All Shall Be Well: Conversations With Women In The Academy And Beyond

“You discover these people who uniquely speak to you, who are not just wonderful and wise in their own right, but actually become your teacher and your friend in a very real way.”  — Grace Hamman Author and scholar Grace Hamman joins us on the podcast to discuss medieval Christian ideas and the ways they can impact our spiritual lives today.  What can we learn from medieval Christians about Jesus and how could such ideas connect with our modern day world? Author and scholar Grace Hamman joins us on the podcast to discuss her book Jesus through Medieval Eyes: Beholding Christ with the Artists, Mystics, and Theologians of the Middle Ages. Grace writes about medieval representations of Jesus, highlighting ways that these images can enrich our own faith today. Grace helps us to see that a deep understanding of these historical concepts allows us to expand our view of God and reveal our own unexplored assumptions, much in the way we grow when learning about other present-day cultures. Grace doesn’t shy away from t

“God loves you and there is a community of women who can love you too." — Tara Edelschick Authors Tara Edelschick and Kathy Tuan-MacLean join us on the podcast to discuss parenthood, life in the academy, and the path toward spiritual transformation.  How does the work of parenting create space for deep spiritual transformation? Authors Tara Edelschick and Kathy Tuan-MacLean join us on the podcast to discuss their book Moms at the Well: Meeting God through the Mothers of Scripture. Tara and Kathy describe their own journeys of struggle and growth as they each parented young children, developing a friendship along the way that sustained them through their darkest moments. They co-authored Moms at the Well — a robust, 7-week Bible study experience — to encourage other parents through struggle and into an experience of grace. We talk together about their graduate school studies and the ways academic spaces can offer particular challenges to parents. It was really fun to talk with these two friends and I think you

"I don’t think people really understand what systemic racism, structural violence, and equity actually are because I think if you do, you realize they’re holy words — because they’re showing us where heaven isn’t quite on earth yet." — Dr. Emily Smith Epidemiologist and professor Dr. Emily Smith joins us on the podcast to discuss compassion, public health, and the challenges of thriving as a woman in science.  How do we live as true neighbors in a world that is designed for more for competition and inequality than compassion? Epidemiologist and professor Dr. Emily Smith joins us on the podcast to discuss her book The Science of the Good Samaritan: Thinking Bigger About Loving Our Neighbors. During the height of the pandemic, Emily became known as The Friendly Neighborhood Epidemiologist through her social media outlets where she reached 3-4 million people per month during the years 2020-2021. I remember those days, and I depended on Emily’s updates to help me stay informed about keeping safe while the public

"The Spirit accompanies us wherever we are….Worship opens us up to the realm of the Spirit. And it’s not just to be opened up for the times we are in church, but for our work in the world and our life in the world." — Jeanne Porter King Author and leadership coach Dr. Jeanne Porter King joins us on the podcast to discuss wellness, leadership, and the opportunities for Black women.  What does it look like to thrive as a leader while resisting oppressive forces in our culture? Author and leadership coach Dr. Jeanne Porter King joins us on the podcast to discuss her book Leading Well: A Black Woman’s Guide to Wholistic, Barrier-Breaking Leadership. The book follows the story of the Samaritan woman at The Well in John 4, establishing a framework for leadership that uniquely reflects the lives of women of color. Jeanne writes about specific challenges that Black women face in leadership roles, educating all of us and offering widely applicable leadership wisdom. We talk about the role of the Holy Spirit in pursuin

“Theological education means paying attention to all of the sources that shape you spiritually, theologically, and seeing that the questions you’re asking as a parent or as a student is theological reflection in practice.” — Maria Liu Wong Author and educator Maria Liu Wong joins us on the podcast to discuss the ways community and relationships create space for the riches of theological education.  How can we open ourselves to the opportunities for theological education all around us — whether or not we are in seminary? Author and educator Dr. Maria Liu Wong joins us on the podcast to discuss her book On Becoming Wise Together: Learning and Leading in the City. This book is part of a 12- volume series with the Theological Education between the Times project, a diverse initiative that explores the changing landscape of theological education. Maria offers her own rich life experiences as a medium through which she tunes into the theological lessons God has for her as she digs deeply into the stories of her fami

