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

"God’s vision for your singleness is much more wonderfully profound than the church’s vision has been and that your own vision has been. Even if you feel that your singleness is a tragedy, in God’s eyes, it is not at all tragic." — Dani Treweek Theological researcher Rev. Dr. Dani Treweek talks with us about the understanding of singleness throughout history, the questions that face us today, and how we might think differently about relationships and the church. In a world focused on marriage and children, what does it look like for single Christians to live lives of fullness and joy? Author Dani Treweek joined us on the podcast to discuss the ideas from her book The Meaning of Singleness: Retrieving an Eschatological Vision for the Contemporary Church. Dani’s research on this topic covers historical patterns and present day questions, and ultimately offers a series of practical suggestions and hopeful worldview shifts. This book is not just for single people — it’s a book for all of us as we ask questions an

"I hope the book catches folks who are realizing that faith shouldn’t be colorblind and that Jesus sees us in all of our sociolocation and all of who we are." — Sabrina S. Chan Authors Sabrina S. Chan and La Thao talk with us about Asian American identity formation and the ways history, culture, and community intersect with Christian faith. For each of us, the stories of culture, race, and ethnicity lay the foundation of our identities and our expressions of faith. In today’s conversation, author Sabrina S. Chan and La Thao talk with me about Asian American identity from a Christian perspective. Together with two other authors, they have written the book Learning Our Names: Asian American Christians on Identity, Relationships, and Vocation, exploring the history and stories of the Asian diaspora in America and their impact on vocation, faith, and identity. Sabrina and La discuss the significance of this book at this time in history, the distinctiveness of different Asian cultures in America, and the gifts of

"A true ally allows the talent and exquisite giftedness of the person you’re allying to go forward as you lose the spotlight and allow it to shine on her." — Dr. Mimi Haddad President and CEO Mimi Haddad talks with us about her leadership of Christians for Biblical Equality and the worldwide work to liberate women and men from Christian patriarchy. What would it be like to live in a world where biblical and social barriers to women’s equality don’t exist? Our guest today, Mimi Haddad, has spent decades working to educate, advocate, and liberate women and men from Christian patriarchy through her leadership with Christians for Biblical Equality. CBE is an international organization that has challenged biblical and patriarchal social barriers for over 30 years. My colleague Karen Guzman sits down with Mimi to talk about some of the challenges that women face in the university world and ways to serve as leaders and allies. I loved hearing Mimi talk about the positive impact on societies around the world when wom

From my perspective, education is about passing the best that has been thought and said across culture and time so that the next group of people might love and glorify God. If that’s the case, then we might teach differently.” — Jessica Hooten Wilson Author and professor Jessica Hooten Wilson talks with us about the spiritual practice of reading, the ways books shape our souls, and the impact this posture has on our teaching. One of my favorite things about our podcast listener community is that we are a people who love to read and who crave learning and growing as we engage with the written word. So — we invited author and professor Jessica Hooten Wilson to our podcast to talk about the joy of reading as a spiritual practice. Jessica’s recent book Reading for the Love of God: How to Read as a Spiritual Practice, outlines ways that Christian thinkers across the ages have developed their faith through the act of reading — and then instructs us in some practices that can help all of us to read generously and wi

“We are worthy to be listened to and attuned to. That is a valid and necessary human need. And the beauty is that it actually makes us able to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.” — Aundi Kolber Therapist Aundi Kolber returns to talk with us about cultivating inner strength, paying attention to our needs, and ways to stay grounded in God's love. Many of us have been raised with the idea that strength means pushing your own limits in order to achieve your goals. But what if there was another way? A way that honored your needs while also cultivating strength? In this conversation, author and therapist Aundi Kolber walks us through a fresh vision of strength as we discuss her book Strong like Water: Finding the Freedom, Safety, and Compassion to Move through Hard Things — and Experience True Flourishing. This is Aundi’s third time on the podcast and I’m so glad she is back with us. Aundi’s deep faith informs her understanding of strength, and the tools she suggests for growth are very relevant for anyone fac

