God Talk with Medene and James

When studying Romans 16:1-2, we are forced to think about a few important questions: who is truly called to do “diaconal work”; is Phoebe ordained, and can women be deacons in the church? Leading Catholic scholar on women in ministry, Dr. Phyllis Zagano, Hofstra University in New York, helps us respond to these concerns in a more faithful and prophetic way. Dr. Zagano helps us better hear and understand the voices of women throughout the history of the faith, particularly in the Bible. She also introduces us to here new book, ‘The Vatican and Women Deacons’, being released just this month (May 2026). This is God Talk with Medene and James! Join the conversation in the comments. 🔗 Link to today's scripture: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/romans/16 Order "The Vatican and Women Deacons" today: https://orbisbooks.com/products/the-vatican-and-women-deacons?srsltid=AfmBOorisXEQeC1Fw_9x2MIkJWXQ8FvbNraHDZwiV2y58k18DpXj5QUo Join the God Talk community on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/god.talk.podcast/ 💬 Contact us to collaborate in ministry: https://godtalkpodcast.blog #pheobe #saintphoebe #womendeacons #femaledeacons #womensordination #ordainwomen #ordainwomennow #women #feminism #feministtheology #catholicwomen #romans16 #womenofthebible

We're reading the Bible with friends! And Friend, we hope you've been blessed so far. This is a week to get caught up on interviews you may have missed. Next week....Dr. Phyllis Zagano joins us!

What is "the Word of God"? Is it the Bible? Is it Jesus? Or is it a cosmic Love language/energy force, expressing Itself in a multitude of ways through our world? Let's take theo-cosmic ride through John 1 with a brilliant scholar, religious sister, and (modern-day) Christian mystic, Sr. Darlene Kawulok, CSJ. This is Sr. Dar's second time on God Talk; she a great friend to the podcast, and happens to be Medene's spiritual director. She holds a doctorate in Practical Theology, and is a religious studies professor at Mount Saint Mary's University in Los Angeles, CA. Grab your Bible and get ready to study John 1 through a mystical lens. This is God Talk with Medene and James!🔗 Link to today's scripture: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%201%3A1-5&version=RSVCE Join the God Talk community on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/god.talk.podcast/ 💬 Contact us to collaborate in ministry: https://godtalkpodcast.blog #women #womeninthechurch #womeninministry #feministtheology #catholicwomen #gospelofjohn #john1 #wordofgod #victorialoorz #churchofthewild #sisterdar #nun #darlenekawulok #sistersofsaintjoseph #biblestudy #biblepodcast

John 11 invites us into one of the most deeply human and intimate moments in the life of Jesus, the story of Lazarus. We meet a savior who does not remain distant from human pain, but steps directly into it, weeping alongside Mary and Martha.Jesus reveals his power over death, but more than that, enlists his followers to dispel it and free those who are bound.Our friend, Russ Petrus, the executive director of Future Church and Catholic Women Preach, asks two pivotal questions: "Who lies stuck in tombs today?" and "Who has the Church not only let remain bound, but has bound up itself?"In the end, the untapped gifts and unmet spiritual needs of women rises to the surface. Will we roll the stone away from their path?This is Bible study with friends on God Talk with Medene and James. Welcome to the conversation!🔗 Link to today's scripture: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2011&version=NRSVCEConnect to Future Church: https://futurechurch.orgConnect to Catholic Women Preach: https://www.catholicwomenpreach.orgJoin the God Talk community on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/god.talk.podcast/💬 Contact us to collaborate in ministry: https://godtalkpodcast.blog#womensordination #ordainwomen #ordainwomennow #women #feminism #feministtheology #catholicwomen #gospelofjohn #lazurus #john11

If we read with Mary, will we be linked more closely to God?The Bible tells Mary's story primarily in the Gospel of Luke, specifically Luke 1. There we find Mary's longest speaking lines - The Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55). Spoken by Mary during her visit to Elizabeth, the Magnificat expresses deep joy, humility, and trust in God’s saving power.Mary links her life story with the story of Hannah, who we hear intone The Magnificat almost identically hundreds of years earlier in I Samuel. This raises questions of story-linking not only present in scripture, but available to us as readers and believers.This is God Talk. 👋🏽 Welcome to Season 3 - Bible Study with Friends!✅ Join the community on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/god.talk.podcast/✉️ Contact us to collaborate; book us to speak at your church or school: [email protected]🔗 📖 Link to today's scripture: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%201%3A39-56%2C%20Luke%204%3A16-23&version=NRSVCE*sound effect by ZeroFrame Audio

God Talk Season 3 starts on April 7! Welcome to Bible Study with Friends. We will read the scriptures together with dear friends, studying God's Word and praying with the Spirit to receive the Living Word in our lives today.

