In this episode of Culture Shock: Awakening the Humanity in Our World host, Michelle Werner, discusses The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with Dr. Terryl Givens.

Terryl Givens’ Website: https://www.terrylgivens.com 

Conversations with Terryl Givens: https://faithmatters.org/category/conversations-with-terryl-givens/ 

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/?lang=eng Dr. 

Dr. Terryl Givens is a senior research fellow at the Neal A. Maxwell Institute of Religious Scholarship at Brigham Young University in Provo, UT. Prior he was a professor of literature and religion at the University of Richmond in Richmond, VA.

Dr. Givens is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and has served the Church as a bishop.

He served missions in Brazil, prior to graduating from BYU with a degree in comparative literature.

He later did graduate work in intellectual history at Cornell and earned a PhD in comparative literature from the University of North Carolina, working with Greek, German, Spanish, Portuguese and English languages and literature.

Publications: All Things New: Rethinking Sin, Salvation, and Everything in Between (with Fiona Givens), The Christ Who Heals: How God Restored the Truth that Saves Us (with Fiona Givens), Wrestling the Angel: The Foundations of Mormon Thought: Cosmos, God, Humanity, The Crucible of Doubt: Reflections On the Quest for Faith (with Fiona Givens), The God Who Weeps: How Mormonism Makes Sense of Life (with Fiona Givens), Parley P. Pratt: The Apostle Paul of Mormonism (with Matthew J. Grow), When Souls Had Wings: Pre-Mortal Existence in Western Thought, The Book of Mormon: A Very Short Introduction, People of Paradox: A History of Mormon Culture, The Latter-day Saint Experience in America, By the Hand of Mormon: The American Scripture that Launched a New World Religion, The Viper on the Hearth: Mormons, Myths, and the Construction of Heresy, Dragon Scales and Willow Leaves, Mimesis and the Limits of Semblance, Blind Men and Hieroglyphs: The Collapse of Mimesis, Aristotle's Critique of Mimesis: The Romantic Prelude, Romantic Agonies: Human Suffering and the Ethical Sublime, This Great Modern Abomination': Orthodoxy and Heresy in American Religion, Joseph Smith: Prophecy, Process, and Plenitude, Lightning Out of Heaven': Joseph Smith and the Forging of Community, New Religious Movements and the Orthodoxy: The Challenge to the Religious Mainstream, There Is Room for Both': Mormon Cinema and the Paradoxes of Mormon Culture, Common Sense' Meets the Book of Mormon: Source, Substance and Prophetic Disruption, Joseph Smith's American Bible: Radicalizing the Familiar, Paradox and Discipleship, Fraud, Philandery, and Football: Negotiating the Mormon Image, The Prophecy of Enoch as Restoration Blueprint

In this episode of Culture Shock: Awakening the Humanity in Our World host, Michelle Werner, discusses Christianity with Dr. Brian Brian Rainey.

Dr. Brian Rainey is a lecturer in Biblical Studies at Princeton Theological Seminary. He received his Masters of Div from Harvard Divinity School and his PhD from Brown University. He is interested in ethnicity in the Hebrew Bible and ancient Near East including anthropological, sociological, and cognitive theories of “ethnicity” and their usefulness for the study of ancient societies. He is also particularly fascinated by the way in which modern Christian and Jewish communities bridge the gap between modern ethical concepts and the ethically problematic social context of the Bible. His other interests include Assyriology, Biblical mythology and Christian theology, and the development of “monotheism” in the ancient world. Dr. Rainey has many publications including Indecent Exposure: Social Shame and the interpretation gen 9:20-27, Race in the Torah, Race Ethnicity and Xenophobia in the Bible, Their Peace or Prosperity: Hereditary Punishment and the Exclusion of Foreigners in Ezra-Nehemiah, Gender (Hebrew Bible), and Jeremiah the Prophet. Dr Rainey also did an interview on Mark Leuchter's podcast, Better Than Nothing, where they talk about how the Bible is used for political purposes, race and ethnicity, and if we are living through and apocalypse. 

