Upper House

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MAR 20

AI x Faith

What happens when machines begin to speak, respond, and even “care” as we do? Explore the profound questions at the heart of today’s AI revolution with theologian and computer scientist Noreen Herzfeld. Drawing from her acclaimed book, The Artifice of Intelligence, Herzfeld will examine how artificial intelligence challenges our understanding of human uniqueness, the image of God, and what it means to love our neighbors in an increasingly digital world. Rather than asking whether AI can truly think or feel, Herzfeld reframes the conversation around the core of Christian faith: relationships, embodiment, and responsibility. With clarity, humor, and real-world examples—from chatbots to care robots—she will demonstrate how emerging technologies are subtly reshaping our relationships and why Christians must pay attention to these shifts. Noreen Herzfeld is Director of the Benedictine Spirituality and Ecotheology Program at St. John’s School of Theology and Seminary and Senior Research Associate at the Institute for Philosophical and Religious Studies (ZRS) in Koper, Slovenia. She is the author of The Artifice of Intelligence: Divine and Human Relationship in a Robotic World (2023), In Our Image: Artificial Intelligence and the Human Spirit (2002), and Technology and Religion: Remaining Human in a Co-Created World (2009). She also serves on the AI Research Group for the Centre for Digital Culture of the Vatican Dicastery of Culture and Education, for which she co-wrote and edited Encountering AI: Ethical and Anthropological Explorations (2024). Greg Cootsona joins the discussion with Noreen Herzfeld after her lecture. Greg is the executive director of AI and Faith and is a lecturer in Comparative Religion and Humanities at California State University, Chico, where he has worked collegially and successfully alongside colleagues in other faith traditions in a secular academic setting. He is a leader and regular participant in the American Academy of Religion unit on Science, Technology, and Religion. Greg co-founded and is Associate Director for Science for the Church, a nonprofit designed to bring science to Christian congregations as a resource for spiritual growth. He is also an ordained Presbyterian Church (USA) pastor and serves as Pastor of Discipleship and Care at Bidwell Presbyterian Church in Chico, California, having previously served at the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York City. This event was recorded live at Upper House on March 11, 2026. Send us Fan Mail Upper House Commons gathers the university community for spiritual, intellectual, and vocational formation. We explore big ideas and engage in conversations that matter within arts and humanities, justice and society, leadership and vocation, science and technology, spiritual formation, and theology. Whether you are a student or faculty member at UW–Madison or beyond, working in the marketplace, or serving in the church, we see you as part of our university community. Gather with us for one of our programs —our “commons”— each a pasture for shared spiritual, intellectual, and vocational formation. Head over to our events page to see what's coming soon, or mark your calendar for these upcoming programs. Find out more slbf.org/upperhousecommons

Mar 20

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1h 18m
FEB 4

Is Shame Something to Resist—or to Reconsider? - Lecture 3

What is shame, and why does it shape us so deeply? Shame is a shared human experience, yet we struggle to describe it. In some cases, we sense that we should not feel ashamed, and yet we do. In other cases of moral wrongdoing, a lack of shame, or at least the ability to experience it, is often deemed problematic. To be shameless is viewed as a moral deficiency in such circumstances. Scripture only deepens the complexity. Across both the First and Second Testaments, the Bible seems to present the experience of shame as something integral to the human experience— and as something we should not resist. In this Friday Night Lecture, Dr. S. J. Parrott will explore the dynamics of shame, what it contributes to our moral psychologies, and how Scripture can reorient our thinking about shame in order to consider how we find out who we are, and who gets a say in the process. Friday Night Lectures feature three short and engaging talks woven together with live Q&A, brief intermissions, and time for conversation. Join us for a warm, welcoming atmosphere and meaningful reflection on compelling questions within the Christian tradition. ABOUT OUR SPEAKER S. J. Parrott completed her DPhil in Theology and Religion at the University of Oxford after obtaining two master's degrees at Regent College in Vancouver. She specializes in topics of shame, ethics, human formation, rhetoric, prophetic and poetic literature, and more. Send us Fan Mail Upper House Commons gathers the university community for spiritual, intellectual, and vocational formation. We explore big ideas and engage in conversations that matter within arts and humanities, justice and society, leadership and vocation, science and technology, spiritual formation, and theology. Whether you are a student or faculty member at UW–Madison or beyond, working in the marketplace, or serving in the church, we see you as part of our university community. Gather with us for one of our programs —our “commons”— each a pasture for shared spiritual, intellectual, and vocational formation. Head over to our events page to see what's coming soon, or mark your calendar for these upcoming programs. Find out more slbf.org/upperhousecommons