Self-promotion 🤳salesmanship 💸 commercialization 🤑 busyness 🏃‍➡️Arguing, fighting, violence, hatred, war 💥💥💥Why make another podcast? Won't we just add to the noise? 🔉🔉🤲 We exist as a response to our spiritual calling.We seek to:🔵 Expand Consciousness🔵 Raise the Level of Theological Conversation🔵 Practice & Model Community and Cultural EngagementThis is God Talk. 🎧 We love you, and God does too. 🌄 ✝️ Welcome to the conversation. 👋🏽

Cradle Catholics raised on the prairie of Northwest Iowa, Connie Koeck and Beth Derr are true Midwest gals. Educators, moms, and church choir members, these women credit the influence of their parents - James' grandparents - for shaping them to be active in faith and good works. As we discuss their past, present, and future, the sacredness of life and our life stories is evident. Each of us are children of God. Each of us has gifts and talents. And each of us can learn to laugh if we know to not take ourselves too seriously!These are James' aunties, Aunt Connie and Aunt Beth. We are grateful to them for Zooming in from Dyersville, Iowa! This is God Talk.

Medene pops off on things happening in the world. Take it or leave it, but here's his perspective! ICE, Zorhan Mamdani, Inflation, Venezuela, Fellowship, Volunteerism, and more.

Trying to balance the soul enriching formation of small town country folks with the hustle and bustle of big city adulting. James gives insight into his self and soul by exploring his vocational call to Christian ministry, his self-actualization as a gay man, and his sacred call to serve the Lord and His Church/Creation. From Kentucky to Los Angeles, James details the conscious transformation he has went through in his life. This is a story about finding your true self in Christ; discovering the confidence to choose you (accepting your whole self), and overcoming self-hatred. This is God Talk! #catholicchurch #gaycatholic #gaychristian #vocation #vocationstory #faith #faithjourney #selfactualization #lgbt #lgbtq #happinessjourney #catholicpodcast #kentuckystory #losangelesstory

How do we bring our questions to God, about God, and how do we question the “answers”? In this episode we unpack the things we are taught and told about faith, religion, and spirituality, in attempt to make sense of it all. Do we believe in God in the ways we were told we are "supposed to", and how has that changed for us over time? Family trauma is explored; church hurt is re-examined, and our embedded theologies are deconstructed through religious education and human experience. As you watch, think about what you believe, why you believe that, and how those beliefs either add to or subtract from the quality of your life and the world around you. This is Sara's story. This is God Talk. #evangelical #exvangelical #fundamentalist #christianity #church #familytrauma #religioustrauma #agnosticism #agnostic

So many hide who they are in the church out of fear: fear of persecution; fear of ostracism, and more! What does it look like to live without fear; without self-judgment; self-hatred? A great theological educator, Jared Anderson-Minor, of Los Angeles helps us live further into this brave and Godly proud reality, while also speaking truth to power! Listen to his story; hear his intentions, and then wonder about the areas in our own lives where we are not expressing or experiencing our most authentic selves and souls. This is God Talk!

After decades of abortion cemeteries, clinic rosaries, and trodding middle and high school students to DC marches, the Archdiocese and Archbishop of Boston have drawn a sacral line against ethical-political engagement at a simple sign pointing to the realities of ICE in 2025. The real story of Christmas is one of danger and vulnerability in the face of empire, of an out-of-town pregnant mother denied shelter as her water breaks.Let's remind the Archbishop of Boston, and let us pray and act for the safety and humane treatment of our immigrant brothers and sisters.

Tyler Bieber, author and higher education administrator, has penned a new book detailing the life of one of America's first Catholic priests to openly minister to LGBTQ people, Fr. Tom Oddo, CSC. A capable speaker and professor, Fr. Tom's first major pastoral audience was Dignity USA, the groundbreaking national organization for LGBTQ Catholics. He served warmly and bravely, bringing light to many and capturing the attention of his superiors at a young age. The story of this shepherd turned university president is one of prophesy fulfilled yet incomplete.Tyler's book is Against the Current: Father Tom Oddo and the New American Catholic, published by Unencumbered Press. You can order it wherever books are sold.

These four short weeks before Christmas can be for more than shopping and full calendars. Colder days and longer nights are a summons to contemplate our existence in God.

The late Pope Francis, through the ethics of Catholic Social Teaching, challenged the world often to “care for the common home (Earth)”, and engage in dialogue for how we are shaping the future of our planet. One person that does this work very well is Jill Mather, founder of Volunteers Cleaning Communities, a major community service based organization in Los Angeles County. Every single day volunteers from all over the county gather under the VCC banner to beautify their neighborhoods and other surrounding areas that need it. They help to get LA clean, creating a culture of support, friendship, civic engagement, service, and cleanliness. Listen to Jill's amazing story here on God Talk!

God Talk attends the @IgnatianSolidarity annual event, the Ignatian Family Teach-in for Justice, in Washington, DC and advocates for human rights, the planet, and non-violence on Capitol Hill. It was a trip of community building, spiritual growth, and action for social justice. Many blessings! Lots of work to do!

