The Vicars' Crossing

On this episode, we welcome Patty Krawec. Patty is an Anishinaabe and Ukrainian writer from Lac Seul First Nation. She is the cohost of the Medicine for the Resistance podcast and cofounder of the Nii’kinaaganaa Foundation, which collects funds and disperses them to Indigenous people and organizations. Her work has been published in Sojourners and Canadian Living. She is active with the Fort Erie Native Friendship Center and the Strong Water Singers. Krawec is a member of Chippawa Presbyterian Church and lives in Niagara Falls, Ontario. 

We’ll discuss Her book Becoming Kin:
An Indigenous Call to Unforgetting the Past and Reimagining Our Future, is a remarkable sojourn through Native and settler history, myth, identity, and spirituality that helps us retrace our steps and pick up what was lost along the way: chances to honour rather than violate treaties, to see the land as a relative rather than a resource, and to unravel the history we have been taught.

This podcast was recorded on March 23rd, 2023.

In this episode, we welcome back speaker, writer, public theologian, and immigrant advocate, Karen González.

Karen immigrated to the US from Guatemala as a child. She knows all too well what newcomers to a country face. When she was last with us we talked about her book -The God Who Sees -which chronicled her experience as an immigrant. 

Karen’s second book which was recently released is titled - Beyond Welcome: Centering Immigrants in Our Christian Response to Immigration. This book seeks to elevate the discourse in the church beyond hospitality to immigrants. Many Christians have good intentions, working hard to welcome immigrants with hospitality and solidarity. But how can that be done in a way that empowers our immigrant neighbours rather than pushing them to the fringes of white-dominant culture and keeping them as outsiders? 

That's exactly the question Karen González explores in ‘Beyond Welcome’ and the question we’ll explore in this episode of The Vicars’ Crossing.

This podcast was recorded on March 16th, 2023.

Sumaiya Matin is a writer, part-time social worker/psychotherapist, and strategic advisor for the Ontario government, working on a wide range of public policy files, including anti-racism. She lives in Toronto.

Her book the Shaytān Bride is the true coming-of-age story of a girl navigating desire and faith. Through her journey into adulthood, she battles herself and her circumstances to differentiate between destiny and free will. Sumaiya Matin’s life in love and violence is a testament to one woman’s strength as she faces the complicated fallout of her decisions.

Sumaiya Matin was never sure if the story of the Shaytan Bride was truth or myth. When she moved at age six from Dhaka, Bangladesh, to Thunder Bay, Ontario, recollections of this devilish bride followed her. At first, the Shaytan Bride seemed to be the monster of fairy tales, a woman possessed or seduced by a jinni. But everything changes during a family trip to Bangladesh, and in the weeks leading to Sumaiya’s own forced wedding, she discovers that the story — and the bride herself — are much closer than they seem.

This podcast was recorded on March 10th, 2023.

Today we welcome Lerita Coleman Brown. Lerita is a spiritual director/companion, author, retreat leader, and speaker. She promotes contemplative spirituality, the living wisdom of Howard Thurman, and uncovering the peace and joy in one’s heart on her website, leritacolemanbrown.com and other social media platforms. Her newest book is What Makes You Come Alive—A Spiritual Walk with Howard Thurman. We’ll chat about the book and much more.

This podcast was recorded on Tuesday February 28th, 2023.

On this episode, we welcome Lisa Deam - an author and speaker who uses art of the Christian past to illuminate modern faith. A former professor, she has a Ph.D. in medieval art history from the University of Chicago and was a Fulbright Fellow to Belgium. Lisa believes that medieval art has something to say to Christians in the 21st century and loves leading spiritual formation workshops on the Christian Middle Ages. Her writing won a "Best of the Christian Press" award from the Associated Church Press. We’ll discuss her latest book - 3000 Miles to Jesus

This podcast was recorded on February 23rd, 2023.

Cecily Alexander is a dietician, a teacher, and a writer in London, Ontario. Her recently published memoir

Immigration, Race and Survival: From Trinidad to Canada: Living in Parallel Worlds

will help you to understand racism as you journey with her through her many experiences. 

Cecily has had a career as a dietitian for over forty years. She has a master’s in business administration specializing in organizational behaviour and her nutrition degree from the University of Guelph. She has taught at both the university and college levels.

She’s a faithful Anglican attending St Aidan’s Church in London Ontario.

This podcast was recorded on February 16th, 2023.

We are excited to welcome back Dr. Randy Woodley. Randy’s work addresses a variety of issues concerning American culture, faith, justice, race, our relationship with the earth, and Indigenous realities. He currently serves as Distinguished Professor of Faith and Culture at Portland Seminary, Portland Oregon. His expertise has been sought in national venues as diverse as Time Magazine, Christianity Today, The Huffington Post, and Planet Drum: A Voice for Bioregional, Sustainability, Education, and Culture. Randy identifies strongly with issues of eco-justice, diversity, and racial justice. He has found the sweet spot of sharing difficult truths, in the spirit of love and acceptance through his teaching. Randy’s authentic and timely messages dig to the root of our own imbalanced and unjust systems in an effort to restore us all to ways of harmony. His new book is titled MISSION AND THE CULTURAL OTHER.

This podcast was recorded on November 17th, 2022.

This week we welcome Marjorie J. Thompson. Marjorie is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church.  She has served as director of the Pathways Center for Spiritual Leadership and as spiritual director of Companions in Christ, a program outgrowth of the Pathways initiative of Upper Room Ministries. Marjorie has exercised a ministry of teaching, writing and spiritual guidance for many years. 

Marjorie joins us to discuss her newest book:

Courage for Caregivers: Sustenance for the Journey in Company with Henri J. M. Nouwen

Drawing on the writings and wisdom of Nouwen's themes of caregiving, this book is an invaluable resource for those offering care and the communities that support them.

This podcast was recorded on November 10th, 2022.

Today we welcome Jonathan Merritt - one of America’s most popular writers on issues of faith and culture. He is the author of several critically-acclaimed books, including Learning to Speak God from Scratch: Why Sacred Words are Vanishing – and How We Can Revive Them, named “Book of the Year” by the Englewood Review of Books. 

Jonathan is an award-winning contributor for The Atlantic, a contributing editor for The Week, and a regular columnist for Religion News Service. He has published more than 3000 articles in respected outlets such as The New York Times, USA Today, Buzzfeed, The Washington Post, The Daily Beast and Christianity Today.
In addition to the written word, Jonathan regularly contributes commentary to television, print, and radio news outlets. He has been interviewed by ABC World News, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, NPR, PBS, and CBS’ “60 Minutes.”

this podcast was recorded on November 3rd, 2022.

Dr. Karen Swallow Prior, is a Research Professor of English, Christianity and Culture at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. She is the author of Booked: Literature in the Soul of Me, and On Reading Well: Finding the Good Life through Great Books. She has contributed to numerous other books. She is a host of the popular podcast Jane and Jesus. She has a monthly column for Religion News Service. Karen’s writing has appeared in Christianity Today, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, and many other publications.

This podcast was recorded on September 29th, 2022.