In today's episode of Good on Wood (*part one of two) we speak to Robert Ellsberg & Nancy Forest about the life and legacy of Jim Forest, lifelong peace activist, contemplative and prolific writer. Our conversation weaves through his early years, his conversion to Catholicism and later to Russian Orthodoxy, his formative relationships with Thomas Merton, Dorothy Day, and Dan Berrigan and his participation in the Milwaukee 14 plowshares action for which he spent 13 months in prison. We also discuss Jim’s inner life and his struggle for meaning amid the movement.  

About Robert Ellsberg

Robert Ellsberg is the editor-in-chief and publisher of Orbis Books, where he has worked for 38 years. His friendship with Jim Forest endured for fifty years, including his work editing twelve of Jim's books for Orbis. In his youth, he served (like Jim) as managing editor of The Catholic Worker, and went on to edit six volumes of Dorothy Day's writings, including her diaries and letters. He has also written many books on saints and moral witnesses, including All Saints: Daily Reflections on Saints, Prophets and Witnesses for Our Time and Blessed Among Us (drawn from his daily contributions to Give Us This Day. 

About Nancy Forest 

Nancy Forest is a Dutch-English literary translator living in Alkmaar, the Netherlands. She and Jim Forest were married in 1982, although their friendship started in 1974 when they were both working at the Fellowship of Reconciliation in Nyack, New York. In 1989 they became partners in a business they called Forest-Flier Editorial Services, but their partnership extended far beyond that and included raising children, prayer, reading books and poetry together, editing each other’s work, travel, and trying to make sense of it all. In 2004 Jim was diagnosed with end-stage renal failure and began kidney dialysis. In 2007 Nancy donated a kidney to him. As Jim wrote in his dedication to Nancy in his last book, Eyes of Compassion: Learning from Thich Nhat Hanh, they were “collaborators in just about everything.”

Nancy’s most recently translated books include The Burgundians: A Vanished Empire by Bart Van Loo, and several children’s books: the Popcorn Bob series by Maranke Rinck, Mishka by Edward van de Vendel and Anoush Elman, and My Presentation Today is About the Anaconda by Bibi Dumon. Mishka is a story about a family of refugees, and Anaconda is a book by animals, about animals. Both these books received starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist.

jimandnancyforest.com

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES 

Nancy’s obituary for Jim:

https://incommunion.org/2023/04/09/no-borders-remembering-jim-by-nancy-forest/

Robert’s obituary for Jim in the National Catholic Reporter:

https://www.ncronline.org/news/opinion/author-jim-forest-chronicler-giants-day-and-berrigan-strengthened-many

Orbis Books Jim Forest Page:

https://orbisbooks.com/search?q=Jim+Forest&options%5Bprefix%5D=last

Robert’s reflection on his lifelong friendship with Jim: 

https://incommunion.org/2023/05/03/jim-forest-a-pilgrimage-of-friendship-by-robert-ellsberg/

Jim's Flickr page:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/jimforest/

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Music for this episode provided by John & David from ⁠The Brilliance⁠ & our own Steve Schallert

In today's episode of Good on Wood we speak to Dr Jeanne Theoharis about the life and legacy of Rosa Parks, exploring her role as a pivotal figure in the civil rights and black power movement in America. The conversation highlights her early activism, the impact of her faith, and the challenges she faced as a Black woman in the movement both during and after the Montgomery Bus Boycott. The discussion also addresses the myths surrounding her legacy and emphasizes the importance of understanding her contributions within the broader context of social justice and global vision. Together we move "beyond the bus" to give the Mother of the Movement the honour she deserves.

About Dr. Jeanne Theoharis

Jeanne Theoharis is Distinguished Professor of Political Science and History at Brooklyn College and the CUNY Graduate Center and the author or co-author of thirteen books and numerous articles on the civil rights and Black Power movements and the contemporary politics of race in the United States. Her new book King of the North: Martin Luther King Jr.’s Life of Struggle Outside the South received starred reviews from both Kirkus and Publishers Weekly .  Her New York Times-bestselling biography The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks  won a 2014 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work Biography/Autobiography and the Letitia Woods Brown Award from the Association of Black Women Historians. It has been adapted into a documentary of the same name, directed by Johanna Hamilton and Yoruba Richen and executive produced by Soledad O’Brien for NBC-Peacock, where she served as a consulting producer.  The film won a Peabody Award, a Television Academy Honor Award, a Gracie Award for Historical Documentary, and the Eric Barnouw Award from the Organization of American Historians. Her book A More Beautiful and Terrible History: The Uses and Misuses of Civil Rights History won the 2018 Brooklyn Public Library Literary Prize in Nonfiction. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, MSNBC, Democracy Now, The Nation, TIME Magazine, the Atlantic, Boston Review, Salon, the Intercept, and the Chronicle of Higher Education.  