Better Than Nothing Podcast: https://soundcloud.com/user-429041141/tracks

Publications: Indecent Exposure: Social Shame and the interpretation Gen 9:20-27, Race in the Torah, Race Ethnicity and Xenophobia in the Bible, Their Peace or Prosperity: Hereditary Punishment and the Exclusion of Foreigners in Ezra-Nehemiah, Gender (Hebrew Bible), and Jeremiah the Prophet

In this episode of Culture Shock: Awakening the Humanity in Our World host, Michelle Werner, discusses Judaism with Rabbi Arron Bisno. 

Instagram: @rabbibisno

Twitter: @rabbibisno

Rodef Shalom Instagram: @rodef.shalom

Twitter: @rscpgh

Rabbi Aaron Bisno has been a Senior Rabbi at Rodef Shalom congregation in Pittsburgh for the past 16 years. Prior, he was the Associate Rabbi at Congregation Rodef Shalom in Philadelphia and the Executive Director of the Hillel Jewish University Center at UVA in Charlottesville. He holds a degree in Political Science and Near Eastern Studies from Washington University in St. Louis, a Masters of Arts in Hebrew Letters, Rabbinic Ordination, and Rabbinical Studies from Hebrew Union College, and a Masters of Science in Organizational Dynamics from the University of Pennsylvania. Since becoming a Senior Rabbi, Rabbi Bisno has co- lead an interfaith pilgrimage to Rome and to Israel that was so impactful, the Pope awarded Rabbi Bisno the Papal honor of a Benemerenti metal. He also championed courageous conversations in local and national Jewish social media. Rabbi Bisno feels collaboration is important, and has collaborated with other institutions foster interfaith discussions, other Synagogues for religious services, the founding of JJEP, an interdenominational religious school, spirituality groups, and welcome the Tree of Life Synagogue after the tragic Pittsburgh Synagogue shooting in October 2018. With Rabbi Bisno's help, Rodef Shalom is recognized as a partner among its neighbors in the co-creation of new communal paradigms. The Rabbi has been featured in many publications and through this pandemic has been continuing to make impact virtually.

In this episode of Culture Shock: Awakening the Humanity in Our World host, Michelle Werner, discusses Islam with Imam Abdullah Antepli.

Twitter: @aantepli

Instagram: @abdullah.antepli

Imam Abdullah Antepli is an Associate Professor of the Practice at Duke University’s Stanford School of Public Policy. He previously served as Duke University's first Muslim Chaplain and then as Duke's Chief Representative of Muslim Affairs. Also, he was the Director of the Duke Islamic Studies Center. Prior, he served as the first Muslim Chaplain at Wesleyan University and then moved to Hartford Seminary in Connecticut, where he was the Associate Director of the Islamic Chaplaincy Program & Interfaith Relations as well as an adjunct faculty member. Imam Antepli completed his training and education in Turkey where he worked on various faith-based humanitarian and relief projects in with the Association of Social and Economic Solidarity with Pacific Countries. Imam Antepli has advised Secretary of State John Kerry’s Office of Faith-Based Initiatives, and various federal and international agencies, including the United Nations. He even gave the opening prayer, twice, at the U.S. House of Representatives! He is the founder and executive board member of the Association of College Muslim Chaplains (ACMC) and a board member of the Association for College and University Religious Affairs (ACURA). Imam Antepli co-founded the Muslim Leadership Initiative at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem. Imam Antepli has done many interviews and talks that can be found on YouTube.

Michelle Werner discusses why cultural education is important. 

Instagram: @michellewerner360

In this episode host, Michelle Werner, discusses why world culture education is important and why it matters. She talks about her experiences and talks about and quotes Drexel University School of Education’s findings on the importance of diversity and inclusion awareness in the classroom. https://drexel.edu/soe/resources/student-teaching/advice/importance-of-cultural-diversity-in-classroom/

Interview with Brent Rowse discussing The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints website: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/?lang=eng

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints website: https://www.comeuntochrist.org/

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Instagram: @churchofjesuschrist

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Twitter: @Ch_JesusChrist

Brent Rowse is currently the 2nd counselor in the bishop-ric of his current ward and has served in several other volunteer callings within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. For the past 10 years he has been working in the financial services industry and is currently a compliance officer at an investment management firm.

