Personalist Manifesto(s)

In this episode, I'm joined by two theologians who are asking important questions about technology—including AI: Noreen Herzfeld and Benjamin Chicka. You'll get to know them as our conversation unfolds, but a little context first.This is actually a follow-up.  The last time the three of us got together publicly was at Theology Beer Camp, and the response was overwhelming. There were so many questions we simply couldn't get to them all.  So, we booked a second conversation to finish what we started. This is that conversation.Noreen Herzfeld is Reuter Professor of Science and Religion at St. John’s University and senior research associate with ZRS Koper. A theologian and computer scientist, she is the author of several books, including The Artifice of Intelligence: Divine and Human Relationship in a Robotic Age and In Our Image: Artificial Intelligence and the Human Spirit.Benjamin J. Chicka is Lecturer in Philosophy and Religious Studies at Curry College in Milton, MA. He is a philosophical theologian whose work connects classical American pragmatism, process theology, and ground-of-being theology. Such bridge-building between supposedly incompatible positions reflects his conviction that intrareligious pluralism is as important as interreligious pluralism for the future of theology. He is the author of God The Created and Playing as Others.Additional LinksListen to the initial AI panel here.Learn more about the 2026 Ellul society conference here.Learn more about Theology Beer Camp 2026 here.

In this episode, I speak with Petre Maican, an Eastern Orthodox theologian who’s applying the richness of his faith tradition to questions about disability—not only to inspire important theological conversations, but also to change how Orthodox churches approach community and disability on the ground. As you’ll hear in our conversation, Petre’s serious about this work. He’s responsible for two—not one, but two!—books on the topic. The first is one he authored (The Aesthetics of Emotion, the other is one he edited (Disability in the Greek Patristic Tradition).BioDr. Petre Maican is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Institute for Eastern Christian Studies at Radboud University in the Netherlands. He holds a Ph.D. in Systematic Theology from the University of Aberdeen, along with an M.Th. and B.Th. from the University of Bucharest in Romania. His academic career includes roles as a Teaching Fellow at the University of Aberdeen and as a Postdoctoral Researcher at UCLouvain in Belgium. Dr. Maican has published extensively on ecumenism, ecclesiology, and disability theology. He is the author of Asceticism of Emotions: An Eastern Orthodox Approach to Inclusion and Deification and Modern Orthodox Theology: Introduction to Contemporary Debates, and editor of Disability in the Greek Patristic Tradition.LinksAsceticism of Emotions (book): https://www.amazon.ca/Asceticism-Emotions-Orthodox-Approach-Inclusion-ebook/dp/B0DYWJCLBDDisability in the Greek Patristic Tradition (edited book): https://www.bloomsbury.com/ca/disability-in-the-greek-patristic-tradition-9781978717077/Website: https://www.petremaican.org/Instagram: @orthodoxdisabilitytheologyFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Orthodox-Disability-Theology/61576371389072/Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/orthodoxdisabilitytheology

The Mutant Socialists are back. We’re here to dig deeper into how we became bad leftists, David’s home, power, and appliance troubles, what it means to be mutant socialist, and what this has to do with living in a world on fire right now. In fact, here’s a quote from something David said near the tail end of our conversation that struck me like a bolt of lightning as I was editing what you’re about hear:We’re sort of on a knife’s edge. We don’t know what’s going to happen in Greenland. We don’t know what’s going to happen in the United States, whether that country gets torn apart by civil war or other sorts of conflicts—that’s happened before. People think of the United States and think it could never happen, but everything that can happen has and will happen in the United States. We go back through American history. These things that seem so extraordinary and impossible to us now are just written on page after page. - David MoscropWe recorded this episode on January 29, 2026. So David’s reflections appear to be prophetic. Anything that can happen in the United States will happen, including joining forces with Israel to attack Iran.And what will happen next?I ask that question with a fair amount of fear. At the same time, I’m grateful that there are people like Jeff and David in the world to talk to, to make me feel less alone, and to have hope—despite all the dread-inducing things going on in our world—that there actually is something we—them, you, and I—can do that changes the world around us for the better.I hope this conversation offers you a similar hope.BiosDavid's Book: Too Dumb for Democracy? Why We Make Bad Political Decisions and How We Can Make Better Ones: https://gooselane.com/products/too-dumb-for-democracyDavid's Substack: www.davidmoscrop.comDavid's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/davidmoscrop.comDavid's Twitter: @David_MoscropJeff's Substack: https://substack.com/@jeffwheeldonJeff's blog: https://jeffwheeldon.ca/blog/Jeff's publications: https://sociologyandchristianity.org/index.php/jsc/article/view/281

In this episode I speak with troubadour, devotional essayist, meme prophet, junk food and soft drink connoisseur, Andy Squyres. I’ve been listening to Andy’s music for a while and recently picked up a copy of one of his mixed media volume of essays titled Poet/Priest—a great way to describe Andy’s art, or better yet, his vocation.We cover a lot of ground in this conversation, so I won’t try to summarize everything we talk about. Instead, I’ll let what we talk about speak for itself, as two outsiders like Andy and me get into Mountain Dew, coffee, Steinbeck, music, humour, prophecy, and... faith, hope, and love.BioAndy Squyres is a musician and writer who has a deep appreciation for junk food, sports, theology, largemouth bass, Grapes of Wrath, and The Brothers Karamazov.LinksWebsite: https://andysquyres.com/Music: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1zs56l8qWxeDZ5aBAulSJUSubstack: https://substack.com/@andysquyresPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/andysquyres

There is a lot of talk about immigration these days, but Isaac Samuel Villegas, a pastor and author of Migrant God: A Christian Vision for Immigrant Justice, does more than talk about immigration. He lives his life in a way that takes seriously what Jesus tell us in the gospels: the Incarnate Word of God is not only with the migrant, he is the migrant in our midst. So Isaac speaks, writes, and acts with a prophetic and pastoral mixture of realism and hope. And in this episode, we talk about Isaac’s book and the stories and theology that shape it.BioIsaac Villegas is an ordained minister in the Mennonite Church USA who is involved in the work of community organizing for immigrant justice. He is the author of Migrant God: A Christian Vision for Immigrant Justice. He is also a contributing editor for The Christian Century. He has served as president of the NC Council of Churches and on the denominational board of the Mennonite Church USA. He grew up in the borderlands of the U.S. southwest as a child of Latin American immigrants. He currently lives in Durham, North Carolina.LinksMigrant God (book): https://www.eerdmans.com/9781467468695/migrant-god/Website: https://isaacvillegas.com

In this conversation, fellow theologian and sports commentator Andy Root returns to the show to talk about his latest book Evangelism in an Age of Despair—the title of a book that, for an Ellulian like me who is looking for hope in a world filled with despair, raises my eyebrows and gets me to lean in. My guess is that hearing this title will have a similar effect for a lot of people tuned into Personalist Manifesto(s).The other thing I should mention is that Andy and I recorded this conversation December 12, 2025 at 1:30pm Pacific time. It is important to mention that date and time because it proves—or at the very least implies—that Andy and I have prophetic giftings when it comes to the National Hockey League. Because, when Andy asks me at the start of our conversation if I think former Canucks defencemen Quinn Hughes will be traded, I confirm my suspicion, with some reasons given for that intuition, as does Andy. And for those of you how follow hockey, you will know that shortly after this ‘prophetic word’ from Andy and I Quinn Hughes was indeed traded… within hours… to the Minnesota Wild… Andy’s hometown hockey team. So, you know, maybe if this whole theology thing doesn’t work for us, maybe we have promising careers in hockey predictions ahead of us.Whether that’s actually true or not is beside the point, though. The real point of our conversation is less about hockey trades and more about finding some consolation, and some hope, in world overrun by despair.BioAndrew Root is the Carrie Olson Baalson Professor of Youth and Family Ministry at Luther Seminary, USA. He writes and researches in areas of theology, ministry, culture and younger generations. His most recent books are Evangelism in an Age of Despair (Baker, 2025), The Church in an Age of Secular Mysticisms (Baker, 2023), Churches and the Crisis of Decline (Baker, 2022), The Congregation in a Secular Age (Baker, 2021), The End of Youth Ministry? (Baker, 2020), The Pastor in a Secular Age: Ministry to People Who No Longer Need God (Baker, 2019), Faith Formation in a Secular Age (Baker, 2017), and Exploding Stars, Dead Dinosaurs, and Zombies: Youth Ministry in the Age of Science (Fortress Press, 2018).LinksEvangelism in an Age of Despair (book): https://bakerpublishinggroup.com/products/9781540968715_evangelism-in-an-age-of-despairPodcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/ministry-in-a-secular-age-featuring-dr-andrew-root/id1462822741Website: https://www.andrewroot.org/Twitter: https://x.com/rootandrewFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/andrew.root/

'Addiction' is a word that conjures up so many images, ideas, and reactions in so many people. And because it has become so politicized, stigmatized, misunderstood, and/or dealt with poorly, it can be difficult to discern the addiction signals from the addiction noise these days.That's why I find the perspective of Quentin Genius—so helpful and refreshing. Not only is Quentin an ER doctor at Saint Paul’s Hospital in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada—and consequently embedded within a veritable world of addiction—he’s a theologian, ethicist, and an avid reader of Dostoevsky and poetry.In other words, Quentin is a rare bread; a real Renaissance man who can speak to the realities of addiction in a way that is informed, compassionate, insightful, practical, and even... hopeful. So, if you find yourself wrestling with the reality of addiction in one way or another, my hope is that you’ll find this conversation helpful. And if you or someone you know are struggling with addiction, reach out to someone you trust, make a call to a crisis line, or jump online and search for support wherever you are. Because hear me, really hear me, when I say this: there is no such thing as a lost cause. There really is hope. Freedom from addiction is possible. Something as seemingly simple and inconsequential as friendship, friendship with God and other people, really can move us closer and closer to this kind of hope and freedom.BioDr. Quentin Genuis is an emergency physician and ethicist at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, Canada. He serves as the physician ethicist for Providence Health Care, and is a Sessional Faculty and the Professional in Residence at Regent College in Vancouver, where he teaches on topics including medical ethics and addiction.LinksWebsite: https://quentingenuis.comRecovering People (book): https://wipfandstock.com/9798385231232/recovering-people/

To kick off a new year, and the first episode of 2026, I’ve got a special treat for you: an on location dialogue with none other than Nick Boyczuk, the founder and proprietor of Electric Eagle Tattoo Shop, and as you may have heard me mention in other episodes: my very own tattoo artist. In this sense, our conversation is about as personal (and weirdly personalist) as you can get. In fact, at one point in the conversation, it occurred to me that having Nick on the podcast is like having my therapist on the podcast. Except in this case, it’s my salty languaged therapist who draws on me with a tattoo rig made from electric doorbell components (the old school, traditional way).But there’s more to our conversation than tattoo talk among trauma-bonded buds here. There’s conversation about creativity; about commitment; about discipline; about tradition; about listening; about care; about courage; about growth; and about… God.All the elements, in other words, of the kinds of conversations you normally hear on Personalist Manifesto(s).BioNick's a mustachioed, deep thinking, fast working tattoo artist who lives in Abbotsford, British Columbia, with his wife, kids, and cats. LinksNick's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickboyczuktattoo/Electric Eagle Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/electriceagletattoo/Nick's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Nick-Boyczuk-Tattoo-61559196154551To book with Nick, email: [email protected]

In this final episode of 2025, I’m joined by Tripp Fuller from Homebrewed Christianity and Paul Hoard from the Seattle School of Theology and Psychology. We talk about the Christmas story, and how, in so many ways, it moves in the opposite direction of the stories being told by artificial intelligence prophets, power brokers, and profiteers today. So, wherever you are at in this advent season, I hope this conversation brings you a bit of hope as it reminds you of what it is to be human, what love truly is, and how, even when it seems so dark out there, the light of the world really has overcome that darkness.Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I’ll see you in 2026. BiosTripp Fuller is a podcaster, theologian, minister and competitive home brewer. Currently, he is visiting Professor of Theology at Luther Seminary. He received his PhD in Philosophy, Religion, and Theology at Claremont Graduate University. For over 12 years Tripp has been doing the Homebrewed Christianity podcast where he interviews different scholars about their work so you can get nerdy in traffic, on the treadmill, or doing the dishes. Last year it had over 3 million downloads. It also inspired a book series with Fortress Press called the Homebrewed Christianity Guides to topics like God, Jesus, Spirit, Church History and so on. Paul Hoard, PhD, LMHC, is a psychoanalytic psychotherapist and associate professor of counseling psychology at The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology. His work sits at the intersection of Lacanian theory, theology, and culture, examining how desire, disgust, trauma, sexuality, and play shape our lives and imaginations. He maintains a clinical practice, provides supervision for therapists integrating psychoanalysis and theology, and is the co-author (with his sister Billie Hoard) of Eucontamination: Disgust Theology and the Christian Life, a book that reimagines the theological logic of disgust as a site of transformation rather than exclusion.Tripp's LinksWebsite: https://www.homebrewedchristianty.com/Substack: https://processthis.substack.com/Bluesky: @trippfuller.bsky.socialPodcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/homebrewed-christianity/id276269040Paul's LinksSubstack: https://paulhoard.substack.com/Paul's Book: https://wipfandstock.com/9798385213726/eucontamination/

