No Small Endeavor with Lee C. Camp - Tokens Media

Latest Episodes:

248: Curt Thompson: The Work Beneath Lasting Love Feb 09, 2026

Show notes

What if the deepest work of love isn’t finding the right person, but becoming someone who can truly be known?

Psychiatrist and author Dr. Curt Thompson joins Lee C. Camp for a Valentine’s Day conversation about desire, shame, and suffering, and how each shapes our capacity for authentic relationships. Drawing from neuroscience, theology, and lived experience, Dr. Curt Thompson invites us to consider not just what we want, but who we are becoming as we pursue it. This episode explores how being seen, staying present, and walking together through pain can open the way to healing, beauty, and human flourishing.

Key Ideas:

Desire Shapes Us Our longings are not just about what we want, but about the kind of people we become in the pursuit of those wants.
Learn to Be Seen The human need to be known and soothed never disappears, and our healing begins when we risk letting others see the parts we try hardest to hide.
Name Shame Honestly Shame thrives in secrecy, but loses its power when the truth of our lives is spoken and met with presence rather than abandonment.
Heal in Community Transformation happens when others see the worst of us, and remain, helping us reconnect to ourselves and one another.
Suffering with Meaning Pain does not have the final word. When shared and honored, suffering can become a crucible that forms wisdom, compassion, and courage.

⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Show Notes, Resources and Transcript⁠⁠ for abridged episode with Curt Thompson

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No Small Endeavor: An award-winning podcast that asks what it means to live a good life. Through conversations with leading thinkers across theology, philosophy, psychology, politics, and the social sciences, we explore human flourishing, meaning and purpose, faith and culture, science and religion, virtue and character, community, and the practices that help shape a good life grounded in truth, beauty, and goodness.

Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@nosmallendeavor⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Host Lee C. Camp: Lee has worked as a professor of theology & ethics for more than 25 years, teaching and writing on topics of faith & politics, inter-religious dialog, and human flourishing at the intersection of theology, moral philosophy, and social sciences. Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@leeccamp ⁠⁠

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The Subtext: Rent Free: All is Fair in Love And (Culture) War Feb 06, 2026

Show notes

This episode has been living rent-free in our heads leading up to the Super Bowl, so we're dropping it back in your feed.

What does it mean when the Super Bowl Halftime Show has become a front line in the latest culture wars?

When Turning Point USA launches an “All-American Halftime Show” to rival Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance, it’s more than a musical critique; it’s a signal of a culture war. In this episode, Savannah and Lee unpack why something as ordinary as a halftime show can feel like a referendum on faith, family, and freedom. From the backlash that followed Reconstruction to Reagan’s alliance with the religious right, to today’s debates over gender, race, and education, the culture wars have always been about who stays in power. How can we interact with culture wars better? How should we treat “hot topic” issues?

Things we mentioned in this episode:

Revisionist History: The Alabama Murders

The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton

James by Percival Everett

All the Way to the River by Elizabeth Gilbert

Awake by Jen Hatmaker

The Courage to be Disliked by Fumitake Koga and Ichiro Kishimi

The Many Lives of Mama Love by Lara Love Hardin

Bad Faith by Randall Balmer

Mere Discipleship by Lee C. Camp

All the Buried Women podcast

Ed Larson on No Small Endeavor

Randall Balmer on No Small Endeavor

Garrett Graff on No Small Endeavor

Follow The Subtext: Instagram | Threads | X | YouTube | TikTok

Follow Lee: Instagram | Twitter | Lee's Newsletter

Follow Savannah: Instagram | Substack

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247: Unabridged Interview: Judith Moskowitz Feb 06, 2026

Show notes

This is our unabridged interview with Judith Moskowitz.

Judith Moskowitz didn’t begin her research career to prove people could thrive in the middle of devastating grief. But that’s where her work led.

In the 1990s, Moskowitz was part of a research team studying men caring for partners dying of AIDS. As expected, participants described the overwhelming stress and sorrow. But then something unexpected happened: they asked why no one was asking about the good things in their lives.

Judith Moskowitz has spent decades studying the emotional lives of people under intense life stress. In this episode, she joins host Lee C. Camp for a deeply practical conversation about emotional nuance, the science of positive psychology, and eight research-backed practices anyone can use to increase positive emotion and foster flourishing relationships, even when life is hard.

Key Ideas

Hold Joy and Sorrow Together Even under extreme stress, positive emotions can coexist with grief and fear—and this emotional diversity strengthens our capacity to cope.
Let Emotions Inform You Negative emotions are not enemies to eliminate but signals that offer information about what matters and where change is needed.
Notice What Still Shines Learning to notice small positive events—even fleeting ones—can meaningfully increase well-being during difficult seasons.
Practice Gentle Awareness Mindful, non-judgmental attention to emotions helps people recognize their inner life without shame or suppression.
Choose Compassion Daily Small acts of kindness and self-compassion can interrupt stress cycles and reconnect us to the common good.