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Music provided by John & David from ⁠The Brilliance⁠

Additional music for this episode provided by Sweet Honey in the Rock & The Golden Gospel Singers

In today's episode of Good on Wood we speak to Rev. Ken Newell, Jonny Clark & Ed Petersen about the life and witness of the late Irish catholic priest and peacemaker Father Gerry Reynolds and his work to heal the wounds of North Ireland.

Our conversation explores the complexities of "The Troubles," the historical context of British colonialism in Ireland, the importance of cultivating prophetic friendships across sectarian divides, and the ongoing struggle for justice and healing in Ireland. 

Together, the speakers emphasise the need for a nuanced understanding of the Irish identity and the significance of nonviolence in the pursuit of peace.

About Reverend Ken Newell

Reverend Doctor Ken Newell is a minister and former Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. Ordained in 1968, he taught New Testament Studies in the Evangelical Church of Timor, Indonesia (1972 - 1975). In 1976 he received a call to Fitzroy Presbyterian Church in Belfast and served there until his retirement in 2008. The Christian spirituality nurtured in Fitzroy during the Troubles found expression in a peace-building engagement within the city that was often seething with anger. In 1999, Ken's friendship with Father Gerry Reynolds of Clonard Monastery was recognised in the award of the Pax Christi International Peace Prize.

About Jonny Clark 

Jonny Clark is the Public Theology Programme Manager for Corrymeela, Northern Ireland's oldest peace and reconciliation organisation. A facilitator and mediator, Jonny has been working for faith-based organisations for two decades. In addition, he has produced over 40 podcasts and a documentary by the same name: Guardians of the Flame. Jonny has devoted significant energy to the development of peace-building organisations around the world in post-conflict societies.

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Music provided by John & David from ⁠The Brilliance⁠

Opening music provided by Tommy Sands

In today's episode of Good on Wood we speak to Reverend René August & Reverend Edwin Arrison about the life and legacy of Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Focusing on their personal relationships to the Bishop and his early influences, spirituality, radical action, and the profound impact Tutu had on the fight against Apartheid in South Africa. 

Together we reflect on Tutu's teachings about joy, forgiveness, and the importance of doing “our little but of good” which when put together can overwhelm the world. May Desmond Tutu’s witness serve as a model for contemporary struggles against apartheid, fascism and injustice.

About Rev. René August -

René August was baptised in the United Congregational Church, confirmed Methodist and ordained Anglican. Born into a black Christian family in Apartheid South Africa meant that holding paradox, ambiguity, suspicion, survival with the ability for quick thinking, running fast and careful listening were some of the things you had to master if you were going to get through school. If you wanted to get through life with any kind of faith then you needed a few more tools in your belt. Growing up in Mitchell’s Plain meant early days of ministry happened there. Her first job was in an inner city church, where she discovered God’s love for cities, and her love for cities too. She has always worked in ecumenical contexts and enjoys variety.

There are many things René loves and a few things she hates. She hates conflict enough to get involved in conflict transformation. She hates injustices enough to want to be involved in as many ways as are necessary to bring about justice in as many ways as possible. She hates the exploitation of our planet enough to want to work for its restoration. She loves the local church, she loves cricket, she loves food and people and being outside. She loves learning, but hates studying. She loves working in a team. In working at The Warehouse, René spends a lot of time with church leaders. She is passionate about finding new ways and tools to read our sacred texts in ways that help us connect it to our historical and contemporary contexts, so that we find new ways to live more faithfully in God’s story of love and recreation.

About Rev. Edwin Arrison -

Edwin Arrison is an Anglican priest who was ordained by Archbishop Tutu in 1992. He is the Chairperson of the Centre for Christian Spirituality and Development Officer for the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation in Cape Town, as well as the Director of the Volmoed Youth Leadership Training programme, of which Tutu was the patron.

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Music provided by John & David from ⁠The Brilliance⁠

A special thanks to the Tutu Legacy Foundation for audio archives and additional music used in this episode. 

In today's episode of Good on Wood we speak to Sami Awad (Co-Director of Nonviolence International & Founder of The Holy Land Trust) about the life and legacy of his uncle Mubarak Awad (oft referred to as “the Gandhi of Palestine”). In our conversation, Sami Awad shares personal anecdotes and historical context, highlighting the profound teachings of his grandmother, the impact of the Nakba on all Palestinian families, and the principles of nonviolent action which has shaped his uncle's activism until this day. 

The discussion also explores the challenge of promoting nonviolence in deeply traumatised societies, the importance of building complex relationships across divides, and the tension between academic theories of peace and the lived realities of grassroots activists. Through it all, Awad highlights the resilience and steadfastness required in the face of adversity, advocating for mercy, humility and costly collective action as essential components of effective resistance.