In this episode, I speak with two returning guests, political columnist and commentator David Moscrop and politician Jeff Wheeldon.As you’ll discover, the origin story for what you’ll about to hear kicked off when David used the terms 'mutant socialist' and 'bad leftist' in our previous conversation. There was something about those terms, and the thoughts surrounding them, that helped me feel very seen and understood. And it also reminded me a lot of the conversation I had with Jeff on this show.The three of us all lean to the left in our politics, but that doesn’t mean we feel totally at home within what constitutes ‘The Left’ today. And for me personally, this reality actually goes a fairly long way in accounting for why I started Personalist Manifesto(s): to explore what it could look like to venture into uncharted political territory in our fraught right, left, and centre, landscape today.And so, I thought, “Well… Maybe I—maybe we—are mutant socialists?” And then, the idea for this assembly was born: a mutant socialist assembly, a bad leftist conversation, where we talk politics in ways that do and don’t fit with many of the options on offer today, and we see if that resonates with ourselves and anyone listening.We cover a lot of ground here: 90s pop culture, technology, institutions, localized politics, and lots in between. And we hope, in covering this ground, you feel encouraged to practice touch the grass, love your neighbour, politics wherever you happen to be. And so with that, here’s my conversation with David and Jeff—the mutant socialist crew.BiosDavid Moscrop is a politics columnist, commentator, and author of Too Dumb for Democracy? Why We Make Bad Political Decisions And How We Can Make Better Ones. His work has appeared in outlets including Globe and Mail, the Washington Post, the Walrus, Time Magazine, the Guardian, and Jacobin. He holds a PhD in political science from the University of British Columbia.Jeff Wheeldon blogs on municipal politics, and still occasionally publishes essays on politics, religion, and sociology.LinksDavid's Book: Too Dumb for Democracy? Why We Make Bad Political Decisions and How We Can Make Better Ones: https://gooselane.com/products/too-dumb-for-democracyDavid's Substack: www.davidmoscrop.comDavid's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/davidmoscrop.comDavid's Twitter: @David_MoscropJeff's blog: https://jeffwheeldon.ca/blog/Jeff's publications: https://sociologyandchristianity.org/index.php/jsc/article/view/281

When genocides and political atrocities take place, it has become common for people to assemble in public, bear witness to what has happened, and address those events to reach a sense of… what, exactly?Awareness? Truth? Understanding? Closure? Reconciliation? Healing? Reparation? Change?And if these—or something else—are the aims of these assemblies, do they actually achieve these goals? Enter Jane Barter, and her new book Theopolitics and the Era of the Witness, to explore these and so many other important questions related to a phenomenon that has become so typical of our time that it is rare to encounter people thinking as deeply, and speaking as meaningfully to these questions as Jane does.BioJane Barter (she/her) is Professor of Religion and Culture at the University of Winnipeg. She has published three monographs, including her a recent book on witnessing to political atrocity, Theopolitics and the Era of the Witness (Routledge. 2025). She recently co-edited (with Doris Kieser, St. Joseph’s College, University of Alberta) a special volume of the Journal of Moral Theology on the papal visit and apology to survivors of Residential Schools in Canada. She is also general editor of the forthcoming (2026) multi-volume T & T Clark Encyclopedia of Christian Theology (Bloomsbury Press).LinksJane's new book: https://www.routledge.com/Theopolitics-and-the-Era-of-the-Witness/Barter/p/book/9781032615035

It’s amazing and terrifying how one small sentence posted online at a particular moment in a particular context can spread like wildfire, and result in a book. In this case, it was the sentence Jesus was non-violent, posted by Susy Flory on Facebook during the Covid-19 pandemic and the January 6 Insurrection that started the fire and led to a book. In this conversation, I speak with Susy and Scott Johanningsmeir, editors of the recent published book Jesus Was: Not What We Expected But Better Than We Imagined where we not only get the origin story for the book, but we also reflect on how some of the most important things in life, including the Christian life, can be hidden in plain sight.So whether you identify as a Christian or not, I encourage you to listen to this conversation. It might re-introduce you, or introduce you for the first time, to the revolutionary, and kind, Jesus. Who not only was, but is, and is to come.Bios and LinksSusy Flory is a New York Times best-selling author or coauthor of eighteen books, directs West Coast Christian Writers, and is the founder of Everything Memoir with Susy Flory. Her book The Unbreakable Boy became a feature film in wide release in March, 2025. Susy earned a master’s degree in New Testament at Northern Seminary and is finishing up her doctoral studies on women writers in the ancient world, including the New Testament era. She lives in Northern California. Check out Susy’s Substack, and follow her on Facebook and Instagram.Scott Johanningsmeier is a bivocational pastor at Elizabeth Baptist Church in Southern Indiana. He has a bachelor’s degree in music technology from Indiana University and a master’s degree in New Testament from Northern Seminary. Outside of ministry, he works in the technology installation industry. He and his wife have two daughters. Check out Scott’s Substack and follow him on Facebook and LinkedIn.Oh, and pick up a copy of the Jesus Was: Not What We Expected But Better Than We Imagined book here.

As you’ll hear in this conversation, this episode started with a collegial back-and-forth about a footnote concerning punk rock. I was reviewing my friend Erv Klassen’s Doctor of Ministry project on hope, and he took an excellent side quest at the bottom of one of his pages to talk about the birth of punk rock. Don’t you just love it when music fans get into hairsplitting conversations (i.e. arguments) about who started what and when and how they started it? I know I do. Well, sometimes. And then at other times, I don’t. Either way, what I love about this footnote is that it started an offline conversation that started the podcast dialogue that you’re about hear—and maybe one day, it’ll result in a micro-course on theology and punk rock. We’ll see. But for the time being, my conversation with Erv is about punk rock, and what that has to do with hope and theology. The funny thing is, Jacques Ellul wrote about punk rock (and disco) in his book Empire of Non-Sense. And here’s what he says in a footnote:"These pages were written well before the appearance of punk and disco. But these movements are nothing more than the confirmation and continuation of the previous movement of insignificance congealed by the hypnotic effect of technique. The sounds, the shouts, the gesticulations, the frenzied outbursts, the throbbing, the fragmentation are in reality perfectly stereotyped and express a programmed type of music. The sounds that burst forth do not express any “emotion” in spite of what one says; they simply produce an instant of mind-altered happiness. One must not forget that after punk the emotionless style prevails. After the anarchy and spontaneity of punk comes, not with a tip of the scale but with the continuation of the same tendency, a frozen, rigid, and petrified style. It is not for nothing that one hears “Do the Mussolini,” a derive appeal to Fascism, and constant appeal to death, “I wish I could die…” What causes this completely depersonalized and neutralized ethos and a glorification of militarism? So, clearly, Ellul wasn’t a fan—at least not of nihilistic synth-punk bands. Fair enough. But the question he asks “what causes this…?” can lead in all sorts of directions, and not all in the ways Ellul proposes here. There are other, more hopeful directions, that punks can take. And in this episode, Erv and I try to articulate what those other directions may be.BioErv Klassen is the Registrar and Assistant Academic Dean at Columbia Bible College in Abbotsford. He teaches in the areas of Spiritual Formation and Christian History. Erv is passionate about old books like medieval Christian devotional literature, and loves introducing these spiritual classics to others. He has worked at Columbia since 2008 following his work as a youth pastor and many summers working at summer camp. He loves playing modern board games, listening to rock and roll, reading Superman comics, flying kites, and birdwatching. He and his family live in Hope (figuratively and literally). LinksErv's Doctor of Ministry Project on Hope: https://actsseminaries.com/assets/main/klassen---hope-dmn-project-final-version-with-signatures.pdfA Non-Comprehensive Punk Rock Playlist in No Specific Order• Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965–1968 • The Clash - London Calling • The Go-Gos - Beauty and the Beat • Greenday - American Idiot (2004)• Iggy and the Stooges - Raw Power• Patti Smith - Horses• The Ramones - Ramones• Talking Heads - 77• The Clash - London Calling• Sex Pistols - Never Mind the Bollocks• The Jam - In the City• Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures• New Order - Movement• Black Flag - Damaged• Minor Threat - First Two Seven Inches• Fugazi - 13 Songs• Bad Brains - Rock for Light• Refused - Shape of Punk to Come• At the Drive - Relationship of Command• Blink-182 - Cheshire Cat• Blink-182 - Dude Ranch

This is episode 36 of Personalist Manifesto(s), and to tell you the truth, I’m a bit surprised it has taken this long to feature a longform conversation about music. Music has come up in other episodes, of course, but this is the first time I’ve done full-length talk about something so close to my heart.Because of that, it makes total sense that I’d have my friend, Joshua Leventhal, a worship pastor, songwriter, and performer to talk all things music—including, what it’s like making a go at being a career musician when streaming and social media have totally changed the way music is made and shared in and industry that can be so wonderful, and so depressing, at the same time.Oh, and another thing. Speaking of music, next week’s episode is also going to be about music. Punk rock, in fact. So stay tuned for that.And so with that, here’s my conversation with Josh. BioJoshua Leventhal is a songwriter and artist who makes music unto Jesus. His desire is to express full honesty in his lyricism without betraying reverence or hope. He wants to give people words for things they've always felt, but never had the words to express. Joshua is American-born but Canadian-raised; he is married to fellow creative Kaitlyn Rose, and they are based outside of Vancouver BC. He has won GMAs for both album of the year and song of the year, and was nominated for a Juno for Gospel Album of the Year.LinksMusic: joshualeventhal.com/releasesYouTube: youtube.com/@joshualeventhalTour: joshualeventhal.com/tourWebsite: joshualeventhal.comAdditional LinksRedwall: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/series/DUI/redwall/Ebert Reviews: https://www.rogerebert.com/reviewsViolence in the Old Testament Micro-Course: https://nbseminary.ca/academics/life-long-learning/violence-in-the-old-testament/Political Theology Micro-Course: https://nbseminary.ca/academics/life-long-learning/christians-and-politics/Karl Barth Theology Symposium: https://nbseminary.ca/theology-on-fire/

In this episode, Grace Ji-Sun Kim becomes the first ever returning guest on this show—and in this conversation, we talk about her new book Earthbound: God at the Intersection of Climate and Justice. Grace’s book offers a transformative vision of divine presence that calls us to active, restorative justice in a world crying out for restoration. Now, two things about this recording. First, it’s audio only (although you can watch a YouTube video with some nice looking audio waves if you want some nice visuals). Second, there might be a bit of background noise here and there. I had to record this conversation on the fly at a conference in between keynote talks Grace was giving and panels she was speaking on. In fact, right after this conversation ended, Grace had to run to panel session.Still, it feels right that this conversation is an unvarnished field recording. It has the spirit of The Spirit. You know, the one who is like the wind, blowing wherever, whenever and out of our control. So hopefully our this dialogue helps you hear the wind of the Spirit, and respond with care for the creation that the Spirit is breathing life into.BioGrace Ji-Sun Kim is Professor of Theology at Earlham School of Religion and the author/editor of 24 books, including Earthbound, Feminist Theologies: The Basics, When God Became White, Surviving God, Christianity in North America, Spirit Life, Invisible, Hope in Disarray, Keeping Hope Alive, Intersectional Theology, and Healing our Broken Humanity. She received her M.Div. from Knox College (University of Toronto) and her Ph.D. from the University of Toronto. She is also an ordained minister of word and sacrament within the Presbyterian (USA) denomination.LinksEarthbound (new book): https://orbisbooks.com/products/earthbound-god-at-the-intersection-of-climate-and-justiceFeminist Theologies: The Baisics (co-authored new book): https://www.routledge.com/Feminist-Theologies-The-Basics/Shaw-Ji-SunKim/p/book/9781032643908Website: https://gracejisunkim.wordpress.com/Substack: https://gracek.substack.com/Podcast: https://www.christiancentury.org/podcast/madang