“Scripture and the gospel — they're so much bigger than the categories we use….I want people to open their hearts and minds to what God is saying — not just what they ‘think’ that God is saying.” — Nijay Gupta New Testament professor Nijay Gupta talks with us about women leaders in the early church, the context and culture of these first-century Christians, and what we can learn from these women today. Our conversation today features Dr. Nijay Gupta, professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary and author of Tell Her Story: How Women Led, Taught, and Ministered in the Early Church. In our conversation, Nijay shines a light on women leaders in the Bible, explaining their roles and their authority through a close reading of the biblical text and a rich description of the cultural context of the day. Nijay talks about some common misconceptions we have of women in the early church, and he encourages us all to read the Bible with an openness to being surprised by God. I really enjoyed talking with Nijay and he

"Let’s not be afraid to ask questions of the text. God will not be harmed by our questions. Our God is bigger than those questions. So let’s never stop asking tough questions about the Bible." — Love Lazarus Sechrest Womanist biblical scholar Love Sechrest sits down with us to talk about reading Scripture with a disciplined exploration of culture, both in ancient times and today. Let me invite you into a conversation with Dr. Love Lazarus Sechrest, womanist biblical scholar and author of the book Race & Rhyme: Rereading the New Testament. In her writing, Love pairs a deep respect for Scripture with a disciplined exploration of culture, both from biblical times and today. The book was a demanding read for me and I had lots questions, but Love is a wonderful teacher and does a masterful job of explaining her approach to Scripture and the way she finds elements in our culture today that “rhyme” with biblical texts. Love also has a fascinating history, coming to her field of study as a second career scholar.

"I think the points of failure are the points where I see God most clearly stepping in and reorienting." — Kendall Vanderslice Baker and theologian Kendall Vanderslice chats with us about the struggles of disordered eating, the search for vocation, her experience as a single woman, and God's presence through it all as we discuss her new memoir. Today I’m excited to share a conversation with Kendall Vanderslice, a professional baker, practical theologian, and author of By Bread Alone: A Baker’s Reflections on Hunger, Longing, and the Goodness of God.  This is Kendall’s second time on the podcast, and I was thrilled to catch up with her and dig into her new book. By Bread Alone is part memoir, part spiritual reflection, with lots of incredible stories and a handful of recipes thrown in for good measure. Kendall’s story is riveting as she shares deeply about her childhood, her struggle with disordered eating and food sensitivities, her search for her vocation, and her experience as a single woman cultivating a s

"I hope it's a useful text, a text that helps us think about God .. someone with whom we can fall in love." — Bonnie Smith Whitehouse Bonnie Smith Whitehouse talks with us about her professional calling into academia, the wonder of God's created world, and creative habits for spiritual reflection from her new book. I’m excited to invite you into a conversation with Bonnie Smith Whitehouse, English professor and author of Seasons of Wonder: Making the Ordinary Sacred Through Projects, Prayers, Reflections, and Rituals. This handbook walks us through each week of the year with thoughtful, guided reflections to help us engage with the presence of God in our everyday world. I really enjoyed reading Bonnie’s creative ideas, and it turned out to be even more energizing to have a conversation with her — if you had been there, you would have seen the way Bonnie’s whole face lights up as she is talking about this book and the way we can shape our days to deepen our connection with God and our wonder at God’s created w

"All of the little habits — these urges to check our phones, to check our platforms — those are shaping us." — Felicia Wu Song 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 sociologist Dr. Felicia Wu Song where they discuss digital habits, community, and spiritual formation. How do you engage with the digital technology in your life? Do you wish for a time when your phone didn't rule your life? In this finale of our Fall Book Club, we engage in conversation with Felicia Wu Song about her book Restless Devices: Recovering Personhood, Presence, and Place in the Digital Age. You'll enjoy this rich conversation even if you weren't able to participate in the book club! Felicia Wu Song shows us that even though we rightly long for community, we settle for connection instead, and shows us how our souls are being formed by the digital world we inhabit in ways we may not always be con