Feb 4

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29 min
FEB 4

Is Shame Something to Resist—or to Reconsider? - Lecture 2

What is shame, and why does it shape us so deeply? Shame is a shared human experience, yet we struggle to describe it. In some cases, we sense that we should not feel ashamed, and yet we do. In other cases of moral wrongdoing, a lack of shame, or at least the ability to experience it, is often deemed problematic. To be shameless is viewed as a moral deficiency in such circumstances. Scripture only deepens the complexity. Across both the First and Second Testaments, the Bible seems to present the experience of shame as something integral to the human experience— and as something we should not resist. In this Friday Night Lecture, Dr. S. J. Parrott will explore the dynamics of shame, what it contributes to our moral psychologies, and how Scripture can reorient our thinking about shame in order to consider how we find out who we are, and who gets a say in the process. Friday Night Lectures feature three short and engaging talks woven together with live Q&A, brief intermissions, and time for conversation. Join us for a warm, welcoming atmosphere and meaningful reflection on compelling questions within the Christian tradition. ABOUT OUR SPEAKER S. J. Parrott completed her DPhil in Theology and Religion at the University of Oxford after obtaining two master's degrees at Regent College in Vancouver. She specializes in topics of shame, ethics, human formation, rhetoric, prophetic and poetic literature, and more. Send us Fan Mail Upper House Commons gathers the university community for spiritual, intellectual, and vocational formation. We explore big ideas and engage in conversations that matter within arts and humanities, justice and society, leadership and vocation, science and technology, spiritual formation, and theology. Whether you are a student or faculty member at UW–Madison or beyond, working in the marketplace, or serving in the church, we see you as part of our university community. Gather with us for one of our programs —our “commons”— each a pasture for shared spiritual, intellectual, and vocational formation. Head over to our events page to see what's coming soon, or mark your calendar for these upcoming programs. Find out more slbf.org/upperhousecommons

Feb 4

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30 min
FEB 4

Is Shame Something to Resist—or to Reconsider? - Lecture 1

What is shame, and why does it shape us so deeply? Shame is a shared human experience, yet we struggle to describe it. In some cases, we sense that we should not feel ashamed, and yet we do. In other cases of moral wrongdoing, a lack of shame, or at least the ability to experience it, is often deemed problematic. To be shameless is viewed as a moral deficiency in such circumstances. Scripture only deepens the complexity. Across both the First and Second Testaments, the Bible seems to present the experience of shame as something integral to the human experience— and as something we should not resist. In this Friday Night Lecture, Dr. S. J. Parrott will explore the dynamics of shame, what it contributes to our moral psychologies, and how Scripture can reorient our thinking about shame in order to consider how we find out who we are, and who gets a say in the process. Friday Night Lectures feature three short and engaging talks woven together with live Q&A, brief intermissions, and time for conversation. Join us for a warm, welcoming atmosphere and meaningful reflection on compelling questions within the Christian tradition. ABOUT OUR SPEAKER S. J. Parrott completed her DPhil in Theology and Religion at the University of Oxford after obtaining two master's degrees at Regent College in Vancouver. She specializes in topics of shame, ethics, human formation, rhetoric, prophetic and poetic literature, and more. Send us Fan Mail Upper House Commons gathers the university community for spiritual, intellectual, and vocational formation. We explore big ideas and engage in conversations that matter within arts and humanities, justice and society, leadership and vocation, science and technology, spiritual formation, and theology. Whether you are a student or faculty member at UW–Madison or beyond, working in the marketplace, or serving in the church, we see you as part of our university community. Gather with us for one of our programs —our “commons”— each a pasture for shared spiritual, intellectual, and vocational formation. Head over to our events page to see what's coming soon, or mark your calendar for these upcoming programs. Find out more slbf.org/upperhousecommons