The introduction to this episode was recorded at 11:17am, On September 15, 2025 Pacific Time. The conversation with politics columnist, commentator, and author David Moscrop ⁠in this episode was recorded at 11:00am Pacific time on August 29, 2025 Pacific Time.I am sharing these dates and times with you so you get a sense of the timeline for, or the lead up to, David and I’s initial conversation, and what has happened between that dialogue and now.I am, of course, referring to the murder of Charlie Kirk on September 10, 2025, and the apprehension of the murder suspect a few days ago. If I am being totally honest with you, I was not and am not sure if it is right to mention this here. On the one hand, I do not want to add to the noise or capitalize upon this tragedy, or any tragedy, in order to get attention. On the other hand, to not mention anything seems to run against the grain of the Personalist Manifesto(s) project as a whole, and the topics discussed in this particular conversation—which, as it happens, I had planned to post when I am posting it before any of what I am referring to took place.Strange, if not unnerving, how time, intention, and circumstance interact, isn’t it?And how will they interact in the day to come?I don’t know. I really, truly, don’t know. But as a proponent of non-violent resistance to evil in any form it assumes, I want to clearly and public denounce violence here, within this context, and any other past, present, or future instance of violence that does and does not receive media attention.So, my hope is that this conversation, and others like it on Personalist Manifesto(s), bear witness to these convictions. In so doing, I hope to offer both a critical and constructive account of how you, I, and anyone else listening or watching, can put our feet on the grass, and love our neighbour in local, immediate, and tangible ways.Take care of yourself, okay?And take care of your neighbour, whomever they are.Peace be with you.All of you.BioDavid Moscrop is a politics columnist, commentator, and author of Too Dumb for Democracy? Why We Make Bad Political Decisions And How We Can Make Better Ones. His work has appeared in outlets including Globe and Mail, the Washington Post, the Walrus, Time Magazine, and the Guardian. He holds a PhD in political science from the University of British Columbia.LinksDavid's Book: Too Dumb for Democracy? Why We Make Bad Political Decisions and How We Can Make Better Ones: https://gooselane.com/products/too-dumb-for-democracySubstack: www.davidmoscrop.comBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/davidmoscrop.comTwitter: @David_MoscropAdditional LinksJacques Ellul, Autopsy of Revolution: https://wipfandstock.com/9781606089774/autopsy-of-revolution/Samuel Caramela, "Billionaires Are Building Luxury Bunkers to Escape Doomsday": https://www.vice.com/en/article/billionaires-are-building-luxury-bunkers-to-escape-doomsday/Abby Livingston, "Ted Cruz says leaving Texas during winter disaster was "obviously a mistake" as he returns from Cancún": https://www.texastribune.org/2021/02/18/ted-cruz-cancun-power-outage/Interstellar clip on pioneers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0Wltu5hfPUAustin Powers clip on slow, avoidable death: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_PrZ-J7D3k

In this conversation, I speak with my friend, and sports super fan, Andrew Blaine.Sports talk has come up here and there on this show—usually when I am lamenting the ongoing losses and heartbreaks that come with being a Vancouver Canucks fan—but this is the first episode where sport is spoken about at length.What you may come to see as the conversation progresses, however, is that sports for Andrew are about more than sports. Sports are about community, relationship, and… a God who meets us, and changes us, in and through communities and relationships—within churches, yes, but also beyond churches too. And so with that, here’s my conversation with Andrew.BioAndrew Blaine is a sports super fan who loves Jesus and has a passion for community.LinksInstagram: @_andrewblaine0441Trinity Western Spartans: https://gospartans.ca/

In this episode, I speak to someone by the name of Jonathan Lyonhart.Jonathan is a theologian, philosopher, author, and ordained minister. He emailed me a while back, letting me know he’s listened to this show, and he thought I might be interested in reading his new book The Journey of God: Christianity in Six Movements.I responded to Jonathan’s email, saying something like, “Of course. Send me your book. Let’s do this.”And we are here, Jonathan and I talking about stories, theology, philosophy, and a lot of other things—including inside baseball talk about living in Vancouver (the Canadian one, not the American one).Side note: if you have a book you think I should read, email me ([email protected]). Chances are I’ll want to read it.BioJonathan Lyonhart (PhD, Cambridge) is a British-Canadian theologian, philosopher, author, and ordained minister. He is an Associate Professor of Religion and Philosophy at the University of Jamestown, a Fellow at the Cambridge Center for the Study of Platonism at Cambridge University, and a co-host of the Spiritually Incorrect Podcast. Additionally, he co-founded The NumiNous Institute for Faith and Neurodiversity with his wife, who is a doctoral candidate in History at Oxford University.LinksWebsiteSpiritually Incorrect PodcastThe Journey of God (authored Book)Space God (authored book)Monothreeism (authored book)Madison LyonhartNumiNous Institute for Faith and NeurodiversityAdditional LinksLife is Beautiful

In this episode, we’re finishing the four-part seminar series on disability and the church I’ve been sharing with you over the course of the last few weeks. So, be sure to check out the other three sessions before you jump into this one if you haven’t already. Or, start here and work your way backwards if you want. It’s up to you, really. You’re your own person. I can’t make you do anything you don’t want to do, right? Session One - Disability Language and Rhetoric with Krista Ewert: https://youtu.be/5fUtwkY2nvUSession Two - What is a Human? with Michael Morelli: https://youtu.be/Rr67U8XpbeYSession Three - Mutualistic Ministry with Greg Harris: https://youtu.be/OQM6W9wmCPUIn this seminar, we’re hearing from my friend Kathy Dubbledam—the director of YoungLife Capernaum in Canada. Now, you may have heard of YoungLife (who hasn’t?). But have you heard of YoungLife Capernaum? It’s all about relationships; relationships that start with meeting teens with disabilities where they’re at, caring for them and sharing the Christian faith in simple and understandable terms… all with no strings attached. [They] want to make sure that every teen involved in Young Life Capernaum knows they are invited, celebrated, and needed.And since Kathy is the director of this YoungLife ministry, she has so much wisdom to share about what it looks like to create communities where everyone truly belongs, and truly shares the gifts they have received from God.BioKathy Dubbeldam is the Capernaum Ministry Director for Young Life of Canada and has been serving with Young Life for 25 years. Young Life is a global faith-based youth mentorship program, and Kathy leads the Capernaum branch, ensuring that friends with disabilities are welcomed and included. She introduced Capernaum to Canada in 2014, starting in Edmonton, and has since helped expand it to 12 cities across three provinces. Over the past eight years, she has established Capernaum-specific clubs, trained staff in inclusive practices, and advised church pastors on creating welcoming spaces for individuals with disabilities. She is also developing accessible devotionals to support faith growth for all abilities.These seminars were the result of a collaborative effort between The Lazarus Centre, Northwest College and Seminary, Fellowship Pacific, YoungLife Capernaum, and this show.LinksYoungLife Capernaum: https://capernaum.younglife.ca/Instagram: @younglifecapernaumcanadaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ylcapernaumeverywhereThe Lazarus Centre: www.thelazaruscentre/orgNorthwest College & Seminary: www.nbseminary.caFellowship Pacific: https://fellowshippacific.ca/

In this episode, we’re continuing on in the disability and the church seminar series—the third of four sessions. If you haven’t caught the first two sessions, be sure to check them out before you get into this one.In this seminar, my friend Greg Harris presents on disability and discipleship.Session One - Disability Language and Rhetoric with Krista Ewert: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/disability-and-the-church-seminar-part-one-before/id1779392257?i=1000720849933Session Two - What is a Human? with Michael Morelli: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/disability-and-the-church-part-two-what-is-a/id1779392257?i=1000721876026Not only is Greg a pastor, he’s also working on a doctorate that focuses on this topic.He’s exploring the question: what if the church was a place where everybody was truly considered capable of being a disciple and discipling other people? What would that community look like? What would it to do to make it that kind of community?As Greg poses these questions, he provides a number of opportunities for us to reflect one where we—where you are at—and ask: how is my church, my community doing in this area? Could we be doing better? And if so, what does better look like in this context?These seminars were the result of a collaborative effort between The Lazarus Centre, Northwest College and Seminary, and Fellowship Pacific.BioGreg Harris has served in pastoral ministry since 2010, and has been on the pastoral team at SouthRidge Fellowship since Fall 2022. He believes the church should be a place of mutuality, and he desires to see each disciple of Jesus—regardless of their dis/abilities—mature in Christlikeness.Greg received a Dip. in Biblical Studies and a B.A. in Worship Arts from Columbia Bible College; an MDiv from Northwest Baptist Seminary, and is a Doctoral candidate in Practical Theology at McMaster Divinity College (with a research focus on the intersection of dis/ability and discipleship in the local church). LinksMy Disabled Son is the Image of God: https://www.christianitytoday.com/2024/03/1p36-down-syndrome-theology-disability-child-image-of-god/Instagram: @gregharris7SouthRidge Church: https://southridgefellowship.ca/accessibility-and-inclusion/Additional LinksThe Lazarus Centre: www.thelazaruscentre.orgNorthwest College & Seminary: www.nbseminary.caFellowship Pacific: https://fellowshippacific.ca/

This is the second of a four-part seminar series on disability and the church. It explores what it means to be human, specifically from the perspective of the Bible, theology, and what most people call disability.These seminars were the result of a collaborative effort between The Lazarus Centre, Northwest Seminary and College, and Fellowship Pacific, and this show.If you haven't listened to the first seminar exploring the history of disability language and rhetoric, check it out here: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/disability-and-the-church-seminar-part-one-before/id1779392257?i=1000720849933BioMichael is Associate Professor of Theology & Ethics and Program Manager, Life-Long Learning at Northwest College & Seminary. He holds a PhD in Theological Ethics from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland and is the author of Theology, Ethics, and Technology in the Work of Jacques Ellul and Paul Virilio: A Nascent Theological Tradition (Lexington Books) and editor of Desert, Wilderness, Wasteland, and World: A New Essay By Jacques Ellul and Five Critical Engagements (Pickwick). He publishes and presents on a variety of topics within the fields of theology, morality, culture, politics, technology, and disability. He has also worked in local church ministry and continues to serve the church in a lay capacity.LinksSubstack: https://personalistmanifestos.substack.com/Instagram: mchlmorelliBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mchlmorelli.bsky.socialThe Lazarus Centre: www.thelazaruscentre.orgNorthwest College and Seminary: www.nbseminary.caFellowship Pacific: https://fellowshippacific.ca/Additional ResourcesVincent Lloyd, Black Natural Law: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/black-natural-law-9780199362189Brian Brock and John Swinton (eds.), Disability in the Christian Tradition: A Reader: https://www.eerdmans.com/9780802866028/disability-in-the-christian-tradition/

This is the first of a four-part seminar on disability and the church. These seminars were the result of a collaborative effort between The Lazarus Centre, Northwest College and Seminary, Fellowship Pacific, and this show—all groups I am a part of in one way or another.I am sharing these seminars with you because I do not want the discussions of disability we have on Personalist Manifesto(s) to just be theoretical. I want to them to lead to real, practical action.In the first seminar, my friend and colleague Krista Ewert presents on disability language and rhetoric, because, as you will see, this is a critical place to start when thinking about disability.BioKrista is storyteller and leader: a multi-hyphenate who thrives on creating and curating all things deeply connecting. Krista grew up attending South Delta Baptist Church and has worked in various churches in different ministry capacities. She was the Communications lead for the National Ministry Team at the Church of England, where she had the opportunity to work with the National Advisor for Disability and the Diocesan Disability Advisors. She has also worked as a Marketing leader at Alpha Canada and World Vision. She has a degree in theology from Prairie Bible College and a Master’s degree in Interdisciplinary Humanities focusing on Disability Language and Rhetoric. Krista is married to Ben, who is the Director of Choral Activities at TWU and Director of Music at St. John’s Vancouver Church where she attends with her three children, Jakob (17), Ella (15), who was born with Down syndrome, and Audrey (10).LinksKrista's Substack: https://kristaewert.substack.com/The Lazarus Centre: www.thelazaruscentre.orgNorthwest College & Seminary: www.nbseminary.caFellowship Pacific: https://fellowshippacific.ca/

