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Channel • 4 Shows

Society & Culture

Society & Culture

Complete Series
Society & Culture

Society & Culture

Updated Weekly
Society & Culture

Society & Culture

Updated Weekly
Society & Culture

Society & Culture

Updated 2024-07-23

Jun 18

Is This a Time to Build, or a Time to Re-found? — David Brooks and Ross Douthat

Do our institutions need repair—or replacement? In one of the festival's most anticipated conversations, longtime friends and conservative public intellectuals David Brooks and Ross Douthat debate whether our moment calls for rebuilding existing institutions or re-founding them altogether. Introduced by Christine Emba and reflected upon by Mark Labberton. Mentioned: Albert O. Hirschman Frederick Buechner American Politics: The Promise of Disharmony, by Samuel P. Huntington James Baldwin Gregory of Nyssa and the Song of Songs "Fast Car," by Tracy Chapman The papal encyclical Magnifica Humanitas Comment's Manifesto Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at team@comment.org. The Understory is a production of Comment (comment.org), published by Cardus (cardus.ca). Hosted by Anne Snyder. Edited by Allie Crummy. Produced by Tiffany Thompson and Evan Rosa. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Episode Highlights "We look through the world through mud-colored lenses." (Brooks) "Culture change happens more by example than by argument, via admiration more than by persuasion." (Brooks) "Romanticism is an insurrection of the whole person against the tyranny of the part." (Brooks) "In this period, it's easier to coast, to slide, and often to despair." (Douthat) "What is the new university, and why isn't Silicon Valley money funding it?" (Douthat) About David Brooks David Brooks is a staff writer at The Atlantic and the inaugural senior presidential fellow at Yale's Jackson School of Global Affairs, after twenty-two years as a New York Times columnist. He wrote The Second Mountain and How to Know a Person. About Ross Douthat Ross Douthat is a New York Times Opinion columnist and hosts the podcast Interesting Times. A fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, he wrote The Decadent Society and Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious, and lives in New Haven, Connecticut. Helpful Links and Resources Comment's manifesto: comment.org/manifesto/ The Understory Festival: comment.org/understory/ Comment magazine: comment.org #TheUnderstory #CommentMagazine #DavidBrooks #RossDouthat #ChristianHumanism #CulturalRenewal #FaithAndPublicLife #BuildOrRefound

Jun 18

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1h 13m
Jun 11

Welcome to the Understory, Where the Future Quietly Takes Root — Anne Snyder

In this opening episode, Comment editor-in-chief Anne Snyder delivers the remarks she offered on the first night of the Understory festival—a three-day gathering hosted by Comment at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC. Drawing on history's overlooked seedbeds of moral imagination, Anne reflects on what stirs beneath the surface of our exhausted public life: a scattered, largely invisible constellation of people committed to building across difference, recovering what has been lost, and reimagining what might yet be born. Something is dying, and something is being born—and they may just be the same story. Welcome to the Understory.