About Sami Awad

Sami Awad is Co-Director of Nonviolence International, the organization founded by Mubarak Awad after he was deported by the Israeli government in 1988. Sami is also the Founder and the former Executive Director of Holy Land Trust in Bethlehem. Born in the United States to Palestinian parents; his father (originally from Jerusalem) became a refugee at the age of nine following his father’s death in the 1948 war leaving behind his wife and seven children. Sami’s mother is from the Gaza Strip where members of his family are still living. Growing up in a violent situation, at a young age Sami was influenced deeply by the teaching of his uncle Mubarak, the Palestinian activist who promoted and engaged in nonviolent resistance to the occupation during the first Intifadah. From a young age Sami was introduced to and influenced by great leaders and visionaries of peace and non-violence, from Jesus to Gandhi to Martin Luther King Jr.

Sami holds a Doctoral Degree in Divinity from the Chicago Theological Seminary, a master's degree in international relations from the American University in Washington D.C. and an undergraduate degree in Political Science from the University of Kansas.

Today Sami is active both locally in Palestine and globally; promoting, teaching, and practicing nonviolent resistance, collective trauma healing, and conflict transformation. 

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Music provided by John & David from ⁠The Brilliance⁠

In today's episode of Good on Wood we speak to Dr Bradley Jersak (SSU's Principle & Dean of Theology & Culture) about the profound life and philosophy of Simone Weil. Exploring together her political philosophy and anti-fascist radicalism, her mysticism and theological insights and ultimately revealing in her "praxis of incarnation." Simone Weil's insights into suffering and affliction, solidarity and attention, de-creation and kenotic love, along with her advocacy for rootedness make her witness deeply contemporary for our time.

About Dr Bradley Jersak

Dr. Bradley Jersak is the Principal of St. Stephen's University, Director of SSU School of Theology & Culture, and Professor of Religious Studies with the Jim Forest Institute. He lives in Abbotsford, British Columbia with his Eden, who co-pastors the Bridge Church. Finally empty nesters of three, they are now smitten with three grandchildren. 

After earning an MA and MDiv with concentrations in Biblical Studies, he spent twenty years serving in pastoral ministry. In 2009, Bradley commenced his studies and earned PhD in Theology from Bangor University in Wales, focusing on the Political Theology of George P. Grant and Simone Weil. He was also a visiting scholar at the University of Nottingham, where he focused on Patristic Christology. In 2012, he joined the New Testament faculty of Westminster Theological Centre (Cheltenham), where he taught for five years. 

Bradley began his relationship with St. Stephen’s in 2013 as adjunct faculty, eventually becoming faculty, Assoc. Dean of the Ministry Program, then Dean of Theology & Culture. Beginning May 1, 2023, he was appointed Principal of the university.  

He is also author of over twenty books, including academic works in theology and philosophy, popular books including the “More Christlike” trilogy, along with two children’s books and a novel co-written with Wm. Paul Young (The Shack guy). Bradley was co-founder of Fresh Wind Press and its current successor, St. Macrina Press, edits for CWRmagazine, and is a co-founder and contributor at Clarion-Journal.ca.

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Music provided by John & David from The Brilliance

In today's episode of Good on Wood we speak to Dr Reggie Williams about the life and theological legacy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, exploring together his early years, the impact of the Harlem Renaissance and the Black Church tradition upon his spiritual and political journey, and the relevance of his witness in today's world of rising fascisms. Through the brilliance of Dr Williams, we examine Bonhoeffer's revolutionary protest against oppression, his transformative experiences in Harlem, and both the challenges and limitations of his theological contribution which remains.

About Dr Reggie Williams

Reggie Williams is Associate Professor of Black Theology and African American Studies at St Louis University in St Louis, Missouri. He is the author of Bonhoeffer’s Black Jesus: Harlem Renaissance Theology and an Ethic of Resistance, which was selected as a Choice Outstanding Title in theology, in 2014 (revised edition, 2021). He is also co-producer of a new documentary "The Cloud of Witnesses: Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Harlem 1930/30. "Dr. Williams’ research interests include arts, Black theology, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Christian ethics. He is a board member of the English Language section of the International Dietrich Bonhoeffer Society, former board member of the Society for the Study of Black Religion, and the Society for Christian Ethics.

Reggie's Book - "Bonhoeffer's Black Jesus: Harlem Renaissance Theology and an Ethic of Resistance"

Reggie's Documentary - "The Cloud of Witnesses: Bonhoeffer in Harlem"

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Music provided by The Brilliance

In this teaser episode, hosts Steve Schallert (Cape Town based community organiser and kingian nonviolence specialist)  and Jarrod McKenna (award winning peace activist and pastor) explore the themes of faithful radicalism, the legacy of influential figures like Daniel Berrigan and Dorothy Day, and the need to root strong social engagement in a deep spirituality.

They discuss the call for saints in contemporary society, share personal stories of connections with historic peacebuilders, and introduce the 'Good On Wood' podcast, which aims to inspire a new generation of Jesus followers to get up, get out, and get into some good trouble.

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To learn more about St Stephen's University and all of our program offerings in Theology & Culture, Peace & Justice, or Reconciliation Studies visit us at - ssu.ca

Music provided by The Brilliance