The religiously unaffiliated, often called "nones", represent one of the fastest-growing segments of populations across North America, Europe, and beyond. Jonathan Evans, Senior Researcher at Pew Research Center and lead author of a groundbreaking 22-country study, joins us to discuss surprising findings about what "nones" believe, how they practice (or don't), and what their growth means for religious life around the world.

Show Notes:

• Many Religious ‘Nones’ Around the World Hold Spiritual Beliefs (https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2025/09/04/many-religious-nones-around-the-world-hold-spiritual-beliefs/)
• In U.S., familiarity with religious groups is associated with warmer feelings toward them (https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2019/10/31/in-u-s-familiarity-with-religious-groups-is-associated-with-warmer-feelings-toward-them/)
• Pew Research Center, Religion (https://www.pewresearch.org/topic/religion/)

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In September 2025, Vicki Garlock set a Guinness World Record by visiting 185 places of worship in Chicago in just one month. But this wasn't just about breaking a record—it was about experiencing the extraordinary religious diversity of one American city and promoting religious literacy. Join us as we explore what she learned, the communities she encountered, and how this ambitious project connects to her broader mission of cross-religious understanding and education.

Show Notes:

• World Religions for Kids website (https://worldreligions4kids.com)
• World Religions for Kids Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/worldreligions4kids)
• World Religions for Kids Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/WorldReligions4Kids)

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Dr. Damon Berry, associate professor of religious studies at St. Lawrence University, regularly consults with federal law enforcement agencies including the  FBI and FBI’s BAU-1 (Behavioral Analysis Unit One) on cases involving religious extremism and alt-right movements. In this conversation, we explore the challenges of translating academic research into practical guidance for investigators, including the difficult work of understanding belief systems and worldviews that are dangerous and toxic to pluralistic society. Berry discusses what law enforcement agencies understand well about these movements and how empathetic scholarship can inform counter-extremism efforts.

Dr. Berry's Books:

• Blood and Faith: Christianity in American White Nationalism (https://press.syr.edu/supressbooks/256/blood-and-faith/)
• Christianity and the Alt-Right: Exploring the Relationship (https://www.routledge.com/Christianity-and-the-Alt-Right-Exploring-the-Relationship/Berry/p/book/9780367340551)
• The New Apostolic Reformation, Trump, and Evangelical Politics (https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/new-apostolic-reformation-trump-and-evangelical-politics-9781350179431/)

Show Notes:

• Life After Hate (https://lifeafterhate.org/)

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In this episode, Institute for Religious and Cultural Understanding Director Chip Gruen becomes the guest as producer Christine Flicker poses questions drawn from audience feedback. The conversation explores the methodological approaches, underlying assumptions, and programming decisions that shape the Institute's work in fostering religious understanding and a healthier public conversation on religion. Listeners get an inside look at how the Institute navigates the complexities of religious diversity in public life and the intentional choices behind its programming initiatives.

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Esoteric elements are present in many religious traditions, where discourses of secrecy help reinforce identity and fulfill important social and cultural roles within religious communities. Our guest, Hartley Lachter, author of "Kabbalah and Catastrophe," explores how Jewish mystical thought developed in response to historical trauma and community crises. We discuss the broader social and cultural functions of secrecy in religious life, examining how discourses of revealed knowledge create power structures, strengthen community bonds, and inspire innovative responses to calamity. 

Show Notes:

• Kabbalah and Catastrophe: Historical Memory in Premodern Jewish Mysticism (https://www.sup.org/books/history/kabbalah-and-catastrophe)
• Kabbalistic Revolution: Reimagining Judaism in Medieval Spain (https://www.rutgersuniversitypress.org/kabbalistic-revolution/9780813568751/)

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How do religious journalists navigate the intersection of faith values and public issues? Sharlee DiMenichi of Friends Journal discusses her reporting on a variety of contemporary issues, including Quaker responses to immigration policy, climate change, and economic justice. We explore how religious principles translate into political action and humanitarian work across diverse communities, and how faith-based journalism might contribute unique perspectives to public discourse while helping rebuild trust in today's fragmented media environment.

Show Notes:

• Friends Journal (https://www.friendsjournal.org/)
• Quakers Sue DHS over Immigration Enforcement and Religious Freedom, February 2025 (https://www.friendsjournal.org/quakers-sue-immigration/)
• Emblems of Change - Friends’ Global Responses to Climate Crisis, February 2025 (https://www.friendsjournal.org/emblems-of-change/)
• Dear God, Help Me Here - Prayer and Healing at the End of Life, March 2024 (https://www.friendsjournal.org/dear-god-help-me-here/)

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On this episode of ReligionWise Philosophy Professor Eric Steinhart joins us to discuss how his work on contemporary paganism challenges traditional boundaries in the philosophy of religion. We consider the historical limitations of the field, the value of including minority traditions, and how his eclectic academic interests have shaped his approach to religious diversity and philosophical inquiry.

Show Notes:

• Contemporary Pagan Philosophy (https://www.cambridge.org/core/elements/abs/contemporary-pagan-philosophy/483B647D60932CA5C76C51141A4AF40F)

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In this episode, we explore the remarkable story of the Abayudaya, Uganda's Jewish community, with Chief Rabbi Gershom Sizomu, the first native-born ordained rabbi in Sub-Saharan Africa. Rabbi Sizomu shares the history of his community, from its founding through persecution under Idi Amin's regime to its contemporary revival. Our conversation examines how the Abayudaya navigate their dual identity as both distinctly Jewish and distinctly Ugandan.

Show Notes:

• Abayudaya: Music from the Jewish People of Uganda (https://folkways.si.edu/abayudaya-music-from-the-jewish-people-of-uganda/judaica-sacred-world/album/smithsonian)

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In this episode we explore the fascinating world of neuroscience with Dr. Jeremy Teissere, Stanley Road Professor of Neuroscience at Muhlenberg College, who introduces us to the discipline's key questions and recent developments. Then, we turn to the enduring legacy of William James, the early 20th century thinker at the intersection of psychology, philosophy, and religion. We consider how James's pioneering insights into mystical states, consciousness, and conversion continue to resonate with modern neuroscientific understanding.

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In this episode of ReligionWise we sit down with Ulysses Burley, founder of UBtheCure, a consulting company that describes itself as being at the "intersection of Faith, Health, and Human Rights." A trained physician turned social activist, Dr. Burley is interested in the role and responsibility of communities to play a part in public health and our collective response to both wellness and disease, including but not limited to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the Black community.

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