Advertise on podcast: How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality

Feeling that our life is meaningful - that we add value to the world and are valued by the people around us, isn’t just a good feeling, it's a fundamentally necessary one. In fact, the need to matter is a universal human motive, second only to the needs of food and shelter.  On this episode we'll talk to author Jennifer Wallace about her new book on the topic of mattering, why we’re in a “mattering deficit,” the worrying impact this is having on our physical and emotional health, and what we can do to change that. And Duke researcher Patty Van Cappellen will share studies showing how spirituality and religious community can instill a deep sense of meaning in life that contributes to true human flourishing.  Jennifer Wallace is an award-winning journalist and the author of Mattering. You can find more about her work on her website. Patty Van Cappellen, Ph.D., is an associate research professor at the Social Science Research Institute and the Department for Psychology and Neuroscience at Duke University.

For many people, the word “sin” is associated with harsh judgment and shame. Or, it’s used to talk about guilty pleasures like consuming decadent desserts... But is this concept as harmful or outdated as it seems? Join Dave as he talks with Elizabeth Oldfield about Christianity’s Seven Deadly Sins, and how reconceptualizing them for modern life can offer a science-backed user’s manual of sorts to find joy and connection in this world, whatever your beliefs.   Elizabeth Oldfield is host of The Sacred podcast and author of the book Fully Alive: Tending to the Soul in Turbulent Times. She also writes the Substack newsletter Fully Alive and works as a coach, consultant and facilitator. Find out more about her work on her website.

These days, it feels like the end of the world is always just around the corner. From RaptureTok to climate doom and geopolitical upheaval, someone always seems to be predicting an impending apocalypse. But how does believing in The End affect how we are in the world? And is there a healthier way to navigate living in uncertain times? On this episode, we’ll talk to writer Dina Nayeri about growing up in a community that saw the apocalypse as right around the corner, and what she now sees as the dangers of that worldview. We’ll also talk to historian Kim Haines-Eitzen about how the apocalypse was originally understood in ancient texts, and what’s been lost in modern interpretations. Dina Nayeri is the author of the essay “Yearning for the end of the world,” as well as several other novels, plays, short stories, essays, and memoirs, including her most recent book, Who Gets Believed: When the Truth Isn’t Enough. Learn more about her on her website. Dr. Kim Haines-Eitzen is a Professor of Ancient Mediterranean Religions at Cornell University, and a Fellow at the National Humanities Center, where she is working on a forthcoming book project about the apocalypse. Learn more about her other research on her website. 

 We spend about a third of our lives sleeping and yet the question of why we sleep and dream has remained a mystery for much of human existence. But recently scientists have developed the tools to begin to reveal some astonishing insights into lucid dreaming and its uses.   In this episode, we'll talk to neuroscientist Ken Paller about the science of Lucid dreaming. Whether it's something any of us can learn to do and what benefits it might offer.  And while the science of lucid dreaming and its possible uses is still in its infancy, Tibetan Buddhists found ways to master it centuries ago using a practice they call Dream Yoga.   We'll talk with Geshe Thabkhe, a Tibetan Buddhist monk, about how members of his tradition have long been using this technique to enhance their spiritual lives, and how he and other monks are now working with Western scientists like Ken Paller and neuroscientist Robin Nusslock to research this special type of dream state and whether people in the outside world can influence or even communicate with them while they're dreaming.  Robin Nusslock, PhD is a neuroscientist and Associate Professor of Psychology at Northwestern University.  Ken Paller is Professor of Psychology and Director of  the Cognitive Neuroscience program at Northwestern University. You can find out more about his work on his website. 

When life feels uncertain, who do you turn to? Across cultures and throughout history, many of us have looked to people who seemed to have a special set of abilities and knowledge… shamans. On this episode, we’ll talk to anthropologist Manvir Singh about what shamanism actually is, how it works, and why its appeal is both timeless and universal. From a remote island in Indonesia to American Pentecostal churches, we’ll explore how shamans harness ritual, empathy, and performance to help people find meaning and relief in times of need. Manvir Singh directs the Integrative Anthropology Lab at the University of California, Davis. He is the author of Shamanism: The Timeless Religion, and a contributing writer for The New Yorker. Find out more about his work on his website.

For most of human history, religion guided people’s choices about health and food. Then with the rise of modern nutritional science in the 19th century, people began to favor scientific advice over religious ideas about how to eat.  But lately, a new generation of Christian diet influencers are putting the God back in nutritional guidance, sometimes at the expense of science altogether. And this messaging might not be creating healthier or holier people.  We'll talk to New York Times writer Jessica Grose and historian Catherine Newell about the long, complex history of food, faith, and morality.  And we’ll ask - can we reconnect faith and health in America in positive ways that are informed by tradition and history, but also true to science? Jessica Grose has written books on motherhood, marriage and countless articles. More information about her work can be found on her website jessicagrose.com. Catherine Newell is a professor and the Associate Dean for Pre-Health Professions at the University of Miami. She is the author of the books entitled Food Faiths: Diet, Religion, and the Science of Spiritual Eating & Destined for the Stars: Faith, the Future, and America’s Final Frontier.

We often think of wisdom as something that comes with age, or as a gift reserved for a chosen few. But what if wisdom is more like a muscle… one that becomes stronger with practice? On this episode, we’re exploring the true meaning of wisdom. We’ll talk to psychologist Igor Grossmann and Jesuit priest Barton Geger about how science and spirituality have come to many of the same conclusions about what wisdom looks like in practice and what we can all do to train our hearts and minds to see more clearly and make choices that align with our values. Professor Igor Grossmann directs the Wisdom and Culture Lab at the University of Waterloo. Learn more about his work at his website.  Father Barton Geger is an Associate Professor of the Practice at Boston College’s School of Theology and Ministry. Learn more about his work here and here. 

