ReligionWise

Institute for Religious and Cultural Understanding
  • 5.0 (6)
  • RELIGION & SPIRITUALITY
  • UPDATED MONTHLY

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. 12/15/2025

    A Systems Approach to Faith and Pluralism - Michael Trice

    Michael Trice combines theological training with an executive MBA to engage business leaders, nonprofits, and diverse religious communities. As founding director of Seattle University's Center for Ecumenical and Interreligious Engagement, he works at the intersection of faith traditions and public life. Our conversation explores what "public theology" means in practice and the tensions inherent in pluralistic engagement. Show Notes: Encountering Cruelty: The Fracture of the Human Heart (https://brill.com/display/title/18104?rskey=cf10gy&result=1)Send us a text

    1h 1m

  2. 11/15/2025

    Beyond Belief: Considering the World's Religious "Nones" - Jonathan Evans

    The religiously unaffiliated, often called "nones", represent one of the fastest-growing segments of populations across North America, Europe, and beyond. Jonathan Evans, Senior Researcher at Pew Research Center and lead author of a groundbreaking 22-country study, joins us to discuss surprising findings about what "nones" believe, how they practice (or don't), and what their growth means for religious life around the world. Show Notes: Many Religious ‘Nones’ Around the World Hold Spiritual Beliefs (https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2025/09/04/many-religious-nones-around-the-world-hold-spiritual-beliefs/)In U.S., familiarity with religious groups is associated with warmer feelings toward them (https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2019/10/31/in-u-s-familiarity-with-religious-groups-is-associated-with-warmer-feelings-toward-them/)Pew Research Center, Religion (https://www.pewresearch.org/topic/religion/)Send us a text

    48 min

  3. 10/15/2025

    Breaking Records and Building Bridges: A Tale of Religious Diversity - Vicki Garlock

    In September 2025, Vicki Garlock set a Guinness World Record by visiting 185 places of worship in Chicago in just one month. But this wasn't just about breaking a record—it was about experiencing the extraordinary religious diversity of one American city and promoting religious literacy. Join us as we explore what she learned, the communities she encountered, and how this ambitious project connects to her broader mission of cross-religious understanding and education. Show Notes: World Religions for Kids website (https://worldreligions4kids.com)World Religions for Kids Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/worldreligions4kids)World Religions for Kids Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/WorldReligions4Kids)Send us a text

    52 min

  4. 09/15/2025

    From Theory to Practice: Academic Expertise and Counter-Extremism - Damon Berry

    Dr. Damon Berry, associate professor of religious studies at St. Lawrence University, regularly consults with federal law enforcement agencies including the  FBI and FBI’s BAU-1 (Behavioral Analysis Unit One) on cases involving religious extremism and alt-right movements. In this conversation, we explore the challenges of translating academic research into practical guidance for investigators, including the difficult work of understanding belief systems and worldviews that are dangerous and toxic to pluralistic society. Berry discusses what law enforcement agencies understand well about these movements and how empathetic scholarship can inform counter-extremism efforts. Dr. Berry's Books: Blood and Faith: Christianity in American White Nationalism (https://press.syr.edu/supressbooks/256/blood-and-faith/)Christianity and the Alt-Right: Exploring the Relationship (https://www.routledge.com/Christianity-and-the-Alt-Right-Exploring-the-Relationship/Berry/p/book/9780367340551)The New Apostolic Reformation, Trump, and Evangelical Politics (https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/new-apostolic-reformation-trump-and-evangelical-politics-9781350179431/)Show Notes: Life After Hate (https://lifeafterhate.org/)Send us a text

    51 min

  5. 08/15/2025

    Since You Asked: More on Our Methods and Mission

    In this episode, Institute for Religious and Cultural Understanding Director Chip Gruen becomes the guest as producer Christine Flicker poses questions drawn from audience feedback. The conversation explores the methodological approaches, underlying assumptions, and programming decisions that shape the Institute's work in fostering religious understanding and a healthier public conversation on religion. Listeners get an inside look at how the Institute navigates the complexities of religious diversity in public life and the intentional choices behind its programming initiatives. Send us a text

    52 min

  6. 07/15/2025

    Mysticism and Crisis - Hartley Lachter

    Esoteric elements are present in many religious traditions, where discourses of secrecy help reinforce identity and fulfill important social and cultural roles within religious communities. Our guest, Hartley Lachter, author of "Kabbalah and Catastrophe," explores how Jewish mystical thought developed in response to historical trauma and community crises. We discuss the broader social and cultural functions of secrecy in religious life, examining how discourses of revealed knowledge create power structures, strengthen community bonds, and inspire innovative responses to calamity.  Show Notes: Kabbalah and Catastrophe: Historical Memory in Premodern Jewish Mysticism (https://www.sup.org/books/history/kabbalah-and-catastrophe)Kabbalistic Revolution: Reimagining Judaism in Medieval Spain (https://www.rutgersuniversitypress.org/kabbalistic-revolution/9780813568751/) Send us a text

    53 min

  7. 06/15/2025

    At the Crossroads of Journalism and Faith - Sharlee DiMenichi

    How do religious journalists navigate the intersection of faith values and public issues? Sharlee DiMenichi of Friends Journal discusses her reporting on a variety of contemporary issues, including Quaker responses to immigration policy, climate change, and economic justice. We explore how religious principles translate into political action and humanitarian work across diverse communities, and how faith-based journalism might contribute unique perspectives to public discourse while helping rebuild trust in today's fragmented media environment. Show Notes: Friends Journal (https://www.friendsjournal.org/)Quakers Sue DHS over Immigration Enforcement and Religious Freedom, February 2025 (https://www.friendsjournal.org/quakers-sue-immigration/)Emblems of Change - Friends’ Global Responses to Climate Crisis, February 2025 (https://www.friendsjournal.org/emblems-of-change/)Dear God, Help Me Here - Prayer and Healing at the End of Life, March 2024 (https://www.friendsjournal.org/dear-god-help-me-here/)Send us a text

    43 min

  8. 05/15/2025

    Analytical Approaches to Pagan Worldviews - Eric Steinhart

    On this episode of ReligionWise Philosophy Professor Eric Steinhart joins us to discuss how his work on contemporary paganism challenges traditional boundaries in the philosophy of religion. We consider the historical limitations of the field, the value of including minority traditions, and how his eclectic academic interests have shaped his approach to religious diversity and philosophical inquiry. Show Notes: Contemporary Pagan Philosophy (https://www.cambridge.org/core/elements/abs/contemporary-pagan-philosophy/483B647D60932CA5C76C51141A4AF40F) Send us a text

    58 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
6 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 - 2025
  • Episodes
    52
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 ReligionWise
  • Show Website
    ReligionWise