Initially, my childhood friend Jeff Wheeldon thought he was going to be a pastor. Then, he thought he was going to be a theology professor. But then, he ended up in politics. Some of you may be excited to hear I’m interviewing a Christian who happens to be in politics. Some of you might get a little skittish. If you’re in the latter category, stick with us. I think you’ll find that Jeff is breaking the mold in terms of what it means to be a Christian in politics. We talk about theology, politics, political theology, and… swans. Note: Because Personalist Manifesto(s) strives to be non-partisan, it is important to mention that this conversation is not a political ad or endorsement. It’s simply one friend speaking to another about the above topics. Bio Jeff Wheeldon loves his family, playing tabletop games with his friends and kids, and managing complex systems to make a better world. He paints miniatures, is working on his first novel, and serves as a municipal councillor in Brighton, Ontario. He's a big fan of Jesus, and is learning to love himself and everyone else too. Links Jeff's blog: https://jeffwheeldon.ca/blog/ Jeff's publications: https://sociologyandchristianity.org/index.php/jsc/article/view/281Additional Resources Astra Taylor, Massey Lectures / The Age of Insecurity: https://www.cbc.ca/radiointeractives/ideas/2023-cbc-massey-lectures-astra-taylor Marva Dawn, Powers, Weakness, and the Tabernacling of God: https://www.eerdmans.com/9780802847706/powers-weakness-and-the-tabernacling-of-god/ Walter Wink, The Powers Trilogy: https://www.goodreads.com/series/55665-powers Greg Boyd, Satan and the Problem of Evil: https://reknew.org/book/satan-the-problem-of-evil-constructing-a-trinitarian-warfare-theodicy/ Donella Meadows, Thinking in Systems: https://www.chelseagreen.com/product/thinking-in-systems/ Michael Banner, Ethics of Everyday Life: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/ethics-of-everyday-life-9780198722069?cc=ca&lang=en& Club of Rome, Limits to Growth: https://www.clubofrome.org/publication/the-limits-to-growth/ Jacques Ellul, Theology and Technique: https://wipfandstock.com/9781725259775/theology-and-technique/ Jonathan Haidt, The Righteous Mind: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/73535/the-righteous-mind-by-jonathan-haidt/ E.F. Schumacher, Small is Beautiful: https://www.amazon.ca/Small-Beautiful-Economics-People-Mattered/dp/0099225611

*trigger warning* / *take care of yourself*Karen O'Donnell has written a lot on theology, feminism, trauma, and so much more. We got together to talk about her latest book, Survival: Radical Spiritual Practices for Trauma Survivors. If you're journeying with trauma, or journeying with people who are, I hope this conversation helps you in that journey.BioDr Karen O'Donnell is a theologian with particular interests in the ways in which bodies intersect with theologies. This has led to work in trauma and feminist theologies with an emphasis on women's bodies. Her most recent publications include a co-edited volume Pregnancy and Birth: Critical Theological Conceptions (SCM Press, 2024) and Survival: Radical Spiritual Practices for Trauma Survivors (SCM Press, 2024). Karen is Academic Dean at Westcott House, Cambridge and Associate Lecturer in Gender and Theology in the Divinity Faculty, Cambridge University, UK. LinksPersonalBluesky: @karenod.bsky.socialInstagram: @karabelle82Website (including publications): karenodonnell.org.ukFeminist Theology NetworkBluesky: @feministtheology.bsky.socialInstagram: @feministtheologynetwork Sign up: https://mailchi.mp/a5e743737064/feminist-theology-networkAdditional Links• Serene Jones, 'Trauma and Grace': https://www.wjkbooks.com/bookproduct/0664264778-trauma-and-grace-second-edition/• Judith Herman, 'Trauma and Recovery': https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/judith-lewis-herman-md/trauma-and-recovery/9780465098736/?lens=basic-books• Judith Herman, 'Truth and Repair': https://www.akpress.org/truth-and-repair.html• Bessel Van Der Kolk, 'The Body Keeps the Score': https://www.besselvanderkolk.com/resources/the-body-keeps-the-score• Sam Fender, 'People Watching': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cXCUp6j5M8• 'The Piano' (movie trailer): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61ooIf1QDZo• 'The Heart asks Pleasure First': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCJB9mIlFBs&list=RDTCJB9mIlFBs&start_radio=1• 'Moonlight Sonata': www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Tr0otuiQuU&list=RD4Tr0otuiQuU&start_radio=1• 'Armageddon' (movie trailer): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-8eEniEfgU• 'We're all living in the upside down': https://www.salon.com/2016/09/01/were-all-living-in-the-upside-down-stranger-things-is-a-show-about-the-internets-dark-sides/

Conspiracy. Conspiracy theories. Fake news. Fake media. Disinformation. Misinformation. Propaganda. Such words, and words like them, have entered the mainstream, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult for the average person to navigate the choppy waters of on and offline truth and lies. How did we get here, sensible people are asking?And what do we do about it, is their follow-up question.Enter Jared Stacy, who’s written an immensely helpful and apocalyptic doctoral thesis (which is becoming a book) on conspiracy theories, theological paranoia, and North American evangelicalism.Now, having just said that, I am aware that you either got very interested or very disinterested in what’s ahead. If you’re in the former category, excellent. Jared’s got some great wisdom to share with us. If you’re in the latter category, please give this conversation a chance before you walk away. I hope—maybe even promise?—that we don’t get overly judgy or technical. In fact, as Ellul wrote in his prescient book Propaganda, “I insist that to give [the warnings I do in my work] is an act in the defence of [people], that I am not judging propaganda with Olympian detachment, and that having suffered, felt, and analyzed the impact of the power of propaganda on myself, having been time and again, and still being, the object of propaganda, I want to speak of it as a menace which threatens the total personality." Jared and I attempt to speak from a similar place of self-awareness. Nobody, not even you, me, or Jared are immune to the causes and effects of propaganda, conspiracy theories, fake news, paranoia, and so on. And the moment we think we are, that is when we are most at risk. So please, listen, and reflect, with care.BioJared Stacy (PhD, Uni of Aberdeen) is a theologian and chaplain. He is the author of an upcoming book with Harper Collins on American evangelicalism and conspiracy theory. His research focuses on theological resistance to political extremisms and conspiracism. He lives in Tampa Bay. LinksTheological paranoia: American Evangelicalism, conspiracy theory and a public theology of January 6 (PhD Dissertation)"The theological paranoia driving conspiracy theory among Christians" (article)SubstackInstagramBlueSkyAdditional ResourcesDietrich Bonhoeffer, After Ten YearsHoward Thurman, The Fascist MasqueradeJacques Ellul, Propaganda: The Formation of Men's AttitudesKristen Kobes Du Mez, Jesus and John WayneTimothy Gloege, Guaranteed Pure: The Moody Bible Institute, Business, and the Making of Modern EvangelicalismCal Newport, Digitial MinimalismJeffrey Bilbro, Reading the Times: A Literary and Theological Inquiry into the News

Jon Coutts is a polymath theologian. He's written and presented on Karl Barth, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the church, film, and a whole lot more. So when Jon emailed me to ask if I'd be interested in reading some work he did on artificial intelligence (AI), my response was of course! and, we should have a conversation about this. Here is that conversation.BioJon Coutts is theologian in western Canada with a forthcoming book on Dietrich Bonhoeffer's ethics. He has been a professor in England and in Canada. Links Jon’s books and articles can be found at thissideofsunday.blogspot.comAdditional ResourcesWillie James Jennings, Acts: A Theological CommentaryGustavo Gutiérrez, Concilium 171: Different Theologies, Common Responsibilities: Babel or Pentecost?Vincent Lloyd, Black Natural LawKarl Barth, "The Lordless Powers," The Christian Life

Ryan Turnbull is a Canadian theologian, and I’m a Canadian theologian, so we talk about a lot of Canadian stuff in this episode. But you don’t have to be Canadian to engage in or get something out of this conversation. Because what we talk about functions like a case study of what it looks like to be a theologian who lives in a particular place and is thinking critically and constructively (theologically) about that place. So hopefully Ryan and I’s conversation helps you do that—in your own place, wherever that happens to be.Ryan is not only a great scholarly thinker, he actually cares about the places he finds himself in and the people who are there. And, in the spirit of Personalism, it captures one of the core sayings of Ellul, Charbonneau, and others, which was: think locally, act globally. So I hope this conversation helps you do that.BioRyan holds a BA and MA in Theology from Providence University College and Theological Seminary and just completed the defence of his PhD in Theology and Religion in December 2023, at the University of Birmingham, entitled “Haunted and Held: A Christian Theology of Place.” Ryan is currently a Visiting Fellow at St John’s College and serves as the Diocesan Discipleship Developer in the Diocese of Rupert’s Land. In addition to his day job with the diocese, Ryan serves on the executive of the Canadian Theological Society and teaches theology as an adjunct instructor at a number of universities and seminaries across Canada.LinksWebsiteBlueSkyAdditional ResourcesVal Plumwood, Shadow Places and The Politics of DwellingPaul Virilio, Bunker ArchaeologyStanley Hauerwas, Prayers Plainly SpokenElaine Enns and Ched Myers, Healing Haunted HistoriesJacques Derrida, Specters of Marx The State of the Debt, the Work of Mourning and the New InternationalDoreen Massey, A Global Sense of PlaceMichael Schneider, ‘Reservation Dogs’ Uses 1970s Horror Motifs to Tell the Cruel History of Native Boarding SchoolsShelly Rambo, Resurrecting WoundsThe Truth and Reconciliation Commission of CanadaCanada’s Residential Schools: Missing Children and Unmarked BurialsDavid Graeber, Debt: The First 5000 Years

This is a recording of a recent presentation I gave titled "Creative Processes in a World with Artificial Intelligence (AI), or Why and How God Uses The Work of Artists." Normally, Personalist Manifesto(s) features dialogues throughout, but this one is a little bit different. It starts with a presentation and ends with a Q&A dialogue. Because I only had one mic, and the mic was my phone, the audio quality isn’t great and the questions are quiet. But I did what I could to boost the sound and clean it up so you can hear everything.This presentation is delivered and this dialogue is engaged with Ellul’s work on art and technology looming in the background. Ellul teaches artists to be attentive to the world around them, and to be careful about the techniques and processes they do and don’t engage to represent that world. So, in a world with AI, where technologies are producing ‘art’ for us, we would do well to listen to Ellul.And so with that, here is a presentation and dialogue inspired by some of my learnings from Ellul and others in this fraught and wondrous terrain of art and technology.BioMichael Morelli is the Associate Professor of Theology & Ethics at Northwest College & Seminary and ACTS Seminaries. Both are affiliates of Trinity Western University. He’s also an adjunct professor of theology of at Trinity’s Religious Studies and Nursing Schools.He has a PhD in Theological Ethics from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland and is the author of Theology, Ethics, and Technology in the Work of Jacques Ellul and Paul Virilio: A Nascent Theological Tradition (Lexington Books) and editor of Desert, Wilderness, Wasteland, and Word: A New Essay By Jacques Ellul and Five Critical Engagements (Pickwick). LinksTheology Beer Camp 2025: https://www.theologybeercamp2025.comMichael Morelli, Theology, Ethics, and Technology in the Work of Jacques Ellul and Paul Virilio: https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/theology-ethics-and-technology-in-the-work-of-jacques-ellul-and-paul-virilio-9781793625434/T.S. Eliot, The Wasteland: Facsimile Edition: https://www.amazon.ca/Waste-Land-Facsimile-Transcript-Annotations/dp/0156948702Gustav Janouch, Conversations with Kafka: https://www.ndbooks.com/book/conversations-with-kafka/Madeline L’Engle, Walking on Water: https://www.madeleinelengle.com/books/non-fiction/walking-on-water-reflections-on-faith-and-art/James H. Cone, The Spirituals and The Blues: https://en.novalis.ca/products/the-spirituals-and-the-bluesDavid Lynch, Catching the Big Fish: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/546656/catching-the-big-fish-by-david-lynch/9780143130147Jacques Ellul, Empire of Non-Sense: Art in the Technological Society: https://papadakis.net/books/the-empire-of-non-sense/

