Our guest, MaryAnn McKibben Dana, is a mother, a spouse, a writer and a very busy pastor.  Like many of us, she found herself, and her family, constantly on the go.  Then one day she wondered, What would it be like to stop, just for a little while?

Thus Dana and her family began a year-long experiment with keeping the Sabbath.  Little by little, they worked to find time each week to be still and to rest.  It wasn't easy.  In the process, however, they learned a great deal about themselves, and about trusting in the providence of God.

Dana recounts her year in the book Sabbath in the Suburbs: A Family's Experiment with Holy Time (find out more about the book here).  Dana is the pastor of Idylwood Presbyterian Church in Falls Church, Virginia, and she blogs regularly at The Blue Room Blog.

This is a gift for our podcast listeners: A short piece highlighting a religious fact about a given date (in this case, the Las Posadas festivals that run up to December 24).  We hope to do more of these in the future.  Thank you for listening to Things Not Seen this year!

David LaMotte has been writing and perfoming music all over America and the world for over two decades now.  In 2008 he put music on hold to accept a Rotary World Peace Fellowship to study International Relations, Peace and Conflict Resolution at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia.  He is the author of two books, S.S. Bathtub, a children's book based on one of his songs, and White Flour, which is based on events that occurred during a two thousand seven protest of a rally by the Ku Klux Klan.  LaMotte describes the book as a story of humor conquering hatred.

LaMotte has also been a key organizer of The Abraham Jam, a semi-annual evening of music and poetry featuring musicians from the Jewish, Muslim, and Christian faiths.

This is extra audio for show #1224, featuring David LaMotte.  We talk a bit more about his arrest on the floor of the NC state legislature, and about Myles Horton.

This is extra audio from our interview with Aaron Simmons in show #1222.  We discuss the "hermeneutics of suspicion" and the way Evangelicals engage environmental issues.

The word "postmodernism" has an interesting history over the past fifty years.  Originally the term described a style of architecture.  The word postmodern has since spread to all aspects of culture.  Moreover, it has become a key term in the culture wars, especially with regard to certain strands of religious faith.  Postmodernism in these contexts is viewed as the enemy of rationality, revealed religion, and even truth itself.

But not all persons of faith agree with this assessment of postmodernism.  Our guest, Aaron Simmons, sees postmodernism as one way for religions to recapture a lost humility in the public sphere.  For Simmons, postmodernity has less to do with denying truth than it does with saying that truth has certain characteristics that make objectivity and absolute certainty difficult. 

Aaron Simmons is assistant professor of philosophy at Furman University in South Carolina.  He is the author of God and the Other: Ethics and Politics after the Theological Turn, and he is the editor of several other books dealing with philosophy and religion.

During the recent campaign season, the word Secularism became something of a taboo. Our guest today points out that the word itself was mentioned fewer than a dozen times. Jacques Berlinerblau claims that a secular government is what actually protects religious freedom, giving religious minorities the freedom to exist.

Jacques Berlinerblau is the author of How To Be Secular (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012). He is Associate Professor and Director of Jewish Civilization at Georgetown University. He has written about faith and values in The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, and The Chronicle for Higher Education. 

Also on the show, Katy Scrogin reviews God Believes in Love, by Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson.

This is extra audio for podcast #1223

During the recent campaign season, the word Secularism became something of a taboo. Our guest today points out that the word itself was mentioned fewer than a dozen times. Jacques Berlinerblau claims that a secular government is what actually protects religious freedom, giving religious minorities the freedom to exist.

Jacques Berlinerblau is the author of How To Be Secular (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012). He is Associate Professor and Director of Jewish Civilization at Georgetown University. He has written about faith and values in The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, and The Chronicle for Higher Education. 

This is extra audio from our interview with Jonathan Judaken for show #1221.

Existentialism had its rise during the mid-19th century, and became one of the best-known philosophical movements of the 20th century.  Despite its relative popularity, however, it is difficult to give one definition for what existentialism is or what its adherents stand for.

Often associated with atheism or agnositcism, existentialism has been widely regarded as inconsistent with religious belief.  Our guest, Jonathan Judaken, agrees that this is one facet of existentialist thought, but makes the case that, with Kierkegaard and Dostoevsky as examples, we can speak of a robust religious existentilism as well.