“I think the key is to invite people into a space with you — to be the one who is always inviting people is the way to be in academia….Invitation is a great virtue to cultivate in a younger person.” — Tiffany Eberle Kriner English professor and author Tiffany Eberle Kriner joins us on the podcast to explore the ways caring for the earth, the life of the mind, and our common humanity intersect. What does it look like to combine a calling to write and teach with a lifestyle of nurturing the land? English professor and author Tiffany Eberle Kriner describes the joys and tensions of her multifaceted life in her book In Thought, Word, and Seed: Reckonings from a Midwest Farm. Tiffany shares her experiences of both teaching and caring for the earth and describes how they inform one another in remarkable ways. In a book written mostly during the pandemic, Tiffany offers insightful reflections on race, hope, faith, and the beauty of life. Her essays  take unexpected angles on a story that we have all lived through in

“The best way for us to work out our thoughts and feelings and experiences about race is in relationship with another human being. ” — Krystal Hays Professors Krystal Hays and Veola Vazquez talk with us about building and deepening cross-race relationships in a way that reflects deep faith and rigorous research.  How can we faithfully navigate the complexities of race in our everyday relationships? Professors Krystal Hays and Veola Vazquez join us on the podcast to talk about their book Healing Conversations on Race: Four Key Practices From Scripture and Psychology. These women partnered on this book with two other colleagues — Joshua Knabb and Charles Lee-Johnson. Together, they developed the HEAL model for building and deepening cross-race relationships. The model is grounded in the narrative of Scripture and informed by psychology and social science. Krystal and Veola are both inspiring and practical, and I think you’ll really enjoy learning from them.  Also — I’m pleased to tell you that InterVarsity Pres

“The self is the person that was beautifully and wonderfully created in the image of God. And so self-care for me is about taking care of that, is recognizing that I am a gift of God. Every one of us is a gift from God — our creation, our existence is a gift from God. How do I respond to that gift?” — Chanequa Walker-Barnes Psychologist and professor Chanequa Walker-Barnes talks with us about the importance of self-care for our spiritual well-being and why this matters to women academics. What comes to mind when you think of the phrase “self-care”? Dr. Chanequa Walker-Barnes joins us on the podcast to discuss the spiritual benefits of self-care and its role in our human flourishing. In her book Sacred Self-Care: Daily Practices for Nurturing Our Whole Selves, Chanequa offers practical strategies for caring for ourselves in body, mind, and soul. In our conversation, she explains that we’ll be able to care for others and live out our purposes in the world much more effectively when we make sure that our needs a

“Be yourself! Be your own crazy self. Authenticity is more important than being a 'should.'” — Jennifer L. Holberg English professor and author Jennifer Holberg talks with us about the power of narrative, the ways story can shape our lives, and the joy of teaching. Who doesn’t love a good story? English professor Jennifer Holberg joined us on the podcast to talk about the ways literature, Scripture, film, art, and life experience all weave themselves together in shaping our souls and our culture. Jennifer explores these ideas in her book Nourishing Narratives: The Power of Story to Shape our Faith, a book which draws the reader into the process of carefully examining and reflecting on the stories in our lives. I found so much joy in reading Jennifer’s delightful book, and my conversation with her was just as compelling. As you might expect, she is a wonderful storyteller! Jennifer generously shares wise words from her decades of teaching and offers beautiful words of encouragement for our listeners. Also — I’

“When you have the face-to-face depth of relationship and that shared commitment to looking out that is where we find really, really deep satisfaction.” — Amy L. Sherman Listen in on our fall book club interview as Women Scholars and Professionals book club host Jasmine Obeyesekere conducts an online discussion with author, scholar, and practitioner Dr. Amy Sherman where they talk about how Christians can be agents of flourishing in our world. Are you troubled by the brokenness in every aspect of human life? Do you want to explore how our Christian faith speaks to real world problems? In this finale of our Fall Book Club, we engage in conversation with Amy Sherman about her book Agents of Flourishing: Pursuing Shalom in Every Corner of Society. You'll enjoy this rich conversation even if you weren't able to participate in the book club! Dr. Amy Sherman shows how Christians can contribute to the flourishing of all human life both through our vocations and through the church. You will be inspired to ponder how