When I started Personalist Manifesto(s), everyone told me I needed to talk to two people: Daniel Cérézuelle and Christian Roy. I agreed with their suggestions. I spoke to Daniel in the first ever Personalist Manifesto(s) conversation, so you can check that out through the link below if you haven’t already. In this conversation, I speak with Christian. His research focuses not only on Personalism, but the expressions of it represented by Jacques Ellul, Bernard Charbonneau, and their colleagues and friends. We have a freewheeling conversation, not just about the history of Personalism, but its spirit and its relevance for today. BioBased in Montreal, Christian Roy (Ph.D. McGill 1993) is a cultural historian, an art critic, a film scholar, and a multilingual translator, e.g., from German of Carl Schmitt and Paul Tillich and into English of Jacques Ellul (Theology and Technique, Wipf & Stock, 2024) and Bernard Charbonneau (The Green Light: A Self-Critique of the Ecological Movement, Bloomsbury 2018 and Mediatized Society in instalments). Roy’s independent research focuses on lesser-known strands of the Personalist intellectual tradition (such as the Ordre Nouveau group, the Bordeaux School, etc.), to dig up their roots in interwar Europe.LinksAcademia: roychristian.academia.eduPatreon: patreon/christianroymediaAdditional ResourcesBernard Charbonneau, "La société médiatisée": https://www.amazon.ca/-/fr/soci%C3%A9t%C3%A9-m%C3%A9diatis%C3%A9e-Bernard-Charbonneau/dp/B09FS2VBYLBernard Charbonneau, "The Green Light: A Self-Critique of the Ecological Movement": https://www.bloomsbury.com/ca/green-light-9781350027091/Frances Stonor Saunders, "The Cultural Cold War: The CIA and The World of Arts and Letters": https://www.amazon.ca/Cultural-Cold-War-World-Letters/dp/1565846648What is Personalism? A Conversation with Danielle Cérézuelle: https://personalistmanifestos.substack.com/p/what-is-personalism-a-conversation-1d7

The origin story of this dialogue is a bit of a complex one. It started when a directed study I am doing with a master’s student named Ruby collided—in the best way possible—with an online exchange I had with scholar Lisa Powell. This was brought about by the recent conversation I had with Daniel Rempel about Barth, witness, and intellectual disability (link below if you haven't seen it yet).When Daniel posted our conversation on his social media account, Lisa commented on it, and I said “Hey, Lisa, I’m currently reading your book for a directed study with a master’s student right now. We should talk!” And Lisa said sure. And then I suggested to Ruby that she join the conversation for extra credit if she felt up to it.So here we are. Lisa, Ruby, and I talk about Lisa’s latest book 'The Disabled God Revisited.' We talk about how theologies like the kind Lisa is engaged with and doing help us to discover just how big, unsettling, and wonderful the Triune God revealed in scripture is—and, how this Triune God is constantly encouraging, and sometimes challenging us, to reframe what we mean when we say the word human. So, as much as a scholar like Jacques Ellul teaches us to be wary of modern technologies and media, a story like this goes to show that neither are all bad all the way down—as long as we don’t use the good examples of their uses and effects to justify ignoring, perpetuating, and/or benefiting from the bad.BioLisa Powell is Professor of Theology at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa, where she is also the director of the Justice, Diversity, and Gender Studies Program. She's published two books, including The Disabled God Revisited and articles in a variety of academic journals including The Journal for Feminist Studies in Religion, which awarded her the Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza New Scholar Award for her research on Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz as a 17th Century theologian. Her area of teaching and research focus on systematic theology from liberative perspectives. LinksBluesky: @lisapowell.bluesky.socialX (formerly Twitter): @lisadawnpowellThe Disabled God Revisited (authored book): https://www.bloomsbury.com/ca/disabled-god-revisited-9780567694355/Inconclusive Theologies: Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, Kierkegaard, and Theological Discourse (authored book): https://www.mupress.org/Inconclusive-Theologies-Sor-Juana-Ines-de-la-Cruz-Kierkegaard-and-Theological-Discourse-P804.aspx“Disabled God at 30 Years: Legacy and Promise” (lecture): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFBe_SZH38QAdditional ResourcesBruce McCormack, “Grace and Being: The Role of God’s Gracious Election in Karl Barth’s Theological Ontology,” in The Cambridge Companion to Karl Barth, ed. John Webster (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000), 92-110:https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/cambridge-companion-to-karl-barth/grace-and-being/8B5E8A8677B55B4F6075FFDDF8AD97F8James H. Cone, God of the Oppressed: https://en.novalis.ca/products/god-of-the-oppressedDelores William, Sisters in the Wilderness: https://en.novalis.ca/products/sisters-in-the-wilderness-20th-anniversary-editionFaye Bodley-Dangelo, Sexual Difference, Gender, and Agency in Karl Barth's Church Dogmatics: https://www.bloomsbury.com/ca/sexual-difference-gender-and-agency-in-karl-barths-church-dogmatics-9780567679321/Wati Longchar, “Dancing with the Land: Significance of Land for Doing Tribal Theology,”: https://biblicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/ijt/38-2_016.pdfDisability, Witness, and Christian Life - A Conversation with Daniel Rempel: https://personalistmanifestos.substack.com/p/witness-disability-and-the-christian

The other day, my colleague Joel Korytko started talking about Genesis, Cain, and the city. Right away, I asked him: Have you read Jacques Ellul's Meaning of the City? Joel hadn't read it, so I sent him some sections. After that, we decided it made sense to start talking about it and hit record. What resulted was a three-part conversation on Genesis, Civilization & The City. This is the third part.The first part is here: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/personalist-manifesto-s-podcast/id1779392257The second part is here: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/personalist-manifesto-s-podcast/id1779392257?i=1000705472315BiosJoel Korytko is Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies at Northwest College & Seminary. He holds a PhD in Oriental Studies (Septuagint) from University of Oxford, England. He is the author of numerous publications, including the monograph Death of the Covenant Code: Capital Punishment in Old Greek Exodus in light of Greco-Roman Egyptian Law (Brill).Michael Morelli is Associate Professor of Theology & Ethics at Northwest College & Seminary. He Holds a PhD in Theological Ethics from University of Aberdeen, Scotland. He is the author of Theology, Ethics & Technology in the Work of Jacques Ellul and Paul Virilio (Lexington), and editor of Desert, Wilderness, Wasteland, and Word: A New Essay by Jacques Ellul and Five Critical Engagements (Pickwick).ResourcesEllulThe Meaning of The City: https://wipfandstock.com/9781606089736/the-meaning-of-the-city/Judgment of Jonah: https://wipfandstock.com/search-results/?keyword=judgment+of+jonahApocalypse: https://wipfandstock.com/9781532684456/apocalypse/New Demons: http://www.newhumanityinstitute.org/pdf-articles/Jacques_Ellul-New-Demons.pdf“Technique and the Opening Chapters of Genesis,” from Theology and Technique: https://www.jesusradicals.com/uploads/2/6/3/8/26388433/technique-and-the-opening-chapters-of-genesis.pdfJoelDeath of the Covenant Code: Capital Punishment in Old Greek Exodus in light of Greco-Roman Egyptian Law: https://brill.com/display/title/68955?language=en“Correcting Cosmic Skeptic”: youtube.com/watch?v=zYKkktZKrCsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JoelKorytkoTwitter: @JoelFKorytkoMichaelTheology, Ethics & Technology in the Work of Jacques Ellul and Paul Virilio: https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781793625441/Theology-Ethics-and-Technology-in-the-Work-of-Jacques-Ellul-and-Paul-Virilio-A-Nascent-Theological-Tradition“What’s in a Name? Jacques Ellul’s Reading of Naming in Genesis 1-3,” from Jacques Ellul and The Bible: Towards a Hermeneutic of Freedom: https://wipfandstock.com/9781725267855/jacques-ellul-and-the-bible/Desert, Wilderness, Wasteland, and Word: A New Essay by Jacques Ellul and Five Critical Engagements: https://wipfandstock.com/9781666742534/desert-wilderness-wasteland-and-word/nBlueSky: @mchlmorelli.bsky.socialInstagram: @mchlmorelli

The other day, my colleague Joel Korytko started talking about Genesis, Cain, and the city. Right away, I asked him: Have you read Jacques Ellul's Meaning of the City? Joel hadn't read it, so I sent him some sections. After that, we decided it made sense to start talking about it and hit record. What resulted was a three-part conversation on Genesis, Civilization & The City. This is the second part.The first part is here: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/personalist-manifesto-s-podcast/id1779392257The third part will be posted next week.BiosJoel Korytko is Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies at Northwest College & Seminary. He holds a PhD in Oriental Studies (Septuagint) from University of Oxford, England. He is the author of numerous publications, including the monograph Death of the Covenant Code: Capital Punishment in Old Greek Exodus in light of Greco-Roman Egyptian Law (Brill).Michael Morelli is Associate Professor of Theology & Ethics at Northwest College & Seminary. He Holds a PhD in Theological Ethics from University of Aberdeen, Scotland. He is the author of Theology, Ethics & Technology in the Work of Jacques Ellul and Paul Virilio (Lexington), and editor of Desert, Wilderness, Wasteland, and Word: A New Essay by Jacques Ellul and Five Critical Engagements (Pickwick).ResourcesEllulThe Meaning of The City: https://wipfandstock.com/9781606089736/the-meaning-of-the-city/Judgment of Jonah: https://wipfandstock.com/search-results/?keyword=judgment+of+jonahApocalypse: https://wipfandstock.com/9781532684456/apocalypse/New Demons: http://www.newhumanityinstitute.org/pdf-articles/Jacques_Ellul-New-Demons.pdf“Technique and the Opening Chapters of Genesis,” from Theology and Technique: https://www.jesusradicals.com/uploads/2/6/3/8/26388433/technique-and-the-opening-chapters-of-genesis.pdfJoelDeath of the Covenant Code: Capital Punishment in Old Greek Exodus in light of Greco-Roman Egyptian Law: https://brill.com/display/title/68955?language=en“Correcting Cosmic Skeptic”: youtube.com/watch?v=zYKkktZKrCsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JoelKorytkoTwitter: @JoelFKorytkoMichaelTheology, Ethics & Technology in the Work of Jacques Ellul and Paul Virilio: https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781793625441/Theology-Ethics-and-Technology-in-the-Work-of-Jacques-Ellul-and-Paul-Virilio-A-Nascent-Theological-Tradition“What’s in a Name? Jacques Ellul’s Reading of Naming in Genesis 1-3,” from Jacques Ellul and The Bible: Towards a Hermeneutic of Freedom: https://wipfandstock.com/9781725267855/jacques-ellul-and-the-bible/Desert, Wilderness, Wasteland, and Word: A New Essay by Jacques Ellul and Five Critical Engagements: https://wipfandstock.com/9781666742534/desert-wilderness-wasteland-and-word/nBlueSky: @mchlmorelli.bsky.socialInstagram: @mchlmorelli

The other day, my colleague Joel Korytko started talking about Genesis, Cain, and the city. Right away, I asked him: Have you read Jacques Ellul's Meaning of the City? Joel hadn't read it, so I sent him some sections. After that, we decided it made sense to start talking about it and hit record. What resulted was a three-part conversation on Genesis, Civilization & The City. This is the first part.The second part is here: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/personalist-manifesto-s-podcast/id1779392257?i=1000705472315The third part will be posted next week.BiosJoel Korytko is Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies at Northwest College & Seminary. He holds a PhD in Oriental Studies (Septuagint) from University of Oxford, England. He is the author of numerous publications, including the monograph Death of the Covenant Code: Capital Punishment in Old Greek Exodus in light of Greco-Roman Egyptian Law (Brill).Michael Morelli is Associate Professor of Theology & Ethics at Northwest College & Seminary. He Holds a PhD in Theological Ethics from University of Aberdeen, Scotland. He is the author of Theology, Ethics & Technology in the Work of Jacques Ellul and Paul Virilio (Lexington), and editor of Desert, Wilderness, Wasteland, and Word: A New Essay by Jacques Ellul and Five Critical Engagements (Pickwick).ResourcesEllulThe Meaning of The City: https://wipfandstock.com/9781606089736/the-meaning-of-the-city/Judgment of Jonah: https://wipfandstock.com/search-results/?keyword=judgment+of+jonahApocalypse: https://wipfandstock.com/9781532684456/apocalypse/New Demons: http://www.newhumanityinstitute.org/pdf-articles/Jacques_Ellul-New-Demons.pdf“Technique and the Opening Chapters of Genesis,” from Theology and Technique: https://www.jesusradicals.com/uploads/2/6/3/8/26388433/technique-and-the-opening-chapters-of-genesis.pdfJoelDeath of the Covenant Code: Capital Punishment in Old Greek Exodus in light of Greco-Roman Egyptian Law: https://brill.com/display/title/68955?language=en“Correcting Cosmic Skeptic”: youtube.com/watch?v=zYKkktZKrCsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JoelKorytkoTwitter: @JoelFKorytkoMichaelTheology, Ethics & Technology in the Work of Jacques Ellul and Paul Virilio: https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781793625441/Theology-Ethics-and-Technology-in-the-Work-of-Jacques-Ellul-and-Paul-Virilio-A-Nascent-Theological-Tradition“What’s in a Name? Jacques Ellul’s Reading of Naming in Genesis 1-3,” from Jacques Ellul and The Bible: Towards a Hermeneutic of Freedom: https://wipfandstock.com/9781725267855/jacques-ellul-and-the-bible/Desert, Wilderness, Wasteland, and Word: A New Essay by Jacques Ellul and Five Critical Engagements: https://wipfandstock.com/9781666742534/desert-wilderness-wasteland-and-word/nBlueSky: @mchlmorelli.bsky.socialInstagram: @mchlmorelli