Dr. Jonathan Judaken is a scholar and an expert of existentialism, and often engages existentialism as a lens for examining questions of religion, and race.  Judaken is the Spence L. Wilson Chair of Humanities at Rhodes College in Memphis, TN. He is the co-editor of Situating Existentialism: Key Texts in Context and the editor of Race after Sartre.  He is the author of Jean-Paul Sartre and the Jewish Question: Anti-antisemitism and the Politics of the French Intellectual.

Also on the show, our senior producer, Katy Scrogin, reviews The Myth of the Muslim Tide: Do Immigrants Threaten the West? by Doug Saunders.

This is extra audio for our show with the Rev. Tyler Wigg-Setvenson, looking at Christian responses to nuclear disarmament.

By the final years of the twentieth century, nuclear weapons policy in the United States was governed by the dictum of Mutually Assured Destruction. The US stockpiled nuclear weapons in hopes of assuring that nuclear weapons would never be used against us.

Our guest this week, Rev. Tyler Wigg-Stevenson, insists this policy of nuclear deterrence is outdated and morally problematic. Deterrence cannot account for the possibility of nuclear terrorism. It is also impossibly expensive and ecologically ruinous.

How should churches respond in light of these realities?  Is there a Christian message of hope for a humanity that now possesses the power to end itself?  This week, we wrestle with these unsettling but vital questions.

Rev. Tyler Wigg-Stevenson is the chairman of the Global Task Force on Nuclear Weapons, an initiative of the World Evangelical Alliance, and is the founding director of the Two Futures Project, a movement of American Christians for the global abolition of nuclear weapons.  He is the author of the forthcoming book, The World is Not Ours to Save: Finding the Freedom to Do Good (IVP Books, March 2013) and Brand Jesus: Christianity in a Consumerist Age.  He writes frequently for the Huffington Post and Christianity Today.

Also on the show, our senior producer, Katy Scrogin, reviews Christian Anarchism: A Political Commentary on the Gospels, by Alexandre Christoyannopoulos.

This is extra audio from show # 1219: Congregations and Health

The Christian tradition has long had an interest in the care of the sick and the suffering, starting with the actions of Christ himself, reported in the Gospels as a series of miraculous healings.  Through the subsequent two millennia, Christians have established hospitals and engaged in mission work for the poor and the sick. 

Here in Memphis, Tennessee, one example of this Christian mission in action involves a program of the Methodist LeBonheur Healthcare System called the Congregational Health Network.  Begun in 2006, the Congregational Health Network now partners with over 500 faith communities in order to improve the patient journey through the healthcare system and to help build healthier communities.

Dr. Teresa Cutts is Director of Research for Innovation at the Center of Excellence in Faith and Health at Methodist LeBonheur Healthcare here in Memphis, and the Reverend Bobby Baker is Director of the Congregational Health Network for Methodist LeBonheur Health Care.

Also on the show, our senior producer, Katy Scrogin, reviews At Liberty to Die: The Battle for Death with Dignity in America, by Howard Ball.

This is extra audio for episode #1218: Mormonism and America.

You can hear the full interview at ThingsNotSeenRadio.com

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (also known as Mormonism) is one of the fastest-growing religious groups in the United States today. Mitt Romney’s presidential candidacy has once again brought Mormonism into the public eye, as did Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid before him.  

Whether we look at the realms of entertainment, politics, or religious identity, the history of the Mormon Church is deeply entwined with the history of America.  

On this week's show, our guests discuss the history of the Mormon religion, the connection of the Mormon church to American history, and the role of religion in the 2012 Presidential election. 

Dr. Norm Tolk is professor of physics at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, and has served as a Bishop and stake president for several Mormon congregations.  Jared Halverson is director of education for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the Middle Tennessee Region.

Also on the show, Katy Scrogin, reviews Farther Away, essays by Jonathan Franzen.

This is extra audio for our interview with Rachel Held Evans, author of A Year of Biblical Womanhood.  We talk about the effects of 9-11 on Evangelicalism, and Evans's work at a small town newspaper.

Rachel Held Evans grew up in Dayton, TN, the town made famous by the Scopes Monkey Trial. From the heart of the Bible Belt, where faith at first seemed certain and simple, she grew more comfortable with questions and doubt.  Now considering herself a more progressive (but still evangelical) woman, she tries to live her beliefs, as she puts it, with her "head and heart fully engaged."

