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

"What if the greatest theologians the world has ever known are those whom the world wouldn’t consider theologians at all?" — Kat Armas Kat Armas chats with us about the navigating seminary, grieving over research, and discovering wisdom in unexpected places.  Let me invite you into a conversation with Kat Armas, theologian and author of Abuelita Faith: What Women on the Margins Teach Us About Wisdom, Persistence and Strength. In her book, Kat builds a bridge between intellectualism and earthy wisdom as she considers the question, “What if the greatest theologians the world has ever known are those whom the world wouldn’t consider theologians at all?” Through an exploration of history, Scripture, and her own Cuban-American upbringing, Kat draws fresh insight into the rich wisdom that can be found in women who are often overlooked in theological conversations. In our discussion, Kat shares about her own personal spiritual journey, including the complexities of navigating seminary as a Cuban-American woman. Her

"The problem isn’t with God. The problem is with flawed people — and this is why we need Jesus." — Beth Allison Barr Beth Allison Barr talks with us about speaking up, leaning into questions, and thriving as a woman in academia. Let me invite you into a conversation with Dr. Beth Allison Barr, history professor and author of The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth. This book has deeply impacted the conversation around gender roles in the church since its publication in April 2021. I was thrilled to interview Beth so I could ask her just a few of the many questions that came up for me as I read her powerful book.  In our conversation, Beth explores the terrain between her personal experience and her historical research, and talks about her journey toward sharing her findings with the wider world — and the fallout that came along with that choice. Beth talks candidly about her experience as a tenured professor, and offers generous advice and encouragement for other wom

"I start off with trying to make sure the student knows someone is looking forward to seeing them." — Jana Young How do you prepare to successfully kick off a new school year? Listen in on our first in a series of episodes where we answer some of your Dear Mentor questions. Let me invite you into a special episode, our first in a series of episodes where we answer some of your Dear Mentor questions. First up: back to school rhythms. How do you get geared up for the semester? What habits get you in the mindset for an energizing start to the school year? Karen Hice Guzmán, director of Women Scholars and Professionals, sat down with three women faculty members — representing the fields of chemistry, music, and business — and recorded their best tips and wisdom to help you start your school year on the right foot. ​ Let me add a special note here for those of you who are not professionally aligned with a school schedule at this time of year — you are welcome, too! The ideas that emerge from these three conversati

"God has given us the gift of ethnic differences as a conduit to his witness and to the growth of his church." — Helen Lee Join us for this conversation with author Helen Lee as we talk about ways we can cultivate safe environments that support families and church communities leaning into discussions about race. Let me invite you into a conversation with Helen Lee, author and director of product innovation at InterVarsity Press. In the context of a racialized culture in which tension and violence is a daily reality, Helen and her co-author Michelle Reyes have written a book for families. The Race-Wise Family is a book designed for parents and caregivers who wish to imbue their family culture with sensitivity and nuance around the concept of race. Although the book is written for parents, I found that the wisdom within this book can be almost universally applied in the life of anyone who wishes to create a safe environment for young people to explore and grow in their ability to heal our communities from the d

"We're not going to be able to intellectualize our way out of the principality of racism." — Christina Edmondson Join us for this conversation with author and educator Christina Edmondson as we discuss the work of fighting racism in academic contexts and the tools needed for this important task. Let me invite you into a conversation with Christina Edmondson, educator and co-author of Faithful Antiracism: Moving Past Talk to Systemic Change. I loved this book and I think it is exactly the kind of handbook that is needed to help our world and the Church move forward in matters of race.  In our conversation, Christina and I explore the very practical ideas in Faithful Antiracism, and we look at the work of fighting racism through the lens of life in the academic and professional realms specifically. The book is full of concepts that are both very actionable and very profound, and Christina and her co-author Chad Brennon lead the readers by the hand through logical, data-based explanations and into a space that i

"Only Jesus completes us. Only Jesus can meet us in the deepest places and in the ways that we most need and want and long for in terms of intimacy and wholeness and hope." — Dr. Lisa Sung Listen in on a remarkable roundtable conversation where we hear four thoughtful, faithful women respond to questions about living a full Christian life as a single woman. Let me invite you into a special episode where we have the opportunity to listen into a roundtable conversation on the topic of Singleness. The conversation is hosted by Karen Guzmán, our director at Women in the Academy and Professions, and I’ll let her introduce our four esteemed guests and some of the important questions they’ll delve into, including issues around work, family, friendship, and the church. The collective wisdom revealed in this conversation is remarkable, and I felt continually impressed and grateful for the honestly, vulnerability, and faithfulness of these women as we asked them to share deeply about a pretty personal topic. This conve

"I truly believe that a failure to act on climate change is a failure to love." — Katharine Hayhoe Earth Day is on April 22, 2022! Allow this conversation with climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe to inspire the stewardship of our beautiful planet. Welcome to our special episode honoring Earth Day! Our interview with climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe is so appropriate for this week that we wanted to share it again today. Katharine’s book is an excellent resource for furthering one’s thinking about the privilege of caring for our planet, and this conversation with her is a great way to get the ball rolling. So let me invite you into a conversation with climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe, author of the book Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World. I’ve been a fan of Katharine’s ever since we published a couple of interviews with her in 2016 and I’ve always been so inspired by the way she has pursued her calling in climate science. The book was life-changing for me. Katharine