Jacques Ellul regularly cited three primary influences upon his work: Karl Marx, Søren Kierkegaard, and Karl Barth. The latter two influences disclose a fair amount about Ellul’s approach to theology and ethics, but the mention of Marx in this trio may complicate matters for some people.Ellul was not a Marxist per se. He taught courses on Marx, he wrote about Marx, and he was a fine reader of Marx. He often said it was the Marxist structural analytical method he most appreciated and used in his work, yet because he was a Christian, he could not completely take the Marxist yoke upon himself.Perhaps in another conversation we’ll explore Marx’s influence on Ellul, but in this conversation, we’ll be exploring the work of Karl Barth, and through that exploration, get a picture of a theologian who significant influenced Ellul. In fact, as Ellul put it in an interview: “I recall the shock I had in 1936—in reading The Word of God and the Word of Man… It was an incredible liberation.” Here’s why Ellul uses such strong language when describing this discovery: “Barth was infinitely less systematic than [John] Calvin, and he was completely existential at a time when the concept did not exist. He put biblical thought in direct contact with actual experience; it wasn’t armchair theology.” In this conversation, we’ll get a glimpse at the existential character of Barth’s work as I talk with Daniel Rempel, someone whose dissertation title (which he is currently readying for publication) says it all: Intellectual disability and the Christian life: a study in Karl Barth, disability, and witness.Of course, neither Ellul nor Barth are ‘disability theologians.’ Such a theological category did exist while they were alive. But, as you will encounter in this conversation, the lack of such categories being applied to their work does not mean it cannot offer helpful resources for thinking about witness, in and beyond disability.BioDaniel Rempel, PhD is Assistant Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies at Providence University College & Theological Seminary. His doctoral research was situated at the intersection of disability theology and the work of Karl Barth. All his work is ultimately rooted in the same concerns: how can we come to know God better, and how does that change the way we live?LinksProvidence Faculty Bio Page: https://www.prov.ca/team-members/daniel-rempel/BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:acqk2sjny33npbrbthcdxgxq'Intellectual disability and the Christian life: a study in Karl Barth, disability, and witness' (dissertation): https://abdn.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/44ABE_INST/1jd70l9/alma9918422993505941“Wounded for Us: Disability Theology’s Contribution to Christology” (article): https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23312521.2024.2440702?src=exp-la“We Have Wasted Too Much of Our Time Ignoring the Fact That We Belong Together: The Office, Belonging, and the Body of Christ,” in Theology, Religion, and the Office: Beauty in Ordinary Things (book chapter): https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781978715936/Theology-Religion-and-The-Office-Beauty-in-Ordinary-ThingsAdditional ResourcesChristiane Tietz, 'Karl Barth: A Life in Conflict': https://academic.oup.com/book/39435

This conversation started with an apology sent to me via email from a friend, and former office mate, named Allen Calhoun. Allen’s apology concerned certain tensions existing between the United States and Canada. Part of my reply to Allen’s apology email was that he is not the one that needs to be saying sorry, but there was something about the motivations behind his heartfelt gesture that prompted me to ask the following: what if this email signalled an opportunity for us to get our other two former office mates together to hit record and talk about these geopolitical tensions out in the open—just as we used to when we were back in Aberdeen, Scotland, working on our research projects, and taking periodic breaks to have the kinds of discussions that you’re about to be thrown into?As you’ll discover, this conversation features the perspectives of two Christians living in America, one Christian living in Canada, and one Christian living in Ireland. The one from Ireland—Kevin Hargaden—takes on the role of host, and mediator, for the Americans (Allen and David Lilley) and the Canadian (me), and in doing so, creates a bit of time and space for all of us to live out, in real time, a truly Personalist conversation; one that seeks to find our common personhood in a moment when the personhood of the ‘other’ is being denied more-and-more, and with devastating results. It all culminates in some final words from Kevin that hit the proverbial nail on the head: if we’re looking for a way out of the geopolitical predicaments we find ourselves in, it all comes down to faithfulness in a moment of flux. BiosAllen Calhoun worked as a tax lawyer after obtaining a JD from the Notre Dame Law School and an LLM in taxation from Washington University in St. Louis. He received an MTh and then a PhD in theological ethics from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, and has taught courses in taxation, philosophy, and ethics. He is the author of Tax Law, Religion, and Justice: An Exploration of Theological Reflections on Taxation, and has contributed chapters and articles on topics ranging from the religious origins of the welfare state to aspects of Protestant social teaching and the place of taxation in political theologies. He was a McDonald Distinguished Fellow at the Center for the Study of Law and Religion at Emory University from 2019 until 2024 and currently works as a tax law editor and independent scholar.Kevin Hargaden is the Director and Social Theologian of the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice (www.jcfj.ie) in Dublin, Ireland. He has degrees in Computer Science, Sociology, and Theology. He did his PhD at the University of Aberdeen under the supervision of Brian Brock and Stanley Hauerwas, studying the theological implications of the collapse of the Irish "Celtic Tiger" economy. He is the author of numerous popular and academic publications including Theological Ethics in a Neoliberal Age (Cascade, 2018). David Lilley is a Pastor for the United Methodist Church in Tennessee. He is an adjunct professor at the Belmont University's Theology & Christian Ministry School. He completed a PhD at the University of Aberdeen, focusing on Sabbath and theological ethics in Karl Barth’s doctrine of creation. AllenTax Law, Religion, and Justice: https://www.routledge.com/Tax-Law-Religion-and-Justice-An-Exploration-of-Theological-Reflections-on-Taxation/Calhoun/p/book/9780367713478?cjevent=bfdbdd8e1b8d11f0807a00a80a82b836KevinTheological Ethics in a Neoliberal Age: https://wipfandstock.com/9781532655DavidAt The Invitation of God Who Rests: https://abdn.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/fulldisplay?docid=alma990017334780205941&context=L&vid=44ABE_INST%3A44ABE_VU1&lang=en&search_scope=MyInst_and_CI&adaptor=Local%20Search%20Engine&tab=Everything&query=any%2Ccontains%2Cdavid%20lilley%20rest&offset=0

If you have been a regular, or even semi-regular, participant in what Personalist Manifesto(s) is up to, chances are you’ve heard the name Brian Brock mentioned by me and/or by people I’ve had conversations with. Because Brian was my PhD supervisor—and an excellent one at that—he’s a big influence, just as he is for so many other people I know. As far as Brian’s influence on me goes, he walked with me while I went on the long journey of researching Jacques Ellul and Paul Virilio for my PhD thesis. Not only that, he was there to review—and endorse—that thesis when it became a monograph. So, given Brian’s involvement—his ongoing supervision and support—he has spent a fair amount of time reading, writing, and talking about Ellul. And of course, he’s also spent a lot of time reading, writing, and talking about other texts and scholars too. In this conversation, we talk about Brian’s soon to be released book 'Joining Creation’s Praise: A Theological Ethic of Creatureliness.' As you’ll discover, this book has been years in the making, and its publication represents a massive accomplished as it “follows the first few chapters of Genesis in order to discover the things that the sages of Israel took to be crucial for the ethical life of human beings among other creatures in God’s world.” Having also spent a fair amount of time doing such reflection on the first few chapters of Genesis, I think Ellul would be intrigued by this book if he were alive today. So it only makes sense that I would have Brian join me here for a conversation.BioBrian Brock (PhD, King’s College, London) is chair of moral and practical theology at the University of Aberdeen in Aberdeen, Scotland. He has written scholarly works on the use of the Bible in Christian ethics, the ethics of technological development, and the theology of disability, including Singing the Ethos of God: On the Place of Christian Ethics in Scripture. He is managing editor of the Journal of Disability and Religion, founder and managing editor of the T&T Clark Enquiries in Theological Ethics, and president of the Society for the Study of Christian Ethics.LinksUniversity of Aberdeen Faculty Page: https://www.abdn.ac.uk/people/b.brockJoining Creation’s Praise (authored book): https://bakeracademic.com/p/Joining-Creation-s-Praise-Brian-Brock/618589Singing the Ethos of God: https://www.eerdmans.com/9780802803795/singing-the-ethos-of-god/Wondrously Wounded: https://www.baylorpress.com/9781481310130/wondrously-wounded/

The conversation with Natalie Carnes that you are about hear, picks up where a previous conversation I had with iconographer Kelly Latimore left off—we talk about iconography, iconoclasm, theology, Christology, and a whole lot more. So, I’ll avoid giving you a long preamble, and simply revisit a quote from Jacques Ellul’s 'Humiliation of The Word' to frame what’s ahead:"I am not trying to minimize the importance of the image. I mean only to specify its domain and understand its limits. The image is an admirable tool for understanding reality. In the social or political world, it can even be explosive and terribly efficacious… A documentary film of a riot enables us to penetrate the world of another better than any speech could. But an image is explosive only if the spectator knows what it represents and if it is taken for what it is: a faithful representation of reality."What I appreciate about Natalie’s work, and what I think will come across to you in our conversation, is her attentiveness to the respective domain, effects, and limits of aesthetics, and how all of this inherently shapes and is shaped by our theologies and senses of who we—who people—are. BioNatalie Carnes, PhD is Professor of Theology at Baylor University. She's a constructive theologian invested in questions that cross the fields of aesthetics, feminism, and systematics. She finds her systematic questions are at the same time aesthetic ones, like: How does God come to us in our material existence? Or: How do we in our material lives honor or betray divine life? Similarly, her feminist concerns about idolatry, authority, and hermeneutics are preoccupations of systematic theology, even as these concerns are also explored and expressed in the aesthetic investments of feminist theology.LinksWebsite: https://nataliecarnes.com/Baylor Faculty Webpage: https://religion.artsandsciences.baylor.edu/person/natalie-carnes-phdBaylor Initiative for Theology and the Arts: https://bica.artsandsciences.baylor.edu/Attunement: The Art and Practice of Feminist Theology: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/attunement-9780197765623?cc=us&lang=en&#Image and Presence: A Christological Reflection on Iconoclasm and Iconophilia: https://www.amazon.com/Image-Presence-Christological-Iconophilia-Encountering/dp/1503604225?SubscriptionId=AKIAIOCEBIGP6NUBL47AMotherhood: A Confession: https://www.sup.org/books/religious-studies/motherhoodAdditional ResourcesStewart Brand, How Buildings Learn: https://www.amazon.ca/How-Buildings-Learn-Happens-Theyre/dp/0140139966Mark Doox, Our Lady Mother of Ferguson: https://www.stjohndivine.org/about/blog/1/posts/239/museumfromhome-christian-iconsCommunal and Contemplative Art - A Personalist Manifesto(s) Conversation with Kelly Latimore: https://personalistmanifestos.substack.com/p/communal-and-contemplative-artInternational Jacques Ellul Society 2026 Conference Info and Call for Papers: https://ellul.org/

