Common Threads: An Interfaith Dialogue

What if your deepest longing wasn’t a problem to solve, but an invitation? Many of us move through life carrying an unnameable ache - an irrepressible void we try to fill with achievement, admiration, or distraction. Yet beneath this yearning lies something far greater: an invitation to awaken, heal, and reclaim our quiet power within. In Longing: A Pilgrimage to Your Quiet Power Within, Christopher Sansone, PhD, weaves personal insight, psychology, and spiritual wisdom to reveal how our innate longing - often mistaken for emptiness or suffering - is actually our inner voice of wisdom calling to us. By blending modern psychology, ancient wisdom, and self-guided transformational practices, Sansone guides readers through personal transformation to living a fulfilled life by: Healing from inherited wounds of shame, fear, and separation; Reconnecting with true life purpose, intuition and inner wisdom; Moving beyond societal conditioning to reclaim personal freedom; Embracing longing as a catalyst for transformation; Practical exercises to deepen self-awareness and release limiting beliefs. By making ancient wisdom relevant and reflective practices easy, and by sharing stories of courageous journeys of transformation, this book serves as a guide for transcending old patterns, embracing the authentic self, and stepping into a life of fulfilling purpose, presence, and love. Theme music "Nigal."

In a time of ecological, political, and social upheaval, Dr. Liza J. Rankow locates a path to healing at the intersection of mystic spirituality and social action. In her new book Soul Medicine for a Fractured World: Healing, Justice, and the Path of Wholeness, the longtime grassroots activist shows readers how to live with purpose and meaning as a response to the rising tide of calamities around the globe.

In this episode Fred Stella speaks to her about what influenced Liza to take the path that she has and how the contemplative spiritual life and social activism can make for an exhilarating existence. Soul Medicine has been praised by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Alice Walker, who described it as: “Wise and beautiful, an offering of great depth.”

Dr. Rankow believes the medicine the world needs is in each of us.Drawing upon spiritual wisdom that has been passed down through millennia, her guidance is rooted in our kinship with one another, the Earth, and all of life. She points to “something more powerful than the chaos: our belonging to a wholeness that is ancient, infinite and eternal.”

Theme music "Nigal."

In these episodes Fred speaks with Professor Robert Wuthnow about his book, ‘Nurturing Happiness: How Religion Shapes Emotional Practice.’

His research explores how religious institutions in America have historically managed and shaped their followers' experiences of happiness, viewing it not just as a feeling but as a social and emotional practice.

He argues that religious leaders use their authority to define what constitutes "proper" happiness, distinguishing it from worldly pursuits, and create social spaces (like revival meetings or church socials) where these emotions are cultivated, managed, and expressed according to specific rules.

Wuthnow examines this through historical examples, from colonial-era ideas of heavenly joy to modern concepts of spiritual play, revealing an ongoing tension between strict religious rules and the encouragement of joy.

Bio from Oxford University Press:

Robert Wuthnow is Professor of Sociology Emeritus at Princeton University. He is also an elected fellow of the American Philosophical Society, an elected fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a Guggenheim Fellowship recipient, former president of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion, and the recipient of numerous awards for his scholarly work. Theme music "Nigal."

Host Fred Stella discusses the new book ‘The Future of God’ with its author Steve Schwalbe.

Together they explore the Abrahamic faiths (Judaism, Islam, and Christianity) to determine how adherents will accommodate God in the future.

While there are many publications about the future of God or the future of religion, they tend to reflect a specific academic field, such as theology or sociology.

This book reviews the future of God reflected in 4 primary academic fields, including theology (dealing directly with God and religion), sociology (addressing how societies evolved with God and religion), biology (dealing with the scientific evidence of the existence of God), and physics (addressing God’s intelligent design of the universe).

Then the book analyzes each field’s future projections for God in order to determine the most likely future. Theme music "Nigal."

Another classic from our radio archives that we recently discovered, these 2009 episodes involve a conversation with Ravi Joshi of Medha Journal. While most often our interviews are with the actual authors, this time we analyze a book that was written by someone else. Invading the Sacred is the seminal work of Rajiv Malhotra, a longtime critic of how Hindu Dharma is taught at the college level. It's a riveting discussion that unveils a prejudice that few outside of the Hindu community are aware of. Theme music "Nigal."

Well, we are getting close to the bottom of the pile. By that I mean the pile of CDs that I discovered in my basement of old CT episodes I'd forgotten about. This one, if I am correct, is from 2008. It's an interview with Dean Overman, who wrote the book A Case for the Existence of God. There is at least one other book from a different author with the same title, but what I appreciate about Dean's book is that it is rather universal in its approach. That is, for the most part it does not try to sell any particular faith (though the author is Christian). I recall this being a great conversation.

Theme music "Nigal."

There are so many vulnerable populations around the world, and it's hard to keep up with them all. One group that sustained very serious abuse is the Hindu community in the Asian nation of Bhutan. Oddly, for centuries there existed a comity between Hindus and Buddhists that was inspiring to see. In Nepal, many people practice both. So it's quite disheartening to learn that over 20 years ago, the despotic Buddhist king of Bhutan expelled over 100,000 Hindu citizens of Nepali heritage. For 2 decades these hardworking people lived in cramped huts in refugee camps in Nepal before being dispersed to welcoming countries.

In these episodes we talk with Narad Adhikari from the Global Bhutanese Hindu Organization about this travesty that he, his family and many dear friends survived and ultimately thrived. This one is a heartbreaker, kids. But very inspirational. Theme music "Nigal."

In recent weeks we've been uploading some episodes from about 15 years ago that were recently discovered. This, however, is not one of those. It aired in early 2026. Stay tuned though. More oldies are on their way!

When comparing the world's religions on the subject of contemplation/meditation, Christianity can point to a tradition of monasteries where monks and nuns have engaged in such practices for centuries. Yet, very little has filtered down to those in the pews. One reason so many Christians turned to the wisdom of the East is the the deep-seated desire to learn the art of sitting in silence. In our conversation with Jacob here we see that there is an attempt to encourage Christians (in this case, Catholics) to embrace this path of sacred stillness. Theme music "Nigal."

Without Buddha I Could not be a Christian narrates how esteemed theologian, Paul F. Knitter, overcame a crisis of faith by looking to

One more from the newly found archive! So let's set the Wayback Machine for 2009 again. This time we spoke to Dr. Paul Knitter, the author of "If It Were Not for Buddha I Would Not Be a Christian." I recall really enjoying this conversation.

This book narrates how esteemed theologian, Paul F. Knitter, overcame a crisis of faith by looking to Buddhism for inspiration. From prayer to how Christianity views life after death, Knitter argues that a Buddhist standpoint can encourage a more person-centered conception of Christianity where individual religious experience comes 1st, and liturgy and tradition 2nd.

Theme music "Nigal."

OK Kids, here's another classic Common Threads that was misplaced ages ago and is now available. The Kaufman Interfaith Institute (of which Interfaith Dialogue Association is an affiliate) holds conferences each year. In 2009 we hosted 3 thought leaders from the Abrahamic traditions to discuss the challenge of modernity and religion. We decided to interview James Carroll, a noted Catholic influencer (in '09 we did not even know that was a word, but that's what he was). As with most, if not all, of these archived episodes, the relevance of the conversation holds up against time. Theme music "Nigal."