Trinity Forum Conversations

Latest Episodes:

Discovery and Doxology: Conversations on Science and Faith Jun 21, 2022

Show notes

Discovery and Doxology
This special podcast series is called Discovery and Doxology conversations on science and faith and is created in partnership with Templeton, Religion Trust, Biologos, and Church of the Advent. The four conversations in this series features conversations between scientists, philosophers, and theologians helping us explore the relationship between science and faith.

Science and Faith in Conflict?
We live in a time when science and faith are often thought to be in conflict. The discipline of science is sometimes conflated, even within the scientific community, with a reductionistic materialism or scientism that asserts or even assumes that only empirical knowledge is reliable and dismisses ways of knowing what is real beyond the merely quantitative.

On the other hand, some people of faith fear that scientific findings are undermining of spiritual authority or Christian orthodoxy, and may even see discoveries and fields like vaccine creation, gene therapy, and artificial intelligence as a threat to the claims of Christianity. But as our conversations make clear, the mistrust between Christians and scientists hasn't always existed.

Scientific Discovery Leading to Worship of the Creator
Many of the greatest lights in the history of science understood their calling as one of making known the beauty and grandeur of God through a better understanding of the created order. They believed science and worship were connected by a shared love of truth and its author, and that discovery led to doxology.

The conversations that make up our discovery and doxology series explores these tensions and possibilities. It's our aim to introduce you to some of the brightest scientific and theological lights of our own generation and to help you think wisely and well about these questions. You can listen to any of these conversations in full at ttf.org.

Our sincere thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork and to Andrew Peterson for providing our music.

Reading Scripture with N.T. Wright Apr 13, 2022

Show notes

In our final podcast episode of our special Lenten series, we're considering the meaning of the good news view through the lens of scripture, with an emphasis on Christ, passion and triumph.

Reading Scripture with New Eyes

To help us explore the spiritual discipline of reading scripture, we’re returning to an evening conversation we hosted back in 2016 with Anglican Bishop, and New Testament scholar, N.T. Wright.

Since the very earliest days of the Christian Church, the reading of scripture has been foundational for Christian formation. Rather than prescribe a particular methodology of Bible reading this week, our invitation is simply to join us in reading each of the four gospel accounts of Jesus' last days, but to do so with a refreshed understanding of what Jesus meant when he spoke of the “good news.”

On Earth as it is in Heaven

As N.T. Wright makes clear, Jesus’ good news wasn't about giving advice, or founding a new religion, or even where a soul goes when the body dies. Jesus was inviting his hearers into a new way of understanding Israel's ancient story and the cosmic significance of its sudden fulfillment.

It's our hope that this conversation will help you read slowly, thoughtfully, and to consider and savor aspects of this good news that you may have missed before.

Thank you for journeying with us through Lent, and we wish you a very happy Easter.

Learn more about N.T. Wright.

Watch The Good News and the Good Life, with N.T. Wright and Richard Hayes.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Who is this Man? by John Ortberg

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Devotions by John Donne and paraphrased by Philip Yancey

The Confessions of St. Augustine by Augustine of Hippo, Introduced by James K.A. Smith

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard

Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan

God’s Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins

A Spiritual Pilgrimage by Malcolm Muggeridge

Related Conversations:

Liturgy of the Ordinary in Extraordinary Times with Tish Harrison Warren

Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies with Marilyn McEntyre

Invitation to Solitude and Silence with Ruth Haley Barton

On the Road with Saint Augustine with James K.A. Smith and Elizabeth Bruenig

The Habit Podcast, Episode 26: Tish Harrison Warren with Doug McKelvey

The Spiritual Practice of Remembering with Margaret Bendroth

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org, and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, visit ttf.org/join.

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

Remembering with Margaret Bendroth Apr 06, 2022

Show notes

We continue our Lenten podcast series by considering the spiritual practice of remembering with historian and author, Margaret Bendroth.

