Joel spoke with two first-time guests to the podcast, Jonathan Tran & Malcolm Foley, about their recent books and their work to more precisely illuminate and define the "racial capitalism" in which those of us in the Western world live. It's a stimulating and wide-ranging conversation about race, economics, history, higher education, politics and more. Of course, we end with a discussion of what we have all been reading.

Dr. Jonathan Tran is the author of multiple books, including Asian Americans and the Spirit of Racial Capitalism (2022, Oxford UP), as well as Professor of Theological Ethics at Duke University’s Divinity School.

Dr. Malcolm Foley is a pastor, historian, and speaker who serves as special adviser to the president for equity and campus engagement at Baylor University. He has written for Christianity Today, The Anxious Bench, and Mere Orthodoxy, and is the author of the brand-new book The Anti-Greed Gospel (Brazos).

Books Mentioned in this Episode:

If you’d like to order any of the following books, we encourage you to do so from Hearts and Minds Books(An independent bookstore in Dallastown, PA, run by Byron and Beth Borger) 

• Of Mr. Booker T. Washington and Others: The Political Economy of Racism in the United States (essay) by Judith Stein
• The Half Has Never Been Told: Slavery and the Making of American Capitalism by Edward Baptist
• God's Reign and the End of Empires by Antonio Gonzalez
• We Have Never Been Woke: The Cultural Contradictions of a New Elite by Musa al-Gharbi
• Black Skin, White Masks by Frantz Fanon
• God Emperor of Dune by Frank Herbert
• White Property, Black Trespass: Racial Capitalism and the Religious Function of Mass Criminalization by Andrew Krinks
• Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America by Barbara Ehrenreich
• Poverty, By America by Matthew Desmond
• $2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America by Kathryn Edin & Luke Shaefer
• The Life in Christ by Nicholas Cabasilas
• Capitalism and its Critics: A History: From the Industrial Revolution to AI by John Cassidy
• Retrieving Nicaea: The Development and Meaning of Trinitarian Doctrine by Khaled Anatolios

Lindsey Cornett, Managing Editor of Englewood Press, spoke with two writers of notable nonfiction, Esau McCaulley and Katie Blackburn, not about their "books for grownups," but about their recent publications for children. They discuss their unexpected journeys into children's literature, why it's important to write books for children, and their upcoming projects.

Books Mentioned in this Episode:

If you’d like to order any of the following books, we encourage you to do so from Hearts and Minds Books(An independent bookstore in Dallastown, PA, run by Byron and Beth Borger) 

• Reading While Black: African-American Biblical Interpretation as an Exercise  in Hope by Esau McCauley
• The New Testament in Color: A Multiethnic Bible Commentary ed. by Esau McCaulley, Janette Ok, Osvaldo Padilla & Amy Peeler
• Andy Johnson and the March for Justice by Esau McCaulley
• Gluing the Cracks: Reflections on Motherhood, Disability and Hope by Katie Blackburn
• The Very Best Baseball Game: A Story About Disability and God's Good Design For All of Us by Katie Blackburn
• Josey Johnson's Hair and the Holy Spirit by Esau McCaulley 
• The Little Engine that Could by Watty Piper
• God's Colorful Kingdom Storybook Bible: The Story of God's Big Diverse Family by Esau McCaulley
• Frederick Douglass Collection by Frederick Douglass
• What Happened to Rachel Riley by Claire Swinarski
• Knowing God by J.I. Packer
• The Tears of Things: Prophetic Wisdom for an Age of Outrage by Richard Rohr
• Beartown: A Novel by Frederick Backman

Chris sat down with two first-time guests, Mandy Smith and Dennis Edwards, at the recent Missio Alliance Awakenings event. Chris brought them together because their recent work shares a thematic connection of exploring "humility," which is the foundation of their conversation. They talk about their experiences as ministry leaders, biblical and theological dimensions of humility, and how their work pushes us towards specific practices to cultivate humility in our lives.