⁠Show Notes, Resources, and Transcript⁠ for abridged episode with Judith Moskowitz⁠

Join our subscriber-only community called NSE+ BY ⁠CLICKING HERE⁠

Get ad-free listening, great member-only bonus content, and early access to tickets for our live shows. AND, you're helping make NSE sustainable by becoming a member!

No Small Endeavor: An award winning podcast exploring what it means to live a good life, with thought provoking conversations about human flourishing, theology, politics, faith, social sciences, search for meaning, meaning and purpose, practices, common good, truth beauty and goodness, productivity, habit formation, neuroscience, science and religion, social justice, the cardinal virtues, the how of happiness, theology and culture, self development, virtue theory, being human, moral philosophy, and community.Follow ⁠@nosmallendeavor⁠

Host Lee C. Camp: Lee has worked as a professor of theology & ethics for more than 25 years, teaching and writing on topics of faith & politics, inter-religious dialog, and human flourishing at the intersection of theology, moral philosophy, and social sciences. Follow ⁠@leeccamp ⁠

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Dr. Lee Warren: You’re Not Stuck With the Mind You Have Feb 04, 2026

Show notes

You’re not stuck with the mind you have.

In this episode of No Small Endeavor, Lee C. Camp speaks with Dr. Lee Warren, neurosurgeon, Iraq War veteran, and author of The Life-Changing Art of Self Brain Surgery, about a hopeful but challenging idea:

your mind and your brain are not the same thing.

Drawing on neuroscience, faith, and his own experience with trauma and grief, Dr. Warren explores why change is still possible, even when old patterns feel permanent, and what it looks like to reclaim agency over how we respond.

This episode is a preview of a longer conversation.
The full discussion is available in the NSE+ community.

👉 Join NSE+ HERE

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The Subtext: Bet on It Feb 04, 2026

Show notes

What happens when betting, profit, and addiction blur into everyday life?

Sports betting has moved from the margins into everyday life. It is dominating our phones, our sports, and even our teenagers. In this episode, Savannah and Lee unpack how legalized gambling and prediction markets are shaping culture, forming us, and turning everything from sports to politics into a commodity.

Things we mentioned in this episode:

⁠Against the Rules Season 5 with Michael Lewis⁠

⁠ More from Michael Lewis⁠

Follow The Subtext: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Threads⁠ | ⁠X⁠ | ⁠YouTube⁠ | ⁠TikTok⁠

Follow Lee: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Twitter⁠ | ⁠Lee's Newsletter⁠

Follow Savannah: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Substack⁠

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247: Judith Moskowitz: How to Flourish Amidst Stress (Best of NSE) Feb 02, 2026

Show notes

Judith Moskowitz didn’t begin her research career to prove people could thrive in the middle of devastating grief. But that’s where her work led.

Key Ideas

Hold Joy and Sorrow Together Even under extreme stress, positive emotions can coexist with grief and fear—and this emotional diversity strengthens our capacity to cope.
Let Emotions Inform You Negative emotions are not enemies to eliminate but signals that offer information about what matters and where change is needed.
Notice What Still Shines Learning to notice small positive events—even fleeting ones—can meaningfully increase well-being during difficult seasons.
Practice Gentle Awareness Mindful, non-judgmental attention to emotions helps people recognize their inner life without shame or suppression.
Choose Compassion Daily Small acts of kindness and self-compassion can interrupt stress cycles and reconnect us to the common good.

Show Notes, Resources, and Transcript⁠ for abridged episode with Judith Moskowitz

Join our subscriber-only community called NSE+ BY CLICKING HERE

Get ad-free listening, great member-only bonus content, and early access to tickets for our live shows. AND, you're helping make NSE sustainable by becoming a member!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

245: Unabridged Interview: Rumman Chowdhury Jan 30, 2026

Show notes

This is our unabridged interview with Rumman Chowdhury.

What if the greatest danger of artificial intelligence isn’t what it might do someday, but the power it already wields today?

Social scientist and AI ethics leader Dr. Rumman Chowdhury joins Lee C. Camp to challenge popular narratives about artificial intelligence, arguing that the real story is not superintelligence or apocalypse, but power, incentives, and responsibility. Drawing on her work at Twitter and her nonprofit Humane Intelligence, Chowdhury explores how systems of surveillance, corporate profit, and moral outsourcing shape our technological future and what it will take to build AI that serves authentic human flourishing.