If you want to grow spiritually, should you go to a monastery and withdraw from the world, or look for greater meaning, connection, and purpose in the loud messiness of life?  In other words, do you heal the world by working in it or praying for it? Philosophers and spiritual thinkers have debated it for centuries, but perhaps finding the right balance is the answer.  On this episode of How God Works, we’ll talk with journalist Sigal Samuel, about the centuries old debate over the spiritual life and how best to pursue it - through contemplation or activity. We’ll also talk with Father Greg Boyle, a Jesuit priest and founder of the world's largest gang intervention, rehabilitation and prison reentry programs about how he finds a balance between an inner- and outer-focused life.  Sigal Samuel is a Senior Reporter at Vox and Co-Host of Vox’s Future Perfect podcast, she also writes the advice column Your Mileage May Vary, which offers a framework for thinking through your ethical dilemmas and philosophical questions. Feel free to send Sigal your questions! And to learn more about her other work, check out her website. Father Greg Boyle is a Jesuit priest and the founder of Homeboy Industries. Learn about their work here. 

We say friends are what make life worth living. But if that’s true, why are so many of us struggling to find and keep them these days? And what can we do to cultivate better friendships? Join us as we talk to psychiatrist  Robert Waldinger about the importance of friendship to our health and happiness, and to philosopher Samuel Kimbriel about the keys to forming meaningful friendships and the helpful advice spiritual traditions offer. Along the way, we’ll also ask what it means to be a good friend… and what that means for society as a whole.  Robert Waldinger is Director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development and co-author, with Marc Schulz, of The Good Life: Lessons from the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness. Learn more about his work at his website, and about his practice as a Zen priest with the Henry David Thoreau Sangha here.  Samuel Kimbriel is Founding Director of the Aspen Institute’s Philosophy & Society Initiative and author of the book Friendship as Sacred Knowing: Overcoming Isolation. He is also Editor-at-Large at Wisdom of Crowds. 

Join us for Season 9 of How God Works, starting next week!

We will be back with a whole new season of How God Works on October 5th. In the meantime, we wanted to share some of our favorite episodes from the archives.  A majority of people in the US believe that faith can heal. And while there isn’t any strong scientific data backing the idea of faith healing by divine intervention, there is a growing recognition that faith in the power of a person, religious ritual, or even medicine to heal can play a role in recovery via the placebo effect. Join Dave and his guests science writer Erik Vance and health psychologist Alia Crum to explore the surprising ways belief in placebos can heal, and how, if you’ve ever taken a medication, it’s already worked to your benefit.

We'll be back with a whole new season of How God Works on October 5th. But in the meantime, we wanted to share some of our favorite episodes from the archives. Data shows that for many people, happiness takes a big dip around 50. But aging doesn’t have to be a crisis if we can figure out how to embrace who we’re becoming rather than hanging on to who we used to be. If done right, midlife can actually be a time of deepening joy and satisfaction. Join Dave as he talks to The Atlantic columnist Arthur C. Brooks and Swami Tyagananda, head of Boston’s Vedanta Society, about how to move into the second half of our life with grace. To find out more about Swami Tyagananda, visit the Vedanta Society’s website. Click here to buy Arthur Brooks’s book From Strength to Strength and learn about his podcast and other writings.

How God Works will be back with all new episodes this fall. In the meantime, we're taking the opportunity to share episodes from some of our favorite shows with you, our listeners. Today, we're excited to feature an episode from our friends at The Science of Happiness podcast, hosted by Dacher Keltner. Summary: We investigate how Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead,  rituals strengthen family ties and cultural identity, and learn about its evolution from a 3,000 year old practice to a global celebration. We look at key elements like the ofrenda and explore how commercialization—like Mattel’s Day of the Dead Barbie—raises questions about balancing tradition with modern influences.  Transcript link.

How God Works will be back with all new episodes this fall. In the meantime, we're taking the opportunity to share episodes from some of our favorite shows with you, our listeners. Today, we're excited to feature a conversation from the podcast Kelly Corrigan Wonders, featuring Rainn Wilson, creator of the book and podcast Soul Boom. "Going Deep with Rainn Wilson on Spirituality" Rainn Wilson (who you might know as Dwight Schrute) is making a serious call for a spiritual revolution based on joy, acts of service and being honest about our mixed natures. This is a conversation to share with anyone who is thinking seriously about how to elevate matters of the soul over the clang and bang of the modern world. Or maybe just someone who needs a laugh. (Previously aired)   Special thanks to the Aspen Ideas Festival where this podcast was recorded.

As more Americans move away from organized religion, the moral and emotional needs once met by faith communities remain. What can secular society borrow from spiritual traditions — ritual, meaning, belonging and moral imagination — to nourish the human spirit and strengthen our shared civic life? In this conversation, recorded live at the 2025 Aspen Ideas Festival, Dave explores how sacred wisdom can still guide character, compassion, and community in a post-religious age with Krista Tippett, Father Greg Boyle, and Rabbi Shira Stutman. Krista Tippet is the creator and host of the award winning podcast On Being and an awardee of the National Humanities medal.  Father Greg Boyle is the founder of Homeboy Industries, a gang intervention, rehabilitation, and re-entry program in Los Angeles and author of the New York Times bestseller, Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion.  Rabbi Shira Stutman is the founder of Mixed Multitudes, an organization that exposes diverse groups of Jews and fellow travelers to Jewish life, tradition, and conversation, and author of the acclaimed book The Jewish Way to a Good Life.