The Religion and American Life Podcast

Boston College - Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life
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”The Religion and American Life Podcast” is an initiative of the Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life at Boston College. Dedicated to the Center’s mission, the podcast is committed to fostering rigorous, civil, and constructive conversations about religion in American public life in pursuit of the common good of a religiously diverse society. Seeking to produce meaningful exchanges that inform, challenge, and inspire, this podcast brings exceptional scholarship into dialogue with engaged citizenship and the creative arts through the voices of central figures who are in or who study closely the most important issues in religion and public life in the United States today.

  1. Mar 16

    “The Future of Catholic Education,” with Eileen McLaughlin, Superintendent of the Archdiocese of Boston

    Join us for a conversation with the Superintendent of Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Boston, Eileen McLaughlin. She and Fr. Massa discuss the benefits and challenges of Catholic education, changes in student populations, and the future of Catholic schools.  Credits: Podcast Host: Mark Massa, S.J. Production: Madeline Jarrett Music: • Bourree 4th Lute Suite; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/. Double Violin Concerto 1st Movement; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.• Bourree 4th Lute Suite; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.• Double Violin Concerto 1st Movement; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.

  2. 11/25/2025

    “Anti-Semitism, America, and the Middle East,” with Jewish Studies Scholar, Dr. Susannah Heschel

    In this episode, Fr. Massa interviews Jewish scholar, Dr. Susannah Heschel about Judaism in America, Jewish-Catholic relations, and the war in the Middle East. Join us for an engaging and informative discussion! Susannah Heschel is the Eli M. Black Distinguished Professor and chair of the Jewish Studies Program at Dartmouth College. Her scholarship focuses on the Wissenschaft des Judentums, and she has used feminist, postcolonial, and critical race theoretical models in interpreting Jewish-Christian relations.  She is the author of many books, and she is also the recipient of five honorary doctorates from institutions in the United States, Canada, Germany, and Switzerland. She has held research grants from the Carnegie Foundation, the Ford Foundation, the National Humanities Center, and the Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin.  Credits: Podcast Host: Mark Massa, S.J. Production: Madeline Jarrett Music: • Bourree 4th Lute Suite; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/. Double Violin Concerto 1st Movement; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.• Bourree 4th Lute Suite; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.• Double Violin Concerto 1st Movement; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.

  3. 05/13/2025

    “Catholic Fundamentalism in America,” with theologian and director of the Boisi Center, Mark Massa, S.J.

    Join us for a special episode of Religion and American Life in which Fr. Mark Massa, S.J., is interviewed by the student employees of the Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life about his recently published book, Catholic Fundamentalism in America. This important conversation unpacks the characteristics of Catholic fundamentalism, its social and historical trajectories, integralism, the role of social media, healthy vs. unhealthy pluralism, and more.  Credits: Podcast Hosts: Madeline Jarrett, William Adamczyk, Joseph Monti Production: Madeline Jarrett Music: • Bourree 4th Lute Suite; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/. Double Violin Concerto 1st Movement; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.• Bourree 4th Lute Suite; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.• Double Violin Concerto 1st Movement; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.

  4. 04/24/2025

    “Conflict Resilience in a Divided Church,” with conflict resolution expert, Bob Bordone

    Join us for an engaging conversation between Mark Massa, S.J., and acclaimed conflict expert, Bob Bordone, as they discuss insights from Bordone’s recently published book, Conflict Resilience: Negotiating Disagreement without Giving Up or Giving In. In the episode, Bordone, a lifelong Catholic, unpacks the ways that these insights might apply to parish life and help us navigate polarization in the Church.  Bordone is an internationally-recognized expert, author, speaker, and teacher in negotiation, conflict resolution, mediation, and facilitation, recently selected as one of the Top 30 Negotiation Professionals by Top Global Gurus.  A Senior Fellow at Harvard Law School, and the USA Today best selling author of Conflict Resilience: Negotiating Disagreement Without Giving Up or Giving In (HarperCollins 2025), he served on the full-time faculty at Harvard Law School for more than twenty years as the Thaddeus R. Beal Clinical Professor of Law, Director, and Founder of the Harvard Negotiation & Mediation Clinical Program before launching his full-time consulting, advisory, speaking, and training practice.  He also serves as the Director of the Consensus Building Institute Professional Development Academy and as an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University Law Center. Bob has also been a Visiting Clinical Professor of Conflict Transformation at Boston University’s School of Theology. Credits: Podcast Host: Mark Massa, S.J. Production: Madeline Jarrett Music: • Bourree 4th Lute Suite; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/. Double Violin Concerto 1st Movement; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.• Bourree 4th Lute Suite; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.• Double Violin Concerto 1st Movement; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.

