Give And Take

David Litt entered the White House in 2011 and left in 2016 as a special assistant to the president and senior presidential speechwriter. Described as the “comic muse for the president,” David was the lead writer on four White House Correspondents’ Dinner presentations and has contributed jokes to President Obama’s speeches since 2009. He is currently the head writer/producer for Funny or Die’s office in Washington, DC. David has also written for The Onion, McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, Cosmopolitan, Vanity Fair, The Atlantic, and the New York Times. He lives in Washington with his girlfriend and their two goldfish, Humphrey and Camille. Full of hilarious stories and told in a truly original voice, his first book, Thanks, Obama (https://www.amazon.com/Thanks-Obama-Hopey-Changey-White/dp/0062568450/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1508343668&sr=8-1) is an exciting debut about what it means – personally, professionally, and politically – to grow up. Special Guest: David Litt.

My guest is Darren Moorman. He's produced numerous feature films. His most recent film, Same Kind Of Difference As Me (https://www.samekindofdifferentasme.com), premiers on October 20th. It stars Renee Zellweger, Greg Kinnear, Djimon Hounsou and John Voight. It's based on The New York Times Bestseller that tells the story of a dangerous, homeless drifter who grew up picking cotton in virtual slavery, an upscale art dealer accustomed to the world of Armani and Chanel and a gutsy woman with a stubborn dream. Special Guest: Darren Moorman.

My guest today is Robert P. Jones. He's the CEO of the Public Religion Research Institute, and the author of several books, including "The End of White Christian America." The American religious landscape is undergoing a dramatic transformation. White Christians, once the dominant religious group in the U.S., now account for fewer than half of all adults living in the country. Today, fewer than half of all states are majority white Christian. As recently as 2007, 39 states had majority white Christian populations. These are two of the major findingsfrom PRRI’s 2016 American Values Atlas, the single largest survey of American religious and denominational identity ever conducted. This landmark report is based on a sample of more than 101,000 Americans from all 50 states and includes detailed information about their religious affiliation, denominational ties, political affiliation, and other important demographic attributes. Special Guest: Robert P. Jones.

My guests are Deborah and Mark Parker. Deborah Parker is Professor of Italian at the University of Virginia. Mark Parker is Professor of English at James Madison University. They are coauthors of Inferno Revealed: From Dante to Dan Brown, and most recently, Sucking Up: A Brief Consideration of Sycophancy. Special Guest: Deborah & Mark Parker.

My guest is Alan Jacobs. His most recent book is "How To Think: A Survival Guide For A World At Odds." As a celebrated cultural critic and a writer for national publications like The Atlantic and Harper’s, Alan Jacobs has spent his adult life belonging to communities that often clash in America’s culture wars. And in his years of confronting the big issues that divide us—political, social, religious—Jacobs has learned that many of our fiercest disputes occur not because we’re doomed to be divided, but because the people involved simply aren’t thinking. Special Guest: Alan Jacobs.

Karen Wright Marsh is executive director and cofounder of Theological Horizons, a university ministry that has advanced theological scholarship at the intersection of faith, thought, and life since 1991. Her new book is "Vintage Saints And Sinners: 25 Christians Who Transformed My Faith." Karen directs daily programs, writes resources and curriculum, teaches weekly classes, mentors students, leads the staff, and speaks at retreats, churches, and campus ministries. She holds degrees in philosophy and linguistics from Wheaton College and the University of Virginia. Karen lives in Charlottesville, Virginia, with her husband, Charles Marsh. Special Guest: Karen Wright Marsh.

My guest is Herman Portocarero. He is a Belgian-born writer and diplomat of Spanish and Portuguese descent. He has published more than twenty works of fiction and nonfiction, including the Hercule Poirot Prize-winning crime novel New Yorkse Nachten (New York Nights). He is just finished his term as the European Union ambassador to Cuba. His newest book is "Havana Without Makeup: Inside The Soul Of The City." Special Guest: Herman Portocarero.

My guest is Kieran Setiya. He teaches philosophy at MIT, working mainly in ethics, epistemology, and the philosophy of mind. He's the author of "Reasons without Rationalism" and "Knowing Right From Wrong." His most recent book is "Midlife: A Philosophical Guide." It comes out on October 3, 2017. You can buy the book here: bit.ly/midlifeguide. Special Guest: Kieran Setiya.

My guest is Melissa Febos. She's the author of two critically acclaimed memoirs, "Whip Smart" and "Abandon Me". Her work has been widely anthologized and appears in publications including Tin House, Granta, The Kenyon Review, Prairie Schooner, Glamour, Guernica, Post Road, Salon, The New York Times, Elle UK, The Guardian, Vogue.com, Hunger Mountain, Portland Review, Dissent, The Chronicle of Higher Education Review, Bitch Magazine, Poets & Writers, The Rumpus, Drunken Boat, and Goodbye to All That: Writers on Loving and Leaving New York. Special Guest: Melissa Febos.

John Goldingay is the David Allan Hubbard Professor of Old Testament at Fuller Theological Seminary. He has been at Fuller since 1997. He was previously principal and a professor of Old Testament at St John’s Theological College in Nottingham, England. He is also priest-in-charge of St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in Pasadena. Goldingay says that “For me, being a professor is a subset of being a pastor." He's author of numerous books, including most recently, "Reading Jesus's Bible: How the New Testament Helps Us Understand the Old Testament." He was married to Ann for 43 years until she died in 2009. He is now married to Kathleen and the two of them are well-known in jazz and other clubs in the Los Angeles area. Special Guest: John Goldingay.

