For People with Bishop Rob Wright

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Acts 1 shows us how Jesus exemplified the true nature of power—not through dominance but through actions and choices that reflect a true commitment to God and one another. That through the power of Witness, we can change the world.

In this episode, Melissa and Bishop Wright have a conversation about Acts 1 and bearing witness to the love of God - now more than ever. Bishop Wright unpacks how using faith as a tool for unity and change elevates us above division! Listen in for the full conversation.

This episode is based on an excerpt from Bishop Wright's Sermon "To Be Witnesses" at The 118th Annual Council of The Diocese of Atlanta.

Read For Faith, the written devotional companion.

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Learn more about the The Carter Center through the lens of CEO Paige Alexander. President Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter established The Carter Center in 1982. The Center seeks to prevent and resolve conflicts, enhance freedom and democracy, and improve health. 

In this episode, Bishop Wright has a conversation with Paige about the orgs transformative journey. They discuss faith, leadership, and The Carter's legacy. Paige also shares her own personal story of growing up in a politically active home and how that led her to nonprofit work. Listen in for the full conversation.

Paige Alexander is the CEO of The Carter Center, a nonprofit founded by Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter to promote global peace and health. She joined in 2020, guiding the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic and enhancing core programs while introducing new initiatives on mental health, political polarization, and climate change.

With over 20 years in global development, Alexander previously held senior roles at USAID, focusing on post-conflict reconstruction and leading the MENA Bureau. She has also worked with IREX and EUCORD. A recognized thought leader, she has published essays in major outlets and delivered a TEDWomen talk on human rights. Alexander serves on several boards dedicated to human rights and international development.

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God made each of us for an abundant life, but that isn't the world we live in. To strive for an abundance of life for all people is to actively take up your faith and civic responsibility!

In this episode, Bishop Wright has a conversation with The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton, Presiding Bishop of The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. They discuss the essential role of unity among Christian denominations and through shared partnership we can amplify our call to seek justice for marginalized voices. 

Bishop Eaton also shares personal reflections, insights on maintaining faith amidst setback, and how Lutherans are mobilizing people to vote in the upcoming election. Listen in for the full conversation.

The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton was reelected to serve a second six-year term as ELCA presiding bishop at the 2019 ELCA Churchwide Assembly. Eaton is the ELCA’s fourth presiding bishop and was first elected at the 2013 ELCA Churchwide Assembly.

Eaton’s four emphases for the ELCA are: We are church; We are Lutheran; We are church together; We are church for the sake of the world. These four emphases are fundamental to identifying who the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is.

Eaton’s husband is the Rev. T. Conrad Selnick, an Episcopal priest. They are parents of two adult children, Rebeckah and Susannah.

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The Book of Job gives us example of how walking alongside God doesn't guarantee a life without suffering. And even amidst suffering, Job finds a deeper understanding of God.

In this episode, Melissa and Bishop Wright have a conversation about how faith can be both borrowed and lent on our journeys - that the people we journey with can get us through the periods of real suffering in our lives. Listen in for the full conversation.

Before listening, read For Faith.

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Why is remaining curious about your own belief systems the key to spiritual and personal growth? Curiosity means listening to other perspectives with an open heart and mind! Deconstructing one's faith or belief systens is not a rebellion but a genuine path to spiritual maturity.

In this episode, Bishop Wright has a conversation with David Hayward, the Naked Pastor, who bravely transitioned from a Presbyterian pastor to a prominent cartoonist and author. David's story is a testament to the power of embracing authenticity and challenging religious norms. Through his art, he offers a unique lens on spirituality, encouraging us to break down the walls that divide us and to cherish the human connections that bind us together. Listen in for the full conversation.

David Hayward is a pastor turned artist who explores themes of freedom and authenticity through his painting and drawing. With a focus on deconstruction, spiritual journeying, and the pursuit of one's true self, he invites others to join him on his quest for self-discovery.

His moniker, NakedPastor, reflects his commitment to revealing the naked truth, regardless of how vulnerable that may feel. Though he is no longer in the role of pastor, David has spent over a decade creating art and fostering a community centered on the journey toward freedom and self-expression.

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In Mark 10, Jesus shares that marriage is about becoming one flesh. He does this by recentering the law of Moses around divorce. In a moment where the pharisees try to trick Jesus with a question, Jesus makes a boldy names divorce but also what God intends with marriage in becoming one flesh.

In this episode, Melissa has a conversation with Bishop Wright marriage and divorce through the lens of Mark 10. They address modern challenges and the importance of spending quality time. Listen in for the full conversation.

Before listening, read For Faith.

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How do core values of interdependence and interconnectedness shape our communities?