“Advent turns our eyes away from [ourselves] toward this much bigger story of God’s salvation of all the cosmos.” — Tish Harrison Warren Anglican priest and author Tish Harrison Warren talks with us about the traditions of Advent and how to observe the season meaningfully in the midst of a busy season. It’s November 2023 and the beginning of Advent is rapidly approaching in just a couple of weeks on December 3. But what exactly is Advent and how can we observe it well? Anglican priest and author Tish Harrison Warren joined us on the podcast for a discussion of her recent book, Advent: The Season of Hope. Tish’s background as a campus minister with InterVarsity’s Graduate and Faculty Ministries gives her special insight into the busy nature of December, and she offers practical and grace-filled advice for praying through Advent as an academic. The book isn’t an Advent devotional, but instead a book that orients the reader to the practices and traditions of Advent and suggests ways to integrate them into life t

“There is hope and there is fruit and there is life, whether or not we one day have children. And I hope that in looking at these 25 women, that people might be encouraged and inspired and realize what abundance there is out there.” — Rev. Elizabeth Felicetti Episcopal priest and author Elizabeth Felicetti talks with us about living a rich and generative life as a woman without children and the twenty-five women who have inspired her. What does it look like to live a rich and generative life as a woman without children? The Reverend Elizabeth Felicetti joined us on the podcast to explore this question and talk about some of the twenty-five women she has written about in her book Unexpected Abundance: The Fruitful Lives of Women Without Children. Elizabeth shares from her own personal experience of life as a barren woman — a term which you’ll hear her reclaim in a beautifully positive way. She weaves her own story, including an ongoing fight against cancer, into the book as she highlights strong and refreshing

“I could not see when we moved what God would have for me in that place. But God was faithful. He had something in mind.” — Lynn Gill Lynn Gill is a chemist, a scholar, and the recently-appointed Vice President for InterVarsity’s Graduate and Faculty Ministries. Listen in as we discuss her journey through academia, her moments of discernment, and the spiritual habits that have supported her along the way. Can I introduce you to a very special person? Lynn Gill is a chemist, a scholar, a lover of books, a devoted follower of Jesus, and the recently-appointed Vice President for InterVarsity’s Graduate and Faculty Ministries. I sat down with Lynn to hear a little bit about her life, her love for graduate students and faculty, and her faith journey. And I promise I’m not just saying this because she is my boss’s boss’s boss — Lynn is a truly remarkable person with deep spiritual wisdom and lots of stories to show for it. I found it fascinating to hear about Lynn’s complex career path and the way she discerned eac

“So many approaches that want to push back against sexism (and rightly so) have taken the approach of either throwing Paul under the bus or throwing Scripture under the bus in their desire to elevate women. It’s not the best way.” — Sandra L. Glahn Professor and scholar Sandra Glahn talks with us about her research in Ephesian culture, the value of narrative in teaching, and the joy of learning.  In 1 Timothy 2, Paul writes that women will be “saved through childbearing.” What exactly does that mean? Professor Sandra Glahn joined us on the podcast to talk about her research into Artemis of the Ephesians and the profound impact it had on her understanding of Paul’s often-misunderstood words. Sandra’s book, Nobody’s Mother: Artemis of the Ephesians in Antiquity and the New Testament helped me to make sense of this complicated text by understanding the historical and cultural context Paul wrote in. Sandra and I talk about her own story, the work of scholarship and research, and the exciting developments in arche

“What if I actually took Jesus literally and … looked at the birds of the air and actually noticed the flowers? We relate to the natural world how we relate to each other.... If we disregard the natural world, it’s so much easier to disregard people in our midst.” — Kat Armas Author and scholar Kat Armas shares ideas from her new devotional about our connection with earth, cosmos, nature, fellow humans, Scripture, and the liberating heart of God. How might we reconsider the world around us as we press on to know God more fully? Author Kat Armas joined us on the podcast to discuss her new book, Sacred Belonging: A 40-Day Devotional on the Liberating Heart of Scripture. Kat talks about her own journey of learning to integrate ideas of ecology, embodiment, and ancient wisdom with her study of Scripture, ultimately discovering some fresh avenues for connection with God. It’s a very different kind of devotional, one that seeks to disentangle biblical teaching from power structures that marginalize women and people