Jun 11

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32 min
Jun 11

What Is Struggling to Be Born? — Fr. Tomáš Halík

When old certainties crumble, what is God bringing forth? Opening the Understory festival from Prague, Czech Republic, priest and theologian Tomáš Halík reflects on faith after Christendom, the wounds that become sites of encounter with God, and why Christianity's future may depend less on restoration than on spiritual maturity. His remarks are followed by responses from Makoto Fujimura, Romanita Hairston, Amber Lapp, and Christian Wiman, woven together with live cello by Slovak musician Jozef Lupták. Mentioned: Touch the Wounds, by Tomáš Halík The Afternoon of Christianity, by Tomáš Halík "And I Was Alive," from Stolen Air: Selected Poems of Osip Mandelstam — Osip Mandelstam, translated by Christian Wiman Nihonga (Japanese mineral-pigment painting) The Liberty Bell "Great is thy faithfulness" (Lamentations) Thales Heraclitus Meister Eckhart Vincent van Gogh Pope Francis and synodality Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at team@comment.org. The Understory is a production of Comment (comment.org), published by Cardus (cardus.ca). Hosted by Anne Snyder. Edited by Allie Crummy. Produced by Tiffany Thompson and Evan Rosa. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. ——— Episode Highlights Tomáš Halík: "It is difficult to distinguish the pain of dying from the birth pangs of something struggling to be born." Makoto Fujimura: "But rather than rush to fix the crack, now is the time of beholding." Romanita Hairston: "We have not yet learned how to be valuable apart from being useful." Amber Lapp: "It made me wonder how many of our social troubles are downstream from people doubting their dignity, feeling badly about themselves." Christian Wiman: "I believe we've entered a time in which the preservation of individual consciousness will be the great battle." ——— Links The Understory festival: https://comment.org/understory/ Comment: https://comment.org Cardus: https://www.cardus.ca Makoto Fujimura: https://makotofujimura.com Romanita Hairston: https://romanitahairston.com Tomáš Halík: http://halik.cz/en/ Amber Lapp: https://comment.org/contributors/amber-lapp/ Christian Wiman: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/christian-wiman Jozef Lupták: https://www.jozefluptak.com/ ——— Show Notes Opening night in the Cathedral nave; the question beneath the others Tomáš Halík, from Prague: incarnatio, passio, resurrectio continua; resurrection as transformation, not restoration Makoto Fujimura: to understand is to stand under; Nihonga, the Liberty Bell's crack, and broken beauty Romanita Hairston: the move from physical to cognitive labor; twins of a new humanity and new institutions; beloved before useful Amber Lapp: a working-class Ohio town, the marriage gap, doubted dignity, and micro-institutions of recovery Christian Wiman: Mandelstam's last poem; quantum strangeness; consciousness as something shared Live cello by Jozef Lupták; closing word from Anne Snyder ——— #TheUnderstory #UnderstoryFestival #CommentMagazine #Cardus #ChristianHumanism #WhatIsStrugglingToBeBorn #MakotoFujimura #ChristianWiman #BrokenBeauty

Jun 11

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44 min
Jun 3

What Does It Mean to Support Israel?

Evangelicals, historically, have largely supported the state of Israel. But is support waning? Why have evangelicals taken this stance, and what has changed? Join us as we talk with Robert Nicholson, founder of the Philos Project and editor-at-large of Providence: A Journal of Christianity and American Foreign Policy. Nicholson provides commentary on the history of evangelical support of Israel, current trends, and a theology of the relationship between Christianity and the state of Israel. LINKS Announcing Matt and Shadi's new book: Can Religion Save Democracy? Pre-order your copy from Baker Book House and receive 40% off through its release on October 13, 2026: https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/9781587436895_can-religion-save-democracy Robert Nicholson bio: https://providencemag.com/authors/robert-nicholson/ Phil Klay on U.S. Support for Israel's War: https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2024/03/gaza-war-indefensible-united-states/677896/

Jun 3

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1h 30m
Jun 18

Is There a Word from the Lord? — Rev. Dr. Charlie Dates

Is there a word from the Lord for us today? Pastor Charlie Dates closes the Understory festival with a sermon that speaks to a weary age hungry for both truth and hope. Introduced by Anne Snyder and preceded by a live musical offering from Grammy-winning gospel musician Kevin Bond, this final session asks the question beneath the entire gathering: Who is Christ for us today? Mentioned: Breaking Ground (Comment) Who Is Christ for Us Today?, asked by Dietrich Bonhoeffer Frederick Douglass Ain't I a Woman?, by Sojourner Truth Raphael Warnock Matthew 22:42: "What think ye of Christ? Whose son is he?" Gospel of Matthew, King James Version The dual paternity of the Messiah: Son of David, Son of God Psalm 110 Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at team@comment.org. The Understory is a production of Comment (comment.org), published by Cardus (cardus.ca). Hosted by Anne Snyder. Edited by Allie Crummy. Produced by Tiffany Thompson and Evan Rosa. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Episode Highlights "The identity of Jesus Christ confronts our theological arrogance and silences our moral malice." "Christ is the sum total of every cure for what ails the human condition." "Time cannot age Him, and ages do not time Him." "He died till death died. Yes. He died till sin apologized." "He never preached a funeral because the dead always got up after he started talking." About Charlie Dates Charlie Dates is the senior pastor of both Salem Baptist Church and Progressive Baptist Church of Chicago, two of the most storied Black congregations in the nation. In 2011, at thirty, he became the youngest senior pastor in Progressive's history; in 2023 he succeeded James Meeks at Salem. A graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, he holds an MDiv and a PhD in historical theology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, where his research centered on the burden and brilliance of Black preaching. He is an affiliate professor at Baylor's Truett Seminary and Wheaton College, a contributor to Letters to a Birmingham Jail, and author of the forthcoming What Hath Justice to Do with Righteousness? Helpful Links and Resources The Understory Festival: https://comment.org/understory/ Comment magazine: https://comment.org Cardus: https://www.cardus.ca Charlie Dates: https://www.preachingdates.com #TheUnderstory #CommentMagazine #Cardus #CharlieDates #WhoIsChristForUsToday #BlackPreaching #ChristianHumanism #AnneSnyder #Christology

