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 Tyler Wigg-Stevenson, insists this policy of nuclear deterrence is outdated and morally problematic.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.