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ReligionWise

Institute for Religious and Cultural Understanding

50 episodes

2 weeks ago

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 Religi...

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Religion & Spirituality

Society & Culture

All content for ReligionWise is the property of Institute for Religious and Cultural Understanding and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

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 Religi...

Show more...

Religion & Spirituality

Society & Culture

Episodes (20/50)

ReligionWise

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 Religi...

2 weeks ago

51 minutes

ReligionWise

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 ...

1 month ago

51 minutes

ReligionWise

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 ...

2 months ago

51 minutes

ReligionWise

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 po...

3 months ago

52 minutes

ReligionWise

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 r...

4 months ago

42 minutes

ReligionWise

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/contemp...

5 months ago

57 minutes

ReligionWise

Tradition and Adaptation in Ugandan Judaism - Gershom Sizomu

In this episode, we explore the remarkable story of the Abayudaya, Uganda's Jewish community, with Chief Rabbi Gershom Sizomu, the first native-born ordained rabbi in Sub-Saharan Africa. Rabbi Sizomu shares the history of his community, from its founding through persecution under Idi Amin's regime to its contemporary revival. Our conversation examines how the Abayudaya navigate their dual identity as both distinctly Jewish and distinctly Ugandan. Show Notes: Abayudaya: Music from the Jewish P...

6 months ago

41 minutes

ReligionWise

The Neuroscience of Religious Experience - Jeremy Teissere

In this episode we explore the fascinating world of neuroscience with Dr. Jeremy Teissere, Stanley Road Professor of Neuroscience at Muhlenberg College, who introduces us to the discipline's key questions and recent developments. Then, we turn to the enduring legacy of William James, the early 20th century thinker at the intersection of psychology, philosophy, and religion. We consider how James's pioneering insights into mystical states, consciousness, and conversion continue to resonate wit...

7 months ago

59 minutes

ReligionWise

Religion, Health, and Community - Ulysses Burley

In this episode of ReligionWise we sit down with Ulysses Burley, founder of UBtheCure, a consulting company that describes itself as being at the "intersection of Faith, Health, and Human Rights." A trained physician turned social activist, Dr. Burley is interested in the role and responsibility of communities to play a part in public health and our collective response to both wellness and disease, including but not limited to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the Black community. Send us a text

8 months ago

46 minutes

ReligionWise

Religion, Interfaith, and Public Policy - Frederick Davie (Re-Release)

This episode features Reverend Frederick Davie, who among other roles, serves as the Senior Advisor on Racial Equity for Interfaith America. In this far ranging discussion, we talk about the role of interfaith dialogue in wider public discourse, the shifting understanding of religious freedom, and the relationship between governmental policy and the priorities of religious communities. Show Notes: Interfaith America (https://www.interfaithamerica.org/)US Commission on International Religious...

9 months ago

48 minutes

ReligionWise

“Nones” and “Dones”: the Shifting Realities of Religious Identities - Susan Pizor Yoder

In today’s conversation, we talk with Susan Pizor Yoder, a researcher and faith leader who wants to understand how and why recent generations are less likely to identify with traditional religious communities. As the lead author of the recent book, Hear Us Out, Dr. Pizor Yoder talks about the process of interviewing over 200 18-40 year olds about how they find meaning, whether that be in a community or not. Show notes: Hear Us Out (https://www.fortresspress.com/store/product/9781506489193/Hea...

10 months ago

1 hour 1 minute

ReligionWise

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. Send us a text

11 months ago

46 minutes

ReligionWise

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. Send us a text

1 year ago

47 minutes

ReligionWise

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 conside...

1 year ago

52 minutes

ReligionWise

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. Send us a text

1 year ago

51 minutes

ReligionWise

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...

1 year ago

53 minutes

ReligionWise

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...

1 year ago

1 hour 1 minute

ReligionWise

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. Send us a text

1 year ago

53 minutes

ReligionWise

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...

1 year ago

55 minutes

ReligionWise

Religion at the Opera - Jane Fitzpatrick

Today's conversation features Jane Fitzpatrick, a contributing writer to Religion Matters who covers the intersection of religion and the performing arts, with a particular emphasis on the opera. Conversations about religion in the public square happen in all kinds of contexts. This episode considers the many ways that religion is both represented and critiqued in the high cultural form of the opera. We also consider storytelling within both the performing arts and religion, in particular the...

1 year ago

52 minutes