Books Mentioned in this Episode:

If you’d like to order any of the following books, we encourage you to do so from Hearts and Minds Books(An independent bookstore in Dallastown, PA, run by Byron and Beth Borger) 

• Confessions of an Amateur Saint: The Christian Leader's Journey from Self-Sufficiency to Reliance on God by Mandy Smith
• Humility Illuminated: The Biblical Path Back to Christian Character by Dennis Edwards
• Re-Enchanting the Text by Cheryl Bridges John
• The Mythmakers: The Remarkable Fellowship of C.S. Lewis & J.R.R. Tolkien by John Hendrix
• The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
• James: A Novel by Percival Everett
• Erasure: A Novel by Percival Everett

Joel spoke with repeat guest Nijay Gupta and first-time guest Melissa Barciela Mandala about Paul's notion of "love." They discuss the impulse to find a "theological center" to Paul's New Testament writings, the success of Nijay's attempt to locate the love of God as this "center," and of course, what we are all currently reading and enjoying.

Nijay K. Gupta is Julius R. Mantey Professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary. He is co-editor of the Dictionary of Paul and His Letters (2nd ed.), The State of New Testament Studies, The State of Pauline Studies, and serves as a senior translator for the New Living Translation. His publications include Paul and the Language of Faith, A Beginner’s Guide to New Testament Studies, Strange Religion, and commentaries on Galatians, Philippians, Colossians, and 1–2 Thessalonians, as well as his brand-new publication from Eerdmans The Affections of Christ Jesus, which will be the focus of our conversation today.

Melissa J. Barciela Mandala is Assistant Professor of New Testament at Palm Beach Atlantic University and works primarily in Pauline studies. A revised version of her doctoral dissertation entitled The Suffering Body as a Site of Virtue Formation in Philippians is forthcoming with Mohr Siebeck. Her research focused on the apostle Paul’s view of the body and suffering within his ancient philosophical context. The subjects of current and past work include various approaches to Paul’s Letter to the Romans, virtue ethics in relation to Paul, and explorations of comparative methodology in biblical studies more broadly.

 Books Mentioned in this Episode:

If you’d like to order any of the following books, we encourage you to do so from Hearts and Minds Books(An independent bookstore in Dallastown, PA, run by Byron and Beth Borger) 

• The Affections of Christ Jesus: Love at the Heart of Paul's Theology by Nijay Gupta
• The Suffering Body as a Site of Virtue Formation in Philippians by Melissa Barciela Mandala (forthcoming)
• 1 Corinthians: A Theological, Pastoral and Missional Commentary by Michael Gorman
• Colossians and Philemon (Word and Spirit Commentary on the New Testament) by Holly Beers
• The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van Der Kolk
• Remembering Paul: Ancient and Modern Contests over the Image of the Apostle by Benjamin White
• The Sermon on the Mount and Human Flourishing: A Theological Commentary by Jonathan Pennington
• Life on the Silent Planet: Essays on Christian Living from C.S. Lewis' Ransom Trilogy ed. by Rhys Laverty
• Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis

Chris spoke with two first-time podcast guests, Carey Wallace and Charlie Peacock, about their careers and varied experiences of pursuing creative work. They consider the role of community in creativity, what it means to be "inspired," and how they recount these observations in their recent books. They reflect on the connections between the act of surrender, spiritual disciplines, and hearing from God in the midst of various creative acts.

Books Mentioned in this Episode

If you’d like to order any of the following books, we encourage you to do so from Hearts and Minds Books(An independent bookstore in Dallastown, PA, run by Byron and Beth Borger) 

• The Discipline of Inspiration: The Mysterious Encounter with God at the Heart of Creativity by Carey Wallace
• Roots and Rhythm: A Life in Music by Charlie Peacock
• The Wide, Wide Sea: Imperial Ambition, First Contact, and the Fateful Final Voyage of James Cook by Hampton Sides
• The New Testament in Color: A Multiethnic Bible Commentary
• Eternal Flame: The Authorized Biography of the Bangles by Jennifer Bickerdike
• The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America's First Superhero by William Kalush and Larry Sloman

Joel hosted a freewheeling conversation with Chris Smith (Founding Editor of ERB), Lindsey Cornett (Managing Editor of Englewood Press) and Jen Pollock Michel (author, writer, former ERB podcast host) all about our favorite books from 2024. We discuss our personal perspectives on how to choose 'favorite' books, and we talk about a wide range of titles, including fiction, poetry and non-fiction that we read this year. There's sure to be something in here for every type of reader. Enjoy!

