
Advertise on podcast: Committing Faith in Public
This podcast has
39 episodes
Language
EnglishPublisher
Center for Religion in Public LifeExplicit
No
Date created
2020/05/23
Latest episode
2026/10/08
Average duration
37 min.
Release period
117 days
Description
The Committing Faith in Public podcast is for people who want to be inspired by individuals and communities of faith doing good work in public. Our guests tell stories of their work to weave a more just, kind, and diversity-inclusive society. The podcast is produced by the Phillips Seminary Center for Religion in Public Life. Our thanks to the originator of this podcast, Gary Peluso-Verdend, the former executive director of the Center and president emeritus of Phillips. Email Kurt Gwartney to let him know about someone in the community you've seen committing faith in public. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Check latest episodes from Committing Faith in Public podcast
Hymns and Justice for All
2026/10/08
On this episode Trista’s guest is Stephanie A. Budwey, the Associate Professor of Sacred Music and Dean of the Chapel at Austin Seminary. Budwey's teaching and research focus on the relationships between social justice issues, liturgy, and the arts, particularly in congregational song.
A member of the Episcopal Church, she has many years of practical experience having worked in churches of various denominations and contexts as organist and choir director. She currently serves as organist at First Presbyterian Church of Austin.
As always, you can reach Trista at the Center for Religion in Public Life by emailing: [email protected].
CLICK for Dr. Budwey's comprehensive resource list.
Email Trista Soendker Nicholson, executive director of the Center for Religion in Public LIfe, to let her know about someone in the community you've seen practicing faithful disruption. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Immersion in DC
2026/09/17
Welcome to “Faithful Disruption: Religion in Public Life” with Trista Soendker Nicholson. She is the executive director of the Center for Religion in Public Life at Phillips Theological Seminary.
On this episode Trista’s guests are students who were part of an immersion course in the Washington, D.C. area. The seminary’s immersion experiences are a part of the seminary’s regular course offerings. Whether in D.C., on the northern border of Mexico, or Palestine/Israel, these classes provide opportunities for transformation.
As always, you can reach Trista at the Center for Religion in Public Life by emailing: [email protected].
Explore our degree programs at https://ptstulsa.edu/prospective-students/programs-of-study/.
Email Trista Soendker Nicholson, executive director of the Center for Religion in Public LIfe, to let her know about someone in the community you've seen practicing faithful disruption. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Civics 101
2026/09/03
On this episode of “Faithful Disruption,” Trista’s guest is Jessica Hill. She is a middle school civics teacher in the Kansas City area. She was also the teacher for both of Trista’s children.
Jessica is the perfect person to provide a refresher lesson in Civics 101 as we get closer to the November midterm elections.
As always, you can reach Trista at the Center for Religion in Public Life by emailing: [email protected].
Email Trista Soendker Nicholson, executive director of the Center for Religion in Public LIfe, to let her know about someone in the community you've seen practicing faithful disruption. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Climate Corruption
2026/08/20
On this episode of “Faithful Disruption,” Trista’s guest is U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse. He has represented Rhode Island in the United States Senate since 2007. The senator has a reputation as an advocate for progressive values and a thoughtful legislator capable of reaching across the aisle to achieve bipartisan solutions.
Whitehouse has given hundreds of Senate floor speeches about climate change and asserted that politically conservative “dark money” groups are corrupting the federal government to prevent climate action, and other reasons.
As always, you can reach Trista at the Center for Religion in Public Life by emailing: [email protected].
Image Credit: By United States Senate Photographic Studio - [1], Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=87990584
Email Trista Soendker Nicholson, executive director of the Center for Religion in Public LIfe, to let her know about someone in the community you've seen practicing faithful disruption. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Churches and Life on the Breadline
2026/08/06
On this episode, Trista’s guest is Chris Shannahan, author of Life on the Breadline: Theology, Poverty and Politics in an Age of Austerity. He is an Associate Professor in Political Theology at Coventry University’s Research Centre for Peace and Security in Coventry, UK.
Chris served in a variety of teaching and ministry roles, including as a Methodist Minister in inner-city London and Birmingham and a community organizer. His grassroots experience provided the grounding for his research in urban theology, sociology of religion and diversity studies and the basis of his PhD, within which he developed the first critical analysis of urban theology in the UK.
As always, you can reach Trista at the Center for Religion in Public Life by emailing: [email protected].
Email Trista Soendker Nicholson, executive director of the Center for Religion in Public LIfe, to let her know about someone in the community you've seen practicing faithful disruption. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Considering Church and State in the U.K. and U.S.