Embracing a New Year: Part 5 This year, as we’ve been talking with women in academia, we’ve heard one thing loud and clear: taking time for reflection is the first step in crafting a life that is satisfying, sustainable, and focused on the work God has called us to do. To that end, we’re exploring a practice of short, manageable reflections together this Advent which you can enjoy in audio or written form, receiving them in the way that works best for your life. This is our fifth and final episode of our Advent 2022 series, so if you haven’t yet heard the first episode, give that one a listen if you’d like some more context. Listen in, read the transcript at our website, and download the questions for reflection. We're so glad you're here! — Ann Boyd   For show notes or more information please visit our article at The Well. If you'd like to support the work of InterVarsity's Women Scholars and Professionals, including future podcasts such as this episode, you can do so at givetoiv.org/wsap. Thank you for lis

Letting Go: Part 4 This year, as we’ve been talking with women in academia, we’ve heard one thing loud and clear: taking time for reflection is the first step in crafting a life that is satisfying, sustainable, and focused on the work God has called us to do. To that end, we’re exploring a practice of short, manageable reflections together this Advent which you can enjoy in audio or written form, receiving them in the way that works best for your life. This is our fourth episode of our Advent 2022 series, so if you haven’t yet heard the first episode, give that one a listen if you’d like some more context. Listen in, read the transcript at our website, and download the questions for reflection. We're so glad you're here! — Ann Boyd For show notes or more information please visit our article at The Well. If you'd like to support the work of InterVarsity's Women Scholars and Professionals, including future podcasts such as this episode, you can do so at givetoiv.org/wsap. Thank you for listening!

Staying Present: Part 3 This year, as we’ve been talking with women in academia, we’ve heard one thing loud and clear: taking time for reflection is the first step in crafting a life that is satisfying, sustainable, and focused on the work God has called us to do. To that end, we’re exploring a practice of short, manageable reflections together this Advent which you can enjoy in audio or written form, receiving them in the way that works best for your life. This is our third episode of our Advent 2022 series, so if you haven’t yet heard the first episode, give that one a listen if you’d like some more context. Listen in, read the transcript at our website, and download the questions for reflection. We're so glad you're here! — Ann Boyd   For show notes or more information please visit our article at The Well. If you'd like to support the work of InterVarsity's Women Scholars and Professionals, including future podcasts such as this episode, you can do so at givetoiv.org/wsap. Thank you for listening!  

Looking Ahead: Part 2 This year, as we’ve been talking with women in academia, we’ve heard one thing loud and clear: taking time for reflection is the first step in crafting a life that is satisfying, sustainable, and focused on the work God has called us to do. To that end, we’re exploring a practice of short, manageable reflections together this Advent which you can enjoy in audio or written form, receiving them in the way that works best for your life. This is our second episode of our Advent 2022 series, so if you haven’t yet heard the first episode, give that one a listen if you’d like some more context. Listen in, read the transcript at our website, and download the questions for reflection. We're so glad you're here! — Ann Boyd For show notes or more information please visit our article at The Well. If you'd like to support the work of InterVarsity's Women Scholars and Professionals, including future podcasts such as this episode, you can do so at givetoiv.org/wsap. Thank you for listening!

This year, as we’ve been talking with women in academia, we’ve heard one thing loud and clear: taking time for reflection is the first step in crafting a life that is satisfying, sustainable, and focused on the work God has called us to do. To that end, we’re exploring a practice of short, manageable reflections together this Advent which you can enjoy in audio or written form, receiving them in the way that works best for your life. This is our first episode of our Advent 2022 series. Listen in, read the transcript at our website, and download the questions for reflection. We're so glad you're here! — Ann Boyd   For show notes or more information please visit our article at The Well. If you'd like to support the work of InterVarsity's Women Scholars and Professionals, including future podcasts such as this episode, you can do so at givetoiv.org/wsap. Thank you for listening!  

