Best Berkeley Divinity School At Yale Podcasts (2025)

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54: Queer Theology with Linn Tonstad 51:09

4d ago51:09

51:09

Join co-hosts Brandon Nappi and Hannah Black in an engaging episode of The Leaders Way as they sit down with Linn Tonstad, Professor of Theology, Religion, and Sexuality at Yale Divinity School. In this episode, Tonstad shares her unique perspective on queer theology and how it relates to potential for social transformation. Perfect for Pride Month…

1
53: The Church's Future with Andrew McGowan 1:00:53

12d ago1:00:53

1:00:53

Dean Andrew McGowan joins us to further unpack shifting dynamics, changing landscapes, and the future after addressing the topic at the Episcopal Parish Network (EPN) conference. McGowan describes his observations of Australian secularization and how he sees similar dynamics arising in the United States. We talk about why church attendance is chang…

1
52: God Didn’t Make Us to Hate Us with Lizzie McManus-Dail 1:03:22

19d ago1:03:22

1:03:22

THE Father Lizzie is back on The Leader's Way podcast, talking about her new devotional God Didn't Make Us to Hate Us. We talk about the alternative to "billboard Christianity" and how an expansive, inclusive God affects individual spirituality and corporate worship in church. Finally, the Golden Retriever Games are back, baby. Stay 'till the end f…

1
51: Trust in Atonement with Teresa Morgan 57:17

1M ago57:17

57:17

Yale Divinity School Professor Teresa Morgan shares her expertise about the Greek word “pistis,” often translated in the New Testament as “faith.” The conversation revolves around faith, trust, and faithfulness and touches on the importance of a nuanced understanding of atonement theology. Brandon challenges Morgan and Black to “Gregory or Gregory?…

1
50: Innovative Parish Ministry with the Threshold Center 57:55

2M ago57:55

57:55

The Rev'd John Burruss (The Leader's Way ’23 Fellow) and the Rev'd Mary Bea Sullivan join hosts Hannah Black and Brandon Nappi to tell the story of the Threshold Center, a vibrant space designed to address loneliness and foster connection in Birmingham, Alabama. Born from a tragic event in the life of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, the Threshold C…

1
49: Creative, Collaborative Mission with Graham Kings 48:35

2M ago48:35

48:35

Bishop Graham Kings, Honorary Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Ely and Research Associate of the Cambridge Centre for Christianity Worldwide, joins us to delve into the possibilities of engaging creativity in ministry. We discuss the power of collaboration with artists, crafting liturgical celebrations, his project on women in the Bible, how to s…

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48: The Subversive Fireside with Krista Tippett 1:17:49

2M ago1:17:49

1:17:49

On Being host Krista Tippett reflects on her career and tells stories never before heard on air. She contemplates her grandfather's spirituality, what she was looking for when she decided to come to Yale Divinity School, the need she saw for intelligent public conversation about spirituality and religion, and the birth story of Speaking of Faith (l…

1
47: Apocalyptic Clarity with Jesse Zink 1:01:56

3M ago1:01:56

1:01:56

The Rev'd Dr. Jesse Zink, Principal at Montreal Diocesan Theological College, joins us to discuss living faithfully in our fast-paced, crisis-shaped world. We talk about his new book, Faithful, Creative, Hopeful: Fifteen Theses for Christians in a Crisis-Shaped World, and we reflect on insights like fostering a culture of contentment and enoughness…

1
46: Global Anglican Theology with Michael Battle 1:06:36

3M ago1:06:36

1:06:36

The Very Rev. Dr. Michael Battle shares insights from the first volume, "Faith," in the new series Conversations in Global Anglican Theology. He helps us explore the fascinating transition of the Anglican Church from being the church of the establishment to becoming the church of advocacy. He also shares his insights on faith, culture, activism, an…