The final guest in our series on Christian Nationalism Sister Eilis McCulloh. Bishop Wright and Sr. Eilis discuss connectedness, values, and how connection and understanding go hand in hand! Sr. Eilis McCulloh, a Catholic nun with a rich background in law and theology, shares her inspiring journey from her Irish Catholic upbringing in Youngstown, Ohio, to her impactful work in social justice and policy advocacy. Discover how her grandmother's lessons on love and relationships influenced her path and how the Sisters of the Humility of Mary inspired her to embody Catholicism through social justice. Listen in for the full conversation.

Sr. Eilis McCulloh is a Sister of the Humility of Mary currently serving as the Grassroots Education and Organizing Specialist at NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice. She’s also the cohost of Just Politics and regularly writes for Global Sisters Report. Her most recent publication, “I’m a Catholic sister. Project 2025 does not reflect my values” was published by Religion News Service.

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Why is Christian Nationalism on the rise and what does Jesus think about it?
 
The next guest in our series on Christian Nationalism is Texas State Representative James Talarico. Bishop Wright and Rep. Talarico discuss this question and the history of corruptive power taking us all the way back to biblical times. Rep. Talarico also shares his unique perspective as a former teacher, touching on his battle against bills that mandate the Ten Commandments in public schools and replace trained counselors with religious chaplains. Listen in for the full conversation.

State Rep. James Talarico (Tx) is an American politician and former teacher. He was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 2018 to represent District 52, which includes the cities of Round Rock, Taylor, Hutto, and Georgetown in Williamson County. Following the 2020 redistricting cycle, Talarico announced his run for a seat in District 50 in 2022, which he won. He is a member of the Democratic Party. His sermon on Christian Nationalism preached in October 2023 but uploaded to YouTube in March 2024 has over 700k views.

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What happens when faith and nationalism collide?

The next guest in our Christian Nationalism series is The Rev. Dr. Pamela Cooper-White, author of The Psychology of Christian Nationalism. Bishop Wright and Dr. Cooper-White explore this question and dissect the rise of Christian Nationalism in America. Dr. Cooper White sheds light on how this movement attempts to reshape the U.S. into a fictional Christian nation. Listen in for the full conversation.

The Rev. Pamela Cooper-White, Ph.D., is the Christiane Brooks Johnson Professor of Psychology and Religion, Emerita, and Dean and Vice President Emerita for Academic Affairs, at Union Theological Seminary, New York, also serving for 8 years as Assisting Priest at the Episcopal Cathedral of St. John the Divine, New York. Previously, she was Gautier Professor of Pastoral Theology at Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, GA and co-director of the Atlanta Theological Association’s ThD program in pastoral counseling. She was the 2013-14 Fulbright-Freud Scholar of Psychoanalysis in Vienna, Austria. An award-winning author, she has published 10 books including Shared Wisdom: Use of the Self in Pastoral Care and Counseling (2nd ed. forthcoming 2024) and Old and Dirty Gods: Religion, Antisemitism, and the Origins of Psychoanalysis, as well as over 100 articles and book chapters. Her most recent book, The Psychology of Christian Nationalism, was awarded the INDIE independent publishers’ 2022 gold medal for social and political science. She is a frequent keynote speaker both nationally and internationally.

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Christian Nationalism is an ideology that’s everywhere, masquerades as a theology that has infected our politics and seeks to guide our policies locally and nationally. The problem with Christian Nationalism is that it doesn’t have anything to do with the Jesus of the Bible. Exposing Christian Nationalism, our new series, will discuss this every Friday in September.

Our first guest is Dr. Michael W. Austin, author of American Christian Nationalism: Neither American nor Christian. Bishop Wright and Dr. Austin have a conversation about how figures like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Jimmy Carter have harnessed their faith to foster inclusion and the common good, challenging the exclusionary and coercive tendencies of Christian Nationalism. Dr. Austin provides a nuanced examination of how this ideology clashes with core American values and Christian principles, offering a vision for a more harmonious and inclusive form of Christian political engagement. Listen in for the full conversation.

Dr. Michael W. Austin is Foundation Professor of Philosophy at Eastern Kentucky University, Bonhoeffer Senior Fellow of the Miller Center for Interreligious Learning and Leadership at Hebrew College, and current president of the Evangelical Philosophical Society. He received a B.A. in political science from Kansas State University, an M.A. in philosophy from Talbot School of Theology, and a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Colorado, Boulder. His research is focused on ethics and spiritual formation, especially issues related to the cultivation of character and connections between character and the common good. He’s published 15 books, including Humility and Human Flourishing (Oxford University Press, 2018) and God and Guns in America (Eerdmans, 2020). His latest book is Humility: Rediscovering the Way of Love and Life in Christ (Eerdmans, 2024). His next book, due out in October, is American Christian Nationalism: Neither American nor Christian (Eerdmans).

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