"We have to do this work of discerning, 'What is ours to do?'"​​ — Holly Oxhandler Join us for this conversation with author and professor Holly Oxhandler as we discuss the image of God in each of us, its importance for our own flourishing, and the tools we can harness to learn more about it. Let me invite you into a conversation with Dr. Holly Oxhandler, social work professor and researcher at Baylor University. Holly’s research in the connection between spirituality and mental health led her to an important insight, namely that growing in our awareness of the image of God inside each of us can help us to flourish. She writes about this in her recent book entitled The Soul of the Helper: Seven Stages to Seeing the Sacred Within Yourself So You Can See It in Others. In our conversation, Holly and I talk about both the mindset shift and the practical habits we can adopt to attend to the divine spark in each of us. I found Holly’s story so remarkable in the way she describes her own transformation from a person

“What we want so much of the time is to have a roadmap, but I think what God is saying is, ‘Walk with me.’”​ — Susan Maros Join us for this conversation with author and professor Susan Maros as we discuss the process of discerning God's calling and the ways our unique contexts inform that journey. Let me invite you into a conversation with Dr. Susan Maros — professor, researcher and leadership coach. Susan has written a new book entitled Calling in Context: Social Location and Vocational Formation, which releases in April 2022 (and is available for pre-order). In our conversation, Susan and I talk about the ways we need to expand our understanding of the concept of calling in a way that integrates our whole selves. We talk about how hindsight is often the best way we can identify patterns that reveal our calling, and Susan shares some practical suggestions for ways to grow in discernment. One of the things I love most about Susan’s work in this book is the way she bases her approach to calling on the knowle

"Overcoming evil with good and with love — I can’t think of anything more active and intentional and subversive."  — Catherine McNiel Join us for this conversation with writer and theology student Catherine McNiel as we discuss the call to love our neighbor, what that call looks like in the world of academia, and the grace we need to get there. Let me invite you into a conversation with Catherine McNiel — writer, theology student, and second time guest on the podcast. Catherine has just released a new book entitled Fearing Bravely: Risking Love for Our Neighbors, Strangers, and Enemies. In our conversation, we talk about Jesus’s call to love our enemies and the implications of this call on our lives today. We dig deep into the parable of the Good Samaritan and sift through issues of individual and systemic responsibility, and talk about the unique ways we can practice this element of faith in university and professional settings. The thing I love best about Catherine’s book and about our conversation is the

"The question I ask myself everyday, at least once and usually more is, 'What is mine to do?'” — Suzanne Stabile What spiritual practices can help develop your resilience in challenging situations? Join us for this conversation with Enneagram teacher Suzanne Stabile as we discuss our individual responses to stress, the benefits of self-understanding, and the opportunities for growth that can be found all around us. Let me invite you into a conversation with Suzanne Stabile, a spiritual teacher and author. Suzanne’s expertise is found in the study of the Enneagram, an ancient personality typing system identifying nine personality types that are expressed individually and in relationship to others. In our conversation, we talk together about liminal space and the pandemic and opportunities for personal spiritual growth. Suzanne shares a bit about the Enneagram and offers some resources for those who would like to learn more (including information about her most recent book, The Journey Toward Wholeness), but

"This moment is the moment of our formation. This is the moment that is shaping who we are." — Tish Harrison Warren Where is the Spirit of God active in your life? Join us for this conversation with Anglican priest and author Tish Harrison Warren as we discuss pandemic life, spiritual redemption, and God’s constant presence. Let me invite you into a conversation with Anglican priest and author Tish Harrison Warren. Tish is a former colleague of ours at The Well and one of our favorite people to talk with. She has written two award-winning books, and now has co-authored a new book that is coming out in a few months — this one for children. The title is Little Prayers for Ordinary Days, and it’s a collection of everyday prayers, geared for kids but also truly relevant for adults in many ways — and it’s really delightful. In this podcast, Tish and I talk about pandemic life and spiritual redemption and God’s constant presence and Tish shares some beautiful encouragement for listeners of our podcast. It’s a lov

"We are all created with a need for community, for intimacy, and for companionship." — Kendall Vanderslice How can the simple act of eating together draw us more fully into relationship with God and community? Join us for this conversation with baker and writer Kendall Vanderslice as we discuss table fellowship, vocational discernment, and the joy of food. Let me invite you into a conversation with Kendall Vanderslice — baker, writer, and public theologian. I first became aware of Kendall when I read of a bread-baking workshop in which she teaches participants to bake as a form of prayer. Workshops like these are one of the offerings from Edible Theology, an educational ministry founded by Kendall that connects the Communion table to tables we eat at every day. As I’ve explored Kendall’s work — including her new podcast, Kitchen Meditations, and her book about the dinner church movement — I’ve been challenged to think more deeply about the spiritual implications of eating and sharing good food — an activity