As I was preparing for the conversation with John Swinton that you are about to hear, I was reminded of a quote from one of Jacques Ellul’s first books, 'Presence in the Modern World,' published in 1948. There, Ellul writes “we no longer know where we are heading. We have forgotten our common purposes, we have enormous means at our disposal, and we put into operation prodigious machines in order to arrive nowhere.” 77 years later, Ellul’s reflections remain accurate, and someone like John offers antidotes to the destructive aimlessness that ails many of us. In a world where power, speed, and wealth dangerously tend towards domination and movement towards no definitive end (or ends), John gently and prophetically welcomes us into a world where kindness, contemplation, friendship, and slowing down are means that get us to the interrelated ends of loving God, neighbour, and self.What you may not expect about what’s ahead, is that our conversation revolves around music as much as it does John’s scholarly work. For, just as John is an accomplished writer and speaker, he’s also a serious songwriter and singer—with the rock and roll history, and his recently released album, to prove it. The album is called Beautiful Songs About Difficult Things, and in that sense, its title represents a lot of the ground we cover in this conversation, and a lot of the ground John covers in his work.BioJohn Swinton is professor of practical theology and pastoral care at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, and founding director of Aberdeen’s Centre for Spirituality, Health, and Disability. He worked as a nurse for sixteen year within the fields of mental health and learning disabilities and later also as a community mental health chaplain. He’s also an accomplished musician, who just released a full-length album titled Beautiful Songs About Difficult Things. NotesUniversity of Aberdeen Faculty Page (includes list of publications): https://www.abdn.ac.uk/people/j.swintonBeautiful Songs About Difficult Things (album): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kZ5VS5M8dc5U3N_aAzTVsKV5Y0Q7EF4zYAdditional ResourcesGustavo Gutierrez, On Job: God-Talk and the Suffering of the Innocent: https://orbisbooks.com/products/on-jobJames H. Cone, The Spirituals and The Blues: https://orbisbooks.com/products/the-spirituals-and-the-blues-50th-anniversary-editionWilliam Blake, Illustrations of the Book of Job: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:William_Blake's_illustrations_of_the_Book_of_JobKosuke Koyama, Three Mile an Hour God: https://scmpress.hymnsam.co.uk/books/9780334061472/three-mile-an-hour-godRobert Levine, Geography of Time: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/robert-n-levine/a-geography-of-time/9780786722532/?lens=basic-booksDreich: https://www.oed.com/dictionary/dreich_adj?tl=true

Every conversation is an experience, but every conversation with Carlos L.S. Thompson is a REAL experience. Carlos is, quite simply, the kind of person who speaks from his heart to your heart. As you’ll hear in this episode, Carlos and I first met when we were doctoral students in Aberdeen, waiting for our coffee orders on campus. It was an instant friendship. Because of that, it makes total sense I’d have Carlos on Personalist Manifesto(s) to talk about his work at the Henri Nouwen Friendship House at Western Theological Seminary. As we talk about Carlos’ work and the Friendship house, we talk a lot about personhood and Jesus—what it means to be a person, and what Jesus has to do with that.While Jacques Ellul tended to avoid lengthy accounts of personhood in his writing—his history background caused him to be more of a nominalist than essentialist—when he did talk about what makes the human being human, relationship and adaptability come to the fore. As a part of this, Ellul’s theology of the image of God is a mysterious mixture of love, language, limits, and Christology. So, I think Ellul would appreciate what Carlos has to say on the topics. I know I did, and my guess is you will too.BioDr. L.S. Carlos Thompson is Assistant Professor of Christian Ministry and Disability Theology and Director of the Friendship House at Western Theological Seminary. His research centres on inviting the Church, and those who are called to shepherd her members, to be more faithful to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Within this general call, he draws attention to particular ways that the Church can practice more faithfully in the midst of hardships—suffering, the lived experience of chronic illness, and/or the reality of enduring bodily impairments (disability).LinksWestern Theological Seminary Faculty page: https://www.westernsem.edu/faculty/thompson/Disabling the Church (Podcast): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disabling-the-church-from-the-center-for/id1800737392“The Beauty of Belonging” (Essay): https://comment.org/the-beauty-of-belongingAdditional ResourcesAdditional ResourcesKosuke Koyama, "Three Mile an Hour God": https://scmpress.hymnsam.co.uk/books/9780334061472/three-mile-an-hour-godPaul Virilio, "Administration of Fear": https://mitpress.mit.edu/9781584351054/the-administration-of-fear/

It was only a matter of time for the topic of race to come up on Personalist Manifesto(s), and when the time came, I wanted to have a conversation with someone who approaches the topic with a critical and constructive perspective; a prophetic and pastoral voice. Enter Grace Ji-Sun Kim, who consistently offers such a perspective and voice in her work, and made some time in her busy schedule to speak with me recently.I can’t promise this will be easy listening—especially if you’re inclined to dismiss or try to shut down discussions and uses of intersectional and critical race theory—but I will urge you to keep listening even when it’s difficult. Because if you do keep listening, you might discover, just as I am, that the categories of white and whiteness are not directed at white people per se; rather, they are directed at ideologies, systems, and actions that continue to put white people in positions of power and exclude, oppress, and hurting people who are not.The good news is that, on the other side of this discovery, is the realization that there is only one race: the human race, and the different groups comprising this race are fearfully and wonderfully made by a Triune God. This God’s being and action is at once unified and plural, and because of that, this God started and is finishing creation with a move towards similar unity and plurality.BioGrace Ji-Sun Kim is Professor of Theology at Earlham School of Religion and the author/editor of 24 books, including 'When God Became White,' 'Surviving God,' 'Christianity in North America,' 'Spirit Life,' 'Invisible,' 'Hope in Disarray,' 'Keeping Hope Alive,' 'Intersectional Theology,' and 'Healing our Broken Humanity.' She received her M.Div. from Knox College (University of Toronto) and her Ph.D. from the University of Toronto. She is also an ordained minister of word and sacrament within the Presbyterian (USA) denomination.LinksWebsite: https://gracejisunkim.wordpress.com/Substack: https://gracek.substack.com/Podcast: https://www.christiancentury.org/podcast/madangAdditional resourcesFeminist Theology Network email newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/a5e743737064/feminist-theology-networkFeminist Theology Network BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/feministtheology.bsky.socialBEEF (trailer): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVqKByS20Uc

Søren Kierkegaard heavily influenced Jacques Ellul’s work, so like Kierkegaard, Ellul has been criticized for a hyper-focus on the individual and an apparent lack of interest in communities, institutions, and societies. But as it is for Kierkegaard, so it is for Ellul: appearances can be deceptive. Both thinkers focus on the status of the individual within communities, institutions, and societies that erode and eliminate individuals.As much as Kierkegaard and Ellul appear to be anti-social individualists, it is more accurate to say they are trying to inspire people to become aware of and resistant to communities, institutions, or societies that devalue people. For these reasons, I was excited to speak with Kierkegaard scholar Keith Dow in this conversation.Keith works at a unique intersection of the academic, not-for-profit, and local church worlds—an intersection that, as you will discover, brings him into relationship with people who have intellectual and developmental disabilities. So, we spend a lot of time speaking about these worlds, how they do and don’t intersect, and what these intersections—or lack thereof—mean for the status of individuals, communities, institutions, and societies today. Consequently, while the word 'disability' does not appear in Kierkegaard or Ellul’s work in evident or significant ways, this conversation explores how attentive considerations of what most people call ‘disability’ are enriched by Kierkegaard and Ellul’s work.BioDr. Keith Dow (PhD, Theology) has served with Karis Disability Services in Canada (karis.org) for almost two decades. He specializes in theology of care, grief and loss support, and conflict resolution training. Dr. Dow works alongside churches and service providers to celebrate the spiritual lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Author of Formed Together: Mystery, Narrative, and Virtue in Christian Caregiving (Baylor, 2021), he is a credentialed pastor with Be in Christ and a visiting researcher with Martin Luther University College. Keith lives just South of Ottawa, Ontario with his wife and three surprisingly delightful teenage children.LinksWebsite: https://keithdow.com Formed Together: Mystery, Narrative, and Virtue in Christian Caregiving (authored book): https://www.baylorpress.com/9781481313216/formed-together/Work with Karis: https://karis.org/churchesBirmingham Fellowship work: https://crosstrainingpsychologyandtheology.com/ Images of God art exhibition launch: https://karis.org/media-resources/stories-news/images-of-god-art-exhibit-in-waterloo-on

Jacques Ellul advocates for non-violent resistance to evil throughout his writings, but there were moments in his life when he considered violent action. How, then, does one reconcile Ellul’s stated commitments to non-violence with what he shares in these interviews? The answer to this question is, well, as it usually is… complicated. And to try to simplify the answer is not only theoretically questionable, it’s practically dangerous. Why? For Ellul, it would risk generating justifications for violence that ought never to be justified.Ellul was not the only continental-European theologian who navigated these complex questions about and realities of violence during the war years. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, for example, is another such theologian who ascribed to non-violence, famously wrestled with these kinds of questions, and ultimately decided to participate in a plot to assassinate Hitler. In this conversation, I speak with Bonhoeffer scholar Kevin O’Farrell, who shares his perspective on the extent to which Bonhoeffer’s story and theology resists narration, systematization, and application—and, how the complexity of Bonhoeffer’s biography and witness issues both a challenge and an encouragement to people who want to resist evil without becoming evil in the process. As this conversation unfolds, it will become evident that both thinkers and activists shared similar contexts. Their theologies and ethics were forged in times of war and crisis, and both advocated for non-violence—even though they, at times, were drawn into violence given extreme, some would say exceptional, circumstances. My hope is that this conversation complicates, in a good way, accounts of violence and non-violence; accounts that are all too easily and dangerously simplified and systemized today.Guest BioKevin O’Farrell is Director of Theological Engagement for The Joni Eareckson Tada Disability Research Center. He has published on disability theology, biotechnological enhancements, and the theoloDiegy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. His most recent book publication is Dietrich Bonhoeffer and a Theology of the Exception (London: Bloomsbury, 2024). Kevin holds a Ph.D. in Divinity from the University of Aberdeen.LinksDietrich Bonhoeffer and a Theology of the Exception (authored monograph): https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/dietrich-bonhoeffer-and-a-theology-of-the-exception-9780567709394/BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/kevinofarrell.bsky.socialAdditional ResourcesJacques Ellul and Patrick Troude-Chastenet, "Jacques Ellul on Politics, Technology, and Christianity": https://wipfandstock.com/9781597522663/jacques-ellul-on-politics-technology-and-christianity/Jacques Ellul, "Violence: Reflections from a Christian Perspective": https://wipfandstock.com/9781610977968/violence/Stephen R. Haines, "The Bonhoeffer Phenomenon: Portraits of a Protestant Saint:" https://www.augsburgfortress.org/store/product/9780800636524/The-Bonhoeffer-PhenomenonJohn W. De Gruchy, "The Bonhoeffer Question: A Life-Changing Conversation": https://www.amazon.ca/Bonhoeffers-Questions-Life-Changing-John-Gruchy/dp/1978707835Robert Vosloo, “Bonhoeffer, our Contemporary? Engaging Bonhoeffer on Time, the Times, and Public Theology.” The Bonhoeffer Legacy: An International Journal 5/2: 19-35. https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv10h9f24Matthew Puffer, “Three Rival Versions of Moral Reasoning: Interpreting Bonhoeffer’s Ethics of Lying, Guilt, and Responsibility” Harvard Theological Review, Vol. 112, Issue 2, April 2019: 160-183. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/harvard-theological-review/article/abs/three-rival-versions-of-moral-reasoning-interpreting-bonhoeffers-ethics-of-lying-guilt-and-responsibility/F6700E04C1D59C4E0114E6FA4C766814Clifford J Green, “Pacifism and Tyrannicide: Bonhoeffer’s Christian Peace Ethic,” Society for the Study of Christian Ethics, Vol. 18 (3), 2005: 31-47. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0953946805058796

For many of the people listening and watching, David Gill requires no introduction. But for the uninitiated, let me tell you why David was at the top of the “people I need to talk to” list when we started the Personalist Manifesto(s) project. Not only is David the founding president of the International Jacques Society—a role he served in for 25 years—he’s been instrumental in introducing Ellul to North Americans. As the sub-title of his recently published memoir puts it, David is a marginal activist, and in this conversation you’ll hear all about what this means and the critical role Ellul played in David’s marginal activist becoming.These are the kinds of stories you’ll hear in this interview, and as you hear them, you’ll also hear how Ellul’s mentorship has brought David, his family, and his compatriots into all sorts of interesting, and transformative places. So with that, I am please to share with all of you my recent conversation with David.BioDavid Gill is an Oakland-based writer and speaker on Christian ethics and workplace/business ethics. He served forty years as an ethics professor at New College Berkeley, North Park University, St. Mary’s College, and Gordon-Conwell Seminary and is the author of ten books, most recently What Are You Doing About It? The Memoir of a Marginal Activist (2022) and Workplace Discipleship 101: A Primer (2020). His twin passions (vocational missions) have been (1) exploring, developing, and articulating a more radically biblical Christian ethic, especially related to work; and (2) exploring, developing, and articulating a more constructive approach to building ethically healthy organizations in a diverse, global marketplace.LinksWebsite: https://www.davidwgill.org/What are You Doing About It? The Memoir of a Marginal Activist: https://wipfandstock.com/9781666750454/what-are-you-doing-about-it/The Word of God in the Ethics of Jacques Ellul: https://wipfandstock.com/9781666747331/the-word-of-god-in-the-ethics-of-jacques-ellul/Work Place Discipleship 101: www.hendricksonrose.com/p/workplace-discipleship-101/9781683073116