  5. 12/17/2024

    A Conversation with BC Head Football Coach, Bill O’Brien

    This episode is a recording of a live event we hosted with Bill O’Brien, the head coach of the Boston College football team, for a conversation about faith and football. Join us as Mark Massa, S.J., interviews Coach O’Brien about Jesuit culture, cultivating his vision for the program, his hopes for the team, and what made him decide to take the position at BC.  Credits: Podcast Host: Mark Massa, S.J. Production: Madeline Jarrett Music: • Bourree 4th Lute Suite; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/. Double Violin Concerto 1st Movement; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.• Bourree 4th Lute Suite; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.• Double Violin Concerto 1st Movement; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.

  6. 11/20/2024

    Fr. James Martin’s Reflections on the 2024 Synod

    In this episode of Religion and American Life, James Martin, S.J., discusses his experiences at the 2024 Synod gathering in Rome. Host Mark Massa, S.J., engages Fr. Martin on the differences between the 2023 and 2024 meetings, the topics that were (and were not) discussed, moving moments, the process of implementing the Synod, and even the best Synod jokes. After giving this episode a listen, and to hear more of Fr. Martin’s Synod experiences, check out the recording of an event we hosted on the 2023 Synod last spring.  Credits: Podcast Host: Mark Massa, S.J. Production: Madeline Jarrett Music: • Bourree 4th Lute Suite; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/. Double Violin Concerto 1st Movement; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.• Bourree 4th Lute Suite; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.• Double Violin Concerto 1st Movement; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.

  7. 10/03/2024

    Christian Nationalism in the United States Today, with Theologian and Episcopal Priest, Daniel Joslyn-Siemiatkoski

    In this episode of Religion and American Life, Mark Massa, S.J. interviews the theologian and Episcopal priest, Dr. Daniel Joslyn-Siemiatkoski, on the rise of Christian nationalism in the United States. Joslyn-Siemiatkoski discusses the roots of Christian nationalism, the complex ways that it appears in our culture, and what it might mean for the 2024 election. Join us for this important and timely conversation. Credits: Podcast Host: Mark Massa, S.J. Production: Madeline Jarrett Music: • Bourree 4th Lute Suite; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/. Double Violin Concerto 1st Movement; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.• Bourree 4th Lute Suite; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.• Double Violin Concerto 1st Movement; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.

  8. 12/11/2023

    A New Era of Jesuit University Leadership – A Conversation with the President of Fordham University, Tania Tetlow

    In this episode of Religion and American Life, Mark Massa, S.J., interviews the first non-Jesuit and female President of Fordham University, Tania Tetlow. Join us as President Tetlow discusses the gifts and challenges of entering her leadership position, the benefits of a Jesuit education, and the unique obstacles and opportunities presented to Catholic universities in our political era.  Credits: Podcast Host: Mark Massa, S.J. Production: Madeline Jarrett Music: • Bourree 4th Lute Suite; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/. • Double Violin Concerto 1st Movement; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.• Bourree 4th Lute Suite; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.• Double Violin Concerto 1st Movement; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.

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About

”The Religion and American Life Podcast” is an initiative of the Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life at Boston College. Dedicated to the Center’s mission, the podcast is committed to fostering rigorous, civil, and constructive conversations about religion in American public life in pursuit of the common good of a religiously diverse society. Seeking to produce meaningful exchanges that inform, challenge, and inspire, this podcast brings exceptional scholarship into dialogue with engaged citizenship and the creative arts through the voices of central figures who are in or who study closely the most important issues in religion and public life in the United States today.

Information

  • Creator
    Boston College - Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    17
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2022 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    The Religion and American Life Podcast