Rabbi Jonathan Sacks believed that, out of the science of positive psychology, and in conversation with cognitive behavioral therapy, a new Musar movement could be established. In this episode of the Tradition Podcast, Tamra Wright and Mordechai Schiffman begin to unpack what this might mean in light of their co-authored essay “Radical Resilience: Hope, Agency and Community,” from TRADITION’s recent special issue on the intellectual legacy of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks. They are joined for the conversation by that volume’s co-editor, Samuel Lebens.

Together, our three guests explore the relationship between hope, agency, and community; they consider whether Rabbi Sacks was unduly harsh on optimists; and discuss why he placed more faith upon philosophically inspired psychology than upon the main contemporary schools of academic philosophy. What does it mean for Torah to be in conversation with a science like psychology? What does it mean for students of a rabbi to turn their critical gaze towards their late teacher, who now becomes an object of their ongoing research?

Watch a video recording of this conversation.

See details of the special double-issue of TRADITION and order your copy.

Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman is an assistant professor at Yeshiva University’s Azrieli Graduate School and the associate rabbi at Kingsway Jewish Center.

Dr. Tamra Wright is a Senior Research Fellow at the London School of Jewish Studies.

Rabbi Dr. Samuel Lebens is an associate professor of philosophy at the University of Haifa.

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