Feb 4

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30 min
FEB 16

Finding your Way Out of Shame | S.J. Parrott

In this deeply honest and theologically rich episode of The Upwards Podcast, host Jean Geran sits down with philosopher and biblical scholar S.J. (Shannon) Parrott for a wide‑ranging conversation on shame—what it is, how it forms, and how the transforming presence of Christ meets us in our most vulnerable places. Drawing from her own story, her research on metaphors of clothing and nakedness, and her current work on shame in the Psalms, Shannon helps us see why shame can feel like a “roadblock” to becoming who we truly are in Christ. Together, Jean and Shannon explore: What shame is (and what it’s not)The “singularity” of shame and how it distorts identityWhy community is essential when shame pushes us toward isolationHow Jesus meets and reorients identity in stories like the Samaritan woman and ZacchaeusThe role of prayer, Scripture, and the Psalms in forming a new shame‑resistant identityShannon’s own pivotal experience of discovering who she is in ChristThe difference between shame, guilt, humiliation, and shamelessnessHow cultivating openness to God and others allows transformation This is a conversation full of hope, clarity, and practical wisdom for anyone navigating questions of identity, healing, and spiritual formation. Resources Mentioned: S.J. Parrott’s Friday Night Lectures at Upper HouseLecture 1 Apple PodcastsLecture 1 SpotifyLecture 1 YouTubeLecture 2 Apple PodcastsLecture 2 SpotifyLecture 2 YouTubeSend us Fan Mail CONNECT WITH US Subscribe to The Upwards Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and visit slbf.org/studio to learn more about our work at the intersection of faith, the academy, and the marketplace. This episode was created by the SLBF STUDIO at Upper House. Produced by Daniel Johnson and Dave Conour Edited by Dave Conour

Feb 16

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59 min
09/30/2025

Reclaiming the Christian Worldview | J. Richard Middleton

In this episode of The UpWords Podcast, host Susan Smetzer-Anderson sits down with J. Richard Middleton, Emeritus Professor of Biblical Worldview and Exegesis at Northeastern Seminary and Roberts Wesleyan University. With decades of scholarship spanning theology, philosophy, and cultural analysis, Middleton offers a compelling exploration of what it truly means to hold a Christian worldview—and how that concept has evolved, been misunderstood, and often distorted over time. Drawing from his seminal work The Transforming Vision (1984) and his forthcoming book Dancing in the Dragon’s Jaws: The Christian Worldview in a Conflicted Age, Middleton challenges listeners to move beyond tribalism, cultural conformity, and rigid doctrinal packages. Instead, he invites us to embrace a biblically rooted, lived orientation toward the world—one that is shaped by grace, community, and spiritual formation. Topics include: The difference between worldview as a lived orientation vs. a set of ideasHow cultural norms have overtaken biblical foundations in many churchesThe role of deconstruction and reconstruction in spiritual growthWhy diversity in Scripture points to a deeper unityPractical questions to help uncover and reshape your worldview Whether you're a student, pastor, educator, or curious seeker, this episode offers rich insights into how we see the world—and how Scripture invites us to see it differently. 📺 Watch this episode on YouTube https://youtu.be/y20HygPRXWE. 🔔 Subscribe to The UpWords Podcast to stay updated on future episodes. Send us Fan Mail CONNECT WITH US Subscribe to The Upwards Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and visit slbf.org/studio to learn more about our work at the intersection of faith, the academy, and the marketplace. This episode was created by the SLBF STUDIO at Upper House. Produced by Daniel Johnson and Dave Conour Edited by Dave Conour