“I don’t know how any intelligent woman can stay in a church where her gifts are not recognized and utilized."  — Dr. Vinoth Ramachandra Listen in on an exclusive peek into our fall book club as Women in the Academy and Professions associate Jasmine Obeyesekere conducts an online discussion with author and theologian Dr. Vinoth Ramachandra where they discuss suffering, hope, and the Christian life. hope look like? Dr. Vinoth Ramachandra invites us to be honest with the pain we experience, both personally and in our world. He shows us that walking with God includes the apparent paradox of lamenting, questioning, and living with uncertainty alongside our joy, faith, and assurance.  He shows us how suffering is at the heart of God and fleshes out the nature of Christian hope. I’m especially encouraged by the idea of “hope as struggle” as we long for and work towards God’s future amid the brokenness in our world.   Dr. Ramachandra is a lay theologian, writer, teacher, and human rights advocate born and based

Pour a cup of cocoa and join us for the final episode in our four-part Advent meditation series on the podcast, this one focusing on the Incarnation. "Where am I experiencing Emmanuel, God with us?" We've cultivated a tradition of time for peace with God during Advent here at The Well. This year, we're offering four short audio devotionals, one for each week of Advent. Each of these special episodes will include a collection of prayers, poetry, Scripture, and music — all things that you can take with you through your day and week. You can also download a pdf of the readings for each episode, and if you've missed any, you can find all the episodes on this page. We're so glad you could join us here for our final week of Advent as we meditate on the incarnation. We hope this audio resource can provide you with a few moments of rest and reflection in this busy time of year.  — 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

Embrace your inner coziness and join us for the third episode in our four-part Advent meditation series on the podcast, this one focusing on the joyful meeting of Mary and Elizabeth. "What causes me to rejoice?" We've cultivated a tradition of time for peace with God during Advent here at The Well. This year, we're offering four short audio devotionals, one for each week of Advent. Each of these special episodes will include a collection of prayers, poetry, Scripture, and music — all things that you can take with you through your day and week. You can also download a pdf of the readings for each episode, and if you've missed any, you can find all the episodes on this page. We're so glad you could join us here for our third week of Advent as we meditate on the joyful meeting of Mary and Elizabeth. We hope this audio resource can provide you with a few moments of rest and reflection in this busy time of year.  — Ann Boyd For show notes or more information please visit our article at The Well. If you'd li

What is the one thing each of us can do to address global climate change? Join us for this conversation with climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe in which we discuss science and faith, her journey of discerning God's call on her life, and the simple step each of us can take to effect change in our world. "I truly believe that a failure to act on climate change is a failure to love." — Katharine Hayhoe Let me invite you into a conversation with climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe, author of the book Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World. I’ve been a fan of Katharine’s ever since we published a couple of interviews with her in 2016 and I’ve always been so inspired by the way she has pursued her calling in climate science. The book was life-changing for me. Katharine’s message is so empowering around the issue of climate change, offering encouragement and practical ideas without any guilt. But even more significant was seeing Katharine as an example of a person who is truly

Cozy up and join us for the second episode in our four-part Advent meditation series on the podcast. "What word might the Lord be speaking to you this season?​" We've cultivated a tradition of time for peace with God during Advent here at The Well. This year, we're offering four short audio devotionals, one for each week of Advent. Each of these special episodes will include a collection of prayers, poetry, Scripture, and music — all things that you can take with you through your day and week. You can also download a pdf of the readings for each episode. We're so glad you could join us here for our second week of Advent as we meditate on the Annunciation, the story of the angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary that she would be the mother of Jesus. We hope this audio resource can provide you with a few moments of rest and reflection in this busy time of year.  — 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 in t

Cozy up and join us for the first episode in our four-part Advent meditation series on the podcast. "Whether you find yourself at work, at home, in traffic, or awake in the middle of the night, hear this truth and this comfort: the Lord is with you." We've cultivated a tradition of time for peace with God during Advent here at The Well. This year, we're offering four short audio devotionals, one for each week of Advent. Each of these special episodes will include a collection of prayers, poetry, Scripture, and music — all things that you can take with you through your day and week. You can also download a pdf of the readings for each episode. We're so glad you could join us here. We hope this audio resource can provide you with a few moments of rest and reflection in this busy time of year.  — 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 in the Academy and Professions, including future podcasts such as this ep

How do digital devices affect our journeys of spiritual formation — and what can we do about that? Join us for this conversation with writer and professor Felicia Wu Song as we discuss digital habits and the grace of establishing soul-shaping practices. "Part of my own journey is wanting to become a different kind of person who can be present to the people in my life." — Felicia Song Let me invite you into a conversation with professor and cultural sociologist Felicia Wu Song, in which we talk about her recent book Restless Devices: Recovering Personhood, Presence, and Place in the Digital Age. Reading this book felt like a real spiritual journey for me with Felicia serving as a gentle guide. She describes the challenges that come with our compulsive use of digital devices, and then leads the reader into spiritual practices that help temper some of the harmful effects and reorient our focus back to connectedness with God and one another. It’s a beautiful and courageous and kind book, especially around a top