1
45: Servant Leadership with Mary Glasspool 55:31

4M ago55:31

55:31

Bishop Mary Glasspool shares her rich experiences and insights on leadership, vocation, and the evolving Episcopal Church. Embark on a journey through her inspiring stories of servant leadership and, of course, hear what gives her hope amidst challenges.By Berkeley Divinity School at Yale

1
44: Seminary with Yejide Peters Pietersen 1:02:40

4M ago1:02:40

1:02:40

Dean Yejide Peters Pietersen joins us to discuss what it's like to apply to and be a student at Berkeley Divinity School, the Episcopal seminary at Yale. This is the perfect episode for people thinking about exploring their call or applying to seminary—or for people who know those people! Dean Pietersen reflects on vocational discernment and how th…

1
PRAYER: Guided Contemplative Practice with Brandon Nappi 16:40

5M ago16:40

16:40

Carve out 15 minutes of your day to center yourself in guided prayer with Dr. Brandon Nappi.By Berkeley Divinity School at Yale

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43: Advent with Andrew McGowan 42:45

5M ago42:45

42:45

The Very Rev’d Dr. Andrew McGowan, Dean of Berkeley Divinity School at Yale, joins Hannah for an Advent episode. Dean McGowan reflects on his career as a priest, academic, and administrator and shares how the Daily Office helps him maintain balance in the midst of it all. He shares the “what” and “why” behind the lectionary and reflects on the Adve…

1
42: Immigration and Apocalypse with Yii-Jan Lin 56:34

6M ago56:34

56:34

Professor Lin tells us all about her new book Immigration and Apocolypse: How the Book of Revelation Shaped American Immigration. We think about Christopher Columbus and the New World, why there's a "new" in New England, New York, and New Haven, how Revelation's words have shaped rhetoric about immigration, how Westward expansion and building a wal…

1
41: Trauma-Informed Spiritual Care with Danielle Tumminio Hansen 52:24

6M ago52:24

52:24

The Rev. Dr. Danielle Tumminio Hansen joins Hannah and Brandon for an enriching discussion about teaching theology using pop culture (Harry Potter), trauma-informed spiritual care, and new frontiers in the theology of abortion. Hosts: Brandon Nappi and Hannah Black Guest: Danielle Tumminio Hansen Production: Goodchild Media Music: Wayfaring Strange…

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40: The Inner Landscape with Parker Palmer 1:12:32

6M ago1:12:32

1:12:32

Renowned author and spiritual leader Parker Palmer joins Brandon and Hannah to explore the world of leadership and teaching. Palmer shares stories from his life, including profound mystical experiences, bouts of clinical depression, and classroom successes. The conversation underscores the importance of listening and trusting in leadership and teac…

1
39: The Salem Witch Trials with Ken Minkema 57:08

7M ago57:08

57:08

This special Halloween episode focuses on the Salem witch trials with a focus on what church leaders can learn from this period of history. Dr. Kenneth Minkema—Executive Editor of The Works of Jonathan Edwards and of the Jonathan Edwards Center & Online Archive at Yale University—teaches us about the witch trials in New England, highlighting their …

1
38: The Leader's Way 47:31

7M ago47:31

47:31

Brandon and Hannah chat about why the podcast is called The Leader’s Way. We hear Brandon’s definition of leadership and talk about the courage, vulnerability, and commitment required of leaders. We hear Brandon’s vocation story and reflect on the work we do, offering continuing education to church leaders.…

1
37: Jesus and Empire with William Barber 53:23

8M ago53:23

53:23

In part 2 of our recording with a live studio audience, Bishop Barber breaks down how spiritual leaders are either prophets of the kingdom or chaplains to empire. He takes questions from the audience about the relationship between Episcopal tradition and moral demands, interfaith leadership, and leadership amid the military-industrial complex. Host…