Rachel Held Evans is the author of Evolving in Monkey Town (Zondervan 2010) and A Year of Biblical Womanhood (Thomas Nelson 2012).  A popular blogger, you can keep up with her latest posts at rachelheldevans.com.

Also on the show,producer Travis Ables talks about Revolution, both on television and in life.

This is twelve minutes of extra audio from our interview with Fr. Bruce Cinquegrani, about the history of Vatican II

October 11, 2012, marked the 50th anniversary of the opening convocation of the Second Vatican Council.  Called by Pope John XXIII, the decisions made at the council affected every aspect of theology and worship within the Church.  In the wake of Vatican II, the Catholic Church began to worship in native languages, reaffirmed the centrality of the Bible in the life of the faithful, and began to reach out to the modern world and those of other faiths in unprecedented ways.

Our guest, Fr. Bruce Cinquegrani, looks back over a lifetime spent in the priesthood.  Fr. Bruce's ministry parallels the last half century of the post-Vatican II Church.  Deciding to become a priest in the years immediately before the council, he entered the pastorate in a Church profoundly different than what he expected.  Yet for Fr. Bruce, and many priest like him, his feelings are not of disappointment, but of hope for what is still to come as the effects of Vatican II continue to unfold.

Fr. Bruce Cinquegrani is pastor of St. Brigid Parish, TN, and is Episcopal Vicar for Divine Worship, Spiritual Life, and Catechesis in the Diocese of Memphis.

Also on the show, Katy Scrogin reviews the Salesman and the Shark, by Sean Rowe.

Katherine Clay Bassard is the author of Transforming Scriptures: African American Women Writers and the Bible.  We speak about her book and the history of biblical interpretations that orbit the African American experience.  Dr. Bassard will be speaking at the University of Memphis on Thursday, October 18th, 2012.

This is extra audio from broadcast # 1214.  In this podcast, we talk about the politics of race and its effect on interfaith dialogue, as well as what the ideal college interfaith program might look like.

Theologian and professor John J. Thatamanil discusses the growing field of "religious pluralism" - where the boundaries of "religion" are loosened and faith traditions are encouraged to mix and blend.  While a controversial concept to some, Thatamanil insists that theologies of religious pluralism are simply exploring the reality of religious mixture that has always been happening, whether we admit it or not.  Also on the program, David J. Dunn comments on the "myth" of the 47%.

Award-winning author Joanna Brooks discusses her love for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, as well as her frustrations with the faith.  A self-described "Mormon feminist," Brooks has sometimes felt misunderstood and unwelcome in her tradition. Despite these frictions, Brooks proudly proclaims her Mormon heritage and its history as a "pioneer faith."

Also on the program, Katy Scrogin reviews Speaking Christian, by Marcus J. Borg.

This is about 15 minutes of extra audio from our interview with Joanna Brooks from show #1213.  We talk about South Park, Judaism, and the X-Files.

In the late 1990s, Sherry Cothran was the lead singer for the popular indie-rock band The Evinrudes.  After the band broke up, Cothran followed a calling to divinity school, and is now a pastor in the United Methodist Church.  As she leads her congregation, she combines her skills as a musician with preaching, resulting in what she refers to as "song sermons."

Cothran has collected several of these song sermons on her new album, "Sunland," which explores the voices of women from the ancient religious world.

Also on the show. Katy Scrogin reviews The Chemistry of Tears, a novel by Peter Carey.

Tom Bergler is Professor of Ministry and Missions at Huntington University in Indiana.  His recent book, The Juvenilization of American Christianity, looks at nearly a hundred years of history to explore what has gone wrong - and what is still going right - in youth ministry.  His examiniation looks at how "youth culture" has permeated even adult spiritual formation programs.  The goal, Bergler says, should be spiritual maturity, not an endless quest for the new and the different.

Also on the program, Katy Scrogin reviews iDisorder: Understanding our Obsession with Technology and Overcoming its Hold on Us, by Larry Rosen

Show #1210 features Tom Beaudoin of the Rock and Theology Project, and Katy Scrogin reflecting on the Gnossienne Suites by Erik Satie

Our guest Tom Beaudoin tells us more about the Rock and Theology project.