Books Mentioned in this Episode:

If you’d like to order any of the following books, we encourage you to do so from Hearts and Minds Books(An independent bookstore in Dallastown, PA, run by Byron and Beth Borger) 

• The Shape of Our Lives: A Field Guide for Congregational Formation by Phillip Kenneson, Debra Murphy, Jenny Williams, Stephen Fowl & James Lewis
• The Feast by Margaret Kennedy
• Hello Beautiful: A Novel by Ann Napolitano
• Virgil Wander: A Novel by Leif Enger
• I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger
• Peace Like a River by Leif Enger
• The Bright Sword: A Novel of King Arthur by Lev Grossman
• Lamb of the Free: Recovering the Varied Sacrificial Understandings of Jesus' Death by Andrew Remington Rillera
• Collected Poems by Jane Kenyon
• An Intimate Good: A Skeptical Christian Mystic in Conversation with Teresa of Avila by Laurel Matthewson
• The Interior Castle by St. Teresa of Avila
• Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler
• The Understory: An Invitation to Rootedness and Resilience from the Forest Floor by Lore Ferguson Wilbert
• Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art by Madeleine L'Engle
• The Genesis Trilogy by Madeleine L'Engle
• Democracy and Solidarity: On the Cultural Roots of America's Political Crisis by James Davison Hunter
• All Things Are Full of Gods: The Mysteries of Mind and Life by David Bentley Hart
• The Fellowship: The Literary Lives of the Inklings by Philip and Carol Zaleski
• The Mythmakers: The Remarkable Fellowship of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien by John Hendrix
• Go and Do Likewise by John Hendrix
• Miracle Man by John Hendrix
• The Faithful Spy: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Plot to Kill Hitler by John Hendrix
• Fully Alive: Tending to the Soul in Turbulent Times by Elizabeth Oldfield
• Cloud Cuckoo Land: A Novel by Anthony Doerr
• Circle of Hope: A Reckoning with Love, Power and Justice in an American Church by Eliza Griswold
• The Labors of Hercules Beal by Gary Schmidt
• The Book of Belonging: Bible Stories for Kind and Contemplative Kids by Mariko Clark and Rachel Eleanor
• Slow Church: Cultivating Community in the Patient Way of Jesus by Chris Smith and John Pattison
• Escaping the Housing Trap: The Strong Towns Response to the Housing Crisis

Chris had a wide-ranging conversation with first-time guest, Lore Ferguson Wilbert, and repeat guest, Ragan Sutterfield, in which they touched on various topics including: processing the recent U.S. election, grief and lament, pace and time, rootedness and place, story, and of course, what they have been recently reading.

Books Mentioned in this Episode:

If you’d like to order any of the following books, we encourage you to do so from Hearts and Minds Books(An independent bookstore in Dallastown, PA, run by Byron and Beth Borger) 

• The Understory: An Invitation to Rootedness and Resilience from the Forest Floor by Lore Ferguson Wilbert
• Handle With Care: How Jesus Redeems the Power of Touch in Life and Ministry by Lore Ferguson Wilbert
• The Art of Being a Creature: Meditations on Humus and Humility by Ragan Sutterfield
• Wendell Berry and the Given Life by Ragan Sutterfield
• Farming as a Spiritual Discipline by Ragan Sutterfield
• The Art of the Commonplace: Agrarian Essays by Wendell Berry
• When Time is Short: Finding Our Way in the Anthropocene by Timothy Beal
• Becoming Friends of Time: Disability, Timefullness and Gentle Discipleship by John Swinton
• Compassion: A Reflection on the Christian Life by Henri Nouwen
• How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy by Jenny Odell
• How to Be Idle: A Loafer's Manifesto by Tom Hodgkinson
• The One-Straw Revolution: An Introduction to Natural Farming by Masanobu Fukuoka
• Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention - And How to Think Deeply Again by Johann Hari
• Amphibious Soul: Finding Wild in a Tame World by Craig Foster
• Systematic Theology: Volume 1, the Doctrine of God by Katherine Sonderegger
• The Quickening: Creation and Community at the Ends of the Earth by Elizabeth Rush
• North Woods: A Novel by Daniel Mason
• The Winter Soldier by Daniel Mason

