Steve talks to Mathew Schmalz about the different ways suffering enters our lives and how God's presence can heal and teach us.

Mathew Schmalz is a professor of religious studies at the College of the Holy Cross, and founder of the "Journal of Global Catholicism". His publications engage global Catholicism (particularly in South Asia), Catholic theology and spirituality, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He has written a personal spiritual memoir, "Mercy Matters: Opening Yourself to the Life Changing Gift". He is also co-author with Alonzo Gaskill (BYU) of the forthcoming "Understanding our Catholic Neighbors: A Guide for Latter-Day Saints". He lives in Worcester, Massachusetts with his wife and two daughters.

Today on In Good Faith, we have a special panel discussion on “How to Talk About Religion” featuring four local clergy members–if you are a long-time listener, you’ll recognize some of our guests from past episodes.

Rabbi David Levinsky currently serves at the Temple Har Shalom in Park City. Bishop Carla Long, from the Community of Christ, has previously volunteered with the World Service Corps. Imam Shuaib Din of the Utah Islamic Center has led American groups to Mecca on the Hajj for the past 15 years. And, last but not least, Jan Saeed of the Baha'i faith has served with a number of community organizations including presenting at the Parliament of World Religions in 2004, 2015, and 2018.

Listen as this esteemed panel explores (how to talk about) religion.

Steve chats with Lynne Twist about her new book "Living a Committed Life"--a grander approach to reconcile daily commitments. Twist is the co-founder of the Pachamama Alliance and founder of the Soul of Money Institute. For over 40 years, she has led workshops, provided coaching, and given presentations in 50 countries. Her primary focuses are alleviating poverty, ending world hunger, and supporting social justice and sustainability.

Daisy Khan describes her work in women's rights related to the Hajj to Mecca. Father Diaz talks to Steve as they walk through the Stations of the Cross. Rachel Rueckert explains her memoir and what lead her and her new husband to embark on the Camino de Santiago. Marcus Smith discusses his visit to Nauvoo, Illinois.

This week, Steve talks with Patrick Q. Mason, American historian specializing in Mormon History and Culture at USU. He teaches courses on Mormonism, American religious history, and religion, violence, and peacebuilding.

Professor Mason was a Fulbright Scholar in Romania in 2015 and is a past president of the Mormon History Association. He is frequently consulted by the national and international media on stories related to Mormon culture and history. Mason has written or edited several books, including "Planted: Belief and Belonging in an Age of Doubt", which aims to normalizes struggling yet remaining faithful.

Marilynne Robinson's "Gilead" (2004) illuminates the value of life and the reality of death, as narrated by Reverend John Ames. Typical of Robinson's writing, themes of faith are intertwined within the narrative. Listen as author Terryl Givens, Tennery Norton, and Heather Bigley discuss their reactions to this novel with host Steven Kapp Perry.

Join the book club today! We are reading Richard Rohr's "The Universal Christ" for the next IGF Book Club episode airing May 2023.

On this episode of the In Good Faith podcast, Steve converses with Meli Soloman about the importance of understanding the values and practices of others. Meli Solomon is a public scholar and founder of the Talking with God Project and the associated Living Our Beliefs podcast, which explore the lived religion of Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Her Conservative Jewish practice and wide range of personal and professional experiences inform her research as well as her life.

Steve speaks with BYU's Interfaith Student group about UN Interfaith Week and events you can support. Remember, you can search for local community service opportunities via justserve.org, or you can post your organization's service needs at the same place. Interfaith work should move beyond dialogue to cooperation with others to solve issues that face the community.

On this episode of the In Good Faith podcast, we explore the power ritual has to connect an individual to their religion, culture, and community. While there might be the stereotype that rituals are dry ceremonies performed only in churches, our guests today discuss rituals from every facets of their lives.

Aaron Rose discusses how he learned about the rituals of Dia de los Muertos and how practicing them with his family helped him connect with his culture. Howard Wettstein discusses a few of the ritual practices in his Jewish faith, like the Mourner's Kaddish, and how those practices are a form of spiritual intimacy. Mara Menzies shares her experiences with the rituals of storytelling, including a fascinating experience about bringing a story lost through the African diaspora back to its community of origin in Nigeria. Frederik Mayet shares some history of the Oberammergau Passion Play and reflects on how the play connects his community.

Steve, Heather, and Austin remind listeners of the our upcoming discussion about Gilead by Marilynne Robinson.