Remembering is a Scriptural Imperative

The promise of modernity was progress, and so our default orientation is often to the present and future and away from the past, which can be seen as either irrelevant or even benighted. But it is uncanny how often the Bible instructs us to remember the great story, to meditate upon it, ponder it, write it in our heart, dwell on it, and never forget.

In this conversation, Margaret Bendroth invites us to reflect on our own stories, to see our lives as the product of a long choosing linked to the generations that have come before. And then to be willing to examine our family and spiritual histories as part of knowing ourselves and our place in God's story.

Righteous Remembrance Means Extending Grace to our Ancestors

And while she acknowledges the potential for discomfort in looking back, Bendroth encourages us to a posture of “righteous remembrance,” extending the charity to our ancestors that we hope will be extended to us. In doing so, we open up the door to healing not only of our own past, but also to gain access to resources and wisdom from previous generations.

May this conversation inspire you to reflect on your own history and its place within the great story.

Learn more about Margareth Bendroth.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Miroslav Volf

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Devotions by John Donne and paraphrased by Philip Yancey

The Confessions of St. Augustine by Augustine of Hippo, Introduced by James K.A. Smith

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard

Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan

God’s Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins

A Spiritual Pilgrimage by Malcolm Muggeridge

Related Conversations:

Liturgy of the Ordinary in Extraordinary Times with Tish Harrison Warren

Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies with Marilyn McEntyre

Invitation to Solitude and Silence with Ruth Haley Barton

On the Road with Saint Augustine with James K.A. Smith and Elizabeth Bruenig

The Habit Podcast, Episode 26: Tish Harrison Warren with Doug McKelvey
The Spiritual Practice of Remembering with Margaret Bendroth

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org, and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, visit ttf.org/join.

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

Writing as a Spiritual Practice with Jonathan Rogers, Tish Harrison Warren and Doug McKelvey Mar 30, 2022

Show notes

On this episode of our special Lenten podcast series we explore the spiritual practice of writing by listening to a conversation between authors, Tish Harrison Warren, Doug McKelvey and Jonathan Rogers.

The Spiritual Practice of Writing

As these three authors explore the craft of writing, what becomes clear is that the creativity and spiritual insight that marks their work is predicated on the discipline of showing up, to sit in the quiet with tools in hand and to attend to the wonder and mystery of their own lives. The very ordinary disciplines surrounding writing have become for these authors a liturgy by which they come into contact with the divine, writing things and expressing truths they didn't know that they knew.

The Habit: Conversations with Writers about Writing

This conversation originally appeared on the Habit Podcast, a production of the Rabbit Room podcast network, and a portion of it is used here with their generous permission and goodwill. To listen to more of the Habit visit Rabbitroom.com/podcast.

It's our hope that this conversation will inspire your own practice of writing during Lent and help you to enter into the mystery and grace of the Father's love.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Charlie Peacock

James Bryant Smith

Walker Percy

Jessica Hooten Wilson

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Devotions by John Donne and paraphrased by Philip Yancey

The Confessions of St. Augustine by Augustine of Hippo, Introduced by James K.A. Smith

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard

Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan

God’s Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins

A Spiritual Pilgrimage by Malcolm Muggeridge

Related Conversations:

Liturgy of the Ordinary in Extraordinary Times with Tish Harrison Warren

Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies with Marilyn McEntyre

Invitation to Solitude and Silence with Ruth Haley Barton

On the Road with Saint Augustine with James K.A. Smith and Elizabeth Bruenig

The Habit Podcast, Episode 26: Tish Harrison Warren with Doug McKelvey

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org, and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, visit ttf.org/join.

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

Repentance with James K.A. Smith Mar 23, 2022

Show notes

Repentance and St. Augustine

We continue our Lenten podcast series by considering the spiritual practice of repentance with author, philosophy professor, and Trinity Forum Senior Fellow, James K.A. Smith.

Few figures cast as long a shadow over church history as Saint Augustine of Hippo, regarded by many as second only to St. Paul in terms of his extraordinary contributions to theology and philosophy. For his part, James K.A. Smith takes a different approach, describing Augustine as an AA sponsor for the soul.