My guest is Mike Cosper. He's the author of "Rhythms of Grace" and "The Stories We Tell" (both published by Crossway Books), the co-author of "Faithmapping. His newest book is "Recapturing the Wonder: Transcendent Faith in a Disenchanted World." He's the host of Cultivated: A Podcast about Faith and Work, and is developing The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, a podcast about faith and culture. Prior to launching Harbor Media, Mike served as one of the founding pastors at Sojourn Church in Louisville, Kentucky, and launched Sojourn Music – a collective of musicians writing songs for the church. He lives in Louisville, Kentucky with his wife, Sarah, and their daughters Dorothy and Maggie. Special Guest: Mike Cosper.

My guest is Gregory Coles. He was born in upstate New York, wasraised on the Indonesian island of Java, and is now a PhD candidate studying English in central Pennsylvania. He's the author of "Single, Gay, Christian: A Personal Journey Of Faith And Sexual Identity." Special Guest: Gregory Coles.

The Rev. Kenneth Tanner is pastor of Church of the Holy Redeemer in Rochester Hills, Mich. He writes for numerous websites and magazines, including The Huffington Post and Sojourners. Special Guest: Kenneth Tanner.

My guest is MacKenzie Kuhns. She is the founder and owner of Stillz Design, a strategic design studio. She has always loved creating, curating and the value of aesthetic and design, which is why she is passionate about helping small business owners communicate their passions and crafts through strategic design. To see her work or inquire about working with her visit her website: www.stilltzdesign.com. Special Guest: MacKenzie Kuhns.

My guest is Evan Money. Evan in a bestselling author, Global Entrepreneur and Executive Producer of the ground breaking film "Words of Art", starring Joel Osteen, Darren Hardy, Zig Ziglar, Jim Rohn and more. Evan and his bride of 19 years and counting, remarry in a different state or country every year. Evan is also the co-founder of The Personal Growth Hall of Fame. His most recent book is "Money Talks, Frustration Walks." Millions have seen Evan on ABC, NBC, CBS, The CW, Lifetime and Armed Forces Network, he has also been featured in Fast Company Magazine, SUCCESS Magazine, Delta Skyways & even the British Tabloids. Special Guest: Evan Money.

My guest is Ken Wytsma. He is the lead pastor of global ministries at Antioch Church and is president of Kilns College, where he teaches courses on philosophy and justice. His most recent book is "The Myth Of Equality: Uncovering the Roots of Injustice and Privilege." Ken is a leader, innovator, and social entrepreneur. His work takes him around the world as a frequent international speaker on justice, theology, and leadership. Ken is known for his depth of insight and ability to inspire others to think deeply about faith, life, and leadership. Publisher’s Weekly called Ken, “one of the new breed of evangelical Christians returning to scripture to redeem justice as a central tenet of faith.” Ken is the founder of The Justice Conference, which has reached over thirty thousand people across seven countries with a message on a theology of justice and God’s call to give our lives away. He is also the lead pastor of global ministries at Antioch Church and is president of Kilns College, where he teaches courses on

Melinda Viergever Inman is a prodigal with a passion to write. She authors fiction illustrating God's love for wounded people, making beauty of ashes. The most recent of her three novels is "No Longer Alone." It's based on a true story. Melinda vigorously pursued the task of educating her six rambunctious and precocious children for twenty-eight years. A full and busy life crowded out serious writing. Writing then consisted of the many journals she kept. Now all her children are launched into adulthood, and she has embarked on a full-time writing career. Writing is her ministry. After receiving an intensive theological education from her church, in 2005 her pastor invited her to write the church’s bible-study material. Since then, she has created these resources. Each year, they are published by her church. She will soon market her bible studies on her website, where she authors a bi-weekly inspirational blog – http://melindainman.com. Melinda shepherds women in bible study and prison ministry, and she engag

Danya Ruttenberg writes books about the messy business of trying to be a person in the world, and how spirituality can inform and transform that work. Sometimes that’s about parenting, sometimes feminism, sex, God, justice, or joy. Her most recent book, "Nurture The Wow", has just been released in paperback. She’s a highly-sought keynote speaker and lecturer who has been named by Newsweek and The Daily Beast as one of ten “rabbis to watch,” and one of the top 50 most influential women rabbis. Special Guest: Danya Ruttenberg.

My guest is Fiona Helmsley. Her most recent book of essays is entitled "Girls Gone Old." Her writing can be found online at websites like The Rumpus, Jezebel, The Weeklings, The Hairpin, PANK and in various anthologies like Ladyland and The Best Sex Writing of the Year. A multiple Pushcart nominee, her book of essays and stories, My Body Would be the Kindest of Strangers was released in 2015. She is an MFA candidate at L’École de Merde. Special Guest: Fiona Helmsley.

My guest is Mike Konczal. He is a Fellow with the Roosevelt Institute, where he works on financial reform, unemployment, inequality, and a progressive vision of the economy. He has recently written some pieces for Vox on Neo-Liberalism, which were the subject of our conversation. You can find Mike's pieces on Neo-Liberalism here: https://www.vox.com/the-big-idea/2017/7/18/15992226/neoliberalism-chait-austerity-democratic-party-sanders-clinton https://www.vox.com/the-big-idea/2017/7/7/15930996/stock-market-democrats-wilderness-strategy-economics You can find more of his writings here: https://rortybomb.wordpress.com/portfolio/ Special Guest: Mike Konczal.