*Trigger warning*There is a lot of talk about trauma in this interview. We don’t get too graphic at any point, but I am nevertheless conscious that discussions like these can be difficult for people. I want to make sure everyone listening and watching is given the opportunity to avoid this one or press pause at points to reflect and practice self-care.The word 'trauma' as it is used today in mainstream and academic discourse may not appear in Jacques Ellul’s writing, but his life and work are marked by it. His experiences during the first and second world wars; the stress of the Cold War; his work with marginal youth; and the devastating loss of one of his children, hang over his biography, writing, and activism like an ominous cloud. Strangely, and definitely not to be romanticized, this cloud of trauma prompted Ellul to prophetically read the signs of his times, and as a part of the work, earnestly seek a theology and practice of hope in apparently hopeless circumstances.So, I was thrilled to have Katie Cross join me for a conversation about her recent lecture series: Hope in a Traumatized World. As the title of the series suggests, Katie’s work focuses on theologies of trauma, suffering, and division, which, in numerous ways, converges with numerous themes in Ellul’s works.And with all that said, I hope what we talk about offers you at least a little bit of hope in what can often seem like a hopeless world.BioDr. Katie Cross holds the post of Christ’s College Lecturer in Practical Theology. Her work and teaching is centred around theologies of trauma, suffering, and division. Her first book was a theological engagement with the Sunday Assembly, a "godless congregation," and she has also co-edited two volumes on trauma theology (Feminist Trauma Theologies and Bearing Witness, both with SCM Press). Her current research explores the beliefs, practices, and traumas of Christians who have left the church. She is an active qualitative researcher and she regularly share my research in public forums.LinksBlueSky: @drkatiecross.bsky.socialFeminist Trauma Theologies: https://scmpress.hymnsam.co.uk/books/9780334058724/feminist-trauma-theologiesBearing Witness: https://scmpress.hymnsam.co.uk/books/9780334061175/bearing-witness#Thoughtsandprayers: A Theology of Social Media Crisis Interaction and Mental Health: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23312521.2024.2441431The Sunday Assembly and Theologies of Suffering: https://www.routledge.com/The-Sunday-Assembly-and-Theologies-of-Suffering/Cross/p/book/9780367535650?srsltid=AfmBOopb_3lCTifh6f8cDdSta4CHJ6fhOvaJPm_XPM41qo8cK_adVlu7Additional resourcesLucy Bond and Stef Craps, Trauma: https://www.routledge.com/Trauma/Bond-Craps/p/book/9780415540421?srsltid=AfmBOop4Z23zpmtBz3DjLoCAKSIKXvoHPOCi1DJdAIJqPCgbOdaQ7s4eShelly Rambo, Resurrecting Wounds: https://www.baylorpress.com/9781481306799/resurrecting-wounds/Forensic Architecture: https://forensic-architecture.org/programme/publicationsFlorida school shooting students told to wear clear backpacks: https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-43499045

Whether you identify as a Christian or not, my hope is that Christmas conversations like this one will be encouraging for you. For a lot of people, this time of year is anything but easy. It can be really hard for a number of reasons. Especially this year. Likewise, for a lot of other people, it can be like Seinfeld, where the characters invent their own holiday—festivus for the rest of us —to fill in the blank spots in their calendars while everyone else is drinking coco, opening presents, and listening to Mariah Carey’s Christmas album.In this conversation, I speak with Tripp Fuller from Homebrewed Christianity. When I pitched to Tripp the idea of a Christmas episode, of sorts, he said “that sounds fun.” So we met up, hit record, and riffed on the real story of Christmas, with help from Jacques Ellul and Bernard Charbonneau, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Karl Barth, and of course… Lord of the Rings. Enjoy!Guest BioTripp Fuller is a podcaster, theologian, minister and competitive home brewer. Currently, he is visiting Professor of Theology at Luther Seminary. He received his PhD in Philosophy, Religion, and Theology at Claremont Graduate University. For over 12 years Tripp has been doing the Homebrewed Christianity podcast where he interviews different scholars about their work so you can get nerdy in traffic, on the treadmill, or doing the dishes. Last year it had over 3 million downloads. It also inspired a book series with Fortress Press called the Homebrewed Christianity Guides to topics like God, Jesus, Spirit, Church History and so on. Follow Tripp FullerWebsite: https://www.homebrewedchristianty.com/Substack: https://processthis.substack.com/Bluesky: @trippfuller.bsky.socialPodcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/homebrewed-christianity/id276269040YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TrippFullerFollow Personalist ManifestosSubstack: https://personalistmanifestos.substack.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PersonalistManifestosApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/personalist-manifesto-s-podcast/id1779392257Additional NotesThe Galilean Boathttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRHPZBar-B4Fellowship of the Ring is a Christmas Moviehttps://www.homebrewedchristianty.com/2023/12/02/have-yourself-a-lord-of-the-rings-christmas-movie-marathon/

Depending on the person using them today, words like 'secular' and 'secularism' tend to be proclamations of triumph or cries of alarm. But for thinkers like Jacques Ellul and Charles Taylor, more measured and contemplative approaches to whatever secularism is and does are required to get a clear understanding of where we have been, where we are, and where we are going socially, culturally, politically, economically, and spiritually speaking. In this conversation, I speak with Andrew Root, an insightful reader of Charles Taylor, as well as Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Karl Barth. So, at one point in our dialogue you’ll hear me say: so, what do you (Andrew) think about Ellul’s treatment of our so-called secular age? On top of a few sidebar conversations about us both supporting losing hockey teams, the mysterious appeal (or lack thereof) of the Canadian coffee giant Tim Hortons, Andrew and I spend a good deal of time laying out the essential features of Taylor’s and Ellul’s understandings of secularism—where they are similar, where they are different, and so on—before he answers that question. Guest BioAndrew Root is the Carrie Olson Baalson Professor of Youth and Family Ministry at Luther Seminary, USA. He writes and researches in areas of theology, ministry, culture and younger generations. His most recent books are Churches and the Crisis of Decline (Baker, 2022), The Congregation in a Secular Age (Baker, 2021), The End of Youth Ministry? (Baker, 2020), The Pastor in a Secular Age: Ministry to People Who No Longer Need God (Baker, 2019), Faith Formation in a Secular Age (Baker, 2017), and Exploding Stars, Dead Dinosaurs, and Zombies: Youth Ministry in the Age of Science (Fortress Press, 2018).Follow Andrew RootPodcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/when-church-stops-working-featuring-andrew-root/id1462822741Website: https://www.andrewroot.org/Twitter: https://x.com/rootandrewFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/andrew.root/Andrew's latest book: The Church in the Age of Secular Mysticismshttps://bakeracademic.com/p/The-Church-in-an-Age-of-Secular-Mysticisms-Andrew-Root/516472Follow Personalist ManifestosSubstack: https://personalistmanifestos.substack.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PersonalistManifestosApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/personalist-manifesto-s-podcast/id1779392257Additional NotesJordan Peterson is the Intellectual We Deserve: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/2018/03/the-intellectual-we-deserve

Figures like Jacques Ellul and Bernard Charbonneau are known primarily for their extensive and heavy critiques of technology’s scope and power in the modern world. As a part of such critiques, they studied and were concerned by the ways modern technologies shaped the perception and production of art. Ellul elaborates these critiques at lengths in books like Empire of Non-Sense and Humiliation of the Word, so it's possible for many to conclude neither Ellul nor Charbonneau were engaged in art in general, and the art of their time in particular. But there is evidence to the contrary throughout their lives and work. For example, Ellul writes in Humiliation of the Word,"I am not trying to minimize the importance of the image. I mean only to specify its domain and understand its limits. The image is an admirable tool for understanding reality. In the social or political world, it can even be explosive and terribly efficacious... But an image is explosive only if the spectator knows what it represents and if it is taken for what it is: a faithful representation of reality."Kelly Latimore’s iconography constitutes the faithful, transformative, and explosive representation of reality that Ellul calls for in this quote.Guest BioKelly Latimore is an artist and iconographer from St. Louis, MO. He started painting icons in 2010 while a member of the Common Friars, a small monastic farming community in Athens, Ohio. Latimore’s icons often mix classic orthodox iconographic imagery with figures representing the marginalized and the oppressed among us here and now. Latimore’s icon “Refugees: La Sagra­da Familia,” in which the flight to Egypt is interpreted as Latinx immigrants crossing the desert, adorns the cover of Pope Francis’s book “A Stranger and You Welcomed Me.” Latimore has also created a diverse array of icons of unexpected saints such as poet Mary Oliver, author James Baldwin, and TV host Mr. Rogers.Follow Kelly LatimoreWebsite: https://kellylatimoreicons.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kellylatimoreicons/Twitter: https://x.com/klicons?lang=enInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/kellylatimoreicons/

Artificial Intelligence, or AI, has entered the mainstream and apparently, it’s here to stay. For a lot of people, it represents a totally new technological phenomenon—something the average person didn’t and couldn’t see coming. Although he died in 1994, Jacques Ellul was not one of those people. As far back as 1954, he wrote in Technological Society about the possibility of “thinking machines” entering the world, and he expressed skepticism about the possibility and promise of such an entrance.In this conversation, we hear from Beth Singler. Beth’s a religious studies scholar who has a wealth of experience with and knowledge of technology in general, and artificial intelligence in particular. She also knows her pop culture stuff, which comes up throughout our conversation for those who appreciate a good sci-fi, fantasy, alt-rock, and/or classic mockumentary reference. We talk about one of her latest books AI and Religion, and as we do that, we cover a lot of topical and disciplinary territory—just as Ellul and Charbonneau would have it if they were talking or writing about technology, and AI if they were alive to see how far both have come today.Guest BioProfessor Beth Singler is the Assistant Professor in Digital Religion(s) at the University of Zurich. Prior to this she was the Junior Research Fellow in Artificial Intelligence at Homerton College, University of Cambridge, after being the post-doctoral Research Associate on the “Human Identity in an age of Nearly-Human Machines” project at the Faraday Institute for Science and Religion. Follow Beth at: Website: https://bvlsingler.com/Bluesky: @bvlsingler.bsky.socialCheck out these two books she's written or edited:Religion and AIhttps://www.routledge.com/Religion-and-Artificial-Intelligence-An-Introduction/Singler/p/book/9781032187648?srsltid=AfmBOoqLOQsIK3mDvl0GOUtYh6qh9cKxXUrySc6tS3p7aATaxS1Zd8EeThe Cambridge Companion to Religion and AIhttps://www.cambridge.org/core/books/cambridge-companion-to-religion-and-artificial-intelligence/867462871532038FDE79B253EA9A3C15Follow Personalist Manifesto(s) at:• personalistmanifestos.substack.com• youtube.com/@PersonalistManifestos• https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/personalist-manifesto-s/id1779392257Additional NotesIncubus - Pardon Mehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXzuDXZwZtISpontaneous Combustion in Spinal Taphttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TW6W9iOjTKM

In this very first Personalist Manifesto(s) conversation, we hear from Daniel Cérézuelle about Jacques Ellul, Bernard Charbonneau, Personalism, Freedom, and so much more.Daniel Cérézuelle has studied philosophy and social science. As a philosopher he has taught the philosophy of technology in France and the USA and since 1991 has served on the board of the Society for the Philosophy of Technology. As a sociologist he is investigating the social importance of the non-monetary economy in modern society. He is currently the scientific director of the Self-production and Social Development Program (PADES). He is the author of For another social development (1996), Nature and Freedom, an introduction to the thought of Bernard Charbonneau (2022), Technique and the Flesh (2011), and other works.Follow Personalist Manifesto(s) at:• personalistmanifestos.substack.com• youtube.com/@PersonalistManifestos• https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/personalist-manifesto-s/id1779392257