09/30/2025

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44 min
MAR 23

Forgiveness, Peacemaking, and the Courage to Reconcile | Todd Deatherage

What role does forgiveness play in the hard, often painful work of building peace? In this episode of The UpWords Podcast, host Jean Geran sits down with her longtime friend Todd Deatherage, co-founder of Telos, a nonprofit helping leaders navigate conflict and work toward reconciliation in some of the world’s most challenging places. Drawing from decades of experience in the Middle East, Northern Ireland, South Africa, and the American South, Todd shares why forgiveness can’t be forced — but why, when it does happen, it has the power to break open even the most entrenched cycles of hurt. From the story of Mama Callie Greer in Montgomery, Alabama, to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in post-apartheid South Africa, this conversation is for anyone wrestling with what it means to pursue peace without sacrificing justice. What You Will Learn Why forgiveness is essential to peacemaking — but can never be required or rushedThe six principles of peacemaking that guide Telos’s work around the worldThe difference between inner transformation and systemic justice — and why both matterThe story of Callie Greer: how one woman’s act of forgiveness launched a lifetime of advocacyWhat the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa teaches us about truth, forgiveness, and communal healingWhy forgiveness across communal lines creates space for the offender to be transformed — not just the victimHow restorative justice works, and why the American criminal legal system leaves so little room for repairThe meaning of shalom — and why “peace” is a pale translationCommunal responsibility, historical injustice, and what it means to say “I’m not responsible”Why “hurt people hurt people” — and why healed people have the power to bring healing to the worldGuest Bio Todd Deatherage spent ten years on Capitol Hill and six years at the U.S. State Department working on human rights and international religious freedom — where he and Jean first became friends and colleagues. In 2009, he co-founded Telos, a nonprofit that helps leaders better understand conflict and equips them to pursue reconciliation and peace in some of the world’s most difficult contexts. Telos has created experiential learning journeys in the Middle East, Northern Ireland, South Africa, and the American South (Restory Us). Todd’s work is deeply rooted in his Christian faith and his conviction that justice, peacemaking, and forgiveness are inseparable. Resources & Links Telos: telosgroup.orgRestory Us (experiential learning in the American South): telosgroup.orgOne Day After Peace — documentary referenced in this episodePoor People’s Campaign (Rev. William Barber): poorpeoplescampaign.orgPrevious UpWords Podcast episode with Dr. Robert Enright on forgiveness: slbf.org/studioListen and view other podcasts in the Forgivness Series: https://slbf.org/questions-of-faith-podcast-episodesSend us Fan Mail CONNECT WITH US Subscribe to The Upwards Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and visit slbf.org/studio to learn more about our work at the intersection of faith, the academy, and the marketplace. This episode was created by the SLBF STUDIO at Upper House. Produced by Daniel Johnson and Dave Conour Edited by Dave Conour

Mar 23

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49 min
09/24/2021

Christian Flourishing at UW-Madison

In season two of our podcast, students have conversations with Christian faculty, lecturers, and academic staff at the University of Wisconsin-Madison this season. Our podcast is designed and hosted by students for students. We interview key members of the UW-Madison community on how they integrate their faith in the classroom, research, and their lives on campus. In this episode, Jack Joosten, sophomore at UW-Madison, majoring in engineering and an Upper House student intern, interviews Maggie Flamingo, lecturer in history and Ph.D. student in history at UW-Madison. We discuss how to flourish as a Christian at UW-Madison. Maggie has an undergraduate degree in History and Broad Field Social Science from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, a Master of Arts in History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is currently completing her Ph.D. in History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

