Christmas is more than a Christian holiday; it’s a global response to darkness, uncertainty, and the need for hope. In this episode of Religion Matters, we explore Christmas alongside Roman Saturnalia, Yule fires, saints and monsters, La Posada, global South celebrations, Kwanzaa, and Asian traditions of light and home. A journey through ritual, food, and meaning that asks what humans do when winter, either literal or symbolic, sets in.

Music by Kirk, Aiden and Caleb Sandvig.

Edited by Kirk Sandvig

Published by Hidden Wave Productions

Kirk Sandvig explores global traditions that connect the living and the dead through ritual, memory, and, yes, food. From Celtic Samhain and soul cakes to Día de los Muertos, Buddhist ghost festivals, Japanese Obon, and Korean Young San Jae, we dive into how different cultures honor their ancestors through multisensory practices. Drawing on stories, scholarship, and the theology of Alfred North Whitehead, this episode asks: what does it mean to feed the dead, and what does that say about the living?

Music by Kirk, Aiden and Caleb Sandvig.

Edited by Kirk Sandvig

Published by Hidden Wave Productions

In this episode, we discuss the domestic and international implications of President Trumps first 75 days of his second term of office. Since his return we have see the reimplementation of the Muslim ban in America, the reestablishment of the White House Faith Office, the creation of the Task Force to Combat Anti-Christian Bias, as well as sweeping anti DEI initiatives that impact domestic and international trade/cooperation. Many of these initiatives and executive orders have resulted in massive shifts in policy and practice, leading to a general sense of loss, confusion, dislocation, and depression. These are to topics discussed in the podcast, as well as the ways religious and educational institutions are able to find hope in these times of anxiety and uncertainty.

Book recommendations:

Katongole, Emmanuel, Born from Lament: The Theology and Politics of Hope in Africa. WmB. Eerdmans Publishing Co. 2017.

https://www.eerdmans.com/9781467446983/born-from-lament/

Music by Kirk, Aiden and Caleb Sandvig.

Edited by Kirk Sandvig

Published by Hidden Wave Productions