In Good Faith

In this episode, we explore Islam in Turkey, a country that is now 97% Muslim, but for over a millennium was pre-dominantly Christian. We'll discuss how that transition took place, well into the rule of the Ottomans, with Professor Christine Isom-Verhaaren, and we'll meet a former Imam, Cemil Usta, who founded an afterschool program to teach girls how to recite the Koran. That recitation is like a performance, almost a song, and we'll hear Cemil Usta recite a section of the Koran as well.

Check out our Youtube bonus video, exploring the Sulimaniye Mosque.

The Hagia Sophia is the most famous building in all of Istanbul. It's a marvel of 6th century architecture and it's still a marvel today. Originally a Christian cathedral, it was converted to a mosque when the Ottomans conquered Istanbul. In the 20th century, the building was turned into a museum and in 2020 it was converted back to a mosque by Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. We visited during Eid when tourists and pilgrims lined up in a queue that looped around Sultanahmet Square.

We also speak with Cecilia Peek about the Byzantine Empire that built the Hagia Sophia, with Christine Isom-Verhaaren about its conversion into a mosque, and with Cynthia Finlayson about the Hagia Sophia's influence on later architecture.

Cecilia Peek is an associate professor of Classics and the current director of the BYU London Centre. She holds a PhD in Ancient History and Mediterranean Archeology from the University of California at Berkeley.

Christine holds a PhD in Ottoman History from the University of Chicago and is author most recently of "The Sultan's Fleet: Seafarers of the Ottoman Empire."

Cynthia Finlayson is currently the Director of the Ad-Deir Monument and Plateau Project in Petra, Jordan and Special Consultant to the Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation’s Museum in Bethlehem on the West Bank. Cynthia holds a PhD in Classical and Ancient Art History and Archaeology with emphasis in the Eastern Mediterranean Basin from the University of Iowa.

Today on In Good Faith, we're exploring–literally–ancient Christianity in Turkey. In fact, for this episode we scrunched down into tunnels in an underground city in the Kapadokya region and we toured churches in caves and contemplated mosaics that were almost two thousand years old. This ornamentation is done in the artistic style of Greek Orthodox churches that can later be seen throughout the East.

We speak with Professors Mark Ellison and Matthew Grey about the architecture and sacred spaces of the Early Christians, and what it might have felt like to worship together in those early days of Christianity.

Mark Ellison is a professor in early Christianity and holds a PhD from Vanderbilt University in early Christianity and early Christian art. He is the co-editor of the recently published anthology "Ancient Christians: an introduction for Latter-day Saints."

Matthew Grey is a professor in ancient scripture and ancient Near Eastern studies. He holds a PhD from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill with an emphasis in archeology and early Judaism. He's written a chapter in "Ancient Christians," entitled "Sacred Spaces and Places of Worship from House Churches to Monumental Basilicas."

Join us in exploring the Crossroads of Faith!

Today we're talking about a place and a person, both of which were important in the first expansion of a world religion. This week we're visiting Ephesus to understand early Christian converts and the life of Paul, with special emphasis on his confrontation with the silversmiths guild, as discussed in Acts 19.

We'll talk again with Professor Luke Drake. Dr. Drake completed a PhD at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, in Ancient Mediterranean Religions, and a master of theological studies in New Testament and Early Christianity at Harvard Divinity School.

Then, we meet Kent Brown, a professor emeritus of ancient scripture and the former director of the BYU Jerusalem center. He holds a PhD in religious studies from Brown University, with an emphasis in New Testament and early Christian studies. Kent reminds us of the magnificent temple of Artemis.

We'll also walk with our guide Lutfi Baydar through the ruins at Ephesus on the south-west coast of Turkey, a few hours drive from Izmir.

Join us as we explore The Crossroads of Faith.

In this episode of In Good Faith, we dive deeper into the history of Jewish life in Turkey, including an interview with Avram Sevinti, a leader of the Jewish Community Center in modern Izmir. We'll explore Sardes, the site of an ancient synagogue, and examine statues of the goddess Artemis outside of Ephesus, to better understand the larger society that existed around the Jews. Today we discuss Greek and Roman mythology and how that impacted the Jews living in the area.

To help us with the historical timeline, Steve interviews Luke Drake, an assistant professor of Classical Studies. Dr. Drake completed a PhD at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, in Ancient Mediterranean Religions, and a master of theological studies in New Testament and Early Christianity at Harvard Divinity School.