He was baptized in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints when he was 8 years old and throughout high school he attended Seminary classes that the Church provides. Brent attended Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah and graduated with B.A. in Communications.

While at BYU Bent met his wife and they were married in 2006 for time and eternity (not just until death ) in Denver, CO temple of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Interview with Bhante Pemaratana discussing Buddhism.

Buddhist Center of Pittsburgh: http://pittsburghbuddhistcenter.org/

Donation Page for Buddhist Center of Pittsburgh: http://pittsburghbuddhistcenter.org/donations/

Buddhist Center of Pittsburgh Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PittsburghBuddhistCenter/

Since 2008 Bhante Pemaratana (Ven. Soorakkulame Pemaratana) has served the Pittsburgh Buddhist Center as a monk and is presently the chief abbot. At age 10 he became a Buddhist monk in Sri Lanka. His training was under the most Venerable Attangane Sasanaratana Maha Thero at Sripathi Pirivena Monastery in Kuliyapitiya, Sri Lanka.

Bhante Pemaratana holds a bachelor’s degree with first class honors in Buddhist Studies from the University of Peradeniya in Sri Lanka and a master’s degree in philosophy from the National University of Singapore. Additionally, he received his Ph. D. in Religious Studies at the University of Pittsburgh.

Bhante Pemaratana has lectured at universities including University of Peradeniya and the Buddhist and Pali College of Singapore. He offers workshops on meditation at the Pittsburgh Buddhist Center and Yoga Studios in the greater Pittsburgh area and provides spiritual counseling to help people to deal with challenging issues of life.

Interview with Rev. Dr. Randy Bush discussing Christianity.

Rev. Dr. Randy Bush Instagram: @bushrandybush

Rev. Dr. Randy Bush Twitter: @revrandybush

East Liberty Presbyterian Church Twitter: @EastLibertyPres

East Liberty Presbyterian Church Instagram: @eastlibertypresbyterian 

East Liberty Presbyterian Church: https://cathedralofhope.org/

Donate to East Liberty Presbyterian Church: https://cathedralofhope.org/donate/

Reverend Randy Bush has been a senior pastor at East Liberty Presbyterian Church since 2006. Prior, he was the pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Racine, Wisconsin and designated pastor at Lomagundi Church in Zimbabwe. Reverend Bush has also served as an adjunct faculty member at the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary teaching courses in Church and Society, Pastoral Care, Preaching an Ethics, and Pastoral Theology and has also taught courses in World Religions and Christian Ethics at the Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Reverend Bush received his Masters of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary and his PhD from Marquette University. In 2012, Reverend Bush received a Lilly Foundation grant for his sabbatical study in New Zealand.

Interview with Dr. Mark Leuchter about Judaism

Twitter: @MarkLeuchter

Instagram: @goochfx

Better Than Nothing Podcast Hosted by Mark Leuchter: https://soundcloud.com/user-429041141

Mark Leuchter’s IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0504878/

Mark is the Director of Jewish Studies in the Religion Department at Temple University in Philadelphia and is a professor of the Hebrew Bible and Ancient Judaism. Mark earned his PhD at the University of Toronto. He served as the coordinator of Biblical Studies at University of Sydney in Australia and was a visiting professor of the Hebrew Bible at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

Mark’s research focuses on Ancient Judaism and his contributions include the study of mythology in ancient Israel and Second Temple Judaism, the phenomenon of prophecy in the Ancient Near East, the formation of the Hebrew Bible, and the history of the Israelite priesthood.

Mark was on a TV series called Jesus: His Life and Mark is an author. His publications include: The Levites and the Boundaries of Israelite Identity, Samuel and the Shaping of Tradition (Biblical Refigurations) 1st Edition, The Polemics of Exile in Jeremiah 26-45, Josiah's Reform and Jeremiah's Scroll: Historical Calamity and Prophetic Response (Hebrew Bible Monographs, Pre-Biblical Aaron, Miriam, and Moses, How All Kohanim Became “Sons of Aaron,” Turning Jeremiah's Land Deed Into an Oracle of Hope, Who Were the Levites?, and many others  and was in a TV series called Jesus: His Life

Meet the creator of Culture Shock, Michelle Werner!