This is extra audio from the interview with Katherine Willis Pershey

If it is hard for us to admit faults and shortcomings, it must be doubly hard for a pastor.  Katherine Willis Pershey, however, has learned to trust her congregation, her family, and her readers.  Her book, Any Day a Beautiful Change, is a moving and personal account of her journey as a woman in ministry, a new mother, and a spouse to a loving but struggling husband in recovery.

Also on the show, Travis Ables explores what the BBC science fiction series Doctor Who can tell us about everyday faith.

Nina Paley journeyed from grief to unexpected blessings with the help of a couple of Hindu gods.  In the process, she made a feature-length animated film, Sita Sings the Blues, based on a portion of the 3,000 year old epic, the Ramayana. 

Also on the show, Katy Scrogin reviews In the Presence of Absence, by the late Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish.

In this bonus podcast, Nina Paley describes the difficulties she had in using the music of Annette Hanshaw in her film, and the steps she took to help the film clear the copyright hurdles.

Constitutional scholar and Boston University Law professor Jay Wexler answers questions about the relationship between Church and State.

This is a bonus audio portion of material we were not able to include in the broadcast show.

What does the Bible actually say about forgiveness?  The answer may surprise you.  New Testament scholar and Huffington Post writer Maria Mayo challenges traditional Christian assumptions about forgiveness in her research.  While not dismissing the idea of forgiveness or diminishing its importance, she takes issue with the current practice of forgivenes as an individual, psychological act.

Also on the program, Katy Scrogin reviews David Foster Wallace's posthumous novel, The Pale King.

This is bonus audio from our interview with Maria Mayo.

The object Christians call "The Bible" seems simple and straightforward.  As our guest Tim Beal shows us, however, a closer look reveals not "The" Bible, but many (and many different) Bibles.  In our conversation, we explore what that means for the past, the present, and the future, of consumer Bible culture. Beal is the author of The Rise and Fall of the Bible: The Unexpected History of an Accidental Book.

Later on the broadcast, David J. Dunn reflects on the recent shootings in Colorado, with an impassioned plea for rational gun control.

In this extra audio podcast for show #1205, we continue our conversation with Timothy Beal, and explore the deeper meanings of the word "religion," as well as the strange new world of American Bible culture.

In this week's bonus podcast, we expand on our conversation with Mary Button.  We talk more about the politics of art, and art as religious expression.  We discuss Clarence Jordan's Cotton Patch Gospels, and explore Button's most recent work, a Stations of the Corss based in narratives from the recent conflicts in Syria.

"I try to use old stories to draw my viewers into new meanings," says painter Mary Button.  Button trained in fine arts at New York University, and studied theology at the Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta.  Her work has been featured in events at the United Nations and the national Council of Churches, and she is currently an artist-in-residence at First Congregational Church in Memphis, Tennessee.

Bonus audio from the interview with Robert Rhodes that we were unable to include in the broadcast version of the show due to time.

In 1995, Robert Rhodes and his family sold most of their possessions ans went to live on the Minnesota prairie in religious seclusion.  Rhodes had gone to live among the Hutterites, a 500 year old religious movement centered on communal ownership of property, radical pacifism, and an intense fervor for the Gospel.

By 2002, Rhodes and his family had left the Hutterites.  He chronicles his six years there in the book Nightwatch: An Inquiry into Solitude.

Also on the broadcast, Huffigton Post writer and lay theologian David J. Dunn explains to Christians why they should reconsider the ideas they have about Hell.

This is an extra part of the interview with Todd Green we weren't able to include in the broadcast portion of the show.

Legislation against Sharia law and vandalism against Mosques in Virginia and Tennessee are just the most recent outbreaks of anti-Muslim sentiment that many refer to as "Islamophobia."  Our guest, Todd Green, assistant professor of religion at Luther College, talks with us about the religious and political aspects of Islamophobia, and the factors that contribute to its presence in American culture.

Also, Travis Ables offers comments about the television show Community.

This week we talk with pastor and author Stacy Smith about her book, Bless Her Heart: Life as a Young Clergy Woman.  Co-authored with Ashley-Anne Masters, the book gathers anecdotes from female pastors from across denominational lines, and offers frank advice about the joys and pitfalls of being a young woman starting out a career in ministry.

Also, Katy Scrogin reviews Stephen Sheehi's book, Islamophobia: The Ideological Campaign against Muslims.