Key Ideas:

Learn to Ask “Who Benefits?”Behind every AI system are incentive structures and power arrangements within for-profit companies. Cultivating the habit of asking who gains and who pays the cost helps us see technology more truthfully.
Refuse to Blame the MachineCalling harm “the AI’s fault” allows humans and institutions to evade responsibility, so ethical clarity begins by keeping people accountable.
Pay Attention to What’s Already HereFears about future AI apocalypse distract us from the real effects already shaping culture, labor, democracy, and community right now.
Be Wary of Convenience That Watches YouSurveillance almost always arrives disguised as safety or ease, but recognizing how data collection concentrates power helps us protect human dignity and freedom.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠Show Notes, Resources and Transcript⁠⁠ for abridged episode with Rumman Chowdhury

Thank you to our sponsors:

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⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join NSE+⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — our subscriber-only community — for ad-free listening, member-only bonus content, and early access to live show tickets. Your membership helps make No Small Endeavor sustainable.

Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@nosmallendeavor⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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The Subtext: Celebrities Should Stay in Their Lane Jan 28, 2026

Show notes

Should celebrities “stay in their lane” when it comes to political or moral matters? Who gets to speak in public, and why do we only object when it makes us uncomfortable?

When Mark Ruffalo spoke out at the Golden Globes about American politics, some applauded his honesty while others told him to “stay in his lane.” In this episode, Savannah and Lee unpack why celebrity activism is celebrated by some and condemned by others, exposing the double standards around fame, faith, politics, and who we think is allowed to speak in public.

Things we mentioned in this episode:

⁠Down There by the Train⁠ by Tom Waits

⁠Come On Up To The House⁠ by Tom Waits

⁠Tehran⁠ on Apple TV

⁠Come and Welcome to Jesus Christ by John Bunyan⁠

⁠The One On The Right Is On The Left Live at the Ryman Auditorium⁠ by Johnny Cash

Follow The Subtext: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Threads⁠ | ⁠X⁠ | ⁠YouTube⁠ | ⁠TikTok⁠

Follow Lee: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Twitter⁠ | ⁠Lee's Newsletter⁠

Follow Savannah: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Substack⁠

Join our Email List: ⁠nosmallendeavor.com⁠

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245: Rumman Chowdhury: Why the Real AI Crisis Is Moral, Not Technical Jan 26, 2026

Show notes

What if the greatest danger of artificial intelligence isn’t what it might do someday, but the power it already wields today?

Social scientist and AI ethics leader Dr. Rumman Chowdhury joins Lee C. Camp to challenge popular narratives about artificial intelligence, arguing that the real story is not superintelligence or apocalypse, but power, incentives, and responsibility. Drawing on her work at Twitter and her nonprofit ⁠Humane Intelligence⁠, Chowdhury explores how systems of surveillance, corporate profit, and moral outsourcing shape our technological future and what it will take to build AI that serves authentic human flourishing.

Key Ideas:

Learn to Ask “Who Benefits?”Behind every AI system are incentive structures and power arrangements within for-profit companies. Cultivating the habit of asking who gains and who pays the cost helps us see technology more truthfully.
Refuse to Blame the MachineCalling harm “the AI’s fault” allows humans and institutions to evade responsibility, so ethical clarity begins by keeping people accountable.
Pay Attention to What’s Already HereFears about future AI apocalypse distract us from the real effects already shaping culture, labor, democracy, and community right now.
Be Wary of Convenience That Watches YouSurveillance almost always arrives disguised as safety or ease, but recognizing how data collection concentrates power helps us protect human dignity and freedom.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠

⁠⁠⁠Show Notes, Resources and Transcript⁠⁠ for abridged episode with Rumman Chowdhury⁠

Thank you to our sponsors:

Ka’Chava: Go to⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://kachava.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and usecode NSE for 15% off your next order

Boll and Branch: Get 20% off plus free shipping by visiting ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BollAndBranch.com/NSE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Piper and Leaf: Get a 10% off discount to the Advent Calendar by using my code 'NSE' at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠piperandleaf.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join NSE+⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — our subscriber-only community — for ad-free listening, member-only bonus content, and early access to live show tickets. Your membership helps make No Small Endeavor sustainable.

Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@nosmallendeavor⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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246: Unabridged Interview: Amishi Jha Jan 23, 2026

Show notes

This is our unabridged interview with Amishi Jha.

Is it possible that for half of our waking life, we are not paying attention to what we’re doing?

In today’s fast-paced, technology-driven world, many of us are coming to terms with the fact that our capacity for paying attention is laughably weak. Our work, mental health, and relationships suffer because of it. But what if there was a tried-and-true way to change this, something like “push-ups for your brain?”

Neuroscientist Amishi Jha has dedicated her career to studying this question, and the results are in. In this episode, she describes the practice of mindfulness meditation - why it can work for everyone (not just the spiritual folks), and how it only takes 12 minutes each day to reach one’s “Peak Mind.”

⁠⁠⁠ Show Notes, Resources and Transcript⁠⁠ for abridged episode with Amishi Jha⁠⁠⁠

Thank you to our sponsors:

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Boll and Branch: Get 20% off plus free shipping by visiting ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BollAndBranch.com/NSE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Piper and Leaf: Get a 10% off discount to the Advent Calendar by using my code 'NSE' at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠piperandleaf.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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