American Caliphate parts 1 & 2

Millions of people practice yoga, attracted to the mat by its promise of physical and mental benefits, social connection, and spiritual nourishment. Promoted as a way of healing the body and mind from wounds inflicted by the world, modern yoga may be a critique of the social order – an “anti-world” to which practitioners escape. Yet yoga can never free itself entirely from the compromises and contradictions of reality. In these episodes we speak with the author of ‘Yogalands: In Search of Practice on the Mat and in the World,’ wherein Paul Bramadat wrestles with his position as a skeptical scholar who is also a devoted yoga practitioner. Drawing from his own experience, and from conversations with hundreds of yoga teachers and students in the United States and Canada, he seeks to understand what yoga means for people in the modern West. In doing so, he addresses issues that often sit beneath the surface in yogaland: why yoga’s religious dimensions are rarely mentioned in classes; how the relationship between yoga and trauma might be reconsidered; and how yoga seems to have survived debates around nationalism, cultural appropriation, and sexual misconduct. Yogalands encourages practitioners and critics to be more curious about yoga. For insiders, this can deepen their practice, and for observers, this approach is an inspiring and unsettling model for engaging with other passionate commitments. Theme music "Nigal."

Creating Jesus is a book for general readers on the Gospel of Mark as the earliest surviving witness of the life of Yeshua ("Jesus" in Aramaic) of Nazareth. Dennis Kennedy applies his expertise in literary and performance studies to examining Mark as a literary and historical document and describes in straightforward style how it differs from the other Gospels, what it meant in its time, and how it has been used in history. He investigates the oral Jesus tradition before Mark, the radical act of writing about a crucified preacher from the hinterland, the expansion of the Messiah cult in the Roman Empire, and the character of the faith that the earliest Gospel proposes. Interspersed with incidents from Kennedy’s own education, Creating Jesus seeks to reveal why Mark was written, the great influence it has had, and how it might question the nature of Christianity in the present.Theme music "Nigal."

Science is studying ghosts? Really? In Life with Ghosts, a documentary film festival winner, a widow suffering prolonged grief agrees to participate in a research study that aims to reconnect bereaved survivors with their departed loved ones. The process is known as Induced After-Death Communication (IADC), and it is rapidly gaining recognition among psychologists, academics and bereavement professionals. Life with Ghosts records the first-ever publicly funded attempt to facilitate contact with deceased individuals to determine if such contact can be used to reduce severe grief symptoms. In an area where traditional talk therapy has been largely ineffective, at a time when 70,000 Americans die from prescription drug misuse in a single year, this film heralds a welcome alternative for the chronically bereaved. In this edition of Common Threads, Host Fred Stella interviews Stephen Berkeley, the director of the film. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, this conversation will give one pause to consider.Theme music "Nigal."

Alex Duensing, founder of Terran Judaism, joins us Most non-Jews who have any familiarity with Judaism will tell you there are 3 specific movements within the religion: Orthodox, Conservative & Reform. But there are several more. And now a new one has entered the arena: Terran Judaism. The word "Terran" indicates that is it is "from the earth." That is, they seek to expand the faith well beyond the borders of Israel and any perceived dominant ethnicity. Today we will converse with the founder of this new sect. Alex Duensing lives in suburban Detroit. He currently is focusing on maintaining an online community, but is hopeful it will grow from there. Theme music "Nigal."

If they only taught this in Religion classes! I promise students would be way more engaged. In these episodes we dive into the fascinating and overlooked aspects of the Catholic faith with Michael Lichens, the author of The Weird Catholic Handbook. We’ll examine peculiar and intriguing elements of Catholic history, offering a refreshing perspective on the faith that combines humor, curiosity, and profound insights. These include many bizarre and extraordinary stories that have shaped Catholicism. From saints who faced mythical monsters to the eerie beauty of bone chapels, this book uncovers the spiritual and historical significance behind these oddities. With a blend of scholarly research and engaging storytelling, Lichens brings to life the unique relics, ghostly encounters, and unusual miracles that have been part of the Church’s rich tapestry. Theme music "Nigal."