"It’s okay to acknowledge that I have human limits and I can’t do it all." — Bette Dickinson Bette Dickinson talks with us about observing Advent when schedules are full, the spiritual power of art, and the joy of embracing our human limits. Let me invite you into a conversation with Bette Dickinson, artist and author of Making Room in Advent: 25 Devotions for a Season of Wonder. In this beautiful new book, Bette invites readers into her personal reflections about Advent and the Christmas story through words and through printed images of her own original paintings. I loved talking with Bette about the way art can lead us into places of spiritual transformation, about the creative work that happens within all of us, and about the complex nature of motherhood and pregnancy in literal and metaphorical terms. Bette offers a real sense of grace and realism as we talk about Advent in the context of a busy December, and her words on the gift of embracing our human limits speak clearly to the lives of academics. Our

"The best place for anything in our inner world to be experienced is with Jesus." — Janice McWilliams Janice McWilliams talks with us about sustainable self-care, cultivating restorative practices for our mental health, and looking to Jesus as an example of a life well-lived. Let me invite you into a conversation with Janice McWilliams, therapist and author of Restore My Soul: Reimagining Self-Care for a Sustainable Life. Janice’s work as a therapist has given her a clear-eyed understanding of the ways personal and professional stresses can take a toll on human wellbeing and the way Jesus can serve as an example of balanced living. In her book, Janice describes the pitfalls we can stumble into around the areas of thoughts, emotions, and life rhythms, then sketches out sensible and actionable practices to counteract our struggles. This book, my friends, contains exactly the kind of mature spiritual wisdom I need as I head into Thanksgiving and Christmas and the end of the calendar year with all of the complica

"What works right now, in this season?" — Cynthia Prescott How do you live well in the midst of a busy season? Three faculty women weigh in with their best practices in this Dear Mentor episode. How do you live well when you’re in a busy season? What practices can help nourish you when there is very little white space at the edges of your life? In this special episode, we’re continuing our series of Dear Mentor conversations where we answer some of your most pressing questions. Today, we’re talking about thriving in the midst of a full life. Karen Hice Guzmán, director of Women Scholars and Professionals, sat down with three women faculty members —  two married with kids and one single, representing the fields of chemistry, sociology, and history — and recorded their thoughts and practices for living your best life in the midst of your busiest life. So have a listen! We're so glad you're here. — Ann Boyd Featuring Ruth López Turley, Ellane Park, & Cynthia Prescott, with Karen Hice Guzmán For show notes or

"Can there be a place for all of our different styles?" — Eeva Sallinen Simard Authors Beth Birmingham and Eeva Sallinen Simard talk with us about the ways workplace cultures can inhibit the flourishing of women, the strategic importance of women’s contributions, and a framework for repair. A joyful announcement: this is our 100th episode of the podcast! Will you celebrate with us by rating and reviewing this podcast? If you need some tips, we crafted a "how-to" article for you. For our 100th episode, let me invite you into a conversation with Beth Birmingham and Eeva Sallinen Simard, authors of Creating Cultures of Belonging: Cultivating Organizations Where Women and Men Thrive. In this book, Eeva and Beth explore the challenges that women frequently encounter in workplace cultures that inhibit personal flourishing, and then they offer a clear and systemic framework for transforming these cultures into places where people who feel marginalized can experience the kind of belonging that results in growth for i

“We know that the Lord meets our deepest needs and has the ability to heal our deepest hurts, but also — most of the time the Lord uses other people. And so we really need each other.”  — Sheila Wise Rowe Sheila Wise Rowe talks with us about the importance of mental health, the unlikely pairing of lament and celebration, and the complexities of growing up gifted and Black. Let me invite you into a conversation with Sheila Wise Rowe, counselor, speaker, spiritual director, and author of Young, Gifted, and Black: A Journey of Lament and Celebration.  In this new book, Sheila explores the complex emotional landscape that comes along with the Black experience for those who are young and gifted, covering topics from perfectionism to boundaries to healing from trauma. The principles that Sheila teaches us through the pages of her book address these experiences in a way that fully acknowledges the complexity of the young lives she is talking about, while also being universal enough to apply authentically to the expe