The Embedded Church Podcast

This trailer sets up our theme for Season 4 "Cultivating Neighborhood Shalom" and we introduce our new partners, Josh Yates and Chris Elisara from Ormond Center at Duke Divinity School.

Are there physical conditions that determine whether we develop social connections? Why should we invest in this type of "social infrastructure"? In Episode 6 of Season 3, Sara Joy digs into these questions with Eric as he leads us through the book Palaces for the People by Eric Klinenberg.

Who is a bigger fan of Jane Jacobs? In Episode 5 of Season 3, listen to Eric and Sara Joy wrestle that one out as they discuss Jacobs' pioneering work in her book The Death and Life of Great American Cities.

Can Christians learn from an author who has a skeptical view of religion and throws some direct punches at Christianity? In Episode 4 of Season 3, Eric and Sara Joy delve into some of the most interesting theological engagement with the reading list thus far as they discuss Home From Nowhere by James Howard Kunstler, who writes some surprisingly provocative insights about cities and the human condition.

What happens when an architect starts paying attention to how people actually use buildings and spaces? In Episode 3 of Season 3, you can find out as Eric talks with Sara Joy about Jan Gehl's Cities for People, the book that captures his seemingly mundane, yet revolutionary observations about people and the ways they use public space.

Why is walking so important? What are the particular conditions in a city that encourage (or discourage) people to walk? Does promoting walkability mean we get rid of all the cars? In Episode 2 of Season 3, Sara Joy and Eric wrestle with these questions using Walkable City by Jeff Speck as their starting point.

Why does one of the wealthiest nations in the world contain cities filled with unhappy and disconnected people? In Episode 1 of Season 3, Sara Joy and Eric look to Charles Montgomery's Happy City to answer this question and to figure out what it takes to build a happy city.

The Season 3 Trailer sets up our plan for this season of The Embedded Church podcast. Reading with Eric & Sara Joy: How faith informs our reading of 6 essential books on neighborhood life and design. We'll take our listeners through a discussion of several books we think are great reads for understanding the implications of the design of our neighborhoods.

Is there a way to address problems of loneliness through neighborhood design? In episode 6, we turn the mic around as Sara Joy interviews Eric about his new book Three Pieces of Glass, which explores our current epidemic of loneliness while making a case for how our built environment can play a role in developing a sense of belonging and connection with neighbors and friends that can help alleviate some of our struggles of disconnection.

Does the historically black church play a distinct role in the neighborhood? How have 'urban renewal' and gentrification impacted the ability of black churches to engage the neighborhood? In episode 5, Rev. David Wright, Assistant to the Pastor at Peoples Baptist Church and Executive Director of the Black Ministerial Alliance of Greater Boston, helps answers these questions