Steve also speaks with Dr. Avram Shannon on Jewish populations in Turkey across time. Dr. Shannon is an associate professor in Ancient Scripture. He earned a PhD from Ohio State in Ancient Mediterranean Religions and a Masters in Jewish Studies from the University of Oxford.

Join us as we explore The Crossroads of Faith.

Every week on the In Good Faith podcast we take you on a journey—usually that’s a guest sharing their personal journey of faith and belief. Starting this week, however, we’ll take you on a literal journey—a 10-part series we recorded with a crew in Turkey, a place which has seen huge shifts in religious beliefs over the centuries. We’ll talk with historians, leaders, and of course modern-day believers about the amazing place they call home.

In April 2023, just as the Holy Fast period of Ramadan was ending for the Muslim world, our team traveled to Turkey to see how the world of faith came to be. Our intent was to capture the lived experience of a country that is 97% Muslim but has a long history of being Christian, and before that, the polytheism of Romans and Greeks, all the way back to the Hittites of the 18th century BC. We're digging deeper into the history and how different religions have occupied the same space--sometimes peacefully, sometimes not--in Turkey.

We believe that all faith traditions have something to teach us about how God is working in the world and in our lives.

Let's explore the crossroads of faith.

Join us for a special series in Turkey, where we explore the history, culture, and religions of this ancient land and modern nation. This new series of In Good Faith starts Sunday, Sep 3.

Heather, Lia, and Emma discuss some of their favorite interviews from series 2 of season 7 and preview our upcoming Turkey series, as well as an upcoming giveaway on social media. Also, we've just introduced transcripts--so look for that link on our In Good Faith webpage.

Join Steve in talking with fellow podcasters Adela Cojab, Trey Ferguson, and Uzma Jafri.

Adela Cojab is a speaker on Jewish rights and equality under the law. She speaks at conferences and college campuses about anti-Semitism, Zionism, and human rights. Cojab believes that all students are entitled to learn in a harassment-free environment, and works to advocate on their behalf. She has also authored and contributed to published pieces about Judaism, activism, and anti-Semitism.

Trey Ferguson is a Miami-Dade County-based minister, writer, and podcaster whose passions include jokes, justice, and Jesus. He’s the creator of New Living Treyslation–a podcast that retells and relates scripture in a modern vernacular–and a co-host of Three Black Men, a podcast where he muses on theology and culture with Sam Gay, Robert Monson, and a wide array of riveting guests. The author of the forthcoming Theologizin’ Bigger with Lake Drive Books, Trey also writes and publishes regularly in his newsletter: The Son Do Move. When he’s not creating content, he can be found annoying his wife Jessica and their three children with his childlike sense of humor.

Uzma Jafri was born in Chicago and raised in Houston, Texas. The daughter of Muslim immigrants from Pakistan and India, Uzma’s primary job is mothering her four children, but the one that pays is as a solo physician running her own medical practices. She is also medical director of an assisted living and hospice agency, and serves as graduate medical faculty training future physicians. She volunteers with multiple organizations to support refugees, her favorite pet project being the biannual refugee baby shower she coordinates with her team at Gathering Humanity.

Join Heather in talking with fellow podcasters Robert Monson, Zaiba Hasan, and Samuel Gay.

Robert Monson Jr. is a writer, musician, creative, avid reader, and theologian who does work around the intersection of Black liberation and womanist theology. He is a graduate of United Theological Seminary and is currently working towards a Ph.D. His two podcasts, Three Black Men and Black Coffee & Theology, along with his work as co-director of the organization Enfleshed seek to bring about thought around liberation for all.

Zaiba Hasan is an American Muslim, born and raised in Chicago. Growing up biracial and bicultural, Zaiba’s Irish/Pakistani heritage and interfaith upbringing gave her a head start navigating between identities. When she isn’t busy with podcasting, public speaking, fostering interfaith community, or working with her parent coaching clients at Emerge Consulting Solutions, Zaiba can usually be found on the basketball court or baseball field with her husband and their four children.

Sam Gay is a writer, theologian and cohost to Three Black Men Podcast. Sam has been a dedicated youth pastor and musician who has yielded his talents to local congregations. He holds a B.A. in digital cinematography from Full Sail University and an A.A. in Biblical Studies from Reformation Bible College.