Disordered Desire and the Role of Repentance

In Augustine’s book, Confessions, he offers us a searingly honest glimpse into the human heart and it’s Augustine’s refusal to look away from his own disordered loves, but instead to confess and repent at the level of his deepest desires, that makes Confessions one of the most enduring works of Christian spiritual writing of all time.

Learn more about James K.A. Smith.

Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Confessions by St. Augustine

On The Road With Saint Augustine by James. K.A. Smith

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Devotions by John Donne and paraphrased by Philip Yancey

The Confessions of St. Augustine by Augustine of Hippo, Introduced by James K.A. Smith

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard

Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan

God’s Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins

A Spiritual Pilgrimage by Malcolm Muggeridge.

Related Conversations:

Liturgy of the Ordinary in Extraordinary Times with Tish Harrison Warren

Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies with Marilyn McEntyre

Invitation to Solitude and Silence with Ruth Haley Barton

The Second Mountain with David Brooks

On the Road with Saint Augustine with James K.A. Smith and Elizabeth Bruenig

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org, and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, visit ttf.org/join.

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

Generosity with Marilyn McEntyre Mar 16, 2022

Show notes

Generosity with Marilyn McEntyre

We continue our Lenten podcast series this week by looking at the spiritual practice of generosity with professor, author, and poet, Marilyn McEntyre. Generosity, or to use more ancient language, charity or almsgiving, was a practice Christians historically emphasized during Lent. And while providing material support to those in need is certainly a vital part of charity and love of neighbor, in this episode, Marilyn challenges us to broaden our understanding of what generosity can mean.

Caring for our Words is Part of Caring for our Neighbor

The book of Proverbs teaches us that death and life are in the power of the tongue and, in this conversation, Dr. McEntyre argues that caring for language is inextricably bound up with our caring for others. It's our hope that the conversation which follows stretches your categories of generosity and caregiving this week, as we consider together what it means to attend to our language and to practice charity with our words.

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org, and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, visit ttf.org/join.

Learn more about Dr. Marilyn McEntyre.

Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies by Marilyn McEntyre

Jane Austen

David Brooks

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Devotions by John Donne and paraphrased by Philip Yancey

The Confessions of St. Augustine by Augustine of Hippo, Introduced by James K.A. Smith

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard

Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan

God’s Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins

A Spiritual Pilgrimage by Malcolm Muggeridge

Related Conversations:

Liturgy of the Ordinary in Extraordinary Times with Tish Harrison Warren

Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies with Marilyn McEntyre

Invitation to Solitude and Silence with Ruth Haley Barton

The Second Mountain with David Brooks

On the Road with Saint Augustine with James K.A. Smith and Elizabeth Bruenig

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

Silence and Solitude with Ruth Haley Barton Mar 09, 2022

Show notes

Silence and Solitude

We continue our special Lenten podcast series with author and spiritual director, Ruth Haley Barton, and this brief introduction to the spiritual disciplines of silence and solitude. Ruth considers the unique gift these practices offer us, why they can be so challenging, and the way that these practices look different depending on your season of life.

Where We Encounter God

"Solitude and silence in particular is where we encounter God, but it is also the place that's most challenging for us on so many different levels." - Ruth Haley Barton

We hope you're encouraged to start right where you are, even if that's just a minute or two of silence in the morning before the day begins, or at night to allow the sediment of the day to settle and to see more clearly what's most important.

Learn more about Ruth Haley Barton.

Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Richard Rohr

Dallas Willard

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Devotions by John Donne and paraphrased by Philip Yancey

The Confessions of St. Augustine by Augustine of Hippo, Introduced by James K.A. Smith

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard

Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan

God’s Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins

A Spiritual Pilgrimage by Malcolm Muggeridge

Related Conversations:

Liturgy of the Ordinary in Extraordinary Times with Tish Harrison Warren

Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies with Marilyn McEntyre

Invitation to Solitude and Silence with Ruth Haley Barton

On the Road with Saint Augustine with James K.A. Smith and Elizabeth Bruenig

Listen to this or any of our conversations in full at ttf.org, and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, visit https://ttf.org/join.