No matter how some people try to deny it, we humans are very tribal. And for the most part, that can be a good thing if we will forego any sense of tribal superiority. So if one is excommunicated from a tribe the mental and spiritual toll can be significant. In her book ‘Ghosted’ Nancy French describes her upbringing in a Fundamentalist Christian church and early alliance with conservative Republican politics. For years she made her living as a ghost writer for several prominent right-wing politicians. But when she and her husband declared themselves to be Never Trumpers, doors closed, calls were ignored and friends abandoned them. In this episode we speak with Nancy about the trauma, betrayal and heartbreak of maintaining high principles in the face of such challenges.Theme music "Nigal."

With the exile of Syria's Bashar Al-Assad recently, much interest has been focused on the sect of Islam of which he was a member. However, there are some who claim that the denomination known as Alawite is not Islam at all, but a heretical break-off sect. To understand this somewhat intricate situation we speak with Dr. Stefan Winter who has studied religion in Syria and Turkey for decades. Stefan Winter is a Canadian historian specializing in the study of Ottoman Syria. He teaches at the Université du Québec à Montréal and has been visiting professor at Koç University in Istanbul. His research concentrates on Shi‘i, Bedouin and Kurdish principalities in northern Syria and southern Anatolia and has been published by Cambridge University Press, Princeton University Press and in a number of academic journals. His work won the Syrian Studies Association's prize for best dissertation in 2002 and the Ottoman and Turkish Studies Association's Fuat Köprülü Award in 2017.Theme music "Nigal."

Our guest is Ryan Armstrong, author of The Book of Job in Wonderland Of all of the great works of literature that might be compared, the idea of setting the text of the Book of Job next to the 19th century classic Alice in Wonderland probably doesn't come to mind. But Religious Studies professor Ryan Armstrong did notice more than a few links between them and presents them in his book The Book of Job in Wonderland: Making (Non)Sense of Job's Mediators.Yes, serious theological study and whimsy can certainly be paired on occasion, and this is one of those. What do Job and Alice have in common? What characters in Wonderland might resonate with God, Satan and the friends of Job? And what can we take from this connection, if indeed there is one? Join us for this fascinating (and yes, whimsical) conversation. Ryan M. Armstrong is Visiting Assistant Professor of Hebrew Bible at Oklahoma State University. His research focuses on ancient Hebrew literature within its linguistic and historical context and its impact on interpreters throughout history. Theme music "Nigal."

One of the most imaginative traditions in Judaism is called "Midrash." While the word is used in a few different ways, in this episode we are referring to that practice of taking biblical stories and "filling in the blanks" with imagined conversations, prequels and sequels. For instance, what might Adam and Eve discussed after leaving Eden? How might Sarah have reacted upon learning that Isaac was close to being sacrificed? Rabbis and some brilliant thought leaders down through the centuries have used this device to both educate and entertain. Our guest is Rabbi Jefferey Salkin, who will explore not only the Midrash of sacred scripture, but the use of it in secular literature and film. A perfect example is the play/movie "Wicked," which fills in the blanks of "Wizard of Oz."Theme music "Nigal."

In this episode we discuss a new film biography of Fr. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin with its producer/director Frank Frost. This remarkable man was a paleontologist and visionary French Jesuit priest. His lifelong effort to reframe his beliefs in the light of evolution led to a paradigm shift in the relationship of science and religion. Teilhard foresaw the emergence of the internet, globalization, technological innovation, and the embrace of human responsibility for continuing evolution. His legacy includes hope-filled spirituality and a robust environmental movement. He is now the subject of a two-hour biography on public television that captures his triumphs and trials, his love for the divine and the human, and his trust in the future. Theme music "Nigal."