2026/07/23
On this episode of “Faithful Disruption: Religion in Public Life,” our host, Trista Soendker Nicholson, takes us to Cambridge, England for a conversation with Dr. Jonathan Chaplin. They discuss the unique differences and similarities surrounding issues of church and state in the United Kingdom and the United States.
Jonathan is a specialist in Christian political theology and a fellow of Wesley House, Cambridge Theological Federation, where he works with the Centre for Faith in Public Life. He is also the author of Beyond Establishment: Resetting Church-State Relations in England published in 2022, and Faith in Democracy: Framing a Politics of Deep Diversity released in 2021.
From 2006 to 2017, he was director of the Kirby Laing Institute for Christian Ethics in Cambridge, and from 1999 to 2006 he was associate professor of political theory at the Institute of Christian Studies (ICS) in Toronto. He held the Dooyeweerd Chair in Social and Political Philosophy at ICS from 2004 to 2006 and was visiting lecturer in Christian social and political thought at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam from 2007 to 2011.
He is a research fellow of the Canadian Christian think-tank Cardus. He also wrote, Herman Dooyeweerd: Christian Philosopher of State and Civil Society (2011). He has edited or co-edited nine other works and published many articles and book chapters in the field.
As always, you can reach Trista at the Center for Religion in Public Life by emailing: [email protected]. Stay updated by subscribing to our Substack.
Email Trista Soendker Nicholson, executive director of the Center for Religion in Public LIfe, to let her know about someone in the community you've seen practicing faithful disruption. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Community Organizing
2026/07/09
Kelli Driscoll Crews and Emilee Bounds discuss the importance and value of community organizing in this episode of Faithful Disruption with Trista Soendker Nicholson.
They share how community organizing isn't just about problems. It's about people connecting and building solutions together.
Email Trista Soendker Nicholson, executive director of the Center for Religion in Public LIfe, to let her know about someone in the community you've seen practicing faithful disruption. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Faith and the Gerrymander
2026/06/25
Emma Olson Sharkey visits with Faithful Disruption host Trista Soendker Nicholson about the way congressional and other voting districts are changing to increase political power for some and disenfranchise others.
Sharkey is a partner at Elias Law Group. She focuses her practice on nonprofit tax and campaign finance law, and legal issues related to ballot measures. Emma advises clients participating in political and issue advocacy across the country, including progressive ballot measure campaigns, political campaigns, and nonprofit organizations. She helps clients understand the law, anticipate challenges, and mitigate legal risk.
Emma is one of the nation’s leading ballot measure attorneys, counseling clients on how to effectively engage in measures across the country. She routinely defends clients engaged in ballot measure activity before state agencies and advises on ballot measure litigation strategy. She has served as outside counsel to progressive ballot measure efforts in more than 15 states, most recently focusing on campaigns that seek to protect the ballot measure process.
Emma regularly speaks and writes about ballot measures, most recently in the New York Times, the Washington Post, Salon, NBC News, Slate, CBS News Radio, The Hill, Democracy Docket, the Columbia Journalism Review, Pluribus, and Common Dreams. Her research has also been cited by TIME Magazine. (from law firm page https://elias.law/bio/emma-olson-sharkey/)
Email Trista Soendker Nicholson, executive director of the Center for Religion in Public LIfe, to let her know about someone in the community you've seen practicing faithful disruption. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
A Life of Faithful Resistance and Change
2026/05/21
The Rev. Jesse Jackson Jr., a Phillips alum and longest serving pastor at East Sixth Street Christian Church in Oklahoma City, discusses his lifelong commitment to resistance and change. He also shares how this part of his ministry has changed as he has faced several health concerns.
Email Trista Soendker Nicholson, executive director of the Center for Religion in Public LIfe, to let her know about someone in the community you've seen practicing faithful disruption. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Art, Resistance, and Faith
2026/04/16
On this episode, Trista Soendker-Nicholson talks with the artist Anthony Suber about the intersection of his art, resistance and faith. He is the featured artist for an exhibition opening April 27th at Phillips called, “Speculative Liturgies: The Perpetual B loom of Greenwood.” That is also the date for our annual Tulsa Race Massacre Lectureship with Teresa L. Fry Brown. Special thanks to the Nicole Longnecker Gallery for making our art exhibition possible @nicolelongneckergallery.
Register for the Tulsa Race Massacre Lectureship and the opening of Anthony’s art exhibition. You can also read Trista's latest blogs.
Email Trista Soendker Nicholson, executive director of the Center for Religion in Public LIfe, to let her know about someone in the community you've seen practicing faithful disruption. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Genesis of the Center for Religion in Public Life
2026/02/13
Join Trista Soendker Nicholson as she discusses the origins of the Center for Religion in Public LIfe with its founder, Gary Peluso-Verdend. You can also read Trista's latest blogs.
