We talked with author and hospice chaplain Kevin Sweeney about his new book The Cosmic Christ and the Concrete Jesus, where he talks about how Christian mystics and the Black prophetic tradition have helped him find his footing as a Christian.

Kevin Sweeney is the author of two other books, The Making of a Mystic and The Joy of Letting Go. He is also chaplain for hospice care, and currently lives in Honolulu with his wife, Christine, and their two kids, True and Mikayla.

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We talked with trauma therapist and Licensed Clinical Social Worker Adam Young about exploring our past stories to help us make sense of where we are now and begin to imagine who we would like to become. Adam wrote Make Sense of Your Story to help people explore their personal stories, and how they still impact us today.

Adam Young is a trauma therapist and the host of The Place We Find Ourselves podcast. He is a licensed clinical social worker with masters degrees in social work and divinity. Adam regularly speaks at conferences and currently serves as an instructor and facilitator with the Allender Center in addition to his private practice. He lives in Fort Collins, Colorado with his wife and two children. You can connect with Adam and his work at adamyoungcounseling.com.

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We talked (again!) with Sheila Wray Gregoire about dispelling the pervasive myths about what makes a happy marriage, and looking at actual evidence to understand what creates intimacy, emotional health, and connection. Sheila's new book is The Marriage You Want: Moving Beyond Stereotypes for a Relationship Built on Scripture, New Data, and Emotional Health, co-written with her husband Dr. Keith Gregoire.

Sheila Wray Gregoire is an author, podcaster, and sought-after speaker who is passionate about changing the evangelical conversation about sex and marriage to line up with kingdom principles. Sheila is the host of the Bare Marriage Podcast and has written several books including The Great Sex Rescue and She Deserves Better: Raising Girls to Resist Toxic Teachings on Sex, Self, and Speaking Up. Sheila and her husband Keith live in Ontario, Canada.

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This week, we spoke with Dr. Emily Hunter McGowin about reimagining the definition of a "biblical" family and the ways that family can embody the work of the Kingdom. Her new book is Households of Faith: Practicing Family in the Kingdom of God.

Dr. Emily Hunter McGowin is Associate Professor of Theology at Wheaton College. She is the author of Quivering Families (2018), Christmas (2023), and Households of Faith: Practicing Family in the Kingdom of God (2025), a practical theology of family framed by the church and the kingdom of God. Dr. McGowin and her husband, Ron, also a priest, live in Chicago with their three children.

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We talked with theologian Stephen Morrison about the anti-mammon witness of the Early Church and its relevance for today, which Stephen argues points toward anti-capitalism. Stephen explores these ideas in his new book All Riches Come from Injustice.

Stephen D. Morrison is a prolific American writer probably best known for his ongoing, mulit-volume "in Plain English" Series (as in: Karl Barth in Plain English). He's an ecumenical theologian drawing inspiration from Karl Barth, T. F. Torrance, Jürgen Moltmann, and James Cone among others. Recently he's been writing about political theology and joins us to day to talk about his book All Riches Come From Injustice: The Anti-Mammon Witness of the Early Church & Its Anti-capitalist Relevance.

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We talked with Tom Oord about open and relational theology and how it can help us trust God after tragedy, abuse, and evil. We talked about the ideas and implications of his book God Can't: How to Believe in God and Love after Tragedy, Abuse, and Other Evils.

Thomas Jay Oord is a theologian, philosopher, and scholar of multi-disciplinary studies. Oord is a best-selling and award-winning author, having written or edited more than thirty books. Academic Influence ranks him among the most influential theologians in the 21st century. Oord directs doctoral programs at Northwind Theological Seminary and directs the Center for Open and Relational Theology. He is known for his research and writing on love, open and relational theology, science and religion, evil and power, and the implications of freedom and relationships for transformation.

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We talk with author and mediator Cheryl Miller about how restorative justice practices can transform the lives of survivors of sexual violence. In her book Enough Silence: Creating Sacred Space for Survivors of Sexual Assault Through Restorative Justice, Cheryl outlines of these practices and offers a road map for implementing victim-offender dialogue, surrogate dialogue, circles, and more. Her book is a call to pastors, clergy, nonprofit professionals, and other leaders to dismantle patriarchal systems that perpetuate rape culture. By embracing restorative justice practices, faith communities can imitate Christ in ministering to survivors and those who love them.

Cheryl Miller has worked in mediation, restorative justice, and community development for over two decades. An experienced nonprofit leader, she is also the founder of Quantum Circles Consulting and Training, an organization that equips community groups to address homelessness, economic development, restoration, and reconciliation. You can connect with Cheryl and her work on her website.

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We talked with Dr. Andrew Bauman about the preponderance of sexism and abuse in the church, and what we can do to counteract and guard against it, which are the themes of his book Safe Church: How to Guard Against Sexism and Abuse in Christian Communities.

Dr. Andrew J. Bauman is the founder and director of the Christian Counseling Center: For Sexual Health & Trauma (CCC) and a licensed mental health counselor. A former pastor, Andrew now works with men and women to bring healing and wholeness to their sexual and spiritual lives. His mission is to use his unique position to elevate women's voices and expose a disease that desperately needs to be removed from the church's body. you can connect with Andrew and his work on his website.

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