Jun 18

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28 min
May 27

The Politics of Falling Birthrates

Birthrates are falling drastically in many parts of the world. Why is this? And how does this trend relate to our political and religious lives in the twenty-first century? Join us as we talk with Lyman Stone, senior fellow and director of the Pronatalism Initiative at the Institute for Family Studies, as well as director of research at Demographic Intelligence. Stone will provide us insights into the current trends, explain why birthrates matter to us all, and offer a way forward. Links: Lyman Stone, Senior Fellow and Director: https://ifstudies.org/about-us/lyman-stone

May 27

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1h 12m
May 13

Why Democracy Needs Religion—Not "Spirituality"

Within our American context, "spiritual but not religious" is an increasingly popular title. It connotes rising above organized religion and opting instead for an individualistic, buffet-like spirituality that reflects our modern consumerist culture. In this episode, Matt and Shadi unpack this type of spirituality that is disconnected from religious institutions, practices, and experiences. They talk about why organized religion is actually vital to the health of democratic life and how it looks different from "spiritual but not religious." LINKS Announcing Matt and Shadi's new book: Can Religion Save Democracy? Pre-order your copy from Baker Book House and receive 40% off through its release on October 13, 2026: https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/9781587436895_can-religion-save-democracy

May 13

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56 min
Apr 15

A Christian Nationalist Changes His Mind

In an extremely polarized political landscape, how do we learn to change our minds? What happens when someone dedicates their entire career to the Christian Right and then has a moment of repentance? Join us as we talk with Rob Schenck, author of Costly Grace, who offers his perspective on the religious Right and the religious Left and what we often get wrong about the other side. Links: Schenck's account of his time in Minneapolis during the ICE protests: https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/02/rob-schenck-i-went-to-minneapolis-to-bear-witness-and-to-make-amends/ Schenck's book, Costly Grace: https://www.amazon.com/Costly-Grace-Evangelical-Ministers-Rediscovery/dp/006268793X

Apr 15

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55 min
Apr 29

A Muslim Reads C.S. Lewis

The book Mere Christianity, written by C.S. Lewis, is a staple for Christians and presents what many would argue are the core tenets of the Christian faith. How does Islam interact with what is described as "mere" Christianity? What doctrines stand out as confusing, untenable, and even controversial to a Muslim? From the nature of God's forgiveness to the identity of Jesus to the existence of doubt and faith, Matt and Shadi find moments of divergence and commonality. Join them as they unpack some of the core Christian doctrines found in Lewis's classic text. LINKS: https://www.amazon.com/Mere-Christianity-Lewis-Signature-Classic/dp/0007461216

Apr 29

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1 hr
May 6

How to Be a Muslim and an American

What does it look like for American Muslim communities to engage in the political landscape of the twenty-first century? In light of Republican and Democratic culpability in Gaza, how can Muslims maintain their integrity as well as their political participation? Join us as we talk with Omar Suleiman, imam, author, and president of the Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research. Suleiman will offer us insight into the ways he guides his own community to think through their political engagement and understand how questions of assimilation shape the Muslim community in America at large. LINKS Dr. Suleiman, director of the Yaqeen Institute: https://yaqeeninstitute.org/team/omar-suleiman

May 6

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1h 4m

Meet the voices behind Comment’s school of thought: reconcilers, peacemakers, hosts, and interlocutors. In our podcasts, you’ll find a tone and a way of life that provides an alternative to the battle-axe didactics of an age riven by false binaries. Have a listen. You might just find your gaze open up.

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