Beauty is Oxygen with Wesley Vander Lugt

Dr. Howell talks with Boris Henderson about the impacts of gentrification and displacement in communities, and how churches and other organizations can support justice, community engagement, and housing stability in vulnerable neighborhoods. Boris is the Senior Director of Community Engagement & Philanthropy at Aldersgate. He holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from Hood Theological Seminary and has served in leadership roles at Charlotte‐Mecklenburg Housing Partnership and on the board of Habitat for Humanity International.

In this special episode, Dr. Jonathan Page of the Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church (VAUMC) interviews Dr. Howell about the election and spirituality as part of their series, Voting While Christian. As the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election draws nearer, the VAUMC will share resources with their conference on topics ranging from how to have hard conversations to the impact on community organizing and advocacy in light of the current social and political climate, a climate that local churches and individuals must navigate as people of faith. Check out their page at https://vaumc.org/votingwhilechristian/.  

Dr. Howell speaks with Marty Folsom, a relational theologian and counselor, about the theology of Karl Barth and how we can find freedom through a relationship with God. Folsom holds a PhD in Theology from the University of Otago and has authored numerous books including two recent volumes of Karl Barth’s Church Dogmatics for Everyone. 

Dr. Howell discusses the state of the church, technology, and AI with Tim Dalrymple, President and CEO of Christianity Today. Dalrymple was the founder and CEO of Polymath Innovations, held multiple leadership positions at Patheos, and was a teaching fellow at Harvard University. He has degrees in Philosophy and Religious Studies from Stanford, an MDiv from Princeton Theological Seminary, and a PhD in Religion from Harvard’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. 

Dr. Howell talks with Tommy Tomlinson about his experiences in journalism and writing and his new book, Dogland: Passion, Glory, and Lots of Slobber at the Westminster Dog Show.  For 23 years, Tomlinson was a reporter and columnist for the Charlotte Observer, where he was a finalist for the 2005 Pulitzer Prize in commentary. He has written for Esquire, ESPN the Magazine, Sports Illustrated, Forbes, Garden & Gun, and many other publications.

Dr. Howell talks with Wesley Vander Lugt, author of Beauty is Oxygen: Finding a Faith that Breathes, about how beauty can revitalize our souls and offer us hope. A pastor and theologian, Vander Lugt is the acting director of the Leighton Ford Center for Theology, the Arts, and Gospel Witness and Adjunct Professor of Theology at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He holds a PhD in Theology, Imagination, and the Arts from the University of St. Andrews.

Dr. Howell speaks with Katy Stockton about the importance of nature, her passion for climbing, and her role in search and rescue at Yosemite National Park.

Dr. Howell speaks with Dr. Rebecca Bruff, author of Trouble the Water, the award-winning book about the life of Robert Smalls, exploring how historical fiction offers a unique perspective on his motivations and relationships. Dr. Bruff is a graduate of Texas A&M University and Southern Methodist University, where she earned her Masters and Doctorate degrees in Theology.

Dr. Howell talks with Greg Jarrell about the ongoing and historical systems of inequality that result in urban renewal and gentrification, and the role religion plays in that process. Greg is a scholar, cultural organizer, and the author of Our Trespasses: White Churches and the Taking of American Neighborhoods. 

Dr. Howell hosts Kate Bowler, New York Times bestselling author, host of the Everything Happens podcast, and Duke University professor. Kate shares her journey of finding resilience amidst life’s challenges and looks deeper into the themes of her new book, Have a Beautiful, Terrible Day!