The problem of ‘suffering’ is one of the deepest theological questions humanity has, universally. Why do bad things happen in a “good world” created, maintained, and sustained by a “good God”? This conundrum often causes us to lose faith and forsake hope. In this episode, we want to touch on that reality, while also lifting up another: the color purple. How can recognizing beauty and the vibrancy of life help us cope, or find hope, in the suffering all around us?!Thank you for listening to God Talk with Medene and James!

Our lives are Theo-dramas, lived and expressed as best we can. We have to be honest about who we are; what happened to us, and how we are responding to it. As you listen to our Theo-journeys (journeys in God), think more about your own. What happened to you; why did that happen, and how are you responding to it…in/with GOD in mind?! Welcome to season 2 of God Talk with Medene and James!

Welcome to Season 2 of God Talk with Medene & James! The first episode of Season 2 drops on Tuesday, November 11. Here's a preview of the season - all dedicated to the sacred stories of our lives.

We culminate an awesome inaugural season of our podcast with levity, inspiration, and the ideas that matter most to us. We examine what propels our desire to seek justice in the world, supporting the most vulnerable among us. We look back on season 1 and all the memorable moments of truth and spiritual empowerment. And we share stories from the experiences that shaped us into who we are.This first season has been a real blessing, and we ask you to pray for our success in season 2. God Talk is about engaging the frontiers of the human experience in conversation with God, our neighbors, and ourselves - constantly saying 'yes' to the counsel of the Spirit. Be encouraged; be informed; be united to other listeners. Thank you for listening to God Talk with Medene and James! Season 2...coming soon!

Sr. Darlene Kawulok, CSJ, D.Min is a lifelong educator, minister, and faithful Catholic nun. Her expertise lies in practical theology, feminist theology, and ministry formation aligned with the Second Vatican Council (Vatican II). In an age of religious and political tension, Sr. Dar leans on time-tested wisdom to give perspective on our times. There are fiercely divided, competing visions in our country and the Church. We are highly polarized. Yet the Holy Spirit is always ready to give guidance if we but ask, study, and listen. And God is present in our neighbor if we open our heart.For a take on the current moment that is both "mystical and human", this is God Talk season 1 episode 6.#holyspirit #catholicnun #liberalcatholic #progressivecatholic #catholicpodcast #godtalk #godtalkpodcast #religionandculture #spiritualwisdom #religionandpolitics #solvingpolarization

Sr. Darlene Kawulok CSJ is a theologian, spiritual director, professor, author, and all-around kickass nun! We are lucky to have her join as God Talk's guest for season 1 episode 6 as she discusses her spiritual journey, social justice, and tidbits of wisdom. #nun #catholic #catholicnun #spirituality #spiritualjourney

Justice is something we all long for as we endure this human condition, from a refund for a damaged product to liability in a car accident. We have various justice systems here on earth, but this episode seeks to ruminate on the justice system of God, of what we may call in theology, divine justice. And this reality has its place in salvation history. So we ask the question of who gets justice in the end; who will God preserve; who will God destroy or judge to damnation??? All of these questions and more are a part of our God talk in episode five. Enjoy, and let us know what you think in the comments.#biblepodcast #theology #debate #godtalk #god #religion #spiritual #christian #bible #catholic #heaven #eternity #hell #justice

Beauty is essential to the aesthetics of our theological musings. But is it more than aesthetic? What is beautiful in the world can transcend into experiences of the Divine. Beauty can complement the love-ethics of Christ, changing our human consciousness. We need to reevaluate the role that beauty plays in our thinking about God, our God-logic. Beauty matters, because it makes us more sensitive to the human condition. Welcome to God Talk with Medene and James. We hope you are enjoying season 1! This is episode 4 with Emily Massa. #podcast #theology #art #poetry #aesthetics #religion #literature

Will my city be the next hit by wildfires or floods? How hot will it get next summer? What natural disasters do I need to consider as I buy a house? These types of questions fill out minds as climate change unfolds. In episode 3 of God Talk season 1, Professor Shannon Gibson of ‪the University of Southern California joins to share about whether or not we can HOPE in the face of climate change. Welcome to God Talk with Medene and James! Subscribe for more free content.

Professor Shannon Gibson talks about the reality of the fight against pollution and climate change in this trailer to episode 3 of God Talk with Medene and James.

How was your faith formed? Did someone "give" you the gift of faith? Is your faith a personal relationship with God or something mediated by ministers and a house of worship? We are joined by Fr. Joe to discuss our experiences. Ultimately, we are led to asked whether faith is more personal or communal. We hope you are enjoying Season 1 of God Talk! This is Episode 2.

This episode introduces Medene and James, offering insights into our personal lives and the people that made us. Here we share our mission and vision for God Talk, exploring themes and discussing possibilities for the future. We are not here to hide. We are who we are: Catholic Christians, theologians, ministers, sinners. We have a purpose ordained by God, and so do you!