In Good Faith

Steve and Ashton from the IGF team are joined by BYU English professor Paul Westover and student Ruth Thomas. Together, they discuss C.S. Lewis' "A Grief Observed." In this book, C.S. Lewis openly reflects on the reality of life and death in the wake of his wife's tragic death. This book provides an honest account of the whirlwind that follows a loss—sometimes causing even the strongest believers to waver—and how one can regain their bearings after such disruption.

Paul Westover joined the BYU faculty in 2008. His specialties are Romantic-era British literature and cultural history. Westover is co-editor of the Romantic Circles electronic critical edition of "William Wordsworth’s Guide to the Lakes" (2015) and of a volume called "Transatlantic Literature and Author-Love in the Nineteenth Century" (2016). He currently serves as Book Review Editor for the Journal of British Studies and as Graduate Coordinator for the English Department.

The discussions in this episode come from many different places and perspectives. Each guest shares their own unique experience reading the book. Whether you are familiar with "A Grief Observed" or not, this episode is for you. Enjoy this engaging and vulnerable episode of In Good Faith.

In this conversation, Steve Kapp Perry interviews James Early. James describes his desire to get back to the original Christianity of Jesus. He has taught this philosophy for years as a member of the Christian Science Church. This episode also includes James' prison ministries and what he learned from teaching inmates.

James Early is a Bible teacher and gives talks and conducts workshops on the Bible to churches and groups, in person as well as online. Since October 2008, he has conducted weekly Bible study classes at the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, CT. In fall of 2019, he started "The Bible Speaks to You Podcast," which has had listeners in 173 countries and focuses on getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus.

This week, Steve sits down with Cassidy Hall to discuss the power of queerness and silence. In this conversation, Cassidy describes her experienced with contemplative, toxic, and loving silences. She also explains the way that she sees and understands queerness. In fact, her new book is dedicated to "the queerness in all of us." This book ("Queering Contemplation: Finding Queerness in the Roots and Future of Contemplative Spirituality") releases on May 21, 2024—just two days after this episode drops!

Cassidy Hall is an author, award-winning filmmaker, podcaster, ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, and leading voice in contemplative spirituality. She is the co-host of the Encountering Silence podcast and the creator of the Contemplating Now and Queering Contemplation podcasts. Cassidy is widely published and currently resides in Indianapolis, where she is studying for her Doctorate degree.

What does the Eucharist mean? Why is it so important to Catholics? This week, Steven Kapp Perry speaks with Marcy Youngster from The Catholic Whisperer Podcast. Their conversation explores how to deal with suffering, bullying, and trauma. Marcy shares how these hardships helped her form a definite belief in Christ, and how she uses this belief as a life coach.

Marcy empowers women to embrace their Catholic Faith and fulfill their dreams and potential—even if they feel lost, unhealthy, invisible, overwhelmed, or unfulfilled. She found solace and faith during her first marriage, which she had annulled after 6 children and 18 years. Her second marriage was to a practicing Catholic with 4 children. Marcy is a serial entrepreneur with a newly formed podcast and YouTube channel.

What is a spiritual director? How do they differ from a therapist? In this episode of In Good Faith, Steve speaks with Doug Hardy to find out. Doug is the former president of the Society for the Study of Christian Spirituality. During his lifetime, he has also been a counselor, parish pastor, and professor. In his teachings, Doug intentionally creates time and space for silence, listening, and reflection so that learning is accompanied by a personal transformation that goes deep.

Currently, Doug Hardy works as a spiritual director, trains spiritual directors—he even has a spiritual director. He speaks to the influence that a spiritual director had over the happiest time of his life.

Steve sits down with Imam Shuaib Din, a friend of the show, for a conversation about the Hajj, ritual, and how he ended up in Utah.

Imam Shuaib Din is the director of religious affairs at Utah Islamic Center located in West Jordan City, Utah. Born in Wisconsin and raised in Chicago, he graduated from the Institute of Islamic Studies in Dewbury, England, and completed a 5-year course in Islamic Theology at Dar ul Uloom University in Karachi, Pakistan. For over 15 years he has served as a guide for groups making the Hajj to Mecca.

Imam Shuaib has served on the SLC Interfaith Roundtable, the State of Utah MLK Human Rights Commission, and as Religious Editor for Iqra International Publications. He is the recipient of the World Peace Federation’s Ambassador of Peace Award and the Utah Office of Ethnic Affairs’ Community Service Award.

For our 200th episode, Steve sits down with Rev Dr John J. Thatanamil in a wide-ranging conversation of how we know what we know and why we should trust other believers to know what they know. There's holy hymning, childhood memories, and an evaluation of lint brushes...

John Thatamanil is a professor at Union Theological Seminary, the author of The Immanent Divine,: God, Creation, and the Human Predicament, and also his recent (2020) book Circling the Elephant: A Comparative Theology of Religious Diversity. Professor Thatamanil is a past-president of the North American Paul Tillich Society (NAPTS) and the founding (and current) Chair of the American Academy of Religion’s Theological Education Committee. He is a frequent preacher and lecturer in churches, colleges and universities both nationally and internationally. He also co-edits (with Dr. Loye Ashton) the “Comparative Theology: Thinking Across Traditions” book series for Fordham University Press. He blogs regularly for a variety of online publications and has published editorials in The Los Angeles Times and The Washington Post.

This is the third of a three-part mini series on Passover.

Eric Huntsman, author of Greater Love Hath No Man: A Latter-day Saint Guide to Celebrating the Easter Season, discusses why Passover is important for Christians in understanding the historical Jesus and symbolism throughout the New Testament. He also answers the question, should Christians be holding their own Seder meals?

Eric Huntsman, PhD, is a professor of Ancient Scripture and the Academic Director of the Brigham Young University Jerusalem Center.

This is the second of 3 interviews on Passover. We hope you enjoy all three.

Steve discusses Passover symbolism with Rabbi Evan Moffic and asks, should Christians be creating their own Seder dinners?

A graduate of Stanford University, Rabbi Moffic leads a congregation in the Chicago suburbs and teaches across the world, sharing Jewish wisdom, stories, and inspiration with people of all faiths.

This is the first of three interviews about Passover. We hope you enjoy all three.

Steve chats with Cantor Sharon Brown Levy from Kol Ami in Salt Lake City about the musical rituals of Seder. The Cantor sings several songs for us, including Dayenu, the first psalm of the Hallel (Psalm 113), and the first of the four questions.

Cantor Brown-Levy certified in cantorial arts from both the Reform Movement’s American Conference of Cantors and the Conservative Movement’s Cantors Assembly. Prior to her arrival here in Utah, she served pulpits in Toronto, Wisconsin, New Jersey, and Florida. She is also a respected choral conductor, co-leading one of the country’s largest community interfaith choirs, Voices in Harmony.

For Passover 2024, the Cantor invited the local general public to celebrate Seder with the Congregation Kol Ami. Check their website for more info!