“I would imagine that most of us could realize that there is this great intersection between who I am, what I love to do, what I feel called to do, and what I see are the felt and important needs of our communities.” — Dorcas Cheng-Tozun Author Dorcas Cheng-Tozun talks with us about pursuing justice while honoring one’s own particular sensitivities.  What does it look like to pursue social justice efforts when one’s nature is particularly sensitive? Author Dorcas Cheng-Tozun writes about this dynamic in her recent book Social Justice for the Sensitive Soul: How to Change the World in Quiet Ways. I sat down with Dorcas to talk about the gifts and challenges of being a Highly Sensitive Person and the ways she has learned to embrace her own limitations while continuing to use her strengths to do good in the world. Dorcas offers practical strategies, spiritual encouragement, and historical models for honoring both soul and vision. This conversation will be beneficial both for those who identify as Highly Sensitiv

“Do I go to Scripture asking different questions? Do I come with a posture of assuming I will be both comforted and convicted? That I might be critiqued? Do I have myself in the posture to hear that or not?” — Kaitlyn Schiess Author and scholar Kaitlyn Schiess talks with us about political theology in American history and how learning about it can impact our own faithful engagement with politics today.  With the 2024 presidential election is just around the corner, it’s a good time to ask probing questions about Scripture, power, and what would take for our political theology to be shaped by God. Author and scholar Kaitlyn Schiess joined us on the podcast to discuss her recent book, The Ballot and the Bible: How Scripture Has Been Used and Abused in American Politics and Where We Go from Here. In this book, Kaitlyn highlights examples of biblical interpretation throughout American history, examples that are distanced enough from our context today that they can helping us see some common pitfalls that lead to

“Whatever is true of the Christian faith is true for all times and all people, not just 21st century American evangelicals.” — Karen Swallow Prior Author and scholar Karen Swallow Prior talks with us about the historical influences around evangelical culture and how they impact the expression of faith today. What forces have shaped the evangelical culture and how can understanding them shape our future? Author and scholar Karen Swallow Prior joined us on the podcast to discuss her recent book, The Evangelical Imagination: How Stories, Images, and Metaphors Created a Culture in Crisis. Karen talks with us about the history of evangelicalism and the way Victorian influences impact its expression even today, helping us to consider what ideas are Christian and what are merely cultural. Karen also offers some sound advice for those who are beginning their academic careers, and if you listen to the very end of the podcast, you’ll hear an excerpt from our conversation in which Karen shares thoughts on responding to

“Every day I want to praise or thank someone in the building for a task or a work well done. And thank God that God called them to this place and gave them the talent and ability that they exercise." — Gordon T. Smith Listen in on an exclusive peek into our fall book club interview as Women Scholars and Professionals book club host Jasmine Obeyesekere conducts an online discussion with author and professor Gordon T. Smith where they discuss vocation, spiritual engagement, and personal congruence. Do you want to find personal congruence with your institution? Would your approach to your work environment be different, if you thought of yourself as embodying God’s welcome at your workplace? How does the reality that our thinking is secular unless we learn to think Christianly about all of life grip you? In this finale of our Fall Book Club, we engage in conversation with Gordon Smith about his book Your Calling Here and Now. You'll enjoy this rich conversation even if you weren't able to participate in the book

“The way we think about this topic, the way we construe what it means to be human, has enormous implications for how we treat people and how we structure our institutions and our churches so that people can flourish.” — Carmen Joy Imes Author and professor Carmen Joy Imes talks with us about theology's impact on our daily lives, the unique dignity of humanity, and the ways we can honor God's image in each of us. What does it mean that humans are made in the image of God, and how does this knowledge affect the way we live? Author and professor Carmen Joy Imes joined us on the podcast to discuss her recent book, Being God’s Image: Why Creation Still Matters. Carmen talks with us about the way theology impacts our daily lives, the unique dignity of humanity, and what we can do to honor God’s image in ourselves and in our life together. Longtime readers of The Well will recognize Carmen’s name from the many articles and prayers that she has published over the years, and so it was a special delight to have a chanc