1
36: Moral Leadership and Political Engagement with William Barber 44:08

8M ago44:08

44:08

The Rev. Dr. William Barber joined us at the Berkeley Center with a live studio audience for this episode of The Leader's Way Podcast, which will be released in 2 parts. Barber tells his vocation story and explains how morality is the key to nonpartisan spiritual leadership in politics. He talks about the "least of these" as a central part of moral…

1
35: A Better Way at the National Cathedral with Randy Hollerith 37:43

8M ago37:43

37:43

The Very Rev’d Randy Hollerith, Dean of the National Cathedral in Washington, DC, joins us as we continue thinking about leading churches through especially political times. He talks about the church’s role as being a voice for the “better way”: the promotion of values like unity and love in contrast to what we often see in the world around us. He …

1
34: Golden Retriever Games 41:36

8M ago41:36

41:36

A rare mostly unserious episode amid serious times: Brandon and Hannah take a moment one year into the show to reflect on past episodes and celebrate the new podcast art and music. We play the inaugural Golden Retriever Games: “Taylor or Dante?” and “The Question Game.”By Berkeley Divinity School at Yale

1
33: Spiritual Formation and Politics with Kaitlyn Schiess 48:50

9M ago48:50

48:50

Kaitlyn Schiess is an author (The Liturgy of Politics and The Ballot and the Bible) and podcaster (The Holy Post and Curiously, Kaitlyn). She joins us to talk about leadership during an election season and how spiritual formation is at the heart of our political engagement. We talk about everything from how to talk about politics at Thanksgiving di…

1
32: Sexuality Within the Biblical Story with Richard and Christopher Hays 55:00

9M ago55:00

55:00

Father and son Richard and Christopher Hays discuss their new book The Widening of God’s Mercy: Sexuality Within the Biblical Story. This book seeks to take the Bible seriously by taking more of the Bible seriously. These authors do not focus solely on the prooftexts that have been used to deny LGBTQIA+ inclusion in the church, nor do they try to w…

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31: Navigating Turmoil at the Church of the Presidents with Rob Fisher 37:32

9M ago37:32

37:32

The Rev’d Rob Fisher tells the story of St. John’s Lafayette Square in Washington, DC. He tells us stories about Presidents Madison and Lincoln and reminds us that the church’s history, including having lived through the American Civil War, gives us perspective. He talks about the life of the church in 2020 and tells stories of Trump’s photo op, a …

1
30: A Space of Grace at the Church of the Presidents with Rob Fisher 42:06

9M ago42:06

42:06

The Rev’d Rob Fisher is Rector of St. John’s Lafayette Square, known as the “Church of the Presidents.” He joins us to talk about his vocation story and what it’s like to be the priest at a church where people’s lives and careers revolve around politics. Join us next week for part 2, where Fisher discusses what it was like to be the rector of St. J…

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29: Race and the Christian Imagination with Willie Jennings 1:03:43

9M ago1:03:43

1:03:43

Yale Professor Willie Jennings joins us to talk about the relationship between race and theology. We break down how this relationship manifests in Zionism, supercessionism, and Christian nationalism. We break these ideas down to understand where they have come from and what they are. We talk about the bizarreness of being introduced to academic the…

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28: Circle of Hope with Eliza Griswold 55:10

10M ago55:10

55:10

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Eliza Griswold joins us to talk about her new book Circle of Hope, a compelling and honest portrait of a progressive evangelical church. Griswold’s immersive journalism brings into focus how one church was impacted by division brought about by events like the pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement.…

1
27: Colonialism and Christianity with Kwok Pui Lan 58:05

10M ago58:05

58:05

Dr. Kwok Pui Lan joins us to share wisdom from her 2023 book The Anglican Tradition from a Postcolonial Perspective. We talk about what a postcolonial perspective is and how it can color our thinking on topics from the history and identity of the Anglican Church to the ecological crisis and more.By Berkeley Divinity School at Yale

1
26: Good Grief with Sarah Condon 51:41

11M ago51:41

51:41

The Rev’d Sarah Condon, co-host of Mockingcast, joins Hannah to talk about the twists and turns of life…in particular, vocation and grief.By Berkeley Divinity School at Yale

