Conversing with Mark Labberton

Latest Episodes:

Listening in the Public Square, with Anne Snyder / Announcing a New Partnership! Jun 11, 2024

Show notes

Anne Snyder joins Mark to discuss the need for deeper listening in the work of genuine encounter and exchange in public life. They reflect on the contributions of public theology to contemporary life, the values of Christian humanism, and the mission and vision of Comment magazine. They also announce an exciting new partnership between Conversing and Comment.

Anne Snyder is the editor-in-chief of Comment magazine, which is a core publication of Cardus, a think tank devoted to renewing North American social architecture, rooted in two thousand years of Christian social thought. Visit https://comment.org/ for more information.

For years, Anne has been engaged in concerns for the social architecture of the world. That is, the way that our practices of social engagement, life, conversation, discussion, debate, and difference can all be held in the right kind of ways for the sake of the thriving of people, individuals, communities, and our nation at large.

Anne also oversees our Comment's partner project, Breaking Ground, and is the host of The Whole Person Revolution podcast and co-editor of Breaking Ground: Charting Our Future in a Pandemic Year (2022).

162 - Wisdom and Leadership, with Uli Chi May 28, 2024

Show notes

Uli Chi and Mark discuss Uli's new book, "The Wise Leader," and how wisdom manifests in various contexts, from leadership roles to everyday life.

Uli Chi has spent his life practicing leadership in the intersection of for-profit and nonprofit businesses, the theological academy, and the local church. Uli serves as board chair of the Virginia Mason Franciscan Health System, vice chair and senior fellow at the De Pree Center, and a fellow at the Center for Faithful Business at Seattle Pacific University; he is also faculty for Regent College's MA in leadership, theology, and society.

161 - The Courageous Middle, with Shirley Mullen May 14, 2024

Show notes

Shirley Mullen talks about the work of intentional engagement in our polarized contexts and advocates for actively bridging divides in our society.

Shirley Mullen is president emerita of Houghton College, where she served for 15 years, and author of Claiming the Courageous Middle: Daring to Live and Work Together for a More Hopeful Future.

160 - Childhood Development, with W. Thomas Boyce Apr 30, 2024

Show notes

W. Thomas Boyce discusses new research on sensitivity and resilience in childhood development and talks about how learning to see our children well helps them flourish and thrive.

W. Thomas Boyce is a pediatrician, professor emeritus of pediatrics and psychiatry at UC San Francisco, and author of The Orchid and the Dandelion: Why Some Children Struggle and How All Can Thrive.

159 - Theater and Story, with Liz Jacobsen Apr 16, 2024

Show notes

Liz Jacobsen shares about teaching theater to high schoolers and about the power of art and storytelling to transform us.

Liz Jacobsen is a theater teacher, currently teaching at Stadium High School in Tacoma, Washington.

158 - Astrophysics and Faith, with Jennifer Wiseman Apr 02, 2024

Show notes

Jennifer Wiseman shares about the journey of her finding a career in science, the interactions and connections between science and faith, and the upcoming solar eclipse.

Jennifer Wiseman is an astrophysicist, author, and speaker, and she is director emeritus of the program of Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion (DoSER) for the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

157 - Faith and Public Life, with Michael Wear Mar 19, 2024

Show notes

Michael Wear talks about the state of politics in the United States and the ways our faith is interwoven with public life.

Michael Wear is founder, president, and CEO of the Center for Christianity and Public Life.

156 - Our Stories and God's Providence, with Esau McCaulley Mar 05, 2024

Show notes

Esau McCaulley, discussing his new memoir, reflects on the way we tell Black stories and how we make sense of our narratives for the glory of God.

Esau McCalley is assistant professor of New Testament at Wheaton College and the author of Reading While Black and How Far to the Promised Land, among other works.

155 - Christian Social Action, with Nikki Toyama-Szeto Feb 20, 2024

Show notes

Nikki Toyama-Szeto shares about her work leading Christians for Social Action, the organization's commitment to cultivating faithful engagement with issues of justice, and her experience as a Japanese American woman in leadership.

Nikki Toyama-Szeto is executive director of Christians for Social Action.

154 - Evangelicalism and Extremism, with Tim Alberta Feb 06, 2024

Show notes

Tim Alberta takes a deep dive into the contemporary state of American Evangelicalism in a time of extremism.

Tim Alberta is a journalist, author, and staff writer for The Atlantic.