Email Trista Soendker Nicholson, executive director of the Center for Religion in Public LIfe, to let her know about someone in the community you've seen practicing faithful disruption. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Early Judaism and the New Testament Troubling Misunderstandings
2025/09/25
The relationship between Judaism and the New Testament has often been clouded by misinterpretation and bias. On the new episode of Committing Faith in Public, Phillips Theological Seminary President Doug Powe welcomes New Testament scholar and faculty member Dr. Warren Carter to discuss his new co-authored Baker Academic volume, Early Judaism and the New Testament: Troubling Misunderstandings.
BOOK LINKAUTHOR INFORMATION
Warren CarterWarren Carter (PhD, Princeton Theological Seminary) is the LaDonna Kramer Meinders Professor of New Testament at Phillips Theological Seminary in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is the author of many books, including Seven Events That Shaped the New Testament World and The Roman Empire and the New Testament.
Ariel FeldmanAriel Feldman (PhD, University of Haifa, Israel) is the Rosalyn and Manny Rosenthal Professor of Jewish Studies at Brite Divinity School and Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas, where he also directs the Jewish Studies program. He has published several books and articles, most of which deal with the literature of Early Judaism.
BOOK OVERVIEW (from the publisher)
The relationship between Early Judaism and the New Testament is a major issue in biblical studies, one that has impacted Jewish-Christian relations for centuries. This impact has often been negative due to troubling misconceptions of both the New Testament and Jewish writings contemporaneous with it. Misunderstandings have arisen from inaccurate information, religious traditions, and anti-Semitism.
Warren Carter and Ariel Feldman address and correct these misconceptions by engaging with the New Testament and major writings from Early Judaism, including the Apocrypha, Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, and the Dead Sea Scrolls, as well as Philo and Josephus. The authors emphasize various interactions among these traditions for the purpose of better interpreting the New Testament and, importantly, avoiding anti-Jewish bias.
This is an ideal supplemental textbook for students of the New Testament as well as interested clergy and laity. The text is straightforward and readable, and unlike other books on the topic, it does not assume prior knowledge of Early Judaism or of New Testament engagement with it. Each chapter recognizes troubling misunderstandings that people often have about the interactions between Early Judaism and the New Testament and includes discussion prompts.
Email Trista Soendker Nicholson, executive director of the Center for Religion in Public LIfe, to let her know about someone in the community you've seen practicing faithful disruption. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Interfaith Conversations
2023/09/22
Before his retirement from Phillips, Gary Peluso-Verdend met with several faith leaders for a series of interfaith conversations. On this episode, Gary talks with the Rev. Barbara Prose, who until recently served at Tulsa, Oklahoma’s All Souls Unitarian Church.
Email Kurt Gwartney with your questions, comments, or possible guests for this podcast.
Email Trista Soendker Nicholson, executive director of the Center for Religion in Public LIfe, to let her know about someone in the community you've seen practicing faithful disruption. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Phillips Student Services Members and Their Journeys
2023/04/13
What drives a person to seminary? What makes one choose a life of service and ministry in an everchanging world. Committing Faith in Public host Kurt Gwartney interviews Phillips Theological Seminary Student Services members to get their perspectives on why they chose their journey. This episode, Kurt will interview Cortney Lemke, the Director of Admissions.
Email Trista Soendker Nicholson, executive director of the Center for Religion in Public LIfe, to let her know about someone in the community you've seen practicing faithful disruption. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Committing Faith in Public: Braver Angels
2022/04/28
It has become cliché to note that America is highly polarized. Polarization has become something like the weather: something to complain about rather than act on. Braver Angels is an organization dedicated to depolarize America and to revive the spirit of our democracy.
One cannot imagine a more important contribution to reviving civic faith of America and in America than helping citizens of opposing views to know each other. Here in Oklahoma, we have a Braver Angels alliance. In this episode of Committing Faith in Public, senior vice president at Oklahoma State University (Tulsa) Chris Benge and All Souls Unitarian Church pastor Barbara Prose talk about the alliance to which they give leadership.
Mr. Benge has given decades of service to Oklahomans and is a Republican. The Rev. Prose pastors a progressive congregation, is a social justice advocate, and identifies as a Democrat. How many places can you hear a civil and honest conversation between persons who identify with different parts of the political spectrum? Join host Gary Peluso-Verdend and listen in to this special episode of the podcast. To learn more about Braver Angels in Oklahoma, email [email protected] or [email protected].
Email Trista Soendker Nicholson, executive director of the Center for Religion in Public LIfe, to let her know about someone in the community you've seen practicing faithful disruption. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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