1
25: The Holy Spirit and the Heart with Simeon Zahl 52:44

11M ago52:44

52:44

Simeon Zahl, Professor of Christian Theology at the University of Cambridge, joins us to talk about the Holy Spirit. Our conversation ranges from who the Holy Spirit is to how we understand Christian experience to how the Book of Common Prayer is written with emotion in mind.By Berkeley Divinity School at Yale

1
24: Life After Doom with Brian McLaren 46:50

12M ago46:50

46:50

Brian McLaren joins us to share some of the riches from his new book Life After Doom: Wisdom and Courage for a World Falling Apart. The conversation names a feeling many of us have in our current world and helps us locate hope in the midst of it all.By Berkeley Divinity School at Yale

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23: Ordinary Faith in Polarized Times with Amy Carr and Christine Helmer 54:21

1y ago54:21

54:21

Professors Amy Carr and Christine Helmer join Hannah to talk about their new, timely book, Ordinary Faith in Polarized Times: Justification and the Pursuit of Justice. We take a moment in this season leading up to the presidential election to discuss high-conflict times and how we can move toward good conflict. We talk about how Christians can crea…

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22: Entrepreneurship with Denise Vargas 44:11

1y ago44:11

44:11

Executive Director of El Hogar Denise Vargas joins us to talk about entrepreneurship. She helps us think in an entrepreneurial way about ministry and grounds innovation in community. We also take a while to chat about Vargas’s life as a poet, to hear some of her poetry, and to talk about how poetry intersects with the work she does at El Hogar.…

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21: Christianity in American Politics with Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove 41:54

1y ago41:54

41:54

Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove joins us from the Yale Center for Public Theology and Public Policy. He describes the making of white, Christian nationalism and helps us see a different path forward, following the teachings of Jesus. He walks us through the reality of the New Right in the 1970s as a way for us to understand our positionality headed into …

1
20: Astronomy and Faith with Graziella Zinn 57:22

1y ago57:22

57:22

Astrophysicist Graziella di Tulliio Zinn joins Brandon and Hannah to chat about the beauty of the stars, Graziella’s experience of being a Christian astronomer, the Big Bang, the theology of Disney’s movie Wish, UFOs, the ethics of space junk, astrology, prayer, and more.By Berkeley Divinity School at Yale

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19: Digital Ministry with Lizzie McManus-Dail and Laura Di Panfilo 1:05:45

1y ago1:05:45

1:05:45

Father Lizzie and Mother Laura join us to talk about their vocation stories, how they each ended up doing digital ministry (accidentally), and why they joined forces to create their new podcast, “And Also With You.”By Berkeley Divinity School at Yale

1
18: Feminist Theology with Karen O’Donnell 1:00:11

1y ago1:00:11

1:00:11

Academic Dean of Westcott House Karen O’Donnell joins us from Cambridge for an intro to feminist theology. Dr. O’Donnell describes what feminist theology and trauma theology are, talks about her own journey into these fields, and considers where we go from here. Brandon, Hannah, and Karen (of course) also talk prayer and hope.…

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17: The Church and Prayer with Rowan Williams 40:15

1y ago40:15

40:15

The 104th Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams joins Brandon and Hannah to talk about church unity in the face of difference, vocation, and prayer. He explains how to engage in contemplative prayer and offers hope for the future of the church.By Berkeley Divinity School at Yale

1
16: Metaphors with Joy Clarkson 48:08

1+ y ago48:08

48:08

Joy Marie Clarkson, PhD joins us to discuss her latest book You Are a Tree: And Other Metaphors to Nourish Life, Thought, and Prayer. Hannah, Brandon, and Joy talk about what metaphors are and why they’re so useful in preaching, theology, and life. They ponder how humans are more like trees than machines and explore the metaphor of love as disease.…

