Eternal Search

This episode focuses on Christian Monastic life and the Society of Saint John the Evangelist. My guests today are Brothers Lucas Hall and Geoffrey Tristram, two monks living at the society of saint john monastery in Cambridge Massachusetts. We begin the conversation talking about what Christian monastic life is like, and how the monastery serves the community. We move into discussing Saint John and his writings.

This episode focuses on psychedelics, a group of hallucinogenic substances that trigger non-ordinary states of consciousness. Today they're usually known as recreational drugs, but psychedelics have a long history of spiritual use in many cultures around the world. My guest today is James Davis, founder of Bay Staters for Creative Well-Being, a grassroots community focused on psychedelic advocacy and educating the public about psychedelics. We begin the conversation focusing on how psychedelics were used by ancient cultures, before moving into use in a more modern context. https://baystaters.org/

This interview focuses on Shim Gum Do, a zen Buddhist tradition originating in Korea. As its English translation of "Mind Sword Path" suggests, Shim Gum Do places martial arts and sword training as some of its key practices.  My guest today is Mary Stackhouse-Kim, headmaster of the American Buddhist Shim Gum Do association. We discuss how shim gum do was founded and what drew her to the tradition before diving into the practices of Shim Gum Do. 

This episode focuses on the Desert Fathers, early Christian hermits and ascetics whose practices formed the prototype for modern Christian moasticism. My guest is Stephen Davis, Professor of Religious Studies and Professor of History at Yale University. He has spent much of his career working in Egypt and studying the modern Egyptian monastic communities that trace their lineage back to the desert fathers. We start by talking about what the early Christian world was like before moving into the world of the Desert Fathers themselves.

This interview focuses on Friedrich Nietzsche, a German philosopher active during the late 1800s. While famously atheistic, Nietzsche still saw value in a spiritual life… just not a very traditional one. My guest today is David Storey, Professor of philosophy at Boston College. We discuss Nietzsche's most fundamental ideas before honing in on his spiritual ones. 

This interview focuses on Christian Science, a denomination of Christianity founded by Mary Baker Eddy in 1800's New England. Herself a devout Christian, she formulated Christian Science as a way to make sense of a miraculous healing she experienced after an accident left her with severe injuries. My guest today is Scott Shivers, a Christian Science practitioner who works on the church's Committees on Publications. We discuss Mary Baker Eddy's life, key ideas of Christian Science Theology, and how Christian Science is different from other denominations of Christianity.

This episode features a discussion on Confucius and his ideas. Confucius lived during a chaotic time period of Chinese history, and his ideas concentrated on how to restore order to society. Although he only achieved modest success during his lifetime, his ideas have been a key part of Chinese civilization for thousands of years.  Yair Lior returns for this episode. He is a professor at Boston University's department of religion, and an expert in comparative theology.  Unfortunately, I had some audio issues recording this episode. Its still listenable, but sounds more like a recorded zoom call than the in person conversation we had :(

This episode features the Baháʼí faith, a tradition started in 1800s Persia that emphasizes the essential unity of humanity. My guest is Andrés Shahidinejad, a member of Boston's Baháʼí community. We discuss the history of the tradition, as well as its core ideas and spiritual practices.

Swami Tyagananda is chair of the Vedanta Society in Boston and serves as Hindu chaplain at Harvard and MIT. We briefly discuss the history of the Vedanta Society before moving into Vedic philosophy.

Yair is senior lecturer at Boston University's department of religion. He studies comparative theology, particularly Kabbalah and Confucianism. We discuss the development of Kabbalah, and a basic overview of its key ideas.

Rev. Hopkins is senior pastor of First Lutheran Church in Boston. He has an mdiv from Concordia theological seminary in Ft. Wayne Indiana.  Topics include Rev. Hopkin's own spiritual background and a basic overview of Lutheran history, theology and worship.

Rob is a guide within the Raëlean Movement. Topics include the extraterrestrial origins of humanity, and a new form of spirituality independent of god.

Angad is a member of the local Sikh community in Everett Massachusettes and a trustee of United Sikhs, a non profit focused on humanitarian aid and disaster relief. Topics include basic overviews of Sikh history, scripture and philosophy. 

Rabbi Tiferet Berenbaum is the Rabbi of Congregational Learning and Programming at TBZ Brookline in Brookline, MA. She received rabbinic ordination as well as a Master's of Jewish Education from Hebrew College in Newton, MA, and is currently pursuing a doctorate in Educational Leadership at Lesley University in Cambridge, MA. Topics include the history of Rabbinical responsibilities, the relationship of the Hebrew language to Jewish culture and the Hebrew Scriptures.

Tilia is a Priestess of the Coven of Ildanach, an Alexandrian Wicca coven located in Massachusetts. She is also an ordained spiritualist. Topics include trance states, communicating with the dead and sex magic.

Reverend Joe Cherry is a Unitarian Universalist minister currently working at First Parish in Brookline Massachusetts. Topics include the history of the tradition and spiritual pluralism in practice.    

Stefan is an ordained minister and practitioner of Indigenous and Folk practices of Central Mexico.  Topics include the melting pot of spiritual traditions in Mexico, ancestor veneration and how to properly orient yourself with the spirit world.

Rev. Won Jae Hur is an Episcopal priest serving as Rector at St. Paul's Church in Brookline, MA. He holds a PhD in Comparative Theology from Boston College, where he studied connections between Christianity and Tibetan Buddhism. Topics include the structure & theology of the Episcopal Church, the Book of Common Prayer and a comparison of Tibetan Buddhism with Contemplative Christianity.

Father Chris is a Catholic priest at Our Lady of the Angels parish on the South Shore of Massachusetts. I sat down with him to discuss (among other things) the Catholic Sacraments, the heart of Jesus' story, and exorcisms. 

Jo and Glen are facilitators at Wake Up Boston, a Buddhist sangha in the Plum Village tradition. Topics include Tich Naht Hahn (the founder of Plum Village) and the importance of mindfulness in his tradition.

Ismail is an Imam at several mosques in the greater Boston area. I met him at my local mosque during Ramadan to attend a prayer service and discuss the Qur'an, dreams, the Jinn and more.

Samitha is a Sri Lankan monk ordained in the Theravada Buddhist tradition. He is currently resident monk at Peace House in Cambridge, Massachusetts. This episode is a combination of two interviews with Samitha. In the first, we discuss his own spiritual background, Buddhist practices in Sri Lanka and the Buddha's story. In the second, we examine the Buddha's fundamental teachings and the nature of meditation.