Assembly

In this episode, Zac and Amaryah discuss Michelle Sanchez's recent book, Calvin and the Resignification of the World: Creation, Incarnation, and the Problem of Political Theology in the 1559 Institutes. And in discussion with the author, we get into questions of theological reading, writing, and formation, questions of genre and culture, and reading Calvin in political theological terms.

On this episode of the ASSEMBLY podcast, we pick up where we left off in sharing our interviews from 2019's PTN Conference. Here, Amaryah interviews two of the conference keynotes, Najeeba Syeed and Lap Yan Kung on topics like race and religion, interfaith justice work, and the role of the church in the Hong Kong protests.

On this episode of Assembly, Zac and Amaryah discuss the work of Gil Anidjar, especially his book, Blood, and his critique of Christianity and political theology. Stay tuned for more conference interviews with Najeeba Syeed and Lap Yan Kung.

On this episode of Assembly, Zac and Amaryah talk with the poet, essayist, and professor Ross Gay about his recent Book of Delights, and the explorations of politics, finitude, and meaning present there.

In this episode, we pull Houria Bouteldja's 2018 PTN Conference keynote out the PTN vault as a complement to the previous episode's discussion of Bouteldja's book, Whites, Jews, and Us. Jeremy Posadas was also able to interview Bouteldja at the 2018 conference and their rich conversation is included as well.

Be sure to listen to part two of this episode which highlights Bouteldja's keynote from the 2018 PTN conference.

Among the topics we frankly discuss are whether it's possible for white Christians to re-imagine their own relationship to theological narratives of violence in a way that creates accountability for eradicating white supremacy and how to create the conditions in which white people are motivated to undertake this duty.

Our panelists are

* Rev. Dr. Traci West (Madison, NJ): Professor of Ethics and African American Studies, Drew University Theological School
* Rev. Dr. Jen Harvey (Des Moines, IA): Professor of Religion, Drake University
* Rev. Dr. Carolyn Helsel (Austin, TX): Assistant Professor of Homiletics, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary
* Rev. David Lewicki (Decatur, GA): Co-Pastor, North Decatur Presbyterian Church

ASSEMBLY is now on iTunes! Subscribe here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/assembly/id1377860697

We explore how #BlackLivesMatter transforms the very framework within which white people make sense of their role in and responsibilities for ending white supremacy. And we consider both the further potential and some limitations of #BlackLivesMatter as a impetus to racial justice.

Our panelists are

* Rev. Dr. Traci West (Madison, NJ): Professor of Ethics and African American Studies, Drew University Theological School
* Rev. Dr. Jen Harvey (Des Moines, IA): Professor of Religion, Drake University
* Rev. Dr. Carolyn Helsel (Austin, TX): Assistant Professor of Homiletics, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary
* Rev. David Lewicki (Decatur, GA): Co-Pastor, North Decatur Presbyterian Church

ASSEMBLY is now on iTunes! Subscribe here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/assembly/id1377860697.

This second half of the conversation begins with big moral questions raised in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Then each panelists names a film that is useful for addressing morality, theology, and/or politics in teaching or preaching contexts: The Gospel according to St. Matthew (directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini, 1964); Cotton Comes to Harlem (Ossie Davis, 1970); The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (Wes Anderson, 2004) — which has fascinating parallels with The Shape of Water; and Children of Men (Alfonso Cuarón, 2006).



Our panelists are




* Dr. Allison Whitney (Lubbock, TX): Associate Professor of Film and Media Studies, Texas Tech University
* Nina Cartier (Chicago, IL): Instructor, Harold Washington College
* Rev. Jason Chesnut (Baltimore, MD): storyteller, Lutheran (ELCA) pastor, and filmmaker
* Zac Settle (Nashville, TN): PhD student in theology, Vanderbilt University, and theology editor, The Other Journal.



 


 

With the Oscars just around the corner, we convene a panel to discuss theology, morality, and politics in recent film. The first half of the conversation centers on confronting the horrors of racism in Get Out and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (with some comments on A Ghost Story at the end). Our panelists are

* Dr. Allison Whitney (Lubbock, TX): Associate Professor of Film and Media Studies, Texas Tech University
* Nina Cartier (Chicago, IL): Instructor, Harold Washington College
* Rev. Jason Chesnut (Baltimore, MD): storyteller, Lutheran (ELCA) pastor, and filmmaker
* Zac Settle (Nashville, TN): PhD student in theology, Vanderbilt University, and theology editor, The Other Journal.