ReligionWise

Institute for Religious and Cultural Understanding
  • 5.0 (3)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • UPDATED MONTHLY
ReligionWise

ReligionWise features educators, researchers, and other professionals discussing their work and the place of religion in the public conversation. Host Chip Gruen, the Director of the Institute for Religious and Cultural Understanding of Muhlenberg College, facilitates conversations that aim to provide better understanding of varieties of religious expression and their impacts on the human experience. For more about the Institute for Religious and Cultural Understanding, visit www.religionandculture.com.

  1. 6 DAYS AGO

    Practice and Performance of Afro-Caribbean Religions - Lilianne Lugo Herrera

    On this episode of ReligionWise, scholar Lilianne Lugo Herrera guides us through the vibrant world of Afro-Caribbean religious practice, with a special focus on Cuban traditions. From the intimate spaces of home altars to the dramatic possibilities of theatrical performance, we explore how these sacred traditions continue to pulse through Caribbean cultural life, shaping art, identity, and community across generations.

    46 min

  2. OCT 15

    Identity, Vocation, and Contemporary Christianity - Guy Erwin

    Today's conversation features Dr. Guy Erwin, the President of the United Lutheran Seminary. As a lifelong educator both with roots on a Native American reservation and as an openly gay man, Dr. Erwin shares his perspective on some of the social and cultural challenges faced by the church in the last generation. More generally, our discussion also considers the place of Christianity in public life and the relationship between the church and higher education.

    48 min

  3. SEP 15

    Religion and the Alt-Right - Damon Berry

    Though the categories we use to describe them can be different, "the Alt-Right", "Christian Nationalists", "White Nationalists," there is no denying the ascendency of a powerful force on the right that has affected the political and religious landscape of the United States over the last generation. Our guest today, Dr. Damon Berry, works to understand these groups from their context and to make their worldview comprehensible to outsiders from the movement. This conversation not only considers...

    53 min

  4. AUG 15

    Politics, Polling, and Religious Identity - Chris Borick (Re-Release)

    This episode of ReligionWise features Chris Borick the Director of the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion. In this conversation, we consider how pollsters try to understand religious identity and sentiment, the limitations of those methods for considering religious minorities, and how the rise of a religiously unaffiliated public has shown up in recent polls.

    51 min

  5. JUL 15

    Religion, Animals, and the Bible - Arthur Walker-Jones, Suzanna Millar

    Religious stories and symbolism very often feature animals of all kinds. Over the last few decades, scholars have taken more notice of these non-human actors that often play an important role in religious belief and practice. Today's conversation features Arthur Walker-Jones and Suzanna Millar, the co-editors of a new book at the intersection of Animal Studies and Biblical Studies entitled Ask the Animals: Developing a Biblical Animal Hermeneutic. Our discussion explores the ways that we thin...

    54 min

  6. JUN 15

    Hinduism in the Public Conversation - Abhishek Ghosh

    Hindu traditions have been around for an incredibly long time. As with any religious or cultural system, however, the beliefs and practices of Hinduism have developed and adapted to new environments and contexts. In today's conversation, we talk with Dr. Abhishek Ghosh from the Institute for Vaishnava Studies about the translation of Hinduism to the West. From early encounters in the 19th century, to shifts in migration patterns in the 20th century, to contemporary wellness practice and mindf...

    1h 2m

  7. MAY 15

    The Shifting Landscape of American Funerary Practice - Dustin Grim

    We all know the aphorism about the unavoidability of death and taxes. On this episode of ReligionWise, we consider the former with funeral director Dustin Grim. Among other topics, this conversation reflects on changes in religious affiliation in the contemporary world and how these changes affect funerary practice. We also ask what these changes can tell us about shifting perceptions of the body, giving us a window into how people think about death itself.

    53 min

  8. APR 15

    Kids and Religious Literacy - Vicki Garlock

    This episode of ReligionWise features Vicki Garlock, Ph.D., the founder of World Religions for Kids. Trained as a cognitive psychologist, Dr. Garlock's longtime interest in religion and religious diversity has inspired her to produce children's books and train educators on the importance of religious literacy for even the youngest learners. Today's conversation considers the legal and pedagogical issues entailed with religious literacy for students and some of the practical concerns of such a...

    55 min
See All (39)

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

ReligionWise features educators, researchers, and other professionals discussing their work and the place of religion in the public conversation. Host Chip Gruen, the Director of the Institute for Religious and Cultural Understanding of Muhlenberg College, facilitates conversations that aim to provide better understanding of varieties of religious expression and their impacts on the human experience. For more about the Institute for Religious and Cultural Understanding, visit www.religionandculture.com.

Information

  • Creator
    Institute for Religious and Cultural Understanding
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2024
  • Episodes
    39
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024 ReligionWise
  • Show Website
    ReligionWise

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