |||
| Sophie Scholl | 21 Jan 2021 | 00:33:55 | |
Larycia Hawkins and Karen Wright Marsh recount the story of luminous Sophie Scholl, a university student who dared to stand up to Hitler. Young Sophie Scholl and her brother Hans were raised to stand up for righteousness. In the end, their convictions would cost them everything -- but leave behind a legacy of courage and integrity. Meet host Karen Wright Marsh, and learn more about the show here: www.karenwrightmarsh.com Guest Dr. Larycia Hawkins is an American scholar and speaker whose act of embodied solidarity became the subject of the award-winning documentary film Same God. Dr. Hawkins is general faculty at the University of Virginia, where she teaches in the departments of politics and religious studies and serves in the Religion, Race, and Democracy Lab. | |||
| Tell the Truth, Live Redeemed | 14 Jan 2021 | 00:29:48 | |
Natasha Sistrunk Robinson is a visionary leader, a woman who has learned profound truths on her journey as a child in South Carolina to the U.S. Naval Academy and on to a career in service, ministry and mentoring. In this special conversation, Natasha Sistrunk Robinson talks about the Biblical figures and the African American witnesses who lived by the tough truths of courage, determination and reliance upon God.
Guest Natasha Sistrunk Robinson is an author, consultant and founder of the nonprofit Leadership LINKS. Natasha is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and of Gordon-Conwell Seminary. A former United States Marine Corps Captain with more than 20 years of leadership and mentoring experience in the military, federal government, academic, and nonprofit sectors, Natasha Robinson continues to shape generations of the world’s best leaders. Her newest book is A Sojourner’s Truth: Choosing Freedom and Courage in a Divided World. Hear her speak about Sojourner Truth on another episode of the Vintage Saints and Sinners Podcast. Her website: www.natashasrobinson.com Her podcast, A Sojourner’s Truth Podcast: Conversations for a Changing Culture: www.natashasrobinson.com/podcast Her nonprofit: Leadership LINKS: Connecting People with Purpose: www.leadershiplinksinc.org T3 Leadership Solutions, her consultancy specializing in creating customized leadership development programs: www.t3leadershipsolutions.com | |||