Joel hosted a conversation with two ERB reviewers, who each recently reviewed new books about the intersection of creativity and faith. They discuss the craft of poetry, their personal experiences with creative slumps, how certain books and poems do (or do not!) aid the creative process, and what this all means about humans, belief, and existing in God's creation. It was a fun, honest, and open discussion. Enjoy!

Books and Writing Mentioned in this Episode:

If you’d like to order any of the following books, we encourage you to do so from Hearts and Minds Books(An independent bookstore in Dallastown, PA, run by Byron and Beth Borger) 

• Honest Creativity: The Foundation of Boundless, Good, and Inspired Innovation by Craig Detweiler
• Ashley's Review of 'Honest Creativity' for ERB
• Word Made Fresh: An Invitation to Poetry for the Church by Abram Van Engen
• Christian's Review of 'Word Made Fresh' for ERB
• Break, Blow, Burn and Make: A Writer’s Thoughts on Creation by E. Lily Yu
• Murder in the Cathedral by T.S. Eliot
• A Book Of Luminous Things: An International Anthology of Poetry by Czeslaw Milosz
• The Portal of the Mystery of Hope by Charles Peguy
• The Art of Being a Creature: Meditations on Humus and Humility
  by Ragan Sutterfield
• The Hedgehog Review
• Culture Wars: The Struggle To Control The Family, Art, Education, Law, And Politics In America by James Davison Hunter<

Our new managing editor, Lindsey Cornett sat down with the writer and illustrator of the brand-new "Book of Belonging" collection of Bible stories for children. They discuss the problems and difficulties with many "traditional" children's bibles, how the two of them met and decided to collaborate on this project, what sets this project apart from other approaches, and how the process has impacted them personally. It's a wide-ranging and honest conversation. Enjoy!

Books and Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

If you’d like to order any of the following books, we encourage you to do so from Hearts and Minds Books(An independent bookstore in Dallastown, PA, run by Byron and Beth Borger) 

• The Book of Belonging: Bible Stories for Kind and Contemplative Kids by Mariko Clark & Rachel Eleanor
• Mariko Clark's Instagram
• Rachel Eleanor's Instagram
• Scott Erickson's Instagram
• BEMA Podcast
• Red Rising by Pierce Brown
• Dracula by Bram Stoker
• The Understory: An Invitation to Rootedness and Resilience from the Forest Floor by Lore Ferguson Wilbert
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

Chris spoke with two first-time guests, Sarah Bessey and Sarah McCammon about the Exvangelical movement and so-called 'deconstruction' in American Christianity. They speak about their own experiences in conservative, evangelical Christianity, how they approached deconstruction, what they are observing about deconstruction in our cultural moment, and of course, what they are currently reading.

Books Mentioned in this Episode:

If you’d like to order any of the following books, we encourage you to do so from Hearts and Minds Books(An independent bookstore in Dallastown, PA, run by Byron and Beth Borger) 

• Field Notes for the Wilderness: Practices for an Evolving Faith by Sarah Bessey
• The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living and Leaving the White Evangelical Church by Sarah McCammon
• Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation by Kristin Kobes du Mez
• Where God Happens: Discovering Christ in One Another by Rowan Williams
• Strange Gods: A Secular History of Conversion by Susan Jacoby
• Shark Heart: A Love Story by Emily Habeck
• The Understory: An Invitation to Rootedness and Resilience from the Forest Floor by Lore Ferguson Wilbert
• Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer
• Bite by Bite: Nourishments and Jamborees by Aimee Nezhukumatathil
• World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks and Other Astonishments by Aimee Nezhukumatathil