1
15: Ecumenical Dialogues with Jamie Hawkey 51:13

1+ y ago51:13

51:13

The Rev’d Dr. Jamie Hawkey, Canon Theologian of Westminster Abbey, joins us to talk about dialogues between the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church. We discuss church unity, prayer in theology, and engaging the public through mysticism and the arts. Jamie, Brandon, and Hannah get a chance to talk about their shared love of Italy.…

1
14: Compassionate Leadership with Vicentia Kgabe 50:13

1+ y ago50:13

50:13

The Rt. Rev'd Dr. Vicentia Kgabe is Bishop of Lesotho. Bishop Vinny is the third woman bishop in Southern Africa and the sixth on the African continent. In 2023, Kgabe was invited by Archbishop Justin Welby to preach at the opening service of the Lambeth conference. Bishop Vinny joins us to talk about leading with compassion rather than power. She …

1
13: Songwriting and Spirituality with Craig Minowa 50:32

1+ y ago50:32

50:32

Craig Minowa is a singer-songwriter and the frontman of Cloud Cult, an indie rock band. In this episode, Minowa shares how his songwriting process is something of a spiritual journey through darkness to light.By Berkeley Divinity School at Yale

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12: Hunkering with Brandon & Hannah 1:01:30

1+ y ago1:01:30

1:01:30

Join Brandon and Hannah for a special Happy New Year Hunker. Grab a mug of candy cane green tea, because today we’re talking dogs, nativities, dogs in nativities, preaching, prayer, pizza, and more.By Berkeley Divinity School at Yale

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11: Thistle Farms with Becca Stevens 33:33

1+ y ago33:33

33:33

Becca Stevens, founder and president of Thistle Farms, joins us to reflect on her mission-driven work as a “love entrepreneur.” She shares stories from Thistle Farms, her wisdom about ministry outside of the parish, what it means that “love heals,” Thistle Farms Christmas present recommendations, and more!…

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10: Trans Figured with Sophie Grace Chappell 50:02

1+ y ago50:02

50:02

Today, The Leader's Way podcast turns 10...episodes that is. Happy double digits day! To celebrate, we're sharing a much-requested, much-anticipated episode: a conversation with Professor Sophie Grace Chappell. Listen as Brandon and Hannah chat with Professor Chappell about being a transgender person in a cisgender world. She reflects on her church…

1
9: Theology in the Public Sphere with Angela Gorrell 32:16

1+ y ago32:16

32:16

This week, the Rev'd Dr. Angela Gorrell joins us, and we talk about public theology, hybrid ministry, the Taylor Swift Eras Tour, grief, lament, and joy.By Berkeley Divinity School at Yale

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8: Leadership and the Joy of Parish Ministry with Winnie Varghese 30:15

1+ y ago30:15

30:15

In this episode, the Rev’d Winnie Varghese, Rector of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Atlanta, Georgia, joins us to talk about parish ministry. We chat about Mariology, in-person church in the wake of the pandemic, and joy in ministry.By Berkeley Divinity School at Yale

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7: Speaking about Satan with Gabrielle Thomas 28:37

1+ y ago28:37

28:37

In this Halloween episode, the Rev’d Dr. Gabrielle Thomas and Dr. Hannah Black talk about some of their favorite people: the fourth century Cappadocians. Thomas shares what her research has uncovered about the Cappadocians’ understanding of the devil. Spoiler: He is not a red guy with horns. Rather, our fourth-century guides view him as the enemy o…

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6: A Case for Love with Michael Curry and Andrew McGowan 33:21

1+ y ago33:21

33:21

In this episode, hear from Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and Dean of Berkeley Divinity School Andrew McGowan on the centrality of love to Christianity. This live conversation, mediated by nationally bestselling author Deborah Royce, was recorded at the Yale Club in New York City inMay 2023. It celebrates the debut of the film, A Case for Love, a G…

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