09/24/2021

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30 min
08/19/2024

The Lifelong Journey of Inner Transformation | Rebecca DeYoung

In this conversation, host Dan Hummel and Rebecca DeYoung, a professor of philosophy at Calvin University, discuss her background in philosophy and ethics, as well as her focus on virtue ethics and character formation. They dig deep into the relationship between modern psychology and sanctification, the challenges of translating between different disciplines, and the importance of ethics education. They also explore the benefits of looking beyond the Bible for wisdom on ethics and the legacy of Dallas Willard in conversations about sanctification and ethics. Rebecca emphasizes the need for character transformation and the integration of philosophy, theology, and spirituality to pursue a robust Christian life. ---- 📖 Read more about Rebecca DeYoung = https://calvin.edu/people/rebecca-konyndyk-deyoung ---- 🔗 To the = Dallas A. Willard Lecture: Making Sense of Your (Whole) Moral Self on October 4 @ Upper House https://upperhouse.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/upperhouse/eventRegistration.jsp?event=264& Send us Fan Mail CONNECT WITH US Subscribe to The Upwards Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and visit slbf.org/studio to learn more about our work at the intersection of faith, the academy, and the marketplace. This episode was created by the SLBF STUDIO at Upper House. Produced by Daniel Johnson and Dave Conour Edited by Dave Conour

08/19/2024

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1h 2m
MAR 17

AI x Humanity

How should artificial intelligence shape our understanding of what it means to be human? As AI advances rapidly, questions about its ethical, cultural, and social implications are more urgent than ever. A public panel featuring UW-Madison experts in philosophy, history, communications, and ethics as they explore how AI intersects with meaning, knowledge, and human values. The University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Center for Humanistic Inquiry into AI and Uncertainty will engage in rich dialogue not just on what AI can do—but also on what it should do, and how communities can shape its influence with insight, care, and awareness. Our moderator was Jeremy Morris, Professor of Media and Cultural Studies and Director of Graduate Studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he also serves as Faculty Director of the Center for Humanistic Inquiry into AI and Uncertainty. Featured Speakers: • Catalina Toma is a Professor of Communication Science at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and Associate Editor of Computers in Human Behavior. Her research examines how people understand and relate to one another through communication technologies, focusing on the social and psychological dynamics of digital interaction. • John J. Curtin is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. His research focuses on substance use disorders and other mental health conditions, advancing innovative, technology-based approaches to prevention and treatment. • James Goodrich is an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. His research centers on normative ethics, with particular attention to the intersection of political philosophy and economics, and to the moral questions that arise in public policy and markets. • Courtney Bell is a Professor of Learning Sciences at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and Director of the Wisconsin Center for Education Research. She studies teaching domestically and internationally, with a focus on measures of teaching quality. Her work also helps instructors learn how to support all students’ growth and development. Send us Fan Mail Upper House Commons gathers the university community for spiritual, intellectual, and vocational formation. We explore big ideas and engage in conversations that matter within arts and humanities, justice and society, leadership and vocation, science and technology, spiritual formation, and theology. Whether you are a student or faculty member at UW–Madison or beyond, working in the marketplace, or serving in the church, we see you as part of our university community. Gather with us for one of our programs —our “commons”— each a pasture for shared spiritual, intellectual, and vocational formation. Head over to our events page to see what's coming soon, or mark your calendar for these upcoming programs. Find out more slbf.org/upperhousecommons

Mar 17

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54 min

Upper House is a center for Christian study and hospitality in the heart of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. We host open study hours for students; public events, lectures, and reading groups for faculty and community members; and a Fellows program for graduate and undergraduate students.

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Upper House

Top Shows

AI x Faith

Is Shame Something to Resist—or to Reconsider? - Lecture 3

Is Shame Something to Resist—or to Reconsider? - Lecture 2

Is Shame Something to Resist—or to Reconsider? - Lecture 1

Finding your Way Out of Shame | S.J. Parrott

Reclaiming the Christian Worldview | J. Richard Middleton

Forgiveness, Peacemaking, and the Courage to Reconcile | Todd Deatherage

Christian Flourishing at UW-Madison

The Lifelong Journey of Inner Transformation | Rebecca DeYoung

AI x Humanity

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