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

Formation and Habit with Tish Harrison Warren Mar 02, 2022

Show notes

Formation and Habit with Tish Harrison Warren

In our first Lenten podcast, we're turning to author and Anglican priest Tish Harrison Warren to help us frame our thinking about how we're formed spiritually and what the goal of formation is. Tish helps make us conscious of the habits, practices, and liturgies that are present and forming us in our everyday lives.

Practices are a Response to Love

She does a beautiful job of recasting spiritual disciplines not as an effort to make ourselves worthy of God's love, but as a response to God's declaration that we are already his beloved. We hope this conversation inspires you to consider anew the formative power of your habits, and to join us weekly in exploring spiritual disciplines, not out of obligation, but out of a deep and growing sense of your own belovedness before God.

To listen to this or any of our conversations in full, visit https://ttf.org, and to join the Trinity Forum Society to help make more content like this possible, visit https://ttf.org/join.

Learn more about Tish Harrison Warren.

Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:
Liturgy of the Ordinary by Tish Harrison Warren
John Mark Comer

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Devotions by John Donne and paraphrased by Philip Yancey

The Confessions of St. Augustine by Augustine of Hippo, Introduced by James K.A. Smith

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard

Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan

God’s Grandeur: The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins

A Spiritual Pilgrimage by Malcolm Muggeridge

Related Conversations:

Liturgy of the Ordinary in Extraordinary Times with Tish Harrison Warren

Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies with Marilyn McEntyre

Invitation to Solitude and Silence with Ruth Haley Barton

On the Road with Saint Augustine with James K.A. Smith and Elizabeth Bruenig

Season 3 trailer: Lenten Spiritual Practices Feb 28, 2022

Show notes

For 2000 years, Lent has been a season of spiritual preparation in which you reflect on Christ's temptation suffering and death. Beginning on Ash Wednesday and ending with Easter, the 40 days of lent have historically been a time for Christians to draw closer to God through prayer, fasting, repentance, and self-denial.

Of course, that's a hard sell in our time. Embracing spiritual disciplines has never been easy, but in a cultural context where denying ourselves our desires is seen not just as odd, but repressive, or even harmful, humbling ourselves through spiritual disciplines and walking in these ancient paths can seem more daunting than ever.

But far from being the exclusive province of medieval monks or cloistered mystics of some far away place and time, these disciplines are for everyone, and offer through embodied practices, a path to more deeply and joyfully following in the ways of Jesus. So this Lenten season, we ask you to join us as we explore seven different spiritual disciplines through this special podcast series.

Each week we'll release a new conversation that considers a practice to help you draw closer to God in mind, body and spirit. The point is not to master any particular spiritual discipline, but to simply start where you are. It's our hope that these conversations will inspire you to take a step into a new practice of learning to better know, love, and enjoy the Lord who died for us as we remember his passion, and anticipate the joy of his resurrection.

Listen to or watch any of our conversations in full at TTF.org, or to help support this podcast and our ongoing work, visit: TTF.org/join.

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music.

Poetry & Beauty in Solitude with Dana Gioia Nov 29, 2021

Show notes

On Friday, May 1 The Trinity Forum hosted from Former Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, and Poet Laureate of California, Dana Gioia. Dana shared his unique insights about beauty, poetry, and solitude. Dana encourages us to use this time of quarantine to begin afresh.

Learn more about Dana Gioia.

Watch the full Online Conversation and read the transcript from May 2020.

Authors, artists, and books mentioned in the conversation:

T.S. Eliot

Wallace Stevens

Jacques Maritain

Thomas Acquinas

A Portrait of An Artist as a Young Man, by James Joyce

Georgia O'Keeffe

Étienne Mallarmé

Edgar Allen Poe

Friedrich Nietzsche
Horace