The Final Service

Mateo Schimpf
  • 4.4 (225)
  • DOCUMENTARY
  • UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY
The Final Service

Church membership in the U.S. has fallen off a cliff and pastors across the country are trying to save their congregations from shrinking to zero. Why have so many people left Christianity and can pastors do anything to save their churches from dying?

  1. Jonathan Rauch on the Limits of MAGA and Trump

    JAN 2

    Jonathan Rauch on the Limits of MAGA and Trump

    One theme was consistent throughout this election year: the assertion that democracy was under threat. Throughout the year, Jonathan Rauch weighed in on whether democracy is waning, and how the Republican party could build a future without Trumpism. Jonathan Rauch joins Ray Suarez to discuss Trump's reelection, and how he feels today about the health of our republic.  This is our final episode of On Shifting Ground. Thank you for all your support over the years. We'll miss you. Guest: Jonathan Rauch, Senior Fellow, Governance Studies, Center for Effective Public Management Host:    Ray Suarez If you appreciate this episode and want to support the work we do, please consider making a donation to Commonwealth Club World Affairs. We cannot do this work without your help. Thank you.

    26 min
  2. Ambassador Michael McFaul: Ukrainians May Fight On, Even with a Trump/Putin Deal

    12/30/2024

    Ambassador Michael McFaul: Ukrainians May Fight On, Even with a Trump/Putin Deal

    In less than three weeks, Donald Trump will be back in the White House, and we’re waiting to see what he will tackle on Day One. On the campaign trail, Trump promised he’d end the fighting in Ukraine on January 20th. The war is nearing its third anniversary, and there are few signs an end is in sight. Russian president Vladimir Putin has recently signaled he’s ready to compromise, but can president-elect Trump deliver a deal after almost three years of war? This week, Ray Suarez speaks with former US ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul on the precarious future of Ukraine. Guest: Michael McFaul, Director, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies Host:   Ray Suarez If you appreciate this episode and want to support the work we do, please consider making a donation to Commonwealth Club World Affairs. We cannot do this work without your help. Thank you.

    27 min
  3. Why You’re Probably Not Going to Church this Christmas

    12/23/2024

    Why You’re Probably Not Going to Church this Christmas

    100,000, that’s the estimated number of Protestant churches that will close in the U.S… not by 2050, but five years from now. What some scholars are calling “The Great De-churching” is already well under way, and the exodus is accelerating. This week, Ray Suarez speaks with Ryan Burge, professor of political science at Eastern Illinois University, about why non-religious people and atheists are on the rise, and whether religion can still play a role in American society.  Guest:    Ryan Burge, professor of political science at Eastern Illinois University Host:   Ray Suarez If you appreciate this episode and want to support the work we do, please consider making a donation to Commonwealth Club World Affairs. We cannot do this work without your help. Thank you.

    53 min
  4. Overuse of Antibiotics and the Threat of Antimicrobial Resistance

    12/19/2024

    Overuse of Antibiotics and the Threat of Antimicrobial Resistance

    When bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites change over time and no longer respond to medicines, it makes infections harder to treat. This increases the risk of disease spread, severe illness, and death.  Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) leads to deaths, high health treatment costs, and economic and livelihood losses. Jennifer Cohn, Director, Global Access at Global Antibiotic R&D Partnership (GARDP), joins Ray Suarez to talk about the threat of AMR, and how to prevent it. Guest: Dr. Jennifer Cohn, Director, Global Access at Global Antibiotic R&D Partnership (GARDP) Host:   Ray Suarez If you appreciate this episode and want to support the work we do, please consider making a donation to Commonwealth Club World Affairs. We cannot do this work without your help. Thank you.

    24 min
  5. Denier-in-Chief: The Threat of Trump and RFK, Jr’s Health Policy

    12/16/2024

    Denier-in-Chief: The Threat of Trump and RFK, Jr’s Health Policy

    Third party candidate, Robert Kennedy, Jr., played an out-sized role in the 2024 presidential election. Trump said Kennedy would have “a big role in health care” if he were re-elected. And on November 14th, Trump announced RFK, Jr. would be nominated to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. More than 75 Nobel laureates have urged the US Senate to deny Kennedy, because they feel he would “put the public’s health in jeopardy.” If confirmed, how could Kennedy disrupt policy at HHS?   This week, Ray speaks with Stanford’s Keith Humphreys about what RFK’s nomination means.  Guest: Keith Humphreys, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University Host:   Ray Suarez If you appreciate this episode and want to support the work we do, please consider making a donation to Commonwealth Club World Affairs. We cannot do this work without your help. Thank you.

    29 min
  6. Millions of Deportations? Just How Tough Trump Might Get on Immigration

    12/09/2024

    Millions of Deportations? Just How Tough Trump Might Get on Immigration

    One issue where President-elect Trump hammered home the differences between his plans and those of Kamala Harris was immigration. For a decade, the public has been increasingly worried about the number of people turning up at the southern border, the number of people seeking asylum in the US, and perhaps more quietly, about the changing face of America. Ray Suarez spoke with Ted Hesson, immigration reporter for Reuters, about how the Trump administration will handle immigration differently than Joe Biden. Then, he shares what he learned while reporting and writing We Are Home: Becoming American in the 21st Century, with veteran journalist Shereen Marisol Meraji. Guests:    Ted Hesson, immigration reporter for Reuters Shereen Marisol Meraji, assistant professor at UC Berkeley’s School of Journalism Host:   Ray Suarez, host, On Shifting Ground If you appreciate this episode and want to support the work we do, please consider making a donation to Commonwealth Club World Affairs. We cannot do this work without your help. Thank you.

    53 min
  7. Ian Bremmer on What to Expect from Trump 2.0

    12/02/2024

    Ian Bremmer on What to Expect from Trump 2.0

    Donald Trump has successfully defied the political odds for almost a decade – largely because of his unpredictability on the campaign trail. But when it comes to his foreign policy, Trump is anything but unpredictable. If we take him at his word, some analysts believe Trump will inflame economic tensions with China, pull the US out of NATO, and hand Ukraine over to Vladimir Putin. Ian Bremmer on what to expect from Trump 2.0. Then, Ray Suarez sits down with Luxembourg Peace Prize laureates, Ali Abu Awwad, founding leader of the Taghyeer (Change) Palestinian National Nonviolence movement, and Dr. Gershon Baskin, the Middle East director of the International Communities Organization, to learn why they maintain hope for a peaceful, two-state solution. Guests:   Ian Bremmer, president and founder of the Eurasia Group Ali Abu Awwad, Palestinian peace activist and founder of the Taghyeer (Change) Palestinian National Nonviolence Movement Gershon Baskin, Israeli peace activist and the Middle East Director of the International Communities Organisation Host:   Ray Suarez If you appreciate this episode and want to support the work we do, please consider making a donation to Commonwealth Club World Affairs. We cannot do this work without your help. Thank you.

    53 min
  8. Yascha Mounk on How To Save Diverse Democracies

    11/25/2024

    Yascha Mounk on How To Save Diverse Democracies

    Diversity has often been seen as the United States’ defining strength – but today, some Americans see it as a threat. And this isn’t new. Throughout history, differences of religion, ethnicity, and origin have driven states around the world to war, violence, and extreme division. However, German-American political scientist Yascha Mounk says this isn’t the only path.  On this week’s episode, we revisit our 2022 conversation with Mounk about his book, “The Great Experiment: Why Diverse Democracies Fall Apart And How They Can Endure." Two years after our original recording, we wonder whether it's still possible for diverse diverse democracies to succeed in an increasingly polarized political landscape. Guest: Yascha Mounk, associate professor at Johns Hopkins University, contributing editor at The Atlantic and author of The Great Experiment: Why Diverse Democracies Fall Apart and How They Can Endure Host: Ray Suarez If you appreciate this episode and want to support the work we do, please consider making a donation to Commonwealth Club World Affairs. We cannot do this work without your help. Thank you.

    53 min
See All (153)

4.4
out of 5
225 Ratings

About

Church membership in the U.S. has fallen off a cliff and pastors across the country are trying to save their congregations from shrinking to zero. Why have so many people left Christianity and can pastors do anything to save their churches from dying?

Information

  • Creator
    Mateo Schimpf
  • Years Active
    2005 - 2025
  • Episodes
    153
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    The Final Service

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